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A member representing the Ibadan North Federal constituency in the House of Assembly, Adewale Akinremi, has assured Nigerians of the speedy passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill submitted by President Bola Tinubu last week.

Akinremi described the budget as “well-detailed and realistic” in a statement he signed and made available to news corespondants Online on Monday in Abuja.

He said, “We at the National Assembly will work with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to ensure that the budget is passed as early as possible for ordinary Nigerians to benefit.

“It is because of Nigerians that President Tinubu has taken into consideration areas of security, local job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimisation, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security in the 2024 budget of renewed hope.”

The lawmaker also insisted that the President didn’t submit an empty box during the budget presentation last week and called on opposition parties to “stop misleading Nigerians.”

He described what he tagged as allegations of the President submitting an empty box as “childish and misrepresentation of facts.”

“President Tinubu’s analysis of the budget is well detailed, the first of its kind in recent times. What people don’t know is that Mr. President had earlier submitted a flash drive as a soft copy of the 2024 Budget, which is now being printed out in hard copies.

“As an old, experienced member, I fully understand the due process for submitting the budget, whether hard or soft copies. It is important that we allow the house to do their jobs in partnership with the relevant agencies,” he said.

On the allegations by a member of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party, Yusuf Galambi, who alleged on BBC Hausa last Friday that Tinubu only provided an empty document during his Wednesday budget presentation speech before the National Assembly, Akinyemi said, “Yes, there is right to criticise the government, but deliberately misinforming the public in the name of criticism is wrong, and we must discourage that as leaders in order not to heat the polity.”

The Board of Immigration, Civil Defence, Fire and Correctional Services has approved the promotion of 32,361 personnel from the four services.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed details of the promotions through the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi, on Friday in Abuja.

A total of 4, 498 of those promoted were personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service out of the 7,000 wardens who sat for the promotion examination.

Also, 4, 598 Immigration officers out of 6,544 were promoted while 1,680 out of 1,698 fire service personnel who sat for the promotion examinations were elevated.

The majority of those promoted were, however, from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) which had 21,385 out of its 25,951 that sat for the promotion examinations coming out successful.

The minister said it was the first time in the history of the board that such a huge number of officers were promoted.

Tunji-Ojo charged the beneficiaries to commit themselves to the service of the nation.

“You should see this promotion as a new frontier in the way and manner you carry out your responsibilities; promotions come with enormous responsibilities and to whom much is given, much is expected,” he added.

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye has called out those in the habit of dressing indecently to the camp ground.

He warned sanctions are underway for anyone found culpable of defying the rules.

The Redemption Camp is the International campground of the mega Pentecostal church where it holds conferences and special programmes.

The riot act from the leadership of the RCCG was contained in a memo by an Assistant to the General Overseer, Oladele Balogun.

The memo reads in part: “We wish to formally inform all residents of Redemption City that, in our commitment to preserving the city’s sanctity and upholding its esteemed ‘Holy City’ status, the mission authority is implementing stricter measures against indecent dressing throughout the city.

“Henceforth, the mission authority has directed that any individual apprehended for dressing indecently will face significant sanctions, and the same punishment will also be extended to the parent or legal guardian.

“We, therefore, strongly urge all parents/guardians to instil proper Christian and dressing ethics in their wards to prevent unnecessary embarrassment, as the security operatives and Kingsford Security have been instructed to enforce the above directives with immediate effect.

“The security operatives and Kingsford security are hereby further directed not to allow anyone who dresses indecently to enter the Redemption City forthwith. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.”

In a bid to address the challenges of food security, CGIAR, a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research and development has delivered climate smart solutions to improve agricultural productivity despite climate challenges in Africa and in extension, the world in general.

CGIAR’s Ghana Convener and International Water Management Institute(IWMI) Regional Representative For West Africa, Dr. Olufunke Cofie while speaking in a recent interview stated that CGIAR has supported the government with smart innovations to help farmers improve their productivity despite climate issues while still contributing to local economy.

Cofie explained that CGIAR having worked with over 70 countries globally has provided smart and innovative-driven technologies to address the challenges of food security through research on agricultural products to deliver a food secured world.

“We have worked with international water institute to combat water challenges, to ensure that during the dry season, what kind of irrigation practices would be the best. We do this by applying research development with national stakeholders.

‘The innovative solution we develop are applicable with rural and urban areas going into the local governments and farmers association depending on the location, our innovation are globally oriented.”.

“We know that food production is done by the rural farmers, our mission is to find transformation in the food climate crisis, our innovations are responsive to climate change issues, drought, heat and tolerant variety things.”

Cofie maintained that CGIAR partner with government agencies to ensure policies that allows climate smart agriculture to thrive.

She stated that Africa is blessed with water resources but some part lack access to it, hence the deployment of smart agriculture solution, adding that it is our response mechanism that we need to work on, with the political will, commitment at different levels of all stakeholders, to develop our water resources very well with appropriate planning to be able to harness the water resources well.

In a bid to address the challenges of food security, CGIAR, a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research and development has delivered smart climate solutions to improve agricultural productivity despite climate challenges in Africa and in extension, the world in general.

CGIAR’s Ghana Convener and International Water Management Institute(IWMI) Regional Representative For West Africa, Dr. Olufunke Cofie while speaking in a recent interview stated that CGIAR has supported the government with smart innovations to help farmers improve their productivity despite climate issues while still contributing to local economy.

Cofie explained that CGIAR having worked with over 70 countries globally has provided smart and innovative-driven technologies to address the challenges of food security through research on agricultural products to deliver a food secured world.

“We have worked with international water institute to combat water challenges, to ensure that during the dry season, what kind of irrigation practices would be the best. We do this by applying research development with national stakeholders.

‘The innovative solution we develop are applicable with rural and urban areas going into the local governments and farmers association depending on the location, our innovation are globally oriented.”.

“We know that food production is done by the rural farmers, our mission is to find transformation in the food climate crisis, our innovations are responsive to climate change issues, drought, heat and tolerant variety things.”

Cofie maintained that CGIAR partner with government agencies to ensure policies that allows climate smart agriculture to thrive.

She stated that Africa is blessed with water resources but some part lack access to it, hence the deployment of smart agriculture solution, adding that it is our response mechanism that we need to work on, with the political will, commitment at different levels of all stakeholders, to develop our water resources very well with appropriate planning to be able to harness the water resources well.

A yet-to-be-identified Nigerian nurse in the United Kingdom has been reportedly sacked by the management of her hospital after she was found praying for an elderly patient.

The self-acclaimed online doctor, Harvey Olufunmilayo, disclosed this via his X handle, @drolufunmilayo, on Thursday.

Although PUNCH Metro cannot verify this claim as of the time this report was filed, the doctor narrated the incident to warn Nigerian doctors moving to the UK not to pray for patients.

He also claimed that the said Nigerian health worker was further deported for what he believed was unethical for health workers in the UK to bring religion to their work.

The X user added that it is not customary for nurses to pray for patients, but they can ask for a cleric to carry out any religious service on patients, regardless of whether they want them (the nurses) to do so.

He wrote, “I just read the sad story of a Nigerian who came to the UK and was employed by an agency to work as a caregiver for elderly people. She was assigned to care for an elderly patient who was dying, and she was reported for ‘praying for the client to get better’. Yeah. She got sacked and deported.

“Praying for your patient is seen as an abuse of trust and misuse of your position. You are expected to simply do and focus on your job.”

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said all women have the spirit of witchcraft.

Speaking when he hosted the cast of the Real Housewives of Lagos in his Palace, the Ooni said women possessed the power to manipulate people.

Ooni said “every woman has a manipulative spirit” which black people refer to as witchcraft.

According to Ooni: “The world should be a better place, especially for women. You are very powerful. You rule the world.

“Your power is limitless. You have so many influences on society.

“The black people would say witchcraft. Every woman has that witchcraft spirit in them. You know people just probably think it is a negative thing. But witchcraft is all about manipulation.

“If you know how to manipulate very well. And then that is the power of a woman. You have a natural manipulative spirit. And you should manipulate in a very positive way. You are good witches.”