The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yemi Osinbajo

  • FG, states collaborate to end Niger Delta crisis

    FG, states collaborate to end Niger Delta crisis

    The Federal Government and states in the Niger Delta region on Tuesday agreed to work together to ensure peace and end the bombings of oil and power installations in the region.

    This was part of the decisions reached at a closed door meeting involving the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, service chiefs and states from the Niger Delta region.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting in the Presidential Villa, Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the collaboration will also include intelligence sharing.

    Stressing that the meeting was very fruitful, he said that a lot of other decisions that will mitigate the crisis in the states particularly, Bayelsa and Delta, were also agreed upon.

    One of the decisions, he said, was deployment of military operations in waterways around troubled communities.

    He said: “We governors of the oil producing states, security chiefs and ministers who are concerned met with the Vice President and I believe we had a very fruitful meeting.

    “One thing we identified which is the synergy between the Federal Government and the States which is very important and this meeting has raised a lot of issues and we believe that the collaboration will help us to tackle the issues in the Niger Delta.

    “Of course we were briefed by the service chiefs and the governors also have their own perspectives along with the minister of state petroleum. We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states particularly Bayelsa and Delta,” he said.

    The governor added: “We believe we are going to find solution to it. One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward.

    “We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations directly in communities, but the military need to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways itself while we engage the communities and that engagement process is starting any moment from now,” he stated

    When asked to give a date the amnesty programme will be revisited as a way out of the crisis, the Governor said that the programme was never stopped.

    He said: “I think the process is still ongoing, we have a Special Adviser in charge of amnesty and it is doing very well. I am aware that he did come in to talk with some of the communities and along with the advocacy team that was put up in Delta state.  He did brief us today and I believe it is going to be maintained.”

    On when the implementation of the meeting’s outcomes will start, he said: “Right from today, there is a meeting right after this and we are going to be collaborating even as we return to our various states.”

    On his part, Oshiomhole said: “You have been briefed by my brother from Delta and whatever he told you that is the truth of it. We agreed that we all have to work together to refocus on development issues, economic issues, military issues and community issues. Whatever he has told you there, that is what we have agreed to do.

    While stating that the amnesty programme has been on, he noted that a time lag could have resulted from the little transition of having a new leadership.

    Stressing that there have been stories about non-payment concerning the programme, he said that the problems are being addressed while funds are being provided.

    He said: “I believe the government recognizes that the amnesty programme has to be sustained but also we can improve on it because we have trained people.

    “People have been sent for training and they have come back and they should be able to apply those skills. If they don’t apply the skills they become skilled but then unemployed, then the problem persists.

    “We need multiple tools to deal with the issues. Fortunately for the people to be able to apply the skills that they acquired in the course of the amnesty training, they need an environment that is investment friendly because unless for example if you have skills in underwater welding, you need the oil companies to be doing business to recruit people like that to carry out those kinds of special skill.

    “If you have skill in all sorts of things without economic activity, you cannot deploy your skills. One thing leads to the other. In the first instance the man has no skill, the first challenge is to give him skill.
    That is being done and when he has finished and acquired that skill the final challenge is to get him a place to work to earn money and to develop a lifestyle that is sustainable to add and contribute to the development of his community and the rest of our people they need to see the quality of life improving.

    “What Okowa said was the correct representation of what transpired at the meeting.
    Nigeria is not at war and we cannot be at war with ourselves.

    “If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts. There are laws that have to be enforced. I think that in all of these the whole idea is to find peace that is functional, that creates environment for very decent Nigerians to live their lives.” He added

    Other state governors at the meeting included Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo and Abia.

    Also at the meeting were the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru.

  • Commission on ease of doing business coming

    Commission on ease of doing business coming

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the formation of a Presidential Commission on the ease of doing business in the country.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who spoke during the first quarterly meeting between the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Presidency said the Commision would be headed by a private sector professional.

    The Vice President said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a high-powered commission to work on the issues around the ease of doing business in the country. The commission will have a secretariat to be headed by a private sector professional.”

    A statement endorsed by the Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity, Office of the Vce President, Laolu Akande, explained that the professional will be appointed to lead the secretariat of the Presidential Commission that will pay greater attention and focus to the issues of doing business in the country.

    During the consultation, MAN raised the issue of multiple taxation. Vice President promised to follow -up on the matter, adding that “one of the key issues the presidential commission which I am heading would be  looking at is the case of multiple taxation.”

    He added that this is also an issue that the Ministry of Trade and Investment is also actively engaged with.

    Meanwhile, MAN has condemned the renewed spate of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region, arguing that the act amounted to economic sabotage.

