NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Sports

Runsewe hails Oboh, Nigeria’s female golf sensation, on U.S. invitational triumph

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By Muhyideen Jimoh

The President, Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has commended Nigeria’s female golf sensation, Georgia Oboh, on her recent victory at the John Shippen Women’s Invitational in Michigan, U.S.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 23-year-old Oboh, on Wednesday, captured the 2024 John Shippen Women’s Invitational and earned exemptions to compete in two LPGA tournaments – the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give and the Dow Championship.

Oboh will tee it up alongside the world’s best female golfers at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give starting June 13, after shooting 69-70—139 on the same course Tuesday and Wednesday to earn a three-stroke victory at the SHIPPEN event.

Runsewe, who gave the commendation in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said that Oboh’s victory was an inspiration to other children back home and a testament to the fact that hard work pays

“Congratulations to our very own Georgia Oboh on your well-deserved victory at the John Shippen Women’s Invitational at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan

“Your victory is indeed a fulcrum of great possibilities and renewed hope for Nigeria and Nigerians.

“We believe in you to keep the Nigerian flag flying high and keep doing your very best, to ensure that you represent our dear country as a good ambassador of the game of golf,” he said.

Georgia Oboh, Nigeria’s female golf sensation
at the John Shippen Women’s Invitational in Michigan, U.S.

NAN also reports that another Nigerian female pro golfer, Anita Uwadia, tied for third position with Ashley Shaw of U.S. in the same tournament, making it the first time in an international professional ladies’ golf tournament where two Nigerians made the top three.

The NGF president noted that the performance of the girls was a very rare one and not a mean feat.

He added that they had both distinguished themselves as the very first Nigerians and one of the few black professional female golfers on the top stage.

He said that the federation would continue to support the golfers, to ensure that they reach their full potential as they continue to make the country proud and showcase themselves to the world.

He also advised parents to always support and encourage their children to start playing golf at an early age, adding that it was a sport they could be engaged in for the rest of their lives.

“Hand your child a golf club, and you might be surprised what happens.

“Your child might not be the next Tiger Woods, but golf can make a big impact in a young life.

“Kids can benefit from the sport mentally, physically, and emotionally. The sport can set them up for success as they get older.

“Many of the skills learned on the course translate to real life,” he said.

NAN also reports that Oboh and her chosen partner will compete in the Dow Championship starting June 27 in Midland, Michigan.

The John Shippen Women’s Invitational which Oboh and Uwadia were part of is a series of competitions created to provide playing opportunities on the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour for the top Black amateur and professional women and men golfers.

The events are named after John Shippen, Jr., who was both the first American-born golf professional and the country’s first Black golf professional. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Features , Economy/Business

NCS’ bold steps to ease trade operations in Nigeria

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By Martha Agas, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

With its poverty rate hitting 38.9 per cent in 2023, Nigeria has continued to battle several social and economic problems, throwing up an avalanche of concerns for both the leaders and the populace.

The populous African nation has continued to battle food shortages, poor infrastructure, unemployment, while striving to make quality health care and education affordable.

It is also confronted with security challenges ranging from banditry, militancy, separatist agitations, among others.

With these challenges getting more serious by the day, experts say that the prospects of overcoming them may not be so bright with the nation’s monolithic economy that depends substantially on oil.

They say that short and long term measures must be initiated if the nation is to be salvaged from its many woes.

One recurrent suggestion has been the need to diversify the economy, especially with the global upsurge in energy transition, which is expected to reduce the demand for oil.

Relying on the oil sector, in spite of the transition, will diminish the nation’s revenue base, the experts have always pointed out, while emphasising the need to build resilience to navigate the situation by leveraging opportunities in other sectors.

Sectors that provide such revenue options include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, among others.

In line with this, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has continued to focus on reforming the economy to deliver sustained growth that would have multiplier effects on all aspects of life.

To this effect, government has continued to develop and implement policies and initiatives designed to generate revenue from the non-oil sector.

One of such policies focuses on trade reforms.

The idea is encapsulated in the Trade Policy Of Nigeria(TPN) 2023 to 2027, designed to promote trade as a tool for economic growth and development. It aims at using trade as a catalyst to develop a diversified and competitive economy.

While it hinges on government’s commitment to an open and transparent trade policy, one of its key objectives is to address constraints limiting Nigeria’s potential to participate effectively in international trade.

As part of efforts to address these constraints, the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), in 2022 embarked on a journey to reposition and ease trade operations in the country through its Trade Modernisation Project(TMP), which has three phases.

The project is a 20-year concession agreement signed on May 27, 2023 between the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the NCS Board, and the Trade Modernisation Project Ltd.

The TMP is the automation of the business processes of the NCS. It seeks to simplify and enhance the experience of stakeholders in the trade value chain.

It is aimed at making it easy to obtain export and import clearances. It will also ease the payment of duties and the release of goods.

Shortly put, it is a long term rescue plan aimed at ensuring predictable and transparent processes and procedures for imports, exports and transit trade.

According to the General Manager of the Concessionaire, Mr Ahmed Ogunshola, the project creates the basis for improving NCS’ services which include improving revenue generation, facilitating trade development and minimising corruption in trade facilitation.

The project is aimed at automating trade operation processes using a software described as the Unified Customs Management System(UCMS), to be deployed by NCS, which would soon be inaugurated by the Federal Government.

The UCMS is the core of the operational activities and underpins the decision chain and command of goods clearance for release, in line with the requisite taxes and waivers of the Federal Government.

The automation aims to address leakages in the revenue collection of customs duties and includes Electronic Cargo Tracking System.

This system gives traders access through the UCM to comprehensively monitor their transactions from the beginning of the process until the delivery of their goods, and act appropriate where they experience hiccups.

The system also facilitates Electronic Port System, Logistics Monitoring System, Mobile Enforcement System and Intelligent Gate System.

In addition to providing further ease of cross border trading, its major advantage is the significant long-term impact it would have on the social and economic development of the country.

At the end of the 20 year period, the project is expected to generate in excess, 250 billion dollars as revenue for Nigeria.

This is because automating the process helps to increase revenue collection due to improved trading experiences, which would increase trading frequency and, therefore, revenue from chargeable duties.

While Nigeria gets to use the revenue to fund its infrastructure development, create jobs, address its security challenges, it would also develop other non-oil sectors to ensure sustainable development.

On the current stage of the development of software to be deployed to drive the modernisation process, the Head of the  Business Section of the Project, Usman Abba, a Chief Supritendent of Customs, said that all internal sytems had been completed, and final touches were being made on stakeholders’ integration.

While this is the first phase of the process spanning year one to six, with two more phases to go, it is expected that at a stage, all systems must be deployed to hardware, software and technology services.

The reform, through the project, is expected to streamline customs processes, reduce delays and cut down on corruption. As a result, businesses can operate more efficiently, and government can collect more accurate and timely revenues from trade activities.

Additionally, aligning trade policies with international standards can attract more global partners and increase Nigeria’s share of global trade.

As the implementation of this project gets to its peak, excited analysts say that Nigeria can look forward to a more dynamic, efficient and profitable trade sector, driving sustainable economic growth and prosperity.(NANFeatures)

**If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)

Sports

NTF committed to promoting gender equality in tennis participation, officiating ——President

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By Aderonke Ojo

President of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Ifedayo Akindoju, says the federation is committed to promoting gender equality with regards to the participation and officiating of tennis events in the country.

He made the remarks while declaring a maiden International Tennis Federation’s Advantage All workshop open on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Tennis Umpires Association (NTUA) made history on Friday in Abuja.

This followed the successful hosting of its maiden International Tennis Federation’s Advantage All programme, thus setting the pace for other African countries.

The workshop was organised by the NTF, in conjunction with the International Tennis Federation ( ITF), with no fewer than 20 female tennis officials from across the country in participation.

It aims to further deepen the domestication of the initiative which the country formally signed into in 2021 at the Annual General Meeting of ITF in Glasgow, Scotland.

Akindoju extolled the milestones being recorded by the Officiating Department of the Federation, noting that officiating in Nigeria had advanced beyond imagination “as ladies in tennis officiating have done so well.

“What we are witnessing here today is another landmark to show that ladies are very interested in sports and in tennis in particular.

“As a Federation, we are promoting gender fairness, gender equality in terms of opportunities and participation, and have put in place a well monitored and guided mechanism to ensure that no body is treated unfairly”, Akindoju said.

Acting Chairman of NTUA, Rose Abu, encouraged the participants to make adequate use of the opportunity to develop and sharpen their officiating knowledge and skills.

Abu thanked the ITF for endorsing the event, and commended the effort and commitment of the President of NTF and the country’s Officiating Manager, Kehinde Ijaola, for making the day a reality.

Gold Badge Chair Umpire and an Advantage All Global Ambassador, Eva Asderaki-Moore led a plethora of virtual international goodwill messages from female tennis Umpires across the world to the participants.

With the theme, Tennis Officiating: Place, Value Of Women In Officiating And Empowerment, the workshop had series of paper presentations on topical issues.

NAN also reports that a minute silence was earlier observed in honour of the immediate past Nigeria’s Advantage All Ambassador and one of the country’s finest tennis officials, late Arinola Isa-Banire who died in July 2023.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Environment

JDPCI advocates forest preservation against climate change

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By Aderogba George/Philomina Attah

The Justice, Development and Peace Caritas Initiative (JDPCI), Abuja, a faith-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has advocated forest preservation to mitigate the effect of climate change.

Mr Josephat Abaagu, the JDPCI Chairman, said this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday to commemorate the 2024 World Environment Day celebrated annually on June 5.

Abaagu expressed dissatisfaction at the rate forests were being destroyed, noting that forest reserves that used to exist in the country in the past are no longer there.

He urged the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to revive the tree planting project which used to exist in the FCT in the past to beautify and safeguard the environment.

According to him, the 2024 World Environment Day theme: ‘Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience’, offers the initiative an opportunity to call on everyone to rise to the challenge of protecting the environment.

He said that the JDPCI between 2023 and 2024 embarked on a tree planting campaign and had planted over 10,000 economic trees.

The chairman said that the tree planting would not only contribute to environmental restoration and biodiversity, but provide economic benefits to local communities.

He said the tree planting campaign would enhance carbon sequestration, combat soil erosion, and foster a healthier ecosystem.

“If you talk about the Savannah region here and the Sahel area, the far north, and even parts of the south, you won’t see any forest again; the trees have all been cut down.

 

“The kind of logging that happens in this country is terrible.

“By integrating environmental stewardship with economic empowerment, we embody the holistic approach advocated by the Holy Father, Pope Father Francis.

“Furthermore, I am thrilled to highlight the recent launch of the JDPCI Laudato Si’ Briquette Factory and safe energy cooking stoves in April 2024.

“This innovative project which was inaugurated by His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius A. Kaigama, represents a significant step in our efforts to mitigate climate change.

“The factory produces eco-friendly briquettes from agricultural waste like sawdust and rice husks, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional wood and charcoal.

“This not only reduces deforestation and carbon emissions but also provides a cleaner and more affordable energy source for households,’ he said.

Mr Chukwuedozie Abazie, an official of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, also reiterated the need for individuals to pay more attention to their immediate environment.

“The theme of the 2024 World Environment Day is a wake-up call on individuals to pay more attention to how they live their lives within their immediate environment,” Abazie said.

He said that individuals must take a lot of seriousness on tree planting.

Rev. Fr. Solomon Uko, Executive Director, JDPCI, also urged the FCT Minister to take a clue from the Catholic Diocese of Abuja and resuscitate tree planting in the FCT.

Uko said that there was a need to mitigate the effect of erosion in the FCT, with lot of buildings springing up in the area.

He also decried the effect of poor waste disposal in the FCT, stressing that could cause air pollution, if not properly managed.

“We have the rainy season here, and we know what that means, so it is a call for us as human beings to take care of the earth.

“We have been given that special task by God Himself and the priests always like to reflect in the scripture.

“In Genesis Chapter 1, Verse 28, the Lord created man and gave us that commission, be fruitful, multiply and take care of the earth.

“We are not owners, we are stewards. So, we have been given that responsibility of taking care of our earth, so, I urge the government and individuals to promote this task of taking care of our environment,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Economy/Business

FG committed to infrastructure development through PPP – ICRC boss

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By Okeoghene Akubuike

Mr Michael Ohiani, Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), says the Federal Government remains committed to infrastructure development through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Ohiani said this at the Second Quarter 2024 Public-Private Partnership Units Consultative Forum(3PUCF) Meeting in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum provides a platform for PPP departments in Ministries Departments and Agencies(MDAs) and stakeholders to share ideas, success stories, and challenges on their PPP projects to drive economic growth in Nigeria.

The meeting was hosted by the Federal Road and Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

Ohiani said that within the second quarter, the commission successfully issued Outline and Full Business Case Compliance Certificates in respect of key PPP projects from several MDAs.

He said between April and June 2024, the commission issued 14 Outline Business Case (OBC) Compliance Certificates and two Full Business Case (FBC) Compliance Certificates.

Ohiani said the commission would continue to issue OBC and FBC certificates as the need arises.

He said some projects which had been issued OBC Compliance Certificates in the second quarter included the Infrastructure Development of Residential Buildings at the Federal School of Forestry, Jos.

Ohiani said others were the Design and Development of eight Hostel accommodations at the University of Lagos, Campus, Akoko.

“Others are the development of 240 Housing Units of two and three Bedroom Bungalows at Nigerian Airspace Management Agency’s land located at Jaba, Kano State.

“The Operation and Management of Kashimbila Integrated Cargo/Agro-Allied Airport, Taraba, and Implementation of the Nigerian National Patronage Cash Reward Programme.

“Also, the Implementation of Metal and Mineral Operational Audit and Export Certification programme, and the Implementation and Development of the Electronic Enforcement and Penalty Management (eTraffika).”

Ohiani said FBC Compliance Certificates were issued for the following projects which included the Implementation and Development of the Electronic Enforcement and Penalty Management (eTraffika).

“Also the Renovation and Upgrading of School of Nursing Student Hostel, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.”

He said the commission had also continued to monitor PPP projects which were at the implementation stage.

“Just last week, our staff and the relevant officers of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security visited 17 silo complexes across the Federation.”

Ohiani reiterated the commission’s commitment to continue to build PPP capacity across MDAs and PPP practitioners through its training arm- the Nigeria Institute of Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnership.

He urged the members of the forum to take advantage of the opportunities the training institute provided.

“We also invite you to take advantage of the MBA in PPP and PhD in Management (PPP option) programmes which are being run in collaboration with the Malaysia University of Science and Technology.”

Ohiani expressed his appreciation to members of the forum for their continued valued contributions to its sustenance and overall success.

“I, therefore, encourage us all to continue to advance with the various projects across our MDAs up to implementation and possible hand-back, as these will have a direct positive bearing on the wellbeing of Nigerians.

“ I encourage us to sustain the shared vision of a prosperous and infrastructure-sufficient country for the coming generations.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

General News

Firm, NGO partner to promote moral values among children

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By Aderogba George

Vento International Trading Limited, an international furniture organisation, has partnered with an NGO, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative (APBPI), to promote positive behaviour and moral values among Nigerian children.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Coordinator for Vento, Mrs Muberra Yigit, stated this during a courtesy visit to her office by APBPI officials, on Friday in Abuja.

Yigit said that her organisation was passionate about education of young children, hence the need for partnering with APBPI to promote positive behaviour in the society, particularly among children.

According to her, promoting positive behaviour among children will assist in moulding their lives, thus making them to become responsible citizens.

She said that her company would continue to support the APBPI school programme, focusing on truancy and substance abuse.

The Director of Campaign Team for APBPI, Mr Bamidele Mann, said that the partnership would further boost the NGO’s activities and make it to get the desired positive behaviour from Nigerian children.

He noted that Vento’s past support had enabled APBPI to reach more children, aligning them with the right attitudes and behaviours essential for building better character.

“We are thrilled to partner with Vento international trading limited, sharing a common goal of shaping Nigeria’s future by investing in its children,” Mann said.

The Director, Advisory Model for APBPI, Mr Sam Obashun, thanked the firm for what it had been doing in the past, especially in the area of building a new Nigeria through children’s behaviour.

Obashun expressed the firm’s commitment to carrying out its corporate social responsibility that would make a significant difference in the lives of the children.

“Together, we are making positive impacts, fostering a culture of responsibility, respect and empathy among our young citizens.

“Vento international trading limited’s commitment to CSR has made a significant difference in the lives of numerous children, promoting a brighter future for Nigeria.

“We commend its dedication to giving back to the community and we look forward to continued collaboration,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Foreign

Cultural diplomacy will deepen Turkey, Nigeria relations—Ambassador

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By Maureen Okon

Mr Hidayet Bayraktar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria, says cultural diplomacy will deepen and strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the envoy made this known at the opening of a solo art exhibition by Imal Silva titled “An Ode to Existence’’, on Friday in Abuja.

Bayraktar said the artwork of the earth was a platform for environmental activism.

“Also, art strives to create and develop an artistic space for sustainability by fostering connections among diverse communities.

“In our bid to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria, we, as Turkish embassy, support Nigeria artists and display their precious artworks at our embassy’s exhibition hall.

“The artist’s work, `An Ode to Existence’, portrays the expression of nature’s colours which serve as a way to convey the beauty, complexities of nature, seasons, landscapes and natural phenomena.

“Through contemporary art exhibitions and cross-cultural dialogue, we do not only share the wall of our embassy, but also we aim to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria.

“My profound gratitude goes to the artist for the gift of creativity in his work and also to extend my thanks to the curator Mrs Beste Gursu, for her relentless efforts towards the Nigerian artists.”

Speaking, Silva lauded the Ambassador and his wife for the opportunity and the platform to exhibit his work to an audience of art lovers.

“The platform created is not just for me alone but for many other Nigerian artists. I thank the curator for the encouragement, about a year plus this exhibition wouldn’t have been possible.

“My abstract renditions about the earth and our responsibilities toward the earth and also within that one year plus I was able to write some poems for mother earth to us,’’ he said.

Also, Gursu thanked the Ambassador for opening his doors to artists from the two countries to exhibit their work for a period of 20 months.

“I thank ambassador Bayraktar for opening the embassy doors for the period of 20 months, allowing us to organise our first five events, four of which were Nigerian artists and one from a Turkish artist.

“At this point, I want to appreciate the ambassador for the support he is giving to Nigerian art and artists.

”Our exhibition today is that of an abstract work by Silva after our figurative Nigerian art exhibition, this is the first time we are presenting an abstract work in Nigeria,’’ she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

Foreign

Pakistani stock investor predicts mounting risk for U.S. economy

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By Fortune Abang

Mr Ali Khwaja, Chairman of KTrade Securities, a Pakistani-based stock and commodity outfit, says the U.S. inflation can impact negatively on the developing world.

Khwaja, who communicated this during a virtual analysis of the KTrade Securities research report, said the highlight had become important because the U.S. grappled with persistent inflation.

He said that no country was immune to fallout of inflation, adding that the U.S. was not immune to fallout either.

“Concerns are about possible 1970-style stagflation amid slowing economy and stubborn inflation.’’

According to him, small and medium businesses can bear the brunt due to compounding impact of high inflation in the mass market.

“Inflation effects often add up; when things become too expensive that people start cutting-down on expenditure and new hiring in businesses, a recession is in sight.

“Next year, when people try to remortgage their homes, they will find it is very expensive, as seven per cent is a very high interest rate.”

He quoted the Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, to have expressed confidence in curbing inflation, saying it was not as high as it was after the Producer Price Index (PPI).

He cited the recent data from the U.S. Labor Department to have pointed to a 0.5 per cent uptick in the PPI for April and a rebound from the 0.1per cent dip in March.

“Earlier, the U.S. Commerce Department stated consumer prices witnessed a 3.4 per cent year-on-year increase in the first quarter, much higher than the two per cent target.

“These figures dented hope; yet for rate cuts within the year, dealing another blow to market expectations after several wrecked rate-cut prospects since the beginning of the year.

“This will change dynamics, because interest rates are already at 23 year high as the impact of high interest rates has not come to small business owners and real estate owners.

“Debt contracts they had are not up for re-pricing; when re-pricing kicks in later this year, it will be a massive hit to consumers that can lead to recession later this year and through 2025.’’

The chairman explained that the costs of debt servicing are soaring; particularly in currencies across Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India which are at historic lows.

“In some cases, central banks have to intervene to defend their currencies; when a protectionism policy is adopted, it will be very difficult to control inflation.

“The reason why the world had a period of low inflation and high growth was because of the benefit of trade.

“Yet over the last five years, protectionism has led to lesser trade, higher tariffs on consumption and higher fuel prices, all of which contributed to higher inflation,” he said.

He decried manipulation of economics for political gains as a way to likely backfire, stating that higher inflation led to political and societal friction by creating a gap between the rich and the poor.

Khwaja also said such could strain the economy of any country.

He quoted Dr Abid Suleri, Executive-Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), saying if high inflation persists, the new government faces challenges in meeting expectations of the electorate.

“The first thing the new U.S. administration might do after the election is to reassess the real value of dollars.

“It has two options; in my opinion, one is to depreciate the value of U.S. dollar vis-a-vis other major currencies; which is a step no outgoing government will like to take.

“Otherwise, the U.S. itself will become more and more non-competitive; not only against China but also against the EU, Japan and other trading nations,” Suleri said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Economy/Business

FG committed to implementing multidimensional poverty index report—-minister

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By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Federal Government says it remains committed to supporting implementation of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2022.

Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, said this at a Stakeholders Technical Dialogue on the “Operationalisation of the Multidimensional Poverty Index as a Policy Tool in Nigeria” in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2022 MPI report revealed that 63 per cent, that is 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor out of an estimated population of 211 million.

Bagudu said the Federal Government would support the MPI implementation through the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) and the implementation of the eight -Priority Areas of the present administration.

The minister, represented by Mrs Adeshola Oloyede, the Director overseeing office of the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said the MPI provided a nuanced understanding of poverty’s complexity.

“By measuring factors such as access to clean water, electricity, schooling, and healthcare, we can identify specific areas where interventions are needed, ensuring that no one is left behind.

“Remarkably, the MPI is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Agenda, ‘leave no one behind’, as it shows the interlinkages of deprivations experienced by poor people.

The minister said the operationalisation of the MPI in Nigeria was a clarion call to action.

“It is a call to embrace a holistic approach to poverty reduction, one that recognises the interlinked deprivations affecting millions of Nigerians.

“By leveraging the MPI, we can craft informed, targeted, and effective policies that address the root causes of poverty and promote sustainable development.

“Let us commit to this transformative journey with determination and unity.

“Together, we can create a Nigeria where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, where no one is left behind, and where the dream of prosperity and well-being becomes a reality for all.”

Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, the Statistician-General of the Federation and CEO, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said for the statistical System, operationalising the MPI was a welcome development and was well overdue.

Adeniran said there was a need to align the data from the MPI survey with interventions to tackle the issue of poverty in Nigeria in a sustainable way.

“This means going beyond making the necessary data and evidence available to designing targeted programmes and policies to address the issues identified within the data.

“Only when these two things align (the data and the interventions) will we begin to see meaningful and sustainable changes in the lives of the citizens confronted with poverty.

“Therefore, we need to build on the success of the 2022 MPI survey by ensuring that the data is used for the benefit of the citizens.“

He said there was a need to invest in continuous training and technical capacity building of personnel to be able to produce data timely and in a sustainable manner.

Adeniran said this would enable the government to have the appropriate tools to effectively monitor and track the impact of the interventions, and where necessary design new interventions to address any lapses.

“While this means more resources from the government side, it also necessitates more donor support and assistance, both financially and technically.”

Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said her office was working closely with both state and non-state actors.

Orelope- Adefulire, represented by Dr Bala Inusa, said it would guarantee an inclusive, participatory and collaborative implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria,

“Such strategic partnerships demonstrate our collective commitment to the transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development that is to Leave-no-one- behind.

“It is my hope that this dialogue will strengthen our commitment to work closely together as policymakers and development practitioners in support of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in Nigeria.“

Ms Elsie Attafuah, the Resident Representative, UNDP, said multidimensional poverty in Nigeria was complex and multifaceted and would require several approaches.

According to her, poverty in Nigeria goes beyond money but it is about millions of people struggling with things we often take for granted.

Attafuah , represented by Dr Jose Levy, the Deputy Resident Representative, said stakeholders must focus on -energy poverty in Nigeria.

“The right investment in energy can turn out to be a game changer in a bid to brighten the future for millions of people and remove them from energy poverty.

“By focusing on targeted investment in clean energy , education, healthcare and social protection we can foster inclusive growth and create a more equitable society.”

She pledged UNDP’s continued support to Nigeria’s development journey.

Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women Country Representative, emphasised the importance of incorporating a solid gender dimension into the MPI programming framework.

“By integrating gender-specific indicators and analysis, we can ensure that the MPI report highlights the disparities and drives targeted interventions that uplift and empower women and girls.”

Eyong, represented by Zapania Aura, said the inclusivity of the MPI report was paramount, adding that it was essential to consider the voices and experiences of marginalised groups.

“By making the MPI more inclusive, the Nigerian Government commits to developing comprehensive strategies that are integrated and aligned with the National Development Plan and leave no one behind, thereby, advancing an equitable and just society.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Foreign

Independent state: Palestine seeks Nigeria’s support

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By Maureen Okon

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria Abu Shawesh, has called on the Federal Government to use her political weight to convince more countries to recognise Palestine as an Independent state.

The envoy made the call at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja when he addressed newsmen on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war development.

The envoy said recognising Palestine as a state would ease the challenge faced by its citizens in procuring visas.

He said as a heavy weight in international affairs, Nigeria’s voice could go a long way in influencing more recognition for the State of Palestine.

Shawesh said that heavy political weight can hang the balance not only in African continent, but all over the globe.

According to him some European Union (EU) member states recognise Palestine as a state

“Now we have over 20 or 27 European countries voting for a state of Palestine.

“In the past 10 days some European countries have recognised Palestine as a state and this is an important move for the visa procurement’’, he told newsmen.

NAN reports that Slovenia became the latest EU country to recognise an Independent State of Palestine after its parliament approved the move with a majority vote earlier on Tuesday.

It would be recalled that Slovenia government last week decided to recognise Palestine as an Independent and sovereign state following the steps of Spain, Ireland and Norway as part of a wider effort to coordinate pressure on Israel to end the conflict in Gaza.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Ezugwu/ Halima Sheji

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