Hon. Femi Akindele Doles Out Cash Gifts To Indigents and Vulnerable In Irepodun /Ifelodun Constituency 1.

Hon. Femi Akindele Doles Out Cash Gifts To Indigents and Vulnerable In Irepodun /Ifelodun Constituency 1.

The Lawmaker representing lrepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 1 in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Femi Akindele has doled out cash gifts, worth Two million naira to Widows, Indigents and vulnerable in his constituency as a way of making this year yuletide celebration more enjoyable for them.

The event which was held at a Civic Centre in Igede Ekiti, the headquarter of Irepodun /Ifelodun Local Government attracted crowds, such as Party loyalists, Political Office holders, State party Executive, Special Assistants to Governor and Ward Chairmen from the Five Wards made up of the Constituency 1.

  

Consequently, the Organiser of the programme, Hon Femi Akindele said he was happy to celebrate the Yuletide with his people by given them support and interacts with the stakeholders in the Constituency, he described the gesture as an avenue to endear himself with them in the constituency and to appreciate them for their support by way of fulfilling some of the promises made to them during the electioneering period.

He emphasized his commitment to good living condition of the people and promised to prioritised the welfare of the residents and as well assured them that he will sustain the programme by making it a quarterly event to complement his subsequent empowerment programme, where he would be able to empower Youths and other cadres in the Constituency.

Hon Akindele who was joined by dignitaries which includes Rt Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, Rt Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, the State Chairman of All Progressive Congress Barr. Paul Omotoso represented by the Party Secretary, Mr Garba Arogundade, President of Igede Progressive Union, Dr Austin Ibikunle among others commended the lawmaker for remembering the downtrodden.

Speaking at the event, the former deputy speaker in the sixth Assembly and the lawmaker representing Irepodun/ Ifelodun Constituency 2, in the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Hakeem Jamiu described Hon. Akindele as a good Ambassador of his constituency, stressing that the programme was sponsored by the lawmaker from the deposit of his emolument, not from the Constituency allowance but as constituency engagement which was one of the major agenda of the seventh Assembly, he reiterated that all members of Assembly would do such in the 26 constituencies.

Similarly, the Special Assistant to the Governor on disability, Gbenga Obanise, State Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Rt Hon.Taiwo Olatunbosun, in their short remarks commended the lawmaker for identifying the real Indigents, the duo described the programme as worthwhile and urged other political office holders in the Local Government to take a cue from him. Donations of Fifty thousand Naira each were made by them to support the programme.

  

In the spirit of celebration, over 250 people across lrepodun/ lfelodun Constituency 1 benefited from the support programme, some of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of others were Peter Adewumi, Kemi Fatodu, President Windows Association in the Local Government and the State Public Relations Officer Mrs Tayo Ajetumobi commended Hon. Akindele for putting them at heart, particularly in this Yuletide season and prayed for greater political height in his future endeavours.

Tinubu Urges Governors to Embrace Shared Responsibility for Nigeria’s Peace and Stability.

Tinubu Urges Governors to Embrace Shared Responsibility for Nigeria’s Peace and Stability.

President Bola Tinubu says the federal and sub-national governments of Nigeria have the mutual responsibility of ensuring the country's peace and stability.

Speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) at his residence in Lagos on Tuesday, the President reiterated his condemnation of the latest killings in Plateau State.

Addressing the governors, the President issued a stern directive to security agencies to halt the carnage in Plateau State and intensify the pursuit of those responsible for the recent tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas.

Condoling with the victims, President Tinubu emphasized the sanctity of human life and called for a paradigm shift among those with contrary beliefs, cautioning them about the inevitable consequences of their actions.

"Nigeria needs peace and stability to move forward. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we have to take care of it," he said.

President Tinubu acknowledged the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State at the meeting, commending him for his efforts to peacefully resolve the political challenges in the state.

"I thank you for your statesmanship. I listened to your broadcast and your emphasis on peace. It is only with peace that effective governance can thrive, and governance has commenced in earnest under my watch," he said.

On the 2024 Budget proposals before the National Assembly, the President informed the governors that he had a review meeting earlier in the day on certain elements in the Appropriation Bill, with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu.

He emphasized the need for joint responsibility and closer collaboration between the federal and sub-national governments to foster rapid infrastructural development in every part of the nation.

"I want us to discard federal, state, or rural road classifications. We must regard development as a joint responsibility. Let us prioritize our children. The school feeding programme must return quickly, beginning from the local government to the state and federal governments.

"We must be ready to protect our children and prepare them for the future," the President firmly stated.    

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq expressed solidarity with the government and the people of Plateau State.

"May God be with the souls of the departed and bring peace to Plateau State. The Governor of Plateau State, we are with you; stay strong," the NGF Chairman said.

Governor Abdulrazaq reaffirmed state governments' support for the bold decisions and reforms initiated by President Tinubu's administration.

"These are challenging times. It is not a walk in the park. Removing fuel subsidies had a great structural effect on the economy of the states. But we are confident that we will overcome these challenges and bounce back better," he said.

PWDs, others get FG’s N20,000 grant in Cross Rivers

PWDs, others get FG’s N20,000 grant in Cross Rivers.

No fewer than 5,000 vulnerable, very poor persons and People With Disabilities in Cross River State on Monday received N20,000 grants each from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Speaking at the event which was held at the Millennium Park in Calabar, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, said the one-off grant was part of President Bola Tinubu’s determination to lift vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty across the country.

“Here in Cross River, we are flagging off the grant for vulnerable groups in Cross River. So far, we’ve been able to reach 5,000 very poor and vulnerable persons at the grassroots in this state with plans to expand in the coming year.

“We have checked and confirmed that these people are very poor and they deserve to benefit from the scheme in line with President Tinubu’s commitment to lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty in 2024 through the various social protection programmes,” the minister said in a statement.

She urged the beneficiaries to invest the grants into profitable economic ventures.

“These monies are not given to you for you to spend on drinks or do whatever that is out of place, but to start a petty trade or boast your petty trade and make better profits to sustain your families.

“These monies can be used to start up little businesses. You can use these grants to boost your trade, and that will help with sustainability. These grants are deliberate acts by the federal government to pull people out of poverty,” she added.

Edu assured all that qualified Cross River people will be beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes being implemented through her ministry and agencies within the sector.

Earlier, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, who presented dummy cheques to beneficiaries, commended Tinubu for championing the cause of the poor and prioritising the welfare of the citizens.

The governor, who said the state under his watch had been pushing a people-first government, implored the beneficiaries to put the grants into proper use.

“On behalf of the people of Cross River State, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, the President of this great nation, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for truly making a difference in people’s lives daily and championing this cause of prioritizing the welfare of our citizens, it is easy to know a transparent government that means well for its people,” he said.

Jailbreak at Ijebu Ode Correctional Home: Three Inmates Escape, Manhunt Underway.

Jailbreak at Ijebu Ode Correctional Home: Three Inmates Escape, Manhunt Underway.

In a daring escape, three inmates broke free from the Ijebu Ode Correctional Home located in Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. The jailbreak was confirmed by Victor Oyeleke, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, on Tuesday.

According to Oyeleke, the incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning around 3 am. Authorities have initiated a search party to apprehend the escapees and return them to custody. Oyeleke assured the public that the Correctional Service possesses the biometrics of the escaped inmates and has contacted their families.

“Yes, it is confirmed, it happened in the early hours of Saturday morning around 3 am. A search party to bring the three of them back has been raised. We have their biometrics and we have contacts of their families. We are working together with other sister agencies and in good time they will be brought back,” stated Oyeleke.

The Ijebu Imushin Area Command of So-Safe Corps also issued a statement confirming the jailbreak. The statement identified the escaped prisoners as Hammed Adeboyejo, convicted of Murder/Armed Robbery; Fatai Taiwo Akande, sentenced on a Murder Case from Ijebu-Igbo; and Oguntona Aliu, convicted of Sexual Offence. The public is urged to contact the So-Safe Corps, the Nigerian Police, or any other security agency if they encounter any of the escapees.

However, when contacted, So-Safe Corps Commander Soji Ganzallo claimed no knowledge of the jailbreak, dismissing the reports.

“I don’t know anything about it, so discountenanced it,” stated Ganzallo.

The escape of the inmates raises concerns about the security measures in place at the correctional facility. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the jailbreak and take necessary steps to prevent future occurrences. The ongoing manhunt reflects the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend the escaped inmates and ensure the safety of the public.

Naira scarcity: FG to go after economic saboteurs, says Bamidele.

Naira scarcity: FG to go after economic saboteurs, says Bamidele.

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has revealed that the Federal Government will, from next year, go after economic saboteurs who made lives difficult and unbearable for Nigerians.

Bamidele, also Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum in the ninth National Assembly, insisted that the National Assembly would pass the 2024 appropriations bill on December 30 to sustain the January-December budget cycle.

According to a press statement from the Office of the Senate Leader on Tuesday, Bamidele made this disclosure at a session with journalists in Iyin Ekiti on Monday, saying all federal lawmakers would have to cut short their holidays to ensure speedy passage of the 2024 appropriations bill.

Bamidele expressed concerns about the activities of economic saboteurs who were doing everything to keep exchange rates high against the Naira or trying to make the Naira unavailable to the people who kept their money in banks.

He, therefore, revealed that the federal government “will, from next year, go after economic saboteurs who are making life difficult and unbearable for Nigerians. The federal government will charge, prosecute and punish them for their acts of economic sabotage.

“All these will take place next year. In the long run, those who mopped up the Naira and Dollars from the markets will face the consequences of their actions. Those who mopped up the Dollars to keep commodity prices will not escape justice.

“Those who are speculating are also on the watch list of the federal government. At some points, the federal government will have to go after them,” the senate leader revealed the plan of the federal government.

Beyond all these activities of economic saboteurs, Bamidele assured Nigerians that Nigeria would witness a true era of Renewed Hope that would herald development, progress and prosperity, citing diverse plans the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had put in place to transform the national economy.

He revealed the plan of the federal government “to invest heavily in agriculture and agro-allied industries. We are equally doing all we can to harness our solid minerals potential as much as what we derive from the sale of crude oil. We are determined to sustain the daily production of 1.7 million barrels.”

Providing further updates on the 2024 appropriation bill, the senate leader assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would pass the budget on December 30.

“To ensure the passage of the budget, We abridged time to make all ministries, departments and agencies appear before the joint sitting of all the relevant committees of both the Senate and House of Representatives.

“This has already reduced the time for the budget defence process by half rather than appearing before the Senate first and House of Representatives later. The resolution has also removed the need for harmonisation. In essence, we have been able to save time.

“We have also been sitting beyond our regular sitting days. We have sat on Saturdays. We may even sit on Sunday as we are approaching another year. We only give ourselves three days to go home and celebrate Christmas.

“We are reconvening on December 29. Our hope and determination is to pass by December 30. On January 1, 2024, Mr President will have the 2024 appropriation bill at his desk for assent so that its implementation can take off in earnest,” Bamidele explained.

Speaking about the consequence of fuel subsidy removal, Bamidele said the federal government was not unmindful of its impact on Nigerians, though defended the decision of the federal government to it.

He explained that the federal government decided in the best interest of Nigerians because Nigerians were not benefiting from the fuel subsidy regime.

He said: “We are not unmindful of the immediate impact of the fuel subsidy removal. But we are convinced subsidy removal is the right decision taken because no other person than a cabal in the oil and gas industry and their promoters in the government were benefitting from the fuel subsidy regime.

“No one else is benefiting from the fuel subsidy. It was not about the people because the masses were not benefitting from it in any way. It was a major source of bleeding in our economy.

“This administration did the right thing by putting an end to the fuel subsidy regime. Part of what we have seen after the fuel subsidy removal was a fightback from those who were the beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy regime.

“They are doing everything possible to make sure the pump price of premium motor spirit goes up because we are more of a consumer economy. We do not produce. A lot of things we are consuming in Nigeria are imported.

“What this means is that if Naira is devalued either consciously against the Dollars or commodities imported to Nigeria, we have to spend more to bring these things. The supplier will have to sell them at a higher rate. This trend is making commodity prices go out of the reach of the Nigerians.

“People’s income has not increased. Yet, they have to pay double for a bag of rice today compared to what they paid one or two years ago. This is extremely painful for all Nigerians. How many Nigerians can afford a bag of rice today without a corresponding increase in their income?“Nigerians are working so hard. But the prices are rising out of their purchasing power. These are some of the immediate effects of very drastic economic decisions taken by the federal government. But its long-term effect will, God’s grace, stabilise the economy.”

President Tinubu Extols SGF George Akume's Legacy as He Celebrates 70th Birthday.

President Tinubu Extols SGF George Akume's Legacy as He Celebrates 70th Birthday.

President Bola Tinubu has extended warm birthday wishes to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, as he marks his 70th birthday. In a congratulatory message, President Tinubu praised the SGF for his unwavering consistency and perpetual dedication to duty in coordinating the affairs of the government.

Commending Senator Akume's illustrious career, President Tinubu highlighted his rich portfolio of leadership experience, which includes serving as governor, minister, senator, and top-flight public servant. The President emphasized that Senator Akume brings this wealth of experience to bear in his current role as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

President Tinubu celebrated Senator Akume's temperance, affability, harmony, and stability, consistently personifying these qualities as he coordinates activities within the government and collaborates with other arms of government. The SGF's accessibility, focus, and dependability in bridging the divide between policy and implementation were also commended.

"George Akume is one of the most reliable citizens this country can boast of. The people of Benue have subscribed to his sterling leadership principles and leveraged his remarkable talent for so many years because of what he has always stood for. He will be with you in the best of days, and even most reliably, in the worst of days. The country has been blessed with the dedication and sure-handedness of Senator Akume," remarked President Tinubu.

While conveying birthday wishes, President Tinubu expressed his desire for good health and strength for the SGF. He implored Senator Akume not to relent in his diligent service to the country, acknowledging the invaluable contributions he continues to make to the nation.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, conveyed the President's message in the press release, recognizing Senator Akume's enduring legacy and the significant impact he has had on the country throughout his illustrious career. The celebration of Senator Akume's 70th birthday serves as a testament to his enduring commitment to public service and leadership.

President Tinubu Condemns Heinous Attacks in Plateau, Orders Swift Apprehension of Culprits.

President Tinubu Condemns Heinous Attacks in Plateau, Orders Swift Apprehension of Culprits.

President Bola Tinubu has issued a strong condemnation of the heinous and brutal attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, expressing profound sorrow for the tragic loss of many lives.

In response to these appalling incidents, President Tinubu has directed security agencies to take immediate action by moving into the affected areas, conducting thorough investigations, and apprehending the perpetrators responsible for these senseless acts.

The President, deeply concerned about the well-being of the affected communities, has also directed the immediate mobilization of relief resources to assist surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks. Additionally, medical treatment is to be provided promptly to those wounded in the attacks.

Condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that the envoys of death, pain, and sorrow responsible for these atrocities will not escape justice. The President emphasizes the commitment to ensuring that those accountable face the full consequences of their actions.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, conveyed the President's message in the press release, highlighting the urgency attached to addressing the aftermath of the attacks. The President's directive underscores the government's commitment to restoring peace and security in the affected areas.

As the nation grapples with the aftermath of these tragic events, the call for justice becomes paramount. President Tinubu's swift response signals a determination to hold those responsible accountable and provides a glimmer of hope for the affected communities that justice will prevail. The nation waits to see how the security agencies will carry out the President's orders to apprehend the culprits swiftly and deliver justice to the victims and their families.