News

PAP Budget To Be Reviewed Upward, Otuaro Assures As He Meets With Ex-agitators

Published

1 year ago

September 27, 2024

Dr. Dennis Otuaro, administrator, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), has assured that President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward review of budgetary allocation to the PAP office in the 2025 budget.

Otuaro gave the assurance in Warri on Friday when he met with ex-Niger Delta agitators spreading across phase 1, 2 and 3 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

INFO DAILY reports since Otuaro assumed office earlier this year, this is the second time the PAP boss would be meeting with the ex-agitators.

“I want to reassure you that Mr. President is interested in our budget review. In the 2025 budget, our budget would be reviewed upward to accommodate more persons particularly more women,” Otuaro declared.

On challenges faced by some persons in terms of receiving their monthly stipend, the PAP Administrator noted: “Many challenges such as the BVN issue faced by some persons have been resolved. And every other issue would be resolved under my leadership. Inasmuch the challenge is genuine and under the PAP coverage area, I will do everything within my power to resolve it.”

On scholarship, the PAP boss said the portal for registration was opened early this year till last month, stressing that no fewer than twenty-five thousand applications were received.

Otuaro, who said the education desk is working hard in the selection process, added that before anyone would be shortlisted for the scholarship a thorough background check would be carried out.

“As you all know, our scholarship portal opened early this year till last month. Over twenty-five thousand applied, this is a large number. But the education desk would soon commence the selection process. But before anyone would be selected, a thorough background check of the community the applicant claimed would be carried out. I am going to call the community chairman, the camp leader, and any other person that I can call for verification.

“But of course you know that we cannot leave out some persons. For instance, if an applicant scored 350 in his or her JAMB, we may not go through all these processes. Such applicants would be considered without much background check. Our people will be given the opportunity to acquire education,” he added.

On vocational training and empowerment, the PAP boss said: “We are going to review the vocational training upward. We are going to review our empowerment programme. But we are not going to give anyone a starter-pack just like that. When we identify your area of interest, we attach you to an organisation doing what you are interested in doing, and after spending like one year, we can now empower you to start your own business too.”

On the proposed October 1 nationwide protest, Otuaro urged the ex-agitators to speak to their people not to join the protest, assuring that President Tinubu is doing everything possible to address challenges in the region.

Making reference, the PAP boss disclosed that the Federal Government has awarded the East-West Road to a Chinese company, assuring that work would commence in a short while.

In response, those who spoke on behalf of the ex-agitators assured the PAP Administrator that no one from the region would join the protest because the few months spent by Tinubu is not enough to judge him in terms of performance.

News

Back To School: Lions Club Distributes Educational Materials In Edo Schools

Published

9 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

The Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions of the International Association of Lions Club on Friday jointly distributed educational materials to two schools in Benin City as part of the association corporate services to humanity.

The two clubs in District 404-A4 Lions Nigeria, jointly carried out the distribution of notebooks, maths sets, school bags and sandals, pens and other writing materials to excited pupils in Ivbioba Primary School and Oghede-Ivioba Primary School, Ugbighoko, Egor Local Government Area, and Evbiyenava Primary School, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Themed, Back to School Project, pupils were also engaged in Reading Action Program (RAP) and Spelling Bee Competition, after which winners were presented with special prizes.

In their remarks, Lions Darlington Uyi and Franca Nikoro, presidents of Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions Clubs stated that the vision of the Lions International is to serve humanity.

They, therefore, tasked pupils on commitment to their studies in order to attain their fullest potentials in life.

“Emulate Lions in your visions for tomorrow. We have various professionals as members, and if you are committed to your studies, obedient to your parents and teachers, you will attain great heights,” Lion Uyi Darlinton Stated.

“Our vision is to serve, and we are here like we do every period to ensure Literacy is inculcated in pupils to enable them to attain their full potential. It is our earnest desire that you grow into well rounded personalities. Literacy is important in order to actualize that aspiration,” Franca Nikoro stated.

Earlier, in his address, Lion Sir Dede Henry Idemudia, Zone 6A Chairperson, tasked the pupils on good conduct, honour to parents and guardians and obedience to instructions of school authority.

News

NAFDAC Gives Nigerian Food Companies 18 Months To Cut Trans Fats

Published

10 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has set an 18-month grace period, effectively giving food companies until early 2026 before facing full enforcement of regulations to eliminate industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA).

The initiative, launched as a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for TFA regulation, moves Nigeria from simply having the policy to enforcing its world-class standard: a regulatory limit of no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat or oil.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasised that the roadmap moves the country beyond policy creation to aggressive enforcement and implementation.

This was contained in the NAFDAC DG’s keynote speech posted on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

Adeyeye stressed the moral imperative of the Agency’s mission.

“The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.

“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” Adeyeye stated, calling for national collaboration.

The moratorium period is designed to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock with outdated labels and reformulate their products to comply with the legal limit.

NAFDAC’s action targets a dangerous dietary risk factor strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature death globally.

Adeyeye emphasised the significance of the move beyond technical compliance, noting, “The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.”

This aggressive step builds upon Nigeria’s existing reputation; the country was recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2023 for adopting best-practice TFA elimination policies.

The new roadmap is key to securing WHO validation of Nigeria’s full TFA elimination programme, establishing the nation as a regional leader in public health interventions.

News

Mohbad’s Father Urges Lagos AG To Prosecute Wife, Nurse, Others

Published

10 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Joseph Aloba, the father of late singer Mohbad, has urged the Lagos State government to initiate criminal proceedings against individuals named in the coroner’s inquest into his son’s death.

Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, following an injection administered by auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe.

Despite being buried the next day, public outcry and ongoing investigations led to the exhumation of his body on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.

In a letter dated October 3 and addressed to the attorney general of Lagos State through his lawyers, Aloba demanded that criminal charges be filed against those indicted within 14 days.

“Specifically, we refer to persons indicted by the coroner’s verdict hereunder: Miss Ogedengbe Fisayo, indicted for unlawful medical practice and gross medical negligence; and Mrs. Omowunmi Aloba, indicted for negligence,” the letter reads.

“This includes Ibrahim Owodunni, a.k.a. Prime Boy, and others who either facilitated the invitation of the auxiliary nurse or refused to take him promptly to a recognised medical facility for treatment.”

Mohbad’s father said he was concerned that despite the coroner’s clear verdict, no prosecutorial steps had been taken against those indicted nearly three months after the judgment.

He asked the attorney general to exercise prosecutorial powers within the 14 days, or, in the alternative, grant him and his legal team a fiat to prosecute the matter on behalf of the state.

“Our Client, as a bereaved father desirous of ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done, is deeply concerned that notwithstanding the clear indictments contained in the Coroner’s Verdict, no prosecutorial steps have been taken against the aforementioned persons since the delivery of the Verdict on 11th July, 2025,” the letter reads.

“The judicial observations amount to clear indictments warranting the prosecution of the said individuals in order to give full effect to the Coroner’s findings and recommendations, and to ensure that justice is manifestly and adequately served in this matter.

“We request that you exercise your prosecutorial power on the above subject matter within 14 Days Next, in view of the high sensitivity of this matter and the public attention and outrage it has generated.”

In October 2023, Naira Marley and Sam Larry were arrested over allegations linking them to Mohbad’s death, but were released on bail after five weeks in detention.

By February 2025, a magistrate court cleared them of any involvement in the singer’s demise.