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Autonomy only way to save LGs from paralysis— Shehu Sani

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A civil rights activist and social critic, Sen. Shehu Sani, says local government autonomy is the only way to strengthen governance at the grassroots and save council areas from paralysis.

Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly and served as Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts,said this in  an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday

NAN reports that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice recently filed a suit at the Supreme Court against state governments, seeking the enforcement of full autonomy of the local governments in Nigeria.

In the suit marked: SC/CV/343/2024, the Federal Government urged the court to issue an order prohibiting state governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.

The government urged the court to issue an order permitting funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channelled to them from the Federation Account in line with the provisions of the Constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint accounts created by governors.

Besides ,FG prayed the Supreme Court for an order stopping governors from further constituting Caretaker Committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the constitutionally recognised and guaranteed democratic system.

It equally applied for an order of injunction,restraining the governors and their agents and privies ,from receiving ,spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefit of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in states.

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The 36 governors were sued through their respective Attorneys General.

Reacting, Sani said that the step by the federal government had potential to restore development at the grassroots and strengthen the local government system.

“Local Government autonomy is the only way to save the LGs from bankruptcy and paralysis.

“Poverty and insecurity in the country is rooted in the destruction of the local government system,” Sani said.

According to him, most council chairmen only go to their offices when federal allocations are released.

He said lack of financial and administrative autonomy for the local government had affected the performance of the third tier of government.

Speaking further, Sani described FG’s proposal that State Electoral Commissions (SIECs) should be scrapped as a good move,saying scrapping SEICs would deepen democracy at the grassroots.

“The scrapping of SIECs is a step in the right direction.

“It has become impossible for opposition parties to win elections at the LG level because of the institutional rigging and imposition of candidates by state governors.

“The chairmen of SIECs and staff of SIECs are all agents of the state governors and of the ruling party in their respective states, ” Sani said.

NAN recalls Mr Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney-general of the Federation and Minister of justice, had on Monday proposed that State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) should be dispensed with.

Speaking at a one-day discourse in Abuja, Fagbemi also posited that the powers of SIECs should be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Fagbemi said governors had exploited the flaws in certain sections of the 1999 constitution, effectively rendering local governments powerless and irrelevant.

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According to him, these inadequacies have allowed the governors to abuse the rights of local governments by using SIECs to impose leaders on them through sham elections.

He said other governors who do not conduct sham polls appoint vassals as caretaker leaders for the local governments.

Fagbemi called for a robust constitutional amendment that will remove all hindrances to the development of local governments, and bolster their ability to fulfil their constitutionally recognised mandate(NAN)

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Peter Obi condemns Plateau attacks, urges FG to end killings in Nigeria

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The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has condemned the recent attacks on some communities in Plateau.

Obi made the condemnation when he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, on Sunday in Jos.

The former LP presidential candidate, who described the killings as reckless, stressed that there was no need for such cruelty on innocent civilians, particularly that the country was not at war.

“I am here to condole with you on the recent killings in Bokkos and other communities in the state. Let me reiterate that we have no reason as a country to be going through this.

“There is no reason for people to be chased out of their communities to an IDP camps; we are not at war and so people must live in their communities, go to their farms and live a life that is protected by the government.

“This is the primary essence of governance, they must be able to protect life and property,” he said.

While commending the governor for the visible developmental strides in the state, Obi stated that Nigerians shared in his grief and would continue to support his government.

“I want to thank you in particular for what the Plateau Government is doing under your leadership; I know that Nigerians are with you, we are praying with you.

“I have particularly followed up on what you are doing in the state and I must say they are quiet commendable.

“I have always condemned what is happening all over Nigeria, where people are killed, chased out of their communities for no reason.

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“Therefore, we must all work together to stop this menace; this is why I’m here today.

“I pray that the Almighty God will continue to be with you and the good people of Plateau and that all of these will come to an end soon.

“May God grant eternal rest to those who lost their lives and grant their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss” he said.

Responding, Mutfwang lauded Obi’s compassion and selfless love for the downtrodden, noting that the former LP’s presidential candidate had always stood with the poor and the less privileged ones in the society.

Mutfwang who called on the elites to look at the situation in the state with a view towards finding a lasting solution, maintained that the attacks were an orchestrated genocide, that needed all hands to be on deck.

“I want to thank you for how you have always stood with the downtrodden; it has become the hallmark of your life that you identified with the downtrodden across the country.

“We have a situation on our hands that calls for compassion and action, we want to thank you sincerely for taking out time to visit and commiserate with us.

“What happened in Bokkos over the last two weeks was nothing short of a genocide; what we are facing is not a clash, but a deliberate, orchestrated and planned attacks to evacuate people from their homelands.

“Yesterday, we visited some of the communities that were attacked two years ago, the people had to flee from their lands; their houses have been taken over by the criminals,”he said.

