The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mrs Aisha Buhari

  • Buhari’s wife dedicates award to Nigeria military

    Buhari’s wife dedicates award to Nigeria military

    The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has dedicated an award she received in the Belgian capital, Brussels, to the Nigerian military men and women.

    This was contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser (Media) to wife of the president, Adebisi Olumide Ajayi.

    Aisha is currently in Brussels Belgium to attend the Crans Montana African Women’s Forum, where Women Heads of State and Government, Ministers, Ambassadors, Parliamentarians, Businesswomen, Activists, Heads of Organisations gathered from all over the World to address the role of Women in the fight against radicalisation and terrorism.

    At the forum Mrs Buhari spoke on “Women’s role in global security”.

    Mrs Buhari said: “I whole-heartedly dedicate the award to the Nigerian military men and women who have lost their lives and those at the war front battling to restore peace in the country

    She was presented the award by Didier Reynders, Belgian deputy prime minister & minister of foreign & European affairs.

  • Chibok Girls: Group wants Sunday, Friday declared ‘Thanksgiving Day’

    The National Inter-Faith and Religious Organisation of Nigeria for Peace has called on Christian and Muslim faithful in the country to use this Sunday and Friday to offer thanksgiving for the release of the 21 Chibok girls.

    The National Coordinator of the group, Bishop Musa Fomson while addressing journalists in Abuja, urged Nigerians to also pray to God to help bring the Boko Haram terrorism and all other forms of insurgency to an end in Nigeria.

    Fonsom, who is also the General Overseer of Spring of Life Assembly
    said though more of the girls remain in captivity but the freedom of this first batch to be released has awakened hope.

    He said: “We should pray for God to touch and soften the heart of those holding the remaining girls to also release them unhurt to their families.”

    “Our belief is that whatever efforts we make as humans it  will make tremendous impact when we commit them to God. We must thus unite our faiths in making supplications to God for the safe return of the remaining school girls.

    “Our hope is that this development marks the start of national healing. We understand how the collective anguish over the girls’ abduction led to tempers flaring up across various divides. A lot of hurt was felt, not just by the biological parents or guardians of the students but parents across the land.

    “The lesson for all of us is that progress was made when we ceased hostility towards each other. A breakthrough came when President Buhari was allowed to focus on delivering on his promise to bring back the girls. Talks that made it possible for the girls to be released held only after the military recorded successes against the terrorists.”

    Fomson commended the federal government for the care and intervention they are providing for the girls, stressing that the team of medical doctors, psychologists, social workers, trauma experts  and other professionals put at their disposal is a testament to the fact that a holistic approach is being adopted in their case.

    He said: “We salute the military and troops that made sacrifices that ensured that Boko Haram terrorists saw the folly of continuing to bear arms against the Nigerian state. The degrading of the terrorists’ capabilities was definitely instrumental to their agreeing to seek peace with the release of the girls.

    “Our appeal is that the euphoria of this development is not allowed to detract from the reality that there are other girls, children and women in IDPs camps, who must also be rehabilitated. They too have had traumatic experience. ”

    He acknowledged the efforts and contributions by the wife of Mr President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, who has made several interventions at various IDPs Camps.

    According to him, She also did not give up on providing succour to Chibok parents, saying her support for the President has helped to achieve the rare feat  of freeing the first set of girl.

    He said, “We urge her not to relent her efforts in pushing for the release of other in her capacity as a mother and a woman.”

  • Buhari’s wife, Senate to partner German company on reproductive health 

    Buhari’s wife, Senate to partner German company on reproductive health 

    Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and the Senate, Wednesday pledged to partner Merck Pharmaceuticals – a German company – on reproductive health issues in the country.

    Mrs. Buhari who is also the initiator of Future Assured and the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso disclosed this during the “Merck More than a Mother” in Nigeria Campaign Launch in Abuja.

    “Merck More than a Mother” initiated by Dr. Rasha Kelej – Chief Social Officer of Merck – aims to empower infertile women by improving access to information, education, healthcare, change of culture, mindset and to de-stigmatize infertility.

    Mrs. Buhari in a speech read on her behalf by the Vice President’s wife, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo,  pledged her support in the implementation of “Merck More than a Mother’s” activities in Nigeria – with emphasis on creating awareness and providing information and education on causes of infertility; facilitating access to healthcare; and economic and social empowerment of infertile women.

    She expressed her willingness to help strengthen advocacy for women with infertility challenges through her Future Assured Initiative Project.

    On his part, Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, said the Senate would initiate a legislation on Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in the country.

    Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, in her remarks, called for partnership between government and the private sector to make infertility treatment affordable.

    Saraki’s wife who spoke on behalf of wives of other Senators said that they would carry the message of the “Merck More than a Mother” campaign to every Senatorial District in the country.

    A panel discussion by fertility experts and policy makers during the launch called for an end to the stigmatization of infertile women; creation of awareness and education on the causes of infertility and management since over 85% of the cases are caused by infections which can be treated and prevented.

    They added that it also involved building advocacy for the development of ART laws to improve the governance and quality of fertility care; improving access to fertility care by integrating it into public reproductive health services and building the capacity to provide quality and safe fertility care through training.

    The panelists also supported the empowerment of infertile women who form a vulnerable part of the population and noted that infertile women in Nigeria and many other African countries who can no longer be treated have been empowered socially and economically to lead independent and happier lives through “Empowering Berna” initiative.

    “Empowering Berna” is part of “Merck More than a Mother” campaign.

    The panel included Senator Dr. Lanre Tejuoso, the Chairman Senate Committee of Health; Minister of Health, Prof.  Isaac Adewole, Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan and Uganda’s Minister of State for Health, Hon. Sarah Opendi.

    Others are a Member of the Kenyan Parliament, Hon. Joyce Lay; National Coordinator, Future Assured, Dr. Mohammed Kamal; President of Africa Fertility Society, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru and Chief Social Officer of Merck Pharmaceuticals, Rasha Kelej.

  • Aisha Buhari decries sales of loan forms

    Aisha Buhari decries sales of loan forms

    The Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has decried the sale of forms for interest-free loans to women across the country.

    The forms, she said ought to be  obtained freely from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

    But she said her name was being used to defraud the public, who are made to pay for the forms.

    The Wife of the President raised the alarm in a statement issued by her Special Adviser (Media), Adebisi Olumide Ajayi.

    The statement reads: “Mrs Buhari said the forms which are supposed to be given out free, are also interest free yet they are being sold between N1,500 (one thousand five hundred Naira) and N5,000 (five thousand Naira) to the unsuspecting public, this she said  defeats the purpose of the programme which is mainly to assist women, especially those at the grassroots.

    “She further appealed to those involved in the act to desist from sabotaging the programme and allow the Nigerian women to feel the change mantra,” it stated.

  • Be optimistic, Buhari’s wife urges Nigerians at Sallah

    Be optimistic, Buhari’s wife urges Nigerians at Sallah

    The Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Monday urged Nigerians to be optimistic as they marked Eid-el-Kabir sallah.

    In a statement by Director of Media in the office of the Wife Of the President, Zakari Yau Nadabo, Mrs. Buhari also urged them to reflect on the lessons embedded in Eid El Kabir season to reappraise their closeness to God, level of sacrifice, commitment and sense of patriotism to the country.

    According to the sallah message, she said: “The period of Eid-el-kabir is very special to Muslims because of the spiritual uplifting and exhortation on the position of sacrifice as enshrined in the Holy Quran.

    “Therefore as Nigerian Muslims mark this very special occasion, I want to urge them to reflect on the lessons embedded in Eid El Kabir season to reappraise their closeness to God, level of sacrifice, commitment and sense of patriotism to the country.

    All lessons in the act of worship, she said, must be reflected in as a means to influence change that will improve the life of each other.

    She congratulated Nigerians for being alive to witness another celebration as she called for consistent prayers for leaders and the safe return of the abducted Chibok girls.

    The Wife of the president who joined thousands of Muslim faithful to observe the Eid at Ansar uddeen mosque ,Wuse 2, Abuja, implored Nigerians, irrespective of affiliation, to always be very optimistic rather than otherwise.

    She said they should remain confident about the unique intervention of the Creator, Almighty God, in the affairs of the country.

  • Buhari’s wife Donates Food Items to less privileged in Niger state

    Buhari’s wife Donates Food Items to less privileged in Niger state

    In a bid to cushion the effects of the current economic situation in the country, the President’s Wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has donated food items to be distributed to the less privileged, people living with disability, widows and the vulnerable in Niger state.

    The items was distributed by the Wife of the Governor of Niger state, Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello.

    She said that the food items were donated by the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari to alleviate the suffering and make life easy for the less privileged.

    Food items for distribution include 1000 bags of rice, 1000 gallons of vegetable oil, 1000 cartons of tomato paste, 1000 cartons of specially packaged garri and 1000 cartons of custard and will be distributed among the 25 local government areas in the state.

    The Governor’s Wife appreciated the Wife of the President for picking interest in the condition of the less privileged, widows and the physically challenged individuals in the state adding that this gesture will go a long way in helping the beneficiaries.

    “This donation is made in the spirit of the Ramadan Fast as the President’s Wife contributes her quota towards alleviating the suffering of the less privileged. This particular gesture is a display of the special affection of Mrs. Buhari for the ordinary Nigerlites and we are grateful”, Bello stated.

    She then appealed to the people to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration especially in his fight against corruption, job creation and youth empowerment.

    “It is true that although you might be going through some form of hardship right now, we need to preserve a little more because if we exercise patience with the government, very soon, we will all see the dividends of the change that we have been anticipating because sustainable change is truly a gradual process.”

  • 2,500 women to benefit from free cancer, diabetes screening –Aisha Buhari

    2,500 women to benefit from free cancer, diabetes screening –Aisha Buhari

    The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has said that 2,500 women will receive free screening for cancer, diabetes, blood pressure and malaria through her Pet Project, “Future Assumed’’, in Ibadan on Thursday.

    Buhari made the disclosure in Ibadan on Wednesday when she visited Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Salisu Adetunji, in his palace.

    She said that the screening had become necessary as it would enable them to know their health status early and improve their health.

    Aisha reiterated that breast and cervical cancer, blood pressure, diabetes and malaria were major killer diseases across the global and could be prevented or managed through regular check-ups.

    Buhari said she was in the state to introduce her programme on Women and Children Health Screening Initiative, which started last year with a view to improving their health.

    The president’s wife said the programme which would be introduced in all states of the federation, had begun in some states.

    She said that she wanted the programme to be replicated in the state so that women and children could have access to free medical screening.

    Earlier, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi said Buhari had exhibited a quality similar to what a former First Lady of the U.S., Mrs Roseline Carter, did by contributing to development of women and children in the country in a short time.

    He described Buhari was a great ambassador of Nigeria.

    On his part, the Olubadan commended the president’s wife for choosing Ibadan as the centre to launch the programme in the Southwest Zone.

    He promised that the programme would be given all necessary support to succeed.

  • Aisha Buhari donates relief materials to IDPs in Benue

    Aisha Buhari donates relief materials to IDPs in Benue

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Wednesday donated assorted relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs. Buhari, who was in Benue to empathise with the state government on the recent farmers/herdsmen crisis, was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo.

    Donating the materials at Nogowa Secondary School, Wadata Camp, Makurdi, Mrs Buhari commiserated with the bereaved families, saying that the government was committed to their plight.

    She said that the Federal Government understood what the victims were passing through and assured them that government would not abandon them at this point of their sufferings.

    “I have heard and seen your cries. Cry no more, for we are with you.

    “Today in Benue I have seen old and young men, women and children in the camp and I can see that they have gone through a lot of pains.

    “I have seen that by their looks, it is evident that they are tired of living in the camps but they have no homes because their homes have been destroyed.

    “We are really worried about your situation but do not lose hope we are with you, and we will never abandon you at this point of your need,” Mrs Buhari said.

    Earlier in his remarks, Gov. Samuel Ortom appealed to the Federal Government to tighten security at boarders to end the continued influx of foreign herdsmen into the state.

    Ortom explained that foreign herdsmen were behind the incessant attacks on his people since 2011.

    The governor said, “Unless they are chased out, it would be hard to maintain peace in the country.

    “These herdsmen are very destructive and well-armed. They kill women and children on sight.

    “They are completely different from the Fulani’s that we have lived and cohabited with over the years.

    “We understand that the herdsmen came from Mali, Ghana, Congo, Niger among others and are killing us every day with impunity. This must stop.

    “As we speak, over eight Local Governments have been affected across the state. The situation is really overwhelming,” said the governor.

    The governor said that there was no land for grazing in the state, explaining that all lands belong to farmers in the state.

    He said that 85 per cent of the state population were farmers and occupied the little available land, adding that it would be difficult to create a grazing reserve in the state.

    He suggested that the herdsmen should rather embrace ranches as it was being practiced in developed countries.

    NAN reports that Mrs. Buhari donated rice, multivitamins supplements, cooking oil, garri, tomatoes to the Benue IDPs.