News Agency of Nigeria
Tinubu’s renewed hope and the paradigm shift in sports development
Sports , Features

Tinubu’s renewed hope and the paradigm shift in sports development

520 total views today

Tinubu’s renewed hope and the paradigm shift in sports development

 

By Muhyideen Jimoh

 

When President Bola Tinubu on Aug. 16, 2023 named Sen. John Owan Enoh as the country’s new sports minister to drive the renewed hope agenda for the Sports sector, not many stakeholders knew what to expect.

 

As the Tinubu administration marks one year in office, Enoh in a short period has continued to unveil and implement far reaching policies aimed at transforming the sporting landscape in Nigeria.

 

The minister in a deliberate and bold move to transform the sports industry unveiled a six-point agenda titled  ‘W.A.I.F.A.R’ to drive Nigeria’s sports development.

 

The strategic initiative which is the pillar of foundation upon which a vibrant sports industry is being built is thus explained.

 

W- Welfare: activating and enabling a welfare system that caters to serving and retired athletes as well as an annual recognition platform.

 

A- Activation of grassroots sports development; early age (under 18) sports and revitalization of school sports.

 

I – Infrastructure, development. Investment in building and revamping stadiums, as well as focus on grassroots sports facilities.

 

F- Funding for sports development. Exploring collaborative funding models between the government and the private sector

 

A- Activation of grassroots sports development; early age (under 18) sports and revitalization of school sports.

 

R- Reorganisation of sports federations for impact. Sports governance and effectiveness of sports federations.

“This agenda is meticulously designed to bolster growth and excellence within the country’s sports sector.

 

“We must key into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and strive to propel the sports industry to newer heights.

 

“President Tinubu’s genuine enthusiasm for sports underscores his unwavering commitment to fostering an environment where the sports sector, not only flourishes but also reaches unparalleled success,“he said.

 

He said Tinubu has demonstrated uncommon passion for the growth of sports, stating that his commitment has seen his administration practically remove all obstacles that will hamper the discovery of budding talents and progress in all sports.

 

“His commitment to the development of sports which informed the creation of the full Ministry of Sports Development is unrivalled. Indeed, Mr President has demonstrated uncommon passion for the growth of sports in our country.

 

“For instance, our President graciously cleared all the debts accumulated by the former administration in the funding of football in excess of N12 billion.

 

“There is no doubt that this new lease contributed significantly to the stellar performance of our national team, the Super eagles who placed second to the hosts, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in the 2023 African cup of Nations.

 

“Nigeria’s heroics and achievement at the 13th African Games in Ghana would not have been possible without Mr President full support.

“Our sports loving president spared no effort to ensure that our athletes were adequately funded in spite of the paucity of funds and competing national priorities,” Enoh said.

 

With a keen focus on fostering grassroots participation, infrastructure development, athlete empowerment and making sports big business, the Tinubu administration is beginning to usher in a paradigm shift in sports development in Nigeria.

Aside the reforms, another critical area that is being pursued vigorously is attracting private-sector investment, and positioning sports as a significant sector for employment and revenue generation.

 

To this end the Federal Government in October, 2023 approved the adoption of the National Sports Industry Policy (NSIP) for full implementation.

 

“It is important that going forward, the investments and funding for sports should come from the private sector, as obtainable in other parts of the world.

 

“One of the plans of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development is to see how to sell sports to the private sector.

 

“We want to build the trust and confidence of the private sector, so that competitions and the initiatives of the ministry can enjoy the supports and endorsement of the private sector,” the sports minister explained.

 

The ministry subsequently signed three ground-breaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with corporate organisations to bolster sports development and funding.

 

The agreement with Yanga Games Technologies (YGT), a private sector company will help Nigerian sports raise N35 billion over the next four years to augment budgetary allocations.

 

While the MoU with Effa Management Ltd. will create facility clusters in the six geopolitical zones, not forgetting the GTI partnership that seeks to revamp the former Challenge Cup, now called the President Federation Cup, among other things.

 

As Nigeria intensifies preparation for the Paris Olympics in July, there is an increasing number of Nigerian athletes who have secured qualification for the Games.

 

The Nigeria women’s national football team, Super Falcons, leads the pack by breaking a 16-year jink to qualify for the summer Olympics.

 

Others are Nigeria’s strong contingent in the track and field, boxing, wrestling, Taekwondo, Canoeing, Cycling, women Basketball among others.

