By Yetunde Fatungase

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) have engaged stakeholders on how to stop human trafficking among school children.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop on Friday, Mojisola Sodeinde, Head of West Africa Region, ICMPD, said that the project sought to support the Nigerian government in five targeted states, which include Edo, Delta, Enugu, Benue and Ogun.

She said that the project would prevent and combat human trafficking, targeting school children from ages six to 16.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project, tagged, “Baseline Report on Validation of the Schools Anti-trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP)” was held on Friday in Abeokuta.

Represented by Rhoda Dia-Johnson, the Project Manager of STEAP, Sodeinde said that the the four-year project is funded by the government of the Netherlands and would run till 2027.

“The project is generally geared toward the prevention of human trafficking to awareness creation, targeting the school community.

“The collective goal of all stakeholders is to embed a strong educational framework in schools to inform, protect and empower students,” she said.

According to her, it is important for the students to recognise the trend and empower them to be vigilant guardians of their future.

Sodeinde said that ICMPD had supported NAPTIP to infuse human trafficking concepts into the school curricula at primary and secondary school levels.

“The necessity of this project can not be overstated. With over 75 per cent of trafficking victims in West Africa being minors, the urgency of our mission is clear,” she said.

In her remarks, Ogun NAPTIP State Commander, Abosede Jimoh, said that the roles of non-governmental organisations could not be overemphasised in the prevention and reduction of human trafficking.

She added that NGOs had constantly reported cases of perceived trafficking in their states, to reduce the menace to the barest minimum.

Earlier in his remarks, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ogun, Mr Oluwashina Ogungbade, commended NAPTIP, ICMPD and other stakeholders for conceptualising and actualising the STEAP project, describing it as timely.

Ogungbade, represented by Tosin Ogundele, the Assistant Director of Citizens Rights Department, Ministry of Justice, Ogun, said that the intervention was not only timely but also important, given recent happenstance in the country.

“The issue of child trafficking has become a menace of global proportion and it is high time the menace was dealt with headlong.

“Anything negatively affecting our children, affects us all,” he said.

One of the participants, Mrs Doyinsola Adebayo, the Executive Director of Women, Infant and Children Care Initiative, a non-governmental organisation commended the organisers for the initiative.

She noted that the STEAP project, a preventive measure, would go a long way in curbing human trafficking in Ogun and in Nigeria as a whole. (NAN)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Tayo Ikujuni

By Hajara Leman

The Federal Government has sensitised Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Gombe State, to the use of geospatial data for development, planning and decision-making.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that geospatial data or geodata includes information related to locations on the earth’s surface.

Mr Nebolis Anako, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said the exercise was aimed at exposing the participants to the significance of using geospatial data in their development and planning.

Represented by Gomina Mohammed, the Head of Evaluation in the ministry, Anako said that through the application of geospatial information, government would ensure equitable distribution of resources, infrastructure development, and good decisions on developmental matters.

He said the Federal Government had adopted the geospatial data in its planning and decision making, adding that the ministry wanted to promote it the states for citizens to feel the impact of governance.

According to Anako, the ministry is playing a critical role in the development and actualisation of the National Geo-information Policy and National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) Bill, to create synergy among stakeholders.

“This is to prevent duplication and promote consolidation of resources that will be used in supporting sub-national governments to uptake the use of geospatial technology .

“For planning and project delivery, especially in equitable distribution of infrastructure for education, health services, population demography, gender and other vulnerabilities,” he said.

Also, Jalo Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planing, urged the participants to use the lessons learnt during the exercise to promote productivity for effective service delivery.

He said the skills acquired would enhance access to data for effective use in decision-making at all levels of governance. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdul Hassan/Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

By Rukayat Moisemhe

The confidence index of Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the first quarter of 2024 has risen by 1.7 points for the first in the last six quarters.

Otunba Francis Meshioye, President, MAN, disclosed this during the Public Presentation of the MAN CEO’s Confidence Index Report on Thursday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Association’s CEO’s Confidence Index (MCCI) is used to measure changes, quarterly in the pulse of 400 CEOs of manufacturing concerns to development in government policies and movement in macroeconomic indicators.

Meshioye reported moderate improvement in the Aggregate Index Score (AIS) evidenced by the meagre increase from 51.8 points in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 53.5 points.

He said the indicators considered during the period under review include changes in business conditions, employment and production levels in the economy.

The MAN President, however, noted that the current business and employment conditions remained below the average 50 points threshold due to rising inflation, escalating energy costs, exchange rate instability and unstable customs duty rates, particularly in January and February.

Meshioye emphasised the need for the development of the manufacturing sector to be at the front burner for economic policymakers as the sector was the most essential for sustained economic growth and shared prosperity.

“The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria acknowledges the government’s efforts at revitalising the manufacturing sector evidenced by the recent monetary policy initiatives targeted at salvaging the economy.

“However, it must be made clear that most of these policy initiatives have not resulted in a win-win situation.

“Most notably, the consecutive hikes in the Monetary Policy Rate by 600 basis points to combat inflation and encourage the inflow of foreign portfolio investment will not result in sustainable gains for the naira.

“In its bid to bring high inflation under control, the Apex bank must strike a balance by implementing policies that stimulate foreign investment and promote an enabling environment for domestic manufacturers to flourish.

“It is high time the government focused more on promoting foreign direct investment and exports of high-value-added manufactured goods that are capable of boosting the country’s foreign exchange reserves and sustaining the appreciation of the naira,” he said.

Meshioye also urged the government to frontally address insecurity, improve electricity supply, promote fiscal sustainability, and ensure policy consistency.

He said among other priorities, the fiscal authority must also lend supportive measures by adequately incentivising the manufacturing sector and other productive sectors.

“This is very important to boost non-oil export earnings in addition to the increase in oil export proceeds occasioned by increased oil production, rising global oil prices and the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director General, MAN, noted that the performance showed that manufacturing was set on the path of restoration and recovery, with the hope of improvement in the next quarter.

Ajayi-Kadir attributed the performance to the undying resilience of manufacturers, the reasonable gains recorded by the Naira in the latter part of the first quarter and the expectation of a reasonable reduction in diesel price.

He also urged the government to intentionally prioritise the manufacturing sector by implementing the sector-specific recommendations to revamp the sector and reposition the economy towards sustainable growth and development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

By Ibironke Ariyo

A NGO, the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has unveiled a consortium on access to justice and effective justice delivery in Nigeria and Africa at large.

The inaugurated Consortium include PPDC, Citizen Gavel, Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA), Law Hub Development and Advocacy Centre (Law Hub), and Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS).

Speaking during the inauguration on Thursday in Abuja, Mr Kenechukwu Agwu, the Senior programmes Manager PPDC, said access to justice space is shrinking.

Agwu underscored the importance of swift and efficient justice delivery, lamenting the detrimental effects of delayed justice on individual rights, public trust in the judiciary among others.

He however, said that it was quite very small adding that the core of access to justice was speed, trust and perception.

He said, “if I perceive that I’m not getting justice, then justice is not served, because justice needs not just to be served, but needs to be seen to have been served.

“In fact, there’s an emergency in the access to justice sector in Nigeria

“We partnering with a few of the organisations that have track record over time.

“There’s going to be a larger meeting under our project to bring together all the civil society actors in the justice space to a roundtable discussion, “he said.

Agwu said that the centre has been working with the government, specifically in the states.

Also speaking, the Director Partnerships and Innovation, PPDC, Ms. Lucy Abagi said that the centre was looking at how it can sustain impact, strengthen organisations and provide a platform where innovations could thrive.

“We created the innovation hub last year. And currently we have about 50 organisations and professionals on the hub across five african countries.

“And under the component of the hub, we have the access to justice consortium. And today we gathered our partners that we actually looked at their strategic position in their objectives, their mandate, and it fits into what we want to do as an organisation, “he said.

Also, Munachi Okoro, Head of Communication and Knowledge, said that the PPDC  had been committed to enhancing transparency, accountability, and good governance through various initiatives.

Okoro said that PPDC’s Access to Justice program emphasises the use of technology that could support the transformation of systems, processes and strategic procedural reform initiatives.

This, she said would address the inherent and systematic delays in the administration of civil proceedings and criminal justice.

“The Access to Justice Consortium recognises that collaboration is key. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the consortium fosters a comprehensive approach to tackle access to justice challenges.

“This collaborative effort will lead to the development of sustainable solutions that create a more efficient, equitable, and accessible justice system, “she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  discussions focused on the current landscape of access to justice in Nigeria, highlighting key challenges and barriers faced by various communities.

Consortium members identified short and long-term objectives, prioritised key areas for intervention, and developed detailed action plans for each strategic priority.

The meeting also addressed resource Mobilisation and fundraising strategies, stakeholder engagement and communication plans, and the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the impact of consortium activities.

NAN reports that PPDC is a non-governmental organisation and social enterprise dedicated to fostering transparent and accountable governance while increasing citizens’ participation in governance processes. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Joan Nwagwu

The Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN) has appealed to the Federal Government to stop incessant conversion of the Colleges of Education to universities.

Mr Danladi Msheliza, President of SSUCOEN said this in a communique jointly signed by Nwenyi Isioma, National Secretary of the union on Thursday in Abuja.

The communique was issued at the 38th National Delegates Conference of the union held at Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi, Kano State.

Msheliza said that the Conference viewed recent decision to convert some Colleges of Education (COEs) to universities as a misguided and short-sighted move.

According to him, this will have far-reaching devastating consequences for the education sector.

“This conversion will not only lead to the erosion of the unique identity and purpose of COEs, which have historically provided high-quality teacher training but also threaten the very existence of these institutions.

“Moreover, it ignores the critical need for specialised teacher training and development, and will likely result in a watered-down, generalised education that fails to meet the specific needs of our students and educators.

“We urge the Federal Government to recognise this ill-conceived decision and prioritise preserving and strengthening our COEs, rather than dismantling them under the guise of a so-called upgrade,”he said.

He also noted that the conference expressed concern on the removal of subsidy on fuel and electricity tariff.

He noted that this had caused untold hardship for Nigerians and therefore called for immediate reversal of the anti-masses policies.

Msheliza also noted that conference strongly condemned the government’s proposal to impose a cybersecurity levy on the already overburdened citizens and businesses.

“This move is nothing short of a draconian measure that will only serve to further suffocate the struggling masses and stifle innovation and growth in the digital economy.

“The government should focus on investing in robust cybersecurity measures, promoting digital literacy, and supporting the development of a vibrant and inclusive digital ecosystem that benefits all Nigerians,”he said.

He said the conference however called for the re-enactment of the Act establishing Federal Colleges of Education.

On minimum wage, he said the conference called for approval and support on what organised labour was pushing forward as the new minimum wage.

He also said other demands of the conference include the payment of revitalisation fund, mainstreaming of staff of Demonstration Schools, among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

Stakeholders call for adoption of global best practices in GDP, CPI report

By Okeoghene Akubuike

Stakeholders have called for the adoption of global best practices in the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index(CPI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

They said this at a Sensitisation Workshop on the Rebasing of Nigeria’s CPI and GDP organised by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CPI and GDP rebasing is an exercise carried out to ensure that the methodological basis upon which they are constructed is robust, logical, and consistent with global best practices.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Adeyemi Adeniran, said collaborating with stakeholders in the rebasing of the CPI and GDP would help ensure global best practices were achieved.

“It is always our pleasure that when we are having a significant statistical exercise like this to have people that are more knowledgeable in the subject matter to make comments.

“Also, to give us insights into some of the areas we may have not taken care of.

“ We are happy that we are achieving the objective of this workshop by having different comments from different people on what we need to and how we need to improve on our methodology and approach.”

Adeniran said at the culmination of the process, critical stakeholders would once again be invited to a validation session where the preliminary results would be deliberated before the final public dissemination.

Mr Muhammad Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)’ s Economic Policy, said the NBS must ensure they adopt global best practices in their rebasing efforts.

Abdullahi, represented by Dr Ozoemena Nnaji, said: “We must ensure the data we produce is reliable, timely and accurate. That is the only way we can impact policy.”

He said the CBN would continue to collaborate with the NBS to produce timely data.

“We want to assure you we are standing by you and with you throughout the process of the rebasing.”

Utz Pape, Lead Economists, World Bank, said it was important for each state to have its GDP, saying not being able to disaggregate at the state level was limiting.

“So, it is important to have state-level GDP and put them together at the national level to ensure they align with the National GDP.

“The World Bank would continue to support the NBS in this regard and in its rebasing efforts because it would make a difference in policy formulation.”

Pape commended the NBS for its timely release of the CPI report, however, he urged the bureau to move to real-time price tracking and leverage on technology.

He added that data should be made available timely to the public and readable in different formats.

Prof. Ode Ojowu, a Professor of Economics, also called for state-level GDP which he said would help achieve policy details down to the state level.

Prof. Uwaoma Uche, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Gregory University Uturu Abia, called on the NBS to leverage new media, publicity and technology.

“From my research in Nigeria, it is estimated that 120 million unique users are currently engaging several social media platforms.

“ The NBS can create several platforms in the social media space and do its electronic data gathering for its activities and operations.”

Dr Ayo Anthony, Head, Prices Statistics Division, NBS, said the rationale and justification for the CPI rebasing include changes in item weights of individual goods and services over time and inclusion of new items in the CPI Basket.

“ Others are the changes in consumption patterns over time, the price reference period should not be more than five years compared to the current period.

“Also for qualitative input into the formulation of monetary policy and for comparability of the index with other countries.”

Baba Madu, Head, National Accounts Division, NBS, said the rationale for rebasing the GDP was to reflect the recent structure of the economic changes in terms of production and consumption patterns.

He said it was also because of alterations in the variety of products and services due to technological innovations and development and to inform policy decisions and programme design

“Also to incorporate those economic activities that were not in existence at the old base year or were not adequately being captured within the GDP compilation framework,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu