By Kadiri Abdulrahman

A socio-economic pressure group, Arewa Economic Forum, has urged President Bola Tinubu, to be fair and equitable in the appointment of competent Nigerians into government positions.

The Chairman of the Forum, Ibrahim Dandakata, who said this in a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, specifically cited appointments into the finance ministry as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Dandakata said that the appointments of Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance, Folashodun Shonubi, Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), occupied by people from a particular section of the country, could send wrong signals.

He also cited the appointment of Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, among others, who are also from the same zone in the country as Edun and Shonubi, as capable of also sending wrong signals.

Dandakata urged Tinubu to look for competent Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country for the purposes of fairness and inclusiveness.

“As you may be aware, finance and ICT are crucial to the economic eldorado that the president envisions for Nigeria.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance manages the finances of the federation, including controlling and monitoring federal revenues and expenditures

“The Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy develop a knowledge-based economy and facilitate the development of the ICT industry towards increasing its contribution to GDP.

“The two ministries play greater roles in facilitating businesses, e-commerce, job creation, empowerment and increased efficiency and productivity, which are vital for economic growth and prosperity,” he said.

According to him, the importance of finance and ICT sectors are such that we must be circumspect in the kind of decisions we make in those sectors.

He, however, commended the president for retaining performing chief executives of some key government agencies.

“As a patriotic, refined statesman who won a credible national mandate in February, Tinubu has a duty to not only be fair to all parts of the country but also to be seen to be fair to all parts.

“Meanwhile, we must commend the president for retaining some performing chief executive officers of leading agencies in economic and technology sector like Bello Hassan of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and Kashifu Inuwa of National Information Technology Development Agency.

“We believe that more competent, qualified and experienced technocrats from the North can also be appointed to head crucial sectors of the economy,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==========
Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Ruth Oketunde

The African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, has empowered no fewer than 100 women and youths on poultry farming in Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Marcel Anyatonwu, Communication Officer, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ms Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria said the three-day capacity building workshop was organised under the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP).

Akobundu, who was represented by Mr Zacchaeus Akerejola, Director, Programmes Development and Implementation Department, said the programme aimed at increasing poultry products in the country and enable the participants to be economically empowered.

She said that the overall objective of the programme is in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which focuses on national food security, improved employment opportunities among others.

According to her, the workshop provided the participants with knowledge on essential building and equipment, incubation of eggs, hatchery management, principles for successful production, breeds and breeding, brooding of chicks and management techniques.

She urged the participants to put to use all they were taught during the training for both personal and national good.

Dr Onotu Yahaya, a lecturer at Auchi Polytechnic and a resource person at the training, said the country imports 13.8 million tons of chicken annually because of its inability to meet its poultry food demands.

Onotu, who appreciated AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria for the empowerment programme, added that importation of poultry products had so far contributed to the high rate of unemployment in the country, depletion of foreign reserve among others.

He said the said that aside the nutritional value of chicken, every part of it including its feathers are useful as they can be used for the production of dashboard and furniture.

The highpoint of the workshop was the presentation of starter packs to the participants, which include; birds, feeds, drinkers, feeders and a comprehensive training manual on poultry farming.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=======
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Adekunle Williams

The Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Mrs Semiat Bada, has charged supervisors in the LCDA to focus more on the attainment of effective service delivery while discharging their duties.

Bada made this known at the presentation of official cars to 13 council supervisors and special advisers at the council’s secretariat in Lagos on Tuesday.

Bada also urged the supervisors to rededicate themselves to developing the council as compensation for his commitment to their welfare.

The chairman noted that the people of the council were expecting more grassroots development and dividends of democracy, saying that the council was determined to meet the expectations of the people.

Bada advised them to always be available for their people, ensuring that open door policy becomes their watch door.

The chairman reiterated the determination of her administration to put more smiles on the faces of the people by embarking on projects that would directly touch their lives.

She warned that the government would not tolerate any act of indolence from them, stressing that service to the people must be taken with all seriousness.

According to Bada, the official cars presented to the supervisors and other special advisers are part of the agenda of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is improving the welfare of workers in the state.

“I actually want to appreciate everyone here today; it has been a year and some months that we have bought these official cars for our supervisors.

“A lot of people might be saying why is it now that we are presenting these cars to the beneficiaries?.

