Burdened by the increasing humanitarian needs of citizens badly affected by the worrisome wave of insecurity in Nigeria, Catholic bishops have taken on the authorities, alleging that the root causes of the crises and criminal acts are not unknown to Abuja. The obviously piqued clerics are suggesting that the unhealthy sentiments seem to be playing out in the handling of the menace with kid gloves. While appealing for more Catholics to show active participation and cooperation in ecumenism, they pointed out that Justice, Development and Peace (Caritas) Commission has been able to assist some internally displaced people as a result…
Author: Akanimo Sampson
Not less than half of the global climate finance of $100 billion is now mandatory to build resilience and support adaptation to climate change. To address the dire impacts of climate disruption, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, is stressing the need for adaptation and resilience, which he maintained requires committing to the finance. Conference of the Parties (COP16) Accord states that: “developed country Parties commit, in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, to a goal of mobilising jointly $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries”. At COP 21, it was…
Except the world urgently makes concerted efforts to change the prevailing global food systems, the looming hunger pandemic is likely to eat up half of the human population on planet Earth, a horrifying nightmare that will be worse than the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. This is clearly the underlining message of the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on Thursday at the opening of the landmark UN Food Systems Summit. The Summit is bringing together farmers, and fishers, youths, indigenous peoples, Heads of state, governments and many more, in an effort to transform the sector and get the world back on…
Despite the Buhari administration’s insistence that Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will continue to collect Value Added Tax (VAT) following the ruling of the Court of Appeal on the matter, an intelligence report has uncovered why governors are battling to collect the tax. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, said so from New York while speaking on the disagreement over the collection of VAT between FIRS and Rivers State Government. He explained that the ruling of the Court of Appeal that FIRS and the Rivers maintain status quo…
Current moves by the Buhari administration to control small arms and light weapons by legislation is not the first attempt since the inception of this subsisting civil rule in Nigeria, says Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC). On resumption of the National Assembly from its long recess on Tuesday, September 14, an Executive bill, Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill, 2021, was introduced in the parliament. According to PLAC, bills seeking to establish a National Commission for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons have been introduced severally in the National Assembly, dating back to the…
Amid a rise in forced displacement and other humanitarian emergencies around the globe, top United Nations officials are strongly calling for action to stamp out gender-based violence (GBV). They are meeting in the margins of the 76th General Assembly of the global body. According to the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), GBV includes acts that inflict physical, sexual or mental harm – or other forms of suffering, coercion and limits on personal freedoms – and has “long-term consequences on the sexual, physical and psychological health of survivors.” These are being driven increasingly by…
Amid the current stampede out of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a new intelligence report says the development is unlikely to lead to the creation of a one-party state in Nigeria. Menas Associates, a political risk consultancy in its Nigeria Politics & Security, a weekly intelligence report on the country says All Progressives Congress (APC) also has its own internal difficulties which could even lead to a string of defections in the opposite direction in the coming months. According to the report, the defection of another key member of the opposition PDP has been increasing fears that Nigeria may soon become…
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, an investment banking top executive turned politician is currently being commended by his administration’s efforts to broaden the economic base of the state. Elated Chief Executive Officer of Nimshack Technologies, Valentine Okorie, is commending the governor highly. “We must commend the state government for looking at sources of generating income for the state, not just the allocation, but, something that can generate jobs and employment for the people. “The government has assisted us by providing this land free and we have a dedicated power line drawn to the factory”, the CEO who…
Fifty-seven years after, Nigeria’s Explosives Act will soon face the wrath of federal legislators. This is because President Muhammadu Buhari has presented the Explosives Bill, 2021 to the National Assembly. Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civic group that brought this to public knowledge on its website says the bill seeks to repeal the Explosives Act 1964 and enact a new Explosives Act to regulate the manufacture, storage, possession, use, distribution, purchase, sale, transportation, importation and exportation of explosives. A person who wishes to deal with explosives is required by the provisions of the bill, to make an application…
Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has come under fresh fire for allegedly squandering the resources of the state during his eight years rule. Akpabio who dominated the affairs of the state from 2007-2015 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently Niger Delta Affairs Minister. He defected to President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in a desperate bid to protect himself from being messed up the anti-graft agencies. But, a Faculty member at New York State University Medical School, Professor Offiong Aqua, is grieving over what he described as ‘’massive wastage of state funds’’ that…