 

Under Tinubu`s leadership, Nigerian athletes have achieved various successes across  sporting events, including the African Cup of Nations, the African Games, and the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas.

 

They have also achieved positive strides on the international stage, showcasing the nation’s prowess and determination in the world of sports.

 

In spite of the notable achievements in the sector, stakeholders are quick to stress the need for better welfare for athletes, increased funding, transparency, infrastructure development and grassroots development.

 

The stakeholders maintain that the Tinubu administration must continue to prioritise sports development and create the enabling environment for the private sector to key into the vision of running sports as a big business and not just for mere recreation.

 

***If used please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria

Children’s Day: AMAC inaugurates ‘Endowment Fund’ for rural children
Education

Children’s Day: AMAC inaugurates ‘Endowment Fund’ for rural children

318 total views today

Children’s Day: AMAC inaugurates ‘Endowment Fund’ for rural children

By Philomina Attah

The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Mr Christopher Maikalangu, has announced the establishment of an ‘Education Endowment Fund’ to enable children in rural communities have access to education.

The AMAC Chairman announced this on Monday, at the 2024 Children’s Day celebration at LEA Primary School, Aleyita, Abuja.

Highlighting the theme of this year’s celebration, “Inclusion, for Every Child”, Maikalangu emphasised the role of education in protecting children from various forms of abuse.

He said that no child should be denied access to basic education and called for community vigilance in reporting any cases of child abuse, violence, or molestation.

“I am honoured to join the rest of the world in commemorating Children’s Day with our children in AMAC. Education is a fundamental right, and it is imperative for every child to resist any form of child abuse.

“This administration has adopted the Child’s Right Act to ensure no child is abused or molested in our schools and communities,” Maikalangu stated.

To reinforce this commitment, Maikalangu announced the formation of a task force and the deployment of intelligent officers dedicated to gathering information and prosecuting cases of child abuse.

The AMAC chairman vowed to personally monitor the situation by paying unannounced visits to schools and communities, ensuring that no violator, regardless of status, would go unpunished.

“Every child must go to school. As Executive Chairman, I will be visiting schools and communities to interact directly with children and gather firsthand information.

“No violator of children’s rights will be spared,” Maikalangu declared.

According to him, the newly announced ‘Education Endowment Fund’ is designed to provide educational opportunities for children in rural areas, offering them a chance to study within Nigeria and internationally.

He also said that the initiative underscored the commitment to inclusive education and the vision of empowering future leaders through learning.

Maikalangu extended his gratitude to the teachers and caregivers for their dedication and hard work, urging them to continue their diligent efforts, as their actions significantly influenced the children’s learning and development.

In his address to the children, Maikalangu congratulated them on Children’s Day and encouraged them to focus on their studies, reminding them of their role as the leaders of tomorrow.

He also prayed for a conducive, peaceful, and secure environment for the children’s growth and development.

Delivering her goodwill message, Hajara Musa, Head Teacher, Gwagwa LEA, urged students to be committed to their education and community activities.

She congratulated the students and emphasised the importance of staying away from illicit drugs.

On his part, Mr Obiora Arinze, the Supervisory Councillor, Education and Social Development, AMAC, said the Chairman’ s cardinal objective was to ensure that every child within AMAC had access to education.

“Every May 27 is actually a special day for the children. There’s this saying that when you actually educate a child, you are building a formidable future. And that’s the dream of this administration.

“The Chairman has always put education in the front burner. I just hope and pray for these children to see the need to be more committed in their learning for a better future tomorrow, “he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the celebration was cash donation for the participating schools, exercise books, and white boards to support learning.

NAN also reports that a cash sum of N300,000 was presented to the school that came first position in the match pass, while N200,000 was given to the first runner-up.

The second runner-up got N100,000 as its share of the money that was donated by the AMAC Chairman, among other incentives. (NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/ Abiemwense Moru

Human trafficking: Danish envoy canvases awareness, improved border security
General News

Human trafficking: Danish envoy canvases awareness, improved border security

208 total views today
Human trafficking: Danish envoy canvases awareness, improved border security
By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Sune Krogstrup, has called for more public awareness and improved border security to curb human trafficking and irregular migration from Nigeria.
Krogstrup made the call on Friday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a documentary premiere titled “I wish I Knew” in Abuja.
The documentary was produced by MeCAHT in partnership with EXIST and funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The envoy, who decried the global problem of human trafficking, advised that all hands to be on deck to address the challenge in Nigeria.
“Denmark has been a supporter of organisations such as MeCAHT who is producing advocacy initiatives aimed at combating trafficking and irregular migration.
“The focus of our support for this project is very much about awareness raising, but there are other elements such as border security and border management which we have also done with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN.
“We have also worked with the organisation called International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to boost the capacity of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to address issues related to irregular migration, ” he said.
The envoy described irregular migration and human trafficking as complex issues that required holistic measures to curtail.
He said that available statistics showed that Nigerians top the list of victims trafficked to Denmark, hence the need for more public awareness and enlightenment.
“Denmark is a relatively small country in northern Europe, and yet what we are seeing in statistics is that Nigerians are on top of the list in terms of victims of trafficking.
“These are typically young women that are trafficked for what is now called sex trafficking, so it’s a huge tragedy.
“And the Danish government will continue to play its part in combating this, because it’s also a human right issue for the Nigerians being trafficked,” he said.
Krogstrup emphasised the need for stronger synergy among organisations such as NAPTIP, MeCAHT and IOM in identifying and reaching out to vulnerable communities across Nigeria, to prevent them from becoming victims of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery which involves the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain and is estimated to be a 150 billion dollars global industry. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
======
Denmark, MeCAHT premiere documentary on curbing human trafficking in Nigeria
General News

Denmark, MeCAHT premiere documentary on curbing human trafficking in Nigeria

282 total views today
Denmark, MeCAHT premiere documentary on curbing human trafficking in Nigeria
By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Media Coalition and Awareness to Halt Trafficking (MeCAHT), an international NGO in collaboration with the Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria on Friday premiered a documentary film in Abuja to create awareness against human trafficking.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the movie titled ‘I wish I knew’, had in attendance anti- human trafficking stakeholders.
The Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Sune Krogstrup told NAN that the documentary was one of Denmark’s numerous ways of supporting public awareness/preventive outreach against the menace.
“Denmark has been a supporter of  the organisation MeCAHT who is producing advocacy initiatives aimed at combating trafficking and irregular migration.
“This is really about spreading the word about what trafficking is and how it looks, so that people who are vulnerable to it are able to spot it,” he said.
Earlier, MeCAHT international Executive Director, Ms Anne Abok stressed the need for stronger synergy among stakeholders to curb human trafficking, which she describes as an endemic form of modern slavery.
“We have always worked in partnership and we believe that the fight against human trafficking can never thrive when we work in silos.
“So when we work and form partnerships, then we can see good results.
“This film is studded with survivals of human trafficking. In the course of our work we discovered that our voices is not exactly the voices that prevent human trafficking, but the voices of survivals, when they share their experiences,” she said.
Abok emphasised the need for rehabilitation, psychosocial support and empowerment for victims of trafficking, so that they can get their lives back together and also contribute in the advocacy against the crime.
NAN reports that the documentary film chronicles the touching story of four Nigerian survivors of human trafficking who share their
tragic stories.
It paints a gory picture of human trafficking, exposes the tricks of traffickers and showcases ways to curb the crime.
The premiere was attended by stakeholders including International Organization for Migration (IOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), NGOs among others.
The film  which is produced by MeCAHT in partnership with EXIST and funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Denmark, will also be screened in five other most vulnerable states to ensure the awareness gets to the grassroots. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
Anti-corruption: Al-Habibiyyah tasks FG on partnership with religious organisations
General News , Religious

Anti-corruption: Al-Habibiyyah tasks FG on partnership with religious organisations

428 total views today

Anti-corruption: Al-Habibiyyah tasks FG on partnership with religious organisations

By Suleiman Shehu

An Islamic organisation, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, has urged the Federal Government (FG) to partner with genuine religious organisations in its fight against corruption.

The association’s Chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr Kola Adeyemi, gave the advice at a 2-day sustainability training on Anti-Corruption and Accountability campaign in Ibadan on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Islamic Society for Imams and Islamic scholars in the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

Adeyemi said partnering with sincere religious organisations would help the government in changing the attitude of Nigerians toward corruption.

“Government should partner with those religious organisations that will not take advantage of their enormous influence in misleading the society, but use it to advance the course of governance.

“The government should be able to identify what they want without mixing or playing politics with religion,” the chairman said.

He said the programme was organised for Imams and Islamic scholars to ensure they lead and show good leadership examples in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Adeyemi called on the participants to always inculcate good morals in their children and followers to avoid indulging in vices and to impact positively on the society.

He further called on the participants to engage in one form of business or the other to avoid consuming what was forbidden by Almighty Allah.

“Al-Habibiyyah have gone around the country to ensure that Imams and Islamic leaders come together and work for the good of the society and be role models in their deeds.

“We have also taught the children the importance of digital technology to discourage them from its negative use; they must use it positively for the development of the society,” he said.

In his remarks, the Executive Director, The Just Foundation, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, said 95 per cent of the country’s challenges would be solved if issues of corruption were adequately addressed.

Adeyemi added that Nigerians would experience peace of mind if everyone worked together in fighting corruption.

According to him, some of the challenges of food, health and other social amenities provided by the government will be resolved.

“We, the scholars, must come together; we must be upright and disseminate the right messages to the citizens for the good of the country,” Adeyemi said.

He further says Al-Habibiyyah, apart from being a religious organisation, also engages in agriculture and will soon come out with good agricultural products to the admiration of Nigerians. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Moses Solanke

Children’s Day : NGO urges govt. to tackle menace of Out-of- school children
Education , General News

Children’s Day : NGO urges govt. to tackle menace of Out-of- school children

557 total views today

Children’s Day : NGO urges govt. to tackle menace of Out-of- school children

By Joshua Olomu

Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative(CALDEV), a non government organisation has called on government at all levels to adequately tackle the challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

Mr Bamidele Salam, Founder and President of CALDEV, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a rally to garner support for children’s right on Saturday in Abuja.

The event with the theme; “Children have a Voice, Lend Them Your Ears”, was part of activities by CALDEV to mark the 2024 International Children’s Day.

According to Salam, who was represented by Mr Akintayo Jimoh, a trustee of CALDEV, the spate of out-of-school children in Nigeria was a national menace that must be addressed headlong.

He said that the collective future of Nigeria as a nation was bleak, and unsecured if the increasing trend of out-of-school children across the country was not checked.

Salam urged Nigerians to prepare and celebrate their children on May 27.

The founder said that there was a need for critical thinking on the way forward for the compulsory education of the Nigerian child.

“It is pathetic that many of our children today are out of school, and as a matter of fact, there are over 20 million children who are out of school in Nigeria today.

”This is the highest in anywhere in the world, while other countries are working to ensure that their children are educated ,yet we are not the most populous country in the world.

“This portends danger for this country if urgent leadership steps are not taken at all levels and it means the future of this country is doomed.

“There are laws that have guaranteed the protection of our children’s rights and education is part of those rights, so we must ensure that our children’s rights are protected.

“Laws ranging from the UBEC Act which says that a child must attend school, and if you did not send your child to school, there is punishment for that.

“There is also the Child Rights Act and all other laws that compel us as citizens of Nigeria to ensure that we have the duty of care to ensure that our children attend school.

”This laws ensure that our children are not exploited sexually, that our children are not abused and we have the duty of care as parents.

“So, if anybody fails there are provisions of the law that has prescribed punishments for that negligence,” he said.

Jimoh said that although the Child Right Act has been domesticated by many states across the federation, effective implementation of the law was still a problem.

He urged state governments to show leadership and political will by implementing the Act to ensure that the Nigerian child enjoys the right to education and protection.

“Most states are beginning to realise their duties to domesticate the Child Rights Act, but what we need to do is to enjoin those leaders to have the courage to implement those laws.

“We as citizens should also elect those who are courageous enough to implement this laws, those who love these children enough to ensure that their interests are protected,” he said.

NAN reports that highpoint of the advocacy rally was presentations by children drawn from different background, including poems, speeches, drama and sports.

Some of the children who spoke with NAN, expressed delight for being part of the event, as it offered them the opportunity to know their rights.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Reps C’ttee kick as NAFDAC ignores sachet alcohol resolution
General News , Health

Reps C’ttee kick as NAFDAC ignores sachet alcohol resolution

239 total views today

Reps C’ttee kick as NAFDAC ignores sachet alcohol resolution

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives Committee on National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has frowned at failure of NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to implement its resolution on sachet alcohol.

The House said the action of NAFDAC management was disrespect to the Parliament.

The Vice-Chairman of the committee, Rep. Uchenna Okonkwo, said at a news conference on Friday in Abuja that the agency was duly served with the resolution.

He said to the greatest surprise of the committee, no action had been taken to implement the resolution.

“The agency had failed to comply with the directives, two months after it was passed.

“You need not be told that the parliament is the centre piece of our democracy.

“If the Nigerian parliament that is the fulcrum and giant of African democracy is abused in this manner, the future of not only Nigeria, African democracy is doomed,” Okonkwo said.

He said the committee regretted the sudden deteriorating mutual relationship between the agency and the parliament, which according to him is counter-productive to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“We view the Director-General’s action as a direct affront on the rule of law and the people’s parliament.

“If this display of impunity is allowed to go through, it will set a dangerous precedent for future abuse and disregard for legislative directives,’’ he said.

The committee chairman also claimed that the NAFDAC boss’s action clearly suggested insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had on March 21 adopted a motion sequel to the consideration of the committee on NAFDAC to suspend the ban imposed by the agency on sachet alcohol and less than 200ml pet bottle.

The House directed that the ban be lifted because of the wrong timing and unstable state of the economy where unemployment rate is staggering and the inflation rate is soaring.

Okonkwo said the action was also informed by the paucity of FOREX at the time. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu/Uche Anunne

NCMM digitises museums, monuments to boost tourism
Entertainment

NCMM digitises museums, monuments to boost tourism

354 total views today

NCMM digitises museums, monuments to boost tourism

By Joshua Olomu

Mr Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), said efforts were underway to digitise the nation’s museums, monuments and heritage to boost tourism.

He stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of an event to celebrate the 2024 International Museum Day (IMD) on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, the nation has rich cultural and historic heritages, as well as artifacts which need to be showcased to the world to make Nigeria a choice tourists destination.

He said that Nigeria needs to take advantage of digital platforms to showcase its rich history, and that was what NCMM seeks to achieve.

“It is time for us to start to celebrate our culture, celebrate our heritage, control our own narrative and tell our own stories so that subsequent generations can take pride in being Nigerians.

“The museum space is a very good opportunity to boost tourism, by showcasing our heritage because people are very interested in Nigerian culture.

“If we can get our museum to the standard where people can fly in from other parts of the world, definitely that will boost our economy,

“These tourists are coming to spend money as they stay in hotels, they are going to restaurants and they will even experience other things besides the museum.

“That is why we need to digitise to showcase that our culture is as good as any other culture in the world, and that we do not always have to look outside to find inspiration.

“So with digitisation, we have started 3D scanning of a lot of our artifacts, and what that does is it to allow you experience an object anywhere in the world online.

“We are also revamping our website to become more user friendly and creating virtual tours, so that on your phone you can walk around museums and have experience as if you were there in real life,” he said.

Holloway added that the commission was presently working towards revamping museums across the country in line with the ‘renewed hope’ mantra of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He, however added that because of the huge funding required for the projects, the commission was seeking public-private partnerships for the projects.

“There is the infrastructure upgrade and is the hardware, so for us we can achieve this only through partnerships with the private sector because funding is also a big part of any dream you have.

“We are currently building a world class storage facility in Benin, and these are just some of the things that we are doing to reposition our museums,” he said.

NAN reports that International Museum Day (IMD), coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).), is held annually on May 18.

IMD provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them as to the challenges that museums face, and raise public awareness on the role museums play in the development of society.

It also promotes dialogue between museum professionals and highlights a specific theme which changes every year reflecting a relevant theme or issue facing museums internationally.

“This year’s theme is “Museums for Education and Research”.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Nigeria requires N35bn to restart Ajaokuta Light Steel section -minister
Economy/Business

Nigeria requires N35bn to restart Ajaokuta Light Steel section -minister

296 total views today

Nigeria requires N35bn to restart Ajaokuta Light Steel section -minister

 

By Martha Agas

The Federal Government says it has reached an advanced stage of raising more than N35 billion required to restart the Light Mill Section (LMS) of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, said this at the Ministerial Sectoral Update on the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the last one year,on Thursday in Abuja.

Audu said that a presidential approval had been given to raise the amount from a local financial institution, as part of the Tinubu’s administration resolve to boost the economic profile of Nigeria.

“The local financial institution has given us a final offer.

“I have done a cover letter and forwarded the relevant documents to the Minister of Finance to be able to take the financing on behalf of the Federal Government,” he said.

He said that the LSM had the capacity of producing 400,000 metric tonnes of iron rods per annum, and was critical in shoring up industrialisation in Nigeria.

According to him, he is working closely with the minister of works to supply the iron rods needed for road construction projects in the country from the section.

“There are so many roads being constructed in the country, about 30,000km of roads across the six geo-political zones.

“We understand that the ministry of works needs about seven million metric tonnes of iron rods over that four year period (first term) to construct these roads, Ajaokuta can produce 400,000 tonnes,” he said.

He said that advanced discussions were held with the Minister of Defence, who is in charge of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), to revive its engineering workshop to produce military hardware to enhance security in Nigeria.

“So what is required is that we have a Metallurgical Development Centre that has the ability to provide us with the lead and zinc required, to be able to provide and produce some of these military hardware,” he said.

Audu said that plans were ongoing to revive the Ajaokuta 110 Megawatts power plant that could supply power not only to the plant, but also to the national grid.

According to the minister, due to the paucity of funds, it is engaging in a public private partnership where the asset will be used as the collateral vessel to providing financing.

He said talks were ongoing with three potential investors which are: Transcorp power, NigerDelta Power Holding Company and Reticulated Global Engineering.

The minister said the mandate of the ministry was to revive both the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the National Iron Ore Mining company, and also to revive the steel industry, adding that it had engaged experts.

According to the minister, the vision is critical to the Renewed Hope agenda of the president, whose desire is to grow the economy of Nigeria to more than one trillion dollars by the end of the first term, thereby, making the country a G20. Economy.

He said that a minimum of two million dollars was needed to revive Ajaokuta steel, adding that the plan was to concession the company to people that had the competence to get the job done. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Nigeria, transitioning from monocultural economy under Tinubu’s administration -Alake
Economy/Business

Nigeria, transitioning from monocultural economy under Tinubu’s administration -Alake

255 total views today

Nigeria, transitioning from monocultural economy under Tinubu’s administration -Alake

By Martha Agas

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has said that Nigeria was transitioning from a mono-cultural economy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Alake stated this during the Ministerial Sectoral Update on the performance of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the last one year, on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the President priortised economic diversification in his eight priority areas.

He noted that sectors such as the solid minerals and agriculture were not given the sufficient attention to thrive in other administrations.

“Since May 29 last year, on assumption of our President, there have been a major plan of the renewed hope agenda, which is contingent on the diversification of the economy away from oil,” he said.

He said that global upsurge in energy transition has led to the focus on green energy, which relied on critical minerals that Nigeria possess in commercial quantities.

According to the minister, the critical minerals will provide opportunities for the sector to contribute more to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and develop its local economy.

He said that Nigeria has been showcasing the potential of its minerals, which has been attracting the interest of foreign investors visiting Nigeria to seek more information for business.

He said that to ease doing business for investors, the ministry has unveiled the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support System Software.

He explained that the software serves as a one-stop shop for investors seeking geoscience data and other credible information to make informed decisions.

“Any investor wants an efficient data about the type of minerals, the volume of minerals, where they are, the tenure of the longevity of the minerals.

“ These are critical information that any investor in the world will want to make an informed judgement,” he said.

He said that part of the strategies to develop the sector included the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company through public/private partnership.

“ This company is to engage in joint venture, partnerships with the big players in the solid minerals sector on behalf of Nigeria.

“As a private sector driven corporation that will be structured to have not more than 25 per cent of federal government shares, 25 per cent to the Nigerian public and 50 per cent to the private sector.

“The equity structure is to make it substantially owned and driven by the private sector, so that we leave an enduring structure and legacy for future government.

“Such that no government after us can exert political influence in terms of managerial efficiency and proficiency of running it,” he said.

According to the minister, to sanitise the operating environment of mining , ownership of mining titles are being reviewed periodically.

He said that in 2023, 1,619 titles were revoked from operators who failed to meet their obligations to government, adding that more than 900 dormant mining licenses were revoked recently.

He said that ministry has formulated policies on local value addition to minerals before its export, to generate revenue, create job opportunities and other multiplier effects to the economy.

He said that the ministry had also reviewed the Community Development Agreement aimed at fostering harmony between mining companies and host communities.

The minister said as part of its efforts to secure the mining environment, the mining Marshal Corp was established comprising of 2,220 personnel, who have been deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Gabriel Yough

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email