“What we are doing today is statutory for workers that are working with the council especially the supervisors, to get these official cars for them as the constitution demands.

“The constitution says we should get them a vehicle so as to make their work easier for them,” she said.

Bada also assured residents of the council that her administration would continue to provide palliatives as part of measures to mitigate the effect of hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

Speaking, Mr Olushola Oduberel, the council’s Supervisor, Budget and Planning, said the official cars presented to them was a good idea because it would enhance their jobs in terms of inspection and carrying out their official duties.

Oduberel commended the chairman on the recent distribution of palliatives to residents especially to the widows and embarking on several grassroots projects to improve the lives of the people in the council.

In his comment, one of the apex leaders in the council, Mr Babatude Adetunji, said the chairman had done extremely well even though things were extremely high she has been able to find a way around it.
He said: “Like what she is doing today, it is also one of her testimonies of her passion to make sure that life is easy for the residents and even the workers.

“She has passion for the welfare of the councillors, the supervisors, special advisers and the vehicle will further make life easy for them in terms of mobility.”

Also, Mrs Majola Bello, the council’s Supervisor for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, said the gesture showed that the chairman wanted them to be comfortable in discharging their official duties. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
WAC/VIV
====
Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Rukayat Moisemhe

A foundation known as Sir Emeka Okwuosa Foundation (SEOF) has unveiled  plans to empower secondary school students, underprivileged women and farmers with resources  to improve their skills, livelihoods and communities.

The Chairman of the foundation, Mr Emeka Okwuosa, made this known on Tuesday via a report from the inaugural SEOF Gala Night in Lagos State.

Okwuosa said that generosity and compassion inspired him to establish SEOF.

Okwuosa, also a business mogul and philanthropist, said that the foundation had been impacting lives and communities in more than 14 states of Nigeria.

He listed the states as Anambra, Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Abuja, Kogi, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Imo and Abia.

Okwuosa said that sustainable socio-economic empowerment should be centered on providing market-facing skills and opportunities, particularly to the youth, who constitute the majority of the Nigerian and African population.

The chairman said that in 2024, the foundation would  launch a national engineering competition, a women enterprise programme and an agro-cluster cooperative programme.

He said that the engineering competition would aim to identify outstanding engineering students  working on innovative prototypes with real-world applications.

According to him, the competition is designed to encourage engineers and aspiring engineers to work toward collectively tackling Nigeria’s  challenges.

He said that the competition could be expanded across Africa  in the future.

“The women enterprise programme aims to support women entrepreneurs in scaling up their businesses through skill-building workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities and access to funding and markets.

“The agro-cluster cooperative programme aims to provide jobs and enhance food security − not only locally, but also across the country − by providing farmers access to inputs and guaranteed off-take as a catalyst for more robust farming.

“Witnessing fellow Nigerians endure hardships without attempting to alleviate their suffering is something I find impossible.

“Each day, we are reminded of the challenges that our nation faces – from the strain on our economy and infrastructure to unsettling food insecurity.

“Our goal is to teach beneficiaries how to fish so that they can feed themselves and their communities for a lifetime,” he said.

Okwuosa listed  achievements of the foundation to include facilitation of $217,939 open-heart surgeries for 34 patients at the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital in 2022.

According to him, the others are provision of primary healthcare services to over 566 beneficiaries, building of a garri processing factory and  donation of motorcycles to assist small-business owners.

He called for partnerships with well-meaning individuals and organisations to  effect positive changes in people and communities.

“Together, I am confident we can unlock growth and opportunities that far surpass what we could achieve individually,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=========
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

By Eniola Oladele

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received a batch of 298 Nigerians who were stranded in Libyan prisons.

The agency said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

The statement said the returnees spent varying periods at various detention camps in the northern African country.

They were repatriated back to the country in two separate chartered flights, the first with 161 returnees on Aug. 21 while the second flight came on Monday with 137 returnees.

NEMA said that the second batch of returnees arrived on board an Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 with registration number 5A-DMG,

at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Cargo Wing, Ikeja at about 5:38 p.m. on Monday.

The returnees comprised 119 females who were mostly pregnant and 170 males with 3 female children, 3 male children and 3 infants.

NEMA revealed that International Organisation of Migration (IOM), Port Health Service and National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRM) also received the returnees. (NAN)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

====