Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday virtually inaugurated the Senior Executive Course, No. 43, 2021, of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru.
The vice President performed the exercise from the state house, Abuja.
Details later…
The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, in few weeks time will visit Anambra State to commission an all-inclusive industrial park.
Tribune Online gathered that the industrial park is the Federal Government’s reward to Anambra State for winning the 2019 award of the best state in micro, small and medium enterprises.
The Managing Director, Anambra State Small Business Agency, ASBA, Sir Clement Chukwuka, disclosed this at a collaborative meeting with Anambra State Coalition of Civil Society Networks, ASCON, in his office at Awka.
Sir Clement said the industrial park being erected at Nkwelle Ezunaka, and its centred to house financial institutions, Corporate Affairs Commission, among other allied offices that would provide convenient business environment for industrialists in the state.
The ASBA boss equally stated that Anambra qualified to host this latest business innovation due to its prime position in harnessing small and medium scale businesses for optimal growth, adding that no other state came close to Anambra when the level of implementation was reviewed.
He lauded the economic drive and foresight of the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano in supporting ASBA and enabling it to raise multifarious small and medium scale enterprises with strong capital bases.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has said that the Federal Government’s vision to lift at least 20 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next two years is now within reach.
Professor Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the virtual flag-off of the cash transfer scheme, called the Rapid Response Register (RRR), to be facilitated through a wholly technology-based approach.
This followed the successful activation of the Economic Sustainability Plan’s (ESP) Cash Transfer scheme aimed at delivering financial support to at least 1 million urban-based households.
According to the Vice President, RRR is a means by which the urban poor and vulnerable population can be speedily identified using geographic satellite technology and other related means for the purposes of delivering cash to households affected by the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The groundbreaking success of the RRR, now emboldens us to achieve our aspiration of a social security programme for a minimum of twenty million Nigerians in the next two years. This will be the largest of its kind on the continent. This (aspiration) is, at least from the perspective of this tested approach, now well within our reach,” a statement by the Vice President’s aide, Laolu Akande quoted him as saying.
“The only constraint, of course, is the funding which we must look for because, this country deserves a social security scheme that will not merely alleviate poverty but also create wealth for the millions of those who are waiting for this opportunity.
“Our government launched the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) in 2017 to provide the framework for institutionalizing the work we started since 2016 on reducing extreme poverty in Nigeria, based on our administration’s vision to create a comprehensive social security programme for the poor and vulnerable and thereafter the pledge to lift 100 million Nigerian’s out of poverty in ten years.”
The Vice President maintained that the launch of the (RRR) social protection method of targeting, which is the first strategy to be developed and tested in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, would enable Nigeria tackle poverty in a more systematic manner, leveraging technology to expand the scope of the interventions.
“As of 31st December 2020, we have identified and registered about 24.3 million poor and vulnerable individuals into the National Social Register; equivalent to about 5.7 million households. Through this project, we are currently injecting about N10 Billion directly into the hands of about 2 million poor and vulnerable people every month,” the Vice President said.
“This is about the largest evidence-based effort by any administration on poverty reduction and its impact on the lives of the poor is huge; by way of improving the livelihoods of the beneficiaries through enhanced household purchasing power; smoothening consumption; increasing savings and acquisition of household assets; and improving the local economy. There are many more ramifications.”
Earlier in her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, said the initiative would provide a gateway to other important government programmes, adding that Nigeria now has a database for impact tracking and the expansion of social interventions and related programmes, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of extending financial support to more Nigerians.
She said: “By design, this register links to other databases such as banking information of respondents and national identity numbers. It is also a process that is advanced in unifying national databank towards the delivery of social development in Nigeria. There is no doubt that in future, as has been demonstrated in the previous presentation, we would be reverting to the process used here and the register itself, to aid emergency assistance”.
On his part, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Subham Chaudhuri commended the Federal Government for the initiative, noting that it as a critical component in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While pledging the support of the World Bank for the project, Mr Chaudhuri emphasized the need for stakeholders to remain transparent in the selection and disbursement of the funds to the beneficiaries.
About 3,115 households received alerts of payments instantly at the flag-off of the project by the Vice President.
A total of 1 million households would be impacted directly under the scheme in the next 6 months.
The Cash Transfer scheme which is part of the ESP is designed to build a shock responsive framework for capturing and registering the urban poor and vulnerable populations across Nigeria. The RRR focuses mainly on the urban poor wards selected using scientifically validated methods of satellite remote sensing technology, machine learning algorithm and big data analysis.
Also present at the event were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; the representative of the European Union (EU) mission in Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karlsen, among others.
President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Professor Yemi Osibajo will be the first set of Nigerians to take COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by medical experts in Sokoto during sensitization of media 50 personnel on COVID-19 and introduction COVID-19 vaccines in the state, organised by World Health Organization (WHO) in conjunction with United Children Education Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday.
The bodies while charging media and other stakeholders to step up public enlightenment on the importance of embracing COVID-19 vaccines, they maintained that for now there is no cure for the disease hence the need to prevent the spread of the disease.
A representative of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr IlliyaMuhammad, who spoke at the risk communication and community engagement sensitization of media 50 personnel on COVID-19 and introduction of COVID-19 vaccine at Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, said media are partners because of their role in information dissemination.
He noted that to erode the superstitious belief of the people in the country about the coronavirus vaccine media have a vital role to play in enlightening the people on the advantage of the vaccine.
He further disclosed some of the world leaders including the queen of England, Queen Elizabeth, America’s president-elect, Joe Biden, King Salman of Saudi Arabia have all been vaccinated against the virus stressing that the vaccines are effective.
On his part, the UNICEF representative Dr Barau who spoke on professional media report on COVID-19 vaccine charged media to be proactive in discharging their duties.
She stated that accurate, balance information will go a long way in dispelling rumours against Covid19 vaccine.
Nigerians have commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on his contributions to the promotion of tech opportunities for the Nigerian youth.
The global technology giants – Google Inc., HUAWEI, and top social networking companies, Facebook, Microsoft Corporation, had disclosed plans to partner with the Federal Government for the benefit of the Nigerian people, especially young people.
Vice President Osinbajo, who embraced the initiative had noted in a virtual meeting with Microsoft Corporation team led by its President, Brad Smith that the company’s interest in supporting the efforts of the Federal Government is a welcome development and could be leveraged to address issues affecting the youths especially in engaging them productively.
Earlier before their latest meeting, VP Osinbajo, had invited Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg to Nigeria, which culminated in Zuckerberg’s first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa when he arrived Lagos, Nigeria on August 2016.
While in Nigeria, Zuckerberg visited Abuja to attend Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD), organised by the Nigerian federal government, while he also visited Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) and Andela, where he held a town hall meeting with entrepreneurs and developers in Lagos.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has welcomed efforts by a team of Nigerian professors and scientists investigating the effectiveness and roles Ivermectin drug can play in the treatment of the Coronavirus disease.
The team, which is composed of Nigerian scholars at home and abroad, has also submitted their report on the usefulness of the drug to the World Health Organisation which has already appointed a Peer Review expert from the United Kingdom.
According to a Statement signed by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, the Vice President who spoke after a briefing by a team of scientists led by Prof. Femi Babalola, the Principal investigator, and Prof. Chris Bode, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, expressed excitement that Nigeria and Nigerians “are at the cutting edge of scientific research into the COVID-19 treatment.”
According to him, “we have an opportunity here and I am so fascinated to hear this drug has been used in the treatment of River Blindness in this country.”
While commending the efforts of the team, Vice President Osinbajo added that with the report, Nigeria is at an advantage both in knowledge and availability of the drug, especially since Ivermectin has been found useful not only in the treatment of COVID-19, but also as a prophylactic medication.
He disclosed that the Federal Government will explore further ways to support the research for the benefit of Nigerians and humanity generally, while also advancing the effective funding of scientific research in the country.
Members of the group named IVERCOVID Research Group are the Principal Investigator, Prof. Femi Babalola, an Ophthalmologist and surgeon; the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode; the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council at LUTH, Prof. Lanre Adeyemo; a US-based Clinical Pharmacologist, Prof. Adesuyi Ajayi; two project virologists: Prof. S.A Omilabu and Dr. Olumuyiwa Salu; and also the Project Coordinator, Dr. Felix Alakaloko.
Both Prof. Babalola and the CMD, LUTH commended the Buhari Presidency for encouraging the research and thanked the Vice President for his personal role and support.
The report is titled, “A randomised controlled trial for the repurposing of Ivermectin in the management of COVID-19,” and highlights are discussed below:
The research, carried out in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) was undertaken following the report of a 5,000-fold reduction in viral load by Australian workers with in-vitro use of Ivermectin on COVID-19 in culture.
The Principal investigator has worked extensively with Ivermectin on the Onchocerciasis-River Blindness control programme, through which many Nigerians have used Ivermectin.
The study revealed that the mechanism of action of Ivermectin, include “Inhibiting viral entry into cells nucleus; and “Direct suppression of viral RNA load of SARS CoV 2,” among others.
Ivermectin is orally absorbed with higher absorption as a solution better than tablets, and “The Mean Residence Time” (MRT) is 3.4 days. This informs the suggested frequency of dosing, i.e. twice a week.
The group stated that it has forwarded a report of its findings to NAFDAC.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, received briefing from Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, on the progress achieved thus far in the implementation of The Economic Sustainability Plan.
The Economic Sustainability Plan is the administration’s economic stimulus response to the Coronavirus pandemic | January 5, 2021.
Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commended Dangote, BUA and Lafarge cement makers for plan to discount prices, ensuring affordable cost of the ESP Social Housing scheme.
The vice president described it as this kind of patriotic collaboration that the federal government is known for, in the interest of our people in a bid to close housing deficit.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has condoled with victims of shootings which occurred in Lekki, Lagos.
The Vice President also expressed grief over loss lives in Lagos and other parts of the country as a result of the #ENDSARS protests.
#EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate were attacked with guns on Oct. 20.
Osinbajo, in a series of tweets said he had reached out to those in hospital and prayed that such would not happen again.
“My heart goes out to all the victims of the Lekki shootings, also the policemen and all other men and women who lost their lives in the past few days in different parts of Lagos and other states.
`I spoke to some of that in hospital; the pain of these terrible events is palpable in our towns and cities, and some losses are irreplaceable, but we can and will get justice for all of them.
“ I stand with Lagos and all other affected states in these trying times.
“We pray we will never see a repeat of these tragedies in Jesus name. God bless you all,’’ he said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation were in attendance at the 19th virtual Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The meeting which was held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja also had in attendance the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Munguno (retd).
Ministers physically present at the Council Chambers are Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Finance, Zainab Ahmed, Justice, Abubakar Malami, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
Others include Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of Power Saleh Mamma.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, and other members of the cabinet are participating in the weekly council meeting from their various offices in Abuja.
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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commented on the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Osinbajo who spoke to state house correspondents on Monday October 12, said they will make sure the replacement for SARS is acceptable by all stakeholders in the country.
He said;
“I think the most important thing is that SARS has been disbanded and that the IGP has also committed to ensuring that not only is it disbanded, but that whatever takes its place has the full participation of the civil society groups and all other stakeholders.
“A few minutes ago, the president also spoke about it, and spoke in particular that the disbandment of SARS is only the first stage in a full scale reform of the police force.
“I think everyone is now committed to seeing a police force and also a law enforcement that will meet the expectations of Nigerians. The purpose of law enforcement and the purpose of policing is for the safety of lives and livelihood of Nigerians. So, we are all committed. I don’t think it’s the exclusive preserve of anyone, we are all very committed.
“The president has also spoken about the prosecution of all law enforcement agents who must have committed wrongful acts. I think all these are commitment, but we must also understand that it’s a process; it is not an event. Reform is a process and we must all commit to it and must stay focused on those issues.
“I think the clear message is that there is a government commitment to ensuring that the process of reforms, those who have committed wrongful acts, are duly investigated and prosecuted. And that whatever replaces SARS is something that is acceptable, first of all compliance with all of the tenets of the rule of law, and human right rights.
“I think these are deep issues that we are all concerned about, I don’t think one person is more concerned than others. I have also been involved in many cases of many young people trying to resolve these kinds of conflicts that have been reported. I think it is a good moment for the police force and for all of us to try and reform the police. We are all committed to it.”