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Female ministerial nominee promises value addition to Tinubu’s administration

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Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye

Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye, one of the females ministerial nominees, says her main goal is to empower the less privileged and the vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

 

Ken-Ohanenye, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

She said her target was to give voice to the vioceless, widows, less privileged and the poorest of the poor in the country.

She thanked President Bola Tinubu for nominating her and seven other women for a ministerial appointment and assured of living up to the expectations of Nigerians.

Ken-Ohanenye who was screened by the Senate along side other nominees, was the Vice-Chairman of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

“I went into business and education after graduating from Law School in Lagos, I have also been in real estate and humanitarian jobs, going to government hospitals to pay medical bills for indegent patients.

“Donating medical consumables to health centres in Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and other States across the federation, in the process of going to hospitals and engaging in humanitarian services.

“I saw a lot of things less privileged Nigerians are going through, not because they are not working hard, but because of their meager earnings and the challenging economy situation which made it difficult for them to take care of themselves.

“I really didn’t feel good about this, though I had never been a politician, but this prompted me to join the APC race in 2022 as the only female presidential aspirant,” she said.

Ken-Ohanenye said that she joined the race to serve as the voice of the down trodden, widows and the poorest of the poor who suffered neglect from the system, even from the hands of security agents and land offices.

She added that her desire was to also be a voice for poor widows who could not speak even when their lands and landed properties were taken from them because of some customs and traditions.

“As a lawyer, I felt if I can have the opportunity with government backing, I will be able to put smile on the faces of such persons and the general society.

“This I hope to achieve with the collaboration of other institutions and organisations,like FIDA and the Nigerian Union of Journalism (NUJ) among others.

“I am into politics to address issues of man’s inhumanity to man, especially the poor masses, widows, and the less privileged that are being maltreated daily in the society,” she said.

The ministerial nominee said it was unfortunate that some people died of certain illnesses like sickle cell anemia because of lack of sensitisation.

She said that sensitising the public on healthcare and national issues as well as being the voice of the vioceless would remain her focus in office as a Minister.

Other female ministerial nominees included:Hannatu Musawa, Dr Dorris Uzoka, Nkiru Onyeojiocha, Olubunmi Ojo, Stella Okotette and Betta Edu, APC National Women Leader.

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Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

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Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

 

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

 

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.

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Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

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Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.

 

The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

 

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).

The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.

Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.

Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.

During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.

But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.

He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.

The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.

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