Uganda, a country renowned for its rich biodiversity, is taking strides to integrate gender considerations into its national policies, plans and programmes to implement its obligations under the Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The efforts by Uganda are said to be contributing to the ongoing global effort to achieve gender equity and equality, as reflected in the 2015-2020 Gender Plan of Action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
According to gender roles, women are responsible for domestic chores, including food production, cooking, cleaning, caring for the children, and fetching water. Photo credit: projecthavehope.org
At a workshop held in Kampala from 13-14 June 2016, participants underscored the important role of women and issues of gender in the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s biodiversity. The workshop brought together women and men working in the fields of gender and environmental conservation from civil society and government organisations, to learn about international and national policy frameworks that support biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
Most significantly, they reviewed the country’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to identify relevant gender considerations. These discussions were followed by a day-long national workshop on 15 June, involving representatives from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the United Nations Development Programme, as well as representatives from academia and civil society. Recommendations on the integration of gender issues will be considered by government for inclusion in the final revised NBSAP.
The workshops were part of a project being implemented by the Secretariat of the CBD in collaboration with the Global Gender Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with funding from the Government of Japan through the Japan Biodiversity Fund. Uganda is one of three pilot countries in this project, aimed at building capacity of developing countries to integrate gender considerations into their biodiversity policy, planning and programming. The workshop was jointly organised by NEMA and IUCN. NEMA coordinates the implementation of the CBD and NBSAP on behalf of Government of Uganda, and has coordinated the process to review and update the NBSAP.
According to the CBD, Uganda’s rich biodiversity offers a significant opportunity to support the country’s poverty reduction efforts through sustainable tourism, sustainable agriculture and other natural resource-based sectors. It adds that the conservation and sustainable use of these rich biological resources are also essential to maintain clean water, fertile soil, and the provision of ecosystem services, upon which the rural and urban poor depend.
“Sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity requires effective engagement of all of the users of biological resources – indigenous peoples and local communities, women, men, boys and girls – in decision-making, planning and implementation, and ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits,” CBD notes, adding that a revised NBSAP that clearly incorporates gender issues will set the stage for Uganda to take an effective, inclusive approach to implementing its obligations under the Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011- 2020.
Lessons and outputs from this and the other two pilot projects will be shared with delegates at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Cancun, Mexico, from 4 to 17 December 2016.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have launched a technical guidance document which aims to promote mainstreaming of biodiversity and ecosystem services into agriculture through national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs), and thereby contribute towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity
The technical guidance document, titled: “Mainstreaming ecosystem services and biodiversity into agricultural production and management in East Africa”, was launched in May to coincide with the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi and in celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May).
“With climate change bringing more frequent and more extreme weather events, we need to build more
resilient agricultural landscapes and food systems,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive
Secretary. “A key strategy to achieve this goal is through sustainable ecological intensification of
agriculture, including a reduced reliance on agrochemicals for increasing and improving yields, while
minimizing negative impacts on the environment by integrating the ecosystem services delivered by
biodiversity into agricultural production systems.”
The report points out that agriculture must achieve the twin goals of food security and environment
conservation, while simultaneously increasing production to meet global food demands. In this context,
biodiversity and ecosystem services lie at the heart of many solutions for sustainable increases in
agricultural productivity that not only deliver better outcomes for food security and nutrition, but also
reduce the negative externalities of current agricultural systems.
The environment-agriculture discussion is presently shifting from a polarised debate of trade-offs to a
discussion of mutually supporting agendas. To that end, FAO is collaborating with the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the CBD, through a European Union funded project supporting
African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries. The goal is to strengthen regional and national
institutional capacity for the synergistic implementation of target multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) related to chemicals and biodiversity, for example providing alternative options to unsustainable agricultural practices, including the overuse of inputs such as agrochemicals. The document was prepared for the East Africa region to help build institutional capacity for synergistic implementation of MEAs, including the CBD and other biodiversity and chemicals related conventions, and to provide information on how ecosystem services and biodiversity can be mainstreamed into agriculture. Specifically, it provides practical guidance for implementation of ecosystem based solutions that benefit production, and policy measures for mainstreaming ecosystem services in agriculture to support the integration of agricultural concerns at the national level, through the development and implementation of their NBSAPs.
When on that black Tuesday, May 31, 2016 the sad news of Dr. Femi Olomola’s demise was made public by the matriarch of his nuclear family, his wife of many years, Mrs Kunbi Olomola, a palpable cloud of dejection and sadness enveloped the entire members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) throughout Nigeria. Dr. Olomola until his death was the National President of the NITP. He was enthroned in October 2014 to the exalted position by acclamation of the Institute’s members.
Late Dr Olomola with his wife (Mrs Victoria Adekunbi Olomola) and National Secretary of the NITP, Alex N. Ogbodo, during Olomola’s inauguration as NITP president in Lagos last year
Dr. Olomola hit the ground running as evident in his inaugural speech. He enumerated very explicit seven-point Agenda he planned for the NITP under his watch as follows:
The Law and Constitutional Matters
Job creation
Improving the asset base of the Institute
Improving current operational modalities
Need for NITP strategic/master plan
Sustaining Human Capital Development
Extensive publicity and public enlightenment on the value of the profession (planning).
He left no one in doubt about his vision and mission for NITP. While he held sway as the National President of the Institute, he left an imprint and a legacy for all to remember him long after he had left this sinful world. The facts are there and very verifiable too. I recapitulate them:
Dr. Olomola was a spade man. He was never afraid to voice his opinion about matters of planning and its foibles. He once said: “One of the very fundamental problems we have…is because we don’t plan. Nobody plans. There is a lack of a political will, which is number one. When there is no political will, it manifests itself in poor and almost zero budgetary allocation for planning.” (EnviroNews, Nigeria, August 24, 2015). The inference he was making loud and clear was that Government does not place high premium on planning, which from his professional perspective, an aberration of good governance.
Dr. Olomola followed his words with action. On the issue of the law and Constitutional matters, he took his fight to meet the lion in his den (figuratively) at the National Assembly. When he met with the incumbent Senate President, Olusola Saraki, Dr. Olomola never minced his words. He told the Senate President point blank to revisit the issue of planning in Nigeria and harped on the need for the lawmakers to recognise planning as the fulcrum of development; and why Urban and Regional Planning ought to be included in the Concurrent List of the Constitution. He was of the opinion that the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment of over a decade ago, which affirmed “Planning as an Exclusive List matter in the Constitution” and should therefore be under the purview of the State, was a judgment based on legal technicality, not on reality.
Dr. Olomola lived up to his vision and mission statements and kept his promises. At a point in the life of the NITP when the Institute was bereft of innovative ideas, Dr. Olomola, from his seminal mind, introduced the Land Use Planning Report (LUPAR) as a novelty that seeks to expand the frontiers of Site Analysis Report (SAR) applications beyond the realm of planning approvals of yore. He was positive that when LUPAR becomes operational, it will readily solve the number one bane of planning in Nigeria: lack of data. With the introduction of LUPAR, it is envisaged that 95% of all problems related to lack of data will be significantly addressed. The beauty of Dr. Olomola’s innovative idea is that it would “provide realistic, comprehensive and relevant data on all facets of physical development.” And the ace of his idea: it would create five million units of jobs per annum across the board, thereby widening the latitude of job opportunities for all registered town planners, a professional group whose world of employment has gradually constricted. His idea LUPAR is also in tandem with his promises of improving current operational modalities and human capital development. To-date, LUPAR is the flagship of Dr. Olomola’s achievement at the Institute and the poster child of the NITP.
Dr. Olomola was erudite and prolific. If anyone is in doubt of this assertion, a peep into his Curriculum Vitae on the NITP website (as an item for public information) will convince you. He had Doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in Urban Planning from an Ivy League university in the United Kingdom. He was credited for unquantifiable number of publications in the form of books, scholarly papers, lectures, newspaper articles and many committee reports which he was either the Chairman or an eloquent committee member. His profundity about Planning was comparable to the brilliance of William Shakespeare – the world-acclaimed wordsmith and greatest writer in the English Language, who was born in 1564 in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Olomola excelled in the practice of his profession. He formed and nurtured Femi Olomola & Co, Consulting Town Planners, as a private company to an enviable height. The Company’s specialisation is development of Campus Master Plans, its trade mark. An NITP award winner, Dr. Olomola’s company was instrumental to the development of Campus Master Plans for over 10 federal government-licensed polytechnics in Nigeria. It also reviewed the Master Plan for another prominent citadel of learning: the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in present day Osun State. A planner without borders, Dr. Olomola was a Consultant to the world-renown United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in charge of projects which included Urban Land Use Planning for Osogbo, Ikirun and Ila Orangun in Osun State; and as National Consultant on Urban Environmental Planning and Management who crafted the project document for sustainable urban growth and development programme for Nigeria.
Dr. Olomola’s death generated a feeling of great loss among his professional colleagues. This writer did a random sampling of opinion. Reproduced verbatim, here is what each individual I contacted said:
“Too close to me to be someone I have to loose. I am to miss his frantic and relevant professional advice for years to come.” (Professor ‘Bade Falade former Head of UN-HABITAT Programme Support Office, Abuja.)
“This is the greatest shock ever that the NITP has received.” (Tpl. Toyin Ayinde, former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Lagos State.)
“His exit was indeed a great loss.” (Tpl. Moses Ogunleye, former Chairman, NITP Lagos State Chapter.)
“A committed professional who had great vision for the upliftment of our profession. It has taken me longer to come to terms that Dr. Olomola is no more.” (Tpl. Catherine Kehinde George, Nigeria’s 1st female Town Planner.)
“Very upsetting and sad indeed.” (Tpl. Tunji Odunlami, retired Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Lagos State.)
“What a perfect and accomplished professional and above all, a gentleman.” ( Sir ‘Wole Okunfulure, a Fellow of NITP, retired Director of Lands, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Abuja, former Chairman Board of Directors, Shelter Afrique a continental Housing Company based in Nairobi, Kenya.)
Death is an inevitable debt all mortars must pay. The extent of sorrow and feeling of dejection which the passing away of Dr. Olomola had caused his immediate family, friends, and school mates and by extension, his professional colleagues, is beyond what words can express. Dr. Olomola had paid his supreme debt, albeit at an early age. But let us have solace and joy in the fact that, not how long, but how well he lived. During his short sojourn on planet earth, he left an indelible print in the sands of time, most especially in his known profession. He was an Urban Planner of great achievements and among his colleagues, he was primus inter pares.
The world is a stage. The immortal quote by Jaques in William Shakespeare’s celebrated literature book As You Like It, is very apt as a reference to conclude this piece, to wit: “All the world’s a stage. And all men and women mere players. They have theirs exists and entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” Applicative to Dr. Olomola, he was a good actor in the world’s stage and a man in his time who played many parts in his professional callings…National President, NITP, National President, ATOPCON, Chairman, NITP Lagos State Chapter, Chairman, Practice Committee, NITP, Vice Chairman, NITP Lagos State Chapter; an international consultant and a mentor to many budding Town Planners with a long list of other protégés. In addition to all these, he played the role of a dependable patriarch for his family, a loving soul mate to his wife and a father hen to his children.
Like Julius Caesar, Dr. Olomola now in the celestial world, can look back and affirmatively say to himself: veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered). May God grant his departed soul peaceful eternal rest. Amen. And for members of the family he left behind, may God continue to protect them whenever they are unconsciously in harms’ way.
By Tpl. Yacoob Abiodun (former Secretary, National Housing Policy Council; Urban Planner; Planning Advocate)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists and the general public against taking laws into their hands by assaulting its officials while on duty.
Road Safety Corps marshall, Boboye Oyeyemi. Photo credit: premiumtimesng.com
Sector Commander of the FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, Hyginus Omeje, who made this submission in a statement issued on Monday and made available to EnviroNews, spoke against the backdrop of assault on some Marshals of the Corps around the Jibowu/Yaba area in Lagos on Sunday 3rd July 2016.
In the course of their duty, the Marshals reportedly arrested the driver of a Toyota Camry with registration number MU 780 KJA for not using seat belt. The driver, who allegedly had no driver’s license on him, was to have his vehicle impounded when he reportedly veered off the route to his street where he mobilised area boys to beat up the Marshals, who consequently sustained various degrees of injuries.
In the statement that was endorsed by the Ag. Public Education Officer, Deputy Route Commander Olabisi Sonusi, Omeje debunked news making the rounds in the media that the Marshals caused a crash that led to fatalities while trying to stop the vehicle as there was no crash recorded during and after the arrest. Omeje stated that the team had successfully arrested the man and was taking him to the FRSC Office in Yaba before the offender zoomed off to his area where he knew people and mobilised miscreants against the Marshals. The offender reportedly capitalised on the confusion that ensued to run away with his vehicle.
The Sector Commander said the matter has been reported to the police and that the Command has declared the vehicle and the owner wanted. He warned against such occurrence in future, even as he promised to deal decisively with any motorist or group of persons “engaging in such unholy and unacceptable act no matter how highly placed the person or persons may be.”
Sonusi declared: “It is a criminal offence to assault a Marshal or an Officer in the course of his duty, hence the Command has not only resolved to bring this particular culprit to book, but has equally resolved to bring the full weight of the law against any traffic offender who dares to assault our Marshals in future. Motorists are hereby enjoined to always obey traffic rules and regulation to avoid being arrested.”
The auditors examined the European Commission’s humanitarian support in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania for the period between 2011 and 2015, which amounted to about €300 million
Karel Pinxten, Member, European Court of Auditors
EU humanitarian aid to refugees from conflicts in the African Great Lakes area is responding to the challenges faced but may be costing too much to deliver, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. Despite the difficult working environment, EU aid has made a valuable contribution to addressing the problems but there are some weaknesses in the way the aid is managed, say the auditors. More information is needed from the UN and its partner agencies as to how the money is spent.
The auditors examined the European Commission’s humanitarian support in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania for the period between 2011 and 2015, which amounted to about €300 million. They concluded that the aid was, in general, managed effectively. However, as humanitarian needs are increasing and funds are limited, efficiency is ever more important. The budgets examined were not detailed enough and there were no assessments of whether the proposed costs were reasonable. About half of the EU aid was spent through UN agencies and when the UN sub-contracted its activities no data was made available on how much was actually spent on the beneficiaries.
“I am concerned that the Commission does not have the figures it needs to check whether the aid is being delivered in the most efficient and economical way,” said Mr Karel Pinxten, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report. “The more links there are in the chain between the EU taxpayer and those in need, the more difficult it becomes. The Commission should press UN agencies such as UNHCR and the World Food Programme, together with NGOs, for more information on how the EU’s money is being spent. Otherwise, this aid risks being too expensive.”
The auditors found there was a lack of documentary evidence to determine geographical priorities and assess project proposals. As a result, it was not possible to determine whether the projects chosen complied with the relevant criteria and if the most appropriate projects were selected.
The monitoring framework was appropriate, given the difficult working environment. The reports from the partners were, however, frequently late and this limited their usefulness. The expertise of the Commission’s field staff was helpful to the funded partners but reporting from the field visits was not sufficiently comprehensive. Because of inadequate recording of the follow-up of problems raised, it was not possible to ensure that these were satisfactorily resolved. On a more global level, there is no reporting on the Humanitarian Implementation Plan to provide an overview of results and lessons learnt.
The results achieved overall for the projects examined were satisfactory. One partner, however, managed to spend most of its budget but only achieved a small percentage of the planned results. In a few cases the justification for time extensions and additional budgets was not apparent. While the desirability of linking relief, rehabilitation and development has been widely accepted by the Commission and other donors, there are very few examples of this being applied in practice. Without very actively pursuing this goal, say the auditors, there is a danger that opportunities to move from humanitarian aid to development aid will be missed.
Catholic bishops in Enugu on Saturday called on the Federal Government to drop the idea of the grazing bill to forestall ethnic clashes and crises in the country.
The advice came after the 20km peaceful procession of more than 7,000 catholic faithful in Enugu.
The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, said Nigerians were already suffering much on account of the present economic hardship and free grazing in communities in the South would further compound it.
Onaga, who spoke on behalf of Catholic Bishops in Nsukka and Awgu Dioceses, noted that this would amount to government abdicating its responsibility of providing security for the people.
He said: “As responsible citizens, clergymen, spiritual leaders and opinion leaders, we have been praying about and deliberating on these mounting challenges.
“At the end of a long prayer session with the members of our flock and after careful consultations with thoughtful men and women across the state, we have come to the following conclusions:
“That the free grazing of cattle in our area has now become a threat not only to the growing of crops, which is the mainstay of our sedentary people, but also to our lives.
“That the nomadic lifestyle makes policing and the pursuit of criminals much more complex and hazardous.”
The bishop urged community leaders to refrain from entering into agreements with herdsmen or with any other groups of persons that would create room for tension and crisis.
Onaga said: “We would advise that all such agreements already in existence be renegotiated in a way that would ensure justice for all the parties.
“Finally, may we all intensify our prayers for peace, unity and harmony in Nigeria, while resolving to collaborate with God’s grace in making it a great country.”
Also, addressing the Catholic faithful, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State lauded the Church for the peaceful procession as well as organising its faithful in an orderly manner.
Ugwuanyi assured the bishops that he would deliver their message to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor, however, enjoined residents of the state to be law-abiding and to work for a harmonious coexistence between all Nigerians irrespective of religion, tribe and profession.
“We owe it a duty to God as Christians to all be our brothers’ keeper and to show unconditional love to everyone even where we feel aggrieved,” he said.
The Catholic faithful from all walks of life took part in the 20km walk from the Holy Ghost Catholic Cathedral to the Government House and back, while praying for the healing of the land.
Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, has said the World Bank will support FADAMA III Project in the country with $200 million.
Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh
Ogbeh made this known on Friday at the official launching of FADAMA III Additional Financing Cassava Intervention Project in Awa Iman in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Represented by Peter Ajibade, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the minister said the bank would support the project with the $200 million fund injection for four value chains of cassava, rice, tomato and sorghum.
He added: “The Federal Government approached the bank for support and $200 million credit was approved to support four value chains of cassava, rice, tomato and sorghum for six core states.
“We all know what is happening to our oil and the need to provide food for our teeming population.
“This decision was taken to open up the projects to other states that have potential in these value chains.”
Ogbeh explained that more value chains would help to realise the objectives of providing food for the country, noting: “It is desired that this country will not only feed itself, but will export to neighbouring nations.”
Tayo Adewunmi, the National Project Coordinator, FADAMA III Additional Financing Project, said: “This project is a game changer in agriculture development.
“This is because rather than the old system of subsistence agriculture or even supporting individual small holder farmers, additional financing is looking at the totality of agricultural commodity value chain.
“We are also looking at the issue of clusterisation of farmers.
“We currently look at agriculture as a business and that is why the funding instrument in Additional Financing has gone from local development to business plan.
“Right now, farmers are being given head start in agricultural business; they have the capacity to negotiate market and determine what prices their commodities will go for at the end of the day.
“It is no longer a situation where somebody who has big money out there will come and buy off these farmers and at the end of the day, they become losers.”
Adewunmi explained that the FADAMA III Additional Financing was initially meant for six states and Akwa Ibom was the seventh state to join.
He said: “I want to let you know that Akwa Ibom is one of the earliest states to come on board among the new entrants into the Additional Financing when the door was opened.”
He commended the Akwa Ibom State Government for paying its counterpart fund for the project and described Governor Udom Emmanuel as “a friend of the farmer.
“You can have as much as you can from the big bowl of money that is there for farmers.”
Adewunmi advised the governor to encourage the people to take agricultural business seriously in the state, noting that many commodities had been packaged and many exported through FADAMA III project.
Emmanuel, who launched the project, appreciated the organisers for launching the FADAMA III Addition Financing Cassava Intervention Project in his village, Awa Iman in Onna Local Government Area.
He said the inauguration of the project was a show of commitment that the state government embraced agriculture as viable and guaranteed means of diversifying the economy of the state.
The National Space Research and Development Agency has predicted that the appearance of the first moon crescent for July would be on July 5.
This was contained in a statement signed by Dr. Felix Ale, the Head of Media and Corporate Communications of the Agency in Abuja on Friday.
Moon crescent
The statement said: “The first appearance of the moon could not be sighted with naked eyes except with the aid of Charged Coupled Device (CCD) imaging, astronomy telescope or any good optical astronomy instrument.”
The statement emphasised that the conjunction of the moon for July would be on July 4 at about noon.
It said this would make the first astronomical crescent visible for sighting on July 5 between the hours of 1.26am and 8.13pm.
It said: “Jos will be first to scientifically witness the first young lunar crescent at about 1.26am concurrently to 7.50pm.
“This would be followed by Gombe and Maiduguri between 1.29am – 7.40pm, and 1.29 a.m. – 7.39 p.m. respectively.
“While, the lunar crescent will be scientifically sighted lastly in Kano, Abuja and Sokoto between 1.57 a.m. – 7.58 p.m., 1.57 a.m. – 7.58 p.m. and 1.57 a.m. – 8.12 p.m. respectively.”
It, however, said the first lunar crescent would not be visible on July 4 during its conjunction.
It added that all other states of the federation will experience the first lunar crescent between the estimated time of 1.26am and 8.13pm on July 5.
It added that the statement showed precise dates, appearance time of first crescent, sunset as well as moon set time for all the capital of the 36 states and FCT.
The statement by Ale said: “In Abuja, the first lunar crescent will appear between 1.57 a.m. and 7.58 p.m., with sunset at about 6.57 p.m. and moon set at about 7.58 p.m.
“In Kano, the appearance of the first lunar crescent will be experienced between 1.57 a.m. – 7.58 p.m., with sunset and moonset at about 6.58 p.m. and 7.58 p.m. respectively.
“Sokoto, the seat of the caliphate will be between 1.57 a.m – 8.13 p.m., with a sunset and moonset time of about 7.13 p.m. and 8.12 p.m.
“The first lunar crescent for Enugu is between 1.53 a.m. – 7.51 p.m., while in Calabar, it will be between 1.54 a.m. – 7.46 p.m.
“The sun and moon are expected to set in Enugu at about 6.49 p.m. and 7.51 p.m., and they will expectedly set in Calabar at about 6.43 p.m. and 7.46 p.m.
“The south-west states of Lagos and Ibadan will expectedly experience the first lunar crescent between 1.50 p.m. – 8.10 p.m., and 1.53 a.m. – 8.05 p.m. respectively.
“The sun will set in these states at about 7.07 p.m. and 7.05 a.m., while the moon will set at about 8.10 p.m. and 8.05 p.m. respectively.”
The statement emphasised that the moon will be oriented at an Azimuth of +285 degrees: 39’.53” in Abuja, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 34’.36” in Kaduna, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 29’. 05” in Kano.
It added: “Also, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 48’.20” in Lagos, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 22’.07” in Sokoto, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 32’.46” in Maiduguri, Azimuth of +285 degrees: 39’.50” in Ilorin.
“It would be oriented at an Azimuth of +286 degrees: 02’.28” in Port Harcourt to enable observers point their instruments and locate the moon’s direction easily.”
The statement stated that the calculated results were made available for the information of the general public, especially those who would need them for religious and academic purposes.
It also added that scientific researchers should be at liberty to request for detailed analysis or more results on other states of the federation from the space agency.
With a total of 22.4 million Nigerians unemployed or under‐employed out of the 76.9 million total labour force, Worldstage Economic Summit (WES) 2016 (http://worldstagegroup.com/wes/) will be hosted in Lagos between September 7- 8, 2016 to address the unemployment challenges in the African biggest economy.
Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister
According to Mr Segun Adeleye, President/CEO, World Stage Limited (www.worldstagegroup.com), the organisers, “The alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria is not only of great concern to the three tiers of government, but also to the private sector and other critical stakeholders of the economy on job creation. While some people see it as an indictment on the educational system that seems to be churning out ‘unemployable graduates’ it is also being seen as an economic deficiency, with economy having a limitation of the labour force it can sustain by its productivity.”
He said Nigeria’s unemployment rate of 10.4% represents about 14 percent of global unemployment in fourth quarter 2015, the 7th highest in the world with only Kenya, Congo and Djibouti having worse rates in Africa.
“This should be embarrassing when compare with countries such as Qatar (0.2%) unemployment rate, Cambodia (0.3%), Belarus (0.5%), Thailand (0.8%), Benin (1.0%), Madagascar (1.2%), Laos (1.40%) and Guinea Bissau (1.80%),” he said.
He said the statistics that job loss in Nigeria dropped by only 1.29% in Q4 2015 at a period when oil price crashed by 65% could only show that there are other inherent factors outside oil that shape the labour market, which will be reviewed at the summit.
On how an economic summit can address unemployment challenges, he said, “We are in an era where Nigeria’s economic problem can no longer be left in the hand of government to fix alone. There are organisations and experts that have the knowledge of how to solve economic challenges of any kind, but in most cases, they are either not talking at the right forum, or they are not being heard. At WES 2016, the government side is going to be represented by ministers, members of the National Assembly, head of regulatory agencies, CEOs of public corporations, top official from state governments; and they will be interacting with representatives of the organised private sector along with local and foreign experts, to discuss series of the sub-themes through which the problem of unemployment in Nigeria will be tackled.”
He made reference to the challenges facing state governments to the extent that they can no longer pay salaries as at when due, saying these can be addressed with the right concept of how to explore economic potentials to create private sector jobs.
“With about 65 per cent drop in oil price since 2014, Nigeria’s main source of income, the revenue allocations to the Federal Government, States and the Local Government have dropped drastically with most states now finding it almost impossible to pay workers’ salaries. This has become one of the greatest challenges facing Nigerian economy, as the elected governments are becoming aware that they may not be able to deliver the electoral promises and dividend of democracy if an urgent solution is not found,” he said.
“Besides providing knowledge base for government on how to save billions of naira in revenue, diversify economy, create jobs and end the practice of committing the largest portion of income to the payment of civil servants’ salaries, WES 2016 will help review the economic potentials of the states and arrive at sustainable development strategy for them to be economically viable with or without revenue from federation account.”
He listed the objectives of WES 2016 to include: To identify and proffer solutions to the growing unemployment problem in the public and private sectors of Nigerian economy; To identify the employment generation potentials of every sector of the economy from ICT, Maritime, banking & finance, mining, aviation, construction, oil and gas and others and then address what they need to realise the full potential; To connect new entrepreneurs with financiers and skilled workers for them to be at the driving seat of job creation; To connect employers with job seekers and enhance migration of skills across all sectors; To generate a national unemployment data bank; To assist government on policies to make the economy productive, global competitive and generate jobs; To help review the economic potentials of the states and arrive at sustainable development strategy for them to be economically viable with or without revenue from federation account; To provide knowledge base for government on how to save billions of naira in revenue, diversify economy, create jobs and end the practice of committing the largest portion of income to the payment of civil servants’ salaries.
On how WES 2016 will not end like others past summits at home and abroad with nothing to show for them, he said, “When one deploys a conventional solution to a problem, the result will still be the same old story. It’s easy for government agencies to announce that they want to create thousands or millions of jobs, but how they will do it is very critical, and has to be tested to be sure that they are on the right track. They will need the right knowledge base to achieve it and carry other stakeholders along. Governments and institutions have to invest in time and knowledge to think outside the box on how to address economic challenges, and when the solutions are found, they have to try all possible best to apply them to achieve desirable result. What is unique about WES is that it’s research driven. If the obstacle to job creation in a particular sector of the economy has to do with legislature, the National Assembly Committees involved will be at the WES 2016 and will be made to understand what is expected of them and why they must act fast. The WSE will then do the necessary following up on all resolutions of the summit to ensure that they are not thrown into the dustbin.”
The expected participants at the summit include the Presidency, National Assembly, MGAs, State Governments, OPS- Oil and Gas, Banking, Insurance, Maritime, Aviation, Mining, Agriculture, Hospitality & Tourism, Entertainment, Construction, Power, ICT, Education, Transportation, Local and Foreign Investors, Media and Other Relevant Stakeholders.
WorldStage is the operator of WorldStage Newsonline, the online news (www.worldstagegroup.com) which is currently a leading source of business information in Africa. WorldStage is also the publisher of TrueColour, the African dream magazine that celebrates the positive side of Africa.
A tortoise, aged 135 years, has been found in a private zoo in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
The 135-year-old tortoise
The good, old tortoise of about the size of a microwave was able to crawl with a woman weighing about 82 kilogrammes on its back.
“It’s age is determined by counting the lines on its shells,” says one of the zoo attendants.
The massive tortoise crawled about freely on the sandy surface just like other younger ones, not minding the huge human presence at the zoo.
Children were particularly excited about the old tortoise as well as two prayerful Chimpanzees which were performing acrobatics and shaking hands with visitors.
“I love the tortoise. Daddy said it’s the wisest animal on earth,” says an excited seven-year-old boy who sat on the back of the tortoise together with his sister.
Other creatures at the zoo include a lion, two crocodiles, monkeys, peacocks, porcupines, an hyena, a jackal and an ostrich.
Owner of the zoo, Prince Abiola Kosoko, says plans are being made to move to a more spacious environment that will accommodate more animals such as elephants, zebras and gorillas which, according to him, have already been acquired.
“We have the animals, but the challenge now is land where we will keep them. As you can see here is small. It can’t contain the animals,” he explains.
“We have approached the Lagos State Government for a land. But the amount they are calling is too much. They are demanding millions of naira which we cannot afford.”
Prince Kosoko appealed to Lagos government to be of help by providing the land for the project, so that some endangered species the zoo harbours would be saved from going into extinction.
His words: “The state should assist us. That is the only way we can preserve these animals. Most of them are seriously threatened and would go into extinction if efforts are not put in place to preserve them.”
When asked how lucrative the business is, Prince Kosoko replied, “What we do, we do out of passion. We are not making any gain. But indeed, this is a multi-billion-naira project. However, beyond the profit, we should save the animals from extinction so that the we would have something to leave behind for the coming generations.
“Aside the care, the monetary involvement in feeding the animals is the greatest challenge of running a zoo.
“They eat a lot and if you do not feed them well enough, they begin to lose weight, look unkempt or even die. So we spend a lot just to feed them.”
Visitors to the zoo per head are charged a fee of N500 to gain entrance.
But the zoo’s receptionists who sold entry tickets said the cost of entrance might change when the facility relocates to bigger place.
“The price will definitely change. It may double or thereabout. I cannot say until then. The place we are planning is much bigger. We intend to keep more animals, including gorillas, elephants and zebras. Visitors will have a good experience, but they will pay higher,” he adds.
