Headline
COVID-19: FG Spends N104bn On Handwashing, Youth Programmes
Published
4 years agoon
By
Editor
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Water Resources got N9.9bn from the N2.3tn COVID-19 intervention fund to implement the ‘wash programme’ which involves water sanitation and health projects.
This is just as N94bn was disbursed for youth empowerment and job creation.
These details were revealed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in response to a Freedom of Information request sent to the ministry by human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN).
The document titled, ‘Re: Request for Information on Utilisation of the Sum of N1.5tn Spent by the Federal Government of Nigeria on Managing the Effect of COVID-19,’ was signed by the Director, National Monitoring and Evaluation at the ministry, Dr Zakari Lawal.
The document obtained by The PUNCH correspondent showed that in June 2020, the Federal Executive Council approved a N2.3tn stimulus plan proposed in the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan designed to support the nation’s economy to mitigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
N500bn was to be disbursed to ministries, departments and agencies, while the balance was to be disbursed to the private sector by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The document showed that out of the N2.3tn, about N1.9tn had been disbursed.
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While N94bn was released for youth engagement and job creation, health equipment and related issues gulped N128.5bn.
The Ministry of Youth and Sport Development got N690m to train 150 youths to become agro-technicians and 150 youths to become solar technicians.
The ministry also got N2bn to train 1,600 youths to become digital professionals and N1.1bn to provide 2,700 youths with work experience.
The sum of N1.5bn was released to the ministry to build six ICT centres in Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Anambra, Cross River, Osun and 24 vocational centres nationwide.
The international Centre for Women Development, under the Ministry Of Women Affairs, got N250m for a job creation scheme post-COVID-19. It also got N1bn for job creation scheme post-COVID-19: Equipment for vocational skills training in the six geopolitical zones.
The Ministry Of Communications and Digital Economy received N1bn for job creation scheme post-COVID-19: Entrepreneurship and vocational training in the six geopolitical zones to support digital skills gaps and provision of subsidised training for qualified candidates across the country.
The Federal Government also released N2bn to the communications ministry for the job creation scheme post-COVID-19: Establishment of centres of excellence and labs for robotic, 3-D printing, IoT, big data analytics and block chain.
The National Directorate of Employment got N52bn to engage youths and for business training.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development was given N32.5bn to provide a social intervention programme.
The Ministry of Health got N1bn for surveillance and epidemiology; N10.2bn for laboratory; N310.4m for point of entry; N133.6m for infection prevention and control; N1.8bn for case management; N89m for health-related communication; and N75m for research and development.
It also got N6.5bn for NCDC, N10bn to support Lagos State, 1bn to support pharmaceutical industries for raw materials not used, N20bn for hazard allowance, N2.5bn for contingencies, N10bn for food and drug services and local production of vaccines.
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As an extension of the support provided to health care in the country, the sum of N18.4bn was disbursed across 52 federal teaching hospitals and federal medical centres to equip 10-bedded intensive care units.
The 52 health centres received N5.2bn to equip isolation treatment centres; N7.8bn to procure personal protective equipment for all federal tertiary health institutions; and N18bn to procure molecular laboratory equipment.
The sum of N2b each was released for reagents and equipment for COVID-19 related laboratory services to the national agency for food and drug administration, Nigerian institute of medical research, national institute for pharmaceutical research and development, and Nigeria centre for disease control.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Control also got another N2bn to upgrade laboratory testing of vaccines.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research got N1bn for an upgrade of laboratory equipment, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development got another N2bn for research and development.
The Federal Fire Service received N1.5bn for provision of COVID-19 kits and other medical equipment, the national correctional service got N951.1m for rehabilitation, provision, and maintenance of health facilities and correctional services revamps in six geopolitical zones.
While the public sector received about 490bn, the private sector got about 1.4tn.
The Ministry Of Finance, Budget, And National Planning got N750m for monitoring and evaluating the Economic Sustainability Plan and N36bn as measures to support states.
While the National Commission For Refugee Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons for N2.5bn, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation got N250m to support the activities of the economic sustainability committee.
The Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Air Force received N10bn and N2.7bn, respectively, as support for their operations.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development got about N56.5bn. From the total, N17.2bn was for the payment of five per cent interest on CBN loan to farmers; N27bn was for farmer/farm registration and mapping 50 per cent sampling; about N2.5bn was for land preparation; and 34bn for rural roads in the six geopolitical zones.
The Rural Electricity Agency got N12.4bn, which was used for mass rural electrification and solar power strategy.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, And Investment got N75bn to support small businesses.
While the Federal Road Maintenance Agency got N60bn to repair roads, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corps got N539.7m.
The Ministry Of Mines And Steel Development got N6bn for artisanal and small-scale miners.
The Ministry Of Aviation received N5bn as bailout support to the aviation sector.
In the private sector, some MDAs were in charge of coordinating the funding support to the private sector. For instance, the federal Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Development for N471.7bn for interest-free loans to farmers under the agriculture jobs and food programmes.
READ ALSO: Threats To Nigeria’s Corporate Existence unprecedented, Osinbajo Laments
N200bn was given to the family homes fund for jobs through homes programmes.
While the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria was given N40bn, the federal housing authority got N26bn to construct homes.
The Ministry Of Power through REA got N140bn for energy for all solar power strategies.
The Ministry Of Petroleum Resources got N90bn for the national gas expansion programme.
The Ministry Of Trade, through the Bank of Industry got N250bn to support MSMEs.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and social development got N47bn for NP: skills and entrepreneurship, while the Finance Ministry got N72.9bn to support health systems.
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Headline
Ugandan President Ignores S’Court Ruling, Approves Law To Try Civilians In Military Courts
Published
9 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
Editor
Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, on Monday, signed a new law allowing civilians to be tried in military courts that critics said could be used against opposition leaders ahead of next year’s election.
The new law comes despite a ruling by the Supreme Court in late January that it was unconstitutional for civilians to be tried in military courts as was the case for opposition leader, Kizza Besigye.
Besigye, 69, was abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November and re-emerged a few days later at a military court in Uganda, where he was charged with treason, which carries a potential death penalty.
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Following the Supreme Court ruling, his case was moved to a civilian court.
But the new law provides for “exceptional circumstances” under which civilians can be subjected to military law, including the “unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment,” one of the other charges Besigye is facing.
The signing of the law was announced by Uganda’s parliament on X.
Besigye’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago, told AFP that the law was designed to facilitate the “illegal detention and trial of Besigye and others”.
Besigye has been in jail for more than the six-month legal limit for detention without trial.
Uganda’s other major opposition leader, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, told AFP, “All of us in the opposition are being targeted by the Act.”
Human rights lawyer and activist, Eron Kiiza — who was jailed by a military court for six months for alleged misconduct while defending Besigye — said he would legally “challenge the Act”.
Rights groups said Besigye’s abduction and trial for treason were linked to the election in January when 80-year-old Museveni will seek to extend his 40 years in power.
AFP
Headline
Turkish President, Erdogan Calls Putin, Accused Israel Of Threatening Regional Security
Published
16 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
Editor
…says “lawless attitude” of Netanyahu’s govt “poses threat to international system
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of threatening security in the Middle East during a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, his office said.
“The spiral of violence that began with Israel’s attacks on Iran has put the security of the entire region at risk,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.
His office said he told Putin that the “lawless attitude” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “poses a clear threat to the international system”, adding that the Middle East “cannot tolerate a new war”.
READ ALSO: Netanyahu Says Israel’s Strikes On Iran Have ‘Clear Support’ Of Trump
The Kremlin said Putin and Erdogan used the conversation to call for an “immediate” end to fighting between Israel and Iran.
“The leaders called for an immediate end to hostilities and the settlement of contentious issues, including those related to Iran’s nuclear programme, exclusively through political and diplomatic means,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.
Turkey has stepped up its diplomacy since Israel launched aerial attacks on Iran last Friday and Tehran struck back on the weekend, in their most intense confrontation in history.
Headline
Iran, Israel Need ‘To Fight It Out’ To Reach Deal – Trump
Published
18 hours agoon
June 16, 2025By
Editor
US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Iran and Israel — who are locked in an exchange of military strikes — to “make a deal,” but suggested they might need to “fight it out” first.
“I think it’s time for a deal,” Trump told reporters, as Israel and Iran exchanged a fresh barrage of missile strikes and threatened more devastation in a conflict that appeared to be intensifying.
“But sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens,” Trump said, speaking at the White House before heading to Canada to take part in a G7 summit.
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After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war fought through proxies and covert operations, the latest conflict marks the first time arch-enemies Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.
It began Friday, when Israel launched attacks that have killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and struck military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.
Trump refused to answer a question about whether he had asked Israel to pause airstrikes on Iran.
Earlier, a senior US official told AFP that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he believed the two sides “should make a deal, and will make a deal.”
There are “many calls and meetings now taking place” on the issue and peace could be achieved “soon” between the longtime adversaries, he said.
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