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TINUBU ADMINISTRATION MOBILIZES HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR NIGERIA’SFOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION – VP SHETTIMA
TINUBU ADMINISTRATION MOBILIZES HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR NIGERIA’S
FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION – VP SHETTIMA
By: Our Reporter
Nigeria has mobilized over half a billion dollars for innovative, profitable, equitable and sustainable food systems transformation initiative, according to the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President made the disclosure while chairing a high-level meeting on the first day of the UN Food Systems Summit declared open in Rome, Italy by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guteress.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the funds were mobilised “through domestic resources, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, climate funds leading agro-businesses,” and would be used for “Innovation finance for food system transformation; development of Nigeria’s agro value chain and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programmes.”
Explaining further, Sen. Shettima said “in this event, the Government of Nigeria will be showcasing its Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) as a unique example of a successful partnership between producers, the public sector and private operators.”
“The VCDP which is co-funded by the of Nigeria and IFAD has empowered vulnerable farmers and youth to engage into commercial partnerships with some of the biggest food processing and marketing firms in the world such as OLAM, a world leading agri-business company operating in over 60 countries with an annual revenue of about $39.8 billion,” the Vice President added.
Stating the government’s vision about ending hunger, the VP added that “building on the success of the VCDP, the Federal Government is determined to capacitate Nigeria’s rural smallholders and operators, youth and women living below the poverty line to take advantage of the new Special Processing Zones.”
On the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), Vice President Shettima said it “brings together local governments, IFAD, AfDB, IsDB, GCF, OLAM and other private actors alongside the government of Nigeria for transformative financing of food systems that leaves no-one behind.”
While featuring in the panel discussion with the Prime Minister of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud; Deputy President of Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua; and Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Ouhoudou Mahamadou, the VP said President Tinubu “is determined to transform the concept and meaning of modern governance” by demonstrating commitment towards the food system in the country.
According to him, “President Tinubu hit the ground running from day one of his administration, which is barely two months in office, and has therefore declared state of emergency in food security and took it as a livelihood item within the National Security Council.”
On removing impediments to economic recovery, he said “we had two albatrosses around our necks: subsidy on petrol and multiple exchange rates system.
“We withdrew the subsidy on petrol from day one, just like President Ruto did in Kenya. To mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal, the government embarked on the immediate release of grains and fertilizers.
“A commodity marketing board has been put in place to continuously review and monitor the prices of food items.”
“Along this way, the President has already approved the infusion of huge quantum of funds towards repositioning of our security architecture because we have similar problems with Somalia and Kenya, especially in the northeast and northwest regions of the country. We are repositioning our security architecture to provide support for farms and farmers.”
In attendance were the President of IFAD, Dr. Alvaro Lario, H.E. Muhammad Suleiman Al Jasser, President of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Vice President of AfDB, Mrs. Hassatau N’Sele, Vice President of OLAM International Mr. Reji George and Vice President, Commodity Aaliance Forum (Representative of farmers) Mrs Ejim Lovelyn.
Declaring the Summit open, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guteress commended the participating countries for their commitment to addressing the problems of hunger and malnutrition.
“This is the gathering about food system. It is essentially to fulfill those basic of human rights – the right to food. It is outrageous that people continue to suffer in the world of plenty,” the UN scribe stated.
The Vice President also had bilateral meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. Both leaders discussed issues about the development of the two countries.
The Vice President was accompanied to the meeting by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Italy, Mfawa Abam and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, and other senior government officials.
TINUBU ADMINISTRATION MOBILIZES HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FOR NIGERIA’S
FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION – VP SHETTIMA
Troops rescue two kidnapped victims in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 1 under Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have rescued two kidnapped victims in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
Security sources said the incident occurred at about 3:50 a.m. on April 15 when troops deployed at Kyado responded to a distress call on kidnapping activities in the area.
According to the sources, the troops swiftly moved to the scene, prompting the kidnappers to abandon their victims and flee.
The sources added that the troops successfully rescued the two victims and reunited them with their families.
Security operations have been intensified in the area to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further incidents.
Troops rescue two kidnapped victims in Benue
Troops arrest bandit kingpin’s Deputy, wife in Gombe following intelligence operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops have arrested the second-in-command to a notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Auta, alongside his wife in Gombe State following an intelligence-led tracking operation across multiple locations.
Sources said the suspects, identified as Bala, popularly known as “Pakapaka,” and his wife, Zulaha Bala, were intercepted after fleeing from Dajin Madam Forest in Plateau State.
According to the sources, the arrests were the result of sustained intelligence surveillance and coordinated ground tracking by security operatives targeting fleeing members of the criminal network.
The suspects are currently in custody and undergoing interrogation to determine their level of involvement in the group’s activities and possible connections with other cells operating within and outside the region.
In a related development, troops conducted follow-up patrols around Bayar village in the Duguri axis after intelligence indicated that the main bandit kingpin had fled into the area.
However, no contact was made during the search operation.
Security sources said troops have continued to dominate the general area with sustained patrols aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of movement and disrupting their operational networks across Plateau, Taraba, and adjoining states.
Troops arrest bandit kingpin’s Deputy, wife in Gombe following intelligence operation
Troops rescue 12 kidnapped victims, arrest kingpin’s aides in Plateau–Taraba forest operations
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops conducting ongoing clearance operations under Operation Wutan Daji have rescued 12 kidnapped victims and arrested key associates of a fleeing bandit leader during coordinated offensives across forested areas linking Plateau and Taraba States.
A military source said the operations, carried out on April 15 and 16, involved troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade in conjunction with an Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) tactical team.
According to the source, the operations were conducted in the Dajin Madam and Kumbodoro forest axis, spanning parts of Plateau and Taraba States.
The source said the sustained offensive led to the recovery of 12 kidnapped victims who escaped from their captors during the pressure mounted by troops.
The victims were subsequently taken into custody for profiling before being moved to an Internally Displaced Persons facility in Fukuk.
Troops also recovered a Dane gun, a fabricated AK-47 rifle and a power bank during the operation.
Troops rescue 12 kidnapped victims, arrest kingpin’s aides in Plateau–Taraba forest operations
Troops rescue two kidnapped victims in Benue
Troops arrest suspected ammunition racketeer in Cross River
Troops arrest bandit kingpin’s Deputy, wife in Gombe following intelligence operation
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