Mr Clem Agba, Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning

By Temitope Ponle

The Federal Government is set to conduct a census of all businesses in the country, to ensure accurate statistical representation, operations and contribute to policy-making for national development.

Mr Clem Agba, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, made this known at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) workshop in Abuja on Monday.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop organised by NBS was for National Business Sample Census (NBSC).

Agba, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olusola Idowu, said the training was taking place at a time of increased demand for comprehensive, accurate and reliable statistics.

There is no doubt that the conduct of a national census of commercial and industrial businesses will help to increase the quantum and the quality of statistics required for positive combination, plan, monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and projects.

This is critical especially at this point that Nigeria is in the process of designing a medium-term and a prospective development plan tagged Nigeria Agenda 2050.

The essence of achieving the present administrations reform agenda and other development programmes, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa Agenda 2063, can only be realised through the use of time-bound and accurate data.

Thus, it is our expectation that the experiences which will be shared during the workshop, the resolutions and agreements which will come out of this, will help in a great extent to strengthen the existing systems of statistical production in Nigeria.

The minister said that the current administration had the mandate of the bureau at the centre of its agenda, which it was determined to achieve.

He said that the ministry would provide the necessary support the bureau needed aimed at its repositioning and strengthening to cope with its budget challenges in order to ensure its sustainability.

He further charged the NBS to ensure effective and optimal utilisation of the resources available so as to achieve the purpose for which the project was designed.

The minister also directed the participants to come up with feasible ways of improving the delivery of good statistical information for informed decision.

In his address, the Statistician-General of NBS, Mr Yemi Kale, said that the census had not been conducted for more than two decades due to paucity of funds.

Kale said the census was conventionally conducted every five years, as recommended by the United Nations Statistical Commission.

He, however, said the training would equip the personnel to train the data collectors to ensure they were equipped with the knowledge and processes of the survey or census.

This training event today is unique. The Training of Trainer, or ToT as we commonly call it, is an important stage in the data production process.

However, this ToT is unique in the sense that it jointly serves as a publicity event for the business census. As you can imagine, an exercise such as this requires a huge amount of publicity and advocacy.

Everyone, including individuals, households, business owners, organisations as well as policymakers at all levels need to be fully aware and support this exercise for it to be truly successfully.

The statistician-general said that pre-test and pilot exercises were conducted to test the bureaus readiness and plans for the census.

An initial Pilot was conducted in June this year, just after the lockdown was lifted, while a second was conducted in late August to address challenges and issues exposed by the first pilot.

Both were conducted in Lagos, FCT, Kaduna, Abia, Bauchi, Oyo, Rivers and Kano states. The second pilot was hugely successful and has put us in a position where we believe we are ready to deploy nationwide.

He said the country had been digitally carved into manageable segments and mapped out appropriately with numberings across all local governments and states.

He explained that this was done to help field managers assign work to the field personnel adequately and also help enumerators identify and locate the working areas to collate data.

The Project Coordinator, Mr Yemi Adeniran, said the census would help the nation address the challenges and bridge the gap of inadequacies and inconsistencies in commercial and industrial business statistics.

This survey will serve as a benchmark for updates of subsequent commercial and industrial sector statistics, Adeniran said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Progressive Ambassadors of Nigeria (PAN) Logo

By Angela Atabo

The Progressive Ambassadors of Nigeria (PAN), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to speedily intervene in the plight of Nigerian traders in Ghana.

PAN said that as the country prepared to mark its 60th Independence Anniversary, there was need to consider the immediate evacuation of frustrated Nigerian traders in Ghana.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria s 60th Independence Anniversary celebration is scheduled for Oct. 1.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mr Emmanuel Ohiomokhare, PAN National Director, Media.

Ohiomokhare said that this was because Nigerian traders in Ghana whose businesses were recently closed down as a result of a recent unfavourable policy by the host government were stranded.

This appeal has become increasingly necessary following the rising cases of frustrations, regret impoverishment, sad feelings of grave abandonment and conflicting reports of attempted suicides by several victims.

Some of them are being threatened by their landlords; having lost their means of livelihood.

As we speak, several families are now begging to feed with no form of palliatives or financial assistance; and sick children are unable to access medical treatment, he said.

Ohiomokhare said that PAN was greatly disturbed by this development which had the potential for unlawful resorts to either self-help or recourse to unpatriotic lifestyles capable of tarnishing the good image of the country.

He said that the passionate appeal to the President was equally because the Ghana Investment Promotion Act under which premise Nigerians traders were being subjected to hardship was a cover up to sack Nigerians in Ghana.

It is no longer news that as things stand today from clear body language of the Ghanaian government that Ghana no longer want Nigerians in their country.

Ohiomokhare said that PAN was disappointed that all diplomatic measures taken so far with respect to this matter had not yielded the desired results.

This, he said, had been confirmed having worked closely with the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, towards finding a lasting solution to this lingering impasse.

The PAN director of Media said that while the diplomatic engagements continued, the immediate evacuation of Nigerian traders from Ghana remained the best and most appropriate nationalistic step to take at this material moment.

Ohiomokhare said that PAN solicited the Presidents kind intervention and timely consideration for the evacuation of the stranded Nigerian citizens in Ghana.

He said that ahead of the celebration of NIGERIAs 60th Independence Anniversary on October 1, PAN congratulates the President, Government and citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for attaining this historic milestone as a country.

We have come this far despite our diversity and attained this feat with the sacrifices of heroes and heroines of Nigeria to keep our nation as one and our people unified. Ohiomokhare said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nigeria Police logo

By Abiodun Lawal

The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested four persons for allegedly being in possession of a human skull.

Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi,the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Monday.

Oyeyemi said that the suspects, names withheld, were arrested on Sept. 25.

He said the Odogbolu Police Division received a piece of information that some people were digging up a grave with the aim of removing the corpse of someone who was not in anyway related to them.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Odogbolu Division, Afolabi Yusuf, led his detectives to the scene, but the suspects had already removed the head of the corpse and left.

The police then embarked on an intelligence-based investigation which led to the arrest of the couple and two others.

The three of them confessed being the persons that dug the grave and removed the head of the corpse.

They later took detectives to Ikenne, where the fourth person who asked them to bring the head for ritual purpose was apprehended, he said.

He stated that the state Commissioner of Police,Edward Ajogun, had ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Farmers

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Nigeria Young Farmers Network (NYFN), an NGO, has called on governments at all levels to reposition the agricultural sector as part of measures to diversify the economy and boost food security.

Mr Promise Amahah, the Director General (DG) and National Coordinator of the group, made the call at a press conference on Monday in Abuja.

Amahah urged governments to focus more on agriculture through rebranding, adequate facilities and youth engagement to encourage enterprise and make the sector interesting for economic development.

He said the mission of the organisation was to raise a generation of young people that are motivated, empowered and stirred to operate with natural excellence through agriculture.

These exemplary leaders of excellence at every age and stage are committed and involved with the process of national transformation through Agriculture.

As Nigerias 60th independence celebration approaches, the Nigeria Young Farmers Network has planned a massive rally in commemoration of the big day.

Our planned rally theme is: 60 years Later: Yes We Can.

It is an opportunity to make a bold statement that young Nigerians are capable of addressing most pressing challenges through agriculture.

The Nigerian youth is key in unlocking the potential of agriculture and creating wealth for the nation. The objective of the rally is to x-ray how far we have come as a nation through agriculture.

We want to mobilise young people to affirm that Yes We Can fix the agricultural sector and mobilise all stakeholders to get involved in the process of repositioning the sector to create jobs and wealth, he said.

The coordinator said that agriculture, which was one of the major sectors in Nigeria, had engaged more than 70 per cent of the population of the country.

He maintained that inconsistency in agricultural policies which is noticeable nationwide, had contributed to the slow growth and development in the sector.

According to him, farmers should be seen as major stakeholders because of the key role they play in the growth of the economy, especially since the sector is gradually going digital.

Our rally plans to create the much needed awareness and public enlightenment on the need to rebrand, reposition and revamp our agricultural sector.

With unemployment rising at an alarming rate of 2.7 per cent, growing insecurity and hunger, rising debt profile and capital flight, it is a matter of urgency to engage the youth fully.

Our 60 years later: Yes we can rally is a deliberate effort and global statement of commitment from young Nigerians to affirm that, yes we can grow our economy through agriculture.

Yes, we can create jobs and reduce unemployment, grow our own food and achieve food security, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, think global and act local, he said.

The DG appealed to the government to address the issues of post harvest losses, climate change and encourage farm input vendors to ensure food security and job creation.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Clement Agba Minister of State Finance

By Nana Musa

Mr Clement Agba, the Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning,says theNiger Delta region has more than oil to offer the country.

Agbawas speaking at theopening ceremony of a high level multi sectoral meeting on the emergency of agriculture projects in diversification of Niger Delta.

The programme was organised by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO).

Agba said that the meeting wasaimed atimproving the livelihood ofthe people ofNiger Deltaand the countrythroughagriculture.

The current realities underscore the compelling need for us topay attention to agriculture as a low hanging fruit and an alternative to oil, he said.

Agba said that the country hadenormous potential in agriculture before the discovery of oilbecame the main stay of the economy and major employer of labour accounting for about two-thirds of the countrys labour force.

The Niger Delta regionspans over 20,000 sq km and it has been described as the largest wetland in Africa.

The region is endowedwithloamysoil, whichis suitable for the production of bothfoodand cash crops,it fallswithin the tropical rain forest zone.

The ecosystem of the area is highly diverse and supportive of numerous species of terrestrial and aquatic,flora and fauna and human life, Agba said.

The minister said that the agriculturalprojects would benefit the region withproduction offood in appreciable abundance andthe attendant creation ofadditional industries.

Agba said that the administrationwould need the support of the state and local government, private sector, domestic and foreign investors, development partners, traditional institutions and farmers associationto succeedin repositioning the economy to the sustainable path of growth.

He also commended all the stakeholders for their constant support.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President onNigerDelta, Sen. Ita Enang, urged the country to look inward for food sustainability and economy diversification.

The representative of FAO, Mr Fred Kafeero said the organisation was supporting the country to access funds for from the global environment facility.

He said it would help to promote the priority government intervention under the land use, restoration impact programmes and food systems in the Niger-Delta region.

We focus on rural development and investment in agriculture value chains working closely with women and young people to end poverty, hunger and malnutrition, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

APC Logo

By Ifeanyi Olannye

The Delta Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it would not miss the former governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who defected from APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday.

The APC announced this on Monday in statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Sylvester Imonina in Asaba, while reacting to Uduaghans defection.

According to the statement, the Delta APC will not miss him in any way because APC accommodated him out of compassion as an orphaned politician displaced by the same PDP he has returned to. We wish him well.

In the past two weeks, there have been rumours of perfection of plans by the former Governor to defect to the PDP. Today, the 28th of September, 2020, those behind the rumour have been justified by the formal defection by him to the PDP.

Well, for records purpose, Gov. Uduaghan came into APC as a loner and he has returned to where he came from in the same way.

In politics and in line with freedom of association as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, he has the right to choose whosoever to associate with for whatever reasons.

However, he should not forget the fact that when the PDP was uninhabitable for him, he was housed by Delta APC, despite the fact that he did not come to APC with anybody. (NAN).

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated seasoned banker and politician, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on the occasion of his 50th birthday, Sept. 28.

Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, was Oyo State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections.

In a statement by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Monday Buhari congratulated the politician and astute businessman on attaining the Golden age.

The president lauded the Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), for his strides in professional life.

He prayed that Adelabus boundless skills and dexterity would be brought to bear on society, for the good of the greater majority.

Buhari wished him greater years of service to God, the country, and humanity in general.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

NASS Complex

By Kingsley Okoye

The leadership of the National Assembly said, on Monday, that the Assembly would break the jinx of not being able to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) after several attempts.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila assured Nigerians that the time had come for the passage of the bill.

They spoke at a meeting of the leadership of the National Assembly with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Silva, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari and some other top officials in the Petroleum sector.

The meeting was to brief the National Assembly leaders on the focus of the PIB, which the Senate President confirmed, was forwarded to the Assembly about two weeks ago.

The bill has not been read at the floor of either of the two chambers of the National Assembly because the federal lawmakers are currently on recess but will resume session on Tuesday.

The PIB is said to be jinx actually for a long time; probably from 2007 to 2019.

Its either the bill or bills were sponsored by the Executive and not passed by the Legislature as was the case in 2007, 2011 in the 6th and 7th Assembly, Lawan said in his opening remarks.

In the 8th Assembly, the Legislature sponsored the bill, breaking it down to about three, it passed but there was no assent.

Now, the bill is an executive bill coming to the National Assembly and the two chambers promise that we will break that jinx.

We want to see an oil industry in Nigeria that is properly regulated, an oil industry that not only sustains the investment that we have but attract even more investment, an oil industry that is very competitive, Lawan said.

According to him, the 9th Assembly wants to work with oil industry stakeholders, have a very clear understanding of every provision so that, at the end of the day, we will break that jinx together with you.

He said the Assembly would provide the oil industry with a legislation that would make it more effective and efficient at the end of the day.

The visit, the Senate President said, is the first meeting between the Petroleum Ministry and other agencies with the leadership of the National Assembly to discuss the essence and focus of the bill.

We are glad that the bill is now in the National Assembly even though not before the National Assembly.

I imagine that by tomorrow, when the communication to the House, communication to the Senate will be read, then it will be before the two chambers of the National Assembly, Lawan said.

On his part, Gbajabiamila expressed confidence that the 9th National Assembly would break the jinx and pass the bill speedily.

The bill has been long in the making for several years but I believe this is the session in which it will be passed.

We will pass this bill speedily, however, its passage will not sacrifice thoroughness.

We will not sacrifice thoroughness on the altar of speed because it will be in the nations best interest.

In the House of Representatives, we have assembled a crack team of legislators who are versed in the workings of the industry.

It is an Ad hoc committee drawn from the House Committees on oil, upstream, downstream, local content and gas.

So, there is a crack team that will be working with you as we are all trying to go to the same destination.

Talking about passing it speedily, unfortunately, it is coming at the time when it will be competing with the passage of the budget, Gbajabiamila said.

The Speaker described the bill as the most important legislation that will come out from National Assembly in the lifetime of this government.

It is a most important piece of legislation because we all know what oil represents in terms of our economy.

Everyone has been waiting for the arrival of the PIB.

That is the legislations that is on the lips of every Nigerian, whether he knows anything about petroleum or not.

It is the most popular and most common bill.

According to him, everybody talks about PIB because oil represents the life wire of our state.

That underscores the importance of this Bill, the Speaker said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources

By Kingsley Okoye

Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva has demised media reports that the new draft Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) sent to National Assembly has recommended scraping of the NNPC.

The minister allayed the fears while fielding questions from journalists at the National Assembly after an interactive session with the leadership of the assembly.

He, however, clarified that the new PIB draft sought to commercialise and not to scrap the NNPC.

We have heard so much noise about NNPC being scrapped but that is not being envisaged by the bill at all.

NNPC will not be scrapped but commercialised in line with deregulation move being made across all the streams in the sector comprising of upstream, downstream and midstream.

We have said that NNPC will be commercialised.

But if you are talking about transforming the industry, the only new thing that we are introducing is the development of the midstream, that is the pipeline sector.

So we have provided robustly for the growth of the midstream sector.

Through commercialisation, the required competitiveness in the sector, will be achieved, he said.

Sylva said that the host communities would also have the best deal from the bill.

According to him, via the PIB, the industry will be transformed and the Petroluem Equalisation Fund (PEF)and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) will not exist in the same form that they exist currently.

But I dont want to go into the details of the bill until it is read on the floor of the Senate, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sterling bank

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Sterling Bank Plc. has obtained Central Bank of Nigerias approval in principle to restructure as a holding company.

The banks Chief Executive Officer, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement posted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange website.

Suleiman said the banks desire to operate as a holding company was driven by its plan to spin off its non-interest banking window which became operational in January 2014 into an autonomous entity.

He said that the proposed structure would support the individual businesses in reaching full potential through increased portfolio diversification, improved efficiency and enhanced corporate governance.

Going into the holding company structure, our desire is to entrench our business model premised on social capitalism where we believe that private sector capital and market-based tools will offer the best types of solutions to Nigerias most pressing social and environmental challenges.

The holding company gives us the structure to explore our business model further, he said.

According to him, the holding company will operate on three major premises specialisation, partnership and digitisation.

He said that the conventional bank would focus on building skills and using technology to provide solutions in the areas critical to development in the country Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Transportation (HEART).

The non-interest bank will focus on building partnerships that connect individuals and businesses, leveraging technology to create business optimisation while solving an individuals daily financial needs.

The overall business will focus on social impact, corporate responsibility and religious compliance in its dealings.

Our digitisation drive will create an enabling environment for both financial institutions to grow while providing services and support to build efficiencies in different ecosystems, he said.

Suleiman said that execution of the organisations plans was fully dependent on our interwoven operating model of agility, specialisation and digitisation.

Essentially, for us to be successful, we require people who are adaptable and knowledgeable running processes that are simple, quick and tech-led to ensure efficiency, Suleiman added.

He said that the bank was in the process of meeting the conditions for the final approval. (NAN)

Source: NAN News