NEWS
National Economic Crisis: Adeleke Inaugurates Food Security Committee
In response to the increasing economic hardship ravaging the land, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke will setup a state committee on food security this week.
This was revealed in a government statement issued in Osogbo on Sunday.
It was gathered that the committee would be made up of representatives of civil society groups, youth organizations, farmers’ associations, security agencies, religious groups, market associations and relevant commissioners.
The Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Osun State, Dr Bashiru Salami has been designated to lead the committee.
The statement declared that “The Committee is to work on farm security for food production, expand farming activities through state incentives, track foodstuff marketing and pricing, review operations of ongoing palliatives measures with a view for improvement if any and recommend immediate actions to further relieve the suffering of the populace.”
In a related development, Gov Adeleke has reiterated his commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the people under this national economic emergency.
He made the assertion while hosting the association of Osun indigenes resident in Bayelsa State and pointed that his administration has been introducing one measure or the other to cushion the effect of the current crisis.
In his words, “Our government is built mainly on the welfare of the people. We just launched the distribution of cash grants to almost 20,000 very poor segments of our population. Another 60,000 is being enrolled for ATM cards.
“I have directed the Commissioner for Transport to ensure efficient working of the Imole De Bus Service. Before new buses arrive, we must make judicious use of the refurbished buses to ply key routes where the services are needed.
“I have instructed key commissioners to review their service delivery to respond to the current needs and challenges of the people. The people must be regularly consulted and carried along on policy decisions and implementation.
“Our administration is ramping up efforts to deepen the state’s economy. I have directed the Commissioner for Power to expedite action on the Osun State Electricity bill.
“On the digital economy, I have also instructed the Commissioner for Science and Technology to present an implementation plan for the state ICT Policy and the State Tech Innovation policy. The bill for the domestication of the Nigerian Startup Act will soon be sent to the state assembly.
“I have further directed the Commissioner for Agriculture to prepare a state plan and bill to ease access to farm equipment and inputs for farmers. Of course, the ministry is finalizing the implementation plan on the state Cocoa Revival agenda.
“Our government is pumping millions of naira into the grassroots through hundreds of community associations. The funds are used to build health centers, boreholes, school rehabilitation among others. This is boosting the local economy.
“We are rebuilding our roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, water works to make the economy work, to expand economic activities and attract investors. The multi-billion naira infra plan is ongoing.
“We are paying inherited half salary and pension debt long before Mr President so directed. We are paying wage awards to public servants and pensioners. Osun, almost a civil service state, has a lot to gain from public workers’ welfare because the informal sector depends mostly on the public sector.
“We enrolled all pensioners in the state health insurance scheme. This new week we are launching free surgeries for pensioners statewide. By next month, another edition of the statewide Imole free medical outreach across the nine federal constituencies will commence.
“To secure the state, we recently launched the State Security Trust Fund. We are working on a template for local state policing. A detailed implementation plan will soon be unveiled.
“Your government is doing a lot and I appeal for further support. This administration is a government of the people, for the people and by the people.”
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the appointment of a new Acting Director of Administration for the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu.
This was contained in a statement in Uburu on Thursday by the DUFUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu N. O.
According to Agwu, the new appointee is Edith Anih, an indigene of Enugu State with relevant working experience, having worked at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where she was Deputy Director of Administration.
It was gathered that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated April 23, 2025, addressed to the Chief Medical Director.
Prior to her appointment, Anih held the position of Deputy Director of Administration at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
ALSO READ: CVFF- House of Reps Backs Marine & Blue Economy Ministry
He wrote, “Mrs. Anih Edith Ndidi is a seasoned administrator born on May 22, 1973. She is married and hails from Enugu State, specifically Enugu South Local Government Area.
“She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She is also an associate member of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria (IHSAN).
“The Management of DUFUTH extends a warm welcome to the new DA and looks forward to collaborating with her as she brings a fresh perspective to the hospital’s administrative leadership.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to launch a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in a major move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
READ ALSO: Loans Necessary For Budget Despite High Revenue Collections – Wale Edun
Edun explained that the upcoming audit, along with recent changes in NNPCL management, is part of a broader effort to reform the state-owned oil company and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s economic institutions.
Addressing top global investors, including representatives from financial giant J.P. Morgan, Edun outlined a series of bold economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the measures are already yielding positive results and have laid a strong foundation for future growth.
“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it,” Edun said. “We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
According to Edun, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an overall annual growth rate of 3.4%.
He described the government’s economic strategy as “unprecedented,” adding that key indicators such as the budget deficit, trade balance, and exchange rate have all shown signs of improvement.
“We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course,” he emphasized.
The minister also highlighted the government’s focus on agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, saying efforts are underway to close the food supply gap by empowering local producers.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Edun announced that 90,000km of fibre optic cable has been rolled out to boost internet connectivity, especially for young Nigerians and the tech ecosystem.
Additionally, 4,000km of roads have been earmarked for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.
In the early hours of Thursday, Kyiv was rocked by a devastating Russian missile and drone attack, described by Ukrainian officials as one of the most brutal strikes on the capital since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia unleashed 70 missiles and 145 drones overnight, targeting several cities across the country.
The barrage on Kyiv left at least nine people dead and over 60 wounded, including six children.
READ ALSO: Suspected Attack: Explosion Strikes Russian Consulate In France
Air raid sirens blared across the capital around 1:00 a.m., warning residents to seek shelter.
Moments later, loud explosions shattered the night, lighting up the sky and shaking buildings. “Phone calls can be heard from under the rubble — the search will continue until we are confident that we have found everyone,” said Interior Minister Igor Klymenko.
He confirmed that two children remained unaccounted for amid the chaos.
Rescue workers scrambled to pull survivors from under collapsed buildings. Fires broke out across multiple apartment blocks, and damage was reported in at least 13 locations.
In one tragic scene in the Sviatoshinsky district, a woman sat on a foldout chair beside a covered body, gently stroking the arm of a loved one killed in the strike.
Nearby, a bloodied woman clutched her dog as a first responder spoke calmly to her, trying to provide comfort amid the destruction.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal condemned the assault in stark terms. “Cruise and ballistic missiles, drones, air bombs — Russia is cruelly and cynically firing missiles at Ukrainian cities, killing people while the world is making efforts to establish peace,” he wrote on social media.
The attack came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his call for a ceasefire. “Stopping the killings is the number one task,” Zelensky stated online following a meeting between his aides and Western officials in London.
However, any momentum toward peace appeared to falter. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to respond to Zelensky’s offer to halt airstrikes on civilian areas and previously dismissed a joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.
“Putin demonstrates through his actions, not words, that he does not respect any peace efforts and only wants to continue the war,” said Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga. Echoing that sentiment, presidential aide Andriy Yermak declared, “Putin shows only a desire to kill.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking hours before the attack, claimed a peace deal with Russia was close.
He blamed Zelensky for stalling negotiations by refusing to accept Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, stating that Ukraine’s position “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field’.”
Meanwhile, Russian forces expanded their offensive to other regions.
In Kharkiv, at least seven missiles struck a densely populated residential district, according to city mayor Igor Terekhov. Russia’s defense ministry also reported downing 87 Ukrainian drones, including 45 over Crimea.
Earlier this month, Russia’s campaign of aerial terror intensified. A missile strike on the city of Sumy killed at least 35 people, while another attack on Zelensky’s hometown, Kryvyi Rih, claimed 19 lives — nine of them children.
JUST IN: Reps Committee Finally Meets Rivers Sole Administrator After Delays
World Bank Appoints Aliko Dangote To Elite Group
Ministry Appoints New Director For DUFUTH, Uburu
CVFF- House of Reps Backs Marine & Blue Economy Ministry
‘Na Dreadlock Dey Cause Insecurity?’ – Daddy Showkey Slams Gov Bago Over Arrest Order
