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‘Non-Payment Of Counterpart Funds Hampers IFAD Programmes’

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15 years ago

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The non-payment of counterpart funds for the implementation of the Community-Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP) has hampered its implementation in Akwa Ibom, the state Programme Officer, Mrs Essien Uwe-Bassey said.

Reports say that the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is financing the implementation of the programme with counterpart funding from the Federal Government.

Our source also reports that the participating state governments, as well as the benefitting communities will also pay their counterpart funds.

The NDDC is also providing financial support for the implementation of the programme in the nine Niger Delta states.

Currently, a joint IFAD/FGN supervision mission is visiting the participating states to assess the implementation of the programme, with a view to identifying the challenges and proffer solutions.

The supervision team is led by Dr Adeoye Adeniyi, an Agricultural Production Specialist and IFAD Consultant.

Uwe-Bassey told the team that the Akwa Ibom Government and the three benefitting local government areas of Ibesikpo/Asutan, Okobo and Oruk-Anam owed a total of N247 million in counterpart fund since 2008.

She, however, said that the benefitting communities had paid their 10 per cent counterpart contribution.

She also lamented that staff of the programme had not received their allowances for the past 20 months and that some activities had been distorted by rainfall.

“The delay in the release of funds for implementation brought about apathy in some communities.

“Also, the difficulty in the transportation of materials due to the terrain of some communities and none buy-in of local government councils has affected the progress of the programme,” Uwe-Bassey said.

The programme officer noted that 31 persons had been trained in various skills in the past seven months, besides those trained when the programme started in 2006.

“The areas of training include record keeping, pegging and planting techniques in plantain and oil palm, snail, fish and vegetable farming, as well as goat keeping, piggery and compost manure making.

“In terms of crop enterprise, a total of 5.7 hectares were cultivated between January and July 2011, as against 47 hectares targeted, representing a 21 per cent achievement.

“Out of 18 targeted livestock enterprises, a total of 15 units representing 83 per cent has been achieved,” Uwe-Bassey said.

She added that 42 targeted operational groups out of 90 were able to define their priorities under the community driven development (CDD) approach of the programme.

The Tide source reports that the programme is meant to improve the quality of life of about 44,444 poor rural Akwa Ibom people out of the estimated  400,000 rural poor people in the Niger Delta.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum, Mr Okon Ibok, the Vice-Chairman of Okobo, one of the benefitting local governments, blamed the state programme officer for not always reminding the council authorities of the funding commitment.

Ibok also requested the state programme office to always involve the local government authorities in the choice of the projects meant for each community.

Responding, Adeniyi, the team leader, explained that the choice of projects was always based on needs assessment and not on political consideration.

Adeniyi said that the essence of the interaction with the direct beneficiaries of the programme was to have first hand information on the challenges in implementation and also proffer solutions to them.

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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5 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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5 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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5 days ago

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June 12, 2026

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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