Month: June 2024

The FCT Administration (FCTA) says it has concluded plans to provide free healthcare services under its ‘Renewed Hope Medical Outreach’ programme, in Kuje Area Council of the FCT.

Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, FCTA Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, stated this when she visited the traditional leader of Kuje, and the Chairman of the Kuje Area Council, in Kuje on Monday.

Fasawe explained that the medical outreach was part of activities to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office.

‘We will be offering general healthcare services, eye care with free glasses and surgery when necessary, dental care, and free blood, HIV, hepatitis test.

‘We also have nutritional desk where we will teach women on how to make cheap, affordable and quality food for their children, she said.

Fasawe added: ‘Not only that, we will also have a health education department to teach people how to prevent diseases.

‘We will also go further to talk about clean cooking for people to be conscious of the envi
ronment and the air we breathe.

‘We will be demonstrating and giving out gas cookers to show people the effectiveness and advantage of cooking without smoke.

‘This is because the smoke we inhaled is bad for our lungs and our children’s development,’ she said.

The mandate secretary said that the outreach would be open to residents of the area but with particular attention to women and children.

She said that every woman that showed up would be registered to access free health services for one year.

See also Health insurance enrollees seek improved services

Fasawe explained that the gesture was in line with the one year health insurance for pregnant women approved by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike.

‘This is because we have zero tolerance to maternal mortality. It is unacceptable for any woman to die of pregnancy or childbirth complications,’ she said.

Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, FCT Administration, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, addressing offic
ials of Kuje Area Council on planned free medical outreach for residents of Kuje on Monday.

Fasawe urged pregnant women to visit nearest primary health centres for antenatal care and to deliver their baby with a skilled birth attendant

On the target residents, she said: ‘We intend to reach as much as we can; as much that comes in here; and as much as time allows.

‘For those that we cannot see, there is provision for further care at the nearest Primary Healthcare Centres and the General Hospitals.

‘Basically, the target is, come one; come all, but on a first come first serve basis. There won’t be favouritism; just come, get a number and you get adequate healthcare,’ she said.

She explained that the outreach, which would begin on June 12, was the first of many, adding that after covering the six Area Councils, it would be extended to communities based on needs.

She said that the choice of locations was scientific, adding, ‘we look at the hospital records; and we look at health seeking habits.

‘We have re
alised that the people of Kuje are actually needing much more than our general hospital can give right now,’ she said.

See also FG, NGO develop dashboard to monitor fistula, CS data in health facilities

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Babagana Adam, urged the traditional leaders and council’s officials to mobilise residents in Churches and Mosques to take advantage of the opportunity to access free medical services.

In his remarks, the Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Haruna Jibrin, thanked the Secretariat for the medical outreach which he described as good news.

‘I thank President Tinubu, FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike and FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud for considering Kuje for the initiative,’ he said.

Also, the Kuje Area Council Chairman, Mr Abdullahi Sabo, assured Fasawe of the council’s full support.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, who bears the same name, Sabo said he had directed all the 10 Counselors in the council to mobilise their people for the exercise.

‘We will continue to support Wike as
agents of Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders say collaboration is important in boosting investments and ensuring Nigeria’s growth.

They spoke at a Stakeholders ‘Engagement with Investment Promotion Agencies (SIPAs), organised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in Abuja.

The Executive Secretary of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, emphasised the Importance of strengthening relationship between the commission and the state investment agencies.

‘So the objectives today are to strengthen this relationship between NIPC and the State Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs).

‘To ensure a seamless coordination and alignment of efforts to attract investments across the country.

‘We want to strengthen and build the technical and institutional capacity of the IPAs to enable them to achieve set goals and objectives.

‘We want to be able to disseminate information about investment opportunities across the states, leveraging local knowledge to attract investors,” she said.

Rimi expressed the commission’s desire to address challenges and bottlenec
ks that hinder investment activities and find practical solutions to enhance the investment climate.

She said the meeting also aimed to foster strong relationships with stakeholders, including Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), some of which were represented at the event.

To achieve these goals, Rimi said the commission designed the Nigerian Investment Certification Programme for States (NICPS) to ensure an efficient system in the states.

The executive secretary reiterated the importance of working to ensure we retained the investors already in Nigeria, especially considering the harsh business environment in the country.

Rimi urged the participants to use the opportunity to interact, network, listen to the various speakers, and find ways to drive investment in the country.

See also Group tasks FG, states on investment in education

Also speaking, the Director, Infrastructure and Public Private Partnership (PPP), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPE), Dr Micheal Magaji, reiterated the importance
of collaboration to boost investment.

According to Magaji, reform is also critical to ensuring investment promotion in the country.

He said: ‘our engagement today underscores our commitment to fostering strong partnerships between the federal and state levels and between the public and private sectors.

‘We are here to listen, learn, and share our expertise, with the ultimate goal of driving sustainable development and economic growth across Nigeria.

‘Additionally, we use this opportunity to urge all states present at this engagement to take full advantage of this collaboration.’

According to the director, the benefits outlined above represent a glimpse of what can be achieved through our joint efforts.

‘We encourage you to engage with the Bureau. Leverage our expertise and unlock the full potential of your state’s assets.

‘Our doors are always open, and we are committed to supporting you in every step of this journey.

‘I look forward to our discussions and the innovative solutions emerging from this e
ngagement.

‘Together, we can continue to transform our states and, by extension, our nation into hubs of prosperity and progress,” he said.

Similarly, the Director, Investment Promotion, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Gertrude Orji, said the ministry was committed to keeping up with the NIPC’s mandate.

Orji, represented by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Amina Mohammed, said the event was critical to investment and pivotal to the country’s development.

Also, a representative of GIZ-SEDIN Programme, Abuja, Mr Akinropo Omaware, commended NIPC’s efforts in attracting and retaining investment in the country.

See also Nigeria is China’s major investment destination in Africa – Envoy

Omaware said collaboration was key to strengthening the country’s investment climate.

He expressed the commitment of the organisation to support and drive investments in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that key stakeholders, government officials, and experts in the sub-sector attended
the event.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said it has begun construction of a Multipurpose Emergency Shelter designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies in the Niger delta region.

Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, made this known on Monday in Abuja, while defending the commission’s 2024 budget estimate of N1.911 trillion before the Senate Committee on NDDC.

In his presentation, Ogbuku said that from the proposed 2024 budget, N38.5 billion was for personnel, while N29.2 billion was for overhead and N1 trillion earmarked for legacy projects.

He said that the Multipurpose Emergency Shelter, which was a flagship of NDDC’s present administration with a capacity of over 1,000 accommodations, was designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies.

‘In response to the frequent flooding challenges faced by Niger Deltans, we have commenced construction of a Multipurpose Emergency Shelter with a capacity of over 1,000 accommodations, designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies.

‘The facility includes essential amenities such as a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation centre, aimed at providing comprehensive support to the community,’ he said.

He said that once completed, the multipurpose emergency shelter would play a vital role in offering temporary accommodation and necessary services to the population in the event of emergencies in the region.

‘The NDDC’s proactive approach in addressing the needs of the affected communities through such initiatives underscores the Commission’s commitment to enhancing emergency response and resilience in the Niger Delta region,’ he added.

Ogbuku further said that in the area of infrastructure, the commission came up with ‘Operation Light Up Niger Delta Region’.

See also NGO submits document to address organised crimes in Niger Delta, others

‘This has seen a reasonable number of the communities being lit up using solar powered street lights, which have boosted the economic activities of communities at night.

‘In education,
we have awarded foreign scholarships to 750 individuals between 2023-2024 (for 2022, 2023 and 2024 years) and provided educational grants to 84 individuals.

‘Additionally, we are distributing 45, 000 Ulesson tablets preloaded with Nigerian and WAEC syllabus to schools in the nine states in the Niger Delta region.’

He said that the commission had commissioned a programme, to enable enrolment of poor and vulnerable people into the various Social Health Insurance Schemes of the nine NDDC states.

This, he said, was in view of the prevailing poor health indices of the country and particularly the region.

‘This is to also facilitate easy access to essential health and social services towards Universal Health Coverage.’

Ogbuku said that the commission was working toward completion of some ongoing projects, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive.

The MD also said that his administration was committed to payment of legacy debts because, ‘we are committed to the welfare of our people in the Niger Delta’.

H
e said that N100 billion was earmarked to begin payment of legacy debts, adding that in 10 years’ time the commission would have offset the legacy debts.

Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, while noting that although the budget was brought late, said NDDC had recorded salient achievements like ‘light up Niger Delta’.

‘I hope that the 2024 budget will consolidate on already existing projects. I commend the NDDC’s scholarship programme,’he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has used his weekly newsletter to call for a continuation of economic reforms in order to stimulate economic growth and job creation, and to attract investment.

The President said as elections have now passed and with the composition of government yet to be decided upon, ‘there is broad support for the continuation of economic reforms’ among political parties.

‘Regardless of the form or composition of the incoming administration, it is important that the momentum of reform be retained and sustained. While we have come a long way in the reform journey, there is much work that still needs to be done to reignite growth in our economy. A change in direction would derail the positive progress that has been made and take us back to the starting blocks.

‘At this important moment in the life of our nation, eradicating poverty and inequality and reducing unemployment must remain our overriding collective priorities. We cannot address these challenges and improve the lives of our people wit
hout attracting more investment in our economy and accelerating growth,’ he said.

The President explained that since it took office, the sixth administration has been focused on economic growth, transformation and job creation driven by a range of economic reforms in sectors including electricity, water and logistics through Operation Vulindlela.

‘Because well-functioning network industries are vital to economic growth, we have undertaken far-reaching reforms in energy, logistics, the water sector and telecommunications. These reforms include an overhaul of the energy sector to enable efficiency, stability and greater investment in electricity generation, and to introduce a more competitive electricity market.

‘We have introduced private sector participation in the operation of port terminals, enabled open access to the freight rail network and completed the auction of high-demand broadband spectrum. While we recognise the value of public-private partnerships, we have stressed that the state must continue
to play a strategic role in the development and ownership of public infrastructure in the interest of the people,’ he said.

Furthermore, reforms were also implemented in the visa regime in order to attract the critical skills needed to boost the economy and increase tourism.

‘The progressive implementation of these structural reforms has helped to improve investor confidence. This has in turn enabled us, despite an extended period of load shedding, to attract investment into the economy across a range of industries. The structural reform process has produced tangible results and laid the groundwork for sustainable growth into the future,’ President Ramaphosa said.

Reconstruction and Recovery

The President acknowledged that the effect of some reforms may take some time to be felt but assured that ‘the process of recovery and rebuilding is well underway’.

‘The electricity sector is one such example. The implementation of the Energy Action Plan that we announced in 2022 has seen accelerated procurement of n
ew generation capacity, a growing number of new energy projects being connected to the grid, and a surge in rooftop solar energy.

‘These developments, together with Eskom’s ongoing work to improve the maintenance of its power stations, have helped to reduce the severity of load shedding. These reforms must continue alongside measures to advance economic inclusion, such as skills development, addressing spatial inequality and investing in skills development and public employment programmes,’ he said.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that higher economic growth can be achieved through a combination of ‘structural reforms, increased investment and sound macroeconomic management’.

‘As the Minister of Finance noted in this year’s Budget Speech, successful efforts to improve the fiscal position, complete structural reforms and bolster the capacity of the state will in combination reduce borrowing costs, raise confidence, increase investment and employment, and accelerate economic growth.

‘Modelling by the Nationa
l Treasury showed that the successful implementation of key reforms could raise GDP growth to over 3% a year, add an additional R600 billion to revenue and create a substantial number of additional jobs over ten years.

‘This approach is supported by the BER [Bureau for Economic Research] study, which shows that continuing the path of reform could increase growth. This would start to make a meaningful dent in our unemployment rate and usher in a new era of growing prosperity for all,’ he said.

The President called on all political parties and all parts of society to work together to realise economic growth and job creation.

‘By deepening our partnership as government, business and labour, by accelerating structural reform, by continuing the work to strengthen state capacity and improve the operation of state-owned enterprises, we are firmly on course for realising greater economic growth and creating more jobs.

‘As the country prepares for a new democratic administration, all parties need to work together
to sustain the momentum of reform, growth and transformation. A stable and effective government committed to economic reform will enable us to build an inclusive and growing economy that benefits all South Africans,’ President Ramaphosa said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned its personnel against unethical and corrupt practices in the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at a lecture in honour of late Abubakar Momoh, former Director-General of the Electoral Institute (TEI), from August 2013 to May 2017.

Yakubu, represented by the National Commissioner, and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, warned that any unethical practice before, during and after those elections would incur severe punishments under the law.

The theme of the lecture was: ‘Achieving Professionalism among Election Personnel through Effective Training in Preparation for the Edo and Ondo Governorship Elections.”

Yakubu said the success of any election largely depended on the professionalism and competence of those responsible for conducting it.

He advised electoral officers to be guided by the following principles of integrity, impartialit
y, transparency, professionalism, gender and disability sensitive.

He said it was important for electoral personnel to be knowledgeable, skilled and well-equipped with relevant competencies to handle the complexities and challenges of the electoral process.

‘Moreover, the crucial role election personnel play in upholding the integrity of our democratic processes cannot be overstressed.

‘The manner, in which they discharge their duties and responsibilities, affects the degree of confidence voters will have in the electoral process which will impact on their participation and turn out,” he said.

Yakubu said that to ensure credibility and trustworthiness in elections and build trust among the electorate, INEC had always prioritised the professional development of its election personnel.

See also Will voters determine next Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa governors?

He said the commission identified effective and efficient electoral training as the key to unlocking professionalism among election personnel.

‘The commiss
ion’s involvement in effective training programmes has empowered its staff to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, in order to strengthen our processes and procedures to serve the interests of all Nigerians,” he said.

He said that through training, INEC was able to deepen electoral knowledge and strengthen the skills and competences of personnel over time.

The TEI Director-General, Dr Sa’ad Idris in his remarks, said that INEC in pursuit of its mission and vision had prioritised professionalism toward achieving free, credible, transparent and inclusive elections.

‘As we prepare for the 2024 Edo and Ondo off cycle governorship elections, the commission is assured that the outcome of effective training of Election personnel will manifest in the high level of professionalism.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria