Month: June 2024

The newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of the seventh administration, Thoko Didiza, has committed to ensure that Parliamentary debates are conducted within the rule of law, and in a manner that is fair.

Didiza made the commitment as she took the seat of the Speaker of the National Assembly during the first Joint Sitting of Parliament, held at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) in the Western Cape on Friday.

The outgoing Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and African National Congress member took the seat of the Speaker after receiving 284 votes against her contestant, Veronica Mente from the Economic Freedom Fighters, who received 49 votes.

Didiza commended Members of Parliament from across the political divide for supporting her nomination, as the new government of national unity starts to take shape, and for participating in the democratic process of electing the Speaker.

‘As a country and a democratic State, we have an opportunity to express our
views, representing our constituencies, and we have to elect and participate in such process,’ Didiza said.

She emphasised that Parliament is an important institution of the country, where members have to pass laws and ensure that they play an oversight role on the Executive.

‘I also commit that I will work with all the parties, led by their whips and representatives to make sure that we conduct the business of this parliament in a manner that indeed reflects the will of the people of South Africa,’ Didiza said.

Didiza presided over the election of her Deputy, which was contested by African Transformation Movement leader, Vuyolwethu Zungula, and the Democratic Alliance’s Annelie Lotriet.

With 273 votes, Lotriet is now the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Women Initiative for Sustainable Environment (WISE), on Thursday, organised a funfair for students of Demonstration School for Deaf Children (DSDC) in Kaduna, to make them have a sense of belonging.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the children perform a dance choreography and a drama on the dangers of cutting down trees and its impact on climate change.

The children were later taken outside to the school field where they played all kinds of games – table ludo, crossing the bridge, rowing the boat, table soccer, puzzle and skipping, including painting.

The founder and Programme Director, WISE, Mrs Olanike Olugboji-Daramola, explained that the essence was to celebrate the 2024 Children’s Day and 2024 World Play Day with the children.

The goal, according to her, is to make the hearing-impaired children have a sense of belonging, particularly during commemoration of national and international days.

She added that the funfair was also to foster a sense of inclusive and sustainable cities an
d communities for the Nigerian child, through green skills engagement and play.

‘Children are close to our heart, and we know they are the future. We have been talking about sustainable development, but there is no way we can leave out the children and the youths, because they are future.

‘We have done a lot of injustice to the environment and to the climate. Man, over time, has abused the environment and has been living in disharmony with nature.

‘That is why we are grooming children and mentoring our youths to begin to take care of the environment, because what we did to the environment today, is what it will give back to us tomorrow,’ she said.

She explained that the games children play could be harnessed to stair consciousness around sustainability in the minds of the children.

She added that as active participants in driving climate solutions, children could be guided to begin to think about how they want the environment and their neighbourhood to look like.

Olugboji-Daramola also said that childre
n and young people could be inspired to design cities with the right facilities in the right places and build beautiful houses with landscapes.

‘These are something they can do with toys, and we are here today to explore play in engaging the children.

‘This is in line with the 2024 World Play Day theme, ‘Toy Libraries grow sustainable cities and communities through play.

‘We are encouraging the children to bring out their skills to artistically give us a picture of what they think the environment should look like or tell us a story through arts and through play, about how we can better protect our environment,’ she explained.

She said that WISE would consider long-term partnership with the DSDC and other primary and secondary schools in the state to mentor and build the capacity of school children in addressing climate change.

One of the students, Usna Auwal, said: I feel excited; I am having fun.

‘Some groups of people have visited us before and all they do is come and share things for us and go, but W
ISE came, celebrated with us, stayed with us, and played games with us.

‘So, we feel equal with the people around us,’ she said.

Auwal also said that she learned the importance of protecting the environment, keeping it green.

‘I have particularly learned that when you cut a tree, then you have to plant more trees to replace it,’ she added.

Similarly, Hafiz Umar, a JSS III student, said his day was fun, having participated in paintings, skipping, and playing different games, saying, ‘It is so wonderful having people in our school to celebrate with us.

‘I want the government to help build our Senior Secondary Schools section because I am already worried that as soon as I finish, I will have to leave the school.

‘We also government to help us, the less privileged, by providing learning materials for us.’

Earlier, the Principal of the school, Mrs Victoria Adesina, said that the charity school, with a population of 108 students was established in 1987 by a Canadian daughter of a hearing-impaired mother.

Ad
esina explained that the school runs nursery, primary and junior secondary and was being funded with donations from individuals, and organisations.

She added that the parents don’t pay school fees but a voluntary token, stressing that the majority of the students were from low-income families where feeding was a huge problem.

‘Our dream is to have a senior secondary school within the school environment to encourage transition and completion of their secondary education.

‘Before, after graduation from Junior secondary school, the students go to the secondary school for the deaf in Jos, Ilorin or Abuja, but with the security challenges, that is no longer feasible.

‘A few of them, however, proceed to Kaduna State Special Education School, with many eventually graduating for colleges of education and others obtaining university degrees,’ she said.

The principal also identified lack of sufficient funds to construct the senior secondary school section and for payment of the salaries for the 20 teaching and non
-teaching staff in the school.

Other challenges, according to her, are resources needed for the maintenance of the school facilities and payment of utility bills. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have continued to decry the increasing hike in transport fares.

According to the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, the hike in transport fares has also led to the high cost of commodities and services.

The residents said that as a result of this development, their finances could no longer cater for their other needs such as electricity and water bills, health and especially feeding among others.

NAN recalls that since the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal government on May 29, 2023, transport fares have increased astronomically.

This had also led to fewer commercial vehicles plying the roads.

They urged the Federal Government to intervene by providing buses that were highly subsidised, saying this would go a long way in cushioning the effect of the high transport fares.

Miss Aisha Bajini, a corps member, said it had become difficult for her to get to her place of primary assignment due to the high tra
nsport fare.

‘It has not been easy for me to go to work since we started experiencing high transport fares.

‘To worsen the situation, anytime I come out, I spend most of my time on the road looking for vehicles, because before the vehicle gets to where I am it is already filled with passengers.

She said the situation had affected her so much that she paid twice the transport fare to get to work when she eventually found a vehicle.

‘This has now made me trekking halfway from home to reduce the transport fare, and I end up being exhausted by the time I get to my place of work,” she said.

Miss Princess Uye, a private sector worker, said that with the high transportation fare, it was costing her more to get to the office.

According to her, I used to pay N300 to N400 from Nyanya to Julius Berger Junction but now I am paying N700 in a day. Where are we going in this country?

Miss Treasure Umar, a civil servant and many others also corroborated what Bajini and Uye said.

‘If it is not that it is boring to st
ay at home, I would have stopped going to work because I am not gaining anything at the end of the month.

‘I am just making money to spend on transport and not for anything else that can help me move forward in life.’

Umar, who appealed to the government to intervene, said the situation was becoming unbearable for the younger generation who had finished their education without tangible means of livelihood.

‘Last Tuesday, I had to trek home after I came down at my bus stop which is far away from my house because the money I had on me was spent on just transport and I had nothing left.

‘Is this how we are going to survive in Nigeria, is this how we are going to fight poverty in the country if the little we have cannot sustain us?’

Similarly, Mr Petter Edache, said he now pays N900 from Dei-Dei to Berger as against N200 he used to pay.

Edache said commercial motorcyclists operating within his area were now charging between N200 and N300 to different destinations as against N100.

He pleaded that the situat
ion be addressed as it was not easy for both government and private sector workers let alone Nigerians who were not working.

Mr Shuaybu Bulama, a commercial driver, attributed the high cost of transport to the removal of subsidy.

‘Fuel is now very expensive, we have no other choice but to increase transport fares,” he said. (NAN

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chairman of Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Developments, Chief Amina Labinjo-Ajayi, has called on the Federal Government to leverage diaspora investment and entrepreneurship for national development.

Labinjo-Ajayi, who is also a U.S.-based humanitarian expert, made the call during an online meeting with journalists to mark Nigeria`s 25th Democracy Anniversary.

She said that it was high time the Nigerian government shifted attention from petroleum to other sectors, such as Compressed Natural Gas, entrepreneurship development, youths’ empowerment among others to develop the country.

‘Nigeria is richly blessed in natural and human resources, we need to channel our focus and invest more in other sectors.

‘Nobody talks about petrol again these days; attention is being shifted from it because of the effects of climate change.

‘The plan B now is compressed natural gas and as one of the CEOs of Silicon Valley, I can tell this for a fact.

‘Let us capitalise on our natural and human resources, we have smart
youths and first class brains that can drive this process,’ she said.

Labinjo-Ajayi said that she had brokered over 19 billion dollars investment to Nigeria and had also signed partnership with some companies on compressed natural gas, mechanised farming among others as part of efforts to contribute to the nation`s development.

Labinjo-Ajayi said she had also approached the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), to work with corps members on some of the projects in Nigeria.

She, however, used the medium to call on the government to create a market and promote entrepreneurship spirit among Nigerians, youths in particular to compete favourably with their counterparts in the global markets.

‘I am currently working with the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, the Federal Housing Authority and the Federal Mortgage Bank to leverage diaspora investment for housing delivery. ‘

Labinjo-Ajayi called on Nigerians all over the world to give support to the nation`s democracy, so
as to achieve a better future Nigeria desired.

‘Democracy is about the people, so citizens should continue to exercise their power through active participation and engagement.

‘On this 25th anniversary of democracy; I urge you to have hope and be resilient as we are making progress in spite of the challenges. So let us continue to work together towards a brighter future.

‘Democracy is a collective effort, it is a shared responsibility, so let us embrace active citizenship and hold leaders accountable,’ she said.

Labinjo-Ajayi also stressed the need for inclusive growth and development across the country, adding that Nigeria is a country where everyone should have access to opportunities regardless of background or location. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The French Embassy in Nigeria, through its Cooperation and Cultural Department, has launched a plastic waste management project to be executed in 13 Nigerian universities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Sebastien Bede, Science and Higher Education Attache, stated this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, the project, under the French Embassy Fund(FEF), is worth pound 753,000 and is focused on developing innovative and adaptive ideas for reducing plastic waste and enhancing campus sustainable practices.

He said a steering committee has been set up involving , participating universities, representatives of the National Universities Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, and the Ministry of Environment.

Bede said the benefiting universities include the Alex Ekwueme Federal University; Bayero University, Kano, Nile University of Nigeria, Covenant University; Babcock University and the University of Jos.

Others he said
, include Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, University of Calabar, University of Nigeria Nsukka and the University of Delta.

‘Plastic waste is a pressing global issue and through this project, we aim to reduce the plastic footprint on Nigerian campuses.

‘It will also inspire a new generation of environmental stewards who can champion the cause for a plastic-free world starting with their immediate communities.

‘I also see the opportunity that we organise a study tour in Nigerian universities, French universities, business schools, and engineering schools, to discuss cooperation.

‘Whether it is for plastic recycling or any other areas of cooperation, we are willing to open the cooperation to more universities in Nigeria.

‘A key component of this project is sustainability and that is why I said that we have also co-designed a business model for these microplants, and total amount for this project is pound 753,000,’ he said.

Bede added that t
he components of the project for deployment within the next 18 months include delivering two micro plants co-designed by and for two universities, research initiatives in innovative solutions for sustainable development.

He added that circular economy, qualitative value chain, gender inclusivity, and entrepreneurship to support the research projects, and an exchange programme between Nigerian and French researchers were also parts of the project’s components.

In her remark, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, said the project is not just about money but about value delivery, especially through students.

‘I think it is with the young ones we can find that and we have to ask them, we have to test whatever hypothesis we have, and that you can only do on the campus in the university, so it’s a lot of work.

‘We have already started it at the University of Lagos and we do know that students will do it, but not every student is doing it.

‘Right now, with what we already do, we ma
ke about a million from waste but it is ploughed back, and we still have a lot of waste to get rid of.

‘So working with the French government and the other French universities, we will be able to up our game, improve the technology, and we’re looking at technology that’s robust that we can use .

‘We looking forward to the micro plans because it is going to make what we do more efficient, we already have things to help with sorting but it is not enough,’ she said.

Also, Prof Dilli Dogo, Vice Chancellor,Nile University of Nigeria, said about 70 per cent of the component of waste generated in Nigeria is food waste or recyclable organic waste.

Dogo, who was represented by Prof Abdulhameed Mambo, Dean Faculty of Environmental Science, said recyclable waste comprises vapour, metals, as well as plastic which is about 30 per cent.

‘If you look at that 30 per cent again, around 10 per cent is made of plastic, and this is what you see outside campuses.

‘But studies carried out in Nigeria found close to 60 per cen
t of the waste component on campus, while the food component and the other components are quite low,’ he said.

The FEF-funded project is an initiative of the French government as part of the global dynamic to fight against plastic pollution(nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative for Africa (ASR Africa), in commemoration of the 2024 International Widows’ Day, donated N10 million grant to the International Women’s Society (IWS) on Tuesday in Lagos.

ASR Africa is a brainchild of African industrialist, philanthropist, and Chairman of BUA Group, Mr Abdul Samad Rabiu.

The initiative, established in 2021, aims to provide sustainable, impact-based, homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting health, education, and social development within Africa.

Dr Ubon Udoh, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ASR Africa, announced the donation at the Widows Feast and Empowerment Programme organised by IWS in Lagos.

According to Udoh, the grant is part of ASR Africa’s ongoing efforts to invest in social development, one of its primary focus areas.

He noted that the grant also reflected the commitment of the chairman of ASR Africa and BUA Group to improving the livelihoods and welfare of Nigerians.

He said that the grant, distributed to w
idows in partnership with IWS, aimed to bring relief to the beneficiaries while ensuring its relevance and sustainability.

Udoh appreciated the significant work done by IWS since its establishment in 1957.

Commenting on the donation, Mrs Adeola Adebanke, the Chairperson of the Widows’ Trust Fund of IWS, expressed joy and satisfaction.

She stated that not less than 250 widows benefited from the empowerment programme.

Adebanke explained that the programme, organised yearly through the IWS WTF, is held to feast with and empower the widows.

She further explained that the IWS WTF plays a vital role in supporting widows by providing them with the resources, skills, and connections needed to build a bright future.

Adebanke prayed that the ASR Africa/BUA Group chairman continues to make significant strides and break new boundaries.

The widows unanimously expressed their gratitude to ASR Africa and BUA Foods Plc for the timely palliative care packs received.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 250 wi
dows received palliative care packs from BUA Foods Plc, which comprised rice, pasta, edible oil, and semolina

Source: News Agency of Nigeria