By Justina Auta

The Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, says the organisation will assist Nigerian women entrepreneurs to improve their businesses, nations trade and economy.

Okonjo-Iweala, who had served as Nigerias Minister of Finance and Supervising Minister of the Economy, gave the assurance during a visit to the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Wednesday in Abuja.

She said the visit of the WTO delegate was to engage with the country on ways to help improve the economy and trade in Nigeria, as well as show appreciation for their support during her election.

According to her, WTO is also trying to find small business holders and women entrepreneurs to upgrade their businesses to enable them penetrate both local and international markets.

She revealed that WTO was working to support women entrepreneurs in the country, as it had assisted a women cooperative producing shea butter in Oyo State to upgrade and export their products.

The challenge on how to assist women entrepreneurs so that they move from the small activity they are doing to the next level.

So that they attain the quality that is required to be able to penetrate regional and international market that is one of the things that WTO can help with, she said.

The director-general assured that WTO through its programnes, such as the She Trade Initiative, would build the capacity of women traders to enable their business expand.

Okonjo-Iweala also revealed that the WTO was negotiating a round of e-commerce rules that could underpin trade on the internet to make it fair and balance.

This, she said, would enable more women entrepreneurs penetrate the markets through the internet.

The WTO wants to redress inequality through trade, wants to see trade as an engine of economic growth which is what we need during this pandemic, she said.

The director-general also expressed concern over spates of abduction of school students, which she said would further widen the gap for girl-child education.

She, therefore, urged the government to revive the safe school initiative and secure school environment.

On her part, the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, described Mrs Okonjo-Iweala as a role model for Nigerian women, who had served the country with humility, skills and knowledge.

Mrs Buhari, represented by Dr Hajo Sani, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration (Office of the First Lady), encouraged other women to play their role as models so that younger generation of women could emulate.

Earlier, the minister of women affairs urged the WTO boss to assist Nigerian women entrepreneurs improve their businesses.

Nigerian women are great entrepreneurs, they have done so much and so many of them have been so frustrated in their various businesses.

God has brought you to this seat to salvage us, to salvage great Nigerian women entrepreneurs, who have left their marks.

We will compile and showcase all their products and make sure we send them all out to you, Tallen said.

She, therefore, called on Nigerians, particularly women, to support the WTO boss in order to make Nigeria, Africa and the world proud and great.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various women groups, politicians, National Assembly members, students, military and paramilitary women, CSOs, NGOs and various media organisations were present to receive Okonja-Iweala.

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO) says the organisation will make progress on negotiations concerning the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) in its forthcoming 12th Ministerial Conference.

Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

The 12th conference is scheduled to hold in Geneva in December.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DDA, known as Doha Round is the latest round of trade negotiations among the WTO membership.

It is aimed at achieving major reform of the international trading system through the introduction of lower trade barriers and revised trade rules.

NAN gathered that the African groups in WTO are seeking for this negotiation which has agricultural package to be addressed, demanding for a special safeguard mechanism for developing countries.

In spite of several efforts by some developed countries to undermine the DDA, the African Groups have stood their ground because it has to do with food security, subsidy on agriculture which distort trade and employment.

The WTO director-general, however, noted that the negotiation on the agenda was yet to be completed during the round and was still hanging.

There are some specific mandates as you know that developed and developing countries did not see eye to eye.

There are some specific mandates on agriculture package, we think we could make progress may be even at the WTO Ministerial Conference.

We will have some kind of outcome on Public Stock-holding for food security purposes on which developing countries want to have the ability to have reserves.

This is in case they have difficulties feeding thier population, they can buy grains or whatever products in times of plenty and store them to be able to sell later.

But there are countries, who are concerned about wether goods are being subsidised, wether they are sold later in the open market thereby undermining the ability of the free market to function, she said.
According to her, there is potential to come to an agreement on the public stock holding for food security issues, so we could deal with that.

She said there was also a possibility to deal with the humanitarian exception to restricting the world food programme from buying food freely for humanitarian purposes.

This, she said was , also being discussed and almost every countries had agreed except two countries
So, we will work on it, she added.

Okonjo-Iweala, who assumed duty as the first female and African D-G of WTO on March 1, was on her first working visit in Nigeria.

In the course of spurring economic growth, she had met with President Muhammadu Buhari, various ministers and key players in health sector.

In view of boosting trade and investment, she had engaged Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and Minister of State, Amb. Mariam Katagum.

The former Nigerian Finance Minister also interacted with captains of industries on view of bringing their trade challenges to the fore for WTOs intervention.

She also featured in roundtable discussions organised by Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and International Trade Centre (ITU) for entrepreneurs and women in trade on ways to remove administrative bottlenecks on export.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) on Thursday gave regulated service providers one month to register with the council or face sanctions.

The Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello disclosed thisin Lagos at a sensitisation clinic for regulated service providers, the second phase for shipping companies, terminal operators and inland container dry ports.

Bello who was represented by Mr Cajetan Agu, Director, Consumer Affairs Department of NSC, said some of the sanctions were first and second warnings, delisting, sealing off of business premises amongst others.

He noted that since the first sensitisation clinic that took place on Jan. 31, 2019, only few regulated service providers had registered.

He listed those affected by the directive as: ports authority, seaport terminal operators, shipping companies, offdock terminal/bonded warehouses.

He said others were: cargo consolidators, logistics service providers, freight forwarders, inland container depot operators, stevedoring companies and others.

According to Bello, the registration is in line with part 2, section 41 of the NSC Port Economic Regulation of 2015.

The purpose of this clinic is to provide guidelines, rates and modalities for registration online with the NSC portal.

At the first sensitisation programme in 2019, participants raised issue of high registration fee, stating that it adds to cost of doing business and this was reviewed downwards, but surprisingly some regulated service providers did not pay.

It is hoped that stakeholders will avail themselves this opportunity and participate in the sensitisation clinic and equally register with the NSC thereafter for those who are yet to register with us.

Stakeholders should not take our persuasion as a form of weakness, they should utilise the one month grace period and register or sanctions will be meted out, he said.

He said some benefits attached to the registration included regulatory incentives, creating a pool of operators in the port sector, economic planning, ability to monitor the conduct of providers, free access to complaint mechanism and platform for consultation.

When appointed a port regulator, assignments were given to the NSC for them to create an effective regulatory regime at the ports for the control of tariffs, rates, charges and other economic services.

For shippers council to express these functions as prescribed under the regulation and under operation Know Your Customer, Part 2, Section 4 listed all the regulated service providers at the port.

And again, under section 4, the listed providers shall register with the council. It is line with this section that we are meeting today, carrying out this sensitisation training for stakeholders.

So failure to comply will amount to a breach of this regulation and shall attract sanctions as stipulated by the regulation, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Polycarp Auta

Troops attached to the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have shot dead an armed robbery suspect at Kutaya street in Jengre, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau.

The troops were stationed for maintaining peace in Plateau and parts of Kaduna and Bauchi and were responding to distress call when it engaged some bandits in a gun duel.

Maj.-Gen Dominic Onyemelu, the Commander of the task force disclosed the killing, which occurred on Wednesday night, to newsmen on Thursday in Jos.

Onyemelu said that two other members of the criminal gang escaped with bullet wounds.

He explained that one AK-47, a fabricated riffle, an automatic pistol, 16 of 9mm rounds ammunition and a cell phone, were recovered from the scene.

Yesterday, at about 11:45p.m. our troops on night patrol received a distress call of armed robbery incident at Kutaya street, Jengre area of Bassa.

The troops swiftly mobilised to the scene, where a shop owner, one Mr Reuben, was robbed of his personal belongings.

In the process, one of thearmed robbers was neutralised, while his two colleagues escaped with gunshot injuries.

Items recovered include one AK 47, a fabricated riffle, an Automatic Pistol, 16 of 9mm rounds ammunition and a cell phone, he said.

The commander said that the dead body of the armed robber was deposited at the morgue of Plateau State Hospital.

He said that his gallant troops would intensify the search for the other members of the gang who are still at large.

Onyemelu, who assumed duty on March 11, as the 13thCommander of the operation, assured residents of the state of its determination to ensuring that lasting peace was achieved across its joint operational areas.

He, however, called on members of the public to support and cooperate with the task force to succeed. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Edith Nwapi

A petitioner, Francis Awulu, told the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)s Independent panel, that he was asked to pay N1, 000 as gate fee every time he visits his late brother in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) cell.

The panel is investigating alleged human rights violations by the disbanded SARS and other units of the police force.

Testifying on a petition by his family, Awulu alleged that his brother, Emmanuel, was killed in spite of the fact that the police collected N60, 000 from him.

The petition was filed against Insp Cletus Atuma, other officers of SARS, FCT commissioner of police and Inspector-General of Police.

He told the panel that Atuma and other SARS officers beat his brother beyond recognition and killed him at the SARS headquarters.

Led by his counsel, Uche Uwazuruonye, Awulu said the deceased, a poultry farmer, was arrested on Aug. 20, 2019 by Atuma at about 2 a.m. in Gwagwalada, FCT.

Immediately my brother was taken into custody, he was denied access to his family and untill he died.

For every visit we were asked to pay N1, 000 as gate fee to get to where my brother was detained unlawfully which did not yield any result.

On one of my visits, one Insp Wisdom advised me to pay N4 million to make sure that I get a listening ear from the SARs ogas.

I told him I could not afford such an amount. He collected the N8,000 I had on me. After the payment, Atuma informed me that my brother was a cultist.

After much negotiation, Aruma demanded for money and I gave him N60,000 for the release of my brother. On Aug. 26, 2019 we were told that Emmanuel had died, he said.

Awulu, pleaded with the panel to order for compensation from the police for being responsible for his younger brothers death adding, he was the breadwinner of the family, he had six dependents.

We also pray the panel to ensure that the perpetrators of this inhumane act are punished, he said.

The Chairman of panel, rtd justice Suleiman Galadima, adjourned hearing until April 16 for cross-examination. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwabukola Akanni

Princess Aderonke Adedoja, the founder of Aderonke Ramat Adedoja Foundation (ARA), says chances of a woman, emerging as president of Nigeria in the next decade, is a possibility.

Adedoja made these remarks on Thursday at the ongoing Oyo State Women Entrepreneurship Summit entitled Women Rise Up on Thursday in Ibadan.

Adedoja, who is the convener of the summit, said that the misconception that, men are more superior, accounted for the low representation of Nigerian women in politics.

According to her, in order for women to increase their participation in politics and other sectors, they must be seen as equal to the men folks with equal and inalienable rights.

Women should stop sitting on the sideline and should demand what is rightfully theirs.

We cannot afford to continue cheerleading for the men.

We must rise up and claim our God-given rights as God created us to be equals and leaders.

In order to increase our participation in politics, we must begin to see ourselves as equal stakeholders with the intelligence, skills and abilities to take up leadership positions in politics, she said.

Adedoja, who was the first female House of Representatives aspirant in Oluyole Federal Constituency in 2019, said that women could make ground-breaking achievements in politics if given the opportunity.

From contesting in the last election, I have understood the game and I have confidence in myself that I can win in the next election without a godfather.

I have the skills and abilities and it is time for women to support their fellow women so that we can have more female participation in politics.

Im really hopeful that in the 2023 elections, more women will emerge as winners.

It is up to women to decide they will no longer be docile in politics and we will have a female president in Nigeria very soon, maybe in a decade.

Also speaking, an entrepreneur, Mrs Folasade Akinrinmola, said that women needed more than one skill sets in order to have an edge over the men folks.

Akinrinmola, who is the CEO of A-Z Event Experts, said that todays women are confronted with several challenges, including poverty and inequality.

Such challenges should, however, be seen as a ladder to success.

Todays society demands that women have multiple streams of income if they are going to make a meaningful impact in society.

In order for women to have a good outing in the next general elections, we must be ready to take risks and support one another, Akinrinmola said.

In the same manner, a social entrepreneur, Natasha Akpoti, remarked that women have the intelligence, character and capacity to bring about the much needed social change in Nigeria. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the only way to effectively address the massive infrastructure deficit in Nigeria is by Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the vice president spoke at the opening ceremony of a 2-day retreat of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).

The retreat will, among other things, deliberate on the proposed amendment of the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act, 1999.

The vice president said that Nigeria would require at least 2.3 trillion dollars over the next 30 years to bridge the infrastructural gap.

The review of budgetary allocation for capital expenditure even over the past decade will show that government resources are completely insufficient for this purpose.

While government can take either commercial or concessionary loans for infrastructure development, this is an additional burden on a usually considerably leveraged balance sheet.

He said there was a large pool of investable funds from both local and international investors for the development and maintenance of infrastructure.

Osinbajo said, however, the funds were only accessible where there was a business case to be made for developing public infrastructure.

So, for both institutional and individual investors, there is far more comfort with lending or with equity participation where a private sector entity partners with a public authority owner of the infrastructure.

This way the public partner can play its natural role of a regulator (regulation and policy), leaving business to the private sector whose reason for being is business; so, for investors, PPP presents the best of both worlds, he said.

He urged the participants drawn from the private and public sectors at the retreat to remain focused on the objectives of the meeting,.

According to him, developing a framework that will be attractive to investors should be topmost in their deliberations.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director-General of BPE, Mr Alex Okoh, said the current economic environment required government to adopt innovative ways of attracting resources for infrastructure development.

He said an amendment of the BPE Act would among other things expand private sector participation in the Nigerian economy as well as attract more foreign capital to different sectors of the economy.

Dignitaries at the opening session included the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and the Senate Committee Chairman on Privatisation, Sen. Theodore Orji.

Representatives of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NCP, among others were also at the event.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

Igbo people in the United Kingdom (UK) under the auspices of Ogbako Ndi Igbo, have urged the South-East governors to double their effort at ensuring the protection of lives and property of people of the region.

The group made the demand in a statement signed by Dr Jude Eze, Chairman, Ogbako Ndi Igbo UK, and 16 others, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Thursday.

We ask that our governors do more to protect our people before things escalate out of control, and to apply wisdom in managing hot spots of insecurity rather than fuelling it as was the recent case in Orlu, they said.

The group was particular about the disruption of farming activities in various communities in the South-East region due to the activities of bandits who rape women and commit other atrocities against farmers in different communities in the zone.

Over the past few years, there has been a gradual but sustained erosion of security in Nigeria and particularly in the South East region.

We have seen kidnappings on the rise as well as incessant vandalism of farmlands of our people by herdsmen.

Most shocking is the rape of our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters by these criminal elements with impunity whilst sometimes filming these nefarious acts and posting them on social media to further denigrate us and aggravate our pain.

These bandits who move around freely with AK-47 rifles have been reported to use these firearms on our defenceless people when challenged during these abhorrent acts thus resulting in loss of lives, the statement said.

The group wondered why such unlawful and evil actors should go unpunished when there is rule of law.

It also regretted that security which ought to be the primary responsibilities of the government had been politicised.

It is, therefore, sad to say at this moment that the authorities are failing the people of Nigeria and South-East in particular.

In a previous letter to the Executive Governors of the South-East states, Ogbako Ndi Igbo UK had solicited concerted efforts by the governors to tackle these security challenges facing our people.

It is with sadness that we note that our plea and suggestions towards improvement of security in Igboland like the formation of a regional security outfit have not been heeded to.

In the past months, Ogbako Ndi Igbo UK has noted the commendable response from autonomous communities across the length and breadth of Igboland which, left with no other choice, have chosen to protect themselves.

They have also gone at length to curtail the menace of the herdsmen and their cows.

These responses have been achieved through the formation of vigilance groups and other neighbourhood-watch outfits, it added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Vivian Emoni

The Federal Government has inaugurated a National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change (NAPGCC) to guide implementation of actions that mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable groups including women.

Dr Muhammad Abubakar, the Minister of Environment, at the inauguration ceremony and workshop of the NAPGCC on Thursday in Abuja said that the inauguration was for the good of the women and the country at large.

The workshop was organised by the Women Environmental Programme (WEP) in collaboration with the Climate Change Department of the ministry.

Abubakar said that Nigeria developed its National Action Plan on Gender and Climate in 2020 and was approved by the Federal Executive Council that same year.

He said that the development was in recognition of the need for gender mainstreaming in the implementation of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

He said that the main goal of the Action Plan was to ensure that national climate change processes in Nigeria mainstreamed gender considerations.

The minister said that the essence was to guarantee inclusivity of all demographics in the formulation and implementation of climate change initiatives, programs and policies.

According to him, gender mainstreaming can play a key role in policy development that targets mitigation and adaptation of climate change by ensuring that a gender equality perspective is adopted.

Thus, when it comes to decision-making and implementation towards building resilient communities in the face of climate change, the full and meaningful participation of all groups become essential.

In view of Nigerias intention to empower and respond to the needs of women in the context of climate change, this NAPGCC focuses on effective strategies.

The strategies were made for integrating gender into the implementation of national climate change initiatives, including the Paris Agreement particularly the NDCs.

The Action Plan presents milestones for ensuring that in building a climate-resilient Nigeria, the important and critical roles of women, youths and other vulnerable groups are carried along in the implementation of relevant national policies and strategies, he said.

Abubakar mentioned the priority sectors covered by the Action Plan as Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use, Food Security, Health, Energy, Transport, waste management, water and sanitation.

He said that the Action Plan covers the period 2020 to 2025.

He, however, encouraged all participants at the workshop to make meaningful contributions that would lead to a successful outing in achieving a low carbon, cleaner and healthier environment.

Mrs Sharon Ikezor, the Environment Minister for State said that the NAPGCC would serve as a guide in mainstreaming gender in addressing climate change action and challenges in the country.

Ikeazor said that the event was to officially launch the NAPGCC document, initiate the development of an implementation strategy framework and the development of next steps in implementing Nigerias Gender Action Plan.

The minister was represented by Hajia Halima Bawa-Bwari, Acting Director, Climate Change Department, ministry of environment.

Mrs Anne-Marie Abaagu, the Executive Director, WEP said that the aim of the workshop was to effectively improve on the implementation of the action plan.

Abaagu appreciated the ministry, British High Commission, European Union and Both ENDS for their immense support in making sure that the programme was successful. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

Food and beverage company Nestle Nigeria PLC, has kicked off a campaign to promote the intake of iron to address micronutrient deficiency and ensure healthy living.

Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria, said in Abuja at a stakeholder-engagement meeting with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, on the need to take sufficient iron.

Uwadoke said that the stakeholder-engagement was to get the buy-in of major stakeholders in the Live Strong With Iron campaign, and to step-up awareness in at least 50 per cent of Nigerians as it relates iron deficiency.

he noted that the Live Strong With Iron campaign would be officially launched in Abuja on April 7, being the World Health Day, to drive behavioral change and ensure Nigerians adopt the habit of consuming foods with iron.

At Nestl, we are committed to enabling people to lead healthier, happier lives by continuously improving our products, providing affordable nutrition for everyone.

Beyond delivering tasty and nutritious products to consumers, we work alongside stakeholders to build strong communities and supply chains while improving livelihoods in communities directly connected to our business activities.

Our CSV focus areas in Nigeria include Nutrition Education, Building Thriving Communities, Youth Empowerment and Preservation of the Environment, she said.

Uwadoka noted that available statistics in their possession showed that 68 per cent of children under-five years were Iron deficient, while 37 per cent were stunted.

Dr Mrs Anthonia Ekpa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs who received the Nestle Nigeria team on behalf of the minister Mrs Pauline Tallen, said the ministry considered healthy living and the development of the girl-child.as a priority.

Ekpa urged Nestle to develop a policy to make it a national project for a greater reach.

We also address the need of the girl child especially those entering the stage of menstrual circle.

We collaborate with ministry of water resources, and now, we have seen what we neglected (campaign on iron intake) which we will add.

We will introduce it to our women development department and we will partner with Nestle Nigeria to do advocacy on this.

But we will identify serious Civil Society Organisation that we can use to develop a plan.

The team was also received at the Ministry of Health by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abdulaziz Mashi. (NAN)

Source: NAN News