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Senate Presidency: APC Backs Lawan’s Consultations with Opposition
The ruling All Progressives Congress on Sunday said it was not against the decision of Senator Ahmed Lawan and other senators-elect to consult with members of the opposition on the election of leaders of the Ninth National Assembly.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.
The party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, had while announcing the party’s choice of Lawan as the next Senate President, boasted that the APC did not need members of the Peoples Democratic Party to produce the next presiding officials of the National Assembly.
There were, however, recent reports that Lawan had been reaching out to members of the opposition, a claim that has been confirmed by the senator’s campaign organisation.
Issa-Onilu said the APC was not against negotiation by Lawan and other senators-elect working to fulfil the position taken by the party.
He said, “We have been inundated with reports of our members in the National Assembly holding consultations with members of the opposition over the election of leaders into the Ninth National Assembly.
“Let me state that our party has no objection to such consultations. It is a normal democratic practice world over to stretch hands across the divides.
And contrary to some media reports, the actions of our members do not contradict the party’s position. APC has comfortable majority in both chambers, therefore; we have the number to produce the leadership.
“But democracy recognises the importance of the opposition, especially when you do not have two-third which would be required at some very critical situations.
The Punch
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Gatmash Partners Access Bank to End ‘Period’ Poverty in Nigeria with ‘PAD Me a Girl Initiative’
Access Bank Plc, a leading financial institution in Nigeria, is partnering the “PAD Me A Girl Initiative,” a project of GATMASH MEDIA, to launch a ‘Pad Bank’ aimed at providing free sanitary pads to girls and women in need.
The groundbreaking initiative is founded by Theresa Moses, a renowned journalist and Editor-in-Chief of GATMASH NEWS. The project seeks to address the pressing conundrum of ‘period’ poverty, which is affecting millions of girls and women in Nigeria.
The initiative will help address pads deficit among the less privileged members of the society as its aim is to promote menstrual health and hygiene, as well as provide educational materials, and support girls and women in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
The Access PAD Me A Girl Initiative is also partnering with several organizations, including Checkers Custard, Empowered Girls for Christ Foundation, Jeffrey Kuraun Foundation, ProStar, Vita Baites Foods, and many more.
This is a unique and innovative concept, designed to store and distribute free sanitary pads to the needy. The ‘Pad Bank’ will be stocked with sanitary pads donated by Access Bank, other corporate organizations, and individuals. The idea is to collect and distribute over 1 million sanitary pads annually.
“We are excited to partner with Access Bank to launch the Pad Bank,” said Theresa Moses, Convener of the “PAD Me A Girl Initiative.”
“Access Bank is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of Nigerians. Therefore, Access PAD Me A Girl project is a testament to its dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable society that every girl and woman deserves access to sanitary pads.
“The Pad Bank is a game-changer in the fight against period poverty, as it will provide a safe and accessible space for girls and women to access sanitary pads, promoting dignity and empowering them to reach their full potential.”
The Access PAD Me A Girl Project aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
In addition, the initiative will provide educational materials and support (Exercise books and pen), thereby helping to promote literacy and educational attainment, in consonance with SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empowering all women and girls to reach their full potentials.
The Access PAD Me A Girl Project, which includes the launch of the Pad Bank, will kick off on April 3rd, 2025, in Gofye Community, Kuje Area Council, New Kunchingoro, Opposite Games Village, Kaura, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, and on April 5th, 2025, in Ortese IDP Camp, Guma LGA, Benue State.
Ondo State is historically a giant in agriculture which is the mainstay of the economy of Nigeria. This is despite being listed as one of the states rich in crude oil and other minerals in Nigeria.
For a long time, Ondo State has been the biggest producer of cocoa in Nigeria. Further, the state is blessed with large fields of fertile soil which supports high yield of oil palm, rubber, cassava, among others cash and food crops.
This is why the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Gov. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has vowed to continue to support initiatives which will bring back the glory days of Ondo State in agriculture. His efforts are beginning to yield immense gains as one of the largest agricultural investments in the recent history of the state has just been established. This is the JB Palm Plantation and Processing Mill, Ore, Ondo State which is bankrolled by the Managing Director/CEO of JB Farms limited, Mr. Ajibola Adebutu, MON in the oil-rich State.
The remarkable investment by Mr. Ajibola Adebutu is a significant milestone in Ondo State’s progression towards taking back its pride of place as leader of the agricultural revolution in Southwest Nigeria, nay Nigeria as a whole. This huge investment in oil palm production which is needed for food products like cooking oil, margarine, soaps, cosmetics, and biofuels will undoubtedly set Ondo State as the hub for agricultural production and processing.
On the other hand, this grand investment by Ajibola Adebutu may also help to reverse the trend of kidnapping and criminality in Ondo South Senatorial district where it is located. The place was a hiding haven for criminals as it used to be a thick forest.
Paying a working visit to the JB Farms in Ore, the visibly elated Executive Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa stated: ‘This is a very large plantation. It is the biggest I have seen. So much has gone into this place including road infrastructure. This is about 400km of roads leading to the various clusters in this farm. They have taken it to another level. We have to support large scale mechanized farmers. We will give them all the required support, security, and enabling environment.’
While appreciating the Governor for his visit, Mr. Adebutu noted that this oil palm investment ‘is capable of producing about 800 tonnes of palm fruit everyday. With this, security wise, kidnappers will not have a place to hide. We are encouraging people. We are challenging people to invest because this is part of the future of Nigeria.’
Governor Aiyedatiwa also planted a palm tree in the Farms to affirm his unrivalled commitment to promoting food sufficiency, sustainable agriculture and profitable agribusiness in the state.
Culled from Trek Africa Newspaper
Fast-growing Lagos-based Entertainment and hospitality hub, Avalanche has announced the birth of its educational arm, The Avalanche Creative Academy.
The academy is designed as a top-notch platform dedicated to nurturing creativity and innovation among aspiring creatives.
The Academy aims to provide comprehensive training through various programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities, all designed to inspire and equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the creative industry.
It offers the following courses: Music Production, Sound Engineering, Photography, cinematography, 3D,graphic designs, motion graphics, Business Management, Creative copywriting, and Creative Strategies.
The Academy’s first set of intakes is scheduled to resume on the 17th of February 2025, while application opens from 13th of January 2025, on a 12-week basic course.
“Together, we can create invaluable experiences for our students and contribute to the creative community.
Follow the link below to register
