Business
Africa Lags Behind In Daily Calorie Intake – Agric Expert
A nanotechnologist, Prof.
Olusoji Oyewole, said on Saturday that the weighted average per capita daily calorie intake for Africans is between 1,100 calories and 1,700 calories.
Oyewole, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Nanotechnology, Industries and Agriculture Support Systems Limited, made the statement in a lecture titled, “National Food Security Question’’, he delivered at the AGRIKEXPO 2013 held in Lagos.
He said that this figure was below the recommended average of 3,000 calories for an active male between 19 and 50 years.
He said that Africa had the lowest per capita daily calorie intake, adding that statistics revealed hidden, clinical and latent hunger on the African continent.
Oyewole said that the per capita daily calorie intake for Africa was critical, lagging and below the red line when compared with those of other continents, such as Europe and North America, which stood at between 3,000 calories and 3,600 calories.
He said the figure for Australia was the same as Europe and North America; while Asia’s ranged from 1,300 calories to 2,000 calories.
Oyewole also said that Latin America’s intake was between 1,300 calories and 2,100 calories, while Oceania was between 1, 300 calories and 1,900 calories.
“The normal daily requirement should contain 60 per cent to 65 per cent carbohydrates, 15 per cent proteins and 25 per cent to 30 per cent fats and lipids, totaling 10 per cent of the body weight.
“That 80 per cent of Nigerians suffer from `hidden’ hunger shows that we are zero on the scale 10 to getting to ‘El Dorado’.
“That 30 per cent of Nigerians suffer from severe and absolute hunger is an indication that Nigeria might still be tossed around in global politics and be at the mercy of other nations,’’ Oyewole said.
He said it was sad that Nigeria lost over 50 per cent of vegetables and fish, 40 per cent of tubers and roots and 35 per cent of grain on the farm and in transit.
Oyewole said the figures indicated that the nation’s value chains were far from being established.
He said statistics by the International Food Production Research Institute (IFPRI) for 2012 showed that six per cent of the nation’s population was undernourished.
Oyewole said that the statistics also showed that 27 per cent of Nigerian children were under-nourished.
He advised that government should embark on a “protein for all, crash programme’’ with emphasis on plant alternatives as a solution to the challenge of food security.
The nanotechnologist said that long established facts had revealed that one hectare of soya beans would fulfil the protein needs/ration of a person for 18 months and the same quantity fed to a cow would last for 15 days.
He said it was time for the government to match words with action and tackle the issue of agricultural productivity for food security.
Also,the Coordinator of the Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria (CASON), a Non-Governmental Organisation, Dr Sotonye Anga, said that the success of Nigeria’s agriculture depended on incentives given to agri-businesses and people.
Anga, who delivered a lecture titled, “Positioning Nigeria as a Global Powerhouse in Agriculture’’, said that the next generation of millionaires and billionaires in Nigeria would be “agri-preneurs’’.
He said that Nigeria was on the right path with the Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA), aimed at adding 20 million tonnes of food to domestic food supply.
He said the President Goodluck Jonathan administration ATA would also create 3.5 million jobs by year 2015.
Anga listed some of the ways of positioning Nigeria in agriculture, including a shift in government policy to favour agriculture.
According to him, triggering massive youth involvement in agriculture is also a way of transforming Nigeria’s agriculture.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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