Nigeria’s VP, Shettima, In Tete-a-tete with Italian PM
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima holds a bilateral talk with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni on the side of the UN Food Systems Summit in Rome ,Italy yesterday, July 24.
Nigerian Govt Mobilises $500 Million For Food System Transformation – VP Shettima
Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima has said that the government of Bola Tinubu has mobilized over half a billion dollars ($500 million) for innovative and sustainable food system transformation initiative for the country.
The Vice President, who chaired a high-level meeting of the UN Food Systems Summit in Rome, Italy yesterday, July 24, said that the funds were mobilised “through domestic resources, multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, climate funds leading agro-businesses.”
According to him, the fund would be used for innovation finance for food system transformation; development of Nigeria’s agro value chain and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programmes.
Vice President 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.”
Shettima said 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 that it would bring 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 Vice President said that 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.”
Family Of 2 Brothers, Shot And Wounded In Abuja By Vigilantes, Cry Out For Justice
The family of two brothers who were shot and wounded by gun-totting Vigilantes in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have cried out to the authorities for quick intervention to get justice.
Drug Law Enforcement Agency Seizes 5 Million Tramadol Worth N3.7 Billion In Lagos
Officials of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement AgencyThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has impounded over five million pills of Tramadol worth N3.7 billion at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos.
In a statement, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said that the seizure was achieved through the collaboration of men of the Nigeria Customs Service and others working at the airport’s DHL cargo warehouse.
“Attempts to smuggle 98 cartons containing 5,122,900 pills of Tramadol 225mg with an estimated street value of about N3.7bn only into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, have been thwarted through the robust synergy between men of the Nigeria Customs Service and NDLEA officers at the airport as well as those at the DHL cargo warehouse.”
The NDLEA spokesman said that preliminary investigations revealed that the consignments were imported from India and Pakistan, while some of the seized consignments had Freetown, Sierra Leone as the final destination.
The Agency also arrested a suspected drug kingpin identified as Charles Uwagbale in his hotel room in the Okota area of Lagos.
The NDLEA alleged that the 43-year-old Uwagbale have been sponsoring young Nigerians to move “Class A” drugs to European countries.
Vice President Shettima Goes To Italy, Russia, To Represent Tinubu At Summits
Photo Credit: NTAVice President Kashim Shettima has left Nigeria for Rome, capital of Italy and St Petersburg in Russia to represent President Bola Tinubu at two major international Summits.
A statement from the Presidency said that the Vice President, who left today, July 23, will, in Rome, join other global leaders for the first Stocktaking Moment (STM) Summit, themed: “Transforming Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity.” It scheduled to hold tomorrow, July 24 and end on July 26.
The statement said that during the Summit, the Vice President will chair a high-level session themed: “Innovative Financing for Food System Transformation: the Case of Nigeria” and the side event on ”Scaling up Multi Stakeholders Collaboration and Investment in the Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria.”
It said that the event is being organized in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Programme (WFP), as well as the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and wider UN system.
“Vice President Shettima will then proceed from Rome to St. Petersburg in Russia to represent the President at the Russia-Africa Summit scheduled from Wednesday, 26th to Saturday, 29th July.
“While in Russia, the Vice President will join other political and business leaders at the 2nd Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum focused on strategizing to enhance relations between Russia and the African continent, among other benefits.
“Also, Vice President Shettima will participate in bilateral meetings with representatives of relevant Russian senior government officials and business leaders to discuss relations between Russia and Nigeria.
“Vice President Shettima who is accompanied by senior government officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, is expected back in the country at the end of the week.”
Fuel Price Hike: Bayero Varsity To Buy Bicycles For Junior Staff, Rolls Out Other Palliatives
Bayero University Kano (BUK) has rolled out palliative measures for staff and students, including bicycles for junior ones.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, at the University’s 56th Congregation Meeting, said that the university is negotiating to purchase bicycles to help Junior staff to cushion the effect of hike in transportation fare.
He said that on many occasions, he witnessed staff trekking from Old Campus to New Campus, a distance of almost 10 kilometres.
The Vice Chancellor said that millions of Naira has been allocated to the University Cooperatives Committee to purchase food stuffs and distribute to staff on a non interest format payable in six months.
He said that the University Management has concluded arrangement with the BUK Microfinance Bank to provide non interest loans to staff to pay school fees for their children, assuring that the university would take the burden of interest. This, he said, would cushion the effect of increment of registration fees.
The Vice Chancellor said that staff can access soft loan at any time and that it will be revolving so that staff who face financial challenges can have money at any time they want.
On the issue of transportation, the Vice Chancellor said that there is an arrangement with the Kano State government to provided buses that will transport students from specified destinations to the university campuses and take them back at affordable rates. He said once finalised, Kanawa buses would start passing through the routes of BUK campuses.
Another palliative is to waive the eight months house rent for staff occupying the university’s houses.
He said that those who paid during this period would be refunded.
According to him, vehicles would be allocated to transport staff to and from the university.
He said that specific times would be allotted for staff, to address many challenges.
Deputy Senate President Appoints Daily Trust’s Editor Media Adviser
Deputy Senate President Jibrin I. Barau has appointed the Deputy General Editor of Daily Trust Newspapers, Ismail Mudashir as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
Senator Barau also appointed Professor Muhammad Ibn Abdullahi as Chief of Staff; and Professor Bashir Muhammad Fagge, Special Adviser (Policy & Monitoring).
In a statement by his media office today, July 23, Senator Barau also named Idris Abiola Ajimobi, the son of the late Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, as Special Adviser (Special Duties); Yusuf Aliyu Tumfafi, Special Adviser (Political); Mrs. Ngozi Ndawi Nkemdirim, a pioneer staff of the National Assembly, Special Adviser (Administration); and Shitu Madaki Kunchi, Special Assistant (Media & Publicity).
Prof Muhammad Ibn Abdullahi, born in Faruruwa, Shanono LGA, Kano State, was until this appointment, the Head of Department, Education, School of Continuing Education of Bayero University Kano (BUK).
The professor of Guidance and Counselling obtained B.A. (Ed)/ Islamic Studies, BUK, M.Ed/Guidance and Counselling (Unijos) and Ph.D. in Guidance and Counselling, BUK.
Bashir Muhammad Fagge, a Professor of Animal Science, hails from Fagge in Fagge LGA of Kano State. He attended Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto for his B.Sc in Agriculture; and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University for his M.Sc and Ph.D.
He served as the Provost of the Federal College of Education Technical, Bichi, Kano State between 2015 and 2023. He was a member of the Senior Executive Course 40 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.
Ismail Mudashir, who hails from Kwara State, was born in Zamfara State. Until this appointment, he was the Deputy General Editor of the Daily Trust Newspapers.
While in Daily Trust, he held various positions including, Regional Editor (Kano), Group Politics Editor, State House correspondent and head of the National Assembly. He started his journalism career in 2003 at the New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN), Kaduna.
He studied Mass Communications at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State; Kaduna Polytechnic; Bayero University Kano and Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi, India, for his undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Idris Abiola Ajimobi, the son of the late Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, had his primary and secondary education in Nigeria before moving to England, where he furthered his studies and graduated with a degree in Business Management in 2004. He also obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations in London.
Mrs. Ngozi Ndawi Nkemdirim, who was born in Jos, Plateau State, hails from Imo State. The graduate of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, has three decades of experience at the National Assembly.
Until her appointment, she was the Director, Journals and Procedure of the Senate. In 2008, she obtained a Master’s in International Administration from the London Metropolitan University, UK. She has attended various training on legislative drafting and parliamentary procedure.
Barau, who represents Kano North Senatorial District, said the appointees were selected based on their track records in their respective professions. He said the appointments take immediate effect.
