implementation - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Philip Daniel Yatai
Apr, Fri, 2025

Implementing SAPZs ‘ll create jobs, slash imports, boost naira — Adesina

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By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the African Development Bank’s President, says implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in Nigeria will reduce food imports, strengthen the Naira, and generate millions of jobs.

Adesina stated this on Thursday in Calabar, Cross River, at the groundbreaking of the SAPZ project on Thursday in Calabar.

He described it as a transformative initiative that would unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The AfDB president said for Nigeria to thrive, its rural areas must be awakened.

He said the country should not be importing food with its abundant arable land, cheap labour, and vast agro-ecological zones.

Nigeria should be completely self-sufficient in food and a significant exporter of food and agricultural commodities.

“By taking advantage of the special agro-industrial processing zones, Nigeria will now have the infrastructure and industrial platform to transform all its food and agricultural commodities.

“What a day we are celebrating today. The special agro-industrial processing zones will reduce food imports, conserve foreign exchange, expand production and processing of food and agricultural commodities.

“It will strengthen the Naira and attract significant private investment in agricultural value chains.

“The SAPCs will also revive and transform rural economies and create millions of jobs,” he said

Adesina commended the Federal Government for its commitment and strong political will under President Bola Tinubu, which he said had been pivotal to the rollout of the zones across multiple states.

He also lauded Vice President Kashim Shettima, for his consistent presence and unwavering support of the project.

“You have been the promoter, the facilitator, and the enabler of this vision. Your commitment speaks volumes,” he said.

The AfDB president reiterated that a financing package of $510 million had been secured for the first phase of the SAPZ programme in eight states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said plans were underway to expand to 28 states in the second phase, backed by $2.2 billion from development partners.

Cross River State Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to harnessing the state’s vast agricultural potential to drive economic diversification and job creation.

“Our plan is to move from a non-renewable resource base to a sustainable agricultural economy that brings prosperity to every part of Cross River State,” Otu said.

He said the state would leverage its comparative advantage in the production of cocoa, palm oil, rice, and banana.

He said the state would also take advantage of its infrastructure, including the proposed Bakassi Deep Sea Port, Obudu Cargo Airport, and Calabar-Budu rail line, to support agro-industrialisation.

Vice President Shettima, in his remarks, reaffirmed the administration’s resolve to implement policies that would ensure food security, economic growth, and inclusive development.

Other dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, other government officials, senior officials from the AfDB and development partners and stakeholders.

The SAPZ programme is spearheaded by the AfDB in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the government. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Philip Daniel Yatai
Feb, Sat, 2025

Environment

Senate committee seeks sustainable policies to tackle climate change

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By Naomi Sharang

The Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has urged the implementation of proactive and sustainable policies to address climate change in West Africa.

Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, made the call when members of C7 West Africa Project Consortium paid him a visit in Abuja on Friday.

Ekpenyong noted that one of the most pressing challenges that must be addressed was the growing threat of climate change.

“To tackle it effectively, we need a comprehensive understanding of its impact on the Niger Delta.

“This will enable us to craft and implement policies that are not just reactive but proactive and sustainable”.

He lamented that decades of oil exploration had caused severe environmental damages to the region, with rising sea levels, flooding, and erratic weather patterns displacing communities and threatening livelihoods.

According to him, these challenges also contribute to the spread of diseases, further straining an already overstretched public health system.

“Moreover, the connection between environmental degradation and social unrest is undeniable.

“To achieve lasting peace, we must first address these root causes.

“However, our response must be guided by reliable data. Without it, our interventions risk being inadequate or misdirected,” he said.

In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, retired Air Commodore Darlington Abdullahi, said that the phenomenon of climate change was an existential reality and a threat to the global system.

He said this was evident in the growing crisis across the world, the Sahel region, Northern Nigeria through desertification and the South South of Nigeria as seasonal floods wreaked havoc in its trail.

“Climate change is therefore altering the security landscapes around the world.

“West Africa is experiencing climate change at rates faster than the global average, leading to violent conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies.

“Nigeria is already having much more than its fair share of this global phenomenon due to its continued impact on natural resource availability, biodiversity and agricultural productivity among others”.

Abdullahi called for research, mitigation and adaptation efforts “we have had to embark on over the past three years to enhance resilience leading to our policy brief. (NAN)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki and Kevin Okunzuwa

Lydia Beshel
Jan, Thu, 2025

Metro

Mininmum Wage: Labour gives defaulters till March to implement

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Wage

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) sys that stringent measures are in place to ensure that states and employers implement the national minimum wage and the consequential adjustment before the end of March.

Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, President Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) said this at its one day National Leadership Retreat organised for the union’s National Administrative Committee Members in Abuja.

The theme of the retreat was, ” Leadership Challenges amongst Activists”.

Ibrahim, who is also the National Internal Auditor of the NLC, said that the measures were imperative due to the continuous delay by states and institutions to manipulate wage payments.

According to him, one of the issues in the implementation of the minimum wage is that of insincerity.

“The national minimum wage has been signed into law, and payments should have commenced nationwide.

“But in most institutions and states, what they did was just to award a certain amount or a figure they are merely using to play with the intelligence of workers as minimum wage.

“But I am happy that the NLC is not sleeping on this matter and we have been engaging.

“But going forward, I can assure you that we are taking very stringent measures to ensure that between now and the end of this first quarter, that the minimum wage and consequential adjustment will be implemented.

“Any state or employer of labour that refuses to implement the national minimum wage and the adjustment in workers’ salaries accordingly will face the consequences.

“The labour laws are there and we have all that it takes to enforce our rights against those employers,” he said.

Ibrahim, while speaking on the theme of the retreat, said that some members sabotaged strike actions, weakening the effectiveness of industrial actions.

“Unfortunately, some of our own members work against our collective struggle. They engage in blackmail and underhand dealings to derail strike actions.

“But this is not unique to SSANU; it happens in every sector. Part of why we are holding this retreat is to educate our members on the importance of unity and discipline within the union,” he said.

Ibrahim also admitted that industrial actions had lost their effectiveness due to government indifference and worker fatigue.

He noted that while strikes remained a last resort, the union would explore alternative negotiation strategies.

He emphasised the need for continuous training of university staff and better funding of tertiary institutions.

The SSANU president, however, said that universities must remain the centers of learning and innovation, requiring continuous capacity building for staff.

“As leaders of this great union, we must ensure that our national executives are equipped with the latest global trends.

”SSANU is an affiliate of NLC, and we have benefited from international training programmes.

“It is important that we bring this knowledge back home and share it at all levels,” he said.

Those present at the retreat include the former NLC President Ayuba Wabba, former SSANU President Chief Promise Adeusi, and the Director-General of the Institute of Mentoring and Coaching, Mr Rotimi Mathew.(NAN)
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu