News

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

Published

4 years ago

October 18, 2022

Editor

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.