'A presidential poison for Buhari': Commentary@ITREALMS: To us here in Nigeria, a colony is nothing new. The colony of Lagos established by the British in 1861 has famili...
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Monday, January 29, 2018
Feed the future Nigeria visiting scholars programme extends deadline
The Feed
the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project visiting scholars programme
for 2018 has gotten a new deadline extension till February 28, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The programme, which
seeks application from the all states across the federation, entails successful
applicants will visit the Michigan State University.
NaijaAgroNet gathered that at least, five graduate students visiting scholars
will fill the positions for the academic year 2018 starting in August till May
2019.
Also on offer, NaijaAgroNet gathered,
are three at the Masters level and two (2) at the PhD level.
The Masters Level positions will be awarded for a maximum 1
semester, and the PhD Level, a maximum of 2 semesters.
The student’s primary research supervisor who must be from a
Nigerian University is expected to actively participate in the programme.
The advisor will be invited (and funded) to visit MSU for a period
not exceeding 30 calendar days.
Those who meet the criteria and are interested, are advised to submit the materials as specified in the documents for the programme funded by USAID Nigeria Mission.
Those who meet the criteria and are interested, are advised to submit the materials as specified in the documents for the programme funded by USAID Nigeria Mission.
Family Planning: LASG tasks media on accurate information
The Lagos State Commissioner
for Health, Dr. Olajide Idris, has charged Nigerian media to ensure propagation
of accurate information on Family Planning (FP), reports NaijaAgroNet.
Dr. Idris in his address
to a three-day workshop on Advance Family Planning (AFP) Smart Media Advocacy by the Pathfinder International
in Lagos, commended the orgnisers and enjoined all hands to be on the deck.
The
Commissioner represented by the Director, Family Health Unit, Lagos State
Ministry of Health, Dr. Shade Oludara, said, “Media needs to spread the correct
information at all times, and not confuse the people the more.”
Oludara who led a
delegation comprising the Coordinator Family Planning, Lagos State Ministry of
Health, Dr. Okaga Sidiat, stressed that Lagos would soon enter into some community
health campaigns which media could help in propagating.
Equally, the
Commissioner highlighted some traditions and misconceptions militating against
adequate Family Planning uptake, especially on Modern Contraceptive Prevalent
Rate (MCPR) in the state.
In some instance, he
said, “Some people told our FP team in one of their sensitization programs that
family planning is bad and as a woman, you need to bring out all the eggs God
has given you by birthing, else it would turn to cancer.”
Equally
speaking, Dr. Okaga, who doubles as Coordinaator, Reproductive Health in the state,
urged media practitioners to always approach her office for confirmations and
clarifications where necessary.
This, she
said would forestall any misinformation, hence Pathfinder is trying to close
this gap with this workshop.
She further
outlined some key words media practitioners in family planning should take note
of to include, Contraceptive Prevalent Rate (CPR), FP - family planning; and RH
- Reproductive health to name a few.
According to her, when
family planning is properly done, mortality rate will reduce drastically to
over 30 per cent and meeting the target of 74 per cent CPR uptake by end of
2020.
Earlier in his welcome
address, the Associate Director at Pathfinder International office in Nigeria,
Dr. Habeeb Salami, said that the workshop objective is to change the narrative
on family planning in the country for good.
Dr. Oludare later inaugurated the Lagos State Family Planning Media Working Group, led by Mrs. Chioma Umeha.
Dr. Oludare later inaugurated the Lagos State Family Planning Media Working Group, led by Mrs. Chioma Umeha.
Remmy Nweke & Isaac Oyimah/ED, Ops
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Onshore wind power now affordable, solar to halve by 2020 - Study
The cost of generating power from
onshore wind has fallen by around a quarter since 2010, with solar PhotoVoltaic
(PV) electricity costs falling by 73 per cent in that time, according to new
cost analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reports NaijaAgroNet.
The IRENA study, NaijaAgroNet reports, highlighted
that solar PV costs are expected to halve by 2020, stressing that the best
onshore wind and solar PV projects could be delivering electricity for an
equivalent of USD 3 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), or less within the next two
years.
Also, NaijaAgroNet reports that global
weighted average costs over the last 12 months for onshore wind and solar PV
now stand at USD 6 cents and USD 10 cents per kWh respectively, with
recent auction results suggesting future projects will significantly undercut
these averages.
According to the Executive Summary
of the study, onshore wind is now routinely commissioned for USD 4 cents per
kWh. The current cost spectrum for fossil fuel power generation ranges from
USD 5-17 cents per kWh.
The Director-General at IRENA, Adnan
Z. Amin, was quoted as saying, “This new dynamic signals a significant
shift in the energy paradigm. These cost declines across technologies are
unprecendented and representative of the degree to which renewable energy is
disrupting the global energy system."
The study, NaijaAgroNet gathered was recently released
on the first day of IRENA’s Eighth Assembly in Abu Dhabi on ‘Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2017’ highlights
that other forms of renewable power generation, such as bioenergy, geothermal
and hydropower projects in the last 12 months have competed head-to-head on
costs, with power from fossil fuels.
The findings, NaijaAgroNet reported, had noted
that by 2019, the best onshore wind and solar PV projects will be delivering
electricity for a USD 3 cents per kWh, significantly below the current cost of
power from fossil fuels.
NaijaAgroNet equally reports that for
IRENA, competitive procurement practices together with the emergence of a large
base of experienced medium-to-large project developers competing for global
market opportunities, are cited as new drivers of recent cost reductions, in
addition to continued technology advancements.
“Turning to renewables for new
power generation is not simply an environmentally conscious decision, it is now
– overwhelmingly – a smart economic one. Governments around the world are
recognizing this potential and forging ahead with low-carbon economic agendas
underpinned by renewables-based energy systems. We expect the transition to
gather further momentum, supporting jobs, growth, improved health, national
resilience and climate mitigation around the world in 2018 and beyond,” Amin said.
Further, NaijaAgroNet reports that IRENA
study underscored that auction results are signaling that offshore wind and
concentrating solar power projects commissioned in the period between 2020-22
will cost in the range of USD 6-10 cents per kWh, supporting accelerated
deployment globally.
“IRENA projects that all renewable
energy technologies will compete with fossils on price by 2020,” he said.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Lagos tackles domestic waste, begins allocation of bins to houses
In
the wake of recent restructuring of the waste management system in Lagos state,
the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI)
has commenced the allocation of bins to residences in Lagos State to ensure
each building gets a dedicated waste bin for proper disposal of waste, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The
bin, NaijaAgroNet gathered, is a
240-liter or 1,100 liter green receptacle with an orange lid, which is
currently being deployed to houses across Lagos.
NaijaAgroNet also gathered that the
exercise kicked off recently with targets to deliver 20,000 bins in two months beginning from Agege
and Ikoyi areas of Lagos State with allocation based on property size, number
of occupants and other factors.
CLI
affirmed that the bins, which have been electronically tagged to facilitate
prompt collection of waste and reduce incidences of theft and waste spillover, would
eventually get to all houses in the state. Residents are expected to dispose
their waste in the bins, which will be emptied regularly by Vision scape
Sanitation, the Waste Collection Operator charged with residential waste
collection.
The
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Abiodun Bamigboye, reassured
Lagosians that the various waste challenges they were concerned about would be
effectively tackled by the Cleaner Lagos Initiative.
“Well-equipped
and trained workers known as Community Sanitation Workers (CSWs) have been
deployed, bins are currently going around to every house and fleets of vehicles
suitable for specific purpose are on ground to deliver the task,” Bamigboye
said.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
Friday, January 19, 2018
Nigerians spoil for war: Cow meat boycott takes effect February 1
There is an online cow meat boycott campaign currently going
on in Nigeria over the reported incessant attacks on Nigerian Christians, who invariably
are the most patronisers of cow meat in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.
They also alleged that killed Christian bodies are now being
used in the preparation of Suya, a popular delicacy made usually from cow meat,
unfortunately for other Christians to consume unknown to them.
Investigations by NaijaAgroNet showed that the campaign
which is trending on all available social media including Facebook, Twitter,
WhatsApp and Telegram, was to protest the attacks on other Nigerians especially
the Christians by members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria
and other unidentified herdsmen across the country.
Part of the message sighted by NaijaAgroNet indicated that
the boycott takes effects from February 1st, and urging “Christians all over
Nigeria have been asked to stop eating of Cow meat.”
The message insisted that since cow meat are now being “breeded
with human and Christian bloods being murdered in cold blood on daily basis
without government doing anything, would amount to double killing for those Christian
victims.”
The campaign insisted that the ban from eating Cow Meet
should be taken seriously as from February 1st in “solidarity for the lives of
our dear Christian brothers and sisters killed by wicked Islamist group.”
Urging more people, especially Nigerian Christians to eat, ”more
of fish, bush meat, pig, native goat, chicken, duck, snails, etc.”
The unendorsed prayer to Christendom, that Christian elders
have discovered and come to the conclusion that Muslims love the life of Cows more
than the life of Christians, alleging, “they have gone as far as killing
Christians to prepare suya for
Christians to eat.”
For the campaigners, “Christians are the promoters of their
sales of Cows and that is enough for them to respect Christians since we are
the promoters of their businesses.”
They imagined the Southern Kaduna killings of over 1000
Christians slaughtered by Islamist, but the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led
All Progressive Congress (APC) government kept quiet and rather reacted to the
death of cows.
For the campaigners, “this is the only way we (Christians)
can crumble their economy and bring them to their kneels to respect Christians.”
They equally appealed to Christians to share the protest message
on Facebook, and WhatsApp on their contacts until it gets to everyone Christian
in Nigeria.
More trouble for PMB: NAPF demands for Piggery colony
There seems to be more headaches coming the way of Mr.
President, Muhammadu Buhari as the National Association of Piggery Farmers (NAPF)
has written him, alleging marginalization and demanding for a start, piggery
colonies in 19 northern states, reports NaijaAgroNet.
NAPF in the letter addressed to the Presidency, and sighted
by NaijaAgroNet which was signed
by one Ogbuefi Animam Eze, who claimed to be the National Secretary of NAPF,
also sent copies to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry
of Defence, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Aka Ikenga, Oodua Peoples' Congress (OPC),
Ijaw National Congress (INC), Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Arewa Consultative Forum
(ACF), and Nzuko Umunna deplore the marginalization of the association by the
Federal Government.
“Our pigs have been variously targeted for elimination in
several Northern states. Those Sharia compliant states have refused to allow
our legitimate businesses to thrive. Our members have been hounded and harassed
by the Hisbah Police and others. We deplore this,” the group said.
They also alleged that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development (FMARD) led Chief Audo Ogbeh, has paid deaf ears to our
plight, as members demand that the marginalization must stop in order to
forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Based on the foregoing, NAPF raised a six-point demand top
on agenda being the demand for a 20-hectare Piggery Colony in the 19 Northern
States especially Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, Bauchi, Niger, Borno and
Gombe.
NAPF insisted that equal opportunities should be given to
all farmers and herders throughout the federation and went on to demand from
the National Assembly the passage of a law on “Piggery Colonies in all Northern
states.”
Further, NAPF demanded that a section of the Nigerian Army
be employed in the protection of pigs and pig farmers form any attack,
proposing FMARD set aside a budget allocation for the importation of Pig Feed
from Argentina, whereas a special department of Piggery in the Federal Ministry
of Agriculture should be created.
“Dear Mr. President, we are law abiding association. We
prevent our members from being provoked by the government-backed Hisbah/Islamic
horde that aim to destroy our pig farmers. We shall not be involved in
attacking and killing the anti-piggery people in the Sharia States. If these
things are not done, we can no longer guarantee that our members would not deliberately
target our transducers,” NAPF said.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Cattle colonies, insult on Nigerians – CAN
The spate of agitations
over planned establishment of cattle colonies by the Federal Government of Nigeria, have been wholesomely described as an
insult on Nigerians, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) stated this in Abuja, Tuesday, saying that this is
a term every Nigerian should condemn and resist.
CAN through the General –Secretary of Christian Association
of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Musa Asake, at
the National Christian Centre, Tuesday, told newsmen that every Nigerian should
condemn in strong terms and resist the attempt by this pro-Fulani government
that 'cattle colonies' shall be established all over the country.
“This is an insult on all Nigerians. The idea of 'cattle
colony' presupposes that the Fulanis are colonial masters,” CAN said.
Wondering, “How and when one ethnic group transmuted into a ‘colonial
master’ over all the other 388 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria is unknown?”
Besides, CAN pointed out that this came up after Nigerians
roundly rejected “grazing reserves”.
Further, alleged that the cattle colony is the handiwork of
Islamists trying to deceive with change of nomenclature.
Emphasising that again and again, “Muslim leaders from the
northern part of the country have demonstrated inability to respect the
secularity of the Nigerian State and leave religion as an individual conviction
according to Section 38 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution.”
CAN, therefore, demand from President Muhammadu Buhari, a
holistic response to curb the horrendous menace of the Fulani herdsmen and Boko
Haram, who to all intent and purpose have launched Jihad in Nigeria.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
LASEMA rescues stucked woman from mud @Iyana-Oworo
The Response Team of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has rescued a middle-aged woman stucked in the mud under the 3rd
Mainland Bridge, inward Berger Iyana Oworo in the early hours of Wednesday,
reports NaijaAgroNet.
This incident, NaijaAgroNet gathered, came barely two weeks
after a similar incident occurred with a middle-aged man was rescued alive by
the LASEMA Response Team and other emergency agencies at the opposite end of
the same environment.
General Manager LASEMA Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, disclosed that
the middle aged woman whose details could not be ascertained as at press time, was found trapped in the mud under the intersection wing
of the 3rd mainland bridge outward Iyana
Oworo.
The victim, he said, was walking through the muddy soil and
eventually got trapped in the mud.
According to him, the timely intervention of the LASEMA
Response Team, the Lagos State Fire Service and other emergency responders culminated
into the rescuing alive of the victim. The victim was rescued with the aid of the LRU heavy duty equipment
(Crane) assisted by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service .Upon rescue the
victim was administered first aid treatment and later moved to the Lagos State
Teaching Hospital for proper medical treatment.
Tiamiyu who supervised the rescue operation said it is
difficult to ascertain why and how the incident occurred as the lady was said
to be presently traumatized and requires medical attention for stabilization.
He however advised that Lagosians should be very careful when moving around
muddy area.
He enjoined residents to report any emergency in their surroundings
in time through the emergency toll free number 112/767.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Group urges IGP to disarm Hausa-Fulani in Benue
NaijaAgroNet
The Tiv community in Lagos State, under the auspices of
Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim
K.Idris, to urgently disarm the irate
Hausa -Fulani youths in Benue State, especially Makurdi, reports NaijaAgroNet.
This call was made through MUT President General,
Prince Aondowase Ikyernum Kajo, following Saturday and Sunday night attacks on
their host community in Wadata area of Makurdi where some Tiv residents were
killed, others sustained varying degrees of injuries and their houses burnt by
the rampaging youths.
They alleged that intelligence information at their disposal
indicated that there is a huge stockpile of dangerous arms and ammunitions in
mosques, homes, shops and many other unidentified places by the Hausa -Fulani
residents in the state.
With the kind of arms these rampaging youths were
brandishing, and recklessly attacking Makurdi residents, it means they are well
prepared to do the worst, hence, the urgent need to clampdown on the
aforementioned places and confiscate those weapons.
It would amount to double standards by the Nigerian security
agencies (soldiers) who hastily arrested the Benue State livestock guards who
were on a legitimate duty protecting their communities against marauding Fulani
herdsmen terrorists but looked the other way when other tribes are causing
severe harm to the lives and property of our people with more highly
sophisticated weapons.
Remember that during the state government Amnesty program,
only Benue indigenes submitted over 700
arms to the state. It is not logical for people who are armless to be living in
the midst of their dangerously armed visitors that are daily inflicting pains
on them unchallenged.
We also warn that those sponsoring these irate youths
recently drafted to Benue with no viable source of living to cause chaos paving
the way for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue should have a rethink
as such diabolical agenda would not succeed in our state.
We thank the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for
standing firm with his people in these trying times. We also thank the Benue
Traditional Council, led by HRM Prof. James Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, heads of all the
socio-cultural organizations in the state and religious leaders for their
efforts to see that these unprovoked attacks on our people stop.
We equally thank other critical stakeholders in this
struggle to save our lives especially media professionals, social media
activist, civil society organizations, the good people of Benue and well
meaning Nigerians for standing with us.
We deeply sympathize with the families who lost their loved
ones and also wish the injured speedy
recovery.
This is as we call on President Buhari who is the Commander
in Chief of the armed forces to end this pogroms against Benue people by Fulani
herdsmen terrorists.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
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