The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has formally validated its National Biosafety Guidelines on Gene Editing and has presented it to the public. The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba while speaking during the validation exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, said the Federal government is poised to drive the economy and the livelihood of the people He also assured that Nigeria had keyed into science and technology as major drivers of the economy globally, and the need for the Agency to ensure that these technologies were safe and does not have adverse impact on human health…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, annually recognizing outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector The Champions of the Earth inspire, defend, mobilize and act to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time This year’s awards recognise laureates in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Inspiration and Action, Policy Leadership, Entrepreneurial Vision and Science and Innovation. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday, announced six laureates of the 2020 Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour. A statement by Keishamaza Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, made available…
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto on Thursday, presented the 2021 Appropriation Bill of ₦176,685,535,633.47 to the House of Assembly. Tagged “Budget of Consolidation and Economic Emancipation”, the governor said government would lay emphasis on legacy projects, dry season farming, irrigation and reconstruction of flood-ravaged infrastructure, in order to safeguard and solidify our achievements.” According to him, the budget is in consonance with the existing budgetary standing and prevailing fiscal projection, which would be serviced through an existing opening balance of N11,340,879,478.80; statutory allocation of ₦48,773,903,980.42; VAT of ₦17,052,170,179.01 and independent revenue ₦30,012,222,271.24. Others are Aids Grants ₦10,345,759,754.00; Direct Receipts ₦10,345,000,000.00; Direct…
…As SOSG submits bills on Fiscal Probity to Assembly As the people of Sokoto await the 2021 budget, the state Commissioner for Finance, Abdussamad Dasuki has assured that the estimates would be one of fortification against the vagaries of economic meltdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and other natural factors. Dasuki disclosed this at a joint press briefing shortly after a three day marathon meeting of the state executive council on the adaptation of the 2021 budget and other fiscal probity bills that the council has passed and will submit to the state House of Assembly (SOHA) on Thursday. Other…
A group of concerned Nigerians has is an indictment of the government for which President Muhammadu Buhari must take responsibility as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. This is contained in a statement by Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Bishop Matthew Kukah, Mrs Funke Adekoya, Malam Kabir Yusuf and 37 others on behalf of concerned Nigerians, a copy of which was made available to ASHENEWS on Wednesday. According to the statement, there is evident “incompetence in governance demonstrated by a lack of ideas on how to tackle insecurity, a poor understanding of the situation and a clear failure in…
The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, and Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Rafsanjani has said that the country needs anti-corruption action rather than rhetoric. He stated this at the occasion of the celebration of the 2020 Anti-Corruption day celebration with a theme: “United against Corruption.” According to him, “the pandemic has further exposed governance weaknesses in Nigeria,” specially in the areas of “poor governance, corruption, weak institutions and insecurity, which have worsened because of the pandemic and its economic consequences.” Read the statement below: It has been a uniquely challenging year and the COVID-19 pandemic has…
By Abubakar Shekara In Sokoto state, the requirements for genuine democracy are fulfilled: an Executive elected through the most contested polls in the history of the state, a Legislature that numerically gives the opposition the upper hand and a Judiciary that is equipped and free, while the Fourth Estate of the Realm functions without hindrance. Yet, there’s harmony: a symbiosis inspired by cross cutting selfless desire to discharge mandates in the service of the people. And the masses are much the better for the state of affairs, as they reap one dividend of democracy to another. Just yesterday, the Sokoto…
The Sokoto State House of Assembly has approved N538 million virement request by governor Aminu Tambuwal. The motion on the request was moved by the Leader of the House, Alhaji Bello Ambarura, during Tuesday’s plenary. He told the House that the governor had requested for the virement to cater for some projects in the 2020 Appropriation Bill. “This is for the consideration and subsequent approval by the House. “The request is necessitated by the present administration’s desire to address a number of development projects. “However, the request is on projects that were not adequately provided for in the 2020 Appropriation…
Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), says the agency has earmarked two billion dollars to empower smallholder farmers in Nigeria. This, she said, was to help boost food sufficiency in Nigeria for local consumption and export. Akobundu stated this at the Summit and Technical Engagement Roundtable on the project “Innovative Strengthening of Small Holder Farmers Capabilities Toward Productive Land Restoration Amid COVID-19 in Nigeria” on Tuesday in Abuja. She said it would be done in partnership with African Union Development Agency (AUDA), Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, state governments, local government areas, …
Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger, has appointed Tanko Dada as Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on Media Relations and Strategy. Sani-Bello in the appointment letter by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Ahmed Matane urged Mr Dada to work assiduously to justify the confidence reposed in him for the betterment of the entire State. According to the letter, the appointee would report to the office of the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, who would be monitoring his activities. Dada, who retired as an Assistant Editor-In-Chief at News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, after 35 years of service, was a one-time Director…