All Posts in "Day: January 4, 2022"

Buhari Appoints Doyin Salami As Chief Economic Adviser

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr Doyin Salami as his Chief Economic Adviser.
He was the chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) until.his latest appointment
According to a statement by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, noted that Salami is a 1989 doctorate degree graduate in Economics of Queen Mary College, University of London. Doyin Salami, 59, is Managing Director and Head Markets Practice at KAINOS Edge Consulting Limited, and member of the Adjunct Faculty at the Lagos Business School (LBS), Pan-Atlantic University, where he recently attained the rank of Senior Fellow/Associate Professor.
The statement also noted that the Chief Economic Adviser to the President is expected to address all issues on the domestic economy and present views on them to the President; closely monitor national and international developments, trends and develop appropriate policy responses; develop and recommend to the President national economic policies to foster macro-economic stability, promote growth, create jobs, and eradicate poverty, among others.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0
Ondo Threatens To Sue  BEDC Over Connection Hitches 

Ondo residents protest estimated billings, seal BEDC office - Daily Post Nigeria
Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau(OSERB) has threatened to institute litigation against Benin Electricity Distribution Company(BEDC) for failing to connect 32 transformer substations in different communities in the state.
The Coordinator of the Bureau, Engr. Stephen Bolawole disclosed this to newsmen while speaking on poor power supply in the state on Tuesday.
He said the failure of the Disco to connect the transformer substations to national grid was tantamount to electricity infrastructure expansion sabotage as enshrined in the state Power Sector Laws 2020.
Bolawole disclosed that the Bureau would liaise with the state Ministry of Justice to envoke the section of the Ondo State Power Sector Laws 2020 to compel the Disco to energise the transformer substations.
According to him, ‘In the state, we have 32 transformer substations done by the state government, the communities to ease their energy problems. Most of these transformers had been installed more a year ago, but the BEDC has not energised them, that is they have not been connected to the national grid.
“We have met with BEDC over this severally, but they have not done anything about it. Recently, we wrote to them. We threatened to go to court because our power law allows this. Their response was that their networks did not have the strength to take more loads. This is not satisfactory to us.
“The networks they are talking about were either done by the state government or its agency or the communities themselves. They inherited them and they have failed to strengthen them.
“What we want to actually do now is to take them to court. In our power law, there’s something we call electricity infrastructure expansion sabotage. This means that if the state government installs transformer and the Disco refuses to energise it, it is regarded as electricity infrastructure expansion sabotage. That is trying to sabotage the effort of state government in supplying power to its citizenry.
“We are writing to the Ministry of Justice to evoke that section of the law to prosecute the Disco. We are in the process of litigation. We cannot continue to watch our people suffer in the hand of people who supposed to alleviate their suffering.”
The Bureau in the last one year of its operation has been able to intervene between BEDC and the consumers on some issues relating to metering, estimated billing and transformer.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in Power 0
Dollar Squeeze Threat To Annual $1trn Transaction-Bureau De Change Operators

ABCON urges BDC operators to adhere to CBN guidelines - Nigeriannewsdirectcom
The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), says over N1 trillion annual transaction volume by the BDCs sector is under threat  on account of July 2021 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting where the CBN  of the suspension of  weekly dollar interventions  by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The operators also said huge capital investment in the sector is becoming redundant, gradually being eroded and winding up.
ABCON President, Alhaji (Dr) Aminu Gwadabe, who disclosed this  in a statement,lamented  that the BDC sector is becoming comatose since last year .
He advocated the need for the apex bank to  de-risk the BDCs operations to be able to receive diaspora remittances through the International Money Supply Operators (IMTOs) and deepen foreign capital flows to the economy.
Gwadabe said the ABCON understands the challenges faced by the apex bank due to the dwindling foreign reserves , declining oil output and oil theft, Covid-19 induced economic pains, fiscal policy challenges, debt burden and election spending, which are making it difficult for the CBN to sustain weekly dollar interventions to BDCs.
According to him, the BDCs should be  allowed to access dollars or diaspora remittances through the autonomous forex windows like allowing operators to receive IMTOs proceeds, carrying out online dollar operations and Point of Sale (PoS) Agency, among others.
He said  ABCON   has developed multiple applications for BDCs’ transformation from being CBN cash dispensers to globally competitive entities with capacity to attract foreign capital flows to the economy.
“We support any measures that would lead to   compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), supporting CBN’s exchange rate stability policies and security agencies to punish any BDC operator breaching corporate governance and compliance guidelines. It is our sincere believed that the bdcs need to be integrated back  officially to ensure their continuous potent role in exchange rate stability management” Gwadabe said.
He disclosed that ABCON is now training Compliance Officers to ensure they are acquainted with what is required of them, especially on monthly rendition of results and   tracking illicit capital flows.
Gwadabe said that ABCON has over the years established itself as a key player in the BDC industry, and has also made several commitments and sacrifices to ensure that the sector continues to thrive despite all odds.
“The recognition of the role of BDCs in Nigeria financial sector remains the first step to building a sustainable and viable forex market that is comparable to what is obtainable in other developed economies. But getting the Nigerian BDC sector to where it is desired to be demands hard-work, quality leadership, regulatory foresight and sound government policies,” he said.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0
Nigeria:Report Sees Improved Business Conditions In December

Banker Roles at Stanbic IBTC Bank | Intel Region
 Stanbic IBTC Bank,says there was slight improvement in general business conditions in Nigeria last month.
The bank said this in its  latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report
The report said:“At 56.4 in December, up from 55.0 in November, the latest expansion pointed to a robust overall improvement in business conditions. Moreover, the latest quarterly reading was at 55.2, the highest since the final quarter of 2019″.
It said the final month of 2021 revealed a robust expansion in Nigeria’s private sector, with the PMI improving to a 24-month high.
The report said quicker uplifts in output and new orders as well as record inventory building were central to the improvement.
It said despite the surge in new orders, firms added to their headcounts at the softest pace for 11 months but were still able to keep backlogs at bay.
It said purchase cost inflation accelerated to a fresh series high, and for the fourth month running.
It said output price inflation followed suit, also quickening to a new survey peak in December.
It said a key driver of growth was the quickest rise in new orders for over two years.
Firms mentioned fruitful marketing efforts and a general improvement in domestic and international demand, the report said.
It noted that subsequently, firms boosted output for the 13th month running, and at the quickest rate since August 2020.
It said sub-sector data revealed expansions across the board, although manufacturers recorded by far the strongest increase.
It said wholesale and retail, services and agriculture followed, respectively.
The report said despite robust expansions in output, firms added to their headcounts at only a slight pace.
It said panel comments suggested that while sales had increased, firms were able to keep up with demand, leading to a marked reduction in backlogs.
According to the report, historically elevated rates of new order growth led firms to engage in stockpiling strategies during the month.
It said inventories increased at the quickest rate in eight years of data collection, adding, “Buying levels also increased substantially, and at the fourth-most marked rate in the series.”
The report said, “As for prices, purchase costs rose at a survey-record rate for the fourth month running. Higher raw material prices, fuel costs and unfavourable exchange rate movements drove the increase. Favourable demand conditions allowed for costs to be passed on to clients at a record rate in December.
“Firms were optimistic for output growth in 2022 amid plans to broaden product offerings, increase advertisements and expand operations to new locations.”
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0
Oil Price Increases As OPEC Sees  Slow Growth

The price of Brent, the crude against which Nigeria’s oil is priced, increased marginally on Monday as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries projected a slow growth momentum in terms of economic recovery this year.
Also, OPEC announced the appointment of its next Secretary-General, expected to assume office in August 2022, following the expiration of the second term of Nigeria’s Sanusi Barkindo, in July.
Oil price figures seen in Abuja on Monday showed that the cost of Brent appreciated by 1.12 per cent or $0.87 to $78.65 per barrel as at 5.10pm Nigerian time.
It was further observed that price increases were also recorded in oil grades in the OPEC Basket and WTI crude on Monday.
Crude oil in the OPEC Basket rose to $77.97 per barrel, representing a 5.04 per cent or $3.74 rise as at 5.10pm, when compared to what was posted the previous day.
For WTI crude, the commodity appreciated marginally in price, as it increased by 0.73 per cent or $0.55 to $75.76 as at 5.10pm on Monday.
Meanwhile, in his opening remarks at the 58th Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee via videoconference on Monday, Barkindo expressed hope that the oil sector would record progress in 2022, but stressed that the challenges posed by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 had been tough.
The OPEC scribe noted that the world had learnt several hard lessons over the past two years, as many economies were now better equipped today to manage COVID-19 and its side effects.
“Despite the steady progress that has been made in terms of the economic recovery, we do expect significant levels of uncertainty in the weeks to come, which could slow the growth momentum,” Barkindo, however, stated.
This came as a special meeting of the conference of OPEC, which was held via videoconference on Monday, under the Chairmanship of its President, Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, announced the appointment of a new Secretary-General for the oil cartel.
OPEC disclosed this in a statement issued by the Vienna-based organisation after the special meeting.
“In accordance with Article 28 of the OPEC Statute and in application of the procedure decided at the 182nd meeting of the conference on December 1, 2021, the conference decided by acclamation to appoint by Mr. Haitham Al-Ghais of Kuwait as Secretary-General of the organisation, with effect from August 1, 2022, for a period of three years,” the statement read in part.
It described Al-Ghais as a veteran of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and Kuwait’s OPEC Governor from 2017 to June 2021, as he currently serves as Deputy Managing Director for International Marketing at KPC.
The conference also expressed its appreciation to Nigeria’s Sanusi Barkindo for his leadership during his two-term tenure as Secretary-General beginning on August 1, 2016 and ending on July 31, 2022.
Barkindo is a long-serving veteran of Nigeria’s oil industry and OPEC, who has been instrumental in expanding OPEC’s historical efforts to support sustainable oil market stability through enhanced dialogue and cooperation with many energy stakeholders, including the landmark Declaration of Cooperation since its inception in December 2016.
These efforts are widely credited with helping to stabilise the global oil market since the unprecedented market downturn related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing a platform for recovery.
Before being appointed Secretary-General, Barkindo held a number of key roles at OPEC between 1986 and 2010, including acting Secretary-General in 2006.
He is known internationally for helping to produce the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto protocol as the leader of Nigeria’s technical delegation to the UN negotiations in 1991.
He has remained a key contributor to the UNFCCC process, including most recently at the 26th Conference of Parties meeting in Glasgow in October and November 2021.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0
Nigeria Will Achieve 95% Digital Literacy In 2030-NITDA

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi's remarkable achievements under one year in office as DG NITDA – TechEconomy.ng
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),says  its 95 per cent digital literacy target by 2030  is achievable.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of NITDA,disclosed  this known at the graduation ceremony of 50 children, including 10 Almajiris at the Engausa Global Tech Hub in Kano State.
Engausa Global Tech Hub is an Incubation Centre,  currently working in collaboration with NITDA in Kano, where young people are exposed to entensive training, using Hausa language in building their skills on digital technology.
Abdullahi said that the centre had in 2021 trained over 700 young people who were selected from various rural communities in the state, adding that he was very happy that the Centre has co-opted  young Almajiris into the system.
“We have been collaborating with Engausa like  the founder said. As a result of intervention, we have done for the Centre last year,  they had multiplied the number of people they trained. In 2021, as  they trained more than 700 people in this Centre as a result of this collaboration,” he said.
He added that the agency has been expanding its collaboration, adding that  more efforts would be deployed  this year to help the less privileged children to have access to digital technology.
“One of our mandate is to implement the policy under the National Digital Economy Policy for digital Nigeria to logical conclusion in achieving the 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
“You know government cannot do it alone, we need to partner with Centres like Engausa to achieve this.
“So, we are working with them to even expand this Centre beyond Kano to other States and also to see how we can equip them more,” DG added.
Explaining further, he said; “we are also looking at how we can assist the children who have participated in this programme to start their own businesses.”
Earlier,  the founder of the Centre, Mr Mustapha Ringim, said the Centre was out to bridge the gap among the young people, especially those who cannot make it in formal school.
“I realised that there are a lot of things that I can offer to the community concerning breaking some barriers and bridging some gaps which are limiting the productivity of our youth,especially the downtrodden ones at the grassroots, the Almajiris, and school-drop-outs who cannot continue their studies due to lack of proficiency in English Language, among other things,” he said.
Ringim said he had realised that Language should not be a barrier to achieving one’s dream, especially when it comes to global technology.
He argued that there are lot of developments in countries which are not using English Language as medium of learning skills, like European countries where English is not well spoken but still technology,  innovation and creativity is flourishing in those countries.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in IT&Telecoms 0
‘APC’s Politics Of Imposition Will Return PDP To Power’

2023: APC Working On One Lie That Will Return PDP To Power – PGF DG – Independent Newspaper Nigeria
Salisu Mohammed  Lukman, Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum, PGF ,has accused the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of working on a lie that will end up foisting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again on Nigerians in 2023.
He  said the APC leadership is working on wrong notion   that anybody the party imposes on Nigerians during the party’s presidential primaries will sweep the poll in 2023, a proposition he says cannot stand.
He  expressed that the development will only pave way for PDP’s return to power, adding that ongoing plot to postpone the scheduled  February convention of the party will spell doom for the ruling party.
He punctured  the CECPC for deliberately pushing for postponement, of the convention, working in accord with those he said are  campaigning to have the election of the APC NWC and the presidential primary held on the same day.
He hinted  that the party is only working hard to launch the 2019  Zamfara State Election crisis  at the national scale ahead of the 2023 General Election, noting that failure of the CECPC to give definite date for the convention as well name the convention subcommittees has sustained the doubt among party stakeholders.
“It is very difficult to excuse the CECPC from the campaign to postpone the February Convention. If the CECPC is not interested in the postponement of the Convention from the agreed February 2022 date, why is it difficult to make formal announcement about the date and venue of the Convention?
“Statutorily, by the requirement of the Electoral Act, the party is expected to serve at least 21 days’ notice of the Convention to INEC. Which basically means that if the Convention is to hold any day before February 28, 2021, the notice to INEC should be given on or before February 7, 2022” he pointed out.
Lukman said the party and APC leaders appear not to have learned any lessons from the concluded Anambra State governorship election, believing “that agendas set in 2014 or 2019 are sufficient to respond to contemporary challenges, which post 2023 governance will be expected to respond to”.
A federal High Court presided over Justice Ekwo had recently declared that the party was a party to the Anambra State Election,haven failed to conduct a valid Governorship primary.
While he observed that the CECPC has not deemed it necessary to review the said Anambra State election and take in valuable lessons, Lukman expressed concern that the APC leadership is working to impose a candidate on the party in 2023 and without the buy-in of stakeholders.
 He said :
“It will be foolhardy to expect that the popularity of the APC will be sustained in 2023 without undertaking similar objective reviews. It would be such objective reviews that would assist the party to renegotiate and retain the support of Nigerians” he said, pointing to the internal unity that helped APC to ride the crest in 2015.
“The burden of responsibility to strengthen the capacity of the APC to put itself on a vantage position to commence internal negotiation around all these issues is on the CECPC, especially, the Chairman, His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni. Inability to discharge this responsibility or avoid it by toying the path of a deceptive campaign for postponement of Convention can only spell doom for the APC and return Nigeria to the hands of those who laid the foundation for all the challenges facing the country.
“By way of an appeal to APC leaders, as much as the question of who emerge as the candidate of the party is very important, it is not only who emerge as a candidate of the party that can win the election. But how united are party leaders behind the candidate will be a more determining factor. President Buhari, with all his mass support in the Northern part of the country, may not have won the election in 2015 without the unity of all APC leaders from every part of the country. All APC leaders must be reminded that, there is no one political leader in the country that enjoy convincing mass support of any region of the country.
“Therefore, the process of internal debates within the APC to enhance the confidence of party leaders from every part of the country and by extension Nigerians to support any potential candidate of the party should be oriented around agreement on what needs to be done to address national challenges.
” In fact, ability of the party to manage internal party contest for the emergence of Presidential candidate for instance, will be dependent on the kind of confidence that would have emerged among party leaders during internal debates.
“Party leaders and all members should try to see the bigger picture and work for stronger internal unity within the APC. The only reason why some leaders, perhaps including the members of CECPC, are attracted to campaign for postponement for the Convention is the deceptive belief that any candidate who emerged, whether elected or imposed on the party can win the 2023 elections. This is a big lie!”
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in Politics 0
Olubadan Stool:We Wont Jeopardize Tradition-Council

Olubadan: Grass To Grace Story Of A Class Monarch
The Olubadan-in-Council has declared that tradition would be followed in installing the next Olubadan of Ibadan, regardless of their elevation to obas.
A statement released at the end of a two-hour closed-door meeting held at the Alarere residence of Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, on Monday, said members of the council would meet and announce the next Olubadan of Ibadan in line with tradition after the mourning of Oba Saliu Adetunji is over.
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 The council explained that the meeting became  necessary following the demise of the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, on Sunday.
Members  of the council condoled with the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde, the people of Ibadan land and family members of the late monarch.
Sen. Dr. Lekan Balogun, the Olubadan-in- Council described the deceased leader of the Council as an indefatigable ruler whose reign would be difficult to forget.
While praying for the repose of the soul of the departed king, the council urged the bereaved family of the deceased to remain joyous and happy for the legacies of good reign left behind by their patriarch.
The council through a statement made at the end of the meeting reiterated that the historical and traditional succession plan to the throne of Olubadan remains sancrosanct, the elevation conferred on all the members of the Olubadan-in-Council as Royal Majesties notwithstanding.
“Members of the council were elevated to the Royal Majesties status by the previous administration in the state led by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi and it became contentious and litigatious.
“Olubadan-in-Council said the elevation granted the members, who also serve as kingmakers had not in anyway altered the age-long and enviable traditional succession plan to the Olubadan throne in Ibadan land.
“There should be no controversy as to who becomes the next Olubadan amongst us as the previous elevation that made us Royal Majesties did not in anyway affect our respective offices in the Olubadan-in-Council and would not preclude any of us to mount the Olubadan throne whenever it is the person’s turn.
“We are the kingmakers and we will do the needful at the appropriate time. For now, we are still all in the mourning mood of our departed father and reverred leader in the Council and we just want to assure the generality of our people both home and in the diaspora that there’s no cause for alarm,” the statement read.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0
Group Raises Alarm Over Maltreatment Of Nigerians  In UAE

UAE In Mass Deportation, Hunts For Nigerians, Other Africans Living In Abu Dhabi
The Take It Back Movement, a coalition of activists and civil society organisation, has  raised the alarm over the  unimaginable suffering currently being experienced  by Nigerians living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Chidi Nwanyanwu,Director of Media, Communications, and Public Relations,
TIB Global,  disclosed this in a statement in Lagos.
According to the group,Nigerians living in the UAE had been deprived of access to work permits for the past six months,  lead to unbearable suffering.
It maintained that in some cases, several Nigerians had died due to the unjust policies of that country.
The group further alleged that  Nigerian consular in UAE  had not only allegedly abandoned the victims to a horrifying fate, but also had continued to intimidate any  Nigerian who tried to bring this development to her notice.
The group disclosed that one of such occurences  was the incident on October 7, 2021.
It added: “The consular, Talabat Atinuke Mohammed, had invited some of the organisers, who publicised and stirred the victims to action, to a meeting, where she threatened to arrest them should they continue agitating against the refusal of the government of UAE to issue and renew the work permits of Nigerians.
“Another instance was the last visit of President  Muhammadu Buhari for expo 2021 in Dubai,  where the consular invited police to arrest a Nigerian citizen, Mr. Oluwatosin, who was trying to bring the President’s attention to this unpleasant development.
“Hundreds and hundreds of Nigerians are victims of this  refusal to renew work permit, policy.
“This UAE government policy has been active since the first week of June 2021.”
The group  emphasized that more and more Nigerians had been losing their jobs due to the inability to get or renew work permits.
It added that many of those affected by the policy had become penniless, homeless, and utterly hopeless.
“Some are losing their lives to sickness and depression. To state that the situation is horrific would seriously underestimate the circumstances many are facing. It is to this end that we call for immediate action for the renewal of work permits of Nigerians living in the UAE.
“We demand that the Nigerian government moves swiftly to put an end to the aggravated pains and agony being faced by hundreds and hundreds of Nigerians living in the United Arab Emirates.
“It should be noted that the inhumane and highly disrespectful treatment is being suffered by Nigerians and has been directed by foreign governments and their citizens remain a reflection of how our government handles us with disdain even in our own country.
“Aside from being citizens of the country ranked as poverty capital of the world, third most terrorised nation in the entire universe with unimaginable corruption indices, we equally have leaders who lack respect for its citizens, both home and abroad.
‘These are leaders that deal with their citizens with impunity and have no modicum of regard or respect for their rights or lives.
“This is why Nigerians, whether living at home or abroad, must take as important and highly exigent, the struggle to take our country away from the stranglehold of decades of mismanagement and impunity.
“This is the only way we can have a country where we are citizens whose dignity is respected at home, and abroad”.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0
Cash Crunch In Banks May Deepen Nigeria’s Insecurity-Afe  Babalola 

Nigeria’s legal luminary ,Aare Afe Babalola is worried  over the negative impact of cash crunch in banks to the well being of the nation’s economy.
He said  the  dearth of cash in banks is  not effectively tackled, it could  lead to “serious hunger which can dovetail to high mortality rate, uncontrolled crimes and increased insecurity”.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and founder,Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti(ABUAD) in a release entitled Cash Crunch By Banks : Damage May Be Worse Than COVID-19,
He implored the Federal Government to critically look into the situation and attend to it promptly.
According to him ,”Cash is useful for payment and for other transactions. It is favoured by the elderly and marginalised, low-income people. Cash becomes especially useful when natural disasters cause power shortages and destroys computers. Cash is the safest of payment and financial instruments for the public in under developed countries like Nigeria”the statement reads in part
” In recent time, the Central Bank and Commercial Banks have inflicted cash crunch on banks customers in the country. The cash crunch was felt virtually throughout the country. Many banks had turned customers back for lack of funds while those who had the misfortune of gaining entrance into the Banking Halls went home disappointed. Customers could not withdraw cash from the ATM machines in my university.
“The banks operating in the University also had no cash to pay to customers. The saving grace was that the students who rely on ATM machines were on holiday.
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He said :”Nigeria used to be a developing country but in the past few years, what we experience is backward development. Time it was that our economy was basically trade by barter. Gradually, traders exchanged goods for cash. Now most Nigerians earn their living from daily sales. These include market women, transporters, hawkers, vulcanizers, plumbers, roadside mechanics, hairdressers and so on. In the absence of sales through cash, these large proportion of Nigerians suffer more than the few wealthy Nigerians by the cash crunch imposed by the Central Bank and the commercial Banks.
The popular African adage is that “when hunger is eliminated from one’s problems, the remaining problems become easier to solve”. A man without cash will certainly go without food. He becomes hungry. Of course, a hungry man becomes an angry man and an angry man becomes violent. A violent man can kill, behave irrationally and even commit suicide.
Covid-19 was regarded as a dangerous and a dreaded epidemic which kills its victims but I dare say that cash crunch kills faster than Covid-19 and certainly will kill more people than Covid-19. According to study by Johns Hopkins “every minute, hunger kills 11 people compared to 7 Covid-19 death”. Hungry families also resort to desperate measures such as sale of babies, child marriage, banditry and kidnapping in order to secure food for the family.
According to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, “Hunger is actually the worst weapon of mass destruction. It claims millions of victims each year.” This corroborates the statement by George McGovern that “Pay attention to the hungry, both in this country and around the world. Pay attention to the poor. Pay attention to our responsibilities for world peace. We are our brother’s keeper…”
“Some might say that in the developed countries, much cash would not be in high demand because of cashless payment policy. Yes, it only works because their governments have created enabling environment for such technology to thrive. In the Nigerian context, a country that prides herself in much of analogue platforms that cannot transmit election results because 301 out of her 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) could not have access to internet can therefore not effectively run a cashless environment needless to successfully implement the so called “Naija e-wallet”.
Online Editor by — January 4, 2022 in News 0