President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed a strong resolve to address the conflicts of herders and farmers in a sustained and lasting manner that should lead to the emergence of a permanent solution to the frequent clashes between them, as well as the associated problem of the gun-wielding “killer herdsmen.”

The President had approved a number of specific measures to bring a permanent end to the frequent skirmishes as recommended by Alhaji Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture in a report he submitted and the President signed off on it back in April, well before the actions of the Southern Governors Forum which attempts to place a ban on open grazing and other acts of politicking intended by its signatories to demonstrate their power.

It is very clear that there was no solution offered from their resolutions to the herder-farmer clashes that have been continuing in our country for generations.

But the citizens of the southern states – indeed citizens of all states of Nigeria – have a right to expect their elected leaders and representatives to find answers to challenges of governance and rights, and not to wash their hands off hard choices by, instead, issuing bans that say: “not in my state.”

It is equally true that their announcement is of questionable legality, given the Constitutional right of all Nigerians to enjoy the same rights and freedoms within every one of our 36 states (and FCT) -regardless of the state of their birth or residence.

Fortunately, this declaration has been preempted, for whatever it is intended to achieve and Mr. President, who has rightly been worried about these problems more than any other citizen in consultation with farmers and herders alike, commissioned and approved an actionable plan of rehabilitating grazing reserves in the states, starting with those that are truly committed to the solution and compliant with stated requirements.

With veterinary clinics, water points for animals, and facilities for herders and their families including schooling – through these rehabilitated reserves, the Federal Government is making far-reaching and practical changes allowing for different communities to co-exist side-by-side: supporting farmers to till their fields, herders to rear their livestock and Nigerians everywhere to be safe.

The entire country is acutely aware of the strain the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on public finances, for both Federal and States. Still, given the pressing urgency of addressing the perennial challenges, the federal funding for the project that has been delayed is now being partly unlocked. Actual work for the full actualization of the modern reserve system in a few of the consenting states should take off in June.

Garba Shehu

We are working in defence of public interest in Oyo – Makinde

…says state making legal aid available to indigent residents

…as gov declares open NBA-SPIDEL Conference

Oyo State Governor, ’Seyi Makinde, on Monday, said that his administration has been acting in defence of public interest and making legal aid available to indigent residents of the state.

The governor, while declaring open the 2021 Annual Conference of Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Public Interest and Development Law NBA-SPIDEL, held at the JOGOR Centre, Ibadan, said that an Executive Bill has been sent to the Oyo State House of Assembly proposing the establishment of the Office of the Public Defender.

The governor described the NBA-SPIDEL Conference and others like it as positive additions to the nation, saying that lawyers play a crucial role in shaping national discourse.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Governor Makinde lauded lawyers in the country, saying that when they get involved in national discussions and debates, “they often bring perspectives that laymen may not have thought about or contemplated.”

He said : ‘It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the 2021 NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference. I remember when the Chairman of the Section of Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, and his team visited us last month to invite us to this conference, I assured them then that we would work with the NBA to ensure that this conference turns out a success.

“Looking around this room today, I can rightly say we kept that promise. We are happy to receive you all, and we hope you have fruitful engagements during this conference.

“I am always happy to be among lawyers, especially brilliant lawyers. I mentioned the other time that we have six lawyers in our cabinet, and they are some of the brightest minds that we have.

“In the larger society, lawyers play a crucial role in shaping national discourse. For one thing, by virtue of their education, they are better able to understand our laws and constitution and interpret them. When lawyers get involved in national discussions and debates, they often bring perspectives that laymen may not have thought about or contemplated.

“So, conferences like this one remain a positive addition to our nationhood.”

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “The Role of Public Interest in Governance in Nigeria,” Makinde said: “Today in Nigeria, everyone wants good governance. But the methods of achieving it seem to keep eluding us. When it comes to the relationship between public interest and governance, things get even trickier.

“For example, getting the balance right regarding availability of information in the public interest and classified information that should not be in the public domain.

“We are living in an age where people are demanding more from those in authority. Citizens are calling for greater transparency and accountability, and they are demanding more inclusiveness. I hope that we would have moved several steps closer to finding that balance at the end of your deliberations.

“I have also had the opportunity to look at the themes and sub-themes of some of the sessions. I must say that they have been well-chosen to put good governance in Nigeria on the front burner of national discourse. I will refer to one of the actions our administration has taken to defend public interest and make legal aid available to indigent citizens.

“Our Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Oyelowo Oyewo, SAN, transmitted an Executive Bill to the Oyo State House of Assembly proposing the establishment of the Office of the Public Defender. I am happy to report that this process was finalised in record time. This further guarantees the rights of citizens of Oyo State and delivers on our core mandate on justice reforms.

“As we continue to engage in these important conversations, the citizenry is given a chance to better understand the issues at stake and the role they must play in achieving the level of development that we all look forward to in this country.”

Makinde appreciated the NBA-SPIDEL for bringing the conference to the Pacesetter State, urging the conferees to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Ibadan and to try out its local drinks and foods such as amala and gbegiri.

Earlier, the chairman, NBA-SPIDEL, Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, said that governance in the country is not being done in the public interest.

He urged the leaders to lead in public interest so as to curb the myriad of challenges facing the country.

He also charged NBA members and other dignitaries at the event to speak in the interest of the public.

Signed

Taiwo Adisa

Chief Press Secretary to Governor ‘Seyi Mak

The Honourable Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), Senator Omotayo Alasoadura has disclosed that the Federal Government released about N7billion to Contractors to facilitate the East-West road project, urging contractors to comply with the directives in order to complete and hand over the project to the people of the region before the end of the First Quarter 2022.

The Minister revealed this at the inspection of the East-West road from Section II Sub Section II (Ahoada – Kaima) to Section II Sub Section I (Eleme Junction – Ahoada) and Section IIIA (Eleme Junction – Onne Port Junction) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday May 20, 2021.Sen. Alasoadura inspected various sites to ascertain the progress of work on the East West Road.

At Ahoada – Kaima Section II Sub Section II, he observed that due to the bad terrain, huge volume of earthwork is ongoing to stabilize the soil to accommodate suitable materials for road construction while Sub-section l is near completion. He projected that Ahoada-Kaima Section II is expected to be commissioned soon.At Obikwere flyover, the site contractor informed the Minister of the failed drainage system which has caused constant water retention around the corridor, adding that the proposal to correct the anomaly would be sent to the Ministry for approval.

In inspection of Section IIIA, the Minister said that the contract was awarded to ensure safe and efficient movement of traffic along the already dualized 15KM stretch of the Highway from the Onne Port Refinery, Eleme Petrochemicals and other industries along the highway by eliminating traffic bottlenecks and ensuring well drained and durable road.

Senator Alasoadura added that the completion of the East-West road is a major priority of this present administration to see to the end of the completion of the project which was awarded 20 years ago even if it involves borrowing.While inspecting, the Minister decried the devastated state of the Aleto Bridge in Section IIIA of the East-West road and seek for urgent attention before it collapses, if not it would affect the nation’s economy.

“We have to put all our resources, energy and goodwill together to ensure that it is urgently reconstructed for the movement of goods and services that will benefit the people of region and the nation at large”, he added.

Responding to the Minister, the Chief Engineer, Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Limited (RCC), Zavontenik Igor, said the Contract was awarded in December 1st, 2014, at the Contract sum of N43,869,381,730.23 with a completion period of 24 months as additional works to the dualization of the East-West road of Section III Contract using direct procurement method but nothing was done before the present Administration took over.

Speaking further, he maintained that fund constraints and increase of the overhead cost of materials has cause the slow pace of work. He therefore assured the Minister that the project will be completed within the stipulated time if the company is mobilized on time with the required capital.

The President-General of the Ogoni Youths Federation (OYF), Comrade Legborsi Yamaabana, appealed to the Minister to order the Contractors in charge of the project to speedily commence payment of compensation to affected families during the cause of expansion and dualization of the East-West road for peace to reign.

The Federal Government is set to commission Lagos-Ibadan in June after several postponements occasioned majorly by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi made this known today at the monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project.

“There are one or two problems that we encountered and once that is solved, we intend to commission some time in June” he said.

Still speaking, the Minister said: “The work we started in 2017 or 2018 has come to conclusion. All the 10 or 11 stations are almost ready. Some of the overpasses and underpasses are ready.”

The Minister further informed that the second part of the contract which is Ebute metta to the seaport is almost completed and when ready, cargoes will be transported from the seaport by rail to Ibadan

Also, the Transportation boss gave the information that the model of Mobolaji Johnson Station (Ebute metta) is replicated in Itakpe, Abeokuta and Ibadan, though not as big, adding that same will be done along Ibadan-Kano route and other parts of the country.

On the railway university, the Minister said the essence ” is to train our young ones on how to manage the institution at the completion of the project. Those that are in China will come back to the university and train others to manage the infrastructure”.

The Minister was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Director, Legal Services, Pius Oteh the Chairman, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan Musa amongst others.

The Director General, National Information Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has urged a leading provider of innovative, data-driven solutions, Venture Garden Group, to join the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria.

Abdullahi made this call during a visit to Vibranium Valley, the company’s headquarters in Lagos, on Friday. He added that “NITDA recently came up with Bridge the MassChallenge Nigeria initiative in order to promote Nigeria as an emerging entrepreneurial hub and leader of innovation in Africa, foster the growth and success of Nigeria’s startup enterprises by connecting its entrepreneurs with markets, networks, and capital in the global innovation ecosystem, and facilitate key strategies to complement growing innovation initiatives within Nigeria.”

Abdullahi further noted that a critical activity of the initiative is the hosting of quarterly technology innovation challenge. While working with Stakeholders, key challenges within the Nigerian economy and challenge the startups to come up with solutions for them. He therefore urged the Venture Garden Group (VGG) to come onboard the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria initiative.

The Director General (DG) indicated that NITDA is keen on working with the tech community to develop use cases as the technology evolves so that everything can be regulated. He said the Agency has developed key regulatory instruments in this fashion. The Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), for example, was developed and perfected through close collaboration with stakeholders. This, he said, is the strategy the Agency is adopting for each of the technology innovation use cases.

Citing one of the seven pillars of NITDA’s Strategic Road Map and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021-2024, the DG said: “The general understanding with regulation is that it does not allow or stifles innovation. This is the more reason why we in NITDA came up with Developmental Regulation.” “With this approach,” he said, “we work with stakeholders like you, develop the product, innovate then develop relevant regulatory instrument to regulate it”.

“The regulation is aimed at protecting you and your consumers because technology is about the future and there is no data about the future, the data we have is on the past and present and that is why it is hard to regulate the innovation industry,” he added.

Abdullahi outlined the seven pillars of SRAP as: Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies and Promotion of Indigenous Content.

“We have identified six key stakeholders we need to bring onboard to achieve our initiatives; Universities as they produce the human capital, talent is needed to drive the digital economy and we work with universities and corporate organizations that will absorb these talents. We also have the entrepreneurs as they need access to the talent and corporate organizations because they are selling the products to them” he said.

The DG further indicated that, “Venture capitals and funding is a challenge, having the idea without the funds and government cannot provide funds for everyone and there are people with money doing nothing, bringing them onboard to invest in these startups will help boost the nation’s economy”.

He averred that Government’s role, as an enabler, is to create the enabling environment and the Agency would want to co-create with stakeholders because NITDA does not operate alone, that is why the ecosystem is engaged.

He added that NITDA also intervenes in the area of infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities.

While responding to the DG’s demand, the Group Head, VGG, Idowu Oladiamonds, said they invest in and develop technology solutions that address inefficiencies in automation, data collection, payment and revenue assurance across multiple sectors.
Oladiamonds stated that VGG has invested in over 30 companies in various sectors including financial sector infrastructure, education, financial technology, SME-focused technology and many other initiatives.

The VGG Group Head added that foreign countries scout talents from Nigeria, offering them residential Visas and higher pay and absorb them into their countries, taking more and more talents away from Nigeria. He stated that joining the Bridge to MassChallenge initiative would be an opportunity that would benefit the Agency, companies and Nigeria’s digital economy.

“VGG is always on the hunt for talent so we hire corp members who are passionate about technology, give them time within their ability to work on real life projects and understand what it takes to deliver proper robust software solutions within six months. It is interesting that foreign companies like Microsoft do hire some of them.” the Group Head stated.
Oladiamonds said “VGG has a creative space for work and encouraged work from home idea even before the lockdown and have achieved the highest result in the organisation across all our businesses.”

The Group Head further stated that the company is filled with 22–23-year-olds, mostly those that are comfortable with the structure of work which is redefining the everyday idea of work especially in Lagos with the hectic traffic.

“The company’s message behind using containers which would be usually scrapped as office spaces is they can use the ruins of Nigeria to build the beauty of Nigeria,” he concluded.