Financial Times: Nigeria on the brink of becoming a failed state

 The Financial Times says Nigeria is “on the brink” of becoming a “failed state”, citing insecurity, stalled economic growth and weak institutions as some of the country’s biggest challenges.

In an editorial on Tuesday, the international business newspaper said “Nigeria will become a problem far too big for the world to ignore” if urgent and drastic measures are not taken by the Buhari administration.

It condemned the kidnap of 344 schoolboys in Katsina, an incident that revived the memories of the more than 276 schoolgirls kidnapped in Borno in 2014, some of who are still being held by the Boko Haram insurgents.

It said the incident and similar ones have shown cast down on President Muhammadu Buhari’s ability to crush Boko Haram, a group which has “remained an ever-present threat.”

“The definition of a failed state is one where the government is no longer in control. By this yardstick, Africa’s most populous country is teetering on the brink,” the newspaper wrote.

“If the latest kidnapping turns out to be its work, it would mark the spread of the terrorist group from its north-eastern base. Even if the mass abduction was carried out by “ordinary” bandits — as now looks possible — it underlines the fact of chronic criminality and violence.

“Deadly clashes between herders and settled farmers have spread to most parts of Nigeria. In the oil-rich, but impoverished, Delta region, extortion through the sabotage of pipelines is legendary.”

Financial Times added that in addition to insecurity, Nigeria has been struggling with extreme poverty and out-of-school children mostly girls.

With the country’s population now over 200 million, the newspaper said the living standards of citizens “are declining” while “the economy has stalled since 2015.”

It added that Nigeria “desperately needs to put its finances, propped up by foreign borrowing, on a sounder footing” to survive the shock of its dwindling resources as “the elite’s scramble for oil revenue will become a game of diminishing returns.”

“In its three remaining years, the government of Mr Buhari must seek to draw a line in the sand. It must redouble efforts to get a grip on security,” the newspaper wrote.

“It also needs to restore trust in key institutions, among them the judiciary, the security services and the electoral commission, which will preside over the 2023 elections.

“More than that, Nigeria needs a generational shift. The broad coalition that found political expression this year in the EndSARS movement against police brutality provides a shard of optimism.

“At least Nigeria has a relatively stable democracy. Now Nigeria’s youth — creative, entrepreneurial and less tainted by the politics of extraction — should use that system to reset the country’s narrative.”

- THECABLE

 

True Nigerian Patriots Initiative on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately intervene in the issue of hike in transportation on both land and air.

Dr Athanasiys Okon, the National Coordinator said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Okon called on the President to address transporters across board, considering the sky rocketing prices of transportation.

He also called on the minister of aviation to take charge, stressing that hike in transport fares for both land and air was becoming too much for the poor to bear.

According to him, recently stakeholders in the aviation sector requested for just a few relieves, especially incentives in Value Added Tax and import duties for essential accessories.

“To our surprise, nobody in the two essential areas has come forward to address these challenges faced by the stakeholders of aviation and transportation.

“Is it not surprising to see cost of flying an economy ticket of N45,000  rising as much as N80,000 and above,” he said.

He said that on ground, the multiplier effect was obvious; adding that what happened to aviation would affect land transportation.

He said that a distance of 12 hours by road before now was between  N10,000 and N12,000, stressing that as at today, it cost as much as N20,000 and above.

He therefore called on the Minister of Aviation, Sen Had Sirika and his Transport counterpart, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to rise up to the challenge.

Okon said that the primary welfare of the citizenry should be the concern of every appointees of the President.

NAN

Three feared killed as customs clash with suspected smugglers in Ogun

 

No fewer than three persons were said to have been killed during a clash between some suspected smugglers and operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun State Command.

The incident, it was gathered, happened on Tuesday at Kikelomo, Ayetoro, the headquarters of Yewa North Local Government area of Ogun.

There were reports that men of the NCS had invaded the area on the trail of some suspected smugglers.

“In their attempt to evacuate bags of smuggled rice from a building, there ensued a clash between the customs officers and the owners of the items.

“In order to scare away the suspected smugglers, the NCS operatives were said to have fired gunshots intermittently.

“In the process, three persons were reportedly hit by stray bullets. One of them was an okada rider named Sola, who was shot while on transit,” DAILY POST was told.

Soldiers were said to have been deployed to the community as residents locked themselves in for fear of being brutalised.

