The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Stakeholders

  • Stakeholders hail Reps over Tobacco Control Bill

    Stakeholders hail Reps over Tobacco Control Bill

    Stakeholders have hailed the House of Representatives for conducting the recent public hearing on the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB).

    They said the action would address the controversy surrounding smoking in public.

    Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) National Vice-President Dele Sotuba said the organisation was happy with the National Assembly for the planned law.

    He noted that such a statute would sanitise the tobacco industry.

    The NACCIMA chief urged the House to enact a producer-user-friendly legislation that would reduce the negative effects and maximise the positive effects of tobacco production and smoking in Nigeria.

    At the presentation of the organisation’s memorandum, the Director of Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth (ERA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, hailed the lawmakers for its front role to regulate the tobacco industry.

    He said ERA was calling for the regulation of tobacco products’ contents, the packaging and labelling.

    According to him, ERA is also advocating the rights of non-smokers, since tobacco affects its consumers and non-consumers.

    Also, the Head of Research of the Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA) Mr. Olusegun Sotola said the regulation should be balanced and cater for the rights of the smokers and non-smokers.

    He said this would ensure that it does not result in unintended consequences.

    According to him, it must be realised that the issue of tobacco has both the health and economic implications.

    “As long as there is demand, there must be supply. The right of smokers must be catered for and if the bill as it is drafted, is passed, it will not only affect the manufacturing but the whole value chain; farmers, distributors, retailers, suppliers. This will impact on the economy negatively,” Sotola said.

    British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), in its presentation to the House, supported the passage of a balanced and evidence-based bill for the industry.

     

     

  • Stakeholders move against insecurity, cultism

    Stakeholders move against insecurity, cultism

    To fight insecurity, cultism and restore sanity in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State, its chairman, Hon. Gbolahan Bagostowe convened a maiden security stakeholders meeting yesterday.

    The meeting which took place at the council’s secretariat was attended by representatives of corporate organisations operating in the area, Community Development Associations (CDAs) and other stakeholders.

    Bagostowe said his council was taking steps to curb youth restiveness and crimes. He added that security must be addressed with every sense of responsibility “in order to enable us achieve and actualise our dream of a secured Somolu community.”

    According to the chairman, the essence of the stakeholders’ meeting is to call for support of corporate organisations and the whole community as security is not the sole responsibility of government, and to prevail on parents to monitor their children.

    He said as part of efforts at controlling restiveness and crime in the local government in recent times, he held several meetings with the CDAs, provided vehicles, walkie-talkies and other security gadgets to boost security in the area.

    Bagostowe emphasised that to ensure security in the area, government alone cannot bear the burden, hence the need to seek the support of corporate organisations and agencies in his domain.

    A Security Trust Fund Committee was set up to put in place all things necessary in terms of money and other logistics to checkmate crime, insecurity and cultism in the area.

  • Candidates, stakeholders agree to free, fair poll

    Candidates of the 20 parties contesting the August 9 Osun State governorship election and other stakeholders have agreed to ensure free and fair poll devoid of violence.

    They made the pledge at a sensitisation workshop organised for political parties and stakeholders by the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs in Osogbo, the state capital.

    The parties in attendance include the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), the National Conscience Party (NCP) and Action Alliance (AA).

    Others are All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Accord Party (AP) and Democratic Peoples Movement (DPM).

    Issues bordering on the smooth conduct of the election were discussed at the  meeting held at the Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo.

    Some of the governorship candidates, who could not attend the programme, sent their representatives.

    While the APC candidate, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, sent the party’s state chairman, Elder Adebiyi Adelowo to the event, the PDP’s candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was represented by his running-mate, Adejare Bello.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party-Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, while opening the workshop, stressed the need for all the political parties and their candidates to shun violence during the election.

    Obi said free and fair election is a panacea to peaceful co-existence in any society and pledged that the governorship election would be conducted in a fair atmosphere.

    He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create a level-play ground for all political parties before and during the governorship election.

    He said: “Most of our political parties have negated a lot of their duties and concentrated mainly on elections and attaining political power at the expense of an entrenched democracy.”

    “I am calling on all the stakeholders in the Osun State governorship election to embrace peace. All the political parties contesting the election should have equal access to the media. And we want all political parties to have the freedom to publicise their programmes and agenda.”

     

  • Stakeholders canvass vetting of political adverts

    Stakeholders canvass vetting of political adverts

    • AAAN, APCON partner INEC to ensure compliance

    When the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) embarked on massive campaign against unvetted political advertisement during the last general election, the effort only produced little compliance. This time, the effort might yield greater result with the involvement of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to increase the level of compliance.

    INEC has partnered with the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and APCON to hold an international seminar on political advertising, perception building and voter education as part of the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

    The partnership is aimed at setting the standards for the coming electioneering period in terms of advertising as well as equipping voters with the needed information.

    AAAN President  Mrs. Bunmi Oke said: “Political parties are the primary participants at this discourse focusing on electioneering process towards 2015. For us at the AAAN, we are desirous of promoting voter education and political advertising. This informed our involvement in  putting together the international seminar.

    “In the face of the present realities, it is our firm belief that all hands most be on deck to help our nation achieve an enviable election that Nigerians will be proud of. To this end, it is our responsibility to educate the citizenry as well as redefine parameters for electioneering advertising. The only way to attain this level of professionalism and memorable campaign concepts is to involve registered AAAN practitioners/members in the planning, development and execution of advertising for election.”

    APCON Registrar/CEO  Alhaji Bello Kakanrofi said it was an effort to expand the frontiers of voter education and awarenes.

    “Ours is an effort at voters’ education and a knowledge-based electioneering that  ought to translate to informed voting which will benefit the political parties greatly in their quest to delivered the right messages about their manifestoes to the electorates. Therefore, as a regulator we advocate decent advertising which can be guaranteed by vetting all political campaign materials by APCON. Hopefully, we look forward to a situation where the political parties will commit to this pledge at the end of the seminar,” he said.

    The INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, who will chair the seminar, is expected to give the keynote address. The keynote speaker is Mr. Craig Smith,; a former Campaign Adviser for President Bill Clinton’s 1992 election. Smith was later appointed White House Political Director, and played a prominent role in Clinton’s 1996 re-election.  Currently, he is busy with “I’m Ready for Hillary, a pro-Senator Hillary Clinton-for-President grassroots mobilisation group. He sure has stories to tell on running a successful election campaign.

    The panel of discussants is drawn from government regulators in election and communication as well as bodies involved in electioneering process in Nigeria. They are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) and Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) as well as a representative of civil society groups.

  • Fed Govt’s ports policies bleeding economy

    Fed Govt’s ports policies bleeding economy

    Stakeholders say Federal Government’s policies at the nation’s seaports in recent times are becoming unpopular.  While terminal operators, importers and clearing agents were still battling to come to terms with the 110 per cent duty imposed on rice importation, car dealers and would-be car owners were shocked when officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) suddenly commenced the implementation of the 70 per cent tariff imposed on fairly-used vehicles.  OLUWAKEMI DAUDA reports that these policies have taken its toll on the economy.

    A new duty regime on imported fairly used vehicles  (known in local parlance as Tokunbo) will formally come into force at the end of this month. Under the new  scheme, automobile importers who hitherto paid 20 per cent duty on used vehicles will now pay 70 per cent as duty.

    The new tariff is a product of the new government’s automotive policy which states that fully built cars (ready to drive) will henceforth attract 35 per cent duty plus another 35 per cent levy. This brings the total payable tariff  by importers to 70 per cent.

    It also pegs the age ceiling of 10 and 15 for private and commercial vehicles respectively.

    The policy has caused disquiet among clearing agents. It is also bad news for intending car owners whose hope of ever owning a car have been dashed by the new policy. Importers are worried that the imposition of such duties will affect their businesses and hike vehicle prices by at least 300 per cent.

     

    Cost of Made-in-Nigeria cars

    The Federal Government says Made-in-Nigeria vehicles would sell for between N1.2million and N1.5million.

    Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said it was part of measures to develop local capcity in the automotive industry.

    He said: “The importation of Tokunbo vehicles will not be a major threat to the automotive development plan. The tariff for the importation of cars has been reviewed upward and will be announced soon.”

    Aganga also said the ministry had commenced the implementation of the Automotive Industrial Policy Development Plan, whih is expected to place the country  in the club of auto-producing countries.

    He said with the new measures, the automotive industry will create significant, good quality employment and a wide range of technologically advanced manufacturing opportunities. Aganga added that this will enable the country to acquire the requisite technologies of mass production and quality control. He said arrangements have been made to manufacture new cars that will be sold for between N1.2million and N1.5million.

     

    Clearing costs rise 

    Determined to test the waters, the Federal Government suddenly began the implementation of the policy on March 1.  As expected, importers and clearing agents revolted as the cost of clearing cars and commercial vehicles shot up to between 300 and 450 per cent respectively.

    A similar government policy on rice had resulted into massive smuggling of the staple food and attendant loss of revenue to the government.

    The agents did not only stopped work, they also blocked all ports’ entrance and exit gates, especially at the Tin Can Island Port (TICP), Apapa, the country’s only Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) facility. No movement was allowed in and out of the ports throughout the day. This forced the government to revert to the status quo a day after the showdown.

    The government has concluded plans to relaunch the policy at the end of this month. Stakeholders say if the government worked its talks,  importers will have no choice but resort to smuggling the vehicles into the country through her numerous porous borders.

     

    Cargo diversion imminent

    The effects of the hike in duty on used vehicles and rice and the total ban on other goods is telling negatively on the revenue earnings of the NCS.

    Stakeholders say the government did not realise that the country’s neighbours are always praying that it made unpopular policies the advantage of which they take to boost their trans-border business. For instance, any time Nigeria government hikes payable duty on any commodity or bans its importation outrightly, the reaction of neighbouring countries is usually a reduction of the tariff of such goods in their country.

    Findings show that ahead the implementation of the auto policy,  Nigerian importers have started diverting their consignments to those countries from where they will be moved, through approved and unapproved routes, into the local markets.  More than 70 per cent of such goods find their way into the country through smuggling.

     

    Stakeholders to resist policy implementation

     

    The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN)  said it will resist the  implementation of the new tariff by the NCS.

    Its President, Comrade Anthony Nted, said as long as the local automotive industry is yet to stand on its feet, the union will not allow its implementation.

    He expressed anger that despite the outcry of Nigerians and efforts by maritime stakeholders to get the government to rescind its unpopular rice and vehicle tariff policies, men of the NCS have commenced its implementation ahead the July 1 implementation date.

    He said: “We heard that the implementation is going to take place by July but we heard that Customs has started the implementation. I don’t know how it works. We will find out if that is true, the MWUN will do everything it can to resist the policy. The best thing we can do to draw the attention of the government to these policies that are inimical to the existence of the Nigerian people is for us to call our workers out of service after every other options have failed.”

    National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition (SNIFFIEC), Osita Chukwu said the policy is completely anti-masses and should be resisted.

    He said the new policy, aside hurting the masses, will push a lot people out of the cargo broking job.

    He said: “We cannot accept the 70 per cent tariff hike. It’s going to kill the masses. How many people will be able to buy used vehicles now? How many people can afford new ones as well? We totally reject this.

    “We are going to shut down the ports if the government doesn’t rescind its decision on this matter. By the time over three million importers, exporters and other stakeholders withdraw their services from the ports, you can only imagine the implication of that action on the economy.”

     

    Customs’ revenues dip

    In the first quarter report declared by the NCS, revenue earnings between January and March this year, was a meagre N77.9 billion out of the projected figure of N400 billion representing a 19.5 per cent or a N322.1 billion loss. The amount collected was also less than half of the N191.3 billion collected by the NCS during the corresponding period under review.

    According to figures from NCS Headquarters in Abuja, N27.4 billion was collected in January, N23.8 billion in February and N26.7 billion in March. The NCS said  out of the revenue collected in the period under review, N41.7 billion was remitted to the Federation Account and N36.2 billion paid to the non-federation account.

    According to the record, revenue collected came from duties, fees and levies,  N7.2 billion was collected on port levy; N1.4 billion from levy on sugar; N7.2 billion from wheat grain levy and N1.0 million from flour levy. Again, N41.7 billion of the revenue figure was realised from five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) while N131.8 million was from the National Export Supervision Scheme (NESS). Other special levies which provided revenue during the period, according to the NCS, were Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS )Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), which accounted for N10.5 billion and N6.3 billion respectively.

    A further breakdown of the revenue figure showed that N2.6 billion was generated from 100 per cent levy on rice, N79.2 million from brown rice levy and N112.5 million from steel levy. It added that textile levy accounted for N24.1 million, N4.8 million from wine, cement levy, N274.9 million and N135 million from cigarette levy.

    A Lagos based car dealer, Mr Daniel Joseph said the new tariff will fuel smuggling if it becomes the last option.

    “With the new tariffs, it means cars of 2003 are no longer to be allowed into the country. That’s bad. Nigeria currently makes about N30 billion yearly from used vehicle importation. It will lose that revenue with the new policy because only very few importers can afford to pay all the legitimate duties and levies. When you pay that, how much will you now sell the vehicles? Over 300 per cent increase. A car of N400,000 will jump to over a million naira. Do you know the implication of that? People will resort to smuggling because they want to evade taxes and duties. When this starts, it will be another headache for the government and its agencies at the borders,” he said.

     

    Losses from rice

    Stakeholders blamed the 110 per cent hike in the payable duty on rice for the dip in Customs’ revenue collection.

    In 2012, import duty on rice was 50 per cent and 10 per cent levy totaling 60 per cent. But during 2013 fiscal year, it was shot up to 110 per cent shooting up the cost of importation and the market price.

    Based on the astronomical increase on the  duty, many importers had diverted their cargoes to Cotonou, Benin Republic, where the duty was slashed to as low as 10 per cent.

    This inevitably made smuggling of the staple food attractive an inevitable.

    The ENL Consortium Terminal, Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, where over 60 per cent of rice imported into the country is discharged, recorded near-zero import of the commodity last year.

    The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, said the total revenue loss  to duty hike on rice last year was N300 billion.

    In the first quarter of this year, she said N80 billion was lost as over 150 shiploads or 600,000 metric tons of rice were diverted to the neighbouring ports of Benin Republic, Cameroon, Ghana and Togo.

    Haastrup said: “This is becoming rather unfortunate. Our economy is bleeding seriously because of this policy. The loss to other countries, as a result of the high tariff on rice was over N300 billion last year while in the first quarter of this year alone, both government and private operators have lost a least N80 billion.

    “Even the Federal Government through the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, admitted the shortcoming of this policy. The truth is that the policy has done more harm than good to our economy and government should waste no further time before reversing it.”

    Haastrup, who is also the Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium Limited, said the 110 per cent duty imposed on rice affected the revenue of the NCS, terminal operators, dockworkers and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

    The STOAN chair said: “The fact of the matter is that the policy cannot work. Even if you place heavily armed Customs officers in every corner of our borders, it won’t stop smuggling. It is a fact that local production cannot match local demand which creates a recipe for smuggling. “There is a lot of pressure on Customs because the quantity of rice produced locally can only satisfy 30 per cent of local demand. It is easy to point fingers but I believe Customs officers are giving their best.

    “And don’t forget that our neighbouring countries are profiting from the policy by dropping their own tariffs on rice and because they are benefitting, they give tacit support to these smugglers.”

    Haastrup said the 110 per cent policy would not encourage local production but rather stifle it due to the high rate of smuggling.

     

    High import prohibition list

    Stakeholders said the country has the longest import prohibition list (IPL) in the world. While other nations use tariff to discourage the importion of some goods into their countries, the country uses outright ban to achieve same goal. Stakeholders said the practice is at variance with modern day international trade. Response from the government is that the policies were introduced to protect the country from being turned into a dumping ground by other nations and invariably to protect local industries that are too weak to compete with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

     

    Policy somersault

    At the Centenary Award held in Abuja, Dr.  Okonjo-Iweala, said the Federal Government was contemplating a downward review of tariff on imported rice. According to her, a  reduction in tariff will reduce smuggling of the commodity into the country, lamenting  that the existing 110 per cent duty was an incentive to smugglers.

    “We increased the tariff to110 per cent, and it encouraged some people to go and grow rice and we grew 1.1 million metric tons of the product. But it also encouraged smuggling by neighbouring countries because they immediately dropped their own tariffs to 10 per cent. For rice, we see that it is not working,” she said.

     

    Furniture import ban reversal

    For over a decade, furniture has remained in the country’s IPL with its consequent huge revenue loss. Even with the ban in place,  foreign furniture continued to flood the country, finding their ways into the homes of the elites. Apparently realising the losses, the Federal Government recently unbanned the item through a circular Ref. No. BD.12237/S.403/T1/221 dated 23rd January, 2014. The document conveyed to all relevant agencies, the extension of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) 2008 – 2012 until 31st December 2014 and 2014 Fiscal Policy Measures.

    Rather than an outright ban, a duty rate of 35 per cent has been slammed on the item, which as at the time of this report may not have been officially gazetted for capture in Customs’ procedures for import duty collection purposes.

    In the circular, furniture was listed as numbers 195 and 196 under HS Code 9401.3000.00-9401.8000.00 and 9403.1000.00-9403.6000.00 respectively.  It was titled, “Extension of ECOWAS Common External Tariff 2008 – 2012 and the Fiscal Policy Measures 2014” and signed by Okonjo-Iweala.

    The Customs in Circular No.005/2014 dated March 4, 2014, directed all concerned including Deputy Comptrollers General, Zonal Coordintors, Customs Area Controllers (CACs) and heads of units, to comply with the minister’s directive. The Customs’ circular was signed by Adesina Odunmbaku, the Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Trade and Tariff (T&T), for the Comptroller General of Customs.

     

    Policy obnoxious, anti-people

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), joined other Nigerians in condemning the 70 per cent hike in import tariff on Tokunbo vehicles.

    Its spokesman, Osita Okechukwu, said the hike was obnoxious, anti-people and capable of inducing smuggling, which would further impoverish Nigerians.

    “The Automotive Industry Policy Development Plan is defective and utopian, as you cannot build nothing out of nothing.  How can you reduce import dependency on automobiles when there is electricity supply deficit, iron manufacturing deficit, rail transport deficit, high cost of finance and absence of motor vehicle manufacturing plants?

    “It is a trite economic law that you can only protect existing factories, not futuristic factories; we must develop and address the supply side,” the CNPP said.

    It called on President Goodluck Jonathan to cancel the Tokunbo vehicle import tariff.

    The National President of the Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, however, said based on the interaction between the group and  Federal Government representatives, the automotive policy will be reviewed. He said: He said: “The contentious automotive policy is to be revisited with a view to reversing the policy in favour of a phased increase in the tariff regime over a period of 10 years.”

     

    Auto policy promises more jobs

    The Director-General, National Automotive Council (NAC), Mr. Aminu Jalal, said many international automotive manufacturers in particular, Toyota, Nissan, Renault and General Motors, have indicated interest in investing in the country following the evolution of the automotive development plan.

    He said: “Nissan, Toyota and others are now conducting a feasibility study on vehicle assembly in Nigeria.

    “At full capacity, the Nigerian automotive industry has the potential to create 70,000 skilled and semi-skilled jobs along with 210,000 indirect jobs in the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) sector that will supply the assembly plants.”

    Jalal said 490,000 other jobs would also be created in the raw materials supply industries.

     

  • Stakeholders anticipate slash in duty on books

    •13 countries for book fair

    As the Federal Government works towards removing the 50 per cent duties imposed on imported books, the Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), Mr Samuel Kolawole, has expressed optimism that reading materials would become cheaper in Nigeria.

    Speaking last Thursday at a briefing ahead of the 13th edition of the Nigerian International Book Fair (NIBF) which holds for five days next week at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Kolawole said the policy has made books unavailable and more expensive.

    “Tertiary books are mostly not printed in Nigeria.  When the duty is high, you are making the books less accessible because it becomes more expensive thus less people can afford to buy.  We believe the government is responding positively to this issue and we believe the problem will be solved soon.  We had a meeting with the Ministry of Finance where the issue was adddressed.  It is part of our efforts to influence policy,” he said.

    On his part, the Executive Secretary of the NBFT, Mr Abiodun Omotubi, urged stakeholders to tackle negative policies that hinder literacy.

    “The task of enhancing literacy is a daunting one which all and sundry in the country must not shy away from.  Government in every tier must see the task as a priority because literacy is a driver of economic growth and development.  Policies that will hamper the enhancement of literacy and become disincentive to investment for stakeholders in the book industry should be ignored by the government,” he said.

    For the book fair next week, Kolawole said International publishers, booksellers and printers from 13 countries within and outside Africa will join indigenous stakeholders in the book industry to participate in the fair, which he said has grown to be the biggest and most consistent in Africa.

    Kolawole said that Sweden, Pakistan and Egypt will be participating for the first time.

    Other countries are: United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroun, Botswana and Ghana.

    The Emergence of the E-Book and the Survival of Physical Book in Africa will be the focus of an international conference which will feature as part of the fair.  Dr Victoria Okojie, Registrar/CEO, Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), is to deliver the keynote address at the conference, which will be chaired by Mr Akin Olajide, former Managing Director, University Press Plc.

    Apart from book exhibition, the fair will also feature workshops for librarians, teachers, authors, as well as children’s programmes, seminars and the like and provide platform to forge business ties.

    With all the activities planned for the fair, Kolawole said the opportunities it will throw up for the development of literacy in Nigeria will be many and beneficial.

    “The annual NIBF is a platform for the players in the book industry locally and in foreign countries to network and access the latest titles in the book world.  Authors, printers and publishers of books in Nigerian market will be part of NIBF 2014.  Users of books and other instructional materials will not be left out,” he said.

  • Stakeholders warn against withdrawal of N285b Police pension from PFAs

    Stakeholders warn against withdrawal of N285b Police pension from PFAs

    Stakeholders in the capital market and pension industry have called for a rethink of the move to withdraw pension assets of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) estimated at more than N285 billion from independent pension fund administrators (PFAs) to a sole pension administrator under the Police authority.

    Industry analysts said the withdrawal may have unintended negative influence on the capital market where the large chunk of the funds are invested while the lack of independence and competition could thwart the laudable objectives of pension management.

    Independent PFAs manage Police pension funds, which are meant to settle men and officers of the NPF upon retirement in line with the Pension Reform Act (PRA) of 2004. However, the Federal Government has initiated plans to transfer the N285 billion of the pension funds to a new PFA to be known as NPF PFA. The NPF PFA will be managed by the Nigeria Police. The Police has however successfully ran a microfinance bank, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, which is quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

    Stakeholders were worried that the potential for mismanagement and embezzlement of pension assets would be quite high under a sole PFA administrator.

    According to analysts and stakeholders, given the recent happenings relating to the embezzlement of Police pensions outside the PFAs, taking away the funds in the custody of existing professional PFAs to Police may spell doom for their future.

    Stakeholders, who spoke under conditions of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the decision to arm-twist policemen into a sole PFA runs contrary to the principles of choice and competition embedded in the Pension Reform Act (PRA).

    “We have heard and seen how pension funds outside the management of the PFAs but belonging to the Police have been embezzled. Those embezzled funds are gone and nothing is being done to recover them. Now, the funds under the management of the PFAs are being targeted in the form of setting up a new NPF PFA to manage the funds. This will amount to entrusting the future of Nigeria policemen to the hands of few individuals. It is not only risky but it will also dampen the moral of officers and men of the NPF,” a top management executive in the pension industry stated.

    According to analysts, the setting up of NPF PFA and transferring of police pension from the PFAs violate the provision of PRA 2004, which section 11(1&2) allows individuals to choose their PFA.

    Stakeholders said the negative spillovers may also affect the Nigerian capital market as PFAs would have to adjust their portfolios to meet the exigencies of transfers.

    They urged the government to reconsider the idea and allow independent PFAs to continue to manage Police pension assets while the NPF concentrates on its core duty of protecting the citizenry.

  • Stakeholders seek legal backing for National Building Code

    Stakeholders seek legal backing for National Building Code

    Stakeholders in the Building and Construction industry have urged the Federal Government to legalise the National Building Code.

    This, they said, would enable the country to sanitise and secure the industry.

    The National Building Code, which came into force in 2006, has been accepted by all stakeholders but still lacks legal backing.

    In a communique issued at the end of the second edition of Lafarge National Dialogue series in Abuja, the stakeholders also urged the government to forward the building code to the National Assembly for consideration and passage into law.

    The stakeholders regretted that building collapse had persisted, despite the efforts by professionals and various tiers of government.

    The communique ruled out the quality of cement among the causes of building collapse in the country.

    It said: “There is no sub-standard cement produced in the country. The 32.5 strength manufactured by cement manufacturers is of world standard.

    “Professionals are unanimous that cement is not responsible for building collapse and identify issues such as faulty designs, sharp practices, non-involvement of professionals in building projects, overloading due to change in initial building plans, among others, for economic gains, as contributory factors to building collapse.”

    The communique added that the absence of a steel industry to drive the building sector was a major challenge.

    noting that poor level of electricity generation and supply, lack of efficient and properly equipped laboratories for testing materials have hampered certification and growth process in the industry.

  • Stakeholders access partnership law on pro bono services

    Stakeholders access partnership law on pro bono services

    A stakeholders meeting on Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership was held last week to appraise the success of the initiative one year after it was launched. ADEBISI ONANUGA and PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU report

    How effective has the Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership (LPILP) been? Has it met its objectives since it was launched last year by Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN)?

    The law provides a platform where the state partners with private law firms to provide pro-bono legal services to the poor.

    The goal is to increase access to justice and further secure the fundamental rights of every citizen, irrespective of their financial means.

    Since its launch in November 2012, 66 law firms and non-governmental organisations have signed on.

    Through the platform, 116 cases pro-bono have been handled, 36 of which are civil and 80 are criminal matters.

    Through this process, the law has assisted 423 indigent persons with quality legal representation by private legal practitioners. This figure includes two public interest suits which served 110 claimants in one case and 48 in the other.

    In a bid to encourage more legal practitioners to engage in free legal services to indigent persons, Lagos State Government has said plans are underway to establish special funds for the assistance of interested junior lawyers.

    Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice (AG) Ade Ipaye made the disclosure at the first LPILP Pro Bono week in Lagos, with the theme: “Building a culture of Pro Bono in Nigeria.”

    Noting that the special fund would be launched on April 11 to further improve access to justice for all Lagosians, Ipaye acknowledged that the Office of the Public Defender was overwhelmed, hence the need for a public private partnership (PPP) on legal aid.

    “We intend to launch a fund for independent young lawyers to assist them in handling their pro bono cases.

    “This fund would only be available to young lawyers in order to assist them meet such expenses as filing and transportation.

    “Lack of legal services to those who need them have resulted in long adjournments and striking out of cases in courts which have inturn cast aspersions on the reputation of the judiciary,” said Ipaye.

    “We now have 66 partner law firms, four NGOs and have a total of 116 cases ongoing in different courts under this programme. We have impacted about 400 people, which is good progress but we are just beginning,” he said.

    While commending the law firms that have signed-on the programme, he urged others to see Pro Bono services as their way of giving back to the society.

    In her speech, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire called on lawyers to ensure access to justice is not only for the rich but also available to the poor.

    “There is need for us as stakeholders to give voice to the voiceless. After launching OPD many years ago, we found out that the responsibilities on the body were enormous and even with the number of lawyers at the OPD, it was realised that they were overwhelmed and could not handle all cases.”

    Adefulire said the population of Lagos had placed an enormous responsibility on the government, especially in the area of providing access to justice for all residents.

    “We are the commercial nerve centre not only for Nigeria but also for the entire West Africa ans with the responsibility of being a former capital of the country, the challenges are enoutmous

    “So, this is the reason why we are soliciting collaboration of private lawyers because many more people still do not have access to justice,” she said.

    “Gender based violence and woman/child abuse are order of day and some of the victims are so helpless that they do not know what to do.

    “At the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) no fewer than 400 distress calls are received daily from victims of one form of abuse or the other and not all of thecases can be handled by the OPD”, she added.

    The deputy governor  commended the 66 law firms and four NGOs for partnering with the State Government to actualise the objective of the Pro Bono services in the State

    Delivering a welcome address, Director, OPD, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi said the office has sent over 100 cases to LPILP, adding that the thrust of the initiative is for all stakeholders to work closely in order to develop a sustainable future with Pro Bono.

    Mrs. Rotimi urged more lawyers to buy into the ideals of the LPILP.

    She said that the stakeholders meeting is an opportunity for the public and private sector to brainstorm  and have collaboration as equal partners to advance the course of justice administration through improved access to justice’.

    She said, the need for pro bono services across the globe has never been greater. There is a growing awareness among members of the profession and a desire to play their part in addressing this need and thus bridging the gap. Corporate pro bono is on the rise throughout the world and the timing of this meeting  could not be better because the difficult economic climate has led to a dramatic increase in the demand for free legal services from the under privileged section of the society.

    ”Our aim is to develop a framework for public-private partnership dedicated to ensuring that no resident of Lagos State is prevented from accessing the justice system on  the grounds of lack of means’. she added

    President, Public Interest Law Network (PILNet), Prof. Edwin Rekosh in his remark noted that access to justice was under duress globally.

    While noting that lawyers commonly say there is no free launch, Prof. Rekosh urged stakeholders to see Pro Bobo services as a call to assist those in distress.

    “At PILNet, we understand Pro Bono as an obligation, and harnessing the good spirit of lawyers to assist those in distress is the focal point. I appeal to Nigeria lawyers to take up voluntary Pro Bono.

    “No legal aid system exist across the world wothout a crack, and so, if properly structured and institutionalised, the Pro Bona can harness more resources to help solve legal aid problems.,” he said.

    While making a presentation on the need assessment research conducted into culture of pro bono in Lagos by the LPILP in conjuction with PILNet and Justice Research Institute (JRI), Prof. Lanre Fagbohun of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) noted that formal structures for Pro Bono services do not exist in most law firms.

    He said not many law firms appreciate the essence of their participation in Pro Bono services, calling for re-orientation of lawyers and judicial officers.

    Fagbohun disclosed that out of a total of 1148 respondents sampled in the course of the research, only 10 percent have benefited from free legal services in the state.

    Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, said there were enormous challenges being faced in providing equal access to justice for citizens. Fagbohun  observed that majority of litigants still appear in court without attorneys for economic reasons. He said that closing the gap would require a multifaceted approach which would include strong and effective partnership with private attorneys and law firms and NGOs providing freem legal services, the bar, the judiciary, development agencies and other stakeholders. The professor said that there is a significant justice gap between the level of legal services available than what is required to meet the needs of unserved litigants. Given this background, her summed that the commitment of Lagos state to ensuring equal access to justice is seriously at risk.

    He suggested a 14 point approach to improving access to justice in the state. According to him, there is a need to educate and create more awareness on activities of state funded legal service providers and of LPILP. He stressed the need to improve on facilities at the lower court, including increased technology, in order for judicial officers to pee4form more effectively.     The erudite professor of law stressed that specific days be dedicated for hearing of pro bono cases in order to ensure  quick dispensation of pro bono matters.  He said that the understanding of pro bono matters should go beyond giving mere legal advices to litigants or representing them in courts. He emphasized that it should include situations whereby practitioners are able to forward  petitions to office of Attorney General in respect of unrepresented litigants and awaiting trials in prisons among other suggestions.

    Prof. Edwin Rekosh, an adjunct professor at Colombia University, New York, noted that it was not only in Nigeria that access to justice was under pressure.

    Rekosh said countries such as the UK and US had cut funding for legal aid in recent years.       He said notwithstanding, Government still had an obligation to render free legal services to its citizens who could not afford such services.

  • Brokers, stakeholders brainstorm on economic growth

    Brokers, stakeholders brainstorm on economic growth

    Capital market operators and other stakeholders from the private and public sectors will meet later this month to deliberate on strategic policy initiatives that would further unlock the potential of the key sectors of the Nigerian economy and deepen the capital market.

    President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, said the year national workshop of the institute would create a forum for key players in both the public and private sectors to brainstorm and generate ideas which will serve as inputs to national planning and development.

    The workshop with the theme: Update on the transformation agenda and expectation from the public and private sectors, is scheduled to take place in Abuja from April 23 to 25.

    According to him, experts will consider ways in which the capital market can support key sectors such as power and agriculture sectors in order to further encourage economic growth.

    “It goes without saying that these critical sectors hold strategic importance to the realisation of the vast potentials of the Nigerian economy, and reinvigoration of the capital market,” Olushekun said.

    He noted that the public-private discourse at the workshop would assist government agencies to track their performances and provide opportunities to stakeholders to influence government policies.

    “The workshop could not have come at a better time, as it holds great promise to contribute immensely to the transformation, not only of the capital market, but the national economy as a whole,” Olushekun said.

    According to him, the engagements between stakeholders had benefited the country in many way with more benefits to come in the area of providing useful input to the national budget and enhancing the quality of the policy making process.

    He noted that through the annual workshop, capital market operators have been able to collaborate with key arms and agencies of government, including the Presidency, National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange among others.

    Chairman, National Workshop Committee, Mr. Albert Okumagba, noted that the continued emphasis on agriculture in the workshop, was due to its importance to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

    According to him, the critical factors that will bring about tremendous improvement in trade, investment, energy and agriculture would dominate discussion at the workshop.

    Those that are expected at the event include President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; the Senate President, David Mark; and the Speaker House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal.

    Others are: the Ministers of Finance; Industry, Trade and Investment; Petroleum Resources; Agriculture and Power.