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2023 World Population Day: Peace, sustainable future can be achieved if… Stakeholders
Joel Ajayi
Stakeholders in their numbers has revealed that, Nigeria and the world can achieve the prosperous, peaceful, and sustainable future envisioned in 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development, if full potential of every women and girls is unlocked.
They expressed that, there is need for Nigeria as a nation to encourage and nurture every human being, to achieve their desires for their lives, their families, and their careers as well as to allow their ideas, innovation, and creativity to better society.
Speaking on the occasion of World Population Day Celebration on Tuesday in Abuja, the event organized by the National Population Commission NPC in collaboration with with United Nations Population Fund, others stakeholders, partners and Donors.
They all agreed that, every women’s quality education, empowerment and protection from discrimination against, Forstering supportive environment and dismantled gender based barriers will no doubt bring much growth and development to Nigeria.
This year’s edition With the theme: “Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of Women and Girls Unclock our World’s infinite possibilities” will no doubt in the development of women and girl child in the country.
Speaking NPC Chairman Hon. Isa Kwarra who was represented by Federal Commissioner of Anambra state Chidi Ezioke urges Nigerians to always leaving no stone unturned to champion the course of women, girl Child that will bring more development of the Country.
He called for more attention to the The need of of women and girls child to enable growth and development of the country.
“We have come together again this year to reflect on the theme and to assess our collective responsibilities to tackle issues/concerns raised by the theme, evaluate our efforts and reaffirm or elicit new commitments to promote gender equality in Nigeria.
“Today’s event is envisaged to create and sustain platforms for engagements that will garner collective ideas, information and creativity on the best options to change the narrative regarding the plight of women and girls including young people in the world of 8 billion people.
“When voices of women and girls are recognized and given deserved attention regarding their pertinent needs in terms of quality education, participation in the work force; good representation in political positions across all levels; access to quality health care services including family planning information and commodities; protection from harmful practices that impede their wellbeing and mar their future; protection from decisions that make them unequal across societies, then, and only then will Nigeria and the global community be able to secure a world of gender equality; a world where their Rights and Choices are respected and accorded the desired priority.”
In his good will message, Spokesperson of Population Advisory Group PAG Ambassador Saraki Usman Expressed: “When we ignore the voices of women and girls in the world of 8 billion, it will lead to limiting their agency and ability to make decisions that are critical to their wellbeing, such as in the areas of health, education as well as employment and wealth creation.
The provision of access to reproductive health and other necessary commodities in the form of life saving care and services to women, also promote better and healthier societies as we very well know.
“The PAG stands ready and pledges its commitment to work with the NPC and all of you to ensure that the voices of women and girls are not lost in the world of 8 billion people, but is uplifted, heard, respected and responded to adequately at all levels. We, the PAG wishes you all a very happy and successful commemoration Day.”
Featured
Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.
The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.
Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.
“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.
“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”
The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.
Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.
“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.
Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.
Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.
He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.
Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.
He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.
To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization
Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.
Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.
“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee
is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.
The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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