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Agriculture

VP Osinbajo flags off National Livestock Transformation Plan

VP Osinbajo flags off National Livestock Transformation Plan
By Muhammad Adam
Livestock
Mayo-Belwa (Adamawa), Sept. 10, 2019 (NAN) The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa.
Inaugurating the project on Tuesday, Osinbajo said the plan is designed to run from 2019-2028 as part of Federal Government’s initiative in collaboration with States under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).
He said the plan, targeted at supporting the development of Nigeria’s livestock sector, is to be implemented in seven pilot states of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara.
According to the vice president, the plan will be implemented as a collaboration project between the Federal and State governments, farmers, pastoralists and private investors.
“In this plan the State Government or private investors provide the land, the federal government does not and will not take any land from a State or local government.
“Any participating state will provide the land and its own contribution to the project. The federal government merely supports.
“It is a plan that hopes to birth tailor made ranches where cattle are bred, and meat and dairy products are produced using modern livestock breeding and dairy methods.
“This solves the problem of cattle grazing into and destroying farmlands. It ensures a practical response to the pressures on water and pasture by forces of climate change,” Osinbajo said.
He noted that the plan was designed to provide modern meat and dairy industry and in some cases integrated crop farming.
According to Osinbajo, the unique feature of the plan is that any participating state will determine its own model.
“I wish to emphasise that this is not RUGA. Because the idea of RUGA settlements launched by the Ministry of Agriculture created a problem when it was perceived as a plan to seize lands to create settlements for herders.
“RUGA was not the plan designed and approved by the governors and the President rightly suspended the implementation,” Osinbajo said.
He said that the NLTP was endorsed by all governors and could only be implemented with the full participation and consent of the governors and the people of the state.
He said no state could be forced to participate, adding that Adamawa had chosen to begin the implementation of the plan.
He noted Adamawa state experienced several crises on account of clashes between herders and farmers resulting in the destruction of lives and property.
He also observed that the introduction of the livestock transformation plan was a win-win for the state and its people, and would provide a basis for peaceful coexistence, jobs for many and a mechanism for resolving disputes.
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa said that the flag-off of the plan was a robust all encompassing life-changing transformation programme in the livestock sub-sector.
Fintiri said the introduction of the plan was the solution desired for peaceful coexistence among diverse people of the state.
“The Plan will create job opportunities and solve lingering conflict between farmers and herders,” Fintiri said. (NAN)
AMA/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Irregular Migration: NGO develops 30-yrs development plan for Edo youths

Irregular Migration: NGO develops 30-yrs development plan for Edo youths
Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Migration
Benin, Sept. 5, 2019 (NAN) Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), an NGO, says it has developed a 30-year development programme for Edo as part of initiative to assist the state to fight irregular migration.
The Advocacy and Analysis Manager of the organisation, Mr Chucks Ofolue, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Thursday.
He said that part of the plan was to train the youths on skills in order for them to be productive and generate income for themselves.
Ofolue said it was part of the development plan that saw to the training and graduation of 200 youths from the state on how to operate, install and maintain small to medium solar PV technology solutions and project management.
PIND works with the government on a macro level, the aim of the development plan, which basically centres on acquiring skills, was to curb peculiar issues relating to youths in Edo, especially irregular migration.
“As part of the programme, those trained will be matched with internship, opportunities and support their business plan,” he said.
He noted that the programme would be in batches, adding the youths will be given a starter pack to go into the business and in turn, become employers of labour in their various skills acquired.
He stressed that “the goal was to promote peace and development in the Niger Delta. We work in the states of the Niger Delta.
“We have four major works in the Niger Delta which include economic development, peace building, advocacy and analysis, and capacity building.”
On the PV technology training, he said that the essence of the training was to provide alternative measure to the problem of electricity in the country due to incessant failure of electricity providers.
According to him, light is very important to human existence and these youths have been trained to be industrious and establish their own businesses to provide solar energy for Nigerians especially in this era of incessant power failure.
“It will keep them from thinking of how to migrate and keep them busy to generate economy thereby contributing their quota to the state revenue,” said the official.
Ofulue explained that PIND foundation has a market development programme to groom the youths on marketing skills to sell their products to the people.
He said that the NGO has been at the forefront of creating and showcasing working technologies that reduce energy consumption, recycle waste and provide alternative to traditional power sources in the Niger Delta region.
PIND was established by Chevron to promote economic development and peace through partnership in the Niger Delta.
The organisation is in partnership with the Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE) programme, a four-year programme funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbelt (GIZ). (NAN)
ESI/NNO
Edited by Nick Nicholas/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Global health threats: WHO to implement new strategic plan

Global health threats: WHO to implement new strategic plan
By Yashim Katurak
Goals
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2019 (NAN) The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it will commence the implementation of the organisation’s new five -year strategic plan to address some of the major global health threats, this year.
The WHO, which disclosed this in its newsletter on Thursday, said that the world was currently facing multiple health challenges ranging from outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and diphtheria and growing rates of obesity.
It said that people all over the world were also facing the health impact of environmental pollution, climate change, humanitarian crisis with increasing reports of drug-resistant pathogens.
WHO said that the organisation’s new strategic plan aimed to focus on ensuring one billion more people benefit from access to Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The plan also targets that one billion more people would be protected from health emergencies and one billion more people would enjoy better health and well-being within the next five years.
WHO said that to achieve this goal, the organisation and its partners would address the health threats from a variety of angles.
“The world is facing multiple health challenges and to address these and other threats, 2019 sees the start of the World Health Organisation’s new 5-year strategic plan.
“This plan focuses on a triple billion target: ensuring 1 billion more people benefit from access to UHC, 1 billion more people are protected from health emergencies and 1 billion more people enjoy better health and well-being.
“10 of the major health threats that will demand attention from WHO and health partners in 2019 are: Air pollution and climate change, Non-communicable diseases, Global influenza pandemic and still Fragile and vulnerable countries.
“Other health threats include antimicrobial resistance, Ebola and other high threat pathogens, weak primary health care, Vaccine hesitancy, Dengue fever and HIV.
“In 2019, air pollution is considered by WHO as the greatest environmental risk to health. Nine out of 10 people breathe polluted air every day and these microscopic pollutants penetrate respiratory and circulatory systems damaging the lungs, heart and brain.
“This epidemic kills seven million people prematurely every year from diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart and lung disease. Around 90 per cent of these deaths are in low and middle income countries,’’ it said.
The organisation said that in 2019, the UN Climate Summit would aim to strengthen climate action and ambition worldwide, urging countries to keep to their commitment of achieving improved air quality.
WHO said that non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease were collectively responsible for over 70 per cent of all deaths worldwide with 15 million people aged between 30 and 69 dying prematurely.
It said that this year, the organisation would work with governments to help them meet the global target of reducing physical inactivity by 15 per cent by 2030 through the implementation of the ‘ACTIVE policy toolkit’.
According to the organisation, the world will face another influenza pandemic the only thing we do not know is when it would hit and how severe it would be.
WHO said that the organisation has already set up a unique partnership with all major players to ensure prompt response in the event that a new flu strain develops pandemic potential.
WHO assured that it would continue to work in fragile and vulnerable countries to strengthen health systems to enable them be better prepared to detect and respond to outbreak and deliver quality services.
The organisation said that it would also in 2019, ramp up work to eliminate cervical cancer worldwide by increasing coverage of the HPV vaccine and other interventions. (NAN)
KRY/JPE/MST
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Maternal mortality: Nasarawa Govt adopts new health plan

Maternal mortality: Nasarawa Govt adopts new health plan
NAN-HG-1
Plan
By Awayi Kuje
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 28, 2017 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government says it is adopting a new five-year health development plan to tackle maternal mortality and promote healthcare delivery services.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Daniel Iya, made this known in Keffi on Thursday at the opening of a five-day training workshop for the state health workers.
The workshop is tagged: “Nasarawa State Strategic Health Development Plan for 2017 to 2021”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is supported by Saving One Million Lives Initiative Program-for-Results (PforR) Project for Nigeria.
Participants are expected to be trained on the process of developing a good plan of strategic health for the next five years.
Iya urged the participants to come up with good development plan that would benefit the people of the state and Nigerians in general by addressing their health challenges.
The commissioner also enjoined health workers to adhere strictly to their professional ethics and shun corruption in order to tackle the health challenges of the people of the state.
Iya said that to get things right, the state health practitioners and other stakeholders must always be dedicated to their duties and must change their attitude towards improving the health status of the people of the state and Nigerians at large.
“Everybody is aware that Gov. Tanko Al-Makura administration is doing its best to improve on the lives and health status of the people of the state through building and equipping healthcare centres with modern facilities in the state.
“The state government is committed towards the provision of quality health care to the people; hence the need for the participants at this workshop to come up with plans at the end in order to improve on the health status of the people of the state.
“Health practitioners should also adhere strictly to the ethics of their profession and we need to work as a team to tackle health issues properly and adequately, especially at the grassroots in order to improve the lives of our people, ”he said.
He added that the state government is working hard to address the challenges facing the health sector and called on people to support government policies and programmes at all the time for the overall development of the state.
The commissioner restated the state government commitment to continue to key in to people-oriented policies that have direct bearing on the health of the people.
Dr Zainab Mohammed, the Consultant of the programme, urged the participants to apply their extra knowledge to enable them create a workable plan that would sustain the programme.
She also charged the participants to use the knowledge they would gain in order to improve on the health status of the people of the state.
Responding on behalf of other participants, Mr Sule Toma from the state Primary HealthCare Development Agency, commended the organisers and promised to use the knowledge gain during the training. (NAN)
AKW/AAB/MST
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Insecurity: FG rewrites National Action Plan to protect women, children

Insecurity: Ministry rewrites National Action Plan to current reality

NAN-HG-5

Plan

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

Abuja, May 9, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government has reviewed the National Action Plan (NAP) to factor in emerging issues hindering the peace and security of women and girls in the country.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, said this during the launch of NAP on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nigeria having ratified the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on women, peace and security, introduced the plan 16 years ago to ensure the implementation of the resolution.

It was from the NAP that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP 2015) was established to reduce the toll of conflict, terrorism and violent actions on women and girls.

Alhassan, said there were defects in the first plan, making it impossible to tackle emerging issues affecting women.

“Nigeria’s first NAP, which ran from 2013-2016, was useful in mobilising national action on the need to improve human security and better protect citizens especially women and girls.

“The first NAP had gaps and did not take care of emerging issues like insurgency and violent extremism, among others.

“There was therefore very urgent need to have the NAP revised, “she said.

According to the minister, the UNSCR 1325 was the first formal and legal global document to acknowledge the disproportionate and heavier toll that war and conflict have on women and girls.

She also stressed the pivotal role women play in conflict management, conflict resolution and sustainable peace.

Alhassan expressed displeasure that in spite of women’s proven national reconciliation and stabilising roles in the family, they have continued to be excluded from participating meaningfully to peace processes.

She said insecurity and transnational boarder crimes, gender, responsive inclusion in peace architecture, violence against women, girls, children and communal crises are the major peace concerns of women.

These, she said, have been captured in the second NAP.

The minister therefore called on all Nigerians to support government in mainstreaming gender into all policies, programmes and organisational cultures in Nigeria through the national gender policy.

In her welcome address, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Phyllis Nwokedi, said the launch was to provide the platform for public presentation of the revised NAP on UNSCR 1325. (NAN)

OEO/KOLE/MST

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Abuja Chamber rallies support for FG’s economic plan

NAN-H-28

Growth

By Kingsley Okoye

Abuja, April 8,2017(NAN) The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has said that full implementation of the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) would bring about economic prosperity for Nigerians.

Mr Tony Ejinkonye, ACCI’s President, made expressed the optimism in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.

Ejinkonye further said it was essential that Nigerians appreciate the efforts of the current administration to steer the economy away from recession.

“On ERGP, first and foremost, it should be appreciated that government is apprehensive and making effort to get the country out of recession, as quickly as possible,’’ he said.

He also said it was important for Nigerians to know that ERGP differed from previous plans in several ways.

Ejinkonye noted that focused implementation remained the core of the delivery strategy of ERGP.

According to him, there is a strong political will and determination at the highest level of government to implement the plan over the next three years, more than ever before.

Ejinkonye said it was necessary that the personnel’s of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) de-emphasised self, while playing their distinct roles in implementing the plan.

He, however, stressed the need to vigorously pursue the new initiatives of the plan.

The initiatives he said include; increasing oil production to 2.5 mbpd by 2020, privatising selected public enterprises and assets and revamping local refineries to reduce petroleum product imports by 60 per cent by 2018.

According to him, it is also imperative for the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to build up its capability for robust monitoring and evaluation of the implementation processes of the plan.

“I believe in the ERGP and will advise that we give government a benefit of doubt while we all monitor the implementation of the plan.’’

On non-reduction of prices of goods and services, despite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provision of forex, he said that several factors contributed to the recent inflation rate in Nigeria.

According to him, besides the scarcity of foreign exchange, the cost of doing business generally is high, adding that currently the phenomenon is rising in Nigeria.

Ejinkonye said the development was responsible for the high cost of living in the country.

He also identified other factors contributing to exorbitant cost of doing business such as high interest rate and lack of critical infrastructure, especially stable electricity.

The ACCI boss said it would take some time for the improved supply of foreign exchange to manifest positively in the cost of production in the country. (NAN)
KC/FLP
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Dada Ahmed

Environment

Hazardous chemicals: UNIDO serves FG with elimination plan

Hazardous chemicals: UNIDO serves FG with elimination plan

NAN-H-24

By Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Feb. 23, 2017 (NAN) The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has submitted the Reviewed and Updated National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention on the elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to the Federal Government.

A statement by UNIDO on Friday in Abuja said that the UN Deputy Secretary General designate and outgoing Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, received the document on behalf of the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Stockholm Convention is an international Treaty developed to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The treaty was adopted in 2001, but came into force in 2004, which Nigeria ratified the same year thereby becoming a member of the Conference of Parties.

It aimed at eliminating or restricting the production and use of all POPs, transition to safer alternatives and cleaning up old stockpiles, among others.

Speaking during presentation of the NIP in Abuja, the UN Deputy Secretary General commended UNIDO for working together with Global Environmental Environment Facility (GEF) and other stakeholders to produce the NIP.

Amina noted that the Plan would enable Nigeria access international technical support and meet her obligations under the obligation, while integrating POPs management into the country’s national development plans.

The outgoing minister of environment said: “I am most delighted and appreciative of UNIDO’s continuous support and for a job well done.

“The Updated NIP being unveiled today is a product of inclusive stakeholders’ participation and serves as the renegotiated and reinforced National Policy Framework for addressing priority POP issues in Nigeria, in line with her obligations under the treaty.

“With the Reviewed and Updated NIP, Nigeria will now focus on short, medium and long term strategies for developing programmes and partnerships on POPs management aimed at safeguarding human health and the environment.”

The Representative of UNIDO Regional Office, Nigeria, Dr Chuma Ezedinma, commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Environment for working with UNIDO to ensure the success of the Plan for Nigeria.

Ezedinma said the presentation of the Updated and Reviewed NIP to the federal government marked another milestone in the history of Nigeria-UNIDO collaboration for building a sustainable environment for its people, industries and the global community.

He said UNIDO would continue to support the federal government and the ministry of environment in particular to promote sustainable activities for our environment as we match towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

“UNIDO is currently in partnership with 48 countries, assisting them in Reviewing and Updating their NIP, developing and implementing projects.

“We are working with the Federal Ministry of Environment in the areas of protecting the ozone layer, Minamata Convention on Mercury, national policy development and dialogue, development of bio-pesticides.

“This is a response to the EU ban on some food exportation, water stewardship and management, mining, resource efficiency and cleaner production and other areas of environmental sustainability and development.”

He said as a party to the Stockholm Convention, it is an obligation for the country to develop Enabling Activities of NIPs for enablement to identify and develop structures for implementation of programmes towards driving the convention requirements.

According to him, in April 2009, with UNIDO’s assistance, Nigeria submitted its NIP to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention.

“In 2014, UNIDO again began collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment to review and update Nigeria’s National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention.

“Nigeria finalised her first NIP in 2009, with support from GEF and UNIDO.

“This led the groundwork for developing and implementing priority projects, regulatory reforms and other initiatives targeted at achieving a POPs-free environment.

“POPs are a group of hazardous chemicals of global concern with wide occurrences as industrial raw materials in consumer goods, waste electrical electronic equipment (WEEE), pesticides or unintentional emissions,” he said.

He said that long range dispersion of POPs constituted a great threat to human and environmental sustainability, irrespective of international borders, national sovereignty, gender or social class.

Ezedinma said documented burdens of human exposures to POPs included cancer, congenital defects, dysfunction of immune and reproductive systems and shortened lactation in nursing mothers, among other hazards. (NAN)

IAA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola