Former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State Empowers 150 Individuals and Encourages Youths to Pursue Financial Independence.

Former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State Empowers 150 Individuals and Encourages Youths to Pursue Financial Independence.

News

by Anietie Edet

Published June 20, 2024

1min Read

THE SOUTHERN POST-True to her style and character of love for humanity and the downtrodden at all times, the  immediate-past Akwa Ibom First Lady Dr (Mrs) Martha Udom Emmanuel has presented starter packs to another round of beneficiaries who have graduated from her empowerment programme, urging students to embrace entrepreneurship and develop valuable skills to enhance financial independence and academic perseverance.

The event, held on 19th of June at the Feyrep hall Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared goal of overcoming adversity and achieving success through the Family Empowerment & Youth Reorientation Path-Initiative (FEYReP), Dr (Mrs) Emmanuel.

Mrs Emmanuel expressed her heartfelt gratitude to God for the grace that has sustained Feyrep's laudable efforts, acknowledging the unwavering support of donors, attendees, and her husband, whose contributions have been instrumental in the NGO's success.

She thanked her husband, Mr Udom Emmanuel, whom she said is her strongest support; the coordinator of FEYReP, Dr Idorenyin Ekanem, and other staff for the great job and congratulated the graduands for their willingness to learn the various skills and coming out successful.

Dr Martha Emmanuel who intimated that FEYReP is no more a pet project rather a registered non-governmental organization (NGO), said she was happy that her dream of taking the initiative beyond her husband's regime as governor of the state has been fulfilled, adding that the NGO exists in other states such as Lagos.

She charged the beneficiaries to be focused and serious with their trades and studies so that they in turn may train and empower those coming after them, saying that FEYReP has a monitoring team that will always go round to monitor how they are progressing in the business.

"If they do not stand well, if they are not stabilized, how will the future be? We need to train the people that will take over the baton when we step aside".

Earlier, the coordinator, Dr (Mrs) Idorenyin Ekanem,  welcomed all to the occasion and disclosed that the NGO is committed to transforming the lives of the downtrodden.

She urged the beneficiaries to take the empowerment programme serious as their benefactor, Dr Emmanuel, has kept her promise.

In a keynote address, Mr Aniekeme Finbarr, who spoke on the theme: "Exploring the Importance of Skills Acquisition in Personal and Professional Development, highlighted the critical role of skill acquisition in personal and professional growth, emphasising its potential to drive innovation, resilience and competitiveness in the labour market. 

He further encouraged the beneficiaries to leverage their new skills as a spring board to success and to make meaningful impact in their communities.

Beneficiaries of the programme, representing various sectors, including Catering, Cosmetology, Shoemaking, and students from esteemed institutions like University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State University, College of Education and University of Calabar were encouraged to harness their newfound skills and knowledge to effect positive change.

In separate testimonies, the beneficiaries expressed their appreciation for the opportunity and pledged to utilize their skills effectively.

Mr. Budget bows out

Mr. Budget bows out

By ETIM ETIM

2min reads

Published June 19,2024

President Muhammadu Buhari was less than a year in office when he realized that his officials would not be able to produce the budget for FY 2017 on time. His Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, was frantically seeking help, not only to produce the federal proposal, but also to reform and reposition the entire budgeting process. The 2016 appropriation bill was signed into law by the president very late in the year; and it was replete with irregularities. It then was clear to senior administration officials that the Budget Office of the Federation, an agency responsible for designing and drawing up the federal government’s budget proposals, required an experienced and suitably qualified leader to do the job. The man at the saddle then was clearly below his depth. Fourteen years earlier, Senator Udoma was the chairman of the Senate’s Appropriation Committee – an influential and powerful Committee that scrutinizes and approves the federal budgets and those of its over 300 parastatals. He knows a lot about the budgeting process and technicalities involved, and was therefore in a hurry to headhunt a man of requisite and cognate skills to lead the Budget Office.

 Enter Ben Ifeanyichukwu Akabueze. Early in 2016, Akabueze was appointed Special Adviser to the President on National Planning, but his job description did not include budget preparations. He had observed the debacle in the Budget Office and all the commotion surrounding the 2016 proposals, but in the nature of Nigeria’s public service, he could only offer suggestions. Somebody then mentioned to Udoma that Ben was the right man to fix the mess. After a few consultations and discussions and Senator Udoma’s recommendation, the president promptly moved Akabueze to the to the Budget Office as the sixth Director General with a clear mandate to ensure the presentation of the annual budgets to the National Assembly by September of every year; review the annual budget and advise on the necessity or otherwise of a supplementary budget and reconcile and monitor monthly performance of key revenue agencies.

A fellow of three renowned professional bodies, (Institute of Chartered Accountants; Chartered Institute of Bankers and institute of Credit Administration), Akabueze came highly recommended for the assignment, and he soon proved that his selection was one of Buhari’s few fit-for-purpose appointments. Ben or Pastor Ben, as friends fondly call him, is one of the nation’s brightest, analytical yet unassuming professionals. For about nine years prior, he had served as the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in Lagos State, having been appointed by Gov. Tinubu in 2006 and reappointed by Gov. Fashola in 2007. Before then, he was the Managing Director & CEO of NAL Bank (now Sterling Bank) from 2000 to 2005.

There were rumours then that it was Asiwaju Tinubu, then National Leader of the APC, that had facilitated his appointment as the SA to the President, and subsequent deployment to the BOF. Both Akabueze and Udoma refused to comment on this when I asked them. A few months after Ben took the job, Senator Udoma told me in his office. ‘’I am lucky to have Ben around. He is sorting out the headaches in the Budget Office’’. I told Udoma that I knew Akabueze well, and that he had in December 2000 tapped me to lead the Corporate Communications department at NAL. ‘’He will make a difference’’, I assured him. I have been blessed to walk and work with the best of Nigerians in my long careers spanning two professions. Akabueze’s leadership and accomplishments as the nation’s chief budget officer between 2016 and 2024 are transformative, tangible and outstanding. I salute him for his unblemished records and sterling achievements in all of the two terms. He served with dedication, diligence and commitment.

Under him, the budget office recorded improvements in the quality and comprehensiveness of the budget documents, leveraging technology to achieve improved levels of citizens’ engagements in the budgeting process. We now have full disclosures of federal government’s payments; improved transparency, governance, service delivery and accountability. Multi-lateral and bi-lateral project tied loans as well as grants and donor-funded projects are now reflected in the federal government budget, unlike in the past when the process was marred by opacity and lack of clarity. In addition, fiscal risks and contingent liabilities are also included in the budget pack. There’s been also improved coordination and collaboration between the executive and legislature leading to a return to the predictable January-December budget cycle, for the first time since 1999. Until then, it was only the military regimes that were able to issue budget speeches on New Year Day. Another important change that Ben and his team introduced is the inclusion of the budgets of all government-owned enterprises in the federal budget presented by the president to the National Assembly. Further, there’s also been significant improvements in the budget and expenditure management of the MDAs.

Internally, Akabueze also restructured the BOF and took his management and staff through a visioning process that developed a vision and mission statement for the organization. Its mission is to provide efficient and qualitative budget functions to Nigeria, geared towards promoting fiscal sustainability, transparency and accountability in public finance management for national development in line with international best practices. Clearly, the achievements listed above are in with the mission. Its vision is to be a world-class technology-driven budget institution that is a catalyst for equitable distribution of the nation’s resources to engender sustainable socio-economic development. It is for no reason that he’s also known as Mr. Budget.

Last week, I asked Akabueze to review his tenure at BOF and all the other significant positions he’s held. As he is wont to do, he contemplated the question for a while and then said, ’I have done my best. Nigerians should do the assessment’.

Breaking:Rivers Crisis: Fubara appoints caretaker chairmen for LGAs

Breaking:

Rivers Crisis: Fubara appoints caretaker chairmen for LGAs

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appointed caretaker chairmen to oversee the affairs of the 23 local government areas in Rivers State.

The list of nominees has been forwarded to the three-member Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Victor Jumbo, a close ally of the governor.

The notice by the assembly said “The Rivers State House of Assembly has invited the Following Persons for SCREENING and CONFIRMATION as CHAIRMEN and CARETAKER Committees of the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State.”

According to the statement, the nominees are:

1. Abua/Odua LGA – Madigai Dickson

2. Ahoada East LGA – Hon. Happy Benneth

3. Ahoada West LGA – Mr. Daddy John Green

4. Akuku Toru LGA – Otonye Briggs

5. Andoni LGA – Reginald Ekaan

6. Asari Toru LGA – Orolosoma Amachree

7. Bonny LGA – Alabota Anengi Barasua

8. Degema LGA – Anthony Soberekon

9. Eleme LGA – Brain Gokpa

10. Emouha LGA – David Omereji

11. Etche LGA – John Otamiri

12. Gokana LGA – Kenneth Kpeden

13. Ikwerre LGA – Darlington Orji

14. Khana LGA – Marvin Yobana

15. Obia/Akpor LGA – Chijioke Ihunwo

16. Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA – Princewill Ejekwe

17. Ogu/Bolo LGA – Evans Bipi

18. Okrika LGA – Princess Ogan

19. Omuma LGA – Promise Reginald

20. Opobo/Nkoro LGA – Enyiada Cookey-Gam

21. Oyigbo LGA – Gogo Philip

22. Port Harcourt LGA – Ichemati Ezebunwo

23. Tai LGA – Hon Matthew Dike

The appointment of caretaker chairmen follows Fubara’s directive for Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to assume leadership of the 23 council areas, following the expiration of the three-year tenure of elected chairmen, vice chairmen, and councillors.

Hundreds Kenyans protest: parliament panel urges govt to scrap some new taxes

NAIROBI, June 18 (Reuters) - A Kenyan parliamentary panel recommended on Tuesday that the government scrap some new taxes proposed as part of next year's budget, as hundreds of protesters angered by the measures took to the streets in the capital Nairobi.

The tax hikes, including new levies on cars and bread, are the latest effort by President William Ruto's administration to boost revenue and reduce borrowing, but they have triggered widespread opposition.

Last year, the government introduced a housing tax and increased contributions to the national health scheme in moves that also sparked protests.

Kimani Kuria, chair of the Kenyan parliament's finance committee, said the committee recommended amending the government's funding bill for the 2024/25 fiscal year to remove a new tax on car ownership, higher taxes on financial and mobile phone charges and the imposition of value-added tax on bread.

As he spoke, Reuters witnesses saw police fire teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters demonstrating near the parliament building.

"We can't even afford diapers for the kids anymore ... we need this government to do something," protester Muthoni Wanjiku told Reuters.

Human rights groups and the country's media council, which accredits journalists, accused police officers of using excessive force to stop the protests, including briefly detaining journalists covering them.

Amnesty Kenya said 201 people were arrested during Tuesday's demonstrations, including journalists, observers from human rights groups and protesters.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested protesters and observers. We call on the (police) to uphold its duty to protect and respect the rights of Kenyan citizens to assemble peacefully," it said on its X account.

Adamson Bungei, Nairobi County Police Commander, did not answer phone calls seeking comment.