General
ARC-P to Support Over 9 million Unprotected Children in Nigeria
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Efforts would be made to provide protection for the over 9 million unprotected children in Nigeria, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments, Mrs Maryam Uwais, has assured.
The President’s aide said this category of children, who deal daily with violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and exclusion, would be supported through the At-Risk Children Project (ARC-P).
She explained that the vision of ARC-P is to comprehensively address cross-cutting concerns of at-risk children and provide them with a life of dignity.
“In the family and communities, children should be fully protected so they can survive, grow, learn and develop to their fullest potential,” Mrs Uwais said at the unveiling of the programme in Lagos.
The ARC-P is a strategic national response to address the problem of vulnerable children coordinated by her office. The initiative, according to her, will nurture children with dignity and respect, raise equality citizens and bridge the poverty gap.
It reports directly to the National Steering Committee of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The mission of the project is to “facilitate programmes that will ensure the integration of at-risk children and young adults by creating opportunities for skills and empowerment to reduce their vulnerabilities.”
“A key objective of the program will provide protection and hope to youth and children who are vulnerable, for a productive life through learning, combined with improved health outcomes, values and skills.
“It will also provide meaningful, impactful and pragmatic quality programs that empower the children to become productive to themselves, their families, communities and society,” Mrs Uwais added.
The programme, she further disclosed, would “leverage on successful tried and tested intensive learning initiatives. Expand, deepen and broaden the scope of other programmes on the ground. Coordinate, add value and set basic standards through trained facilitators within the State for sustainability.”
“In addition to the existing learning options, literacy and numeracy, introducing civics, critical thinking, life skills, entrepreneurship, sports, creativity, technology, farming and vocations, community police training. Address mental and physical health concerns, assess and address vision, hearing and special needs, boost nutrition through a feeding programme,” the Special Adviser noted.
She disclosed that the programme would be institutionalised to continue beyond the current administration and called for support from corporate Nigeria to implement interventions including basic literacy and numeracy, health and nutrition, entrepreneurial, financial literacy and vocational skills and digital skills.
Mrs Uwais said they could sponsor any of the programmes and assured that all monies would be accounted for because good corporate governance is a core of ARC-P.
Responding, some of the companies under the Organised Private Sector (OPS), including Lafarge Africa Plc, ANAP Holdings, Airtel Nigeria, International Finance Corporation, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Wema Bank, Aliko Dangote Foundation, FBN Quest Trustees, StanbicIBTC, InterSwitch, Murtala Muhammed Foundation and Accelerex Network, all commended the initiative.
They noted that it was an innovation that would help resolve the out-of-school children problem and insecurity.
“This is an outstanding innovation. I’ve been doing this for about seven years, and I’ve never really thought about getting the kids off the street.
“We do education, but we never looked at it from this angle. So, I think this is commendable,” the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Airtel Nigeria, Ms Chioma Okolie, said.
As for the Head of Corporate Strategy at Wema Bank, Mr Femi Akinfolarin, “This is the single largest problem in Nigeria; unemployment and these youths coming out without skills, without being able to do anything.
“So, it’s top of mind right now. We need to position this initiative as a solution to an evolving problem and thus create an urgency that will make the government and private sector accelerate their reaction to what’s going on.”
The private firms also advised on strengthening the initiative for maximum impact while seeking clarifications from both Mrs Uwais and officials of FBN Quest Trustees, the project’s fund managers.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Efforts are already being taken to tackle the rising incidence of fraudulent real estate transactions in Lagos State.
At a meeting on Wednesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) resolved to strengthen collaboration to address the issue.
Speaking during an interactive session, the Permanent Secretary of LASRERA, Mr Gbolahan Toriola, informed the acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Mr Bawa Usman Kaltungo, the agency was determined to sanitise the real estate sector, protect investors and restore public confidence in property transactions across the state.
He explained that LASRERA was established to regulate real estate transactions in Lagos State and protect residents from fraudulent practices within the sector.
“Some developers build housing units and fraudulently sell or lease the same properties to multiple subscribers, resulting in numerous disputes,” he stated.
Mr Toriola further disclosed that LASRERA usually attempts mediation before resorting to litigation, while seeking the continued support of the EFCC in resolving cases with criminal elements.
“We came to seek your assistance in addressing these issues. This year alone, we have received over 505 petitions and have attended to more than 300,” he said, adding that under Lagos State law, every real estate developer must register with LASRERA before commencing operations.
While expressing appreciation to the officers of the commission for their commitment to protecting investors, Mr Toriola noted that the regulatory framework also covered estate agents, lawyers, landlords and tenants.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director for Legal Unit at LASRERA, Ms Jumoke Omosanya, said the authority was established following numerous petitions received by the Lagos State Government over widespread real estate fraud.
She recalled that LASRERA first sought collaboration with the EFCC in 2023 to curb fraudulent activities within the sector.
According to her, “Some developers fail to deliver projects within agreed timelines, while others fraudulently rent out the same properties to several tenants, causing avoidable disputes and financial losses.”
She also noted that LASRERA possesses statutory powers to suspend erring developers and reiterated that anyone operating as a real estate developer or agent without registration with the Authority was doing so illegally.
Ms Omosanya further disclosed that the Lagos State government was currently working on amendments to the Lagos State Tenancy Law, 2015, to further strengthen regulation within the real estate sector.
In response, Mr Kaltungo said his organisation had become increasingly concerned about the rising incidence of fraudulent real estate transactions across the state.
“We have been deeply concerned about the increasing incidence of real estate fraud. The majority of petitions that come to us are allegations of real estate fraud,” he said.
He lamented that many investors and subscribers had lost substantial sums of money to fraudulent developers, adding that Nigerians in the diaspora were gradually losing confidence in investing in the nation’s real estate sector due to the activities of unscrupulous operators.
“A lot of investors and subscribers are losing their money. Nigerians in the diaspora are also losing interest in buying houses in Nigeria because some of them have been defrauded of millions of naira,” he said.
Mr Kaltungo assured LASRERA of the commission’s readiness to collaborate in tackling the menace, stressing that the directorate would investigate every genuine petition regardless of the amount involved.
“We are always ready to assist, irrespective of the amount involved. We have removed the threshold because no matter how little a person’s money is, it is important, and every victim deserves justice,” he said.
He also urged LASRERA to strengthen its regulatory framework by seeking legislative backing to blacklist developers found guilty of fraudulent practices, noting that such measures would serve as a deterrent to others.
In her remarks, the Head of Legal and Prosecution Department for Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Mrs Deborah Ademu-Eteh, disclosed that the agency was planning a seminar for real estate developers in Lagos State to sensitise them on legal compliance and consumer protection.
Mrs Ademu-Eteh highlighted recurring complaints against developers who demand additional payments from subscribers after completing projects.
She also recounted a case in which a subscriber who paid N80 million for an undelivered property was subsequently sued by the developer alongside the EFCC in a fundamental rights enforcement action, leading to damages being awarded against both the subscriber and the Commission.
She noted that the EFCC often encourages mediation in appropriate cases before proceeding with prosecution and urged LASRERA to intensify public enlightenment campaigns to educate residents on safe real estate transactions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court has ordered Delta Marine Shipping Company to pay three crew and seamen the sum of N24.5 million in unpaid wages within seven days.
The benefiting seafarers are Mr Akegor Mudiaga Micheal, Mr Lambert Chimankpa Nsoha, and Mr John Silvanus Boham. The payment is for their unpaid wages from April 2019 to June 2021 within 7 days.
The trio instituted the action against Delta Marine Shipping Company seeking the payment of outstanding wages earned while serving as seafarers onboard the vessel, pursuant to their respective contracts of employment.
They submitted that they had faithfully discharged their duties onboard the vessel but were not paid their salaries covering the years April 2019 and June 2021 despite repeated demands.
The claimants averred that they wrote letters of complaint and reminders to the Managing Director of the company and the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) regarding the non-payment of their wages, all to no avail.
However, the defendant failed to enter an appearance nor file any defence. The company also failed to cross-examine the claimants’ sole witness, and the court consequently foreclosed its right to cross-examination and defence.
In a well-considered judgment, Justice Isaac Essien held that the evidence tendered by Mr Akegor and 2 others, including their contracts of employment, seamen’s records, certificates of discharge, letters of complaint and the schedule of outstanding salaries, remained unchallenged and uncontroverted.
The court found that the evidence established that Mr Akegor and 2 others were entitled to recover their outstanding wages from Delta Marine Shipping Company.
Justice Essien further held that the claimants had discharged the burden of proof placed on them and were entitled to judgment for the outstanding wages claimed for services rendered onboard MT. Favour from April 2019 to June 2021.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A leading gas and power company in sub-Saharan Africa, Axxela Limited, has expanded its natural gas pipeline network with new customers.
The new customers include Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Jawa International Limited, Solem Agro, and Abimbola Agro, among others.
The company’s customer connections span the manufacturing, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors.
The new clients were facilitated through Gaslink Nigeria Limited (Gaslink), one of Axxela’s subsidiary companies.
“These connections go beyond the expansion of our customer portfolio; they reflect our commitment to broadening energy access for businesses across critical sectors of the economy and supporting Nigeria’s drive towards increased domestic gas utilisation.
“By enabling these businesses to embrace cleaner and more affordable energy solutions, we are helping to improve their operational efficiency while also supporting their environmental sustainability goals,” the Executive Vice President for Axxela Gas Distribution, Mr Kehinde Alabi, said.
“We recognise that collaboration with key players across diverse sectors is essential to powering industries and shaping a more sustainable future for Nigeria and the region.
“These new connections underscore our commitment to expanding domestic gas use, reducing carbon footprints, and providing cost-effective energy alternatives in line with the Federal Government’s energy transition objectives,” he added.
Through its growing infrastructure investment footprint, Axxela continues to play a pivotal role in unlocking the economic potential of natural gas by advancing domestic gas utilisation, enabling industrialisation, and supporting a sustainable energy transition in line with the federal government’s vision of a gas-powered economy.
