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AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, Army Hold 2-day Summit To Eradicate Insecurity, Electoral Violence

Published

5 years ago

September 2, 2019

Joel Ajayi

African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/ African Peer Review Mechanism, (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army hold two-Day summit on how to eradicate insecurity and electoral violence in the nation.

This is contained in a statement signed on Monday by Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to the National Coordinator/ Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM.

Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, said the summit, scheduled for Sept.10- Sept.11 would greatly benefit the nation.

“Critical stakeholders will be actively engaged to find lasting solutions to Nigeria’s insecurity and electoral related violence.

The Nigerian Army, through the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) will host participants of the summit at NARC headquarters, Mambilla Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja.

According to Akobundu, no nation can optimally grow in an atmosphere of insecurity and violence, as can be seen in Nigeria today even as the current Federal Government invests a lot on socio-economic growth while combating criminality.

“In order to complement President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to entrench maximum security of lives and property, while strengthening violence-free electoral processes, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, in Collaboration with Nigerian Army organizes a two-day summit for stakeholders to proffer lasting solutions to such problems.

“Government’s efforts to banish terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other vices have been heroic, while security agencies have been confronting them, at times paying the ultimate price to entrench peace, it is high time all stakeholders came together and find lasting solution to all shades of violence within the country,” the agency boss said.

The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Barrister Boss Mustapha, who is also Nigeria’s APRM Focal Point will declare the event open after the welcome address by Akobundu.

Day one of the summit will be chaired by Prof.Ibrahim Gambari, Chairperson, APRM Panel of Eminent Persons in the continent, who will deliver his goodwill message along with others including Sen. Abba Ali, Chairman, National Governing Council (NGC) APRM-Nigeria; Maj. Gen. G.A. Wahhab (Rtd), Director-General, NARC, among others.

Day two will be chaired by Engr. Umar B. Bindir, Secretary to the State Government( SSG) Adamawa State.

“As the Secretariat of APRM in the country, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM is mandated to work with necessary stakeholders for the nation to achieve: Democracy and Political Governance; Economic Governance and Management; Corporate Governance and; Socio-Economic Development,” the National Coordinator said.

The summit with the theme ‘Terrorism, Insurgency and incidence of electoral violence in Nigeria: Role of Security Agencies ‘ will be chaired by Prof. Gambari, a former Minister of External Affairs and Permanent Representative to United Nations.

“During the summit, critical stakeholders from security agencies, democratic institutions, political actors, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society organizations (CSOs) among others will be constructively engaged to proffer workable solutions to insecurity and other forms of violence in the country.

“Papers will be presented by highly respected resource persons like Prof. Eddy Maloka, C.E.O, APRM Continental and others from the academia, security agencies, Ministry, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) while participants from various backgrounds will have opportunities to ask germane questions on insecurity and electoral violence during the summit

“Through the summit, we hope to come up with suggestions that will, among others: deepen synergy among the security agencies; make the general public to be more confident to carry out their legitimate businesses and; restore the confidence of domestic and foreign investors in the Nigerian economy.

“A communique will be issued at the end of day 2, which will be communicated to appropriate quarters for consideration” Akobundu added.

“The summit is also expected to proffer solutions on how the nation can attain African Union (AU) ‘Agenda 2020’ which aims to ‘Silence the Guns by the year 2020’ as part of AU’s roadmap for the continent to be fully democratic, peaceful, secured and developed by 2063,” AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Boss said.

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Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

Published

1 week ago

December 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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