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Tag: Mrs Aisha Buhari

  • Mrs Buhari advocates synergy to end TB in Nigeria

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has advocated for more synergy among stakeholders to end the spread of tuberculosis epidemic in Nigeria.

    Mrs Buhari made the call at the TB Outreach Programme organised by her Future Assured initiative in collaboration with Stop TB Partnership in Nigeria, an NGO, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The programme was organised to commemorate the World Tuberculosis Day at Kobe Villa, Kuruduma District in Abuja.

    The wife of the president, who led the awareness campaign to the village, urged Nigerians to go for regular tuberculosis test and treatment to ensure that TB was eliminated in Nigeria.

    Read Also:Korean President congratulates Buhari on re-election

     

    “TB is one of the killer diseases of our time, so there is a need to tackle the problem, some medical facilities in the FCT are designated for testing and treatment of tuberculosis.

    “TB test is free, TB is curable and please visit the medical centres to get the test and treatment,’’ she said.
    Mrs Buhari therefore urged tuberculosis patients to take their medication regularly as the ailment was curable.
    She also called on Nigerians to go for regular diagnosis for early detection and treatment to ensure the elimination of the killer disease.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the United Nations Committee on Tuberculosis (TB) in 2018 appointed Mrs Buhari as the UN Special Ambassador to end TB in the country.

    The appointment was in recognition of her selfless services to health advocacy in Nigeria.

     

     

  • Protocol officers block Akpabio’s wife from receiving First Lady

    Protocol officers attached to Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday blocked Unoma, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s wife from receiving the First Lady when she arrived the Victor Attah’s International Airport, Uyo Akwa Ibom state.

    Mrs. Akpabio had attempted to breach the order of protocol by disallowing Martha, wife of the state governor, Udom Emmanuel from receiving the First Lady at the airport.

    The incident occurred when the Mrs Akpabio’s attempted to assume the responsibility of the wife of the Governor.

    It was gathered while the door of the aircraft opened and the First Lady Aisha Buhari made to start coming down, Mrs Akpabio suddenly sprang from her place to shove aside Mrs. Martha Emmanuel to receive the President’s wife to the state.

    Mrs. Emmanuel had been positioned rightfully by the presidential protocol team as the first lady to receive the country’s First Lady formally into Akwa Ibom.

    This led to the door of the aircraft being shut as the President’s wife retreated and waited for another 25 minutes before the senator’s wife was persuaded to stop further attempts to ridicule the state with her actions.

    Once normalcy was restored, the aircraft doors were opened as Mrs Buhari stepped down to a warm embrace of Mrs. Emmanuel, who introduced her to other Akwa Ibom women at the airport to receive her.

    Some women at the airport who spoke with our correspondent expressed displeasure at the show of shame by Mrs Akpabio.

    They recounted no former first lady in the state came to embarrass her as as first lady from 2007 and 2015.
    Over 11,000 women and youths drawn from the 31 local governments of Akwa Ibom received various forms of empowerment from Mrs. Aisha Buhari in furtherance of the FG social intervention programme.

  • Aisha Buhari to politicians:  Operate within guidelines of the Constitution

    The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has asked politicians to operate within the guidelines of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    She spoke while receiving a delegation of female politicians who paid her a courtesy call led by the newly elected National Women leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Read Also:Police arraign woman for impersonating as Aisha Buhari

    Mrs Buhari congratulated the women leader on her success and appealed to her that those who lost the election should be carried along in the scheme of things so as to present a strong united front as the elections draw nearer.

    Aisha Buhari asked the female politicians to sustain the tempo and continue to support the government whilst not forgetting to make sure the 35% affirmative action for women is implemented; she also asked that nepotism be rejected in his totality.

    She further used the opportunity to urge more women to join politics and take over as many political offices as possible stating that women make the larger part of voters and as such determine the outcome of elections

    Earlier the  newly elected women leader had pledged that there would be an all-inclusive platform with the tag no “woman left behind” this would involve gender advocacy, training and workshops to enlighten women on their roles in democracy, influencing legislations in favour of women’s rights, apart from setting up a sustainable agenda that would create an enabling a friendly environment for the advancement and empowerment of women and encouraging and supporting the active participation of all stakeholders in issues that have direct bearing on women.

    Southwest women leader Mrs. Kemi Nelson who spoke on behalf of women leaders in the zone reassured Her Excellency that they would work to support the new women leader.

    Highlights of the meeting was the introduction of some young female politicians to the president’s wife, led by an aspirant Zainab Marwa, who assured her of the loyalty and ability of the young women to join hands to move the party forward and the decoration of Mrs Marwa with the new APC aso oke and Ankara print by Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma

  • Aisha Buhari honoured in Morocco

    Aisha Buhari honoured in Morocco

    The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has been invested as Global Grant Patron of Nigeria-Morocco Businesswomen Summit in recognition of her commitment to uplift the living standards of women and children.

    She was decorated during the maiden edition of the Nigeria-Morocco Businesswomen Summit in Marrakech, Morocco on Wednesday 15th November, 2017

    A statement issued on Sunday by Suleiman Haruna, Director of Information to Wife of the President, said that Mrs. Buhari was represented at the event by Mrs. Gimbiya Dogara, wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Buhari said her passion for improving the lives of women and children is the reason she organizes medical outreach programmes, skill acquisition sessions, women empowerment programmes as well as advocacy for the rights of women and the girl child.

    These initiatives, she said, are the contributions she is making to ensure that the future of women and children is assured; and that was why she named her pet project Future Assured.

    Speaking on the Summit, Mrs. Buhari said it provides an opportunity for business women from the two countries to take advantage of opportunities.

    She called on the women to support each other and contribute to the economic development of their countries.

    Explaining the rationale for honouring Mrs. Buhari, Mr. Hassan Lahlou, chair of the award event, said  Mrs. Buhari’s efforts at empowering women has been widely recognized and should be encouraged.
    He said thousands of women have become self-reliant by learning vocational skills, courtesy of her Future Assured Programme.
    Speaking on the reason for the summit, Mr. Lahlou said it is meant to establish Nigeria-Morocco Business Women Forum in order to strengthen business relationship between women of the two countries.

    The summit provided an opportunity to connect, share, collaborate and make plans on how to invest, grow, and develop women’s businesses both in small and large scale.

    An exhibition was held to display products from Nigeria and Morocco.

    At the event were wives of governors, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo Sani and Director-General, National Center for Women Development, Barrister Mary Etta.

  • Aisha Buhari tasks women on participation in active politics

    Aisha Buhari tasks women on participation in active politics

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Wednesday stressed the need for more women to show interest and participate in partisan politics.

    Buhari made this assertion at a 2-day Nigeria Women Political Stakeholders Summit in Abuja with the theme: “Increasing the Participation of Women in  Governance process in Nigeria,” organised by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).
    The wife of the president noted that the decline in participation of women in governance has led to poor national development in the country.

    According to her, in spite of the good intention of this administration to actively engage women in governance, there has been an alarming decline of women participation.

    Mrs Buhari, who was re‎presented by the former deputy governor of Plateau State, Dame Tallen, lamented the alarming decline in the statistics of women participation in governance, saying it would not augur well for national development.

    “Since 1999 there has been an alarming decline in the statistics of women in governance, something has gone terribly wrong, and we women need to speak out and do something about it.

    “We make up 50 per cent of this country’s population and we cannot continue to be sidelined in the decision making process of this country”.

    Earlier, Gloria Shoda, President of NCWS, said that insensitivity of the government was responsible for most problems confronting women.

    She opined that the recurring issues of women are not limited to poverty, unemployment, lack of access, lack of any social support system, inequality and the abysmal levels of women participation and representation in decision making in the political parties structures an in government.

    Shoda added that the society has decided to fight for the thirty five percent affirmative action to help change the narratives of Nigeria’s politics.

    She said that going forward the society would, henceforth, negotiate with and partner with any political party that would implement the 35 per cent affirmative action in filling it’s political party leadership positions.

    “We will partner with parties that will respect the 35 per cent affirmative action in selection of candidates for the 2019 general elections, prioritise women issues in its manifestos, and implement the 35 per cent action in its appointments when it wins the elections”.

    The chairman House of Representative ‎on Women Affairs and Social Development,  Mrs Stella Ugwu representing the Speaker of the House of representative, noted that the representation of women in the house was quite low.

    According to her, in the house of representatives there are only 22 women out of the 360 members, which is not too impressive.(NAN)

  • Buhari’s wife: Aso Clinic has no syringe

    Buhari’s wife: Aso Clinic has no syringe

    • ’No syringe in Aso Villa Clinic’

    THE President’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has lamented the poor state of healthcare services in Nigeria, including the State House Clinic, Abuja.

    Her daughter, Zahra, through her Twitter account, had also condemned services rendered at the clinic few weeks ago.

    Zahra had pushed for the management to give account of the N3 billion allocated to the clinic.

    Reacting to the allegations of poor services at the clinic last week, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalal Arabi, said the clinic was being repositioned for efficient services.

    But confirming the state of services at the clinic yesterday, the first lady urged those in charge to do the right thing.

    She spoke at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on “Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N)” at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    Lamenting the lack of drugs and equipment at the clinic, she said the management must explain the use of funds allocated to the medical facility.

    Mrs. Buhari, who called out the State House Medical Centre’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Hussain Munir, at the event, described Nigeria’s health sector as very poor.

    She was angry that she could not get treatment at the State House Clinic few weeks ago when she fell sick and did not want to travel abroad for such ailment.

    According to her, she was shocked that the x-ray machine was not working despite the huge funds allocated to the clinic.

    She had no option but to make do with a foreign-owned hospital in Abuja as she wondered what would be the fate of an ordinary Nigerian in the states, who falls sick, if such circumstances could happen in Abuja.

    She queried why the clinic management would be constructing new projects when medical items like syringes were not available for patients at the facility.

    She said: “Before I commenced my speech, I will like to be realistic and say a few words concerning health and health delivery system in Nigeria.

    “The Nigerian health sector is in a very, very, very poor sorry state to say the least. I am happy the CMD of Aso Clinic is here. Is he around? Dr.  Munir or his representative? Ok, he is around.

    “Ok Dr. Munir, I’m happy you are here. As you are all aware for the last six months, Nigeria wasn’t stable because of my husband’s ill-health. We thank God he had fully recovered now.

    “If somebody like Mr. President can spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen to a common man on the street in Nigeria.

    “Few weeks ago, I was sick as well. They advised me to take the first flight out to London; I refused to go. I said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an assigned clinic to take care of us.

    “If the budget is N100 million, we need to know how the budget is spent. Along the line, I insisted they call Aso Clinic to find out if the X-tray machine is working. They said it was not working. They didn’t know I am the one that was supposed to be in that hospital at that very time.

    “I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners in and out 100 per cent. What does that mean?

    “So, I think it’s high time for us to do the right thing. If something like this can happen to me, no need for me to ask the governors’ wives what is happening in their states.”

    Mrs. Buhari added: “This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is Presidential Villa. One of the speakers has already said we have very good policies in Nigeria. In fact, we have the best policies in Africa. Yes of course, we have but the implementation has been the problem.

    “So, we need to change our mindsets and do the right thing. I’m sure Dr. Munir will not like me saying this but I have to say it out. As the Chief Medical Director, there are a lot of constructions going on in this hospital, but there is no single syringe there. What does that mean? Who will use the building? We have to be good in reasoning. You are building new building and there is no equipment, no consumables in the hospital and the construction is still going on.”

    According to her, the stakeholders meeting is to build alliances that will help strengthen advocacy for RMNCAH+N at the state level.

    She said by creating a strong coalition, it would in turn increase awareness on the importance of improving RMNCAH+N, promote advocacy for better service and increased utilisation of RMNCAH+N services.

    The event was organised by her pet project, Future Assured. It had state governors’ wives, development partners, primary healthcare coordinators and other stakeholders in attendance.

    The highlight of the event was the investiture of governors’ wives as advocates of RMNCAH+N and their signing of commitment forms.

     

     

     

     

  • Buhari’s wife laments poor service at State House Clinic 

    Buhari’s wife laments poor service at State House Clinic 

    …Says broken machines, poor services not befitting State House Clinic

     

    The Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Monday lamented the poor services at the State House Clinic, Abuja.

    Her daughter, Zahra through her Twitter account, had also condemned services in the clinic few weeks back.

    Zahra had pushed for the management to give account of the N3 billion allocated to the clinic.

    Reacting to the allegations of poor services in the clinic, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalal Arabi, last week said that the clinic was being repositioned for efficient services.

    But confirming that the services at the clinic are really bad, the Wife of the President on Monday urged those in charge to do the right thing.

    She spoke during a one day stakeholders meeting of the Reproductive Maternal New-born Child Adolescent Health plus Nutrition at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    Specifically lamenting the lack of drugs and equipment at the State House Clinic, she said that the management must explain the use of funds allocated to the medical facility.

    Mrs. Buhari who called out the State House Medical Center, Chief Medical Director, Dr. Hussain Munir, at the event, described Nigeria’s health sector as very poor.

    She was angry that she could not get treatment at the State House Clinic few weeks ago when she fell sick and did not want to travel abroad for such ailment.

    According to her, she was shocked that the x-ray machine was not working despite the huge funds allocated to the clinic.

    She had no option but to make do with a foreign-owned hospital in Abuja as she wondered what the fate of the ordinary Nigerian in the states, who falls sick, would be if such circumstances could happen in Abuja.

    She queried why the management of the clinic would be constructing new projects when medical items as ordinary as syringes are not available for patients at the facility.

    She said: “Before I commenced my speech I will like to be realistic and say a few words concerning health in Nigeria and health delivery system in Nigeria.

    “The Nigeria health sector is in very, very, very poor state, sorry to say the least. I am happy the CMD of Aso Clinic is here.

    “Munir I’m happy you are here. As you are all aware for the last six months, Nigeria wasn’t stable because of my husband’s ill health. We thank God he is fully recovered now.

    “If somebody like Mr. President can spend several months outside Nigeria, then you wonder what will happen to a common man on the street in Nigeria.

    “Few weeks ago I was sick as well, they advised me to take the first flight out to London, I refused to go. I said I must be treated in Nigeria because there is a budget for an assigned clinic to take care of us.

    “If the budget is N100 million, we need to know how the budget is spent. Along the line I insisted they call Aso Clinic to find out if the X-tray machine is working, they said it is not working. They didn’t know I am the one that was supposed to be in that hospital at that very time.

    “I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners in and out 100 percent. What does that mean?

    “So, I think is high time for us to do the right thing. If something like this can happen to me no need for me to ask the governors wives what is happening in their states. This is Abuja and this is the highest seat of government, and this is presidential villa. One of the speakers have already said we have very good policies in Nigeria, in fact we have the best policies in Africa. Yes of course we have but the implementation has been the problem.

    “So we need to change our minds set and do the right thing. I’m sure Dr. Munir will not like me saying this but I have to say it out. As the Chief Medical Director, there are a lot of constructions going on in this hospital but there is no single syringe there what does that mean? Who will use the building? We have to be good in reasoning. You are building new building and there is no equipment, no consumables in the hospital and the construction is still going on.” she added

    According to her, the stakeholders meeting is to build alliances that will help strengthen advocacy for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) at the state level.

    She said by creating a strong coalition, will in turn increase awareness on the  importance of improving RMNCAH+N, promote advocacy for better service and increased utilization of RMNCAH+N services.

    The event was organized by her pet project, Future Assured and had all state governors’ wives, development partners, primary health care coordinators and other state holders in attendance.

    The highlight of the event was the investiture of governors’ wives as advocates of RMNCAH+N – Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition and their signing of commitment forms.

  • Lion King in the saddle

    Riddles about the Lion King, hyenas, jackals, wolves and weaker animals hit the social media in Nigeria a few months back when President Muhammadu Buhari was on medical vacation in the United Kingdom. Those behind the riddles were his wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central).

    They raised the alarm and warned some top government officials who might be thinking and plotting against the administration for their selfish gains.

    Speaking about lions, hyenas, jackals, wolves and weaker animals in their separate postings, they appeared to be talking about the Buhari’s presidency, the President’s sickness, recovery, the masses and the scheming of the “real” or “imaginary” cabals.

    Sani had posted: “Prayer for the absent Lion King has waned. Until he’s back, then they will fall over each other to be on the front row of the palace temple.

    “Now, the hyenas and the jackals are scheming and talking to each other in whispers; still doubting whether the Lion King will be back or not.

    “Now, the Lion King is asleep and no other dare to confirm if he will wake up or not. It is the wish of the hyenas that the Lion King never wakes or come back, so they can be kings.

    “It is the prayers of the weaker animals that the Lion King comes back to save the kingdom from the hyenas, the wolves and other predators,” he added

    As if replying Sani’s post, Aisha Buhari, on her Twitter handle said: “God has answered the prayers of the weaker animals. The hyenas and the jackals will soon be sent out of the kingdom.

    “We strongly believe in the prayers of the weaker animals. Long live the weaker animals. Long live Nigeria.” she stated

    With the return of Buhari to the country, the jackals and hyenas, whether real or imaginary, have remained silent and underground.

    Sani, during the Eid-el-Kabir Sallah break again urged the President to urgently purge his administration of the hyenas and jackals.

    Whether the President will identify the jackals and hyenas, if they really exist, and flush them out is a story for another day.

    But hardly anyone could be in doubt now that President Buhari is fully back in the saddle.

    The following are some of his activities in the past three weeks of his return to Nigeria.

    His first assignment on his return to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on August 19 was meeting with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and security chiefs.

    That was followed by a nationwide broadcast to Nigerians the following Monday.

    On the same Monday, he received briefings from the the Vice President.

    He met again with security chiefs on Tuesday where he was updated on the security situations in every part of the country.

    On Wednesday the President received Presidential investigative report on the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of the National intelligence Agency (NIA)

    The President on the first Thursday of his return signed instruments of ratification for a number of bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening the government’s anti-corruption battle, and to boost Tax Administration and Intellectual Property Protection in the country.

    The following day, he met jointly with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    On that Friday, he also observed his Friday jumaat prayer alongside other Muslim faithfuls in the mosque at the State House.

    He later met with state governors at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa after the Jumaat prayer.

    On the Monday of his second week in the country, the President received briefings on the economy from the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

    The President on the following Wednesday, presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    Before the meeting proper started, the President received the victorious Nigeria’s national basketball team, D’Tigeress.

    Later in the day, the President left Abuja for his home town, Daura in Katsina State for the Eid-el-Kabir Sallah break.

    The following day, he held a private meeting with his classmates in Daura.

    On Friday, he joined his kinsmen to observe the Eid-el-Kabir Sallah prayer at a Eid praying ground in Daura.

    The President, the following Saturday receivied the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, who paid him homage at his residence in Daura as part of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

    Last week Monday, the President received associations of farmers, businessmen, youths, elders and politicians in Katsina State at his country home in Daura.

    The following day, Buhari met with the Nigerien President, Muhammadu Issoufou at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.

    After the Sallah break, the President returned to the seat of power in Abuja last Wednesday to continue to steer the ship of State.

    The Lion King is really fully back in the saddle.

     

    Spurring sports honour

    President Muhammadu Buhari, a fortnight ago, did something that will count for sports development in the country for some time to come.

    He wasted no time to receive the the victorious Nigeria’s female national basketball team, DTigeress at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Beside the normal Presidential handshake, the President also announced N1 million each for the players and N500,000 each for the team officials.

    Those moves have already started yielding results in the sporting arena.

    They boosted the National male football team, the Super Eagles to go all out against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the first leg FIFA World Cup qualifier match in Akwa Ibom State.

    The Super Eagles mercilessly beat the Cameroonian team by 4-0 in Nigeria.

    In the second leg match in Cameroon, the Cameroonian team managed to escape with 1-1 draw.

    Nigeria really appeared to have returned to winning ways.

     

  • Aisha Buhari awards scholarships to 60 students

    Aisha Buhari awards scholarships to 60 students

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has called on Nigerians to make their children’s education a priority.

    Mrs Buhari was speaking on Monday during the presentation of scholarship to 60 primary school pupils of the less privileged families in Daura, Katsina State.

    She said that the responsibilities of educating a child do not reside with governments alone, hence the need to engage all relevant stakeholders to invest in the education of children.

    The wife of the president said the scholarship was to support the students in the completion of their education with ease.

    She said that education was the fastest way to ensure positive change and progress in any developed societies.

    Mrs Buhari, therefore, called on parents to show more commitment in the education of their children especially the girl-child.

    According to her, only education has the capacity of transforming the lives of not only the child and his mother but the entire community.

    She also thanked the people for their prayers and support for President Muhammadu Buhari, while on medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

    “I am aware of the unflinching support that my husband enjoys as well as the prayers you have been offering for him and for that I wish to express my profound appreciation to you” she said.

    Mrs Buhari also used the opportunity to distribute food items such as bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti, and wrappers to the less privileged families.

    “As we celebrate this year’s sallah, it is important to also remember and assist the needy ones especially the orphans.

    Mrs Buhari, who expressed delight in celebrating the Sallah with the less privilege, said the gesture was in line with her promise to assist the vulnerable groups across the country.

    She was also delighted over the large turnout of people.

    The event was attended by the wife of the Katsina state Governor, Mrs Zakiyya Bello Masari and the Emir of Daura Alhaji Umar Farouk.

    Meanwhile, Mrs Buhari is expected to visit the Daura General Hospital, to inspect an ongoing project, the construction of 50-bed children and maternity clinic.

  • Aisha Buhari tasks youths on hard work, dedication to service

    Aisha Buhari tasks youths on hard work, dedication to service

    The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has charged youths in the country to imbibe the culture of hard work and dedication to service.

    Mrs. Buhari made the call in a speech at an occasion organised to mark the Eid el-fitr for young couples at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Mrs. Buhari, who was represented at the event by the wife of the acting President Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, urged the youths to stay focused and avoid anything capable of creating hate and disunity among Nigerians.

    She said that the emergency of new technology had arrested the attention of many young people in the country.

    Mrs. Buhari maintained that the younger generations of Nigerian are privileged to have come at a time where technology fastens the phase of development in the country.

    The wife of the president, therefore, cautioned them not to abuse the privilege.

    According to her, this privilege came with a huge responsibility.

    “You must plan because it is a thing of joy to see the next generation of Nigerians having responsible dreams.

    In her address of welcome, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Administration), Dr. Hajo Sani, encouraged the youths to take up the challenges of good leadership in Nigeria.

    Sani said that Nigeria is looking forward to having future generation of young people with commitment to issues of accountability and good governance as their guiding principles.

    She, therefore, prayed for unity and stability of Nigeria as one indivisible nation.

    Also speaking, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, advised Nigerian youths to avoid any situation capable of creating ethnic and regional tension in the country.

    Dalung said that there was no alternative to peace, according to him, the government can only provide jobs and enabling environment for businesses in a society where there is peace.

    He said that countries like Syria and South Sudan could not gather to celebrate because there was no peace.

    The minister, therefore, called on youths to desist from making statement capable of causing violence.

    “Our strength is our diversity,” Dalung said.

    The minister of Labour and empowerment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said that the Federal Government has provided different job opportunities aimed at taken the youths out of streets.

    Ngige said that the jobs were created through the Federal Government social intervention schemes such as the N-Power programme where additional discipline were introduced like medical programme and electrical.

    He said that the main purpose of this job creation was to get the youths engaged and make them have a decent living.

    “We also have additional discipline called G-Programme, which is also for youths” he said.

    The minister urged the youths to have faith in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government,

    He said that despite the challenges facing the nation as a result of the decline in revenue inflow and activities of Niger Delta avengers in the past, the government is working hard to meet their demands.

    In his vote of thanks, Mr Solomon Adejumo, who spoke on behalf of the young couples at the event, thanked the organisers of the event.

    Adejumo also thanked the various speakers for their words of encouragement to the youths and urged the Federal Government to introduce road construction and maintenance in its N-Power programme.