Business
Bizman To Set-Up Committee For Effective Empowerment Monitoring … Gives Out 25 Hummer Buses
A Businessman, Chief Grant Offor, has disclosed that plans are on to form a Cooperative Scheme to monitor and regulate all beneficiaries of his empowerment programmes for proper accountability.
Offor made this known during the empowerment programme, when he handed over 25 18 Seater Hummer Buses to 25 persons at Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, on Sunday.
The philanthropist, who expressed concern over the poor attitude of some of his recent beneficiaries, said such was not part of his agenda for the project.
Offor noted that since his action was purely on charity and not to demonstrate wealth, “the only thing that will gladden my heart is the good use of the buses”.
He also said the move was to assist humanity and called on other wealthy Nigerians who God has also blessed to reach out to the less-privileged ones around them.
“I will set up a Cooperative Committee to monitor the empowerment to ensure that the beneficiaries really make a living out of the transport business “, he said.
He based his stance on the attitude of some of the beneficiaries of the last empowerment project who, he said, could not maintain their buses.
On the story behind his act of charity, he said he detests the sight of people living in pains and out of school children, hence the determination to assist those in need.
Offor, who has bagged several Chieftaincy titles from within and outside his Local Government Area, appealed to other wealthy Nigerians to consider the need to reach out to the less-privileged ones in their respective domains in a bid to reduce their plight, especially at this period of economic hardship.
Two of the beneficiaries who gave their names as Mr. Wele Princewill and Lady Oroma Ereh, said they will ensure that the aim of the scheme is never abused.
On how to go about it, they assured of enlisting the services of professional transporters who will assist them in the business.
It will be recalled that Chief Offor has given out over 40 Busses and other empowerment kits to hundreds of people within and outside his locality.
Eze Wobodo Jonah, Nye Nwe Ali Ibaa/Obele and his counterpart, Nye Nwe Ali, Omagwa, Eze Achinike Amadi, JP, Okpo 21st was among dignitaries that attended the event.
King Onunwor
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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
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