18042021 - Ex-Gov Aliyu Lied, not all northern govs worked against Jonathan in 2015

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PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 18, 2021 ‘In four years, PIND resolved 713 conflicts in Niger Delta’ By Kennedy Mbele CRUDE oil was discovered at Oloibiri in Bayelsa State in Nigeria’s Niger Delta in 1956. Oil exploration and production of oil and gas subsequently began, making the region a key contributor to Nigeria’s economy. Oil is said to account for more than 70 percent of the country’s revenue. Rather than a blessing to the people of the Niger Delta, crude oil has become a source of conflict. Despite the huge economic benefits of crude oil, a large percentage of the population still lives in poverty. The hardship in the region triggered armed violence that lasted for years until the federal government granted amnesty to the militants in 2009. Conflicts such as communal clashes, cultism, election violence, communal violence, armed robbery, kidnapping, human trafficking, mob violence, and land disputes grew, wrecking the region. Peace To address these conflicts, the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), an organization committed to economic development and restoring peace in the region in 2013 established the Partners for Peace Network (P4P). PIND’s P4P adopted a model where grassroots peace actors were mobilized for conflict prevention, mitigation, and peacebuilding in the region PIND deployed participatory research to identify drivers of conflict and locate existing peace actors and organized an intensive conflict assessment of the region that enabled them to map and hold extensive consultations with representatives from all key stakeholder groups including men, women, youth, militants, and ex-militants, political leaders, civil society, business owners, traditional leaders, religious leaders, community group leaders, government officials, and peacebuilding experts across all nine states of the Niger Delta. The aim is to understand how they have experienced conflict and its impact on their livelihoods. Conflict State chapters of the Network were subsequently established in each of the nine states of the Niger Delta. The peace actors consist of traditional rulers, government officials, civil society actors, reformed militants, security operatives, youth leaders, women leaders, By Peter Egwuatu, Assistant Business Editor The achievement of N1 trillion annual market turnover by the Nigerian Bureaux De Change (BDCs) has reinforced their prime role in the economy. Not relenting on its successes, the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) held a zoom general meeting where regulators and industry stakeholders lauded the strength of BDCs and their contributions to economic growth and exchange rate stability. Issues around regulatory compliance were discussed with ABCON President, Alhaji (Dr) Aminu Gwadabe listing major steps taken by ABCON management to ensure that all licensed BDCs comply with extant regulations, including regular rendition of regulatory returns. IT was a gathering of champions with a clear mandate geared towards setting the Nigerian Bureaux de Change (BDCs) on a path of sustainable growth. The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Annual General Meeting was an opportunity for AB- CON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe to restate the prime role played by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-licensed BDCs in promoting exchange rate stability, forex liquidity and forex sale to the retail end of the market. Gwadabe spoke extensively about the N1 trillion turnover milestone achieved by BDCs which reaffirms the sector’s prime position in the economy. He also listed the challenges facing the sub-sector, especially small enterprise owners, private individuals, and others. P4P started with 100 peace actors in 2013. The number later increased to over 10, 000 members in 2019. Their capacity was built to gain life-long skills. “Anytime I see people we have trained in their little corner making a difference, it blows my mind,” said P4P Programme Manager, Nkasi Wodu. According to him, “two of the states that have the greatest numbers as of 2018 are Abia and Imo. One of the factors that are attributed to that growth was the fact that the two states have a strong media outreach programme. They also have strong grassroots mobilisation programmes. They would go from community to community talking about peace, just like a health worker would go about doing sensitization on polio. “They would go to churches and schools talking about peace. Then, people would say they want to be part of this programe. Even when they carried out interventions in communities, people were interested to join in engaging and proffering solutions to disputes and issues that would have escalated to violence.” Communities The peace actors revealed the Network was a good platform to put their passion for peace into practice. Atakpa Effiong, a volunteer from Akwa Ibom State said he did not have a structured means to actively engage in peacebuilding before P4P was established, adding the Network gave him a sense of doing something that has an impact on his communities. “Just like other members, the Network gives him a sense of doing something that has an impact on their communities in particular and the region in general,” he said. P4P members in Bayelsa State said “P4P came to amplify our voices”. Other members of the Akwa Ibom P4P added that: “The Network has helped us because it has created that platform that we needed. They say together we stand and divided we fall. The Network has given us the strength, unity of mind, and purpose we need to work in achieving peace in our society.” The peace actors were provided with the support they need in addressing conflicts in various communities in the region. They receive early warning signs and go into the communities and broker peace with the people involved in the conflicts. A combination of conflict prevention, resolution, and management, mediation, arbitration was adopted to restore peace in •Gwadabe the low transaction margins on dollar sales, which continuously threaten the survival of BDCs businesses. The meeting, which had the backing of CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, was also attended by the apex bank directors, representatives of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Financial Action Task Force (FATF), DataPro CEO and over 550 top BDC directors, traders and other attendees nationwide. Gwadabe further highlighted the urgent need to foster a better and positive image for the BDC sub-sector. He said the BDCs needed a positive and rewarding image different from what the “naysayers” feed the public with. “We need to tell everyone that ABCON members are different. Majority of BDCs •Participants at a peacebuilding event organised by PIND in the Niger Delta. the region. According to the P4P case study report released by PIND in 2020: “P4P members were able to take actions that addressed potential sources of conflict before it reached a point where the parties involved see violence as their only recourse. In other instances, where conflict is already in existence, the P4P actors helped conflicting parties to find a peaceful solution to their disagreement using informal alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as negotiation, arbitration, mediation, and diplomacy.” For instance, a nine-year land conflict between two families in Urue Offong/Oruko LGA in Akwa Ibom State had been escalating. The peace actors conducted a full situational analysis of the crisis, including the identification of key stakeholders and persons who were in a position to exert a positive influence on the dispute. Dispute Following the analysis, mediation efforts were undertaken, involving both the aggrieved families and the key stakeholders identified in the analysis. Eventually, the families agreed to resolve their dispute through peaceful means and withdrew their case from the police. The Edo State chapter of the Network reduced election-related violence during the 2016 gubernatorial election. The members designed and executed an intervention with two key components of advocacy and sensitisation campaigns and election conflict early warning and response are not criminals. We need respect from members of the public,” he stated. He said with over 20,000 Nigerians employed by the sub-sector, there is need to support the BDC business for sustained economic growth and employment generation. Gwadabe who spoke on the theme: “BDCS Operations: A Trillion Naira Sub Sector, Issues of Formalisation, Regulation & Way Forward,” said foreign currencies dealt in by BDCs are derived from private sources and such other sources which may include the CBN window as determined by the CBN from time to time for funding Business Travel Allowance (BTA), Personal Travel Allowance (PTA), School Fees Payment abroad, medicals, mortgage and subscription. There are also other autonomous sources such as diaspora remittances, walk-in customers and bank sources. He said ABCON is now training Compliance Officers to ensure they are acquainted with what is required of them, especially on the monthly rendition of results and tracking illicit capital flows through compliance. According to Gwadabe, BDCs are complying with the rendition of suspicious transaction reports as directed by NFIU, CBN, and EFCC. He said BDCs are required to comply with all extant rules and regulations prescribed by the CBN, adding that CBN supervises and monitors their operations. “In compliance with the provisions of Bank and Other Financial Institutions (BO- FIA) as amended, every BDC renders returns to the CBN in prescribed format and within the deadline stipulated by the CBN. training. The advocacy and sensitisation campaigns targeted relevant stakeholders through peace messaging and advocacy visits before, during, and after the elections, while the early warning and response component focused on the training of 60 peace monitors in four identified hotspot LGAs on early warning reporting. Interventions They established a situation monitoring room in Benin, the state capital, to collect, analyse reports, coordinate and contact key stakeholders, including Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police through dedicated phone lines for timely responses. PIND supported P4P members with grants to conduct peace-building interventions. P4P Network Coordinator Africa, Lawal said: “When they (P4P members) come up with an intervention plan that has a budget of N1,000,000, we give them like N300, 000 or N400,000 so they will have something to put on board as members.” He said those grants played a vital role in jumpstarting the quick conflict response objective of the network. Between 2015 and 2019, the P4P Network has mitigated 713 conflicts in the Niger Delta. The P4P Network model is “accepted because it is indigenous to the people,” said P4P Network Coordinator, Africa, Lawal. He added that building a network of volunteers for peace has proven to be an effective model for peacebuilding in a conflict-prone region like the Niger Delta. 1trn turnover: BDCs set for market dominance, regulatory compliance The records of the BDCs are made readily available to the CBN examiners as and when requested including carrying out customer due diligence, corporate governance and tax returns,” he said. He said ABCON has over the years established itself as a key player in the BDC industry and has also made several commitments and sacrifices to ensure that the sector continues to thrive despite all odds. “The recognition of the role of BDCs in Nigeria’s financial sector remains the first step to building a sustainable and viable forex market that is comparable to what is obtainable in other developed economies. But getting the Nigerian BDC sector to where it desires, to demands hard work, quality leadership, regulatory foresight and sound government policies,” he said. Digitization/ Transaction Margin Review Gwadabe said BDCs have achieved major success with the digitization of their operations as operators can now file their reports from a convenient point without clustering at CBN’s offices. He said ABCON digitized BDCs operations with the official launch and take off of the ABCON Live Run Automation Portal in Lagos. The portal, which is a game-changer in the Nigerian BDC Industry, is the final phase of automating all BDCs’ operations and integrating them with the operations of CBN, NFIU and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) for improved compliance with regulation and seamless operations. Continues on onlinewww.vanguardngr.com
Viewpoint By Ayodeji Mayokun Ayopo WHEN Lagos State government earmarked 143.66 billion naira for public education in the 2021 budget, many people were of the opinion that it was poised to change the education landscape in the state. This implies that the government is strongly focused in pursuing a holistic agenda of transforming the education sector. To achieve it aim here, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated the Special Committee on the Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS). It should be pointed out that the huge investment in infrastructural development in the education sector is very critical to effective learning. Indeed the quote from the sage, Allan Bloom, who said “education is the movement from darkness to light” is indeed the current scenario in Lagos State. The Sanwo-Olu government is indeed dispelling the works of darkness in the education sector by heralding a new dawn through its holistic agenda to accelerate infrastructural development in the sector. It should be noted that public schools suffered from environmental degradation and infrastructural kwashiorkor. It has been a pitiable sight as students learn under pathetic and life threatening atmosphere. However, things have started taking shape after Sanwo-Olu took office. By George Inwang HEALTH is wealth. This time-worn adage must be the philosophy that drives the unprecedented transformation of the health sector in Akwa Ibom State under the leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel. It is a transformation that is bringing healthcare delivery closer to the people through increased accessibility and availability regardless of their social class or area of residence. This includes rural areas which had no health facilities, thus forcing residents in those areas to travel long distances for medical care in hospitals that were ill-equipped to serve that purpose ab initio. The exercise has so far seen the revamping of health institutions that were dilapidated in structures, which were in rundown conditions and unable to provide services to the sick, even in the most common ailments like malaria and typhoid fever, or maternity services – with preventable deaths, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, as consequence. Those institutions have had life breathed into them by way of remodeling, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of critical structures like emergency and accident departments, wards, By Chigoziem Dike IN 2014, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was rebased from $270bn to $520bn, making it the largest economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world. This close to 90% increase was attributed to new sectors of the economy not previously captured, one of which was the creative industry. For the first time in Nigeria’s economic history, the value of this industry was captured and one of its subsets – Nollywood – was discovered to have contributed 1.42% to the GDP, an impressive $7.2bn in monetary value. Nollywood has grown to be globally recognized as the second largest film producer in the world, producing about 2500 films a year and generating $590million annually. Nollywood’s leap in recent times has gone beyond the individual efforts of the players. It is the collaboration of many interventions dedicated to making the film industry home to authentic storytelling. Since the home video boom in the 90s that led to the coinage of ‘Nollywood’, By Ifeanyi Aigbedion NIGERIANS woke up to hear about the bru tal killing of an Army Captain and some soldiers who were on a routine patrol operation in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State. The 11 fallen heroes were killed by alleged gunmen who ambushed their military convoy. Unconfirmed reports also claimed that the slain troops met their ‘tragic end’ after intervening in a ‘bloody’ communal clash between Konshisha and Oju local governments. Days earlier, they had first been declared missing. But in a statement, issued penultimate Thursday, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima, Director, Army Public Relations, said the missing soldiers were later found dead. This was after a search and rescue operation was conducted. Though this is not first time personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have fallen victim to unscrupulous elements, it is heartbreaking that Service to fatherland is being turned into a source of sorry. With the killings come new widows and children who have no father to look up to. Dying on the war front is not a new thing, but when it happens when on a mission to restore peace, it becomes unacceptable. The series of attacks by gunmen on security per- With gargantuan zeal, the governor swung into action and, today, the tide has indeed changed positively concerning infrastructural decay in Lagos public schools. It should be emphasized that the strong focus of the administration is premised on a strategic blueprint. This aptly tagged T.H.E.M.E.S. focuses on Traffic Management, Transport, Health, Environment, Education and Technology. The education part of this strategic process has received enormous attention with huge investment in infrastructural development. Sanwo-Olu on assumption of office had decried the poor state of infrastructure in public schools. He immediately declared zero tolerance on the poor state of infrastructure in public schools. FULFILLING AGENDA To accelerate and actualize the core vision of revamping schools’ infrastructure, the governor inaugurated SCRPS. The committee, headed by Mr. Hakeem Smith, has since been a veritable channel through which public schools have experienced massive transformation and growth. The governor gave SCRPS the mandate to ensure that public schools are conducive for learning. The Smith committee remains the cynosure of public spectacle as the populace watched in utter SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 18, 2021, PAGE 27 Lagos Public Schools: SCRPS and the Transformation Agenda With MTF, MultiChoice Nigeria beams Nollywood to Global investors Wanton killing of military personnel must stop sonnel cuts across the country. Like many spirited and concerned Nigerians, Hajia Salamatu Adebayo, Publicity Secretary, Mothers for United Nigeria (MUN) laments the frequent attack on members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Adebayo like several other Nigerians believes that the wanton attacks on troops are capable of ‘killing’ their morale while affecting ongoing military operations, across the country. Truth must be told, families of our military personnel are already in pain missing their loved ones engaged in several operations across the country. Some families have not seen their loved ones who are engaged in military operations for months. The last any of the families want to hear is the death of their loved ones. Therefore, willfully killing people who have mortgaged their life for the country is adding salt to the injury. As Adebayo said, we must ensure the morale of our military personnel is not weakened. We must support them at this very crucial point in the history of this great country. We must support the new service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Leo Irabor, and give them the benefit of doubt as they seek Udom’s healthcare programme for sustainable devt •Gov Udom theatres, and dispensaries as the case may be, as well as upgrade or replacement of equipment, to be able to meet the challenge of providing modern healthcare delivery in a state that is being primed to be Nigeria’s industrial hub. The government has created an environment that is conducive for investments to thrive – a peaceful and secure state, critical infrastructure like a good road network and power, as well as incentives that investors find attractive and irresistible. This is in addition to the traditional hospitality for which the people of Akwa Ibom are well known, which contributes to creating a welcoming environment where people can visit, live and work. The creation of the right environment has so far yielded results in form of industrial establishments which have been set up in the state in the last six years – about 16 in all. These industries are collectively employing thousands of people. With the oil and gas free zone, the federal government is planning to set up in the state, and the futuristic Ibom Deep Sea Port which is going to be the biggest investment in that part of the country, Akwa Ibom indigenes in other parts of the country are going to find it attractive to return home to seek employment and business opportunities. The state will no doubt appeal to Nigerians in neighbouring states and other parts of the country in search of greener pastures. With more people coming into the state-local astonishment the beautification of public schools in Lagos. Since its inauguration, SCPRS has rehabilitated close to 150 schools while over 300 classrooms at various stages of completion are being constructed and renovated. Construction of hostel blocks with a target of over 1,000 beddings is also almost completed in the model colleges. The facilities that are being installed in the schools attest to the fact that fact that the Lagos government is making education a life in its own right for both teachers and students. STATE-OF-THE-ART FURNITURE The intervention is not only limited to infrastructural development but also the provision of modern furniture. The fabrication and supply of dual single composite student benches and tables with underneath compartments for books and bag storage are being supplied to public schools especially to those with furniture deficit. The provision of state-of-the-art furniture for both students and teachers align with the above that education is life in Lagos. SCRPS has provided over 100,000 students furniture. ICT ANGLE Giant strides have also been made in infusing technology into schools and into the learning process. This is a welcome development in view of the huge role ICT plays in learning. It is the innate resolve of the Sanwo-Olu administration to build new schools and incorporate ICT to drive teaching and learning through infrastructural needs. TEACHERS CAPABILITIES A critical focus of the transformation in public schools is improving the competency and capabilities of teachers through continuous training. The skills of teachers are being updated through modern technology. 2,500 teachers were trained in scenario planning based on remote learning, teaching and classroom co-ordination post-COVID. SECURITY ANGLE The government intervention is not only limited to infrastructure but also the innovative dimension of security. There is the Security Improvement Programme (SIP) introduced especially in the model colleges and boarding schools. The government factored the critical issue of security into its school infrastructural development project. Watch towers with alarm belts and perimeter fences in order to enhance security have also been constructed. Continues on www.vanguardngr.com investors from other parts of the country, foreign investors and Nigerians seeing to take up employment – there is going to be pressure on social services, including healthcare delivery. The government has acted proactively by investing in healthcare to build a state where health would translate to wealth – a state with a healthy population that would create individual and collective wealth for present and future generations of Akwa Ibomites. The government has strengthened healthcare delivery at the primary level by building more health centres, rehabilitating old ones and upgrading some to the level of full hospitals. For instance, the Awa Primary Health Centre has been remodeled, reconstructed and equipped to join the list of general hospitals that are located in the three senatorial districts of the state – to make secondary healthcare delivery available even where there are primary health facilities. •Inwang, a public affairs commentator, lives in Port Harcourt Continues on www.vanguardngr.com Nigerian films have displayed an impressive capacity to travel beyond the shores to the amazement of many observers. Though films at the time were of low production quality, the stories they told resonated with Nigerians home and abroad as it reflected the culture and economic situation of the country. It wasn’t long before Nollywood became the leader in African films where any film from Nigeria was almost seen as a representation of the continent. This boom resulted in many individuals with little or no filmmaking experience associating themselves with the industry. The downside of this bandwagon effect resulted in a drop in production quality and a promotion of unprofessionalism since some practitioners were untrained. In the late 90s, the industry witnessed a change through the intervention of MultiChoice Nigeria. The media entertainment company kicked off an initiative - New Directions - to stimulate the growth of emerging filmmakers in the continent with professional trainings of international repute. Renowned filmmakers like Tunde Kelani, the late quintessential Amaka Igwe, Mahmood Ali Balogun and Femi Odugbemi cut their teeth on that program and would not only become masters in the field of storytelling but also institutions. Through their eyes, other filmmakers were able to understand the craft and business of filmmaking. MultiChoice has had a knack for investing in local content since it entered the Nigerian market in 1993. These investments are not limited to monetary value alone but extend to talent and capacity development as well. From sports to movies and even to music, the company has embarked on many interventions such as trainings, conferences and awards that empower and reward talents. One of such interventions is the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), the company’s Creating Shared Value initiative. Similar to New Directions, the ultimate objective of the initiative is to ignite Africa’s creative industries, notably the filmmaking business. MTF has three touchpoints: The Academy, Masterclasses and Portal. The Academy operates in three regions of the continent where the company thrives and is accessible to 13 countries. In West Africa, the Academy hub is in Nigeria while in Southern and Eastern Africa, Zambia and Kenya are the learning hubs. The Academy offers a unique opportunity to young, vibrant and passionate individuals who display an interest in film and television production. Twenty students are picked from each region and undergo a 12- month all-expense paid educational programme. The programme exposes the students to the nitty-gritty of filmmaking while expanding their views on the business of filmmaking. •Dike a Public Affairs analyst, writes from Abuja. Continues on www.vanguardngr.com solutions to the security challenges ravaging the land. Thankfully, the killings have been condemned by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who vowed to collaborate with security agencies to bring peace to Konshisha. Ortom, while describing the incident as unfortunate, apologised to the families of the fallen heroes. He vowed that the state government would collaborate with security agencies to ensure that all those who perpetrated the act are fished out and brought to book He regretted how the soldiers died in the hands of the militias while trying to ensure peace in troubled areas of the state. Ortom appealed to the families of the deceased soldiers to forgive him for uncomplimentary comments he may have made in the course of the situation, saying he said that based on the information available to him at that time. “If I said anything offensive to the families, I ask for their forgiveness. I earlier said only two soldiers were involved based on the information available to me at that time.” The governor pledged his administration’s support for the bereaved families to enable them to overcome the difficult moment. Political, community and religious leaders, traditional rulers must educate their people on the need to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria to bring peace to their domain But beyond the condolences of Governor Ortom and the homilies of both Major Mavisky and Captain Bashir, there is a need for a proactive measure to be adopted to arrest the spate of wanton attacks on military personnel. Meanwhile, it should dawn on the federal government, most especially, to find a way to curb anything that will dampen the morale of troops in the various frontlines, and also hinder ongoing military operations. It is fundamental to ensure that efficacious military strategies evolved to fight terrorists, bandits, militia gangs, and other criminals, are not weakened. That is why every necessary machinery must be put in place to avoid a repeat of the Konshisha event. And that is why we all must not only worry that our military personnel are been maimed, on a basis. We must also do something to stop it. •Aigbedion is Convener, Unity Advocacy Group (UAG)
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18042021 - Ex-Gov Aliyu Lied, not all northern govs worked against Jonathan in 2015

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