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun 1 Area Command of the NCS, Ahmed Oloyede confirmed that he was informed that there was an incident in Ayetoro.

He, however, said he did not have details of what happened in the Ogun West community.

“I have gotten the information, but I am yet to get the details of what really happened.

“I will get back to you when I get the details,” Oloyede told our correspondent on phone.

- DAILY POST

COVID-19: FG debunks lockdown rumours

 

The Federal Government on Tuesday clarified that it has not declared a fresh lockdown of the country following confirmation of the second wave of COVID-19.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave this clarification when he featured on a Radio Nigeria programme, “Politics Nationwide”, in Abuja.

The minister said the directives and position of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 at its briefing on Monday, did not translate to partial or total lockdown as reported in some sections of the media.

He allayed the fears of Nigerians and some listeners that called-in during the programme that a lockdown might have negative effects on the already stressed economy.

Mohammed explained that what the Federal Government had done was to reduce the chances of mass gathering by directing its workers from Level 12 below to work from home.

He said the government also reiterated already existing ban on night clubs and other COVID-19 protocols.

“The Federal Government has not declared a fresh lockdown.

“What we have done is that we have simply reiterated the old protocols and asked federal workers on Level 12 and below to stay at home and they will still receive their salaries.

“Lagos state has equally asked their level 14 workers and below to work from home and Kaduna state has done the same.

“Therefore, there is no fresh lockdown and the issue of hardship and economy meltdown does not arise,’’ he said.

The minister said that the government also reminded Nigerians that the ban on social gathering is still on and Churches and Mosques should obey the social gathering rules.

He said the directive is to curtail people from gathering because they found out that COVID-19 had reached the level of community transmission.

Mohammed said the protocols on foreign travels subsist to the effect that those travelling to Nigeria would not be able to come on board unless they have the certificate that they tested negative for the virus.

He said when they arrive into the country, they must self-isolate for seven days after which they would go back for a confirmation test.

During the briefing on Monday, the Chairman of PTF, Boss Mustapha advised states to immediately close all bars, nightclubs, and restaurants across the country.

He said the number of guests at weddings, conferences, among others had also been limited to 50 persons.

Mustapha, who is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the new guidelines are part of measures to limit the spread of the virus.

- PM NEWS

Oil prices slip nearly 2% as new virus strain dashes recovery hopes

 

Oil prices dropped nearly 2 percent on Tuesday as a new strain of the novel coronavirus in the United Kingdom (UK) triggered concerns over fuel demand recovery.

Brent crude was down 72 cents at 1.4 percent to $50.19 a barrel in early morning trading while the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 76 cents at 1.6 percent to $47.21.

Both benchmark contracts slid nearly 3 percent on Monday, erasing recent strong gains on the back of the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, seen as key to easing mobility restrictions.

Source: FactSet.

After the UK government warned that a new variant of the virus seemed to be spreading much faster than previous kinds, India, Pakistan, Russia, Jordan and Hong Kong joined European countries in suspending travel from Britain, and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman closed their borders completely.

The negative sentiment completely overshadowed a weekend deal among U.S. congressional leaders for a $900 billion coronavirus aid package, and the rollout of a new vaccine in the United States on Saturday.

This is likely to be a source of worry for Nigeria as crude oil accounts for half of the government’s income and about 90 percent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.

The proposed 2021 budget is benchmarked at $40 per barrel.

- THECABLE

EPL: What Arsenal will do to players if club suffers relegation

 

Arsenal had made arrangements for a possible relegation from the Premier League, the UK Telegraph reports.

The Gunners are presently 15th on the table, after picking up 14 points from their opening 14 fixtures.

Mikel Arteta’s side sits four points above the relegation spots and needs to plug a seven-point gap to return to the top half of the table.

While relegation still feels a farfetched possibility, Arsenal has contingency plans in place if they do go down.

A number of players would face huge pay cuts if the club was to drop down to the Championship.

It has emerged that the club has inserted relegation clauses into players’ deals.

Several payers will be obliged to take a 25% pay cut if they go down.

Arsenal has not been relegated since the 1912/1913 season when they finished bottom of the old First Division.

- DAILY POST

Pollution: EU bans plastic waste exports to 3rd-world countries

 

The EU will ban the export of plastic waste from the bloc to poor countries effective from Jan. 1, it said on Tuesday following concerns about pollution in third world countries.

Plastic exports would also be “more strictly controlled,” according to the European Commission.

The new rules still allow for “clean plastic waste sent for recycling” to be exported to countries not part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a statement.

Reports say that following China’s ban on plastic imports at the beginning of 2018, previously a major destination for plastic waste, plastic trade shifted to other countries in Asia, such as Malaysia.

With no, or not sufficient, recycling facilities established in those countries, the EU’s exports sparked criticism from environmentalists, who claim that much of the bloc’s waste ends up in oceans or being burned in open fires.

“These new rules send a clear message that in the EU we are taking responsibility for the waste we generate,” Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said.

“The export of unsorted plastic waste to non-OECD countries will be completely banned,” he added.

- PM NEWS

23 involved in auto accident on Ile-Ife-Gbogan highway

 Twenty-three persons were involved in a motor accident on the Ile-Ife-Gbogan highway on Tuesday.

The Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Osun, Mrs. Kudirat Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident, said two persons lost their lives in the incident.

Ibrahim noted that the accident occurred due to a collision between two vehicles, which involved 23 people at about 3:00 a.m, with only two people injured while two others lost their lives.

“A Toyota Camry, with registration number FKJ746DU, collided with a white Hiace bus with registration number FKJ634XW on Ife -Gbogan highway today at about 3:00 a.m.

“Two persons lost their lives in the process while some injured persons were taken to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife.

“The items recovered have been taken to Ipetu Police Station by officers of the Nigerian Army who also arrived at the scene,” she said.

According to her, the accident occurred due to a violation of road traffic rules by motorists.

The sector commander called on road users to be safety conscious and to obey traffic regulations to avoid any unwanted situations on the highway.

Ibrahim advised motorists to comply with the road safety act in order to avoid being made to face the wrath of the law.

- PM NEWS

17-year-old boy dies in Ondo after smoking ‘colorado’

 

A 17-year-old boy has died in Ondo State after taking a psychotropic substance popularly known on the streets as ‘colorado’.

The boy identified as Joshua, who took the hard drug over the weekend, gave up the ghost after being in coma for two days.

According to sources, the deceased who was residing in Oba-Ile, Akure South Local Government Area if the State where the incident happened, took some portion of the substance from his friends who were already in the habit of taking hard drugs.

Following his weird behaviour within minutes of taking ‘colorado’, his friends were said to have called his siblings who rushed him to the hospital where he later gave up the ghost.

According to one of the sources, “when few moment after Joshua took a puff of colorado, his friends said he had difficulty in breathing and later he began to hallucinate.

“His friends were scared of his reactions and they quickly called on his people.”

‘Colorado’ is one of the banned psychotropic substances that is currently prevalent among youths. The hard drug is said to be made from synthetic plant.

- DAILY POST

TheCable reporter threatened for exposing rot in Akwa Ibom hospitals

 

Chinedu Asadu, a journalist with TheCable, has been receiving threatening messages over his investigative story on quackery in Akwa Ibom hospitals.

Asadu had gone undercover to expose how in different hospitals in Akwa Ibom train and employ unqualified nurses, under the guise of an auxiliary nursing programme.

He found that hospitals often allow the trainees to directly manage and administer drugs to unsuspecting patients, thereby endangering their lives.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) told TheCable such practices amount to quackery and vowed to shut down such hospitals.

But since the first part of the investigative project was published on Thursday last week, two of the hospitals have been repeatedly calling the reporter’s phone line.

“Sometimes I receive calls more than 30 times a day from one of the hospitals,” Asadu said.

“One of the hospitals,  Our Lady of Lourdes’ Infirmary, located in Uyo, the state capital, went as far as telling me that the will find me in any part of the world I go to.

“The direct phone line of Daniel Ngang, the hospital manager, has contacted me directly, with at least five other lines calling at the same time.”

Checks revealed that among those calling are Edikan Olof, a current student enrolled in the hospital’s programme, as well as some members of staff.

Messaging via his line – 0817 624 4831 – Ngang once told the reporter: “Black animal, fraudster, we will search for you in any part of the globe spiritually.”

In another instance, he sent a message which read, “Early 6 feet await you soon.”

Some of his other messages read: “The gods of the land will soon locate you, wait for spiritual slap; It wouldn’t be well with you in this life”, “Your cup will soon full.”

TheCable had contacted all indicted hospitals for their response, but none of them responded except Milestone Specialist Hospital whose founder who denied running such a programme, claiming instead that “we do six weeks online Strengthening Community Health Workers Programme.”

- THECABLE

Apple Inc self driving iCar may be out 2024

 

Apple Inc is moving forward with self-driving car technology and is targeting 2024 to produce a passenger vehicle.

The vehicle, that may be called iCar or Titan could include Apple’s own breakthrough battery technology, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Economic Daily News has even predicted the iCar will launch in September 2021, full two years ahead of schedule.

The iPhone maker’s automotive efforts, known as Project Titan, have proceeded unevenly since 2014 when it first started to design its own vehicle from scratch.

At one point, Apple drew back the effort to focus on software and reassessed its goals.

Doug Field, an Apple veteran who had worked at Tesla Inc, returned to oversee the project in 2018 and laid off 190 people from the team in 2019.

Since then, Apple has progressed enough that it now aims to build a vehicle for consumers, two people familiar with the effort said, asking not to be named because Apple’s plans are not public.

Apple’s goal of building a personal vehicle for the mass market contrasts with rivals such as Alphabet Inc’s Waymo, which has built robo-taxis to carry passengers for a driverless ride-hailing service.

Central to Apple’s strategy is a new battery design that could “radically” reduce the cost of batteries and increase the vehicle’s range, according to a third person who has seen Apple’s battery design.

Apple declined to comment on its plans or future products.

It remains unclear who would assemble an Apple-branded car, but sources have said they expect the company to rely on a manufacturing partner to build vehicles.

And there is still a chance Apple will decide to reduce the scope of its efforts to an autonomous driving system that would be integrated with a car made by a traditional automaker, rather than the iPhone maker selling an Apple-branded car, one of the people added.

Two people with knowledge of Apple’s plans warned pandemic-related delays could push the start of production into 2025 or beyond.

Reported by Reuters

Security Network’ll operate without you – Nnamdi Kanu fires back at Southeast govs

 

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has declared that the Eastern Security Network, ESN, would operate without the approval of Southeast governors.

Kanu made the declaration in response to remark by Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State despising ESN.

Umahi, who is Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, had said the ESN was a laughable distraction.

The governor urged people of the region to ignore ESN because governors were doing their best to secure the Southeast.

However, Kanu said Southeast governors should stop terrorism first before tempting to stop ESN.

The IPOB leader spoke through the group’s Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.

A statement by Powerful reads partly: “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemn in very strong terms, the recent shameful statement credited to Gov. Dave Umahi on behalf of his fellow lilly-liverd and coward governors of South East against the newly established Eastern Security Network, ESN.

“They only further exposed their emptiness and detachment from the people.

“But our message to the treacherous South East Governors and their South South counterparts is that ‘the train has since left the station’ and can’t reverse it’s course.

“May we remind the traitors that the Eastern region cannot be sacrificed at the altar of their political interest. It’s either they key in or shape out! The East can exist without them. They should steer clear because they can’t withstand the force behind ESN.”

- DAILY POST

COVID-19: FG bans large gatherings, asks some civil servants to work from home

 

The federal government has banned large gatherings, restricting the crowd at wedding, seminars, conferences and other programmes to a maximum of 50.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, announced at the briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19.

Mustapha, who is also the head of the task force, directed civil servants below grade 12 to work from home.

He said the measures were taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari approved all the actions of the PTF.

“​Over the past four briefings, the PTF has been raising the alert flag on the rising number of infections in the country and the possibility of a second wave arriving at our shores. ​Recent Epidemiology records confirm to the PTF that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world. Particularly, Lagos, Kaduna and the FCT have emerged as the new epicentres during this period, with over 70% of all confirmed cases,” he said.

“​From our assessment, the current situation are clearly the consequences of certain occurrences and events of the last few weeks. These include: Sudden increase in social gatherings involving large congregations from different parts of the country, and the world, at events such as weddings, religious activities, political rallies, conferences and end of year celebrations;

“ii. These events, classified globally as ‘supers-spreader events’, make the risk of a single infection causing a large outbreak among attendees significantly higher;

“​The PTF has surveyed developments and actions taken by governments around the world, assessed our domestic environment and has accordingly submitted its recommendations to Mr. President on immediate measures to be taken.

“​In line with the authorisation, the PTF wishes to issue the following advisories to sub-national entities for implementation over the next five weeks because these activities are considered super spreader events:
“Close All bars, night clubs, pubs and event centres, and recreational venues;
“Close all restaurants except those providing services to hotel residents; takeaways, home deliveries and drive-ins shall remain closed;
“Restrict all informal and formal festivity events including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars, sporting activities, end of year events shall be restricted to not more than 50 persons;
“Limit All gatherings linked to religious events to less than 50% capacity of the facility of use during which physical distancing; mandatory use of face masks shall be strictly enforced.”

- THECABLE

Senate doubts Nigeria’s capacity to store N378bn COVID-19 vaccines

 

The Senate has made it clear that it has no confidence in the Federal Ministry of Health to effectively store and distribute COVID-19 vaccines worth N378bn when they arrive in Nigeria.

The N378bn would be required to vaccinate 70 percent of Nigerians, at $8 per person.

N156bn would be needed in 2021 and N220bn in 2022.

This was made known as the Senate leadership on Monday met with representatives of the Executive arm of Government in a move that would see to the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccines next year by the Federal Government.

The meeting lasted about two hours thirty minutes and was presided over by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

The representatives of the Federal Government were led by Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

Others at the meeting include Sen. Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora; Director-General, Budget and National Planning, Ben Akabueze; Director-General, National Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu; and Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

However, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his welcome address said that the meeting which was summoned at the instance of the Senate leadership was scheduled to ascertain the level of preparedness by the Federal Government towards the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine.

According to him, an engagement between the legislature and executive would evaluate and appraise the government’s readiness to acquire the vaccine for administration to Nigerians across the country.

“Essentially, we want you to tell us how we are going to be able to provide the vaccines in such a manner that the vaccines are not only acquired but remain efficacious and effective that they are not invalidated because of any challenge in the area of storage or during transportation. And we know ours is a very difficult and sometimes impossible environment.

“Other countries have already started receiving the vaccines, even though I’m not sure if there’s any African country that has received. But if any African country should receive first, it should be Nigeria.

“Alongside these, you should also give us an idea on how we are going to start the vaccination.

“We need to have the strategy of how we intend to do it so that we don’t run into any chaos.

“That means we need to continue to campaign for our people to continue to use face-masks and hand sanitizers as well as keep to social distancing.

“Because if we have the vaccine, it would take quite sometime before everybody gets it. And before then, we should insist on the protocols because this is a matter of life and death,” Lawan said.

Briefing the Senate leadership, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said four holding points had been identified by the agency for storage of the vaccine.

According to him, the locations are Abuja, Lagos, Enugu and Kano.

He disclosed that an ultra-cool system will be provided by GAVI – a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunisation in poor countries – at the various locations as part of an initial 20 percent agreement.

He added that “the vaccine distribution plan has been developed and will be further updated with the micro-planning process as the need arises.”

On the cost implication for purchase of the vaccine, Shuaib said that additional vaccines over the 20 percent supply agreement to poor countries will be purchased by the Federal Government.

“In terms of the cost of the vaccines, we plan to reach 70 percent as earlier mentioned by the end of 2022.

“For 2021, GAVI-eligible countries like Nigeria will be supported through the COVAX AMC facility in the procurement of 20 percent for the total population.

“Any additional vaccine required that is above 20 percent of the COVAX facility will be funded by Nigeria at an average price of $4 per dose, given that the vaccines that we have now require 2 doses; that will be $8USD per person.

“This additional 20 percent requirement in 2021 will have to be funded by the government of Nigeria.

“In 2022, we are trying to access a further 30 percent of the vaccines. The Federal Government will have to, in addition to buying these vaccines, pay for the operational cost which is estimated to be about $1.6USD per person.

“We have to budget for this in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, the cost of vaccines on operations will be N156.7 billion; In 2022, it will be N220.9 billion,” Shuaib said.

However, the leadership of the Senate were not convinced by the level of preparedness by the Federal Government towards the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Lawan said the National Assembly was ready to support but must be convinced by the efforts of the Federal Government to ensure effective storage and distribution of the vaccines.

“I have not been convinced with your presentation that we are ready to bring in the vaccines. You have to do much more to convince me that we are ready. This is a matter of life and death. I am not only a doubting Thomas; I’m also a doubting Ahmad.”

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, also added his concerns by saying “I am a doubting Omo Agege also.”

However, the Health minister, Ehanire, insisted that the country had successfully fought polio and would use the same storage facilities (cold chains) to store the COVID-19 vaccines.

Ehanire urged the Senate to have confidence in the plan for the COVID-19 vaccine campaign.

- PM NEWS