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“… Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”. – Kennedy, John. F
Someone who is law-abiding, aspirational, patriotic, with a sense of nationhood and belonging perhaps. Or perhaps being a useful individual and part of a collective working towards a common goal, do we often feel neighbourly. Help others that are less fortunate than us.
Couple of days ago, the national television station held its yearly national programme, called the PRIDE OF BRITAIN. Here the cream of human kindness at its best were showcased where the ordinary people up and down the country do the most incredible act of heroics to complete strangers, loved ones and colleagues. They were awarded for their selflessness and acts of bravery in the face of adversities.
It is very humbling and the beauty of these heroes is that they ask for nothing in return when have we, asked Nigerians to act selflessly? I am not talking about the usual handing out of paltry boxes of sugar and bag of rice to an orphanage with the photographer in tow. I am talking about an act of kindness that does not call for anything in return.
For instance, there was a 91 year old lady who goes around fund raising for cancer research and she was able to raise £81,000! All she wants to do is to help contribute to funding the advancement for the cure and research for cancer. There was Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school pupil who campaigned tirelessly for the education of young girls, she was badly injured by mindless bigots for her trouble. Upon her recovery, she has continued to campaign for the education of girls all over the world. There was a young man who invented an innovative way of making maths fun for primary school children. The man who had raised fund to get himself a walking devise and gave all the money to a young boy, because he felt the boy needed it more than he did.
Nothing gets done unless we work on our corner of the world and there lies the rub. We have been so grounded down that we have forgotten how to be human. We have forgotten that we are tied up in struggle and prosperity.
What happens to one person, will affect the other. We often fool ourselves to believe that as long as we are thriving that is all that matters. For instance, in many roads and byways where the roads are filled with pot holes and in need of repair, it often not tarred because the rich man thinks why tar the road when others will use it? He rather (the rich man) changes his expensive car as often as possible rather than let others ply a functional road. He may have an accident on that road rather than let others use a tarred road. I am sure you can think of many instances and that it is alarming.
This attitude serves no one well, in fact it breeds a nation of misfit and morally deprived individual always self-serving and not working as a collective for the common goal. The only reason a community and a nation works is, when we give of ourselves as an individual and as a collective. We should not always think about what is in it for me rather what can we do to help advance as a nation.
“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”– Mother Teresa
Our elders of yore were right, when they say; what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine. They say one hand washes the other makes it clean. We often take it for granted. We often blame everyone but ourselves for being in the state that we are. The solution does not lie on who we blame but what are we doing to improve our country? What are the legacies we are passing on to our children? Is it that each to his own? We need to lead by example. The question is: what are we doing for others? We are what Nigeria is waiting for and is about time Nigerians put aside a day for volunteering, giving time to help others. Just like the sanitation day why can’t we begin a nationwide drive to rebuild our sense of pride and ownership we need to get back our moral obligations where we provide our time for no charge at all.
It might be seen like an alien concept but not long ago we were actually better at caring for one another. I have had emails requesting to help other people, well this is the time to give back and not expect nothing in return. We should have a drive to get Nigerians feeling once again proud to call Nigeria our home.
“If your attitude is to do things which are going to please the community and human beings, then of course you are likely to live a long life. To go to bed feeling that you have done some service to the community is very important” —Nelson Mandela.
Give us good people of good character and good governance
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.” – Earnest Benn
I hear that in Lagos State, some people are calling for the next governor to be a Christian. They argued that it is about time a Christian gets a go! What nonsense! In a statement titled; ‘The Church and Governance of Lagos State’ the chairman of Lagos PFN, Apostle Alex Bamgbala said “Christians have supported the two Muslim administrations in the state since 1999 and it is only fair that they give room for their Christian counterparts to be elected in 2015″.
I would rather have a potential governor who is effective and honest with the best interest of its people at the forefront than play sectarian musical chairs. If it is the case, we are barking up the wrong tree and once again staring deep into the abyss. The reason Lagos works is not because the man at the top is Muslim, it is because he is effective and thorough. Lagos has always been a melting pot and those that want to play politics with the lives of its people , better watch it.Enough of looking for trouble and trying to make people take sides.
This is what breeds mistrust and resentment. It serves no one, in the long run we will be prolonging our misery and storing trouble for generations to come.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, has explained that he sealed off the Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge in the Maitama District, Abuja because of what he termed abuse of the master plan.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, read, “the FCT Administration has sealed-off the Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City for abuse of the Abuja Master Plan.
