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The vital role Companies play in employee retirement planning

by with No Comment Insurance

Nigeria is number 41 of 43 countries in the recently released Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2021. Our retirement income system ranks second lowest in Arica and closes to the bottom in the world.

The global pension index is a combination of three weighted factors: adequacy (benefits paid), sustainability (ability to keep paying), and integrity (confidence in the system). Nigeria ranks 19th globally in sustainability, 41st inadequacy, and dead last (43rd) in integrity. This brought our overall ranking to 41st.

There are three common sources of retirement income. These are the government, the employer, and the individual’s own savings. The first two are often not enough while the third requires education, effort, and discipline.

To improve the retirement system, a bill has been passed in both the Senate and the House during the Obasanjo era. Now what can also help is the need for we can call “: Capital Market Development Act”  The proposed Capital Market Development Act should focus on helping workers prepare better for retirement by allowing portability of benefits, encouraging savings, expanding their investment product choices, promoting financial literacy, among other initiatives.

This is encouraging. Realistically though, this will take longer to materialize and there is no guarantee that the enhancements will be enough. But in retirement planning, time is so critical.

This is where employers can play a vital role given that employees spend the greater part of their lives working for a company. Companies say people are their greatest asset. One way to show they care is to help employees prepare for their retirement. Many provide retirement benefits higher than mandated by law. But simply providing the benefit is not sufficient to ensure the employees can look forward to happy days during their sunset years.

We hear many sad stories about retirees. Those who spent all retirement benefits in just a few years and had to work again. Those who went into business and failed. Those who got scammed. Those who could not afford proper medical care. Those who depend on their children who are already raising their own families. These are tales of discomfort and the absence of dignity. Stories that could have been prevented with some help from their employers.

There are a good number of simple and effective steps employers can take to inspire employees to prepare for life in retirement.

— Improve employee financial literacy through awareness campaigns and education via frequent company communications and annual sessions on personal financial planning.

— Orient new employees early and well to the retirement plan so they appreciate it better to participate and contribute more.

— Include a segment about personal budgeting during company or department annual planning because individuals also need to allocate resources efficiently like companies.

— Increase personal financial planning awareness during times of bonuses and sustain this by building a culture for preparing and risk-proofing the future.

— Offer a more detailed retirement planning session for those at least five to 10 years to retirement, so they can put in place a more robust plan to ensure their readiness.

— Conduct a retirement session for those about to retire so they can have a smooth transition for the expected big change in their lifestyle with a lot of free time, limited interactions with former colleagues, and no more set goals to achieve.

— Create an automatic savings and investment program for employees to encourage them to develop the habit early and to enable them to maximize the benefits of long-term saving and investing.

— Use income and loan data of employees, without violating privacy rules, to spot those who may need more financial education or support. Employees with big loans or habitually applying for one can be a symptom requiring some attention.

— Offer a more flexible set of benefits so employees can fully maximize them and help reduce their out-of-pocket expenses, which can improve savings.

— Review and promote programs that support a well-funded employee retirement like contributory plans, stock purchase plans and stock options.

Ultimately, it is the individual who has the primary responsibility for retirement readiness. But employers can extend more help, guidance and support for their people in this effort. I am certain that the care for employees goes beyond employment, especially when we appreciate our staff as people and not mere statistics.

Zeetin-Engineering

Zeetin Engineering to produce electric cars in Nigeria

by with No Comment by The Telescope Magazine

Zeetin Engineering, an engineering company, is setting up a multi-billion naira factory in Idu Industrial area of the federal capital territory (FCT) to produce electric cars.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Robert Azibaola, promoter of the company, said he has invested about N3.5 billion in setting up the place.

Azibaola said, so far, he has not borrowed money from the bank, adding that he is desirous to receive bank facilities that would assist him to accelerate the completion of the factory.

He said the Bank of Industry (BoI) and the Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank have expressed their readiness to furnish Zeetin Engineering with a loan facility of N2.5 billion each.
“As a visioner, this is my vision and it is to make Nigeria great,” he said.

“Except we get our act together, the black race globally will not have a proper footing in spite of their inventions in the western countries. This is my personal contribution towards making Nigeria a great country.

“Zeetin focuses on all types of metal works of high-end engineering. It has acquired and installed the most sophisticated production machines (CNCs, Plasmas, 5Axis Milling, Lathes, etc) in the metal works industry in Nigeria.
“With its capacity, Zeetin will be functioning as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) for Nigeria and will be churning out full-scale industrial product for the Automotive, Aeronautic, Aviation, Railways, Marine, Agricultural sectors, etc.

“The lack of OEMs in the country has been a great hindrance to the growth and development of manufacturing and assembling companies. Manufacturers in Nigeria usually resort to importation of all their spares amidst scarce foreign exchange and lead time.

“When fully operational, most Nigerian businesses in need of specialised spare-parts will get from Zeetin direct and would not be waiting for importation from abroad. Thus, Zeetin Engineering shall be bridging a vital gap.

“Zeetin has array of machines that are for the manufacture of other machines, spares and equipment.

“This is why Zeetin is leading the way to become Nigeria’s proudly OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) at full-scale industrial levels for Nigeria.”

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AGF IDRIS ADVOCATES EVOLUTION OF STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES TO MANAGE PANDEMIC-INDUCED FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

by with No Comment by The Telescope Magazine

The Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris FCNA has called on managers of the country’s economy, economic experts and critical stakeholders in the country’s economy to come up with strategies and practices that could be deployed in the effective management of inevitable financial challenges such as that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Idris made the call at a two-day National Treasury Workshop, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State with the theme, “COVID-19 and the global economy, implications on the Nigerian national treasury”.

 

The workshop was meant to provide a forum for economic experts, officials of the Federal and State Governments, academia, and the private sector to brainstorm and come up with effective strategies for managing national economies in the face of pandemics and other global disasters.

 

The Accountant General of the Federation maintained that the reality of the pains inflicted on the Nigerian economy and the national treasury by the COVID-19 pandemic has made it overtly imperative to fashion out ways to effectively manage the economy during pandemics and handle any pandemic-induced financial challenges.

 

He tasked the economic experts and government officials to come up with viable ideas that will, among other things, help the country withstand financial shock caused by any pandemic and also help control aggregate cash flows within fiscal, monetary and legal limits to improve the management of critical government borrowings.

 

Furthermore, he said ideas should be evolved that will help establish and sustain the consciousness of and accountability for public expenditure, efficient budget execution and resource allocation as well as effective public service delivery that accords value for money at all times.

 

In his address at the Workshop, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba noted that the dwindling revenue profile of the country and the attendant challenges on the cash flow occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic called for prudent management of available resources and evolution of better, more effective and robust administrative mechanisms to resolve the revenue challenges.

 

He made known that in an effort to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, prevent potentially deep recession and accelerate quick recovery of the economy, the Federal Government had developed three broad strategies namely, provision of economic stimulus packages, mobilization of external support/funding and increased the Non-Oil revenue generation.

 

He said as a result of these measures adopted by the government, health and economic data have continued to be on a positive trajectory despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Also speaking, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel commended the initiative of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in organising a workshop to look into ways and means of repositioning the Nigerian economy in a post-COVID-19 era.

 

He expressed optimism that the workshop will come up with ideas and approaches to stimulate and grow the Nigerian economy in a new world put forth by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ABUJA BRANCH OF ANAN HONOURS AGF IDRIS, OTHERS

by with No Comment by The Telescope Magazine

The Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris FCNA, was one of the personalities that were recently presented with Awards of Honour by the Abuja FCT 1 Branch of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).

The Award presentation was part of the 2021 International Accountants’ Day Celebration by the Abuja FCT 1Branch of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).

Idris was presented with an Award of Honour for accountable leadership. Other Awardees were honoured for excellence in leadership and humanitarian service, diligence in the line of duty, consistency of purpose in service, entrepreneurship and leadership.

In conferring the Award, the Abuja FCT 1Branch of ANAN noted that the Accountant General of the Federation has promoted transparency, accountability, and probity in the management of public funds through the dogged implementation of the financial management reforms anchored by the Treasury.

In a goodwill message at the occasion, the Accountant General of the Federation, who is also a member of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), congratulated the Abuja FCT 1 Branch of ANAN for the successful hosting of the 2021 International Accountants’ Day Celebration and other achievements the Chapter has recorded. The AGF was represented by the OAGF Director of Finance and Accounts Mr Lucky Nwagwu.

He noted that the theme of the celebration, “Accountable Leadership in the 21st Century”, was apt as the country needs leaders with high level of integrity, foresight and professionalism to drive positive change.

NEPZA

NEPZA seeks intervention of NASS to boost development of Special Economic Zones

by with No Comment By Godwin Ededuan

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has disclosed that the development of Special Economic Zones in Nigeria to boost economic development also requires the political will to substantially enhance its funding.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director of NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, in a statement issued on Thursday, in Abuja, at the agency’s presentation of its 2022 budget at the National Assembly.

He cited the importance of improving infrastructure investments to improve operations of free trade zones and the need to work with the legislature to increase the development of Special Economic Zones in Nigeria.

Adesugba said, “Infrastructure development in the zones is the ultimate attraction to this concept. We shall not be dissipating too much energy in promoting the concept if the right infrastructures are in place.

“China has about 3000 state-of-the-art free trade zones and has leveraged on them to transform its economy to an enviable form. This is indicative of the socio-economic possibilities embedded in this global concept.

“We need to, therefore, rethink our strategies to improve appropriation and funding of the free trade zones if the country truly aims at using it to accelerate economic growth.’’

He reiterated the need to work with the National Assembly to achieve maximum potential in the development of free trade zones and that what is, therefore, required is the political will to substantially enhance its funding.

Highlighting that failure to work with the National Assembly will make Nigeria finally become a dumping ground for goods and services from other African countries due to the current trade liberalisation regime allowed by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

“Nigeria must become competitive by being a producing nation as opposed to being a consuming nation,’’ he said

He added that the Free Trade Zone Scheme is a wonderful global economic model with the capacity to transform economies, but it is indeed a multi-billion-naira venture, citing that countries that are reaping from this model continually inject funds into it.

“I believe the time has come for the members of these committees to also embark on inspection of some private zones, in order to reshape their perspectives on the potentials of this great scheme to change the country’s economic landscape for the better,’’ Adesugba said.

Hassan Bello

The Achievements of Barrister Hassan Bello at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council

by with No Comment Shipping

Trade Facilitation, Governance, Intermodal Transportation, Ports Efficiency

Barrister Hassan Bello , Executive Secretary Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) is part of a new generation of leaders who are visionary in their thinking and who work not only for national goals and development, but for greater global peace, sustainability and prosperity.

At the Nigeria Shippers Council, he fairly balances the interests of ports stakeholders, being  maritime economic regulator, maintaining links with the terminal operators, shipping companies, and freight forwarders, as well as Nigerian Customs, the Port Authority, and many other agencies. The reason for this is the need to develop Nigeria into a preferred destination for cargo in West Africa. And also to ensure an improved intermodal environment, a reduction in seaport congestion and increased cross-border trade between the north of Nigeria and neighbouring landlocked countries.

The Nigeria Shippers Council has broadly two mandates. The first mandate is it being an intervention agency to make sure that there is balance in the transactions between the supplier and the users of shipping services. In this role, it ensures balance between the supply and the demand side of the shipping industry, coordinating all factors. The second mandate is trade facilitation, and the council has done this successfully to propel the integrity of Nigeria international trade. In an interview, Bello talks about the council’s mandates.

“As Nigerian ports economic regulator, the Nigerian Shippers Council negotiates with service providers and government alike while also taking care of the interests of  shippers, playing  the role of a neutral umpire to all parties.  In this regard, the NSC is working with the terminal operators, shipping companies, and freight forwarders, as well as Nigerian Customs, the Port Authority, and many other agencies. The reason for this is the need to develop Nigeria into a preferred destination for cargo in West Africa. Nigerian ports and terminals are in competition with other ports in the neighborhood and we have to attract cargo. Therefore, the Shippers council is streamlining procedures, such that shippers will have no choice but to bring goods to Nigerian ports because of their efficiency.”

The functions of the Council enumerated in its Act, also include such thing as advising the government on shipping services.  That means it will advise the government on adequacy of services, whether shipping services are adequate or not, advising the government on the class of vessels to be used in transportation, advising the government on the quality of the vessel.

Equally, the Shippers council is at the forefront of pushing on to ensure that improved cargo railway service, ICDs, the Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) and the dry ports are all in place, working seamlessly to enhance trade in Nigeria. With all these going on, the NSC is working to improve the country and regional economies, infrastructure and livelihoods. And these have portrayed Barrister Bello as a strategic person with his task of managing. There are many examples of how highways, dry ports buildings, seaports are improving the quality of lives of different Nigerian communities.

The Nigeria Shippers Council is also involved with the National Single Window (NSW) of the Federal Ministry of Transportation to ensure a 48-hour clearance of goods at the ports. This is a National Single Window, whereby all the interface and integration of all system to work seamlessly together. Now there is a committee which include the Nigeria Custom Services, Nigeria Port Authority, Nigeria Shippers Council and some other relevant organizations under the PEBEC [Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council], the ease-of-doing-business organization under the Vice President, which is looking at the National Single Window to remove opaqueness, create transparency and simplify documentation.

With a good staff support made up professionals who are aware of their mandates and know how to execute these mandates, the Nigeria Shippers Council is doing great jobs under the watch of Barr  Bello. The NSC became very potent since 2006 Ports reforms of former President Olusegun Obasanjo  administration and has increased its clout since then.

It has been working harder to encourage the roles of maritime stakeholders, acknowledging it as an important complement Nigeria oil sector development. Its continuing attention to ensure that  things are done right by stakeholders is also a catalyst for Nigerians to take a hard look at themselves and ask how they can do more in the immediate region and work with all actors towards a more prosperous West African sub-region.

Relevant parties objectively and positively view NSC’s relations with them and other relevant agencies, and earnestly abandon outdated concepts of old thinking while doing more to benefit the nations’ development and improve livelihoods, regional peace and stability.

In the closing days of April,  Barrister  Bello made a working visit to the NIMASA headquarters where he met Dr Bashir Jamoh, director-general of NIMASA. The visit was an important move to harmonise rates, operations and to curb delay, corruption at Nigerian ports. And that heralded a great new chapter in furtherance of efficiency, and accountability at the ports. That day, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) agreed to implement joint measures to minimise delay and corrupt practices at the country’s ports.

The two agencies of Federal Government expressed hope that full automation of processes at the nation’s ports would go a long way to curbing human interface, delays and corruption at the ports. NIMASA and the Nigerian Shippers Council thus agreed to harmonize the implementation of Port and Flag State Administration to minimize human direct contact onboard vessels, calling at the nation’s ports in line with provisions in the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM).

Bashir Jamoh of NIMASA disclosed that the Agency’s operation was close to 85percent automated, adding that NIMASA had undertaken an in-house harmonization exercise to reduce human interface and now fully ready for inter-agency harmonization. He also commended the management of the Shippers Council for its commitment to ensuring the success of the introduction of cargo tracking notes in port operations.

He thanked the NSC boss for obtaining approval for the cargo tracking note. He said that would reduce loss of man-hour and assist in exposing non-declaration or under declaration at the nation’s ports, thus improving revenue generation for the federal government.

Talking about the Secure Anchorage Area, Jamoh noted that since the Deep Blue project took over security working closely with the Nigerian Navy, the nation has witnessed a reduction in the number of security breaches at the anchorage.

“We are beginning to record a reduction in attacks in our waters, and we hope to sustain this and later demand a change in status of cost of insurance of vessels visiting Nigerian waters.” He told the Nigerian Shippers Council’s boss.

Responding Barrister Bello said that cost of port operations in Nigeria could be reduced by over 35percent when standard operation procedures contained in the Nigerian Port Process Manual were fully implemented.

“Our Ports are in competition with other Ports in the Region, so we need to strengthen collaboration on the establishment of indicative freight Rates,” the NSC Executive Secretary said.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo launched the manual on December 9 last year in Abuja, during the 2020 International Anti-Corruption Day. It is a collection of processes taken from the Standard Operating Procedures of stakeholders in the port sector, and it aims to improve operations, service timelines, efficiency, and accountability at the ports.

Another good initiative of the NSC is the idea of dry ports and Inland Containeer Depots (ICDs). The fact that the NSC has grown in strength and is at the forefront of promoting National and global sustainability inspired the government to come up with its “step-up” strategy to build dry ports in different areas of the country. This step is now yielding fruits, and it will help generate foreign exchange for the government as Chad and Niger Republic will take advantage of them.

On Friday May 21, Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was in Ibadan Oyo State to inspect the level of completion of the Ibadan dry Port. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde was very happy with the port project. At a meeting  he held with Transport Minister  over the dry Port, an elated Governor Makinde, disclosed that the state has plans to invest for 15% equity in the proposed dry port. He also disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor would have a business district created around it.

“We visited the Ibadan railway station and the dry port. I restated that our state government is prepared to invest to get 15% equity in the dry port” the Governor said.

I also confirmed that we had reconstructed the major road around the rail corridor – the 65km Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin road. And that our plan is to create a business district around the rail corridor which will include total reconstruction of link roads in the area,” Makinde stated.

Hon. (Mrs) Tolulope Akande-Sadipe K.the Member representing Oluyole Federal Constituency & Chairman House of Representative Committee on Diaspora,  is also happy about Amaechi visit to the Port. She disclosed her role in the project and appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State not to lose the Ibadan Inland Dry Port to Ogun State.

Akande-Sadipe who was a Special Adviser on Projects and Public-Private Partnership to late Senator Ajimobi said that her sweat and the support of her late boss secured the Ibadan Inland Dry Port. She further revealed that the project was conceptualized by her during the last administration.

The lawmaker said “The idea sprung up on a visit to Lagos to see my mother, the traffic from trucks queuing to get into the Apapa ports led to the brainwave that this could be another economic opportunity for Oyo State, which had an advantage based on its geographical position and the new train line from Lagos. Knowing that this would further stir up the economic revival in our beloved Oyo State. I approached the Governor with the idea and he gave his consent to commence the leg work.”

“I contacted Mr. Hassan Bello led Shippers Council through Mr. Anifowoshe who was based in the Ibadan office in 2018 and extensive talks about decongesting Lagos by setting up an Inland Dry Port in Oyo began.”

“The rationale for Olorisha Oko was based on its location as the point where the first phase of the new train line from Lagos to the North passing through Ibadan would terminate. That way, containers could be shipped by train from, Lagos ports to Ibadan and further on with the completion of other stages of the project, as is the case in developed Nations. I and my Bureau of Investment Promotions and Project Office team most especially Mr. Kunle Olusina with the support of our principal, the Governor late Senator Abiola Ajimobi worked tirelessly to make it a reality”. She spoke.

“I put so much effort into making the inland dry port a reality, my sweat and support from Ajimobi secured the Federal government approval of the project during the administration of Koseleri Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

The lawmaker noted that the Inland Dry Port would bring about 24,000 direct new jobs and also attract new investors and big corporations to take advantage of the free trade zone. We all know what that will mean to the youths of Oyo State – Job creation, both blue and white-collar

The Oyo State Government and the Federal Government proposed Inland Dry Port was estimated as an investment of approximately a whopping sum of $99,665,626 (N35.9bn), which is expected to ease the pressure on the Apapa Seaport and the perennial gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway as well as make the ardous task of import clearance mire accessible to the hitherlands of the SW and the Northern part of the Nation.

Bello at that time said that the project would have equipment parking, truck parking, among other facilities, and would occupy 90 hectares of land, which was provided by the state government.

She gleefully prayed that progress will be made as she looks forward to attending the opening ceremony as a proud daughter of Oyo State.

Full commercial train services commenced on the Lagos-Ibadan rail line after train operations commenced on December 7, 2020, linking major cities in the South West including Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta.

With the success story of the Ibadan Dry Port, other states have also begun plans for a dry port with Kano State disclosing that its inland port will cost $27 million and would be completed fully in December. The launch of operations at Kaduna appears to have helped accelerate progress on the other ports. In November 2015, five months after the inauguration of the Kaduna facility, Simon Lalong, the governor of Plateau State, said that he was looking into resuscitating plans for an inland container facility. The original plan, conceived as a component of the federal government’s strategy in 2006, had been cancelled by the previous state administration. The state is now once again looking for private investors to develop the project.

It is on record that in March 2006 the Federal Executive Council approved plans for six dry ports to be developed under public-private partnerships using a build-own-operate-transfer model. Eight locations were chosen for the facilities, which will have the same functions as seaports, including the ability to process cargo and clear it through Customs.

The ports, to be located at Ibadan in Oyo State, Isiala Ngwa in Abia State, Jos Heipang in Plateau State, Bichi Village in Bauchi State, Gombe in Gombe State, Bulunkutu in Borno State, Zawachiki in Kano State and Zanfarawa-Funtua in Katsina State, will have a combined capacity of 179,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units. Concessionaires were also approved for the developments, which will be operated by private consortia for 25 years. These include Catamaran Logistics, Dala Inland Dry Port, Dunca Maritime, Eastgate Terminal, Inland Containers Nigeria, Equatorial Maritime and Migfo Nigeria.

All these are made possible through the effort of the Nigeria Shippers Council. Its success in providing  roadmap for sustainable economic development and helping to reduce cost of ports operations along the Ease of Doing business programme of the Federal Government  has been phenomenal with its Executive secretary Hassan Bello at the steering.

Under the leadership of Hassan Bello at the Nigeria Shippers Council, Nigeria is seeing a comprehensive advancement in ports operations and development of intermodal transportation that keeps pace with the rhythm of the modern era, anticipates a promising future, and achieves rates of development and growth that can dazzle the world.

NYSC-loses-Kazaure-gets-Ibrahim-as-Army-approves-new-postings-See-List

Saving and Empowering the NYSC Scheme

by with No Comment EditorialMonthly Post

PRESERVATION of a significant national tool for peace-building, understanding, security, national integration development and future leadership is something that all must take seriously.  This is why many discerning Nigerians find it very disturbing that some members of the national Assembly could raise a motion, calling for the scrapping of the NYSC at a period the scheme is most needed.

No lover of peace, unity and continued development of this country will want this to happen. The NYSC is a vital national tool of integration, and it provides the foundation of national consciousness and identity, and access to leadership and entrepreneurship training as well.

Arguably The TELESCOPE Magazine suspects that some elements in the House of Representatives are scheming to cancel this vital tool, so that they can divert the funds meant for the scheme for their own selfish use. Then how will Nigerian youth have a sense of national belonging? This is evil! It is an agenda of the devil!

The NYSC underpins Nigeria’s philosophy and ideology of tolerance, accommodation, national integration and mutual understanding. The ideology centres on national altruism and equilibrium in advancing the country into the future while doing away with all negative social prejudices and imposition of hierarchy in cultural, social and religious systems.

To attempt to uproot such a vital platform is to throw the country into further chaos. Of course, concerned members of the National Assembly have the right to raise their concerns on security and safety of NYSC members, serving in different areas, a place where they live in away from home. But calling for its scrapping makes no sense at all.

The day they chose to present the motion on the floor of the House of Representatives, they were lucky no stones were thrown at them with a group of young men and women hurling abuses at them. Unarguably, one understands their anger over attacks on corpers in some areas.  Of course, attacks on NYSC members by deviant elements in society is a cause for concern, and must never be allowed. But calling for the scrapping of NYSC scheme is a proposition lacking in logic and intellectual vitality.  To say the least, the bill looks to be a backward trend.

It is becoming a very frightening trend today to see bad behaviours and attitudes displayed by many young Nigerians in almost every corner of the country. Some behave badly and indecently in front of others and think that it is okay to do so.

Many of these bad behaviours and attitudes and violence would have become standards and a culture in younger generation today if not for the moderating influence of the NYSC Scheme. It infuses the youth with nationalism and civilizing values of national integration that make them see others as human beings whose differences,  feelings, opinions, religions  and rights must be accommodated and respected.

Participants of the scheme carry in them the civilizing mission of the NYSC, and are always promoting values of understanding, tolerance and national unity in their immediate environment after the service, promoting national integration and will continue to influence generations in future.

Expectedly, Corps members are supposed to feel happy, safe, secure in any part of Nigeria and not be intimidated by anyone or any group, in any form. And this is where the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and local government councils must come in, educating members of  transport unions, religious organizations, market women leadership,  youth organizations, CDAs and CDCs, local chiefs and community leaders on the need for proper protection and support for corp members posted to their communities.

The NYSC is a national treasure and a must keep, no matter what the circumstance is. These are many pieces of evidence to support this. Unfortunately, those criticizing the scheme do not know its significance and value as a tool of  peace and national integration. Remember, to progress into future, we need peace, unity and understanding to plan that future.

We owe a great debt to General Yakubu Gowon (GCFR) and those who worked with him, especially Prof Adebayo Adedeji, that inimitable legend of exemplary stature, to build the scheme from scratch and to the government of the day, who respects its importance, independence and crucial roles in peace-building,security, national understanding, in the economic, scholarly and democratic life of the country.

The gesture by Preisdent Muhammadu Buhari to employ siblings of the 10 NYSC members killed in Bauchi State during the 2011 general elections gives credence to our belief.  Here is a leader of exceptional insight who looks beyond time from the perspective of where and what Nigeria or the world is today for a peaceful co-existence of Nigerians in times ahead. Praises also go to the NYSC D-G Brig-Gen (Prof.) Shuaib Ibrahim for his stewardship of the scheme. His suggestion to government to re-open NYSC orientation camps last year helped to finish the #EndSARS Protest.

To be the “Richest black nation” in the world, we also need to live in a country with the values of tolerance and accommodation, that is safe, united, secure, healthy and environmentally-friendly. The NYSC makes these a foundation in people’s lives so they appreciate benefits, take ownership of changes and participate meaningfully to achieve goals and visions in life. They abandon negative attitudes and behavior, which are the greatest obstacles to development in Nigeria.

We believe it is time we adequately fund and improve the NYSC . Consistent funding and support for the scheme is needed to enable it to effectively manage and make youth well-trained, self-accountable, properly disciplined to take advantage of evolving technologies, and foster innovative projects and research. We understand it will be a massive effort, when our country is struggling. But remember, there is no future without peace. So all effort must be put into saving and energizing the NYSC  scheme further.

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Oil Price rise and the Challenge of Economic Diversification

by with No Comment By Akintunde OgohEconomy

Economic prospects of Nigeria and other African oil producing countries of Angola, South Sudan are looking bright with the consistent rise in oil prices over the past few months.  Brent crude has witnessed steady rise of more than 90 per cent since November last year. If the high prices are to hold up for longer, these countries are sure to witness rapid economic revival from the impact of prolonged oil slump and COVID-19, which had weakened their fiscal positions, accumulated reserves. This is especially true in respect to Nigeria, runs a deficit budget. The same situation go on in Angola, not to talk of South Sudan. In Nigeria there is need to invest in repairing local refineries, so that subsidy payment does not eat up the gains of the present wind fall. Nigeria is unique because of its production of Bonny Light crude oil, which is used to fly aircraft.it should be refined in Nigeria.

The latest Regional Economic Outlook (REO) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had noted in April that oil prices and early vaccine roll-outs support the outlook for many   economies. The recent increase in oil prices is sure to boost confidence, supporting non-oil GDP, which was projected to expand by 2.3 per cent in 2021, with an assumption of average Brent prices around $60 a barrel.

With the brent prices crossing $72 in the last week of June, various forecasts suggest that crude prices could cross $100 in 2022. A Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA) forecast recently said Brent will now average $68 a barrel in 2021, compared to an earlier estimate of $63 per barrel. BofA sees the Brent price averaging as much as $75 a barrel in 2022, up from a previous forecast of $60 per barrel.

Nigeria and many other oil dependent economies were impacted by long term decline in prices since 2016 that was accentuated by further collapse in demand following the COVID-19      pandemic.

Between mid-2014 and early 2016, the global economy faced one of the largest oil price declines in modern history. The 70 per cent price drop during that period was one of the three biggest declines since World War II.

Booming US shale oil production played a significant role in the collapse of oil prices from mid-2014 to early 2016. Efficiency gains in the sector lowered break-even prices considerably, making US shale oil the de facto marginal cost producer on the international oil market.

Although supply side interventions by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) led by Saudi Arabia have been able to limit the oil slump with limited success, the longer-term sustainability is largely a function of global demand.

Look beyond cycles

While the global oil majors and most analysts do not see oil heading to a new super cycle, they acknowledge that prices still have room to rise from current levels because of a strong demand rebound and expected tightness in supply. Trends and cycles in oil demand and prices will remain a major driver of the Nigerian economy for a long time, just as for the Gulf region. There is now urgent need to double up on the path of economic diversification.

The long-term demand slump and low oil prices had driven home the need to diversify government income streams triggering deep fiscal and structural reforms in many sub Saharan African economies in recent times. At the local level min Nigeria here, government should take urgent steps as follows.

First, the country should make its bottomless well of resources to back its currency- the Naira at a rate of N50 to the American dollar while it should do its refining locally. Despite all the talks about oil going out of fashion, Bonny light stands its ground for many years to come. This is a great weapon in the hand of the Nigerian government to negotiate its loans.  Without Bonny light no aircraft can fly. So Nigeria flies the world and our economists know this! Why not help government with advice?

Two, FG should pour stimulus packages on small businesses and artisans.

Three, the country should stop giving its crude resources away to the West and China in crude form, more or less giving them for free with the present value of the Naira. These people have nothing for Africa. No plan to make Africa rise and China is the worst of them all!  So effort should be made to ban timber export forthwith, whoever needs our timber should come establish factory to process it here.

Four, Nigeria government should scale up agriculture and its value-chain, and export processed products. Three, Nigeria government should activate entrepreneurship and infrastructure. Five, the government should involve in massive human capital development to realize President Mohammadu Buhari vision of lifting 100 million people out of poverty.

The revival in the global oil demand and prices is an opportunity for Nigeria, and African oil countries governments, to accelerate their efforts towards further diversification rather than slipping back to the boom bust cycles dictated by oil market volatility.

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Buhari puts Railways back on Track through a 25 years Development Plan: Amaechi Good thinking &Fidet Okhiri’s Management Efficiency at NRC

by with No Comment Railway

…. Structure, governance, ethics

As Nigeria braces for strong development of up to 10% in the next few years, sound economic and regulatory management becomes the most important path to recovery for government and the people.  Business must also be an engine for growth. And to stimulate trade, partnerships, productivity, economic and social development, as well as decongest Nigerian roads and feed the Inland Dry Ports, long-term investments in railways is key for reactivation, employment, and regional stability. Across the country, we are seeing the benefits of  a well-funded railway modernization, with strong targets championed by influential decision makers, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, supported by Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi. This will roll on the back of the railway system, efficiently managed. And this is happening now, with Nigerian Railway Corporation’s focused pursuit of global distinction on the watch of Engr Fidet Okhiria.

A train pulls into Iju or Ijoko-Itoki station, in a suburb of Lagos at 7am.  You jump in to beat traffic as residents of neigbouring settlements serving an area about 500,000 people now depend on either of these stations, to catch the railway to get to work in Lagos. Travelling by road is a slow and costly alternative if you are going to areas like Ikeja, Yaba, Mushin, Ebute Meta , Iddo.  A 30-minute train ride from Iju station takes you to Ebute Meta station on mainland Lagos where the headquarters of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is located. The station is housed within an old railway compound built during British rule in Africa. This is where Engr Okhiria, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and his team distil the efficient running of the corporation. The result is apparent. And it stands out as a testimony to the determination of the nation and its leadership to excel even in the face of many challenges.

The new high-speed trains on the double-track standard gauge Lagos –Ibadan railways thunder through that place twice daily. One takes-off at the Mobolaji Johnson Terminal, Ebutte metta, at 8a.m for Ibadan, while another takes-off from Ibadan to Lagos at the same time in a two hour journey. Freight railways also thunder though, hauling containers from Apapa ports, as President Buhari brings back the glory days of railways to life once again, in a practical pursuit that has positive ramifications for jobs, industry and prosperity.

President Buhari’s administration has turned into reality the vision of a fascinating and empowering development etched on the consciousness of Nigerians by bringing railways back on track in an ambitious 25 years development plan to upgrade the railways. It is upgrading the rail from single track called narrow guage to a wider track, known as the standard guage. This is part of the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP), a multi-billion-dollar series of infrastructure projects upgrading rail, land and maritime trade routes.

Through the NIIMP, government is busy constructing new modern railways and fixing antiquated tracks – that have been built for decades since the colonial days. Despite the paucity of funds, the Buhari government is passionate about making Nigerians happy. So it pushes ahead with expansion and modernization of the railways network. The aim is to cut the spiralling cost of transporting goods around the country, boost property values outside the cities, and make travelling around the country cheaper, enjoyable, safer. Government is doing this to improve the quality of life of Nigerians and that of future generations.

On Thursday June 10, President Muhammadu Buhari flew into Lagos from Abuja. He was in town to perform an important ceremony that was to deliver an incredible piece of history.

Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka; Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, and several other dignitaries were with him. Governors including Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State were present at the event. Also present were top civil servants, including Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation.

The president was at the Ebutte Metta Terminal of the Nigerian Railway Corporation for the commissioning ceremony of the $1.5 billion 157-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway project, linked to the Apapa port, for full commercial activities. Named after the first governor of Lagos state, Brig-Gen Mobolaji Johnson, the terminal can rival the Ikeja airport. Construction work on it started in 2017, modern tracks connecting the bustling coastal city of Lagos to Nigeria’s third-largest city, Ibadan, in the second stage of the government’s railway modernization project.

For shippers and manufacturers who have been having difficulties transporting their goods to different parts of the country, President Buhari has rescued  them from high cost of transport and insurance cover. The functioning of the railway would boost their businesses in no small measure. It will also eliminate the heavy gridlock at Apapa port, reduce road accidents and reduce the stress on Nigerian roads, caused by articulated vehicles.

 “This vital line establishes an end-to-end logistic supply chain in railway transport within its short corridor, Lagos-Ibadan, as goods to the hinterland would now be transported by rail directly from the Apapa port Quayside straight to the Inland Container Depot located in Ibadan from where it can be distributed to other parts of the country,” a very happy President Buhari said.

“We have in the rail sector, further to other ongoing railway infrastructure projects, embarked on the completion of the outstanding segment of the Lagos-Kano railway, which is Ibadan-Kano. The Lagos-Kano railway project, when completed, will link the Kano-Maradi line at Kano and a rail link from the Nigeria southern ports of Lagos to Maradi in the Niger Republic.”

He explained that from the beginning of his administration, railway infrastructure development has been given the priority it deserves and various milestones have been reached. Now the railway effect is being felt.

In the words of the Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the standard gauge rail project is a testament to the Federal Government’s investment in Lagos State.

“It is indeed a pride to see a project start and end within the life span of an administration. The social and economic importance of this project cannot be overemphasized. The commissioning of this rail line has made it possible for people to work in Lagos and live in Ibadan.”

On 25 January, China Civil Engineering Construction Corp­oration, the contractor handling the Lagos-Ibadan railway project, did announce that it had linked the Lagos-Ibadan rail tracks to the Apapa port.

The link ‘has become an important transportation passage for the import and export of goods, and now serves as a significant guarantee with regard to the comprehensive operational efficiency of the railway,’ the Chinese construction company said in its statement.

For many Nigerians who are forced to deal with daily sitting inside commuter buses or cars on congested, damaged roads after years of neglect in densely populated cities such as Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Kaduna, the lines have been blessings, making life easier for common Nigerians. It will also help businessmen and importers, making things easier, faster, cheaper for them.

Engr Fidet Okhiria, Managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, says the Lagos-Ibadan railway project will “bring a great boost to our economy in the sense that it is linked to the port. The value of commercial activities in Apapa has basically gone down because of the traffic problem.”

He continues: “Let’s say just three trains from Apapa in a day, and we are talking about [removing] close to a hundred trucks [from the congestion in] Apapa. While trucks will still be busy, they will be going to the train station in Ibadan or Kano, and still get their work done. So the train will be a great relief to the road users, and in terms of timely delivery of either finished products or raw materials to industry.”

Similar rail projects in the works, including Ibadan-Kano, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri and Port Harcourt-Calabar standard-­gauge lines, should deliver significant growth to the struggling economy. Work the rail line to link the country to Maradi, in northern neighbour Niger, was launched in February. The $3bn Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri line will connect the oil-rich southern city to one of the regions worst-affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

These projects are part of the government’s attempts to “grow all the sectors of the economy that would improve and increase production,” so said Nigeria’s transportation minister, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi.

A day earlier, on Wednesday, the minister who was already in Lagos for the big event,  undertook a last minute inspection tour of the terminals and sub-stations along the 156km route, preparatory to that big event.

Amaechi, accompanied by key officials of the Ministry of Transportation including Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary; Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation among others kick-started the inspection at the Ebute-Metta-Apapa main complex where work has been completed before  heading for the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Complex at the Apapa port.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the level of work done. Residents of adjourning communities trooped out enmasse as they waved to Amaechi who undertook a train ride across all the stations, inspecting terminals, underpasses and overpasses.

Built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC at a cost of $1.5 billion, the double-track standard gauge has 10 sub-stations between Lagos and Ibadan.

Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad disclosed this about the project in a statement. “Construction started in March 2017, and test-running commenced in December 2020,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “The Ebute Metta Station, known as the Mobolaji Johnson Station, is the largest railway station in West Africa with a holding capacity of 6000 passengers. President Buhari is committed to developing a modern national railway network that will connect every part of Nigeria, and promote trade, travel, tourism, commerce, and national integration.”

The 156km Lagos—Ibadan standard gauge railway line in Lagos is the first double-track standard gauge rail in West Africa, It is also the first Nigerian railway line to be started and finished by the same government, since 1960.

Now as the Buhari government unveils this railway expansion project, Nigeria is planning to spend tens of billions of dollars on its rail network in coming years; with $5bn worth of projects flagged off this year alone. The aim is to cut the spiralling cost of transporting goods around the country, boost property values outside of Lagos, and make travelling around the country safer.

Expectedly, now the slogan seems to be “Catch the train, get to business on time, enjoy the view, leave the car at home – you don’t need it.” The excitement and productivity of the railways is back as railway modernization runs through some of Nigeria’s most stunning landscapes, from the heart of the country in Lagos to the North. The thundering of the train becomes more regular as it snakes through a green landscape, far away from the humdrum grey of concrete roads. Its gently lulling rock-a-bye swing.

Government effort is on renovating the single tracks while building modern standard-guage rails across the country. The first of this modernization is the railway between Abuja-Kaduna railway – long since completed and operational.  This is followed by the construction of the 156km of modern tracks connecting the bustling coastal city of Lagos to Nigeria’s third-largest city Ibadan, in the second stage of the government’s railway modernization project. This too has become operational right now. The third will be to link Kano in the northern part of the country to the coastal cities of Port Harcourt and Lagos in the south; it is ongoing.

The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is a 1,343 kilometres (835 miles)-long standard gauge railway under construction. Once complete, the railway will connect the Atlantic Ocean port city of Lagos to Kano, near the border with Niger, passing through the national capital of Abuja. There is also the Itakpe-Warri railway, which is also double gauge railway. In fact, this is the first standard gauge railway track in Nigeria. Work started on it over 30 years ago, but it was abandoned. The present government has revived it, and it has become operational now.

Part of the NIIMP is to link the Inland river port at Baro in Niger State to railway as well. This is also an economic hub. You still see relics of colonialism in Baro-UUAC, GBO and PZ warehouses there, signifying the tratrade importance of the place. From Baro, people can go up to Mayana in Kebbi state. One can link Baro, Lokoja, Onitsha through the Niger River. No road links Baro port, but a 40 pound railway which is too small for the present trains.  As these railways investments are made, the Nigerian Railway Corporation is ensuring staff welfare, capacity-building for its staff in order to ensure efficiency of its operations on all routes. Engr Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation is ensuring these.

Engr Okhiria, is a man who combines solid technical skills and strong administrative  management experience to efficiently run efficient train service as Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation. It is this experience and his leadersip culture that made him reappointed as the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), effective from 20th October 2020. He was first appointed as the MD of the corporation on October 24, 2016. Prior to his appointment in 2016, he served as the District Manager and Director of the Corporation.

Mr. Okhiria is a fellow of, Nigerian Institute of Mechanical Engineering (FNIME), Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (LCILT), Institute of Strategic Management, Nigeria (FSM), and a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE).

He joined Nigerian Railway as a pupil engineer , being a young graduate. He started out in the maintenance and operations after going through two years tutelage. Since then he has gone round the system, working in all the seven districts of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.  With a series of training both within and outside Nigeria, he has a wealth of experience, which he has brought to bear on the management of the NRC. This explains why there is a mutual understanding and cordial relationship between the NRC management and the two  in-house unions, senior staff Association and Nigerian Union of Railway workers. And there has been no strike since he came into office.

Through perceived efficiency in railways service across Nigeria, Mr. Okhiria has become the poster boy of competence and efficiency now, with many fascinated that the glory days of railways are here as passengers are happy. And shippers and importers praise President Buhari for extending the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway to the Apapa port.  Railway freight will now ably take over their logistics need, as “30 train wagons can carry what would take 30 trailers to convey,”  to use the words of Mr Okhiria.

The Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line will benefit both freight and passengers, according to market watchers, economic experts and transportation analysts. These include Dr Muda Yusuf of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI ), Kayode Farinto, National Vice President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Adenubi,  a transport analyst among others.

But not many people know that the original design of the Lagos–Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway terminated at Ebutte meta, Lagos.  It was Rotimi Amaechi who insisted that it must be extended to Apapa ports. He was reported to have said it made no economic sense to use billions of dollars to construct it for passengers alone, without  taking it to the seaports, where it can be used for freight going to the Inland Dry ports. From there, trailers can pick it to other destinations since railways cannot do door-to-door services. So the minister went back to the Senate to seek approval to extend it to the ports. Result: Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railways with extension  Apapa ports, up to APMT terminals.

Happily now, we have two types of rail lines into the ports- the standard gauge and the narrow gauge. With these done, Apapa gridlock will disappear, Nigerian highways will last longer, more IGR will flow to government through the ICDs.  Suddenly, railway has become the darling of experts, shippers, stakeholders and the organized private sector. According to them, rail movement of cargoes will change Nigerian  business dynamics in so many ways. First, it will drastically bring down the cost of haulage. As of today, truck movement of cargoes is a major factor behind the very high cost of cargo clearance from Nigeria’s ports of Apapa and Tin Can.

Dr Muda Yusuf Director-General of LCCI, said a functional and modern rail network will facilitate the movement of people and goods and also reduce the cost of transportation, logistics, and freight.  While commending the progress made by the current administration in the development of rail transportation, especially in respect of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line, the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Aladja rail tracks, the Abuja Light Rail system, and the success recorded on the Lagos-Ibadan section of the Lagos-Kano Railway line, the LCCI urged government to expedite actions on the ongoing rail projects across the country to ensure cost-effective logistics for investors across all sectors.

Adenubi a transport analyst observes: “With so many artificial bottlenecks police/security checkpoints littering our highways and the ports’ access roads, the cost of moving cargoes has quadrupled in recent years, making Nigerian ports some of the most expensive in the world to do business. Soon this will disappear with rail. The over-reliance on road haulage has also led to our roads becoming dilapidated. With rail, the pressure on the roads will reduce.”

For passengers, rail travel offers greater security, Adenubi said. “With banditry and kidnapping plaguing our highways, rail movement of passengers will address this because it will be extremely suicidal for anybody to mount checkpoints for a train moving at over 120km per hour.”

For Ola Alabi, there is a lot attention on Ibadan right now. Mr Alabi, a real-estate investor who moved to Nigeria from London a few years ago, the railway line promises a “tremendous” opportunity in terms of demand for property.

“A functional interstate rail system will encourage developers to invest in other states aside from Lagos. It will also encourage new developers and local distributors,” he said from Ibadan, where the promise of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, as well as the rail line, have guided his investments.

The fact that this government has begun to deliver joy to the people, in railway modernization and services, cannot be over-emphasized. Its achievements in the areas of rail modernization will humble even mythology. And history will long remember his administration for this.  So also is Rotimi Amaechi, and Engr Fidet Okhiria.

With its commitments to a functional and modern rail network and railways services that will facilitate the movement of people and goods and also reduce the cost of transportation, logistics, and freight, the Buhari administration has written itself into the reckoning of Nigerians.

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Bello Maigari: The Excellence of Promoting Good Causes for Nigerians through the NLTF

by with No Comment GoveranceLottery

Nigeria is easily by way of size, resources, population and potential the largest of the African nations. That is an undeniable and undisputed fact and, yet, we lag behind some of our  neighbours, in terms of development and attitude, especially in life-changing facilities in rural and sub-urban areas. The National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) is changing this narrative under the watch of Dr Bello Maigari, its Executive secretary/CEO.

Of course, one cannot argue that despite having huge resources, a lot of people outside the country, especially foreign interests, have the perception that we are worse off in many regards to a country such as Ghana. The difference here is our attitude and perception of corruption and corrupt behaviour. To these outsiders, corruption in all its forms has single-handedly held back Nigeria from reaching its full potential as a nation. Sadly, they perceive everyone from the tea boy up to the members of parliament in the national Assembly is guilty of corruption in one form or another.  We cannot continuously accept this kind of image and blame by foreign business and political interests as being the reality of our current state, especially since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

The National Lottery Trust Fund ( NLTF) is one of the agencies of government that faithfully pursues the vision of President Buhari. As Maigari leads the NLTF to deliver trusted practical solutions that enable impactful government actions and transformation across Nigeria, despite many challenges, he is showing that it is possible for a public servant to make government agency and institution work efficiently. He showcases excellence in practices that top government officials and managers of government business must emulate in order to build people’s trust in government programmes and help improve the way services are delivered to target beneficiaries without much problems. It will also help the way business is carried out in Nigeria.

The NLTF was established under Section 35 of the National Lottery Act 2005 to take custody of a certain percentage of all national lottery operations in the country for investments to promote the well-being of the nation.

“Promotion of good causes is a social service to the nation which can cater for the sick and the unemployed and uneducated, the talented but undiscovered young sportsmen, the victims of natural and ecological disasters, the refugees and homeless. It is, therefore, an agency that can assist the government to promote social stability, poverty eradication, social cohesion and economic welfare,” says Maigari.

Indeed, the National Lottery Trust Fund highly values health, education, sports and well-being of the people, making regular interventions in these areas. And that bodes well as the country seeks to diversify away from its oil and gas largesse and capitalize on its agricultural potentials ,manufacturing and information technology to finally build the nation that all Nigerians have hoped for since independence in 1960.  An encouraging development along these lines is the recent donations of medical equipment to primary healthcare centres across Nigeria.

One of these took place on 22 April 2021, when the NLTF  presented vital medical equipment worth millions of naira to Karu Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Nasarawa State. During that presentation the NLTF urged Nigerians to invest and engage in regulated lottery schemes to attract overall development in the country.

Its Executive Secretary, Dr Maigari, gave the admonition in Abuja, at the official handover of vital medical equipment to New-Karu Primary Health Care Clinic, Nasarawa state.  He noted that investment in regulated lottery schemes affords individuals the opportunity to contribute to national development, adding that the provision of medical equipment to under-resourced communities across the country by NLTF is part of its corporate social responsibility.

“As we speak, the lottery industry is worth over two trillion Naira. We have Co-lottery operators, sports gaming, mobile lottery operations, and even promotional lottery undertaken by multinationals such as Dangote, PZ, Nestle, and so on. The telecom sector carry out mobile lottery and that also is a huge segment of the market”.

The items donated to the New-Karu Primary Health Care Clinic were 34 in number. According to Dr Maigari, “items donated include, digital X-ray machine, colored ultrasound machine, kidney disc, HIV kits, delivery kits, genotype machine, wheelchair, suction machine, , bed and mattresses, among several other items that would, expectedly, herald improve basic medical services to the rural communities.

 

“The items donated are of intense value and are part of the strategy set up the NLTF board to ensure that every Nigeria receives the best healthcare. It is evident we are facing an enormous health crisis in recent history, not only one occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic which had escalated demand for healthcare services globally, travels to other jurisdictions for medication is also increasingly becoming difficult due to restrictions and tighter traveling protocols.

“This type of intervention, which would go round the country is one step taken by the board to ensure that we are prepared for this pandemic and also any other health challenge that might arise in future.”

Maigari, while noting that there was no better time to improve the nation’s healthcare system, said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari recognizes the importance of the lottery as a vehicle in enhancing the social well-being of its citizenry.

He challenged the communities to take ownership of the equipment and ensure that people it was meant for benefit from it. Nasarawa State Commissioner for Works Philip Dada, who represented Governor Sule at the event, commended NLTF for the kind intervention, describing it as a major boost to the effort of the state government to improve health care delivery system particularly at the rural communities.

The Etsu Karu, and Dr. Luka Baba, who spoke on behalf of the community, applauded the NLTF for the kind gesture. They noted that the medical items would alleviate the problem of residents of Karu and surrounding communities, who they say travel far distances to access quality health care services.

Not far from that time, the National Lottery Trust Fund also donated vital medical equipment to 12 primary healthcare centres selected from six geopolitical zones. The donated items included digital X-ray machines, colour ultrasound machines, suction machines, kidney discs, hydraulic beds, wheelchairs, blood banks etc.

Presenting the equipment to the beneficiaries Dr Maigari asserted that the items would increase access to quality healthcare services across the country. He expressed hope to that the NLTF wish to see projects of such nature in every constituency in the country seeking to save and change lives for the good of all Nigerians. He added that the goal was to ensure everyday Nigerians living in rural communities have access to modern laboratory and radiology services as a critical first step in receiving decent and quality healthcare, without the need to travel long distances from remote communities to urban areas just to obtain basic laboratory services such as x-rays, blood tests, etc. which often result in patients dying even before receiving proper medical attention.

“For us in the trust fund this is a major concern which needs to be addressed urgently, more so if we are to change the current narrative that our hospitals are not just mere consulting clinics. Hence this vital and constructive effort by the agency to equip healthcare institutions with basic radiology facilities across the nation.” He said.

Last year as Nigeria struggle with the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Lottery Trust Fund built and handed over a fully-equipped Isolation Centre to the Katsina State Government.

At that time, Dr Maigari thanked the Katsina State government for the support that ensured the success of the project. He expressed optimism that the facility would be useful in the fight against the disease and improve health care standard in Daura community and Katsina State.He assured Governor Aminu Masari that the people of Daura would continue to receive good health care services from the hospital with efforts intensified to make it a model.

In a similar move in 2020, the National Lottery Trust Fund empowered some women in Nguru community. About 40 women in Nguru received 30.000 cash each from Lottery Trust Fund under its support for women empowerment project. The programme was also part of constituency projects by Tijjani Zanna Zakariya, a member representing Machina, Karsuwa,Yusufari and Nguru Federal Constituency.

Ten women were selected from each local government and given N30,000 to purchase goats, sheep and chicken in order to be self-reliant. Some of the beneficiaries interviewed are of the belief that the NLTF is doing great things to help people at the grassrrots.  Yani Baba said she would buy goats with the money as she has been longing to go into the business. Another beneficiary, Hamandi said women were good managers of business and had no doubt about the success of the programme.

“This N30,000 if God blesses we with the little chickens we will buy, we will one day buy cows.” Alhaji Abba Umar, one of the facilitators, said the women were given cash to enable them decide which business they would go into.

In August last year, the National Lottery Trust Fund also donated medical equipment to the Onikan Health Centre as part of its support to the quest for proper health services to athletes and other members of the society suffering from various ailments.

The National Lottery trust fund, which, over the years, has sponsored Nigeria’s sports stars and donated facilities to various organisations, said it provided the medical support to ensure that Nigerians from all strata of the society get quality health care without travelling out of the country. The Fund sponsored rising star athlete, Rosemary Chukwuma to the 2018 World Youth Olympics, where she won medals for the country in the 100 meters event. .

In the year 2020, the fund also donated customised equipment in nine sports to over 2000 public primary schools in the 36 states and FCT. Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary/CEO, National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr. Bello Maigari, said the organisation’s intervention was to deliver world-class vital medical facilities that is urgently required in the country.

“The Lottery Trust Fund saving provides high standard care not only to vulnerable pregnant women and children, but also to athletes and other patients seeking urgent medical interventions in Lagos State and its environs.

With all these activities, Dr Maigari has built confidence in the National Lottery Trust Fund and brought a difference into government service delivery in Nigeria. The mix of administrative and operational actions on all fronts have rendered many favorable results.

The Executive secretary and his team are very much creating good times for people, mostly in the country side. Longer term, their visibility remains high with a sustained momentum for rural Nigerians gaining confidence in the government rural health facilities, to guarantee good health of the masses, progressively lifting people trust in government. With the  provision of widespread availability of  medical facilities for people in rural areas, with drugs spread  in these countrywide, for their well-being and overall improved economic conditions, NLTF has lived up to its mandate, as “an agency that helps government promote social stability, poverty eradication, social cohesion and economic welfare.”

For the time being, seat belts fastened and doing the right things seem to be the formula for  success, fully deployed by Dr  Bello Maigari at the National Lottery Trust Fund.