A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
No matter the outcome of the Europa League final tonight against Manchester United, 24 May will always have a special sentiment for Ajax and its fans.
On 24 May, 1995, Ajax managed to achieve the unthinkable; winning the Champions League with a team that was only 25 years old on average, beating Italian giants AC Milan 1-0 in the final.
Exactly 22 years later, Ajax have the opportunity once again to do something the club and its fans could not have possibly imagined. It is fitting, then, that the teams of then and now share so many connections beyond the iconic red and white jersey, as the Netherlands' most successful club will try to end its longest title drought in continental competition.
Edwin van der Sar, who was the goalkeeper in that famous Ajax side and won a Champions League with Manchester United to boot, is now the general director of the club from the capital. Former Arsenal player Marc Overmars, currently the director of football at Ajax, was another starter that night in Vienna, taking up duties on the left wing.
And with 18-year old Justin Kluivert in the side 22 years after his father Patrick became the youngest player to score a winner in a Champions League final, there might even be some historic on-pitch involvement, although the Dutch will be fearful of Manchester United's Daley Blind denying the club that his father Danny captained to the Amsterdammers' last European triumph.
The shadow of a team managed by another mutual acquaintance of both Manchester United and Ajax lingers over the final in Sweden – in 1995, Louis van Gaal was in charge of the Dutch club. Yet the current manager who has revitalized Ajax after a few stale years considers himself a disciple of the late Johan Cruyff.
Presidency has, Tuesday, said that the Nigerian economy, though slow, is emerging out of recession. It also said, for instance, growth has continued in agriculture and a notable positive turnaround has now been recorded in manufacturing and non-oil sectors, while a slowdown in negative growth rates is noticed in several more sectors.
A statement released by the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media & Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande said that the economy equally records an increasing reduction in sectoral negative growth.
Presidency gave the statement sequel to the report from Bloomberg, a private financial software, data, and media company that provides economic analysis of organizations or countries and presents reports for actions to be taken. The report claimed Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product, GDP shrank 0.5 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, compared with a revised 1.7 percent contraction in the final three months of 2016.
The report maintained that Nigeria's economy has continued to slump and has contracted for a fifth consecutive quarter in the three months through March as oil output declined.
However, in the report released Tuesday evening by the office of the Acting President, it said "the 2017 Q1 GDP figures released earlier today depict an overall picture showing the economy is emerging slowly out of recession."
It said the statement by the Presidential Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, on GDP figures for the first quarter of 2017 (q1 2017), indicate that the economy made a nearly two percentage point improvement from the first quarter of 2017.
“The latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the economy shrank by 0.52% in the first quarter of 2017 (Q1 2017).
Although the economy remains in recession this is the strongest performance in five quarters and shows a significant turnaround from the low of -2.34% reached in the third quarter of 2016 (Q3 2016).
"This is nearly two percentage point improvement and also reflects the fact that the number of sub-sectors that experienced negative growth has almost halved falling from 29 sub-sectors for the whole of 2016 to 16 sub-sectors in Q1 2017.
"Agricultural growth remained in positive territory albeit growing at a slower rate of about 3.4%, no doubt due to seasonal factors.
Growth in manufacturing on the other hand returned to positive territory after five quarters of negative growth. It grew by 1.36% in Q1 2017 after falling to a nadir of -7.0% in Q1 2016.
"The solid mineral sector continued to justify the priority given to it by the Federal Government with high double digit growth for metal ores and quarrying at 40.79% and 52.54% respectively.
Growth in the oil sector remained negative at -11.64% although there was an over six percentage point improvement in its fortunes from the previous quarter.
"More significantly, the non-oil sector which accounts for about 90% of GDP returned to positive growth although at a marginal level of 0.72% in Q1 2017. This is the first positive growth in the non-oil sector since the last quarter of 2015.
"Headline inflation fell for the third month in a row to 17.24%, with core inflation also declining quite rapidly.
"However, food inflation remains of concern as it continues to trend upwards. This is mainly due to rising transport costs and other structural impediments to the movement of foods in the domestic market. The trade balance remained positive reflecting import contraction and relatively higher export revenues which grew year-on-year by up to 80.5%.
The overall picture that the figures show is that the economy is emerging slowly out of recession.
"This outlook is reinforced by positive trends in other indicators such as improved oil prices and increasing production, rising foreign exchange reserves, increased capital spending by the Federal Government as well as improved perceptions reflected in various purchasing and sales managers indices. Barring major economic shocks, it should still be possible to restore growth this year as projected in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.”
Antoine Griezmann says he is ready to leave Atletico Madrid in order to pursue a dream of winning trophies consistently.
Antoine Griezmann
The France international has long been linked with a move to Manchester United or Real Madrid but appeared to commit his future to Atletico last week when he light-heartedly stated that he would only leave to join NBA side the New York Knicks.
However, Griezmann caused a stir on Monday when he said that his chances of moving to Old Trafford this year were a "six out of 10" as talk began to build of a possible world-record offer from the Europa League finalists.
The 26-year-old has followed up those comments by saying that his ambitions could tempt him to leave Atletico in the next transfer window, although their own recruitment drive could yet convince him to stay.
The "fashionable" Premier League, the Bundesliga or even the top flights in China and the United States could be appealing, he said.
"We finished third in LaLiga. It was the club's objective but the players want more," he said at the release of his autobiography on Tuesday, as quoted by L'Equipe.
"I want to win trophies. I've come to a point where I play really well and score goals but it's not enough. That's it.
"To win trophies is what I'm going to look for this summer from the moment I decide my future.
"I reached a final and a semi-final of the Champions League with Atletico. We're close but we're missing something.
"I'll see what the club will do. It depends on transfers. I don't know if they understand but all the players, the media, my family, know that I like football to win trophies, to live strong emotions. I want to taste it.
"If I have to move today it will be no problem. It could be to England because that's fashionable, to Germany, China or the United States. I'm ready to go."
Griezmann registered 26 goals and 13 assists in all competitions for Diego Simeone's side last season.
Kano – The Kano State Branch of the Nigerian Fruit Sellers Association says its members only use carbide and not insecticides to quicken the ripening of fruits.Mangoes flood Zuba Fruit Market in Abuja on Friday (13/4/12). There Is Need to Preserve Our Seasonal Fruits. NAN Photo
The Chairman of the association, Malam Muhammad Umar, made this known on Tuesday in Kano.
Umar was reacting to reports alleging that fruit sellers in the state were using insecticides like balm, insect powder killer and other related chemical substances on unripe fruits to hasten ripening within a day.
"We are only using carbide in the ripening of fruits, and before we start using it we had to follow certain process which include the involvement of the Environmental and Occupational Health Unit, Kano State Ministry of Health," he explained.
Umar stated that the report of the public analysis conducted by the state Ministry of Health on the use of carbide in ripening fruits was approved to be safe.
However, the chairman said that certain recommended measures were being observed in the process.
He said that "the inner portion of the product should never be exposed.
"There should be no direct contact with the product and the carbide and lastly all rotten, damaged products should never be sold to consumers but should be disposed of.
"I assure you that we always do our best to ensure that members follow the recommendations by the state ministry of health," the chairman said.
According to him, apart from the approval by the state government in 2004, the association received additional approval from the Research Institute of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on the safe use of the carbide.
He, therefore, called on members of the public to disregard the false reports, adding "harmful insecticides have never been used to ripen fruits and we will never use them''.
The former Head of the Environmental and Occupation Unit, and Sarkin Tsaftar Kano, Alhaji Ja'afaru Gwarzo, confirmed being the signatory on the approval letter issued to the association.
Gwarzo, who is also a Special Assistant to the state governor on 'Sanitation Vanguard', said that "after a thorough investigation on the safety of the carbide in ripening the fruits by an analysis in 2004, we were satisfied with the method but with certain conditions".
He enumerated the conditions as listed by the chairman of the fruits sellers.
Ariana Grande: Salman Abedi, a 22-year old was identified as the suicide bomber who killed 22 people, including children, in an attack on a crowded concert hall in Manchester.Victim of Manchester terrorolice counter-terrorism network and our security partners, is to continue to establish whether he was acting alone or working as part of a wider network," Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said.
Police raided houses in the northern English city and arrested a 23-year-old man after Monday evening's attack, the deadliest in Britain for 12 years.
Prime Minister Theresa May called it an act of "sickening cowardice" targeting "defenseless children and young people".
Islamic State, now being driven from territories in Syria and Iraq by Western-backed armed forces, claimed responsibility for what it called a revenge attack against "Crusaders", but there appeared to be contradictions in its account of the operation.
"All acts of terrorism are cowardly," May said in a statement outside her Downing Street office after a meeting with British security and intelligence chiefs.
"But this attack stands out for its appalling sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenseless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives."
She said security services were working to see if a wider group was involved in the attack, which fell less than three weeks before a national election. The election campaign has been suspended for now as a mark of respect.
May spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and several other foreign leaders on Tuesday about the attack, her spokesman said. She also visited the police headquarters and a children's hospital in Manchester.
ABUJA-Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, United Kingdom yesterday, Monday.Victim of Manchester terror
In a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande on Tuesday, the Acting President who described the attack as “despicable”, condoled with Prime Minister Theresa May, the government and the people of the United Kingdom.
The statement read thus: “On behalf of the people and Government of Nigeria, Prof Osinbajo expresses heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the government and people of the United Kingdom in this period of grief.
“Describing the attack as a dastardly act and heinous crime, Acting President Osinbajo assures Prime Minister Theresa May that the prayers and thoughts of Nigerians are with the British people as they mourn the victims, many of the them being young people.
“Acting President Osinbajo is confident that light of the civilised world will always prevail against the darkness of depravity, and he trusts that Britons and citizens of other nations across the world will continue to show resilience and courage in the wake of such terrorist crimes.
“He prays that God Almighty will comfort the bereaved families and also wishes a speedy recovery for the injured.”
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Jabi, will tomorrow, rule on an application challenging the continued detention of the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd, Ifeanyi Ubah, by the Department of State Service, DSS.
Justice Halilu adjourned ruling on the application, on a day the security agency, alleged that Ubah committed an economic sabotage punishable by death.
