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The future of microfinance sector seems bleak as only
18 million out of Nigeria’s active adult population (about 21 percent)
can access financial services to boost economic development.

The Resident Country Representative of the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dauda Toure, who identified women
and youth as making up the critical mass of the affected population,
said about 64 million Nigerians or 74 percent, has never been banked,
while only 4 million, or 5 percent, have previously owned a bank
account. Mr Toure told NEXT at the opening of a microfinance training
programme in Abuja that though various stakeholders have keyed into the
country’s microfinance landscape since it was launched more than five
years ago, very little impact has been recorded, adding that there are
strong possibilities that set objectives of the microfinance sector may
not be achieved by 2020. The sector’s poor record of performance, Mr
Toure explained, was attributed to the apparent lack of capacity,
inadequate coordination and synergy, policy shortfalls, lack of
detailed articulation of stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities in
the various sector’s operations.

To facilitate the reversal of this trend in the
sector, the Country Representative said the UNDP, under its private
sector development programme (PSDP), is currently providing support to
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for a five-year national microfinance
development strategy for Nigeria. The support to the CBN, Mr Toure
said, comes, basically, in the form of technical assistance designed to
serve as a catalyst to the achievement of sector goal, adding that the
technical assistance has so far facilitated the current national survey
and assessment of the sector as well as the on-going policy review
process supported by both international and national consultants
deployed by UNDP and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNDCF),
who provide the technical inputs. “We are attempting to develop a
programme that will ultimately build sufficient capacity in the
microfinance sector to expand and deepen the delivery of sustainable
inclusive financial services across Nigeria,” he said, pointing out
that the training programme was one of such activities aimed at
building capacity to address identified gaps in the sector.

The two-week management training on how to make small loans work to
lift the poor and better support the informal sector, he explained, is
targeted at key managers of state-supported microfinance institutions,
microfinance banks and relevant government officials to broaden their
understanding on how to deliver inclusive operations and boost
productivity. Besides, it will also help furnish participants with the
necessary tools to enhance their performance, develop their
perspectives and practical skills to manage, improve and expand
microfinance services to the poor.

The federal government yesterday
withdrew the operational license of the Ondo State University of
Science and Technology (OSUTECH), Okitipupa, in Ondo State.

According to documents released in
Abuja after an emergency meeting with the management of the National
Universities Commission (NUC), the action was taken because of concerns
about the school’s academic performance and admissions policies.

The school had not commenced academic
activities since it was formally recognised in 2008 and all application
forms of the school’s candidates had been sent to be absorbed by the
nearby Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

“Having waited for two academic
sessions, with no activity taking place, it has become obvious that the
university is not ready to commence academic activities,” said the
commission’s executive secretary, Julius Okojie.

Also evidence showed that the
University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, may have submitted fictitious
evidence to get approval for the school.

No evidence of a school

NUC officials who visited the site of
the school found that the stated infrastructural facilities, that had
been listed along with the application did not exist at the school’s
location.

“This was verified by the NUC Investigative Panel that held
consultations with stakeholders on the matter,” read an NUC letter to
the Ikere-Ekiti administration. “The hostility to staff and students at
the proposed location of the university is a serious challenge which
the NUC cannot ignore.” The NUC has given the University of Education,
Ikere-Ekiti, less than two weeks to sort out “the seeming
misunderstanding on the location of the institution.” “If, by August
15, 2010, the proprietor of the University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti,
is unable to meet the conditions under which the recognition to operate
as a degree-awarding institution was given in January 2008 and
regularise the anomalies found by the fact-fining team, the
commission’s recognition of your university will be withdrawn.” The
commission has informed the governors of Ondo and Ekiti States of its
decision.

Moses Ada Egashi
Alade, a traditional ruler in Nasarawa State, has appealed to the
governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma, to take his community’s land dispute case
before the National Boundary Commission.

Mr Alade is the
Utushoho of Agbashi, a border between Benue and Nasarawa States. He
made the appeal in his palace on Monday, during a meeting of the
traditional council.

The traditional
ruler also asked the governor to expedite the completion of the road
that links the towns of Doma Akwata to Agbashi on the Benue border. He
said past governments had failed to complete the road, adding that if
completed, it would open up the area for socio-economic activities.

Mr Alade also wants
the Universal Basic Education board to post teachers and structural
materials to the area. He lamented that since the construction of a
general hospital by the past administration, the community has not been
able staff it.

The governor met with the traditional ruler yesterday, during his state-wide “meet the people” tour.

Danladi Egege, an
Ekye resident, appealed to the governor to hurry the contractor
handling the Doma Akwata to Agbashi road and ensure its completion
before the end of this year. He also wants workers who quit the site to
return.

After Ekye, the state governor will proceed to Doma, his home town.

Nigeria’s Deputy
Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday said that the proposed
amount for the new voter register by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) is too high.

Mr Ekeweremadu,
while speaking to correspondents at the presidential wing of the
Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, said that our country is faced
with numerous challenges that require financial attention and that our
government should be working out how to save funds.

“Well, that is his
(Jega, INEC Chairman’s) estimate, not my estimate. We should be talking
about how to save money from that figure and focus on other areas,” he
said.

Mr Ekweremadu added
that the commission needs to review the amount in the request,
stressing that the number of polling booths to be used during the 2011
general elections is enormous.

“I think for the
purpose of the election, it is reasonable, but a country such as here
where we have so much poverty, it is on the high side. He (Jega) may
have to adjust it to be more realistic, for we believe there are other
ways we can adjust this.

“That figure is
much, because he is looking at one data capturing machine per polling
booth and we have 120,000 of such (polling booths), so if there is any
way we can deal with it in such a way that there could be like two
polling booths per DCM, I’m sure it’s going to reduce the figure,” he
said.

Last week, Attahiru
Jega, chairman of the commission, disclosed that the INEC will need N84
billion to efficiently carry out credible general elections in our
country come 2011.

The Senator,
however, assured that the House of Assembly will reach an agreement
with the commission on how to professionally deal with the development.

“We will work it out with him but he is going to get all the support he needs from us,” he said.

State creation

Speaking on the
agitation for the increase in the number of states in Nigeria, Mr
Ekweremadu said that the Senate has to go through different procedures
before coming out with an agreed figure.

“I don’t have the
figures here and this is not the military regime where you just stay
one place and say you are creating states; because we have to go
through a number of procedures laid down in section 8 of the
constitution,” he said.

The Deputy Senate President said that the House is to establish a committee that will look into the issue of state creation.

“We are going to set up a small committee within our small
committee, to look at all the requests and advice us in terms of those
that meet the requirements, those that are viable and those that meet
the ends of justice,” he said. “Then we will be able to make further
recommendations to the National Assembly.”

The Police in Imo
State have arrested five suspected kidnappers who allegedly abducted a
six-year-old boy and demanded a N5 million ransom from his family.

The Deputy
Commissioner of Police (DCP), Gwary Usman, who paraded the suspects in
Owerri, alleged that the suspects abducted Chinaza Onyeike in front of
his home at Obilubi in Mbaitoli Local Government Area on July 24 at
gunpoint.

He said that “the
hoodlums forced the victim into their 406 Peugeot car and drove off to
an unknown destination.” Mr. Usman also said that from their hideout,
the suspects demanded a N5 million ransom from the parents of the boy
and that the police later arrested a member of the gang, who assisted
the Police with information that led to the rescue of the boy.

According to him, the suspect led operatives to Umuno Okwu Ikeduru, where the victim was being locked up in a house.

He said the “victim
was safely rescued, the vehicle used for the kidnap was equally
recovered’’ and the suspect made more confessions that led to the
arrest of other gang members.

The suspects included two brothers aged 25 and 27, as well as another 25-year-old and a 24-year-old man.

The police further
alleged that the gang, on May 11, kidnapped one Peace Iheanacho, who
was released after the payment of N100, 000.

The DCP also said that the police arrested another 24-year-old man over his involvement in many kidnap cases around the state.

He used the occasion to restate the commitment of the Police Command to check crime, especially kidnapping, in the state.

He expressed happiness that the new strategy adopted to improve the security situation was yielding positive results.

“The fight against
kidnapping in the state is now being fought with vigour, we need the
members of the community to join us,” he said.

NAN

A Nigerian man and
a French woman were jailed today in the United Kingdom after they
pleaded guilty to a sham marriage. According to a United Kingdom Border
Agency investigation, a Nigerian man, Moshood Samusi, was alleged to
have overstayed his visa, and he and his French bride, Landry Tra, were
sentenced to serve two and a half years each.

Mr. Samusi is the
sixth Nigerian to be convicted of sham marriages in an ongoing special
operation to stop arranged marriages by foreigners in their plans to
become UK citizens. Mr. Samusi and his wife pleaded guilty to
immigration offences at Northampton Crown Court and will also be
deported when they are through serving their sentences.

In a statement
signed by Toby Allanson, UK Border Agency, Regional Press Officer –
East: “Their convictions were said to have brought the total cases of
such fake marriages, combined sentences for all 12 people apprehended
during Operation Sandford, which kicked off in March, to more than 26
years.” Mr. Samusi, who is 39, and 21-year-old Ms. Tra were allegedly
arrested by officers from the UK Border Agency’s immigration crime team
on March 14 while their marriage ceremony was underway in St Michael’s
Church, Perry Street, Northampton.

The statement also
says that “Ms. Tra admitted that she agreed to marry Samusi for a
payment of £3,500. Samusi of Fairmead House, Hackney, hoped that his
marriage to a French national would assist his application to remain in
the UK.” Damian Green, Minister for Immigration, however said that he
welcomed their conviction and expected it to send a clear signal to
anyone considering a fake marriage,

“Today’s
convictions send a clear message to anyone considering breaking our
immigration laws that Britain is no longer a soft touch. We now have
specialist teams of immigration and police officers working day in day
out to tackle and prosecute people who commit this form of organised
criminality.

“I have tasked the
UK Border Agency with carrying out an intense period of enforcement
activity over the summer to tackle the most problematic routes – bogus
colleges and organised traffickers as well as illegal working and sham
marriages.

“We are determined
to create a hostile environment which makes it harder than ever for
illegal immigrants to come to the UK and put untold pressures on our
public services.” Also, the UK Border Agency assistant director, Sam
Bullimore, said that “Tackling sham marriage is a top priority for us
and our immigration crime teams are working hard to create a hostile
environment for those who break the immigration laws.

“We are working
closely with registrars and the Church to identify suspect marriages.
Where there is evidence to suggest that a wedding may be bogus we will
investigate and, where necessary, intervene to stop it happening.

“People should be
under no illusion that marriage is enough to get permission to stay in
the UK. Their relationship has to be genuine. If it’s not, they will
face prosecution or deportation.” The Operation Sandford put in place
by the agency has however uncovered a series of sham marriages taking
place at Holy Sepulchre and St Michaels churches, mainly between West
Africans and EU nationals from countries including France, Portugal and
Holland.

According to the agency, “Any non-EEA foreign criminal sentenced to
more than 12 months in prison for any offence automatically faces
deportation action. Anyone who suspects someone of committing
immigration related crime should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
where anonymity can be assured.”

Russia’s leaders
declared a state of emergency on Monday in seven provinces and ordered
authorities to guard weapons storage facilities from wildfires that
have killed at least 40 people.

Thousands more have
lost their homes to blazes stoked by Russia’s worst heatwave since the
tsarist era. The heat has parched crops in one of the world’s largest
grain exporting nations, helping drive global grain prices to 22-month
highs.

“Many families have
nothing left — the flames destroyed everything,” President Dmitry
Medvedev said in a sober announcement on state television. “It is a
huge tragedy.” With little relief expected this week, he urged Russians
to take care in tinder-dry forests and fields, warning that “every
match tossed away could lead to irreparable disaster.” Medvedev’s
emergency decree covered European Russian regions from Voronezh in the
south to several Volga River areas and the densely populated province
ringing Moscow.

A blanket of acrid
smog covered the sweltering capital itself, worsening the woes of
Muscovites gasping in Russia’s hottest weather since record-keeping
began around 1880. Some wore facemasks to filter the air they breathed.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered authorities to protect weapons sites, power plants and other vital facilities.

“The last thing we
need is for arms stores to fall into this zone (affected by fires),”
Putin said at a meeting with emergency officials and governors of
affected regions.

Authorities said
they had increased the number of firefighters near an iconic nuclear
research centre by tenfold, but a spokesman for Russia’s state nuclear
corporation Rosatom, Sergei Novikov, said the centre was not currently
in danger.

The facility at
Sarov in the Nizhny Novgorod province around 350 kilometres (220 miles)
east of Moscow was a top-secret location in Soviet times codenamed
Arzamas-16, where the first Soviet atom and hydrogen bombs were
designed.

“At the present
time, all the fires around (the centre) have been put out so there is
no threat to the nuclear centre,” Novikov said.

“There may be a threat of further fires from the south but special groups are prepared for that contingency.”

Reconstruction

Putin warned that
small blazes in areas where fires have been extinguished could be
whipped up by winds and spread again. “Everything must be put out,”
Putin said.

Putin is still
widely seen as Russia’s top leader after steering Medvedev into the
presidency in 2008 and is eager to retain his popularity ahead of
elections in the next two years. He chided regional officials and
demanded detailed accounts of plans to fight the fires and compensate
the victims.

“You know what
citizens are saying: ‘Yes, we call (the authorities), but they hang up
on us — nobody wants to talk,” Putin said at the meeting, shown in
part on state television.

He ordered
governors to report to him with timelines for the construction of
housing, demanding information about “every region, every town, every
home.” Medvedev said all those who have lost their homes must have
roofs over their heads before winter.

Putin said
compensation and reconstruction was expected to cost 5 billion roubles
(103.8 million pounds). It will all come from the state budget because
very few Russian households have insurance.

He also called for
plans to prevent such losses from wildfires in the future. More people
die per capita in household fires in Russia than in most Western
nations because of poor infrastructure, flouting of safety rules and
negligence.

Nearly 700
wildfires were burning on Monday over 1,210 square kilometres (750
square miles) of land, a spokeswoman for the Emergency Situations
Ministry told Reuters.

The death toll rose from 28 people on Sunday to 40 on Monday, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Reuters

The Action Congress
has called for the immediate suspension of the chairman of the
recently-dissolved Senate Committee on Communication, Sylvester
Anyanwu. In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Lai
Mohammed, the party said the dissolution of the committee, while
commendable, does not constitute adequate sanction for Mr. Anyanwu’s
act.

The senate, had
last week Thursday, disbanded the Anyanwu-led committee on
communication over alleged fraud in the committee’s screening of the
recently appointed chairman and members of the board of National
Communications Commission.

The disbandment of
the committee followed allegations that the chairman of the committee,
Sylvester Anyanwu (PDP, Imo State) conducted the screening for the
appointed chairman and members of the board of National Communications
Commission (NCC) alone,

at night, and later claimed that six members of the committee were involved.

According to the
opposition party, “First, the chairman allegedly conducted the
screening alone, and at night, only to claim that six members of the
committee did so. Then he signed the screening report on behalf of two
of the committee members whom he claimed attended the screening,
without their consent,” said the party.

Describing the act
as “outrightly fraudulent and criminal,” it however called that the act
“must not be allowed to go unpunished if the integrity of the Senate is
to be maintained.” The party is also calling for an investigation into
the fraud allegations against the senator.

“His apology and appeal for leniency are an afterthought and should
not stop the Senate leadership from sanctioning him to serve as a
deterrent to others like him,” the AC said. “The dissolution of the
committee is not enough.”

Rose Uzoma was appointed over the weekend as the new
Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service. Mrs Uzoma
becomes the second female boss of the immigration service. In an
inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Emmanuel
Iheanacho, charged the new immigrations boss to provide good leadership
and sustain the gains of the modern immigration service.

As the former
Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of operations, Mrs Uzoma was in
charge of many of the service’s reforms such as the e-passport, an
improved border control, and more effective management of foreign
residents, which was recently emphasized with the biometric
registration of Africans in Nigeria.

Mr Iheanacho advised the new CG to equip herself with knowledge-based
leadership qualities to guarantee, not only a seamless management
transition, but an immigration service that will “stand tall and aspire
to excellence in service delivery.” He expressed confidence in her
capacity for success, noting that Mrs Uzoma was part of the team that
contributed to the achievements of the former CG. Mr Iheanacho said he
looked forward to the building of a modern service where Information
Communication Technology (ICT) was driving its operations.

Mrs Uzoma acknowledged the enormity of the challenges before her, and
promised that the service would vigorously tackle the issues of
terrorism and illegal immigrants.

The administrator of the National
Judicial Institute (NJI), Umaru Eri, said the current leadership of the
institute was committed to improved performance, following the sacking
of its former secretary for gross misconduct.

Mr. Eri said this yesterday at the opening of a national workshop for court registrars and bailiffs, organised by the NJI.

In February, the institute sacked 35
members of its staff who were involved in certificate forgery,
stealing, and inflation of contracts. Mr. Eri said 90 percent of those
terminated were also involved in acts of insubordination.

“These renegades had for many years
constituted themselves as untouchables. They masqueraded as petition
writers, certificate forgers, and perpetrators of corruption, and under
previous administrators, stifled the growth of the institute.”

He urged the court officers to be of
good conduct, eschew corruption, and uphold the three essential
features of integrity, which he listed as: integrity, impartiality, and
independence.