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We’ll Support Nigeria At This Difficult Time- DG WTO, Okonjo-Iweala

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The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Professor Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday said WTO will support Nigeria at this difficult time.

Prof. Okonjo-Iweala stated this while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The WTO DG flanked by the former Minister of State for Health during the Goodluck Jonathan, Mohammed Ali Pate, said they saw the President and that the focus of their discussion was on what they would do to support Nigeria.

She said they are contemplating a grassroot programme that they could put in place to help young people as well as women.

She said the WTO would look at the kind of trade can do for the people in agriculture, textile and even establishing pharmaceutical industry

According to her, “We want to help them in digital trade so that they can create more jobs.”

She said, “We saw the President and the  focus was on how do we support Nigerians at this time of need.

“We all know that things are very difficult for Nigerians outside, everyone is struggling. I’m here myself on a quiet visit. So this was not really an official WTO mission but we’re able to engage with Mr. President, talk about what are the kinds of programmes that could be put in place to make sure that the suffering of Nigerians are being alleviated.

“And we had a really good conversation on trying to look at the community and grassroots programmes that can be put in place to create jobs for young people, trying to support women and children, who are bearing the brunt of some of the suffering in the country.

“We talked about how the longer term, we need to do that investment opportunities that Nigeria can cease including in the pharmaceutical industry.

“We also talked about what type of support the World Trade Organization can bring. We’re already working in Nigeria with women in particular, who own small and medium enterprises to try to help them upgrade the quality of their products. Whether it’s in the agricultural area, in textiles and in other areas so that they can sell more internationally.

“We’re trying to help them with digital trade. So how do we train and empower Nigerian women and owners of small and medium enterprises so that they can trade more and create more jobs?

“So that is what’s needed now, helping Nigerians to alleviate the difficult conditions that they are in.

“So that is what we discussed with Mr. President and as the Director General of the World Trade Organization, we are going to try to do the most we can to support Nigerians at this particular time.

Also speaking, Dr. Pate said that President Tinubu was fully aware of the difficulties people are facing and that efforts are being made to alleviate them.

He said, “I think the DG has mentioned the purpose of this visit. I think I’ll just reaffirm, that Mr. President is fully aware of the difficulties that people are facing, and committed and I think he is doing all that he can and with his team to ensure that those sufferings are alleviated.

“That was the main thrust of the conversation that we had in terms of targeting those who are most vulnerable, women, children, youth, attracting investment opportunities, that can grow the economy so that people will get some succour because the difficulties that we’re facing is transitory.

“I think with the vision of the President there’s reason to be very hopeful that we’ll navigate through this difficult time and have a Nigeria that sees us stronger, united and conspired to the greatness that is in our future.

“So Mr. President also discussed with us some of the vision on health that he has and I think is great to see that health is one area where it connects everyone.

“Health affects everyone from the policy side, regulatory side, pharmaceuticals and quality of pharmaceuticals, the financing side, in terms of financial protection, health insurance, and all those elements, primary health care in every nook and cranny of this country, folks have ailments like malaria, vaccinations, treatment of basic diseases with primary healthcare system, as well as hospital care, which is very important.

“Because sometimes you have primary healthcare. And Mr President is very committed to all those policy interventions, not only on health, but in all other arenas that will bring succour to this country and to move our economy for the greatness that is in our future.

“So that was really the purpose of this very fruitful discussion with Mr. President.”

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BREAKING: Tinubu, Chinese PM Xi Jinping currently meeting in Beijing

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OLUTAYO AMOO- LAGOS.

 

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Prime Minister Xi Jinping.

The meeting is part of the China-Africa Collaboration Summit expected to attract more foreign direct investment to Nigeria.

Among those attending the meeting are prominent officials of the Chinese government’s economic team, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State, and Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani.

Others in attendance are members of the economic team of President Tinubu’s administration and other cabinet members.

The Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, had last week informed journalists at the State House, Abuja, that one of the reasons for the official visit would be the interaction between both leaders on behalf of their countries.

He had stated, “Mr. President will also meet with his Chinese counterpart in the person of President Xi Jinping, where several MOUs will be signed.

“The MOUs will involve agreements in deepening cooperation, in green economy, in agriculture, in satellite technology development, in media enterprise development and promotion, as well as blue economic development and national planning cooperation.

“This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across, not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional and international security.”

The meeting also comes amidst recent reports of seizure by a Chinese company of some aircrafts belonging to the Nigerian government.

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ECOWAS Defence Chief At A Crucial Meeting In Abuja

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All the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are meeting at the Defence Headquarters Abuja, except Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The meeting is chaired by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who is the chairman of the ECOWAS committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff.

Present at the meeting are the Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Chairman Senate Committee on Defence Ahmed Lawan, Chairman House Committee of Defence, representative of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and service chiefs, and the Chief of Defence Staff of ECOWAS countries.

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OSUN OSOGBO FESTIVAL:  Protesters Suspends Demostration

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OLUTAYO AMOO

The organizer of ongoing protest against hunger and others in Osun State have suspended demonstration over the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo festival.

The decision was reached after presenting protest letter to Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, which was received by his deputy, Kola Adewusi at state secretariat.

Adewusi assured the protesters that the governor would deliver the letter to President Bola Tinubu and also do everything possible to continue delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

The protesters under the aegis of coalition for concerned Nigeria Citizens, Osun state through Comrade Adetunji Ajala during a news briefing at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo declared that the demonstration is suspended indefinitely because of the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo Festival which grand finale slated for Friday.

Ajala said: “We, the coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the organizing body of the EndBadGovernance protest in Osun state, wish to address the public and the media regarding the ongoing protest, which began on the 1st of August 2024 and marks its 6th day today.

The protesters under the aegis of coalition for concerned Nigeria Citizens, Osun state through Comrade Adetunji Ajala during a news briefing at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo declared that the demonstration is suspended indefinitely because of the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo Festival which grand finale slated for Friday.

Ajala said: “We, the coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the organizing body of the EndBadGovernance protest in Osun state, wish to address the public and the media regarding the ongoing protest, which began on the 1st of August 2024 and marks its 6th day today.

“Since the inception of this peaceful protest, we have made our demands clear, seeking immediate action from our leaders to address the pressing issues affecting the citizens of our beloved state and country.

“We acknowledge the recent address by the President of Nigeria; however, we express our profound disappointment as the President speech failed to address any of our specific demands. Despite this setback, today we successfully presented our demands to the Governor of Osun State through the deputy governor and secretary to the state government who told us that the governor will forward our demands to the federal executive Council.

“Furthermore, we reviewed the security situation vis-a- vis the Osun Osogbo festival presently ongoing at Osogbo. It is worthy of note to establish that protest is incidentally taking place in Osogbo which is of concern.

“Considering the safety of the influx of tourists coming for the global Osun osogbo festival and the possibility of hoodlums disguising as tourist and unleashing attacks on peaceful protesters amidst other security concerns, we consider it imperative to put the protest on hold today 6th August, 2024.”

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