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Fish importation to end in 2022, says minister

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3 years ago

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The Federal Government has asked fish importers to consider producing fish locally as it plans to ban its importation in the next two years.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, said this on Monday in Abuja at the 35th Annual Conference of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON).

He said this was part of measures to prevent capital flight and implement programmes in the agriculture sector geared towards diversifying the economy.

The minister, who was represented by the Director of Federal Department of Fisheries, Mr Imeh Umoh, described fisheries as one of the value chains in the ministry.

“Let me inform you that the vision of Mr President is to grow Nigeria’s agriculture sector to achieve a hunger-free nation, through agriculture that drives income growth, accelerate the achievement of food and nutritional security, generate employment and transform Nigeria into a leading player in the group of food and fish markets, and to create wealth for millions,” he said.

The minister said currently, the total demand for fish was 3.6 million tonnes annually while Nigeria was producing 1.1 million tonnes, leaving a deficit of about 2.5 million tonnes to be supplemented by importation.

Nanono noted that an estimated over 12 million Nigerians were actively engaged in primary and fish production, adding that contribution of fisheries to the national Gross Domestic Products was about 4.5 per cent.

He said the government had directed all fish importers to go into backward integration for local consumption and export to international market as part of the measures of the ministry to reduce this importation and generate employment.

He said several companies had complied with the policy and that the ministry was optimistic that in the next two years, Nigeria would have no business with the importation of fish.

He said it is in this regard that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was pursuing a holistic approach to the development of the fisheries subsector through the diversification programme along the value chain process.

“In line with the theme of this conference, the ministry has developed various programmes to increase domestic food/fish production and the main target is the empowerment of the youth and other groups especially the women,” he said.

He added, “All these programmes are tailored towards wealth and jobs creation, arrest and prevention of youth restiveness.”

Nanono added that the contributions of the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector to the Nigerian economy and the ongoing economic recovery programme of the current regime were significant in terms of employment, income generation, poverty alleviation, foreign exchange earnings and provision of raw materials.

President of FISON, Mr Adegoke Agbabiaka, said in order to achieve self-sufficiency in food fish production, the government in the last decade had made a paradigm shift under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and was considering agriculture, including fisheries, as a business.

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Just in: I can name companies employing foreign prisoners as expatriates – Oshiomhole

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2 hours ago

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December 7, 2023

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Just in: I can name companies employing foreign prisoners as expatriates – Oshiomhole

 

Former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, says some prisoners from foreign countries are working in Nigeria as construction workers or expatriates.

Oshiomhole, now chairman of the senate committee on interior, said he was prepared to name the companies involved in such irregular and illegal appointment.

He spoke on Thursday when Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, was defending the budget proposal of his ministry before the committee.

The senator representing Edo North said the interior ministry needed to regulate the issuance of expatriate quotas (EQs).

The EQs are granted by the ministry of interior to foreign-owned or indigenous companies to enable them to recruit foreign employees to legitimately work in the country.

Oshiomhole, who is also a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, said, “Your ministry needs to regulate issuance of the quotas very well as I have on good authority that prisoners from foreign land are working in Nigeria as construction workers.

“This is even different from the age long fraud the oil companies have been carrying out in the country through the policy of expatriate quotas by making our own qualified engineers to work under foreign technicians.

“Many non-Nigerians are in the country, some of them live inside containers. I even believe and dare say it that there are foreign prisoners who are working in Nigeria. They were shipped to our country to serve their prison terms.

“They were being paid according to their country’s minimum wage by the construction industry that brought them. I don’t want to mention the company’s name but if I am provoked, I will mention them.

“Honourable minister, this is a serious issue. Prisoners are not expected to work in their countries if the product or whatever they engage in is meant to be exported.”

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Akeredolu’s health: Court orders Ondo Assembly to appoint medical panel

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4 hours ago

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December 7, 2023

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Governor Rotimi Akeredolu

Akeredolu’s health: Court orders Ondo Assembly to appoint medical panel

Ondo State High Court in Akure granted leave to applicants in a suit seeking an Order of Mandamus compelling the House of Assembly and the Speaker to form a medical panel to assess Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s health state on Wednesday.

The suit, filed in court by Olufemi Lawson, Isijola Kike, Ologun Ayodeji, and Arogbo Olaniyi, emphasizes the critical role of elected officials maintaining public trust and ensuring openness.

The request for a medical panel attempts to shed light on Governor Akeredolu’s health after he has been absent from the state for nearly six months.

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On October 25, 2023, the petitioners filed an ex parte motion with the court.

The motion was brought pursuant to section 6(6b) of the 1999 constitution as amended as well as order 22 rule 1 of the Ondo State High Court rules.

The applicants prayed for an order of mandamus against the first and second respondents to compel them to carry out statutory and constitutional duties on the third respondent as stipulated under section 189(4) of the 1999 constitution.

The grounds were predicated on 11 grounds and in line with the rules of court, the applicant’s statement of claim and a 30-paragraph affidavit.

Upon the submission of the legal team of the applicant led by Dotun Ajulo, Fadeshola Ojamomi, A.V Ajayi and K.A Mogbojuri, the court ruled thereof.

Akeredolu’s health: Court orders Ondo Assembly to appoint medical panel

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Court freezes 24 bank accounts belonging to Kano Government

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5 hours ago

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December 7, 2023

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Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf

Court freezes 24 banks account belonging to Kano Government

A Federal High Court has ordered the freezing of 24 accounts of the Kano State Government.

The order is consequent upon the State government refusal to comply with a court order to pay N30 billion in compensation to victims of the Filling Idi Demolition exercise.

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The frozen order affects 24 Kano State bank accounts, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account of the state.

The presiding judge, Justice E.A Ekwo, has also directed the Kano State Government to appear before the court on January 18 to provide an explanation regarding the freezing of N30 billion in the affected bank accounts.

The funds are intended to be granted to the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners.

Court freezes 24 bank account belonging to Kano Government

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