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Defence/Security

Gov Ortom: Benue not part of secessionist agitation

NAN-H-84

Agitations

By Emmanuel Antswen

Makurdi, Sept. 18, 2017 (NAN) Benue Governor Samuel Ortom said on Monday that the state was committed to building a strong and indivisible Nigerian nation and would never support any secessionist agitation.

Ortom, who spoke at a meeting with Benue Council of Chiefs, also restated government’s readiness to protect the rights of Nigerians resident in the state, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.

The meeting, held in Makurdi and attended by various stakeholders and the leadership of tribal and religious groups resident in Benue, was a proactive measure against reprisal violence over skirmishes in some parts of the country.

“Benue is not in support of any secessionist agitation and will not want mischief makers to cause violence in the state. People with such plans are advised to leave in their own interest,” he said.

Ortom charged traditional rulers and leaders of other ethnic groups to preach the message of peace to their localities, urging them to report trouble makers to the appropriate authorities.

In his remarks, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, commended the proactive steps of the government toward calming nerves, and expressed the Tiv Traditional Council’s readiness to support the measures.

Also speaking, the Och’Idoma, Mr Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, said that Benue has remained the most peaceful state in the country and would strive to keep that status.

The President of South-South residents in the state, Chief Godffery Ogboro, in a remark, said that his people were committed to the promotion of peace and unity in Nigeria.

“We are committed to peace and unity of Nigeria; we cannot wage war against ourselves.

”Some of us have houses here and also married from here. We shall be the greatest losers if there is no peace,” he said.

Chief Chuks Albert, President, Igbo Assembly, Benue State Chapter, in his speech, condemned the secessionist agenda being pursued by some sections of the Igbo community, declaring that his group was in support of one Nigeria.

“We stand for one Nigeria; we are not part of the Igbo that want to secede by force. We thank the governor for guaranteeing our peaceful stay in Benue.

“We have an umbrella community which is Igbo Delegate Assembly; we also have Ohaneze Ndigbo. We have all met and resolved that we belong to one Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)

AEB/JEO/ETS
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Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka and Ephraims Sheyin

General news

EU rejection of Nigerian produce: LCCI supports certification

EU rejection of Nigerian produce: LCCI supports certification

NAN-H-28

Certification

Lagos, June 27, 2017 (NAN) The Agriculture and Agro-Allied Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called for stricter issuance of phytosanitary certificates for export-bound agricultural produce.

Mr Tunji Falade, Chairman of the group, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, against the backdrop of some agricultural products rejected by the European Union (EU).

NAN recalls that the EU between 2015 and 2016 rejected some 25 produce from Nigeria, including cocoa, sesame seeds, melon seeds, dried fish and meat.

Falade canvassed intensified collaboration between export regulatory agencies, organisations, exporters and farmers.

The chairman said the rejection of these commodities by the EU should not be seen as victimisation, but an opportunity to reposition Nigeria’s export system.

“This issue has always been the trend over the years. It is not the first time it is happening.

“What we should be trying to do now is to ensure that we get this export issue right, in terms of all the standards involved.

“Right now, we have some agencies that are supposed to be involved in the regulation of this process.

“Apart from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), we have the Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine Services.

“All of these organisations and agencies really need to collaborate with exporters, farmers, agronomists and stakeholders to ensure that before the products leave the country, all the standards are met.

“The issuing of phytosanitary certificates to export-bound agricultural produce should be very strict,’’ the LCCI official said.

Falade said the government was developing agriculture, and one of the areas to achieve this is to improve export of agricultural produce; and export of finished products as well.

He said the major challenge facing export regulations and development dwelt more on the methods of exportation, which were mainly in trickles and personal levels.

According to him, now that the Federal Government is serious about commercial exports, standards and regulations from the farm should be apt.

“We have not been doing export of agricultural products massively; we have been doing it in trickles and some people are doing it informally.

“Now that the government is serious about it, because that is about what will guarantee economic stability in the country.

“So, we really have to sit down to restrategise and ensure that these institutions collaborate with the stakeholders before shipment,’’ he said.

On the effect of residues of pesticides on produce, Falade said it affected the soil composition and the eventual output of the produce, which boils down to regulations and collaborations.

“If there was adequate collaboration between agencies, before the produce leaves the shores of this country, they would have been discovered it, so that it will not leave in the first place.

“For instance, if farmer A discovers that this product cannot leave because of an issue, it will be easy for him to address it.

“During our last meeting, some organic farmers made a presentation on how to prevent rejection during export of agric produce by using organic fertiliser.

“It is natural; it is not the artificial and chemically-infested type that will affect the farm produce negatively, and in turn rejection at export point,’’ he said.

Similarly, some experts in food processing also urged Nigerian food exporters to be competitive in the quality of produce for export, to avoid rejection by the foreign countries.

They gave the advice in separate interviews in Lagos on the background of the rejection of 67 processed and semi-processed Nigerian produce by the EU.

They said that apart from quality, they also had to focus on competitive pricing and packaging.

NAN reports that a breakdown of data from the European Commission Rapid Alert System showed that 42 Nigerian food imports were refused entry into EU countries in 2015 and another 25 in 2016.

According to reports, the rejected food items include brown and white beans, melon seeds, palm oil, mushrooms, bitter leaf, ugwu leaves, shelled groundnut, smoked catfish and crayfish.

Others are live snails, prawns, ginger, melon seeds, sesame seeds, peanut chips, dried meat and fish.

Dr Dele Oyeku, Director, Extension and Linkage, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIRO), attributed the rejection to the high level of inorganic fertiliser present in some of the crops for export.

According to him, the presence of the inorganic fertiliser in such crops introduces unsafe elements into food.

Oyeku said that foods of that nature might not pass safety test for export.

Alhaji Rasak Osho, an exporter of food, said the rejection might be due to the fact that the food produce did not meet the stipulated international best standards.

Osho said: “There must be a reason for the refusal because they have stipulated standards that have to be met.

“Any intending exporters must know this before making any attempt, to export any consignment to foreign countries.

“The packaging also must carry all necessary information; it is not just about forwarding.”

Osho said there was need for stakeholders to invest on capacity building, either within or outside the country for those exporters.

He said that doing so would help boost their understanding and exposure on international trading.

“What you need to know is to have a good knowledge of the conditions that guide the business you are venturing into before going into it.

“We should be competitive in price, quality and packaging. International politics and diplomacy cannot be ruled out,” he said.

Alhaji Sanni Shehu, President, Miner Association of Nigeria (MAN), said the rejection was not a good development, particularly as the nation was trying to come out of recession.

Shehu noted that the rejection should have been avoided at a time the country badly needed foreign exchange, to run the economy.

He suggested that the way out was to bring standard laboratory that would be internationally recognised, to certify food before being exported out of the country.

The president said that NAPDAC should also be supported to upgrade their laboratory to international standard. (NAN)

Reporters/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

NAN-H-14

Export

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, June 26, 2017 (NAN) The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerian exporters to stop embarrassing the country by obtaining the agency’s certification of products.

The Spokesman of NAFDAC, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, gave the advice while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja on the rejection of about 25 Nigerian produce by the European Union (EU) between 2015 and 2016.

Jimoh explained that the EU had rejected the 25 exported food products from Nigeria for lack of standard.

NAN reports that some of the food products on the EU rejection list from Nigeria include beans, sesame seeds, melon seeds, dried fish and meat, peanut chips and palm oil, among others.

He therefore urged exporters to subject their products to NAFDAC’s standard and internationally accredited laboratories for proper certification.

He said that the screening and certification of any product for export by NAFDAC was free of charge in spite of facilities, personnel and chemical reagents being used to conduct such tests.

“The Federal Government is doing this as a deliberate policy to encourage our exporters and to satisfy international standards for exports.

“We are now appealing to our exporters not to run away from product certification of NAFDAC, it is free and we don’t charge anything for such service.

“We have adequate personnel and equipment to carry out such responsibility in the country,’’ Jimoh said.

The spokesman lamented that the action of exporters has put the country’s image in bad light and also cause a huge loss to the exporters themselves which had implication to the economy of the country.

According to him, NAFDAC had six functional laboratories that conduct various types of products test across the country.

He also decried exporters’ penchant for bypassing NAFDAC and smuggling of their products at the detriment of the country’s economy and their income.

Jimoh said that the agency had two functional laboratories in Lagos, one each in Kaduna, Agolo in Anambra, Maiduguri and Port Hacourt, while the one in Calabar had not been completed.

He disclosed plans to establish another laboratory in Benue to serve exporters in the North Central part of the country.

Jimoh, who is also the NAFDAC Director Special Duty, noted that the laboratory in Lagos had been accredited internationally and any product that gets approval from such lab would be recognised globally.

He confirmed that the EU had certified the laboratory in Lagos and considered it as meeting the world standard.

He disclosed that Kaduna laboratory was inherited by NAFDAC from the Federal Ministry of Health and later gutted by fire, but that the agency had built a new lab.

The spokesman added that the Kaduna laboratory was built to serve all agricultural farm produce coming from the north for screening and certification and exportation.

He added that the laboratory has required facilities and equipment and was now awaiting international accreditation.

According to him, Agolo, a regional laboratory built by NAFDAC and inaugurated sometime in 2010 by former president Goodluck Jonathan, also has the capacity to serve exporters from the South East region.

“The EU team that visited our lab in Lagos about a year and half ago were happy with what they met on ground.

“We have two laboratories in Lagos, the one in Oshodi deals with food products, micro toxic, High Liquid Performance Chromatography and pesticide residues, while the one in Yaba deals mainly on drugs.

“Laboratory is capital intensive and we cannot have it in every state; therefore those we have now serve states close to them.

“We have the capacity and we are well prepared to ensure all our exported products from the country get NAFDAC’s clean bill of health as an agency charged with responsibility of quality control,” he said.

Jimoh also urged the Nigerian Customs Service to continue to cooperate with NAFDAC in ensuring that such products were not smuggled out of the country.

Meanwhile, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano S says it will convene a meeting with producers of agricultural products affected by the EU rejection policy to reverse the development.

The state AFAN Secretary, Alhaji Garba Bichi, told NAN in Kano that the meeting would draw all stakeholders from across the state in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

“We have decided to convene a meeting with all those affected by the EU rejection on some agricultural products in order to address the issue.

“The rejection is as a result of the failure of producers to meet standards due to incorrect application of pesticides and other agrochemical substances.

“So we feel it is necessary to meet with affected farmers and other stakeholders to find a way out,” Bichi said.

He assured that even though some of the affected products were not produced in the state, but the association would meet with the affected producers with a view to taking a collective decision on the issue.

The scribe said the meeting was expected to come up with useful recommendations for immediate implementation and if possible seek technical advices from experts.

An official of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in the Kano State told NAN on condition of anonymity that the council last year trained some farmers of a particular product, following the development.

The official, who, works at the Enquiry Desk, said the training which was held in Kaduna, was conducted on melon and ginger where farmers were given technical advices on how to add value to their products and ease acceptability in the international markets. (NAN)

MS/MTM/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Osinbajo warns MDAs against rejecting corps members

Osinbajo warns MDAs against rejecting corps members

NAN-H-50

NYSC

By Yashim Katurak

Abuja, May 25, 2017 (NAN) The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has warned government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to desist from rejecting corps members posted to them for primary assignment.

Osinbajo gave the warning during the Swearing-In Ceremony of the 2017 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Batch ‘A’ Stream I corps members at the Permanent Orientation Camp at Kubwa, Abuja, on Thursday.

The acting president was represented by Mrs Amina Abubakar, the Director, Human Resources, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Osinbajo said there was already an existing government policy directing MDAs against rejecting corps members.

He said the policy was still in effect, urging parastatals to ensure its full implementation.

The acting president also urged MDAs and private corps employers to assign challenging responsibilities to corps members during their primary assignment.

According to him, by doing so they will be fully incorporated into the process of nation-building and be able to contribute their quota to national development.

He said the federal government was aware of all the challenges facing the scheme.

He said government would continue to encourage cooperation between the federal, state and local governments to ensure smooth and effective execution of the operations relating to the scheme.

“The Federal Government is aware of the challenges that face the NYSC and its duty to mitigate these issues including security, deployment management and processes.

“As you step into your roles as service members, I commend to you the recently launched programme of the federal government, ‘Change Begins with Me’.

“This campaign is aimed at restoring national values and upholding all that is right through each and every one of us.

“You must all strive to fight the painful erosion of our social values as a result of greed and dishonesty. If change begins with each of you, there can be nothing that will impede the progress of this nation,” Osinbajo said.

Besides, the acting president urged corps members to uphold the ideals of the scheme and remain conscientious in the discharge of their assignments.

Mrs Adebola Elegbede, the Chairperson, NYSC FCT Governing Board, said a lot would be required of corps members in their places of primary assignments for the benefit of the people of the territory.

Elegbede urged corps members to apply themselves fully to the orientation programme as it would equip them for the task ahead.

“I will be coming to the camp from time to time to ensure that your welfare needs are catered to and to see how you are faring in this regard,” Elegbede said.

Mr Abdulrazak Salawu, the NYSC FCT Coordinator, said in response to emerging threats to the mental and social state of the youths especially in the area of drug abuse, the scheme had set up a counseling centre in the camp.

Salawu said the centre which was part of the scheme’s contribution to community development would help youths who may be affected in this regard.

He said that the FCT minister has directed the renovation and upgrading of camp facilities to ensure relative comfort for all camp participants.

The coordinator said the scheme registered 2,702 corps members for the 2017 Batch ‘A’ stream I orientation course which would last for three weeks.

The Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, who was represented by Justice Peter Affen, administered the oath of allegiance on the corps members. (NAN)

KRY/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Plateau SUBEB rejects 2 blocks of classrooms, says they are substandard

NAN-H-46
Classrooms
By Martha Agas
Pankshin(Plateau), April 4, 2017(NAN) The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board on Tuesday rejected two blocks of classrooms meant for inauguration at the Government Model School, Pankshin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the board’s Chairman, Prof. Mathew Sule, who was expected to inaugurate the project, declined, immediately he sighted the classrooms.

“This is a bad job; it does not meet our standards. We will not compromise standards because we want structures that will be used for a long time,” a miffed Sule declared.

The official advised contractors to comply with specified standards for constructing and renovating the classrooms, and vowed that any job found to be poorly executed would be rejected.

Sule, who had so far inaugurated 285 classrooms in various schools, advised parents, community and religious leaders to monitor the progress and quality of the projects.

“The schools and the structures belong to the host communities. They should be interested in what is happening,” he said.

Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), who also expressed anger over the quality of the job, urged the teachers and school authorities to monitor the projects and safeguard those inaugurated.

Bobboyi, who was represented by Mrs. Mary Zakka, UBEC Coordinator in Plateau, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment towards providing a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.

Mr Azi Atu, Chairman, Education Secretaries’ Forum in Plateau, who also spoke at the occasion, commended the Plateau government for ensuring prompt payment of salaries and encouraging capacity building through workshops.

In his response, a community leader, Mr Ajiji Azi, applauded government for building more classes, and called for  more infrastructure in schools located in rural areas. (NAN)
MAA/OSA/ETS

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Edited by Shittu Obassa and Ephraims Sheyin

Health

Jos communities reject polio vaccine, want food instead

 

NAN-HG-17

Immunisation

By Martha Nuhu

Jos, Jan. 30, 2017 (NAN) Some communities in Jos North Local Government of Plateau, have refused to participate in the on-going immunisation exercise against polio, citing hunger as their reason.

“The communities have shunned entreaties by the immunisation officers; they say the vaccine should be replaced with food,” Mrs Hannatu Davat, the Local Immunisation Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos on Monday.

NAN reports that the immunisation exercise, which began on Jan. 28, is co-sponsored by the local government in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the Nigerian Rotary Club.

The four-day exercise, targeted at children below five years, vaccinates the group against polio and other killer diseases including hepatitis, measles, yellow fever and tetanus.

Davat explained that the parents, who rejected the vaccine, asked government to rather work toward slashing the prices of food items.

She said that other residents, who refused to participate, claimed that they had collected too many rounds of the vaccination, while others described the vaccines as “’western medicine”.

The officer further said that even doctors rejected the vaccines on the grounds that government was paying too much attention to polio while neglecting other serious diseases.

“The local government has reported the development to the Plateau chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), who have promised to ensure that no doctor rejects any polio vaccines meant for children.

“One of the doctors mentioned Mumps as one of the diseases being neglected, and described it as a serious disease which government hardly worry about.”

Davat said that the local government had set up a social mobilization team that was moving through affected communities to sensitise them on the importance of taking the vaccines.

“Based on such efforts, some of the communities have changed their initial stance and are ready to bring their children, but others have remained adamant,” she said.

The officer, who refused to name the specific communities, however revealed that three wards were involved.

“We have seven rounds of immunisation this year and this is just the first round; if we are not able to resolve the lingering issues, we shall forward them to the state office for further action,” Davat said. (NAN)

ADY/ETS
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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

Agriculture

Anchor Borrower: CBN rejects 100,000 farmers in Adamawa – Gov. Jibrillah

NAN-AE-4
Rejection
By Muhammad Adam
Yola, Sept. 15, 2016 ( NAN) Gov. Muhammadu Jibrillah of Adamawa on Thursday expressed concern over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) rejection of about 100,000 farmers participation in the “Anchor Borrowers Programme’’ due to inappropriate registration.

Jibrillah expressed his view while launching the distribution of farm inputs to farmers participating in the anchor borrowers’ initiative in Yola and described the rejection as “disturbing.’’

“I am worried and disturbed on how about 100,000 farmers captured in the national anchor borrowers initiative in the state were rejected by CBN due to lack of Bank Verification Number.

“There is need for the state ministry of agriculture and farmers associations to closely work together and sensitise the farmers to avoid this – rejection in future,’’ Jibrillah said.

He said that the only 28,000 farmers that were successfully approved were not enough for the state, adding that more effort should be made to register more farmers.

The governor noted that money meant for Adamawa under the initiative was lying at the CBN, but assured that effort would be made to enable the farmers get it.

Speaking earlier, Mr Waziri Ahmadu, the state Commissioner for Agriculture said that out of 120,000 registered farmers only about 28,000 were approved and registered for the initiative

Ahmadu said that the ministry would strategise to ensure that those that were rejected were captured again.

In his remark, Mr Venantius jiddere, the Adamawa State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) thanked Federal Government for the initiative.

Jiddere promised the support and cooperation of members of the association to the state government for successful implementation of the programme. (NAN)
AMA/JEY/AFA
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Felix Ajide
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