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FCT Residents Decry Inequitable Power Distribution, Urges Fairness

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Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the inequitable distribution of power to their homes and business premises.
The residents appealed to the Abuja Electricity  Distribution Company (AEDC) to ensure that the current load shedding was done fairly.
They told The Tide source in Abuja yesterday that they have not had electricity for almost five consecutive days.
The poor power supply or blackouts in some parts of the territory had lingered for almost two months.
AEDC had attributed the poor supply to its franchise areas to low power generation from the national grid.
The AEDC Chief Marketing Officer, Mr Donald Etim, had said this in a statement issued in Abuja on March 4.
“The AEDC wishes to inform our customers in Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa States and the FCT that the current low and unstable supply of electricity to homes and businesses is as a result of low power generated to the national grid.
“In recent weeks, the level of power generated and served to the national grid for onward delivery to customers has been abysmally low,” Etim said.
This, according to AEDC has led to load shedding currently being experienced in the territory.
Electricity consumers residing in Nyanya, Lugbe, Kubwa , Prince and Princess Estate, Area 3,  Gaduwa and environs  told The Tide source that they have not had light for days.
According to them, inspite of the load-shedding, some areas have constant power supply, while other areas do not have at all.
A Pharmacist residing in Gaduwa Estate Mr Peter Otabor, said, “we know AEDC is load-shedding light but they should ensure that it is equitably distributed to all”.
Otabor said that for close to two days, there was no light in the estate but other areas had light.
“I know there is low power supply currently on in the country, so if they want to give us light for two hours, so be it, I do not like a situation where some will have and others do not have,” he said.
Mrs Juliet Okojie, who resides at Prince and Princess  Estate, Gudu, also coroborated what Otabor said.
Okojie said that the little power available should go round everybody.
Mr Eramus Okon, a banker who resides at Area 3, decried the poor power supply to the area, saying it had worsened in the last two months.
Okon said “we have only had light four times for few hours in the last three weeks”, a situation he said had affected his daily routine.
“You know I am a banker and I close late from work,  I only cook once a week every Saturday but with this light situation, I cannot do that.
“I am appealing to AEDC to give us light even for two or three hours a day,” he said.
Mr Smart Okeke, who owns a cold room at Lugbe told newsmen that he had to put on his generator every day for close to 10 hours to preserve his goods.
“Cold room business is not easy to manage without light,  so I have to look for diesel for my generator to power my cold room.
“I  know about the low power supply and load-shedding but I will be happy if AEDC can give us light for five hours a day, “he said.
In Kubwa, Mrs Ese Williams, who reside in Phase 2, Kubwa Extension said there had been no stable light in the area for close to three weeks.
According to Williams, even when the light comes, it is so low that it cannot carry fridge or even fan.
“I have thrown away the perishable food stuff I stored in my freezer as they had all gone bad.
“I am appealing to AEDC to rectify the fault and give us light even if it for five hours a day, “ she said.
A fashion designer also in Kubwa, Mrs Shola Akinremi  said lack of stable electricity supply in the area had continued to affect her business, saying that she could not meet up her customers’ needs.
Akinremi said that it was very difficult for her to sew at night as her generator was faulty.
When contacted, Mr Donald Etim, AEDC’s Chief Marketing Officer told newsmen that parts of Lugbe, Kubwa, Area 3 and environs were experiencing poor power supply due to faults.
Etim said that AEDC team were working assiduously to ensure that those faults were quickly resolved to ensure consumers  get steady power supply.
“We are not happy about this and our team are working to ensure these faults are rectified  quickly, “he said .

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Rivers Deputy Governor Hails PH City One Love For Humanitarian Gesture

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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

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

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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
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SheVentures Open Zero-interest Loan Applications for Women Entrepreneurs

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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.

 

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