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Expert says corruption affecting mass housing delivery

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Expert says corruption affecting mass housing delivery

Lagos-based real estate development practitioner, Mr Ejike Orabuchi, has appealed to all tiers of government to deal with corruption affecting mass housing delivery initiatives for Nigerians.

Gov-Babatunde-Fashola3
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN)

Orabuchi, Chairman of Mecfot Homes and Properties Ltd., made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, December 24, 2017 at Fagba, Lagos.

He spoke during the company’s end of year party/awards ceremony and land auction programme.

Orabuchi said that although the problem of housing deficit was multidimensional, he noted however that bureaucratic bottlenecks by politicians for personal gains is a major factor.

He said that most politicians were into the real estate business and usually exploited the opportunities to build mass houses to their advantage for selfish gains.

“The only way government can provide mass housing is to erase corruption, if politicians decide to work honestly for the good of citizens, Nigeria will be transformed.

“There is need for more people to support the housing initiative as government alone cannot provide solutions hence the mission of Mecfot Homes and Properties Ltd. to confront the challenges.

“Our vision is one man, one home. We are here to help people find a home. We cannot leave the housing needs of Nigerians for government alone because there is a huge deficit.

“My advice to people is that they should start first by acquiring genuine land and build gradually,’’ he said.

He added: “A bottle of beer costs about N250 about the same amount needed to purchase a block, imagine how many blocks those who can curtail their drinking habits could buy daily.”

On the company’s land auction, Orabuchi said the exercise was aimed at reaching out to the poor and vulnerable in the society.

He said that the company had a vision of providing a home for every citizen by 2020.

Mrs Taiwo Ejike, the Managing Director of the firm, said they came up with the over 2,000 per cent crash in land prices as part of its annual social responsibility to the society.

“Today we have touched many lives, last year we gave out 36 plots in choice areas in Lagos to widows and the less privileged to give them hope of owning houses.

“This year we came up with this strategy of land auction to touch more lives, that is why you can see land for as low as N50,000 in some of our estates.

“We identified the fact that in Lagos the major problem is that of obtaining genuine land due to the activities of land grabbers.

“We want to make more people happy by giving them homes,” she said.

Some of the beneficiaries of the firm’s projects, appealed to them to sustain the initiative of providing more homes.

Mrs Christiana Showole, a retired civil servant who engages in petty trading, said: “This is the third land I am subscribing for today, I have bought two in the past, a quarter plot at Sokoto Estate in Atan and half plot at Mowe Ofada.”

Mr Ridwan Aminu, a technician in Aluminum Village in Dopemu, Lagos, said: “I see the faithfulness of the company to help those who do not have much money but are eager to build.”

NAN reports that an award of excellence for his contributions to the firm and real estate development in Nigeria was given to the company’s patron, Dr Acho Orabuchi.

He is also an Adjunct Professor at Paul Quinn College Texas, USA.

Also Miss Idowu Abosede, a staff of the firm in the Fagba branch, received an award for being the best branch.
Responding on behalf of other recipients, Orabuchi said: “ I’m humbled that the company considers me worthy of this coveted award.

“I’m delighted and thrilled to accept this award on behalf of Nigerian pensioners who are suffering tremendously due to lack of payment.

“I want to use this opportunity, particularly during festive period to bring to fore their untold sufferings. Many of them may not have anything to celebrate for during this period.’’

By Grace Alegba

Germany supports Nigeria with €29.9m to eradicate polio

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Germany supports Nigeria with €29.9m to eradicate polio

The Federal Republic of Germany and Nigeria has signed a  €29.9 million agreement in support of polio eradication programme in the country, a statement has said.

Victims of polio

Mr Saadu Salahu, Head, Public Relation Unit, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), made this known in a statement issued on Saturday, December 23, 2017 in Abuja.

Salahu said the agreement was the ninth of such financial agreement and support for polio eradication in Nigeria by Germany.

He said the agreement was signed in Abuja by Ms Regine Hess, the Deputy Head of mission for Germany in Nigeria;

Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign affairs, and Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of NPHCDA.

The statement quoted Onyeama expressing delight over the age-long warm relationship between the two countries and their leaders in particular.

The minister commended the German Government for its huge support to Nigeria, not only on polio eradication but also other equally important sectors in Nigeria.

He recalled various concerted efforts by the Nigerian Government to eradicate polio and expressed Federal Government’s appreciation to WHO, UNICEF, Germany and other partners towards making Nigeria polio free.

The statement also quoted Hess expressing joy over her country’s sustained support for polio eradication in Nigeria.

She expressed optimism that Nigeria would soon join the rest of the world as polio free nation.

Responding, Shuaib highlighted the huge financial commitments of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to polio eradication in Nigeria.

The executive director disclosed that in 2016 Nigeria committed N9.8 billion; it earmarked N4.2 billion in 2017 and N4.1 billion for 2018 for polio eradication programmes.

He therefore expressed profound appreciation to the Federal Republic of Germany and other development partners for their continued support to polio eradication in Nigeria.

By Mustapha Yauri

Climate change: Nigeria puts finishing touches to initial two-yearly report

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Climate change: Nigeria puts finishing touches to initial two-yearly report

Nigeria took a major stride towards the development of it’s First Biennial Update Report (BUR1) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when stakeholders gathered on Monday, December 18, 2017 to authenticate the document.

BUR1 Nigeria
Participants at the meeting

The alidation of the draft text likewise signalled the close of the project, which commenced April 2015 with the meeting of the Local Project Appraisal Committee (LPAC). The Monday meeting held in in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

The Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC adopted at the COP16 in 2010 in Cancun, Mexico  the Biennial Update Report (BUR) for the purpose of enhancing reporting of climate change mitigation actions and their effects.

Consequently, Nigeria, as one of the non-Annex1 Parties under the UNFCCC, has the obligation to prepare and submit every two years, reliable, comprehensive, consistent, comparable and transparent BUR to the COP.

The scope of the BUR essentially covers information on natural circumstances and institutional arrangements, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reports (NIR), information on mitigation actions and their effects – methodologies and assumptions, constraints and gaps, and related financial, technical capacity needs – supported needed and received, information on the levels of support received for BURs preparation and submission, and information on domestic measurement and reporting and verification.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Shehu M. U. Ahmed, while declaring the session open, restated the ministry’s commitment to implementing the overall mandate of the Climate Change Convention and its Protocol.

“This present administration acknowledges that inaction is even far more expensive as it will hinder the actualisation of Mr. President’s Change Mantra and the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.

Dr Ahmed added: “With the realisation of the potential dangers of global warming and the consequent socio-economic implications to the whole world, the United Nations adopted the Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. The objective of the Convention is to stabilise greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with climate system.

“In this regard, Nigeria as a Party to the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol (KP) has the obligation to submit to the Convention an accurate and consistent internationally comparable data on GHG emissions. This is essential for the international community to take the most appropriate action to mitigate climate change, and ultimately to achieve the objective of the Convention.

“Towards the preparation of Nigeria’s first BUR, we have all invested significant time and resources. Series of meetings have been held which provided a platform for deliberations, consultations and inputs in the thematic areas of the Report. The National Stakeholders Validation Meeting is being held with the expectation of   finalising   and producing the final copy of the First Biennial Update Report.”

Director Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry Of Environment, Dr. Yerima P. Tarfa, in a welcome address, expressed the nation’s delight to be involved in the exercise as, according to him, it underlines Nigeria’s contribution towards fulfilment of the reporting obligations under the UNFCCC. This, he noted, gives the country an opportunity to communicate its low carbon development efforts in a transparent manner.

According to him, consequent upon the validation, the endorsed document would be submitted for the commencement of the ICA process, “where it will be reviewed and analysed, upon which, if meeting the requirement and approved, it will be published and made available on the UNFCCC website”.

Along with key national experts and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (strategic partner), Dr Tarfa expressed appreciation to the firms that handled the thematic sectors of the BUR, which he listed to include:

  • National Green House Gas Inventory – Triple “E” Systems Associates Ltd
  • Mitigation Analysis – E &Y
  • Domestic Measurement, Reporting and Verification – Millcon and Millcon Consult.

By Michael Simire

Government urged to adopt measures to boost awareness, actions on energy conservation

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Government urged to adopt measures to boost awareness, actions on energy conservation

Environmental expert and Germany-based Nigerian engineer, Victor Aruwah, has called on the Nigerian government through the Ministry of Environment to adopt new ways of ensuring an increase in awareness and action towards energy conservation in the country.

Victor Aruwah
Victor Aruwah

He made the call recently in Germany after he led some students to implement an energy saving initiative at the the US Army Department of Public Works in Germany.

In his statement following the implementation of the energy saving and environmental awareness programme, Aruwah called on Nigerian authorities and other concerned parties to look at the possibility of putting in place similar initiative in Nigeria with a view to instilling environmental preservation consciousness in the minds and hearts of young people of school age in the country.

He said: “While I am doing this here, I am also thinking about how similar initiative can be implemented in Nigeria. I strongly believe this kind of programme will help our young people understand their role in preserving energy and in keeping the planet safe.”

He called on environmental agencies and other relevant bodies in Nigeria to see the possibility of providing energy saving education and need to increase environmental awareness among school children in both private and public schools.

The initiative, called the Green Boot competition, according to a report on US Army website, is to encourage staff implement the best daily practices to conserve energy. To implement the programme, seven students from Ramstein High School Environmental Club in Germany were invited to examine the two sections of the Department of Public Works building and provide feedback on energy saving levels within the period of the competition.

The Ramstein High School Environmental Club, according to the report, achieved Green Boot certification in 2016 after reducing energy consumption at their school building by five percent over the course of one school year, saving thousands of dollars in the process. With energy reduction and awareness as its primary focus areas, the environmental club continued its energy reduction efforts in 2017 by initiating a plastic water bottle reduction campaign, encouraging students and teachers to recycle their plastic water bottles and switch to reusable ones.

According to the organisers of the competition, to further contribute to energy conversation outside of their school environment, the students were tasked to bring their experience and expertise to the US Army garrison and were required to inspect the two buildings competing in the challenge, accompanied by the Department of Public Works Senior Facility engineer, Gregory Williams, as well as Konstantin Gross and Engineer Victor Aruwah.

During the inspection, the students made suggestions about how staff of the Department of Public Works could better conserve energy. Some of the suggestions included unplugging appliances such as toasters and microwaves when not in use, turning off or reducing the lights in a room when natural light is coming in through the windows and turning off monitors at vacant desks.

In his analysis, Aruwah showed the students that he had installed meters in each building which measured consumption levels prior to the Green Boot competition, without staff knowing, so that he could get an accurate baseline measurement. “In comparison, consumption levels during the Green Boot competition decreased in both the garrison building and the Department of Public Works building – drastically in the latter,” Aruwah said.

By Victor Ikem

US group focuses on Africa’s lakes

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US group focuses on Africa’s lakes

Courtesy of efforts by a group of professionals from North America, Europe, and Africa, an institute focused on increasing the capacity of African freshwater experts has emerged.

lake chad
Scientists say the Lake Chad, that borders Nigeria and some other countries, has shrunken by 95 percent over the past 50 years. They have also linked the Boko Haram insurgency to the lake’s situation. Photo credit: AP/Christophe Ena

Similarly, the new organisation aims at positively affect policy and management on Africa’s Great Lakes, allowing those who depend on them (the lakes) to realise their vision of livelihoods, justice, equity, democracy, and peace.

The institute, the African Centre for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE), was formally created as a U.S. non-profit in July, 2017.

To achieve stated aims and objectives,  ACARE will serve as a long-term, highly collaborative centre of excellence dedicated to increasing the capacity of African’s next generation of freshwater scientists, managers, and politicians through courses, training, and experiential education on the African Great Lakes.

Executive Director, Ted Lawrence, added that ACARE would address the myriad issues that threaten these and other freshwater resources through the principles of good practice in educational capacity building, research harmonisation, and global partnerships.​
“You, your organisations, and partners are all necessary in making this happen and ACARE looks forward to working with many of you,” he stressed, listing the areas of focus to include:

  • Identify future research and strengthen collaborative relationships on the African Great Lakes;
  • Determine gaps in experiential education on freshwater resources within the African Great Lakes community, and develop curricula to address these gaps based on the first objective; and
  • Discuss the feasibility of creating a lake committee system to organise sustainable resource management and research on the African Great Lakes.

He said that ACARE would, among others, hold workshops to develop freshwater curricula, build global partnerships, and harmonise research. According to him, an African Great Lakes session at the International Association of Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) would hold from June 18 to 22, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Nigeria, WHO contain five-month Borno cholera outbreak

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Nigeria, WHO contain five-month Borno cholera outbreak

Nigeria has successfully contained a five-month cholera outbreak in conflict-affected Borno State, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health partners.

WHO Borno
WHE Emergency Manager, Dr. Collins Owili, vaccinates a child against cholera during the flagoff ceremong of the OCV campaign in Borno State. Photo credit: WHO CE.Onuekwe

The Government announced the end of the outbreak on Thursday, December 21, 2017 after two weeks had passed with no new cases.

“With the support of WHO and other health actors, Borno State moved to quick action to control the outbreak. With that strong resolve to limit mortality and morbidity, this was achieved, and we can say that we have succeeded,” said Dr Muhammad Aminu Ghuluze, Director of Emergency Response, Borno State Ministry of Health.

A major Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign contributed to the effort – the first of its kind in Nigeria.

With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) provided 1.8 million OCV doses to immunise 900,000 people in two rounds between September and December this year.

Following an initial spike in cases, the number of new infections dropped significantly after the vaccination campaign concluded.

“Containing cholera in the midst of an ongoing conflict is a major accomplishment,” said Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO Representative in Nigeria. “No single measure would have worked on its own. This was a joint effort employing a range of tools by many partners under the leadership of the State Ministry of Health.”

The outbreak began in August on the outskirts of Maiduguri, and quickly spread through several camps for internally displaced persons and host communities. By December 19, 5,365 suspected cases had been reported, including 61 deaths.

An early warning and surveillance system supported by WHO was critical to providing data on suspected cases in different locations. WHO pinpointed where the outbreak was expanding and contracting through a GIS “dot mapping” approach, which allowed WHO and partners to effectively target interventions.

The response included providing safe chlorinated water, identifying and treating the sick in established cholera treatment centres, reaching out to communities with information on cholera prevention, and facilitating laboratory testing to confirm new cases.

Partnerships with local media helped to ensure that people in affected and neighbouring communities were aware of the risk of cholera, how it is spread, how to prevent it, and the importance of seeking treatment when they experience the symptoms.

Due to ongoing conflict, many people in north-eastern Nigeria have not had access to basic healthcare and routine immunisations for years, and health conditions in many camps for internally displaced persons are sub-standard.

WHO is working with the Government and health sector partners to improve access to basic health services, including to areas considered inaccessible until only recently. However, a recent uptick in the conflict in Borno and neighbouring states has led to new displacements increasing the future risks of disease outbreaks.

“While the achievements of the cholera programme in Borno State are a significant milestone, cholera is endemic to north-eastern Nigeria and future outbreaks remain likely,” said Dr Alemu. “We must be vigilant to the warning signs that could signal another outbreak of cholera or other epidemic-prone diseases.”

In line with the Global Roadmap for Ending Cholera by 2030, WHO says it will continue to support Nigeria to prepare for and prevent cholera by focussing on prevention and preparedness in hotspots across the country.

According to the WHO, some 10.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018 in north-eastern Nigeria. More than half are women and girls, while children make up 63 per cent of those needing assistance. The most acute humanitarian needs are concentrated in Borno State – and areas bordering Borno in Adamawa and Yobe states – where the crisis shows no sign of abating, according to the WHO.

To continue providing basic health services, while looking to rebuild north-eastern Nigeria’s health system, the health sector is seeking $109.5 million to help 5.1 million people in 2018.

American, Henrietta Fore, emerges new UNICEF chief

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American, Henrietta Fore, emerges new UNICEF chief

Following consultations with the Executive Board of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Friday, December 22, 2017 the appointment of Henrietta Fore of the U.S. as the Fund’s new Executive Director.

Henrietta Fore
Henrietta Fore

Guterres, in a statement by his Spokesperson  Stephane Dujarric, said Fore would succeed Anthony Lake.

Dujarric said the Secretary-General was grateful to Lake for his commitment and dedicated service to UNICEF.

“Lake brought a renewed focus on equity throughout UNICEF’s programmes and services for children.

“In achieving results for every child, his leadership has strengthened UNICEF’s reputation and credibility as an organisation.

“His leadership has also strengthened UNICEF as a valued, expert partner for governments, civil society groups and businesses around the world, working together to achieve results for children.”

He said Fore had worked to champion economic development, education and health, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for the most vulnerable in the international and developing world.

Durris said  the incoming UNICEF chief had worked in a public service, private sector and non-profit leadership career that spans more thank four decades.

Fore was the first woman to be appointed as the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance in the U.S. Department of State.

By Prudence Arobani

NiMet predicts partly cloudy, sunny hazy weather for Saturday

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NiMet predicts partly cloudy, sunny hazy weather for Saturday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted partly cloudy to sunny weather conditions over the central states of the county on Saturday, December 23, 2017.

weather
cloudy weather

The Weather Outlook issued by NiMet Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Friday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 39 and 18 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.

The agency predicted that the cities in the South would experience cloudy conditions in some parts, with prospects of thunderstorms over Calabar and Port-Harcourt during the morning hours.

It also predicted localised thunderstorms over Port-Harcourt, Uyo, Eket, Calabar, Lagos and Ijebu-Ode during the afternoon and evening hours, with day and night temperatures in the range of 32 to 35 and 23 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, northern States will experience sunny and hazy conditions throughout the forecast period, with day and night temperatures in the range of 34 to 39 and14 to 20 degrees Celsius respectively.

“Sunny and hazy conditions are expected to prevail over the northern cities, while partly cloudy to sunny conditions are anticipated over the central states.

“The southern cities are expected to be cloudy with chances of localised thunderstorms in some parts of the region in the next 24 hours,” the agency predicted.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

35 N/Delta youths get N14m Shell business start-up grant

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35 N/Delta youths get N14m Shell business start-up grant

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) on Thursday, December 21, 2017 gave cheques for N14 million to 35 graduates in its 2017 Regional LiveWIRE Entrepreneurial Programme.

Igo-Weli-Shell
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event took place in Effurun, Delta State.

Each of the beneficiaries got N400,000 as a business start-up grant.

The General Manager, External Relations of SPDC, Mr Igo Weli, said at the event that the programme, launched in 2003, had produced 6,687 entrepreneurs.

Weli, represented by the SPDC Infrastructural Manager, Mr John Uduaghan, said that the programme was targeted at empowering youths in communities.

“We do this by providing them with the requisite training and start-up finance, in the hope that, with legitimate means of livelihood, our young men and women will shun vices.

“These beneficiaries went through the entrepreneurship training, wrote business plans and pitched their business ideas.

“With the money, we expect that they will be able to successfully establish their businesses,” Weli said.

According to him, the programme is part of the global Shell LiveWIRE social investment programme which enables young people to start their own businesses and create employments.

He stated that the Shell LiveWIRE Nigeria has won several awards including the Social Enterprise Award in 2010 and the African Leadership Award for Youth Development in 2011.

He said that two Nigerians, Mrs Deborah Atalor and Mr Precious Adeho, emerged winners in the 2017 edition.

“At the national level, five beneficiaries of our LiveWIRE programme won the Federal Government ‘You Win Award’ in 2014 and 2015.

“Also 10 beneficiaries won Tony Elumelu Foundation Award among others,” he said.

Weli urged the beneficiaries to be determined to succeed in spite of challenges.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Peter Mrakpor, advised the beneficiaries to create employment and impact knowledge in their various communities.

Mrakpor, who was represented by Mr Omamuzo Erebe, a Director in the Department of Legal Drafting, Delta State Ministry of Justice, thanked SPDC for the gesture.

He said that the grant would help the beneficiaries to succeed.

Erebe noted the beneficiaries, drawn from Edo and Delta states, were also given certificates of participation in a week-long training.

NAN reports that the highpoint of the event was presentation of $10,000 to two Nigerians – Mrs Deborah Atalor and Mr Precious Adeho, who emerged winners in the 2017 edition of the Global Shell LiveWIRE Top 10 Investors Award.

Sokoto to create Ministry of Energy in 2018

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Sokoto to create Ministry of Energy in 2018

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State said on Friday, December 22, 2017 that his administration would create a Ministry of Energy in 2018 to facilitate project execution in the energy sector in the state.

Aminu-Tambuwal
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State

Tambuwal dropped the hint while addressing newsmen at the Government House in Sokoto, the state capital.

He said that the ministry would help promote economic and commercial activities as well as create employment opportunities all over the state.

The governor added that N1.4 billion had been earmarked for the energy sector, including the take-off of the new ministry in the 2018 budget.

He said the ministry was expected to handle the completion of the 38 megawatts independent power project inherited from the previous administration, among others.

Tambuwal said government would also construct feeder roads across the state, including the 30-kilometre Kuruwa-Kaurare Road in Tureta Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

He listed other roads as the10-kilometre Goronyo-Birjingo Road in Goronyo LGA, 18-kilometre Toronkawa-Binjin-Muza-Kibiyare Road in Yabo LGA and 15-kilometre Kebbe-Girkau-Mazoji Road in Kebbe LGA, among others.

By Hauwa Gold

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