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Diaspora Group Lauds Tinubu’s Anti-Corruption Effort, Decisive Reforms

Published

2 months ago

July 13, 2024

Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora (NPID) has commended President Bola Tinubu’s achievements in the fight against corruption while advising against the creation of a new Ministry of Livestock to reduce the cost of governance.

NPID, which is made up of renowned Nigerian professionals living and working abroad, made this known in a press conference addressed on Saturday in Abuja to applaud President Tinubu on his remarkable achievements since assuming office, his unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, and to advise against the creation of a new Ministry of Livestock to reduce the overall cost of governance.

Speaking at the event, the NPID President, Dr. David Olakunle, expressed the organization’s profound appreciation for President Tinubu’s transformative leadership and the significant strides made under his administration.

“We, the members of the Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora, are gathered here today to applaud President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his exceptional leadership and the profound positive impact he has had on our beloved nation, Nigeria, in a short period,” said Dr. David Olakunle.

The NPID highlighted President Tinubu’s swift and decisive actions to address the country’s most pressing challenges, particularly in the areas of economic reform, infrastructure development, and the fight against corruption.

“Since assuming office, President Tinubu has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s economy and laying the foundation for sustainable growth,” said Dr. Olakunle. “His bold policy decisions, such as the removal of fuel subsidies, have been instrumental in stabilizing the country’s fiscal position and paving the way for long-term economic prosperity.”

The organization also commended the President’s focus on infrastructure development, which has been a crucial driver of economic transformation. NPID praised the accelerated construction of roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure projects across the country, which have improved connectivity, facilitated the movement of goods and services, and created numerous job opportunities for Nigerians.

“President Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development has been truly remarkable,” said Mr. Kunle Adebayo, the NPID Secretary. “The roads, railways, and other infrastructure projects being delivered under his leadership are not only enhancing the quality of life for our citizens but also laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term economic competitiveness.”

Furthermore, the NPID highlighted President Tinubu’s unwavering dedication to the fight against corruption, which has been a longstanding challenge in the country. The organization lauded the President’s efforts to strengthen institutional frameworks, empower anti-corruption agencies, and hold public officials accountable for their actions.

The press conference also addressed the NPID’s concerns regarding the proposed creation of a new Ministry of Livestock, which the organization believes would be an unnecessary addition to the government’s structure and would increase the overall cost of governance.

“While we acknowledge the importance of the livestock sector to Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, we believe the creation of a separate Ministry of Livestock would be a misguided decision that would further burden the country’s already strained fiscal resources,” said Dr. Olakunle.

The NPID argued that the existing structures within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development could be strengthened and optimized to address the needs of the livestock industry, without the added cost and bureaucracy of a new ministry.

“Our analysis suggests that the resources required to establish and maintain a standalone Ministry of Livestock could be better utilized to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing agricultural frameworks,” said Mr. Ikechukwu Obinna, a senior NPID member. “This would allow for a more streamlined and cost-effective approach to supporting the livestock sector’s development.”

The organization urged President Tinubu to carefully consider the long-term implications of creating a new ministry and to instead focus on optimizing the existing institutional structures to address the challenges faced by livestock farmers and stakeholders.

In conclusion, the Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora (NPID) commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his transformative leadership, his unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, and his focus on driving economic growth and development in Nigeria. The organization pledged its continued support and cooperation in realizing the President’s vision for a prosperous and sustainable Nigeria.

“President Tinubu’s achievements in such a short period have been truly remarkable,” said Dr. Joe Ella Abechi. “We, the members of the NPID, stand ready to work alongside the President and his administration to further strengthen our nation, enhance the well-being of our citizens, and position Nigeria as a global leader in the years to come.”

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How Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso Repositioning the Raw Materials Sector For Economic Diversification

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

As we embark on a journey, we always pray for an able, experienced, and courageous driver, pilot, or sailor depending on the means of transportation.

This is because the captain will have enough experience and boldness to navigate out of turbulence and to bring all the passengers and crew to the intended destination.

Interestingly, these fine qualities of ability, experience, boldness, and many more, abound in the man, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, who we all are pleased was appointed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, the Director General/CEO by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few months ago.

This is because he has brought his knowledge, ability, experience, and doggedness to bear in carrying out his assignment in charge of the Council.

The RMRDC, operating under the Federal

The Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, is pivotal in driving Nigeria’s industrial growth by optimizing local raw materials exploitation, development, and utilization. RMRDC, ab initio, was conceived as a child of necessity when Nigeria was reeling from the throes of global recession and plummeting crude oil prices.

Without an iota of doubt, today, the council is experiencing a transformation with massive innovation in raw material exploitation, development, and utilization, supporting business and industrial growth, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Speaking this during a press briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja to commemorate his 100 days in office said the council is laying a solid foundation through numerous innovations that will further enhance growth in the country.

According to him, in the past 100 days, my strategic pursuits have been to lay solid foundations for enduring success in these goals.

“Upon assuming this position, I set five crucial deliverables which include, refocusing the Council as a premier research institution; Strengthening the Council’s productivity and operational efficiency; Significantly improving the staff welfare to be the best in the class of similar organizations;

“Others include, Boosting the Council’s visibility and instituting remarkable culture change that encourages ownership and productivity as well as Strengthening and deepening the Council’s place in the international arena.”

While speaking on his Achievements so far, the DG revealed: “My first task, therefore, was to implement a strategic goal-setting for the Council’s staff to define and set out clear objectives and targets to be achieved by the Council within a specified period towards refocusing on this historical mandate. We unleashed five significant initiatives in that regard.

“The nationwide raw material data collection exercise that focused on technical and investment information. erships to drive our mission forward.

“The restructuring and renaming of the former Technology Innovation Complex (TIC) at the Obasanjo Space Center at Airport Road, Abuja, to a Research and Demonstration Plants Complex (RDPC). This complex will be Africa’s first center of excellence in raw material research, featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, technology development workshops, and proof of concept demonstrations.

“We have reactivated the Council’s Journal and repositioned it internationally. The repositioned Journal of Raw Material Research [JORMAR] will host RMRDC’s researchers’ publications, which are crucial in promoting awareness, facilitating knowledge sharing, and informing stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s raw materials sector.

“The collaboration with universities and academies will strengthen our capacity for conducting market-guided research, ensuring sustained workforce training while deepening our orientation in science.

The council has reformulated a new template for all our research proposals to ensure and sustain a clear departure from the old culture of blue-sky and deliberately endless research.

Speaking further, Prof Nwanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso stated that Staff welfare remains a top priority as an issue of unpaid salaries is settled as well as set up a comprehensive welfare program.

“Similarly, we established the RMRDC Training School to sustainably build our staff and stakeholders’ capacity to further the staff welfare improvement goal.

“We are committed to openness, inclusiveness, and performance management and have initiated steps to continuously improve staff ownership, orchestrate transformative culture change, boost our corporate visibility, and enhance

“To further strengthen our visibility and communication strategies, we are upgrading our media infrastructure, which includes the launch of the RMRDC online media platform, The RMRDC TV Online.

“Additionally, we are working hard to effectively enhance the intellectual property and patent portfolio of RMRDC from its current 40 to approximately 200 new patents within the next 24 months. This proactive approach secures valuable IP assets and positions the Council as a leader in innovation within the raw materials sector, contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.

“As well as launching an e-registration and certification portal to enhance transparency in the raw materials sector,” DG revealed.

He however reaffirmed his commitment to reshape the future of research, technology, and innovation, driving Nigeria towards an industrially vibrant and technologically resilient economy.

“As I mark 100 days in office, I boldly say that the Council is on the verge of rewriting its history.

“I believe that in no distant future, RMRDC will play a leading role in enhancing raw materials’ development to boost raw materials’ industrial trial processing and attain sustainable industrial growth in Nigeria.

DG, however, applauded the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, for his unwavering support and mentorship, saying the Minister’s leadership has been instrumental in the progress made so far.

In his opening remarks, the Directorate of Corporate Affairs, Mr Chucks Ngaha commended the hard-working DG who has weathered the storm further to put the Council on the ladder of more prosperity.

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