Author: Toju Ogbe

U.S.A Provides Additional $30 Million Humanitarian Funding for Northeast Nigeria

The United States of America (USA) has announced provision of an additional $30 million to support the people of northeast Nigeria, destabilised by humanitarian crisis caused by Boko Haram and other militant groups. This additional funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian contribution in Nigeria to more than $298 million since October 2015.

This new funding will support the UN World Food Program in Nigeria, which is providing critical food assistance, nutrition support, and vouchers that can be used to buy food where local markets are functional. This assistance is also helping communities return to their agricultural livelihoods where security allows.

Humanitarian efforts are vital in northeast Nigeria, where approximately 8.5 million people require assistance, including 5.2 million people who need emergency food assistance, and more than 1.7 million people who are displaced.

Since October 2015, the United States has been the largest donor for the humanitarian response in the Lake Chad Basin region, providing more than $452 million for people affected by the ongoing crisis. The U.S. expresses its commitment to working with the Government of Nigeria and other donors to provide humanitarian assistance to avert famine and support vulnerable communities.

PRESIDENT BUHARI’S HEALTH: NO CAUSE FOR APPREHENSION – PRESIDENCY

The Presidency hereby assures the good people of Nigeria that, despite the insinuations of a number of media organisations, there is no need for apprehension over the health of our President, Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari’s absence at the Federal Executive Council meeting of Wednesday, April 26, was a last minute decision; otherwise, the cabinet and the public might have been alerted in advance. As eager as he is to be up and about, the President’s doctors have advised on his taking things slowly, as he fully recovers from the long period of treatment in the United Kingdom some weeks ago.

President Buhari himself, on his return to the country, made Nigerians aware of the state of his health while he was in London. Full recovery is sometimes a slow process, requiring periods of rest and relaxation, as the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, intimated in his press briefing after the FEC meeting on Wednesday.

Despite his lack of visibility, Nigerians should rest assured that President Buhari has not abdicated his role as Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria. He receives daily briefings on the activities of government, and confers regularly with his Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. His private residence, in which he has been spending the majority of his time recently, also has a fully equipped office.

God is the giver of life and health. We are grateful that He has seen our President through the worst period of his convalescence in London. We are thankful that the President has passed a number of benchmarks already. We pray that God continues to see him through this period of recuperation.

GARBA SHEHU
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 27, 2017

USTDA Awards 100-MW Solar PV Grid Study Grant in Nigeria

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to Dangote Industries Ltd for a feasibility study that will assess the transmission system’s capacity and stability as part of a 100-MW solar PV project in Kano, Nigeria.

Nigeria-based conglomerate Dangote and South Africa-based infrastructure investor Black Rhino are developing together the solar photovoltaic (PV) project.

According to Lida Fitts, USTDA’s regional director for Sub-Saharan Africa, the study creates opportunities for US companies to supply products and services in Nigeria that will support the country’s power goals.

The feasibility study will be carried out by the winner in a competitive selection process. Interested parties can find details on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website.