Nation
FG Set to Bring Displaced Nigerians in Chad, Niger, Cameroon
The Federal Government has released N15 billion to bring home thousands of Nigerians in three neighbouring countries – Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic – who were forced to flee Nigeria at the height of Boko Haram and other terror activities in the North-east.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the State House, Abuja, after a meeting of the Repatriation, Return and Resettlement Committee, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Weekend.
Zulum said, “few months ago, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria established a committee for the return and resettlement of displaced Nigerian living in the Republic of Chad, Cameroon and Niger to Nigeria.
“Based on the recommendation of the Chairman of this committee, which is the Vice President, N15 billion has been released to the committee.
“We are here to discuss the modalities for implementation; who does what. So far so good a lot has been discussed. Many items will be procured so that the repatriation exercise will take immediate effect”.
Asked how many displaced persons have been brought back so far, the Borno State governor said “more than 300,000 have returned.
“But under this phase, we are yet to begin the process. This is the 4th Phase of the exercise we shall embark upon very soon.
“Guidelines were provided for respective agencies that are to handle this matter. What should be given to the individuals in terms of food and non-food items; what type of house shall we build; what is the transportation medium? What is the minimum threshold required to return people from the neighbouring countries to Nigeria? These are some of the issues that were discussed according to international best practices”.
Earlier, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has directed all government agencies involved in the implementation of the work of the Presidential Committee on the Repatriation, Returns and Resettlement of Displaced Persons in the North-east to harmonise items needed and their prices in all procurements to be undertaken on behalf of the Committee.
Osinbajo also directed effective monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the entire process.
At the meeting, presentations were made by the Borno State Government, the Military, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, and the National Emergency Management Agency, following the release of the N15 billion by the President for the task.
Specifically, the Federal Government has released N6 billion to the Borno State Government, N3 billion to the Defence Headquarters, N2.5 billion to NEMA and N3 billion to the Refugee Commission for the first phase of the work of the Presidential Committee.
After presentations by the different government agencies, questions were raised about price differentials between quotes and local market rates, and also certain duplications of needed items.
Osinbajo who expressed serious concern over the price differentials and the duplication of needs however directed that the sub-committee on harmonisation of needs and prices should correct the situation.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.