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Abiodun Earmarks N5bn Intervention Fund To Tackle Rising Cost Of Food, Inflation

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L-R: Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Hon. Kayode Akinmade; Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun; Governor Dapo Abiodun; Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi and Deputy Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo at a press conference by Governor Abiodun to announce palliatives to the residents of Ogun State on Wednesday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has announced a N5 billion intervention fund to cushion the affect of rising cost of living and inflation in the state.

Addressing a press conference at the Olusegun Osoba Press Centre, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, governor Abiodun said the fund would cover education, health, workers’ deduction and food palliative.

He said: “As our administration acknowledges the concerns raised by many of our citizens regarding the rising food prices and shortages, coupled with the depreciation of the Naira, we identify with you and are taking proactive measures to alleviate the impact of these challenges to guarantee the welfare, well-being and wellness of our citizens in this difficult time.

“In this direction and through targeted interventions, we aim to address these challenges by implementing a series of phased initiatives aimed at alleviating these burdens on all our citizens.

“The State has taken the following steps: Education Sector: Providing a minimum of 5 exercise books for all 850,000 students in our public primary and secondary schools.

“We are providing a one-time N10,000 education support grant for at least 100,000 pupils in our public primary and secondary schools in the state. Providing all 27,600 indigent students in tertiary institutions nationwide with an education grant of N50,000 each.”

He said his administration would provide insurance health cover for over 70,000 beneficiaries to include pregnant women, children, the elderly, market women and other members of the informal sector while pregnant women, under the Ibidero Scheme would be providing free pre-natal care, an additional N5,000 per birth and free post-natal care in the State Hospitals and Primary Health Care Centers across the State.

Governor Abiodun stated that provision would be made for food palliatives to include rice and other food items for about 300,000 households across the State.

“The State Government will commence to offset the backlog of inherited deductions. To this end, we are immediately committing N500 million monthly payment towards outstanding deductions. It is noteworthy that we have continued to pay N10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the last 8 months.

“This brings our total immediate interventions as a responsible State Government to about N5 billion across all sectors of the State economy,” the governor submitted.

He noted that his administration would not be insensitive to the challenges being faced by the citizens, appreciating the people for their perseverance, patience and understanding.

“Let me assure you that the present economic situation is just a transient phase that will soon pass. Whatever we experience now are just necessary sacrifices that we have to make towards ensuring a greater tomorrow.

“In a special way, we extend our appreciation to the President and Commander-In-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his continuous efforts in navigating the complexities of our nation’s economic landscape.

“His dedication to steering the ship through turbulent times has not gone unnoticed,” he concluded.

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Tinubu, Abiodun, Sanwo-Olu, Others Celebrate Bakare At 70

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L-R: Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; the celebrant and founder of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare; his wife, Mrs Olayide Bakare; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba and former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, during the 70th birthday and the launch of the autobiography of Pastor Bakare titled 'The Last. But Definitely Not The Least,' at the Citadel Global Community Church, Oregun, Lagos on Monday.

President Bola Tinubu has described the founder of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, as a man of God whose contributions to nation-building could not be quantified.

President Tinubu stated this on Monday at the 70th birthday Thanksgiving Service held at The Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos.

The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Sen. George Akume said the celebrant has over the years worked towards the unity and progress of Nigeria and Nigerians at all times.

According to the President, Pastor Bakare is an embodiment of integrity and a symbol of hope to the hopeless, who has dedicated his life to serving God and humanity.

Tinubu acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are facing but assured that the government is addressing the problems, as drastic action is needed to solve complex matters.

In his remarks, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun emphasized that the esteemed man of God is one of the distinguished ambassadors of the state who has contributed to national development.

“Pastor Bakare is an accomplished man. He stands as a trailblazer in Nigeria. He is among the distinguished ambassadors of Ogun State. His influence is beyond Nigeria,” he said.

Pastor Bakare, the governor noted, is a voice of truth to engender change, maintaining that the celebrant has also spoken of his desire to see a prosperous Nigeria.

Also speaking, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated that Pastor Bakare has constantly been on the side of the truth, adding that he is a child of God and a special vessel being used by God at this time.

In a sermon, Pastor Sarah Omakwu of the Family Worship Centre noted that Pastor Bakare has dedicated his life to the service of God since childhood and has served in various capacities in churches in and outside the country.

Pastor Bakare, according to Pastor Omakwu, is a giver, a lover of widows and orphans, and a mentor whose teachings and life have impacted generations.

While urging the celebrant to activate his succession plan to ensure the continuity of his legacies, Pastor Omakwu called on Nigerians to always involve their children in whatever business they do for sustainability.

The celebrant, in his remarks, attributed his success in life to the sound tutelage he received from eminent personalities early in life, both in academics and in the ministry.

Bakare noted that Nigeria is yet to reach the promised land as there is a lot to be done, admonishing Nigerians to show concern for the country by thinking of what they could do to make the nation great.

Eminent personalities at the event included former governors, past and serving members of the state and national assemblies, traditional rulers, captains of industry, religious leaders, friends, and well-wishers.

A highlight of the event was the launching of a book titled “The Last. Definitely Not The Least,” an autobiography of the preacher.

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Falola To Receive Honorary Doctor Of Laws From University Of Calgary

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Prof. Toyin Falola

The University of Calgary is set to honour Prof. Toyin Falola with an Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LLD).

This was disclosed by Chancellor Jon Cornish and President Ed McCauley while announcing the Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LLD) and Order of the University of Calgary recipients for the fall 2024 convocation ceremony.

The honorary degree is UCalgary’s highest academic honour, acknowledging individuals whose outstanding achievements and contributions to the community deserve special recognition. The recipients will address the graduating class, sharing insights and lessons from their distinguished careers and leadership experiences.

The Order of the University of Calgary is awarded to individuals with a significant history of service to the university. Recipients may include current or former members of the UCalgary community.

Prof Falola, a renowned Nigerian historian and professor, is internationally recognized for his work in African history, diaspora studies and cultural analysis, challenging Western perspectives on Africa.

He has authored more than 100 books and articles and lectured in more than 65 countries, his work making a significant impact on UCalgary through collaborative publications and major lectures.

Falola is an advocate, mentor, author, poet, leader and visionary. He has served on numerous editorial boards, led academic conferences and workshops, and engaged with UNESCO’s International Scientific Committee. Falola even inspired the Toyin Falola Annual Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora (TOFAC).

His contributions have earned him several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Africanist Award, the Canadian African Studies Association’s Lifetime Career Award and several additional accolades from the University of Texas, where he teaches. Falola also holds African chieftaincy titles such as the Bobapitan of Ibadanland and the Bobapitan of Ondo Kingdom.

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Olaopa Decries Policy Research, Govt Disconnect

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Prof. Tunji Olaopa (left ) with the AAPSCOMMS EXCO members and core conference facilitators in Nairobi, Kenya from 6 to 8 November, 2024.

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has decried what he identified as a palpable poor state of policy research with a virtual disconnect between the objectives of the research industry and the concerns of policy makers in government.

The seasoned public administrator spoke during the 6th General Assembly and Conference of the Association of African Public Service Commissions (AAPSCOMS) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6 to 8 November.

Olaopa spoke on the topic “Defining Issues in Research And Policy Linkages In Country-level Development Management in Africa.” During the event, Olaopa emerged as the Vice President of AAPSCOMS for West Africa.

According to Olaopa, the disconnect is evident in the incredibly low level of research spend in Africa when compared to global total contributions. He added that the evidence that validates this is the fact that the bulk of usable development and administrative statistics generated in Africa are funded by foreign development agencies.

“This reality explains why African states cannot design their development agenda on their own terms. It also validates the reigning theory that African policy-makers do not as yet understand what development is all about”, he said.

In his recommendation, he said “Africa needs a corps of scholars-practitioners evangelists who will push for a significant shift from common sense praxis to a more rigorous scientific approaches to development management in Africa.”

Olaopa referenced President Bola Tinubu’s desire to institute a government of national competence as a policy framework capable of galvanizing a shift from the pervasive “know-who” nepotism to “know-how”. He enjoined political parties to emulate practices in advanced democracies where for example the Democratic Party in the USA is technically backstopped by the Brooking Institution and the Republican by the American Enterprise Institute. He went further to advocate the professionalisation of planning and policy analysis departments, investment in future research and scenario planning and creation of special cadre in public service into which experts from other sectors of the economy and from the diaspora can be desk officers on renewable performance contracts outside of career paths in the public administration system

He lamented that African states still focus on the hardware of development namely, how many roads, schools, hospitals, mass housing, etc. are built, in utter disregard for intangible assets that enable sustainable development such as the quality of country’s human capital and education; the strength of institutions, rule of law and constitutional order; the value of social capital of communities, efficient judicial system, property rights, timely and reliable statistics, reformed public service, R&D, data security and privacy, intellectual property, patents, copyright, culture of innovation, knowledge creation, to name just a few. Most African states have indeed not confronted a critical indicator of underdevelopment around the question regarding why talented African professionals or experts in Canada, Germany or Japan are ten times more productive than their counterparts who choose to remain in Africa. The answer is that once they walk into those development enabled places, they step into a capacity context provided by an intangible per capital wealth worth on average over $500,000 compared to those in Africa contending with a paltry of $2,748 per capital.

He referenced Prof. Wolgang Stolper, hired by the World Bank in 1962 as Technical Adviser to the Nigerian government in the design and implementation of the country’s First NDP (1962-68), who “delivered a prescient judgement that goes to the heart of African development problematic in a seminal reflection published in 1966.

“Prof, Stolper had published an article titled ‘Planning without Fact’ as an account of his experience working in Nigeria. His basic thesis was that Nigeria is a country that plans and manages her development programmes without the benefit of evidence-based practices, by merely shooting in the dark, in unscientific manner.”

To Olaopa, “this suggests that policy management practices in Africa are ridden in several countries, contexts and over time, with essential lack of statistical parameters by which implementable and sustainable development policies ought to be crafted. In other words, there is an unabating lack of a data culture and associated scientific parameters which makes it difficult to design and implement cogent policies that address strategically, poverty, unemployment, the youth bulge, climate change, induced flooding and all, terrorism and associated insecurities, and in managing critical macroeconomic challenges that the continent faces, within game-changing dynamic”.

For Olaopa, policy-engaged research is at a crossroads as research centres in African states are increasingly torn between their original calling to conduct research and publish, and pressure to justify and sustain their existence .

The research agenda of these centres and those of local experts are generally dominated by themes and topics of concern of external partners and the major funders of policy research.

Thus for him, although public policy researchers complain against their works not being used by government, research institutions and think-tanks in Africa need to be strengthened so that they could mobilise resources from external partners, the private sector and civil society organisation without losing their autonomy in formulating their research programmes as such capacity would determine their effectiveness .

 

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