To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Administration of the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has appointed Hon. Chidi Amadi as his Chief of Staff.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director Press, office of the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye and made available to the media on Friday.

Hon Amadi has vast experience in public service and has held several strategic political positions including PDP Chairman of Obio /Akpor Local Government Area and Chief of Staff to the Governor of Rivers State.

As Chief of Staff, Hon Amadi will play a pivotal role in supporting the FCT Minister in the formulation and execution of policies and programs aimed at advancing the development agenda of the Federal Capital Territory and will provide strategic guidance as well as ensuring the smooth functioning of the Minister’s office.

He will be sworn into office on Monday 18th of March, 2024.

Organizers of the Premium Trust bank Abuja City international half marathon, Nilayo Sports Management company has urged resident of the Federal Capital Territory to brace up for the best organized sporting event in the country.

Making this declaration recently in Abuja while speaking with a section of the journalist in Abuja, the company project manager, Oluwaseyi Johnson noted that their organization has developed the reputation of organizing some of the best marathon events in the country.

Seyi stated that having deliver first class marathon events in Lagos, Kaduna and some other states of the country it’s now the turn of the Federal Capital Territory to experience first class marathon events totally different from whatever they must have experienced in the past.

The sports Agency project manager further stressed that been the best sports agency in Nigeria and Africa at large they poses the necessary expertise to deliver a half marathon event that Abuja residents would be so proud of.

“We are here for Premium Trust Abuja half International City marathon. We are here to give people what it means for a city like Abuja the real race to be celebrated. We are here to change the notion of it cannot be done properly. That’s why we are here. And we appreciate you.

“We are here to make it even better than what you have known before. I don’t want to talk about the race you experienced last time,”

On their part, the FCT sports Director, Lucas Istifanus assured the organizers of the territory total support in delivery a first class event. He assured that the readiness of his office to provide them with all that is necessary and within their power to ensure that the event is delivered.

“We have heard meetings here in this office discussing this marathon. All our effort is to ensure that it comes out to be the best. The Premium Trust bank marathon organizers happens to be one of the most friendly marathon executor planner to this office which is why all of us in this office are proud to be associated with it.

“FCT as you all know, that we are struggling to make FCT a sporting arena. FCT is more or less a civil service settlement. So, with this kind of programs we are giving the Abuja youths the awareness that outside football, handball, tennis, there is a game that is also calles marathon which is even empowering the youths more than the once that they know. So, in this case we are giving the necessary support and we are praying and hopeful that it is going to be the best,” he concluded.

The marathon event is scheduled to hold on the 20th of April this year.

Leading telecommunications services provider, MTN, says it will partner the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), in disseminating weather and climate information to farmers and other users across Nigeria.

The partnership is coming on the heels of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in February 2024, between NiMet and Tomorrow.io, a leading weather intelligence company based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with footprints across Africa and the Middle East. The two organizations are collaborating on a whole range of areas including commercializing weather data, improving accuracy of weather and climate forecasts, and application of artificial intelligence (Ai) in weather and climate intelligence.

Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited said of the MTN and NiMet partnership; “As the leading provider of communications services in Nigeria, with over 77 million people on our network, we are committed to supporting national initiatives that enhance the quality of life of Nigerians. Therefore, we are open to supporting NiMet’s partnership with Tomorrow.io to make this service available to farmers across Nigeria.
We appreciate the opportunity to work together to improve the nation’s food security and anticipate a fruitful working relationship”.

On his part, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike said; “NiMet is the federal government of Nigeria agency responsible for observing, collating, collecting, processing and disseminating all meteorological data and information. The weather and climate data that we generate are useful planning tools for all Nigerians, farmers and other sectoral operators in aviation, marine, oil and gas, construction, academia etc. We are delighted to be partnering MTN Nigeria to support the critical task of disseminating weather and climate information to farmers to boost food security which is a a key component of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.

 

 

La Commission de la CEDEAO, conduite par son Président, S.E. Omar Alieu Touray, Phd, a reçu le mardi 12 mars 2024, à son siège, une délégation de hauts responsables espagnols conduite par S.E. Diego Martinez Belío, secrétaire d’État aux Affaires étrangères du Royaume d’Espagne, dans le cadre de la signature d’un protocole d’accord d’une valeur de 2,5 millions d’euros.

 

Dans son discours d’ouverture S.E Omar Alieu Touray a remercié l’Espagne pour son engagement dans le développement des infrastructures énergétiques, dans le domaine agricole, et dans les questions de développement du genre.

Il a salué le projet CEDEAO Espagne Femme Paix et Sécurité dans l’espace CEDEAO et a en outre rappelé que l’ensemble des actions menées doivent être gouvernées par un renforcement des programmes permettant la paix et la sécurité dans la région car, a-t-il ajouté, la Paix et la Sécurité sont les conditions pour une stabilité et un développement durable de la Région.

 

Dans son discours d’ouverture Mr Diego Martinez Belío a rappelé que le protocole d’accord signé comprend une contribution volontaire de 2,565 millions d’euros et les fonds contribueront au renforcement institutionnel de la CEDEAO, au soutient du Centre de Développement du Genre de la CEDEAO, de l’Agence régionale pour l’agriculture et l’alimentation (ARAA) dans la mise en œuvre de la stratégie révisée de sécurité alimentaire et le développement d’un programme régional d’alimentation scolaire innovant. Ceci permettra donc la création de 90 cantines scolaires pour nourrir en toute sécurité 23 860 élèves principalement dans les zones rurales et transfrontalières de la CEDEAO.

 

 La Signature de ce memorandum a été suivie par le  lancement du programme Femmes, paix et sécurité et du lancement  officiel du programme de formation du personnel de la CEDEAO à  la langue  espagnole

In a recent Press Release issued at the Civil Society House Abuja, the leadership of the National Civil Society Council (NCSCN) vehemently condemned the incessant attacks on Seyi Tinubu, first son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by some Nigerians, describing the attacks as unnecessary distractions from critical issues of National Development.

The text jointly signed by the Executive Director, Amb. Blesssing Akinlosotu and the Deputy Executive Director, Southern Nigeria, Olayemi Success frowned at the manner with which some persons have continuously misinterpreted and wrongly portrayed what they said should naturally have been a credit and commendable gesture of President Tinubu as a responsible parent and family minded father, in a very bad light.

The NCSCN Press Text went on to assert that a major requirement for successful leadership is a testimony of a united and bonded family working towards collective goal and aspirations as has been demonstrated by the Tinubu’s over decades.

“The leadership of the Civil Society Council can readily attest to the consistency and commitment of the family of President Tinubu to the political aspirations of the Family head that has contributed immensely to the successes experienced by the President, even in difficult years in the trenches of NADECO struggle for democratic emancipation of Nigeria. Without the resilience and support from family line, President Tinubu would have been history by now, hence, the love, passion and uncompromising bond of partnership existing between the Tinubu’s till date, which is a plus and not minus to a prominent leader of that calibre”. The Text read in part.

“The solidarity and support shown to his father by Seyi Tinubu, and the reciprocal love by the father President Tinubu to his son, Seyi, should be source of inspiration and thing of emulation to leaders across the Federation, so long as it does not interfere with or have negative impact on business of governance”. The Text continued.

Across the globe, great and successful leaders have been seen to showcase the strong bonding existing within their families by publicly presenting spouses and children at necessary occasions and ceremonies with their countries and even in their oversea trips. The case of Seyi Tinubu accompanying his father in some oversea trips is not isolated or strange, as we can draw endless lists of great and reputable world leaders like the Bush Family, Mandela Family, the Barak Obama Family, Prince Charles etc. who are severally seen in public and overseas trips with spouses and offspring. President Clinton visited Nigeria on an official state visit with his adult daughter, Chelsea, who was the FIRST person he introduced to then-President Obasanjo.
Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher took her son, Mark Thatcher, to overseas UK Business summits. Sir Mark Thatcher is a businessman, as is Seyi Tinubu. Also President Obasanjo similarly took his son, Gbenga, on a business summit while he was President. Gbenga is also a legitimate businessman. The current U.S. President, Joe Biden, took his son, Hunter Biden, on a business summit in China while he was Vice President. And President Trump even made his daughter and her husband his advisers, who frequently traveled with him to business and political summits. It then becomes worrisome to the Council why the case of Seyi Tinubu has been over sensationalized in the Nigerian media space”
The leadership of NCSCN explained in their Text that the trip to Qatar was publicly billed as a business summit, for which Nigerian businesses were meant to collaborate with Qatari companies. The Press Text revealed that some critics even mocked the Tinubu administration when a letter leaked that the “Business Summit” aspect of the trip had been canceled. Which NCSCN claimed turned out to be a lie.

“It is on record that to the President’s credit, he publicly kicked his son, Seyi Tinubu out of a Federal Executive Council meeting and warned him never to attend again, because that was not a business summit. That was a government meeting. The Civil Society Council, therefore, earnestly appeals to all Nigerians and those involved in this distractive and retrogressive act to deceit from these in order not to detract government and the citizenry from focusing on crucial issues of National Development.

The big question to be asked in this matter is if the presence of Seyi Tinubu in the oversea trips of his father, the President, his in any way interfares with running of government, negatively affects the purposes of the trip, or usurps the authority of relevant government official? Is the inclusion of Seyi in any way encumbers decision-making processes in the trip or governance? The answers, to the best of the Civil Society Council, is a big No”. The Text concluded.