Lagos © NASA/JSC - Badagry Creek flowing in from the left of the image, and the edge of the lagoon on the right, joining to flow into the Atlantic at the bottom.

Launched late last year, the Hidden Journeys Project aims to enliven the flying experience and transform it into a fascinating exploration of the people, places and environments thousands of metres below by providing inspiring information to air travellers about the parts of the world they fly over (www.hiddenjourneys.co.uk).

The latest guide to be released explores the fascinating landscapes of Northern Africa, covering the Kufra oasis, the Tibesti Mountains, Lake Chad and Abuja along the flight path from Cairo to Lagos.

The flight path between Cairo and Lagos crosses some of the driest parts of the planet. Yet these inhospitable places are inhabited by millions of people who rely on crucial water from the most surprising of places: from the annual floods of the Nile which supports farming in Egypt, to the ancient aquifer that underlies the Libyan Desert, to the shrinking Lake Chad that supports 30 million people.

However, an ever-growing population is putting strain on this finite water supply as billions of litres are consumed each year to quench cities and irrigate crops.

For example the Great Man-Made River Project in Libya threatens to drain the underground aquifer that has supported life here for thousands of years, Lake Chad has shrunk to a hundredth of its original size and rapid expansion of the city of Lagos has led to reclaiming of land from its vital coastal habitats.

At either end of this flight path are the two largest cities in Africa: both are dynamic, vibrant mega-cities which grow by thousands of people each year. In contrast to these cities, and as a demonstration of the incredible diversity which exists in Africa, is the fascinating story of life in the desert that has gone on for centuries.

[Sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)’s Hidden Journeys]

Mr Gideon Dandam, Coordinator, Fadama III programme in the state, disclosed this on Friday in Jos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The coordinator, who described the implementation of the programme in the state as “successful,’’ said funds would soon be released for some of the beneficiaries.

He said that his office received an avalanche of applications from farmers’ groups, wishing to participate in the programme, promising that funds would soon be released to successful beneficiaries.

“We have everything ready, applicants have been screened and approved and we are only waiting for a few things to be done to disburse funds to the beneficiaries,”, he said.

He said that the State Government paid N40.2 million as its counterpart funding for the programme at the end of 2009.

Dandam said that chairmen of the 17 local government areas in the state had also paid their annual counterpart funding of N2 million each to participate in the programme.

Dandam enumerated some of the challenges facing the implementation of Fadama programme in the state as attempts by some elites to corner funds from getting to the reach of the target groups, whom he said, were the low income earners and peasant farmers.

He said that difficulties by communities to raise the minimum counterpart funding to access the loan were other challenges facing the implementation of Fadama III programme in the state.

(NAN)

Nigerian Minister of Environment, Mr John Odey

The Minister of Environment, John Odey, has urged staff of the ministry to ensure that the goal of sustainable environmental development was achieved.

Odey gave the charge in Abuja at a meeting with top officials of the ministry and heads of parastatal agencies.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Mr Clement Egbeama, said the meeting was aimed at streamlining the ministry’s activities for the new year.

It said the meeting reviewed the performance of the sector in 2009 while strategies were mapped out on how to tackle the environmental challenges facing the country.

The objective of the ministry, the statement issued on Tuesday evening said, was to ensure the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

The statement also said the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation for Economic Development and Youth Empowerment would soon commence in the 36 states and the FCT.

It said the programme was aimed at combating climate change and ensuring wealth creation.

The statement said the minister directed all departments in the ministry to submit information on all foreign-assisted projects for proper coordination and implementation.

Two mobile phone lines, it said, have been dedicated to staff of the ministry for easy access to the minister.

“Staff welfare, discipline and work environment will be key emphasis of the ministry this year,” Odey was quoted as saying.

He commended the media for the extensive coverage of the UN Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, last December.

Life is hard in the Niger Delta

The Nigerian Government has awarded contracts valued at N174 billion to ameliorate the environmental problems in the Niger Delta region.

Mr Bawuro Yahaya, a member of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board, said this on Wednesday while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Yahaya, who is also the Director, Erosion, Flood Control and Coastal Zone Management, Ministry of Environment, said the initiative was part of efforts to implement the amnesty programme.

He said the contracts covered road construction, shoreline stabilisation, erosion control and construction of bridges.

Yahaya said the projects, which were expected to be completed within 12 months, would transform the Niger Delta into a “liveable and developed area of the country”.

But in a bid to provide a credible response to the challenge of cybercrimes, popularly referred to as yahoo-yahoo, Microsoft and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) have partnered to launch an anti-cybercrimes musical collaboration that will become Nigeria’s unofficial anthem in the electronic media and across the Internet.
Initiated by Ohimai Godwin Amaize, one of the Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN) ambassadors under the supervision of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), the MISSPIN song project is quintessential of Microsoft Nigeria’s long-standing commitment towards improving Nigeria standing on the list of the countries with the highest rate of cybercrimes.

The song, which features a careful selection of some of Nigeria’s finest artistes like Banky W, Omawumi, Modele, Rooftop MCs and MI under the production of the famed Cobhams Asuquo, will be projected across relevant media platforms via B.L.I.N.G. – an acronym for Brilliant. Legitimate. Inspired. Nigerian. Great. B.L.I.N.G. is a pop culture strategy designed by Ohimai Godwin Amaize specifically for the MISSPIN campaign.

Today, the ambassadors, spread across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, are at the forefront of specific advocacy projects in their various communities in line with the objectives of the MISSPIN campaign. One of such efforts is the anti-cybercrimes musical collaboration.
According to Microsoft’s Citizenship Lead for Anglophone West Africa, Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajijola, this project means a lot to Microsoft because it will help ensure that everyone has access to the tools and contents they need online to achieve their greatest dreams.

“It further demonstrates our commitment to making the Internet a safe place to work, learn and play. This strategic project also demonstrates our commitment to Nigeria as an important country as it seeks to support the government in its rebranding Nigeria campaign. We are grateful to the highly talented artistes, the renowned producer and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria who have volunteered to work with us on this non-profit campaign. We look forward to more of such collaboration in the future to the benefit of the Nigerian people,” Umar-Ajijola added.

The MISSPIN campaign is premised on Microsoft’s resolve to redirect the energies of young Nigerians from cybercrimes towards productive alternatives on the Internet while ensuring a safer and more secure cyberspace in a world of increasing cyber insecurity. The precursor of the B.L.I.N.G. strategy was the launch of the MISSPIN campaign, on Saturday, October 25, 2008, at a red carpet event hosted in Lagos. At the event, Microsoft Nigeria and PIN inducted 24 young Nigerians as ambassadors of the MISSPIN campaign. Ohimai Godwin Amaize was one of these young men who made a commitment to take the anti-cybercrime message to his peers.

To Ohimai, “This musical collaboration is a big dream come true. Indeed, this is unprecedented not just in the music industry, but in the entire history of Nigerian pop culture. With this new song, I see young Nigerians reawakening to the realities of harnessing their God-given potentials for positive exploits. Gone are the days when we listened and danced to songs, which glorified criminality. This is a new beginning for Nigeria and we would be glad to receive more collaborative support from other music artistes in the near future.”

The Executive Director of PIN, ‘Gbenga Sesan, believes that the collaboration demonstrates the willingness of various stakeholders to support the need to redirect the energy of young Nigerians towards positive ideals. “We are extremely glad to be working with some of the music industry’s best hands on this campaign, and are delighted that they have added their brand value to the campaign against cybercrime. Microsoft and PIN look forward to working with other partners in delivering the objectives of the campaign,” he added.

On Monday December 7, the artistes started recording the much-anticipated song written and produced by Cobhams Asuquo. Collaborating artistes include Banky W, MI, Modele, Omawumi and Rooftop MCs!