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Martins-Kuye’s Death, Colossal National Loss, Buhari, PDP Mourn
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, mourned a former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jubril Martins-Kuye, who died earlier in the day.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the President said the deceased would be missed for his insight on issues of national development.
In the statement titled, “President Buhari condoles with family of former minister, Sen. Jubril Martins-Kuye,” Buhari recognised Martins-Kuye’s contributions towards tailoring budgets that reflect needs of the people, with his emphasis on full implementation.
The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with family, friends and associates of former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sen. Jubril Martins-Kuye, praying that the almighty God will comfort them at moment of grief.
“President Buhari condoles with Ago Iwoye community, government and people of Ogun State over the passing of the legislator in the Third Republic, who served in the Fourth Republic as Minister of State, Finance, and Minister of Commerce and Industry, bringing with him many years of experience from the banking sector.
“The President believes Martins-Kuye will be sorely missed for his insight on issues of development, particularly in tailoring budgets that reflect the needs of the people, with his emphasis on full implementation.
“President Buhari prays that the soul of the former minister will rest in peace.”
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed sadness over the death of one of its founding members and former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, describing his demise as a colossal national loss.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, yesterday, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP commended the ex-minister for his commitment and sacrifice to the development of Nigeria.
The statement read: “Senator Martins-Kuye, a member of the Third Republic Senate as well as our party’s candidate in the 1999 governorship election in Ogun State, was a highly courageous democrat and dedicated statesman, who sacrificed his time, energy and resources towards the stability and development of our nation.
“Senator Martins-Kuye was a thorough technocrat whose commitment and sense of duty as minister of commerce and industry as well as that of finance stood him out in service, particularly in championing landmark reforms to reposition the sectors.
“The contributions of Senator Martins-Kuye for the growth and development of our party remain indelible both in his home state, Ogun, and at the national level, where he played exceptional roles with other patriots in laying a solid foundation for our great party as well as the entrenchment of democracy in our nation.
“Our party commiserates with the Martins-Kuye family, the PDP fold in Ogun State as well as the people and government of Ogun State, and prays God to comfort and grant us the fortitude to bear this loss”.
The erstwhile minister died yesterday morning at his Ogun State country home at the age of 78.
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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.