Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Olisa Agbakoba

By Lydia Ngwakwe

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has said that for Nigeria to experience rapid economic growth there is the need for some agencies of the Federal Government to come together and harness their potentials.

I like to see agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) come together with the Minister of Finance, to review how far we can harness our resources, he said.

He said the harnessing of potentials and resources could be done under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President which, according to him, has shown intellectual diligence.

Agbakoba, founding Partner of Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, a maritime law firm, gave the advice on Saturday in Lagos at a forum organised by the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FICAN discussion centred on the 2021 federal budget and the Nigerian economy.

He said Nigeria could take a cue from former US President Barack Obama, who in 2009 came up with the American Recovery Act under which the American economy was revived.

According to Agbakoba, it is possible for Nigeria to do something similar but noted that it would require a lot of critical thinking.

He said after putting the necessary structures in place the government would need to involve the private sector.

He called on the government not to involve itself in the running of enterprises, stating that the country needed a new economic planning and ideology.

The senior lawyer expressed his dissatisfaction with the current economic sustainability plan of the government, pointing that the operational aspect of the plan ought not be in the hands of the government but the private sector.

On the 2021 federal budget, he noted that it was full of procurement by public institutions and said such was hardly seen in a US federal budget.

Acknowledging the challenges facing the Nigerian economy Agbakoba advised that for the economy to work, the government should limit itself to policy formulation and to play the role of a regulator while the private sector run the enterprises.

When you look at the 2021 budget, you find out that there is no way Nigeria is going to grow at three per cent next year.

No country comes from minus eight per cent to three per cent, from the negative or minus to a positive of three, he said.

Agbakoba said that Nigeria did not need to have a big budget as its economic resources in the states could determine each states capacity and not the money that it has.

The SAN urged the Federal Government to look within and sell off unwanted assets to the private sector.

He listed some of the assets that should be sold off to include the airports, refineries and the Federal Secretariat, pointing out that the government could collect taxes from their operators.

Agbakoba expressed his support for the closure of the nations borders and urged the government to also look into the trade subsector which, according to him, is responsible for 14 per cent of the GDP.

He said: The border closure is right because it is giving us money and the Nigerian Customs Service is making more money with the closure, he said.

He also advised the government to come up with a proper policy and investment at the ports and allow the private sector to run them.

He said if properly harnessed Nigeria could garner N7 trillion yearly from the maritime sector. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Illustration: Construction of housing estate

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr Jaafaru Ahmed, says the Service has commenced its housing estate construction for staff nationwide.

Ahmed said this at the inauguration of the correctional cooperative society (COCOS) housing estate Lugbe, Abuja on Saturday.

He said that COCOS was established to serve as a frontline support that would provide financial succour to the personnel of the NCoS.

He said that the construction was more of a prototype as plans were on ground to replicate same in all the states of the Federation in order to give opportunity to officers to own decent and affordable accommodation.

According to him, the housing estate is a product of the partnership and collaboration between the NCoS represented by the COCOS and KYC inter-project limited.

The estate comprises 160 plots which have been distributed among interested staff whose take -home pay could accommodate the required monthly deductions.

It is indeed an estate within a mega estates; this is our own way of complementing Governments efforts at meeting the housing needs of its citizenry, he said.

Ahmed, however, urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the rare opportunity by living up to expectations.

He reiterated commitment to providing the leadership required to drive the NCOS to enviable height.

The General Manager, COCOS, Mrs Lydia Dauda, commended Ahmed for his continuous encouragement and guidance to the vision.

Dauda noted that the staff housing scheme by the COCOS was the first ever by the Cooperative in its 28 years of existence.

She said that the Cooperative had been able to pay N506 million for land and part of the infrastructure.

This is a first of its kind project and the first of many more to come and this vision was conceived sometimes in 2015.

The Previous Management of the Cooperative began negotiations with KYC Inter-project limited for 60 plots of land in their estate and eventually, part payments were made.

Coming to 2019, the management of KYC came to our office to return the part payment as there was no renewed effort to consolidate the contract.

At this point, the management of COCOS (then PRISCO) considered it a viable investment to continue the project. Our recommendation was to make-up the payment to the developers which we can then recover in piece-meal from members.

We then approached the CG to inform him of the development and to seek his approval. He asked us to verify the authenticity of the land and thereafter, gave his approval for the project.

We concluded negotiations for the initial 60 plots. However, demands for the land increased and we had to seek the CGCs approval to acquire 100 more plots bringing the total to 160 plots.

With the kind approval of the CGs, we were able to make substantial payments for the 160 plots of land including part of the infrastructure cost, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NASS Complex

By Kingsley Okoye

The National Assembly (NASS) is tointroduce electronic-hansard in parliamentary procedures in the first quarter of 2021.

Mr Ojo Amos, Clerk to the NASS,made this known on Friday at the opening of a two-day retreat for top management staff of the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat, which has Issues, Challenges and Prospects in Legislative Bureaucracy as theme was organised by NASS in partnership with Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC).

Another partner is the National Institute of Legislative Development Studies (NILDS).

Amos said the e-Hansard is the record of debates of the Parliament.

He said that the focus on the e-hansard was to drastically reduce the volume of paper works in parliamentary activities.

He said the e-governance parliamentary technology would be very convenient for legislators and watchers of National Assembly in Nigeria and everywhere.

You will agree with me that e-hansard is a most veritable tool in our e-parliament agenda. Amos said.

He said current management of NASS had made frantic efforts to give top priority to digitalisation and provision of ICT materials in parliamentary business.

According to him, the building of legislative specialists to effectively man the process of law making can never be overemphasised.

He also said the absolute well-being and happiness of NASS staff was paramount, noting that the need to make a success of the nations democratic project was not negotiable.

Amos said given the recent challenges faced by retirees of NASS on pension contributions, NASS management was canvassing for establishment of a National Assembly Pension Board (NAPB).

According to him, NAPB, if established would address challenges of its retiring staff.

Amos said one of the real challenges of the management in parliamentary business was to develop the capacity of all relevant staff and that of legislators to be at par with what was obtainable in other parliamentary democracies across the world.

He, however, noted that capacity enhancement of staff has been a priority, believing that parliamentary democracy was meaningless without adequate training and re-training of relevant staff.

Prof. Suleiman Abubakar, Director General of NILDS in his remarks said NILDS was founded to respond to obvious legislative institutional and capacity gaps occasioned by long years of military rule in the country.

He said since assumption of office, the institute had made collaborations with NASS and NASC a priority.

Abubakar said NILDS had introduced Post -Graduate Programmes since 2013 in affiliation with University of Benin in parliamentary administration, legislative drafting of bills and motions, legislative studies, bills analysis , elections and party politics, among other courses.

He said beneficiaries of the programme had been legislative aids, lawmakers, clerks of committees, officials of Ministry of Justice among others.

He said the programme was helping to strengthen capacity of staff of National Assembly.

According to him, earlier in the year, the institute with support of NASC organised training for 300 new legislative aides on fundamentals of legislative proceedings.

He said the institute would continue to provide capacity training for both staff and legislative aides in parliamentary business. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 test

Mass testing for the Coronavirus, (COVID-19) in Austria will be rolled out in twowaves in December and January to prevent further lockdowns, the government announced on Friday.

Afew minutes of testing can prevent several weeks of lockdown for the entire country,Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a statement.

We will be able to pinpoint a high number of infected persons quickly, and will be able to break infection chains,he added.

Kurz said that Seven million antigen tests that produce results within minutes have been ordered for the country with a population of 8.9 million people.

He further said that testing would commence with school and daycare teachers from Dec. 5 andDec.6 when the country was expected to end its current second shutdown phase.

Police officers will be tested next, followed by a phase of voluntary testing for the entire population. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Simon Akoje

Global Fund says it will invest about million over the next three years to fight Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria and 10 other African countries, which are classified under high burden TB countries in Africa.

Dr Eliud Wanerdwalo , Senior Disease Coordinator at Global Fund, made the disclosure during the 33rd Stop TB Partnership virtual Board Meeting on Friday.

According to him, the Fund will be providing additional million to support programmes targeted at finding missing TB cases.

Nigeria is expected to get about million from the total grant to improve its health system to effectively respond and contain TB for the next three years.

African countries benefitting from the grant include Nigeria; Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

In this session, we are collectively investing about million US dollars over the next three years to fight TB, Malaria and HIV this present about 45 per cent of our investment.

So you can see how important these regions are to the Global Fund.

COVID-19 pandemic has jeopardised global efforts to save millions of lives and provide access to essential TB care and prevention.

Health systems are overstretched due to the unprecedented global health emergency, leading to serious restrictions in access to TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services.

Globally; these disruptions could result in an additional 6.3 million people developing tuberculosis and 1.4 million additional deaths resulting from TB between 2020 and 2025, he said.

We leverage countries which we had presented today, and Nigeria will receive million for tuberculosis for the next three years.

We are very pleased to get our colleagues from the African Union to host this event for 11 African countries about their progress in scaling up their TB programmes, and also the commitment to continue to support the programmes, even in this challenging period of COVID- 19.

More importantly we are willing to continue with commitment to fund the response in Africa.

For us in the Global Fund, we believe, everyone who needs treatment should be found especially those who are in a difficult situation, those who are in a normal circumstance, and those who do not go to the facility.

We should make all efforts to find them and put them on treatment, this will ensure that it will cut the chain of transmission of tuberculosis and the spread of the epidemic.

We understand countries are facing unprecedented challenges in implementing this commitment this COVID period, but we would like to work with countries to ensure that they redouble their efforts, not only to recover the losses which they have experienced this year, he said.

Also speaking, Suvanand Sahu, Deputy Executive Director, Stop TB Partnership Secretariat, Geneva , said the areas of investment is to improve the access in diagnosis and purchase of more diagnostic equipment and also to improve access to data.

We are investing in communities to be able to undertake screening and diagnosing using community health care workers across.

We know that close to over 60 per cent of Primary Health Care seeking in Nigeria is through the private sector and there will be a significant investment in improving the network of private health, Sahu said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Malam Mele Kyari, NNPC boss

By Solomon Asowata

Mr Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says he is optimistic that the corporation will declare dividends in 2020 in spite of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kyari spoke at an interactive session with the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) in Abuja on Friday.

He said: Our vision is that NNPC will become a company of excellence and declare dividends to Nigerians and shareholders.

We are optimistic that at the end of 2020, NNPC will declare dividends to Nigerians in spite of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyari said that accountability and transparency were key to turning NNPC into an efficient and profit-oriented enterprise.

He said this was what informed the decision of the corporation to publish its operational and financial reports monthly.

Kyari said: NNPC has never published its audited financial statement in 43 years. We came and started doing that and released the 2018 financial statement which showed that NNPC lost N803 billion.

We were not afraid of doing that and there were a lot of criticisms that we lost money in refinery operations and pipeline business.

We went ahead and published the 2019 audited report and was able to learn and cut cost and became more efficient.

There is no company in the country which has cut its losses within one financial year by N800 billion.

That means we reduced 97 per cent of our losses by cutting our cost and improving our efficiency.

He said that the NNPC was able to maintain its obligations to the Federation Account for seven months without fail in spite of the huge impact of the coronavirus on the oil and gas industry. (NAN

Source: NAN News

FRSC

By Chimezie Anaso

The Anambra Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of an unidentified petroleum tanker driver, who got trapped underneath the fallen vehicle.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accident happened at the popular Immigration Junction at the Awka axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Friday.

An eyewitness, John Okafor, said that the accident occured at about 3.45 pm, when the driver of the Enugu-bound tanker, attempted to manoever off the road to avoid ramming into vehicles held up in a gridlock.

Okafor said: The tanker suddenly ran into the end of a lane due to speed and in an attempt to avoid hitting the vehicles ahead of it, the driver manoevered out of the road.

In the process, the vehicle lost balance due to its speed and weight because it was conveying diesel.

It eventually fell on its side and the driver got trapped underneath, adding that he was later pulled out motionless by men of the FRSC.

The Public Education Officer of FRSC in Anambra, Mr Kamal Musa, confirmed the incident to NAN.

Musa said the man was pulled out dead, adding that his remains had benn deposited at the Chukwuemeka Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka mortuary.

NAN reports that corps operatives had a hectic period controlling traffic and dispersing some residents of the area, who rushed to scoop diesel spilling out of the tanker. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

GMD OF NNPC, MALAM MELE KYARI

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, said that President Muhammadu Buhari nerver interfered in the opetations of the Corporation.

Kyari disclosed this at a media interactive with National Association of Energy Correspondents in Abuja, on Friday.

He said that the corporation had the full support of the president to operate effectively for the growth of the industry,

I can tell you that the privledge we have today in this company of having unfettered control without any distraction or inteference to make decisions and be accountable and responsible for our decisions has never happened until this government.

I can tell you this because I have been around for 29 years and have worked closely with top management of the NNPC for about 15 years.

This is the only president who has nerve asked NNPC to do something.

I have the personal privilege to have access to Mr President, to his private audience and I can tell you that under no circumstances has he controlled what we want to do.

He only wants to know and be sure that what we are doing is in the best interest of the country, he said

He said that migrating to the deregulation of the downstream oil sector was a huge challenge and difficult decision for the president as he understood the pain it would put ordinary Nigerian through.

According to him, the president supported the decision because government can no longer afford subsidy with harsh economic impact of COVID-19.

The GMD said that the Corporations new focus was on gas development as the most resilient source of energy in the energy transition process.

The only oil and gas that survived during the COVID-19 with minimal negative change was gas. Gas will help the country out of its major challenge of electricity.

The biggest challenge we have here is to take electricity to homes, industries and to use the resources we have to create that enetgy this country needs.

Today for two reasons we are not getting electricity because the production is low and we are not able to transmit it to those who need it.

That means there is bottle neck in transmission and distribution system, he said

He said that gas had a lot to offer as it created work and economy that was not existing today noting that it could create industry with many other benefits.

Kyari maintained that although Nigeria was known as an oil country it is more a gas nation than oil.

He assured that the Corporation would continue to work to ensure full gas development in the country for economic growth.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

By Maureen Okon

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says creating an enabling environment is key to boosting local investment in the country.

Osinbajo said this on Friday in Abuja at the Nigerians in Diaspora virtual Investment Summit (NDIS), organised by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in collaboration with Nigeria Diaspora Summit Initiative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit, holding between Nov. 20 and Nov. 21, is the third edition. It has the theme: Post-COVID-19 Economic Resurgence: Targeting Diaspora Investment.

The summit is targeting investors in the health, education, Agric-business, creative industry and sports sectors.

Other areas include entertainment, Telecom, ICT/Fin-tech and manufacturing sectors.

The vice president said that the Federal Government was keen on improving the countrys economy after the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This is the third summit and this is my third appearance. The reason each time I accept invitation is the same our Diaspora is one of the vital resources that we have.

literally, Diaspora is an endless reservoir of talents, trade and investment opportunities in tourism, education, culture and sports.

But, even more important is the shared range of well trained and experienced talent that the Diaspora represents. It is that potential that makes our Diaspora network an endless source of economic hope and social aspirations.

When we met last year little did we know that the world will be afflicted by possibly the worst health crisis and the most devastating economic down turn in a generation.

For us in Nigeria as with many developing countries, it means as of this quarter a minus six per cent slow down in GDP. It is a sad development especially after 12 conservative quarters of growth.

So, in response, we designed a plan and the focus is on creating jobs, first via agriculture propgrammes where we have already enumerated five million farmers, Osibanjo said.

He said that government had also begun a mass housing programme where 300,000 homes would be built across states in the country using local materials to create job opportunities.

For this housing project, we have block makers and producers of panel and windows all from local companies. The whole idea is to generate job opportunities and income in every locality.

We also have a solar programme to makes five million connections across the country to service 25 million indigenous people, he said.

The vice president further said that the project involved a credit extended to solar home system assemblance and retailers by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

All our pragrammes are supported by credit facilities which CBN is offering. We have N1.3 trillion in all, so the whole idea is that the CBN is offering these credit facilities through the commercial banks to support our housing programme, solar home system and the agriculture programmes.

What we try to do in response to COVID-19 and also improvising our own economy policy is to attempt to make the physical environment as attractive as possible.

This is important to us because the only way to attract local investment is to ensure that we have physical environment that is attractive and make sense for people to invest in, Osibanjo said.

Source: NAN News

Empowerment of girl-child critical to socioeconomic change NGO

By Joy Odigie

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Gift a Child Initiative, on Friday called on the Federal Government to commit 26 per cent of its budgetary allocation to education as recommended by UNESCO.

Miss Deborah Eseni, the Coordinator and founder of the NGO, made the call at an event organised to commemorate the Universal Childrens Day celebrations held in Benin.

Speaking during her presentation, Eseni said the call had became imperative in the event of COVID-19 pandemic which had completely changed things globally.

She said that children needed to be assured of a better future by ensuring adequate budgetary allocation for education in the country.

This year, a lot has happened globally and children were affected as well following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which has changed things globally.

Government at all levels and all stakeholders must begin to provide platforms for children to be heard and be part of every decision making process.

To achieve this, every child must be given qualitative education that would be of immense value to the society in the future.

This is why government must commit 26 per cent of its budgetary allocation to education for sustainable development of the economy as recommended by UNESCO, she said.

According to her, the universal childrens day celebration is observed globally every Nov. 20.

The theme for this years celebration is Reimagine a Better Society for the Children. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NSE

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The Association of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (ACMAN) has listed solutions for effective management of the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund being prescribed in the Finance Bill 2020.

ACMAN President, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos that the management of unclaimed dividends fund should be independent of the government in line with global best practice.

NAN reports that Section 39 of the Finance Bill 202O prescribes the establishment of the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund.

The bill provides that unclaimed dividends of public quoted companies that remain unclaimed for three years after declaration shall be transferred immediately to the trust fund either by the company or its registrar.

It adds that unclaimed dividends of 12 years and above would be converted into revenue for the government and transferred from the Trust Fund to the federation account.

According to the bill, the fund will be operated by the Accountant General of the Federal, the Debt Management Office and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Uwaleke told NAN that the management of the fund should be independent of the government and by experts in unclaimed assets matters.

The organisation managing such funds should have only custodial possession of the funds in perpetuity until the rightful owners are identified.

There should be conscious efforts at uniting owners with their lost/forgotten funds, he said.

Uwaleke said that shareholders should be represented in the agency managing the fund.

The provision in this bill is seen to be taking a step in line with global practice with the establishment of the Unclaimed Dividends Trust Fund (UDTF) to manage unclaimed dividends.

It is pertinent to note that in other countries such as the UK, Kenya and so on, the agencies authorised to manage the funds only have custodial possession of the assets in perpetuity until their rightful owners are identified.

When that happens, the assets are returned to the owners and in some instances with interest, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Bitumen

Stakeholders in the extractive industry have urged the Federal Government to shift attention from crude oil to bitumen exploration to generate more foreign exchange and boost the nations economy.

The stakeholders spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Akure, Abeokuta and Benin on Friday.

They said that bitumen exploration would reduce the high rate of unemployment currently being experienced in the country.

In Edo they decried the lack of mining activity in the bitumen deposit belts in Edo.

The President, Akure Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Omolade Owoseni said that Ondo State was very rich in bitumen among other natural resources.

According to him, the exploration of the huge bitumen reserve is the only way to boost revenue and reduce unemployment in the state and in the country.

Owoseni, who applauded Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for bringing industries and machineries to the site of the bitumen deposit, said it would bring more foreign exchange for the development of the state and Nigeria at large.

I believe by next year, the exploration should start. It is going to make serious impact on the economy of the state and the country generally; bitumen is like oil.

Apart from Venezuela and Canada, Ondo State has the third largest bitumen deposit in the world.

If we can exploit it, it will bring in more money to the economy by the time it is being exported and used locally.

The greatest problem facing Nigeria now is unemployment. If we start the exploration, it will reduce unemployment by a substantial percentage. It will definitely be a good omen for the country, he said.

However, for Mr Boye Oyewumi, the Chief Executive Officer, Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), the greatest challenge facing bitumen exploration in the country today was funding, especially for the companies involved in the activities.

Oyewumi said that most of the companies involved had been finding it hard to get funds for exploration due to the nature of bitumen.

Bitumen is expensive to explore you need to mine a lot for it to be worth the while, he said.

He said that it was one of the reasons for not having illegal miners for bitumen as a lot of mining had to be done to make something substantial.

He said that activities were already ongoing by various companies as regards the exploration of the bitumen reserve in the state.

Oyewunmi said that a firm already had its equipment at a location in Irele Local Government Area of the state for pilot operations.

Our belief is that since the firm has commenced pilot operations, it will be able to use that to mobilise resources for bigger exploration activities that will eventually culminate into full operations.

We also have companies like the Dangote group and others, which have already been given license to explore bitumen in our state, he said.

Mr Abayomi Adesanya, the immediate past Caretaker Chairman, Okitipupa Local Government area of Ondo State, harped on the need for government to take a critical look at bitumen exploration in the country.

Adesanya said that the large deposit of bitumen currently lying fallow in Agbabu in the council area, would solve at least 50 per cent of the youth unemployment and the economic challenges facing the country.

He said that bitumen had enormous economic benefits, especially in the area of reducing cost of road construction and maintenance in the country.

Adesanya recalled that sometimes in March, he constituted a nine-man technical committee on bitumen exploration in the council area as directed by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the state government.

He said that the committee was mandated to understudy and review the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by the ministry on bitumen exploration and exploitation in the area.

The former chairman said that the committee did its job and sent its report back to the ministry, adding, however, that he was unable to get the feedback before leaving office.

Gov. Akeredolu had once said that there was now a modular refinery for bitumen exploration in Agbabu.

We have the largest deposit of bitumen in Agbabu which can help generate a lot foreign exchange and solve at least, 50 per cent of youth unemployment challenges.

I think this is the best time for the Federal Government to look inward and shift focus from crude oil to bitumen, which also has its own economic advantage, Adesanya said.

The former council boss, however, said that there the was no illegal exploration of bitumen in the area, stressing that it was not easy to explore and exploit the commodity like crude oil, gold or other mineral resources.

The only thing, which the local people do, is just to take little quantity of bitumen to spread on their leaking pots, asbestos, zincs and other domestic items, he said.

A visit to Agbabu community by NAN revealed that a modular refinery, established by a private firm had started exploration of bitumen in smaller quantity in the area.

In Ogun, Mr Femi Onanuga, the Chairman of Ogun Waterside Local Government Council said that the council remained the only local government in the state with bitumen in large deposits.

Onanuga said that government had just started the process of tapping into the resources.

The local government chairman said that an environment impact assessment had been done by the Federal Ministry of Environment in the area.

As I am talking to you now, the ministry just wrote my office to intimate me of the result of the environmental impact assessment.

The letter is for us to intimate our people and for us to feed them back before the commencement of exploration of bitumen in our area, he said.

The chairman said that if bitumen was fully harnessed, it would bring a lot of people into the state, especially the council area and consequently boost economic activities.

In Edo, an NGO, Justice Research Centre (JRC), decried lack of mining activity in the bitumen deposit belt in Edo.

The Director of the JRC, Mr Donald Inwalomhe made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on bitumen exploration in Edo.

He lamented that in spite of the large deposits of the mineral in two local governments of Ovia South West and Ovia North East, the places had been left fallow by successive governments at both state and national levels.

Inwalomhe said that if harnessed, it would have impacted in the economy of the state and by extension the Federal Government.

He stressed that the economic benefits would have translated into improvement in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and job creation to save foreign exchange for the country.

The JRC director also regretted that in spite of the huge loan taken for the exploration of bitumen in the country by the Obasanjo-led government, the exploration and its mining never saw the light of the day.

I recall that Obasanjo administration obtained a loan of 900 million dollars from the World Bank for the purpose but because he decided to site the plant in Ogun rather than Ore in Ondo where there is large deposit of the resource, the project did not see the light of day.

The deposit of this mineral belt in Ore in Ondo State is what extended to Ovia South West and Ovia North East through the Siloko River.

Inwalomhe however blamed successive state governors in Edo for not paying attention and working with the relevant Federal Government agency on how to harness the mineral resources.

This is an avenue for the state government to explore in order to boost the dwindling fortune of the state in terms of revenue generation.

The state government needs to take a data base of all the mining sites in Edo and get a laboratory in the state for such purpose that will make it compulsory for all the minerals resources being explored in the state and must pass through that laboratory.

This way, the State IGR will be boosted while job several jobs opportunities will be provided, he said.

However, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, said using bitumen for road projects would conserve foreign reserves.

The minister said that exploring the nations huge bitumen deposits would go a long way in facilitating ongoing road projects and by implication, save the country billions of dollars used yearly to import road infrastructure raw materials.

Adegbite said this while inaugurating a nine-man committee on the development of bitumen resources in his office recently.

He disclosed that Nigeria has about 42.74 billion metric tonnes of bitumen reserves, describing bitumen as an important mineral resource needed for road construction.

Bitumen is in abundance and the country can explore and exploit for economic development, the minister said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Centre for Public Service Productivity and Development (CeProd) has appealed to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the private sector to adopt flexible working options to improve productivity in the country.

The Director-General of CeProd, Dr Chris Egbu, made the appeal at a certification workshop and fellowship induction programme organised by the centre on Thursday in Abuja.

Egbu said that adoption of flexible working options would be of great benefits to the employers and employees, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He expressed concern that some companies sacked their workers during the pandemic rather than adopting other options to engage them to become more productive.

According to him, there is no need to sack workers but to train them to become more productive.

COVID-19 has brought about flexible working options that are going to increase productivity if utilised well.

Some people spend two hours on the road going to work but you can spend those hours and another eight hours at home and become more productive.

We have the resource in this country but what we are lacking is to turn the input into output and to become a productive nation, Egbu said.

He, however, emphasised the need for employers to prioritise staff welfare with a view to increasing productivity.

Generally, when staff are productive, their welfare will be guaranteed because what staff earn is a ratio to their output.

If you are helping an organisation to generate N2 million and they are giving you N10, you can say no, I am generating more because you have figures you can negotiate with.

But if they are paying you N10 and you are not producing anything you will be afraid they will sack you and thats the situation most public servants are because they are not producing much, Egbu said.

On his part, Mr Oloyede Adeola, one of the 12 fellows inducted as a member of the centre, canvassed more support for workers to work from home.

According to him, it has been discovered that productivity is higher when you motivate somebody to work from home.

He said that the idea would result in saving cost of production as well as services.

No doubt, there is need to cut cost of production and services without undermining quality. For this reason, employers must find a way to motivate staff to improve productivity.

For example, companies can run shift because the cost of transportation has increased and the cost of food has also increased, so you better give them time to work at home and deliver.

COVID-19 is here with us and we must find a way around it, Adeola said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwaseun Fadugba

All is set for the 5th Lagos Women Run on Saturday as over 30,000 participants have registered globally for the virtual and physical marathon.

Tayo Popoola, General Coordinator, Lagos Women Run, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that a total cash prize of N5 million is up for grab by the winners in various categories.

This is the biggest women fitness gathering in Africa we can think of and it has been on for five years now.

This year is the 5th edition and this is very peculiar because of the pandemic, based on that, we decided to have a virtual run.

Money involved for the take home prize is more than N5 million and people all over world have registered for this run, she said.

The coordinator said that the virtual run was due to the pandemic so that women would not be denied the opportunity to take part in the marathon.

She said that COVID-19 rules and regulations would be strictly adhered to during the womens marathon.

As much as the pandemic is there, we want to create an avenue where people can run without breaking any of the pandemic rules and regulations put in place.

We are creative about it and the application was developed, whereby you can run anywhere.

We want to be able to track people that will run at their own pace at different locations and still be part of the run, she said.

Popoola said that the elite run would involve only the invited professionals, while the virtual would be for other women all over the world who had shown interest.

It would also take place at the same time as the virtual run from Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos to Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere at the same time.

Those coming from overseas would definitely present their COVID-19 test results and also observe the 14 days compulsory self-isolation before participating in the race.

During the run, people will be put in different cells unlike the normal run, so it will not be rowdy.

We wont also have a large number of athletes on the road at the same time, in less than two hours everyone is off the road, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nineteen female referees from Africa have been selected to participate in the FIFA Womens World Cup in 2023, to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, during a reserved period in the FIFA Womens International Match Calendar between 10 July and 20 August 2023.

The candidates will join the Road to AUS/NZL project, a programme which will determine the best to operate during the upcoming competition. They come from 15 CAF Member Associations and their names are as follows

Referees

Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda),
Lidya Tafesse Abebe (Ethiopia),
Maria Rivet (Mauritius),
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco),
Ndidi Patience Madu (Nigeria),
Vincentia Amedome (Togo),
Fatou Thioune (Senegal),
Dorsaf Ganouati (Tunisia)

Assistant referees

Mary Njoroge (Kenya),
Lidwine Rakotozafinoro (Madagascar),
Bernadettar Kwimbira (Malawi),
Queency Victoire (Mauritius),
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia),
Mimisen Iyorhe (Nigeria),
Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco),
Fanta Kone (Mali),
Carine Atezambong Fomo (Cameroon),
Yara Atef Said Abdelfattah (Egypt)

The 2023 tournament will see the Womens World Cup expanded from 24 to 32 teams.

The United States are the defending champions going into the competition, having won the previous two tournaments in 2015 and 2019. (PANA/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Polo players set for action at the Community Policing Awareness tourney, at the Guards Polo Club, Abuja on Thursday.
Photo Credit: NAN

By Victor Okoye

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has commended the organisers of the Community Policing Awareness Polo Tournament, saying the event has helped reinforce the fact that crime-fighting was everyones responsibility.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament holding at the Guards Polo Club in Abuja will end with the final matches on Sunday.

Adamu, who was represented by Alkali Usman, the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) in charge of Financing and Administration, said through vigorous public enlightenment and sensitisation crime-fighting would be embraced by the public.

We must make the fight against crime in our immediate environment as our responsibility.

This can be done through vigorius public enlightenment and sensitisation of those who are more familiar with our terrain and the everyday happenings in our communities.

I have no doubt therefore that this tournament will raise more awareness about the community policing initiative and I am proud to be a part of this laudable event, he said.

We are most grateful to our chairman, Halliru Jika, for organising this event, he said.

Jika, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, said the purpose of the tournament was to use polo as a sport to foster friendship between the Police and the community.

As you are aware, polo is the game of kings and the king of games. So, we decided to take action through legislative intervention as representatives of the people and the Police.

We felt the need to get the Police and the community together through the age-long royal game of polo so as to enlighten the public more on the whole concept of community policing in the country, he said.

Jika who is the Organising Committees Chairman said the reason he chose to use polo as a tooI was because it was his own niche.

As a polo player, the love I have for the horses is what inspired me to organise the event.

He added that the tournament which was in its maiden edition would be an annual event.

Tupero Bruno, Vice-Chairman of Vandrezzer Football Club and tournament sponsors, said the event was also aimed at incorporating the efforts of security-conscious individuals and reputable Nigerians from all walks of life.

The event is a brainchild of the Vandrezzer Group aimed at bringing together and incorporating well-meaning Nigerians and captains of industry into partnership with the Police Force.

We must collaborate with the Police Force in its bid to eradicate crime in our environment through the IGPs community policing agenda, he said.

NAN reports that results of matches played on Thursday at the tournament had AA

By Peter Amine

The Federal Government is training Federal and states epidemiology officers on investigation and how to combat the recent outbreak of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) in the country.

Dr Olaniran Alabi, Director/Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, disclosed this on Friday in Jos.

Alabi, who is of the Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, said that the one-week training became necessary following the outbreak of RHD in two states.

RHD is a fatal viral disease of rabbits, which occurs suddenly and is highly contagious.

Alabi, who was represented by Dr Peter Umana, Head, Epidemiology Unit, said that the outbreak was being tackled through the Regional Disease Surveillance System Enhancement () Project.

He said that the disease had become a global concern, as incidences had increased around the globe in recent times.

It has indeed become endemic in a number of countries, including neighbouring countries like Republic of Benin and Ghana.

As you are all aware, the first case of the disease was confirmed in Oyo and Kwara States on the 12th of October, 2020.

Since then, the number of the outbreaks has increased sporadically in the two states. And on the 11th of November, barely a month after, we received news that the disease has been confirmed in Ogun State, he said.

The director stated that the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, had confirmed that the disease was of the same strain witnessed in the recent global surge.

According him, containing the spread of the disease had become necessary, as rabbit farming was now an evolving business in the country with a promising future.

He added that besides the meat, faeces, urine and even the fur of the animal, were gradually becoming widely sought after.

We must, therefore, do our best to prevent this scourge from discouraging citizens, whose livelihoods depend on it and other stakeholders.

I am aware that the teams here will be immediately deployed to the field in our respective states of posting to carry out the outbreaks investigation.

It is pertinent to reiterate that the number of factors exist in our country that favour the establishment of the disease, if not tackled promptly.

One of such factors is glaring; that is, our porous borders, but then other factors are also there which we expect the outbreak investigation to unravel if properly carried out, he said.

Alabi said there was also interest in establishing the extent of the outbreak in the country, with a view to promptly containing its spread.

Executive Director, NVRI Vom, Dr Maryam Muhammad, reiterated that it was the mandate of the Institute to control infectious diseases and protect livestock of all species.

Muhammad, who was represented by Dr Clement Maseko, Head of Regional Laboratory, NVRI, stated that it was the institute that first confirmed the hitherto unknown disease killing rabbits as RHD.

We will continue to support national efforts to control this novel virus that threatens millions of rabbits and livelihood of Nigerians, adding that the institute will also support the efforts of the Federal Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services through REDISSE initiatives. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended on Friday that the anti-viral drug remdesivir should not be used for hospitalised COVID-19 patients, arguing that trials had failed to prove that the treatment is effective.

WHO chief clinician Janet Diaz told a press conference from Geneva that there was no clear evidence that the use of remdesivir reduced the risk of death or the need for oxygen support.

Diaz said there was no clear effect on the pace of recovery among trial patients.

The WHO said in a statement that the possibility that remdesivir causes harm could also not be ruled out.

In addition, there are relatively high cost and resource implications associated with remdesivir, the WHO argued, pointing out that the drug must be injected into the bloodstream.

The WHO had already published interim trial results in the middle of October that pointed to the drugs lack of effectiveness.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally approved remdesivir, a therapeutic made by U.S. company Gilead Sciences, in October.

The drug has also won EU approval for severe cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Anti-inflammatory steroids such as dexamethasone are the only known effective drugs for severely ill Covid-19 patients.

Right now we have one life-saving therapy, Diaz said, stressing that the WHO has been strongly recommending steroids.

She added that use of oxygen, advanced respiratory therapies and good intensive care have also proven to be effective in helping patients survive. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Public toilet

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

Kano State Ministry of Environment says it has completed work on a draft Kano State Pollution Bill to enhance sanitation and protect the environment.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim-Getso, stated this at a news conference as part of activities to mark the 2020 World Toilet Day on Friday in Kano.

Ibrahim-Getso said that the ministry had concluded work on the draft bill to be presented to the State Executive Council for approval for onward transmission to the House of Assembly.

He said the bill was designed to control environmental pollution, enhance sanitation and check unfriendly environmental habits.

The commissioner said the bill also made provisions for sanctions and penalties for violations of environmental laws in the state.

Commenting on the World Toilet Day, Ibrahim-Getso said the ministry had embarked on sensitisation activities in order to check open defecation and encourage use of toilets in the communities.

The commissioner listed the activities to include provision of adequate funding for the implementation of the monthly environmental sanitation and recruitment of 1,000 sanitation vanguards.

Others were the conduct of toilet inspection, construction of conveniences in public places and procurement of mobile toilets deployed to strategic locations.

Human excreta, lack of adequate personnel and domestic hygiene have been implicated in transmission of infectious diseases including cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, poliomyelitis and helminthiasis among others.

Studies have shown that the incidence of diseases is drastically reduced when people have access to and make regular use of effective sanitary facilities.

Kano State Government is in the forefront in supporting Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign with zeal and commitment. It partnered with many stakeholders to ensure that this battle is fought to its logical conclusion.

The time to end open defecation is now; play your part, save the lives of children and other members of the public, he said.

Ibrahim-Getso said the ministry was working in collaboration with the state Ministry of Local Government Affairs, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Kano State Hisba Board.

Others are the CSO, WHO, UNICEF and other development organisations to achieve ODF in the state.

While commending the organisations for their support, Ibrahim-Getso urged the people to support government programmes to protect the environment for sustainable social and economic development of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commissioner had on Thursday inspected toilet facilities at the Unguwa Uku motor Park in Kano metropolis. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nigerian Air Force attacks bandits camp

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has neutralised no fewer than 17 armed bandits and destroyed their camp in the Dunya Forest area of Katsina State.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Friday, said the airstrikes were executed on Thursday following credible intelligence on the presence of the bandits in the forest.

Enenche said the intelligence and confirmatory surveillance missions revealed that dozens of bandits linked to Ansaru terrorist group had established a camp at the location where they also kept scores of rustled cattle.

He said an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships were dispatched and engaged the location in successive passes.

According to him, the air attacks destroyed portions of the camp, including their storage facility, which was seen engulfed in flames.

Human intelligence sources later confirmed that no fewer than 17 bandits were neutralised and several others injured.

The Military High Command commends the troops and other security agencies operating in the North West Zone for their professionalism and urges them to remain resolute in order to eradicate all armed bandits. (NAN)

Source: NAN News