National News
Protest: Government Priority Should be to Eradicate Poverty
Protest: Government Priority Should be to Eradicate Poverty
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid Nigeria has said the priority of government should be to take suffering far away from citizens, insisting that government policies should tend toward eradicating poverty.
The non governmental organisation (NGO) lamented that the rate of injustice and poverty in Nigeria is an eyesore, noting that the interplay of these factors has not only fractured the nation along ethnic diversity with dire consequences of civil unrest, leading to many of social upheavals the citizens are facing today.
In an effort to put this issue in perspectives, ActionAid Nigeria on Thursday launched its new 10-year Country Strategy Paper (CSP), titled “Citizens’ Action to End Poverty and Injustice 2024-2034.”
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of ActionAid, Andrew Mamedu highlighted the role government needs to play in making sure that citizens enjoy equal right.
He said, “The CSP builds on our many years of work in Nigeria. It is founded on the lessons learnt in implementing previous CSPs and programming in Nigeria. Each of these strategies reflected the context with an appropriate response within the period it operated. Our first two strategies focused on the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty and our analysis of the roles of stakeholders, including citizens and Government in responding to poverty”.
He added: @Our third strategy, Take Action: End Poverty recognised the role of business in influencing and/or deepening poverty. Hence, we prioritised pushing for progressive taxation to support the government’s drive to generate resources to fund social sectors among other actions. In the last CSP, Social Justice to End Poverty, we took our first step in working more with allies and social movements to advance social justice and poverty eradication. We have learnt that poverty is multifaceted and cannot be compartmentalised and requires a more nuanced approach.
“In this CSP, we are deepening our engagement and focusing on responding to multidimensional poverty, seeing how poverty and injustice are weaponised against the poor and excluded.
As a learning organisation, we strongly believe that the current Nigerian context would require us to innovate through a social movement mindset in acting to address the multidimensional poverty that we face as a country.“
Founding Executive Director,
African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Abuja, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, in his keynote address said: “The country is facing huge political, economic and social challenges. Scholars have identified the challenges to include among other things poor leadership; bad followership; poor strategy for development; lack of capable and effective state and bureaucracy; lack of focus on sectors that will improve the condition of living of citizens such as education, health, agriculture and the building of infrastructure; corruption; undeveloped, irresponsible and parasitic private sector; weak civil society; emasculated labour and student movement and poor execution of policies and programmes.”
He noted that: “Inspite of these challenges, the ruling elite have continued with business-as-usual mode. The Federal Government in 2023 inaugurated the largest cabinet in Nigeria’s history. They used N21 billion to renovate the Vice-President’s house. The length of convoy, lifestyle and public posturing of the ruling elite does not reflect the reality of majority of Nigerians.
“Only a few days ago, there was a national protest against bad governance. Despite the best efforts of progressive forces in Nigeria, poverty and injustice remains a huge challenge. This is why there is the need to revisit the path to poverty eradication and social justice.”
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said in his speech that,”In our Constitution fundamental objectives and Directive Principles of state which contain the economic, political and social objective, stated in our Constitution are responsibility of government and that makes our ministry the agency that is responsible for advising how those fundamental objectives can be achieved and to mobilize other stakeholders and groups. Poverty, regrettably, is still a major factor.”
Protest: Government Priority Should be to Eradicate Poverty
Chinese Embassy Mourns Buhari
By: Michael Mike
The Chinese Embassy has mourned the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Embassy in a message on X commiserate with the government and the people of Nigeria.
The message read: “The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria extends our deepest condolences to the people of Nigeria on the passing of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), Former President of Nigeria.
“We mourn a resolute leader whose unwavering dedication to Nigeria’s unity and progress leaves an enduring legacy.
“His pivotal contributions to advancing China-Nigeria relations will forever remain etched in our shared history. Our thoughts are with his family and Nigerian people.”
Chinese Embassy Mourns Buhari
National News
NTAC DG Mourns Former President BuhariAdvocates the Naming of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, after the Deceased
NTAC DG Mourns Former President Buhari
Advocates the Naming of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, after the Deceased
By: Michael Mike
Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub has joined numerous individuals, groups and countries across the globe to mourn the passing of Nigeria ‘s former President, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Retd) who passed away at 82.
In a message he personally signed and made available to the public, late Sunday, the former lawmaker said the entire nation was particularly saddened by the sudden passing of a man who gave his all to Nigeria as a soldier, a politician, a mentor to many as well as a nationalist.
Yakub, who emphasized that the former Nigerian leader, would forever live in the hearts and minds of generations of Nigerians who knew him and those who would, eventually, read about his incorruptibility and altruistic approach to service, conveyed heartfelt sympathies to President Tinubu, the former President’s immediate family and to all Nigerians.
Yakub message read in part: “On behalf of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) and its Management, I convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, government and good people of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“While we mourn this great soldier, nationalist and Leader, we remember his dedication to democracy, regional stability, and the unity of Nigeria, as well as his unwavering commitment to the anti-corruption crusade, which endeared him to many Nigerians.”
The NTAC boss while praying for the forgiveness of the sins of Buhari, suggested
that a great national monument, like the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, be named after the late leader.
He said: ” May Allah grant him Aljana firdausi and grant his family and entire Nigerians the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Born in Daura, Katsina State in 1942,the former President distinguished himself as a soldier,a politician and a national hero of all time.Having held the position of Nigerian leader twice, a Federal Commissioner of Petroleum,a Military Governor of what is today the Northeast Geopolitical Zone as well as the head of Abacha’s development behemoth,the Petroleum Trust Fund,among others, Buhari in service was acknowledged to have lived above board and held his head high as an incorruptible Nigerian.
He will be remembered more by the principles he espoused in leadership than the monuments he built for self, kith or kin.
NTAC DG Mourns Former President Buhari
Advocates the Naming of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, after the Deceased
Tuggar: Buhari was a Statesman of Uncommon Integrity
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has described late President Muhammadu Buhari as a statesman of uncommon integrity, and a towering figure in our nation’s history.
The Minister gave this description in an official condolence message on Sunday.
The message read: “It is with profound sorrow and a deep sense of national loss that I mourn the passing of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR — former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a statesman of uncommon integrity, and a towering figure in our nation’s history.
“President Buhari served Nigeria with unwavering dedication, both in uniform and in civilian leadership. His legacy is marked by a lifelong commitment to discipline, national unity, and the fight against corruption. His calm resolve in moments of turbulence and his steadfast belief in the promise of Nigeria will continue to inspire generations.
“At home and abroad, he was a symbol of Nigeria’s strength and dignity — a leader who carried the burdens of state with humility and a deep sense of duty.
“When President Muhammadu Buhari spoke at his inauguration in 2015, he said: ‘I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.’ He was sending a signal not just to Nigerians, but also to the region, to Africa and the world. He was not for sale, Nigeria was not for sale, Africa was not for sale. He was a soldier by training and a patriot by instinct – and a committed champion of democracy: he was instrumental in the peaceful resolution of Gambia’s electoral crisis in 2016, and an unprecedented transfer of power. He worked tirelessly to support regional efforts to roll back the scourge of violent extremism in the Sahel, just as in the 1980s he supported the liberation movements fighting for democracy in South Africa and Namibia.
“He was committed to the rules-based international order and worked to deepen ties between Nigeria and ECOWAS, the AU, UN and Commonwealth, and was a firm advocate of institutional reform. He had friends and allies in the four corners of the globe, but national interest always trumped sentiment: he bought fighter planes from the US, fertiliser from Russia and sealing the gas pipeline deal with Morocco. Nigeria has lost a dedicated patriot; Africa has lost a noble son. We salute you.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s diplomatic community, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, the Government and People of Nigeria, and all who mourn this irreparable loss.
“May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus.”
Tuggar: Buhari was a Statesman of Uncommon Integrity
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NTAC DG Mourns Buhari, Conveys Sympathies to President Tinubu, Nigerians
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