    The group urged the rampaging vandals to join hands with the Federal Government to rebuild the economy.

    Speaking with reporters at the end of the meeting, its President, Dr. Frank Jacobs, expressed concern over the deliberate sabotage of government’s efforts.

    He said: “The association is happy about what the Federal Government is doing, but we are concerned about what is happening in the Niger Delta area which is a kind of sabotaging the economic activities of government. Therefore, we want to call on them (the vandals) to lay down their arms in the interest of the country.”

    He urged the militants to join hands with the Federal Government to move the country forward. The MAN chief stated that diversification of the economy is the best way to go given what is happening in the international oil market.

    He said MAN is “keying” into government policy in terms of diversification of the economy by doing its best to increase the capacity of production.

  • Solution to Africa’s power problem in fossil fuels, coal – Osinbajo

    Solution to Africa’s power problem in fossil fuels, coal – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday declared that the perennial power problem in Africa could be solved though alternative energy sources like fossil fuels and coal.

    He spoke at the High Level Roundtable on the theme: Energy and Climate Change at the ongoing general meeting of the African Development Bank (ADB) in Lusaka, Zambia.

    According to him, about 45 percent of Africans don’t have access to power in the world.

    He therefore called on African leaders to develop the sector.

    Osinbajo also said that the issue of climate change should be taken serious by the leaders.

    He said: “For us, priority today is development and we have to take development seriously.

    “We are faced with a very dire situation and in most of Africa, we simply don’t have power and without power, there is very little that can be done.

    “We think that renewable energy and all of the concern about Climate Change are important, but we must prioritise development,” he said.

    Nigeria, he said, was an example of one country enriched with hydro-carbon enriched countries.

    “We have to leverage all that we can get from fossil fuel, coal is also important,” he added.

    According to him, the arguments about renewable energy are well-noted and Nigeria has the capacity for, and is going to tap into solar energy.

    But he stressed that: “We are dealing with a major (developmental) problem.”

    The Vice President also said that it was possible that the twin issue of energy development and environmental concerns could be taken on simultaneously.

    African leaders, he noted, needed the technology from the developed countries to make clean coal.

    He said: “We think that we must use our fossil fuel to the maximum. We must use our coal to the maximum, and we simply call on the support of the developed nations that are aggressive about reducing emissions, especially in coal power plants to give us the technology that is required because obviously there is available technology to make coal clean and we simply call upon them to give us that technology.”

    While Africa was the least contributor to global emissions, he said that the continent is also the hardest hit by the whole consequences of climate change.

    “That is the paradox. But that paradox becomes jeopardy when we are being asked to take the greater burden of resolving the problem of climate change, so we really need the help of the west in particular,” he added.

    Speaking on some of the limitations of solar power, the Vice President said “we must bear in mind that for industry for example, the base load power is critical, the base load power is so much more difficult to get from solar power for example…so we must understand that our immediate need requires the base load power that can move us forward quickly and that we would get from fossil fuel, hydro power and coal fire plants.”

    Other speakers at the panel included the presidents of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, and Chad, Idriss Deby Itno, who is also the current Chairman of the African Union.

    The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Prime Ministers and senior ministers from several other African countries were also in attendance at the formal opening event of the meeting where the President of the ADB, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina observed that the presence of several African leaders at the meeting was an expression of their support for the bank.

     

  • Buhari calls off Lagos trip

    President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled his earlier scheduled visit to Lagos State.

    Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo will now represent the President on the Lagos trip.

    The visit billed for Monday and Tuesday will witness commissioning of several projects in the state.

    Confirming the new development on Sunday, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, did not give any reason for the cancellation of Buhari’s visit to the state.

    He said: “The truth is that the Vice-President will now represent the President in Lagos.

    “There is nothing wrong if the Vice-President represents the President at functions,” he stated

  • Osinbajo explains N145 fuel price increase

    Osinbajo explains N145 fuel price increase

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday gave more insight into the reasons behind increase of the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

    The government on Wednesday had increased the price from N86.50 per litre to maximum of N145 per litre.

    In a statement he signed by himself, Osinbajo noted that there are many misconceptions that followed the announcement of new pump price.

    According to him, the increase has nothing to do with subsidy removal but was a result of foreign exchange problem in the face of dwindling earnings.
    In the statement titled ‘The Fuel Pricing Debate: Our Story’, Osinbajo said: “I have read the various observations about the fuel pricing regime and the attendant issues generated. All certainly have strong points.

    “The most important issue of course is how to shield the poor from the worst effects of the policy.  I will hopefully address that in another note.

    “Permit me an explanation of the policy. First, the real issue  is not a removal of subsidy. At $40 a barrel there isn’t much of a subsidy to remove.

    “In any event, the President is probably one of the most convinced pro-subsidy advocates.

    “What happened is as follows: our local consumption of fuel is almost entirely imported. The NNPC exchanges crude from its joint venture share to provide about 50% of local fuel consumption. The remaining 50% is imported by major and independent marketers.

    “These marketers up until three months ago sourced their foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria at the official rate. However, since late last year, independent marketers have brought in little or no fuel because they have been unable to get foreign exchange from the CBN. The CBN simply did not have enough. (In April, oil earnings dipped to $550 million. The amount required for fuel importation alone is about $225million!) .

    “Meanwhile, NNPC tried to cover the 50% shortfall by dedicating more export crude for domestic consumption. Besides the short term depletion of the Federation Account, which is where the FG and States are paid from, and further cash-call debts pilling up, NNPC also lacked the capacity to distribute 100% of local consumption around the country. Previously, they were responsible for only about 50%. (Partly the reason for the lingering scarcity).” He said

    He said that the government realised that it was left with only one option, which was to allow independent marketers and any Nigerian entity to source their own foreign exchange and import fuel.

    According to him, the government expected the marketers  to source foreign exchange at an average of about N285 to the dollar, (current interbank rate).

    He added: “They would then be restricted to selling at a price between N135 and N145 per litre.

    “We expect that with competition, more private refineries, and NNPC refineries working at full capacity, prices will drop considerably. Our target is that by Q4 2018 we should be producing 70% of our fuel needs locally. At the moment even if all the refineries are working optimally they will produce just about 40% of our domestic fuel needs.

    “You will notice that I have not mentioned other details of the PPPRA cost template. I wanted to focus on the cost component largely responsible for the substantial rise, namely foreign exchange. This is therefore not a subsidy removal issue but a foreign exchange problem, in the face of dwindling earnings.” He stated

  • We’ve verified assets of Buhari, Osinbajo, others – CCB

    We’ve verified assets of Buhari, Osinbajo, others – CCB

    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) said Wednesday that it has completed the verification of assets declared by President Mohammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and others top officials of the current administration.

    The agency said, in a statement Wednesday that it was not true, as reported by a newspaper, that it was yet to conclude the verification of assets declared by Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki and others.

    CCB’s Head, Press and Protocol Unit, Mohammad Idris said, in the statement, that more than ever before, the rate of compliance to assets declaration requirement by public officers has increased since the inception of this administration.

    “The said publication is another trick to misinform the public so as to undermine the on-going trials of cases of false declaration of assets before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    “Since the inception of the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari, the rate of compliance by public officials in responding to assets declaration has greatly increased.

    “The Bureau will like to use this medium to appeal to those who are yet to declare their Assets to visit the Asokoro Head office of No 23, Halle Salasi Street Asokoro, Abuja to collect, fill and submit same to the office,” Idris said.

     

  • We’re doing everything possible to address hardship in the country – Osinbajo

    We’re doing everything possible to address hardship in the country – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo has again called on Nigerians to exercise patience as the Federal Government is doing everything possible to address the current economic situation in the country.
    Osinbajo made the call on Saturday when he visited the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II in his palace.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice president was on a working visit to the state.
    Osinbanjo stressed that the Buhari-led administration was committed to transforming the living standard of Nigerians.
    According to him, the Federal Government is doing everything possible to overcome the challenge soon.
    He told the emir that he was in the state to sympathise with the state government, Emirate Council and the entire people of the state on the recent fire outbreak at the Abubakar Rimi Market.
    “We also came to inspect some of the developmental projects executed by the leadership of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje,’’ Osinbajo said.
    Responding, the emir attributed the current hardship to the way and manner previous administration handled the affairs of the nation.
    He, however, called on the government to find lasting solution to the hardship.
    The emir also advised government to step up effort in enlightening Nigerians on the nation’s economic situation.
    He promised that the emirate council would do same and pleaded with Nigerians to bear with the situation, assuring that the hardship would soon be overcome. (NAN)

  • Energy forum to address challenges

    All is set for the  2016 Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF 2016) scheduled to hold April 12th to 13th April, in Lagos.

    The forum according to the organisers aims to facilitate increased energy access, strengthen energy capacity building initiatives and attract direct foreign investment to Nigeria’s electricity sector.

    The UK Minister for International Development, Hon. Nick Hurd, has confirmed attendance and will make  a presentation titled ‘Sustainable Energy in Africa – Rising to the Challenge’ at the event.

    Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to be the Chief Host of the Forum and to formally open the event with a keynote speech titled ‘Sustainable Energy for All Nigerians – Grand Challenges, Big Opportunities’ on April 12th.

    The two day event will address the grand challenges and big opportunities for sustainable energy development in Nigeria.

    On Day one, there will be the Opening Plenary Session, Energy Innovation Exhibition, Four Super Sessions and a Sustainable Energy Dinner. The Super Sessions will focus on: The Energy Policy Landscape; Strategic Development of the Nigerian Gas and Electricity Infrastructure; Sustainable Energy for National Development; and Financing the New Energy System.

    Day 2 will open with a special session on Capacity Building for Regional Energy Sustainability, which is to facilitate sustainable development of regional energy resources for increased energy access. Also, four technical sessions will be held in parallel to focus on: Improved Energy Services for Large Industries and Manufacturers; Smarter Grids and Innovative Metering Solutions; Meeting the Sustainable Energy for All Goals; and Opportunities for Research Development and Innovation.

    Over 50 distinguished speakers and experts and 300 delegates across the world are expected to attend the event.

    Some distinguished speakers, who have confirmed participation in the Energy Forum include: Prof. Eli Jidere Bala (DG, Energy Commission of Nigeria); Prof. Henry Louie (Seattle University, USA); Prof. Akin Iwayemi (University of Ibadan, Nigeria); Dr. Dharshana Muthumini (Managing Director, Manitoba HVDC Research Centre, Canada); Dr. Jamil Gwamna (MD/CEO, Kano Disco); Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (Senior Partner, Olisa Agbakoba Legal); Mr. Baldeh Batchi (Power Director, Africa Finance Corporation); Mr Nasir Giwa (Country Manager, Siemens Power and Gas), Mr. Mohammed Mijindadi (MD, GE Gas Power Systems).

    The 2016 Africa Energy Essay and Photography competitions organized for the forum have already attracted over 380 entries from young professionals under age 35 from 20 different countries across four  continents. The essays were written in the form of a letter to the UN Secretary General, on the topic ‘How can Africa achieve sustainable and affordable energy for all by 2030?’. Winners will be awarded at the Sustainable Energy Dinner on 12th April.

    NEF 2016 is set to reward excellence in the sustainable energy sector at the 2016 Sustainable Energy Africa Awards. This prestigious award is to recognise organisations and individual who are setting the pace for sustainable energy development in Nigeria and other African countries. Awards Categories include: International Energy Partnerships of the Year, Outstanding Contribution in Energy.

  • North East rehabilitation to gulp $9 billion

    North East rehabilitation to gulp $9 billion

    The office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Monday maintained that an estimated sum of $9 Billion would be required to rehabilitate and reconstruct damaged infrastructures in the six North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.

    Out of it, over $6 billion is immediately needed to commence the recovery of the northeast region of Nigeria.

    From a report of an exercise jointly carried out by the Federal Government, the United Nations, the European Union and the world bank after the completion of the 2-day validation and consensus building workshop at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja which the representatives of the six affected states of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba to review findings and chart way forward, the office announced that the world bank has pledge to make available $800 million towards the rebuilding of the region.

    A statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said: “The joint efforts of the federal and state governments with the global partners would now be directed to prioritizing the needed interventions and projects, arranging their sequence and coming up with an action plan.”

    The statement quoted the Sector Manager, Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, Mr. Idrissa Dia as saying that the physical participation of the Bank at the validation workshop last week in Abuja is an affirmation that the global financial institution is encouraged by the initial feedbacks on the findings of the recovery and assessment.

    He also reaffirmed the Bank’s commitments and support towards the overall success of the planned interventions.

    Mr. Dia said the World Bank was set to mobilize other bodies in the World Bank Group and partners that might be interested beyond the existing donors on the project.

    “In line with the magnitude of the needs we are confronted with, we would like to also mobilize beyond the set of donors here,” he said.

    The European Union’s Acting Head of Cooperation, Mr Juan Casla expressed satisfaction with the findings of the assessment, saying with the leadership displayed in the process by the Federal Government, the different states and the international donor agencies, the EU was now ready to discuss the pledges it made and move forward with implementation in collaboration with other partners and the Government of Nigeria, both at the Federal and State levels.

    “These findings provide shared understanding between the Government of Nigeria and its humanitarian and development partners on a set of priotized, sequenced interventions and the EU as a member of the International partnership involved in this assessment is ever- committed towards ensuring the implementation of these findings,” Casla stated.

    Mr. Casla said from his experience in such interventions, he has seen that the team led by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on IDPs, Dr. Marian Masha has been able to put in place a thorough assessment in a complex and challenging situation in the North East.

    According to the UN representative at the event, Mrs. Jean Gough, the United Nations was pleased with the successes of the assessment, harping on the readiness of the World body to provide technical and other humanitarian support towards achieving the goals of the post-assessment phase of the planning.

    Further findings by the joint committee also revealed that the six states would need $6.4 billion to undertake recovery efforts to cushion the devastation inflicted on the North-East Region between 2011 and 2015.

    The assessments were carried out under the three main components of Infrastructure and Social Services, Peace Building, Stability & Social Cohesion, and Economic Recovery with focus on cross-cutting issues such as governance and accountability, citizen engagement, institutional capacity for implementation, gender, youth, human rights and de-mining.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on IDPs, Dr. Marian also disclosed that Borno state was worse hit by the crisis with a loss of $6 billion.

    The region, she said, suffered damages worth $3 billion in housing alone while it also suffered damages in terms of livestock which brought about the need to restore agriculture in the region.

    She said “what this process brings home is that it helps to create a platform to harmonise resources, to coordinate better, support and planning at the federal and state levels, and support also from international donors and partners.”

    Similarly, the Nigeria Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA), a process that assesses the physical, social and economic impacts of the crisis in the North-East, made finding on the zone, revealing that Yobe and Adamawa states were next in devastation, adding that the destruction in other parts of the region is enormous but with less gravity.

    Dr. Masha said that no fewer than 20,000 lives were lost while 1.8 million people were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency and the planned interventions are to be implemented over time, in view of resources that are available for its implementation.

    “Crisis recovery in the North-East is a priority of the Nigerian Government and this has been demonstrated by the ownership and leadership of the recovery assessment process, it has helped in securing the continued support of the partners, donors and other critical stakeholders.

    “The plan and implementation strategy are critical to the success of the recovery efforts.  It is not so much about the amount of financial resources that are available, but how we are able to utilize the resources and the capacity to put them to use”, Dr. Masha remarked.

    A Three–volume report of the Nigeria Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA) recommended a 2-phase strategic plan of two years for stabilization and a recovery phase of 2 years to restore the North-East to progress and development.

    The two phases of stabilization and recovery were fluid and would run concurrently, covering such areas as agriculture, housing, transportation and education over the period.

    These strategies according to Akande’s statement “would help reduce suffering in affected communities, restore a sense of normalcy and regain the trust of people in the region.

    The statement also “recalled that the Federal Government had in January unveiled this assessment programme, which is a joint, high-level collaboration between the Government of Nigeria and three global development partners – the World Bank, EU and the UN – aimed at supporting Government in its short and medium term efforts towards peace building and sustainable recovery in the North-East region of the country.”

  • Presidency to begin town hall meetings soon – Aide

    Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, says Presidency will soon begin to hold town hall meetings with Nigerians to furnish them with information.

    Shehu made this known while answering reporters’ questions in Abuja on Sunday.

    According to him, government decided to embark on such meetings because it has realised the importance of information communication to the people at the grassroots.

    “I know that there is a plan that the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would start town hall meetings in zones.

    “It would then be broken down to the states and so on.

    “Government realises that there is a need to take information to the people and there are steps that are being taken in order to ensure that is done,” he said.

    Shehu criticised the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for being indifferent to the Federal Government’s change mantra.

    “We have an agency like NOA with 773 offices nationwide.

    “Each has not less than 5 to 7 staffs and well-equipped, but you know also, sometimes democracy has its own dark side.

    “The President came and he wanted to really be fair to every Chief Executive. If he wanted to fire people on assumption (of office), he would have done it and he would not have violated any rule.

    “He decided to give everyone a chance to see whether they would imbibe the change mantra, to see whether they were prepared to go along (with him).

    “I will say with all sincerity that NOA was a source of worry for us in government; the people and the leadership never believed in what we are doing.

    “They never believed in change. They just folded their arms and watched us for the period of 8 to 9 months that they were there.

    “I believe the new leadership would begin to formulate things for agencies like that,” he said.

    The presidential aide praised Nigerians for steadfastly supporting the present administration especially during a period most people considered to be difficult.

    Shehu congratulated Nigerians on the achievements the President had recorded fighting insurgency and explained that the military have tagged their success against Boko Haram a “technical victory’’ because no city is presently under curfew.

    The SSA said that with the passage of the budget by the National Assembly, the next phase for the President would be to rebuild damaged facilities and infrastructure.

    He said that with the Central Bank of Nigeria realising more than N3 trillion through the introduction of the Treasury Single Account and the passage of the budget, a lot of activities would pick up.

    On the quest by Nigerians to know the amount of money the Federal Government had so far recovered from treasury looters, Shehu said the litigation hurdles associated with the looted funds would have to be scaled before Nigerians were availed of the figures. (NAN)