AKANIMO SAMPSON
UTUAMA BLAMES NIGERIA's SUCCESSION CRISIS ON LEADERS
THE problematic succession crisis that has been the bane of Nigeria's politics since the 1960s has blamed on leaders at all levels in the country.
Delta State Deputy Governor, Amos Utuama, a law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) says it is high time political leades began to put their acts together for the interest of the country.
While locating the worrisome inability of successive administrations in the country to sustain existing policies on absence of proper succession and low capacity, he said at 50, Nigerian political elite and power seekers should learn to grow up and stop acting as infants.
AkanimoReports said on Tuesday that Utuama was speaking while receiving participants of the Senior Executive Course Participants at the Notational Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPSS), on behalf of the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, observed that the inability to sustain existing policies was at the bane of the country’s developmental challenges.
He explained that one of the reasons why there has been persistent policy reversals and discontinuity in the country was because those leaving office do not groom successors that would carry on their laudable policies and programmes.
According to him, the result is that every administration that comes into power fashions out its own policies and programmes, which most of the time outrightly reverses the existing ones that could have moved development further.
Utuama, a professor of law, noted that the administration of Chief James Ibori, was able to avoid that pitfall, arguing that the emergence of the former Secretary to the State Government, who had also served as commissioner for health, as the governor, has helped in sustaining the former policies and programmes.
He informed that himself was the attorney general and commissioner for justice from 1999 to December, 2006, adding that even the current secretary to the state government, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, was a member of the state executive council for the said period.
Utuama also attributed the lack of policy sustenance on absence of the right capacity, explaining that where a policy that was formulated by a person with high intellectual capacity is being implemented by another person with low ability, there was bound to be policy failure.
Leader of the NIPSS Team, Prof Ajaka Ajak, had told the deputy governor that their visit was a fact finding one on the theme, “Policy Sustainability, National Security and Democratic Stability.”ENDS
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
GROUP EXPOSES AGRIC,ENERGY MINISTRIES IN NIGERIA
THE Nigerian Government Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources as well as that of Petroleum, came under a heavy criticism by a pro-public accountability organisation, the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG) on Tuesday.
Mr. George-Hill Anthony, the executive director of the group claimed in an on-line chat with AkanimoReports that the activities of the ministries under focus are not quite wholesome.
Analysing the graft tendencies of the ministries from the perspective of their fiscal allocation regime, NDEBUMOG said the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has a total allocation of N148 billion.
But, the ministry is ranked by the group among the worst in the performance index of the federal ministries going by how basin authorities have compounded service delivery in social and basic infrastructure to the citizenry.
According to them, ''basin authorities shadowed how states and local government can better intervene on infrastructural delivery to the people, confusing stakeholders about Federal presence boosted only through their bloated recurrent envelopes. Matters such as water availability should better be left to the states and local governments''.
Surprisingly, the ministry is yet to explain to Nigerians what has happened to the billions given by the Federal Government to farmers in 2009. It has budgeted N37 million for local and international travels, N200 million as contribution to food and agricultural organisations, and N10 million for procurement of hooks.
On paper, the sum of N250 million will go for monitoring and evaluation of its own projects and programmes, N477 Million for Chinese (+ Nigeria) South- South Cooperation, N400 million for EC Assisted Water Supply and Sanitation, N400 million for ADB Assisted Water Quality Laboratory, N500 million for EU Assisted Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reforms, N200 million for National Water Sanitation Policy.
''The N200 million budgeted for National Water Sanitation Policy is a fraud. Unfortunately, nearly all the federal ministries have huge envelops for local and international travels even when the Presidency has restricted non-technical travels for civil servants of some cadre which was re-emphasised in the 2010-2012 Fiscal Strategy Paper of the Federal Government. The N10 million for this ministry and many other ministries (like Petr'', NDEBUMOG said.
Continuing, they said, ''at a time some African countries are wrestling to weed the influence of Chinese away against destruction of their economies going by poor quality of Chinese goods associated with poor human rights history of the Asian country, is the time the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to budget close to N500 million under China-Nigeria (South-South) Cooperation?''
Adding, NDEBUMOG said, ''atrocities which may come with such can be more destructive than what Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total/Elf and others has caused extractive communities in the Niger Delta''.
On the Petroleum Ministry, they claimed that the establishment is budgeting N150 million for the renovation of NNPC Towers. N810 million is allocated for facilities for technical and administrative cooperation on international bodies on oil &gGas utilization, and N100 million for library development and procurement of books. ''These are all frivolous projections'', NDEBUMOG said.
Quering the ministry, the group asked, ''why should the Petroleum Industry Bill implementation (when it becomes law) cost N7.5 billion to implement? N26 million is for refreshment and meals, N800 million for patrol vehicles and a N100 million for Oil and Gas reference library?
Apparently irked, the group said no responsible legislature can pass this sort of budget in any country, pointing out that Nigerians have been taken for granted for so long.
''Votes must count in 2011. Only credible elections in 2011 can arrest all these anomalies. The National Assembly needs massive fumigation through credible elections in 2011.The masses may not wait beyond 2011 and the outcome may be the predictions of America (on the break-up of Nigeria) coming to pass'', they said. ENDS
GROUP EXPOSES AGRIC,ENERGY MINISTRIES IN NIGERIA
THE Nigerian Government Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources as well as that of Petroleum, came under a heavy criticism by a pro-public accountability organisation, the Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG) on Tuesday.
Mr. George-Hill Anthony, the executive director of the group claimed in an on-line chat with AkanimoReports that the activities of the ministries under focus are not quite wholesome.
Analysing the graft tendencies of the ministries from the perspective of their fiscal allocation regime, NDEBUMOG said the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has a total allocation of N148 billion.
But, the ministry is ranked by the group among the worst in the performance index of the federal ministries going by how basin authorities have compounded service delivery in social and basic infrastructure to the citizenry.
According to them, ''basin authorities shadowed how states and local government can better intervene on infrastructural delivery to the people, confusing stakeholders about Federal presence boosted only through their bloated recurrent envelopes. Matters such as water availability should better be left to the states and local governments''.
Surprisingly, the ministry is yet to explain to Nigerians what has happened to the billions given by the Federal Government to farmers in 2009. It has budgeted N37 million for local and international travels, N200 million as contribution to food and agricultural organisations, and N10 million for procurement of hooks.
On paper, the sum of N250 million will go for monitoring and evaluation of its own projects and programmes, N477 Million for Chinese (+ Nigeria) South- South Cooperation, N400 million for EC Assisted Water Supply and Sanitation, N400 million for ADB Assisted Water Quality Laboratory, N500 million for EU Assisted Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reforms, N200 million for National Water Sanitation Policy.
''The N200 million budgeted for National Water Sanitation Policy is a fraud. Unfortunately, nearly all the federal ministries have huge envelops for local and international travels even when the Presidency has restricted non-technical travels for civil servants of some cadre which was re-emphasised in the 2010-2012 Fiscal Strategy Paper of the Federal Government. The N10 million for this ministry and many other ministries (like Petr'', NDEBUMOG said.
Continuing, they said, ''at a time some African countries are wrestling to weed the influence of Chinese away against destruction of their economies going by poor quality of Chinese goods associated with poor human rights history of the Asian country, is the time the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to budget close to N500 million under China-Nigeria (South-South) Cooperation?''
Adding, NDEBUMOG said, ''atrocities which may come with such can be more destructive than what Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total/Elf and others has caused extractive communities in the Niger Delta''.
On the Petroleum Ministry, they claimed that the establishment is budgeting N150 million for the renovation of NNPC Towers. N810 million is allocated for facilities for technical and administrative cooperation on international bodies on oil &gGas utilization, and N100 million for library development and procurement of books. ''These are all frivolous projections'', NDEBUMOG said.
Quering the ministry, the group asked, ''why should the Petroleum Industry Bill implementation (when it becomes law) cost N7.5 billion to implement? N26 million is for refreshment and meals, N800 million for patrol vehicles and a N100 million for Oil and Gas reference library?
Apparently irked, the group said no responsible legislature can pass this sort of budget in any country, pointing out that Nigerians have been taken for granted for so long.
''Votes must count in 2011. Only credible elections in 2011 can arrest all these anomalies. The National Assembly needs massive fumigation through credible elections in 2011.The masses may not wait beyond 2011 and the outcome may be the predictions of America (on the break-up of Nigeria) coming to pass'', they said. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
AFRICA NEEDS COLLECTIVE ACTION ON HIV/AIDS, SAYS KAUNDA
FORMER President of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, says African countries cannot combat the HIV/AIDS scourge alone. He has accordingly challenged Africa to pull resources together in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic which he said was ravaging the continen.
The former Zambian leader who was speaking in Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, specifically called on Nigeria to also return to agriculture which was the economic backbone of the country before oil and gas.
On his part, Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, commended Kaunda for his dogged fight against the deadly HIV/AIDS, pleading with persons in positions of leadership to borrow a leaf from him.
Kaunda, speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the South South Office of his, Children of Africa Foundation, in Asaba on Monday, observed that the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa could only be won through concerted and collective efforts from governments and organizations in the contingent.
He reasoned that just as it took collective actions to free the continent from the shackles of colonialism, the war against the dreaded disease would also require similar posture, stressing, “only one country cannot do it.”
Kaunda lamented that Nigeria which had a comparative advantage over many nations of the world in food production before the discovery of oil, had abandoned agriculture, thereby leaving hunger and poverty in Africa.
He therefore pleaded with the leadership of the country to go back to its root by paying greater attention to food production while still engaging in oil exploration, exploitation and exportation.
Uduaghan, represented by his deputy, Professor Amos Utuama (SAN), while commissioning the Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation, commended Kaunda for his dogged fight against the dreaded disease.
“Your (Kaunda’s) sacrifices for the emancipation of Africans from the shackles of coloniasm continue to inspire us. But your current campaign against the deadly HIV/AIDS virus is even greater challenge to those of us who are at leadership positions.”
He described Kaunda’s action as a major boost to the efforts of the state government in the crusade against AIDS, adding, “it is also an interesting development as my administration is also focusing attention on children from when they are in the womb till weeks after their delivery.
“We are doing this through our Free Health Programme for pregnant women. Within the next few months, we will be flagging off our Free Health Programme for Children from five years and below. This explains why, your foundation’s programme sits well with our focus on the health of children including their mothers.” ENDS
AFRICA NEEDS COLLECTIVE ACTION ON HIV/AIDS, SAYS KAUNDA
FORMER President of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, says African countries cannot combat the HIV/AIDS scourge alone. He has accordingly challenged Africa to pull resources together in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic which he said was ravaging the continen.
The former Zambian leader who was speaking in Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, specifically called on Nigeria to also return to agriculture which was the economic backbone of the country before oil and gas.
On his part, Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, commended Kaunda for his dogged fight against the deadly HIV/AIDS, pleading with persons in positions of leadership to borrow a leaf from him.
Kaunda, speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the South South Office of his, Children of Africa Foundation, in Asaba on Monday, observed that the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa could only be won through concerted and collective efforts from governments and organizations in the contingent.
He reasoned that just as it took collective actions to free the continent from the shackles of colonialism, the war against the dreaded disease would also require similar posture, stressing, “only one country cannot do it.”
Kaunda lamented that Nigeria which had a comparative advantage over many nations of the world in food production before the discovery of oil, had abandoned agriculture, thereby leaving hunger and poverty in Africa.
He therefore pleaded with the leadership of the country to go back to its root by paying greater attention to food production while still engaging in oil exploration, exploitation and exportation.
Uduaghan, represented by his deputy, Professor Amos Utuama (SAN), while commissioning the Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation, commended Kaunda for his dogged fight against the dreaded disease.
“Your (Kaunda’s) sacrifices for the emancipation of Africans from the shackles of coloniasm continue to inspire us. But your current campaign against the deadly HIV/AIDS virus is even greater challenge to those of us who are at leadership positions.”
He described Kaunda’s action as a major boost to the efforts of the state government in the crusade against AIDS, adding, “it is also an interesting development as my administration is also focusing attention on children from when they are in the womb till weeks after their delivery.
“We are doing this through our Free Health Programme for pregnant women. Within the next few months, we will be flagging off our Free Health Programme for Children from five years and below. This explains why, your foundation’s programme sits well with our focus on the health of children including their mothers.” ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
EDITOR LOSES MOTHER IN RIVERS
MR. Kio Nimengoka, the editor of one of the leading local newspapers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has lost his mother, Madam Sarah Tamunotaribo Nene Ochiemiebia. Mr. Nimengoka edits The Port Harcourt TELEGRAPH.
His mother,Madam Ochiemiebia who passed on on January 9, 2010 at Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt after a brief illness was aged 75.
According to burial arrangements by the family, late Ochiemiebia will be buried on Saturday April 24, 2010 at her home town, Ogu in Ogu/Bolo local government area of Rivers State.
Fondly called Sisi, Late Ochiemiebia was described as devote Christian whose lifestyle had positively affected many within Ogu Community.
According to Mr. Nimengoka, who is the Chief Mourner, the demise of his mother had created a vacuum within the family considering her laudable contributions to the family. ENDS
EDITOR LOSES MOTHER IN RIVERS
MR. Kio Nimengoka, the editor of one of the leading local newspapers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has lost his mother, Madam Sarah Tamunotaribo Nene Ochiemiebia. Mr. Nimengoka edits The Port Harcourt TELEGRAPH.
His mother,Madam Ochiemiebia who passed on on January 9, 2010 at Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt after a brief illness was aged 75.
According to burial arrangements by the family, late Ochiemiebia will be buried on Saturday April 24, 2010 at her home town, Ogu in Ogu/Bolo local government area of Rivers State.
Fondly called Sisi, Late Ochiemiebia was described as devote Christian whose lifestyle had positively affected many within Ogu Community.
According to Mr. Nimengoka, who is the Chief Mourner, the demise of his mother had created a vacuum within the family considering her laudable contributions to the family. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
AMAECHI RAISES RED FLAG ON POLITICAL ARMY
* Says We Won't Compromise Security
FOR desperate power seekers in the Rivers State axis of the Niger Delta, who rely on armed youths as their political army to gain power, the game appears to be up for them.
The state Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, says his administration will not compromise on security no matter whose ox is gored. For the governor, open and transparent democracy must be allowed to gain roots in the state.
Inner administration officials who did not want their names in print, told AkanimoReports in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Tuesday, that Governor Amaechi has been consistent on open democratic process.
In October, 2007, while mounting the saddle as the governor of the state, he had warned that the era of writing election results in Port Harcourt was over.
AkanimoReports also gatheed that Amaechi firmly determined to deal with the security challenges in the state not minding if it will cost him his re-election. The way things are unfolding, the governor, according to political watchers, appears set to take on those sponsoring armed youths for political purposes.
Already, the Amaechi administration has said that it will continue to strive to get the state back to where it was when lives and property of the citizenry were well secured.
Amaechi gave the assurance during an open air funeral service for Special ApostleisFestus Enyinnaya MacPepple, father of Henry MacPepple, Managing Director of Amadac Group of Companies, held by the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, at Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.
The governor said he was disturbed by the report of the kidnap of the octogenarian who later died in the hands of his abductors, explained that his government was prepared to commit its resources to restoring sanity in the state.
“We could even put in all the resources that we have to make sure we get to where we used to be before, so that we do not have a situation where our parents, brothers and daughters would be kidnapped again”, the governor said, warning that nobody has the right to take anybody’s life as no life is worthless.
Describing the late Special Apostle MacPepple, as a nice man, Governor Amaechi sympathized with the bereaved family urging them to follow the footstep of their late father.
Earlier in an exhortation, Supervising Apostle Emmanuel Agomo of Umuahia Province of the Cherubim and Seraphim remarked that death is for all and urged everyone to prepare for it because no one knows when it will come.
Supervising Apostle Agomo extolled the shinning qualities of the late MacPepple and admonished the family to watch over what their father has left behind.
The funeral attracted dignitaries from all walks of life among whom was Senator John Mbata. ENDS
AMAECHI RAISES RED FLAG ON POLITICAL ARMY
* Says We Won't Compromise Security
FOR desperate power seekers in the Rivers State axis of the Niger Delta, who rely on armed youths as their political army to gain power, the game appears to be up for them.
The state Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, says his administration will not compromise on security no matter whose ox is gored. For the governor, open and transparent democracy must be allowed to gain roots in the state.
Inner administration officials who did not want their names in print, told AkanimoReports in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Tuesday, that Governor Amaechi has been consistent on open democratic process.
In October, 2007, while mounting the saddle as the governor of the state, he had warned that the era of writing election results in Port Harcourt was over.
AkanimoReports also gatheed that Amaechi firmly determined to deal with the security challenges in the state not minding if it will cost him his re-election. The way things are unfolding, the governor, according to political watchers, appears set to take on those sponsoring armed youths for political purposes.
Already, the Amaechi administration has said that it will continue to strive to get the state back to where it was when lives and property of the citizenry were well secured.
Amaechi gave the assurance during an open air funeral service for Special ApostleisFestus Enyinnaya MacPepple, father of Henry MacPepple, Managing Director of Amadac Group of Companies, held by the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, at Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.
The governor said he was disturbed by the report of the kidnap of the octogenarian who later died in the hands of his abductors, explained that his government was prepared to commit its resources to restoring sanity in the state.
“We could even put in all the resources that we have to make sure we get to where we used to be before, so that we do not have a situation where our parents, brothers and daughters would be kidnapped again”, the governor said, warning that nobody has the right to take anybody’s life as no life is worthless.
Describing the late Special Apostle MacPepple, as a nice man, Governor Amaechi sympathized with the bereaved family urging them to follow the footstep of their late father.
Earlier in an exhortation, Supervising Apostle Emmanuel Agomo of Umuahia Province of the Cherubim and Seraphim remarked that death is for all and urged everyone to prepare for it because no one knows when it will come.
Supervising Apostle Agomo extolled the shinning qualities of the late MacPepple and admonished the family to watch over what their father has left behind.
The funeral attracted dignitaries from all walks of life among whom was Senator John Mbata. ENDS
Monday, April 26, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
2011: NO VACANCY IN RIVERS GOVT HOUSE, SAYS PDP
CHIEFTAINS of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, a major oil and gas producing state in the Niger Delta, who are nursing a governorship ambition on the platform of the party in 2011, should shelve it for now.
Apparently surprised by the performance of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the inner circle of the party appeared to have settled on the governor as their winning joker The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Godspower Ake, says that the performance of the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has exceeded his expectations and that of the Party in just a few years in office.
AkanimoReports said Ake spoke on Sunday during a memorial service in honour of late Elder Renner Ikuru, father of the State Deputy Governor and thanksgiving service for the Appeal Court victory of Governor Amaechi at St. Simon’s Anglican Church, Ikuru Town, in Andoni Local Government Area.
AkanimoReports said the PDP chief also tactically said that the PDP has no alternative to Governor Amaechi in 20.
According to him, ''inspite of my support for Amaechi to become the governor of Rivers, i never thought he could perform to the extend he has done within a short time''. He accordingly lauded Amaechi for what he described as ''monumental achievements'' in the provision of infrastructural facilities.
He claimed that PDP was not worried about the outcome of the Appeal Court election matter because even if the case went back to the election tribunal and was annulled, Governor Amaechi would have remained the Party’s candidate and based on what he has achieved within the short period, he would still have won a fresh election.
In the mean time, the Amaechi administration says its ambitious road projects and other infrastructural development in the coastal communities of the state like land reclamation are geared towards fast-tracking economic growth to those communities which never thought of having such in their life history.
Governor Amaechi said this while conducting the management of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Network Centre, Port Harcourt, around the various projects embarked upon by the state government.
He said the people of Opobo Town, Ikuru Town, and other riverine communities in Andoni Local Government Area would soon access their communities by road, stressing that the State Government was delighted to spend billions of Naira on the projects to turn around the economic fortunes of the people.
On how to redistribute the reclaimed lands in Opobo Kingdom, Governor Amaechi said the communities would be left to decide how the land would be re-distributed among themselves emphasizing that the State Government would not interfere even though it is Government reclaimed land.
The governor also disclosed that his administration would introduce special allowance for teachers in the rural areas to encourage them take up postings to the rural communities.
Amaechi said the bills for the proposed Primary Healthcare Board and Social Welfare Tax, when passed into law by the State Assembly, are intended to institutionalize and sustain these projects/programmes beyond his administration.
He further claimed that his administration has decided to introduce a scholarship scheme for civil servants beside regular in-service trainings, noting that part of the money saved from the Christmas bonus will be used to fund the scheme.
On the Scrap to Wealth plant at Kira-Tai, the Governor said, would be ready in six months time, adding that the plant would be providing jobs for many people in the industry, the state has the technical man-power to operate the plant.
At the Trans Amadi gas turbine, the State Chief Executive said power generated are presently under-utilized, blaming the problem on the refusal of the Federal Government to allow the State Government re-distribute power generated from the State Independent Power Project (IPP) through the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) transmition line.
The tour took the governor and his entourage to some primary, secondary schools, health centres, roads and bridges projects in Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Eleme and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of the state. ENDS
2011: NO VACANCY IN RIVERS GOVT HOUSE, SAYS PDP
CHIEFTAINS of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, a major oil and gas producing state in the Niger Delta, who are nursing a governorship ambition on the platform of the party in 2011, should shelve it for now.
Apparently surprised by the performance of Governor Chibuike Amaechi, the inner circle of the party appeared to have settled on the governor as their winning joker The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Godspower Ake, says that the performance of the State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has exceeded his expectations and that of the Party in just a few years in office.
AkanimoReports said Ake spoke on Sunday during a memorial service in honour of late Elder Renner Ikuru, father of the State Deputy Governor and thanksgiving service for the Appeal Court victory of Governor Amaechi at St. Simon’s Anglican Church, Ikuru Town, in Andoni Local Government Area.
AkanimoReports said the PDP chief also tactically said that the PDP has no alternative to Governor Amaechi in 20.
According to him, ''inspite of my support for Amaechi to become the governor of Rivers, i never thought he could perform to the extend he has done within a short time''. He accordingly lauded Amaechi for what he described as ''monumental achievements'' in the provision of infrastructural facilities.
He claimed that PDP was not worried about the outcome of the Appeal Court election matter because even if the case went back to the election tribunal and was annulled, Governor Amaechi would have remained the Party’s candidate and based on what he has achieved within the short period, he would still have won a fresh election.
In the mean time, the Amaechi administration says its ambitious road projects and other infrastructural development in the coastal communities of the state like land reclamation are geared towards fast-tracking economic growth to those communities which never thought of having such in their life history.
Governor Amaechi said this while conducting the management of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Network Centre, Port Harcourt, around the various projects embarked upon by the state government.
He said the people of Opobo Town, Ikuru Town, and other riverine communities in Andoni Local Government Area would soon access their communities by road, stressing that the State Government was delighted to spend billions of Naira on the projects to turn around the economic fortunes of the people.
On how to redistribute the reclaimed lands in Opobo Kingdom, Governor Amaechi said the communities would be left to decide how the land would be re-distributed among themselves emphasizing that the State Government would not interfere even though it is Government reclaimed land.
The governor also disclosed that his administration would introduce special allowance for teachers in the rural areas to encourage them take up postings to the rural communities.
Amaechi said the bills for the proposed Primary Healthcare Board and Social Welfare Tax, when passed into law by the State Assembly, are intended to institutionalize and sustain these projects/programmes beyond his administration.
He further claimed that his administration has decided to introduce a scholarship scheme for civil servants beside regular in-service trainings, noting that part of the money saved from the Christmas bonus will be used to fund the scheme.
On the Scrap to Wealth plant at Kira-Tai, the Governor said, would be ready in six months time, adding that the plant would be providing jobs for many people in the industry, the state has the technical man-power to operate the plant.
At the Trans Amadi gas turbine, the State Chief Executive said power generated are presently under-utilized, blaming the problem on the refusal of the Federal Government to allow the State Government re-distribute power generated from the State Independent Power Project (IPP) through the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) transmition line.
The tour took the governor and his entourage to some primary, secondary schools, health centres, roads and bridges projects in Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Eleme and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of the state. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
JITTERS IN NIGER DELTA OVER 'ARREST' OF ASARI
ALLEGED delay of Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, an insurgent leader of the Niger Delta, by security agents from entering Nigeria after a prolonged stay abroad, caused some jitters in the volatile oil and gas region on Sunday.
The Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, told AkanimoReports in an on-line chat on Monday that if the rebel leader was detained, a fresh reign of terror would have taken over the Niger Delta.
Cynthia Whyte, the spokesperson of the rebel group claimed in her chat with AkanimoReports:
''At about 14.00 hours yesterday, in response to pleas from key stakeholders from across the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory, the flag bearer of the Ijaw and Niger Delta struggle, Alabo Mujahid Dokubo-Asari (Edi Abali of Kalabari) returned to the Nigerian State.
''His return was not without incidents. He was accosted and intercepted by security agents of the Nigerian State who refused him entry into the country and also refused him to go back to Benin Republic and was delayed for 4 hours before he allowed to enter the country.
''He was not arrested as reported by some media centers but remained in his car all the while.
''His return is a culmination of series of visits, pleas and advocacy driven by key heroic ex-combatants of the Ijaw and Niger Delta Struggle.
''We commend the efforts of ex-NDVF leader Ateke Tom, Ebikabowei Victor Ben (aka General Boyloaf) and Government Ekpemukpolo (aka GOC Tompolo).
''The efforts of these heroic ex-combatants of the Ijaw and Niger Delta Struggle were instrumental to convincing Dokubo-Asari to return to the Nigerian State and partake in the restoration, redemption and reconstruction of the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory.
''We also commend the efforts of Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Oyeinfie Jon Jon, Hon Kingsley Kuku, Ambassador Boladei Igali and the many others who played strong roles to ensure his safe arrival in the confines of the Nigerian State''. ENDS
JITTERS IN NIGER DELTA OVER 'ARREST' OF ASARI
ALLEGED delay of Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, an insurgent leader of the Niger Delta, by security agents from entering Nigeria after a prolonged stay abroad, caused some jitters in the volatile oil and gas region on Sunday.
The Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, told AkanimoReports in an on-line chat on Monday that if the rebel leader was detained, a fresh reign of terror would have taken over the Niger Delta.
Cynthia Whyte, the spokesperson of the rebel group claimed in her chat with AkanimoReports:
''At about 14.00 hours yesterday, in response to pleas from key stakeholders from across the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory, the flag bearer of the Ijaw and Niger Delta struggle, Alabo Mujahid Dokubo-Asari (Edi Abali of Kalabari) returned to the Nigerian State.
''His return was not without incidents. He was accosted and intercepted by security agents of the Nigerian State who refused him entry into the country and also refused him to go back to Benin Republic and was delayed for 4 hours before he allowed to enter the country.
''He was not arrested as reported by some media centers but remained in his car all the while.
''His return is a culmination of series of visits, pleas and advocacy driven by key heroic ex-combatants of the Ijaw and Niger Delta Struggle.
''We commend the efforts of ex-NDVF leader Ateke Tom, Ebikabowei Victor Ben (aka General Boyloaf) and Government Ekpemukpolo (aka GOC Tompolo).
''The efforts of these heroic ex-combatants of the Ijaw and Niger Delta Struggle were instrumental to convincing Dokubo-Asari to return to the Nigerian State and partake in the restoration, redemption and reconstruction of the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory.
''We also commend the efforts of Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Oyeinfie Jon Jon, Hon Kingsley Kuku, Ambassador Boladei Igali and the many others who played strong roles to ensure his safe arrival in the confines of the Nigerian State''. ENDS
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
SACK NDDC, NIGER DELTA TELLS JONATHAN
THERE are growing concerns in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas region that has been a zone of low intensity war since the late 1990s. This time around, the trouble is centring around the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a development agency.
There are unease in the oil region that the NDDC has been doing more on graft than on actual development of the oil-bearing communities. At the moment, there is a concentric opinion among both the conservertive and radical camps that the board and management of the commission should be sacked and replaced with core development experts.
Spokesperson for the Grassroots Iniative for Peace and Democracy (GIPD), a civil society group, Mr. John Abang, told AkanimoReports in an interview in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday that they are of the view that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan should unbundle the NDDC.
The group is claiming that the present group of leaders at the development agency are incapable of moving the volatile oil and gas region forward. The GIPD is not alone.
Other concerned social formations in the region are said to be pressing The Presidency to dissolve the board of the NDDC to forestall alleged monumental fraud going on in the commission.
The Niger Delta Non Violent Movement (NDNVM) in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, said the board should be dissolved now if Acing president Goodluck Jonathan hopes to achieve his agenda on the Niger Delta.
The statement, which was signed by the President of the movement, Mr. Onengiya Erekosima, claimed that members of the board were strange bed fellows who have not much in common and have not been stakeholders in the struggle for the Niger Delta development and emancipation.
Erekosima said for Jonathan to succeed, the board should be dissolved just as the federal executive council was.
This, he said, would enable the Acting president appoint qualified, honest and transparent persons including, activists, of Niger Delta who are conscious of the importance of the Niger Delta question to the success of the Acting president.
“This Niger Delta agenda will determine whether Acting president Jonathan will succeed and even his future political ambition”, Erekosima stated.
He said it was regrettable that the managing director and executive director (projects) were involved in in-fighting over a 5 billion naira contract just after nine months of the board’s inauguration.
This, he said, suggested that the board can no longer have a team spirit necessary to achieve their mandate.
“When you appoint people who have not tasted the pains of marginalization or are not in touch with the direct victims of the region’s deprivation, all they will care is their personal interest”, he said.
Erekosima said a fresh board that would carry the stakeholders along was what was needed and that it should be done now to avert the looting of the commission by the members who only care for their selfish interest and not that of the region.
Erekosima who is a strong contender for the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) presidency, warned that the youths of the region who are the critical victims of the Niger Delta imbroglio would not fold their arms and watch these appointees embarrass the region as non indigenes of the region would point to the fact, “is it not your people- Niger Deltans”.
He appealed to all Niger Deltans to give support to the Acting president so as not to give the impression that his people are not behind him. ENDS
SACK NDDC, NIGER DELTA TELLS JONATHAN
THERE are growing concerns in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas region that has been a zone of low intensity war since the late 1990s. This time around, the trouble is centring around the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a development agency.
There are unease in the oil region that the NDDC has been doing more on graft than on actual development of the oil-bearing communities. At the moment, there is a concentric opinion among both the conservertive and radical camps that the board and management of the commission should be sacked and replaced with core development experts.
Spokesperson for the Grassroots Iniative for Peace and Democracy (GIPD), a civil society group, Mr. John Abang, told AkanimoReports in an interview in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday that they are of the view that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan should unbundle the NDDC.
The group is claiming that the present group of leaders at the development agency are incapable of moving the volatile oil and gas region forward. The GIPD is not alone.
Other concerned social formations in the region are said to be pressing The Presidency to dissolve the board of the NDDC to forestall alleged monumental fraud going on in the commission.
The Niger Delta Non Violent Movement (NDNVM) in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, said the board should be dissolved now if Acing president Goodluck Jonathan hopes to achieve his agenda on the Niger Delta.
The statement, which was signed by the President of the movement, Mr. Onengiya Erekosima, claimed that members of the board were strange bed fellows who have not much in common and have not been stakeholders in the struggle for the Niger Delta development and emancipation.
Erekosima said for Jonathan to succeed, the board should be dissolved just as the federal executive council was.
This, he said, would enable the Acting president appoint qualified, honest and transparent persons including, activists, of Niger Delta who are conscious of the importance of the Niger Delta question to the success of the Acting president.
“This Niger Delta agenda will determine whether Acting president Jonathan will succeed and even his future political ambition”, Erekosima stated.
He said it was regrettable that the managing director and executive director (projects) were involved in in-fighting over a 5 billion naira contract just after nine months of the board’s inauguration.
This, he said, suggested that the board can no longer have a team spirit necessary to achieve their mandate.
“When you appoint people who have not tasted the pains of marginalization or are not in touch with the direct victims of the region’s deprivation, all they will care is their personal interest”, he said.
Erekosima said a fresh board that would carry the stakeholders along was what was needed and that it should be done now to avert the looting of the commission by the members who only care for their selfish interest and not that of the region.
Erekosima who is a strong contender for the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) presidency, warned that the youths of the region who are the critical victims of the Niger Delta imbroglio would not fold their arms and watch these appointees embarrass the region as non indigenes of the region would point to the fact, “is it not your people- Niger Deltans”.
He appealed to all Niger Deltans to give support to the Acting president so as not to give the impression that his people are not behind him. ENDS
Saturday, April 17, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
MRS AMAECHI TACKLES PARENTS, WARNS AGAINST ABUSES, CURSES
MRS. Judith Amaechi, wife of the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, has lashed out at parents who take delight in child abuse, and cursing children. While charging them not to lay curses on their children, she insisted that the best thing to do is always to pray for them and wish kids well even in the light of any provocation.
AkanimoReports said on Saturday that the governor's wife spoke when she received members of Scripture Union at Government House, Port Harcourt.
But in Gokhana, an Ogoni local government council in the state, as part of effort to promote early child education and literacy programme among Rivers children the council has redeemed N18 million as counterpart funding for the building of permanent site for ESI Nursery School run by the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) a non-government organization being promoted by Mrs. Amaechi.
The governor's wife is however, attributing youth exposure to social vices during their development to lack of proper parenting resulting from wrong foundation.
According to her “the problem with the youths today is that the foundation is wrong from birth, and the future will become bleak, if the foundation is right, the system will also be right, it is very worrisome that our youths are going through this situation”.
She is also blaming parents who do not inculcate the purpose and virtue of God in the children for the degeneration in the value system rather than invoke cursing on them at every provocation adding that the parents have enormous role to bless or destroy their children “parents are guardians of these children and their utterances when provoked can make or mar the future of the children. We must not speak evil, lay curses on our children but to bless them and pray for them”.
She charged the Scripture Union to be alive to this challenge and vacuum created by lack of proper parenting and to raise the youths on the path of righteousness with the fear of God.
The founder of the ESI stated that the objective of ESI nursery school was to begin to inculcate moral values in the kids and preach the words of God that can shape their personality in the future.
Coordinator of Scripture Union in Rivers State Cyril Harry said activities of the organization spread across secondary schools and tertiary institutions and has rolled out various programme aimed at developing the youths and to work with the fear of God.
He disclosed that the Scripture Union is about to launch a centre that will help the youths and develop them to become better citizens.
In the mean time, Chairman of the Ogoni council, Victor Giadom, who led principal staff of the council to sign the memorandum of understanding and presented a cheque of N18,000,000 representing 50 per cent contribution to the project said the council has placed some much premium on the education advancement of its people and will be willing to partner with Human Capital Organizations in this direction.
The Gokhana Local Government Council is the first Local Government Area in the state to partner with the ESI in providing a befitting nursery school for its early child programme.
While presenting the cheque, Mr Victor Giadom said the council decided to partner with ESI due to the impact of its content on the morale and education advancement of the kids and expressed optimism that Gokhana Children will be among the emerging educational advantage local government area.
Part of the MOU reads that the council has agreed to contribute the sum of N18,000,000 or 50 per cent of the cost of building one of the ESI nursery schools in Gokhana Local Government Area, ESI will promote excellence in early child education in Gokhana Local Government Council and partner with the council.
Responding, the project coordinator of ESI, Mr Nowa Omoregbe said the council’s initiative is a demonstration of its desire to build human capacity of its people from the cradle and added the school when completed will also serve as centre for adult literacy programme.
Mr Omoregbe thanked the council for the confidence reposed in ESI and pledged his organisation’s determination to drive the early child initiative in the council, toward achieving its set objective. ENDS
MRS AMAECHI TACKLES PARENTS, WARNS AGAINST ABUSES, CURSES
MRS. Judith Amaechi, wife of the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, has lashed out at parents who take delight in child abuse, and cursing children. While charging them not to lay curses on their children, she insisted that the best thing to do is always to pray for them and wish kids well even in the light of any provocation.
AkanimoReports said on Saturday that the governor's wife spoke when she received members of Scripture Union at Government House, Port Harcourt.
But in Gokhana, an Ogoni local government council in the state, as part of effort to promote early child education and literacy programme among Rivers children the council has redeemed N18 million as counterpart funding for the building of permanent site for ESI Nursery School run by the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) a non-government organization being promoted by Mrs. Amaechi.
The governor's wife is however, attributing youth exposure to social vices during their development to lack of proper parenting resulting from wrong foundation.
According to her “the problem with the youths today is that the foundation is wrong from birth, and the future will become bleak, if the foundation is right, the system will also be right, it is very worrisome that our youths are going through this situation”.
She is also blaming parents who do not inculcate the purpose and virtue of God in the children for the degeneration in the value system rather than invoke cursing on them at every provocation adding that the parents have enormous role to bless or destroy their children “parents are guardians of these children and their utterances when provoked can make or mar the future of the children. We must not speak evil, lay curses on our children but to bless them and pray for them”.
She charged the Scripture Union to be alive to this challenge and vacuum created by lack of proper parenting and to raise the youths on the path of righteousness with the fear of God.
The founder of the ESI stated that the objective of ESI nursery school was to begin to inculcate moral values in the kids and preach the words of God that can shape their personality in the future.
Coordinator of Scripture Union in Rivers State Cyril Harry said activities of the organization spread across secondary schools and tertiary institutions and has rolled out various programme aimed at developing the youths and to work with the fear of God.
He disclosed that the Scripture Union is about to launch a centre that will help the youths and develop them to become better citizens.
In the mean time, Chairman of the Ogoni council, Victor Giadom, who led principal staff of the council to sign the memorandum of understanding and presented a cheque of N18,000,000 representing 50 per cent contribution to the project said the council has placed some much premium on the education advancement of its people and will be willing to partner with Human Capital Organizations in this direction.
The Gokhana Local Government Council is the first Local Government Area in the state to partner with the ESI in providing a befitting nursery school for its early child programme.
While presenting the cheque, Mr Victor Giadom said the council decided to partner with ESI due to the impact of its content on the morale and education advancement of the kids and expressed optimism that Gokhana Children will be among the emerging educational advantage local government area.
Part of the MOU reads that the council has agreed to contribute the sum of N18,000,000 or 50 per cent of the cost of building one of the ESI nursery schools in Gokhana Local Government Area, ESI will promote excellence in early child education in Gokhana Local Government Council and partner with the council.
Responding, the project coordinator of ESI, Mr Nowa Omoregbe said the council’s initiative is a demonstration of its desire to build human capacity of its people from the cradle and added the school when completed will also serve as centre for adult literacy programme.
Mr Omoregbe thanked the council for the confidence reposed in ESI and pledged his organisation’s determination to drive the early child initiative in the council, toward achieving its set objective. ENDS
Thursday, April 15, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
WE'RE NOT AWARE OF KILLINGS IN OGONI BY SOLDIERS, SAYS POLICE
THE Nigeria Police, Rivers State Command, says they are not aware of alleged extra-judicial killing of Ogoni youths by soldiers guarding oil facilities belonging to the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas major, Shell.
But the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), in an on-line statement to our correspondent on Thursday, claimed that they have been receiving reports of impunity by the armed security forces in remote Ogoni villages.
Some local Ogoni people are claiming that not less than 12 Ogoni youths have been killed in the past few weeks under ''questionable circumstances''.
Spokesperson for the police in the state, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and a PhD holder claimed on telephone that the command headquarters at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, was not aware of such incidents.
''As far as we are concerned in this headquarters, we are not aware of such killings. I swear to you'', the police spokesperson said.
Apparently not persuaded, MOSOP Spokesperson, Mr. Sunny Zorvah, said the Ogoni mass movement on Tuesday received ''with utmost bitterness the shooting and killing of an Ogoni youth, Mr. Bariara Vurasi Lemon, by a team of soldiers attached (as guards) to some Staff of Shell working at Oil Well 4 in B-Dere community''.
According to Zorvah, ''MOSOP strongly condemns this latest killing which is one too many, and also expressed worry over the persistent irresponsible and reckless attitudes consistently perpetrated by the company’s personels and their armed guards while carrying out operations and other activities in parts of Ogoni.
Continuing, he said MOSOP received the sad news of Mr. Bariara Vurasi Lemon's killing, a School Certificate holder, aged 20, with shock. The late Lemon was said to be among a group of community youths engaged at the project site by the Shell workers and were given some food items to share to others.
Allegedly, a minor disagreement on method of sharing the food packs among the youths themselves attracted the attention of the armed security forces who swooped on the youths, tortured some of them while in an attempt to run away from the brutality, Mr. Lemon was fell by a bullet, as soldiers shot at the youths.
Mr. Lemon’s corpse was allegedly picked up immediately and taken to Port Harcourt by the soldiers.
In the mean time, MOSOP said they are viewing the incident as callous and cruel and called on the government and other relevant authorities to ensure that the culprits do not go unpunished as experienced in several other cases.
They are also calling on other rights organizations and the international community to rise against these actions that have become persistent developments in Ogoni, noting that she would ensure that justice prevails in this matter. ENDS
WE'RE NOT AWARE OF KILLINGS IN OGONI BY SOLDIERS, SAYS POLICE
THE Nigeria Police, Rivers State Command, says they are not aware of alleged extra-judicial killing of Ogoni youths by soldiers guarding oil facilities belonging to the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas major, Shell.
But the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), in an on-line statement to our correspondent on Thursday, claimed that they have been receiving reports of impunity by the armed security forces in remote Ogoni villages.
Some local Ogoni people are claiming that not less than 12 Ogoni youths have been killed in the past few weeks under ''questionable circumstances''.
Spokesperson for the police in the state, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and a PhD holder claimed on telephone that the command headquarters at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, was not aware of such incidents.
''As far as we are concerned in this headquarters, we are not aware of such killings. I swear to you'', the police spokesperson said.
Apparently not persuaded, MOSOP Spokesperson, Mr. Sunny Zorvah, said the Ogoni mass movement on Tuesday received ''with utmost bitterness the shooting and killing of an Ogoni youth, Mr. Bariara Vurasi Lemon, by a team of soldiers attached (as guards) to some Staff of Shell working at Oil Well 4 in B-Dere community''.
According to Zorvah, ''MOSOP strongly condemns this latest killing which is one too many, and also expressed worry over the persistent irresponsible and reckless attitudes consistently perpetrated by the company’s personels and their armed guards while carrying out operations and other activities in parts of Ogoni.
Continuing, he said MOSOP received the sad news of Mr. Bariara Vurasi Lemon's killing, a School Certificate holder, aged 20, with shock. The late Lemon was said to be among a group of community youths engaged at the project site by the Shell workers and were given some food items to share to others.
Allegedly, a minor disagreement on method of sharing the food packs among the youths themselves attracted the attention of the armed security forces who swooped on the youths, tortured some of them while in an attempt to run away from the brutality, Mr. Lemon was fell by a bullet, as soldiers shot at the youths.
Mr. Lemon’s corpse was allegedly picked up immediately and taken to Port Harcourt by the soldiers.
In the mean time, MOSOP said they are viewing the incident as callous and cruel and called on the government and other relevant authorities to ensure that the culprits do not go unpunished as experienced in several other cases.
They are also calling on other rights organizations and the international community to rise against these actions that have become persistent developments in Ogoni, noting that she would ensure that justice prevails in this matter. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
FAO COUNSELS NIGERIA, OTHERS ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, has counseled developing countries like Nigeria, to focus more on better data on men and women farmers as a means to boost their rural development efforts.
AkanimoReports says this is contained in a new FAO toolkit which aims to sharpen the focus of anti-hunger and development efforts by helping countries gather more accurate information on differences between men and women in agriculture.
The Agri-Gender Database, developed in response to a request from the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics (AFCAS), offers step-by-step, example-driven guidance on how to collect gender statistics, or sex-disaggregated data, in agriculture.
It is designed for a wide range of users who influence development planning, from agricultural statisticians and researchers to policy planners and gender advocates.
"Gathering statistics on how women differ from men in the nature of their agricultural work - and on other issues like their access to resources and exposure to food insecurity - is essential to improving the planning and sustainability of development policies and programmes," said Diana Tempelman, FAO Senior Officer for Gender and Development.
"With more specific information, policy-makers can provide greater support to those who lack access to and control over agricultural resources and help women to achieve greater equality and food security," Tempelman said. "But users and producers of agricultural statistics have noted that the information compiled often does not reflect the actual roles and responsibilities of women in agricultural production."
The methodology for gathering such information, as illustrated in the toolkit, was developed over two decades of research and direct work on census surveys in numerous countries in Africa.
"Very often, when people look for gender-related data, they look for it in relation to social issues, education, health, and legal aspects of people's lives. Very rarely do they think of agricultural statistics-gathering as a tool for collecting gender data. The Agri-Gender Database will help them in this regard," says Tempelman.
The first edition of the toolkit includes examples of gender-relevant questions and table formats used in agricultural censuses in fifteen African countries between 1993 and 2006.
The database covers topics like agricultural population and households, access to resources, production and productivity, labour and time use, the destination of agricultural produce, income and expenditures, membership in farmer organizations and indicators for food security and poverty.
Asking the right questions
The contribution of women and girls to agricultural production is often underreported because data on much of what they produce is obtained from records of land holdings, which are formally headed by men. One of the key changes in data-gathering advocated by the Agri-Gender Database is the use of information gathered not only according to each land holding or household, but as reported by males and females within each household. The majority of women involved in agriculture - around 80 percent - work in households headed by males.
Data collected in Tanzania revealed how the use of financial resources for purchasing agricultural supplies tends to differ between male-headed households and female-headed households.
"Female-headed households use whatever little credit is available for labour or seeds, which may leave you only at the current level of productivity. It may increase production, but not necessarily productivity. Males, instead, are more likely to buy fertilizer or agro-chemicals, which are productivity-enhancing inputs."
This kind of information could enable planners to tailor their efforts to support those who lack access to adequate productive resources. ENDS
FAO COUNSELS NIGERIA, OTHERS ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, has counseled developing countries like Nigeria, to focus more on better data on men and women farmers as a means to boost their rural development efforts.
AkanimoReports says this is contained in a new FAO toolkit which aims to sharpen the focus of anti-hunger and development efforts by helping countries gather more accurate information on differences between men and women in agriculture.
The Agri-Gender Database, developed in response to a request from the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics (AFCAS), offers step-by-step, example-driven guidance on how to collect gender statistics, or sex-disaggregated data, in agriculture.
It is designed for a wide range of users who influence development planning, from agricultural statisticians and researchers to policy planners and gender advocates.
"Gathering statistics on how women differ from men in the nature of their agricultural work - and on other issues like their access to resources and exposure to food insecurity - is essential to improving the planning and sustainability of development policies and programmes," said Diana Tempelman, FAO Senior Officer for Gender and Development.
"With more specific information, policy-makers can provide greater support to those who lack access to and control over agricultural resources and help women to achieve greater equality and food security," Tempelman said. "But users and producers of agricultural statistics have noted that the information compiled often does not reflect the actual roles and responsibilities of women in agricultural production."
The methodology for gathering such information, as illustrated in the toolkit, was developed over two decades of research and direct work on census surveys in numerous countries in Africa.
"Very often, when people look for gender-related data, they look for it in relation to social issues, education, health, and legal aspects of people's lives. Very rarely do they think of agricultural statistics-gathering as a tool for collecting gender data. The Agri-Gender Database will help them in this regard," says Tempelman.
The first edition of the toolkit includes examples of gender-relevant questions and table formats used in agricultural censuses in fifteen African countries between 1993 and 2006.
The database covers topics like agricultural population and households, access to resources, production and productivity, labour and time use, the destination of agricultural produce, income and expenditures, membership in farmer organizations and indicators for food security and poverty.
Asking the right questions
The contribution of women and girls to agricultural production is often underreported because data on much of what they produce is obtained from records of land holdings, which are formally headed by men. One of the key changes in data-gathering advocated by the Agri-Gender Database is the use of information gathered not only according to each land holding or household, but as reported by males and females within each household. The majority of women involved in agriculture - around 80 percent - work in households headed by males.
Data collected in Tanzania revealed how the use of financial resources for purchasing agricultural supplies tends to differ between male-headed households and female-headed households.
"Female-headed households use whatever little credit is available for labour or seeds, which may leave you only at the current level of productivity. It may increase production, but not necessarily productivity. Males, instead, are more likely to buy fertilizer or agro-chemicals, which are productivity-enhancing inputs."
This kind of information could enable planners to tailor their efforts to support those who lack access to adequate productive resources. ENDS
Monday, April 12, 2010
AKANIMO SAMPSON
RIVERS COUNCIL BOSSES IN SOUP OVER EDUCATION, HEALTH FUNDS
TOP officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Monday that the anti-graft agency will be interested in knowing what the 23 Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State did with their primary education and health care funds.
Some superior operatives of the anti-corruption body told our correspondent at the their Port Harcourt zonal office that they will like to know more about how the funds were expended since it was the state governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, who personally blew the whistle.
Amaechi had on Thursday expressed concern over what he described as ''improper utilization'' of funds meant for primary education and primary health care system by Local Government Councils in the state.
Governor Amaechi blew the whistle while swearing-in the new Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council (ONELGA), Mr. Raymond Wokocha at Government House, Port Harcourt. He said council chairman should account for how the funds meant for those sectors were used since the state was now financing it.
According to the governor, it used to be the responsibility of Local Government Council in the state to pay salaries of Primary School Teachers, renovate and maintain Primary Schools, as well as building and renovation of Primary Health Centres before now, and wondered why there has been no significant improvement in the performance of councils even when the state has taken over such responsibilities.
“They used to pay primary school teachers’ salary totaling, over N1billion, we have taken that over, we paid with our own money, not their money, the question to ask is what happens to that money in their possession?”, the governor said.
While emphasising that the state government would fully equip and employ staff for the Model Health Centres being built across the state, Amaechi said the new bill on the management of the Health Centres stipulates that Council would continue to pay the salaries of their old health workers.
He, however, charged the new ONELGA Chairmn to serve with the fear of God, and utilize the resources of the council to impact positively on the lives of the people, and avoid what led to the removal of his predecessor.
He told the Chairman that if he serves his people well without enriching himself to their detriment, he would have good will that could open many doors for him, challenging him to take stock of all those who have been Council Chairmen in the area and consider their present political and economic condition.
Meanwhile, the new council chairman, Mr. Raymond Wokocha says the focus of his administration would be on the proper utilization of funds to impact positively on the people and fight corruption. ENDS
RIVERS COUNCIL BOSSES IN SOUP OVER EDUCATION, HEALTH FUNDS
TOP officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Monday that the anti-graft agency will be interested in knowing what the 23 Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State did with their primary education and health care funds.
Some superior operatives of the anti-corruption body told our correspondent at the their Port Harcourt zonal office that they will like to know more about how the funds were expended since it was the state governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, who personally blew the whistle.
Amaechi had on Thursday expressed concern over what he described as ''improper utilization'' of funds meant for primary education and primary health care system by Local Government Councils in the state.
Governor Amaechi blew the whistle while swearing-in the new Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council (ONELGA), Mr. Raymond Wokocha at Government House, Port Harcourt. He said council chairman should account for how the funds meant for those sectors were used since the state was now financing it.
According to the governor, it used to be the responsibility of Local Government Council in the state to pay salaries of Primary School Teachers, renovate and maintain Primary Schools, as well as building and renovation of Primary Health Centres before now, and wondered why there has been no significant improvement in the performance of councils even when the state has taken over such responsibilities.
“They used to pay primary school teachers’ salary totaling, over N1billion, we have taken that over, we paid with our own money, not their money, the question to ask is what happens to that money in their possession?”, the governor said.
While emphasising that the state government would fully equip and employ staff for the Model Health Centres being built across the state, Amaechi said the new bill on the management of the Health Centres stipulates that Council would continue to pay the salaries of their old health workers.
He, however, charged the new ONELGA Chairmn to serve with the fear of God, and utilize the resources of the council to impact positively on the lives of the people, and avoid what led to the removal of his predecessor.
He told the Chairman that if he serves his people well without enriching himself to their detriment, he would have good will that could open many doors for him, challenging him to take stock of all those who have been Council Chairmen in the area and consider their present political and economic condition.
Meanwhile, the new council chairman, Mr. Raymond Wokocha says the focus of his administration would be on the proper utilization of funds to impact positively on the people and fight corruption. ENDS
AKANIMO SAMPSON
2011: RIVERS AC LEADER MEETS JONATHAN, STATES COMDITIONS
STRONG indications emerged in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, to the effect that the opposition is not likely to be united in their confrontation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year's general elections.
Already, the leader of the Action Congress (AC) in Rivers state, Tonye Princewill, who is also a political associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, met with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja at the weekend, to discuss the possibility of his return to PDP.
AC chieftains who are closed to Princewill, scion of the Kalabari monarch, said he used his meeting with Jonathan, to discuss ''broad general pre-conditions'' for his return to the PDP which he left late in 2006 to the AC.
According to our AC sources in Port Harcopurt, Princewill is of the view that Jonathan has the opportunity to redeem the office of the President which had been allegedly undermined by the recent events in the polity if he can objectively address the challenges of certain paramount issues facing the nation.
AC state Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, confirmed on telephone that there are ''certain development going on at very high political level in Abuja''. The AC leader wants the seven point agenda of the ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua to be reduced to three made up of – the Niger Delta, power sector and electoral reform.
The Kalabari prince is arguing that if Jonathan can address these issues adequately and seek solutions to the malaise in such areas, he is poised to etch his name in the marble of successful leadership in the nation.
''The success of these goals will be largely hinged on the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta conflict. If there is peace in the Niger Delta, the gas needed to power the Power Sector will be readily available in the same vain peace would be sustainable when the Electoral reform allows for the election of legitimately elected leaders from the region'', Princewill told the Acting President.
On the Ledum Mitee-led Niger Delta Technical Committee which he was a member, the AC chief decried the Abuja’s failure to issue a white paper on the committee’s recommendations, pointing out that a timely implementation of the recommendations will go a long way in the resolution of the issues prevalent in the Niger Delta region. He also called on Jonathan to bring this issue to the front burner even as he steers the nation’s affairs.
On Abubakar’s planned return to PDP, Eze, who spoke for Princewill, claimed that while not justifying the move he was only attempting to put the records straight by offering a little background on the decision to move. According to him, the decision was borne out of necessity. Having done his best to rally round and galvanize the opposition through NDM and other efforts to make positive democratic changes in the country, Atiku had become disenchanted by the actions of the key actors within the opposition.
On his political future with assumptions in many quarters that he is set to follow his political mentor back to the PDP, where incidentally Princewill has his political roots, he reiterated that is still in consultation as to the way forward for him in what has been a hitherto short but eventful time in politics. He stated that so far he has four options available to him as to the way forward - Continue in AC; join another political party; join PDP or bow out of politics. He however assured his well wishers and supporters that whatever decision he takes would be known in due course. ENDS
2011: RIVERS AC LEADER MEETS JONATHAN, STATES COMDITIONS
STRONG indications emerged in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, to the effect that the opposition is not likely to be united in their confrontation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year's general elections.
Already, the leader of the Action Congress (AC) in Rivers state, Tonye Princewill, who is also a political associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, met with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja at the weekend, to discuss the possibility of his return to PDP.
AC chieftains who are closed to Princewill, scion of the Kalabari monarch, said he used his meeting with Jonathan, to discuss ''broad general pre-conditions'' for his return to the PDP which he left late in 2006 to the AC.
According to our AC sources in Port Harcopurt, Princewill is of the view that Jonathan has the opportunity to redeem the office of the President which had been allegedly undermined by the recent events in the polity if he can objectively address the challenges of certain paramount issues facing the nation.
AC state Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, confirmed on telephone that there are ''certain development going on at very high political level in Abuja''. The AC leader wants the seven point agenda of the ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua to be reduced to three made up of – the Niger Delta, power sector and electoral reform.
The Kalabari prince is arguing that if Jonathan can address these issues adequately and seek solutions to the malaise in such areas, he is poised to etch his name in the marble of successful leadership in the nation.
''The success of these goals will be largely hinged on the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta conflict. If there is peace in the Niger Delta, the gas needed to power the Power Sector will be readily available in the same vain peace would be sustainable when the Electoral reform allows for the election of legitimately elected leaders from the region'', Princewill told the Acting President.
On the Ledum Mitee-led Niger Delta Technical Committee which he was a member, the AC chief decried the Abuja’s failure to issue a white paper on the committee’s recommendations, pointing out that a timely implementation of the recommendations will go a long way in the resolution of the issues prevalent in the Niger Delta region. He also called on Jonathan to bring this issue to the front burner even as he steers the nation’s affairs.
On Abubakar’s planned return to PDP, Eze, who spoke for Princewill, claimed that while not justifying the move he was only attempting to put the records straight by offering a little background on the decision to move. According to him, the decision was borne out of necessity. Having done his best to rally round and galvanize the opposition through NDM and other efforts to make positive democratic changes in the country, Atiku had become disenchanted by the actions of the key actors within the opposition.
On his political future with assumptions in many quarters that he is set to follow his political mentor back to the PDP, where incidentally Princewill has his political roots, he reiterated that is still in consultation as to the way forward for him in what has been a hitherto short but eventful time in politics. He stated that so far he has four options available to him as to the way forward - Continue in AC; join another political party; join PDP or bow out of politics. He however assured his well wishers and supporters that whatever decision he takes would be known in due course. ENDS
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