Cabinet Reshufflement: Group urges Tinubu to consider El Rufai, Shehu Sanni, others

By: Michael Mike

As President Bola Tinubu has made his intention to reshuffle his cabinet in order for service delivery and success, a group, Mandate Protection Vanguard (MPV), has said that there is urgent need for him to consider experienced and highly skillful personnel as ministers in the coming cabinet.

The group, in a statement signed by its co-ordinator, Comrade Gbenga Soloki and made available to the media on Thursday, said that there is no doubt that, several egg heads abound across the six geo-political zones that can add value and acceptability to the government

Soloki in the statement, said: “While no one is begrudging Mr. President for appointing politicians and close allies as ministers and ministers of state, there are several other qualified Nigerians who have excelled in both private and public services, while some have served at the state level, others have been privileged to operate at the federal level

“The present economic challenges in the country deserve the services of credible and economically savvy ministers, who can deliver on their core areas of competence in order to make the programmes and projects of the administration popular and to achieve far reaching end result that will ultimately rescue the country out of the present quagmire.

“Firstly on the list of would- be candidates for the new appointment is one time minister of power in Nigeria, Prof Bart Nnaji. No doubt, Bart Nnaji is a seasoned administrator, who is also experienced in power generation sector.

“He is a professor of Electrical Engineering, who was minister of power, special adviser on power to the president and was the Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

“Another candidate is Ojo Samuel Olukunle, a seasoned technocrat, public servant, well experienced in public policy formulation & implementation. He is Harvard -certified public administrator, well experienced in general administration, public finance & budgeting.

“He was a permanent secretary for years in Lagos State Governor’s Office from where He was subsequently appointed a Chief of Staff to the state governor human capital development and this was one of his key legacies he left behind in that office. He is a competent administrator and expert in finance,” the statement read.

The group also suggested Senator Adeleke Mamora, a medical doctor, a former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, a senator and former minister in the Buhari regime.

According to the statement, Dr. Mamora is a cool headed professional medical doctor with vast experience and considerable attachment to his callings.

Also suggested was Mallam El Rufai, who the group described as a cerebral politician from the northern part of the country, saying that though trained as a quantity surveyor, he obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

“He was Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, minister of Federal Capital Territory and the immediate past Governor of Kaduna state.”

The statement said: “Another person is Senator Shehu Sanni, who is one of the few characters from the northern part of the country that joined forces with pro-democracy Activists to fight for the restoration of democratic rule in the country.

“He, alongside the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, was part of the people who chased away the military from the corridors of power in the country. His stint in the senate witnessed several developmental interventions, bills and motions. He understands the problems plaguing this nation and he can also proffer the needed solutions where necessary.”

Cabinet Reshufflement: Group urges Tinubu to consider El Rufai, Shehu Sanni, others

It is Imperative for Nigeria to Move to Circular Economy- NESREA

By: Michael Mike

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has said it is imperative for Nigeria to move from linear economy to circular economy in order to join the ranks of developed countries.

Speaking at a media dialogue on circular economy, the Director General of NESREA Dr. Innocent Barikor while noting that the dialogue is intended to further deepen media knowledge and understanding of the concept of circular economy, said it has become obvious that Nigeria can not solely depends on linear economy to sustain the high economy demands and development set out to transform Nigeria from underdeveloped to developed country.

He explained that it was on this perimeter that the NESREA organised a media dialogue to acquaint the media with the concept of circular economy and its implementation in the country, highlighting key initiatives and strategies to enhance sustainability, reduce waste, mitigate environmental impacts and promote green growth in Nigeria.

He said: “This has become very essential as we continue to work together to promote sustainable development of our dear country. Circular Economy is a model which transforms the way we produce , consume and dispose of resources. It is a sustainable economy model that aims to reduce waste and the consumption of resources by promoting the reuse, recycling, and refurbishment of products. It seeks to keep products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible, minimizing waste and pollution.”

He further explained that: “Nigeria has since embraced the circular economy model, with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) spearheading the initiative. Through its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, the Agency has launched the implementation of circular economy principles nationwide. The Programme places an emphasis on shared responsibility, sustainability and environmental stewardship. It effectively extends the responsibility of manufacturers, producers and importers beyond production and sales, and makes them responsible for the total life cycle of their products. Under the take-back mechanism, the EPR ensures that these products do not end up in the dump sites but rather become secondary raw materials for some other products”.

The Director, Partnership and Education, NESREA, Mrs Bintu Kolo Mohammed in her welcome address said: “Circular Economy represents more than just a shift in how we manage resources; it’s a fundamental change in how we think about our relationship with the environment. It is a departure from the linear model “take-make-use-dispose” to a model which allows us to re-design our products so that they can be reused, recycled, refurbished and repurposed in a way that helps to regenerate our natural resources in a closed loop.

“Thus, media parley is necessary to drive home the idea, the dissemination of information which make the media critical stakeholders in the environment sector, and as such, it becomes very necessary to constantly update journalist with information on recent happenings in the sector.”

She said: “There is no doubt that there is a lot of advantages in embracing this idea, One of the main benefits of the circular economy is also the fact that it helps protect both humans and planets.It also reduce the impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, waste) on natural systems and biodiversity while promoting sustainable development and producing wealth and jobs.

“This approach helps reduce the strain on natural resources, minimize waste generation, and lower the environmental impact of production and consumption. Adopting circular economy principles can lead to a more sustainable and prosperous future by generating economic, social, and environmental benefits for both businesses and society as a whole.”

Zulum flags off construction of 500 houses in Wala

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has flagged off the construction of 500 housing units in Wala town of Gwoza Local Government Area.
 
This is aimed at providing shelter for families displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.
 
Performing the foundation laying in Wala community on Wednesday, Zulum stated that the housing estate would have facilities such as a hospital, school and water points, among other essential infrastructure.
 
“In fulfilment of our electioneering campaign promise to resettle communities displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, we are flagging off the construction of 500 houses through our stabilisation facility,” Zulum said.
 
The governor charged the contractors to ensure quality work, warning that his administration would not tolerate substandard work from anyone.
 
“Most of the contractors are from Gwoza Local Government Area and by extension, members of this community. This is part of our resolve to encourage local contractors, thereby stimulating the economy at the grassroots level.
 
“I want to see quality work. Let me be clear to all of you: we will not condone anything less than good work,” the governor said.
 
The event was attended by the member representing Gwoza at the State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Buba Abatcha; the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele; the chairman of Gwoza Local Government Area, Abba Kawu Idrisa Timta; the chairman of the Borno Social Investment, Alhaji Yuguda Vungas and other senior government officials.

In another development, Governor Zulum has approved a N50 million empowerment package for 1,000 women farmers in the state to enable them to regain their sources of livelihood.
 
Each of the women farmers would receive N50,000.

Zulum flags off construction of 500 houses in Wala