It told the court that the detained oil mogul was illegally divered about 84 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (commonly called petrol), that was kept in his custody by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
The DSS, in a counter-affidavit deposed by one of its operatives, Mr. Safwan Bello, told the court that the PMS Ubah diverted was valued at N11billion.
It stated that several effort by the NNPC to recover the PMS it kept in Ubah’s tank farm failed as the applicant had converted it to his personal use.
The agency maintained that Ubah’s action was capable of causing artificial scarcity of the product thus plunging the country not only into widespread scarcity of PMS but also in economic chaos.
According to the DSS, "The respondent (Ubah) was arrested on reasonable suspicion of his involvement in the commission of crime.
"The respondent refused to return the PMS to NNPC after repeated demands. The PMS is worth over N11bn. The action of the respondent is affecting the distribution of petroleum products to the populace.
"The action of the respondent is sabotage of NNPC's activities as it relates to distribution of petroleum products. If not for the urgent steps taken by the Federal Government, the action of the respondent would have plunged the country into widespread scarcity with its attendant effect on the economy”.
However, Ubah’s lawyer, Ifeoma Esom, has accused the DSS of surreptitiously securing an order to detain her client.
Esom alleged that the agency suppressed material facts when on May 10, it persuaded the court to allow it to hold Ubah in its custody for 14 days.
In an application anchored on section 298(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Ubah, told the court that “Capital Oil and Gas Ltd (COG) of which the respondent is the CEO has always been one of NNPC’s largest Throughput providers and this is evidenced by Throughput agreements entered into between NNPC subsidiaries and COG over the years.
“These Throughput agreements, in accordance with the norms and practice in the industry worldwide, allow conversion and diversion of IT products by the ‘Operator’ so long as the Operator is prepared to re-deliver the products (in terms of the current contract) within 7 days of demand by the products owner or to pay a penalty for non re-delivery.
“The penalty to re-deliver is expressly stated by the Contract to be a mere breach of contract remediable by the payment of penalty to the owner. The penalty is comprised of the cost of delivery of the products to the Operator’s tank farm with interest at Nibor+1.
“There can therefore be no issue of crime in conversion or diversion of products under a throughput contract (regardless of the ordinary connotations of those words).”
She revealed that the DSS earlier arrested Ubah at his house in Lagos on March 24 and kept him in its custody until April 14 when he was temporarily and conditionally released after he had been coerced into making payment of N2billion and executing various documents in favour of NNPC and AMCON.
Esom told the court that when Ubah returnes to his home in Lagos, in fear for his life and liberty should he renew his claims that he is not indebted to either NNPC Retail Ltd or AMCON as he had maintained before his incarceration, instructed his counsel to file an application for the enforcement of his fundamental rights.
“Notwithstanding the pendency of the suit and the service of the originating processes, the SSS again invited the Respondent to report to its offices in respect of the same allegations made by the NNPC and AMCON which is the subject matter of the suit.
“On the 5th of May 2017, the SSS arrested the respondent in Lagos and moved him to their Abuja office”.
Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, has urged Nigerians to ignore the media reports on Coup plot, saying it should not be stretched beyond what the military authorities had said.
Adesina stated this at a media chat with State House correspondents to mark two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, what the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, said about the issue was a "routine warning that goes to military officers.''
The presidential aide addressed the correspondents alongside the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Mr Laolu Akande (Office of the Vice-President).
Adesina said: "The Army has spoken and let us take that position. What the Chief of Army Staff said was a routine warning that goes to military officers, don't hobnob with politicians and the army has explained the position.
"Let's take that position and not stretch it beyond what the military has said because they are the ones that can give us the definitive position and they have spoken on it.''
The presidential spokesman also debunked the assertion that the ruling party had failed in fulfilling its political obligations and promises to the electorate in view of the reported hardships being experienced by a cross section of Nigerians.
He maintained that it was unfair to assess the performance of the Buhari's administration within its first two years.
"People can always express their opinions, there is liberty on that but you don't have a scientific survey that has given you the percentage of people that believed that the APC has failed.
"The second point is that, when a government via a party is voted into office, it is voted for a four year term under our own democratic arrangement.
"When you have spent two years which is like a midterm, the first half of a game, you don't then determined that it has succeeded or it has failed.
"No. You can be accused of being atomistic using a small part to determine the whole. You can't write the report card of this administration when it is just hitting the half way mark, that will not be fair.
"This administration will take Nigeria far beyond how it met it. So if anybody says APC has failed just tell them is too early in the day because is a four year-term and this is just two years. You don't reach definitive conclusions in two years.''
Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke on the Human Rights records of the Buhari's administration, said the records were impeccable.
"The Human rights records of this administration are impeccable, there are unimpeachable. I think we should avoid speaking in general terms.
"The thing to do is to pin point specific cases to buttress assertions that people make and then we can tackle them.
"As we speak to you now, we are not aware that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari is in breach of the constitution of Nigeria with regards to the protection of the rights of Nigerians.
"Journalists in this country ought to bear testimony on this, there is no single journalist that has been expelled from his duty because he has reported or failed to report, there is no single journalist who is in government detention because they have expressed some views that the government does not like.''
According to Shehu, the Buhari's administration is complying with the decision of the courts of the land.
"I assure that if anybody tries to do otherwise the president will not allow him to get away with it.''
Laolu Akande, who spoke on alleged weak prosecution of corruption cases across the country, said: "The truth of the matter is that our criminal justice system does need a profound and deep reform.
"The important thing is that this government is working on it. As a matter of fact now, the Acting President has put together a national coordination prosecution team for all the prosecution trying to see how in the medium term we can bring some progress.
"But also working on judicial sector reforms on the long term on criminal justice system to strengthen both the investigation and prosecution at the courts.
"And I know it is going to take a while for us to address it," he said.
On food security, Akande revealed that the government had recorded tangible achievements in the nation's agricultural sector.
According to him, the committee on food crisis is still working, while the government has reduced importation of food items especially rice.
He disclosed that about 40,000 farmers in Kebbi state had become millionaires due to government favourable agricultural policies.
African Union Directors-General of Customs have been urged to resolve to implement Free Trade Area agreement (CFTA), to boost trade on the continent.
Sen. Hope Uzodimma, Chairman Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, made the call when he spoke to newsmen at the ongoing first extra-ordinary meeting of African Union Sub-committee of Directors General in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the implementation of CFTA would facilitate trade in Africa, adding that this can only happen if the CFTA was implemented with utmost transparency.
"I wish to encourage you to adopt a strong resolution, urging African heads of states and governments to implement CFTA which in Jan. 2012 they agreed to establish in 2017.
`This agreement was inspired by the initiative of an African plan for boosting Intra-Africa Trade (BIATA).
" The focus of the leaders at the 2012 summit was to boost intra-Africa trade.
"This is to be done by increasing productive capacity, trade related infrastructure, trade finance, trade information and factor market integration,'' Uzodimma said.
According to him, lack of automation and marginal use of information technology was yet a major bane of trade facilitation in Africa.
He said that the waste of time and money at customs clearing point does not facilitate trade.
According to him, there is need for the application of high sense of patriotism, diligence and transparency to facilitate trade within the AU.
"As you know, there are allegations that some AU members countries conspire with countries outside the region to illegally adopt products from foreign countries as their own products.
"Thereafter, they stamp and ship from their port of origin to AU countries as though such goods were made in their countries, this unwholesome practice does not facilitate intra-Africa trade.
"You must therefore ensure that it is stamped out completely if the CFTA agreement is to have the desired impact'', he added.
Abuja – Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, has urged Nigerians to ignore the media reports on Coup plot, saying it should not be stretched beyond what the military authorities had said. Femi Adesina Adesina stated this at a media chat with State House correspondents to mark two years of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, what the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, said about the issue was a "routine warning that goes to military officers.''
The presidential aide addressed the correspondents alongside the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu and Mr Laolu Akande (Office of the Vice-President).
Adesina said: "The Army has spoken and let us take that position. What the Chief of Army Staff said was a routine warning that goes to military officers, don't hobnob with politicians and the army has explained the position.
"Let's take that position and not stretch it beyond what the military has said because they are the ones that can give us the definitive position and they have spoken on it.''
The presidential spokesman also debunked the assertion that the ruling party had failed in fulfilling its political obligations and promises to the electorate in view of the reported hardships being experienced by a cross section of Nigerians.
He maintained that it was unfair to assess the performance of the Buhari's administration within its first two years.
"People can always express their opinions, there is liberty on that but you don't have a scientific survey that has given you the percentage of people that believed that the APC has failed.
"The second point is that, when a government via a party is voted into office, it is voted for a four year term under our own democratic arrangement.
"When you have spent two years which is like a midterm, the first half of a game, you don't then determined that it has succeeded or it has failed.
"No. You can be accused of being atomistic using a small part to determine the whole. You can't write the report card of this administration when it is just hitting the half way mark, that will not be fair.
"This administration will take Nigeria far beyond how it met it. So if anybody says APC has failed just tell them is too early in the day because is a four year-term and this is just two years. You don't reach definitive conclusions in two years.''
Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke on the Human Rights records of the Buhari's administration, said the records were impeccable.
"The Human rights records of this administration are impeccable, there are unimpeachable. I think we should avoid speaking in general terms.
"The thing to do is to pin point specific cases to buttress assertions that people make and then we can tackle them.
"As we speak to you now, we are not aware that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari is in breach of the constitution of Nigeria with regards to the protection of the rights of Nigerians.
"Journalists in this country ought to bear testimony on this, there is no single journalist that has been expelled from his duty because he has reported or failed to report, there is no single journalist who is in government detention because they have expressed some views that the government does not like.''
According to Shehu, the Buhari's administration is complying with the decision of the courts of the land.
"I assure that if anybody tries to do otherwise the president will not allow him to get away with it.''
Laolu Akande, who spoke on alleged weak prosecution of corruption cases across the country, said: "The truth of the matter is that our criminal justice system does need a profound and deep reform.
"The important thing is that this government is working on it. As a matter of fact now, the Acting President has put together a national coordination prosecution team for all the prosecution trying to see how in the medium term we can bring some progress.
"But also working on judicial sector reforms on the long term on criminal justice system to strengthen both the investigation and prosecution at the courts.
"And I know it is going to take a while for us to address it," he said.
On food security, Akande revealed that the government had recorded tangible achievements in the nation's agricultural sector.
According to him, the committee on food crisis is still working, while the government has reduced importation of food items especially rice.
He disclosed that about 40,000 farmers in Kebbi state had become millionaires due to government favourable agricultural policies.
The senate president in the seventh senate, Sen. David Mark, has weighed the developmental achievements in his state and Rivers and compares both using youths empowerment and other socio-economic achievements as a template.
Sen. Mark who went for the commissioning of the Rivers states newly constructed road in his address compared his state and Rivers in terms of developmental blueprints achieved.
Gov. Ortom empowering people with Wheel Barrows
According to him, ” This is not my first visit to commission projects in Rivers state, I was here last year to commission one of the roads. “I noticed the tremendous improvement in Rivers sate and the democratic process within.
“Most people are here commissioning roads, commissioning projects plus other developments achieved, but in my home state ‘Benue’ they gave out Wheel barrows to empower people. “So you can compare and contrast,” he finally said.
A trending video on social media claims more than five Nigerian policemen allegedly brutalised some motorcyclists in Anambra over unidentified offences.
In the video, the policemen are seen brutally beating the motorcyclists, and blood rushing out of one of them. Whats your take on the video?
Police allegedly brutalising motocyclists in AnambraPolice allegedly brutalising motocyclists in AnambraPolice allegedly brutalising motocyclists in AnambraPolice allegedly brutalising motocyclists in Anambra
The Europa League final between Manchester United and Ajax will not be the same following the deadly terror attack in Manchester, the Dutch club’s coach Peter Bosz said on Tuesday.
“What happened in Manchester is something that we all feel at Ajax,” Bosz told his pre-match press conference at Stockholm’s Friends Arena.
“On behalf of the players and the staff, we at Ajax would like to express sympathy with the victims who unfortunately fell yesterday.
“The feeling that prevails is that the final doesn’t have the glow it should have.
“Tomorrow evening should be a football feast, but because of events in Manchester, we’re all affected, particularly as we’re playing against Manchester. It’s horrible. My heartfelt sympathies.”
Twenty-two people were killed and 59 injured in a suicide bomb attack that targeted a concert by American pop star Ariana Grande at Manchester Arena on Monday.
Grande, who was unhurt in the attack, recently performed in Amsterdam and several of the Ajax players’ wives and children attended the concert.
“It’s devastating,” said midfielder Lasse Schone.
“Ariana Grande performed in Amsterdam two weeks ago. My wife and my child were there. It’s so close. It’s terrible, it’s horrible.
“Our sympathies go out to the victims’ friends and families. It takes away some of the sparkle of what will happen tomorrow.”
By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan A two-time senator at the National Assembly, Iyiola Omisore and some archaeologists have called on leaders in the country to resuscitate museums by proper and regular funding to make them attraction centres for indigenous and foreign tourists.
They made the call Tuesday during the international museum day at the Museum of National Unity, Ibadan.
Omisore who presented a keynote address at the event suggested that branding and increased social media presence; infusion of technology into display of artefacts, photographs and documents could attract tourists to museums across the country.
Other factors, he feels, could save the dying museums, include introduction of more flexible hours, multiple exhibition facilities; creation of inter school competitions in the museum to arouse the curiosity and research among youths would make museum enjoy good patronage.
While presenting the guest lecture entitled, ” Museums and Contested histories-Saying the Unspeakable in Museums, Dr Ogunfolakan Adisa from the Natural Museum, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife underscored the importance of museums in national development.
According to him, museum plays pivotal role in national development. For instance, the artefacts of Civil War, Kiriji War involving Ijesa and Ibadan which are in our museum will constantly remind us that war is not good and that we should toe the path of peace.
He spoeaking further he said “When I went to Igboland, I saw the technology prowess of Igbo, some war equipment they manufactured during the Civil War, if not for museum which have all these artefacts, how do we know about African technology?”
He lamented that museums across the country are not well funded.
“We have to help these people. In developed world, you see people coming out to help. Our museums in Nigeria are dying. I call on well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of museums so that they can perform well,” he said.
The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman who was represented by the Deputy Director and Curator, National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, Elder Amos Olorunnipa, said, “museums as educational resource centres are veritable institutions for the promotion of creativity, innovation and inventiveness through their exhibitions and programmes”.
He called on institutions that have existed for 50 years to or more to set up museums to document their histories and on schools to make visits to the museum a compulsory part of their teaching process.
This, he added would greatly assist the misunderstanding of the past, an appreciation of the preset and the planning of a better future.
Awards were given to Senator Iyiola Omisore, Mr. Toye Arulogun, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Newton Jibunoh and Dr Segun Opadeji, Senior Lecturer, Archaeology and Anthropology Department, University of Ibadan.
Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola and leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila have written off the present structure of the Nigeria’s Presidential System of Government. Rauf Aregbesola
While Aregbesola clamoured for a Parliamentary system as the only viable way to solve the Nigeria problem, Gbajabiamila called for the remodification of the current system to fit into the local system.
The duo spoke on Tuesday at a special sitting of the Osun House of Assembly to commemorate the Governor’s 60th birthday anniversary where he was honoured with ‘Life Membership of the House’ and a lecture series was held in his honour.
According to the governor, the present system is not only cumbersome, “it is unsuitable for our own clime”.
According to him, Parliamentary system of government is the best system of government over and above “the current expensive and authoritarian Presidential System”.
“Nothing can be more incongruous than operating Presidential System in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country like Nigeria.
“Anything short of true federalism is an aberration, but parliamentary system is the best way we can rule our country without hassles.
“While the current Presidential System tends towards authoritarianism, Parliamentary system gives everybody voice and make governance easier”, he said.
In his lecture, titled ‘Suitability of Presidential System of Government In A Multi-ethnic Democracy’, Gbajabiamila said, the current system is cumbersome as no one could specifically say which kind of the system is being operated in the country.
“Nigeria at one time or the other practiced all the system of Government – Presidential, Parliamentary and Unitary- but it is disheartening that we are still pondering on which system is suitable for us.
According to him, in Federal System of government , most powers are concentrated at the centre and this cannot be suitable in a multi ethnic society like Nigeria where there are issues of marginalisation, resource control among others.
Gbajabiamila, said there are too many responsibilities at the federal level, saying, this was the major reason why dividends of democracy hardly get to the grassroot.
“In democracy, power belongs to the people, but in Nigeria’s democracy, power has been taking away from the people leading to distrust, inter-ethnicity and quest for secession”, Gbajabiamila stressed.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, while presenting the membership certificate to governor, said the honour was conferred on the governor based on his developmental strides in the state.
He said it was also provided opportunity to widen the scope of discourse on issues bordering on development.
Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola and leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila have written off the present structure of the Nigeria’s Presidential System of Government.
While Aregbesola clamoured for a Parliamentary system as the only viable way to solve the Nigeria problem, Gbajabiamila called for the remodification of the current system to fit into the local system.
The duo spoke on Tuesday at a special sitting of the Osun House of Assembly to commemorate the Governor’s 60th birthday anniversary where he was honoured with ‘Life Membership of the House’ and a lecture series was held in his honour.
According to the governor, the present system is not only cumbersome, “it is unsuitable for our own clime”.
According to him, Parliamentary system of government is the best system of government over and above “the current expensive and authoritarian Presidential System”.
“Nothing can be more incongruous than operating Presidential System in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country like Nigeria.
“Anything short of true federalism is an aberration, but parliamentary system is the best way we can rule our country without hassles.
“While the current Presidential System tends towards authoritarianism, Parliamentary system gives everybody voice and make governance easier”, he said.
In his lecture, titled ‘Suitability of Presidential System of Government In A Multi-ethnic Democracy’, Gbajabiamila said, the current system is cumbersome as no one could specifically say which kind of the system is being operated in the country.
“Nigeria at one time or the other practiced all the system of Government – Presidential, Parliamentary and Unitary- but it is disheartening that we are still pondering on which system is suitable for us.
According to him, in Federal System of government , most powers are concentrated at the centre and this cannot be suitable in a multi ethnic society like Nigeria where there are issues of marginalisation, resource control among others.
Gbajabiamila, said there are too many responsibilities at the federal level, saying, this was the major reason why dividends of democracy hardly get to the grassroot.
“In democracy, power belongs to the people, but in Nigeria’s democracy, power has been taking away from the people leading to distrust, inter-ethnicity and quest for secession”, Gbajabiamila stressed.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, while presenting the membership certificate to governor, said the honour was conferred on the governor based on his developmental strides in the state.
He said it was also provided opportunity to widen the scope of discourse on issues bordering on development.
Some residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday expressed divergent views on why they snoop their partners phones, emails and text messages.
Mrs Elizabeth Joseph, a civil servant told newsmen that though her husband uses a code to lock his phone, she has been able to decode it and snoop through his phone whenever she suspects him of hiding anything from her.
" He (the husband) is not aware that I have the code to his phone, so he leaves it with me to go and watch football with his friends, which gives me ample time to go through it and even his mails, text messages and pictures to know what he is up to.''
Also, Miss Bola Samuel, a banker, said snooping through her partner's phone from time to time keeps her abreast of his activities, "especially his `kuru-kere' moves."
"I don't see anything wrong with going through my partner's phone, which some people regard as stalking. I rather see it as protecting my interest to know if the relationship will yield fruit or I am wasting my time.''
According to her, she also gets an inkling of her partner's plan for their relationship through his text messages with his family members and friends , as well as eavesdropping on his conversation with others.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Chibuzor, a business man said he sees nothing wrong in snooping his partner's phone because ,"I bought the phone and I have every right to know who she communicates with and the nature of such conversation.
" I don't see anything wrong in going through my partner's phone without her consent because I got the phone for her, moreover we are both in a relationship, so we don't need to hide anything from each other,'' he said.
However, Mrs Ronke Ibrahim said she regretted going through her husband's phone without his knowledge because it affected their relationship.
" I was inquisitive and went through his phone without his consent and I saw some pornography videos and pictures in it, I immediately felt insecure. I also felt that I was not satisfying him sexually; I became scared that the relationship might end soon.''
On his own part, Mr Funom Adamu, stressed the need for couples to share vital information with each other, which he said would build mutual trust, respect and love in the home.
" Trust is an essential part of any relationship and snooping through the phone of a partner is one of the worst things you can do because it opens doors for misunderstanding, disappointment and pains.
"My wife has access to my phone, mail, ATM pin and other personal things because I have nothing to hide from her; moreover, this life is too short. What if something happens to me and she needs those things?
" Some people are professional cheats, but you will never see anything linking them or exposing their extramarital affairs on their phones, mail or other personal belongings,'' he said.
Adamu, said scooping on each other's phone was not necessary as it could lead to a breach of trust, become an addiction, which would subsequently affects the relationship.
Meanwhile, a relationship expert said snooping another person's phone without permission gives room for suspicion, mistrust and hurt for both partners, as well as contributes immensely to broken homes, relationship and marriages.
Mrs Precious Yusuf, said people who go through the phones or other personal items of their partners without their knowledge shows they lack trust, are possessive and feel vulnerable in their relationships.
" Snooping other peoples personal items without their consent shows lack of trust, understanding and respect for the person , which in most cases becomes a habit and leads to misunderstanding or an end of the relationship.''
Yusuf attributed insecurity, suspicious of cheating and hiding relevant information that might affect the relationship as reasons why people secretly go through the phones and other personal belongings of their partners.
" It is better to confront your partner and clear the air, rather than become suspicious to the extent of stalking the person all because you suspect the person is cheating or hiding something from you,'' Yusuf said.
Mr Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), on Tuesday vowed to fight corruption with the last drop of his blood.
Addressing a massive anti-corruption rally in Abuja, Magu reaffirmed the determination of the commission to "trace and recover all ill-gotten wealth and bring the perpetrators to book''.
He said: "I stand before you today and make a solemn pledge never to give up the fight. Those who dread to be punished for their corrupt deeds should take notice that the EFCC is watching.
"It is time to weep for those who believe they can perpetually hold down Nigeria as a cow and milk her to death.
"It is time to weep for supposed men and women of honour who pose as anti-corruption fighters but when they think we are not looking, they plot and fund the collapse of the anti-corruption war.
"It is time to weep for those who want to be perpetually rich at the expense of our poor masses. Victory is ours because the days of impunity are gone.''
Newsmen report that the rally was part of a nationwide anti-corruption walk staged by the EFCC to spur the masses into joining the anti-graft war.
It was planned to coincide with the second anniversary of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration on May 29.
The walk, which began at the commission's Head Office in Wuse 2, at 8.45 a.m., witnessed a massive turnout of officials and other stakeholders.
They included representatives of the Inspector-General of Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, civil society organisations and student unions.
The exercise took the participants from Wuse 2 through Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Shehu Shagari Way and front of the National Assembly Complex to the Federal Secretariat.
Dressed in branded red and white T-shirts, they carried banners and placards with different messages including "Enough of siddon look, join the crusade against corruption".
Magu said he was touched by the massive turnout, which he described as an eloquent testimony that Nigerians are fully in support of the fight against corruption.
He said huge gains had been recorded in the anti-graft war of the Buhari administration in the last two years as evident in the massive recovery and forfeiture of stolen assets.
He said: "The reign of impunity in the conduct of public affairs has been tamed to a considerable extent.
"By taking on the high and mighty in all sectors, the EFCC has proven that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.
"All of these have been made possible by a new political climate in Nigeria under President Buhari, who has demonstrated the will to fight corruption by not interfering with the operations of the anti-graft agencies.''
Magu took a swipe at the corrupt elite who he said continued plotting to derail the anti-corruption programme of the current administration without remorse.
Their aim, he emphasised, is to return the country to the dark days when corruption and impunity reigned supreme.
" While many Nigerians are calling for stiffer punishment for the corrupt, the patrons of corruption now tell us that it does not pay to punish the corrupt!
"While we are sweating in the sun to express our collective hatred for corruption, they are busy in the air conditioned mansions plotting how to continue the looting.''
The EFCC acting chairman, who said the country could not afford to let them succeed, called on all Nigerians to rise up against corruption.
He noted that the fight required a consensus of all Nigerians to be won, adding that the anti-graft agencies could not do it alone.
Expressing similar sentiment, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, urged Nigerians to take up the fight against corruption.
Wabba said: "The corruption elite are saying that Nigeria is corrupt; we that are on the ground are also saying that the system is corrupt.
"The fact remains that there is systemic corruption in Nigeria, therefore, we Nigerian citizens must be ready at all cost to make sacrifice to make Nigeria a better place.''
He assured the EFCC of the support of Nigerian workers and citizens on the fight against corruption.
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has advised parents to closely monitor the activities of children hooked on the internet.
"There are many negative posts on the cyberspace and they spur negative actions; parents must be more observant and be determined to protect their children," Ortom said on Tuesday in Makurdi.
Ortom, who gave the advice during an interactive session with Benue women, said that society was driven by the kind of information available to it.
"Information is power; it can make or mar a any society or its administration. Parents must always be on the watch," he said.
The governor suggested more interaction between parents and children, and advised parents to make it a duty to counsel the youths against negative pages.
He said that most crises and threats of insecurity had often resulted from information gathered from the cyberspace, and particularly noted that such information usually "move with the speed of light".
The governor commended the women for promoting growth in the agriculture, education, health and other sectors, and called for more efforts toward a better Benue.
In her remarks, the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ladi Ajene-Ishegbe, said that the session was a platform for women to interact with government for first-hand information on government activities.
She urged women to monitor children against social vices and violence, noting that women were usually the worst victims of crises.
Also speaking, Mrs. Grace Okochi, President, Benue chapter of the National Council for Women Societies, urged women to vie for more elective positions so as to promote their interests.
"We have only seven women seeking local government elective positions in the 23 councils. The elections are coming up on June 3, so we want more women to come out," she said.
Prof. Leticia Nyitse of the Benue State University, in her speech, appealed for the promotion of girl-child education and the reduction of school fees for female students.
She urged the government to look into the training and retraining of teachers toward a better education system, and called for the employment of more qualified women to teach.
The Chairman, Sub-Committee of Directors-General of African Customs, Mr Happias Kuzvinzwa, says it is important to develop the capacity of African customs administrations to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on the continent.
Kuzvinzwa, who is also the Commissioner General, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said given the importance of TFA to the development of African trade, it was important to upscale the capacity of custom officials involved in the implementation of the agreement in the region.
He, however, said that enormous resources were required to improve the capacity of the officials in the various customs formations in the region.
"There are so many trade facilitation initiatives that have been initiated by various customs administrations in Africa to facilitate trade but there is need to train all customs officials in all aspects of trade facilitation that a country may adopt.
" Since the challenges we face differ, we need to train them to understand the process."
He said that there were recommended and adopted best practices that the customs administrations could use to implement the agreement in the region.
He also told NAN that the meeting of the African heads of customs would also highlight some of the challenges inherent in the implementation of TFA and come up with the best approach on how to surmount the envisaged problems.
According to him, development and enhancement of capacity is mandatory in the area of automation of transit trade and automation of electronic cargo checking.
He said this was critical in promoting ease of doing business in the trade facilitation area.
Kuzvinzwa also said that the challenge of insecurity was also critical to the implementation of TFA, adding that the collaborative effort of all security agencies would help to mitigate insecurity in the region.
This, he said, could be archived through sharing of intelligence information among the security officials in the region.
KANO- The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III Tuesday called on the 19 northern Governor to invest on the small Scale Industireies to better the lot of ordinarily citizens across the region.
The Sultan of Sokoto
Sultan Abubakar who spoke in Kano during the second edition of Kano Economic Summit held at the Corronation Hall of Kano Government House said that direct investment on SME’s will create job that would ginger lasting peace in the region.
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III said, “our people are not greedy like our elite who would want to have all, support the common man with small business to enable them have something to fall back on, and when you do this they would be happy,and we would have peace and decent society”.
Sultan who disclosed that Kano was his home, commended the development stride of Governor Ganduje in all spheres of human endeavours , adding that “I am here to strengthen him, and encourage him to do more”
Sa’ad Abubakar revealed that “we as traditional rulers are supposed to be seen not heard, and we are working underground to continue to help our political leaders, and we believe in their ability to create jobs , developed our economy and moved the country forward.
Abubakar III who picked hole on fast eroding general and societal norms said that “we have our culture and tradition, and we must strive at all time not to deviate because that was what made us different from others”.
Earlier in a speech, the emir of Kano underscored the need to invest in agriculture, adding that focus on the sector would surely change our economic fortune as a people and as a nation for good.
Sanusi II said that “I have repeatedly made it clear that economics was not rocket science , and Nation states that have developed accorded much emphasis on value creation, and these are often achievable through agriculture produce because it takes little to double or tripple the outcome .
The emir of Kano further said that ” its about giving farmers right education, how to do the right things , working with them, and giving them access to market”.
“We have worked with farmers in Kano, and Kaduna states, we have seen the borrower anchor programme in agriculture, its therefore easier to double our investment in the agricultural sector to get it right.”
Sanusi II said “we want to see the return of groundnut pyramid, but we don’t want to see Kano exporting groundnut, we want to see them in the oil mills where it would add value on the local economy.
A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Lawmakers from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) Parliamentary Assembly on Monday said climate change would worsen food and water shortages in the Middle East and North Africa.
They also said that the change in weather conditions might trigger more conflicts and mass migration, with serious implications for the wider world.
Osman Askin Bak, one of the lawmakers said "the long-term prospects for food and water security in the MENA region are dire."
Bak, a member of the Turkish Parliament will present the draft report on Saturday at the Parliamentary Assembly – a gathering of senior parliamentarians from NATO's 28 member states.
He said "climate change will worsen the region's outlook. War, poor governance, climate change and other issues have worsened tensions over competition for scarce water and food in the Middle East and North Africa."
The region is home to five per cent of the global population, and one per cent of the world's renewable water supply, Bak said.
He, however, added that the tension could be eased with better management of water and food resources, including recycling waste water, improved regional cooperation on agriculture and water, and using renewable energy to power desalination plants.
Bak's report urges NATO governments to stick to their commitments under the Paris Agreement, including pledges on climate finance to help developing countries adapt to climate change impacts and grow using clean energy.
"The potential for conflict between regions affected by climate change should not be ruled out," said Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Iceland's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who drafted a separate report on the costs of climate change for the assembly.
"The refugee crisis shaking political stability throughout much of the Middle East and posing serious problems in Europe could be a harbinger of things to come," her report said.
The Parliamentary Assembly is a separate organisation to NATO but, if the lawmakers adopt the reports, they will send a signal to NATO headquarters.
"It indicates what member states' interests are and that should be reflected in what happens at headquarters," said Shiloh Fetzek, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Centre for Climate and Security (CCS).
However, climate change also needs to be on the agenda of major meetings of military alliance, like Thursday's summit of NATO leaders in Brussels, she said.
"Successive secretary generals have indicated … that this is a major issue that will have huge implications for the security of member states in the future," Fetzek said.
"But there hasn't been much by way of follow through putting it on the agenda," she added.
Earlier this month, Denis Mercier, NATO's supreme allied commander for transformation, General , said climate change poses a global security threat that all countries must fight together.
He was speaking about the importance of upholding the Paris accord amid lingering tensions between the NATO leadership and U.S. President Donald Trump, who at one point called the U.S.-European military alliance "obsolete".
NATO risks being "caught off-guard" unless it does more to monitor and prepare for climate-related instability, said the Centre for Climate and Security, a policy institute whose advisory board comprises retired senior military officers and national security experts.
Increasingly frequent, severe and intense droughts play a role in various conflicts including those in northern Nigeria, Syria, and Afghanistan, Fetzek said.
"We know there is an element of climate vulnerability at the root of extremist organisations like Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, and we only anticipate that these situations will intensify as climate change intensifies," she said.
In Afghanistan, farmers are turning from water-intensive crops such as wheat to more drought-tolerant opium poppies, which in turn provide a source of income for the Taliban, she added.
A global shift from oil and gas to renewable energy sources may also have major security repercussions.
"There's a broad question around Russia's economy as an oil and gas exporter, and how Russia may behave as an international actor if its economy is affected by (the energy shift),'' she said.
Every country will be affected in some way by worsening insecurity, and there will often be surprises, she said.
"No one anticipated Syria being involved in the Arab Spring, but the severity of the drought leading up to that conflict was an example of how we should expect the unexpected under conditions of climate change affecting global stability," said Fetzek. 2017
Singer Katy Perry will get as judge on “American Idol” according to sources familiar with the negotiation.
Katy Perry
According to reports, ABC was desperate to sign a name before the Upfronts last week, when honchos announced she was the lead judge.
Reports state that Perry had rejected an initial offer of $20 million back in 2012
Ryan Seacrest was making $15 million a season at his high point, a souce said while Jennifer Lopez was also raking in $15 million a season so Katy blows them both away.
Abuja – A defence witness, Philip Akolo, orderly to former Gov. Jolly Nyame of Taraba, told an FCT High Court, Gudu, on Monday that he signed only allowances on behalf of the former governor while he was in office.
Jolly Nyame
The witness spoke during the continuation of cross examination by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs(SAN).
Akolo , who earlier testified on the last adjourned date of April 25,2017, told the court that as an orderly, he was the closest to Nyame and was always with him.
He said that apart from allowances, he never signed for any other money on behalf of the ex-governor.
He denied any knowledge on the purchase of equipment, grains, materials or anything for that matter throughout the eight years he was with Nyame.
He said that he neither collected any money for the purchase of security equipment, nor was he privy to any approval made by Nyame for any purchase.
Akolo, who said that the only time he was not with the ex-governor was only when Nyame retired to bed at night, also denied knowing anything about disbursement of money.
"I don't know anything about the disbursement of any money for the purchase of anything,'' Akolo told the court.
The witness confirmed that in 2006, there was no month he did not travel with Nyame to Abuja, but that he never had anything to do with financial transactions.
He said that he could remember 65 per cent of the happenings in Taraba government during Nyame's tenure from 1999 to 2007.
He insisted that he could not remember what happened on the specific dates of July 3, 2005, April 11, 2017 and April 12, 2007.
Rev. Jolly Nyame is facing trial on a 41-count charge bordering on misappropriation of state funds to the tune of N1.64 billion while in office.
The judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, adjourned the case until Tuesday, May 23 for continuation of defence.
A fourth person has died in an Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a spokesman from the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.
Since the WHO declared the outbreak on May 12 in north-eastern Bas-Uele province, 37 suspected cases are being monitored, WHO's Eugene Kabambi said.
Of these suspected cases, two were confirmed in the laboratory and three were regarded as probable Ebola cases, Kabambi said.
Community health agents are monitoring 400 people who may have come into contact with those killed by the virus.
"People who were in contact with the first case reported on April 22 came out unscathed after the 21 days of observation,'' Kabambi said.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has suffered seven previous outbreaks of Ebola since the virus was discovered in the country in 1976.
The last outbreak, in 2014, left 49 people dead.
West Africa was worst affected during 2014, with the haemorrhagic fever claiming more than 11,000 lives, most of those in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose Monday evening dropped a bombshell when he declared that he would contest the 2018 gubernatorial election so that he could serve his term which was truncated through an orchestrated conspiracy of illegal impeachment in 2006.
Ayodele Fayose
It would be recalled that the Supreme Court in 2014 nullified the impeachment saga that ousted Fayose from office about seven months to the end of his first term. The apex court described the said impeachment as null and void.
Speaking in a live broadcast on Ekiti State Television in Ado-Ekiti on Monday evening, Fayose who was explaining why he chose to put his image on a campaign poster currently circulating the nooks and cranny of the state, said that since the apex court had said that. Hiss impeachment in 2006 was illegal, he would then have to approach same court to interprete what that ruling means and also consider seeking a re-election in 2018.
” the Continuty poster you see my image in and which is spreading across the state can interpreted in two ways. First is the need for me to ask the apex court to explain its 2014 ruling that my so called impeachment in 2014 was illegal, null and void and consider a re-election in 2018 so that I can complete my term.
“Second is for me to get our own man, one who is like Ayo Fayose to continue after my tenure in 2018.,” Speaking also about the lingering non-supply of petrol to the state by the Independent Petroluem Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN), Fayose alleges that the decision of the fuel marketers to stop supply to the state days prior to the burial of late Major Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo waspolitically motivated and done in conspiracy with the opposition so as to ensure that the burial of the late governor of Old Western Region failed to be successful and colourful as the governor has planned.
Vowing to resist any attempt to run business through illegal and questionable means, governor Fayose ordered that as long as fuel supply doesn’t come to Ekiti, commercial activities in all petrol station must stop henceforth. He also ordered that all petrol stations defaulting in proper legal proceedings will be demolished henceforth.
Forty-five Defense special forces weekend, graduated from the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service , SBS having undergone training on Tactical Riverine Operation and Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System, FRIES with a view to building a formidable team that would assist regular forces in the military at the theatre of war.
But three out of the 48 trainees who enlisted for the three months course were disqualified for not meeting up with the standard of the training described as rigorous.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Defense Special forces, the Flag Officer Commanding , FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, described the special forces as a very important unit which carry out significant operation in the theater of war.
He said “, these ones(Defense are specialised section of the military that are inserted to carry out a particular task and pullout so as to make a place conducive for the regular forces to move. The special forces are not part of the regular forces . By the nature of their work they are supposed to be together and anytime there is operation, they are called upon to render their services and pull out”
Addressing the graduands at the end of a mock insertion and extraction demonstration of a scene of war, the FOC who was represented by Commodore Samuel Kure , charged them to put everything they learned into practice in real war, assuring them of the military support .
In his remark, Acting Commander, Nigerian Navy Air base, Captain Mustapha Braimah, expressed satisfaction over the demonstration of the graduands . He explained that one of the reasons why the training was necessary was to build capacity , with a view to addressing the menace of insurgency in the North/ East and Militancy in the Niger Delta region.
Braimah further explained that the integration of the Nigerian Air Arm with the SBS ” is to prepare us and build our capacity to meet up with every challenge . Whenever we are being called upon, the air arm must contribute its own quota”, stating in particular that the air arm of the Navy had played a key role in the area of surveillance and aerial patrol around Ishawo , Ikorodu area of Lagos , as well as provided platforms that had helped to dislodge militants from creeks around Ikorodu.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commander, SBS, Commodore Samuel Michaels , explained that the Insertion and Extraction System which the graduands were trained on, was established to ensure access into areas where aircraft can not land on, during operation.
He said ” the special forces units are a team of small and highly trained military personnel meant for special operations which are conducted in denied , hostile and politically sensitive environment. In the selection process, we task and push every individual to the limit of their mental and physical tenacity . The moment anyone breaks, we take him out. We don’t compromise, it is either you are with us or not.
Apart from the fact that it is a very sharp and leading edge training, we need trainees to be able to catch up fast because the special force has a wider latitude of skill than the regular forces. That is why we deploy them in small numbers where one person can do the work of many soldiers. And if you can not process it very fast, it is a factor to take one out”
It is a very dangerous training. If you make mistake, you will either lose a limb, die or suffer paralysis. So, there is utmost degree of safety required”
He was however quick to add that those disqualified could be fit for any other military duties, boasting that at the SBS, ” boys are trained to be men while men are turned into flaming warriors ready to go on the tide. We turn men into invincible beings , we make them indestructible and that is why we operate in small numbers and we usually leave no trace. We have an ego of living no one behind , whatever happens, whether dead or alive , we extract our own because it is one blood , one brotherhood” Michaels said.
By Michael Eboh Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, Monday, vowed that he will ensure that Nigeria achieves self-sufficiency in crude oil refining in 2019, stating that he would resign if he fails to achieve the target. Ibe Kachikwu In an interview with the BBC aired yesterday, Kachikwu insisted that the target for Nigeria to attain self-sufficiency in terms of crude oil refining remains 2019, adding that Nigeria should be more concerned about processing crude oil rather than shipping it out for processing elsewhere and importing refined products.
The BBC also reminded him that 2019 is near and asked if he would take a walk if the targets are not met, Kachikwu replied, "Yes, of course that is the reason why you are in government. Don't worry, I have set the target and I am committed to walking the talk. Kachikwu declared that since assumption of office, the present administration had been able to improve the output of the refineries and that the refineries are currently undergoing refurbishment.
He said, "Since coming we have been able to get them back to begin to produce 7 million litres versus zero. That is not the 90 per cent template. We are now refurbishing the refineries."
Kachikwu further stated that he has delivered on every of his targets since coming into office and would not relent until all his targets are met.
He said, "I have delivered on everything since I came to office. First, I took NNPC and moved them into a profit making organization; first time in history and reshaped the organization.
"I removed cash call deficit of over $6 billion, negotiated it. Everything that I have promised since coming into office, I have delivered. I will deliver on the refineries and I am committed to that and I will also deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria.
"But bear in mind one has been there for one and half years, the president has been there for two years. I can't pretend that we are going to solve in one day all the problems that happened in Nigeria in the past."
Kachikwu further stated that sustained engagement had been the missing component in the Niger Delta militants challenges, noting that the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is currently leading efforts in addressing the challenges.
A couple of weeks ago, Kachikwu had stated that the Federal Government had initiated a model which attracted foreign investors to partner with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to repair the country's refineries within the two years period.
This, he said, had consistently served as a target for the government so that by December 2018, NNPC must be able to deliver on some of the terms given them, one of which is to reduce petroleum importation by 60 per cent.
According to him, selling crude oil is not different from selling agricultural produce in an unprocessed manner.
"By 2019, we should be able to exist completely on the importation of petroleum products in this country. Cognisant of the fact that Dangote is building one refinery, we expect to have an excess situation," Kachikwu had explained.
Ali, a jubilant 24-year-old, is finally in the stands himself for an international football match in Iraq — the first to be held in the country in years.
“Before, I watched these matches on TV. Today I’m at the stadium,” says Ali, wearing an Air Force Club jersey and a flag bearing the team’s falcon emblem around his neck.
The match between the Air Force and Al-Zawraa clubs — part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, which the former team won last year — marks the return of international play to football-crazed Iraq for the first time since 2013.
“Football is our oxygen — we breath football,” Ali says.
The law student came by bus along with other fans to the Kurdish regional capital Arbil, where the match was held.
“I would have liked it to be in Baghdad, but that’s how it is. We’re so happy,” Ali says.
Arbil and other areas of Iraqi Kurdistan have largely been spared the years of brutal bloodshed that have plagued other parts of Iraq.
Iraqis’ passion for football cuts across the deep religious and political divisions that have fuelled horrific violence in the country for years, and the country’s national teams have brought people together amid some of the worst of the unrest.
But world football’s governing body FIFA and the AFC have periodically banned Iraq from hosting international matches, most recently in 2013 after a coach was killed by security forces.
Violence was rising, part of a multi-year crescendo of bloodshed that culminated in the Islamic State group’s takeover of large areas north and west of Baghdad the following summer.
Among the targets of frequent jihadist attacks in 2013 were football pitches where Iraqi children played the sport and cafes broadcasting matches.
– Security tight –
At the stadium in Arbil, soldiers patrol and security is tight for a match that is a test of Iraq’s ability to host such events, and which comes during a three-month FIFA-imposed probation period for the country.
In the stands, fans jump, sing and scream, with Air Force supporters and their deafening vuvuzelas winning the battle of decibels.
“The heart is mine but what makes it beat is Al-Zawraa,” proclaims one of their flags.
“We are going to show a good image of Iraqi stadiums, of Iraqi football, says Anwar, a 25-year-old Al-Zawraa supporter.
“We have a responsibility, we the public,” says Ahmed Abdullah, another fan of Al-Zawraa.
He came from Baghdad on one of 15 buses chartered by the club.
“We are so happy, even if it’s far away,” he says, while adding that the ban on international play in Baghdad should be lifted because “it will not always be possible to come this far.”
It is a common sentiment among fans: they want the ban on matches being held elsewhere in the country to be lifted.
“The public is thirsty for matches like this,” says Ali Fadel, a 50-year-old taxi driver.
Founded in 1931, Air Force is the oldest club in Iraq and the current holder if the AFC title, while Al-Zawraa, with 12 Iraqi league championships, is the most titled team in the country.
Fadel, who has been an Air Force fan since he was seven years old, splits his time between Cairo and Baghdad, and came to Iraq especially to watch the match.
For him, the match rights the wrong of the “unnecessary” and “unjust” ban on international play in Iraq.
“We have a good public, beautiful stadiums. We have been deprived of such matches for too long.”
Award winning Nigerian singer, Harrysong will on Sunday the 28th of May, 2016 share the Real Deal Experience stage with music star, Orezi at the C.S. Park in Aba, Abia State.
The duo will be joined by live band, Tipsy Kelvano and popular comedian, De Don who will be hosting the show.
Harrysong and Orezi who last worked together on the hit song "Raggae Blues" in 2015 will collaborate once again on the Legend Real Deal Experience stage. Speaking on the impending performance, Orezi enthused,
"Uyo was amazing but Aba will be different because Harrysong will be joining us. He's an amazing performer and I know the Aba people will have a great time. The Real Deal Experience is a great way of meeting my core fans and I'm excited to meet more of them in Aba. I have to commend Legend for their efforts on this."
Harrysong also added that, "It's my first time on the Real Deal Experience and from what I know about it, the show allows for Nigerian stars to showcase their unique music to core fans and I can't wait to do that with the fans in Aba. Plus I get to share the stage with Orezi. I'm sure it will be great!"
The Real Deal Experience, which has already been to Nnewi, Enugu and Uyo and now berthing in Aba, will feature a simulation room where consumers can experience how the unique bitter tasting stout Legend Extra Stout is brewed as well as exciting game shows with lots of prizes to be won at the event.
Speaking on the games and the consumer experience, Portfolio Manager-Mainstream, Lager and Stout brands Nigerian Breweries Emmanuel Agu said that,
"Legend Real Deal Experience is known to always reward its consumers and this stop in Aba will prove it as did the ones in Nnewi, Enugu and Uyo earlier this year. The consumers will not only be rewarded with numerous prizes but also with great music and a nice ambience. We are counting on Legend fans to come out in their numbers, not only for Harrysong and Orezi but also for other performances set to thrill everyone."
The Real Deal Experience, which has also featured dance hall star Timaya in the Nnewi and Enugu, will visit other major cities in Nigeria in the coming months.
Former Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, has boasted that there is nothing like the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu state again. Mr. Odo also said that the growing popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is a call for good governance.
Odo told newsmen in Enugu on Monday that the current leadership style and quality in the state was inconsistent with what obtained in the past.
He said the leadership lacuna was so glaring that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were joining the APC in their numbers.
Eugene Odo
"Part of the reasons why we joined the APC is that with the level God has assisted us, I do not think the state government has anything to offer for now.
"We do not want to show the difference between what is happening now and what happened in the past because the facts are glaring.
"God has benefitted us and we should be in the vanguard of benefitting others. That is our mission in APC," he said.
The former speaker lauded residents of the state for embracing the APC, adding that with committed men and women, the state will go back to its former glory.
He appealed to members of the party not to join issues with other political parties but to work assiduously in ensuring that APC won future elections in the state.
"We should not be reactive to the threats from the PDP because they are confused.
"Most importantly, there is nothing like PDP in Enugu again. What we have is a group of people that will soon be lumped into another party," he said.
Odo said that the party faithful in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area were working round the clock to make the APC formidable.
"Our slogan and strategy is that any political appointee in the other parties must lose their polling booths during future elections and we are working towards that.
"We thank God that the PDP is now history in Enugu State so whatever reaction coming from there is panic measure," he said.
He said that it was imperative that members of APC worked together to achieve its set goals.
"We were thinking of how to develop and transform APC into a formidable party in the state when former Gov. Sullivan Chime joined us.
"His presence has assisted us even in our respective local government areas because people who might not have taken some of us serious now know that we are powerful.
"By the grace of God, APC will certainly take over the Government House in Enugu in 2019," Odo said.
Odo, who led the state assembly for eight years as speaker joined the APC in January, 2017.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said the call by Nigerians for decentralisation of voting was unconstitutional.
Mrs Ndidi Okafor, Deputy Director, Public Relations, INEC, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), told newsmen that it was not possible to register in one place and vote in another.
Okafor said that the law establishing the commission did not give it power to allow decentralisation of voting, adding that it would be illegal to embark on such idea.
"It is a legal matter; it has nothing to do with the internal administration of the commission. The Electoral Act says vote where you register.
"So, you must endeavour to ensure that where you register is where you have to vote because on Election Day, movement is restricted and that is why the law says `go and vote where you registered'.
"As long as that law remains and has not been amended, there is nothing the commission can do to allow decentralisation of voting.
"All INEC needs to do is to appeal that Nigerians be law-abiding and register close to where they live for easy access to polling centres during elections.
"Election is a national project guided by the laws of the land, the Constitution and the electoral Act; so I appeal that we should respect and obey the law,'' she said.
Okafor said that all Nigerians could do for now was to start lobbying for a change of the law to meet their request.
She, however, encouraged those that had moved from where the registered to go to the continuous voter registration centre in their area councils to transfer their votes to their present location.
She said INEC had provided an electoral product called "transfer of documentation'' for Nigerians to transfer their votes, inter-state or intra-state as they wished.
Okafor said that in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CRV), INEC made provision for three main electoral products.
She said that the products were fresh registration, which was opened only to those who just turned 18, those not registered before, or persons with temporary voter card, but names not in the voter register.
According to her, persons in these three categories can now access fresh registration and INEC officers are on ground to help them.
Okafor said that the voter registration was progressing smoothly, adding that INEC would soon seek ways to decentralise the process so as to capture every area.
Budding singer, Osenuwavie Ajasa, who preferred to be called Wavie has released a viral video to demand answers on the alleged several unfulfilled promises of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The video published on his official Twitter handle, @realwavie on Monday, titled, "Buhari stay with us" is already gaining momentum on the internet via a newly created hashtag, #Buharistaywithus
Wavie who delivered most of the lines in his 'Buhari stay with us' song in Pidgin English stressed that Buhari still owes Nigerians change and begs him to stay in and deliver his promises.
Marcelo Diaz has had a busy season with his club, Celta Vigo. The side’s runs to the Copa del Rey and UEFA Europa League semi-final have seen them shoulder a heavy workload of two games a week since January, with the Chilean’s body enduring a testing period. Yet even though the domestic campaign is nearing an end, Diaz is not letting his thoughts turn to a well-earned holiday.
Diaz
A mainstay of the Chile midfield over the last few years, Diaz does not want to miss La Roja's upcoming engagement at the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017. We spoke to the man they call El Chelo about the immediate challenges facing Juan Antonio Pizzi's side.
"Germany are the toughest opponents in our group," Diaz began by saying. "They're the world champions and they're playing well right now. Australia are very strong, as we saw for ourselves when we played them at Brazil 2014. We were fortunate enough to beat them, but it was a very tight game. And Cameroon, who are the African champions, will be a difficult proposition too."
In then assessing his side's chances of success in Russia next month, the 30-year-old midfielder focused on their many attributes.
"Chile's big strength is that we always play as a team," explained the Celta man. "It doesn't matter who we're up against; all we're concerned about is giving everything we've got. The players in the Chile team all stick together. They'd die for each other. It's a very close-knit team and very grounded. I think that's why things have gone so well for us in the last few years.
"The spirit in the dressing room is great and we all share the same idea," he added. "We all have very high standards when it comes to work. We've got some great players who are achieving big things with their clubs, like Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal. Gary Medel and Charles Aranguiz are also doing really well. I could mention the whole team, in fact, because it's a really good generation of players."
Asked to assess the impact Chile's recent coaches have had on the side's development, Diaz was quick to pick out one, even though he never played under him.
"[Marcelo] Bielsa changed the face of Chilean football," he explained. "His approach and style of play caught the eye, but more than anything he changed the mindset of the Chilean footballer. Before, Chilean players were a bit more… second-rate? If you came up against Spain, Brazil or Germany, you went out there thinking you were going to lose. But these days Chilean players will tell you before the game that they're going to beat Spain, Brazil or Germany. We're not scared of anyone now because we know that if we play as a team, then we can hurt anyone.
"Then along came [Jorge] Sampaoli. The structure was already in place and all he had to do was continue the process. That's when the team was at its most expressive. And now, with Pizzi, the team's taken on some of his unique characteristics. I think we're doing pretty well too. We have to keep it up because things have been going pretty well for us.
"We're not inferior to anyone now," added Diaz with a sense of conviction. "We know that the only way to achieve success is by working hard and maintaining the belief that we can pull off something big."
Former Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, says the growing popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is a call for good governance.
Odo told newsmen in Enugu on Monday that the current leadership style and quality in the state was inconsistent with what obtained in the past.
He said that the leadership lacuna was so glaring that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were joining the APC in their numbers.
"Part of the reasons why we joined the APC is that with the level God has assisted us, I do not think the state government has anything to offer for now.
"We do not want to show the difference between what is happening now and what happened in the past because the facts are glaring. "God has benefitted us and we should be in the vanguard of benefitting others. That is our mission in APC," he said.
The former speaker lauded residents of the state for embracing the APC, adding that with committed men and women, the state will go back to its former glory.
He appealed to members of the party not to join issues with other political parties but to work assiduously in ensuring that APC won future elections in the state. "We should not be reactive to the threats from the PDP because they are confused.
"Most importantly, there is nothing like PDP in Enugu again. What we have is a group of people that will soon be lumped into another party," he said.
Odo said that the party faithful in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area were working round the clock to make the APC formidable.
"Our slogan and strategy is that any political appointee in the other parties must lose their polling booths during future elections and we are working towards that.
"We thank God that the PDP is now history in Enugu State so whatever reaction coming from there is panic measure," he said.
He said that it was imperative that members of APC worked together to achieve its set goals. "We were thinking of how to develop and transform APC into a formidable party in the state when former Gov. Sullivan Chime joined us.
"His presence has assisted us even in our respective local government areas because people who might not have taken some of us serious now know that we are powerful. "By the grace of God, APC will certainly take over the Government House in Enugu in 2019," Odo said.
Newsmen recall that Odo, who led the state assembly for eight years as speaker joined the APC in January, 2017.
Stakeholders in the nation's power sector have identified measures to reduce the challenges inherent in the power sector.
They identified the measures in a communique at the end of an interactive forum organised by the Market Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The communique issued in Abuja on Monday was jointly signed by Mr Sola Adeyegbe of Ibadan Generating Company (GENCO), Mr Kabiru Adamu of TCN and Emeka Akpara of Omotosho Electric Power Plc.
The communique said that the GENCOS had the capacity to generate 8,500MW of electricity for the country.
The GENCOs, however, called for an improvement in transmission and distribution capacity to accommodate their envisaged generation.
It said that the GENCOs also called for centralisation of market collection and appropriate disbursement based on the agreed percentages.
According to the communique, the GENCOs and Service Providers have called for the declaration of eligible customers in the nation's power sector.
They also advocated for the denomination of gas price in Naira with the DISCOs calling for harmonisation of currency for all transactions in the market.
It said that the GENCOs also demanded for the payment mechanism for their outstanding N504 billion owned it by the sector players.
According to the communique, the DISCOs advocate for the implementation of the last tariff review.
The DISCOs called for immediate payment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) outstanding debts to improve liquidity in the market.
It further said that the DISCOs made case for provision of subsidy in the market to support purchase of power from the GENCOs.
According to the communique, the service providers recommended the formation of a metering company to manage both trading and consumers metering to ensure standards and efficient deployment of meters in the industry.
It said that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) should be empowered to fulfill its mandate of bridging the revenue shortfall in the electricity market.
It resolved that the Transmission Service Provider (TSP) should have a clear service level agreements with DISCOs and GENCOS for effective service delivery.
The Market Operator and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should be mandated to enforce full compliance of the market rules and sanction the noncompliance by defaulting stakeholders.
Sunny Verghese is Co-Founder, Group Managing Director and CEO of Olam International, one of the world's biggest agricultural commodity trading companies. Verghese co-founded Olam in 1989 and has alongside his team built the business to more than $17.1 billion dollars in sales revenue. The company now operates in 65 countries, delivering 44 products to more than 11,600 customers in 70 destinations markets and employs 17,000 people worldwide. In this interview, Verghese discusses the company's strategy.
WHAT are the biggest challenges to vertical integration in Africa's agricultural sector?
Farmers face several challenges in the upstream part of the value chain, including lack of credit and knowledge, logistics constraints and adequate access to markets. The lack of credit to smallholders has resulted in long periods of underinvestment in farms. However, given that private entities (notably, local commercial banks) are starting to provide microfinance, this situation is improving.
In processing and distribution, the challenges essentially boil down to one problem: preserving product quality given the lack of infrastructure for storage and transport. In Nigeria, even though peanuts are a key crop, the country is unable to export them; the lack of warehousing means that the peanuts are left too long in the fields, resulting in the growth of Alfa toxin, which prime export markets like the US do not accept.
Overall, the most significant bottleneck lies in the logistics part of the African supply chain, including road, rail and port access. Agribusinesses can invest in storage, but ports are a different matter; they are highly congested, generally inefficient and costly. Addressing these issues would not only facilitate trade, but help to reduce food lost through spoilage, which in turn aids global food security. The Nigerian government is already making moves to tackle the issue but more needs to be done across the continent.
In the last seven years there has been a huge issue made of these large land deals in Africa. And many of them have failed. Going forward, how do you think this land acquisition process will evolve?
Many people made the mistake of believing that the [central] government confers the land to you. The government can transfer legal title to you, but in our view customary rights are more important. If a person's forefather has cultivated that piece of land, then—according to human rights convention—that has precedence over any legal right. A lot of people come from overseas to invest there, they don't understand this. They feel the government has given them the title and therefore the title is clear.
To what extent can West Africa replicate the success of agricultural processing in Asian countries?
Africa can replicate and even exceed the success of Asia in agricultural cultivation and processing, but a few elements need to be taken into consideration. Proper land use, planning and management are essential, whether it is for a new plantation or a new processing plant. Indeed, clarity on land rights overall remains a major issue across Africa. Equally, countries need to make use of what is already available. Gabon, for example, is currently reviewing its land use policy to ensure sustainable agricultural development. If governments can help to kick start the rejuvenation of the neglected plantations through low interest loans and the creation of agricultural hubs, it would help to accelerate on production.
Additionally, the spread of knowledge is crucial. Many expert organizations have been sharing best practices with smallholders and with governments. Yet, the key is to being able to scale-up and replicate initiatives through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Furthermore, encouraging sustainable development is fundamental, not just for biodiversity and local communities, but for the long-term viability of the business.
Finally, governments need to facilitate foreign investment for in-country processing. Encouraging foreign investment with tax incentives that account for social and infrastructure investment is a case in point, as is ensuring that legislation is fit for purpose.
Being vertically integrated in commodities from sourcing to branded products, why did you decide to fully integrate from being just a trader of commodities.Going up and down the value chain?
The way we look at where to participate in the value chain is that we do profitability analysis as to where the profit resides. Is it upstream of the grower/planter? Is it mid-stream at the processor? Then we ask ourselves how we can attract a slice of the profit. If it is distributed upstream, do we have ability? Can we really enter upstream and successfully capture the production economics in terms of farming and plantation management skills?
If we believe that it's doable, then we want to invest there. It is very nuanced, so there is no strategic orthodoxy as to where we will similarly invest. We only invest when we know that we have a competitive cost to production, both capital cost of production and cash cost of production. That will allow us a cost position below the marginal cost producer's cost of production.
What sort of obstacles do investors face in terms of acquiring land in West and Central Africa?
There are many challenges. Chief among them are the general absence of national land use plans – detailed information about soil types or topographical maps. These can be overcome by ensuring that the firm has long-term lease conventions with the national government, and by ensuring that the local authorities have the same understanding. Clear agreements are needed with the local government within the framework of the legislation, as well as ensuring compliance with the existing regulatory process.
However, care must be taken that communities grant the social license to operate and that ongoing dialogue is maintained. Once the concession land is allocated, a thorough assessment of its suitability must be undertaken. Given that detailed land plans are lacking in many countries, plots can be mistakenly allocated (such as land with a high conservation value). Therefore, it is imperative that Environmental and Social Impact Assessments are undertaken by independent third parties.
Let us look at comparative advantage. You know China and India can be looking at consolidating farm holdings, and being self-sufficient in food. But sub-Saharan Africa has a comparative production advantage for key food commodities. So, how do you think Africa plays a role in supplying the food needs of India and China?
Well, 55% to 60% of the world's arable land is in Africa, but considerable investment needs to go in to build that infrastructure to make that arable land fully productive. You need to make long-term bets in farming; because it's not something you can pull out and abandon a year after you invest it. You need the certainty of being able to make agriculture investments—whether it is governance or good infrastructure. For Africa to realize the potential is a long way off. And there have to be significant private/public partnerships to really exploit the potential.
Which countries in Africa -please name your top three preferences – are better producers compared to others in the next five years?
Typically we look at a few factors. One is we want countries with low population density where land is not a big issue. So Gabon is a good example. It has 1.6 million people, a lot of land and not too much cultivation. So, one factor is population density, availability of land.
Second is labor, cost of labor and the trajectory of wage/price inflation. If you're feeling wages are going to go up very fast in this country because of the developing economy, then you might be priced out. So, you need to understand not only what current wage costs are, but you also need to have a point of view on wage/price inflation. Also, what is the capital cost of production? What does land cost? How are land prices increasing? Is the focus of government policies pro-business and pro-investment? Can you look at the communities and be equal partners to manage your supply chains? Because you will need them to support it. If they are against you, you have no hope of establishing assistance long term.
I know you mentioned Gabon, but what are the two other countries?
We have farm plantations in Nigeria. We've got a couple of [oil palm] plantations in Ghana and Liberia. We've got rice farming in Nigeria. We have forestry interest in Congo and Gabon.
Based on your experience in African countries, what would be your message to the regulators or policy makers?
Clearly they have to make agriculture the priority sector and they have to ensure an environment that allows planning for long-term investments. It should not be ad hoc, but the law, a law of parliament so that investors have predictability when they are investing. It should not be the case that in four or five years, the government changes and a new administration might reverse all these policies. Foreign investors need the security of policy lasting for the lifetime of the project. That has to be through an act of parliament. It should not be politically partisan; it should be consensual and broad-based.
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Monday donated N10 million to newly elected officials of Plateau Youth Council (PYC).
Laong, who made the donation in Jos, at the inauguration of the officials of the reconstituted council, also promised to empower Plateau youths through agriculture.
Newsmen, report that the PYC was reconstituted after 10 years of inactivity following series of litigation over its past executive councils.
The governor said that the money was a take-off grant to help the new officials to re-position the council to address challenges faced by Plateau youths.
Lalong, who noted that youths were very crucial to the growth of every society, promised to renovate the Azi Nyako Youth Centre in Jos, and also provide a vehicle to ease the movement of PYC officials.
He said that the state government would empower the youths with funds and materials to go into agriculture to boost food production, generate employment and boost self-reliance.
"My administration is using a three dimensional approach of Empowerment, Employment and Engagement so as to encourage Plateau youths to explore their talents toward improving their lots," he said.
He said that government was taking advantage of viable agricultural value chains to provide opportunities in integrated animal farming, packaging industries as well as crop and vegetable production.
Mr Danladi Mann, Commissioner for Youth and Sports, in a remark, pledged to work with the council to address the needs of Plateau youths.
Mr Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice, has called for coherence between the Federal Government's Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP) and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to boost agriculture.
Eze, who made the call in a paper he delivered at the Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on 2018 Agriculture Budget in Kaduna on Monday.
He underscored the need for greater policy coherence in ongoing efforts to develop the agriculture sector.
He said that while ERGP was a short term ad hoc policy which ran from 2017 to 2020, the APP seemed to be more long-term and embedded in the continuum of previous policies.
"Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP) is still short term since it is a policy of an administration that may likely not survive the administration,'' he said.
Eze said that while ERGP was the overarching policy framework, the specifics and details of agriculture were worked out in the APP, adding, however, that the details came before the overarching framework.
He said that APP, on the other hand, introduced food as a human rights issue, which should compel the government to recognise, protect and fulfil the irreducible minimum degree of freedom from hunger and malnutrition.
"The clear duties of state in human rights jurisprudence, the minimum core obligation and minimum core content of the right to adequate food in this context becomes clear targets for state accountability,'' he said.
Eze noted that even though the value chains approach was embedded in the two policies, ERGP saw value chains beyond the agriculture and linked them up with the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).
He stressed the need to maximise the benefits from the country's agricultural resources by building an end-to-end integrated agriculture value chain, boosting local production to meet local demand, while reducing the country's reliance on imports of processed food products.
Eze cited palm oil as a veritable example of the full value chain of a commodity, saying that palm oil was used for the production of soaps, detergents, lipstick, chocolate, ice cream, instant noodles, shampoo, bread, biodiesel, cookies and pizza, among others.
He also said that what the local cocoa farmer could get out of the primary commodity was less than 20 per of what he would have got from a processed commodity like chocolate.
Eze, however, said that the value chains approach seemed to be questioned by the export crops orientation, which the APP proposed to add on beyond 2018.
"The APP is now clear that we can no longer continue to export primary commodities without beneficiation and value addition.
"Export of primary products will not solve the challenges of foreign exchange, job creation and technology acquisition, among others, besetting our country,'' he said.
Eze conceded that import substitution was a great idea, adding that the policy had some reservations.
"But for export orientation to compliment the diversification of the economy, it must come with value addition, which links it with industrial and trade policy; energy policy in terms of renewables, the environment, works and water resources,'' he said.
Eze noted that APA and ERGP strongly underscored the need to facilitate and encourage research, adding that the two policies viewed agriculture as a business.
"Building infrastructure to support the sector; marketing and trade, storage, processing, access to finance; inputs- seeds, seedlings, fertiliser; crops, fish and aquaculture are all covered by both policies,'' he said.
Eze said that agriculture was central to the pillars of ERGP for 2020, adding that restoring growth would involve the improvement of agricultural productivity as well as utilisation and conversion of agriculture commodities into finished valuable products.
"This is because building a competitive economy will need to fall back on our areas of comparative advantage, which must include agriculture — crops such as cocoa, cotton, palm produce and cassava.
"If agriculture grows, increases productivity and delivers more income along its value chain, there will be greater resources for investing in our people, leading to job creation, youth empowerment, social inclusion and improvement of human capital,'' he added.
Also speaking, Mr Azubike Nwokoye, Programme Advisor, Food and Agriculture, ActionAid Nigeria, commended the Federal Government for the increase of budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector in the proposed 2017 budget.
Nwokoye gave the commendation in his paper on "Analysis of the 2017 Proposed Budget of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).
He also lauded the government for implementing one of the recommendations of the stakeholders' consultative meeting in 2016, which was to allocate research funds to institutions and agencies set up to carry out research and development activities, instead of concentrating such funds at the headquarters of FMARD.
He said that although there was a year-to-year improvement in the budget of the agricultural sector from 2015 to 2017, the budget was still very low, when juxtaposed with the total Federal Government's budget.
"This is not encouraging, especially when one considers the significant role of the sector in digging this nation out of recession, reducing unemployment, improving our foreign reserves and ensuring the nation's food security,'' he said.
Besides, Nwokoye said that the 2017 proposed budget for the agricultural sector did not provide details on how smallholder farmers would benefit from the promotion and development of the value chain of the various agricultural products.
"Hence, we cannot say smallholder farmers have been prioritised or will benefit from the allocations,'' he added.
He, therefore, recommended that the proposed 2017 agriculture budget be revised to significantly support the growth of smallholder farmers, while spelling out how it would promote smallholder farmers' productivity and wellbeing.
Nwokoye also urged the Federal Government to honour the Maputo Declaration by allocating 10 per cent of the total 2017 national budget to agriculture, taking into consideration the recovery and growth plans for the national economy.
ABUJA- THE Health for Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, and some scientists have called on the Buhari-led government to repeal the National Biosafety Act.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Director, HOMEF, Rev Nnimmo Bassey, Convener of Nigerians against GMOs, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Food Sovereignty Programme, Friends of the Earth Nigeria/Africa, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, and African Health Magazine, Dr. Ifeyinwa Aniebo, at a media training organised to create more awareness over the controversies surrounding the acceptance of Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs, in Nigeria.
According to the statement the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015, which was eventually signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was trailed by unresolved controversies and complaints from key stakeholders including farmers, consumers and civil society groups.
Also the statement titled 'We Demand the Protection of Our Food and Environment- Revocation of Monsanto's GMO Permits and Repeal of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015', pointed out some loopholes, which it described as unacceptable.
The statement reads in part, "The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act, 2015, was signed into law in the dying days of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
"In spite of the far-reaching importance of biosafety matters to citizens of Nigeria, the process that led to the passage of the Biosafety Bill and its eventual signing into law was trailed by unresolved controversies and complaints from key stakeholders including farmers, consumers and civil society groups.
"Besides the lack of elegance in the drafting of the law, some provisions do not make sense at all and in some places, references are made to incorrect sections or to nonexistent sections.
"We believe the Act requires to be repealed or at a minimum have a thorough reworking, particularly with regard to the following; Access to information; Public consultation and participation, Liability and redress, Labelling and the right to know, Decision-making, Appeals and reviews, Conflict of interest: The Composition of the Governing Board is arbitrary and populated with GMOs promoters, and the Precautionary Principle.
"In this era of change we cannot cling to wrong-headed policies or cling to the wrong foot put forward by the previous government. Having a biotech policy cannot be a justification for opening up the nation's fragile ecosystems and environment to genetically modified organisms. A biotech policy cannot erase the globally accepted Precautionary Principle on which Biosafety regulations hang. We demand that these permits be overturned and the Biosafety law itself repealed and replaced with a people/environmentally sensitive and friendly law.
According to the statement conflict of interest was inbuilt in the NBMA Act and raises acute red flags about the administration of biosafety in Nigeria, which it also alleged that two of the permits issued by NBMA to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited (the confined field trial of two maize varieties) were applied for by the company in partnership with one of the members of the NBMA board, the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA).
"With a GMO promoter applying for a permit in partnership with a biotech company, and sitting to approve the same permit, there are obvious reasons to call the entire transaction to question.
"The NBMA Act gives the agency enormous amounts of discretionary powers with not enough mandatory duties in the operational provisions to ensure that the agency performs a stewardship role to ensure that GMOs do not pose harm to human and animal health, society and the environment", it added.
