The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Corrupt leaders won’t escape jail, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja said leaders who undermine the economy by denying workers their benefits, while stuffing personal accounts with public funds will not escape the current anti-corruption dragnet.

    He made the remark while receiving All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation from Benue State, led by Sen. George Akume.

    He said the Federal Government’s bailout to states and Paris Club funds were basically to alleviate the sufferings of the people, describing misappropriations as unjust and unfair to workers.

    Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “I honestly don’t know how people sleep when workers have not been paid.

    “The workers have to pay rent, buy food, send their children to school and they have healthcare to take care of.

    “I assure you that my main interest is all Nigerians in all parts of the country. Therefore, if anybody who tries to create any impression that I prefer any group across ethnicity or religion let him dare me by being caught red handed stealing public funds.  I will deal with him,’’ he said.

    The President told the APC delegation that the Federal Executive Council had been monitoring the plight of workers across the country and utilisation of the bailout and Paris Club funds by some states.

    “I thank you for your courage to come and see me. This visit has resuscitated our morale,’’ he said.

    President Buhari said the Federal Government had made significant progress in diversifying the economy by investing in agriculture and encouraging more individuals and entrepreneurs to go into farming, pointing out that Nigeria would soon become self-sufficient in feeding its citizenry.

    “We are proud of what we have achieved with resources at our disposal,’’ he added

    He also listed ongoing road, rail, sea port, airport and power projects as hallmarks of his administration’s commitment to improving lives.

    President Buhari said the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria will be further motivated to work together and support all interested Nigerians to take up farming on commercial scale.

    He noted that the killings across the country, including in Benue, Zamfara and Taraba, were carried out by “ungodly’’ people who had no religious or ethnic inclinations.

    “We know about herders. The ones we knew carried sticks, and sometimes cutlasses to cut foliage for their cattle. We now have people who carry AK 47s and pretend they are herdsmen.

    “We are working hard to secure our borders. We are going to see how the old cattle routes can be opened. We will control movement. Please beg our people to be patient,’’ he said.

    The President pointed out that security personnel were already uncovering the network of the killers and arresting them.

    In his remarks, the leader of the delegation said the narrative in the state about the Federal Government was fast changing for the positive as more people had discovered the good intentions of President Buhari to secure lives and property, and alleviate poverty.

    “Your Excellency, Mr President, we know your commitment to Nigeria. We know how much you love the country and will be ready to die for the good cause,’’ Sen. Akume said.

    Akume, a former governor of Benue State, told the President that APC members had started sensitization and mobilization of voters for the 2019 elections, noting that more had accepted the party and its manifesto in the state.

    He commended the President for the flag-off of the dualization of the Abuja-Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi road, urging more attention on the Makurdi-Otukpo road and the water projects in Gboko and Otukpo.

    “You have worked hard to stop herdsmen and farmers clashes in Benue. It is important to note that many people used religion and ethnicity to score cheap points. Religion was used in Benue for sinister purposes,’’ he added.

    Read Also: ‘Buhari deserves a second term’

    On corruption, Sen. Akume said the President has made significant difference by tackling perpetrators.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Akume said “This is a very special delegation of leaders and stakeholders of the APC Benue State to the president. We came to solidarise with him in total sense of involvement and commitment to his re-election. A man who has worked so tirelessly to turn around the fortunes of this country, deserves to be supported by all well meaning Nigerians. This has nothing to do with politics.

    “I am from the APC family but the truth is that, within three and half years, what has been achieved under this government is monumental, you cannot compare this with what we have witnessed in the last administration which we always refer to as the Lancia regime, those of you who speak French will know the implication of a referring to a government as ancia regime.
    “Be it in the area of infrastructure you can see what is going on in the rail transportation, yesterday (Thursday), we were Keffi to flag off the Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi axis of dualization of that road. This is something that has been on the drawing board since 1999 when the PDP came to power.
    “If you look at the performance of this government against the backdrop of what happened in the area of power, again you will give kudos to this administration.
    “I recalled that in 2005 contracts were awarded for the purpose of increasing the power generation in the country. We were told and we believed because we all supplied money – the local governments, states and federal, pulled resources together to ensure the increase in the power output in this country. And by the calculation of government of the day, by the end of 2007, 6,000 megawatts of power would have been added to the national grid, my God. By the end of May 2015, were still hovering between 3,000 and 5,000 megawatts, the story is now different.
    “When you talk of security, Boko Haram has taken over virtually Borno and Yobe States, that is a different story today. Yes, occasional incursions in some of the areas by Boko Haram remnants. even American which is the most powerful in the country has not been able to subdue as it were the gorilla elements in Afghanistan. They are still hitting whether they the ISIS or the other group..
    “So our performance is much better. I’m not saying we are America but I am saying that when you talk of Gorilla warfare, there is no way you can completely wrought it up within two days or one year. So invariably, we are on a very safe ground.
    “Look at agriculture, so many initiatives in that area. So when you look at it this cumulatively, you will know that this government is working, three and half years and the results are spectacular compared to what we witnessed in the past 16 years of the PDP administration and they are coming back again, they want to take over.
    “Let’s be honest, they have no message. If people could share $2.5 billion meant to buy arms and ammunition and kit our sons and daughters before sending them to arms way, then of course those people do not deserve to see this place again.
    “Those people do not deserve that. And to show you how wicked these people were, some of these guys who managed to escape, were still arrested and tried for escaping, some of the soldiers for escaping, why did you escape? So, the difference is very clear.” he said
    On what is being brought on board, especially towards payment of salaries, he said “When you talk about herdsmen and farmers clash, it’s a story saying good bye.  Have you heard of farmers/herders clashes in Benue again? No. We know those who were behind that, government was behind that. I am talking about the state government through the Livestock Guards, they knew what was going on.
    “So it is now a thing of the pass. And as for him, certainly he knows that there is fraud on the payroll I have been in government before, everything that is going there is fraudulent in Benue State and the people are simply tired on this misinformation that they have been receiving, the narrative has changed, it is not question of herdsmen, we are not talking about religious and ethnic bigotry, we are talking about performance of government.
    “If you cannot pay salaries, if you cannot pay pensions, if you cannot gratuity, what are you doing there? If you cannot provide infrastructure what are you doing there, what is the basic purpose of government? It is the welfare of the people, security for the people.
    “If you say your slogan is my people first and we are telling you no my people last because you are chopping there money. So, it is not my people first, it is my pocket first in Benue State.” he said
    Speaking on his chances at winning forthcoming election, the Benue APC Governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime, said “I am running for governor believing that the responsibility of government is the security and welfare of our people.
    “There is no doubt in my mind that we have had security situation in Benue which is what you are referring to regarding this issue of herdsmen and our farmers and that situation has been on for quite sometime but it will be fair to say that at the moment that the security situation in Benue State has been stabilized and we are receiving stability so much now that we are no more talking about herdsmen/farmers clashes. And the reason for that is obvious, it is due in part to the fact that Mr. President has actually stepped in.” he stated

  • Senate panel parleys CJN over bills rejected by Buhari

    A Technical Committee set up by the Senate has engaged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen over 17 bills passed by the National Assembly but to which President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent.

    President Buhari had, in a letter to the Senate, stated that he rejected the bills based on advice he received from the Chief Justice earlier in the year.

    Specifically, the committee sought clarifications from Justice Onnoghen over the nature of advice he offered the President to refuse assent to Judiciary Amendment Bill 2017, No. 22, which seeks to strengthen the judiciary for speedy dispensation of justice.

    In a question to the CJN, the chairman of the committee, Senator David Umoru (APC, Niger East) said, “Your Lordship, this committee on behalf of the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly wants to hear from you directly on why you advised the President refusing assent to the bill.

    “We believe that information made available to us via his letter of refusal to assent to the bills on account of advice given by your lordship is also available to you”.

    However, before the CJN could respond, the chairman of the committee ordered journalists and members of the CJN’s protocol team to leave the venue of the meeting.

    Consequently, journalists could not obtain the details of the CJN’s response, as the meeting.

    Attempts by journalists to get comments from the CJN after the meeting were fruitless as Justice Onnoghen declined comments.

    Read Also: CJN inaugurates new CCT member

    Also invited to the Senate committee hearing were representatives of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and the Post Master General of the Federation.

    The meeting with the representatives was also held behind closed doors. Snippets from the meeting however indicated that discussions centred on how the rejected Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018 can be redrafted and forwarded to the President for assent.

    President Buhari had, in another letter to the Senate, hinged his decision to reject the bill on the ground that it could impair the implementation of the Federal Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, e-payment programmes and cashless banking policies.

    The said bill proposed the imposition of stamp duties on savings accounts and electronic transactions.

    After the closed session, the chairman of the Senate technical committee hinted that the panel will meet with heads of other government establishments and the Attorney General of the Federation next week, to discuss how to revive the rejected bills.

  • Buhari, Benue APC leaders meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and stakeholders from Benue State.

    The meeting started around 12.20 p.m when the President arrived the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The delegation was led by the former Benue State Governor, Senator George Akume.

    Read Also: Buhari support group pledges victory for party

    Also at the meeting were the Benue APC Governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime, and Paul Unongo.

    The APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, were part of the top government officials at the meeting.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • ‘Buhari deserves a second term’

    Alhaji Bello Dantani, a lawmaker representing Argungu/Augie in Kebbi state at the House of Representatives, says President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a second term following his numerous achievements in office.

    Dantani made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, in Birni-Kebbi, on Friday.

    The lawmaker, who earlier had a closed door meeting with Gov. Atiku Bagudu, said the improved security situation in the state is one of the Buhari’s main achievements in office.

    “I can vividly recall in 2014 when Boko Haram insurgents unleashed mayhem in my constituency in Argungu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    “A relative of mine died in the attack, which I had never imagined the security situation then could deteriorate to.

    “The insurgency had spilled off from Borno state to Kebbi state,” Dantani said.

    Read Also: Atiku in Adamawa: vote out Buhari

    According to him, the APC- led government has now nipped the security situation in the bud, not only in the state but in many states in the Northern part of the country.

    Dantani refuted allegation from opposition parties that the security situation had not improved in the state in particular and the country in general.

    “Many of us have not forgotten when insurgency attacks reached Kano, Sokoto, Niger states, among others.

    “We don’t have such attacks now. Isn’t that an improvement in the security situation?

    “We should also not be unmindful of the fact that the agricultural revolution of Buhari, has helped our teeming unemployed youths and made our state, a leading rice producer in the country.

    “All these are courtesy of Buhari’s administration,” he said.

    The lawmaker called on people from his constituency, to massively rally round and support APC, in order to move the state and country forward come 2019 general elections.

  • NANS mourns eleven UNIMAID students

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday expressed sadness over the death of
    eleven students of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in an auto accident on Tuesday.

    A total of 11 students of UNIMAID died in the accident on Nov. 20 on their way to Damaturu from Maiduguri following the ASUU strike.

    The National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Mr Best Okereafor, gave the condolence in a statement issued in Enugu on Friday.

    He stated that “NANS mourns the fallen Nigerian students and in same vain attribute the demise to the ongoing Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    “NANS believes that if the strike was not ongoing; the students would have been in school, studying.

    “NANS is calling on the Federal Government to save our future and consider the souls of these fallen innocent Nigerian students often told that they are the leaders of tomorrow. Can we lead in grave?

    Read Also: NANS: Fayemi has restored Ekiti glory with free education

    “In as much as we believe in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, NANS is on this sad note, calling on Federal Government to make students happy by meeting the demands of the striking ASUU and Colleges of Education lecturers without further delay.”

    According to him, ASUU should not politicise the industrial action but consider the lives of Nigerian students by shifting grounds.

    “We appreciate the ASUU agitations as some are students oriented and we are part of the struggle as we are most affected as well.”

  • Buhari hailed as Zik’s mausoleum ready, decades after

    The Muhammadu Buhari administration has recorded another giant landmark following the completion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum in Onitsha, Anambra State. The project, initiated by the federal government 22 years ago, was awarded by the late Sani Abacha regime shortly after the death of the Owelle of Onitsha and the first president of Nigeria.

    The project was targeted at honouring the first Premier of Eastern Nigeria and founder of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in recognition of his immense contributions to national development and the country’s independence.

    Located at the heart of the commercial city and the country home of the late elder statesman, the mausoleum, regrettably, had suffered series of neglect and abandonment by previous administrations.

    It also underwent various reviews of the contract sum until it was taken over by the Buhari administration to see to its completion.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had during his visit to the state in May, expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work on the project.

    The minister asked the contractor to ensure the completion of the project before the end of October, threatening to revoke the contract if the contractor failed to deliver on schedule.

    The chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe had during the minister’s visit, described as an embarrassment the delay in the completion of the project after decades. He called for the speedy completion of the mausoleum.

    The project has finally come to completion, 22 years after it was initiated. The mausoleum is ready for commissioning.

    Bouygues Construction Nigeria Limited (BNL), the firm handling the project, assured that work has been completed on the project and that it was ready for handover.

    Speaking to The Nation, the Project Manager of the firm, John Ameh, said the project was actually completed towards the end of September.

    “We met the minister’s deadline of October ending, but because the client has not taken over, we cannot just lock up the place and leave for security reasons.

    “We wrote on October 11, notifying them to come and take over the project. They are likely to visit this week,” he said.

    Ameh described the Mausoleum as a “land mark project” for the people of Southeast and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said, “it is a project that has spanned so many administrations before it was awarded to BNL in 2014 while work started in 2015.

    “This administration was courageous enough to take it to completion and should be commended.”

    Also speaking, the site engineer, Mr Paul Odigie, said the mausoleum is made up of the main building, administrative block and a residential house.

    “We took over this project in 2013 as the last contractor. We were not the first, nor the second. I believe the work started twenty years ago.

    “Actually, we’re through with the project. We’re just waiting for the commissioning which will take place any moment from now,” he said.

    The building is uniquely positioned to serve as a tourist site as the structure has a central tower.

    There is jubilation and excitement among residents and visitors alike to the commercial city of the state as the mausoleum is now wearing a new look with assorted paintings and art works waiting its formal commissioning.

    Residents, particularly indigenes of the town have continued to express appreciation to the federal government for completing the mausoleum.

    They commended President Muhammadu Buhari for honouring Dr. Azikiwe who championed Nigeria’s independence and ensured the unity of the country all his life before his demise in 1996.

    A prominent indigene of Onitsha, Chinyelugo Osita Anionwu captures the ecstatic outlook and general environment of the project.

    He said, “The man Zik was a legend. That’s why he wanted a monument that will outlive him. We are happy we have a place where the remains of the first Premier of Nigeria rest. It is a hallowed place and mark of nobility.”

    Another resident, Mr Sylvester Anyigbo expressed happiness with the completion of the monument after several delays.

    “The idea of the place is to serve as a place where the younger generation will learn about personalities who worked for this country.

    “I’m happy this job is finally completed but I’ll be happier if the government is making full use of it,” he said.

    A political analyst, Okey Paul, described the project as politically motivated, saying its speedy completion may not be unconnected with the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

    He however said it was important the structure became a reality after all.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that the state-of-the-art edifice, would remain one of the numerous legacies the Buhari-led administration the people of the southeast would not forget in a hurry even after the elapse of the government.

  • You can’t sway S/East with false promises, PDP tells Buhari

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told President Muhammadu Buhari that with the 2019 elections around the corner, he cannot sway the people of the Southeast with fake promises and false performance claims.
    The party accused the President of attempting to lure the South-East geo-political zone into supporting his second term, saying however, that the people have resolved not to follow any leader who can not deliver on his promises.

    In a statement on Thursday, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been jittery.

    According to the main opposition party, the Southeast and other geo-political zones across board have expressed an overwhelming acceptance of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, due to his “proven competence, respect for equity and all-inclusiveness in governance”.

    The party said, “Instead of accepting his failure, which is manifest to all, President Buhari, who is reputed for not fulfilling campaign promises, is busy making a fresh list of fake promises to Nigerians.

    “In this desperation, Mr. President fails to understand that the people of the South East, just like other Nigerians, are too sophisticated to fall for gimmicks, false promises and ethnic politics, and as such cannot be swayed from their resolve to rally with Atiku Abubakar to rescue our nation from the shackles of misrule.

    “Nigerians have since seen through President Buhari’s bouquet of failures and fake promises, which in any case, cannot heal the wounds of marginalization, nepotism, inequity, disregard for federal character principle and harsh economic policies, including obnoxious foreign exchange regulations and heavy taxations of his administration, which are killing businesses and plunging families into extreme poverty.

    Read Also: 2019: PDP accuses APC of unholy alliance with police

    “Nigerians, including those in the South East, know that President Buhari does not keep promises. They know that he has not fulfilled any of the promises he made during the 2015 campaign. As such, they cannot fall to the same old trick ahead of the 2019 general election.

    “Moreover, President Buhari is yet to apologize to the Southeast and other geo-political zones over his administration’s indictment for human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests, arbitrary detention, torture and reported disappearances, as detailed in the reports by the United States Department of State, Amnesty International (AI) and Transparency International (TI).

    “Instead of clutching on straws and seeking to beguile Nigerians with fake promises, blame game and false performance indices, President Buhari should come to terms with the fact that there is no way Nigerians can change their minds about voting in Atiku Abubakar as his inevitable replacement come February, 2019”.

    Shortly after a meeting with Southeast governors at the presidential villa on Wednesday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, had told newsmen that the Southeast stood a chance of getting the presidency in 2023 if they support President Buhari in the 2019 election.

  • ‘Government has no option than to pay N30,000 minimum wage’

    As workers continue to await the outcome of their demand for a new minimum wage, a labour leader, Mr Joe Ajaero, has again warned  that government has no option than to pay the N30,000 minimum wage and then follow up with payment of arrears.

    Ajaero, who is the President of the United Labour Congress, spoke at a public forum on labour in Lagos on Thursday.

    He restated that a tripartite committee had considered the ability of government to pay the sum before the committee agreed on the sum.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a tripartite committee was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nov. 5, 2017 and the committee later agreed on N30, 000 as new minimum wage.

    However, some state governors appear to have reneged on the agreement, saying that they can only afford to pay N22, 500 as minimum wage, an amount the labour movement rejected.

    The development has put public sector workers on edge, prompting labour to resort to the strike option, although the Federal Government appear to be resolving the issues.

    Analysts classify public sector workers in Nigeria among the least paid in the world, although Nigeria’s political office holders are among the highest paid in the world.

    According to Ajaero, organized labour is demanding wage arrears because the minimum wage has been due since 2016.

    He said that labour had resolved to fight for the new minimum wage even after the upcoming general election, saying that there would be no retreat or surrender until workers received the wage.

    Read Also:‘Economy not ripe for new minimum wage’

    ”Labour will ask for two years arrears because even the N30,000 is less than N1,000 a day for a family of six. Minimum wage is a bench mark and some states can even pay higher.

    Ajaero said that time of reckoning had come for some governors, whom he said, had been taking so much but still found it difficult to pay workers what was due to them.

    ”For any political leader who will rig election to stay in office, labour will ground such a state if the governor refuses to pay. We will disconnect electricity and fuel supply until in such states.’’

    Ajaero advised President Muhammadu Buhari to ask questions on how some governors spent the intervention funds, rather than holding court with the governors after the wage committee had concluded its job.

    The Head of the International Relations Department of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Uche Ekwe, said that it was regrettable that some governors were not willing to pay the new wage even when they were paying higher wages to scores of their aides.

    Ekwe advised the president to be weary of the pranks of the governors because workers’ votes were crucial in the 2019 elections.

    He said that the NLC would continue to educate and embark on programmes, aimed at improving workers’ productivity.

    NAN

  • Buhari must go, Atiku tells cheering Adamawa supporters

    The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has told his supporters to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari and other people in the present federal government who he said have caused so much suffering for the country.

    Atiku spoke in his home state, Adamawa, at a Youth Endorsement and Road Show programme organised for him by one of his support groups, Atiku/Obi Vanguard for Good Governance, which urged him to fight hard and defeat Buhari in the 2019 elections.

    Atiku who personally attended the event Wednesday night at the Lamido Cinema in Jimeta, Yola, said Buhari had failed the country in too many ways and the youths had it as their duty to vote him out. He chanted as the supporters cheered, “Buhari must go! Buhari must go!”

    Read Also: Atiku reveals plans to boost tourism sector

    He reiterated his commitment to high participation of youths and women in his government should he win election and become president, specifying that youths would get 40 percent participation and women 30 percent.

    Earlier in his address, the Coordinator of Atiku Obi Vanguard for Good Governance, Bar Leader Teneka, said so many negative things had happened since Buhari became president that he ought to be voted out.

    “It is no longer news that our country has been designated world extreme poverty capital. And we’ve been declared one of the most dangerous countries to be born in. It is also no longer news that massive and unabated corruption continues to fester. We are more divided as a country now than we have ever been,” Teneka said, urging his fellow youths to rally for Atiku and ensure his election as the next president.

     

     

  • Manufacturers, artisans mobilize to welcome Buhari in Edo

    Members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Edo State, artisans and market women have commenced mobilization of their members for the scheduled visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Edo State for the commissioning of the Edo-Azura Power Plant on Tuesday, November 27.

    The President is also to attend the Chief of Army Staff Conference, holding in Edo State, on the same day.

    Feelers from the organised private sector indicate that different professional groups are already prepping their members for the visit, just as market women are gearing up for a presidential welcome.

    A cross-section of members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Edo/Delta chapter, the Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA), and other bodies said that they are ready to welcome the president to the state, and will be on ground to intimate the president with the impact of the current administration’s reforms on their businesses.

    Read Also: Buhari pledges more infrastructure for Southeast

    A member of BENCCIMA, and Youth Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State Chapter, Comrade Asuen Valentine, said that a great deal of mobilization is ongoing across the state to see that the president gets a rousing welcome.

    Valentine, who is also Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Chairman, DVD Oil,  added, “We are ready to welcome the president to the state. This, for us, is an opportunity to engage with the President, tell him our concerns and also appreciate him for a number of policies that have positively impacted our operations, especially the move to diversify the economy.”

    Edo Market women leader, Madam Blacky Omoregie, on her part, said that market women are most excited to have the President in the state as his social investment programmes particularly the TraderMoni and MarketMoni have tremendously changed lives across the country.

    “This is the first time market women across the country are having such direct benefit from the government and it is so pleasing. This is why we are mobilising market women across the state to thank the President for all he has been doing and for placing us at the center of such interventions,” she added.