Month: June 2024

Land is one the most valued properties in the world. It is not for nothing that famous economic scholar, Adam Smith, classified it as one of the factors of production.

In many ancient African communities, land ownership is a major determinant of who is rich and who is poor, however, challenges remain in some traditional settings, as women are not permitted to own land and the impact is far-reaching on women.

‘I had the money and want to buy land but instead of buying directly, I gave it to my ex-husband to buy and he bought it in his name.

‘And now that he has remarried, he is living on the land with his new wife and their children, while my children and I are in a rented one-bedroom apartment,’ says Mrs Murna Ayuba, a mother of six.

According to Ayuba, the experience made her more vulnerable to exploitation as she has to depend on her meagre income from a beans cake business to fend for herself, her children, and her aged mother.

‘I have to work all the time, if I am not in the market buying items for m
y business, I am at home picking the beans or by the roadside frying beans cake in the rain, cold, or under the sun.

Ayuba, who said that her experience left a scar on her mentally, added that ‘I was naive and thought I will build a house with my ex-husband, not knowing that another woman and her children will benefit from it. I will never trust anybody again.’

Similarly, Mary Emmanuel, a 49 year-old teacher, said though she was the eldest among seven siblings, her father bequeathed the only family land to the youngest and only son among them.

‘It is culturally uncommon for women to inherit landed properties because they believe that women will end up married and, hence did not need property,’ she said.

Many women have been denied of their land ownership right, leading to different mental torture and psychological bruises as they seek ways to acquire property that cultural practices stripe them of.

These and many other similar cultural orientations contribute to land disparities between women and men in
many societies in Africa, affecting many women’s economic conditions and impacted negatively on their socio-psychological well-being.

Gender disparity refers to unequal and unfair differences in the status, rights, opportunities and treatment of individuals based on their gender.

According to the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), the North East has more women (57 per cent) who own houses with a Title/Deed, while the North West comes after with 43.8 per cent.

The South-West with 31.4 per cent, while women in the South East own 2 per cent.

These disparities clearly favour men and are often institutionalised through the law, justice, socio-cultural norms, religion and other factors.

According to experts, these differences are reflected in virtually all aspects of life, including education, economic opportunities, political representation, health, social and cultural norms, and property ownership.

The issue of gender disparity in land ownership is significant in many parts of Nigeria, incl
uding the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to Chapter Eight, Section 297 of the Nigerian Constitution, all the land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) belongs to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

They are under the authority of the FCT Minister, through the Federal Capital Development Agency (FCDA) and Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, in a document recently released on the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy and Action Plan, also known as WEE, says only 10 per cent of landowners in Nigeria are women.

The 129-page document released by the minister revealed that while women account for 70 to 80 per cent of agriculture labour and output in Nigeria, only 10 per cent own land.

The document read in part: ‘only one in five landowners in Nigeria is female. This accounts for only 10 per cent of all landowners in Nigeria.”

The document notes several political and sociocultural factors such as ineffective programmes, limited funds, technica
l capacity bottlenecks, purely welfare-based interventions, and normative barriers, limited women’s progress contribute to gender inequality.

Meanwhile, Mr Bunmi Aimola, a legal practitioner, says there is no law that prohibits anyone from owning land or properties based on gender.

Aimola said: ‘Section 43 of the Nigerian Constitution says every citizen (includes both women and men) of Nigeria shall have the right to acquire and own immovable property (land inclusive) anywhere in Nigeria.

‘Even if, for which I doubt the existence of any law that discriminate against women owning landed properties, our constitution will override such practices that exist in any part of the country including the FCT.

‘But that is not to say because of this low percentage of women owning property in Abuja is due to any discriminatory factor or law that forbids them from owning property.

‘And even if there are identifiable cultures or traditions in any part of FCT that prohibits a woman from owning landed property, if it is
challenged in court, be rest assured that such practices will definitely not see the light of the day by virtue of this provision in the Constitution.”

He added that land administration reforms by streamlining registration and processes to reduce gender-based discrimination would also ensure women own more properties, including land.

‘Women should be more forceful and pushing in terms of acquiring landed properties.

‘Government should look at and identify areas if there are any, where such barbaric cultural practices and traditions still exist that deny women full property rights.

‘Government should also produce a policy that if certain plots of land are to be sold to individuals, consideration should be given to women.

‘This should be in terms of the amount of money to be paid just as it is done during electioneering to encourage more women to acquire land and properties”, he said.

He said society owes women the responsibility of protecting them from land grabbers, harassment and intimidation.

‘The
weight of the law should be meted on such land grabbers, encourage them and give them confidence when they know that their rights can be protected.

‘Policies should be tailored toward strengthening law enforcement agencies to go very hard on land grabbers that tend to intimidate women from enjoying their land or acquiring their land,’ he said.

Mr Johnson Edeh, an estate developer, said men are more likely to own land and properties than women due to economic inequality, social and cultural norms, illiteracy, laws and policies, as well as inheritance.

Edeh said that to address the issue, legal reforms, awareness, providing economic opportunities and support for women, as well as strengthening security forces to protect women from land grabbers should be pursued.

Mrs Gloria Gabriel, an FCT resident and businesswoman, however, blamed patriarchy, discriminatory laws, cultural norms, economic inequality and lack of awareness for gender disparity in property ownership in the territory.

According to her, women
don’t think about long-term tangible investment, like acquiring land, property, like men.

‘So, there is need to enlighten women on property ownership in their name, instead of joint ownership.

‘Parents need to learn how to bequeath properties to their children because some people prefer to bequeath the male child a land as gift, while the female child gets electronics, furniture like fridge, among others.’

Mrs Chizoba Ogbeche, the Vice-President, Zone D, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), said there is need for specific legislation on discrimination against women regarding land inheritance.

She added that ‘there is also the need to increase advocacy and sensitisation through traditional institutions and religious groups on discrimination against women, including ownership of property.

Ogbeche said that changing the culture and tradition of people is usually a slow process, noting that changing the culture of land ownership is a task that should be promoted by all stakeholders.

Ms Adaora
Jack, the Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), recognised the pivotal role the media plays in bridging gender disparities in every sphere and promoting gender inclusivity.

She said the need to ensure gender accountability prompted the Gender for Agenda project with support from MacArthur Foundation and the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism to undertake gender-gap bridging initiatives.

‘Nigeria, like many countries, has been grappling with gender disparities, limiting the full potential and contributions of its female population.

‘By empowering women, the country stands to benefit from a more diverse and inclusive workforce, increased economic growth, improved societal well-being and enhanced political representation,” she said.

Meanwhile, in spite of disparities between men and women in land ownership and other property acquisition that tend to hinder their progress, Nigerian women have continued to excel in various disciplines.

They have made great landma
rks in their chosen professions both locally and on the global stage.

Some of them are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General, World Trade Organisation, Amina Mohammed, Deputy-Secretary General, UN, and Folorunsho Alakija, the wealthiest black woman globally.

These women have proven that if given level playing ground, women can excel even beyond expectations. Removing cultural inhibitions to land ownership now is one of such steps.

This should be done in no other place than the FCT, given its position in Nigeria’s political and economic life. (NANFeatures)

(This investigation is for the GENDER, THE AGENDA project for Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), supported by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the MacArthur Foundation).

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

Source: South News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders in the security and media sectors on Tuesday in Abuja, called for social reorientation of Nigerians in tackling insecurity in the country.

The experts made the call in their submissions at the end of a two-day roundtable organised by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) in collaboration with Development Specs Academy.

The theme of the event is: ‘Asymmetrical National Security Challenges, the Army and National Development’.

Executive Director, Development Specs Academy (DSA), Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, said that the country had security challenges that were no longer easy to deal with following traditional methods.

‘As such, there is the need for a social reorientation of citizens to divulge information on threats in their communities to security agencies.

‘It is about a progressive change of social attitude about security at the level of awareness, at the level of people knowing that I should have an interest in securing myself. So I should tell persons responsible when I see danger.’

He sai
d that to deal with the nature of Nigeria’s insecurity, it would require social reorientation, having greater partnerships with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and community-based organisations.

‘More importantly, education and reeducation of youth leaders. If they become part of the conversation, they will be in a position to tell those who don’t know what to do with themselves, we give them what to do.

‘In our village, you notice a stranger, you tell the traditional ruler, they go to the police, that’s what enables security agencies to operate.

Cross section of participants at a two-way roundtable on ‘Asymmetrical National Security Challenges, the Army and National Development’

In his remarks, the Director-General of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab (Rtd), said the objective of the roundtable was to foster military-media cooperation and understanding.

Represented by Maj.-Gen. James Miyam (Rtd), Wahab said the media should continuously propagate what the Nigerian Army
was doing and by so doing elicit community support among Nigerian citizens.

‘What came out in the roundtable table is that there is an overarching need for perception management by media managers.

‘This is for them to understand and balance the need for them to carry out their responsibilities well,’ has said, adil that community and citizen support was critical to the operational activities of the army.

‘So, we are trying to now sensitise the entire Nigerian citizenry on the need for them to come where they have information that can enhance operational activities of the military.

‘They should not shy away, they should quickly come forward and give this information,’ he said.

On his part, the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, spoke on the topic ‘Professional News Management as Panacea for Infodemics, Misinformation and Fake news’.

He said the media globally, played a very important role in practically every aspect of life.

‘In an increasingly shrinking global space m
arked by exponential growth in media convergence and artificial intelligence, the dampeners of infodemics, misinformation and fake news have all but assumed lives of their own.

‘This development rightly ought to be a source of concern and it is gratifying that NARC and the Development Specs Academy, have given this issue more than cursory attention,’ Ali said.

He said that Infodemics as defined by David Rothkopf, a journalist and political scientist, ‘is a few facts, mixed with fear, speculation and rumor, amplified and relayed swiftly worldwide by modern information technologies’.

Ali said that infodemics was now dominating national life where purveyors of misinformation and fake news turned little facts on their heads to achieve a predetermined end.

Proffering solutions to infodemics and misinformation, the MD of NAN said that truthfulness and accuracy must be upheld.

‘We must also be timely in countering misinformation. This entails striking a balance between speedily responding and the volume of inf
ormation available’.

For a former spokesman of the army, Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman (Rtd), there was the need to improve the relationship between the Nigerian Army and the public.

This, he said was to have a better understanding and appreciation of the sacrifices and the efforts of the Nigerian Army in dealing with the security challenges in the country and defending its own territorial integrity.

He also said that non-violence communication could be integrated in the overall communication strategy of the army in dealing with their relationship with the public.

In his submission, a traditional ruler from Delta, Prof. Echefuna Onyebeadi said that in spite of the overwhelming evidence of the importance of traditional rulers in the management of national security, there existed some challenges that mitigate their proper functioning in national security.

‘One of the challenges is lack of constitutional role. The constitution does not make any specific provision for the role of traditional rulers in thi
s country’.

While expressing sadness over ‘security votes’ to state governors without much results in the fight against insecurity, Onyebeadi said that if part of the votes ‘trickle down to the traditional domain, it would aid national security.

On the part of the NGO, Executive Director, Hedda Beautiful Hands Ltd, Hope Ayabina, suggested that the military should get involved with the activities of NGOs.

‘They should teach them a skill or two; security skills preferably- that in itself, can be a tool for intelligence gathering.’

Similarly, Head of Legal and Training Services at DSA, Margaret Agbo, said the key strategies and methods that could be adopted in effective grassroots intelligence gathering included community engagement.

‘This is in order to establish relationships and build trust’.

She also said that regular engagements with various levels of the local leadership, influencers and elders would help gain deep insights into various aspects of what held the community together.

Source: South New
s Agency of Nigeria

Dalian Donggang Business District is an integration of conference, business, leisure and cultural functions. The 2024 Dalian Summer Davos Forum kicked off, where guests at home and abroad gathered on the shores of Dalian Bay discussing about the communication and cooperation for sustainable development of the global economy.

In order to host this international event, Dalian has followed the theme of ‘New Frontiers for Future Growth’, recommended 13 forward-looking and exploratory topics to the Forum, and for the first time opened two ancillary agendas in the form of luncheons in the forum venue. Relying on 5G-A technology, the network support capacity of the 2024 Dalian Summer Davos Forum venue has been updated, where the HD live broadcasts are possible and the downloading could be finished in a matter of seconds. It has realized the full coverage of the 3CC and intelligent computing functions of 5G-A in the country’s first large-scale international conference venue, and shared the results of the constructio
n of ‘Digital China’ with the participants.

We promote green transformation with focus on the energy saving and carbon reduction. NEV accounted for more than 80% among more than 600 service-guaranteed vehicles in this forum. As the third batch of pilot cities for low-carbon in China, Dalian has accelerated the green transformation of its development methods, so that guests and citizens of the Summer Davos Forum can feel the vitality of green ecology around them.

The economic and trade interactions are amplifying spillover effects. Dalian has dispatched ‘Investing in Dalian 2024’ and other promotional materials to show Dalian’s industrial base, urban charm and development potential through industrial tourism activities during the forum, and embedded the industrial promotion and investment negotiation into industrial tourism activities. Dalian has promulgated the local regulations as the fourth in China and the first in northeast China to support foreign investment, optimizing the foreign investment environme
nt.

‘Dalian Future Magic Cube’ in the center of the lobby of Dalian International Convention Center

The culture is the medium to deepen people-to-people exchanges. Dalian is located at 39° N, enjoying a beautiful environment and pleasant climate, attracting Chinese and foreign tourists with its abundant cultural and tourism resources of unique charm. Strolling through the power of sea erosion in the ‘Sculpture Park’ on the Golden Stone Beach, enjoying the karst landscape of the ‘Black Shell and White Heart’ on the Black Stone Reef, and experiencing the layered quartzite landscape in the PaiShi Scenic Area. Dalian possesses a coastline of 2,211 kilometers. Here, you can wander along the most beautiful coastal road, commence a ‘Dalian maritime tour’ and gather seafood on the beach when the tide is ebbing. Large-scaled activities of urban themes such as Sophora Flower Festival, Cherry Festival, Beach Festival, Hot Spring and Ski Festival, etc. run throughout the year. Dalian has held the titles of ‘Global Habi
table City’, ‘China’s Best Tourist City’ and ‘China’s Demonstration City for Leisure Tourism’.

The 2024 Dalian Summer Davos Forum has created a vast space for global enterprises and institutions to develop in Dalian and provides opportunities for cooperation.

At the Summer Davos Forum, the reporter has interviewed Hideo Ueshima, chairman and general manager of the Development Bank of Japan Group. ‘A beautiful coastal city’ was his impression of Dalian. ‘Dalian has a comfortable climate and a beautiful sea view. The last time I came to Dalian was more than 20 years ago. Now there have been many changes here. I was impressed by the business and leisure atmosphere of the Donggang Business District. I look forward to a deeper understanding of some innovative developments in China at the forum.’ said Hideo Ueshima.

Source: South News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has pledged more support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in its fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

The President made the pledge as Special Guest of Honour, at the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, otherwise known as World Drug Day, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme: ‘The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention,’ Tinubu enjoined all and sundry to support the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative launched by NDLEA three years ago.

The President was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume.

‘I commend and urge everyone to redouble their efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the country.

‘On this score, I wish to reassure you of this administration’s support. The Renewed Hope Agenda places the youth at the centre of its focus. Therefore, we ensure that our young people are protected from anything that could derail their future or destroy their po
tential,’ he said.

He noted that illicit drugs and substances had wreaked havoc on individuals, families, communities and countries worldwide.

‘In the face of such a formidable challenge, prevention is the most potent weapon that we can deploy. Prevention not only saves lives; it also saves resources that would otherwise be spent on treatment and rehabilitation.

‘It empowers individuals to make informed choices, promotes healthy lifestyles and creates resilient communities capable of withstanding the pressures of drug abuse.

‘Investing in prevention is not merely a moral imperative, a prudent way of safeguarding our future.

‘By allocating resources towards evidence-based prevention programmes, we can break the vicious cycle of drug abuse and protect our youth from falling prey to the menace,’ said Tinubu.

He stated that, ‘the assignment before us as a country requires that we prioritise evidence-based prevention strategies, allocate adequate resources and foster partnerships for greater impact.

‘This
government will support NDLEA to build on the success recorded in the past few years. We shall work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we have positive statistics from the next national drug use survey that will be conducted in the country.’

He urged all Nigerians to join hands in this noble cause, saying it is an assignment for all patriotic citizens, including religious leaders, traditional leaders, educational institutions, opinion leaders, and civil society organisations.

‘NDLEA has created a formidable platform for cooperation vis-à-vis its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy initiative,’ he said.

Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, said the ‘Save Our Families’ social advocacy campaign launched at the ceremony by the President, was designed to prevent and tackle drug use through early detection and intervention.

He said the newly produced special drug test kits was a necessity in every home, school and workplace, and that the Drug Integ
rity Test initiative would metamorphose into an anti-drug culture for every Nigerian.

‘The test is intended for secondary school students, students seeking admission into tertiary institutions and returning students, workers in government and private offices and individuals seeking political offices as well as prospective couples before taking their marriage vows.

‘The drug test will serve as a tool for the prevention of drug use and early detection of the individual’s status of drug use for the purpose of appropriate intervention including treatment and rehabilitation.

‘Let me also add that our drug integrity test, which has been adopted by some government institutions and tertiary institutions in the country, is a preventive mechanism,’ said Marwa.

He said the Agency had produced tens of thousands of special test kits capable of detecting 15 different substances, which were available in all its commands across the country.

‘This is for use in homes, schools, workplaces and others. Apart from helping i
n early detection of drug abuse especially by our youths so that we can get them help in form of treatment, this will also create some deterrence effects,’ he said.

Speaking on the theme for this year’s World Drug Day, Marwa said drug use prevention lied at the heart of NDLEA’s strategy in addressing the drug problem because it was far more effective and cost-efficient to prevent drug abuse than to deal with its consequences.

‘In this regard, we have used our WADA social advocacy initiative to campaign vigorously at the grassroots and create awareness for our people to shun illicit substances.

‘WADA is a sensitisation and advocacy initiative that employs the whole of society approach to engage all stakeholders including the government sectors, institutions, and Non-Governmental Organisations.

‘This is with emphasis on youths in and out of school, community gatekeepers including traditional and community leaders, as well as religious leaders among others.

‘I am proud to state that the programme has been a
tremendous success as an effective tool of advocacy for social action and an awareness driven vehicle for public engagement and collaboration against the drug scourge,’ he explained.

He stated that between 2021 and 2024, the Agency embarked on 6,423 sensitisation and education programmes targeting young people in school and 987 programmes for Out of School youths in order to create awareness on the dangers associated with drug use.

‘This is in addition to the millions of homes reached with our anti-substance abuse messages through our aggressive and impactful media campaigns using various traditional and new media platforms,’ he said.

The outgoing United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative, Dr Oliver Stolpe, also made a number of recommendations.

‘After the exceptionally successful testing of the school-based drug prevention programme UNPLUGGED involving half a million secondary school children in Nigeria, the programme should be rolled out to all 28, 000 public and private s
econdary schools.

‘We need to enhance the resilience against drug use among the millions of out-of-school children, for example through sports-based initiatives such as Line Up Live Up (LULU).

‘Furthermore, we need to strengthen families in their ability to recognise and address drug use in effective and constructive ways,’ he said.

Stolpe further said: ‘Most importantly, there is an urgent need to repeat the 2018 national drug use survey. Without up-to-date data, there is no way in which we can assess whether our collective efforts have long-term impact and address the actual priorities.’

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who emphasised the importance of testing in schools expressed the ministry’s support for NDLEA drug test campaign.

According to him, the most important place where this prevention fight should start is the education sector.

‘And we will do our own part, even last week, it was something we considered and promised to review the existing policies so that we can work with NDL
EA to take it to secondary schools and primary schools.

‘To establish at all levels compulsory and sustained testing, it has to be compulsory and sustained, right through the years and period of their education,’ he said.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Rep. Abass Adigun, called for more budgetary provisions for NDLEA in the face of its multi-faceted mandate.

‘We at the national assembly are ready to work with the NDLEA and we need the federal government to look into this,’ said Adigun.

Source: South News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has begun upgrading surveillance infrastructure in airports and other remote installations to enhance safety and security of the nation’s airspace.

Its Managing Director, Mr Ahmed Farouk, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

Farouk also said that President Bola Tinubu had approved an onsite visit to Spain by critical staff of the agency to inspect some facilities and engage technology solution providers.

He said that NAMA received a team from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to discuss salient issues on safety and security of the nation’s airspace.

According to Farouk, the collaboration between NAMA and NAF is critical to the sustenance of Nigeria’s airspace safety and security.

‘NAMA handles civil operations, while the air force oversees security. Our close collaboration is vital for maintaining a safe and secure airspace,’ he said.

He quoted the leader of the NAF delegation, AVM Abubakar Abdulkadir, as saying that NAF recently deployed ne
w platforms designed for national air defence.

Farouk also quoted Abdulkadir as saying that NAF had completed day training and was about to finish night training which would enable rapid interception of any intrusion in the airspace.

Source: South News Agency of Nigeria

Former Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Mike Okiro has called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force to work in harmony for national security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Police had alleged irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of Constables by the PSC during the 2022/23 batch.

Okiro, in a statement in Abuja, said that the fight against insecurity would remain a mirage, unless the commission and the police worked in harmony.

According to him, what Nigerians desire now is how the country will exit the ravaging insecurity pervading the land.

‘I implore both parties to eschew whatever be their perceived bitterness and embrace the fact that their jobs go hand in hand.

‘Their focus should be how to meet the overwhelming yearnings of the Nigerian people. That can only happen when mutual respect exists between both parties.

‘I am very concerned that a minute issue that can be resolved through robust dialogue was allowed to fester to the level of wa
shing dirty linens in public,’ he said.

He said that the lingering problem had done collateral damage to their public image, and ridiculed the international standing of Nigeria.

Okiro said that the powers of recruitment, discipline and promotion of police personnel other than the I-G, was vested in the PSC.

‘It is not right for any police personnel to contemplate engaging in any misconduct in the course of performing assumed official duties,’ he said.

Okiro, who is a former chairman of the PSC, urged the commission to avoid over-flogging certain issues in the public domain.

‘To move forward, it is imperative to work quickly and assiduously to address the real challenges facing Nigerians; else, the goodwill enjoyed by both parties will soon dissipate.

‘This will further erode the fabric of confidence of Nigerians in our democratic process, which will spell doom for our economy too,’ he said.

He urged the leadership of the commission and police to meet and resolve their differences, and give peace and n
ational security a chance.

Okiro appealed to both parties to put the matter behind and rekindle the much needed cordial relationship for the successful candidates to start training on time.

Source: South News Agency of Nigeria