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COVID-19: Buhari govt under fire over money sharing, exclusion of South-East

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A South-East group, Igbo Renaissance Forum has knocked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government over its approach to the N20,000 stimulus package for the ‘poorest in the society.’

The group said it was baffling that the government decided to share a total of ₦52bn to 2.6 million poor families in cash, without a clear system for accountability and transparency.

The Forum described as shocking government decision to give cash to individuals across the table, adding that by this, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq, had flouted the government’s order on social distancing and clearly contravenes the money laundering Act.

“There is a complete failure from the state to the federal level, including the National assembly that is abnormally obsessed with sucking the nation dry; sharing exotic cars in the middle of a health crisis and still bent on spending a whopping 37 billion on the renovation of the National Assembly building while the federal government went BEGGING for ventilators to keep themselves and the citizens alive. What a shame!

“We are aware that the Federal Government has announced palliative measures, which included disbursement of stimulus cash of twenty thousand naira to the ‘poorest in the society’ as they claimed.

“It is, however, very shocking to see the crudest form of disbursement of the stimulus cash that would give medieval men goose bumps, as cash is given to individuals across the table.

“Equally perplexing is the claim that 2.6m million individuals would benefit from N20,000 CORONAVIRUS palliative immediately, even as the 11,400 others are still to benefit. What baffles us is that government says it plans to share a total of ₦52bn to 2.6 million poor families IN CASH, without a clear system for accountability and transparency!

“We demand that in this period of very lean resources, that the ministry should immediately make available on their website, the details of those who are benefitting from this stimulus exercise.

“We want to state categorically that we are far from convinced with the figures put out on the number of Nigerians living in extreme poverty, which is clearly defined by UN standards as those living below $1.90 per day.

“It is, therefore, absurd to read the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq state that the social national register that we have as at March 31, 2020 is made up of 11,450,537 poor and vulnerable people in 35 states and 453 Local Government Areas across the country. We demand to know the fate of those that are not captured in this exercise.

We, however, wish to condemn in very strong terms, the approach adopted by the ministry for sharing this stimulus cash. It very clearly contravenes the money laundering Act and we demand immediate explanation to the citizens for such action.

“We also want to make it known to the honourable minister that she broke the social distancing policy in the fight against COVID-19. It’s unfortunate to hear her try to justify the situation by saying that while those involved with the CRUDE TABLETOP MONEY SHARING maintained safe social distance, that it was onlookers who gathered to watch the SHOW that didn’t observe safe distancing.

“We ask that she immediately apologize to the public for shifting the blame. If the honourable minister and her team electronically credited everyone that needs to receive the stimulus cash as it should have been.

If due diligence was done by the minister and her team, there won’t be any MONEY SHARING SHOW for the poor masses to crowd around, breaking safe distancing rules and exposing themselves to COVID-19 infection.

“We have cause to believe that the South East has not been adequately factored into the disbursement bracket of the ministry for this palliative.

“We demand that the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq make public the register that is being used for these disbursements so we can verify that the South East is not relegated and short-changed as we have seen severally.

“We shall continually sustain our demand through legal means until we are satisfied that there is equity in the actions of the ministry”

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Entertainment

Big Dreams, is set to release his debut Single’s , ‘Vanity & Painful On January 26th

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Delta State Born Singer, Big Dreams, is set to release his debut album,My Way ‘,’Coming Soon.

With they announcement of his two singles which are set to be released on 26 January 2024.

In the digital era of Afrobeats, the music superstar, Big Dreams, has established a name for himself thanks to a succession of great singles and collaborations.

They man of they moment has done great works, therefore this album will set a pathway to Greatness.

The musician made this announcement via his Twitter account. He characterized the album as everything he desires and all he stands for.

 

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Legendary singer, Kathy Brown diagnosed with stage four lung cancer

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Legendary house music singer, Kathy Brown has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer with the disease spreading to her brain.

The American singer, 63, known for songs including Turn Me Out (Turn to Sugar) and Strings of Life (Stronger on My Own) was diagnosed late last year after being admitted to ICU in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.

Doctors performed surgery to try and reduce swelling in Brown’s brain – with the star currently undergoing a course of radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Kathy’s daughter Chanta Joyner has set up a GoFundMe to fund medical expenses and monthly bills for the family.

Chanta wrote: ‘As the news is only just sinking in we are already facing the harsh reality of what this means for my mother – not only the physical and medical challenges but also the many financial ones.

‘Like most artists who have devoted their careers to dance music, without being able to perform LIVE there’s little to no chance of earning an income. My mother has poured her heart and soul onto stages and dance floors all over the world for more than thirty years, and now she needs your love and support more than ever.

‘My siblings and I are going to do everything we can to take care of her, but the costs we are facing with medical expenses and monthly bills are overwhelming.

‘My mom deserves the best care and comfort that money can buy. I know that she has thousands of fans all over the world who adore her voice and her beautiful spirit.

‘Please consider contributing to assist Kathy and get her through the weeks and months ahead. The London-based record label ‘Revival’ that she has recently been working with has offered to match contributions up to $10,000.

‘Let’s show my mom that the dance music community really is an extended family who keep each other lifted not only in the good times but the hard times too. Thank you for the love, support and many messages that you have been posting and sending to Kathy. I promise you that she sees every single one, and they mean so very much to her.

Brown originally found fame as the chart-topping lead singer of the group Praxis before having US dance hits on her own.

In 1999 she climbed to #4 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with Joy and in 2004 was the credited lead vocalist on the British act Soul Central’s Strings Of Life (Stronger On My Own), a track that samples Rhythm Is Rhythm’s 1989 House classic.

Over the years she featured on dozens of house and club singles.

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Davido to headline UnitedMasters Grammy Weekend Concert amid latest scandals

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  1. Amid the latest scandals involving artist Davido, he is due to headline the highly anticipated UnitedMasters Grammy Weekend Concert.

Before the 66th Academy Grammy Awards, which will be hosted on Sunday, February 4th at Crypto Com Arena in Los Angeles, the UnitedMasters music platform will hold a Grammy weekend.

At this famous event, Davido will perform alongside Dominican rapper Tokischa and South African-based DJ Artist Uncle Waffles.

On Friday, February 2nd, 2024, the concert will be performed at the Hollywood Palladium

More than 2,500 people attended last year’s performance, including Jay Z and Beyonce, Nas, DJ Khaled, Wiz Khalifa, Future, Damson Idris, and others.

Davido’s fame surged following the publication of his comeback album, Timeless, which has surpassed one billion streams.

His new album had raised his profile and won him a Grammy nomination. At the 2024 Grammys, Timeless received three nominations: Best Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Global Music Album.

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