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Global Emission: ActionAid Calls for Cancellation of Nigeria, Other Developing Countries Debt

Global Emission: ActionAid Calls for Cancellation of Nigeria, Other Developing Countries Debt
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called for the cancellation of Nigeria’s foreign debt as well as that of other African countries to appease for the damage done by global emission.
The Country Director of AAN, Mr Andrew Mamedu made the call at the weekend in Abuja, while noting that in reality African countries as well as other developing countries across the globe are not owing any debt but rather they are owed by developed countries and the Global North.
Mamedu, while calling for conversation around compensation for global emission, expressed concern about the disparity in the interest rate charges on loans between the low income earners and developed countries.
He said the amount agreed to be paid by developed countries for global emission should be redistributed to disadvantaged countries.
He stressed that the Global North is indebted to the developing countries and should be made to pay.
Mamedu argued that climate change is real and we should be pushing for climate justice, which means that the countries responsible for depletion of the ozone layer and subsequent climate change
should be made to pay for their damage.
He said: “So with the global emission conversation, there’s an agreement that for global emission, there’s a specific . that each country should pay, and this amount that is being paid should be redistributed to countries that are disadvantaged. “And surprise you to note that the Global North contributes over 97% of global emission. So with that calculation, with what, for instance, I’ll pick a country like the United States.
“What the United States is currently doing in terms of global emission, the United States has up to 80 trillion dollars that it owes for global emission. But if you project it between now and 2050, so between 1960 to 2050, the United States alone has about 80 trillion dollars. And with that projection, countries like Nigeria, if Nigeria is projected to what Nigeria would get, Nigeria would get 9.9 trillion dollars as payback.
“So look at the calculation, Nigeria is owing about 50 billion dollars, right? But for our climate emission, Nigeria is supposed to then get paid 9.9 trillion dollars between 1960 and now. So the question is, who is owing who? I think we need to sit down on the roundtable and renegotiate this.
“It is unacceptable that, particularly the Global North, the high-income countries, they also are indebted because of the level of risk.”
On the disparity issue of interest rate charged between the developed and developing countries, Mamedu said: “So a country like Germany pays an interest rate of 0.8 percent. Why is a country like Nigeria charged 2 to 3 percent? “You see the difference for their own same loan that we have taken. And what that means is, it is affecting the money’s amount available for our social sector, from education to health, to water, and housing.
“So the social sector is affected. Women, agriculture, young persons are affected. We are not able to have adequate resources to run this.
“So we need to come back to the negotiation table and look at these loans that Nigeria and African countries, not just Nigeria, particularly African countries, how do we come to a point where those loans are cancelled? Or secondly, the issue of the rates that are paid in servicing those loans. Are they fair to the countries? And thirdly, the issue of global emission, the amount that is owed by these countries, the developed countries, the countries that are emitting more, like the United States is top on that list.”
He said that: “By the time you see the full reports, there’s a whole report, huge analysis around this, that shows that we are not the ones in debt. Actually, it’s those countries that are indebted to us and we are happy to sit on the table to start discussing this. Enough of this whole neocolonialism mentality, enough of this new agenda.
“So climate change is real. Climate justice for us is what we are pushing for. And part of climate justice is that the global emission that people are responsible for should be paid for.
“And if they are being paid for, those countries that are suffering from it, which are those in the global South, like us, we should be benefiting. And we can then categorically say that they owe us, 9.9 trillion dollars. And we should start thinking of how they will pay that amount between now and 2050. “
Global Emission: ActionAid Calls for Cancellation of Nigeria, Other Developing Countries Debt
News
RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State
…Making it the 20th State to Benefit from the Support
By: Our Reporter
The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Program, launched in Abuja in March 2024 to provide monthly support to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, has reached Yobe State—making it the 20th state to benefit from the initiative.
Since its inception, the program has covered Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto States before arriving in Yobe.
With generous support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another industrialist who prefers to remain anonymous, assorted food items were delivered, bringing relief to many households, particularly those with disabilities.
The First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, noted that donors provide two truckloads of food items to each beneficiary state for onward distribution. Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, she highlighted Yobe as a major beneficiary of RHI programs and interventions.
These include:

- The Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economists Empowerment Program, which supported 500 women with ₦50,000 each.
- The RHI Women Agricultural Support Scheme, where 20 women received ₦500,000 each.
- A ₦68.9 million grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Young Farmers Club.
- Annual financial support to senior citizens, with 100 beneficiaries receiving ₦100,000 each in 2023 and 250 beneficiaries receiving ₦200,000 each.
- A ₦50 million financial grant to 1,000 petty traders.
- The Women in ICT Program, aimed at empowering women in the digital economy.
According to Senator Tinubu, these interventions are designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni represented by his Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Barde Gubana reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the state has aligned with RHI through various empowerment programs for women, children, and vulnerable groups. These include the distribution of household items, skill acquisition schemes, and post-insurgency recovery programs that have economically empowered many women.
The State Coordinator of RHI and Wife of the Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Hafsat Kollere Buni, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending such impactful support to Yobe State. She also looked forward to stronger collaborations to further project the ideals of RHI and improve the lives of the people.
Also present at the event was Dr. Ubong Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, one of the key donors to the program.- RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State


News
Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency
By: Zagazola Makama
Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.
Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).
He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.
“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.
He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.
The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.
“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.
Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.
The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.
Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency
News
Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach
By: Zagazola Makama
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.
Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).
He said the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.
“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.
The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.
According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.
“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.
Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.
He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.
The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.
“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.
The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
End
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