Business

Railway Project: Chamber Decries Exclusion Of S’East

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2017

The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) has decried the exclusion of South-East from the proposed $5.85billion railway modernisation project across the country.
In a statement issued in Onitsha and signed by the President, Mr Uchenna Apakama, the chamber described the situation as “willful exclusion of the South-East zone by the Federal Government”.
Apakama wondered why the zone was excluded from such a strategic project plan that would engender economic and social benefits across the country, when implemented.
“To the chamber, this is a clearly designed effort aimed at crippling the economic and developmental potential of the South-East region for no justifiable reason.
“How could the Minister of Transportation or the Federal Government defend this sheer disregard, through the denial of the rail project for the South-East which is noted worldwide for its prowess in industrialisation, trade and commerce?
“This, therefore, seems a calculated setback and slight on millions of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in the zone, in particular, and the entire citizenry of South-East in general, whose businesses and lives will, invariably, be negatively affected in no small measure due to this singular exclusion.
“We wish to recall, with the same sadness and disbelief, similar action of the Federal Government against the socio-economic interest of people of the South-East such as the Onitsha River Port Complex.
“The Federal Government is yet to fund the concessionaires since 2012 when the project was commissioned.
“What of the second Niger Bridge, which is yet to take off, in spite of repeated assurances by this administration?
“What of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and many other federal roads in the South-East, which have become perpetual death traps?
“Again, it is only the South-East zone that has only but five states and fewer local government areas than any other zones throughout the country.
“In fact, the list of these acts of marginalisation of the zone is endless,” the statement said.
The chamber appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its decision and include the zone in the rail project in the interest of equity, justice and fairness.
“Buhari should see all parts of the country as his single constituency, without political, religious, tribal or any other personalised considerations.
“No nation has ever attained her greatness in the face of grave injustice, maltreatment and exclusion of a significant part of its own.
“Excluding only the South-East zone from the railway project, as it is now, can never at any given time, pass integrity test of social justice, fairness and objectivity,” Apakama said.
It would be recalled that Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South Constituency, had urged the Senate to suspend further consideration of the request for the approval of Federal Government 2016-2017 External Borrowing (Rolling Plan) until the exclusion of the Eastern corridor is resolved.
Abaribe had raised a motion entitled “Outright Omission of Eastern Corridor Rail Line”, which he described as “inexplicable”.
To calm matters, the Senate invited the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, for a briefing, while the Senate President Bukola Saraki, said he would ensure that no section of the country was excluded from the project.

Business

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

Published

7 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

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.

?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

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

7 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

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

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

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.