The Presidential Diary: Nigeria on path to Economic Rebirth

The

Presidential Diary October Edition Price: FREE Vol 1, No. 9

ISSN: 2467-7922

Nigeria on path to

Economic Rebirth

The dawn of a new era in governance communication beckons

THE TEAM

d E

e t o n

Nigeria is in its 57th year of independence

F

or Nigeria, the journey of 57 years has been a worthwhile one laced with triumphs and disappointments. It, however, gladdening that the efforts of the country's Founding Father have not entirely been in vain. Despite a few rumblings here and there, the vast majority of Nigerians have come to agree that there is safety in numbers and that the unity of this multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural entity is not negotiable.

This unity has been tested recently by elements with centrifugal tendencies but has adhered through the valiant efforts of the Nigerian military and the people who have in no uncertain terms condemned such inclination.

And yes, it has not been all about conflict, just as the country has been on the economic edge for a while.

Against all odds Nigeria is coming out of the woods. With careful planning and adroit management, the Buhari administration has pulled the economy out from the maw of recession.

In sports, Nigeria without breaking sweat has secured a ticket for the 2018 World Cup taking place in Russia. It will be the Super Eagles' sixth appearance at the Mundial having been there previously in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014.

A grateful nation has been celebrating the valiant men coached by German Gernot Rohr.

President Muhammadu Buhari himself is ecstatic and within moments of the teams qualification, wired them a message of congratulations.

The MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government) have been busy trying to sustain the tempo of activities that helped government beat recession.

You will all these in this October edition. We invite you to take a tour with us....

Onche Odeh Editor in-chief

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Client Services Manager Oyiza Rasheed Production Manager Adomuha Umar Mohammed Graphics Agoro A. Idowu John Jolayemi Circulation Manager Aminu Akede

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Chairman, Editorial Board Mohammed Tukur Vice Chairman, Editorial Board Joseph Ohinoyi Ododo Editor-in-Chief Onche Odeh Editor Charles Ighodalo Deputy Editor Agbo Titus Assistant Editors Emmanuella Okeke Nana Ginikanwa Talatu Zubair Editorial Advisers Daniel Danjuma Ismaila Mamman Amina Kuta Taiye Ateiza Ifeoma Udoye Senior Correspondents Frank Okendu Eze Nkechi Enesi Onotu Hassan John Correspondents Odiegwu Paul Joseph Chinansa Okoli Mariam Samuel Terkula Abali Chidi Okereke Reporters Ubong Ebong Advert/Marketing Manager Bashir Wuruo Malami Assistant Manager, Advert/Marketing Mohammed B. Koko Advert/Marketing Executive Olivia Levi Emmanuel Fateman Maria

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Nigeria on path to

ECONOMIC

REBIRTH The

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Nigeria overcoming challenges to

economic growth · Gets Assurances of Economic Stability

Both fiscal and monetary authorities of the government appear resolved to consolidate on the growth trajectory posted after 15 months of negative economic growth.

To exit recession in the second quarter of 2017, as announced

by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), data on the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicated that the economy grew at 0.55 per cent in the second quarter of 2017, signaling a 2.04 per cent growth over the rate recorded

in the corresponding quarter of 2016, and higher by 1.46 per cent points from the rate recorded in the preceding quarter.

The performance of four main economic activities comprising oil, agriculture, manufacturing and trade accounted for the growth. Oil GDP recovered significantly from -11.63 per cent in Q2 2016 to 1.64 per cent in Q2 2017, while Non-oil GDP grew marginally at 0.45 per cent.

Agriculture grew 3.01 per cent in Q2 2017, from 3.39 per cent in Q1 2017.

Manufacturing retained its positive growth for the second consecutive quarter in Q2 2017, growing at 0.64 per cent, while trade which has a dominant share of GDP remained negative at -1.62 per

cent. Electricity and gas and financial institutions sectors also recorded strong growths OF 35.5 per cent.

By the first half of 2016, the nation's economy was not only buffeted by price but also quantity shocks.

Financial institutions saw an 11.78 per cent jump in Q2 2017, compared to 0.60 per cent in Q1 2017 and -13.24 per cent in Q2 2016. The industry sector grew positively by 1.45 per cent in Q2 2017, after nine consecutive quarters of negative growth since Q4 2014.

The drop in price at the international market and the significant cut in local production due to militancy were the major factors which led to the nation's economy slipping into recession.

Oil Sector Inspires Fresh Hope When prices of oil started a precipitous fall by mid-June 2014, it left a tell-tale effect on the economy. The ensuing drastic revenue drop followed was compounded by severe production decline occasioned by militancy in the Niger Delta.

However, production output has not only jumped to over two million barrels per day due to the relative peace in the Niger Delta, but crude price has rallied to an all-time high in recent times, selling close to $60 per barrel.

As an icing on the cake, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has agreed not to cut Nigeria's output, a move considered to

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The nation's economy slipped into recession in the second quarter of 2016, but with a nottoo-impressive growth recorded in the second quarter of 2017, the country moved out of the negative territory. Frank Okendu looks at efforts to put the economy on the path of stability

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Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) Begins to Impact The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has continued to attribute the nation's exit from recession to the introduction and implementation of the ERGP. The ERGP, a medium-term plan (2017-2020) is designed to build on the Strategic Implementation Programmes (SIP) and has been developed for the purpose of restoring economic growth while leveraging the ingenuity and resilience of the Nigerian people. The vision of the ERGP is one of sustained inclusive growth. It is aimed at increasing national productivity and achieving sustainable diversification of production, to significantly grow the economy and achieve maximum welfare for citizens.

ERGP projections include a GDP growth of about 7 per cent in 2020, way above the 3.8 per cent growth projected by the IMF. The main drivers of this forecast growth are: improving oil revenues from N700 billion in 2016 to N1.3 trillion/year in 2017 and furthermore to N1.45 trillion/year by 2020.

The Plan hopes to achieve this growth in revenue by increasing production from 1.4mbpd in 2016 to 2.2mbpd in 2017 and 2.5mbpd by 2020.

Other drivers of this growth include doubling tax compliance for non-oil sector; eliminating leakages at Customs; and, reviewing rules for remitting surplus funds to FGN from independent revenue sources. These drivers have the potential to almost double revenues from N2.7 trillion to N4.7 trillion, which is sufficient to bridge the budget deficit.

Manufacturing Posts Expansion An indication that the economic growth is being consolidated was underscored by Nigeria's Manufacturing Index sustaining it upswing in September.

Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 55.3 index points in September 2017, indicating e x p a n s i o n i n t h e manufacturing sector for the sixth consecutive month.

Central Bank of Nigeria"s website, 14 of the 16 subsectors reported growth in the review month in the following order: appliances & components; electrical equipment; chemical & pharmaceutical products; nonmetallic mineral products; printing & related support activities; plastics & rubber products; food, beverage & tobacco products; furniture & related products; transportation equipment; cement; paper products; computer & electronic products; textile, apparel, leather & footwear and fabricated metal products.

But, the primary metal and petroleum & coal products subsectors contracted in the review month.

Also, the production level index for the manufacturing sector grew for the seventh consecutive month in September 2017. The report showed that at 58.8 points, the index indicated an increase in production at a faster rate, when compared to its level in the preceding month. Thirteen of the sixteen manufacturing

subsectors recorded increase, while three subsectors declined during the review month.

At 53.5 points, the new orders index grew for the sixth consecutive month. Ten subsectors reported growth, while six subsectors contracted in the month of September, 2017.

However, the supplier delivery time index for the manufacturing sector, at 55.4 points in September 2017, rose for the fourth consecutive month. Twelve sub-sectors recorded improved suppliers' delivery time, two remained unchanged while two subsectors recorded delayed delivery time.

Drive for Ease of Doing Business Receives More Drive The Vice President, Prof.Yemi Osinbajo recently launched the second National Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business as part of the administration's medium term Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) with a

The PMI is an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector. It is based on five major indicators: new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment.

The PMI report posted on the

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be an added incentive in the quest to boost revenue.

view to building a globally competitive economy.

G o v e r n m e n t ' s e ff o r t s a t boosting food production and diversify the economy have continued to receive practical expression through various programmes. The quest for food security has led to various initiatives.

Prior to this, Osinbajo had presided over an expanded meeting of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in Abuja.

NAP 2.0, she said, would run from October 3 to December 1, 2017, and is expected to further reduce the challenges faced by SMEs when getting credit, paying taxes, or moving goods across the country, amongst others, by removing critical bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria.

The reforms, Oduwole added, would also improve the country's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index 2019.

The NAP 2.0 heralds the beginning of another reform cycle (2017/2018) which aims to deepen the ease of doing business reforms implemented across the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the last 12 months and will in turn increase productivity through industrialization, enhanced exports and foreign exchange earnings, while creating jobs and reducing poverty.

Among the reforms aimed at easing the process of starting a business, include eliminating the manual registration process at the Corporate Affairs Commission in 10 additional states, increase access to credit for SMEs by registering at least 300 microfinance banks on the collateral registry, and enforce the elimination of illegal roadblocks on major trading routes across the country.

MDAs have been charged by the Council to treat the Ease of Doing Business initiatives with a sense of urgency and deliver impactful results by implementing the Executive Order E01 on transparency and efficiency.

and bureaucratic impediments to doing business in the country.

Osinbajo chairs PEBEC, with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, as Vice Chairman.

Ten other ministers, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as well as representatives of the National Assembly, Lagos and Kano states and the private sector are also members.

The Ease of Doing Business reforms will be implemented over the next 60 days by the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES), which became fully operational in October 2016.

The EBES is co-ordinated by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

The Executive Order E01, which was signed by Osinbajo on May 18 this year, ensures that citizens have complete clarity on all government requirements and processes, better cooperation and improved information sharing among MDAs, as well as r e q u i r i n g p r o p e r communication of approval or rejection of applications to Nigerians within the stipulated timeframe.

The World Economic Forum (,WEF) recently released its Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) for 2017-2018, with Nigeria rising two steps, up from the previous 127th to 125th position.

PEBEC was set up in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to eliminate critical bottlenecks

Agriculture Makes Strong Showing

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has just announced that the prices of rice will soon crash.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has so far released N43.92 billion to farmers under its Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) through 13 participating institutions.

Over 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation have also benefited and about 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivated, with eight commodities, including rice, wheat, maize, cotton, soya beans, poultry, cassava and groundnuts as well as fish farming.

So far, there has been a quantum leap in local production of most of the commodities contained in the list of 41 items not illegible for official foreign exchange allocation or access in the country.

The success achieved through the policy had resulted in many Nigerians consuming what we produce and producing what we consume.

Although prices of food are still high, they have however started declining due to mass production and incentives being introduced to farming.

DMO Debuts with Sukuk

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The PEBEC Secretary and Senior Special Assistant ( S S A ) I n d u s t r y, Tr a d e & Investment in the office of the Vice President, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said PEBEC had approved a second 60-day National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) to drive reforms aimed at making Nigeria a progressively easier place to do business.

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As part of efforts to diversify government's funding windows, the Debt Management Office (DMO) recently made a debut with a N100 billion Sukuk bond, which was about six per cent oversubscribed.

Proceeds are to be channeled into financing 25 key infrastructure projects.

A l r e a d y, t h e f e d e r a l government has released the proceeds of the N100 billion Sukuk bond to 25 key economic road projects across the country under the purview of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun , handed over the funds via a cheque to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.

The federal government had issued the debut Sovereign Sukuk of N100 billion in September 2017, which was successfully completed. The Sukuk bond has a tenor of seven years.

According to a statement i s s u e d b y M r. O l u y i n k a Akintundethe, the Special Adviser, Media & Communications to the Minister of Finance, Adeosun, who disclosed that the Offer was oversubscribed to the tune of N105.87 billion, said the milestone was a sign of confidence on the Nigerian e c o n o m y a n d t h e administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. She

added that the Sukuk proceeds would unlock the potential of Nigeria.

Adeosun said, “This is the first Sukuk bond issuance for Nigeria. It is about financial inclusion and deepening of our financial markets.

“The proceeds will be used to further support government capital spending for 2017 - the construction and rehabilitation of 25 key economic roads across the six geo-political zones of the country.

“The roads will ease commuting, spur economic activities across the country and further close our infrastructural gap,” the minister stated.

Each of the geo-political zones of the country is expected to receive the sum of N16.67 billion for road projects in their respective zones.

The North Central and South South Zones accounted for five each of the 25 key economic road projects, while the North East, North West and South East have four road projects each.

Three projects are to receive funding from the Sovereign Sukuk proceeds in the South West Zone.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Fashola, commended the Finance Minister, the DirectorGeneral of Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha and the financial advisers for the bond issuance for their painstaking efforts realizing the milestone.

Fashola assured the ministry's contractors that the Federal Government was committed to the funding of its infrastructural projects across the country.

The Representative of the Contractors, Mousa Nahkia, expressed the contractors' gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and Ministers Adeosun and Fashola for “working day and night to make this a reality.”

“Nobody can hide our smiles today, we believe in this country and its economy. This is really a great development and accomplishment We really want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, for increasing our confidence in this country and the Federal Government,” stated Nahkia, who is the Managing Director of RCC Construction Company.

FIRS Intensifies Tax Drive, with VAIDS With a six per cent tax-GDP ratio, Nigeria has about the lowest tax rate globally.

However, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has not only risen to the occasion to boost the much-needed revenue, but to ensure that tax avoidance and evasion are nipped in the bud.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo launched launched the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) on June 29, 2017, which effectively took off on

July 1, 2017.

The scheme encourages and provides an opportunity for eligible taxpayers to, among other things, regularize their tax status for all the relevant years.

The scheme is also meant to encourage taxpayers pay all outstanding taxes, prevent and stop tax evasion and ensure full tax compliance.

The scheme (Amnesty) will last between July 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018. VAIDS is supported by an Executive Order that signed into law by A c t i n g P r e s i d e n t Ye m i Osinbajo on June 29, 2017.

Nigeria has a total of 69.9 million economically-active individuals but only 14 million of such people pay their tax.

96 per cent of them have their taxes automatically deducted through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system and 4 per cent comply by paying willingly.

Out of this, only 214 Nigerians pay 20 million Naira or more in taxes annually. All of them are based in Lagos State. Fewer than 1,000 pay N10 million or more in taxes. All but two of these people are based in Lagos State.

Reports indicate that since the l a u n c h o f VA I D S , m a n y individuals and corporate citizens have bought into the initiative.

FIRS has also continued to impress in its revenue drive with an impressive tax haul since the emergence of the current Executive Chairman of the Service, Mr. Babatunde Fowler.

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Bond Offer

the last five months.

Accretion into the nation's foreign has also increased to about $33 billion.

In consideration of the headwinds confronting the domestic economy and the uncertainties in the global environment, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met recently and decided by a vote of 6 to 1 to retain the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 14.0 per cent alongside all other policy parameters.

Customs Begins Operation Z e r o To l e r a n c e f o r Smuggling, Corruption The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has not only renewed its anti-smuggling campaign, it has also renewed the drive to combat corruption within the system. The anti-smuggling drive has continued to pay off with the recent seizures of caches of arm through the ports, particularly in Lagos.

Also in Abuja, several exotic cars were impounded from an auto dealer as the vehicles were alleged to have been smuggled.

Equally, on the anti-corruption front, the NCS has introduced an e-auction platform to rid the system of insider abuses that hallmarked the Service in the past. While doing these, revenue generation, a major mandate of the NCS has not been relegated to the background.

CBN Continues to Drive Monetary Policy/Price Stability

international remittances, inclusive of public sector and JVC payments; which rose by 58.59 per cent in the period under review.

CBN's management of the foreign exchange market has also been commendable.

There is a marked trend towards convergence between the rates at the bureau-de-change (BDC) and the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) segments, as well as the stability of the exchange rate at the inter-bank segment of the foreign exchange market.

The success of the Investor and Exporters' window (I &E) of the foreign exchange market introduced in April has been traced not only to foreign investor confidence but also to the zeal and commitment of Nigerian exporters who have demonstrated preference for the window to the parallel market.

The I&E window has increased liquidity and bolstered confidence in the market with over US$7.0 billion inflow in

The committee also retained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 22.5 per cent; Liquidity Ratio at 30.0 per cent; and the Asymmetric corridor at +200 and -500 basis points.

Overall Outlook for the Economy Available data and forecast of key macroeconomic variables indicate a relatively positive outlook, predicated on existing policy initiatives including the ERGP. Other potential drivers of economic recovery are; the expected increase in government revenue arising from favourable crude oil prices, stable output, and general improvements in the non-oil sector, especially, agriculture, industry and construction.

The intervention by the CBN in the real sector is expected to continue to yield positive results in terms of output and lower consumer prices.

2. Science and Technology S p a c e S c i e n c e K e y To Solving Environmental Challenges – Onu Minister of Science and

Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that space science and technology holds the key to discovery and solutions to environmental problems confronting the nation.

Onu, who stated this when he received a delegation of Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radio Sciences led by its President, Professor Dagogo Fubara, said his ministry would continue with research work on space science and technology to boost national security, artificial intelligence, a g r i c u l t u r e a n d communication.

The minister warned against neglecting space and environmental science, adding that it was the knowledge of these that enabled colonialisation of Africa in the 18th century with all its consequences.

He, therefore, said Nigeria must be prepared to forestall future colonialisation by harnessing the potentials of space research and other scientific endeavours.

The minister stated that the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA), one of the parastatals in the ministry was assiduously working to assist Nigeria reap the benefits of space science for the best interest of the nation.

Earlier, Prof. Fubara said the union would collaborate with the ministry in the area deploying science and technology to enhance national security and stability of the environment.

He added the union would continue to avail the ministry knowledge in various fields of space science to enable Nigeria overcome its various challenges in environment, agriculture and health.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not only continued to drive its monetary policy mandate to meet the demands of the moment, but has embarked on several intervention measures to buoy up the fiscal side of the economy.

Total foreign exchange inflows through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rose by 1.98 per cent in August 2017, compared with the previous month.

S i m i l a r l y, t o t a l o u t fl o w increased by 7.03 per cent during the same period, as a result of increased

The

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COVER

Customs Begins Operation

Zero Tolerance for Smuggling, Corruption

Also in Abuja, several exotic cars were impounded from an auto dealer as the vehicles were alleged to have been smuggled.

Equally, on the anti-corruption

front, the NCS has introduced an e-auction platform to rid the system of insider abuses that hallmarked the Service in the past. While doing these, revenue generation, a major mandate of the NCS has not been relegated to the background.

CBN Continues to Drive Monetary Policy/Price Stability The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not only continued to drive its monetary policy mandate to meet the demands of the moment, but has

embarked on several intervention measures to buoy up the fiscal side of the economy.

Total foreign exchange inflows through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rose by 1.98 per cent in August 2017, compared with the previous month.

S i m i l a r l y, t o t a l o u t fl o w increased by 7.03 per cent during the same period, as a result of increased international remittances, inclusive of public sector and JVC payments; which rose by

58.59 per cent in the period under review.

CBN's management of the foreign exchange market has also been commendable.

There is a marked trend towards convergence between the rates at the bureau-de-change (BDC) and the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) segments, as well as the stability of the exchange rate at the inter-bank segment of the foreign exchange market.

The success of the Investor

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he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has not only renewed its antismuggling campaign, it has also renewed the drive to combat corruption within the system. The anti-smuggling drive has continued to pay off with the recent seizures of caches of arm through the ports, particularly in Lagos.

COVER

The I&E window has increased liquidity and bolstered confidence in the market with over US$7.0 billion inflow in the last five months. Accretion into the nation's foreign has also increased to about $33 billion.

In consideration of the headwinds confronting the domestic economy and the uncertainties in the global environment, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met recently and decided by a vote of 6 to 1 to retain the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 14.0 per cent alongside all other policy parameters.

The committee also retained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 22.5 per cent; Liquidity Ratio at 30.0 per cent; and the Asymmetric corridor at +200 and -500 basis points.

” ” Available data and forecast of key macroeconomic variables indicate a rela vely posi ve outlook, predicated on exis ng policy ini a ves

Overall Outlook for the Economy

Available data and forecast of key macroeconomic variables indicate a relatively positive outlook, predicated on existing policy initiatives including the ERGP. Other potential drivers of economic recovery are; the expected increase in government revenue arising from favourable crude oil prices, stable output, and general improvements in the non-oil sector, especially, agriculture, industry and construction.

The intervention by the CBN in the real sector is expected to continue to yield positive results in terms of output and lower consumer prices.

2. Science and Technology

S p a c e S c i e n c e K e y To Solving Environmental Challenges – Onu Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that space science and technology holds the key to discovery and solutions to environmental problems confronting the nation.

Onu, who stated this when he received a delegation of Nigerian Union of Planetary and Radio Sciences led by its President, Professor Dagogo Fubara, said his ministry would continue with research work on space science and technology to boost national security, artificial intelligence, a g r i c u l t u r e a n d

communication.

The minister warned against neglecting space and environmental science, adding that it was the knowledge of these that enabled colonialisation of Africa in the 18th century with all its consequences.

He, therefore, said Nigeria must be prepared to forestall future colonialisation by harnessing the potentials of space research and other scientific endeavours.

The minister stated that the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA), one of the parastatals in the ministry was assiduously working to assist Nigeria reap the benefits of space science for the best interest of the nation.

Earlier, Prof. Fubara said the union would collaborate with the ministry in the area deploying science and technology to enhance national security and stability of the environment.

He added the union would continue to avail the ministry knowledge in various fields of space science to enable Nigeria overcome its various challenges in environment, agriculture and health.

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and Exporters' window (I &E) of the foreign exchange market introduced in April has been traced not only to foreign investor confidence but also to the zeal and commitment of Nigerian exporters who have demonstrated preference for the window to the parallel market.

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Buhari at the 72nd UNGAS

President Buhari also attended bilateral meeting with UN Secretary general Mr Antonio Guterres at the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

While attending the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Buhari had the privilege of attending a Lunch hosted by President of United States Donald Trump in honour of select African Heads of State.

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Trump, Buhari and Nigeria's foreign Affairs Minister,

Buhari and other African Heads of States at the lunch with Trump at the 72nd UNGAS

President Buhari delivering his speech at the 72nd UN General Assembly

Buhari, Zamfara and Ondo State governors, Yari and Akeredolu at the 72nd UN General Assembly

President Buhari delivering his speech at the 72nd UN General Assembly The

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Osinbajo: Nigeria is investors'

By Enesi Onotu According to him the administration specifically carried out extensive 'ease of doing business' reforms, in addition to ongoing investment in infrastructure. “After a continuous slide in growth since 2014, the trend of growth in GDP has turned around with a modest growth of 0.55 per cent in the second quarter of this year, inflation, though still somewhat high, has declined from its peak of 18.7 per cent in January 2017 to about 16 per cent today,” he stated.

The Vice President noted that ''the outlook going forward is quite positive based on improvements in oil prices and production and the trend of leading indicators such as positive purchasing managers indices, a revived stock exchange and increasing foreign exchange reserves, highlighting some of the efforts of the administration in agriculture and power, the Vice President drew attention to the significant progress achieved in the ease of doing business

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he Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo had declared that Nigeria is an investors' delight as the Buhari Presidency was making specific efforts to enable the private sector to thrive. Prof Osinbajo stated this at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London noting that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, in the past months, had been working assiduously to improve macroeconomic conditions, a copy of the speech was released to newsmen in Abuja.

delight initiative.

sized enterprises in particular.

“In the first stage, reforms were introduced under a 60-day national action plan focused on eight areas that make it easier to register businesses, obtain construction permits, get credit, pay taxes, get electricity, trade across borders, facilitate entry and exit of people and register property.

“Following the 70 per cent success rate achieved in the first phase of the ease of doing business reforms, we recently embarked on a second national action plan which will have 11 areas of focus and will run for 60 days from October 2017,” he added. According to Osinbajo, Nigeria is an investor's delight because of the opportunities which the Nigerian economy offers, specifically emphasizing that “the opportunities are enormous indeed.”

The Vice President said that manufacturing and the agriculture sectors might not survive in the country with the prevailing smuggling and noted that patronage of local textiles by the government was implementable, adding that there was a very large market now in the country for local shoe manufacturers while some government agencies had placed orders for boots.

He added that the Buhari administration was “nevertheless determined and optimistic that Nigeria will along with the rest of the continent bring about an Africa that works for all its people and contributes to global growth and prosperity.”

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“Practical examples of success include leveraging the use of technology to fast track business registration and payment of taxes, a functioning, tried and tested 48hour electronic visa procedure, and an Executive Order mandating greater transparency and efficiency across all government agencies, the reforms have led to reduction in cost and time, as well as greater transparency for small and medium

Meanwhile the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has said the Federal Government intended to collaborate with neighbouring countries to curb smuggling in Nigeria. He said this while receiving a delegation of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its President, Dr Frank Jacobs, on advocacy visit on promoting Made-in-Nigeria Products.

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High-prole investors turn to Nigeria AGRA to support indigenous smallholder farmers with $30 million FG begins review of sector's performance

By Enesi Onotu

A

strengthening the value chain to become more efficient and deliver more impact for the small holder farmers.

According to him, the project is also to make sure that Africa can feed itself, stressed that the project, especially on cassava, would be achieved through Public Private Partnership (PPP),“For AGRA, we are working to reach over 30 million small holder farmers across Africa to reduce poverty.

“We are looking toward working across 11 countries in Africa to bring agricultural transformation to support what the governments of the different countries are doing on making sure that Africa is able to feed itself, agriculture can be a business. We have clear strategy on how to bring about agricultural transformation in Africa.

“AGRA is working with the government of different countries that will lead to agricultural transformation and strengthen agricultural value chain so that they become more efficient and deliver more impact for the small holder farmers, in Nigeria, we are focusing on three crops, we are looking at rice, maize and cassava and we have selected two states to roll out this

Audu-Ogbeh

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AGRIC:

s enabling environment for agro business to thrive in Nigeria is being created by the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a lot of investors had begun to show interest to invest in the sector.

The latest of such is the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) which says it will invest $30 million to boost agriculture in Nigeria within the next four years.

AGRA Nigeria Country Team Leader, Dr Kehinde Makinde, who disclosed this during a workshop on Economic Impact Assessment of the Micro Reforms for African Agribusiness (MIRA) project held recently in Abuja explained that the money would be used to support small holder farmers across the country.

He said that the project, which would focus on promoting rice, maize and cassava, would last from 2017 to 2021 and noted that Kaduna and Niger would be used as pilot states for the project, added that it would be extended to other states of the country later, the team leader stated the project was geared toward agricultural transformation and

what we are currently doing is the forma on of oil palm clusters in states to enable farmers get the machines

Uche, who reviewed the agricultural sector in the past, present and the future, said the appointment of Chief Audu Ogbeh, as the Minister of Agriculture, had truly transformed agriculture in the country.“As a key player in the agriculture sector, a lot of improvement has been recorded since Chief Audu Ogbeh came on board as the Minister of Agriculture.

“In the oil palm arm, where I am the president; as a group, we are happy with what the Federal Government, has done and Nigeria can occupy her rightful place in oil palm production with what we now have, and in spite of the present economic hardship, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, had been able to provide enough equipment to turn around the agriculture sector.

“The minister and his team had made it possible for oil palm

farmers to access herbicides, insecticides, irrigation water pumps, sprouted nuts, highly improved oil palm seedlings and farmers also have access to other mechanised equipment such as oil palm mills, palm kernel cracking machines, motorised harvesters at subsidised rates.

“The modern mills are in Imo, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Plateau and all the 24 states with high prospect in oil palm will get theirs very soon and as the leader of the association, what we are currently doing is the formation of oil palm clusters in states to enable farmers get the machines,'' he said.

Uche said that already, the clusters had been formed in five states, adding that Nigeria could in the next one year, begin to produce special palm oil, which is of high demand across the world for local and export markets, with the transformation in the sector, a lot of unemployed people would be gainfully engaged in the production of special oil.

“To produce special palm oil, w e re q u i re th o u sa n d s o f people as workers to operate the mills, harvesting, and develop the seedlings, and this will obviously reduce the unemployment rate in Nigeria and advised OPAGAN's members to trust and love one another as they form the clusters, saying, “it is only with love that Nigerians can defeat

the culture of ”one man business attitude''.

He encouraged the unemployed people, especially young graduates to embrace oil palm production, stressed that with the enabling environment provided in the agriculture sector, agriculture had changed from a mere subsistence to a life changing business.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government and stakeholders have commenced the review of the performance and developments recorded in the agriculture sector between 2010 and 2016, Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed this at the Nigeria's Agricultural Joint Sector Review in Abuja recently.

The minister said the review was to assess the progress m a d e i n p o l i c i e s implementation in the sector in line with the Malabo declaration.

Ogbeh, represented by Mr Auwal Mai-Dabino, the Director, Planning and Policy Coordination in the ministry, noted that the assessment was geared toward highlighting the successes and challenges faced in the sector over the years, with a view to tackling them to sustain the current growth rate in the sector.

According to him, the review will help to reposition the sector for better performance.

Presidential Diary 20

The

intervention. We are working to cumulate investments by other partners" he said.

Similarly, the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPAGAN), had expressed optimism that the ongoing transformation efforts in the agricultural sector would pull Nigeria out of economic woes, Mr Hilary Uche, the National President of OPAGAN, made this disclosure in an interview while speaking with newsmen in Awka recently.

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ANTI-CORRUPTION: President Buhari's charge to NASS, Justice Salami

Sarak

i

The war against corruption is so dear to the president heart that it formed a major part of his 2017 National Independence Day anniversary broadcast to Nigerians.

Consequently he has given an unprecedented backing to the National Assembly and Justice Ayo Salami, who was recently appointed as chairman of the Judiciary anti-graft committee.

In acknowledgment of the enormity of the anti-corruption war, President Buhari said: “We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion.”

However, in a show of optimism, the president said: “But we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic.”

Specifically, he said Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary's antigraft committee, adding that the Government expects a lot from this Committee.

On the part of the national Assembly, President Buhari said: “I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees. They should, in

addition, ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws.”

To Nigerians, he said: “Fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe, by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption.”

Giving details on what has been done to fight corruption, the president said, “In this fight, the Government has empowered teams of prosecutors, assembled detailed databases and accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.”

Doga

ra

Giving further insight on what his administration has done in this regards, he said: “The Administration's new institutional reforms include enforcing Treasury Single Account (TSA), Whistle-Blowers Policy, Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System (IPPIS).”

He also mentioned that Nigeria has signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries.

“There are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary. Recently the Chief Justice of the Federation directed Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised,” President Buhari said.

Salam

i

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F

or President Muhammadu Buhari, fighting corruption is a stand-alone option. Despite the hindering factors, the president has remained resolute in words and actions.

Dismantling threats

to national security, unity

By Danmaryam Hassan

N

The CDS, Maj Gen AG Olonisakin; COAS, Maj Gen Gen TY Buratai; CNS, R Adm IE Ibas and CAS, AVM SB Abubakar. resulted to the lost of many lives.

In a deliberate effort to take the war to the door steps of the Boko Haram terrorists, on assumption of office, President Muhammadu Buhari, moved the military command from Abuja to the epicenter of the Boko Haram world in Maiduguri, capital of Borno.

The move yielded tremendous results as the terrorists were isolated from the population it had frightened for so long, pushing them into the deeper Sambisa forests.

Since the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists group began 8 years ago, it is estimated that, at least, 20,000 people lost their lives, thousands of others maimed and many others have been displaced.

Many other innocent residents

of the north east were abducted during the peak of the crisis.

While others have since been freed by the Nigerian military, many others, however, still remain unaccounted for.

The peak of the spate of abductions by the Boko Haram terrorists was the abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014.

T h i s , h o w e v e r, l e d t o international outrage and condemnation.

In early May 2017, 82 of the Chibok schoolgirls were released after almost 2 years of painstaking negotiations.

21others were earlier released while one of the girls was rescued during one of the operations by the Nigerian Army.

Since the Nigeria Army intensified the clearance of the Boko Haram camps and

enclaves in the north east, thousands of some of the abducted women and children have been freed from the grip of the insurgents. Many of the members of the dreaded group have also been captured, others killed while hundreds of others voluntarily surrender.

Many of their commanders have also surrendered to the Nigerian Army,.

In one of the clearance operations, the Army Spokesman, Sani Usman said: “The troops cleared the terrorists camp which was equipped with medical facility, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) factory, fuel dump, mechanical workshop, generators and several water points. The gallant troops also destroyed 3 vehicles laden with IEDs meant for suicide

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igeria has in recent times been locked in series of events that have threatened the security of the nation, leaving yearning cracks in the unity and peace of the people.

Hard as the task of reversing this trend of events has been, the security agencies have done well to keep Nigeria safe from all forms of crime and criminality.

Taking a cursory look at the level of commitment, sacrifice and gallantry displayed by the military, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), one cannot dispute the fact that the President Muhamadu-led administration is delivering its promises in the area of security.

It would be recalled that the provision of adequate security of lives and property of Nigerians, was one of the tripod campaign promises the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government. The other two legs of the tripod are the economy and the fight against corruption.

In fact, prior to the coming in of the Muhammadu Buhuri-led administration in 2015, the Boko Haram insurgents nearly overwhelmed the country with bomb blasts being detonated almost on a daily basis in different parts of the country, especially the north.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the seat of government, was not left out as it witnessed many bomb blasts which

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Nigerians.

This also led to the issuance of quit notice by northern youth under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Group to the Igbos residing in the north to leave on or before October 1.

The quit notice was however, withdrawn on August 24, after it has generated hell of tension and fear among many Nigerians.

However, the swift intervention of the military in the IPOB agitations saved the situation which successfully doused and fizzled out the tension.

Despite the criticisms that trailed the introduction of the Operation Python Dance by the Nigerian Army in the South East, many Nigerians applauded the army for rising to the occasion to keep the country as a united indivisible entity.

While justifying the deployment of troops to the South East by President Muhammadu Buhariled government to arrest the menace of the IPOB, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, while responding to questions from State House Correspondents, said: “Let me state clearly that it is within the rights of individuals or groups to seek self-determination. But this pursuit has to be nonviolent. Where any group crosses the line by engaging in violence, it risks being cut to size. And that's exactly what has happened to IPOB. “I am not interested in the semantics or legality of troop deployment or the proscription of IPOB. All I know is that IPOB has engaged in terrorist activities; setting up parallel military and paramilitary organisations, clashing with the national army and attempting to

seize rifles from soldiers, using weapons such as machetes, Molotov cocktails and sticks and mounting roadblocks to extort money from people, among others.

“To those who have engaged in semantics or legality, I ask: Which country in the world will tolerate those activities I have listed above? Which national army will look the other way when it is being attacked by a band of thugs?”

Department of State Services (DSS) The Department of State Services (DSS) has demonstrated its capability to nip in the bud criminal tendencies in the country. This is even as, the Service has, through its intelligence gathering, arrested many suspected Boko Haram terrorists, kidnapers and other criminals elements in different parts of the country.

Recently, on August 11, the Service announced chains of successes it recorded in its tactical operations in July and early August, 2017.

In a statement by its Spokesman, Tony Opuiyo, the Service also waded into the boundary crisis between Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. “ On 4 July, 2017, along Zaria – Funtua Road in Giwa LGA, Kaduna State, the Service busted another kidnap gang and apprehended its kingpins, Rabiu Sani aka Dogo and his close associate, Abubakar Sani, notorious kidnapper and gun-runner who has been supplying arms and ammunition to criminal elements in Kaduna, Kano, Taraba and Plateau States.

“Also, on 4 August, 2017, this Service arrested a suspected

gun-runner, Haruna Musa at Kasuwan Magani area, along Kaduna-Kachia Road in Kaduna State.

“Furthermore, on 3 August, 2017, two suspected Boko Haram fighters namely Buba Gebi aka Dogo Dan Cameroon and Manu Isah, were apprehended by the Service at Tamburawa, Dawakin Kudu, Kano State, on 3rd August, 2017.

The duo were intercepted while heading to Lagos, in furtherance of the group's cause. ” Police and the fight against kidnappers/cattle rustlers It is not an exaggeration to say that within the past one year, the Nigeria Police Force, has given kidnappers, cattle rustlers and other criminal elements operating in different parts of the country nightmares.

This is even as, since the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, took over the mantle of leadership of the Force, a little over one year ago, close to 2,000 suspected kidnappers and armed bandits have been arrested and paraded.

Such remarkable feet have never been achieved in such a short time in the history of the Nigeria Police Force.

The recent arrest of the suspected notorious and s o p h i s t i c a t e d k i d n a p p e r, C h u k w u d u m e m e Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans and some of his gang members is a testimony that the Nigeria Police Force, in recent times, has up its game.

Evans and some members of his gang were arrested on June 10, 2017, in his Magodo, Lagos residence, by the IGP's Intelligence Response Team

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bombings somewhere and killed 37 Boko Haram terrorists.”

The clearance of the Boko Haram terrorists enclaves got to its peak last two months (July 3), when in a statement, the Army Spokesman, Sani Usman, a Brigadier General, disclosed that over 700 Boko Haram insurgents have, following sustained pressure and bombardment from troops of 26 Task Force Brigade, Operation Lafiya Dole, surrendered to the Nigerian army.

Among those who surrendered were key commanders and influential members of the terrorist group.

This, singular success, among many others, many Nigerians believed, was the stroke that broke and paralysed the back bone of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group.

It is however, sad to state that, in an effort to keep the country safe from the grip of the Boko Haram terrorists, many army personnel lost their lives.

However, majority of Nigerians believe that the sacrifices made by the Nigerian Army under the leaders of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has given the country, especially the north east, the peace it is currently enjoying to the extent that Boko Haram is almost a forgotten issue in Nigeria.

This has also led to residents of many communities and villages that were hitherto displaced to IDPs camps across the north east and other parts of the country to return to their ancestral homes.

Killings by suspected Fulani Herdsmen The efforts of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to keep the country safe cannot be complete without the mention of the recent killings of innocent Nigerians by the suspected marauding Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country.

Benue, Southern Kaduna and Plateau states were the worst hit where hundreds of innocent farmers were killed. However, the intervention of the military has since dislodged them and the havoc caused by the herdsmen has become a thing of the past.

IPOB The recent tension occasioned by the agitations for succession by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu in the South Eastern part of the country created a lot of sleepless nights for many

in Rijana, a village on that axis, which observers say has gained notoriety as kidnappers' den, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, Habila Joshak, said the operation is made up of 500 regular officers and men as well as 100 intelligence officers.

Also few weeks ago, the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, also launched another operation on the AbujaKaduna highway christened, Operation Absolute Sanity.

This led to the deployment of a joint Police team comprising of special police force, counter terrorism squad, antikidnapping units, intelligence response team, special tactical squad, the force intelligence branch, the police mobile force with headquarters at Rijanah, Kaduna State.

The joint Police team were given specific and definite mandate- to root out the kidnap for ransom and armed robbery gangs that have been terrorizing innocent Nigerians along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

This strategy, according to m a n y, h a s c o n s i d e r a b l y reduced the reckless activities of the kidnappers and armed robbers along the AbujaKaduna axis.

This is because within two week of launching the Operation Absolute Sanity, 72 suspected kidnappers were arrested and paraded. 32 at Katari while 40 at Rijanah.

Speaking while parading the 32 suspects at Katari, recently, the Force Spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, said: “Within the first week of the commencement of the Operation Absolute Sanity, 32 suspects were arrested in their hideouts and the exhibits recovered from them include 4 AK 47 rifles, 6 locally made pump action guns and 2 magazines.”

Also speaking while parading the 40 suspected kidnappers arrested at Rijanah on August

3, Jimoh said: “After the arrest and parade of 32 suspected kidnappers and their caches of arms and ammunition on July 31, 2017, at Kateri on AbujaKaduna highway, further efforts intensified by the Police personnel of Operation Absolute Sanity in the last few days resulted in the arrest of additional 40 suspects and recovery of large caches of arms and ammunition, and other exhibits in Rijanah area and other locations along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.”

Following the steadfastness of the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, a resident of Katari, a widow, Mrs Mary Victor, said that normalcy is gradually returning to the area as most farmers can now freely go to their farms.

“The area is becoming safe now than before. Few weeks ago, we can't go to our farms let alone do any work.

“But we thank the police for coming to our rescue as everything is subsiding now,” she said.

While delivering a public lecture with the theme: "Providing Strategic Solutions to Emergent Security Challenges, the Essentials of Synergy Among Security Agencies and the Civil Populace," in Lagos, recently, the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, disclosed that since his assumption of office late last year to July this year, over 1000 kidnapping and armed robbery suspects had been arrested.

This is even as between July and September, hundreds of others have been arrested and paraded in different parts of the country.

Even on Thursday September 21, 2017, 13 suspected kidnappers were paraded by the Force Spokesman, in Jere, near Kaduna State.

According to Idris: “Since my assumption as the IGP more than 1000 kidnappers and armed robbery suspects have

been arrested and over 270 of them in the month of July alone and many of these kidnappers are being prosecuted in various courts in Nigeria.”

He, therefore, solicited the collaboration, support and partnership of Nigerians in the protection of lives and property.

Since the IGP assumed office, strategies of crime fighting and detection put in place by his team had recorded huge successes based on the number of kidnappers or armed robbery suspects arrested and even killed during exchange of fire with the police.

While appealing for more support and partnership of all Nigerians, the IGP said: ”The police has been recording successes, but they cannot do it alone. ”There has to be synergy among security agencies and the civilian populace to e ff e c t i v e l y d e a l w i t h t h e challenges of security in the country. ”We need the support of all Nigerians, more funding, manpower, technological and scientific support, as well as welfare and motivation for police officers to win the security challenges confronting the country,'' he noted.

According to him, the collaboration between the police, the military and other sister security agencies in organising joint patrol have assisted in fighting crime in most parts of the country.

Many Nigerians, however, believe that with improved funding, the needed support and cooperation from all Nigerians, the Nigeria Police Force has the capacity to ruthlessly clean up all kidnappers and other criminal elements from the country.

This, therefore, calls for massive support by all Nigerians through the provision of timely and accurate information to the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.

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(IRT), led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Abba Kyari.

For 6 years, Evans terrorized Nigerians and nationals of other West African countries before he was arrested.

“For several years, Evans terrorized Nigerians and nationals of many countries across West Africa. Efforts to apprehend him did not yield the desired results until we spread our search net wider,” Idris revealed while delivering a paper in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, recently.

Evans has since been arraigned alongside his accomplices on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

Also, of recent, the AbujaKaduna high way became one of the dangerous roads to pass through in Nigeria. The highway was literarily hijacked by deadly kidnappers and armed robbers.

Many high profile Nigerians have had their bitter experiences in the hands of kidnappers on that road.

The recent kidnapping of the m e m b e r, r e p r e s e n t i n g S u m a i l a / Ta k a i F e d e r a l C o n s t i t u e n c y, G a r b a Durbunde, by unknown gunmen around Abuja-Jere axis of the Abuja-Kaduna highway sent dangerous signals to northern politicians, and, in fact, well-to-do Nigerians plying that road.

The kidnappers hijacked the mass farm lands along the Katari, Rijanah, Jere axis of the highway and turned it to be their hide outs. This affected farming activities in the area as women were raped with on a daily basis.

This, ugly trend, however, attracted the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and in June this year, he deployed 600 personnel and 90 vehicles to patrol the road in order to halt the ugly trend.

While flagging off the operation

Nigerian military: restoring peace to troubled enclaves

By Chidi Okereke

At a me Nigeria faces graves challenges to its internal security, the Nigerian military, which since independence has preserved the na onal borders from external viola on, has risen to the challenge.

A Nigerian Army Officer addressing repentant Boko Haram members in Maiduguri

OPERATION CROCODILE SMILE

Nigeria soldiers training for "Operation Crocodile Smile" in the Niger Delta region

OPERATION PYTHON DANCE

Nigeria soldiers ready for operation python dance

I

n the last few years as the Boko Haram insurgency laid sought to dismember the country and annex large swathes of its territory, the military par cularly in the two years that President Muhammadu Buhari has been in the saddle, has dealt the terrorists death blows, recapturing from them communi es and local governments they had annexed in the last dispensa on.

With the waning of the threats posed by the Boko Haram, the military, mindful of the fact that a number of the insurgents were forcefully conscripted into the war by the leadership of the deadly sect, and desirous of ensuring social cohesion and balance especially in the communi es affected by

the insurgency in Nigeria's northeast, devised a programme of rehabilita on of terrorists who wilfully surrender to the military. That programme launched last year and code-named “Opera on Safe Corridor”, has been yielding dividend as Boko Haram fighters daily surrender to the Nigerian military in their numbers.

The remorseful insurgents are as part of the programme, being exposed to different voca onal training in order to equip them with skills to enable be useful to themselves and be empowered to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of the na onal economy.

As is usually the case with many na ons in strife, as threats to na onal security is checked in one area, there o en arise security challenges in other parts of the country. With the res veness in the Niger Delta, which in 2016, rose to alarming levels with militants blowing up oil pipelines and other facili es and reducing oil produc on levels, a situa on that further reduced revenue from oil, the Nigerian military launched the “Opera on Crocodile Smile”.

The opera on turned out to be hugely successful as the military arrested some of the militants and drove others underground from where they have been unable to threaten oil installa ons. To ensure that the

peace secured in the Niger Delta region is sustained, the military recently launched the second phase of the opera on in the region.

In the Southwest region, where kidnappings had become rife and a few militants were crea ng problems by fiddling with oil depots and causing explosions as a result, the full weight of opera on “Crocodile Smile” was visited on the area with militants killed, arrested or driven underground by the military. Military authori es recently ordered a return of the opera on to consolidate on the gains achieved there during its first phase.

One area where the Nigerian military has done a lot to restore calm is the Southeast region. In addi on to criminal ac vi es like robbery and kidnapping, there had arisen threat not only to the region but to the corporate existence of the na on at large as members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), which is seeking secession from Nigeria, cons tuted themselves to threat to public peace. The group headed by Nnamdi Kanu, who a er he was released from deten on via an order of a High Court and who wilfully flouted the condi ons of his bail, became a law unto themselves by ceaselessly harassing law abiding ci zens going about their ac vi es.

The launching of “Opera on Python Dance” in the Southeast by the military went a long way in restoring peace as elements of IPOB, who had verbally threatened other Nigerians not in support of their agenda with bodily harm, were either arrested or forced into hiding. Kanu himself who had derisively taunted the leadership of the country and southeast governors and other leaders from the region, fled into hiding.

Calm has returned to the southeast and the military has assured that it is not in the area to molest law abiding ci zens no ng that it had a mandate to maintain peace in the region.

Presidential Diary 25

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OPERATION SAFE CORRIDOR

Amnesty:

Boroh lauds ex-militants as 200 graduate from Innoson automobile

By Enesi Onotu

Many ex militants had been engaged in one form of skills acquisition or the other in both within and outside the country in order to make them self reliance to be useful to themselves and the society.

In one of empowerment programme recently where 200 Niger Delta ex-agitators, batch B graduated from the Innoson-Kiara Academy, Nnewi in Anambra, to use their skills positively to grow the economy, at the c e r e m o n y, B o r o h c o m m e n d e d t h e graduating ex-agitators for making President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government proud in their performance during the training.

The special adviser said the entrepreneurship drive of the Presidential Amnesty Programme was geared toward creating an enabling environment for beneficiaries to develop their full potential in different vocational skills. “This is with a view to making you lead productive and creative lives in line with the ongoing reintegration process of 30,000 ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region.

“The focus of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is to create the enabling environment for youths in the region, particularly the ex-agitators to have sustainable sources of livelihood as they reintegrate with their communities,” he said.

According to Boroh, the present administration of President Muhammadu Buari is committed to empower the youth of

Niger-Delta to be useful for themselves, the region and the country in general

Earlier, the Project Coordinator and representative of the Vendor, Mr Momoh Aminu, explained that the rationale for the training was to ensure that beneficiaries were equipped with marketable skills. “The idea had been for everyone that participates in the training to have mastery of a particular area and then everybody now works compositely toward the end product.

At the graduation ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the academy, Mr Endi Ezengwa, said the trainees were exposed to practical automobile engineering works during their practical training at the factory.

Ezengwa said out of the 199 candidates that sat for the National Technical Certificate (NTC) from the National Business and Technical Examinations Board, 195 bagged distinctions while four others made credits.

“So far, the trainees have been exceptional because within a short period they have been able to display capacity in assimilating the theory and practical aspects of the training and this is really good for Nigeria and at the end of the day, we will be talking about people, who are armed with critical technical skills which the country needs, not just for the development of the Niger Delta area, but for Nigeria in general,” he stressed.

He said that Innoson Car Manufacturing Company was willing to absorb the graduands, with a salary of N60, 000 which would be reviewed upwards at the end of a probation period of one year and urged the state governments in the Niger Delta region to create an enabling environment for the graduands to put into practice the skills they have acquired from the academy.

Speaking on behalf of the ex- agitators, President of the trainees, Mr Raphael Ajalaja, expressed satisfaction with the leadership of Boroh, especially the manner he handled the programme and also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for giving them such opportunity to be trained at the centre.

“We encourage the respective state governors to actively engage us to establish mini-automobile factories in the Niger Delta area, so that more of these youth will be engaged and have places to practice what they have learnt in our automobile company" he said.

Another graduate, Miss Gloria Edward, said the automobile training had developed their capacity to several business opportunities and urged the Amnesty Coordinator to empower them at the end of the programme to enable them establish their automobile businesses.

He commended Boroh for his vision and sincerity in driving the youth empowerment scheme through various vocational trainings, describing him as a “focused man, who has his people at heart and the course covered automobile manufacturing, auto maintenance, auto mechanical, auto electrical, auto painting, welding, among other aspects of the automobile engineering production chain. According to him, the Amnesty Office under Boroh had introduced innovative approach to fill the manpower gaps in critical skills among youths in the Niger Delta.

The Presidential Diary reports that high point of the ceremony was the presentation of three vehicles; a bus, 4×4 wheel truck and a 32-seater bus assembled from the scratch to the finish by the ex-agitators and also recalled that over 200 youths from the region had earlier benefitted from the programme.

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he appointment of Brig. Gen Paul Boroh (Rtd) as the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as no doubt giving hope to exagitators because of a lot reforms and programmes he brought to bare.

Villa Diary

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SERVICE CHIEFS BRIEF PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Buhari on October 10, 2017 received brieďŹ ng from Service Chiefs at the State House. below are pictures from the mee ng.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in a handshake with National Chairman, APC, Chief John Oyegun

Presidential Diary 30

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President Muhammadu Buhari with Chief of Staff Abba Kyari

NORTHERN GOVERNORS VISITS PRESIDENT BUHARI GOVERNORS OF YOBE, SOKOTO AND JIGAWA STATES WERE GUESTS OF PRESIDENT BUHARI ON OCTOBER 9, 2017 AT THE STATE HOUSE.

President Buhari and Governor of Yobe State H.E. Ibrahim Geidam

President Buhari and Governor of Yobe State H.E. Ibrahim Geidam

President Buhari and Jigawa Governor, H.E. Mohammad Badru

President Buhari and Governor of Sokoto State H.E. Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal

President Buhari and Jigawa Governor, H.E. Mohammad Badru

President Buhari and Governor of Yobe State H.E. Ibrahim Geidam

The

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A Chieftain from the South-West and former Aide to the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe

President Buhari and Governor of Yobe State H.E. Ibrahim Geidam

The

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A Chieftain from the South-West and former Aide to the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe

President Buhari and National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno

The

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President Buhari receives

Letter of Credence from Ambassadors of Egypt, Republic of Benin and Mexico.

President Buhari receives Letter of Credence from H.E. Mr Alejandro Garcia Moreno Elizando, Ambassador designate of Mexico to Nigeria at the State House.

President Buhari receives Letter of Credence from H.E. Mr Asteem Muhammed HanaďŹ Mahmud Elseify Ambassador designate of Arab Republic of Egypt to Nigeria at the State House.

The

Presidential Diary 34

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President Buhari receives Le er of Credence from H.E. Mrs Paule e Adjovi Yekpe, Ambassador designate of Republic of Benin to Nigeria at the State House.

The

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President Buhari with L-R: Ebonyi State Governor H.E. David Umahi, President Ohaneze Ndigbo Chief John Enia Nwodo, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as he receives in audience Stakeholders from the South East in State House on 13th Oct 2017

President and Igbo leaders when they visited him at the State House

President Buhari hosts Anambra APC guber candidate, Tony Nwoye

The

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A VISIONARY AND QUINTESSENTIAL ROYAL FATHER

His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II Ooni of Ife

I

t is with joy and rare honour that the Editorial Board of The Presidential Diary joins millions of compatriots, friends and well wishers at home and abroad in felicitating heartily with His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi , Ooni of Ife on your birthday anniversary.

The attainment of this memorable age is of great signiďŹ cance. Praises be to Almighty God for showering you with enormous blessings and divine protection.

At this remarkable milestone, you have shown that the numbers of years you have lived are not a reminder of how old you are, but are medals of all you have been through in life as exempliďŹ ed by your uncommon leadership and retinue of accomplishments.

As you celebrate, we wish you abundant happiness and love. But even more than that, may it bring you loads of love, friendship, good health and a peaceful reign.

Once again, hearty congratulations, Sir. May your reign be long. Kabiyesi, Arole Oduduwa, Arole Nigeria, Arole Africa, Arole of the world.

Signed: The Editorial Board of The Presidential Diary Magazine The

Presidential Diary

NIGERIA 57 @

PRESIDENT BUHARI MAKES IT A FIRST

NIGERIA @ 57

President Buhari moves

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION from Abuja to Boko Haram epicentre

In 1960 when Nigeria after determined effort by its leading nationalists, wrested power from the British, President Muhammadu Buhari, then a lanky teenager in the final stages of secondary school education and getting ready to join the Nigerian Army. He would later rise to become a military Head of State twenty three years later.

Today, as his country's democratically elected civilian president, he is taking the destiny of the nation into his hands once again.

On the occasion of Nigeria's 57th independence anniversary, President Buhari is valiantly engaging forces aiming to dismember the country.

honour the courage and sacrifices of the Armed Forces.

The ceremony which was marked with a display of military hardware and a show of air power by the Air Force took place in the Maimalari Military Cantonment which houses the headquarters of the Theatre Command, “Operation Lafiya Dole."

In what could be described as a breach of the norm every 1st October since Nigeria regained independence from colonial rule in 1960, President Muhammadu Buhari moved the celebration of Nigeria's National Independence Day from the cosy confines of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Maiduguri, Borno State, the epicenter of the Book Haram terrorism and insurgency.

In an impromptu speech he made after inspecting the military guard of honour, President Buhari praised the gallantry of the Armed Forces for the successes recorded in defeating terrorism in the North-East and lawlessness in the Niger Delta and gave assurances that the country's Armed Forces will be equipped with the best the country

This would be the first time such ceremonies will take place outside the nation's capital.

The move, according to the Presidency is to

Presidential Diary 39

The

It is ironic sometimes how the destiny of a nation and that of an individual are intertwined.

citizens residing in all parts of the country."

can afford.

"Under this leadership, there will be resources as much as the country can afford to support your operations. As long as you live and in service, your rights will be guarded jealousy," the President said.

He asked members of the three arms of the military to return the gesture by being steadfast and loyal.

Buhari and Borno State Givernor with service chiefs during his visit to Maiduguri for the 2017 Independence Day Celebration

Buhari offering words of motivation to wounded soldiers during his visit to Maiduguri

The President commended the fortitude of the wounded-in-action soldiers who are receiving treatment and wished them quick recovery when he met them in a special tent.

President Buhari also inspected several military equipment, newlyacquired and those refurbished put on display as well as some of the new acquisitions of the Air Force that included night-vision Mi 35 attack helicopters.

"You must stand firm for your country.

The centre is determined to hold. You must be loyal to the center. If Nigeria breaks, you are the first line of losers so you must stand firm for your selves I n h i s w e l c o m e s p e e c h a t t h e and for the country. The security of the ceremony, the Chief of Defence Staff, country is in your hands and in the G e n e r a l G a b r i e l O l o n i s a k i n commended the President for showing hands of God," he stressed. a lot of care for the Armed Forces.

President Buhari reiterated an earlier warning in his National Day Broadcast He assured the President that the that the country will not break up under country's military will continue to be his watch and dismissed those loyal to the administration and agitating for its division as dreamers e x p r e s s e d t h e i r r e a d i n e s s t o who were not born when the country guarantee the sovereignty of the went through a debilitating civil war in nation and the security of its people. which two million lives were lost.

The CDS said the visit by the President "Those who are making noises were will rejig and boost the spirit of the not born, so they don't know what we Armed Forces, assuring that with went through. They don't know. I like to better morale, they will fight better. remind you that whatever happens, you are at the front lines of the defence The President was joined in cutting the of the citizens wherever they live. This A n n i v e r s a r y C a k e b y t h e h o s t administration is prepared to protect all Governor, Kashim Shettima, the Chief

Bornon, Shettima and Service chiefs

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of Staff, Abba Kyari, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olonisakin, the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadiq, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, the Theater Commander, General Ibrahim Attahir and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.

Buhari offering words of motivation to wounded soldiers during his visit to Maiduguri

President Buhari inspects military hardwares used in the ďŹ ght against Boko Haram

Buhari, Chief of Air S t a ff a n d S e n a t e President during the Jumat prayer for the 2017 National Independence Day celebration

President laughs to some jokes during the Jumat prayer

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The

Buhari, Chief of Air Staff and Senate President during the Jumat prayer for the 2017 National Independence Day celebration

FOR THE RECORD

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI'’S

OCTOBER 1ST, 2017 BROADCAST TO NIGERIANS terrorism.

Not even the most organized and most equipped police and security forces in the world can escape the menace of modern day terrorism, as we have seen in recent years in Europe and other parts of the world.

But we are not letting up. Our Armed Forces in an effort to enhance the operational capability of troops of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE have established Mobile Strike Teams in the North East. These will ensure the final push to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram.

In addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes of the insurgents have been neutralized. The Armed Forces have established a Naval presence in the Lake Chad Basin as part of the coordinated military efforts to curtail the movements or re-emergence of the sect in the area.

Government is working round the clock to ensure release of the remaining Chibok girls, as well as other persons in Boko Haram captivity. Government will continue to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies to fight not only terrorism, but kidnapping, armed robberies, herdsmen/farmers violence and to ensure peace, stability and security in our country.

ECONOMY W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e e c o n o m y, t h e Government has remained pro-active in its d i v e r s i fi c a t i o n p o l i c y. T h e F e d e r a l Government's agricultural Anchor Borrowers Programme, which I launched in November 2015, has been an outstanding success with: · N43.92 billion released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions, · 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting, · 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating

in a legitimate debate, has let in highly irresponsible groups to call for dismemberment of the country. We can not and we will not allow such advocacy.

As a young Army Officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through.

I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly.

At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational manner, at the National and State Assemblies. These are the proper and legal fora for National debate, not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with predetermined set of objectives.

Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities.

Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace in the Niger Delta.

SECURITY On security, Nigerians must be grateful to our gallant Armed Forces for rolling back the frontiers of Boko Haram's terrorism, defeating them and reducing them to cowardly attacks on soft and vulnerable targets.

Nigeria is grateful to its neighbours and the international community for the collective efforts to defeat this world-wide menace of

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My dear Nigerians, October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom.

Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations.

It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and rededication.

It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule.

However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that great piece of luck was squandered and the country's social and physical infrastructure neglected.

We were left with no savings and huge infrastructure deficit.

The APC Government's Campaign rallying cry to restore security, re-balance the economy and fight corruption was not all rhetoric.

The country must first be secured. The economy must be re-balanced so that we do not depend on oil alone. We must fight corruption which is Nigeria's Number One Enemy. Our Administration is tackling these tasks in earnest.

In the past two years, Nigeria has recorded appreciable gains in political freedom. A political Party at the Centre losing elections of State Governor, National Assembly seat and even State Assemblies to the opposition parties is new to Nigeria. Added to these are complete freedom to associate, to hold and disseminate opinions. Such developments clearly attest to the country's growing political development. But like all freedoms, this is open to abuse.

Recent calls on re-structuring, quite proper

reforms include: · Enforcing Treasury Single Account, · Whistle-Blowers Policy, · Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System.

We have signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries. There are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary.

Recently the Chief Justice of the Federation directed Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised.

Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary's anti-graft committee.

Government expects a lot from this Committee.

I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees.

They should, in addition, ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws. But fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe, by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption. The government for its part will work for accountability at all levels - Federal, State and Local Governments. CHANGE will then be real.

As we enter the second half of our term of office, we intend to accelerate progress and intensify our resolve to fix the country's challenges and problems.

Thank you and a happy holiday to all of you.

God bless our country

Furthermore, in order to stabilize the polity, the Federal Government gave additional support to states in the form of: · State Excess Crude Account loans, · Budget Support Facility, · Stabilization Fund Release to state and local government as follows: · N200 billion in 2015 · N441 billion in 2016 · N1 trillion in 2017 Altogether totaling N1.642 trillion.

This was done to enable states to pay outstanding salaries, pensions and small business suppliers who had been all but crippled over the years.

In addition, the Government's current N500 billion Special Intervention Programme is targeting groups through; · Home Grown School Feeding Programme, · N-Power Job creation to provide loans to small-scale traders and artisans, · Conditional Cash Transfer, · Family Homes Fund and · Social Housing Scheme.

CORRUPTION Fellow Nigerians, We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion. But we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic.

In this fight, the Government has: · Empowered teams of prosecutors, · Assembled detailed databases, · Accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.

The Administration's new institutional

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eight commodities, namely Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, soyab e a n s , P o u l t r y, C a s s a v a a n d Groundnuts, in addition to fish farming.

These initiatives have been undertaken in close collaboration with the states. I wish to commend the efforts of the Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ebonyi and Jigawa States for their support to the rice and fertilizer revolutions.

Equally commendable are contributions of the Governors of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Cross River, Benue, Ogun, Kaduna and Plateau States for their support for the Presidential initiative for palm oil, r u b b e r, c a s h e w, cassava, potatoes and others crops.

With the abundance of rainfall last year and this year, agriculture has enjoyed Divine intervention.

Since December last y e a r, t h i s Administration has produced over 7 million 50Kg bags of fertilizer. Eleven blending plants with a capacity of 2.1 million metric tons have been reactivated. We have saved $150 million in foreign exchange and N60 billion in subsidy.

Fertilizer prices have dropped from N13,000 per 50Kg bag to N5,500.

Furthermore, a new presidential initiative is starting with each state of the Federation creating a minimum of 10,000 jobs for unemployed youths, again with the aid of CBN's development finance initiatives.

Power remains a huge problem. As of September 12th, production of power reached an all — time high of 7,001 Megawatts. Government is increasing its investment, clearing up the operational and financial log jam bedeviling the industry. We hope to reach 10,000 Megawatts by 2020.

Key priorities include better energy mix through solar and Hydro technologies. I am glad to say that after many years of limbo, Mambilla Power Project has taken off.

Elsewhere in the economy the special window created for manufacturers, investors and exporters, foreign exchange requirements has proved very effective.

Since April, about $7 billion has come through this window alone. The main effect of these policies is improved confidence in the economy and better investment sentiments.

The country has recorded 7 consecutive months of lower inflation, Naira rate is beginning to stabilize, appreciating from N525 per $1 in February this year to N360 today. Broad-based economic growth is leading us out of recession.

TRIBUTE

Tribute:

VICTOR MALU (1947-2017)

Malu, famous for the role he played in the stabilisation of Liberia, where he served as Force Commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) peace-keeping force in Liberia from 1996 to 1998, is one of Nigeria's notable military officers .

The late Gen. Malu, born on January 15, 1947 and enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna in 1967 as part of the 3rd Regular Course and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on graduation in 1970.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant enlisted upon graduation in 1970, alongside other notable fficers in the NDA including Senator and retired Brig-Gen. David Mark, Gen. Tunde Ogbeha, Gen.Raji Rasaki, Gen. Chris Garuba, Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, Brig-Gen. Halilu Akilu, Adm. Mike Akhigbe and Gen. Tunji Olurin.

He later attended Command and Staff College Jaji and National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.

A heart-broken President Muhammadu Buhari Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, commiserated with the Armed Forces on the demise of whom he described as “a very distinguished and professional colleague, who demonstrated incredible courage and leadership, including during

very turbulent times in Liberia”.

The President noted that as Force Commander of the ECOMOG peace-keeping troops in Liberia, General Malu was an icon of professionalism, bravery and discipline, and aptly demonstrated these attributes throughout his national and international military assignments.

The President believed that the late Gen. Malu will be fondly remembered for his dedication and commitment as a military officer and his numerous landmark contributions to Nigeria's unity and growth.

He urged the bereaved family, friends and associates to honour Malu's memory by upholding his invaluable sacrifices for a peaceful and united Nigeria.

The President prayed that the Almighty God will comfort all who mourn Gen. Malu, and grant his soul perfect peace.

Similar messages also came from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement, the party said Nigeria has indeed lost one of its finest military officers, who distinguished himself and made the country proud in several local and international assignments he undertook during his illustrious military career.

Malu, who was a diabetic, went into a coma in September 2008 and was rushed to Lagos University Teaching Hospital where he was placed on life support in the intensive care unit from where he was reportedly transferred to a hospital in London, before his demise in Cairo, London.

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O

n October 9, 2017 Nigerians received the news of the death of LT.Gen. Victor Samuel Leonard Malu, who was Chief of Army Staff during President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration in a hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

The Senate

FROM THE

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki

The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Boundary Commission to investigate boundary conflicts around the country and clearly delineate the boundaries to curb widespread disputes.

The directive followed a motion on crises arising from non-delimitation of Nigerian internal boundaries by Gershom Bassey (PDP-Cross River South) noting that Nigerian internal boundaries were afflicted by a multitude of crises that were resulting to loss of lives and property.

He said farmlands and the use of land mass as means of revenue allocation in Nigeria were a major factor in the boundary disputes, noting further that the core mandate of the Boundary Commission was to define and delimitate boundaries between states, local government areas or communities in accordance with delimitation instruments or documents established for that purpose.

Senate Seeks Removal of Speed Bumps on Federal Highways

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu

The Senate has ordered the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola to remove speed bumps on all federal highways in the country.

In taking the resolution, following a motion jointly sponsored by Senators Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue) and Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra), the Upper Chamber also asked the minister to cause owners of petrol filling stations to build a service lane of not less than 50 meteres on both sides of their stations to avoid customers turning directly to and from the highways.

In his contribution to the motion, Sen. Joshua Moltobok, from Gombe, said that if such bumps” must be erected, they should be done professionally.”

Senate worries about poor drainage systems in the country Upon resumption of the Senate from its two-month annual recess in September, members worried about what they described poor drainage systems in most parts of the country and deliberated on flood disasters in parts of Nigeria.

In a motion, Yahaya Abdullahi, APC-Kebbi, noted that overflow of waterways and blockage of drainage systems had led to loss of lives and properties in states including Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Imo and Benue.

The disaster had become an annual occurrence in those states along the rivers Niger and Benue, he said.

He acknowledged, however, the efforts of various

state governments and the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in providing relief and succour to victims but expressed concerns about public policy implementation in Nigeria.

Following the motion, the Senate resolved to urge the “Federal Ministry of Water Resources to design and implement a national integrated community-based riverine and water channel dredging, desiltation and drainage programme to cover the entire national riverine network.”

It also “urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to commence the dredging and desiltation of rivers Niger and Benue.”

It further resolved to “urge the federal and state governments to institute strict land use and environmental planning, including building codes and cadastral planning of all urban locations under their respective control to ensure proper drainage systems and siting of dwellings and business premises away from water courses, river channels and flood plains.”

It also resolved to urge NEMA to urgently mobilise to the locations affected by the flood disasters with a view to extending humanitarian and medical assistance to avoid the outbreak of communicable diseases, particularly gastroenteritis and cholera which are prevalent in such places.

World Teachers Day: Senate Seeks Prompt Teachers Salaries As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate teachers on World Teachers Day, observed recently, Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial district, Chukwuka Utazi, maintained that teachers in Nigeria should be paid before lawmakers and other public servants.

Speaking through order 43 of Senate rules, the lawmaker decried the pathetic condition of Nigerian teachers, saying that nobody wants to take to teaching profession anymore He lashed at how Nigeria elites chase teachers around the globe by spending so much money in sending their wards abroad, leaving teachers in Nigeria with difficulties.

He wondered at how basic salaries of teachers were not often paid, thereby, discouraging people from teaching profession. He warned that if nothing was done, there would be dearth of teachers in Nigeria in the nearest future.

On her part, a member of House of Representatives, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion representing Ovia North East/ South West federal constituency of Edo State also used the occasion to seek additional 25 per cent salaries as incentives to halt rural- urban teachers' migration.

In a motion, the People Democratic Party lawmaker said, this way, the teaching profession would be made enjoyable and those in it would have a sense of belonging.

Presidential Diary 45

The

Senate asks commission to investigate boundary conflicts nationwide

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

House of Representatives

Speaker Yakubu Dogara

Reps committed to passage of NGO Bill

Reps committee to investigate JAMB admission cut off scores The House of Representatives has mandated its committee on Tertiary Education and Services to investigate the circumstances that led to the reduction in the cut-off marks required for admissions of candidates into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The investigation followed a motion titled “Need to Investigate the Reduction in the CutOff Marks for Admissions into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria”, moved at plenary by Hon. Hassan Saleh (Benue State, APC), who reminded the House that while it was on annual recess, the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede and other stakeholders lowered the entrance qualification grade into the nation's higher institutions, announcing that a minimum of 120 marks in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination would be required for placement of candidates into the Universities, while 100 marks would be required for placement into Polytechnics or Colleges of Education.

He argued that the development was injurious to the country's education standards.

The committee has four weeks to conduct its investigation and report back to the House for further legislative action.

Reps swears in Hon. Mato as Hembe's replacement The House of Representatives on Tuesday sworn-in Mrs. Dorathy Mato as a replacement for Mr. Herman Hembe, who was sacked by the Supreme Court in June 2017.

Hembe was a former Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory.

The court had ruled that Mato was the validly elected candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC to represent Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State.

Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yussuf Lasun

Reps to probe alleged deplorable state of Nigeria's foreign mission The House of Representatives has in a mission by Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Elendu Nnenna-Ukeje urged the House to investigate the state of Nigeria's foreign missions, which she said was deplorable and urged Federal Government to increase funding for the missions.

In the motion, Nnena-Ukeje expressed worry that poor funding of the missions was affecting their operations. The lawmaker added that the poor funding had resulted in unpaid allowances of home based officers, huge debts owed service providers and poor representation of officers posted to those missions.

In adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committee on Foreign Affairs to conduct a public hearing on the deplorable State of Nigeria's Foreign missions and report back within eight weeks for further legislative action.

Presidential Diary 46

The

Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Umar Jibril Buba Jibril (APC, Kogi) has said the House will pass 2010 NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) Regulation and Co-ordination Bill to forestall illegal activities of some of the organisations.

When bill, the bill would further regulate the activities of NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country.

In a statement in Abuja, Mr. Jibril alleged that “some NGOs collected funds for North East IDPs and disappeared,” informing however that religious organisations will not be affected by the proposed bill.

WOMAN IN FOCUS

AISHA BUHARI: Taking humanitarian efforts beyond borders · Gets UN's applause for fight against malnutri on

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WOMAN IN FOCUS

Aisha Buhari (m), Wife of the Vice President (next left) and wives of state governors at the meeting held at the State House, Abuja on Monday October 9

our humanity but also for the sake of history and posterity,” she said.

Recalling the contributions of late UNFPA boss, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin in drawing global awareness and galvanising support for the crisis, the Acting Executive Director of UNFPA, Dr Natalia Kanem, regretted that the basin still faced one of the worst global humanitarian crises, for which women and children bear the biggest burden.

Representatives of the wives of the Presidents of Cameroon, Chad and Niger as well as wives of state governors, donor agencies and partners attended the unveiling of the initiative.

She said: “My sisters in this effort and I have come to the painful realisation that the cost of inaction is too high to be imagined. And therefore we agreed to support in the area of protection, early recovery and rebuilding of livelihoods, education, nutrition, health, water and sanitation.”.

According to her the initiative was unveiled to create awareness on the humanitarian problem and alert the global community with a view to spurring them to action.

“Our humanity is easily proven by the commitment we show to share in and reduce the pain of other humans who are down on their luck,” Mrs Buhari said.

“Let us be counted not just for the purpose of

Wife of the Vice President Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo at the commissioning of Elfreeda Foundation in Enugu

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T

he Wife of Nigeria's President, Her Excellency Aisha Buhari, is fast becoming the cynosure of all well meaning entities globally, courtesy of the humanitarian gestures which she has imbibed as a way of life.

A few weeks ago, the First Lady took her humanitarian drive a step further by rallying her counterparts in Cameroon, Chad and Niger in an initiative aimed at providing support for women and children affected by the Boko Haram crisis.

Mrs Buhari said the initiative which was nurtured with technical and financial support from United Nations (UN) agencies resident in the four countries, especially the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is without prejudice to the ongoing support provided by governments and other actors.

She is hopeful that her recent effort, with supports from her colleagues in these countries would reach millions in the region around the Lake Chad Basin.

The wife of the President of Nigeria, represented by Mrs Toyin Saraki, wife of Nigerian Senate President, on the occasion regretted that women and children bore the brunt of the protracted crisis, adding that the Boko Haram insurgency had plunged the area into a situation that has consumed lives and property, rendering millions of people homeless and without any means of livelihood.

“These are the people that have lost not just their livelihood but even their life investments and culture. This is the picture that drew the attention of the first ladies of the four countries sharing the basin. As mothers, we were quick to observe that women and children affected by the insurgency are the most vulnerable cohort of the population,” she said.

Stressing the importance of their role, Mrs Buhari told the other First Ladies inaction could be more costly on this occasion.

WOMAN IN FOCUS On another count, the Nigerian First Lady has received a resounding applause from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for rallying influential support to tackle child malnutrition in Nigeria.

Her effort comes at a time the UNICEF said an estimated 2.5 million Nigerian children under the age of five suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) every year – an extremely dangerous condition the body says makes children nine times more likely to die from common childhood illnesses such as such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria. Every year, nearly 420,000 children under five die as a result of this deadly combination in Nigeria.

Early this month, more than 80 parliamentarians met at the National Assembly where they discussed ways they can follow up on commitments they made at a parliamentary meeting in June in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, to protect children from malnutrition. The Nigerian parliamentarians are planning support for Nigeria's Action Plan to encourage exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life. They are also discussing how to better coordinate action to combat malnutrition across all 36 states and better deliver nutrition solutions for children.

Meanwhile, Wife of the President is leading the charge among Nigeria's influential Wives of Governors to join her in becoming champions to address the country's ongoing nutrition crisis.

Mrs. Buhari, who established her 'Future Assured' campaign to end child malnutrition

life; educating families about the correct feeding practices for older babies and children; and provision of micronutrient supplements and vitamins and fortified food for pregnant women and young children.

Children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition need medical treatment. An innovative and cost-effective way of treating malnourished children was first introduced in 2009 and has since expanded to 12 northern states. This Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme has treated over two million children since it was first introduced in Nigeria, at a cost of just US$160 per child.

RUTF, frequently referred to as 'miracle food,' is a peanut-based paste, which also contains milk powder, sugar and multiple micronutrients. A Lagos-based Nigerian company, DABS, has recently received international certification to produce RUTF for the treatment of SAM, so the provision of RUTF will no longer be dependent on imports.

The British charity the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), which has provided almost US$60 millionto cover the cost of CMAM in Nigeria's 12 northern states since 2013, has issued a challenge to the leaders of those states to fulfil their commitment to provide counterpart funding and even to go beyond. If the states are able to raiseUS$16million to fund SAM treatment in 2017 and 2018, CIFF has pledged to provide and additional matching US$16 million.

Our humanity is easily proven by the commitment we show to share in and reduce the pain of other humans who are down on their luck - Aisha Buhari.

in Nigeria two years ago, spent many hours on Monday October 9, working with the Wife of the Vice President, Wives of Governors, Government agencies, UNICEF and partners to advocate for improved healthcare and nutrition for women and children.

Although the problem is more widespread in northern Nigeria, there are malnourished children in every Nigerian state. Chronic malnutrition can lead to stunting, leaving children physically and/or mentally underdeveloped for the rest of their lives. Over 11 million children in Nigeria are stunted– a huge drain on the future of the country.

Steps to prevent children becoming malnourished include supporting and encouraging mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months of

Leading by example..Aisha Buhari and Wife of the VP, Dolapo Osinbajo inspects some RTUF packs on display during the meeting

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Presidential Diary 49

WOMAN IN FOCUS

Aisha Buhari hosts wife of Ugandan President in Abuja

J

anet Museveni, wife of the President of Uganda was a recent guest of the Wife of the Nigerian President, Aisha Buhari, at the State House, Abuja.

Although very little was reported about that meeting, it is obvious the two first ladies

Kataaha Museveni,” she wrote.

Mrs Museveni has been cabinet minister of education and sports in the Ugandan cabinet, since June 6, 2016.

share very cordial relationship.

The Nigerian first lady, who shared photos of that meeting on the social media could help extolling the virtue of the Ugandan first lady.

She said: “It was a pleasure hosting my dear sister, the first lady of Uganda Hon. Janet

Aisha Buhari receives sourvenirs from wife of Ugandan president when she visited the First Lady in Abuja recently

Aisha Buhari and her team receiving Ugandan First Lady and her entourage

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Wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari presents a Future Assured Plaque to Ugandan First Lady when she in Abuja

STATES IN FOCUS

Akwa Ibom @ 30 Akwa Ibom State is 30 years old.

The state, led by the governor, Udom Emmanuel, celebrated this year's anniversary of the state's creation in style. The Vice President was Special Guest at some of the events.

Osinbajo (r) waves at the cheering crowd when he was hosted by the Akwa Ibom State governor during occasions to mark the state's 30th anniversary

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Osinbajo and Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel commission and inspect Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company, AWA, Akwa Ibom.

VP, Osinbajo and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel

Yemi Osibanjo (left) receiving a portrait from the Chairman Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty Owong EfďŹ ong Bassey Archianga The

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STATES IN FOCUS

BENUE

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Flood: How Buhari's, Ortom's Intervention Saved Benue

By Ameh Ojechema,

Station near the Civil Service Commission where residents were displaced in large numbers.

It was during the inspection which also took the governor to displaced persons camps and other flooded parts of Makurdi, the state capital, that he learnt that about two billion naira was released to Benue to provide drainage channels after the 2012 flood disaster but there was little or nothing to show for it.

The revelation by Barrister Ucha Ulegede who was also affected by the 2017 flood disaster shocked the governor who promised to follow up the matter.

It was after the comprehensive inspection of affected areas and displaced persons that the governor ordered the provision of relief materials for displaced persons and alerted the presidency of the terrible flooding situation in Benue.

traders.

Another camp was established at Agan toll gate along Makurdi- Lafia road.

The number of those displaced this year was in the region of about 400,000 but some of them squatted with their relations in different parts of the state.

The gravity of the flood in Benue was bigger in 2012 because the money that was supposed to be used to cushion the effect of the disaster on the people was not utilized for that purpose.

Moreover, the money for the provision of drainage channels was said to have been allegedly diverted.

Because of this laxity, Benue could not prepare for future flood problems. In spite of Governor Ortom's early campaign and instructions that drainage channels should be cleared of refuse and that people living close to water ways should vacate, the volume of surface water that had no channels to empty themselves into bigger streams and rivers found their way into houses, markets, schools, churches, establishments and other places.

Fortunately for the people however, Governor Samuel Ortom had alerted them on the impending flood as the meteorological agency warned that Benue and some other states would experience flood.

He had proactively set up machinery for the handling of the disaster as early heavy rains pushed for flooding in August and reached the climax in September this year.

As soon as Governor Ortom commenced the inspection of flooded areas including the submerged Radio Benue Transmitting FM

The governor had equally directed that earth moving equipment should be used to create emergency water channels and declared that houses built on water channels would be demolished to pave the way fr free flow of water into bigger drainage channels.

With the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari who was recuperating in a London hospital, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, promptly responded to Governor Ortom's appeal for assistance.

Osinbajo did not only visit Benue with the approval of the president, he ensured that the National Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, moved its headquarters

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Makurdi In 2012, Benue was flooded in a devastating manner. More than half of the state's land was swept away with many communities in Makurdi, Buruku, Tarka, Gwer-West, Agatu, Guma, Apa, Katsina-Ala and many other local governments worst affected.

Not less than half a million persons were displaced by that flood across the state. The number of lives lost then could not be ascertained, although it was put conservatively at over 300.

The flood, which came in October 2012 deprived rice farmers of the expected bumper harvest just as other farmers watched their crops perish. Most of the farmers who were beneficiaries of a one billion naira loan facility became helpless as their investments were washed away. The impossible repayment of that loan is now history.

Then came another flood this year. The 2017 flood came at the heat of the economy crunch leaving citizens with the difficult options to make both ends meet even as the state government grappled with the problem of salary payment.

Benue citizens had in line with Governor Ortom's appeal gone back to land with every available space utilized for farming.

While relief materials were sent early enough to displaced persons this year, in 2012, those displaced had difficulty in getting relief materials.

In 2012, displaced persons were accommodated in the primary schools but t h i s y e a r, t h o s e d i s p l a c e d w e r e accommodated at the new Makurdi International Market yet to be occupied by

STATES IN FOCUS temporarily to Makurdi, the state capital with prompt attention given to displaced persons by way of supply of relief materials.

Osinbajo's visit was significant; it did not only give Benue the hope that Benue's flood problem would end during the tenure of Muhammadu Buhari but that River Benue would be dredged along with the provision of big drainage channels as requested by the governor.

Governor Ortom who took Osinbajo to the areas affected by flood, told him that the Idye and other streams which cross-criss Makurdi, the state capital, create wide water channels as they overflow their banks during the rainy season.

He also told him that the yearly devastation of Benue by flood called for the provision of ecological funds would which help the state to prevent and possibly tackle the problem until it reduces to the barest minimum.

assist in the execution of projects.

Before his election in 2015, Buhari was known for his fairness, honesty and transparency. It is these character traits which he exhibited while serving as Military Head of State that made Nigerians not to look back when it dawned on them that the nation needed to be salvaged from its multifarious problems occasioned by alleged mismanagement of resources under the previous administration.

As the year 2017 ends, there is the need for the Federal Government to consider releasing ecological or disaster funds to Benue state. This appeal becomes more imperative when the problem of bureaucracy in the civil service is juxtaposed with the need for some measures to be taken before the next rainy season sets in.

One thinks that early release of funds and the taking of proactive actions so as to prevent the reoccurrence of flood disaster in Benue and other parts of Nigeria would serve a good purpose.

again, the citizens are equally hopeful that some attention would be given to federal roads in the state as the 2018 budget gets underway The previous administration had promised to commence work on the dredging of River Niger and gave an indication that it was going to also simultaneously dredge River Benue to pave the way for commercial transportation on the sea because of its agricultural potentials but the projects ended on the paper.

Perhaps, President Muhammau Buhari could bring more hope to Benue people in the year 2018 by directing that the Federal Government takes over the Cargo Airport initiated by Governor Samuel Ortom.

Due to the emergency salary situation in Benue state, President Muhammadu Buhari may wish to give Benue special attention by way of special budget provisions that would

It was Osinbanjo's promise that the Federal Government would urgently dredge River Benue and assist the state towards providing drainage channels at strategic locations in Makurdi and other major towns of the state that gladdened the hearts of the citizens.

Before now, the dredging of River Benue had been seriously politicized alongside the commissioning of air conditioned railway system which terminated as soon as the 2015 elections were over.

The visit of Osinbajo opened the floodgate of visits of public-spirited individuals and organizations to Benue to sympathize with the government and the people.

Those that could not visit personally sent relief materials. Among them were the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, whose relief materials brought smiles on the faces of displaced persons including youths, the elderly, children and women at the displaced persons camps and in the houses of their relations.

A flooded house in Makurdi

Nasarawa state government, the All Progressives Congress, APC, APC governors, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, northern governors, corporate organizations as well as individuals identified with Benue during the flood disaster.

When Muhammadu Buhari was sick, Governor Samuel Ortom organized several prayer sessions for him. Ortom knew that Buhari meant well for Benue and indeed, the entire country, so, his safe return to Nigeria after treatment would greatly pay Nigerians who had been in need of a transparent and selfless leader.

With the hope of Benue people rising in the Buhari administration's promise them that flood water would not destroy the state NEMA presents relief materials to Gov. Ortom of Benue State in Makurdi

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Borno

N2bn lifeline for IDPs in Borno Borno State Govt says it has, on its part, spent over N2bn on food and other items for IDPs in the last four years.

By Enesi Onotu

efforts to support parents in payment of examination fees for their children.

Satomi said the choice of charcoal came with high cost as the initial funds for firewood went up astronomically adding that the agency had also concluded arrangements to de-worm and immunise all children in IDPs camps and liberated communities.

Kubo added that the gesture would also assist students to secure university admission, noting that some 15, 623 students sat for the examinations in the state and “We paid about N300 million to WAEC and NECO to enable them to release examination results of our students.

According to him, the exercise was designed to protect children against diseases, reduce morbidity and mortality and the agency had deployed nine mobile clinics to enhance rapid response and disaster management services in the state.

“I urge you to hasten release of the results so that students could access it on good time to pursue their admission, the Presidential Diary reports that WAEC and NECO had earlier withheld examination results for May/June 2017 and June/July 2017, respectively and the examination bodies claimed that their action was necessitated following the inability of the state government to settle balance of the fees.

In a similar development, the State Government had released N300 million to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Commission (NECO), as payment of examination fees for its candidates. The Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Musa Kubo, made the disclosure in Maiduguri while presenting the cheques to the agencies recently.

The action resulted to public outcry by students and parents who expressed the fear that their children could not get admission this academic year before the intervention of the state government to pay the school fees.

Kubo said that the payment was made to facilitate release of examination results of candidates who sat for the examinations in public schools in the state pointing out that that the gesture was part of government's

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In a bid to alleviate the suffering of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno state, the government said it has expended over N2 billion on food items, condiments and other items to IDPs in the last four years.

This was disclosed by the Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Alhaji Satomi Ahmad in an interview with The Presidential Diary in Maiduguri.

Satomi said that the amount went into procurement and distribution of food stuff, firewood, drugs and condiments to persons displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

According to him, the gesture was to augment the Federal Government and development agencies' efforts to support the displaced persons and address humanitarian crisis.

“Previously, the agency spent about N20 million on procurement and distribution of firewood alone to displaced households in the camps and liberated communities and the trend resulted in unprecedented upsurge in the demand and supply of firewood in the state, this also naturally resulted in depletion of forest resources and destruction of the environment which left us with no options than to start using charcoal,” he said.

STATES IN FOCUS

Edo Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, has inaugurated the Edo State Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited in Auchi, Estako West Local Government Area of the state.

Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki inspecting a farm in the state

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

When Oba of Benin honoured Oshiomhole

T

he Monarch of Benin Kingdom, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, recently hosted the immediate past Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to a grand reception at his palace in honour of his outstanding performance and all-round development of the state during his twoterm governorship.

Royal fathers at the event

The palace of the Oba of Benin presents Oshiomhole with a bronze statue his when the Oba hosted him recently

Edo Governor Obaseki welcomes his predecessor, Oshiomhole when the past governor was hosted by the Oba of Benin recently

Oshimhole receiving the royal blessing

Iara and Oshiomhole at the Swearing in of Hon. Kassim Afegbua as New Commissioner of Information

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Kaduna

How El-Rufai turned Kaduna an investment haven

By Enesi Onotu

El-Rufai was among technocrats appointed in the second term of Obasanjo to turn things around having worked as Director General

but most people in the state were aware of the personality of El-Rufai that he would hold gripes of the state ďŹ rmly without being controlled by any "godfather" or hitherto be a subservient to any power that be in the state.

of the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) and his performance, courage and determination as minister made him to stand out among the people that served during the regime where a lot of illegal buildings both for the rich and poor were brought down.

After he was elected as Governor in the last two years, The Presidential Diary who has been monitoring development in the state reports that apart from other infrastructural projects embarked on by the Governor, ElRufai also focused in agriculture and

No one doubts his capability in terms of delivering good governance in Kaduna state when started aspiring for number one seat in the state before he emerged the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2014;

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G

overnor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state no doubt a performer as he demonstrated that when he was appointed as a minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during Olusegun Obasanjo's government between 2003 and 2007 where he made a lot of landmarks and transformations in the territory.

STATES IN FOCUS empowerment programme to generate employment and turn around the fortune of the state as recently witnessed in September this year, where President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated N30 billion Integrated Feed Mill, Hatchery and Breeder Farm in the state.

developing its natural endowment especially in agriculture and mining, while mining will take some time to begin to give us the results that we need, agriculture can bring immediate results and this is why our investment policy in Kaduna state is focused on agricultural industrialization.

support and encouragement of the governor as well as the policy and programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari's government as it was evident in 2017 hajj exercise where farmers dominated the pilgrims that went to perform this year's pilgrimage.

The multi-million dollar investment would utilise around 180,000 tonnes of corn and 75,000 tonnes of soya beans for its feed production and the company had the capacity to produce 360,000 tonnes of animal feeds every year and could also produce 1.6 million day-old-chick every week, Experts noted that this kind of development would boost the production of maize and soybeans as well as the development of the Nigerian poultry and aquaculture sectors.

“Kaduna state is Nigeria's leading producer of maize, Soya beans and Ginger, and we are also second in the production of Sorghum, Millet, Tomatoes, White beans and Potatoes, therefore every serious business in the world should be in Kaduna state and stressed that the target was to create jobs and take the youth off the street; as a government, the overriding economic imperative is to create jobs.

I m a m H u s s a i n i Ts o h o - Ik a r a , a c ti n g Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board gave the testimony that farmers turned out in large number to pay for this year's hajj unlike the previous years and the patronage of Hajj seats from rural farmers this year outnumbered the intending pilgrims from urban centres.

The expert at the farm told Presidential Diary that 50,000 tonnes of on-site storage, in addition to a similar capacity of outsourced storage, will support food security and price stabilisation and that training on farming practices would be offered to farmers in collaboration through collaboration with Federal and the state governments to increase farm yields and crop profitability.

It will be recalled Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna state on April 10, 2016 laid the foundation of the feed mill project and it is adjudged the biggest of its kind in SubSahara Africa; Olam International is a leading agri-business operating across the value chain in 70 countries, is investing $150 million (approximately N30.0 billion) in the project.

The project has a state-of-the-art with animal feed mills, poultry breeding farms and a hatchery that will produce 1.6 million weekly day-old-chicks, El-Rufai, while performing the groundbreaking ceremony at Chikpiri Gabas village, in April 2016 said, the project was not about the size of i t s f a c i l i t y, b u t t h e employment opportunities that would be created in building and running the poultry project.

“From our record, grassroots farmers have already dominated the payment of Hajj seats for 2017 operation compared to people living in cities and prices of farm produce had been on the increase since a ban was placed on the importation of some food items by the present administration, farmers are making more money from their produce last year; a Nigerian farmer is now a king with this new development" he said.

“89 per cent of the population of Kaduna state consists of young people below the age of 35, and if we do not find ways to create jobs for them we will have a major social problem and this is why this administration is committed to attracting investment into the state, so that we will have jobs for our young people" he said.

In his speech to mark Nigeria 57 anniversary, El-Rufai said that robust economic activity greatly assists the steady work of building a strong and stable society, therefore he will continue to vigorously attract the private investors that can bring many jobs and improve the state's tax base pointing out that in September alone, two Major agricultural investments of over N50 billion were commissioned.

The governor who commended the animal feed company for constructing a 15-bed hospital for use by its host community as part of its corporate social responsibility, said that his administration was working to enhance the capacity of farmers to produce rice and wheat, as well as a special beans consumed in India, which would be exported to that country and my government is also working with a group of investors to resuscitate the moribund Ikara Food Processing Company, adding: “we are working to privatise it fully to encourage investors and create more jobs.” He stated.

He said that development will give thousands of people employment opportunities and as a government "we are creating direct jobs where we can, but the public service can only employ a tiny fragment of the population" El-Rufai stated.

Observers attributed bumper harvest by farmers in Kaduna in 2016 and 2017 to the

Similarly, the Governor also wooed another investment of new animal feed mill to the to the ancient city of Zaria, which was constructed by Sunseed Nigeria Ltd, and it is worth Five Billion Naira which will produce 100,000 tonnes of animal feeds yearly.

El-Rufai at the epoch making event said that "the state is gearing toward diversification of its economy away from dependence on g o v e r n m e n t b y President Buhari in Kaduna to commission $ 150 milliom integrated feed mill The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Kano

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Kano on aggressive roads rehabilitation drive

By Enesi Onotu

Governor of Kano State Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on a visit to Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode

According to him, the agency has identified no fewer than 150 roads in the metropolis that need urgent attention “The State Executive Council has given approval for the rehabilitation of 76 out of the 150 roads already identified by the agency.

“Apart from Lagos and Abuja, Kano has the highest number of roads in the metropolis and with the current economic situation, we have to do the work in phases,” Aliyu said.

He attributed the delay in rehabilitating roads in the city to the current rainy season.

“We have a lot of challenges especially with the rainy season and the amount of rainfall being experienced as well as the poor drainage system are not helping matters.

Aliyu said as long as people continue to dump refuse in the drainage, rain water would continue to take over the roads thereby damaging them.

“We are slowing down to allow the rain to subside. The people of Kano will see a lot of changes after the rainy season and the the agency would continue to partner with the State Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) to ensure that all the

drains were cleared.

embrace the business.

In a similar development, Kano State Government has also approved N250 million for the supply of improved tomato seeds and chemicals for distribution to tomato farmers affected by Tuta Absoluta disease (tomato ebola) across the state.

Prof. Mahmoud Daneji, Managing Director, State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), disclosed this at the YieldWise Nigeria Stakeholders Meeting in Kano recently.

In his remarks at the meeting, Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof.

Kabiru Mato, said the Kaduna State Government had come up with a number of policies aimed at empowering tomato farmers for improved production of the commodity. He, however, called on the Federal Government to support tomato farmers, adding, “we want the Federal Government to consider tomato as a crop for food security by extending the intervention it is giving to other commodities to tomato farmers.

YieldWise project is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation in collaboration with PYXERA Global with the aim of reducing post-harvest losses. Daneji, represented by a Director in the agency, Balarabe Sabo, said the State Executive Council had approved the money for the supply of the inputs.

“All interventions should be extended to tomato value chain so that challenges being faced by tomato growers can be overcome,” Mato said.

Speaking, Mrs Betty Kibaara, Associate Director, Rockefeller Foundation Africa Regional Office, said the meeting was organised to discuss and proffer solutions to the current challenges affecting the development of tomato value chain in the country. She said the meeting was also aimed at reviewing the tomato triangle operationalisation strategy, a partnership between Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa states.

He said that as soon as the seeds and chemicals were procured, they would be distributed to tomato growers affected by the pest that ravaged their farms about two years ago and also said that the state government, in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture (BoA), planned to provide loan facility of N2 billion to farmers in the state.

He said that based on the agreement, the state government and the bank would contribute N1 billion each, which would be disbursed to farmers. Daneji added part of the loan would be given to tomato farmers as part of efforts to boost tomato production as well as to encourage more people to

The Presidential Diary reports that the partnership works toward enhancing enabling environment for the development of the tomato value chain in Northern Nigeria.

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The Kano State Government has approved N1.3 billion for the rehabilitation of 76 roads in Kano metropolis, to open up the cities and enhance the socioeconomic activities, the Managing Director, the State Road Maintenance Agency, told newsmen in Kano recently that the work would start on the roads as soon as the money is released.

STATES IN FOCUS

Katsina

The

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Katsina @ 30:

The journey so far

By Enesi Onotu

had benefited from electrification and roads construction networks.

Similarly, Dr Muttaqah Rabe, a former Commissioner of Works, said the state government had recorded laudable achievements within the last 16 years of democratic dispensation on the level of development in the state notwithstanding, he expressed concern that there was no development in the state during the previous 12 years of the military regime.

The Special Adviser to Governor Masari on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr Lawal Bagiwa said the administration had signed an agreement with the African Development Bank for 110 million-dollar facility adding that the facility would be used to develop the health sector, staff training as well as rehabilitation of hospitals and clinics across the state.

In the same vein, Alhaji Bala Abdulahi, General Manager of the State Rural Electrification Board, said government had expended more than N16 billion to connect more than 500 villages to the national grid and noted that several villages had also been provided with transformers to ensure steady power supply.

“All the 34 local governments have benefited from the installation of new transformers to boost power supply, we are, however, experiencing the destruction of transformers and cables due to the activities of vandals who have been stealing our equipment and we are now urging our people to protect all the electrical installation in various villages and towns across the state,'' he pleaded.

All in all, political analysts recall that Masari had insisted in his electioneering in 2015 that Katsina State was poorly governed and promised to address the challenges if he is given chance to govern the state and so far so good, Aminu Masari's administration had reduced government expenditure by as high as about 40 per cent.

The Presidential Diary also recalls that Masari pledged to recover lost grounds in several critical sectors, including education and agriculture through careful implementation of highly rewarding initiatives and that he had been doing in the last two years he assumed office.

youth in the state.

Many residents of the state attest to it that when the state was created three decades ago, it had not a single university or state college of education for the youth and manpower training and they observe that the state has four degree awarding institutions presently, including a federal university at Dutsin-ma, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, National Open University, Katsina Campus, Federal College of Education, Katsina and Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-ma that belongs to Katsina State Government.

Sharing similar sentiments, Wazirin Katsina, Dr Sani Abubakar Lugga said the creation of Katsina State had been the architect of the rapid development of the residents of the state in the education sector.“Katsina is the first state to have an Islamic University — AlQalam University — which has been producing graduates.

“Presently, Katsina State has more than 300 public secondary schools and more than 200 private primary and secondary schools across the state,'' he said. Lugga also observed that commercial activities had also gone-up due to the establishment of a branch of Central Bank of Nigeria and other commercial banks in the state.

Similarly, Prof. Halima Idris, Commissioner for Education in the state said the Masari-led administration had given the education sector high priority because of the importance of education that the present state government had expended more than N2 billion to renovate and rehabilitate primary schools across the state.

“In addition, government has expended over N3 billion to renovate depilated secondary schools across the state and further to this, the state government has established new secondary schools across the state with the aim of boosting enrolment of students,'' he said.

The commissioner, however, called on people in the state to give the present administration in the state necessary support so as to benefit from the dividends of democracy.Also, former state Commissioner for Information Hajiya Mariya Abdullahi said the creation of the state had boosted enrollment figure for female children in the state noting that several towns and villages

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No doubt Katsina state is one of the states in the federation fortunate to have committed and determined leadership that have governed the state with some visible developments since its creation on September 23, 1987, the state which had so far produced two civilian President of the country has population of over six million and most people were subsistence farmers before its creation, observing that the farmers in the state now have embraced mechanised farming.

Katsina is a home of President Muhammadu Buhari who has made the state proud as a Head of State between 1983 to 1985 before he was elected and made a history of first person to defeat an incumbent President in Nigeria. Late and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar'adua was one time a Governor of the state between 1999 to 2007 where he made a remarkable achievement before he was elected as the President of the country They note that Katsina which used to be a semi-urban area with little infrastructure before 1987 has tremendously metamorphosed to fast developing state capital, on the development of infrastructure, they observe that the 40-kilometre ring-road that surrounds the state capital opens up the state capital for development, Citing some of the development strides in the state, Justice Mamman Nasir, former President of the Nigerian courts of appeals and an indigenes of the state, said Katsina was the centre of learning that produced the first crops of northern leaders.

Nasir said “Katsina Training College had produced the likes of the late Premier of Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello and the late Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, among others''. He said that the creation of Katsina State was a blessing to the entire people of the state as it had opened doors of opportunities to the indigenes.

According to him, when the state was created; it had only seven local government areas which had developed to the present 34 local government areas and the creation of the state also opened-up the establishment of additional district head offices from 23 to 45 district head offices, providing jobs for the

STATES IN FOCUS

Kebbi

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Kebbi: Doing more than Agriculture · ·

Shifts focus to roads Awards N1.46bn road projects in Jega, Bagudo

By Enesi Onotu

The roads are Dan-Warai – Geferu roadInwala – Dumbegu road and rehabilitation of Kaoje -Illo road in Jega and Bagudo Local Government areas of the state. Alhaji Atiku Bunu, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, disclosed this on recently in Birnin Kebbi while signing of the contract agreements with China Zhonghao and Abmusta Construction Engineering Nigeria Ltd. “The Dan-Warai – Geferu road is eight km and awarded to the Abmusta Co. at the cost of N784 million, while the 2.4km Inwala – Dumbegu road is awarded to the Chinese company at the cost of N283 million, similarly, the rehabilitation of 97 km Ka'oje-Illo road is also awarded to the Chinese company at the cost of N402 million,” he said.

Bunu said that the projects were expected to be completed within 12 months period and urged the contractors to do quality jobs based on the contractual agreements. “You should also ensure speedy execution of the projects in line with the agreements,” he said.

of six trucks of livestock to Lagos State Government. This is parts of Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture Products Value Chain Development signed between the two states.

The commissioner said the road projects were indications of the commitment of the incumbent administration to better the well being of the people of the state and when the projects are completed, they will ease transportation problems facing communities in Jega and Bagudo and also boost socioeconomic activities of those areas.

The Kebbi Coordinator of LASKEB , Alhaji Usman Dan-Galadima, disclosed this to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi recently that six trucks out of the 10 trucks of livestock consignment had reached Lagos safely and the consignments, included, 2,000 consignments of rams and 200 cows which were ordered by Lagos from Kebbi in line with the agreement .

Meanwhile, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi had promised to provide skills acquisition equipment and other materials to inmates of the two prisons in the state with a view to properly rehabilitate them. Bagudu made the promise recently in Birnin Kebbi while donating sewing machines to the inmates of the two prison inmates in the state.

Dan-Gakadima said that the agreement between the two states covered agro-based commodities such as rice, wheat, soya beans, maize, groundnuts, perishable products, livestock and fish. “Kebbi State will source for the commodities while Lagos will process them for marketing with APMCO managing the bussiness on behalf of the two governments and the third partner San Carlos ,a Mexican company based in Lagos, “he said.

The governor urged the inmates to consider their incarceration as an act of God meant to reform them and not to abuse their personality and also enjoined them to change their attitudes, before and after the expiration of their prison terms. The governor also pledged that government would revisit the cases of some of the inmates for possible pardon.

The Presidential Diary recalls that the MoU signed by the two states in March this year focussing on boosting the production of rice, wheat, groundnut, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, cows and livestock among others.

“Government will look at some of your cases and some of you on awaiting trial, this is with a view to paying fines and possible pardon after consultation with security agencies, courts and prison authorities,” he assured.

In a similar development, the state Government had commenced transportation

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The

Kebbi State is not only focussing on agriculture but doing other projects to boost the socioeconomic activities of the state as the Government recently awarded contracts worth N1.46 billion for construction of 108 kilometres stretch of roads in Jega and Bagudo Local Government areas.

STATES IN FOCUS

Kogi

Governor Bello The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Taming the monster Bello's antidote to insecurity in Kogi

By Enesi Onotu

Vice President Osinbajo and Gov. Bello in an handshake out high rate of insecurity that had been bedeviling it long ago.

“Due to government collaboration with security agencies, Kogi is now peaceful and safe because kidnappings, armed robbery, cult activities, assassination and other forms of crime which have been increasing since 2016 have been reduced to the barest minimum. “If the atmosphere is not peaceful there won't be any meaningful development, that is why government is making sure that there is peace to enable it to develop the state,'' he said.

Omodara said that before now, security agencies in the state were working independently instead of collaborating to ensure security, hence the wave of crime increased. “It got to a point where 107 kidnap cases were recorded in the state within seven months and part of measures taken by the government was to make a law to enable it to demolish any house linked or belonging to a kidnapper and we have demolished over 18 of such houses within seven months,'' he said.

The special adviser said that part of the collaboration with security agencies was the joint patrol of 145 security personnel in all the nooks and crannies of the state to secure lives and property as well as distribution of 160 security patrol vehicles recently to assist security agencies in the state to enable them discharge their duties and the present administration had also revived the state vigilance outfit by recruiting 3,000 “local security” to complement the efforts of other law enforcement agencies in the state.

NSCDC and Nigerian Police, was put in place to stem the tide of insecurity and crime in the state and thereby achieving the good results.

Malam Adinoyi Sani, a resident of Osara in Adavi local government area of the state told The Presidential Diary that his area used to be a danger zone before Bello assumed office but after clearing the bushy edge of the road where the criminal used to hide, "they have now heaved a sigh of relief" Malam Hussaini Ocheni from Idah however lauded Governor for his courage and bravery in demolishing houses that used be Kidnappers' dens in major parts of the state pointing out that people really appreciated the Governor for the bold step.

July 8, 2017 also marks a historic event in the Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, as the State Governor Bello commissioned a Military Forward Operation Base in Achoze Checkpoint, Okene. The event had in attendance representatives of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Members of the State House of Assembly, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, other traditional rulers, sister security agencies, cabinet members of the state government.

The base is equipped with a 22kva solar power, water systems, offices, and places of worship, with this development, violence and other un ruling behaviour in the area has be curtailed.

Reacting on the development, Navy Cdr (retired) Jerry Omodara, who is Special Adviser (SA) to Gov. Yahaya Bello said the state was now peaceful and safe following its collaboration with security agencies to stamp

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hose familiar with Kogi state will agree on the peculiarity of the situation there, especially in the area of security.

Over time, the state had been made vulnerable on this count. This is made worse by the nature and strategic positioning of the state as a confluence spot linking the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria. It also shares border with 10 other states.

Security challenge has been Kogi's major problem even before the current Governor, Yahaya Bello took the mantle of leadership from his predecessor former Governor Idris Wada on January 27, 2016.

Before then criminal activities ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual and other forms of violence were rampant. But when Bello took over he made security in Kogi State a priority, taking necessary strides to match his words with action. Now motorists and passerby can move freely in places that used to be hotspots like Lokoja-Okene road, Lokoja-Ajaokuta road as well as OkeneAuchi road.

With concerted effort and mobilisation of stakeholders like the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy, he was able to conquer the challenge and he was commended and received numerous awards, among them was that of Inspector General of Police IGP award for tackling insecurity in the state.

In September 2016, Operation Total Freedom, a joint task force comprising the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Department of State Security Service, DSS,

STATES IN FOCUS

Lagos

The

Presidential Diary 69

STATES IN FOCUS

Ambode and members of the State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem at the newly built DNA centre

What Ambode seeks to achieve with

DNA centre Governor Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja when he received members of the State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, said apart from being part of the comprehensive justice sector reform plan, the DNA Forensic Centre would complement efforts of such agencies like the DSVRT to rid the State of sexual abuses and domestic violence crimes.

The Governor, who recalled a recent case involving the rape of a three-year-old girl which was thrown out by the Court for lack of evidence, said the DNA Centre, which is the first of its kind in West Africa, will henceforth eliminate such incidences, as there would now be solid evidence to back up such cases.

He said: “Just few days back, we commissioned the DNA and Forensic Lab Centre in Lagos and many thought we could not do it because in the past, there have been efforts to do it but because of the huge

“This is a societal ill that does no one any good, it distorts the productivity of a city; it reduces the GDP of this economy; it looks very fluid but it is very critical. That is the message we are sending. For everyone freed from this, we increase productivity by almost double and then if it becomes an attitude, it then means that we have done something for this society.

cost implication, they could not.

“We were so determined that we were going to do something about justice reform and we have to do it in totality and setting up that DNA Centre means we have given a veritable vehicle for DSVRT and others to pursue the dream which is to rid the State of the societal ill.

“With that, we are saying that we are ready to back everything that the Team is doing because it is not enough for us to get victims rescued, we should also be able to put up measures to punish perpetrators and by setting up the DNA Centre, it is more or less to complement what the Team is doing,” Governor Ambode said.

“This is one silent project. It does not look like the Ajah Bridge neither does it look like Third Mainland Bridge but it’s one key area through which we can touch our people positively,” he said.

Governor Ambode also called for more institutions and volunteers to join the fight against all forms of sexual and domestic abuses.

While commending DSVRT members for their efforts in promoting and championing the fight against domestic and sexual violence in the State, the Governor said it was gratifying that the advocacy and efforts were not only helping to reduce the menace but also making more people to come out to report such cases.

Earlier, the Attorney General, who is the Chairman of DSVRT, said the Team was at Lagos House as part of activities marking the one-month long awareness against domestic and sexual violence crimes, to appreciate the support and commitment of Governor Ambode to issues relating to the fight against the menace.

He said: “I enjoy the fact that the advocacy has really worked. When we started, I hear comments like is this what Ambode should be concentrating on, he should go and do roads. But we are on our way to stop issues that relate to domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Kazeem recalled the all-male walk led by Governor Ambode last year against domestic and sexual crimes, saying that the initiative of the State Government against the menace was now being copied by almost all the States of the federation.

Presidential Diary 70

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Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode is optimistic that the new DNA Forensic Centre of the State Government would go a long way in ensuring that perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual crimes are punished in line with the provision of the law.

Lagos State Governor Ambode commisioning the new DNA centre

STATES IN FOCUS

Nasarawa

The

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STATES IN FOCUS

Al-Makura: Assiduously improving the fortunes of Nasarawa

By Uche Okereke

I

n the six years that he has superintended over the affairs of Nasarawa State, G o v e r n o r Ta n k o A l - M a k u r a h a s inexorably, by his indefatigable efforts, improved the fortunes of the state.

One key area of concern for the governor is the education of citizens of Nasarawa State particularly the children who he believes should be the central focus of governmental activity. This preoccupation with education has seen him focus energy on transforming the educational sector of the state.

In six years there has been marked improvement in the fortunes of schools in the state. His government has carried out rehabilitation, renovation of many primary schools and provision of furniture for them.

He has also built new primary and secondary schools in all the 13 Local Government Areas of the state. And that is not all. At the tertiary level, Governor Al-Makura constituted a visitation panel for the Nasarawa State University to fashion ways of improving its condition. The report of that panel led to a convocation, which had not taken place for many years before his government came on board. Similar attention was paid to the State Polytechnic in Lafia and the College of Education in Akwanga where convocation had not held for 12 years.

G o i n g f u r t h e r, G o v e r n o r A l - M a k u r a commenced the setting up special schools for people living with disability in the three senatorial zones in Lafia, Keffi and Akwanga.

houses for civil servants and non-civil servants in all the local government areas in the state. The government is also in partnership with the Federal Government and is the first state to subscribe to the new Federal Housing Scheme by donating 13 hectares of land at Agyaragu to the Federal Government to commence the project, which is at 65 percent level of completion. Governor Al-Makura has also earmarked 13 hectares of land for housing development and is providing land to developers through Sites and Services arrangements.

The one in Lafia is 100 percent completed and furnished with state of the art facilities and would be commissioned in due course

by President Muhammadu Buhari while the ones at Keffi and Akwanga are at about 70 percent level of completion.

With two years left on his second and final tenure, Governor Al-Makura, and his deputy, Silas Agira, who since 2015 have been working harmoniously to leave indelible imprints in the annals of the state, are working at frenetic face to bring dividends of democracy to the people of Nasarawa State.

In the area of transportation, before the advent of the Al-Makura administration, the Nasarawa Transport Service was practically moribund. To bring it back to life, Governor AlMakura procured 40 units of buses and rehabilitated the organisation; however, due to inefficient and ineffective management the place is practically grounded today. To solve the problem, Governor Al-Makura is considering partnering with experts who are willing to collaborate with us to resuscitate the place and make it more effective.

In the health sector, the Al-Makura administration has either completely renovated most of the general hospitals or work is still ongoing. The ones in Awe, Akwwanga and Toto Local Government Areas have not only been renovated but upgraded, with new ones being constructed alongside three Specialist Hospitals one in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. The hospital in Lafia, for the Southern zone has over 200 bed capacity, Akwanga and Nasarawa for Northern and Western zones respectively have 160 bed capacity and are at 75 percent level of completion.

When the Al-Makura administration first took charge of the affairs of the state, Lafia, the state capital had only motorcycles as means of transportation owing largely to poor road n e t w o r k w i t h i n L a fi a . To d a y, t h e administration constructed roads and made it easy for vehicles to use and also provided tricycles for the youths to use on a soft loan basis to improve on the transportation system within the town.

Two other key areas the Al-Makura administration have focused attention are in housing and transportation.

In housing, it has completed and distributed to civil servants the abandoned 500 housing units it inherited and is looking to collaborate with private investors to develop more

Al-Makura and his Deputy, Silas Agara The

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Ogun

The

Presidential Diary 73

Gov. Amosun keeping Ogun purse healthy

By Chidi Okereke development agenda, adding that the synergy with the Buhari administration would hopefully yield maximum benefit to all the people of Sango and its environs.

Governor Amosun's efforts at attracting investment have not been restricted to domestic scene alone. He has strenuously wooed foreign investors who have been pouring in large numbers.

In 2015, while Nigeria attracted a net foreign direct investment (FDI) of US$3.1 billion, seventy-five percent of this sum came into Ogun State, making it the investment destination haven in Nigeria.

Also, in April 2016 alone, Ogun State attracted a whopping $2.1 billion in foreign investment from China. Governor Amosun, who disclosed this at an investment forum, said the investment was directed mainly at the development of a railway and free trade zones.

As a means of sustain the inflow of local and foreign investment, Governor Amosun in 2017 revived the Office of One-Stop-Shop Investment Centre (OSIC).

Acknowledging the importance of the move

by Governor Amosu, Ms. Yewande Sadiku, CEO of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), said the “one-stopshop investment centres can reduce costs of transactions and simplify the formalities and paperwork that businesses have to comply with. All of these efforts have potential impacts in terms of burden reduction, serving also to other governance values, such as transparency and accountability”.

100 companies have in recent times invest about N2 trillion in Ogun State noting each of the companies invested over N200 billion.

The Governor said: “Over the years, Ogun State has become a preferred destination for investors. As of the last count, over 100 companies started their operations in our state with each of them investing about N200bn in the nation's economy.”

Governor Amosun stated that his state is attracting such huge investments because there had been a conscious attempt by his administration to create an environment conducive to thriving of business.

“We have not only created offshore enquiries on availability of land and processes, we have also sped up the time of processing papers on land matters. We are also investing heavily in infrastructure all in a bid to engender conducive climate for investors in our state.

“In the same vein, we are also working assiduously to continue to empower the various security outfits in our state despite the fact that they are on the exclusive list in our constitution.

He assured entrepreneurs that his government will continue to maintain vigilance and “optimise our intelligence gathering to ensure that all our companies here are secure and safe.”

He added that his administration was liaising with the Federal Government to ensure the Sango/Ota industrial area was fully integrated into the infrastructural

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t is a known fact that practically all the states in Nigeria are in dire financial straits with their governors relying on bailouts from the federal Government to carry out very routine tasks as paying salaries of workers and pension of retired employees of their states.

While some governors of these have practically come to their wits end, others have sought creative means of turning around the fortunes of their states.

Ibikunle Amosun, a former Senator and helmsman of Ogun State since 2011, belongs in the category of governors who have not allowed the myriad of economic challenges facing their states have not resorted to relying exclusively on the statutory allocation from the Federal Government. Amosun as the Chief Executive Officer of Ogun State has adopted a two-pronged strategy of increasing revenue generated revenue and attracting foreign investment. His strategy has been bearing fruit. In 2011 when he became governor of the state, internally generated revenue stood at N700million. Two years later in 2015, Ogun through Amosun's adroit management of its affairs, had increased the state's internally generated revenue to N4Billion.

In terms of investments, Governor Amosun has done quite a lot to attract money to the state.

Recently, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Ota plant of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, Governor Amosun disclosed that about

STATES IN FOCUS

Sokoto

The

Presidential Diary 75

STATES IN FOCUS Tambuwal Inspecting School construction in Sokoto

Sokoto: Tambuwal boosts education with 50 new secondary schools

By Uche Okereke

Kilgori told newsmen that government's partnership with communities on education had continued to yield positive results on the sector and government had established consultative committees on educational development, at state and local government levels, to streamline government activities toward maximum success of the state-ofemergency declared on education.

The Presidential diary recalls that the State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal when assumed ofďŹ ce in 2015, declared state of emergency in educational sector to ensure total reformation and rehabilitation in all segments of the sector from primary, secondary to tertiary institutions.

The Commissioner said that members of the committee included traditional and religious leaders, Parents Teachers Associations, community-based organisations, NGOs and selected individuals and the committees would assist government on enrollment drive campaigns, mobilise parents on continuation of studies and carry out other forms of sensitisation, including door-to-door contacts.

Similarly, the Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner also disclosed that the State Government had established ďŹ rst secondary school for nomads' children in Dalijan, Kebbe Local Government Area, to boost enrollment and education continuity in the state.

“Through our partnership with the communities, we get to understand demands and complaints; such information guides us on school establishment needs, teachers and students conducts, and infrastructural needs and so far, N1 billion was sunk into the construction of Balle Secondary School in the Gudu area, adding that the school would serve students from Balle and neighbouring communities" he said

Kilgori said the school, established by the present administration, was part of efforts geared toward ensuring continued of nomadic education in the state and described the declaration of State-ofEmergency in the education sector by the state government as a success while government had spent billions of Naira to provide modern secondary schools, recruitment of teachers, renovation of classrooms, provision of books, laboratory equipment and furniture to enhance standard of education.

He stated that much success had been recorded in the education sector since government declared a state-of-emergency on it, and particularly commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal's political will that had ensured prompt responses to educational issues and noted that 2,000 teachers had been recruited in addition to massive rehabilitation of infrastructures, provision of text and exercise books, furniture, enhanced feeding and the equipping of laboratories.

The Executive Director, State Agency for Nomadic Education, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, told the Presidential diary that the establishment of the nomadic secondary school in the area would enhance enrollment of nomads' children and further bring enlightenment to the community.

Kilgori said that the consultative committees had stimulated enrollment competition among communities by instituting an annual award for high enrollments among local governments and the local government with the highest enrollment is entitled to N1 million, while the second and third receive N600,000 and N300,000 respectively.

Abubakar said the school would also help in addressing challenges on movement on herdsmen from one place to the other and commended the state government for the effort in ensuring that education was brought to the door step of the communities in both far and near.

The commissioner said that plan was on the way to ensure 488 Qur'anic schools would be integrated into modern system of education under integration enrollment plan this year, adding that two schools would be captured in each of the 244 political wards.

Presidential Diary 76

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n a bid to expand the access to education in the seat of caliphate, the Sokoto State Government has built 50 new secondary schools based on demands by their respective host communities to bring post primary school education to the door steps of the citizenry, according to Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education.

STATES IN FOCUS

Yobe

The

Presidential Diary 77

STATES IN FOCUS

Yobe to build N11bn cargo airport

Lamin said the cargo airport would facilitate transportation of goods into and out of the state particularly the agricultural produce and this will contribute immensely to the growth of the state economy and improve the revenue base of the state when such airport is constructed and operational.

As it is done in other states, most of the states that own airports make use of such to transport their Muslim intending pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia annually for religious rights and The Presidential Diary reports that such pilgrims from Yobe state usually use the neighboring Maiduguri and Dutse International airports.

The commissioner however said apart from the airport project, another N440.27 million was approved by the council for the purchase

“Already we are considering release of funds for procurement of furniture and equipping of the structures and already the college will train adequate manpower to deliver healthcare services to the doorsteps of the people. Similarly, Gaidam inspected the newly rehabilitated structures and equipment provided at the Damaturu Specialist Hospital and assured that government would continue to upgrade health facilities in the state to improve healthcare delivery.

of furniture for offices, classrooms, staff quarters and hostels of five newly renovated secondary schools. “The council approved N99.9 million for the procurement of two buses for the State College of Nursing and Midwifery.

“It also approved N238.76 million for the renovation of Model Primary School at Bayamari which is to be converted to Command College of the Nigeria Army and stated that N156 million was also approved for the purchase of two Lexus jeeps as staff cars for the governor.

He said that the general hospitals in Potiskum, Geidam and Gashua were undergoing rehabilitation and expansion to meet the healthcare needs in the respective environments and the Presidential Diary reports that construction of township roads at the commissioners' quarters, presidential lodge and the state university have reached advanced stages of completion.

Meanwhile, in a another development, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam said the newly established Medical College, renovation and expansion of health institutions will curb medical tourism outside the state. Gaidam stated this while inspecting work at the Medical College of the Yobe State University, Damaturu recently.

Gaidam noted that work on the presidential lodge and other VIP lodges were nearing completion pointing out that when completed, will prepare the state to receive important personalities, including the President, in a more secured and comfortable environment.

The governor expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being executed at the college, saying “this would enhance accessible and affordable healthcare delivery to the people and the project is very dear to me and we will ensure completion of the construction work soon.

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n effort to bring socioeconomic development and open Yobe state to the entire world, the present administration of Governor Ibrahim Geidam has approved N11.32 billion for the construction of an international cargo airport in Damaturu, according to Alhaji Mohammed Lamin, the State Commissioner for Education, said recently at a media briefing that the State Executive Council had approved the funds for the project.

House of Representatives

Zamfara

Presidential Diary 79

The

STATES IN FOCUS

NEWS BITS

Zamfara to lift health citizens' status with trauma centres

Yari said that apart from trauma centres, the government would also provide modern emergency units, theatre and intensive care units. “Our aim is to upgrade all the general hospitals in the state to modern standards to ensure effective provision of health care delivery to the people of the state and my administration prioritised health and education sectors, and provision of road networks, considering the major needs of the people of the state.

“Our policy on health is to improve the standard of all health care centres, including the general hospitals, primary health centres by providing standard structures and equipment as well as the required health personnel and my administration from 2011 to date, had upgraded various primary health care centres to general hospitals, we established the modern Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau.

“We are still making efforts, we are going to improve the standard of some selected general hospitals to improve the health care delivery, especially to the rural communities

reconciliation committee headed by my deputy, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala to dialogue with bandits and cattle rustlers through amnesty programs.

it is a promise we have made to our people and we shall fulfill it" he said.

The governor directed State Hospital Services Management Board to meet with state team of engineers to provide good work plan for the project and submit it to the state government for implementation, it will be recalled that the governor had earlier visited some of the projects being executed by the state government like Government Day Secondary School, Dambaza, in Maradun Local Government Area and the 23-Kilometre Sokoto-Gusau bypass.

“It has became a serious issue of concern even though, we have recorded success because the issue had reduced drastically, but despite that the issue is trying to come back, we cannot allow this terrible situation to come back, that is why I sermon emergency meeting immediately on my return from United States. “I have been holding series of meetings with stakeholders comprising security agencies, traditional rulers and council chairmen, among others since yesterday on how to get lasting solution to the problems”, he said.

On security, recently the governor called on stakeholders to support government and security operatives to address the security challenges facing the state, Yari who made call in a chat with newsmen shortly after a stakeholders meeting on security issues affecting the state expressed serious concern over the security situation in the state, stressed the need for all statholders to support security agencies and government in their efforts to address the security challenges facing the state.

He said it was very unfortunate that criminals were conniving with members of some communities to carry out criminal activities pointing out that no matter what efforts government have been doing, if members of the public are not cooperating with “us we cannot achieve our desired goal in this regard.”

According to him, security issue is a collective responsibility that concern everyone, therefore stakeholders must work together to address the situation. “We must join hand with security agencies, we should support them with all necessary information in order to encourage them”, he added.

He noted that insecurity had become a major threat to the state since 2011 and that the state government had been battling with the issue since then. “We have been spending huge amount of money to support security operatives to address the situation and we have collaborated with security agencies and set up a peace and

Presidential Diary 80

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In a bid to diver quality health service to the people, Gov. Abdul'aziz Yari of Zamfara says the state will soon establish trauma centres in all state hospitals , including General Hospital , Talata-Mafara , in order to boost health care services. the governor spoke recently in Talata-Mafara town, when he visited the hospital.

VOX POP

The

PRESIDENT

Must Hear this

What Nigerians want Mr. President to

CHANGE FOR GOOD In this compilation by Enekhawore Acrobat, Nigerians speak on their expectations of Mr. President.

Elder sunny (Civil Servant) - Revisit the Na onal Conference recommenda ons The good things we want the president to address into revisit the Na onal Conference recommenda ons, because about ninety percent of Nigerians want restructuring, he should look into. Agriculture policy should equally be consistence to maintain a high level of food sufficiency in the country.

Tafisu Bukata (Hair Dresser) – Economy, youth employment, stable salaries The government should improve on the economy because it is too weak. Also our youth should be given jobs and our parents salaries should be paid as at when due. The issue of insecurity should be tackle to stop kidnapping.

Ahmed Yahaya (Civil Servant) - Eradicate corrup on, Mr. President should not relent in the fight against corrup on, insecurity and to improve on the economy. He should also tackle hate speech most especially by the social media.

Usman Yusuf (Tricycle –keke rider) - Food There is scarcity of food in the land, things are hard, the president should do something about hunger in the country. When there is surplus of food everybody will be happy.

Kalin Hassandodo (Crea ve ar st/Graduate, University of Maiduguri) –Access to grants Youth employment should be the president's major concern because the loans and grants do not reach the youths as expected. Some of us have applied many mes none of it was ever approved.

Jeni Nnadi (Beed maker) - More money in circula on, No money in the system the president should inject more money into the economy, so that sales and patronage will increase for us to be able train our children who are in schools.

Abrahim Adam (Student) – Repair the Roads, sani se overcrowded motor parks, ASUU The president should repair the country such as roads, empower the poor people among us by making loans accessible to them. The issue of overcrowded motor parks which some mes become a breeding ground for miscreants should be in the front agenda. A las ng solu on to ASUU strikes.

Sadu Abubarka (Trader) - Easy and cheap transporta on The cost of transporta on its daily increasing, it reduce our profits. The president should work out a mechanism to regulate how much transport fair the commercial bus drivers should collect from point A to point B. Linus Pankyes Micah (Management Consultant) – Synergy in governance There is lack of synergy, and the president should take charge and pilot the affairs of the country. I would want the government to start preparing the 2018 budget to up li the standard of living of the people. The rela onship between the execu ve and the legislators should be more cordial.

The

Presidential Diary 81

The Editorial Board of The Presidential Diary magazine felicitates with our beloved Editorial Adviser/Initiator of Presidential Diary Magazine, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh for adding another year to your glorious age.

Dr. Abubakar Jimoh Director, Special Duties, NAFDAC

W

e congratulate you on your numerous achievements as a consummate Public Relations Practitioner, Seasoned Journalist and Administrator.

Through this platform you have created, Sir, we are contributing our quota to the sustainability of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration while hoping that you will continue to lead us with more worthy visions that will propel us to inestimable heights.

We wish you good health, long life and prosperity in your seless service to the nation.

Alhaji Mohammed Tukur Chairman, Editorial Board On behalf of Board and Members The Presidential Diary magazine

MDAs

MDAs

Employment: CBN keeping nigerian youths engaged

By Enesi Onotu

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele announced this in Abuja recently during stakeholders' meeting on the operational framework for the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) and said AADS was targeted primarily at unemployed youths between the ages of 18 and 35.

Emefiele explained that through the scheme, a minimum of 10,000 youths in each state, willing to engage in sustainable and profitable activities along the agriculture value chain, would be employed and trained.

“I believe we are on the verge of something very significant with the AADS and the scheme has been designed to create an ecosystem with the active participation of the public sector, state governments and the private sector,'' he said.

beneficiaries while the CBN on its part will provide financing at single digit interest rates.

“Beneficiaries are not expected to come up with any physical collateral but they must be grouped into formally registered cooperatives and cross-guarantee each other and all loan beneficiaries must also have valid Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), which will be registered on the National Collateral Registry and used to track repayments and also blacklist any defaulters" CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

He noted that that with the release of the operational framework for the scheme, engagements with stakeholders would be continuous to ensure that the scheme began during the dry season cultivation of the outgoing year.

programme to succeed.

Meanwhile, CBN said it has so far disbursed N43.92 billion to local farmers through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, an agricultural intervention programme of CBN introduced by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015.

Also at the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would be providing technical support for the project and will be fully involved in the land clearing aspect of the project. "In some places we will also be building dams and lakes to ensure all season farming.

The Governor said that the objectives of AADS included the creation of economy of scale of farming on contiguous land and would also assist famers in embracing modern farming practices, such as use of tractors and irrigation schemes. “It aims to reduce cost of production with availability of high quality inputs at competitive prices and lowering delivery cost of extension services,'' he stated.

Ogbeh said that the ministry would also provide advice because "we have a team of experts at the ministry on crops, soil testing and the right kind of fertiliser so that when these young people go into agriculture, they won't lose money,” he said.

Emefiele said that state governments were expected to provide contiguous arable land, basic infrastructure, more efficient extension services, training and mentoring of the

Reacting, the Governor of Kebbi, Mr Atiku Bagudu, stressed the need to involve financial institutions, which banking models allowed them to support agriculture, for the

The acting Director of Corporate Communication of CBN, Mr Isaac Okorafor, who made this known at CBN Special Day at the 12th Abuja International Trade Fair in Abuja recently said that it was in line with its mandate established the Anchor Borrowers' Programme (ABP).

The programme which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nov. 17, 2015, was intended to create linkage between anchor companies involved in the processing and small holder farmers of the required key agricultural commodities and the programme thrust of the ABP is provision of farm inputs, in kind and cash, for farm labour to small holder farmers to boost production of rice, wheat and maize.

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n a bid to tackle youth unemployment, the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced steps to ensure quick commencement of the Federal Government's agricultural initiative to provide jobs for 360,000 youths nationwide.

Cleansing the mess: Customs seize 3,665 vehicles worth

N13bn in 2 years

By Enesi Onotu

The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col.Hameed Ali, disclosed this that during a lecture he presented titled “Problem of Smuggling and its attendant Consequence on Nigeria' s Economy and the Way Out” at the IBB Golf and Country Club, recently in Abuja.

Ali, who gave a breakdown of the seizures, said in 2015, 1,917 vehicles were seized with DPV of N3.856 billion and 1,483 vehicls were seized in 2016 with DPV of valued N2.683 billion adding that from January to August his year 265 were seized with DPV of N6.625 billion.

The Customs boss said that the high value recorded in 2017 was because most of the vehicles were of high value whic included 15 bullet proof vehicles pointing out that out of the 18 vehicles seized in September in Abuja over non duty payment, 13 were bullet proof vehicles of which 10 have no Customs papers and said that Nigeria imported about 70 per cent of its needs and that 45 per cent of all the imports were smuggled into the country.

“Lack of patriotism among the traders and complicity of Customs officers has added to the problem, over 85 per cent traders are not trustworthy as they falsify documents except for about five per cent of them who can be trusted and often have their goods cleared within 48 hours,” Ali said.

According to him the four arms containers intercepted this year were concealed with many cases of under declaration and diversion of imported goods and talking on the challenges of Customs in fighting smuggling, he said the Service lost three officers this year.

ordered a detailed profile of all imports, especially those from the same source with previous seizures and the profile of containers from Turkey eventually narrowed down to one 2@ftcontainer No. CMAU189817/8. The terminal operator was consequently directed to quarantine the flagged container for stricter analysis. It was later transferred to the enforcement unit, where 100 per cent examination revealed 470 pump action rifles as against elbow plumbing plastics on its bill of lading.

Ali said that Customs under him was being sanitised and now very few corrupt officers in its middt and about 90 per cent of our officers were now imbibing the culture of doing the right thing and I am urging Nigerians to report corrupt officers to enable the service weed out the 10 per cent of the corrupt officers.

He stated that importers must be patriotic and stop inducing officers to fast track clearance of their goods because smuggling is a problem to the society that kills the local industries, adding that it hinders the growth of the economy.

“The discovery brings to a total of 2,671 rifles seized within the last eight months of this year, while the audacity of these criminals to think that they can succeed in smuggling these dangerous weapons into the country successfully remains worrisome, the consolation is that the new Nigerian Customs Service is now responsive and capable of meeting the challenge posed by these criminals and this is what the present government requires of all citizens. We must rise up and remain vigilant to deal decisively with the enemies of this nation.

Meanwhile, the custom also intercepted 470 riffles recently at the Tin-Can Island Lagos which brought to a total of 2,671 rifles seized within the last eight months of this year and the Presidential Diary reported that the new container, in which 470 rifles was found, belongs to the same importer of the 1,100 rifles seized at the port few weeks ago.

Col. Ali said the Customs Service was sad to announce that in spite of their previous efforts, officers of the service at the Tin-Can Island port intercepted the 470 rifles shipped into the country from Turkey and the importer of the deadly cargo, the CGC said, was Great James Oil and Gas Ltd. A vessel, MV Arkas Africa, owned by Hull Blyth, was used in the illegal shipment of the guns.

“As our sea ports become increasingly impenetrable, we suspect they may want to try other entry points. Let me assure Nigerians that the Service is presently at critical apart following my directive to all Customs Area Comptrollers yesterday. We will do all in our power to further secure this country.”

Reiterating his warning that any Customs officer involved in the release of suspected containers would henceforth be arrested, paraded the way the police parade suspected criminals and charge to court for prosecution, Ali said: “The policy of reward for good deeds and punishment for those who compromise will continue in the service under my leadership and since this container belongs to the same importer of the 1100 rifles, the ongoing investigation will be reinvigorated to fish out all those directly or remotely connected with these dangerous importations.” he said.

The importer, Col. Ali said, used the elbow plumbing plastic he declared in his bill of lading as a decoy to deceive the service before the container No. CMAU189817/8 was subjected to 100 per cent examination by his officers and discovered the 470 guns that were concealed inside the container and the guns, concealed in a 20-foot container, were seized by the Area Comptroller Tin-Can Island Customs Command Mr. Bashar Yusuf.

Ali said: “Following increase in the number of arms seizures in recent times, the Customs Area Comptroller of Tin-Can Island port

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n an effort to end smuggling and activities of smugglers in the country, the Nigeria Custom Service has stepped up to check menace of smuggling in all the borders as demonstrated by seizure of 3,665 vehicles from 2015 till date with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N13 billion.

MDAs

Security, safety boost for MMIA

FAAN says it has received international NCAA and NiMet certifications that would heighten security and safety at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

By Enesi Onotu he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has received international certification for Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

T

Sirika, however, commended the Ministry of Transportation for making the certification achievable and possible, stating that they hope to get certification for Nnamdi Nzikiwe airport before the end of the year.

Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika while receiving the (certification of FAAN) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in Abuja recently said both certificates were huge achievements toward security and safety in the aviation sector.

He said they would ensure that both international and domestic airports get certified which would increase the value, the insurance would be low, charges and ticket would be lower as a result of the certification and the Minister of State noted that the world will be at peace to know that Nigeria aviation is secured with flight operation being safe and secured within and outside the country.

“Because once that is achieved it means that we are managing the country well, strong institutions will definitely begets strong nation and the country had tried time and again to certify our airports in the past, it is a global requirements by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) convention and Aerodrome requires that airports must be standardised.

“Under different ownership, under different cultures and climates, under different conditions all over the world and they must be standardise and they must reflect certain minimum standard of safety and security, this made it very paramount to ensure that our airports are certified and we promised the nation that we will get these airports certified, today by the grace of God we have achieved that milestone,” he said.

According to him, they are beginning to certify the airports with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport being the first to be certified by NCAA through ICAO standards, adding that this certification borders on safety which is a huge achievement in making sure that the nation institutions are strong, dynamic, focused and sensitive.

The FAAN Managing Director, Mr Saleh Dunoma; Chief Executive of NAMA, Capt.

Fola Akinkuotu; and Edo Gov. Godwin Obaseki agreed on the partnership after they inspected facilities in the airport in Benin recently.

The governor said that his administration was committed to effective utilisation of available resources to reconstruct the airport, Obaseki said that the inspection tour of the airport was to assess its potential for elevation to a standard that would boost economic activities in the state.

He said that Mr President and the National Council had approved the concessioning of four major airports in the country which are Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Sirika further said that Nigeria will host the International Civil Aviation Organisation World Aviation Forum taking place on the Nov. 20 to Nov. 22 in Abuja, which is the first time the forum will be held outside Canada.

“We have approached FAAN and NAMA to kindly assist us in improving both the structural outlook and facilities of the airport, we have agreed that the plan is to first upgrade the facilities by deploying the right landing facilities and this will ensure that the airport is run for 24 hours. This will encourage more planes to come into the state to build the required traffic,'' the governor said.

Speaking earlier, Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said FAAN has successfully completed the Aerodrome certification process of the MMIA. He said the Aerodrome certification is an international requirement with the primary objective to ensure that all international Airports meets international safety standards.

Obaseki said that the state would work with the two agencies to expand airport's space before the end of the year. He said that the airport's land encroached by some grabbers would be recovered, adding, however, that occupants with genuine certificates of occupancy would be compensated.

“Aerodrome certification means ensuring the standardisation and harmonisation of airport service, facilities and procedures, as well as ensuring uniformity in safety,” he said.

Dunoma acknowledged that it was the responsibility of FAAN to provide expertise to maintain the airport and commended the commitment shown by the state government to reconstruct the airport was legendary.

Dunoma said that Nigeria started the process of certification 11 years ago but due to several reasons they were unable to certify the airports until now pointing out that with the certification of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, they will concentrate on the Nmandi Nzikiwe international Airport in Abuja, then to other airport.

He said: “I want to thank the governor for showing the direction; with this partnership, we can do a lot more to bring Benin Airport to full operation and we have inspected the facilities and would submit a report on what we need to do to improve safety and facilities in the airport.

He said that FAAN was committed in the drive to get the aerodrome certification for all the airports in Nigeria. Dunoma said that the certification would be renewed after three years, which will be year 2020.

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He said that Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was the first international Airport in Nigeria to meet the requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and NCAA regulations and; “this is indeed a huge achievement as far as we are concerned, Mr President had told us to secure this country and manage it, therefore, in line with his vision we align in building institutions and getting them to work well.

Facelift for Benin airport The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have expressed readiness to partner with Edo Government to improve facilities and safety in the Benin Airport.

Agriculture: Campaign for

quality export produce begins

By Enesi Onotu

The minister, who was represented by Dr Vincent Isegbe, the Coordinating Director, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), said that the advocacy was to factor food safety into agricultural production procedures. “There is no better time than now to mainstream food safety into agricultural production if we really want to diversify our economy, using agriculture as a veritable tool, and also have our own share of food exports at both regional and international markets,'' he said.

Ogbeh said that the advocacy was a result of the eye-opening experience of the ban on

According to him, the advocacy becomes necessary to inculcate the culture of agroquality among key policymakers, in both public and private institutions.

The minister stressed that the role of food safety must be appreciated in the production, preparation, manufacturing, distribution, storage, sale of food and food products as well as agro-produce export promotion.

dry beans from Nigeria by the European Union (EU) pointing out that the ban had made the ministry of agriculture to be aware of the need to be mindful of standards and quality, so as to avoid incidences of noncommunicable diseases in Nigeria. “I learnt that between July 2016 and June 2017, about 48 notifications were received from the EU on our export goods (nuts and seeds or fruits and vegetables), due to aflatoxin and many other contaminants (either biological or chemical).

He said the campaign was also to profile, upgrade or establish commodities certification centres across the zones, so as to facilitate produce aggregation, certification, standardisation and traceability. “The advocacy train, which took off in the North-West, was hosted by the Kano State Government on Aug. 28; followed by the North-Central edition, which was hosted by the Benue State Government on Sept. 6.

“Previous efforts of the ministry were only geared toward increased cultivation and output per unit area, with less emphasis on the quality and standards of our produce, Nigerians deserve good, safe and quality agro-outputs for consumption and with global acceptance like those of their counterparts across the globe.''

Ogbeh said that the nationwide advocacy on quality control and standardisation of agricultural commodities targeted primary producers (farmers) and other stakeholders along the food chain.

“We have also been to the South-East and we were hosted by the Enugu State Government; today, we are in the SouthWest, generously hosted by the Lagos State

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has embarked on aggressive nationwide advocacy to address the “culture of quality'' in the agriculture sector following rejection of some the Nigeria exported products, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made this known in Lagos recently at the Advocacy on Agricultural Quality Control and Standardisation in the South-West.

MDAs Government. “From here, we will proceed to South-South and the North-East geopolitical zones,'' Ogbeh added.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu. Ogbeh, had promised that the ministry would work with the Nigeria Security and Defense Corps (NSCDC) to ensure that quality seeds are supply to farmers by authorised seed dealers. Ogbe said this in Gwagwalada, FCT at the Seed Fair and Farmers' Field Day, organised by the National Agricultural Seed council (NASC).

According to him, quality seed is paramount to enhancing agricultural productivity as it contributes more than 50 per cent of increased crop productivity in the country pointing out that seed is very important to the sub-sector, and that any group or individuals engaged in selling adulterated seeds to farmers must face the fuĺ wrath of the law.

“I am a victim of fake seeds. I am a farmer you all know. I sent my manager to a shop to buy seeds. He got a very nice packaged envelops and when we opened them, they were broken seeds from the market, over 70 per cent of people who have no business with seeds jump into the business and

and pay the debts.”

selling junk to farmers without getting certified by the seed council.”

Dr Olusegun Ojo, the Director General, NASC, said that council has carried out sensitisation and campaign to educate the public in order to rid the market of fake and adulterated seeds. He added that through the enforcement and surveillance activities, some fake and adulterated seeds were confiscated at various markets across the country.

“We are going to open extension offices in every local government to monitor the quality of seeds being supplied to farmers, we will compel agro companies to sell their seeds to authorised dealers. Farmers will be told if you buy seed from anybody else aside the authorised dealers, don't blame us if you buy fake seeds from them and if they buy from authorized dealers and it turns out to be fake, report them to us. We will get police to arrest them, ” he said.

“We organised a stakeholders workshop to develop a roadmap for efficient coordination of importation and marketing of vegetable seeds in the country and let me reiterate to member of the public that seed business is highly regulated and there are procedures and guidelines for engaging in seed production and marketing.

According to him, the Federal Government through NASC has over the year engaged in regulating the activities of seed producing entities adding that that this is aimed at ensuring that enough quantities of improved quality seeds are available for farmers use across the country in any given time.

“All intending groups and organisations going into seed business are hereby reminded that they must be duly accredited and licensed by the council and the council is prepared to clamp down on any unauthorised groups or individuals engaging in illegal seed business by selling fake seeds to innocent farmers, ” he said.

He expressed regret for still owing seed companies that participated at the 2014/2015 Growth Enhancement Support, GES, assuring part payment of the debts owed soon. “We will try our best to pay seed companies we are owing. Without good seed, agriculture is impossible. So we want them to keep supplying that is why we will try

Audu Ogbeh advocates for stronger partnership on the

SASAKAWA PROJECT T

States being considered for Sasakawa Global 2000 activities are; Jigawa, Kogi, Abia, Rivers and Lagos.

Members of the Sasakawa Africa Association Team included; Dr. Juliana Rwelamira – Managing Director (SAA), Prof.

MikoSani – Country Director, Dr. Mrs. Akeredolu Mercy – Director SAFE – Addis – Ababa, Dr. SaniSagagi – Dep. Country Director (SAA), Prof. ArokoyoTunji, and Mr. A.O Edache (both Consultants to FDAE).

and the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi(FUAM) have expressed interest to participate in the Sasakawa project activities. Mrs. Babangida further said that students will be trained as extension Agents in the implementation of the Project.

She noted that Sasakawa signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria in 2009 covering a series of strategic c r o p s f o r N i g e r i a ' s f o o d s e c u r i t y.

Interventions were provided in the areas of Cassava, Livestock and Fisheries.

According to her, States that earlier benefited included; Benue, Katsina, Anambra, Gombe, Borno. With the success stories recorded in these States, others

Julie Osagie Jacobs For: Acting Director (Information) 9th October, 2017

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he Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh(OFR), has called for stronger partnership on the Sasakawa Global 2000 Project.

He made this known during a courtesy call on him by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA).

The Minister noted that this was necessary to improve agricultural productivity by strengthening extension delivery in the country. Observing that extension Agents were adequately utilized in the propagation/adoption of new technologies by farmers in Nigeria, he thus called for the revitalization of Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) across the country.

Honourable Prof. Ruth Oniango, the Sasakwa Africa Association Board Chair and leader of the Team assured the Minister that Sasakawa Project will continue to offer expertise in the area of capacity building of Extension Agents and Provision of extension services to farmers.

She said that Nigeria is critical to SAA, adding that “if Nigeria succeeds, Africa will succeed”.

The Director – Federal Department of Agricultural Extension (FDAE) Mrs. Karimah I. Babangida, noted that Sasakawa Global 2000 has been providing interventions in thecountry for 25 years, touching the lives of millions of Nigerians.

She said that the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUTA)

HEALTH: Nigeria's battle against preventable diseases

By Danmaryam Zayamu

Even though most of these diseases like polio, measles and many others are vaccine preventable diseases, Nigerian government has not gotten it right despite its concerted efforts over the years.

Monkey pox Even though Monkey pox has not taken any life since its outbreak on September 22 in Bayelsa State, as at October 9, a total of 31 suspected cases have been reported in 7 states of the country.

According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the affected states include Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River States.

According to the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, the reported cases of the Monkey pox are yet to be confirmed as the samples have been taken to the World Health Organisation (WHO) referral laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.

It is however, heartwarming to note that the Federal Ministry of Health through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is supporting the affected states to ensure the outbreak is brought under control and to limit further spread.

Findings have also shown that the NCDC has activated an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) to coordinate the outbreak investigation and response across the affected states.

The EOC is currently supporting state Ministries of Health in their response to the outbreak through active case finding, epidemiological investigation and contact tracing.

The Federal Government has also put

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Lassa fever reports as at June this year, 501 suspected cases including 104 deaths had been reported since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2016 across 17 states of the country.

measures in place to ensure effective sample collection and testing to enable laboratory confirmation.

Causes According to the NCDC, Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonotic disease with symptoms in humans similar to those seen in smallpox patients, but much less severe and with a low fatality rate.

The puzzle that medical experts are yet to unravel is that initially lassa fever outbreak normally occur during the harmattan period, but now, it is throughout the year.

The disease is transmitted through contact with infected animals, humans, or contaminated materials. Animal-to-human transmission occurs through bite or scratch from animals and bush meat preparation. It can also be transmitted from one person to another.

However, as part of efforts to mitigate the situation, the Executive Director of NCDC , Chikwe Ihekweazu, disclosed that his agency had reviewed the National Guidelines on Infection Prevention and Control of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF), which includes Lassa Fever. This, according to him, is because of the emergence and reemergence of the group of diseases in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

On the other hand, human-to-human transmission occurs through respiratory droplets, contact with infected persons or contaminated materials.

It is therefore pertinent to reiterated that there is the need for the federal government to focus more on early detection of the disease. This is because most times, results of the tests do not come out until patients are discharged or have died.

It is however, necessary to stress the need for the federal government to put measures in place to equip our local laboratories in Nigeria to international standards so that such cases can be confirmed within few hours.

Measles

Lassa fever

Measles is one of the childhood killer disease in Nigeria. Even though it can be prevented through vaccination, Nigeria is still battling with its recurrence despite efforts in improved vaccination across the country over the years.

Lassa fever is a recurring disease in Nigeria.

The country has recorded several Lassa fever outbreaks in the last few years.

However, the recent outbreak in 2016 which stretched to 2017, according to experts, is the worst so far.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by infection with the measles virus, which belongs to the paramyxovirus family, and is spread through the air or through direct contact with infected individuals.

According to medical experts, Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness that is caused by Lassa virus. It is transmitted to humans from contacts with food or household items contaminated with rodent faeces or urine.

According to medical experts, the symptoms of measles are typically mild and most commonly include a fever and a widespread skin rash that occurs about 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms generally

Experts further disclosed that lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever that is extremely dangerous and is often infectious.

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n the last couple of years, Nigeria has been battling with diseases that have since been forgotten in other countries of the world.

MDAs last for five to six days.

The worrisome aspect is that the virus can result in serious complications in certain vulnerable populations, such as blindness, encephalitis, and pneumonia.

However, the recent efforts by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), to ensure that all eligible Nigerian children get the measles vaccination during the next campaign is commendable.

The Federal Government, as part of demonstration of its seriousness to combat measles to a stand-still, has since released N3.5 billion naira for the measles campaign.

As part of preparation for the forth coming mass immunisation campaign against measles and other vaccine preventable diseases, the NPHCDA held a meeting with the 36 state governors and agreed that the states will a counterpart fund to support the campaign.

“We want to make it clear that states that do not release their counterpart funding by October 13, 2017, will be stepped down from participating in the next measles campaign.

Prof Isaac Adewole Minister of Health

“This is a joint resolution that we have had between the federal ministry of health, NPHCDA and development partners.

Nigerians have, however, been advised to support the effort of the NPHCDA by mobilizing their communities and families to take advantage of the campaign and ensure that all eligible children are immunized.

“We cannot continue to have poor quality campaign because we do not have the resources to carry the kind of campaign that will ensure all our children are reached.

NAFDAC and the fight against malaria through provision of safe medicines

“When we have poor quality campaigns, we continue to leave our children vulnerable to measles infections. Poor quality campaign can give the false impression that we have conducted campaign and protected our children.

The fight against malaria got a boost few days ago when the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

“So, if states do not release the necessary funding for this quality campaign, then it is an indication that they are not ready to take part in the next measles campaign.”

The MoU was for the sampling and testing of Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPPs) from the public sector under the Global Fund support.

The forthcoming measles vaccination campaign will focus on children between 9 months to 59 months and it will be implemented in phases from October 2017 to March 2018.

CRS is one of the world's largest private voluntary organizations supporting international relief and development work in more than 100 countries and territories around the world with offices in 64 countries.

The campaign which is targeting 95 per cent coverage will commence in all the North West states from October 26 to the 31, 2017, the north eastern states will implement from November 30 to December 5; the North Central states will implement from February 1 to 6, 2018 and all Southern states will implement from the 8 to the 13th March, 2018.

As a PR of the Global Fund Malaria Grant in Nigeria, CRS, in line with the Global Fund's regulations is required to monitor the quality of Finished Pharmaceutical Products ( F P P s ) i n c l u d i n g A C Ts , Sulfodoxine/Pyrimethamine and Artesunate injections in the supply pipeline.

To show the seriousness attached to the measles campaign, the NPHCDA and partners have established a national measles technical committee to ensure adequate preparations for the measles vaccination campaign.

Training of trainers have also been held from

parts of the country that have attained ISO 17025 accreditation and WHO prequalification, hence, has the capacity to scrutinize the safety of any type of drug.

national level to the ward levels.

Many medical experts believe that with this current effort by NPHCDA, measles will soon be a thing of the past in Nigeria.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU in Abuja, the Country Representative of CRS, Rebecca Hallam, noted that the routine monitoring of the quality of FPPs was very key to her organisation as well as the Global Fund.

According to her, before the signing of the MoU with NAFDAC, all implementers of Global Fund programmes in Nigeria used to send their samples to laboratories outside of Nigeria for testing.

On her part, the former Director General of the National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Ye t u n d e O n i , a s s u r e d c o r p o r a t e organisation, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and private establishments of the availability of globally recognised laboratories to confirm the quality of Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPP) in Nigeria.

“I make bold to say here that out of the 7 laboratories NAFDAC has covering all the geopolitical zones of the country, 4 of them are ISO 17025 accredited . Three out of these four analyse drugs, one is specifically dedicated to food and allied products and these four are the Central Control Drug Lab in Yaba, the Area Lab in Kaduna and the Agulu Lab in Enugu State. These three analyse drugs in addition to other products regulated by NAFDAC. “The results of products analysed from these laboratories can compete with the results of other laboratories in the international community,” she said.

This MoU between NAFDAC and CRS, according to medical experts, has come at the right time for two reasons. One; malaria causes illnesses to more than 80 million and the death of over 300,000 Nigerians annually. Two; NAFDAC, as the leading agency in Africa in the fight against fake, substandard and spurious pharmaceutical products, has many laboratories in different

A cross section of medical experts in Nigeria have expressed optimism that if the terms of the MoU are followed to the later, this will ultimately improve the quality of finished pharmaceutical products in the country.

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Even though some states have paid their own part of the fund, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has warned that any state that fail to pay its own part of the counterpart funds, its children will risk not being immunized.

MDAs This, according to them, will boost local pharmaceutical manufacturers, create employment and also improve the health of Nigerians and ensure end malaria.

Immunisation/ Polio eradication efforts Before the detection two polio cases in some remote local governments areas of Borno State on Thursday, August 11, 2016, Nigeria had not detected any polio cases anywhere in the country since July 2014, This, according to many medical experts is a drawback for Nigeria.

However, the NPHCDA Executive Director, Faisal Shuaib, has called on the Expert Review Committee (ERC) on Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and Development Partners to lay more emphasis on Routine Immunization and systems strengthening.

He further reiterated the renewed commitment and desire to bring NPHCDA and Development Partners together as one coordinated team “under one roof.”

He disclosed that his agency has concluded plans to establish Technical Support Unit through which the agency will provide support to states and LGAs in the fight against polio and other childhood killer diseases.

Medical experts have, however, continued to express concern over the lack of adequate funding for immunization activities

He also warned that if the governments at all levels fail to act fast , in the next few years, “there will be total stock out of vaccines, unimmunised children will increase and that will eventually lead to mass deaths of children across the country. Those who are lucky to be alive will be incapacitated for the rest of their lives.”

in the country.

This, according to them, is because Global Alliance for Vaccines Initiative (GAVI) which funds all new vaccines in Nigeria has started pulling out of Nigeria and will withdraw fully in 2021 GAVI had reduced its support by 20% this year and in 2018 it will take off another 20%, 2019 another 20%, 2020, 20% and by 2021 it will withdraw the last 20% making it 100 per cent withdrawa.

It is therefore, pertinent for the federal government and indeed, governments at all levels to make at a priority the investment in the procurement of vaccines for our children.

Dr Ben Anyene, the chairman of the National Immunisation Financing Task Te a m ( N I F T ) , lamented that, “unfortunately, we are not even paying for the routine things.

That is why I get worried when people see the N12.5 billion in this year's budget for immunisation a n d w e r e clapping but the a c t u a l requirement is 114 billion naira and nobody is talking about it.”

MINISTER OF HEALTH, PROF. ISAAC ADEWOLE, VACCINATING A CHILD

Buhari's initiative

to revitalise PHCs in Nigeria on course-Minister

T

he promise made by government of President Muhammadu Buhari to revitalise all the Primary Health Care centres across the country to provide health care services to children and women among other populace in local communities, is still on course according to Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole.

Adewole in another forum in Ibadan, Oyo state said present government was currently revitalising 4,000 Primary Healthcare Centres(PHCs) across the country

policies, while state and local governments were expected to give primary and secondary health care services to the people, commended Kaduna State government for rehabilitating 250 PHCs in 250 political wards across the state.

to provide qualitative and affordable health services to the people at the grass root.

At the National Health Dialogue organised by some non-governmental organizations in Abuja recently, Adewole said that the present administration will make 10,000 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities functional to provide health care to 100 million Nigerians in the next 18 months, adding that it was unacceptable to the government that, only 6,000 out of 30,000 PHCs in the country were functional.

“We have 30,000 PHCs in Nigeria and only 20 per cent of them that are working in the country, in the next 18 months, we want to make sure 10,000 of them are working to provide healthcare to 100 million people in the country.”

He said that it was responsibility of the Federal Government to provide tertiary health institutions and initiate health The

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smoothen medical operations and we have also strengthened the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) through putting place well-trained surveillance officers to arrest the outbreak of diseases,'' he said.

“We have been very relentless and targetdriven in pursuing the noble objective. The president flagged off the revitalisation programme of PHCs on Jan. 10, 2016 in Kuchigoro, Abuja and we have secured international partnership to make the idea work; work is either completed or ongoing at 4,000 locations nationwide in PHC intervention sites.

The minister stated that the country has 30,000 PHCs, adding that current efforts were to reach no fewer than 100 million Nigerians from the revitalisation of 10,000 PHCs and stated that the revitalised PHCs would be adequately equipped and filled with medical personnel.

“The centres will provide support in antenatal care, administration of vaccines, test for blood sugar, urine and blood pressure and other tropical related diseases to reduce pressure on the teaching hospitals and our primary goal in the ministry is to strengthen the sector so that it can deliver affordable, accessible and qualitative services at all levels and states like Bauchi, Borno, Abia and Kaduna are doing a lot in that regard too,'' he said.

“The policies we formulated have guaranteed transparency and accountability on the scarce resources allocated to the health ministry and we call on all major stakeholders to partner with the ministry in ensuring quality and affordable health care delivery to the people of the country.

Adewole said that the actualisation of the initiative would save the country not less than one billion dollars being lost to medical tourism and it would also drastically reduce the unnecessary pressure on the foreign exchange to make the economy more stable, while the National hospital in Abuja, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and six other teaching hospitals would receive attention through the strategic resuscitation fund from the 2017 budget.

Meanwhile, Adewole also disclosed that in the next 18 months, the Federal Government would have seven cancer treatment centres in the country and the centres would be evenly distributed in each of the six geopolitical zones across the country.

He said the teaching hospitals located in each of the geo-political zones would be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technology to deliver renal and cancer treatment in Nigeria.“As I speak with you, LUTH has completed a 3.48megawatt power plant on a public private partnership which will guarantee 24 hours stable power supply within the facility.

According to him, apart from this, some three teaching hospitals in the country will be upgraded and have cancer treatment centres adding that the present administration was committed to providing quality and affordable healthcare to the people because it was part of the APC's manifestos.

“They will be off the national grid and this will

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“The UK government supported us with 950; World Bank and European Union are doing 1,400 and 700 respectively and the wife of the Senate President is assisting with 36 PHCs, each located in all the states of the federation, FCT ministry assures on rehabilitation of 200 and the Federal Government will make 1,000 of the PHCs work at the expiration of the 2017 budget,'' he said.

Adewole also said advocacy and awareness campaign had been strengthened by allocating more resources to preventive measures rather than curative, pointing out that this administration had checked decay, blocked leakages and gained the assurances of development partners and donors who were then fleeing the country due to corruption and mismanagement of grants.

MDAs

ITF: Addressing

unemployment with skills development programme

By Enesi Onotu

T

he Industrial Training Fund (ITF) will train and equip 11,000 youths on diverse vocational skills in its 2017 National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP), in effort to reduce unemployment and empower them to be self reliance according to its Director General, Mr Joe Ari. Ari, who spoke at the commencement of the programme recently in Lafia, said that 300 beneficiaries of the scheme were from Nasarawa State. Ari, who was represented

by ITF Area Manager, Lafia Area Office, Mallam Zakari Baba-Sabo, said that the outfit had trained 10,000 Nigerians in 30 trades and crafts in the past one year.

“Many of the beneficiaries of the programme are gainfully employed; many others have also become very successful entrepreneurs, In Nasarawa State, the programme will equip 300 youths, aged between 18 and 35, with skills in welding and fabrication, tailoring and fashion design, plumbing and pipe fitting,” he explained. He said that the trades and crafts were chosen based on their projected value to the beneficiaries and their potential to provide a sustainable means of livelihood for the trainees on graduation.

Ari explained that unlike previous phases where the ITF relied solely on the state governments for starter packs, the Fund would provide beneficiaries of the 2017 NISDP with starter packs to enable them start their businesses and however, decried a situation where non-Nigerians were being engaged to fill vacancies, when millions of Nigerians were without work and had the the requisite technical skills to fill them.

stakeholders toward diversifying the economy, and urged the trainees to make maximum use of the opportunity to be selfreliant.

to collaborate with the ITF in putting the country on the path of sustainable development through the implementation of accelerated skill acquisition programmes.

Similarly, the ITF said it had trained 2, 500 youths in Niger State under its National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) since 2012. Ari, who spoke through the ITF Minna Area Manager, Mrs Ifeoma Ihezue, said the programme for this his year would equip 300 youths in the state with skills in welding and fabrication, tailoring and fashion design, plumbing and pipe fitting.

Meanwhile, the ITF said it has trained 65 teachers and donated 210 desks to two schools in Plateau, its Director-General, Mr Joseph Ari, who said that the gesture was part of ITF's corporate responsibility to its host community, identified the benefiting schools as Government Science School, Kuru, and St. Joseph Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin-Ladi.

According to him, the programme has trained 100, 000 Nigerians in over 30 trades and crafts since inception, adding that additional 11, 100 persons would be trained nationwide in 2017 and said ITF introduced the NISDP because of lack of requisite indigenous technical skills in various sectors of the economy.

He said that the schools also received various teaching aids to improve the quality of service delivery. According to him, ITF donated 20 computers to the two schools and renovated the sick bay at the seminary.

“We also converted the school dispensary of the Science School, Kuru to a sick bay, and provided the required equipment and drugs,” he said.

“As an institution, what we find most worrisome is the fact that despite the millions of Nigerians without work, vacancies exist in numerous sectors of the economy and these vacancies are currently being filled by persons other than Nigerians because of lack of requisite technical skills by our people, it is with a view to arresting this problem, as it threatens the attainment of key government policies, that the ITF conceived the NISDP,” he said.

The ITF boss said that teachers' development had remained a major concern of the ITF because they constituted a major factor in the provision of quality education adding that ITF had also provided practical experience to students in 311 tertiary institutions using the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). “We are also working with Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to train workers on technical skills in 24 organisations,” he said.

The ITF boss called on the state government

Gov Umaru Al-Makura, who flagged off the programme, said that the era of white collar jobs was over. “What the country can boast of is practical skills that will create jobs and generate wealth toward economic growth,” he said.

Al-Makura revealed that the Nasarawa government had signed a bilateral agreement with the Singaporean government to establish an institution of technical education in Lafia, to promote skills acquisition as a major path to combating unemployment and expressed readiness to collaborate with ITF and other relevant

The

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Judicial Reforms in Nigeria:

Yielding Fruits of Sanity

Charles Ighodalo November in Nigeria and assess Nigeria's application to join the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. He also urged Nigerian leaders to work to ensure that the country meets the minimum requirements and standards needed in order to be admitted into the FATF which will make it second African country to join the group after South Africa.

Magu believes that with the support of the legislature, youths and politicians, the commission would attain one of its mandates of ensuring financial transparency in the Nigerian system At a special anti-corruption event tagged “Kill Corruption Concert” organised by a popular comedian, Olaranwaju Toriseju, popularly known as Ambassador Wahala and other on-air personalities in Abuja, Magu, represented by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesperson, urged Nigerians to ”fight and kill corruption in the country.”

“Nigeria is a beautiful country, there is no other country like Nigeria but the corrupt citizens want to tarnish the image of this country.

“Please, we should not allow them to succeed because there is no country like this country, we must fight corruption, we must kill corruption,” he said.

Mr. Uwujaren stressed that corruption had no place in Nigeria and he appealed to the audience not to relent in the war against corruption.

“I want to use this opportunity to urge every Nigerian today that EFCC cannot fight this fight and win, we need the support of the youth to fight the fight of corruption because without the support of the youth we cannot win the fight.

“Ibrahim Magu cannot succeed without the support of the youth. It is because of your support for the EFCC chairman that is why he is doing what he is doing today,” he added.

For politicians, Magu is concerned that with claims by some politicians that the commission was witch-hunting certain current and former political office holders, the country would not win the war against corruption. He urged them to cooperate with the government in ensuring a corrupt- free

NFIU, Francis Usani in his office, said the House would further show its support for anticorruption by ensuring the readmission of Nigeria into the EGMONT group.

He said the suspension of Nigeria from the EGMONT group was a major setback for the Federal government's fight against corruption, at the time, he said, the APC government was committed to the fight against corruption.

He said the fight against corruption cannot be successful without support and cooperation from other countries because in most cases proceeds of corruption are taken out of the country and kept in other jurisdictions.

He explained that there were two bills on anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering and mutual assistance on reparation of corruption proceeds that were pending before the House which will soon be passed into law.

However, the Speaker explained that the House was yet to pass the Bill seeking to grant total autonomy to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit as forwarded from the Senate because there was the need to meet with key stakeholders and players to know their expectations so as to avoid expulsion of Nigeria from the group.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Coulibaly said he was in Nigeria on advocacy visit on the hosting of GIABA statutory meetings slated for

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or any nation to successfully purge itself of corruption, it must institute reforms in its judicial and constitutional processes. These reforms, generally speaking, must be total and holistic, devoid of deceit and artificiality.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, has in all ramifications, demonstrated, since its coming on May 29, 2005 that it has the honesty and guts to fight corruption, despite its deep-rootedness in all fabrics of the society.

Without doubt, with corruption ingrained in the society, the respect of citizens locally and globally waned, with the government suffering similar deprivation in the eyes of foreigners, financial losses and dwindling economy.

On realizing the sensitivity of the menace and how embedded it has been, the current administration commenced subtle but firm measures to tackle it. First it sought the cooperation of other arms of the government, namely legislature and the judiciary in tackling corruption, amid criticisms of hypocrisy and witch-hunt.

At the level of National Assembly, the presidency quickly proposed legislations aimed at halting corruption, money laundering and other forms of financial malpractices. Amendments were also sought for existing laws that were seen as obsolete, weak, mystifying and without conformity with global anti corruption regulations.

While the Senate canvassed independent anti-corruption unit to complement the activities of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti graft body headed by Ibrahim Magu as acting chairman pledged to reposition the commission for greater output.

The House of Representatives on its part is also supportive of the government's desire to establish special court for corruption cases. Its Speaker Yakubu Dogara, while receiving in audience the Director General of Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering, GIABA, in West Africa, a unit of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Adama Coulibaly, who was accompanied by the Director of the

MDAs cases was a positive development, despite the “numerous challenges faced by the judiciary” during the year under review.

“In the course of the 2016/2017 legal year, the Supreme Court considered a total number of 1362 matters comprising motions, appeals and judgements. Under motions, we heard 82 political,675 civil and 208 criminal motions, totaling 965. The Court also considered a total number of 394 appeals comprising 96 political, 174 civil, and 124 criminal. In total, 243 Judgments were delivered in the 2016/2017 legal year. I attribute this impressive performance to the hard work of judicial officers, support staff and the reforms we are implementing to improve justice delivery,” Onnoghen said.

He reiterated the reasons given by the Legal Practitioner's Privileges Committee, LPPC, for not conferring the rank of SAN on one of the shortlisted nominees, adding that the successful candidates must conduct themselves in a manner befitting of their new status.

Onnoghen, however condemned the attitude of some politically exposed persons who appear in court, with a large number of legal representatives, saying the development stagnates the movement of activities in court.

During one of the trial sessions in June, Mr. Saraki appeared in court with 106 lawyers.

Mr. Saraki's lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney-General, had during one of the sittings boasted about the ability of his client to bring a higher number of clients to court.

Onnoghen said the fight against corruption will continue “more sternly within the judiciary,” adding that persons found wanting of judicial misconduct would not be spared, describing as unfortunate the many cases delayed in courts, adding that members of the judiciary should not be found wanting in the “seemingly slow” pace at which cases are handled.

“The Supreme Court, fully cognizant of the role of the judiciary in ensuring that justice is properly served to those who approach the courts, frowns at all forms and appearances of such delays and/or abuse of court processes. Members of the Bar are therefore enjoined to shun all tactics and ploys, which constitute clogs in the seemingly slow-winding wheels of justice so that they do not come to a grinding halt.

“In this regard, we have just directed Heads of Courts to clamp down on both Prosecution and Defence Counsel who indulge in the unethical practice of deploying

He gave a new directive that lawyers representing anyone in court, must not exceed five at a sitting.

“Most of such entourages hardly have any active roles or participation in the matter for which they appear. Furthermore, such a large number of counsel fill up the courtroom thereby depriving other counsels for other matters as well as members of the public enough room to sit and observe proceedings within the courtroom.

“Some are therefore forced to stand or sit on the floor in a most undignified manner. This practice consumes space, time and more often than not, adds no serious value or serves any meaningful purpose to the case.

If anything, it brings about undue sensationalism, an outcome which members of this noble profession are enjoined to shun.

“I have therefore issued a directive, which should extend to other courts, that lawyers appearing in the Supreme Court should not be more than five for each party, including the lead counsel”.

The trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT which ended earlier this year was one of such cases where legal practitioners numbered over a 100 during various sittings.

delay tactics to stall criminal trials. Heads of Courts are now to report such cases to the National Judicial Council, NJC which in turn, would transmit them to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, in the case of Senior Advocates, and Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee in the case of other Legal Practitioners.”

Mr. Onnoghen also said the payment of N5.2 billion had been provided as pension for retired staff of the judiciary, noting that there were expected improvements in the area of technology for the judiciary during the new judicial year.

Many state governments in the country are also supportive of these reforms. While some of them are pushing for legislations for the reformation of the judiciary; others are trying alleged corrupt officers in courts. In other cases, some states have successfully convicted corrupt officials.

In Zamfara State, for instance, the NJC has urged the State government to sack Justice Musa Ibrahim Anka from office after it was proved that he demanded and got gratification from a litigant. Justice Anka was accused of receiving a bribe of N200, 000 from one Zubairu Abdumalik in order to deliver judgement in his favour.

NJC's Director of Information, Soji Oye, in a

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society.

The judiciary on its part has recently demonstrated the spirit of teamwork with the executive in fighting the menace. It had begun the collaboration with beaming its searchlight on the activities of its officers in all parts of the country.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) is at the forefront of this. According to records, the NJC, in the reign of Justice Mukhtar Aloma, as the Chief Justice of the Federation, recommended the retirement of some judges, as penalty for corrupt practices, a move that was adjudged laudable and courageous.

The NJC could well be said to have merely exercised its constitutional powers, as a key player in the appointment, promotion and discipline of judges at both Federal and State levels. On the other hand, as a Nigerian institution, where standards occasionally seem to be compromised, the then action of the council, which manifested in the compulsory retirement of two judges found wanting in the execution of their statutory duties, went a long way to reawaken the common man's hope in the judiciary as well as reaffirmed the truism that nobody was above the law.

The subsequent implementation of the NJC's recommendation by the Jonah Jang's administration in Plateau State further sent a signal to all and sundry that corruption in the judiciary could no longer be tolerated.

Not long ago, the NJC headed by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen, constituted panels to investigate 15 high court judges over their alleged involvement in various acts of judicial corruption, among who were two serving chief judges.

In another instance, a former DirectorGeneral of the Ibadan-based Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Benjamin Ogunmodede, was recently sentenced to 40 years in jail for corruption.

Mr. Ogunmodede, a professor of agriculture, was convicted and sentenced with two others, Zackeus Tejumola and Adenekan Clement, former Chief Accountant and a staff with the research institute respectively.

While the DG and the Chief Accountant were sentenced to 40 years imprisonment, the staff was sentenced to four years in jail.

At an event to mark the opening of a new legal year for the judiciary and the swearingin ceremony of new Senior Advocates in Abuja, recently, Onnoghen said the Supreme Court has also shown support for the fight of corruption. The court, he said, has handed down 243 judgements, out of a total of 1,362 cases it treated within the 2016/2017 legal year.

In outlining certain reforms in the judiciary, the CJN said the number of determined

recent statement said the council took the decision after considering the reports of the two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees on 46 petitions written against judicial officers in federal and state judiciaries.

The Chief Judge of Anambra State, Hon Justice Peter Umeadi on his part, has disclosed at a special court session organized to mark the commencement of a new legal year in the state, that the judiciary in the state has been rid of ghost workers. He said that the feat was achieved through a biometric verification exercise that was embarked upon in June this year.

He said the judiciary reached an agreement with its bankers and part of the agreement was to make available for it the conduct of a scientific, open and credible biometric exercise to ascertain the correct number of staff working in the judiciary.

“As I speak to you, there are no ghost workers in the judiciary of Anambra State, and at the last count with the state of the art appliances, a total of 2,140 staff were captured.”

He said 42 other members of staff have not been accredited, but refused to state if they were ghost workers, but added that, “42 members of staff are yet to be found and the exercise is still ongoing.

“These yet to be accredited persons could have pursued other endeavors; they could have married and followed their spouses elsewhere; they may have relocated both within and out of the shores of Nigeria. But we do not have ghost workers currently.”

In Delta State, aspiring judges and judiciary workers in the state would henceforth be subjected to compulsory written examinations for appointment, promotion

of public service rules and gross inefficiency exhibited by some workers.

With the support of these states, among others, alongside global bodies in the fight against corruption, it is hoped that corruption, in all sense of it, would be a thing of the past in the country.

and inter-cadre transfer.

The state Chief Judge, Marshal Umukoro, said at the grand finale of the maiden Judiciary Staff Week, organised in Asaba by the state chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), emphasizing that the mandatory requirement became imperative, following observed poor work performance, incompetence, non-compliance with ethics

Judiciary News

New Legal Year Berths In Lagos, Ondo, Oyo

In his address at a service held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, to commemorate the occasion, tagged ''Golden Jubilee Legal Year'', Governor Ambode said the expectations of the citizenry from government were enormous, and it was important for all stakeholders to demonstrate patriotism and leadership, and

diversity and many challenges was enough reason for Nigerians to celebrate.

work continuously to promote the rule of law and guarantee protection of lives and property.

This was part of his remarks at the special prayer to commence the 2017/2018 Legal Year, held at the Oja'ba Cental Mosque, Ibadan. Ajimobi who was represented at the event by the state's Commissioner for Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, maintained that his administration, since its inception six years ago, has been focused on the enthronement of peace, security and pursuit of the Rule of Law.

Ambode who applauded the efforts of the judiciary in bringing sanity to the polity challenged judges and lawyers to embrace transparency and accountability in the administration of justice in order to enhance confidence in the legal system. In her remarks, the acting Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke, assured that the state's judiciary, under her watch would effectively discharge its statutory duties of dispensing justice to the people.

He further stated that the country remained strong in the abiding faith that there would be a better tomorrow for Nigerians if they could continue to work at the country's dream for a greater Nigeria.

On his part, Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu also expressed confidence in judiciary leadership. In his speech to mark the legal year, the governor said the country's judiciary now has a leadership that can meet the expectations of the citizenry on speedy dispensation of Akeredolu.

Meantime, the Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd Joseph Akinfenwa, has sounded a note of warning to Nigerian leaders to meet the yearnings of their people saying their actions or inactions will either make or break the country in 2018. He said this yesterday in Ibadan during activities marking the commencement of a new legal year at the St James Cathedral, Oke-Bola, Ibadan. According to the cleric, the unfolding events that would dictate the future of the country would happen earlier than 2019 election period.

He also expressed confidence in the leadership of the Bench, after the church service at St David's Anglican Cathedral, Ijomu, Akure, adding that he was confident that the current leadership in the country's judiciary was capable of providing good direction.

In his speech in Ibadan, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said for the country to still remain as one nation in the face of

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hree states in the South-West, Lagos, Ondo and Oyo has commenced the new legal year with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, admonishing stake holders in justice delivery system to embrace accountability, transparency and shun corrupt practices.

MDAs

NAPTIP comes alive under Buhari's

The Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who supervised the ministry had been working assiduously with NAPTIP Chief Executive in ensuring that the mandate of this government is accomplished in all ramifications.

Observers note that the scourge of human trafficking is no longer news to Nigerians as perpetrators both home and abroad have taken it as a venture to make money, according to them, in several cases of human trafficking, the traffickers make so much money at the detriment of their victims; the innocent children.

Reports on human trafficking have also shown that most of the victims are forced into prostitution both within and outside the country while some are engaged in child labour without wages; in view of this, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it had come up with a renewed strength and

Okah-Donli to the federal government to extend the Whistle Blowing Policy to human trafficking and observers noted that the policy by Okah-Donli will help to encourage people report cases of trafficking in persons and provide information on assets of traffickers to the agency.

strategies to arrest the situation.

To boost the fight against human trafficking, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, the new DirectorGeneral of NAPTIP said President Muhammadu Buhari's administration promised political will and assistance to that effect and said the presidency had helped the agency to sustain public enlightenment, community dialogues and engagements with various groups at the rural areas on how to tackle the menace.

A source in the NAPTIP revealed that an inclusion of human trafficking cases into the whistle blowing policy had remained one of the cardinal plans of the new directorgeneral since she assumed office late April, and it became imperative because many cases of human trafficking had not been tackled because those who were aware of such incidences never reported to NAPTIP and other relevant agencies.

She said in an interview that the agency would mainstream human trafficking to the national curricula of schools in collaboration with National Educational Research and Development Council to ensure that children in schools learn about human trafficking she said 1,755 victims were rescued and rehabilitated in the past two years of this government bringing the number of victims of human trafficking rescued since inception of the agency on July 14, 2003 to 10,685.

The Presidential Diary reports that the approval is contained in a letter dated 7th August, 2017, and addressed to the Director-General of NAPTIP, “The Director (Solicitors Department) Z. S Adevanju, conveyed the approval on behalf of the Hon. Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to Okah-Donli.

The Presidential Diary reports that President Buahri had shown a political will to deal with menace of human trafficking as he is doing in the fight against corruption as demonstrated recently when he approved a whistle blowing policy to the agency to help in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, the approval was conveyed to NAPTIP's Director-General, Ms Julie OkahDonli, by the Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The approval was given based on the fact that the request by NAPTIP for the inclusion of Human Trafficking cases in the whistle blowing policy of the present administration was not in conflict with any extant law; and with the latest development, anybody can now give verifiable information on any case of human trafficking, including on the assets of human traffickers for possible confiscation through legal proceedings.

The approval was sequel to a request by

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he National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had been quiet for sometime and giving traffickers liberty to thrive in their businesses of human trafficking until the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari revived the agency as he has done to others in ensuring that every m i n i s t r y, a g e n c y, p a r a s t a t a l s a n d department in his government has a competent head to pilot affairs in order to deliver the expected services to Nigerian people.

On this note, the NAPTIP boss urged general public to step up in giving useful information concerning activities if human traffickers that information given to the agency will be treated with all required confidentiality and was already working out modalities for reward to informants but cautioned against using the policy for vendetta as the agency would not tolerate any mischief.

In a similar development, Okah-Donli disclosed that her agency is set to establish a Regional Training Academy for the teaching of counter trafficking issues and she had inaugurated a 27-member Steering Committee for the establishment of the academy, adding that there was need to close the existing knowledge gaps amongst Law Enforcement Agencies in the country and the West Africa on issues involving fight against human trafficking necessitated the development.

She emphasised that national and international crime with huge implications for national security and sovereignty had made it necessary for such an academy to be established noting that the steering committee is to see to the successful establishment of a standard Regional Training Academy that will offer solution to all institutional needs and satisfy the requirements around the spheres of human trafficking and other related matters.

The NAPTIP Boss stated that this development was geared towards effective continuous capacity building of NAPTIP personnel and other relevant stakeholders within the country and the West African region and it would also help in meeting the needs of national and international researchers in the field of human trafficking, Okah-Donli explained that the agency, being the first of its kind in the world with a huge mandate of preventing the crime, prosecuting offenders, protecting and assisting rescued victims was equipped for such academy.

advocacy, enforcement of law and capacity building to fight human trafficking and promised that machinery would be put in place to secure the future of Nigerian youths and the agency would deploy techniques, skills and expertise to curb human trafficking in the country.

The director General said that NAPTIP had been partnering with all stakeholders to curb the menace and has over the years provided a learning ground for various stakeholders within and outside the country, ”Many of our partners from the West African region have over the years relied on us to provide training on how best to fight the scourge bearing in mind our many years of experience in the fight against human trafficking.

“We will tackle traffickers from the point of conceiving ideas to the point of exploitation and we shall equip our operatives to proactively detect human trafficking action from the onset, this means if traffickers decide to sail across the ocean, our men shall be ahead of them; if they fly in the air, we shall await their landing and if they decide to go through the death prone routes across the desert, we are there waiting,'' she said.

“Many, including those from Europe, have been here on study tours and we need to properly put in place a befitting place to help in raising the capacity of our personnel, those of our sister agencies and those from abroad especially from our sub-region and there is also the need to ensure proper identification and profiling of both suspected human traffickers and victims of trafficking had made it imperative to build a regional academy on counter human trafficking in Nigeria.

However, Okah-Donli observed that the war against human trafficking could not be won if foreign based traffickers were not arrested and prosecuted, noted that the activities of such foreign based traffickers had constituted major threat to the fight against human trafficking in the country, she therefore, pleaded with the members of the European Union and other international organisations to provide useful intelligence on the operations base and location of the human trafficking “lords.''

“Since its inception, the agency had to build the capacity of its manpower through improvised and haphazard ways, leading to an uncoordinated manpower development process and when the academy has fully taken off it shall take charge of the training needs of the agency and responsible for the professional development of officers and men.

“The arrest and prosecution of those human traffickers that are based in any of the European countries is very crucial to our latest efforts to end human trafficking in Nigeria, we want them to be exposed and made to face the wrath of the law, this is one of the ways of ensuring success of the latest fight against human trafficking,'' she said.

“It shall play a pivotal role in research, documentation, publication and training of officers to constantly update officers' knowledge on emerging trends in trafficking in persons and It will help in providing the needed raw materials for precise policy/legal reviews that will provide adequate response to the scourge of trafficking in persons” she said.

She insisted that tackling menace of human trafficking was a collective task and must be done holistically in a well coordinated manner, and said nonetheless, poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, unemployment and gradual erosion of cultural and ethical values must be addressed to make the war against human trafficking effective.

Okah-Donli told the presidential diary that the NAPTIP under her leadership would focus more on awareness creation,

NAPTIP Opens Zonal Command In Osogbo The

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MDAs

NCC's impressive remittances

Rakes N133.4bn for FG in 2 years Investments in Nigeria's ICT sector hit $70bn

N

o doubt that some revenue generating agencies of the government under President Muhammadu Buhari's administration have showed a high level of transparency, probity and accountability as being demonstrated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which remitted N133.4 billion to the consolidated revenue fund of the Federal Government between in two years.

As it is contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo recently in Lagos that the revenue was realized between 2015 and 2017 and stated that NCC's primary role was not only to generate revenue for the government but to nurture and regulate the telecommunications industry.

Ojobo explained that the figures obtained from the commission showed impressive remittance of funds to the coffers of the consolidated revenue of the Federal Government, especially in the last two years and NCC's last remittance to the consolidated revenue fund, which was on June 30, 2017, was N12.7 billion.

“It came just less than 10 days after the NCC remitted the sum of N1.3 billion to the account and the commission transferred N81 billion in 2016 comprising N35 billion transferred in March and N46 billion in December 2016 respectively, in 2015

Umar Dambatta

however, the commission remitted N23, 512,316,450 in October after paying N6, 856,182,132 in September of the same year.

“It is noteworthy also that the quarterly contribution of telecommunications sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been consistently impressive in the last two years,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a similar development, NCC has announced that investment in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has hit 70 billion dollars.

According to National Bureau of Statistics report had confirmed that the telecommunications sector, during the second quarter of 2017, contributed 9.5 per cent to the GDP in contrast to 9.1 per cent contribution in the first quarter of the year.

NCC's Executive Vice Chairman of Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta who disclosed this while unveiling the Nigeria Pavilion, at the recent International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2017 in Busan, South Korea said that in 16 years since the Digital Mobile Licences (DML) were issued, investment in the sector had hit about $70 billion from a mere $50 million in 2001, saying: "Most of these investments are Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).”

He however said more still needed to be done. “Although, we have made very modest progress in the sector, we still need to deepen investments to make broadband pervasive in the country and we are at 21 per cent now and our target is to hit 30 per cent by 2018, consistent with the National Broadband Plan,” he said.

Similarly, Ojobo said that the nation's quest for attainment of 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018, had received a major boost as the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development confirmed that Nigeria had achieved 21 per cent level of penetration, from less than 10 per cent two years earlier.

He stated that with over 150 million active subscribers, in the voice segment, over 102 per cent teledensity and a little over 92 million internet connections, Nigeria is indeed a place to invest and ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for sustainable development recently said Nigeria now has about 21 per cent broadband penetration.

The Presidential Diary recalls that recently, the Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof.

Umar Danbatta said that the sector contributed N1.549 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2017 and that represented 6.68 per cent increase from the first quarter of the year contribution of N1.452 trillion.

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MDAs

Attahiru Ibrahim: NHIS not hub of corruption Scheme seeks feedback from enrollees

T

he Acting Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Malam Attahiru Ibrahim, had warned that attempt to smear the corporate image of the scheme as hub of corruption by some segment of people in the society is unacceptable.

Ibrahim who gave the warning wile interacting with newsmen recently in Abuja on the activities of the scheme, said that NHIS was strongly in support of the rule of law and will always do the right thing based on the laid down rules and procedures based on the law establishing the agency.

"If anyone is found wanting whether within or outside the scheme would be handed over to the agencies of government with appropriate mandate to make such people accountable and those who have been abusing their privileges around the scheme should be made to face the consequences of their actions in full measure,'' Ibrahim said.

According to him, the scheme has not done badly in the implementation of its mandate since 12 years of its establishment and the scheme through the diligence and integrity of members of staff grew the pool of the fund significantly as it had achieved close to 100 per cent coverage of all contributors in the formal sector The NHIS Boss explained that the formal sector of the programme includes employees of Federal Government,

Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme, among others, and NHIS was rapidly emerging from the distractions of the last one year, and it will be giving a lot of energy to its activities.

Ibrahim reassured Nigerians that the scheme would continue in its tradition of being a socially responsible public institution and also appealed for the amendment of the Act establishing the scheme pointing out that certain section that made enrollment into the scheme optional should be amended to make enrollment into the scheme compulsory to achieve Universal Health Coverage and the scheme was working closely with state governments to establish state health insurance scheme and ensure that enrollment is made compulsory.

Meanwhile the NHIS has also called on enrollees to give feedback on service delivery at health facilities to ensure that they enjoy efficient and quality healthcare services, according to Mr Ayo Osinlu, Head, Media and Public Relations of the scheme made the appeal recently.

Osinlu said that regular feedback by enrollees would enhance visibility to areas of improvement as well as the enforcement of quality standard in hospitals across the country and noted that the scheme was ensuring that NHIS works for all Nigerians and enrollees to enjoy quality services in healthcare facilities.

“The NHIS in accordance with its statutory mandate and in commitment to its social responsibility recognises the enrollee as the central figure of the health insurance practice and the Scheme therefore is determined to ensure that the enrollee enjoys prompt and top quality care at all times and feedback from enrollee experience at service delivery points will assist the scheme to sustain and improve quality care,'' he said.

According to him, the agency deployed members of staff to some hospitals where regular complains were received, to ensure compliance with the required standards. and such members of staff would ensure enrollees were well treated and their rights not trampled upon and also emphasised that every enrollee registered under the scheme had a right to access medical treatment as outlined in the NHIS benefit package.

According to him, Enrollees also have rights to access healthcare at any NHIS accredited facility in an emergency, right to complain to NHIS or Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) about any act of negligence on the part of the healthcare facility and right to be referred for secondary and tertiary healthcare and advised enrollees to be knowledgeable about their rights and give feedback to the agency on any challenges encountered while receiving services in any facility under the scheme.

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MDAs

NIMASA's 'CHANGE'

mission

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he Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside has stressed the need for stakeholders to actively participate in the Nigerian maritime sector in order to support the growth of the country's blue economy, saying the agency is currently on a mission of changing the landscape of the nation's maritime domain.

This he said could be achieved by putting a policy framework in place to allow maritime business to thrive..

Dr Peterside, who made this known while addressing stakeholders at the Harmonised NIMASA Stakeholders Interactive Forum with the theme “Synergy: An Instrument for Sustainable Development of the Blue Economy” which held on Friday at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, said that amount of littoral states in Nigeria makes the development of Nigeria's blue economy a necessity for the country's benefit.

According to the DG, “Maritime provides a veritable opportunity for us to grow our economy. We will ensure we play our role by providing necessary policies for industry players to reap the benefits of participating in the sector in order to develop our blue economy for Nigeria's benefit.”

Dr Peterside, however, charged industry stakeholders to collaborate and cooperate with the agency as it strives to create an enabling environment for them to operate, adding that the agency has created various

platforms through which stakeholders can communicate with the agency on various issues.

“The industry belongs to stakeholders. We must synergise to get the benefits embedded in maritime. We must work together all the time because it is our priority that those who do business in the industry flourish in order to develop our blue economy; and that is why we are in the process of acquiring more surveillance aircrafts and additional fast intervention vessels as enshrined in the new maritime security architecture approved by the Federal Executive Council to ensure that our maritime domain remains safe for doing business,” he said.

The NIMASA DG also hinted that as part of ensuring that Nigerians reap the benefits of the industry, the agency is also carrying out a robust human capacity building for the sector. He added that NIMASA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with some foreign schools to provide sea-time training for the graduates of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) which has hitherto been a challenge in the past.

Also at the event, the Chairman, Governing Board of the Agency, Major General Jonathan India Garba (rtd) said that the Board would continue to support the Dr Peterside-led executive management by giving necessary approvals that would reform the Nigerian maritime sector for economic benefit.

Dakuku Peterside

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Peterside unveils

MDAs

NIPOST births

Nigeria's largest delivery network

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Reintroduces money order, begins electronic mail tracking

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ith 106 delivery outlets, the Nigerian Postal Service has open the largest delivery network in

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Bisi Adegbuyi Post Master General of Nigeria

Nigeria.

This is among series of innovations the agency is using to revive the postal system and increasing patronage.

With the large network, the postal agency is aiming to reach over 74 million people across the country and abroad. It has also planned to use the proliferation of mobile technology in Nigeria to create patronage among the youths.

This is as the Postmaster General of the Federation, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi, at the celebration of the 2017 World Postal Day in Abuja announced that the agency is reintroducing the money order.

The money order is an old product of the postal system that enables customers to send money to their loved ones using the post offices scattered across the country.

The product, which had been moribund for many years, has now been brought back in an electronic format.

Adegbuyi said the need for financial inclusion was the reason for the reformulation of the product.

He explained that with the spread of N I P O S T a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y, t h e organisation was in the best position to advance the course of financial inclusion of the majority of Nigerians, especially rural dwellers.

According to Adegbuyi, “This product launch today reaffirms our stance to adopt the multi-activity business model with operations in banking, insurance, real estate and e-Commerce. This effort requires strong collaboration with the private sector whose investment capital and expertise cannot be over-emphasised.

“This model is what this year's global top three in the postal industry (Switzerland,

France and Japan) and the regional champions (Brazil, Mauritius, Poland, Singapore and UAE) have adopted. Some other African countries like Morocco and Tunisia have already joined the league.”

He added, “We are indeed getting back on track as we are reinventing ourselves, embracing digitisation, redefining our value proposition and developing new products and services. In this regard, we require the strong political support that we are already getting from the Federal Government. I can assure you that in no distant future we shall be number one on the African chart.

“There is much to be gained from this transformation: more satisfied customers, stronger postal market and network. As we strive to meet the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, we should not forget that the postal infrastructure is an enabler of inclusive development and a key platform for delivering public services pivotal to the attainment of the SDGs.” NIPOST also announced the introduction of tract and trace, an app that will enable its customers to trace and track the position of mails posted from outside the country at each point in time.

On the controversial stamp duty on electronic transactions, NIPOST announced that it had developed an electronic stamping system that would enable it to affix stamps on any electronic transaction in order to authenticate the deal.

Another service, which the organisation says will be hitting the market soon, is the Address Verification System. The app, which will be available on the NIPOST portal, will enable anybody to verify any address anywhere in the country within a period of 48 hours.

MDAs

NNPC eases products supply to South West GMD,NNPC, Maikanti Baru

..Corporation seeks supports of Oyo and Osun governments against vandals a great impact on our economic value chain which will be seen in commerce, industry and employment generation for our people.''

Ajimobi assured Baru of his support towards securing NNPC's PROW across the state and promised to provide vehicles for security operatives patrolling pipelines within the state. The Presidential Diary recalls that NNPC boss had in May in Kano re-commissioned the Kaduna-Kano pipeline.

Meanwhile, the NNPC GMD has called on Oyo and Osun State Governments to assist the corporation in curbing activities of pipeline vandals.Baru, who made the appeal recently during the re-inauguration of the loading operations in NNPC, Ibadan depot, noted that vandalism of pipelines was affecting the operations of the corporation.

He warned the vandals to desist from their nefarious act, that their illegal activity was detrimental to the national economic growth. It will be recalled that Ibadan Depot of the NNPC suspended loading operations in 2015 due to incessant pipeline vandalism but Baru, on assumption of duty in the corporation, promised to resuscitate the depot.

He expressed optimism that the reactivation of the depot and effective distribution of petroleum products would boost the economy of Ibadan and its

environs.The GMD assured members of staff of NNPC other stakeholders that the corporation would continue to function to resolve various challenges facing the corporation.

Chief Suleiman Oladiti, the Chairman, Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), said Baru had lived up to his promise of not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring re-activation of the various depots across the country and said members of PTD had been cooperating with the NNPC for the smooth distribution of petroleum products from Mosimi depot to various destinations throughout the time of loading suspension at Ibadan depot.

He called on the. NNPC management to join PTD in ensuring the reduction of road crashes involving fuel tankers to zero level by enhancing effort on safety standard “In as much as the association appreciates the revamping and re-commissioning of the deposit in Ibadan,it becomes imperative for the management of NNPC not to compromise on safety standard and this will go a long way in achieving the desired objectives,'' he said.

Also, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Raheem Tayo, called for effective maintenance of the pipelines to ensure constant supply of all petroleum products.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has re-commissioned the Depot in Ibadan in a move it says would ease the supply of petroleum products to the South-West part of the country.

NNPC's Group Managing Director Dr Maikanti Baru, in a statement signed by the corporation's Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ndu Ughamadu said products supply and distribution received a huge boost in Oyo State and the South-West region, following the re-commissioning of the Ibadan Depot.

He said the re-commissioning was in fulfilment of the Presidential mandate of revamping the nation's critical oil and gas infrastructure for the benefit of the citizenry and said the corporation had rehabilitated its System 2E (Port Harcourt to Aba), System 2D (Kaduna to Kano) and the Atlas Cove to Mosimi segment of the System 2B pipeline.

He added that this had led to the commissioning of Aba, Kano and Mosimi depots, while noting that efforts were underway to re-commission the remaining parts of the System 2B pipeline (Mosimi to Ore depot and from Ibadan to Ilorin depot), Baru announced the conclusion of rehabilitation work on the System 2E (Aba – Enugu) pipeline segment.

“Very soon, these depots will experience the impact of our collective resolve to get the critical infrastructure back on stream,'' he said, while also commending the Oyo State Government for its consistent support over the years, saying it had “immensely contributed to safeguarding NNPC's Pipeline Right of Way (PROW) that feeds the Ibadan Depot''.

Responding, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, described the resumption of loading operations in the area as “a great development which would have a major impact on the socio-economic well-being of Oyo people and the entire South West region.

He said, “Today, I am happy because the resuscitation of this depot has brought about

MDAs

FG Boosts Ports Operational Efciency

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activities assigned to individuals and groups, stressing that it is critical in the area of optimising productivity by way of motivation and mentoring.

The NPA boss noted that there are challenges faced in the sub-sector in the area of security on the Nigerian waters, slow evacuation of Cargo out of the terminals and poor Intermodal system and the dilapidation of the rail lines in the Terminals. She stated that the NPA Management was willing and ready to partner with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as a sister agency of the federal government towards the realisation of its policy on Ease of Doing Business.

In her welcome address, the Global Convener of WILAT, Aisha Ali Ibrahim, who doubles as Port Manager, Apapa Port Complex eulogised the numerous contributions of members over the years towards the actualisation of the vision of the international body.

According to her, “WILAT should strive at achieving its core values in the area of strategic employment and social responsibility.”

She charged for greater synergy in sponsoring and training women in the Middle East, whilst promising to make sure that the body's chapters increase appreciably from 19, up from 12 in 2013 to 18 in 2017.

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Hadiza Usman, MD, NPA

he Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman has reiterated federal government's commitment to providing enabling environment for relevant stakeholders and other port users to carry out their businesses in line with global best practices.

In her remarks at the 5TH edition of the Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT) International Conference, the managing director said the government's decision was in line with the Authority's efforts to reposition the Nigerian ports as a reference point in sub-Saharan Africa.

In her paper, 'Government Directives on Ease of Doing Business in the Port: Its Challenges and Sustainability,', the NPA boss stressed that the federal government would put in place machinery to achieve full implementation of the Executive Order in the areas of enabling and conducive environment, Customer Service Delivery to Stakeholders by way of Standard Op e ra ti o n a l Pro ce d u re (SOP) a n d transparency.

She stated that operational efficiency was pivotal to effective implementation and sustainability of the Executive Order of the federal government as its concerns the sub-sector.

Bala-Usman called on all stakeholders to imbibe the culture of leading by example at all times through the direct supervision of

MDAs

Beneciaries of

PTDF scholarship programme hail fair, transparent process performances, the research work some of you will undertake and we believe that they will be very useful to Nigeria and particularly, the oil and gas sector.

“All of you that made it to this point are here because you deserve to be here, PTDF is not a scholarship board but an institution created to ensure that the oil and Gas sector have all it takes to bring about growth and development in the country and we have big expectations from you, this is a globally acclaimed programmed; we have many in the programme who are already doing great with so many fields from their various universities and I urge you to emulate them,” he said.

He further urged the scholars to be of high moral standards and respect the laws and regulations of their host countries as ambassadors of Nigeria wherever they were going to for the studies.

Meanwhile, in a similar development Executive Secretary, of PTDF, Dr Bello Aliyu Gusua, has advised selected scholars for the 2017/ 2018 overseas MSC programmes to maintain discipline in the various universities of their studies. He gave the advice at the 2017/ 2018 PTDF Oversea Scholarships Induction Programme for MSC scholars in Abuja.

He said that 195 scholars were selected for the overseas Master's programme, while 184 were for PhD out of the 4,949 candidates that were shortlisted for the aptitude test. “You emerged successfully through a rigorous and pain driven process.

“We examined closely your performance and in selecting you, we were mindful of the various choice of the programmes you are

about to undertake and our focus was on programmes that are relevant to the oil and gas sector and we are satisfied with the selection we have done,'' he said.

According to him, the scholars are going to study in various universities in the world and are expected to be of high moral standing noting that the past beneficiaries of the fund had done tremendously well and had gotten commendation from the universities where they studied.

“You are going for study, but above all, you are expected to be of high discipline because you are there not only to represent yourself and families, but Nigeria at large and obey the rules and regulations of you host countries, excel and make Nigeria proud,'' he said.

Commenting on the process of selection, he said that apart from oil producing communities, five best candidates were selected for the programme for each state, Pointing out that oil producing states got six candidates each as special preference that was given to them.

PTDF, in July, said it used federal character in shortlisting of about 4,949 candidates for the electronic Aptitude test for the overseas and local Msc/PHD scholarship scheme and the fund said that the idea of the federal character was one of the reasons why the test was being taken in different geo-political zones in the country.

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The beneficiaries and selected scholars for the 2017/2018 PhD overseas Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) scholarship programme have commended the fund for free, fair and transparent process used in selection of candidates.

Some of the candidates gave the commendation at the PTDF 2017/2018 induction programmed for PhD Overseas Scholarship scheme recently in Abuja. Mr Eguomo Omagamre, a Lecturer from the University of Benin, said that he went through the process without knowing anybody from the fund.“I did not know anybody from the fund; I just did all that was required and was shortlisted for the test and today, I have been selected for the PhD programme.

“This, for me, indicated that things are not all that bad as I used to think, for me to get to this point, I commend the fund and the people that are working on this project,'' he said.

Another Scholar, Aliyu Ali, said he had almost lost hope after the test when he did not get any information on the outcome of the result. “I think this year's selection was good, selecting best five candidates from each state was a good idea; I appreciate it and happy that they rigorously screened to bring out the best,'' he said.

On her part, Ms Jessica Lenka, Assistant Lecturer, University of Jos, said that the process was transparent. “We are many that applied for this exam and only few people that met the criteria of the fund were selected; this is for me a lesson that people must follow instructions in whatever they are doing and most of us here selected met the demands and conditions of the fund and we were selected without influence of any member of the fund,'' she said .

Earlier in his comment, PTDF's Executive Secretary, Dr Bello Gusau, congratulated the 185 scholars that were selected, adding that it was a well deserved sponsorship and the fund painstakingly selected them through a rigorous process that was free and fair.

Gusau called on the candidates to be diligent while doing their programme in the foreign countries.“We critically looked at your

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Mining: FG restates support for genuine Investors -Minister says no room for compromise

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and the host communities whose environment you are going to work.

“The host communities should have a stake in your investment. Once that is done, they would see themselves as partowners and would ensure noone sabotage your efforts. This, we have learnt through experience”, he added.

Speaking on the nickel deposit, reputed to be of a high grade and a “rare find” and which covers about 20 kilometre square in Dagoma village, Southern Kaduna, the Minister said security of the environment was one of the first major steps taken by government to ensure the success of the project.

He added that government is also collaborating with Comet Minerals limited (that discovered the mineral) on sundry other aspects of the project.

Nothing that the country's mining law is one of the best in the world, Fayemi said enforcement had always been a challenge. “This government would insist on the enforcement of law and order”.

On government's effort at curtailing illegal mining, Fayemi said the formalisation of the informal miners remained one of government's approaches to solve the menace of illegal mining.

Hugh Morgan, Director of Comet Minerals Limited, in his presentation, attested to the support of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development over the nickel discovery.

Morgan said his company has started engaging the community, having drawn the land ownership map of the areas covered by the nickel deposit.

A Geology Professor, Lousia Lawrence disclosed that a lot of work had gone into authenticating the high quality nickel deposit. This, she said had further proven that the nickel deposit could be the game changer for Nigeria.

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Dr. Kayode Fayemi

enuine investors in the mining sector have been assured of the support of the Federal Government, which has restated its commitment towards the success of the nickel project as well as others as a way of actualising its economic diversification plan.

Some of the incentives the Federal Government has earmarked for the investors include renewable tax holidays, duty waiver on imported mining equipment and 100 ownership of business concern among others.

This, however, comes with a proviso; that government would insist on best practices with emphasis on enforcement of law and order.

The Minister of Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this in his presentation at the Africa Down Under (ADU) Conference held in Perth, Australia.

Fayemi who spoke to a gathering of African Ministers of Mines and Minerals, policy makers, investors, operators and mining financiers at the conference outlined government's support for the nickel project as well as other genuine investments in the mining sector, insisting however that government would not compromise its laws and regulations.

Fayemi, whose presentation was titled : “Mining for Shared Prosperity: Why Nigeria, Why Now”, said government would support the nickel project and other investors to move from resource find to exploration and processing.

He, however urged investors to work with the state governments in their community relations engagement, in order to build harmonious working relationship with the host communities.

“You need the cooperation of the host communities as well as the state governments. Even when our constitution allows the Federal Government to issue you licence, you need the understanding and cooperation of the state government

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Ameachi: Mr President sleeps, wakes up with thoughts of Nigeria railway

Amaechi

According to him, President Buhari “sleeps and wakes up'' thinking about the railway system, adding that the president has made concerted effort to fix the railways, to ease transportation of persons and goods across the country. “The President sleeps and wakes up thinking about our railways; therefore I must always see him and tell him how far we have gone. Once he hears the progress that is being made, he feels happy.

“He is also very pleased with what we have done in terms of the narrow gauge; between now and December we should ensure efficiency in the narrow gauge; we are bringing in more locomotives; we are bringing in more coaches and wagons, to ensure efficiency in the narrow gauge, in terms of the narrow gauge, if not for a hitch, we would have commenced trucking cargo form Apapa seaport to Ebute-Metta-Lagos and take away the challenges we are having with that Apapa grid and bad road. That will happen before December.''

The minister announced that the Federal Government would take delivery of 17 new coaches and locomotives between now and December to boost rail transportation across the country and stated that 10 of the locomotive were meant for Abuja- Kaduna rail line while the remaining seven would go to Itakpe – Warri rail project, which he said would be ready by June 2018.

“We are expecting 10 for Kaduna-Abuja axis and another seven, which will hopefully go to Itakpe – Warri because we believe that by June, that axis should also come alive,'' he said. Amaechi further revealed that about 16 billion dollars was needed to actualise some of the Federal Government's plans for the railway sector, especially the construction of two deep seaports in Bonny, Rivers State

shown determination to commence key projects that would enhance development of the region. “We will deliver on our promises to the region but we need the people to be patient with us because we need money to embark on them, they are huge projects and I have announced that the Federal Government has approved 16 billion dollars for the construction of most railways in the South, these are capital intensive projects, so we are looking for money to execute them.

and Warri, Delta State; as well as the Port Harcourt Railway Industrial Park.

The Minister disclosed that there were plans to also dredge the Calabar seaport, through Public Private Partnership (PPP) and expressed the hope that the problem of gridlock on the road leading to Apapa port in Lagos would be over by December.

Similarly, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi, said that Federal Government would ensure the completion of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail services by Dec. 2018. Ameachi gave the assurance tecently in Lagos while inspecting the ongoing rail projects at Ijoko community area of Ogun State and disclosed that the Federal Government was making all efforts to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.

“This administration is determined to deliver on its campaign promises, as we can see, the abandoned Bodo/Bonny road is now enjoying necessary attention as the president is set to flag-off the project soon and "I urge the people of the South-South region to remain grateful to this administration,'' the former Rivers governor said.

“I have made a personally decisions to come to Lagos to get briefing and update on the ongoing project and I have decided to come to the site monthly to put the company handling the project on their toes to ensure quick delivery of the project, also the government is committed to deliver the projects on time for the benefit of the people at least by December 2018, Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail operation should commence,'' he said.

Amaechi also said that the Federal Government has taken steps to ensure the take-off of the Ogoni clean-up process.

According to him, the government was trying to bring the oil companies together to solve the issue of funds delaying it.

“The Federal Government is working to actualise the implementation of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report by ensuring funds release by the oil companies, we will progress with the UNEP report implementation, there has been issues of delayed counterpart funding by the oil companies and this issue has delayed the take-off of the Ogoni clean-up process but the Federal Government is trying to bring the companies together to ensure funds were released,'' he said.

Ameachi added that the only challenge facing the projects was the bridges across the rail lines and the minister said that some of the bridges include Oshodi, Ikeja and the newly constructed Ijoko Bridge by Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, of Ogun State.

According to him, various means would be considered to determine the cheaper alternatives of moving the rail across the bridges due to its height and flow levels.

The minister also said that the president had approved the construction of an Industrial Park worth 500 million dollars in Port Harcourt, and when completed, had the capacity to boost manufacturing/commerce in the region. “The president has approved construction of the Port Harcourt Industrial Park worth 500 million dollars, I think this administration is doing well for this region and I urge us to support this administration as it delivers good governance to the people,'' Amaechi said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, has lauded the resolve of the administration of President Muhammdu Buhari to address infrastructure deficit in the South-South region of the country. Ameachi said this in Port Harcourt that the economic down-turn in the country would not stop the president from delivering on his campaign promises to the region.

He said that the Federal Government had

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he Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, had recently updated President Muhammadu Buhari on the proposed and ongoing railway projects across the country including the Kano – Maradi (Niger Republic) rail project.

Addressing The Presidential Diary, after a closed door meeting with President Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister said the president was pleased with developments in the transport sector.

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FG's Building productive, inclusive

economy - Adeosun Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister

Kemi Adeosun Minister of Finance

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and sustainable growth by broadening the range of our economic activities in the production and distribution of goods and services.”

The Minister noted that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are critical to broadening our revenue base and we must make it easier for them to do business.

The Minister while speaking at “The Platform” hosted by the Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos, she said that the Federal Government was calling for greater focus on the productive sectors of the economy to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country.

She said that the Federal Government wants to create jobs for the people and to do this, we must look beyond the extractive industry. We must invest across the value chain in Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing and Trade to localise production, processing and distribution. This will create jobs, drive innovation and support knowledge transfer to local businesses.

“We will increase our support for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our people are our greatest assets and we must invest in them to build human capital”, she said.

She said: “while mistakes have been made in the past, this administration is looking ahead and laying the ground work to build a resilient economy that is not vulnerable to boom and bust cycles.”

The Minister noted that Government revenue remains overly reliant on oil and we must use oil revenue to develop and diversify the economy, not just sustain consumption.

She pointed out that “While oil proceeds have represented between 50 percent and 70 percent of Federal Government revenue over the past 3 years, it has contributed 10% or less to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the same period”.

Mrs. Adeosun emphasised that “we must change our growth model to deliver inclusive

Adeosun said, “Our focus is on activities that are value adding to the economy to ensure long-term stability. The infrastructure that we build to facilitate power and transportation will be vital in achieving diversification and economic growth. We are focused on addressing the challenges we face to deliver services to our people”.

The Government is investing in massive domestic fertilizer production, making it cheaper to grow the food we need and raw materials to support moribund industries. We are also investing in rail - making it quicker and cheaper to get produce across the country. Our pilot programme has shown that we can reduce the cost of food if we can move it across the country faster.

We are also looking very closely at broadening our tax base and improving tax compliance to increase Government revenue: “We have an unacceptably low level of non-oil revenue, and much of that is driven by a failure to collect tax revenues. With a tax to GDP ratio of only 6%, one of the lowest levels in the world, we have a lot of work to do if we are going to build a sustainable revenue base that will deliver inclusive growth”.

We are going to focus on tax in 2017. We will improve our tax to GDP ratio, block leakages and increase compliance. We would also introduce taxes on luxury items and excise duties on tobacco and alcohol.

The Minister explained to the audience that: “More diversified economy would reduce revenue volatility in the long term, encourage more inclusive growth and reduce inequality.

With increased Government revenue, we can invest further and faster, delivering further improvements in 2017 and beyond.”

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uilding a productive Nigerian economy for a sustainable and inclusive economic growth is priority for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has said.

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Suleiman Adamu: revitalizing urban

water supply in Nigeria T

VP Osinbajo, Water Resources Minister joined by partners as they unveil the document on retreat on Urban Water Supply and Sanitation in Nigeria

hat water is life, is a phrase as hold as life itself. While it can be described as a common place natural resource available for use in homes and elsewhere, managing it and its resources require uncommon training, experience and dedication; sterling qualities easily attributable to the incumbent Minister in-charge of the ministry.

Engr. Suleiman Adamu, with a vision for excellence and passion for service is tackling the myriad challenges in the water sector headlong. Faced with the dismal failure of urban water supply to Nigerians, he organized a retreat on October 4, 2017, having declared a state of emergency in the water sector from across the country; which included C o m m i s s i o n e r s o f Wa t e r Resources in the 36 states,

Members of the State Houses of Assembly, General Managers of S t a t e Wa t e r B o a r d s , a n d developments partners to brainstorm and come up with ways to revitalize urban water supply.

This meeting was declared open by no other a personality than the Vi c e – P r e s i d e n t , F e d e r a l Republic of Nigeria, Professor Ye m i O s i n b a j o , G C O N . I n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 6 , t h e Vi c e President also launched the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene ( P E WA S H ) a l s o m e a n t t o address the challenges of rural Water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene in Nigeria.

With these bold initiatives, the stage is set for a water sector that is vibrant and ready to deliver on its promises.

VP, Osinbajo, Water Resources Minister, Suleiman Adamu and partners during the retreat on retreat on revitalizing Urban Water Supply and Sanitation The

Presidential Diary 110

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Onu and Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi The

Presidential Diary 111

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COMING SOON!:

A National Science and Technology Museum The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said the Federal Government was ready to establishment National Science and Technology Museum to lay a foundation for the infrastructural development of the country.

The minister in a statement by Mr Abdul Aminu, Deputy Director of Press in the ministry said while receiving the report on the proposed establishment of the National Science and Technology Museum (NSTM), that the idea behind the museum was to encourage the involvement of Nigerian citizenry, especially youths towards imbibing science and technology as a way of life.

He said the project would enable Nigerian youths to utilize and deploy science and technology for the sectoral development of the nation.

According to him, the museum is a unique project that can serve as a catalyst for the scientific and technological development of the country.

“Our ancestors understudied and understood their environments. This culminated in their domination of territories and kingdoms to produce artefacts' like Ife Bronze, Nok culture, Benin historical walls and artefacts and Igbo –Ukwu artefacts through their creative deployment of science and technology,“ he said.

The minister encouraged Nigerians to key into the Museum project,

especially at the state level.

He said additional efforts from the states would complement the effort of the Federal Government to quickly achieve the national goal.

“Though, we are at the verge of another era of development through the establishment of this project.

“We will be able to display our commitment and political will by turning things around for the betterment of the average Nigerian Youths.”

He noted that the various Science Technology and Innovation (STI) policies evolved by the Ministry would soon make the nation to produce noble laureates in Sciences.

The minister commended the Committee for its hard work and commitment in delivering the reports within the stipulated period.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Ekanem Udoh, said the museum would incorporate the technology of nation's ancestors in a manner that they understood their environment.

Udoh, who was also the Director of Science Technology Promotion in the Ministry, affirmed that the project would help the youths to acquire knowledge of natural phenomena and important scientific and technological events.

NOTAP saved Nigeria

N192b in six yrs, says DG

NOTAP is one of the 17 agencies under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology established to regulate the inflow of technology in the country.

Ibrahim who made the revelation during a media briefing at the agency's Liaison Office in Lagos, said, “In carrying out our statutory function of registration of Technology Transfer Agreement, NOTAP has saved the country N192bn between 2010 and 2016.

“This sum, if not for NOTAP's intervention, would have left the country in capital flight. The agency achieved this through a refusal to approve importation of technologies, as well as services that could be rendered

by Nigerians.”

Highlighting how the agency operates, Ibrahim said, “The law establishing NOTAP has no room for sanctions. We often rely on

certificate denials as a means to check erring companies and individuals.

The agency is, however, working with the National Assembly to review the law which established it in order to empower NOTAP to sanction and where necessary prosecute anyone or companies that chose to be clever and bypass the agency to bring in technology without properly documented agreements for technology transfer that protects the interest of Nigerians.”

He said the agency secured 38 patent certificates in six months as part of its effort to protect intellectual property in Nigeria, adding, “The patents would encourage research linkage to the development needs of the country by ensuring that innovative ideas are protected from unlawful uses.

With the level of transformation going on in the country, Nigerian banks will be powered by locally developed software in the next five years.

NOTAP is also connecting Nigerian universities' researchers with industries to ensure that researches are tailored towards proffering solutions to local problems.”

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The

Director General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP, Dr. Dan Azumi Mohammed Ibrahim, has disclosed that the agency has saved Nigeria N192bn in six years and secured about 38 patents for agencies and private researchers in six months of 2017.

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ABUBAKAR MALAMI The

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ABUBAKAR MALAMI

Pointing the way to impartial delivery of Justice

By Chidi Okereke

I

t is a universally acknowledged fact that generally agreed that justice delayed is justice denied.

One of the biggest drawbacks to national development in the opinion of many Nigerians including jurists and even officials of government is the slow dispensation of justice. Oftentimes, the course of justice is subverted by either connivance or lassitude of officials in the temple of justice or outmoded laws, which impede effective and speedy delivery of justice.

In the past officials of government made halfhearted attempts at tackling this onerous challenge, it wasn't until the arrival of Abubakar Malami, Nigeria's current Attorney General and Minister of Justice that the challenge started received the full attention of government.

Malami, a lawyer and politician, has at every opportunity spoken about the need to align Nigerian laws to the needs of contemporary times.

As a member of President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet, Malami, who was once the National Legal Adviser to the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), President Buhari's former political party, has worked hard to help actualize the change agenda of the Buhari administration particularly as it relates to the fight against corruption and ancillary offences, and impartial dispensation of justice.

It is for this reason that he has championed the overhaul of the nation's justice system, which has seen the government he represents, move against corrupt judges and lawyers believed to pose a danger to Nigeria's social and economic well-being through shady practices.

For Malami, before the law, there should be no sacred cows, a reason he stoutly defended the raiding of homes of senior judges and their subsequent arrest by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), last year.

Responding to protests over the incident, Malami noted: “Once crimes and criminality are concerned, nobody is an exception. I think the undertone should be exclusively the consideration of the existence of a prima facie case; existence of reasonable grounds for suspicion of commission of a crime.”

He added that the action against the judges will also be extended to members of the executive and legislature if there exist sufficient evidence to do so.

is a crime and nobody, regardless of how highly placed,” he said.

“So, I think the framework and the circumstances within which we are operating are clearly whether there exists the right to investigate or not, and whether the action borders on criminality,” he said.

Another critical reform being championed by Malami is the prison reforms and decongestion.

Malami, who in September mooted the idea while addressing officials of his ministry said a prison intervention programme will enunciate strategies to address the problem of increasing number of awaiting trial persons in the prisons nationwide, adding that it will further consider the general state of the Nigerian prisons and the condition of the inmates.

“The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to fight corruption. Corruption

Malami receives a plaque from EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu The

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PERSONALTY

Sir Mike Okiro

Chairman, Police Service Commission The

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PERSONALTY

Sir Mike Okiro

The record speaks volume

As Commissioner of Police Lagos and IGP, having served as the 13th indigenous inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Okiro is fondly remembered for his deft and deeply tactical approach to crime fighting. Soon after his assumption of office as the Inspector General of Police, Okiro hit the ground running. In tandem with the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police Service Commission, Okiro worked tirelessly to reposition the Nigeria Police to entrench Quality Training, Behavioral and Attitudinal Change, Community Policing and Service Delivery as the norm.

He was known to have worked to significantly improve the welfare and morale of officers and men, by enhancing their salary package and improve logistics. One of such initiative is the establishment of owneroccupier houses. His belief for transparency and feedback led him to approve the creation of the Dawn' Newspaper as a channel of communication and tool of bridging the Police-Public divide.

Born on 24th July 1949 in Oguta, Imo State, t h e n a t i v e o f E g b e m a i n Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State and the Agunecheba 1 of Egbema is a man of astute pedigree. The 1976 Bachelor of Arts Degree in English graduate from the University of Ibadan, Oyo

State went through a perfect academic path way that may have prepared him for his current job as Chairman, Police Service Commission.

From University of Ibadan, he proceeded to the University of Lagos where he obtained a Master's Degree in Public Administration. He also holds a Bachelor of Law and Master of Law Degrees from the University of Jos, Plateau State. He also holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State and Novena University, Delta State.

The Alumus of the Prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State has so many salient achievements to his credit as the Inspector General of Police. He is the proponent of the registration of all sim cards in the country in order to have a record of e v e r y u s e r, i n i t i a t i v e t h e a m n e s t y programme for the then restive Niger Delta Militants, introduced the Anti-Terrorist Squad, introduced the Police housing scheme and approved the increment of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) from 45 to 58 Squadrons. The Police marathon race and the IGP football competition were some of his creations in sport in the Police IGP. These and many other achievements have earned his many honors with numerous awards and titles. Some of these are the conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) on him by the late President Umar Musa Yar'Adua in addition to a commendation letter.

He is a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and recipient of the Nigeria Police Medal and numerous chieftaincy titles from

various Communities and traditional rulers across the Geo Political divide of the Country and globally.

Okiro is a man with vast literary acumen as he has authored five books of different genre in spite of the herculean task associated with his chosen career. These include Peace and the Nation, Surviving the cities, the Legal implications of the mismanagement of Public Fund in Nigeria, Policing Nigeria in a D e m o c r a c y, O v e r c o m i n g S e c u r i t y Challenges and Nigeria restructuring Controversy. He uses his professional experience and national ideals to foster security and propagate patriotism in Nigeria as could be seen in his books.

It is on record that Okiro is the first Christian of Catholic Denomination to be appointed the Inspector General of Police, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the first NYSC graduate to be appointed as IGP and the first retired Inspector General of Police to be appointed Chairman, Police Service Commission.

He retired on the 24th July, 2009 from the Nigeria Police Force meritoriously, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

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The

M

r. M i k e M b a m a O k i r o ' s d e f t initiatives have put Police Service Commission on high. The name, Dr. Mike Mbama Okiro is one that Nigerians would remember for a long time. For criminals and their allies, the mere mention of his name reverberates, causing them to always adjust their comportment.

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Magbojuri poised to take NAFDAC to new heights

By Uche Okereke

On September 28, 2017 the administration of president Muhammadu Buhari took a step in that direction with the appointment of Ademola Magbojuri as acting Director General of the agency.

Magbojuri took over from Mrs. Yetunde Oni, who the week before had attained the retirement age of 60 years.

Oni had served in acting capacity for 18 months following the removal sack of Dr. Paul Orhii, the substantive DG of the agency.

Magbojuri, who is the most senior director in NAFDAC, was until his appointment as acting DG, in charge of the agency's Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate in Kaduna.

Before his move to Kaduna, Magbojuri had served as Director of Finance and Accounts. As head of the Planning, Research and Statistics Directorate, his job included to: ●Undertake and coordinate research programmes on the storage, adulteration, distribution and rational use of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, chemicals, detergents, drinks and bottled and packaged water. ●Compile and publish relevant data resulting from performance of functions of the Agency. ●Sponsor such National and International Conferences as it may consider appropriate.

●Liaise with relevant establishments within and outside Nigeria in pursuance of the functions of the agency. ●Develop work plan for the Agency. ●Monitor and evaluate programmes, projects and implementation of work plan. ●Manpower training and development including workshops, conferences and seminars. ●Providing secretariat for senior / top management meetings, evaluation and appraisal of documents, correspondence to maintain good image of the Agency. ●Establishment and operation of data bank and computer services/assistance to other directorates. ●Keep records of approved development plans, projects and budgets of the Agency and their execution time schedule where specified. ●Preparation of annual budgets and rolling plans in collaboration with Administration and finance directorate. ●Attending trade fairs at National and International Levels in liaison with the Public Relations Unit to project the image of the Agency. ●Coordinate Pharmacy Internship and Industrial Attachment Training programmes for the Agency. ●Coordinate the Agency's overseas cGMP inspections.

Analysts believe that having served in two key directorates of the agency, Magbojuri is well placed not only to understand the needs of the agency but more importantly, it's role as a regulator of critical industries germane to the survival of citizens and the nation at large.

Magbojuri, who has since resumed work has pledged to give his latest assignment his best shot.

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he National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is an institution critical to the well-being of Nigerians and in realisation of this fact, successive governments at the federal level, have been careful to appoint as its head experienced and qualified individuals.

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The UBE Commission The UBE Commission (UBEC) is Federal Governments Agency saddled with the responsibility for coordinating all aspects of UBE programme implementation.

Vision of the UBE Commission To be a world-class education intervention and regulatory agency for the promotion of uniform, qualitative and functional basic education in Nigeria.

Mission of the UBE Commission

Core Values of the UBE Commission

To operate as an intervention, coordinating and monitoring Agency to progressively improve the capacity of States, Local Government Agencies and Communities in the provision of unfettered access to high quality basic education in Nigeria.

· Honesty and Accountability · Integrity and Transparency · Team Work and Commitment UBE programmes are implemented through close collaborative partnerships between UBEC and State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) and Basic Education stakeholders at all levels. UBEC is delighted to be at the forefront of this significant national intervention and welcomes the full involvement of all individuals, corporate entities, civil societies and community groups in the drive to achieve Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

UBE programme ac vi es have led to:

developments led to increased access to basic education.

· Teacher Professional Development being accorded priority attention as a percentage of the intervention fund goes directly to in-service training of teachers in all States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). · Education of the girl-child and other disadvantaged groups being given greater attention than ever before. · Effective monitoring of UBE implementation to ensure quality The Commission tracks utilization of UBE Intervention and

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The

T

ransformation of the educational terrain as it affects basic education in the area of school infrastructural development. This has been achieved through judicious use of FGN-UBE intervention funds. For the first time Basic Education has a quantum of funds being pumped in

by Federal and State Governments. · Improved infrastructural

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States Counterpart Funds based on the level of utilization.

During the period 2005 - 2009 the following have been provided through the utilization of the UBE Intervention and Counterpart Funds in 36 States and FCT. 1 . I n f r a s t r u c t u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t (a). Construction of new classrooms - 41,009 b. Renovations (classrooms) - 59,444 c. Provision of furniture (Pupils and Teachers) - 1,139,196 sets d. Construction of toilets - 14,769 e. Sinking of boreholes - 996 2. Provision of Instructional/Play Materials - 77,570,540 3. Teacher professional development - 1,493,352 teachers trained 4. Provision of Primaries 4 & 5 Textbooks in Mathematics, English Language and Activity-Based Science - 16,356,812 5. Assorted Library Resource Materials for JSS - 1,710,091 6. Deliverables from Special Education (Physically Challenged Children Fund) a. Number of Schools/Centres that have beneďŹ tted - 368

b .

E n r o l m e n t 2 0 , 6 3 9 c .

C l a s s r o o m s 7 1 0 d .

R e s o u r c e R o o m s 3 4 4 e . B o r e h o l e s / h a n d p u m p s - 3 6 f .

To i l e t s / b a t h r o o m s 2 6 3 g. Furniture (pupils) - 3,616 sets h. Furniture (teachers) - 1,259 sets i .

B e d d i n g s 2 , 2 6 6 j. Instructional Materials - 75,255 k. Equipment (Computers, Wheelchairs, Braille machines, TV s e t s , r a d i o s e t s , e t c ) - 1 4 , 6 4 1 l. Teachers trained - 6,247

OTHER KEY INTERVENTIONS OF THE UBE PROGRAMME

U

BE Community Initiated Self

communities through Parents Teachers

opportunities for increasing access,

H e l p

P r o j e c t s

Association (PTAs) and Community

quality and equity in UBE delivery.

The Self-Help Project of the

Based Organizations (CBOs). The Self-

Additionally, the strategy has several

UBE Programme is designed as a

Help strategy has proved to be very

deliverables in key infrastructural

strategy to involve the community and

rewarding in providing requisite

components and other facilities that are

private sector participation in basic

infrastructure and services within the

essential to quality UBE delivery.

education delivery through the

school environment as well as

initiation, execution, administration and

galvanizing popular community support

ownership of designated school

and involvement in UBE delivery.

p

.

Importantly, the strategy has instituted

Basic education funding, administration

transparency and accountability in

and implementation is gradually

resource management, paved way for

becoming the responsibility not only of

community ownership of UBE

the government but that of the

programme and increased the

o

j

e

c

t

s

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The

r

FOCUS NEWS BITS

S/NO

2005 Project Type

2006

2007

TOTAL

2008

(4,407 (7,532 (6,434 (4,225 22,598 schools) schools) schools) schools) schools)

1

Construction of 3,111 new classrooms

8,673

3,618

3,380

18,782

2

Renovation of classrooms

6,840

34,784 4,572

50,189

3

Teachers’/Pupils 60,098 126,150 127,200 94,800 408,248 Furniture (sets)

4

Boreholes

79

120

87

55

341

5

Electricity

164

578

40

13

795

6

VIP Toilets

714

543

179

1,436

* With effect from 2008, the Self-Help Support Fund was increased from N 0 . 6 m t o N 1 . 0 m p e r School/Community.

Federal Teachers' Scheme (FTS) The Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the Federal Teachers' Scheme (FTS) in 2006 with the aim of addressing shortage of qualified teachers in the basic education subsector. The scheme which is being financed through the Debt Relief Gains (DRG) is a two-year programme designed to cater for unemployed NCE graduates.

Under the scheme, NCE graduates are employed by the Federal Government and posted to States for a two-year period before formal

absorption by states and LGEAs. The first batch of 40,000 participants completed the service in October 2008. UBEC enlisted 34,000 fresh participants in January 2009 while States have absorbed 27,000 products of the first batch into their work force.

c

o

u

n

t

r

y

;

Development, production and distribution of training manuals to provide the knowledge and skills required to plan, design, organize and evaluate training programmes for all those that are concerned with the implementation of the 9-year basic education curriculum;

Inter-Agency Cooperation In recognition of the multi-sectoral and cross-cutting nature of UBE programme implementation, UBEC pursues and implements critical subsector related programmes in collaboration with other agencies with distinct responsibilities within the Federal Ministry of Education. In this regard, the following are some of the achievements recorded:

Collaborations with International Development Partners The Universal Basic Education Commission is mandated by Section II 9 (i&j) of the UBE Act 2004 to facilitate and ensure smooth collaboration with International Development Partners (IDPs) and Non-Governmental Organizations to boost basic education delivery in Nigeria. In keeping with this mandate, UBEC has attracted financial and technical supports from IDPs prominent among which are:

Production and distribution of the new 9-year Basic Education Curriculum to all public primary and junior secondary schools across the

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The

* A total of 3,752 projects from 2009 Support Funds are currently being executed in the 36 States and FCT.

3,993

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