Stories from Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja
A Nigerian delegation has left for Beijing, China for the Forum on China Africa Cooperation’s meeting on the implementation of the follow-up actions of the Johannesburg Summit.
The Johannesburg Summit, held in December 2015, identified 10 critical areas of cooperation between China and African countries, including Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit last April further bolstered Nigeria’s participation in the 10 critical areas, which cover industrialisation, agricultural mechanisation, infrastructure development, financial cooperation, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty reduction, public health, cultural and people-to-people exchange as well as peace and security.
Recently, Nigeria developed a shortlist of projects, which the team to China, led by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, will be discussing at the Beijing coordination meeting.
The Chinese government had pledged $60 billion assistance to African countries to develop and grow their infrastructural and human development capacities. Thirty-five billion dollars have been set aside for concessionary loans. Ten billion dollars is for the China Africa Fund for production capacity, while $5 billion each is earmarked as no-interest grants. There is also China Africa Development Fund and special loan for the development of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs).
The delegation is also expected to fine-tune and strengthen the bond of relationship between the two countries by ensuring the faithful implementation of the bi-lateral agreements signed during the last state visit of President Buhari to China.
Udoma said the successful implementation of Nigeria’s identified projects under FOCAC was expected to further enhance the relationship.
FG’ll provide support for innovation hubs – Shittu
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, has disclosed the readiness of the Federal Government to do everything possible for the provision of effective support for innovation hubs across the country.
Daily Sun learnt that in realisation of the need to embrace innovation and use it as an engine for economic growth, the Federal Ministry of Communications would establish and provide support for existing innovation hubs across the country as part of the priority projects identified in its ICT Sector Roadmap.
According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Victor Oluwadamilare, “if equitably established across the country, the innovation hubs, according to Barr. Shittu, will provide unique opportunities for start-ups and SMEs to acquire important ICT skills, build key networks and access necessary funding.”
The minister, in a keynote address delivered at the public presentation of the Delta State Innovation Hub in Asaba yesterday, said: “We, at the Federal Ministry of Communications, are keen to support you in this process. Our policies are geared towards using information and communications technologies (ICTs), as a catalyst for innovation in every sector of the economy.
“A key part of my road-map is the establishment of new innovation hubs and support for existing ones as innovation hubs serve as magnets for high-end thinkers and a birth place for ideas and channels for investment.
“They are crucial in the Federal Government’s drive to create jobs, generate wealth and increase revenue. We will keep our promise to create new hubs across the country and strengthen existing hubs for greater effectiveness.”
Finance: Adeosun advocates economic patriotism from Diaspora Nigerians
The Federal Government has called on Nigerians in the Diaspora to see the current economic realities in the country as good opportunities to participate actively in the ongoing efforts to reposition the nation’s economy.
The Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who spoke at the 2016 Diaspora Conference in Abuja, yesterday, described the Diaspora as a key part of the Nigerian Community, which has a key role to play at this critical time. Stressing the need for a collective action, the minister said, “What Nigeria needs now is Economic Patriotism that will support this administration’s efforts to reposition the economy.”
She stated, “We must never become so comfortable abroad that we forget or worse still despise our roots. Rebuilding Nigeria is an important mission for the next generation, who deserves the chance of a Nigeria that provides opportunities for them.”
According to her, “Other Diaspora communities retain strong links to their motherland and we must do so in order to retain the fabric of our families and our value system.”
She pointed out that the current administration was rebuilding Nigeria based on fundamental values that shaped the childhood of many people but which were sadly abandoned by a few in pursuit of aggrandisement wealth that they can never spend. Those fundamental values, according to her, include hard work, enterprise, honesty and self-reliance.
AGRICULTURE: We’ve N25bn egg production deal with BoI – Firm
Stories from Magnus Eze, Abuja
Project managers for the Federal Government’s N25 billion National Egg Production Scheme (NEGPRO), Tuns Farms Limited, yesterday said the firm did not sign any contract with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development or the minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
A civil rights group, Centre for Social Justice, recently sued Ogbeh at the Federal High Court, Abuja, asking him to “release details and copy of the N25 billion contract he signed with Tuns Farms Nigeria Limited.”
The group asked for a copy of the agreement, the contact address of the company, the newspaper where the procurement contract was advertised and the criteria for selecting Tuns Farms for the project, saying that the process negated the provisions of Public Procurement Act.
But speaking through the lead consultant of Caritas Communications, Mr. Dayo Ojo, the project managers said they merely signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the agriculture ministry to facilitate the Bank of Industry (BoI) sponsored project.
Ojo, who said there was no controversy surrounding the NEGPRO project, explained that Tuns was selected because of its enormous experience, insisting that there is no contract from Federal Ministry of Agriculture to Tuns Farms.
ORIENTATION: Don’t soil Nigeria’s image, NOA urges Muslim pilgrims
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has admonished Muslim pilgrims to always reinforce Nigeria’s high profile abroad through their conducts and behaviours during hajj activities.
Director General of NOA, Garba Abari, stated this during a working visit to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Abuja.
The NOA boss highlighted the urgent need for citizens’ reorientation, adding that the nation’s profile was high and as such must reflect in the conduct of citizens whom he urged to see themselves not only as people on religious duty but also as ambassadors of their country.
Abari said Muslim pilgrims needed to be thoroughly sensitised on the rules and laws of the host nation before they leave the shores of Nigeria so as to avoid breaching the regulations of the holy land.
The DG stated that a close collaboration between NOA and NAHCON as well as the Muslim clergy would ensure that national symbols were properly displayed in the holy land and the right information communicated to would-be pilgrims about both the religious and national expectations they must fulfil during their pilgrimage.
NAHCON Chairman, Abdullahi Mohammed, assured his visitor that the Commission had a mandate to sensitise Muslim pilgrims in all states of the federation.