NEWS
Flooding: FG to Support Affected States with N3bn
The Federal Government says it will support states affected by flood with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of the menace.
Mr Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, disclosed this while interacting with journalists at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
The minister spoke shortly after inspecting some areas affected by flood in Kebbi.
Edun said: “I will announce here that the National Economic Council has been proactive and has taken action in order to support all the states of the federation and the FCT with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of flood this year.
“That will put many states like Kebbi in a good position to be able to prepare their farmers to the all important dry season farming, which we anticipate will be successful, well planned and well implemented.
”This, he said, would lead to success, paving way for food availability at reasonable affordable prices, adding that it would lower inflation and help to further stabilise the economy.
He expressed President Bola Tinubu’s willingness to assist them to maintain its level of security, resilience and to improve and increase its productivity and become the food basket of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the flooding had affected many local governments beyond what he saw when he visited the areas recently.
He, however, commended the resilience and confidence of Kebbi people, assuring that they would be mobilised to do better during the dry season farming.
The minister said that apart from the N3 billion, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund that would be used for funding, among other things, the Badagry – Sokoto road.
“Kebbi is going to host the longest stretch of that road. Equally, irrigation and dams are important feature of that renewed hope infrastructure fund.
“So, irrigation facilities are going to be expanded along the whole stretch of the 1,000 kilometer road and significant part of the irrigation support will be in Kebbi,” he said.
On his part, Gov. Nasir Idris, pleaded with the federal government to assist the state in view of the fact that many rice farmlands in the state had been submerged by the flood.
He said: “They have gone to Wacot Rice Mill in Argungu and they have seen things by themselves. They also visited Matan Fada in Argungu and they have seen how the flood affected rice farmlands.
“Kebbi is the leading rice farming state in the country, because it is an agrigarian state.”
The governor appealed to the two ministers to discuss with the president on how to assist Kebbi, saying that the state had the capacity to feed the entire nation and beyond.
According to him, in an effort to boost national food security, the state government has distributed fertilisers, seedlings, solar pumps, and CNG pumping machines to over 35,000 farmers free-of-charge.
He, however, said the rainy season came with a lot of challenges, with flood destroying farmlands.
“Therefore, we want the federal government to come to our aid because rice season farming is approaching.
“Already, we have started mobilising our farmers that immediately after the wet season harvest, the government is always ready to assist them to go back for dry season farming,” he noted.
NAN reports that the entourage also visited Dukku Water Treatment Plant in Birnin Kebbi. (NAN)
NEWS
Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to UNGA
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement on Thursday.“President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the UK, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings,” said the statement.The high-level General Debate, with the theme, “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,”will run from Sept. 24, to Sept. 28. (NAN)NEWS
NECO Releases 2024 SSCE Results
The National Examinations Council, (NECO) has released the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination results (SSCE), with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger.
Wushishi said that a total of 1,376,423 candidates, representing 706,950 males and 669,473 females, registered for the exam.
The registrar said that 1,367,736 candidates sat for the examination, representing 702,112 Males and 665,624 females.
He said that 828, 284 candidates had five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, representing 60.
55 per cent.Wushishi said that the number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, were 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.
He said that there was a great reduction in the number of examination malpractices this year compared to 2023.
“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023, which shows a reduction of 30. 1 per cent,” he said.
The registrar, however, said that 40 schools were found to be involved in mass cheating during the examination.
” During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states.
” They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“A school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and 01 Science subject.
” Similarly, 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states,”said.
He urged candidates that sat for the examination to visit NECO website to access their results.
Wushishi said candidates can access their results on NECO website: www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration number,” he said.(NAN)
NEWS
NDDC Unveils Initiative to Enhance food Security in N’ Delta Programmes
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued on Thursday in Port Harcourt by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta. He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security. (NAN)