Challenges
Nigerian government urges increased awareness on violence against women, girls
The Federal Government on Thursday called for increased awareness on violence against women and girls aimed at ending the scourge. Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Wife of the Vice President and founder, The Women’s Helping Hands Initiative, made the call at the launch of “Orange the World with Doctors,” in Abuja. Orange the World with Doctors is a plenary with medical practitioners initiated by UN Population Fund (UNFPA) aimed at ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) with doctors at the forefront. Osinbajo, who commended the UNFPA for the initiative, decried all forms of violence on women and girls, calling for stronger collaboration to end it. She reiterated the imperatives of strengthening Nigeria’s health system, noting that it key in fighting GBV. She said “I commend all who have joined hands in the...
President Buhar: We won’t rest until peace is fully restored in Borno
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Maiduguri, Borno State, assured citizens of the federal government’s presence in fighting terrorism to the end, and ensuring that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are fully returned to continue normal lives, commending Governor Babagana Zulum for resilience and relentless efforts in rebuilding the state. President Buhari, on an official visit to the state to appraise the security situation and commission some development projects, attributed recent successes recorded by the military against insurgents and terrorists at Dikwa, Damboa and Gwoza to careful planning, infusion of new equipment and other war materials as well as quality military leadership. “I am very happy to be here in Borno State once again. I consider Maiduguri and Borno State to be ...
VP Osinbajo: Let’s focus on empowering our compatriots living with albinism
As a people, and in our communities, it is paramount to have conversations around the safety and enablement of our citizens who live with Albinism according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. He made this known at a virtual event, attended by a number of distinguished personalities including diplomats such as the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, marking the World Albinism Day themed: “Strength Beyond All Odds”, on Sunday, 13th of June, 2021. According to the VP, “there is a need to see it for what it is, a genetic difference not a contagious disease or a public health problem.” In dealing with the various challenges faced by the albinism community, Prof Osinbajo stated the need to “have frank and robust conversations around the protection and empowerment of our compatr...
Governor Tambuwal: PDP determined to ‘rescue’ Nigeria
State governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have pledged to provide the needed platform for the party to return to power at the national level in 2023. The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, made the pledge on Sunday at a state banquet, organised by the Akwa lbom State Government, ahead of the forum meeting in Uyo on Monday. Mr Tambuwal said the PDP governors would not disappoint Nigerians who are looking up to them to actualise their yearnings for the party to return to power in 2023. “These star-studded leaders of PDP governors in their respective states and political generals are determined by the grace of God through your prayers, support and cooperation, to rescue Nigeria. “It is a task that we must accomplish...
Hamza Al-Mustapha: Nigeria has no excuse for inadequate power supply
Hamza Al-Mustapha, ex-chief security officer to Sani Abacha, former head of state, says Nigeria doesn’t have any excuse for inadequate power supply. Al-Mustapha said this during an interview with newsmen on Sunday, noting that Nigeria has abundant resources that should reflect in its power supply. He said electricity supply is still very expensive in the country, adding that the country has what it takes to have a stable and cheap power supply. “Up till this moment, electricity supply in Nigeria is still very very expensive compared to other countries in spite of the fact that we have all it takes to have one of the most stable and cheap power supply in the world,” Al Mustapha said. “We have the resources in abundance, we have coal and gas, we have solar energy in abundance because we are ...
June 12: MKO Abiola represented hope, liberty – Gani Adams
File Photo Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Chief Gani Adams, has said that the late Chief MKO Abiola represented hope, liberty and freedom during his lifetime. Adams stated this at the commemoration of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election by Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) on Saturday in Lagos. According to him, Nigeria’s democracy is still not in tune with the ideals, which Abiola, winner of the election, lived and died for. He said that the democratic ideals of the late business mogul enabled him to win the presidential election, even in the North where his main opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, came from. Adams, who decried what he called disunity, rivalry and senseless killings, said that these challenges had had adverse effect on the nation’s democracy. He said: “This present d...
NAF chief: Armed forces committed to end insecurity
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, yesterday declared that the Armed Forces remained committed to ending the crisis of insecurity ravaging the nation. He said the expected delivery of six A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets by the United States in July and two drones from China, would be a “game changer” in the war against insurgency. The position of the air force chief is coming on a day the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, sought the assistance of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to provide security for train stations and railway construction sites across the country. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 1,031 recruits of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Basic Military Training Course 41/2020, Amao affirmed that “the NAF in consonance w...
Kwara governor: Let’s fight terrorism, poverty, not ourselves
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has called on Nigerians to unite in the fight against terrorism, banditry and mass poverty. AbdulRazaq made the appeal at the closing ceremony of 2 Division Inter-Brigade Corporals and Below Competition 2021, at the Sobi Barack Ilorin on Friday. The governor described these challenges as “our common enemies” and urged citizens to stop seeing one another as enemies. According to him, these are elements bent on terrorising the people and tearing the nation apart. He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his patience and support for the security agencies to discharge their duties as well as commitment to national peace and security. “The security agencies, particularly the military will continue to symbolise the unity of the people and the strength of t...
President Buhari orders IGP to reduce insecurity to barest minimum
President Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to ensure insecurity is reduced to the barest minimum. This is even as the Police Council made up of the President, Vice President, governors, ministers of Police Affairs, Interior and the Federal Capital Territory, confirmed Baba as the IGP. Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, who confirmed the development at the end of the one and half hours meeting, said he was unanimously confirmed. President Buhari had on April 6, appointed Baba as acting the Inspector General of Police. Baba was a Deputy Inspector General of Police before his promotion. Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting held at the First Lady Conference Room, the main purpose of the meeting was to “get the appo...
WHO seeks G7 support to meet vaccination targets
The Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has solicited the support of G7 health ministers to meet vaccination targets by the end of the year. In his remarks at the G7 Health Ministers’ meeting in Oxford, Ghebreyesus appealed to the ministers to provide leadership for strengthening WHO on sustainable financing. “First, we seek your support for reaching our vaccination targets for September and the end of the year; sharing doses with COVAX now is essential for achieving those targets. “We need 250 million doses by September and we need 100 million doses just in June and July. “As G7 nations, you are in a unique position to pool doses and make this happen; second, we seek your leadership for strengthening WHO, including through sustainable and predictable f...
Ex-Governor Mimiko: President Buhari‘ll be judged based on fight against insecurity
Former Ondo State governor, Segun Mimiko, has said posterity will judge President Muhammadu Buhari based on his ability to tackle the present security challenges ravaging the country. Mimiko stated this, on Tuesday, while speaking at the 71st birthday ceremony/ public presentation of biography of the former chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Joseph Akinlaja, in Abuja. The former governor, who stated that the country is perching precariously at the precipice, noted that President Buhari has an opportunity to determine his legacy. According to him, President Buhari will not be remembered by the kilometers of railway gauges built by his administration nor the Second Niger Bridge, but by his ability to tackle insecurity across the country. He said...
Senate committee gets 14 days to process President Buhari’s N2.343 trillion loan request
The Nigerian Senate has given its Committee on Foreign and Local Debts 14 days within which to process President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for a fresh ₦2.343 trillion ($6.183 billion) for approval. Senate President Ahmad Lawan gave the directive at the commencement of Tuesday’s plenary session shortly after the Senate Majority leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, drew the attention of the Senate to the pending request. The Senator Clifford Ordia-led Committee on Foreign and Local debt had approved a total of $28 billion so far. The current request will take the total loan approved to $35.683 billion. Buhari had urged the Senate to approve N2.3 trillion ($6.183 billion) external borrowing. He said the loan was to finance the 2021 budget deficit of N5.6 trillion. The President indicated that the loan ...
