India’s foreign minister arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid efforts to resolve the fate of 81 Rohingya refugees who are on a boat adrift in international waters.
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar will hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart on water sharing, trade and border issues, said two Indian officials in New Delhi.
“Of course, the Rohingya refugee issue will come up during the Indian minister’s day-long visit but the prime agenda will remain around Modi’s upcoming visit”said a senior foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Last month, Indian coastguards rescued 81 Rohingya Muslims whose boat was drifting in the Andaman Sea for over two weeks after they left Bangladesh, home to over a million Rohingya refugees from Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Eight people on the boat had already died of dehydration.
The fate of the refugees remains unclear as India, so far, has not allowed their entry into its territory and wants Bangladesh to take them back.
But Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen last week told Reuters that his government expects India, the closest country, or Myanmar, the Rohingyas’ country of origin, to accept the 81 survivors.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee their homeland after a crackdown by Myanmar’s military in 2017. Myanmar denies accusations of genocide and says the army was fighting a legitimate counter-insurgency campaign.
Aid agencies are demanding that governments stop passing the buck and pluck the 81 survivors immediately from the Andaman sea.
India has in recent weeks provided two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines shots to Bangladesh and could use that goodwill to press Dhaka to accept the refugees.
Modi is visiting Dhaka as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence later this month.
The Federal government has further extended the work-from-home directive to all public workers on Salary Grade Levels 12 and below until March 31 as a measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The directive was contained in a circular issued yesterday by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan.
In the circular titled ‘Stay-At-Home Directive continues,’ with reference number: HCSF/3065/VOL.I/83, Yemi-Esan, noted that the latest directive was in adherence to the advice of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
“Further to the circular No: HCSF/3065/Vol.1/68 dated January 26, 2021, and following the advice of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, all officers on SGL 12 and below are to continue working from home till the end of March 2021,” the circular said.
While affirming a reduction in the number of reported cases of covid-19, she, however, stressed that the downward trend needed to be maintained, hence the need for the extension of the work-from-home directive.
She also emphasised the need for all public servants to continue to ensure strict compliance with the existing guidelines on the prevention and spread of covid-19.
Yemi-Esan also enjoined all Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive officers to bring the content of the circular to all concerned and ensure strict compliance.
It would be recalled that the federal government had on December 22 last year restricted civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below to stay at home for five weeks.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu says his government will continue to prioritize the development of creative industry as well as entertainment and tourism in the State.
The Governor also reiterated his administration’s commitment to the actualisation of the six pillars of development tagged T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda for Greater Lagos.
Speaking at a formal handover ceremony of the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos Island, Governor Sanwo-Olu assured Lagosians that his administration would protect and preserve the real identity of Lagos through tourism, art and culture.
According to the Governor, the remodelling of Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos Island reflects the determination of his administration to rebuild Lagos as well as promote the entertainment and tourism Sector.
He said the completion and formal commissioning of the Memorial Hall reflects the government’s determination to rebuild Lagos, revamp historic-public assets and also develop the Entertainment, Creative, and Tourism Sector.
“Our administration is mindful of the fact that the tourism and entertainment sector is an integral part of socio-economic development, and the overall wellbeing of our citizens, which is why this sector will not be neglected in our drive to make Lagos a megacity. We are committed to innovatively seek ways of providing the enabling environment for the tourism and entertainment sector to thrive.
“Today’s event signals a gradual return of activities within the tourism and entertainment sector. It is a boost for our creative practitioners and entertainers as well as the necessary catalyst for economic growth because if we properly harness our human and capital resources, tourism and entertainment will become major contributors to socio-economic growth and development.
“I assure you that the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall will not only boost activities in the entertainment and creative sector, it will also restore the glorious days when it served as a relaxation point for Lagosians including those who live and work on the Island. It is a testament to a splendid past and an indicator of a more glorious future in which Lagosians have the jobs and opportunities that they require to flourish. On our part, we will not relent in fostering collaborative investments for the advancement of our shared prosperity,” he said.
Post Covid era
The Governor said his administration has initiated several deliberate efforts and interventions to ensure that creative practitioners are able to find their feet in the Post COVID-19 era.
He said: “We have disbursed One Billion Naira (N1billion) to practitioners in the tourism, hospitality and entertainment sector as a financial stimulus to get the sector moving again and to overcome the challenges caused by the pandemic.
“In addition, I recently approved the training of 1,480 aspiring creative practitioners who are desirous of gaining world-class skills and career advancement. This initiative is in line with two of the development pillars of our T.H.E.M.E.S agenda: Education and Technology; as well as Entertainment and Tourism. It is also a deliberate step to make world-class training available to practitioners in the Nigerian Creative Industry.
“As I speak, about 1,500 creative practitioners have been scheduled for both physical and online training under a public-private partnership initiative geared towards empowering our people for inclusive growth, economic liberation, and the overall improvement of the lives of our people. Lagos State is blessed with brilliant, dynamic, and creative practitioners who are indispensable to our growth agenda; we will ensure that their talents are not wasted.”
Pursuing agenda
Speaking earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, said the commissioning of the remodelled Glover Memorial Hall is a testimonial to the commitment of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to pursue all the six developmental agenda of the Government.
The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu commissioning the remodelled Glover Memorial hall
She said the restored Glover Hall was a boost for the fifth pillar of the Greater Lagos agenda, which is “Entertainment and Tourism.”
According to her “Sir John Glover having been instrumental to many developments especially within Lagos metropolis, was honoured with the establishment of the Glover Memorial Hall for various social and entertainment events.
“As a way of demonstrating his love for this very important industry, Governor Sanwo-Olu did not just ensure the completion of this memorial hall but also approved the inclusion of some modern-day innovations that would make this edifice to be of international standard.”
She commend the Governor for the support and provision of an improved system and commendable feature of this restored Glover Memorial Hall.
Others who spoke at the event commended the State government for ensuring the creative sector received a boost after a temporary shutdown as a result of the global pandemic.
They also called on the Federal Government to assist Lagos State and implored Lagosians to come together to make the State great again.
Historical background
The foundation stone of the first Glover Hall was laid in 1887 on a piece of land that was donated by the legendary trader and activist Madam Efunroye Tinubu as a memorial to the works of Sir John Hawley Glover, who was the Governor of the Colony of Lagos from 1864 – 1872.
In 1961 an agreement was reached with Messrs. G. Cappa to demolish the old Hall, which was situated on the Marina, where the Union Bank Plaza now stands and construct a new one. This present building was erected in 1962. During those years, Glover Memorial Hall was the centre of activities in Lagos.
The remodelled Glover Memorial Hall
The first meeting of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, at the end of the 19th Century was held in this Hall.
In 1924, the Hall hosted the National Council of British West Africa, attended by L. B. du Bois. Also, the renowned black freedom fighter, Prince Edward of Wales was hosted in Glover Hall when he visited Nigeria in 1925.
Glover Hall had also served as venue for hosting notable Nigerians. Specifically, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first indigenous Governor-General of Nigeria was once hosted in the Hall.
In the area of culture and entertainment in the decades past, Glover Hall was then the only place to watch Hollywood films, including epics like Cecil B., de Mille’s “Ten Commandments”; and classics like “Gone with the Wind”.
The Hall also played a significant role in the promotion of theatre groups like those of Hubert Ogunde and Duro Ladipo. It served as a place that nurtured many artistes to stardom. Some of these include Moses Olaiya, popularly called “Baba Sala”, Segun Narset, George Ogunde and Eddy Ugbomah.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made good its word, as it has released 50,000 metric tonnes of Maize into the Nigerian market.
The Bank’s February 2021 release of Maize in fulfilment of its pledge to reduce the price of the commodity, was done through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) to major poultry feed producers and poultry producers in the country.
The CBN facilitated the release of the 50,000 metric tonnes of Maize in the second week of February, which has made an impact as the Maize Market has recorded a reduction in price from N200,000.00 per metric tonnes to about N180,000.00 per metric tonnes. It is still anticipated that the current will further reduce.
Major beneficiaries of the February release include; Premier Flour Mills, Crown – Olam, Grand Cereals, Animal Care, Amobyn and Hybrid Feeds. Others include Zartech, Wacot, Sayeed Farms, Pandagri Novum and Premium Farms as well as the South West, South-South, North West and North Central chapters of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN).
The benefiting companies represent the major players in the poultry value chain in the country. It will be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria had in January this year, announced to release 300,000 metric tonnes of Maize into the Nigerian Maize Market.
This is to bridge the shortfall in production and augment local production of the commodity. The current shortfall in the quantity of maize available in the market, that CBN is working on mitigating, is attributed to activities of banditry, drought in some parts of the country last year, activities of hoarders and middlemen as well as insecurity around the major maize producing belt of Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and part of Kano states.
Nigerian music icon, Burna Boy, is scheduled to perform at the 63rd Grammy Awards ceremony, which will hold on March 14, 2021.
The 63rd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will feature several performances by current Grammy nominees like Rufus Wainwright, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, Lido Pimienta, Poppy and many others.
The event will be hosted by American singer, Jhené Aiko, a three-time Grammy nominee.
According to the Academy, “all of the premiere ceremony performers and the host are nominated this year, as are most of the presenters.”
Burna Boy has been nominated in the category for the ‘Best Global Music Album’ category for his ‘Twice As Tall’ album, which was released on 12 August 2020.
Kicking off the event will be a tribute performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic Marvin Gaye track “Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)”.
The special all-nominee ensemble performance will feature Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra, Thana Alexa, John Beasley, Camilo, Regina Carter, Alexandre Desplat, Bebel Gilberto, Lupita Infante, Sarah Jarosz, Mykal Kilgore, Ledisi, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez, PJ Morton, Gregory Porter, Grace Potter, säje, Gustavo Santaolalla (Bajofondo), Anoushka Shankar, and Kamasi Washington.
Also, music fans will be given unprecedented digital access to GRAMMY Awards content with GRAMMY Live, which will stream internationally on GRAMMY.com and via Facebook Live, the exclusive streaming partner of GRAMMY Live.
GRAMMY Live takes viewers behind the scenes with backstage experiences, pre-show interviews and post-show highlights from Music’s Biggest Night.
The event will stream all day on Sunday, March 14, including during and after the GRAMMY Awards evening telecast.
No fewer than 3,000 women have benefitted from the Nigerian Government’s Special Grant for Rural Women Project in Kogi State, North-central Nigeria.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, disclosed this at the flag off ceremony of the programme in Lokoja , Kogi State.
The Minister said that the beneficiaries were selected from all the Local Government Areas of the State.
Farouq said; “Our target in Kogi State is to disburse the grant to about 3,000 beneficiaries across all Local Government Councils. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard by using the fund as seed to boost their trade and business for greater income and not to see it as their own share of the so-called National Cake.
“We believe with the complementary effort of the State Government, the target beneficiaries will all be adequately covered within the next few days. I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of Your Excellency and other stakeholders present here, we will remain on track to improving the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians.”
The Minister acknowledged the immense contribution of the Governor of Kogi State, Yaya Bello, the Executive Council and the State’s Focal Person in actualising the success of the programme.
She was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali at the event.
Governor Bello, expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for consistently breaching the gap between the rich and the poor over the past five years through the various National Social Investment Programmes, such as Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, the N-Power and the Special Grant for Rural Women Project.
He said that ”with the 3000 beneficiaries, vulnerable women involved in small scale businesses will be greatly impacted financially.”
The Governor therefore urged the beneficiaries and everyone present to pray for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and a all leaders.
Governor Bello was represented by the Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja.
The Kogi State Focal Person for National Social Investment Programme, Abdulkareem Suleiman, said; ”Poverty eradication is a major objective of the present administration and pledged to support the Minister in her determination to improve the livelihood of women in Kogi State.”
A beneficiary of the cash grant, Miss Christopher Odede, thanked President Buhari for the grant and promised to use the money judiciously.
The Chairman, People Living with Disabilities in Kogi State, confirmed that before the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the PWDs were neglected, but today the President has given them a voice and people have began to see ability in disability.
He called on the Nigerian Government to provide enabling environment for the PWDs to showcase their abilities.
The President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, has urged the executive arm of government to adopt a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to enable the funding needed for the completion of some major roads in the country which will be provided by investors.
Lawan made the appeal in his support of a motion on the need for the construction of the Badagry/Sokoto expressway, which was sponsored by Senator Umar Sadiq Suleiman and 11 others.
He noted that the government need not provide all the funding, hence the need to come up with a proposal on how these roads would be funded.
According to him, “If roads, including those that may be termed not economically viable, are neglected, the communities in those areas will never see improved prosperity.
“There are some roads you construct or build through PPP arrangements. But the government is supposed to consider some roads, especially those that may be termed not economically viable, because, if you neglect them, the communities in those areas will never see correct prosperity-where roads are supposed to help provide that.
“This is a major road, and there will be a lineup of investors wanting to invest. Since we have companies that are willing-there are many consortiums that came into Nigeria seeking to invest on roads-so we should provide the legislative support and comfort for such companies to feel that when they invest, they are able to get back profits.
We should be on the same page with the executive arm of government, and our committees should engage the Federal Ministry of Works, in particular, to ensure that this particular road sees some kind of revival.”
Moving the motion earlier, Suleiman noted that the Badagry-Sokoto expressway is a federal government road that connects 12 states.
He stressed on his awareness that the road was initiated as part of the fourth National Development Plan, which was commenced by the General Olusegun Obasanjo (Rtd) regime in 1978 but was abandoned in 1979, over 40 years now after he handed over power to late President Shehu Shagari.
According to him, “The road, if constructed, will boost food and agricultural production, sustain youth employment and employability as well as improve cross-border market and international trade.”
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr is under pressure to drop his captain Ahmed Musa from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic later this month.
Musa has been without a club since quitting Saudi side Al Nassr in October 2020.
He has however continued to enjoy the support of Rohr, who invited him for the double-header qualifying games against Sierra Leone in Benin and Freetown respectively last November.
Many Nigerians on social media have however asked that the Franco-German drop the 28-year-old and invite players who play regularly for their teams.
Speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, former Eagles goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu said, “It is left for the coach to invite whoever he feels he needs into the team.
“I however don’t think it is the best thing to invite someone who has not been playing for about five months to the national team. You don’t expect such a player to be in top form and shape.”
Another ex-Eagles star Edema Fuludu said with Musa’s service to the national team, the coach can also use the invitation to help him secure a club.
“For me, I believe if this is the way we can help Musa, let us help him. It is possible that if he comes to the Eagles and play well, he can secure a club. So, if it means helping him out, why not,”Fuludu said.
Meanwhile, the team will play their last home AFCON qualifiers at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, returning to Lagos after over 10 years away.
This was confirmed via the team’s Twitter page on Wednesday.
The Eagles will play Lesotho in Lagos on March 30 by 5pm, local time.
The Eagles media officer, Babafemi Raji, said; ”the list of invited players was expected to be released next week.”
“The list is always out like two weeks before the game, so we are expecting the list next week,”Raji stated.
Raji was however mum on the inclusion of Musa in the Eagles squad.
The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission, KADSIECOM has rescheduled the state Local Government Council elections from May 15, to June 5, 2021.
Acting Chairman of the KADSIECOM, Ibrahim Sambo, said this at a press conference in Kaduna.
Sambo explained that the decision was taken after due consultations with relevant stakeholders after the commission received a series of complaints about the earlier date.
According to him, based on the new timetable, political activities ahead of the polls started on Monday, March 3.
He said under the new arrangement, political parties are expected to conduct their primaries between April 10 and May 10, 2021.
Sambo said, “Based on the new timetable, activities have started from March 3, based on the law, we are supposed to give you 90 days, with this development, we have given you 93 days. Monday March 29, collection of forms for contestants to collect forms; deadline for submission of forms is May 12.
“Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 May, verification of forms by commission. Monday, 24 May last day of submission of firm; and last day for payment of non-refundable deposit. May 29 will be last day for withdrawal of candidates from polls,” he added.
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has signed an agreement with OCP of Morocco, for the development of a $1.4 billion plant to produce Ammonia and Diammonium Phosphate, under its Gas Industrialization Strategy.
According to the NSIA, “The Multipurpose Industrial Platform Project is a backward integration initiative which builds on the successes of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) and other sovereign bilateral initiatives between Nigeria and Morocco.
“The project is structured to commercialize Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources and satisfy Morocco’s demand for cost-competitive Ammonia.”
The parties to the agreement included the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), GACN (Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited), Akwa Ibom State Government, the Fertilizer Producers & Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN).
Part of the deal which was signed yesterday in Benguerir, Morocco, was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NSIA, OCP Africa and the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) to commit to the second phase of the Nigerian Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI II).
It also included a Shareholders’ Agreement (SHA) between the NSIA and OCP Africa for the creation of the Joint Venture Company (JVC) which would oversee the development of an industrial platform that would produce ammonia and fertilizers in Nigeria; an MOU between NSIA, OCP Africa and the Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria on land acquisition, administrative facilitation, and common agricultural development projects in the Akwa Ibom State.
In his comment, Mr Uche Orji, MD of NSIA said “this project forms a key part of NSIA’s gas industrialisation strategy and will deep intra-continental trade which is essential to Africa’s development and economic renaissance.
“This landmark project, the MIP, will explore increased levels of synergy between NSIA and OCP and the partners to the transactions and ultimately ensure that Nigeria builds an industrial base that is sustainable and complementary to mutual objectives of developing the agriculture sector in Nigeria.”
