TAJ CHILDREN FOUNDATION MARKS HER 5TH CHILDREN DAY AND 1ST ANNIVERSARY OF OWO ARUGBO FINANCIAL AID TO THE AGED.


Tokunboh Ajila-Jakande Children Foundation (TAJ CF), a Non-Governmental Organization devoted to the betterment of Ekiti State in particular and Nigeria at large is set to celebrate her 5th Annual Children's Day and First Year Anniversary of Owo Arugbo-a financial aid programme for the aged in society- with pomp, pageant and fun at Hassanat Event Center, Iyin Road, Ado –Ekiti on Thursday, 27th May, 2021.

The ceremonies are designed to put smiles as usual on the faces of school children and the aged ones as various educational gift items and financial incentives will be given out to the school children and the aged respectively during a question and answer session.

Expected to grace the occasion is Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Wife of the Ekiti State Governor and the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Funminiyi Afuye among a host of other important dignitaries.

TAJ Foundation has a primary mission of providing educational support to indigent students from Primary School through University level. In all, over 6,007 children have benefited from the Foundation over the years.

The Foundation has also given out school bags, textbooks, notebooks, bicycles, raincoats, laptops, computer games, smart watches, toys and many more educational aid items to support less privileged school children.

TAJ Foundation, in its quest to continue impacting on the lives of less privileged school children has set a goal of impacting positively on the lives of at least 25,000 children’s education by 2025 for itself.

The Foundation between 2016 to date has provided five children with scholarships; 3 in primary school and the others in secondary schools. The scholarship covers their education up to the University level. This is done to encourage children with exceptional talents to perform better irrespective of their social background and economic status.

ITAJ CF had, in November 2020, organized a scholarship test for youths and 20 emerged with the highest score. They were given free 20/21 GCE forms. An online / WhatsApp platforms (Arts and Sciences) with personal tutors and instructors.

In addition, TAJ Children Foundation has been organizing annual Children's Day Celebrations in Ado-Ekiti and also strive to make all May 27s memorable dates for the people of Ado-Ekiti and environs by donating valuable items to Motherless Children Homes, Orphanages and Correctional Facilities. The Foundation has further engaged children in vocational skills as well as organized football matches to keep children fit as well as boost their morale.

Also, modern wheelchairs were provided for some physically challenged citizens and the Foundation is currently in the process of providing prosthetic device limb to a 10-year old boy who lost a limb and had been a popular sight begging for alms along Bank Road axis in Ado-Ekiti.

TAJ Foundation has also empowered some needy Parents by engaging them in various vocational skills to serve as sources of income to make life better for them.

TAJ CF has its office building which is situated along Igirigiri road. The edifice has an eighty seaters capacity hall where movies are shown to children and the hall is always available for free use by the community when desired. And an e-library with four work stations where children come in to browse the internet under the supervision of a dedicated official. TAJ building also has a borehole with water-taps installed outside the compound for public use.

Conclusively, in putting smiles on the faces of less- privileged and aged, TAJ Children Foundation set the pace for others to follow .

Come join us at the TAJ CF 5th Children's Day and 1st "owo arugbo" Anniversaries on 27th May, 2021.

It will be an exciting day with loads of food, gifts and prizes to be won.

What Dr. Fayemj said is simple and straightforward. No man is an island. Let's join hands together to grow the party. May God bless Aketi, bless JKF and other leaders in the party. May APC succeed.

The only thing good about this for me is the fact that the former Deputy governor acknowledges Fayemi's sterling qualities. I am so happy about this. God bless Eleka for this statements.

PRESS RELEASE

Payment To Pensioners Shows President Buhari's Commitment To Welfare of Nigerians - Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the welfare of Nigerians spurred him to end the 14-year suffering of the pensioners and former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

The Minister made the remarks in Lagos on Friday while addressing the former workers of the Nigeria Airways, who staged a rally in support of the re-election of President Buhari.

“The Administration's commitment to the welfare of Nigerians has led President Muhammadu Buhari to end the 14-year wait and suffering of the 5,996 former staffers of Nigeria Airways, who have started receiving payment of their pension arrears and other benefits from the Federal Government.

“It is noteworthy that since the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, successive Administrations have failed to settle the ex staffers, leading to untold suffering and loss of human dignity by the affected people,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said apart from the former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways, other group of former workers who have benefitted from the people-oriented policy of the Buhari Administration are the former Biafran policemen, former workers of the Aladja Delta Steel Company and former NITEL workers, whose years of suffering and neglect came to an end.

He said the pro-poor policies of the government, has benefited many Nigerians, listing the Conditional Cash Transfer which has benefitted 300,000 families and the home-grown school feeding system, under which 9.3 million school children are being fed daily.

The Minister also said 500,000 graduates have been employed under the N-Power Programme while about 1.2 million people are covered by the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and the TraderMoni.

Alhaji Mohammed, who thanked the ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways for demonstrating their support for President Buhari, urged them to re-elect him on February 16 to enable the President to continue with the good works he has started.

“Your show of appreciation and indeed your support for the President could not have come at a better time, as we are just a few days to the presidential elections. With your support and votes, the President will be re-elected to another four-year term to continue his good works for the good people of Nigerian,” he said.

In his remark, the President of the ex-workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways, Mr. Lukman Animashaun, said for 14 years the ex-workers were molested, dehumanized and debased until the coming of President Buhari, who cleared their backlog of pension arrears and other benefits.

Earlier, the ex-Nigeria Airways workers staged a procession that started from the Skypower Catering Centre and took them through some of the major streets in Ikeja.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
8th Feb2019

PRESS RELEASE

FG WELCOMES US, UK STATEMENTS ON NIGERIA ELECTION

The Federal Government has welcomed the statements from the United
States and the United Kingdom demanding credible and peaceful election
in Nigeria and threatening punitive measures against election riggers
and perpetrators of electoral violence.

In a statement issued in Ilorin on Friday, the Minister of Information
and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Federal Government is
particular delighted that the statements came after it alerted the
nation to the machinations of some opposition elements who are working
to scuttle the 2019 polls through widespread violence.

''A few days ago, we alerted the nation to the plot by the opposition
to orchestrate widespread violence in the country, using insurgents
and criminal elements within and outside the country. Their plan is to
scuttle the election and then push for an interim government, having
realized they can't win a free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

''The fact that those statements came after we issued our red alert,
which is based on credible intelligence, shows that the international
community is closely monitoring events ahead of the election. We urge
them to keep a close tab on the desperate opposition, whose language,
actions and undisguised threats are antithetical to the conduct of
peaceful polls,'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said Nigerians and the international community should
take seriously the assurance of a credible and violence-free election
that has been consistently given by President Muhammadu Buhari, a
tried-and-tested democrat and a globally-acclaimed man of integrity.

He said the APC-led Administration is very confident of victory in the
forthcoming elections, adding that a party that was not so desperate
as to rig election while in opposition had no business rigging
election or perpetrating violence now that it is in power and is
enjoying massive support from the citizenry.

The Minister called on the international community to keep a close eye
on those who are spending more time on a dubious strategy of scuttling
the polls than campaigning to win in a free, fair, transparent and
peaceful election.

''As their campaign flounders and their strategies collapse, they have
resorted to seeking power by subterfuge. That's why they are doing
everything possible to discredit an election that has yet to be held
by unleashing their attack dogs on INEC, the police and the entire
electoral process.

''On our part, we have confidence in the electoral process and the
institutions saddled with organizing and securing the election. That's
why we have been busy campaigning vigorously across the country,
attracting unprecedented, organic crowds everywhere we go.

''The party that has a history of rigging polls is well known to
Nigerians. The party that has a history of using security forces to
unleash violence in order to steal the people's votes is well known to
Nigerians. The party that organized an election that was later
described as flawed by its own 'winning' presidential candidate is
well known to Nigerians. That party is not the All Progressives
Congress (APC),'' he said.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Ilorin
25Jan2019

PRESS RELEASE

FG TO LAUNCH NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR MILITARY

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has announced that his ministry will soon launch a massive national
campaign in support of the military, especially in their fight against insurgency and insecurity

“We are planning to launch a national campaign to rally support for the military. We believe the men and women who are risking all to keep us safe deserve the support and prayers of all Nigerians, not vilification, insults and other acts that are capable of dampening
their morale,” the Minister said at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the campaign, which will be similar to the previous ones launched by the ministry on burning issues such as fake news and hate
speech, insurgency and the fight against corruption, will mobilise Nigerians irrespective of their political leanings to show support for
the military.

“I think it is high time that everybody, irrespective of political affiliation, joined in supporting the war (against insurgency). It’s
not unusual, as a matter of fact it’s usually the practice, that when a country is faced with this kind of challenge, people will sink their
differences and work together. So, very soon, you will expect to hear from us on this campaign to support the military in the fight against not just insurgency but in the fight against insecurity,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the national campaign, which will be multi-faceted, will include the production and airing of special jingles on radio and
television, social media intervention and advocacy.

The Minister decried how some Nigerians, particularly opposition politicians, have made it their past-time to wage a campaign of
disinformation against the military on the social media, saying such unpatriotic acts are discouraging and demoralizing the men and women in uniform.

“I think the biggest opposition probably today that the military has is probably not Boko Haram, it’s probably the Social Media because
it’s so uncontrolled. Today, video clips are doctored and clips of happenings in other lands are now reported and sent out as if they are happening in Nigeria. Unfortunately, there is no one to hold responsible. This is very discouraging and it demoralizes the military.

“That brings me to the bigger issue of overall support for our military. Recent developments are disturbing. The activities of a section of the media and some opposition political parties are demoralizing the military and strengthening the insurgents. Without
seeking or waiting for official clarification, outrageous casualty figures are prominently reported. Without consideration for national
security, military plans are recklessly revealed. Not even in the United States, the bastion of democracy, does this happen,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said even though the government would neither censor nor gag the media, journalists must strike a balance between the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom to receive and impart information
and national security.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
8 Jan 2019

We wish to restate the National Working Committee (NWC) decision to expel the erstwhile Ishola Balogun Fulani-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Executive in Kwara State.

This is in view of widespread misinterpretations given to a judgement of an Ilorin High Court on Wednesday.

The decision to expel Ishola Balogun Fulani and others is well within the powers of the NWC which investigated and deliberated on the anti-party activities of the sacked state executive.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that direct primaries were used to elect party candidates for Kwara State, hence State executives had no role to play in the primaries. Only candidates that emerged from the direct primary exercise conducted by the NWC inaugurated committee was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). These candidates remain the authentic flagbearers of APC.

We therefore urge the good people of Kwara State and indeed the APC members to remain unrelenting in our collective and irreversible movement towards total liberation of the state. The "o to ge" train is on course and has full endorsement of the National Working Committee of the party.

SIGNED:

Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu
National Publicity Secretary

The Catholic Church has banned Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministries Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) from endorsing politicians seeking for elective offices.

Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Catholic Diocese announced the ban at the weekend while speaking at Priestly Ordination in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Emene Enugu.

According to Bishop Onaga, the church has also asked Mbaka to send a written apology to former Anambra State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over their recent altercation.

“The Church does not want prophesy. We are in a democracy and not theocracy. We asked Mbaka to send a written apology to Obi. What he did was not apology but apologetics. He wrote an apology before us and I hope it will be in the social press now,” Onaga said.

The Bishop insisted that Mbaka must adhere to the instructions of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and do not get involved in the endorsement of candidates.

Onaga maintained that Mbaka should not stay in one place and decide who will win or lose.

“Stop prophesying on who is going to be what. He (Mbaka) told us he was sorry. He said he didn’t know what happened and promised it won’t happen again.

“Let us pray for Mbaka. There’s no doubt that Mbaka is a gifted priest. Stop misleading him. You (the followers) pushed him into doing what he did. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy and he misspoke. Follow him, but pray for him.

You (people who reacted to his outbursts) called him names. When I heard it I also called him names. The Church is a human church with all human limitations.

“I hope with this public statement everything will now rest so that we will continue with our Mass the way we’ve been doing it” Onaga said.

Father Mbaka became very popular with political prophesies in 2015 when he successfully predicted the victory of Muhammadu Buhari of APC over the then incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan of PDP.

My attention has been drawn to a press conference addressed by the Ilorin Emirate Magaji/Alangua Forum in Ilorin on Tuesday, 4 Dec. 2018, during which I was alleged to have said that the 'Berlin Wall' of the Ilorin Emirate had been broken by the outcome of the 17 Nov. 2018 by-election in the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency of Kwara State.

Those who made the allegation referred to a news item published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, 19 Nov. 2018, entitled ''Kwara Berlin Wall Broken, Says Lai Mohammed''.

While it is indeed true that I mentioned the Berlin Wall in my speech at the victory rally in my country home in Oro on Sunday, 18 Nov. 2018, it was undoubtedly in reference to the stranglehold of the Saraki political dynasty on Kwara politics. Not once did I mention the
Ilorin Emirate during that speech, and I challenge anyone who has any evidence to the contrary to release such. It is instructive that the news item that was referenced by those who made the allegation never mentioned Ilorin Emirate or made any reference to the traditional institution.

It is safe to conclude, therefore, that those who tried to inject the Ilorin Emirate into the whole issue acted out of shameful desperation. This is not a surprise, considering that they are yet to recover from the devastating defeat that they suffered in the by-election.

For the record, I hold the Ilorin Emirate, and indeed all our nation's traditional institutions, in very high esteem, and will never do anything to bring them to disrepute. No candidate for any political office in Kwara State will downplay the importance of the Ilorin Emirate, which is a father to all. Those who are grappling at straws, having realized that their hegemonic hold on Kwara State is coming to an end, are the instigators of this lie from hell that the Berlin Wall of the Emirates has been broken.

The traditional chiefs who echoed the fake news concocted by the fading political warlords of Kwara should be wary of doing anyone's hatchet jobs. They should not allow themselves to be used to denigrate the reverred Ilorin Emirate, which should be absolutely non-partisan.
The traditional chiefs must realize that it is only by standing up for truth and justice that they can most effectively play their role of maintaining the 'ever solid wall of peace, unity, progress and stability' in the Emirate.

The defeat suffered by the tormentors of Kwara on 17 Nov. 2018 is a sign of what they should expect in the forthcoming general elections in the state. No amount of lies or other acts of desperation will save them from imminent defeat. Power flows from the people, and it is clear that the people of Kwara have totally rejected those who have appropriated the state's commonwealth to themselves to the detriment of the long suffering people of Kwara State.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Minister of Information and Culture
5 Dec. 2018

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, is the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress(APC) unwittingly undermining the efforts of the state chapter as the party strives to crush the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state?

This is the poser being unravelled as APC stakeholders in Kwara are expressing concerns over the issue.

Investigations carried out by The Nigerian Expression (TNE) in both Abuja and Ilorin revealed that Gbemisola Saraki, the younger sister of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, may be working surreptitiously with the ruling PDP in the state to undermine the APC.

Multiple sources in Abuja and Ilorin told TNE that the younger Saraki had succeeded in worming her way into the heart of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who now consults her before taking any decision on issues concerning the state.

TNE learnt that many of the party’s leaders in the state are furious at the seeming sidelining of the National Leader of the party in the state, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warning that they may be compelled to take on the national leadership over the development.

The sources recall that in the build-up to the last parallel congress in the state which produced Bashir Bolarinwa as the authentic executive, Gbemisola had engaged in anti-party activities by attempting to foist the Bunmi Olusona factional executive on the national leadership of the party.

“In the build-up to the last primaries of the party, we had about four different groups in the state chapter of the party.

“All of us, however, came together to hold the parallel congress at an event centre in Ilorin and this produced the Bolarinwa executive recognised by the national leadership.

“Gbemisola and members of her Bunmi Olusona faction had never been happy about this development and consistently demonstrated a lukewarm attitude towards the affairs of the party ever since.

“For instance, Gbemisola had been away from the state since 2015 and only returned about a month ago to take photographs with some women, and which they posted on the social media in order to give the impression of political influence.

“But she played no role in the campaigns that led to the victory of APC in the Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Isin and Irepodun bye election,” a top party stalwart told TNE.

The source, who craved anonymity, also said no national officer of the party came in to support the campaigns.

He further said Lanre Onilu , the new National Public Secretary of the party and close ally of Gbemisola and indigene of Kwara, also stayed away during the campaigns in what ought to be his first assignment on assumption of office.

“The only rallying figure available for us in those trying times was the Minister of Information and Culture who is also the National Leader of the party.

“Yet, attempts are being made to relegate him to the background because Gbemisola is peddling false stories of her influence in the politics of the state, a fable that will soon fizzle out with the crushing of the Saraki dynasty in the state,” the source added.

Another source also raised the spectre of Gbemisola working with her elder brother and senate president to undermine the party in the forthcoming elections.

The source, a former ally of the senate president, said the perceived face-off between the two siblings was a ruse to hoodwink the people of the state.

“In 2011, we had the same scenario where Baba Saraki and Gbemisola were ranged against Bukola and the then the governor’s protégé, Abdulfatah Ahmed, emerged governor.

“The duo of Bukola and Gbemi benefitted as one became senator and another later became the Chairman of Council of Federal University, Otuoke.

“For heaven’s sake, these are siblings committed to protecting the hegemony of their Saraki dynasty at the expense of ordinary Kwarans. We must ‘shine our eyes’ and not be deceived a second time.

“There are no differences between Bukola and Gbemi politically and they still relate well as siblings,” the source said.

Recalling another instance of filial loyalty by Gbemisola to the family name, a former PDP chieftain told TNE that the younger Saraki had on the eve of the 2015 House of Assembly election in the state directed four candidates of the party to withdraw from the race, paving the way for the then emergent APC coalition and betraying the Jonathan Goodluck administration to which she had pledged loyalty.

TNE reports that Bukola Saraki and his loyalists had already defected in 2014 from the ruling PDP to the new PDP, one of the legacy parties that was to coalesce into the emergent APC that sacked the Jonathan administration.

The source said among Gbemisola’s loyalists who withdrew from the state House of Assembly race then were the then secretary of the party and a women leader in the state.

“Gbemisola cannot be trusted when it comes to the uprooting of the last vestiges of her family tree and that is why the national leadership of the party must be careful in the way they fraternise with her.

“If she can betray the Jonathan administration that gave her a university council appointment as chairman, she could as well do the same to the current administration to achieve her political interest.

“We were in the same ruling party and she shocked everybody by that single incident. Indeed, blood is thicker than water,” the source said.

He, however, said the victory of the APC in the recent bye election in the state had demystified Gbemisola and her once vaunted political influence based on the family name.

“Here was somebody who since 2015 never attended any ward, local government, senatorial or state party meeting.

“She never attended any stakeholders meeting and never participated in the campaigns that preceded the bye election, yet the party recorded a resounding victory in the bye election which is a pointer to the 2019 general elections.

“Let me assure you that the signals are becoming clearer by the day. The Saraki era and its mythical narratives based on rigging of elections is over as the people of the state are fed up with hearing that name. Go and carry out your findings,” the source demanded.

But asked why the state chapter of the party had not taken on its national leadership on the development with the elections closing in, another party chieftain based in Abuja said: “ You know we are in an election year and the drowning PDP in the state would capitalise on any internal crisis within our camp.

“What you do is to try and manage the crisis at home as the elections approach. But make no mistake, the ordinary party members know that Gbemisola is a thorn in the flesh of the party, a lone ranger that is not on ground in the state.

“Curiously, Adams Oshiomhole is helping to give her a larger than life image in the state. Listen to any phone-in programme that involves the politics of the state, Gbemi Saraki is always being viewed with suspicion by the people because they are fed up with her family’s antecedents.

“They do not even believe she is at loggerheads with her elder Bukola, because they always benefit from such so-called quarrels at the end of the day.

“Yet this is the same woman Oshiomhole has nominated into a reconciliation committee for the state, somebody who is always outside the state. I wonder who she will reconcile.

“We are tired of these Abuja tigers, let them retain their constituency in Abuja and allow us to face the task of effecting freedom for our people.”

Reacting to these developments, however, Onilu, the APC’s new image maker, in a terse text to TNE’s enquiries, simply stated: “You obviously have a lot of idle time on your hand.”

Source: http://thenigerianexpression.com/2018/11/25/oshiomhole-gbemi-saraki-undermining-apc-in-kwara/

PRESS RELEASE

Ministers Pays Condolence Visits To Families of Deceased Kwara APC Members

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday visited the families of the Kwara All Progressives Congress (APC) members who died in a road crash between Omu-Aran and Oro in
Kwara State on Sunday.

The Minister, who was accompanied by Kwara APC Chairman Bashir Bolarinwa, House of Representatives Member-elect Tunji Olawuyi, Kwara South Senatorial candidate Lola Ashiru and other state party officials, visited the families of the five deceased members in
Arandun, Agbonda, Omu-Aran, Oko and Odo Owa, all in the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, where the APC won a
landmark victory at the polls on Saturday.

He also visited the two hospitals in Omu-Aran, where those injured in the accident are being treated, to personally wish them a speedy
recovery.

At Agbonda, the Minister and his entourage attended the funeral service for one of the five deceased members, Chief Ayobami Adekeye,
an official of the party in Ajase Ward 2.

While visiting the homes of the deceased, the Minister commiserated with their families, hailed the members for their supreme sacrifice for the emancipation of the people of Kwara and promised that the party will not abandon their dependants.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
20 Nov. 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari has launched the “Unity Band” which is aimed at keeping Nigerians united ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The President made the launching on Thursday at an event organised by the Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria (GOGAN), in Abuja.

He wants Nigerians to wear the wristband as a sign of resolve to stop the violence that occurred in previous elections.

He said, “By the grace of God, we shall remain strong and united, our country has passed through difficult times, on occasions threatening the foundations of our unity, but with the help of God, we have always emerged from each crisis stronger.

“There is no doubt that we still have pockets of issues that question our unity, but we are convinced that, with the determination of all Nigerians, we shall remain strong and united.

“The Buhari Unity Band is a visual and token symbol of our resolve to live in unity as one and to preach the message of unity wherever we live”.

The launch of the wristbands comes three days to the kick off of the campaigns of the 2019 elections which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed for November 18, 2018

Mariory:
Source?

Please find time to read.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-south-africa-lead-as-africas-fdis-rise/

Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya and Ethiopia accounted for 40 per cent of total foreign direct investments (FDIs) in Africa as foreign investors increased stakes on emerging economies.

In its latest report, Africa Attractiveness, Ernst & Young (EY) found that South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia remained the dominant anchor economies within their respective regions and accounted for 40 per cent of the continent’s total FDI projects.

The EY 2018 report, ‘Turning tides’, provides an analysis of FDI, into Africa over the past 10 years. The 2017 data showed that Africa attracted 718 FDI projects, up by 6.0 per cent from the previous year. This was in line with a recovery in the continent’s economic growth, following a difficult preceding year.

The report indicated that Africa attracted 718 FDI projects in 2017, representing an increase of 6.0 per cent on the previous year.

The four major sub-regions each attract similar FDI when measured by project numbers. For the first time ever, East Africa became the single largest beneficiary of FDI with 197 projects or 27 per cent of total projects. However, Southern Africa fared lowest of the four major regions with 162 projects or 23 per cent of total projects.

According to the report, Nigeria is leading the growing momentum in West Africa as the region’s FDI project announcements rose by 12 per cent from 2016 levels.

“In line with its recovery from recession in 2017, Nigeria garnered 25 per cent more FDI projects. According to the World Bank, Nigeria was among 10 economies globally with the strongest improvement in their business environment last year. The country jumped 24 places on the Ease of Doing Business index, thanks to concerted government efforts to tackle red tape, mismanagement and corruption,” the report stated.

The report noted that United States’ investors were particularly confident about the Nigerian economy in 2017, launching 22 projects during the year as against 10 projects in the previous year. South African, Chinese and United Kingdom investors also increased their FDI activity into Nigeria.

The report further noted that countries with business-friendly policies, with countries reforming to become more business-friendly, are most successful in outperforming their peers in attracting foreign investment.

With this, governments will need to increasingly become more focused on policy reform and drive an agenda that stimulates and supports private sector economic activity.

According to the report, recent initiatives in Ethiopia, as well as gains by Kenya and Nigeria in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business scores, illustrate that more Africa’s leaders are starting to prioritise the need for reform.

The United States (U.S.) remains the single biggest country investing in Africa, while Western Europe is by far the biggest regional investor. After the US, three of the remaining top five investors are European countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), France and Germany. Of the 10 largest investing countries in Africa, six are from Western Europe.

The higher project numbers were driven by interest in ‘next generation’ sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure and power generation. Despite the rise in FDI, project numbers remain below the 10-year average of 784 projects per annum.

The report also highlighted the countries with the strongest FDI gains, with Ethiopia, Kenya and Zimbabwe experiencing a major uptick in FDI during 2017. By contrast, South Africa, Egypt, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire experienced declines in FDI projects in the same year.

Chief Executive Officer, Ernst & Young (EY) Africa, Ajen Sita, noted that 2017 was in many respects a key year for the continent as it saw multiple changes in leadership across a number of countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe and Angola.

He pointed out that changes in leadership have in turn led to a renewed urgency to implement fresh policies as new administrations move to address slow economic growth.

Sita said there were major opportunities that the continent could benefit from after the recent leadership changes it had witnessed, but such opportunities require emboldened leadership to drive renewed policy reforms and implement new initiatives, which encourage inbound investment flows.

According to him, there are some outstanding examples of how this emboldened leadership has already worked in some countries, not least Rwanda, which is able to attract FDI well ahead of other economies of similar size, and indeed, ahead of much larger economies.

“By focusing on improving public sector efficiencies and finances, minimising bureaucratic processes and partnering the private sector on major projects, more countries can stimulate much needed FDI. In addition, they should continue to focus attention on increasing their scores on the ease of doing business and global competitiveness rankings,” Sita said.

Strike: FG opens talks with ASUU



The Federal Government has opened talks with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on how to resolve the ongoing strike by the lecturers.
ASUU President Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, who confirmed the development on Wednesday said a meeting has been scheduled for 1:00 pm at the instance of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu and the government negotiating team.

The Federal Government had in reaction to the strike, said the demands of Union were high in view of the current economic crisis being faced in the country, seeking fresh negotiation with ASUU.
Ogunyemi, however, said the N20 billion released by the Federal Government in September 2018 was not an issue and that N200 billion ought to have been released in October 2017.

This the Union said was in line with the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at which Government agreed to inject N1.3 trillion to fund universities at N220 billion yearly for five years.
ASUU said if the government fails to fund public universities the situation on campuses might degenerate worse than the already poor quality teaching and learning obviously in the majority of public primary and secondary schools, where even government officials prefer to patronize private schools

ASUU President insisted that the ‘No work no pay’ threat by the Federal Government could not be directed at the lecturers as the industrial action is legal in Nigerian labour law and international conventions which Nigeria is a signatory
He said he was hopeful that the meeting scheduled for Thursday will be used to deliberate on resolving the issues at stake and not to continue to raise the alarm that past administrations made bogus agreements with the university teachers.

It is unfortunate Journalism has gotten this low. This was suppose to be an off-record discussion. Why the OAKTv correspondence would turn it to an interview is what I don't understand. So sad. But all the same, the minister was quoted out of context.

See the attached file. OakTV already tendered apology.

PRESS RELEASE

FG FIXING NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE DESPITE LEAN RESOURCES - MINISTER

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Federal Government is fixing the nation's dilapidated infrastructure despite its lean resources, occasioned by the fall in oil prices.

The Minister stated this in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, on Friday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti.

“Things have gone so bad in the country before the advent of this Administration and these are what we are working to fix. Before we came to power oil prices soared but nothing was done with the money.

''But, upon assumption of office, the price went down significantly.
Even at that, we have done more with the little resources than the previous administrations,” he said.

While responding to the Oba's plea for the development of more infrastructure in the area, Alhaji Mohammed said the contract for the Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Kabba-Lokoja road has already been awarded, adding that he would soon inspect the project to find out what is hindering its timely execution.

He congratulated the Oba on his ascension to the throne of his forefathers and equally condoled with him over the death of the first Military Governor of Kwara State, Brig. -Gen. David Bamigboye (Rtd), who hailed from Omu-Aran.

In his remarks, the Olomu appealed to the Federal Government to establish an institution of higher learning in the community due to its rich history and population.

He also called on the Federal Government to immortalize the Late Gen. Bamigboye as a mark of honour for his patriotism and selfless service to the people of Kwara State.

“He did a lot as a Governor of the old Kwara State in the areas of education and infrastructural development. We want the Federal Government to immortalize him by naming a street in his honour in the Federal Capital Territory,” the traditional ruler said.

Meanwhile, the Minister also on Friday paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Gen. Bamigboye.

Speaking during the visit, he described the late General as a statesman who laid the foundation for the socio-economic development of Kwara and Kogi States.

“The General left his indelible marks in the sand of time, especially as it relates to Kwara State. What you have witnessed today in terms of socio-economic development is largely due to the effort of the late General,” he said.

The Minister said despite his young age when he assumed the leadership of the old Kwara State, Gen. Bamigboye showed uncommon foresight and wisdom in governing the state.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Omu-Aran, Kwara State
3 Nov. 2018

PICTURES
PIC 1: The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (right), and the new Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti (left), when the Minister paid a courtesy visit to the Oba in his palace at Omu-Aran, Kwara State, on Friday.

PIC 2: The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle); the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti (fourth from right) and other Council Chiefs when the Minister paid a courtesy visit to the Oba in his palace in Omu-Aran, Kwara State on Friday

Nice one from the honorable minister. It's obvious truth that the state of the nation at this important time need the president to consolidate on the achievements of the last three years. We must not leave this country to the hands of Chalathan like Atiku/GEJ who bastardise our country. Today, on the pages of some news paper, Pensioners thanked President Buhari from saving them by paying them their pension which Atiku denied them since 2006. That's the change we all voted for.

Sai Buhari till 2023..