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FG rolls out GEEP 2.0 nationwide
Federal government has officially rolled out the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme GEEP 2.0.
The National phase of the programme was launched at the Daura Kasuwar Kofar ‘Yan Kudu market along Daura road, Katsina state at the weekend by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.
Speaking during the presentation of cheques to peasant farmers and petty business women, the Minister said, the interest-free loans to beneficiaries was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed commitment to fight poverty and its devastating impact from all angles.
According to her “The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) is a programme designed by President Muhammadu Buhari administration to create further opportunities for the poor, vulnerable and low-income Nigerians, especially those who are involved in viable informal productive activities with limited financial requirements, but have never had access to loans from the formal financial sector.
“It is meant to give priority to the most vulnerable in our society like widows, youth, Persons With Disabilities and the Internally Displaced Persons amongst others”.
Fifty Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty One(59,161) potential beneficiaries were registered across the 34 LGAs of Katsina State but only 13,000 beneficiaries were verified and cleared to benefit from the interest free loans for the 1st phase of the programme, while new registration is yet to commence. The Ministry will publicly announce the 2nd phase of registration for the year 2022, of which more vulnerable individuals and groups are expected to openly register at the National Orientation Agency offices by GEEP trained Desk Officers across the 774 LGA ‘s Nationwide.
The Minister also disclosed that the beneficiaries are verifiable as the selection process was transparent selection.
“These selected beneficiaries are now all banked, they have been given ATM cards and are currently being enumerated all of which are our deliberate efforts to enhance financial inclusivity of our poor in a sustainable manner”.
GEEP 2.0 has three unique products;
Tradermoni loan of N50,000, targeted at uplifting the under-privileged and marginalized youths between the ages of 18 – 40 yrs, MarketMoni loan also of N50,000, for the under-privileged and marginalized women like Widows, divorcees, and other vulnerable groups and FarmerMoni loan of between N50,000 to N300,000, designed for small scale farmers in the communities to improve their agricultural productivity and inclusion into commercial farming.
Protest has rocked Delta State in the South South, Nigeria as a result of a controversial ward delineation recommended for Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The protesters who are Itsekiri tribe in the State have shutdown a 28,000 crude barrels per day, bpd facility in Warri South – West Local Government Area, of Delta State.
CAPITAL POST gathered that protest broke out on Tuesday at the facility formerly operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and recently acquired by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings. The peaceful protesters comprising men, women and youths, stormed the facility with placards with inscriptions showing their anger over the recommendation by INEC.
According to them, the proposal by INEC, amounts to ethnic cleansing by the Commission and its collaborators.
Checks revealed that that the peaceful protest would spread to other critical oil and gas facilities in Itsekiri land and may result in further drop in the country’s daily crude oil production. The aggrieved Itsekiri people are demanding the withdrawal of the proposal made by INEC as regards ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency, saying proper delineation, which would take cognisance of the historical and legitimate names of communities in Warri South, Warri South – West and Warri North Local Government Areas, should be carried out by INEC.
It will be recalled that INEC had last Friday, unveiled the proposed delineated wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency, in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment that calls for fresh delineation.
The Itsekiri Nation however rejected the proposed ward delineation in Delta State by the Commission.
At a media briefing on Sunday, the Secretary of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Mr Amorighoye Mene, dropped the hint of a court action against INEC.
He said, “We expected INEC to consider the voting strength of the various ethnic groups that comprise the area — the Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw, and other mixed-demographic areas — when delineating the wards and polling units.
“At a stakeholders meeting on Friday, INEC unveiled the proposed delineated wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency, in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment that calls for fresh delineation.
“We were not allowed to speak or react at the venue of the unveiling, but we have looked at the report given to us and the entire Itsekiri nation completely condemns and rejects the work done by INEC.”
Nairobi, Kenya: April 8, 2025 – The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has called for the immediate release of three journalists detained in Burkina Faso and forcibly conscripted into the armed forces. Guezouma Sanogo, president of the Association of Burkinabe Journalists (AJB), his deputy Boukari Ouoba, and Luc Pagbelguem, a reporter for the private TV station BFI, were arrested by National Security Council intelligence officers on March 24.
Sanogo and Ouoba were detained after speaking out against increasing violations of press freedom during the AJB Congress. Pagbelguem’s arrest followed his media outlet’s coverage of the congress, where Sanogo also advocated for the release of four other journalists who were abducted and conscripted into the army in 2024.
A video surfaced online last week showing the three journalists in military uniforms in an undisclosed location, flanked by armed men in Burkinabe army uniforms. The CAJ has strongly condemned the actions of the Burkinabe authorities, urging them to release the journalists immediately and uphold press freedom.
“We call on the Burkinabe authorities to immediately release the detained journalists and ensure journalists and media outlets can operate freely,” said Christopher Isiguzo, president of CAJ.
He expressed deep concern over the growing crackdown on journalists and media outlets in Burkina Faso, which has included suspending AJB’s operations.
Isiguzo also highlighted the detrimental effect this crackdown is having on press freedom, warning that it fosters fear and self-censorship among journalists, thereby undermining the fundamental right to freedom of expression and access to information.
The CAJ president further called for the release of three other journalists forcibly conscripted into the army in 2024: Serge Oulon, editor-in-chief of L’Evénement newspaper, Adama Bayala, and Kalifara Sere from BF1, a private TV channel. These individuals went missing in June 2024, with the authorities confirming their conscription in October of that year. The fate of Alain Traore, a columnist with Omega Media, remains unknown, as he was seized by masked gunmen in July 2024, with the authorities refusing to comment on his whereabouts.
As the repression intensifies, many journalists have fled the country, fearing arrest and forced conscription. Notably, Newton Ahmed Barry, a prominent journalist, was placed on a list of individuals “wanted for association with a terrorist organization” by the Burkinabe authorities on April 1.
During the AJB Congress, additional concerns were raised regarding the disappearances of journalists Bienvenue Apiou, James Yazid Dembele, and Mamadou Ali, highlighting the ongoing threat to press freedom in Burkina Faso.
The CAJ continues to monitor the situation closely, calling on international bodies to exert pressure on the Burkinabe government to respect the rights of journalists and ensure their safe return.
Troublesome 27 Rivers State House of Assembly legislators werenhosted to dinner in the United Kingdom by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom.
The dinner took place on Monday April 7 which has been confirmed by Lere Olayinka, the spokesperson for the minister.
Olayinka said the lawmakers who were suspended amidst plot to impeach the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara were hosted during their stay in the UK for a Legislative Capacity Building Course.
In a video post shared on X, Olayinka said the minister departed Nigyon Sunday night to host the meeting.
Olayinka wrote, “Yesterday, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, hosted Rivers State House of Assembly members who are in the United Kingdom for Legislative Capacity Building, to a dinner.
“Wike left Nigeria on Sunday night after visiting his political friends and associates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,” he said.
Yesterday, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, hosted Rivers State House of Assembly members who are in the United Kingdom for Legislative Capacity Building, to a dinner.
Wike left Nigeria on Sunday night after visiting his political friends and associates in Port Harcourt,… pic.twitter.com/EOr3SwTMMA
— Lere Olayinka – Aresa 1 (@OlayinkaLere) April 8, 2025
The lawmakers are Nyesom Wike’s loyalists and bowed to remove the Governor from office for having altercation with their political godfather.
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