News

Reps, HoA, FG Resolve To End Malnutrition In Nigeria

Published

4 months ago

July 22, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…as Speaker Abbas express concern over growing food insecurity

By Gloria Ikibah

As a way to ending malnutrition and food insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives has inaugurated the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security.

The network which comprises the House, 27 States Houses of Assembly ministers also resolved to end malnutrition and food insecurity in the country through adequate collaboration.

In his address Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, raised concerns over growing food insecurity in the country.

He said there was the need to reinforce the urgent need to address the issue of nutrition and food security as the representatives of the people.

He therefore promised to initiate a strategic legislative process to tackle malnutrition and food security, adding that this is not the best time for the citizenry.

He said: “We are taking concrete steps to restore hope to the suffering masses that will guarantee the enhancement of their well-being.

“We need the involvement of the state assembly to attain nutrition and food security, and this move is in the right direction to achieve a greater result.

“We shared the people’s pains, discomfort, suffering, and depression following the worrisome cost of food items and the decline in nutrition”.

According to Speaker Abbas, the presence of the ministers shows the commitment of the President to address food security in the country, even as he urged Nigerians to give the Executive the needed support.

Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Rep. Chike Okafor, in his welcome address noted that malnutrition and food insecurity remained a constant threat to socio-economic development in Nigeria.

He added that this had become an existential threat, and that “worsening inflation has also aggravated this burden on ordinary Nigerians, and the food insecurity situation in Nigeria has worsened.

“There is, however, cause for optimism; the optimism we share stems from the fact that, for the first time, attempts to tackle malnutrition and food insecurity will have a legislative push.

“This legislative perspective will be driven collectively and holistically, anchored on the joint effort of the committees at the National and State Houses of Assembly”.

He added that this would be driven by a joint work plan with flexibility for the incorporation of state-specific exigencies.

The Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly and Chairman Conference of Speakers, State Legislators, Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, said the wellbeing of the citizenry in the area of food security and nutrition had taken center stage.

Hon. Ogundoyin said that it was imperative to carry the state along because it would provide the requisite understanding to tackle the issue.

He therefore expressed the commitment of the state’s assemblies to work toward a common goal: eradicating malnutrition and food insecurity.

According to him, Nigeria is one of the deprived countries in Africa when it comes to nourishment for our children.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said that there was a need to come together to deal with the issue of malnutrition, adding that they remained the pillars of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

According to Prof. Pate, the country had struggled with acute malnutrition, and there was a need to deal with it and the issue of over- and undernutrition.

“We have diabetes and hypertension because of the processed food we eat. It is not just the calories, but the diversity of the diet, which is very important.

“The issues of malnutrition affect the performance of a child in school and their productivity, the child’s survival depends on nutrition”, he stated.

Thee Minister of Budget and National Planning, Abubakar Baguda, noted that nutrition and food security challenges are constitutional, and that the three tiers of government must invest more in them.

He explained that this involved giving each of the three tiers of government apride of place in what they could do to address the menace.

“Nutrition is a localized issue; there are differences from one community to the next. We need to localize challenges. The resource constraints are one of the challenges of nutrition and food security.”

He, however, said that Nigeria could find resources to fund its priorities, adding that “Nigeria has been underinvesting, and we are determined to change policies.”

The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, said, “We need to identify strategies to prevent and alleviate the suffering of our people. Manultrition is a major issue in Nigeria, affecting most children.”

He listed banditry, kidnapping, and policy frame work, among others, as some of the factors responsible for the manultrition and food crisis in the country.

“We are collaborating with ministries and other agencies to ensure food and nutrition security. We want to create awareness and collaboration among the three arms of government.

This, according to him, includes development partners to effectively address the manpower and food crises in Nigeria. No family should be denied their basic right to food and nutrition.

News

Just in: Plateau Govt Approves N70k Minimum Wage for Civil Servants

Published

10 minutes ago

November 14, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

In line with discussions reached after consultation with relevant stakeholders, the Plateau State Government has approved immediate implementation of the N70, 000 minimum wage for the workforce in Plateau State.

The cheering news is contained in a Press Statement signed by the Head of Civil Service in the State, Stephen Pam Gadong.

Full text of the statement reads in part:

Following the Agreement of the Committee on Consequential Adjustment on Salaries on 13th, November, 2024, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, has approved the immediate implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for workers in the state.

The Implementation is a demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to prioritizing the wellbeing of the workforce in acknowledgement of their invaluableble role in driving the State’s developmental goals.

As the new wage policy is administered, Civil Servants are encouraged to embrace this gesture by recommitting to their duties with renewed dedication and zeal in order to foster a culture of productivity and excellence in service in the State.

News

Before final liquidation, NDIC set to auction Heritage bank properties

Published

2 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Naijablitznews

In a bid to ensure timely declaration of liquidation dividends to uninsured depositors of the failed Heritage Bank (In-Liquidation), the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has commenced the process of auctioning the landed properties and chattels of the defunct bank.

According to the Corporation, this exercise is in line with its statutory powers as the Liquidator of failed banks under section 62 (1)(d) of the NDIC Act, 2023, noting that; “This is another follow-up action sequel to the disposal of physical assets and chattels belonging to the defunct bank at its leased locations nationwide”.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Communication and Public Affairs Department, Bashir A.

Therefore, the auction of the landed assets shall be by competitive bidding in sealed bids scheduled to take place at the six (6) selected locations of the Corporation across the country, for the affected 36 branches of the failed bank beginning from Wednesday 4th December 2024.
“Buyers who wish to participate in the auction are expected to follow laid down guidelines purposely aimed at ensuring transparency, fair competition, equity, and accountability to enable recovery of commensurate values from the exercise. This is critical for the payment of liquidation dividends to eligible claimants.

The Corporation shall give preference to financial institutions who are willing to buy at the highest auctioned value to allow for the continuation of provision of banking services to the Nigerian public at the designated locations”, adding; “This is desirable towards bolstering financial inclusion as envisaged by the financial system regulatory authorities.

“However, Corporate bodies and Private individuals willing to compete are equally eligible to compete in the process without prejudice, the auction shall be open and competitive to all bidders.

Furthermore, bidders will be allowed to inspect the properties and chattels across all locations one week before the date of disposal.”

Importantly too, the statement said; “All interested parties are to make available 10% bid security of the value of their sealed bids to be dropped in the bid box provided at the specific centre out of the six locations of the Corporation as contained in the published advertisements.

“All interested bidders are advised to submit their bids only at the designated NDIC offices covering their choices amongst Abuja, Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt.”

Meanwhile, the Corporation has vowed that there would be no hiding place for debtors of the defunct Heritage Bank whose financial obligation portfolio is in the region of over N700 billion.

News

Naira slumps in parallel market

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Naijablitznews

The Naira experienced a slight depreciation yesterday, slipping to N1,740 per dollar in the parallel market compared to its previous rate of N1,735 per dollar on Tuesday.

According to data from FMDQ, the indicative exchange rate for the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) strengthened, rising to N1,645.4 per dollar from Tuesday’s rate of N1,689.88 per dollar. This marks an appreciation of N44.48 for the Naira.

The market also saw a significant increase in dollar trading activity, with turnover climbing by 122.5 percent to reach $236.84 million, up from $106.44 million the previous day.

As a result, the gap between the parallel market and the NAFEM exchange rate widened, now standing at N94.6 per dollar, up from N45.12 per dollar recorded on Tuesday.