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The governor, who commended the efforts of the Federal Government in the fight against insecurity in the state, called for more actions to tackle the menace.

“We have been playing with this matter as a nation for over two decades, but the time has come for a consensus to end it.

“If we don’t wake up to stop it now, we may wake up and find that we have no country to call our own; but may God forbid that,” he prayed. (NAN)

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U.S. tariffs may be a blessing in disguise Africa – Alake

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has said that the prevailing barrage of tariffs imposed by the United States (U.S) may be a blessing in disguise for African countries.

Alake stated this during the Fireside Chat session on Foreign Direct Investment, titled ‘The Alchemy of Foreign Direct Investment: Turning Policies into Prosperity for Emerging Global Markets in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja, the minister’s remarks were part of his contribution to the discourse on the impact of the tariffs on Africa’s economic climate.

Tomori said the event was part of the the 14th edition of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that US President Donald Trump recently announced new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners.

“The barrage of tariffs imposed carries wide-ranging implications for the global economy, U.S. trade relationships, and developing nations, including those in Africa,” he said.

The media aide also noted that Alake called on African countries to adopt an introspective approach by looking inward and adjusting their domestic policies to focus more on intra-African trade, with less dependence on external forces.

Tomori noted that the minister stressed the need need for African countries to organise economic imperatives to ensure a balance of trade and strengthen intra African trade among countries.

The minister highlighted the persistent challenge faced by African countries, where rare mineral resources were exported without any value addition.

According to him, the old ‘pit-to-port’ model, where resources are extracted and sent out of the continent can no longer be allowed to continue.

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“Interested investors, who wish to come into Africa are welcome to set up their factories in the continent, add value to our mineral resources and create jobs here, rather than just shipping our wealth out of our shores”, he stated.

The minister said that his stance on protecting Africa’s mineral wealth has been adopted by many African countries, particularly mineral-producing nations, where he served as the pioneering chairman of the African Minerals Strategic Group (AMSG).

He reaffirmed that Nigeria’s policy on mineral sector development remained strictly focused on value addition and boosting the local economy through job creation.

NAN reports that the Annual AIM, was aimed at promoting international investment, support sustainable economic growth, encourage innovation, and foster partnerships between investors, governments, and businesses.

The AIM also serves as a platform for discussing investment trends in sectors such as digital economy, future finance, and sustainable development.

The 14th edition held from April 7 to 9 is with the theme ‘Mapping the Future of Global Investment: The New Wave of a Globalised Investment Landscape – Towards a New Balanced World Structure’.(NAN)

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Adesina advocates Africa-led ‘Marshall Plan’ to rebuild conflict-hit regions

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President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has called for the creation of an Africa-led “Marshall Plan” to rebuild regions devastated by insecurity and conflict across the continent.

Adesina, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja said, this was part of ongoing efforts to address insecurity, climate change, and economic recovery in Africa.

According to him, while Africa has made some progress in reducing inter-state wars through initiatives like the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns,” widespread insecurity persists in several regions.

“Conflicts in Sudan, Eastern Congo, terrorism in the Sahel, and insurgencies in northern Nigeria continue to pose significant challenges to peace and stability,” he said.

He identified poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation in what he termed the “Disaster Triangle” as the key drivers of insecurity on the continent.

“These factors are creating fertile ground for conflict, especially in rural areas.

“Nigeria, like other parts of Africa, has been hit hard with devastating consequences on lives and infrastructure,” Adesina said.

According to him, the growing cost of security in many African countries is now displacing spending on essential services like education and healthcare.

“In contrast to post-WWII Europe, which had the Marshall Plan, Africa has no external blueprint for reconstruction. We must develop our own solutions.

“The AfDB, in collaboration with the African Union, is introducing Security-Indexed Investment Bonds to raise long-term, low-interest financing from global capital markets.

“The proceeds will be directed towards rebuilding physical and social infrastructure destroyed by conflicts,” he said.

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On climate finance, Adesina expressed concern over the limited global support for Africa, in spite of the continent contributing only three per cent of cumulative global emissions.

“Africa is the most vulnerable to climate change, with nine of the ten most affected countries located on the continent.

” Yet, Africa receives just three per cent of global climate finance,” he said

He announced the AfDB’s African Adaptation Acceleration Programme, a 25 billion dollars initiative launched in partnership with the Global Centre on Adaptation.

The AfDB president described the programme as the largest climate adaptation programme in the world.

He said the bank was scaling up its Africa Disaster Risk Insurance Facility to one billion dollars , aimed at helping countries insure against climate shocks and extreme weather events.

“Climate change is not ideological for Africa. it is a daily reality.

“That is why we are also mobilising 10 billion dollars through the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa.

“To build resilient and green infrastructure, including green hydrogen, sustainable transport, and water systems,” he said.

Adesina reiterated that the continent must remain focused on building resilience, securing its populations, and climate-proofing its economies.(NAN)

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