Month: September 2023

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu has emphasised the need to work collaboratively to ensure global recognition and empowerment of Nigerian women.

A statement by Mr Chinem Pressley, the Media Consultant to the minister, said that Bagudu expressed this thought when he received in Abuja, a UN Women delegation, led by Dr Maxine Houinato, the UN Women Regional Director, West and Central Africa.

The minister explained that the UN Women was the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

He added that it was globally regarded as a champion for women and girls.

According to the minister, the organisation was established in 2010 to accelerate progress on meeting the needs of Women worldwide.

Speaking further, Bagudu said that the UN-Women worked globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stood behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life.

He added that the UN Women also coordinated and promoted the UN System’s activities in advancing gender equality, deliberation, and agreements linked to the 2030 Agenda.

Earlier in his remarks, Houinato urged the government to be ready to support the non-governmental sector and the planning of the budget of the country should also be implemented promptly.

Initiatives such as “Nigeria for Women” and “Agile Adolescent Girls in Learning” are making a difference. Together, we can accelerate progress towards gender equality and ensure every woman has equal opportunities

“Resource allocation is a challenge we face globally. While many women in our country are taking the initiative to empower themselves through loans, we recognise that there are limits to what the government can provide.

“This is why there’s a call for greater global recognition and appreciation for the crucial work being done by women.

“Women often face unique challenges, including cultural norms, limited mobility, and restricted access to opportunities.

“To address these issues, we’re proud to have initiatives like the World Bank’s “Nigeria for Women,” targeting 18,000 women in at least 3 local governments across all the 36 states of the federation,” he said.

According to him, this programme aims to provide financial support and entrepreneurship training to women, enabling them to start and expand their businesses,” he said.

He said that by empowering women economically, “we can break the cycle of poverty and promote gender equality.

“Additionally, the “Agile Adolescent Girls in Learning” program is enriching school environments to nurture women’s skills.

“This initiative focuses on improving the quality of education for young girls, ensuring they have equal opportunities to pursue their dreams and develop their talents.”

According to him, by investing in education, we are investing in the future of our nation, creating a society where women can thrive and contribute to the progress of Nigeria.

He said that the progress made thus far was commendable, but there was still much work to be done.

“Our goal for Nigeria is clear: under our President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we must accelerate our progress toward gender equality and equity.

“We believe that every woman has the right to access the same opportunities as men, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have a voice in decision-making processes,” she said.

He said that promoting gender equality and empowering women “is crucial to creating a more inclusive and just society.

“However, it is not a task that can be accomplished by one organisation or government alone.

“It requires a collective effort from governments, civil society, private sector, and individuals around the world. The world has the wealth and resources to ensure that every woman seeking an opportunity can have one.

“It is not only a matter of justice but also a matter of unlocking the immense potential that women hold.

“When women are given equal opportunities, they become drivers of economic growth, agents of positive change, and leaders in their communities’’. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bauchi State Command, says no fewer than 204 persons have been killed in various Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs), in the state from January till date.

Mr Joel Dagwa, the Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Bauchi, Yobe and Gombe, disclosed this on Tuesday in Bauchi, at 2023 ember-months sensitisation programme organised by the command.

Dagwa said that within the period under review, 679 people also sustained various degrees of injury in the 214 crashes that occured.

Breaking down the figures, he said that between January and March, the command recorded 108 RTCs with 126 people killed and 259 injured.

“In the second quarter, we recorded 79 total RTCs, with 66 killed and 309 injured. However, in the third quarter, 27 RTCs were recorded with 12 deaths and 111 injured,” he said.

According to him, ember-months which span between September and December, usually witness a surge in road traffic crashes and fatalities.

“This alarming trend has prompted us to come together as a community and responsible citizens to address this critical issue and make our roads safer for the good people of Bauchi and Nigeria at large.

“It is unfortunate that we could see the trend at which precious lives and properties were lost and this is telling us that road safety is not just a governmental responsibility.

“It is a shared responsibility that rests on the shoulders of every one of us from the government agencies, the royal fathers, society, sister agencies, drivers and passengers,” he said.

Dagwa reiterated that irresponsible action on the roads could have far-reaching negative consequences adding that it is the duty of all to ensure that behaviours on the roads are exemplary, (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government says, it has taken steps to eliminate Dog – mediated Human rabies in the Nigeria environs by 2030.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, stated this at a joint ministerial news conference to commemorate the World Rabies Day on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that rabies was a deadliest disease known to man with a fatality rate of almost 100 per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Rabies Day which is held yearly on Sept. 28. has the theme ” All for 1-One Health for All”.

The minister said that the Federal Government in its continued effort to eliminate the deadly disease, has continued to procure Anti Rabies Vaccines for animal vaccination.

He said that government has also procured doses of Human pre- and post-exposure vaccines for vaccination of humans at high risk of rabies.

This according to him included animal health workers and hunters and those exposed to rabies through the bite of infected animals.

“Rabies is the deadliest disease known to man with a fatality rate of almost 100 per cent if adequate prophylaxis is not instituted immediately following exposure.

” It is zoonotic in nature, affecting all warm blooded animals and man, and is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.

“In Nigeria dogs are responsible for approximately 99 per cent of these exposures.

” The burden of the disease in Nigeria is not known but it has been reported from every state in Nigeria occurring all year round with devastating outcomes in humans and livestock.

“It is however heartwarming to note that the disease is 100 per cent vaccine preventable.

“Hence by vaccinating your dogs and cats annually and keeping them on leash, rabies can be kicked out of Nigeria,” he said.

In a remark, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr Ishak Salako, said that the theme of the 2023 rabies day was quite apt .

He emphasises the need to involve everyone through proper coordination, and health education to eventually mitigate the deadly scourge.

Salako said that stray dogs were the main sources of infection as they interact with one another, with an exposure window for transmission of the virus from an infected dog.

” I want to call on the officers with responsibility for management of wildlife and parks to improve on their surveillance activities to ensure the control of the spread of this disease,” he said.

The minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, said that rabies virus is spread through the saliva of the infected animal.

“It is estimated that rabies is responsible for 59,000 agonising human deaths annually with most people living in poor, rural community in Africa and Asia.

” One person dies of rabies around the world every nine minute according to Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC).

“In humans, the exact burden of rabies is not known because mapping is yet to be conducted,” he said.

He said that rabies is present on all continents except Antarctica with over 95 per cent of human deaths occurring in Asia and Africa.

The minister said that the treatment of rabies is estimated at the cost of US$8.6 billion per year.

He listed risk factors for rabies to include, trading of dogs, processing and eating dog meat, irresponsible dog ownership, stray dogs among others.

Alausa said that Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 is an ambitious document with achievable targets.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said that rabies remained endemic in Nigeria since it was first reported in 1912.

He said the theme of the 2023 rabies day is a call for all stakeholders to join hands in the fight to control and eliminate rabies in Nigeria. (NAN) (www.nanews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Muslims to use the period of Eid-el-Maulud celebration for deep introspection and fervent prayers for the country.

The President made the call in a statement on Tuesday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja.

The President, while congratulating Muslims in Nigeria and beyond on this year’s Eid-el-Maulud celebration, urged them to live by the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“Adherents should make deliberate efforts to adhere to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

“There are great lessons of devotion, perseverance, tolerance, humility and selflessness that we can all learn from the life of the Prophet,” the President said.

Tinubu urged religious leaders to use the period to pray for the country and to admonish their followers to take the appropriate lessons from Prophet Muhammad’s life in their commitment to the country.

“Nigeria has arrived at an important juncture.

“While the government is taking all necessary measures to make the country secure and economically viable, we need the full support of the citizenry in the form of patriotism, patience, and prayers.

“The light is certainly bright at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

The President also urged Muslims celebrating the Maulud festival to extend their hand of fellowship to the needy and vulnerable in the spirit of the season while praying for the country and her leaders at all levels.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maulud, also known as Eid-el-Maulud Nabiy, is the Islamic observation of the day when the Prophet Muhammad was born.

It is commemorated in Rabi’ al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar and Muslims commemorate this day by sending blessings to Prophet Muhammad with recitations of praises and blessings. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has implored the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Africa to renew the fight against substance abuse.

Tinubu made the call at the inauguration of the 31st meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF), on Tuesday in Abuja.

Represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the president also enjoined the continent’s anti drugs agencies to fight against illicit drug trafficking in their respective countries.

He warned vehemently that the African continent would remain in chains till it breaks free from the shackles of the criminal enterprises of drug barons and syndicates of illicit drugs.

“If we don’t dismantle the criminal enterprises that threaten our future and build a brighter tomorrow for all Africans, we will remain in chains in a diseased and amoral world, as will our children and their children.”

Speaking on his keynote address, titled, “Rising Above the Drug Threat”, Tinubu said that: “Africa was at the mercy of a threat that knows neither race nor geography, neither gender nor social class.”

He, therefore, enjoined the African heads of drug law enforcement agencies to consider the conference in Abuja as a ray of hope and a catalyst for positive change across the continent.

President Tinubu thanked them for their sacrifices in ensuring a world that is free of illicit drugs.

“This threat has crossed borders and destroyed societies and dreams. Without the moral commitment of the men and women in this room, this threat would have left cities, countries, and even civilizations erased.

“So, I must commend you for your sacrifices in the bids to keep our world drug-free, sane and safe.

“This conference emphasises your investment across borders to protect us from the devastations of drugs, a threat that only submits to the enforcement of the law.

He thanked HONLAF and its partners, particularly, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for creating the avenue for offering intelligence and drug law enforcement officials a grand opportunity to compare notes.

He also appreciated HONLAF for creating platform for collaboration and networking that would be several steps ahead of the criminal network of drug transnational organizations.

Tinubu said that in the last couple of decades, criminal organisations had made frantic efforts to breach the security measures in African countries, all in a bid to pollute the minds of their citizens, adding however that the anti-narcotics agencies have proven to be a thorn in their flesh.

“But while it’s a compliment that drug-law enforcement organizations are a threat to their criminal empires, their desperation must never be taken for granted.

“Without you as gatekeepers of healthy nations, humanity as we know it would have long been perverted. So, on behalf of the world, I say thanks to you all, who have kept us from being polluted and destroyed.”

He said that the commitment to the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse was not just a matter of policy but a moral imperative.

“We recognise that a population at war with drugs is not a dividend but a liability. We believe that the future of our youth, the strength of our institutions, and the well-being of our communities depend on our ability to eradicate this threat.”

Tinubu stressed the need for the anti-narcotics agencies to consolidate established contacts, strengthen operational existing partnerships and cooperation among them at the sub-regional and regional levels.

This, according to him, will make trafficking of illicit drugs and movement of drug syndicates difficult in the African continent.

Tinubu said the conference was a profound recognition of the campaign and fight against illicit drugs in the country by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“We are hosting the 31st HONLAF meeting here to reassure you of our promise to participate in building a world not threatened by the infiltration of illicit drugs.”

Earlier, the Chairman of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, restated the stakeholders’ commitment towards addressing the world’s drug problem.

He assured that Nigeria would continue to uphold the objectives of multilateral organisations dedicated to combating drug trafficking and related crimes.

Marwa, who emphasised the need for global partnerships in addressing drug trafficking and other vices, noted that world’s drug problem cannot be effectively tackled by individual entities.

In attendance were the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), Mr Ghada Fathi Waly; the UNODC Country Representative, Mr Oliver Stolpe and the Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mr Ayodele Adeleke

Others are the representative of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Military, politicians and members of the academia have described the resurgence of military takeover of power in Africa as worrisome and a negative development.

They made the observations on Tuesday at a Roundtable Seminar on “Resurgence of Coup D’états in Africa: Implications for Regional Security, Political Stability and Good Governance”, organised by the National Defence College (NDC), in Abuja.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Sen. Gbenga Daniel, said that whereas democracy might not be the best type of government, it had been adjudged to be the best form of governance globally.

Daniel said it was the responsibility of all citizens, irrespective of backgrounds and social affiliation, to protect democracy being the only best form of government ever known to man.

He commended the college for spearheading the efforts towards sustaining democracy in Nigeria and Africa through sessions such as this, considering public perception about the military.

The former governor said that military incursions into the polity was a direct consequence of dissidents in the system, adding no coup can succeed without the actual support of the civilian population.

“So, as far as I’m concerned, therefore, part of the things we need to do is to ensure that we get our acts right within the civilian environment,” he said.

The Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the recent coups in Gabon, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, were stark reminders of intricate complexities and daunting challenges that confront Africa in its bid and struggles for stable governance, lasting peace and stable democratic system.

Olotu, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies, Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Fejokwu, said the roundtable was to embark on a profound exploration of the multifaceted layers of implications arising from the coups.

He said there was need to realise that coup d’etats were dark dots on the regional and continental security, political stability and democratic good governance.

According to him, the resurgence of coups in the African continent has tendencies to destabilisation creating dysfunctionalism in our justice governance, political stability and material prosperity.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges that lie before us are substantial, but they remain well within our capacity to surmount.

“It is in this regard that the college convened this roundtable of experts, with the task of proffering strategies capable of guiding Africa through the turbulent currents of coup d’états and their consequential aftermath,” he said.

Prof. Adams Ahmed, thebProvost, Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, NDC, said the seminar was part of the efforts to bring to the fore, issues that has socio-political, military, economic and diplomatic implications for the existence of Nigeria and its armed forces.

Ahmed said the roundtable was designed to try to address the issue of resurgence of coups in Africa from the various perspectives so as give guidance to the armed forces, the nation and African Union (AU) appropriately.

He said that reasons like bad governance, bad leadership, harsh economic situation and social disorientation, among other factors, had been adduced for coups.

He however said that it was clearly unacceptable for military to take over power in an already organised democratic environment.

Ahmed commended President Bola Tinubu for his systematic and strategic engagement with the coup plotters so far to ensure peace in the region.

One of the resource persons, Dr Ndubuisi Nwokolo, while delivering a paper, said there was a tiny line between democratic governance and military rule in Africa, adding that most democratic experiences had shown those tendencies as that of the military.

Nwokolo said that most of African states were failing to deal with economic and security issues which had cropped up and made people to ask questions.

He said that people were beginning to look for alternative to democracy which had provided the fertile ground for the military to truncate democratic processes in the affected countries.

According to him, there is no alternative to democracy even though democracy may be slow but for you to deal with most of these issues, players of democracy should wake up and start doing the right thing.

“That is the only antidote to making them to stop coup d’états in Africa,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria