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  • Women, youths protest against alleged irregularities in community election in Delta

    Women, youths protest against alleged irregularities in community election in Delta

    • From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

    Women and youths of Ovwian Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, weekend, protested against the community executive election held on December 26, 2023, citing alleged irregularities that characterised the entire process.

    The protesters carried various placards with inscriptions such as “Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Our Amiable Governor, Call Sakpra to Order,” “We will not accept mallams as delegates for Ovwian election,” “We want the entire process cancelled,” “The purported election was a charade carried out by Chief Sakpra and his cohorts, Oborevwori help us.”

    Mr. Emmanuel Potokri, an aspirant for the Assistant Secretary General position, along with Mr. Ramsey Boyi and Mr. Clement Akaba, told newsmen during the protest that the admittance of strangers as delegates negates the interlocutory injunction of the High Court at Otor-Udu, which directed that no statutory delegate should be deprived of their franchise.

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    The protesters emphasised that several individuals, including Chief Gabriel Sefia, Chief Steve Sokoh, and many others, had all served as triennial conference chairmen, and their elections had proceeded without being characterised by irregularities, unlike this one.

    They appealed to the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to summon the former Commissioner for Special Duties, Delta State, Chief Henry Sakpra, whom they accused of manipulating the entire process in favor of his preferred aspirants.

  • Foundation empowers over 500 widows in Ebonyi, other states

    Foundation empowers over 500 widows in Ebonyi, other states

    No fewer than 500 widows and orphans across the country received raw food items, cash and income-generating equipment to start-up their businesses during the yuletide season.

    The gifts were from the Saint Raphael Support Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, founded by Patricia Olayinka Aboyeji. The special event was held in four different regions including Lagos, Ebonyi, and two towns in Kwara State.

    Speaking at the occasion tagged, ‘Christmas for Widows’ Aboyeji said the gesture was to put a smile on the faces of widows who do not have the hope of celebrating Christmas.

    According to her, the organisation named after Raphael Otunola Aboyeji aimed to help widows and orphans become financially independent and educated through schemes that foster self-esteem and social integration.

    She said, “The NGO has embarked on a series of empowerment programs for widowed women, ranging from providing them with skills acquisition training like soap making, fascinators and hat making etc. They were all supplied with a startup kit.

    “Some of them were provided with Income generating equipment like sewing machines, pepper grinders, outdoor cooking gas and cylinders, as a means of empowerment. By teaching people how to fish rather than just giving them fish we aimed to create a cycle of wealth that is connected with empowerment, ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty within our community.”

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    On the agenda of the foundation, Aboyeji disclosed that the foundation was established to serve as a place of refuge for widows and orphans and alleviate the plight of widows by standing as their voice and creating awareness of the injustice and discrimination that widows face globally.

    “I got the idea of the foundation through a vision. Having been through the journey of widowhood since 1995, I gladly embraced the vision because I saw it as a challenge. Having to look back at what I have been through in the past years of my widowhood journey, I wanted to be able to give back to society, as one of the ways of thanking God.

    “I am already familiar with the concerns of God about the widows as indicated in some of the Bible scriptures. Especially, in the book of James 1:27 which says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after Orphans and Widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Since the inception of the NGO, it has had over 500 beneficiaries of economic, social and financial development. The NGO has been able to give financial empowerment to over 100 widows.”

  • Anambra  pensioners beg Soludo to pay N850m arrears

    Anambra  pensioners beg Soludo to pay N850m arrears

    • There’s no cause for alarm, gov insists

    Anambra State health pensioners have begged the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to pay them 850 million naira arrears owed them by the government after retirement.

    The retirees lamented that four of their members had lost their lives as a result of the hardship they were facing.

    While appealing to the governor, they used the moment to organize a prayer session for God to touch Soludo’s heart to remember them.

    The Chairman of the retired health workers pensioners in the state, Comrade Rafael Okoye, said the problem might not be from Soludo but from his Commissioner for Local Government and Secretary of the Joint Account Allocation Committee JAAC.

    He said there was a ‘consent judgement’ delivered by the National Industrial Court in Awka which was signed by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General that 10% of the monthly local government allocation should go to the pensioners.

    He explained that rather than commence installment payment as ordered by the court, they reneged on the terms of settlement, claiming lack of funds.

    Okoye, said the hardship was instrumental to the death of four of their members, adding that Soludo he knew would love to pay, saying that they believe few persons in his administration were responsible for their present situation.

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    During the prayer session, the pensioners carried  placards with various inscriptions like, ‘Local Government Health Pensioners Are Not Dead Woods or Orphans, They’re Bona-fide Ndi Anambra.’

    Others were, ‘Please governor direct JAAC to pay health pensioners as recommended by the Attorney-General and ordered by the court,’ Local Government monthly statutory Allocation is more than N5 billion,’ among others

    Okoye said they had 127 Health pensioners who retired from the local government service of Anambra State from January 2015 to December 2019.

    He added that they were owed 850 million naira, arising from the inadvertent omission of their names in the implementation of 60% consolidated Health salary structure(CONHESS)

    However, one of the government officials who did not want to be mentioned, told The Nation that Soludo had them in his plans.

    The source further said that very soon, their issue would be looked into, adding that there was no cause for alarm.

  • Two killed, one injured as tanker catches fire on Ebonyi

    Two killed, one injured as tanker catches fire on Ebonyi

    Two persons have died while another person sustained serious injuries on Friday night as a tanker laden with petroleum products crashed and caught fire in Ebonyi State.

    The tanker driver, it was gathered, lost control of the vehicle atop the flyover at the state International Airport Junction, Onueke on the Abakaliki- Afikpo highway.

    It crashed into the bridge’s shoulders, fell sideways, and caught fire, killing two persons while another sustained serious injuries and was later rushed to hospital.

    Senior Special Assistant to Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on Petroleum, Nnaemeka John Nwafor confirmed the incident.

    He said the body of the victims had been deposited at the mortuary.

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    The SSA called on motorists, pedestrians, and other road users not to panic over the incident as Ebonyi State Government had brought the ugly situation under control by creating a free flow of traffic in the area.

    “There is no cause to be afraid over the petrol tanker accident at Onueke Airport flyover junction as the Ebonyi State Government is highly on top of it to stop the menace and create free flow traffic in the area.

    “The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), other security agencies, and the men of the Ebonyi State fire service were on ground to ensure free flow of traffic.”

    He commended the men of Ebonyi State Fire Service for their tireless effort in putting off the fire and further appreciated the youths who assisted in the exercise.

  • NEXIM Bank MD reiterates need to add value to cocoa exports

    NEXIM Bank MD reiterates need to add value to cocoa exports

    • Edun, Kwara First Lady to attend ICCF 2024

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive of Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Abba Bello has reiterated the need for Nigeria to add value to its cocoa exports as a major step towards maximizing the benefits of investments in the sector.

    At a joint press conference heralding the 2024 International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum (ICCF), billed to be held in Lagos and Abuja in January, Bello described cocoa as a leading non-oil export commodity in Nigeria which was a major driver of foreign exchange earnings for the country during the pre-oil era.

    Represented by Mr. Tayo Omidiji, NEXIM Bank’s Head of Strategy and Corporate Communication, Bello said Nigeria had lost its leading position in the production and export of cocoa over the years to now rank as the 4th producer behind countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia.

    The ICCF is the main platform for International Cocoa Diplomacy for networking, partnerships, collaboration, ideas and cultural exchange, bilateral trade, opportunities, learning, and forming new alliances.

    The event, themed: ‘Putting Value in Cocoa at Producing Regions,’ is being organized in partnership with the Nigerian Export and Import Bank, NEXIM Bank, and Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN).

    Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Chief Olawale Edun; First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria, Ambassador (Prof) Olufolake Abdulrazaq who is the Honorary Global Ambassador of International Cocoa Diplomacy; and Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari are among the dignitaries expected at the event.

    ICCF is billed to take place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday 9th January 2024 while the event would also come up in Lagos at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday 11th January 2024.

    Speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola, the Director, Cocoa Programme of the institute, Dr. Samuel Orisajo said that CRIN would provide necessary support to cocoa farmers to ensure that they got it right in terms of best agricultural practices and add value to their cocoa to make maximum gains.

    The Managing Director of Sunbeth Global Concept, Mr. Olasunkanmi Owoyemi also urged the Nigerian government to put necessary policies in place to prevent the exploitation of cocoa farmers by enhancing the cocoa value chain that would also protect the local cocoa economy players.

    A member of the ICCF2024 Team, Mr. Shola Mohammed told journalists that ICCF is billed to take place both in Lagos and Abuja.

    Mohammed said the ICCF-2024-Nigeria was a follow-up on the discussion at the recently concluded UK edition in October 2023 with a focus on the new EU policy, its effect on cocoa-producing regions, and the way forward for the global cocoa trade.

    According to him, “ICCF2024-NIGERIA is a call to action to continue the discussion where policy formation will meet investment requirements for the sole purpose of creating the cocoa culture that will begin to intentionally add value to cocoa and create wealth at origin to reduce the dominance of the industry by consuming regions and to also explore ways for shared value and prosperity creation purposes.

    He said the event would bring policymakers, financial institutions, and stakeholders from across the continent together to explore ways of taking advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, and other emerging cocoa and chocolate markets to optimize the potential.

    He also said the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Chief Olawale Edun would be the Chairman of the Forum in Abuja and will declare the forum open with an address that will focus on the future of cocoa and value adding  and the role it is expected to play in Nigeria’s emerging and transformational economy.

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    He added that the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari would be the Special Guest and Keynote Speaker to deliver an address on Productivity versus Production in Agriculture in relation to Value Creation within the singular market, AfCFTA.

    He said the First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria, Ambassador (Prof) Olufolake Abdulrazaq who is the Honorary Global Ambassador of International Cocoa Diplomacy would deliver a goodwill message with a focus on the importance of diplomacy to address the several issues facing the cocoa industry.

    Mohammed said the First Secretary, Trade and Economic Issues at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Rikard Nordeman would make a presentation on the much talked about EU Regulation on Sustainability known as EUDR and that there will also be other panelists of policymakers and stakeholders who will discuss several important topics.

    The topics include: ‘The Impact of EUDR Compliance on the Nigeria Cocoa Sector: Opportunities and Consequences,’ ‘COP28 Resolutions: Climate-resilience in the Nigerian Cocoa Sector,’ and ‘Expand Thinking Beyond Cocoa Beans and the Opportunities for Investment and Job Creation.’

    Mohammed told journalists that the Lagos session would be declared open by the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Chief Host and that the Governor would also deliver an address on Lagos as the nation’s centre of excellence with the possibility of a defined cocoa culture and its huge value and wealth creation potential.

    He said: “This is to seize the opportunity of Lagos being the biggest market in the continent and bring together investors, entrepreneurs, equipment providers, etc to look into new business models that will encourage partnerships and collaboration to accelerate value addition in Nigeria and subsequently the continent.

    The Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment is also expected at the Lagos Session as Special Guest and Keynote Speaker to deliver an address on Collaboration and Partnership as the key to unlocking investment opportunities within AfCFTA and reaching emerging markets as well as the Honourable Minister of Environment who will deliver a keynote on the link between Sustainability and Investments for a global market.

    Some of the topics for discussion at the Lagos Session include: ‘Opportunities for Wealth Creation within AfCTA: Looking at Cocoa in a New Light,’  ‘Cocoa value add opportunities, the Barriers and Solutions for Success” as well as ‘The Future of Cocoa and its Transformational potential.’

  • Child marriage: Bayelsa govt summons four-year-old girl’s parents, ‘husband’, others

    Child marriage: Bayelsa govt summons four-year-old girl’s parents, ‘husband’, others

    Bayelsa State government has invited parents of a four-year-old girl as well as the 54-year-old man involved in a purported marriage in Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

    The state government through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development and the State Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT), frowned on the development.

    It also expressed concern over the illegal marriage based on tradition and customs, saying it was repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

    The Ministry of Women Affairs, Children Affairs and Social Development and GRIT acknowledged the receipt of a formal complaint from a child rights advocacy group, DO Foundation, on the controversial marriage.

    The Director in charge of Child Development in the Ministry, Mr. Panebi Jacob, Chairman of GRIT, Dr. Dise Ogbise-Goddy Harry, and the state human rights commission, said in a statement on Saturday that the traditional ruler of Akeddei community honoured the government’s invitation and promised to produce the child, her parents, the 54-year-old man as well as the youth leader and the chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC).

    The statement noted that the Bayelsa State Government does not support child marriage under any guise.

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    The statement said: “That is why the state government did not hesitate to assent to the passage of the Bayelsa State Child Rights Law.

    “We are taking steps to rescue the child from all the key actors in relation to this illegal ceremony that they tagged a ‘mere spiritual affair.’

    “The law is clear on issues of tradition and customs that are repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience and working with the Bayelsa State police command, we shall ensure incidents like this do not occur in the state again.

    “On behalf of the Governor of Bayelsa State, we express our gratitude to all the non-governmental organisations including FIDA.”

     and DO Foundation that have risen to the rescue of this innocent child. Bayelsa State is children-friendly and this case will be pursued to its logical conclusion.”

    Recall that on December 27, 2023, one 54-year-old Akpos allegedly consummated a marriage with a four-year-old girl reportedly with parents’ consent at Akeddei community in Sagbama LGA.

    It was gathered that in the culture of the Akeddei people, it is totally unacceptable for a minor to be given out in marriage under any circumstances.

  • Liberia’s Elections Commission honours Yakubu  

    Liberia’s Elections Commission honours Yakubu  

    The National Elections Commission (NEC) of Liberia at the weekend honoured the Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    The event marked the Liberian NEC’s dedication of a workspace for its staff, officiated by Prof. Yakubu at the invitation of its Chairperson,

    Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the Liberian Electoral body, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah acknowledged the technical support of INEC Nigeria and Prof. Yakubu in establishing the workspace for its staff and bolstering the electoral process in Liberia.

    She expressed the commission’s gratitude for what she described as “the indispensable contributions made by Prof. Yakubu and INEC Nigeria in sustaining Liberia’s democratic journey.”

    Recalling Prof. Yakubu’s role as President of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), Madam Lansanah highlighted his advocacy for resource-sharing among regional Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs).

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    She commended his influential efforts, resulting in Liberia’s election as the First Vice President of ECONEC in 2021. She thanked Prof Yakubu for his steadfast backing of NEC-Liberia in various regional endeavours.

    In his remark, Prof. Yakubu expressed heartfelt appreciation to NEC-Liberia for the esteemed honour bestowed upon INEC Nigeria in dedicating the workspace to staff. He emphasised the value of the resource in enhancing the operational capabilities of staff, particularly through Information and Technology (IT) facilities.

    Reflecting on past collaborations, Prof. Yakubu recalled INEC Nigeria’s assistance during Liberia’s 2017 Presidential Election, highlighting the joint efforts of IT experts from INEC and NEC-Liberia in addressing stakeholders’ concerns regarding the voters’ register.

    While emphasising the significance of inter-EMB collaboration, the INEC boss underscored the complexity of election management and urged prioritising peer support amid limited resources and escalating election costs.

  • Uba Sani flags-off 18km road to replace  62km Sanga – Kafanchan road

    Uba Sani flags-off 18km road to replace  62km Sanga – Kafanchan road

    Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has flagged-off construction of 18km road to link Gwantu, the headquarters of Sanga Local Government Area with Kafancha, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

    The road, which is linking two major local government areas in the southern part of Kaduna, through Kiban to Godogodo, is an entirely new road designed to reduce travel time between the two LGAs, whose existing road through Fadan Karshi-Gidan Waya is 62 kilometers.

    Flagging off the project, Governor Uba Sani said the new Sanga-Jema’a road, is one of the rural transformation projects of his administration, aimed at revitalising the rural economy and bridging the developmental gap between the rural and urban areas of the state.

    The Governor said his administration is committed to fulfilling its promise on rural development through massive infrastructural upgrade.

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     “Ladies and gentlemen, this road project, which is just one in the series of investments to be made in rural infrastructure in the State, is strategic, such that it links two Local Government Areas of Sanga and Jemaa, together.

    “Upon completion, the road will not only facilitate movement of people, it will also enhance transportation of agricultural produce from farms to markets, reduce post-harvest losses often encountered by our farmers, increase agricultural production, facilitate access to education and health facilities, reduce poverty, revitalise the economies of these LGAs and permanently transform the standard of living of our people and also reduce travel time,” he said.

    The Governor, however, assured that his administration will ensure even development of every section of Kaduna State.

    In his welcome address, Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Arc Ibrahim Hamza, said the project is a prayer answered by Almighty God at this time in the lives of people of Sanga and Jema’a Local Government Areas, as the project has been yearned -for, for decades.

  • FG vows to stamp out breast ironing practice

    FG vows to stamp out breast ironing practice

    The Federal Government has vowed to stamp out breast ironing in the country.

    The Minister of Women Affairs, Barr Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, who condemned the practice, reiterated her efforts to scale up plans to eradicate the barbaric act.

    Kennedy-Ohanenye said this during an advocacy and sensitisation visit to the Garki Chiefdom, Abuja Municipal Council along with some top management staff of the Ministry.

    Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, Ohaeri Joseph, made this known in a statement.

    According to him, the Minister said the ancient traditional practice, which falls among gender-based violence against the female gender, solicited the partnership of the District Heads and other local authorities towards eradicating the practice which negates the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at improving the welfare of women and the girl child.

    She said, “The purpose of her visit was to further sensitise the community on the consequences of breast ironing, which is being practised on some young girls as traditional rites meant to prevent early male attraction to them.

    “These practices are totally unacceptable and form part of condemnable and harmful practices against the female gender which must be stamped out.

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    “This age-long tradition could lead to cancer on the affected girls as it is capable of leading to nipple challenges in their future life as well as the production of sour breast milk for their infants, which is dangerous to the growth and development of new born babies.”

    Ohanenye observed that empirical studies have shown that such traditional practices are behind time and that it behoves the chiefdom, religious leaders as well as the government to ensure that such rites become a thing of the past.

    She therefore urged the Council to join hands with government by taking the campaign against the practice to the people at the grassroots, even as her Ministry works out modalities to integrate the communities into its sustainable empowerment programmes that will improve their livelihood, which according to her, will take off in the month of January 2024.

  • Olawepo-Hashim visits Na’abba family, pays moving tribute

    Olawepo-Hashim visits Na’abba family, pays moving tribute

    Former president candidate and a businessman, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, yesterday paid a condolence visit to the family of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, late Umar Ghali Na’abba.

    In his entourage were the Atiku Youth Wing Team lead, Hon Idris Ibrahim Kalgo alongside Chief of Staff to His Excellency, Mr. Kamaluddeen Adebayo among others.

    Among those who received him were PDP front-liners like former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Sen. Abdul Ningi as well as former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

    In his remarks and tribute, Olawepo-Hashim noted that “It is with a heavy heart but with total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, that we received the news of the passing away of a remarkable lawmaker and statesman who fought doggedly for the independence of the legislature and personified the politics of principles.

    “I condole with the government and good people of Kano State, as well as the bereaved family members, loved ones, political associates and friends on the colossal loss of a great patriot of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

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    He said the late Ghali Na’abba made a mark as Speaker of the House of Representatives and worked assiduously to advance the frontiers of constitutionalism, fundamental rights and freedoms, and democracy.

    “Na’abba was intellectually engaging, progressive, focused and fearless. Out of office, he took on the role of a public commentator, calling attention to the wrong steps of public officials and warning of dire consequences if we fail to retrace our steps.”

    In his death, Olawepo-Hashim said Nigeria has indeed lost an “extraordinary public intellectual, lawmaker and statesman, who lived a life of impact and will be sorely missed.”