News
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mr Tanko Muhammad has directed the release of inmates in correctional centres who have no confirmed criminal case.
In a letter issued on Friday and addressed to all chief judges, states judiciaries and FCT, the CJN said there is an urgent need to decongest Nigerian prisons owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He directed judges to embark on visits to prisons within their jurisdiction and identify those deserving of release.
Muhammad also told judges to take urgent steps towards ensuring speedy dispensation of trials.
According to him, available records show that the ”inmate population at various custodial centres across the country currently stands at about 74,127 out of which 52,226 are awaiting trial persons (ATPs)”.
“Most of these custodial centres are presently housing inmates beyond their capacities and the overcrowded facilities pose a potent threat to the health of inmates and the public in general in view of the present circumstances, hence the need for urgent steps to bring the situation under control,” he said.
“Considering the above, it has become imperative for your lordships to embark on an immediate visit to all custodial/correctional centres within your respective states to identify and release deserving inmates, where that has not been done already.
“During the requested visit, chief Judges are enjoined to consider the conditional or unconditional release of awaiting trial persons who have spent six years or more in custody.
“ATPs who have no confirmed criminal cases against them, aged inmates and terminally ill may be discharged.
CJN asked that special attention “should be on the aged, those with health issues, low-risk offenders, those with no sufficient legal basis to remain in custody, inmates convicted for minor offences with or without the option of fines and inmates who have less than 3 years term left to serve having served a substantial term of their service for offences that attract 5 years and above.”
“Payment of fines may be made in favour of inmates convicted of lesser offences with the option of fine, who are in custody because of their inability to pay such fines,” he added.
He asked that a report of the proposed visit should be forwarded to him “for compilation and onward transmission to the presidential committee on correctional service reform and decongestion secretariat, federal ministry of justice, Abuja”.
The CJN also asked chief judges to ensure that lower courts “comply with requirements of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act/law in issuing remand warrants in criminal cases especially in cases which are not within their jurisdiction”.
“This will regulate the volume of entry of awaiting trial inmates into custodial centres,” he said.
The Cable
Covid-19 pandemic is taking its toll on all health services in the country as the Federal Government says outpatient visits to hospitals nationwide have reduced by half.
Minister of Health, Mr Osagie Ehanire, who stated this on Thursday at the press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, said that latest statistics obtained by Federal Government showed that pregnant women and other outpatients’ visits to hospitals had dropped by half.
He also said immunisation services had reduced by half.
Ehanire, however, said the gradual easing of the lockdown in the country would address the problems.
Although Nigeria recorded its Covid-19 index case on February 27, as of Wednesday, no fewer than 4,971 persons had been diagnosed with the deadly virus.
Also, out of the figure, 1,070 patients have been successfully treated and discharged, while 164 have died.
The virus has killed pregnant women in states such as Ekiti, Jigawa and Ogun. On April 22, a 29-year-old pregnant woman, who sneaked into Ekiti State from Lagos State, died of the virus.
On May 3, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta confirmed that the virus killed a pregnant woman in the hospital on May 1.
On May 4, Jigawa State Commissioner for Health, Mr Abba Zakari, said a pregnant woman died of Coronavirus at Dutse Isolation Centre.
Ehanire also quoted figures from the National Health Management Information System.
He said that while outpatient visits to hospitals dropped from four million to about two million, antenatal visits dropped from 1.3 million to 655,000.
The minister said for skilled birth attendance, there was a “drop from 158,374 to less than 99,000 while immunisation services also reduced to about half.”
He noted, “Latest statistics from the NHMIS indicate that outpatient visits dropped from four million to about two million; antenatal visits from 1.3 million to 655,000. Also, skilled birth attendance from 158,374 to less than 99,000 while immunisation services reduced to about half.
“All these failings have yet undetermined consequences, which the easing of the lockdown should hopefully address. However, easing restrictions has to be balanced by citizens complying with protective and prophylactic advisories, and to encourage relatives, friends, neighbours and customers to do the same.”
The health minister reiterated that the government would engage state commissioners of health and their workers through an information and communication technology platform to retrain health workers.
In his words, "Federal Ministry of Health and its agencies, particularly Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and National Primary Health Care Development Agency, have scaled up training in infection prevention and control, case finding and management, emergency patient transport systems, surveillance outbreak response management analysis system.”
Punch
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and traditional rulers in Anambra, Imo and Abia States, yesterday raised the alarm over the increasing number of youths from the northern parts of the country, popularly known as Almajiri, being dumped in the South East, calling on governors in the zone to take a serious stand on the issue without further delay.
Speaking, Ohanaeze Ndigbo rejected the ferrying of Northern youths and Almajiri in large numbers to the South East States, saying that their movement was not with good intention.
The publicity secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prince Uche Achi-Ogbaga wondered why the large number of youths from the North are making their way to the South East especially when interstate boundary movement is banned.
“This is the most difficult riddle of the years. Most of the palliatives have been shifted to the Northern part of the country. While the palliatives were shifted to North, the people from the North are trooping in thousands to the South East and South South. I wonder what they are coming here to do.
“And the way the so called Almajiri are loaded in vehicles and lorries are alarming. Who provides the lorry and fuels it? Who organized this because it is an orchestrated organization? It is not just that they saw a lorry on the road and climbed on it. It was a well-organized arrangement and they are being pushed to Southern parts without requisite food to eat.
“They push them inside South East and want them to go and earn their living from where? So many of them will turn to criminals and herdsmen and begin to harass people; go to people’s farm, maiming, killing, raping and destroying farm crops and yet, government is encouraging people to go into farming.
“When people take the little they have to go to the farm, another person will come there to destroy the farm crops. So, I don’t understand what the Federal Government is doing with the lives of the people. The most important function of the government is welfare of the people. If the welfare of the citizens is not the concern of the government, that government has failed.
“Secondly, government is called to protect the lives and properties of the citizens. You could imagine if the lives and properties are being protected at this time when people die in hundreds of thousands in the hands of herdsmen, criminals and other names they are being called. They are changing the names from herdsmen on daily bases as if they are not the same persons they used to be.
“They are miscreants who masquerade as herdsmen, go inside the farms and destroy the food stuff and kill the farmers. This thing is getting out of hand. What have the southerners more especially, the South East done to the people?
“Anything other states are getting from the federal government, south east will not be included. It was last December that they closed down the Akanu Ibiam International Airport which was the only international Airport in the South East and up till now has not started functioning.
“But you can see that what they see as disadvantage has turned to be advantage because if the Airport has been functional, many people from overseas, Lagos, Abuja who were affected by the coronavirus would have filled up the zone. Because that one couldn’t work out for them, they now want to flood people from the sea and road to make sure that south east is ravaged by the virus.
“It is unfortunate that this thing is happening to us and I wonder what our people are doing. We have people that are ministers in the federal government who hold one function or the other and this kind of thing is happening in their states and they have no help to render and they have no mouth to speak up.
“It is unfortunate that they are just there eating from the crumbs failing down from the table of the people in charge of affairs. I just wonder that those people could be there and allow this kind of ravaging to happen to their people”, Achi-Ogbaga lamented.
Situation giving lot of concern — Igwe Achebe
In a communique after a meeting in Awka, chairman of Anambra State’s Council of Traditional Rulers and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, said the influx of Almajiri was giving them a lot of concern.
Others who signed the communique include Achebe’s two deputies, the traditional ruler of Okpuno, Igwe Sunday Okafor, and the traditional ruler of Okakwu Odekpe, Igwe Chuma Onyia.
According to the royal fathers, the worrisome aspect of the situation was that many of the Almajiri might have already been infected with coronavirus disease before being sent to the South East.
They urged the governors in the zone to ensure that the Almajiri were not allowed to enter the states since the Almajiri would not fit into the zone’s economic, social and cultural environment.
The monarchs particularly called on Governor Willie Obiano not to relent in the fight against the long standing menace of some cattle breeders, known as herdsmen in the state.
They however, commended the governor for what they described as his exemplary leadership in the fight against COVID 19.
“Your prompt establishment of Isolation Centres at Mbaukwu -Umuawulu and other locations in the state, including border closure is exemplary, “ they said.
People should respect ban on inter-state movement — Abia monarchs
Similarly, the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers has urged people to respect the ban on inter -state movement to contain the spread of the covid-19 pandemic.
Chairman of the council, Eze James Nwabeke, who condemned the practice of hiding Northern youths and Almajiri in trucks said the practice should be stopped until the pandemic is over, stressing that such practice is evil.
“The Federal Government has banned inter -state movement. People should respect the directive until the pandemic is over. The practice of conveying people with cows in trucks and covering them with tarpaulin is evil and laden with sinister motives. We know it is one Nigeria where everyone has the right to move, but it is not in this era of covid-19 pandemic. Anybody who hides while going on a visit is a thief and should be treated as a criminal.”
Security should be beefed up — Imo monarchs
Also yesterday, the chairman, Imo State Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Samuel Ohiri, said that security should be beefed up at the borders of the southeast region to prevent entry into the region from outsiders, inline with the federal government imposed national curfew.
He said: “The instruction came from the federal government and Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, as one of the ways to curtail the spread of Covid 19 virus. They said that inter state movement should be curtailed. They gave other measures including social distancing and I think that Nigerians should obey these instructions.
“And to achieve this, the federal government imposed a curfew, 8pm to 6am and we must obey this order.”
When asked if his worry is based on the report that some persons have disobeyed the directives, he said: “Yes, I am worried and it is not just from the North but also from other regions engaging in inter state movement. I think those that should be allowed are people on essential duties and essential goods.
“The security agencies should make sure that the directives on stopping inter state movements must be obeyed by everybody except people on essential services.”
South East govs should send back Almajiri imported to East — Ezeife
Meantime, a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife has tasked South East governors to do everything within their reach to ensure that the Almajiri that were taken to the area especially to the South East are sent back.
The former governor said that the Almajiri posed great risk to the South East and might not find it easy to survive and could die of starvation as they do not have any known trade or business to sustain themselves.
He wondered how they managed to enter the South East when there was lockdown and closure of boundaries by many state government.
Dr. Ezeife said: “We have closure of state boundaries, meaning that nobody can go from another state to another. We also have curfew meaning that traveling by night is out of the question, yet people are moving in thousands.
“I think it is condemnable. Now I have sympathy for the Almajiri and the youths but they are not responsible for what they are doing, they didn’t hire any vehicle, some people are organizing them and sending them to the South.
“This comprehensive corruption that enables people to move to anywhere. No matter the curfew, no matter the blockade, it is very dangerous. Well, let me tell you what I feel. Jesus Christ said we should love our neighbours as our ourselves.
“ I should ordinarily love the Almajiri if they become my neighbors, but some people were responsible for producing them. Those people who gave no education, no training, nothing to survive with to human beings who they call Almajiri should take responsibility and keep them where they grew up and pay the price for making human beings useless.”
“Almajiri are among the problems of Nigeria, talakawas are among the problems of Nigeria, me I am among the problem of Nigeria, Fulanis are among the problems of Nigeria, somehow peace will reign and the country will continue to be one but if instead of peace reigning and we cannot be one, we can go our different ways so that Biafra people should go away, Oodua people should go away, anybody who wants to go away can go away but it should be done peacefully.”
Vanguard
A Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, driver, Collins Nnodi is on the run after crushing a Lagos businesswoman to death in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The BRT driver reportedly crushed Mrs Grace Okeleke to death at Agric Bus Stop, in Ikorodu on Monday.
Grace is said to be the wife of Head of Public Relations, Globacom, Andrew Okeleke.
She was said to have attempted to cross the road after being dropped off by her driver around 7.20pm, when Nnodi, who was driving a bus with number plate EPE 59 XR, knocked her down and she died on the spot.
Angry mob vandalised the BRT bus after the driver fled.
The deceased was said to be a minister at the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
According to a statement from the family, “The death has been announced of Mrs Grace Okeleke, wife of the Head, Public Relations, Globacom, Mr Andrew Okeleke.
“Mrs Okeleke died in a motor accident on the Lagos Road, Ikorodu, on Monday evening. She was hit by a Lagos BRT bus with number plate EPE 59 XR.”
The statement said the deceased was crossing the road after being dropped off by her driver just after the Agric bus stop, inwards Ketu, where there was no pedestrian bridge, when she was hit by the BRT bus and died on the spot before she could be taken to hospital.
According to the statement, the late Okeleke, a businesswoman, hailed from Issele-Mkpitime, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
She was until her demise a top leader of her town’s women group in Lagos as well as a minister of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Grace Hall Parish, Ikorodu.
“Mrs Okeleke is survived by her husband and children. Burial arrangements will be announced later by her family.”
When contacted, the Chief Security Officer, Primero Transport Services Limited, the franchise holder of the BRT buses, Cletus Okodolor, while commiserating with the family, condemned Nnodi for abandoning Grace at the scene of the accident.
Okodolor said, “We sympathise with the family and we are shocked at the action of the busman. The accident involved one of our buses, with number 344. The bus was coming from Ikorodu inwards Mile 12, and she was trying to cross to the other side of the road without actually looking properly; she entered the BRT corridor to cross and there was contact.
“The woman died on the spot. But the bus man did not help matters, because he drove off out of fear of being hurt and refused to put us in the picture. Suddenly, we started getting calls that an angry mob was vandalising our vehicles, because one of our buses knocked someone down on the corridor and we quickly informed the Traffic Division of the Owutu Police Station and its personnel were dispatched in the area.”
Abuja has revealed measures by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to assuage apprehension, particularly in respect of the economy, healthcare, job security and general wellbeing of Nigerians among others after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) wave in the country.
The measures, the presidency said, are coming against the backdrop of the global anxiety on what the future holds for humanity post-COVID-19.
“Naturally, Nigerians are not immune from the disquietude, as they belong to the global community,” stated Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
The statement highlighted measures Buhari had taken, and would further take, to make life easy for Nigerians.
It explained that an economic team headed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had already been set up to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.
Noting that the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would define a post-COVID-19 economy for Nigeria, the statement also disclosed the setting up of a task force on the free movement of farm produce headed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“As long term measure, emphasis will be placed on integrating local content in proven researches in the cure, and production of materials in the heath sector.”
Further, the presidency disclosed plans for large scale installation of residential solar systems, utilising mainly local materials, and expansion of the Social Investment Programme (SIP).
According to the statement, the 2020 to 2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Budget 2020 assumptions and targets have already been revised, and that time-sensitive expenditure will be prioritised over less critical spending.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said the ministry is fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunities of COVID-19 by developing home-grown solutions to meet national demands.
Onu disclosed this via Skype while addressing participants of senior executive course No.42, 2020 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, yesterday in Abuja.
He said agencies of the ministry were already providing indigenous solutions to the problems created by the pandemic through the production of hand sanitisers, disinfectants, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like high-quality facemasks, body immune boosters, vaccine, and test kits.
A man who beat his wife mercilessly and boasted about it on Facebook has been arrested by the police in Lagos.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT disclosed this on its twitter handle on Thursday.
According to DSVRT, its attention was drawn to a viral post on Facebook wherein one Afobaje Maiyegun boasted that he had just beaten up his wife and declared he is ‘’waiting for her police‘’ to come and arrest him.
“Immediately, the team reached out to ACP Gbolahan Odugbemi, Area Commander, Area J who ensured that the said person was arrested immediately,” it said.
DSVRT said preliminary investigation conducted revealed that this was not the first time the said Mr. Maiyegun would perpetrate such a dastardly act.
“A partner NGO was on ground to assist with the investigation. The case is set to be charged to court on Friday, 15th May, 2020.
“This is to sound a clear warning that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a zero tolerance to Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the State and as such perpetrators will face the full weight of the law,” it said.
Federal executive council (FEC) has approved an increase in the size of the revised 2020 budget by N318 billion from N10.276 trillion to N10.523 trillion.
The total budget size is N71.5 billion lesser than the original budget of N10.594 trillion and N318 billion higher than the N10.276 trillion revised budget sent to the national assembly.
Addressing journalists after the virtual meeting on Wednesday, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning said the crude oil benchmark price of $25 per barrel for the adjusted 2020 budget, up from the $20 per barrel announced by the budget office.
Ahmed told journalists that the council also approved amendment of the medium-term expenditure framework for 2020-2022.
“The council has approved our recommendations and the approval has these key parameters; crude oil price is approved at $25 per barrel.
“Crude oil production is at 1.94 million barrels per day and then an exchange rate of N360 to $1. The revised budget is now in the total sum of N10.523 trillion, a difference of just about N71.5 billion when compared to the approved budget.
“This is because, as we cut down the size of the budget, we also have to bring in new expenditure previously not budgeted, to enable us adequately respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Federal government in this budget will have direct revenue of funding the budget of N5.158 billion. The deficit to this budget is N5.365 trillion and this will be financed by both domestic as well as foreign borrowing.”
The foreign borrowing, she said, would be concessionary loans from the IMF, World Bank, Islamic Development as well as Afro EXZIM Bank.
“There will also be some drawdown of previously committed loans for major ongoing projects that we will be drawing from both exiting facilities as well as some special accounts with the approval of Mr President and the national assembly.
“And also revenue that we are expecting to realize from privatization. So the borrowing, the drawdown of the multilateral loan coming from special accounts and coming from the privatisation will fund the fiscal deficit of N5.365 trillion that we have in the proposed amendment of the 2020 budget.”
The revisions are necessary to help the federal government adjust to reduced oil prices as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Cable
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has resumed issuance of international passports following the relaxation of the Covid-19 lockdown by the Federal Government.
Its public relations officer, Mr Sunday James, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the distribution is subject to invitations from passport officers.
To clear the backlog for improved service delivery, the organisation added that those whose documents are ready would be invited to pick them up via short messages.
According to James, “the standard practice for now is that, in states where the restriction of movement has been eased, applicants are invited through SMS and given a date to report for the collection of their passports.”
Guardian
The lockdown declared in Borno state has been suspended indefinitely.
The state government has also relaxed the ban on religious gatherings, but called for strict guidelines on maintaining physical distancing in mosques and churches.
Meanwhile, the ban on Eid prayers are still in force.
Mr Umar Kadafur, deputy governor and chairman of the state Covid-19 response committee, made this known in a statement.
According to him, the “stringent measures” taken to limit the spread of the Coronavirus “yielded the desired results”, as the state had recorded “significant progress” in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
He, however, noted that if the Covid-19 situation escalates, the government would revert to “status quo”.
“Henceforth, Jumma’at prayers and five daily prayers shall be observed in all mosques as recommended by Borno State Council of Ulamas in strict adherence with social distancing and the use of face masks,” the statement read.
“All churches shall conduct church services as recommended by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Borno Chapter in strict adherence with social distancing and use of face masks.
“Government has considered the recommendation of Borno State Council of Ulamas which clearly states that Eid prayers is Sunnah (non obligatory), hence there should be no Eid prayers. Faithfuls should remain at home during the period.”
The government also placed restrictions on public gatherings, especially funeral processions, weddings, naming ceremonies, among others, which it limited to not more than 20 people.
The Cable
One of the injured Taskforce members who was attacked at the demolished Prodest hotel by hoodlums allegedly led by the wanted Princewill Osareojiji, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Youth Leader in Eleme Local Government area, is dead.
The deceased, whose identity was not revealed for security reasons was said to have died last night, Tuesday, May 12 at the hospital where the other injured victims were taking treatment.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who broke the sad news at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, expressed regrets that the demolition of Prodest Hotel in Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel in Onne had been hijacked by opposition elements after the owners deliberately flouted Executive Order 6.
According to Nsirim, “These two hotels, Prodest Hotel, Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel, Onne not only flouted the Executive Order, the Hotel Manager of Prodest invited the wanted PDP Eleme Youth Leader, Princewill Osaroejiji, who came with thugs to unleash mayhem on Task Force operatives who were on ground to close down the facility.”
He went further to state that the Rivers State Government has approved the building of a Primary School for Eleme People on the site of the demolished Prodest Hotel, just as it has also acquired the properties of the two hotels from their owners.
The Spokesman for the Rivers State Government explained that Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Security Council took the decision to demolish the hotel in the interest of Rivers State and her people.
He said that days before that demolition, everyone was aware that the State Government sensitized the people on the consequence of flouting Executive Order 6.
“Eleme people are happy with the demolition. In several publications they made after the demolition, they have declared that Prodest Hotel is a criminal hideout and a den for cultists.
“They added that Prodest Hotel is a centre for gun-running by the wanted PDP Youth Leader. It was his criminal tendencies that emboldened him to unleash mayhem on State officials when the Hotel Manager invited him,” he said.
He pointed out that over the last few weeks, Wike has provided national leadership in relation to the fight against coronavirus.
The Information Commissioner recalled that Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu captured the outstanding leadership role of Governor Wike in the fight against coronavirus when he visited the State recently.
In his words: “I want to thank you for your firm, strong, committed and personally led response to COVID-19. We thank you very much for your leadership and we need your leadership to continue in order for us to continue doing our work nationally.”
Nsirim restated that the fight against Coronavirus in the State has been premised on the Rule of Law, saying it was Wike who first signed an Executive Order that led to Border Closure and other actions.
More...
President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated 42 career diplomats he wants the Senate to confirm as ambassadors.
He forwarded the names of the nominees to Senate seeking confirmation of their appointments “in accordance to section 171(2)(1c) and Subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution.
His letter was read out by Senate President, Mr Ahmad Lawan, at the start of plenary on Tuesday.
The nominnes are, C. O Nwachukwu (Abia), A. Kefas (Adamawa), R. U Brown (Akwa Ibom), G. A, Odidibo (Anambra), O. C Onowu (Anambra), Y. S Sulieman (Bauchi), E. S Agbana (Bayelsa), B. B.M Okoyen (Bayelsa), G. M Okoko (Benue), A. M Garba (Borno) and M. I Bashir (Borno).
Others are, M. O Abang (Cross River), A. E Alote (Cross River), G. E Edokpa (Edo), A. M Maduwike (Enugu), Adamu Lamua (Gombe), Innocent Iwejuo (Imo), A. S Abubakar (Jigawa), Y. A Ahmed (Jigawa), S. D Umar (Kaduna), A. A Sule (Kano), G. Y Hamza (Kano), N. Rini (Katsina), Ahmed Rimawa (Katsina), M. Manu (Kebbi) and I. R Ocheni (Kogi).
Also appointed are, I. A Yusuf (Kogi), M. Abdulraheem (Kwara), W. A Adedeji (Lagos), A. U Ogah (Nasarawa), A. A Musa (Niger), N. A Kolo (Niger), H. O Olaniyon (Ogun), A. R Adejola (Ogun), O. E Awe (Ondo), O. O Aluko (Osun), E. A, Alatishe (Osun), V. A Adeleke (Oyo), M. S Adamu (Plateau), I. N Charles (Rivers), M. Ifu (Taraba) and B. B Hamman (Yobe). PT
Insistence by the Federal Government to continue its homegrown school feeding programme, even when schools in the country are currently shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, may not only fail abysmally, but become a drain pipe on the lean resources of government at this point in time.
This is the position of some stakeholders in the education sector such as the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Concerned Parents and Educators, CPE among others.
They made their positions on the matter known while speaking with Vanguard, basing their fears on workability of the logistics needed to take food to the homes of pupils since people are not allowed to congregate in large numbers because of the pandemic.
This is just as it was gathered that government claims to be spending the sum of N679 million daily or N13.5 billion monthly on the project in 31 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
NANS’ position According to the South-West Coordinator of NANS, Comrade Kappo Samuel Olawale, given the situation in the country, the plan is not realistic.
“The plan is not realistic at all. To me, it is a huge prank and a costly one for that matter. How many houses will the food vendors cover since schools are not in session and pupils cannot congregate at a point?
“If they ask the vendors to go and supply the food rations to the pupils at home, it is not that the beneficiaries are living at a spot or a particular place. Even if that is possible, it will increase the cost of logistics.
"Also, if you are asking the pupils to go to a particular place to collect vouchers for the food or even collect the food, there is no doubt the situation will become rowdy and the large gatherings we want to avoid will present themselves, the process would eventually be hijacked by others".
"Why can’t they feed the parents and the parents feed their wards? The other time palliatives were to be given people, the process was badly coordinated. The truth is some people just want to make money for themselves,” he said.
NUT reacts
Reacting, Lagos State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Otunba Adesina Adedoyin, who spoke in a similar manner, wondered why pupils in private schools were not included in the programme from the beginning.
“As a teacher, I know that our pupils and students live in different communities. In Lagos, some people live in Ikorodu and run businesses and shops on Lagos Island and, thereby enrol, their wards in schools close to their business premises. How easy will it be to now take food meant for such students to their home addresses? "
The logistics the government would need to implement this would definitely not be Nigerian,” he said.
Parents’ angle
Founder, CPE, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, asked whether government has data on the pupils. “I don’t know the level of their preparedness when one talks about logistics as that would inform the workability or otherwise of their plan. The logistics must be well thought-out. We must be careful not to create a bigger problem while trying to solve one,” she opined.
A lawyer, Mr Tolu Ayodele, described the move as a white elephant project, saying “feeding school children that are not in school is a white elephant project aimed at diverting public funds and denying the citizens opportunities of governmental dividends, at least for once since the inception of this administration.
“The policy of feeding children or school pupils at home is just a sham and a smokescreen aimed at deceiving the populace."
Also reacting, Evans Ufeli, Executive Director, Cadrell Advocacy Centre, said: “This government should stop embarrassing Nigeria. They can just keep quiet, the children aren’t complaining and the parents are trying their best. It’s disrespectful and insulting to the children and their parents if government dishonestly continues to keep and hold this conversation.”
Recall that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, in the last few days, had been harping on government’s insistence to continue the homegrown school feeding programme, even when schools are shut down.
Last Saturday, she reiterated the decision while distributing relief materials to some people in Karimajiji, Abuja.
She said Lagos, Ogun, FCT and later, Kano, would be where the exercise would start, adding that vendors would take the food to pupils’ homes door-to-door with vouchers allocated at specific collection times to avoid overcrowding.
She added that vouchers would be redeemed at designated distribution centres and that 3.1 million households would benefit.
“It is in that place where we are going to keep the food rations that we will distribute the vouchers and then they will come to pick up their own ration,” the Minister said.
When our correspondent sought to know how prepared Lagos State is for the exercise from the Education Commissioner, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, she neither picked her calls nor replied a text message sent to her.
What government would spend
Meanwhile, findings showed that the federal government would spend N70 per meal daily to feed 9.7 million pupils in 53,715 schools in 31 states of the federation before schools were shut down because of COVID-19. That translates to N679 million daily or N13.5 billion monthly.
The Federal Government contributes 60 per cent of the money, with the states augmenting the balance.
Meanwhile, the federal government has requested the Department of State Service, DSS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC,the Code of Conduct Bureau,CCB as well as civil society and non governmental organisations to help monitor contractors engaged in the school feeding programme which begins on Thursday.
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which stated this in a release yesterday, also disclosed that over 6,000 schools would serve as distribution centers for clusters of communities, except in some states with unique security and safety issues, where other structures will be used. It particularly said parents or caregivers of beneficiaries will collect what it called “Take-Home Rations” on behalf of the 3,131,971 households to be impacted by the intervention programme.
The document read: “Each household will receive a take-home ration valued at N4,200 and made up of 5 kg bag of rice, 5 kg bag of beans, 500 ml Vegetable Oil, 750 ml Palm Oil, 500 mg Salt, 15 pcs of eggs, 140gm tomato paste.
“These rations have been reviewed by nutrition experts to ascertain the nutritional value and benefit to the children. The Ministry is also deploying resources to provide oversight for these processes to ensure equity and accountability.”
Vanguard
Mustapha Aminu, one of the members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena fii Bilaa dis Sudan terrorists group, recently arrested by detectives attached to the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has opened up on their main aim.
Mustapha Aminu and his younger brother Sahid, were among the nine suspects arrested for having committed various crimes in the Northern part of the country.
Mustapha (21), during his interrogations with the police, said the plan of the group is to take over Nigeria.
The two brothers alleged that they were forced to abandon school in 2015 and join a terrorist group.
Other suspects are Shuaibu Ahmadu, Aminu Shuaibu, Ishak Khalid, Yusuf Abubakar, Awal Umar, Abubakar Isah Muhammed, and Abubakar Mustapha, all of whom confessed to be active members of the group.
The terrorist group popularly known as Ansarul is said to have carried out the abduction of two expatriates working with Tricata Ltd. They were also alleged to have participated in the abduction of Magajin Garin of Daura in Katsina State.
However, their ultimate goal is to take over Nigeria.
Mustapha said, “I am 21 and Sahid is my elder brother. We are from Kaduna State and were in the same college when my father forced us to drop out of school.
“I was 16 years and they said that I was too young to go to Libya. My father handed me over to one Mahmoud who taught me how to shoot and drive their operational vehicle.
“My job was to run errands till I am old enough to travel abroad for training. I normally assist them to buy food and sometimes watch over the people that were kidnapped.
“When I was converted, they told us that we were fighting against the Nigerian government. They made us believe that when we take over Nigeria, our families will become millionaires and own houses in Abuja.
“I was placed on a N100, 000 monthly allowance to stay in town and be running errands. It is also my responsibility to collect arms from our members in Sokoto. I will collect as much as possible and take to the bush.
“We do not pay him because everybody is working towards winning the war. Sometimes, they give me money to give him as gift.
“Last year, when the police arrested my father, I swore that I would leave the group because I knew that police were also looking for me. After some months, I became broke, so I decided to return to the group.
“I am sorry and I wish that my father did not withdraw me from school. I wanted to become a doctor and will still like to go back to school if given the opportunity. I do not know how police will end the activities of the group because we are everywhere.”
The Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has been commended for her efforts at redefining the identity of Nigerians in Diaspora.
The commendation was contained in a Press release issued by the President of the US-Nigeria Trade Council, Engr. Titus Olowokere while congratulating her on her first year in office as the head of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission.
Engr. Olowokere who described Dabiri-Erewa as a pragmatic and dynamic leader, said her doggedness and conviction, brought about the establishment of the commission which has recorded success in the last one year.
According to him, "today is the celebration of one of the few times Nigeria has a round peg in a round hole in governance. It shows. It feels like five years of Office, judging from concrete achievements and notable milestones", he said.