ACTING CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF COMMISSIONS NIGERIAN ARMY CIVIL MILITARY COOPERATION SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROJECT IN ITESIWAJU COMMUNITY ILORIN

By: Our Reporter

The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, was at Itesiwaju Community in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday 26 November, 2024 to commission twin blocks of class rooms and offices for Itesiwaju Community Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) Primary School, Idi – Igba Were, Akerebiata, Ilorin. The Project, which also include; installation of sola lights, construction of restroom facilities, desks and chairs, are amongst several Nigerian Army (NA) Special Intervention Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Projects sponsored by the COAS, and executed across Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Acting COAS, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division NA, Major General Obinna Onubogu, stated that the NA recognizes the importance of the people as essential partners in progress; appreciating its great influence through non – kinetic operations. He said that the scheme is one of many initiatives of the NA, aimed at gaining the support and cooperation of the people towards achieving good results in its activities. He appreciated the good people of Ilorin and the entire Kwara State for their unwavering support to the NA.

Speaking further, the Acting Army Chief, described the scheme as designed to draw development to communities of NA senior officers who through their selfless service to the nation, rose to the enviable rank of Major Generals. “The initiative is also geared towards fostering and improving Civil – Military Relations. Thus, the projects executed by these Generals on behalf of the NA are carefully selected and executed so as to improve the well – being of people in their communities”, he said. He also noted that the NA has commissioned well over 250 similar CIMIC projects across the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the amenities provided at Itesiwaju Community School would create supportive and conducive environment to deliver quality education to children and guide them towards achieving success in their endeavours.

He appreciated the project executor, Major General Bamidele Alabi, for the exceptionally quality work he did for the community, while thanking the school management, community leaders, and the entire community for the support given to him during the different stages of the project. He charged them to ensure good maintenance and maximum use of the facilities.

General Oluyede, promised that the NA will continue to collaborate with other security agencies to deal with security challenges bedeviling Nigeria through kinetic and non – kinetic lines of operations. He thanked the President, Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his unflinching strategic guidance and invaluable support to the NA, reassuring Nigerians of unwavering loyalty of officers and soldiers to the President, the nation, and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Chief of Civil Military Affairs (CCMA) – Army, Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, who also made remarks during the event, stated that “the commissioning ceremony, provides a platform to showcase that aspect of the NA’s non – kinetic operations intended to strengthen engagement with communities, boost awareness of Nigerian Army activities, and build a culture of natural trust and cooperation essential for our collective security and prosperity”, General Ugbo, further expressed confidence that the project would provide the targeted beneficiaries with quality education in a conducive learning environment, and empower them to compete with their peers globally and as well, contribute to building the desired Nigeria. He appreciated Major General Alabi for the good job, attributing the high standards to his unrelenting passion to bring development to his community and beyond. He urged students, teachers of Itesiwaju LGEA Primary School, and the entire community to make judicious use of the facilities provided.

The Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, CON, was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Security, Alhaji Muyideen Aliyu. While appreciating the project executor, he thanked the COAS and the entire NA for the project, and also for sustaining the security of the entire nation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the project executor, Major General Bamidele Alabi, described the project as laudable, saying it was an honour for him to have executed it for the benefit of the school and entire Itesiwaju Community. He welcomed the representative of the Special Guest of Honour (SGoH), thanking the Acting COAS for the initiative and for considering him worthy for the project. He also appreciated the representative of the Governor, and all dignitaries who graced the occasion. “The NA has continued to play pivotal role in ensuring peace and security for economic development to thrive in our beloved country. This initiative therefore serves as a humble reminder that the NA is for the people and will also support developments that will improve the well – being of Nigerians”, General Alabi said. He further appreciated the CCMA, for his immense support and for sustaining efforts towards spreading NA’s Special Intervention CIMIC Projects across the entire nation.

General Alabi, also expressed gratitude to the Governor for his good works towards growth, development, peace and security of Kwara, while thanking the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Sulu gambari CFR, for his exemplary leadership and continuous drive towards attracting progress to Ilorin and Kwara State as a whole. He charged the staff and pupils of Itesiwaju Community LGEA Primary School, and the entire community to take ownership of the school and ensure the facilities provided are put in good use and well maintained.

The historic event witnessed several Government Officials, Royal Fathers and other Dignitaries who took turns to deliver goodwill messages in appreciation of the NA for sponsoring the CIMIC project in Itesiwaju as well as others across the nation. There were cultural displays, commissioning of the project, tour of facilities, and presentation of souvenirs as highpoints of the event.

ACTING CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF COMMISSIONS NIGERIAN ARMY CIVIL MILITARY COOPERATION SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROJECT IN ITESIWAJU COMMUNITY ILORIN

AfDB Seeks $42 billion to Bridge Financing Gap Hindering African Women Enterprises

By: Michael Mike

The African Development Bank (ADB) has said it is presently seeking $42 billion to bridge the current financing gap hindering women-owned and women-led enterprises across the Africa continent.

The Director General, Nigerian Country Department of the bank, Dr Abdul Kamara made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja
at the High-Level Dialogue on Investment in Gender Equality and Ending Violence Against Women for Rights and Development organised by United Nations Women in partnership with ADB.

The event is part of the global “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign, which runs from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10th (Human Rights Day).

It brought together key stakeholders to address the pressing issue of gender-based violence in Nigeria, where women and girls continue to face various forms of discrimination and violence.

Kamara said the bank has a very clear stance on Gender Based Violence (GBV), stating that in 2024, ADB celebrated 25 years of gender mainstreaming in all its operations geared towards evidence based reduction in gender gaps and more importantly, in accelerating gender equality.

He said: “One area where the bank has made very visible impact in the economic empowerment in the last seven years is increasing access to finance through a special initiative called AFAWA which is an acronym for Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa.

“In the context of this Pan African Initiative, the African Development Bank seeks to bridge the financing gap of $42 billion currently hindering women-owned and women-led enterprises across the continent and I am glad to report that we disbursed over a billion dollars of this across Africa, seeking to increase access to finance for women.

“This is just one among many initiatives of the bank that are responding directly to the problem gender equality. In Nigeria, all our programmes and projects are gender mapped and have gender experts working with the government to design actions that will bridge gender gaps, looking to access to financing for women, access to market, access skills but most importantly access to jobs and incomes.

“Just last month, we approve here in the bank, $100 million in the programme called Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank for Nigeria. This is a non deposit bank, it is an access to finance. This operation will improve gender responsive, youth entrepreneurship and enterprise development by boosting financial services to foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and affirmative action for jobs focusing on women,” he said.

In his remarks, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu said GBV was a growing concern that required immediate attention and collective action, noting that despite progress made toward dealing with violence, women and girls continue to face violence, discrimination and marginalisation.

Bagudu, who was represented by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Vitalis Obi, said empowering women was crucial to breaking this cycle of violence and that can be done by creating and promoting gender responsive policies as well as practices.

He said: “We must take decisive action to prevent and protect our women from all forms of violence and to create a society where everyone feels safe irrespective of their gender. One of the ways by which we can bridge this persistent gap is by institutionalising gender responsive budgeting in all sectors of the economy.

“Gender responsive budgeting is the strategic approach that integrates gender perspectives into the entire budget cycle. Allocate adequate resources to the programmes that will address GBV, women empowerment and education,” he said.

On her part, the Chairperson, Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum, Prof. Olufolake Abdul-Razaq, said they remained steadfast in advocating gender responsive budgeting across the 36 states and FCT, spending institutional framework that integrate gender perspectives and championing initiatives to protect women rights.

The Kwara State First Lady said the forum was firmly committed to ensuring that all gender laws become a cornerstone of governance at the sub-national levels, adding that the well-being of women and girls remained a pivotal indicator of how well any nation was faring in driving her developmental plan.

“It is time to address the structural barriers that perpetrate inequality for women and girls to reach their full potentials. This is my believe and it is not only an act of justice but a strategic investment in resilience and productivity of our nation as this no doubt stands as a veritable gift to commemorate the 2024 16 days of activism against GBV.

