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FG Steps Up Fight Against Frozen Chicken

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11 years ago

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Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (middle), during a meeting with stakeholders on road projects in Onne, near Port Harcourt, last Saturday

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (middle), during a meeting with stakeholders on road projects in Onne, near Port Harcourt, last Saturday

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Abdullahi Inde Dikko has declared total war against the importation of frozen poultry products into the country.
Speaking at the official launching of operation “Hawk Deseend” on Tuesday in Lagos, the visibly angry Comptroller Dikko stated that the evil perpetrated by the importers of these deadly products can be no longer tolerated.
“As I step back to the beautiful sandy beach of this historic and strategic gateway, I cannot help but connect the driving objective of my previous stay and my mission of today. It is to flag off an operation in a familiar terrain.
The objective is the same. It is about national economic development and security”, the customs boss said.
The customs boss said the official launch of a special operation code named “Hawk Descend” to fire the first shot in a war against smuggling of frozen chicken, turkey and other poultry products.
He further explained that the operation will be conducted in the South Western border axis, covering commends and patrols in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, adding that it will be for an initial period of 3 months, 9July – September, 2015).
“The operation, whose driving objective is to achieve national food security and protection of Nigerian economy against saboteurs will involve a zero tolerance against smuggling of frozen poultry products.
During this period, our operatives will intercept smuggled products, seize and destroy them in line with the provision of extant laws and regulations”, Dikko posited.
“Like the wayward chic, there will be no hiding place for smuggled chicken in our land. Our hawks will descend and mop them out of circulations”.
Earlier in his address, the National President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr. Ayoola Oduntan said the association is pleased with the leadership and management of the Nigeria customs service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the occasion of the launching of operation. “Hawk descend” as an onslaught on the continued smuggling of imported but smuggled poultry products from the republic of Benin into Nigeria.
“We are concerned and worried more as the results of independent research on smuggled products in the Nigerian markets revealed that imported poultry meat (particularly chicken and turkey) are loaded with microbes linking salmonella spp with the imported, but smuggled poultry meant into Nigerian markets”.
“The above pose grave dangers to consumers, the handlers and the environment thereby causing great VFC threat to public health, oduntan declared.
One other issue that made the outright ban topical was the alleged role of some northern cabals whose farms produces the highest number of chicken and turkey in the country.
This alleged involvement by some northern cabals has been viewed by many as a way of promoting shrewd capitalism as well as killing competition, free market economy and by implication, promoting monopoly.
The government had tried to justify the ban by arguing that frozen turkey and chickens are preserved with dangerous chemicals that fall under the salmonella spp. The government also arued that apart from the imminent health hazards constituted to the people by the depleting SPP, the ban was also in line with the federal government policy of trying to protect the local industries.
Similarly, no economy can grow in true sense of growing when the sector (manufacturing0 is over burdened by importation of foreign made items to compete with their local counterparts.
This arguments therefore justifies government’s intention to protect the local industry especially if such intentions are genuine and sincere.

 

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic – Lagos

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

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5 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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5 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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1 week 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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