Month: July 2024

Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), an NGO and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), have trained more than 30 legal practitioners on health security legal framework for epidemic preparedness in Nigeria.

The Senior Legal Adviser, RTSL, Mr Cedric Aperce, made this known during a three-day Training of Trainers for Nigerian Legal Officers on Monday in Nasarawa state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the training was in recognition of the essential need for capacity building in health security as revealed by Nigeria’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation.

According to Aperce, the International Health Regulations, imposed on Nigeria some obligations needed to be embodied into the national laws and regulations.

‘The NCDC has been leading the way with the support of RTSL to develop new legislations at the federal and subnational levels to give effect to these obligations.

‘At the end of the day, this will better prepare the country for responding and preventing disease threats and protecting Nigeria
ns.

‘In 2019, there was a review of the law of the federation with regards to health security and there are a number of areas like surveillance, responsiveness that are not regulated.

‘Since 2019 Nigeria has been working hard to improve its existing laws and has been issuing new regulations and presenting new bills to the National Assembly to improve and support a better health security in the country ,’ he said

According to the Legal Adviser of NCDC, Safiya Musa, said the critical role of legal officers in safeguarding public health cannot be overstated and it becomes more compelling during public health events.

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Musa Represented by Amira Abubakar, Assistant Legal Adviser NCDC,said that such events have consistently highlighted the intricate interplay between public health imperatives and legal frameworks.

‘ As legal officers entrusted with upholding justice and promoting the rule of law, our role in interpretin
g and implementing public health laws has never been more crucial.

‘Nigeria, like many nations, faces unique public health challenges that demand a robust legal framework to protect its citizens from infectious disease outbreaks with cholera currently topping the list to environmental health hazards and regulatory compliance.

‘The spectrum of issues we deal with requires a nuanced understanding of both national and international legal standards.

‘This training aims to equip you with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate these complexities effectively,”she said

Musa said that public health law was a new field in Nigeria,as a lot of lawyers in Nigeria were more accustomed to the traditional court practices but with NCDC introducing public health legal preparedness to the space it was a step in the right direction.

She said that the Ebola and COVID-19 pandemics revealed the importance of a legal framework in Nigeria because with it, there would be guiding laws on what to do.

‘With this training, t
he lawyers would be equipped with drafting regulations to control public activities that promote diseases like cholera among others in the country.”

Musa added that if laws like the NCDC Act, the Public Health Emergency bill, the National Health Act were amended, Nigeria would stand a better chance at disease control.

Mr Emem Udoh, Legal Adviser, RTSL, Nigeria, said the training was part of the organisation’s support to the Federal Government and Nigeria as a country towards improving the legal framework for health security.

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‘For RTSL,we have two critical areas we support in the legal work.First is to try to see how we can support countries to improve their legal framework and then secondly to support legal capacity building.

‘So this training is aimed at legal capacity building and we are working with more than 30 legal officers from various MDAs in the country who are implementing the international health regulation.

‘From what we
saw in COVID-19 in 2019,2020,we felt that legal capacity should be built and this is right way to make countries legally prepared for future public health emergencies or pandemic,”he said

Some of the participants at the training commended RTSL and NCDC for the initiative adding that the training would be cascaded down.

Mr Usman Adamu from Jigawa State Ministry of Justice, said the programme was apt adding that events have shown that stronger legislations were needed to tackle the disease challenges.

Mr Mohamed Shuab, Managing Partner for Resource Centre for Awareness for Good Governance and Development in Kano, said the training would help states to better understand health laws and security.

Shuab also noted that the training will help states strengthen their legal preparedness.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume, has appealed to stakeholders to collaborate towards the preservation of national interest while weighing the protest option.

Araraume said that the government was committed to resolving the issues causing hardship for the populace and urged Nigerians to remain patient and exercise restraint.

He was speaking against the backdrop of the nationwide protests being planned for Aug. 1 to Aug.10, in a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Araraume said that it was important harmony, unity and peace be allowed to prevail.

He highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government to develop policies and implement strategies aimed at addressing public concerns and delivering tangible improvements.

