Business

GPHCDA Scores Self Low On Dev Control, Enlightenment

Published

14 years ago

June 15, 2012

The Board of The Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA), said it cannot claim to have satisfied the state governor with the progress it has achieved so far, especially regarding the control of urban sprawl in the Greater Port Harcourt area.

The Administrator of the Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, disclosed this in her welcome address/ progress update for the 2012 GPHCDA Board Retreat at the Rivers State Government-owned Songhai Centre, Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area, on Wednesday.

She said that the Board had, in the three years of its existence, not operated at an optimal level, adding that the Management has failed to sufficiently engage all stakeholders and keep them informed on GPHCDA programmes, projects and processes for regulation and enforcement.

The former secretary to the state government, however, praised the Board for being on course in the actualisation of the Authority’s mandate and for holding a promise to increase the tempo of its activities in the New City’s development.

On the significance of the theme of this year’s retreat: ‘GPHCDA-Road Map To 2015,’ Cookey-Gam said that since the Amaechi administration would come to an end in May 2015, it becomes imperative that while the Board continues to work in the long term towards the actualisation of its goals, members must also have a clear picture of what they intend to achieve collectively between now and the end of the administration.

The Chairman of GPHCDA, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, had in his opening remarks reminded his board members that they were in the last lap of their four-year tenure and as the pioneer board of Greater Port Harcourt, it is important that they begin to reflect on their activities so far and assess the efficacies of such towards the fulfillment of the Authority’s mandate.

He expressed the hope that this will enable them to effect necessary adjustments as may be required and also reposition members to achieve the desired objectives.

Delivering a keynote address, the Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple, commended the attempt by Governor Amaechi to develop a new city out of the old Port Harcourt City.

Represented by the Director of Lands in her ministry, Mrs. Georgey Ogbutor, the minister assured the state government of her ministry’s support in undertaking the Greater Port Harcourt project.

She said that her ministry, in recognition of the importance of cities as centers of economic growth and development, considered the building of a new town for each of the six geo-political zones in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory.

Meanwhile, the Greater Port Harcourt Authority said it has paid a total sum of N5.5 billion as compensation to 226 individual and community claimants.

This was contained in a progress update presented to participants at the opening ceremony of a three-day retreat for board members of the Authority at the Rivers Songhai Centre in Bunu Tai.

Making the presentation, the Administrator of GPHCDA, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, said that the figures comprised the N3.978 billion paid to 111 individual and community claimants by the Chief Orabule Adiele Compensation Committee and the N1.538 billion disbursed to another set of 115 such claimants by the Authority as at June 11, 2012.

Other speakers at the event include the Chairman, Committee on Greater Port Harcourt and NDDC in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Sam Eligwe, who gave a goodwill message and facilitators from Samuelson Consulting and Skye Bank Plc.

Ibelema Jumbo

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.

Business

Customs Impound N2.35bn Cocaine, 15 Trailers of Rice

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, has impound Cocaine Substance valued at ?2.35 billion alongside 15 trailer-loads of foreign rice and a wide range of contraband across the South-West.

This was disclosed to Newsmen during a press briefing in Lagos by Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu,

Aliyu revealed that the seizures were made over an eight-week period, underscoring intensified enforcement efforts.

According to him, operatives foiled 473 smuggling attempts within the period, leading to the confiscation of 8,794 bags of 50kg foreign rice, 22 used vehicles, 328 bales of used clothing, and 31,705 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

He said other seized items include a Mercedes-Benz vehicle and various food products such as poultry, vegetable oil, spaghetti, and sugar.

Aliyu clarified that the rice displayed at the briefing represented cumulative interceptions made at different locations and times across the zone.

“All the rice you see here are accumulative of seizures carried out at different places, at different times, and through different interdictions,”

Beyond the economic implications, the Comptroller emphasized the social cost of drug trafficking, warning that narcotics continue to destroy families and fuel criminal activities.

“It may surprise you to know that many homes are broken due to drugs.

” Our mandate is to cut off the supply chain, and that is exactly what we are doing,”.

Similarly Customs operatives at the Gbaji outpost intercepted a 71 year-old suspect along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor with 6.35kg of cocaine concealed in a Toyota Highlander.

The drugs, comprising both powdered and crystalline forms, were valued at ?2.35 billion.

Under a special enforcement drive, codenamed “Operation Hawk,” the unit also seized 3,340 parcels of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as “Ghanaian loud,” weighing 1,540kg.

The substances, along with three suspects, have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.

In a related operation, officers intercepted four cylinders of mercury hidden in a vehicle along the same corridor. Aliyu described the substance as hazardous and subject to international regulation.

Overall, the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures stands at approximately ?5.5 billion, reflecting the scale of enforcement activities.

Additionally, the unit recovered ?97.7 million through Demand Notices issued on under-declared consignments.

Aliyu reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to deploying modern technology—including geospatial intelligence, drone surveillance, and real-time tracking—to strengthen border security and clamp down on smuggling networks.

CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Dangote, Nicolai Tangen To Partner In strategic sectors

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

Chief Executive Officer of Norges Bank Investment Management, Nicolai Tangen ( manager of the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund) has expressed interest in partnering with Dangote Group to expand investments across Africa, particularly in strategic sectors such as power, energy, renewable energy, agriculture, fertiliser and cement.

This was made known during a meeting of Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote with Nicolai Tangen, the manager of Norwegian investment institution (with assets estimated at about $1.9 trillion) .

Also present at the meeting were Svein Tore Holsether, Chief Executive Officer of Yara International, and Terje Pilskog, Chief Executive Officer of Scatec, a global renewable energy company.

The engagement reflects growing international investor confidence in Africa’s industrial and infrastructure potential, as well as the increasing role of indigenous conglomerates such as Dangote Group in driving large-scale economic transformation across the continent.

Industry observers say the proposed collaboration could create significant opportunities for investments in critical sectors linked to energy transition, food security, industrialisation and infrastructure development.

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, regarded as one of the world’s leading institutional investors, has in recent years increased its focus on emerging markets, with Africa seen as a major frontier for long-term investment and value creation.

Analysts believe a partnership between Norges Bank Investment Management and Dangote Group could unlock substantial capital flows into infrastructure and industrial projects across Africa, helping to accelerate economic growth and regional integration.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos