The Nation Newspaper

Tag: largesse

  • N305m largesse in Imo

    On Democracy Day, the Imo State government handed out N305 million to youths to help them start their businesses. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    It was perhaps the perfect gift for 305 youths from each of the state’s wards. They got N1 million each, totaling N305 million. It was part of activities marking this year’s edition of the Democracy Day celebrations in Imo State.

    The empowerment programme was in line with the state government’s promise to empower youths in the state.

    As they filed out to receive the bold dummy check, the gait of the benefiting youths, betrayed the kind of confidence that can only be induced by a sense of financial security.

    For majority of them, the thought of owning a tax-free N1 million which has automatically lifted them to the status of ‘millionaires’, was unimaginable and this explains the thunderous jubilation that greeted the cheque presentation at the Heroes Square in Owerri.

    The massive venue was filled to capacity for the Democracy Day celebration. The parade by various security agencies was dutifully observed while the charged crowd was treated to a variety of music and cultural performances.

    At the announcement of the largesse, the huge crowd rose up in ecstasy, breaking out in different directions. The question on every lip in the heat of the excitement was the identity of the beneficiaries and how they were selected.

    The ‘young millionaires’ were selected through balloting at their various wards. This was in line with the state government’s promise to create millionaires among the youths.

    Presenting the cheques to the youths Governor Okorocha said his intention was to totally wipe out poverty in the state, assuring that he would personally mentor the beneficiaries to ensure that they become “comfortable millionaires at the end of the day”.

    He advised them against using the money for pleasure.

    The Governor enjoined them “to take off with the grant and become great in business,” stating that “most millionaires today didn’t start business with up to one million naira”.

    He expressed joy at the growing level of economic activities in the state.

    The Governor had previously   empowered three thousand and fifty women with ten each from the 305 wards with N100,000.

    He said he would produce as many millionaires as possible before the expiration of his second tenure in 2019.

    He said, “The various empowerment initiatives of the Rescue Mission is to ensure that wealth is returned to the people and to buoy the economy of the state. We are also using the empowerment of the youths to fight militancy, kidnapping and all manner of youth restiveness and it is already yielding results because today, Imo State is one of the safest states in the Federation.

    “We will also continue to create an enabling environment to do business in the state through the provision of infrastructure and security.

    On the Democracy Day Celebration, the Governor stated that “I am here because you have made it possible. I’m here standing as the Governor of Imo State because you all have voted me as governor. We are here gathered to celebrate democracy which is government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is the day of liberation. This is the day when the masses had a voice over the governed. This is your day because those ballot papers you have in your hand is the power with which you decided who must govern you at every level of government”.

    According to him “may I, at this point congratulate the founding fathers of this great nation who have brought democracy to be. Though we have not gotten it absolutely right in democracy practices, but there is light at the dark end of the tunnel. I believe that one day Nigeria’s democracy will surpass that of the perfect American democracy”.

    He added further that, “Let me again at this point congratulate and appreciate the founding fathers of Imo State of which if they had not been governors at particular times, maybe I wouldn’t have been a governor. I remember vividly the Sam Mbakwes, the Udenwas, the Ohakims, the Enwerems and all the military administrators that have governed this State before I emerged as a governor. I’m a governor elected under the platform of APC and APGA in the first instance and may I say to all of you that I’m very happy to be part of this democracy day which you have made possible.

    “You may all recall that I became the Governor of Imo State under unusual circumstances in 2011 when no one believed that a man could rise from nowhere and become a governor without the support of the political juggernauts and the big wigs in politics. I became a governor by the help of the masses and ordinary people. Therefore, I tag my government the government of the ordinary people by ordinary people and for ordinary people.

    “At this point, it is important that we look at what has been done down the line. I recall that light came in 2011 and since then darkness has not been able to comprehend it. I came on a single mission to rescue my people from ignorance, poverty and deceit. That is the anchor of my government and I call it Imo Rescue Mission. May I sound boisterous that from 2011, Imo is indeed better. We may not have been where we want to be, but there is a dramatic transformatory and geometrical change in Imo State.

    “Six years ago, security in the State was a serious problem, kidnapping and armed robbery became the order of the day including child trafficking. Darkness was the order of the day. With the coming of the Rescue Mission administration, there is a better security arrangement than it has ever been since the creation of this State.

     

  • Buhari’s largesse

    Buhari’s largesse

    It has never been in doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari cares for the poor and downtrodden and desires to better their lot. This must have informed his administration’s provision of half a trillion naira for Social Investment Programmes (SIP) in the 2016 Budget. The same was proposed in the 2017 Budget.

    The Social Investment Programmes have four main aspects including N-Power, Home Grown School Feeding (HGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Government Enterprises Entrepreneurship Programme (GEEP).

    Through the budgetary provisions, Buhari aims to better the lives of the young, poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

    While the 2016 Budget has been appropriated and largely spent, the question now is how effective have been the 2016 SIP fund in touching the lives of Nigerians positively.

    Part of the success story the Presidency is taking to town is that as at the end of last month, the Buhari administration has spent a total of N41,714,793,293 in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT implementing different aspects of the four Social Investment Programmes.

    From the breakdown of the over N41 billion so far spent on the SIPs, the Presidency said that N-Power, which is the job programme for unemployed graduates, has received N26.418 billion, being the single largest spending item out of the four social investment programmes under the 2016 Appropriation.

    It claimed that the N-Power job scheme for unemployed graduates in 36 States and FCT, has engaged 162,024 unemployed graduates, who are receiving N30,000 monthly stipends.

    It further said that a vast majority of the validated beneficiaries have been receiving stipends as at 31st March, 2017.

    The Presidency also noted that an additional number has just been added to the list of those receiving their pay in the last several weeks.

    It said that efforts are being made to validate others and ensure that the 200,000 places provided for in the first batch of the N-Power programme are all effectively validated as provided for under the first phase of the programme.

    It also revealed that a date for the engagement of more N-power beneficiaries and the reopening of the portal to receive more applications would be announced soon.

    Beside, N-Power, the Presidency said that the actual released funding for the other 3 programmes, apart from other expenses, so far, are as follows:

    Home Grown School Feeding (HGSFP) – N7.092 billion, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) – N800 million and Government Enterprises Entrepreneurship Programme (GEEP) – N7.301 Billion

    Under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, it said that 26,942 beneficiaries are now being funded as at last month with the monthly N5,000 stipend in 9 States and 84 Local Government Areas including Borno, Cross River, Niger, Kwara, Ekiti, Kogi, Oyo, Osun and Bauchi.

    It said that the number is expected to add up to about 400,000 beneficiaries (and in more States) in a couple of months.

    The Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) designed for the empowerment of market women, traders, artisans and others, the Presidency said has also recorded good progress with the disbursement of 57,234 interest free loans, except a one-time low administrative fee.

    GEEP which is designed for well over one million Nigerians, it claimed, has now registered 3,162,451 people who have showed interest and are members of 26, 924 registered cooperatives for purposes of the loans.

    It noted that women participation has been remarkable with 56% of loans so far disbursed to women beneficiaries in 28 States and FCT.

    A fresh directive, Presidency said have also been given to scale up the loan disbursement to 150,000 by end of next month.

    The Presidency also have claimed that more than 25 million meals have been served under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme.

    From the breakdown of the total number of meals served, it said that 1,051, 619 million primary school pupils are now being fed across seven states of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Zamfara state.

    While stressing that not less than 11,847 cooks have also been employed under the scheme, the Presidency said that 8,587 schools are involved in the programme in those States.

    It also disclosed that more meals will soon be served as Delta and Abia States are now ready to be paid under the federal government school feeding scheme.

    The Presidency also said that Delta State is expected to receive soon, a sum of N63,366,100 to start the feeding of 90, 523 primary school pupils, while Abia State is  expected to receive N42, 921, 200.

    It revealed that Kaduna State has now been repaid N3.4 billion for its past expenses implementing the food programme ahead of Federal Government’s roll-out.

    Over a million Nigerians are also said to now be beneficiaries of the SIP programmes.

    A comprehensive SIP implementation analysis, according to the Presidency, also showed that every local government area, every State and the FCT have beneficiaries in one of the four programmes.

    Some other states are also said to be benefiting in more than one of the SIP programmes.

    The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who was said to have recently received the SIP Update Report, was said to be delighted with the progress made under each of the programmes.

    He was also said to have given express and urgent directives that the programmes be promptly expanded in coverage so that more Nigerians can start to benefit.

    The government, the Presidency said, is now implementing a huge ramp up of the Social Investment Programmes.

    Even with the efforts that have been made and achivements so far by the government in these direction, many Nigerians under the schemes are still dissatisfied.

    For instance, many Nigerians under the N-Power jobs, who got the jobs without knowing anybody at the top, are still not getting their monthly stipend of N30,000 due to the issues of their Bank Verification Number (BVN).

    While other schemes under the programmes are still facing one problem or the other, urgent steps should be taken to address these issues and other challenges Nigerians are now facing.

    It is also hoped that Nigerians are really getting values for the N500 billion budgeted for the programmes in the 2016 Budget and the amount approved for the programmes in the yet to be signed 2017 Budget.

    While no effort should be spared to fully implement the budgetary provisions, the programmes should really be expanded to positively touch the lives of more Nigerians.

    By doing this, it will help to reduce the poverty in the land, especially among the vulnerable youth

  • Buhari’s largesse boosts IDP rehab

    Buhari’s largesse boosts IDP rehab

    Amid the rebuilding of communities destroyed by Boko Haram, President Muhammadu Buhari ships out trailer-loads of grains to Internally Displaced Persons in Gombe State. VINCENT OHONBAMU reports

    The worst is over for people forced from their homes by the terror group. Boko Haram is in retreat, their spine broken by relentless Army fire. This necessitated the plan to rebuild the much devastated communities of the North, especially those on its eastern flank. But while this plan is on, President Muhammadu Buhari brought more cheer to those displaced in Gombe State. He shipped in trailer-loads of maize and rice, which were distributed to the expectant beneficiaries. The trailers delivered 15,000 50kg bags of  grains to 4,779 registered IDP camp households.

    The Minister of Environment, Dr. Amina I. Mohammed who represented President Buhari in presenting the food items at the state Operations Office of the National Emergency Management Agency in Gombe metropolis said the gesture was to acknowledge that the leadership of the country was with the IDPs in their plight. She said she hoped the gesture would alleviate what Gombe State has been doing to help.

    The Minister also acknowledged God’s intervention in the fight against Boko Haram and urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in praying for the return of peace and tranquility to the country as well as for God to grant President Buhari the strength and wisdom to accomplish his mission of bettering Nigeria.

    “We have started enjoying the fruits of Mr. President’s tireless efforts as insurgency is being contained and IDPs have started to return to their respective homes,” she added.

    Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo substantiated her views on the Islamist fighters’ fate when the Minister paid him a courtesy visit, and congratulated the President for drastically addressing the issue of insurgency in the Northeast.

    “I must say in the last one year, a lot of efforts have been put in place to contain the activities of Boko Haram and other terrorists group whose activities have drastically affected the growth and development of the Northeast.

    “With the various efforts that have been put in place, I think the days of these insurgencies are numbered. I want to [say] that we will as state do our best to support all the efforts of Mr. President in this regard.”

    A beneficiary of the presidential gesture, Adamu Jilda, a state government hospital worker from Gwoza in Borno State appreciated the gesture and other activities to help the IDPs. He said he and his family would feed on the maize because they need food, shelter and many other things as long as he left everything back at home has not been working since being in Gombe. He implored Mr. President to put more efforts on security and their returning back home while praying for him to end his tenure well.

    Abudulmumini Alhassan, also   from Gwoza, said they were happy to receive the gift.

    “Since arrival, we have not been troubled by anybody in any way; we have found peace in living among the people of Gombe state. The only additional request we have is how to further beef up security in our areas, because if this is done, we can return home,” he said.

    Another Gwoza beneficiary, Safia Hammasale, said, “We thank God, we thank Muhammadu Buhari and we are praying that God will bless him and bless us too. We will eat this, and would want to go back anytime the security issue in the area is fully settled. She said they enjoyed peace in the state, though they sometimes have problems with landlords over maintenance of houses and also co-tenants.

    Chairman of the IDPs, Alhaji Jato from Damboa Local Government in Borno State was full of thanks to God for the gesture and its timing. “We thank the President for being kind and knowing what to do per time. We are praying that God should grant him strength that God should enable him accomplish his good intentions for Nigeria,” he added.

    He said the IDPs who wanted to go back were constantly ready to do so as soon as their places were certified habitable in every sense. He would remain grateful to the people of Gombe for making their stay peaceful and exhibiting high level of kindness, peaceful coexistence and understanding towards them; to the extent that intermarriages now take place between amongst them.

    He particularly showed appreciation to the state Governor for opening camps for them, and subsequently closing the camps to free them of stigma and being used as cover by evil minded persons and also for paying their rents upon closing the camps. He equally appreciated the

    Emir of Gombe for his kind gestures in the past and the plans to do more for the IDPs

    “On the whole, for each individual with their wives and children, we now have around 31,000 IDPs remaining in Gombe officially. Many have gone back and many are still around that did not register with us,” he said. Dr. Dalami Arabs Rukujei, Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) once said the number of unregistered IDPs in Gombe state far outnumbered those on official records.

    Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo has closed the IDP camps in the state, explaining that the closure was to avoid stigmatising the IDPs. The governor also said closing the camps would end the adverse conditions under which IDPs lived.

    Dankwambo said, “On the issue at stake (IDPs and their camp), we always have a different approach and that has resulted from maybe some of the studies that we have seen over time. When some studies were conducted in 2012 and 2013, we found out that 92% of the people who have been displaced in one way or the other and found themselves in Gombe were not prepared to go back, even if normalcy returned to their respective villages or towns or states.

    “And if that is the case, then we felt the need for camps may not be necessary. And also we had a lot of issues with camp – social, religious, cultural issues that are associated with people living in camps and we felt as people that: it is not good, for somebody to be identified with those kind of issues, especially in this part of the country where you can easily be identifiable by the circumstances you find yourself.

    “Also, there is the issue of some funny people or bad guys trying to find a way to mix up with the camp population and cause havoc in the state. As a result, we tried to dismantle the camps, arrange for housing accommodation for them with our people, so that they can integrate, and secondly, our people can monitor them to know those who actually came in peace or otherwise

    “And also very importantly, we want to make them, to a larger extent, forget the agonies that have befallen them. Substantial numbers of them have been integrated; we paid rent for them and we agreed that after some number of years, when they would have been established or integrated, they will continue to cater for themselves and be very good citizens of Gombe state, that is those who wish to remain behind.

     

     

  • Gov Udom’S largesse: Akwa United players cry out

    Gov Udom’S largesse: Akwa United players cry out

    Players of Akwa United have cried out over the unpaid Federation Cup financial reward promised them by  Governor Emmanuel Udom.

    Reports revealed that Udom is yet to redeem the sum of N2million and residential apartments to each player of the team for winning a historic first Federation Cup.

    The Promise Keepers defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 in the final of the 2015 Federation Cup at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with goals from Nnamso Edo and Abdulafeez Awakan, who was voted the most valuable player of the competition.

    Edom, who promised to reward the players with mouth watering incentives should they win the trophy in what was their first attempt, has failed to fulfil his promises, according to futbalgalore.com.

    Akwa United, who barely escaped the drop at the end of the 2014/2015 season as a result of the feat, will compete in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.

    Some of the players, who didn’t want their names mentioned in print, have appealed to the governor to make them happy in their quest for success in the upcoming campaign.

     

  • A lawmaker’s largesse in Kaduna

    A lawmaker’s largesse in Kaduna

    With a project dedicated to the poor and some entrepreneurship tools for his people, Senator Shehu Sani is making an impact in his constituency just months after joining the National Assembly, reports TONY AKOWE

    It is a turning point for residents of Kaduna Central Senatorial district. They are starting to savour the joy of quality representation. Senator Shehu Sani who represents them has given back to them even before receiving his constituency vote. He launched a pet project known as Talakawa Grassroots Revolutionary Development Programme which is expected to cover areas such as education, political enlightenment, health care delivery, women and youth empowerment, sports and recreation as well as skill acquisition and capacity building.

    Some of the beneficiaries were physically challenged. Some got tricycles, wheelchairs, vulcanising machines and sewing machines, among others.

    Sani said the platform is a product of “our collective struggle, our resistance to the dark, reactionary forces that prey on our people’s ignorance, scavenge on their fears and uncertainties and profit from their misery. Our platform is a resounding no to the impunities of the past and the stranglehold of narrow special interests on the destiny of our communities. Our resolve is firm and unflinching for we owe no loyalty except to the common bonds of faith in our people’s abilities, our shared ideals of struggle, and our history of staunch opposition to exploitation, social and economic deprivation and the mass imbecilisation of our humanity. The political, social and cultural battles we have fought and are still currently engaged in is a testament to our indomitable will and spirit, and our untiring efforts to retrieve and remobilise our energies for the existential challenges we continuously confront. Our constituency programme is your collective project, a platform dedicated to the realisation of your dreams and expectations. Its key principles and strategic trajectories are undergirded by your vision, your will and your values. The choice of the projects to execute will be based on your conception and your material and spiritual needs. Our revolutionary method of mass empowerment aims to banish the logic of top-bottom approach to human development and emplace as its essence a development and human transformation paradigm that evolves out of your living experiences”.

    Sani is not unmindful of the fact that politicians use such programmes to perpetuate themselves and hold the people to ransom while failing to fulfill their promises to the people. He is also not unmindful of the fact that elected representatives of the people collect huge sums of money as constituency projects and smile to the bank while the people suffer abject poverty, only to return with hand outs few months to election.

    In response to such attitude of politicians, he promised, saying, “Our method will radically differ from the approach of such political leaders who are already disconnected and divorced from the people, who hold them in contempt, who refuse to seek out their opinions and viewpoints, and who inflict on them pains and sufferings in the name of a bogus programme of deceit that have no bearing to their daily struggles”.

    Describing his effort as a new revolutionary paradigm of change, Sani, a civil rights activist before his election believe that the time has come to effect a change in the ways things are done in the country. He said “change has come to Nigeria, and to Kaduna Central, but do not be deceived for change has two logical faces. The vehicle of change- our political party- is composed of two sets of individuals and Caucuses: the Caucus of the rich and powerful who exploited its advantages to advance their reactionary political career, and the caucus of the people who are making history by taking their destiny in their hands. Our caucus is of the latter part for we see the promise of change in the eagerness of our people to better their living standard, to improve their human development index, to engage in sustainable means of livelihood, educate their children, have access to better health care delivery system, reduce maternal and infant mortality, empower the youth with new skills, capacities and job opportunities, and live in affordable houses in clean and decent neighborhoods. We have no part in the political tendency that will destroy our people’s means of livelihood, shut down their social and economic spaces, destroy the dwellings the toiled to build and run a government that alienates them. We have no part in the paradigm of change that emasculates the people, is impoverishing and demeaning them, that has outsourced their jobs for political ambitions of the future and that has prioritised arrogance and impunity as sellable mantras. The change we worked for, we gave our all is a people-driven agenda; change that will improve their lives, accommodate their interests and needs, is inclusive and compassionate. Change is not meant to cannibalise our people and feed their flesh to the gods of avarice, unconscionable ambition and disdain for all that is egalitarian and fraternal in nature.

    However, Sani told The Nation that his “philosophy of change is built on the belief that our political platform must be converted into a mass movement of the people and should to serve, without delay, as an ideological weapon for mass mobilization, mass conscientisation and mass empowerment. It is a vehicle that must be expropriated from the hands of the few and brought back into the domain of the people”.

    He said further that “the Talakawa Grassroots Revolutionary Development Programme is the organic transformation of our notion of the new paradigm of change into praxis. It is conceived as a sustainable, self-reinforcing community of activists, workers, women, youth and children designed to effect a qualitative change in our mode of thinking and acting with regard to our political institutions, cultural platforms, economic system and spiritual mode of existence. It is an integrated, collectively owned and action-driven agenda that will make a clear and powerful statement in the areas of utilitarian and functional education, political enlightenment essential for political and social liberation, affordable healthcare delivery system, environmental renewal and improved living spaces, women and youth empowerment under an equitable and egalitarian order and framework, job creation that will be facilitated by skills acquisition and capacity-building, and sports, recreation and general individual wellbeing. I have my thinking and ideas about the direction to go, about the key projects that will work well for our people in this regard, but my thoughts and ideas are insufficient to unfold the totality of this revolutionary agenda. To do so will be to hand down to you my thoughts alone. Because we own this project collectively, the inputs all of all critical stakeholders are required in fleshing out the ideas my team and I have been working on for quite some time”.

    Speaking in the likely success of the programme, Sani said “I see the immense revolutionary potentials of our platform as a mass movement, as a weapon of liberation and human transformation. Together we are already making history, by this very beginning, this historic start. The launch of this project today signals the commencement of a revolutionary pro-people change in our constituency Kaduna central. And it is a revolution that no one, no matter how powerful, can stop, can halt, can dislodge or contaminate. The reason for this is simple: the mass of our people voted for change, a change that would make meaning in their life, a change that would free them from exploitation and plunder, a change that would free them from master-servant relationship, a change that would recognize and uphold their human dignity, a change that would end their suffering, a change that would advance their collective socio-economic interest; this is my interpretation of change and the pillar upon which the new order and the new spirit in the country can only be sustained”.

    One of those who benefited from the programme who identified himself simply as Alhaji Mohammed told The Nation that for the first time in his life, he was feeling the touch of governance. He said “I have been voting since the second republic. But I have never seen anything like this. We use to hear that government gives out poverty alleviation item to people, but many of us here today have never benefited. Infact, normally don’t see these people until when it is time for election or when election is near before they come to give us rice and some few money. But this time, Senator Sani, who has just been elected has decided to put a smile on our faces early enough. I am particularly very grateful to him. He has promised t do more and I know that he will do more”.

    Muhammad Kabir Abdullahi, one of his aide said the Senator decided to use his personal money for the project, adding that the programme will be expanded once constituency money is released, adding that whoever knows Shehu Sani knows him as a giver especially to the poor or the needy.

     

  • N300m largesse for Anambra widows

    N300m largesse for Anambra widows

    Wife of Anambra State governor, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano has distributed items worth over N300 million to widows in the state.

    The items included 200 hair driers, 200 sewing machines, 500 bags of salt, 150 cartons of soap, 500 bags of rice, 10 bundles of wrappers, 200 bags containing bundles of treated mosquito nets and 750 milling machines, among others.

    She said that the empowerment was meant for widows in the 189 communities of the state.

    Mrs Obiano also reiterated her commitment to promoting the welfare of families through her pet project Caring Family Empowerment Initiative (CAFÉ).

    The women gathered at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia for the distribution.

    The governor’s wife said the items were part of the donations from First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan during her recent visit to the state..

    Mrs Obiano the First Lady for caring for the needy, noting that such initiatives complement CAFÉ’s role in providing succour for the indigent and down-trodden in the society.

    Said she, “CAFÉ is committed to supporting the welfare programmes of Chief Willie Obiano’s administration, which promotes strong and healthy families through assisting and supporting vulnerable groups in the state in order to feel the impact of government and also contribute to its socio-economic development.”

    Mrs. Obiano told the widows that the items were not exhaustive but were being distributed in phases. She assured that the people who have not received the empowerment materials will do so eventually.

     

  • 2,000 benefit from Senator’s largesse

    2,000 benefit from Senator’s largesse

    No fewer than 2,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos East Senatorial District have benefited from the empowerment programme of Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

    At 8am, APC members besieged Somolu Local Government Area and Bariga Local Council Development Area for the programme. They sang the praise of the Senator during the distribution of items.

    The distributed materials included sewing machines, deep freezers, refrigerators, vulcanising machines, welding tools and generators. Some people were also given grants to start up business.

    In his speech, Senator Ashafa said he was committed to the welfare of his constituents.

    He said: “Just a few weeks ago, we held a mega empowerment programme in Ibeju-Lekki where over 1,000 party members benefited. Today is another empowerment of our party faithful in Somolu /Bariga axis. This is to show that APC, our party, is ever committed to the welfare of the people. And we shall continue to do this to reduce poverty and unemployment in our state.”

    The beneficiaries praised the senator for the gesture.

  • Rangers get chairman largesse

    Rangers get chairman largesse

    •Beat Sharks 2-0 in Enugu

    Enugu Rangers defeated Sharks of Port Harcourt 2-0 and received the largesse of the Board Chairman, Festus Onu who had promised to reward them handsomely for every win and draw till the end of the season.

    Rangers attempt to nick a last minute berth on the continent was given a boost through goals from Meshack Chukwubuike and Marshall Odah in the 5th and 44th minutes of the first half.

    The Coal City side are fifth on the log with 55 points from 36 matches while Sharks have 50 points from as many matches also.

  • On Don Jazzy’s largesse

    On Don Jazzy’s largesse

    FORMER Mo’hits Records co-honcho, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly called Don Jazzy, stunned twitter followers when he awarded one of his followers with the sum of N100,000 for being the first person to retweet a ‘dot’ he tweeted.

    On Saturday, June 1, at about 13:37hrs, the producer updated his twitter handle with a tweet which contained only a dot. While many of his followers, who normally retweet his tweets, felt it was either an error or of no importance, Bmillions1 retweeted it some few minutes after and to the astonishment of followers, Don Jazzy tweeted; “you have just won yourself N100,000 for just being the first person to RT my dot”.

    He followed that tweet with a request asking the lucky fan to send him his bank details directly into his inbox. The Oliver Twist producer did fulfill his promise as the fan tweeted: “Thank you very much @DONJAZZY for the 100k. Thanks bro. God bless.”

    The incident generated a retweeting buzz on the producer’s twitter handle as scores of his followers were engaged in a retweeting frenzy tweeting his tweets including the dot.