Connect with us

Nation

IG Assures South East On 2023 Elections

Published

on

Residents and people of the South East geo-political zone have been assured that the forthcoming 2023 General Election will hold in the area as scheduled.
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, gave the assurance in Enugu, weekend, during the opening ceremony of the One-Day “South-East 2023 Elections Security Management Workshop”.
Represented on the occasion by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede, the IGP said the police was building a robust synergy with other sister security organisations and formations to ensure that the 2023 elections remained seamless and “very peaceful”.
According to him, “we are brainstorming together to fashion out ways to deal with existing and emerging security threats head long within the South-East.
“It is clear that with robust synergy, cooperation and joint operations this area will be the most peaceful and our people will surely come out to exercise their civic responsibility.
“We are working relentlessly on the goal of ensuring that election holds in the South-East and people’s vote are secured and it will definitely count,” the I-G assured.
Earlier, Dr Solomon Arase, a retired I-G of Police, said that the workshop was meant for all security agencies and formations in South-East to get them ready for the task of a peaceful, credible and hitch-free election in 2023.
Arase, who is a consultant in the workshop, said that the workshop would help to identify previous security gaps in election security as well as pin point task and responsibility of each security agency concerned about election.
“Security agencies have gathered here on how to study trends and patterns of crimes before and during elections and how effective to deal with it in a holistic and collaborative manner,” he added.
Speaking, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Abubakar Lawal, urged the people of the zone and the state not to express any fear about the 2023 general elections.
“2023 Election will hold and we are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that our people should not entertain any fear or any opinion in the contrary,” Lawal assured.
It would be recalled that the workshop was initiated and organised by the I-G to further build the capacity of security agencies and their personnel concerned with election security
In attendance at the workshop were the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, Department of State Security and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Others are, the Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Custom Service, Federal and State Fire Services as well as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), among others.

Continue Reading

Nation

Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

Nation

We’ll Partner Private Sector to Industrialize Rivers State – Fubara …Hints Revitalization of Ahoada, Trans Amadi Industrial layout

Published

on

Rivers State Governor , Sir Siminialayi Fubara says the industrialization of the state remains a key drive of his administration.
Speaking through Director General of the Rivers  State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside at the Shell Gas Limited and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) Investors Forum held in Port Harcourt, Fubara stressed that public /private partnership is key to revive production in the state.
“We are ready to partner Shell Gas Limited to revive manufacturing in Rivers State at Ahoada Industrial Park, and the new Port City project, including the proposed Bonny Industrial Park which will grow industries along the Bonny corridor” he declared.
Part of the scheme, he further stated is to collaborate with Shell Gas Limited and the private sector to transform Rivers State into a major manufacturing hub in the South of Nigeria.
Commending Shell and MAN for leading the frontline, Sir. Fubara said,” the time to act is now  and thank God Shell is taking the lead to prioritize gas.”
The governor opined that the gas sector provides huge investment opportunities to drive the state economy as the world is gradually shifting towards gas and other environment friendly energy, while urging stakeholders to evolve an actionable gas policy for the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Shell Gas Limited Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos-Ejesi said it is high time the state utilized its huge gas resource.
“Today gas offers investors opportunities and raises the value chain as it boosts production for industry users,” Amos-Ejesi said.
The Shell Gas Distribution executive said the company seeks to support manufacturing by adopting a user friendly approach that allows manufacturers to grow profitably with affordable cheaper energy.
He explained that natural gas provides huge potentials and aligns with federal government  policy of gas utilization.
Chairman of MAN Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okugu described gas as the backbone of manufacturing.
He said the forum has become timely and key to address the pressing energy provision to boost production in the sector, as he lamented the high costs borne by manufacturers in sourcing energy alternatives.
In her remarks, Chairperson of  the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga commended Shell for the forum which she described as a bridge to reduce gap of energy provision for manufacturers.
Ngozi Nwoga said the transition to natural gas has become imperative, stressing that pipeline gas offers cheaper and smooth energy provision for industries.
Former MAN chairperson for Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs Emilia Akpan was of the view that the quest to provide cheap energy should be driven with technical manpower, as she emphasized  need for Rivers State to recreate its economy.
By Kevin Nengia
Continue Reading

Nation

SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

Published

on

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to N10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from N500,000 to N5 million under a general category, and N5 million to N10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB),  Yemisi Edun,  said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“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.

 

Continue Reading

Trending