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Tag: Nigeria

  • Agriculture is biggest employer of labour in Nigeria –World Bank

    A General Household Survey of the World Bank, shows that the agriculture sector is the largest employer of labour and income-generating activity in Nigeria.

    The study, which contains information on household socio-economics in the country, was launched by the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Dr Amparo Polacios-Lopez, an Economist of the World Bank, giving highlights of the study, said work in a household non-farm enterprises and external wage employment account for the rest kind of employment in Nigeria.

    “Findings show that in the education sector, school enrollment among children aged five to 14 increased from 78.3 per cent in 2013 to 81.2 per cent in 2016.

    “Access to electricity has gone up with 59.3 per cent of households having electricity in their dwellings with an average availability of 35.8 hours per week.

    “Also, 88.9 per cent of Nigerians from the age of 10 have mobile phones while only 17.4 per cent have access to the internet.

    “The main shocks to many households is the increase in the price of food items, increasing price of inputs and death or disability of a household member,” she said.

    According to the report, the most commonly consumed food in many Nigerian homes are vegetables, grains and flours, and fat and oil, followed by meat, fish and other animal products.

    Interestingly, food expenditure is highest for meat, fish and other animal products with a weekly expenditure averaging N1,359.

    Also, for non-food items, the survey shows that Nigerians spend a lot on funerals, marriage ceremony, dowry payments and mattresses.

    The World Bank Nigeria Country Director, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, said the survey would give the Federal Government an opportunity to see how its policies affected families.

    Benmessaoud, represented by the Bank’s Country Programme Coordinator, Mrs Indira Konjhodzic, also urged the government to monitor the execution of the Sustainable Development Goals in the country.

    Meanwhile, the Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale, said that the survey would be extremely useful to the present administration in its planning.

    “This year, there has been growing interest in economics statistics, given the nation’s GDP growth rates and the increasing double-digit inflation rates.

    “The questions are the same, how are households affected? What sectors are improving, which ones are regressing? When will the tides turn? Everyone wants to know when things will improve or where they can invest.

    “There have been a lot of changes this year for Nigeria, and more than ever, people are turning to statistics for the way forward.

    ” For us at NBS, we are pleased that all our hard work is finally being taken notice of and more importantly, is being put to use,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Tears as MMM website freezes operations in Nigeria

    BREAKING: Tears as MMM website freezes operations in Nigeria

    Nigerians panic on Tuesday as Money-doubling scheme, Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox, (MMM) shares confusing message on its website stating that it has frozen all confirmed Mavros, otherwise known as money due for withdrawal for one month.

    The operators of the scheme said in a message sent to all subscribers that the measure was put in place because “in the New Year season the System is experiencing heavy workload.”

    This means, all the accounts of members who are due to be paid after having ‘provided help’ (PH) to another person since the last month have been frozen and hence, have no access to request for payment, known as ‘Get Help’ (GH) until after one month.

    All members woke up with the shock message displayed on the screen as soon as they logged into their accounts. Giving reasons for freezing the Mavros, the scheme said it is experiencing heavy workload and want to deal with the attacks coming from the country’s mass media.

    It also said it wants to prevent hitches in the coming new year hence, the freezing of the access to requesting for payments even when such person is due for payment. mmm freezing notice mmm freezing notice The message read thus: “One-Month Freezing of Confirmed Mavros” “Dear members!” “As usual, in the New Year season the System is experiencing heavy workload.

    Moreover, it has to deal with the constant frenzy provoked by the authorities in the mass media.” “The things are still going well; the participants feel calm; everyone gets paid – as you can see, there haven’t been any payment delays or other problems yet – but!.. it is better to avoid taking risk.:-)) (Moreover, there are almost three weeks left to the New Year.)” “Hence, on the basis of the above mentioned, from now on all confirmed Mavro will be frozen for a month.”

    “The reason for this measure is evident. We need to prevent any problems during the New Year season, and then, when everything calms down, this measure will be cancelled. (Which we will definitely do.)”

    “We hope for your understanding, Administration” Panic quarters and Lamentations: In a whatsapp group, MMM Nexus Solution, members of the ponzi scheme, many who are Guilders, have launched their displeasure over the new development. Many have lamented that they don’t know how to communicate the development to their downliners (Those they persuaded to stake their money in the ponzi scheme).

    They also argued that this decision of the scheme’s management will trigger the downfall of the scheme. They said most people will hence, be skeptical in staking their money while a good number of them said such decision is selfish and would have been better if it was conveyed to members before now.

    One of the members with the name, Rosy, said thus: ” This rule is obnoxious, unscrupulous, provocative, insensitive….they did not advise them well, evil prophesy coming to pass.”

  • Patients shun general hospital over dilapidated structures

    Patients shun general hospital over dilapidated structures

    The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Dambam Local Government Council of Bauchi, Mr Mohammed Jauro, says patients in the community now travel far to seek medical attention due to dilapidated structures in Dambam general hospital.

    Jauro confirmed this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday at Dambam.

    He appealed to the State Government to address the situation in order to reduce the hardship of the people in the community.

    According to him, the structures and environment of the general hospital is forcing most patients to travel about 30 kilometres to Azare to seek for medical attention.

    “The structure is dilapidated and the environment is so bushy that patients prefer to travel to Azare for medical attention.

    “The staff no longer discharged their duties as patients are not visiting the hospital because of the dilapidated nature of the facility,’’ he said.

    However, Jauro said that the local council was focusing more on the provision of portable water to the rural communities by repairing of boreholes.

    He also appealed to the state government to rehabilitate roads that link Dambam to other communities in order to boost economic activities of the people.

    The chairman appreciated the District Head of Dambam for his immense contributions and support to the development of the area.

  • We must look beyond oil to move Nigeria forward – Ekweremadu

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has advised Nigerians to look beyond oil to secure economic prosperity for the country.

    Ekweremadu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, said the days of oil as super foreign exchange earner for the nation were numbered or probably over.

    Ekweremadu gave the advice at the one year anniversary celebration of the Brickhall School, Abuja, founded by former Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Joy Emodi.

    The deputy president expressed concern that not so much attention was given to education as much as oil, which would soon become valueless.

    He said the way to go for sustainable growth of the country was education for both the young and old.

    “Our economy is in the throes of pain today because we thought the oil windfall would last forever.

    “Even, while it lasted, we dismantled all the necessary structures, such as fiscal federalism, that would have encouraged competitive development and massive investment in human capital.

    “Without prejudice to the place of petroleum resources in our national life, we must face the reality that the days of oil as super earner of foreign exchange are numbered, if not over.

    “Those who still look up to petroleum resources for the revival of Nigeria’s weather-beaten economy live in the past and are only building castles in the air.

    “Prosperous global economies are knowledge-driven and the future only belongs to those who equip their citizens with quality education right from birth.

    “This is a major reason most African nations, including Nigeria, are abjectly poor despite their rich oil and mineral resources.

    “Meanwhile, many of their contemporaries, such as South Korea, with very little or no mineral resources, are among the world’s leading economies.

    “We must look beyond oil; and we must necessarily invest in education if we intend to make any headway. It is not a matter of choice, but imperative.’’

    The deputy president of the senate urged privately-owned educational institutions to emulate the Brickhall School in providing high standard, but “pocket-friendly’’ education.

    He also urged government at all levels and public-spirited individuals to prioritise support for educational institutions through provision of adequate supervision, infrastructure, grants, donations, and tax rebates.

    “A situation where government is only interested in collecting exorbitant taxes from privately-owned educational institutions, leaving them to fend for themselves in terms of access roads, security, water, power, and other social infrastructures is exploitative.

    “The development is also unacceptable because it has virtually driven them beyond the reach of the poor.

    “Governments should be able to provide subsidised lands and other support in exchange of specific percentage discount for the poor to access privately owned educational institutions,’’ he said.

    He commended Sen. Joy Emodi for consistently exhibiting innate drive for excellence and national development through the provision of quality education.

    According to him, Brickhall School has demonstrated that private-owned educational facilities could provide high quality education at affordable costs devoid of exploitation.

