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Convening of BARMM parliament lauded

Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday lauded last Friday’s convening of the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament, calling it a historic milestone in the country’s peace-building efforts.

He also congratulated Abdulraof Macacua for being elected chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to lead the newly elected members of the 80-seat parliament.

‘This is a victory not only for the Bangsamoro people but for the entire country,’ Escudero said. ‘We hope this parliament will help translate the gains of peace into tangible progress and development for the people it now serves.”

In a statement yesterday, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto congratulated the people of BARMM and said the inaugural session marks a defining moment in their march toward lasting peace and genuine self-governance.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue, meanwhile, expressed support and solidarity to the new Bangsamoro government.

CBCP ECID Convener Most. Rev. Jose Colin Bagaforo said the ‘Church will continue to walk with our Muslim brothers and sisters, with Indigenous Peoples and with all communities in the region in dialogue, friendship and the common work of building a just and lasting peace.’

Bagaforo also congratulated the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for a peaceful and democratic transition from its interim administration.

Kano APC leaders accuse lawmaker, council boss of support for NDC, alleges antiparty

Some prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Albasu Local Government Area of Kano State have accused the member representing Albasu state constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly Hon Musa Tahir Hungu and the council Chairman Garba Aliyu Hungu of supporting the NDC Kano South senatorial candidate Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya.

The APC members also petitioned Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the party’s State Working Committee, calling for disciplinary action against the party chieftains for alleged anti-party activities.

The aggrieved APC members alleged that the two officials were working against the interests of the APC and its senatorial candidate, Senator Kawu Sumaila.

In a petition signed by more than 300 party officials and leaders across the wards and local government, the APC members called on the governor and the APC leadership in Kano to investigate the allegations and determine whether the actions of the two officials violated the party’s constitution.

According to them, the relationship between the two officeholders and Bataiya dates back to their previous political affiliation, alleging that the NDC candidate played a role in assisting the two officials, before their present position in the APC.

The petitioners further alleged that some elected councillors, political appointees and local government party officials had continued to participate in activities organised by the NDC senatorial candidate, with some allegedly attending his campaign rallies and encouraging support for his candidacy.

They accused the Albasu Local Government Chairman of making available the local government town hall to Bataiya for political meetings and the launch of his senatorial campaign despite being a member of the opposition NDC.

They said a fact-finding committee had been set up by the political leadership of Albasu Local Government, under Dr Yunusa Adamu Dangwani, to examine the allegations.

However, the petitioners alleged that the two officeholders denied the committee the opportunity to carry out its assignment.

On the distribution of government empowerment programmes, the petitioners alleged that benefits intended for party members and supporters had frequently been diverted to individuals they described as loyalists of the NDC senatorial candidate.

They expressed concern that genuine APC members in Albasu had been marginalised in the distribution of such benefits, calling for greater accountability in the implementation of state government programmes at the grassroots.

They further alleged that while other local governments provided 30 buses or more to transport party members to the Kaduna rally, Albasu chairman provided only 17 buses.

The stakeholders argued that the allegations, if established, could undermine party discipline, unity and the APC’s electoral prospects in Albasu and the wider Kano South Senatorial District.

They therefore called on Governor Yusuf, as the APC leader in Kano State, and the party’s State Working Committee to examine the relevant provisions of Article 21 of the APC constitution and determine whether the alleged activities of Garba Aliyu Hungu and Musa Tahir Hungu constitute anti-party conduct punishable under the party’s rules.

The petition was signed by Hon. Adamu Abdu Fanda, Caucus Chairman; Hon. Wada Ibrahim Daho, Caucus Secretary; former member of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Sunusi Usman Bataiya; Isyaka Danyaya, Albasu APC Deputy Chairman; and several other local government and ward party officials.

All efforts to contact Hon. Garba Aliyu Hungu and the council chairman Musa Tahir Hungu for their response was not successful.

Judiciary urged to avoid another embarrassment over Uzodimma-Okorocha tussle

A coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations (CSOs) has urged the judiciary to uphold its integrity and ensure public confidence in the judicial process as it handles the ongoing legal dispute involving Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Job Samuel Danfulani of the Centre for Public Integrity; John Samuel Nangi of Nigeria Integrity Watch; Mohammed Ibrahim Sumaila of the Northern Council of Nigeria; Abdullahi Salisu of the Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Forum; and Hassana Mohammed of the Foundation for Democracy in Africa.

The CSOs said the case presented an opportunity for the judiciary to demonstrate its commitment to fairness, impartiality and the rule of law amid lingering public debates over previous electoral disputes in Imo.

In a statement issued in Bauchi, Bauchi State, the group recalled the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court’s 2020 judgment that declared Uzodimma the winner of the Imo State governorship election, displacing the then governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

It also drew attention to conflicting accounts surrounding Uzodimma’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election.

According to the coalition, Uzodimma had claimed that he emerged through Option A4, while the APC national leadership reportedly told the Federal High Court that he secured the party’s ticket through a consensus arrangement.

The group said the controversies surrounding previous electoral disputes in Imo State had generated public debate about the judiciary, stressing the need for the courts to handle the latest dispute in a manner that would strengthen confidence in the administration of justice.

It urged the judiciary to ensure that the case was determined strictly on its merits, without external considerations, adding that public trust remained essential to the credibility of democratic institutions.

The coalition also commended Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for what it described as his commitment to judicial independence and the administration of justice.

It said Nigeria needed more judges who would demonstrate impartiality, courage and dedication to the rule of law, adding that Justice Egwuatu deserved commendation and national recognition for his conduct.

Obi: Tinubu lacks competence to govern Nigeria

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to account for his administration’s achievements in the past three years, accusing him of lacking the competence and energy to govern Nigeria.

Obi, who spoke on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, urged Nigerians to vote based on competence and capacity to deliver rather than ethnic or regional considerations.

‘Let nobody divide the South East. I don’t want the people of Ebonyi to vote for me because I am from the South East. I don’t want you to vote for me because I am an Igbo person,’ he said.

He added that Nigerians should support him because of his qualifications and ability to lead the country. Obi challenged Tinubu to visit Abakaliki and explain how his administration had utilised public funds, particularly the money borrowed since assuming office.

‘I want President Tinubu to come to Abakaliki to tell the people what he has done in the past three years. I want him to come to Abakaliki to tell you what he used the money he has been borrowing to do,’ Obi said.

The former Anambra State governor also criticised Tinubu for spending considerable time outside the country, arguing that the President should be willing to tour Nigeria and account for his stewardship. He claimed that Tinubu had spent more than 260 days outside Nigeria but could not dedicate up to 36 days to visiting Nigerians and explaining his administration’s performance.

‘President Tinubu does not have the competence to run Nigeria. He does not have the energy to run Nigeria. He should pack his things, go home and rest,’ he declared.

Obi said his administration would declare emergencies in critical sectors, including national unity, security, corruption, education, hunger and healthcare, as part of efforts to address the country’s challenges. He stressed the need to overcome ethnic divisions and build a united Nigeria, promising to uphold the federal character principle in public appointments.

On security, Obi pledged decisive action against insecurity and promised to equip security agencies to protect lives and property. He said his administration would pursue kidnappers and ensure that criminals could not operate with impunity, particularly those abducting schoolchildren.

He also promised to intensify the fight against corruption, insisting that public funds must be used for the benefit of citizens and that anyone found guilty of stealing public money would face the law, including the President. Obi further pledged to reduce the number of out-of-school children, tackle hunger by supporting farmers to increase food production and exports, and establish functional healthcare facilities in every political ward across Nigeria.

What will they say at your grave?

The comedian Spike Milligan spent years joking that he wanted ‘I told you I was ill’ carved on his tombstone. When he died in 2002, his family obliged, writing it in Irish after the church objected to the English. Even in death, the man got the last laugh.

This weekend, millions of Filipino families will make their yearly pilgrimage to the cemeteries. There will be traffic, candles, flowers, folding chairs, and enough food to feed the entire neighborhood. Cousins we haven’t seen since last November will ask why we are still single or why we have gained weight. And somewhere between the food and the prayers, we will stand in front of a name carved in marble and remember.

