The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tackling

  • Tackling the scourge of kidnapping

    SIR: Kidnapping has become an everyday occurrence. It is so worrisome to the extent that even police officers were abducted, and the agency was forced to purchase freedom for their men. These are not political violence but a criminal act that require competent security agencies to respond and defeat. Criminals have never been this audacious in the history of Nigeria. There is no gainsaying in the fact that without an effective security organization with the capability to tackle and crush the kidnapping epidemic, economic development becomes extremely difficult.

    At the moment, kidnapping is widespread in the North; while Boko Haram terrorist group abduct young girls for ransom in the Northeast, the bandits that operate in the Northwest axis keep, targeting the rich, famous, including poor people in the society for monetary gain. From Zamfara to Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna, the story is all the same. Recalled the chairman of the board Universal Basic Education Commissions (UBEC), Muhammed Mahmood and his daughter were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Abuja Road and the authority paid an undisclosed amount of money before their abductors released them. In the same route, some student activists were abducted and paid as low as fifteen thousand naira ($41 equivalent) each to regain freedom. It is funny, but the bandits collect money from people based on their worth. It is a business.

    Recently, a Professor at Obafemi Awolowo was kidnapped in the Southwest and the university paid five million naira ($14000 equivalent) to secure his freedom. The victim described his abductors as herdsmen, the same people who have been kidnapping, killing and raping people across the nation. This is just to mention a few out of numerous high-profile kidnapping for profit in Nigeria.

    The government claims security agencies are working hard; fighting terrorism on the one hand and dealing with bandits and organized crimes all over the country. The presidency has initiated dialogues with herdsmen and cattle breeders association to find common ground. Also, President Buhari has given a marching order to the head police and military to bring everything under control.

    First, the government must understand who they are fighting to identify the best approach to adopt. You cannot beg a thief not to steal your properties as long as there is an opportunity is there to do so. At this point, containment is necessary through the rapid application of force, and adequate law enforcement to deter the criminals. The government must use all the acceptable instrument of law to overcome this menace. Hence, engaging in such dialogue with criminals and their sponsors may not yield result.

    Meanwhile, the government should move faster by empowering police with funding and equipment to fight the bandits. Intelligence is the life and blood of effective policing. The law enforcement agencies should work with the community to identify the criminals and bring them to book. Citizens should have the confidence to provide actionable information to police without fear of becoming a victim. The reality of today is Nigerians are afraid of volunteering information to police for lack of confidence. Also, the government should as a matter of urgency, device a way to mop up the small arms in the circulation. How and where the bandits are getting the weapons, the use remains issue to resolve.

    Experience has shown that criminals have people within law enforcement, military, and community working for them. The police and army must find a method to deal with malicious insiders within their organization who collude or work with the bandits. It is evident that most operations of the criminals were successful because of collaboration with those supposed to protect citizens. There has been a rumor that some of them may be providing information and weapons assistance to bandits/kidnappers and share part of the money collected from victims. It is time for police leadership to look inward to identify the bad eggs and purge them out of the service.

    Over time, the insecurity and the need for personal protection has shifted the additional burden on the overstretched Nigerian Police workforce. The police have a constitutional role in maintaining law and order and protecting ordinary citizens. At this point, the government must intensify efforts to educate citizens, empower police to mitigate the crisis and improve on good governance to reduce poverty and those conditions that make young people turn to criminal activities.

     

    • Dr. Oludare Ogunlana,

    Washington DC, United States.

  • Tackling livestock production challenges through grazing reserves

    Stakeholders, who met in Abuja for a two-day policy dialogue on crop and livestock production, have called for a harmonisation of regional, national and state policies, reports JOSEPH JIBUEZE.

    More states have recognised the need for grazing reserves – areas set aside for livestock development. This has formed part of their agricultural policies.

    However, there is the need for harmonised regional, national and state policies on crop and livestock production.

    It was for this reason that Synergos Nigeria organised the Dialogue – a forum for stakeholders to examine existing policies and explore solutions to crop/livestock production challenges.

    Stakeholders at the Dialogue included crop and pastoral farmers, policymakers, law enforcement officers, among others.

    There were presentations from livestock directors in the ministries of agriculture in Benue, Kaduna and Kogi states.

    They highlighted policies and efforts aimed at fostering symbiotic relationship between crop and livestock producers.

    They also spoke on their efforts at curbing incessant clashes between crop farmers and herdsmen.

    Benue Director of Livestock Dr. Edward Amali said the state was committed to curbing the farmers/herdsmen crisis.

    He listed some of the policies made in this direction, including the enactment of the Anti-Open Grazing law and building of three ranches in the three senatorial zones.

    Amali said there was a plan to build another ranch in Makurdi, adding that there were other initiatives, such as converting cassava wastes into animal feeds.

    “Contrary to perceptions in some quarters, the Anti-Open Grazing Law was not targeted at any section or persons but for the improvement of relationship between the Fulani herdsmen and indigenous crop farmers.

    “The objective is to create an enabling environment that will provide pasture land for the cattle without destroying the crops of the farmers.

    “We believe that if the ranches we have built is embraced under the law, the herdsmen will be issued renewable licenses to operate the ranches.

    “This way, they and their livestock will be protected because government is fully aware of what they do,” Amali explained.

    Benue, he said, is supporting cassava farmers by converting their wastes to commercial assets in form of animal feeds.

    This, he added, “ensures that animal farmers can be in one location and have their feeds, reduce the normadic activities and create jobs for the youths who are now engaged in gathering and processing of the cassava wastes”.

    Kaduna Director of Livestock, Dr. Mohammed Hussaini, said the state had proposed to build 12 grazing reserves, adding that five were already fully operational.

    “The grazing reserves are one-stop centers for modernised agriculture with public health centers, schools for children of pastoral farmers, pasture production, improved milk production and sales as well as amenities such as pipe borne water and electricity,” he said.

    He said the biggest of such reserve is in Kachia, which others will be modelled after.

