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NG-Cares begins implementation of N1.2bn projects in Nasarawa communities
Solomon Attah,Lafia
The Nasarawa State office of the COVID-19 Action Recovery Stimulus (NG-Cares), a World Bank assisted programme, has commenced implementation of two micro projects in 83 selected communities across the state to ameliorate the plight of the people.
According to the implementing Agency of the programme, Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), the projects, which is estimated to gulped about One Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-five Million Naira (N1, 245, 000, 000.00), would have the state NG-Cares office executing two projects in each of the selected communities with direct bearing on the lives of the people.
This is just as the state NG-Cares office, has purchased medical facilities for the Kofar Kaura Primary Healthcare Center as well as renovated a primary school, worth about Fifteen Million Naira in Lafia local government.
Speaking in an interview, shortly after handing over medical equipment to the Kofar Kaura facility in Lafia, the State NG-Cares Coordinator, Umar Ibrahim Dahiru, explained that, the essence was to help the communities reduce the spread of HIV, hepatitis another infectious diseases.
He then thanked Governor Abdullahi Sule for approving funds for the purchase and distribution of medical facilities to over 100 health centers in the state.
Dahiru said, the provision of the items was a commitments of the programme to engage the people on the project of their choice and to embark on same, that will benefit the communities, through the implementing agency, Community and Social Community Development Agency (CSDA).
He expressed happiness that, the agency was able to buy the most needed items for the medical facility as budgeted for, and assured of his commitment to deliver on their mandate, especially in the areas of health, education, water and environmental sanitation.
According to the State NG-Cares Coordinator, “this is just one of the over 100 medical facilities across the state, that His Excellency has approved funding for the provision of basic social amenities.
“We are just here to commission this project for use in this primary health. There are many more that are going on simultaneously,” he added.
He, however commended Governor Sule for providing funding and the platform for people across communities to benefit from his laudable initiative.
Ahmed El-shaa, the General Manager, Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), as an agency responsible for implementing the World Bank assisted programme, they would do everything to ensure the people get the best of the project executed.
El-shaa said, based on their mapping, about 166 projects are being executed in the 83 selected communities, in the areas of health, education, water, erosion control among others.
“We are implementing the programme in 83 communities and each community, we are executing two micro projects and by the time you multiply it into two, you get 166 projects across the 83 communities.”
“And in every community, we are executing about N15 million micro projects and it all depends on what the people need for intervention”, El-shaa said.
The CSDA boss emphasized that, the hallmark of the project was to provide what the people most needed, to improve the livelihood and health condition.
Some of the purchased items included, beds, matrasses, pillows, solar light and packates of testing kits.
Nollywood star Annie Idibia opens up about life after her separation from music legend 2Baba. The actress reveals her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, are her strongest source of strength and emotional support.
She expressed her feelings during a red carpet interview at the Headies Awards, the actress spoke openly about how her daughters, Isabella and Olivia, have become her greatest pillar of strength during this emotional transition.
Her candid conversation sparked widespread admiration from fans, especially for the way she continues to prioritise her family and remain grounded amid personal turmoil.
During the emotional exchange at the prestigious awards show, Annie made it clear that her daughters are not just her children but the centre of her universe. She described Isabella and Olivia as her “only family” and her “backbone”, highlighting the deep bond she shares with them.
Annie shared her message in Pidgin English: “My children dey Kampe. The first one dey Yankee, she dey go school. No play with that girl o. I don’t play with my kids. Na them be my backbone.”
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced plans to establish a centralised system for the authentication and verification of all travel documents in Nigeria.
He made this known during a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State, David Hanson.
In the company of Hanson were delegates from the UK Home Office, National Crime Agency, and the British High Commission.
According to Tunji-Ojo, the initiative aims to tackle immigration and document fraud, particularly those associated with border control.
“We discovered that one of the key drivers of rising document fraud is the absence of a centralised, real-time verification system,” he said.
“Currently, if someone submits 20 documents, you may need to contact 20 different issuing agencies to verify them. That breeds inefficiency.”
He explained that the proposed system would allow real-time verification of all documents—such as bank statements, passports, and certificates—at a single centre.
The minister also said Nigeria was ready to take the lead in formulating a regional strategy for border control, noting that regional differences required customised approaches.
“To tackle a heterogeneous problem with a homogeneous approach will not work,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
“That’s why we’re planning a regional border conference to allow for the development of unified yet adaptable strategies to combat migration and border-related challenges.”
He further disclosed that Nigeria’s EU visa solution platform would go live on May 1.
According to him, this will allow for more efficient processing and international cooperation while safeguarding national security and promoting investment.
“We now have a policy that ensures a response—approval or rejection—within 24 to 48 hours of applying for an EU visa,” he said.
Speaking on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Tunji-Ojo emphasised the administration’s commitment to preventing corruption rather than merely reacting to it.
“Our performance will be judged not by the number of convictions or recoveries but by how many crimes or frauds we prevent,” he said.
In his remarks, Hanson expressed the UK’s readiness to continue collaborating with Nigeria to improve criminal justice outcomes.
Hanson noted that the UK was reviewing its e-visa system and migration policies while exploring ways to expand trade, business, and skills development opportunities with Nigeria.
“My colleagues at the High Commission are eager to maintain strong engagement with the Nigerian government,” he said
According to him, the UK looks forward to enhancing cooperation in tackling crime and fraud.
“You can rest assured that the National Crime Agency, the High Commission, and the Home Office are ready to extend a hand of partnership,” he said.
….Says Atiku on his way out of PDP
…It was against my people’s will
Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has revealed that ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recall that, Atiku was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, with Okowa as his running mate.
On March 20, 2023, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and others jointly announced the creation of a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The move has sparked ongoing discussions about the potential for a united opposition, with political leaders expressing varied opinions.
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Okowa—who officially joined the All Progressives Congress on Monday—expressed regret for not aligning with his people in supporting a southern candidate in 2023 instead of accepting the role as Atiku’s running mate. He said, “Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people.”
He added that the election of the current Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, proves that the people still have confidence in their leadership.
Okowa added, “That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen. And they did.”
When asked about his communication with Atiku before leaving the PDP, Okowa responded, “I actually did communicate with him that we were going to have stakeholders meetings this week (in the last week) and that it was going to be a leadership meeting and the outcome of that meeting was going to determine our next path because we were no longer comfortable with the PDP.
“And I also know that he is already heading out of the PDP from the communications he has passed on to me, and that Nigerians know already.”