South Africa has a rich bag of big, small and eclectic community radio stations

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Franz Krüger, University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa’s community radio sector has grown to be a significant player. But there’s comparatively little hard information on the sector. To fill in some of the gaps, the Wits Radio Academy conducted a survey of community radio stations.

We wanted to know where stations are and develop a sense of the different types, employment in the sector, languages used and much else. The results were recently published in a map and some graphs at www.localvoices.co.za, produced for us by MediaHack.

The map allows users to zoom into particular towns and areas, find specific information, including contact details of particular stations, and see how the various types cluster.

Getting information was hard. But we managed to capture detailed data from 68 stations of the 200 we counted as being on air at the time. Though the numbers need to be treated with caution, they represent a first attempt to provide some figures about this important sector.

Two decades after South Africa created a framework for community radio, the sector has grown exponentially, boosted by state support. The extent of this support, not always disinterested, is unusual internationally.

Nevertheless, there are significant challenges, and our information points to major disjunctures between policy and the reality on the ground. A better understanding of the sector is essential if it is to fulfil its promise of diversity.

Hurdles

It proved surprisingly difficult to get solid information. Even such basic information as which stations are on air is difficult to come by: the official list of licensees we were sent by the licensing authority itself, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, was dramatically out of date.

Stations themselves were often difficult to contact, not always keen to participate and often unsure of basic information about themselves. At one station, two informants gave radically different numbers for the station’s overall budget, for instance.

In addition, the survey took place in the midst of the regulator publishing new, stricter regulations for community radio. Within months it was moving to close down up to 29 stations for non-compliance.

After years of a very lax regime, it seems that little effort was put into assisting stations to meet the new requirements.

Findings and surprises

We found a plethora of community stations across the country. They are to be found in some very remote areas, although most are concentrated in more densely populated areas. So Gauteng province, South Africa’s economic hub, has the largest number of stations, with 52. It is followed by KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Limpopo and Eastern Cape, each between 36 and 30.

Over 70% of the stations are bound to a particular geography and serve various disadvantaged communities. This is clearly in line with the intention behind the creation of the sector just over two decades ago.

We identified 14 campus stations as well as six entertainment stations. The remainder of stations serve religious or ethnic groups.

What was a surprise was the range of languages spoken. One of radio’s great strengths is its capacity to engage audiences in whatever language they prefer. But the range of languages being used goes far beyond South Africa’s 11 official languages. The languages on air include not only German, Arabic and Urdu, for example, but also languages whose status as separate languages is not officially recognised. Among them are isiMpondo, isiPhuti, isiHlubi and isiBhaca.

The stations include giants like Soweto’s JoziFM. It has a weekly audience of 571,000, which puts it ahead of many commercial and South African Broadcasting Corporation stations, as well as 14 other stations with over 100,000 listeners.

Many others are too small to show up in the listenership surveys.

Opportunities for youth

We were also interested in employment in the sector. We found that our sample of 68 stations employs 2,296 people, 38% of them fully paid, 32% partly paid and 30% fully voluntary. It suggests that South Africa’s community radio as a whole may employ somewhere between 6,000 and 7,000 people.

These are media jobs that are often not counted in the general concern about the decline in employment in journalism. Often, community radio stations hire local youth, offering them an opportunity to learn skills and a route out of unemployment.

Most of the stations operate on a survivalist level and should be seen as struggling small, medium and micro enterprises. Some have achieved reasonable stability, while many struggle to stay afloat. Half of our respondents said they have an annual budget of under R500,000 (US$33,562). Another 32% put themselves in the next highest bracket, between R500,000 and R2m ($134,248). This is not a lot of money to run radio stations with, on average, around 30 staff.

This is just some of the data that emerged. It underpins a picture of a media sector that plays an important role in bringing information to disadvantaged communities, reaching millions in a rich range of languages.

Downside

The sector’s growth over two decades is undeniable. But instability is rife, and the ability to serve communities independently of local power holders is low. Community radio’s isolation from the mainstream media has created an information ghetto that is bad for the country as a whole.

Our limited survey has barely scratched the surface of information on South Africa’s community radio. The general lack of available knowledge needs to be addressed or it will undermine sensible policy making.The Conversation

Franz Krüger, Adjunct Professor of Journalism and Director of the Wits Radio Academy, University of the Witwatersrand

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Insights from Senegal: involving farmers in research is key to boosting agriculture

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It’s key to involve farmers in research projects
CTA ACP-EU/Flickr

Antoine Le Quéré, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) and Tatiana Krasova Wade, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)

In West Africa, agricultural production tends to fluctuate. This is because of the combined effect of several factors, including insufficient and irregular rainfall, poor or saline soils, low levels of inputs, and parasites. These present major challenges to the region’s food and nutritional security, the fight against rural poverty and the pursuit of sustainable agriculture.

To address these challenges, studies recommend various growing practices that can improve how much is produced from farms and forests. One of these is the use of symbiotic micro-organisms as biofertilisers. This is when micro-organisms live on plants and develop a mutually beneficial relationship with them.

But the practice of using micro-organisms isn’t widespread in West Africa. This is mainly because farmers aren’t involved in the applied research projects and do not know how to use the research results.

In Senegal, research on how to get more farmers to use symbiotic micro-organisms is being carried out by the Shared Microbiology Laboratory. This brings researchers together from the French Development Research Institute, the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute and Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. The aim is to improve farmer knowledge about symbiotic micro-organisms, how to use them and how to assess their effects on crop production through field experiments.

We have now tested and developed a model and found it to be a huge success because farmers participated in it. Their concerns – including their knowledge and practices – were taken into account. This ultimately facilitated the project’s adoption and dissemination.

We are now waiting for it to be rolled out across the country.

Inclusive approach

The basis of our model is inoculation – when micro-organisms are brought to plants. It’s a simple technique where fungi or bacteria are applied, usually to seeds. These then provide the plant with nutrients – such as nitrogen, phosphorus and minerals – that are often lacking in the soils of arid and semi-arid regions. This encourages the plant to develop.

Inoculation is well-suited to family farming (especially subsistence farming) because it’s inexpensive and easy to use. So far, the fungi or bacteria have been supplied by the Shared Microbiology Laboratory.

We used an inclusive approach to see how farmers could use micro-organisms through inoculation. We also assessed their effects on crop yields through field trials. This involved learning workshops and collaborative work in the farmers’ fields.

In total, 30 experiments were carried out from the northern region of Saint Louis to Casamance. The idea was for farmers to select the micro-organisms best suited to the crops and soils.

Agricultural technicians from the National Rural and Agricultural Consulting Agency and various nongovernmental organisations then helped to embed the results of the research into cultivation practices.

A digital system is now being developed so that farmers, researchers, consultants and others can communicate and share the results of their work more easily.

Overcoming challenges

This collaborative approach is a long-term endeavour. So far, we have tested cowpea, groundnut, onion, tomato, okra, watermelon, sorghum, millet, maize, fonio, chilli and cassava. Some crops have responded very well to inoculation and this has increased the demand for micro-organisms.

We found this challenge could be met by outsourcing the production of mycorrhizal fungi inoculants to farmers. This is a great way to create new income for farmers.

Mycorrhizal fungi “starters” will be produced and checked at the Shared Microbiology Laboratory in Dakar. They will then be provided to the inoculant producer, who will grow them locally.

The inter-sector team involved in the development of the ‘yookoutef’ seeder, which enables the planting and spreading of biofertilizer.
Author provided

Another challenge was how to apply the biofertiliser once it is produced.

The work of craftsmen, researchers, agricultural advisors and farmers led to the development of a machine called the “yookoutef”. This is a traditional seeder which can, while seeding, inoculate precise quantities of mycorrhizal fungi onto the seed. The “yookoutef” was made by Senegalese artisans from the Association for the Promotion of Artisans and Workers. It is now protected by intellectual property rights at the African Intellectual Property Organisation.

The machine helps reduce the intensity of farm labour and promotes inoculation technology. It was tested for the first time on large surface areas last year and has since attracted the interest of several farmers’ organisations.

On the back of this success, the partners are looking to a new shared goal, that of setting up a production chain for biofertilisers made from symbiotic micro-organisms with a “participative system guaranteed” label. These are participatory guarantee systems that take the entire value chain into account.

This production chain would bring together farmers, producers and suppliers of inoculants, agricultural consultants, researchers, development partners and consumers. Such systems are set up to make sure farmers benefit from meeting quality standards and to encourage the local adoption of innovations.

Translated from the French by Alice Heathwood for Fast ForWordThe Conversation

Antoine Le Quéré, Chercheur en écologie microbienne, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) and Tatiana Krasova Wade, Chercheur en biologie végétale, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

State govts, councils battle over $2.6b Paris Club refund

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The Federal Government is probing the disbursement of $2,626,092, 828.84 Paris Club Loan refunds due to Local Government councils.

Governors collected $6,483, 282,424.61 refunds directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) based on the directive of the Minister of Finance. The money was meant for states and the councils.

The states’ share of the $6,483, 282,424.61 is $3, 858,189,596.76, while the remaining belonged to the 774 councils.

But in at least 27 states, it has been difficult to trace the $2,626,092, 828.84.

Only Kaduna, Niger, Delta were reported to have remitted  refunds to local governments in their states.

Ondo and Edo states were alleged to have made partial refunds to local governments.

There are indications that states which defaulted in remitting Paris Club Loan refunds to their local governments may have it deducted from their monthly allocations from the Federation Account.

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON) has written a petition to  Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, claiming to have secured a garnishee order on the loan refunds due local governments since June 27, 2016.

ALGON counsel Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), said the Federal Government had not complied with the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja even when “the Order Nisi” was made absolute.

Investigation revealed that  the total Paris Club Loan Refunds to the Federal Government, states and local governments is $13, 572,014, 203.93 with the breakdown as follows:

  • FG/FCT share= $7,089,331,779.32
  • States= $3, 858,189,596.76
  • LGAs= $2,626,092, 828.84

In spite of the release of the refunds of states and LGAs to governors, it was gathered that most of the 774 LGAs did not get theirs.

Disturbed by the discovery that states hijacked the refunds meant for LGAs, the Minister of Finance has set up an internal inquiry into how the $6,483, 282,424.61 was disbursed by the governors.

The internal inquiry was said to have uncovered many errors namely,

  • Refunds were effected but paid into wrong accounts
  • Refunds were not paid into State Joint Local Government Account
  • No evidence of transfer to local governments by many states.
  • There was a procedural error in the release of the refunds and payment
  • All payments to states were directly based on directives from the Federal Ministry of Finance  to the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN).

An in-house investigation by of how councils were shortchanged revealed the following:

“It needs to be restated that councils did not borrow any money from Paris Club and refunds due to them, unlike the states, relate to money that was unconstitutionally deducted from the Federation Account by the Federal Government and should have been refunded through the State Joint Local Government Account in line with the provisions of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“It is also clear from the submission of the Home Finance Department that the account into which the Paris Club Loan Refunds due to the Local Governments were made is not the State Joint Local Government Account but a different account unknown to Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

“However, since there is clear evidence that the refunds due to Local Governments were paid into the accounts provided by the states. In  view of the current development and the claim of LGAs that they have not received their Paris Club Loan Refund, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning  may direct that letters be written to the states, requesting them to provide documentary evidence that the LGAs got their shares of the Paris Club Refund.

“Any state that fails to provide such evidence may have the relevant amount deducted from its shares of the Federation Account and paid over to the affected LGAs through the state Joint Local government account in compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended and to forestall further Paris Club Refund related litigations. This may help remedy the procedural payment error.”

The letter which triggered the internal inquiry by the Federal Ministry of Finance was signed by ALGON Secretary-General, Mrs. Binta Adamu Bello.

The letter said: “The National Executive Committee (NEC) of ALGON meeting of 13th June 2019 resolved to bring to your attention the various complaints from the Local Governments on the amounts they received from the refunds, which fell short of the figures in the Accountant -General of the Federation (AGF) nominal distribution of deductions for external debt service from 1995 to 2002. It consequently has made demand for reconciliation of LGs refunds. Please see Appendices 1, 2 and 3. For the purpose of reconciliation and verification, NEC also appointed Messrs Nipal Consulting Network to act on its behalf.

“You may recall that the LGs and ALGON and its consultants initiated the demand for refund of deductions for external debts payments. It  solely  rested its case on the constitutionality of deduction from the federation account without concurrence of all the beneficiaries of the fund as stipulated in Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“Apart from the foundation, LGs/ALGON sought a refund of their portion of Federation Account used in the settlement of external debt since no Local Government Council in Nigeria has ever borrowed a dollar from external sources.

“After a long drawn disputation, which ended at the court, Mr. President graciously approved the refunds with a strict directive for reconciliation.

“ALGON has noted your strict adherence to the directive that final disbursement to States should be preceded by a comprehensive reconciliation of the records.

“Based on this, 27 States after extensive reconciliation and agreement were able to receive their final refunds paid to them into their respective State account while reconciliation is still ongoing in the remaining nine (9) States. The wisdom in the reconciliation cannot be ignored in View of Mr. President’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

However, the portion of refunds due to the LGAs did not have any need for reconciliation given the fact that no Local Government ever borrowed from external sources. The LGAs should have been paid in full in line with the AGF’s nominal distribution and in compliance with Court’s Garnishee Order Nisi of April 1, 2015, which was made Absolute on June 27, 2016 directing, inter alia, that: “The Garnishee (CBN) shall pay over the judgment debt of $3,188,078,505.96 to the Local Governments in Nigeria to be warehoused in the Central Bank for disbursement to them”.

“Unfortunately, the releases made by the Federal Ministry of Finance to States did not give a breakdown on what accrued to Local Governments, and as such all refunds due to States and LGs were lumped together and paid into a single State account for respective States.

“This is contrary to the constitutionally provided channel for remitting Local Governments funds from the Federation Account direct to the State Joint Local Government Accounts. Please see Section 162 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. By this act, the LGAs have continued to suffer double jeopardy.

“First, in the event where the amount for States and LGs are lumped together, the ratio for sharing applying the Revenue Formula is 57%: 43% respectively. However, the payment made direct to the respective States’ account altered the balance.

“Second and more depressing is that the generality of LGs as at today are not aware of the actual released amount of the refunds due to them as the transfers to the State account did not show or specify their various shares.

“Apart from making it difficult to ascertain whether the LGAs have reaped full benefits of the said judgment, they were neither consulted nor their concurrence obtained before the application of the refunds.

“Consequently, ALGON humbly requests the Hon. Minister to use her good offices to direct a verification and reconciliation on the respective reimbursements/refunds made to States vis-a-vis the amounts that accrued to the Local Governments. Your kind intervention will avert a situation where the LGs are underpaid.”

In a separate letter to the Minister of Finance, ALGON’s counsel, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) said LGAs are being owed $3,188,078, 505.96.

He asked the Federal Government to comply with a court order to warehouse LGAs’ refunds in the CBN.

Falana said: “Following the suit instituted at the Federal High Court client in conjunction with local governments on the refund of the Paris Club Loan the Order Nisi made absolute on June 27, 2016 directed the Garnishee to “pay over the judgment debt of $3,188,078, 505.96 to the Local Governments in Nigeria to be warehoused in the Central Bank for disbursement to them”.

“Based on the said Court Order President Muhammadu Buhari approved the refund of the Paris Club Loan to the States and Local Governments in the country with a strict directive for reconciliation of the amount deducted from the statutory allocations of the States and Local Governments as first line charge for payment of external loans from 1995 – 2002.

“Since the local governments did not borrow any money from external sources the refund of the loan to them ought to have been paid in line with aforesaid Garnishee Order.

“But the entire refund of the loan due to the States and Local Governments was paid into the Account of the States contrary to Section 162(6) of the Constitution, which stipulates that all allocations to the Local Governments shall be paid into the State Joint Local Government Account of each State.

“In view of the foregoing, we have our client’s instructions to draw your attention to the implications of non-compliance with the above provision for all such payments and therefore demand the payment of the refund of the Paris Club Loan due to the Local Governments to the State Joint Local Government Account of each State of the Federation…

“Take notice that if you fail or refuse to accede to our client’s request we shall not hesitate to enforce the valid and subsisting Order of the Federal High Court in favour of our client.”

FACT-SHEET

•Total refund= $13, 572,014, 203.93($13.5b)
•Fed Govt/FCT share= $7,089,331,779.32
•States/ councils= $6,483, 282,424.61
•States= $3, 858,189,596.76
•Councils= $2,626,092, 828.84
•States that remitted refund to councils: Kaduna, Niger, Delta
•States with partial remittance: Ondo and Edo

13 states ignore Supreme Court judgment, run LGs with caretakers

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Oyo State and 12 other states of the federation are still running local government administration without elected officials despite a judgment of the Supreme Court which about four years ago expressly forbade them from doing so.

The states are running the local government areas through caretaker committees, appointed by governors.

Among the defiant states are Borno and Yobe, which are citing the insurgency in the North-east for defying the Supreme Court order.

However, the two states, which have not held council polls since 2014 recorded a large voter turnout in the 2015 and 2019 elections, notwithstanding the insecurity in the region

In the judgment delivered on December 9, 2016, the Supreme Court had voided laws enacted by states’ Houses of Assembly that empowered governors to sack elected local government chairmen and councillors and replace them with handpicked administrators.

In the unanimous judgment of five justices, the Supreme Court described the sacking of elected local government administrators as “executive recklessness” that should stop immediately.

The judgment by the five-man panel, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, was given in an appeal over the dissolution of the 16 local government executives in Ekiti State by Dr. Kayode Fayemi during his first term as governor.

The Supreme Court, in faulting the law purportedly relied on by Fayemi to dissolve the local government administration, held that Section 23(b) of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2001, which empowered the governor to dissolve local government councils, whose tenure was yet to expire, violated section 7(1) of the Constitution from which the state House of Assembly derived the power to enact the local government law.

Justice Centus Nweze, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the tenure of the local government councils could not be abridged without violating the supreme constitutional provisions.

However, a fresh controversy over the illegal sacking of elected local government administration broke out recently with the removal of the elected local government administrators in Oyo State by the Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde.

 The furore generated by Makinde’s action prompted the intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), who directed the governor to reinstate the sacked administrators in compliance with the extant Supreme Court judgment.

Malami, in a letter dated January 14, 2020, told the governor that in view of the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter that is binding on all the 36 states of the federation, “the common practice by some state governors in dissolving elected local government councils is unconstitutional, null and void.”

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has also directed the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, to ensure reinstatement of the sacked chairmen and councillors.

Adamu, in a letter dated January 23, 2020 and addressed to the Oyo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Akin Oke, asked him to liaise with Olukolu to facilitate the implementation of the AGF’s legal opinion.

However, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are divided on the mode of enforcement of the Supreme Court’s judgment.

While some SANs like Chief Mike Ozekhome; Mr. Dayo Akinlaja and Mr. John Baiyeshea said the apex court should be approached for the enforcement of its judgment, others like the former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba and Mr. Ahmed Raji urged the federal government to seize the statutory allocations of the affected local governments and pay them into special accounts, pending the conduct of elections in their areas.

The National President of Association of Local Government Vice Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGOVC), Hon Lawrence Onuchukwu, told THISDAY at the weekend that the governors used unelected council chairmen as conduit pipes to allegedly siphon monies allocated to LGAs.

However, the practice of dissolution of elected councils was not restricted to Oyo State as at least 12 other states have also flouted the apex court’s decision.

Apart from Oyo State, the 12 other states are Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Ogun.

In Katsina, the state Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, said the inability of the state government to conduct local government election was due to litigation by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against his dissolution of elected LG chairmen.

Masari had in 2015 sacked all the 34 elected local government chairmen and their 361 councillors whose elections were conducted by the past PDP administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Shema.

 He thereafter inaugurated caretaker committee chairmen, comprising largely of partisans, for the 34 councils.

But the PDP sued Masari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to challenge the dissolution of the local government chairmen. The case is currently at the Supreme Court.

In dissolving the local government administrators then, the governor had said the state government did not violate any law as it followed the law enacted by the previous PDP administration in the state.

In Anambra State, the 21 LGAs are also being run by appointed chairmen.

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr.  C.Don Adinuba, attributed the failure to hold local government elections in the state to legal hurdle.

According to him a political party sued the state government over the constitution of transition committee for the local government areas and the court of Justice Peter Umeadi who was the then Chief Judge of Anambra State ruled in their favour, asking that an election be held.

He added that the matter is before the Supreme Court and it will be sub judice to hold the election for now.

In Kwara State, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, few weeks after assumption of office on May 29, 2019, had ordered the suspension of the elected 16 local government council chairmen in the state from office for six months.

He had since extended the suspension of the council chairmen, who were elected on the platform of PDP during the immediate past administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, indefinitely,  following a resolution by the State House of Assembly alleging financial impropriety against the chairmen.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, said in view of the allegation of misappropriation of public funds against the chairmen, their suspension was extended, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In Taraba State, the last local government election for the 16 LGAs in the state was conducted on February 21, 2017 while the elected officials were sworn into office on February 28, for a two-year tenure.

Since the expiration of their tenure on February 28, 2019, the local government areas are being run by caretaker committees appointed by the state government.

Justifying the delay in the conduct of elections into the various councils, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the state governor, Mr. Bala Dan Abu, said until recently, there were serious security challenges in the state that made it impossible to conduct local government elections.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Danjuma Adamu, however, said the state government was planning to conduct elections into the various councils.

In Borno State, the last time election was held in the 27 LGAs was in 2014.

The state government has always cited insecurity as the excuse for not conducting LG election.

But notwithstanding the insecurity, the state took part in Nigeria’s general election both in 2015 and 2019.

The Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Babakura Jatto, did not comment on the issue.

In Yobe State, the 17 local government areas do not have elected representatives of the people manning their affairs at the councils as the state government has also blamed insecurity for not conducting LG elections.

The state Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture, Malam Abdullahi Bego, did not respond to messages sent to him via his e-mail and phone.

But Adamawa State, which was also affected by the insurgency in the North-east, conducted LG elections for the 21 LGAs in the state in December 2019.

In Bauchi State, the 20 LGAs are run by caretaker committees as the last time local government election was conducted in the state was during the administration of former Governor Isa Yuguda.

However, Governor Bala Mohammed, had shortly after his victory at the Supreme Court, promised to conduct LG elections within six months.

The last election for the 21 LGAs in Imo State was held in 2018 by former Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Okorocha had sacked all the elected local government officials whose elections were conducted by the administration of Chief Ikedi Ohakim and did not conduct local government election until in 2018, exactly one year to the end of his eight-year tenure.

However, Emeka Ihedioha before his sacking by the Supreme Court as governor of the state, had suspended the elected officials. His replacement, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has promised to conduct council polls soon.

In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun is also running the 20 LGAs with caretaker committees, saying that  the elected council officials served out their tenure about five months ago.

His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin said that there was no mischief intended in putting unelected officials to man the local council areas.

 “It is a transitional arrangement and elections will soon hold as the elected local government officials only served out their tenure last October.

“A State Electoral Commission has not been set up; once it is set up, the body will do the needful by organising local government elections,” he stated.

In Benue State, the last local government poll was in June 2017 and the two-year tenure of the elected officials expired in July 2019.

Since then, the 23 LGAs in the state are being run by appointed officials.

However, the Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BESIEC), Mr. Tersoo Loko, said they were working hard to conduct  free, fair and credible elections.

Governor Samuel Ortom also said that BESIEC had confirmed that it was ready to conduct the elections in March.

In Enugu State, the elected LG chairmen’s tenure ended on December 3, 2019, without a new election for their successors.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has since appointed caretaker committees to run the 17 LGAs, pending a new election scheduled for February 29.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr. Chidi Aroh, told THISDAY that the state government had also provided the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) with all the resources needed to conduct the elections.

In Kogi State, the 21 LGAs are being run by appointed administrators since 2016 and no plans yet by Governor Yahaya Bello to conduct LG elections in the state.

SANs divided on enforcement of Supreme Court’s verdict

Meanwhile, some SANs are divided on the mode of enforcement of the Supreme Court’s judgment.

Ozekhome said that the federal government should approach the Supreme for the enforcement of its judgment.

He noted that such suits are usually done through an originating summons since the facts of the case are clear and not disputable.

“Either the federal or the LGAs throughout their association of LGAs – ALGON, should approach the Supreme and federal/state high courts respectively to enforce the clear judgment of the Supreme Court.

“This can be done by originating summons because the facts are clear and not disputable. It only requires interpretation and enforcement,” he said.

Akinlaja also urged the parties to go back to the court, saying that the enforcement of a court’s judgment is not the responsibility of the federal government.

“I am not aware that the federal government is a police of some sort that will be enforcing the decision of a court. The responsibility of enforcing the judgment of a court does not strictly fall on the federal government; it is those that are concerned that will go to court for enforcement either by way of contempt of court or by whatever way and manner,” he said.

He added that the federal government without the backing of the law cannot unilaterally withhold funds from local government manned by appointed officials as that would amount to illegality.

 Baiyeshea shared the same view with Akinlaja that the federal government lacked the powers to enforce the judgment of a court.

“In a federation, all the constituent parts are supposed to enjoy a great measure of independence.

“Where the states are as in this case, alleged to be flouting court judgments with respect to the autonomy of local governments, it is the court(s) that gave the judgments that have the power to enforce the judgments,” he said.

But Raji held a different opinion, saying that since the judgment of the apex court is clear and not disputable, the federal government can pay all monies due to any local government that is being manned by unelected officials into special accounts.

Agbakoba also held the view that the federal government can withhold funds from local government manned by unelected officials.

This measure, according to him, will compel governors of the affected states to conduct election at the local government level.

“The issue of unconstitutional non-elected LGs has been with us for a long time and lawsuits have been filed, including mine, to declare these LGs unconstitutional; but regrettably without success, as I lost my suit before Justice Hassan of the Federal High Court.

“But now, our Supreme Court has put the matter to rest by declaring these unaccountable LGs unconstitutional and I recommend that in order to enforce the judgment, the federal government should withhold public funds due to them until compliance with the judgment. I foresee that this type of enforcement will compel elections at these LGs,” Agbakoba said.

Junior lawyers were also divided on the issue, with an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. IfeanyiChuku Obasi-Nweze, aligning himself with the position of Ozekhome and his group that  the judgment creditor should approach the court to seek the enforcement of the judgment of the Supreme Court.

But another Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Steve Ekeh, said the use of non-elected officials to run LGAs can be checked through the withholding funds of the appointed officials. (ThisDay)

BREAKING!!! Buhari Orders Immediate Dissolution of LG Caretaker Committees Nationwide

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President Muhammadu Buhari’s has ordered for the immediate dissolution of Local Government caretaker committees nationwide.

Igbere TV reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, asked state governors operating caretaker committees at local government level to immediately disband such committees and restore democratically elected representatives.

According to Malami, caretaker committees were outrightly illegal and unconstitutional as they amount to a breach of the provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

This is as he described the practice of some state governors dissolving elected local government councils as unconstitutional, null and void and continued disobedience of the Supreme Court judgment of 9th December, 2016 in the case of Governor of Ekiti State & Ors vs Prince Sanmi Olubunmo & 13 Ors.

Apparently identifying Oyo State as one of the concerned states, Malami had placed such request on Governor Seyi Makinde in a letter dated 14 January, 2020, reference number HAGF/OYO/2020/Vol.I/I. entitled, “Unconstitutionality of Dissolution of Elected Local Government Councils and Appointment of the Caretaker Committee: The Urgent Need for Compliance with Extant Judicial Decisions”, addressed to the state Attorney-General, Professor Oyewo Oyelowo.

A development described as unpleasant, Malami added that the request was in upholding the rule of law and not hindering the much-needed grassroots development at local government level.

The letter read, in parts: “The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation in line with the constitutional role as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation under Section 150(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) has noted with dismay the continued non-adherence by some state governors and state houses of assembly to the provisions of the Section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) as it relates to the existence, administration and control of local government councils in Nigeria.

“This unpleasant development, without doubt, is hindering the much needed grassroots development expected to be put in place by the third tier of government.

“It is apt to make reference to the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended) under section 7(1) which states thus: ‘The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this constitution guaranteed and accordingly, the government of every state shall, subject to section 8 of this constitution, ensure their existence under a law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.’

“It is to be noted that the decisions of the Court of Appeal, which underscored the supremacy of the constitution over any other law, have been affirmed by the Supreme Court in Governor of Ekiti State & ORS V. PRINCE SANMI OLUBUNMO & 13 ORS (APPEAL NO: SC 120/2013) in a judgment delivered on 9th December, 2016, wherein His Lordship, Chima Centus Nweze, JSC sated in the leading judgment at PP. 28 & 29 thus:

“Having thus guaranteed the system of local government by democratically-elected local government councils, the constitution confers a toga of sacro-sanctity on the elections of such officials whose electoral mandates derive from the will of the people freely-exercised through the democratic process. Put differently, the intendment of the constitution is to vouchsafe the inviolability of the sacred mandate which the electorate, at that level, democratically-donated to them.

“Simply put, therefore, the election of such officials, into their offices and their tenure is clothed with constitutional force. They cannot, therefore, be abridged without breaching the constitution from which they derive their force.

“In view of the final decision of the Apex court which is binding on all the 36 states of the federation, the common practice by some state governors in dissolving elected local government councils is unconstitutional, null and void. So, also, any systems of local government run by caretaker committees are outrightly illegal and unconstitutional.

“To this end, I hereby request all their excellencies, state governors and speakers of state houses of assembly, who are currently acting in breach of the provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and also acting in disobedience of the Supreme Court judgment highlighted above, to immediately retrace their steps by ensuring compliance with the above in the overall interest of the rule of law and our democracy.

The need to immediately disband all caretaker committees and restore democratically elected representatives to man the local governments has, therefore, become obligatory.

“I hereby request that you take positive steps to ensure compliance in your state accordingly. In the coming days, Mr. President and other relevant agencies will be advised further on compliance measures that should be taken in the national interest.”

5th World Forum on Local Economic Development

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V World Forum of Local Economic Development

V WORLD FORUM OF LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN CORDOBA, ARGENTINA

The V World Forum of Local Economic Development will be held in Cordoba (Argentina) in 2020, under the heading “Innovation in the territories for a better quality of life”. This is an event co-organized by United Cities and Local Governments, through the UCLG Committee on Local Economic and Social Development, as a member of the International Organizing Committee.

Together with UCLG, are part of this body the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Organization of United Regions (ORU FOGAR), the The Andalusian Fund of Municipalities for International Solidarity (FAMSI), the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), the Municipality and the Metropolitan City of Turin and the Government of Cape Verde. The National Committee is composed of the Agency for Local Economic Development (ADEC), the Municipality of Córdoba, the Provincial Government and the National Government.

Territorial approach and global vision of the great global challenges

This event has been consolidated, over almost a decade, as a meeting point between governments and networks of governments, multilateral organizations and agencies of the United Nations system. A space for dialogue around the impact of proximity initiatives in the construction of communities that, from the public sphere, seek to respond to the key needs of citizens and draw strategic plans for the planning of the present and the future in all its dimensions. Therefore, it also has the private sector in the generation of productivity, and the articulation with the territory for an economy of the common good.

This 5th edition of the forum that will host the Argentine city of Córdoba, after having toured the cities of Seville (2011), Turin (2015), Foz do Iguacu, (2013) and Praia (2017), will be articulated in 3 thematic axes:

1. The territory as the basis of social, economic and environmental innovation.

2. Territorial economic and productive models to face inequality.

3. The future of work and the work of the future from a territorial perspective.

Each of the thematic lines will break down the fundamental contents into diverse themes and methodologies.

How to articulate your participation in the V World Forum of Local Economic Development

The UCLG Committee on Economic and Social Development has an active participation in the elaboration of the Program of this V World Forum DEL, leading the first of the content axes. The topics will be addressed in plenaries, conferences, dialogue tables, panels and workshops in which you can participate by coordinating on behalf of UCLG any of the sessions of the official program or intervening in any of the Forum spaces, with the presentation of success stories , good practices and experiences related to the various items that each main thematic line will include.

The first one, will take a look at the role of the territories as the basis of social, economic and environmental innovation, citizen participation and local democracy, sustainable tourism, public management and new productive models for innovation, as well as territorial ecosystems for the exchange of knowledge, within the first of the axes.

In relation to territorial economic and productive models to address inequality, the second of the thematic axes, the program will address its multidimensional nature, the implications and responses from the territories, innovative urban policies to promote socio-economic mobility, alternative models to locate the SDGs and the role of women as creators of inclusive and sustainable local economies, as well as their participation in networks and alliances for an open and innovative economy, among other issues.

Finally, investment in decent and sustainable work, collective representation, multilevel social dialogue and increased capacity investment will include reflection on the future of work and future work, from a territorial perspective. Likewise, public policies for a people-centred agenda, financial mechanisms for innovative ecosystems or community-based companies will be addressed, among other issues with a territorial focus.

+ info: 

For more info: del.cglu@andaluciasolidaria.org.

Friction in local governments over fiscal autonomy, accountability

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Barely one month after he was inaugurated for a second term in office and days to the inauguration of the 9th session of the National Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari, gave assent to a bill that allows states’ judiciary to directly access funds to their credit, and no longer through the state governors.

Prior to that auspicious development, Buhari had also, at the tail end of his first term, granted similar fiscal autonomy to local government councils, thereby freeing the third tier of government from the apron strings of powerful state governors.

Expectedly, the new lease of life granted to the various arms and layers of government threw up mixed reactions from stakeholders. For quite some time now, the intricate mix of fiscal management in local government councils have been at the root of unending arguments between stakeholders in both local and state governments.

For instance, no sooner had President Buhari put pen to paper acceding to the fiscal freedom for local governments than a group known as Akwa Ibom Liberation Movement (AILM) issued strong reservations about the efficacy of the policy statement.

AILM specifically said the Local Government Autonomy Bill signed into law by the President does not seem to be “in the best interest of Akwa Ibom State and its people.”

In a statement signed by its leader, Prince Emmanuel Sam, AILM described the law as idealistic and programmed to fail, contending that while it appears ideal to grant financial and administrative autonomy, “the reality on ground makes its implementation near impossible.”

Sam further lamented that the new law presents a new set of challenges in local government administration, saying that it must be resolved in order not to bring chaos, conflict and insecurity in Akwa Ibom State, even as he argued that “there was no thorough assessment of the economic impact the development will have on states.”

AILM accused the Federal Government of double standards, noting that while Buhari was in a hurry to sign Local Government Autonomy Bill into law, he was reluctant “to address a fundamental matter such as federalism that affects the very existence of the country.”

The group also expressed fears about possible job losses at the LGAs as fallout of the new development, stressing that the same way one state cannot transfer its workers to other states, local governments will not accept indigenes of other local governments. But while AILM was full of lamentations, Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Mr. Abel Diah, was full of praises for the new law, maintaining that granting local government autonomy “would lead to dynamic and active parliamentary democracy, (which is) the fulcrum for the attainment of dividends of democracy to Nigerians.”

Diah further stated: “We should prepare ourselves to face the challenges that will come our way and bring progress and prosperity for nation-building. With this law, democracy is gaining ground and heading towards success.”

NFIU angle, implementation hiccups
THE Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, explained in an interview that the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) law empowers the unit to monitor withdrawals, movements of funds, and everything that deals with finances as it affects the country.

He said the government ought to be interested in how funds are used, noting that funds have become instrument of destabilization in most countries, adding, “So, it is important that as Nigerians we to follow up and keep in mind how funds are moved within the system. It can destabilize the economy and the security architecture of the nation, so we have to be very careful.”

It is also the thinking in government quarters that for a long time state governors rendered local government funds as sources of easy money for political mobilization and other excesses. But, while local governments are basking under the euphoria of the recent fiscal autonomy granted it by the new law, there are no indications that the policy will usher in a new era of rural development in the states.

In Rivers State, for example, Governor Nyesom Wike, who was a two-term chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, lamented that despite huge allocations to the 23 councils, none of them could boast of capital projects. Indeed since 1999, Rivers State has remained averse to granting local government autonomy, as it is believed that that could lead to instability of governance at the grassroots.

The 8th State Assembly, which voted overwhelmingly against autonomy for councils, had argued that granting financial autonomy to councils might usher in again the era of zero allocation, where councils could barely pay workers’ salaries. The Guardian checks revealed, for instance, that monthly allocation for June from the federation account was paid directly to the accounts of the 23 local government areas of the state. Chairmen of both Eleme and Khana local government areas, Philip Okparaji and Loolo Lahteh, confirmed the fact.

However, the state and local government councils are yet to work out modalities on how payment of salaries of primary school teachers, primary healthcare workers, local government pensioners and traditional rulers would be made. This reality seems to echo the concerns raised by AILM.It would be recalled that in 2007, the administration of former governor Chibuike Amaechi, had taken over the responsibility of paying the salaries of primary school teachers and health workers from the council, all in a bid to ensure that there is stability in the polity.

Yet, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) remains vehemently opposed to financial autonomy for the councils as it seems comfortable with the current arrangement whereby the state government deducts primary school teachers’ and primary healthcare workers’ salaries at source. The state was paying over N2 billion as salaries to teachers and health workers during Amaechi’s era, because prior to that time, council chairmen were lamenting about zero allocation.

Eleme council chairman, Okparaji told The Guardian that although the councils were excited about the new fiscal policy, it has created some challenges for local governments in the state. Okparaji said: “We started receiving direct from the federation account this month for the month of June. Allocation meant for the local government was paid directly into the account of the local government. We are happy, but let me say there are certain challenges. You will find that primary school teachers, primary healthcare and pensioners’ salaries need to be paid. These are issues we need to resolve amicably with the state government so that they can get their money on time.

“Under Amaechi’s government, there was a law that as allocation comes in you withdraw at source to pay the teachers, primary healthcare workers and traditional rulers. But now we are getting the whole money. So we need to pay the traditional rulers; we need to pay primary school teachers; we need to pay the primary healthcare workers. We need to pay the pensioners and that is why we are still working out modalities for them to get their money early.

“We need to work out modalities to confront these challenges so that the traditional rulers can get their own five per cent and pensioners can get their money on time, because now local governments go to bank and withdraw only N500,000.00 per day. We don’t want traditional rulers to go through some cumbersome process to get their money.”

A source, however, informed The Guardian that for now, local government chairmen don’t know the total emolument of the teachers and healthcare workers because the state government had been saddled with that responsibility since 2007. But Okparaji said his main preoccupation was to see the speedy resolution of the issue of payment due to primary school teachers and healthcare workers.

“There could be some local government chairmen who could be overzealous and say they won’t pay,” he said. “We don’t want people to suffer in the process, and that is why the state came in to mitigate the suffering of these people. Now the allocation is coming to us and we believe that we will work out a modality where these people will take their salaries or payment.”On his part, Khana Local Government chairman, Lahteh said he was not really enthused by the new policy because it does not in any way enhance the financial fortunes of the council.

According to him, “We are not bothered about it, because the allocation we get through the Joint State and Local Government Account was the same allocation whether they come in directly or indirectly. There is nothing special about it. Whether it comes directly or indirectly, it is the same amount that comes to the local government. Those who are excited are those who don’t know how the system works. Here in Rivers State we get our money complete from the State-Local Government Joint Allocation Account Committee.”

Not minding whether councils get their allocations directly or not, there is no way of holding council officials accountable for their actions.  For years, basic information about public expenditure at the local level has been kept as a closely guarded secret. Some past local government chairmen, who pleaded anonymity, lamented that one of the problems that has bedeviled the councils has been the incidence of too many deductions, such that after paying salaries they are left with nothing for capital projects.

Perhaps as a warning to council chairmen not to be carried away by the new policy of direct allocation, Rivers State Government, which oversights the council, has set up a committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Ipalibo Banigo, to investigate financial transactions of the councils. Banigo said the committee to audit and investigate the 23 local government councils was set up to reposition the third tier of government as a bastion of grassroots development. She stated: “The purpose of the exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody, but to re-position the local government councils as a bastion of grassroots development and democratic dividends. The local government is the closest tier of government to the people. Governor Wike wants to be sure that monies that get to the councils are used in the overall interest of the people.”

Similarly, while inaugurating a committee to look into the accounts of local councils and development areas in Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, said his administration was committed to delivering the dividends of democracy, noting that the initiative was not to go after the immediate past administration, but to set the stage for proper take off of “our government.” Makinde said looking into the accounts of local government “is highly needed at this point when there is a paucity of funds and the need to re-strategise and define to means to fund activities of government.

“In fact, I must state that the committee we are inaugurating today is in pursuant to the Public Property and Funds (Investigation and Recovery) Panel Law, Cap 138,Vol.4 of Oyo State Law, 2,000.“Section 3 of the law states, thus, “Whenever it shall appear to the Government of the State that any person or body of persons in the custody of any property belonging to the government or any company in which the State Government has any interest however arising or is accountable to the government for any contract entered into or purported to have been entered into between him and the government or monies which he may have collected on behalf of or for the purposes of the government, the Governor may set up a panel to investigate  or ascertain the identity and extent of such  properties or fund and make order for recovery of such property or fund.”

The governor conceded that the local government “is the governments at the grassroots level are the closest to the people,” stressing that it is therefore important to take into consideration all matters that affect the people.

Development areas as blind spots
IN Nasarawa State, owing to the new impetus, some local government councils are kicking against the practice of sharing funds with the development areas created. The move is believed to be in strict compliance with the Federal Government’s directive on local government financial guidelines. The reasons put forward by the local government councils are that the development areas are not captured by the 1999 constitution and that the Federal Government allocates funds to respective local governments.

Meanwhile, the state government has complied with the new Local Government’s Financial Guidelines as directed by Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bala Sani, who disclosed this during the state’s LG Joint Account Committee (JACC) meeting, said the state government has fully complied with the directive in order to ensure prudence and accountability in the management of resources.He said the guidelines were put in operation since June 1, adding that the government has also set up the machinery to ensure its success, even as he disclosed that the JACC meeting still holds because money was not sent directly to LGAs account, but through the local governments joint account. Sani also remarked that Nasarawa State has development areas that are not recognised by the new guidelines and urged LG chairmen to share the allocation with the respective development areas.

He urged them to ensure that statutory deductions were considered on first line charges before any other expenses were made. He listed the statutory deductions to include salaries for traditional rulers, percentage for pension of retirees, money for training of staff at Local Government Service Commission. Others, he said, are salaries for primary school teachers to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Primary Healthcare and Development Agency (PHCDA), among others.

The state’s Accountant-General, Zakka Yakubu, advised that LGAs should share the allocations with the development areas the way it was done in the past, noting, however, that the guidelines do not recognise development areas. He explained that the state’s law created the development areas from the local governments for administrative convenience, contending therefore that the development areas remain parts of the local governments.

Yakubu charged council chairmen to keep proper records of their expenditures to avoid violation of the guidelines.But in Bauchi State, the caretaker committee chairmen of the 20 local government areas are in search of legal redress as to why Governor Bala Mohammed disengaged them before the expiration of their tenure. A former caretaker chairman of Bauchi local government area, Alhaji Chindo Abdu, who spoke on behalf of the others, claimed that they were appointed by former Governor Mohammad Abubakar to serve for a period of nine months, insisting that their tenure ought to end by September this year. He recalled how Mohammed, issued a statement directing all political appointees to vacate their offices without cognisance of the law that appointed them immediately after taking over.

Although Chindo could not say whether the development followed the presidential directive on direct funding, he lamented that a letter written to the governor, through the Secretary to the State Government, reminding him of the duration of their tenure did not yield fruit.

While accusing the governor of withholding their salaries and allowances, the former caretaker chairman said: “Based on the appointment letters we have, we are to stay there for nine months. And those nine months will expire in September. This month has ended; there is no salary and entitlements, which we deserve. Base on that, we approached Bauchi State High Court to demand for our rights.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS, CIVIL SERVANTS AND NGO PROFESSIONALS: Career Opportunities

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Duration: 2 weeks
Location: The Hague, Netherlands
Cost All Expenses Paid (Flight, Fees, Accommodation, Feeding, Visa Cost, Insurance
Application Deadline: Deadline 7th March 2020

Multilevel Water Governance (7 – 18 September 2020):
This course explores the building blocks of water governance: administrative, planning, financial, legal, stakeholder & cooperation through international best practices and study visits.

Local Economic Development (21 September – 2 October 2020):
This course discusses how local authorities, together with stakeholders, can develop strategies for inclusive and sustainable economic development and promote a conducive business environment.

Conflict, Rule of Law and Local Security (26 October – 6 November 2020):
This course discusses the role of national and local actors in increasing state legitimacy, restoring basic services, and promoting social cohesion and human security in post-conflict settings.

Gender Responsive Governance (16 – 27 November 2020):
This course explores the what, why and how of gender responsive governance for transformative change by focusing on gender mainstreaming and equitable service delivery at the local level.

Note: For the Short Courses Training, you must have a valid international passport ready as part of your application procedures.

Read the more at https://thehagueacademy.com/blog/2020/01/applications-for-nuffic-scholarships-now-open/

@ Ropo Egbeleke
President WESCOSA 95 2019/2021

FIELD: DAIRY, POULTRY, FEED FARMERS, AGRICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURS: Career Opportunities

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Duration: varies
Location: Aeres Training Centers International in The Drothen , Netherlands
Cost All Expenses Paid (Flight, Fees, Accommodation, Feeding, Visa Cost, Insurance)
Application Deadline: Deadline 9th March 2020

International Poultry Management & Feed Production (Barneveld) …44 week(s)
Applied Poultry Management 15 week(s)
Animal Feed Production 13 week(s)
Incubation and (Broiler) Parent Stock Management 4 week(s)
Applied Pig Management 15 week(s)
International Pig Management & Feed Production (Barneveld) …44 week(s)
Training & Extension. 4 week(s)
Food Safety Management Academy .5 month(s)
Dairy Farming and Entrepreneurship. 3 month(s)
International Poultry Management (Barneveld). 30 week(s)
Poultry Farm Manager. 3 week(s)
Food Chain Management Academy. 5 month(s)
Milk Processing and Entrepreneurship 3 month(s)
International Pig Management (Barneveld)30 week(s)
Poultry Production Technology| 4 week(s)
Product Quality & Food Safety4 week(s)

Note: For the Short Courses Training, you must have a valid international passport ready as part of your application procedures.
Read the more at https://www.aerestrainingcentre.com/
@ Ropo Egbeleke
President WESCOSA 95 2019/2021

How some corporations can have positive impact in communities

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Dealing with grand challenges: It’s not about the rains, it’s about the drains.
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Ralph Hamann, University of Cape Town; Alan Zhang, MIT Sloan School of Management; Clifford Shearing, University of Cape Town; Gina Ziervogel, University of Cape Town, and Lulamile Makaula, University of Cape Town

What is the role of corporations in addressing grand challenges? Grand challenges are complex, pressing social and ecological problems involving diverse actors. They defy straightforward solutions.

Corporations contribute to such problems by, for instance, exacerbating climate change or social inequality. But they could also contribute significant resources to developing solutions to grand challenges. This is especially if these are linked to their core corporate strategies, rather than branding or discretionary contributions to philanthropic projects.

There is significant research on support by corporates for social and ecological projects. There has, however, been less research on why and how profit-driven corporations invest in potential solutions to multifaceted and complex social and ecological challenges as part of their core strategy.

To better understand why and how corporations might do this, we studied resilience building efforts in five communities in South Africa. These are supported by four corporations. We also included in our study three auxiliary company case studies. This helped us to explain better why some companies engage in such efforts and others don’t.

The four corporations have systematically contributed to the ability of five communities to enhance and maintain their members’ livelihoods in the face of gradual and sudden social-ecological changes. These include climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, declining food security or growing social inequalities.

In doing so, these corporations addressed a number of interconnected grand challenges facing the five communities. These efforts were strategic because they involved significant investments by the companies in projects that sought to address core business risks. The investments weren’t driven primarily by regulatory compliance, reputation, or philanthropic objectives.

Place-specific resources at risk

We discovered that the investments were motivated for by managers based on their assessments that strategically important corporate resources were at risk due to social-ecological changes in the four communities.

For example, managers in a retail company in our sample raised concerns about growing water risks for some of the company’s important fresh produce suppliers. These suppliers were located in a particular catchment that faced a growing threat of drought in the context of growing demand. The retail company had a long-term relationship with these suppliers and could not easily shift to other suppliers. The managers thus explored what might be done about these risks. In doing this, they worked with a range of local, national, and even international organisations.

In another case, managers in an insurance company became concerned about increased insured losses in a particular district due to fires and floods. Redlining the area or raising premiums was not a desirable strategic option. So some other response needed to be found.

Points of leverage

Having identified and assessed these risks, the corporate managers identified points of leverage that were amenable to intervention. This was important because the complex nature of the social-ecological challenges needed a tangible, focused intervention. Even so, these points of leverage could generally not be influenced by the corporation itself. Managers therefore identified key actors they could collaborate with.

In the case of the insurance company, managers identified climate change as the root cause of the increased incidence and severity of fires and floods. The company obviously had no direct way of addressing this root cause. The managers thus focused on what they called “proximate risk drivers”. These are the diverse, local factors that translated extreme weather events into loss of life or assets. For example, how well a municipality’s drainage system is maintained is a key factor influencing whether an intense downpour leads to flooding. As emphasised by one of the researchers working with the company, “it’s not about the rains, it’s about the drains!”

Many of these proximate risk drivers are within the jurisdiction of local government. The company therefore partnered with the municipality. They jointly work on reducing local risks associated with fires and floods. The company contributed funds to this partnership. More importantly, it also contributed firm-specific resources, including the expertise, data, and models to appraise fire and flood risks in the landscape.

In the case of the retail company, managers and their NGO partners identified the spread of alien invasive vegetation as an important contributor to water risks in the catchment. The alien vegetation consumed much more water than the indigenous vegetation. There were diverse initiatives to fight this spread, but they struggled because of a lack of coordination among role-players. The company therefore paid for an intermediary person, whose task was to enhance coordination and improve trust among these role-players. Interviewees highlighted the important impact of this intermediary person.

System viability

Our findings have practical implications because they show under what conditions corporations are motivated to make significant contributions to community resilience. They also talk to the kind of choices managers face in designing such interventions. On the one hand, this suggests that at least some corporations have strategic incentives to address grand challenges. On the other, our analysis also cautions against too much optimism. These strategic incentives are not necessarily prominent across many corporations.

Our study also makes a number of theoretical contributions. One of these is to challenge the predominant emphasis of strategic management theory on competitive advantage as the overriding or even only strategic priority for corporate managers. We show that in the context of climate change and social inequality, managers give increasing attention to system viability as a strategic concern. This expands the scope of their attention to broader social-ecological context. It also forces them to work with diverse role-players, and in some cases even competitors, to address shared risks and challenges.The Conversation

Ralph Hamann, Professor, University of Cape Town; Alan Zhang, PhD student, MIT Sloan School of Management; Clifford Shearing, Professor of Law and Leader of the Global Risk Governance programme, University of Cape Town; Gina Ziervogel, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science and African Climate and Development Initiative Research Chair, University of Cape Town, and Lulamile Makaula, Research analyst, University of Cape Town

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.