News

FG’ll Continue To Focus On Food Security -Gbajabiamila

Published

4 weeks ago

August 23, 2024

Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, says the Federal Government is particular about diversifying the economy through massive investments in agriculture.
Gbajabiamila said this during an interactive session with Mr Cornelius Adebayo, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA), yesterday.
The Chief of Staff to the President had visited NALDA as part of a tour of agencies under the supervision of the State House on Wednesday.
He said the government was focusing on agriculture and food security and hoped that NALDA would continue to be innovative in its operations, including developing greenhouses and supporting the cultivation of more arable land across the country.
At BPP, while responding to a presentation by the acting Director-General, Olusegun Omotola, Gbajabiamila commended the agency for saving the Federal Government N1.7 trillion from 2009-2022 by blocking loopholes that would have been exploited during procurement.
“The Act establishing the Bureau is going through a review process that will make it meet international best practices, reduce corruption, red tape and bureaucracy.
“We will also look at the staff renumeration, especially when compared with sister agencies like Debt Management Office whose renumeration and salary structure has been reviewed a couple of times over the years,” said Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila hinted that President Bola Tinubu intended to inaugurate the National Council on Procurement (NCP), which is an establishment of the law.
The Council had never been inaugurated since the creation of the Bureau, saying that the President is conscious of the need for the proposed amendments to the BPP Act.
Gbajabiamila commended the Bureau of Public Enterprises for remitting over N1 trillion proceeds to the Federal Government since 1999 and emphasised the need for improvement.
“We are ready to work with you to make you achieve your mandate optimally,” he assured.
BPE’s Director-General, Ayodeji Gbeleyi, disclosed that the agency had received N93.4bn from privatisation projects in the first and second quarter of 2024.
He, however, said this fell short of the revised expected revenue of N259.7 billion.
At the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), the Chief of Staff to the President reaffirmed government’s commitment to developing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation in the country.
Gbajabiamila said government recognised the importance of incorporating nuclear technology into Nigeria’s energy mix to meet the nation’s growing energy needs.
Gbajabiamila underscored the importance of these agencies in driving the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the economic and development sectors.
He reiterated the administration’s resolve to strengthen these institutions.
He noted that the visit, the first of its kind under this administration, was a follow-up to the recent one-day retreat for the Heads of State House Agencies.
The retreat was convened to reinforce the administration’s commitment to strengthening institutions, ensuring they are well-equipped to fulfill their mandates and reducing the cost of governance.
He reassured the agencies that their concerns on staff renumeration, inadequate office accommodation and other legitimate challenges would be addressed.
He also said measures would be put in place to create a more conducive work environment.
Gbajabiamila was accompanied by Sen. Ibrahim Hadeija, Deputy Chief of Staff, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, State House, and Mrs Oyinade Nathan-Marsh, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff).
Gbajabiamila visited NALDA, BPP, BPE, NAEC, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

News

Nigeria’s Rail Transport Generated N1.69bn In Q2 -NBS report

Published

1 day ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian rail system generated N1.69billionn in revenue from passengers in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting a 53.14 per cent increase compared to the N1.10billion recorded in the same period of 2023.
This data was disclosed by the National Bureau of Statistics in its report released yesterday.
According to the report, a total of 689,263 passengers travelled by rail in Q2, representing a growth rate of 45.38 per cent compared to 474,117 passengers in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The volume of goods transported via rail also saw a significant increase, with 143,759 tons moved in Q2 2024, up from 56,936 tons in Q2 2023. Additionally, the Nigerian Railway Corporation reported a volume of 5,940 tons of goods transported through pipelines in Q2 2024, an increase from the 2,856 tons recorded in the same period of the previous year.
Revenue from goods conveyed via rail stood at N537.36m in Q2 2024, a remarkable increase of 206.68 per cent compared to N175.22m in Q2 2023. The movement of goods through pipelines also contributed to revenue generation, with N42.08m collected in Q2 2024, compared to N12.81million in Q2 2023.
Other revenue receipts amounted to N994.68million in Q2 2024, representing a staggering increase of 5,206.68 per cent from the N18.74m recorded in the corresponding period of last year.
In the first quarter, of 2024, The Tide source reported that Nigeria spent more on servicing the debt incurred for building its railways than the revenue generated by its railway system. The country spent 2,470 per cent more on railway debt servicing than it made from revenue from rail services in the first quarter of 2024.

News

NDDC Unveils Initiative To Enhance Food Security In N’Delta

Published

1 day ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.
Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta.
He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.
“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.
Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.
Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.
“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.
The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.
According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security.

News

Tinubu Shelves UNGA79 Trip To Address National Challenges

Published

1 day ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
In his stead, Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the annual summit.
Tinubu “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed yesterday.
The statement is titled ‘Vice President Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly.’
It reads, “President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
“Therefore, the President has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.”
Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trips to China and the United Kingdom, “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” said Onanuga.
At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.
The high-level General Debate, with the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations,” will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024.