How FGN/IFAD Intervention Impacted Rural Farmers In Anambra

When the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) entered into an agreement to support rural rice and cassava production in six pilot states of Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba, their aim was to step up the income base of rural farmers as well as achieve food security.

Although, the initiative was first sealed in 2014, the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) disbursement became effective in February 2015, and this gave the beneficiaries the financial impetus to fully develop their preferred rice and cassava value chain.

The good news of the intervention is that many rural farmers in Anambra, today have testimonies on how the scheme has impacted on their living conditions.


The highly elated farmers bared their minds when a Project Completion Review Team of FGN/IFAD led by Mr Bassey Unauwo visited various locations of the beneficiaries in some communities in Anambra recently.

Mr Fidelis Onyia, a rice farmer and member of the Commodity Agricultural Forum (CAF) in Ayamelum Local Government Area of the state, said that the FGN/IFAD has changed his living condition as well as raised the income status of farmers, especially the youth.Onyia said that to equip the members of his commodity group, some were trained on seed production at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, while others received training on cassava processing at Umudike.

“This training made the beneficiaries to understand the basic things they should know on the cultivation of rice and cassava in order to achieve result during harvest,’’ he said.“We were cultivating rice before we joined the programme in 2016. Since then, we have received inputs twice, as well as capacity training in addition to establishing linkages with insurance and financial institutions,” he said.

He says the commitment of Anambra State Government, especially in the prompt payment of counterpart funds and creation of ready markets further boosted the programme.Onyia, who says the policy of Gov. Willie Obiano to buy rice in big quantity from FGN/IFAD farmers for distribution to civil servant during every Christmas has turned most beneficiaries to millionaires.

He notes that what the beneficiaries are appealing for is the completion of a rice mill project and provision of more boreholes, saying when provided, rice production will further improve in the area.Mrs Ngozi Ebuo, Chairperson, Divine Destiny Youth Group, Omor community in Ayamelum Local Government Area, says her group with 25 members, joined the programme in 2015 and were cultivating 15 hectares, adding: Today we cultivate 42 hectares”.

Ebuo says the programme has significantly increased their income, as she recently acquired a car, motorcycle and other equipment which today has further made live worth living.Another beneficiary of the programme, Mr Peter Emeka who doubles as the Chairman, Rainbow Multipurpose Cooperative Society, says his group has risen from 68 in 2016 to 260 in 2020, while they have established 10 rice clusters with more than 3,000 farmers.

“Before now, rice farmers had the challenges of low yield, pest and poor sales, in that we were unable to exceed 3.5 metric tons per hectares but with the value chain training, production has increased above seven metric tons per hectare and patronage is equally high,’’ he said.

Emeka, who expresses happiness over the construction of more than six farm roads in his Ayamelum area, equally attributed the Federal Government ban on the importation of foreign rice as another factor that made rice farming a choice business for youths in his locality.

“The modern machines recently acquired for rice processing has made it possible for our products to compete favorably with imported ones and we are happy for the enabling environment,’’ he said.Mrs Ann Anierobi, Chairperson Nnedimma Women Rice Processing Group Omor, listed some benefits of VCDP intervention to include provision of moisture meter and modern rice polishing machine.

Other benefits included a borehole, generator, mellowing machine, a building, drying platform and capacity building among others.Anierobi says the structures put on ground by VCDP, especially training on book keeping, linkages to financial institutions and agro-dealers have helped to sustain the business, even when the programme eventually winds down.

Mrs Nnaluolu Oluchukwu, a rice farmer at Ifite-Ogwari community of Ayamelum area, who joined the programme in 2016, notes that by 2019, she had laid the foundation of her one storey-building and acquired sewing machines for her fashion design business.



Oluchukwu, however, expressed displeasure with the yearly delay in profiling farmers for loans by the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NISRAL), saying that the delay affected performance of the programme and so, needed to be checked.

She commended private extension officers for their services, noting that her group was ready to sustain the partnership at the closure of the programme.A cassava recipe trainee, Mrs Philomena Ekemezie, who is also the Chairperson, Amarachi Special Purpose, Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area, described her training at IITA, Ibadan as a life changing opportunity.

“It has significantly improved our source of income and helped us not to depend on our husbands for everything,” Ekemezie explained.One of the supports of the programme was a 3.7 km road leading to a cassava farm cluster at Umueri.

The state Project Coordinator of VCDP, Mr Nnamdi Agwuncha, expresses satisfaction with the implementation and the outcome of the visit.Agwuncha says the visit by the team has taught the stakeholders in the area some lessons which will further impact on the programme.

Mr Bassey Unauwo, an official of FGN/IFAD led Project Completion Review Team to assess the level of impact of the programme on farmers in Awka North, Anambra West, Anambra East, Orumba North and Ayamelum areas following the expiration of the programme.

At Umueri in Anambra East Local Government, the team assessed a solar-powered borehole project and a bulky cassava processing centre valued at N23 million, saying the project when completed will further promote cassava production.

Unauwo expresses satisfaction that VCDP has achieved its set objectives in spite of some minor constraints.“The project has been able to support farmers and impacted heavily on rural farming with increase in the productivity, family income and standard of living.

“The programme equally resulted in the construction of rural roads, especially to major rice and cassava clusters located in rural communities,” he noted.He expressed displeasure that rice produced in the state was being branded in foreign bags.

“Anambra is producing quality rice but the product is not popular here when compared with Ebonyi State due to fake bagging of the product as foreign rice by criminal elements,” he observed.

The team leader urged the state government to look into the challenge so as to enter into the map as a major rice producing state in the country.He stresses the need for improved relationship between beneficiaries and financial institutions, noting that farmers do complain of late arrival of inputs in some cases.

Unauwo advised the beneficiaries to imbibe the culture of saving and proper maintenance of infrastructure and equipment provided to them.

He says the equipment and infrastructure which were provided to the beneficiaries at 70 per cent subsidy were a one-off gesture.

“That is why government or VCDP is not expecting anything from you; it is left for you to effectively manage the facilities.”

With the testimonies of farmers from Anambra during the visit, it is evident that the aim of the FGN/IFAD Value Chain intervention on rice and cassava production in has no doubt recorded some successes.

All what is expected now is for the stakeholders in the state, especially rice and cassava farmers to sustain the gains recorded so far with a view to sustaining the live changing impact of the FGN/IFAD. (NAN)

#orientdailynews

7 School Children, 16 Others Perish In Kogi Fuel Tanker Fire

Twenty-three people, including seven school children, have died in a fuel tanker fire accident which occurred at Felele area of Lokoja,Kogi, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Idris Ali, who disclosed this in Lokoja, said the seven school children comprised 10 male adults and six female adults.

Ali said that three of the children were females while the remaining four were burnt beyond recognition.


He said five of the dead victims were students and staff of the Kogi State Polytechnic located few metres away from the scene of the incident.

According to him, 24 people were involved in the accident which occurred some minutes before 8 a.m., and that only one female child survived with a minor injury.

The commander said that 10 vehicles, including five cars, three tricycles and two motorcycles were also burnt in the inferno.

He said that the corpses had been deposited at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, where the only survivor was also receiving treatment.

He said that 11 corpses had been claimed for burial by their relations.



News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident has thrown some schools that lost their children in the accident into mourning as they hurriedly closed down.

One of them is the Baptist Group of Schools at Ganaja, which lost three pupils and their parents to the accident, and whose management immediately closed the school till Sept. 28 in honour of the deceased.

NAN gathered that the accident occurred when an Abuja bound fuel tanker had a brake failure and in the process fell down at a spot close to GT Plaza and spilled its content on the road, which immediately ignited fire.

The fire engulfed the entire spot and extended to other parts of the area, including a major a bus stop where school children , workers and other people were waiting to board vehicles to their various destinations.

Meanwhile, Gov. Yahaya Bello has expressed shock and sorrow over the fatal tanker fire accident .

The governor’s reaction was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Mohammed Onogu.

Bello lamented the loss of lives and property in the accident which he described as very sad and tragic.

He expressed his deepest condolences to the relations of the dead victims and grieved with those that lost their property.

He also commiserated with the students and staff of the state Polytechnic , urging them to remain calm and peaceful and bear the loss of their colleagues and staff with great fortitude. (NAN)

#orientdailynews

Agric Expert Urges Enugu Citizens To Embrace Maize Farming To Combat Scarcity

An agriculture expert, Mr Benjamin Onuze, Director of Agric Services, Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture has urged Enugu citizens to embrace maize farming so as to combat maize scarcity in the state.

Onuze gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Enugu.

He said that the state Agriculture ministry had long been encouraging the citizens, especially the youth to go into farming business of various food and cash crops.


The director said that embracing maize farming by everyone was necessary in order to increase their income as well as food production.



“Maize farming is one of the crop farming that is very easy and suitable for Nigerians, it is as old as man itself, and it has been done commercially for decades now.

“It is one of the most common food in Nigeria as it is eaten in various dishes, and forms the basis for most of the meals prepared by the average Nigerian family,” Onuze said.

He noted that poultry farmers were lamenting over high cost of poultry feed due to significant drop in quantity of maize produced in the country.

Onuze added that maize was about 75 percent of the poultry feed composition, adding that it was necessary for maize farming to be embraced by all so as to have surplus in the markets. (NAN)


#orientdailynews

Nsukka Residents Urge FG To Prevent NLC Strike

Some residents of Nsukka in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State have urged the Federal Government to revert to the old prices of petrol and electricity in the country.

They said that such reversal would help to avert Nigeria Labour Congress’ (NLC), Sept. 28, proposed nationwide strike and also reduce the hardships caused by the increment on the masses.

The residents in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Nsukka on Wednesday described the Federal Government’s decision to increase the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff as ill-timed.


Dr Dom Anyadike a Senior Lecturer in the department of General Studies, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), decried the increase in prices.

He said it was unfortunate that government did not consider the hardship Nigerians were going through as a result of many months of lock-down caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

“To me government has no reason whatsoever to increase the pump price of petrol from N145 to N151.56 when many families cannot afford two square meals in a day.

“Government should as matter of urgency rescind its decision by returning to the old pump price of petrol and electricity tariff,” he said.

Mrs Chinwe Odimegwu, a banker said even if government wanted to increase the petrol pump price and electricity tariff it could have done that by 2021.



Odimegwu said this was to enable Nigerians to slightly recover from the pains and hardship caused by many months of lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a result of many months of lockdown many people in the private sector lost their jobs while others have their monthly salary cut.

“Many parents now find it difficult to feed their families as prices of food stuffs in the market have increased astronomically.

“As schools in the country are getting set to reopen, many parents will find it difficult to get money to pay their children’s school fees while government is busy increasing the price of petrol and electricity,’’ she said.

Mr Richard Ozioko, a trader, urged government to consider the interest of Nigerians and cancel the increase in petrol pump price and electricity tariff.

“As a trader I know how much money I lost in about four months markets in Nsukka were closed as a result of COVID-19; I used half of my business capital to feed my family.

“Government should consider the interests of Nigerians as well the negative effects the NLC nationwide strike will have on the economy and rescind its decision on petrol price increase and electricity tariff.

“Many Nigerians are suffering as the increase on petrol pump price has resulted in increase in prices of goods and services, especially food items,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had through its agency Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), announced that from Sept. 2, pump price of petrol would increase from N145 to N151.56.(NAN)

#orientdailynews

*THE NIGERIA POLICE ACT AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW UNDER THAT NEW AMENDED LAW 2020*

🇬🇦.Remember say some of our police officers no they hear or gree with people neither do they do personal studies. Study my short analysis of the recently signed Police Act as amended 2020.

*The Act comes with innovations every Nigerian should know. Spare a minute or two to go through them

1. The general objective of the Act is to provide an effective police service that complies with the principles of accountability and transparency, protect human rights and freedom. See Sec. 1.

2. The duty of the Police is to prevent and detect crimes, protect the rights and freedom of suspects and non-suspects in accordance with the Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and any other law. See Sec. 4 (a).

3. Just like in the movies, Nigeria can now have private detectives who are not employed by the government. The Nigeria Police Force is responsible for vetting and approving the registration of Private Detective Schools and Private Investigative Outfits. See Sec. 4(i).

4. The Police is mandated to report the findings of its investigation to the Attorney General of the Federation or State as the case may be. See Sec. 32(1).

5. The Act prohibits the Police from arresting anyone based on a civil wrong or breach of contract. See Sec. 32(2).

6. The Act equally prohibits the arrest of any person in place of a suspect. See Sec. 36.

7. The Act makes it mandatory on the police officer or any other person authorized to effect an arrest to inform the suspect his rights to:

i. Remain silent or avoid answering any question until after consultation with a legal practitioner or any other person of his own choice. See Sec. 35(2)(a).
ii. Consult a legal practitioner of his own choice before making, endorsing or writing any statement or answering any question put to him after the arrest. See Sec. 35(2)(b)
iii. Free legal representation by the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria or other organizations where applicable. See Sec. 35(2)(c).

8. The Act also makes it mandatory on the Police to notify the next of kin or relative(s) of the suspect immediately after the arrest of the suspect. See Sec. 35(3).

9. A suspect shall be accorded humane treatment. And a suspect shall not be subjected to torture, cruelty, inhumane or degrading treatment. See Sec. 37.

10. The statement of a suspect can be taken only when he wishes to make a statement. See sec. 60(1).

11. The statement, where the suspect wishes to make one, MAY be taken in the presence of a legal practitioner or any other person or organization of his own choice. See sec. 60(2).

12. Where a suspect is arrested and detained for more than 24 hours, if the offence he was arrested for is not a capital offence, his lawyer or relatives can notify any court that has jurisdiction to try the matter about his arrest. See sec. 64(1).

13. The notification can be made in writing or orally. See sec. 64(3).

14. The court SHALL order the production of the suspect and inquire into the matter. Where it is convinced that the suspect should be released on bail, the court shall admit him to bail.

15. The Police are mandated to take the photographs and fingerprint impressions of all suspects who are in lawful custody. See sec. 68(1).

16. Where a suspect refuses to allow the Police to take his measurements, photograph and fingerprint impressions, the Police have the right to apply to court to compelling the suspect to submit himself. See sec. 68(2).

17. On the last working day of every month, an officer in charge of a police station must report to the nearest magistrates the cases of all arrests made without warrant in his jurisdiction, whether the suspect have been admitted to bail or not. See sec. 69(1).

18. By section 66(1) of the Police Act 2020, ONLY a Police Officer who is a LEGAL PRACTITIONER, can prosecute. Section 23 which hitherto gave non-Police lawyers prosecutorial powers no longer hold any potency in law, the entire old Police Act,cap P.19,LFN,2004, having been REPEALED by the Police Act, 2020 recently ASSENTED to by Mr. President.

In effect, any prosecution by a non-Police lawyer is null and void, and of no effect whatsoever - by virtue of section 66(1) of the Act(supra).
Thus, it's a legal ground for objection to any prosecution being conducted by a Police Officer who is NOT a LEGAL PRACTITIONER.

These are some of the high points of the new Police Act 2020.

Share with your contacts.

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Edo Election: US Hails INEC, Security Agencies

Congratulations to the people of Edo State on a credible and peaceful governorship election. We thank the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian security services on the positive role they played in the election and commend their work in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

We recognize the critical role that Governor Godwin Obaseki and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu played in promoting peace. We also thank our civil society partners for their invaluable work in upholding democracy and accountability in this election.

The United States remains concerned with reports of some violence that did emerge during the election, and by reports of vote-buying and intimidation of both voters and civil society domestic observers. We will continue to encourage all stakeholders, including INEC, political parties, and the security services, to improve the electoral process in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election.

As a democratic partner of Nigeria, the United States remains committed to working together to achieve our mutual goals of peace and prosperity for the citizens of both our countries.

#nairaland #edo2020

These are the current stats of activity on the internet today as at the time of this screenshot.

There are over 4billion internet users in the world today.
If you're reading this, you are part of this number.

There are over 1.8billion websites.
Is yours part of this statistic?

Over 115billion emails have been sent out today.
If you sent out emails today, it is part of this stat.
If you didn't, you're simply allowing your competition by more mindshare.
Have you heard the saying, 'the greater your mindshare, the greater your marketshare?'

Over 3billion searches has been done today on Google.
Searches related to your business make up this stat.
Will your business show up on the search results when related keywords are searched for?

Over 3million blog posts have been written today.
Apart from news on politics, sports, gossip etc., some of these blog posts are talking about products and services.
Have you written any blog about your business today?

Over 343million tweets have been sent out today.
How many of these tweets are about your business?

Over 3billion videos have been viewed on Youtube today?
Do you even have a video about your brand or business on Youtube?
How many views have you gotten from today's global stat?

Over 38million photos have been uploaded on Instagram today?
How many photos from this stat are about your brand or business?
...wait, do you have an Instagram account?

Over 66million posts have been made on Tumblr?
How many of these are yours or are you allowing your business tumble away in time?

What do these stats tell you? The internet is where the action is.
If you've got no visible online presence, Covid might not be the worst to happen to your business.

Let's help you start your journey into the world of Digital Marketing.

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Delta Govt Charges Ogbe Ijoh Traders To Keep Market clean

Chairman of the Delta state taskforce on environment, Evangelist Sylvester Oromoni, has paid an unscheduled visit to Ogbe Ijoh Market in Warri South West local government of Delta state.

He commended the environment management committee of Ogbe Ijoh Market for keeping the market clean.

The chairman reiterates that they would ensure that all markets in the state were clean.

Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to the state governor, Sir Igho Akpojotor, and the taskforce coordinator of Delta Central and South, Comrade Kinsley Eweka, disclosed that they would not tolerate dirty environment, stressing that it posed danger to food consumers.

They urged the traders to ensure that the environment was always clean, apart from Thursday sanitation days. They further stated that the environment management committee of the market should collaborate with the PSPs to assist them in evacuating their waste generated in the market.

#orientdailynews

Okowa Approves DELSUTH Project Expansion

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has approved the expansion of the operations and land mass of the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara.

The Chief Medical Director of DELSUTH, Oghara, Dr Onome Ogueh, disclosed this while playing host to the leadership of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Delta state chapter, led by Dr Nwose Ossai, at the weekend.


Dr Ogueh said that the expansion was predicated on the need to make the hospital serve Deltans and Nigerians in full capacity, saying that presently, the hospital’s land size was smaller compared to that of other teaching hospitals. He thanked Governor Okowa for the approval, and added that the process of acquiring additional space for the hospital had begun.

Dr Ogueh explained that the College of Health was not sited in the hospital premises because of space; saying that if the college was housed in the teaching hospital, it would facilitate the presence honorary consultants in DELSUTH to teach and train medical students.



According to him, postgraduate doctors would also be on ground to provide tertiary level specialist care to minimise the stress and risk associated with having to travel between Oghara, Warri and Abraka.

The CMD also revealed that DELSUTH was forging ahead in collaborating with the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia and New York University looking at non – invasive surgery delivery for patient with COVID-19.

Ogueh said that the vision of the DELSUTH management was to take the hospital to a higher level where it would have to measure with the world’s best.

The CMD appealed to the NMA members, well-meaning individual in the state to collaborate with DELSUTH management in the pursuit of this noble vision, stressing that when achieved, it could put DELSUTH, Oghara a destination of preference with among teaching hospitals in the world.

The NMA chairman, Delta state branch, Dr Nwose Ossai, thanked the CMD for approving the visit, and the DELSUTH management for all they did in terms of members welfare. He said that NMA in the state was ready to partner the management of DELSUTH and the state government to ensure that the health institution achieved the ultimate goal of providing world class services that would satisfy the yearnings of Deltans.

#orientdailynews