Jonathan to launch terror Victim Support Fund, Thursday ----Maku

By -
(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan will on Thursday launch the terror Victim Support Fund with a fundraising dinner in Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said that the will begin at 6 p.m.
Maku said that the council was briefed on preparations for the fundraising event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Sen. Ayim Pius Ayim.
“The SGF informed us that tomorrow the president will host a fundraising dinner here at the State House Banquet Hall for the private sector, international foundations and funding agencies as well as all Nigerians to contribute to the fund which is specifically floated to support victims of terrorism in our country.
‘This fund raising will enable all Nigerians to contribute to help our less fortunate citizens who have unfortunately fallen victim to the activities of insurgents and terrorists particularly in the Northern part of the country.
“This will help to provide support services, to provide immediate relief for those that fall victim to terror attacks in the country.”
Maku said that the Victim Support Fund was one of the presidential initiatives aimed at fast-tracking the reconstruction of the North East and other parts of the country affected by terrorism.
He listed the other initiative of the Presidential for the North East as the Safe School Initiative earlier launched by the president.
“Mr President himself told us in council that this launch is so significant, and he urges all Nigerians particularly citizens who are in business, who have the opportunity to make contributions, to do something for our less fortunate citizens.
“All Nigerians are invited to make contributions. Tomorrow’s activity is just the beginning of it. After the fundraising dinner, the committee in charge, headed by Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, will also unveil different mechanisms for collecting contributions by Nigerians.
“What is significant about this foundation is that the funding will be managed independently of government.”
Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that the “Victim Support Fund’’ recently announced by President Goodluck Jonathan would complement ``Safe School Initiative Programme’’ to ensure safety of students in schools.
The minister made the disclosure at the inaugural meeting of the Safe Initiative programme Committee on Thursday in Abuja.
She said that the Initiative, which was announced by the business community at the World Economic Forum on Africa, had 20 million dollars set aside for its take-off.
She added that the business community in Nigeria and the Federal Government had given 10 million dollars each to support the programme.
She noted that the international community had also shown strong interest to support the project.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UBTH @50: Obaseki hails institution’s role in strengthening Edo healthcare

By -
Image
(Nigeria) Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has commended the staff and management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work in providing high-quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria in the past fifty years. Obaseki, at a dinner organized in honour of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, reassured the government’s continuous partnership and collaboration with the federal government-owned health institution to strengthen the health system and ensure quality health delivery to Edo people. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, reeled out the gains of the government’s reforms in the health sector, commending the medical centre for bolstering the government’s efforts at transforming Edo State into a health hub. He said, "We came into a wilderness where you have to cut a part for yourself and fix it. We held
Read more

NBC has no powers to impose fine on broadcast stations --Court

By -
Image
(Nigeria) The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has been restrained by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, from imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country. Trial judge in the matter, Justice James Omotosho also set aside the N500,000 fines imposed on March 1, 2019, on each of 45 broadcast stations. The court made the orders in its judgment a suit by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, MRA, which had sued the NBC. Justice Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. The court further held that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law. He said the court would not sit idle and watch a body imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law. He said that the commission did not comply with the law when it sat as a complainant and at
Read more