Blog

Basin
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Government on Sunday pledged to strengthen trans-boundary partnerships with Lake Chad Basin member countries to save the Lake from extinction.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu made the pledge at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

Adamu said that it was a matter for regret that the lake had depleted from its original size, saying its benefit for livelihood could not be over-emphasised.

He said that Federal Government was partnering with the Chinese and Italian governments to carry out a feasibility study for inter-basin water transfer from the Ubangui River in Congo.

He said that the proposed water transfer would be one of the biggest water transfer in Africa, stretching over 2,400 kilometers with the sole aim of recharging the lake for maximum benefits.
• CUE IN AUDIO
“What it means is that if we don’t do something, one day we wake up and find out that the lake does not exist, it has happened in other parts of the world where lakes just dried up, we don’t want that to happen, so there was a consensus that the lake must be saved from extinction because it provides livelihood for as many as 40 million people currently.

“And that area has the highest population growth rate in the world, so in the next 30, 40 years, only God knows what the population would be, but we expect it to be high if the trend continues.

“Unless the lake dries up in which case, people will now migrate, and you know what those migration would be, there have only two or three options, some would migrate up into the North into Europe, some would go eastwards, into the central Africa region where it is already a conflict zone.

“Saving that lake and sustaining the livelihood of the people in that region is key and it is a security issue for us in so many ways, including part of efforts to stern the scourge of Boko Haram, the best way to save the lake is to do the inter-basin water transfer, so we achieve that, and that is the premise in which we are working.’’
• CUE OUT AUDIO
The minister said that the Federal Government had in 2002 committed five million dollars to the Lake Chad Basin Commission to manage its resources for the member nations at the bank of the lake such as Cameroon, Niger, Central Africa Republic and Chad.

He said that member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) had expressed willingness to implement the roadmap for the restoration of the shrinking Lake Chad known as the Abuja Charter.

NAN reports that The Lake Chad is about eight per cent of the size of Africa and is shared by Algeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Libya, Nigeria, Niger and Sudan.

In 1992, a decision was taken to develop a master plan for the Lake Chad Basin, which included the establishment of an environmentally sound management of the natural resources of the Lake Chad conventional basin.

The feasibility study for the water transfer from the Congo Basin to the Lake Chad was the second priority project selected for implementation by the LCBC. (NAN)
TAK/GY
======
Edited by Grace Yussuf

Bill
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu has called on the Senate to pass the National Water Bill, saying it is consistent with the Constitution of Nigeria and should not be politicised.

Adamu, while fielding questions at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday, noted that the bill was for the overall benefit of Nigerians.
He said that the House of Representatives had passed the bill early in 2018, and was waiting on the Senate to do same, urging Nigerians to disregard misleading allegations, which were evident from the various commentaries from those opposing its passage.

He said that reports in the media appeared to have neglected the provisions and the benefits of the bill which was for the development, management and efficient use of the nation’s water resources in line with global best practices.

The minister described the oppositions to the bill as unnecessary controversy and diversionary.
• CUE IN AUDIO 1

“This is not a `Buhari water bill’, this is just a continuation of governance, this bill was drafted in 2006, the final draft came out in 2008, it went through stakeholders consultation in all the six geopolitical zones of this country.

“And then, nothing was heard of it, when we came on board, at our retreat, with all the major water stakeholders, one of the messages I got was that passing that bill would transform the sector, would ginger up the sector from the comatose state that it was.

“So we picked it up as one of the issues that we will promote under our roadmap, we took it to the Federal Executive Council, it passed, we took it to the Attorney General’s office, it was vetted, cleaned up and the president sent it to the National Assembly.

“The House of Representatives held its public hearing, passed the bill, and now it’s the turn of the senate, and at the senate, questions were raised, and people turn the whole thing upside down, calling it a Buhari bill, that the idea is to commandeer the rivers and riverbanks for Fulani Herdsmen.

“This bill seeks to give a fair and equitable distribution of water to the people of this country, there are areas of scarce water, it protects them, there are areas with excess water, it also protects them.’’
• CUE OUT AUDIO
Adamu said that the bill was not a new law; rather an amalgamation of Water Resources Laws that had been in existence as enshrined in LFN 2004 to promote efficient use of water resources and reduce duplication of efforts in line with international best practices.
He appealed to stakeholders and Nigerians in general to have faith in the bill as it was for the good of the nation, saying when passed into law would better serve and provide for the enhancement of the Nigeria Water Sector in line with global best practices.

NAN reports that the bill provides for professional and efficient management of all surface and ground water for the use of all people.

The bill is for both domestic and non-domestic use, irrigation, agricultural purposes, generation of hydro-electric energy, navigation, fisheries and recreation.

The Federal Government aims through the provisions of the law, to protect the nation’s water resources; to use, develop, conserve, manage and controll in a sustainable manner for the benefit of all persons in accordance with its constitutional mandate.

The Water Resources Bill will also provide for the creation of an enabling environment for public and private sector investment.

It also provides for capacity building processes to foster good governance while establishing a water use and licensing framework to ensure sustainable financing for water sector. (NAN)
TAK/GY
=======
Edited by Grace Yussuf

Lagos SWAN congratulates new NOC Spokesman, others

SWAN

By Olanrewaju Akojede

Lagos, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) Lagos Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Sunday congratulated one of its Executive Committee members, Phemmy Adetula, on his election as Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

The Lagos SWAN chairman, Debo Oshundun, in his congratulatory message, described the feat as a collective victory for the entire Lagos SWAN family.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adetula was elected at the recently concluded NOC election in Yola, Adamawa.

Oshundun said that Adetula’s victory in the keenly contested seat of NOC PRO was a triumph for Lagos SWAN.

“Adetula’s victory at the NOC elections is our victory in Lagos SWAN and we congratulate him as he assumes this new office.

“We know his qualities as a journalist and we are sure he will bring to bear his expertise and make the Nigeria Olympic Committee great again.
“As Lagos SWAN, we will provide all the necessary support needed to make Adetula’s tenure a success,” Oshundun said.

NAN reports that Adetula got 14 votes to defeat former NOC PRO, Tony Nezianya (13) and Patrick Ibeh (8).

He takes over from the Editor of Sporting Vanguard, Tony Ubani.

The election also produced other executive members with Habu Gumel returned unopposed as president.

Other elected officials included Solomon Ogba (1st vice president), Francis Orbih (2nd vice president) and Ishaku Tikon (3rd vice president).

Former Secretary General Banji Oladapo defeated the incumbent, Tunde Popoola with 22 votes to 12.‎

Mohammed Abdullahi was voted as Deputy Secretary General, while Bappa Aliyu returned as Treasurer. (NAN)

KOJE/WOJ

=========

Edited by Wale Ojetimi

New Abuja airport terminal designed for passengers’ maximum comfort – FAAN

Comfort
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, says the newly inaugurated international terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was designed give maximum comfort to air travelers.
Dunoma, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Abuja, explained that the facility provided in the new terminal would ensure speedy processing of passengers with lot of ease.
He assured that both the airlines and passengers would experience a great difference compared to what they were used to in the old terminal in terms of space and passengers’ processing equipment.
According to him, FAAN is committed to meeting the needs arising from the expected increase in number of passengers and aircraft movement by proving adequate manpower.
“You have gone through that terminal a number of times and you have seen the level of comfort apart from speedy processes because of the number of facilities that are provided.
“We expect that each and every passenger will see the difference in terms of facilitation and comfort and also the speed at which we will be processing passengers.
“The expectation is that it will take only very few minutes for you to go through either departure or arrival process.
“We are not going to shut down any part of the airport, it is going to be a combined effort.
“The old terminal will handle the domestic and sub-regional operations while the new terminal will handle international operations.
“We have plans to improve the standard of the existing terminal because as soon as the international operations move to the new terminal, we will have more space to commence work on the old terminal,’’ he said.
Dunoma disclosed that international airlines might not move into the new facility immediately, saying the airlines were waiting for the terminal to be inaugurated before they could start planning their operations there.
According to him, they need a little time to plan their operations and their passengers also need to be informed so that they don’t create confusion.
“So any airline that is ready, will move in to process the passengers that are in there so that we don’t create confusion,’’ he added.
The managing director also disclosed that work was in progress in the remaining two terminals in Lagos and Kano, adding that the unpaid counterpart funding was available to enable the contractor to perform.

The former Regional General Manager, North Central, FAAN, Mr Chris Bature, who was the pioneer supervising airport manager of the project, commended the Federal Government for its completion.
Bature said with the intermodal connectivity of the terminal by rail, government had been able to demonstrate strong commitment toward developing modern transport infrastructure in the county.
He said the airport had recorded great improvement compared to what was on ground before he left in 2014 in terms of expansion and increase in capacity.
According to him, there were some challenges that were there and they bother mainly on facilitation of passengers.
“Now the new terminal has been completed, the capacity of the old terminal has increased and this has enable them to handle more passengers and give room for more people,’’ he said. (NAN)
OYS/ABI
=========
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Currency
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama ssays achieving the ECOWAS Single Currency by 2020 will be a challenge.

Onyeama said this while responding to questions from newsmen at the end of the 54th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Saturday.

The chairman, who is Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, said that there were certain criteria that needed to be fulfilled for a region to achieve the single currency, and which were not yet fully addressed.

“There is a roadmap, the convergence criteria that have to be satisfied before we can really get to the stage of a single currency.

“In ECOWAS, we have a group of countries that in essence almost have a single currency mechanism in place and we have other countries that have their own currencies and being able to align all these is going to take some time.

“It will be a challenge to achieve the single currency by 2020 but all the efforts are being made.”

He said however that the central bank governors, finance ministers and experts in the region were working toward ensuring that the set timeline was achieved.

“The political will is there and it is really a question to see whether the economic and fiscal realities will converge with the political aspirations.”

Also responding, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Brou said the region had made very good progress in its efforts to ensure free movement of people among member states.

Brou said that part of the efforts was to have biometric identity card for all citizens in the region to promote security and facilitate the achievement of the single currency.

“Three countries in ECOWAS are already using the ECOWAS Biometric Identity card, so we are urging other countries to do it.

“It has security features and that will also increase security in the region and at the same time, not prevent free movement of goods and persons which is a very important step of the single market.” (NAN)
TOP/AO
=======
Edited by Angela Okisor/Grace Yussuf

Prices
By Leonard Okachie
Umuahia, Dec. 22, 2018 (NAN) Prices of some food items have soared in some major markets in Umuahia, the capital of Abia two days to Christmas.
A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday at Ubani, Isi Gate and Orie Ugba markets showed the prices of tomatoes, onions, rice, ogbono, egusi and others have increased.

At Ubani Market, a 50 kg of tomatoes which sold for between N10,000 and N12,000 a week ago, now sells between N19,000 and N20,000.

A bag of onions now sells for N45,000 as against N41,000 to N43,000 it was sold last week.

A bag of ogbono previously sold for N140,000 now goes for N160,000, while that of egusi which used to sell between 120,000 and N130,000 now sells for N162,000.

Prices of rice has also soared as a bag of foreign rice which sold at about N18,000 two weeks ago, now sells for between N21,000 and N22,000.

The local rice which was previously sold for between N14,000 and N15,000, now goes for between N17,000 and N18,000.

NAN survey revealed that the prices of the aforementioned items are not different at Orie Ugba, another major market in Umuahia.

At Isigate, a milk-tin of ogbono which previously sold for N500 now sells for N600, while that of egusi, which used to sell for N230 now goes for N300.

Pumpkin vegetable known as “ugwu’’ in local dialect which was previously sold for N50 for the an average bunch now goes for N100.
An onions seller at Isigate market, Mrs Chidinma Ezoh, lamented the increase in price of onions.
“Last week, I bought a bag of onions at N43,000, but today I bought it N45,000.

“The price is increasing everyday. I don’t know what it will be like by Monday but I’m sure it will increase because it will just be a day to Christmas.

“In 2016, a bag of onions which now sells for N45,000 was sold for between N12,000 and N14,000,” she said.

Another trader at Orie Ugba market, Mr Patrick Okafor, who sells food items, pointed that the increase was usual because of the festive period.

“This is Christmas season. Everything has added money. We sell according to how we buy. It is just unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it,” he said.

A consumer at Ugbani Market, Mrs Elizabeth Kanu called on the Federal Government to put in place price control mechanism that would checkmate the excesses of traders.

“We are being exploited and it is because the Federal Government does not have any price control mechanism.

“I heard that this is harvest time for some items such as tomatoes and onions, yet these traders are still selling them at astronomical prices,” she lamented. (NAN)
LEO/AO/GY
=========
Edited by Angela Okisor/Grace Yussuf

Warning

By Ayinde Abdulsaheed

Bauchi, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bauchi State Command, has warned people against traveling at night, especially during the festive period with a call on drivers to eschew speeding.

The Deputy Corps Commander, Mr Paul Guar,gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi.

He said: Although, if we go by the constitution of the country, there is freedom of movement,however, the situation we find ourselves, especially during festive periods, calls for the need to be extra caution.”

“There is kidnapping here and there, armed robbery on the highways and the roads become unsafe.

“People should desist from traveling at night. It is better for them to travel in day so that if they fall into any unpalatable situation, they can have ready assistance.

“Furthermore, if accident happens in the night where there is no town close by, the victims won’t get the readily help they need. So, traveling in the night should be discouraged.”

Gaur,who noted that many commercial drivers often engage in speed in.the name of making extra money during festive periods, urged them to stop the attitude in the interest of their lives and those of passengers.

He, however, assured that the Corps was on top of the situation to ensure tha all commercial vehicles in the state adopt the use of Speed Limiting Devices (SLD) to signufically reduce road accident.(NAN)

EED/KTO/DUA

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Dada Ahmed

Gsm: 08030416173

(more…)

Birthday

By Mohammed Lawal

Zaria (Kaduna State), Dec. 23,2018 (NAN) Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advocated collective efforts, from all Nigerians, against the current insecurity and insensitivity situation in the country.

Obasanjo said this at the 80th Anniversary of Prof. Ango Abdullahi, former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria held at his farm at Basaa, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony was organised by the Abdullahi Kwasau Dynasty.

The ex-president said the call became necessary in view of the incessant insecurity bedeviling the country.

He called on Nigerians not to  allow things to go the way the way they were going in order not to plant  the seed of destruction for the country.

Obasanjo  said: “For as long as our nation is not what it should be, we have to work together to make our country what it should be.

“Nobody can say yes  is my country, I can do whatever I like with it, God will not allow that to happen.”

In his speech, Abdullahi recalled that his relationship with Obasanjo started in 1975 during the regime of late Gen. Murtala Mohammed.

He said the regime kicked him and others out of office while he was a Commissioner in Kaduna State, under Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s administration.

“When they kicked us out of office, I quietly went back to ABU where I was from.

“Later, went I was summoned to go to Dodon Barracks, I asked myself, what crime have I committed as a commissioner to be invited.

“Certainly, when I presented myself in Obasanjo’s office, he told me that I was selected as a member of a committee.

” He, however, said details of my schedule  would be revealed when i catch up with other members in Calabar,” he said.

He said the ceremony was an opportunity for “members of the Abdullahi Kwasau dynasty to come together, to know one other, speak with one another and strengthen the relationship with one other.”

Ango said the future of Nigeria “is” not in naira and Kobo but in the legacies left the present generation of Nigerians would leave behind.

The octogenerian, therefore, advised Nigerians, especially the young ones, to do everything possible to leave good legacy behind (more…)