It’s a Friday, and we are back with a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines alongside our advocacy-driven demands for government action.
1. Vanguard: MOSOP, others reject Tinubu’s oil resumption moves in Ogoni
So, the federal government wants to resume oil drilling in Ogoniland without proper consultation? After decades of poisoned farmlands and dead fishing waters, you would think government officials would know that the word ‘consultation’ is not just a fancy term for press releases.
Our Take: The Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NOSDRA need to stop acting like strangers to community dialogue. They should publish a clear roadmap for Ogoni environmental clean-up, compensation, and meaningful consultation before a single drop of crude is touched.
2. Punch: Sokoto leaders blame poverty, poor awareness for out-of-school crisis
Community leaders in Sokoto say poverty and lack of awareness are pushing children out of classrooms. Meanwhile, we keep organising conferences where everyone agrees that education is important.
Our Take: It’s encouraging to see grassroots leaders in Sokoto speaking up about the challenge of out-of-school children. But beyond raising awareness, where exactly is the state on developing a new Education Sector Plan (ESP)? Community leaders should also press for an ESP that is gender-responsive, ensuring girls are not left behind. The government must prioritise this if it truly wants to demonstrate a genuine commitment to solving the issues associated with basic education.
3. Daily Trust: Lagos building collapses spark concerns as 14 die in Q1 2025
14 people have died from collapsed buildings in Lagos this year alone. At this point, ‘structural integrity’ in Nigeria’s commercial hub sounds like science fiction. The big question is, how many more have to die before someone in the government house in Alausa decides enforcement of building codes is not optional?
Our Take: The Lagos State Building Control Agency should stop blaming ‘substandard materials’ after the fact. They should publish a quarterly compliance list of certified buildings, name and shame violators, and actually prosecute developers who cut corners.
4. Punch: FG targets initiative to boost food security, livestock health
Finally, some good news: the federal government wants to integrate renewable energy with veterinary reforms to boost food security. Off-grid refrigeration for vaccines and produce preservation? That sounds great.
Our Take: To ensure that someone does not mismanage the contracts, the Rural Electrification Agency and the Ministry of Livestock Development should make procurement transparent and open for public tracking. They should publish the deployment plan, state by state.