“The Nigerian Governors Spouses Forum really made an effort in the last couple of years…We are also working to get women into leadership because we believe that when women are in leadership position they will help us to sustain this drive of bringing developments to women,” she added.

In her opening remarks, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, said GBV was not just a human rights issue but also an economic issue a statistics showed that the menace was costing the Nigerian government 1.5% of its Gross Domestic Product.

“We are talking in terms of billions of dollars that the country is losing every year because of Gender Based Violence. So Gender Based Violence is linked to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. So if we do nothing, we will not get out of poverty and we will not get sustainable development.

“The World Economic Forum estimated in its global gender gaps report of 2022 that it will take about 132 years for the world to achieve gender equality. What does this mean for Nigeria? At this space, some of us, including our daughters might not experience gender equality in their time.

“This is therefore a call to collective actions by all international organisations, government agencies, community stakeholders and even the private sector to address the under-representation of women and barriers to gender equality,” she noted.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria Mohammed Fall, on his part said: “Gender inequality and violence against women remain among the greatest challenges to sustainable development, not just in Nigeria but globally. These issues incur heavy costs—socially, economically, and individually—limiting our collective potential for progress.”

He added that: “Violence and harmful practices against women and girls happen every day in Nigeria, and most of the time they are not reported. The Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey in 2018 found that 9 percent of women aged 15 to 49 had suffered sexual assault at least once in their lifetime and 31% had experienced physical violence. Restrictions and implications from the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the gender-based violence (GBV) in the nation.”

He said: “The United Nations remains steadfast in its support for Nigeria’s journey towards creating an inclusive society where every woman and girl can thrive. We are committed to coordinating partnerships, providing technical expertise, and facilitating dialogues to ensure measurable impacts in Nigeria.”

AfDB Seeks $42 billion to Bridge Financing Gap Hindering African Women Enterprises

NSCDC PARTNERS ICPC INAUGURATES ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY UNIT REITERATES COMMITMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY TO ENHANCE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant General; Dr. Ahmed Audi has assured of his continued commitment to justify the existence of the Corps by bringing credibility and integrity into place in order to foster national development.

Audi gave the assurance while inaugurating and inducting officers of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU); he equally launched the Whistleblowing policy and procedure and unveiled the ACTU logo.

The CG who also delivered a keynote address during a 2-day Training Programme tagged: Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure, Unveiling of the NSCDC ACTU Logo, and Inauguration of ACTU members in Abuja, said this pragmatic move will advanced transformative system that would encourage reporting of unethical practices that contravene the Corps’ Standard Operating Procedures but rather enhance accountability, protect whistleblowers, ensure prompt and fair investigation of reported cases amongst others.

Audi was represented by Deputy Commandant General in charge of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI); DCG Mohammed Lawal Haruna, fdc, who lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for providing equitable avenue and resources for the Corps’ to thrive in the face of challenges.

He further hinted that since the appointment of the current Minister of Interior, Hon (Dr) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the NSCDC has experienced positive transformation and change of narratives.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN commended the NSCDC for such an apt and timely programme noting that ACTU serves a critical mechanism for ensuring compliance with Anti-Corruption standards and values of Integrity.

The ICPC Chairman who was represented by Mr Olusegun Adigun, fsi, further charged the new inductees to approach their responsibilities with night level of professionalism, impartiality and deep sense of duty even as he assured of them of the commission’s technical and operational support.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the NSCDC ACTU Chairperson, Acting Commandant Audrey Obe, explained that the unit is charged with the formidable task of promoting ethical practices, uncovering corrupt activities and reinforcing acceptability mechanisms within the Corps.

“To tackle corruption effectively in any system; there is need to implement robust measures that promotes training, education and institutionalization of checks and balances”.

In the highpoint of the event, there were inauguration of 10 NSCDC ACTU member with administration of Oath of Allegiance by Mrs Nkem Ezenwa of the ICPC, also goodwill messages were delivered by guests from different agencies and formal presentation of Operational Manual by the Chairman of ICPC to the CG was also made.

NSCDC PARTNERS ICPC INAUGURATES ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY UNIT REITERATES COMMITMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY TO ENHANCE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT