The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), a group for the highest strata of Nigerian media professionals in online publishing, has secured firm assurances of the presence of eminent Nigerians at its conference.
President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, will grace the occasion
Themed: “Sustaining Growth through Diversification of the Economy,” the conference will hold on Thursday, August 10, 2017 at Renaissance Hotel, Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
A statement by GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Olumide Iyanda, disclosed that Governors Nyesom Wike, Abdulafatah Ahmed and Darius Ishaku of Rivers, Kwara and Taraba states respectively have confirmed their presence at the conference as Special Guests.
Others are the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi.
Also confirmed are the President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; the Group Chairman, Mutual Assurance Plc, Chief Akin Ogunbiyi; the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria LNG, Tony Attah; the Chairman, Zinox Technologies Limited, Leo Stan Ekeh; the Director, United Nations Information Centre in Nigeria, Ronald Kayanja; and the Founder, Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun.
Keynote Speakers at the conference are university teacher, Prof. Akin Onigbinde; the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bayo Onanuga; and a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi.
Former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Sun Newspapers and now the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina; and the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of New Telegraph Newspapers and also the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Funke Egbemode, will participate in the discussion.
A new GOCOP executive council will be inaugurated at the conference.
The Conservator-General of Nigeria National Park Service, Mr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, has appreciated the selfless efforts of rangers across the country ensuring the protection of Nigeria’s biodiversity within the National Parks and other protected areas.
A team of Nigeria National Park rangers
He made the submission recently as Nigeria joined in the celebration of the World Ranger Day on July 31, 2017 at an event held at the organisation’s headquarters in Abuja.
Besides the National Park Service’s members of staff, led by Goni; in attendance were the Director General of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) Mr. ‘Niyi Karunwi, represented by Mr. Mohammed Garba Boyi; the Director of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. S. O. Tiyamiyu, S.O; and the Director General of National Bio-safety Management Agency (NABMA), Dr. Rufus Egbegba.
The Conservator-General urged Nigerians to show support to rangers across the country, even as he underlined some of the challenges rangers face in ensuring the protection of Nigeria’s wild resources – both fauna and flora.
Mr. Goni further pleaded with relevant organisations and individuals, especially in rural areas to support the cause of rangers across the country towards conserving the nation’s biodiversity.
According to International Ranger Federation, 105 rangers were killed worldwide in the past year. In Nigeria, it was disclosed that that 28 rangers have died in active service across the country.
Nigeria has seven National Parks: Old Oyo National Park in Oyo State, Okomu National Park in Edo State, Kamuku National Park in Kaduna State, Kainji Lake National Park in Niger and Kwara State, Gashaka Gumti National Park in Taraba and Adamawa State, Cross River National Park in Cross River State, as well as Chad Basin National Park in Borno and Yobe State.
The Conservator-General hailed the supports made by individuals and organisations towards the families of rangers who died in service, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to join in raising awareness of poaching activities within the National Parks and protected areas across Nigeria.
The first World Ranger Day was observed on July 31st, 2007. Annually, July 31 is celebrated as World Ranger Day, a day to memorialise rangers killed or injured on the field. It is also a day to commend the critical work Rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures/biodiversity.
Nature conservation is the term used to describe the protection, preservation, management, and care of earth’s invaluable biological diversity. These resources extend beyond fauna and flora; that is, animals and plants, it also includes, soil, forest, rocks, water and even more.
Amina Mohammed with participants at the Youth Forum at the 61st Session on Commission on Status of Women (CSW61)
Nature is the reflection of everything on earth; it is the fruit of the millions of years through evolution shared by ecological processes and anthropogenic factors. Over the years, nature has contributed to the well-being of humans. It may be surprising but true, that about 70,000 plant species on earth are used in medicine, according to recent ethnobotanical studies.
The sporadic increase in human population to over seven billion, and their unsympathetic activities has led to the declined population of different species through several unsustainable activities. Activities like felling of trees – without reforestation, needless bush burning, illegal wildlife hunting and trading, burning of fossil fuel among others. All these put together have affected the atmosphere and further depleted the habitat of biodiversity and nature’s hub.
Nigeria, a once nature-loving nation, has in recent times been growing an obnoxious environmental attitude. Even more, we have adapted a large consumption pattern as perceived in our quest to poach and hunt wildlife with no significant regards for posterity. Sometimes, this can be attributed to poverty, illiteracy, public engagement, and unstructured institutional framework resulting in major loss of our forest cover and wetlands which house the largest hub for biodiversity in Nigeria.
It is the duty of government to enhance, maintain and enforce environmental laws and order at all levels, but it is gloomy to note that the implementation and execution have left much to be desired. Fortunately, global calls of most environmental days this year is aimed towards environmental literacy, enlightenment, and advocacy with a major focus on the youths.
This year’s World Earth Day celebrated on April 22 was themed around “March for Science” to promote Environmental and Climate Literacy. World Wildlife Day marked on March 3 was themed “Listen to the young voices”. World Environmental Day celebrated June 5 was with the theme “Connecting people to nature”. These show the attachment we – youths – are building towards being nature-friendly; not only on social media platforms but into practical action around us.
In the coming years, this new eco-attitude we are building is expected to yield more positive results and eventually help us adopt a sustainable lifestyle. A lifestyle where we respect the reality, that our individual actions as harmless as they seem could have a global upshot; a lifestyle that we can hand-over to those coming behind us with pride.
We must always bear in mind that we are all part of a web of life – when one individual disappears others are at risk of disappearing as a result.
Let’s join hands to foster an environment that gives all but asks for care.
The Director General of Consumers Protection Council (CPC) Mr. Babatunde Irukera, has secured a N17 million judgment against Coca-Cola International Company at the Supreme Court for wrongfully terminating the employment of a Nigerian, Mrs. Titilayo Akisanya.
The Nigerian Bottling Company Plc is the sole franchise bottler of the Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria
In the judgment delivered on June 30, 2017, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal to the effect that the Court of Appeal is the final arbiter in employment, trade and labour related matters adjudicated upon by the National Industrial Court (NIC). Again, the Supreme Court, in interpreting Section 254(C)(1) of the Third Alteration Act to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) also held that the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court extends to all employment-related disputes including private employment contracts.
Mr. Irukera took up the case of Mrs. Akisanya on February 10, 2012 when he filed a civil action before the National Industrial Court, Lagos therein challenging her wrongful dismissal by Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd. Mr. Irukera was then a Partner in SimmonsCoopers Partners, a reputable law firm in Nigeria that had the incumbent Acting President, Pro. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), as its Principal Partner.
SimmonCoopers Partners is renowned for representing individuals, corporations and government in public interest litigation. The law firm successfully challenged Pfizer, an international pharmaceutical company over its testing of an antibiotic drug (Trovan) in Kano State, Nigeria, a situation that led to over 100 children developing meningitis. The firm also successfully represented about one million investors in a significant securities litigation arising from the First Bank of Nigeria Hybrid Offer of 2007.
Mrs. Akisanya was employed by the respondents as Human Resources Manager on December 11, 2001. In May 2007, she was promoted as the Human Resources Director, Commercial Product Supply (CPS) Pan Africa, while she still doubled as the Human Resources Manager at its Ota, Ogun State Plant.
In the claim she filed before the National Industrial Court, she claimed that she received several awards and commendations for her industry and significant contributions to the growth of the company in the course of her duties.
Things however turned sour when, in the course of her duties, she incurred some travel costs and expenses which she submitted for reimbursement. The travel expenses were however not paid to her despite repeated demands. Rather than paying her, Mrs. Akisanya was directed to forward the original copies of the expenses to the corporate auditors of the company. She complied. She was later invited to a meeting with the internal auditors of Coca Cola.
At the meeting, she answered the questions posed to her by the auditors and even promised to send a detailed report to them. She promptly submitted her written report to the audit panel. The panel advised her to wait for their report which they would send to the ethics and compliance (ECC). She did not get a response from the ECC, neither was she shown the final report of the audit panel.
The next move she got from the company was a letter dismissing her from the employment of the company. The later was dated December 6, 2010. The letter was signed by Mr. Sheriff Tobala on behalf of the company. She was accused of violating the company’s code of business conduct by submitting non-business related expenses for reimbursement and disclosing company’s confidential information to a third party.
Dissatisfied with her wrongful dismissal, Mrs. Akisanya commenced a legal action against the company before the National Industrial Court (NIC) on February 10, 2012. In the suit filed before Hon. Justice B.B Kanyip, Mrs. Adesanya sought for declarative and injunctive reliefs nullifying her dismissal. She also claimed forN100 million general damages, and N50 million as exemplary damages.
Sued as Defendants in the suit are the local company – Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd, the Coca-Cola Company (the foreign company) and Mr. Tobala who signed the letter of dismissal.
Coca-Cola, through its lawyer, Mr. A. Candide-Johnson (SAN), however objected to the claimant’s suit by arguing that the suit is a private employment contract, or at most an executive management contract and therefore the National Industrial Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain private employment contracts. The Learned Silk argued that no issue of labour relations, trade union relation, or industrial relations has arisen from the Claimant’s suit to confer jurisdiction on the National Industrial Court (NIC). The Learned Silk for Coca Cola argued that Section 254(c)(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended by the Third Alteration Act ousts the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court in relation to private employment contracts.
Essentially, the Learned Silk invites the National Industrial Court (NIC) to determine whether its jurisdiction, as contained in section 254(c)(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Third Alteration) Act No 3 of 2010 extends to all cases of private individual contractual employment or is limited to disputes arising from collective agreements, labour, trade and industrial relations.
On April 7, 2016, Hon. Justice Kanyip dismissed the defendants’ preliminary objection on the basis that the question formulated by the defendants did not raise any substantial question of law to warrant the case stated. The trial judge held that the jurisdiction of the NIC extends to all employment contracts including private employment contracts. Dissatisfied with the ruling of the trial judge dismissing the preliminary objection, the Defendants appealed to the Court of Appeal, Lagos. Whilst the Appellants’ appeal was pending at the Court of Appeal, the trial judge proceeded to determine the case on the merit. In his judgment, the trial judge granted about N17.4 million as damages/compensation to Mrs. Akisanya (the claimant) for wrongful termination of her employment contract by the Defendants. The damages/compensation was to be paid by the defendants within 30 days of judgment delivery failing which the sum shall attract interest at 10 per cent (10%), per annum until fully paid.
Interestingly, whilst trial was ongoing at the NIC, the Court of Appeal had determined the Defendants’ interlocutory appeal challenging the ruling of the trial court on the preliminary objection. On July 4, 2013, the Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed the decision of the trial judge to the effect that the National Industrial Court has jurisdiction over all employment contracts including private employment contracts.
Again, dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the defendants proceeded to the Supreme Court even while trial was on-going before Hon. Justice Kanyip at the National Industrial Court. The Defendants also articulated the same issues and arguments presented before the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Claimant (now Respondent before the Supreme Court) filed a preliminary objection contending that “having regard to Section 243(4) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Third Alteration) Act No 3, 2010, which expressly limits the finality of any appeal arising from any civil jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court to the Court of Appeal, whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to entertain the appeal”. In his argument before the Supreme Court, Mr. Irukera contended that whenever the jurisdiction of a court is challenged, the relevant statute establishing the court will be examined in the light of the relief been sought, since the question of jurisdiction must be confined to the enabling statute. In the instant case, he argued, the Court of Appeal as a creation of the constitution has its jurisdiction delineated and circumscribed by the 1999 constitution (as amended). He argued that the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal cannot be inferred, interpreted, and applied outside its enabling statute and if done otherwise, the exercise will be a nullity. Section 243(4) of the constitution is emphatic that in respect of any appeal arising from any decision in exercise of the civil jurisdiction of the NIC, the decision of the Court of Appeal is final. He therefore urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal preliminarily.
With respect to the substantive appeal, Mr. Irukera argued that a literal interpretation of the Section 245(c) of the Constitution does not, in any way, oust the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court with respect to private employment contracts. In fact, citing relevant provision of the Trade Disputes Act, LFN, 2004 and the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, Mr. Irukera argued that the jurisdiction conferred on the National Industrial Court applies to all employment disputes.
The Learned Silk for the Appellants, Mr. Candide-Johnson, in response to Mr. Irukera’s position, argued that the jurisdiction of the apex court is not ousted in this particular suit. He argued that the issue in this appeal falls within Section 233(2) of the constitution and the sui generis nature of the constitutional responsibility of this court must be taken into consideration. The Learned Silk argued that the court has a duty to step-in in this particular case to interpret Section 254(c) of the 1999 Constitution as the suit has raised a very serious and novel question. He argued that Section 243 of the 1999 Constitution should not be invoked to deny the Supreme Court of its role and responsibility in constitutional interpretation.
On June 30, 2017, a full panel of the Supreme Court, comprising of Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko JSC; Hon. Justices Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili JSC; Hon. Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad JSC; Hon. Justice Clara Bata-Ogunbiyi JSC; Hon. Justice Kumai Bayang Aka’ahs JSC; Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun JSC and Hon. Justice Chima Centus Nwezeh JSC, delivered judgment in the appeal. In the Lead Judgment read by Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko, the apex Court upheld the Claimant/Respondent’s preliminary objection and accordingly dismissed the appeal preliminarily.
Hon. Justice Eko said: “In this instant case, the question to ask and answer is whether the enactment of Section 243(4) of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, in its power of amendment, through Section 5 of the Act No 3, 2010 is valid. In other words, how far has the National Assembly, in the enactment of Section 243(4) of the Constitution through the Third Alteration in 2010, eroded the basic structure of the 1999 Constitution?”
The apex Court traced the history of Section 243(4) of the Constitution and concluded that the intendment of the drafters of the constitution is to make the Court of Appeal a final appellate court over matters that relate to labour and employment matters. He Justice held that: “It is clear from their unambiguous language that the legislature intends that the matters of elections to the National Assembly, and States Houses of Assembly, like the matters the National Industrial Court has been specially vested jurisdiction over should, as a matter of public policy, be expeditiously disposed of and therefore should not be matters of further appeal to the Supreme Court. The presumption is that the parliament knows the state of affairs existing at the time of legislation and that the parliamentary policy or attention is directed towards that state of affairs”.
Justice Eko further held that: “The judex neither make laws nor does it possess any power to amend any statute”, he held, adding that “it is not the function of the court, in its interpretative jurisdiction, to interpret a particular provision of the statute or constitution by addition or importation thereto words not contained therein”. Since the parliament, in its power of amendment, knows the state of the law existing before and at the time it is amending the law; I want to believe that in enacting Section 243(4) of the constitution the law makers, in their wisdom knew very well, and indeed legislated, not to bother the Supreme Court with issues over master and servant relationships.”
The Supreme Court sustained Mrs. Akisanya’s preliminary objection and accordingly dismissed the Appeal filed by the Appellants (i.e. Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd. and 2 others).
Interestingly, the Supreme Court also seized the opportunity to consider the substance of the appeal, that is, whether the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court extends to private employment contracts. Hon. Justice Eko held that:
The law, as it stands by virtue of Section 254(C)(1) of the Constitution does not demarcate between public and private employment status. . Section 254(1) of the Constitution has, of course, expanded the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court to cover all employment related matters including those arising from private contracts of employment”.
Continuing he said:
“Section 254(1) of the Constitution does not mince words that the scope of the jurisdiction it has vested in the National Industrial Court extends to the exclusion of any other court in civil cases and matters relating to or connected to any labour, employment,- the conditions service- of labour, employee, worker and matters incidental thereto or connected therewith… The preliminary objection succeeds. The appeal being incompetent is hereby struck out. The Orders made by the lower court remain extant and inviolate. Costs at N500,000.00 shall be paid to the Respondent by the Appellants”.
A representative of the National Designated Authority (NDA) of Mali, the Agency for Environment and Sustainable Development, Lassina Coulibaly, who is Chief of Section, Resource Mobilisation and Financial Mechanism Monitoring, in this interview, shares insights into his country’s climate action goals and priorities with the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Excerpts:
Lassina Coulibaly
Kindly share with us a game-changer programme that GCF could fund in Mali that would represent a paradigm shift?
Mali is a landlocked country with most land covered in desert or semi-desert conditions. It is highly vulnerable to strong winds and unpredictable precipitation, with frequent droughts as a consequence. Mali’s economy is based mainly on agriculture, and about 80 percent of the population is employed directly or indirectly in this sector.
As a result of climate change and extreme weather events, the government has prioritised the development of early warning systems to better plan and adapt to climate events and promote the advancement of Mali’s agriculture sector in a climate-smart direction. Mali’s first project to the GCF focuses on putting in place a hydro-meteorological (hydromet) system to improve food security, protect livelihoods and inform infrastructure development. The benefits of this project will be felt by millions of our citizens.
What are the major challenges and opportunities in implementing Mali’s Paris Agreement commitments?
I would have to say financing is the biggest challenge. A significant portion of Mali’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) are conditional on external support. Long before the Paris Agreement, Mali had already outlined activities required to respond to climate change, articulated in several national plans and policies – which helped inform the formulation of our INDC. The missing component has been long-term financing at scale.
The opportunity presented by the Paris Agreement is the commitment by developed country Parties to provide significant funding through the Green Climate Fund. This will help African countries match resources with ambitions, especially as regards renewable energy. For example, tapping into the plentiful sunshine in Mali would bring electricity to remote and rural communities not connected to a power grid.
How do you communicate the importance of climate change at the individual level?
The Government of Mali is integrating climate change through all sectors making clear linkages to livelihoods and the economy, health and education. When people see that government is taking the issue seriously it is easier to engage and mobilise communities. Non-governmental organisations are also supporting sensitisation efforts.
The Paris Agreement has had a positive impact in terms of raising awareness of climate change. Today, even in remote parts of the country, people are fully aware of the effects of climate change. And as decision-making is decentralised in Mali, you are seeing climate change considerations reflected in community-level investment plans.
How are you engaging the private sector in Mali’s climate actions?
Private sector companies need to be made aware of climate change, what can be done about it and how they can be partners. In April 2016, we held a workshop in Bamako with several national banks to discuss our activities and outline partnership potential. The feedback was tremendous. When working with the private sector, it is also important to underscore that profits can be made by promoting low-emission economic development. Some in the private sector think they will be at a disadvantage financially if they collaborate on climate change solutions.
Recently, Lagos-based developer, Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited, sealed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with the Federal Ministry of Housing to construct middle and low income homes in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the needy.
The occasion featured the Federal Ministry of Housing team led by Deputy Director, Private Public Partnership (PPP), Arc. Tonye Igbanibo, who was accompanied by Assistant Director (PPP), Akande Adetunji, and Chief Technical Officer (PPP),Batuk Lukman, as well as the Propertymart delegation led by Deputy Managing Director, Mr Deji Fasuwon.
In this interview with Mr Fasuwon, he says that, by collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Housing, Propertymart aims to deliver affordable houses in decent neighbourhoods to Nigerians
Deputy Managing Director of Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited, Mr Deji Fasuwon
Can you shed some light on what is happening here today…
This project is a direct partnership with the Federal Ministry of Housing in their plan to offer affordable housing for the masses. We realise that there is so much housing deficit in the country and the Federal Ministry of Housing is trying as much as possible to ensure that these are available to masses out there.
The government cannot do this alone by themselves, and that is why they have called on private developers to join them in ensuring the vision of the government is achieved.
Under a federal government initiative, the Federal Ministry of Housing has started building condomiums right here for the citizens at affordable rate. We also have development going on right here.
Now, Propertymart is coming in by collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Housing by ensuring that we deliver good houses in good neighbourhood and yet at affordable prices to Nigerians who are desirous of having houses of their own.
How many hectares of land are we looking at here for this project?
We were able to secure about 10 hectares from the Federal Ministry of Housing for this project. We are planning to have different types of housing units, starting with bungalows which will be very affordable to the people so that people will have something they will call their own. The joy of Propertymart is giving people what they can call theirs. We are starting the project with two-bedroom bungalows.
How many housing units are we looking at here?
We are yet to conclude on the total number of housing units because it has to go through the process of approval with the Federal Ministry of Housing, it is at that point that we will determine the total number of units that we have. However, this is a project that we are doing in many places across the country. We started it in Lagos, Ogun State and in Ikorodu, which also in Lagos State. This is the one that we have in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). We are looking at going to other places in no distant time.
We are looking at having 10,000 units of these kinds of housing units across different parts of the country. As God gives us the capacity, we even intend to expand more.
I can say categorically that the project is acceptable in the society because the pilot project, which is the New Makun City project which we launched in February this year, is totally sold out. We are already going to Scheme 2 and we are expanding further and this one will be sold out in no time. That is, we are encouraging people to participate in it now that we are just launching it.
Mr Deji Fasuwon
How can one have access to participating in the project?
We have different payment arrangements for people. With as low as N75,000 or even N50,000 one can participate. All you need to do is to be making the payment monthly for three months and, in the fourth month, you make a lump sum payment and then you continue with the N50,000 for a period of three years. At the end of the three years, you must have finished payment and then you own your house.
However, if you have the bulk money, you are able to buy at a lower rate. If you pay outright now, within six months of obtaining the final approvals, we would have delivered your housing unit for you.
We are also talking to mortgage institutions to help finance off-takers who are desirous of taking mortgage facilities so that the period that they will have their houses delivered will be shortened. They will start contributions and, after a while, the mortgage institutions will take over and settle us while the off-takers pay the mortgage bank over time.
How do you intend to ensure that it is your target group (the low class) income earners are the ones that will benefit from this project?
Well, you know, the power that people have when it comes to matters like this is the cash and we do understand the fact that the few people who are privileged have the capacity of mopping up everything. We are trying as much as possible to go to the grassroots and intimate them about this so that they done lose out of this and having the so-called big shots take over the entire project because it is not in their own interest.
In fact, one of the reasons why we came to this area is because the eyes of the so-called big shots are not really here and the environment is serene, beautiful, and clean with little or no security challenges. So, before the eyes of these privileged people get to this place, these other people have taken over the entire place.
You know the gap between the rich and the poor is so wide, but with these we can start bridging that gap little by little so that when the rich man is saying I have a house of my own, the so-called not-so-rich people can also said they are also landlords.
How much does a unit of house cost and, what is your motivation in undertaking such project, considering that your major interest is in assisting the low income earner get a house of his own?
For someone who is paying at once, you will be paying as little as N4.9 million, but if you want to spread your payment for a period of 36 months, you will pay a little over N5.9 million.
In terms of motivation, we have heard over time about the housing deficit in Nigeria. Of course the statistics are not correct. Over the past 10 years we have been hearing that we have over 17 million housing deficit, it is beginning to sound as if people have not died, as if people have not been born and people are not building houses. So, it is either that the housing deficit has increase based on increase in the number of population or it has decreased due to the activities of developers.
By and large, there is no doubt that there is still housing deficit in Nigeria and the earning power of people too differs. A lot of people are now looking at the fact that the economy is not paying them off, there is recession, but then we want people to still be able to achieve their desire of having a decent accommodation, yet at affordable prices.
Basically is to help reduce the housing deficit in Nigeria, as much volume as we can. That is why we want to extend this project beyond the FCT like we started in Lagos and Ogun states. It is the need for people to have houses of their own at affordable prices and also the need to reduce the housing deficit in Nigeria. Those are the things that inspired us in this kind of project.
How long are we going to start and how long do we expect to finish?
Because people are going to pay in phases for about three years, it will take about four years to get the entire project completed. However, we are going to put the development into phases. Those who finish their payment will be put in the first phase. We will develop it fully and that can take about six months, starting from the date we get the final approval from the approving authorities.
We are waiting for approval from the approving authorities because we are a law abiding organisation. We want to ensure that we build as par standard in terms of quality, as par design, layout and as par the need of this environment.
Within six months of final approval, we would deliver to the first sets of bungalows to those who pay out-rightly. The project will keep going like that until the final period that people have paid, which will be about four or five years, and the entire estate will be completely built-up and occupied.
The US on Friday, August 4, 2017 issued its first written notification that the country intends to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement climate change.
Donald Trump, US president
But in the notice to the United Nations, the US Department of State said Washington would remain in the talks process.
Friday’s announcement is seen as largely symbolic as no nation seeking to leave the pact can officially announce an intention to withdraw until November 4, 2019.
“Today, the United States submitted a communication to the United Nations in its capacity as depositary for the Paris Agreement regarding the US intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it is eligible to do so,” the US statement read.
“The United States will continue to participate in international climate change negotiations and meetings… to protect US interests and ensure all future policy options remain open to the administration.”
President Donald Trump drew international condemnation in June when he first announced the US intention to withdraw.
According to him, the deal “punished” the US and would cost millions of American jobs.
The process of leaving then takes another year, meaning it would not be complete until just weeks after the US presidential election in 2020.
Any new US president could then decide to rejoin the agreement.
In June, Mr Trump indicated he was open to another climate deal “on terms that are fair to the United States”.
However, key signatories to the accord quickly ruled that out. The Paris Agreement took decades to finalise.
The US stance on climate change also caused divisions at the G20 summit in Germany last month.
A joint summit statement said it “took note of the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from the Paris Agreement”.
However, leaders of the other G20 members agreed the accord was “irreversible”.
Climate change, or global warming, refers to the damaging effect of gases, or emissions, released from industry, transportation, agriculture and other areas into the atmosphere.
The Paris accord aims to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign up.
The guideline on hydraulic infrastructure development in West Africa was adopted recently during the 78th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held in Monrovia, Liberia. The guideline enters into force across all ECOWAS member countries.
Monrovia, Liberia hosted the 78th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers
The States are expected to domesticate it into their legislation, albeit within three years in principle.
The adoption is the outcome of a regional dialogue on large hydraulic infrastructure initiated by ECOWAS in 2009, with a strong mobilisation of the civil society. The objective of the regional guideline is to make sure that ecological, economic and social issues are further considered in the implementation of transboundary hydraulic infrastructure in West Africa, so as to ensure their viability and allow sustainable development of the region.
The adoption of this guideline results from a long and participatory process supported by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) right from the onset.
According to experts, while it is preferable to invest in natural infrastructure and related ecosystem services, it is also necessary to improve large infrastructure standards in order to minimise their adverse social and environmental impacts.
In a related development, ECOWAS and IUCN have determined a strategy for self-reliant and sustainable financing.
A couple of weeks ago, six West African basin organisations held a meeting in Conakry, Guinea under the leadership of ECOWAS and IUCN to reflect on self-reliant and sustainable financing mechanisms of their organisations.
Organised within the framework of the implementation of Partnership for Environmental Governance in West Africa (PAGE) activities, the meeting was chaired by the Guinean Minister for Energy and Hydraulics. Through presentations, experience sharing, group work and plenary sessions, the organisations made a rapid assessment without complacency of the state of their financing: permanent cash flow issues, reluctance of the state to meet its commitments, and weak knowledge of issues relating to transboundary basin organisations.
In the face of such structural and short term constraints, the participants urged ECOWAS to address the issue by introducing new guidelines that can better support basin organisations. They also called for the holding of such consultations on a regular basis so as to take up the challenges facing basin organisations.
PAGE is a regional initiative implemented by the Central and West Africa Programme of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-PACO) in collaboration with its partners. It provides support to environmental policies in West Africa. It is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) over a period of five years (2014-2018).
The trillion-dollar question is how to have the right incentives and conditions to attract investors, writes Geraldine Ang in the LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) Business Review
Renewable energy: Solar panels
Renewable-energy technologies are critically important, both in addressing the risks of climate change and achieving Sustainable Development Goal number 7 (SDG7,) relative to affordable and clean energy. They have also become increasingly cost-competitive: the capital cost of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has fallen by more than 60 per cent since 2010, and that of onshore wind energy by 20 per cent.
There is no shortage of capital available globally to finance renewable-energy projects. The financial sector encompasses more than €100 trillion of assets. So how is it that investment in renewable energy is not flowing faster?
The trillion-dollar question is how we can shift incentives and strengthen the right conditions to make solar, wind and other renewable power more attractive to investors. To respect the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting temperature rise to well below 2°C, annual investment in renewable energy needs to increase by 150 per cent between now and 2050.
New OECD research shows that incoherent policies, misalignments in electricity markets and cumbersome and risky investment conditions are among the main factors holding back investment and innovation in renewable energy in advanced and emerging countries.
In order to meet renewable energy deployment goals, policy makers need to strengthen investment conditions, from investment policy to competition, trade and financial market policy. And most importantly, specific policy incentives and climate policies should not be considered in isolation from the broader environment for investment and innovation in renewable energy.
Creating a supportive framework for renewables
At the policy level, scaling up investment in deployed renewables requires designing targeted incentives such as: feed-in tariffs (i.e. a guaranteed minimum price per unit of renewable power generated); renewable energy certificates (a certificate proving that one unit of electricity was generated from a renewables source, which can be sold separately from the underlying physical electricity associated with a renewable-based generation source); and public tenders (which include public competitive bidding or auctions for a set capacity of renewable power).
Feed-in tariffs and certificates in particular have driven investment in advanced countries, leading, for example, to an 11 per cent increase in renewables investment for each additional unit of feed-in tariff, in USD/KWh. Auctions and tenders have supported renewables investment in emerging markets (OECD analysis shows that, historically, increasing the capacity of a tender by 1 MW leads to a 0.1 per cent increase in renewables investment flows).
Explicit carbon prices (using carbon taxes or emissions trading schemes) have driven investment in renewables in the European Union and in emerging economies, and across OECD and G20 countries in solar energy. But at the same time, pressure from fossil-fuel subsidies in the electricity sector has also deterred renewables investment in emerging economies.
Incompatible incentives are worrying on a number of fronts, not only for investment in deployed renewables but also innovation in earlier-stage renewables technologies. An example: feed-in tariffs stimulate renewable-energy patents, yet policy across OECD countries and emerging economies has been shifting away from FiTs toward public tenders, to adjust to changing market conditions, control the deployment of large-scale renewables, and reduce costs for consumers.
Also, government spending in research, development and demonstration (RD&D) for low-carbon technologies is at historic lows. This has negative implications for innovation; OECD research shows that public RD&D expenditures have thus far played an important role in stimulating patenting in renewables technologies.
In addition to aligning our incentives, we need to take advantage of the fact that some climate mitigation policies enhance the positive effects of other policies when they are combined. For example, setting carbon prices while providing public RD&D spending in renewables technologies has worked well for mobilising renewables investment in emerging markets. In OECD countries, Denmark has become a leader in renewables technologies, including by providing integrated, sector-wide policy support to RD&D and deployment of renewables.
Next, we have to make the investment environment in renewable energy – especially solar and wind energy – far more attractive, and also make it easier to do business, with improvements in the following areas:
Investment policy and investment facilitation (property registration, corruption perception, regulatory quality, licensing and permitting systems),
Competition and trade policy (direct control of the state over enterprises, ease of trading across borders)
Financial access (access to domestic credit for the private sector)
Finally, we need to work at making sure that the broader investment environment isn’t at odds with low-carbon investment. For example, the implementation of Basel III banking regulations – though they are important – also may have had the unintended consequence of constraining access to debt financing for capital-intensive renewable projects. Investment in renewable energy and other low-carbon technologies needs to take place on a far greater scale if we are to achieve the ambition of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Evidence-based research and stakeholder co-operation are needed to help policy makers design effective public policies that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. The OECD stands ready to support these critical goals, as part of the OECD Centre on Green Finance and Investment.
The Lagos State Government on Sunday, August 6, 2017 unveiled a roadmap targeted at maintaining and rehabilitating roads across the state, as well as maintaining drainage channels and controlling flood. The initiative is billed to span between August and December this year.
Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State
Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Public Works and Drainages, Temidayo Erinle, who unfolded the plan at a media briefing held in Alausa, said that, in the coming days, the government, through the Public Works Corporation, would carry out rehabilitation works on 43 major link roads across the state, while other major highways and arterial roads found to be in bad state would be fixed.
Erinle said government was well aware of the challenges being experienced by commuters on Lagos roads, and that Governor Ambode had already repositioned the Corporation to comprehensively address the issues relating to potholes and drainages in the state.
He said: “As you are all aware, we are presently in the rainy season, as such much cannot be done during this period. However, we are currently carrying out palliative works on our major roads through the application of boulders, crushed stones and other construction materials to address the potholes problems in order not to paralyse the economic activities of the state.
“Similarly, we also take advantage of some dry days to carry out repair works in an effort to reduce traffic gridlock on Lekki-Epe Expressway between Adetokunbo Ademola to Samuel, section of Ikorodu Road between the new and old pedestrian bridges inward Maryland, Ikorodu Road, Ketu Bus Stop and Ikuomola Street, Idimu Alimosho Local Government Area.
“Asides that, I want to assure the people that immediately the rain subsides, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation will embark on massive road maintenance and repairs of all major highways and arterial roads found to be in bad state.”
Erinle said aside the 43 major link roads to be repaired in coming days, engineers of the Corporation have also been sent out to identify other failed spots across the State, assuring that government was determined to fix all potholes to bring about seamless driving experience to motorists.
He listed some of the 43 roads to include: Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi which work has already commenced; Ojota Interchange transiting the ramps on both directions, Sina Ogunbanwo Street, Agric Road Oko-Oba, Ifako Ijaiye; Club Road off Osborne Road, Ikoyi; Oroke Drive, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa LGA; Central Avenue, Apapa; North Avenue, Apapa; Maybin Road, Apapa; Lateef Jakande Road, Ikeja; Gberibe Road, Ikorodu; TOS Benson Road, Ikorodu; Oke Sabo along Imota; Itamaga, Itoikin; Oba Sekumaderd, Ogolonto, Ikorodu; Adeniran Ogunsanya Road, Ikorodu; Admiralty Way, Lekki Eti-Osa; Topo inward Ajido, Badagry; Hospital Road, Badagry; and Ijesha road network, Surulere.
Other roads include Liverpool Apapa; 1st Avenue Festac Amuwo-Odofin; Kirikiri Road, Ajeromi Ifelodun; Ojo Road, Ojo; College Road, Agric, Ojo; Baale Road, Ojo LGA; Okun-Owa street, Ajegunle, Ajeromi Ifelodun; Crowther Crescent, Apapa LG; Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja; Shasha Road, Akowonjo; Bonny Camp Victoria Island; Musa Yar Adua Street, off Ozumba Mbadiwe; Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja; Old Abeokuta Motor Road; Pen Cinema to Abule Egba; Iju Road, Ifako Ijaiye LGA; Akowonjo Road, Alimosho; Itire Road, Babalola bus stop axis, Mushin LGA; Diya Street, Gbagada Kosofe; Chivita Road, Ajao Estate; Asa Afariogun Street, Ajao Estate; Herbert Macaulay Road, Yaba; Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island; Lekki Epe Expressway to Ibeju Lekki Axis.
While reeling out the plans of government to control flooding, Erinle said works have already commenced in earnest to deflood the state, adding that, in a bid to forestall flooding as witnessed few weeks back due to torrential rainfall which led to high intensity of about 465mm of water within five days, the state has been divided into five zones namely Alimosho, Ikeja, Mushin, Kosofe, Agege, Ifako-Ijaiye, Oshodi-Isolo and Somolu (Zone 1); Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo Odofin, Ojo and Badagry (Zone 2); Ikorodu (Zone 3); Apapa, Surulere, Lagos Island, Mainland and Eti-Osa (Zone 4); and Ibeju Lekki and Epe (Zone 5).
Already, Erinle said, in all the five zones, dredging of primary channels and outfalls as well as clearing/cleaning of collector and tertiary (street) drains have been carried out and still ongoing, while a drainage master plan which covered the whole of the State has been developed to improve on the earlier four master plans.
Under the new comprehensive master plan, Erinle said 169 primary channels/outfalls have been identified, while all the recommendations in the plan were being implemented in phases.
“I wish to reassure Lagosians that the Corporation will not rest on its oars to ensure that the people continue to enjoy pot-hole free roads and drastic reduction in the incidences of flooding in Lagos State,” Erinle said.
