Economy

2023: Specific nutrition budget likely in Appropriation Bill – Osinbajo

By Web News 400

Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo says efforts by the Federal Government to tackle malnutrition and its attendant challenges are beginning to take shape.

Professor Osinbajo also said nutrition-specific budget estimates are likely to be included in the 2023 Appropriation Bill.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande in a statement on Thursday said Prof. Osinbajo made those comments at a virtual meeting of the National Council on Nutrition which was chaired by the VP.

During the meeting, presentations by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and Nigerian Governors Forum were made on the implementation of the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action on Nutrition particularly on the funding of nutrition activities in the country.

During the meeting, presentations by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and Nigerian Governors Forum were made on the implementation of the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action on Nutrition particularly on the funding of nutrition activities in the country.

FRCN Abuja/Titilayo Kupoliyi

News

Osinbajo in Attendance at FEC Meeting after Surgery

By Web News 436

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday attended the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting physically.

Osinbajo is attending the meeting physically for the first time after he underwent thigh surgery at a hospital in Lagos State. He participated in last week’s FEC meeting virtually.

The meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House is presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, who announced his physical participation in a post on Facebook, appreciated Nigerians for the good wishes for the vice president.

He assured well-wishers that his principal plan was to get stronger and do more for Nigerians in his capacity as the vice president.

He wrote, “VP Osinbajo is physically attending the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting today.

“He is grateful for all the get-well wishes sent by Nigerians and others from all walks of life since the surgical operation and the recuperation period.

“He intends to be getting up and doing more and more,”

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Mongunu are attending the meeting physically.

The ministers attending physically include Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, Communications and Digital, Isa Patanmi, Humanitarian Disaster Management and Social Development Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare, Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Aviation, Hedi Sirika, Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo.

Others are Ministers of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ramatu Aliyu, Environment, Ademola Adegoroye and Education, Goodluck Nana-Opia, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and other ministers are participating online.

Punch/Titilayo Kupoliyi

Lifestyle

International Day Against Drug Trafficking: Osinbajo Attends Premiere Of “The Silent Baron”

By Web News 795

Lending his support to the global campaign against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Friday evening attended the premiere of a movie titled “The Silent Baron”, a film produced by Mr Ifeanyi Ukaeru, in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to highlight the dangers of the abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.

Professor Osinbajo was accompanied by the Executive Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd); the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, and other top government officials.

The movie premiere is part of activities marking the 2021 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking which falls on the 26th of June, every year. It is produced by Ekwe Nche Entertainment Ltd, the NDLEA, among other partners.

The movie features some internal challenges of agencies fighting drug barons and highlights how the couriers are recruited including by fooling ladies and their parents with false promises of taking the ladies abroad.

Starring some top Nollywood actors, the movie features the duplicitous life of a young man named Anselm, disguised as a foreign based professional who only visits Nigeria on short vacations.

He lures young ladies with gifts, alluring words and under false pretences as couriers for his illicit drug trafficking business.

In the end he was caught.

The movie brings to limelight, the commendable role of the NDLEA in the fight against drug trafficking especially at a time when the agency is aggressively exposing the menace with a significant number of arrests in the last couple months.

After watching the movie, a very delighted Vice President met some of the actors who were also present at the premiere, interacted briefly and took group photographs with the actors, movie producers and the production crew before departing from the event.

Laolu Akande,
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,
Office of the Vice President.
26th June 2021

Politics

FG Reiterates Commitment to Swift Prosecution of Criminals

By Web News 577

Federal has restated its commitment to the protection of lives and property, and prosecution of criminals.

This is contained in a Press Release by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Office of the Vice President on Media & Publicity, Laolu Akande.

                                          TEXT

State House Press Release

Office of the Vice President

*Security Situation:* 

FG States Recommits to Swift Investigation, Arrest & Prosecution Of Crime Perpetrators 

*To fully protect Nigerians wherever they chose to reside regardless of ethnic background 

*States to pay compensation for damages, reconstruct destroyed homes during targeted attacks 

Henceforth concerted efforts would be made towards the immediate investigation, arrest, and prosecution of all perpetrators of crime in the country while both the States and Federal governments should ensure the full protection of all Nigerians wherever they reside, without regard to ethnic, religious, or regional status.

These were some of the outcomes of the first physical meeting of the National Economic Council after a critical review of the security situation in the country under the chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. 

According to the resolution of the Council, both the Federal and State governments should recommit to “the protection of all residents of all States including non-indigenous communities and religious and ethnic minorities within state jurisdictions.” 

Similarly, it was resolved that in collaboration with federal authorities, there should be the commencement of “the reconstruction of destroyed homes and payment of compensation where appropriate by State authorities for damage to property and livelihoods sustained during targeted attacks on communities within their jurisdictions.” 

The resolution in full is hereby reproduced: 

The Resolutions of the National Economic Council 

All Nigerians in their various States of abode, regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliation, will be afforded the full weight of the protection of their governments at both Federal and State levels. 

This was the commitment made by the Governors at the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) which held at the State House Banquet Hall on Thursday. 

During the meeting which was chaired by the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Council deliberated on the security situation in the country and reached a consensus on a mutual framework for addressing the protection of vulnerable communities, especially ethnic and religious minorities. 

The Governors reaffirmed their commitment to national unity and pledged among other things, to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of crime, to collaborate with federal authorities to reconstruct destroyed homes, and pay compensation where appropriate for damage to property and livelihoods during targeted attacks on communities, as well as the unequivocal condemnation of manifestations of hatred, hate crimes and related violence against communities. 

The Council recommitted to the following principles: 

1.  The protection of all residents of all States, including non-indigenous communities and religious and ethnic minorities within State jurisdictions; 

2. The arrest and prosecution of all perpetrators of crime; 

3. In collaboration with federal authorities, the reconstruction of destroyed homes and payment of compensation where appropriate by State authorities for damage to property and livelihoods sustained during targeted attacks on communities within their jurisdictions; 

4. Ensuring that deceased victims of such violence are duly accorded dignified burial rites; 

5. The immediate public and unequivocal condemnation of all manifestations of hatred, targeted violence, and other hate crimes against ethnic, religious, and minority groups; 

6. Ensuring that local security initiatives – whether they are State government law enforcement agencies or local vigilante groups or the Community Policing programme of the Nigeria Police Force – are inclusive and are composed with due consideration given to adequate representation of non-indigenous/minority resident communities; 

7.  Ensuring that all State, local and communal security initiatives operate according to guidelines consistent with State legislation and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other relevant laws and are subjected to rigorous oversight; 

8. Ensuring that innocent citizens and entire communities are not slandered, harassed or victimized for the crimes perpetrated by criminal elements within those communities on the basis of ethnic or religious affiliation. 

9. The continued organization of and participation in town hall meetings in the localities where ethnic strife has taken place by Governors representing all geopolitical zones. 

10. That State Governments have statutory jurisdiction over forest reserves and will seek federal support for efforts to eradicate forest-based crime. (Council deliberated on how forests should be better managed and secured against criminals and criminality.) 

11.That the National Livestock Transformation Plan is a comprehensive strategy for addressing the farmer-herder conflict developed by the States in collaboration with the Federal Government and Governors will seek its full implementation. (States are encouraged to promote modernization of livestock and Council, therefore, called for the strengthening of the National Livestock Transformation Plan.) 

12. The strengthening of border controls to discourage cross-border crimes and the effective observation of ECOWAS Transhumance protocols. 

*Strategy for President’s vision on poverty eradication 

Other discussions at today’s meeting included the presentation of the strategy for the realization of the President’s vision to bring 100million Nigerians out of poverty. The presentation was made to the Council by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, PEAC. 

Council resolved that the Technical Committee of NEC be set up with 3 Governors and representatives of the Federal Government to look at details of States’ involvement and how their concerns could be addressed regarding the presentation and the implementation of the strategy. 

*INEC presentation on Polling Units

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also made a presentation to the Council on the need to expand voter access to Polling Units across the country. Council resolved to support the Commission’s bid to convert polling booths to full-fledged Polling Units and work out the details of doing so at the State levels.

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity

Office of the Vice President

18th February 2021