Connect with us

News

At Iftar With President Tinubu, VP Shettima Urges Reps To Shun Division, Partisanship

Published

on

At Iftar With President Tinubu, VP Shettima Urges Reps To Shun Division, Partisanship

** As House donates ₦705 million to support humanitarian efforts

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on leaders of the National Assembly to uphold the sacred responsibility of leadership and to prioritise unity and national development over political divisions and partisan interests.

He spoke on Monday night when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hosted the leadership and members of the House of Representatives to Iftar (breaking of Ramadan fast) at the New Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the President, VP Shettima urged lawmakers to embrace their responsibility with humility and a shared commitment to progress.

He said, “In the end, history will not judge us by the number of personal battles we fought against one another, but by the bridges we were able to build together. We are gathered here this evening not as adversaries in a contest for power, but as partners in the noble task of nation-building.”

Reflecting on the significance of Ramadan, which coincides with the Lenten season, the Vice President called for deep introspection and a reaffirmation of commitment to Nigeria’s unity.

“This sacred month of reflection and renewal reminds us to choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict, and dialogue over discord. What binds us as a nation is far greater than what divides us,” the Vice President said.

VP Shettima commended President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a man of vision and inclusivity.

According to Senator Shettima, “In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have not just a leader you can trust, but a leader who trusts you. He sees you as stewards of our democracy, as voices of the people, and as partners in our shared aspiration to build a better Nigeria.”

He further assured Nigerians that the government’s economic policies are yielding results and explained that “The economy has turned the corner. We are now on the path to sustained economic growth, and with perseverance, we will create a Nigeria where every citizen can thrive.”

The Vice President also lauded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the House leadership for fostering harmony within the legislature.

“There can be no development without peace, and there can be no peace without development. The unity within the House is a testament to our collective resolve to move Nigeria forward,” he said.

VP Shettima urged the leaders to govern with empathy, fairness, and justice, reminding them that their positions are a sacred trust of the Nigerian people. “Leadership is not about personal gain; it is about service. It is a burden vested in us by God, tested by history, and measured by the impact we leave behind,” he said.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the invitation to break fast with him and for always showing respect and concern for the House of Representatives.

“As we all know, the month of Ramadan entails many things, one of them is reflection; where were you before, where are you now and where do you want to be? I believe Nigeria more than ever before needs this type of reflection,” he said.

Imploring both Christians and Muslims to dedicate this time to praying for the country, the Speaker said Nigerians know what the Tinubu administration has achieved within just two years and this period offers a moment for every Nigerian to reflect and pray for the country – prayers for the economy; prayers for improved security, prayers for the leaders and prayers for the citizens.

He assured that every member of the House of Representatives is in support of the President, noting that the policies of the government are for the betterment of the people and Nigeria as a country.

On behalf of the House of Reps, the Hon. Speaker donated the sum of ₦705,000,000 (Seven Hundred and Five Million Naira), which he said is a six-month fifty per cent deduction from their salaries to augment the humanitarian engagements of Mr President and to support vulnerable people in the country.

At Iftar With President Tinubu, VP Shettima Urges Reps To Shun Division, Partisanship

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Nigeria Adopts Proactive Flood Strategy To Curb Disaster Ahead Of Rainy Season

Published

on

Nigeria Adopts Proactive Flood Strategy To Curb Disaster Ahead Of Rainy Season

** We must act now to protect lives and livelihoods, VP Shettima warns

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that the Federal Government has moved Nigeria’s flood response from reactive disaster relief to proactive preparedness with the launch of the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) on Floods.

According to him, the initiative aligns with global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which emphasises proactive disaster preparedness to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and protect vulnerable communities.

The Vice President, who gave the hint on Tuesday during a meeting of the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) on Floods at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the traditional response of mobilising relief after floods strike is no longer sustainable.

“We cannot afford to wait for disaster to strike before taking action. The human and economic toll of floods in Nigeria has become unbearable. We must act now to protect lives and livelihoods by leveraging science, technology, and collaboration,” VP Shettima stated.

Members of the Task Force include Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, alongside state emergency management agencies and international development partners.

VP Shettima said, “Prevention is always cheaper than response, and investing in early action today will save billions in future losses. We need to strengthen coordination among agencies, engage local communities, and ensure that preparedness efforts are backed by real-time data.”

Earlier in his remarks, United Nations Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, explained that the United States’ suspension of humanitarian funding is a wake-up call for us to be more efficient, adding that “transitioning from reactive aid to anticipatory action is critical.

“As we approach the rainy season, we must factor in these developments and ensure that our interventions are timely and effective,” he further noted.

Also, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, Trond Jensen, commended the initiative, explaining that “a critical part of humanitarian response is anticipatory action; not only are we saving lives and reducing vulnerability, we are doing it more efficiently.”

He further commended the government’s leadership, stating that “we are the vanguard of innovation in anticipatory action, and for that, we are grateful to be your partners.”

Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, narrated ongoing efforts to enhance disaster preparedness, including the development of the Hazard Risk Countrywide Analysis, a document aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s resilience against flooding.

“We have established a national coordination forum, bringing together all relevant agencies to ensure readiness. This effort is based on the seasonal climate predictions from NiMET, ensuring that all stakeholders are on high alert,” Umar said.

Also, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Inna Binta Audu, explained the progress made by the task force, saying it has already conducted substantial work, with extensive data collection spanning three decades.

“Presently, we have collated relevant data going back 30 years to be used for the Anticipatory Action Framework for Nigeria,” she said.

Others who spoke at the meeting included the Directors- General of NiMET and NiHSA, as well as the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka.

Nigeria Adopts Proactive Flood Strategy To Curb Disaster Ahead Of Rainy Season

Continue Reading

News

ECN TRAINS MDAs ON ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Published

on

ECN TRAINS MDAs ON ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

By: Michael Mike

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), on its Energy Management Systems project has trained stakeholders in the Ministries and Agencies in Nigeria for good industrial energy performance and resource efficient Cleaner Production through Programmatic Approaches and the promotion of innovation in Clean Technology solution.

According to the Director General of ECN, Dr. Musthapha Abdulahi, the training was to Promote Innovation in Clean Technology Solutions (NIG IEE/RECP Project), which is being supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Also to strengthen National Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) Policies and Regulatory Frameworks towards the adoption of UNIDO’s Energy Management Systems Standards (EnMS/ESO/ISO 50001) in Nigeria.

He further said “With the increase in energy prices and the environmental impacts of energy consumption, thus the reasons for balanced energy usage and effective energy management towards minimizing energy wastages. It is therefore commendable that this timely training on Energy Management Systems (EnMS) is organized to present a systematic framework for establishing policies, processes, procedures and specific energy-tasks towards meeting an organization’s energy saving targets. The adoption of energy management”

Also at the occasion, the Program Coordinator, Environment and Energy, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Oluyomi Banjo, Commended the ECN for the training, he said
“Globally, industries account for one-third of total energy consumption and for almost 40% of worldwide COz emissions.
The need to reduce energy consumption, environmental degradation, and resource depletion by industries in emerging economies is especially evident, since global growth in industrial production since 1990 has been dominated by emerging economies like India and China, both of which accounted for over 80% of increased industrial production during this period.

“This project was collectively developed and submitted by UNIDO on behalf of Nigeria in 2017 under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 6 programming cycle. It was approved for full project development in 2017 and subsequently approved for full project implementation in 2020. It may interest you to know that for the first time at UNIDO, we are having an integrated Industrial Energy Efficiency and Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production in one project. In South Africa, UNIDO’s project on Industrial Energy Efficiency recently received the best project of the year by the Southern Africa Energy Efficiency Confederation. We look forward to replicating records like this in Nigeria”

That the outcome of this project is targeted at industries to develop an expert base for Nigeria which could also be exported to other countries in Africa and beyond.

ECN TRAINS MDAs ON ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Continue Reading

News

Yobe: Resident accuses government over lack of electricity in Damaturu

Published

on

Yobe: Resident accuses government over lack of electricity in Damaturu

By Yahaya Wakili

A resident of Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, Alhaji Abba Damaturu has accused the Yobe state government of carelessness by allowing the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to treat the people of Damaturu local government and Yobe state as worthless.

Speaking to newsmen in Damaturu, the state capital. Alhaji Abba Damaturu said the people of Damaturu and Yobe state in general are suffering at the hands of YEDC as a result of the supply of power, noting that people are suffering in searching for drinking water, especially in this hot period.

Alhaji Damaturu appealed to media houses and social media to share this message with a view that the innocent people would come in and intervene to come to our aid. He said, “Speaking sincerely, nobody or any company will come and invade Yobe’s secure land and operate a business without the knowledge of the Yobe state government.

“But God gave us some unpatriotic leaders or people who are not petty of their masses; to the best of my knowledge, this is carelessness of government; there is no way that somebody will come and extort money from the people with the intention of doing them something but fail to do it, so everybody knows this is carelessness of government,” Damaturu said.

He said electricity now in Damaturu is beyond the level of a common man; there is no way a poor man will get water for use easily in Damaturu. He added that in the whole of Nigeria, we Yobeans are first or second in abiding by law and order in paying electricity bills promptly, despite that the YEDC refuses to give us light and also collects less than #10,000 from each household monthly.

He accused the YEDC of diverting the electricity to the business moguls area, where they are collecting huge amounts from them, leaving the masses suffering and living the masses in darkness, adding that in some part of Damaturu where they are not getting light constantly, they purchase one kuskus less than #1,000; this is wickedness and laziness of the government.

“Why government would not constituted a law to furnish them, but government live them doing such injustice on us, what offence we committed. The punishment that the YEDC is playing on us is beyond what the punishment of the government doing to us is; all this YEDC gets the lookhold from the government; if you say the government takes drastic action against them, they will not do it again,” he said.

“Let me tell you something: the seamless thing on the face of the Yobe state government is even the Specialist Hospital Damaturu is dependent on YEDC light; they can’t have the generator for 24 hours; they operate the generator for 4 to 5 hours only; if you want to donate blood to a patient, they will tell you there is no light.

He urged the people of Yobe state to join hands together to fight this injustice, which our leaders have done to us. Let’s fight to get our rights; if not, in the future we will become slaves, and if we live in peace in Yobe, if you become their slave, you have no right to flee the state either.

Yobe: Resident accuses government over lack of electricity in Damaturu

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights