Business

Lawmaker Charges Journalists On Corruption

Published

13 years ago

December 17, 2012

The House of Representatives Committee on Information has urged the media to boost Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign through effective use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).

The committee’s Chairman, Alhaji Buba Jibril, made the call recently at a workshop on the FOI Act organised by the Federal Ministry of Information.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Jubril said that the act was sufficiently enhanced to make government officials at all levels accountable to Nigerians.

The lawmaker said that the content of the Act primarily emphasised transparency and openness in governance and stressed the need for custodians of public information to cooperate to ensure the successful implementation of the Act.

Jibril, however, warned against abuse of the Act, noting that the law must not be used as a weapon of vendetta by journalists or stakeholders in the system.

“I believe this Act is one singular act that can be used by stakeholders in fighting corruption in Nigeria.

“The Freedom of Information Act must be embraced by all stakeholders, especially government officials for it to serve the purpose for which it was enacted,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, stressed the need for journalists and other stakeholders to make good use of the provisions of the Act.

He said that the Act was enacted to enable government achieve important programmes, and restated government’s commitment to democracy and good governance.

Maku said that the media must also be ready to carry out a self appraisal to ensure that the privileges that came with the Act were not abused by practitioners.

He said, “Today, therefore, the responsibility of implementing this law squarely rests on media practitioners.

“The purpose of this workshop, therefore, is to prepare our minds and discuss some of the challenges that this law has presented to us and we also need proper understanding of this law.’’

He said that the full implementation of relevant sections of the law might take time because of the previous orientation of most public institutions and their officials.

The minister was, however, optimistic that with more awareness campaign on the Act, public institutions and officials would be encouraged to embrace it.

“Our attitudes are still undergoing transition, our institutions are still evolving to adopt best practices on democratic governance.

“The long years of military dictatorship had built in the consciousness of many Nigerians and their institutions an attitude that is averse to openness and democratic governance,’’ he said.

Maku commended the National Assembly for the passage of the FOI Act in spite of the relentless opposition to the enactment of the law.

The President of NUJ, Malam Mohammed Garba, in his good will message decried the low level of awareness about the Act among journalists in the country.

Garba said that the response to the Act by journalists and other stakeholders was poor, adding that only a few persons and groups were making good use of the opportunities provided in the Act.

He said that while many stakeholders had not taken time to assimilate the content of the document, many public office holders were still reluctant to disclose vital public information.

Participants at the workshop are drawn from parastatal agencies of the Ministry of Information, information units of the various ministries, departments and agencies and journalists from the various media organisations in Nigeria.

The theme of the workshop is “Openness In Governance: The FOI Act, 2012 in Perspective’’.

The FOI Act was enacted about 16 months ago by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi