Category: General News

Tinubu appoints new DG for Budget Office

Appointment

By Salif Atojoko

Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr Tanimu Yakubu as the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation.

Tinubu replaces Mr Ben Akabueze whose tenure has expired.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, announced the appointment in a statement on Thursday.

The statement said that Yakubu is an accomplished economist and was Chief Economic Adviser to a former President from 2007 to 2010. He was also Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria from 2003 to 2007.

“He was Commissioner of Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning in Katsina State from 1999 to 2003,” the statement added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yakubu holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from Wagner College, Staten Island, New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the same institution.

“President Tinubu thanks the outgoing Director-General, Akabueze, for his services and wishes him success in his future endeavours.

“The President expects Yakubu to further enhance the provision of efficient and qualitative budget functions, with a view to promoting fiscal sustainability, transparency and accountability in public finance management for national development,” the statement added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

SA/ETS

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Education

By Nefishetu Yakubu

Benin, June 13, 2024(NAN)Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday called on African leaders to prioritise education to shore up the fortunes of the African continent.

Jonathan made the call at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation  Democracy Dialogue, 2024, held in Benin.

Its theme was “Functional Education and Effective Political Leadership as a panacea to Africa’s Growth and Development”

He said he valued education so much that his administration established 12 additional universities in states where there were no federal universities.

The former president urged state governors to search for the best brains and get the best out of them to develop the nation.

“I urge leaders of this country to collaborate, play special role to move the education sector forward.

“Let’s go round our primary schools in the country, pick the best in the country and ensure they get the best secondary education.

“We should make sure our secondary school are up to standard so our children gets quality education.

“I believe we can move forward with renewed commitment to ensure we deliver good education to our children, ” he said.

Jonathan thanked Gov. Godwin Obaseki for accepting to host the foundation, which event coincided with the education week of the state.

“I thanked the keynote speakers for opening the eyes of Africa leaders showing them the way to improve and develop the continent.

“I urge you all to meet with leaders in the education sector across the country to discuss the paper and improve our educational system to the benefits of our children.”

In his remarks, the Former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, commended Obaseki for his efforts in securing the future of Edo children through educational reforms.

“We must invest in education and ensure equal rights and opportunities for our children to ensure unity, peace, growth and development of the continent,” he said.

“We must fight to destroy corruption as is the cancer that destroys public trust,” he declared.

Also speaking, former President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi, said functional education was needed to prepare Africa continent to take charge of the future.

Yayi noted that the dialogue provided the platform to reflect on issues, develop concrete strategy that would ensure growth and development of the African continent.

Earlier, the keynote Speaker and Chairman of University Council at Cavendish University, Uganda, Prof. Olubayi Olubayi, had called on African leaders to ensure that all African children were 100 percent educated.

He noted that Africa was not making any progress because they do what other countries asked them to do.

“If Africa is to make any progress, we must do what we want to do not what other countries tell us to do.

“As much as you educate all Africa children, you must set up special schools for the most gifted and talented children.

” If African countries is to rise at all, every villages, city, town, local government must have at least one special school for genius and talented kids,” Olubayi said.

He warned African leaders never to rely on leaders of Western countries for survival, adding that they must stand on their own and ensure they create equal opportunities for all children in the continent to strive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries at the event included former governor of Edo State, Osariemen Osunbor, former deputy governor of Edo State, Chief Mike Ogiadomen.

Also present were Sen. Ehigie Uzamere, Deputy Governors of Edo, Balyesa, Bauchi, Delta and some National Assembly members.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

NY/MAM/JI
Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Joe Idika

Experts call for regulation of agroecology

Regulation

By Eneh Awodi
Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Experts in the organic agriculture sector have called for regulations of agroecology practices to meet with the increasing demand for organic agricultural produce and products.

The experts made the call at a stakeholders meeting with the theme, ‘opportunities and challenges of agroecology thinking, knowledge, and practice’, in Abuja.

One such expert, ActionAid Nigeria’s Food and Agriculture Programme Manager, Azubike Nwokoye, said this was necessary to address the challenge of food security in the country.

He said that agroecology was capable of minimising future widespread disruptions of the nation’s food supply by pandemics and climate change.

This, he said, would be done by enhancing linkages between small-scale food production and local consumption.

Nwokoye expressed concern that Nigeria loses about 362.5 million dollars yearly in foreign exchange to the ban on exportation of beans.

“We need to get it right in terms of the opportunities.

”Agroecology helps us in terms of livelihood diversification, so farmers can have different crops, plant different crops in a small piece of land, while the land continues to sustain itself.

“It can also be combined with aquaculture, and this will help in terms of rapid increase in income because farmers are planting different things on the same land.

“It also supports food security, helping us to achieve food security and meet the Social Development Goal (SDGs),” he said.

Nwokoye, therefore, called for a National Agroecology Strategy to be domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and Food Security for coordination and scale up of Agroecology programmes in the country.

He said that Organic Agriculture was one of the fastest developing sectors of agriculture globally, adding that, it was also one of the easily misconstrued aspects of agriculture.

”Hence the need for Nigeria to take advantage and earn more foreign exchange,” he said.

Nwokoye lamented that in spite of the many opportunities; development of organic agriculture in Nigeria was still very low.

He said that though agroecology was a recent concept in agriculture, poor understanding had stalled its development in Nigeria compared to other Africa countries.

“As part of what should be done to solve the problem of highly hazardous pesticides, there should be a National Framework for Indigenous Plants, Seeds, Seedlings and Livestock for Agrobiodiversity Preservation and Promotion,” he said.

On the benefits of agroecology, Nwokoye said it improved health and nutrition, did little damage to environment, less costly, encouraged biodiversity, reduced nutrient losses and reduced erosion.

He added that it also encouraged better water management, low use of non – renewable resources, safer working conditions and less risk of contamination.

Nwokoye said that agroecology could build on traditional knowledge, recognises farmers’ knowledge and provides access to organic markets.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Organic and Agroecology Initiative (ORAIN), Prof. Olugbenga Adeoluwa, noted that ‘organic’ was fast developing, but lamented that understanding the opportunities within the system was low.

“Agroecology is coming up, and if we cannot go organic on all the crops, how do we reduce this hazardous chemical intake of foods that our body cannot digest,? he said.

Adeoluwa called for a change in orientation since the global market as of 2022 was close to 135 billion euro, adding that, what share of this huge market does Africa commands?

“Another important thing about organic system is the components, which include standards, labeling, and marketing, all these go together to protect the integrity of the products to minimise fake,” he said.

President of Organic and Agroecology Initiative (ORAIN), Prince Peter Bakare, said the meeting was to look inward to see how to promote organic crops to address the challenge of food security in the country.

“We have to move forward, by strengthening enlightenment in all that we do, but unfortunately, Nigeria is a place where anything goes.

“We should be resolute and courageous enough to fight the battle and be on our guard while remaining productive, to have safe food to eat in the country.

“We need to form a formidable force to grow organic agriculture and agroecology in this country,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

ENEH/DE/IAA

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Isaac Aregbesola

Army

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Asaba, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta on Thursday lauded the Nigerian Army (NA) for its professionalism, especially in handling the incident of the killing of soldiers at Okuama Community.

Oborevwori made the commendation at the visit of the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the NA, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam, to him in Asaba.

He said the state government would sustain the partnership between it, the military and other security agencies for effective security and socio-economic development of Delta.

Approving the construction of internal roads at the 6 Brigade Headquarters, Asaba, the governor added that the army had played significant roles in securing the country.

“It is not in our character to take somebody’s life, not to talk of security officers. Once again, we commiserate with the NA and the families of the slain officers.

“As a government, we will continue to collaborate with the NA for effective security in line with our M.O.R.E Agenda, which is to enhance peace and security.

“The army has played a very big role. We are lucky as a state to have three different battalions – 3, 90 and 181 Battalions, and even a Brigade.

“I remember in those days when we were under the 4 Brigade in Benin, which was under 2 Division in Ibadan, so, I know the formation as at that time. Now, we have our own close to us in Rivers State here.

“I have promised Deltans to ensure that they have peace and with the army and other security agencies, there is no way we cannot have peace.

“As an oil-producing state, the pipelines have to be secured. This will encourage investors,” he said.

Oborevwori said the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the 56.35 hectares of land, given to the Amphibian Battalion by registered trustees of Iweroko and Ameren in Koko, was ready.

According to him, the cost of the C of O, made up of N598 million for assessment and N14 million for ground rent, was too huge for the army, hence the state government gave a waiver.

“I mandated the Commissioner for Lands to make sure the C of O was ready. So, you are going home with it today,” he said.

Earlier, the GOC said he was in the state to thank the state government for all the support and cooperation the NA had received over the years.

Abdulsalam appreciated the governor and the trustees of the Iweroko and Ameren for the parcel of land, meant for the construction of an army barrack.

He also lauded Oborevwori for his deft diplomacy, strategic role and cooperation in resolving the Okuama incident.

He assured that the NA would continue to discharge its responsibilities of ensuring effective security in the state and across the Niger Delta with utmost professionalism.

Abdulsalam solicited the state government’s support in constructing internal roads and building more structures at the barracks in Asaba and Koko. (NAN) (www.nannews.com.ng).

IO/MAS

Edited by Moses Solanke

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Replacement

By Shedrack Frank

Yenagoa, June 13, 2024 (NAN) South-South Women with Disabilities has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, to appoint Dr. Adenike Tejuosho, as Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

The Chairperson of the association, Mrs Ada Tari, made the appeal, while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that earlier in the year, the President ordered the suspension of Dr Beta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

NAN also reports that the Disability communities across the country have made the demand for appointment of Tejuosho as Edu’s replacement, at various fora.

Tari said: “As we are all aware, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been vacant, following the suspension of the Minister.

“It is on this point that South-South Women with Disabilities Association is recommending and passionately appealing to the President to appoint one of our mothers, to fill in the vacuum.

“The association has its members across Niger Delta Region, which comprises all the disability clusters of physically challenged, blind, deaf, people affected by leprosy, the spinal cord injury and albinism.

She added: “We have gathered here today in Yenagoa, to appreciate and congratulate President Tinubu on successful one year in office, including his progressive policies of the renewed hope agenda.

“As women with disabilities, we also want to use this opportunity to thank our caring mother of the nation, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Remi Tinubu, for her firm support to Mr President.

“We also thank her for the agricultural support she recently extended to women and youths, as well as People With Disabilities across the country”.

Tari noted that people with disabilities are the most vulnerable members of the society and the vacuum in the ministry of humanitarian and poverty alleviation is affecting them negatively.

“We therefore join several other groups and individuals to drum support for Mrs Halimat Adenike Tejuosho who has over the years distinguish herself as a true humanitarian to be appointed as the Minister,” she stressed

Tari reiterated that the absence of a Minister to occupy the particular office, has negatively affected the renewed hope agenda with respect to providing succour to the less privileged.

“Looking at her track record and if given the opportunity, Hajiya Tejuosho, will continue to extend her generosity and passion by upgrading the living standard of PWDs, less privileged and the vulnerable in Nigeria,” she said (NAN)

(www.nannews.ng)

FS/ROT

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Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

Group trains 100 community farmers on agroecology

Agroecology
By Olukayode Babalola
Keffi (Nasarawa State) June 13, 2024 (NAN) Health Of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it has trained at least 100 community farmers in 15 states on agroecology.

The group said that the gesture was part of its efforts to encourage farmers to adopt organic farming methods.

The group’s Programme Manager for Communities and Culture, Mr Cadmus Enade, disclosed this to newsmen on the sideline of a one-day agroecology practical training in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the training is, “Solving the food and climate crisis: Practical training on agroecology.”

According to Enade, agroecology is a farming system in line with nature, promotes food sovereignty and sufficiency and safer than Generically Modified Organisms (GMOs) system of farming.

“We have overtime discovered that GMO is harmful to people’s health and wellbeing, the environment, animals and biodiversity around.

“So, this training is for community farmers on how best they can use agroecology practices to enhance their food production and livelihood.

”This is because agroecology is not just a practice but also a scientific way of producing safe food and making it sufficient for farmers.

“It involves using organic produce, organic items that you can find around your environment.

“It also means producing crops without any form of chemical involvement.

”With this, we are encouraging local farming systems,” Enade said.

He further said that the method helps climate change adaptations, adding that, in spite of government’s approval of some genetically modified crops and seeds, the introduction of GMOs had resulted in the increase in ailments and diseases.

“We have also seen biodiversity losses as a result of people using genetically modified seeds in their farms.

“As we speak, we have genetically modified foods in our food shelves in Nigeria today.

“So, we are begging the government to go back to the drawing board and take a closer look at what they introduced into the country, the kind of seeds they approved and gave to farmers to plant,” Enade said.

He urged farmers to come together and put their seeds together in a natural seeds bank that would protect their seed variety.

He said that aside rural farmers from the state, other participants were drawn from Kano, Kwara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi and Oyo States, among others.

Also speaking in an interview, the National Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Dr Yunusa Halidu, described the training as apt and timely

Halidu gave assurance that the knowledge acquired from the training would be cascaded to rural farmers.

“Conventional and traditional way of farming is the way to go.

“It is using local way of farming, preserving your feeds, instead of using chemical fertilisers.

”You can use your local fertiliser, like the cow dungs, poultry dungs and other things that you can use to conserve your environment,” he said.

Also, a representative of Farmers’ Development Union in Kwara, Mrs Funke Ojomu, described the training  as helpful.

Ojomu promised to step down the training to members of the union back in Kwara.

According to her, the practical session exposed the advantages of organic fertiliser over its chemical-based substitutes.

She said that she had resolved to start putting into practice agroecology in her farm. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

OB/DE/USO
Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Sam Oditah

Relationship
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Thursday in Ibadan pledged to sustain the cordial relationship with the legislative and judicial arms of the state government.

Makinde made the pledge while addressing the state lawmakers during the first anniversary of the 10th Assembly of the State House of Assembly.

He said the smooth working relationship with the legislature had enhanced his unprecedented achievements in the last one year of his administration.

The governor noted that his administration had been having the support of the lawmakers “as we made people-first decisions.

“In all this time, we have prioritised our economy and taken steps that put us ahead of all other states in times of crisis.

“You have shown us that you believe in us, and that is why our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has continued on the path of growth from an average of about N4.2 billion monthly in 2023 to an average of N4.95 billion in the first quarter of 2024.”

Makinde further explained that his government prioritised road infrastructure development in rural areas because it believed that such would reduce poverty in the areas significantly.

“And so, from Omituntun 1.0, we focused on linking all our zones. We completed the 65 kilometres (km) Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road, and started the 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the 76.67 km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road.

“We have delivered the Oyo-Iseyin Road and the Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road, now renamed Adebayo Alao-Akala Memorial Highway.

“We have also delivered the 12.5 km Challenge-Odo Ona-Elewe-Elebu-Apata Road dualisation, now renamed Theophilus Akinyele Way and the dualisation of the 8.2 km Agodi Gate-Old Ife Road-Adegbayi Road, including an underpass at Onipepeye area.

“In total, we completed 152.92 km of road projects in the first year of Omituntun 2.0. We are currently reconstructing the 48-km Ido-Eruwa Road to link Ibadan and Ibarapa zones, among other road projects.

“The real impact of these road constructions is that Oyo State is fast becoming a regional agribusiness industrial hub,” he stated.

The governor also made it known that his government in the last one year had delivered across all sectors, be it in the area of education, health, agriculture and tourism, among others.

He said the state would continue to play a huge role in the sale and development of solid minerals in Nigeria.

Makinde recalled that the Executive Order number one he signed into law in October, on the protection of mining communities against insecurity and exploitation in the state, was very useful.

He said it would go a long way to make his administration’s plan realisable.

On tourism, Makinde said the sector was the fourth focus area for the economic development of the state.

“In April, we hosted the world at an International Tourism Summit, signalling our administration’s readiness to foster partnerships with the private sector.

“Our plan is to continue working to make Oyo State the destination for heritage, pleasure and agri-tourism through direct and indirect investments in the sector,” he said.

The governor said his government would continue to build strong institutions in the state, saying the institutions would play pivotal roles in the engineering of a modern Oyo State.

He said this would be by working with existing ministries, departments and agencies.

Among the institutions already established by the Makinde’s administration are the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED) and the Oyo State Project Monitoring Agency.

Others are the Oyo State Rule of Law Authority, the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

In his address, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Debo Ogundoyin, disclosed that the assembly within one year had been able to pass 16 bills into law.

He added that four other bills were presently at various stages of legislative processes.

“Nine out of these bills had been assented to by the Governor. I am pleased to also announce that 68 motions had been sponsored and moved by us, and the committees had presented 35 reports on oversight functions and matters referred to them at plenary sittings of the House.

“So far, the House had passed 170 resolutions to the executive arm of government and others for appropriate actions.”(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
DAK/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Agreement

By Sylvester Thompson

Abuja, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Nigeria and the European Union (EU) have strengthened bilateral agreement on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), to harness transformative power of technology for mutual growth.

Ms Samuela Isopi, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said this on Thursday when she led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Chief Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, in Abuja.

Isopi said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the EU bilateral agreement with Nigeria on STI.

“We are very pleased because science, technology and innovation in today’s world are crucial to development and to all sectors, be it energy, climate change, food security among others.

“Research is really at the centre and very important to all sectors,’’ she said

Nnaji said the meeting was a crucial step in harnessing the transformative power of technology for mutual growth and development.

The minister, who said innovation and research were key to progress, said that the ministry was committed to fostering joint research centres in areas of renewable and climate-smart agriculture.

“By leveraging the expertise and resources of our European partners, we aim to drive technological advancements and address shared regional challenges.

“Additionally, we are keen to collaborate on establishing innovation hubs to support start-ups and SMEs in fields like artificial intelligence,’’ Nnaji said.

According to him, investment in scientific research and development is vital for economic growth and Nigeria is committed to creating conducive environment for such investments.

He said the EU Erasmus and Horizon programmes enhanced educational and research exchange between Nigeria and Europe.

He added that Nigeria’s participation in the programme would be increased by streamlining the application process and providing dedicated support.

The minister said that the upcoming EU Innovation Forum, slated for July in Lagos, would be a significant milestone through the collaboration.

(NAN) www.nannews.ng

SET/ADA

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
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