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NDP, NA To Lift 35m Nigerians Out Of Poverty, Generate 21m Jobs, FG Boasts

Published

4 years ago

November 19, 2021

The Federal Government has announced that the National Development Plan (NDP 2021 – 2025) and Nigeria Agenda 2050 (NA 2050) are projected to generate about 21million jobs and lift about 35million people out of poverty.
Speaking at the African Statistics Day, organised by the Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA), in Abuja, yesterday, the Minister of State for Finance Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, said that the two programmes are Nigerian home-grown medium and long-term National Development Plans developed to succeed the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017 – 2020) and Nigeria Vision 2020 (NV20:2020) both of which ended in December 2020.
According to him, the programmes also target a broad-based economic growth of about 5per cent.
“The plan seeks to achieve these laudable goals in the medium term by expanding economic growth, growing an inclusive economy, leveraging on its young workforce and enhancing execution capacity at the national and sub-national levels.
“The NDP 2021 – 2025 envisions Nigeria being a leading industrialising and reforming nation in Africa, that will focus on building its institutional capacity and capability as well as fostering a private sector-led growth to help address the critical issues of job and wealth creation and poverty reduction” he said, adding that Nigeria has an enabling investment climate and business environment, underpinned by a motivated, capacitated, well-resourced, world-class civil service that drives open, transparent, high performance governance at all levels.
Agba also noted that the country is now moving decisively towards the reforms required to unlock local content development, sub-national economic diversification, competitiveness and growth, making moderate, incremental progress in poverty reduction and job creation in the medium-term.
In his remarks, the Statistician General, Dr Simon Harry recalled that the Conference of African Ministers responsible for economic planning and development during its 1990 session in Addis Ababa declared November 18 of every year as “African Statistics Day”.
“The essence of this declaration was for every member nation to observe the day with a series of activities that would help to increase public awareness about the important role statistics plays in sustainable development. The theme of this year’s African Statistics Day is “Modernisation of National Statistical System to support Sociocultural Development in Africa’’.
“The need to produce high quality sociocultural statistics for Africa’s regional and economic transformation cannot be overemphasised. This makes the theme of this year’s celebration timely and important to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2016 – 2030 and African Agenda 2063,” he said.

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HoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries

Published

4 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Head of Service (HoS) of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, has commended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, for approving befitting accommodation for Permanent Secretaries in the state.

This commendation was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

According to the Head of Service, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate uncommon commitment to the welfare of civil servants in Rivers State, stressing that such gestures underscore his people-oriented leadership style. She urged civil servants across the state to remain supportive of the governor’s administration in order to sustain good governance and effective public service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Brown congratulated Governor Fubara on the occasion of his 51st birthday, describing him as “a Governor who leads by serving.”

She further praised the governor’s service-driven and people-centred leadership approach, noting that it has significantly contributed to institutional stability and improved efficiency within the state’s public service. Special appreciation was expressed for the approval of a befitting accommodation complex for Permanent Secretaries, which she said reflects the governor’s commitment to staff welfare and enhanced productivity.

As part of activities to mark the governor’s birthday, the Body of Permanent Secretaries announced the sponsorship of 329 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for indigent students across the state.

A breakdown of the initiative shows that 319 forms will be distributed across the 319 political wards in Rivers State, while five forms are allocated to non-indigenes and five forms to persons living with disabilities.

Interested applicants are advised to contact the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, for further details.

The Body of Permanent Secretaries wished Governor Fubara continued good health, divine wisdom, and greater accomplishments in his service to the people of Rivers State.

By John Bibor

News

Allegation of Disrespect to President Tinubu Unfounded — Rivers Government

Published

4 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), purportedly authored by one Bestman Innocent Amadi, alleging that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, removed the official portrait of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government wishes to categorically state that there is no policy, directive, or intention on the part of the government or the Governor that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government.

On the contrary, the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, currently enjoys a robust, cordial, and collaborative relationship with the Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Renewed Hope Agenda—a partnership that is already yielding positive and tangible benefits for the people of Rivers State.

Consequently, the insinuation that the Governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” is misleading, irresponsible, inflammatory, and entirely unsupported by verifiable facts, and should therefore be disregarded by the public.

It is regrettable that a body expected to promote youth unity, peace, and responsible engagement would resort to incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated claims capable of overheating the polity at a time when Rivers State requires calm, dialogue, and mature leadership.

The Rivers State Government therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public, particularly its esteemed and hardworking youths, to disregard and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups bent on advancing divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Rivers State belongs to all of us. Political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, peace, and the collective pursuit of progress.

Members of the public are further urged to remain vigilant and avoid lending credence to inflammatory statements or the activities of fifth columnists pursuing dubious agendas aimed at sowing discord.

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Rivers Government Dismisses Allegations of Disrespect to President Tinubu

Published

4 days ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded and misleading allegations that Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara removed the official portrait of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House in Port Harcourt.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government reacted to claims credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), describing the allegation as false, irresponsible, and unsupported by any verifiable facts.

The government clarified that it has no policy, directive, or intention that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government. It emphasized that Governor Fubara maintains a cordial, respectful, and collaborative relationship with President Tinubu and the Federal Government.

According to the statement, the relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government has grown stronger under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with tangible benefits and positive impacts already being felt by residents of the state.

The Rivers State Government described insinuations that the governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” as deliberately provocative, noting that such claims are capable of misleading the public and unnecessarily heating up the polity.

It further expressed concern that an organization expected to promote youth unity and peace would engage in what it termed incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated accusations at a time when the state requires calm, dialogue, and responsible leadership.

The government called on well-meaning members of the public, especially the youths of Rivers State, to disregard the claims and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups spreading divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and progress, the state government stressed that political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, and the collective interest of the people.

Members of the public were also urged to remain vigilant and not give attention to inflammatory statements or individuals described as fifth columnists bent on causing division within the state.