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Buhari, Osinbajo Under Fire Over N11.92bn Budgeted For Food, Trips

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Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Tuesday, described as bogus and over-inflated the N11.92bn estimated for food and foreign trips of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in the N20.51tn 2023 budget proposal before the National Assembly.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, tasked the President to drastically cut down on the outrageous budget for foods and travels to N1billion and allot the remaining N10.92 billion for farmers and other victims of floods to grow the nation’s agriculture sector.

The group said the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq must be made to answer hard questions before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on how billions meant for the poor were spent because it is beyond logic.

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According to the Federal Government, about $100 million have been spent on feeding 10 million pupils under the National School Feeding Programme.

However, in contrast, every minute, more than six Nigerians enter the extreme poverty bracket as the number of poor persons in the country race towards the 95.1 million projected this year by the World Bank.

Also, Nigeria was ranked 103 out of 121 countries in the 2022 Global Hunger Index (GHI), a position that signifies the nation has a level of hunger that is serious.

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According to the World Bank, in its latest 2022 Poverty and Prosperity Report, Nigeria contributed three million people to global extreme poverty, while the country is “home to a large share of the global extreme poor.”

Commenting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is unfortunate and detestable that elected leaders in Nigeria should exhibit this level of gluttony and avaricious at a time when many more Nigerians are starving to death.

“HURIWA tasks the President to drastically cut down on this bogus budget for foods and travels to just N1 billion so the remaining funds can go into promoting local agricultural productivity coupled with a robust security architecture.

“Some of the funds should also be allocated to farmers and other victims of floods to grow the nation’s agriculture sector. Also, anti-hunger measures must be introduced and implemented and the Humanitarian Affairs ministry must be dissolved and the minister made to answer hard questions before the EFCC on how billions meant for the poor were spent.

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“It is perplexing and beyond logic that the more billions the government claims to have spent on feeding poor Nigerians, the hungrier Nigerians are becoming which means that the allocations are being siphoned.

“HURIWA demands a public TV debate with humanitarian affairs minister on these bogus claims within the next three days so we expose their falsehoods.”

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Obasanjo To Adeleke: Keep The Dancing Spirit, Deliver On Infrastructure

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Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to continue his dancing spirit while prioritising the delivery of crucial infrastructure projects in the state.

Obasanjo, who spoke at the inauguration of a VIP lodge, an edifice located within the premises of Osun State Government House in Osogbo, recalled a private conversation he had with Adeleke when he admonished him not to stop dancing, but to work very hard to improve the lives of the residents of the state.

The former president, who declared himself as Adeleke’s dancing partner, also challenged the governor to unite the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, implement good initiatives that would affect people positively and ensure proper documentation of all his achievements as governor.

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Speaking in a mixture of Yoruba and English, Obasanjo said, “Some people once despise you, calling you a mere dancer. In reply, I told them that it is only happy people that used to dance. From now on, you are my dancing partner.

“What I have heard and seen since three days that I have been here If anyone is doubting you, bring the person to your state to see for himself or herself. If you remember at one time, I called you on the phone and I said don’t stop dancing but I added that, as you are dancing, ensure you are working.

“If I tell you that I don’t know what happened before you get to the government, I will be telling a lie. But you did something last week Sunday that I appreciated. You called the leaders of your party together. I am happy that you called them and brought them together. Senator Olu Alabi is here, ex-governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola is here and Fatai Akinbade too.

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“You should bring everyone on board. That is the best thing to do. I have talked to two out of three of them. It is a good move which is not only good for your party but for the state and the country. You said government is a continuum. You also said that you are working on all abandoned projects, may God crown your efforts.”

He added that he is happy that Adelek is taking project deliveries one after the other taking them.

He urged the governor to be honest with his conscience, with the people and with God.

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“You have to be a man of character,” Obasanjo said.

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Speaking earlier, Adeleke said his administration has completed some major capital projects, while work was also progressing on many others captured under his infrastructure plan.

According to him, the VIP Lodge would enable his administration to minimise the cost of hosting important personalities visiting the state, adding that with the completion of the project, a major milestone in cost efficiency has been achieved.

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Adeleke, nicknamed the dancing governor, took the oath of office as the 6th elected governor of Osun State on Sunday, November 27, 2022, following in the political trajectory of his late elder brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was the first elected governor of the state.
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Nigeria Medical Association Gets New President

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A professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bala Audu, has been elected as the new President of the Nigeria Medical Association.

The election took place during the annual delegates meeting held in Calabar, Cross Rivers state.

Audu obtained a degree in Medicine from the University of Maiduguri in 1988 and a Master’s degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University of London in 1994.

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He’s also a Fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1997.

In 2008, he obtained a hospital administration and health services certificate from the National Institute of Public Health, Japan.

Before his election, Audu served as the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, in 2017 and later as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, in Bauchi state.

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Audu is recognized for his contributions to the field of medicine, having trained many young obstetric doctors and conducted numerous research works on cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Other leaders elected during the meeting include Benjamin Olowojebutu as Vice President, Usha Anenga as Vice President 2, Ben Egbo as Secretary-General, Wale Lasisi as the Assistant Secretary-General, Celestine Ugwoke as Treasurer, Harrison Omokhua as Financial Secretary, and Manir Bature as the National Publicity Secretary.

The NMA has announced that the new leaders were selected from NMA branches across the country and will lead the association’s activities from 2024 to 2026, after which another leadership cycle will emerge.

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Hunters Rescue Baby Buried Alive In Benue

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Photo: file copy

Some hunters have found a baby reportedly buried alive in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident, according to a resident of the local government who simply identified himself as Terna happened in the Ashav Kusuv community.

Terna said that hunters found her and brought her alive from the forest where she was buried alive.

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Some hunters on Saturday found a baby girl and said that they found her buried alive in a forest. The baby is currently being taken care of at Ashav Kusuv community,” he said.

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Chairman of the local government, Iorkyaan Agber who spoke to our correspondent on the phone on Sunday confirmed the report and stated that the baby was found in a forest by some hunters.

“Some hunters indeed found a baby in the forest but we are investigating to know who went and dropped a baby in the forest and the reason for doing that,” he said.

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Efforts to get the reaction of the Benue Police Spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were not successful as her phone rang out.

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