The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Investing

  • Why I’m investing in Nigeria, by Dangote

    •Businessman hails govt’s economic growth plan

    DANGOTE Group President Aliko Dangote has explained that he decided to engage in strategic investments in Nigeria to complement the Federal Government’s economic recovery and growth plan.

    According to the businessman, his investments in agriculture and fertiliser production were in that direction.

    Dangote spoke at the weekend as the flagship of the conglomerate, the Dangote Cement Plc, began the training of newly engaged managers to sustain its leadership and competitiveness in the industry.

    He said the government’s decision at diversifying the economy from oil remained the viable solution to creating a healthy economy.

    The multi-billionaire noted that the private sector had important roles to play, which was why he took up the challenge to lead the way as a leading private sector operator.

    Dangote said it was because of his belief in the government approach at re-energising the economy and make it export-oriented that made him to step up his investment in agriculture, especially in the area of food sufficiency.

    Nigeria, he said, had wasted so much foreign exchange importing foods that ordinarily should be produced locally and even exported and that until a new approach at redirecting the economy from import-dependent to an export one, which the present government is leading, no meaningful changes can happen.

    “We have invested massively in rice, sugar, dairy products, and tomatoes. Our rice-out grower scheme will produce rice by next year and that will reduce our rice import to nearly zero because Nigeria imports more than half of the rice it consumes. We have expanded our sugar operations with our operations in Tonga in Nasarawa in addition to Numan sugar projects, where sugarcane is being planted for raw sugar production that will be refined.

    Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Cement Plc Joseph Makoju lauded the programme, saying it would support the overall drive of the conglomerate.

    Makoju said the management scheme was part of the effort of the conglomerate “to sustain our exponential growth, competitiveness and market leadership”.

    He said: “We are committed to attract top talents into our business for our current and future business needs.”

  • Ambode: why Lagos is investing in Lekki Free Trade Zone

    •We plan to make Lagos destination of choice for businesses

    lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday explained why the government and the private sector are making huge investments in the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ).

    They are targeted at making the state the destination of choice for businesses in Africa, the governor said yesterday in a statement by his spokesman Habib Haruna.

    According to the statement, Ambode spoke when he inspected ongoing projects in the area in the company of foremost industrialists Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Femi Otedola.

    Ambode said the investments and the infrastructural renewal in the Lekki-Epe axis simultaneously ongoing were geared to prepare the state for industrial revolution taking place in Nigeria and by extension in the West African sub-region.

    The governor was quoted as saying: “We have just inspected the ongoing jetty project being done by Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

    “You are all well aware that we flagged off the construction of Lekki Deep Sea Port some few weeks ago. But, more importantly, this jetty is being done by the Dangote Group to more or less facilitate the movement of their heavy duty machinery to the petrochemical plant and other projects they are doing in this Lekki Free Trade Zone.”

    Reiterating the commitment of the state to encourage and support in doing what is right for the economy, Ambode said that no efforts would be spared in creating an investment-friendly environment in the Centre of Excellent.

    He said: “What we are doing more importantly, as a government, is to continue to encourage the Dangote Group to do what is right for this country and for us to join hands together and collaborate to really show that Lagos is the next destination for the industrial revolution that is taking place in Nigeria.

    “We are very happy to be doing this with him because we know that with the kind of infrastructure that we are providing around Lagos and the kind of infrastructure he is also providing, this place should be the next destination for anybody that is interested in investing in Nigeria.”

    Dangote said that the combined projects under construction at the Lekki Free Trade Zone were the largest anywhere in the world.

    The President of the Dangote Group said it was important for the right message about the axis to be communicated to the people to appreciate its impact on the economy.

    He said: “What is happening here is the largest project anywhere in the world today and this visit is just to show the governor the industrial jetty that we have built including the water breaker which is 900 meters which is almost like about a mile.

    “This is to show what we have done in terms of bringing in our cargo to build the refinery. We have done quite a lot in terms of water protection and also it is environmentally friendly and this is what we have shown the governor.

    “This is just showing that this place is going to really open for business and we are looking for a lot of infrastructure to be built and this place will be the next destination for any investment in Nigeria.”

    Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives Commissioner Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye said the jetty, when operational next month, would facilitate the shipment of equipment to rev up the projects within the LFTZ.

     

     

  • We are investing in navigational tools, says NAMA

    We are investing in navigational tools, says NAMA

    Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is committing huge cash in the acquisition of  facilities and surveillance equipment to ensure seamless air navigation, its Managing Director,Captain Fola Akinkuotu, has said.

    In an interview,  he said without such investment, the agency would not tackle complaints by pilots and other airspace users about communication in the airspace.

    He said the agency had embarked on massive upgrade of its facilities, especially in communication, navigation and surveillance.

    Apart from the upgrade,  Akinkuotu said the agency had embarked on capacity building  of various technical  personnel  to  man state-of-art  equipment acquired by NAMA.

    Akinkuotu, who said  NAMA was moving forward, enjoining workers to rally round the administration in its quest to take the agency to the next level.

    He urged them to demonstrate more dedication and commitment to their duties.

    He assured airlines and other airspace users of the agency’s determination to work to build upon the safety profile in the airspace.

    Akinkuotu said the focus of his administration is to continue to propel the agency to  provide customers and clients with the best service.

    He canvassed  synergy and cooperation of all stakeholders in the aviation sector to succeed.

    The NAMA boss said despite several challenges the agency faced in the past year, it also recorded remarkable achievements and significant progress in some critical areas. He listed them to include the replacement of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) in two strategic airports.

    He listed other achievements to include increase in staff training and improvement in staff welfare.

    “Many of our colleagues received their long-awaited promotions across the line all the way to General Manager Grade level, and it was, particularly, pleasing to see three of our very own elevated to the esteemed position of substantive directors in the agency,” Akinkuotu said.

     

     

  • GE states condition for investing in DisCos

    GE states condition for investing in DisCos

    The Management of General Electric (GE) has set a fresh condition for it to invest in the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).

    The power giant is insisting on a sovereign guarantee from the Federal Governemnt.

    The request came at the meeting the GE officials had with the DisCos in Abuja yesterday. GE was said to have been shocked by what it discovered in the books of the power sector.

    The Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Mr Sunday Oduntola, told reporters during the Electricity Policy Education in Abuja that operators needed funding for the sector to bridge the liquidity gap.

    The theme of the workshop was: Challenges of the Nigerian Power Sector.

    The only way the GE can stake its money in the sector, according to Oduntola, is for the Federal Government to give a sovereign guarantee in case of any infraction.

    He said:  “As at yesterday, we had a meeting with the team of people from the GE. The Head of GE had a meeting with ANED.  He asked to see our balance sheets. As soon as he saw the balance sheets, he said No! No! He said if the government can provide what is called sovereign guarantee, yes!

    “In the case of GE, it happened yesterday. They wanted to know how the sector is doing in terms of doing business. So they are trying to see how they can come in. They have a lot of money to invest. They wanted to know the challenges like the issue of metering, network and others.”

    According to him, the meeting is an ongoing discussion because “they have the money and we need more foreign investors to come in.”

    Oduntola also noted that Nigeria was not conducive for investment even when the power sector was privatised as security of investment always means the sanity of contract.

    He said the business environment in the country is so difficult to the extent that only two out of the DisCos can conveniently pay their workers’ salaries as when due.

    Arguing that the DisCos have injected funds into their business since 2013, he said they have installed a total of 612,552 meters.

    He insisted that the major constraint to investment in the sector is lack of cost reflective tariff since there has been embargo on tariff increase since 2015.

    Oduntola recalled that part of the $1.4billion paid for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) assets was used to pay off workers.

    The ANED spokesman commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which he said has been more faithful to the development of the power sector than the previous ones.

    He said the reason why some DisCos sometimes reject their load allocation, is when the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) evacuates it where there are no equipment to cope with it.

    He added that the DisCos also reject load allocation when it is wheeled to location that is permeated with electricity theft, yet does not pay for power.

    “It is true that sometimes we reject load allocation. I have the right to tell you where I want my light,” he said.

    He condemned corrupt practices in the electricity market which he said are the handiwork of both staff of the companies and their customers.

    Confirming that the Federal Executive Council has approved the payment of N26billion as the verified Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) debt, he noted that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola directed that the money be paid as part of the debt that the DisCos are owing Nigeria Electricity Bulk Trading Company (NBET).

    In other words, he said none of the DisCos received the cash from the federal government.

  • ‘Nigeria’s capital controls deter US firms from investing’

    • Free-floating naira advisable

    U.S. companies are skeptical about increasing  their investments in Nigeria due to capital controls, the Head of a Congressional delegation on a visit to the country, Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, has said.

    Coons said: “Some of the currency controls that remain, I think raise the question of whether foreign direct investment, if successful and profitable, will be able to be returned to any country.

    “I have heard concerns from American companies that before they significantly increase their investment here, they would hope they return to a floating currency.”

    Nigeria, the continent’s biggest oil producer, tightened currency restrictions after the 2014 crash in crude prices, a move analysts blamed for creating a severe shortage of foreign exchange that made it difficult for companies to pay for imports and repatriate profits. While the scarcity has eased this year, the central bank still tightly manages the naira.

    The U.S. is Nigeria’s third-biggest trading partner after India and China, with volume between the two reaching $6.8 billion in 2016, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That was down from $12 billion in 2014. The stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in Nigeria was $5.5 billion in 2015, according to the State Department. Most of that was in oil and gas.

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has taken other steps to make Nigeria more attractive to investors, he said. “The Buhari administration has made significant progress in addressing some of the structural challenges, both security and economic challenges, that were a barrier to more active American investment,” he said.

    Coons, a Democrat, visited Nigeria with seven other senators. In Lagos, they met business leaders including Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, Tony Elumelu, chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc and investment company Heirs Holdings Limited, and Tonye Cole, Director and Co-founder, Sahara Group, owners of Nigeria’s biggest power generating plant – Egbin Power Plc.

    The US lawmarkers also met Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and visited Maiduguri, the epicenter of an eight-year insurgency by the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram that has devastated the north-eastern state of Borno. There, they spoke with U.S. military advisers and Nigerian commanders, who asked for more armored vehicles known as MRAPs.

    “These were reasonable, achievable partnerships requests that I thought were doable,” Coons said. “It was important for us to get an assessment on the ground. It was a voluminous list of the structural damage done over years of fighting Boko Haram.”

    At the Egbin Power plant in Lagos, Coons and his team listened to the presentation of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Dallas Peavey, on the challenges, achievements and future plans of the management for the power plant. He promised that back home in the U.S., they will discuss and see how to help Egbin management and Nigerian government to achieve their power sufficiency goals.

  • Investing in the wrong heart

    The battle line has been drawn and now it is going to be fight to finish. How can anyone take her silence for stupidity? How can this common intruder take over her emotional space while she continues to suffer in silence? Wait a minute! What has she done to merit this kind of rash treatment? Why does love crash when you least expect it to do so? Now, she is not just stunned but handicapped because she just does not know where to pick the pieces together again.

    Let’s scroll down memory lane and see how this love story took off. “We met at an interview and he looked really dull. For her it was love at first sight. She just liked him and found a way to start a conversation with him. He had this nice baritone voice and he was intelligent. When they got talking later that day, she discovered that he had been out of job for about a year. That obviously had affected him and she made up her mind to get him back on track. The only person she confided in about the relationship was her friend Lizzy. For Lizzy, it was important to tread with caution: “My dear, it is good to fall in love, but sometimes, it is better to look before you leap. A lot of the guys you have out there are gentle only when they want something from you. Once they get what they want, you can be sure that you will begin to see the other side. Please don’t fall in love, take your time and be sure that your heart is worth investing here. You know that you have been through so much already, you do not need another distraction again.”

    Luckily, he was one of the lucky few who got employed and she was so happy for him. The relationship took off almost immediately because they shared so many things in common. The two jolly good fellows loved themselves so much and they were always in each other’s company. They had been in the relationship for about three years and many thought they had everything going for them. The first two years was wonderful and it was a roller coaster of emotions.

    Love made in heaven? Maybe! It was a great experience for her because this was the first time that she was having a relationship with someone who was simple, easy going and down to earth. Bode just wasn’t like the other guys she had dated in the past. He was very emotional and didn’t appear to be too adventurous with the ladies. Tall and handsome, he was someone any lady would want to be associated with. The only snag was that she wished he could improve on his dress sense and look more attractive.

    They discussed it and he agreed to be the man she wanted her darling to be. This handsome bobo was, however, too plain, too ordinary and somehow her desire to brush him up and make him match her taste engulfed her. Passionately, she put all her energy into it and gradually the transformation began. First, they went on a shopping spree, all expenses on the initiator of the idea to look good and she was happy doing this for her man. She bought new clothes and accessories and the transformation was simply amazing. A look at the magnetic mirror for the most handsome dude in town and you find him in the picture. He looked really good and his level of self confidence also improved. Feeling fresh and exciting, he began to make heads turn. Now that we have changed this plain guy and moved him to the level of the most sought after, fresh trouble began. A number of emotional rats began to run to and fro the emotional corridor. This new look was exciting but it brought threats, big and small.

    “I knew from the first two weeks that I had lost my guy. He just could not handle this new look and he was mesmerised by the compliments and emotional partnerships that unfolded as the days went by. Can’t really blame him! They simply suffocated him with love, or was it lust? For someone who had been ‘dehydrated’ and longing for affection, this was time to indulge. He drank and drank from the affection stream and became confused. For the lover boy, it was indeed a season for flings, strange phone calls and threats to the heart that showed him real love. This just wasn’t fear; you don’t abandon a generous and caring heart just like this. Unfortunately, the word fair has vanished from the emotional lexicon, hearts do not reason this way.

    Unfortunately, our dear friend did not know that she was looking for emotional trouble. When you make someone or something you like very attractive, then you are bringing others to be partakers and they would go for it at all cost. Sadly, our dear friend was not thinking along this line and the Romeo was whisked away along the emotional corridor before she knew what was going on.

  • Investing in inventing 

    • Nigeria’s inventors must be given financial backing

    As Nigerians continue to develop ground-breaking inventions and innovations, it is crucial that they receive the financial backing,  crucial in ensuring that their research positively impacts their society as well as themselves.

    Two recent instances of Nigerian inventiveness have made this issue even more pressing.

    The first is the invention of a mobile medical battery back-up system by Miss Jaiyeola Oduyoye, a Product Design Engineering graduate from a British university. The second is the building of energy-efficient cars by students of the University of Benin, the University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University for participation in the Shell Eco-marathon, Africa (SEMA) in South Africa.

    In both instances, the inventors demonstrated perfect understanding of the way in which scientific research and innovation must be relevant to social needs, if they are to be truly worthwhile.

    Miss Oduyoye’s invention is a viable solution to the problem of inadequate power supply for medical procedures in developing countries, profferring a simple but durable device that can be relied upon when public power systems fail.

    On the other hand, the energy-efficient vehicles, which the universities forged, represent a useful contribution to the ongoing search for environmentally sustainable means of transportation in an era of increasing population and climate change.

    However, while the relevance of these scientific innovations is not in doubt, there is very little guarantee that they will ever make the transition from the laboratory to the market. Nigeria as a country simply does not devote enough financial resources to research.

    World Bank figures show that the United States spent 2.79 per cent of its GDP on research and development between 2010 and 2014; China spent 1.98 per cent within the same period. By some estimates, Nigeria spent just 0.2 per cent on research in 2007.

    It is significant that Miss Oduyoye’s research was carried out overseas, and that the energy-efficient vehicles are being sponsored by a multinational oil company.

    Worse still, when funds are available, they are not fully utilised: as at November 2014, only 30 per cent of the N10.052 billion set aside for research by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) was accessed by federal and state-owned tertiary institutions.

    Problems of funding metamorphose into scarcity of investment when scientific prototypes emerge because Nigeria cannot properly facilitate investment in the refining, mass-production and marketing of the products of scientific research. The country is yet to develop a business incubation process whereby investment is linked up with invention, to the benefit of all parties and ultimately, that of society.

    All this must change if Nigeria is to take its place among the industrialised nations of the world. Those who engage in scientific research must be availed of the institutional support systems that facilitate their work: standard laboratories, proper mentoring and adequate funding.

    Government agencies, non-governmental organisations and businesses should work to establish science fairs, competitions, sponsorships and internships, which will enable budding inventors to develop their talents.

    At the governmental level, there should be conscious effort to encourage indigenous scientific research. The use of locally-developed processes and procedures is being encouraged in the oil industry; it should be spread to other sectors of the economy. A comprehensive policy of import-substitution should be encouraged in the areas of light manufactures and agro-allied business.

    Perhaps the most fundamental step Nigeria needs is to undertake a reconfiguration of prevailing social attitudes to scientific research. It is ridiculous that a society which worships footballers and musicians should be so contemptuous of scientists.

    A nation that abandons scientific research in an era of global technological innovation condemns itself to perpetual dependence on others.

     

  • US states conditions for investing in Nigeria

    US states conditions for investing in Nigeria

    Nigeria needs to take the tough steps to create an operating environment devoid of corruption, government interference, unethical practices and abuse of the judicial system in order to win international confidence and increase inflow of investments into its economy, the United States (US) has said.

    Speaking yesterday at a forum for some 20 leading American companies and business leaders in Nigeria, US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, said American companies would invest in countries that observe the rule of law, follow ethical standards and have good work environments.

    According to her, Nigeria needs to take the tough steps that allow businesses to truly thrive as US companies want to do business in countries that follow the rule of law, maintain ethical standards, abide by workplace safety, encourage workforce training and protect intellectual property.

    She noted that businesses must be able to operate freely and devoid of unnecessary regulation, government interference and corruption stressing that “these are the conditions that will increase confidence among international and local business leaders and encourage further investments in Nigeria”.

    Pritzker is leading 20 American companies on an energy business development trade mission to Ghana and Nigeria.

    She also advised the government to sign the Government Procurement Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) adding that Nigerian government, business and civil society leaders must join hands in developing home grown solutions to challenges facing the country.

    “I believe that together we can, must, and will move toward strengthening our security, promote democracy, spur more trade, investment and economic opportunity to benefit Nigerian citizens,’’ Pritzker said.

    Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian private sector at the same forum, chairman, Heirs Holdings and founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, called for more investments by the US companies in Nigerian non-oil sectors.

    According to him, while the Nigerian people are proud that their oil is helping to power the biggest economies in the world, the country is about so much more than oil resources and it has buoyant non-oil sectors in agriculture, telecommunications, real estate and hospitality, entertainment, and banking and financial services among others.

    He noted that the trade mission was very strategic and underscores the importance that the US attaches to Nigeria.

    Acknowledging that there have been sectoral reforms, rebuilding of regulatory capacity by the Nigerian Government, Elumelu said efforts are being made to tackle the manufacturing sector which at just five per cent of the national economy still has a lot of room for growth.

    “We need investors and partners and technical expertise to develop our supply chains, infrastructure and work force skills and American firms and entrepreneurs can help us to accomplish this and gain significant value for themselves,”  Elumelu said.

  • Why we’re investing in education, by Fashola

    Why we’re investing in education, by Fashola

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said his administration is investing “heavily” in education to improve public schools and prepare pupils who can compete with their peers globally.

    Fashola spoke yesterday at the inauguration of a block of classrooms at the Gbagada Comprehensive Junior High School, Gbagada.

    He said education was the best investment any society could bequeath to its people, describing it as an enduring legacy and a powerful agent of transformation.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said education was important in fighting ignorance, poverty and diseases, as well as in the achievement of technological breakthrough and national development.

    He said: “The Lagos State government has continued to invest heavily in education to give our citizens the best opportunities to compete globally through the acquisition of the rights skills and competence in our educational facilities. We are firm believers in Benjamin Franklin’s saying that ‘an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest’.”

    Fashola said the classrooms were built by the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP), in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

    He said: “This agency has delivered noble projects that have impacted on the lives of our people positively. Interventions such as this, particularly in the education sector, show our determination to provide qualitative and functional education for our children and improve the lives of our citizens.”

    Urging pupils to protect facilities in schools, Fashola said the best way to appreciate the government’s gesture was to excel in their studies.

    He said: “Diligence, determination and resilience are strong principles of success, which must guide your attitude to your studies. You must make use of the good opportunities being provided in this college, study hard and avoid bad company.”

    Commissioner for Education Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye said infrastructure was critical to delivering qualitative education to the people, adding that a conducive learning environment would aid assimilation by pupils.

    She said: “A non-conducive environment could provide a foray of distractions, which could pose as learning obstacles and have adverse effects on the productivity and results of pupils. It is in view of this that the state government has continued to improve existing infrastructure and provide them where unavailable.”

    Mrs. Oladunjoye said the government had continued to provide furniture in schools, distribute free textbooks to pupils, train and retrain teachers. She said the investment had led to improved performance by pupils in public examinations.

    The commissioner said: “Programmes such as the spelling bee competition, which produces the annual One-Day Governor, Schools’ Debate and the BRF Quiz have helped the educational development of pupils.”

  • Investing in people: A senator’s example

    I clearly remember not paying much attention as my room-mate ranted about having to meet his relatives anytime he had to pay his school fees. In my mind, I could not comprehend having to meet relatives anytime I needed money as a student. According to Tonye, that is my room-mate’s name, he needed the financial support of several different ‘uncles’ and ‘aunts’ to enable him remain in school as a student. I had always envied how he carried along, doggedly pursuing his academics despite his financial challenges which was all too glaring. While other students had spare cash to involve in luxuries of parties, eating choice foods, even if for a while and engaging in frolicking, Tonye never participated in that. He was too busy chasing his sustenance.

    However, I thank God that Tonye has since qualified as an electrical engineer and now works with a multinational. He now lives the good life but as I reminisce, I can’t help but wonder at what would have been Tonye’s fate if he didn’t have ‘benefactors’. Or the fates of some others like him who were not so fortunate?

    It is in this vein I’m saluting the intervention of Senator Magnus Abe who represents Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly. While I have not benefitted directly from his largesse, as someone who I have been following my heart goes out to all the indigent students which he helps in providing good education for. And for that, I believe he should be commended.

    In a recent discussion of philanthropists, especially concerning education, his name kept bobbing up. There is a wise saying that goes thus: ‘Give a man a fish and you’ve fed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you have fed him for life.’ By giving indigent students opportunity to get an education is like sowing a seed – the result which is mostly bountifully. That exactly seems to be case of senator Abe’s involvement in education.

    As a lawyer, Senator Abe definitely understands the reason for being not only lettered but also ‘learned.’ Hence, I find it not particularly surprising that he has invested in the educational lives of members of his constituency. As part of his 2012 constituency projects, he commenced construction of two primary schools in his constituency, located in Rumusoya community in Oyigbo and Sogho community in Khana Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

    Also, Senator Abe procured Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for 378 indigent students. Till date, 567 stdents have befitted from the scheme which started in 2011/2012 with 189 students. He also paid the school fees of indigent final year students from his constituency in institutions across Rivers State. Benefitting from this were about 320 students drawn from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, University of Education, Rumuolumeni and Polytechnic Bori.

    Not forgetting students aspiring to becoming his professional colleague, Senator Abe also gave scholarships to 40 students to proceed to the Nigerian Law School. Being in touch with ordinary folks, he surely understands that funds could be stumbling blocks for many of them realising their goals of becoming lawyers. Surely, beneficiaries of his scheme won’t forget him in a hurry.

    And recently, Senator Abe pledged to push for a laboratory for the Department of Anatomy in the university through the National Assembly. Definitely, the man knows the import of education.

    Apart from doling our money to students for their needs, Senator Abe also listens to them, coming down to their level. Watching him at a parley, I couldn’t help but admire how he engaged the students in discourse. While campaigning to be senator, he had promised to intervene in the area of education. It is noteworthy that he is living up to his words.

    Also, since becoming a senator, he has beamed concern for the mangrove Niger Delta environment. And knowing that fishing, which is the traditional occupation of his people is under threat by reckless oil prospecting he, as Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), in conjunction with the federal government, is instituting a better oil production process. This is commendable as it prevents environmental degradation.

    And to encourage the fishermen in Oyorokoto community of Andoni Local Government, Senator Abe donated fishing gear to fishermen in the area. The gear included 100 safety vest, fishing nets, marine twines, assorted crayfish nets, anchors and marine ropes.

    Of course, while it is not directly in his schedule to canvass for such level of developments, methinks the senator is on the right path. Personally, I think it is worthy to having a lawmaker who not only influences law to suit his people and by extension, many others, but one who is concerned with even the ‘mundane’ of procuring funds for his constituency members to access a better life.

    At the moment, the rumour-mill has it that, on the behest of people, he plans on going back to the senate for another term. Surely, while I think others can aspire to that position, I must concur that Senator Abe is indeed loved by the people as his praise is being sung in nooks and crannies of his constituency. And from what I gather, the senator has a genuine love for his people, a love seemingly reciprocated.

    For these reasons, Senator Abe would do good to continue to throw his hat in the ring in the race to be part of the nation’s highest lawmaking organ. Should he win, that victory will not be for him but for the whole of Rivers South-East Senatorial District because unlike some other political aspirants in our clime, Senator Magnus Abe is indeed a man of the people.

    • Nwinee writes from Port-Harcourt