By Ismaila Chafe

Nigeria has been chosen by the Heads of State and Government of the Sahel Region Climate Commission (SRCC) to host the Secretariat  of the Sahel Climate Fund.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman, confirmed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He added that communiqué was issued at the end of the second conference of Heads of State and Government of SRCC, held on the margins of 36^th AU Summit.

Shehu said that the SRCC also approved the appointment of Issifi Boureim of Niger Republic as the Executive Secretary of the Commission.

Boureim, until his appointment, was the Coordinator of the Transitory Operational Framework of the Commission.

His appointment is for a non-renewable period of three years, without the possibility of candidacy for future terms of office.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared Nigeria’s interest to host the headquarters of the Sahel Climate Fund and readiness to provide all necessary amenities.

The Sahel Climate Fund is the financial body of the Sahel Region Climate Commission (SRCC).

The body is one of the three climate Commissions for Africa created in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016 at the Summit of African Heads of State and Government.

The Morocco meeting was organised at the initiative of King of Morocco on the sidelines of the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Among other decisions by leaders of member countries during the mini-summit in Addis Ababa include the adoption of the methods of contributions from the States for the financing of the operations of the Executive Secretariat.

The decision taken also include the Sahel Climate Fund as well as for the participation in the 1^st recapitalization of the said Fund.

A panel of Heads of State comprising Buhari, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, President Alassane Quattara of Cote d’Ivoire and General Idriss Deby of Chad was established to support the work of the President of the Commission.

The communique also named eminent personalities as Ambassadors for advocacy and the mobilisation of resources for the financing of climate related programmes and actions in the region.

The Ambassadors are Issoufou Mahamadou, former President of the Republic of Niger and first president of the Commission, Amina Mohammed and the UN Deputy Secretary-General.

Others include,Tidjane Thiam, Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki,  MO Ibrahim, Aliko Dangote, Ibrahima Thiaw, Paul Kammogne Fokam and Mossadeck Bally.

NAN reports that the Sahel geo-climatic region comprises 17 countries stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, including Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Cameroon.

Others are Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sudan and Chad.  (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Aisha Gambo

Kaduna residents have turned to petrol filling stations for salvation in their desperate search for cash to satisfy their pressing needs, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

This development is sequel to scarcity of cash in Automated Teller Machines (ATM) of most banks in the metropolis, just as PoS operators have closed shop for same reason.

NAN checks indicated that people in search of cash troop to petrol stations dispensing fuel, hunting for those that are buying petrol with cash, instead of electronic transfer.

An agreement is then reached with those in need of cash, who would settle the fuel price from their account through electronic transfer, and then receive the cash from the fuel buyer in return.

People interviewed in one of the filling stations said the arrangement came as a relief to a lot of people who had been under severe hardship.

“I got wind of this arrangement today and went to a petrol station dispensing fuel, talked to a commercial bus driver, and he accepted to help me.

“We agreed that I should pay N7,000, through the station’s PoS, being the cost of his fuel, which I did.

“When it was his turn to be dispensed of the fuel, I presented the N7,000 slip, and collected the cash from him in return; it was a big relief to me as I had no cash on me.

“ The major challenge is that it is not everything that can be purchased through electronic transfer of money; there are some needs that can only be satisfied using (liquid) cash,” said Adamu Saleh, a resident.

He said commercial vehicle operators had been very useful in that regard, just as he praised them for not capitalising on the situation to requesting for something in return.

Another resident, Mrs Aisha Fika, said she had to accost three different people at a petrol station before she secured liquid cash.

“ I accosted two people who told me they had already been ‘booked’ by others, but a third person obliged,” she said.

Fika said all efforts to secure cash through ATM or PoS proved abortive, until she got wind of the petrol station arrangement.

Another resident, Aminu Lawan, said the challenges with this arrangement, are the uncertainty of network service, and the time spent waiting for the turn of your helper to be dispensed fuel.

“Sometimes, the network can disappoint, or the person to help you is far behind in the petrol queue; except you are patients you may end up getting frustrated”, he said.

Others who spoke to NAN said the arrangement was a big relief, and had helped in reducing the frustration of many, occasioned by the current cash squeeze in the system.

Meanwhile, some hospitals in Kaduna patronised by ordinary people, are experiencing dearth of patients.

Some staff of the hospitals, who were interviewed by NAN, attributed the low turn out to the unavailability of new Naira Notes.

One of the staff at the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, said some patients did not even have cash to settle their transportation fare to the hospital.

A patient, Mrs Munirat Umar, met in one of the hospitals, said in spite of her coming late, she was able to see a doctor due to low turnout of patients, saying she met empty seats at the waiting hall.

She said that lack of cash, as well as poor network that hindered seamless electronic transfer of money, had played a measure role in reducing the number of patients in the hospital.

Another patient, Muhammad Adam, who brought his sister to the hospital, said they were able to see a doctor, but could not pay for medications due to lack of new Naira Notes.

“We have old Naira notes and they have refused to collect the money insisting we pay with the new currency or use the Point of Sale (PoS),’’ he said.

NAN also observed that tricycle operators in Kaduna metropolis now display boldly on their tricycle, their account details for customers to settle their fair electronically.

Passengers were also being warned in advance that old N500 and N1,000 notes were no longer legal tenders, and would therefore, not be accepted. (NAN)

Edited by Fatima Sule/Abdullahi Salihu

The president had earlier hosted the Director-General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Aliyu; the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee; and Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, on Monday in Abuja.

The transition committee is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

The president was in Imo to inaugurate projects and present the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu to the electorates in the state.

He thanked indigenes of Imo for continuous support for his administration, government of the state and All Progressives Congress (APC), asking for more support to consolidate on the gains.

By Busayo Onijala

 Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Founder, School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) ,says focus on policies that encourage gender equality and inclusion help in building progressive and resilient societies.

Ezekwesili, also a former Vice-President of the World Bank, Africa Region, said this  in a keynote address at the 2023 edition of the International Women’s Day Award Gala, on Saturday night, in Lagos.

The gala was convened by the diplomatic missions and delegations of Australia, Congo, the European Union, France, Germany, the UK,  U.S., UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria.

Ezekwesili said that for many decades, the issue of women in participation, representation and leadership did not gain political or policy salience until women raised their voices.

She said that nobody around the world in leadership would deny hearing women saying that gender inclusion is important for national development.

According to her, gender inclusion has gained currency as an issue that is salient for the development of society.

“But gaining political and policy salience is one thing while being able to persuade people who have heard you put an agenda on the table as being a priority issue to act on is another.

“One of the things we do know is that for you to get action, in a world where there are so many competing priorities, you have to produce evidence.”

She said that policy evidence was necessary to foster the conversation on gender parity, and gender equality, stressing that ensuring gender inclusion “does in fact, advance the cause of society.”

Ezekwesili further said that the matter of getting women to participate in development and exercise leadership within society was not for comedy.

“There’s nothing comical about using the power of women and optimising all the potentials of society in terms of its human population.

“The idea that women can participate fully in society is an idea that requires behavior modification,” she said.

According to her, gender equality and inclusion is not a free gift to women but about the society caring for its own advancement.

She noted that the diplomatic arena was always one of those that women found difficult to penetrate and lauded the power of collaboration projected by the diplomatic missions that jointly organised the IWD awards.

“It is the power of collaboration that will advance us from evidence to action.”

She added that by celebrating women, one of the evidences that would move to action was the idea of role modelling.

This, she said, is a point of advancement of the cause of women in our society.

Ezekwesili said that societies that identified the key barriers to women, representation, women participation and women leadership did better, adding that growth was about removing the barriers that stood in the way of improvement.

“In removing these barriers, which can be social ,cultural, economical, financial or  systemic, one thing stands out. It is that women must gain political currency.

“If women don’t gain political currency, they cannot inform the debate on all the other issues,” she said. (NAN)

OMB/SOA 

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Kogi A-G’s wife, Hajiya Zainab Jibrin, distributing food items, Rappers and Cash gifts to indigent women in 4 communities in Kogi LGA on Sunday.

By Thompson Yamput

The Wife of Kogi Accountant General (AG), Hajiya Zainab Jibrin, on Sunday distributed food items, rappers and cash gifts worth millions of Naira to indigent women in Koton Large near Lokoja, Kogi.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distributions were carried out at the Palaces of the traditional rulers of the four communities in Kogi Local Government Area of the state.

