Buhari identifies factors threatening attainment of AU Agenda 2063

President Buhari on Thursday in Washington DC, USA, warned that Africa risks not attaining the goals continental leaders have set for the region by 2063 in view of challenges facing it.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman in a statement, said the Nigerian leader, stated this at the ongoing US-Africa Leaders Summit on the topic, “Partnering on Agenda 2063: A Peaceful and Secure Africa” in the US Capital.

According to President Buhari the Agenda could be achieved ”if there is a unity of purpose among all member states.”

Stressing that "Africa’s security and development landscape had undergone significant transformation over the past decades."

He emphasized that, the Continent has witnessed increased, diverse and complex threats including climate change, the scourge of terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organized crimes, ideological radicalization, and recently, an upsurge in Unconstitutional Change of Governments (UCGs).

“It is clearly evident that these developments negatively impact national, regional and continental stability and undermine our drive towards achieving AU Agenda 2063 and our flagship project ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa’, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

”That is why we must continue to act collectively, in unity and solidarity in our fight against these threats”.

He called on member states to ensure that inclusive governance, constitutionalism as well as strengthening of African Union mediating support mechanisms and conflict prevention mechanisms are emplaced as a panacea to emerging intra/interstate resurgence of conflicts in Africa.

“As leaders, we must recommit ourselves to shared values, vision, unity and solidarity, particularly in upholding constitutionalism, democracy and good governance.

”We must also embrace a multidimensional approach in order to achieve peace, security and sustainable development, in line with our aspirations contained in Agenda 2063,” he said.

”As highlighted in my Independence Day remarks on 1st October, 2022; I should like to reiterate, that no matter what gains we make, without good governance anchored on credible elections that are free, fair, credible and transparent, our development efforts would remain futile and our citizenry would be worse off.

”It is for this reason that I have resolved to bequeath a sustainable democratic culture, which will remain a lasting legacy.

”The signing of the Electoral Act 2021, as amended, with landmark provisions, further assures us of a more transparent and inclusive electoral process.” Source (NAN) 

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2023 Census: Lagos hosts stakeholders’ summit Dec. 20

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

The Lagos State Government will host a summit as part of activities to prepare residents ahead of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census.

Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, Special Adviser to the  Government on Intergovernmental Relations, made the disclosure at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos.

Ogunlende said that it became imperative for the state to host the census summit after President Muhammadu Buhari hosted national stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 National Population and Census at the State House in Abuja.

According to him, the communiqués from the 36 States are to be collated and submitted to the Federal Executive Council by December 27, for harmonisation in the National Population Census Calender.

“I am pleased to announce that Gov. Babjide Sanwo-Olu has approved that the state summit holds on December 20, at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa, Ikeja.

“The goal of the summit is principally to broaden the state level support base for the 2023 census scheduled for April with the following objectives:

“To create public awareness on the conduct of the 2023 census, including its imperatives, methodology and timeliness.

“To promote a robust and informed conversation on the processes and procedures for the 2023 census.

“To solicit the cooperation and support of the state level stakeholders for the conduct of the 2023 census.

“To provide a platform to offer clarification and receive feedback and suggestion on salient issues and concerns related to the conduct of the 2023 census,” Ogunlende said .

He said that the 2023 National Population and Housing Census would be Nigeria’s first digital census.

Ogunlende noted that the 2006 census declared Lagos as having a population of 9,013,534 out of a total of 140,003,542.

He added that the 2019 census population figures ranked Lagos second with a figure of 12,772,884 out of 201,135,262, with Kano as first with 14, 253,549.

Ogunlende said that the success of the 2023 census is crucial to the developmental growth of the Lagos.

He explained that the aforementioned data could no longer serve the critical purpose of planning for a mega city.

Also speaking, Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Lagos State, urged all Lagos residents to come out en mass to be counted during the exercise.

Salu-Hundeyin said that census data is used for policymaking, planning and evaluation, monitoring, legislation and even building of infrastructure.

She noted that with accurate data, government could solve the challenge of traffic in the state because there would be evidenced based data that would show the density of people at a particular place and time.

Salu-Hundeyin commended the Lagos State Government for being proactive and setting the pace in ensuring that the state has the best census come 2023.

“The commitment of the state government is unrivaled. We have a government in Lagos state that is so concerned about having the best census come 2023,” Hundeyin said.

She added that 80,000 ad hoc staff would be recruited in Lagos for the conduct of the census.

Salu-Hundeyin said that no nation can survive without census, which is the mother of all data.

She said that the new digital census to be deployed in 2023 would eliminate paper work.

“A tablet will be used which have the maps of all enumerated areas,” Salu-Hundeyin said.

She said that the device would make use of satellite imaging leveraging on the GPS of the area.

She said that enumerated areas would be captured digitally. (NAN)

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Ondo state govt generates N800 million from okada riders in 11 months

In what many people will see as a good development, the Ondo state government has revealed that its Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) generated N800 million from ticket sales to commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) in 11 months of the outgoing year.

The Ondo state government disclosed this during an event in which commercial motorcyclists were appreciated with different types of mouth-watering gifts by the ODIRS.

Ondo state govt generates N800 million from okada riders in 11 months. Photo credit: Bunmi Omotoye Source: UGC

Governor Akeredolu who was represented by his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, lauded the consistency of commercial motorcyclists in the daily purchase of tickets.

He said his administration would continue to provide an enabling environment for motorcyclists in the state within the stipulated periods given to them.

On his part, the chairman of ODIRS, Tolu Adegbie, thanked Akeredolu for rewarding motorcyclists. He said they had increased the state’s IGR in Okada from the initial N4.8 million to about 1 billion naira annually.

Adegbie added that before this current administration came on board, the state generated N400,000 monthly from Okada riders which translated to N4.8 million in a year.

Our efforts to appreciate Okada riders in Ondo state for consistently buying their tickets and contributing to the development of the sunshine state, the Ondo State Internal Revenue Services (ODIRS) through a raffle draw presented different gift items to the riders in a fun-filled ceremony in Akure.

Items won by the riders in an event witnessed by our source include: Bags of rice, standing fans, Semovita, packs of Indomie, groundnut oil and other itemsIndomie, groundnut oil and other items.

Ondo state deputy governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa presents a commercial motorcycle (Okada) to Temitope Samuel. Photo credit: Bunmi Omotoye Source: UGC

 Temitope Samuel however emerged winner of the star prize. He won a motorcycle TVS plus HLX valued at about 520,000, with free insurance, number plate, one-year license and renewal of his driver’s license.

While speaking with newsmen at the event which was held at the ODIRs office in Akure, Samuel thanked God and the Ondo state government for the unexpected gift, promising to be consistent with his ticket collection.

He said:

“I was overwhelmed with joy. I never dreamt that I will become owner of two motorcycles, I bought the one I’m using on instalment.

“For me to be picked from the multitude was not my making but grace of God. I’m not the oldest or the most qualified but this is what is called unmerited favour from the above.

“Within a twinkle of an eyes, I’m now owner of two motorcycles, in the next two months I will pay off the “Okada” I bought on instalment. I will give one out to some to be working for me while I will be hustling with this new one."

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Malian Halima Cissé's broken the Guinness World Record with nonuplets in a single birth

 

May 4, 2021, will forever be etched in the hearts of a Malian couple whose world changed after the delivery of their nine babies at once.

Halima Cissé and Kader Arby's children are five girls and four boys. Photo: UK Daily News. Source: UGC

When Halima Cissé and her husband Kader Arby a sailor with the Mali Navy got pregnant, getting worldwide attention was not their goal as a family unit.

It was undeniably an exceptional birth as the nine babies born through a C-section were born prematurely and they all survived.

It was a hands-on-deck affair and when the Malian doctors couldn't handle the heat they thought it best to send the expectant mother to Morocco, BBC reports.

When she was first flown out it was a matter of life and death for both Halima and her little tots who hadn't even been born yet.

The Malian doctors stabilised her and then had her transferred to Morocco so that she and all her babies could survive.

The doctors believed the babies were seven in number and they shocked them when they turned out to be nine in number on the day of the Caesarean section.

The couple with their nine little babies. Photo: Peter Allen. Source: UGC

After the delivery, the mother and her 9 cubs lived in a convalescent home.

They stayed in a convalescent home in Morocco so that they could be properly monitored and looked after by the doctors and nurses.

It is not every day that a mother gives birth and goes home with nine kids.

Arby, their father used to come and visit occasionally as he had to also take care of their first daughter Soda, who remained home in Timbuktu when Cissé was flown out.

The mother of ten children didn't imagine this is how her life would turn out.

The government of Mali sent a delegation to welcome home and receive the family as it will take nine people to help them during and after the flight until they are home safely.

Phoning on Sunday, December 11, 2022, the couple told UK Daily News:

"We are very happy to finally be able to return to Mali together."

The nonuplets after being received by the delegation were given a certificate from the Guinness Book of Records.

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'Omeife' Africa's first human-like robot built in Nigeria

 

The Nigerian Government has launched Africa’s first humanoid ‘Omeife’ to boost Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technological development in Nigeria and Africa.

Director General National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA Kashifu Inuwa who represented the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, who was to serve as proxy for the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, unveiled Omeife in Abuja.

The Vice President noted that the federal government would ensure the project's success and urged other stakeholders to support the Omeife project and develop new ones.

Omeife is 6-foot tall. Photocredit: NITDA Source: Facebook

Inuwa said:

“We are living in an exciting time of advanced technological advancement, where the science fiction of yesterday are becoming the reality in products and services of today,”

Omeife, the first African humanoid robot was developed by the Uniccon Group led by Chucks Ekwueme.

Explaining the features, Ekwueme said the humanoid has a real-time understanding of its surroundings, including active listening and the ability to focus on a specific conversation thread as it occurs.

He also noted that Omeife can speak eight languages besides English, including Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Pidgin and Afrikaans.

Speaking on whether Omeife can frown or show expressions of sadness.

Ekwueme added:

“No, I don’t think we want it to do that even it is possible”

But he explained that what really underscores the Africanness built into Omeife is its ability to speak each language with a native accent, pitch and vocabulary, with detailed pronunciations of words, sentences and even phrases.

He noted:

" African politeness values are also entrenched in their social interaction functions."

Ekwueme also stated that Omeife pays attention to a specific person to keep the conversation alive and chooses its words carefully—sieves out words, phrases, sentences and expressions that are not polite in African cultures.

“This particular attribute makes it safe to interact with kids"

Uniccon Group CEO added that Omeife's learning pipeline helps it improve and understand new things from conversations, and it can also recall and understand old concepts better with new information.

He continues:

"Omeife also has terrain intelligence in that it knows its own ground level and stability on the floor, which helps it navigate on non-flat surfaces and maintain good balance. It also has a position awareness feature and a grip sensor that allows it to size, understand shape, and how to hold things with its hands."

Meanwhile, another company making Nigeria proud Innoson motors, has first exported its vehicles to Sierra Leon.

The president of the country had thanked Innoson Motors as he moves to ensure military officers use it to tackle insecurity

According to reports, Innoson Motors made more than $4 million from the sale

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FG redeems 28-year pledge to Westerhof

 

The Federal Government has redenemed its pledge to one of the 1994 Super Eagles Team members 28 years after by handing over the keys of a 3-bedroom bungalow to Mr Clemence Westerhof, former Coach of the team.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola handed over the keys to Westerhof at the prototype housing estate along Gwagwalada-Kuje road, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He was represented by Mr Solomon Labafilo, Director, Department of Public Buildings and Housing.

Fashola said that the government came up with the scheme called prototype housing scheme in Lagos, Abuja, Port-harcourt and other parts of the country.

“The programme was started in 2014 and we have phases I and II while the total houses completed and occupied are 206.

“The phase II is where the allocations for the two coaches were made, Jo Bonfrere has house 1A and Clemens Westehof has unit 1B,” Fashola said.

Fashola said government was committed to rewardiing citizens who made sacrifices to project the good image of the country.

“It will interest you to know that government’s pledge to the 1994 Super Eagles was not fulfilled until when President Muhammadu Buhari approved that all the members be handed over their houses.

“Westehof was allocated his in the prototype housing scheme here in Gwagwalada and other beneficiaries were allocated their homes in the respective states of their choice in the National Housing Programme estates across the country.

“We handed over keys and Certificate of Occupancy today to former coach of the Nigeria Super Eagles who led the 1994 Team, Clemens Westehof.

“This is to show government’s resolve to ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of time, who made sacrifices to project the good image of the country are recognised and encouraged to keep working for the corporate benefit of all.

“We have entered a season of completion and handover of keys to beneficiaries in 35 states and the FCT to Nigerians who have successfully subscribed for houses built under the National Housing Programme (NHP) through the ministry’s website: Https:nhp.worksand housing.gov.ng.

Fashola said the web-portal was launched on Nov. 12, 2021, adding that over 13,000 applications had been received from Nigerians who have created personal account profiles on the website.

The minister, therefore, called on all Nigerians to avail themselves with the opportunity of owning a house in the 35 states and FCT that have been completed except for Lagos State.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bashir Alkali, represented by Mrs Lucy Uzodimma, said the ministry was able to fulfill the pledge by the government with the completion of the National Housing Programme estates in 35 states and the FCT.

lAlkali said: “Nigerians should be aware that other members who had collected their houses did so in the National Housing Programme sites across the country.

“The philosophy behind the NHP is the provision of pilot scheme that is affordable, accessible and acceptable as contained in the National Housing Policy.

“The approach to the design and use of materials take cognisance of the cultural and climatic peculiarities of the region’s while responding also to the tenets of Building Energy and Efficiency Code (BEEC).”

Westehof, represented by Mrs Charity Biwet commended the Federal Government for fulfilling its promise after so many years, adding, ”it was something noteworthy.

“I stand in here with great joy to receive these keys to this beautiful edifice, I love the building and am sure the owner will love it.

“It is a promise kept and it is really encouraging to see that efforts are being recognised and rewarded. We appreciate this and I will convey the goodwill of the president and the minister to Mr Westehof.”

The other beneficiaries who had since collected their keys and title documents to their homes were: Alloy Agu, Uche Okafor, Emmanuel Amunike and Thompson Oliha.

Others were.Peter Rufai, Efan Ekoku, Isaac Semitojo and Austin Eguavoen, among others. Source:NAN.

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Environmental crisis: FG seeks UN interventions on GGW, HYPREP issues

 

Illustration for Great Green Wall (GGW)

The Federal Government has called on the United Nations (UN) to assist in addressing Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and Great Green Wall issues (GGW) to enable restoration of lost lands in the country.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, said this while receiving the Deputy Secretary-General of UN, Amina Mohammed, on courtesy visit, in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullahi said that the ministry was committed to ensuring that the two major projects were implemented effectively, adding that the UN’s intervention would boost the ministry’s efforts.

“There are two important projects which we will need more of your support, the HYPREP and GGW. We are doing our best to ensure that it’s working greatly.

“We have the team for the HYPREP. We are doing our best to make sure that the structure put in place is maintained to ensure checks and balances for good governance and transparency.

“This is what we are doing and we hope we will get robust support from you.

“You have always been there for us and we still have hope that you will continue to give us your full support,” he said.

Responding, Mohammed said that the UN would give its best to support in restoring the loss lands.

“So, it’s really important that we put in place the teams that will help us to look at those programmes and to see that GGW issues is properly addressed.

She said the GGW project was an economic corridor, which would offer empowerment to both youth and women, if properly addressed in the country.According to her, the GGW project will really empower our people, but at the same time, it is able to give less reason for people to destabilise countries when they get involved in conflicts of different types.

“So again, we are at your disposal; the UN will support any efforts that you want with the GGW, particularly the wetlands,” she said.

Mohammed, however, advised agencies, parastaltals and other relevant stakeholders to support the ministry in ensuring that the environmental programmes were implemented effectively.

She thanked the minister for his strong leadership and commitment in ensuring that environmental crisis were being tackled as well as ensuring that Paris Agreement was achieved effectively.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that HYPREP was established in 2012 under the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve the under listed objectives in Ogoniland and other impacted communities.

“To determine the scope, means and modalities of remediation of soil and ground water contamination in impacted communities as may be recommended by HYPREP Governing Council and remedy them

“Enhance local capacity for better environmental management and promote awareness of sound environmental management as well as ensure livelihoods and sustainable development

“Ensure security and promote peace building efforts in impacted communities as well as strengthen governance, transparency and accountability in the region.”

NAN also reports that the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, launched in 2007 by the African Union, aims to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.

Its ambition is to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land; sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon and create 10 million green jobs by 2030.

In Nigeria, the GGW Initiative also seeks to recover degraded land, preserve ecosystems, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities. (NAN)

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Former minister Paul Unongo dies at 87

Wantaregh Paul Unongo, an elder statesman and Minister of Steel in the Second Republic, has reportedly died at the age of 87.

A family source as confirming that the former minister died on Tuesday afternoon, November 29, at a hospital in Jos, Plateau state, where he had been receiving treatment.

Wantaregh Paul Unongo, a former minister and elder statesman, died on Tuesday, November 29, at the age of 87. Photo credits: @NigeriasToday, @OnwardNG Source: Twitter

The family source said the ex-minister, who was Chairman of Northern Elders Forum, had recently been in and out of hospital over his ill health.

The source stated further that the former minister's death is expected to be announced by the Tiv Traditional Council.

The late Unongo was born on September 26, 1935, and belonged to the Kwaghngise-Anure-Abera ancestry in Turan of Kwande local government area in Benue.

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