₦airaland Forum

The Russian government has written off over $20 billion of debt historically owed by African nations, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

President Putin who announced the debts forgiveness at a plenary session of the Russia-Africa forum in St. Petersburg, also said that Moscow would allocate more funds to help with the development of the continent, according to RT report.

“The total amount of debt of the African countries written off by Russia amounts to $23 billion dollars with another $90 million to be allocated for the same purposes,” Putin stated, with reference to historical trade and finance links between Moscow and Africa.

On Thursday, the president said Russia would provide hard-pressed countries on the continent with free grain. Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somali, the Central African Republic, and Eritrea will each receive between 25,000 and 50,000 tons of grain, while Moscow will cover the delivery costs of the shipments.

In March, the Russian leader highlighted the growth of mutual trade between Russia and African countries, saying it could open up additional opportunities for the process of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Launched in 2021, the AfCFTA is expected to become a continental market with a total GDP of more than $3 trillion, making Africa one of the leaders of the multipolar world.

According to Putin, Russia is in favor of establishing ties with AfCFTA both through the Eurasian Economic Union and on a bilateral level.

Gumel told newsmen on Friday in Abuja that the nominees were expected to visit the office of the SSA, located at AB 25, Basement, National Assembly complex, between July 28 and July 30.

“This is for necessary documentation, ahead of screening, which commences on Monday, July 31.

“Documentation for ministerial nominees has commenced and the nominees are expected to complete all necessary processes before the screening.

“The office will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for this purpose; this is to enable all nominees complete the process before the screening,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senate had, on Thursday, received President Bola Tinubu’s list of 28 ministerial nominees for screening and confirmation.

Ekeneegwu:
Your generation no fit slap Davido know this and know peace …

beerfraud:
When is Pandora hoebi ministerial list coming out?

Exmilitant:
Na baba God get final say over a person's life course after all.
Those of us who criticized Lai those days are no better than him.

Congratulations sir!!!

Rahkman:
The day this people go catch davido ehhhn

Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, on Thursday, honoured the pilgrim who discovered and returned $80,000 to the owner during the just-concluded Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The pilgrim, Hajiya Aishatu ‘yan Guru Nahuce from Bungudu local government area of Zamfara State found $80,000 (N64,240,000) and handed it over to the Zamfara Pilgrims Welfare Agency official for onward return to the owner.

A statement by the Spokesperson to the Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the Governor honoured the pilgrim in company of all Emirs of the State, at the Council Chambers, Government House, Gusau.

The Governor further expressed the State Government’s tremendous happiness over the sincerity of the pilgrim.

“The entire people of Zamfara State are proud and happy over what Hajiya Aishatu did in Saudi Arabia. It has added to the good name of the entire people of Zamfara.

“It is an honour for us not to Hajiya Aisha, she has written her name in the good books of history. Such a gesture is expected of any faithful Muslim, especially in a holy land.

“We have seen a clear example of honesty worth emulating from Hajiya Aisha, believe me, not everyone can find such a huge amount of money at a place where there was no one, and return it.

“The Zamfara State Government would do the needful to help the family of Hajiya Aisha.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will also honor Hajiya Aisha for this act of honesty.”

Earlier, the Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, while introducing Hajiya Aisha, stressed that her action has generated more respect for the entire people of Zamfara.

Hajiya Aisha also narrated how the incident happened in the holy land of Saudi Arabia.

Gov Mai Mala Buni’s palliative programme began with 500 People Living with Disability (PLD) to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

Dr Mohammed Goje, the Executive Secretary, Yobe Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) disclosed this while flagging off the programme on Thursday in Damaturu.

Goje said Buni directed the agency to review its stocks’ availability and start responding to the light of most vulnerable category of people in the state.

“Following our review, we ascertain that, the most vulnerable at the moment are PLWDs.

“Because they are the one that go out to beg or do some menial jobs in order to put food in their table,” he said.

Goje said that each beneficiary would go home with 10kg of rice, 12.5kg of beans, maize 10kg, spaghetti, salt and seasoning.

He added that the distribution would go on to other categories of people according to the magnitude of their vulnerability.

Goje said the agency had made adequate plans to reach out the beneficiaries in their respective local government areas.

“Looking at the cost of transportation, we decided to reach them in their respective local government areas,” he added.

One of the beneficiaries, Malam Ba Sulaiman lauded the Yobe government and described the gesture as timely.

(NAN)

The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has restated his government’s commitment to construct a new port in the Badagry axis of the state to decongest Apapa and Tincan Island ports and bring in more investors into the state.

He disclosed this when the acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Marina.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the state government was already in touch with a contractor for the construction of the Badagry Port.

While reiterating his administration’s commitment to making Lagos a business destination for as many investors as possible to improve the economic prosperity of the state, Sanwo-Olu expressed willingness to continue to partner with the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure turnaround for the ports in the state to be globally competitive and make Lagos a top destination for West African countries.

Speaking earlier, the acting CG noted that Lagos as the economic nerve centre of Nigeria generated 70 to 75 per cent of customs revenue in the country.

He pledged to end smuggling so as to boost Made-in-Nigeria products and improve the economy of the country.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has approved a monthly subsidy allowance of N10,000 for government workers and pensioners in the state as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal. The subsidy will be granted for six months.

The Chief of Staff to the governor, who is also the Chairman of the Special Committee on Mitigating the Effect of Fuel Subsidy Removal, Dr Edgar Amos, disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Government House Yola.

He revealed that the governor had also approved the full implementation of the national minimum wage for local government workers, effective from next month’s salary.

He said the state government would also procure 70 trucks of maize and 20 trucks of rice for distribution to citizens at a subsidized rate.

He added that the government would also buy 50 trucks of fertilizer and sell to workers at a subsidized rate in addition to buying shuttling buses for workers.

The state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dauda Adamu Aliyu, said the steps taken by the state government were commendable and would go a long way in providing relief.

Chiefpriestt:
rule 2 broken