Blog

NAN-H-60
Cooperation
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance global mobility and traveller identity management.
A statement by ICAO’s spokesman, Anthony Philbin, on Wednesday, said the agreement would aid the two agencies’ efforts to respond to new and emerging challenges in a coordinated way.
Dr Fang Liu, ICAO’s Secretary General, said that the new agreement would serve to raise awareness on the close connection between aviation, migratory movements, and border management and facilitation.
Liu said the MoU was consistent with ICAO’s responsibility to promote safe and orderly development of international civil aviation, including the adoption of international standards for customs and immigration documents and procedures.
“The new agreement will aid the efforts to respond in a coordinated way to new and emerging challenges such as security requirements, accessibility to safe transport modes for migrants and refugees.
“It will also address the challenges of increased international cross-border mobility, health challenges linked to international mobility, as well as security and facilitation in global air travel,’’ he said.
William Swing, Director-General of IOM, said that the management of borders, travel facilitation and security, travel document security and identity management were of great importance for all international travellers.
Swing said that considering the number of migrants and refugees that cross international borders, strengthened close cooperation between ICAO and IOM was a much welcome step.
“The IOM will henceforth participate as an observer in ICAO’s Technical Advisory Group on the Traveller Identification Programme (TAG/TRIP), as a member of the ICAO TRIP Implementation and Capacity Building Working Group (ICBWG).
“It will also participate in New Technologies Working Group (NTWG), as well as on any new ICAO deliberative bodies relevant to its mandate.
“Cooperation will also be intensified toward enhanced support to states regarding travel documents and related border and identity management challenges, harmonizing passenger data exchange programmes and in promoting data-driven security.
“The agreement will also ensure more integrated identity and border management programmes, the mobility of migrants, resettlement of refugees as well as voluntary returns via air.
“It will also provide support to both stateless and other persons, travel health assistance, pandemic management and other travel health related emergencies,’’ he said. (NAN)
OYS/BOLA/WOJ
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(Edited by Bola Akingbehin / Wale Ojetimi)

NAN-DS-6
Murder
Enugu, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) A 41-year-old man, Francis Uzo, has committed suicide after allegedly hacking his wife, Ozoemena, to death over unresolved issues in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Police spokesperson, DSP Ebere Amaraizu said in Enugu on Wednesday that the tragic incident occurred on Nov. 15 in their residence at Nchantancha-Nike of the state.

Amaraizu said that on the fateful day, at about 12 noon, Okonkwo allegedly pounced on his wife, over a yet-to-be established issue and inflicted several machete cuts on her.

He added that the woman lost several pints of blood before she was taken to hospital where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

The police spokesperson said that when the police arrived at the residence of the couple to arrest the husband, they found his lifeless on the floor.

Amaraizu said he was rushed to the Annunciation Hospital, Emene for medical attention but was also confirmed dead.

He said that the remains of the husband and his wife had been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

He said that the homicide department of the police had commenced investigation into the unfortunate incident. (NAN)
NUO/MNA/AEA

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Archibong Asuquo

NAN-H-69
Teachers
Lagos, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) Mr Bankola Sadipe, Coordinator, Early Child Educational Foundation (an NGO), on Wednesday said it would train teachers in all the 12 public primary schools in Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area.

Sadipe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the training would focus on new teaching techniques, research and use of instructional materials to improve performance of pupils in primary schools.

He said that the six course programme training would be certified by a reputable academy in February 2017.

“It is always very easy to overlook the teachers; whereas, we realise that even the quality of the teachers will affect the quality of the students.

“Training and retraining of teachers is very important to improve academic performance because what you do not have, you cannot give.

“Over the years, we have organised quiz and debate competitions for pupils in the LCDAs and now we want to assist the teachers because they are important stakeholders. What we want to do next year is to organise teacher’s conference for them.

“We are concentrating on Coker-Aguda LCDA for now because we do not have the capacity to go much larger.

“We want to use what we are doing as a template; if we can do all of this in one local government and we are getting result, that means we have something we can sell to every other LGA that they will appreciate.

“We have sent letters to the education department on a suitable date and we are waiting for the response,’’ he said.

Sadipe urged the Lagos State Government to invest more in library and reading materials to improve performance of pupils in elementary schools.

He said that research has shown that children who have access to educational and instructional materials in elementary schools perform better than their peers without access to reading materials.

The coordinator said it did not matter if a child attends a private or public school, adding that every child has the capacity to perform if government and stakeholders can encourage them by providing the basic facilities that would help them excel. (NAN)
OOG/FF/IS

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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Ismail Abdulaziz

NAN-H-68
GMO
By Chiazo Ogbolu
Lagos, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS) on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to maximise the benefits of biotechnology by embracing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) technology, research and production.

Prof. Oyebodun Longe, a Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Ibadan, made the appeal at the NAS Media roundtable on GMO in Lagos.

Longe, who spoke on “Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO): Use in Nigeria’’, said one of the significant attributes of GMOs demonstrated scientifically over the years was the concept of `Biodiversity Preservation’.

She said that with the fast growing work population, there was need to grow more food and that GMO would help to solve that problem.

She added that “even though adoption of GM technology in Africa may not have met expectations, African nations and Nigeria in particular, must for the sake of science, develop the scientific capacity to embrace GMO technology.

“The GMO technology, research and production will enable the country to confidently join others to maximise the benefits of biotechnology, particularly those related to food security and sustainable development.”

According to her, Nigeria must equip the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) with the technical know-how to do its work in order to adopt the technology.

She, however, explained that the Agency must have strict guidelines to check the inflow of GM foods from different entry points into the country and even imports of genetic materials for research purposes.

The don said government should rely on scientific research in order to set safety standards for GM foods.

“An effective regulation of GMOs is necessary for preservation of biodiversity, and government should put in place structures geared toward development of country specific products.

“The Bio-safety Bill must not fall short of the requirements of the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol to which Nigeria is a party, while international safety standard must be maintained,’’ she said.

She said research capacities must be strengthened with collaboration between the Ministry of Science and Technology, universities and research institutes with equipped laboratory to promote safe use of the technology.

Longe said that there were currently no commercialised Nigerian GMO, adding, however, that cassava, cowpea, sorghum and cotton, were currently under field research and were being developed with specific traits.

Earlier, the NAS President, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, urged government to create an enabling environment that would check that whatever GMO products came into the country were well verified.

Tomori said that as regards the long-term effects of GM foods, good laboratories should be in place so that the growth of GM products would be well managed to forestall any problem.

“We are protecting the future with this gathering. Should we have GMO in the country? What do we put in place in form of policy to safeguard the citizens?

“The country must be at alert, prepare for any eventuality, get people aware of products and their benefits to health,’’ he advised.

Prof. Effiom Ene-Obong, Professor of Plant Breeding and Crop Biotechnology, University of Calabar, said that the country was ready for GMO products.

He said “the country has a mass of trained scientists, enough manpower to go into the product.

“A genetic modified product goes through rigorous testing before it is released for consumption.

“The fear of the public is what kind of genes are being transferred and if eaten by man, what harm it may cause.”

He said that GMO products would not replace conventional agriculture, adding that it would only complement the conventional part of agriculture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a genetically modified product allows seated individuals genes from one organism to be inserted into another.

It can be used to promote a desirable characteristic or to suppress an undesirable trait. (NAN)
CAN/COF/HA
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Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

NAN-H-29
Youth
By Aminu Garko
Minna, Nov. 16, 2016 ( NAN) Bishop Martins Uzoukwu of the Catholic Diocese of Minna on Wednesday advised the Federal Government to mobilise youths in the country into farming during the farming season.
Uzoukwu told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna that engaging youths in active farming would enable them contribute positively toward the socio-economic development of the nation.
He said that sufficient funds should be channelled to the National Directorate of Employment ( NDE) to prepare grounds for unemployed youths to take up farming .
He said that the system would enable youths to produce assorted crops for both local and export consumptions.
“ Mobilising our youths into farming will boost production of various crops and enhance food security,’’ he said.
He also called on states and local governments to accord priority attention to the provision of farming implements as means of making the youths become responsible citizens.
“ We are blessed with arable farmlands that can produce various crops.
“All that they want is motivation through the provision of modern farming implements for them to excel, “he said. (NAN)

AAG/BOLA/PAD
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Edited by Bola Akingbehin, Peter Dada

NAN-H-57
Complaints
Abuja, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), is working to set up a website to handle complaints from its students, staff and clients, the institution’s  Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, has said.

Adamu made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of the institution’s’ Service Chapter and Complaints Policy.

The Service Charter was produced by SERVICOM Unit, Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

SERVICOM is a Service Compact Agreement between the Federal Government including all its organs and the Nigerian people.

According to Adamu, the website, NOUNsupport.com will take complaints meant for the vice-chancellor.

“On the left side of the website will be-talk to my vice-chancellor-for my complaints.

“On the other side will be-rate my centre—for issues concerning our study centres.

“We have to strengthen our SERVICOM interface with our students; we will include a SERVICOM link in the website where the unit can receive complaints,’’ he said.

The VC said that NOUN would create a module where non-teaching staff would be evaluated to avoid friction between them and teaching staff.

He urged participants at the 4^th Quarter 2016 NUC Parastatal Servicom Committee meeting being hosted by NOUN to work out modalities on how to carry academic staff on board.

Adamu stressed the need to incorporate more professors into SERVICOM so that there would be fewer issues between the service provider and the service receiver.

“It is an ethical principal to report to work at a particular time but an academic has a laptop which is his office.

“How do we solve this problem? All these are issues the meeting should discuss,’’ he said.

In her remark, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, Acting Coordinator, SERVICOM Office, Presidency, said that NOUN’s Service Charter was a document that would serve as a guide to all customers.

She said the document has the two sides of SERVICOM—service provider and service taker.

Akajemeli said that it was the duty of service provider to ensure that citizens get excellent service.

The coordinator said that NOUN’s SERVICE Charter contained implementable standards. (NAN)

CJ/AEA/AEA
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Edited by Archibong Asuquo

NANFeatures/Vol.10/No.258/2016 (Nov. 16)

Stabilisation fund, liquidity in power sector and matters arising

By Kingsley Okoye, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Analysts observe that Nigerian power sector is characterised by a large gap between supply and demand.

According to them, the current power demand is more than the megawatts being generated, although the government targets 10,000 megawatts between 2019 and 2030 by utilising various energy means for electricity generation.

They estimate that Nigeria will require investments in power generation alone of not less than 3.5billion dollars per annum to achieve this.

They insist that large investments are also required in the other parts of the supply chain of power transmission and distribution networks.

They, nonetheless, note that the enactment of the 2005 Electricity Power Sector Reform has laid a solid foundation for reforming the sector through privatisation.

The reform later culminated in the liberalisation and commercialisation of the sector into18 new successors companies.

The companies included six generation companies, one transmission company and eleven distribution companies.

These new companies are to generate and deliver electricity under the supervision of the Ministry of Power and other agencies of government such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

However, consumers argue that the country’s resources in renewable and non- renewable energy sources notwithstanding, the sector has yet to record a significant improvement in the three value chains.

Stakeholders in the sector have, therefore, attributed the inability of the sector to record major breakthrough to the challenge of inadequate liquidity in the sector.

Operators also have accused each order of being the weakest in the chain by not providing the needed services to ensure delivery.

For instance, some concerned Nigerians allege that the distribution companies remit less that 20 per cent of revenues collected from electricity consumers on behalf of the entire chain to the market operator.

The generation companies has also alleged that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Traders only pays 20 per cent of  its invoice resulting in its inability to effectively discharge its duties as fund available to it is not adequate to carry out its power generating functions.

Also, the distribution companies have decried the nonpayment of bills by many customers, especially the huge debts by government’s establishments.

But NERC says the major challenge bedeviling the nation’s power sector is the lack of access to liquidity to promote investment in the sector.

The Acting Chairman of the council, Dr Anthony Akah, said the investment in the power required huge amount of fund, noting that the non-availability of adequate fund constituted a hurdle to speedy development of the sector.

To ensure significant electricity supply in the country by the year 2030, observers note that the Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated several funding interventions to support the growth of the sector.

One of such funding mechanism is Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility of N213 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to firms in the power sector.

Inaugurated on Nov. 18, 2014, the fund is expected to help operators bring about improvements in power supply for the benefits of Nigerians.

With more than N120 billion disbursed so far to operators in the sector since inauguration, concerned power sector analysts have sought to find out the impact of the intervention to the development of the sector.

For instance, the President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd., Mr Tony Ejinkonye, said CBN’s stabilisation electricity fund had addressed the deterioration in the power sector.

He said the disbursement was a major milestone in the effort of CBN in collaboration with the Federal Government to achieve a contract based electricity market.

He said the disbursement had contributed more than 25 per cent of the annual capital expenditure budget for the sector.

But some renewable energy developers are of the view that the fund was not been utilised in the development other energy mix resources in the country.

Dr Chidi Onuoha, the President Sustainable Energy Practitioners Association of Nigeria, said that injecting 50 per cent of the N213 billion CBN’s power intervention fund into renewable energy development could even generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020.

Onuoha said the CBN’s interventions was solely channelled to improve hydro thermal energy production, hence the nation was still battling with 4,000 megawatts.

He alleged that it was unfortunate that part of the money was not committed to developing renewable energy, noting that no developer in the renewable production had access to the fund.

According to him, channelling part of the CBN’s power intervention fund into renewable energy production will not only generate more power, but will create employment opportunities for  teeming Nigerian unemployed youths as well.

Irrespective of his, some operators have expressed gratitude for the support and concern of government.

The Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distribution Companies, Mr Sunny Oduntan, said that a balance of N90.4billion of the intervention fund for the power sector had yet to be disbursed.

Oduntan said the Federal Government had been quite supportive in tackling the challenge of liquidity in the sector since the new owners took over the power business in the country.

He, however, said that given the current electricity market shortfall and the envisaged further shortfalls, the balance yet to be disbursed would not address the shortfalls.

Available records indicates that 24 industry participants, including distribution companies, generating companies and service providers, among others, have so far benefited from the intervention.

Reports from generating companies reveal that the fund has contributed in the execution of capacity recovery programmes  at Shiroro dam, Jebba Hydroelectric Power Plant Nigeria and rehabilitation of three units at Kainji Dam under permitted utilisations of the facility.

All in all, observers note that with the CBN’s intervention at improving the power generation transmission and distribution, it is imperative for government to devise other measures of injecting fund to solve liquidity problem in the sector.(NANFeatures)

**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

NAN-DS-5
NAF
By Yahaya Isah
Abuja, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Wednesday restated its commitment to protect the territorial integrity of the country against any form of aggression.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said this in his opening remarks at the NAF 2016 Operations Seminar at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

The theme of the conference is: “Developing Effective Airpower Responses to National Security Challenges in Nigeria’’.

Abubakar said that the subversive activities of insurgents and militants appeared to pose challenges to the political stability of the country and the desire to become a prosperous nation.

This, he said, had called for more commitment to the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity for the peaceful co-existence of all.

“Since the advent of this administration, we have critically looked at every aspect of our air operations. From coordination with land forces, to logistics support, to platform reactivation efforts and to welfare of personnel.

“We have identified the critical role of training and retraining, reactivation of platforms, developing capacity in force protection, and enhancement of personnel morale through the provision of decent shelter for all,’’ he said.

The CAS said further that in order to ensure optimal performance, the service had trained over 700 personnel of different specialties in several parts of the world in the last eighteen months.

“Today we have Fg Offrs as captains, Co-pilots, Flight Engineers and IPs on the C-130.

“We have 40 pilots training in different parts of the world, while 27 are training in the country,’’ he said.

According to him, NAF has expanded the infrastructure in its recruits training school to accommodate 2,500 recruits at a time as against 500 recruits in the past.

Abubakar explained that the efforts were necessitated by the expanded role NAF was playing in the counter-insurgency operations in different parts of the country.

He said in order to deal with the country’s increasing internal security challenges, four new Regiment Groups under the SOC located in Gusau, Owerri, Bauchi and Ipetu Ijesa would soon take off.

“We have also established NAF AWC in Makurdi to build the capacity in understanding air operations.

“NAF has also brought in 14 additional aircraft that were grounded for one maintenance reason or the other, into flying status,’’ he said.

The CAS also said that NAF had trained 325 personnel as Special Forces personnel with skills such as Anti-Hijacking and Counter-Terrorism.

He urged the participants to utilise the knowledge they acquired from the seminar to improve on their performance and the service generally.

The Special Guest of Honour, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, expressed delight to be part of the NAF family.

The CDS was represented by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas.

Olonisakin commended the Chief of Air Staff for his outstanding performance so far, especially in security and the service assistance in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.

“The peculiarity of NAF operational space in terms of its ubiquity makes it an indispensable party to any military operations.

“As such, the role of NAF toward the overall development of any nation, particularly in safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity cannot be overemphasised,’’ he said. (NAN)
YI/AMY/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

NAN-H-54
Wires
Lagos, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) Two security guards, Abdulsalam Mohammed, 30, and Julius Fase, 39, were on Wednesday arraigned in Lagos for allegedly stealing cable wires valued at N750,000.

The duo are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before Magistrate Alexander Komolafe of the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused, were alleged to have committed the offence on Nov. 9.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Joseph Ajebe, said that the offence was committed at about 6.30 p.m., at Westmant Company located at Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Ajebe told the court that the accused who were night guards were caught by the company’s Managing Director, Mr Westmart and a staff.

“The accused were caught while in the process of carting away the cable out of the company premises with intension to sell. The complainant alleged that the accused are fond of stealing cable wires from the company.

“He said that the accused had stolen wires before from the company, but apologised and promised not to do so again. But when they were caught recently stealing cable wires, the accused were handed over to the police,’’ he said.

The offences contravened Section 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment for convicted offenders.

The magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two responsible sureties each in the like sum.

Komolafe said that the sureties must show evidence of genuine means of being gainfully employed and adjourned the case until Dec. 5, for mention. (NAN)

LAW/DEB/IS

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Edited by Debo Oshundun/Ismail Abdulaziz

Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi
NAN-H-26
Threat
By Tayo Ikujuni
Akure, Nov. 16, 2016 (NAN) Mr Abayomi Adesanya, the Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, on Wednesday raised the alarm over threats to his life by unknown persons.

Addressing journalists in Akure, Adesanya said he had been receiving strange calls from some private numbers on his cell phone threatening to “teach him a lesson’’ by silencing him from being a consistent critic.

He said apart from the strange calls, some armed men in police bullet-proof uniform, had in the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 9, discreetly came to his house in Akure.

Adesanya said the armed men asked one of his neighbours for his apartment in the storey building.

“I was not at home when the armed men came to my house, but they met one of my neighbours, a heavily pregnant wife of a police officer, who relayed the message when l came back from an early morning exercise.

“My neighbour said the three uniform men discreetly gained entrance into the compound and began searching into the storey building to identify my own rented flat.

“I was told they (uniform men) saw my vehicle inside the compound and asked after the owner of my car and apartment by pointing to my vehicle and asked ‘where is the owner of this car?

“That is the person we are looking for, but the woman told them I was not at home.

“She told me that the three armed men claimed to her that they are from the Police Area Command Office, Akure.

“Also, a woman adjacent to my house confirmed to me that the armed men came in a green and yellow Ondo State taxi coloured car which was parked in front of her shop.

“Immediately, I called the Area Commander, ACP Olatoye Durosimi, who promised to investigate the matter.

“I went to the Area Commander’s Office at about 3.00 p.m. the same day to inquire from him the outcome of his investigation, but he told me the armed men are not his men.

“Some people are after my life and I don’t know them. I have been receiving strange calls, harassments while driving these days.

“Honestly, my life is in serious danger,’’ he said.

Adesanya appealed to security agents in the state to come to his aid by ensuring his safety and that of his property as the governorship election approaches in Ondo State.

Adesanya was a foundation member and House of Assembly Candidate in the defunct Action Congress (AC) in 2007 and was also a prominent member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Confirming the report of the incident, the Area Commander in Akure, ACP Olatoye Durosimi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that investigation by the police revealed that the armed men were not officers of the command.

“It is true that Mr Abayomi Adesanya, the APC Spokesman in Ondo State, reported the incident of some armed men that allegedly came to his house on Nov. 9, however, our investigation revealed that they were not policemen from my command.

“If they are policemen they would have come back. Definitely, not all policemen use police vehicle anyway.

“But my investigation has not revealed that anyone is looking for him for anything and he has not committed any offence,’’ Durosimi said. (NAN)

IKU/TA
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Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi