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180,000 Christians Set To Pray For World Peace
No fewer than 180,000 Christians across the world will on Saturday, July 20, this year gather in Nigeria at a non-denominational crusade to pray for the world peace.
The crusade which would attract Christians from all the five continents of the world will hold at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.
The promoter of the crusade, Rev. Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi disclosed this, yesterday at Julis, Northern District of Israel where she gave scholarship to 30 students of higher institutions in that community.
The renowned international evangelist and philanthropist accompanied by her husband, Dr Ademuyiwa Ajayi, said the only thing that can bring peace to the world especially Nigeria is the “prayer of the faithful”, and urged people to love themselves irrespective of race or creed.
She noted that Christians should come together to celebrate Jesus Christ who is the “Comforter”, and declared that the proceed from the crusade will be given to charity homes in Nigeria.
Presenting cheques to the beneficiaries of the scholarship, Mother Ajayi said she got to know about the vulnerables in Julis through the Executive Director of Munir Foundation, Mr Nadeem Ammar, who she said they met in London and told her how General Munir Ammar died in a Plane Crash in 2006.
She said, “I was moved to tears when I heard the story of many families in this community and some youths who wanted to go to school but could not because their breadwinner is either dead or have health challenges.
“I was impressed with the story of the late General who died three years ago had been catering for people here. We are glad to support this foundation because any support to advance the course of education among youth is a deliberate effort to secure their future and make the world a better place. I am also glad that they are judiciously spending the money we gave the foundation and this encourages us to do more”.
Appreciating Mother Ajayi for her kind gesture to the people of Israel, Col. Moneeb Bader said the community will remain eternally grateful to her for giving hopes to the hopeless youths who would have been out of schools.
He said, “I’d like in the name of Munir’s family to thank you for your presence here, we appreciate very much your gesture to us in those meaningful and painful moments at the same time. You are showing a great commitment and friendship to the family and to the community here.
Meanwhile, the presiding Bishop of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Pastor Paul Enenche, yesterday, admonished Nigerians to offer special prayers for national stability, peace and progress.
Enenche, who gave the charge at a Day of Outreach and Prayers for Media Practitioners and Journalists in Abuja, stressed that when we pray for others, God answers our prayers and requests faster.
He said that prayer is the platform for the servicing of our relationship between God and man, prayer is the platform or avenue for communion between man and God.
According to him, prayer is the platform or avenue for accessing divine resources and provision, prayer increases spiritual fervency.
“Prayer facilitates spiritual alertness and sensitivity, prayer also changes lives and destiny, when the focus is on God,” the priest said.
He prayed for media practitioners to become positive influencers in the society and effect positive change on the nation.
Enenche, therefore, urged journalists to be God fearing as whatever way we lived on earth shall be accounted for in heaven.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.