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Saraki addresses African Politicians “Let’s Deliver Good Governance to Next Generation”
Published
6 years agoon
By
EditorDr Saraki asserted that African leaders can best deliver on good governance if they first ensure that the people are sufficiently educated to make the right choices.
“If we are to deliver good governance to the next generation of Africans and if the democratic dividend is to come to fruition, education is key,” Saraki said. “We must invest in primary, secondary and tertiary education – up to the 26 per cent of the national budget as recommended by the United Nations.”
He added that “It must be mandatory for every child to go to school; we should ensure that there are incentives for those that send their children to school, and penalties for those that do not.”
The President of the Senate stated that tha it is unacceptable that Africa’s trade with Europe far outstrips that between African nations.
According to him, British foreign investment in Africa totalled $54.1 billion in 2014 and China had an estimated 2,650 projects ongoing on the continent in 2015 while, Africa’s share of the global trade stands at 3 per cent and inter-Africa trade is 11 per cent.
“Let us ask ourselves: what about Africa? Not a moment can be spared in our efforts as Africans to cover our flanks in trade,” Saraki said. “We must devise an economic model that produces and manufactures primarily for the African market, and then use that as a basis upon which to engage with the wider world.”
He said he believes strongly that Africans’ talent for innovation and enterprise makes them the continent’s most valuable resources and that it is the duty of its leaders to give the people opportunities to translate these into going concerns. “This will create wealth and enable us to compete globally,” he said.
Besides, he called on African leaders to add value to the abundant natural resources replete in the continent in order to make the raw material the mainstay of its economies.
Saraki said: “We are the richest continent in resources and yet we are the poorest, because we have allowed ourselves to be pigeonholed as the supplier of raw materials to the world.
“The leaders of our two countries are clear in their stance on the raw materials pivot of our economies. President Muhammadu Buhari has said that, ‘Our vision is for a Nigeria in which we grow what we eat.’
“And President Akufo-Addo is unequivocal: ‘We must add value to [our] resources, we must industrialise and we must enhance agricultural productivity.’ The two leaders have identified this flaw in our economies, and we in parliament must support them with appropriate legislation in order to realise their vision,” he said.
He said that African leaders must remain vigilant and alive to their responsibilities to sustain its democracy, adding, “Let me use this opportunity to re-echo my long-held belief that democracy is not a destination, it is a journey. We cannot therefore take it for granted.
“Unless we are eternally vigilant and alive to our duties to provide our people with effective and responsible governance which guarantees that we listen to them at all times and ensure that their needs are met we run the risk of derailing our hard-end democracy in the region.”
He noted that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has a key role to play to make the African continent succeed.
“If the African continent is to be a success story – or even the AU for that matter, ECOWAS must play a key role. And for ECOWAS to lead the charge, Ghana and Nigeria must step up to the plate, and fulfil their leadership role on the continent. So, my colleagues, let us take the first step on that journey today, and do so together,” Saraki said.
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Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting
Published
1 day agoon
April 17, 2024By
EricBy Eric Elezuo
The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.
Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.
The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.
“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.
“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.
It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.
The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.
Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.
Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.
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Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje
Published
4 days agoon
April 15, 2024By
EricThe All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.
Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.
“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.
Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.
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Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno
Published
7 days agoon
April 12, 2024By
AdminThe President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.
Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.
He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.
The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.
“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.
” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”
The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.
Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”
Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”
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