POLITICS
Sanwo-Olu, Akeredolu Urge Women on Nation Building
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State have called on women to assume their role in nation building.
The governors made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the 21st Annual National Women’s Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), with the theme: ”Awake”.
They said that women must be accorded their rightful recognition in the scheme of affairs.
Sanwo-Olu said that men could do virtually nothing without women, and it was important for women to be awake and alive to their responsibilities, especially in the emerging realities of the 21st century.
He said that in line with the theme of the conference, ”Awake”, women should be a lot more resilient and aware of their environment.
According to him, women should have a new approach to doing things; have sustainable mindset at everything they find themselves doing as individuals, organisations and corporate entities.
”Awake is a clarion call to the 21st century woman to become fully alert to her responsibilities as a pillar, enabler, and catalyst within the family, workplace, civic space and the larger society.
”It is a rallying cry to women, young and old, to be bold, assertive and fearless in the quest for a truly just, equitable and inclusive society.
”In a world where the needs and perspectives of women are often pushed to the back and where violence of all kinds is routinely deployed against them, the need for such a forceful wake-up call can never be over-emphasised,” he said.
The governor said that the policy direction of his administration focused on empowering women and the women had contributed toward actualisation of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.
On his part, Akeredolu said that no reasonable society would confine women to the background, adding that it was no longer acceptable for women’s participation in politics to be limited to singing at rallies.
He said that women had the ability to rescue Nigeria from its quagmire if allowed to take charge.
According to him, the men have failed the system and it was high time women took the lead.
”There is a need for women to start taking the issue of participating in politics seriously.
”Your role cannot be just jamboree – singing at political rallies. We must train the girl-child in a way that she has a role to play in future,” Akeredolu said.
In her address, Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, commended the COWLSO initiative and called on other wives of governors across the country to embrace it, with a view to empowering women and girls.
Buhari, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs and Administration, Dr Rukayyatu Gurin, urged women to use their roles for the greater benefit of society.
”Lagos has set the pace for women. This conference demonstrates how powerful Lagos women have been in supporting their husbands. This conference will positively impact women in Lagos and Nigeria in general.
”I will encourage our husbands to support their wives to collectively achieve greater heights,” she said.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, COWLSO Chairman, urged women to be firm and contribute positively to nation’s building.
”It is time to assert ourselves and contribute positively to our society. Don’t be laid back. No matter where you find yourselves, always remember that you have something to bring to the table.
”We all have a role to play whether you are a grandma, a career woman, house wife, entrepreneur, student or farmer,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The event was attended by dignitaries including; wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajia Salamutu Gbajabiamila; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and governors’ wives from Ogun, Ekiti, Kwara, Osun, Ondo and Kebbi.
Special inspirational women awards were also presented to Nigeria’s first female Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Muheebi Folami; first female Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State and first female Vice Chairman of Transcorp Plc, Mrs Foluke Abdul-Rasaq.
Also, awards were presented to the Iyalode of Lagos, Mrs Bintu Fatima Tinubu, and Super Falcons captain, Asisat Oshoala, who was honoured as inspirational youth of the year.
COWLSO was founded in 1974 by late Dame Obafunmilayo Johnson, wife of the late Brig.Gen. Mobolaji Johnson, the first Military Governor of Lagos State. It was revived by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu in 1999, when she was the First Lady of Lagos State. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has signed the Appropriation (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill, 2025, extending the implementation period of the 2025 budget from September 30, 2026, to December 31, 2026.
The amendment was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, before being transmitted to the President for assent.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the extension will give Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) additional time to complete ongoing capital projects.
The statement said the move would ensure that funds already appropriated are fully utilised without disrupting critical government programmes.
“The extension gives Ministries, Departments and Agencies more time to complete ongoing capital projects,” the statement said.
“It ensures that funds already appropriated are fully put to work for Nigerians, without disrupting critical programmes.”
Tinubu also commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for what the statement described as the prompt consideration of the amendment.
The president said the development demonstrated continued cooperation between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in the interest of the country.
The amendment therefore allows the Federal Government to continue implementing the 2025 budget until December 31, 2026, instead of the earlier September 30 deadline.
President Bola Tinubu has submitted the 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the House of Representatives for consideration and passage.
This is contained in a letter dated Aug.
20, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen and read by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.In the letter, Tinubu said that the budget was prepared by the Minister of Niger Delta Development in line with the provisions of Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the proposal was based on the NDDC’s revenue and expenditure forecasts and it aligned with the fiscal and developmental policies of the Federal Government and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said that the proposal also took into consideration the 2024–2026 Economic Recovery Growth Plan as well as key assumptions of the 2026 Appropriation Act of the Federal Government.
The President said the NDDC had prioritised programmes aimed at improving youth empowerment, energy and power supply, education, industrial and enterprise development, health and security.
He also listed increased agricultural productivity among the commission’s priorities, saying the interventions were intended to lift a significant number of citizens out of poverty.
Tinubu urged the House to give the proposal consideration and ensure its timely passage.
“I look forward to the timely passage of the 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal of the NDDC by the House of Representatives,” he said. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to translate the findings of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) into concrete improvements in their operations in order to strengthen accountability and public trust.
He gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the presentation of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index held at the Auditorium of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja.
The SGF said the administration of President Bola Tinubu, remains committed to open, accountable and responsible governance, stressing that public institutions must ensure that their policies, programmes and actions are transparent, visible and understandable to Nigerians.
According to him, the Index has become a vital instrument for assessing accountability, openness and ethical standards across government institutions, while providing MDAs with clear benchmarks to identify areas of strength and gaps requiring improvement.
He urged heads of MDAs to integrate the findings and indicators of the Index into strategic planning, performance management, budget priorities, procurement processes, staff training and digital disclosure rather than allow the report to become another document left unused.
“The report should not sit on the shelf and should inform management decisions, budget priorities, procurement processes, staff training, digital disclosure, and how you communicate with the public,” he said.
Akume emphasised that transparency should be viewed as an institutional asset rather than an administrative burden, noting that integrity must be embedded in the procedures and culture of public institutions through clear policies, proper record-keeping, effective oversight, ethical leadership and consequences for wrongdoing.
He further tasked MDAs to take advantage of technology by ensuring that their websites and data portals provide accurate, timely and user-friendly information, including current budget, contract and service information, to enable citizens to effectively engage government and track the utilisation of public resources.
The SGF explained that the 2026 TII assesses public institutions in five critical areas comprising fiscal transparency, open procurement and contracting, human resources and inclusion, control of corruption and citizens’ engagement, adding that the initiative complements existing public service reforms, anti-corruption measures and Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership commitments.
He noted that the ultimate objective of transparency and integrity should go beyond institutional rankings to building public institutions that Nigerians can understand, engage with and hold accountable, while safeguarding public resources and improving service delivery.
“The Federal Government remains fully committed to this goal. We will continue building institutions that are transparent, accountable, professional and responsive to the needs of the people,” the SGF said.
Akume commended the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) for sustaining the initiative, while calling for stronger collaboration among government, civil society, professional bodies, development partners and the media in strengthening transparency and bringing corruption to its knees.
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