Month: September 2023

Bauchi State has clinched the first position of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) enrolment exercise with 58,431 users.

NLP is an online e-learning platform with mobile and offline capability that enables continuous access to quality education by closing the poverty learning gap.

It is being implemented in collaboration between the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Federal and State Governments.

A factsheet released by the Bauchi NLP Coordinating Unit, showed that the state has the highest number of NLP enrolled users in Nigeria.

“Bauchi takes the first position with a total of 58,431 users overall, followed by Sokoto and Kebbi on 2nd and 3rd positions,” it said.

Commenting on the development, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru, said the feat was achieved due to strong commitment of Bala Mohammed’s administration towards raising the standard of education.

Dahiru, who spoke through Sa’adatu Usman, Coordinator, Development Partners in the Bauchi Ministry of Education, said the state would achieve the targeted 75,000 NLP users by the end of the year.

She said the ministry had trained teachers and Corps members to fast track NLP User enrolment across the 20 local government areas of the state.

No fewer than 1,000 teachers and facilitators were trained from 60 selected schools, four higher institutions and 11 CBTs on digital literacy.

“Each child is being enrolled into the NLP, for that we pray to exceed the target by end of 2023,” she said.

The commissioner said the state government had distributed 22 tablets each to 40 selected schools and 15 Integrated Qur’anic Schools with support of the UNICEF.

She reiterated government commitment to ensure full implementation of the NLP programme to enhance access to free quality education for all.

Launched in March 2022, the NLP now operates in 18 states across Nigeria.

With support from partners like Airtel Africa and IHS Towers, the platform is accessible at no cost on Airtel devices, and efforts are being made to ensure schools have internet connectivity.

These public-private partnerships are bridging the digital learning divide, ensuring that every child has equal opportunities to learn.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The African Development Bank(AfDB) has unveiled the Africa Climate Risk Insurance Facility for Adaptation (ACRIFA) to insulate countries against catastrophic weather-related events.

The AfDB’s President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said this in a statement on the bank’s website.

Adesina spoke on the sidelines of the African Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

The facility, which will be hosted by the bank, expands its pioneering Africa Disaster Risk Insurance Program into a facility that will develop insurance to help African countries.

“Specifically, their agriculture sectors, prepare for, adapt and build resilience against adverse effects of climate change such as flooding and drought.

‘It will raise an initial one billion dollars of concessionary high-risk capital and grants to catalyse the development and uptake of insurance solutions.

“This will help countries, businesses and communities adapt to climate change,”he said.

According to the AfDB boss, the initiative is the bank’s effort to scale up support to insure countries and households against extreme weather patterns.

He said extreme weather patterns negatively impact the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Africa, majority of who are women.

According to him, one way of tackling this issue is to ensure farmers have access to crop and livestock insurance.

“The Africa Climate Risk Insurance Facility for Adaptation will extend credit insurance to investment portfolios related to climate, agri-food system and enterprise development.

“It will engage primary insurers across Africa to ensure business opportunities flow through them to continental and international re-insurers.

“In addition, it will support national governments to more efficiently manage climate disasters,” he said.

The Comoros President Azali Assoumani, Chair of the African Union, who spoke at the event described the initiative as a necessary innovation.

“Considering the frequency and impact of national disasters in African countries, ACRIFA has come at a time when African countries are facing enormous challenges affecting agriculture, such as floods and drought.

“It will help us to strengthen our adaptation and resilience capacities.

“Comoros is just 2,000 square kilometers. We cannot unlock our touristic potential when we face severe climate risks.

“And therefore the importance of this facility to Comoros, which continues to experience adverse realities of climate change,” he said.

Ibrahima Diong, the Director-General of the African Risk Capacity Group and United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, said ACRIFA would help to scale up what the African Risk Capacity Groupi s doing.

He said risk transfer is not just about premiums but also about what happens before the disaster strikes, hence the facility which would help to build data that feeds early warning systems in Africa.

He said ACRIFA would expand partnerships to carry out services to clients, such as the World Food Programme.

Martin Frick of the World Food Programme, expressed excitement about ACRIFA’s potential to expand insurance cover to farmers who need it.

Frick said,“The Facility will help to unlock private sector capital and we can inject trust in the market and unleash more capital than is currently provided in the market.”

Following a panel discussion about the facility’s potential, AfDB’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Dr Beth Dunford, said it needs to move into action quickly.

“What we are talking about today, is not just about policies; the impact of a thriving climate insurance industry in Africa is about lives.

“It is about an Africa that doesn’t just survive in climate uncertainties but thrives in them,” she added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has lauded the interventions of the UN Population Fund in Nigeria (UNFPA Nigeria) and other organisations for their support to vulnerable persons in Borno.

Edu made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Thursday.

The minister spoke to NAN after an interaction with some displaced women and survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) at the UNFPA One Stop Centre at Muna camp, Maiduguri.

She also inspected items being made by the survivors and other vulnerable women after they were provided with entrepreneurship training and other reproductive health support at the centre.

According to Edu, UNFPA and other UN agencies are doing a lot in complementing government’s effort.

“UNFPA and other agencies are doing a great work to support government and we will be working to increase these response at all levels.”

She said that she was in Borno as part of her first engagement outside Abuja to assess what was going on and how Federal Government could support the state, particularly in humanitarian response and poverty alleviation.

She said that eight million people were affected by insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

” We want to provide a more resilient system so we don’t have people that are permanently displaced or depend on handout for life.

” We want to to move them through livelihood, durable solution from being Internally Displaced Persons to believing in self reliance.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Miss Omolara Omojola, the 2023 Queen of Peace Nigeria and nine other Queens of Peace on the platform of the Messengers of Peace Foundation on Friday unveiled pet projects aimed at promoting peaceful co-existence.

They said this at the Unveiling Ceremony of Pet Projects, organised by the Foundation in Abuja.

Omojola said the 10 Queens of Peace were ready to embark on the ‘Peace Campaign’ through their respective pet projects.

She explained that in line with the mandate of the Messengers of Peace Foundation, they were set to champion advocacy for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

“Today, we are here to unveil project of the 2023/2024 Queen of Peace Nigeria/International and other queens representing the six geo-political zones of the country.

“There is need for deep and vast sensitisation of our youths as leaders of tomorrow on peaceful co-existence and national unity which will foster economic growth and development.

“ In line with that vision, my project is tagged ‘Youth Sensitisation on Peaceful Co-existence and Quality Sustainability(YOSPEQS).”

According to her, this project aims to unite Nigerian youths without gender, tribal and religious discriminations which hinder youths from maximisiing their potentials.

“I beckon on government at all levels, corporate bodies and Nigerians of goodwill to support through funding the numerous projects being unveiled today which are centered on peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.”

Also, Miss Mary Ukor, Queen of Peace North-West, unveiled plans to provide skills acquisition programme for under-privileged youths in the region.

Miss Favour Chukwu, Queen of Peace South-East said she was set to campaign for access to primary healthcare by women and children in the region.

Others were Miss Regina Ochuole, Queen of Peace South-South, who launched campaign on conflict resolution.

Miss Ella Eze, Queen of Peace International said she was set to lead a campaign against women trafficking ,

Miss Hope, Face of Messengers of Peace Foundation unveiled a programme to empower internally Displaced Persons(IDPs).

Also, Miss Esther Asuquo, the reigning Queen of Peace Teen planed to get out of school indigent students back to school to complete their education through support from Nigerians.

Earlier in his address, the National President, Messengers of Peace, Dr Suleiman Adejoh said the unveiling of pet projects was a flagship initiative of the foundation through its core objectives were achieved.

He said that the queens were made to pass through mentoring on peace and how to promote peaceful coexistence within and beyond Nigeria.

“The main objective is to work for the promotion of peace across the country irrespective of tribe, gender and religion,”he said

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Omojola had in August emerged the overall winner of the Queen of Peace Nigeria, while nine others were crowned Queens of Peace for North Central, North-West, North-East and that of the South-East respectively.

Others were crowned as Queen of Peace International, Face of Messengers of Peace Foundation and Queen of Peace Teen.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, said on Friday that President Bola Tinubu has approved the construction of 1,000 houses in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue States.

Mr Olusola Abiola, Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, in a statement, said Shettima stated this at the commissioning of projects executed by Borno State Government in the last 100 days.

The Vice President explained that the housing projects were part of a broad plan by the Federal Government to address conflicts in the north.

Shettima also revealed that Tinubu approved N50 billion to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to kick-start the Pulaku initiative which was a non-kinetic solution to the crisis confronting the people of the northwest.

“President Tinubu has approved the construction of 1,000 houses in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Benue States with all the ancillary facilities of schools, clinics, veterinary clinics and ranches for the Fulani community in Kaduna and Benue states

“President Tinubu insisted that all the victims must be carried along,” he said.

The Vice President assured that all parts of the country would benefit from the developmental strides of President Tinubu.

Shettima also stated that the Federal Government was planning to re-ignite wheat production in the country.

He noted that President Tinubu was aware of challenges confronting Nigerians and would make efforts to address them.

“The issues confronting Nigerians will be addressed. We will use all available vehicles to fix things. President Tinubu means well for this country and he is determined to change the fortunes of the nation for the better.

“Tinubu is a person filled with a lot of empathy for the less privileged in the society. Some of the painful decisions taken by the government were products of the circumstances we have found ourselves in.

“Be rest assured that in the coming weeks and months, this government will unveil a lot of projects and programmes that will touch the lives of many,” Shettima said.

He commended the vision and leadership of Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, particularly in his capacity to address the welfare of the people.

“We are extremely lucky in having him as our leader, Governor and brother at this time. Gov. Zulum and I have the best of relationships.

“We have become the reference point in relationship management between a successor and predecessor in modern day Nigeria.

“I want to thank him for all the empathy and support and most importantly for putting Borno first,” he stressed.

Out of 77 new projects completed in 100 days of Zulum’s administration, the VP commissioned the Shuwari ll Community School and Healthcare Centre.

Shettima also commissioned the Alikaramti Community School and the Gamboru Liberty Day Seconday School, all within Maiduguri metropolis.

He was cheered by a jubilant crowd, particularly school children during the commissioning of projects executed by the State government within 100 days

Earlier on arrival in Maiduguri, Shettima visited the Shehu of Borno’s Palace to pay homage.

He was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, and some legislators from National and State Assemblies.

Also in the Vice President’s entourage at the palace were the Deputy Governors of Borno, Gombe and Taraba States.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria