By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara says the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) must continue in the task of propagating Nigeria well to help attract more investment to the country.

AbdulRazaq said this while receiving the agency’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, on Tuesday in Ilorin.

“NAN has always propagated Nigeria at the sub-national, national and international levels as the voice of Africa, and this is why NAN has never been brought to disrepute.

“You cannot go wrong by listening to NAN.

“Obviously, NAN’s mandate then in 1976 when it was set up and up till now is to propagate Nigeria at the sub-national, national and international levels.

“One will recall that moments after 1976, during the apartheid era, Africa did not have a voice. The voice of Africa then was NAN,’’ the governor said.

He urged NAN to continue to propagate Nigeria so much as to help in propagating Nigeria to enhance investments and attract more investors to Nigeria.

“NAN is an investment tool for Nigeria and we in Kwara in particular are looking forward to working with the agency,’’ AbdulRazaq added.

He then urged NAN to strengthen its ties and operations across all the levels, assuring that Kwara was ready to collaborate with NAN.

The governor commended the agency for planning to open district offices in Omu-Aran and Kosubosu in the Kwara South and Kwara North senatorial zones of the state, respectively.

“Who would have thought of Kosubosu, which is next to Chikanda, and from Chikanda the next place is Benin Republic? So, this tells you that NAN’s footprints are all over the place.

“If you go to the remote places, you will get all the right information,’’ he said.

Earlier, the NAN Managing Director had commended Gov. AbdulRazaq for his giant strides in developing infrastructure, healthcare and workers’ welfare, among several other projects in the state.

“Since yesterday (Monday) that we arrived in the state, we have noticed a huge repositioning in the whole state.

“This means your re-election is a testimony of what you did in your first tenure.

“Also, your re-election has helped to lower the political temperature in Kwara,” he said.

Ali, while explaining more about NAN to the governor, pointed out that the agency is the only News Agency from Africa that is resident in the United Nations.

“We are present in all the 36 states of the country, and in Kwara we have a 12-man team.

”We hope that with the support of the state government, our plan to re-open our district offices in Kosubosu and Omu-Aran will come to fruition.

“We will take you as a natural ally of NAN, which prides itself on the slogans ‘if you talk to NAN, you are talking to all’ and ‘no one knows Nigeria better’.

“So, with NAN, you can be rest assured that your trumpet which you are reluctant to blow will be blown to a high level,’’ the NAN Managing Director said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and Olawale Alabi

By Patricia Amogu

Red Carpet Protocol has said that all is set for the public presentation of three books covering national development, politics, and civil service, authored by Prof. Sylvester Monye.

Kunle Adebanjo, the spokesman of Red Carpet Protocol, the company coordinating the presentation of the books, disclosed this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

“We are delighted to be coordinating this prestigious event, which promises to be a significant gathering of notable personalities in politics, governance, and the civil service.

“The books to be launched offer valuable insights into national development, politics, and civil service.

“We believe the launch will contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discourse on these critical issues,” he said.

The three books to be unveiled are: ‘A Compendium of Development Plans, 1999 – 2020’, `The Concession Of Asaba International Airport’, and `The Ministerial Scorecard’.

Adebanjo told NAN that Monye’s experience, expertise in governance, and background as a former Special Adviser to the President on Performance, Monitoring, and Evaluation lend credence, credibility, and relevance to the three books to be presented.

According to him, the fact that former presidents Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr Goodluck Jonathan as well as former President of the Nigerian Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki are scheduled to be in attendance testifies to the seriousness with which the presentation of the books has been taken.

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori,  former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha are expected to grace the event, Adebanjo said.

The spokesman for the company coordinating the event explained that the three books to be presented can contribute meaningfully to academic research and development of the country. (NAN)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

By Mujidat Oyewole

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, on Monday emphasised the need to continue to properly harness information to address and improve the current situation in the country.

The Emir, while receiving the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali Muhammad Ali during a courtesy visit to his palace, noted that information was very important.

He added however, that reporting activities was not an easy task and should therefore not be taken with levity.

“Our prayer is that Almighty Allah should continue to guide us, have mercy on us and make Nigeria continue to live in unity,” Sulu-Gambari said.

He noted that NAN has shown the capacity to help the country in the area of utilising information to further develop the nation.

”NAN has been doing well in this regard, and I am sure that is due to the pedigree of you the Managing Director, especially with what you have done in the media industry so far.

”I am sure the agency will go a long way in helping the country get better,” the Emir said, praying for more success and breakthrough for the agency.

Speaking on the country Nigeria, Sulu-Gambari noted that a lot of the situation in the country in recent times have been improving.

”We now have many of our sons and daughters around the country, already married to those of other tribes, while some have settled for the sake of business and job transfers.

“Nigeria is our father’s land that has come to stay and will not be divided by the special grace of Almighty Allah,” he said.

The NAN Managing Director, while speaking earlier, had said the ongoing upgrading of the agency’s services would boost their operations and enhance productivity.

He said his major reason for visiting Kwara was to further assess the agency’s facilities.

“We need to know the challenges and how to provide the necessary equipment to boost production.

“We will then see how to cover the activities of the state and the Emirate.

“I am from Kano and we share the same way of life with Ilorin. That is why I have come to first pay my respect to the traditional leader.

“You are closer to the people and as a great leader and Chairman of traditional rulers in the state, you know more about the activities in the state,” Ali said.

He then solicited the support of the Emir and assured that the agency would continue to work assiduously in order to supply reliable and current information to the public. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawale Alabi

By Justina Auta

Stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory,  Nasarawa and Niger, have commended Tabitha Cumi Foundation (TCF) for its determined efforts at ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) and support to survivors.

The stakeholders include communities and beneficiaries of TCF’s goodwill in the two states and the FCT.

They made the commendation at a three-day learning activity for beneficiaries and other key stakeholders of the Flashlight Actions on Girls Safety (FLAGS) project on Monday in Abuja.

The FLAGS’ project is funded by the UN Trust Fund to end all forms of violence, enhance learning in safe spaces for survivors and ensure community involvement in the fight against GBV.

Chief John Gara, a traditional leader representing Masaka Community in  Nasarawa noted the reduction in cases of GBV in the area since the commencement of sensitisation, support and advocacies by TCF.

Garage said: “this was unlike other programmes that come and make no impact.

“The TCF has made an enormous impact in the community, especially the girl-child and even the boys were affected positively.

“GBV has reduced drastically in Masaka, unlike in the past when we used to have lots of cases due to the support of TCF.”

Gift Emmanuel, a beneficiary, who trains young girls in Durumi Community, said the project had enabled her to educate young girls about GBV, how to respond to it, preventive and referral pathways in their safe spaces.

“The programme has made me to know a lot of things I really did not know beyond the GBV and how to come out of it.

“I thought perpetrators could go unpunished, but now I know better.

” This project has been impactful in the last three years not just in my life, but also in the lives of my co-beneficiaries.

“Some of them were unable to speak out and were timid, aside the GBV or sexual abuse and physical abuse in the home.

“Alot of girls don’t even know that their parents could be a perpetrator and be the one abusing them either physically, emotionally or otherwise.

“So for the past three years, I can boldly say that the girls come to tell us what they have been going through, how the project has helped them and even their parents,” she said.

Similarly, Mary-Peace Sunday, a 16- year old beneficiary of the projects in Kugbo community, said she acquired more knowledge on ways to prevent GBV, where to seek help and also sensitise young girls on their rights and issues around violence.

“Through this project, I have learnt how to read and write about GBV, I know about safe spaces, perpetrators, survivors.

” My friends in school going through various forms of violence, I have taught them and even assisted a friend, who was raped and is undergoing counseling and other supports from the Amintacces in TCF.

Mrs Aisha Saidu, a member of the Community Action Committee (CAC) in Mpape, said: ” many people have benefitted from TCF.

“And as a member of the CAC, we have the responsibility of keeping our community safe from GBV.”

Mrs Tayo Erinle, Executive Director, TCF, said they had been able to reach and support over 40,000 in FCT, Nasarawa and Niger states.

Erinle, represented by Mr Adejumobi Fashola, Director of Finance, TCF, added that about 25 young girls had been granted scholarships and enrolled back to school to further their education.

“In the last three years, we reached over 40,000 persons in Nasarawa, Niger and the FCT with about 121 GBV cases.

“There is still a lot to do, we need more gentlemen in this fight and members of the CAC.

“We are here to brainstorm, reflect and think of new solutions on the way forward,” she said.

Mrs Nendirmwa Ohah, Project Manager, TCF said: ” The FLASH has been implemented in the last three years, which started in 2021 and will end in May.

” It was implemented in 10 communities in the FCT, Nasarawa and Niger and we worked with 750 beneficiaries, in which some of them are survivors of GBV and all are out of school girls.

“We have also been able to reach out to 40,000 persons in our communities of practice providing information on GBV prevention and response.

“And also creating awareness on the Violence Against Person Prohibition (VAPP) Act Child Rights Act.

“We have also supported survivors of GBV access services that would support them, increase their well-being and reintegrate them back to the society,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Gabriel Yough