Author: The Nation

The United Nations (UN) has allocated $20 million to tackle food insecurity and nutrition crisis in Northeast.

In a statement yesterday,  the Head of Public Information United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Nigeria, Ann Weru, said the fund was from the Central Response Fund (CERF) and Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF).

“In support of government’s efforts, $9 million in CERF funding and a complementary $11 million NHF allocation will go towards a coordinated multisectoral response aimed at preventing a deterioration to famine or famine-like conditions.

“Almost 700,000 children under five are likely to suffer from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states in 2023.

“This is more than double the number of SAM cases in 2022 and four times the number of cases in 2021.”

The statement added that about half a million people in the affected states were expected to face emergency levels food insecurity from June to August, which is the peak of “lean season”.

It further said the lean season coincided with the rainy season known for incidence of diarrhea and other outbreaks that could aggravate the precarious situation of malnourished children.

Also, the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund Coordinator, Mr Matthias Schmale, said: “Extremely high rates of acute malnutrition and deaths are predicted unless there is a rapid and significant scale up of humanitarian assistance.

“The government, donors and the international community must make urgent funding available to protect the lives and future of vulnerable children in North-east Nigeria.”

It explained that bulk of the CERF allocation would go to the World Food Programme for the provision of food security interventions, including food and voucher assistance for 95,000 extremely food-insecure people in three garrison towns of Borno.

“Some $2 million will go to the UN Children’s Fund for the prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition, including providing ready-to-eat therapeutic food and Tom Brown solutions, a nutrient-rich locally produced supplementary food.

“And $1million will go to the Food and Agriculture Organization for seeds, tools and other agricultural livelihood support to boost local production of nutritious foods to build resilience.

“Most of the NHF funding, $11 million, will go towards improving access to clean water and sanitation hygiene, and nutrition, including reactivating, sustaining and scaling up the bed capacity at stabilization centres and scaling up outpatient therapeutic feeding programmes.

“The rest of the funding will go to healthcare, including the integrated management of childhood illnesses and complicated SAM cases, and to protection services with focus on gender-based violence, child protection and mine action.

“The NHF aims to allocate 50 per cent of funding to eligible national partners on the frontlines,” the statement added.

The Kebbi State Governor Dr Nasir Idris has approved the appointment of 30 Special Advisers (SAs).

  In a statement, the Secretary to Kebbi State Government, Alhaji Yakubu Bala Tafidan Yauri, said the appointees include Abubakar Malam (Inter-Governmental and Infrastructure), Danlami Aliyu Ribah (Education), Mohammed Bello Nassarawa) Environment), Kabiri Sani Giant (Political Affairs and Power), Shafiu Abubakar Zauro ( Special Duties) and Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza (Health).

Others are Dr. Buhari Ali Gwandu (International Donor Agencies), Surajo Garba Bagudo, (Bureau for Public Procurement), Mohammad Arzika Dan Ato (Revenue Generation), Babangida Isa Fada, (Sports), Kabiru Labbo Jega (Finance), Garba Manuga Birnin-Tudu (Agriculture), Umar Dankane Jega (Housing Development), Aliyu Gwadangwaji, (Solid Mineral) and Fatima Sani Udu (Women Affairs).

Others include Bello Sarkin Zabarmawa Besse, Barmu Shudi Kangiwa, Isa Ahmed Gebbe, Aminu Musa Gumbi, Alh. Sale Isa Ngaske, Hon. Bello Abdullahi Mungadi, Bashar Idris Banizumbu, Alh. Ibrahim Andi Rumu, Mohammed Abubakar Alwasa, Hon. Musa Rabiu (Jarman Fakai), Mohammed Gado Marafa, Umar Ladan , Hon. Abubakar Abdullahi Sani Sabiyel, Hon. Aliyu Mohammed Diggi and Abubakar Magaji.

According to the statement, the appointments are based on merit.

• Gets Principal Officers

The Sokoto State House of Assembly yesterday in Sokoto adopted Standing Orders to regulate its procedures.

This development followed a motion moved by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim (APC-Kware), and seconded by Buhari Haliru (PDP- Sokoto North I).

Ibrahim said the adoption was in view of the provision of Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution

“A House of Assembly shall have power to regulate its  procedure, including procedure for summoning and recess of the House.

“Therefore, pursuant to this provision this House do adopt its Standing Orders amendment 2019,” he said.

The Speaker, Alhaji Tukur Bala (APC- Bodinga South), put the motion into a voice vote which was adopted by the lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the state Assembly in letters by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has received the nomination of the House Principal Officers.

The letters, presented at the assembly plenary by the speaker, nominated Bello Idris (APC-Gwadabawa) and Abubakar Magaji (PDP- Bodinga North) as the House Majority and Minority Leaders.

Mustapha Abdullahi (APC- Sokoto South I) was nominated Deputy Majority Leader while Atiku Liman (PDP- Silame) emerged as Deputy Minority Leader.

Abdullahi Zakari (APC- Rabah) and Habibu Modachi (PDP- Isa) were nominated Majority and Minority Whips, while Abubakar Shehu (APC-Yabo) and Abdullahi Randa (PDP- Tureta) are the Deputy Majority and Minority Whips.

• Says security interest informed El-Rufai’s action

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani yesterday met with the old students of the Federal Government College (FGC), Kaduna over the annexation of the College land by the  governor El-Rufai administration.

The old students under the auspices of Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) and Federal Government College Kaduna Old Students Association FGCKADOSA had last Saturday protested at the College premises, calling on  Sani to restore the institution’s land.

At that meeting, Sani said he had not closed his mind to the request by the College’s stakeholders, adding that he  believes that the former governor annexed the College’s land for security reasons.

A source at the meeting told reporters that the Director- General of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA), Ismail Umar-Dikko, who addressed the meeting, explained that the land was excised due to the ravaging insecurity and kidnapping of students in the Northwest. He noted that the  land remained undeveloped for over 50 years; and it is close to River Kaduna, making the school open to easy attack by bandits.

The governor, however, said the 1976 Land Use Act puts land under the control of the governor.

“The governor has the power to allocate and reallocate land, especially if it borders on public interest. So, I believe the former Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, decided to annex the land because of security challenges, which have been compounded by ungoverned spaces.”

“The former government in its wisdom felt it did not have to wait for insecurity to happen around the FGC before taking action, because the portion of the land annexed borders River Kaduna and Keke Community of New Millennium City, where series of kidnap cases have been reported,” he said.

The Governor however promised to visit the school in the company of the old students to see things for himself and advised that the matter should be resolved through dialogue rather than legal battle, which he said may create more bottlenecks than solution to the matter at hand.

While stating that, he feels and appreciates the concern of the old students towards protecting the interests of their alma mater, he said the government was also putting the safety of the students first.

The Governor however assured the old students that all work at the site will be halted until he will personally pays a visit to the school to assess the situation, after which dialogue between the Government and the College’s stakeholders will continue.

Earlier, the President General of Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), Mr Michael Magaji who led the delegation to Government House, thanked the Gov. for the invitation and expressed USOSA’s displeasure over what he called the encroachment of FGC Malali, Kaduna’s land.

Magaji requested that the Governor carries USOSA’s executives along when he embarks on the visit to the school.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has re-appointed Malam Isa Gusau as his Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Media and Strategy.

In a statement yesterday in Maiduguri, the Principal Secretary, Government House, Mustafa Busuguma, said others appointed include Baba Shiekh-Haruna as Senior Special Assistant on Media, and Abdulrahman Bundi, Senior Special Assistant, New Media.

Others appointments include Umar Mohammed as General Manager, Borno Radio Television (BRTV), Adamu Abbas, Chief Policy Analyst and Research, and Bababukar Gujbawu as Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation.

Others are Mairo Mandara as Chief Adviser and Coordinator, Sustainable Development, Partnership and Humanitarian Support,  while Ahmed Sanda is Special Adviser on Protocol.

The remaining appointees are Ibrahim Idris, Special Adviser on Special Projects,  Ibrahim Dangana, Special Assistant Protocol, Babakura Gadai, Executive Secretary, Borno State Agency for SDG, and Liman Mustapha, as Acting General Manager, Borno Urban Planning and Development Board.

All the appointments are with immediate effect.

• Speak against rape in mining sites

Women miners have protested against exclusion from decision-making in the extractive industries.

The women under Women in Mining in Nigeria Initiative (WIMIN) said they lack access to mining rights and licences, saying that women face obstacles in obtaining mining licences and permits due to complex bureaucratic procedures.

Founder/National President WIMIN, Janet Adeyemi said this yesterday in Abuja at a two-day high level national summit with the theme: ‘Safeguarding the rights of women and children in the Nigerian solid minerals sector’.

Adeyemi, an engineer, also said the group conducted an in-dept research, which revealed increasing incidents of rape at mining sites, especially in Bauchi State.

“Our research revealed numerous cases of abuse in the sector that urgently need to be unveiled and addressed.

“In Bauchi, for instance, private stakeholders raised the alarm regarding the increasing incidents of rape at mining sites. Although government officials in the state acknowledged this issue, they expressed their commitment to addressing this menace and providing a safer mining environment for female miners.”

She added: “Some of the challenges Nigerian women encounter in mining includes: “Exclusion from decision-making processes related to extractive industries, limiting their ability to voice concerns and influence policies. Women in Nigeria often struggle to secure funding and capital to start and sustain their mining businesses. Financial institutions and lenders are often hesitant to provide funding to women, citing a tack of collateral, experience, and a proven track record.

“Women face obstacles in obtaining mining licenses and permits due to complex bureaucratic procedures, lack of information, and corruption.

“Women are often excluded from decision-making processes and leadership positions in the mining sector, limiting their involvement and representation.”

 Adeyemi said to address these issues, WIMIN implemented various projects, including gender mainstreaming and gender justice initiatives in Edo and Ebonyi states, and projects in Plateau, Osun, and Taraba states.

The Kano National/State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has fixed July 24 to deliver judgment in a petition filed by Abdussalam Abdulkarim-Zaura of the All Progressive Congress (APC), challenging the victory of Rufa’i Sani-Hanga  of  the NNPP in the February 25 election.

The other respondents in the suit are INEC, NNPP and Ibrahim Shekarau.

The tribunal adjourned the matter until July 24, for judgment after the peritioner and respondents adopted their final written addresses.

Earlier, Counsel to the peritioner, Mr Nureini Jimoh (SAN) in adopting his final written address dated and filed June 12, urged the court to allow the petition and grant all the reliefs sought.

Counsel to INEC, Mr Abbas Haladu, in his final written address dated June 10 and filed June 12, urged the court to dismiss the petition.

Counsel to NNPP and Sani-Hanga, Mr Meshak Ikpe, filed their written address dated and filed June 9, urging the court to dismiss the petition.

Counsel to Ibrahim Shekarau, Mr Ismail Abdulaziz, file its final written address dated and filed June 13 and urged the court to also dismiss the petition.