Araraume commended the recent decision of President Bola Tinubu for approving the sale of crude oil to Dangote refinery and other legitimate local refineries in Naira.

He said that such measures should be recognised as part of a broader initiat
ive by the administration to address the country’s economic issues effectively.

Araraume added that another move was the President’s move to suspend import tariffs and taxes on essential food items.

He said that this action demonstrated the administration’s commitment to making life more affordable for the people as well as addressing the citizens’ agitations.

‘Since government is already taking steps toward addressing the public concerns, embarking on public space protests becomes needless.

‘Protests will have been well advised had the government ignored reports about planned nationwide anti-economic hardship protests.’

He, however, said that any protest should be guided by national interest and guarded against economic sabotage and hijack by unscrupulous elements and hoodlums.

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‘Our unity must be preserved; our harmony must be strengthened while our economy must be bolstered.

He said those organising the protest should allow org
anized bodies and existing government institutions like Labour bodies, National Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, non-state actors to engage with government on their behalf.

According to him, the citizens are free to engage with their government on issues that affect them. Their resort to public space protests underscores the depth of their dissatisfaction with the state of affairs.

‘On the other hand, the fact that government has taken a number of steps to avert the protests is a clear indication that the government is well apprised of the pains, the complaints and the angst of the citizens.

‘I believe genuine steps are being taken to address the contending issues that have made the economic condition difficult for the vast majority of Nigerians,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A Lagos-based lawyer, Dr Yemi Omodele, says Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) should generate funds internally to pay their workers’ salaries in view of the financial autonomy granted local governments.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Supreme Court, on July 11, granted financial autonomy to local governments.

The apex court delivered judgment in a suit filed by the Federal Government against state governors.

In interviews with NAN on Monday in Lagos, Omodele said that the LCDAs should devise means to generate funds for sustainability.

He suggested that staff of the LCDAs should go into increased farming and other lawful ventures to generate more money to sustain themselve as well as address food insufficiency in the country.

‘Funds generated internally will assist LCDAs in paying workers’ salaries,’ he said.

He also said that local governments, from where the LCDAs were created, should share federal allocations with the LCDAs.

‘It should be pointed out that the main local govern
ments and the LCDAs are twin brothers.

‘The calculation will be that local governments that have LCDAs will have to share whatever funds they get from the federation account with the LCDAs so that the LCDAs will not run into extinction,’ he said.

The lawyer said that the Supreme Court judgment was good for democracy.

‘It will lay to rest, recklessness of some governors in spending money that does not belong to them,’ Omodele said.

Mr Ige Asemudara, also a Lagos-based lawyer, said that the fate of the LCDA workers were directly connected to the status of the local council.

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Asemudara, the Founder of Mission Against Injustice in Nigeria, said that a local government must have been listed in the constitution it qualify to receive revenue from the federal allocation to be able to pay workers’ salaries.

According to him, the council must also be an elected one.

‘The various LCDAs in Lagos State, for example, will not receive a
llocation.

‘Only the 20 LGAs in the constitution will receive allocation, if they have elected chairmen and councillors,’ Asemudara said.

Mr Ganiyu Olanrewaju, also a Lagos-based lawyer, told NAN that there were implications of local government financial autonomy on LCDA workers.

‘The Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments did not carefully look at states like Lagos and how the enforcement might lead to changes in the administration and funding of LCDAs.

‘It is important to note that the fate of LCDA workers in Lagos will depend on the state government’s implementation plan and negotiations with relevant stakeholders, including labour unions and local government authorities.

‘This restructuring might lead to uncertainty and anxiety among LCDA workers. Job security and potential redundancies will be a big problem.

‘Unfortunately, in actualising this change or restructuring in the system, it can bring about letting some workers go,’ he said.

The lawyer said that some LCDA
workers might also be redeployed or transferred to other government agencies or departments.

‘However, we cannot rule out the benefits of the judgment, as local government workers will experience better working conditions, infrastructure and equipment, which will enable them to perform their duties more effectively,’ he said.

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He said that state governments with LCDAs could harmonise salaries and benefits of the workers with those of local government staff, potentially leading to improved remuneration.

According to him, the need for effective communication, planning and stakeholder engagement cannot be over-emphasised to ensure a smooth transition.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Tuesday, handed over another family of five who were rescued from kidnappers’ den by the security operatives coordinated by his office.

Ribadu said all family members of Mr Sanda Bitrus comprising his wife, one young man and three children, were kidnapped on July 20, at Mahuta Village, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

He said the rescue was made possible through to the coordination of his office with various security forces came together to rescued them on July 28, less than a week later.

He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had made the commitment to ensure that all the citizens held captive by kidnappers or terrorists and bandits in any part of the country would be rescued safely.

He commended the security forces for their display of hard work in trying to see how best they could address the nation’s security problems.

‘We have done a lot of it and probably often very silent but the work of people who are here.

‘We
want to thank you and thank you for the work you are doing for our country and God will reward you.

‘It is a tough job, it is a difficult one, one that people don’t know but a lot has happened and is happening.

‘Thousands of people are enjoying freedom today because of the work you are doing and I want to thank the security forces.

‘We met evil in our country and we are working so hard to address it but it is a matter of time,’ he said.

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The head of the family, Mr Bitrus, thanked the ONSA and the security forces for their due diligence in ensuring the safe return of his family members.

He said the release of his wife and children was a demonstration of the commitment of the government to safeguarding the lives of all citizens.

The brief on the rescue operation indicated that the victims were rescued on July 28 at Rijana general area, in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State.

It revealed that the victims were taken to the hospital for medical checkups to ascertain the
ir health status, adding that doctors confirmed that they were alright and could go about their normal activities.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

From July 17 to July 18, The Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, was the epicenter of an inspiring and transformative programme.

Leaders and executives from diverse sectors, both public and private, convened for TEXEM UK’s customised executive development programme titled ‘Revitalise Your Organisation: Inspire Sustainable Growth in a Recovering Economy.’

This programme served as a beacon of knowledge, strategic insights, and practical tools designed to equip leaders with the skills necessary to navigate and thrive in a recovering economy.

The programme began with an insightful session on ‘Building the Foundation for Revitalization’ led by Prof. Paul Griffith, the world’s first Professor of Management to lead a team to launch a rocket into space.

Griffith’s unique yet dynamic perspective and profound expertise set the stage for a transformative learning experience.

His session emphasized the importance of innovative thinking and strategic planning, laying a strong foundation for participants to revitalise t
heir organisations effectively.

The second day continued with a powerful session on ‘Strategic Stakeholder Engagement’ conducted by Dr. Alim Abubakre, Founder and Chair of TEXEM UK.

Abubakre’s deep understanding of stakeholder dynamics and engagement strategies provided participants with actionable insights to foster sustainable growth.

His session underscored the programme’s commitment to delivering rich and relevant content, reinforcing the strategic importance of stakeholder engagement in driving organisational success.

Throughout the two days, the programme covered a comprehensive range of topics, each designed to address critical aspects of leadership and organisational growth in a recovering economy.

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These included cultivating a change-ready culture, the role of digital transformation in sustainable growth, navigating the complexity of a recovering economy, purposeful leadership, resilience and risk management, and leading through
chaos.

Each topic was meticulously chosen to equip leaders with the tools and strategies needed to foster organisational agility and resilience.

Utilising a blend of interactive tools including games, group discussions, assessments, peer-to-peer learning, self-reflection, observation practice, case studies, and role play, participants engaged in immersive learning experiences.

The interactive methodology facilitated a deep understanding of the programme’s themes, allowing participants to apply the concepts learned to real-world scenarios.

The programme achieved its objectives of equipping leaders with strategies to revitalise their organisations.

It enhanced organisational agility, fostered resilience and adaptability, cultivated impactful leadership skills, encouraged fearless innovation, and developed strategic stakeholder engagement strategies.

Participants left the programme with renewed confidence and a robust toolkit to drive their organisations forward.

Testimonials from the delegates underscore
d the programme’s success.

Amina Yuguga, journalist and Group Head for Documentaries and Features for Media Trust Group, praised the summit as impactful and high-powered, highlighting the invaluable lessons on resilience and team management during economic downturns.

Sholabomi Shasore, an engineer and Permanent Secretary, Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Lagos State, found the sessions insightful and helpful, appreciating the clarity and simplicity of the concepts presented.

Martins Olajide Agbetu, another engineer and Asst. Gen. Manager Technical services and projects, Cakasa Nigeria Ltd also found the programme topics apt as it spoke on the contextual realities in Nigeria and how he intends to be more intentional about stakeholder engagements.

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Highlights of the programme included vibrant networking sessions, group activities, role plays, group presentations, and engaging games.

These elements fostered a collabora
tive environment where participants could learn from each other and build lasting connections.

Speaking at the occasion, Abubakre said that at TEXEM UK, they believe that leaders are the catalysts for change in a recovering economy.

‘This programme is a testament to our commitment to empower leaders with the knowledge, skills, and resilience to inspire sustainable growth.

‘By embracing innovative strategies and engaging stakeholders effectively, leaders can turn challenges into opportunities and drive their organisations towards a brighter future,’ he said.

TEXEM UK’s ‘Revitalise Your Organisation: Inspire Sustainable Growth in a Recovering Economy’ has once again proven to be an unparalleled platform for executive development.

The success of this programme is a testament to TEXEM UK’s commitment to empowering leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to drive sustainable growth in today’s dynamic and recovering economic landscape. (NANFeatures)

**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Age
ncy of Nigeria

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which was held in Cairo, Egypt in 1994 with over 180 countries in attendance, adopted a Programme of Action (PoA) to promote human rights.

This was with special focus on reproductive health and rights, gender equality and empowerment, and population and development.

The aim was to steer global action towards the rapidly increasing world population and how to set a goal to ensure that in spite of the growth, development is people-oriented.

According to the PoA, valid, reliable, timely, culturally relevant and internationally comparable data form the basis for policy and programme development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

It, therefore, called for political commitment by all countries to understand the need for data collection on a regular basis and the analysis, dissemination and full utilisation of data.

It further said all countries, particularly developing ones, should cooperate with stakeholders to strengthen their nation
al capacity to carry out sustained and comprehensive programmes on collection, analysis, dissemination and utilisation of population and development data.

‘Particular attention should be given to the monitoring of population trends and the preparation of demographic projections”, it said

It said attention should also be paid and to the monitoring of progress towards the attainment of health, education, gender, ethnic and social-equity goals and of service accessibility and quality of care, as stated in the present PoA.

Following this are four rounds of decennial (10 years) world population and housing census programmes conducted since 1994 for measuring population numbers and tracking growth over time.

The sequences are year 2000 round conducted between 1995 and 2004, 2010 round from 2005 to 2014 and the 2020 round from 2015 to 2024. The 2030 round is expected to be from 2025 to 2034.

Population and housing censuses are a principal means of collecting basic population and housing statistics, according t
o Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The essential features of population and housing censuses are individual enumeration, universality within a defined territory, simultaneity, defined periodicity and small-area statistics.

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Nigeria conducted its last census in 2006. Going by the PoA Nigeria was ripe for another exercise in 2016.

However, its eight years later and a subsequent one should have been conducted going by the 10-year recommendation by the world bodies and agreements.

Nigeria has been planning its development activities and aiming to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using estimates from its 2006 census. What does this portend for the giant of Africa?

Prof. Sunday Adedini, an associate professor of demography at Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said that Nigeria’s population was estimated to be 218 million, ranking the 6th most populated country in the world.

Accord
ing to him, population and housing data in Nigeria, in terms of recency, quantum, and quality, is worrisome.

‘On the account of the obsolete nature and inadequacy of data, planning has often been based on estimations, projections, and speculations.

‘For instance, our most recent census data is 18 years old and our most current population data is based on projections from the 2006 population and housing census.

‘How successful can we be in our developmental aspirations when the implementation of our socio-economic agenda is not based on robust and timely data?’ he asked.

Adedini also said that no data source could give reliable information on regional, ethnic, and socio-cultural diversities of the country and corresponding requisite planning for inclusive development.

He blamed irregular census in the country on politicisation of the census, failure to take census as a scientific exercise necessary for planning, insufficient political will to support data generation, and insufficient financing.

Chief Exe
cutive Officer (CEO), Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Dr Tayo Aduloju, said that the implications of not conducting a census in this long time were not limited to Nigeria alone but Africa as a whole.

He cited economic and trade implications, adding that Nigeria’s economic policies and trade agreements with other African nations depend on reliable demographic data.

‘Inaccurate data can result in poor economic forecasts, affecting trade, investment, and regional economic growth.

‘We also have migration and security. Nigeria’s population dynamics significantly influence migration patterns across West Africa.

See also Commission partners Women ministry on population, housing census

‘The lack of accurate data hinders the effective management of migration and refugee flows, contributing to regional instability.

‘Also, Nigeria’s role as a major economic player in Africa makes its demographic data crucial for regional economic planning and integration efforts”, he said.

Aduloju said Nigeria stood to los
e international aid and support as donors and international organisations often base their support and aid on demographic data.

According to him, inaccurate or outdated data can lead to misallocation or reduction of aid because without credible data. Therefore without reliable data may miss out on financial support from international agencies and investors.

For him Nigeria is running out of time, but to recover lost ground, he advised that a date for the conduct of the exercise be set urgently and sufficient funds allocated.

He added that conducting extensive public awareness campaigns and engaging community leaders to ensure widespread participation would also suffice.

‘Accurate census is important to harness demographic dividends and ensure inclusive development”, says the Executive Director, United Nations Development Fund (UNFPA), Dr Natalia Kanem,

According to her, it is important to ‘count everyone because everyone counts.

‘Moreover, for that mother who needs to register the birth for that statis
tic, and for the vital statistics issues, having population data is going to make it easier.

‘Population is not just numbers, it is the people,’ she said.

Dr Gifty Addico, Country Representative, UNFPA, said that timely censuses would provide the baseline data needed to track progress toward the SDGs.

‘Our delay to generate timely inclusive data through the population and housing census and other exercises has masked the progress made. Timely population and housing census represents a critical opportunity.

‘As we prepare to enter a new 2030 round of population and housing census era, we must ensure that our data generation exercises are prioritised and conducted timely and regularly”, Addico said.

The Chairman, Association of the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), Dr Ejike Orji, said census data should drive decision making process.

‘So that is why we are appealing that government should make sure this happens. If it doesn’t happen, we’re in trouble’, Orji said.

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ort to farmers, unveils agricultural census report

The Spokesperson, Population Advisory Group, Amb. Usman Sarki, urged the legislature to make a law making it mandatory for the country to execute population census every ten years.

In 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved that the census should hold from May 3 to May 7.

It was however postponed with the expectation that a new date would be fixed by President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Isa Kwarra, Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), said the way forward was for Nigeria and indeed Africa to strive to conduct regular censuses and surveys.

Kwarra said that conducting the census in alignment with the global schedule ensures that the nation’s demographic data is comparable with international datasets, positioning Nigeria for informed decision-making and global relevance.

‘This alignment also enables us to leverage global best practices and expertise, ensuring a high-quality census that meets international standards.

‘It is good to continue to r
e-echo this so that more Nigerians will see the relevance of conducting the census within this 2020 global census round’, he said.

He said that the commission was prepared to conduct the exercise but was awaiting the Tinubu’s approval.

‘The 2020 round of census is ending this year. We will be making a hypothesis to make sure that we conduct the census before the 2020 round of census comes to an end.

‘I want to believe that we will get it right, we are just waiting on the president to give us the date, and the commission is ever prepared to do it once we have a date declared by the President.

‘The resources should be able to recruit extra hands to help us in conducting a very robust census that will provide inclusive data that is not just verifiable, but will be acceptable by all.

‘If we start now, we can achieve it; at least the 2020 round of census gives us an opportunity to extend up to April 2025’, he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria