News From Nigeria
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari over “secrecy in the spending of loans so far obtained, the unsustainable level of borrowing by the government and the 36 states, debt crisis, and the disproportionately negative impact of these retrogressive measures on poor Nigerians.”
In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/05/22 filed last week before the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “An order directing and compelling the Federal Government to issue an immediate moratorium on borrowing by itself, and the 36 states, in conformity with the country’s international human rights obligations.”
SERAP is also seeking “an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to publish details of spending of the loans obtained by governments since 1999 including the list of projects and locations of any such projects on which these loans have been spent.”
In the the suit filed by SERAP and behalf of concerned Nigerians, the organization contends that, “Persistent and unsustainable borrowing by the federal and state governments and the crippling debt burden undermine the rights of Nigerians to economic and social development, and are antithetical to the public interest.”
SERAP is arguing that, “The crippling debt burden is a human rights issue within the jurisdiction of the ECOWAS Court because when the entire country is burdened by unsustainable debts, there will be little money left to ensure access of poor and vulnerable Nigerians to legally enforceable socio-economic rights.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “There is lack of transparency and accountability in the spending of the loans so far obtained, and opacity around the terms and conditions in loan agreements, including repayment details for these loans. The details of the projects on which the loans are spent are shrouded in secrecy.”
SERAP is also seeking “an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to conduct assessment of the borrowing by governments since 1999 to address the dire consequences of unsustainable debts on people and communities and to ensure that borrowing at all levels of government considers the human rights impacts.”
In the suit filed by SERAP lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, the organization contends that, “Long-term unsustainable debt can be a barrier to the government’s ability to mobilize resources for human rights, and may lead to taxes and user fees that impact negatively on vulnerable and marginalized Nigerians.”
The suit, read in part: “If not addressed, the escalating borrowing and looming debt crisis would cripple the ability of both the Federal Government and the 36 states to deliver ensure basic socio-economic rights, such as quality healthcare, education, and clean water of the most vulnerable and marginalized sectors of the population.”
“Without a moratorium on borrowing, the Federal Government and many of the 36 states may be caught in a process driven mostly by creditors’ needs. This will result in an exorbitant social cost for the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the population.”
“The ability of the Nigerian government to ensure human rights is inextricably related to the ability to spend needed resources. Growing debt burdens and debt repayment difficulties will have negative impacts on the ability of the Defendant to fulfill the basic socio-economic rights of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.”
“Sustainable debt management by the Federal Government and state governments will contribute to mobilizing resources for human rights and essential public services, and promote a culture of responsible borrowing.”
“The Federal Government and many of the 36 states would seem to be in debt distress or at high risk of debt distress. According to reports, the Senate and House of Representatives recently approved the loans of $5,803,364,553.50 and a grant component of $10m under the 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan of the Federal Government.”
“This followed previous approvals by the National Assembly of $16.2 (16,230,077,718) billion loan; €1 (1,020,000,000) million and a grant component of $125 million loan; $36.8 billion, €910 million loans, and a grant component of $10 million; $8.3 billion and €490 million loans; $6.1 billion, $1.5 billion and 995 million loans; and $4(4,054,476,863), €710 million and grant component of $125 million.”
“Several of the 36 states are also facing a debt crisis, and vicious debt cycles. According to the Debt Management Office, the foreign debt stock of the Federal Government, 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory presently stands at $37.9bn.”
“The loans from China alone amount to $3.59bn. According to the UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Nigeria faces debt service relative to tax revenues that exceed 20 per cent, with escalating social tensions linked to poverty and inequality.”
“According to the World Bank’s IDA FY21 Report, with debt exposure of $11.7 Billion US Dollars, Nigeria ranked fifth among the top 10 countries with highest debt risk exposure. The top four countries are India with $22 billion, Bangladesh ($18.1 Billion), Pakistan ($16.4 Billion), and Vietnam ($14.1 Billion).”
“While it is critical for the Federal Government and state governments to have adequate resources to fund their budgets, it is equally critical for governments to give consideration to the human rights impact of borrowing. Persistent borrowing is inconsistent with the country’s human rights obligations.”
SERAP is also asking the ECOWAS Court for the following reliefs:
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
23/1/2022
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202
2023: PDP will have transparent primaries in Delta – Okowa
Delta Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of free, fair and transparent primary elections ahead of 2023 general elections.
The governor gave the assurance while addressing PDP faithful at a mega rally organised by the the party in Delta at the Cenotaph, Asaba, on Saturday, and affirmed that PDP remained one united family in the state.
He assured that leaders of the party in the state would ensure that primaries for all elective positions were free and credible.
He said that the massive mobilisation for the rally showed that PDP was ready to rescue Nigeria from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and advised aspirants in other political parties not to waste their money to contest elections in Delta.
“I give thanks to God for what is happening here today and I thank our leaders in the PDP, our state and local government executives, our youths and women for the massive mobilisation for this rally.
“It is by the grace of God and through their hands that we have mobilised to make a statement today across Nigeria that PDP is prepared to take over this nation.
“One good thing about us in the PDP is that we are one family, we are not like the other people where one man takes it all. Here in PDP, we are one family.
“We work as a family with the love of God but in the other parties, they are always fighting themselves,” the governor said.
He thanked Deltans for their great support and cooperation with his administration, saying “we have been doing a great job as Deltans, but it is because Deltans voted us into power and that is why we have the opportunity to do the great job that we are doing for our state.
“It is because you have always supported us that is why when we win, we win very well. We won well in 2015 and in 2019, and in 2023 we will finish work again.
“We are advising those who want to run in other political parties not to waste their time and money because there is no space for them in Delta”.
Okowa remarked that his administration had done quite a lot since inception, explaining that he had appointed many youths into government and that never in the history of the state had youths been so appointed into various offices in the state.
“Never in the history of this state have youths been so empowered through our various empowerment and entrepreneurship programmes.
“We have done well for our women and we will continue to do more for them, and let me make it clear that even as we play politics, we will continue to do the work that you asked us to do,” he said.
On infrastructure, the governor assured Deltans that his administration would not slow down in constructing more roads, saying “until I leave office in May, 2023, we will continue to build more and more roads and for those who haven’t been to Asaba in recent times, when you see our new State Secretariat you will be proud that you are a Deltan.
“All our achievements are the collective efforts of all Deltans because you gave us the peace to work and we can’t thank you enough.”
He advised aspirants to control their followers, noting that there was no need for any fight as the party remained one big united family.
“We are one family in PDP; we cannot fight and we will never fight; at the appropriate time, it will be well with us.
“But, one thing I have always promised and I still promise today is that there will always be free and fair primaries; so, there is no room to fight.
“There is no room to quarrel, let us work together as one family that we are and ensure that PDP stays continuously as a family,” he stressed.
In his address, former Governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, lauded Governor Okowa for his leadership of the state and the party, and declared that he would continue to support him to succeed beyond his tenure as governor of the state.
“I thank you for the job you are doing in Delta and at the national level for the benefit of Nigerians.
“I most especially thank you for what I am seeing here today because you have done very well in Delta State and I cannot be more proud that you are our governor today.
“You are leading us very well and it is our duty, and we are all committed to say that you will finish very strong and at the end of the day we will all gather to thank God for you.
“From what I can see here you have provided an atmosphere for a free and fair contest and you have provided an atmosphere for people’s aspirations to be heard without intimidation whatsoever.
“Of a truth, this was the philosophy behind the formation of this great party when I said in 1998 that democracy is about opening up the space and environment for everybody to aspire to whatever he or she believes in and I thank you for continuing with that vision.
“I want to thank you on behalf of teeming members of our party thank you and pray that God will continue to guide you as you lead us in the years ahead,’’ Ibori said.
He added that he personally didn’t “believe that your leadership will terminate at the end of your tenure as governor; I don’t believe that.
“I have come to say that you have earned your strides and your strides will continue to carry you on by the grace of God.
“On behalf of my one vote, my unit in Ogharefe, Ethiope West Local Government Area, I want to commit and dedicate myself to the service of PDP Delta State and Nigeria at large”.
Welcoming defectors to the party earlier, Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Kingsley Esiso, said that the rally was primarily organised to welcome decampees from APC and other political parties.
Esiso said that the massive exodus from APC was a testimony that the party has failed Nigerians in all ramifications.
“I can tell you that the primary purpose of this rally is to reduce the opposition party in Delta State by 90 per cent.
“My heart is full of joy and a testimony that APC is a failed political party and the people of Delta have come to realise that APC has only come to bring us economic hardship, poverty, banditry, kidnapping and failed promises.
“It is therefore not a surprise that every reasonable member of the APC is jumping ship to join us.
“Today, we are harvesting many of their leaders from different local government areas and we are celebrating this victory for our great party,” he said.
Other leaders who spoke at the rally included, Deputy Governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, Senator James Manager and former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Stella Omu.
The defectors to the PDP, who were in large number and led by former Chairman of APC in the state, Chief Cyril Ogodo. pledged to work for the PDP to ensure that APC was no more in the state.
PRESIDENT BUHARI CONDOLES WITH FAMILY OF PROF. JOSEPH YUSUF YAYOCK
President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with family, friends and associates of renowned agriculturalist and administrator, Prof. Joseph Yusuf Yayock, 77.
The President joins the academia, government and people of Kaduna State in mourning the loss, which will certainly create a gap in the public and private institutions he served, and remained faithful in sharing knowledge and experience.
President Buhari affirms that the late scholar, who served as a resource person and consultant, contributed generously to national development, serving variously in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Institute of Agricultural Research and the Institute for Agricultural Development, under the World Bank.
The President urges the family to uphold the public-spiritedness and humane disposition of the late Prof. Yayock, praying that God will grant his soul eternal rest.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 22, 2022
PRESS STATEMENT
22ND JANUARY, 2022
DEFECTIONS: APC IS FINISHED IN DELTA – PDP
The Delta State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has welcomed with open arms, the arrival of prominent political opposition figures, particularly from the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC and other parties in the State, into the PDP family, under the big umbrella that covers the entire Delta State.
A statement by Delta PDP State Publicity Secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, welcomed the defections of these political stalwarts from all the three Senatorial zones of the State, which includes Chief Cyril Ogodo, former APC State Chairman, Barr. Ogheneluemu Sylvester Imonina, acting State Publicity Secretary of APC, Precious Enuenweayoi, acting State Welfare Secretary of the APC, Chief Ben Onwuka, two times Oshimili South APC Chairman and former APC Senatorial Chairman, Eze Dr. Nelson Bini, Ndokwa East APC, Chief Barr. Ijeoma
Ukwuani APC, Barr. Peter Lotobi of the Sen. Ovie Omo Agege Solidarity Movement, Delta North, Ogbueshi Patrick Okonkwo, Oshimili North APC, Hon. Chief Victor Enuma and his supporters from Aboh, Ndokwa East, Apostle Victor Sorokwu, Former APC Senatorial Secretary, Delta North, Barr. Ogokuni Sylvester and Chief Emmanuel Ogbe from G30 APC Ndokwa East and West, APC Delta Central Elders Council led by Chief Sylvester Kowho, Mr. Voke Ighorodje, Senior Legislative Aide to Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, and so many other distinguished Deltans, Hon. David Omotor, Hon. Emuobor Solomon, Hon. Elvis Awhinawhi, Comrade Michael Atake, Delta Central Chairmen, Chief Harrison Abuje, Wisdom Ghaghara, Hon. Samuel Omamor, Prof. David Ighodigho Ejerobor, Sir Imodje Boniface, Samson Joseph Iriruage, Chief Ighodigho, Chief John Araka and his group, all with their multitude of supporters and loyalists, running into tens of thousands, into the PDP family and described their action as a clear sign that the APC is fast crumbling and is all but finished in Delta State.
Dr. Osuoza’s statement reads: “Delta State PDP welcomes with open arms, the arrival of former chieftains and stalwarts of the All Progressive Congress, APC and other political parties including Chief Cyril Ogodo, former APC State Chairman, Barr. Ogheneluemu Sylvester Imonina, acting State Publicity Secretary of APC and Precious Enuenweayoi, acting State Welfare Secretary of the APC, just to mention but few, amongst an overwhelming number of distinguished Deltans, into our PDP family under the big umbrella that covers the entire Delta State.
“Due to the massive numbers of distinguished Deltans who have now made PDP their new political home and family, we have compiled a comprehensive list of these our brothers and sisters, which will be published in a separate press release very soon.
“Deltans already know the excellent and impressive track records of so many of these fine men and women, that brought credibility, charisma, tremendous goodwill, vibrant intellectual articulation and a huge sense of commitment in their zeal to shore up the APC’s dwindling fortunes and goodwill in what was already designated as failed project.
“Unfortunately, the fractured and factionalized APC failed woefully to appreciate the exceptional qualities and values which these stalwarts brought into their party and today we are very happy and excited to have them and their teeming supporters running into thousands, join our great PDP family, where they will be fully covered and protected under the mighty umbrella that is covering the entire Delta State.
“We have no doubt whatsoever that the defections of these distinguished Deltans and their multitude of supporters, had not just dealt a mortal body blow to the ailing and formless APC in Delta State, signalling that the party is collapsing and almost finished in the State, it will also expand the burgeoning ranks of our membership in their various Constituencies and Senatorial Zones and will further consolidate the already accepted fact that Delta is PDP and PDP is Delta.
“We are also very confident that they will all bring their wealth of experience, solid political capital and proactive dynamism into the PDP, as they break the bonds and shackles that had held them hostage and kept them in the bondage of APC, and begin to flourish in the new atmosphere of freedom in the PDP.
“The Umbrella is big and wide enough to accommodate all, and Delta PDP has always provided and will continue to provide the conducive atmosphere, a level playing field and an all inclusive environment for one and all true loyal and faithful party men, women and youths across the three Senatorial Zones, as we collectively work towards ensuring a #StrongerDelta, for all Deltans.
PDP! Power to the people!
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza
State Publicity Secretary,
PDP, Delta State
Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has sent condolences to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on the passing away of his elder brother, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor said he had joined the Tambuwal family, community and people of Sokoto State in mourning the departed octogenarian and community leader.
He noted that the late Bello lived a life of impact and urged the family to be consoled by his legacies.
Okowa paid glowing tribute to the deceased for being a good man and community leader, and urged the family to take solace in the fact that he lived to witness the outstanding successes achieved by his brother, who was Speaker of House of Representatives and now, Governor of Sokoto State.
“We received the news of the demise of your elder brother with shock but we are consoled by the fact that he lived a life of dedicated service to God and humanity.
“We share in your sorrow and pains at this period and we pray that God will grant you the courage to bear the loss, as we pray for the repose of the soul of the departed Wazirin Tambuwal.
“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I mourn with you, my brother Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on the unfortunate demise of your beloved brother.
“It is my prayer that God will comfort you and the entire family and Sokoto people and give all of you the fortitude to bear the loss.” the governor said.
Okowa rejoices with Owhorode of Olomu at 105
Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated the Owhorode of Olomu Kingdom, Richard Layieguen, Ovie Ogoni-Oghoro I, on his 105th birth anniversary.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, Okowa remarked that the monarch had since ascending the throne, provided purposeful leadership for his people and Urhobo nation.
He pointed out that the monarch’s reign had been very beneficial to his kingdom in particular and Urhobo people in general.
According to the governor, the Olomu monarch has in the past 34 years on the throne of his ancestors contributed immensely to the growth and development of his kingdom and the Urhobo people, and therefore, deserves to be celebrated on this special occasion of his birth anniversary.
He said he was joining the royal family, people of Olomu Kingdom at home and in the diaspora and the entire Urhobo nation in celebrating the centenarian monarch, describing him as a bridge-builder, elder statesman and royal cannon who had attained a great landmark age in his journey of life.
Okowa prayed that God would continue to bless the renowned traditional ruler with great wisdom, good health and strength to continue leading the people of his kingdom.
He commended the monarch for his contributions to the prevalence of peace in the state as Chairman of Urhobo traditional rulers.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I warmly felicitate with His Royal Majesty, Richard Layieguen, Ovie Ogoni-Oghoro I, OON, the Owhorode of Olomu Kingdom, on the occasion of his 105th birth anniversary.
“We pray that the Almighty God will continue to imbue you with deserving wisdom as you ensure that your domain is replete with peace and development for the pleasure of your people and Urhobos and their neighbours,” the governor stated.
Delta reviews Ayakoromo bridge contract to N10.5bn
Delta Government said it had approved an upward review of contract cost of Ayakoromo Bridge project from N6 billion to N10.5 billion.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, told journalists in Asaba that the review was part of decisions reached at the first State Executive Council meeting in 2022, which was presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Thursday.
Aniagwu explained that the contract for the construction of the bridge which was awarded in 2013 had to be reviewed as a result of present economic realities in the country.
He said that the project was priority to the present administration in the state, adding that it was expected to be completed and inaugurated within the next 15 months.
“The Ayakoromo bridge also came up today and the Exco has approved an upward review of that contract which was awarded in 2013 at the initial cost of about N6 billion.
On the Independent Power Plant (IPP) in Oghara, Aniagwu said that the council gave approval for a programme that would enable the IPP come on stream by bringing in Independent Power Generating Companies under lease to own it.
“We have some turbines and equipment that they (the power generating companies) need to buy. We will bring them in and they will pay us some money from the beginning to some time and they will own the plant thereafter,” he said.
According to him, the state government took the measure because it does not want to engage in outright sale of the power facility where the state may be short-changed.
The commissioner further stated that Exco approved the upgrade of Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) to enable it to beam its signals across the state and to the entire South-South region.
To this end, he said, transmitters and other tools would be provided for the Asaba station and Ubulu-Uku sub-station to enhance the strength of the signal.
“The good one for me is that Exco approved the upgrade of Delta Broadcasting Service. So, in the next six months, we will, as much as possible, provide them with transmitters that would be able to cover the entire state,” Aniagwu stated.
On road infrastructure, he said that approval was given for the construction of Idheze internal roads in Isoko axis, rehabilitation of 5.6km Idere-Ase road in Isoko South, construction of Umuchime-Ogbele road, Ogume in Ndokwa West and construction of Ovie Whiskey Palace Road, Jesse, in Ethiope West.
While saying that the Okpe- Ekuku-Agbor road in Ika South was also approved for construction, the Commissioner disclosed that the Exco approved the rehabilitation and expansion of the Ugbolu – Asaba road as well as the Flood Control measures of Sakpoba Water Board, Oghara and the Ajagbodudu Market road.
“We also approved the rehabilitation of Ugbolu-Asaba road, to enable people easily access the film village coming to fruition soon. The road will also be expanded,” he added.
Aniagwu said that Exco also approved the repudiation of the Udu Harbour Market due to non-performance of the contractor, and that the contract would be re-awarded to a more competent company.
He disclosed that the council approved the appointment of Michael Imoh as the Ovie of Aviara in Isoko South, adding that Solomon Usoro Onyesom was endorsed as the Okpala-Uku of Ashaka Kingdom in Ndokwa East.
The Commissioner also announced that the government gave approval for the amendment of the declaration to the throne of Uvwie Kingdom regarding succession to the throne, even as he said that a 500-seater auditorium was approved for construction at the Delta State University, Abraka.
On his part, the Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Chief Arthur Akpovwowo, said approval was given for the transfer of the Department of Town Planning and Urban Development Board from Ministry of Lands to the Ministry of Urban Renewal.
Akpovwowo disclosed that approval had been given for the ministry to work at Ekuku-Agbor in Ika South, Ovu in Ethiope East and Akugbene in Bomadi Local Government Areas, and assured that the ministry would ensure that illegal activities in town planning and development were put to a halt.
Nigeria needs financial engineering to surmount economic challenges – Ogomudia
Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia (rtd.), on Friday, said Nigeria requires great financial engineering to enable the country resolve the multifaceted economic challenges bedevilling its sustainable development.
General Ogomudia disclosed this at the public presentation/launch of a book titled “200 Most Outstanding Deltans” held at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
He added that financial engineering was also needed to generate resources that would oxygenate the economy of the nation as well as the foreign reserves needed for the country to interface with the global economic system.
According to him, the present situation in the country, if left unresolved, could lead to inability of government to pay salaries with the attendant consequences of social upheavals unless the government would continue to take loans.
“We were told that Nigeria needs a total of N13.57 trillion naira to run as a country but we are barely able to generate N5.5 trillion naira in revenue out of which, last year, we spent N4.2 trillion naira on debt servicing thus leaving only N1.3 trillion naira as against N13.57 trillion which we needed to run the country.
“You will agree with me that resolving this kind of economic challenge will require great financial engineering.
“This kind of engineering is also needed to generate resources we need to run our country and the foreign reserves needed for us to interface with the global economic system.
“This situation, if left unresolved, could lead to inability of government to pay salaries with the attendant consequences of social upheavals unless we are going to continue to take loans,” the retired General said.
Speaking on the book (200 Most Outstanding Deltans) jointly authored by Pastors Powell Tos, Kennedy Bienose and Mr Nelson Egware, Ogomudia said the publication was a power house of individuals whose personal achievements are truly outstanding.
According to Ogomudia who was the Chairman at the ceremony, the public presentation/launch of the book, by implication, speaks to the subject of development be it in Delta State, some other states or in Nigeria generally as a country.
“To some people, the event of today is an ordinary one but to me, it is unique and special since it mirrors a perspective to development which recognises achievements, hard work and the idealism of performance per excellence.
“From the names of those who made the list in this first edition, it is clear that putting the list together, like the Secretary said, is a herculean task.
“I am aware that Delta State parades some of the best talents in this country. Therefore, the list would have been a lot longer than what we have now but I believe that subsequent editions, like the Secretary said, would definitely address all that have been ommitted,” he said.
While congratulating the outstanding personalities, Ogomudia noted that their recognition through the publication, was a further manifestation of a little muster seed which, he said, was planted by Governor Ibori at the onset of democratic governance in 1999, adding that Ibori set the stage for the recognition of Deltans who were able to make it to the top of their careers.
“Today’s event, therefore, marks another dimension in performance and recognition of individual achievements since it has some historical perspectives through the launching of this book.
“The 200 outstanding Deltans who made the list, have made history today. Indeed, their achievements and joint contributions made today’s event possible. If they didn’t achieve, l am sure nobody will waste his time trying to put together a list,” he stated.
“Occasions like this, according to him, work for our youth because they are our hope for the future, adding that they must recognise that the profound challenges of the future which stretched before them are enormous.
“To this extent, you must note that every generation has its own challenges and yours, l doubt if it could be an exception.
“If you are prepare to play any role of your own which off course, you must do, you must recognise that the future is already here with most economies now being technologically driven.
“In addition, competition for the best jobs and industries will come from the cutting edge technologies which you must endeavour to play a role.
“The challenges will also include mind bogging inventions that are coming up daily which are also knowledge driven for which you must prepare yourself adequately,” Ogomudia said, pointing out that the event should serve as a catalyst that will spur the youth into working hard in order to meet the challenges ahead.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa thanked the authors of the book for their painstaking effort in putting the book together.
The Governor who was represented by his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro said in a population of about 6 million people that are outstanding in their different respect, picking 200 most outstanding “is undoubtedly, a very painstaking work.”
“l want to use this opportunity to say that whoever that is there, is there in a representative capacity of the fact that we are all true Deltans and we are all winners,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Secretary of the organising committee, Pastor Kennedy Bienose disclosed that the book is a document for posterity, adding that there would subsequent editions, even as he said that the e-version of the book would be available soon.
The book reviewer, Godfrey Ubaka who is the Editor-In-Chief of The Pointer Newspaper said the book which was lucidly presented was aimed at celebrating excellence.
The highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the book by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, among other dignitaries.
PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS MURDERED FIVE-YEAR-OLD HANIFA, COMMENDS DETECTIVE OPERATIONS LEADING TO ARRESTS
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the five-year-old school girl Hanifa Abubakar whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after near two months of fruitless search.
The President in the same breath has praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, and particularly for the arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.
President Buhari said the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance in December last year were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well, adding however that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.
“When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement,” said the President.
President Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.
The President urged the Police and Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that will earn the respect of the court.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 21, 2022
A UK-AFRICA TRADE DEAL WOULD CREATE JOBS AND BOOST THE COMMONWEALTH – POST-BREXIT, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE By Muhammadu Buhari
A deal would enable Britain to practice the free trade it has long preached and represent recognition by a G7 economy of the benefits of African unity, writes President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria
Two years after the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, my country Nigeria and her African partners seek a new settlement with Britain: one based on cooperation in fairer – and freer – trade.
The UK and Nigeria share a deep and special partnership. We are champions for peace and security in Africa. We are custodians of the Commonwealth. Yet in recent years our relationship, particularly on trade, has been defined by Britain’s membership of the European Union.
It meant being part of attempts to cajole individual African nations into lopsided European bilateral economic partnership agreements. Nigeria rejected such a deal in 2018, as it sought only to prioritise beneficial terms for raw commodities export to Europe while erecting high tariff barriers to goods manufactured and processed in Africa – stunting job creation. Lack of employment is a key cause of mass migration from Africa to Europe, perversely caused by the very trade policies intended for Europe’s protection.
Now, all this can be changed. Last September, history was made with the UK becoming the first country in the world to sign a memorandum with the African Union’s 54-country Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This should lead to a UK-African union free trade deal. It would be one made with parity, considering Africa’s $3tn combined GDP is equivalent to that of the United Kingdom, the world’s fifth-largest economy.
Given that the Commonwealth’s 19 African members collectively produce over half the African continent’s GDP, a UK-Africa deal would, concurrently, cause a revitalisation of intra-Commonwealth trade and with it the club itself – a stated British foreign policy aim. This could be further enhanced should we take advantage of the fact those 19 nations’ national laws are built on the principles of English jurisprudence: a common platform from which to better align regulations on investment and certification.
A deal would enable Britain to practice the free trade it has long preached. It would represent recognition by a G7 economy of the benefits of African unity; that job creation and manufacturing in Africa can be an advantage and not a threat to the western world. And it would inject momentum into a renewed Commonwealth, after decades during which the organisation’s potential for economic cooperation was in abeyance while its most influential founding member was bound to European trade policies and unable to act alone. A Commonwealth rebuilt around trade would help replenish this underused club of friends.
But before we reach ahead of ourselves, we must remember that though the purpose of trade deals should be mutual prosperity, favorable terms can be rejected because little attention has been made to persuade public opinion. On both sides, there will be those concerned over competition and terms of trade.
To carry our citizens with us we must start by agreeing on the most favorable trading terms for those products each other does not produce. Fresh and processed foodstuffs, for instance, which cannot be grown in the UK should be prioritised with favorable or no tariffs.
For British companies seeking opportunities in Africa, there should be incentives for sectors heavy in job creation. Here there are millions of highly-skilled, English-speaking but underemployed young people. They are eager to work but without the opportunities that foreign investment can bring to create jobs and build businesses.
This great market is Britain’s opportunity. But, of course, some see it as a threat to where jobs can only be lost and from where immigrants come. They view engagement as a partially open door that will only become wider – unless borders become walls, and Britain a fortress.
That is a mistake. Those who rail against “economic migrants” must realise few people anywhere wish to leave their communities to live in foreign lands. Most would rather stay at home. But the way to help them stay there is not by force, or walls, or racism: it is investment and jobs where they live.
And those jobs will be needed to produce the goods and services demanded by Africa’s growing middle class, whose number is predicted to be close to one billion by 2050. They will not be cheaper replacements for employment lost in Britain or elsewhere: rather extra jobs, created by expanding opportunities in a growing African economy.
Those who come from Britain seeking opportunities will be welcomed by an expanding and worldly-wise middle class wishing to experience the best of British culture, products, and expertise – from television and creative industries to iconic cars and education services.
Being the first mover amongst the G7 to seek a trade deal with Africa, the UK is positioning itself to secure the very best of terms and stands able to revive intra-Commonwealth trade, replenish its relations with the fastest growing market in the world, tackle the causes of economic migration – and create jobs and wealth that boost rather than threaten those at home.
Muhammadu Buhari is President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Originally published in The Independent of London
‘‘SEEING IS BELIEVING,’’ PRESIDENT BUHARI THUMBS UP EL-RUFAI AFTER COMMISSIONING PROJECTS IN ZARIA, KADUNA
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday continued the inauguration of projects executed by the Kaduna State Government, with stops at Zaria, heaping encomiums on Governor Nasir El-Rufai saying, ‘‘I am pleased to be associated with your successes and initiatives.’’
Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, the President noted that within the context of scarce resources and prevailing economic reality, the Kaduna State government has done well for the people.
‘‘As they say in Hausa ‘Gani ya Kori ji’ (seeing is believing),’’ he said.
The President, who is on a four-day official visit to the State, had on Thursday commissioned projects in Kafanchan and Kaduna metropolis in the State.
On Friday in Zaria, the northern senatorial district of Kaduna, the President inaugurated the remodelled Sabon Gari market with 3,400 shops; the Circular road with two spurs on River road and Kufena road; and the Queen Elizabeth way.
At the Sabon-Gari market, President Buhari, while appreciating the governor for rebuilding one of the oldest markets in the State and paying compensation of over N300 million to traders, jocularly said he would consider opening a consultancy service in the market, where a ‘‘Presidential Block’’ is named after him.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufai recalled that in August 2019, the President was in Zaria to commission Phase 2 of the Zaria water project, providing a basic amenity that was not available for residents of Zaria for over 30 years.
‘‘Our State is an agricultural State and this Emirate is associated with farming. We know Mr President’s passion for agriculture and we are grateful you appointed a son of the State to head the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
‘‘We look forward to more agricultural interventions in the State,’’ the Governor said, pledging that the people of Kaduna and their elected representatives will continue to stand by the principles and values associated with the President: honesty, integrity and commitment to public service.
The Emir of Zazzau thanked the President for the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health in providing a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at Ahamdu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, in line with the desire of the people of Zazzau.
‘‘Today our people don’t have to travel to Kano, Sokoto or Abuja for medical screening with MRI machine,’’ he said.
The first class traditional ruler commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the Urban Renewal Projects embarked upon by his administration, acknowledging that the Emir of Zazzau’s Palace which has been in existence for centuries, was a major beneficiary of the projects.
‘‘We will be grateful if Mr President will thank and bless our Governor for the gigantic legacy project ongoing in the Place. Equally, Zaria people have benefitted in other areas like road construction and bridges which have expanded road networks as well as decongested traffic significantly,’’ he said.
On security, the Emir, while acknowledging the efforts of the government, solicited for more intervention by the Federal Government in the area, noting that Zaria emirate is a gateway to all the States in the North West as well neighbouring Niger Republic.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 21, 2022
Kangiwa promises training support for tourism development in Epe LGA
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, has stated the commitment of the Institute in the promotion of Grass-Root Tourism Development in the country, noting that it is where the tourism potentials of the country are domiciled.
A press release signed by NIHOTOUR’s Director of Media & Public Relations, indicated that Kangiwa made the remark when he received the Chairperson of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun at the headquarters of the Institute in Abuja.
The NIHOTOUR helmsman said as part of its human capacity training and development, NIHOTOUR is willing to partner with the Local government in the training of youths of the Council Area in artistry skills in travel-tourism and hospitality related trades.
The Director General noted that efforts of the Institute in providing training for youths and women across the length and breadth of the country is informed by its desire to contribute as much as it can in the fight against unemployment and youth restiveness through skill acquisition trainings that create job opportunities for the youths.
He commended the efforts of the Epe Council area in the promotion of eco-tourism in Lagos State, promising that NIHOTOUR is prepared to collaborate and offer support in the area of manpower training needed to drive the tourism activities of the LGA.
Speaking earlier, Princess Surah Animashaun said she was on the courtesy visit to NIHOTOUR to explore areas of collaboration with the Institute in her efforts to promote the tourism potentials of the local government and tap from the economic benefits of the industry.
She therefore solicited for the support of the Institute in empowering youths and women of the council area in the various travel-tourism and hospitality trades, stating that this will go a long way in providing job opportunities as well as help check the menace caused by unemployment among the youths.
Press Statement
RIVPA Congratulates New Rivers NUJ Exco
We wish to congratulate and felicitate with the newly elected state executive council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State led by Comrade Stanley Job Stanley.
On behalf of all the private media operating in the State and their editorial staff, we share in the infectious joy and wide celebrations that greeted the emergence of the New Exco after four failed previous attempts to get the election process underway.
Our immense gratitude also goes to the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, and former State Chairman of the Council, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim whose timely intervention to broker peace between the warrying factions helped the process to succeed.
Also not left out are the most respected elders of the council, Rt. Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Elder Ignatius Chukwu and the national Vice President, Zone F of NUJ, our very own Opaka Dakubo for the prominent role they played in bringing peace and reconciliation among the gladiators.
It must however be pointed out that in the election there were no real winners or losers. The only winner is the NUJ Rivers State Council.
We therefore wish to advise that all the differences and seeming bad blood generated during the initial stage of the election process be put behind and a new relationship rooted in brotherhood, one profession, one union be the commanding and propelling force for the welfare and happiness of the greater majority of all our members in the Pen Fraternity.
And to all practicing journalists in the private media, this is the time to get up and be alive to your pride of place and superior status as the Gramour-bearers of all journalists not only in Rivers State or Nigeria but anywhere in the world.
Never again will you be taken for granted by those that ride and survive on your very own goodwill and professional skills as the purveyors of hard facts and watchdog of the society.
It’s painful to have the hen that lays the golden egg derided, insulted and disenfranchised not realizing that what makes the battlefield is the soldiers and not the bush.
Let it also be pointed out that no one is to blame for this misnomer for “no one will say there you are, except you say here I am”.
We however, thank God that the incidents that threatened the success of the election have left some good lessons for all journalists in the State as well as all prospective aspirants to NUJ leadership in future.
At least, we have learnt that never again will anybody or group no matter how few or small be taken for granted.
Everybody matters in the pursuit of our collective welfare: The Exco, the opponents, the larger chapels, the smaller chapels, the print, the electronic, the active, the armchair, etc.
Once again, congratulations and to God be the glory.
Pastor Jerry Needam, JP
Chairman RIVPA
Rivers State.
Friday, January 21, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES MUST GUIDE DEMOCRATIC CHOICES
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State underlined his resolve to consolidate the country’s political system to improve the quality of the people’s lives because “the people matter.”
In an address at the palace of Alhaji Muhammadu Isa 11, the Emir of Jama’a, President Buhari said “we are doing our efforts to consolidate the system for the good of the people because they matter.”
To this end, he spoke about the use of the police and the military, in dealing with security situations but urged Nigerians to develop confidence in civil authority to build a system “free of chaos.”
“Nobody,” he warned emphatically, “should be allowed to raise an army of thugs to force himself on the people. This,” he added, “must be very clear.”
The President gave assurances of the determination of his administration “to hand over a better Nigeria than the one we inherited,” and urged Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of what his government has achieved especially on the campaign promises he made ahead of the 2015 elections.
The President commended Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State for his accomplishments in the provision of infrastructure, saying:
“I’m very impressed by the rehabilitation of the town (Kafanchan) I have seen,” he said, after commissioning the newly constructed Dan Haya road, Katsina road and the Emir’s Palace road in Kafanchan.
President Buhari, who urged residents of the area to show appreciation for the projects, also commended Alhaji Muhammed Isa, the Emir, for his consolidation of peace among the diverse ethnic and religious communities of the Emirate.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufa’i acknowledged the President’s investments in security in the area, noting in particular that the establishment of security outfits had paved the way for reduced attacks on people, stating categorically that Kafanchan is much safer today than it used to be.
In acknowledging the improvements in security in the area, the Emir requested permanent bases for the Air Force and the Mobile Police, as well as the restoration of the rail services for which Kafanchan had achieved renown.
The President was welcomed to the community by the Senator and Members of the House of Representatives from the zone, and a large number of enthusiastic citizens who thronged the streets.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI INAUGURATES KAWO FLYOVER, OTHER PROJECTS IN KADUNA, RECOUNTS NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE IN 2014
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the 800-metre long flyover in Kawo, Kaduna State, recounting how he narrowly escaped a targeted bomb attack in the vicinity in 2014.
Reminiscing on the unfortunate incident, which claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians, the President said he remains grateful to God for sparing his life on that fateful day on Ali Akilu road, Kawo-Kaduna.
”For many years, I always plied this route and I cannot recount how many times I crossed it.
”There was an attempt on my life on this road. Nothing happened to me just like the 30 months I spent during the civil war.
”They wanted to blow up the vehicle I was in around the secretariat but my escort somehow stopped them. But before we came to this bridge (Kawo), they became more desperate and there was a small market in the area where the device exploded.
”But God protected us and here I am again,’’ he said.
The President, who also inaugurated the newly remodelled Murtala Mohammed Square, 136-bed Infectious Disease Hospital, LEA Lokoja Road Primary School, Rigasa, Aliyu Makama road and the Leventis underpass, executed by the State government, praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai for completing people-oriented projects in Kaduna metropolis as well as in other senatorial zones in the State .
At the Murtala Square, the new city centre of Kaduna State, President Buhari while admiring the remodelled edifice, recalled that he was constrained by family challenges to relocate from Daura to Kaduna after he was released from detention as a former military Head of State.
”I can hardly find my way in Kaduna due to the development taking place here and the governor has committed himself to change Kaduna for good and has been very successful at that, and Nigerians are appreciative that you are writing your history in letters of gold, ” he said.
In the metropolis, the President also commissioned the Barbedos fertilizer plant, a private sector investment in the State.
Speaking at the LEA Lokoja Primary School, the Governor said the project has now been renamed ‘‘Buhari mega-primary school.”
He noted that the people of Rigasa have been consistent in giving President Buhari 98 percent of their votes in previous presidential elections.
”They are the most committed Buharists in the country,” he said.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS MURDERED FIVE-YEAR-OLD HANIFA, COMMENDS DETECTIVE OPERATIONS LEADING TO ARRESTS
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday expressed the nation’s condolences to the family of the five-year-old school girl Hanifa Abubakar whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in Kano after near two months of fruitless search.
The President in the same breath has praised the work of the police and the secret service in unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, and particularly for the arrest of her teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.
President Buhari said the family and the whole nation which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance in December last year were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well, adding however that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by the law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects who have already made confessions was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.
“When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement,” said the President.
President Buhari prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God.
The President urged the Police and Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that will earn the respect of the court.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 21, 2022
A UK-AFRICA TRADE DEAL WOULD CREATE JOBS AND BOOST THE COMMONWEALTH – POST-BREXIT, IT IS NOW POSSIBLE By Muhammadu Buhari
A deal would enable Britain to practice the free trade it has long preached and represent recognition by a G7 economy of the benefits of African unity, writes President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria
Two years after the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, my country Nigeria and her African partners seek a new settlement with Britain: one based on cooperation in fairer – and freer – trade.
The UK and Nigeria share a deep and special partnership. We are champions for peace and security in Africa. We are custodians of the Commonwealth. Yet in recent years our relationship, particularly on trade, has been defined by Britain’s membership of the European Union.
It meant being part of attempts to cajole individual African nations into lopsided European bilateral economic partnership agreements. Nigeria rejected such a deal in 2018, as it sought only to prioritise beneficial terms for raw commodities export to Europe while erecting high tariff barriers to goods manufactured and processed in Africa – stunting job creation. Lack of employment is a key cause of mass migration from Africa to Europe, perversely caused by the very trade policies intended for Europe’s protection.
Now, all this can be changed. Last September, history was made with the UK becoming the first country in the world to sign a memorandum with the African Union’s 54-country Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This should lead to a UK-African union free trade deal. It would be one made with parity, considering Africa’s $3tn combined GDP is equivalent to that of the United Kingdom, the world’s fifth-largest economy.
Given that the Commonwealth’s 19 African members collectively produce over half the African continent’s GDP, a UK-Africa deal would, concurrently, cause a revitalisation of intra-Commonwealth trade and with it the club itself – a stated British foreign policy aim. This could be further enhanced should we take advantage of the fact those 19 nations’ national laws are built on the principles of English jurisprudence: a common platform from which to better align regulations on investment and certification.
A deal would enable Britain to practice the free trade it has long preached. It would represent recognition by a G7 economy of the benefits of African unity; that job creation and manufacturing in Africa can be an advantage and not a threat to the western world. And it would inject momentum into a renewed Commonwealth, after decades during which the organisation’s potential for economic cooperation was in abeyance while its most influential founding member was bound to European trade policies and unable to act alone. A Commonwealth rebuilt around trade would help replenish this underused club of friends.
But before we reach ahead of ourselves, we must remember that though the purpose of trade deals should be mutual prosperity, favorable terms can be rejected because little attention has been made to persuade public opinion. On both sides, there will be those concerned over competition and terms of trade.
To carry our citizens with us we must start by agreeing on the most favorable trading terms for those products each other does not produce. Fresh and processed foodstuffs, for instance, which cannot be grown in the UK should be prioritised with favorable or no tariffs.
For British companies seeking opportunities in Africa, there should be incentives for sectors heavy in job creation. Here there are millions of highly-skilled, English-speaking but underemployed young people. They are eager to work but without the opportunities that foreign investment can bring to create jobs and build businesses.
This great market is Britain’s opportunity. But, of course, some see it as a threat to where jobs can only be lost and from where immigrants come. They view engagement as a partially open door that will only become wider – unless borders become walls, and Britain a fortress.
That is a mistake. Those who rail against “economic migrants” must realise few people anywhere wish to leave their communities to live in foreign lands. Most would rather stay at home. But the way to help them stay there is not by force, or walls, or racism: it is investment and jobs where they live.
And those jobs will be needed to produce the goods and services demanded by Africa’s growing middle class, whose number is predicted to be close to one billion by 2050. They will not be cheaper replacements for employment lost in Britain or elsewhere: rather extra jobs, created by expanding opportunities in a growing African economy.
Those who come from Britain seeking opportunities will be welcomed by an expanding and worldly-wise middle class wishing to experience the best of British culture, products, and expertise – from television and creative industries to iconic cars and education services.
Being the first mover amongst the G7 to seek a trade deal with Africa, the UK is positioning itself to secure the very best of terms and stands able to revive intra-Commonwealth trade, replenish its relations with the fastest growing market in the world, tackle the causes of economic migration – and create jobs and wealth that boost rather than threaten those at home.
Muhammadu Buhari is President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Originally published in The Independent of London
‘‘SEEING IS BELIEVING,’’ PRESIDENT BUHARI THUMBS UP EL-RUFAI AFTER COMMISSIONING PROJECTS IN ZARIA, KADUNA
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday continued the inauguration of projects executed by the Kaduna State Government, with stops at Zaria, heaping encomiums on Governor Nasir El-Rufai saying, ‘‘I am pleased to be associated with your successes and initiatives.’’
Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, the President noted that within the context of scarce resources and prevailing economic reality, the Kaduna State government has done well for the people.
‘‘As they say in Hausa ‘Gani ya Kori ji’ (seeing is believing),’’ he said.
The President, who is on a four-day official visit to the State, had on Thursday commissioned projects in Kafanchan and Kaduna metropolis in the State.
On Friday in Zaria, the northern senatorial district of Kaduna, the President inaugurated the remodelled Sabon Gari market with 3,400 shops; the Circular road with two spurs on River road and Kufena road; and the Queen Elizabeth way.
At the Sabon-Gari market, President Buhari, while appreciating the governor for rebuilding one of the oldest markets in the State and paying compensation of over N300 million to traders, jocularly said he would consider opening a consultancy service in the market, where a ‘‘Presidential Block’’ is named after him.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufai recalled that in August 2019, the President was in Zaria to commission Phase 2 of the Zaria water project, providing a basic amenity that was not available for residents of Zaria for over 30 years.
‘‘Our State is an agricultural State and this Emirate is associated with farming. We know Mr President’s passion for agriculture and we are grateful you appointed a son of the State to head the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
‘‘We look forward to more agricultural interventions in the State,’’ the Governor said, pledging that the people of Kaduna and their elected representatives will continue to stand by the principles and values associated with the President: honesty, integrity and commitment to public service.
The Emir of Zazzau thanked the President for the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health in providing a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at Ahamdu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, in line with the desire of the people of Zazzau.
‘‘Today our people don’t have to travel to Kano, Sokoto or Abuja for medical screening with MRI machine,’’ he said.
The first class traditional ruler commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the Urban Renewal Projects embarked upon by his administration, acknowledging that the Emir of Zazzau’s Palace which has been in existence for centuries, was a major beneficiary of the projects.
‘‘We will be grateful if Mr President will thank and bless our Governor for the gigantic legacy project ongoing in the Place. Equally, Zaria people have benefitted in other areas like road construction and bridges which have expanded road networks as well as decongested traffic significantly,’’ he said.
On security, the Emir, while acknowledging the efforts of the government, solicited for more intervention by the Federal Government in the area, noting that Zaria emirate is a gateway to all the States in the North West as well neighbouring Niger Republic.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 21, 2022
Kangiwa promises training support for tourism development in Epe LGA
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, has stated the commitment of the Institute in the promotion of Grass-Root Tourism Development in the country, noting that it is where the tourism potentials of the country are domiciled.
A press release signed by NIHOTOUR’s Director of Media & Public Relations, indicated that Kangiwa made the remark when he received the Chairperson of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun at the headquarters of the Institute in Abuja.
The NIHOTOUR helmsman said as part of its human capacity training and development, NIHOTOUR is willing to partner with the Local government in the training of youths of the Council Area in artistry skills in travel-tourism and hospitality related trades.
The Director General noted that efforts of the Institute in providing training for youths and women across the length and breadth of the country is informed by its desire to contribute as much as it can in the fight against unemployment and youth restiveness through skill acquisition trainings that create job opportunities for the youths.
He commended the efforts of the Epe Council area in the promotion of eco-tourism in Lagos State, promising that NIHOTOUR is prepared to collaborate and offer support in the area of manpower training needed to drive the tourism activities of the LGA.
Speaking earlier, Princess Surah Animashaun said she was on the courtesy visit to NIHOTOUR to explore areas of collaboration with the Institute in her efforts to promote the tourism potentials of the local government and tap from the economic benefits of the industry.
She therefore solicited for the support of the Institute in empowering youths and women of the council area in the various travel-tourism and hospitality trades, stating that this will go a long way in providing job opportunities as well as help check the menace caused by unemployment among the youths.
Press Statement
RIVPA Congratulates New Rivers NUJ Exco
We wish to congratulate and felicitate with the newly elected state executive council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State led by Comrade Stanley Job Stanley.
On behalf of all the private media operating in the State and their editorial staff, we share in the infectious joy and wide celebrations that greeted the emergence of the New Exco after four failed previous attempts to get the election process underway.
Our immense gratitude also goes to the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, and former State Chairman of the Council, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim whose timely intervention to broker peace between the warrying factions helped the process to succeed.
Also not left out are the most respected elders of the council, Rt. Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Elder Ignatius Chukwu and the national Vice President, Zone F of NUJ, our very own Opaka Dakubo for the prominent role they played in bringing peace and reconciliation among the gladiators.
It must however be pointed out that in the election there were no real winners or losers. The only winner is the NUJ Rivers State Council.
We therefore wish to advise that all the differences and seeming bad blood generated during the initial stage of the election process be put behind and a new relationship rooted in brotherhood, one profession, one union be the commanding and propelling force for the welfare and happiness of the greater majority of all our members in the Pen Fraternity.
And to all practicing journalists in the private media, this is the time to get up and be alive to your pride of place and superior status as the Gramour-bearers of all journalists not only in Rivers State or Nigeria but anywhere in the world.
Never again will you be taken for granted by those that ride and survive on your very own goodwill and professional skills as the purveyors of hard facts and watchdog of the society.
It’s painful to have the hen that lays the golden egg derided, insulted and disenfranchised not realizing that what makes the battlefield is the soldiers and not the bush.
Let it also be pointed out that no one is to blame for this misnomer for “no one will say there you are, except you say here I am”.
We however, thank God that the incidents that threatened the success of the election have left some good lessons for all journalists in the State as well as all prospective aspirants to NUJ leadership in future.
At least, we have learnt that never again will anybody or group no matter how few or small be taken for granted.
Everybody matters in the pursuit of our collective welfare: The Exco, the opponents, the larger chapels, the smaller chapels, the print, the electronic, the active, the armchair, etc.
Once again, congratulations and to God be the glory.
Pastor Jerry Needam, JP
Chairman RIVPA
Rivers State.
Friday, January 21, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES MUST GUIDE DEMOCRATIC CHOICES
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State underlined his resolve to consolidate the country’s political system to improve the quality of the people’s lives because “the people matter.”
In an address at the palace of Alhaji Muhammadu Isa 11, the Emir of Jama’a, President Buhari said “we are doing our efforts to consolidate the system for the good of the people because they matter.”
To this end, he spoke about the use of the police and the military, in dealing with security situations but urged Nigerians to develop confidence in civil authority to build a system “free of chaos.”
“Nobody,” he warned emphatically, “should be allowed to raise an army of thugs to force himself on the people. This,” he added, “must be very clear.”
The President gave assurances of the determination of his administration “to hand over a better Nigeria than the one we inherited,” and urged Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of what his government has achieved especially on the campaign promises he made ahead of the 2015 elections.
The President commended Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State for his accomplishments in the provision of infrastructure, saying:
“I’m very impressed by the rehabilitation of the town (Kafanchan) I have seen,” he said, after commissioning the newly constructed Dan Haya road, Katsina road and the Emir’s Palace road in Kafanchan.
President Buhari, who urged residents of the area to show appreciation for the projects, also commended Alhaji Muhammed Isa, the Emir, for his consolidation of peace among the diverse ethnic and religious communities of the Emirate.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufa’i acknowledged the President’s investments in security in the area, noting in particular that the establishment of security outfits had paved the way for reduced attacks on people, stating categorically that Kafanchan is much safer today than it used to be.
In acknowledging the improvements in security in the area, the Emir requested permanent bases for the Air Force and the Mobile Police, as well as the restoration of the rail services for which Kafanchan had achieved renown.
The President was welcomed to the community by the Senator and Members of the House of Representatives from the zone, and a large number of enthusiastic citizens who thronged the streets.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI INAUGURATES KAWO FLYOVER, OTHER PROJECTS IN KADUNA, RECOUNTS NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE IN 2014
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the 800-metre long flyover in Kawo, Kaduna State, recounting how he narrowly escaped a targeted bomb attack in the vicinity in 2014.
Reminiscing on the unfortunate incident, which claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians, the President said he remains grateful to God for sparing his life on that fateful day on Ali Akilu road, Kawo-Kaduna.
”For many years, I always plied this route and I cannot recount how many times I crossed it.
”There was an attempt on my life on this road. Nothing happened to me just like the 30 months I spent during the civil war.
”They wanted to blow up the vehicle I was in around the secretariat but my escort somehow stopped them. But before we came to this bridge (Kawo), they became more desperate and there was a small market in the area where the device exploded.
”But God protected us and here I am again,’’ he said.
The President, who also inaugurated the newly remodelled Murtala Mohammed Square, 136-bed Infectious Disease Hospital, LEA Lokoja Road Primary School, Rigasa, Aliyu Makama road and the Leventis underpass, executed by the State government, praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai for completing people-oriented projects in Kaduna metropolis as well as in other senatorial zones in the State .
At the Murtala Square, the new city centre of Kaduna State, President Buhari while admiring the remodelled edifice, recalled that he was constrained by family challenges to relocate from Daura to Kaduna after he was released from detention as a former military Head of State.
”I can hardly find my way in Kaduna due to the development taking place here and the governor has committed himself to change Kaduna for good and has been very successful at that, and Nigerians are appreciative that you are writing your history in letters of gold, ” he said.
In the metropolis, the President also commissioned the Barbedos fertilizer plant, a private sector investment in the State.
Speaking at the LEA Lokoja Primary School, the Governor said the project has now been renamed ‘‘Buhari mega-primary school.”
He noted that the people of Rigasa have been consistent in giving President Buhari 98 percent of their votes in previous presidential elections.
”They are the most committed Buharists in the country,” he said.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday continued the inauguration of projects executed by the Kaduna State Government, with stops at Zaria, heaping encomiums on Governor Nasir El-Rufai saying, ‘‘I am pleased to be associated with your successes and initiatives.’’
Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, the President noted that within the context of scarce resources and prevailing economic reality, the Kaduna State government has done well for the people.
‘‘As they say in Hausa ‘Gani ya Kori ji’ (seeing is believing),’’ he said.
The President, who is on a four-day official visit to the State, had on Thursday commissioned projects in Kafanchan and Kaduna metropolis in the State.
On Friday in Zaria, the northern senatorial district of Kaduna, the President inaugurated the remodelled Sabon Gari market with 3,400 shops; the Circular road with two spurs on River road and Kufena road; and the Queen Elizabeth way.
At the Sabon-Gari market, President Buhari, while appreciating the governor for rebuilding one of the oldest markets in the State and paying compensation of over N300 million to traders, jocularly said he would consider opening a consultancy service in the market, where a ‘‘Presidential Block’’ is named after him.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufai recalled that in August 2019, the President was in Zaria to commission Phase 2 of the Zaria water project, providing a basic amenity that was not available for residents of Zaria for over 30 years.
‘‘Our State is an agricultural State and this Emirate is associated with farming. We know Mr President’s passion for agriculture and we are grateful you appointed a son of the State to head the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
‘‘We look forward to more agricultural interventions in the State,’’ the Governor said, pledging that the people of Kaduna and their elected representatives will continue to stand by the principles and values associated with the President: honesty, integrity and commitment to public service.
The Emir of Zazzau thanked the President for the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health in providing a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at Ahamdu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, in line with the desire of the people of Zazzau.
‘‘Today our people don’t have to travel to Kano, Sokoto or Abuja for medical screening with MRI machine,’’ he said.
The first class traditional ruler commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the Urban Renewal Projects embarked upon by his administration, acknowledging that the Emir of Zazzau’s Palace which has been in existence for centuries, was a major beneficiary of the projects.
‘‘We will be grateful if Mr President will thank and bless our Governor for the gigantic legacy project ongoing in the Place. Equally, Zaria people have benefitted in other areas like road construction and bridges which have expanded road networks as well as decongested traffic significantly,’’ he said.
On security, the Emir, while acknowledging the efforts of the government, solicited for more intervention by the Federal Government in the area, noting that Zaria emirate is a gateway to all the States in the North West as well neighbouring Niger Republic.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 21, 2022
Kangiwa promises training support for tourism development in Epe LGA
The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, has stated the commitment of the Institute in the promotion of Grass-Root Tourism Development in the country, noting that it is where the tourism potentials of the country are domiciled.
A press release signed by NIHOTOUR’s Director of Media & Public Relations, indicated that Kangiwa made the remark when he received the Chairperson of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun at the headquarters of the Institute in Abuja.
The NIHOTOUR helmsman said as part of its human capacity training and development, NIHOTOUR is willing to partner with the Local government in the training of youths of the Council Area in artistry skills in travel-tourism and hospitality related trades.
The Director General noted that efforts of the Institute in providing training for youths and women across the length and breadth of the country is informed by its desire to contribute as much as it can in the fight against unemployment and youth restiveness through skill acquisition trainings that create job opportunities for the youths.
He commended the efforts of the Epe Council area in the promotion of eco-tourism in Lagos State, promising that NIHOTOUR is prepared to collaborate and offer support in the area of manpower training needed to drive the tourism activities of the LGA.
Speaking earlier, Princess Surah Animashaun said she was on the courtesy visit to NIHOTOUR to explore areas of collaboration with the Institute in her efforts to promote the tourism potentials of the local government and tap from the economic benefits of the industry.
She therefore solicited for the support of the Institute in empowering youths and women of the council area in the various travel-tourism and hospitality trades, stating that this will go a long way in providing job opportunities as well as help check the menace caused by unemployment among the youths.
Press Statement
RIVPA Congratulates New Rivers NUJ Exco
We wish to congratulate and felicitate with the newly elected state executive council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State led by Comrade Stanley Job Stanley.
On behalf of all the private media operating in the State and their editorial staff, we share in the infectious joy and wide celebrations that greeted the emergence of the New Exco after four failed previous attempts to get the election process underway.
Our immense gratitude also goes to the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, and former State Chairman of the Council, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim whose timely intervention to broker peace between the warrying factions helped the process to succeed.
Also not left out are the most respected elders of the council, Rt. Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, former Commissioner for Information and Communications, Elder Ignatius Chukwu and the national Vice President, Zone F of NUJ, our very own Opaka Dakubo for the prominent role they played in bringing peace and reconciliation among the gladiators.
It must however be pointed out that in the election there were no real winners or losers. The only winner is the NUJ Rivers State Council.
We therefore wish to advise that all the differences and seeming bad blood generated during the initial stage of the election process be put behind and a new relationship rooted in brotherhood, one profession, one union be the commanding and propelling force for the welfare and happiness of the greater majority of all our members in the Pen Fraternity.
And to all practicing journalists in the private media, this is the time to get up and be alive to your pride of place and superior status as the Gramour-bearers of all journalists not only in Rivers State or Nigeria but anywhere in the world.
Never again will you be taken for granted by those that ride and survive on your very own goodwill and professional skills as the purveyors of hard facts and watchdog of the society.
It’s painful to have the hen that lays the golden egg derided, insulted and disenfranchised not realizing that what makes the battlefield is the soldiers and not the bush.
Let it also be pointed out that no one is to blame for this misnomer for “no one will say there you are, except you say here I am”.
We however, thank God that the incidents that threatened the success of the election have left some good lessons for all journalists in the State as well as all prospective aspirants to NUJ leadership in future.
At least, we have learnt that never again will anybody or group no matter how few or small be taken for granted.
Everybody matters in the pursuit of our collective welfare: The Exco, the opponents, the larger chapels, the smaller chapels, the print, the electronic, the active, the armchair, etc.
Once again, congratulations and to God be the glory.
Pastor Jerry Needam, JP
Chairman RIVPA
Rivers State.
Friday, January 21, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES MUST GUIDE DEMOCRATIC CHOICES
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State underlined his resolve to consolidate the country’s political system to improve the quality of the people’s lives because “the people matter.”
In an address at the palace of Alhaji Muhammadu Isa 11, the Emir of Jama’a, President Buhari said “we are doing our efforts to consolidate the system for the good of the people because they matter.”
To this end, he spoke about the use of the police and the military, in dealing with security situations but urged Nigerians to develop confidence in civil authority to build a system “free of chaos.”
“Nobody,” he warned emphatically, “should be allowed to raise an army of thugs to force himself on the people. This,” he added, “must be very clear.”
The President gave assurances of the determination of his administration “to hand over a better Nigeria than the one we inherited,” and urged Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of what his government has achieved especially on the campaign promises he made ahead of the 2015 elections.
The President commended Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State for his accomplishments in the provision of infrastructure, saying:
“I’m very impressed by the rehabilitation of the town (Kafanchan) I have seen,” he said, after commissioning the newly constructed Dan Haya road, Katsina road and the Emir’s Palace road in Kafanchan.
President Buhari, who urged residents of the area to show appreciation for the projects, also commended Alhaji Muhammed Isa, the Emir, for his consolidation of peace among the diverse ethnic and religious communities of the Emirate.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufa’i acknowledged the President’s investments in security in the area, noting in particular that the establishment of security outfits had paved the way for reduced attacks on people, stating categorically that Kafanchan is much safer today than it used to be.
In acknowledging the improvements in security in the area, the Emir requested permanent bases for the Air Force and the Mobile Police, as well as the restoration of the rail services for which Kafanchan had achieved renown.
The President was welcomed to the community by the Senator and Members of the House of Representatives from the zone, and a large number of enthusiastic citizens who thronged the streets.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI INAUGURATES KAWO FLYOVER, OTHER PROJECTS IN KADUNA, RECOUNTS NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE IN 2014
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the 800-metre long flyover in Kawo, Kaduna State, recounting how he narrowly escaped a targeted bomb attack in the vicinity in 2014.
Reminiscing on the unfortunate incident, which claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians, the President said he remains grateful to God for sparing his life on that fateful day on Ali Akilu road, Kawo-Kaduna.
”For many years, I always plied this route and I cannot recount how many times I crossed it.
”There was an attempt on my life on this road. Nothing happened to me just like the 30 months I spent during the civil war.
”They wanted to blow up the vehicle I was in around the secretariat but my escort somehow stopped them. But before we came to this bridge (Kawo), they became more desperate and there was a small market in the area where the device exploded.
”But God protected us and here I am again,’’ he said.
The President, who also inaugurated the newly remodelled Murtala Mohammed Square, 136-bed Infectious Disease Hospital, LEA Lokoja Road Primary School, Rigasa, Aliyu Makama road and the Leventis underpass, executed by the State government, praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai for completing people-oriented projects in Kaduna metropolis as well as in other senatorial zones in the State .
At the Murtala Square, the new city centre of Kaduna State, President Buhari while admiring the remodelled edifice, recalled that he was constrained by family challenges to relocate from Daura to Kaduna after he was released from detention as a former military Head of State.
”I can hardly find my way in Kaduna due to the development taking place here and the governor has committed himself to change Kaduna for good and has been very successful at that, and Nigerians are appreciative that you are writing your history in letters of gold, ” he said.
In the metropolis, the President also commissioned the Barbedos fertilizer plant, a private sector investment in the State.
Speaking at the LEA Lokoja Primary School, the Governor said the project has now been renamed ‘‘Buhari mega-primary school.”
He noted that the people of Rigasa have been consistent in giving President Buhari 98 percent of their votes in previous presidential elections.
”They are the most committed Buharists in the country,” he said.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES MUST GUIDE DEMOCRATIC CHOICES
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State underlined his resolve to consolidate the country’s political system to improve the quality of the people’s lives because “the people matter.”
In an address at the palace of Alhaji Muhammadu Isa 11, the Emir of Jama’a, President Buhari said “we are doing our efforts to consolidate the system for the good of the people because they matter.”
To this end, he spoke about the use of the police and the military, in dealing with security situations but urged Nigerians to develop confidence in civil authority to build a system “free of chaos.”
“Nobody,” he warned emphatically, “should be allowed to raise an army of thugs to force himself on the people. This,” he added, “must be very clear.”
The President gave assurances of the determination of his administration “to hand over a better Nigeria than the one we inherited,” and urged Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of what his government has achieved especially on the campaign promises he made ahead of the 2015 elections.
The President commended Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State for his accomplishments in the provision of infrastructure, saying:
“I’m very impressed by the rehabilitation of the town (Kafanchan) I have seen,” he said, after commissioning the newly constructed Dan Haya road, Katsina road and the Emir’s Palace road in Kafanchan.
President Buhari, who urged residents of the area to show appreciation for the projects, also commended Alhaji Muhammed Isa, the Emir, for his consolidation of peace among the diverse ethnic and religious communities of the Emirate.
In his remarks, Governor El-Rufa’i acknowledged the President’s investments in security in the area, noting in particular that the establishment of security outfits had paved the way for reduced attacks on people, stating categorically that Kafanchan is much safer today than it used to be.
In acknowledging the improvements in security in the area, the Emir requested permanent bases for the Air Force and the Mobile Police, as well as the restoration of the rail services for which Kafanchan had achieved renown.
The President was welcomed to the community by the Senator and Members of the House of Representatives from the zone, and a large number of enthusiastic citizens who thronged the streets.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
PRESIDENT BUHARI INAUGURATES KAWO FLYOVER, OTHER PROJECTS IN KADUNA, RECOUNTS NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE IN 2014
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the 800-metre long flyover in Kawo, Kaduna State, recounting how he narrowly escaped a targeted bomb attack in the vicinity in 2014.
Reminiscing on the unfortunate incident, which claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians, the President said he remains grateful to God for sparing his life on that fateful day on Ali Akilu road, Kawo-Kaduna.
”For many years, I always plied this route and I cannot recount how many times I crossed it.
”There was an attempt on my life on this road. Nothing happened to me just like the 30 months I spent during the civil war.
”They wanted to blow up the vehicle I was in around the secretariat but my escort somehow stopped them. But before we came to this bridge (Kawo), they became more desperate and there was a small market in the area where the device exploded.
”But God protected us and here I am again,’’ he said.
The President, who also inaugurated the newly remodelled Murtala Mohammed Square, 136-bed Infectious Disease Hospital, LEA Lokoja Road Primary School, Rigasa, Aliyu Makama road and the Leventis underpass, executed by the State government, praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai for completing people-oriented projects in Kaduna metropolis as well as in other senatorial zones in the State .
At the Murtala Square, the new city centre of Kaduna State, President Buhari while admiring the remodelled edifice, recalled that he was constrained by family challenges to relocate from Daura to Kaduna after he was released from detention as a former military Head of State.
”I can hardly find my way in Kaduna due to the development taking place here and the governor has committed himself to change Kaduna for good and has been very successful at that, and Nigerians are appreciative that you are writing your history in letters of gold, ” he said.
In the metropolis, the President also commissioned the Barbedos fertilizer plant, a private sector investment in the State.
Speaking at the LEA Lokoja Primary School, the Governor said the project has now been renamed ‘‘Buhari mega-primary school.”
He noted that the people of Rigasa have been consistent in giving President Buhari 98 percent of their votes in previous presidential elections.
”They are the most committed Buharists in the country,” he said.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 20, 2022
Youths in the country on Monday pronounced the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio as ‘’ the right man for the presidential job in 2023’’.
They also praised President Muhammadu Buhari for giving Akpabio the opportunity to tackle the Niger Delta problem.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio is a man of courage and faith. He is doing his job with zest and energy’’
At the launching of a grassroots movement for Nigerians aimed at making Akpabio the country’s next president, the youths commended Akpabio for tackling thorny issues, putting an end to wild extravagance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), stimulating Buhari’s imagination to new visions of things to be done in the region and handling the Niger Delta problems with general skill and efficiency.
The youths spoke with deep sincerity on the minister’s approach, skill at persuasion and ethos.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of the South-North 2023 Presidential Coalition in a statement in Sokoto described Akpabio’s performance as wonderful.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio achieved transformational change in Akwa Ibom State. He is giving hope and inspiration to the Niger Delta people’’
The youths applauded Akpabio for promoting the welfare of the Niger Delta people, building bridges and attracting investment.
The statement emphasized Akpabio’s initiatives for inclusion, exceptional creativity, liveliness, vision and appetite for long hours of hard work.
The youths praised Buhari for his positive contribution to Nigeria’s recovery, restoration of the country’s pride, repairing of Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage and transferring the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs
Specifically, the youths urged Akpabio to think of playing a more expansive role by running for President in 2023.
The statement also emphasized Akpabio’s unceasing effort to develop the Niger Delta region, intellectual ability, dedication to public service and rapid departure from past strategies.
Trouble brews in Delta State over Okpe Union BOT regularisation by CAC
Top leaders of the Okpe nation on Sunday described a group led by a Delta State University lecturer, Prof Emurobome Idolor as ‘’impostor’’
‘’This imposter group is said to be claiming leadership of the organisation on the basis of a publication signed by HRM, Orhue l, Orodje of Okpe, purporting to dissolve the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union and imposing the said Interim Executive comprising persons unknown to the various branches of the Okpe Union’’.
They also urged the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission to reject applications from the Prof. Emurobome Idolor Imposter group or any other not authorised by the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union.
‘’The Commission should investigate this matter dispassionately and take notice of the fact that the address of the elected National Executive Council is also the registered office of the Okpe Union with the Commission. The fact that the election of the current National Executive Council like the others before it took place at the Hall of the registered office of the Union on the 15th of May, 2021 is also strong evidence of who the genuine representatives of the Okpe Union are’’
In a statement titled Prof. Natufe led NEC of the Okpe Union is the only authorised body to relate with the CAC and any other organisation in respect of the Okpe Union, the notable leaders said the self-styled Interim National Executive Council members led by Prof. Emurobome Idolor not only sent a list of persons to the Corporate Affairs Commission but applied to the Commission to register them as Trustees of the Okpe Union.
The statement signed by Okpe Union President General, Prof. Igho Natufe and General Secretary, Barrister Akpederin Kingsley alleged dealing by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with some persons led by one Prof. Emurobome Idolor who are unknown to and never authorised by the Okpe Union in respect of the regularisation process of the Board of Trustees of the Okpe Union.
‘’The Okpe Union was founded in 1930 and registered with the Nigerian Colonial Government on the 13th of December, 1934 under the Lands(Perpetual Succession) Ordinance of 1924 with its constitution as a dues paying members only organisation. Its Registered Office from the current records of the Corporate Affairs Commission is No. 67, (now No. 65), Moshalashi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos’’
The leaders threw light on the union’s election process.
‘’The Okpe Union has had an unbroken chain of democratic transition of leadership from its inception and registration in 1930 and 1934 respectively. Delegates from the branches of the organisation assemble in a National Conference/General Meeting at the expiration of the tenure of an outgoing National Executive Council of the Okpe Union and elect a successor National Executive Council’’.
The leaders disputed the position of Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom.
‘’That the action of the Traditional Ruler, Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe (who is neither a member of the Okpe Union nor given any administrative powers by the Constitution of the Okpe Union), on the 3rd of October, 2020, which purported to dissolve the elected National Executive Council and impose strangers on the Okpe Union as its Interim National Executive Council is not only unprecedented, but also contrary to the provisions of the Union Constitution, inconsistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria especially the sections which guarantee freedom of association, and it is also a gross violation of various corporate governance laws of Nigeria’’.
The leaders explained that the previous registered trustees of the Okpe Union had all passed on.
‘’The elected National Executive Council had begun the process of regularising the status of the Union with the Corporate Affairs Commission by requesting the Commission to furnish the Union with its indebtedness for failure to file returns and penalties for some years as well as applying to the Federal High Court, Lagos for an order to appoint trustees to replace the former ones who have all died which ruling is due in a few weeks’’.
They further said ‘’On the 4th of June, 2021, the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union led by Prof Igho Natufe wrote to the Registrar General of the Commission (which was received by the Commission on the 7th of June, 2021) to complain about the moves of the said imposter group to which the Commission has not responded. We were therefore shocked to discover that the group has submitted a list of proposed trustees for the Okpe Union which the Union knows nothing about and which is a clear breach of the Union’s constitution and the country’s extant laws and rules of the Commission’’.
The leaders tied their point to the corporate governance laws of the Federation of Nigeria as well as the various regulations of the Corporate Affairs Commission relating to the administration of the non-governmental organisations, especially registered trustees.
‘’No non-members or persons unauthorised by the organisation ought to be recognized as representatives of that organization’’
Youths in the country on Monday pronounced the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio as ‘’ the right man for the presidential job in 2023’’.
They also praised President Muhammadu Buhari for giving Akpabio the opportunity to tackle the Niger Delta problem.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio is a man of courage and faith. He is doing his job with zest and energy’’
At the launching of a grassroots movement for Nigerians aimed at making Akpabio the country’s next president, the youths commended Akpabio for tackling thorny issues, putting an end to wild extravagance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), stimulating Buhari’s imagination to new visions of things to be done in the region and handling the Niger Delta problems with general skill and efficiency.
The youths spoke with deep sincerity on the minister’s approach, skill at persuasion and ethos.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of the South-North 2023 Presidential Coalition in a statement in Sokoto described Akpabio’s performance as wonderful.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio achieved transformational change in Akwa Ibom State. He is giving hope and inspiration to the Niger Delta people’’
The youths applauded Akpabio for promoting the welfare of the Niger Delta people, building bridges and attracting investment.
The statement emphasized Akpabio’s initiatives for inclusion, exceptional creativity, liveliness, vision and appetite for long hours of hard work.
The youths praised Buhari for his positive contribution to Nigeria’s recovery, restoration of the country’s pride, repairing of Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage and transferring the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs
Specifically, the youths urged Akpabio to think of playing a more expansive role by running for President in 2023.
The statement also emphasized Akpabio’s unceasing effort to develop the Niger Delta region, intellectual ability, dedication to public service and rapid departure from past strategies.
Trouble brews in Delta State over Okpe Union BOT regularisation by CAC
Top leaders of the Okpe nation on Sunday described a group led by a Delta State University lecturer, Prof Emurobome Idolor as ‘’impostor’’
‘’This imposter group is said to be claiming leadership of the organisation on the basis of a publication signed by HRM, Orhue l, Orodje of Okpe, purporting to dissolve the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union and imposing the said Interim Executive comprising persons unknown to the various branches of the Okpe Union’’.
They also urged the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission to reject applications from the Prof. Emurobome Idolor Imposter group or any other not authorised by the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union.
‘’The Commission should investigate this matter dispassionately and take notice of the fact that the address of the elected National Executive Council is also the registered office of the Okpe Union with the Commission. The fact that the election of the current National Executive Council like the others before it took place at the Hall of the registered office of the Union on the 15th of May, 2021 is also strong evidence of who the genuine representatives of the Okpe Union are’’
In a statement titled Prof. Natufe led NEC of the Okpe Union is the only authorised body to relate with the CAC and any other organisation in respect of the Okpe Union, the notable leaders said the self-styled Interim National Executive Council members led by Prof. Emurobome Idolor not only sent a list of persons to the Corporate Affairs Commission but applied to the Commission to register them as Trustees of the Okpe Union.
The statement signed by Okpe Union President General, Prof. Igho Natufe and General Secretary, Barrister Akpederin Kingsley alleged dealing by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with some persons led by one Prof. Emurobome Idolor who are unknown to and never authorised by the Okpe Union in respect of the regularisation process of the Board of Trustees of the Okpe Union.
‘’The Okpe Union was founded in 1930 and registered with the Nigerian Colonial Government on the 13th of December, 1934 under the Lands(Perpetual Succession) Ordinance of 1924 with its constitution as a dues paying members only organisation. Its Registered Office from the current records of the Corporate Affairs Commission is No. 67, (now No. 65), Moshalashi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos’’
The leaders threw light on the union’s election process.
‘’The Okpe Union has had an unbroken chain of democratic transition of leadership from its inception and registration in 1930 and 1934 respectively. Delegates from the branches of the organisation assemble in a National Conference/General Meeting at the expiration of the tenure of an outgoing National Executive Council of the Okpe Union and elect a successor National Executive Council’’.
The leaders disputed the position of Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom.
‘’That the action of the Traditional Ruler, Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe (who is neither a member of the Okpe Union nor given any administrative powers by the Constitution of the Okpe Union), on the 3rd of October, 2020, which purported to dissolve the elected National Executive Council and impose strangers on the Okpe Union as its Interim National Executive Council is not only unprecedented, but also contrary to the provisions of the Union Constitution, inconsistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria especially the sections which guarantee freedom of association, and it is also a gross violation of various corporate governance laws of Nigeria’’.
The leaders explained that the previous registered trustees of the Okpe Union had all passed on.
‘’The elected National Executive Council had begun the process of regularising the status of the Union with the Corporate Affairs Commission by requesting the Commission to furnish the Union with its indebtedness for failure to file returns and penalties for some years as well as applying to the Federal High Court, Lagos for an order to appoint trustees to replace the former ones who have all died which ruling is due in a few weeks’’.
They further said ‘’On the 4th of June, 2021, the elected National Executive Council of the Okpe Union led by Prof Igho Natufe wrote to the Registrar General of the Commission (which was received by the Commission on the 7th of June, 2021) to complain about the moves of the said imposter group to which the Commission has not responded. We were therefore shocked to discover that the group has submitted a list of proposed trustees for the Okpe Union which the Union knows nothing about and which is a clear breach of the Union’s constitution and the country’s extant laws and rules of the Commission’’.
The leaders tied their point to the corporate governance laws of the Federation of Nigeria as well as the various regulations of the Corporate Affairs Commission relating to the administration of the non-governmental organisations, especially registered trustees.
‘’No non-members or persons unauthorised by the organisation ought to be recognized as representatives of that organization’’
Youths in the country on Monday pronounced the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio as ‘’ the right man for the presidential job in 2023’’.
They also praised President Muhammadu Buhari for giving Akpabio the opportunity to tackle the Niger Delta problem.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio is a man of courage and faith. He is doing his job with zest and energy’’
At the launching of a grassroots movement for Nigerians aimed at making Akpabio the country’s next president, the youths commended Akpabio for tackling thorny issues, putting an end to wild extravagance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), stimulating Buhari’s imagination to new visions of things to be done in the region and handling the Niger Delta problems with general skill and efficiency.
The youths spoke with deep sincerity on the minister’s approach, skill at persuasion and ethos.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of the South-North 2023 Presidential Coalition in a statement in Sokoto described Akpabio’s performance as wonderful.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio achieved transformational change in Akwa Ibom State. He is giving hope and inspiration to the Niger Delta people’’
The youths applauded Akpabio for promoting the welfare of the Niger Delta people, building bridges and attracting investment.
The statement emphasized Akpabio’s initiatives for inclusion, exceptional creativity, liveliness, vision and appetite for long hours of hard work.
The youths praised Buhari for his positive contribution to Nigeria’s recovery, restoration of the country’s pride, repairing of Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage and transferring the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs
Specifically, the youths urged Akpabio to think of playing a more expansive role by running for President in 2023.
The statement also emphasized Akpabio’s unceasing effort to develop the Niger Delta region, intellectual ability, dedication to public service and rapid departure from past strategies.
Akpabio is the best man for the job – North/South Coalition
Youths in the country on Monday pronounced the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio as ‘’ the right man for the presidential job in 2023’’.
They also praised President Muhammadu Buhari for giving Akpabio the opportunity to tackle the Niger Delta problem.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio is a man of courage and faith. He is doing his job with zest and energy’’
At the launching of a grassroots movement for Nigerians aimed at making Akpabio the country’s next president, the youths commended Akpabio for tackling thorny issues, putting an end to wild extravagance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), stimulating Buhari’s imagination to new visions of things to be done in the region and handling the Niger Delta problems with general skill and efficiency.
The youths spoke with deep sincerity on the minister’s approach, skill at persuasion and ethos.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of the South-North 2023 Presidential Coalition in a statement in Sokoto described Akpabio’s performance as wonderful.
‘’Senator Godswill Akpabio achieved transformational change in Akwa Ibom State. He is giving hope and inspiration to the Niger Delta people’’
The youths applauded Akpabio for promoting the welfare of the Niger Delta people, building bridges and attracting investment.
The statement emphasized Akpabio’s initiatives for inclusion, exceptional creativity, liveliness, vision and appetite for long hours of hard work.
The youths praised Buhari for his positive contribution to Nigeria’s recovery, restoration of the country’s pride, repairing of Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage and transferring the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs
Specifically, the youths urged Akpabio to think of playing a more expansive role by running for President in 2023.
The statement also emphasized Akpabio’s unceasing effort to develop the Niger Delta region, intellectual ability, dedication to public service and rapid departure from past strategies.
President Muhammadu Buhari will undertake a one-day official visit to Ogun State on Thursday, January 13, 2022, to commission landmark projects undertaken by the State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The President will commission the 42km Sagamu Interchange – Abeokuta dual carriageway, the new Kobape Housing Estate, located on the Sagamu Abeokuta Interchange, and the first phase of Kings Court Estate, Abeokuta, developed by the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) .
President Buhari, who will use the opportunity of his State visit to interact with some stakeholders, will return to Abuja the same day.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 10, 2022
ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY: LAGOS’LL CONTINUE TO REMEMBER FALLEN HEROES, HEROINES, SAYS SANWO-OLU
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday said the State Government will continue to play its role and do what is expected in remembrance of the fallen heroes and heroines who paid the supreme price for Nigeria.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the statement at the Year 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration interdenominational divine service held at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Governor commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for keeping the peace in different parts of the country, promising to continue with the tradition of remembering the fallen heroes and to always pray for the living among them.
Speaking at the interdenominational service organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, themed “I will heal their land (2Chronicles 7:14),” Governor Sanwo-Olu said his government will keep the tradition of ensuring that the relationship between his administration, the residents and Armed Forces continue to grow, praying that God would heal the land.
The Governor also urged the citizens to support the security forces as they work tirelessly to keep the nation safe.
“As we keep the tradition of having this service to remember our fallen heroes and heroines that have paid the supreme price for this great nation, the government and people of Lagos State will continue that tradition and will continue to ensure that the relationship that exists between the political class, the civilians and the military, continue to grow on daily basis.
“Today is for the remembrance of our fallen heroes and on behalf of the people and government, I want to thank all their families that are here and assure them that government will continue to do what is expected of us to continue to remember them and to say that their efforts and commitments to the country are not in vain.
“We pray that our country will know peace; will know greatness. As we journey in 2022, the peace of the Lord which surpasses all understanding will rest with our country and our State. It will be well with Lagos State. It will be well with Nigeria. It will be well with each and every one of us,” Governor Sanwo-Olu prayed.
In his sermon, the Executive Secretary, Lagos Anglican Schools Management Board, The Venerable Victor Olusa, said the theme of the service was very relevant and appropriate to Nigeria’s situation, adding that people should endeavour to do the right thing and not to castigate their leaders.
He said people need a reorientation of values as God is ready to heal Nigeria and Lagos State, praying that Nigeria will rise again if all the citizens humble themselves, seek God’s face and turn from their evil ways.
The cleric also urged the Armed Forces not to give up or be discouraged as they continue the war against insurgency, banditry and other forms of insecurity in different parts of the country.
Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofi Elegushi commended the Armed Forces for upholding the existing unity in Nigeria and for their service to the nation.
The Year 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration interdenominational divine service featured Bible readings, sermon, hymns, choir rendition, praise and worship, a minute silence for departed heroes and heroines, and prayer for Lagos State and Nigeria.
The service was attended by the State Executive Council members, serving and retired military officers, members of the Nigerian Legion and religious leaders, among others.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
09 JANUARY 2022
January 8, 2022
Press Statement
PDP Shifts Screening of Osun Governorship Aspirants to Wednesday, January 12
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shifted the screening of aspirants for the Osun State Governorship election primary from the earlier scheduled date of Tuesday, January 11, 2022 to a new date of Wednesday, January 12, 2022.
Nevertheless, the venue for the screening exercise remains PDP National Secretariat, Abuja at 10am prompt.
The PDP regrets any inconveniences the change in date may have caused.
All aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders and members of our party in Osun state should take note and by this, guided accordingly.
Signed:
Hon. Umar M. Bature
National Organizing Secretary
January 8, 2022
Press Statement
2023: We Have Not Zoned Our Presidential Ticket -PDP
The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to comments and speculations from certain individuals claiming that our Party has zoned its Presidential ticket to a particular part of the country.
This is completely misleading as it does not in any way represent the position of our Party.
For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP emphatically and unequivocally states that it has not zoned it Presidential ticket to any part of the country.
The PDP is a political party founded on democratic principles and every action of the Party, including zoning, is based on extensive consultations, discussions and consideration of all the issues as well as the various tendencies and interests across the nation, with the main objective of ensuring that the unity, peaceful co-existence and development of our nation are reinforced and promoted.
The PDP therefore urges Nigerians, our teeming members and supporters to completely disregard the unfounded zoning claims as being peddled. Our Party also cautions those behind the claims to desist forthwith.
The PDP thanks Nigerians across board for the overwhelming interest they have in our Party as their sure platform to Rescue and Rebuild our nation from misrule and urges them to remain united and focused as we join forces for the task ahead.
Signed:
Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary