The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, has been honoured by ThisDay and Arise Television as the Minister of the Year for 2024.

In a letter dated January 14, 2024, Mr Eniola Bello, Managing Director of ThisDay/ Arise Group, announced that Wike was selected from numerous candidates by millions of readers of ThisDay and viewers of Arise News Channel.

The award presentation is scheduled for January 27, 2025, at Eko Hotels in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The letter stated: “Congratulations on your nomination as Minister of the Year! Your service to Nigeria, Africa, and the world is commendable.

“The ThisDay Awards honour excellence in governance, public policy, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Your contributions have earned you this recognition.”

The letter further emphasised Wike’s resilience and determination during challenging times, noting that he stood out among hundreds of candidates.

Since taking office, Wike has overseen significant infrastructural advancements in Abuja’s city centre and its surrounding satellite towns.

Land administration reforms have improved markedly, enabling land allottees to receive their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) within two weeks of payment.

To illustrate the progress made, Wike has signed 5,841 C-of-O documents since assuming office, in contrast to the 8,400 printed and signed during the previous eight years between 2010 and 2023.

This achievement means he is on track to surpass the total number of C-of-O’s signed in that time frame.

By Gloria Ikibah

Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have formalized preparations for the 2025 Hajj exercise with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement was signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. While the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfattah Mashat, signed for Saudi Arabia.

The MoU sets the stage for comprehensive preparations for the pilgrimage, ensuring improved coordination and better services for Nigerian pilgrims. In addition to the bilateral meeting and signing ceremony, the fourth edition of the Hajj Conference and Exhibition will also take place. This event will bring together stakeholders from various sectors to enhance the overall Hajj experience and the quality of services offered.

The collaboration highlights the commitment of both nations to maintaining a smooth and successful pilgrimage exercise in 2025.

Tuggar said, “Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding tradition of signing annual Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to facilitate the smooth conduct of Hajj pilgrimages for Nigerian Muslims. These agreements outline the responsibilities and expectations of both nations, ensuring that Nigerian pilgrims receive adequate services and support during the 2025 Hajj exercise”.

“These MoUs ensure Nigerian pilgrims have a seamless and spiritually fulfilling Hajj experience. They facilitate collaboration on various aspects, including accommodation, transportation, and healthcare services, thereby enhancing the overall welfare of the pilgrims”. He added.

The event was witnessed by Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Senator Aliyu Ikara Bilbis, Hon. Jafar Shatiman Borgu, the Consul General of Nigeria in Jeddah, Amb Muazam Ibrahim Nayaya, Amb Mahmud Lele and  CDA Riyadh Dr Modibo Umar.

By Gloria Ikibah

The Rural Electrification Agency has said that the provision of solar-powered energy to public institutions is a key component of its schedule in the 2025 fiscal year.

Managing Director of the agency, Abba Aliyu disclosed this on Wednesday shortly after making a presentation on REA’s 2024 budget performance and projections in the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

Aliyu said President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the deployment of solar power in the public sector is intended to cut the cost of governance.

He said, “What we did today is to present the 2025 budget proposal which is the biggest REA’s budget so far in the history of the country. The first key aspect of our 2025 budget is the National Public Sector Solarization Initiative, an initiative of President Bola Tinubu with a proposal of N100bn provided.

“The essence of this initiative is for REA to solarize the public sector. If you look at the data of the budget implementation over the years, you will see the quantum of money used by public institutions to buy generators and diesel to provide electricity. So, the Federal Government now sees it as a way to reduce the cost of governance and provide REA with funding for use to solarize this public institution. This is part of what we presented to the House Committee.”

Aliyu in a brief interview with journalists after the budget defence highlighted the key achievements of the agency in the past year.

“For the 2024 budget performance, REA implemented various aspects of work. Key among them was grid extension and the deployment of mini-grids for productive use, which specifically were chosen and deployed within agricultural areas.

“We also carried out deployment of solar home systems. We did a substantial number of that deployment in 2024,” he added.

The REA boss also commended President Tinubu for the huge allocation to the agency in the 2025 budget proposal, saying, “I think we’ve never had it this good. REA’s budget proposal for this year (2025) is excellent.

“If you look at last year, the total budget presentation was about N160bn, but this year, we have over N500bn.  So, our budget allocation for this year is more than good for us. All that is required is for us to go deploy it and start implementation of our projects to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President,” he stated.