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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, in Asaba, Delta state to commission  new state secretariat  (Nigeria) Not only is the capacity of the public sector critical for national development, efficient civil service is also very vital for the running of governance and for quality public service delivery, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Osinbajo stated this today at the commissioning of the new multi-billion-naira civil service secretariat complex in Asaba, Delta State capital, which was named after the Asagba of Asaba (traditional ruler of Asaba), Prof. Chike Edozien. Earlier, the Vice President had also commissioned an 8.5MW Power Plant with a 25km distribution network in Asaba right behind the new secretariat. The Independent Power Project, which was jointly facilitated by the Delta State government and Bastanchury Power Solutions, is now providing 24/7 electricity supply to the State Government House and the Secretariat in Asaba. The plant was set up under a Willing Buyer-

*Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State (Nigeria) Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, has donated a 32-seater bus to the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, assuring the leadership of his government's readiness to continue to support them to realize the objectives for which the body was established. Governor Uzodimma said the vehicle was given to help the NYSC carry out her operations seemlessly. Making the donation Thursday on behalf of the Governor at the Government House Owerri, the Chief of Staff,  Nnamdi Anyaehie said the donation was sequel to a recent demand by the NYSC in Imo State for a vehicle to assist them carry out their day-to-day activities. He said: "In Governor Uzodimma's usual magnanimity he gave approval and directed for immediate allocation and donation of a 32-seater bus to them." Anyaehie noted that "the NYSC which was established in 1973 has contributed immensely to the unity of Nigeria by inculcating discipline on our youths, helping to redu

*Senate President, Ahmad Lawan (Nigeria) President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said for Nigeria to overcome its security challenges, efforts must be made to seek diversified solutions besides the military option to the problems of banditry, militancy and insurgency. Lawan made this known in his remarks after a point of order raised by Senator Rochas Okorocha to draw the attention of the Senate to the heightening spate of insecurity in Imo state. According to the Senate President, the National Assembly has equally been consistent with the approach in coming up with legislative interventions needed to address the security challenges of the country. He explained that such interventions include job creation, and the introduction of required legislation to promote economic development from local and foreign investments. “This Senate and, indeed, the entire National Assembly has been very consistent in trying to find some kind of solution – a more permanent solution to ending the securit

Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila (3rd right) interacting with officials and participants at the opening of the Gbajabiamila Leadership Bootcamp for Surulere 1 Federal Constituency youths at Sea School, Apapa, Lagos on Saturday. (Nigeria) T he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday visited a leadership BootCamp for the young people in his Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State. The Leadership BootCamp, which is taking place at the Sea School, Apapa, Lagos, features training on poise and soft skills, public speaking classes, marine and physical drills, life-saving techniques in water, assault defensive techniques, mentorship/leadership sessions on legislation and art of governance. Speaking during the mentorship session with the young constituents,  Gbajabiamila said it was organized to prepare Surulere youths against future leadership challenges. He said: "Surulere, as you all know in Lagos State, is the numero uno who

*Philip Shaibu (Nigeria) Edo State Deputy  Governor, Philip Shaibu has said that the Godswill Obaseki led administration will continue to implement policies to support, Medium, Small and Macro Enterprises,  MSME in the state in an effort to grow the economy. During an engagement forum between leaders of Edo North and Edo Jobs in Jattu, Shaibu explained that the reason the Nigerian Economy has continued to rely on services from foreign countries is the collapse of Medium, Small and Macro Enterprises which are supposed to service the big companies. He charged stakeholders to enlighten their subjects not to rely on white collar jobs, but invest in hand work and offer services to the people. The Deputy Governor emphasized that Edo jobs was conceived to provide skills to the people, provide starter packs and match individuals with available jobs. He charged the youths to make themselves available for the opportunities provided by Edo Jobs to become entrepreneurs and stop waiting for

(Nigeria) The need to stamp Cross River nay Nigeria on the world tourism map is the major driving force behind the ongoing construction of the Obudu International Passenger and Cargo Airport, so says Cross River state governor, Professor Ben Ayade. The Obudu Airport is situated close to the iconic Obudu Mountain Resort. Ayade expressed optimism that the airport project will be completed in a record time. According to him, "It is important for Nigerians to know why we are constructing the Obudu International Passenger and Cargo Airport in Obudu. "We want to make the issues of tourism in Nigeria start and end in Cross River State with Obudu Ranch Resort, Honeymoon Resort and the airport as a flagship. "That is why we are building the airport with 5.6 meters runway, the longest in Nigeria to enable both tourism and business thrive around the Ranch environment with the airport." On progress of work at the airport, the governor said: "We started March 20

*Gerrard Road, Lagos collapsed building (Nigeria) The Lagos State Government is to set up an independent panel to probe the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso in a statement on Tuesday, said: “Members of the panel will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects, NIA, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, and other professional bodies. “It will independently investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence. The investigation is not part of the internal probe already being conducted by the government. “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the government will surely find out what went wrong and punish those indicted.  The Governor, as a first step, has directed that the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Mr. Gbolahan Oki, an architect, be suspended

Scene of the building collapse in Lagos (Nigeria) The Lagos State Government has called for calm over the collapse today of a 21-storey building, which is under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Lagos Rescue Unit, LRU, Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Ambulance Services, LASAMBUS, were at the site, battling to save the lives of those under the rubble. Three persons have been rescued, even as the operations to save more lives continue. *Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat visited the site   Governor Sanwo-Olu has ordered an investigation into the incident. The Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has visited the site in the company of other officials, including the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako; Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Bamgbose- Martins; Special Adviser on Urban Development,  Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba; Special Adviser,  GIS and Physical Planning, Dr. Olajide Babatunde;  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of P

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has commended an integrated waste management project of Kano State government which will transform waste to power, organic fertilizer, and other uses. Prof. Osinbajo made the commendation of the Public-Private Partnership during a visit on Monday to the Presidential Villa by a delegation led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and officials of Capegate, a private environmental services provider. According to the VP, “I must commend the Kano State government for the sheer breadth of the project, and Capegate limited for its audacity because of the size of the project. It is not just a sanitation project, it is obviously one that is looking at an end-to-end waste management solution but also has strong components for contributions to our NDCs, and our whole de-carbonization ambitions for climate change.” The Kano State Governor mentioned that the State has signed a 20-year concession agreement with the company for waste

(Nigeria) The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to, as a matter of urgency, release adequate funds to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, for the purpose of carrying out emergency repairs on all federal roads in the country. This was even as the chamber called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on federal roads and improve its funding. These formed part of resolutions reached by the chamber following a motion considered during plenary on Tuesday. Sponsored by Senator Gershom Bassey, it is titled: “Motion on Nigeria’s Bad Roads And NUPENG’S Impending Nationwide Strike.”   Coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Orders, Bassey noted that the 36,000 km federal road network is the largest and most valuable single public infrastructure asset owned by the government of Nigeria. According to the lawmaker, “The deplorable state of the federal roads in Nigeria have become a national shame and an unnecessary embarras

*Nigerian Senate (Nigeria) The Senate has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, consider an Emergency Intervention Fund to the tune of N300 billion for critical roads in Niger State linking economic corridors in the North and South. This was just as Senators bemoaned the deplorable state of critical roads across the country. According to the upper chamber, doing so would facilitate the infrastructure rehabilitation efforts of government to support ease of business and economic recovery.            These formed part of resolutions reached following a motion brought to the floor during plenary by Senator Aliyu Abdullahi (APC, Niger North). Senator Sabi Abdullahi, while coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules said, “The Senate noted with disbelief and shock the very ugly scene playing out in Niger State since February 24 to September 2021 in which heavy trucks and tanker drivers blocked all entry and exit roads to protest the horrible state of

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has said that in furtherance of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, which seeks  to promote economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection, governments in Africa must ensure that engaging the continent’s rapidly growing youth population through jobs and other opportunities remains its central priority. Osinbajo stated this on Monday at the virtual launch of the United Nations Global Compact Africa Strategy - an initiative of the United Nations to galvanize private sector participation in the actualization of the SDGs. He added that Africa’s private sector must also scale up its contribution to the continent’s economic and social transformation. The UN Global Compact Strategy is regarded as the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, and its new Africa Strategy is designed to promote corporate sustainability and expand responsible business practices across the continent in support of

(Nigeria) The member representing Ekeremor Constituency 11 in Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Wilson Dauyegha, has urged the Federal Government to implement the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, forensic report to attract more development to the Niger Delta region. Wilson, who was reacting to the NDDC audit report submitted to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, observed that several issues raised in the report were fundamental and mitigated development in the region lamenting the inability for contractors to complete projects meant to change the living standards of the people of the region. The lawmaker said although the exercise had a chequered history, it  was not done to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure that the huge sums of funds committed to the development of the region yearly are justified. Recalling that one of the sole mandate of establishing the NDDC was the development of the Niger Delta, the Chairman, Bayelsa House

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has tasked financial market experts to support government’s efforts by developing an appropriate housing finance model that will significantly transform the housing sector on a large scale in the quest to close the housing deficit in the country. Osinbajo stated this on Monday when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, a delegation from the FMDQ Group led by its CEO, Mr Bola Onadele. He also received a delegation from the Independent Petroleum Producers Group today.  Economic experts say the housing deficit in Nigeria is estimated between 18-22 million housing units, while the ratio of mortgage finance to GDP in the country is only 0.5 percent, it is 31 percent in South Africa, and 2 percent in Ghana and Botswana. But after listening to a presentation by the FMDQ delegation, Osinbajo stated “I like the point you made about the National Housing Blueprint. I very strongly believe that if we ar

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has begun the national training workshop for existing and aspiring young entrepreneurs based in the southern zones of Nigeria. This is keeping in line with some of the major programmes  lined up by the present administration and also fulfilling one of the many mandates of the Ministry. The programme, which has since commenced, will end on September 25, 2021. Themed 'Generate, Design and Write Bankable Business Plans.' The training aims to help increase the chances of young Nigerians in getting grants and accessing loans to expand their ideas, as well as attracting investors. It will teach the youth how to package their great ideas to attract the right kind of investors. The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development also revealed that there were many more training opportunities for youths to  become entrepreneurs in diverse fields, advising them to seize these opportunities by regularly visiting the official web

*Nigerian Senate (Nigeria) The Senate has received a formal request from President Muhammadu Buhari to consider and approve an external loan to fund projects captured under the 2018-2021 borrowing plan. The letter dated August 14, 2021, was read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan. Buhari in the letter explained that the projects listed in the 2018-2021 Federal Government Borrowing Plan are to be financed through sovereign loans from the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), China-Exim Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Credit Suisse Group and Standard Chatered/China Export and Credit (SINOSURE) in the total sum of $4,054,476,863.00; Euro 710million and Grant Component of $125million. He explained that the amount would be used to fund Federal and States Government projects cut across key sectors such as Infrastructure, Health, Agriculture and Food Security, Energy, Education and Human Capital Development and COVID-19 Response effo

(Nigeria) The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has expressed gratitude to the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and the Federal Government for selecting Enugu State Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs Office to serve as the accelerator/innovation hub for the South East states.  Speaking during the opening ceremony of a two-day United Nations, UN, joint workshop on Institutionalizing Social Protection for Accelerated SDGs Implementation in Nigeria, in Enugu, the state Commissioner for Special Duties and the Focal Person on SDGs, Mrs Mabel Agbo, who represented Governor Ugwuanyi at the event, assured the UNDP and the Federal Government that Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration will not take the selection for granted. Mrs Agbo stressed that the state government will cooperate with the UNDP and the federal agency and work assiduously to ensure that the aim of selecting Enugu State to serve as the zonal accelerator/innovation hub is achieved.  “Fortuna

*President Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono,  and Minister of Power, Engr Sale Mamman. In a statement to cabinet members during the  Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Buhari also announced that  Dr Mohammad Abubakar, Minister of Environment, was redeployed to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, while Engr Abubakar Aliyu, Minister of State, Works and Housing will now be the Minister of Power. The President said the changes were sequel to the “tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review” through sector reporting during Cabinet meetings and at retreats. He added that “these significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.” Buhari in a  sta

*Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Ms Sadia Umar-Farouk (Nigeria) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos “to compel the Federal Government to disclose details of proposed payments of N729billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, including the mechanisms and logistics for the payments, list of beneficiaries, and how they have been selected, and whether the payments will be made in cash or through Bank Verification Numbers or other means.” SERAP is also seeking “an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months, which translates to five-percent of the country’s budget of N13.6 trillion for 2021.” The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information, FoI, request to Ms Sadia Umar-Farouk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, stating that: “Disclosing the details of beneficiaries a

(Nigeria) Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on returning from Abuja on Sunday, after participating in a series of meetings of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, visited the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, to empathise with survivors of the unfortunate fire incidents caused by adulterated kerosene sold in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state. Ugwuanyi had through a statement earlier issued by the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, commiserated with the families that lost their loved ones as a result of the adulterated petroleum product as well as victims who suffered bodily injuries or loss of property. The governor had also ordered thorough investigation into the sad incident to fish out those responsible for importing and distributing the harmful product in the state, announcing that his administration will take care of all medical expenses. He equally directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Obi and the ministry’s Permanent S