NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Anniversary: Miyetti Allah hails Tinubu, demands commission for nomadic education
General News

Anniversary: Miyetti Allah hails Tinubu, demands commission for nomadic education

206 total views today

By Salisu Sani-Idris

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has commended President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s infrastructure, agricultural sector and enhanced security since his assumption of office.

The National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, made the commendation in a congratulatory letter to Tinubu, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)on Friday in Abuja.

” Congratulations to Mr President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Bola Tinubu on your one year in office.

” On behalf of the over six million pastoral communities in Nigeria, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, the National Executive, Management and staff of MACBAN, I wish to congratulate you on your successful one year anniversary in office.

” Your one year in office, though tumultuous but stands you as a man of courage, conviction and vision with Renewed Hope to make Nigeria great.

” Your commitment to developing Nigeria’s infrastructure, agricultural development and enhanced security is a testimony that you are not only up to the task but to deliver dividends of democracy to the larger Nigerians populace.”

Othman-Ngelzarma noted that the Renewed Hope agenda on agriculture which intends to make Nigeria self-sufficient in its food security entails massive investment in both agronomy and livestock production.

” In view of this, MACBAN looks forward to your promise of creating a Ministry for Livestock to handle the N15 trillion Industry and its value chain.

” The industry stands to provide millions of quality jobs to Nigerian youth wallowing in unemployment and abject poverty which is a threat to National Cohesion and the security in the country.

” To achieve this objective, there is the need for immediate establishment and inauguration of the livestock implementation committee which you promised during the report presentation.”

Othman-Ngelzarma also appealed to Tinubu to allow for the stand-alone existence of the National Commission for Nomadic Education for the continued well-being of Nigerian nomads.

” We appreciate the efforts of security agencies in the country in combating crime but we express concern with the way and manner in which innocent pastoralists are being profiled and extorted.

” Yours Excellency, the hope you exude should be made a reality to strengthen the faith of ordinary Nigerians on your renewed hope agenda.

” We will continue to support you in your quest to strengthen institutional frameworks to make Nigeria and Nigerians the pride of Africa in innovation and productivity.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Website hosting coy advocates data protection, cybersecurity
Science & Tech

Website hosting coy advocates data protection, cybersecurity

235 total views today

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

A website hosting company, TFHost, has called for protection of data and cybersecurity to ensure safety online.

Head of Sales, TFhost, Mr Victor Matthias, made the call on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Matthias cautioned Nigerians that while using the internet, there was need to ensure cybersecurity, which attacks were inevitable but could be avoided.

He said there was need to engage the internet wisely, while having a personal internet experience and data protection.

Matthias said that social media platforms had great impact on digital marketing, created visibility for online businesses, but had its limitations.

According to him, most social media platforms accessible to Nigerians are internet spaces owned by other individuals who they cannot guarantee the safety of their data.

“Nigeria is an evolving country in terms of internet penetration, especially with hand-held devices, people are coming into social media and then to websites and blogs.

“If you want to do online business, engage in online activities to an extent, you need a blog or a website for people to take you seriously.

“You can’t do business and leave it on social media, social media is essentially not your space, it is somebody’s space, the person is just giving you access,’’ he said.

The TFHost official said that while hosting the website of its clients, the company kept evolving to meet global best practices on data protection.

He said the company was accredited by Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA).

“TFhost mandate is to register different types of domain names for individuals, Small Medium Enterprises, Corporations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, others.”

He added that its services included email hosting, shared hosting, cloud hosting, virtual private server hosting, dedicated hosting, wordpress and reseller hosting.

According to him, the reseller hosting will give opportunity to refer others for people to earn money.

Matthias said that TFhost was committed to reducing carbon footprint through sustainable data centres and renewable energy sources.

“We support digital literacy programmes and online education initiatives plus partnerships to ensure better ICT penetration for Nigeria and Africa in general.

Mr Joshua Itebu, Technical Head of the company, said that any individual found active online was susceptible to attacks.

“If you put out anything online, you need to have an open mind of being prone to attack, whereas emails and websites are also usually prone to attacks.

“For emails, people need to do a regular change of password, avoid using common passwords that can be easily guessed and change it within three to six months.

“For the website, always install XXL certificate on your website. This can keep your files and data encrypted and engage in constant maintenance of the website,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

NGO donates reusable sanitary pads to schoolgirls in Abuja
Health

NGO donates reusable sanitary pads to schoolgirls in Abuja

658 total views today

By Abujah Racheal

Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI), an NGO, has donated reusable pads and hygiene kits to vulnerable girls in secondary schools in Abuja.

The schools are Junior Secondary School Takurshara, Junior Day Secondary School Jiwa, and Government Secondary School Nyanya.

The Executive Director, CFHI, Ms Krystal Anyanwu, said during the donation in Abuja on Friday, that the gesture was part of activities to commemorate the 2024 World Menstrual Hygiene Day.

Anyanwu said that the donation was in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Supportive Edge Foundation, RealRelief, and the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN).

She explained that the donation was to enable schoolgirls to manage their monthly menstruation with dignity, safety, and comfort.

“This includes access to menstrual products, clean and private facilities, water and soap, accurate education, and safe disposal methods.

“Proper menstrual hygiene is essential for the health and well-being of women and girls, preventing infections and supporting their participation in education and daily activities,” she said.

She pointed out that by providing the reusable pads, CFHI was not only promoting gender equality by allowing girls to participate in educational and social activities, but also easing financial burden on families.

She added that the initiative would enable girls to manage their periods with dignity, reduce school absenteeism and prevent the use of unsafe or unhygienic alternatives.

According to her, using unsafe and unhygienic materials could lead to infections and other health issues.

Some beneficiaries of reusable pad at
Government Secondary School Nyanya , Abuja

The executive director said that CFHI would continue to raise awareness about menstrual health and hygiene, empower both girls and boys with knowledge and dispel misconceptions associated with menstruation.

“The adolescent girls were also trained on how to make menstruation bracelets. This will foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for all,” she said.

The Co-founder of CFHI, Ms Princess Osita, said that donation of the reusable pad was under the organisation’s Safepad Initiative to provide economic opportunities for local women and girls.

Osita said that the organisation had over the years distributed over 5,500 reusable sanitary pads to vulnerable adolescent girls.

While receiving the items, the Principal of Takurshara, Mrs Philomena Nashel, commended CFHI for the gesture, noting that the items would significantly promote good menstrual hygiene among young girls.

Nashel urged CFHI to extend its awareness campaign to parents and caregivers on how to educate their girls on good menstrual hygiene practices.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that May 28 of every year was set aside as World Menstrual Hygiene Day to spotlight the importance of menstrual health.

The day was also to identify menstrual hygiene as a complete physical, mental, and social well-being of women and girls in relation to their menstrual cycle. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

FG to train 10,000 civil servants on data management
Science & Tech

FG to train 10,000 civil servants on data management

268 total views today

By Jessica Dogo

The Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, says the agency will train 10,000 civil servants on data management.

Tijani made this known at the DevsinGovernment programme organised for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is tagged “Responsible Data Management in the Public Sector.”

NAN also reports that the ministry recently inaugurated a free online data management course for public servants.

Tijani said the course was to equip them with the fundamentals of ethical data management that bridged the theoretical aspects of the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2003.

“We launched a new data management course; the idea is not to enforce or ask people to do what they have no idea of.

“The free course will start with 10,000 civil servants to equip them on effective data management.

“We live in a time when digital technology means that we are constantly collecting data and information on people; if we are careless with the data collected, we are going to put our people at risk.

“We have to enlighten people and as we continue there will be improvement on how people handle data within the country,” he said.

In his remarks, Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), said data benefits the public through several key principles that sets the primary legal framework for its protection and privacy in Nigeria.

Olatunji was represented by Dr Tolulope Pius-Fadipe, Head, Research and Development of the NDPC. (NAN)

Edited by Chidi Opa and Abiemwense Moru

Stakeholders task FG on inter-basin water transfer for food security
Metro

Stakeholders task FG on inter-basin water transfer for food security

221 total views today

By Angela Atabo

Stakeholders in the engineering sector, have called on the Federal Government to leverage on the Inter-Basin Water Transfer (IBWT) technology to boost food security in Nigeria.

The stakeholders said this at the 4th Engineer Umar Jibrin’s Distinguished Annual Public Lecture with the theme: `Leveraging on Inter-Basin Food Security and Enduring Rural Economics in Nigeria’’.

The lecture was organised by the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers on Thursday in Abuja in honour of Umar Jibrin, a renowned engineer who had contributed immensely to the sector.

According to Prof. Abubakar Sadiq, the guest lecturer, IBWT meant the transfer of water from a surplus area to a scarcity area, like transferring water from areas that usually have flooding due to surplus water to areas like lake Chad that is drying up.

Sadiq who is also the President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN), listed the benefits to IBWT to include: tackling flood, improved crop cultivation resulting in availability of food among others.

“The paper brings out the opportunity Nigeria has, to transfer excess water resources that are becoming a nuisance and resulting in flooding to shortage areas through the IBWT technologies which are being applied by other nations to solve that problem.

“The project has been successfully done in many countries and Nigeria has started developing that concept since 1960 especially to address the issue of Lake Chad which is shrinking.

“This has become the source of the crisis in not only Nigeria, but in the sub regions, which all of us are aware of, in terms of insecurity, biodiversity loss, desertification among others that is making people move from the north to the south.

“Because of that, there is a crisis of resource management, insecurity, displacement of different communities and so on, so we are bringing this to the knowledge of the policymakers that we need to make sure we adopt this technology,” he said.

Abubakar added that the technology when adopted, would be able to recharge the Lake Chad Basin adding that “if we have such opportunity to put water where it’s supposed to be then we can use it to improve our food security in terms of developing the capacity to feed ourselves.’’

The Keynote Speaker, Mr Inuwa Musa, called on the federal government to promote local technologies and key into IBWT technology in the interest of the nation.

“We should look at everything from the perspective of self-interest as a nation and refuse to allow external actors to tell us what is good for Nigeria, because we are the ones who face the problem.

“Clearly, you can see that the shrinking of lake Chad is the root cause of Boko Haram; so cannot continue to look the other way, so the  IBWT  is a win-win solution.

“Since 1995, it’s been predicted that Nigeria cannot feed itself from rainfall alone. The solution is to provide water so that our farmers can continuously produce not just in rainy season.’’

Musa said that was the only way out of poverty and food scarcity.

Mrs Margaret Oguntala, the Chairman of the occasion and President of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), said the event was evidence of the commitment of engineers to advance engineering solutions to address critical issues facing Nigeria.

Oguntala, represented by the Deputy President of NSE, Mr Ali Rabiu, said the technology of water transfer would aid to advance the right value chain aimed at sustainable food security and improve the economy.

“This couldn’t be timelier, it is a fundamental pillar of national stability and prosperity and as engineers, we must strive to address the challenges faced in achieving food security and promoting sustainable economies.’’

The National Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), Mr Virgilus Ezugu, said the event aimed at honouring Umar Jibrin who has mentored younger professionals and inspired many engineers.

“His professional trajectory demonstrates a robust practice that spans all the facets of the profession from technical practice, policy making and management to training and mentoring top class engineers who greatly impacted on national development.’’

Ezugu said the lecture is usually held yearly to address major challenges in the country and the 2024 topic sought to tackle food insecurity and hunger.

He said that the application of engineering and technology in farming and agricultural practice would greatly increase yield and encourage more investment in the critical sector of socio-economic life.

He added that it would also provide the much-needed gainful employment for the teaming youths.

The awardee, Mr Umar Jibrin, a former Executive Secretary of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), commended NICE for finding him worthy of recognition and for organising the lecture to honour him.

“This year’s topic on IBWT and the ripple effect on agriculture, irrigation, food security among others, is the most critical topical issue that we can talk about in this country at the moment.

“We intend that after the lecture, we will also have a technical group that will look at the advantages and recommendations that have been put forward.

“We will now interface with policymakers that are unlikely to come on board to be able to take up this issue that has been thrashed, and then we will see how it can be reflected in our governmental affairs.

“This is to make sure that it is cascaded to a level of implementation processes to help the common man,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

FCCPC begins TV series against youths, underage smoking – Official
Defence/Security

FCCPC begins TV series against youths, underage smoking – Official

177 total views today

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Federal Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it has concluded plans to begin a Television (TV) series to advocate against youths and underage smoking.

Dr Adamu Abdullahi, acting Executive Chairman of the commission, disclosed this when Dr Hope Omeiza, Executive Director, Vanguard Against Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Centre, visited him in Abuja on Thursday.

“Let me announce here that on June 1, we will commence a TV series on advocacy against youths and underage smoking.

“The TV series will run for a year on DSTV,” Abdullahi said.

He added that the commission was doing a lot to ensure that the future of Nigerians youths and children were secured.

He explained that substance abuse was beyond drugs, adding that it included alcohol and tobacco, which he described as dangerous to health.

Abdullahi added that the commission’s advocacy campaign against smoking tagged, “They Don’t Ban Their Future”, had won international recognition as an impactful behavioural change strategy.

He frowned at adults who send children to buy cigarettes for them and smoke it before them, “you are making a very big mistake because children learn from the elders.

“When they see you doing something, they believe it is something that is good. So, they go ahead and indulge in it.

“This is a very bad habit,” he said.

The FCCPC boss said that a similar campaign would be organised specifically for tertiary institutions, secondary schools, and marketplaces among others.

He pointed out that the government spends a lot of money taking care of people with lung ailments caused by smoking, including second-hand smoking.

“We have a duty to enlighten people to know that such behaviour is dangerous to their health and wellbeing,” he said.

He also said that the commission would soon roll out telephone lines for smokers to call, talk to experts for advice on how to stop smoking.

Earlier, Omeiza commended FCCPC for the initiative, which he said would help significantly in tackling the menace of tobacco smoking and other illicit substance abuse.

He said that the initiative would open the eyes of youths and children on the dangers of consumption of tobacco and other illicit substances.

He assured the commission of the centre’s support in eradicating smoking among youths and underage children. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

CSOs, partners key to women’s self-actualisation- Official
General News

CSOs, partners key to women’s self-actualisation- Official

165 total views today

By Perpetua Onuegbu

Mr Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, has emphasised that Civil Society Organisations and development partners are essential for achieving self-actualisation for women and children.

Represented by the Director of Child Development, Mr Ali Madugu, Aduda said this on Thursday in Abuja during the Critical Stakeholders Strategic Meeting of the Community and Social Intervention Department of the Ministry of Women Affairs.

He stated that the meeting aimed to develop a road map for the department’s strategic objectives.

“While the government has the ultimate responsibility in ensuring protection of women and children’s rights, but this cannot be fulfilled without the involvement of CSOs, NGOs and development partners.

“I, therefore, call on all stakeholders and well-meaning individuals to work closely with new department toward the protection and promotion of our women and children.

“This is for self actualisation and effective contribution to sustainable national development,” he said.

Mr Kunle Yusuf, the Director-General , Community Enhancement and Humanitarian Development Institute (CSCHEI) said the collaboration of CSOs was key.

“For the department to achieve it’s mandate it needs to work with CSOs,” he said, adding that they will help in achieving the department’s mandate in five ways.

“There are development agents to ask the masses what there needs are; for you to articulate it, they advice appropriately adequately based on the facts, figures and data analysis on ground.

“They assist you in implementing your policy at the grassroot level, they also give national assessment on how far you have gone, what is needed to be done and how best to go about it,” he said.

Yusuf advised the department not to allow bureaucracy to hinder its activities.

He urged the UN and other development partners to also invest in other zones of the country that need support.

Speaking on the objectives of the meeting, Mr Lugard Okorobo, the Director-General, Nigerian Women Economic Development (NigWED) a CSO and organisers of the meeting said It was aimed at bringing stakeholders in the sector together.

“NigWED focuses on social intervention programmes, financial inclusion, economic empowerment, political participation for women and girls.

“Some people are already working at the community level so together we make informed decision that will help the department achieve it’s objective for the overall goal and benefit of women and children,” Okorobo said.

Also speaking, a director at the ministry, Mrs Christiana Oliko, said the department would promote greater synergy with critical stakeholders and give visibility to issues concerning women and children.

“We are foreseeing a situation where we bring in our contribution that will at the long run enhance the quality of lives of our people in nutrition, poverty reduction through skills development trainings.

“Basically, we’ll try to harness our strength as there are some that will provide technical support, some will provide finances, grants and that will aid implementation of programmes and projects,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the department was created in November 2023 to deal with community development and social welfare issues with respect to women, children and venerable groups. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Ali Baba-Inuwa

ECOWAS urges member states to champion investment promotion
General News

ECOWAS urges member states to champion investment promotion

183 total views today

By Mark Longyen

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on member states to champion the cause of promoting investment in order to engender sustainable development in the subregion.

ECOWAS Ag. Director, Private Sector Investment, Anthony Elumelu, gave the charge during a meeting of the technical committee of the Association of Investment Promotion Agencies of West African States (IPAWAS) on Thursday in Abuja.

Elumelu said that the event aimed at availing all member states the opportunity to shape IPAWAS’ form and structure as the regional platform for cooperation in investment promotion and facilitation.

He noted that continuous support and collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission by member states would enable investors to accept the subregion as the most favored destination for investment drive.

“As we gather here in Abuja, we embark on a momentous journey that will shape the future of investment promotion and economic development in our region.

“IPAWAS represents a significant milestone, bringing together IPAs from across West Africa to foster collaboration, share best practices and drive investment growth.

“We believe that by fostering cooperation in pursuit of that mandate, there would be synergies to achieve experience sharing, peer reviews, and collaboration through scale economies,” he said.

Elumelu urged the participants to deliberate on the draft statute that would govern IPAWAS, shape the framework for cooperation, define their roles, and set the stage for impactful collaboration.

According to him, at the end of the event, all member states will own the statute as the framework for IPAs cooperation and collaboration for promoting cross-border investment within the ECOWAS space.

“Within this framework, we can also speak with one voice in our participation and membership of the Pan-African Investment Agency created by Article 42 of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) Investment Pool.

“The ECOWAS Common Investment Market (ECIM) and AfCTA provide us with unprecedented opportunities.

“By aligning our efforts, streamlining regulations, and promoting cross-border investments, we can unlock the full potential of our region,” he said.

Elumelu stressed that it was only through such collaborative efforts that a stronger and more resilient West Africa, which attracts investors, creates jobs, and drives sustainable development, could be built.

“I therefore, encourage each IPA representative to actively participate, contribute your expertise and champion the cause of investment promotion,” Elumelu added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

African leaders highlight investment opportunities to broaden BRICS alliance
Business , Banking , General News

African leaders highlight investment opportunities to broaden BRICS alliance

538 total views today

By Lucy Ogalue

Some African leaders say the continent will benefit from increasing its alliance with Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) group because of the many investment opportunities.

They spoke during a BRICS Business Breakfast in Nairobi, Kenya, on the sidelines of the ongoing African Development Bank (AfDB) Group Meetings.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the South African Chapter of the BRICS Business Council and Brand South Africa hosted the event.

It brought together key leaders and policymakers to discuss trade and investment opportunities for Africa, focusing on the role of the BRICS nations and their potential partnerships with African countries.

BRICS, a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has recently expanded its membership to include new African members Egypt and Ethiopia, as well as Iran and Argentina, among others.

The expansion, called BRICS Plus, strengthens the ties between BRICS and Africa.

Prof. Vincent Nmehielle, AfDB’s Secretary-General, said, “The BRICS Alliance, together with the new member additions, provides immense trade and investment opportunities for the African continent.

“These countries are emerging economies with a growing middle class and a substantial consumer market; expanding into these markets will lead to growth opportunities for the continent,” Nmehielle said.

Nmehielle reiterated the importance of addressing trade barriers and deficits, saying that tackling barriers such as bilateral investment agreements can improve exports and import performance.

He also highlighted the need for knowledge exchange and the transformation of education and skills development, particularly given the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI).

The secretary-general said the continent’s significant infrastructure and investment deficit was estimated at between 70 to 100 billion dollars annually, and there was a strategic role that BRICS Plus could play in addressing this gap.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration between the New Development Bank, the AfDB, and the UN in jointly identifying, preparing, and co-financing projects in countries of mutual interest.

On energy transition, Nmehielle underscored the need for African countries to partner with BRICS Plus to achieve a just and equitable transition.

“Africa’s South Africa’s chairing of BRICS in 2023, under the theme ‘BRICS in Africa: Partnerships for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism,’ highlighted this crucial aspect,” he said.

For her part, Busi Mabuza, Chairperson of the South African Chapter of the BRICS Business Council, highlighted the platform BRICS Plus provides to explore and capitalise on available opportunities.

“The BRICS Plus countries are, as you know, leading emerging economies with a growing middle class and a substantial consumer market.

“So for us, this business expanding into these markets can lead to growth opportunities for our continent,” Mabuza said.

Similarly, Mpumi Mabuza, acting Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Brand South Africa, said the country’s growing green economy accounted for 75 per cent of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Southern African region.

Mabuza said this was with 157 investment projects and a total capital investment of 27 billion dollars, creating 15,000 jobs.

She also outlined South Africa’s Country Investment Strategy (CIS), which identified five frontiers of strategic investment opportunities.

“These include green hydrogen, next-generation digital services, special economic zones, industrial cannabis, and hyper-scaling environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact investments,” Mabuza said.

NAN reports that the business breakfast featured presentations and panel discussions exploring current trade patterns, strategies for leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the challenges and opportunities of attracting private capital.

The event served as a platform for fostering dialogue and exploring avenues for enhanced cooperation between BRICS nations and African countries.

As the business breakfast concluded, participants expressed optimism about the potential for BRICS partnerships to drive transformative investments in key sectors like infrastructure, energy, and connectivity, ultimately contributing to a more prosperous and integrated Africa.

The AfDB’s 2024 Annual Meetings will end on Saturday in Nairobi. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Stakeholders tasks African Govts on daily school meals for children
Education , General News

Stakeholders tasks African Govts on daily school meals for children

232 total views today

By Lucy Ogalue

Stakeholders have urged Heads of State and Government in Africa to scale up the provision of free school meals in spite of the economic challenges.

They spoke on a sideline event at the ongoing African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Annual Meetings in Nairobi.

The theme is “Creating Fiscal Space for School Meals: Towards Agenda 2063, SDGs and Human Capital Development”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Rockefeller Foundation organised the event in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the World Food Programme,

It focused on how countries could scale up the provision of free school meals to help meet the sustainable development goals and aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The agenda for 2063 is termed the “Africa We Want.”

The AfDB President, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, said there was a link between hunger and the development of grey matter.

Adesina, represented by his Director of Agriculture and Agro-Industry, Dr Martin Fregene, said freedom from hunger was a human right.

He said that when children had good meals, they would go back to school again and again, and food production created demand for farmers and secured markets for products, assisting economic growth.

According to Adesina, the universal primary education across Africa (SDG 2) initiative, which is strongly supported by the Bank Group, has made significant progress.

He said that for it to be realised, it had to be accompanied by planet-friendly, homegrown school meal programmes.

Adesina acknowledged that many African governments were grappling with the adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising food inflation, and losses and damages associated with climate change-induced natural disasters, among other things.

The AfDB president said the Bank had supported healthy meals initiatives with some 100 million dollars so far.

Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, current chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), said “No child today should go to school hungry.”

Therefore, he called for new and innovative ways to finance school meals to ensure that they are free for schoolchildren.

Given current economic circumstances, Kikwete called for an acceleration in the drive to achieve the SDGs through creative thinking and not falling further behind.

He reiterated that this was because school children were the guardians of Africa’s future and critical in achieving the “Africa We Want”.

Kikwete praised the recent debt swap for education deals with partners, highlighting a recently concluded agreement between France and Ivory Coast.

He said the multiplier effect every dollar spent on education, including the free meals initiative, had on overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) performances.

The stakeholders highlighted that many countries on the continent were contending with constrained fiscal space exacerbated by rising debt service costs, creating a silent debt crisis.

They said high debt service payments squeezed out spending on critical interventions that could accelerate Agenda 2063 and SDG implementation.

The stakeholders then said that free meals helped children’s cognitive capacities, increased attendance levels, improved health and nutrition and general well-being. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

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