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UN, FG Sign Framework to Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges

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UN, FG Sign Framework to Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations (UN) and Nigeria have signed the Cooperation Framework to address some of the greatest challenges in the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale explained that the Cooperation Framework can be seen as the UN’s response to the Government’s plea to support it in addressing Nigeria’s greatest challenges which have been laid out in the current National Development Plan. 

He said for instance, by 2025 the Government aims to create 21 million full-time jobs, lift 35 million people out of poverty, and get 5.5 million out-of-school children back into education.

Schmale said: “Your challenges are our challenges, so supporting the Government to overcome these are the focus of our ambitious package of Transformative Initiatives. This is all about synergy, meaning working together in a way that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately.

UN, FG Sign Framework to Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges

He added that: “We must remember that the Charter of the UN starts with “We the Peoples of the United Nations”, which means that we must meet the development aspirations of Nigerian people where they are. We must work on translating the general framework into impactful results for people at local levels.”

He explained that: “What the UN brings to the table to address these challenges is its convening power – including providing safe space for dialogue -, its knowledge base, and its ability to attract some investment.

“The Cooperation Framework unifies our UN agencies’ individiual missions and mandates into a single vision. The aim is to bring the full capacities of the System together to better address the Government’s priorities and the people’s needs.”

He noted that: “The 19 UN agencies who are signatories to the Cooperation Framework must work as efficiently and collectively as possible. This will require sharing resources for the collective good and enhancing our role as a go to trusted advisor for Government and others.”

Schmale asked the Steering Committee which was inaugurated that: “the Cooperation Framework is the main point of reference for our duties of oversight, accountability, and guidance.

“With the Committee set to meet regularly throughout the five-year implementation period, Committee members and the four or more Results Groups reporting into it can reach for this document when assessing progress towards the SDGs, checking alignment with national plans, or identifying gaps in programming. To keep us on course we need your steady hand on the wheel, and, in the Cooperation Framework, you have the map of our route.

“As it stands, we all need to accelerate our current efforts because Nigeria is not on track to achieve the 2030 Agenda. After the disruptions and difficulties caused by COVID-19 and war in Ukraine, we need to quickly begin implementing the new Cooperation Framework.”

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Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba said the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework was a strategic framework that would assist Nigeria in addressing development and humanitarian challenges, leveraging UN leadership, comparative advantages and capacity assessment.

According to him, “Nigeria is presently in the fifth and final year of the current United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework,” adding that, “with 2023 on the near horizon, it is time to look to the next stage of our development journey.”

Agba noted that United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2027) had been conceived to support the Government and people of Nigeria in their development aspirations for the next five years.

“It is heartwarming to note the extensive collaboration in the development of the framework with valuable inputs from our Ministries, Agencies and Departments, as well as UN Agencies, Academia, Civil Society, the Private Sector, and other key stakeholders.

“The preparation of the document passed through an open and transparent process which inspires confidence and ensures that we are all rowing in the same direction.

“The all-inclusive engagements are akin to those undertaken in the development of Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021-2025) which the about-to-be-signed-Cooperation-Framework, fits into.

“The avowed mantra of the United Nations to ‘leave no one behind’ is in tandem with the objective of President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to lift hundred million Nigerians out of poverty.”

UN, FG Sign Framework to Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges

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ECOWAS Decries Paucity of Electricity in Rural West Africa Says It Stands at 10%

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ECOWAS Decries Paucity of Electricity in Rural West Africa Says It Stands at 10%

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has decried the paucity of electricity in rural West African communities, stating that it stands at paltry 10 per cent as of 2023.

The regional bloc said this was notwithstanding the general increase in electricity from 45 per cent in 2019 to an average of 53 per cent in 2023 in the subregion.

ECOWAS Commissioner of Infrastructure, Energy & Digitalization, Mr Sediko Douka, made the disclosure on Thursday at the weekly press conference of the regional bloc in Abuja.

He said: “The energy sector, which is one of ECOWAS’s main areas of action, has an installed production capacity of 25,421 GW, distributed as follows: 77% thermal, 22% hydro, 1% solar/wind.

“The rate of access to electricity has increased from 45% in 2019 to an average of 53% in 2023.

“Despite this increase, there were significant disparities as the electricity access rate in rural areas is standing at only 10%,” he said.

He lamented that the electric sector also faced a low level of intra-regional electricity exchanges which he put at 9 per cent.

The ECOWAS commissioner said electricity prices in the West African region remain very high (0.24 USD = 150 FCFA/kWh), negatively impacting economic development, especially industrial development.

He said to address these challenges, “ECOWAS set up specialized agencies in the field of energy, namely, the West African Power Pool (WAPP) in Cotonou, Benin, the Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) in Accra, Ghana, the Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in Praia, Cape Verde, and the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) in Abuja, Nigeria.”

Douka also disclosed that other measures taken by ECOWAS to address the challenges include the implementation of the WAPP Master Plan for regional power generation and transmission facilities for 2019-2033: 75 regional projects worth USD 36 billion to build 23,000 km of power interconnection lines and generate 16,000 MW.

Other interventions, he said were the launching and operationalization of the Regional Electricity Market in 2018, the promotion of renewable energies, and electricity access programmes for both on-grid and off-grid networks.

ECOWAS Decries Paucity of Electricity in Rural West Africa Says It Stands at 10%

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President Tinubu Passionate About Enhanced Healthcare Delivery – VP Shettima

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President Tinubu Passionate About Enhanced Healthcare Delivery – VP Shettima

  • Says FG will explore private sector partnership on training of health workers

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, has identified enhanced healthcare delivery as a top priority in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed hope administration.

Accordingly, he said that the Federal Government will support the training of personnel in its teaching hospitals and other tertiary health institutions in the country to meet emerging challenges of healthcare delivery.

The Vice President gave the assurance on Wednesday when he received in audience at the Presidential Villa, the management of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) led by its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo.

Sen. Shettima who commended the current management of the institution for the giant strides recorded over the years said the current administration is committed to supporting human capacity development in hospitals across the country.

He said, “Training is very essential; we will explore all available windows to support UMTH and other teaching hospitals in the country in the training of their personnel. We will see how our partnership with the private sector can be helpful in this regard.”

“I want to commend the CMD and his team for providing quality leadership to the hospital and all of their subordinates. There have been remarkable improvements witnessed at UMTH since his assumption of duty.

“In terms of staff morale, capacity building and the general outlook of the teaching hospital, the improvements have been massive. The expansion of the hospital from a 600-bed to a 1305-bed facility and equipped with modern facilities. The CMD has been proactive and aggressive in all that he does, including sourcing for external funding,” the VP added.

Prof. Ahidjo had earlier in his remarks, said the visit of the team was to thank the Vice President for his support to the institution which spanned over 15 years, and to present the scorecard of the hospital as well as its future plans.

The CMD said with the support of the government and other stakeholders, the hospital has expanded from a 600-bed to a 1,305-bed facility equipped with state-of-the-art machines.

He said that besides building new centres for Trauma, Dialysis, Cancer and Stroke treatment among others, the hospital boasts of over 100 professors in different areas of specialties.

The CMD however requested for more support from the Vice President to enable the institution to actualize its objectives of being an international centre of excellence in healthcare delivery and training of personnel through the construction of an electronic health institute to facilitate its digitalization project.

Other members of the delegation include the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Sanusi Ibrahim; Director of Administration, Mallam Idris Omar; Director of Clinical Services, Prof. Modu Kagu; Director of Research and Ethics, Prof. Faruk Buba; Director of Training, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed, and the Director of UMTH Kidney Centre, Prof. Ibrahim Ummate.

President Tinubu Passionate About Enhanced Healthcare Delivery – VP Shettima

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Jakusko commends Buni over campaign promises in Yobe

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Jakuako commends Buni over campaign promises in Yobe

By: Yahaya Wakili

The Chairman, Caretaker Management Committee of Jakusko local government area of Yobe state, Alhaji Umaru Aguwa, has given kudos to the Yobe state governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, Chiroman Gujba, for fulfilling all his campaign promises to the people through the provision of the dividend of democracy.

Gov. Mai Mala Buni

Hon. Umaru Aguwa said giving commendation to the Chiroman Gujba has become imperative because of numerous achievements in improving the living conditions of the masses in Yobe State. He also gave the local government councils in the state their full support for the democratic map to provide the dividend of democracy to the electorates in the state.

Hon. Umaru said all the development projects provided by the council chairmen in their respective local government councils were done with the full support of His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni CON. He revealed that Yobe State is blessed with a governor characterized by humility, sympathy, accessibility, and a genius in letting go of what rightfully and lawfully belongs to him for peace to reign in the state.

“Governor Mai Mala Buni CON has sacrificed too much to serve and provided the dividend of democracy to the people of the state, and his developmental projects are physically on the ground. Buni’s administration is full of initiatives. The government has constructed modern markets in major towns across the state, in Damaturu, Potiskum, Gashu’a, Nguru, Geidam, and Buni Yadi.” Umaru Aguwa said. 

According to him, the government also resuscitated three dormant industries in the state. These are the Woven Sack Company Damaturu, Yobe Sahel Aluminum, Flour, and Feed Mill Company in Potiskum, as well as the Trailer Park in Potiskum. Adding to that, the Buni administration also completed the state-owned International Cargo Airport, which was commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He said all these achievements were to create a conducive environment for trade and commerce for economic development in the state.

“His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, Chiroman Gujba, has made tremendous achievements in many sectors, including health, agriculture, work, empowerment, education, and many others.

Speaking on his achievements in the Jakusko local government area since his inception in office in June 2023, the Chairman said he has been following in the footsteps of His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni CON in the provision of portable drinking water for both human and animal consumption in rural and urban areas. He revealed that the council constructed 14 new solar-powered boreholes, drilled six new boreholes, rehabilitated over 50 boreholes, and purchased accessories and repairs for over 51 hand pumps across the local government area.

“The council also constructed three dispensaries at Garin Tsalha, Dan Takunne, and Karage and equipped them with drugs and beds. The council also purchased drugs for the outbreak of diarrhea and the repair of primary healthcare vehicles, as well as drugs worth millions of naira that were distributed to all our primary health centers across the local government and received much support in the health sector.

Hon. Umaru Aguwa said the council constructed 20 cans to ease the problems of transportation by our people during the rainy seasons; the council repaired 4 vehicles for security agencies in the area; purchased over 10,000 empty bags and pilled them with sand to control the flow of water in the town during the rainy seasons; and also organized cultural activities such as wrestling and sports with a view to bringing unity among the people of the local government.

Aguwa also said the council repaired two tractors, conducted construction in Jakusko, purchased animal vaccination drugs, and distributed palliatives to alleviate the suffering of the people as a result of subsidy removal. In order to improve the standard and quality of education, the council constructed two classrooms and an office in Gamajan and also renovated two classrooms and an office in Gamajan. We also purchased thousands of copies of text and exercise books and distributed them to all primary and junior secondary schools across the local government.
End.

Jakusko commends Buni over campaign promises in Yobe

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