MoU - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Ismail Abdulaziz
Feb, Tue, 2025

Foreign

NAN, MENA sign MoU on media cooperation

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By Fortune Abang

The Middle East News Agency (MENA) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing media cooperation through news exchange.

NAN reports that MENA, a regional news agency founded on Dec. 15, 1955, is based in Egypt and operates under the Egyptian government.

The agreement was signed virtually by Mr Ahmed Kamal, MENA’s long-serving journalist and current Board Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, and Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, the Managing Director of NAN.

During the virtual signing ceremony on Monday, Kamal, speaking from Cairo, described the event as a historic moment for both organisations, emphasising the deep-rooted relationship between Egypt and Nigeria.

He noted that the cooperation marked a new chapter in the long-standing friendship between the two countries, which dated back to their shared struggle for independence and prosperity.

“Today, we sign an agreement that reflects the deep-rooted historical relationship and friendship between Egypt and Nigeria.

“This cooperation between MENA and NAN is significant, as both organisations are major news platforms in our respective regions MENA in the Middle East and NAN in West Africa.

“Our agreement will widen the scope of cooperation between our two nations in news exchange, as well as other strategic domains.”

He also expressed personal fondness for Nigeria, having worked as a MENA correspondent from 2005 to 2011 in the country.

He said Egypt has a shared vision with Nigeria in promoting stability and prosperity in Africa, especially in fighting corruption.

“So, our cooperation with NAN today represents a partnership between two great organisations, and this long-awaited agreement will expand the scope of cooperation between Egypt and Nigeria in news exchange.

“In addition, it will strengthen other vibrant areas of strategic cooperation between our two nations. This is particularly meaningful for me, as I worked as a MENA correspondent in Nigeria from 2005 to 2011.

“May God preserve your beautiful country, its kind people, and its wise leadership in West Africa.

“Once again, I assure you that Egypt and the Arab world share the same perspective on the need for strategic balance in this turbulent world.

“Egypt and Nigeria also share a strong vision of strategic partnership in fighting corruption and building a stable and prosperous Africa,” he added.

In response, Ali lauded the agreement as historic, noting that it had been in the making for the past three years.

He expressed excitement about the strengthened ties between the two agencies, noting that they would not only involve news exchange but also extend to capacity building and technical support.

Ali remarked, “Today marks the culmination of years of conversation and collaboration.

“We look forward to greater cooperation with MENA, and I personally look forward to visiting Cairo soon.”

Ali also mentioned plans for NAN to host the first African media summit later this year, as part of the agency’s commitment to promoting global media relations.

NAN, owned and operated by the Nigerian government, produces over 200 stories per day and plays a key role in disseminating news domestically and internationally.

It also serves to counter negative narratives about Nigeria by providing accurate and reliable news coverage.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Peter Amine
Nov, Thu, 2024

General News

SEMA, BSUTH sign MoU on IDPs treatment

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By Peter Amine
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

The MoU was signed by the SEMA Executive Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, and BSUTH Chief Medical Director, Dr Stephen Hwande, on Thursday in Makurdi.

Speaking at the event, Iorpuu said that the partnership marked a significant milestone in collective efforts to alleviate the sufferings of IDPs in Benue and to ensure their access to essential and quality healthcare services.

The executive secretary stated that the plight of Benue citizens in IDP camps across local governments was one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges.

“These vulnerable populations face numerous difficulties, with access to healthcare being one of the most critical.

“Many IDPs are unable to access the medical attention they urgently need due to financial constraints and logistical barriers.

“It is in recognition of this need that Benue SEMA has sought this collaboration with BSUTH, an institution renowned for its excellence in medical care and service delivery.

“Through this agreement, IDPs in the 10 designated camps will now have the opportunity to receive timely and quality healthcare services at BSUTH, with the assurance that SEMA will settle the bills at a later date.

“This initiative is not just a demonstration of our commitment to the welfare of displaced persons; it is also a testament to the importance of partnerships in addressing the complexities of humanitarian crises,” he added.

He further said that the agency was leveraging the expertise and resources of BSUTH and the coordination capabilities of SEMA to set a precedent on how institutions can work together for the betterment of society.

Iorpuu added that they would ensure that the agreement was implemented effectively and transparently.

He said both SEMA and BSUTH must remain accountable to the people, ensuring that the initiative achieved its intended impact.

Hwande, in his remarks, lauded SEMA for initiating the partnership that would be beneficial to the vulnerable population in the state.

“What SEMA is doing is landmark because such services were left in the hands of the Red Cross and other international organisations.

“For the first time, SEMA is saying that I will take responsibility for treating IDPs.

“It costs a lot of money to treat these IDPs; one lassa fever case sometimes takes close to one million Naira.

“We have resolved that we will give some discounts; if the cases are very expensive, we will give a higher discount. The discount will be based on the case,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Philip Daniel Yatai
Nov, Thu, 2024

Metro

NSE signs MoU with 2 partners to boost food security

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By Angela Atabo

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Asset Rise Limited and Lancaster Farms to enhance food security and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.

The NSE President, Mrs Margaret Oguntala, said shortly after signing the MoU on Wednesday in Abuja, that the agreement would open more employment opportunities for the youths.

Oguntala, who doubles as the Chairman-in-Council, said proffering solutions to agricultural challenges in Nigeria was at the forefront of NSE’s agenda.

She said that its 2024 annual conference was hinged on sustainable engineering solutions to food security and climate change.

According to her, partnerships are part of the strategic agenda of the society, adding that collaboration is the only way to deliver on some mandates.

“This partnership is a mutually beneficial relationship, which will not only enhance the activities of the NSE, but also improve businesses.

“On our part, we shall ensure that we do all that we can for all to benefit from this relationship.

“The partnership is all in the interest of developing Nigeria, particularly agriculture and of course, it is one of the reasons that we chose the theme of this year as Sustainable Engineering Solutions to Food Security and Climate Change.

“We are going into some special collaboration to ensure that the issue of food security is not just theoretical, but also very practical and we are taking it very seriously,” she said.

Oguntala expressed hope that the partnership would grow from strength to strength and eventually result in not just putting more food on the tables of Nigerians, but also creating jobs for the teaming young engineers.

Mr Oluwadurotimi Ojamamoye, Group Managing Director, Asset Rise Limited, said the organisation had a structural programme designed to train students who are graduating from schools into owning their own farms.

Ojamamoye said, “We are expanding that project into 1,000 hectares. So as students are graduating, they can cultivate one hectare each to empower them adding that so far more than 1,500 students have been empowered.

“We are glad that NSE is giving us the backbone to achieve this mission and employ more Nigerians, solve food insecurity and possibly stop our youths from migrating abroad because agriculture can create a lot of opportunities for us.”

“We have also been able to introduce our Smart City project, a 3,000 hectares project presently ongoing and we are currently planting more than 450,000 oil palm trees in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states.

“We have developed more than 4,000 hectares of oil palm trees. This is sustainable agriculture and it is the way to go in order to solve the problems of poverty, food insecurity, unemployment and achieve rural urbanisation in Nigeria.”

Ojamamoye said that the organisation was working with the Enugu and Abia state governments where 7,000 and 10,000 hectares were provided respectively to develop agro-smart cities.

He called on governments at all levels to provide land for farming and creation of agro-smart cities just like they have government reserved areas for houses.

Also speaking, Dr Anthony Odigie, Chairman, Lancaster Farms, commended NSE for the opportunity to go into a strategic partnership with the organisation.

“This is a significant milestone to our company, and I believe that by joining forces we are combining our strengths, expertise, and resources to unlock great opportunities for the future.

“The collaboration will enhance our ability to deliver exceptional value to the agricultural industry and in the long term, to activate the economy of Nigeria.”

Mr Patrick Obidoyin, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lancaster Farms, said the MoU would enable the organisation to empower more youths by taking them off the job markets.(NAN)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu and Abiemwense Moru