By Martha Nyam

The Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) says it is poised to improve the living standard of host communities in all areas where hydro dams are located in the country.

Joseph Ityav, the Chairman, Governing Council of the Commission, said this in Jos on Tuesday during the inspection of facilities at the Nigeria Electricity Supply Corporation (NESCO) in Kurra Falls, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.

Ityav also expressed the commitment of the commission and the Federal Government to make women and youths economically self reliant in the area.

We are in NESCO to familiarise with the dam and to discuss with the host communities on the relationship between the owners of the dam and the community.

Our mandate is to look at the challenges being faced by the host communities and to appraise the relationship between the owners of the dam and the community.

Our desire is to see how we can raise the living standard of the host communities in all the areas where hydro dams are located.

We want to make sure that women and youths in the communities get something to improve their economy to be economically self reliant, he said.

The Managing Director, HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, said the commission would be working with the communities to provide physical development in the area.

The President had asked us to come here because he cares about the communities living around hydroelectric power, the Government wants to improve their livelihoods and improve their standard of living.

We want to find out from the communities what they have on ground now, and how to improve on the relationship between the communities and the power producing Institutions, Yelwa said.

The village head of Kurra Falls, Mr Mark Danboyi, said there had been mutual working relationship between HYPPADEC and the community while seeking the intervention of the federal government on persistent flood in the area.

Danboyi said the community had suffered untold hardships such as lack of basic amenities, with their farms and other sources of livelihoods usually destroyed and washed away by dams used to generate electricity during the raining season.

The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, while receiving the entourage, appealed to the commission to carry out their assignment dutifully and make a positive change. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Alaba-Olusola Oke

Wife of Ondo State Governor, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, says the appointment of a female Secretary to the State Government (SSG) shows women are invaluable in the Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration.

In a congratulatory message to the new SSG, Mrs Oladunni Odu on Wednesday, Anyanwu-Akeredolu said that Odu would be the first female politician to occupy that position in the state.

This congratulatory message was issued by Mrs Debo Ikuesewo-Akinbami,the Special Assistant on New Media and Archives to the governor.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odu was a former Commissioner for Education during the military of late Navy Commodore Anthony Onyearugbule.

She was also a chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) during the first term of late Gov. Olusegun Agagu in office.

By appointing a woman as the SSG, Akeredolu is reassuring the state that women matter in this government.

It also banners the fact that women can be more, the governors wife said.

Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who said the appointment was a no mean feat, described the new SSGas an accomplished professional, worthy woman leader and a political figure, whose fine renderings had regularly impacted her constituents.

She added that Odus appointment was in recognition of her sterling leadership credentials.

She commended her husband for appointing the first female SSG in the annals of the state.

Source: NAN News

By Aisha Cole

The District Manager, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Jerry Oche, says the corporation has re-opened freight wagon operations from Lagos ports to other parts of the country.

Uche disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday when the first freight wagon departed Lagos for Zaria in Kaduna State.

According to him, the Corporation ran the first long haul freight wagon after a long period of time.

The last time we had the long haul freight wagon was before the COVID-19pandemic, early last year.

What you are witnessing this afternoon is a movement of the first long train from Lagos District office to Zaria.

We have 6,000 industrial pipes on the ground going to Zaria and if we calculate how many pipes per wagon, we will be calculating over 27 trains to transport the pipes.

It has been long we embark on this kind of journey but we may have to stop when it gets dark, Ochei told NAN.

He was optimistic that by Friday or Saturday, due to stop-overs, the wagons should be able to arrive at Zaria.

The manager said that the corporation had already sent two trains, one to Ibadan and the other to Minna.

The manager that the corporation has also begun the Apapa Shuttle for the carriage of consignments from the ports.

He appealed to port users in parts of Nigeria to patronise the NRC with a view to ending gridlocks in the port environment.

He recalled that before the outbreak of COVID-19, the corporation carried 19 wagons of consignments.

This, he said, meant that NRC was able to take 19 trucks off the road.

He added that the train that just left for Zaria, had 16 wagons. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Idowu Gabriel

A group of team members of Ekiti United Football Club of Ado-Ekiti was on Tuesday involved in a mild accident.

The clubs Media Officer, Quozeem Oladapo, in a statement Tuesday night in Ado-Ekiti disclosed that the accident occurred while the players were returning to Ado-Ekiti from Ikere-Ekiti.

They were returning from their evening training session.

According to the statement, there were no casualties as all occupants of the vehicle were safe.

But some of them were with varying degrees of injury, he said.

Oladapo added that the vehicle had been on the road for several hours in recent days with two away matches at Lagos and Ilorin.

After traveling to Lagos on March 8 for the midweek clash with Vandrezzer FC on Wednesday, the team returned to Ado-Ekiti on Thursday night.

The team also embarked on the journey to Ilorin on Friday morning for the Saturday clash with Osun United.

The vehicle returned to Ado-Ekiti on Sunday after Saturdays Nigeria National League (NNL) match without any fault or hiccup, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Victor Okoye

Harris Okatta, the President of African Golf Tour Foundation, says the 2021 African Golf Tour season will focus more on youth development.

Okatta told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the objective of the tour was to ensure that the future of the game of golf in the country was secured.

Now, we are about to start the 2021 season, and we are going to be focusing on youths between the ages of 18 and above.

This will be so that we can ensure that the future of golf and the future of young players are nurtured and developed from this part of the world.

That is the objective of the tour, and we are 100 per cent focused to ensure that we achieve it and grow the game of golf in the country, he said.

Okatta said the foundation had embarked ona golf education programme in schools in the FCT since 2018 to support the sports grassroots development.

We also just launched the programme in Owerri, Imo late last year. We go on day-to-day basis to teach students the rudiments of the game as well as provide them with kits and equipment.

We are doing quite a lot with the available limited resources at our disposal. But, without doubt, we keep working hard.

Golf is a fantastic sport and other parts of the world have gone ahead of us. So, we are trying as much as we can to catch up, he said.

NAN reports that the 2021 African Golf Tour season commenced on March 8, with the first leg (pro-am) of the Road to Nigeria Masters at the Arsenal Golf Course in Owerri.

The second leg which got underway also in Owerri on Tuesday is expected to end on Friday.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Former world golf number one Tiger Woods is home from the hospital.

After shattering his ankle and other leg bones in a rollover crash, the golf great is recuperating at home, he said on Twitter Tuesday.

Happy to report that I am back home and continuing my recovery, he wrote on Twitter.

I am so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement that I have received over the past few weeks.

He also thanked the medical personnel and staff who had cared for him.

I will be recovering at home and working on getting stronger every day, Woods wrote.

Woods suffered serious leg injuries to both legs and was rushed into emergency surgery last month.

This was after a harrowing rollover car crash in Los Angeles County, authorities and his manager said at the time.

The 45-year-old golfer was conscious but trapped in the mangled 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV he had been driving when the first sheriffs deputy arrived after 7 a.m. on Feb. 28. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday disowned a flier for a Town Hall meeting tagged, Generation Next in PDP.

The party, in a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said it neither approved nor had anything to do with such meeting.

The partys attention has been drawn to fliers, advertisements and publications by certain faceless individuals, posturing to have the approval and backing of the party to invite Nigerians to a purported Generation Next in PDP Town Hall meeting.

The makers of the said advertisement even went ahead to list some leaders and members of our party.

They listed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Deputy National Chairman, North of the PDP, Sen. Suleiman Nazif among others, as speakers in the supposed event, in a bid to bestow a semblance of legitimacy to the scheme.

For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP states in an unequivocal term that it did not authorize nor is it in any way involved or connected with the event or these organisers.

The PDP, therefore, alerts the public, particularly our members and teeming supporters to completely disregard the said event as it has nothing to do with our party, he said (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Financial experts on Tuesday said the February inflation figure of 17.33 per cent was inevitable due to drop in agriculture production and price hikes in electricity and petroleum.

They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, in reaction to the February inflation figure released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Professor of Economics, Sheriffdeen Tella, of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, said that the inflationary trend was expected because production in agricultural sector was falling.

Tella told NAN that production in agricultural sector was dropping due to herdsmen and bandits nefarious activities as well as bad weather.

He said that cost of production in industry was rising as a result of hike in electricity tariff, petroleum products and depreciation of naira.

On the way forward, Tella said that government should take decisive action on the herdsmen and bandits activities now that the rainy season is here.

Secondly, government should subsidise industries through tax relief, putting a stop to price hikes in electricity and fuel.

They should also encourage consumption by paying salaries as and when due because production without corresponding consumption will discourage producers from production and expansion, which ultimately promote employment, he said.

Mr Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., said the inflationary pressure in February was largely impacted by higher food prices due to the high cost of transportation, production and insecurity in the north.

Omordion said that many farmers were driven from their farmlands as a result of insecurity in the north.

He said that government needed to map out policies that would tackle insecurity in the country to boost confidence.

The pump price of fuel and electricity tarrif, according to him, also contributed to the development.

Also, analysts at Cordros Research, said that the figure reflected the effects of persistent conflict between farmers and herdsmen, particularly in the Northern region of the country.

They said that lingering impact of supply chain challenges and foreign exchange devaluation on food prices amid the partial reopening of the land borders contributed to the trend.

NAN reports that the NBS said that the inflation rate increased in February by 0.86 per cent to 17.33 per cent, from 16.47 per cent in January.

The NBS said this in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for February 2021 released on Tuesday in Abuja.

The bureau said that CPI increased by 17.33 per cent (year-on-year) in February.

The report said increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the headline index.

On month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.54 per cent in February, this is 0.05 per cent rate higher than the rate recorded in January (1.49 per cent), said the report. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Army says its troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have eliminated more Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists and captured more arms and ammunitions in an encounter in the Dikwa axis of Borno.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, in a statement, on Tuesday, said the troops carried out the operation on Monday.

Yerima said the troops sustained onslaught against the terrorists had continued to gain traction, following the knock by troops of 81 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force and Vigilante in the axis.

He said the troops had conducted an aggressive fighting patrol and concealed picketing in continuation of the ongoing subsidiary operation code named, operation TURA TAKAI BANGO. (Push comes to shove).

According to him, the troops on patrol came in contact with terrorists mounted on motor cycles and a gun truck, swiftly engaged them in a fierce firefight, killing six of them and recovering several weapons, ammunitions and sundry items.

Items captured in the encounter included, one PKM, two AA47 rifles, one FN rifle, three FN rifle magazines, two AK47 rifle magazines, 36 rounds of 7.62mm NATO,19 rounds of 7.62mm special and 67 PKM linked rounds.

Others were two motor cycles, one magazine pouch, two mobile handsets and a tube of adhesive solution, he said.

Yerima also disclosed that troops of Bravo Company, while on similar routine perimeter patrol same day, recovered a mobile handset phone suspected to have been abandoned by the fleeing members of the terrorists, who came under troops heavy fire during the attempt to infiltrate the camp on March 14.

He said that the handset had been handed over to 7 Military Intelligence Brigade for scrutiny.

In line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, troops will remain resolute and determined to ensure that the general area was completely cleared and protected, while aggressively dominating every route where terrorists are suspected to move around in order to smoke them out, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Eleven Malian soldiers were killed and 14 others injured on Monday in an ambush near Tassit, in Malis northern region of Gao, the Malian Armed Forces confirmed on its website on Wednesday.

More than one hundred men of armed terrorist groups on pickups and motocycles ambushed a team of Malian soldiers in Tassit, a town located in the region of Gao, killing 11 Malian soldiers, the Malian army said in a statement.

The army added that 14 soldiers were injured, with 8 in critical condition, together with 11 others reported missing.

According to Malian military, all the injured have been evacuated and taken to hospital by UNs peacekeeping mission MINUSMA for medical care.

The army said the French counter-terrorism force Barkhane also deployed two helicopters to support Malian Armed Forces in its sweeping operation.

Following a military coup in 2012, insurgents have been roaming northern Mali.

Armed attacks have recently extended to central Mali, regardless of the presence of the French military and United Nations peacekeepers in this West African country. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Christian Ogbonna

The Police in Ebonyi said it arrested six suspects over looting of property from crisis-ridden Ezza-Effium in Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

This is contained in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Abakaliki on Wednesday by the Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loveth Odah.

Odah said that three others were also arrested for armed robbery while two were nabbed for unlawful possession of firearms and cultism.

According to her, Police Operatives attached to Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Ebonyi State Command on March 10, at about 2pm arrested six suspects for looting and carting away property from the crisis-torn (Effium/Ezza Effium).

The suspects looted property belonging to one Monday Awegbe m 50-years of No. 1 Idoma Road by Ikpoki Junction Effium.

Awegbe, a businessman who as a result of the ongoing crisis between the Ezzas/Effium, ran for safety leaving his shop/goods under the care of his in-law, Mr Jim Chukwu of the same address.

On the aforementioned date, the suspects were intercepted along Enugu/Abakaliki expressway in a vehicle loaded with the stolen property, such as Iron rods, generators, gas cylinders and assorted electronic appliances worth millions of naira.

They suspects were arrested and the exhibits recovered from them, she stated.

On the arrest of the three persons for armed robbery, Odah explained that the suspects were arrested in collaboration with the local security men from Okposi Umuoghara in Ezza-North Local Government Area of the State.

She explained that the suspects on the wanted list of the Command are: Chisom Otubo m 23 years, Kelechi Nweze m 18 years and Chimaobi Nwoye m 18 years.

Two locally-made pistols and two live cartridges were recovered from them.

The suspects also belong to a secret cult group, Vikings Confraternity also known as Aro-Baggar, the PPRO stated.

In another development, she said the Police Operatives attached to Ikwo Division in collaboration with Amagu youths also arrested two suspects, namely: Amos Nweke m 21 years and Onyemauche Ekwuma m 28 years over robbery.

Odah explained that the Police recovered one locally made gun from the suspects, who attempted to rob a victim on March 7 along Jukwueze Junction, Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area of the State.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Aliyu Garba urged residents to steer clear of criminality and support police operatives in maintenance of peaceful environment. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Desmond Ejibas

Mr Aruna Amirthanayagam, Counsellor, Public Affairs, US Embassy in Nigeria, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, called on the Federal Government to consider the inclusion of more women in leadership and governance positions.

Amirthanayagam made the call during a meeting to commemorate the 2021 Womens History Month, according to a statement by the US Consulate General Information Specialist, Temitayo Famutimi.

The meeting had in attendance, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Stephen Okodudu, and the alumni of Rivers Chapter of the US Government Exchange Programme.

Amirthanayagam was quoted as having described the inclusion of women in leadership and governance positions as crucial to the development of every country.

He said: This is because without womens inclusive participation in society, any gains in economic growth and development, as well as advances in science and technology, are unsustainable.

The US Mission in Nigeria recognises the importance of womens inclusion for national security and economic growth.

The inclusion is why the White House launched the Womens Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative which supports women through various capacity building programmes, mentorship seminars and entrepreneurship programmes, the diplomat said.

Amirthanayagam said aside the W-GDP, the US government also launched the TechWomen Programme, African Womens Entrepreneurship Programme and the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs.

Economically, women make their families, communities and countries stronger, he said.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Stephen Okodudu, said the university management had explored ways to promote womens equal participation within its campus community.

He expressed his commitment to advance equality of women on campus and urged the university community to commit to the same goal.

On his part, Prof. Andrew Efemini of the Department of Philosophy in UNIPORT said the Womens History Month was important in pushing for gender equality for women.

Aside moving gender equality forward, the day is also for building networks of women who support women.

The importance of education cannot be over emphasized as education ensures women are able to reach their full potential in the public sphere, he stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that March is celebrated internationally as Womens History Month, which highlights the contributions of women to events in history, science, contemporary society and humanity.

Source: NAN News

By Aisha Cole

The Lagos State Government has said it is determined to ensure that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line becomes operational latest by the fourth quarter of 2022.

The Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this in statement on Tuesday in Lagos afterthe presentation of chequesto some employees of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).

Akinajo presented cheques to 21 NRC employees whose residential quarters at Ikeja would be pulled down because they were in the way of the rail project.

She said that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had resolved to provide the workers with cash to hire temporary accommodation pending the construction of new residential quarters for them by the Lagos State Government.

In other areas to be impacted by the rail project, we are currently carrying out verification exercises to determine the quantum of compensation to be paid.

We do not wish to remove any building without paying compensation to both the house owners and the tenant.

The contractors to implement the rail project had been mobilised and had promised that barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Red line rail project willcommence passenger operations by the last quarter of next year.

She disclosed that the drawing of new staff quarters for the affected staff members had been submitted to the NRC management for consideration.

The Managing Director of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, who was represented by the Director, Administration and Human Resource, Dr Monsurat Omotayo, described the Red line rail project as part of the state governments vision for development.

According to her, this is a project that will bring greater good for Lagos residents.

Omotayo said that the project was in tandem with the Federal Governments vision of providing transport infrastructure that best supported the aspiration of the citizenry.

The Director of Rail Transport, Mr Olasunkanmi Okusaga, who was present at the presentation of the cheques said that Gov. Sanwo-Olu was concerned about the likely effect the impending demolition of the building would have on the wellbeing of the current occupants.

Source: NAN News

By Desmond Ejibas

Rivers Government has announced the closure of Eastern By-Pass Road leading to new Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) headquartres in Port Harcourt for repair work.

The states Commissioner for Works, Mr Elloka Tasie-Amad said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the closure was to enable construction work on the road.

According to him, the closure of the road would last for a period of one month.

This is to inform the general public that Eastern By-Pass Road will be closed to vehicular traffic from March 24 to April 23.

There will be no access from the Eastern By-Pass Roundabout or the Marine Base Roundabout into the road.

This closure is necessitated by the need to promptly execute excavation and earthworks in the ongoing road dualisation project before the onset of inclement weather conditions, he said.

Tasie-Amadi apologised for the inconvenience the closure might cause and urged motorists to bear with the state government for the duration of the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on March 11 inaugurated the N16 billion 13-floor new NDDC headquartres, 25 years after it was started. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Newly-elected Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Patrice Motsepe, on Tuesday outlined his plans for the future of football on the continent, saying funding is crucial to the sports success.

The South African billionaire was confirmed as the head of the organisation on Friday. He said it is important that South Africas national side reaches its potential just like every other African country.

During the next World Cup and also future World Cups, we want African nations to compete and it is why it is included in our manifesto. Its part of our plan that an African team must win a World Cup.

He added that it is important to get the private sector involved in African football and businesses need to sponsor football tournaments throughout the continent.

In February, Motsepe unveiled a 10-point plan to grow the sport throughout the continent.

The 58-year-old mining magnate has indicated that he intends moving CAFs headquarters from Cairo to Johannesburg.

Motsepe, who has an estimated fortune of US billion, is the founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, which has interests in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum. He sits on several company boards, including being non-executive chairman of Harmony Gold, the worlds 12th largest gold mining company.

In 2003, he became the owner of leading Pretoria football club Mamelodi Sundowns. In 2012, he was named South Africas richest person. The following year, he joined The Giving Pledge, committing to give half of his wealth to charitable causes. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

Edward Kallon, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, has said peace was the only solution to the Humanitarian crisis ravaging Nigerias North East.

Speaking at an online event and launch of a billion 2021 Humanitarian Response for the North East, Kallon said that over the years, while needs had continued to grow, funding had, however, been dwindling.

He added that in his over 30 years of service to the United Nations, he was yet to see a humanitarian crisis that was resolved through humanitarian response only.

He pointed out that even if the UN system had all the funds it sought, to assist those affected; only peace can actually solve the challenges.

There is light at the end of the tunnel and my advocacy has been quite clear: there are no humanitarian solutions to humanitarian problems.

I have been clear in my advocacy at all levels that the only solution to the humanitarian problem in North East Nigeria is peace.

I have called on stakeholders at all levels, including the highest levels, that we must prioritise prevention, development, where feasible, and humanitarian assistance where necessary, he said.

Kallon said that since his involvement with the intervention in the North East from 2017, he had noticed that funding had continued to dwindle, while humanitarian needs had been on the increase.

He said that from the over m dollars raised in 2017, the UN was only able to get over m dollars in 2020, whereas food needs rose from 2.8m people in 2017, to 5.6m people in 2020.

This year, we are asking for another one billion dollars, last year we asked for one billion dollars. What I have seen since I have been part of this operation is a gradual decline in resources.

I still remember the beginning of this operation in 2017, when member states responded so generously, and over billion dollars was realized.

In 2018, their contributions was over billion, 2019 we saw this drop to billion, in 2020 we got roughly million dollars.

If you look at this trajectory, you see a steady drop in the financial response. What is not changing is that the needs are increasing.

Two years ago, food needs was around 2.8 to 3 million people, this year we are talking about 5.6 million people. So, we have two dynamics that we are dealing with today, while funding is taking a deep decline, we are seeing humanitarian needs rise.

The only solution to these dynamics is peace, so that people can start rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. That is why I bring the opportunities before us, to see how humanitarian and development can pull their advantages together to find a solution, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Doris Esa

The Federal Government has appealed for support from development partners and donor agencies for Nigerian surveyors in conducting nationwide soil surveys.

It also wants the partners such as Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation USAID and others to support the surveyors in the production of digital soil fertility maps for the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, made the call at the opening of the National workshop on soil survey and soil fertility mapping on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as one of the activities preceding the commencement of nationwide soil survey and soil fertility mapping.

Nanono was represented by Dr Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The theme of the workshop is Enhancing food security in Nigeria through the production of detailed soil survey and soil fertility maps.

I call on our development partners and donor agencies that include, FAO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IFDC, OCP Africa and USAID to provide technical assistance and support to Nigerians surveyors and other professionals in order to facilitate the process of conducting nationwide soil survey and production of digital soil fertility maps for the country.

The minister said that it is important that we continue to build synergy in the nations agricultural sector so that we can fast- track the attainment of the much desired food security for our teeming population.

We need to do away with the hitherto blanket approach to fertilizer application across locations with widely differing soil boundaries; a situation that has resulted in extensive soil degradation in different parts of the country.

We definitely have to improve on our soil management practice for the benefit of our farmers and enhancement of Nigerias food security, he said.

The minister said the theme of the programme was carefully chosen to reflect the significance of a comprehensive soil information database in our drive towards attaining food self-sufficiency.

He said that through the workshop, the ministry hopes to define a road map for Nigeria Soil Information System (NISIS).

We have realised over time that the country needs detailed soil surveys and soil fertility maps that are necessary if we are to understand the best ways of evaluating the potentials of our souls for agricultural production.

Maps are generated from such surveys and will be of immense benefit to our farming communities and planners.

Soil surveys are of high priority in the development plans of many countries, because of the obvious advantages of soil classification and mapping in making land management decisions.

A soil map has little value unless the information in it is used in farming and other land use planning activities, therefore, the soil maps that will result from the proposed survey must serve practical purpose, he said.

The focus of the ministry is the promotion of site specific fertilizer application techniques and blending of crop specific inorganic fertilizer materials.

Detailed soil survey and soil fertility maps will be required to actualize this goal, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Felicia Imohimi

Prof Ayo Ogunkunle, President and Chairman of Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) Governing Council has called for urgent detailed soil survey in the country to achieve sustainable development, enhance food security among others.

Ogunkunle made the call at the National Soil Survey and Soil Fertility mapping workshop on Tuesday in Abuja with the theme Enhancing food security in Nigeria through detailed soil survey and soil fertility mapping.

The president, while speaking on the workshop theme, described identified detailed soil survey as the real foundation for genuine sustainable development for the country.

He described soil survey of the country as an investment that was sure to pay for itself, noting that the nations soil survey was long overdue.

The don who expressed regret that the nation had lost a lot by delaying the survey till date emphasised that further delay of the survey would be suicidal for the nation.

There is urgent need for detailed soil survey in the country in order to achieve sustainable development, enhance food security among others, he said.

Ogunkunle noted that globally soils provide food for approximately seven billion people at the moment.

The president added that based on UN forecast to provide food for nine to 10 billion by 2025 the mainly soil characteristics, socio-economic availability of food as well as food production capacity must be significantly improved.

Crucial is the capacity of soils in the landscape to be adequate to meet the demands of the food crops for high and sustainable yield.

It is equally important that farmers worldwide are able to manage their soils sustainably.

Land is the real wealth of a nation as it is basic to human existence. Soil, a major component of land is vital and a non-renewable natural resources on a human time scale.

It is essential for food, feed, fibre and fuel protection hence it deserves to be at the top of national and international agenda for its role in sustaining life through food security, he said.

Ogunkunle explained that information from the detailed soil survey would afford every land owner/user the knowledge of the type of soils on his land, their characteristics, use potential management requirement and real value for alternative uses.

According to him, it is obvious that the survey will surely enhance food security and hence sustainable development.

He identified other dividends of the survey to include ease of land use planning that will halt the loss of prime agricultural land to non-agricultural uses, improvement in industrialisation, youth employment, health, peace/reduction in conflict and increase in life span.

The president, however, advised that considering the benefits inherent in detailed survey no effort should be spared in ensuring that the project is executed as soon as possible.

The need for updating or revision will surely arise with advancement in knowledge and science. This will occur from time to time but not too frequently if the project is executed properly by qualified professionals.

Ogunkunle defined soil survey as the identification of the soils on a landscape, based on their characteristics and the location of their extent, separated by boundaries, on the soil map.

Soil survey is the systematic examination, description, classification and mapping of soils in an area. Soil surveys are are classified according to the kind and intensity of field examination.

It is an inventory of properties of soils such as texture, internal drainage, parent materials, depth to groundwater, topography, degree of erosion, stoniness and salinity and their spatial distribution over a landscape.

Soils are grouped into similar types and their boundaries are delineated on a map.

The information assembled in a soil survey can be used to predict or estimate the potentials and limitations of the soils behaviour under different uses, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a group under the aegis of Nigeria Equity Group (NEG) has canvassed for a consensus Southern presidential candidate.

The convener of the group, Dr Emeka Nwosu, at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, appealed to political parties in the country to cede the presidency to the South.

Nwosu, who said that the call became necessary in view of the need to promote inclusion, added that it would entrench equity in the polity.

According to him, the position of the organisation is that for the sake of equity and fairness, the next president of our country should come from the South.

We believe that the template that the country has adopted since 1999 with the return of democratic rule in which the position of president rotates between the two main regions of North and South is ideal.

For the sake of fairness and equity, we are appealing to all political parties and party stakeholders in Nigeria to cede the presidency to the South.

Forming a consensus on critical national issue is essential for growth, peace and stability of our union.

It would also not be strange as we have reached such agreement in the past; the most recent being in 1999 when the presidency was conceded to the South-West to assuage the unjust annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election.

We believe that it is essential that after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, the next president should be a Southerner in order for us to maintain this balance, he said.

Nwosu said that the group would mobilise the electorate to vote against any political party that goes against the template.

We will mobilise patriotic Nigerians against any political party that goes against this template and does not cede its presidential ticket to the South.

Our organisation in partnership with other similar groups will mobilise all fair-minded Nigerians in every nook and cranny of this country to vote against such a political party, Nwosu said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have introduced new charges for customers for the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services, effective March 16.

This is contained in a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the CBN and the NCC on pricing of USSD services posted on the apex bank website.

The joint statement was signed by the CBNs acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr Osita Nwanisobi, and NCC Director, Public Affairs, Mr Ikechukwu Adinde.

It said effective March 16, USSD services for financial transactions conducted at Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and all CBN-licenced institutions would be charged at a flat fee of N6.98 per transactions.

This replaces the current per session billing structure, ensuring a much cheaper average cost for customers to enhance financial inclusion.

This approach is transparent and will ensure the amount remains the same, regardless of the number of sessions per transaction.

To promote transparency in its administration, the new USSD charges will be collected on behalf of MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) directly from customers bank accounts.

Banks shall not impose additional charges on customers for use of the USSD channel, it said.

The statement said the new charges was part of the agreement reached when banks and telecommunication operators met on Monday to discuss the N42 billion debt owed mobile operators by banks.

It added that plan for outstanding payments incurred for USSD services, previously rendered by the MNOs, was being worked out by all parties in a bid to ensure that the matter was fully resolved.

MNOs and DMBs shall discuss and agree on the operational modalities for the implementation of the new USSD pricing framework, including sharing Application Programmes Interface.

DMBs and MNOs are committed to engaging further non-strategies to lower cost and enhance access to financial services.

With the above resolutions, the impending suspension of DMBs from the USSD channel is hereby vacated.

Therefore, DMBs shall no longer be disconnected from the USSD channel, it said.

The statement reminded the general public that the USSD channel was optional, as several alternative channels such as mobile apps, internet banking and ATMs may be used for financial transactions.

The CBN and NCC shall continue to engage relevant operators and all stakeholders to promote cheaper, seamless access to mobile and financial services foe all Nigerians, it stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN News