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In this report, AFEEZ HANAFI writes about weak birth registration procedures in Nigeria and how they may aid child trafficking

The waiting section of Ojodu Primary Health Centre on Gbadamosi Street, Lagos State, was rowdy that Tuesday morning. At about 10am, visitors had filled up the available seats at the section. A right corner into the entrance is where a female official of the National Population Commission (NPC) uses as a birth registration centre. On her table were booklets and some other stationery. She had no workstation to facilitate the birth registration process.

Our correspondent approached the commission’s official in the guise of a father wanting a birth certificate for his newborn without presenting the child or any hospital record as the procedures require. Observing due diligence in a process as critical as birth registration mattered little (if at all) to the middle-aged official. All she needed to document Hanafi Abeeb Adeshina, a fictitious child’s name presented to her, is a sum of N1,000 for a registration that is supposed to be free according to the commission.

She boldly turned down a N500 negotiation. “We did free registration three months ago. We have stopped it for now,” the official replied swiftly when Sunday PUNCH queried her for demanding money. She also turned a deaf ear to the request for a receipt. Within 10 minutes, this correspondent filled a form indicating the child’s birth date, parents’ names and address among other false details and was issued an original birth certificate for the imaginary child. Dated October 8, 2019, the certificate was duly stamped and signed by the registrar.

A birth certificate is a permanent vital record documenting the existence of a child before the law and establishes the child’s family ties. Ideally, it is used for national planning and is a requirement in school enrollment, processing of passport, employment into an organisation, etc. Unfortunately, the poor registration process is the order of the day in almost all the NPC accredited birth registration centres including hospitals and local government areas.

At the NPC office inside the secretariat of Ikeja Local Government Area where our correspondent visited same day (October , the scenario was worse. One of the registrars at the centre issued a birth certificate for a non-existent 2-year-old girl, Afeez Fatima Bolatito, after collecting N2,000. Even though our correspondent told him the child was born in Ilorin, Kwara State, he assured that she could be registered. Officially in Nigeria, children cannot be registered in an area outside their place of birth.

The NPC official inside the council claimed registration is free but said the money was meant for processing two affidavits for which he initially demanded N3,000. One of the affidavits according to the stout dark-complexioned man is to show that no certificate had previously been issued to the child and the other is meant to state Lagos as her birth place. Invariably, he encouraged our correspondent to engage in perjury, a serious criminal offence punishable under the law with a fine or jail term or both upon conviction.

“We can’t issue a birth certificate for a child born in Ilorin. We can only state that she was born in Lagos. You will need an affidavit to show that she had not been issued a certificate before. An affidavit is N1,500 but the certificate is free. We’ll do the affidavit for you right here,” he said crisply. About 15 minutes into the transaction, he issued the birth certificate without preparing the affidavits. “I will do so later and put them in the file,” he retorted when this reporter requested to see the documents.

At the Lagos NPC centres in Agboyi-Ketu Primary Health Centre, Kosofe Local Government Area and Ifako Primary Health Centre under Ifako-Ijaiye LGA visited by our correspondent, all that the two registrars demanded were verbal details of the child and a sum of N1,000 for issuance of a birth certificate.

BIRTH REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
After a child is delivered in a hospital, the institution issues a certificate for the child as proof. The certificate is then taken to any NPC registration centre and submitted for issuance of a birth certificate. To obtain a birth certificate for a child born at a place other than hospital, the parent or guardian is required to go to the local government where the child was born and get an affidavit as proof of birth. The affidavit is submitted at any NPC office and a birth certificate issued to the child.

The two NPC officials encountered by our correspondent did not ask for these essential documents even though they were respectively told that the “two children” were born at home and hospital. In response to some of the frequently asked questions on its website, the NPC gives reasons for birth registration to include, “securing the child’s identity, nationality and name; for easy access to health care and good education; to help in national planning and to obtain a job in the public sector.”

Sadly, poor registration mechanism aids documentation of fictitious (or even stolen) children, thereby making a mess of these objectives. NPC also states that parents must “go to the registration centre with the child or evidence of birth,” noting that “mother, father or any adult relatives or caregivers,” can take the child for registration.” It maintains that the child must be presented at the point of registration “unless it is impossible to do so.”

POOR BIRTH REGISTRATION AND CHILD TRAFFICKING: A NEXUS
Child trafficking has reached an alarming rate with several kids caught up in the deplorable web and subjected to hard labour, abuse and dehumanising treatment. In broader terms, it encompasses selling of children either stolen or with their parents’ consent. Although statistics of child trafficking in Nigeria could not be obtained from authorities in the country, the International Labour Organisation estimates that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year.

In 2012, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that the percentage of child victims had risen within three years from 20% to 27%. “Every year 300,000 children are taken from all around the world and sold by human traffickers as slaves,” it added. In Nigeria, children, especially newborns, are increasingly becoming victims of trafficking and reduced to objects of transactions. Tens of children have been abducted and sold at ridiculous amounts ranging from N100,000 to N1m.

While security agents were able to rescue some – perhaps many years after– from their buyers who adopted them as biological children, a number of others have remained missing, leaving their parents in perpetual anguish and trauma.

Few weeks ago, Kano State Police Command rescued 9 children after busting a syndicate which specialised in abducting children from Kano and sold them in Anambra. The news caused uproar and President Muhammadu Buhari gave an order for investigation. Kano State Government also set up a panel of investigation into the crime as more than 47 other children suspected to have been abducted in a similar manner are still missing.

Piling onto this disturbing figure are two siblings, Chinasa, 3 years and Chikamso Okpara, 18 months old, stolen on May 14, 2016 by an apprentice known only as Rose in a stylist shop run by their mother on Cemetery Street, Ajegunle, in Lagos. The children are now 7 and 5 years old respectively, yet their whereabouts remain unknown, their mother, Ijeoma, told Sunday PUNCH during the week. She sounded depressed.

Given the poor, shoddy procedures for birth registration in Nigeria, a child buyer can easily obtain a birth certificate in the name of a stolen child and claim to be the biological and legitimate parent of such child. Invariably, the certificate, which can be issued within 15 minutes without presenting any proof from the hospital or relevant authorities, ultimately becomes a viable means for an illegal adopter to legalise the hitherto criminal act.

In August 2019, the Ogun State Police Command rescued 7-year-old Joshua Otubo in Anambra State from one Mrs Blessing Ozor who bought him for N1.05m. Otubo and his siblings (Deborah, 6, and 3-year-old Abraham who are still missing) were abducted from their parents’ rented apartment in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on March 4, 2018 by a co-tenant known only as Mary.

Meanwhile, advocates for human and child rights, who spoke to our correspondent, sad there was need for thorough and data-based birth registration process to protect children. Coordinator, Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network of Nigeria, Mr Ebenezer Omejalile, said a situation whereby anybody can walk into an NPC office and get the certificate, “is an abuse of birth registration and can encourage child trafficking. Even if a child is born at home, there should be evidence because the baby has to be taken to a hospital or health centre for further attention,” he added.

Omejalile lamented that birth registrars working at the local government secretariats did not have computers to work with and called for their capacity building.

The National General Secretary, Network of Civil Society Organisation Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour, Mr Fela Bright, said it was unfortunate that the officials disregarded the procedures for pecuniary purpose. He said, “The moment they see money, everything about them is gone. Some people get appointment without knowing what they are supposed to be doing and when you call their attention to it, they tell you to go to blazes. That kind of nonchalant attitude will definitely aid child trafficking. Someone who buys a child can easily get the child registered as theirs without being caught.”

Bright, who is also the Project Officer and West Africa representative of Africa Region of International Federation of Social Workers, called for active engagement of trained social workers in the commission and other government establishments such as schools for adequate protection of child rights.

In her submission, the Director, Office of the Public Defender of Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, faulted the current birth registration process, noting that it foreclosed deeper investigation into whether the person requesting a birth certificate for a child is their biological parent or not.

She added, “Worse still, sometimes you don’t have to take your child to the centre to get the certificate. So, that process does not protect children. The process of registration of birth should be detailed enough to prevent this kind of practice. Of course, to a great extent, there is a connection between the process and its encouragement of child trafficking.”

BABY FACTORIES ON THE PROWL
Whereas some parents are victims of child abductors, desperate quest for illegal means of survival has also driven many people into child selling. Several others, including rape victims and teenage mothers, who hide their pregnancies from parents have ended up in illegal orphanages that operate baby factories.

A 2006 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation report stated that the south-eastern parts of Abia, Anambra and Imo states have most of such homes. The police describe a baby factory as a well-organised crime, sometimes with medical doctors involved in running the factory operated like a maternity home while the babies produced are sold out.

One of such illegal orphanages was discovered in 2013 at Umuozuo, Osisioma Local Government Area, in Aba, Abia State with 32 pregnant ladies rescued. According to the police, a male child was sold for N450,000 while a female attracted N400, 000 at the clandestine facility. A teenage mother was paid N100,000 if she was delivered of a boy, as against N90,000 paid mother of a girl child.

On September 19, 2019, Lagos State Police Command bust 4 of such illicit homes in Ikotun and Abaranje, Lagos suburbs, and rescued 19 pregnant women and four babies. Three teenagers, Joy, 15, Happiness, 17 and Favour, 17, who are rape victims, formed part of the figure.

Echi Uche, 32, from Okigwe in Imo State, said she intended to sell the baby after delivery so she could use the proceeds to take care of her three children. “A friend, Chinyere, told me her brother’s wife in Lagos had no child and that she wanted to adopt one. We agreed I would go to Lagos and when I gave birth, the woman would take the child and settle me. They didn’t tell me the amount I would be paid, but I wanted to use the money to take care of my children,” she said.

A quack nurse taking the delivery of the babies at one of the factories, Mrs Sherifat Ipaye, and a caregiver, Happiness Ukwuoma, were also arrested by the police. Ukwuoma, who worked for the owner of the baby factory (one Oluchi), said three babies had been sold within the 3 months she was engaged by Oluchi on a monthly pay of N20,000. Oluchi is still at large.

COMPLEX ADOPTION PROCEDURES & CULTURE FUELLING CHILD BUYING
OPD director, Adeyemi, opined that the complexity of adoption procedures coupled with subtle resentment for adopters in Nigerian culture discouraged many people from toeing the line of the law, thereby indulging in child buying.

“Cultural issue is the greatest issue impeding adoption in Nigeria. Many people are worried the society won’t see the child as theirs and that adoption is an admission of not being fertile to have children. Some people will prefer to do adoption secretly, particularly if it is a baby. Some people can go as far as packing themselves with different stages of pregnancy kits and travel out of the country or to somewhere else and when delivery time is approaching, they will return with a baby to pass as theirs. In some cases, they buy the babies.

“Adoption process is a bit cumbersome but it should be so because we are talking about life. One has to be sure that the person seeking adoption is really sincere.”

Lagos Zonal Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mr Daniel Atokolo, also stated that “excessive bureaucracies” surrounding the adoption process could be attributed to child buying.

COLLABORATION & DIGITAL REGISTRATION THE WAY OUT
A pediatrician and Head, Medical Centre of Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, decried the practice of issuing birth certificate to a child without evidence of birth from the hospital where such child was born. He said the NPC needed to liaise with ministries of health nationwide to have a comprehensive list of hospitals registered with them.

To address instances whereby hospital birth certificates are forged, the medical doctor called for the application of digital operations that allow the use of biometrics. “This way if a child is born, biometrics will be carried out at the hospital and the process is repeated at the point of registration at the NPC office. That way, we can drastically reduce the chance of parents registering children that are not theirs,” he added.

Also speaking on the issue, a human rights lawyer, Mr Jiti Ogunye, said the process and procedures for child registration ought to be reworked. According to him, it looms danger if there are no “Standard Operative Practices” for child registration other than assumed parents presenting themselves at an NPC office with documents of the child presumably obtained in a hospital.

He stated, “One, it will not be possible for the registrar of birth to truly authenticate the claim of an assumed parent that he or she is the true parent of the child. Even if documents are acquired from the hospital, there is no interface between the NPC and the hospital or maternity to authenticate the document. Even if we have that kind of authentication, people still take children to trado-medical centres for delivery. Thus what we should be doing now is reworking the system in such a way that we will take the advantage of digital information age. NPC offices should be able to go to a portal to verify whether the information of the child had been transmitted to it.

“We must move the procedure from the parent showing up at offices to register children to a procedure by which NPC offices are able to interface and liaise with hospitals all over the country no matter their number. And for facilities such as trado-medical centres outside the coverage of the Internet, we can have procedures for this interface.”

A lawyer and Social commentator, Mr Liborous Oshoma, said chances of registering stolen or trafficked children at the NPC centres were high and called for concern. He said, “This can be curtailed with due diligence. Abroad, from the hospital where the child is registered, the hospital has access to the central database like we have National Identification Number in Nigeria. They give the child a name immediately and it is with the name that the child’s details are inputted in the certificate. They then request a social security number for the child. We can replicate the same thing here. All we need to do is proper monitoring.”

He noted that adoption procedures were stringent to deter criminally-minded people, adding that it could be simplified through electronic means rather than manual processes.

“Also everyone is operating orphanages which can be checked through a central database. We need to put structures in place. The Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Health need to collaborate,” he added.

WE'LL TACKLE LAPSES, SAYS NPC
Director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Mr Mohammed Isah, confirmed the breach of procedures for birth registration narrated to him by our correspondent, noting that “the commission is aware of all the issues and is taking proactive measures. The last survey we conducted, National Health and Demographic Survey of the country, it was discovered that over 60% of women that live in rural areas have their birth at home. It will be difficult for those parents to obtain birth certificate in the hospital for their children. And there is no how we could not have registered their children because they gave birth at home.

“We recently discussed the issue of money for birth registration with the acting chairman and the commission is taking a proactive approach towards solving this issue once and for all. It is not permissible to collect a kobo from any parent who wants to register their child. The certificate is absolutely free and we are urging parents to resist giving anything to anybody if they are asked to do so.”

To prevent exploitation of the deficient procedures for registering stolen children, Isah said the commission would soon go digital. He added, “The only solution is digitalising and automating birth registration. We have got some funds to start the process and hopefully it will begin by next month. By the time we acquire tablets and other necessary materials, we will not be using hardware anymore.

“That will help to checkmate all the ugly scenarios you mentioned. You are absolutely right. People can even use the advantage of the manual process to register twice. One may register in Lagos and go to Kano to do another registration because the mechanisms to check are not properly put in place.”

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/govt-centres-where-fake-babies-get-original-birth-certs-for-n1000/

Men of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Corps on Friday botched a robbery attack on passengers of a BRT bus, arresting two suspects – Kenechukwu Chukwuka and Adam Isiak. The suspects, six of whom are still at large, reportedly boarded the bus from Tollgate, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State, en route to Oshodi around 7.30am.

It was gathered that the assailants suddenly brought out weapons on reaching Ijaiye area and started beating up the passengers. The driver quickly drove to a halt and raised the alarm which caught the attention of passersby and LNSC (Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps) officials around.

Spokesperson for the corps, Mr Adewale Afolabi, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, said the robbery was thwarted. He said one of the arrested suspects, Chukwuka, confessed to being a member of the aiye confraternity.

He stated, “Today, Friday, at 7.45am, Mr Samuel Abiodun and some other passengers were attacked by eight boys inside a BRT bus going from Tollgate to Oshodi with planks and other weapons. Two of the suspects, Kenechukwu Chukwuka, 26, who is a native of Enugu State, and 23-year-old Adam Isiaka, a native of Lagos State, were apprehended by LNSC officers.

“However, six other suspects escaped and are still at large. Chukwuka and Isiaka both work at Ladipo Market. Chukwuka confessed to being a member of aiye confraternity holding meetings at Ajao Estate .The case has been transferred to the Ijaiye-Ojokoro Police Division, for further investigation and possible prosecution.”

Chief Security Officer, Primero Company Limited, Mr Cletus Okodolor, which operates BRT in the state, said the bus wasn’t the company’s, adding that he was not aware of such incident. He said, “Our own BRT buses shuttle between Ikorodu and TBS (Tafawa Balewa Square), Lagos Island. It could be one of the news ones given to other transporters.”

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/robbers-attack-passengers-on-brt-bus-in-daylight/

Call 08164502125 for inspections.

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The house is still available...keep the calls coming.

BRAND NEW 4-BR TERRACE DUPLEX FOR SALE @ SANGOTEDO, LAGOS

PROPERTY LOCATION
Within Pearl Nuga Park Estate along Monastery Road, Sangotedo, 8 minutes drive from Lagos Business School, and within walking distance of Novare Lekki Mall. The estate is already occupied and is managed by a vibrant Residents/Owners Association. Neighbouring estates include Crown estate, Emperor estate and Diamond estate.

DESCRIPTION
The Terrace house consists of 3 bedrooms and a maid's room all ensuite and with water heaters and shower cubicles; a sitting room with dining area, a kitchen and a store, a guest toilet and parking space for 2 cars. It has it's own borehole with 2 storage tanks.

PRICING
Price of the house is N28.5m (slightly negotiable).

CONTACT
Telephone: 08164502125.

QUOTE

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-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Available...

NEW 4-BEDROOM TERRACE DUPLEX FOR SALE AT SANGOTEDO, LAGOS

PROPERTY LOCATION
Within Pearl Nuga Park Estate along Monastery Road, Sangotedo, 8 minutes drive from Lagos Business School, and within walking distance of Novare Lekki Mall. The estate is already occupied and is managed by a vibrant Residents/Owners Association. Neighbouring estates include Crown estate, Emperor estate and Diamond estate.

DESCRIPTION
The Terrace house consists of 3 bedrooms and a maid's room all ensuite and with water heaters and shower cubicles; a sitting room with dining area, a kitchen and a store, a guest toilet and parking space for 2 cars. It has it's own borehole with 2 storage tanks.

PRICING
Price of the house is N28.5m (slightly negotiable).

CONTACT
Telephone: 08164502125.

QUOTE

Still available...call for inspection and negotiation.

Call 08164502125 for more information.

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Please provide more details of the precise location (e.g. if it is within an estate/neighbouring landmarks/institutions) and also confirm if the price is negotiable.

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1. HOME OWNERSHIP
Buy or build a house. Becoming a house owner is one of the best investments you can ever make.

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This involves buying land or buildings for later resale at a higher price.

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Renting of land or buildings to tenants for monthly, quarterly or annual rent.

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You purchase a property and sell it immediately at a higher price.

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Real estate development ranges from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings, to the purchase of raw land and later sale of developed land to others.

6. LEASING
Just like renting but with more binding contracts and usually for longer duration.

7. COOPERATIVE
Join a Real Estate Cooperative and get access to purchase land or houses at concessionary rates. You can also get access to loans at reduced interest rates e.g, the National Housing Fund (NHF).

8. CROWD FUNDING
Many people pool their funds to invest in a wide variety of properties without having to deal with mortgage brokers, real estate agents or contractors.

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These are companies that own/operate income-producing real estate. You can invest by buying their shares.

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Are a type of mutual fund that primarily focuses on investing in securities offered by public real estate companies. You can invest in mutual funds.

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You sign a contract to rent a home for a predetermined period of time, with the option to purchase the home once that time expires. It is also possible to add the purchase cost onto the rent such that no additional payment will be required after the tenancy period.

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Buy a property, fix it, and sell it for a profit.

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Get a house in a good location, and you can make more from a few vacation tenants than from year-round tenants elsewhere.

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Many higher institutions in Nigeria have a shortage of student housing. This presents an opportunity to buy hostels and rent to students.

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Airbnb is a good way for property owners to supplement their income.

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Many commercial properties are built on an off-plan basis, with the initial buyers getting very good prices. You can buy off-plan and then sell for a profit once the buildings are completed.

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Telephone: 08164502125.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, proposed a toast to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The VP’s toast was proposed at a dinner organised in honour of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Prof. Vuong Hue.

Osinbajo, had earlier, at the Presidential Villa, received Hue and his team and witnessed the signing and exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding on waiver of visa requirements for holders of valid diplomatic and official passports. The vice president, during the toast said that Hue was his long-lost brother as both of them were born in the same year and same month– March, 1957. Osinbajo added that he and Hue were both lecturers and professors.

He said that Nigeria and Vietnam had maintained long standing diplomatic relations since 1976 but no high-level engagements. “So, this visit is very significant because we will be looking at the possibility of setting up a bilateral commission between Vietnam and Nigeria so that we can concretise the existing areas of cooperation that we discussed earlier today. I am confident that we can build on the successes recorded in the past while we work on boosting cooperation in business, trade and investment and social and cultural relationship between both countries.

“We agreed on promoting a friendly football match between Vietnam and Nigeria. The Super Eagles and the Vietnamese national team and as well the female national team of Vietnam and our Super Falcons. First toast to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; long live the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; the next will be the Federal Republic of Nigeria, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ he said.

In his response, Hue said that Nigeria and Vietnam had a lot of things in common. He said that aside boosting economic and trade ties, there was need to enhance cultural relationship. Hue said that the Vietnamese national team was a strong side in Asia and that he was looking forward to a friendly match between both male and female national teams of both countries.

In his welcome address at the dinner, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, said that the Vietnamese delegation, led by Hue, had demonstrated willingness to strengthen relationship between Nigeria and Vietnam. He said that the delegation had the opportunity of meeting people in Nigeria, especially in the area of trade, commerce and investment.

“Indications are that their engagements are very fruitful and they are willing to take the relationship to the next level. On our part, we are, ready and willing to reciprocate; to pick up the challenge they have thrown to us. This evening, we, signed an agreement on waiving visa for people carrying diplomatic passports,” he said.

Dada said that the dinner was put together by the vice president to introduce the Vietnamese delegation to Nigerian cuisine.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/nigeria-vietnam-agree-on-visa-waiver/

The Nigerian Automobile Association has alleged that there are two different regimes of duties being collected from them by the Nigeria Customs Service, a situation it says is against the rules of the World Trade Organisation.

The group, in a statement on Wednesday 30 October 2019 signed by its Secretary, Ademola Moshood, said this was discovered during one of the meetings between car dealers and the Customs held to address allegations of smuggling levelled against them. It said the two regimes of duties and the system of documentation were allowing corruption to thrive as well as causing distress to buyers of new vehicles in the country.

The association recalled that on September 29 this year, members of the Comptroller-General of the Customs’ strike force and officers attached to the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Lagos stormed the Berger auto market and other major car dealers’ premises in Lagos in search of smuggled vehicles and sealed the auto marts. It said this led to an engagement between some Customs officials and car dealers in the state.

“Subsequent meetings with dealerships revealed that the government’s agency had a system of documentation and two regimes of duties that create a fertile environment for corruption to thrive within its fold to the distress of buyers of new vehicles in the country. The Customs duty system is whimsical because it is not based on any known indices and certainly not based on the World Trade Organisation’s, which applies only duties determined as Freight on Board.”

The group stated that the price of a product sold by a manufacturer to a Nigerian buyer or any other country’s importer, also called FOB, was universal to every buyer of goods from the same manufacturer and could be used to calculate local duties in the destination country. It said if the quoted cost of the FOB was different, it must have been on account of accessories in the vehicles.

It said dealers who met with Customs officials after the September 29 shutdown were shocked to find that there were two sets of FOB in two different documents. It explained that one of the documents, entitled ‘National Valuation Database for Imported Motor Vehicles 2014-2019’ was believed to be baseless, as the dealers claimed it was contrived based on the whims and caprices of the NCS.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/car-dealers-allege-customs-operating-two-duty-regimes/

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Solid minerals worth N90.33bn were exported between 2015 and 2017, the latest report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has stated. Analysis of the report also showed that China emerged the biggest importer of Nigeria’s solid minerals in 2017.

The document, which was obtained in Abuja on Wednesday, gave the value of the solid minerals’ exports in 2015 as N1.94bn. This witnessed a leap to N11.16bn in 2016 and moved up to N77.23bn in 2017. “This is an indication that the solid minerals sector is steadily contributing to the federation’s export earnings but requires greater government attention,” NEITI stated in the report.

The report added that about 16.34 million metric tonnes of minerals valued at $29.90m was exported in 2017. It stated, “Nigeria’s total export was about N13.60tn with solid minerals contributing N77.23bn or 0.57% of total export in 2017.”

NEITI also stated, “The major destination of Nigeria’s exports during the year under review is China. The country accounted for 68% of total export value during the year.” Other destinations include Malaysia, Vietnam and India.

The report, however, observed that export data received from the Nigeria Customs Service include minerals not captured in the production data provided by the Mines Inspectorate Department. It also stated that the sector’s contribution to employment in 2017 was about 0.3% of Nigeria’s total employment, same as the figure recorded in 2016.

It affirmed that artisanal and small-scale miners currently dominated the sector, adding that while Nigeria’s gross revenue stood at N7.35tn in 2017, revenue specifically from the solid minerals sector represented only about 0.05%.

NEITI explained that the absence of an industry-specific fiscal regime made it difficult to tie revenue flows from the solid minerals industry to the Federation Account.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/nigeria-exports-n90-33bn-solid-minerals-in-three-years/

Residents of Isheri Olofinmole area of Kara, Ogun State have abandoned their business, belongings, and homes after the community started experiencing serious flooding. The area used to have a thriving market which is now a shadow of itself, as traders have been forced to leave their means of livelihood and look for alternatives.

According to residents, the past administration of Ibikunle Amosun for 8 years failed to pay attention to the plight of community, as school children were not left out of this menace.

A Market leader who spoke with our correspondent disclosed that they had been facing difficulties for years without solution. She stated that they usually live up to their duties as residents, but that the government paid deaf ears to their sufferings after being elected.

Business owners also told us how the water had affected sales negatively, as buyers now preferred to go to other locations to buy goods because of the flooded area.

SOURCE: https://www.gist mania.com/talk/topic,404829.0.html

Good morning!

Still available...Call for inspection, negotiation and purchase: 08164502125.

QUOTE

Real estate investing, even on a very small scale, remains a tried and true means of building an individual’s cash flow and wealth.

-- Robert Kiyosaki

Good morning.

The United Nations’ Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Tuesday 29 October announced the appointment of the Managing Director, Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency, Damilola Ogunbiyi, as his Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of United Nations-Energy.

In a statement made available to journalists, Guterres also welcomed the announcement by the Administrative Board of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) that Ogunbiyi has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of SEforALL. With the development, Ogunbiyi succeeds Rachel Kyte of the United Kingdom as Special Representative, Co-Chair of United Nations-Energy, and CEO of SEforALL.

The statement read, “The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Ms. Kyte for her dedication and commitment to the United Nations, her achievements in accelerating universal energy access, and her leadership in advancing sustainable energy transition in the context of the Paris Agreement.

“Ms. Ogunbiyi brings extensive leadership experience and a track record of supporting energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa to these roles. She was the first woman to be appointed as Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency. She is also responsible for implementing the Nigerian Off Grid Electrification Programme and successfully negotiating the Nigerian Electrification Project, to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria.

“She also developed the Energising Economics Initiative and Energising Education Programme, which provide sustainable and affordable off grid power solutions. Before joining the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ms. Ogunbiyi was the first woman to be appointed as the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board, which is responsible for public lighting, independent power projects, and energy development serving millions of people across the State.

“Prior to this, she consulted for the United Kingdom Department for International Development on public-private partnerships.


SOURCE: https://punchng.com/un-sec-gen-appoints-nigerias-ogunbiyi-as-special-representative/

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Donald Trump explains why he didn't inform House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in advance of US military raid on Al-Baghdadi.

US president Donald Trump has revealed he didn't inform House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or chairman of House intelligence committee, Adam Schiff, of his plans to attack ISIS leader Al Baghdadi in his Syria home.

On Sunday, Pelosi, who last month launched an impeachment inquiry on the US president, claimed Trump told the Russian government of plans to kill Baghdadi but didn't inform her or her colleagues, while Adam Schiff appeared on ABC network to reveal he wasn't told of plans to risk US military lives on foreign soil but he acknowledged Baghdadi's death is a win for America and the world.

It is customary for US presidents to inform congressional leaders before using US military power on foreign soil, but Trump has revealed he didn't inform them because he didn't want to harm US soldiers if the operation is leaked out to the media. According to Trump, Washington is now the home of media leaks, and he wanted to be sure that US military had left the ground after killing Baghdadi before informing congressional leaders.

"No, I didn't do that,' Trump said when a reporter Monday queried if he had shared plans of the raid with the House Speaker before it was carried out. I wanted to make sure this was kept secret. I didn't want to have men lost, and women. I don't want to have people lost,' the president added, claiming he told no one outside the circle of those involved in approving and organizing the operation.

In the early hours of Sunday morning –– U.S. Special Operations carried out a mission in Syria that resulted in the death of al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Al-Baghdadi while being pursued by military dogs, detonated his suicide vest, killing himself and three of his children, when he was cornered by U.S. forces at his village.

Trump in a photo of the situation room posted online was flanked by National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, Vice President Mike Pence, Trump, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General Mark Milley and Brig. General Marcus Evans while the Baghdadi operation occured.

"We have notified some, others are being notified now as I speak,' Trump told the room of reporters. 'We were going to notify them last night but we decided not to do that because Washington leaks like I've never seen before. There is no country in the world that leaks like we do. And Washington is a leaking machine and I told my people, we will not notify them until the – our great people are out. Not just in, but out,' Trump asserted.

'I don't want to have them greeted with fire power like you wouldn't believe. So we were able to get in and it was top secret. It was kept, there were no leaks or no nothing. The only people that knew were the few people I dealt with.'

Trump also admitted he took permission from Russia to use their airspace but he never let them know the specifics but Adam Schiff said that letting Democrats and Republicans in congress aware of such an attack is necessary incase something goes wrong or the Russians double-cross the US.

Russia treated us great, they opened up. We had to fly over certain Russia areas – Russia-held areas. Russia was great. Iraq was excellent. We really had great cooperation, and you have to understand, they didn't know what we were doing and where we were going exactly,' Trump said. 'But the ISIS fighters are hated as much by Russia and some of these other countries as they are by us.'

'We spoke to the Russians; we told them, 'We're coming in.' And they said, 'Thank you for telling us.' They were very good,' Trump said

"Had this escalated, had something gone wrong, had we gotten into a fire fight with the Russians, it's to the administration's advantage to be able to say, 'We informed Congress we were going in, they were aware of the risks, we at least gave them the chance to provide feedback. That wasn't done here. I think that's a mistake,' Schiff said to ABC news.

SOURCE: https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2019/10/donald-trump-explains-why-he-didnt-inform-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-in-advance-of-us-military-raid-on-al-baghdadi.html

The first 9 months of this year was not too good for Transcorp Plc, one of the leading conglomerates in Nigeria. On Tuesday 29 October, the company released its financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2019 and the numbers were not better than the same of last year.

Analysis done by Business Post showed that there were declines in both top line and bottom line numbers. In the period under review, revenue generated by the firm went down to N58.3 bn from N79.9 bn, while gross profit dropped to N27.0 bn from N37.0 bn.

This was despite trimming the cost of sales to N31.3 bn from N42.9 bn, with administrative expenses cut down to N10.6 bn from N11.6 bn. This was mainly because of reduction in staff costs, management and incentive fees, rents and rates as well as advertising. Though, director’s remuneration, electricity and diesel cost, bank charges, provision for bad debts and others increased during the period being reviewed.

According to the results, the company generated N710.4 mn as other income, better than the N542.1 mn in the first 9 months of 2018, which came from dividend income on equity securities, while it made N17.1 bn as operating profit, lower than the N25.9 bn Q3-2018.

Transcorp further stated that its finance cost increased to N10.2 bn from N6.6 bn. In the first 9 months of this year, Transcorp declared a profit before tax of N7.4 bn versus N17.7 bn in Q3-2018, while profit after tax dropped to N6.7 bn from N16.0 bn.

Recall that last week, the headquarters of Transcorp in Lagos was gutted by fire and the management assured its shareholders that no serious damage was done to the property, while no vital documents were destroyed.

SOURCE: https://businesspost.ng/economy/transcorp-suffers-huge-decline-in-revenue-profit/amp/