TheNewsGuru

Tag: Inauguration

  • Osinbajo jets to Rwanda for Kagame’s inauguration

    Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, will on Friday join other world leaders to witness the inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in the country’s capital, Kigali.

    His spokesman, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement.

    Akande said Osinbajo would return to the country immediately after the inauguration.

    The statement read, “Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is attending the presidential inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, taking place today in Kigali, the country’s capital.

    “The inauguration ceremony which is expected to be witnessed by several African Heads of State and Government, follows President Kagame’s victory at the August 4 Rwandan presidential election.

    “Prof. Osinbajo who is accompanied by the Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama is expected back in Abuja later today.”

     

  • Alleged human rights abuse: Osinbajo inaugurates probe panel on military operations

    Sequel to setting up a 7-man Judicial Commission to probe activities of the military on various indicting reports of gross abuse of human rights in their operations last Friday, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday formally inaugurated the committee.

    While inaugurating the committee, the acting president noted that governments are “constitutionally and morally” bound to respect the lives of the citizens at all times.

    Osinbajo charged the committee to review the compliance of the Nigerian Armed Forces with human rights obligations and rules of engagement, especially in local conflict and insurgency situations.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the commission is headed by Justice Biobele Georgewill of the Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal.

    The acting president said the Buhari Administration was committed to addressing all cases of extra-judicial killings, sexual offences and all other forms of abuses in Nigeria.

    He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the Nigerian Armed Forces in 2015 to set up an Internal Board of Inquiry and said the report of the inquiry would be passed on to the panel.

    He described members of the Nigerian military as heroes who have been combating insurgency with success and who must be commended.

    He however noted that the tactic of asymmetrical warfare being used by insurgents pose a challenge for the military, resulting in allegations that some soldiers have at certain times committed abuses.

    Osinbajo said it was important to look into those allegations to avoid doubts being cast on the the hard-earned integrity of the Nigerian military.

    He expressed belief in the quality of the panel and his full confidence that it would thoroughly investigate and report on all allegations brought to its attention.

    The acting president said the armed forces should rest reassured that there is no witch-hunt against them and that it is in the interest of all that justice is done.

    Responding on behalf of the panel, the chairman, Justice Georgewill, pledged that it would carry out the assignment “with the fear of God and with integrity to ensure that justice will not only be done to all but would be seen by all to have been done.”

    He called on all persons and or institutions affected or interested in one way or the other in any of the elaborate terms of reference given to the panel to seize the opportunity to present their grievances or cases or allegations and or defences, to enable the panel carry out very thorough review and investigations, in line with its mandate.

    He assured that all the report of the panel would be based on facts based on verifiable evidence.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that other members of the panel include Patrick Akem a retired major-general, Chief of Logistics, and commander of the UN forces in Somalia; Olawale Fapohunda, a former Attorney-General of Ekiti State; and Jibrin Ibrahim, a professor,civil society leader and noted academic.

    Others are Ifeoma Nwakama of Human Rights Commission; Abba Ambudashi of the Office of the National Security Adviser; Hauwa Ibrahim, a professor; Fatima Alkali, who is counsel to the Panel; and Suleima Haliru, who is the Secretary.

  • Lagos inaugurates Ibile Microfinance Bank, reinstates commitment to poverty alleviation

    The Lagos State Government on Friday inaugurated its microfinance bank, restating its avowed commitment to poverty reduction and employment generation in the state.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade, gave the assurance at the official unveiling of Ibile Microfinance Bank at its head office situated at No. 121, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.

    He said the bank was set up to boost micro, small and medium enterprises and generate employment for the people.

    “The state government will make loans available to residents who plan to go into small-scale businesses, but lack the necessary capital to do so.

    “Ibile MFB will galvanise activities in the MSME sector and allow more people to go into businesses to ultimately reduce unemployment and poverty,” Ashade said.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the bank, Mr Kolawole Taiwo, said the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration was committed to improving the standards of living of the people and ensuring the delivery of dividends of democracy.

    Taiwo, the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, said creating access to loans would boost entrepreneurial activities in the state.

    He said:“Ibile is the main disbursement vehicle to the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) which was established by Ambode with N25 billion over four years.

    “This is to finance 100,000 businesses under the micro and small and Medium Enterprises.

    “Today marks another milestone in our state and we will do the job with all seriousness to provide leadership to others in this sector.

    “We must also note that microfinance banks such as Ibile exist to fill the vacuum that traditional/commercial banks cannot fill in terms of providing capital and credit facilities to MSMEs.”

    Also speaking, the Managing Director of IBILE MFB, Mr Adegboyega Kazeem, highlighted the bank’s products and services geared toward the economic development of the state.

    Kazeem, who noted that the bank was an opportunity for the people of the state to start or grow their businesses, added that the bank was prepared to come to the rescue of MSMEs in the state.

    “We have mandate to provide essential banking services and make loans available to residents and small businesses owners in the state.

    “As a corporate entity, our utmost priority is to provide value-added services to the people of the state,” he said.

    According to him, Ibile is partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria on the N220 billion Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises Development Fund to enable it to disburse low interest loans to qualified MSMEs.

    He added that the bank was also partnering with the Bank of Industry and other intervention funds both foreign and domestic to increase access to finance and capital by MSMEs.

     

     

    NAN

  • ‘People pouring in for my inauguration’ – Trump

    Against suggestions in certain quarters that the inauguration of Donald Trump on 20 January as the 45th U.S. will witness a low turnout, the president-elect has said that people are actually pouring into Washington DC to witness the historic event.

    A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that almost 50 Democratic Congress members have announced their boycott of the inauguration after civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis announced his, saying he did not regard Trump as a legitimate president.

    Several groups, including celebrities and civil rights organisations, are also mobilising to “shut down” Washington DC to protest some of Trump’s planned controversial policies and rhetoric during the campaigns and after winning the election.

    A survey also projected Trump’s inauguration to be attended by about 800, 000 people compared with President Barack Obama’s record almost two million people.

    “People are pouring into Washington in record numbers”, tweeted Trump.

    “Bikers for Trump are on their way. It will be a great Thursday, Friday and Saturday!

    “The same people who did the phoney election polls, and were so wrong, are now doing approval rating polls.

    “They are rigged just like before,” Trump tweeted.

    He said his inauguration was not the first Lewis would boycott, recalling that he also missed that of former President George W. Bush.

    “Sounds familiar!” Trump said on his Twitter handle.

    The President-elect also accused the media of getting the survey and analysis wrong, recalling how their analyses and polls against his election failed.

    “‘How Trump Won–And How The Media Missed It’” Trump tweeted, and then quoted a Breitbart story: “How Media covered Trump – without listening to him or his voters”.

    The President-in-waiting also announced that he was already bringing jobs to the U.S. even before being sworn-in as president.

    “With all of the jobs I am bringing back into the U.S. (even before taking office), with all of the new auto plants coming back into our country and with the massive cost reductions I have negotiated on military purchases and more, I believe the people are seeing ‘big stuff.

    “Thank you to General Motors and Walmart for starting the big jobs push back into the U.S.!” Trump tweeted.

  • Obama sends delegation to Akufo-Addo’s Jan. 7 inauguration

     

    U.S. President Barack Obama has announced Linda Thomas-Greenfield to lead his Presidential Delegation to Ghana to attend the Jan. 7 inauguration of Nana Akufo-Addo as the President of Ghana.

    The U.S. Department of State stated this in a statement in New York on Thursday.

    “President Barack Obama today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to Ghana to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo on January 7, in Accra, Ghana.

    “The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will lead the delegation.”

    The statement also announced two other members of the presidential delegation.

    They include Robert Jackson, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, representing the U.S. Department of State.

    The other is Karen Bass, representing the U.S. House of Representatives.

     

    NAN

  • Ghana agog for Akufo-Addo’s inauguration, 11 Heads of State billed to attend

     

    At least 11 Heads of state are expected to be part of some 6,000 foreign dignitaries to witness the inauguration ceremony of Nana Akufo-Addo as Ghana’s president on Saturday, January 7.

    The leaders include those from Togo, Gabon, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Benin, Nigeria and Guinea a member of the inauguration committee has confirmed.

    Already the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Haile Mariam Dessalegn, has arrived. Ivorian President Alhassan Outtarra is a special guest of honour.
    There will also be representatives from 13 states.

    The dignitaries will join Ghana witness yet another milestone as an incumbent government hands over power to an opposition party.

    President John Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress will be handing over power to Nana Akufo-Addo Addo of the New Patriotic Party on January 7, 2017 after losing the December 7 general elections.

    Mahama’s second term bid suffered severe battering at the polls with over one million votes difference.

    Over 5000 security persons are also expected to supervise activities at the Independence Square, Saturday during the handing over ceremony.

    The security officials are expected to thoroughly screen all persons who have direct and indirect roles to perform on the day of the handing over.

    This was disclosed by the Spokesperson of the Transition team of the incoming administration Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press conference Tuesday.

    The inauguration is expected to begin at 10:00 am on Saturday and will see over 6,000 visiting heads of state, diplomats from across the world.

  • BREAKING: Soyinka to hold private funeral on Trump’s inauguration day

    BREAKING: Soyinka to hold private funeral on Trump’s inauguration day

    Nobel laureate and revered playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka has said he will hold a private funeral on January 20 when United States President-elect, Donald Trump will be taking over from Barrack Obama as the country’s 45th President.

    Soyinka, who spoke in Lagos on Monday, explained that the funeral is not to mourn with the citizens of the US over their choice of president but to mourn the death of Nigeria’s common sense.

    “Our common sense is totally lost. I am embarrassed sometimes that I occupy the same nation space with some people,” he said.

    Recall that the respected laureate had promised to destroy his green card should the republican candidate, Donald Trump wins the US presidential election.

    However, Soyinka made true his intention on December 1 when he said he has destroyed his green card.

    He also said Nigerians did not have the right to query his personal decision to tear his US green card.