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NGO Empowers 2100 Farmers With Solar Pumps

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3 years ago

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No fewer than 2100 smallholder farmers were empowered with Solar Renting Pumps and mobile subscription-based rental services in Jama’are, Gadau, and Zaki environs in Bauchi State by Energy Assured in a bid to ease their work and reduce expenses as well as other logistical services to help them modernize their profession.

The project, according to a statement signed by the Organization’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Ibrahim Aboki and issued to Newsmen on Wednesday said is part of USAID’s $4 million intervention on its COVID-19 food security challenge, where 32 Nigerian grantees get funding to assist in the improvement of the country’s agricultural system to a better and modernize the system where Energy Assured as one of the sub-grantees flags off the program in Bauchi State.

The statement revealed that the project has six major aims as follows:

“Increase food and agriculture system productivity and enhance efficient production along the value chains to unlock agricultural production that has been limited by COVID-19’s impact on food production, processing, and distribution in Nigeria”.

“Increase income for Base of the Pyramid (BoP) women and men in both rural and urban areas”.

“Provide youth-led and mid-stage companies the technical assistance and capital they need to sustainably scale solutions to meet the requirements of the Challenge”.

“Promote climate and environmental resilience as well as biodiversity through the sustainable, holistic management of natural resources and ecosystems”.

“Develop and promote innovative and local food-based models, including the local production, processing, and marketing of highly nutritious foods to prevent and/or treat wasting/acute malnutrition”.

“Promote socially responsible marketing/advertising to increase demand for safe, nutritious foods and other nutrition-related commodities and services”.

The statement further said that “part of the project, Energy Assured carried out a preliminary survey to understand the farmer’s perception on water sources, paid advocacy visits to farmers cooperatives; state and local governments agricultural agencies, performed a roadshow (demonstration) for 2100 smallholder farmers to see how real the solar system works, conducted radio campaigns on environmentally sustainable practices, training of 150 smallholder farmers in good agronomy practices, procured 45 solar pumps and rental services of pumps for 2100 smallholder farmers.

The statement called on Bauchi State Government to direct the state’s ministry of agriculture to engage the empowered smallholder farmers in the state and help them in sustaining the initiative.

Some of the recommendations made by the organization includes:

“Other renewable energy stakeholders in the country should give out solar pumps as a loan to be repaid through flexible payment options for smallholder farmers for them to benefit from the initiative”.

“USAID should, as part of scale up strategy, connect all the grantees with other investors to ensure sustainability of the project”.

“Considering the high demand of the solar pump from smallholder farmers, we recommend other social enterprises/start-ups to also venture into this business model, so that the high demand will reduce”.

“There is need for more intervention into this, specifically sourcing of reliable and affordable water and good agronomy practices to assist smallholder farmers to get improved and cultivate according to modern ways”.

“Awareness campaigns on the use of modern technology especially this model should be intensified by the state government and other relevant organisations working in the area of agricultural value chain”.

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Kano State Hosts 8th Annual Audit Forum to Enhance Transparency and Accountability

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12 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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The 8th Annual Audit Forum, organized by the Office of the Auditor General of Kano State, was held recently, focusing on strengthening transparency and accountability in public financial management. .

Isma’ila Musa, the Auditor General of Kano State, welcomed the participants and highlighted the constitutional and legal mandates that guide the auditing process. “Sections 125(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and 36(i) of the Kano State Audit Law, 2021 (as amended) mandate the Office of the Auditor General to audit the accounts and financial statements of the State Government and all Offices and Courts,” he stated.

Musa expressed immense gratitude to His Excellency, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Governor of Kano State, for his support in making the event possible. “It is very important to note that a strengthened fiscal transparency will help build trust in governance,” he emphasized. He added that the Audit Forum is a reform intended to reduce opportunities for corruption and abuse of public resources, thereby increasing the efficiency of public expenditures.

The Auditor General also acknowledged the contributions of various officials, including the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Accountant General, the Executive Chairman of Kano Internal Revenue Services, and former Auditors General, among others. “My sincere appreciation to all the invitees here present for honoring our invitation. I wish us a successful 8th Kano State Annual Audit Forum,” Musa concluded.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Honorable Tukur Fagge, praised the exercise for its potential to enhance resource management and ensure the success of the tasks at hand. “This exercise will enhance resources management and will realize the success of the task,” Fagge stated.

Sarkin Shanon Kano, Shehu Muhammad Dankadai, who served as the royal father of the day, also graced the event, adding to the significance of the occasion.

The forum underscored the commitment of the Kano State Government to upholding transparency and accountability, reflecting the administration’s dedication to effective and efficient service delivery.

 

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Breaking: Former Secretary of Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO, Ahmadu Kurfi Passes On at 93

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18 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Late Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi

 

A former secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi, has passed away.

A family source, Jafar Yakubu, informed NIGERIAN TRACKER about the death of the pioneer secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, who supervised the 1979 general election.

 

Jafar Yakubu said Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi died at the age of 93 and his Janaza funeral prayers will take place by 2:30 PM at Kurfi in KATSINA state .

 

Dr. Amadu Kurfi, OFR, was born in 1931. He was a former chairman of the then Marketing Board, former Federal Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the first person to acquire a BSc degree in the whole of Katsina State, at University College London in 1957.

 

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President Tinubu Sacks UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Registrar

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2024

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The governing council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University has been dissolved by President Bola Tinubu.

The president dissolved the council and approved the removal of the institution’s vice-chancellor Bernard Odoh and the university registrar, Rosemary Nwokike.

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy said the action by Tinubu follows allegations of procedural violations in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

He also said that the council led by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe and including five other members—Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin was accused of bypassing due process to appoint an unqualified candidate, prompting federal intervention.

Onanuga said, “The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process.

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He added that following the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address the rivalry between the university’s Senate and the governing council of the institution.

“The government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process”, Onanuga added.

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