Headline

COVID-19: FG Spends N104bn On Handwashing, Youth Programmes

Published

5 years ago

November 14, 2021

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.

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.

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.

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.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.