Niger Delta

A’ Ibom Set To Host 2nd S’ South Agric Expo Summit

Published

7 years ago

June 14, 2019

As measure put in place to diversify Akwa Ibom State’s economy from crude oil and create other means of income generation, plans have been concluded to host the 2nd South- South Agric Expo summit in Uyo come November 2019.
The summit which is planned to hold in Ibom Hall grounds, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital is intended to expose real farmers to opportunities that would enable them expand their investment in agriculture.
The 2nd South South Agric Expo, organised by the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI) in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture and other private partners is also intended to open doors for farmers and other agro-based dealers to exhibit their produce.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Expo in Uyo last Monday, the South-South Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI), Mr Howard Usen, said a majority of Akwa Ibom people were unaware of the opportunities that abound in investing in agriculture.
Usen said many people in the state had not invested in agriculture because they were uninformed of the money making and tax free loan opportunities in the agricultural sector to key into.
He regretted that previous administrations in the state failed to utilise the opportunities offered by the Bank of Industry in the area of agriculture by refusing to contribute to the counterpart funds available in the sector.
The zonal coordinator further regretted that loan facilities for Agribusiness and Agro-Industry development in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the state was lying dormant as many people were ignorant of the existing facilities for that purpose.
He explained that the summit would expose the people to the opportunities available in agriculture and how to tap from them, among other things.
His words, “With all the wealth we have in the South- South, where are we, our people here do not understand the language of counterpart funding that is why we do not have Bank of Industry here.
“NAADI in Central Bank of Nigeria is a very strategic organisation, just give them a desk officer so that people can access information. It is information that prospers the people, not money. Bring money and distribute to the people, after one year they will be poorer, but when they are liberated mentally, their fortunes are changed forever.
“At the end of the summit, We hope to set a clear path for the development of agribusiness in Akwa Ibom State. We will change the mentality of the people about agriculture, so that people do not see agriculture the way they used to see it.
“There are people who are not farmers but are using herbs to make millions like farm crowding; they are not farmers but they have the intelligence. They set up a system for people to donate money; they do farms for people professionally.
“By the time we finish, you will see that there are a lot of potentials in some of the agric products we have. The palm oil we have does not go out of Nigeria because it contains metals. So if you are producing palm oil and you want to export it, you need a small refinery and that refinery is less than N5 million; that oil that comes out will be pure oil”.

Niger Delta

Okpebholo Assures Corps Members Of Improved Welfare

Published

19 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assured corps members deployed to the state of improved welfare and a supportive service year.

Okpebholo gave the assurance at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream I corps members last Friday at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp in Okada.

The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, safety and entrepreneurship.

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Mrs. Charity Amayaenvbo, the Governor urged corps members to embrace innovation, community service and self-reliance rather than wait for white-collar jobs.

“Edo is committed to supporting youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and incentives that turn ideas into enterprises.

“Do not wait for jobs, create value. Wherever you are posted, serve your host community with humility, dedication and compassion.

“Have a positive footprint and let your service contribute to unity, productivity and progress,” he said.

Okpebholo assured the corps members that the state government was attentive to their welfare and had started addressing key concerns raised by the NYSC leadership.

“On behalf of the state government, I assure you of our support in terms of safety, an enabling environment and a rewarding service year.

“I listened carefully to the requests highlighted by the state coordinator, and I am glad to inform you that some of them have already been captured in the 2026 budget, which has been approved and signed into law,” he said.

The Governor noted that provisions for accommodation, meal subsidies, logistics and the construction of a multipurpose hall at the camp were included in the budget.

Earlier in her address, the Edo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Dr. Frances Ben-Ushie, described the ceremony as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to youth development and national integration.

Ben-Ushie said as of midnight on Thursday, a total of 1,235 prospective corps members, comprising 531 males and over 700 females, had been duly registered.

She congratulated the corps members on their enlistment into what she described as a “noble scheme,” urging them to embrace discipline, learning and active participation throughout the orientation course.

“The NYSC platform provides a unique avenue to meet people from diverse backgrounds, build lifelong friendships and create networks that can open doors to greater opportunities,” she said.

Ben-Ushie also highlighted the contributions of the NYSC to the state’s development, noting that the scheme had consistently provided skilled manpower, promoted labour mobility and strengthened national unity.

She cited initiatives such as the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme as key interventions benefiting communities across the state.

The NYSC coordinator commended the state government for its support, including the provision of buses for corps members, and appealed for further intervention to address lingering operational challenges at the orientation camp.

She expressed confidence that resolving the issues would enhance the effectiveness of NYSC programmes in the state and thanked the Governor for prioritising the welfare, security and growth of corps members.

Niger Delta

PDP Declares Edo Airline’s Plan As Misplaced Priority

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the state government’s reported plan to establish a state-owned airline.

The party, in a statement by its Edo State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the proposal as a misplaced priority and evidence of poor, disconnected governance.

The Tide’s source reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, unveiled the airline plan during a meeting with Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.

Osa-Ogbegie said the proposal showed a government out of touch with the pressing challenges confronting Edo State residents.

“At a time of decaying infrastructure and stalled projects, establishing an airline is unrealistic and profoundly insensitive”, he said.

He argued that airlines were capital-intensive and technically demanding, noting that similar state-owned ventures in Nigeria had largely failed.

According to him, Benin has become a shadow of what a modern state capital should be.

He decried poor roads, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems and weak municipal services across the state capital.

“This is a crying shame for a city of Benin’s history, heritage and enormous potential”, he said.

Osa-Ogbegie said several inherited projects had stalled or deteriorated, eroding investor confidence and undermining economic growth.

He accused the governor of pursuing “white elephant projects that offer optics without substance.”

He also cited ongoing flyover projects in parts of Benin as examples of poor prioritisation.

Against this background, he described the airline proposal as diversionary and lacking economic sense.

“When roads are barely motorable and services overstretched, proposing an airline betrays an absence of judgment,” he said.

He urged the government to abandon the plan and focus on people-centred priorities that would improve living conditions and spur growth.

“Edo does not need an airline to fly above its problems. It needs a government ready to confront them on the ground,” he said.

He warned that failure to refocus would deepen perceptions of an administration lacking direction, competence and a coherent development agenda.

Niger Delta

Students Protest Non-indigene Appointment As Rector in C’River

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River State, have protested to the Governor’s Office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as Rector for the institution.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as Rector of the institution.

Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the Federal and Cross River State Governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.

Etem said a Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the Federal Government to conduct the Rector selection exercise.

“The screening, which began last year, reportedly produced a Cross River State indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.

“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.

Responding at the Government House, Mr. Goddie Akpama, the Special Adviser on Intelligence to the State Governor, Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the Governor was away but would be briefed.

Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities.