Nation
Push For N826bn Annual Fund To Combat Insecurity Angers Nigerians
Concerned Nigerians have reacted to a revelation from the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, last Monday, that, at least, $2billion (about N826billion), would be needed yearly, to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country.
The Director of Production, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshall M. A. Yakubu, who revealed this during public hearing on the Armed Forces Support Trust Fund Bill, said even the sources of funding, which the bill prescribes, were insufficient to address the problem.
“If we are not able to raise a minimum of $2billion (about N826billion) per annum in the next three years for a start, subsequently maybe we can begin to taper down the percentages. But for a start, we need a bulk sum because of many of these manufacturers of equipment require 100 per cent down payment to even start production. So, you cannot sign a contract example with the US manufacturers and pay 15 per cent mobilization as required by the procurement act.
“Nobody would look at you. Their terms must be followed. Many times we are asked to pay 100 per cent. The example is the Super Tucano. This one is on government-to-government. They insisted on 100 per cent payment within 30 days. No budgetary allocation would fund that,” he said.
Reacting to this, some Nigerians kicked against it, sarcastically asking the government to ‘sell Nigeria’ and give the proceeds to military to combat insecurity or share the money (N826billion) to Nigerians and watch insecurity be put to a stop by citizens.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, cautioned the National Assembly against politicizing the anticipated Armed Forces Trust Fund.
HURIWA said the multi-billion dollars worth of statutory Armed Forces Trust fund being contemplated by the National Assembly is a constructive idea that will inevitably transform the Nigeria military into an enviable fighting force if prudently applied.
Speaking on the proposed Armed Forces Trust Fund, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko; and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf; described the initiative as a creative idea whose time has come.
A statement by the group reads partly, “The National Assembly should not politicize the initiative but expeditiously set up the trust fund by way of a national law as a legacy to be bequeathed to generations unborn.
“We read the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, saying that the military needs more funding because Nigeria is at war.
“Gbajabiamila, who stated this at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a special trust fund for the Armed Forces, said insecurity in the country has made extra funding for the military necessary.
“He spoke as the Defence Headquarters said at the hearing that the military will need not less than $2billion annually for the next three years, making $6billion, to effectively tackle the growing security crises across the country. We are happy with this proposal and we call for its expeditious passage”.
Besides, the Rights group has described as campaign of character assassination the allegation by some soldiers that their allowances for the past four years have been either unpaid or underpaid by the Army authority without any explanation especially in the tenure of the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Yusuf Tukur Buratai (rtd).
HURIWA specifically recalled that in a media publication, the soldiers stated that their allowances for the past four years have been either unpaid or underpaid by the army authorities without any explanation, urging the president to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe what happened to the monies just as the aggrieved soldiers of the Nigerian Army are calling for a probe of how their Uniform and Boots Allowance and Scarce Skills Allowance approved by President Muhammadu Buhari since November, 2017, have not been paid by the army authorities, then under the former Chief of the Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd).
HURIWA, however, stated that authoritative information made available to it from the Nigerian Army High Command shows that contrary to the claims, that category of allowances was even introduced by the immediate past Army chief.
With significant achievements recorded across thematic areas of the Ogoni cleanup programme being executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Project Coordinator of the Project, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that all these are enabling pathways to the development of Ogoniland.
This is coming on the heels of milestone achievements in the following areas and their impact on Ogoni communities. They are mangrove restoration which is 94 percent complete; shoreline remediation which stands at 67.1 percent; and the phase 2 land remediation progressing to 36.55 percent.
Moreso, HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities. With the commissioning of the water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities, the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water will be 45. The process of operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which is at 92 percent complete, is ongoing. The same for the Ogoni Power Project which is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations ongoing
Similarly, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital are at 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent respectively.
This is alongside other public health interventions and the Human BioMonitoring Survey also in progress.
Under the livelihood
programme, over 7,000 direct jobs have been created for Ogoni women and youths, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up kits, workshops, education grants, scholarships and other empowerment programmes. This quarter, training will commence in other demand-driven skill areas, such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, commercial diving, and underwater welding.
Zabbey had reeled out these achievements, during the third quarter interactive session between the Project Coordination Office engagement with Ogoni youths in Port Harcourt on Friday, in line with HYPREP’s strategic stakeholders policy to provide an interface opportunity to abreast Ogoni youths on the Project’s activities, while garnering their feedback.
Zabbey noted that, “This
quarterly engagement was,therefore, designed as an inclusive strategy to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. Also, it reflects our firm belief that a project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory”.
” I am delighted to inform you that the Project remains on course to achieve its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on the Ogoni environment and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. HYPREP is committed to transparency and accountability in the implementation of the cleanup projects and activities”, he said.
He stressed that HYPREP’s achievements are pathways to a better Ogoniland, assuring that the Project’s goals are aimed at benefiting all categories of Ogoni youths, whether in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship or community development.
”This Project belongs to all of you, and its success depends mainly on your participation, unity and constructive engagement. And with your support, we are confident that all challenges will be addressed in the overall public interest,” Zabbey said.
The Project Coordinator urged Ogoni youths to continue to support the Project by promoting peace, discouraging misinformation, and collaborating with project teams working in the communities, and address challenges through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Prof Dinebari Badey, a Professor of Development Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, delivered the keynote address, linking the nexus between HYPREP and youths in the development of Ogoniland through unity of purpose while Engr Solomon Akere, gave a talk on Ogoni youths in business.
Participants raised questions concerning the maintenance of the water projects, remediation efforts, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW), among others.
In attendance were management staff of HYPREP who provided responses to the interventions.
Members of the Association of Community Health practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN),Rivers state Chapter have marked the 2025 Community Health week with a call for the state government to employ more community health practitioners to mann the various health centres across the 23 local government areas of the state .
The theme of one week event “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of community health practitioners in reducing maternal and under _five mortality in line with sustainable development goals”attracted community health practitioners across the state.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event held at the conference hall of the state primary healthcare office in port Harcourt, the state chairman of the Association,Dr Justina Onuwa appeal to the state governor,Sir Siminalayi Fubara to approve the employment of more community health practitioners in other to effectively mann the primary health centres in the state.
Onuwa stated that the call become imperative following the decline in community health practitioners in the civil service and the need to ensure that the people in rural communities have more access to primary healthcare services in their localities.
The state chairman of ACHPN averred members of the association were not captured in the employment scheme during last employment of medical health workers by the state government.”our people need to be employed like other health care service providers”
She appeal to the state government to provide vehicles and office secretariat for its association and as well ensure that their members are promoted as at when due.
Also speaking,the state Health Educator,Dr Babbo Diana who represented the commissioner for health and Executive secretary RSPHCMB while congratulating them on their celebrations called them to partner with the state government to build more efficient healthcare services in the state.
She urge them to be passionate with their work, stressing that all hands must be on deck and everyone must play their roles in other to ensure the success of government primary healthcare services in the state.
In his good will message,the representative of the state Director of Health planning Research and statistics, Dietician Buduzhi Gift Oguzor described members of the association as foot soldiers of health services care providers in the state.
He called on them to be more dedicated in their responsibilities especially in the areas of infrastructure development, noting that the state of infrastructure under their custody are in a detoriating conditions despite the huge of resources released to them by the state government.
Earlier in her lecture on the theme “strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system,the role of the community practitioners in reducing the under _five mortality in line with the sustainable development goals”prof Alice Nte urge them to review their association curriculum in other to upgrade their profile and become more relevant and attend to the optimum value in the profession.
She opined that the WHO according to the Nigerian Demography survey didn’t included members of the association as stillbirth attendant, adding that they should restrategise and look into their curriculum and see where it can be updated.
The climax of the week long celebrations ended with road work,free medical care services and church thanks service.
Akujobi Amadi
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Bldr. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, has called on Nigerian builders to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for addressing the nation’s housing deficit.
Speaking at the inaugural council meeting of the Institute held at its National Secretariat in Abuja in his speech themed, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Key Driver to Housing Delivery,” the NIOB President said the Institute is poised to lead transformative change in the nation’s housing delivery system.
Bldr. Kolade described the meeting as a strategic platform for redefining NIOB’s policy direction for the next two years, stressing that the housing challenge presents both a national problem and a professional opportunity.
“We, as custodians of building production management, must reposition ourselves not only as technical experts but as innovators, entrepreneurs, and national solution providers,” he stated.
He emphasized that innovation must now be embedded in the professional DNA of builders, urging practitioners to embrace sustainable technologies, research-based construction methods, and digital project management tools.
According to him, the Institute will promote innovation through research collaborations, innovation labs, and pilot projects that showcase emerging construction techniques.
On entrepreneurship, Bldr. Kolade noted that competence alone was no longer sufficient, and that builders must evolve into enterprise creators capable of driving employment and economic growth through construction-based ventures.
He further outlined the Institute’s five key policy pillars for the next two years, to include innovation
and research; entrepreneurial
development; professional regulation and ethics; advocacy
and policy influence;
capacity building and youth empowerment.
The NIOB President also paid tribute to past leaders of the Institute for laying the foundation upon which the current administration will build, saying leadership must go beyond preservation to purposeful expansion.
“If we can harness innovation, embrace entrepreneurship, and strengthen our professional unity, we will not only close the housing gap — we will redefine the standards of housing delivery in Africa,” he affirmed.
He called on builders nationwide to view themselves as not only craftsmen but nation builders, visionaries, and entrepreneurs committed to delivering sustainable housing and national development.
The NIOB President earlier led the National Council members to a site visit to the NIOB construction site at Idu, Abuja.