President Muhammadu Buhari claims that members of his government have given their all over the last seven and a half years.

According to Femi Adesina, the president’s media adviser, Buhari addressed following the valedictory Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.

Buhari instructed the ministers to clean up their work and prevent last-minute rushes that could jeopardize the years of good work they had done.

“I am proud to say we gave our best. In the course of our years together, ranging from our newest addition to the oldest members of the team for the past seven and half years, we have differed on many issues,” Adesina quoted Buhari as saying.

“I urge that we understand that those positions were for the collective good, and no one should keep grievances, or carry these differences forward.

“For those of us that will not directly be in government, I know that I am one of such, I ask that we continue to provide our support, in whatever way we can, if called upon by our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC) that gave us the platform to stand and we must continue to support it in every way we can.

“I also thank God for the strength and for keeping us together. I look forward to a great many of you, disproving that Daura has not become too distant because I am no longer Mr President.

“I will also be happy to do the many things that I have not been able to since May 29th, 2015, one of such is my favourite pastime of taking care of my cattle.

“I wish all of us the best and hope to hear good news whenever any of our names are mentioned. Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Presidency revealed on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari granted the go-ahead for last-minute cash to be handed over to the administration of Bola Tinubu because the government needs monies to clear debts.

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, mentioned this during a program while analyzing Buhari’s eight-year time in government.

“A wicked man pays and owes not, that is what the good book says. When you owe and you refuse to pay, the Bible says you are a wicked man. If the government is owing all those debts, why shouldn’t it pay? It should pay.

“The government has a mandate from a time to a certain time, that mandate was from 2019 to 2023, so the government is working,” he said.

BizWatch Nigeria reports that President Buhari had earlier written to the Senate on Wednesday, requesting approval for a request to pay the judgment debt in the amount of $566,754,584, £98,526 and N226 billion.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan read the President’s letter of request in plenary on Wednesday, four months after 648 lawsuits were filed against the President and other Federal Government parastatals.

Cabinet

Meanwhile, at the last valedictory Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Buhari failed to dissolve his cabinet, and Adesina stated that there is no provision requiring the president to dismiss his cabinet after valedictory.

“It depends on the President. Style is typical to each person, that is the style of the President.

“He wants them to work till the very last day. We know some Presidents who would dissolve after the last FEC meeting, that is their own style,” he stated.

Adesina stated that the Buhari administration did not suppress dissenting voices and that it accommodated all points of view.

“Critics have the right to their opinion, they can make their own assessment. There are fact sheets published to show that the government worked, and it achieved a lot,” he said.

The Senate has passed a bill for second reading that seeks to recompense victims of the EndSARS protest.

Senator Gershom Bassey, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Cross River State, sponsored the bill, which was passed on Wednesday.

Bassey, who led the bill debate, stated that the law wants to establish the EndSARS Victims Compensation Fund.

He said, “Distinguished colleagues, you may recall that as a result of the EndSARS nationwide protests in October 2020.

“Judicial panels of inquiry were constituted to address the demands of protesters and compensation for verified victims of the EndSARS protest.

“The findings of the judicial panels of inquiry and the Senate Joint Committee on EndSARS revealed the killing of protesters, and destruction of private and public properties by rampaging hoodlums, who seized and took over the protest vandalizing and looting valuable assets.

“However, the implementation of the recommendation of all the panels and committees regarding compensation has been very discouraging.”

He claimed that the victims have been left to groan in pain from injuries inflicted by hoodlums during the rally.

According to Bassey, the eventual establishment of the fund and fulfillment of the recommendations of the judicial panel of inquiry and Senate Joint Committee on EndSARS would undoubtedly provide relief to the victims of the 2020 EndSARS nationwide protest.

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, it is my prayer that you support this amendment bill that seeks to bring hope to the victims of the 2020 EndSARS protest,” he added.

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, then forwarded the bill to the Committee on Special Duties for further legislative input, with a one-week report back to plenary.

A lack of adequate financing for tackling climate change in Africa has become dire and is “choking” the continent, African Development Bank (AfDB) Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said.

The AfDB Chief addressed scores of journalists from Africa and around the world at a media lunch organized to kick off its 2023 Annual Meetings in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El Sheikh.

Adesina called out developed nations for not honoring the $100 billion-a-year climate finance pledge they made to developing countries.

“Africa is being short-changed in climate finance. Africa is choking,” he told the journalists.

“Your role as the media is very important to help carry the news – the news of efforts being made, challenges being faced, and the fierce urgency of now in getting much-needed climate finance to Africa,” the Bank chief said.

The Bank Group’s Annual Meetings will allow the Bank’s Board of Governors, African leaders and development partners to explore practical ways of “mobilizing private sector financing for climate and green growth in Africa,” in line with the theme of this year’s meetings.

Adesina said the theme was chosen to draw attention to the urgent need for climate finance.

“Anywhere you look in Africa today, climate change is causing havoc,” Adesina said. “In the Sahel, hotter temperatures are drying up limited water, causing water stress for crops and livestock and worsening food insecurity.”

The Bank chief said that in vast areas of East and Southern Africa, and in the Horn of Africa, a combination of droughts and floods is causing massive losses of people and infrastructure, leading to rising numbers of refugees.

“There is still much to do, as Africa’s private sector climate financing will need to increase by 36% annually,” he said.

The African Development Bank is spearheading climate adaptation efforts across the continent and has devoted 63% of its climate finance, the highest among all multilateral development banks.

The Bank’s new Climate Action Window will support millions of farmers, enabling them to access climate-resistant seeds. The institution has also launched the Desert to Power initiative to develop 10,000 megawatts of solar power to benefit nearly 250 million people across the Sahel.

The Bank and the Global Center for Adaptation have launched the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) to mobilize $25 billion to support Africa’s adaptation to climate change.

It has also established Alliance for Green Infrastructure (AGIA) in partnership with other institutions, to mobilize $10 billion in private investment for green infrastructure in Africa.

Adesina and the Bank Group’s operational vice presidents answered questions on the potential for using capital market instruments such as green bonds to back climate-related investments.

According to Bank estimates, Africa will need $2.7 trillion by 2030 to finance its climate change needs.

Adesina said, “If Africa had that money, the Sahel would have electricity. If Africa had that money, we would recharge the Chad basin, which has provided livelihoods for millions of people in Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon. Everything will change in all those countries; we will green the Sahel. We will insure every single African country against catastrophic weather events.”

Adesina told the journalists, “Africa’s measured natural capital alone is estimated to be worth $6.2 trillion,” which, if well harnessed, can spur a more rapid economic growth and wealth generation.

He spoke about the Bank’s flagship Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) scheme that provides heat-tolerant seed varieties to increase yield in crops such as wheat. He gave the example of Ethiopia which is now self-sufficient in wheat production and plans to export the surplus to neighbouring countries.

Dr Adesina was accompanied by Vice Presidents Professor Kevin Urama, Dr Kevin Kariuki, Dr Beth Dunford, Solomon Quaynor, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade and Simon Mizrahi.

The Bank will on Wednesday launch its annual African Economic Outlook report, a flagship publication on the state of African economies.