The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, says it will be important for the future of the country that Nigerians do not let their differences divide them.
According to her, legally established process for resolving challenges to the election should be allowed to take its course
In an Op-ED titled: “The Elections of February 25”, Leonard said that the people of Nigeria demonstrated their dedication to democracy on Feb. 25.
However, that there were many angry and frustrated Nigerians just as there were many celebrating victories they believed were hard-fought and well-earned.
“In the coming days, it will be important for the future of this country that Nigerians not let their differences divide them.
“And that the legally established process for resolving challenges to the election be allowed to take its course.
“We commend Mr Obi and Mr Abubakar for their recent statements committing to take this path, and Mr Tinubu, who INEC declared the president-elect under Nigeria’s electoral framework, for acknowledging their right to do so.
“The United States is no stranger to election-related controversy and conflict.
“ As much as it can be unsatisfying to end an electoral process in a courtroom, in a constitutional democracy bound by the rule of law, that is where electoral conflicts may appropriately conclude. ‘’
She said it was clear that the electoral process as a whole on Feb. 25 failed to meet Nigerians’ expectations.
“As I said numerous times prior to the elections, Nigeria has accomplished much in just the two-plus decades since the return to democracy, and a gradual improvement in the quality of its elections in that time constitutes one of those accomplishments.
“We recognise that Nigerians want that positive trend to continue, including through the use of new technology intended to make the process of reporting results more transparent.
“We, thus, reiterate our call on INEC to address promptly the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections.
“And to undertake a broader review of the problems that transpired during the last elections and what can be done to fix them.
“In all cases, INEC should share with the Nigerian public information about the actions it is taking.’’
She highlighted some of the remarkable results from the past election that showed how Nigeria’s political landscape was indisputably changing.
“In more than half of the states – 20 – the winning candidate represented a different party than that of the incumbent governor.
“ Twelve of these states are led by APC governors. For the first time, four presidential candidates won at least one state, and the top three each won 12 states based on these initial results.
“ In the National Assembly elections, even with results still incomplete, we already know that changes are afoot.
“Seven sitting governors lost in their attempts to win election to the Assembly; the Labor Party has won at least seven seats in the Senate; the NNPP has won at least 11 seats in the House of Representatives.’’
She said that the Nigerian people had made clear their desire for responsive and inclusive governance, and that the U.S. strongly supported the ability to express that desire.
“The United States and Nigeria are the two largest presidential democracies in the world, and longtime partners.
“As Nigeria goes through these next weeks and months, we stand with you,’’ the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng.
The Police Command in Lagos State says five out of 23 persons arrested during the Presidential and Parliamentary elections would be arraigned for electoral offences.
The Command’s Spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
He said that investigation carried out on the arrested 23 persons revealed that only five of them have cases to answer in court for allegedly disrupting the electoral process on Feb. 25.
“Out of 23 persons arrested during Presidential and Parliamentary elections, five of them will be charge to court any moment from now for disrupting the electoral process.
“Their investigations have been concluded. The rest are just victims of circumstances,” he said.
NAN reports that the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Idowu Owohunwa, on Monday, assured residents of Lagos that those arrested and culpable for electoral crimes on Feb. 25 would be charged to court this week.
Owohunwa gave the assurance in a stakeholders’ meeting to review the security of the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Some of the stakeholders have demanded for the immediate prosecution of electoral offenders to serve as deterrent to others in coming elections.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
Female captains of industry have emphasised the need to end structures and systems that impede the impartial and fair representation of women across the public and private sector of the Nigerian economy.
They said this at the Bank of Industry (BoI) International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023 Conference with theme: “Embrace Equity” on Monday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IWD celebrated annually on March 8 is a day set aside to celebrate the achievements of women and address issues that hinder women development across the globe.
Mrs Mariam Katagum, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, noted that the 2023 IWD theme ’embrace equity’ presented a true representation that levelled the playing field for both sexes.
She noted that to build an equitable system, one must first understand and take into cognisance the challenges that women faced and provide tailored support for both personal and professional development.
“Equity is a means to achieving gender equality and we must remain committed to addressing systems and structures that stifle women growth.
“We must continue to speak out against gender inequality and violence, provide equitable access to finance, enhance entrepreneurial support.
“We must remove barriers to women’s participation in trade and commerce and push to close wage gaps between sexes,” she said.
Katagum assured that the Federal Government as part of its commitment to advancing the cause of women had taken steps to advance the welfare of women and promote equity.
She noted that a high level council on women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria was recently inaugurated to serve as an empowerment platform for public and private sector discourse and collaboration for women.
“At the same time, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the women economic empowerment policy dialogue and two Federal Government flagship programs which are the Adolescent Girls Initiative Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Nigerian Women Project supported by the world bank.
“I, therefore, encourage everyone to become involved in these initiatives and look for ways be a part of it as women have a right to employ, fair working conditions.
“We must continue to foster the right conditions and capacities for women everywhere to achieve their full economic potentials.
“At the policy levels, we must ensure that trade policy and public procurement works for women given the important role women play in the economy,” he said.
Chief Nike Akande, first female Minister of Industry, stated that BoI’s commitment to elevating women showed in the role they played in the bottom-up development process for women.
Akande announced her resolve to rededicate the rest of her life to motivating and inspiring the Nigerian girl child and women to become the best they could be in any sphere of life.
This, she explained, was part of her commitment to championing mentorship and the handholding that promising women needed to get to their full potentials.
She charged women and young girls to continue to add value to their lives to make them distinguished and at par to compete across any sector of the world.
“In order to excel beyond the gaps in this highly competitive world, we have to work twice as hard as men.
“While women are noted for their patience, tolerance, endurance and multitasking capabilities to enable them excel at work and at home, it is important that we mentor and handhold some of us.
“I, hereby, as a way to end the long view that women were their own enemies, assure you of our readiness to mentor and handhold promising young women as they navigate their way to the top.
“I also challenge us all to support more women into electable or other leadership positions and adopt women and mentor them to boost them into achieving their potentials,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Monday lost 0-1 to their Gambian counterparts in the semi-finals of the ongoing Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
The match which was played at the Cairo International Stadium saw the Nigerian side dominating the encounter with 62 per cent possession as against the Gambians’ 38 per cent.
But they failed to hit target, and have consequently paid for it by missing out on the final match for an attempt at a record eighth title win.
The Flying Eagles were too casual with play in the opening minutes of the game and were eventually punished for it after seven minutes.
That was when Adama Bojang capitalised on a loose ball from a misdirected header in Nigeria’s defence to score.
The Nigerian team did step up their play after going behind, dominating ball possession, creating all the dangerous plays, and putting the Young Scorpions on the back foot.
But the poor connection between the wingers and the strikers made it difficult for the team to equalise, even with Gambia playing with 10 men for few minutes before the end of the game.
Earlier, Senegal had thrashed Tunisia 3-0 to reach the final match of the competition in the other semi-final match at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.
The Teranga Cubs won the semi-final match emphatically after beating the Young Carthage to secure their place in the final.
Two goals from new FC Metz recruit Lamine Camara and a sumptuous strike by Pape Diop were enough to send Senegal to the final.
The three-time runners-up will now face The Gambia in the final on Saturday.
The final match is scheduled to take place at the Cairo International Stadium.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Stakeholders at the ongoing Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC2023) in Kigali , Rwanda, have stressed the need for adequate investment in public health as a key component in combating diseases in the continent.
According to them, the ultimate goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of the African people as envisaged in Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AHAIC 2023 is jointly convened by Amref Health Africa, Ministry of Health Rwanda, African Union and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
It brings together Africa’s top thought leaders, political figures, innovators, researchers, policy makers, health workers and community mobilisers for dialogue and action aimed at mainstreaming climate discourse into health policy conversations, and vice versa.
The gathering holding from March 5 to March 8 has as its theme: ‘Resilient Health Systems for Africa: Re-envisioning the Future Now.
Dr Ahmed Ouma, the acting Director, Africa CDC, said: “The experience we’ve had through the COVID-19 pandemic and recent outbreaks such as Mpox, Ebola, cholera etc., is a direct consequence of inadequate investment in public health.
Dr Ahmed Ouma, the acting Director, Africa CDC
“In the health workforce, in pandemic preparedness and response machinery, and in the actual health system itself.
“We are living through the consequences of a failure to adequately invest and prioritise public health needs in Africa.
“This is the very impetus for Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order guided by principles of local ownership, leadership, equity, innovation, and self-reliance.’’
He noted the need for every sector to be strengthened as failure posed strain on the health sector, which is the “ultimate’’ burden bearer.
“Every sector that fails, it becomes a health problem.
“Any interruption in a supply chain for both health and non-health products results in negative health consequences.
“Our health systems cannot be effective if we do not acknowledge and prepare for risks and pressures outside the health system itself.
“That is why we are currently responding to the growing cholera outbreak in multiple countries because other sectors are facing challenges that are now translating into health problems.
“We must work across sectors to reduce such hits on the health system.’’
According to him, it is also important to incorporate a One Health Approach in how we strategise for and manage our disease prevention and control efforts in the continent.
He said that as part of efforts to achieve these, the Africa CDC, was supporting Ministries of Health and National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) to build capacity, while simultaneously improving coordination for the prevention and control of priority zoonotic diseases across other integral parts of the health sector.
“ We are also supporting our countries to establish and operationalise Public Health Emergency Operations Centres (PHEOCs), as championed by his Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.
“ PHEOCs should be the central coordinating hubs for disease surveillance and response coordination across Africa,’’ Ouma said.
Minister of Health, Rwanda, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana
“It is high time that our African nations enhance their capacity for epidemiological surveillance system by adopting the “One Health” approach and other cross sector and cross border cooperation.
“Build research capacity at the human-animal-ecosystem interface; train and retain competent Human Resource for health to deal with NCDs, emerging and re-emerging diseases and other public health traits which include Antimicrobial resistance and climate change.’’
Dr Githinji Gitahi, the Global Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa, noted that at present, Africa and its people were at a critical crossroad tackling four frictions.
Dr Githinji Gitahi, the Global Chief Executive Officer of Amref Health Africa
“I call these the 4 Cs: COVID19 and public health threats, Climate Change, Conflict in Africa and elsewhere as well as Cost of living.
“While the burden of COVID-19 has lessened, recent outbreaks of other diseases such as Ebola, Marburg, and cholera demonstrate that our health security is always at risk.
“In the face of these complex and compounding crises, previous hard fought progress is at risk – the systems we have worked hard to build threaten to fall apart.
“But seeing you all here, full of energy and enthusiasm tells me we are not without hope!
“We are all here because you believe in the power of the African people to shape their own future. Not only that a better future for Africa, but a better future for everyone because we are all as vulnerable as our weakest link.
Gitahi, a former co-chair of the UHC2030, urged everyone to come together as ‘One Africa, One Economy for Health’ to forge collective commitment to the journey of building a shared vision.
“One that reimagines our health systems to meet the needs of communities under the current threats of Climate, COVID19, Conflict and Cost of living,’’ he said. (NAN)
Only those licensed or are directors of companies licensed by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are qualified to attend the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).
The Acting President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto, made this known at a news conference in Lagos on Monday.
He, however, said that corporate members of ANLCA were qualified to attend the AGM slated to hold on March 15 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.
“To comply with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) letter addressed to me on Feb. 10, the national secretariat of ANLCA kick-started the process of organising the AGM as contained in the ANLCA Supreme Constitution.
“This time around, the National Executive Committee (NECOM), in its magnanimity, reduced the processes due to the current economic situation in the country and in a bid to carry everybody along.
“For you to attend the 2023 AGM and any ANLCA AGM, you most have a licence or be a director of a company licensed by the NCS or a corporate member of ANLCA.
“A token of N10,000 being the 2023 annual due should be paid, while every other due and condition were waived. This was agreed to make sure nobody is left out,” he said.
According to Farinto, those desiring to attend the AGM must pass through the normal processes as contained in the ANLCA Constitution.
“I have done mine and I expect others to do theirs. For the records, the data base of ANLCA members is domiciled in the national secretary’s office, and anybody that wants to attend the AGM must clear his/herself in that office.
“I want to state that anybody that goes somewhere to collect licence without clearing from the national secretary’s office to authenticate the genuineness or otherwise of such a licence will not be accepted.
“ANLCA is a constituted association, and we all agreed to follow our constitution. That is sacrosanct,” he said.
Farinto said that the process of conducting the 2023 NECOM Election would be part of the decisions to be taken at the 2023 AGM.
According to him, the tenure of the current NECOM will expire on April 16.
“I want to tell you emphatically that this NECOM will not stay one extra day in office.
“As such, in accordance with ANLCA Supreme Constitution, within 90 days to the expiration of any NECOM tenure, election must be held to bring in new leaders, and the 90 days started counting from February.
“I implore members to dust their documents to contest in any positions of their choices,” he said.
On the crisis that hit the association past four years ago, Farinto said that all efforts to resolve it did not yield any result.
He noted that CRFFN had waded into the matter.
“I want to also state it clear here that even though some of us from ANLCA are members of the Governing Council of CRFFN, we were never part of the committee set up by the council to resolve ANLCA crisis, neither did we influence its report.
“The allegation of the council turning the report in our favour is baseless, mischievous and cheap propaganda to truncate the peace process,” he said.
He appealed to members of the association to eschew bitterness, envy and bickering, but work toward building a new ANLCA.
“ As our country Nigeria is moving towards a new dispensation, ANLCA should do same for the betterment of our profession and the industry,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Some PDP members in Karu Local Govt. Nasarawa State
By Angela Atabo/Collins Yakubu-Hammer
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, says its governorship candidate will empower women, youths and bring positive transformation to the state.
The PDP Deputy Chairman in Karu Local Government, Mr Mustapha Sani, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the party’s rally in New Nyanya, Karu on Sunday.
Sani appealed to all eligible voters to come out in large numbers and vote for the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Mr David Umbugadu, on March 11.
He said there were about 350,000 voters in the area, adding that the residents should come out and vote for PDP so that things would change for good.
“If you look at Nasarawa State since 1999, all the projects on ground that you can still see today are legacies of the PDP. APC government since 2011 or so did not add anything.
”The only thing it did is to change the colour of our legacies to another colour. This is what they have been doing for the past 12 years in the state.
“So, we have what it takes to bring positive change to the state. Though APC has been trying to destroy our legacies, but they cannot because the people are witnesses to our legacies,” Sani said.
He further said that the PDP was confident that the March 11 election would be in its favour.
”Check the records, if not for Labour Party Tsunami, PDP has been winning in Nasarawa State,” he added.
Mrs Faith Musa, the PDP Women Leader in Nasarawa West zone, said the party was hopeful of landslide victory in the March 11 election.
“I appeal to all women and youths not to give up, PDP has what it takes to win in the election and bring good development to Nasarawa State,” she said.
Musa added that Umbugadu, had empowerment in his blood and by the grace of God, he would perform more when elected governor of the state.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
=========
Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Ismail Abdulaziz
The Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Tony Elumelu, says adequate knowledge of Nigeria’s population will help accelerate economic growth and development.
Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of Heirs Holdings Group and Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) Plc, said this in Abuja on Monday, at a donor engagement on Nigeria’s 2023 Housing and Population Census.
According to him, the task of conducting the census is critical to our country’s future.
“If we do not know our population, we cannot properly plot our developmental path, our economic growth, our society’s goals.
“Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with an estimated population of over 200 million people. Population growth and development are inextricably related in Nigeria.
“The last time a census was conducted in Nigeria was 2006, when we recorded a population of 140 million people.
“Today, our population is estimated to be in excess of 200 million, it is projected that this figure will grow to 450 million by 2050, which could make Nigerian the third most populous country in the world,” he said.
Elumelu commended President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his laudable effort at organising the 2023 housing and population census.
According to him, credible demographic data is of profound importance for the public and private sector alike.
“We all know we live in a data driven world.
“As a private sector leader with investments in key sectors of the Nigerian economy, I understand first-hand, the value and importance of available, accessible and accurate data.
“Data helps in making informed decisions, driving development, and creating opportunities,” he said.
He said that the upcoming census was a significant milestone in Nigeria’s development, as it would provide an opportunity to collect accurate and reliable data on the country’s population and housing.
He urged the authorities to ensure that the census was credible, as the census figures would serve as a vital tool for policymakers, private sector actors, and civil society organisations.
“The census will affect how we allocate resources in Nigeria and so many other important decisions, so it is important that the process is credible and above board.
“Today, Nigerian population estimates and demographic profile are unclear and projections debatable.
“Census figures and population distribution have unfortunately become politicised.
“Population figures have ramifications for revenue allocation, office allotment, legislative power and even elections.
“The stakes are, therefore, high for various interest groups – we need to act for our nation as a whole and the next generations,” Elumelu said.
He said that Nigeria needed a credible and extensive population enumeration exercise, adding that the National Population Commission (NPC) should live above board.
“The challenge facing the NPC, therefore, is to conduct a census that meets the public’s acceptability criteria
“The most obvious are credible, transparent, verifiable, accessible universal coverage.
“In this regard, being counted must not be an onerous exercise for citizens. We need to reach all our people.
