Delta All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has assured the people of Ndokwa Nation that President Muhammadu Buhari will assent to the biil establishing the University of Agriculture Aboh in Ndokwa East local government area.

He said the bill establishing the institution has been passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and waiting presidential assent.

Omo-Agege, who is the Deputy Senate President, stated these on Saturday when the ward-to-ward campaign train of APC visited Aboh and other wards in Ndokwa East local government area.

Omo-Agege said that the proposed establishment of a university of Agriculture in Aboh was not a misplaced priority, considering Ndokwa Nation’s contribution in oil and agriculture to the development of the country.

He added that Ndokwa Nation remains the only federal constituency in Delta State without a higher institution.

While lamenting the underdevelopment of Ndokwa Nation by the Okowa-led administration, he promised to put an end to the political marginalization and infrastructural neglect of the area.

Omo-Agege further berated the PDP-led government for abandoning the all important Benoku Bridge which connects several oil producing communities in Ndokwa East local government.

“I want to tell you that all of the punishment and wickedness visited upon the people of Ndokwa East by Okowa will stop on the day of the election. I am very pained anytime I think about Ndokwa East local government area and see your sufferings and the amount of neglect, I share tears”.

“I know how much Ndokwa East local government contributes to the economy of Nigeria and I know how much comes to Delta State because of Ndokwa East contribution. And I wonder what the people of Ndokwa East did to Okowa that he has decided to treat you with so much hatred?

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“Just one day alone, Okowa and his stooge established three universities, no one was established in Ndokwa Nation because of the hatred he has against the people of Ndokwa Nation.”

“And the most painful part is that his stooge, who is the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly presided on the day these three universities were established. He couldn’t even ask Okowa to place one in Ndokwa Nation because two of them have so much hatred for Ndokwa people.”

“But let me assure you that the suffering and neglect are over; and that is why I as your son working with your Senator Peter Nwaboshi came together and we ensured that the bill for the university of agriculture is established in Aboh.”

“And as I speak to you, that Bill establishing the University of Agriculture has been passed by the Senate and House of Representatives; and we are going to make sure President Muhammadu Buhari signs it.”

President General of Aboh Development Union, Chief John Ajie Ogwu, described Omo-Agege as a bonafide Aboh son who they are proud of.

Ogwu said the Aboh people and indeed Ndokwa Nation will massively mobilize and vote for him to emerge as next Governor.

According to him: “Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is an Aboh son and we are proud of him. We are solidly behind his governorship ambition and we will massively deliver him.”

Other leaders of the party who spoke during the campaign, promised to deliver Omo-Agege and other APC candidates in the 2023 general elections.

Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UTM Offshore Limited, Mr. Julius Rone, has said the Federal Government’s initiative to maximize gas and make energy poverty history, has improved corporate governance and removed bureaucratic obstacles.

Delivering a keynote address at the African Energy Chamber’s 2022 African Energy Week, AEW, Conference and Exhibition in South Africa with the theme: “A Simple molecule and shared vision for Africans to win the clean energy race In the 21st century,” he said Nigeria’s natural gas resources could provide energy for the world while enabling Nigeria to fund its way through the global energy transition

According to him: “Currently, Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer. Oil contributes about half of the government’s revenue and most of its foreign exchange receipts. Thus, Nigeria is extremely inclined to the global transition to cleaner fuels.”

“Except for this: Nigeria also holds the continent’s largest natural gas reserves and is the world’s six-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The potential is enormous. And to make the most of it, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has instituted enabling policy frameworks to foster natural gas production — not only for export, but also for domestic use, including vital gas-to-power programs.”

“In the first quarter of this year, Nigeria’s gas revenue outpaced its earnings from crude oil. The expansion of the Nigeria LNG facility on Bonny Island, which is expected to be completed in 2024, is likely to amplify this trend.

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“Still other challenges remain, including declining investments from the West, funding constraints along the value chain, and pipeline sabotage by hostile or poorly managed host communities.”

He added that flaring is a problem in Nigeria because its oil fields lack the infrastructure to capture the natural gas produced with oil.

He said: “Unfortunately, the lack of pipeline infrastructure is a crucial reason why Nigeria’s gas reserves have been untapped for so long. Nigeria is hoping to reverse this problem with the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Natural Gas Pipeline, which is expected to eventually connect the country’s gas supply to other planned trans-regional and intercontinental pipelines, such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline.”

“This should open up access to Europe and also help Nigeria meet its growing electricity needs in a cleaner, more sustainable manner. This scarcity of infrastructure and the growing divestment by the international oil companies in Nigeria’s energy sector inspired my firm, UTM Offshore Limited, and our partners to conceptualize Nigeria’s first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas, or FLNG, project and the first indigenous company in Africa to venture into such a project of such magnitude. FLNG is the most needed noble technology required to monetize the offshore stranded gas in Africa.”

“If Africa can continue to offer political stability and attractive returns to investors and can provide security for our offshore oil and gas facilities and shipping, we will become Europe’s most reliable supplier of natural gas.”

A four-year-old boy, Fortune Mfon, diagnosed with “right nephroblastoma” is in dire need of N15 million for treatment.

Nephroblastoma is a kidney cancer that primarily affects children. Also known as Wilms’ tumor, it’s the most common cancer of the kidneys in children.

The ailment, which was diagnosed in April 2021, has seen little Fortune and his parents move from one hospital to the other.

The parents are faced with the challenge of raising the treatment money.

Fortune was admitted for treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja, and underwent 21 cycle of chemotherapy and right nephrectomy but was referred to any center with a functional radiation machine for radiotherapy.

The letter signed by Consultant Paediatrician, Dr. G.O Ezeh, disclosed that treatment will include neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery (right nephrectomy), adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy.

According to the parents: “LUTH was the only center in the whole country to offer radiotherapy at the time he was referred.

“Further investigation (MRI) offered some hope of a possible remission as the machine did not detect more cells and was recommended to further scan with a PET machine which was beyond the reach of his parents.

“In March 2022, the lymph nodes around the pelvis started swelling and extended to the armpit and has persistently been growing till date.”

They appealed to Nigerians, corporate bodies and the government to contribute towards their son’s treatment by donating into this account: Duke Mfon, Zenith Bank — 2177672385.

Akwa Ibom State Government and the Navy have consolidated the existing robust relationship with an agreement to collaborate in the establishment of a Navy Girls Secondary School.

Governor Udom Emmanuel, while playing host to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubair Gambo CFR, who was on a courtesy visit at Government House, Uyo, consented to the proposal for expansion of the existing Navy School at Ikot Ntuen and granted that a Navy Girls College be established in the State.

The Governor directed the Naval Chief be taken on a facility tour of the Special School built by the State Government in Awa Ubium, Onna Local Government Area for consideration as site for the Navy Girls School.

He directed that a dedicated line be provided from the Ekim Substation to ensure constant power supply to the Ikot Ntuen Navy college.

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“You talked about Navy School, I have a site already built that you can start a Navy Girls School in January. The facilities are there. The Commandant can go and have a look,” Emmanuel stated.

He directed the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Capt. Iniobong Ekong rtd., to work out modalities to acquire and make available a 200 hectare parcel of land for residential estate for personnel of the Nigerian Naval Service, NNS.

Emmanuel expressed the readiness of the State Government to partner with the Navy and an Egyptian investor for the establishment of Akwa Ibom Fish City project, estimated to produce one million tons of fish and a revenue of $500 million within a period of five years.

Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, described his visit to Akwa Ibom State as homecoming, saying that he had served in the State as Chief Security Officer during the military era and commended the cordial relationship maintained over time between the State government and the Nigerian Navy.

He expressed delight over the developments accomplished by the state administration.

Gambo, who expressed confidence in the leadership of the State to leverage on the partnership with the Navy to explore the great opportunities available in the blue economy, assured that with the investment by the presidency in the sector, maritime security has been beefed up across the coastal areas.

The Naval boss commended the State Government for the warm reception accorded him.

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Nigeria’s automotive industry will receive a boost, following moves by the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), to set up a world-class automobile workshop.

The university had, penultimate Monday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prestige Auto and Machines Ltd, to facilitate the establishment of the workshop, which will see to repairs and maintenance of automobiles within the campus.

The proposed FUPRE Auto Engineering Workshop aims to bridge skill gaps in mechanical/auto-engineering, electrical engineering, fabrication and computer science, by equipping students with a wide range of technical know-how and experience to operate across the automotive industry value chain in any part of the globe.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Chris Ajuwa, said the initiative was a mutually-beneficial venture to both organisations.

He hoped that the project would afford students the opportunity to explore their potential, imbibe the entrepreneurial spirit for career advancement and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

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FUPRE Acting Director Strategic Planning and Implementation (SPI) Dr. Juliet Emudianughe said the project would be completed and inaugurated within one year.

The representative of Prestige Auto and Executive Director of Projects, Uloko Ibe, said FUPRE’s vision of graduating students with cutting-edge skills was consistent with his company’s mission of providing technical education for youths, particularly in higher institutions across Nigeria and Africa.

He described the partnership as a paradigm shift from theoretical learning to practical education, with requisite experiential and industrial skill-set, competencies and international certifications to function in the global economy.

Ibe said the company would metamorphose into an automobile assembling plant in future.
Others who witnessed the signing ceremony included the Registrar, Mrs. J. E. Omoyine; Bursar, Mr. Garba Yau’ Nabayi; Director, Physical Planning, Musa Isyaku; Head, Legal Unit, Aminu Muhammad and External Coordinator (SPI), Prof. Chukwuma Nwose.

The official launch of Maplandi group, a digital, marketing, networking and real estate firm, in Nigeria holds on Saturday, June 18.

The launch is slated for The Pertinence Hall 2-7 Tinuola close off Egbeda/Akowonjo by 10am with the theme wisdom secrets for wealth creation.

A statement by the group said it will unfold packages that will deliver real wealth to Nigerians and Africans in general in the areas of real estate, agriculture, technology and education among others at the launch.

Some of these include free plots of land, discount of up to 50 percent and free registration as a member of Maplandi.

Qualified members will also get quarterly incentives such as brand new TV sets, phones and wristwatches, among others.

The MD/CEO of Resource Intermediaries Ltd Olusoji Oyawole will be the guest speaker at the launch. Others expected include Amos Yeboah, President of Maplandi; Mr Jonathan Okey, Vice President/CEO of FarmsMap Ltd and CEO Landmap Ltd Oluwasegun Oluwasanmi, among others.

A few weeks ago, Nigerian women held a ‘mother of all protests’ to ask federal lawmakers to reconsider their rejection of the gender bills during the constitutional amendments. I applaud their efforts.

The rejection of the gender bills did not surprise me, however, because the Nigerian legislature is dominated by men. Nigeria’s legislature has had a history of doing little when issues of women’s rights and protection are brought to the table. In 2021 for instance, a bill sponsored by Senator Ms. Olujumi seeking to promote women empowerment and gender equality suffered a setback in the Nigerian ninth senate when it was opposed by men in the chamber. In 2015, the Nigerian senate, which had only 8 women and 101 men, voted down the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill and in 2013, a move to delete section 29 4(b) from the constitution so as to protect girls from underage marriage was controversially rejected by the heavily male-dominated senate. This must change.

A contributing factor to these outcomes is the low percentage of women in politics. Women make up around 6.4% of the seats in the parliament, one of the worst records in the world. The factors that are responsible or the reasons for this poor participation are related to political parties and structures like; the high cost of politics, which includes even paying for nomination of forms, the cost of campaigns, poor access to gainful employment, and outright discrimination by political leadership. There are societal problems too, such as cultural and religious norms, which place women in a subordinate position to men. A lack of political will and ineffective government policies further complicate the issue of women’s participation in politics.

Since politics controls all aspects of life, including policies that are related to the economy, health, and gender equity, women cannot continue to have a back seat as it means their lives are negatively impacted. As a man who has worked to support women through advocacy and reproductive health services, I have seen how policies that surround women and girls’ access to healthcare and socio-economic inequity affect them. I understand that when more women participate in political leadership, it will influence policies and change the negative narratives surrounding their social wellbeing. I believe more women should be in government, deciding national and local policies.

As elections draw near in Nigeria, political parties have constituted their leadership position and have nominated party delegates. And as elective candidates will soon emerge through party primaries scheduled to end June 3, 2022, women have again been neglected through political machinery and undoubtedly a low number of women will be nominated by political parties

Nigeria should do better; other African countries have made strides in gender representation in politics. For example, women’s representation in Rwanda is 38.5%, Namibia is 23.8%, South Africa is 35.2%, Ethiopia is 32.0%, Burundi 46.2%, Zimbabwe is 43.8% and Gabon is 23.8%. It is not surprising that these countries have far higher Gender Parity Score (GPS) ahead of Nigeria. This means that they have favorable policies and an atmosphere for women and girls to operate and prosper to their potential. It clearly demonstrated also that a higher representation of women in the legislature means improved policies for women.

I am glad that the Nigeria First Lady, Aisha Buhari advised presidential hopefuls to consider women as their running mates. Beyond this appeal, women need to be invited to be more involved in elective positions through a more comprehensive approach.

A long-term approach to improving women’s participation in Nigerian politics is to designate at least one parliamentary seat in each state for women. With this, automatically 36 women would join the 109-member senate across the federation. An example where this approach has worked is in Rwanda. In 2003 there was a constitutional provision for 30% of representatives at all levels of government be women in Rwanda and subsequently, women have steadily increased their presence in government. In Nigeria we have 35% affirmative action for women in appointment and such can be repeated for elective positions also.

Political parties in Nigeria should deliberately make provisions for women in elective positions. They can do this by reducing the cost of nomination forms for women. As it stands, the cost is too high for more women to take the risk of procuring the forms in a contest where they have a slim chance. The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) fixed the cost of nomination form for senate at N20 million ($34,000) and the leading opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at N3.5 million ($5,000). They should also create adequate support for women who are nominated to make electioneering campaigns easy for them. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, NGOs, and women’s groups should increase their support for women seeking elective posts. They should understand that what they have not been able to achieve through protests can be achieved through robust political participation.

Dr Tijani Salami is a physician, sexual and reproductive health expert and founder of Sisters Caregivers Project Initiative which provides medical and social support for women and advocates for an end to child marriage and maternal malnutrition. He is a Senior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute. Twitter: @DrSalamiTijani1

Edo First Lady and Chairperson of the Edo Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has said the State has secured the conviction of one more sexual offender.

The 57-year-old man was sentenced to 14-year imprisonment without an option of fine for raping a minor.

The sexual offender, Michael Ogoke, was arraigned by the police before an Oredo Magistrate Court on May 11, 2021, on a one-count charge of rape and was subsequently sentenced to 14 years imprisonment without any option of fine by Magistrate E. O Aimofumeh.

Speaking to journalists at the Government House, Benin City, Mrs. Obaseki said the government remains committed to reducing incidences of sexual and domestic abuse, ensuring justice for all survivors.

Reassuring that the state government will continue to strengthen institutions and mechanisms to stop all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, the Edo first lady said there’s no hiding place for sexual offenders in the state.

According to her: “We are happy that Edo State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee was able to secure justice for that little, innocent girl who was raped by one Michael Ogoke, a 57-year-old man.

“We are hoping that this would send a message around the world that, in Edo, there is no hiding place for sexual predators. No more covering up for such wicked crimes. No matter who you are, the law is not a respecter of anybody. This government is saying that if you commit such a crime, you will face the full weight of the law.

“We are confident that with this desirable judgment, we have gotten what we hope to achieve as a committee and as a people. If we keep strengthening institutions and mechanisms that have been established by the government to fight sexual and gender-based violence, we will keep getting results.”

She added: “In the not so distant future, we believe that in our state, we will drastically reduce the level of violence perpetrated against people, and hopefully this will also spread across Nigeria and bring about a saner society, ensuring a healthier and more humane society for every human being, especially our innocent children to grow up and actualize their dreams.”

The first lady further said that the state government is providing counselling, psycho-social and medical support as well as all other forms of protection for victims of gender-based violence across the state.

Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, said the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration will continue to pursue programmes and policies to ensure the protection of lives and property of all Edo citizens, adding that such responsibility is the essence of governance.

He noted,: “We are celebrating this judgment because programmes like this have been initiated by previous governments and at the end of the day, it just ends up on the shelf with elaborate celebration.

“We want to thank the first lady and her team for not just being another government that will celebrate programmes and there is no result. This result has set the pace not only for Edo but for the country at large and it will boost the campaign against sexual gender-based violence.”

As part of efforts to bridge the unemployment gap in the Niger Delta region, 50 budding entrepreneurs in three states in the region have received training on business linkages programs designed to improve service delivery, profitability and business management skills of young entrepreneurs.

The training in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states was a mentorship and capacity development program expected to onboard 50 renewable energy sector retailers.

It followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and DMG-Events, Dubai, in May 2021, to improve the market for renewable energy in the Niger Delta of Nigeria through a Retailers Linkage Program.

“The Retailers Linkage Program is targeted at increasing the awareness of young entrepreneurs from retail enterprises in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States about procurement procedures and requirements, as well as enhancing networking opportunities among major dealers,” said Teslim Giwa, PIND’s Access to Energy Manager at the opening session of the training.

“This is essentially a business linkages program designed particularly for the Solar PV markets. Through this partnership, 50 MSMEs in the Niger Delta (Delta-10, Bayelsa-25, and Rivers -15) will be on-boarded as retailers of renewable energy products. Also, we will be building their capacity as Solar PV professionals in an entry-level so they can become installers, and support the industry.”

Giwa explained that the Retailers Linkage Program fits into PIND’s Access to Energy model as communities that didn’t have access to energy and renewable energy technologies before, can now be introduced to the business modules which hand them the electricity at a very affordable cost.

“While it is an income-generating activity for the entrepreneurs, the beneficiaries in the value chain are going to have access to electricity on the other hand. The energy needs of businesses and households in rural and semi-urban communities will be met from this two-pronged approach.”

He stressed the need for government, companies and private sectors to partner with PIND to improve the economic and social welfare of the people in the Niger Delta.

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Speaking also at the training, Tayo Emmanuel Kehinde, CEO of Vectis – the lead training organization for the Retailers Linkage Program, “the training is expected to yield a huge result financially to enable young entrepreneurs to build their careers and create other income streams for themselves’’.

He added that “the mentorship will also make the participants understand there are untapped opportunities around renewable energy”.

“The onboarding of participants will register them to companies, link them to products and give them access to support. Resultantly, they will be able to reach out to more communities either in clusters or as individuals. They will see the opportunity to improve their lives.”

Rukky Iriferi, a female participant, expressed her gratitude to PIND and DMG Events for prioritizing inclusiveness and female participation in the Retailers Linkage Program, adding that at the end of the training, she would project the benefits of solar home systems (SHS) to all and sundry.

During the first five-day training in December 2021, participants were issued certificates after taking the examination and the Business Clinic took place in February this year. Each participant received a toolbox including a solar system and panel to enable them to market the product.

DMG is an event management company headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1989 with operations in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Singapore, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria and the UK. DMG attracts more than 425,000 visitors to its portfolio of 84 exhibitions each year. They have now expanded operations to achieve impressive growth in emerging and mature markets by the strategic acquisition of complementary businesses and by geo-cloning our flagship events, where they adapt their core event brands to work across new countries and cultures.