Nigerian govt must scale-up nutrition says CS-SUNN – NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has called on governments at all levels to scale-up nutrition provision of basic package of nutrition services, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Making this call in Lagos, Wednesday at the end of a one-day media roundtable on Micro-Nutrient Deficiency Control in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Health and Agriculture, the Executive Secretary, CS-SUNN, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka, said the government must scale-up nutrition across the Primary Health Care Centres in the country.

She also said that there is need for massive sensitization, education and awareness creation to provoke behavioural changes that will promote adequate Infant and Young Child Feeding practices in the country.

According to her, early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six (6) months of life and adequate complementary feeding are key behavioural traits required for scaling up nutrition.

In addition, she said, provision of routine services in Primary Health Care centers will promote distribution of Micronutrient powder, Iron/Folic Acid supplements and Zinc including Vitamin A supplementation for Pregnant Women and Children respectively.

“We call on state governments to scale-up not only the provision and distribution of these supplements to hard- to- reach areas and across health facilities during the MNCH week but also counselling to ensure compliance. We urge Nigerians to diversify their diet and to ensure adequate nutrition by consuming a wide range of foods, including vegetables, proteins and fruits to improve their nutritional status,” she said.

CS-SUNN, Mrs Eluaka said, had supported some State Committees on Food and Nutrition including the Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition to develop and cost their plans. Low funding for nutrition has been one of the major setbacks to implementation of nutrition interventions.

“We again urge states without budget lines for nutrition to create such and ensure releases with specific funds allotted to interventions around micronutrient powder, biofortification, iron folate supplementation and Vitamin A supplementation among others. We also underscore the need to strengthen multisectoral coordination across institutional structures documented in the National Policy for Food and Nutrition to address the causes of MNDC and the need for promotion of the production of bio-fortified crops among Nigerian farmers, to ensure availability for consumption among Nigerians.

“Some of these measures, if in place will reduce the incidence of micro nutrient deficiencies and contribute to improving nutrition outcomes in Nigeria,” she said.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Pix: Lagos State Coordinator Dr Mrs Modupe Akinyinka, Executive Sec. Mrs Beatrice Eluaka, SUN Nigeria Ambassador Mrs Lola Alonge and representative of Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Mr Uruakpa John at the one day media roundtable in Lagos.

How Agrikore boosts diversification of Nigeria’s economy

NaijaAgroNet:

When he assumed office in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari made a passionate appeal to youth to engage in agriculture as a means of job and wealth creation as well as economic diversification.

His administration then introduced various initiatives to achieve this objective. They include the backward integration drive that birthed the directive to dairy companies to source local raw materials for their milk products, and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s agriculture intervention/collaboration schemes. An excellent example of the partnerships is the 10,000 hectares oil-palm plantation in Kogi State between the CBN and Agro-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Stocks and Minas Agricultural Advocacy Network Africa (SMAANA).

However, the initiatives have only impacted food production and wealth creation in trickles, no thanks to the inefficient Agric value-chain.

Issues including poor storage, transportation and distribution have steadily retarded the sector’s growth and stopped it from achieving its potential as a foreign exchange earner. Though inputs including fertilisers, tractors, seeds and even loans have been made available to farmers, the nation’s dream to feed itself and export the rest is yet to be actualised.

How then can we reduce inefficiency and wastages in the Agric value-chain for the benefit of all stakeholders and Nigerians?

Innovation via technological advancement holds the key to unlocking the potentials of the agricultural sector.

To this end, leading pan-African technology company, Cellulant Corporation, operating in Nigeria and 19 other African countries, introduced and deployed a solution called Agrikore.

Agrikore is a blockchain-based smart-contracting, payments and marketplace system-based platform. It is an ingenious digital platform that ensures everyone in the agricultural eco-system; farmers, community aggregators, food processors, financial institutions, insurance companies, governments, development companies, and logistics companies, relate truthfully with each other.

Blockchain refers to a data structure that makes it possible to create a digital ledger of data and share it among a network of independent parties.

Cellulant, through Agrikore, provides the platform which farmers, logistics companies, wholesalers, community aggregators and others come aboard and carry out end to end transactions from the farmers to the consumers. It enables aggregators to organise cereal/grain farmers to focus on farming while the community aggregators ensure logistics companies can pick up the produce. They also ensure they are transported conveniently and that farmers receive fair value for their crops.

This helps make everyone in the Agric value chain to focus and perform their task optimally, ensuring value is created.

Cellulant recently held a partners’ summit attended by players across the Agric sector. Participants had nothing but praise for the company as they confirmed they have been reaping profits from signing up on the Agrikore platform.

The platform currently caters to cereal/ grain farmers, with plans to extend to other crops soonest.

Fittingly, Cellulant’s strides are being recognised by development partners and financial institutions. At the partners meeting, Wema Bank signed an agreement to provide N2 billion in loans via Agrikore to prospective farmers, thus improving the economic diversification drive.



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Moyamed Bin Zayed solar lifts West African PV complex - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The African Energy Chamber (https://EnergyChamber.org/) addresses its heartfelt congratulations to the Republic of Togo for breaking ground on its 50MW Mohamed Bin Zayed Photovoltaic Solar Power Complex today in Blitta. The project was launched in presence of H.E. Faure E. Gnassingbe, President of the Republic of Togo, and Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, the company in charge of designing, financing, building, launching, operating and maintaining the facility.

The Moyamed Bin Zayed Solar PV Complex is West Africa’s largest ongoing solar PV project, and supports Togo’s ambitions to increase its rural electrification rate to 50% by 2022, and 100% by 2030.

“AMEA Power is a foreign investor who understands Africa and has demonstrated a commitment to supporting local content wherever it operates,” declared Nj Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber and CEO of the Centurion Law Group. “As public and private sector interest for Africa grows in the Middle East, such players are most welcomed. Their work in and with Africa contributes to the development of a sustainable and prosperous future.”

The project further confirms the growing presence of AMEA Power in the continent. The UAE-based company has become a serious investor in Africa’s energy sector and represents the growing appetite of private players and investors from the Middle East to invest in Africa. At the end of 2019, Saudi Arabia-based ACWA Power signed two long-term power purchase agreements for 250MW of solar PV projects in Ethiopia, while state-owned ADNOC is reportedly looking at several investments into the African upstream oil & gas sector.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

Pix: Pöllö - Own work, CC BY 3.0, 

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EU lifts Jigawa, Kano States with water, sanitation facilities - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

Estimated one million people in six Local Government Areas (LGA) of Jigawa and Kano States will benefit from improved access to safe water and sanitation facilities following the completion of several water and sanitation facilities in the six LGAs, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Built with support from the European Union (EU), the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities will go a long way towards ensuring that people in Nigeria have access to safe WASH services.

Data from the WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASH NORM) show that 47 million Nigerians practice open defecation, only 11 percent of Nigerians have access to complete basic water, sanitation and hygiene services and only 13 percent of schools have access to basic water and sanitation services.

The lack of WASH facilities in schools are of serious concern as children who do not have access to water, are most likely to lose interest in pursuing learning opportunities because they are forced to spend more time in search for water during school hours or stay out of school to recover from illness caused by frequent episodes of diarrhea. More than 100,000 children under five years of age die each year due to water borne diseases like diarrhea, of which 90 percent is directly attributed to unsafe water and sanitation.

Access to clean drinking water is a human right - just like the right to food and the right to live without torture and racial discrimination. And ending open defecation and making water, sanitation, and hygiene services available to all Nigerians is one of the biggest challenges as construction and management of facilities requires sustained investments and more partnerships, especially with the private sector. The Nigeria Government should invest 3 times more in the water sector making sure that every Nigeria has access to clean water and a toilet as the lack of access to water is impacting the wellbeing specially of the most vulnerable.

The EU, through UNICEF, is supporting the Government of Nigeria to achieve the objectives of the national campaign on an open defecation free Nigeria launched last year and the state of emergency declared on the WASH sector by the President in 2018.

The EU-funded programmes support WASH projects in urban and rural areas through the provision of water schemes, technical assistance and capacity development to sector institutions and agencies responsible, and improved access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene services in communities. The European Union has invested more than 250 million Euros in the Nigerian water sector, aimed at improving the WASH conditions of more than 10 million people in 14 States across the country.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Ekiti gears up for total zero oil diversification - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Ekiti state government has disclosed plans to domesticate the Federal Government’s zero oil strategy for total diversification of the economy in its drive to reposition the state’s finances, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Femi Ajayi, disclosed this during the presentation of the detailed analysis of the 2020 budget to stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.

Ajayi said the size of the 2020 budget of N124,724,869,355.95 made up of N53,538,093.59 and N71,186,775,549.36 capital and recurrent expenditures respectively was within the ambit of the requirements for the fiscally sustainable plan of the Federal Government

He explained that the budget was in line with fiscal policy of having a purposeful and all-inclusive budget that will serve as a tool for the implementation of socio-economic policy and prudent management of available resources.

The Commissioner said the 2020 budget preparation took into cognizance the interests of all towns, communities and interests groups, adding that the budget was woven round the five cardinal programmes of the administration to deliver on its electioneering promises to the people of the state.”

According to him, “The 2020 budget represents a reduction of N5,199,602,779.06 or (4%) from the 2019 budget size of N129,924,472,135.01. the operational dynamics of the 2020 budget was to reduce the budget performance variance in the 2020 fiscal year to ensure compliance with the requirement of the state fiscal transparency, accountability and sustainability programmes for results which allows only 20 per cent variance in implementation.”

Ajayi added that the reduction was also informed by the need to have a more realistic budget, considering the dwindling allocation from the federation account.

Analysing the 2019 budget of restoration upon which the 2020 budget of deliverables was hinged, the Budget commissioner said 2019 budget was prepared to restore the core values of Ekiti people and revamp the state economy which was designed to widen the scope of revenue generation by widening the tax net and blocking all leakages in the revenue accrued to government.

He explained further that the budget was financed principally from revenue from federal allocation, internally generated revenue, value-added tax, funds from international donor agencies, grants from the federal government and other sources.

The commissioner also explained that the focus of the 2020 budget, christened “Budget of Deliverables” was to establish a fiscal framework that would transform the socio-economic activities of the state and situate Ekiti in the right perspective in the committee of states in Nigeria. He added that the budget was to drive Ekiti towards agricultural, industrial and knowledge base of the Nigerian economy through completion of all ongoing capital projects across the state and commencing other legacy projects.

He highlighted the objectives of the budget to include consolidation of the achievements recorded in core values of the state; establishing a fiscal framework that will positively translate the present economic realities to a major viable agricultural and industrial base of the Nigerian economy; to pursue aggressive revenue generation drive within the ambit of the law and reduce the dependence of the state on allocation from the federal government; to invest in human capital and strengthen the human resources base through strategic investments in qualitative education and health care delivery to all as well as improve ease of doing business and provide enabling socio-economic environment required for the success of government reforms.

While seeking the continued support of the people for Governor Kayode Fayemi administration to bring its lofty ideas and programmes into reality, the commissioner noted that the implementation of the budget will further improve the lives of the people and stimulate economic activities in the state.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor
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Gov. Ortom escapes herdsmen attack in his farm - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has recounted how he was attacked by suspected herdsmen while at his farm located along Makurdi-Naka road in Makurdi, Benue State capital, last weekend, reports NaijaAgroNet.

While speaking during an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, the governor said;

“Just last week, I was on my farm that is situated in the outskirts of Makurdi town when armed herdsmen came there and shot at me. They also shot at the vehicle of our Livestock Guards who came there and shattered it. We had to call the joint military security team, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), who came and saved the situation,” Ortom lamented.

The governor vowed never to bow to any attempt to intimidate him for speaking up for his people. He also repeated his call for arrest and prosecution of Miyetti Allah leaders for allegedly instigating violence against farmers in Benue state.

Benue state has recorded one of the highest numbers of farmers/herdsmen attacks.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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NLNG signs sale, purchase agreement with Eni - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and Eni have signed a LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) for some of the remarketed volumes from NLNG’s Trains 1, 2 and 3, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The agreement, according to the General Manager, External Relations, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, is for the supply of 1.5mtpa for a 10 year term on a Delivered Ex-ship (DES) and Free on Board (FOB) basis.

The agreement, Fatayi-Williams told NaijaAgroNet, signified customers’ confidence in NLNG as a trusted, safe and reliable LNG supplier in the world.

The company added that it is primed for taking up a position in the ranks of top LNG companies with plans to grow its market share. The SPA with Eni advances the ongoing plans by NLNG to remarket volumes from the three trains.

NLNG is an incorporated Joint-Venture owned by four Shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49 per cent), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6 per cent), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l (10.4 per cent).

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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ASH commends Adams on smoking cessation report - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Jerome Adams, has been commended for the release of “Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General," reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) gave this applause, Thursday in a press statement endorsed by Megan Arendt and made available to NaijaAgroNet, saying that Surgeon General deserves commendation for once again leading the fight against tobacco addiction, disease and death.

ASH noted in particular, Dr. Jerome Adams and his staff should be commended for making it clear that access to treatment greatly improves success in quitting and that providing access is a critical component in the fight to end the tobacco epidemic.

"For too long, cessation has been the ugly step child of the tobacco control movement and the nation’s public health priorities. There are several reasons for this: confidence that the epidemic can be ended by preventing youth uptake, a misunderstanding that cessation treatment is costly, and a thinly-veiled belief that adult smokers brought it upon themselves," Arendt said.

Pointing that "We have made great strides in reducing youth tobacco use (although the vaping crisis threatens to undermine that success). But victory over big tobacco requires fighting on all fronts, as outlined in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). We cannot expect to win without large numbers of adult smokers quitting, and many can’t quit without therapy."

Emphasising that even where access to cessation is available, it is inexplicably limited. Many health plans that cover nicotine replacement therapy impose strict time limits, even though it is in their own financial interest to help smokers quit.

"Most smokers want to quit, but many are highly addicted to the nicotine and can’t do so cold turkey or on their first try. As the Report highlights, several quit attempts are often required," Arendt maintained.

ASH equally said that while the benefit of cessation for smokers is obvious, society as a whole profits from smokers becoming non-smokers. Smoking costs the country over $300 billion annually, and much of that cost is borne by governments, meaning taxpayers. As Dr. Adams shared today, every American pays roughly $1,000 every year to cover the national cost of smoking.

The group insisted on the imperative to stop seeing smokers as the perpetrators of the tobacco epidemic. As the Report notes, nearly all started in adolescence, and became hooked on a product that was engineered to be as addictive as possible.

"Children cannot sign contracts, vote, or rent a car; legal authority comes at the age of 18 for a reason. Certainly, a middle schooler cannot consent to become a nicotine addict. The blame for the tobacco epidemic rests squarely on the tobacco industry, but governments bear some responsibility for allowing a product that is addictive and kills when used as intended to be sold in nearly every corner store," the group said.

The human right to health – which is well recognized in international law – says that every human has the right to the highest attainable standard of health. In a rich society like the U.S., access to smoking cessation treatment is certainly attainable.

"We also have a duty under human rights to seek equity in human development, especially for vulnerable populations. Racial minorities and the LGBT community have been particularly targeted by tobacco industry marketing, and consequently suffer disproportionately from the tobacco epidemic," ASH submitted.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Marathon Oil meets President Mbasogo, commits to support Gas Mega Hub - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Marathon Oil Corp, one of the biggest energy investors in Equatorial Guinea, has met with the country's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, committing to increase its investment in the required infrastructure to support the Government’s vision for the Gas Mega Hub, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In company of H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo met this week with Marathon Oil Chairman, President and CEO Lee Tillman and Executive Vice President Mitch Little to discuss Marathon Oil’s short and long-term future plans in the country.

Marathon Oil reiterated its commitment to Equatorial Guinea and towards the development of the country’s Gas Mega Hub, including unlocking funding to promote the delivery of gas from neighboring countries and cross-border fields to maximize existing facilities and possibly consider a second LNG train. Marathon Oil also declared support for the Ministry’s efforts to construct a modular refinery in Punta Europa by undertaking a conceptual study on the Ministry’s behalf.

“Marathon’s disciplined and consistent performance is going to ensure that Equatorial Guinea can continue to count on a partner that is tried, true and tested when it comes to running world-class gas projects. I have no doubt that under Chairman, President and CEO Lee Tillman, Marathon will continue to be a strong, resilient, and well positioned partner for the future of Equatorial Guinea,” stated H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons

Marathon Oil continues to prioritize the ongoing Alen backfill project currently under implementation with Noble Energy, Glencore, Atlas and Gunvor. Efforts are underway to accelerate gas for delivery by year end 2020, while currently scheduled for first quarter 2021. The project is an important step towards replacing declining output from the Alba field.

Furthermore, both parties agreed to immediately commence feasibility studies related to methanol to gasoline and other methanol derivatives, in coordination with the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons. “President Obiang expects and demands of my Ministry and Marathon, today and for the foreseeable future, to work on creating an integrated set of solutions that are required — ranging from producing hydrocarbons in Equatorial Guinea efficiently to developing policies that encourage long-term investments that create jobs and opportunities for our citizens,” added H.E. Minister Obiang Lima.

Many foreign investors are planning to increase their investment in Equatorial Guinea this year, or enter the market to tap into several opportunities across the hydrocarbons and mining value chains under the Year of Investment initiative.

Details of the program are available at www.investineg.com and interested investors are encouraged to contact the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons to discuss investment opportunities and projects.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Putin reappoints Novak energy Minister - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin has reappointed Alexander Novak as the country's energy minister, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Reacting to the appointment, the African Energy Chamber welcomes the reappointment of Minister Novak who has always supported the establishment of new alliances with Africa and believes this move signals the potential for further cooperation for Russia and Africa.

“Minister Novak has ensured that African companies have a seat at the table, built partnerships and pushed President Putin’s mission to broaden and strengthen relationships with Africa,” said Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk. “The African Energy Chamber has always enjoyed a good relationship with him and the Russian energy sector and, we look forward to furthering our collaboration,” he said.

Having maintained his seat as energy minister since 2012, Novak’s reappointment is received as the Kremlin’s commitment to the continuation of the OPEC+ strategy which has already seen Russian companies benefit from bilateral cooperation with OPEC member states and boosted oil prices.

"Alexander Novak has emerged as the reliable and dependable bridge between OPEC and non-OPEC in the Declaration of Cooperation. He has earned the respect and admiration of all participating countries in the OPEC+ group," said H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of OPEC. Adding that, “His reappointment as Russia’s Energy Minister at this crucial juncture will further strengthen the collaboration with OPEC in our noble course to maintain oil market stability in the interest of producers, consumers and the global economy.”

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Pix: Novak