Day: September 3, 2024

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled the Yar’Adua family, the government and people of Katsina State, over the death of Hajiya Dada Yar’Adua.

Dada Yar’adua, the mother of former President Umaru Yar’adua and former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Shehu Yar’adua, died at the age of 102 on Monday.

Buhari described the deceased as a matriarch whose virtuous life was an inspiration to all, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by his Senior Special Adviser, Malam Garba Shehu.

The former president noted that the late Dada Yar’Adua was also the mother of Senator representing Katsina Central, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’Adua.

Buhari described the news of the passing of Dada, who he described as the mother of his friend and classmate, as extremely sad.

‘She was a mother who cared for her family as she did to us; the friends of her children.

‘Her virtuous life was an inspiration to us and all who came close to her

‘Her righteousness and high values of life gave the country a set of successful and patr
iotic leaders,’ he said.

Buhari prayed to God to grant her ‘Jannatul Firdaus.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has described Vice-President Kashim Shettima as a politician whose career has been remarkable.

Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Adviser to the former president in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, quoted Buhari in a telephone call to Shettima as saying this when he congratulated him on his birthday.

Shehu also said that Buhari congratulated the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who also marks his 68th birthday on Wednesday.

‘Your journey from governor to senator and now vice-president has been remarkable,’ he quoted Buhari as saying.

He said that Buhari wished Shettima many happy returns and prayed for strength and good health for the vice-president to enable him to discharge the enormous responsibility.

He also prayed to God to grant him the strength to continue to support Tinubu in their efforts to make life better for the citizens and build Nigeria into a strong and virile democratic nation.

In a similar message to Mustaph
a, Buhari described the former SFG, who served under his administration, as a transformative leader.

‘Your far-reaching vision and strong leadership have in no small measure contributed to all that we achieved as an administration,” Shehu quoted as Buhari saying.

He prayed to God Almighty to keep Mustapha happy, safe and healthy to continue to be useful to the country.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy (FMACCE), has presented the ministry’s Strategic Roadmap for Nigeria’s creative sector to members of the diplomatic community and international partners.

Musawa made the presentation at the Diplomatic and International Development Partners Forum, at the UN House in Abuja on Monday.

The forum is a flagship initiative of the FMCACCE geared towards showcasing the opportunities that abound in the nation’s creative sector.

Musawa said the creative economy encompassing arts, culture, and creative sectors, was a major driver of employment opportunities, particularly for young Nigerians.

According to her, the Strategic roadmap seeks to encourage collaboration across sectors and borders, and help to tap into the creative energies of young Nigerians.

She said the formal presentation of the roadmap offered opportunity to attract sustainable collaborations, and secure support for the sector as part of efforts to make Nigeria the creative hub of Africa.

‘Since 2023, the Ministry embarked on a transformative journey, implementing ‘The 8 Point Plan’, designed to cultivate growth, innovation, and sustainability across our creative sectors.

‘This ambitious roadmap not only focuses on skill development and policy reform, but also prioritises the preservation of our cultural heritage and the need to foster strong partnerships.

‘As we look forward, our vision remains clear, to position Nigeria as Africa’s creative capital while stimulating economic growth through creative industries.

‘I invite all of you artists, stakeholders, diplomatic partners, and policymakers to join us in this transformative endeavour.

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‘Together, we will create an enabling environment for creativity to flourish, ensuring our diverse cultural expressions lead to sustainable development and job creation.

‘Let us embrace this opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s unique artistic talent to the world and enhan
ce our commitment to driving growth in the creative economy for generations to come,’ she said.

In his remark, Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of Office and Country Representative of UNESCO in Nigeria, commended the minister for the initiatives.

He said UNESCO, in line with its 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Cultural Expressions, was willing to continue its collaborations and support for the sector.

According to him, the convention was put in place to support member states to create institutional and professional environment conducive for protection, and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions.

These, he said, include but not limited to video, film, books, designs, culinary arts, crafts, fashion, motion graphics and theatre.

‘This event marks a significant point in the collaboration between the United Nations and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.

‘We commend the initiative of bringing the diplomatic and international development partners to th
is forum.

‘As the UN agency mandated for culture, it is an important and welcome platform at the country level which will help share, update, harmonise and maximise the different interventions in support to the country’s effort.

‘In continuing support to Nigeria to develop implementable policies, UNESCO organised the first National Dialogue on the Cultural and Creative Industries and the Sustainable Development Goals in October 2023,’ he said.

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NAN reports that in attendance were cultural officers and personnel of various embassies and high commissions from Spain, Brazil, Bangladesh, UK, China, India, Gambia, Ghana among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

South Korea’s consumer price inflation hovered below 3 percent for the fifth consecutive month due to a slower price growth in farm goods and oil products, statistical office data showed Tuesday.

The consumer price index (CPI) grew 2.0 percent in August from a year earlier after gaining 2.9 percent in April, 2.7 percent in May, 2.4 percent in June and 2.6 percent in July, according to Statistics Korea.

It marked the lowest increase in 41 months since March 2021, but the headline inflation continued to surpass the Bank of Korea (BOK)’s mid-term inflation target of 2 percent.

The BOK left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50 percent since January 2023.

Price for agricultural, livestock and fishery products climbed 2.4 percent in August on a yearly basis, lower than a growth of 5.5 percent in July.

Agricultural products prices advanced 3.6 percent last month, lifting the overall inflation by 0.15 percentage points.

Apple prices jumped 17.0 percent, with pear prices more than doubling in the cited
month. Prices for peach, oriental melon and tomato declined in double digits.

Livestock products prices added 0.8 percent, and fishery products prices went up 1.8 percent.

Prices for pork and imported beef gained in single figures, but those for beef and chicken slipped in single digits.

Oil products prices edged up 0.1 percent in August from a year earlier, sharply lower than an increase of 8.4 percent in the previous month.

Prices for gasoline and diesel fell 0.7 percent and 1.9 percent each, but liquefied petroleum gas prices picked up in double figures.

Prices for industrial products, including oil products, swelled 1.4 percent last month, raising the headline inflation by 0.47 percentage points.

The processed food price mounted 1.9 percent in August on a yearly basis after rising 2.0 percent in the previous month.

Prices for electricity, natural gas and tap water were up 3.3 percent, pulling up the overall inflation by 0.12 percentage points.

Heating costs and waterworks fees expanded 9.8 percent
and 3.8 percent each, with city gas charges advancing 6.9 percent.

Private service prices, including eating-out costs, spiked 3.0 percent last month, while public service prices gained 1.4 percent.

The eating-out expense increased 2.8 percent, drawing up the inflation by 0.39 percentage points.

Housing rent, including Jeonse and monthly rent, inched up 0.4 percent in August from a year earlier.

Jeonse is South Korea’s unique contract between two households where a landlord grants the two-year residential right to a tenant, who in turn lends a certain amount of money, or deposit, to the landlord.

The livelihood items index, which gauges the price for daily necessities, grew 2.1 percent in August after expanding 3.0 percent in the previous month.

The fresh food index, which measures the price of fish, shellfish, fruit and vegetables, gained 3.2 percent last month, lower than a growth of 7.7 percent in the prior month.

Demand-side inflationary pressure remained relatively low. The core consumer price inde
x, which excludes volatile agricultural and oil products, climbed 1.9 percent last month.

The OECD-method core price, excluding volatile energy and food costs, was up 2.1 percent. Enditem

Source:The Namibia News Agency

President Bola Tinubu and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Tuesday in Beijing, China, pledged to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries to advance trade and economic development programmes.

The two leaders also promised to elevate the Nigeria-China ties to that of a comprehensive strategic partnership, by building a high-level Nigeria-China community with a shared future.

This was the outcome of talks between the two leaders during President Tinubu’s ongoing official visit to China, the President’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said in a statement.

‘This is an important visit for Nigeria and the rest of Africa, as I arrive in my capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS. I thank you for the high-level of honour accorded to us.

‘Relations between China and Nigeria have indeed lasted for over half a century and should be further strengthened to advance our trade and economic development programmes.

‘Nigeria holds great potential as the country with the largest population in Africa and is the b
iggest economy with a very young population that can drive economic growth and cross-sectoral programmes,’ said Tinubu.

He explained that the two countries had upgraded the relationship to more than just being strategic – but a comprehensive developmental partnership.

‘This comprehensive strategic partnership should result in robust development, stability, and security in the West African sub-region. This is very crucial,’ the President said.

During the meeting, both Presidents witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on various areas of mutual interest.

The MoUs included cooperation plan between Nigeria and China to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation in peaceful application of nuclear energy.

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Others are: strengthening cooperation on human resource development under the Global Development Initiative, media exchange and cooperation, and a separate MoU between China Media Group and
the Nigerian Television Authority.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

South Korea’s export of agricultural and food products rose for the first eight months of this year due to strong demand from the United States and Europe, government data showed Tuesday.

Outbound shipment of locally-made food and farm goods gained 8.7 percent to 6.48 billion U.S. dollars during the January-August period compared with the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The agri-food products export to the United States advanced 22.8 percent to 1.02 billion dollars in the cited period, and shipment to Europe surged 30.5 percent to 459 million dollars.

Export to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grew 5.9 percent to 1.26 billion dollars, but shipment to Japan shrank 7.4 percent to 900 million dollars in the eight-month period.

By item, instant noodles shipment spiked 31.7 percent to 800 million dollars, while exports for tobacco products added 7.0 percent to 729 million dollars.

Confectionery and beverage exports increased in dou
ble digits to 494 million dollars and 449 million dollars each.

Shipment for processed coffee and coffee additives expanded by 3.4 percent to 222 million dollars, and processed rice products export jumped 41.7 percent to 190 million dollars. Enditem

Source:The Namibia News Agency