₦airaland Forum

PRESIDENT BUHARI LAUNCHES N62 BILLION HIV TRUST FUND AS NIGERIA TARGETS ELIMINATION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION BY 2030

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja launched a N62 billion trust fund to help Nigeria end AIDS as a public health threat and place more people living with HIV on treatment annually.

Speaking at the launch of the HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria (HTFN), the President pledged that his administration would continue to prioritize health interventions to address killer diseases and public health emergencies.

''At the last United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, I made a call for a renewed global action to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.

''Ending AIDS as a public health threat in Nigeria will require increased domestic funding. We have continued to make good our commitment of placing more people living with HIV on treatment annually using national resources.

''However, strong domestic resource mobilization with an enduring partnership and shared responsibility is required to sustain the response to HIV and other emerging public health emergencies,'' he said.

President Buhari noted that Nigeria’s purposeful partnership with the private sector in the response to COVID 19 pandemic had provided a readily available financing solution to leverage on to sustain the HIV response.

He commended the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS for their efforts in establishing the HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria to secure a generation of babies free of HIV.

He also expressed delight with the attendance in person of notable global key players in HIV response and from the private sector at the event and the pledges made.

''Going forward, I hope The HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria will galvanize more of the private sector and other partners to surpass the target of Sixty-Two Billion Naira in the next five years,'' he added.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha announced that since 2005 about 6.2 billion dollars has been spent on HIV response in Nigeria.

''About 80 per cent of the funds were contributed by external donors, mainly the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Private Sector contributed 0.1 per cent to 2 per cent of total funds with the rest of funds provided by the Nigerian government.''

Acknowledging NACA's efforts to promote resource mobilisation to complement existing external support, Mustapha said the Federal Government has sustained the treatment and financing of 50,000 PLHIV annually.

He said the launch of the HTFN will guarantee funding from the private sector-led resources for HIV interventions especially for the elimination of the Mother-to-Child transmission of the virus.

''Since 2005, about 6.2 billion dollars has been spent on HIV response in Nigeria about 80 per cent of the funds were contributed by external donors mainly the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Private Sector contributed 0.1 per cent to 2 per cent of total funds with the rest of funds provided by the Nigerian government.''

Chief Launcher and Chairman and CEO of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said the mission of the private sector led fund proposed by NACA alongside the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA) is to ensure mobilisation of resources towards eradication of AIDS in Nigeria, starting with the Prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission of the virus.

''I am reminded that we have 2 million of our compatriots living with HIV/AIDS and it is our collective responsibility to bring this number down to zero,'' he said.

Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, appealed to individuals and corporate organisations in the country to donate generously toward the Fund, currently chaired by Dr Herbert Wigwe, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc.

''We would like the private sector to work in partnership with the Federal Government on a 50-50 basis which we believe will help us eliminate Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria,'' he said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of NACA. Dr Gambo Aliyu thanked the President for his commitment and support for the HIV response in the country, noting that as a direct result of his intervention, NACA now procures HIV commodities at manufacturers’ rate, as a result of which more Nigerians living with HIV have been placed on treatment from domestic resources.

He said within the last 3 years, the agency has identified and placed on treatment an additional 900,000 persons living with HIV, bringing the total number of Nigerians on HIV treatment to 1.7 million.

''This unprecedented feat puts Nigeria on a fast-track lane to control HIV spread by 2023.

''However, despite these achievements, our national coverage of prevention of mother to child transmission is less than 50%, leading to about 22,000 cases of mother-to-child transmission of HIV every year in the country,'' he said.

Justifying the need for the Fund, the Director-General said providing life-long treatment to all PLHIV even after successfully stopping new HIV infections would require a domestically sustainable financing mechanism.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 1, 2022

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI LAUNCHES THE HIV TRUST FUND OF NIGERIA. 1ST FEBRUARY 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari Speaking during the launch of the HIV Trust Fund at the State House Abuja, PHOTOS; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. 1ST FEBRUARY 2022

Poiu11:
how the hell is this.

Irupetepete:
you are beginning to piss alot of people off on this forum, especially me..
Do you know how badly buhari have damaged the economy?

Chimaobison:
indirectly calling for 3rd term tenure. mtchewww

Tvoice:
Support kill u dia , b4 election dem give u support, u don enter , u still dey fine support, nor be juju be dat ? Ur days are already numbered.

silverlinen:
When this clown of a president can barely give an order
The blaady fool's trying to play propaganda games
Oga do needful and stop being a sissy and an idiot

Psychokinetic:
Victor Adaojo stop selling your generation for 30 pieces of kobo!

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI DINNER WITH THE 2022 COMMITTEE. JAN 31ST 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari Speaking during a dinner with the 2022 committee held at the banquet hall, State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. JAN 31ST 2022.

nairavsdollars:
Leave story abeg

NEXT ADMINISTRATION WILL INHERIT A STABLE DEMOCRACY, REVAMPED SECURITY FORCES, PRESIDENT BUHARI PLEDGES

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja pledged his commitment to hand over a strong repositioned agriculture-led, diversified home-grown economy, stable democracy and revamped armed and security forces to the next Administration.

Speaking at a dinner in honour of the 2022 Committee of Business, Political, Media and Civil Society Leaders, the President said he was looking forward to completing his tenure in 2023, leaving a legacy for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria with 24 years of uninterrupted democracy.

Assuring Nigerians that his administration will finish strong in the last lap of his tenure, the President said:

''I am gradually entering my final year in office. It is a period I intend to spend not only on consolidating on the achievements of the past seven years but also to leave a legacy for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.

''I take this initiative to mean that you all intend to collaborate with this administration in that direction.

''For those among you who are politicians, you must look beyond gaining power to how you can leverage public positions in the process of societal change. To the businessmen and women among you, there is great glory in public service.

''The question that should be uppermost always is: How do we leverage our business endowment for the greater good of our country?

''I am delighted that members of the Nigerian elite have woken up to the fact that the task of changing this society is a task for all of us, whether we are in the private or public sector. Knowing that, we have enormous challenges as a nation, but they are not beyond our capacity to overcome if we embrace a new approach.

''We cannot retreat to our ethnic cocoons, nor can we continue to seek solace in our past. We must champion the idea of a Nigeria where every citizen would be proud to call their own. That is the charge before you.''

Expressing delight on the new consciousness by the Nigerian elites to work together with the political class and civil society to build a better Nigeria, President Buhari noted that building consensus around issues of the economy, national security, governance, and such other critical areas of national life is a sure path to the future we seek to build.

''As we all know, I have been very critical of the Nigerian elites, essentially because some of us have not always demonstrated that we can rise above personal gain, political partisanship as well as ethnic and religious differences when the situation demands that we all speak and or act as one in the interest of our country.

''There are also many among our elites for whom profit remains the only motivation for any and every enterprise.

''But now, I feel heartened that a more collaborative social enterprise model for resolving our common challenges is being forged.

''I must commend this initiative and its conveners. This is the kind of spirit I have always advocated because it is what we need at this time as we seek to build our society for peace, security and prosperity through dialogue while narrowing the gap between rich and poor.''

On the activities of the Committee, the President acknowledged that he was aware that attendance at their inaugural meeting on Sunday cut across a broad section of the society in the public, private sectors, civil society, and the youth.

The President lauded the group for rising above all ethnic and religious divides for the common good, describing the feat as ‘‘fantastic’’.

The President, who said he had wished the group had convened earlier, advised them to try and accommodate a few more interests in their next meeting as they take a ''deeper dive into our national challenges and proffer workable and sustainable solutions for the near, medium, and long term.''

''It is our desire to finish strong in the next 16 months and ensure all hands are on deck for the last lap. We are doubling our efforts against all forms of insecurity, equipping our armed forces and strengthening the police.

''We are determined to continue the war against corruption and fight poverty, we remain focused on building an all-inclusive economic opportunity for all citizens. ''

The President told the meeting that despite the enormous problems inherited when he assumed office almost seven years ago, he can look back with satisfaction that this administration has kept faith with the people and has done well even amid dwindling resources for reasons that are well beyond our control.

''But we probably would have fared even better if we secured the support of most of you that are here today, know that while government comes and goes, the country must remain and thrive.''

President Buhari used the occasion to wish politicians, at the dinner, interested in elective positions in the 2023 polls the best, advising that ''there is nothing better than experience in leadership.''

Responding to concerns raised by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on the resurgence of military takeovers in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso in August 2020, September 2021 and January 2022, respectively, the President said he strongly believes that ‘‘Nigeria has passed through that stage for good.’’

On the political situation in some West African countries, Fayemi said:

''We believe Nigeria has a manifest destiny to protect democracy not just in Nigeria but also in our region. But in doing that we must ensure that our politicians adhere strictly to constitutional principles and I am happy that our President's position on leaders seeking third term is well known.''

Giving further insight on the workings of the Committee, Governor Fayemi said Nigerians who have benefitted from the country in good time, serving in different capacities, have a duty to support the country.

"What the Committee has tried to do is to develop an elite consensus on security and economy, '' he said.

He said the Committee would take advantage of the President's consistent leadership, relentless passion and patriotism to ensure a seamless transition, while ensuring that the achievements of this administration are sustained and followed through for the benefit of the country.

"Here we have PDP and APC chieftains and we hope by the time we finish this work, what we will present to the President is void of partisan colorations. It is from people who want Nigerians to succeed."

The Convener of the Group and Chairman of THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena said with Nigeria facing a ''historic transition like no other'', and with crisis across Africa and at home, the 2022 Committee emerged to ''defend the national interest.''

''The 2022 Committee was put together to defend Nigeria in a time of crisis and in a time of transition, we must defend the national interest,’’ he said, noting that membership of the group has been carefully selected from the business community, investors, governors, security sector and elder statesmen.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 31, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari receives in audience The Olu of Warri Ogiame Atuwatse 111 during the visit at the State House. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. JAN 26TH 2022

Maxymilliano:
Hope he's accorded the kind of reception residents of both States had been enduring from marauding Fulani bandits and not the usual rented crowd's

heniford2:
Question should be which project dead people project

PRESIDENT BUHARI SIGNS PLEDGE CARD TO END OPEN DEFECATION BY 2025.

President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Sulieman Adamu as President signs pledge card to reaffirm commitment towards ending open defecation in Nigeria by 2025, 25th Jan 2022.

Nbotee:
Don't know who's worse between dis one and dat dead vulture griller

President Buhari Will Depart Abuja For Sokoto and Zamafara States Later In The Week To Commission Projects

details shortly............

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI LAUNCHES NATIONAL POLICY ON 5G TECHNOLOGY. JAN 25TH 2022

tutudesz:

NIGERIA LOOKS TO 5G TECHNOLOGY TO ADDRESS SECURITY CHALLENGES AS PRESIDENT BUHARI LAUNCHES NATIONAL POLICY

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja directed all the security institutions to immediately leverage Fifth Generation (5G) technology, when deployed, to enhance security in the country.

Launching the National Policy on 5G for Nigeria's Digital Economy, the President said the Federal Government will take full advantage of the opportunities that 5G provides for the economy, security and well-being of the nation.

President Buhari also allayed fears over health safety of 5G, affirming that such issues have been ''effectively addressed'' in developing a Policy that suits the country.

On the benefits of 5G technologies, the President noted it can support virtually every sector of the economy, including enhanced connectivity, improved healthcare, support for education while fostering smart cities, and boosting agriculture, among other advantages.

''It will also support security institutions with real time communication.

'5G technology is significantly faster than earlier digital technologies and it provides near real-time communication. This can play a key role in boosting our efforts towards enhancing security across the nation.

''It will enable our security institutions to effectively deploy robotics, autonomous vehicles, augmented and virtual reality to address any security challenges that we face,'' he said at the launch of the policy, which was presented and approved at the Federal Executive Council meeting on the 8th of September 2021, following a robust debate.

The President explained that the National 5G Policy includes a deployment plan to ensure that major cities across the country benefit from the technologies.

He added that the policy, which is in line with the commitment of this administration to supporting the digital economy as an enabler for the diversification of our national economy, also seeks to make 5G a major driver of the economy, a catalyst for smart cities in the country and a platform for the creation of jobs that support digital economy.

He, therefore, assured investors that the Federal Government would continue to provide an enabling environment for their businesses to be very successful as Nigeria begins the roll-out of the technology.

President Buhari directed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, to supervise the implementation of the Policy, being done by the Nigerian Communications Commission with the support of other government institutions.

The President also used the occasion to provide a rundown of how his administration has created an enabling environment for investments to thrive in Nigeria’s digital economy.

He recounted that the journey to the launch of the 5G National policy started with the launch of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy in November 2019 as well as the launch of a number of policies to strengthen the digital economy, including the Nigerian National Broadband Plan and the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector.

He noted that under his watch the agreement of the National Economic Council to peg the cost of the Right of Way at N145 per linear metre which was made in 2013, was only implemented in late 2019, after the intervention of the Federal Government.

According to the President, the Information and Communications Technology sector played a prime role in enabling Nigeria’s economy to swiftly exit the recession that was triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

''The GDP Report of the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the ICT sector was the fastest growing sector in the fourth quarter of 2020 and entire year 2020, recording double-digit growth rates of 14.70 per cent and 12.90 per cent respectively.

''The sector also recorded a 17.92 per cent contribution to our GDP in the second quarter of last year- this was its highest ever contribution. All these impressive and significant achievements have justified our efforts to support the growth of our digital economy. ''

Describing the process of developing the National 5G Policy as ''painstaking, inclusive and focused,'' President Buhari recalled that 5G trials commenced in some selected locations in November 2019.

''Multi-sectoral stakeholders then deliberated on the report of the trials to ensure that health, security and other concerns were effectively addressed in developing a policy that suits our country.

''The National 5G Policy will position Nigeria to harness the potentials of 5G technologies to further develop the economy and improve the indices of well-being in the nation,'' he said.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy affirmed the sector has recorded unprecedented achievements with increased remittances to the Federation Account, resolution of lingering issues in the industry and successful auctioning of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum for the deployment of 5G technology.

He thanked the President for the consistent support to the sector, announcing that within two years the Federal Government completed 1,667 ICT related projects.

''As at August 2021, the sector remitted over N1 trillion to the Federation Account and this is unprecedented because the usual remittances is around 200 billion annually and this has been increased substantially,'' he said.

On the spectrum auction for the 5G, Prof Pantami explained that from the reserve price of N75 billion per spectrum, each spectrum was assigned to the winners at the price of over N250 billion per spectrum.

The Minister expressed confidence that given the experiences from other countries and available research, Nigeria would derive maximum benefits from the deployment of 5G technology.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 25, 2022