    Towards improved quality of livestock, Hussaini said the state plans to purchase and distribute 1,000 cows to pastoralists for rearing in the reserves.

    The pastoralists, he said, would be trained in modern and hygienic methods of milk production while ensuring that the produce are properly packaged and bought from them.

    Kogi Director of Livestock Shaibu Osen said the state had created grazing reserves and formulated a ranching policy, adding that the state would provide grazing reserves where private investors can establish ranches.

    According to Osen, a peace commission, headed by a senior aide of the governor, has been set up.

    It comprises all the divisional police officers, traditional rulers and community representatives, he said.

    Dr. Andrew Kwasari, Technical Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture Chief Audu Ogbeh, praised Synergos’ initiatives on crop and livestock integration research and pilot in the three states.

    He said Federal Government’s 10-year pastoral plan was being perfected, noting that Synergos’ contribution to the policy had been immense.

    Synergos Senior Field Manager Victor Adejoh, who represented the Country Director Adewale Ajadi, underscored the trust and collaboration the NGO has enhanced with pastoralists, farmers, states and Federal Government agencies towards articulating, reviewing and implementing policies for improved agriculture production.

    “Synergos’ pilot interventions for controlled grazing adopt an integrated crop-livestock production system that will lead to increased capacity and market linkages for enhanced symbiotic productivity and effective peace and conflict resolution mechanisms practiced by pastoralists and farmers.

    “The proposed intervention is expected to contribute in providing practical experiences that will key into the ten-year strategic intervention plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria, as articulated in the National Livestock Transformation Programme of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture,” Adejoh said.

    Synergos Nigeria is a global non-profit organisation that works to deepen trust, through collaborations, to solve complex problems of poverty and create opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.

    It helps to tackle inequality by promoting and supporting collaborations among business, government, civil society, and marginalised communities.

    The programme is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

  • Tackling auto artisans shortage in Lagos

    The auto industry has seen major changes in designs and special features. Maintaining cars requires highly-skilled technicians, who are not so many. To address the shortage of technicians, the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is partnering Automedics to raise graduate technicians to meet the challenges of modern car repairs. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Many global automotive companies are choosing Nigeria as a launch market for their cars. They include Hyundai, Toyota, KIA, BMW and Mercedes Benz. Most of these products are designed at the parent companies’ headquarters. The cars are fitted with modern navigational equipment and voice activation, among others, which have led to increase in repair challenges.

    To the government, the automotive services sector has been identified as one of the high-growth sectors because it is projected to create a substantial number of new jobs for the economy. In addition, it has transformed repair works as innovation and new skills are now required.

    To the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, automotive service technicians and mechanics’ work have evolved from mechanical repair to high-tech jobs with integrated electronic systems and complex computers running vehicles, measuring performance on the road.

    She said this requires that technicians increase broad-based knowledge on how complex components work can be handled, as well as the ability to work with electronic diagnostic equipment.

    She added :”I want to believe we are all aware of the Bus Reform Initiative of this administration, which is to provide 5000 fully air-conditioned  vehicles on Lagos rotes to ease transportation and also improve the aesthetic of the city,the state has taken delivery of some,parked at the newly commissioned Ikeja Bus Terminus. The buses would be maintained by technical partners,and would also need local competent technicians to work with tem;this is an employment opportunity outlet for you after graduation.”

    She said: “The winning  proposal is  to provide young  graduates with transferable high-tech skills that would enable them to repair world class cars as well  as make them  very attractive for high-tech, high-value-added firms, looking for Nigerians to employ. To this end, the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is partnering Automedics auto services limited under its Graduate Internship Programme (GIP) to greatly raise the skill level of the technicians match the needs of the auto economy based on high technology, requiring world-class skills”.

    She  explained that GIP, is one of the several initiatives developed by the Ministry to achieve its mandate of reducing unemployment in the state.

    She  expressed the hope that the unflinching support, which the Ministry had enjoyed from its numerous partners, who served as off-takers, would continue and attract new off-takers to come on board, such that unemployment issue would become a thing of the past in the state.

    The  Chief Operating Officer, Automedics Limited, Kunle Shonaike  said the company continues to be competitive and updated with the latest technology to provide students with the latest model vehicles to train on.The goal of the training centre, according to him, is to graduate very competent technicians/mechanics, with a strong background of fundamentals.

    He said vehicle technicians/mechanics are in high demand, more so than ever before.

    The training academy, according to him, is focused on meeting the country’s need for technical skills in the passenger and commercial vehicle, auto electrical and auto-tronics industries.

    The  Chairman,House Committee on Wealth Creation, Lagos State House of Assembly , Hon Shola Giwa said the government  is working to ensure that Lagos residents  attain a decent standard of living through the elimination of poverty and its reduction, and that there is plan to meet its skilled labour demands.

  • Tackling low self-esteem

    Tackling low self-esteem

    A women group at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) has held an interactive session with female students to tackle low-self esteem and close interaction gap between teachers and students. SHUKURAT HAMZAT and SELIMOT AMUZAT (300-Level Biology) report.

    How to help womwn tackle low self-esteem was the focus of an interactive seminar held by members of the Female Staff Association of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) for female students.

    The seminar, with the theme: What it takes to be a successful female student, held in the school’s Multipurpose Hall II, was aimed at fostering a cordial lecturer-student relationship and closing interaction gap between teachers and students.

    A senior lecturer at the Department of Adult Education and Extension Service, Dr Asiya Bagudo, who initiated the seminar, said the programme sought to build confidence in female students to enable them approach their lecturers and share their challenges.

    In her opening remark, the chairperson of the event, Dr Constance Shehu, said the association was established last year to help women achieve their academic and professional potential. She said the seminar had the purpose to create interaction between female students and members of the association to share ideas on how they could solve common challenges.

    Dr Shehu said: “We noticed that there is a wide gap between us and female students. This gap is largely created by fears among students to approach us. Some of you have the feeling that lecturers are not approachable and this seminar is aimed at creating avenue for engagement between us.”

    Prof Aysha Madawaki, a member of the association, said the interaction between lecturers and students should go beyond the classroom, noting that lecturers have the duty to ensure that their students are psychologically balanced.

    She said: “It is not enough to come to the classroom and teach. As lecturers, we need to engage our students to ensure that they are psychologically prepared for the future. As female students, you should add extra effort to every of your set goals and share your challenges with us. Beyond good character and following the school rules, you need to have clear-cut ambition to contribute meaningfully to the development of our society.”

    While addressing the students, Prof Asabe of the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies advised them to remain focused and remember their purpose of being in the school. She urged participants to always engage in extra-curricular activities.

    “With proper planning, focus and seriousness, you can combine education with marital life,” Prof Asabe told the students, some of who expressed regrets over combining schooling with homemaking.

    Dr Maryam Abubakar Koko advised the students to be creative and focus on their primary aims in the school.

    She said: “You have to create passion for entrepreneurship, because it will give you financial freedom. As a married woman, I never allow my business to divert my attention away from studies. I still want to attain higher level in my profession. You must have this ambition too.”

    Participants praised the organisers, but listed some of the challenges facing female students.

    A student, Ayisha Ahmad, urged the women association to liaise with the school management on behalf of student-mothers to provide a daycare in the school to enable them bring their babies to school.

    She also mulled the idea of a female students’ body to champion the cause of women facing victimisation and harassment.

    Responding, Dr Bagudo said protecting female students from harassment and victimisation was part of the reasons the seminar was held.

    She said: “We knew there are a lot of things going on in the school, which students did not want to share with us because of fear. There are a lot of challenges, which put our ladies in discomfort. Our girls are getting carried away and they don’t know how to face their life challenges or who to turn to for advice. As adults with more experience, we need to guide you through and champion your cause.”

    Dr Bagudo advised students to be free in sharing their challenges with female lecturers. She promised that the association would act on the students’ observations.

    A mother of seven and lecturer, Dr Maryam Koko, said the platform would give female students a voice to be part of the school development. She urged the participants to be focused on their studies, while sharing her person experience.

    She said: “I was a mother while I was a student. Initially, I found it challenging as a woman, but I didn’t allow challenges to weigh me down. Combining motherhood with education can be tough, but it should not be seen as limitations to pursing our academic goals. A challenge can serve as a boost or push to attaining success.”

    Dr Shehu, who is a consultant gynaecologist at the Usmanu Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), said the association would be a platform for mentoring female students towards achieving their potential.

    A participant, Faith Onyebuche, a 400-Level Biological Science student, said: “I had thought the seminar would be boring, but it turned out to be a programme where questions that had disturbed my mind were answered.”

  • ‘Govt must avoid abuses in tackling insecurity, insurgency’

    ‘Govt must avoid abuses in tackling insecurity, insurgency’

    Kunle Rasheed Adegoke is the Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President’s Task Force on the Northeast. In this interview with Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, he speaks on the judiciary, the committee’s activities, legal practice and his political ambition.

    The Judiciary has been described as the last hope of the common man. Do you agree?

    It is a correct saying that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. However, it is indisputable that in certain respects, the judiciary in Nigeria has been found wanting, more so with respect to allegations of corruption in the hallowed chambers. It is unfortunate the recent arrest and detention of some judges of the apex and the lower courts do not speak well of our judicial officers.

    How does this affect the perception of the judiciary?

    That is not to say that our judiciary is not peopled by men of integrity. We know of judges who are incorruptible and have lived their lives ensuring that the stream of justice is not polluted. These are men who have made our judicial system is working satisfactorily.

    So, what is the way out?

    All we need to do is to ensure that the bad eggs in the judiciary are reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and no stone should be left unturned in ensuring justice is manifestly done in all cases. Nothing pains an upright man than to be painted with the same brush of guilt in a corrupt environment. Thus, allegation of corruption or other vices should be thoroughly investigated and the NJC should live up to its expectation by ensuring quick determination of accusations against judges  to sustain the confidence of the public in this indispensable arm of government.

    Law has been described as a catalyst for development. How do you think we can apply this to our own situation?

    Law is truly a catalyst for economic development. For almost all transactions, there are legal regimes and regulations by law. Every piece of legislation or judicial pronouncement must be for the advancement of the society. For instance, our legal system is conscious of this and that is why the Land Use Act has vested land in the governor of the state to be held in trust for the people. The essence is to make land available to those who need it but do not have it from the grasp of landholding families who have lands but could not use it. Unfortunately, most states in Nigeria have not utilised this revolutionary piece of legislation, no matter its imperfections, to ensure maximal production of food and develop their internally generated revenue (IGR).

    There have been calls for Ministries of Justice to take over the prosecution of politically exposed persons, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concentrates on financial crimes. Do you agree?

    I believe that the state Ministries of Justice ought to adequately take care of, not only high profile cases, but cases of persons who loot state treasuries. That would reduce the burden on the EFCC, which is a national institution and whose structures crack easily under the heavy burden of corruption perpetrated in both private and public sectors. EFCC is not able to cope with so many of such cases or effectively prosecute them and that is why it loses many of them or even look the other way when they are reported to it. In some cases, some unscrupulous elements in EFCC have seen such cases as money-making opportunities for themselves, too, and this has led to allegations of corruption against the body itself. For a national body like the EFCC to cover the 36 states of the federation in both private and public sectors is stretching the body too thin.

    How prepared are the states’ Ministries of Justice for this Herculean task?

    In most states, simple cases in our courts last for so many years due to the failure of the government Ministries of Justice to prosecute with seriousness. I have been involved in many cases in which states’ Ministries of Justice were involved. You discover that the lawyers in those ministries hardly respond to processes served on them on time. They do not file defences to cases for so many years with many judges indulging them with frivolous adjournments and pampering gloves. Simple advice by Directors of Public Prosecution in criminal matters takes years to prepare and issue and the resultant effect is perpetual detention of persons awaiting trial. One is scared to say that the states’ Ministries of Justice are not ready for this additional responsibility which is sine qua non to development, if we must progress as a nation.

    What should be the role of states in the fight against corruption?

    Furthermore, the fight against corruption is a national and international one for which each state of the Federation ought to have its own institution, such as the EFCC monitoring the finances of the state and ensuring accountability and probity. The Constitution has placed the fight against corruption on a high pedestal in which both the Federal and the state governments can legislate on it. But how prepared are our governors and the states’ Houses of Assembly to ensure that corruption is minimised in our public sector?

    You presented the report of the NBA Task Force on the Northeast at the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State as the Secretary. What’s in the report?

    The summary of the report is that the NBA Task Force on the Northeast was established by the NBA President, A.  B.  Mahmoud (SAN), in October 2016 and saddled with ensuring the protection of the interest of the NBA members affected by the insurgency and counter-insurgency of the Boko Haram members and the military in the Northeastern. To provide pro bono legal services to individuals and communities in the region who are victims of the conflict to aid the rehabilitation, resettlement and reconciliation. To provide expert services to federal and state governments in the region and the National Assembly on devising appropriate legal framework and other legal services for the reconstruction of the region

    What have you done to actualise this mandate?

    We have visited some of the states in the region and discovered the monumental loss of lives and property there has reduced it to a pitiable sight. Scores of lawyers lost their lives in the conflict while many are detained; a large number of our members were also unlawfully detained. We have made recommendations to the NBA on how to assist the victims financially and help to rebuild the legal practice businesses of our members affected.

    Is that all you recommended?

    We have also signed memoranda of understanding with some local and international bodies on how to redress the violation of human rights by the military and other para-military bodies in the region. To this end, we are providing pro bono legal services and also focusing on the rights and rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). We have good working relationship with the army and the police on how the government can ensure transitional justice with respect to victims in the region.

    What is the latest development in the Northeast on human rights abuses and how do we address them?

    Right now, steps are being taken to ensure that persons in detention under the allegation of being Boko Haram members receive justice quickly because many are in detention without trial. The latest resurgence of Boko Haram activities in the region has not really helped matters. We commend the members of the security agencies in Nigeria, especially the army, for being responsive and protecting lives and properties. At the same time, excesses in conducting the fight should be checked to ensure that the fight is conducted in line with civilised rules of engagement.

    It is speculated that you want to contest the governorship of Osun State. What is your reaction to this?

    No. It is beyond speculation. I am already out and showcasing my intention to the good people of Osun. Since March, 2017, I have been on a state-wide consultation with the people from one local government area to another and the reception has been fantastic. I have my billboards in several parts of the state announcing an ‘Assured Future’, which is my campaign slogan. My political movement, Tiwa N TiwaL’Osun, has members and cells across the various wards of the state. I am a leading aspirant as far as the contest for the All Progressives Congress’s ticket is concerned.

     What is your vision for Osun State?

    My vision is to develop the state into an enviable position both nationally and internationally. The most important problem confronting the state is economic in which the state is unable to meet its salary obligation to the workers and the populace grumble under the heavy weight of economic recession. The national downturn in the economy has affected Osun badly and we must build a strong economy for the state to be  capable of financing itself outside the federal allocations, which are no longer coming. We must be able to develop an IGR of not less than N10billion a month, if we are really serious as a people desirous of attaining economic progress. To attain this, we are looking at the low-hanging fruits of agriculture, tourism and industrialiation.

    How do you intend to achieve this?

    First, we want to, in the first 200 days in office, turn all arable lands to farms rather than forests that dominate our roadsides from Ikire to Ile-Ife to Ilesha, Owena, Igbajo, OkeIla, Ejigbo, and all over the state. In civilised societies, they tame their environment and do not leave land unutilised for any purpose as we do. Here we have arable lands but fail to effectively cultivate them. We want to, in alliance with the private sector, ensure farm settlements in each federal constituency of the state. With abundant production of food through mechanised farming and tapping into the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme and other international opportunities, we intend to engage in food preservation and processing as there is more money in processing than in supplies of raw materials.

    Is that all?

    We are looking at tapping into the expansive Lagos economy in which not less than N3 billion food is consumed daily utilising the poverty datum line of N200 per day for an average Lagosian. This, we believe, is possible, if we cultivate the spirit to succeed steeped in strong political will required of a responsive and responsible government. We intend to ensure that the huge reserve of liquidities locked up in tourism is accessed by us by ensuring development of existing tourist centres and creating new attractions that will encourage both local and foreign tourists to patronize our tourist sites. God only creates trees but does not give furniture. We shall turn the tourist sites, which we have more than any other State in Nigeria, from their natural state into attractive magnets that draw and glue tourists’ attention.

    What happens after this?

    Once we succeed economically within the first two years to effectively grow the economy capable of creating wealth, we are sure that we shall be able to transform the educational standard in the State to the best in Nigeria, if not in West Africa. We shall be able to address the perpetual civil servants’ welfare deficit, transform the health sector into excellent attraction to tourism and ensure unprecedented infrastructural development for the State.

     How have you contributed to the development of Osun State?

    Yes, I have contributed in my own little way to the development of Osun. To ensure electoral justice and make democracy attainable, I have been in the trenches with the people of the state. All through the litigation days of Aregbesola v. Oyinlola, I was one of the prominent lawyers that led the battle for more than three and a half years in which I represented Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf (the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives), Rt. Hon. Najeem Salam (the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Osun), Rt. Hon Akintunde Adegboye (Deputy Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly) and a host of numerous others. Aside from this, I have played my own little role by way of philanthropy to my people. God has used me to educationally bless some families as I have been responsible for sponsorship of many young ones. Among them are hundreds of lawyers, graduates from several disciplines of value, empowerment of many businessmen and women, assisting in guaranteeing life to those who were sick and at the point of death by paying their hospital bills. All these I have done to assist the state to reduce the devil’s workshop of idle hands without expectation of expression of gratitude from the beneficiaries but divine blessings from my creator.

    How would you rate the performance of the APC-led Federal Government rule of law?

    I often find it difficult to rate governments as that is an exercise that could be difficult to do as the yardsticks could be numerous. But with respect to the rule of law, I would say that the last conducted governorship election in Anambra is a testimony that it is possible to have an election in which a ruling party at the national level would not take it as a matter of do-or-die venture. That is an election in which the police and other security forces were not used as an agent of rigging, unlike what we used to have in the past. It is a prevalence of the rule of law. Furthermore, the Federal Government has tried in some areas with respect to rule of law as this is a great measure of how civilised we are. The battle against Boko Haram is an effort towards ensuring rule of law. It is commendable to see that the high and mighty have been touched in the campaign against corruption although there is still more to be done.

    In which areas?

    People expect this government to be more revolutionary based on the past record of President Muhammadu Buhari and I think the President is equally looking in that direction. It is important to tackle the intractable problems of herdsmen with strong resolve which I believe the President is considering. Too many lives have been lost to herdsmen invasion and to fail to curb this menace will not paint this government as one conscious of its role as the guardian of the rule of law.

  • Tackling our developmental problem

    Tackling our developmental problem

    SIR: Corruption and inept political leadership is the bane of Nigeria. In spite of our oil wealth, our roads bring back memories of rutted thoroughfares in Afghanistan and Cambodia. Some of the newly constructed roads have started dilapidating as they’re poorly done. Yet, it is an indisputable fact that good roads open up a country for rapid industrialization. And, the problem of inadequate supply of electricity is still with us.

    And most governors do not use   the financial allocations they receive monthly from the centre for the running of their states judiciously. While the masses groan in pain and misery, our leaders with bloated cheeks live in affluence. Now, the gap or disparity between the haves and the have- not has kept widening.

    More so, our technological and economical backwardness is not unconnected to the inept and corrupt political leadership that has been our lot in Nigeria since our attainment of political freedom in 1960. Malaysia and Nigeria were at par some years ago; but the Asian country has overtaken Nigeria. It has achieved economic sustainability and prosperity while Nigeria still depends on the exportation of crude oil to other countries to earn revenue. It is sad that Nigeria is still a rentier state.

    Sadly, till now, Nigeria still imports common house-hold items from other countries as we have not evolved our own variant and model of technological culture. A country that neglects the educational sector cannot become a technologically advanced country. Does Nigeria abide by the UNESCO budgetary stipulation, which says that countries should devote 26% of its budgetary money to education? To say that the educational sector in Nigeria is abused and neglected is to state an obvious fact.

    Today in Nigeria, most primary and secondary schools in the country have decrepit buildings and leaking roofs. And, they lack instructional materials. More so, those teachers are demoralized owing to the fact that they are not paid living wages. Worse still, it has been discovered that thousands of teachers, who teach in public primary and secondary schools are illiterates, who are very deficient in the subjects they teach. It is sad that we have unwittingly placed our impressionable children in the care of the so-called teachers, who are with moral vacuity and intellectual aridity.

    Aren’t we aware that the children are our future leaders?

    The redemption of Nigeria lies in its citizens’ rejection and upturning of the political culture and dynamics that throws up ill-prepared and semi-literate political leaders, who are without leadership qualities and probity. Only a detribalized and knowledgeable President can take Nigeria out of the quagmire of moral decadence, economic stagnation, political stasis, and technological backwardness.

     

    • Chiedu Uche Okoye,

    Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.

  • Tackling deepening hunger

    The crisis in the Northeast, occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, is taking a toll on food production in that part of the country. The adverse effects of the crisis can be seen in the high number of displaced persons, hunger, joblessness and several others. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has warned that steps need to be taken urgently to prevent the hunger from spilling over to neighbouring countries, especially the Lake Chad Basin.

    As conflict and instability persist, the food security situation in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin is drastically deteriorating, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has warned.

    It called for swift and decisive action from the international community to protect the livelihoods of millions of families dependent on farming, livestock and fishing for their food and livelihoods.

    With the next planting season starting in May, and with scarcity of animal fodder and water points during the lean season, it is crucial that crop seeds, tools and livestock support reach families urgently to limit the scope of the deepening crisis that now involves four countries: Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

    According to FAO, some 7.1 million people are now severely food insecure across the four countries. Among them are 515 000 children who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition – a condition which, if untreated, can lead to permanent damage to a child’s development and even death.

    FAO is among the United Nations (UN) agencies and governments that attended the Oslo Humanitarian Conference, organised to mobilise international funding for the crisis-struck region, where 80 to 90 per cent of people rely on farming, fishing and herding for their livelihoods.

    Commenting on the development, Director of FAO’s Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, Dominique Burgeon, said: “In the worst-affected areas, famine continues to loom — and millions will remain trapped in cycles of severe hunger if we don’t enable farmers to start cropping now.”

    Burgeon who is represented FAO at the conference, added: “Our collective efforts cannot be limited to merely avoiding massive famine – they need to allow people to return to a dignified life; and supporting agriculture is the key to both.”

    According to Burgeon, besides reducing hunger and boosting nutrition, investing in farmers also provides the much needed job opportunities that reduce migration and limit the potential for radicalisation of unemployed youth.

    Crisis spills across borders

    Violence related to the armed group Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria has spilled over to parts of neighboring countries in the Lake Chad Basin – specifically, Cameroon’s Far North, western Chad and southeastern Niger – with devastating effects on food security and livelihoods.

    With the Lake Chad Basin approaching a critical period in the agricultural calendar, FAO is urgently calling for $30 million in immediate emergency support to help farming families in the four countries get ready to plant in the upcoming May planting season and prevent them from slipping into long-term dependency on food aid.

    A total of $232 million will be needed to secure food production and access to food for three million people in the worst-hit areas over the next three years. The vast majority of the requested funds – some $191 million – is designated for Nigeria, which is bearing the brunt of the crisis.

    Violence, displacement drive hunger

    Violence has driven millions across the four countries from their homes and hampered access to agricultural lands and assets, creating massive humanitarian needs in an area already struggling with food insecurity, poverty and environmental degradation. Host communities, in particular, have been struggling for several years now to feed the displaced as well as their own.

    As humanitarian access improves, revealing the magnitude of impact of the conflict, time has come to support both people who remained on their land and those who decide to return to their original livelihoods.

    In Borno State alone, the population in crisis, emergency and catastrophe phases of food insecurity (Phases 3 to 5 on the five-tiered scale used by humanitarian agencies) increased from 2 million in August 2016 to 3.3 million in October-December 2016.

    The worst-affected in this group are not able to feed themselves and have exhausted all resources by selling off their belongings, including seeds, tools and animals. Without intervention, that number is expected to climb to 3.6 million at the height of the lean season in August, this year.

    The UN foresees around 120 000 people facing famine conditions in Nigeria. Of this number, the vast majority – some 96 per cent — are expected to be in Borno.

    Targeting most vulnerable

    Emergency farming assistance must go hand in hand with food assistance for it to be successful throughout the upcoming lean season. To this end, FAO is collaborating with the World Food Programme to ensure vulnerable families — mainly IDPs and host communities — receive food assistance, and at the same time agriculture-based livelihood support in the form of provision of seeds, tools and fertilizer. This way, they will able to restore and protect their livelihoods and farming assets for ongoing food production.

    FAO’s long-term strategy for the Lake Chad region puts a special emphasis on supporting refugees, internally displaced families and host communities, as these are the most vulnerable groups in this crisis. Interventions are geared to improving their food security and nutrition and building their resilience so they are better equipped to handle future shocks. In addition, restoring agriculture-based livelihoods will offer a unique opportunity to pave the way to recovery and peace in the affected areas.

    The strategy incorporates not only provision of farming and livestock inputs but also technical training, cash transfers, instruction in natural resource management, and support in setting up community-managed funds that can reduce vulnerability to shocks.

    •Culled  from Reuters

  • Tackling cyber space security breaches

    Tackling cyber space security breaches

    Cyber space breaches are increasing at a faster rate than the country can keep up with.  OLATUNDE ODEBIYI looks at some of the issues in the Cyber Crime Act and how its implementation can bring sanity to the internet community.

    Over the years, the cyber space has transformed the way people think, communicate, travel, run businesses,  run the economy and even get services. But like every good thing, there is the other side, which is cyber crime. While some unsuspecting persons have died, others have lost their life savings to cyber crooks.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo set up the National Cyber security Initiative (NCI) in 2003. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, at the twilight of his administration, also passed the Cyber Crime Act 2015 to combat cyber crimes.

    To criminals, it is all a means of livelihood, but cyber crime is a dent on the country’s image and a source of  embarrassment to the nation.

     

    Faces of cyber crimes

    • Hackers: They make use of the weaknesses and loop holes in operating systems to destroy data and steal important information from victim’s computer.
    • Cyber-stealing: It is the use of computers and communication systems to steal information in electronic format.
    • Viruses and worms are major threat to normal users and companies. Viruses are computer programs that are designed to damage computers, while worm usually exploits loop holes in soft ware’s or the operating system.
    • Spamming: It involves mass amounts of email being sent in order to promote and advertise products and websites. Cyber harassment is electronically and intentionally carrying out threatening acts against individuals.
    • Website Cloning is the recent trend in cyber crime, which involves fake ‘copy-cat’ web sites that take advantage of consumers that are unfamiliar with the Internet or who do not know the exact web address of the legitimate company that they wish to visit.
    • Cyber laundering is an electronic transfer of illegally obtained monies with the goal of hiding its source and possibly its destination.

     

    Goals of cyber security

    Cybersecurity would enable people to reduce the vulnerability of their Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems and networks. It would help individuals and institutions to develop and nurture a culture of cyber security. It would also enable people work collaboratively with public, private and international entities to secure cyberspace and thereby help people to understand the trends in IT/cybercrime and develop effective solutions.

     

    Effects of Cyber Crime Act

    An Internet Security Expert/Chairman, Education and Manpower Development Committee, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Mr. Aderogba Adeoye, said the Cyber Crime Act has not helped to combat cyber crime to the extent that human resources to drive it and capacity are almost not in the system.

    Adeoye, who is also the Executive Secretary, Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP), said the government should put structures in place to drive the Act.

    He said Cyber crime is in the domain of information technology and related communication services, but the Act is being domiciled in an improper place.

    “Cyber means online; cyber crime is the criminality within the online space. Cyber crime is a serious security threat to the nation, which deals with somebody that interfere with e-processes, banking activities, e-mail, theft of identity, theft of data and misbehavior within the online space,” he said.

    He said human resource and technical knowhow are required. “We need to build capacity in the area of cyber crime so that we can run with the Act. The Act is ok as at now; at least we are starting from somewhere. Every law over time will be reviewed. The law requires a lot of human capacity and resources in the various organs and institutions that are involved in the information technology domain.

    “The Police, Armed Forces and Judiciary are doing their own part but, what of the IT professionals. The Nigeria government said you can only be IT expert if you are known to CPN, but is CPN doing what they are supposed to do. If they did not register what they are suppose to register, who summons them or whose over sight is that. Also in the usage of IT services which is given to Nigerian Information Technology Development Association (NITDA); are they collaborating with CPN and NCS. These are the major bodies known to the law of Nigeria; What are they doing to increase our expertise in cyber crime or cyber crime act and its related issues? ‘’ he asked.

    He said within NCS there is the Information Security Group, among other groups. “What are they saying about Cyber Crime Act. The Cyber Crime Act is there, but there are other pre issues before cyber crime. We have electronic evidence which makes computer related reports and issues to be admissible in court. Now that we have Cyber Crime, have the stakeholders subject it to analysis.

    “How much do the Judicial officers know, where are our computer experts, where are the Lawyers that have some prerequisite knowledge about Cyber Crime. Has there been effort to train these people. Is our training to generally create human resources?

    “Cyber crime is not civil crime, it is a criminal matter and those to prosecute criminal matters are the police. Has there been any collaborative work between the police and the State prosecutor, judicial officers and the judge; do the judges have prerequisite knowledge about computer related issues and the Act; these are things that need to have deliberate effort to develop  human capacity along that line.”

    He said there was the need to educate and train people more.

    “In government we must have proper structure in place to develop those who will run Cyber Act issues.

    “Today, the Cyber Crime Act has a lot of work to do because CPC should be discussing with NCS; they should form a working group because everybody is now on e-service. In Nigeria, most of the services that has to do with financial transactions are being run on e-platform; e-transaction, e-payment, e-book, e-money. When problems come on that line, what do we do? We should not be doing all these services and allow nonentities to take it over,” he said.

     

    Views about Cyber

    Crime Act

    Chairman,Teledom Group, an indigenous ICT firm, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, said the Act is a good starting point, though it is not yet perfect. He described the Act as a guide and movement from where we are to where we should be.

    He said the Act is good, though it would  require amendments in future.

    Ekuwen also noted that there was need to specify ICT infrastructure as typical national infrastructure, saying: “Until we realise as a nation that the ease and speed with which information, knowledge or data is accessed and translated into productivity is what gives the citizen, state and the nation a competitive advantage in any field of human endeavour.”

    He said if there is a reliable broadband plan that connects those in the rural and urban areas,  expertise in all spheres, health, banking and academics, will be linked.

    “Our Cyber Security Act must expressively specify that ICT infrastructure constitute an important and critical infrastructure of a nation,” he said.

    Ekuwem said if cyber security is not given the appropriate attention, it will lead to disaster. He said if hackers were allowed into the customer data base of the bank , for instance, it would lead to a disaster which a nation may never be able to recover from because everybody will inflate their deposit in the bank. “You can also imagine what would happen to the credit of customers if the customer data base of the operators of the telecommunications companies are hacked into. Many people will also inflate their credit, claiming they have credit they never loaded. There are lots of consequences leaving our cyber space unprotected,” he said.

    He noted that there are lots of security agencies working to ensure physical security but no one is there to secure the cyber space.

    “All agencies must apply to the cyber space, because that is what the cyber security law of a nation is all about. The law is imperfect like all laws but we must give it some support, encourage it and inpute must be made as well as subsequent versions of amendment of the law.

    “As we grow, gradually moving into broad band, a lot of information is flowing up and down, so also must our cyber space be protected.The public should know that cyber security law is important as all the laws that have being put in place to regulate and govern the behavior that has been put in place in the cyber space,’’  he said.

     

    Effects of the Act

    Ekuwem said the Act has reduced cyber crime.

    He said: “In the absence of the law, there is no infraction, but when people get to know that there is an infraction when you invade somebody’s  privacy by having an unauthorised access into his cyber space, then the awareness has contributed in the existence of the Act.

    “If we will follow due process in the world space then it is of a necessity to follow procedure into the cyber space; we should avoid unauthorised access in the cyber space just as we do not allow unauthorised access in the world space because you know that you will be breaking the law.”

    He said people should to know that they are not to play around with other people’s or company’s password.

     

     

    The way forward

    Ekuwem said: “It is our duty as ICT practitioners to make sure that hackers don’t invade our privacy. The law is a deterrent as people get to know that those laws are there. It is also as deterrent as its enforcement. Who enforces and regulates the Act is very important and this is an issue that is not very clearly stated. Is it Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)? The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), or Nigerian Information Technology Development Association (NITDA).”

    He said the Act must be followed by enforcement and penalty. “There should be a cyber security agency that handles the Cyber Crime Act so that when a crime is committed in the cyber space that agency apprehends and there must be penalty for the infraction of the law, which must be very high.

    “There must be an institution to regulate and monitor the cyber space, to enforce the law so enacted, prosecute offenders, culprits and there must be jailing and punishment,” he said.

    He asked: “Who is that government institution that enforces, regulates, monitors and apprehends, punishes and prosecutes infractions to the cyber security act; there is none to take that responsibility.

    “There should be a specified government institution to do this, if not all these regulatory bodies will expect the other to do it and at the end of the day, the job does not get done.’’

     

    Education/awareness

    Adeoye said the only prevention is continuous education. “We have to continuously enlighten our people on the need to take some pre cautionary measures. We have to secure the platform we are running as government, private entities, and business organisations as well as individuals.

    “Data privacy is a big issue, exposure of the junior ones to the Internet is a big issue but, the greatest of it all is identity management. Government must ensure the effectiveness of the institutions in charge of the cyber crime act. Some people will complain of funding but, funding is not the main issue, but harnessing technical expertise for effective performance of specified assignment,” he said.

     

    Effects of cyber crimes

    Ekuwen said Cyber crimes are destructive. “Hackers can impersonate you by sending emails you are not aware of once they hack into your email password and you may never detect that someone is sniffing.  Cyber crime can also affect the medical report. If a hacker hacks into doctors’ report, the hacker that wants to kill a patient can prescribe what ought not to have been prescribed and sends the mail by impersonating  within the cyber space of the doctor; the patient will be dead.

    He said until Nigeria fully understands the dire economic, financial, social, health, academic and social implications, to mention a few, then we will sit up.

     

    How to keep safe online

    President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Sunday Afolayan, said cyber security is a discipline, not just a switch that you fix and the internet is secured.

    He said a lot of compromises happen that were not technical but social, adding that internet security is not just one activity; rather, it is a system of activates that assures security.

    “There is need for education, equipment and most importantly for people to know that there is need for self discipline to ensure that you are safe online,” he said.

  • Tackling post-harvest food losses

    Tackling post-harvest food losses

    Ending post-harvest losses has been a goal of governments, businesses, farmers and traders.  Attributed to improper handling of agro commodities from field to market, the impact has been detrimental to farmers. In the last 10 years, organisations and donors have taken steps to reduce losses in crops, such as tomato and other perishable produce which account for an alarming 86 per cent of total farm produce losses, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Approximately, one-thirdof food grown in the farm never reaches consumers. Waste and spoilage occur across the value chain, threatening farmers’ livelihoods and people’s access to nutritious food.

    At harvest level, farmers struggle to ensure the perishables being harvested are handled properly, kept free of bruises, stored and moved fresh to the market.

    One of the crops most affected is tomato.

    Described as more lucrative than rice, maize and yam, tomato is in high demand. However, farmers face tremendous challenges in getting their products to market.

    At the height of the harvest season, farmers lose up to 40 per cent of their produce due to a lack of processing facilities. This results in severe price fluctuations for tomatoes.

    In most of the areas where it is cultivated in the North, there are no storage facilities to preserve their produce. As a result, tomato rots on the road to market.

    To watchers, what the sector needs is small-scale and low-tech interventions in the areas of storage and transport.

    Speaking with The Nation, President, Federated FADAMA Community Association, Lagos State, Alhaji Abiodun Oyenekan said such much is required to implement tomato value chain improvements and post harvest quality systems that enable farmers produce crop that will meet standards such as reliable freshness, minimal damage and professional packaging.

    According to him, post harvest losses is a major issue that require interventions.

    To this end, he said Lagos State is taking steps through initiatives to minimise losses, preserve quality, maintain nutritional content, and to ensure year-round availability while empowering equitable income distribution along the value chain.

    The approaches include storage devices, good agricultural practices for harvesting and sorting crops, plastic crates for transporting produce, and others.

    Against this backdrop also, Growth and Employment in the States (GEMS), a joint programme of the Department for International Development (DFID) and World Bank (WB)   is exploring techniques to ensure that small   farmers have greater income and economic opportunities, improved resilience, and increased food and nutritional security through reduced post-harvest loss in the food crop value chain.

    Working with business associations, service providers, producers, retailers, wholesalers and other actors involved in the market, its GEMS 4 programme is seeking significant reductions in food loss by improving farmers’ use of good agricultural practices, such as for proper handling of crops.

    Consequently, 60 members of the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Dealers Association of Nigeria have been trained as master trainers on good handling practices for fresh perishable produce (and further courses are on-going).

    The master trainers will then train other handlers of perishable produce in collection centres and markets across the country.

    The programme target is increased growth, income and employment, especially for poor men and women, in wholesale and retail markets in selected states and 10,000 full-time equivalent jobs and improved incomes for 500,000 people.

    The project assists farmers to maintain Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standards and comply with standards that most small farmers do not possess.

    To further enable farmers’ success, GEMS4 provides value chain actors with tomato colour charts that depict the different quality levels of tomatoes and their associated prices. The quality improvements benefit value chain actors further downstream as well, as they capture more value as a result of trading and selling higher quality goods.

    To help the programme, GEMS4 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between it and the Tomato Sellers Association in Mile 12, Ketu, Lagos State.

    Senior Intervention Manager, Mr Arafat Hossain said under the arrangement, high-end markets such as hotels, restaurants, supermarket chains and catering service providers would access quality tomatoes delivered in crates.

    The fresh produce are well sorted, graded and hygienically handled by trained handlers under Good Handling Practices (GHP).

    Already, the association has 10 of its members primed to receive and deliver orders up to one metric tonne each as pioneers of the new mode of doing the tomato business.

    GEMS4, using tomatoes as an entry point into the entry produce market, analysed operations from farm to the traditional markets, thereby identifying the challenges in the supply chain that lead to produce damage and cash losses.

    After the trial deliveries from farms around Zaria to Mile 12 market in Lagos, it developed a business plan, which would include a cold chain.

    The result showed only five per cent loss using plastic crates as against 45 per cent the traditional raffia baskets.

    As it stands now, bankers are willing to fund the use of plastic crates in this largely lucrative business that has big chains like Shoprite showing interest in the arrangement, while the State government has supported the Mile 12 market sellers with 2,600 crates of the 4.000 crates released state-wide for a start.

    The Association led by Alhaji Yahuza Alasan, represented by its secretary, Alhaji Shehu Usman, showcased that cleaned sorted, graded and packaged in plastic crates are now available for purchase in Mile 12 market.

    This is being made available through a pilot providing access to Returnable Plastic Crates (RPCs) for farmers, traders and dealers of perishable produce.

    GEMS4 is providing an install-ment repayment plan that will enable traders purchase the plastic crates.

    This had been a challenge for traders in Mile 12 market, who have been struggling to meet market demands of Higher Value Markets and quality conscious buyers.

    The stakeholders involved in this pilot are the Tomato Sellers Association (TSA) arm of the Fresh Fruits Vegetable Community Dealers Association of Nigeria (FFVDCAN) with a national membership spread of over 300,000 across Nigeria.

    There are about 28 other perishable produce groups under this apex association and it is planned that after this pilot, the model will be extended to them as a scale up to enable RPCs become a part of the supply chain operations of the sector.

    GEMS4 Intervention Manager, Richard Ogundele said tomato is big business. The market for it is large, including buyers who run grocery stores, restaurants and hotels. But they need high-quality produce.

  • NDE chief: govt committed to tackling unemployment

    THE  Director-General, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Malam Abubakar Mohammed, has said the Federal Government is committed to tackling unemployment in the country.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the NDE-Enterprise and Finance Counselling Clinic for unemployed graduates in Lokoja yesterday, the DG said NDE remains the foremost government agency saddled with the duty of implementing programmes meant to tackle mass unemployment in the country.

    The DG, who was represented by the Zonal Director of NDE in the Northcentral, Mr. Jibrin Aye, said the concept of the clinic was borne out of the desire to ensure that unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions are exposed to the benefits of self-reliance through entrepreneurship.

    According to him, the training was to also to guide them in their choices of business ideas and give a solid business management training that would instil in the graduates self confidence in managing their chosen business ventures successfully.