By Philip Yatai

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) says it has commenced the demarcation of interstate boundaries that have been resolved and defined in the last two years.

The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this on Sunday in Abuja, while assessing the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office.

Adaji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the progress was made possible following the support of the Tinubu-led administration in the last two years.

“We have commenced the demarcation of some boundaries.

“This is because, if the boundaries are not properly demarcated for it to be recognised easily on the ground, you can’t say you have resolved the boundary dispute.

“So, we have commenced the process of demarcating some of the boundaries that have been resolved.

“We have demarcated Katsina-Jigawa boundary; we have commenced the demarcation of Ebuen boundary between Edo and Enugu States and made some demarcation exercises on a few other boundaries.

“We have also demarcated the boundaries of FCT and its neighbours substantially,” he said.

Adaji added that the commission had also improved in the resolution of some aspects of some internal boundaries that require intervention.

He assured that the commission would continue with the demarcation exercises.

Adaji said, before now, more emphasis was on the resolution of contested boundaries with little efforts on demarcation.

He added that the non demarcation of some resolved boundaries have led to some instances of encroachment.

“For the problems to be curtailed, they need to be demarcated, and we have strategised in such a way that we demarcate these boundaries as we make progress.

“We don’t wait until the entire boundary is defined before we demarcate. Once any sector is resolved, we try to commence the demarcation,” he said.

He identified lack of political will on the part of some of the neighbouring local government, states and neighbouring countries as one of the serious challenges affecting boundary demarcation efforts.

The NBC boss, however, said that the commission had been empowered by President Tinubu administration to make a better impact in resolving and demarcating some of the disputed boundaries. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Philip Yatai

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) says it is delineating Nigeria’s maritime boundaries with its neighbours to maximise the country’s growing blue economy.

The NBC Director-General, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this on Sunday in Abuja, while assessing the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office.

Adaji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the commission had made progress in delineating Nigeria’s maritime boundaries with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Benin Republic and Ghana.

“For Ghana, there has been some stalemate in terms of our efforts to define the boundary, but we’ve gotten them back on track and we are making progress.

“We have plans to meet to continue the progress this year to make sure that we define the boundaries.

“For the maritime boundary between us and Equatorial Guinea, we’re also managing it properly.

“We also have plans, this year, to continue with the discussions towards defining the remaining aspect – the remaining length of the boundary that is still outstanding, about three nautical miles,” he said.

Adaji said that the effort was to make sure that Nigeria’s maritime territories were well defined, secured and protected.

He added that in line with promotion of the blue economy, the resources in the affected maritime boundaries would be defined for proper management.

Speaking on Nigeria’s extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles by the UN, the D-G said that the government would soon roll out plans to harness its resources.

He also disclosed the possibility of Nigeria getting additional extension of the continental shelf.

“After getting more, the government will now commence processes of trying to see how they can maximize all the benefits.

“This is because that area is an area where we have resources that can benefit the country. For example, we have minerals like hydrocarbons and metallic modules that can be of benefit to the country.

“There are other resources, which by the time we start exploration, they will be of great benefit to the country,” he said.

Speaking on securing the maritime boundaries, Adaji said that a committee had been set up under the Ministry of Defence along with Nigeria’s neighbours to provide adequate security for the maritime sector.

Stressing the need for the combined efforts, the D-G said “we are working closely with our neighbours to make sure that we jointly patrol the area and ensure maximum security for the maritime sector. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Folasade Akpan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says achieving peace in society goes beyond carrying rifles and guns, insisting that justice and equity must prevail.

Jonathan made this known in Abuja, where he was the guest of honour at the President’s Night organised by the Rotary Club of Asokoro.

Represented by former Chief of Defence Staff, Retired Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petirin, the former president emphasised that peace was not merely the absence of war, but the presence of fairness.

“You see, he (Jonathan) has this sense of justice, that we must be just. We should not exclude anybody.

“He understood that achieving peace is not just about carrying rifles and guns. In fact, he believed that this accounts for just about 30 per cent of what is needed.

“The remaining 70 per cent involves hard work, people talking, negotiating, agreeing, disagreeing, coming back again to discuss and then finally agreeing,” he said.

According to him, this approach was instrumental in restoring peace to Plateau State during Jonathan’s administration.

He also commended the Rotary Club for its impactful service to humanity.

In his remarks, the 24th President of the Rotary Club of Asokoro, Mr Babatunde Adetoba, said the event was to showcase the club’s contributions to the community.

“Rotary Club is an international organisation that has been established for over 100 years. We focus on seven key areas, including education, water, sanitation, and maternal health,” he said.

Adetoba revealed that the club recently assisted indigent patients with free cataract surgeries and donated five million Naira to a hospital.

“We reached out to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, donated drugs and medications, conducted free eye screenings, and gave out free glasses.

“Rotary is big on polio eradication. Globally, we have spent over 2.6 billion dollars on the cause, and we continue awareness efforts to ensure Nigeria remains polio-free,” he added.

He described charitable donations as a noble act that did not necessarily require much.

“A small amount can put a smile on someone’s face or change their life forever,” he said.

Adetoba also noted that the club had sustainability measures in place to ensure the long-term impact of its projects.

Speaking on the essence of the President’s Night, he said it was an opportunity for the president to honour friends, associates, and supporters who have contributed to the club’s achievements over the year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Stella Okotete, Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), and Hajiya Halima Buba, Managing Director of SunTrust Bank, were also honoured at the event for their outstanding contributions to society. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Angela Atabo

Stakeholders in the engineering sector have identified the lack of effective engineering administration as a major contributor to the incidences of building collapse in the country.

