Mr Abdulhamid Haliru, the newly elected Sarkin Samarin of Nigeria, has outlined a vision focused on unity, peace, and harnessing the creativity of the youth for the country’s sustainable development.
In an inauguration ceremony held on Friday in Abuja by the Council of Traditional Youth Chiefs Forum of Nigeria, Haliru acknowledged the weight of his new role.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sarkin Samarin is the leader of traditional youth chiefs.
“This is a heavy burden, and a heavy responsibility that I have looked forward to and am excited that with God’s grace and all the support of the people and the government, I will succeed.
“Part of my plan is to see that the council is fully recognised, structured and institutionalise with the commissioning and running of all its activities.
“I also hope to bring enlightenment that those other councils like the National Youth Council of Nigeria have not been able to bring.
“But first it is very important for the youth to be creative, supportive, positive, hopeful, and learn to be good followers,’’ he said.
Haliru said that leadership was not just about the character or capacity of a person, but creativity was the only sustainable tool to lasting quality leadership.
He expressed a commitment to diligently carry out his responsibilities with a primary focus on youth development.
Emphasising the significance of creativity in leadership, he asserted that sustainable and quality leadership relies on fostering innovation among the younger generation.
“I aim to see the council fully recognised, structured, and institutionalised, surpassing the achievements of other councils like the National Youth Council of Nigeria. It is crucial for the youth to be creative, positive, and learn to be good followers,” said Haliru during his inaugural address.
The Sarkin Samarin pledged to facilitate dialogue among experienced traditional leaders, stakeholders, and youth to address the pressing concerns facing Nigeria.
He called upon his executives to contribute ideas for nation-building, emphasising the need for unity and collective effort.
Alhaji Sani Daura, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the council, expressed confidence in the new leader and advised him to remain focused on his goals.
The Sarkin Samarin of Lafia Nasarawa State, Mr Aliyu Yusuf-Shehu, applauded the election of a dynamic young leader, emphasising the crucial role of youth in achieving economic and political progress.
The Sarauniya Matase Mata of Nigeria, Mrs Hauwa Gidado, urged the Sarkin Samarin to ensure fair representation of women in his leadership, emphasising priorities such as empowerment, addressing gender-based violence, and advocating for women’s rights.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
The Yusuf John-Suberu Foundation has conducted a comprehensive training program on digital publication and strategic advertising for selected members of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), in a bid to enhance efficiency and professionalism.
Dr Yusuf John-Suberu, the Executive Director of the Foundation, disclosed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the training aimed to complement government efforts and equip PCC staff to fulfill their commission’s mandate effectively.
John-Suberu emphasised the foundation’s commitment to capacity building, having previously focused on teenagers and youths.
He stressed that the latest training for PCC staff is part of broader initiatives to contribute to the overall growth of the commission.
Fifteen staff members from various PCC departments underwent the training, and John-Suberu expressed the expectation that they would disseminate their knowledge within the commission.
The choice of digital publication and strategic advertising, according to him, aligns with the evolving world and the prominence of technology.
“This skill can help any business organization attract a broader audience,” John-Suberu explained.
“It is a preferred resource for content distribution because it allows you to make your information available to billions of people around the world. With this, the commission can interact with many people across the globe.”
He urged other private entities and individuals to recognise the collective responsibility of developing the country, emphasising that societal development relies on the joint efforts of everyone.
NAN reports that certificates of participation and attendance were issued to participants at the conclusion of the training. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
The Nigerian Youth Union (NYU), an umbrella body of young people all over Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to hasten action on the creation of the proposed Mining Police Force to curb illegal mining.
NYU’s National President, Comrade Chinonso Obasi, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said that Nigeria was losing a lot of resources to illegal miners; hence the need for urgent action to address the menace.
According to Obasi, the creation of such police unit will safeguard the nation’s mining sites and boost revenue generation.
“With the current economic downturn which leaves many sectors of the economy yearning for attention, stakeholders cannot afford to continue to look away while illegal miners fleece the country.
“Aside from oil revenues, accruals from mining can be veritable lifeblood for the nation if properly harnessed.
“However, the reverse is the case; the figures Nigeria loses to the activities of illegal miners are startling.
“Against the aforementioned, NYU is calling on the Federal Government to expedite action towards the setting of a special police unit which will be called the Mining Police Force to combat illegal mining.”
Obasi recalled that the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, recently said that intelligence reports indicated that some illegal miners were directly responsible for the upsurge of banditry in several parts of Nigeria; and hinted at the creation of Mines Police.
The NYU national president also recalled that recently, the Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Mohamed Tunis, disclosed that Nigeria lost 91 per cent of its revenue from the mining sector to illegal miners.
“Tunis said a whopping 80 percent of mining in the country’s North-West region is conducted illegally, costing the nation 91 percent of potential mining revenue.”
Obasi said that it had become imperative to plug all loopholes and apply appropriate sanctions against illegal miners and their sponsors.
“The creation of such Mining Police, which will be domiciled in the Ministry of Solid Minerals, will no doubt enable the government to effectively man and protect the mining sites, gather credible intelligence, prosecute offenders, and in the multiplier effect, rake inadequate resources for the economy.
“Illegal mining and nonpayment of royalties must be contained as the youths are ready to rise against this brazen economic sabotage,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Residents of Karu, a suburb in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are groaning over the lingering water scarcity in the area in the past three months.
The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interview on Monday, in Abuja that the situation was disheartening, especially for those who don’t have boreholes or dug up wells in their compound.
NAN reports that the water scarcity, according to the FCT Waterboard, was due to a damaged pipeline feeding a major water treatment plant in Usuma Dam, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
The residents, who said that the water scarcity had persisted for over three months, expressed disappointment that they were not warned in time for them to store water to be able to survive the scarcity.
“Lack of sufficient water has posed a great challenge to me because I now buy water,” said Miss Modester Ngwu, a hair saloon owner in Karu village.
“I have never bought water because I have a customer who allows me to fetch water from her house.
”But with this water scarcity, I now buy water from water vendors and this is affecting my business.
”This is because customers won’t agree to pay extra money for my services and this makes it difficult for me to break even,” she said.
Ngwu pleaded with the government to look into the issue with urgency because they have been suffering this issue for over three months and nothing has been done yet.
Mrs Gloria Chijioke, a resident, expressed her displeasure over the scarcity and the high cost of water.
Chijioke added that though there was a dug up well in the estate, water from it was not clean enough for cooking.
“l make use of the well water for washing clothes while I use sachet water for cooking and drinking.
”This has increased my spending tremendously in the last three months,” she said.
Chijioke said she now buys water from water vendors for washing since the well has dried up.
She added that the cost of water from water vendors has also increased tremendously.
”I used to buy a truck of water of eight or 10 cans for N1,200 but due to increase in demand, the price has been raised to N2,000,” she said.
Mr Musa Nuhu, a laundry worker at Karu, however, said that a lot of his customers are complaining of the increase in cost of laundry services and this was also affecting his business.
“We are hardly patronized now because customers are complaining of the increase in prices.
”We all know how things are now in Nigeria and coupled with the water scarcity, we have no choice than to increase our prices,” Nuhu said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Residents of pegi community in kuje Area Council, FCT, have called on the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to address the deplorable roads in their community.
The residents made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
They said that the current situation had led to high rate of insecurity and making life difficult for the residents.
Mr Ale Alfred, a civil servant and a resident of the community, said that the bad road was seriously aiding the activities criminals in the community.
“We have been experiencing a lot of kidnapping, robbery incidents as a result of this bad road”.
“Just last week, there was an incident where two women were killed, it was between a truck carrying loads and the two women walking on the road.
“We have been suffering from this in the last 14 years, during the period of Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai`s tenure as the FCT Minister,’’ he said.
Alfred said this was after the demolition of Karimu and people were relocated to Pegi community.
“I am appealing to the FCT Minster, Wike, to fix the roads in Pegi community to make life easy for residents and non-residents in the community.
Mrs Omolola Asiwaju, a business woman, said that traders find it difficult to move their things from the market to their stores because of bad road.
According to her, traders bear the brunt more because they end up incurring more losses as a result of perishable goods.
“Coming from the market my goods spilled on the road and sometimes I end up having broken items which I eat because I can’t sell them to my customers”
“Because of the bad road I even pay extra transport to carry my goods to the market to avoid them being damaged,’’ she said.
Asiwaju said that many residents have relocated from the community because of the deplorable roads.
Michael Peters, a civil servant and resident of Pegi, said that a lot of people sustain injuries from motorcycle accidents as a result of the bad roads.
He urged the government to build drainage system to divert erosion from the road.
“Government should fix the roads to lessen the hardship and sufferings of the Pegi residents,“he said.(NAN) (wwwnannews.ng)
Residents of CRD Layout 1 Lugbe, Abuja have called on the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, to intervene and save them from illegal land grabbers.
The residents, in a statement by their representative, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, on Friday in Abuja, alleged that the land grabbers were hell bent on dispossessing them of their landed properties.
Mohammed alleged that some individual had been parading themselves as members of staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to takeover plots of land from the unsuspecting residents.
According to him, the activities of the people are becoming embarrassing.
“They have invaded CRD Lugbe 1 Layout to harass residents that they are coming to take over the lands with their fictitious notice which cannot be traced to FCDA.
“When the suspected criminals were challenged by residents to identify themselves, it was discovered that they were fake because they could not provide any identification.
“Residents of CRD Lugbe layout woke up on Thursday, to see some strange looking fellows serving them demolition notices purportedly issued by Development Control,” he said.
Mohammed said the actions were being taken against the court order that there should be stay of execution pending the determination of the case.
He said the ownership of the disputed land had been the subject matter of several litigations with the court’s ruling in favor of the residents.
Mohammed maintained a close look at the demolition notice revealed that the signatories did not indicate their names and notices are not addressed properly.
According to him, these discrepancies reinforce the belief of the residents that these fellows are mobilised by land grabbers to do their bidding.
“This type of illegally should not be allowed in any democracy.
“The government should intervene in the matter with a view to calling the perpetrators to order and urge him wait for determination of the case.
“We use this medium to call on President Bola Tinubu to stop these faceless people destroying the good work of the FCT minister in maintaining Abuja master plan.
“We urged the minister to intervene by calling some individuals in the FCDA that were backing the perpetrators to order or at best set up a panel to investigate the matter before it degenerated to a public disorder.
“It is time to expose the illegal activities of some of the development control staff, who work hand in hand with private estate developers to sabotage our lands,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
From L-R, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs Lydia Jafiya, the CGC Customs, Wale Adeniyi, The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Pius Akuntah, during the launch of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Assisted Time Release Study in Lagos on Thursday.
TRS
By Aisha Cole
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, says the service is well equipped to implement the Time Release Study (TRS) to reduce cargo clearance and facilitate trade in Nigeria.
Adeniyi made the disclosure during the launch of the World Customs Organisation (WCO)-Assisted Time Release Study in Lagos on Thursday.
The TRS, he said, is a strategic and internationally recognised tool developed by the World Customs Organisation for the clearance of goods from arrival until the physical release of cargo.
Adeniyi said that in 2010, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) underwent a comprehensive TRS, conducted by the USAID MARKETS Project, focusing on the Apapa Port and Seme Border.
He said that about 20 cross-cutting recommendations, including the development of an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, implementation of a single window system, purchase of additional cargo handling equipment, infrastructure repairs at the ports among others, were made.
He said that a second attempt, though unsuccessful, was made in 2018 due to a lack of proper collaboration among the relevant agencies.
“Today’s exercise builds on the lessons learned from both the 2010 and 2018 attempts.
“We have made significant progress since then, including the implementation of paperless clearance and advancements in our AEO programmes.
”Provisions under the new Customs Act now speak to the imposition of penalties to deter non-compliance.
“Today, we are joining other Customs Administrations in the world that have embraced the tools developed by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to promote the growth of international trade.
“The WCO remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing customs procedures through various instruments and tools, such as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“Among these initiatives is the Time Release Study (TRS), developed to provide comprehensive insights into customs operations’ efficiency as the TRS in Nigeria, starting with TINCAN ISLAND Port, serving as the pilot location.
“The TRS method is a systematic and standardised approach used to measure the total duration of time from the arrival of goods at the customs border until their release,” Adeniyi said.
He explained that the TRS initiative represented a critical step in our ongoing efforts to optimise the trading experience and customs operations in Nigeria.
Adeniyi said for the implementation of TRS, the NCS was deploying the AEO programme, Advanced Ruling, and establishing a Customs Laboratory as part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate trade and improve government revenue.
Mr Lan Saunders, Secretary-General, WOC, said that the fulfilment of TRS was based on the WCO methodology.
He said that the system would enable Nigeria’s compliance with the requirement of Articie 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“The TFA encourages WTO members to measure and publish their average release time of goods periodically and consistently.
“TRS is being conducted as a diagnostic to find bottlenecks in the trade flow process factually and to take necessary measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border procedures by reducing clearance time.
“TRS is an instrument with which customs and other government agencies, along with private sector stakeholders, can measure the cross-border flow process related to imports, exports, and transit movement of goods periodically,” Saunders said.
Some of the benefits of TRS, according to him, include the improvement and strengthening of efficiency of customs administration and other government agencies, which allows all stakeholders to synergise.
He listed other benefits to include the creation of better conditions for accelerating the international movement of cargo subject to import, export, transit, or any other customs regime related to the clearance and release of cargo.
Saunders, in a Zoom presentation, said that TRS would also lead to improvement of the country’s international competitiveness in the global market and collaboration with stakeholders to enhance supply chain.
Also speaking, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Pius Akuntah, commended Customs for establishing the platform to enlightened stakeholders in trade facilitation.
Oyetola said that the customer’s TRS was a unique analysis among customs worldwide to evaluate an efficient customs clearance process.
He said that the TRS would streamlined customs procedures and improved trade facilitation.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, who was also represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs Lydia Jafiya, said that implementation of the TRS would foster a business-friendly environment.
He said this would also assist several countries in Europe and America to be attracted to bringing cargo to Nigeria.
Edun urged stakeholders to collaborate for the successfull implementation of the TRS, which would reduce time excess cargo clearance and trade facilitation period.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite, commended the NCS for the initiatives geared towards enhancing trade and ease-of-doing-
business in Nigeria.
“I am absolutely confident they will be a great success and
Nigeria will reap their benefits through sustained economic growth in the coming years,” she said.
While encouraging stakeholders to embrace the business, Uzoka-Anite said that she was inspired to facilitate trade and increase Nigeria’s trade volume.
She said that effective trade facilitation required efficient coordination across the entire supply chain.
She added that the approach required careful planning and
collaboration across a wide range of government departments and agencies as well as close cooperation with the private sector.
”I wish to announce that we will re-launch and revitalise the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), where the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Invest the Nigerian Customs Service, and
many other MDAs will work.
“They will work alongside the private sector, to effectively plan and implement more successful trade facilitation reforms that will continually increase our trade volume year on year,” Usoka-Anute said.
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, commended Customs for taking a bold step in changing the narrative of cargo clearance in Nigerian ports.
Jamoh said that NCS had proven that it was not too late to reduce cargo clearance in the ports with the implementation of the TRS.
He said that the TRS would enable clearing agents to understand the actual time required to release cargo at the ports.
Jamoh called for collaboration and commitment among stakeholders to remove the bottle necks affecting cargo clearance.
Another representative of WOC, Mr Stephen Muller, urged customs to report and publish the TRS operations within six months for evaluation. (NAN)
The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, has assured the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) of government’s collaboration in road construction and management to enhance the sector’s development in the country.
The minister gave the assurance on Wednesday when a delegation of the academy led by its President, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
The minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Yakubu Kofarmata, thanked the delegation for the visit and commendation.
Umahi said the performance of the ministry was prompted by President Bola Tinubu’s charge that good and quality roads be constructed across the country.
He expressed worry over the rate of malpractices by some engineers in the construction industry.
“One discovers that a road which is constructed in other parts of the world, which will last 30 or 40 years, is not so in Nigeria. In Nigeria, such lasts just for two or three years.
“Though the engineering methods are not different, the results are not the same.
“This is as a result of some malpractices carried out by the contractors in connivance with some unpatriotic individuals,” he said.
He expressed the government’s determination to work with the academy and other stakeholders to end all forms of sharp practices in the sector.
He pledged to continue to deliver on Tinubu’s mandate by ensuring that roads were constructed to specifications and safety.
“This will ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government is not only sustained. It will be seen to be working for Nigerians who deserve to reap the benefits of democracy.”
Umahi also assured the Nigerian Academy of Engineers that the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) would be restored to being funded by the government.
He harped on the need for real professionals to always be in charge of engineering supervision whether foreigners or Nigerians.
“It does not matter, we only want accredited COREN recognised practitioners to be in charge.”
He assured the academy of the ministry’s support in all areas of collaboration, especially in skill acquisition for young engineers.
Earlier, the President of the academy had commended the minister over his insistence of local content in road construction, including the use of COREN registered engineers for supervision of projects.
Onwualu also called on government to restore COREN to national budget.
“We believe that the function of regulation is different from that of professional bodies.
“We, therefore, urge the minister to work towards convincing the government to restore funding of COREN which is a regulatory body for engineering practice, not a professional body.
“Every regulatory body mandatorily must be funded by the government for it to deliver on its mandate.”
Onwualu went further to seek for the ministry’s partnership in capacity building, adding that NAE could develop programmes for Continuing Professional Development and training, to enhance the skills and knowledge of engineers.
“In execution of one of the flagship projects of the NAE namely the National Engineering Innovation Award.”
The don also called for partnership on policy to upgrade Civil Engineering laboratories in the Faculty of Engineering of various Universities and Polytechnics.
This, he said could be done by devoting one per cent of the particular project cost to equipping the engineering laboratory of universities, near the project site.
“Also, policy on capacity building to adopt innovative road and construction methods and materials, including use of bitumen, concrete, and implementation of existing road construction and maintenance manuals and standards.
NAN Reports that NAE was established in 1997 as a non-profit and non-governmental institution for the promotion of excellence in engineering training and practice. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Mr Ugochukwu Nnam, President, Initiative for Leadership Development and Change (ILDC), has urged Nigerians to be calm and patient with President Bola Tinubu’s long term policies on food security.
Nnam made the call on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja while reacting to the rising cost of food items in the country.
He said that Tinubu’s policies on food security were long term ones that would yield the desired results of food surplus in the near future.
“I call on Nigerians to be patient and calm over the alarming rate of food insecurity.
“I am optimistic of a better future when food would be surplus for all at affordable prices going by President Tinubu’s policies.’’
Nnam, who commended President Tinubu for deploying some savings from fuel subsidy removal into agricultural sector, blamed shortage of food on banditry.
According to him, many of the farms have been invaded by terrorists causing scarcity and high cost of food.
He, therefore, enjoined Nigerians not to lose hope in the capacity of the APC-led government to provide the needed environmental and food security.
Nnam called on Nigerian youths in particular to go into farming in order to boost food security.
The ILDC leader said that the CBN under Tinubu had initiated multi billion naira agricultural intervention programmes to improve food sufficiency by directing reaching the farmers.
He explained that youths’ engagement in farming would galvanise economic independence and employment where Nigeria would produce what they eat and eat what they produce. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Grammy award winning rapper Kanye West, says he may be coming to Lagos as part of his tourist schedule for 2024.
Kanye shared some screenshots on Wednesday via his social media platform which contained a spreadsheet listing all the countries he would be touring in 2024 and 2025.
The Grammy-winning artist shared a screenshot of a text conversation detailing the proposed tour routes, sparking speculation and anticipation among fans worldwide.
The screenshots depicted Lagos and Nairobi as having the venues Eko Energy City and Nyayo Stadium, respectively.
According to the outlined schedule, on his instagram, Kanye West’s tour is set to begin in Canada in June, with subsequent shows scheduled across the United States until August, culminating in Mexico.
The travel plan encompasses visits to several countries worldwide, including Spain, Egypt, the UK, the UAE, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, and notably Kenya.
Recall early 2023, Nicki Minaj also hinted at a potential concert in Lagos. (NAN)
Edited By Ekemini Ladejobi
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