Africa’s Richest Man Helps Lead Nigeria Charge Against Covid-19

Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest lender by assets, is teaming up with Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote to provide treatment and isolation centers across Africa’s most populous nation as it braces for the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The facilities, which will be located across the country of more than 200 million people with a total of 1,000 beds, will be ready within weeks, Access Bank said Thursday in an emailed statement. They will have Chinese experts and serve as testing, isolation, treatment and training centers, the lender added.

Nigeria has so far recorded 51 cases of the Covid-19 virus, including one fatality. There are fears the spread could become exponential if community infections aren’t curtailed.

— With assistance by Ruth Olurounbi

Fed Min of Info & Culture

“The Federal Government wishes to appeal to all Nigerians not to panic, as the Government is well-equipped to detect and handle any possible case or cases.”-HMIC, Alh. Lai Mohammed #COVID19Nigeria

18 main reasons Nigeria is finding it difficult to end insecurity

The Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Security Challenges on Wednesday disclosed its findings on why the nation’s security agencies are underperforming in the fight against insecurity. The Senate had, in January, constituted the committee, chaired by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, to engage the security agencies with a view to restructuring the country’s security architecture.

Senator Abdullahi presented the committee’s 74-page report during plenary, detailing its general findings and strategies to address insecurity. 

Top of the findings are:

1. Almost all the institutions have weak and antiquated legislation most of which were done either during the colonial era or under military administrations and therefore do not reflect the challenges of the moment and the desire of the democratic dispensation. 

2. There are very ill-defined operational boundaries and overlapping jurisdictions among the security services leading to confusion in priority setting, platform acquisition, training, direction and general orientation. 

3. There is a lot of internal incoherence and inter-personnel conflict which have led to a lot of antagonism within the security organizations.

 4. Most of the agencies are operating in isolation with very little, if any, coordination between them. 

5. Inter-agency rivalry and endless battles of supremacy have undermined operational effectiveness.

 6. The alleged non-funding of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) since 2015 has undermined the effective performance of its coordinating function in the security architecture, has led many agencies to question its authority and relevance in various fora thereby adversely affecting inter-service cooperation and Intelligence Sharing.

7. The law governing the operation of the three (3) intelligence agencies i.e. Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Defence Intelligent Agency (DIA) is very defective and clearly responsible for the failure to define their functions, boundaries and relationships with one another. 

8. There is very little effective and committed leadership to guide, motivate and focus the security institutions on the challenges of their responsibilities, and how to go about fulfilling them in a creative, innovative and cooperative manner. 

9. The general absence of a performance, monitoring and evaluation mechanism within the institutions and services have undermined discipline and due diligence in the conduct of security related operations. 

10. Allegations have been rife that the quest for personal wealth acquisition has undermined institutional coherence and discipline and resulted in allegations of wastage of funds and squandering of appropriated resources.

 11. The security agencies tend to acquire modern technology and other force multipliers in isolation which resulted in the multiplication of incompatible platforms belonging to the different arms of services. 

12. Inadequate funding of almost all the security and intelligence agencies. 

13.In almost all the Services, there is a general lack of proper acquisition and maintenance culture of the expensive equipment and platforms used for defence and internal security operations. 

14. The prevalence of importing all the nation’s national security equipment and gadgets undermines the security of the nation and amounts to colossal wastages when expensive equipment remain unserviceable due to lack of simple components, spare parts or servicing materials. 

15. Absence of an effective centralized criminal database for the country. 

16. Lack of comprehensive identity management data covering the country’s population with no interface of databases belonging to several institutions such as INEC, BVN, NCC, NIMC, Immigration, Customs, etc. 

17. The Communications Infrastructure in the country is generally weak so are many blind spots which need to be covered in order to ensure that every space of the country is served.

 18. Most of the security institutions, particularly the Police lack well-trained Personnel, functional and well-equipped training Institutions. Where Institutions are available, they are dilapidated and training is done in isolation. Related

 https://www.dailytrust.com.ng

Coronavirus: Nigeria bans all international flights.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the closure of all the country’s airports to international flights till April 23, 2020. The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),  Capt. Musa Nuhu disclosed this in a letter to all foreign airlines and operators on Saturday.

He said domestic flights will continue normal operations at all airports. The NCAA had shut down the international wing of three airports in Nigeria on Friday. This is in line with the directive of the Federal Government to restrict international flights in response to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. The three airports closed down were; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. This leaves only the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in operation. However, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, late yesterday, said Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos would be closed too. Sirika, while fielding questions from State House Correspondents on Friday, said the five international airports should have been closed instead of singling out three. Since then, 10 more cases of the coronavirus disease have been confirmed in the country, bringing the country’s burden of coronavirus infections to a total of 22. Three of the 10 new cases are in Abuja, the country’s capital. The other seven are in Lagos. Nine of the new 10 infections had “have travel history outside Nigeria in the last one week,” the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said in a tweet.

For The First Time, US Shuns Nigeria’s Oil

The search for alternative energy by the Barack Obama administration in the United States of America (USA) has begun to take a toll on Nigeria’s crude oil export as the US for the first time failed to import a single barrel of crude oil from Nigeria.

This troubling scenario experienced in the month of July, according to industry watchers, may spell doom for the Nigerian economy.

Obama’s vigorous search for alternative energy to drive the world’s largest economy poses grave dangers for Nigeria whose economy is highly dependent on revenue from oil.

Nigeria used to be the fifth largest exporter of crude oil to the US.

However, experts said despite declining revenue, depleting foreign reserves and pressure on the exchange rate, Nigerian economy remained “robust enough to withstand the shock waves hitting the economy.”

While US crude imports rose by 569,000 barrels per day in July, imports of Nigerian crude fell to zero for the first time.

Data obtained from the US Energy Information Administration during the week showed that US imports rose to 7.623 million bpd up from 7.054 mbpd in June.

Despite being at their highest since December 2013, imports are down from 8.058 mbpd in the same month a year ago.

Imports from Nigeria fell to zero in July, down from 89,000 bpd in June, all of which had gone to the US Atlantic Coast.

Nigeria had remained remarkably upbeat despite lower-than-expected revenues, low foreign investment and a weak infrastructure base.

While President Goodluck Jonathan has rolled out a slew of robust, but seemingly disjointed plans in several sectors of the economy, his government has failed to articulate a stimulus package to deal with the current public revenue crisis and record unemployment, or to weld the plans into a coherent whole.

Reports indicated that before now, the US has reduced crude imports from Nigeria by 91 per cent, putting the country’s crude exports in disarray.

The US, which was hitherto the biggest importer of crude from Nigeria with over one million barrels per day, early this year imported an average of 100, 000 bpd till June 2014.

Data obtained from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) revealed that by the end of last year, the US dropped to the 10th highest importer of Nigeria’s crude, with 1.438 million barrels.

Specifically, Nigeria exported 1.438 million barrels of crude oil to North America by December 2013, down by 15.111 million barrels in December 2012.

Obviously, Nigeria has started witnessing the negative effect of shale oil exploration in the US and other parts of the world. Prior to July, the country’s crude oil export to North America had dropped by 91.31 per cent in one year.

North America accounted for 22.19 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export by December 2012, but it dropped to 2.23 per cent by December 2013.

According to an NNPC report, “Prior to the decline, the US was the highest buyer of Nigeria’s crude, purchasing 14.279 million barrels in December 2012, thereby accounting for 19.15 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export and 86.28 per cent of total crude export to North America. By 2013 end, the US dropped to the 10th highest importer of Nigeria’s crude.

The NNPC report stated that by December 2013, Europe was the highest importer of Nigeria’s crude, accounting for 47 per cent of Nigeria’s total export, followed by Asia and Far East, accounting for 26 per cent, while Africa accounted for 12 per cent.

The report stated that South America accounted for 10 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export, while Oceania/Pacific and North America accounted for three per cent and two per cent respectively.

Also, India emerged the highest importer of Nigeria’s crude in December 2013, with 13.086 million barrels, followed by the Netherlands with 9.866 million barrels, and France 4.497 million barrels.

Nigeria exported 4.869 million barrels of crude to Brazil in the period under review, 4.6 million barrels to Spain and 3.895 million barrels to South Africa.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, depends largely on crude proceeds to service over 85 per cent of its budget.

The present scenario, no doubt, compels President Jonathan and his economic team to roll up their sleeves and come up with a way out for the country’s economy.

Obama Congratulates Nigeria at 54, Pledges Support Against Terrorism

United States President Barack Obama

United States President Barack Obama has sent his greetings and that of the American people to Nigerians on the 54th independence anniversary of the country.

In a letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, Obama acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and at the United Nations (UN) towards promoting regional peace and stability.

The letter made available by the US Embassy in Abuja read in part: “At the heart of our enduring friendship is our shared commitment to democratic values, the rule of law, and economic development.

“We look forward to strengthening our relationship and working closely in the coming year, especially in promoting good governance and combating terrorism. As Nigerians observe this special day, we wish you a more peaceful and prosperous year.”
Obama added that the US was looking forward to strengthening its relationship with Nigeria in the coming year, especially on good governance.

In addition to Obama’s congratulatory message, Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday urged Nigerians to sustain their faith in Nigeria and remain steadfast in the effort to promote peace and the unity of Nigeria no matter the challenges.

Mark, in a goodwill message to Nigerians to mark today's 54th independence anniversary, said the indivisibility of the nation was not negotiable as he recalled the nation’s chequered political history since 1960, during which Nigeria went through a 30-month fratricidal civil war, various ethno-religious conflicts, adding that the crises were surmountable.

He dismissed as untrue the perception in some quarters that Nigeria had not made progress since independence, saying: “Let us cast our minds back a little and see the number of roads, schools, universities, health institutions, telecommunications infrastructure and a host of others.

“We may not have been where we want to be but we have made appreciable progress and we can do more.  All we need to do is to strengthen our unity as one people with one mission and purpose.

“A stable democracy has offered us an opportunity to harness our abundant resources for good.

“Nigeria has passed through many challenges in the past and we came out of it. The security challenges; this Boko Haram can be defeated if we unite to fight them. I believe Boko Haram, terrorism or the insurgency is alien to us as a people. We have the capacity to defeat them and confine them to the dustbin of history.”

He added: “We cannot correct perceived imbalances by taking up arms against our brothers, sisters and the nation. We must therefore continue to shun individuals or groups that encourage, preach and practise division among our people. We must shun every harbinger of hate and bond together as a people of common interest and destiny. 

“As legislators we will continue to do our part to wit; provide the needed legislative framework for the executive arm of government to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.

“Let me use this occasion to remind our fellow country men and women that as 2015 elections approach, we must not lose sight of the fact that the election should not be seen as war.  We must play the game according to the rules.”

In his own message, Ekweremadu commended Nigerians on the advent of the current democratic dispensation, urging them to continue in their determination to sustain it.

He said: “At 54, Nigeria has made progress, as the people have through absolute determination and sacrifice jointly laid the foundation for speedy national transformation by achieving an unprecedented 15 years of uninterrupted democratic streak.

“However, celebrating our independence anniversary at the threshold of the 2015 general election is also a call to duty to add to the nation’s democratic credentials and development by collectively working for a free, fair, and credible general election.”

He said the Senate would not leave any stone unturned in providing solid legal frameworks and will provide all the necessary legislative support to guarantee the success of both the 2015 general election and subsequent ones.

He also commended Jonathan’s government for its determination to end terrorism in the country as evidenced in the recent successes recorded in the war against insurgency.

On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urged Nigerians to work tirelessly to promote the tenets of democracy, good governance and responsible citizenry.

In a statement to mark Nigeria's Independence Day anniversary issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal appealed to the political elite to moderate their utterances and be mindful of their responsibility to the country.

He said with the elections scheduled for early 2015, all leaders must avoid acts that could heat up the polity. According to him, “What is of paramount importance now is for political office holders to approach elections with the intentions to play by the rules.”

While congratulating Nigerians on the country’s 54th independence anniversary, Tambuwal restated the commitment of the House of Representatives to uphold the ideals of a united Nigeria, which he said, shall take its rightful place in the comity of nations.

Similarly, Tambuwal’s deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha expressed optimism that Nigeria would rise again and claim her rightful place in the international community.

The deputy speaker, in a message by his media aide, Oke Epia, said in spite of the current challenges relating to security and development, the country would be propelled to the top, given the human and material resources abundant in the land and efforts being made by government to put things right.

He called on Nigerians to remain steadfast and resilient in the pursuit of national unity and glory, while calling on leaders at different levels to be patriotic and put the nation first in the discharge of their duties.

Ihedioha congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the independence anniversary, saying: “Though there is much that is desired to bring our country to its place of pride, there is also much that is being done to move the country forward.”

However, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, in his message to mark Nigeria’s 54th independence celebrations, said there was nothing to “celebrate because the nation has not flourished as it should”.

In a statement from his media office, Tinubu said: “Today, the nation staggers beneath the weight of trouble stacked upon problem multiplied by hardship. Peace and unity seem to have yielded the moment to violence and discord.

“We exist as a political unit on a map but we do not prosper as brothers and sisters in one nation, under one flag and pursuant to one accord. We have lost our road and now seem to be on the road of the lost.”

The former governor said he was proud to be a Nigerian and would not attach his life to any other nation “but genuine patriotism should not induce blindness”.

He said Nigeria is burdened by too many resolvable challenges that remain unresolved, adding: “This is not a time for fake cheers and elation at the present state of things just because the calendar has touched this day.

“We need to use this hour soberly by taking stock of the obstacles mounting before us and of the hard direction in which we seem to be heading. I fear this direction, if further taken, will lead us not home but to an appointment with failure and national destitution." 

Tinubu also lamented the current state of the nation, saying: “Under the Jonathan government, the vaunted Transformation Agenda is but an elaborate name for old-fashion pocket stuffing. They do not have a national blueprint or vision. But they do have a blueprint and vision for excessive self-enrichment.

“Their equation is simple. You work, they feast. You toil, they grow fat. You seek a decent wage; they pilfer the collective treasury to enjoy a king's ransom.”

He was of the view that national planning had been haphazard and people-unfriendly.
“For most of our 54 years and for all of the past fifteen, honest men have been given scant opportunity to lead Nigeria. We have wandered from the path of economic empowerment for our youths and the mass of our people.

“Nigeria has become adept at creating economic refugees, brain-drain migrants, decimated institutions and the building of a venal ‘Wallet Economy’ benefiting only a handful.

“As if this cynically induced poverty is not sufficient hardship, this government compounds the public burden by sowing discord with the alacrity that a wise government would plant charity and accord.

“Rather than promote religious tolerance and harmonious living, this government believes its electoral chances are enhanced by promoting ethnicism, internal divisions, religious suspicion and scapegoating,” he stated.
He described 16 years of PDP rule as a period of diminishing returns, observing that the longer the party rules, the less benefit the people derive.

“Nigeria now needs a 'common sense revolution', a revolution that calls forth a return to decency, probity, transparency of process and fairness in outcome. This is done not by subterfuge, divide and rule and turning Nigeria in a field of discord or a street of broken institutions.

“It is accomplished by honouring the principles of democratic good governance and economic justice. It is done by persuading the people they are better off as one instead of better off tearing at each other's throats,” he stated.

The APC chieftain said governance is about trust, “and this government is not even trusted by itself. That is why it does nothing except feed itself. This is not the road for a better Nigeria”.

He called on Nigerians to proceed from this 54th anniversary and embark on a common sense revolution that brings about progressive change for the benefit of most country men and women, the youths and the vulnerable.

“I speak here of a Common Sense revolution that promotes the well being and improve the lot of the average person, regardless of his or her ethnic, religious or regional affiliation.

“This way, Nigeria will not only be unified in national purpose it will have recovered its better path. That will be an Independence Day we can and should celebrate. Until then, we strive to keep from falling further,” he said.

Despite the despondency expressed by Tinubu, he assured Nigerians that help is on the way, charging them to be prepared for change.

“We must rescue Nigeria from those set to cause its irreparable harm. The change I talk about is the only route to our deliverance from 16 years of the PDP locusts. Nigeria is ours to keep and its democracy is ours to save,” he said.

Senate Committee Warns INEC against Proceeding with New Polling Units

 INEC logo

The Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday warned the electoral commission against proceeding with its plan to create additional 30,027 polling units in different parts of the country, saying the commission would face the music if it insists on going ahead with the move.

While issuing the warning yesterday, the committee chairman, Senator Andy Uba, who acknowledged that the commission’s decision to create additional polling units was a good idea, emphasised that the timing was wrong.

According to him, much time is required to first educate the electorate on the transfer of some of them from one polling unit to the other before actually embarking on the exercise, adding that if INEC opts to ignore the letter sent to it by the committee asking it to halt the move, the committee would be left with no option than to pass a resolution against the commission.

INEC had last month announced its plan to decongest polling stations by creating 21,000  additional units in the North as against 8,000 units in the South. But the commission has since the announcement, come under  severe criticism mainly from southerners who accused Jega of plotting a northern agenda.

Critics of the idea described it as unjustifiable and a deliberate decision to give the North greater advantage over the South at the forthcoming polls.

But Uba dismissed the insinuation that Jega was plotting a northern agenda, insisting that the only problem with the decision was wrong timing.

“We have sent a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and we expressed our reservations over the planned creation of additional polling units across the country.  What he’s doing is good but the timing is wrong. We are close to an election year and we have so many displaced people in the North-eastern part of the country. So, where will the INEC put the new polling units? Wuse II, Abuja, for instance, where they have 4,000 registered voters now, you know the inconveniences coming from there.

“With 4,000 people queuing on a line, it is not possible for you to be accredited and then start voting. Otherwise, many people will come and turn back but it is a good idea. Only the timing is wrong that is all we are saying.

“Nobody is saying what they did was wrong as some people are saying that there is ulterior motive. There is no ulterior motive in it. That is not the issue. If they continue with it, we’ll pass our resolution. It is simple and once we pass our resolution, will he go ahead, saying that he doesn’t care?

“There are consequences when you say you don’t care but I know he is a gentleman and he is a man that keeps his words. We had a meeting and sent him a letter. What people are saying that he is plotting is not our business.

“And I don’t believe that there is anything he has in mind against anybody or anything but all I am saying is that the timing is wrong because if you are in a polling unit, now they move it to another primary school somewhere, you need time to educate the people, saying I have moved your polling unit to some other place.

“But if you have to get there before they tell you that ‘your name is not here,’ the man doesn’t have time to tell you that your name is in so, so and so place. So, it needs time to educate people to let them know that ‘you are no more here. You have been moved to a different polling unit’ but it is a good idea because it will decongest these polling units. It makes things work faster. When you come in, you will get accredited and you will vote and go but when you have 4,000 voters per polling unit, that is a problem. So, we have been working together and I know we will continue to work together,” Uba said.

He also promised that amendment to 2014 Electoral Act would be concluded when Senate resumes from its two weeks of Sallah break.

INEC Issues Notice of 2015 General Elections

Prof. Attahiru  Jega

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wednesday issued notice of elections slated to take place in February 2015.

The notice as contained in the INEC guidelines is in line with section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended).

According to the timetable released to political parties, they have between October 2 and end of December, 2014, to conduct primaries to choose their candidates for the general elections. The commission also, has officially released the guidelines for the conduct of the 2015 general elections to the 25 registered political parties in the country. 

JONATHAN MARKS NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE AT VILLA

President Goodluck Jonathan today celebrated the country's 54th independence anniversary within the confines of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Until 2012 when terrorist attacks in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria, an elaborate independence celebration used to take place at the Eagles Square in Abuja.

The low-key event, held at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, was marked with a change of guards parade conducted by the Presidential Guards Brigade, the 177 Battalion based in Keffi.

The president later signed the independence anniversary register and released pigeons, signifying peace.

Those present at the event included former head of state General Gowon, former head of the interim national government Earnest Shonekan, former Chief of General Staff General Olodipi Diya (rtd), former Vice President Alex Ekueme, Senate President David Mark, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, service chiefs and Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba as well as members of the diplomatic corps.

KADUNA APC SETTLES DIFFERENCES

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday summoned state, local government and ward officials to a meeting to reconcile intra-party differences.

Mutual disagreements between party members and officials over irregularities at the previous congresses in July had continued to threaten the electoral prospects of the party.

Several protest letters were written to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by aggrieved members seeking its intervention on some issues including results of state congress, nomination of Suleiman Hunkuyi as deputy national organizing secretary, allegation of dismissal of some local government officials and alleged unauthorized nomination of Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i as BOT member.

Party Chairman Barnabas Bala Bantex said a select group of officials drawn from wards and local government met with state officials and elders to facilitate dialogues among members with a view to resolving their differences. He said for the party to field candidates and face opponents in the 2015 elections in the state, members must eschew grievances and come to the aid of one another.