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Hardship: AfDB Plans $2.7bn Budget, Agric Loans For Nigeria …Approves $134m Fund For Emergency Food Production

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) Board of Directors has approved $134million for Nigeria to implement an emergency food production plan, AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina has said.
According to him, talks are also ongoing for a $1.7billion economic and budget support loan as well as the launch of a $1bn agro-industrial processes in 28 states in Nigeria.
Adesina made the disclosures during an interview with journalists in Lagos on Monday.
The development came amid a biting food shortage that has led to hunger protests in Nigerian states and most recently attacks on grain warehouses in Abuja, Ogun, Niger and Kaduna states.
Last year’s fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification policy of the government have led to severe hardships with inflation now nearing 30 per cent amid a sharp depreciation of the naira.
Weak consumer purchasing power has affected businesses with the nation recording weak Gross Domestic Growth during the last quarter of the last year.
However, Adesina told journalists in Lagos that AfDB had pledged to support Nigeria through this period, disclosing that a number of agric initiatives should yield about five million metric tons of wheat, rice, cassava, maize this year for the country.
He exuded confidence that the development bank would work with Nigerian government to proffer solutions to the problems confronting Africa’s biggest economy.
He said, “I’m not used to complaining; I’m used to finding solutions. I did tell the President when I can last year that we would strongly support the Nigerian government in finding a solution to the challenges. As I speak to you today, we have approved $134m for Nigeria to implement an emergency food production plan. And that is not something that we are planning to do; it is what we are already doing.
“We have supported the cultivation of 118,000 hectares of wheat in Nigeria already this season. We will do 150, 000 hectares of maize production this march. By the rainy season, in May and June, we will support Nigeria to do 300,000 hectares of rice. We will also do 300,000 hectares of maize, 150,000 hectares of cassava and 50,000 hectares of soybean. So, that means that by the end of March, Nigeria would get out an additional one million metric tons of wheat; and by November, we will have an additional four million metric tons of rice, cassava, maize and soybeans.”
The AfDB chief, however, advised Nigeria to push for more food supply, pointing out that food inflation is a major component of the nation’s inflation figure.
Tackling inflation requires looking at some of the structural drivers, according to him.
“A big part of that (Nigeria’s) inflation is food price inflation. If you look at the Consumer Price Index, probably 65 per cent of it If not even 75 per cent of it now, is actually the price of food. And so, you don’t necessarily deal with food price inflation through your standard macroeconomic policy of tightening monetary supply. You deal with it by producing the food because that’s the thing that needs to be done. So I think it’s very important to be able to deal with that,” he said.
Adesina emphasised the need to enhance food production in the country.
On how the country could boost food production as quickly as possible, Adesina said, “But one thing that I would say is that the government needs to go back to the policy of electronic wallet system. Remember when I was minister, we did design a programme to get seeds and fertilizers to farmers directly via their mobile phones by electronic vouchers. We were able to reach 15 million farmers in four years; the whole place was booming with food. And I think that is what I will advise needs to be done and done very quickly. Because access to high performing yields, high performing seeds and fertilizers and farm inputs is very critical; otherwise you will not be able to do it.”
Nonetheless, the AfDB boss also pointed out the need for Nigeria to get low-interest concessionary financing to overcome its economic challenges.
He said issues around the exchange rate must be dealt with as an import dependent nation.
According to him, the AfDB is planning about $1.7bn economic and budget support loan for the country.
He said, “There needs to be a lot of support around Nigeria, given the tight fiscal space and the lack of forex, to make available a lot more concessional financing to the Nigerian economy. And that’s what we’re doing at African Development Bank. This year we expect to approve with our board because we always go to our board of directors for approval, but our plan is to be able to do $1.67bn of financing to Nigeria in different sectors, including considering a potential policy base operation of budget support to Nigeria. We are discussing with the Minister of Finance; that is part of a $1bn budget support operation that will go into two tranches. Again, I will say it has to be approved by the board, but these are all the things that we are hoping to be able to do.”
He spoke about other agric projects in the country.
Also, the AfDB is planning to launch this year a programme for a $1bn special agro-industrial processes are in 28 states, adding that “It this structural interventions that I will say would make agriculture more productive, efficient, and competitive.
“So those are the things that we are doing in Nigeria. In addition to that, we have a programme that we’ve already implemented, called Special Agro Industrial Processing zones. So these are new economic zones we are supporting Nigeria to develop. We provided $520m for that, ourselves, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural, currently working now in eight states. We expect that those things will start hitting the ground and start construction by June of this year,” he added.

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their  living conditions.

This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.

Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s

She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.

According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.

The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while  bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.

Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.

Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.

According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.

He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.

Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may  lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.

During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.

The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.

He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.

They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.

At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.

King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.

Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.

Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.

At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.

He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.

Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.

 

John Bibor

 

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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman 

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The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.

Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.

Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.

In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.

However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.

Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.

“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.

 

 

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