Category Nigeria News

Umar Namadi, the governor’s representative, cited significant achievements in agriculture, infrastructure, and youth empowerment as the foundation of his administration’s “Greater Jigawa” agenda as evidence that Jigawa State is on an irreversible path to transformative development.

The governor, speaking during a statewide broadcast to celebrate Jigawa State’s 34th birthday, spoke of the administration’s commitment to accelerating progress in all sectors, particularly agriculture, where he noted historic gains have been made.

Governor Namadi claimed that “our agricultural transformation agenda is gradually releasing decades of untapped agricultural potential.” The Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency, which will lead the state’s agricultural transformation, was just yesterday passed into law.

Governor Namadi also announced the establishment of a dedicated Ministry for Livestock Development through an Executive Order in a bold move to prioritize livestock development.

READ ALSO: Why Jigawa Propelled 9 974 Youths to the Gov. to Protect Infrastructure

He continued, “This new ministry is a crucial component of our Agricultural Transformation Agenda and will give this vital sector the attention it deserves.”

Governor Namadi highlighted the completion of 26 inherited road projects totaling over 300 kilometres and the launch of 45 new road projects totaling over 800 kilometres within the first two years of his presidency in terms of infrastructure.

He said, “No one has ever made progress toward the fulfillment of our promise to deliver significant improvements in the delivery of critical infrastructure.”

Additionally, the governor made reference to the significant investments made in youth empowerment, revealing that over 300, 000 people have been benefited by implementation of more than 60 employment and empowerment programs, primarily youth and women.

He said, “We have remained focused on getting the results we promised.” “Equitable and human-centered economic growth and development are at the heart of our efforts.”

Governor Namadi acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in terms of education, industrialization, and youth development while applauding the accomplishments.

He noted that “we have seen significant progress.” However, new approaches and a persistent commitment are required in order to overcome issues like the high number of out-of-school children and the underutilization of our young population.

The governor reiterated his commitment to the 12-Point Agenda, which he called “a compact between the Government and the People” that was introduced at the beginning of his administration.

He advocated for patriotism and collective responsibility.

Everyone plays a significant role in Jigawa State’s development, he said. We must all acknowledge that everyone of us contributes to the development of Jigawa State.

On August 27, 1991, Jigawa State was established. The state has evolved over the course of its 34-year history from what the governor called a “bereft situation” to a development model with improvements in areas like road infrastructure, accountability, and agricultural productivity.

Kayode Opeifa, the managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, claimed on Monday that he had accepted full responsibility for the Tuesday derailment of the Abuja-Kaduna train along the Kaduna corridor.

Opeifa, who spoke on Wednesday’s appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, asserted that the ongoing investigation into the incident would not be swept under the carpet.

“Aside from apologizing to Nigeria, I want to assert that I accept full responsibility as the managing director and chief executive.” There is no indifference in the context of safety.

The CEO must assume accountability once it occurs. I’m taking responsibility in this situation, Opeifa said.

He added, however, that the NRC would prevent a repeat incident even though it should not have occurred.

An incident like this is not anticipated, is not anticipated, should occur, but where it occurs is to bring out the best in us, I want to assure Nigerians.

“And I can assure Nigerians that we shut down the Warri-Itakpe (route) three weeks ago, just as we are doing right now on the Warri-Itakpe, which he (the analyst) also mentioned.

According to him, “I ordered the shutdown for safety reasons, and replacing the track with a new one is to ensure things like this don’t happen,” he continued.

The incident took place on Tuesday along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train left Abuja and headed to Kaduna.

A passenger on the train described the chaotic situation with people fleeing to safety.

The Imo State Government has approved a raise in the minimum wage from 70, 000 to 104, 000 in a decisive effort to improve the welfare of the state’s workforce.

During a crucial meeting with labor leaders at the state capital’s Owerri, governor Hope Uzodimma made the announcement.

It is a crucial conflict between the state’s representatives of organized labor.

Additionally, the governor announced the state’s approval of a $16 billion bond to pay all state pensioners owed gratuities right away.

The labor leaders who sang solidarity songs praised the gesture.

They referred to it as a historic step toward improving the state’s working and retirement conditions.

Abba Moro, the leader of the main opposition’s Peoples Democratic Party, claims the party regrets electing Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate in 2023. &nbsp,

On Channels Television’s Politics Today, Senator Moro, a member of the Benue South National Assembly, made the statement.

The Senate Minority Leader said on Tuesday that “fielding Atiku] was an error because of how the election turned out and how the Nigerian people spoke.”

“It’s definitely regrettable to lose a very significant election in that disastrous manner.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s former leader, won the election, placing them second behind the PDP.

READ ALSO: Senator Moro’s campaign is in progress, with talks between Obi and Jonathan reportedly starting.

Atiku left the PDP about two years after that defeat, and he hasn’t yet announced his new party.

Jonathan’s Planned Return, Obi?

Although only two years have passed since the 2027 general elections, there are rumors that the main opposition wants to persuade former president Goodluck Jonathan and former governor of Nambra State, Peter Obi, to rejoin.

Since being unspotted at PDP public events since losing to former president Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, Jonathan has maintained a low profile.

Similar to Atiku, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 elections, he later dumped the PDP and won the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 elections.

According to Moro, he was said to have been frustrated with the PDP, which he corroborated.

However, Moro claimed that talks are ongoing to persuade the duo to run for president.

He continued, “I am aware that some people have been talking to Peter Obi about “Hey, come back home, this is what we are likely to do, and if you come, you stand a chance of being the candidate,” Moro said on the program.

Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna State, has ordered that the Abuja-Kaduna-bound train, which derailed, receive all necessary assistance in order to stop the unfortunate incident from happening. &nbsp,

Sani also mandated that injured people receive immediate medical attention and receive urgent psychosocial support.

The governor assured the public that the situation is under control in a statement issued through Ahmed Maiyaki, the commissioner of information-designate for Kaduna State, and called on residents to remain calm.

Read more about the NSIB’s investigation into the Abuja-Kaduna train accident.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors and expressed sympathy for the passengers and their families after this regrettable incident.

The Kaduna state government is currently closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with relevant federal authorities and security agencies to determine the immediate cause of the derailment.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Railway Corporation’s management confirmed that six passengers received minor injuries that have since been treated. According to the statement, the number of passengers onboard has not yet been determined.

However, according to reports from the train passengers, the situation was chaotic as they raced to safety in fear and confusion. According to reports, soldiers and other security personnel were on the scene to help evacuate the stranded passengers and provide security.

To promote local processing, protect and grow Nigeria’s shea industry, President Bola Tinubu has approved a six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts.

The ban, which goes into effect right away, is subject to review after its expiration and is specifically intended to boost Nigeria’s shea value chain, which will generate about $300 million annually.

The president’s directive was made known to the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government agencies during a multi-stakeholder meeting held at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, according to Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Shettima, who spoke about the directive, said it was not an “anti-trade policy” but a “pro-value addition policy” intended to boost rural income and employment for our people.

He thinks that the choice will lead to the transformation of Nigeria from a raw shea nut exporter to a global producer of refined shea butter, oil, and other products.

Read more about Bago’s plan to plant 10m shea trees in Niger.

To promote local processing, promote informal trade, and advance the development and growth of Nigeria’s shea industry, President @officialABAT has approved a temporary six-month ban on the export of raw shea nuts.

The ban, which goes into effect right away, is subject to review when it expires and… twitter.com/ePsCGUxggQ

He claims that the initiative is about promoting gender equality, rural transformation, industrialization, and expanding Nigeria’s global trade footprint.

The Vice President cited opportunities for job creation and income generation as saying, “Nigeria produces nearly 40% of the global shea product, but we only account for 1% of the $6.5 billion market share.

This is unacceptable, they say. In the near-term, we are expected to make about $300 million, and by 2027, that number will increase by tenfold. Our goal is to achieve this.

The ban, according to VP Shettima, was a result of a collective decision between the sub-nationals and the federal government with clear directions for economic transformation in the country’s best interests.

Government “opens opportunities, not closing doors,” he says. Both countries have agreed to prioritize Nigerian shea butter and oil’s availability on the Brazilian market while Mr. President is currently there. The VP stated to the audience in Abuja that this process would be finished in three months.

The vice president emphasized the policy’s gender dimension, noting that millions of women’s livelihoods, dignity, and opportunity are protected by protecting the shea industry.

“We are opening better ones than we are closing them,” he says. We plant the seeds of an industry that will benefit our women, our economy, and Nigeria’s position in global trade for decades to come.

Read more about Shettima’s commitment to increasing oil palm and cocoa production.

Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security, earlier expressed regret over the country’s record of consuming less than one percent of the multi-billion-dollar global shea economy, despite being the world’s largest producer of shea nuts and contributing nearly 40% of the world’s supply.

“Nigeria produces approximately 350, 000 metric tons of shea annually across 30 states, with the potential to reach nearly 900, 000 metric tons. Our market share of the 6.5% of the world’s economy is “less than one percent,” Kyari said.

The evidence that underlies this Presidential Directive was derived from the Rapid Assessment of the Shea Value Chain, which was carried out by the PFSCU, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

The Minister claimed that the assessment revealed that more than 90,000 tons of raw shea are lost annually in informal cross-border trade despite the country’s “processors operating at only 35 to 50 percent capacity despite a 160, 000 metric tonnes national installed capacity.”

While “regional neighbours like Ghana, Burkinabe, Mali, and Togo have already imposed restrictions on their industries,” said Senator Kyari, Nigeria is vulnerable because it is “the outlier and a hotspot for opportunistic and unregulated buying,” she continued.

The Minister pointed out the enormous potential of the shea trade for Nigeria, noting that the “shea sector” could generate more than 300 million dollars in the near future and help it capture a sizable portion of the world’s projected nine-billion-dollar market by 2030.

Our nation has a comparative advantage over most other commodities, not the least of which. Nigeria’s natural endowment predominates in both value-added processing and production with more than 5 million hectares of wild-growing shea trees.

Shea is also referred to as a strategic non-oil export in our Zero Oil Plan. Nigeria can put itself at the forefront of this expansion, according to Kyari, who predicts a projected global market growth of 6.5 billion dollars today to nine billion by 2030.

The Minister noted that because there are only 90 percent of women who pick and process shea, there will be a direct impact on women’s empowerment, rural job creation, and sustainable livelihoods.

According to him, this aligns with the Tinubu administration’s commitment to empower women and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s “proposition to support the rural population and to establish a pathway for national economic development.”

Senator Kyari continued, “This presidential directive has clear justifications.” Without corrective measures, Nigeria ran the risk of undermining our processors’ capacities, disempowering rural women, and squandering billions in potential export revenues.

The PFSCU rapid assessment, which involved more than 2, 000 pickers and 65 processors, demonstrated the urgent need for action. Our domestic supply is being sucked out by our informal exports, which are thought to be 90,000 metric tons annually.

Nigeria was positioned as the region’s raw depot because neighboring countries like Mali, Burkinabe, and Togo already impose restrictions on raw exports. The temporary ban’s benefits are equally compelling.