“A credible exercise and outcome should be a source of pride and a demonstration of our capacity and intent,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
The National Defence College (NDC) of Nigeria and United Arab Emirates (UAC), have pledged to work together towards enhancing the national power of the two countries.
The Head of Delegation, NDC UAE, Brig.-Gen. Mahdi Alahababi and Commandant, NDC Nigeria, Rear Adm. Murtala Bashir, made the pledge during a visit by the UAE delegation to Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
The Head of UAE delegation, Brig.-Gen. Alahababi, said the visit was important to the Arab country towards sharing their knowledge about the two NDCs’ strategic studies and about how Nigeria conducts its business to meet its mission.
He said that UAE believed that the armed forces was the instrument in measuring national power, adding that there was need for the two nations to work together in harmony.
He added that the UAE’s indices was unique, saying that majority of its participants were civilian who represent other sector of government and the private sector as well.
According to him, it is part of the state elements that we collaborate and integrate together as this will bring more prosperity and stability to the states.
Delegation of National Defence College (NDC), UAE Visits NDC Nigeria in Abuja on Monday (6/3/23)
Responding, the Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Bashir, said the college had the mandate to develop future strategic leaders within the military, security agencies and strategic Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Bashir said the college also had participants from allied countries, adding that the current course had 21 allied participants from 20 countries.
He said that the security environment was becoming more complex, volatile, uncertain and ambiguous, adding that no that could go all out alone in addressing the security challenges.
Bashir said that most of the threats facing Nigeria were trans-border in nature, which he said, had reinforced the determination and desire of NDC Nigeria to get international participants with a view to having a common understanding of those threats.
According to him, the participation of the other countries have come with diversified opinions and suggestions on how we can tackle the insecurity not only in Africa, but the world in general.
“We also want to use this opportunity to appreciate the UAE for the role of bringing in peace and stability in the Middle East and of course for the role you are playing in global commerce.
“The United Arab Emirates is a commercial hub for tourism and it has become a model for other countries to emulate.
“I just want to inform you that what we do here is to prepare future strategic leaders with the requisite knowledge and skills to harness all elements of national power, I mean security and defence environment.
“Because of that, we tried to emphasise on the whole of society approach to addressing our security challenge and we also continue to see how we can collaborate more with other countries so that we can get as many international participants as possible.
“So, we get to see national security and development from the same prison.
The commandant said the college has continued to develop and update its curriculum to meet the demand of current and emerging security challenges as we as holding joint planning exercises with services war colleges.
He called on the UAE delegation to consider further strengthening the relationship between the two countries as well between their militaries.
He said the collaboration could be in form of exchange programme and sharing of experience that would help them to sponsor participants from the two countries to attend the colleges an well exchange of directing staff.
The highlight of the visit was questions and answers for clarification on the activities of NDC Nigeria. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Chinese company, Huawei, says it has no plan to sue the Federal Government over the e-customs project.
A statement by the company’s Director of Public Relations, Mr Kelvin Yang, on Monday in Abuja, said the company remained committed to its long-term partnership with Nigeria.
“Our attention has been drawn to a news story with the headline “$176b Revenue at Risk as Huawei moves to sue FG in London over $304M e-customs project”.
“Huawei wishes to clarify that it has no intention of suing the Nigerian government over this matter,” Kelvin said.
He said rather the firm would continue exploring opportunities to support Nigeria’s technological development.
He also said Huawei remained committed to transparency and open communication with all its stakeholders and would continue to provide accurate and timely information to the public as appropriate.
According to him, Huawei is a technical partner in e-custom project.
He said that its role was to support the project with technical expertise to improve digitalisation of custom processes in Nigeria.
“It is essential to state that Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited is the technical partner in the e-custom project.
“As the technical partner, our role is to support the project with our technical expertise to improve the digitalisation of the customs process.
“As a global technology leader, Huawei has always been committed to partnering with governments, businesses, and communities around the world to drive innovation and foster sustainable growth,” he said.
He explained that Huawei believed technology could play a transformative role to improve people’s lives and help other countries achieve their development goals.
“The company is committed to working with the Nigerian government and other partners in the country to advance the digital transformation agenda and unlock new opportunities for economic growth and social development.
“We urge media outlets to exercise caution and verify their sources before publishing news related to Huawei or any other company.
“False or misleading news can have serious consequences, including damaging the reputation of companies and harming their relationships with partners and customers,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Isaac Aregbesola
X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
