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Cannabis will aid our industrial drive, boost IGR – Reps spokesman

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A member of House of Representatives, Mr Benjamin Kalu, on Monday called for the legalisation of cannabis sativa also known as Indian hemp in Nigeria.

The federal lawmaker pointed out that many countries of the world have legalized cannabis for industrial purpose and there was a need for Nigeria to emulate this.

Kalu, who is a spokesman of the House of Representatives, stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday in a chat with journalists.

According to him, a major challenge to Nigeria’s entry into the cannabis business is the farming, production, and use of cannabis for medical and industrial purpose is that it has not been legalised.

He said there was a need for the country to look inwards, to identify, optimise and exploit the areas of its strength in the light of challenges facing the oil sector.

Read Also: Boom Times For Organic Cocoa In Ivory Coast

He said, “Agriculture has always been a major strength of Nigeria and cannabis provides interesting prospects. Industrial hemp is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for industrial use.

“Once harvested, the crop has a high yield of edible proteins and fibred with more than 50,000 product applications ranging from paper making, textiles, biodegradable plastics, fuel, construction, healthy food, beverages, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals.”

He added, “According to verified market research, the Global Industrial Hemp Market was valued at USD 5bn in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 36bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 34 per cent from 2019 to 2026.

“According to a consultancy firm Prohibition Partners, by 2023, the value of Africa’s legal cannabis market could be worth over USD 7.1bn.

“Currently, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and South Africa have legalised the growing of industrial hemp in Africa; and according to Prohibition Partners’ research, by 2023, just two years from now, the South African domestic market for cannabis and related products will be worth around USD 1.9bn.

“Fortunately, Nigeria has various advantages including affordable land, low-cost labour and an experienced agricultural workforce. Nigeria is also positioned to benefit from a first-mover advantage in Africa.”

Israel-Palestine Conflict: CAN Warns FG Against Taking Sides

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against taking sides in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. CAN especially 0warned against joining the Arab world to fight Israel in the ongoing violence in the Middle East as advocated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey because Nigeria is a secular state. 

CAN recalled that Erdogan reportedly called “for the international community to teach the necessary lesson to unlawful, unjust and unscrupulous Israel due to its attacks against Palestine, President Erdogan voiced his belief that Nigeria would show solidarity with the Palestinians in this rightful cause.”

CAN in a statement by its General Secretary Barr Joseph Daramola said it is worried that Nigeria which was wrongly labelled an Islamic State because of her unlawful membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has been taking side with the Palestinians since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari. Hence why the Turkish President asked Nigeria to identify with the Palestinians. 

“On behalf of every Nigerian Christian, we call on the Federal government to reverse itself on the support that has been given to the Palestinians to date. For the record, millions of Nigerian Christians are in support of Israel against the position of the government. 

“We once again remind the Federal government and the National Assembly that Nigeria is not an Islamic State”, CAN said. 

The Christian apex body, however, called on the international community to intervene in the ongoing bloody actions in the Middle East without taking side if they truly wanted an enduring peace. 

“We agree with the United States that Israel has the right to defend herself against external aggression. We see no reason why Nigeria should take side with either of the warring factions,” the statement added.


Kaduna Labour Strike: No Retreat No Surrender, Wabba Declares

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he President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, declared on Monday that labour would not shift its position on the workers’ strike that commenced in Kaduna State until the state government reverses the unilateral sack of workers in the state.

Wabba, who led a protest match in Kaduna at the commencement of the five days warning strike on Monday, declared that there “is no retreat and no surrender,” until Governor Nasir El-Rufai reverses the sack of the workers and pay those who have been sacked about four years ago.

Beginning from Monday, electricity supply, government schools and offices, banks, airport, train station, and private businesses were totally shut as labour under the NLC commenced the strike.

Workers, across the state and leadership of all the affiliate unions of NLC converged on Kaduna, the state capital city to ensure the success of the strike.

As early as 8 am, workers gathered at the state office of NLC carrying placards with various inscriptions to signal the commencement of the protest.

Wabba stated that the Kaduna State government has been feeding the public with lies as none of the labour unions and their leaders were consulted as claimed by the government, while none has been invited by the state government.

He insisted that the protest and strike action in the state would continue until the state government rescinds its anti-workers policy.

The NLC President said all the affiliate unions in the electricity, petroleum, railway, aviation, bank sector complied totally by shutting down all their facilities.

Wabba pointed out that despite the fact that the Kaduna State government generated the highest internal revenue among the states in the North, it has the least workers and has continued to retrench without following due process as stipulated in the labour law and the constitution.

The NLC president said: “This is just the beginning, tomorrow we will make sure that the number of our members on the road are more than this. We are complying fully with the constitution and we are fully aware of the COVID-19 protocol and complying.”

He assured the protesting workers that the organized labour would ensure its demands are acceded to by the governor.

According to him, the five-day warning strike is a decision of the highest body of labour, and all the relevant government agencies, especially the security agencies were duly informed.

He said: “The decision has been communicated to all security agencies of government. It is the beginning of the struggle of labour, hope our politicians will cooperate with us to ensure we protect our democracy by delivering its dividends to the citizens including workers.

“More than 90 per cent of Nigerians are living in abject poverty and that is why insecurity and other social vices have increased in the country.”

According to him, the labour leadership is in Kaduna to tell the world the truth about what the workers, pensioners, students and other citizens in the state are going through besides the lies being peddled by media platforms on El-Rufai’s payroll.

The situation of the workers in the state, according to the NLC president, is so pathetic that thousands of them have been laid off from their sources of livelihood without the state government making any effort to pay them their entitlements.

He added that worse still, El-Rufai has gone further to increase the school fees thereby making the children of those sacked from their working place without payment become dropouts.

He lamented that workers in the state were being sacked from their jobs without following the due process, adding that no constituted labour union was contacted by Governor El-Rufai before taking the action.

“It is only in Kaduna State out of the other states in the country that workers are thrown out of their jobs without any regards to the labour law and that is why we are here,” he said.

He added: “Here we have a governor that is not respecting the law but violating the law with impunity. He has sacked thousands of workers in the state. Over 20,000 workers in the state have not been paid their April salary.

“After sacking the workers from their jobs, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has gone ahead to increase the school fees thereby sending students away from school as their parents could not afford the new school fees.”
Wabba warned that if after the first five days, Gov El-Rufai fails to rescind his decision, the strike will go national in solidarity with Kadina workers.

Serena Williams Builds Up For French Open With Opening Win In Parma

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Serena Williams beat Italian teenager Lisa Pigato in Parma as part of the American’s bid to build up clay-court sharpness before the French Open.

The 39-year-old was given a late wildcard into the event after losing her first competitive match since mid-February at last week’s Italian Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion needed an hour and eight minutes to win 6-3 6-2 against 17-year-old Pigato.

“Lisa played really well,” Williams said. “Her future is super-bright.”

Pigato was born a fortnight before Williams won her sixth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003.

The qualifier, ranked 572nd, broke Williams’ serve in the first game of the match, before the world number eight quickly found rhythm and asserted her authority.

“She played really good and I needed to adjust to get back,” top seed Williams said after her first victory on the red dirt in 2021.

“She handled the moment well, so I look forward to cheering for her in the future.”

Williams will be going for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, matching the number won by Australian Margaret Court, when the French Open starts on 30 May.

Meanwhile, British men’s number two Cameron Norrie set up a second-round meeting in Lyon with US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Norrie, who been impressive on both hard courts and clay this season, won 7-5 6-3 against France’s Corentin Moutet in his opening match.

Anthony Joshua V Tyson Fury: British Boxers To Meet On 14 August In Saudi Arabia

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Tyson Fury says his world heavyweight title showdown with Anthony Joshua will take place in Saudi Arabia on 14 August.

The all-British bout has been billed as one of the biggest in heavyweight boxing for decades and the winner will become undisputed champion.

Joshua, 31, holds the WBA, WBO and IBF belts, while Fury, 32, is WBC champion.

The fight will see all four belts on the line in a heavyweight bout for the first time in history.

The last undisputed heavyweight champion was Britain’s Lennox Lewis from 1999 to 2000, in an era when fighters did not need to hold the WBO belt to be recognised as undisputed champion.

In announcing the fight date in a video on Twitter, Fury said: “All eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and I cannot wait to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all times.

“This is going to be the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet earth. Do not miss it.”

Plans for a fight between the pair were set in motion when Fury defeated Deontay Wilder to capture the WBC title in February last year.

That came two months after Joshua avenged his only career loss to Andy Ruiz Jr, a fight which was also staged in Saudi Arabia, at the Diriyah Arena.

Although news of the fight is one of boxing’s worst-kept secrets, neither Joshua, his promoter Eddie Hearn or Fury’s co-promoters Bob Arum and Frank Warren have officially confirmed it will take place.

Last week, Hearn said that the fight would take place in Saudi Arabia but Fury did not mention a venue.

Saudi Arabia has faced criticism from campaigners who have accused the Middle East country of trying to ‘sportswash’ its human rights record.

“The real question is will Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and their teams just go along with it?” said Amnesty International UK spokesman Felix Jakens.

When Joshua fought Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia in 2019, his promoter Hearn insisted Saudi involvement was “here to stay in boxing”, calling critics “hypocrites” and repeatedly referencing the fact other sporting institutions had worked in the country.


Former Players Launch Petition Calling For Independent Regulator In English Football

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Several former footballers have launched a parliamentary petition calling for an independent regulator in English football.

Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker are among 23 ex-players and journalists to undersign an open letter to fans.

They say April’s European Super League attempted breakaway demonstrates the need to reform the game’s governance.

The petition was signed by more than 20,000 people in its first hour.

For it to be considered for a parliamentary debate, 100,000 signatures are required.

“As football fans, we were appalled by the attempt to set up a European Super League,” reads the letter, which has also been signed by Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards.

“It was a direct threat to the integrity of the game; destroying the concept of sporting merit and open competition.

“Supporters came together with one voice to oppose the cynical power-grab by a group of wealthy owners. The furious protests were heard and the breakaway fell apart.

“Now we must make sure this never happens again. Without swift and direct intervention, the return of a European Super League will be a constant threat.”

In addition to an independent regulator, the petition also calls for government legislation which would stop Premier League clubs from attempting to abandon the football pyramid.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham all withdrew from the European Super League within 48 hours of its launch after fans protested.

The move was criticised by the UK government, which has brought forward a fan-led review into English football that will consider ownership, finance and supporter involvement in the game.

“We welcome the fan-led Government review of the game and hope it leads to lasting change on an array of important concerns; including co-ordinated strategies to deal with racism, supporters’ representation within clubs, LGBTQ issues, ticket costs and the distribution of income,” the letter added.

“All of those aims can be realised if we take decisive action now.”

Nollywood Actress Regina Daniels Tells Story Of Domestic Violence In New Short Film

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Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels has dropped a new short film titled “Smile for the Camera”.

“Smile For the Camera” tells a story of domestic violence and the current realities of individuals trapped in an abusive relationship. This short film is RET’s first docu-series on Social Justice Issues.

The initiative is geared towards using visual storytelling to awaken our society to harmful norms that encourage oppression and marginalization of the vulnerable.

The short film stars Regina Daniels, Gideon Moses, Gloria Mathias K, Nicolas Adekeye and Emanuella C. Eboka. It is directed by IceQue On It and the story by Precious Nkem Ogbuenyi.

Mali Strike Paralyses Banks, Government Offices

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Mali’s largest trade union paralysed banks and government offices on Monday after launching a strike in the West African country, amid growing disenchantment with the post-coup government.

The National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM), which represents public servants and private-sector employees, called the 4-day strike after pay negotiations with Mali’s interim government collapsed.

UNTM official Ousmane Traore told AFP that workers in banks, the treasury and the departments of customs and taxes were mostly following the strike.

“In all regions of Mali and in Bamako, the administration is paralysed,” he added, referring to the landlocked nation’s capital.

Mali is governed by an transitional government installed after military officers deposed president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August, after weeks of protests over his handling of Mali’s jihadist insurgency, and perceived corruption.

Under the threat of international sanctions, the military handed power between September and October to a caretaker government that pledged to reform the constitution and stage elections within 18 months.

But figures with army links dominate this body, and there is growing anger about their prominent role and the slowness of reforms.

Coup leader Assimi Goita is currently serving as interim vice president and the interim president, Bah Ndaw, is a retired army officer.

This month, the M5 opposition movement — which led anti-Keita protests in 2020 — also urged dissolving the transitional government in favour of “a more legitimate” body.

Responding to growing criticism, the presidency said last week that Interim Prime Minister Moctar Ouane would form a more inclusive cabinet.

M5 has already refused to participate in the new government, however. The question of the military’s participation is particularly fraught.

Boom Times For Organic Cocoa In Ivory Coast

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Cocoa farmers across Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest producer of the key ingredient for chocolate, are down in the dumps after prices for their commodity have fallen for the second year running.

Not so in M’Brimbo, a village in central Ivory Coast which 11 years ago became a testing ground for organic cocoa farming and today is prospering.

The local farmers’ collective, the Fair Cooperative Society of Bandama (SCEB), sell their high-quality produce at twice the market rate for non-organic cocoa.

“When producers are trained and well-paid, they can make very good cocoa in Ivory Coast,” said Arthur Gautier, an agronomist who works for Ethiquable, a French company that specialises in marketing fair-trade products and buys SCEB’s harvest.

The chocolate made from their cocoa is sold in French supermarkets under the brand “Grand Cru M’Brimbo,” a name that resonates with fine wines — “Grand Cru” means “vintage.”

Cocoa growing was massively promoted by Ivory Coast’s government following independence in 1960, becoming the backbone of the country’s rise as one of West Africa’s leading economies. Today, Ivory Coast produces two million tonnes of cocoa per year, equivalent to more than 40 percent of the world’s market.

But expansion has also come at a grim price for the environment and fuelled a dependency that ratchets up rural poverty whenever prices slump.

Around 90 percent of Ivory Coast’s forests have been destroyed, stripping away habitat for elephants and other species, and in some places herbicides and pesticides have lastingly tainted the soil.

Using techniques pioneered in Latin America, SCEB farmers weed their fields manually and have developed specific methods to dry and ferment cocoa beans, helping to develop the chocolate’s signature rich taste.

EU, US Launch Talks To Resolve Steel Tariffs Row

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The EU and US took a step towards a post-Trump trade truce on Monday, agreeing to hold talks to end a tit-for-tat feud over steel and aluminium tariffs.

In a carefully phrased statement, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and her EU counterpart Valdis Dombrovskis announced “the start of discussions to address global steel and aluminium excess capacity” that would also address China’s outsize role in the problem.

The Europeans will in addition temporarily suspend a plan to increase tariffs on the US, the EU said.

The peace offering is the latest chapter in a row that began in June 2018 when former president Donald Trump imposed US tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium from Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

Brussels responded with counter-tariffs on 2.8 billion euros worth of iconic US products, including bourbon whiskey, jeans, orange juice and Harley-Davidson motorbikes.

The EU was planning to increase those counter-tariffs on June 1, but given the easing of tensions with the Biden administration, said it would refrain from doing so.

In return, both sides have agreed to engage in a dialogue on the overproduction of steel, a problem that has helped depress prices with output, mainly from China, flooding the global market and putting steel plants in difficulty.

While never addressing the tariffs specifically, the statement said both sides “agreed to avoid changes on these issues that negatively affect bilateral trade”.

Singling out China, the statement said that “the United States and EU member states are allies and partners, sharing similar national security interests as democratic, market economies”.

This alignment, it added, means “they can partner to promote high standards, address shared concerns, and hold countries like China that support trade-distorting policies to account.”

In an earlier sign of detente, both sides in March suspended punitive tariffs in the separate, two-decade long dispute over aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing.

Yet another fight over digital taxes slapped on US big tech by France, Spain and other EU nations has also mellowed, with all sides pursuing a global solution at the OECD.