News

Declare State Of Emergency On Food Crisis, Farmers Urge Govs

Published

3 years ago

October 20, 2021

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, yesterday, in Lagos, urged governors in the South-West to declare a state of emergency on household agricultural produce.
AFAN Deputy Chairman in Lagos State, Asking Agbayewa, told newsmen that the call became necessary following the continuous increase in prices of food commodities on daily basis.
He said that some food commodities had become so expensive that an average citizen could no longer afford it.
According to him, food is a necessity and not a luxury as it has become in recent times.
He said the state of emergency would allow government to focus on household commodities.
He said the price of some agricultural produce, especially beans, had increased by over 400 per cent.
“We need to declare a state of emergency in the agricultural space because of high food inflation in the last three years.
“We should begin to look inward on how we can make food available at affordable prices.
“We now found out that most of the foods that are on the high side are the ones being transported down from the North to the South-West, especially beans.
“The truth of the matter is that we can also plant those foods here to boost self-sufficiency.
“Right now, beans is on the high side, the price of beans skyrocketed by over 400 per cent that people can no longer purchase it.
“Before now, a bag of beans was between N20,000 and N30,000 but now it is being sold at over N100,000. Government needs to find a way to address this problem,” he said.
Agbayewa said that government needed to support farmers in the South-West to go into beans cultivation and other household foods.
According to him, there is nothing stopping farmers in the South-West from cultivating beans to reduce the price and ensure availability.
“That is why, as an association, we are canvassing that a state of emergency be declared in Lagos and South-West region as a whole.
“Right now, a bag of beans is N100,000 which has never happened before.
“Yet, we have soil, we have land where we can plant this beans in South-West.
“This is why we are advising them to declare a state of emergency in the region, if it is constitutional,” he said.
Agbayewa listed some the factors responsible for food inflation to include high cost of transportation, multiple levies, insecurity, banditry and low production.
“If you look at the situation right now in the North, for farmers to go into their farmland, they have to pay bandits and during harvest, they suffer the same thing.
“Also, bringing food from the north to the south is a major challenge because of multiple levies collected on each truck. There are so many levies collected by federal, state and local governments.
“Also, increase in price of diesel is a challenge.
“All these levies put together are being put on the produce and that is why the price of food is on the high side on a daily basis,” he said.
He urged the state governments to invest more in agriculture in order to replicate agric practice in the North to the South-West.
“It is high time government in the South-West look at the household food being produced in the North and replicate it here.
“Nothing is stopping us in cultivating yam, beans, tomatoes, pepper and onions in large scale too.
“Government must pay attention to food security and boost self-sufficiency,” he said.

News

Tinubu Appoints Four Nominees Into NCDMB Governing Council

Published

13 hours ago

March 28, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.

The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.

Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.

“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.

“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”

News

NDDC To Construct Hostels, Roads In UNIPORT – Ogbuku

Published

13 hours ago

March 28, 2025

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.

Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.

According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.

“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.

“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.

Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.

“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.

He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.

Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.

He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.

“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.

“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.

The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.

News

Senate Rejects Motion To Rename INEC Headquarters After Humphrey Nwosu

Published

14 hours ago

March 28, 2025

The Tide

The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.

Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.

The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.

Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.

Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.

He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”

Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.

On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.

Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.

“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.

Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.

“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.

After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.

They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.