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FG Approves N5.7bn for Gashua Water Scheme, Purchase of Seeds

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The Federal executive Council (FEC) has approved N5.7 billion for the execution of two Water Supply projects in Yobe and purchase of seeds for various crops to boost food production in the country.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri, made these known when they briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting.

The virtual meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The minister of water resources said: “Council today approved a memo for the execution of two contracts for Gashua Water Supply Project Phase II in Yobe State.

“Lot ‘A’ was in the sum of N1.27 billion and Lot ‘B’ in the sum of N2.24 billion. Essentially, one lot is for extension of water supply service to Zango and Sabon Garin Lamido, consisting of boreholes, solar panels and so on.

“The other contract is for the upgrading of the existing water works, which also includes the rehabilitation of some renovated tanks and provision of portable water treatment plants, as well as a host of other ancillary facilities,” he stated.

According to Adamu, the water supply contract is for a period of 18 months, adding that it was awarded to meet the water needs of residents of Gashua, which falls within the Sahel region.

He also said that due to a recent prevalence of kidney disease in the area, government had to intervene quickly, to save lives.

On his part, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri disclosed that Council approved N2.4 billion for the procurement of seeds for various crops to boost agricultural production in the country.

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development presented two memos.

“First was a memo seeking approval for the award of contracts to agricultural institutes and research agencies for the production and distribution of seeds and seedling to farmers.

“This is at the cost of N2,164,702,006.78. The approval given will now help our research institutes to produce seeds for farmers, to aid next year’s farming season.”

The Minister also disclosed that the council approved over N1 billion for the purchase of soil test kits.

“The second memo is for an approval for the award of contract for the purchase of 1,014 soil test kits and soil laboratory analytical equipment for the National Institute of Soil Science at the coat of N278,008,581.63, and council approved,” he stated.

He expressed the hope that the two approvals would go a long way to enhance agricultural activities across the country.Also speaking on the unveiling of the 2021-2025 National Development Plan, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, said: “The difference with this plan is that it provides a mechanism to engage, empower, and employ our teeming energetic youth.

“The plan puts opportunities for inclusiveness for young people, women, people with special needs, and the vulnerable ones, mainstreaming women gender into all aspects of our social, economic and political activities.

“This plan also has a financing plan to increase revenue to 15 per cent of GDP. Currently, revenue to GDP is 7 per cent. This plan also separates sports from youth and take sports as business.

“For the first time in our planning history, we have three volumes of the plan. In the past, we have always had one volume, which is the plan itself. But this time, we have three volumes. Volume One is the main plan, and that’s what will be accessible to the public.

“Volume Two is the prioritised and sequential list of programmes and projects that will be fed into the annual budgets. While Volume Three are the legislative imperatives.”

According to him, what Volume Three really seeks to cover are those laws or policies that impede the private sector from being the main driver of the economy.

“So, laws have been identified that need to be reviewed or changed. Policies have also been identified that need to be worked upon. So, Volumes Two and Three are not for the public. They are essentially for government to see what it needs to do.

“Another difference between this plan and the previous plan is the issue of Integrated Rural Development. This plan takes rural development away from agriculture.

“It looks at how to bring in different levels of infrastructure to the rural areas with a view to discouraging rural-urban migration and ensuring that broadband technology gets to the rural areas, and that power supply, even if it’s an upgrade, it’s within the rural areas. And we begin to open up our rural areas,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Council observed a minute silence in honour of former minister of Labour and Productivity, Hussaini Akwanga, who passed on Dec. 17 at 77.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, informed the council members of his demise shortly before the commencement of the weekly meeting and urged that a minute silence be observed in his honour.

The late Akwanga served as minister in 2003 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. (NAN) 

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Environment

First Lady Seeks Lasting Solution to Eradicate Environmental Pollution

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 The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has called for a lasting solution to eradicate environmental pollution caused by plastic wastes.

In her message to mark the year 2025 World Environment Day, with the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’, in Abuja on Thursday, the first lady also advised people to curtail the way they consume food and drinks packaged in plastics.

“I join millions of Nigerians and the world in calling for urgent and united action to safeguard our environment.

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, affecting our health, our environment, and our future.

“In Nigeria, we must rise to this challenge by changing how we consume packaged food items and how we dispose of plastic containers and bags.

“I particularly want to speak to our youths, the leaders of tomorrow, be it in schools or within our neighborhoods, each of you has a role to play in creating a cleaner, healthier and greener Nigeria,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu had recently promised to introduce environmental solutions clubs to schools through her NGO, Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

“I want to use this opportunity to introduce our students to two programmes that the RHI will be launching soon.

“First is the Environment Club for Secondary School Students and the Environment Society for Students in Tertiary institutions nationwide to help us clean up our environment and grow more trees.

“Second is the “Flow with Confidence” for our girls in rural communities.

“This programme is to provide one year’s supply of disposable sanitary pads to our adolescent girls to support them to remain in school during their menstrual cycle,” She said.

NAN further reports that some of the functions of RHI environmental clubs in schools would include raising environmental awareness; fostering social and life skills; empowering students to take action and promoting sustainable behaviours.

The clubs can also enhance critical thinking and creativity, encourage healthy lifestyles, and strengthen communities.

The club would encourage students to participate in various environmental projects, like tree planting, recycling, and garden projects, gaining practical experience and deeper understanding.(NAN))

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Environment

Billboard accident: Abia Govt. to Offset Victims’ Hospital Bills – ABSAA Official

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Abia Government says it will offset the hospital bills of the Aba Billboard accident victims.
Mrs Victoria Onwubiko, Managing Director, Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA) made this known on Thursday in Aba at the Salad Market entrance, the site of the accident.

A big billboard fell on some passengers in five tricycles in Aba on Wednesday, following a boisterous wind, killing one person and injuring seven others.


Onwubiko said the governor had given the necessary approval for procedures regarding the victims’ treatment without hindrances.


“So, we are glad there are not going to be any more deaths; from what we have seen, the victims in the hospital are recovering and doing well.


“We understand that about eight persons were involved in the accident; five are at the Abia University Teaching Hospital, two have been discharged and one is died,” she said.
Onwubiko added that the governor had sent his Chief of Staff to the hospital for the proper management of the victims at ABSUTH, Aba.


According to her, there is no hoping that any one of them will go to the court as the state government is doing everything to take care of them.


He said ABSAA would ensure such accidents did not reoccur noting that henceforth the agency would inspect every advertising site in the state.


“We are going to ask the owners of sites like this to give us the technical drawings with which they built their sites.


“If we don’t see them, the bill board will come down for them to redo it to ensure safety,” she said.


The ABSAA MD said every site, whether high or low, which is not sound, will go down.
Mr Chinedu Nwibo, an eye-witness and a vulcaniser for tricycle operators, said there were seven persons at the entrance of the Salad Market on that Wednesday when the accident occurred.


“We were inside a little makeshift shop I had set up for my work when the rain started on Wednesday.


“The wind was very boisterous and some of the tricycle operators went into their tricycles to stay for the rain to stop.


“No sooner had they ran into their tricycles than a big iron pipe used to hoist a billboard fell on them.


“One Destiny Uguru, 27, from Izzi in Ebonyi state died from the accident while seven persons sustained injury,” he said.
Nwibo called on the government to come to the aid of the victims especially by replacing their tricycles.


“The man that lost his life has an expectant wife and two children,” he said. (NAN) 

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Environment

FG, Partners Urged to Act On Rangeland Conservation

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The Federal Government and partners have been urged to take decisive action to protect and restore rangelands, safeguard pastoralist communities’ livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience in dryland regions.

The call was made in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 5th International Conference on Drylands.

The conference, themed ‘Promoting Sustainability and Resilience of Rangelands: Present and Future Outlooks’, was organised by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture at Bayero University in Kano and took place from May 6 to 8, 2025.

The three-day conference brought together over 300 participants, including scientists, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and private sector representatives.

The articipants urged governments to develop and implement comprehensive, participatory, and evidence-based legal frameworks prioritizing sustainable rangeland management.

These frameworks should recognise, protect, and support traditional knowledge and practices of pastoralists, ensuring equitable access to land and natural resources.

Secure land tenure and fair resource governance are crucial for promoting peaceful coexistence and preventing land-use conflicts.

The conference recognised the critical role of women and youths from pastoralist communities in driving resilience and sustainability.

The conference also called for increased investment in capacity building, active participation in decision-making processes, and support for income-generating opportunities and sustainable resource development projects.

The conference emphasised the need to scale up public and private sector investments in climate change adaptation strategies, sustainable land management technologies, and diversified livelihood initiatives.

These investments should be complemented by demand-driven research and the promotion of innovations that integrate indigenous knowledge with modern scientific approaches.

The conference urged international development partners and organisations to align their resources with the conference outcomes and enhance regional and global cooperation, particularly on transboundary issues.

The participants also advocated deeper engagement with global initiatives such as the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) and the Africa Soil Initiative.

The conference concluded that the alarming degradation of rangelands, threats to pastoralist livelihoods, and fragility of dryland ecosystems demand urgent, collaborative, and sustained action.

The participants emphasised that achieving healthy rangelands was key to food security, ecological balance, and peaceful coexistence.

The conference brought together participants from 11 African countries, 13 Nigerian states, 17 academic institutions, and several international organisations.

It created a rich platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and regional collaboration.( NAN)

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