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THE STATES

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Adamawa

The Adamawa State House of Assembly last Friday in Yola, commenced public hearing on the abandoned rural electrification projects in the state.

Speaking at the commencement of the hearing, the Chairman of the House Committee on Rural Infrastructure and Community Development, Alhaji Salihu Kabilo, said the measure was not to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure accountability.

Kabilo urged members of the public and stakeholders to make available necessary information on the contracts to help the committee do its work.

He said the house was committed to ensuring that contractors paid to execute government’s projects did the job they were paid to do.

The state’s Commissioner for Community Development and Rural Infrastructure, Alhaji Aminu Iyawa, lauded the house for the hearing.

 

Benue

The Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA), has sunk a borehole at Logo community in Akpehe area of Makurdi.

The borehole was sunk close to the Saint Joseph Catholic Church Akpehe in Logo 11, Makurdi.

The Managing Director of the Agency, Mr Ada Chenge, said while commissioning the project on Saturday in Makurdi, that the hand-pump borehole, would provide relief to the people of the community.

He said that the project was aimed finding a lasting solution to the perennial water shortage in the Benue State capital.

In an address, Rev Fr. Celestine Terfa, the Parish Priest of Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Akpehe, commended the authority for the initiative and gave assurance that the borehole would be utilised by all members of the community

members.

 

Jigawa

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State,  has said that the success of his administration is based on the prudent management of resources.

Lamido made the statement in Dutse on Friday while breaking the Ramadan fast with supporters of Peoples Democratic Party.

“I never took loans from any bank, institution or foreign organisation to execute projects and my government is not owing contractors. “As soon as contractors complete their projects, our consultants evaluate them and we pay immediately,’’ he said.

The governor commended the citizens for their support and peaceful coexistence and stressed that “no development can take place in an atmosphere of violence and rancour.”

He promised to lead the people with the fear of God and give them their due by providing them the dividends of democracy.

 

Kano

The Kano State Government, said it would complete the seven uncompleted township roads it inherited from the previous administration before the end of the year.

Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, the Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning gave the assurance while answering questions from newsmen in Kano on Friday.

The uncompleted roads are: Sharada, Murtala Mohammed, Rijiyar Zaki, Mohammed Wase, Kabuga, Daula and Bank roads. ‘’When we came in we saw that the cost of the projects was outrageous,’’ he said.

Yahaya said that following the discovery, the State Government set up a committee of consultants to verify what had been done.

The commissioner said that the State Government had already paid all outstanding debts to contractors who handled the projects. He said government had also planned to dualize the Airport road from Ashton-pilgrims camp-Yahaya Gusau road to de-congest the road.

 

Kaduna

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, told graduating students of the Nigerian Military School (NMS) on Saturday that discipline and selfless service were the pathways to success for the Nigerian Army.

Speaking at the 54th graduation ceremony of the NMS in Zaria, Ihejirika said that no army would succeed in the absence of discipline, commitment, dedication and selflessness service.

The army chief, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Laurence Ngubani, Chief of Training and Operations, Army Headquarters said, “as members of the Nigerian Army, discipline should be your watchword.

“Remember, success demands the highest level of discipline, commitment, dedication, perseverance and selfless

service,’’ he said.

 

Kebbi

Comptroller of the Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service Mr Sule Momoh, has said that 42 illegal immigrants, residing in the state have been deported in the last one month.

Momoh made the disclosure in an interview in Birnin Kebbi last Friday.”We identified and deported 42 illegal immigrants to their various countries during our routine duties within one month,” he said.

He said the immigration service in the state had intensified security surveillance at boarder areas in view of the security challenges facing the country.

“All the authoritative roads leading into neighbouring countries were monitored by immigration personnel and in many cases the illegal immigrants were identified, arrested and deported as most of them did not possess entry documents.”

 

Kwara

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, has extended the ban on the use of commercial motorcycles in some areas in Ilorin by an additional four weeks.

The governor extended the ban on Saturday, following a violent protest by commercial motorcyclists in some parts of the state’s capital on Saturday.

At a meeting with officials of the protesting motorcyclists at the Government House, the governor explained that the ban was not punitive.

The commercial motorcyclists had earlier embarked on protest at Sawmill, Geri-Alimi and Taiwo Road from where they marched to the state’s House of Assembly and then to the Government House.

The state’s Chairman of the Commercial Motorcyclist Riders Association, Alhaji Toyin Alase, expressed displeasure over the restriction of motorcyclistsd in some areas of the city.

 

Niger

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, says the army is prepared to protect the country territory.

Wahab told newsmen after visiting Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Friday that the army would protect the territory in spite of its involvement in counter-terrorism interventions.

He said the army and other security agencies were prepared for their constitutional duties of protecting the nation’s territorial integrity as well as lives and properties of Nigerians and its visitors.

He assured the civil society that his officers and men had been trained to carry out their operations in line with their rules of engagement and in accordance with global best practices.

 

Ogun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has restated his commitment to ensuring good governance and even development in the state. Amosun made the remark on Friday at the Government House in Abeokuta at a meeting with traditional rulers from Ogun Central and Yewa Zone.

“Let me re-assure the good people of Ogun State that we will continue to work to advance the development of our state. “The work will continue as we have started and unprecedented development will be witnessed across the state as the mission to rebuild is on course,” he said.

He said that newly-elected Local Government chairmen and councillors in the state would work in line with the five cardinal programmes of his administration.

While thanking the electorate for their support, especially during the just-concluded local council elections in the state, he assured that good governance would be felt in the remotest parts of the state.

 

Sokoto

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 10, Sokoto, Mr Muktari Ibrahim, said on Saturday that the police had put in place improved security measures to sustain peace in the seat of the Caliphate.

Ibrahim said this while conducting the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminurity measures to be adopted in and outside the state for peace, progress and political growth of the zone as well as the country

at large.

He further said that all security officers in the zone had been put on red alert to confront any threat.

 

Yobe

The Emir of Fika in Yobe, Alhaji Mohammed Ibn Abali Idris on Friday in Potiskum, escaped an attack by suicide bomber at the Potiskum Central Mosque.

The Yobe Police Command’s spokesperson, Mr Toyin Gbadegesin, said the bomber tried to get close to the emir after the the Friday prayers, but was prevented by a policeman.

The spokesman said that upon falling down, one of the concealed explosives detonated and killed the bomber, while five policemen and two civilians sustained injuries, adding that the emir escaped unhurt.

Gbadegesin stated that the police anti-bomb squad, thereafter, detonated some other un-exploded devices carried by the bomber.

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Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

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Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.

She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.

Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love  has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.

The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.

Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.

 

He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.

Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.

He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.

According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.

Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.

Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them

 

John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah

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We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

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Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.
Speaking through Director General of the Rivers  State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.
“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.
Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.
Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now  and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”
The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.
“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.
The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.
He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government  policy of gas utilization.
Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.
He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.
In her remarks, Chairperson of  the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.
Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.
Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized  need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.
By Kevin Nengia
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SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB),  Yemisi Edun,  said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.

Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.

 

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