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Confab Delegates Want Increased Fertiliser Production

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12 years ago

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Some delegates at the Na
tional Conference have stressed the need for governments at all levels to increase local production of fertiliser to meet local demand.
The delegates, while debating the report of the conference’s Committee on Agriculture, described fertiliser as one of the main components of agriculture.
Amb. Adamu Aliyu , representing North-East, regretted the low number of fertiliser blending plants in the country more than 50 years after independence.
“We have only two fertiliser blending plants in the country but, unfortunately, they cannot meet the need of the Nigerian farmers and this has resulted in the importation of the products.
“It is necessary that governments in conjunction with the necessary stakeholders ensure that the two plants produce to their full capacity.
“They should also find ways of ensuring that the local demand for fertiliser is met,’’ Aliyu said.
Dr Salome Jankada, representing Taraba in her contribution, called for timely delivery of fertiliser to boost farm yields.
“When you start farming in May and the fertiliser does not get to you until September or November, how can it be useful.
“If the fertiliser is delivered on time, it will go a long way in boosting farms produce,’’ she said.
Jankada also stressed the need for government to be consistent in its policies, saying this would boost agricultural productivity.
Mr Kenan Mamman, representing persons living with disabilities, also called on government to ensure that fertiliser being distributed through phone is delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
“I have just received an SMS that I have been issued two bags of 10 kg fertiliser and maize.
“The same message was sent to me last year but when I got to the point of collection, I was told it had been claimed by another person.
“There should be a mechanism to ensure that the product is delivered to the right person,’’ Mamman said.
Mr John Momah, an elder statesman from Taraba, called for the celebration of Farmers’ Day to celebrate the contribution of farmers in the country.
“Nigerian farmers are hard-working but are never appreciated. The peasant farmers have worked hard to put food on our table and to contribute to the growth of Nigerian economy.
“For this reason, I wish to recommend that we should have Farmers’ Day on the Nigerian calendar to celebrate Nigerian farmers,’’ he said.
Momah also called for the revival of the abandoned agricultural show in the country adding that “every local government should be encouraged to conduct this annual event”.
Mrs Ebele Okeke, representing retired civil servants, stressed the need for state governments to pay for the water they consumed from dams.
“Normally, state governments take water from dams and they don’t pay the River Basins but instead make the people to pay for water rate.
“State governments have to pay River Basins so that the money can be used to pay for the maintenance of the infrastructure,’’ Okeke suggested.
Gen. Jeremiah Temlong, an elder statesman, called on the Federal Government to be more involved in policy formulation and leave agricultural business to states and local governments.
Temlomg also called for more attention to be given to aqua-culture through appropriate policies and funding.
“Our bodies of waters in the country should also be stocked with fingerlings so that people can go into fishing and make a living from that,’’ he said.

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Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members  In Brass Water

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7 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways
The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and  members of his church were in a programme.
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?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet  to be recovered
as search party are still ongoing.
Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report,  our Correspondent gathered  that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.
The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit
The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s  on the sad accident
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

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7 days ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Rivers State Council of  Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.
Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt,  recently.
Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.
He noted that  the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.
According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.
He also  informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.
“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.
Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.
The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.
He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.
The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.
He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.
Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.
By: King Onunwor
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FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

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2 weeks ago

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May 13, 2026

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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.
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