Niger Govt compensates pastoralists’ attack victims

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger State Government has disclosed that it will compensate pastoralists who have lost their livestock to cattle rustlers.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state disclosed this at the Fulani Cultural Festival organized by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Fulani SocioCultural Association of Nigeria in Bida.

Represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane explained that six pastoralists, two each from the three Senatorial Zones of the State who were victims of cattle rustling will be identified and compensated with ten cattle each.

He stressed that the gesture is the willingness of Government in providing initiatives aimed at fostering peace as well as nurture harmonious relationship among the citizenry.

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja called on member states of African Union (AU) to imbibe the culture of peer review and peer to peer learning for proactive and strong leadership in the continent.

The President made the appeal at the launch of the Second Country Review Report (CRR) and the National Programme of Action (NPoA) of Nigeria.

He expressed delight that electoral, pension, tax and monetary policy reforms undertaken by his administration have received high commendations from African policy experts, who have also recommended that such best practices are worthy of emulation.

He explained that his commitment to the Second Review of Nigeria was borne out of his ‘‘undiluted resolve to entrench democracy, and quality leadership in all aspects of governance, and further ensure that Nigeria does not lag behind other nations.’’

Describing the document as important to Nigeria as a country built on true Federalism and good governance, the President directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies to implement the report.

He noted that the Report would strengthen the implementation of African Union Agenda 2063, the strategic framework for the socioeconomic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.

‘‘It comes with a strong mandate on New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), especially now that the continent is gearing towards the implementation of the Second Ten Year Development Plan to consolidate and seek the acceleration of better society,’’ he said.

President Buhari pledged that Nigeria would continue to support Africa’s renewal and rebirth in line with the collective commitment to the principles and guidelines of the APRM in order to consolidate Africa’s path to healthy democracy, sustainable growth and development.

‘‘As a Government, we are proud of the steady progress being made in the country as stated by the Report and will continue to support the APRM Process and to ensure adequate monitoring and evaluation of the Report implementation.”

He, therefore, directed the relevant Agencies to coordinate the proper use of the Report, adding that it should be institutionalized at the Learning Centres for academic work and archived for future references.

President Buhari recognised the pragmatic role of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism, led by Dr. Abdoulie Janneh, who doubles as the Nigerian lead panelist and the entire team members who in one way or the other lent their helping hands for the successful conduct.

‘‘I am very much aware of the five pillars of APRM: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance, Socio-Economic Governance, Corporate Governance and Cross-Cutting Issues which are the nucleus of good governance and upon which the Second Review was conducted.

‘‘This process has further strengthened the values and gains of our democracy so far, while reporting on the gaps of which most of this administration’s reforms and policies including the Executive Orders signed into law are poised to address.