Author: tdpel

By Philomina Attah

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in collaboration with the British Advisory Training Team (BMATT), has commenced a Joint Integrated Campaign Planning Course for military and paramilitary agencies.

The training course is in continuation of the efforts to promote synergy among security agencies in the ongoing war against insecurity in the country.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the Course would develop an understanding of the joint and integrated approach to operations as well as the operational level planning process and operational art.

Irabor, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi, Director, Special Operation Forces, Defence Headquarters, reminded the participants that daily attendance was mandatory throughout the period of the course.

According to him, the course is aimed at developing the capacity of the officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other security agencies on joint campaign planning at the operational and strategic level.

He said the course would also develop an understanding of the joint and integrated approach to operations as well as the operational level planning process and operational art.

The CDS further said that course would enhance participants’ understanding of campaign planning process.

He said the participants were drawn from the services, military institutions, Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

According to him, the inclusion of the DSS, police, NSCDC, NCS and NIS personnel on the course is to generate a synergy, promote rapport and understanding in the roles of campaign planning.

”This is particularly now that the AFN is engaged in asymmetric warfare which made most operations joint and interagency.

“It is viewed as a precursor to entrenching multi-agency training to enable us develop understanding and expertise in planning and executing campaign at either single, joint or multi-agency levels.

“The United Kingdom has assembled experts in this field for engineering the process, ” he added.

Irabor expressed confidence that the training would facilitate discussions and debate to ensure that participants were provided with greater knowledge and understanding of the entire planning process.

Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Adelokun Eyitayo, Director, Campaign Planning, Defence Headquarters, said that the course was unique, ”because it involves different security agencies of the government.

Eyitayo said that while the BMATT would be providing the skeleton, the participants were expected to build on it. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

This new month shall take back all the negativities of the past months and bestow upon you the abundance of positivities and make your life more fabulous than it was. I wish you the best in this new month.

Welcome to the New Month that will embrace you with loads of love and decorate you with colors of blessings. It will be the best of the best months you will ever encounter. Happy New Month, dear!

If you didn’t achieve what you wished and hoped for last month, don’t worry. Another month is here for all your unfulfilled wishes and expectations to become a reality. Happy New Month.

Unlike other months, this New Month will not only make you older but will also make you wiser and more fabulous. Welcome to the month of greatness. You are a blessing to me. Happy New Month.

New Month, New Hope, New Blessings, New Life, New Fulfilment, New Health New Goals, New Joy, New Songs, and New Challenges. This New month you shall conquer every challenge that crosses your path and achieve your desired goal. Happy New Month.

This New Month shall bring a plethora of changes in your life. These changes shall be positive and the best you have ever seen. It will move your life to a greater height. Have a happy New Month, my dear.

Here is another New Month. The newness of the month shall bring you unlimited happiness and beautiful moments. This month shall rain blessings on you and mark the beginning of God’s work in your life. I wish you a lovely Happy New month.

Be happy because it’s the month of happiness, hope, and love. Every day this month brings will add positively to your life rather than reduce your joy. I wish you a peace-filled new month.

From this end, I hope you have a New Month that sparks with Fun and Masti. Bursting with Joy and Love, and crackling with Cheers and Laughter! Happy New Month. May your happiness be more significant than your sorrows this month.

This brand New Month will discover and make you Fresher, Happier, Healthier, More Joyful, More Cheerful, and More Satisfied with the things you have. From the depth of my heart, I wish you a Happy New Month.

Somethings may be left undone, and some words may be left unsaid. Some feelings may not be expressed, but a person like you can never be forgotten. I wish you the blessings of the New Month.

By Naomi Sharang

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has urged the Federal Government to domesticate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The Director-General of the institute, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, made the appeal at a one-day stakeholders’ dialogue in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Sulaiman said that this was to provide the enabling environment for gender-inclusive trade engagements.

He also called on the government to domesticate the Buenos Aires Declaration.

The theme of the dialogue was; “Gender and Women’s Economic Growth: Implementing the Buenos Aires Declaration in the Context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’’.

The event was jointly organised by NILDS, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and Women Arise Development and Humanitarian Initiative (WADHI).

Sulaiman said that gender mainstreaming in free trade agreements was becoming an increasingly common practice.

“This involves including provisions to address the specific needs of women and implementing agreements with gender-sensitive policies,’’ he said.

The director-general said the preamble of AfCFTA recognised the importance of gender equality for the development of international trade and economic cooperations.

“AfCFTA was created to promote trade and regional integration and development among African countries in line with the Africa Union (AU)’s Agenda 2063 Goal of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa.

“Article 27 of the Protocol on Trade and Services addresses the need to improve women’s export capacity.

“This provision targets women entrepreneurs and aims to ensure that they are not left behind in the process of trade liberalisation,’’ Sulaiman said.

He said the Buenos Aires declaration (2017) on women, trade and economic empowerment committed its signatories to collaborate on making trade and development policies more gender-responsive.

Sulaiman said the legislature had an important role to play in ensuring the implementation of those agreements and also in addressing challenges that women and women-led businesses, faced in trade agreements.

Declaring the event open, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said that women had an important role to play in trade.

Lawan, who was represented by Sen. Sa’idu Alkali (APC-Gombe), called for more support for women engaged in various trades.

The contractor handling the Karshi-Apo Road project in the Federal Capital Territory has pledged to ensure its speedy completion to ease gridlock on the route.

 

Mr Azibaola Robert, Chairman/Managing Director of Kakatar CE, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

He said that the issues bordering the delay of the project had been resolved by the two parties.

 

“The real issues which the parties, client and contractor, have agreed on, and are working assiduously to overcome, are the twin issues of faulty design and poor rates.

 

“The issue relating to design has since been taken care of and being implemented on ground, while the issue of review of rates is being tackled with zeal by the authority,” he said.

 

The 13.25 kilometre Apo-Karshi road project was conceived as an alternative route to ease the gridlock experienced by workers and people driving to the capital city from the Mararaba-Nyanya axis.

 

The road is expected to decongest traffic on the Asokoro-Keffi road as people living in Nyanya, Karu, Jikwoyi, Gida Daya, and Orozo would have alternative and easy access to town when completed.

 

“The Federal Capital Territory Authority has graciously approved the review of the rates of the project for its immediate completion.

 

“This has now given us a renewed momentum and the impetus to expedite the completion of the project without further delay.

 

“It will be recalled that the Karshi – Apo road project was awarded to Kakatar CE in 2011 as an addendum to the Apo – Ara project at rates which were poor even at 2011.

 

“In 2022, these rates have become even so unappealing for a contractor to make any margin, and we appreciate the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello, the Honourable Minister of State, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, and the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) for their understanding,” Robert said.

 

A source disclosed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that payment had been made to the contractor by the FCTA in late February for the completion of the project that has reached 89 per cent completion.(NAN)

By Solomon Asowata

Chinese technology company, Hauwei Technologies on Tuesday said it had developed an intelligent pipeline monitoring system to help tackle crude oil theft in Nigeria.

Mr Li Wei, Director of Huawei Nigeria Enterprise Business, made this known at a news briefing on the sidelines of the ongoing Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Wei said: “Huawei-developed fiber vibration intrusion warning system uses Artificial Intelligence to identify intrusion scenarios accurately.

“With high identification precision, accurate positioning, and quick response, it will help to ensure pipeline safety and reduce theft and vandalism.’’

According to him, Huawei will continue to support the digital transformation of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry by developing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions.

“Faced with the ongoing volatility of international oil prices, Huawei believes that the digital transformation of Nigeria’s upstream sector is a top priority.

“In response to the strategy proposed by the Nigerian government and oil companies, Huawei promotes the digital oilfield Internet of Things and Exploration and Production storage solutions.

“This will help oil and gas companies to achieve real-time visualised production, improve production efficiency, reduce production costs, and optimise production resource allocation to improve oilfield production.’’

Wei said in addition to providing high-quality ICT solutions and services, Huawei actively support the Nigerian government in building a talent ecosystem.

He said the company had signed ICT academy agreement with more than 110 universities and schools and had trained more than 1,000 civil servants and 40,000 young students in Nigeria.

“We hope to build a strong talent base camp to promote Nigeria’s digital economy development,’’ Wei added. (NAN)

By Folasade Akpan

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has inaugurated a 14-member team to serve as its Trade and Industrial Development Advisory Council.

A statement issued by the AfCFTA secretariat on Tuesday said that Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu and Ms Jane Ezirigwe of Nigeria are part of the team.

Oyelaran-Oyeyinka is the Special Advisor to the President of African Development Bank (AfDB) on Industrialisation.

He is a globally respected leader in the field of development economics, where he has contributed immensely to the social sciences of urbanisation and human settlement, industrialisation and economic development.

Dipeolu is the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Economic Matters, while Ezirigwe is a research fellow at the Nigerian institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) with research interests focused on food and agriculture, law, human rights and development.

According to the statement, one of the key mandates of the AfCFTA agreement is the promotion of industrial development through diversification and regional value chain development, agricultural development and food security.

“This is imperative given the low levels of investments in industrial production, which is also a major contributor to the low percentage of intra-African trade.

“Africa has 17 per cent of the global population and fastest-growing middle class but only accounts for 2.1 per cent of global trade and three per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“It is against this background that Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene convened a brainstorming workshop to discuss the matters of trade and industrial development, which led to his proposal to constitute an Advisory Council.”

The council is to provide advice on trade integration and transformative industrialisation as part of the implementation of the AfCFTA.

It added that the recent Summit of Heads of State and Government in February endorsed the proposal.

Other members of the council include Dr Arkebe Oqubay, a Senior Minister and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Dr Rob Davies, former South African Minister of Trade and Industry; Dr Taffere Tesfachew, former director of the Division on Africa and Least Developed Countries, UNCTAD.

Prof. Carlos Lopes, former Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa; Dr Celestin Monga, visiting Professor of Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; Amb.  Magda Shahin and Prof. Caroline Ncube are also part of the team.

The council also has as members, Prof. Fiona Tregenna, Dr Stephen Karingi, Dr Gainmore Zanamwe, and Prof. Faizel Ismail who served as Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and recently authored a book titled “AfCFTA and Developmental Regionalism”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area and is expected to boost trade among African countries.

All African countries except Eritrea have signed on to the framework agreement, with 41 of them ratifying it. (NAN)

By Ruth Oketunde

A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed concerns over the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, saying the development portends a bleak future for the country.

Ezekwesili was speaking at a zoom meeting on Tuesday to mark the third anniversary of the UK-based charity, known as IA-Foundation.

She lamented that Nigeria’s future looked bad with about 13.2 million children currently out of school, saying that government must tackle the problem to forestall any fall out in the near future.

Recalling her tenure as a minister in 2006, Ezekwesili said that the number of out of school kids had doubled within a period of less than 16 years from 6.8 million to 13.2 million currently.

Quoting the 19th century French poet and essayist, Victor Hugo, she said that “he who opens a school closes a prison door”.

She said that the Federal Government ought to focus on meeting Sustainable Development Goal Four, which targets increasing access to education.

Speaking on “Impacting Lives’’, Ezekwesili noted that Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, two of Africa’s most richly endowed nations, have the highest number of out-of-school children in the world.

She recalled that during her time as minister, she had involved the private sector in an initiative called Adopt-a-School, to get everyone involved in making school attractive for children.

“Within one year 600,000 more children got enrolled in schools. But the initiative was short-lived, due to non-continuation in governance,” she said.

According to her, the middle class should not leave the education of the populace to the government alone. Everyone should be involved.

Also speaking, a Cleric, Mr Itua Ighodalo, said that there was “lack of commitment to pushing mass literacy in the country.

Ighodalo, however, cited what he described as serious efforts being made by the governments of Edo, Lagos, Anambra and Kaduna States to give education to the populace.

He also lauded IA-Foundation for its commitment to tackling the out-of-school problem, saying that posterity would remember current efforts of the group.

An education advocate, Ms Zuriel Oduwole, urged the Federal Government to adopt measures to open education access to every citizen.

Oduwole said that the fastest method to develop the country was to provide education for everyone, especially the girl-child.

She pleaded with stakeholders in the country to work assiduously to reduce the high number of out-of- school children in Africa’s most populous nation.

The annual IA-Foundation charity is an initiative of Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, a chartered accountant, based in London, England.

The foundation has been providing amenities in some communities in Southwestern Nigeria, including Makoko, a slum settlement in the Lagos heartland. (NAN)

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Federal Government says in adopting global future fuels, energy-poverty and climate change nexus have to be addressed simultaneously and must be geared toward clean and sustainable sources.

Chief Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources said this on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Fifth Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2022).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the summit is “Revitalising the Industry: Future Fuels and Energy Transition”.

Sylva said the African continent was bedeviled with energy poverty, which was a critical enabler to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17.

He said goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change together provided an integrated pathway toward a more equitable and sustainable future.

“For countries such as Nigeria that is rich in natural resources, but still energy poor, the transition must not come at the expense of affordable and reliable energy for people, cities, and industry.

“On the contrary, it must be inclusive, equitable, and just, which means preserving the right to sustainable development and poverty eradication as enshrined in global treaties such as the Paris accord.

“It is evident that what makes the most sense from the point of view of balancing energy security with environmental sustainability is the use of gas as a transition fuel,” the minister said.

He said Natural gas ticked all the boxes as the vehicle to help government achieve the aspiration.

According to him,  it is why the government embraced the resource to help turn around the economy by declaring year 2021-2030 as Nigeria’s decade of gas.

To demonstrate that, he noted that it was committed to the Decade of Gas, which had now become an integral part of the Federal Government’s Oil and Gas Road map.

The minister said it had embarked on a critical pathway to ensure that the over 200 Trillion Standard Cubic Feet (TSCF) proven reserves of Natural gas in Nigeria was marshalled to engender domestic economic growth and development beyond 2030.

“Thus, we are driving to make natural gas our dominant primary energy source for use in the medium to Long term.

“Thankfully, our reliable partner, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited is not backing out. They are fully backing this initiative all the way,” he said.

In this regard, he said the ministry had inaugurated the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) to expand Nigeria’s Domestic utilisation.

This, he said was part of the National Gas Policy, the National Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, as well as specific provisions in the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 that elevates Liquefied Petroleum Gas as the fuel of choice compared to other competing fuels.

With this programme, he said it had established a 20 million Cylinder Injection Scheme; five-10 million of these were to be introduced in pilot states this year.

“We have also established an LPG Energy Fund in the order of 50 million dollars in its first phase, in partnership with AFREXIMBANK,”

“LPG is set to be part of the destination as it is being used as a precursor for green hydrogen with zero emission.

“An eventual move to bio-LPG will allow countries like Nigeria to keep existing infrastructure in place, capitalise on already existing supply and distribution chains and reach net-zero at far lower cost,” he said.

The minister assured participants that the outcome of the summit would be presented at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

“Nigeria and the African Continent count on you at this moment to ensure we move our oil and gas industry forward.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Open defecation

 

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has called for more commitment from states towards eliminating open defecation, saying that only 76 open defecation-free local government areas in the country is not impressive.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said this at the opening of the National Retreat for states on the Clean Nigeria campaign in Abuja.

According to her, the Clean Nigeria campaign was informed by Nigeria’s unfortunate position among top countries, with the highest number of people practising open defecation, estimated at 46 million.

She said that the campaign was aimed at mobilising high level political support, resources and the entire populace towards building a new culture of safe sanitation.

“Following the national launch of the campaign, many states followed suit with the launch of their state-level campaigns and target dates which ranged from 2022 to 2025.

Senegal’s President Macky Sall, and Moussa Faki Mahamat, head of African Union (AU) Commission in a joint statement said it was unacceptable for Africans to be treated differently in Ukraine,  calling it racism.

“Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and a breach in international law,” the statement said.

The AU was reacting to reports that African citizens in Ukraine are being refused the right to cross borders to safety as they try to flee the conflict in Ukraine.

According to the statement, all people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity.

Thousands of African and other foreign nationals, particularly students, have been scrambling to leave Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

However, as thousands throng to Ukraine’s borders, overwhelming authorities in neighbouring countries, reports have emerged that Africans are being treated differently and sometimes prevented from leaving.

Several have shared videos and testimonies on social media, denouncing discrimination at train stations and border posts.

Reuters has not been able to authenticate the videos. (Reuters/NAN)