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FG Releases N34bn For 377 Rural Roads To Stop Post-Harvest Losses

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5 years ago

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The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, has announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has released the sum N34billion for the construction 377 rural roads in 266 rural communities in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The minister, who disclosed this when he visited the palace of Agadagba of Olodiama, Godwin Ogunyibo, during the inspection of the ongoing 9km Igo – Ikpella rural road project in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State, explained? that the aim of the roads was to stop post-harvest wastage of agricultural produce.

He said the President’s decision to embark on the rural roads project was because of his concern for post-harvest losses suffered by farmers who are mostly domiciled in rural areas of the country, adding that the President, particularly instructed that the roads must be in the agro corridor.

“As part of the Economy Sustainability Plan of the President, especially as part of efforts to mitigate against the post-Covid-19 pandemic, his attention is particularly on agriculture.

“The President, who wants us to eat what we produce, says we must produce what we eat.

“He is particularly concerned that food producers in rural areas find it difficult to get to the cities because of poor road. The farmers suffer a lot of post-harvest losses in the absence of storage facilities.

“You go to the river to catch fish before you get to the market the fish turns bad, over 50 per cent of our mango harvested yearly is wasted.? The only way we can encourage investors to these rural areas and also encourage farmers is to build these roads”, the minister said.

He also disclosed that apart from the N34billion for the rural roads, the sum of N60billion has been released for the maintenance of 257 federal roads across the six geo-political zones.

“This maintenance work is being supervised by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA)”, Agba said.

He urged the people of the communities where the roads are sited to cooperate with the contractors for quality work.

In his comment, the Paramount Ruler of Olodiama, Godwin Ogunyibo, commended President Buhari for the project, and said that the project would enhance the livelihood of the people.

“We are fishermen and our fish does not get to the market because there is no road, we also do not have means of preserving these fish.

“This road project has shown that the President does not believe in propaganda”, he said.

It was learnt that the 377 rural roads are being constructed under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

 

 

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Firefighters battle New Year Day inferno in Abuja, several states

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January 2, 2026

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Federal Fire Service FFS entered the New Year on full operational alert, tackling multiple fire outbreaks across the country from midnight into the early hours of January 1, 2026, in what officials described as one of the busiest festive-season deployments in recent years.
The intensified nationwide response followed a December 2025 directive issued by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who had ordered that no firefighter should proceed on leave throughout the holidays.
According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services of the FFS, DCF Paul Abraham, the no-leave policy proved critical as the Service moved swiftly to contain fires in several states.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT recorded its first fire incident of the year barely twenty-three minutes after midnight when flames erupted at Cake Hot Restaurant located within River Plate Park, Wuse, Abuja.
Abraham said fire crews from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to stop the blaze before it could spread through the popular recreational centre.
While a section of the garden area was destroyed, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
Officials said property worth an estimated ?1.5 billion was saved, although losses were placed at about ?500 million.
“Preliminary findings suggested that the fire was triggered by objects thrown during New Year celebrations, reinforcing long-standing warnings over the dangers posed by fireworks during the harmattan season”, the Service said.
The Controller General had repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid fireworks, candles and open flames indoors, warning that the dry winds characteristic of the season allow fires to spread rapidly.
He also warned the public about electrical faults and power surges and advised that electrical appliances be switched off and unplugged when not in use or when occupants leave their homes, stressing that overloading sockets and extension boxes remains a significant cause of domestic fires.
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Enugu North LG chairman presents ?10.8bn 2026 Budget, prioritises roads …Security, Healthcare, Human Capital Development

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January 2, 2026

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Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has presented a Ten Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (?10.8bn) 2026 budget to the legislative council of the local government.
The budget, tagged “Budget of Continued Growth and Consolidation,” was presented on Wednesday during a plenary session attended by councillors, department heads, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Onoh explained that the 2026 budget is designed to consolidate achievements recorded in 2025 while scaling up development across the council’s 13 wards. Priority areas include road infrastructure, grassroots security, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, and digital governance.
He also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, highlighting significant revenue growth and successful completion of key projects. Notably, the council’s internally generated revenue more than doubled, attributed to the introduction of digital revenue collection platforms and other innovative measures.
Among the 2025 achievements, Dr. Onoh mentioned the reconstruction of major roads at European Quarters, Hilltop, Coal Camp, and Ukwa Street, Ihewuishi, as well as the upgrade of the local security architecture through the reorganisation of the neighbourhood watch into “The City Watch.”
On the 2026 budget, the chairman stated that projected revenue would come from statutory allocations, VAT, internally generated revenue, and counterpart funding through public-private partnerships.
He noted that capital expenditure would take the larger share of the budget, with over half allocated to the economic sector. Planned projects include:
Completion of transport terminals at Aria Market
Construction and reconstruction of urban roads
Establishment of two sports centres
Healthcare interventions
Youth skills development programmes.
Dr. Onoh emphasised that the projects, policies, and programmes outlined in the budget are aimed at complementing the initiatives of Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah, who is setting standards for local government councils to follow.
Responding, the Leader of the Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Chizoba Nnamani, said the budget would be carefully scrutinised in the interest of residents before its passage.
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Christians Convert To Islam or die As ISWAP burns down Christian village

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January 2, 2026

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Christians in Adamawa have been asked to Convert to Islam or die as commanded by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
.The ISWAP forcedly burnt down Christian village in Adamawa Nigeria as reported on January 1, 2026.
The Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, has continued to wreak havoc on Christian communities in the Northeast, Nigeria.
This comes as ISWAP burned down a Christian village in Adamawa State.
A security expert, Brant Philip, disclosed this on Thursday in a viral video released by the terrorists.
“ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Brant Philip wrote on X.
The move is perceived as retaliation for recent joint airstrikes by the Nigerian and United States military against a terrorist enclave in Sokoto, Nigeria.
Recall that five days ago, United States President Donald Trump announced that the US military launched airstrikes against terrorists in Sokoto State.
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