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ACF calls for state of emergency on power outage

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By Francesca Hangeior

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for a State of Emergency on power outage, lamenting that over the past week and still counting, most parts of the northern states of Nigeria have been battling with sustained electric power supply outages, leading to near total paralysis in economic and social activities in the region.

The forum stated that the situation has led to growing generalised frustration of the populace.

National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, explained that “the situation appears even more dire and frightening as statements from officials charged with the responsibility for power supply, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) suggest that the problem is likely to persist interminable due to technical and security challenges.
Not unexpectedly, the problem has been a subject of intense debate and lamentations in the media, neighbourhood gatherings, business premises, etc.”

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” The smallest of small businesses (such as telephone recharge points, barbing salons, food processors, drinks sellers, etc.), from which millions eke out a daily living are unable to operate. It has also been the same with medium-scale enterprises (such as rice mills, bread and confectionary bakers), that do not have alternative sources of power or cannot afford associated high fuel costs. “

“Home and office operate without cooling and heating and at night are thrown into the medieval dark ages of the primitive, pre-civilisation era. ACF notes that there has emerged, and growing, palpably evidence that it is to the utter consternation and disappointment of people that the problem appears to attract only deafening silence, suggesting indifference, from those who are constitutionally expected to respond with care and concern.”

“At extremes, not a few insinuate a deliberate strategy, among other tendencies, by the Federal Government to continue to socioeconomically shortchange and cripple the North. Such conspiracy hypotheses or theories abound in part because there has been no reaction from the Federal Government, the Minister for Power, elected officials including state governors, nor even feeble motions from state assemblies, such as to give the impression that the country’s leaders as little as care about the basic security and welfare of the people on whose behalf government presides over the nation. “

“An exception to the muteness has been the brave voices of some members of the National Assembly, brave because muteness has since become entrenched in the behaviour of elected personalities. The problem, rather serendipitously, also exposes the gross inequities in power supply generation and distribution nationwide. While the North generates substantial electricity power, it is ironically allocated the least in supply. It just does not make any sense that Lagos alone has eight (8) sub-stations, while the whole of the northern states combined, harbouring more than half of Nigeria’s total population has only THREE (3) sub-stations at Jos, Kaduna and Kano.”

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” The question needs to be posed is if ours an Animal Farm analogy – those who substantially are allocated the least. The situation at hand is a portent national security threat, against which the silence, especially, of public officials amounts to a phenomenal textbook illustration of the abdication of responsibility, as unacceptable as can be.”

” To suggest that the problem has its roots in what had been done or not in the past is merely to make excuses. To lamely offer unintelligent excuses – excuses, not reason – that the problem cannot be immediately addressed due to banditry along power supply lines is to surrender to the terroristic criminals. It is inconceivable that Nigeria’s fairly vast array of security agencies, with their humongous budgetary allocations, cannot dislodge and subdue the rag-tag bandits, reclaim and dominate territory. “

“On this score, it is disappointing that the National Assembly is yet to publicly demand accountability over this unacceptable scenario. It also amounts to unadulterated and untenable obfuscation, that the TCN (and the FGN) cannot marshal the necessary human, technical and other material to address the situation at hand with despatch.
In the event and without equivocation therefore, ACF calls on the FGN and all those concerned to rise to the occasion by declaring a state of emergency on the problem before it snowballs into a crisis. This threat to national security should forthwith be treated with the seriousness it deserves.”

“The problem be addressed with the honest URGENCY it deserves; calls for an immediate review of power supply allocation in the country since all consumers pay for it. It is unacceptable that while the North acts as a candle that supplies light, it is being melted down and plunged into darkness. This ought to and must change with immediate effect in the interest of national stability, fairness and equity, and Calls on elected northern state governors and, members of the National Assembly representing constituencies in the northern states to speak out more vehemently and stridently demanding action on the problem as outlined above.”

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Nigerian Govt promises support for stampede victims’ families

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Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said the Federal Government will support families of victims of recent stampedes across the country.

Shettima made this known in a condolence message on Sunday in Abuja.

He expressed sorrow over the losses and offered prayers and condolences to the affected families.

Recall that on Saturday in Okija, Anambra, a Christmas palliative distribution event turned tragic with 22 persons losing their lives in an early morning stampede.

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The same day in Abuja, another tragedy struck when ten persons died during an annual Christmas food-sharing event at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.

There was also a stampede on Wednesday at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, Oyo State, where about 35 children lost their lives and others sustained injuries during a holiday fun fair.

The vice-president, who described the incidents as a national tragedy, revealed that the Federal Government had directed relevant agencies to provide immediate support to affected families.

“I am extremely saddened by these tragic incidents that have claimed innocent lives.

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“My prayers and thoughts are with the grieving families of all victims, including those who sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.

“I am particularly distraught by the fact that so many lives of Nigerians, particularly children, have been lost in stampedes that ought to have been avoided through proper planning and organisation,” he said.

He prayed the Almighty God to grant eternal rest to the souls of the departed.

“We stand ready to support the bereaved families through this difficult period, and no effort will be spared in providing the necessary assistance they need.”

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Umahi rules out compensation for bare land owners

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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has reiterated that the Federal Government does not compensate for bare lands, adding that all lands belong to the government.

He disclosed this at the inspection of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Section 1 at kilometre 18, Okun Ajah axis, recently.

He said, “Go and read the law; there is no compensation for bare land. All land belongs to the government. Hence, if you are taking what belongs to you, you do not pay compensation; it is the president that directed that anywhere we see a shanty on our corridor, we should pay compensation; it is a kind of human meekness from the president towards the people. We broke no law.

“So, where there is no infrastructure on land, they have to write to Mr. President for a direction on that.”

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In an interview with The Punch, the General Secretary, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Lagos Chapter, Folusho Ogunrinde, said land was undeniably an asset whether owned by individuals, businesses, or the government.

He said, “Governments recognise the value of land as an asset and manage it as such. For instance, you cannot encroach on government-owned land for development because it is considered part of their assets.

Similarly, individuals and private entities acquire land either through inheritance, purchase, or investment. When such land is taken away, the argument that compensation should only be for developments and not the land itself is fundamentally flawed. It disregards the asset’s intrinsic value and how it was acquired.

“The 99-year lease system in Nigeria further underscores the value of land as an asset, as this lease is renewable. If governments require compensation for the renewal of a lease or when public use necessitates land acquisition, individuals and private owners deserve similar recognition and compensation for their land when expropriated.

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“The law, as it stands, needs urgent redress. The idea that landowners should not be compensated for their land is, frankly, unjust and tantamount to fraud. Land is more than a physical space; it is an economic and generational asset. To deny compensation for it is to undermine the principles of equity and justice. Hence, there is a need for a review of the Land Use Act and constitutional provisions to align with the realities of land as a critical and valuable asset.”

In a similar vein, the Team Lead, Arbitration, Maritime, and Real Estate Practice Group, Stren & Blan Partners, Joseph Siyaidon, posited that non-payment of compensation on bare land was unconstitutional.

He said, “The Land Use Act is merely an existing Act and not part of the Constitution. We humbly submit that the provisions of the Land Use Act, which limit the payment of compensation for private properties compulsorily acquired by the government to only unexhausted improvements on the land, are unconstitutional in that they violate the provisions of Sections 43 & 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which extends the right of compensation to all immovable properties, bare lands included.”

Umahi disclosed that the first phase of the coastal highway will be completed by May 29, 2025.

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He said, “By May 29 we are facing the commissioning, and we have directed all the comptrollers of works that, by the end of April, every comptroller of works in all the states must give us a minimum of three projects that Mr. President is going to commission.

“From Channel 0, we are going to be commissioning the first 20 kilometres; however, another 10 kilometres would be ready at the end of the project within this period, but we are not commissioning that one, it is going to be phase 2 of section 1 for commissioning. Generally, across the country, we are going to be commissioning projects in phases.”

Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Road Design, Engr. Musa Saidi, assured that the highway construction adheres to approved specifications and includes additional measures for durability. Any realignment is for public interest, safety, and economic reasons,” he said.

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Telcos demand plan to resolve N250bn USSD debt

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The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria has called on industry regulators to implement clear and practical solutions to resolve the long-standing N250bn debt owed by banks to telecom operators for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data offerings.

Speaking with The PUNCH, ATCON President Tony Emoekpere stressed the need for clear solutions, warning that the debt crisis threatens the progress of financial inclusion in the country.

In Nigeria, USSD is vital for financial inclusion, particularly in rural areas where smartphone penetration and internet access are limited.

It is heavily relied upon by banks, especially for mobile banking services, and is also used for services like airtime top-ups, bill payments, and other telecom services.

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“My advice is that it is crucial for this debt to be addressed directly and for a solution to be found. If telcos are not encouraged to support the financial industry and such debts continue to accumulate, it will be detrimental to financial inclusion targets,” he said.

Emoekpere also highlighted the importance of prioritizing USSD traffic and creating incentives for telecom operators to continue supporting the financial sector.

He urged industry regulators, including the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, to establish a framework that ensures the timely and equitable resolution of such disputes.

The debt crisis has persisted for years, with telecom operators threatening to suspend USSD services unless payments are made.

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While smaller banks have reportedly begun repaying their obligations in installments, tier-one lenders—responsible for the bulk of the debt—are yet to make significant payments, according to the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo.

“Some repayments have been recorded, but they fall short of expectations,” Adebayo told The PUNCH in November.

Telecom operators have long argued that the unpaid debts undermine their ability to maintain USSD services, which are critical for financial transactions in Nigeria.

The operators have repeatedly called for the intervention of regulators to facilitate a lasting resolution.

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Industry stakeholders warn that failure to resolve the debt crisis could jeopardize efforts to expand financial inclusion, particularly in rural areas where USSD services play a pivotal role.

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