N-Power Batch C and Matters Arising

By Dan Ochonu

There seems to be an uprising concerning the decision of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to introduce new beneficiaries into the N-Power scheme under a revised and robust template that would be of utmost benefit to the teeming youthful population in the country.
I am sure it should be surprising to discerning minds that some people would elect to view things only from the prism of their selfish interest. If this is not the case, I wonder on what basis the beneficiaries under the Batch A and B programme are protesting even with the fact that they have stayed in the programme for over 40 months.
As a first, I think it is essential to understand that the N-Power is a job creation and empowerment programme instituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria through its National Social Investment Programmes. In other words, it’s a skill acquisition programme where youths from various parts of the country are trained in various skills under four broad categories such as N-Power Agro, where volunteers will provide advisory services to farmers across the country disseminate the knowledge that has been aggregated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the area of extension services. They will also gather data on Nigeria’s agriculture assets
Another category is the N-Power Teach volunteers that are deployed as teachers assistants in primary schools to help improve essential education delivery in Nigeria, and where possible, they will also assist in taking basic education to children in marginalized communities.
The N-Power Health Volunteers help improve and promote preventive healthcare in their communities to vulnerable members of the society, including pregnant women and children and families and individuals.
N-Power Build, Tech and Creative volunteers have received extensive training to help develop and expand their respective skillset, which would help foster innovation and creativity among the youths, while ensuring that they can turn their skills into marketable products. The above explains the N-Power initiative of the Federal Government.
It is therefore pertinent to state that since inception in 2018, the N-Power scheme has catered for over 500,000 youths in the country with 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018. These participants have been trained in various skills as mentioned above that they can deploy to their advantage in future. But ironically, this is not the case as the advocates that have been acting on behalf of these participants wants the programmes to be a permanent and salaried job.
This, in my opinion, is anti-progressive in the sense that they want others to be denied the same opportunity that they had when they enrolled. This is a sad episode if you ask me given the fact that the Batch A and B beneficiaries have elected to let hell loose because the federal government revised the programme to allow room for new beneficiaries under the proposed Batch C programme.
Welcome to Nigeria where patriotism is never the watchword if you decide to stand on the side of truth and to do the right thing, you are regarded as a villain. In my view, the actions of those that have launched an attack on the honorable minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development are nothing but greedy, selfish and against the interest of the country.
If this is not the case, how could one explain a situation where doing the right and putting the interest of the country has become a crime as propagated by the earlier beneficiaries on the N-Power programme. This is a sad tale, and I am glad that someone has decided to change the narrative, not minding the series of coordinated attacks on her.
It must be stated and expressly so that the N-Power initiative is for the generality of Nigerians and not for a few, so seeing it as a birthright is phenomenally wrong in all ramification. This much these set of greedy fellows must come to terms with. It is also unimaginable considering the fact that Nigeria boasts of one of the highest youthful populations in the world.
I think rejigging the N-Power scheme to bring in new people on board is not only a welcome development; it is also an act of purposefulness in a bid to address some of the challenges facing the country.
If only Nigerians would understand that the revised N-Power scheme would run for six months – one year depending on the category. According to available information on the N-Power Scheme website, N-Agro, N-Build, N-Creative and N-Tech will run for six months (with two batches a year), the N-Teach and N-Health part of the programme will run for one year. For the six month programmes, three months will be used for training beneficiaries, while the other three months will be used for mentorship and attachment to partners and stakeholders.
This is indeed brilliant in the sense that more youths would have the opportunity to be enrolled in the scheme in the bid to better their lives, unlike in times past where the programme ran for a duration of 2 years, thereby depriving other qualified candidates the opportunity to benefit from this laudable initiative.
If not for anything, the honorable minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and Social Development has indeed justified the confidence reposed in her by Mr. President to ensure rapid and meaningful implementation of the various social intervention programmes of the federal government.
The proposed introduction of the Batch C under the scheme must go as planned because it is not only laudable; it is in the overall interest of the country that would be of immense benefit to the teeming youths in the country because over 400,000 new beneficiaries would be admitted into the programme in the following order: 200,000 beneficiaries into the N-Power Agro programme, 80,000 into the N-Power Teach Programme, 40,000 into the N-Health Programme, and 80,000 into the N-Power Build, Creative and Tech categories.
I commend the minister in this regard and encourage her not to relent in her valuable service to the country. And those that think that they have a birthright to stay put for life in the N-Power scheme should have a rethink and retrace their steps. It is expected that the knowledge and experience garnered over 40 months should be put to use for the benefit of the country.
The N-Power C project must go ahead as planned. The minister must not back down despite the avalanche of attack on her person so long the overarching objective is ensuring that more youths are accommodated in the scheme. This is what Nigeria needs, and our support for the likes of Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq should be unflinching.

Ochonu is an unemployed youth and wrote this piece from MAKURDI, Benue State.

Insecurity: Community-based organizations reiterate support for Buhari, Service Chiefs

A group of community-based organizations, under the auspices of People’s Parliament, have vowed to maintain total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the Service Chiefs in the fight against insurgency.

The group made this known in a communique signed by George Gondo and Adamu Bagudu, its Chairman and Secretary respectively and addressed by Gabriel Agibi on Wednesday in Abuja.  

People’s Parliament, which also comprises of faith-based organizations, NGOs such as Grasshoot Peace Initiative and United Nigeria Forum, rising from an extraordinary emergency assembly held in Abuja and monitored on Skype and zoom, maintained that the President and his Service Chiefs have demonstrated capacity, willpower and the expertise to rid the country of terrorism, banditry and other crimes and would require the total support of all Nigerians to deliver absolute peace across the country. 

While the military has done its part to end insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crimes, the group acknowledged that some government officials and stakeholders have not been forthcoming. 

People’s Parliament, however, called on state governors and stakeholders to play their own part, as all hands must be on deck to defeat the remnants of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists who are attempting to regroup to unleash further heinous atrocities on citizens. 

The group said it overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence on President Buhari and his security architecture, advising the already decimated Islamic fighters to surrender now they have the chance. 

Read full communique below:

The meeting was convened by the People’s Parliament with support from the Global Amnesty Watch and deliberated extensively on the state o,f affairs in Nigeria especially the security situation in the country. 

Participants took their time to contribute to the discussions and after extensive deliberations on the issues which centred on the performance of the Military and other stakeholders in the current war against insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crimes in Nigeria, made the following observations:

That Nigeria has not arrived at its desired destination as far as the security of the country is concerned. 

That there has however been a great improvement in the security of the country in the last five years. 

That the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown commitment towards ending terrorism and insurgency as well as other forms of crime in the country.

That the President’s determination to secure all citizens and others living in Nigeria and the territorial integrity of the country, has been demonstrated through making the right appointments in the armed forces, providing adequate funding and the procurement of weapons for troops engaged in the battle against terrorism and insurgency. 

That while the armed forces have been relentless in the fight against insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other crime, some top security personnel and other stakeholders have not been forthcoming in that regard. 

That much ground has been covered in the bid to put the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists out of business since the Chief of Army Staff relocated to the theatre of operation in the Northeast in March.

That the recent attacks in Gubio, Borno State and in Faskari, Katsina State are quite unfortunate. 

That the attacks in Gubio, Borno State and in communities in Faskari Local Government of Katsina State could have been avoided if other top security officials and stakeholders have been alive to their responsibilities. 

That it is the failure of intelligence gathering, inability to infiltrate the camps of the insurgents and lack of consultation with stakeholders, that are responsible for such security breaches.

That rather than gain relevance through the supply of actionable intelligence for troops, top security officials are more concerned about blackmailing the service chiefs to feather their own nests.

That state governours of the affected states, as chief security officers of their respective states, appears not to have been properly briefed about their expected roles in the fight against insurgency and terrorism. 

That the recent meeting of the President with top security personnel and service chiefs is a step in the right direction. 

In the light of the above observations by the participants at the meeting, the following courses of action were recommended to bring to an end the scourge of terrorism and insurgency as well as curb the level of violence and crime in Nigeria.

Recommendations:

All stakeholders in the security structure of the country just as a matter of urgency,  put hands on deck to enable Nigeria to defeat the remnants of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists groups who are attempting to regroup to unleash further heinous atrocities on citizens of this country. 

All CBOs, CSOs and FBOs, as well as the general public, should expose any individual or group of persons suspected to be behind or aiding the crimes of terrorism, insurgency and other related crimes in Nigeria.

Security agencies charged with investigations and intelligence gathering must step up their game to provide actionable intelligence to troops so as to complement what the military is doing at the battlefield. 

The military should not relent or be discouraged by the current setback in Gubio and Faskari Local Governments of Borno and Katsina States respectively but sustain the push against the remnants of the terrorist groups until they are defeated.

The Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists as well as other bandits operating in the Northwestern part of the country should take advantage of the current window and surrender as they indicated doing some months back and not be deceived that they can withstand the military. 

Governors in the North must go beyond calling for meetings only after attacks on communities have taken place to take proactive measures to prevent such.

The meeting passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and his security architecture believing that with the total support and collaboration from the Nigerian people, the final defeat of Boko Haram and all the criminal elements operating in Nigeria would soon be accomplished. 

The Military and other security agencies should collaborate to bring not just the fighters but collaborators, sponsors and promoters of the group to book.

The meeting has made these recommendations believing sincerely that it will go a long way in stamping out the security challenges in the country. 

Herdsmen/Farmers Crisis: CESJET says FG, Army have restored peace to most warring communities

A report by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has hailed the Federal Government and Nigerian Army for halting the age-long farmers-herders crisis ravaging parts of the country. 

The well-documented report detailed how President Muhammadu Buhari and the Army miraculously restored peace to warring communities to end the perennial clashes. 

Barely a month after being sworn-in,  President Buhari, in June 2015, constituted a Strategic Action Committee to look into herders-farmers crisis and make recommendations that would address it.

Without this intervention, the centre reckoned that perhaps the nation would have ultimately slid into chaos along religious and ethnic lines which would have in turn had a toll on the economy. 

According to the report, from all available indices, no Nigerian community is under occupation by herdsmen even though the herders-farmers conflict has become more significant in recent times. 

“Although the government had in the past taken some measures to address this phenomenon, the increasing desertification and the effects of climate change have further increased the drive for the herdsmen to move further south in search of grazing land and pasture for their livestock,” the report said. 

“These southward movements always pitch them against farmers and the host community whose crops are regularly invaded and destroyed by the cattle during this seasonal movement. The result of this is increased conflict, death, displacement and the destruction of properties. However, because the phenomenon is a human security issue, there is a need for a concerted effort at state, national, regional and international levels to address the challenges, especially since there is no specific legislation that is dedicated to addressing the peculiar needs of herders and farmers in the country.”

Among others, the report, however, urged the FG to deploy more security personnel in “affected areas; ensure they are better equipped; improve local ties to gather better intelligence, and respond speedily to early warnings and distress calls”. 

It further called for the freezing of enforcement and reform of state anti-grazing legislation as well as heightened herder-farmer dialogues.

“The Benue state government should freeze enforcement of its law banning open grazing, as Taraba state has already done, and amend objectionable provisions therein,” the report recommended. 

“It should also help herders become ranchers, including by developing pilot or demonstration ranches, and conducting education programs for herders uneasy about making the transition.”

APC Crisis: Buhari not aware of Giadom’s NEC meeting, Ajimobi group asks members to stay away

Buhari not aware of invitation for Thursday’s NEC meeting, APC NWC insists

The Prince Hilliard-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said President Muhammad Bulgari is not aware of the invitation for the National Executive Council (NEC) slated for Thursday, asking members of the party to disregard the meeting.

In a statement signed Thursday in Abuja by the acting national secretariat of the APC, Arch Waziri Bulama, said convener of the meeting has been suspended by the Rivers state chapter of party and the NWC received communication of same on June 21, 2020.

Bulama said Giadom cannot summon a meeting on that date because under the party’s constitution only the National Secretary can do so pursuant to Article 14.3 of the APC constitution.

“We are constrained to once again react to a purported invitation to a National Executive Committee meeting of our great party; the All Progressives Congress (“APC”) issued by one Victor Giadom who until the last general elections in 2019 held the position the Deputy National Secretary of the Party.

“Our esteem members are advised to disregard this invitation because the author and sole signatory of the said invitation is not member of the National Working Committee (“NWC”) of our party, talk more of being an Acting National Chairman as claimed.
He had voluntarily resigned in compliance with Article 31(1)(i) of our Constitution to contest the position of Deputy Governor in Rivers State during the last general elections and has not been re-nominated by his Zone to return to that office. Further, his nonmembership of the NWC has been affirmed by the Courts and an Order restraining him from parading himself as a member of the NWC was granted against him on June 22, 2020 in the case of DELE MOSES & ANOR V APC (SUIT NO: PHC/360/2020) where the Court said inter alia:

‘That an Order of interim injunction be and is hereby made restraining the 1st, 2nd 4th and 5th Defendants, acting by themselves or through auy of their officers, agents, or privies from recognizing or regarding the 3rd Defendant/Respondent as the National Chairman or Acting National Chairman or Deputy National Secretary of the 1st Defendant/Respondent or member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the 1st Defendant/Responde1it pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.’

“More instructive is the fact that the said invitation copiously references the NEC meeting he illegally sought to convene on March 17, 2020 with a view to resurrecting same to hold on June 25, 2020. Regrettably, this proposed NEC meeting is also infected by the same bug that render the former void which is Article 25 (B) of our Constitution which provides:

‘i. The National Executive Committee shall meet every quarter and or at any time decided by the National Chairman or at the request made in writing by at least two-third ofthe members ofthe National Executive Committee provided that less than 14 days notice is given for the meeting to be summoned.

“ii. Without prejudice to Article 25(B)(i) of this Constitution the National Working Committee may summ meeting at any time, provided that on an at emergency least seven National (7) days Executive notice of the Committeemeeting shall be given to all those entitled to attend”.

“It is clear that even a legitimate Chairman is only invested with powers to fix/announce a date for NEC meetings to hold every quarter and nothing more. He cannot summon a meeting on that date because under our Constitution only the National Secretary can do so pursuant to Article 14.3 of our Constitution which provides:

‘14.3. National Secretary The National Secretary shall:
ii. Cause to be issued as directed, notices ofmeetings ofthe National Convention, the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the Party.’

Indeed two-thirds of the members of NEC may also summon a meeting, but it shall be required that the National Secretary gives 14 days notice to all persons entitled to attend.

In this case, the purported invitation was illegally issued on June 23, 2020 and the meeting fixed for June 25, 2020 which gives notice for only 2 days. We concede that a shorter Notice period of 7 days is allowed under our Constitution as stated in 25(b)(ii) above, however, a majority of the members of NWC must have voted to summon such a NEC meeting and that was not the case in this instance.

“Our leader, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is renowned for insisting on compliance with our constitution and rule of law. It can therefore not be true that Mr. President supports the convening of such an illegal NEC by a non-member of APC’s NWC. We urge all to disregard the said Notice as neither the NWC nor the NEC has called for such meeting.”

Release LCPL Martins now, Frank tells Buratai

Timi Frank, former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on the Nigerian Army to immediately released Lance Corporal Martins.

LCPL Martins was arrested after making a video blasting the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and other security chiefs in the country.

According to Frank, the soldier was picked by senior military officers, who said they were acting based on an “order from above.”

In the 12-minute video, the soldier expressed his anger at the security chiefs especially Buratai, and Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, alleging that they are not committed to end the incessant killings of Nigerians by terrorists and armed bandits.

He alleged that the military ordered the illegal detention of some soldiers, who demanded better weapons and ammunition to combat Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the country.

He stated that though he might be arrested and probably killed for the video, he is ready to sacrifice himself for the country.

Reacting to the arrest of the Lance Corporal, Timi Frank via his verified twitter handle released a press statement where he expressed his disappointment with the Nigerian Service Chiefs. Frank called the Service Chiefs, “Service Thieves”. 

Frank further said this issues of security challenges has made Nigeria to remain the way she is up till date.

Frank acknowledged how strong Nigeria military are but that they lack the needed all round supports because of corruption.

Frank said:

“After watching this video of a Nigerian Military Officer crying out, Nigeria is indeed in big trouble. I’m very disappointed with our service Chiefs. With this video, it is obvious we dont have Service Chiefs but Service Thieves. And that is why the country will continue to remain in a helpless state like this. May God save Nigeria!

With this video, it has clearly shown the reason why these Service Chiefs have refused to retire, even when they’re due for retirement.

Nigeria is suppose to be Giant of Africa, rather we are the Giant of Thieves. With all our military war chest we have, Nigeria still cannot defeat Boko Haram, rather a country like Chad were able to extinct Boko Haram around their region.

Nigeria has a very strong military force, but there has been no support for them to Carry out their duties, because of corruption.

I hereby call on the release of Lance Corporal. He should be celebrated, not arrested. He has Nigeria’s interests at heart.”

Ondo: Campaign team raises alarm over plot to discredit Adelami

Ahead of Ondo governorship primary election, the Adelami campaign organisation has raised an alarm over plot to forcefully use the local government chairmen of the party to discredit the membership of its principal Chief Olaide Owolabi Adelami.

The campaign team in a statement signed Wednesday in Abuja, by Barrister Segun Ogodo, urged the national leadership of the APC and the presidency to disregard what is described as ‘campaign of calumny’ against their principal.

“For record purposes, Chief Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC in Igboroko 2 ward 3 where he worked assiduously for the success of all APC candidates in the 2019 general election.

“We hereby call on the leadership of APC, the presidency and all members of our great party to disregard this malicious and fallacious harassment coming from a governor who openly campaigned and worked against APC and the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

The campaign team expressed pity for party LG chairmen “for the predicament they have found themselves,” alleging that some persons were planning to “induce threats to life in forcing the chairmen to falsely claim that Chief Adelami is not a member of the party.

“Whereas, Chief Adelami had been at the forefront of promoting party cohesion in Ondo state, a job he started in 2018 when he was appointed state coordinator of the Presidential Support Committee.”

The statement said if there is anyone to be dissociated by the party chairmen, it should be Chief Adelami, who has contributed much to the growth of APC in Ondo state in particular and in Nigeria in general.

“We reiterate for the umpteenth time that Chief Olayide Adelami is a registered member of the APC, having worked closely with him the governor during his election in 2016 and during presidential election in 2019 and having seen his membership card on several occasions.

“We implore the Inspector General of police to act on all petitions we have written to his office in preventing Akeredolu from setting Ondo state on fire with his violent acts.The good people of Ondo State are watching the reluctance of security agents towards Akeredolu’s killers squad with their utmost attention.”

The statement urged the national body of APC to ask governor Akeredolu for explanation on why APC lost Ondo state in 2019 presidential election.

APC NEC: Lukman rallies support for meeting, urges members to back Buhari

The Director General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Salihu Lukman, has called on party committed party members and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rally behind President Muhammadu Buhari in support of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday in order to reset APC back to its 2013 orientation of inclusive and participatory politics.

A factional acting national chairman of the party, Chief Victor Giadom, had announced that with the support of the President the NEC meeting of the party would hold Thursday.

However, Lukman in a statement issued Wednesday described the crisis rocking the ruling party for the last few months as show of ‘indignity’, adding that some drastic steps are required to restore some order and sanity in APC.

According to him, “With all the confusion as to who is our presiding officer, coupled with the fact that the most important structure that is saddled with the responsibility of convening meetings of all organs of the party is fractured and entangled in webs of legal cases, it is either the confusion is allowed to continue and eventual end with the demise of the party, or our leaders find a way to save the party.”

Lukman said given such a situation, one would expect party leaders to be united in saving the situation.

He stressed that to demonstrate the irony of the kind of leaderless situation party members found themselves, they are being told that the constitution disqualifies a Deputy National Chairman from acting as National Chairman with reference to the section of the country he comes from.

The DG noted that while the party’s constitution continues to gather dust somewhere in the archive of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), courts and judges continue to entertain themselves with cases requiring all manner of judicial pronouncements.

He said with the approval of President Buhari, a meeting NEC has been called, while asking if the so-called leaders acting as blacklegs would undermine the moral authority of the President as the leader of the party.

The DG also said a national newspaper owned by one of the leaders of the party has dismissed a meeting held by the President with the governors of the party as ‘Anti-Oshiomhole governors submit position to Buhari’.

Lukman queried, “Is this headline a reflection of the position of the leader? Is the message underlining this headline going to serve as the basis of opposition against the initiative by the President the ensure that a NEC meeting hold? With the way the President’s name is presented using just his first name, isn’t that already indicative of some measure of rebellion?

“All committed party members and leaders should rally behind President Buhari in support of the scheduled NEC to hold so that we are able to reset the APC back to its 2013 orientation of inclusive and participatory politics. To achieve that, the public debate should be about proposals to ensure that the NEC succeed rather than attempting to throw up legal blockades!”

While lamenting the current situation in the party, Lukman said: “Today, even something as basic as who is the presiding officer of the APC is in courts to the extent that we lost count of the number of cases involving more litigants, far more than the number of party members that aspired for the position at our last National Convention. To demonstrate the irony of the kind of leaderless situation we found ourselves or we impose on ourselves, we are being told that our constitution disqualifies a Deputy National Chairman from acting as National Chairman with reference to the section of the country he comes from. Yet, we call ourselves progressives. No need to look for anybody who is a reactionary with some of progressive leaders we have in APC. Our leaders have degenerated to pseudo-ethnic champions. Are we heading for a merger with Arewa, Afeniferi, Biafra and all the known ethnic groups?

“It is such a mess that almost every passing day, we just keep descending lower and lower. Not only that members get more and more frustrated, but also that Nigerians become more and more disappointed and some of our leaders with mandate to govern the country are daily being distracted. Instead of facing the business of government and strengthening the capacity of APC governments at federal and states levels to deliver on their campaign promises, it is a case of leadership conflicts all over the place.

“Rather than have party leadership making efforts to resolve these conflicts, they become the major disputants and litigants. If the dispute turns out to be between these party leaders and elected functionaries of government, once the circle of election come, these functionaries should be ready to be thrown out no matter their records in government. Professors and all manner of clownish supporters will be recruited to defend and present actions of these party leaders as decisions of party structures and therefore reflective of the supremacy of the party.

“With the NEC meeting scheduled to hold in less than 48 hours, if it is reflective of rebellion, both the Newspaper, the television station owned by the leader and all his support base may be activated to attempt to block the NEC meeting, including boycotting the NEC. How could such a strategy help the leader? Without any debate, this is one leader that certainly enjoy high measure of respect across the party and is perhaps a leading contender to succeed President Buhari. If such a leader, work for or tolerated his media companies and supporters to inadvertently work for the demise of the party, how does that serve him? Could it be that he has decided to work against any possibility of succeeding President Buhari?

“Be that as it may, how will leaders or blacklegs relate with the NEC and the decisions it will take? Will they seek to take advantage of the NEC to reset the process of party building back to the point whereby it become possible for meetings of party organs to hold and through those meetings seek to resolve all our internal problems, including reconciling all our leaders and repositioning it for undisputed electoral victories? The days ahead will confirm whether we have party leaders or blacklegs.”

Group says survey on disaster management lauds Farouq’s appointment as Minister

A recent survey by the Citizens Rights Watch (CRW) on disaster management across the country has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Hajiya Sadiya Farouq as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development. 

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Rotimi Adebayo, on Tuesday, the group said the 45-year-old has so far justified the trust placed on her by President Buhari to handle an interventionist ministry. 

Hajiya Farouq was saddled with the monstrous task of spearheading the new ministry in August 2019 to among others develop humanitarian policies and effective coordination of National and International humanitarian interventions; ensure strategic disaster mitigation, preparedness and response; and manage the formulation and implementation of fair focused social inclusion and protection programs in Nigeria. 

And barely one year after, CRW says she has so far proven to be a shrewd choice by the president as confirmed by its latest research carried out following the outbreak of COVID-19. 

According to the group, a survey conducted on the distribution of palliatives and relief materials in 21 states with a minimum of 10,000 respondents taken from each of the states yielded a satisfactory reply. 

CRW, therefore, concluded that the Federal Government’s intervention schemes are now getting to the desired recipients, which is the poorest of the poor Nigerians. 

It added that safe for Hajiya Farouq’s competence, skills and knowledge, Nigeria would have suffered more casualties to the deadly coronavirus. 

While commending the minister for a job done well so far, the group, however, appealed to her to shift focus into the distribution of palliates to states perceived to be neglected.  

Read the full statement below

The major essence of the existence of any government is for the wellbeing of its citizens, so when the Buhari led administration in 2016 decided to launch the National Social Intervention Program ( NSIP), it was undoubtedly the right step in the right direction.

The idea of the program was to provide a form of social security for the citizens, starting with the most vulnerable in society.  The Buhari led Federal government providing some sort of safety net that ensures that citizens can meet the basic human needs, such as food and shelter.

Similar programs by previous governments that were targeted at tackling extreme poverty in the society never really made the desired positive impact. The National Poverty Eradication Program (NAPEP) launched by the Obasanjo Government in 2001 and the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program( SURE P) by the Goodluck Jonathan government are examples of failed attempts by past governments to intervene in the social security program.

We would not in this brief statement analyze the reasons for the failure of these previous intervention programs. What is clear though is that no social intervention program in Nigeria’s history has made as much impact in the lives of the poor like the current NSIP program.

Previous attempts at social interventions by past governments were halfhearted, to put it mildly and dh the 10b Naira set aside for the Poverty alleviation program (PAP) in 2001 and the 500B Naira SURE P money of 2012 made a little impact because they were more focused at rewarding political favours rather than reaching and meeting the needs of the poor.

However, with the Buhari Governments’ NSIP, we noticed from the onset that the emphasis was on reaching the poorest of the poor, the most vulnerable, people living with disabilities, widows, unemployed youths etc.

In 2016 the NSIP was managed under the office of the Vice President, working with credible people like Mrs Mariam Uwais and a host of other brilliant young men and women, who did a good job of kick-starting and managing the program.

The NSIP is divided into 4 different sub programs:  N-Power, Conditional cash transfer (CCT), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP) and the Home Grown School Feeding Program (HGSF). All the subprograms have been the successful medium for touching the most vulnerable in society since 2016.

In 2019, as part of efforts to deepen and entrench the culture of social security safety net, the Presidensocial security safety net, the President created the federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. This idea was to ensure that the government’s social intervention programs are institutionalized, moved away from ad-hoc arrangements and reconfigured to better-defined operations, accountability and due process.

Who else will the president trust with this enormous task but Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq? With her wealth of experience as Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), she came in very handy as a round peg in a round hole who seamlessly and immediately became accustomed to handling this ministry that some refer to as super ministry, which unquestionably is very important to Mr President’s welfarist agenda to cater for the most vulnerable in the society.

Hajia Sadia assumed this very important role and was instantly faced with the world’s most disastrous pandemic in recent times. However, her competence, skills and knowledge immediately reflected as she garnered efforts to directly reach out to the poorest in the society. Safe for her tenacity and well-detailed approach, Nigeria would have probably recorded twice the number of death of COVID-19 pandemic as a result of hunger.

We at CRW have noticed how Hajia Sadiya has taken on this task almost seamlessly! Like every system, there will be a need for constant reviews and feedbacks on processes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the program.

In the last few months that she has been saddled with the leadership of this very critical Ministry, she has had to review some of the processes to ensure accountability and better delivery of these services to and for the people.

We note in particular her plans to digitalize the payment register for the Conditional Cash Transfer program (CCT), we consider this a welcome development that will surely help improve transparency in the process. The program we understand is to be piloted in 6 states of the federation. We encourage the Minister to speed up the process and ensure a quick deployment of the digitalized system across the 36 states of the Federation and FCT.

The Citizens Rights Watch (CRW) lauds the current efforts of the Honorable Minister  Sadiya Farouq for the positive changes she is bringing on board at the new Ministry. Most especially we want to commend her for the quality leadership she has shown during the distribution of palliatives nationwide.

We understand the enormity of this task and therefore commend her office for the far-reaching distribution of palliatives to the poor and downtrodden during this COVID-19 pandemic period. Her passion to reach the poorest amongst us with the needed palliatives aligns with the agenda of the President to tackle extreme poverty and provides a safety net for the most vulnerable in the society.

A recent survey conducted on the administration of palliatives and relief materials in the Country by CRW across 21 states of the Federation, where we took samples from a minimum of 10,000 respondents from each of the states indicates a satisfactory reply from most respondents.

CRW, while commending the Minister for a great job done so far, will also appeal to the Minister to also focus more effort into looking into the distribution of palliates in some states of the Federation where there have been complaints of shortchanging or diversion by State Officials.

From our survey, it is obvious that the intervention of Government is now getting to the desired recipients, which is the poorest of the poor amongst us. This is a positive development for human dignity and the sanctity of life in our country.

Borno indigene writes Service Chiefs, says save us again

Ibrahim A.A, a native of Maiduguri in Borno State has called on the Service Chiefs to come to the rescue of his people, Nigeria and humanity at large by flushing out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists like they did in time past. 

Ibrahim gave this charge in a touching letter to the heads of the nation’s security architecture on Tuesday. 

The Maiduguri native recalled the genesis of the Boko Haram insurgency, its transition into a national and then regional crisis and how President Muhammadu Buhari’s election in 2015 ushered in a new phase. 

According to Ibrahim, the appointment of the Service Chiefs particularly triggered the turnaroud. 

Among others, he recollected how troops repelled the terrorists’ attempts to take over Maiduguri with superior fire power.

He recalled how the military killed many of the radical Islamists and pushed them farther to the fringes of the Lake Chad. 

Ibrahim, who is a businessman, acknowledged that “many of us have returned to our work and businesses and no longer had to be looking over our shoulders before taking a single step.”

However, following the recent attack at Zowo community in Gubio Local Government, Ibrahim urged the military chiefs to bring back their ruthlessness. 

He, therefore, urged them to sustain the momentum which he said ” has restored our hope and not allow evil to triumph over us.”

Read full letter below:

Dear Service Chiefs, 

I believe a little introduction of myself would suffice in the light of what I am going to say to you.

I have lived  in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital all of my life. Since the Boko Haram issue started in 2009 with a common confrontation with the police over the use of helmet, I have not stayed outside Borno State for more than two weeks. 

The longest time I have stayed outside the state for the  more than 10 years that the crisis erupted was for a little over a week when I went to attend my brother’s sons wedding in Abuja and decided to extend my stay to catch up over a number of issues with my elder brother. 

Prior to the crisis, I have lived in  Borno State for over 30 years and attended schools there before I started working as a businessman, though I went to do my NYSC in the Southeast.

This background I believe puts me in a good position to comment on what is happening in Maiduguri and other parts of the Northeast as regards the security situation in the country. 

I was in Maiduguri when the Boko Haram insurgents attacked Giwa barracks shooting non stop until they  freed some of their members who being detained there.

I have also been around, the several times Boko Haram attempted to take down the state capital and I have come face to face and experienced the fears of residents and the height of hopelessness that at a time cuminated in us giving up completely and were only waiting for when the worst would happen. 

I’m a witness to how something that started as a non issue within our homes and vicinities, with persons who we all know and relate with, galvanizing into one of  the most heinous and devastating catastrophe of our time with a death toll that is now more than 20,000.

Boys who we could call and send on errand or reprimand when they err because they are our children, nephews, cousins etc, suddenly became uncontrollable and began to look us in the face and not only dared us but attacked us in the most vicious manner at will. 

We thought we had defeated  them when we began to report them to the security agencies and they removed themselves from our midst and converged in bushes amd later in the Sambisa forest and the Mandara hills, until they began to invade communities, and abduct young girls at will,  attack schools to kill innocent underage students and overun communities killing people and destroying legacies.

I have seen families separated; breadwinners killed and wives and children fleeing in different directions never to reunite. I have been to many IDP camps and I have seen hunger, fear and near hopelessness on the faces of the people. 

Hopes were lost when it was reported that even our soldiers started fleeing at the sight of the terrorists, but our hopes began to be restored when shortly before the 2015 elections, our military men were mobilised to face the insurgents.

When the military in that period killed many of the terrorists and pushed the insurgents farther to the fringes of the Lake Chad, we began to realise that it was not for lack of capacity that our troops were fleeing  before the insurgents; that it must have been due to a number of factors. 

Our former governor, Senator Kashim Shettima captured one of the factors when he said at one time that the Boko Haram fighters were better equipped than our military. 

This is true because at that time, the weapons the Boko Haram were using were quite sophisticated.

Our military couldn’t do much partly because the resources for the purchase of equipment were being swallowed through corruption and unpatriotic acts. 

We were happy when President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2015 election because we knew him as someone with adequate military background and war experience coupled with a zero tolerance for corruption persona, who has the capacity to restore the pride and dignity of our people. 

The President on assumption of office did not disappoint as he launched a probe into the funds meant for fighting Boko Haram which were allegedly diverted through the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and the revelations that came from there.

Better still, the president ordered that the operational command for the fight against insurgency to relocate to the Northeast.

Shortly after that, he appointed the current set of sevice chiefs. 

It was at that point that we started noticing significant changes in the fight against Boko Haram and we were not surprised when they were dislodged from their base in Sambisa and they started running helter skelter into Chad and other neighbouring countries. 

I am witness to how they were repelled when they attempted to take Maiduguri several times after and forced to flee when confronted with superior fire power of our military in recent times.

The relocation of the Chief of Army Staff to Borno State since March which enabled him to visit hot spots of Boko Haram operations was good and his reported engagement of troops  one-on-one, served to boost their confidence as we could see the troops moving around with new gusto and air of confidence.

We were not surprised therefore when we began to hear about the series of victories recorded by our soldiers in Konduga, Dikwa, Bama and other places.

We were overjoyed when we heard the audio of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau crying shamelessly and begging for mercy.

Our happiness knew no bounds when 30 of the top Boko Haram commanders were reported to have indicated an interest in surrendering to the Nigerian authorities and when 11 of them did so.

We applauded the Chief of Army Staff when he was shown on television reporting to the President how troops killed over 1400 of the Boko Haram terrorists within four months and arrested their informants.

We clapped because not only did we know that he was reporting the factual truth, but because we have seen the positive effects of the military operations in our lives.

Many of us have returned to our work and businesses and no longer had to be looking over our shoulders before taking a single step.

Some of the terrorists that ran back to our communities confessed of the devastation they suffered through air raids and ground counter attacks by our troops. 

But the last attack on Zowo community in Gubio Local Government almost eroded all the joy.

We saw ourselves in the same position we were before the coming of the current administration where communities could be attacked and humans slaughtered without a single fire in defence.

We are therefore appealing to the current set of service chiefs to sustain the good work they have been doing which has restored our hope and not allow evil to triumph over us.

We thank President Buhari who felt our pains when he summoned the security meeting in Abuja and asked the service chiefs to do more.

We join our voices to that of the President to call on the service chiefs to reenact their best which freed us from death and torture in the time past.

We appreciate what they have done in the past but wish to remind them that the battle is not over and they must not relent or relax.

Long live the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Long live President Muhammadu Buhari. 

Long live Nigeria.

Ondo APC primary: Hold Akeredolu responsible for security breach, Adelami cries out

Ahead of Ondo state governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Adelami Lamilaka Campaign organisation rooting for the ambition of Olaide Owolabi Adelami, has asked the security agencies to hold Governor Akeredolu responsible for any security breach during the exercise.

The campaign team in a statement released in Abuja Tuesday, signed by Barrister Segun Ogodo, said GovernorAkeredolu, who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the state appears to be aiding and abetting gross insecurity in the state particularly in Owo, his hometown.

“For quite some times, Owo community has been living under palpable fears as guns and other dangerous weapons are being openly displayed with sporadic gunshots even in the day time without any challenge.

“The Police seems to be helpless as they complain of no operational vehicle for them to respond to emergencies. The questions people are asking is that could this be deliberate? Whose responsibility is it to provide essential working tools for security operatives in the state? Inspite of the huge security votes at the disposal of the Governor to be used in security the lives and property of the people, it is now being used to molest and harass perceived opponents.

“The authority and the general public are invited to note the challenging situation in Owo community and to further note that crimes related to killing and kidnapping of party stalwarts may not be far from the nefarious activities of this killer squad. The task, for them, became necessary as there are about six aspirants contesting against Mr Governor in his hometown, Owo.”

The campaign team asked the security agencies to “call on Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and Civil Defense to investigate and make proper arrest before July 20th primary election.

“Furthermore, it was gathered that these bad boys recruited into this heinous acts are given mandate to kill some popular APC aspirants and their supporters before the primary election. Some categories of APC strongholds loyal to these marked-for-death aspirants are to be bulldozed with cutlasses, pump-action guns and AK47 assault riffles bought for them.

“Just last week, one of the foremost aspirants and our principal, Chief Olayide Adelami, who hails from the same Owo town with Gov Akeredolu called for calm among his followers, as his campaign vehicle was seriously hit by bullets and machete from these cultists in Akeredolu’s camp. The vehicle driver, who happened to be one of the Adelami campaign frontrunners was targeted and seriously hit by bullets as occupants narrowly escaped death on that fateful day. Another woman, one of our loyalists from Owo, Mrs Esther Annunobi, whose house was ransacked and subjected to sporadic shooting was recently discharged from the hospital, after receiving treatment as a result of the shock received over the unpleasant incident.

“Mr Governor seems to have given the marching order to his aides that this election is a do or die affair for him, that it is either he wins or something else happens, they should do whatever they think would give him the victory regardless of the number of innocent lives that can be affected.

“In the meantime, several letters have been submitted to the Presidency and Inspector-General of Police office by one of the leading APC groups in the state, Ondo APC Mandate Group over the stock-pilling of arms by Akeredolu boys but up till now, neither investigation nor arrest has been made, this gives these bad boys an impression that nothing will happen to them, as promised by Gov. Akeredolu.

“For the last time, we hereby call on Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and Civil Defense to investigate and make proper arrest before July 20th primary election. Our fear is that, after the election the temple of their mobilization will not continue, and these boys will retire to armed robbery, kidnapping and terrorism, which are already happening along Owo-Akure and Owo-Akoko roads.

“A stitch in time saves nine. This is how Boko-Haram started and was treated with kid-gloves and the situation has become a National embarrassment with all the security services involved in fighting the insurgence.

“Gov. Akeredolu should be held responsible and be made to face the full wrath of the law, if any life is lost or threatened henceforth.”