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Eulogies As Akpabio, Fubara, Others Bid Wigwes Farewell

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It was the gathering of who is who in Nigeria on Saturday in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, as the remains of former Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Dr Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen Chizoba, and son, Chizzy, were committed to mother earth.
Their remains were brought in separately in Mercedez Benz vehicles in a motorcade to the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Isiokpo at about 11 am. They were carried inside the church for a funeral service which lasted for almost three hours amidst speeches from Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and others.
The mood of the community from the popular Isiokpo junction to 10 communities, including Omoeke, Wigwe’s hometown that make up Isiokpo, depicted that tragedy had befallen the people.
Shortly after a funeral service, the remains of Wigwe, his wife, Doreen Chizoba and his late 29-year-old first son, Chizzy were buried in a private tomb inside the Wigwe University, which he had built in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The bodies of the trio were moved from the RCCG, Isiokpo, to the private mausoleum and committed to Mother earth at about 2:45 pm.
The final home call at the graveside witnessed mainly by family members and a few others reawakened a sea of tears as all who wore mournful looks broke down in tears, as their bodies were lowered into the grave.
As expected, a huge presence of operatives, especially the tactical police unit and mother special commands, were stationed at strategic places leading to the venue of the burial, even as the state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, was present at the occasion.
Some of the early arrivals were Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, his Bayelsa State counterpart, Senator Douye Diri, and former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori.
Speaking during the funeral service, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government and the National Assembly eulogised the qualities of the late Wigwe, even as he described the burial as ‘abnormal’ due to tragedy that claimed the trio.
Akpabio stated, “Let me thank you for the opportunity to lend the voice of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the bereaved family, to Rivers State, to the business community, the global community and to all Nigerians.
“It is not a normal occasion. This is a very abnormal occasion. We will continue to grieve after this. I want to extend the condolences of Mr President, Bola Tinubu, his governors, the National Assembly I’m privileged to be the chairman and all members of the legislature in Nigeria to the bereaved family, to Access Bank, particularly my brother, Iyke Imokhede, the co-founder, the remaining members of the family.
“That is why it is not a normal occasion. Normally the wife would have been here. If the wife was not here, the first son would have been here. But as God pleases none of them is here. They are all here in front of us. May their souls rest in Perfect Peace.”
While noting that it has been almost a month of mourning, he described Wigwe as an iconic figure and a global citizen who impacted many lives within and outside Nigeria, adding that he had an uncommon human relationship.
He stated, “There is nothing that we can do than to continue to express our heartfelt condolences, our sadness over the demise of this family.
“Herbert was an iconic figure. He was the people’s person; I believe he was a friend and brother to all who came across him. Together with his brother, they raised Access Bank to a level of among the first five top banks in Nigeria. Considering their ages, you can see that their hard work paid off.”
Recalling the last time he was with the late banker and philanthropist, Akpabio said, “The last time he called me was almost 11:30 pm, and he said I should rush down to meet him for a late dinner, and I think my brother Dangote was also there.
“We met there; he was full of life. Nobody would have expected this. As the man of God pointed out, ‘it is a journey all of us will one day make.’ My prayer is that God should enable us to be ready before we make this journey.”
Speaking earlier, Governor Fubara sent the commiserations of the government and people of Rivers State to the bereaved family, even as he said the event underscored man’s helplessness in death and the need to live an impactful life.
Fubara stated, “I have this question always in my mind. What is life all about? Yesterday (Friday night) we sang a hymn that said, ‘Fading away from the sun in the morning’, and I concluded that life is not the one million years that we lived, but even if we spend an hour, let the hour be impactful. He has made a great contribution to humanity.
“Here lies our brother, his wife and his son. Everyone has come to celebrate them, it means even in the short period that he lived, he lived an impactful life.”
He also admonished politicians to realise the futility of their struggles and desperation for power and control, saying, Wigwe was not a politician through his ingenuity and hard work had an influence on many politicians and achieved wealth.
“Is it not enough to ask ourselves what we are struggling with? Why are we not making an impact in the lives of our people? Please, political class, go home with that question and begin answering it in our mind and reflecting it in what we do”, he admonished.

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Tinubu Urges Nigeria, S’Africa To Strengthen Ties For Africa’s Dev

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President Bola Tinubu yesterday stated that Nigeria and South Africa share a collective destiny to collaborate for the betterment of the African continent.
He stressed that both countries must intensify cooperation across various sectors, adding that the success of the partnership lies in the implementation, not merely the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
Tinubu made this remark yesterday during his opening address as he co-chaired the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape Town, South Africa.
He said, “Our successive governments on both sides have recognised our shared history of collaboration and cooperation. We must ensure that the spirit of collaboration and cooperation between our two leading countries in Africa intensifies and deepens under the leadership of our respective nations. This is not a matter of choice but of destiny, which includes a historical responsibility to the African people.”
The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission, established in 1999, aims to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations. The first Heads of State-level session took place in Pretoria in October 2019.
Tinubu noted that this year’s meeting coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, disclosing that Nigeria and South Africa have signed about 36 MoUs that reflect their friendship and cooperation.
The President, however, stressed that MoUs alone do not constitute success and must be backed by consistent implementation.
“The BNC has existed since 1999, with approximately three dozen MoUs and agreements in operation. The BNC has come of age. I must, however, caution that we should not count our successes by the number of MoUs signed. They are mere pieces of paper until we implement them in both spirit and letter,” he explained.
Tinubu called for a special emphasis on strengthening the relationship between the youth populations of both countries, stating that Nigeria and South Africa, with their large youthful demographics, can significantly boost their economic development.
According to him, “My desire is that we accelerate youth development. Beyond natural resources, our most precious resource is our youthful population. These young people represent the future. We must invest in their skills and potential for the good of the continent. My administration has embraced an inclusive approach, placing young people in charge of key sectors of the economy, believing that the future must start now.”
The President also assured Ramaphosa of Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two nations and warned against external forces that might be threatened by the alliance between Africa’s two largest economies.
“As the adage goes, ‘The glory of the eagle does not please the kite.’ Let us remain mindful of the overt and covert hostilities that our partnership may attract. If we remain vigilant, committed, and persistent, we will soar like eagles over the predators. We must stay united in purpose,” Tinubu stated.
He also called for the creation of an anti-illegal mining group, stressing that Africa’s natural resources should benefit its people.
“One issue I want the BNC to explore is the establishment of an anti-illegal mining group. Illegal mining is robbing our nations of precious resources that could foster development. Sponsored by powerful external forces, such mining is causing strife, poverty, environmental degradation, and undermining governance. We cannot allow this scourge to hinder our progress,” Tinubu said.
He urged South Africa’s support for Nigeria’s bid to gain full membership in the G20, BRICS, and the BRICS New Development Bank, adding, “Nigeria would like to join South Africa and the African Union in the G20.”
Earlier, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted Nigeria’s role as a host for several South African companies and reaffirmed his country’s openness to Nigerian businesses, citing numerous investments and operations in South Africa.
He acknowledged the need to remove existing barriers to greater investment.
Ramaphosa said, “We need to remove the remaining constraints to investment and address challenges faced by companies in both countries. We are encouraged by the steps being taken under your leadership to improve Nigeria’s business environment, which provides assurances to investors, including South African companies.”
He also highlighted measures to simplify visa processes for Nigerian business people, including five-year multiple-entry visas for eligible applicants and a streamlined process for Nigerian tourists.
Ramaphosa expressed hope that the 11th Session of the Bi-National Commission would solidify cooperation in critical areas and stressed the importance of implementing previously agreed-upon decisions and monitoring progress.

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PENGASSAN Plans Showdown With Oil Firms Hiring Expatriates

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The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is preparing for a face-off with oil companies that are prioritising expatriates for job opportunities while neglecting to hire qualified Nigerians.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, gave this indication during his address at the union’s National Executive Council meeting, held in Abuja, yesterday.
Osifo said the growing trend by companies to employ foreigners, mainly Indians, is contrary to the local content regulations which seek to increase local content participation to 70 per cent by 2027.
He stressed that many companies have abused the expatriates quota outlined by the government, fuelling unrest and resentment among Nigerians who feel excluded from opportunities in their industry.
He said, “A pressing concern is the high number of expatriates in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, mainly from India. While skilled foreign workers contribute to economic development, the current situation demands attention.
“We have been calling names. We are not shying away from calling names. We called out a company called Indorama and others and the issue was fixed in the past.”
Osifo further called on the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Ministry of Interior to stop granting employment licenses to every foreigner who comes into the country seeking employment.
He said, “We are also holding to account a government institution called Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Ministry of Interior, these are the people that give permits for these expatriates to come. If you go to some of these companies, vulcanizers and conductors are Indians.
“Even operators are Indians. And that should not go. So, rising from this NEC meeting, we are going to resolve that we will do everything possible to hold them to account.
“This is not the first company where this has been done. In the company where I work, for example, Total Energy, in 2015, it was a battle. It was war. We took it to them, and we ensured that the expatriate index was greatly reduced. So, we have done it before. We can also do it again. Because the more you send these expatriates away, the more, the management of these companies will open up the system and employ more Nigerians. It is so bad that our institutions are weak.
“The people that fight for the workers in Angola are not even trade unions. They are government institutions. If you work in Angola for a while, you must go back to your country and reapply again. And they ensure that the jobs that they give you in Angola are those technical jobs. So, our government must sit up. Our institutions must sit up.”
“NCDMB, Ministry of Interior, they must sit up and do what they ought to do. So, it is a battle that we are much more prepared to fight. And very, very soon, we will confront it head-on and frontally.”
Osifo also requested clarification on the proposed tax reforms bill, particularly in relation to the revenue collection mandate by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Igerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
The association asked the government to extend the tax exemption level to persons earning N150,000 per month.
“On the issues of tax reform, we are currently examining the bill. So, one of the areas that we have seen in the bill that is quite okay is to give tax relief to people who are around minimum wage. What is there in the bill today is about N800,000 per annum.
“And also, for businesses whose turnover is about 50 million Naira, we found that most of the nano and micro businesses fell within that range of 50 million. So, it’s quite good. But, what we have been advocating is that that N800,000 is too small. The government should expand it to persons earning N100,000 to N150,000 per month. So, we are studying the bill, and we are looking at those provisions that are salient. These are what we will bring up at the public hearing.
“So, when we are done with all these, we will send you a copy of our position as PENGASSAN. And in addition to what I just said, there is also a particular area that we are looking at. Today, we have NMDPRA. We have NUPRC. So, they largely pay our members from the cost of connection. But today, they want to replace that with the Nigerian Revenue Service.
“The service will be collecting revenue across the board, both from the oil and gas and customs. So, we are currently studying that provision. We would still need clarification on these issues. We are asking when these are going to form our proposal to the National Assembly during the public hearing,” he added.
When asked if any workers became unemployed as a result of the recent divestment by international oil companies, Osifo said, “We can confirm to you that as of today, there is no single job that has been lost in any of these companies as a result of divestment.
“This is because we realise that our primary function is how to safeguard jobs for our members. First, you safeguard jobs, then you start talking about pay enhancement. If the job is not there, you won’t be able to talk about pay enhancement because what are you enhancing? So first, you safeguard the job.
“So in each of the agreements that were signed, it was clearly stated, all our jobs will be safeguarded.”

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NAFDAC Busts Fake Alcohol Factory In Lagos

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismantled a makeshift factory in the Oke Arin market, Lagos Island, where counterfeit alcoholic beverages were being illegally produced.
According to a statement via its X, yesterday, the agency, acting on a complaint, conducted a raid that led to the arrest of three men and the seizure of counterfeit drinks, empty bottles, and packaging materials.
According to NAFDAC, the seized products, which included fake versions of popular alcoholic brands, were valued at over ¦ 180 million.
The main suspect, Mr. Tochukwu Henry, confessed to refilling bottles labelled as Rémy Martin with ST-Rémy contents.
He also admitted to employing two other individuals to assist in the operation.
The statement said, “NAFDAC has raided a makeshift factory in Oke Arin market, Lagos Island, following a complaint about the illegal production of alcoholic beverages. Three men were apprehended and various counterfeit alcoholic drinks, empty bottles, and packaging materials were seized.
“The products, valued at over ¦ 180 million, included fake versions of popular brands. The main suspect, Mr. Tochukwu Henry, confessed to refilling bottles labelled as Rémy Martin with ST-Rémy contents and employing two others to assist in the illicit operation.
“All suspects are currently in custody for further investigation. NAFDAC calls on the public to remain vigilant, especially during the festive season, and to report suspicious activities and products to the nearest NAFDAC office.”

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