Day: May 18, 2023

The Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa (IGLSA) on Thursday called for high investment in leadership and governance to completely eliminate corruption from the country.

The Director-General, IGLSA, Dr Lanre Adebayo, made this call in Abuja at the public presentation of a book authored by a Rear Admiral of the Nigerian Navy, Dr Kasimu Bushi.

The book: `’Fundamentals of Nigerian Finance and Accounting”, which has 14 chapters and 266 pages aims at addressing the gaps in public finance and accounting.

Adebayo said the publication addresses a key component of the country’s governance system as a major drive towards promoting good governance.

”It is contended that of all the major challenges facing our continent, capacity gaps in governance and leadership appear to be at the top.

”In our view, this is not due to lack of potential, rather lack of investments in creating a critical mass of expertise in those areas.

”It is, therefore, imperative that both the public and private sectors in the country should invest in areas of national emergency if we must close the gaps between the rich and poor countries,” he said.

Adebayo congratulated the author for his contribution to good governance and national development, while urging Nigerian leaders to take advantage of the various membership categories in the institute.

The Emir of Lafia, retired Hon. Justice Sidi Muhammed, advised that concerted efforts should be put in place to wage war against corrupt practices in the country.

“The most difficult war to fight is the war against corruption. We have seen the efforts of the government to end this but more needs to be done.

“I commend the author for his contribution to the general management of finance, especially as it relates to the public sector and your contributions are timely and apt,” the emir said.

He, therefore, said that the book if carefully read and practised would go a long way in reducing the level of financial corruption in the country.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee of the Navy, Sen. George Sekibo, commended the author for giving back to the public out of his wealth of knowledge through the book.

Sekibo charged the author to continue writing books, so that Nigerians could learn and benefit from his knowledge, adding that the country would be better for it.

Also, the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Bayero, said the book would address critical issues of development, while also exposing best practices in learning for finance managers, lecturers and students of Financial Accounting.

Also, the Book Reviewer, Prof. Ibrahim Saleh, Deputy Dean, Management Services, Federal University of Kushere, Gombe State, said that monetary issues must be taken serious for the image of the country to be reshaped.

“Each of the book’s 14 chapters took in-depth looks at the financial problems of the country, and proffered solutions to ensure corrupt practices are minimised,” he said.

On his part, the author, Dr Kasimu Bushi, said he was motivated to write the book when he realised that most work experienced in different spheres are not documented.

Bushi said that accounting graduates are not exposed to practical issues in public sector accounting, adding that those newly employed in the public sector are also not well-equipped with knowledge of public sector accounting.

He said that public sector accountants are barely exposed to the regulatory aspect of its accounting, which often served as a guide to accounting functions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics (ESL) has been exerting efforts to provide global standard services by using modern technologies, ESL CEO said.

The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics held customers and stakeholder’s meeting that discussed challenges and opportunities of the company today.

Speaking on the occasion, ESL CEO Beriso Amlo said services have been provided in three critical operational sectors during the last 9 months.

According to him, efforts are being exerted to provide global standard services by using modern technologies.

ESL has, for instance, imported containers with refrigerators for the first time in order to expedite foreign trade, ensure benefits of farmers, and encourage the sector in transporting vegetables and fruits safely both on the sea and road.

The CEO added that some 185 heavy trucks have been purchased this and last year to enhance road transport capacity and logistics.

He also disclosed that two modern and huge ships are being purchased with the view to providing sufficient and effective services.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Managing Director, Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, says the dredging of Rivers Benue, Niger and Kaduna will cost more than 20 billion dollars.

According to him, the dredging of the three rivers will check the perennial flooding in affected areas and ease difficulties faced such communities.

Yelwa disclosed this at the 2023 stakeholders meeting on flood mitigation and other related issues in Ilorin on Thursday.

He said it would be difficult for the Federal Government to handle without intervention from international donor agencies.

He said that the estimated cost for dredging of the rivers as at 1983 was 2 billion dollars, adding that the cost had gone up over 10 times.

“The dredging of River Niger or Benue, as the case may be, has always been repeatedly suggested in all the places we have visited.

”We have visited about five states including Kwara, almost all the states were asking for dredging.

“In 1983, when the former President, Shehu Shagari’s government asked for the cost of dredging of River Niger and Benue, a bill of $2 billion was given.

”You can imagine the scope now, even if the dollar had remained the same, the scope would have gone up 10 times. That is why it is difficult.

“It is not what HYPPADEC nor the federal government can do without making recourse to international organisations for intervention and that is what we are working towards to mobilise international donor agencies for intervention,” he said.

To mitigate the 2023 flood prediction by the Nigerian Metereological Agency (NIMET), Yelwa said the commission would embark on aforestration programme, where trees would be planted in five hectares of land in each of the five local government areas in Kwara North senatorial district.

Also speaking, one of the civil society organisations at the event, Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC), called for multi-sectoral approach towards mitigating flood in Kwara.

The foundation’s CEO, Mrs Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, said that Rapid Response team on flooding should be reviewed towards addressing challenges associated with flooding and their effects on dwellers of riverine areas.

The Kwara Commissioner for Environment, Mrs Remilekun Banigbe, who was represented by the Director of Ecological Services, Malam Ilyasu Yahaya, said the high risk of the imminent flooding predicted by NIMET could cause high rate of disease and displacement of people.

The state Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Segun Adeyemi, said the way we manage our environment pre-diposes us to flood.

He said the NOA would work in all local government areas to sensitise people on what is ahead of them.

The Kwara Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Salihu Abdullahi, said the rapid response team should be reviewed to involve necessary stakeholders that would look into different aspects of the flooding.

On his part, the Emir of Shonga, Dr Halliru Yahaya, who spoke on behalf of traditional rulers at the meeting, called for the mapping of the flood prone areas to reduce the impact.

Yahaya also advised government agencies to enforce all environmental laws to ensure sanity in the communities.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria