The experience at the last episode ought to have thought them a lesson except the whole thing was just a facade

protection for Child and Vulnerable witnesses has become imperative having regard to the indices which has shown that Nigeria is behind in the protection of Child and Vulnerable witnesses when compared to her Commonwealth counterparts.

We all know things are not the way it used to be like 2011 down to 2017.
It is not over yet but victory is sure

Congratulations.
We look forward to more investments that will benefit the youth

There is no bases for comparison. Osinbajo ,remains the most functional vp ever

Congratulations to the couple

Osinbajo beats them all. No match

That 30k can do a whole lot this season. With the way things are now and Christmas right in front of us the money na baba

*Is FG's N30,000 enough for taxi drivers, Keke Napep and Okada riders?*

On Sunday, I read a statement that the Federal Government would soon commence the enrolment and payment of N30,000 to Nigerians operating in the transport business – including rideshare drivers Uber, Bolt, etc, taxi drivers, bus drivers, Keke Napep riders, Okada riders, cart pushers etc.

The first thing that came to mind was, is N30,000 really enough?
What can N30,000 do for these people, then I remembered that my brake pad and fan belt are two problems I need to attend to very urgently.

In fact, my mechanic told me that if my fan belt cuts, I will be stuck at that very point but even worse is that the day my brake will fail, he prays I don’t kill anybody but as a rugged Lagos boy, no be today, we dey drive without brake.

So why am I writing this? It is because all the money I need to fix my car is less than N15k and I don’t have it. It was then that I knew that N30,000 is a lot of money even for me. If I get that N30,000, I will not only fix my car, I will balance at my regular joint and buy fish and beer to wash it down.

That aside, no government has done this for Nigerians as long as I can remember, so therefore this must count for something. As we say in Naija, it is our national cake and more people are eating from it.
The statement by Laolu Akande, Prof. Osinbajo’s spokesperson also said they are paying salaries of private businesses that were affected by COVID and that the artisans have also gotten N30,000.

Just to verify the information, I went to Twitter and typed Survival Fund and Payroll Support, guy, I weak. See people getting alert anyhow and flashing it on social media. Abeg where I dey wey all these things dey happen?

Anyhow sha, I must collect inside this national cake and I dey encourage others to tell people wey dem know wey be driver or artisan.

Remember, na our national cake.

The energy you use in blaming federal government if you invest it in your little circle it will go a long way.

"One will kill a thousand and two will kill ten thousand".
One man can't change the whole country over night it requires collective effort.
If the presidency like make themselves sacrificial lamb if individuals refuse to turn a new leaf . It will be a wast

*STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE*

*OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT*

*FG COMMENCES N30,000 GRANTS FOR TAXI, BUS, OKADA, KEKE NAPEP, UBER, BOLT DRIVERS, & CART PUSHERS*

*Survival Fund scheme to benefit 4500 Nigerians per state and FCT
*Payment to Artisans & Payroll Support beneficiaries ongoing
*207,319 beneficiaries drawn from 35,837 businesses paid under Payroll Support
*59,000 verified artisans have been paid in 23 states and the FCT
As the implementation of its Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP, continues, and in furtherance of its commitment to support small businesses to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government has also launched the transport support track under its MSME Survival Fund schemes for artisans and transporters.

The launch of the transport track last Monday follows the successful take-off of the Artisans’ Support track on October 1st. While the Artisans track is under the Survival Fund, the Transport track is a different scheme also under the Fund.

While verified Artisans have started receiving the N30,000 one-time grants, Nigerians operating in the transport business – including Rideshare drivers (Uber, Bolt, etc.), Taxi drivers, Bus drivers, Keke Napep riders, Okada riders, cart pushers etc., now have the opportunity to benefit from the scheme.

The Artisan track is being implemented in three streams, and as of November 25, a total number of 59,000 individual Artisan beneficiaries have been paid across 24 states in Stream 1 and Stream 2 States.

They include FCT, Lagos, Ekiti, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi.

While the verification process for artisans under Stream 3 states commenced on Monday, November 30. Stream 3 states comprise Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Jigawa, Gombe and Benue.

Similarly, payment to beneficiaries under the Payroll Support scheme for different categories of MSMEs, ranging from education, hospitality to other sectors, has since commenced.

The payroll support scheme, which is designed to support vulnerable MSMEs, targets supporting 500,000 beneficiaries with payment of up to N50,000 per employee for a period of three months, starting from October. The disbursements to approved Payroll Support beneficiaries commenced on 17th November 2020.

So far, 207,319 individual beneficiaries drawn from 35,837 businesses/MSMEs nationwide have received their first monthly payment from the Survival Fund’s Payroll Support Scheme.

A breakdown of this figure shows that: N30,000 each was paid to 180,196 employees/Beneficiaries; while N50,000 each was paid to 26,353 employees/Beneficiaries. Out of this, 2.6 per cent of beneficiaries are with special needs, while 43 per cent are female employees/beneficiaries.

Under this Artisan Support scheme, a total of 333,000 Artisans and Transport business operators nationwide will get one-time operations grant of N30,000 per beneficiary to reduce the effects of income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be a total of 9,009 beneficiaries per state for both Artisan and Transport beneficiaries. Of this number per state, there will be a total of 4,505 beneficiaries under the transport scheme, while the remaining 4,504 will be artisan beneficiaries.

For the Transport track, Nigerians are encouraged to apply through their registered Associations to be enumerated, such as the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Keke Riders’ Association, Okada Riders’ Associations and Unions, among others. All schemes are applied to beneficiaries on a first come first serve basis.

State focal persons, project field officers, enumerators and others will work alongside the MSMEs Survival Fund Project Delivery Office to properly identify and ensure that members of the respective associations are paid.

There is also provision for individuals who are members of Associations but will rather apply directly with the enumerators. However, such individual applicants in the transport cluster must show their proof of membership of an association to be enumerated.

Like all the schemes of the Buhari administration to support different categories of Nigerians, these schemes are absolutely free, and the grant will be paid directly to the beneficiary’s account.

Nigerians are encouraged to speak up if anyone tries to charge a fee or subvert this arrangement.

Also, the formalization support scheme (registration of 250,000 new businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)) commenced on the 26th of October, 2020 and the registration by aggregators - CAC registration agents, has since commenced across the 36 states and the FCT. The ongoing scheme will run for a period of 3 months effective from the date of commencement.

The MSME Survival Fund, a component under the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, NESP, is designed to support vulnerable Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in meeting their payroll obligations and safeguard jobs in the MSMEs sector. The scheme is estimated to save not less than 1.3 million jobs across the country and specifically impact on over 35,000 individuals per State.

In the implementation of the Transport track the Federal Government is working with representatives of Keke Napep and Okada riders; Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN); representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW); Uber and Bolt drivers, among others.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
6th December 2020

In must rural areas you don't even need up to#2000 to start a business that can sustain a family all they need is just little amount.
MSMEs is doing a wonderful job.
Thank you

We are a blessed nation we just need to diversify

Happy married life to the couple. Their home is blessed

OSINBAJO JOINS GATES, DANGOTE OTHERS AT LEADERSHIP FORUM ON NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES

*Stresses importance of enriching food processing

Although efforts by stakeholders in the Food Processing Industry to improve nutritional value of edible oil, salt, sugar, wheat flour and other processed foods is commendable, ensuring full compliance to national standards will be required to shape national public health outcomes to attain desired levels, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this Thursday at the 3rd Annual Nigeria Food Processing and Nutrition Leadership Forum, held virtually, and organized by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

According to the Vice President, “the Nigerian government is keen on driving collaborative efforts in enhancing national monitoring and enforcement of fortification quality standards.

He praised the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for their innovative work in this regard through the Joint Regulatory Framework.

Said he: “Industry Compliance with food fortification standards especially in Wheat Flour, Salt and Sugar has also improved. We however need to reach full compliance to be able to shape national public health outcomes to the extent that we desire.”

Food fortification is the practice of enriching processed foods by adding nutrients at higher levels than what the original food provides. This is done to address micronutrient deficiencies across populations.

Commending the efforts of stakeholders in meeting set targets in food fortification, Prof. Osinbajo said “the food systems within the processing sector are fitted for improved nutrition.”

He noted that “we have an enormous opportunity here to reinforce the goal of sustainable food fortification in Nigeria. I am pleased to see that the average compliance rates to national fortification standards had increased from 50% in 2018 to 75% in 2019 and hit the 2020 target of 90%.

“I believe this platform will continue to serve as an opportunity to review progress on an annual basis, and share lessons learned against fortification standards within their respective sectors.”

Speaking particularly about the ingenuity of the stakeholders in address micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo explained that “the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) is an interesting innovation that will motivate industries to self-regulate in meeting government standards for food fortification. The use of this tool should be adopted by all companies involved in fortification and I believe it should be made available to stakeholders and shareholders alike.”

“We should be able to hold them accountable as they strive to meet industry benchmarks, including compliance with Nigerian Fortification Standards. Government regulatory agencies will definitely find the tool useful in support of industry regulation efforts and consumer expectations.

“The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Health each play a critical role and have been at the forefront of food fortification in Nigeria. Through ongoing engagements with the Director Generals (DGs) and core group representatives from NAFDAC, SON, and FCCPC, the collaboration towards enhancing national monitoring and enforcement of fortification quality standards has been strengthened,” Prof. Osinbajo added.

The forum featured presentations by Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates; Director, Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF) Programme, Mr Rizwan Yusufali; Group COO, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr Boye Olusanya; MD, Dangote Sugar, Mr Ravindra Singhvi; and MD, PZ Wimar, Mr Ipsit Chakrabarti, among others.

The Ministers of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; the Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye; and the Director General of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera, also spoke at the forum.

OSINBAJO JOINS GATES, DANGOTE OTHERS AT LEADERSHIP FORUM ON NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES

*Stresses importance of enriching food processing

Although efforts by stakeholders in the Food Processing Industry to improve nutritional value of edible oil, salt, sugar, wheat flour and other processed foods is commendable, ensuring full compliance to national standards will be required to shape national public health outcomes to attain desired levels, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this Thursday at the 3rd Annual Nigeria Food Processing and Nutrition Leadership Forum, held virtually, and organized by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

According to the Vice President, “the Nigerian government is keen on driving collaborative efforts in enhancing national monitoring and enforcement of fortification quality standards.

He praised the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for their innovative work in this regard through the Joint Regulatory Framework.

Said he: “Industry Compliance with food fortification standards especially in Wheat Flour, Salt and Sugar has also improved. We however need to reach full compliance to be able to shape national public health outcomes to the extent that we desire.”

Food fortification is the practice of enriching processed foods by adding nutrients at higher levels than what the original food provides. This is done to address micronutrient deficiencies across populations.

Commending the efforts of stakeholders in meeting set targets in food fortification, Prof. Osinbajo said “the food systems within the processing sector are fitted for improved nutrition.”

He noted that “we have an enormous opportunity here to reinforce the goal of sustainable food fortification in Nigeria. I am pleased to see that the average compliance rates to national fortification standards had increased from 50% in 2018 to 75% in 2019 and hit the 2020 target of 90%.

“I believe this platform will continue to serve as an opportunity to review progress on an annual basis, and share lessons learned against fortification standards within their respective sectors.”

Speaking particularly about the ingenuity of the stakeholders in address micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo explained that “the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) is an interesting innovation that will motivate industries to self-regulate in meeting government standards for food fortification. The use of this tool should be adopted by all companies involved in fortification and I believe it should be made available to stakeholders and shareholders alike.”

“We should be able to hold them accountable as they strive to meet industry benchmarks, including compliance with Nigerian Fortification Standards. Government regulatory agencies will definitely find the tool useful in support of industry regulation efforts and consumer expectations.

“The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Health each play a critical role and have been at the forefront of food fortification in Nigeria. Through ongoing engagements with the Director Generals (DGs) and core group representatives from NAFDAC, SON, and FCCPC, the collaboration towards enhancing national monitoring and enforcement of fortification quality standards has been strengthened,” Prof. Osinbajo added.

The forum featured presentations by Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates; Director, Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF) Programme, Mr Rizwan Yusufali; Group COO, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr Boye Olusanya; MD, Dangote Sugar, Mr Ravindra Singhvi; and MD, PZ Wimar, Mr Ipsit Chakrabarti, among others.

The Ministers of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; the Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye; and the Director General of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera, also spoke at the forum.

There is hardly any country in the world that you won't find Nigerians in various spheres of life especially in the health sector

We are where we are today because we favor kinsmen than a man of integrity capable of giving us result

There is no other person fit for that position other than Osinbajo. He is a good leader

Humility

Health is wealth it all starts with what we eat.

Nigeria has the potential to attract and benefit immensely from huge local and foreign private sector resources.”

As a nation we have to employ other avenue to boost our economy

ojokolax:
With a little bit of a rejig, more ammunitions and better motivation, I think we can ensure that justice is actually served and those farmers did not die in vein

.
Justice will prevail

Your vote should not be party based but integrity base

Congratulations. We need more of this in other states in readiness to any eventuality

ojokolax:
A full restrategizing of the operational framework as being proposed by the Presidency is the best way out.

Correct

“Nigeria has all it takes to be the best in the world; we have the talents, men and women, vision and the resources it takes to be great.

Nigeria needs new ideas on security matters we can't continue to use the old approach.

Madugu Johan of Nasarawa meaning captain and leader

The place of gas in Nigeria's accelerated economic recovery plan. It is time we tap into all our natural resources. We are blessed naturally