”All the Governor’s Lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja Master Plan to be for residential purposes but not for political party secretariat as Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge is currently being used.
”The Governor’s Lodge, as it is today, is being used as a political party office thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the
city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja Master Plan”.
”The FCT Administration will not rest on its oars until the entire 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City is rid of all illegal structures and/or illegal change of Land Use” .
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Oyo/Osun Command has destroyed 5,390 cartons of imported poultry products with the monetary value of over N37.7millon in Ibadan, saying that importation of poultry products, which ought to be produced locally to boost indigenous firms is not good for local farmers in the country.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Mr. Richard Oteri, made this known at the dump site where the contra-band items were burnt in Ibadan, explaining that the products concealed by smugglers with other items in different vehicles in attempt to escape security checks were intercepted through intelligence gathering by the Crack-Squad of Oyo/Osun, led by DSC Olajogun J. A. along old Eruwa road at Ulugun.
He said, “The importers of poultry products and other goods that are prohibited by the Federal Government will continue to suffer losses until they desist from this criminal act to allow sanity in our economic environment. Consumption of such products is dangerous to health because of the time the birds were killed,the method of conveyance and preservation system, which can not be determined”.
We are working in line with government’s economic policy to facilitate trades and protect local industries from unhealthy competition through influx of contra-band goods from other places. For instance, importing poultry products worth millions of naira is detrimental to local farmers operating in the country. Also, such illegal act constitutes serious economic sabotage and if not tackled will hinder the programmes put in place by government to develop the agricultural sector”.
He went on, “The smugglers used smaller vehicles to pass through the bush but our officers still caught them. We are advising Nigerians to engage in legitimate businesses that will enhance economic growth and development rather than nefarious activities capable of impeding growth of local industries. There is no hiding place for smugglers in Oyo state.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Why was Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State involved in a solidarity march organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja to protest over minimum wage? He explains, in this interview, the reason, despite being a governor, he kept faith with Labour, his primary constituency. He raises the alarm that the Federal Government is killing the economy of states with irregular Federal Allocations, saying the situation poses danger to the nation’s democracy. Oshiomhole also speaks on the prevalence of kidnapping in his state among several other issues.Excerpts:
The nation just celebrated its independence anniversary, but many Nigerians believe there is nothing to celebrate. Are they right? We have a lot to celebrate. I think it is important to celebrate. Those who don’t want to celebrate can at least mark the day because it is important in the life of our nation. For the fact that we have the right to govern ourselves, not to be treated as second class humans who are incapable of presiding over our own affairs, we need to celebrate. I know that there are a lot of deficit because of the situation we found ourselves in. Not celebrate the fact that there is no hunger in the land because there is hunger. Not celebrate the fact that all our young people are gainfully employed, no, many people deserve jobs that are not there. Not celebrate the fact that we have attained all our development potentials, no, there is still a huge gap between the rich and the poor. But as they say, if there is life there is hope. In any event, for all those who are disappointed and I am one of them, this occasion also offers us an opportunity to reflect on what is it that we have failed to do, why are we where we are so that we can make the future better. But no matter how you want to talk about our problem, I am one of those who believe that the Nigerian nation is much more than the sub-total of all the problems that we want to talk about. We have cause to celebrate.
We were surprised to see you protesting with NLC in Abuja over minimum wage. Why was Governor Oshiomhole protesting with Labour? The mistake people make in life is to forget where they are coming from. I am conscious of the fact that I coming from the organized Labour, that the asset that I invested in my struggle to reclaim my victory for the governorship of Edo State was my labour struggles and the struggles of my colleagues and comrades in labour. And the promise of democracy is to improve on the quality of lives of the citizens. The primary purpose of all of us, 36 governors and one President is the welfare of Nigerians. If what we do does not translate to welfare, then our legitimacy can be questioned. And the responsibility of government everywhere in the world is to protect the weak from those who are extremely powerful. And the logic of the minimum wage is that for those workers who don’t have the muscle to organize strike, the government, the state should make a law to protect the most brutal employer from violating the basic right of the worker; that guarantees him a manageable pay. UK has a national minimum wage although it is hourly rate just like the US. If a government cannot protect the worker, what can it do? So, my point is that I was telling my colleagues that I will never agree with them on that issue and I will not only disagree quietly at the Governors Forum; that I will go publicly to disagree. As we speak, I am hired and employed by the Edo electorate, nobody in Abuja has hand in my election except those who registered here and who came to vote. Yet my salary is not fixed by Edo people even though Edo people pay it. My salary is fixed by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission which is a Federal Government agency entrenched in the Constitution. So if Abuja fixes the pay of the governor, Abuja fixes the pay of the councilor, Abuja fixes the pay of the commissioner, Abuja fixes the pay of the Chief Judge, Abuja fixes the pay of the House of Assembly members, why should Abuja not fix the pay of the least paid worker? We cannot selectively apply the principle of federalism. If we have become such a federal state, that every state determines its own compensation structure, let’s begin with ourselves. There is no reason I should earn the same pay as Delta because Delta, though younger, is richer than Edo State. I should not earn the same salary as Akwa Ibom, because Akwa Ibom’s revenue, while we are talking about N3-4billion here, is about N35billion monthly. So, why should Abuja fix my pay as Akwa Ibom as if we earn the same allocation? Akwa Ibom people should determine what they pay, Edo people should determine what they pay their workers. My point is, this is hypocrisy; you cannot selectively apply the principle of federalism. When it has to do with the ruling class, we invoke federal principle; but when you have to deal with the labourers, the forgotten majority, you now say, ‘let everybody pay according to its ability’. But that should start with government; that should start with the Chief Judge.
The permanent constituency that I can never divorce from is Labour. I can’t be alive in government and be a party to a group that met to remove the gains that Labour had achieved when I was in organized Labour. The point is none of my brother governors will be surprised because I told them I don’t agree with the logic, I do not agree with the argument and that I was going to publicly disassociate myself from that place. Government missed the point, this minimum wage of N18, 000 was not imposed by NLC; every state was represented but the truth is that many states were represented without necessarily consulting with their governors because the governors did not show much interest in the matter. If we show as much interest in the issue of minimum wage as we show on the issue of the Federation Account, our own representative would not have gone to make recommendation that we cannot live with. There were states whose representatives were ready to propose N40, 000, some N30, 000 and that was because the person representing the state never discussed with his governor or with his accounts people. But it shows that they did not place much premium on that issue. For me, it is about being consistent but don’t be surprised that there are many other things I will join in the protest if I think the welfare of the people is at stake.
This issue of Federal Allocations, many states today cannot pay salaries to workers. What actually is the problem? Is it that the Federal Government is broke? I don’t know if the Federal Government is broke, but I know there is a serious financial crisis and it is unprecedented in the history of this country. That for the first time since 1999, allocations can no longer come as and when due to states is shocking. I have been involved in trying to understand what the reasons are and I have not seen anything yet. Two years ago, it was about the kind of money we were spending on subsidy. In no time, following series of probes and enquiries by the National Assembly and by the Presidency, they have since discovered the kind of money they stole as regards subsidy, all the people that conspired with them and I believe the EFCC is dealing with that. But just as we are dealing with that, now we begin to hear about the theft of our crude oil such that what is accruing to the Federation Account is not enough to meet budgetary provision. This year’s budget was based on 79 dollars per barrel, and about 2.4, 2.5million barrels per day. Now the bad news is that contrary to all the forecast, nothing is getting better. And it is sad that we are not doing enough to change things for the better, the challenge of government in any part of the world is to deal with the issues. If the economy is not doing well, you do certain things differently and recover. Well, it is no more a matter for debate, we are ten months into the year and oil has performed very well, at about one hundred and five, one hundred and ten dollars per barrel throughout 2013. This means that if we have budgetary provision of 79 dollars, we ought to have a surplus of about 30 per cent, which should be in the crude oil account. But rather than having this surplus, we are witnessing a situation where Federal Allocations no longer come as and when due, states can’t pay salaries. In Edo State, like the rest of our 35 states, part of our July allocations has not been paid. About a third of our August allocations have not been paid and nothing has been paid for September allocations. And it is the first time since 1999 that this thing has happened.
NNPC owes us explanation The explanation by NNPC is completely watery. They collect 455,000 barrels per day for domestic refinery, but they also agreed that the refineries are not working, that at the very best, they cannot refine more than 100,000 barrels per day, so the question is what you are doing with the balance of 355,000? You take 455,000 barrels a day to refine, even when your refineries are not working. So, where is the money? If you multiply one hundred and nine dollars by 455,000 barrels per day, you will imagine the kind of money NNPC ought to be paying into the Federation Account. And from some of the figures that have been thrown around, NNPC is owing the Federation Account over N2.3trillion. And Edo has share of that amount that will run into several billions of naira. Last month, many states could not pay salaries, but in Edo we were able to pay with our IGR. Even the Federal Government could not pay salaries, I think they paid July salaries around the 14th of August. But we paid August salaries in August.
National disaster Just to say that whether we use the word broke or you deny the word broke, the truth is that there is financial crisis in Nigeria which has very serious national security implication because when we can’t pay salaries, Federal Government can’t pay salaries as and when due, and you can’t pay your contractors and your contractors will begin to retrench their workers, that is a recipe for national disaster. So I am hoping that NNPC should wake up and meet its obligation to the Federation Account, otherwise the integrity of government is at stake. If I can’t keep my promise, Federal Government can’t keep its promise, all other governors can’t keep their promise, the Nigeria electorate will be so disillusioned and it will be a disaster. So, I am hoping that NNPC recognizes that it cannot be business as usual and they have few cases to answer as far as I am concerned.
Kidnapping in Edo State is worrisome. What is the problem? It is not only in Edo State but all over the country. In fact, Edo State is the safest in the South-south. This has to do with our national security and the Federal Government must do much more because they are in control of the security agencies, the army, the police, the SSS, NSCDC; none of these is under the control of the states. The ones we have is the one called vigilante group and it is prohibited by law. So it is important that Nigerians recognize the limitations of any state government. All we do is that from time to time we try to procure vehicles, communications gadgets, pay allowances to officers and men and have been doing very dangerous jobs to protect us, especially officers who lost their lives in security matters. Having said that, I want to also say that, unfortunately, the media is not helping matters because when you go publishing not just the fact that the person has been kidnapped, sometimes you write how much the kidnappers are also demanding. Even young innocent people are reminded that kidnapping is a lucrative business when they read the amount being demanded or paid. You also inform the public that people are protesting, carrying placard that the person must be released; I ask myself, are you appealing to the conscience of a criminal, does he have conscience?. Like when you people were writing that Ozekhome must be released, you were just endangering the life of the victim because the people now know this is an important person in the society that the entire community is demanding his release and therefore the stakes are higher for him. So if you are so important the ransom must be higher. So obviously when the media reports things like this, you become part of security challenges and you hike the stake, you enlighten the kidnappers or inadvertently sensitize the younger ones on the kind of reward you get in kidnapping.
What is happening to the law on kidnapping passed by the state House of Assembly?
We do have a law on kidnapping. But what we are trying to sort out is amendment. There are two types of kidnappers. We have the deadly ones, like those who kidnapped Ozekhome. They killed policemen; they were known to have killed a former deputy governor, so they are murderers, kidnappers and armed robbers. Even under the existing law, death penalty will be their portion if prosecuted. I also know that from my interaction with kidnappers who have been paraded, some kidnap their victims and free them after receiving the ransom.
The issue for me is that should the state kill someone who kidnapped somebody and collected N200, 000, should he have the same punishment with someone who kidnapped and raped someone? Should they get the same death penalty? That to me is the issue. My position is, in order to discourage murder, we should try and make a distinction between those who killed and those who did not kill. Those who did not kill, I think they should have a right to life, but those who killed and if you are caught, obviously you will be sentenced to death and I will append my signature. I have no sympathy for people who have resorted to killing. So, I am discussing with the House that we should make a distinction, kidnappers who did not kill their victims can bag life imprisonment, or any number of jail terms as the law prescribes, but those who kill, there is nothing to negotiate, if you are caught I will sign your death penalty.
Banning Okada
I tell you this was the most difficult decision I have had to take. I really had to reflect on my oath of office and implemented the essential part of my oath of office which says that I shall not allow my personal interest to override public interest. I am very grateful to the people of Edo State across the 18 local government areas. I think I can boast that so far the only governor that has enjoyed the majority vote in each of the 18 local government areas, I am humbled by that gesture. In democracy, the state should be the most important source of protection for ordinary citizens because the rich can buy their private aircraft, build their private roads, they can fly overseas for treatment but the ordinary man cannot. Yes, Okada people are my people; they followed me throughout my campaign and supported me. Yes, I earlier said I will not ban Okada and I was honest with that. But what I didn’t know was that I was inadvertently inviting more people to come to Edo and use Okada. They banned Okada in Nasarawa, Delta and many other states and all of them were driving down to Edo because they have a comrade-governor. But I later discovered that it was posing serious security challenges. It was a very painful decision i had to take in the interest of the state. But we are procuring vehicles and I believe that every bike rider can easily become a taxi driver which is far better. They will become taxi owners; we are working that out with some banks.
People complain about multiple tax in Edo. What is your administration doing to streamline your tax policy? First, I discovered of late that in some local governments, people masquerade as traffic controllers and are busy detaining people and hijacking vehicles, side by side with the state traffic management agencies. So you are dealing with local government traffic managers and state in addition with the Federal Road Safety Commission. We held a meeting with local government councils and we said the law is clear, local governments do not have the powers to impound cars and harass road users. I warned that if it continues anybody that is caught will be dealt with according to the law. So if you find anybody who is not from Edo State Road Traffic Management Agency who says he is working for a local government, it is illegal. Even for those who are with the Edo State Traffic Management Board, I have also directed the commissioner that they must discontinue harassing road users. Your duty is to ensure that traffic flows and that is why I feel embarrassed when people refer to them as Oshiomhole police. Oshiomhole does not behave like this. The whole idea is that they should ensure that people park at the right places. I told them if you know that the place is reserved for no parking, mark it so that somebody will not pack. But it is not when there is no sign there and someone parks you now want to harass the person. You must be civil when conducting your duties. We must treat people with utmost respect, but if the offender decides to go to prison by breaking the law, we will send him to prison.
As regards environmental levy, if you go to Mission Road and other roads, you will discover how dirty the places are, so the people operating there have to pay for people to carry the dirt, not paying to government. There is no way I will use tax payers money to manage your waste, you have to pay to manage your waste. Again, government is a huge organization; there are lots of things that all manner of people do in the name of the state. Some of them are totally illegal. But I think the problem too is that for a long time, Nigerians are not used to paying taxes. You will also understand the fact that our people feel that there is free money coming from the Niger Delta that they think you can share. But, as we are talking now, we have not seen anything from Abuja; last month, part of our money has not come; a month before, part of the money has not come. So we have to look inward to survive as a state.
Flooding/ pace of work in Edo The truth is that during raining season, you cannot deploy bulldozers. During raining season, you can’t construct any road. So the contractors demobilize during raining season and remobilize during dry season. What you will find a responsible contractor doing could be working on the drainage and if you go to Mission Road you will find they are working on the side drain. So it is not true that we have been slow in the execution of projects; just like my first term, we are still firing from all cylinders.
On flooding, we all know the situation before we came into government, how Benin used to be each time it rained. But thank God we have been able to tackle it with our Benin water storm project; we have not been able to solve all the problems but we have found solution to many. Today you can no longer see flooding at 5-Junction and many other areas.
Challenges Edo was part of the old Mid-west, the only region created democratically on the basis of a plebiscite and thereafter every other state was created through military fiat. Our founding fathers believe and I believe, too, that we needed to free ourselves from external control. And if you look back, we can never question the wisdom of those who struggled for the creation of Mid-west Region and subsequently Edo State by military fiat. Even before I got here, a couple of achievements had been recorded.
When we came, the state was too poor to even pay civil servants, the roads were in bad shape, erosion was ravaging everywhere, rural areas, most of them inaccessible. There was no road in Benin that had street lights, none had functioning drainage, side drains. Just last week, chairman of Esan Professionals came to remind me that our first meeting in 2009, few months after my assumption of office, they shared with me their disappointment about quality of education, road network, water supply, etc, they thought I was going to be angry, but I told them I appreciated the catalogue of problems. When they came last week, some of them told me they were able to drive from Irrua all the way to Delta courtesy of the road that we have constructed in Esanland. When we started they said we were only planting flowers, later they said I was not doing anything in Edo North but the latest is that they said all the things I have been doing is in Edo North.
We don’t have much in the state but all we did was to seriously deploy the resources available to us as a state to do the best we can. Yes we have challenges if we had the kind of resources that some states have, we will triple the amount of development that we have here.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Benue State Police Command has apprehended a 23- year old mother, Joy Iember Iorzua for allegedly killing and dumping her two- day old baby boy, at the River Ujiiragbo, in Gwer local government area of the state.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that the suspect was arrested at Mbasa-Mbakine Gee council ward by members of the vigilante group operating in the community who handed her over to the Police in Aliade, the local government headquaters.
According to our source, the suspect who lived along Ayua-Num street, in Aliade town, was delivered of the baby a week ago and two days later, she allegedly strangled the innocent baby to death.
”After killing the baby, she wrapped his remains in a polythene bag, put him in a carton and dumped it at the popular UjiiragboRiver.
”The dastardly killing was however exposed when members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area, got wind of her action and her intention to escape from the community for fear of being apprehended.
”They trailed and arrested her after which angry members of her community descended heavily on her before handing her over to the Police at Aliade.
”The truth is that this is not the first time this type of allegation is being leveled against her, and that was what prompted the angry reaction of the people who were outraged by her action”.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Aliade, Suprintendent of Police Bitrus Madani who confirmed the arrest, disclosed however that the suspect had been transferred to the state command headquarters for further interrogation.
Madani who expressed dismay at the increasing crime wave in the local government area vowed that the Police would not relent in its task of ensuring the safety of lives and property of the people in the area.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Lagos – Former Vice-President of the World Bank, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, on Friday lauded the Federal Government’s emphasis on agricultural development in the country.
Ezekwesili in Lagos said that the focus on agricultural development was doing a lot to empower farmers across the country.
She added that the current emphasis had redirected the focus of more than 60 per cent of the population into agriculture and related businesses.
“I think the emphasis that government is giving to agriculture and agribusiness is very good. I applaud them (officials) for the emphasis on agriculture, agribusiness and enhancing productivity.
“Because, frankly, already we have more than 60 per cent of our citizens in agriculture.
“So, if you want to tackle poverty, go to the sector where the people who are mostly poor are operating, and it’s in agriculture.
“So, you go to that informal sector of agriculture, you provide them with the kind of tools and the kinds of facilities, the extension services, the links to the market, the seeds and inputs, the access to credit.
“The better business environment, all of these add together to improve their productivity, and therefore, will improve their income.
“Because when you enhance the income of the farmers, what it means is that they have more money that they can spend even in offering education to their children.
“So that circle of activities is so important for taking the entire society out of poverty.
“You don’t lift people out of poverty; you give people what they need in order to lift themselves out of poverty.’’
She also urged the government at all levels to make more efforts to boost agricultural development in the country in order to reduce the rate of poverty. (NAN)
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Cental Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has stated that the solution to Nigeria's development challenges is the fixing of the various broken value chains in the country's economic activities.
He made this assertion today while delivering a lecture at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, D.C. USA. The event was organised by the CSIS to take advantage of the conclave of the financial community for the Annual Meetings of the Bretton Woods Institutions ? the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He declared that the value chains in agriculture, petroleum and power are the most basic and critical, which will transform the economy.
The CBN Governor noted that the challenge for Nigeria does not necessarily lie in competing with the big multinationals for cutting edge technology, but in doing the basic things that will promote job creation, economic growth and stability.
The event was moderated by Mr. Dan Runde, Director of Project on Prosperity and Development, and William A. Schreyer at the CSIS.
Photo shows CBN GOvernor Sanusi at the lecture. On his left are Dan Runde, Hon. Chukwudi Jones Onyereri and Hon. Haruna Manu of the National Assembly House Committee on Banking and Currency.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Nigeria has embarked on an international campaign to press Liechtenstein into returning €185m linked to the late military dictator General Sani Abacha, which is still harboured in the tiny principality nearly 14 years after recovery proceedings began.
The Federal Government first requested assistance from Liechtenstein in returning the assets in 2000, two years after Gen Abacha's sudden death paved the way for the return of civilian rule.
Criminal investigations and subsequent forfeiture proceedings established that the funds originated from bribes paid by Germany's Ferrostaal AG to companies whose ultimate beneficiary was Gen Abacha. They related to a grossly inflated contract for the construction of an aluminium smelter, according to a Financial Times report.
Liechstenstein's constitutional court ordered the confiscation of the funds in 2012 and in March 2013 dismissed a final appeal against the order by companies linked to the Abacha family, clearing the way for restitution of the funds.
But the Liechtenstein government has declined to accept written guarantees from Nigeria that it will compensate the principality in the unlikely event that it should incur any liabilities in a further suit that has been filed by the Abacha-linked companies at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This could delay the return of the funds for several more years.
The late Gen. Abacha was the penultimate and most brutal of Nigeria's military rulers. He and what Switzerland's Supreme Court dubbed the "Abacha family criminal enterprise" amassed a fortune worth several billion dollars from misappropriation of public funds during his 1993-1998 rule. The lawyer representing the Abacha family could not be reached for comment.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's minister for economy and finance and the former managing director of the World Bank, described the delays as "outrageous" and accused the Liechtenstein government of being unco-operative. She told the Financial Times she plans to appeal for support for Nigeria's claims at this week's International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings.
"This is about funds that were stolen by a corrupt dictator. We have spent nearly 14 years trying to get them back and we are pleading with the Liechtenstein authorities not to aid and abet the continuation of that corruption," Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said.
Liechtenstein officials defend the delay as the result of the case in Strasbourg which would, if the court accepts to hear it, address the plaintiffs' rights to a fair hearing under article 6 of the European convention on human rights. The European court cannot overrule Liechtenstein court rulings restoring the funds but officials in the principality fear they could be laid open to compensation claims from the Abacha-linked companies.
"Unfortunately, now we are in a situation where we have a final judgment, we have the assets and the government wants to return those assets to Nigeria, but four entities have filed a case at the ECHR," Robert Wallner, Liechtenstein's attorney-general said.
"Even though their chances of winning are low we lawyers know we can never be sure of the outcome."
Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer working with the Nigerian government, has traced $2.4bn of assets linked to Gen. Abacha, most of which were channelled through European banks. Nigeria has recovered $1.3bn, the largest tranche of which – $500m – came from Switzerland in 2005. A further $1.1bn – in France, the UK, Luxembourg and the Channel island of Jersey – is still tied up in legal proceedings.
"Every other country where a final court decision was taken, paid back immediately," Mr Monfrini said, taking issue with Liechtenstein for failing to accept the Nigerian guarantee relating to the Strasbourg case. "They don't want to trust these people because they are Africans, although the balance sheet of Nigeria is a lot better than France or Spain. I would call this a neo-colonialist attitude."
Nigeria has engaged the World Bank's Stolen Asset Recovery unit, Star, set up by Mrs Okonjo Iweala herself when she was at the bank, to monitor the use of the funds once they are returned – as it has done with other recovered assets. But Liechtenstein wants the World Bank to play a greater role as guarantor.
"We want the World Bank to discuss with us and develop different opportunities to how we can bring the money back," a senior official at the Justice ministry said. "We are OK to pay the money back but we want to have an opportunity to be on the safe side…It is a long process but it is a fair proceeding," the official said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
There appeared to be an argument between the Captain and the First Officer of the Associated Airline aircraft which crashed on 3 October in Lagos Nigeria and killed 15 people, the aircraft’s black box has revealed.
The readout of the black box ,also known as Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, conducted by Nigeria’s Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, in its Abuja’s laboratory revealed that the computer onboard the plane sent a warning message to the Captain, Yakubu Abdulrahman, shortly before take-off but he ignored it.
The First Officer then suggested to the pilot to abort take-off but Yakubu Abdulrahman proceeded and took off.
“The First Officer asked if the take-off should be aborted approximately 12 seconds after the ‘eight knots’ callout,” said Captain Mukhtar Usman, Commissioner Accident Investigation Bureau,AIB.
AIB said the pilot and the co-pilot discussed some concerns about the aircraft prior to departure.
“The crew discussed some concerns about the aircraft prior to departure but at this time we are not prepared to elaborate on those concerns as there remains a lot of work to do to complete on the CVR analysis in order to determine the specific nature of the crew’s concerns,” said AIB Commissioner, Muktar Usman.
Usman said approximately four seconds after engine power was advanced to commence the take-off roll, the crew received an automated warning from the onboard computer voice which consisted of three chimes followed by “take-off flaps…take-off flaps.
“This is a configuration warning that suggests that the flaps were not in correct position for take-off. And there is some evidence that the crew may have chosen not to use the flap for take-off,” Usman said.
“This warning continued throughout the take-off roll,” Usman added.
“Approximately three seconds after ‘power is set’ call, the First Officer noted that the aircraft was moving slowly.
“At this time we can state that the Right engine appeared to be producing considerably less thrust than the left engine. The left engine appeared to be working normally,” Usman said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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