Nation
Criminal Charge: FG Drops Case Against Director
Federal Government,yesterday, withdrew the two-count criminal charge it filed against the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Ibrahim Tumsah over his alleged failure to declare his ownership of 86 exotic cars recovered by EFCC from ex-Customs boss. Tumsah was docked before the Federal High Court in Abuja alongside his brother Mr. Tijani who was a member of the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative and a former Interim National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The duo had pleaded not guilty to the charge that was prepared by the Chief Okoi Obono-Obla-led Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property. Meanwhile, before hearing could commence in the matter, FG, through its lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, applied to withdraw the charge. The defendants had at the last sitting, persuaded the court to grant them a short adjournment to enable parties to explore an out-of-court-settlement of the matter.
Following Federal Government’s application to withdraw the case, trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba struck out the charge. A lawyer in the prosecution team told The Tide that the Federal Government would re-file the charge after “proper and thorough investigation” is conducted in the case. FG had earlier disclosed that out of the 86 vehicles that were seized from the defendants, 23 of them were amoured and brand new.
Equally seized from the defedants were four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja. Justice Dimgba had granted bail to the defendants to the tune of N20million with two sureties. The court said the sureties must either be a business man or a public civil servant not below the rank of grade level 15, and must own landed properties anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Besides, the court ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports, stressing that they should not travel out of the country without permission.
It will be recalled that Justice Muawiyah Idris of an Abuja High Court at Apo had on December 6, 2017, ordered that the 86 luxurious vehicles, as well as the four houses and quarry plant in Kuje, Abuja, should in the interim, be forfeited to the government.
The forfeiture order equally affected four houses, two of which were located in Wuse II, one in Wuse Zone 7, and the other in Jabi, all in Abuja. Eight containers with household items also seized by the panel from the 2nd defendant were also affected by the court order.
Nation
Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
Nation
We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout
Nation
SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively. Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
“This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs”, Edun said.
Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo said access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs.
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