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  • Anambra market leader denies alleged cult financing

    CHAIRMAN, Eke Awka Market, Anambra State, Emeka Agummadu, has refuted reports alleging him as being a financier to cult activities in Awka and its environs.

    He said he was neither a cultist nor sponsored cult killings or any related crimes in the state.

    The police had, on Wednesday, issued a statement that the market leader, a.k.a Baby Awka, was arrested alongside three others over alleged sponsorship of cult related killings in the area.

    But addressing newsmen in Awka on Saturday, Agummadu described the allegation as false and unfounded, aimed at tarnishing his reputation.

    Read Also: Anambra teachers fight Lassa fever

    He called on the Nigeria Police to thoroughly investigate the matter.

    He said, “I’m not a cultist and I don’t sponsor cult killings or any related crimes. The allegation is a handiwork of mischief makers bent on tarnishing my image.”

    While condemning cultism in its entirety, Agummadu called for denunciation of those involved, urging them to engage in legitimate means of livelihood in order to be useful to themselves and society.

    “As a philanthropist, I have changed the living conditions of so many Awka indigenes and contributed immensely to the development of the town,” he added.

    He pledged unflinching support to Obiano’s administration, including provision of security network for the lives and properties of the citizenry.

     

  • Tourism investment key to economic development, says varsity don

    A professor of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, Prof. Funso Isolaowa Afolabi, has said tourism has a major role to play in the development of the country’s economy.

    Afolabi stated that Nigeria could have been a prosperous nation-state, if huge investments had been deployed by the federal government in tourism and hospitality businesses.

    The academic spoke at the weekend at EKSU while delivering the 54th inaugural lecture of the university on the topic: ‘Tourism Entrepreneurship: Putting Profit after Suitable Location and Sustainable Hotel Operations’.

    He warned the federal government against over reliance on oil earning, that it may dry up some day, saying the country’s economy stands the chance of being ruined, with decline in daily crude production due to the drying off of oil wells without commensurate efforts to diversify the economy.

    Read Also: SMEs engine room of economic development, says CWG chief

    He expressed fear that the future of the country is gravely endangered, with her monolithic economy resting solely on crude oil proceeds for survival.

    Afolabi appealed to the federal government to make a paradigm shift from a monolithic economy and diversify it by investing in tourism which he said has the potential to improve the nation’s economy.

    He said: “The federal government is not doing enough to diversify the economy away from oil. I don’t know what Nigeria will become when this oil dries off. We have to plan ahead and I don’t think it was right for us to have neglected other sectors like tourism, this is sad.”

    The academic appealed to the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to also give financial support to run the business, the way it has been doing in other sectors of the economy.

    He urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) not to delay further in overhauling the curriculum taught to students in all universities, saying students as prospective wealth creators should not be half baked.

  • Nigerian Books of Records inducts Apostle Suleman today

    THE Nigerian Books of Record Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria, will honour the senior pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, and induct him as a Fellow of the Nigerian Books of Record today.

    Suleman’s untiring spirit of using the pulpit to fight on the side of the oppressed has earned him a place among eminent personalities like Pastor E.A. Adeboye, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and others, who are on the list of the Nigerian Books of Record’s circle of eminence.

    A statement, according to the director-general of the Institute, Dr. David David, recognises Suleman as one example of a true Nigerian who is doing so much to improve the international image of the country, especially by using the pulpit to contribute positively to issues of national interest.

    The DG added that attitudinal re-orientation is the best way to address the myriad of societal problems confronting the Nigerian society.

  • Community invokes ‘curses ‘ against perpetrators of crisis in Anambra

    SOME elders in Nando community, in Anambra East local government area of Anambra State, have invoked ‘curses ‘ against those allegedly instigating crisis in the area.

    They debunked the claims that the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, and his wife Ebelechukwu, had been involved in acquisition of their lands.

    The community had been in turmoil for the past one week over illegal acquisition of their land by unknown persons, which resulted in the protests by the youths of the area.

    75-year-old Chief Obukwelu Ikeora, from Isi-Inyi Nando, commended the state government for coming to their rescue.

    Ikeora, while exonerating Obiano and his wife from the land acquisition allegations, invoked curses on those, who, according to him, were stirring the peace of the community.

    For Mr Donatus Ajamma, the National Youth Leader of Nando, he expressed displeasure over the crisis and allegations, and enjoined the community to support the new leadership and Anambra State government for peace and more government presence.

    Addressing his people yesterday, the President General of Nando Development Union NDU Caretaker Committee, Amali, dismissed allegations of selling of lands to Obiano’s wife.

    Read Also: Twin building razed in Anambra explosion

    He described it as unsubstantiated allegation aimed at tarnishing their image and that of their son, Leo Ogbuefi.

    According to Amali, as an Ogbunike born daughter (referring to Obiano’s wife) of their matriarch named Iguedo, the governor’s wife needed not to hide under any guise to acquire land title from Nando if she so desired.

    He observed that Obiano had shown special affection to the natives through the 20 million naira community infrastructure (Choose-Your-Community Project), in addition to construction of roads traversing Ikem – Nando – SARS Awkuzu; Nado – Igbozunu – Aguleri – Achalla – Igbariam road.

    He said some miscreants were hired and mobilised to the Nando market to disrupt the peace of the community which paralysed business activities on Monday.

  • Fayemi to secure bond for outstanding gratuities

    EKITI State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has reiterated his government’s readiness to secure bond offerings to offset the outstanding gratuities of state pensioners.

    Fayemi stressed that the move will be necessary in order to put smiles on faces of retired civil servants who have rendered selfless service in different capacities to the state by paying their statutory entitlements.

    The governor disclosed this in his office while receiving in audience the United Nations led by the resident coordinator, Mr Edward Kallon.

    In a statement signed yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi said Ekiti has to develop innovative bond to address myriads of practical challenges facing the state.

    Read Also: Kayode Fayemi as Chairman Nigerian Governors’ Forum: The man for the time

    “We have a lot of people who have retired from service and their gratuities have piled up over the years running into billions of naira that we are not immediately able to pay and I don’t think it is fair for all these people who have devoted years of their lives to serving the state.

    “That is why we started the social security scheme for the elderly as a safety net to address this sort of issue, but for us, we think it should be possible for us to develop a bond that can enable us pay off all these and then find a way to offset that bond over a long term,” said the governor.

    “We are recruiting teachers and, it will shock you, Ekiti is one of the smallest states. On the first day of our recruitment, we had 6500 applications online; by 12:00 noon this afternoon, we had 9,000 for teaching positions that will start mid-September in our basic schools.

    “That depicts a picture of the enormity of the challenge. This is what increasingly led to the radicalisation of people who feel there is no hope; so, we have to find a way to eke out a living and government had to be more innovative and creative about tackling these challenges,” he added.

    The UN official commended Fayemi’s social security programmes, saying the UN would work with the state to actualise its Sustainable Development Goals vision.

  • Ondo disburses N166m loans to traders, artisans, others

    TO boost Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ondo State, 21 traders, market women, associations, groups and cooperatives societies have obtained N166 million soft loan from the Ondo State government through the state micro-credit agency.

    At the disbursement centre in Idi-Agba Titun, Akure, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the scheme was to assist the unemployed but productive poor in the state to become self-reliant.

    Akeredolu said aside assisting the small and medium scale enterprise, the scheme was put in place to make fund easily accessible to people without stringent conditions normally posed by conventional banks.

    According to him, the sum of N57m was disbursed by the state micro credit agency to market women, trade groups and individual entrepreneurs in the state to further demonstrate the current administration’s commitment towards wealth creation and economic empowerment of its people.

    This measure, he said, was part of his administration’s efforts to tackle poverty, banish hunger and create wealth in the state.

    He noted that the challenges facing governments of most developing countries, including Nigeria, was poverty reduction.

    The governor said his administration was conscious of this fact and has, therefore, not relented in putting in place various poverty reduction programmes, including micro credit loans for the benefit of our people.

    This, according to him, was to improve their socio-economic well-being to achieve sustainable livelihood.

    Akeredolu advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the credit facilities by investing it in productive venture and to see the loan as a facility to be paid back.

    He reiterated the commitment of his administration towards delivering benefits of good governance to the greatest number of people of the state, and appealed to people to show understanding by reciprocating government’s kind gestures.

  • I want to keep people guessing on what I’m up to -Aliyu

    Former Niger State governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has said that the reason he has decided to stay quiet for a long time is to keep people guessing on what he is up to.

    According to him, people are continually bombarding him to make statements about what is going on in the state and Nigeria but he has decided to keep quiet and bid his time.

    Aliyu who stated this to newsmen in Minna said, “At the moment, people keep wondering why this guy has been so silent, people are wondering what I am up to, they ask themselves, what I’m cooking. Wherever I go, people want to know what I will say or what my next plan would be.”

    The former governor, however, said that he does not have any plan for now, as he is busy trying to get himself out of the court case he is enmeshed in.

    “For now, I do not have any plan. I am working to get myself out of what someone wants to get me into,” he said.

    Although he did not speak about political issues with journalists, he however spoke on former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, and congratulated him on his 78th birthday.

    He described Babangida as a man who has sacrificed his all for the development and peace of Nigeria and prayed that God keeps him as the nation continually needs his counsel and warnings.

    “I am happy he has reached 78 and we are counting. We hope he stays much longer, as he is the most experienced leader we have had so far in this part of the world, and we need him to be around as an elder, a leader and an adviser,” he said.

  • Fadama 111 Agric Programme shares N94.4m to youths in Jigawa

    Fadama 111 Agric Progrmme shares N94.4m to youths in Jigawa Youths. According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Isah, the Jigawa Coordinator of Fadama 111 agricultural programme said the programme has shared N94.4million to 253 unemployed youths in the state for agricultural enterprises.

    At a workshop in Dutse on Saturday, Isah spoke on the need for beneficiaries to utilise the fund effectively to achieve its objectives.

    He said that the youths were both males and females selected from the 27 local government areas of the state.

    Read Also: AbdulRazaq okays N350m for colleges, FADAMA

    The coordinator said that the beneficiaries received training in rice processing, poultry, fisheries and different agricultural enterprises.

    Isah said that the gesture was in line with the Federal Government effort to provide employment for the teeming youths.

    “Apart from our gesture, the Jigawa Government is also supporting about 300 youths on agricultural entrepreneurship.”

    The Coordinator urged the beneficiaries to plan their businesses and study them well before implementation.

  • Banditry: Rep commends Ugwuanyi’s initiative

    THE lawmaker representing Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency, Enugu, in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, has praised the efforts of the Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to checkmate the spate of banditry and kidnapping in various parts of the state.

    Nnaji, while speaking with reporters at the weekend, noted that the governor has in the last two weeks held strategic meetings with various interest groups and stakeholders with a view to finding lasting solutions to the security challenges confronting the state.

    “He started first with all the leaderships of the security agencies in the state immediately after the brutal murder of Reverend Father Paul Offu, the Parish Priest of St James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka, Nkanu West Local Government Area.

    “Our peace-loving governor equally held other series of meetings with community leaders and those of the Hausa community in Enugu State during which he sought their cooperation with the security agencies in their quest to arrest the rising insecurity in Enugu.

    “It is also instructive to add that Governor Ugwuanyi has ordered the immediate recruitment of 20 able bodied youths per ward to serve as vigilantes with handsome remunerations.”

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi orders demolition of caves

    He said the vigilantes and the forest guards earlier being engaged will complement the efforts of the security agencies with check points in all exit and entry points in all the local governments and communities of the state.

    “Special Police Squad, (SPS) has also been raised to patrol the black spots within the state while Military Check Points, (MCP) have been increased to further make it impossible for criminality to thrive in Enugu henceforth”.

    The lawmaker, while acknowledging that Ugwuanyi’s strategy was beginning to yield positive results, also commended the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (MACBAN), Enugu State chapter, for coming out to sensitise its members towards exposing any criminal elements that might infiltrate their ranks.

     

     

  • Kogi: Labour demands N2.8b outstanding workers’ salary

    CHAIRMAN of the Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka, has said that the state government was yet to release the 10 percent of the fund kept aside to offset arrears of state workers’ salary. The arrears, he said, stood at N2.8bn

    Edoka, who doubles as National Vice President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), disclosed this on Saturday in Lokoja, the state capital, during the 14th edition of the North Central zonal conference of the union.

    He said that despite the use of the N30.8 billion bailout for the settlement of salaries by the state government, the union “stands aside” until government fulfills agreements it entered into with labour, adding that the government was yet to release the 10 percent to offset arrears of workers’ salary.

    According to him, “We must appreciate the state government over the bailout. The bailout was effectively used by government. Anyone who harbours contrary opinion should engage the government personally.

    “However, we have declined to make a categorical statement on the usage of the fund, as we should do, because government has not fulfilled all aspects of negotiations it entered with labour before the release of the fund by the CBN.

    “Ten percent of the money was reserved to tackle arrears of salaries, when percentage salary were paid to the state workers.

    “The government promised to pay in instalment from the 10 percent reserved, but they have not commenced. When that is done, we shall come out to make a definite statement.

    Read Also: Head hunter, son killed in Kogi

    “We have computed those months when percentage salaries were paid. What is needed now to offset all arrears of state workers is N2.8 billion,” he said.

    Edoka lamented that local governments were paid 85 percent for three months, contrary to the governor’s directive for complete payment.

    “The percentage payment to council workers was carried out by some of his appointees who are working internally to bring down the government. They have turned local government areas to their handbag, which they carry about, and pick what they want”, he added.

    The Secretary to State Government (SSG), Dr. Folashade Ayoade Arike, assured civil servants of the government’s readiness to implement the minimum wage across board, as soon as the resources of the state improve.