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RSG Partners Israel On Food Security …Relishes Sogho Land Case Court Ruling

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13 years ago

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As part of measures by the Rivers State Government to boost food security, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, has expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with the State of Israel in agriculture development.

Governor Amaechi gave the indication on Wednesday when he hosted former Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Olmert in Government House, Port Harcourt.

The state chief executive praised the agricultural progress despite the arid condition, stating that a collaboration with Israel was crucial to drive mechanised farming that would guarantee food security.

Amaechi stated, “Rivers State will be very willing to partner with you, the Israeli people, Israeli companies and the Israel State to see how much we can develop in the areas of agriculture.”

He submitted that the main focus of the government was to use agriculture to empower the people and provide employment to the teeming population in the state.

Earlier, Mr Olmert said his visit was to explore prospects in security partnership between Rivers State and the State of Israel, adding, “I think that there is possibility that we find ways to explore together how to bring in investors, how to develop areas of interest, that are of important to the development of Rivers State in agriculture, in waste management, in building up greener houses and in growing vegetables that will be of the highest quality, as we grow in Israel, instead of buying them overseas.”

He commended the visionary leadership of Governor Amaechi, describing him as a simple and energetic leader who has brought transparency to governance.

Meanwhile, the state government has said that its victory over Sogho community in the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, over the proposed banana plantation in the area represents a victory for the masses of the state.

Justice Combo Akanbi of the Federal High Court had struck out the matter on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The judge said that, since the matter bordered in title to land, it would have been better handled at the state High Court or Customary Court.

Reacting to the judgement, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Chindah said that the judgement was not for the government but for the masses.

He said that, the good intention of the government towards the banana plantation would now be brought into reality, noting that, every 250 hectares of the plantation would generate 500 jobs for the people.

 

John Bibor

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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