The obviously displeased UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, says the global health security has failed. According to him, it has failed to the tune of 4.5 million lives, and still counting. Repeating his call for a global COVID-19 vaccination plan to boost production and reach millions over the coming months, the UN chief said, ‘’we have effective vaccines against COVID-19. We can end the pandemic.” Speaking at a summit on the global pandemic, hosted by United States President Joseph Biden, the UN chief stressed that the move is not philanthropy, but self-interest. He told the online meeting in line with recommendations by the World Health…
There are growing concerns that the benefits of aquaculture are not equitable and fairly distributed. Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), QU Dongyu, is already busy druming the concern at the Global Conference on Aquaculture Millenium +20 in Shanghai. Qu is stressing that aquaculture production will continue to grow, but that the benefits of its growth must be equitable and fairly distributed,noting also the need to further develop “the human, social, cultural and economic dimensions of aquaculture”. Without the doubt, aquaculture is playing a critical role in global food production. But for the FAO chief, ‘’innovation and equity’’ are…
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta, Ita Enang, has declared war on federal and state legislators representing the peoples of Akwa Ibom State. According to him, all the lawmakers in the state House of Assembly since 1999 to date have disappointed their constituents. Put the other way round, he is saying they are unproductive. Ita Enang’s lethal attack on Akwa Ibom lawmakers is coming at a time Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was busy rubbishing someone of an average height in Kaduna State for allegedly plotting to export bandits to…
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) has identified differences in the Electoral Bill 2021 the two chambers of the National Assembly have passed just as the Green Chamber has resolved to investigate the alleged exclusion of Rivers State from states to benefit from the Buhari administration World Bank loans. Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday alleged that the Federal Government singled out his state from those eligible to benefit from the loans. He also alleged that only Rivers was excluded from the list of states initially pencilled to benefit. During Wednesday’s plenary, Solomon Bob from Rivers State moved a motion calling for…
An alarming new Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) report is showing that decades of development efforts are being undermined by the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic, and threatens to set back efforts to achieve Agenda 2030. FAO says the stark findings of its report has set back progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) enshrined in the UN’s Agenda 2030, undermining decades of development efforts. According to FAO Chief Statistician, Pietro Gennari, “it’s an alarming picture, in which progress on many SDG targets has been reversed, with a significant impact on all aspects of sustainable development and making the achievement of the…
Rivers State Information and Communications Commissioner, Paulinus Nsirim, says the Wike administration is working with relevant agencies to role out the process that will check perennial flooding in the big oil and gas state. The announcement is coming as the 2015 governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Dr Dakuku Peterside, was calling on Governor Nyesom Wike to urgently reactivate the drainage master plan put in place by his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi. Peterside spoke against the terrible flooding being experienced in several parts of Port Harcourt and the s state at large, lamenting that Rivers people have…
Four governors, three from All Progressives Congress (APC), and the other from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been honoured by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) for exemplary leadership. The church is bestowing awards on the four governors for their exemplary leadership qualities in a challenging economy and dedication in the service of God and humanity. The honoured governors are Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State. Also honoured is Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Emmanuel Abayomi, with an award for quality and equitable healthcare delivery.…
Ahead of the COP26 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) holding from this coming October ending, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, does not appear to be quite comfortable with the richest nations of the world. Johnson is warning that “history will judge” the world’s richest nations if they fail to deliver on their pledge to commit $100 billion in annual climate aid ahead of COP26 to be hosted by UK in partnership with Italy, from October 31 through November 12. While placing the chances of securing the money before November at “six out of 10”, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, is however, calling on world leaders for…
Sixteen children have died in the Horn of Africa crossing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait for Yemen since the beginning of this 2021. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Missing Migrants Project, the children are among 97 migrants who died. Missing Migrants Project is however, a database tracking deaths of migrants along migratory routes worldwide. The Horn of Africa hosts to 150,000 undocumented migrants and a transit hub for thousands of others heading to the Gulf. As a result, Djibouti is currently aiming to improve their welfare and that of hosting communities through the country’s first National Strategy for Migration, launched…
Former Vice-Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the controversial 2019 polls, Peter Obi, has taken on his political detractors. He is challenging them to come up with credible evidence where he was uncharitable with PDP while serving as Anambra State governor. Obi dominated the affairs of Anambra for eight years on the platform All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Challenging them, he said, “I want someone to show me a tape where I said that I will never join PDP because it is a curse to the South-East. That statement is something that was orchestrated for a purpose. I was…
Blueberry seasons in both Europe and North America are coming to an end though there is still production in the UK and several areas the US. Despite the fact that poor weather cause a reduced shelf life and the UK struggled with labour issues throughout this season, volumes have been good throughout. While US supplies are lighter this month, production in southern hemisphere countries including Peru, Chile and South Africa is starting up with peak volumes yet to arrive. Domestically, there are still some supplies of berries from growing regions in the US and Canada but those are being kept…
The war for the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) which Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State ignited in the country is currently taking a dangerous dimension on the sidelines. Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) took a critical look at the opposition of Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State on the matter, and returned a damning verdict. Masari is expressing surprise that Rivers and Lagos are seeking to exclude the rest of the country from their VAT proceeds, while they are reliant on population from other parts of the country to sustain their economy. Apparently piqued, PANDEF described the Katsina governor’s…
A seeming desperate political approach by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to oust states from collecting Value Added Tax (VAT) is likely to polarise the country the more, and spark a festering crisis. FIRS is seeking to make VAT collection an exclusive federal affair. As a result, the revenue agency has approached the National Assembly to insert it in the constitution as part of the outcome of the ongoing amendment exercise. But, the move is not going down well with the political leaders of the South Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who is also Ondo…
The rising debt profile of the Buhari administration is not yet in the mood to start nose-diving. Details of the debt situation are tumbling out of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as Senator Sabi Abdullahi, representing Niger North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly and some of his colleagues are kicking against the Farm Settlements programme of the administration. Relative to its March 2020 level, CBN says the outstanding debt of the Buhari administration as of the end-March 2021, stood at N28,984.3 billion, which represents a 15.8 per cent increase. However, Senator Abdullahi, a veterinary…
Lanre Lasisi, spokesman for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has unveiled his principal’s secret agenda in the ongoing constitutional amendment by the National Assembly. Lasisi who is Gbajabiamila’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, says his principal is opposed to any clause in the supreme governance document that will promote exclusion and disunity in the country. Gbajabiamila, according to him, wants the House to ensure that the ongoing constitution amendment produces a document that will entrench inclusiveness and unity among Nigerians, pointing out that efforts of the House will also put in place mechanisms for…
Backstage pressure from a growing number of interest groups is mounting on the Buhari administration to make public the names of public officials and contractors indicted in the massive corruption scandal at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Some of the big names allegedly fingered in the rip-off of the interventionist agencies are players in the Buhari administration and stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Some of them defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a seeming desperate bid to be shielded from justice. But, the Arewa community in the oil and gas region of the country has…
Zonal and State Commandants of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are no longer at ease as a result of the security challenge in the country. The high command of the Corps has charged them to put in more effort in tackling the national menace. Commandant General of the Corps, Ahmed Audi, now wants them to function optimally by stepping up their operational activities in securing the countryt and safeguarding critical assets and infrastructure. Civil Defence Spokesman, Olusola Odumosu, says the new order from his principal is in view of the prevailing security situation in the country which, according to…
The principal reason why Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is locked in an epic Value Added Tax (VAT) collection battle with Abuja has been made public by the state’s Information and Communications Commissioner, Paulinus Nsirim, a pastor. Already, Southern Governors Forum (SGF) has resolved to support the position that VAT collection, falls within the powers of the states. This position is part of the 6 point communique of the Forum that met in Enugu State Government House, Enugu on Thursday. The Forum met to review the state of the nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in…
By the turn of this year, the global economy will be bounce back with a growth of 5.3 per cent, the fastest in nearly five decades. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) sounded this positive note in its new report. The agency says the rebound is highly uneven along regional, sectoral and income lines. During 2022, UNCTAD expects global growth to slow to 3.6 per cent, leaving world income levels trailing some 3.7 per cent below the pre-pandemic trend line. The report also warns that growth deceleration could be bigger than expected, if policymakers lose their nerve or answer what it regards as misguided calls for a return to deregulation and austerity. The report says that, while the response saw an end to public spending constraints in many developed countries, international rules and practices have locked developing countries…
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), a civic group, has set an agenda for federal legislators as they resumed from their long summer recess. PLAC wants the critical focus of the National Assembly to be on the Electoral Bill 2021. According to it, the Senate and House of Representatives had passed the bill with some differences. The differences include a key provision regarding the conduct of elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). While the Senate required INEC to seek the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Assembly’s approval regarding electronic transmission of results, the House of…
