....Your RESOURCE CENTRE....
|
Sustainable
Development Network Ltd
....Your RESOURCE CENTRE.... |
NEWS ARCHIVE 2003
Below are news items we have collected from various news sources in 2003
Click any headline below to read the news of your choice.
|
Teachers
Get 2006 Deadline to Register
From Juliana Taiwo in Abuja THISDAY Dateline: 20/11/2003 08:07:48
Teachers yet to register with the Teachers
Registration Council (TRC) have been handed down a 2006
deadline by the Council, through the National Council on
Education (NCE), to upgrade their academic qualifications
for proper registration with TRC or be shown the way out.
In a release made available to THISDAY, TRC Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr. Anjikwi Musa Ciwar, called on all the state governments to assist the Council in halting further recruitment of unqualified teachers in both private and public schools. Ciwar stressed the need for state governments to encourage unqualified teachers already in the system to obtain the minimum teaching qualification, the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE), while graduate teachers without teaching qualification should acquire Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) if they must remain in the system. "State governments should encourage employers to assist unqualified teachers in the system by way of study leave or financial grants to obtain minimum teaching qualification. Statistics has revealed that Primary Schools nation wide have a total of 464,064 qualified and registrable teachers, while Secondary schools and College of Education across the country have 146,696 and 0,050 qualified and registrable teachers respectively", he disclosed. He noted that the data was an indication that majority of the people parading themselves as teachers were quacks and this class of people are not registrable until they upgrade their academic status. Ciwar said despite that the Federal Government has invested so much in infrastructure and facilities, to raise the standard of education, it is regretable that corresponding attention has not been given to teachers development in the education sector. The teachers, the Registrar said, have not received enough rewards, motivation, training and recognition that could empower them to put in their best. He, however, charged those yet to register to do all in their power to get the required qualification before the 2006 deadline.
Uyo
varsity raises tuition by 200 per cent The Guardian Tuesday November 18, 2003 APPARENTLY to shore up its finances and meet the school's many needs, the authorities of the University of Uyo have announced new tuition payable by its students beginning from the next academic session. The new fees indicated an increase of about 200 per cent from the previous fees payable by the students. Under the new fees regime tagged "Special Restoration Fund", students would now be required to pay as follows:
People Will
Lose Jobs, Says Okonjo-Iweala The Guardian Sunday 16th November 2003 AS the nation awaits the presentation of the 2004 budget, it is now certain that the reforms sweeping the nation will wipe out thousands of jobs in the federal civil service. Although the number of those to be affected is not known and the date for its implementation uncertain yet, Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said she would be lying if she denied there would be rationalisation of staff in the civil service. Choosing to label the imminent exercise "rightsizing", a euphemism for downsizing, the Minister said: "If I say nobody will be let go, I will be lying to say that. I am not saying that," she told The Guardian in an exclusive interview. But the Minister was quick to disclose that the "rightsizing" would include recruitment of additional skilled manpower especially economists and financial analysts for the Ministry of Finance. Ironically, the reform of the civil service is having its toll on early presentation of the 2004 budget, as the exercise forms substantial part of the budget process. Okonjo-Iweala said her Ministry was engaged in pre-budget consultations with all stakeholders under a new Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) "that lays out government priorities and direction of the budget." Addressing specifically the reported apprehension over the feared rationalisation, the Minister said there were too many people that have no jobs to perform in the civil service. She stated that such redundant staff would be asked to go to other spheres of endeavour to better their lives. She said: "We could look at certain areas and feel that may be there are too many people in those areas. The idea of six to seven people coming, crowded in an office looking for a chair to seat; looking to do the same work is inappropriate. "So those areas where we find that there are too many people who are working at the same job, we may look at it and say, is it really sensible to continue this way or shall we look at how many people are appropriate to do this job? "If there are excess people in that area or at that level, we then say, maybe, they will be interested in going to do something more useful with their lives." But she insisted that the affected would not go away empty-handed, as they would be equipped to face other challenges before them. Her words: "And if they have to (be sent away), we will make sure this is done in a very reasonable manner, with accompanying redundancy payments, with accompanying training to do a new job in life, giving them access to micro-credits. "That's what we are saying and I think this is the way to go - to provide the right incentives, the right support to people who may want to leave and do something else with their lives." And that could entail setting aside huge sums to settle the potential displaced staff. The Minister said there would be "up-front cost in Budget 2004, to take care of some of these expenses that we are talking about." Yet, the Minister said she did not know the number of staff that would be affected and the time the exercise would be carried out, saying she did not know where the speculated date of January 2004 came from. " I don't have a date. I don't know where the date of January 2004 has come from," she said. She continued: "On rightsizing, I don't have any number in mind. There is no number that has been dictated to me. "So rightsizing, to me, means getting the right skills into where there are gaps. And where there are excess skills, ensuring that they go and do something else and giving them the incentives." Okonjo-Iweala contended that because new hands were going to be employed in line with government's policy of professionalising the civil service, the "rightsizing" of the service should not cause apprehension in the staff. "Why should people be apprehensive about rightsizing? I just talked about skills. You know we need to hire some people. I said we don't have enough economists and financial analysts here. Shouldn't that make some people happy? Why should that bring apprehension? "And then if someone is telling you that instead of coming to waste your time, sitting around, doing nothing, that you can go out there and start a business and that they will help you, why will you be apprehensive?" On late presentation of the 2004 estimates, the Minister said: "We are working on 2004 Budget. We are a bit late but the reason we are late is because we are trying to integrate reforms in the budget process. We want to bring along everybody to contribute to this process in budget formulation. "We want the executive to be fully involved. We want the legislators to feel that they are part of the process. So we have started a new thing called Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) that lays out government priorities and direction of the budget. "What we want to do is to take it to the executive and legislators, have it discussed, so that everybody can feel that they own a part of the process and move away from the past when there was not enough communication." She informed that the President was absolutely committed to try to do business in a different way, hence their contribution to try and change the budget. "Because of these changes, because we have to produce this paper, make a few changes in the way we do business, things a bit delayed but we are on it now. "We have already sent out to the ministries for certain kind of information that can inform the budget process. Hopefully we will be working hard to engage the legislature in the formulation process and then finally end up with the budget," the Minister said. ---Click here to return to the top of this page----EU to execute N60 billion projects in N/Delta By Vincent Ujumadu UMUAHIA — THE European Commission is to execute projects worth about N60 billion in six oil producing states in the country under its micro project scheme. The states are Abia, Cross River, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Imo and Ondo which are benefitting from the second phase of the programme. Each state will get an investment of N10 billion. Three other oil producing states in the Niger Delta namely, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers benefitted from the programme under the first phase which began in 2001. European Commission’s representative in Nigeria, Mr. Nicholas Costello informed Governor Oriji Uzor Kalu during a courtesy call at Government House that under the scheme, benefitting communities would pay 25 per cent counterpart fund for projects sited in their areas. According to him, communities are expected to choose their projects, adding that areas of emphasis would be rural water supply, health, education, transport, micro credit and other income generating activities. He explained that the commission places much emphasis on transparency in the execution of the projects and enjoined benefitting state governments to ensure that all information regarding the scheme were made accessible to the people. His words: "One important aspect of the project is that it is based on what the priorities of each community are and this is based on the experience we had when we started designing the project. We discovered that in spite of the huge sums of money being spent in the Niger Delta over the years from different sources, many of the projects were abandoned. "That is why we have decided that this programme should start with going to the communities to find out their priorities and what they are willing to contribute. Sometimes such contribu-tions should be in labour and sometimes in kind. It doesn’t have to be money. Our concern is to ensure that they have projects that would be sustained even after the European Commission might have left." In his address, Governor Kalu expressed happiness that the project has finally taken off. He assured the commission the Abia state would cooperate fully with it to ensure that success of the programme. He promised to assist the Abia State programme manager for the project will his needs in the state. Earlier on arrival in Umuahia, the EC team had an interactive session with officials of the state planning commission which would supervise the project. ---Click here to return to the top of this page---- USAID, Shell in $20 million partnership for dev. in Nigeria Vanguard, Saturday, November 15, 2003 THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) announced yesterday the setting up of a joint $20 million sustainable development project in Nigeria. The agreement was announced in Washington DC by Andrew S. Natsios, USAID Administrator, and Sir Philip Watts, Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies. The partnership is the largest so far under USAID’s new business model, the Global Development Alliance, which promotes public-private alliances to implement sustainable development programmes around the world. By partnering with the private sector, developing country governments and non-governmental organisations, USAID is able to extend its reach and effectiveness in rsponding to new global challenges. Shell will contribute some $15 million over the next five years to the partnership and USAID will contirbute $5 million. The partnership’s programmes will aim to help build capacity and opporutnity for Nigeirnas in the strategic areas of agriculture, health, and small and medium size enterpise. USAID and Shell plan to focus their work on food security through a cassava cultivation supprot programme, the prevention of malaria; and supporting the export shrimp industry. The cassava project is expected to be the first to commence, with start-up by the end of 2003. Its aim is to provide greater income for cassava farmers in 11 Nigeian states. The progrmame will improve technolgy transfer to address cassava mosaic disease and to devleop cassava processing. It will also help identify further commerical markets within industry for cassava, such as ethanol produciton, livestock feed and use in baking. In addition to being a staple food, starch from cassava is already used in industries including textile manufacturing. The cassava proejct will be implemented by the International Institue of tropical Agricurlrue in Ibadna, an internaitonal agricultural research centre which has successfully implemented USAID and other cassava programmes. The institute is also a key partner with the government of Nigeia in the implemention of the Nigerian Presidential Cassava Initiative. Sir Philip said yesterday: "Shell already spends about $60 million annually in the Niger Delta on its well-establisehd social investment programme. I am proud that Shell will now he able to extend this important work with this partnerhsip with USAID. I am confident that our programmes together will make a significant contribution to socio-economic developemnt in Nigeria and in the Niger Delta in particular." Mr. Natsios said: "Investing in people is perhaps the single most important factor in achieving long-term economic growth. USAID is proud to partner Shell, who have been working in Nigeria for over 60 years. USAID will continue to support developemnt efforts and capacity building wherever opportunities exist worldwide." ---Click here to return to the top of this page----Govt
Raises Panel On Food Storage The Guardian, Saturday, November 15th 2003 AN Inter-Ministerial Committee charged with the responsibility of advising the Federal Government on ways to address the problems associated with the storage, processing and preservation of agricultural produce in the country has been inaugurated in Abuja. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Adamu Bello while inaugurating he committee, said the development of agro-allied industries is the foundation for the proper take-off of Nigeria's sustainable industrialisation. He said the Nigerian farmers achieved bumper harvest in almost all major crops during the 2002/2003 harvest season which led to the slump in their prices, necessitating government intervention to save the farmers from the monumental losses that would have resulted from it. Bello said government mopped up the surplus grains through the Strategic Grains Reserve, thereby stabilising the prices and enhancing the farmers' income. According to the minister, the population of Nigeria and the rural-urban migration has made it imperative for the government to face the problem squarely and therefore the committee was set up to advise government on how to put this situation under control to avoid a disaster. Also, at the Committee's inaugural session, a technical committee was set up under the chairmanship of the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Bamidele Dada. The Technical Committee is charged with the task of devising ways to ensure that agricultural products increases without hindrance, minimisation of post-harvest losses and establishment cum maintenance of storage facilities at strategic locations in all part of the country. Other responsibilities of the committee include attracting foreign and local investors to accelerate agro-industrial development and to provide commercial support for farmers by sourcing markets for products. The Committee, which has six weeks to submit an interim report, is drawn from the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Power and Steel, Science and Technology, Water Resources, Commerce and Industry. Others are the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
By Anayo Okoli, Awka
VANGUARD, Saturday, November 15, 2003 THE Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (Shell) and Africare announced yesterday the signing of a partnership agreement to establish a $4.5 million health care programme in Nigeria. Shell will contribute $3.4 million of the programme’s costs over the next three years, with Africare contributing $1.1 million. Shell and Africare’s programme will focus on reducing child and maternal mortality from malaria and will cooperate with the Federal Government’s Roll Back Malaria programme. Shell and Africare will concentrate on the six core Niger Delta states. The partners will begin by distributing mosquito nets impregnated with insecticides. The programme will progress to developing local capacity to manufacture and impregnate nets in the Niger Delta, creating business opportunities for small and medium scale enterprise. Sir Philip Watts, Chairman of the committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies, said today: "Malaria is a devastating disease in Africa. Through this partnership, Shell and Africare will help to end this scourge, and at the same time support the development of sustainable business opportunities in the Niger Delta. Africare has considerable healthcare expertise and shares Shell’s long-standing commitment to playing a key part in improving the socio-economic well-being of the people of the Niger Delta, and Nigeria as a whole." Dr. Julius Coles, President of Africare, said: "Addressing the health needs of the people of the Niger Delta is fundamental to enabling development of the area. Africare is proud to partner with Shell in this important work." Chris Finlayson, chairman and managing director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, said: "Health care has been an important focus of Shell’s social investment programmes in the Niger Delta for decades. Joining hands with Africare will help us to expand the scope of this work." NICA
Launches N4 billion Farmers' Scheme
Nigeria Investment Cooperative Agency Limited (NICA)
private company focusing on cooperative development has
launched a farmers' initiative-cooperative, Farmers' Friendly
Scheme, in which it is investing about N4 billion. The amount
is for the importation of various brands of fertilizers and
multi-purpose tractors for Nigerian farmers in the bid to
support the agricultural sector.
The scheme is being supported by the Florida, US-based American Harvest Foods Incorporated (AHFI) which provided N4 billion revolving refinancing facility on a zero interest basis for the next 12 months to finance any tonnage of fertilizer purchased on a 120 day credit line. Under the scheme, individual farmers or cooperative societies will procure fertilizes and other in puts after pay an initial deposit through a specified bank which will issue a performance bond making the deposit refundable in the event of inability to supply the order. President of NICA, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Adekunle said at an expo in Abuja for that the fertilizers and tractors being sold under the scheme will be sold at "low and affordable prices" slightly higher than the subsidised government rates but lower than the open market rates. The range of fertilizers covered by the scheme include Urace 46, NPK15-15-15, NPK20-10-10, NPK15-30-15 and NPK13-13-13. Adekunle explained that preferences will be given to farmers on first come first served basis adding that customers who placed orders for large volumes will be given concession for credit line for period not exceeding 60 days. Already, NICA has placed order for 200,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers and the first consignment will arrive the country in the first week of January next year in shipment of 10,000 metric tonnes every 40 days ahead of the next farming season, the president announced. "The pilot programme committee in conjunction with the local bank has restructured the country into four zones in preparation to the earliest take-off date which has been slated for the first week of February, 2004" Adekunle stressed. he disclosed plans by AHFI, the foreign partners to NICA, to establish a fertilizer blending plant in the country by 2007 with the capacity to produce about 250,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers per annum. This project will however will be dependent on NICA's capacity to order about 200,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers per year in the next three years. "this proposed fertilizer blending plant shall move this country from an import dependent to export producer and shall make use of the natural gas that has been flared over the years" he stated. Apart from fertilizers the president said the Vladimirets range of multi-purpose tractors will be sold by NICA at a cost of about N.7 million adding that the first consignment of about 200 units of the tractors will arrive the country by the end of the year. He advised farmers to take advantage of the competitive rates of the tractors to place their orders adding the tractor were the contribution of NECA towards the transformation of the agricultural sector from the traditional methods to mechanised processes.
Committee
Seeks Parliamentary System for LGs
From Josephine Lohor and Chuks Okocha in Abuja THISDAY Dateline:
14/11/2003 07:13:35
The technical committee on the review of the
structure of local government councils yesterday submitted its
report to President Olusegun Obasanjo with a recommendation that
that tier of government should shift from the presidential to
the parliamentary system for economic reasons.
It also recommended that the Federal Government should restrict its recognition to only 774 local government areas listed in the constitution. The panel whose report was read on behalf of the chairman, Mallam Liman Ciroma by Professor Akin Mabogunje, was however silent on what will happen to the newly created councils by state governments. THISDAY checks reveal that under the parliamentary system recommended by the panel, councilors would elect a chairman to run the affairs of the local government among themselves. A source close to the committee revealed that, "during local government elections, you will not hear campaings for elections for the post of local government chairmen. No, there won't be such again." "In our report, all the councillors will sit amongst themselves as in parliamentary system and select a chairman among themselves. This is a case of first among equals. There will no longer be case of executive chairman." According to the source, "One of the problems associated with elections at the third tier of government is that the elected chairmen who go with the name of executive chairmen want to recoup the money used during their elections. So, if the chairman can be elected among the councilors, it will go a long way to reduce the cost of electing council chairmen." THISDAY further gathered that the panel turned down pressures from some quarters that governors be allowed to appoint the councillors. "To allow the governors appoint the councillors and even the chairmen would require a major constitutional amendment, because the constitution guaranteed the local government elections," the source stated. The committee yesterday also told Obasanjo that there should be a meeting of leaders at all levels to "discuss the myriad of problems facing the nation" since "all the tiers of government have not performed to the nation's satisfaction." Noting that the gap between financial resources received and the corresponding completed public works in the local councils was wide, the committee called for the abolition of the State Joint Local Government Account. The committee chairman further said chairmen and councillors of local governments, members of the national and state assemblies as well as executives at both state and federal levels should form membership of the stakeholders' meeting, because "leadership founded on the principle of justice and fair play, must re-assert itself and earn popular respect all around." He disclosed that during the committee's tour of the country, it "found the view widespread that the huge distribution from the federation account has not impacted on the life of the people in any meaningful way. Corruption, misuse of funds and poor performance are quoted as major factors for the nation's woe." The committee also observed that there was sabotage of common infrastructural facilities such as those of NITEL, NEPA and the NNPC "which invariably involves the diversion of colossal amount of funds away from much-needed public services to the repair of these damages." While advising that people-oriented projects should be given serious attention, the report advised that "projects impacting positively on the welfare of the people to improve their social and economic well-being should be vigorously pursued to forestal difficulties that could occur on the body politic." "The poor state of most of the nation's roads, the scarcity of water for both human and animals are indicative of a general malaise. The signs are ominous and the spectacle is there in our villages and over-crowded towns and cities," it added. However, President Olusegun Obasanjo, after receiving the report, noted the committee's recommendation on number of councils will most likely not go down well with some people. "What you have touched upon in your presentation, now that you strongly recommend that we keep to the 774 will probably disturb people who are worried that if we take this report seriously, and all of you who are members of this committee are people that must be taken seriously, then we have to look at what you have recommended to inform the direction that we will go from now on," he stated. Obasanjo maintained that "it cannot be business as usual, and if it cannot be business as usual, then we have to reform to progress." He promised that the report of the committee will go before the National Council of State (NCS) without delay. He also assured the committee that "that aspect that affects the Federal Government for action, we will take immediate action. In fact, as you know, we are already pro-actively carrying out some reforms that you might have touched on in this reform."
States,
banks plan new tax payment system The Guardian Wednesday, November 12, 2003 TO shore up their earnings, state governments across the country have designed an arrangement whereby taxes will be routed through banks. Currently, taxes are either deducted at source or paid directly to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). In the new scheme, tagged: "Directed Bank Lodgement System", all taxable adults and corporate organisations will pay to states through designated banks. The tax payers will then be given identification numbers in a manner that is similar to the social security system that operates in Europe and America. The tax-payers will also receive tax payment security certificates, bar codes, hidden numbers and coding numbers. Bankers and top government officials, who confirmed the development yesterday, said that the collaboration would improve states' earnings, while the banks will have more liquidity to fund long-term loans. Under the system, the state governments will pick their revenue collection banks, which will be compelled to operate the same account in all its branches throughout the state. This, a source disclosed to The Guardian, will make it easy for payment of taxes into government's account from all the local governments. The state government will now review regularly the bank's performance taking into account the nature of its assets and liabilities. The tax payment security certificate will track the tax-payers' payment through the identification number to government account in respect of all taxes. Banks will be involved in visiting customers' sites for collection of taxes approved by the state's joint tax board. The banks will also be involved in initiating processes through enlightenment campaigns, stating the revenue that is collected by them. The banks will also render weekly and monthly returns of all taxes collected to the office of Accountant-General and issue historical tax statement to tax payers as a marketing tool for collection. A top government aide expressed regrets that most states rely heavily on the Federal Government for revenue. This, he said, has been responsible for the slow growth rate achieved by the state governments in recent times, leading to floating of bonds that may not yield the desired collection. This development, financial analysts said in Lagos yesterday, would enable state governments generate at least 25 per cent of their yearly budgetary requirements internally. ---Click here to return to the top of this page----
Information As
Tool For Agricultural Develoment The Guardian, Sunday, November 09 TIME has come for farmers to receive better price incentive from their produce. But they may still have to wait patiently for the initiative targeted at assisting them to become fully operational. For the farmers to be at advantage, there is "need for demand-driven information that is active and can be used by farmers when they require it, and in form that they require". So said Dr. Patrick Kormawa, the Director of Rural Sector Enhancement Programme (RUSEP), at the two-day consultation on Strengthening of Market Information Service (MIS) in Nigeria, held in Ibro Hotel, Abuja penultimate week, by IITA in collaboration with the Project Co-ordinating Unit of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Farmers have been short-changed for too long and this, in part is affecting the farmers' commitment to the business of farming. The prevailing scenario has been described as one in which the farmer realises meagre income from a year-long activity while the merchant, coming a few days, buys the farm produce at give-away price but sells at a far higher price, and at a higher income. Because there is no coherent and reliable market information service delivery, farmers have been at the mercy of these merchants variously described as go-between, middlemen (or women), or negotiators who add no appreciable value to the produce along the supply chain. Dealing in primary products that are mainly staple annuals, a few perennials and many perishables, there is the recurrent fluctuation in market prices and these only favour those traders, not the farmers. While the latter is far removed from where the day-to-day transactions take place, the former keeps tab on the daily transactions and is thus able to predict price movement of commodities, taking advantage of the information thus gathered for making decisions on what to buy, where to buy and when. The farmers are mostly ignorant of all these, and so while the middlemen are creaming off most gains for merely buying and reselling, the primary producers remain at the background and, in many cases, do a one-off transaction, only to wait for the next harvest, and this consigns them into perpetual poverty. But these anomalies are what the RUSEP consultation was out to remedy. The consultation which drew participants from the public and private sector, from farmers and farmers groups, from traders, media and NGOs, had the task of identifying the market information needs of farmers, traders, industrialists and policy makers. In addition, it was to propose means of data collection as well as data transfer and dissemination, identify technical information needs of clients to support trade and investment and to identify capacity building needs for effective use of market information. It was also to propose strategies for sustainable funding and management of a national MIS that promote agricultural trade and investments. Sounds ambitious! But, perhaps timely. Dr. Chuma Ezedinma captured the mood of the farmers which are mostly rural. He said "farmers are poorly informed about prices and what market conditions are for their products". His comments appeared to have given impetus to the discussants, as he said the farmers have "weak bargaining positions with traders" and their conditions are even worsened by the "use of diverse local measures". Dr. Ezedinma told the discussants that the "goal of RUSEP MIS is to foster efficiency" in the market place, stressing that one of the benefits of a transparent market is that it "minimises the cost of market search". He counselled that the discussants should distinguish between MIS and market development, as there are market opportunities not yet existing, and that people must "avoid providing too much information that is of too little value, and too little that is insufficient". Dr. George Agbobu an economist at the FAO, Abuja office, drew attention to factors of supply and demand, stressing that these are what constitute the market. He said the "parametric definition of the marketplace is a problem, and is erroneous as market itself is (being) defined only in geographical terms". He expressed concern at the Nigerian situation, using the cassava policy of the government as an example. "Ghana zoned farmers, not according to political zones, but according to production capacity, to productive zones". He faulted the assumption that everywhere is good for cassava cultivation in Nigeria. According to him, "rather than making everywhere cassava zones - while some zones don't actually produce cassava - some productive areas need to be identified and focused on". The need for the development of strong agro-based industries and market information was emphasised by Dr. Mpoko Bokanga of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). He was of the opinion that that although generating and disseminating agricultural market information will be capital intensive, "we have to think of sustainability, and how the business community can pay for collecting and disseminating information". Dr. Chris Okafor of the Sustainable Tree Crops Programme (STCP) added that "MIS has to be institutionalised for it to be sustainable, and the information needs of the farmers have to be identified" before moving forward in specific direction. Emmanuel Ajayi, head of sales and marketing at Syngenta, would wish RUSEP looked into information on traders and how they bargain, as well as on the average yields of various commodities per hectare and the crop varieties. Dr. Agbobu was emphatic on the weakness of the public service and was apparently drawing attention to the risks involved in depending on this sector of the economy in market information service. He said government officials "lack commercial approach". Perhaps that assertion was underscored by the submission of Mr. Sunday Adebomi who, after much elaboration on the effort of his ministry at gathering agricultural market information, topped it up by saying "for th ---Click here to return to the top of this page----
NGO,
WOTCLEF Plan Confab on African Women
From Kunle Aderinokun in Abuja THISDAY Dateline: 07/11/2003 07:32:51
Tedzachary and Associates in conjunction with the
Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF),
are concluding arrangements to organize an international
conference on the issues affecting the African woman and the girl
child. The conference tagged 'The Women Are Coming' will be
focused on African woman and gender development.
Project Manager, Tedzachary and Associates Limited, Mr. Ivor Ekpe, who disclosed this during an intyerview with newsmen yesterday in Abuja, said the conference would capture and celebrate the essence of African woman from both within the continent and around the globe. This, he said, is in a bid to further the objective of the female population while laying a foundation for future gender development. Ekpe expressed the belief that, for as long as the future of the continent relies on the participation of female population for the production and development of future leaders, the issues of women and gender development will always remain at the forefront. He noted that his organisation and WOTCLEF have a working relationship towards the project called African Woman 2004 (AW 2004), adding that, Miss Deilitta Whitfield is representing WOTCLEF in organizing this event. While stating that WOTCLEF has no financial commitment to the event, Ekpe said "this event is being put together by ourselves at absolutely no cost to WOTCLEF at all. There is no financial contribution from WOTCLEF, WOTCLEF is providing us with moral and every other types of non-financial support." He explained that the forthcoming conference billed to hold in the first quarter of next year, would be a private sector-driven event, stating that, 'we will be requiring the support of the private sectors, the industries, the professionals.' Govt
to fine-tune anti-poverty scheme The Guardian 7/11/03 THE Federal Government yesterday admitted flaws in the implementation of its Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) in the last four years, promising to evolve a more practical solution to the factors that gave rise to such defects. Vice President Atiku Abubakar told members of the House of Representatives Committee on Poverty Alleviation led by Hajia Fanta Baba Shehu that government was adopting a new strategy for implementing the programme. A new law, he said, would be promulgated to strengthen the programme. The Vice President said that the process of evolving a new strategy for PAP would make it more effective and relevant to the targeted beneficiaries across the country. He explained that the policy being designed would be effective if implemented across all tiers of government. While lamenting the delay in the release of appropriated funds for the implementation of PAP, he praised the leadership of the House of Representatives for the foresight in establishing the committee and the efforts made to provide adequate publicity for its activities. Hajia Fanta Shehu had earlier remarked that government should fund the programme to reduce unemployment and other social vices in the country. ---Click here to return to the top of this page----
Education
minister to commission SchoolNET project in Abuja The Guardian 6/11/03 THE Education Minister, Professor Fabian Osuji will on November 13, in Abuja commission the pilot phase of the ETF-Schoolnet diginet project, a digital infrastructure project designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools through the use of appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs). The project, sponsored by the Education Tax Fund (ETF), was executed in partnership with SchoolNet Nigeria, a non-profit organisation created to support effective and sustainable introduction of ICTs into teaching and learning processes within the primary and secondary education sectors. The co-ordinator of schoolNet, Mr. Olaolu Sasore, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that 1,000 schools nationwide were targeted to benefit, but that the ETF had taken up the sponsorship of 105 schools. According to Sasore, the scope of the project includes the provision of a network of 21 personal computers, a server, networked printer and V-SAT Internet connectivity. The project's scope also covers effective use of facilities through teachers' development, enhancing teaching and learning via project-based learning, as well as use of technology for various subject arrears. Others are technical skills development among students and teachers, as well as onsite, and telephonic technical support, monitoring and evaluation by schoolNet Africa. In this pilot phase, he said, seven states were selected, one from each of the six geo-political zones in the country, plus Abuja. They are Anambra (South-East) Cross River (South-South) Ondo (South-West) Gombe (North-East) Niger (North-Central) Kano (North-West) and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He further disclosed that five government-owned schools were selected from each of these states, making it 35 sites in all. The benefiting schools are FCT- Government Secondary School, Wuse; Model Secondary School Maitama; Government Secondary, Garki; Government Technical College, Garki; and Government Gifted School Gwagwalada. The schools chosen in Niger State are Government Secondary School, Minna; Hiltop Model Secondary School, Minna; Government Secondary School, Tunga; Mariam Babangida Girls Science College, Minna; and College of Arts and Islamic Studies, Minna. Those in Anambra State are Igwebuike Grammar school, Awka; Lorreto Special Science school, Adazi; Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha; Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha; and Christ the King College, Onitsha. Those selected in Cross River State are Government Science School, Akim, Calabar; Government Science School, Mayne Avenue, Calabar; Government Secondary School, State Housing, Calabar; West African Peoples Institute, Calabar; and Pinn Margaret Secondary Commercial School, Atakpa, Calabar. In Kano State, the selected schools are Government Girls College, Dala; Government Technical College, Kano; Rumfa College, Kano; Government Secondary School, Gwale; and Government Secondary school, Tarauni. Ondo State has CAC Grammar School, Akure; Imade College Owo; St. Helen's Unity School, Ile-Oluji; and Aquinas College, Akure, while the schools selected in Gombe State are Government Science School Billiri; Government Day Technical College, Gombe; Government Girls' Secondary school, Doma; Government Science Secondary School, Gombe; and Government Technical College, Kumo. According to Sasore, the schools were selected by the beneficiary state governments using a set of criteria provided by SchoolNet Nigeria. He said the minister of education requested for a list of schools from the states and these were verified to meet set criteria by SchoolNet Nigeria. He disclosed that the diginet project was implemented by SchoolNet (Project Management and Supervision) in collaboration with Direqlearn Nigeria (technical installation, and project management), IEARN Nigeria (teacher development) and School Net Africa (evaluation). Although various educational programmes have begun at the laboratories of the schools, they will be officially launched on Thursday, November 13, in Abuja. Sasore explained that hand-over at the state level would follow the Abuja launch.
The Guardian 06/11/03 A FRESH vista is set to open in the campaign by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to rid the country of food items banned by the Federal Government. The Customs, which disclosed yesterday that such goods were still being sold in the country, gave a two-week ultimatum to supermarkets and shops, among others to dispose of the contraband goods or risk their seizure. The Federal Government had in August, last year, banned the importation of some products, comprising food items and other consumables into the country. A statement endorsed by the customs in Abuja yesterday said: "We are inundated with reports of flagrant display and sale of banned items in supermarkets, shops and market places across the country." The statement by the Comptroller-General, Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha, noted that the service would on expiration of the ultimatum raid such shops nationwide. Mustapha said that the enforcement team of the service would confiscate the banned items "wherever found" and also prosecute the offenders. He directed the Customs area controllers to use the local media in their locality to educate and warn members of the public on the impeding action. The customs chief also advised all customs formations nationwide to ensure strict compliance with the directive. NCS had recently raided warehouses in some popular markets in Lagos and Kano and impounded contraband textiles and other items valued at several millions of naira. Among items outlawed are sorghum, millet, wheat flour, gypsum, vegetable oil in bulk, mosquito repellant coils, retreaded or used tyres, gaming machines and second-hand clothes. Others are used fridges and air-conditioning units, used compressors, bagged cement, vehicles of any kind through the land borders, vehicles that are above eight years from the date of manufacture, textiles of any kind through the land borders, printed fabric (ankara) and frozen poultry. Also banned were cassava, cassava products, containerised goods through the land borders, fruit juice in retail packs, table water (sparkling/non-sparkling), toothpicks, spaghetti, noodles, biscuits of any type and drugs and other regulated products through the land borders. The government had also banned the importation of sugar, all kinds of canned and bottled beer, toilet rolls, confectioneries, exercise books and envelopes, barytes and bentonites with effect from July 1, 2003. The ban was intended by government to boost local production, enhance the performance of the national economy and safeguard the health of the citizenry. ---Click here to return to the top of this page----
NDDC
to Partner with FG, NGOs
From Donald Andoor in Port Harcourt THISDAY Dateline: 03/11/2003 08:12:27
The Niger Delta Developm-ent Commission (NDDC)
yesterday expressed its readiness to partner with the Federal
Government and non-governmental agencies in the eradication of poverty
by focusing attention on youths and women issues.
Chairman of the commission, Chief Onyeama Ugochukwu, however said the partnership would only be with those agencies that have clearly articulated their position on how to tackle youth restiveness and rural poverty which affects more women. Ugochukwu who was at different occasions exchanging views with the minister of Women Affairs and Youth Development, Mrs. Rita Akpan and the National Coordinator of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Dr. Magnus Kpakol, assured that the commission was committed to working closely with youths to solving the problem of pipelines vandalization. Ugochukwu who expressed regrets at the huge amount of money that went down the drain during the first tenure of President Obasanjo under the National Poverty Eradication scheme said, "l wish that money was released to the present NAPEP which has been fine-tuned", he told the NAPEP delegation. The minister of women affairs had earlier hinted of her desire to float a Niger Delta Youth and Gender Trust Fund which shall be managed by eminent personalities from the region with a view to tackling youth and women issues. She also solicited the assistance of the commission in fighting the HIV/AIDS scourge that is affecting mostly youths and women. Kpakol, had in his remarks restated the commitment of government to eradicating poverty which he described as "pernicious and disastrous for a developing nation like Nigeria." Present during the courtesy visit was the new managing director of the commission, Mr. Emmanuel Edsiri Aguariav-wodo and other directors of the commission. ---Click here to return to the top of this page----
A mobile internet van donated by the Federal Ministry of
Science and Techno-logy to the Ogun State government has arrived the state.
The donated mobile internet van, according to the state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel would assist the state government to kick off its pilot programme on the information communication technology. The state-of-the art communication van which arrived the premises of the governor's office, has since become a cynosure of all eyes. Governor Daniel, who led members of the state executive council and other top government functionaries to inspect the van described it as the beginning of bold reforms in computer education and information technology in the state. He said his government was determined to run an information communication technology driven economy which would provide free access to governance and the rich potentials of the state. "This is a pilot project and it will definitely go round the state, we have taken off," Daniel said. He said information would be taken to the doorstep of the people, pointing out that an enlightened citizenry is a wealthy citizenry. The Special Consultant to Government on Information Technology, Mr Kole Abe said the programme would enhance a two way flow of information between the government and the people and reduce poverty through the e-governance facilities. He pointed out that the state would soon launch a website which would further market its rich potential to the outside world. The consultant further said that the device necessary facilities and equipment had been installed. ---Click here to return to the top of this page---- Govt
Establishes Waste Recycling Plant
Enugu State Government in conjunction with the United
Kingdom Depart-ment for International Development (DFID) have
established a waste recycling plant (sand fill site) in the state.
This plant, according to the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Dr. Uzor Festus, would be used for the conversion of what will otherwise qualify as wates into reusable forms. According to him, the plant will also serve as a source of organic fertilisers for farmers thereby enabling them to stay away from "The expensive inorganic fertilisers." His words: "This will create a new wealth base whereby our farmers will source their organic fertilisers from this recycling system and stay away from the expensive inorganic fertilisers." Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Enugu State, "Multi-Sectoral Workshop on Strategy and Policy Developmen for Sustainable Environment," the commissioner submitted that the waste recycling plant would create jobs for the teeming population, stating that the venture is one of the state government's postures to eradicate poverty. He informed the participants from neighbouring states that the state started with a review of the solid waste management in which New Haven was chosen as a pilot scheme point to prove that solid waste management could be a partnership project between the government and the private sector. Co-ordinator of DFID in the state, Lynn Simmons, noted the task of the workshop as to raise awareness and understanding of these issues, "to identify a focus and a way forward for bringing the environment to the forefront of the agenda for sustainable change, if we are serious about eradicating poverty, if we are serious about creating jobs and wealth -- then we need to get serious about the environment." Commending the bold steps taken by the Enugu State government at nipping poverty in the bud, she pointed, "this approach of working collectively, of the state government actively engaging key stakeholders in designing and delivering the development agenda manifests reform in action." ---Click here to return to the top of this page---- Obasanjo, shareholder meet today on ALSCON's revivalBy Yakubu Lawal, Asst News Editor, Energy Guardian November 3, 2003 APPARENTLY worried by the loss of revenue estimated at $1.2 billion (about N154.8 billion) due to closure of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in the last three years, stakeholders in the venture are meeting President Olusegun Obasanjo today in Abuja to chart a way forward for the aluminium plant. Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Ethical Re-orientation Mr. Patrick Ekpotu said the nation is losing on a yearly basis about N51.6 billion ($400 million) as a result of closure of the plant. While urging the President to muster political will to re-open the plant, Ekptu stated that today's meeting with the stakeholders of the company will be the most appropriate forum to deliberate on all issues that should pave the way for the re-opening of the plant. In an exclusive chat with The Guardian Ekpotu said the continued closure of the company has made Nigeria to lose $400 million yearly. This, he said, represents the total amount the country would have saved by not importing aluminium products yearly if the plant was operational. ALSCON's total production is to cater for 40 per cent of local requirement and 60 per cent for export. A study conducted by his ministry reveals that for the three years it has been closed, the nation has lost $120 million. Ekpotu also said that Feerostal, the company currently running the plant should be commended for saving the nation $250 million which would have been used to change the plant's machines if they had stopped running it from funds given to them by their head office in Germany. According to him, the machine needed to be run at a certain high temperature so that the liquid aluminium will not congeal thereby leading to a complete change of the plant. Asked why the company was closed in the first place, he said the company was grappling with power problems, the problem of gas supply and the problem of dredging the Imo River so that bigger vessels could reach the Ikot Abasi harbour to evacuate the finished products for export. "Now that the problems have been solved, I see no reason why the Federal Government is still delaying its re-opening. If they want to privatise it, they should do that urgently and with all sincerity. For now, I don't think the President is sincere over ALSCON," he said. He further said Akwa Ibom State and the nation have been made to suffer from the plants continued closure. "Companies like Coca-Cola, Alucan, A German firm with links to Holsten Breweries and other downstream aluminium companies had bought lands to set up plants and employ people. Till now, they can't. You can see the multi-facet effect this is having on the people." He urged that the meeting should resolve the issue so that the plant will be re-opened and made to contribute it quota to the nation's development. Before the closure of the plant in 2000, former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, revealed that the plant was more expensive to run than was originally planned. According to him, the plant was not completed, citing the anode making plant that was not completed at that time. Agagu also noted that the government invested $150 million to jump-start the plant towards late 2000. "As we are starting production, we will be installing additional machines so that in 14 months we would have increased the capacity to 75 per cent and at that point, they should be able to break even". The government also plans to install the anode plant in 36 months, that is, by this year, thereby fully equipping it to produce 193,000 metric tonnes a year. Stating further that output would be doubled within a short time. ---Click here to return to the top of this page---- NECO Releases 2003 SSCE Results Cancels 200,000 results From Jide Orintunsin in Minna THISDAY NEWS Dateline: 01/11/2003 14:40:26
National Examinations Council (NECO) has cancelled over
200,000 results from this year's Senior School Certificate Examination
(SSCE) for examination malpractices and related offences.
Releasing the result of 901,712 candidates that sat for the examination yesterday in Minna, the registrar of the council Professor Dibu Ojerinde said of the 200,994 results cancelled Mathematics accounted for 4.13 per cent, while 3.67 per cent of English language result suffered same fate. Ojerinde who said despite the laws on examination malpractice, citing the Decree 33 of 1999 which is now an Act of Parliament, the vice has continued to witness an increase. Lamenting that examination malpractice has been the greatest challenge of the council had to contend with, the registrar regreted that the act was no longer the affair of desperate candidates also adding that school teachers and principals are now involved in the perpetration of the vice. The registrar, who discribed this year's result as an improvement on the previous year, further lamented that some syndicates, private schools operators and some adhoc staff recruited by the council now engage in trafficking of examination materials. Giving the statistics of performance of candidates in some core subjects, Ojerinde said some of the candidates scored credit above in English language, while 43.37 per cent candidates made up to credit level in Mathematics. Results of candidates for Science subjects showed that 52.61 per cent made credit and above in Biology, over 51 per cent made same feat in Chemistry, over 50 per cent score same grades in Physics. The NECO boss also said the result of 10 students will be delayed for the inability of the principals of the affected schools to attach the continuous assessment of the candidates. According to Ojerinde, the affected school heads submitted their data 10 days ago. "The irony of this is that such schools will also expect to have their results released today along with other schools that have submitted theirs four months ago. This is practically impossible," the registrar disclosed.
Hunt for 'Napster of good
causes'
BBC NEWS Last Updated: Friday, 31 October, 2003, 14:02 GMT Good ideas that use technology to improve life offline are being sought by a new non-profit organisation.
Prominent structures in the master-plan of sixteen
year-old Akwa Ibom State are being re-engineered by the Government
for even development targeted at uplifting the citizens'
socio-economic status, as it contracts the Le Meridian of France to
manage its N3.4 billion resort hotel.
The development of Akwa Ibom State, like most others in its age group in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zone of the country, has been slowed down by the absence of basic infrastructure, which state finances cannot address adequately. These key structures, which are critical to job creation and poverty reduction, include massive rehabilitation and development of roads, concrete support for the creation of cottage industries through a firmed-up micro-credit scheme, resuscitation of state industries through a well thought-out privatisation arrangement, and development of the state's vast tourism industry, which is anchored on a five-star hotel to be managed by Le Meridian of France, an internationally recognised hotel chain. Thrown into this mix is a campaign for ethical and attitudinal re-orientation. "As soon as the dry season sets in all the roads would be rehabilitated...Governor Obong Victor Attah is committed to this and has provided the tools with which we will address these and other issues," said Engineer Patrick Ekpotu, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Culture, Ethical & Attitudinal Re-orientation, at the weekend. The State government has been assured of the Federal Government's interest in rehabilitating its roads in the state, and work on these roads would commence shortly, said Engineer Ekpotu at a media chat which also featured the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Engineer Ivoigak Ikann, and the Commissioner for Industries, Commerce and Tourism, at the weekend in Uyo Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi,. Speaking on housing development, Engineer Ikann said the issue was being addressed from three basic areas; government intervention, which is articulated through the construction of 50 housing units in every local government headquarters, the Apico housing project, which has over 20 detached duplexes completed with about 100 to 200 in progress. The project by Shelter Afrique requires equity participation from the state government. "Government wants to extend housing development to all areas of the State, particularly the local government headquarters...they consist of one, two and three bedroom semi-detached units to serve the needs of investors and government workers who are within these areas," Engineer Ikann said. There is a huge water reservoir close to the estate that would also supply the neighbouring communities Akwa Ibom Investment and Property Development Company, he said concentrates its activities in Uyo and its structures are high end for upper class. These consist of detached and semi detached duplexes. The state also has a site and services scheme, one each in Eket, Ikot Abasi, and seven in Uyo "The State suffered shortfall in revenue but there is silver lining on the horizon in state finances," said Engineer Ekpotu. The state's main ecological problem is flooding, besides coastal erosion, and deforestation. To combat floods, a major drain known as the Nkemba Trough along with two others have been designed and are under construction to channel water to the river through natural outlets. "Governor Obong Victor Attah's vision is to turn the state around for good from a purely civil service state inherited at the inception of his administration to an industrialised one...not just the big industries, but small and medium scale entrepreneurs," said Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, Commissioner for Industries, Commerce and Tourism. To begin this process of industrialisation there was need for re-orientation of the people's focus on civil service jobs through sensitisation seminars, said Mrs. Eyakenyi. Granting of micro-credit loans for small and medium entrepreneurs followed these meetings, particularly those engaged in poetry, carpentry, dress making/tailoring. The loans were given through well-articulated structures such as committees and banks to ensure that beneficiaries repaid to enable other people benefit. "The needs of applicants are identified, the capital involved and what is needed to kick-start the projects before the loan is approved," she said. At the fore of industries being privatised are the Champion Breweries, Plasto Crown, Quality Ceramics, Sunshine Batteries, and the Biscuit Company, all of which already have a timetable for resuscitation. "These companies are expected to generate employment when they become operational again." The government is also developing industrial estates in Oron, Eket, Ikot Abasi, and Uyo. The idea is for the government to develop basic infrastructures like solid and well-drained roads, electricity, and telephone, among others, in these estates for use by big industries. "The construction of the Uyo industrial estate is in progress," said Eyakenyi. The government at its inception also embarked on sensitisation of the citizens to develop good and standard hotels, "because before the administration there was no good hotel to host a guest." The standard hotels, which are comparable to any hotel, even in the nation's capital, Abuja, will compliment the state's five-star hotel formerly known as Nwaniba-Ibom Resort Hotel, but will now be called Le Meridian-Ibom Resort Hotel. The State Government, which is funding the N3.4 billion project has reached a 20 years management agreement with Le Meridian of France. The three-storey hotel has two blocks of120 standard rooms and a block of 36 suites with enough land area on the west wing for an additional block in future. It has all the necessary facilities befitting an international hotel. There is provision for a gymnasium, and a massive hall, which would have flexible partitioning to create two halls when required. There would be two restaurants on the first floor. Guests do not have to go higher than one step up to the second floor, as the third floor is reserved for offices and engineering works. The interior design is being reworked by Le Meridian to fit their specifications and they may return the design by this week, said Mr. Berman Zvi, Site Engineer/Manager, whose company ABS of Israel is the main contractor. "All the engineering and plumbing works move from the top to bottom unlike conventional works, which move from bottom to the top, said Mr. Zvi during a guided tour of the hotel building. JDP is handling the concrete works. It has a large foyer with high columns reaching up to 9 metres and rests on massive suspended floor slabs. Guests only need to travel about one and a half kilometres to get to the hotel because the road would be cut short for direct access. There are large car parks that can hold up to 400 cars at a time. The hotel building is located on a raised parcel of firm land, which gives a clear aerial view of the green areas that shield the river as it rushes into the Atlantic Ocean. The Marina Beach, which would accommodate a casino and a discotheque, is to be developed and the waterfront dredged to link the ocean. A lush 18-hole international golf course is to be spread within a valley directly in front of the hotel stretching up to the Nwaniba Villege. The hotel has reached the roofing stage and materials needed for finishing are on site ready for fixing. "Having just a hotel is not enough...we have mapped out strategies to develop an amusement park," said Mrs. Eyakenyi. The government would develop the Kanafo Mystery River, which has two colours because of the merging of the tributaries of two rivers, Imo brown and Cross blue. "They never mix...always distinct even when water from one is poured into the other, they separate immediately." The hotel project, which started in November 2001 is expected to be completed by August 2004. The government, she said needs international investors to develop all of these potentials because the financial outlay is huge and slightly beyond what it could conveniently accommodate in its budget. For instance the government intends to develop a Park in memory of a Missionary, Mary Slessor whose advocacy stopped the abominable killing of twins. The Park would be built where she was buried and twins, as well as other tourists would visit it from all over the world. "It needs huge money...government cannot take on all of these at the same time...so we need foreign partners," said Eyakenyi. The influx of tourist would encourage production of local wares and other products to international standard, and would give special attention to the Rafia market in Ikot Ekpene. "All these things are possible because of the peaceful nature of the state," she said. Governor Attah, she said is committed to these projects and that his resolve is underscored by the state's independent power plant which gas turbine at Ikot Abasi generates about 738 mega watts of electricity as requested by the Federal Government. The 1,850 hectares Ikot Abasi industrial layout, powered by the electricity plant, hosts the nation's only Aluminium Smelting Company ASCON, the gas to liquid project, and cement company, among others. The Uyo industrial layout is on a land area of 750 hectares and the size allocated to companies depends on the strength of their investment. "We are pleading with the Federal Government to resuscitate ASCON and Oku-Ibokun Paper Mill because of the crucial role they would play in the socio-economic development of the state and of Nigerians who would work there," said Engineer Ekpotu, Information Commissioner. "Reputable companies have already taken positions on the layout to start production... companies like Holsten of Germany, Coca Cola, and Tower Aluminium, among others." The Akwa Ibom Plaza located at the city centre is the only architectural masterpiece of its kind in the country that is designed as a multipurpose affair. Only Nigerians who have visited such relaxation spots in Europe and America can feel the peaceful and loving spirit the Plaza conjures. Regardless of its location at the city centre, the plaza manages to be insulated from the haste and noise around it. A visitor could actually sit by the water fountain and dream knowing that his is safe under the watchful eyes of smart security men, not that there is need to fret though.The Plaza is designed by Nyong & Nyong as an integrated activity centre and is part of Governor Attah's urban renewal scheme. Click here to return to recent news |
We are grateful to Kabissa for making the hosting of this website possible