Here is what I have noticed. Nobody brings a résumé to the cemetery. No one stands at a grave and says, ‘He was promoted to Vice President in 1998.’ No one recalls the size of her office, the brand of her car, or how many followers she had. We remember whether she was kind. Whether he kept his word. Whether they made time for us.

David Brooks put it well in The Road to Character. There are résumé virtues, the skills we bring to the marketplace, and there are eulogy virtues, the ones people talk about at our funeral: honesty, courage, faithfulness, and love. Most of us know the second list matters more. Yet most of us spend our best hours polishing the first. We spend a lifetime building the résumé and leave the eulogy to chance.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about fame and how quickly it fades. Applause is rented, and the lease runs out sooner than we expect. The cemetery is where everyone’s lease ends. Titles are returned to the company. Positions go to the next person. Even the corner office gets repainted. What remains is a name and what that name meant to the people who knew it.

Solomon understood this three thousand years ago. ‘A good name is better than fine perfume,’ he wrote, ‘and the day of death better than the day of birth.’ Then he added something that sounds strange: it is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, because death is the destiny of everyone, and the living should take it to heart.

Solomon is not being morbid. He is being practical. A party tells us to enjoy the moment. A grave tells us to examine our lives.

For leaders, this is not just a sentimental exercise. It is a management question. Every day, we are writing the lines people will one day say about us. The employee we corrected with dignity or humiliated in front of the team. The supplier we paid on time or squeezed because we could. The child who got our attention or only our leftover energy after the last meeting. Titles are borrowed. Character is owned.

So as you light a candle this weekend, let me offer three questions to take home from the cemetery.

First, what would my team say about me if I were not in the room? Not in the performance review. At the wake.

Second, what would my family say? Not about what I provided, but about whether I was present.

Third, and most important, what would God say? Ecclesiastes tells us that God has set eternity in the human heart. That is why a grave never feels like a full stop. Something in us knows that life is more than a career, and that a different kind of accounting is coming.

The good news is this: as long as you are reading this column, your eulogy is still a draft. You can still edit it. You can still make the phone call, offer the apology, keep the promise, and spend the afternoon with the people who will one day stand at your grave.

Your tombstone will carry two dates. Neither one is up to you. Everything in between is.

Nigeria remains leading contributor to global maternal mortality – Official warns

Oluseyi Olosunde, Health officer at the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, has said that Nigeria remained a leading contributor to global maternal mortality, requiring urgent intervention.

The health officer said disclosed this during a three-day capacity-building workshop for healthcare workers aimed at combating postpartum haemorrhage, held at the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria headquarters in Bauchi.

He highlighted that the federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has prioritised maternal mortality reduction in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to him, ‘We have identified that postpartum haemorrhage is a major contributor to maternal mortality,’ Olosunde said.

‘UNICEF is supporting the Bauchi State Government to empower health workers and refresh their capacity around postpartum haemorrhage management. Once their capacity is enhanced, they will provide better support during delivery and postpartum services.’

Addressing clinical indicators, Olosunde explained that blood loss exceeding 500ml during childbirth constitutes a medical emergency. While some blood loss is inevitable during delivery, proper clinical management is vital to preventing fatalities.

He further noted that multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) has replaced traditional, separate prescriptions of ferrous sulfate, folic acid, and multivitamins.

‘Multiple micronutrient supplementation combines all the essential micronutrients and multivitamins the body needs into a single commodity,’ Olosunde said.

‘If a woman has sufficient blood levels, the challenges associated with blood loss during childbirth are significantly minimised.’

Also speaking during the occasion, Emmanuel Agbogo, an obstetrician with the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Azare, explained that the training is designed to equip healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent, diagnose early, and properly treat postpartum hemorrhage.

He noted that the training was organised to guide health workers through the World Health Organization (WHO) bundle protocol for tackling postpartum hemorrhage one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, and particularly in Northeast Nigeria.

According to Agbogo, ‘The workshop is to equip health workers to acquire all the knowledge required to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. If they cannot prevent it, they should be able to detect it on time and treat it according to standard protocols. This will minimise the morbidity associated with it for women coming to deliver in hospitals, especially considering the rural nature of the Northeast.’

He added, ‘This training is not the first of its kind, but there are still unreached areas in the Northeast, particularly in some of our primary healthcare centers across all states in the region.’

Agbogo also identified anemia during pregnancy as a major risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage. He pointed out that due to low literacy levels and poverty, many women cannot afford proper nutrition, despite their increased nutritional needs during pregnancy.

He further noted that the introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) has helped many women reduce the severity of anemia during pregnancy.

Emmanuel Agbogo concluded that tackling this risk factor directly translates to a reduction in postpartum hemorrhage cases during childbirth.

2027: Ikuru seeks Delta Central Senate seat cites lessons from Lagos development

Lagos-based cleric and political mobiliser Prof Godwin Ikuru has declared his intention to contest the Delta Central Senatorial District seat in the 2027 general election on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) platform saying he hopes to replicate lessons from Lagos State’s development in his constituency.

Ikuru who has lived in Lagos for more than 30 years said he had learnt from the administrations of President Bola Tinubu former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode and incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Speaking with newsmen in Lagos he said the development witnessed in the state had inspired his decision to seek elective office in Delta State.

‘I have been in Lagos for over 30 years. I have seen Lagos transformed before my eyes. From Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who laid the foundation to Fashola who built on it to Ambode and now Sanwo-Olu who have continued to transform Lagos to where it is today’ he said.

Ikuru expressed dissatisfaction with the level of infrastructure and public services in Delta State despite its status as an oil-producing state.

He said poor roads inadequate healthcare facilities and a lack of basic infrastructure remained challenges in parts of Delta Central.

‘Delta State is an oil-producing state but I am not impressed with the present development of Delta State. Especially in the local government area where I come from in Delta Central there is no good road no good hospital no good infrastructure’ he said.

The aspirant described his ambition as an opportunity to contribute to his people’s development adding that he intended to apply lessons he learnt in Lagos to improve living conditions in Delta Central.

‘I count it as my turn to transform Delta State especially Delta Central using what I learnt from the past and present governors of Lagos State’ he said.

He urged the Urhobo people both in Nigeria and in the diaspora to support his aspiration describing the district’s development as a collective responsibility.

Ikuru’s campaign slogan is ‘Stronger Grassroots Greater Delta Brighter Future’. He said mobilisation efforts were being organised across the eight local government areas that make up Delta Central Senatorial District.

He also said his aspiration was driven by concern for younger generations’ future and the need to improve infrastructure and public services in the area.

His declaration comes ahead of the 2027 general election as political activities gain momentum in Delta State.

8 crew rescued after banca partially submerges off Cagayan

The Philippine Coast Guard rescued eight crew members, including the captain, after their motorized banca partially submerged off Dalupiri Island in Cagayan on Saturday, October 31.

In a statement on Sunday, November 1, the coast guard said its search and rescue teams in Calayan deployed after receiving reports that M/B Rose Marie 1 was in distress.

Upon reaching the area, responders confirmed that all eight crew members were accounted for.

Five crew members were initially brought to the shoreline of Barangay Magsidel and taken to the Calayan Rural Health Unit. Medical personnel found all five to be in good physical condition.

A second search and rescue team aboard M/B Lagadan 1 assisted in towing operations and brought the remaining three crew members to shore. They were also taken to the Calayan health unit for medical evaluation.

One crew member sustained a laceration on the right knee and was evaluated for suspected hypertension.

The other two crew members were also treated for suspected hypertension, according to the coast guard.

CIBN pushes SME financing as recapitalised banks face industrial demands

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has called on recapitalised banks to expand access to affordable, long-term financing for small businesses as Nigeria seeks to translate N4.65 trillion in fresh bank capital into industrial growth, job creation and economic transformation.

The Institute said the success of the banking sector’s recapitalisation exercise would depend on how effectively lenders deploy their stronger capital base to support manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), rather than focusing mainly on balance sheet growth.

Dele Alabi, president and chairman of council of the CIBN, made the call at the Institute’s 2026 Fellowship Investiture Ceremony in Lagos on Saturday, where he said Nigeria had reached a critical stage in its financial sector reforms.

Following the completion of the recapitalisation programme in March 2026, the banking sector mobilised N4.65 trillion in fresh capital, with 33 banks meeting the new minimum capital requirements.

‘The question before us is no longer whether our banks have sufficient capital, but whether that capital will translate into new industries, expanded businesses, better infrastructure, thriving SMEs, sustainable jobs, and shared prosperity,’ Alabi said.

He said Nigeria had an opportunity to deploy the enhanced capital towards manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology and other productive sectors.

The call comes amid concerns about the allocation of bank credit, particularly to manufacturing, where lending declined by 33.8 percent from N8.53 trillion in December 2024 to N5.65 trillion in August 2026, according to a presentation by Tayo Aduloju, chief executive officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), at the same event.

Manufacturing’s share of total bank credit also fell from 17.4 percent in December 2023 to 8.7 percent in August 2026, while average credit to trade and commerce increased by 49 percent year-on-year to N5.9 trillion between January and August 2026.

The figures highlight the challenge facing policymakers and lenders as they seek to ensure that stronger bank balance sheets translate into productive investment and wider access to finance for businesses.

Aduloju said the recapitalisation exercise had strengthened banks’ lending capacity, but high borrowing costs, liquidity constraints, credit risks and the mismatch between short-term deposits and long-term industrial projects continued to limit financing for productive sectors.

Although the Central Bank of Nigeria reduced its monetary policy rate to 23 percent in September 2026, bank lending rates remained between 19 percent and 32.6 percent, according to the NESG presentation.

Government borrowing also continued to compete with private businesses for available funds. Credit to the government increased by 63 percent year-on-year to N39.4 trillion in September 2026, compared with 16 percent growth in private-sector credit to N83.9 trillion.

Aduloju argued that Nigeria’s industrial financing challenge was not simply a shortage of capital, but the fragmented way existing financial institutions mobilise and deploy funds.

He proposed a more coordinated financing framework involving commercial banks, pension funds, insurance companies, development finance institutions and credit guarantee institutions to expand access to long-term capital and reduce lending risks.

The NESG also recommended credit guarantees, interest rebates and tax incentives to encourage lending to productive sectors, alongside improved access to financing for businesses that lack conventional collateral.

Speaking at the event, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, similarly urged recapitalised banks to develop more accessible credit products for smaller businesses, support industrial clusters, finance equipment acquisition and strengthen supply chains linking small enterprises to larger markets.

He said government intervention alone could not meet the financing needs of Nigeria’s growing business community, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between government, financial institutions and private investors.

Sanwo-Olu pointed to opportunities around the Lekki Deep Sea Port, industrial activities along the Lekki corridor, infrastructure investments and the Lagos State Electricity Law as areas where stronger bank participation could unlock private investment, improve productivity and create jobs.

He also highlighted the role of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund in supporting entrepreneurs through access to finance, enterprise development and capacity building.

Alabi said the CIBN would continue to promote practical solutions to the financing challenges facing smaller businesses. The Institute is scheduled to host its CIBN MSME Forum on December 1, 2026, to advance discussions on expanding access to finance and accelerating enterprise growth.

The Institute is also advocating the establishment of SME hubs across Nigeria to provide entrepreneurs with financing, business support services, capacity development, digital tools and market opportunities.

Beyond access to credit, the NESG identified reliable electricity, logistics, port infrastructure and access to foreign exchange for machinery and industrial inputs as essential conditions for industrial expansion.

The presentation noted that the national grid delivered an average of 4,113 megawatts in the first quarter of 2026, compared with installed capacity of 13,625 megawatts.

Nigeria’s industrial policy targets include increasing manufacturing’s share of gross domestic product to 15 percent by 2030 and 25 percent by 2035.

The CIBN said the banking profession must support these ambitions through responsible lending, sound corporate governance and stronger professional competence.

For the Institute, the next phase of recapitalisation must move beyond stronger balance sheets to financing businesses, expanding productive capacity and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the economy.

Tanzania eyes low-cost cold rooms in produce markets to boost farm income

Rombo. The government is considering constructing cold rooms in produce markets across the country using simple, cost-effective technology to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ productivity, Agriculture Minister Daniel Chongolo has said.

He said the facilities would help preserve perishable produce, including bananas, fruits and vegetables, giving farmers more time to find markets instead of suffering losses when their crops spoil before marketing.

Mr Chongolo made the remarks on Saturday, October 31, 2026, while inspecting the construction of the new Mamsera Market in Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, a project costing more than Sh700 million.

‘We are exploring how to construct cold rooms in our markets using simple technology that improves farmers’ productivity and delivers good results. This will allow bananas showing signs of spoilage to be stored safely,’ he said.

‘The goal is to prevent post-harvest losses. We know that when a banana tree is planted and nurtured until it produces fruit, losing the harvest means wasting all the time invested. We do not want such losses; we want to achieve 100 percent productivity,’ he said.

He added that the government was committed to improving market infrastructure to ensure farmers had reliable outlets for their produce and earned incomes that reflected their production costs.

‘The government’s goal is to promote productive agriculture and create an environment in which farmers benefit. Increased agricultural productivity should also translate into higher incomes for farmers,’ said Mr Chongolo.

In another directive, Mr Chongolo instructed the Ministry of Agriculture’s Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for Crop Development and Food Security, Prof Peter Msofe, to ensure the Mamsera Market was completed before December 23 this year.

‘My instruction to the Deputy Permanent Secretary is that when I return here on December 23, I should be inaugurating this market. Do everything possible to ensure the work is completed on time,’ he insisted.

‘When the government allocates funds to achieve results, failure to manage them properly amounts to letting it down. We must ensure that every assignment delivers the expected results and productivity,’ he said.

He stressed that the project should address the needs of farmers and traders in Mamsera and Rombo generally to ensure the market provided services that met the requirements of the agricultural produce trade.

Regarding the Holili International Grain Market, located along the Tanzania-Kenya border, Mr Chongolo directed Prof Msofe to ensure the contractor mobilised to the site by April 2027 so that construction could begin as scheduled.

‘Let me assure you that we will construct this market. I want the Deputy Permanent Secretary to ensure that by April next year, the contractor has moved to the site so that construction can begin. We have the capacity, commitment and plans to build it. What remains is to implement those plans and achieve the intended results,’ he said.

He further directed that the market’s design should include space for a small fruit and vegetable market, enabling traders visiting to purchase grain and other produce to access a wider range of goods in one location.

He said the arrangement would broaden business opportunities and make it easier for buyers transporting produce to destinations within and outside the country to access different commodities.

For his part, Rombo MP and Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda, said establishing a produce market in Holili would give farmers access to external markets, including Kenya and other countries, where they could secure better prices.

He said he wanted the market to become an international trading hub for fruits and vegetables, particularly bananas, which are produced in large quantities in Rombo District.

‘Tanzanian bananas are sold in Dubai. We want someone with an acre of banana farms here in Rombo to harvest successfully, have the bananas transported to Dubai and an Arab consumer enjoy them, while a Tanzanian earns dollars,’ said Prof Mkenda.

He also urged the ministry to ensure the Holili market had cold-storage facilities, particularly for bananas and vegetables, with separate sections for dry produce and commodities requiring refrigeration.

He said the facilities would help farmers increase their incomes, achieve economic independence and expand markets for their produce.

Prof Msofe said construction of Mamsera Market, which would cost more than Sh700 million, had reached 70 percent completion.

He said the market was expected to improve access to reliable markets for banana and avocado farmers, increase the incomes of farmers and traders and strengthen agricultural produce trade in the area.

A trader and farmer in the district, Ms Jenifa Audiface, said the lack of cold-storage facilities had forced farmers to sell their produce at low prices to avoid losses caused by spoilage.

‘This challenge particularly affects banana, avocado and vegetable farmers, who are forced to find buyers soon after harvesting because they have no safe storage facilities where they can keep their produce while waiting for better market prices,’ she said.

Another farmer, Mr Edwin Mlay, said establishing cold-storage facilities at Mamsera and Holili markets would benefit farmers and traders by allowing them to store their produce for appropriate periods, reduce post-harvest losses and improve their chances of securing buyers locally and internationally.