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August Meeting: Gov. Nwifuru tasks stakeholders, women to guard against abuse

Published

9 months ago

August 8, 2023

The Ebonyi Governor, Mr Francis Nwifuru, has called on Chairpersons of Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state to use lessons learnt from the annual August Meeting of women to the well-being of women in their rural communities.

The August meeting is an annual congress held by Igbo women in the month of August. It is a massive homecoming whereby Igbo women in the diaspora and the cities travel back to their matrimonial villages to meet with their local counterparts to discuss matters about community development, Conflict Management, and human development.

Gov. Nwifuru, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Patricia Obila, gave the charge during the 2023 Ebonyi Women August Meeting, held at Pa-Ngele Oruta Township stadium, Abakaliki.

Nwifuru urged the stakeholders to educate people on the ills of human trafficking, gender-based violence, give positive ideas, as they go home for the annual event.

He commended his wife’s efforts so far in curbing youth restiveness and saving lives of Ebonyi children outside the state, used as househelps.

He advised women to contribute positively at home and in the society for the growth and development of the state.

The Wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, tasked women to monitor activities of their wards and children to prevent any form of social vices and abuse.

She noted that women had played critical roles in sharping society with their compassion, wisdom and determination.

She added that the assembly, with the theme: “Mother, where is your child”, was a call to action for mothers to be vigilant and proactive in save guarding the welfare of children.

She harped on the need for women to be committed in training their children to reap the benefits.

“As the first lady, it has been my massage to all others to train their children themselves and not send them outside for others to train.

“Ebonyi children need to be saved from abuse and trafficking,” Nwifuru said.

Mrs Josephine Elechi, Chairman of the Occasion and Wife of the Former governor of the state, urged traditional institution and other critical stakeholders to increase actions to add moral values to the society.

Meanwhile, Mrs Felicia Nwankpum, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, expressed confident that the assembly would instill passion for mothers to be responsive to children and families.

“The administration has the mandate for the realisation of the needs of people in the state,” Nwankpuma said.

The convention was inaugurated by Mrs Nwifuru.

NAN also gathered that the state government, through Mrs Nwifuru, empowered about 2,000 widows and youths with grinding, sowing and water pumping machines and food items to boost their sources of livelihood.

Also, the event featured lectures on breastfeeding, ills of human trafficking, gender-based violence, among others by resource persons.

Related Topics:Ebonyi State Francis Nwifuru

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EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira

Published

6 days ago

May 11, 2024

Desmond Ukafor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.

The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.

The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira

The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.

The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.

In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.

In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.

The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).

“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.

“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”

The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.

The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.

“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”

Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.

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Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

6 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

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.