NEWS
FG feeds 9m pupils — Sadiya Umar-Farouq
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq has said that more than nine million pupils across the country have benefited from the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
She disclosed this on Tuesday in Makurdi at the handing-over of cooking utensils to Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) Primary School, Wurukum.
The Minister was represented by the Deputy Director, Administration, in the Minister, Ladan Haruna, and said that the NHGSFP was designed as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to lift Nigerians out of poverty.
She said that more than 100,000 cooks were engaged to ensure the success of the programme across the country.
According to her, the programme, a collaborative venture with the Federal Government, seeks to boost school enrolment, enhance the nutritional value of pupils and impact the local economy.
She added that the programme had created employment within the school feeding ecosystem in sectors of transportation and manufacturing.
She explained that the ministry had identified areas of improvement to make the programme more impactful, with an additional five million beneficiaries, in view.
For instance, some of the identified areas, she noted would be a nationwide enumeration exercise with the objective of data verification, upgrading the quality of data and updating existing records to accommodate the scaling exercise.
She also said the programme would undergo review to ensure it fulfilled its objectives.
Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who received the items, said the distribution of the items would complement his earlier support of cooking utensils worth N400 million to the cooks.
Otorm was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Tony Ijohor, and said his administration had also trained cooks on personal health and hygiene and COVID-19 protocols.
He said that the trainings enhanced the capacities of cooks to render services and mitigate the incidence of disease outbreak.
A cook under the scheme in Benue, Dinah Abokyar, commended both the Federal and State Governments for the programme but pleaded for an increase in the number of cooks to meet the increasing number of beneficiaries.
She also pleaded for the payment of their outstanding wages and an upward review of the allocation to them for cooking to cope with high cost of food items.
The head teacher, LGEA Primary School, Wurukum, Batholomy Atsar, in his remarks, appealed to the Federal Government to include nursery pupils in the feeding programme.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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