They made this known at the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers (NICE) 5th Engr. Umar Jibrin Distinguished Annual Public Lecture on Saturday in Abuja.

The lecture had as its theme: “Effective Engineering Administration as a Panacea for Building and Infrastructure Collapse”.

It was organised by NICE in honour of Jibrin who dedicated decades of engineering skills to national development.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Okorie Uche, Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), said building collapse was a national concern.

He attributed it to the absence of qualified supervision, use of substandard materials, lack of enforcement of regulations, inadequate or expired structural designs, corruption in planning approvals and poor maintenance culture.

“From residential building to bridge, roads, grid failure and public infrastructure failure, Nigeria has witnessed numerous catastrophic failures; these incidents are not merely accident but symptoms of systematic problems demanding urgent attention.

“From statistics, 80 per cent of infrastructure failures were from private developers, that is where the problem is, thus the need to bring them on board,’’ he said.

According to Uche, engineering administration is the backbone of any successful infrastructure project as it encompasses planning, research allocation, project management, policy implementation and adherence to regulatory standard.

He said that when executed properly, it ensured that engineering project met global standards of quality, durability, and safety.

“Every collapse is a failure of administration, a betrayer of trust, and an erosion of hope. We must rise to change this narrative. We must insist on professionalism over patronage.

“We must prioritise long-term safety over short-term profits. We must empower engineers not to just build, but to lead.

“Let us remember no nation rises above the integrity of its infrastructure and no infrastructure stands tall without the scaffolding of sound engineering administration,” he said.

Uche explained that underfunding COREN, saddled with the monitoring and regulations of engineering in Nigeria, was undermining that process and called for a reversal of that situation.

The guest speaker, Mustafa Shehu, who is also the President, World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), urged Africa not to be left out in global engineering best practices.

The National Chairman of NICE, Tokunbo Ajanaku, said the annual lecture was not just a tradition but a vital platform for reflection and to engage meaningfully on matters that concern engineering and the society.

Ajanaku said: “As a nation, we are daily confronted with the disturbing reality of building and infrastructure failures, which not only result in economic loss but tragically the loss of lives.

“It is no longer sufficient to point fingers at design flaws or construction practices alone.

“We must critically examine the frameworks of engineering administration like our regulatory systems, project supervision, enforcement of standards and the leadership within our engineering institutions and agencies.

“Effective administration is the backbone of sustainable engineering outcomes and this lecture will provide a necessary lens through which we can evaluate our collective responsibilities and propose lasting solutions,” Ajanaku said.

Mr Umar Jibrin, in whose honour the lecture was organised, commended NICE for sustaining the annual lecture.

Jibrin said:” I feel highly honoured and elated.  I am very impressed by the way the lecture has been going on. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Augusta Uchediunor/Uche Anunne

By Isaiah Eka

Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), says opportunities abound for wealth creation in the space sector to aid youth employment.

Adepoju said this on Friday while speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of the 2025 National Space Research and Development Agency top management retreat in Uyo.

He said the agency had concluded plans to train 200,000 youths with skills acquisition to catch up with opportunities in the space sector.

The DG said to achieve this, NASRDA would build skills acquisition centres across the six geopolitical zones of the country, where the youths could be trained in different skills.

“We are introducing some skills acquisition for youth employment because we have observed that they need skills; wherever you have problems, that is potential money, that is potential jobs, that is opportunities.

“But when you don’t have the skills to tackle the problems and turn the situation to wealth creation, that’s why we brought up skills acquisition hub which is taking off soon.

“The first one out of the six of the regional centres will be completed and be commissioned this year, where we can train up to 200,000 youths every year in every region.

“So, we believe all these things are going to contribute to the economy of the country and solve the problems of youth unemployment,” Adepoju said.

Adepoju added that NASRDA would also, within the next one year, launch two new satellites into space to replace the old one launched since 2011.

He said that the country had secured a seat in the blue region to ensure the launch becomes a reality as process of selection was ongoing of the Nigerian that would benefit from the initiative.

According to him, the initiative would be in collaboration with Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) in USA.

“In the next six months to one year, definitely NASRDA will launch at least two out of the four satellites into the orbit.

“Then the programme of the first Nigeria, first African to be in space would have been a reality too, because we have already secured the seat in the blue origin.

“So, we are in the process of selection of the Nigerian that will be the beneficiary of this initiative. It is a collaboration between NASRDA and SERA in USA,” he said.

The director general further said that President Bola Tinubu had approved the take off grant for the space regulations and spectrum management in Nigeria.

He said that lack of space regulations had been the reason many of the telecommunications companies operating in the country were rendering poor services to Nigerians.

“Many of the services rendered to us in Nigeria are substandard.

“Let’s look at direct to home television, even telephone, you are in the middle of telephone everything is dropping, is because of the transponder they are using.

“I was really disappointed in the room while I was listening to the President’s acceptance speech and because it was cloudy and about to rain, everything went off the screen.

“It is because nobody is regulating the space sector which is the function of NASRDA both the upstream, midstream and downstream,” he said.

Adepoju noted the space sector was now the biggest economy in the whole world, adding that private sector should get involved to grow the economy, create jobs and tackle insecurity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat’s theme is: “NASRDA Beyond the Horizon: Building a Resilient Workforce for Space Economy and National Security.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo