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Nigeria’s bleak economy will turn around by December— Tinubu

Published

7 months ago

April 13, 2024

President Bola Tinubu has once again assured Nigerians that the country’s wobbling economy will experience a complete turnaround by December.

Tinubu, who gave the assurance on Friday when state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly paid him a courtesy visit in Lagos, said he was very optimistic of the economy bouncing back by the end of the year due to the reforms and policies of his administration.

The President added that to achieve this, there must be a unity of purpose and deeper collaboration among the Federal Government, state governors and members of the National Assembly to achieve national development goals.

“Our economy has turned the corner. In the coming months, the economy will roar back to glory. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate,” Tinubu said while addressing his visitors.

In a statement after the meeting released by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu said the hardship Nigerians are currently going through will soon be over once the economy recovery process is completed.

Also speaking at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima expressed optimism about the resurgence of the country’s economy and called for collective efforts to propel the nation forward.

“Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have a reason to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal.

“This gathering cuts across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Here, we have Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom and Father Hyacinth of Benue, and as the President was seated, he was asking, ‘Where is Wammako, where is Yari’?

“That is the hallmark of true leadership. What binds us together supersedes whatever it is that may divide us,” the VP said.

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Ivory Coast to create $500 million green financing fund

Published

5 days ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Ivory Coast will establish a $500 million green financing fund to assist sustainable growth, the IMF said.

Africa’s 54 countries have been worst hit by climate change, although emitting less pollution than developed nations. They get only 1% of yearly global climate financing.

The African Green Banks Initiative aims to develop a $1.5 billion ecosystem of green investment facilities by 2030, including Ivory Coast’s new facility.

The Global Environment Facility, the Green Climate Fund, the Ivory Coast government, multilateral development banks, development finance organisations, and possible private sources will all contribute to the facility’s capitalisation.

The leading cocoa-growing country in the world, West Africa, has been drafting new legislation to help other green finance projects, such as a body to regulate carbon credit management.

The consequences of climate change have disproportionately affected Africa, making cyclones, floods, and droughts worse in recent years.

A 30-month, $1.3 billion loan agreement for Ivory Coast under the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility was authorised by the executive board in March.

According to the IMF, the funding agreement will help the Abidjani administration implement its pledge to lessen the negative consequences of climate change.

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1,172 Nigerians killed, over 1,000 kidnapped in nine months— NHRC

Published

1 week ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has put the figures of Nigerians killed and kidnapped by non-state actors from January to September 2024, at 1,172 and 1,463 respectively.

A new data released on Wednesday by the organization reveal that the month of May saw the 298 persons killed, making it the highest, while March recorded the highest number of abductions with 499 kidnappings.

These data which was presented at a workshop on the state of human rights in Nigeria by the commission and the European Union, in Abuja, attributed the rise in kidnappings, killings and child abandonment in Nigeria to the negligence and failure of the state to protect its citizens.

While presenting the data, NHRC Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hillary Ogbonna, gave a breakdown of what he described as the alarming rise in human rights abuses, including kidnappings, killings and child abandonment.

“By January 2024, we already had 150 kidnappings and 55 killings associated mainly with non-state actors. What has become the norm is the killing of law enforcement officers,” Ogbonna said.

“We started with seven policemen killed in January. From victims’ perspectives, we had quite a number of victims for human rights violations for January.”

Also speaking at the event, the NHRC Executive Secretary in Nigeria, Tony Ojukwu, said:

“In recent years, we have witnessed alarming trends and threats against those who dare to speak the truth to power.

“It serves as a stark reminder that the protection of human rights is an ongoing struggle that requires continuous vigilance, action and cooperation from all sectors of the society,” Ojukwu said.

A delegation from the EU which also made a presentation, reiterated its commitment to support Nigeria to overcome these challenges, while urging the Federal Government to work with the armed forces to end this trend.

“The European Union will continue to work around the world through diplomacy,” the Head of EU Delegation, Zissimos Vergos, said.h