Nation
We Borrow For Infrastructure, Social Welfare Packages, FG Claims
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Ikanade Agba, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government was borrowing funds for infrastructure upgrade and social welfare packages.
The minister, who said the Buhari’s government was not borrowing to squander funds, explained that there was an ongoing effort to connect rural roads and railways to urban roads in order to exploit the agricultural potentialities of the nation.
He made the statement at Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State during the inspection of an ongoing 7.5killometres Covid-19 Rural Roads Intervention Project of the Federal Government which cut across Aku, Lejja and Nsukka communities in Enugu State.
The minister while saying that the loans were acquired with only 3 per cent interest rate, added that they were gotten with 10-20 years moratorium.
“A lot of people talk about the borrowings by the present government. You need to understand the terms and conditions of the loans we are taking and what they are being used for. What is bad is when you borrow to eat, but if you borrow for something productive, you benefit.
“The interest rates we are paying for these loans we are taking is not up to 3 per cent and we have 10-20 years moratorium, that is, within those periods, we are not paying anything and some of the loans have up to 40 years repayment period. So, if you look at what it would take to pay back the loans we are taking, it could be considered as gifts.
“We are trying to connect our rural roads to urban roads and to the railways. You could see that we are spending a lot of money across the country on roads construction, but if we don’t develop our rail sector, our roads would continue to fail because of the pressure on them. In other more developed countries, heavy things are being moved on rails. That’s what we are trying to do,” he said.
While saying that the President is concerned about the plights of the downtrodden who voted him in power, he added, “he is very concerned about you, and the livelihoods of all Nigerians and he has said that Nigerians must produce what they eat, and we must eat what we produce, and agriculture has to be the main stake of our economy.
“Our country in the past depended on agriculture before the discovery of oil, we were well-nourished, but today, we have all abounded agriculture and focused on oil and the result is not good for our people.
“That is why Mr. President said he must remember those who produce the food we eat from the rural areas, and he is aware that about 50 per cent of what you produce does not get to market because of the poor access road,” he said.
He added that Mr. President encourages farmers by approving the sum of N34billion to be spent on the construction of rural roads across the country to boost agriculture.
In an address by the Coordinator of the Lejja/Aku Communities Hosting Committee, Engr. Victor Amorha, the benefiting communities lauded the President for the good gesture shown them by his government.
The communities equally appreciated the Minister for Agriculture and Regional Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, for ceding to get full Executive Council endorsement to get the project rolling, adding that the projects, when completed, would put back the benefiting communities on the world map.
The communities equally lauded Agba, for the harmonious working relationship between him and their son, Samuel Ekwueme, serving in his office as a Special Assistant, adding that the road would reduce post-harvest losses of agricultural produce to, at least, 85 per cent in the benefiting communities.
They equally prayed for the speedy completion of the project.
The minister and his team were earlier received by the people of Lejja at their community secondary school field.
An address by the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Ugwuoke Nwani, read in parts, “This is the first time this ancient community of more than 2000 B.C is seeing a tarred road in the town, it is the first time our peace-loving people are working, riding and driving on a tarred road in our town, and it is the first time we have ever gathered together to celebrate such a phenomenon in this town not minding the fact that the tarring has not covered all of Lejja.
“We thank you Mr. Honourable Minister for the history you and the Federal Government have made in Lejja. 19th February 2021 is a day Lejja will ever continue to remember. On this day, you have written your name on the marble in our town.”
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
A pan-Nigeria organisation committed to the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages, Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters (ILCP), has called for the deliberate development and compulsory teaching of indigenous languages in both primary and secondary schools across the country.
The group made the call during its maiden Congress held in Bori, Rivers State, which was convened to examine challenges hindering the official adoption and effective teaching of Ogoni languages in schools.
Speaking at the Congress, the Executive Director of the organisation, HRC Mene Magnus Edooh, Amb.P, emphasised the critical role of indigenous languages in preserving a people’s culture, values and history. He warned against the gradual extinction of native languages, noting that language loss equates to identity loss.
“Years ago, Latin was a language of global relevance, but today it is largely extinct. We do not want Ogoni languages to suffer a similar fate. As a people, we cannot afford to lose our identity through the death of our languages,” Edooh said.
He explained that the Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters was established to collaborate with language stakeholders to ensure that children and younger generations remain connected to their mother tongues. The organisation also appealed to governments at all levels, as well as relevant institutions and individuals, to take strategic actions aimed at promoting and sustaining Nigeria’s indigenous languages.
Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Media and Information, Prince David N. Gbarato, questioned the rationale behind government reluctance to accord indigenous languages their rightful place in national development policies.
According to him, “People with well-developed languages are people with well-developed indigenous systems and affairs,” stressing that language development is fundamental to cultural and societal advancement.
The Congress further served as a platform for the ratification of key officers of the organisation and featured the participation of representatives from various indigenous language groups and other language stakeholders, all of whom echoed the call for renewed commitment towards safeguarding Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.
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