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…… 7 Proven Health Benefits of Ginseng

…… 7 Proven Health Benefits of Ginseng

7 Proven Health Benefits of Ginseng

Make FIZZ STRAWBERRY FORTIFIED WITH GINSENG your drink of choice

  1. Ginseng has been shown to help reduce inflammatory markers and help protect against oxidative stress.
  2. Ginseng has been shown to benefit mental functions, feelings of calmness and mood

3.Ginseng decreases oxidative stress in tissues and enhancing blood flow in penile muscles.

  1. Ginseng strengthens the immune system
  2. Ginsenosides in ginseng seem to regulate inflammation, provide antioxidant protection and maintain the health of cells, which could help decrease the risk of certain kinds of cancer.
  3. Ginseng may help fight fatigue and enhance physical activity by lowering oxidative damage and increasing energy production in cells.
  4. Ginseng, may help increase insulin production, enhance blood sugar uptake in cells and provide antioxidant protection.

Go Natural with Fizz, Your HEALTHY CHIOCE

ILERA EKO: LASHMA PARTNERS NGO TO ENROL ELDERLY CITIZENS ON HEALTH PLAN

ILERA EKO: LASHMA PARTNERS NGO TO ENROL ELDERLY CITIZENS ON HEALTH PLAN

ILERA EKO: LASHMA PARTNERS NGO TO ENROL ELDERLY CITIZENS ON HEALTH PLAN

The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) in its commitment to ensuring that the elderly have access to effective, quality and affordable healthcare has partnered with 60PLUS Advocacy Initiative – a Non-Governmental Organisation – to sensitise and enrol elderly citizens on the ILERA EKO Health Plan.

Speaking at a sensitisation event organised to educate the elderly on ‘ILERA EKO’ at Isolo General Hospital, Isolo, the General Manager of the Agency, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, said that the partnership became necessary to ensure that senior citizens, who have contributed physically, economically and socially to the development of the State, live a healthy life at their old age and have access to care whenever they are sick.

While commending 60PLUS Advocacy Initiative for the laudable gesture, she said that the partnership would further ensure that the elderly are financially protected whenever they are not feeling well and would save their expenditure on medical treatment and purchase of drugs.

Dr. Zamba, represented at the event by the Sales Manager of LASHMA, Uchechukwu Igweonyia, disclosed that the Sanwo-Olu-led administration is passionate about the healthcare of the aged, as such it is committed to ensuring that they live a comfortable life devoid of sickness, fear of payment of huge medical bills and stress.

Applauding individuals, NGOs, Groups and philanthropists who have been supporting the Agency in the realisation of its mandate, the General Manager called on other NGOs and humanitarians in the State to emulate 60PLUS Advocacy Initiative and support the government in its efforts to alleviate the plight of senior citizens and the vulnerable in Lagos.

She promised that the Agency would do its best to ensure that all residents, irrespective of their cultural, social and religious backgrounds have access to affordable healthcare services.

A member of the Governing Council, 60PLUS Advocacy Initiative and retired Permanent Secretary in Lagos State, Mrs. Iyabode Obasa, said that the Non-Governmental Organisation partnered with the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) to put smiles on the faces of the elderly and ensure that they are healthy even at their old age.

She said that the partnership will enable the elderly, who have ailments like diabetes, hypertension and asthma, to access care and those with surgical treatment covered under the health plan to undergo treatment without paying any additional money.

The Governing Council Member advised the elderly to eat good food and fruits as well as drink a lot of water daily, especially warm water early in the morning and at night in order to free their systems and live healthy.

The retired Permanent Secretary said that the NGO which had sensitised the elderly at Epe, Surulere and Isolo, would also go to all other Local Government Areas to inform, educate and enlighten more citizens on ‘ILERA EKO’ Health Plan.

Commending some of the invited guests at the event for sponsoring some elderly for ILERA EKO Health insurance plan, Obasa called on other influential residents and philanthropists in the State to support the Non-Governmental Organisation in providing more care for the elderly.

Dignitaries at the event include a former Federal House of Representatives member, Hon. Gbolahan Ogunneye; first Executive Chairman, Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, Chief Ayo Adegboyega; representative of Isolo Constituency II at the National Assembly, Alhaji Ganiyu Johnson; Aro of Owu Kingdom, Chief Ogunbowale; former Councillor, Oshodi/Isolo LGA, Hon. Leo Chima and the representative of the Head, Administration and Human Resources, Isolo General Hospital, Mrs. Elizabeth Osibodu among others.

The highlight of the event was the enrolment of 108 elderly citizens on the scheme.

LASG

LASPARK AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO GREENER LAGOS

LASPARK AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO GREENER LAGOS

The Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), has demonstrated its commitment to enhancing the greenery of Lagos, through its environmental renewal and greening programmes targeted at attaining an aesthetically pleasing environment.

The General Manager of LASPARK, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, who made this known during an interview at the Johnson Jakande Tinubu (JJT Park) Alausa, Ikeja, listed some of the greenery programmes to include the creation and maintenance of functional and operational parks and gardens, landscaping and beautification of open spaces, planting and maintenance of trees, establishing support and intervention system as part of strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and maintaining the biodiversity of the State.

Popoola said the current administration is pushing the regeneration of Lagos through various initiatives such as the creation of a clean green environment, through LASPARK, with the aim of building and sustaining Urban Green Spaces (UGS) like parks, gardens, roadsides vegetation etc. across the state.

She averred that the achievement of a healthy and sustainable environment in Lagos State is a priority for the present administration as captured in the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, stressing that the vision for Lagos is freedom from air, water and land pollution, hence creating a livable environment for the citizens and generations to come.

Explaining that since its inception, LASPARK has planted over 7 million trees across the State in addition to the establishment of 11 Public Events Parks and 297 Gardens, the General Manager noted that over 200 of the gardens were established by the State government, while over 80 by private concerns and 30 schools developed others.

Popoola emphasised that the Lagos State Government, through LASPARK, will continue to identify degraded, vacant and contaminated spaces and transform them strategically to potent and viable socio-economic sites.

Speaking on LASPARK partnership with the private sector, the General Manager said, “In the last two years of this administration, LASPARK, as the custodian of public open spaces in Lagos, has strategically aligned its efforts and plans in bringing into its fold more green partners to support and advance the greening evolution”.

“This alliance is considered key infrastructural support to the State government’s stride in creating a more sustainable city through Public-Private Partnership. The Agency has also been able to engage non-governmental actors and green investors to utilise, develop and identify empty open spaces”.

“The process of adoption requires that the allottee provides the scope, plan and design of allotted space before landscaping, beautifying and incorporating other components; the Agency ensures that the allotted spaces correspondingly provide the city with a spatial structure that can support its socio-economic activities”, she added.

While admonishing Lagos residents to change their disposition to parks and the greening of the environment, Popoola acknowledged the impact of climate change on several areas of our lives, urging Lagosians to embrace and take ownership of these green infrastructure which will prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, the quality of life we live and provide a place for children and families to connect with nature and recreate outdoor activities together.

The General Manager reaffirmed the zeal of LASPARK to deliver a clean, friendly and ecologically sustainable city, stressing that the Agency will not rest on its oars until all setbacks, open spaces and median across the State are beautified.

LASG

ForAGreaterLagos

Why a wave of technology giants will come from Africa

Why a wave of technology giants will come from Africa

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Ian Lessem, Managing Partner at HAVAÍC, investors in early-stage, high-growth technology businesses, notes a significant increase in investment demand for African technology startups.

He says startups on the continent are at a distinct advantage because they compete out of necessity. As a result, they can, and very often do stand toe to toe with startups in more the established tech hubs of Palo Alto, Singapore, London and Tel Aviv. “African innovators face local challenges so pervasive; they simply have no choice but to tackle them head on and become subject matter experts in finding solutions for real world problems like food security, health, education, safety, financial services and logistics.”

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Lessem adds that African technology driven solutions borne out of necessity create efficiencies, new products and opportunities, and most importantly solve local challenges that resonate globally. Because of this they have the inherent ability to leap across national boundaries and sidestep the usual rules of cultural friction. “With the world having quickly adjusted to the realities of the ongoing global social and economic crisis as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, solutions that solve real world challenges are without a doubt the best opportunities for growth. People and businesses are craving solutions that make their day to day lives easier, better and less frictional, and the pace at which they are adopting technology to do this continues to accelerate.”

​

Not only does HAVAÍC support promising startups, it also understands the power of unlocking the potential of Venture Capital (VC) as an investment class in Africa. Investing in African startups offers the opportunity to invest in real-world businesses solving real-world challenges, and the chance to invest in a sector that offers undeniable growth prospects. “While it seems unlikely that the greatest contributions to and innovations in biotech or space travel will emerge from Africa, African founders are paving the way when it comes to creating commercial and innovative solutions to local challenges that also have global relevance. And, crucially, when coupled with technology they can scale quickly on home ground and abroad,” says Lessem.

​

In contrast to tech hubs in developed economies where there is an abundant supply of available capital for startups and entrepreneurs, Lessem says scarcity of financial resources in Africa does little to limit the potential, and indeed the success, of startups in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt. “The hidden advantage in this scenario is that African entrepreneurs and startups self-fund and bootstrap for as long as possible. This translates to founders having a sharp focus on creating commercially successful business from the get-go. And because it’s their time and money at risk they have no choice but to make a success of it. Underpinned by commercially viable business models, African startups are tested in uniquely challenging conditions, become experts in their field, and this breeds a unique resilience which gives them an edge as they seek to enter international markets.”

​

Says Lessem: “The mettle, know-how and ingenuity of African businesses is evident in cases like Flutterwave becoming the continent’s most recent tech unicorn, but also within HAVAÍC’s own portfolio of startups, including South Africa’s hearX which concluded a landmark distribution agreement in the United States to roll out their AI -powered hearing aid in 39,000 retail stores, or Tanda in East Africa, who with their cash technology solutions and distribution network in the informal sector literally tripled the number of “ATM’s” in Kenya overnight.”

​

With African businesses continuing to punch well above their weight, proving their ‘right to play’ and their potential to scale domestically and internationally, Lessem says it is an exciting time to be part of the African VC environment. “The attitude of supporting local while acting global also has the positive consequence of developing the early-stage ecosystem overall. By attracting foreign capital international partners, local entrepreneurs and their communities thrive, which is critical for Africa’s economic growth. With all this in mind, it is clear that the next startup wave is set to come from Africa.”

​

Ends.

Diepdale Secondary School benefits from e4 computer centre

Diepdale Secondary School benefits from e4 computer centre

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Fintech specialist company, e4, recently launched a computer centre to benefit the 900 students of Diepdale Secondary School in Soweto, Gauteng. Partnering with Melisizwe Computer Lab Project, e4 provided resources for a full renovation including aesthetic upgrades, functional items and technology supplies including a smartboard, air conditioners and 33 computers for use by students and educators.

​

As a technology company, e4 is passionate about initiatives that support education in technology and believes that investments such as the Diepdale Secondary School computer centre are crucial for the development of the next generation of young leaders as the driving force behind digital innovation. Adri Führi, Group Chief Financial Officer, e4, says: “People and technology are at the core of our business. We must look both inside and outside the organisation to support our strategic growth. Enabling both the development of school and community technology skills enables us and other organisations in our industry to remain relevant as part of the 4th industrial revolution.”

​

Führi adds that because IT skills in South Africa are scarce, upskilling the youth is particularly important for e4. “We are proud to play a role in bringing much-needed resources to as many young people as possible, knowing the power that technology has to change lives,” she says. The computer centre will allow Diepdale Secondary School pupils to learn Computer Applications Technology (CAT) as part of their curriculum and master basic computer literacy skills. In addition to the assistance provided by e4, the computer centre is funded and will be maintained by other key sponsors, corporates, and MICT SETA which will provide training for students and teachers.

​

The project brought together e4 and the Melisizwe School Computer Project, a non-profit dedicated to developing computer labs for schools in need and providing IT skills training in various youth programmes. Diepdale Secondary School was selected due in part to the Principal, Mr Munyakisi’s passionate advocacy for his pupils and their right to education. It was immediately clear that our values were aligned. “e4 heeded the call to assist in providing access to computers so learners can matriculate with computer literacy skills. With the help of more sponsors, Melisizwe will be enabled to bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is excluded from participating in the digital economy,” says Führi.

​

The lack of computer infrastructure in underprivileged areas is well documented: “The stark reality is that we live in a country where youth unemployment is endemic. We also live in a digital age, yet young people are still matriculating with no form of computer literacy which further exacerbates the problem. Urgent interventions are needed that bring resources to the youth. We have seen lives transformed through initiatives like this and are so grateful to sponsors like e4 for supporting our vision and helping us bridge the digital divide,” says Candice Kern-Thomas, Melisizwe Founder and Director.

​

In a jubilant opening ceremony held on Friday 7 May, Führi took the opportunity to thank the teams involved in making this initiative a successful endeavour. “It was a wonderful experience being able attend the launch of the computer centre.​ We are extremely pleased with the end product and today it was clear to all of us that we chose the right school.​ This school takes the education of their scholars seriously. We are certain that they will use the equipment and the computer centre to its fullest and ensure that the children of this community are able to start realising their future, today.”

​

​

​

Fintech specialist company, e4, recently launched a computer centre to benefit the 900 students of Diepdale Secondary School in Soweto, Gauteng. Partnering with Melisizwe Computer Lab Project, e4 provided resources for a full renovation including aesthetic upgrades, functional items and technology supplies including a smartboard, air conditioners and 33 computers for use by students and educators.

​

As a technology company, e4 is passionate about initiatives that support education in technology and believes that investments such as the Diepdale Secondary School computer centre are crucial for the development of the next generation of young leaders as the driving force behind digital innovation. Adri Führi, Group Chief Financial Officer, e4, says: “People and technology are at the core of our business. We must look both inside and outside the organisation to support our strategic growth. Enabling both the development of school and community technology skills enables us and other organisations in our industry to remain relevant as part of the 4th industrial revolution.”

​

Führi adds that because IT skills in South Africa are scarce, upskilling the youth is particularly important for e4. “We are proud to play a role in bringing much-needed resources to as many young people as possible, knowing the power that technology has to change lives,” she says. The computer centre will allow Diepdale Secondary School pupils to learn Computer Applications Technology (CAT) as part of their curriculum and master basic computer literacy skills. In addition to the assistance provided by e4, the computer centre is funded and will be maintained by other key sponsors, corporates, and MICT SETA which will provide training for students and teachers.

​

The project brought together e4 and the Melisizwe School Computer Project, a non-profit dedicated to developing computer labs for schools in need and providing IT skills training in various youth programmes. Diepdale Secondary School was selected due in part to the Principal, Mr Munyakisi’s passionate advocacy for his pupils and their right to education. It was immediately clear that our values were aligned. “e4 heeded the call to assist in providing access to computers so learners can matriculate with computer literacy skills. With the help of more sponsors, Melisizwe will be enabled to bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is excluded from participating in the digital economy,” says Führi.

​

The lack of computer infrastructure in underprivileged areas is well documented: “The stark reality is that we live in a country where youth unemployment is endemic. We also live in a digital age, yet young people are still matriculating with no form of computer literacy which further exacerbates the problem. Urgent interventions are needed that bring resources to the youth. We have seen lives transformed through initiatives like this and are so grateful to sponsors like e4 for supporting our vision and helping us bridge the digital divide,” says Candice Kern-Thomas, Melisizwe Founder and Director.

​

In a jubilant opening ceremony held on Friday 7 May, Führi took the opportunity to thank the teams involved in making this initiative a successful endeavour. “It was a wonderful experience being able attend the launch of the computer centre.​ We are extremely pleased with the end product and today it was clear to all of us that we chose the right school.​ This school takes the education of their scholars seriously. We are certain that they will use the equipment and the computer centre to its fullest and ensure that the children of this community are able to start realising their future, today.”

​

Seamfix takes Identity Verification to the Next Level as they Relaunch “Verified”: Here is everything you need to know about the upgrade.

Seamfix takes Identity Verification to the Next Level as they Relaunch “Verified”: Here is everything you need to know about the upgrade.

It is with great excitement that Seamfix announces the relaunch of their identity verification solution, Verified. Not only has Verified improved, but also this solution elevates Seamfix as a global organization by posing at the forefront of digital transformation.

With over 10 years of experience providing organizations and businesses with customer-centric and ground-breaking solutions, Seamfix has taken a bold step in modifying the face of identity verification in the global and technology hemisphere. As digitization evolves, so does the hunger to join the problem-solving clan on how to be part of this emerging system increases.

So, what does Verified really offer?

Trusted Customer Onboarding:
Proof of identity has become imperative for access to goods and services in today’s world with more companies embarking on digital know your customer (KYC) process as part of customer onboarding. That being said, digital also comes with its own risks which is why Verified goes a step further to not just verify that the presented identity exists, but that it actually belongs to the human being presenting such an identity.

Going beyond APIs:
Seamfix understands that not all her customers are coders, and many just want to verify identities on the fly without writing a single line of code. Verified caters for these customers as well by presenting an easy to use and sleek interface through which businesses can verify their customers or employees.

Bulk Verification:
The upgraded solution, Verified makes provision for bulk verification – of course, at the same time, this saves time and eases verification processes. Now users do not have to verify individually or separately which could be time consuming, this exercise can be done all at once – seamlessly, and still provides accurate results.

Bringing AI into the game!
While onboarding their customers, businesses often have other needs beyond identity verification. We have taken these needs into consideration and are releasing our AI services. With our AI services, customers can enjoy face recognition services, automatically clean the background of pictures uploaded, detect age of their customers, detect liveness, and so much more.

Improved User Experience:
There isn’t a relaunch if there is no tour guide, the new Verified has a tour guide to aid smooth navigation all round the platform, and has a great user experience overall.

You’ll probably agree that secure identity verification is now a crucial part of online security and a significant challenge for businesses. Verified is more than an approach to avoid online fraud, it is a regulatory requirement to ensur fore customer’s data protection and privacy. Explore Seamfix’s new Verified and be part of a growing clan of evolving technophiles. Visit Verified Africa to start exploring.

CLOUD COMPUTING: HOW YOUR ORGANISATION CAN AVOID BREACH

CLOUD COMPUTING: HOW YOUR ORGANISATION CAN AVOID BREACH

The information technology (IT) ecosystem is one of the sectors globally that is rapidly evolving. The fast paced of this ecosystem makes it imminent to always upgrade to the latest IT tools especially in the areas of storage and cybersecurity. Years ago, many organizations have what is called Server room, a lot still have it though, many have their files saved in hard disks, flashes etc. this narrative is rapidly changing. The new word today is “Cloud Computing”, this is a scenario where organizations and individual do not need to carry hardware around to either save files, operate or run programs. Cloud is one of the cheapest ways of obtaining or accessing IT services but there are drawbacks to cloud computing just as we have in hardware. The quest for digital transformation has been driving more organizations to move their data and other resources to the cloud but that doesn’t mean that Cloud is an Eldorado where breaches don’t occur!

 We saw how apple iCloud account was hacked few years ago, a testament that Cloud Computing isn’t hackproof but this report will try to address what an organization need to do to have a robust and secured cloud solution that will deter hacks and cyber breach.

What is cloud computing? According to tech giant, Microsoft Azure, it defines Cloud Computing as “Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. You typically pay only for cloud services you use, helping you lower your operating costs, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as your business needs change”

There are numerous advantages of type of services. Advantages such as Cost; Cloud computing removes the capital expense of buying hardware and software and setting up and running on-site datacenters—the racks of servers, the round-the-clock electricity for power and cooling, and the IT experts for managing the infrastructure. Also, we have the issue of performance. the biggest cloud computing services run on a worldwide network of secure datacenters, which are regularly upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient computing hardware. On issue of security, cloud providers offer a broad set of policies, technologies, and controls that strengthen your security posture overall, helping protect your data, apps, and infrastructure from potential threats.

Authorization, for any organization to have a robust security, the issue of authorization is very important. An organization must be able to determine who will have access to sensitive data stored in the cloud. There must be some layers of security that must be deployed.

Encryption is, so far, the best way you can protect your data. According to Victoria Ivey, she said that “You have a file you want to move to a cloud; you use certain software with which you create a password for that file, you move that password-protected file to the cloud and no one is ever able to see the content of the file not knowing the password. The most easy and handy way is to zip files and encrypt them with a password. To that end you can use B1 Free Archiver — a free multiplatform compression tool. When creating the archive check the “Protect with a password” option, type in the password (keeping in mind the no. 3 rule) and only after that you can move it to the cloud. If you want to share it with someone, just give the password to that person. “

An organization must be serious about passwords. You do not just give it out anyhow or have simple passwords. According to research, about 90 percent of all passwords can be cracked within seconds! Use strong authentication and access controls (e.g., SSO, MFA, etc.) for both managed and unmanaged apps. Also, employ Zero Trust network access to private apps in data centers and public cloud services to reduce the exposure of apps and limit their lateral network movement.

Though, no business is completely immune to attack but there must be standard measures such as; Organization must make it mandatory to ensure that the frequency sharing of documents or data with outside parties is reduced drastically. Employees working remotely must use authorized devices to access company’s platforms such as email, website and backend.  The top management or decision-making folks must adhere to these things; Devising difficult-to-guess passwords, providing limited access, backing up sensitive files, separating personal from corporate data, implement a strong encryption plan and Keep sensitive materials out of the cloud.

Anthony Emeka Nwosu (@anthony_nwosu) | Twitter

Anthony Emeka Nwosu

ON THE SOLDIER THAT KILLED TRADER FOR DEMANDING PAYMENT FOR GOODS HE BOUGHT

ON THE SOLDIER THAT KILLED TRADER FOR DEMANDING PAYMENT FOR GOODS HE BOUGHT

The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to a news report by an online media, News Express of 10 May 2021 credited to TVC News, alleging that a water melon seller was shot dead while demanding his pay from a military personnel who bought water melon from him and refused to pay. It was also alleged that Some angry youths in the area reacted and chased the soldier into a hotel along Gusau – Sokoto Road. Also stated in the report was that angry the youths blocked Gusau – Sokoto Road bye pass and set an army operational vehicle ablaze.

The NA wishes to state that the sad incident is quite regrettable and condole with the family of the deceased. It is worthy of note that the General Officer Commanding 8 Division Major General Usman Yusuf has since commissioned an investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the altercations which eventually claimed one life as efforts are ongoing to arrest the the yet to be identified perpetrator. Additionally, it is important to state that no military operational vehicle was set ablaze as claimed in the report.

The NA remains professional and will never condone any act of misconduct by troops against the very people they are deployed to protect. The Army wish to state clearly that, the alleged perpetrator once identified will be subjected to a thorough investigation and if found wanting, will be made to face the full wrath of the law in accordance with extant provisions.

Furthermore, the NA wish to assure the good people of Zamfara state that normalcy has been restored in the general area and the Army remains committed in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities. The Army is also working to put in place measures to ensure that such incident never occur never occur again.

MOHAMMED YERIMA

EFCC Distances Self from Dismissed Staff, Peter Akpanke

EFCC Distances Self from Dismissed Staff, Peter Akpanke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC wishes to notify the public that a certain Peter Akpanke is no longer a staff of the Commission and has no authority to represent it or carry out any business in the name of the Commission.

This disclaimer became necessary following reports that Akpanke, who was dismissed from the agency, had been parading himself as a bona fide operative of the EFCC and using the false identity to harass and extort unsuspecting members of the public especially in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

The Commission enjoins members of the public to desist from relating with Akpanke or according him any privilege due to an officer of the law.

They are also advised to report any further solicitations from Akpanke to the nearest EFCC office or police station.

We’ll Develop Our Irrigation Facilities More, President Buhari Assures

We’ll Develop Our Irrigation Facilities More, President Buhari Assures

The Federal Government will focus on greater development of irrigation facilities in the country, and encourage more people into agriculture, President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged.

He spoke Friday at State House, Abuja, during the 6th regular meeting with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), led by Professor Doyin Salami.

President Buhari said agriculture was a good way for the country to overcome economic challenges confronting it, stressing: “We need to go back to the land. Technology is doing away with petroleum, but we are lucky we have other resources; Gas, vast arable land, which we are not using enough.”

The President was responding to disclosure by Prof Salami, in his presentation, that only 2% of land under cultivation is irrigated, recommending that apart from government efforts, incentives are needed for private people to enter the sector.

On the security challenges, which PEAC said was having great repercussions on the economy, President Buhari charged leadership at every level to go back to the basics, noting that a bottom-up approach was necessary, from ward, to local council, states, and federal.

He decried the situation in which some unscrupulous people tried to undermine every policy of government, irrespective of the good it was meant to achieve for the country.

“Some people are mercilessly against this country,” the President said. “We closed the borders to control the smuggling of petroleum products, and check the influx of smuggled goods, arms and ammunition. That was when the Comptroller General of Customs called me, saying 40 tankers laden with petrol had been impounded. I told him to sell the fuel, sell the trucks, and put the money in the treasury.

“They still brought arms and ammunition into the country, brought in rice in vehicles and motorcycles. I said shoot anyone found illegally with AK-47, yet they haven’t stopped. People must show consideration for their own country.”

PEAC submitted that the global economy has continued to improve as COVID infections drop and roll-out of vaccination intensifies, adding that the Nigerian economy, though out of recession, remains fragile with inflation rising, unemployment high, and external account weak.

Policy, the economic advisory body said, “must urgently address the challenges of rising prices.”

Among other issues recommended by PEAC are; decisive end to all forms of insecurity in the country, mobilization of resources for investment, hastened implementation of agricultural reform policies, passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as a basis for revitalizing the industry, poverty reduction, employment generation, and incentives for private investment in irrigation, to promote all-year-round farming.

Femi Adesina