Business
RSSDA Spends N5bn On Projects
The Rivers State Sustain
able Development Agency (RSSDA) said it spent N5,656,067,747.00 on its programmes and projects in 2014.
This was contained in their 2014 annual report made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
A breakdown of the figure shows that the sum of N350,373,744 was expended on Songhai operation and expansion stream, as cassava expansion programme gulped N14,374,070, while that of farmers registration, farmers support and Allanblackia Domestication project had N1,270,660, N19,540, 560 and N65,488,141 respectively, all under Agro Allied services.
It stated that the sum of N4,808,673,286 was spent on overseas scholarships including A-Level and N141,348,355 on local scholarships including Greater Horizen Opportunities Programme (GHOP).
According to the report, the agency still under Human Capital Development (HCD) spent N8,631,000 on Excellence in Local Governance Initiative while N9,518,500 went to Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) Agriculture Students Scholarship Scheme.
It also stated that under business development and job creation, the agency spent N30,576,079 on development of small and medium enterprises as job creation gulped N4,926,629, while Graduate Work Experience placement scheme had N26,382,000, and that of workmanship and technical training centre, Bori had N111,666,472.
The sum of N17,137,266 was expended on the Rivers State Partners for Sustainable Development and N12,065,585 for partnership development which included young einstein and PIND, while a total of N34,095,420 was expended on employment programmes and allied charities.
It noted that due to the acute funding challenges experienced during the year, the agency borrowed the sum of N215 million from the Agrio City Fund to keep up the scholarship payments.
It would be recalled that RSSDA’s approved budget for 2014 was N10 billion, but only N4 billion was received by December 2014, while additional N2 billion was received from approved arrears of 2013 appropriation.
Collins Barasimeye
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.