  • New WHO Country Rep. assumes duty in Nigeria

    New WHO Country Rep. assumes duty in Nigeria

    Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, the new World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative in Nigeria, has assumed duty in the country, a statement has said.

    The statement issued by Mrs Boade Akinola, the Director Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health on Friday in Abuja said the new country representative “is a Public Health expert’’.

    “The new country representative is an Ethiopian national, has assumed duties on Nov. 28, in Abuja,’’ she said.

    She said that Dr Wondimagegnehu had accumulated 28 years experience in epidemiology, disease surveillance, prevention and control and public health at technical and managerial levels.

    She said that he coordinated the implementation of the WHO Regional Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response in the African Region from 1997 to 2008.

    Akinola said that the WHO representative also led and coordinated development of tools, guides and protocols on disease surveillance working with concerned programme managers.

    According to her, his international experience includes UNICEF, Ethiopia from 1994 to 1997, WHO Zimbabwe 1997 to 2006, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Congo Brazzaville 2006 to 2008.

    “He was the WHO Country Representative for Sierra Leone from 2008 to 2013 and Uganda from April 2013 to 2016.

    “He also holds a doctorate degree in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia in 1983 and a Masters Degree in Public Health and Tropical Medicine from Tulane University, New Orleans, U.S.,” she said.

  • Charly Boy says prayer alone cannot save Nigeria

    Charly Boy says prayer alone cannot save Nigeria

    Entertainment veteran, Charly boy has said prayers alone cannot save Nigeria. He made this known in an article he recently posted online. Read below

    Which kin Mumu thinking be that. Only Prayers Can Save Nigeria?

    Our Docility is Killing our Humanity; Our indifference is Enabling Corruption in Governance and our Silence is Creating Political Monsters with the Audacity for Impunity and Criminality.

    Mr Prayer warrior, If prayers can save Nigeria, pray tell. Why are there millions of frustrated Naijas? Has prayers reduced our poverty? Has our prayers killed most of our evil leaders who have caused us great hardship? Has our prayers stopped the everyday increment in our cost of living? Why are so many young people committing suicide these days?

    Our Mumu never Do? Shey all we do is to endure and adjust as usual. When asked, how are you, you answer like a cracked CD, ” It is Well” How can it be well when you sit in your corner and never contribute to making it well, when all you do is dry fasting and the internet. And all you have to offer as a solution to your problem is, “God Dey.

    See you, Dat one no be poor man prayer? and you wan form Big Boy. Sorry.

    When your lazy ass is home 24/7, living on your phone, laptop burning your data as if your life depends on it. Purging many Naijas with your terrible english and your ignorant useless comments, hoping it will be well in Jesus name with the loudest chant of amen…

    Who you dey deceive. My people, take it from me, Jesus is not coming any time soon. Forget it. God is not sending down Angels to come and fix Nigeria for us.

    Frustratedand religious Naijas, Abegi make una park well. We are not living in biblical times.
    Tell me where what happened in the Bible has happened in todays world, because many will use the bible as their book of reference as if we still live back in the days.

    No emotional or religious blackmail please…and Yes I read the Bible. Israelites took the decision to make their country a better place. Where in history has prayers fixed the economy.

    Such mentality is laughable, It encourages the people who can barely survive to see their condition as something they could/should live with. It makes people see mediocrity, poverty and quick fixes as normal.

    See as our pastors/politician dey chop us like chewing gum.

    This is why we rather congregate in worship centers and hold chain prayers; calling upon God to come down from his throne and transform our gagragagra nation.

    Fellow frustrated Nigerians, this is our battle to fight. We must retrieve our stolen future, it is our only option, or else most of us will die for nothing.

    We must define how much we care about this Country; How willing we are to move from Social Media/Church to the Streets and How Ready we are to Make your Country proud. We do not have all the answers to the Nigeria Problems; But we know the People can Change the System.

    The power of a nation lies in the hands of the people/youths. No way again, must we allow analog rifrafs, senile, greedy, selfish gang of thieves in the senate/executive to continue to cause us more pain and hopelessness. They must not continue to rule us.

    God will never come down to fight our battle, the time has finally come to take our destiny in our hands. Our uproars, our constant revolting, angry protests, will do the job.

     

  • Amun urges dialogue over Falcon’s unpaid allowances

    Amun urges dialogue over Falcon’s unpaid allowances

    Former Scribe of the Nigeria Football Association, Fanny Amun has called for patience and understanding with the current leadership of the FA over its inability to pay the allowances and bonuses of the Super Falcons after their Africa Women Cup of Nations triumph.

    The Falcons defended their continental title in Cameroon last weekend, but are at loggerheads with the FA over unpaid wages.

    Reacting to the news, Amun told footballlive.ng that there is a responsibility on the part of all the parties involved to reach an amicable conclusion.

     

  • SERAP drags FG, NFF to UN over unfair treatment, discrimination against Falcons

    SERAP drags FG, NFF to UN over unfair treatment, discrimination against Falcons

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned the UN Working Group on the issues of discrimination against women in law and in practice requesting the body to “use its mandates and position to urgently ask the Nigerian government and the Nigerian Football Federation to end the discriminatory and unfair treatment of the players of the Super Falcons of Nigeria who recently won the African Women Cup of Nations.

    The organization urged the Working Group to “request the authorities to immediately pay each player of the Super Falcons of Nigeria the sum of $30,000 USD for winning the African Women Cup of Nations.

    This is the equivalent of what the government paid their male counterparts for winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.”

    The organization also asked the UN body to urge the Nigerian authorities to “End pay inequalities across the national teams and demonstrate commitment to fairness and equality in the treatment of both male and female players.”

    In the petition dated 7 December 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization said that, “It is unlawful to discriminate in pay arrangements in relation to sex or gender.

    SERAP believes that the Nigerian government and the Nigerian Football Federation are required by law to have due regard to gender equality in all their functions, including within the national teams, and to take concrete measures to address the gender pay gap.”

    The petition reads in part: “SERAP is seriously concerned about the large and stubborn gender pay gap between the Super Eagles’ players and the Super Falcons’ players.

    The discriminatory treatment of the Super Falcons’ players by the authorities is indicative of the systemic discrimination against women and girls in Nigeria, and the undervaluation of work commonly done by women.”

    Champions: Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Saturday in Yaounde won the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AWCON) for the eighth time after beating Cameroon 1 – 0 to retain AWCON title. “While a State’s compliance with the obligations under these treaties is assessed in the light of financial and other resources, a lack of resources cannot justify inaction or indefinite postponement of implementation.

    This is particularly so when discrimination exists, as we believe it is the case with respect to the unfavourable treatment of the Super Falcons’ players.” “SERAP also argues that the Nigerian government cannot use recession and the current economic situation in the country to objectively justify a difference in treatment of the players of the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons on grounds of sex.

    To hold otherwise is to undermine the integrity of the international human rights treaties and ILO conventions which Nigeria has ratified.” “In fact, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2009) has said that the failure to remove differential treatment on the basis of a lack of available funds is not an objective and reasonable justification unless every effort has been made to use all resources that are at a State party’s disposal to eliminate the discrimination, as a matter of priority.”

    “SERAP argues that the failure by the Nigerian authorities to pay the players of the Super Falcons as promised violates the players’ right to equal pay, which is a fundamental tenet of gender equality.” “SERAP believes that the male and female national teams deserve equal pay systems that are transparent and value the efforts put in by these players. Fair and non-discriminatory systems represent best practices, consistent with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments.”

    “The Nigerian government and the Nigerian Football Federation have continued to refuse and/or neglect to pay the Nigerian champions their bonuses and allowances.” “According to reports, following the success of the female national team the Super Falcons of Nigeria in the African Women Cup of Nations each player was to receive N11 Million Naira ($25,000 worth in bonuses and allowances over the tournament’s stretch).

    However, instead of fulfilling their commitment to the players, the Nigerian government and Nigerian Football Federation offered the players 2 bags of Rice and 5 litres of groundnut oil and 50,000 Naira, which the players rightly rejected.”

    “This discriminatory and unfair treatment is further buttressed by the fact that each Super Falcons’ player receives a paltry sum of $50 while each Super Eagles’ player is paid $4000 for a draw and $5000 for a win. Yet, the Super Eagles has not over the years been as successful as their female counterparts.”

    “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone, without any discrimination or distinction of any kind, has the right to equal pay for equal work”. This right to gender equality and equal pay for equal work is also contained in major human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women both of which Nigeria has ratified.”

    “SERAP notes that article 11 of the CEDAW convention in particular guarantees the right to equal remuneration, including benefits, and to equal treatment in respect of work of equal value, as well as equality of treatment in the evaluation of the quality of work. Similarly, various International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions such as ILO C100, Equal Remuneration Convention and ILO C111, Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention also specify equal pay and pay equity obligations. Nigeria has ratified the two conventions.” Mr Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was copied in the petition.

  • Bill to create Christian courts passes second reading

    Bill to create Christian courts passes second reading

    A bill which seeks to create an equivalent of Sharia Court of Appeal for Christians has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

    The bill seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the establishment of Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and other 36 states.

    The sponsor of the bill, Honourable Istifanus Gyang, said when established, the courts would complement the regular courts in adjudicating matters relating to the Christian faith, between individuals and groups that yield and submit to its jurisdiction.

    According to him, the judges, who are to be called cardinals, are expected to be drawn from those learned in law, who would be required to administer justice in accordance with christian faith and the laws of the country.

  • Nigeria has only two world heritage sites – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday in Abuja said that Nigeria, despite having a population of over 170 million can only boast of two world heritage sites.

    The Minister however called for a change in the nation’s visa administration to encourage tourists and investors.

    Mohammed revealed this when he received Mr Jim Flannery, an International Advisor to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO).

    The advisor was sent by UNWTO to assist in the review of Nigeria Tourism Master Plan.

    The minister stressed that a new regime that allowed for easy access to visa for tourists and investors at point of entry was required for the tourism sector to grow.

    He said he was glad that government had set up a committee on the ease of doing business which would look into it.

    The minister also underscored the need for the nation to do away with bureaucracy and encourage full participation of the private sector in growing the tourism industry.

    In his words: “We must begin to understand that tourism is the new oil that we have failed to discover and exploit.

    “It is shocking that Nigeria with a population of about 170 million people and land mass of about one million sq km has only two world heritage sites.

    “Whereas, Italy with population of about 50 million people has 51 world heritage sites.

    “What that means is that people will not come to our country unless they see what they can be attracted to.

    “That explains why France attracted 120 million tourists last year, while the whole of Africa attracted less than 50 million and why three out of five jobs in Italy, three are from the creative industry.

    “This figure will show you the importance of tourism and Nigeria is the new tourists destination and we really need to work together to harness the potential in the industry,’’ he said.

    The minister said he was glad to receive the UNWTO delegate whose coming was a fall out of his trip to the headquarters of the world tourism body in Madrid, Spain in July.

    The minister recalled that during the visit, the UNWTO agreed to send an expert to help in the review of tourism master plan and to partner in revising the Presidential Council on Tourism.

    He said the organisation also promised to assist in organising international conference with the theme; “Tourism as a Tool for Peace’’ in Maiduguri and train women on capacity building in tourism.

    The minister urged members of the review committee to cooperate and work with Flanker for a successful review of the master plan.

    He said in the course of his stay, Flannery would meet with major donours like World Bank and UNDP to exploit how they could assist the country in implementing the master plan.

    Earlier, Flannery said the review of the master plan drafted about 10 years ago would not be a total jettison of the existing one.

    “We are not here to write a new master plan, because we have a very expansive document before us that has never been implemented.

    “This time, our attitude will be let us break it down to smaller steps and identify what can be done quickly to open new products and create new markets.’’

    He said that unlike the manufacturing industry, tourism does not need special technical knowhow and huge investment to start.

    He noted that tourism was a very viable industry that most countries were now realising and benefitting from and Nigeria would not regret the action taken to reposition the sector.