Blog

Population
By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Abuja, Sept. 13, 2018(NAN) Nigeria must urgently build an economy that will support its fast-growing population in order to avoid a `time bomb scenario’, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has said.

Osinbajo made this submission in his address at the Religious Leaders Consultative Forum on Harnessing Demographic Dividend for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of Muslim Religious Leaders on Thursday in Abuja.

The theme of the forum is “Increasing Access to Reproductive Health as a Key Pillar for Achieving Demographic Dividend in Nigeria.’’

Demographic dividend refers to the growth in an economy that is the resultant effect of a change in the age structure of a country’s population.

The vice president said that relevant demographics showed the prospects and potential of a prosperous future for Nigeria, if appropriate and timely actions were in place.

According to him, Nigeria’s population size is currently estimated at over 198 million, the largest in Africa.

He said that about 63 per cent of the population was under the age of 25 years, 33 per cent between 10 years and 24 years, and 54.8 per cent of working age between 15 years and 64 years.

Osinbajo added that 51 per cent of the female population was in their reproductive ages-15 years to 49 years.

He said it was estimated that by 2050 Nigeria would be the 3rd most populous country in the world, after India and China.

“Of course, the reverse side of Nigeria’s rich demographic potential, is the much-talked-about ‘population time bomb,’ or as some would say demographic threats.

“Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has remained high over the last three decades and currently stand at 5.5 births per woman; modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPRm) is very low at 10 per cent with 16 per cent unmet need for Family Planning (FP).

“ Twenty-three percent of our adolescents (ages 15-19 years) have commenced childbearing and Child Marriage still persists at 18 percent.

“These figures vary across the North and the South, for example, TFR is lowest in the South West (4.5) and highest in the North East (6.3) and North West (6.7), respectively with Bauchi at 8.1 and Sokoto at 7.0.

“To avoid the time-bomb scenario, we must act with urgency to build an economy that can support that population, provide jobs and economic opportunity, education and healthcare, hope and optimism.’’

Osinbajo said it was the business of heads of families at the micro level and governments at the macro level to prioritise the education and health of their families and invest more per child with more deliberate planning.

He said that the Federal government had since 2015 prioritised the problems of speedily getting the largest numbers of our people out of poverty and its implications for the critical human development issues especially, healthcare, education and jobs.

“We are now two years into the most ambitious Social Protection Programme in the history of Nigeria, with a provision in the budget of N500 billion.

“We are in answer to the malnutrition and stunting feeding over 9.2 children in public primary schools daily in 25 States, we have now employed 500,000 graduates in our N-Power programme, and we are giving microcredit to over 2million petty traders in every State.

“We are also targeting our cash transfers to over 400000 of the poorest Nigerians. We are investing in present and future generations, raising school enrolment and child immunization rates.

“ The emphasis on young people as contained in the Demographic Dividend Road Map is consistent with one of the strategic objectives of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, of “Investing in our people” through social inclusion, job creation and youth empowerment and improved human capital.’’

He commended the United Nations Population Fund for its leadership in the crucial dialogue.

Osinbajo also thanked the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria, the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, for honouring the meeting.

On his part, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said that the road map to harnessing  Nigeria’s demographic dividend– promoting gender equality, responsible fertility; empowerment of young people was consistent with the global strategy.

He said the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health and UNFPA was collaborating with all religious leaders.

In a goodwill message, UNFPA’s Representative in Nigeria, Dr Eugene Kongnyuy, said that the experience of Asian tigers, showed that that demographic dividend did not come automatically as it must be deliberately harnessed.(NAN)

CJ/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Kaduna Govt institutes life insurance for `Operation Yaki’ operatives

Competition

By Mohammad Tijjani

Kaduna, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State says the state government has initiated a life insurance programme for operatives of the state security outfit, Operation Yaki.

The governor made the disclosure in a message to the closing ceremony of 1 Division Inter-Brigade Officers’ Combat Proficiency Competition, on Thursday in Kaduna.

Represented by the Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr Daniel Danauta, the governor said that the aim was to provide financial buffer to take care of families of operatives who die in active service.

“Some of the troops of 1 Division have paid the supreme price; others have been injured and even have permanent disabilities due to internal security operations in Kaduna state.

“The financial commitment of the state government as a token to the families of such category of personnel will be met without delay through the life insurance program attached to Operation Yaki.”

He said the activities of the division has ensured security and socio-economic development of the state.

Ealier, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen Mohammed Mohamed, said the competition was to improve combat proficiency of junior officers in
leadership skills, organizational ability, teamwork, endurance and promotion of
Esprit de corps.

The GOC was represented by the division’s Garrison Commander, Brig.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor.

NAN reports that 3 Brigade, 31 Brigade, 1 Div. Garrison, 41 Engineer Brigade, 51 Signal Brigade Combat Support Services and 2 Battalion participated in the competition. (NAN)

TJ/MZA

Subscribers urge telecom operators to improve services

Subscribers
By Constance Imasuen
Abuja, Sept 13, 2018 (NAN) Subscribers of telecommunication networks in the country have called on the operators to improve their services to give subscribers value for their money.

Some of the subscribers spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja against the backdrop of complaints from subscribers of incessant drop calls and poor data services.

They decried the situation and called on the service providers to urgently address the “unwholesome practice’’.

Mrs Yinka Adeyemi, a civil servant, an MTN subscriber said that for some months she had been experiencing drop calls and her data service had not been effective.

Adeyemi said that because of the problem she experienced with MTN’s data, she had to change to another network.

“ I was using MTN before but due to the poor services I have been experiencing with my calls and data, I had to change to another network.

Miss Mary Odinika, a stylist said that she subscribed to MTN  for her data, adding that she also had to change to another network because of poor services.

“Although the network is fast but the only problem I encounter is with the data because it runs out fast.’’

Mr Jude Okafor, an engineer told NAN that he uses 9mobile for his data “because it is fast but the network my area is not very stable.’’

“I use 9mobile for my data though it is fast when browsing but the network sometimes is not stable.’’

Mrs Irene Osarodion, a business woman said that she uses her phone to do her business so she needed fast data service.

“I have used almost all the networks for data but my appeal to the telecom operators is to ensure that they improve on their services to give subscribers satisfaction for their money,’’ she said.

Another subscriber, Mr Joesph Abah, a Corp member said that he subscribes to Airtel for calls and data services, adding that “sometimes the network is slow but the network provider can improve on their services.’’

NAN reports that the Federal Government recently took further steps to protect telecommunication consumers against unwholesome practices of telecommunication providers in the country.

In view of this, a nine man Joint Investigative Committee (JIC) was inaugurated by Mr Sunday Dare, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate consumer complaints.

The committee was formed to also respond to a resolution by the National Assembly requiring investigation and remedial measures on grievances by consumers.

All efforts by NAN correspondent to get the reaction of some of the network providers was not successful as they declined comment.  (NAN)
COA/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf

Insurance

By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) The Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu, has advised Bendel Insurance FC of Benin players to have confidence in themselves as a means to win away matches.

Shaibu gave the advice on Thursday in Benin while addressing the team and its technical crew over their loss to Gateway FC in the Nigeria National League.

He said that their performance in the 1-2 loss had shown that there was progress, saying that they needed to do well to gain promotion to the elite league.

He said that the state government was strongly behind them and not mounting pressure on them in any way.

According to him, you don’t have to panic while in the field of play, I am very confident that we have a good team which other teams respect a lot.

“Put in more effort to get the expected result, we need to finish the second round topping our group.

“Edo people believe in you, and please, don’t let them down and ensure you don’t play with tension,” he said.

He added that they should play to their coach’s instructions, saying that they would achieve the expected results.

The Head Coach, Monday Odigie, said that they were happy with the deputy governor’s words of encouragement, noting that they would not let him down.

Odigie appealed to him not to lose confidence in his team as they would keep doing their best to put the team in good shape. (NAN)
AJOM/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Disability
By Kate Obande-Okewu
Abuja, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, says the Federal Government is planning an upward review of the two per cent recruitment slot, allocated  to the physically-challenged applicants in the country.

Oyo-Ita, who said this while addressing the Association of Physically-Challenged Applicants, in Abuja on Thursday, noted that the review was long overdue.

She said that the review would be done by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Oyo-Ita said that there would be more interaction with the officials of the association, to ensure that the review was done, and they were well-employed and given good life.

“It is something that we have been working on with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) in the last two years.

“Government works in line with policies and regulations, and this two per cent was arrived at by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and have been in practice for more than 20 years now,’’ Oyo-Ita said.

The head of service appealed to the state governments to increase their recruitment allocation for the physically-challenged, so that they can be employed, and the federal civil service would not be over bloated.

“I want to appeal to the state governments not to continue pushing their responsibilities on the shoulder of the Federal Government; these disabled are Nigerians, but they also come from states.

“We believe that the state and Federal Governments should work in unity to address the plight of the disabled; the situation where state governments totally abdicated their responsibility to the federal is really a cause for concern.

“Right now, state governments are not recruiting; everybody is looking at the Federal Government even the private sector are not recruiting.

“And at the same time, people complain that federal civil service is over-bloated; federal service will not be over bloated if state and private sector are playing their own part,’’ she said.

Earlier, Mr Godstime Onyegbulam, President, Association of Physically-Challenged Applicants, demanded 30 per cent increase in recruitment slots, stating that they were the most marginalised when it comes to employment.

Onyegbulam said that they were also disenfranchised in recruitment process because of the online registration, thus appealing to be exempted from the online process.

“We want 30 per cent of the recruitment slot allocation because we spend more money in attaining education because of our disability; we cannot do any other thing apart from working with the government.

“We are being discriminated when it comes to military and paramilitary jobs; but the able-bodied people can work everywhere and anywhere, even menial jobs; but we cannot do that.

“This is the main reason we should be considered first before any person in recruitment, because we don’t find it easy at all,’’ he said. (NAN)
KTE/FLP/AFA
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Felix Ajide

Tricycle
By Aisha Gambo
Kaduna, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) The Rector, Kaduna Polytechnic, Prof. Idris Muhammad-Bugaje, on Thursday, said the institution in partnership with National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) would soon commence the production of solar-powered tricycles.

The rector made this known to newsmen shortly after the management’s courtesy call and partnership meeting with NADDC.

Muhammad-Bugaje, was represented at the meeting by the Director, College of Engineering, Dr Mohammed Abdullahi.

He said that the institution had the capacity to produce tricycles under the recently-established Centre for Technology Development which would manage the production of the tricycles when fully funded.

“Our main cooperation is with the automotive design, solar tricycle design, renewable energy and embedded technology, ‘’ the rector said.

A Board member of NADDC, Mr Samuel Bagudu, while welcoming the management of the polytechnic, said there was no reason for Nigeria to continue importing tricycles when there were good engineers in the country.

Bagudu said that Nigeria had enough manpower to produce the various parts of a tricycle locally with a better quality than the imported ones.

“Nigeria has become a dumping ground for all manner of substandard vehicles, while our industries are dying through the importation of the entire components of tricycle.

“That is why we are working to improvise the trend, ‘’ he said.

Bagudu urged the polytechnic management to establish a full-blown Automobile Engineering Department, out of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the school, with a view to have more youths in the automobile industry.

He commended the institution for maintaining the equipment given by the NADDC, with a promise to render more assistance to improve automotive engineering and design. (NAN)
AMG/KOLE/AJA
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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Adeleye Ajayi

Salesperson

By Tomisin Erogbogbo

Lagos, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) A sales’ representative , Chekwebe Isiobu,  with his friend, Ekene Jeffery, on Thursday appeared before a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for alleged theft of  his employer’s goods worth  N1milllion.

The accused, Isiobi, 19, and Jeffery, 22, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen goods.

According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Hafsat Ajibode, the accused committed the offences on July, 13 at a shop in No. 22/23, Martins St., on Lagos Island.

Ajibode said that Isiobu, who was employed by the complainant, Mr Chigozie Anjigbo, to be selling women’s wears stole the goods and handed them over to Jeffery to sell.

“Unknown to Isiobu, each of the complainant’s wears had a unique brand he created on them. So, when Anjogbo  saw some of his goods in another shop, he inquired as to how the owner of the shop got them.

“He was told that Isiobu gave the wears to Jeffrey, who in return sold the goods to him and some other people in the market, ” she said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287(7), 326 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates seven years’ imprisonment, while Section 326 carries 14 years’ jail term for offenders.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In his ruling, the magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted the duo bail in the sum of N 500,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties should be gainfully employed and should show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

In addition, the sureties should be registered as residents of Lagos State.

The case was adjourned until Oct. 24. (NAN)

TME/EOB/PAD

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Edited by Edith Bolokor/Peter Dada

Victims
By Deborah Coker
Agbor (Delta), Sept 13, 2018 (NAN) The Benin Zonal Office of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP) has rescued no fewer than 300 victims of trafficking in Delta between January and August.

The NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Mr Nduka Nwanwenne, made this known on Thursday in Agbor, Delta, during a sensitisation to the evils of human trafficking.
The event was jointly organised by the agency and Onu Ika, a socio-cultural organisation.

Nwanwenne said that the chunk of the victims rescued from Libya hailed from Delta, adding that the agency had also arrested 12 suspected traffickers within the same period.

He said that the sensitisation followed the NAPTIP Director-General, Julie Ojah-Donli’s visit and lecture held during Onu Ika day celebration.

The zonal commander explained that available statistics on human trafficking revealed that indigenes of Ika North and Ika South were victims of human trafficking from Delta.

According to him, the unpalatable situation makes it imperative for the agency to collaborate with the socio-cultural organisation in tackling the menace.

He said most of the human traffickers often feign ignorance of the evils associated with human trafficking while the victims made their money from the sale of their vital organs.

He lauded the traditional rulers of the 52 communities and the people for their cooperation in the fight against human trafficking.

In his remarks, the Head of Collective Leadership of Onu Ika, Martins Usifoh, said the sensitisation became necessary considering the exodus of their youths in search of greener pasture in foreign countries.

Usifoh said the the Onu Ika had previously assumed the community could overcome the menace without external assistance but decided to solicit NAPTIP cooperation because it had realised its limitations.

He attributed the exodus of their youths to foreign countries to greed and ignorance rather than unemployment and quest for greener pasture.

The paramount ruler advocated reorientation of the youths to imbibe the right values, including contentment honesty and hard work. (NAN)
DCO/OSA/DUA
Edited by Dada Ahmed

NYG: Official faults age screening, calls for scientific methods

Screening
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 13, 2018 (NAN) Ibrahim Galadima, Chairman, Kano State Sports Commission on Thursday criticised the screening method adopted at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin, to ascertain age of the athletes.

Galadima told newsmen in Ilorin that it was primitive in the 21st century to ascertain an athlete age by mere looks.

He said the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports ought to have come up with a scientific method and not the crude method allegedly adopted.

The former NFA Chairman was reacting to the disqualification of over 500 out of the 3,800 athletes that registered for the Games.

”It has been the major challenge of the Games from the first edition, and one will expect that the ministry would have come up with a better way of determining the age of athletes.

”Almost all the states are complaining about the method used, which resulted in large number of athletes that were disqualified.

”It is primitive in this 21st century to tell anyone that age can be determined through physical examination alone.

”It is not acceptable because if this happens to Nigerian teams outside the country, we will be the first to raise alarm.

”That means something is wrong with the system, so somebody should sit and work out a better option for us.

“They should come up with a more acceptable way of ascertaining the athletes’ age,” Galadima said.

He commended the management and staff of University of Ilorin (Unilorin) for the facilities provided, but advised that other institutions should also be allowed to host the Games.

”University of Ilorin has done well in terms of facilities, but the ministry can do better by allowing other places/institutions to host.

”Keeping us in a particular state for many years won’t help sports development. Why can’t they go round the country and ensure that other states are given the hosting right.

”In as much as we appreciate what Unilorin is doing, we should do more by going round to ensure that other places host, so that the state government will be more committed.

”This is because they will want to ensure that facilities will be provided, which will lead to improvement of facilities in other states.

NAN reports that Unilorin has been hosting the Games since its second edition in 2016 and now in the 4th edition. (NAN)
BAY/KOLE/AFA
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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Felix Ajide

NANFeatures/Vol.12/No.103/2018 (Sept. 13)

Gale of defections: Understanding the legal perspective

A News Analysis by Olisayem Ifeajika, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Most recent political developments, especially, defection — an action indicating that a politician has changed his allegiance against the party that provides membership and the benefits he or she enjoys — has become rampant.

Unarguably, politics is about governance and the politicians drive the process by organising society for the good of citizens by holding governance on trust.

Political analysts then observe that a politician ought to be good at using different situations in an organisation or society to try to get power for the benefit of the larger society he or she seeks to serve.

Given that such a politician is confident with the party ideologies and manifestos, he ought to be faithful and committed to the unity of the party.

However, defection to another party by such a politician can only count in a situation where the party he belongs seems to have moved from basic principles and ideologies, the development that also ought to have been addressed within the party.

Analysts note that to defect to another party in the past used to be a long time decision to be taken after due consultations with party stakeholders, considering the interests of the citizenry.

According to them, the present politicians do not have interest in such old valued system as defections occur at the slightest perceived threats to their personal interest in the party because everyone joins a party where his interest is served.

Of course, this is the reason why politicians, in their struggle to get power or advantage and hold on to it, engage in noble and ignoble activities.

Globally, cross-carpeting or defection from one political party to another is a phenomenon, synonymous with politics and governance.

Irrespective of this phenomenon, there is a rule; what is the position of the law in situation when politicians decide to vote another party against a party that might have offered them public offices?

Indeed, history of Nigeria’s political parties is replete with instances of carpet-crossing; it was minimal in the First Republic but prominent in the Second Republic.

For instance in the Second Republic, the late Chief Akin Omoboriowo in Ondo State and the late Chief A. Fagbamigbe, both from the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the late Nathaniel Anah  of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), defected to the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Similarly, at the return of democracy in the country in 1999, the he noticeable defection then was when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Congress (AC).

However, observers note that while politicians without public positions may be at liberty to defect as many times as they wish, those in public political offices may face criticisms if they do.

Although there is a law on defections and most politicians are aware of this, politicians cross-carpet brazenly, mindless of the law.

Miffed by the situation, Mr Tony Mezeh, a lawyer and Company Secretary of Delta Printing and Publishing Company, said that a politician was at liberty to cross from one political party to another.

“For elected persons, it has to be only when his party is in an intractable crisis, obvious crisis; otherwise, if an elected person defects ordinarily, he loses his position and this applies to legislators, governors, their deputies, president and his vice.

“The law is clear on that, but they gloss over all that, we don’t have a democracy, no ideology in the political parties any longer.

“What is here is about personal interest; what you can benefit from the system and therefore, lawmakers at federal and state levels cross-carpeted at will,’’ he said.

What should be the consequence of this disregard in law? Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution states that a lawmaker will lose his seat if being a person whose election was sponsored by a political party.

Thus, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which position he was elected.

But to Mr Larry Okoji, “nothing short of enforcement of the law will put sanity in the system; the law is clear on it.

“Although you are at liberty to defect, the law says you must vacate the seat you occupy and give it back to your former party’’.

In his view, Chief Paul Enebeli, a renowned pharmacist, said that any politician that defected from a party should be prepared for it because “it is like saying I am tired of this party and I have to leave everything about it.

“The politicians have taken Nigeria and their parties’ constitutions for granted and nobody cares about what the law says about defections, especially for elected people and they defect with impunity.

“This is being done brazenly because it has become a fad; all the political parties, especially the big ones had benefitted from it and that is why nobody can call somebody to order.

“Worse is that civil society organisations, which with the media, are the police of the society and are expected to go to court on this matter, seem to have lost their voices.’’

Mr Frank Tietie, a lawyer, nonetheless, blamed the government for not upholding the provisions of the law against defectors.

“I am surprised at President Muhammadu Buhari; when he should enforce or act on the law, he doesn’t but when he shouldn’t, he does.

“By the provisions of Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, all the elected politicians who defected from either APC or PDP or any other party, for that matter, should lose their seats.

“There is no sufficient division in the All Peoples Congress to cause defection and there is no division in PDP.

“So, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sen. Dino Melaye, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and all the other lawmakers who defected from one party to the other across the country, should lose their seats.

“When the law is invoked and they all lose their seats, the madness will stop and there will be sanity and responsibility in the polity’’.(NANFeatures)

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