₦airaland Forum

Press Release:

APC Chieftain, Comrade Uhara Hails Tinubu over Dambazau's Ambassadorial Nomination

A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress and former member of the Presidential Campaign Council, Comrade Edwin Uhara has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the Ambassadorial Nomination of the former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Interior, Retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau.

In a statement released to newsmen in Enugu on Thursday, the party stalwart said General Dambazau is a foreign policy wonk who knows how to promote and defend the country's national interest in foreign land without causing diplomatic row.

Noting that apart from his academic qualification as International Relations expert, the 'Baraden Kano' is also a seasoned administrator with deep knowledge and understanding of the workings in the diplomatic circle.

Mr. President made no mistake in the choice of General Dambazau who has been a party loyalist and financier.

Comrade Uhara urged Nigerians to continue support the policies and programmes of Mr. President as he strives to Renew the Hope of Nigerians.

Signed:

Comrade Edwin Uhara,
United Nations-trained Negotiator
And Former Member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council

Campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Africa

By Edwin Uhara

The increasing rate of violence against women and girls have become source of concerns lately. We read it in the news everyday and we sometimes witness or experience it in our neighborhoods.

There is no day that passes without reported case of violence against women in our news channels.

The situation has become so prevalent that if you do a content analysis of our dailies from January to December, one will come to terms with the fact that no hour passes without a different woman somewhere in a different location facing a different case related to violence, intimidation, bullying, sexual harassment, cyber stalking or any form of these abuses.

This necessitated why the United Nations designated November 25 every year as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women; a day to raise awareness on the dangers associated with this evil practices.

This year's campaign focuses on the digital realm with the theme: "Digital Violence is Real Violence."

According to report, "Violence against women on online platforms is, today, a serious and rapidly growing threat that seeks to silence the voices of many women—especially those with a strong public and digital presence in fields such as politics, activism, or journalism."

It further stated that, "Digital violence is a form of violence on the rise due to weak technological regulation and a lack of legal recognition of this type of aggression."

In some countries, the impunity of digital platforms; new and fast-evolving forms of abuse using Artificial Intelligence AI, movements opposing gender equality, the anonymity of perpetrators and the limited support for digital victims has made the situation worst.

The report added that "These acts don’t just happen online. They often lead to offline violence in real life (IRL), such as coercion, physical abuse, and even femicide – killing of women and girls. The harm can be long-lasting and affect survivors over a prolonged period of time."

A case in point was how the life of a promising young lady in Nigeria, Cynthia Okosogu was abruptly brought to an end in 2012 by men of the under-world who lured her to their den using the Facebook.

Digital violence targets women more than men, across all walks of life especially those with public or online visibility – such as activists, journalists, women in politics, human rights defenders, and young women - the report added.

Noting that, digital violence manifest itself in the following but not limited forms; Image-based abuse/ non-consensual sharing of intimate images – often called revenge porn or leaked nudes.

Cyberbullying, trolling, and online threats.
Online harassment and sexual harassment.

AI-generated deepfakes such as sexually explicit images, deepfake pornography, and digitally manipulated images, videos or audio.

Hate speech and disinformation on social media platforms.

Doxxing – publishing private information.

Online stalking or surveillance/tracking to monitor someone’s activities.

Online grooming and sexual exploitation.

Catfishing and impersonation.
Misogynistic comments on networks like manosphere, incel forums etc.

The report concluded that,
38% of women have experienced online violence and 85% have witnessed digital violence against others.

Misinformation and defamation are the most prevalent forms of online violence against women as 67% of women and girls who have experienced digital violence reported this tactic.

90 – 95% of all online deepfakes are non-consensual pornographic images with around 90 per cent of these depicting women.

73% of women journalists reported experiencing online violence.

Fewer than 40% of countries have laws protecting women from cyber harassment or cyber stalking. This leaves 44% of the world’s women and girls representing 1.8 billion – without access to legal protection.

Adding that the impact is even worse for women facing intersecting forms of discrimination, including race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

"Almost one in three women have been subjected to physical or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life.

This view is corolated in another UN- report quoted in an article entitled " The Rising Tide of Femicide in Nigeria: A Silent War Against Women," written by Valeria Ogide.

The author asserted that "every 10 minutes, a woman is killed which is a sobering statistic that underscores the global crisis of gender-based violence."

The article further stated that "In 2023, Africa bore the highest burden of intimate partner and family-related femicide in the world, with over 21,700 women tragically losing their lives.

"In Nigeria, femicide continues to be an issue that is frequently under-reported, normalised, or dismissed" - The article suggested.

"Over 401 women reportedly died as a result of sexual and gender-based violence in 2022 alone."

Tragically, women have become items that can be used to express negative emotions at will without fearing the consequences.

In a related development, a release by Oxfam entitled: "SAY ENOUGH TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IN NIGERIA" reported that "Widespread harmful traditional practices still exist, including widow abuse, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation/cutting FGM/C."

It is estimated that 27% of women aged between 15 to 49 years have undergone some form of female genital mutilation/cutting while single women (divorced, separated or widowed) experience higher risk across all zones in Nigeria which is about (44%).

Sadly enough, the Nigerian multiple indicator cluster (MICS) report of 2011 revealed that 46% of Nigerian women believe that a husband has a right to hit or beat them for at least one reason."

This is unacceptable as there should be #NoExcuse for any form of abuse; online abuse or offline abuse as the case may be.

The organization further explained that "Violence against women and girls is rooted in unequal power relations that are further reinforced by social and gender norms that normalize and justify violence against women, including rape."

The increasing incidents of rape against women and girls speak to underlying social norms that make it acceptable for men to feel entitled to women’s bodies without their consent - This is outrightly unacceptable.

While I commend countries with strong legal frameworks that protect the rights and privileges of women and girls from abuse, those without such legal frameworks should endeavor to enact such law because when a woman or a girl's right is abused on account of her gender, what it simply means, is that the right of the entire human race is abused.

There should be no justification or #NoExcuse for any form of abuse at all, let alone abusing the right of women and girls.

It not enough to raise awareness against this scourge on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women alone, but sustainable mechanism should be put in place to guarantee the safety of those who works in the field of raising the awareness as well as defending their rights when overpowered by repressive regime anywhere.

If all hands must be on deck from now, I believe the issue of violence against women will drastically be reduced by the year- 2030.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is A UN-trained Negotiator and Rights Campaigner based in Abuja, Nigeria.

He can be reached via edwinuhara@rocketmail.com

https://peoplesdailyng.com/campaign-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women-in-africa/

Data Depletion, Nigerian Consumers and the FCCPC's Silent Intervention

By Edwin Uhara

The various telecommunication companies in the country have come under intensed pressure from the Nigerian consumers over rapid depletion of mobile data services despite the high cost of purchasing mobile data; with some accusing some of the regulatory agencies of not doing their jobs properly.

Apart from Nigerians, I have personally experienced such unsatisfactory service in recent times until I came across various online campaign materials against telecom service providers and some regulatory agencies like the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission who have all been accused of doing nothing while the unhealthy practices continued in the telecoms industry.

"According to report, telecom subscribers are sending emails and direct messages to the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, demanding an investigation into what they describe as unexplained data consumption."

In the midst of such accusation, operators insist that there is no mechanism for reducing customers’ data, arguing instead that rising consumption is due to users behaviour, particularly the shift from 3G and 4G to 5G and increased video streaming habit.

Such controversy comes on the hills of the recent intervention by the Nigerian Senate urging the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to engage operators on reviewing data and internet-related service costs.

While data consumption issues have remained a pressing concern in recent times, the situation became more pronounced since the implementation of new tariff by service providers.

"The report however added that many subscribers who shared screenshots of emails sent to regulators on social media remained unconvinced, arguing that the problem lies in the operators’ billing systems rather than their usage habits."

"It added that data prices are too high these days. Every Nigerian should report the operators to NCC, FCCPC, and send them thousands of emails; otherwise, this price hike won’t stop,” one of the customers said."

“Not only has data become more expensive, but it also seemed to deplete faster than before. This is unacceptable,” another user complained."

Nigeria’s internet consumption crossed the one million terabyte mark for the first time in January 2025, highlighting the surging demand for internet services and Nigeria’s increasing dependence on digital connectivity.

To be very honest, I have followed the activities of the FCCPC for a very long time now, and I have also written extensively about the commission's activities to place me in a better position to know what the agency is doing to stop exploitative practices in the country.

During the nationwide food crisis last year, the commission was in the forefront of the war against exploitative practices with many raids against some manufacturers who were caught in the shabby practice.

We also remember the open confrontation between the commission and a minister last year over some unhealthy practices involving a popular airline operator in the country.

And most recently, the commission is in court over some issues involving multiChoice company, the parent company of DStv and Gotv over some of it's billing systems.

Like the situation in the telecoms industry, the price hike by multiChoice saw DStv Compact move from ₦15,700 to ₦19,000. Compact Plus from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000. Premium from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500, and GOtv Supa Plus from ₦15,700 to ₦16,800.

Following the new price regime, the FCCPC directed MultiChoice to suspend the increase pending regulatory review, but the company went ahead with the price adjustment, leading to the legal dispute now before Justice James Omotosho.

I can go on to name many of the battles against exploitative practices the FCCPC addressed last year, but will not do so because I don't want this article to be viewed as a public relations material by my readers.

However, I managed to get across to a staff of the FCCPC who do not want his name in print over data depletion which Nigerians are complaining about but he told me that the commission is already addressing the concerns raised by Nigerians and promised that the outcome of such investigation would soon be made public.

Therefore, I appeal to Nigerians to exercise more patience as the issue is been addressed.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is A Public Affairs Commentator.

He writes from Abuja

Quodseverismete:
I chop you chop syndrome. Nobody is shameless like Nigerian politicians, they are in APC today they praise the party and butt lick the thief thief leaders tomorrow they defect to another and begin to talk thrash. Sycophants

You are wrong

Public Statement:

APC Chieftain - Uhara Hails Tinubu over SEDC Inauguration

An APC chieftain and former member of the party's Presidential Campaign Council, Comrade Edwin Uhara has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for inaugurating the Board and Management of the Southeast Development Commission ably by Dr. Emeka Wogu and Mr. Mark C. Okoye on Tuesday.

In a thank you message released to journalists in Abuja, the party stalwart said President Tinubu has wiped away tears from the eyes of Ndi-Igbo after many years of endless wait for the manifestation of the 3R's of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation promised the region after the civil war.

Saying the time has come for the Renewed Hope agenda of the present administration to be felt among our people.

The party chieftain expressed confidence in the ability of the board and management team of the commission to drive home the agenda of the new commission and put smiles on the faces of our people.

He also thanked the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu for sponsoring the bill for the creation of the commission and using his position as the highest ranking political office holder from the region to facilitate presidential assent to the bill as well as ensuring it's take off.

He assured that Ndi-Igbo will reciprocate the gesture when the time comes.

Mr. Uhara called on all stakeholders in the region to throw their supports behind the assembled team of the commission so as to ensure rapid development of zone.

Signed:

Comrade Edwin Uhara,
UN-trained Negotiator and former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council

Press Release

Stop Distracting SEDC Appointees - APC Chieftain Warn Detractors

Following the power tussle emanating from the appointment of some credible individuals into the board and management of the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress and former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Comrade Edwin Uhara has advised those fanning the embers of discords and disunity within the party to desist from doing so in the best interest of the Southeast region.

In a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, the party stalwart said, those questioning the qualifications and the appropriateness of the various appointees should perish such idea because it looks childish and very ridiculous to be raising dust over the credentials of the former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and two times member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka as well as other appointees like the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Emeka Wogu among others.

Advising that stakeholders in the region should put their differences aside and work together to develop a workable blueprint for the rapid development of the Southeast region instead of allowing power play and unnecessary bickering to ruin the interest of the party.

He reminded members of the party in the region to remember that the main essence of creating the commission is to develop the Southeast zone and not to breed angers and acrimony among stakeholders.

Adding that the appointment did not only reflect the principles of the Federal Character but also gave a sense of belonging to every state in the Southeast region as well as the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The appointees are; Hon. Mark C. Okoye, Managing Director (MD) (Anambra); Dr. Emeka Wogu, Board Chairman (Abia); Mr. Sylvester Okonkwo, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs (Anambra); Hon. Toby Okechukwu, Executive Director, Projects (Enugu); Mr. Anthony Agbo, Executive Director, Infrastructure (Ebonyi) ; Dr. Clifford Ogbede, Executive Director, Agriculture (Imo); Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, Executive Director, Finance (Abia); Barr. Ugochukwu Agballah (Enugu); Hon. Okey Ezenwa (Anambra); Chief Hyacinth Ikpor (Ebony); Mr. Chidi Echeazu (Anambra) and Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu (Imo).

Those representating the six geopolitical zones are; Nasiru Usman (North West); Hamman Adamu AG Kumo (North East); Edward David Onoja (North Central); Orure Kufre Inima (South South); Daniel Akwari (South East) and Joke Adebayo (South West).

Comrade Uhara added that instead of creating unnecessary crisis, stakeholders should work with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu to ensure that the N341.27 billion appropriated for the commission in 2025 budget is passed in to law so that the region will start feeling the positive impacts of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.

Signed:

Comrade Edwin Uhara,
APC Chieftain and former member of the Presidential Campaign Council

Good night

We must support FCCPC this Yuletide season

N

Keyamo's Unministerial Remarks Against FCCPC

By Edwin Uhara

I read the comment attributed to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo over the faceoff between the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the management of Air Peace with keen interest.

The minister while reacting to FCCPC press release over it's decision to investigate the alleged exploitation of consumers by Air Peace said, FCCPC acted 'carelessly.'

His words: “I think it was a very careless statement – I say that with all apology – by the agency, making such a statement without consulting the core agency involved in regulation, which is the NCAA."

”The power to regulate these airlines and for the airlines to inform about their price increase and all of that is domiciled in the NCAA; that is the core agency."

“They should have contacted the NCAA for them to look at the books, which we have been doing, so we would have given them facts. But to single out a few airlines that we are struggling to expose to the world for them to get more enhanced capacity, it was a bit careless."

With all due respect to Mr. Keyamo, I must admit that the learned gentleman acted more like a business CEO than a Minister of the Federal Republic whose main job is to supervise policy implementation in his ministry in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.

Suffix to say that the same Act of the Parliament which empowered the NCAA to regulate activities of airlines also empowered the FCCPC to protect Nigerian Consumers.

In the case of Air Peace, it was never a case about business regulation but a case of exploitative practice and the agency saddled with such responsibility is the FCCPC and not the NCAA. So, the idea of contacting the NCAA before doing it's job is immaterial.

If it were a case of misunderstanding between the FCCPC and the NCAA, I would have agreed with the Honourable Minister that FCCPC ought to have contacted the NCAA before issuing such public statement because there are all serving one body which is the Federal Government but it was not so.

Instead, it was a misunderstanding between a government agency and a business organisation.

We must understand that the FCCPC derived it's power from the act of the Parliament which empowered it to
protect consumers' rights and interests; which include addressing consumer complaints, investigating grievances, and ensuring that businesses adhere to fair and ethical practices."

The FCCPC is also empowered by the Act to take legal action against companies that infringe on consumer rights or engage in fraudulent activities.

In this regard, the FCCPC recently investigated and issued multi-million dollar fines against the British-American Tobacco, Meta and Coca-Cola companies on allegations of breach of consumer protection rights.

In the same vein, the FCCPC is empowered to enforce compliance with consumer protection laws and other practices which impugned on consumer rights.

It does this thorough regular monitoring of market practices and ensuring compliance as well as intervening where necessary to address violations.

According to the Punch Newspaper Editorial of December 5, 2024 titled: "Banks, Telcos: FCCPC Must Enforce Consumer Rights," the paper said: " The aviation sector presents another glaring example of regulatory shortcomings."

"Air Peace’s reported fare hikes are exploitative and unjustifiable. The National Civil Aviation Authority has failed to curb such practices, leaving passengers vulnerable to price gouging."

"The FCCPC investigations could signal a turning point. By enforcing reforms and imposing meaningful penalties on violators, the commission can set a precedent for corporate responsibility... The eforts can restore public confidence in Nigeria’s corporate and regulatory systems. This opportunity to champion consumer rights must not be squandered.

Nonetheless, why must Air Peace be an exception whereas there are other companies like Guaranty Trust Bank, MTN Nigeria, and Air Peace that are been investigated.

The essence of the investigation was to address widespread allegations of unfair treatment, negligence, and inadequate consumer protection mechanisms.

According to FCCPC, " The inquiry into Air Peace’s pricing practices stems from allegations of unjustified fare increases on advance bookings for certain domestic routes, lack of transparency in pricing structures and practices that potentially contravene consumer rights and fair competition principles."

Therefore, I believe the public remark by Mr. Keyamo is unministerial because he has all access to the leadership of FCCPC to seek clarifications instead of creating the impression that there is lack of coordination within the system.

Besides, to whom you can whisper to, there is no need to shout because the faceoff is not between FCCPC and NCAA.

In conclusion, both the FCCPC and the NCAA as well as other regulatory bodies in the country should be encouraged to do their jobs without trying to obfuscate their lawful activities.


Comrade Edwin Uhara is a public policy analyst.

Reach him via edwinuhara@rocketmail.com

Prices of goods must come down

Ni

Between the FCCPC and the Market Cartels

By Edwin Uhara

At a recent event in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, Mr. Olatunji Bello revealed that the commission had discovered cartels responsible for the exorbitant prices of goods and services, especially in the foodstuff industry.

Cartel is an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.

Their goal is to maximize profit without giving a damn to how the final consumer feels or the general economic conditions of the nation.

According to Mr. Bello, cartels operate like a mafia organization and they currently dominate the packaging and poultry industry.

His words: "They operate in a mafia-like fashion such that if you choose to leave one of them to check the price of the other, before you would reach the next factory, the first seller would have tipped off the second seller to quote the same price ... They had succeeded in frustrating the efforts of the government to make prices affordable for the masses of the country."

For example, "The small poultry owners used to sell a day-old chick for between N480 and N590 and they still made a profit. But not after the arrival of two big players in the market. I choose to withhold their names at this point."

"The big players brought in big money and expanded the market and expectedly they were soon in a position to control 80 to 90 percent of the poultry market in the city.”

"They used their clout and financial muscle to hijack the local poultry farmers association and now dictated that a day-old chick be sold at N1,350 in a curious reversal of the law of the economy of scale which otherwise stipulates that the more you produce, the less the unit price.”

He further explained that in the last one year, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has supported poultry farmers with broilers, vitamins, feeds and cash through various interventions across the nation’s six geopolitical zones but despite these, prices of poultry products have continued to skyrocket.

For instance, starter mash which sold for N11,000 in October 2023 rose to N14,000 in January this year, N16,500 in March, N21,500 in July and N23,500 in October.

He also added that the high prices of drinks in recyclable packs were substantially caused by “unfair pricing dictated by a cartel in the packaging sector.

“The cartel in the packaging sector consists of five big players who are in the business of importing and providing local manufacturers with packaging materials he said.

In lieu of the foregoing, a 50cl of Fanta in a plastic container that used to sell for between N150 and N200 now go for between N450 and N500.

He further stated that in a bid to cushion the harsh effects of the ongoing economic reforms by the Federal Government, President Bola Tinubu has introduced a number relief measures such as the removal of tariff on food imports, VAT on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, tax waivers for businesses and public transportation as well as provide easy credit for the conversion of vehicles from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG.

Therefore, it is only fair that our businessmen and businesswomen and traders share such gains with consumers in form of reduced prices."

The revelation came on the heels of the latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics which indicated that the headline inflation rate for the month of October was 33.88% relative to that of September which stood at 32.70%.

The report showed that the headline inflation rate increased by 1.18% points when compared to that of September this year.

On a year-on-year basis, the report added that the headline inflation rate was 6.55% points higher than the rate recorded in October 2023 which was 27.33%.

Also, the urban inflation rate in September 2024 was 2.67 percent, reflecting a 0.28 percentage point increase compared to 2.39 percent in August 2024; while the rural inflation rate stood at 2.39 per cent in September 2024, up by 0.33 percentage points from 2.06 per cent recorded in August 2024.

In a related development, the investigations by the Daily Trust Newspaper has shown that the prices of building materials have also hit the rooftop, resulting to over 100 per cent hike within one year.

Cement prices moved from over N4,000 to N8,800 per bag, representing a 100 per cent increase.

Blocks in the block industry that used to sell for N250 each last year, now sell for between N550 and N600 depending on the size.

Iron rods which ranges from 10mm to 16mm, that used to sell for N800,000 per ton in 2023, now sell for N1,600,000 per ton depending on the brand.

The cost of paints has also gone up as a big rubber, which hitherto cost between N23,000 and N25,000, is now between N46,000 and N50,000.

The situation in the building sector has made a lot of persons to express doubt about the possibility of meeting the targets of affordable housing for all as contained in the Social Development Goal number 11:1 which deals with safe and affordable housing.

According to a real estate developer, Musa Ibrahim, he said: "With the current rise in the prices of building materials, affordable housing for all will remain a mirage until the government takes a deliberate action to crash prices."

"It is even becoming worrying now that not only housing is affected but also rents as landlords wake up to increase rent at will, citing high cost of building materials.

Nigerians have endured unnecessary inflation of prices of goods and services for the larger part of the year, but now need a relief as we gradually approach the Yuletide season.

While price control is not on the cards of the FCCPC, the cartels responsible for the outrageous prices of goods and services should know that certain sections of the act establishing the FCCPC also empowered it to publish offenders.

Therefore, now is the time to take advantage of the grace provided by FCCPC in the spirit of democracy”, instead of enforcing the laws which prescribed stiff penalties, ranging from heavy fine to jail terms.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is A Public Affairs Commentator.
edwinuhara@rocketmail.com

Mastering the new tactics of online scammers

By Edwin Uhara

The havocs wrecked on the society by online scammers is becoming unbearable these days.

Right now, there are scammers on all the social media platforms constantly looking for who to make a victim.

The type of creative thinking these folks deploy in furtherance of their activities is highly sophisticated that only the grace of God can prevent one from becoming a victim.

I used to think that it's only greedy people that fall for the antics of these guys, but recent developments have shown that these guys are constantly upgrading their levels. In fact, they are more than what the society thinks and feels about them.

Until now, the popular belief is that WhatsApp is among the safest online platforms because it works with numbers --- you must have the phone number of the other person before communication can take place but recent experience have proven otherwise.

Just a few days ago, somebody called me on Whatsapp and said there would be a Zoom meeting where the state of the nation would be discussed by 8:pm.

He said, he had sent me a code number and that I should send him the number for him to confirm my participation, but I bluntly told him I was not interested and he started preaching to me on how he has been following my comments on a particular Whatsapp forum and how he wanted me to participate.

But little did I know that it was God that saved me because I would have lost access to my Whatsapp account completely.

I later discovered that the so-called zoom code sent to me was an attempt to hack my account but Whatsapp had to send me a code number to confirm whether the changes emanated from me.

If I had sent the code in the name of zoom meeting, he would have succeeded in his failed attempt to hack my account.

Few days later, I started seeing different kind of postings soliciting for fund for charity on that Whatsapp forum and I called the administrator and he said that his account was hacked.

In the same vein, the account of other persons on the same platform were also hacked.

One day, I got a message with the number of a former Senate President who is also a member of the Whatsapp group asking me to do him a favour and I said in my heart what type favour will a hustler like me offer to a former number three citizen of the country?

While I was contemplating on that, a Rhema dropped in my spirit telling me that the number of the former Senate President was hacked and that I was dealing with a scammer but I should play along.

So, I asked the impersonator what kind of favour? He said his secretary was not around and that he just ordered for something and payment needed to be made ASAP.

I asked how much so that I would help? He said N15 million. I asked him to send me the account number and he did.

I checked the account and I discovered that it was a microfinance bank outside Abuja. At this point, I discontinued with the chat and blocked the number.

After the blocking, I started asking myself some questions. I said if the phone number of a former Senate President could be hacked easily and be used for defrauding unsuspecting members of the public, what would be the fate of the ordinary Nigerian who don't have access to any security agency where he could ask for help?

The truth is that nobody is above temptation, let alone sophisticated temptation of this magnitude. But when such temptation comes, what buffer zone do we have to technologically protect the citizens?

The other day, I got a spam mail in my email box telling me this: "Greetings to you My dear friend.
I am Jimmy Tamara, I hope this mail finds you in good health. I sent you an email a couple of days ago to help me receive a sum of (Five Million Eight Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars). Please get back to me because it is urgent. 100% legitimate, and of mutual benefit to both parties."

The antics of these scammers keep changing as the people become more familiar with their tricks.

This is not to talk about the mindless hacking going on in the banking sector where alot of Nigerians have lost their fortunes.

The banking industry is actually trying by constantly upgrading to new technologies, but they should do more to protect their customers.

Also, the telecommunication industry should not only be concerned about the NIN but the players of the sector should up the ante to contain some shortcomings.

Their current practice of reassigning certain phone numbers used by a particular subscriber should also imbibe some security measures because scammers are using it to impersonate the former owner so that they can defraud their 'MAGA.'

At least, before the reassigning of the used SIM Card would take place, it should be advertised so that the public will be aware of the changes.

Therefore, as we approach the Yuletide season, Nigerians should be very careful on how they do some things in order to avoid playing in to the hands of these guys.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is a Public Affairs Commentator.

Send your reaction to this email:
edwinuhara@rocketmail.com


https://businesspost.ng/featureoped/mastering-the-new-tactics-of-online-scammers/

bewla:
Pack here

What do you mean?

Anatomising Hadiza Kabir's Commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda

By Edwin Uhara

"Productivity is never an accident, but it's always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused efforts." --- Paul J Meyer

The above quote by an American public speaker, Paul J. Meyer can best describe the unyielding commitment of the former Mandate Secretary of the Social Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Head of Transportation and Logistics of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, Hajia (Dr.) Hadiza Mohammed Kabir to the concept and principles of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.

She is firm and focused in her commitment to the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government as she has been doing everything within her capacity to ensure that Nigerians feel the positive impacts of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the government in their lives

Apart from the excellent job she has been doing as an employee of the government, she has been using her personal resources to support the promotion of the policies and programmes of the present administration in her own little way.

She not only promotes and defend the policy thrusts of the government through all her social media platforms but she also support grassroot outreach programmes that promotes the programmes of the government at the local levels.

She has been encouraging the people to exercise patience with the government policies and reform initiatives despite some baby's steps of pains that are universally associated with reforms of this magnitude which can be likened to a woman in labour.

"When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world."

Even before Mr. President expressed concerns that some government officials are not doing enough to promote his government policies to Nigerians, Dr. Hadiza Kabir had maintained a good working relationships with some media personnel who have crossed path with her because of her belief that there can be the media without the government but there cannot be the government without the media.

Though her efforts might look like a drop in the ocean because her present capacity is limited, but the truth remains that she is making a positive impact because change agents work hard in pursuit of their goals until they accomplish them.

As a former Mandate Secretary of the Social Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, she pursued the vision of the office with single-minded focus and determination.

For instance, during her tenure, the secretariat through the Social Welfare Educational Empowerment Scheme sponsored over 2,000 children of the poor for tutorial and prepared them for NECO/NABTEB, WAEC and IJMB to enable them further their academic pursuits.

The office ensured the training of higher institution students on Industrial Attachment Programme in the Visual and Performing Arts Division of the office as over 200 students were trained.

Also, over 300 youths were trained and empowered in fish farming and aquaculture while another 1000 youths were trained to champion small business establishments in technology-based fields like solar panel production, computer repairs and leadership trainings.

Accordingly, over 13,100 youths were trained in leather works, satellite installation, welding and metal fabrication and the Information Communication Technology, while another 5,500 were empowered and given starter packs to jump start their activities in their new endeavors.

Through social counseling, over 3,000 commercial sex workers embraced skills acquisition and entrepreneurship initiatives and left their old lives for a more dignified means of livelihood.

In similar vein, over 502 mentally unstable persons were treated, rehabilitated and reunited with their loved ones while another 273 victims of drug abuse were rehabilitated through psychosocial therapy at the Bwari rehabilitation centre, Abuja.

Also, over 400 food vendors and roadside market women were empowered with new skills while about 12,500 beggars were evacuated from the streets of Abuja and were provided with feeding, psychosocial counseling and empowerments.

Her social and voluntary works were so pronounced that President Joe Biden of the United States of America in 2022 honoured her with the President's Lifetime Achievement Awards for her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

Because a change agent is one who is relentless in the pursuit of worthy causes that grows out of personal convictions, I think Dr. Hadiza Kabir needs more encouragements and supports from the present administration for her unyielding commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.

Such encouragement from the government of the day will spur her to focus more energies towards accomplishing the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda because according to Abraham Lincoln, 'Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.

Now is the time to embrace persons who are truly walking the talk of helping Mr. President to transform the economy with growth in investments towards enduring prosperity.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is a Public Policy Analyst

Rural women must be supported

Happy International Day of Rural Women

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RURAL WOMEN: EXAMINING THE IMPACTS OF THE BETTER LIFE PROGRAM FOR THE AFRICAN RURAL WOMAN

By Edwin Uhara

October 15 every year is a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the International Day of Rural Women. It's a day designated to raising awareness on the challenges, impacts and prospects of the rural women among others.

According to UN report, "Rural women have less access to a range of resources, from farm land rights and credit to education and technology."

"Every year, female-headed households experience income losses of eight percent due to heat stress, and three percent due to floods, relative to male-headed households."

"Climate change has a more pronounced impact on women, primarily on indigenous and peasant women, whose agricultural dependence, living conditions, and marginalization expose them to a greater degree of challenges due to climate change, loss of diversity, and pollution."

The same report added that, "If women had the same access to productive resources as men, farm yields could increase by 20 to 30 percent; feeding an additional 100 to 150 million people.

"Women have learned how to cope with and adapt to climate change, by practicing sustainable agriculture in harmony with nature, switching to drought-resistant seeds, employing low-impact or organic soil management techniques and leading community-based reforestation and restoration efforts."

"Women engaged in wage employment in agriculture earn 82 cents for every dollar that men earn."

"Given their position on the frontlines of the climate crisis, women are uniquely situated to be agents of change — to help find ways to mitigate the causes of global warming and adapt to its impacts on the ground."

However, it is in line with the theme of this year's celebration which is: “Rural Women Sustaining Nature for Our Collective Future: Building climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and caring for land towards gender equality and empowerment of women and girls," that I decided to examine the impacts of The Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman, an organisation that has been transforming the lives of the rural women through health, economic empowerment, agriculture and educational supports programme among others.

The organization has impacted on the lives of over 2.4 million individuals across three African countries, transforming communities and enhancing the quality of lives in the region.

It has championed girls education in STEM fields, cultivating a new generation of female leaders with over 250 additional projects across Africa.

The organization has fostered economic independence by encouraging women's participation in cottage industries and agriculture.

It has initiated critical immunisation initiatives in rural areas, significantly bolstering public healthcare systems within communities in the region.

In putting it's works in proper perspectives, The Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman has built 1,435 cottage industries for the rural women as well as 1,784 farms and another 1,992 multipurpose centres and 7,625 cooperative farms across the region for advancing the cause of the African rural woman.

Over the years, the organization has played a leading role in the campaigns on immunisation, oral rehydration therapy and polio vaccination programmes.

Through Sauki Health Outreach Initiative and its youth volunteer programme, the organisation has raised the health status of the rural women to appreciable levels.

Accordingly, the organization has trained over 360 women in different skills acquisition programmes; especially on micro credits and other financial schemes.

The organisation has also trained over 600 women on SHEA production as well as the construction of Shea nut warehouse, multi crops and multi trade programmes.

Given the giant strides the organisation has made so far, there is no doubt that the organisation would do more if given more supports.

The structure is there already with good leadership in the person of Her Excellency, Hajia Aisha Babangida who has done a great deal of justice to the organisation since the founding mother, Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs) Maryam Babangida passed away.

It's a cause she is committed to doing for the whole rest of her live; the cause of seeing the African rural woman enjoying the same rights and privileges like any other woman anywhere in the world.

This cause is however challenging but not insurmountable.

Therefore, on the occasion of this year's International Day of Rural Women, it is appropriate to call on the international community and other public spirited individuals to throw their supports behind the Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman so that more lives can be touched and be transformed across the continent.

Let's reawaken the spirit of Ubuntu once again!

Comrade Edwin Uhara is A Journalist and Public Affairs Commentator.

He writes from Enugu!

FCCPC, Price Gouging and Matters Arising

By Edwin Uhara

According to Wikipedia, "Price gouging is the practice of increasing the prices of goods and services to a higher level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair."

In other words, price gouging is the act of increasing prices of goods and services without recourse to common sense or moderation.

Price gouging is a moral burden on the conscience of producers and marketers because it tends to send a lot of persons back to the poverty line.

The worst is the fact that any little attempt made to encourage fair competition is usually tagged as price control.

For instance, in a reaction to FCCPC's directive that prices of commodities should be reasonable and devoid of price gouging and exploitative practices, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) said, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission was 'intimidating' retailers across Nigeria.

In a statement released by the Director/CEO of CPPE, Dr. Muda Yusuf, the organisation said, "The FCCPC's recent actions, which it believes are veering dangerously close to price control... appears to be transforming into a “price control agency” instead of upholding its duty as a consumer protection body."

The big question is, how can an agency established to promote and protect the Nigerian consumers carry out such responsibility without demanding for fair competition among players?

Is the act of forming cartels to ripoff Nigerians of their hard earned money not anti-competitive practice which the extant laws of the nation empowered the FCCPC as an agency to fight against?

At a recent event in Lagos, the Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Federal Compettion and Consumer Protection Commission, Mr. Olatunji Bello while addressing leaders of market associations, transport operators, and service providers at a town hall meeting hosted by the FCCPC said; "The commission discovered that “cartels” excessively increase the prices of food items to exploit consumers."

“As a Commission, we are not acting out of a brainwave. Indeed, we had carried out extensive discreet market survey across the country and our findings were quite disturbing."

"We identified patterns of price fixing perpetrated by some market associations, price gouging, and other anti-consumer practices.

“We noticed that the margin in the prices of imported goods are very disproportionate in many cases; and in the case of locally produced goods, excessively inflated."

“In some areas, we discovered that some players are engaged in hoarding of grains, to create artificial scarcity, thereby distorting the market in unduly high prices of such food items."

"In our investigation, we also discovered that some traders form a cartel in the market and put barriers in the form of ridiculous membership fees intended to ensure price fixing in the market."

“Without joining them, they won’t allow anyone to sell goods in the market or provide services.”

"Price gouging and price fixing are unethical and “patently illegal” also under the FCCP law."

"Section 17 of the Act empowers the commission to eliminate anti-competitive practices, misleading, unfair, deceptive, or unconscionable marketing, trading, and business practices."

"Sanctions include a fine of up to N10m and a jail term for anyone found guilty by the court,” the FCCPC boss said."

In similar vein, while speaking on why the prices of foods are over the roof across the country, the Chairman of BUA Foods PLC, Mr. Abdul Samad Rabiu said: "The rising cost of food in Nigeria is due to the actions of greedy distributors and producers.'
He disclosed this during the company’s 7th annual general meeting held in Abuja recently.

He said: " A few months ago, while the price of flour reached N70,000 per bag, BUA maintained its price at N50,000 to encourage competitors to reduce theirs. But instead of adjusting, some companies decided to halt production altogether, creating scarcity and driving prices even higher."

“When we were at N50,000, distributors added N20,000 more and sold it at N70,000 per bag."

"At one point, distributors were making almost N20 million per truckload of 75 tonnes of flour."

"While we kept our prices low, other companies were unhappy with us and deliberately stopped producing to create a shortage, which caused prices to keep increasing.”

Seeing this, BUA Foods felt it didn’t make sense to keep selling at N50,000 when the market price was at N70,000."

Although BUA’s production is significant, but Mr. Rabiu acknowledged that there are still two companies larger than theirs.

He further explained that "BUA Foods offers some of the most affordable products in the market. However, because there are other companies selling similar items, it’s challenging to keep the prices low."

He praised President Bola Tinubu for providing duty waivers on food imports, which he believes could help ease the situation.

Other food items such as groundnut oil, red oil, fresh tomatoes and pepper are not left out in this price gouging thing.

Garri that used to be regarded as very cheap has changed, and has also become the food for the rich. A paint bucket has risen to between N2,500 and N3,000, instead of N500 it used be.

According to Ngozi Okafor, a teacher, she observed that even vegetables such as Ugu, green, saint leaf, others, are even expensive. “At times I wonder why our local veggies are expensive.

While there are some prevailing factors like removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the Naira which has caused some adjustments in the cost of production and distribution of goods and services in the country, it should however not be the justification for price gouging and exploitative practices in our local markets.

The same factors are there but currently, a start-up company known as Egoras have decided to be selling 50kg bag of rice for N45,000 while in our various markets, same 50kg goes for between N85,000 and N90,000 per bag depending on location.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Egoras, Ugoji Harry, he said "That at a significantly reduced price of N45,000 per 50kg bag, Nigerians will be getting some relief from the impact of food inflation."

He recognised the growing hardships that many Nigerians face in affording basic food supplies. "The current economic situation has pushed many families into extreme financial strain. We understand that food is becoming unaffordable for many households, and as a company, we feel a responsibility to support our communities."

This rice, which is locally produced, would ordinarily sell for almost double the price, but we are offering it at N45,000 to make it accessible."

Harry highlighted that the discounted rice is not intended for resellers or distributors.

“To prevent exploitation, we have set a limit of one bag per customer. We want to ensure that as many households as possible benefit from this initiative, and we don’t want people buying in bulk just to resell it at a profit. This is a way of giving back, and we’re trying to reach everyday Nigerians who need this the most."

He said customers can pre-order through egomart.org to secure their bags of rice, which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Egoras initiative is quite commendable and should be emulated by other companies.

Accordingly, Nigerians should throw their weights behind the FCCPC as it seeks to protect Nigerians from the crushing effects of price gouging, price fixing and exploitative practices in our various markets.

FCCPC will serve Nigerians better when we all support it's activities and not condemnation.

Therefore, now is the time to prove our patriotism by rallying supports for the activities of FCCPC to defend the Nigerian consumers from exploitative practices.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is A Public Affairs Commentator

Myn44

Olatunji Bello, FCCPC and the Fight Against Exploitative Practices In the Market Place

By Edwin Uhara

There is no gain denying the fact that the commodity prices in our various market places are over the roof of the common man; whether it's the price of essential commodities or non essential commodities, the story is the same.

However, what is been under reported is the efforts of the Olatuji Bello-led Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to curb the exploitative practices in our various local markets.

Exploitative practices occurs when marketers over inflate the prices of their commodities in order to make huge profits at the expense of the final consumers.

Final consumers comprises of all persons who are the end users of these products, the worst hit are the people in the lower rank of our economic ladder who are often the majority.

Accordingly, Nigerians can attest to the recent revelation by the Chairman of Bua Cement Company, Dr. Ishaku Abdulsamad Rabiu, when he said this: "We were selling cement at N3,500 with the expectation that dealers and retailers would pass the benefits of the low price to end-user customers, but some were selling at N7,000 and N8,000 per bag, making a lot of money from the very high margin. I think we sold more than a million tons at N3,500 before we realised what the dealers were doing."

He made this disclosure at the 8th Annual General Meeting of the company in Abuja.

He added that the activities of those intermediaries undermined his company’s policy to maintain the N3,500 per bag price in 2023.

Collaborating the position of the BUA boss, the executive director of the company, Mr. Kabir Rabiu added: "We actually sold our cement for three to four months at N3,500. We thought other players in the cement industry would join us in making the price of cement affordable, so BUA Cement had to discontinue its low-price policy as it was not intended to subsidise dealers."

Dr. Rabiu attributed the high cost of cement to the exploitation of consumers by middlemen within the supply chain.

He added that the company could not control the prices in the open market, where dealers were making substantial profits from the high margin.

Similarly, we also read the recent revelation by a popular economist and the Executive Director of Financial Derivatives, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, when he alleged that some civil servants bought 50kg bags of rice at N40,000 and resold it at N85,000.

He said the price of rice at the ‘Parallel market’ increased by 3.62 percent to N85,000 from the normal N83,000 despite the government’s subsidized price of N40,000.

He made the allegation before the Federal Government suspended the N40,000 per bag rice initiative.

These and many other factors are the reasons the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission decided to issue a directive to marketers to sell their items within reasonable prices and stop the unreasonable exploitation of the Nigerian consumers.

Here is what FCCPC said: "Price control is entirely outside the scope of our responsibilities, we have never considered nor will we ever consider intervening in the market to regulate prices ... Our recent directives are not about controlling prices but are focused on curbing exploitative behaviours that distort the market place and harm consumers."

"We encourage all businesses to engage in critical and lawful practices that contribute to a fair and competitive market place... Our role is to ensure that the market operates on principles of fairness, transparency and accountability."

But some cartels in the market chain distorted the original version of the statement and alleged that the FCCPC was planing to introduce price control mechanism whereas that was not what the statement said.

Instead of facing the truth, some members of these cartel network resorted to chasing the shadows by sponsoring propaganda against the commission in the media with the aim of inciting the people against the leadership of FCCPC.

The simple truth is that, these cartels are afraid of what would be their fate when the one month grace period given to them to sell their communities within rational prices by the commission expires.

Here is what the commission said: 'We have granted a one month moratorium before enforcement begins, providing businesses with the necessary time to adjust their practices and ensure full compliance with laws aimed at protecting consumers and fostering fair competition."

"The FCCPC stands firm in it's commitment to enforcing the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPC) 2018."

The statement added: "We will continue to monitor the market place and take action against business practices that violates the law. Consumers and businesses alike can trust that we will remain vigilant in uplifting the principles of fair competition and ensure protection."

At this juncture, all Nigerians of good will must rally round the FCCPC as it strives to allow the forces of demand and supply to determine the prices of goods in Nigeria and not price fixing by some cartel networks who are only interested in the money they would make and not the value they would add to the overall economic development of the country.

Kudos must also go Mr. Olatunji Bello for summoning the courage to confront these forces in the market place who have been suffocating Nigerians with exploitative practices that have no correlation with the laws of demand and supply.


Comrade Edwin Uhara is a Public Policy Analyst.

drmuchin:
Stupid greedy mofos

What do you mean

Press Release

Nationwide Protest: Give Tinubu More Time - APC Chieftain Urges Protesters

Ahead of the nationwide protest slated for August 1st, 2024, a Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress and United Nations-trained Negotiator, Comrade Edwin Uhara has appealed to the organisers of the protest to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu more time to turn things around.

In a statement released to newsmen in Enugu on Sunday, the party stalwart said the current food crisis in the country has some spiritual undertones; noting that 2024 is the year of the Dragon and a leap year also which requires patience to overcome the challenges.

The year of the dragon is also the year of good fortunes but some requirements must be met before the divine wealth of the year is released.

Similarly, it has been observed from history that every leap year is usually a tough year for the human race but humanity have always emerged stronger.

Therefore, what we need at the moment is not protest but to show kindness and compassion to one another knowing full well that this trying moment will soon be a thing of the past and we will return to our normal lives.


Signed:

Comrade Edwin Uhara,
APC Chieftain and Public Affairs Commentator

Happy World Environment Day

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2024: DISSECTING MAINA BUKAR'S STRIDES AT NAGGW

By Edwin Uhara

The 5th of June every year is a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness on environmental challenges confronting humanity as well as promote the need to take actions towards the protection and restoration of our ecosystems.

According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40 percent of the world's land is been degraded and is directly affecting half of the world's population.

The report went further to warn that without action, exposure to air pollution beyond the safe guidelines will increase by 50 percent within the next decade while plastic waste flowing in to the acquatic ecosystems will nearly tripple by 2040.

The report also stated that every five seconds, the equivalent of one football pitch of soil is been eroded yet it takes 1000 years to generate three centimeters of topsoil.

However, Nigeria is not left out of the global effects of climate change but I will not be focusing on the challenges but the efforts made so far to curtail the effects of global warming on our soil.

It is on this note that I will be dissecting the unrelenting efforts of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) under the leadership of Dr. Yusuf Maina Bukar OON to combat land degradation, drought and desertification as well as other challenges posed by climate change to Nigeria.

The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) is an agency under the Ministry of Environment established in 2015 by the act of parliament to implement the vision of the African Union and it's Heads of State and Governments.

The mission of NAGGW is to stop and reverse land degradation and prevent depletion of biological diversity, boost food security and ensure that ecosystems are resilient to climate change as well as provide essential services that will contribute to human welfare and poverty reduction in 11 front line states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kastina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States.

Accordingly, since the appointment of Dr. Yusuf Maina Bukar as the Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, the agency has made so many giant strides towards the actualisation of it's mandate.

In highlighting some of the great successes achieved by NAGGW on behalf of Nigeria, I will be focusing on the six major sub-headings of Afforestation and Land Management, Renewable Energy Delivery, Rural Infrastructure Assisted Projects/Activities, Job Creation/ Employment Generation, Capacity Building/ Development and lastly Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) in order to give better essence and perspectives to the great efforts by Nigeria to ensure that global warming is kept below 1.5°C in this century.

AFFORESTATION AND LAND MANAGEMENT:

It is worthy to note that a total of 45,251,179 number of assorted and indigenous tree seedlings were raised in the agency’s community and central nurseries to plant in the following plantations;

i. Shelterbelt: over 1819.96Km or 5,459.88 hectares of Shelterbelt was planted across the 11 frontline states.

ii. Woodlot: 1,457.2 hectres of land was planted as woodlot to improve the livelihoods of the
affected communities and the micro-climates.

iii. Orchard: 1,047 hectres of orchard plantations was established to improve the livelihoods of the affected communities across the 11 frontline states.

iv. Acacia senegal/seyal Plantation: 950 hectres of land was planted with Acacia senegal/seyal seedlings.

v. Large Scale Restoration of Degraded Land: 800 hectres of degraded land was planted to restore and improve soil fertility and halt further land degradation.

vi. Social Forestry: 550 hectres of land was planted with exotic/economic tree species in areas of social gathering across communities in the 11 frontline states to enhance the micro-climates and improve human interaction with the outdoor space.

vii. Institutional Planting: 830 hectres of land in both public and private institutions were planted across the 11 frontline states.

viii. Farm Forestry: 350 hectres of farmlands were planted to encourage agroforestry and improve soil fertility.

ix. Indigenous Tree Species: 775 hectres of land was planted using indigenous tree species sourced from the affected communities to reduce plant extinction and restore indigenous forest.

• Distribution of Seedlings: 10,813,733 tree seedlings were distributed to farmers for promotion of agroforestry practices.

• Sand Dune Fixation: 100 hectres of sand dune has been fixed using the straw checkerboard method.

• Banana Plantations (Musa Spp): 25 hectres of banana plantations are being established to encourage agroforestry and generation of income in Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, and
Yobe States.

RENEWABLE ENERGY DELIVERY:

• 4,879 units of solar home lightening systems were procured and distributed.

• 1,917 units of solar street lights were procured and installed at rural markets, boreholes and plant nursery sites.

• 6,300 units of super saver wooden stoves were procured and distributed to families of inhabitants of the communities to discourage indiscriminate tree logging for domestic purposes.

• 128 units of solar powered pumps with trolley were procured and installed for Irrigation purposes across the 11 frontline states.

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE ASSISTED PROJECT/ACTIVITIES:

• 430 units solar powered boreholes were constructed with accessories.

• 363 units of motorized boreholes were constructed with complete accessories for irrigation purposes.

• 5 units of skill acquisition centres were constructed and equipped for off-land training.

• 71 community plant nurseries were established for seedlings production across the front line states.

• 4.6Km of rural feeder roads were constructed for easy access to difficult terrains.

• 110 numbers of tube wells were constructed for irrigation purposes.

JOB CREATION/ EMPLOYMENT GENERATION:

• 1,397 youths were trained and engaged as Forest Guards to curtail social unrest and forced migration as well as protect the agency’s investments.

• 205 units of grinding machines were procured and distributed to women and youth across the 11 frontline states.

• 85 units of motorcycles were procured and distributed in the selected irrigated sites of the 11 frontline states.

• About 210,709 youths which consists of women were engaged in direct tree planting and other related activities.

• Initiation of the NAGGW Youth Volunteer Programme (NYVP) and the NAGGW Green Women Platform (NGWP) among others.

CAPACITY BUILDING/ DEVELOPMENT:

• 1,367 rural community people - women and youth were trained in off-land livelihood activities.

• 275 farmers were trained on 'Climate Smart Agriculture' and were empowered with farm tools and inputs like assorted/improved seeds for on and off farming activities that would generate income and improve livelihoods.

MONITORING & EVALUATION (M&E).

• 2 numbers of Automatic Weather Stations were put in place for field data collection. Monitoring and Evaluation M&E framework was also developed for implementation of M&E system for the Great Green Wall Programme in Nigeria.

• Reviewing of the National Strategic Action Plan for the Implementation of GGW Programme (2021-2025).

• Participatory Rural Appraisal Manual for Planning and Implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme in Nigeria was also developed.

Despite the many laudable achievements of the NAGGW, the Director-General of the agency, Dr. Maina Bukar is still not resting on his oars as he has vowed to continue to pursue the mandate of the agency until the goal is fully achieved.

His words: "We will therefore continue to play a leading role in fulfilling the laudable vision of the African Union and its Heads of State and Governments when in 2007 they adopted and launched the Great Green Wall in the Sahel and Sahara Initiative."

Finally, as the world celebrates this year's World Environment Day 2024 which focuses on land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.

"We cannot turn back time, but we can grow forests, revive water sources, and bring back soils."

I am using this opportunity to say happy World Environment Day 2024 to Dr. Yusuf Maina Bukar and his dedicated team for doing great jobs at the NAGGW.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is a Un-trained Negotiator and Public Affairs Commentator

Aisha Babangida: A Quintessential Humanitarian @ 53

By Edwin Uhara

"You don't change the world with the ideas in your mind, but with the conviction in your heart." -- Bryan Stevenson

Though there are many noble sides of her, but in this piece, I will be exploring the humanitarian side of Her Excellency, Hajiya Aisha Babangida as she celebrates her birthday anniversary this month.

She need no introduction as anyone familiar with happenings in the humanitarian circle across the continent already know that she is one of the very few persons who are truly convinced and are committed to the cause of improving people's lives and reducing human sufferings in the society.

She is firm in her decisions yet simple and down to earth. She was born with the golden spoon yet the welfare of the common person takes the centre stage in her heart.

Such was the intellectual idea that shaped her worldview and convinced her to float many life changing charity organizations as well as enlarging the scope and the coverage of her late mother's pet project, the "Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman to the continental level.

Other humanitarian organizations founded by her includes; the Women Enterprise Alliance. The Egwafin Micro-finance Bank. The Tasnim Foundation. The Aisha Babangida Leadership Foundation and many other organizations she heads and sits on their boards.

The Women Enterprise Alliance is an opportunity-based platform created by her to help entrepreneurs to invest in profitable small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria and across the African continent.

She founded the organization in 2018 as a way of helping entrepreneurs to overcome the challenges they normally face when needing resources to start-up their own company.'

According to her; "Women represent between 60 and 79 percent of Nigeria’s rural labour force but are five times less likely to own their own land than men. Women are also less likely to have had a decent education."

So, the Women Enterprise Alliance is there to bridge the gap between business vision and business actualisation.

The Egwafin Micro-finance Bank was also established in 2016 to help in facilitating access to funding and financing that the ordinary person on the street may not have access to in the real banking industry.

In her words, "Microfinance acts as a means to target wealth inequality and work towards bridging the gap. Because the poor or impoverished don’t have access to resources, their skills go underutilized, because they themselves are underutilized."

Adding that "microfinance, commonly referred to as microcredit which is actually a subset within microfinance, acts as an opportunity for people who may not otherwise receive approval for a loan or credit to still obtain financial services.

The concept was built around the idea of inclusion and access for all. In order to participate in growing economies, people need access to funding no matter their income bracket.”

The Tasnim Foundation is another charity organization founded by her to provide scholarships to young girls in the rural areas as a way of encouraging girl-child education.

The foundation also provide medical equipments and medications to hospitals across the country in order to support the public healthcare services.

The Aisha Babangida Leadership Foundation is also another organization that works with variety of stakeholders, partners and institutions to develop and support programmes aimed at providing leadership trainings, mentorship and scholarships to indigent students across the continent

Undoubtedly, her Midas touch in these organizations have transformed the lives of many, especially those whose only hope of better lives can only be found in the imaginative realm.

She see's the good in others and invests in them to assist them become that which they wanted to be. That's why Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe said and I quote "If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming."

Born on 25th May, 1970, Aisha Babangida pursued her academic career in the following citadel of learning; The Webster University Geneva, the Wharton Business School, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Cambridge Judge Business School among others.

Nevertheless, there is no one who makes positive impact in life that goes without being noticed because we can only attract and experience what we are. That's why several honours and recognitions came her way, among which are; The Gold Medal Award from the prestigious Crans Montana Forum, Brussels, the Womens Champion and Youth Mentorship Awards, Speaker at the World Humanitarian Forum on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, and Life Member of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) which was conferred on her during the last annual Directors Dinner and Award Ceremony.

In all these, one thing that have consistently distinguished her from the rest is her burning desire to uplift the downtown and see them become who they were destined to be by their creator.

It is on this note that I say happy birthday to her and I enjoin her to continue her selfless services to humanity because she is already on the positive side of history.

Comrade Edwin Uhara is a Un-trained negotiator and Public Affairs Analyst

Ending hunger in Nigeria is achievable

How Sharubutu's ARCN is complementing Tinubu's Fight Against Hunger

By Edwin Uhara

There is no doubt that there is food insecurity in the land. Many Nigerians are already feeling the heat of food inflation across the federation.

No matter the location, the price of food stuffs are generally high but what is being under-reported is the efforts of government to balance the inequality between demand and the supply chain.

Accordingly, there are many reasons given for the current food inflation, but from the economic perspective, the demand for food by Nigerians is more than the supply in the market. So, when such reality is the case, there is food insecurity.

Conversely, for there to be food security, it must be available, accessible and affordable even to the ordinary person on the street because food is a human right.

However, it is also not right when the efforts of relevant agencies like the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), a body saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring agricultural researches in order to increase agricultural outputs in Nigeria is being under reported.

As a leading research institution, the ARCN has developed many varieties of crops to ensure self-sufficiency in production as it has also released beans and maize varieties that are resistant to insect pests.

Not only that, the council has also developed models to help in food storage as one of the research institutes under it's supervision - the National Stored Products Research Institute in Ilorin has developed models for the storage of yam, cassava, and grains.

Nevertheless, as a way of boasting it's workforce, the council recently recruited about 1650 scientists to boost food security across the nation.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Council, Professor Garba Sharubutu, he said: "The Federal Government approved recruitment of 1650 scientists to boost the staff strength in research, particularly the instruction is for us to recruit breeders, those going to bring about the genetic improvement of our local crops”.

Adding that, "This administration is taking the subject matter of food security serious and since it came on board, it decided we must refocus our attention to make sure at least food is placed on the table and if we need food to be placed on the table, our advice to the government is to concentrate on quick maturing crops."

"These quick maturing crops mean rice, yam, cassava, wheat, guinea corn, millet. These are what we call the quick maturing crops". He added.

"But our advice also entails the fact that other products or other commodities should not be neglected.

‘’We cannot neglect the cash crops because of the need to diversify and if you look at the mandate of Mr President and his priority list, he mentioned food security as No. 1”.

Unlike before when there were replications of research works by some bodies under it's watch, the 16 institutions under the ARCN in the country now have specific mandates of crops they specialises in.

These crops ranges from grains, tree crops, livestocks, fisheries, storages, mechanisation and extension services.

According to the ARCN boss, Professor Sharubutu, he said, "We had numerous agricultural research institutes spread across the length and breath of the country that were carrying out their activities in isolation. Each agricultural research institute was implementing mandate without recourse to what the other is doing”

“So in the wisdom of the government, there was need to give specific mandates to each research institute, and therefore the 16 agricultural research institutes in the country now have specific mandate of their crop”

He further disclosed that the council has been able to release crop varieties that are meant to be flood resistant, quick maturing, quick yielding, boost nutrition and pest resistant.

In total, the council has released 23 crops varieties within the shortest time frame while the National Cereals Research Institute has produced over 65 varieties of rice; quick maturing, drought, flood and disease resistant crops.

The council also founded solution to the tomato Ebola when it broke out in Nigeria.

The result of these researches are not in the book selves anymore but are found with the real farmers on the field.

He added that, "In the whole of Africa, we are the second country to introduce insect-resistant cowpeas." We have also introduced new varieties of maize that are resistant to armyworm.

In lieu of the foregoing, large scale farmers are advised to get these new varieties of crops for usage as this year's planting season is still on.

There is no point continuing with the old species of crops that take almost one full year to yield while the country is in dire need to balance the gap between food demand and the supply chain.

On the whole, Professor Sharubutu has delivered on President Tinubu's mandate of boosting agriculture to achieve food security within the shortest time frame.

The onus is now on Nigerians especially the farmers to take advantage of the innovation and use them to increase their yields in this year's planting season.

Achieving food stability is not a rocket science because that is one of key indicators of human development according to global institutions.

In conclusion, I can say that with the current efforts of both the government and the people, there is going to be the availability and affordability of food stuffs across the federation during next round of harvesting season.

Comrade Edwin Uhara, a public affairs analyst writes from Abuja.

Noted

Press Release

APC Chieftain, Richard Lamai Congratulates Julius Ihonvbere on His Emergence As Reps Majority Leader

A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress and member of the Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Richard Lamai has congratulated Professor Julius Ihonvbere on his emergence as the 10th House of Representatives Majority Leader today.

The party Chieftain who described the emergence as a 'Refreshing Dawn' for APC in Edo , South-South and indeed National politics said, Professor Ihonvbere has all it takes to help Mr. President to drive home his 'Renewed Hope Agenda' for Nigeria.

Noting that Ihonvbere is bringing his huge experiences as former Special Adviser to the President, former Secretary to the State Government and ranking lawmaking status to bear in this new assignment.

The party leader called on Nigerians to continue to support the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he rolls out his government's plans for the overall recovery of the country in the coming days.

Signed:

Chief Richard Lamai,
APC Chieftain and Director in the Presidential Campaign Council

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