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Federal Government has unveiled plans to commence the payment of N25,000 grants to members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) captured in the expanded National Social Register of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme.

Minister For Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, disclosed this Wednesday when she met with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC led by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero at Labour House, Abuja.

The Minister explained that the decision to include vulnerable pensioners in the CCT scheme was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to labour leaders which he will deliver on.

Dr. Edu told the NLC that: “the President mentioned very clearly that vulnerable pensioners should be immediately captured on the National social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion and this was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed N25,000 for 15 million households for three months.”

She appealed to the NLC to help fast-track the process of collating Data of would-be vulnerable pensioner beneficiaries so that they can start receiving CCT.

“I want us to fast-track this. If we can get this data and information within two weeks, we are sure that you will be beneficiaries immediately and you can start earning from next month which is November, that’s the main reason why I’m here,” Dr. Edu said.

She commended the NLC President Ajaero for being a team player, saying the task of moving Nigeria forward was a collective one and urged him to continue to have faith in the federal government under President Tinubu.

In his remarks, Comrade Joe Ajaero expressed delight at the various poverty alleviation schemes rolled out by the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry and the passion and commitment the minister has for the job!

He was however of the view that getting to the root cause of poverty would go a long way in addressing the problem.

“Let’s look at not only how to solve this problem, but the cause of it, if we continue to treat the effects of poverty the problem will persist. Let us look other social welfare interventions and job creation that will go a long way to support families.”

The NLC boss urged the federal government to create more jobs by creating a productive economy where factories are functioning and employing workers.

He thanked the Minister for being the first member of the federal executive council to visit the labour house in President Tinubu’s Administration, saying “For finding time to visit the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, we will work with you to achieve success in this process and your impact will be felt.

President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, thanked President Tinubu and the Minister for finding the retirees worthy of the federal government benefits.

He said Pensioners who received as low as between five and N10,000 a month, the N25,000 is big money for them.

He thanked the Minister for the exceptional performance so far urging her to keep up the speed

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says reforms are underway to simplify the passport application process with the possibility of Nigerians being able to begin submitting online applications as early as December

Speaking on Channels Televion’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Tunji-Ojo stated that one of the reforms the ministry is implementing in passport management is to put an end to the “chaotic” passport application process.

“For me personally, I have said this to service providers; I said it today, I said it yesterday, and I have always told them, ‘You need to make life easy for people. We cannot, as a government, as a service, make things more difficult than they ought to be,’” he said.

“Part of the reforms that we are putting in place now, starting from December, is that even when you want to enrol for your passport, you fill your forms online, you do your payments online, and everything.”

The minister was responding to a question on international best practices for passport application and collection, compared to what obtains in Nigeria, and avenues to reduce Nigerians’ frustration in the application process.

In comparison to the passport application process abroad, the minister stated that only a biometric capture needs to be done in person, explaining that all necessary details can be submitted via a Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal.

“You do not need to go to the passport office to have your picture captured. People apply for American visas, people apply for UK visas, people apply all over the world. Your passport with the required specifications as directed by the NIS will be uploaded on the platform.

“You upload your passport online, you upload your supporting documents online, so when you go to the immigration office, you spend just like five minutes just to have your biometric captured; that’s all,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo stressed that the days of drawn-out enrollment procedures are long gone and unacceptable, adding that it is Nigerians’ right to experience a smooth procedure.

“The era of people sacrificing a whole day just because they want to go to a passport office for enrollment is over; it is unacceptable. You cannot inconvenience people based on their rights; it is the right of the people to have a seamless experience,” he said.

Backlog Cleared

Earlier on Wednesday, the Minister announced that 204,322 international passports are now ready for collection out of the backlog of over 300,000 he met upon assumption of office.

Ojo made the disclosure during a press conference in Abuja, disclosing that only 99,901 had been collected out of the amount ready for collection.

Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to pick up their uncollected passports, revealing that the ministry was working with the immigration service and their vendors to ensure that from next year, international passports are delivered directly to the preferred address of Nigerians

After 10 days in captivity, the Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Mathew Abo has regained his freedom.

Recall that Mr. Abo was abducted from his residence in Zaki-Biam on Sunday, September 24, 2023 by armed men while with his family members and associates.

It was gathered that Mr. Abo’s abductors released him in the early hours of Thursday and he has already reunited with his family.

Though it was not immediately stated if the N60million demanded by his abductors was paid before his release.

Meanwhile the Commissioner who confirmed his release Thursday in a statement he personally signed, thanked Governor Hyacinth Alia, security agencies and his colleagues for ensuring that he regained his freedom.

While reiterating that his ordeal would not deter him from serving the state, Mr. Abo said, “I appreciate all the efforts and prayers that have culminated in my safe release and reunion with my family and society.

“I wish that my ordeal will lead to renewed efforts to tackle both internal and external security challenges in the state and I call for the cooperation of everyone in the task ahead.

“May I assure that I remain determined more than ever to effectively utilize the platform which Governor Alia has offered to me to serve the people of the state as a member of the Benue State Executive Council with renewed vigor.

“I particularly express appreciation to the entire staff of my Ministry and its parastatals as well as others within and outside the state for the unrelenting prayers and I enjoin them to continue to pray for my success and that of the entire Alia Administration.”

The newly confirmed minister from Kaduna state, Abbas Balarabe, has given reasons why he slumped during his screening before the Senate.

The minister explained that he had suffered from exhaustion while preparing for his screening for a ministerial role.

The minister after he was resuscitated explained that he got the news of his nomination on Tuesday and had stayed up all night preparing for his ‘big day’.

Balarabe said, “It is basically exhaustion. I got the news of my nomination yesterday and I had to come from Kaduna.

There were so many things to do which I attended to throughout the night.

“What happened today is as a result of pure exhaustion.”

“I want to thank the Senate for their understanding particularly the senators from my State ( Kaduna) who have all gathered around me since yesterday and the medical team who took care of me.”

I am alright now, nothing is wrong with me. What I experienced was pure exhaustion which can happen to anybody,” he expressed.

Earlier in the Senate, chaos erupted when the nominee who replaced former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai suddenly collapsed during his screening on Wednesday.

Balarabe, the second nominee to face screening after Dr. Ibrahim, had just concluded recounting his experiences when the incident unfolded, approximately 15 minutes into the Senate plenary.

While Kaduna South Senator, Sunday Katung, was discussing Balarabe’s administrative background in Kaduna, the nominee unexpectedly slumped while still at the podium.

Following the presentation of his profile to the senators, Balarabe received an endorsement from the Kaduna lawmaker, affirming that all three senators from the state, supported his nomination.

Senator Katung’s remarks were cut short when Senate President Godswill Akpabio urgently called out, “Bring water and sugar. Call Dr. Musa.”

Akpabio then directed journalists and cameramen to cease filming and exit the Senate chamber.

The nominee was subsequently taken to the National Assembly clinic.

After a break of about 45 minutes, the Senate reconvened and proceeded to confirm all three nominees.