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Past govt ‘lavished’ $100m World Bank Women Empowerment Loan — Minister

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Last Updated on June 25, 2024 by Fellow Press

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration lavished the initial $100 million of a $500 million World Bank loan for women empowerment on meetings.

Ohanenye made this revelation in an interview with Arise Television on Monday.

According to the minister, Buhari’s government “lavished” the $100 million on meetings, advocacy and consultancy.

Recall that the World Bank on June 27, 2023 approved a fresh $500 million loan for Nigeria to help improve the livelihood of women in Nigeria.

Ohanenye commended President Bola Tinubu for his proactive involvement in the project, particularly his scrutiny of the initial $100 million expenditure.

The minister noted that the funds were a loan, not a grant, and stressed the importance of proper management to ensure repayment.

She said, “About the Nigeria for Women Project, let me first tell Nigerian women to clap for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who came in after the first $100 million had been expended.

“That was when he came in and when he came in, he looked at it with me and we were not satisfied with how the $100 million was used.

“Let me make it clear. This is not a grant, it is a loan and when some monies are loans, they must have to be managed well so that the loans can be paid back. If you don’t manage it well, how do we pay back the loan?

“And when money is a loan, we expect whoever you are giving loan to be allowed to utilise that loan properly in a way that it can yield back the money to be paid, so that Nigeria will not continue owing.

“The first 100 million, when I came in, I was not satisfied. It didn’t augur well with the vision of the new President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“It was mainly used for advocacy, meetings, consultancies and that was it. They shared it among the states.”

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ASUU to embark on strike in two weeks if FG fails to honour agreements

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Last Updated on June 29, 2024 by Fellow Press

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has declared that it would embark on strike in the next two weeks if agreements with the Federal Government are not met.

The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Calabar Zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, said this while addressing a press conference and protest organized by Calabar Zone of ASUU, at Abia state University, Uturu Main Campus.

She said that various agreements between the union and the Federal government were yet to be honoured, leaving the academic staff and educational sector at large in deplorable condition.

She listed the issues to include no salary increment, salary arrears, poor funding of universities and non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, among others.

The union rejected the Integrated Personal and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the introduction of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in Abia State University, Uturu, and also condemned the victimisation of members of ASUU in Ebonyi State University (EBSU).

It expressed regrets that monthly wages of lecturers have been rubbished by the high cost of living in the country.

ASUU also rejected the Federal Government’s loan package for Nigerian students, warning that it would enslave the students.

“Universities would be shut down for academic activities in the next two weeks. Please take the message to them,” Uduk said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of ASUU in Abia State University, Dr Chidi Mba rejected the Treasury Single Account.

Mba, who said the lecturers are owed between 11 and 14 months salaries, also complained that salaries of some workers were slashed.

The ASUU Chairman called on the Abia State government to increase the funding for the school.

Calabar Zone of ASUU comprises of seven Universities namely University of Calabar, University of Uyo, Alex Ekwueme University, Abia State University, Ebonyi State University and Akwa Ibom State University.

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I don’t want to return to Aso Villa, its stress is too much – Patience Jonathan

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Last Updated on June 29, 2024 by Fellow Press

Former First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. has stated that she wouldn’t want to return to the presidential villa she and her husband, Goodluck Jonathan, occupied for eight years because “the stress of Nigeria is too much.”

 

While at a public function on Friday, June 28, Mrs Jonathan said;

“If you call me now for villa, I wouldn’t go there. I won’t. Don’t you see how young I am? The stress is so much. The stress of Nigeria is so much. If God manages to bring you out of it, you should glorify God and thank for the lord’s doing because it is marvellous in his eyes. He has taken you there once, why do you want to go there again? Me I won’t go oo!!!” she said

The Jonathans exited the presidential villa in 2015 after Buhari won the elections and was sworn into office.

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