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Dakuku Pledges More Women Involvement In Maritime Sector

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Dakuku Pledges More Women Involvement In Maritime Sector
NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside poses with WISTA Members
NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside poses with WISTA Members

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, has commended the contribution of women to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry while pledging to involve more women.

Peterside said this while hosting the President and members of the Womens’ International Shipping and Trading Association, WISTA, Nigeria who paid him a familiarization visit at the Maritime House in Lagos.

He expressed happiness that the women in the industry have united under a common umbrella, noting that there could be no real growth for the sector if critical segments of the population like the women were excluded.

“We cannot talk about growth in the maritime industry if we exclude over 50% of those who should drive growth.

“By the latest statistics, women constitute over 50% of the world population. Even if you extrapolate it to Nigeria, women constitute close to 60%, I think 55% of the population in Nigeria.

“And so if we exclude 55% and have 44% or so compete for the available spaces, we have excluded the majority of Nigerians from the maritime industry, you cannot expect growth in the maritime industry if you exclude women.”

Peterside charged the women to continue to contribute their quota to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry.

While pledging the Agency’s commitment to partner with WISTA Nigeria for the growth and development of the industry, Peterside observed that the Nigerian maritime industry is set for a historic growth that will be globally acknowledged.

In his words, “the maritime industry is the next big thing that will happen to Nigeria. We are a littoral state and we have all the trappings to excel in the industry and if we have our women on board we can sail to the top of the mountain”.

President of WISTA Nigeria, Mary Hamman acknowledged the efforts of the DG in repositioning NIMASA and the maritime industry and pledged their support for his leadership.

She said the association would require some support from NIMASA for some of its empowerment programmes for women and children impacted by the activities of shipping and related businesses.

Boko Haram: Saraki Calls For Probe Into IDP Recruitment Report

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Boko Haram: Saraki Calls For Probe Into IDP Recruitment Report
Bukola Saraki cuddles a baby during one of his visits to an IDP camp in Maiduguri
Senate President, Bukola Saraki cuddles a baby during one of his visits to an IDP camp in Maiduguri

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called on security agencies to investigate the reports of Boko Haram recruitment in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps in the Northeast.

The former Kwara State Governor made this known in a statement by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu,on Wednesday.

Saraki said such reports should be treated with all seriousness by the nation’s intelligence outfits taking into consideration that such recruitments by terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-shabab have been reported in refugee camps around the world.

“Seeing that ISIS has been recruiting members from European refugee camps, and the Kenyan government recently had to shut down the world’s largest refugee camp because Al-Shaabab was using the place to train and recruit young people as extremists, it is important that we take the rumours about Boko Haram recruiting from IDP camps seriously,” the statement read.

The Senate president also called for a more detailed probe into the alleged diversion of relief materials meant for the IDPs.

He commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the arrest of a contractor, who allegedly diverted 60 trucks of grains, which the federal government had approved for IDPs in Borno state.

“I have been to the (Northeast) zone twice in the past 14 months and I have experienced firsthand that the IDPs need as much food and health supplies as they can get. It is utterly immoral for someone to withhold food – in an attempt to enrich himself – while women and children are starving,” he said.

Saraki said government must do its best to provide the enabling environment in order to encourage willing donors, especially from the international community.

“What is clear right now is that we cannot do this alone. This is why we need to ensure that we put everything that we can in place to ensure that the international community is involved at maximum capacity,” he said.

He also expressed optimism on the passage of the North East Development Commission, NEDC, bill, saying the senate will use the period of the recess to finalise work on the bill.

 

Enforcement Of Speed Limit Device To Kick-Off Oct.1

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Enforcement Of Speed Limit Device To Kick-Off Oct.1
FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi
FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, says the implementation and enforcement of the Speed Limit Device will kick-off on October 1.

Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of the FRSC, made this known during a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, adding that the directive was from the presidency.

“The final directive from the presidency is clear; the enforcement date for the implementation of the speed limiting device is on Oct. 1 and we have had series of stakeholders meeting.

“The essence of today’s meeting is to finally convey the directive of the federal government to the stakeholders that with effect from Oct. 1, the implementation and enforcement would commence,” he said.

He explained that motorists who fail to comply with the new policy will have  their cars impounded, adding that the initiative will help reduce the rate of car crashes in the country.

“We already have the portal that we will use to monitor this, we don’t need to pursue any vehicle, we will just stop you like we verify licence.

“On the tablet we will check whether your vehicle has been installed with the device, if it has not, we will impound the vehicle and we make sure that you do the right thing.

“We are not talking about fines now ,it’s to save lives so we will impound the vehicle then the owner of the vehicle will be made to install the device before the journey continues,’’ he said.

The corp marshal said that the implementation and enforcement of the device witnessed four postponements from its initial launching date of June 1, 2015, before its final approval by the presidency.

He explained that the FRSC was only concerned about commercial vehicles installing the speed limit device for now, adding that with time the enforcement would extend to private vehicles so as to cut down crashes on the road.

Oyeyemi said that the speed limiter device was available in the market and that the FRSC had a list of the companies trading in the device on its website and urged vehicle owners to visit the site so as to purchase genuine ones.

He however urged the Standard Organsiation of Nigeria to ensure that importers complied with the standard for the device.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, who was present at the meeting commended the FRSC for the initiative and thanked the National Assembly and the President for endorsing it.

Lawal said the project would help in saving the lives of Nigerians by cutting down speed which was a major killer on the nation’s highways.

Representatives from the National Assembly, the SGF’s office and the Department of State Security, DSS, were present at the meeting, as well as members of transport associations in Nigeria who also pledged to support the initiative.

Enforcement Of Speed Limit Device To Kick-Off Oct.1

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The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, says the implementation and enforcement of the Speed Limit Device will kick-off on October 1.

 Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of the FRSC, made this known during a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, adding that the directive was from the presidency.

“The final directive from the presidency is clear; the enforcement date for the implementation of the speed limiting device is on Oct. 1 and we have had series of stakeholders meeting.

“The essence of today’s meeting is to finally convey the directive of the federal government to the stakeholders that with effect from Oct. 1, the implementation and enforcement would commence,” he said.

He explained that motorists who fail to comply with the new policy will have  their cars impounded, adding that the initiative will help reduce the rate of car crashes in the country.

“We already have the portal that we will use to monitor this, we don’t need to pursue any vehicle, we will just stop you like we verify licence.

“On the tablet we will check whether your vehicle has been installed with the device, if it has not, we will impound the vehicle and we make sure that you do the right thing.

“We are not talking about fines now ,it’s to save lives so we will impound the vehicle then the owner of the vehicle will be made to install the device before the journey continues,’’ he said.

The corp marshal said that the implementation and enforcement of the device witnessed four postponements from its initial launching date of June 1, 2015, before its final approval by the presidency.

He explained that the FRSC was only concerned about commercial vehicles installing the speed limit device for now, adding that with time the enforcement would extend to private vehicles so as to cut down crashes on the road.

Oyeyemi said that the speed limiter device was available in the market and that the FRSC had a list of the companies trading in the device on its website and urged vehicle owners to visit the site so as to purchase genuine ones.

He however urged the Standard Organsiation of Nigeria to ensure that importers complied with the standard for the device.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, who was present at the meeting commended the FRSC for the initiative and thanked the National Assembly and the President for endorsing it.

Lawal said the project would help in saving the lives of Nigerians by cutting down speed which was a major killer on the nation’s highways.

Representatives from the National Assembly, the SGF’s office and the Department of State Security, DSS, were present at the meeting, as well as members of transport associations in Nigeria who also pledged to support the initiative.

Commonwealth Calls For Peaceful Elections In Zambia

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Commonwealth Calls For Peaceful Elections In Zambia

Zambia Elections

The Commonwealth Election Observer Group to Zambia has urged the people of the Southern Africa country to play their part in ensuring peaceful and credible elections on Thursday.

Kenneth Tsekoa, former Cabinet Minister of Lesotho and Vice Chair of the observer group, said this in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital.

He said the group’s role as independent observers is to scrutinise the entire election process, then take a view whether it has been conducted to the national, regional, Commonwealth and international standards.

The Commonwealth Observer Group is led by former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete.

Various observer groups have received  series of briefings from political parties, civil society, women’s and youth groups, and the media to enable them to get a sense of the mood in the country ahead of the elections.

They will make detailed observations to assess the pre-election period as well as visit polling stations on Election Day and during the post-election environment.

Since 1980, the Commonwealth has observed more than 130 elections in 36 countries.

This is the sixth General Elections to be held in Zambia since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1991.

Zambians will be voting for the President, 156-member National Assembly and over 1,600 local government councils.

Also, for the first time, Zambians will also directly elect Mayors or Council Chairs and vote on a referendum on the Bill of Rights, making a total of five ballots per voter.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is also leading the African Union, AU, election observer group in Zambia.

He arrived Lusaka on August 6 and has been engaging stakeholders in the country on the need for a peaceful, free and fair electoral process.

 

Fertilizer Company Denies Sabotage Allegations

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Fertilizer Company Denies Sabotage Allegations
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State Visited the Indorama Eleme fertilizer plant
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State during a Visit to the Indorama Eleme fertilizer plant

The Management of Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals, IEFCL, has denied allegations that the company and another fertilizer firm are sabotaging the economy and security of the nation through their export of fertilizers at the detriment of farmers in Nigeria.

In a statement issued signed by Jossy Nkwocha, the company’s head of Corporate Communications, all domestic supplies to customers so far are in accordance with the approval of the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Farm Input and Supply Services department in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

“Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEPL) and its sister companies in Nigeria are NOT, and HAVE NOT, and would NEVER be directly or indirectly involved in any activities to undermine or sabotage the economy or security of the nation,” the statement read.

The Management noted that the its plant started pre-commissioning production just recently at only 75% capacity, and in the past one month has been giving priority to the domestic market.

“Our brand-new fertilizer plant has capacity for 1.5 metric tons of fertilizers per annum which is designed to serve Nigeria’s entire domestic requirement and the surplus is for export markets.”

“However, our primary focus is to serve the interest of our domestic market and this we have been doing with great sense of responsibility and commitment to the Nigerian economy” the company stated.

Nkwocha said the company was proud that its production surplus would be for export in order to generate foreign exchange for the Country at this time of huge deficit of forex.

She added that exporting fertilizer would put Nigeria among the league of producers and exporters of petrochemicals and fertilizers, thereby encouraging more foreign investors to come and invest in the countrya”

“Indorama-Nigeria is 100 percent committed to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy; and has in the past ten years demonstrated such TOTAL commitment and loyalty by providing more than 85% domestic needs of polymers which were hitherto imported into the country at huge foreign exchange cost,” Nkwocha said.

The fertilizer firm expressed disappointment over the publications which, according to him, gave misleading impression that the two fertilizer companies were sabotaging national security by distributing fertilizers within the country, which were being used by some undesirable elements to make explosives.

“The publications further mentioned an unnamed organisation involved in commercial explosives and accessories whose activities were sabotaging national security”.

“This mix-up has caused great embarrassment and distress to our company, which over the past ten years has the unblemished reputation of adding great value to the Nigerian economy and society,” it said.

The Management of Indorama Fertilizer restated its total commitment to the economy and security of the country, especially in ensuring that farmers across the country have unhindered access to its high quality fertilizers.

It also expressed readiness to collaborate with the office of the NSA and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure that all
identified concerns about availability of Indorama fertilizers by farmers and dealers are addressed as quickly as possible.

Recall that the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno, had on Thursday, threatened that government would withdraw the licences of fertilizer plants for allegedly involving in illegal exports that had resulted in the scarcity of the product.

He also accused the companies of complicity in the renewed attacks on Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

According to Monguno, discoveries showed that Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, used by terrorists were developed mainly from certain grades of fertilizer which contained nitrate using Urea Nitrate.

Notore Petrochemical and Indorama Eleme Petrochemical are the only companies licensed to manufacture fertilizer in the country following a recent ban on importation.

15 Prisoners Escape In Nsukka Jailbreak

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15 Prisoners Escape In Nsukka Jailbreak

Jailbreaks

At least 15 prisoners have broken out of the Nsukka Prison in Enugu state.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, quoted a prison source as saying that “The inmates carefully opened their cells and scaled the perimeter fence of the prisons.”

“Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped,” the source added.

A prison controller, Lawrence Okonkwo, confirmed the jailbreak but did not give further information.

“Yes there was a jailbreak last night in Nsukka prison but I am not in a position to say how many prisoners escaped.

“We are expecting the Enugu state prisons controller, Mr Isaiah Amariri, in Nsukka prison so that we brief him on what happened last night. He will be the one to tell the public the number of inmates that escaped, the re-arrested ones and efforts put in place to arrest those still on the run,” Okonkwo said.

Unconfirmed reports however have it that two of the escaped prisoners had been rearrested.

Officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service were seen in parts of Nsukka and its environs on Wednesday in search of the fleeing prisoners.

The Nsukka prison was reportedly built to harbour about 180 prisoners but currently, almost 500 inmates are incarcerated in the facility.

There has been recent incidences of jailbreaks in the Kuje Prison in Abuja and in the Koton Karfe prisons in Kogi State.

20 Soldiers To Face Court Martial

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20 Soldiers To Face Court Martial
Members of the General Court Martial being inaugurated
Members of the General Court Martial being inaugurated

Twenty soldiers, including four officers and sixteen other ranks, are facing court martial for various offenses committed during the counter insurgency operation in the Northeast.

Their alleged crimes include murder and illegal sales of fire arms.

The court martial was constituted on Wednesday by the acting General Officer Commanding, GOC, the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Victor Ezugwu, a Brigadier General.

Ezeugwu reiterated that discipline is the bedrock of the military profession and “to have a disciplined body of officers and men, there must be justice because it is when there is justice that discipline can be achieved.”

“Justice implies that infractions of the law must be promptly reported, investigated and the accused persons prosecuted within a reasonable time through the laid down rules, regulations and procedures” he added.

The GOC warned both the prosecution and the accused persons or their counsels to shun all forms of antics such as request for frivolous adjournments which could lead to delays in the trial processes as “justice delayed is justice denied,”.

He urged the president of the General Court Martial, Olusegun Adeniyi,  and the members to dispense the assignment in accordance with the appropriate extant laws and ensure that their opinions and decision on all the cases brought before them is not in any way beclouded by bias or external pressure.

He also asked them to ensure that the judgment passed on the accused persons stand the test of appellate court, public opinion and above all, “that of the Almighty Creator.”

The president of the court assured that the accused persons would be given fair hearing.

He said: “I must assure all especially the accused that they have nothing to fear, we are going to be fair to all of them. Be guided by the constitution and all other military laws. We would be fair and just. There are higher courts were the judgment here can be appealed. You have the right for legal representation.”

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OIC To Mobilise Support For IDPs

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OIC To Mobilise Support For IDPs
President Buhari met with the OIC Sec. Gen. in Saudi Arabia
President Buhari met with the OIC Sec. Gen. Iyad Ameen Madani in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in February

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, has reiterated its commitment to step up emergency support for people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria.

Hameed Opeloyeru, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs of the OIC, who had led a delegation that paid a five-day visit to Nigeria in July, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the aim of the visit was to assess the humanitarian needs of Nigeria, in the wake of the Boko Haram crisis and to explore ways and means of scaling up support for the multitude of Internally Displaced Persons in the region.

Opeloyeru said that the visit was in line with the commitment made by the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Madani during his audience with President Muhammadu Buhari in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in February.

During the visit to Nigeria the OIC delegation presented an expose of the  on-going and proposed humanitarian and development responses of the organisation in the North East and other parts of Nigeria.

Opeloyeru stated that the Islamic Development Bank, IDB, an arm of the OIC, has successfully completed an Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Project in Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe, adding that similar projects are under formulation in line with the diversification agenda of the country.

He also revealed that the IDB will launch a “Lives and Livelihoods Fund”, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which will provide project and micro financing facilities for agricultural and food security in the North East.

Similar development projects in Nigeria as showcased during the IOC visit, include: the Dualisation of Bida-Mina Road, Niger State; Rehabilitation of Abakaliki Road, Ebonyi State; and Public Private Partnership for the Second Niger Bridge.

Opeloyeru stated that the Islamic, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, ISESCO, another arm of the OIC, intends to roll out developmental programmes for the benefit of Nigerians in the Northeast.

They include: Support for Modernisation of Traditional Education in Nigeria; a Training Programme on the Management of Income-Generating Small Businesses for Women in Northern Nigeria and Regional Expert Meeting on Mapping Agriculture, Livelihood and Initiative for Food Security among others.

On its part, the Humanitarian Department of the OIC General Secretariat emphasized the desire to acquire sufficient data on the humanitarian situation in North East, while impressing on the appropriate Nigerian Authorities to allow access to the various camps for delivery of humanitarian assistance by the various member-organizations of the OIC Consultative Humanitarian Group.

During the visit, the OIC delegation held audiences with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment, Maryam Uwais, and Director of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi.

The team also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama as well as representatives from the Ministries of Science and Technology and Agriculture and Rural Development among others.

Minister Defends 2016 Budget

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Minister Defends 2016 Budget
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma,  has defended the 2016 budget document signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that the signed budget was better than the first one returned by the National Assembly.

He made the statement during a town hall meeting organized by the federal government in Abuja on Tuesday.

The town hall meeting which was attended by Nigerians from different walks of life, focused on the implementation of the 2016 budget and good governance policy of the Buhari administration.

Udo-Udoma was responding to questions on whether there are items in the budget that reflected the allegations of padding  raised by Abdulmumin Jubrin, former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation.

“The Executive sent the budget to the National Assembly, but was not satisfied with the initial output by the legislature, which reworked it and returned it to the Presidency,” he explained.

He added that the President signed the budget because the document was a better document.

Also speaking at the meeting, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, while defending the borrowing policy of the current administration, also assured Nigerians that the country would overcome the current recession.

Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, House and Works also expressed hopes that the budget would make the desired impact on Nigerians.

Also at the event was the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, who tasked the government to ensure that the 2016 budget was not just a budget on paper, but one that would be effectively implemented.

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