Metro
Information Minister: 2024 Budget Demonstrates Tinubu’s Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, says the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion submitted to the National Assembly demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.
Idris stated this at the 2023 Public Lecture and Annual General Meeting of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Saturday in Abuja.
The meeting with the theme, “Demographic transition, ethical resources, and sustainable development: Reflection on Northern Nigeria”, was organised by the Kaduna Chapter of the NIPR.
The minister described Tinubu as a transformational leader with a solid track record in the private sector and at the level of subnational government.
According to Idris, Tinubu is a man who will not be fazed by challenges and obstacles, because he is a man that is more than equal to the task.
“Just this week, he presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion to the National Assembly, the first full-year budget of his administration.
“The budget as presented, signifies a pivotal step towards the realisation of his Renewed Hope Agenda, by aligning fiscal strategies and priorities with broader national development objectives.
“In addition to its focus on development priorities, the budget demonstrates Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal responsibility with all sense of sincerity, transparency and accountability.
“President Tinubu’s administration recognizes the importance of prudent financial management as the foundation for long-term economic stability.
“As the 2024 appropriation bill moves through the legislative process, we are very optimistic that its passage will mark the beginning of a transformative era, bringing tangible improvements to the lives of Nigerians.
“Before the budget presentation, President Tinubu had assented to an equally important Supplementary Budget, signed some landmark bills and Executive Orders into law, and inaugurated initiatives on fiscal policy reform,” he said.
The minister added that the goal has been to deliver relief to the Nigerian people, and lay the groundwork for true and lasting prosperity.
On the theme of the public lecture, Idris said the concept of demographic transition is a very important one for Nigeria, considering the place it occupies as Africa’s most populous country.
According to him, by the year 2050, Nigeria will be the third most populous country in the world, after India and China, and ahead of the United States.
“On top of this, we are a very young population, with a median age of 19. What this means is that half of the population of our country is younger than 20.
“We owe these teeming young people a great deal, starting with ensuring that they are educated for the world of the 21st century. Indeed, with our population, we are at a crossroads.
“The choice is now up to us, as leaders, as elites, regarding what direction Nigeria will proceed in.
“Today’s young people, if properly educated and catered for, will be tomorrow’s engaged and productive labour force.
“Demographics are not only about age; gender is another important element. Nigeria’s population is roughly split evenly between men and women.
“One of the pillars of President Bola Tinubu’s Eight-Point Agenda is inclusivity, which means inclusive policies and programmes for all segments of the population, especially youth and women.
“You can see manifestations of this, even in the array of appointments made by the president so far, and the prominence given to young people and to women,” the minister said.
The President and Chairman of Council of the Institute of NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, represented by a Fellow of the Institute, Alhaji Bashir Chedi, commended the Kaduna Chapter for being active, consistent and always setting the pace.
According to Neliaku, the theme for the conference is very apt and urged members to keep to the ethic and values of the NIPR and also to add value to organisations they are working for.
Similarly, the Chairman of Kaduna Chapter of the NIPR, Mr Haroun Malami, said public relations served as an indispensable tool for shaping perception and fostering a supportive environment contributing to sustainable development initiatives.
He said “figures from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that for every new children born in Nigeria between 2016 and 2019, seven were from the northern states”.
The keynote address on ‘Demographic transition, ethical resource and sustainable development, was delivered by the former Governor of Niger, Dr Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu.
The event attracted the Directors-General of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr Mohammed Bulama; Nigerian Television Authority, Salihu Dembos, and Voice of Nigeria, Mr Jibrin Baba Ndace.
Also, in attendance were officials from Zonal Command of EFCC, FIRS, Kaduna State Government, Gombe Indigens Association in Kaduna, Jam’a Matan Arewa and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
NAN reports that awards in different categories were given to deserving members and other personalities in governance, gender politics and empowerment, tax administration, public broadcasting and many others. (NAN)
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
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