The benefiting communities, some of which were affected by the 2022 flood in Kogi, included Koton-Karfi, Gegu Beki, Uhana and Edaha.

During the occasion, Hajiya Zainab said “this gesture is my own way of showing love and support to vulnerable and indigent women within these four communities”.

“I am aware of what some of these women are passing through right now, coupled with the Naira redesign.

“This has always been my desire to reach out to the needy and support my fellow women with the little I have and as part of the dividend of democracy.

“I am appreciative of the kind hearted and generous husband God has blessed me with, because he has always been supportive and a pillar to my vision and charity work, ” she said.

She expressed the hope that the little she gave out would go along way to cushion the effect of the present economic hardship being experienced in the areas.

Responding, Alhaji Abdulrazak Isah-Koto, the Ohimeje of Igu kingdom; Alhaji Muhammad Alhassan-Abba, Chief of Gegu Beki and Alhaji Isa Ohikwo-Aliyu, Chief of Uhana communities thanked the AG’s wife for what they described as the kind gesture.

Isah-Koto told the charity team that Hajia Zainab’s show of love to her fellow women at such a critical time like this was commendable.

The royal fathers, however, admonished well-to-do Nigerians to emulate the character and gesture of Hajia Zainab and put smiles on the faces of poor people in the villages.

“Hajiya Zainab, you’re indeed a true daughter that every community could be proud of, ” the royal father said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mallama Rakiyat Usman, a mother of five, thanked Hajia Zainab for remembering poor women for such a good gesture at a time like this.

“I can tell you now, my joy is unmeasurable over this gesture, which is very timely, especially with the challenges being faced by the Naira notes redesign.

“The food items, cash gift and rapper I got here today, will indeed go a long way to help my family just as families of other beneficiaries, ” she said.

NAN reports that at each point of distribution of the items, the benefitting women who were full of joy, sang praises and danced around in appreciation. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Idris Abdulrahman

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Mr Festus Keyamo, spokesperson for All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Campaign (PCC) has recommended a structural change and more funding for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to enhance its operations.

He said this on Sunday in Abuja at the agency’s news forum, adding that more funding was necessary to enable it perform more effectively.

Keyamo, also the Minister for State, Ministry of Labour and Employment said that in spite of obvious handicaps, including lack of funding that affected all government agencies, NAN had leaved up to its billing.

He said the agency had been able to project Nigeria positively more than any other news platform, adding that it was in the same class with the BBC and VOA that were synonymous with some countries.

“The world sees Nigeria through the eyes of NAN and the agency has far more reach than we can imagine.

“That also, I think, is the mistake some of us in government make, they don’t know the reach of NAN.

“So for me, maybe we need some structural changes to improve the bureaucracy, or even remove it entirely from bureaucracy to make it more funtional and more effective.

“Imagine if we can give NAN more funding, more autonomy to perform more than it is doing now,” Keyamo said.

He thanked and praised those who had managed the agencies affairs over the years, saying that government was proud of them.

He added that NAN should be insulated from bureaucratic bottlenecks of core ministry and the strict bureaucratic civil service.

“NAN needs to be more independent and most have a direct funding, even if it was not first line charge.

“But it should have its own independent and direct funding, not under the envelope of the general ministry, that is what I think should happen,” Keyamo said.

NAN was established on May 10, 1976, with the primary function of gathering, processing and distributing news about Nigeria to local and foreign news media.

The agency’s mandate was to present a complete, objective and impartial information, news or news material or features on any matter of public or national interest within and outside the federation.

Its vision is to remain as the most authoritative and credible news source on Nigeria, always first with the the most accurate news. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

Many bank customers over the weekend expressed frustration as banks in Abuja remained under lock and key while their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) were not dispensing cash.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) observed that the premises of most banks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had customers hanging around hoping to get some cash.

Some of the customers relied on an unsigned statement, purportedly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), authorising Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to open shop during the weekend to attend to cash needs of their customers.

The apex bank, however, denied giving such order.

A customer at a bank in Central Area, Sanni Abbas, decried the scarcity of cash and the insensitivity of the DMBs.

“The banks are so insensitive. What stops them from opening shop today, and loading their ATMs with cash.

“We do not even know who to blame between the CBN and the DMBs.

“If the apex bank has supplied cash to any bank and they are refusing to supply their customers, such a bank should be sanctioned,” he said.

According to Muhammed Sule, another bank customer, the CBN will need to make example of one bank to serve as deterrent.

“At a time like this, the banks should understand that it is their social responsibility to ensure that Nigerians do not suffer unnecessarily.

“If the CBN is actually supplying the banks with the newly redesigned Naira and the old N200 notes, the situation should have ameliorated by now.

“If the banks are failing in their responsibility to dispense available cash, the apex bank should step in by withdrawing the licences of such erring banks,” he said.

NAN reports that the CBN’s Naira redesign policy and phasing out of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes had been met with resistance across the country due to scarcity of the new Naira notes.

President Muhammadu Buhari, however, stepped in on Thursday when he authorised the CBN to continue to accept the old N200 banknote as legal tender for additional 60 days, till April 10.

Buhari, who said this through a national broadcast, however, said that the old N500 and N1, 000 notes had been phased out and would no longer be accepted as legal tender.

He said that the additional 60-day concession was as a result of difficulty faced by Nigerians in accessing the redesigned Naira notes.

According to the president, the new monetary policy was not meant to punish Nigerians.

He said that it was designed to mop up huge currencies outside of the banking system into the system to deepen financial inclusion and also protect the Naira.

The president said that there was the need to restore the statutory role of the CBN to have control over monies in circulation.

“In 2015, currency in circulation was only N1.4 trillion. The proportion of currency outside the banks grew from 78 per cent in 2015 to 85 per cent in 2022.

“As of Oct., 2022, currency in circulation had risen to N3.23 trillion, out of which only N500 billion was within the banking system, while N2.7 trillion remained permanently outside the system,” he said.

According to him, since the policy was introduced, N2.1 trillion of the currency outside of the banking system has been returned to the system.

Buhari directed the CBN to intensify collaboration with anti-corruption agencies to check activities of individuals and groups bent on frustrating the smooth implementation of the currency redesign policy.

He called on the apex bank to ensure that any institution or person found to be sabotaging the implementation was made to face the law.

“I am not unaware of the obstacles placed on the path of innocent Nigerians by unscrupulous officials in the banking industry, entrusted with the process of implementation of the new monetary policy.

“I am deeply pained and sincerely sympathise with you all over these unintended outcomes.

“To stem this tide, I have directed the CBN to deploy all legitimate resources and legal means to ensure that our citizens are adequately educated on the policy.

“I have similarly directed that the CBN should intensify collaboration with anti-corruption agencies.

“Any institution or person found to have impeded or sabotaged the implementation should be made to bear the full weight of the law,” the president said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==============
Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija, has said that 400 Nigerian passports remained uncollected at the Consulate, urging the applicants to come forward and claim them.

Egopija disclosed this at the virtual 8th Town Hall Meeting with the Nigerian Community in New York Jurisdiction.

“Right now, we have so many uncollected passports as at the last count, we have 400 uncollected passports that were produced within the last two years,” he said.

“We have posted the names of the original owners of the documents on our website and also on our community platform, the WhatsApp group,” he added.

“We have also asked Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), New Jersey Chapter, and other relevant groups, to bring it to the notice of their members,” he said.

“Please, while you get this, circulate and bring to the notice of your members, let them send self-addressed envelopes to us and we would post these documents to them,” he said.

According to him, some passports were earlier posted to the addresses provided but they were returned to the Consulate.

He urged those that would like to renew their passports to do so before they expire, saying, “if you begin on time, you’ll certainly get your passports renewed before the expiration date or your intended travel date”.

The envoy explained that the call for early renewal of passports was because the Consulate does not have printing machines to produce passports in New York.

“We have been exploring a kind of model where we go to Washington DC once in a month to produce the passports, pending the time when the machine will be installed in New York,” he said.

According to him, there are three categories of the new Enhanced e-passport, listing them as the 32-page passport validity, five years, 64-page and 10 years 64-page passport.

He advised applicants to indicate the passport category in their forms, noting that all the categories of passport will require National Identification Number (NIN).”

Egopija said that the nationals could look up the updated information of NIN centres on its website.

The Consul General said the updated information on NIN had been sent to the WhatsApp platform for the community leaders to pass the information to their members.

He assured that any applicant that meets the requirement would get his or her passport between six and eight weeks, noting that passport timeline for collection is usually in two or three months.

In addition, he assured that the Consulate would continue to be responsive to the yearning of its nationals, adding that the mission has started to recalibrate or change its telephone system.

“We have started to recalibrate or change our phone system whereby we will hear less of complaint that we have called and have not received or our calls have not been picked,” he said.

“We are returning to the old system where all the phone lines will go to the operator who will receive the calls and now send it to the relevant officers,” he said.

He urged the association and group leaders to inform the Consulate about their activities for the year so that the Consulate can participate and factor them in its programmes.

He said that the Mission would be relating with its nationals more this year by visiting them and attending their events, saying, we are open to attending your events if you inform us in time.

“You should let us know when you intend to host or have your National Days and the Flag Raising ceremony, we will come and support you,” he assured. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=================
Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Vincent Obi

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Dr Emem Omokaro, Director General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), has advised civil servant not to steal in service for the fear of unknown when they become senior citizens after retirement.

Omokaro, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York, also advised them not to falsify their age for fear of becoming older citizens.

The NSCC said with the provision that the Federal Government had made to care for the older citizens, no civil servant should steal to amass wealth.

“You don’t need to steal. When you know that insurance is there. When you know that you can access health care, when you know that you can continue to engage after retirement.

“When you know that what is your due, your gratuity will be paid so it’s a multi sectoral and it takes political commitment and determination.

“The beauty of it is that we (NSCC) are backed by law and we are committed to reverse the material, psychological and economic derivations that all the old people face.

“But as a matter of fact, the truth is that yes, you may have the money, but you may be in a situation that you need the cash and you are lonely and that money can’t buy you the comfort you need.’’

She said the civil servants amass wealth when in service because of the unfriendly environment and because of the multi-dimensional poverty of older people, and because of the administration of pensions.

She said there was a time in Nigeria where the toil of senior citizens wasn’t commensurate with the compensation they got when they retire.

The director general also said there was no value, respect, and dignity in retirement that became like a norm and brought a culture of fear of old age.

“So, that is why we have that mandate and NSCC by legislation to start the campaigns and put things in place that people will see concretely, to know that you can grow old in Nigeria and be dignified.

“There is no excuse for corruption or stealing money. Do you understand? Because the money that you have compromised can affect your future. What should have been used to develop infrastructure.

“What should have been used to put institutions in place that will help you in your future. So, no matter how you amass the money, you cannot help yourself at a certain age.

“So, it’s better that we become forthright and then, we all get determined to ensure that we build a future that we want to grow old in,’’ she said.

Speaking on the achievements of the NSCC, she said that the Centre had addressed paucity of data by partnering with relevant agencies such as National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)

“What we did was as soon as we were inaugurated, we identified the agencies with statutory mandate and that we could get data from; so our first call was NBS.’’

According to her, NSCC is discussing with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) for support to conduct a National Multi-Indicator Survey on ageing.

Omokaro said that the survey would provide all the indicators needed and the Centre could then build a baseline from there.

On funding, she said that the NSCC had been receiving funding allocation from Federal Government.

“The government never funded ageing so people needed to understand ageing as development issue, but they still continue to see it as a poverty issue.

“But we are breaking grounds, getting partnership, technical support because my philosophy is that when they now see it, they will support, for instance when we launched Strategic Roadmap on Ageing.

“They saw different dimension and holistic approach and their agencies compelled to be part of it. It leads to understanding, they see us developing programmes,’’ the director general said.

On challenges, Omokaro said dynamics of partnership had been a big challenge to the progress of the Centre, noting that what you want is the statutory mandate of a ministry and you cannot run ahead of them.

“For instance, health, we want to develop care competency certification, we cannot do it without regulatory agencies. we have to bring all of regulatory agencies on table to understand it.

“Our greatest challenge is the pace in which our partners move, they have other initiatives they focus on statutory, it’s not only older people that they focus on, they focus on entire population.

“The pace is a challenge because they too are occupied with so many things and it’s the dynamic of partnership that determines your pace and range you want to go.

“Another challenge is ageism, that negative perspective that you need to campaign to change them when you go the ministries, they have been doing things for so many years without including older people,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz