By Favour Nnabugwu

Not less than 70 per cent of Nigerian children are suffering from learning poverty, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

The World Bank defined learning poverty as the inability of a 10-year-old to read or understand a simple sentence or solve basic numeracy problem.

According to UNICEF, “Research has shown that schooling does not always result in learning. Many children, even if in school, are not learning fundamental skills required for proficiency. As a result, many children are experiencing learning poverty, with an estimated 70 per cent of Nigerian children falling under this category, varying from state to state”

“Even before COVID-19, the world was grappling with a learning crisis with half of all ten-year-olds in middle and low-income countries unable to read or comprehend a simple story. In sub-Saharan Africa this is nearly 9 in every 10 children.”

Hence, the import of the ongoing launch of the Nigeria Learning Passport in states across the country.

Usamatu Mohammad Gona, the Katsina State Coordinator of the programme during the launch in Katsina said, “the Nigeria Learning Passport is an electronic distance learning medium fortified with audio-visual materials and books to aid self-based learning has been launched in Katsina State to help fast track learning among pupils and students of primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

“The platform makes learning possible even outside the confines of a school which will help address the spiralling number of out-of-school children, especially in states where insecurity hinders access to schools.”

Gona explained that “the NLP education model offers foundational literacy and numeracy skills, sciences, digital and employability skills. The Learning Passport supports early childhood education, primary and secondary education, and provides adolescent skills, technical & vocational education that is tailored to the needs of children and youth who are either out of school, or in need of support to ensure the education they are receiving is of sufficient quality.”

According to Gona, the NLP has the potential to provide access to learning to every Nigerian child within or outside the four walls of a classroom.

Gona who noted that the NLP platform is geared towards ensuring that no Nigerian child misses out of education said “education isn’t just a fundamental right but the fulcrum around which the engine of development revolves; it is the engine of the progress of any society.

“We plan to reach every Nigerian child over time with the NLP but in the short-term, out target is to reach 4.5 million learners by 2023 and 12 million by 2025.

“Additionally, 30,500 teachers and school leaders are being trained on the use of the NLP and on how to integrate technology in classroom instructional practice.

Narrowing it down to Katsina, the NLP Coordinator in the state said: “In Katsina, we are targeting 10,000 learners and teachers across the over 300 schools in the state before the end of November 2023.”

The Learning Passport is delivered by UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Education and powered by Microsoft, with funding support from Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and is free of charge for all learners.

By Favour Nnabugwu

Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have lifted economic and financial sanctions imposed on Mali, after its military rulers proposed a 24-month transition to democracy and published a new electoral law.

The bloc imposed stiff sanctions on Mali in January after the junta said it would not organise democratic elections the following month as initially planned.

ECOWAS Commission President Jean Claude Kassi Brou told a news conference that the sanctions will be lifted immediately. Borders with Mali will reopen and regional diplomats will return to Bamako. read more
However, the heads of state decided to maintain individual sanctions, and the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS, until the return to constitutional rule,” Kassi Brou said.

The individual sanctions targeted members of the ruling junta and the transitional council.

Mali has defaulted on over $300 million of its debt due to the sanctions, which cut it off from the regional financial market and the regional central bank.

The West African leaders meeting in Accra also accepted a pledge from the junta that seized power in Burkina Faso in January to restore constitutional order in 24 months.
Kassi Brou said that after a lengthy discussion with the coup leaders in Burkina Faso, a new proposal for a 24-month transition was more acceptable, after the heads of state rejected a proposed 36-month transition.

Economic and financial sanctions on Burkina Faso were also lifted, he said.

But the ECOWAS leaders rejected a three-year transition proposed by coup leaders who seized power in Guinea in September. They told Guinea’s junta to propose a new timeline by the end of July or face economic sanctions.

The heads of state appointed Benin’s former president Yayi Boni as a new mediator and urged the Guinea junta to work with him and quickly propose a new timetable.

“Beyond that, economic sanctions will be imposed,” Kassi Brou said.

By Favour Nnabugwu

The Gambia’s Omar Alieu  Touray  is to replaced  the President of the ECOWAS Commission replacing Cote d’Ivoire’s Jean-Claude Kassi Brou as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission

Brou assumes office as Governor of the Central Bank of West African States, BCEAO on Monday.

He was elected at Sunday’s Accra Summit to succeed Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo, who held the position for almost two years.

In a similar development, Guinea Bissau President Umaro Embalo is the ECOWAS new Chairman of Authority for the next one year.

The Accra summit deliberated on issues of insecurity and the undemocratic change of governments in Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso and the efforts to return the three countries to democratic order.

By Favour Nnabugwu

The Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria, MBAN, has set a Ntrillion annual turnover for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN.

This is as MBAN has advised the new management team of the FMBN to grow the financial capacity of the sector.

In a courtesy visit on the new Managing-Director of the FMBN, Mr. Madu Hamman, and his team in Abuja, weekend, MBAN said that the N1 trillion annual target would help the bank and the entire housing sector realise set goals more easily.

The association called for more reviews of the laws guiding operations in the mortgage banking sector in Nigeria.

Speaking during the visit, leader of the visiting team and President of MBAN, Mr. Ebilate Mac-Yoroki, expressed the need for the FMBN to automate the operations of the bank, even as it pleaded that primary mortgage banks are allowed fair opportunities to operate.

He said when FMBN decides to take advantage of the opportunities he said abound for the mortgage sector in the capital market, there would be enough funding to meet the several commitments it has on ground, including payment of dividends.

He demanded that the bank gives some latitudes to other primary banks operating along with it in the sector, including clearing the ambiguities surrounding the ‘single obligor’ policy, allowing them take advantage of the rent-to-own package, as well as giving preference to private mortgage banks to hold mortgage moneys that commercial banks currently hold.

According to him, “I’m a product of the capital market, I want to plead that the Federal Mortgage Bank utilizes all the opportunities we have in the capital market and we have also given you a target because you don’t just come as big men, work without target.

“Government will not give you target, but because we are private sector people, we are saying that from now on, your operational target should be in N1 trillion turnover every year. It means this year we’re already in June, we can accommodate N500 million turnover. That way we know that you will have a lot of money, you can pay dividend and so on.

“We also want to plead that you give optimum opportunities for all PMBs to operate, as many as possible, without compromising standards. If anybody has not committed any crime, maybe he has one or two regulatory issues to address, please try and help them so that we can have enough. So please, we want you to know that every PMP is ready to play in a role in this market is trying to accommodate us.

“The other question is, for us to operate, you must also help us operate at optimal levels. There’s this funny question of single obligor that is being raised in some quarters, we don’t know the meaning of single obligor. Money given to PMBs, they are like brokers, like I’m a stockbroker, I can have hundred billion from somebody to buy stock. If I buy, the commission is my own.

“We want to also say that we’ll work with other stakeholders to see how we can amend the foreclosure law we are in the country. Yesterday we were at the Senate we found out you have a lot of knowledgeable, versatile senators, who are ready to help us review a lot of our laws in the housing sector”, he said.

Responding to the requests and tasks made to his team by MBAN, the Managing Director of FMBN, Madu Hamman, said FMBN took the relationship with MBAN seriously, recalling the history of both bodies.

He, however, assured that the issues raised by the banking association would be given adequate attention, observing that processes had already begun on some of the areas.

“We appreciate the relationship, the partnership, the collaboration we have with MBAN, of course, MBAN is FMBN’s primary partner in the market. The inception of Federal Mortgage Bank Act in 1991 gave rise to the issue of primary mortgage coming in and FMBN assuming the supervisory role.

“So, we’ve taken to heart all the issues that have been raised, starting with FMBN processes to be automated. On that, we are happy to say that that is already in progress. The core banking software for the bank is in the process of implementation; first module is life. We’re posting into it, that’s the one that affects FINCORE and treasury. The next module to come up is the credit and NHF, which is the main engine room for our operations. We expect that to come up before the end of June for us to start posting into that”, he said.

“So, from inception, it’s the two of us that were supposed to collaborate together. However, when primary mortgage banks came in and NHF started, we noticed that there was a gap and that led to REDAN coming up. So, REDAN became the second child, but you are the first born so, we take relationship with you seriously”

By Favour Nnabugwu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Mallam Muhammed Bello said that his administration currently generates N200 billion annually through an aggressive revenue drive in the territory

The Minister stated this in Abuja on today when he featured at the 40th Session of the State House Briefing, organised by Presidential Communication Team, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mallam Bello said the sum of N1 billion (N500 million each) has been set aside to renovate the National Mosque and National Christian Center, to make them presentable tourists sites for visitors into the city of Abuja.

The Minister while fielding questions from State House correspondents on the security situation in the FCT and the menace of the Motorcycle Riders known Okada, said the people (Okada Riders) have turned to criminal menace.

Speaking on the efforts to rid the FCT of the criminal menace, the Directorate of the Road Transport Service of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, said that commercial motorcyclists would now require license to operate within the FCT and its suburbs.

The Director, DRTS, Dr Bello Abdullateef, explained that apart from the traffic violations, the riders were also being used to deliver hard drugs across the city.

According to Abdullateef, “The menace arising from many Okada riders is not just about traffic violations but also perpetration of crime. Okada is also used to deliver hard drugs across the city.

“It requires a multi sectoral approach to deal with the menace. We are introducing riders certification for those using okada for dispatch activities.

“Therefore, until you are verified by the directorate of road transport service you may not be able to ride a bike across Abuja. We are remodeling the licensing and regulations as well.

“These would be carried out to dissuade the use of Okada. Total ban has been suggested but it sti being considered.”
“Some of the contiguous states are already banning. And if we don’t ban it, FCT will be a dumping ground in a few years,” he added.

The FCT Minister while answering questions on demolition of illegal structures said though it was not his priority, it has become inevitable in order to save lives..

“We will continue to save lives that is why we have to demolish illegal structures. We encourage the people to follow the rules and regulations. We will do what is beneficial to the highest number of people.”