Blog

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Cassava

Uyo, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) Akwa Ibom Government said it would soon inaugurate three cassava mills to boost food production in the state.

Mr Moses Armstrong, the Special Assistant on Agriculture to Gov. Udom Emmanuel made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Uyo on Friday.

He said that the cassava mills, when inaugurated, would help to reduce the price of the product in the market by 50 per cent in the state.

Armstrong said that the mills are located in Eket, Abak and Uruan Local Government Areas of the state.

The governor’s aide also said that the mills are already completed and would soon be fully functional.

The Special Assistant explained that the state government would build 10 cassava mills, one in each of the ten Federal Constituencies, to ensure food sufficiency in the state.

Armstrong said government was committed to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to manage the mills for the Ministry of Agriculture in the state.

“The proposed cassava mills in the 10 Federal Constituencies promised by the governor are ongoing; three out of the 10 are ready now in Eket, Abak, Uruan and are functional and ready for inauguration.

“Very soon, the Ministry of Agriculture will place adverts on radio and television to allow experts and private sectors to manage these mills.

“Government cannot do that alone; we need experts and the private sector to come and manage these mills.

“Let’s see how the mills will manifest and be productive for Akwa Ibom people,’’ he said.

Armstrong said that the cassava demonstration farms in the three senatorial districts were cultivated on 22 hectares of land.

“I personally have monitored these projects and they are doing very well and very soon, in  about three weeks or one month, we should be harvesting our cassava,’’ Armstrong said.

The Special Assistant said that the technical committee set up by the state government had made the ministry to know that cassava can be planted in two seasons.

“We have two seasons of planting cassava in Akwa Ibom and we never knew that before. We only plant only one season.

“Now, the technical committee  has come and taught us that we can actually plant by two seasons, after this planting; in  just about  a few months, you have to plant again and the plants will  come out very well.

“We still have a lot of land remaining for extension, this is a very good one and is commendable and we prayed that the policy of the government on Agriculture should be sustainable,’’ he said.

The Special Assistant said the programmes revolve around food sufficiency to create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths.

Armstrong said that measures had been put in place to ensure that the loan facilities made available by the government were utilised for farming purposes.

He said that with the implementation of various policies and programmes in the agriculture sector in the state, the problem of food shortage would be a thing of the past.

Armstrong said that this was because 90 per cent of the farmland in the state had the capacity for all-yea farming.

He, therefore, urged the people of the state to embrace farming for food sufficiency. (NAN)
Edited by David Onilede/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-42
Dismissal
By Sandra Umeh
Lagos, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) A Federal High Court Lagos, on Friday dismissed a suit challenging the appointment of retired Col Hameed Ali, as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The suit was instituted by a rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, in November 2015.

Adegboruwa had urged the court to determine whether the president could appoint anyone as comptroller-general of customs without complying with Section 3 of the Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made on 25th March 2002.

The said gazette stipulates that only those within the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs could be elevated as substantive Comptroller-General.

Adegboruwa then asked the court to nullify the appointment.

In his judgment, Justice Sule Hassan, held that the president was empowered under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, to exercise all executive powers.

Hassan held that these powers could be exercised either by himself or through officers delegated for that purpose.

He held further that under Section 171 of the same constitution, the president was empowered to appoint public officers and thus, the appointment of Col Hameed Ali, was validly made and same would stand in law, notwithstanding any thing to the contrary.

The judge held that although the applicant had not shown sufficient or special interest that robes him with the requisite locus standi to maintain the action, as he was not a customs officer.

Hassan disagreed with Adegboruwa that the latter case of Chief Gani Fawehinmi v President, FRN, had opened the floodgates for citizens to challenge all government actions.

He, consequently, upheld the preliminary objection of the respondents and struck out the case of the applicant, without any order as to costs.

NAN recalls that the Nigeria Customs service had filed a preliminary objection, challenging the locus standi of the applicant to file and maintain the suit.

The customs service contended further that Adegboruwa’s suit was a mere academic exercise raising hypothetical questions that the court should not entertain. (NAN)
UNS/YMU/OFN

Edited by Felix Nwadioha

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Election
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) Opposition political parties in Lagos have decried  the delay by the Lagos State Government in conducting local government election.

Some officials of the political parties who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Lagos said the development had deprived local government councils of their freedom.

The State Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Mr Shola Omolola, told NAN that the delay was not good for grassroots development.

“I strongly feel bad about the delay. It is highly unconstitutional to deprive the third tier of government its independence and right to leadership.

“Local governments should be in a position to meet the needs of their people and with this delay, is there going to be grassroots development?’’ Omolola said.

The State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Dr Akin Badmus, also said the delay would not allow the people to walk into the council and demand for accountability.

According to him, the sole administrators will not oblige anyone details about anything concerning the council.

“I can tell you in all honesty that, government does not want to conduct any election because of fear of losing some local governments.

“If there is no democratically-elected Chairman, how then can people demand accountability when things are set wrongly.

“So, there is need for the state government to fix a date speedily for the election to hold,’’ Badmus said.

The Public Relations Officer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Taofik Gani, also said that his party was not comfortable with the delay in the conduct of election at the council level.

“We are not comfortable with the delay not because we want to participate in the council poll, but because it is the democratic tenet expected, especially at the grassroots.

“Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution describes only democratically and constitutionally elected person to be at the helm in the council.

“What we have been having since 2014 has been an aberration,’’ Gani said.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) attributed the delay to non-availability of voters’ register.

NAN reports that the last local government election held in the state was in October 2011. (NAN)
LED/DUA/AJA
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(Edited by Dada Ahmed and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)

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Economy
Abuja, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) The Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the recovered stolen funds to revamp the economy.

The National Chairman of DPC, Rev. Olusegun Peters, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

He said “the APC-led regime should use the trillions of naira and dollars recovered from past public office holders and their cronies to revamp the economy to alleviate the sufferings in the land.’’

Peters said the Buhari government had repeatedly announced the recovery of trillions of naira and millions of dollars from corrupt Nigerians that looted the treasury.

According to him, the recovered funds which is in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) should be used to cushion the effect of the current recession in the economy.

He added that the trouble in the country since the nation’s independence in October 1960 had been poor management of the nation’s vast natural and human resources, among others.

He noted that “leadership is not a tea party; it is a heavy responsibility that must be discharged without fear or favour.”

The national chairman said it was unfortunate that previous federal and state governments failed to save for the rainy day.

He, however, added that “DPC will not fold its hands and see millions of Nigerians dying of hunger.”

He, therefore, urged politicians to be sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians by providing dividends of democracy to the people,
adding that the people had been pushed to the wall.

Peters urged that funds saved in the TSA should be used to initiate programmes that would reduce the suffering.

He said “Nigerians demand and deserve a compassionate government” and urged the Federal Government to give an update of
all the funds recovered and how it was being used. (NAN)
COO/DUA/HA
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(Edited by Dada Ahmed/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

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Polio

By Martha Agas

Jos, Sept. 16, 2016. (NAN) The Emir of Kanam, Mohammed Muazu II on Friday in Jos called for the involvement of indigenes of states in the campaign to eradicate wild polio virus from Nigeria.

The traditional ruler told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that most people in northern Nigeria had a wrong perception about polio immunisation.

Muazu, who was reacting to the resurgence of the virus in Goza, Jere and Mongonu areas of Borno, said that the indigenes would only submit themselves for vaccination if they were involved in the campaign.

According to him, indigenes should be made spokespersons in the enlightenment and administration of the vaccines.

He also expressed concern that a cross section of the public sees the exercise as being masterminded by some few privileged members of the society to make money for themselves.

This, he noted was responsible for the lackadaisical attitude of most indigenes not allowing their children to be immunised.

“We  have received various comments that some people perceive the polio immunisation as a money spinner for some persons, for who large sums of money are allocated annually, therefore will not want to be part of it.’’

He said that adequate sensitisation was needed to enlighten the public on the real benefits of immunisation.

According to the monarch, the wrong idea of the exercise has been due to the brainwashing of the locals by politicians opposed to the government.

“The political elites use their economic power to brainwash some of these less privileged people against availing their wards for immunisation for their political interests.’’

He said that the northern traditional council intended to use the gateway of access to mothers to create more access to the immunisation of children, noting that the mothers were more receptive to the exercise.

“We have noted that mothers can be used as gateways to change the impression of their husbands against the polio vaccination, especially in the Muslim community because they are more receptive to the programme.

“We also intend to use food items and general households’ items to attract mothers to the exercise, we may have to add subtle coercion since the persuasion and cajoling is not yielding the desirable results.

“The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will be engaged for such exercise and the palace soldiers  as symbols of traditional institutions will be stationed at strategic locations,’’ he said.(NAN)

MAA/ECN/EEE

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(Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Ese E. Ekama)

NBS starts Multiple Indication Cluster Survey on Monday

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Survey

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Abuja, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says it will begin the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) on Monday.

MICS is a household based survey developed by UNICEF and designed to assess the situation of children and women in the areas of health, education, child protection and HIV/AIDS worldwide.

This is contained in a statement by the Statistician-General, Dr Yemi Kale, on Friday in Abuja.

Kale said that NBS would send enumerators to the field for 92 days, starting from Sept. 19 to administer questionnaires on the selected households for the survey.

He said that MICS 5 (fifth series) would cover all the states of the federation and FCT with 960 selected households to be interviewed in each state.

“MICS can be used as data collection tool in monitoring progress of national goals and global commitments aimed at promoting the welfare of children, including Sustainable development Goals (SDGs).

 “In Nigeria, this MICS is the fifth of a series which started in 1995 and has been extended to include questionnaire for individual men and modules such as water quality test.

 “It has extended to tobacco and alcohol use, life satisfaction, access to mass media and use of Information Communication Technology.’’

According to him, MICS 5 is unique in many ways because it is the first time Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) is being used to collect data on MICS.

In addition, he said that National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS) would be combined with MICS 5, making one National Survey at a time.

The statistician-general, however, said the objectives of the survey included providing up-to-date information on the situation of children and women in Nigeria.

He said the survey would strengthen national statistical capacity by focusing on data gathering, quality of survey information, statistical tracking and analysis.

“It will contribute to the improvement of data and monitoring systems in Nigeria and strengthen technical expertise in the design, implementation and analysis of such systems.

“It will also serve as baseline for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda and provide statistics to complement and assess the quality of data from recent national surveys.

“The recent national survey such as Nigerian General Household Panel Survey (NGHPS) and National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) conducted by National Population Commission (NPopC),’’ Kale said.

According to him, NBS is the implementing agency of MICS 5 with technical and financial support from UNICEF.

Other major stakeholders in the implementation of MICS 5 include Ministry of Budget and National Planning, NPopC, Federal Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, (NAN).

CIA/DE/IA

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(Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Idris Abdulrahman)

NAN-AE-10
Farming
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Ikwo (Ebonyi), Sept.16, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government has promised to support farmers in the country to embark on all-year farming through the provision of irrigation facilities to enhance crop yield.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh gave the promise while addressing farmers at Ndeagu-Echara and Omege-Echara in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi on Friday.

Ogbeh spoke through his Senior Adviser on International Donor Partners, Mr Appeh Auta, when the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD)-Value Chain Development Programme (VDCP) visited some rice-processing clusters in the state

The minister urged the farmers to no longer see agriculture as subsistence means, but a lucrative business venture.

He noted that farming as a business would not only improve their living conditions but improve the country’s economic well being.

“The federal government would support you through the provision of inputs, access to financing among other interventions, to achieve improved yields from your crops.

“You will also be supported to embark on all-year farming through the provision of irrigation facilities that would enhance crop yield,’’ Ogbeh said.

The minister urged them to form cooperative groups for easy financial access.

“This will in turn make your groups have the capabilities of sourcing funds and accessing mechanisation facilities such as tractors and tillers for optimum production.

“You will effectively sustain your agricultural ventures, access more funds, contribute in developing your communities, among other developmental efforts,” he said.

Ogbeh said that government was giving priority to rice production as it could be massively produce to check the importation of the produce into the country.

“The country is currently importing $6 million worth of rice daily and the funds to sustain such importation are no longer obtainable,’’ he said.

Dr Ameh Onoja, IFAD—VCDP National Coordinator expressed happiness over the rice production efforts of the farmers in the state and pledged the organisation’s continued assistance.

“We evaluated the total crop areas and yield performance and pray that the rains extend to the latter part of the year for a bumper harvest.

“We also commend the Ebonyi government for practical demonstrating its commitment towards improved rice production, to make the state the highest rice producer in the country.

“The government has sustained its counterpart fund payment and demonstrated its political will through mechanisation of farm practices to assist farmers,” he said.

He said IFAD-VCDP had supported farmers in the state with seedlings, fertilisers, among other interventions and would provide irrigational facilities to cover over 200 hectares of land.

Mr Sunday Ituma, the Programme’s Coordinator in Ebonyi, said the programme had supported over 5, 000 farmers in the state in its rice and cassava value chain development activities.

“We have also advised farmers on ways of preventing the African Rice Gall midge-pest attacks on rice and the right application of pesticides on their farms,” he said.

Mrs Jacintha Nworie, one of the farmers thanked the IFAD delegation for the visit and urged it to provide facilities such as roads for easy access to farmlands, especially during rainy season. (NAN)
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Felix Ajide
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Nigeria’s inflation rate hits 17.6 % in August – NBS

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Inflation
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, Sept. 16, 2016 (NAN) The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased to 17.6 per cent (year-on-year) in August from 17.1 per cent recorded in July.

A report released by the NBS in Abuja on Friday stated that the CPI, which measured inflation, was 0.5 per cent points higher from the points recorded in July.

The report noted that increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose divisions, which contributed to the headline index reflecting higher prices across the board.

“The major divisions responsible for accelerating the pace of the increase in the headline index were Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuel, Education and Transportation Services.

“The Food Index rose by 16.4 per cent (year-on-year) in August, up by 0.6 per cent points from 15.8 per cent recorded in July.

“During the month, all the major food groups contributed to the increase in the Food sub-index.

“ However, the pace of increase was slowed by Fruits, Potatoes, Yam and other Tubers as well as Oils and Fats, which reported slower increases during the month,’’ it stated.

The report also stated that imported foods as reflected by the Imported Food Sub-index, increased by 0.2 per cent points from July to 20.7 per cent in August.

“Price movements recorded by the All Items less farm produce or Core sub-index increased by 17.2 per cent (year-on-year) in August, and up by 0.3 percentage points from rates recorded in July (16.9 per cent).

“During the month, the highest increases were seen in Solid fuels, Vehicles parts Books and Stationery and Clothing and other articles of clothing.’’

On a month-on-month basis, the report stated that the headline index rose by 1.0 per cent in August, marginally lower than the 1.3 per cent recorded in July.

“ This is the third consecutive month of a slower pace of increase in the Headline Index,’’ it stated.

In addition, the report stated that Urban and Rural prices continued to rise in the month of August.
“The Urban index increased by 19.3 per cent (year-on-year) in August from 18.9 per cent recorded in July, while the Rural index increased by 16.1 per cent in August from 15.5 per cent in July,’’ it added. (NAN)
CIA/KOO.GY
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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Grace Yussuf

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Polio
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept.16, 2016 (NAN) The Emir of Keffi in Nasarawa State, Dr Shehu Chindo-Yamusa III, has urged parents to support Federal Government’s campaign against polio by presenting their children for immunisation.

Chindo-Yamusa III made the call on Friday while addressing a delegation of Keffi community who paid him a visit in his palace in Keffi, headquarters of Keffi Local Government Area of the state.

The monarch said Nigeria was almost set to be certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO) before the recent outbreak of the disease in Borno.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to adequately support the campaign against polio to facilitate the eradication of the deadly disease from the country.

On security, the traditional ruler urged his colleagues to intensify efforts in preaching peace among their people.

He said that “as traditional rulers, we are the custodians of peoples’ peace and culture; our role is to preach peace, unity and to advise our subjects to live in peace and tolerate one another.

“This is irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.

“Experience shows that no nation or society can develop in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion.

“The security challenges facing some parts of the country has affected our lives and socio-economic development negatively.”

He, therefore, urged the people not to leave the issue of security in the hands of traditional rulers alone, adding that it should be a collective responsibility.

“The issue of security and peace is the responsibility of all; it is the role of everyone to preach peace, hence, the need for all of us to preach
peace.’’

The emir also urged Nigerians to pray fervently for God’s intervention for the country to overcome the economic recession.

He called on Nigerians to embrace farming in order to fight poverty, unemployment, so as to spur socio-economic development in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prominent citizens of the area attended the occasion.

They include Alhaji Aliyu Wadada, former members, House of Representatives, Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, former Commissioner for Works and Prof. Mohammed Mainoma, the Vice-Chancellor, State University. (NAN)
AKW/DUA/HA
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(Edited by Dada Ahmed/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-17

Bailout

Lagos, Sept.16, 2016 (NAN) A group, the Aviation Round Table (ART), has called on the Federal Government to resist any pressure to offer bailout to ailing domestic airlines.

President of the group, Mr Gbenga Olowo, made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

Olowo, who admitted that some of Nigeria’s airlines were currently facing challenging times, however, urged the government to pay serious attention to the aviation sector.

He said, “Government should get serious with this sector of the economy; without airlines, there are no airports.

“Airports are useless if you don’t have airlines; so, government should pay serious attention to the issue of airlines.

“It is not a bailout issue. No airline should ask for bailout and there should be no bailout for any airline in any form

“Anyway, government does not have such money to dole out to any airline for now.’’

According to him, the government should rather look into the issues of multiple taxation and scarcity of aviation fuel which are stifling the airlines.

Olowo said that those were the areas government should look into, adding “why should there be Value Added Tax (VAT) on air transportation when there is no VAT on road, rail or sea transportation?

“The government should be aware that it is killing the airlines because after paying these taxes, the monies left with them cannot cover cost.

“We are an oil-producing nation but there is no aviation fuel for our airlines. These airlines are using all the funds they have now to buy fuel which should have been bought on credit.”

Olowo, however, commended the government for removing import duty on aircraft spares, saying that it was a demonstration that it was committed to sustaining the aviation sector. (NAN)

ASO/OPI/OPI

Edited by Olisa Ifeajika