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Tag: okays

  • Court okays conduct of Alor community election

    AN Awka High Court has ordered the Electoral Committee of the Alor People’s Convention to conclude the process of electing its new executives.

    Justice Theophine Ugochukwu Oguji made the order while delivering judgment on a suit by Chief Uzoma Igbonwa and Ngozi Udodi, against Anambra State Government, the Inspector-General of Police, and others.

    The others are Anambra Attorney-General, Ephraim Agubalu, Okwuchukwu Ojukwu (both of whom were appointed as caretaker committee’s chairman and secretary), and Ichie Ezekwesili (for himself and on behalf of Regent Council of Alor).

    The plaintiffs challenged the disruption of the election and constitution of a caretaker committee by the state.

    The electoral committee was constituted in 2012 but the process was  disrupted.

    The court, after hearing the submission of the plaintiffs’ lawyers led by Ifeanyi Obiakor, ordered that judgment be entered in their favour.

    The first to fourth defendants were not represented by counsel despite being served with the suit.

    The judge ordered: “A declaration be and is hereby made that the  Inspector General of Police  and the Commissioner of Police Anambra State, first and second defendants herein  are not entitled by law to disrupt  a duly scheduled election of the executive committee of Alor  people’s  Convention  on the April 14, 2012  at the instigation or behest of the third and sixth defendants or at the instigation or behest of any other person or  person whatsoever.

    “A declaration be and is hereby made that the disruption of the elections of the executives of Alor People’s Convention on the 14th day of April 2012 and the restriction placed on the movement of the members of Alor people’s Convention by the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State without any justification whatsoever are not authorised by law and, therefore illegal.

    “A declaration be and is hereby made that the purported setting aside of the constitution of Alor People’s Convention 2011 duly adopted by the generality of Alor people on the 30th of December 2011 by the third and fourth defendants having regard to Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution as emended and Article 10 [1] and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right on the rights to freedom of Assembly and Association of Alor people is invalid.

    “A declaration be and is hereby made that having regard to sections 36 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria [as amended], section 26(1) Fund for Rural Development Law Cap 54 laws of Anambra State 1999, the dissolution of the executive of Alor People’s Convention and the appointment of a caretaker committee via a letter dated 1st January 2012 but received on 1st February 2012 is illegal invalid and unconstitutional.

    “An order be and is hereby made directing the Electoral Committee of Alor People’s Convention constituted in 2012 to conclude the electoral process already set in motion for the election of the new executive committee for Alor People’s Convention but which process was unlawfully disrupted by the first and second defendants at the instigation or behest of the third to sixth defendants.

    “An order of perpetual injunction be and is hereby made restraining the fifth and sixth defendants and their cohorts from acting for or purporting to represent Alor People in any manner whatsoever, parading themselves as representing Alor People or carrying out or purporting to carry out any function of the executive of Alor Peoples’ Convention in any manner whatsoever.

    “An order be and his hereby made directing the seventh defendant and other members of Regency Council of Alor town to collaborate with the electoral committee and conduct a free and fair election of new executive of Alor People’s Convention.”

  • Ambode okays phase three for CodeLagos

    In an effort to build on the milestones recorded by the CodeLagos initiative since 2017, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the expansion of the project, to ensure access by residents.

    He said the expansion was targeted at increasing the reach and scope of the project by setting up more coding centres across the state.

    Announcing the commencement of the new session of CodeLagos in primary and secondary schools, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh said in a statement yesterday that the CodeLagos in-School programme for the new session had started in 648 schools across the six educational districts.

    “So far, over 60,000 Lagos residents from parts of the state have been trained through the In-school and Out-of School pathways of CodeLagos. For this term, we have increased our In-School centres from 337 to 648. Two hundred and twenty-six of these schools are government schools.

    “In a bid to expand the programme, we have also reached out to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and religious bodies to partner the government to establish coding centres by opening their facilities for the coding classes.

    “We have received feedback from organisations and we will begin training in these centres soon,” he said.

    Stressing that CodeLagos classes are  free, Bank-Olemoh said the programme would train pupils in Scratch, Python, Mobile App development, Oracle’s Alice and Greenfoot, as well as Blockchain Technology, depending on their level.

    “One of the key success factors of this programme is the robust training for ICT teachers in participating schools, who are trained to deliver coding lessons to their pupils.

    “Recently, 563 new CodeLagos facilitators were trained in preparation for this new term and have been deployed to deliver coding classes to pupils. One thousand and five CodeLagos facilitators have been trained and deployed in centres since the inception of the programme last year,” he said.

    The special adviser said plans were in advanced stages to host the first CodeLagos Hackathon Finale next month.

    He said: “This month-long competition, which began on October 2, is open to computer programmers in the state and designed to encourage Lagosians to solve everyday problems we encounter, using technology.

    “We’re inviting contestants to provide solutions to problems in these areas: Health, Transport, Environment, Energy, Education, Fintech/Finance as well as Environment.

    “At the grand finale scheduled to hold on November 1, 10 teams of programmers will slug it out for the grand prize of N2million.

    “The progress of the CodeLagos programme can be tracked on www.codelagos.org.”

     

  • FEC okays digital identity ecosystem roadmap

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the commencement of the implementation of a strategic roadmap for digital identity ecosystem in the country.

    The digital ecosystem is a framework that leverages existing capabilities and infrastructure of distinct government agencies and private sector organisations to carry out enrolment of Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) as well as issuance of digital identity, known as the National Identification Number (NIN) to bring about a credible and robust identity management system.

    The FEC approval will bring into full force the implementation of the provisions of the NIMC Act 23, 2007, which include the enforcement of the mandatory use of the National Identification Number (NIN) by January 1, 2019, and the application of appropriate sanctions and penalties on defaulters as provided under Section 28 of the NIMC Act and Regulations.

    Speaking on the approval, Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Abubakar Aziz, said it was in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the country’s status in the global economy, towards achieving the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) launched in April 2017.

    According to him, the ERGP was designed “as an omnibus strategy for the government to meet the critical needs of the citizenry in areas such as food security, energy, transport, human capital development, but more critically developing a local digital economy.”

    He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as well as members of the FEC, National Assembly, the World Bank, the French development agency – AFD, the European Union/EIB and members of the Harmonisation Committee, including industry stakeholders whose expertise and contributions fostered harmonious discussion and created the platform for the development of the roadmap.

    He said all agencies of government and the private sector who are directly or indirectly into the business of data capture and service provision requiring identification of persons should note that: guidelines, processes, procedures for licensing public and private sector organisation will be published soon; enforcement of the mandatory use of the NIN for services and transactions based on the Mandatory Use of the NIN Regulations 2017, will commence; and duly licensed organisations will be required to carry out the front end services of the Identity Ecosystem (data capture, authentication and verification services, etc.) and in compliance with the provisions set out in the Nigeria Biometrics Standard.

     

  • Ambode okays improved insurance compensation for policemen in Lagos

    Ambode okays improved insurance compensation for policemen in Lagos

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday rolled out a  new deal for policemen who lose their lives or suffer permanent disability  in the course of duty  in  the state.

    The governor ,on a  visit to  the State Police Command,Ikeja, announced  his approval of  upward review of insurance compensation  for such officers.

    Under the new deal Senior Police Officers are entitled to  N5million; Inspectors, N3million and Rank and File N2million up from N2million, N1.5million and N1million respectively.

    Ambode told  Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders during the visit that the gesture was borne out of the hazards associated with policing.

    The old compensation came into effect 16 years ago and the governor said it had become  grossly inadequate.

    The Governor sought the  support of the  police in enforcing the Lagos State Law on Protection Against Violence, 2007 and  the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011 as part of the effort to wage war against domestic violence against women and rape.

    “By doing that, we will be sending a strong signal of zero tolerance to such barbaric acts and also conveying a message of assurance to our women of our commitment to their protection”, he said.

    He thanked the Command for   keeping the peace in the state.

    He was particularly delighted by the command’s role in ensuring the  peaceful conduct of the last  elections in the state.

    The State Police Commissioner,Mr.Kayode Aderanti who received the governor described the visit as  a testament to the commitment of his (Governor) administration to make the security of lives and property in a state a top priority.

    The CP said it was the first visit by any governor of the State.

    “The visit is not only historic because it is your first but more so the speed at which you visited,” he said.

     

  • NCP okays partnership funding for NRC

    NCP okays partnership funding for NRC

    The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) has directed the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to commence collaboration with the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF) which has committed to funding the consultancy for the development of the roadmap and framework for the concession of the rail tracks of Nigeria Railways Corporation (NRC).

    This was one of the decisions reached following the presentation of the Director-General of the BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki at the meeting of the Council  yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act, 1999 scheduled the NRC for privatisation and the NCP in 2002 approved that the enterprise be concessioned to private operators to provide freight and passenger railway services using the vertical integration model.

    The decision to reform the railways was borne out of  government’s desire to avoid the collapse and eventual shut down of the railways, generally regarded as a loss making but socially and economically imperative to the nation.

  • Researcher okays local treatment for malaria

    Researcher okays local treatment for malaria

    A researcher and traditional medicine practitioner, Reverend Father Anselm Adodo, answers the question on indigenous treatment for malaria.

    Malaria is an infectious disease caused by single-celled plasmodium protists including P. falci-malariae, and P.ovale. The parasites are usually transmitted from infected to non infected people via the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes; about 60 species parasites take up residence in the victim’s red blood cells.

    The disease is characterized by episodes of chills and fever followed by profuse sweating; shaking and fatigue are other common symptoms. Repeated bouts can result in severe anemia, dehydration and death. Infants, children and pregnant women are at greatest risk of severe illness and death.

    Malaria is endemic, dependent on a local symbiosis between infected anopheles mosquitoes and human. The severe symptoms of malaria caused by the tiny parasite Plasmodium Falciparum appear within days and bring death to about 15 to 25percent of those stricken when great quantities of infected red blood cells are destroyed in a single burst.

     Facts and figures

    Malaria is a prevalent in a total of 105 countries and territories: 45 countries in WHO’s (World Health Organization) African region, 6 in WHO’s European Region, 14 in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region,9 in WHO’s South East Asia Region, and 10 in WHO’s Western Pacific Region.

    Approximately six percent of malaria cases occur in southern and Southeast Asia, Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, The America, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.

    An estimated one million people in Africa die from malaria each year, 90 percent of these deaths occur in sub-Sahara Africa.

    71percent of deaths from malaria are in children under 5. A child’s most vulnerable period begins at six months, when the mother’s protective immunity wears off and before the infant has established its own robust immune system. Once infected child’s condition may deteriorate quickly and children can die within 48hours after the first systems appear.

    Recent studies show that malaria causes at least 20percent of all deaths in children under five years of age in Africa.

    Malaria kills a child every 30 seconds 300 to 500 million clinical cases of malaria are documented each year worldwide.

    The majority of infections in Africa are caused by Plasmodium Falciparum , the most dangerous of the four human malaria parasites.

    In all malaria- endemic countries in Africa, 25-40 percent (average30percent) of all out- patient clinic visits is for malaria (with most dangerous diagnosis made clinically). In these same countries, between 20percent and 50percent of hospital admission are consequences of malaria.

    More than 41percent of the world’s population is at risk of acquiring malaria, and the proportion increases yearly due to deteriorating health systems, growing drug and insecticide resistance, climate change and war.

    According to the report of the commission on Macro economics and Health, up to US two billion dollars will be needed each year to achieve the goal of halving the burden of malaria by 2010. Currently, only US600 million dollars is being spent.

    There are three principal ways in which malaria can contribute to death in young children:

    •an Overwhelming acute infection, which frequently presents as seizures or coma (cerebral malaria), may kill a child directly and quickly.

    •Repeated malaria infections contribute to the development of severe anemia, which substantially increase the risk of death.

    •Low birth weight- frequently the consequence of malaria infection in pregnant women- is the major risk factor for death in the first month of life. In addition, repeated malaria infections make young children more susceptible to other common childhood illness such as diarrhea and respiratory infections, and thus contribute indirectly to mortality.

    Symptoms

    •Chills and headache that come and go.

    •fever that recurs every 2or 3 days, each lasting from 2-3 hours.

    •muscular pains

    •heavy perspiration

    •Loss of appetite

    •Weakness, pale skin

    Prevention

    •avoid mosquito attacks

    •eat food rich in vitamin

    •Keep the environment clean

    •Remove old cans, broken pots, etc from the surroundings.  This items act as breeding places for mosquitoes.

    • The use of dried pawpaw leaves as an anti-malaria tea is very important. Dry some pawpaw leaves and grind to powder. Keep in brown paper bag or glass bottle. Add one tablespoon of the powder to a cup of hot water and allow it to infuse for ten minutes before drinking. This prophylactic formula is a cheaper and more effective way to deal with scourge of malaria as it deals with prevention rather than cure.

    Resistance to treatment

    In Africa, most cases of malaria are diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms and treatment  is presumptive, rather than based on laboratory  confirmation. The main clinical symptoms of, malaria- fever and general weakness- are nonspecific and may well be due to other common infections.

    Resistance to chloroquine- the former treatment of choice- is now widespread in 80percent of the 92 countries where malaria continues to be a major killer, while resistance to newer second and third-line drugs continues to grow. (WHO publication CDs 2000)

    WHO guidelines stipulate that once a country’s resistance levels to a drug reach 15percent, it should start considering a policy shift to a new drug. The parasites have become resistant to insecticides. Efforts to produce a malaria vaccine have been extensive but unsuccessful.

    Government policy

    Africa government must look for home-made solutions to the spread of malaria rather than adopting foreign made remedies which will only help to improve the economy of the other nations and impoverish Africans. Importation of mosquito nets to prevent malaria is an example of foreign solution to a local problem. In the first place, how many can afford it? Secondly, who say that African mosquitoes cannot bite during the day when you are not lying down under your mosquito nets? Health is the greatest asset of any nation. I believe that home grown health systems and remedies offer the best hope to improving and safeguarding.

  • Chukwu okays U-23 for Bafana

    Chukwu okays U-23 for Bafana

    Former Nigerian manager Christian Chukwu has canvassed for the Under-23 Nigerian Olympic team to face South Africa in place of the fumbling Super Eagles.

    The Eagles are scheduled to be the guests of Bafana Bafana in Sunday’s international friendly match at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

    The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions were pipped 0-1 by less fancied Cranes of Uganda in another warm-up match on Wednesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

    Chukwu said the nation’s under-23 side are more equipped and prepared to put up a better performance against South Africa than the Eagles.

    “If I’m in the position to take a decision I’ll right away put forward the under-23 side to confront South Africa in Nelspruit.

    “I may even suggest a mixture of key players from the Flying Eagles to fill vital positions.

    “South Africa have a better team at the moment and I don’t see the present crop of Super Eagles giving them any meaningful challenge, never mind winning the clash.

    “South Africa deprived us of appearance at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and have been improving in leaps and bounds while the reverse is true for the Super Eagles.

    “I believe if we send the Samson Siasia-tutored under-23 side to South Africa we’ll get a better result.

    “The high-profile friendly clash will further serve as a build-up to their All Africa Games final round decider against Zambia in Lusaka.

    “The Eagles right now can’t take us very far. You can’t blend a team within 48 hours and hope for a decent result.

    “The truth is that we don’t have quality players outside the country, so the right path to walk is to fall back on the domestic scene as foundation for building a strong side,” said the former Nigerian captain to supersport.com.

    Eagles are most likely to depart the nation’s shores today for the friendly clash on Sunday.

  • Jonathan okays oil jobs for Tompolo, Fasehun, others

    Jonathan okays oil jobs for Tompolo, Fasehun, others

    The Federal Government is set to execute its new plan to safeguard the waterways and oil pipelines.

    The Presidency is believed to have directed the Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to quit the job for some companies, which have been signed on by the government.

    The companies are owned by some former Niger Delta militants and prominent citizens. They include Government Tompolo; Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo and Chief Bipobiri Ajube (aka Gen. Shoot-At-Sight).

    There is also  founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) Dr. Frederick Fasehun who said last night that his company was being considered for the multi-billion naira contract.

    The  OPC National co-ordinator, Otunba Gani Adams, who is also said to be part of the deal, declined comments last night, saying he was at a meeting.

    The takeover is said to be with effect from March 16.

    According to a source, seven companies have been allocated “regions” or operational areas as follows: Egbe Security River One (Bayelsa);  Gallery Security (Mosinmi -Ore); Close Body Protection (Edo State);  Adex Energy Security(Rivers) ; Donyx Global Concept(Lagos and Ogun);  Oil Facilities Surveillance-(Delta) and New Age Global Security (Mosinmi-Ibadan).

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will coordinate the jobs.

    Details of the deal are sketchy as only few in government are in the picture.

    A source said: “The so-called new deal for the protection of waterways has not been made known to members of the Federal Executive Council, unlike in the past.

    “Maybe this is an ad hoc arrangement to achieve a political purpose because some ex-Niger Delta militants on January 24 met at the Government House, Yenagoa and vowed to declare war if President Goodluck Jonathan does not win the March 28 election.

    “Asari Dokubo specifically said: “We are going to war. Every one of you should go and fortify yourself.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “These former Niger Delta militants are benefiting from all manner of pipeline protection contracts.

    “Apart from being on retainership with NIMASA, I am aware that in 2009, a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette presented a memo on December 2, 2009 to the Federal Executive Council for the award of the N1.8billion Kurutie Shoreline Protection and Reclamation contract.

    “A company, KFT Kpudoh, allegedly owned by Tompolo and another called Phoenica Nigeria Limited, bid for the said contract.”

    Based on the advice of the Bureau of Public Procurement, after a thorough technical audit, the Shoreline Protection and Reclamation Contract was awarded to Phoenica Nigeria Limited by FEC. But the award of the contract to Phoenica fetched Akaette death threats. The government later reviewed the contract.”

    A source in Warri, Delta State, said the contract for pipelines in Delta State would be executed by Oil Field Surveillance Limited, the same company, which had previously handled it. It is owned by Tompolo.

    “What I was told is that it has been awarded for Delta, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos and Ogun states. Like the one of Lagos State, I learnt it’s being anchored by Dr Frederick Fasshun and that it’s going to commence on Monday,” the source said.

    The NSCDC Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operation, Evans Ewuurum, said the corps was yet to receive any circular on the contracts.

    Nigeria has been battling with huge revenue due to vandalism of oil and gas pipeline.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, recently disclosed that Nigeria had been losing an estimated 100,000 barrels of crude oil valued at N1.18 billion daily to oil thieves.

    This amounts to an annual loss of N433.62 billion.

    The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said pipeline vandalism led to shortage of gas for firing power plants.

    The electricity market, which has 5,500MW installed capacity now generates an average of 3,575.85MW following paucity of gas as vandals who always strike whenever the sector is about to hit 4,500MW”.

  • 2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS: CAF okays Calabar as venue

    2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS: CAF okays Calabar as venue

    Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Rwanda will go ahead in Calabar on September 6.

    The Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) had written to African football’s ruling body over worries about the threat of Ebola in Nigeria but CAF has declined a request to shift the game to another country.

    The Secretary General of FERWAFA, Olivier Mulindahabi said CAF rejected Rwanda’s request, saying that there are no Ebola concerns in Calabar, the venue of the match.

    The other two teams in Group A with Nigeria and Rwanda are South Africa and Sudan.

    Mulindahabi said: “They (CAF) told us that the game will go ahead in Calabar because there are no Ebola concerns in that part of the country, but that could change depending on the situation of the disease in that country.

    “We will continue to monitor the situation and see if we will send our team there and if we find the situation is not right to risk our players, we will definitely make another appeal to CAF, but for now, the game remains in Calabar,” he noted.

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles will now host Congo in Calabar in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers after initial opponents Rwanda were disqualified from the qualifying series.

    Congo’ protests against Rwanda using an ineligible player has yielded fruits as CAF has thrown the Amavubi out of the series.

    Rwanda were disqualified from the AFCON 2015 qualifiers for fielding Dady Birori in the play-offs. The player was found to have been playing in the DRC under another name- Agiti Etekiama with a Congolese passport.

  • FEC okays N1.3b feasibility contract for standard rail

    FEC okays N1.3b feasibility contract for standard rail

    THe Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N1.3 billion contract for the feasibility study of a standard rail gauge system in six corridors of the country.

    Information Minister Labaran Maku and his Transport counterpart, Umar Idris, broke the news to State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, was also at the weekly briefing.

    Maku said the rail corridors were identified under the 25-year strategic railway development policy of the Federal Government.

    Umar said the contract includes studies of the viability of the rail project and identification of business and economic activities along the selected corridors.

    The feasibility study, the minister said, would also involve identification of the rail stations along the route and the environmental impact assessment.

    He added that the length of the six rail lines would be 4,430 kilometres, which will be completed within six months.

    Umar listed the corridors as Kano/Dai/Jimbia, an approximate distance of 354 kilometres; Ilela/Sokoto/Jega/Kontagora, 408 kilometres; Aba/ Ikot Ekpene/Itu/Uyo/Uduopkani/Calabar, 340 kilometres; Kano/Nguru/Geshua/Damaturu/Maiduguri/gamburu Ngala, 707 kilometres; Calabar/Ikom/Obudu/Ogoja/Katsina Ala/Wukari/Jalingo/Yola/Maiduguri, 1,669 kilometres;and Port Harcourt/Aba/Umuahia/Enugu/Lafia/ Jos/Bauchi/Biu/Maidiguri, 550 kilometres.

    The minister said the seven corridors earlier awarded had been completed, adding that the contract will soon be awarded for the construction of the standard rail lines.

    According to him, the rail corridors were carefully selected to cover areas with strong economic potentials, such as mining, petro-Chemicals, solid minerals deposits, agricultural zones, linkages to airports and state capitals.

    Umar said: “We want to ensure that within the next 25 years, government will put in more efforts to ensure the development of areas through funding and public-private partnership arrangements.

    “The scope of work to be carried out by the consultants will include detailed studies to enable them establish the viability of these projects, bring out the technical, economic and financial models to establish the viability of the projects.

    “They are also to provide proposals for the alignment and connections of the urban and commercial settlements along the proposed routes.

    “They are equally to carry out detailed surveys and designs of the selected alignments to identify potential train stations and other rail base infrastructure to incorporate them into the design.”

    Others, he said, include the environmental impact assessment and identify the rail stations, workshops and other rail base infrastructure along the route, including engineering design and the bill of engineering measurement and the tender document for the award of the contract in due course.

    Aganga said the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) had established two regional offices in Nigeria and Ethiopia and placed the two countries under the accelerated intervention programme for industrial development.

    The project, he said, is in recognition of the potentials and the industrial development efforts of the two countries in Africa.

    According to him, the two African countries have shown the strongest and highest potentials for industrialisation on the continent.

    “Through this action, UNIDO has not only associated itself with the unparalleled and rapid transformation taking place in Nigeria but has clearly endorsed Nigeria’s industrial revolution plan,” Aganga said.

    He said UNIDO had also established an investment and technology promotion office, called the ITPO in Nigeria, to fast-track Nigeria’s ability to attract industrial investment and support for the sector.

    Maku declined to speak on Tuesday’s impeachment of Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako and the impeachment moves against Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura.