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President Bola Tinubu will be using the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to exploit his administration’s economic diplomacy, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Chief Ajuri Ngelale.

 

Ngelale disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Friday in Abuja.

 

He said that the president would also meet with global business chief executives and world leaders on the sidelines of the annual 78th UNGA holding from Sept. 19 to Sept. 23

 

The 78th Session of the UNGA will feature the High-Level General Debate under the theme, “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”.

 

The UN General Assembly delivers recommendations on many international issues and manages internal UN appointments and budget approval.

 

Each UN member state gets one vote in the assembly.

 

For years, the assembly has struggled to make its work more substantive and transparent, and experts say reform is needed.

 

The 2023 debate will centre on climate change, the war in Ukraine and countries’ progress toward their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

‘’Aside from the engagements he is going to be having at the General Assembly, aside from the act of participation that the Nigerian delegation will be engaging in at the assembly, there are series of very important side activities that will have wide ranging ramifications on the Nigerian economy.

 

‘’Mr President will be meeting with major chief executives and leaders of multinational firms cutting across multiple sectors of the economy. The President will be meeting with the President of the Microsoft Company worldwide, Brad Smith, and Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta technologies.

He will also meet with the global CEO of General Electric, the global CEO of Exxon Mobil Oil and Gas Company. We see this as a major opportunity to once again lay out in detail what Nigeria has to offer with respect to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, and the fiscal and tax incentives.

Ngelale added that the president would also participate in the Africa Global Business Initiative to showcase Nigeria’s potential to high level chief executives from around the world.

 

He said that Tinubu would also chair Nigeria’s Small and Medium Scale Business Summit where opportunities abound to launch the country’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises into the world market.

 

‘’This is really a very strategic one. The President is determined to ensure that we don’t just look at large industries but that we key in on opportunities that are being presented by MSMEs to make an impact in foreign markets.

 

‘’Yes, the President is focused on attracting foreign direct investment, attracting jobs, attracting new tax revenues into the shores of our country. But he’s also focused in on making sure that home-grown Nigerian companies have fair and equal access to foreign and international markets.

In addition to that, the President will be speaking at the UN High Level reform of the global financial architecture. It will allow our president to lay out his vision for a fairer international financial system that does not any longer leave out developing countries from the decision making table.’’

 

Besides, Ngelale said that Tinubu would have bilateral discussions with various presidents and heads of government including the Presidents of the USA, Comoros, South Africa, the European Union, Brazil, Algeria, Prime Ministers of Netherlands and Spain as well as the King of Jordan.

 

‘’There are some that will still be added, but it’s fair to say that within a very short few days in New York, the President will certainly be one of the most active and sought after with respect to his engagements in both bilateral and multilateral platforms,’’ he said

Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, Director General, NYSC, has urged corps members to embark on massive grassroots gender sensitisation and advocacy campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women.

 

The DG gave the challenge in Lokoja on Friday during the commencement of the corps’ Phase one of Grassroots Gender Sensitisation and Advocacy Campaign against GBV in rural communities.

 

Represented by the Kogi NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Mofoluwaso Williams, the DG expressed worry over the spate of gender inequality and gender violence against women and in some cases against men in most rural communities in the North.

 

Ahmed said that the campaign was a well thought out initiative of the Reforms Unit of the NYSC, which would be implemented on the platform of the Corps Gender Vanguards, with the aim of exposing the ills of gender-based violence and gender inequality.

 

“It’s unfortunate that gender issues are often misconstrued as affecting females alone, but in reality it’s a matter of interest to both sexes, including their rights and responsibilities.

 

“It’s also important to remind all and sundry that gender based violence is not only physical and psychological but also constitutes abuse of the fundamental human right of the victims, ” he said.

 

According to him, this misconception informs the choice of the theme: “Gender equality, respect all,” to tell the society the importance of it.

 

He explained that in the past, some societies considered the female as weaker sex and tend to ascribe certain roles that relegated them to the background.

 

The NYSC boss added: “It has since become clear that some societal roles are not necessarily determined by our biological make-up alone and therefore, can change with time and in different situations.”

 

While declaring open the campaign, the DG appealed to all and sundry to support the NYSC gender vanguard through the provision of the enabling environment for greater impact of the campaign for a better society.

 

Earlier In his welcome address, Mr Sunday Aroni, State NYSC Head Reforms Unit, thanked the DG for expressly granting approval for the event in spite of other competing demands for scarce resources.

 

 

 

He noted that the programme could not have come at better time than now when the whole world was clamoring for protection of human rights.

 

Aroni said, “NYSC has been in the fore front in the fight against gender inequality through the instrumentality of corps gender vanguards with the aim of exposing the ills of gender-based violence in our society.

 

“The gender we all know is for both sexes, male and female, whose equal rights to education, protection against all forms of abuse and molestation remain sacrosanct.

 

“Let us all, therefore, say no to all forms of abuse and molestation of our children who are the future leaders.”

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is taking place simultaneously in rural communities across the northern states. (NAN)(www.

There was mild drama on Friday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a trending video on social media, ordered some Yoruba monarchs to stand up and greet him.

 

Obasanjo who was in Oyo state on the invitation of governor Seyi Makinde made the remarks during the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.

 

He said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the president or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.

 

“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.

 

“Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.

Five persons lost their lives in a road accident that occurred at the dilapidated Odumodu Junction by Nteje, along the Onitsha-Awka Expressway in Anambra.

The junction is prone to accident because vehicles, especially the heavy duty trucks which usually find it difficult to maneuver.

 

The crash involved two vehicles, a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus with registration number: XE245AWK and a commercial DAF Leyland truck with registration number: T-19094LA.

It was gathered that the accident was caused when the container of the truck fell on the commercial bus at the bad spot as the driver was navigating through the failed portion of the road.

An eyewitness said the two vehicles were moving in opposite directions when the accident happened.

According to the eye witness, 10 people, comprising three male adults and seven female adults were involved in the crash.

The eyewitness said: “Five persons, all female, were killed, while two male adults and two female adults sustained various degrees of injury, while one male adult was rescued unhurt.

“The two vehicles got to the spot at the same time and due to the weight of the truck, the container fell on the bus and crashed as the two drivers were finding a safer spot to put their tyres”

The acting Sector Public Education Officer of Federal Road Safety Corps, Margaret Onabe, who confirmed the accident said the probable cause of the fatal crash was attributed to the failed portion of the road.

 

President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso to serve as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

According to a press statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Friday evening, Cardoso will serve for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.

This directive is in conformity with Section 8 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which vests in the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the authority to appoint the Governor and Four (4) Deputy Governors for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Furthermore, President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending their confirmation by the Nigerian Senate,” he stated.

 

The new Deputy Governors include Mrs. Emem Nnana Usoro, Mr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, and Dr. Bala M. Bello.

 

“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, the President expects the above listed nominees to successfully implement critical reforms at the Central Bank of Nigeria, which will enhance the confidence of Nigerians and international partners in the restructuring of the Nigerian economy toward sustainable growth and prosperity for all,” Ngelale stated

Osogbo

 

OSOGBO – Osun State’s Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi has urged workers in the state sports council, as well as the Ministry of Sports to cooperate towards delivering Governor Ademola Adeleke’s development agenda for the sector or excuse themselves.

He also stressed that stepping on toes would not be his problem in order to ensure sports development in the state, adding that measures are in place to establish a sports commission to deliver on the governor’s agenda.

Speaking with newsmen at the Executive Council lounge of the Governor’s office at the weekend, the deputy governor, who is also the Sports Commissioner, said this administration will ensure that contract coaches, who have been serving the state are regularised as staff to get the best out of their talents.

 

His words: “I will try as much as possible to caution myself now not to look like a dictator, but I will step on toes and hurt some people terribly when the time comes. I will not hesitate to do that because we need to call a spade a spade at times so that people will know that what they are doing is absolutely wrong.

 

“We need to regularise the contract coaches, to ensure they are properly employed. I had to stop the idea that a person is singled out of about 30 or 40 for interview, it is wrong!

 

“I do not fear death, I am not afraid of being killed over revitalization of the sports sector in Osun State.

 

“We are looking at remuneration that is been paid in Oyo, Lagos, Delta, we might not be able to match them but we are trying to reach about 70 percent of that”.

 

He added that the state government will before the end of the month inaugurate a committee on the establishment of Sports Commission with a view to ensuring that the state regain its lost glory.

 

“A committee that will work for establishment of Sports Commission will be inaugurated before the end of the month, I have the names of all member already, they are respected members like Felix Owolabi, Ademola Adeshina among others. They will proffer solutions to challenges we are facing in sport across all the games.

 

Everyone must sit tight as the state government would no longer condone corruption that has permeate sports in the state anymore”, he added

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday said it has arrested a syndicate who specialises in importing banned crusader soaps containing mercury into the country.

 

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos said that the syndicate used forged customs documents to import the product into the country.

 

According to Adeyeye, the importation of the soap into the country was banned by NAFDAC years ago because it contains mercury.

 

She said: “In the course of its regulatory activities, the investigation and enforcement (I&E) Directorate of NAFDAC has discovered a syndicate that specialises in importing banned crusader soaps containing mercury.

 

“The syndicate used forged customs documents to import the product into the country and further investigation through the ports show that the banned crusader soap was imported seven times in 2021 alone.

 

“Each consignment is not less than three containers with 4,500 cartons of the soap.

 

“These products have found their way into various supermarkets and cosmetic shops with unsuspecting members of the public patronising them.

 

“Acting on intelligence, our investigation and enforcement team in August 2023 busted a warehouse in Trade Fair Market, which was filled with the banned imported soaps.

 

” Three trailer-load of imported crusader medicated soap and mekako soap totaling 4,000 cartons by 12 packs by 12 tablet soap were evacuated from the warehouse, while some suspects were arrested in connection with the case.

 

“The street value of the evacuated products is approximately one billion Naira.”

 

 

 

She explained that the successful busting of the warehouse came after three failed attempts, as the cartel used their informants continuously to relocate the consignment of soaps to different locations in Lagos to prevent the discovery.

 

According to her, one Chief Peter Obih, the prime suspect, during interrogation claimed to have bought the franchise of the product from a company and presented an expired NAFDAC certificate that was issued for local manufacture of the product after the ban in Nigeria.

 

Adeyeye noted that not one bar of the soap had been manufactured in Nigeria since the purported registration in 2013.

 

“The suspect claims to have just secured a contract manufacturing agreement with a local manufacturer but they are yet to commence production.

 

” The sample of the product was taken to our laboratory for analysis and were found to contain heavy metals identified as mercury.

 

“The crusader soap is falsely labelled made in England to deceive Nigerians while actual source is India.

 

“This is an outright violation of NAFDAC Acts and a contravention of the agency’s regulations, including the cosmetic products (prohibition of bleaching agents) regulations 2019.

 

Adeyeye said that the presence of mercury in cosmetics was of global concern, because of the established and documented health hazards it poses to human health and to the environment.

 

She said the arrested suspects would be charged to court while a manhunt is currently being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of this syndicate.

 

The director-general, however, advised Nigerians not to patronise imported soaps and detergents, including mercury containing cosmetics, and to report all infractions to the nearest NAFDAC office. (NAN) (