The hopes of farmers in Jalingo Taraba State and surrounding local councils for a good harvest this year are diminishing due to a severe drought, The Guardian reported.
The absence of rain has left crops withered, leading to significant losses and prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
Farmers in the region, who have invested time and resources into their crops, are now seeing their efforts wasted as the drought persists.
The lack of rain throughout the growing season has severely affected agricultural activities across Jalingo and neighboring communities.
Alhaji Umar Abbare, a farmer from a nearby community, told our state correspondent that his expectations for a successful harvest have been dashed by the drought.
“The energy and resources we have invested in farming this season are at risk of being wasted due to the lack of rain,” Abbare said.
The drought’s impact extends beyond the farming community, raising concerns about the broader economic implications for the state and the North-East region.
With crops failing and food supplies dwindling, the situation could worsen the already difficult economic conditions in the region and across the country.
Many farmers have turned to prayer and fasting, seeking relief. “We have approached rainmakers several times, but nothing has happened,” said Usmanu Salihu, another farmer. “Our only option now is to seek help from a higher power.”
The ongoing drought has also worried herders and other residents of the state, as they face the potential consequences on food supply and economic stability.
As worshippers of the two major religions in the state pray and fast, the hope for rain remains uncertain, leaving farmers’ prospects and the state’s well-being at risk.
Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, a member of the House of Representatives from Kano, has alleged that fellow lawmaker Alhassan Doguwa has never won a free and fair election.
Jibrin likened Doguwa, the chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), to the late Idi Amin, the former Ugandan leader notorious for his authoritarian rule.
Amin was a military dictator who ruled the East African country between 1971 and 1979.
Jibrin Kofa, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Doguwa, from the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been at odds recently.
The conflict intensified after Jibrin warned Doguwa against insulting Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NNPP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections. Doguwa responded by claiming that Kwankwaso first insulted APC members in Kano.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sani Paki, Jibrin’s media aide, quoted Jibrin as saying his influence was crucial in making Doguwa the Chief Whip of the House in the eighth National Assembly.
Jibrin alleged, “Doguwa has never won a free and fair election. His party did not find him suitable for the position of Whip or Leader of the House in 2023.”
Jibrin added, “Though he worked against us in the speakership race of 2015 and covertly in 2019, I defeated him both times and pushed for him to be Chief Whip on the instruction of Kwankwaso in 2015. I repeated the same after leading the speakership race in 2019 to make Alhassan Leader of the House, as instructed by the then Governor of Kano. He has betrayed these leaders and continues to plot against them.”
Describing Doguwa as “the real political parasite,” Jibrin challenged him to demonstrate his political structure, accusing him of thriving only in crisis situations. “I am fit to be called his godfather in the House of Representatives. This is what a little boy who was in school in 1992 can do to an old man like Doguwa,” Jibrin concluded.
I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states.
Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.
I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and otherstates, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.
I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.
As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.
Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.
Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner.
My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.
For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter.
In the past 14 months, our government has made significant strides in rebuilding the foundation of our economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the fiscal side, aggregate government revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking leakages, introducing automation, and mobilising funding creatively without additional burden on the people. Productivity is gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambience
My dear brothers and sisters, we have come this far. Coming from a place where our country spent 97% of all our revenue on debt service; we have been able to reduce that to 68% in the last 13 months. We have also cleared legitimate outstanding foreign exchange obligations of about $5billion without any adverse impact on our programmes.
This has given us more financial freedom and the room to spend more money on you, our citizens, to fund essential social services like education and healthcare. It has also led to our State, and Local Governments receiving the highest allocations ever in our country’s history from the Federation Account.
We have also embarked on major infrastructure projects across the country. We are working to complete inherited projects critical to our economic prosperity, including roads, bridges, railways, power, and oil and gas developments. Notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects will open up 16 connecting states, creating thousands of jobs and boosting economic output through trade, tourism and cultural integration
Our once-declining oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our oil production to 1.61million barrels per day, and our gas assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion dollars since then.
Fellow Nigerians, we are a country blessed with both oil and gas resources, but we met a country that had been dependent solely on oil-based petrol, neglecting its gas resources to power the economy. We were also using our hard-earned foreign exchange to pay for, and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our transportation economy and bring costs down. This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our resources for more investment in healthcare and education.
To this end, we will be distributing a million kits of extremely low or no cost to commercial vehicles that transport people and goods and who currently consume 80% of the imported PMS and AGO.
We have started the distribution of conversion kits and setting up of conversion centres across the country in conjunction with the private sector. We believe that this CNG initiative will reduce transportation costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb inflation.
Our administration has shown its commitment to the youth by setting up the student loan scheme. To date, 45.6billion Naira has already been processed for payment to students and their respective institutions
I encourage more of our vibrant youth population to take advantage of this opportunity. We established the Consumer Credit Corporation with over N200billion to help Nigerians to acquire essential products without the need for immediate cash payments, making life easier for millions of households. This will consequently reduce corruption and eliminate cash and opaque transactions. This week, I ordered the release of an additional N50billion Naira each for NELFUND – the student loan, and Credit Corporation from the proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC
Additionally, we have secured $620million under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower our young people, creating millions of IT and technical jobs that will make them globally competitive. These programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents scheme. Unfortunately, one of the digital centres was vandalised during the protests in Kano. What a shame!
In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP).
Also, more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit.
Furthermore, 75,000 beneficiaries have been processed to receive our N1million Micro and Small Business single-digit interest loans, starting this month. We have also built 10 MSME hubs within the past year, created 240,000 jobs through them and 5 more hubs are in progress which will be ready by October this year.
Payments of N1billion each are also being made to large manufacturers under our single-digit loans to boost manufacturing output and stimulate growth.
I signed the National Minimum Wage into law last week, and the lowest-earning workers will now earn at least N70,000 a month.
Six months ago in Karsana, Abuja, I inaugurated the first phase of our ambitious housing initiative, the Renewed Hope City and Estate. This project is the first of six we have planned across the nation’s geopolitical zones. Each of these cities will include a minimum of 1,000 housing units, with Karsana itself set to deliver 3,212 units
In addition to these city projects, we are also launching the Renewed Hope Estates in every state, each comprising 500 housing units. Our goal is to complete a total of 100,000 housing units over the next three years. This initiative is not only about providing homes but also about creating thousands of jobs across the nation as well as stimulating economic growth.
We are providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices. I have directed that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the prices.
I have been meeting with our Governors and key Ministers to accelerate food production. We have distributed fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, whilst the states provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production. In the past few months, we have also ordered mechanized farming equipment such as tractors and planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way.
My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.
But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.
The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.
My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.
Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!
In conclusion, security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.
Thank God — and Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless our great Nation. Thank you very much.
Political activist, Umma Getso was former Vice Presidential candidate, Young Progressives Party, YPP. in the 2019 Presidential election.
She spoke to the press recently on various national issues including, a looming mass revolution, insecurity, and an assessment of the Tinubu Presidency among others.
How will you assess the one year anniversary of President Bola Tinubu tenure?
Well, it’s very hard to say this but if we look at the situation of President Tinubu-led government, we cannot cover our eyes and say that the man is doing well or that his administration so far is performing.
Whatever that is the figure in the papers needs to be reflected in the lives of common Nigerians, or average Nigerians, so to speak.
And the way things are going, I am worried, I am very afraid the way the youths are hungry and angry, calling for agitation, and protests.
See what is happening in foreign countries, even in nearby African countries. I do not think that our parents and grandparents witnessed this type of hardship that the people are experiencing. Things are tough for Nigerians and this truth must be told to those in power.
Everybody is crying, businesses are dying, some international companies, multi-nationals are relocating, leaving Nigeria, and this is worrisome. We have to tell Mr. President, governors, our National Assembly members that there is urgent need for a kind of fire brigade approach to the situation or else, I am afraid we may witness what will shock all of us to the marrow.
We have been calling the youths to calm down, we have been calling the masses to calm down but things seem not to be improving. There is a limit and a lot of people do not want to go back to their houses because of the biting hardship.
And we cannot close our eyes and say the administration is doing well giving the excuse that they have just been there for one year. With what we suffered under former President Buhari, Nigerians expected that it cannot be worst than what we had in the previous government but they are wrong.
The expectation was that with the coming of President Tinubu on board, Nigerians will be shinning and it will be bye-bye to hunger and poverty, and all the negatives that Nigerians witnessed under the Buhari regime. We can even excuse Buhari because you can say he was a novice politically but what will be the excuse for Tinubu? We expected him to bring the magic he did in Lagos to the entire Nigeria but he is failing in the challenge.
We had a lot of hope on the Tinubu presidency because the feeling was that he was politically sophisticated and knows what best to do to pilot the affairs of this country to dignity, safety and prosperity.
To be candid, Nigeria is not well, Nigeria is not going well and I am very afraid for us on what is going to happen next should we continue on this painful path.
We can even excuse Buhari because you can say he was a novice politically but what will be the excuse for Tinubu? We expected him to bring the magic he did in Lagos to the entire Nigeria but he is failing in the challenge. We had a lot of hope on the Tinubu presidency because the feeling was that he was politically sophisticated and knows what best to do to pilot the affairs of this country to dignity, safety and prosperity.
Where do you think this government made the mistake and not getting it right?
The removal of the fuel subsidy without adequate preparation for what will cushion the effect is one of it, it affected everything, the prices of everything skyrocketed. We expected him to have subsidy on food , on transportation and in some other things. I am confused on why he removed subsidy without any amenity, palliatives provided to subsidise for the common masses.
So, removal of fuel subsidy is one thing, tax increment is another thing. He has to re-examine their economic reform policies because they are not giving desirable results. I have so many friends that are closing their businesses because of huge tax, multiple taxation.
As I pointed out in some other platforms where I had the opportunity to express my views, we cannot continue this way, we cannot continue on this dangerous path and if we do, I see a mass revolt coming that will shake this country the way it has never happened.
It will be difficult to quench because some have vowed that it is better for them to die than continue this way.
Many have been thrown out of their homes, their villages and for them there is no joy in living again.
I urge the government to rise to this challenge, Nigerians are suffering, they are dying by the day and something drastic must be done to restore their hope. What is very unfortunate is that the people in government are spending money like flowing water; they are living in opulence and do not seem to care.
They are dethatched from the reality of the hardship in the land. There is so many imbalance, the gap is so wide between the haves and have-nots and getting wider with each passing day.
If the people in government are suffering also, feeling the pain the ordinary Nigerians are feeling, tightening their belt like the ordinary Nigerians the masses will not feel bad but they are swimming in wealth, ill-gotten wealth but want the poor citizens to continue to pay the sacrifice.
Ordinary Nigerians are suffering but the people in government are spending in billions getting their comfort while the masses are dying. To be candid, the gap has never been this wide.
Africa’s wealthiest man Aliko Dangote said he is willing to give up ownership of his multibillion-dollar oil refinery to the state-owned energy company NNPC Limited.
The billionaire spoke as a new dispute with one of the key equity partners in the plant heats up in the latest phase of a bitter row with regulatory authorities in Nigeria.
The 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery, which came to life last year after a decade of prolonged construction, cost $19 billion, more than double the initial estimate, promising to help wean Africa’s biggest oil producer off its reliance on fuel from overseas and save up 30 per cent of the total foreign exchange spent on importing goods.
“Let them (NNPCL) buy me out and run the refinery the best way they can. They have labelled me a monopolist. That’s an incorrect and unfair allegation, but it’s OK. If they buy me out, at least, their so-called monopolist would be out of the way,” Mr Dangote told PREMIUM TIMES in an exclusive interview on Sunday.
“We have been facing fuel crisis since the 70s. This refinery can help in resolving the problem but it does appear some people are uncomfortable that I am in the picture. So I am ready to let go, let the NNPC buy me out, run the refinery.”
The multisectoral investor’s big bet on oil and gas, which he ventured into following years of relatively stress-free dominance of Nigeria’s cement, salt and sugar industries, is turning out problematic in its early days.
Set for its first roll-out of petrol to the Nigerian market in August, the mammoth plant has been operating just above half its capacity since the January start of refining operations, constrained in part by difficulties in sourcing crude from international producers.
Dangote Refinery said those companies are either demanding outrageous premiums before agreeing to supply crude or simply claiming the product is unavailable.
NNPC, once a sweetheart of the refiner before the current dispute soured relations, had delivered only 6.9 million barrels of oil to the plant as of May since last year, according to S&P Global Platts, a tracker of supply data.
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