Financial burden of amnesty programme unsustainable Expert

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Dr. Ndubuisi Nwokolo, Senior Policy and Research Lead at Nextier SPD, a development consulting firm says that the financial burden of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is unsustainable to the country.

Nwokolo disclosed this while presenting the key finding of a report on amnesty programme by Nextier SPD at a virtual dialogue on PAP, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The report was sponsored by Nigerian Natural Resource Charter (NNRC).

He said the findings revealed that PAP, in spite gulping billions of naira annually over the years, had failed to address various challenges bedeviling oil-producing communities.

According to him, the programme appears to be rewarding militancy and aggressiveness.

The programme is focused on individuals rather than the community; the payments have deepened entitlement culture and had strengthened command and control structures of groups.

It is also characterised by politics of exclusion, especially the exclusion of the private sector, he said.

He identified shortcomings and challenges hindering the success of the programme to include widespread corruption, unverified beneficiaries, and poor programme design

Others, he noted include slow progress, low levels of consistency and high dependence on stipends.

Nwokolo said that the reintegration phase of the PAP was still incomplete 10 years after; while difficulty exists in getting current and reliable data on the status of the ex-agitators.

He adeed that the recently-suspended coordinator of the programme had brought to the notice of Nigerians, some of its the entrenched corruption.

The programme is also characterised by slow pace of reintegration and lack of employment, especially as the reintegration phase of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, (DDR) process, meant to last five years is still ongoing and there is difficulty of beneficiaries landing jobs after graduation.

It has brought about an apparent lack of coherence between PAP activities and other Niger Delta interventions; while these have resulted in poor levels of social reintegration, he added.

Nwokolo, however, called for the reviews of the programme to enable it achieve a positive reward for oil communities in the country.

Unless the programme is urgently reviewed, it will continue to serve as a drain on the Federal Governments resources, especially with the monthly allocation of N5.5 billion.

It will also continue to engender poor return on investment, record limited success in reintegrating ex-agitators, among others.

He called on the Federal Government to devolve the activities of the amnesty programme to state governments oil development commission, adding that it would lead to higher levels of effectiveness.

He added that it would reduce cost, while the broad-based oversight that would ensue, would decrease the level of elite capture and corruption.

Making the states responsible for the amnesty programme will further empower them to provide holistic solutions to manage their own security.

Leveraging on the oil producing commissions who are already in the host communities increases the likelihood of success, he added. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Cancer

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Dr Abidemi Omonisi, Consultant, Anatomic Pathology says Nigeria is one of the leading countries in cancer registration in Sub Saharan Africa.

He said the feat had made tremendous progress in cancer control and management in the country.

Omonisi, with the Department of Pathology, Ekiti State University told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that having four cancer registration centres had projected the image of Nigeria internationally.

According to him, the centres are Abuja Cancer Registry at National Hospital, Calabar Cancer Registry, Ekiti Cancer Registry and Ibadan Cancer registry.

He said They are recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

That means data from those registries are sent through the African Cancer Registry Network to WHO for the projection of global cancer statistics, he said.

According to him, a cancer registry is an information system designed for the collection, storage, and management of data on persons with cancer.

Registries play a critical role in cancer surveillance, which tells us where we are in the efforts to reduce the cancer burden.

Surveillance data may also serve as a foundation for cancer research and are used to plan and evaluate cancer prevention and control interventions.

The consultant told NAN that the burden of cancer was increasing globally and in Africa, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa.

He said several reasons had been put forward to be responsible for that, saying, number one is change in lifestyle and then change in dietary.

We in Africa are switching to western diet, environmental factor is also there; all these factors are responsible for what we see in cancer cases over the years.

Over the last decade, a lot of efforts have been put in place in addressing cancer burden is Sub Saharan Africa, especially in Nigeria.

Cancer is not the same, where you are located will determine the type of cancer that will be prevalent.

For example, those in Australia, they have more of skin cancer because of the environment, they have high temperature.

Japan has the highest incidence of gastric cancer because of the environment, the water is contaminated.

Omonisi said infection related cancers; driven by infective agents were common Sub-Sahara Africa, which is why cervical cancer and HIV agitated cancers are higher in Africa than any region of the world.

In Nigeria in the last ten years, we have accessed the burden of cancer and we have confirmed the most common cancer and it is possible because of increase in cancer registry in the country.

Cancer registry is very important. They are involved in the systematic assessment and collation, interpretation, analysis of cancer data, he said.

NAN reports that cancer is responsible for 72,000 deaths in Nigeria every year with an estimated 102,000 new cases of cancer annually, according to the Nigeria National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (2018-2022)

The top five cancer burdens in Nigeria are prostate, liver, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, colorectal and pancreatic for the male and breast, cervical, liver, colorectal and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma for the female.

Of these, breast and cervical cancers are responsible for approximately 50.3 per cent of all cancers in Nigeria. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Training Agricultural Enterprises

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, has called for a greater involvement of the youth and women in agriculture.

Nanono made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the Debriefing of Outcomes of Socio-economic Surveys in Nigeria led by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and its partners.

He said that there was a need to address the issue of the micro level value chain being practised in Nigeria by aiming for a higher one which would help engage more youths and women in agriculture.

I hope this meeting will also address the link between agriculture and industrialisation and look at the value chain at a higher level.

We have to start thinking along that line and see how we can remove a large number of youths from our streets.

The minister said Nigeria needed to look at crops such as soya bean and sesame seed which, according to him, are crops with good potential for export.

He also said the crops had the potential to create jobs for the youth.

Nanono called on women to wake up and come out of their closets, be aggressive and proactive in participating in farming business.

He urged women and the youth to be involved in agriculture to move the nation forward.

The minister noted that though sorghum was becoming an industrial problem the seeds planted in Nigeria were not standardised.

He advised that the issue should be addressed through education and massive orientation programmes to enable the people to understand the importance of standardising sorghum.

The Country Representative, ICRISAT, Dr Hakeem Ajeigbe, earlier in his remarks said seven major socio-economic studies were recently conducted in Nigeria on sorghum, pearl millet and groundnut, to assess the impacts of the technologies that had been disseminated in the past 15 years.

A lot of investments by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other donors have gone into this in the past 10 to 15 years, so we are looking at the adoption.

Ajeigbe said the survey was also complemented by a study to analyse the role of gender and youth contributions in the agricultural chain in Nigeria.

He expressed the hope that the outcome of the survey would help the minister in future policy decisions.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organisaion that conducts agricultural research for development in the dry lands of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

ICRISAT and its partners help to empower the poor to overcome poverty, hunger and degraded environment through better agricultural practices.

The organisation conducts research on five highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops, chicken pea, pigeon peas, pearl millet, sorghum and groundnut. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Insurance

By Ginika Okoye

Dr Sam Onyeka, an insurance expert has appealed to the Federal Government to establish a specialist insurance tribunal to handle cases associated with insurance in the country.

Onyeka, also the Lead Director, Transparent Protection Ltd./Guarantee (TPL), an insurance NGO said this at a webinar organised by TPL in Abuja on Tuesday.

He suggested at the webinar with title: Insurance and National Development, that only persons with legal background and familiar with insurance practices be appointed members of the tribunal.

The expert also suggested the establishment of a well-funded insurance regulatory academy to provide structured training to regulatory personnel.

Onyeka, who described the insurance sector in the country as under-developed, appealed to governments at all levels to take insurance business seriously.

He said that insurance could guarantee a credit lifestyle which was fundamental to development, enable government and organisations raise long term funds and provide jobs directly and indirectly

Onyeka said that insurance could also help to absorb social and economic pressure from people and government if taken seriously.

According to him, although the sector reported growth of 15.55 per cent in 2019, with Gross Written Premium (GWP) of N413 billion (about U.S 1billion dollars), compared with N400 billion in 2018, the insurance sector in the country ranks 62nd in the world.

He expressed regret that insurance penetration in the country had remained at less than one per cent in comparison with South Africa having 16.9 per cent penetration.

The sector should pursue massive insurance awareness at the grassroots and all available funds should be deployed for this purpose.

Insurers in Nigeria must win back public trust and confidence by ensuring prompt settlement of all genuine claims.

As a matter of urgency, government should establish a specialist insurance tribunal.

Only fit and proper persons with legal background who are familiar with insurance practice should be appointed as members, he explained.

The expert, also an Insurance and Risk Management Consultant, urged the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of the Insurance Bill 2020 into law for prompt assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Onyeka emphasised the need for some insurance regulations to be relaxed in specific instances to remove entry barriers into the market.

He appealed to the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to register as many brokers and financial advisors as possible and also license more life insurers and reinsurers.

Claims settlement should be strictly enforced. NGOs and faith-based organisations should be brought on board for driving micro insurance development, he suggested.

TPL was established in 2012 to help address the complex issues of insurance sector underdevelopment in the country.

The organisation seeks to proactively assist both the insurer and the insured to more easily understand their rights and obligations in relation to insurance contract. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

EFCC, key player in preserving democratic governance in Nigeria official

By Sandra Umeh

The EFCC on Monday, re-arraigned a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Haruna Jauro, in a Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged N156.4 million money laundering.

The defendant was arraigned alongside Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd. on 19 counts bordering on money laundering before Justice Chuka Obiozor.

The defendants were first arraigned before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun (now retired) on April 12, 2016 on 19 counts bordering on N304.1 million money laundering.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the judge had admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million each with two surties in like sum

However, following the retirement of Justice Olatoregun, the charge is now commencing de novo (afresh) before Justice Obiozor.

The defendants again, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Obiozor.

After their pleas, the prosecutor, Mr U.U Buhari, prayed the court for a trial date and urged that the defendants be remanded in the correctional service..

Meanwhile, defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN, urged the court to allow the defendants continue on the earlier bail granted them by Justice Olatoregun.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Obiozor,granted defence counsels bail application and adjourned the case until March 17, 2021, for trial.

NAN reports that during trial before Justice Olatoregun, the EFCC called 16 witnesses and tendered several exhibits, while the defence called five witnesses.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants in January 2014 converted N156.4million belonging to the Agency to their own use,

The anti-graft agency said that the offences contravened the provisions of of sections 15(3) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met with Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, at the State House, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed is leading a delegation of senior officials of the United Nations to the country.

She met behind closed doors with the Nigerian leader at the presidents mini conference hall.

NAN gathered that the meeting deliberated on strategies to rebuild setbacks occasioned by the Corona virus pandemic.

Mohammed, who is currently inaugurating a UN programme alongside Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will also be visiting Niger, Sierra Leone and Ghana. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has handed over the affairs of the commission to National Commissioner, retired Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ahmed Muazupending the confirmation of his second tenure.

Yakubu at a brief handover ceremony at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday saidit would be inappropriate for him to remain in office beyond Nov. 9, last day of his tenure, without Senate confirmation of his second tenure.

Yakubu and five Commissioners were sworn-in on Nov. 9, 2015, followed by another six Commissioners on Dec. 7, 2016 and one more Commissioner on July 21, 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yakubu is still awaiting the confirmation of the Senate, following his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 27, for a second tenure.

Yakubu said that the Commission was a constitutional body whose members were appointed for five years which might be renewed for a second and final term.

This means that my tenure and those of the first set of five Commissioners end today.

As you are already aware, the renewal of my tenure as Chairman of the Commission has been announced, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Our work as election managers requires us to enforce the law, regulations and guidelines.

In doing so, we must demonstrate strict respect for, and compliance with, the Constitution of Nigeria and subsidiary laws.

Consequently, it will be inappropriate for me to remain in office beyond today, Nov. 9, without confirmation by the Senate and swearing to another oath of office as provided by law.

Pending the conclusion of the statutory process, the remaining National Commissioners have resolved that AVM Ahmed Muazu (rtd) will oversee the affairs of the Commission.

It is, therefore, my pleasure to hand over to him in the interim. We have worked as a team for the last four years. Therefore, there is nothing new to anyone of them.

Yakubu appreciated the support of the commission members, the resident electoral commissioners and the secretary to the commission for good working relationship.

He also appreciated the director-general of the Electoral Institute, directors, members of the technical team, heads of the various security agencies deployed to INEC and all staff of the commission nationwide saying, I look forward to working with you again.

Muazu, who is the national commissioner in-charge of Tender Board, pledged to diligently handle the affairs of the commission pending the confirmation and resumption of Yakubu for his second tenure.

Muazu said that the responsibility handed over to him was not new as all the national commissioners had at one time or the other acted in the capacity of INEC chairman, whenever he was out of the country for official assignment.

Forthe last four years, it has been the tradition of the chairman that whenever he is travelling outside the country a national commissioner is assigned in his temporary absence.

In this way all the national commissioners have at one time or the other acted in the absence ofthe chairman. We, therefore, see the present arrangement in this light and nothing more.

I want to assure you all that I will handle the affairs of the commission with all diligence, Muazu said.

Also in his remarks, another commissioner whose tenure ended with that of the chairman, Mr Solomon Soyebi, commended Yakubus achievements in his first tenure.

Soyebi encouraged him to continue his good works on his resumption of office in the second tenure.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar

By Yahaya Isah

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to continue save guarding the nations territorial integrity against any form of threat.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said this at the ongoing maintenance of F-7Ni fighter air craft at 313 Engineering Group, NAF Base, in Makurdi.

Abubakar expressed delight that the Federal Government had given the service so much supports to achieve its full potential.

We were in Kainji some days back, today, we are here in Makurdi and by next week we will be in Kano for same purpose.

This clearly indicates the seriousness with which the system is working, to make sure that we get back some of the grounded air craft into flying again.

In Makurdi, the work is ongoing on F7-Ni fighter aircraft. Seven will be taken out to China for maintenance, while two will be done locally, he said.

The CAS also noted that maintenance work had since commenced on the first aircraft, while the second one would also commence in no distant time.

Abubakar explained that the idea was to first ensure that the service had the required platforms and build the capacity of personnel.

What we are witnessing here is similar to what we are doing in Kainji, locally and also similar to what we have done in Ikeja, where we reactivated the C130 aircraft.

And the 917 aircraft which is packed down is one of the two C130 that we have reactivated in Ikeja, first time in the history of NAF.

We are also going round to look at any of our facilities, the Air Intelligence School, and some other infrastructure we require.

All these are targeted at by the time the additional aircraft we are expecting from Pakistan eventually come in, so that there will be accommodation for the pilots and technicians that will take charge.

That way, it will support our operations for the first one year,he said.

He said the whole idea was to ensure that all hands were on deck and that the service was working round the clock to build capacity.

He said the steps would also ensure that the service was able to provide security for the country as well as its citizens.

Just this morning, we received information on the unmanned combat aerial vehicle meant for the country likely to leave China for Nigeria today.

As you are all aware, we have some of our personnel already in China undergoing training.

We will continue to do everything humanly possible to ensure that the country is secured and that Nigerians can go about their legitimate businesses without difficulties.

Again, so many gaps have existed in so many decades so, bridging those gaps takes time.

But we are making substantial progress and we should be able to substantially address that, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CAS also inaugurated the newly re-activated NAF Air Intelligence School, 62 block of bedrooms and the married officers quarters. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated accomplished broadcaster, businessman and philanthropist, Otunba Deji Osibogun as he turned 65 on Nov. 9.

In a congratulatory message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Monday, the president noted with delight how Osibogun built a career at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Osibogun later became a founding member of the Ogun State Television Service, which he helped nurture to stardom.

He (Osibogun) then went into business, and having attained economic success, promoted Space FM in Ibadan, Oyo State, thus maintaining his love for broadcasting, as an entrepreneur.

The president shared in the joy of the Osibogun family, the media, particularly the broadcast industry, wishing the Otunba Obaloja of Ijebuland longer life, with more accomplishments.

Buhari also saluted Osiboguns commitment to youth development, urging him to remain relentless, particularly at a time that the Federal Government was determined to chart a more fulfilling course for the younger generation.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Abubakar Sani Bello, Niger State Governor

By Rita Iliya
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has tested positive for COVID-19, an aide disclosed in a statement.

Chief Press Secretary to Bello, Mary Noel-Berje, in Minna on Monday said his sample was taken for test, and unfortunately returned positive.

Noel-Berje said the governor made this known via his Twitter handle and that he has immediately gone into self isolation and commenced treatment.

She solicited for prayers from all and sundry for his quick recovery even as he is asymptomatic to the virus.

She advised the people to always observe all the COVID-19 protocols in their dealings.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governors Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti had tested positive for the virus earlier.

This forced Niger governor to go into isolation after coming in contact with E-Rufai and Fayemi.

Other Nigerian governors that had tested positive for COVID-19 include Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

Source: NAN News