Day: May 17, 2024

The Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCT Administration has trained agricultural field officers to provide efficient services to farmers, towards achieving bumper harvest in the territory.

The Mandate Secretary of the secretariat, Mr Lawan Geidam, said at the training in Abuja on Friday, that the training was designed to improve the capacity of the officers to provide technical support to farmers.

Geidam, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Grace Adayilo, said that the training tagged, ‘Prevention, Identification, Diagnosis, and Management of Common Crop Diseases,’ would equally cut post-harvest losses.

He explained that a significant number of famers recorded huge losses due to ignorance of good agricultural practices in mitigating crop diseases, pest infestation and poor storage management techniques.

He urged the field officer to build the needed knowledge and capacity to be able to teach farmers how to combat crop diseases that impede productivity.

The mandate secretary
reassured farmers of FCT Administration’s commitment to support farmers with a view to boost agricultural production.

‘The Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, and the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud are taking proactive steps towards achieving the collective aspiration for food and nutrition security for all residents of FCT,’ he said.

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the importance of integrating traditional methods with modern agricultural practices to get the best of the planting season.

Adayilo said that the integration was necessary considering the difficulties small-scale farmers face in accessing advanced agricultural technologies.

She assured the farmers of the full support of the Agriculture Development Project, adding that the project was a grassroots initiative to ensure that government programmes achieved the desired impact.

Mr Ofili Beneath, acting Director, Department of Agricultural Services, said that the department would continue to engage farmers across the 62 wards of th
e FCT and provide them with critical information.

Ofili expressed confidence that the training would strengthen knowledge-based agricultural practices and bring prosperity to the FCT farmers. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has approved May 27 to June 6 as Federal Capital Territory Week for the inauguration of various projects executed under his administration.

The Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, stated this in Abuja on Friday, while inspecting some of the projects in preparation for inauguration to celebrate Tinubu’s one year in office.

‘By the approval of Mr President, we believe that from May 27, we shall begin the inauguration of various projects and will end on June 6.

‘Particularly on May 27, President Tinubu will inaugurate commercial operations of the Abuja Light Rail also known as Abuja Metro Line, and we will carry out the final inspection of the project on May 20.

‘From what we have seen, I think we are good to go,’ he said.

Wike also expressed confidence that the Vice-President’s residence, located along Aso Drive, would be completed and may be inaugurated on June 6.

He explained that the 9-day inauguration activities would demonstrate to the world the Tinubu-led administration’s determi
nation to renew the hope of Nigerians.

He added: ‘We have a lot of projects being executed that will be inaugurated. So many projects that I cannot begin to list them.

‘We are happy; the contractors are meeting up, and all the promises made they have fulfilled.

‘We have also fulfilled our own part, by making sure that we make the needed cash available and none of the contractors is complaining in terms of cash.’

The minister added that other projects like the construction of bus terminals and the FCT Court of Appeal Division and other projects would be inaugurated within the period.

On the non-functionality of some of the streetlights in parts of the city, Wike explained that some of the streetlights were being worked on, while others were being tested.

He assured the residents that the streetlights would come on once the contractors finished working on them,

‘As I speak to you, most of the streetlights are being worked on and with the project we are executing, you don’t expect the light to be on.

‘Th
e contractors are test running them, so most of the ones that are not working are those that are being worked on.

‘We believe that before the inauguration you will see that most of the streetlights will be on,’ the minister said.

When asked whether he was being distracted by the development in Rivers, Wike simply said: ‘I am not distracted. If I am distracted you won’t see this performance.

‘I focus on my work. So, I am not interested. I am the Minister of FCT, and work is going on, why will I be distracted? I don’t even think about it at all.’ (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the private tourism sector and other stakeholders have unveiled strategic initiatives aimed at creating a robust regional tourism confederation across the bloc.

The decision is contained in a communique issued following a 3-day high level strategic dialogue between ECOWAS, West African private sector tourism stakeholders and experts in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the communique, the meeting recommended that the private tourism sector should formulate a request for funding for the activities of ECOTOUR 19-29 Country Operational Units to the ECOWAS Commission.

It also recommended that the private tourism sector should generate funds from Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs) with a view to implementing a robust and sustainable regional tourism for economic growth.

The communique also urged the private tourism sector to identify and seek the support of technical and financial partners (TFPs) to support the private tourism sector.

It further reco
mmended that the private tourism sector should initiate and sign a partnership agreement between it and the ECOWAS Commission.

The communique also recommended that ECOWAS Member States should provide national classification commissions and structures in charge of resource regulation.

It also urged them to organise awareness-raising sessions for industry stakeholders on the new regulations.

The communique also recommended that the ECOWAS Commission should organise capacity building sessions for national classification commissions and regulatory structures.

It also recommended that Member States should establish harmonised tourism satellite accounts, as well as transmit and make available the new regulations for their individual countries.

The communique also recommended that the ECOWAS Commission should conduct a mid-term evaluation of ECOTOUR 19-29.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was signed by Mrs Ruth Ndam, Director, Hospitality and Travel Trade, Nigerian Tourism Developme
nt Authority.

Others are Mr Boka Georges, President, Hotel Ranking Commission of Côte d’Ivoire, and Mr Massa Cande, Director General of Tourism of Guinea Bissau.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Greyhub Therapeutic Centre, a mental health centre, has urged Nigerians to always exercise to improve their mental health and well-being.

Dr Oluwakemi Akintoyese, Clinical Psychologist, Grey insights/Grey Hub Therapeutic Centre, gave the advice at a mental health awareness walk organised by the centre in commemoration of the 2024 Mental Health Awareness Week on Thursday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Mental Health Awareness Week, which has the theme, ‘Movement: Moving More for our Mental Health” aims to promote awareness about mental health.

Akintoyese explained that exercise helps to release endorphins, which aid improvement of moods and combats physical illnesses.

She said: ‘So, annually there is an international mental awareness week.

‘Each year, there is a theme to sensitise people about the nature of mental health and to also understand that mental illness is real and that people can actually get help.

‘But this year they are looking at the theme, `Movement: Moving Mo
re for our Mental Health’ and what the emphasis is, is that we need to move more.

‘Exercises helps to release what we call the endorphins hormones, with the endorphins hormones, a feel good hormones, it helps us psychologically and helps us physically to be able to combat a lot of physical illnesses like depression, colon cancer and quite a whole lot of issues.”

The clinical psychologist added that the walk, beyond raising awareness about mental health, was also aimed at reducing stigma.

According to her, stigma often prevents people from seeking help.

She noted that the economic hardship had led many Nigerians into depression, which according to her, could lead to faulty thinking patterns, negativity, social withdrawal and anxiety about the future.

She advised that it was crucial for people to open up communication about mental health, saying there was no shame in seeking help.

Akintoyese said that there were resources available, like Grey Hub Therapeutic Centre, where people could talk to professiona
ls and receive support.

She said: ‘At GreyHub Therapeutic Centre, one of the things we do and will be doing during this mental health awareness week is to create a space on Thursday and Friday where people can come in and get help.

‘They can talk to professionals and then they can express themselves, assessment will be done and then they will tell you what you need to do.”

Yussuff Alawode, Clinical Psychologist, GreyInsights Limited /GreyHub Therapeutic Centre, advised people against using substances like alcohol, cannabis, and gambling to cope with mental health challenges.

He said that self-medicating with alcohol, cannabis, or gambling was not a solution to these problems.

These crutches, he said, could lead to addiction and worsen their situation.

Alawode said: ‘You are stronger than your problems; you have the inner strength to overcome difficult circumstances. Don’t rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms.

‘Gambling creates a cycle of debt and disappointment. It’s based on luck, not skill, and will
likely lead to financial ruin.

‘Regular cannabis use can become an addiction, and will make it difficult for you to function without it.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), has announced May 24 as official date for the opening of portal for student loan applications.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this on Thursday in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Fund’s Media and Public Relations Lead, Nasir Ayitogo.

Sawyerr said the opening of the portal marked a significant milestone in the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to foster accessible and inclusive education for all Nigerian students.

According to him, through the portal, students could now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints.

He added that the portal provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently.

‘We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity to invest in their future and contribute to the growth and development of our nation,’ he said.

Sawyerr urged students to access the portal on www.nelf.gov.ng to beg
in application.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nasarawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Rufai-Ibrahim has called on parents to regulate the kind of content their children consume on the social media.

Rufai-Ibrahim said that this was important in order to curtail the increasing rate of social vices.

She spoke at a news conference to commemorate the 2024 International Day for Families on Friday, in Lafia.

The commissioner said that the advent of the social media had brought another dimension to children’s exposure.

According to her, it exposes children to platforms where they can commit social vices and crimes without the knowledge of their parents.

She said that a child does not need to go outside the house in the era of social media before committing crime or engaging in unlawful activities as was the case in the past.

The commissioner said that parents must know where their children go, know their friends and what they do.

She urged parents, especially fathers, to spend time every week with their families in ord
er to bond together and know each other better.

‘Parents should try to hangout at least once a week to fraternise and rekindle the affection for each other.

‘This type of communication will go a long way to bring happiness to members of the family and is capable of tackling mental health challenges,’ she added.

She said that husbands need to help their spouses in domestic activities, to reduce the level of stress associated with workload.

Rufai-Ibrahim said that many parents often spend much time making money and building careers that they forget about proper upbringing of their children in the digital age.

She said that families were experiencing the greatest existential challenges in the country due to harsh economic and social conditions.

‘The average standard of living of families has fallen in the face of high inflation caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

‘The high cost of kerosene, cooking gas and electricity has led to activities that are harmful to the environment, thereby threatening the ec
osystem and leading to climate change,’ she added.

Rufai-Ibrahim said that the wellbeing of families had always been an issue of concern to the Gov. Abdullahi Sule-led administration.

She said that the government would sustain its effort to improve infrastructure and welfare of the people of the state.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria