The Nation Newspaper

Tag: project

  • Family demands compensation for ‘airport’ project land

    The proposed airport project of the Ayo Fayose administration is causing more controversy as the family which owns the land claimed it was not notified before bulldozers moved to site last Friday.

    The Iwajo Family of Aso Ayegunle, on Ijan Road in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, is demanding compensation on the economic trees on the land “in line with the law of the land”.

    Its members said they were shocked to see bulldozers and other earth-moving equipment on the land without any notice and without their consent.

    They claimed the project besides destroying the cocoa plantations would also render not less than 5,000 workers jobless.

    The family said throwing over 5,000 cocoa plantation owners and workers out of job would defeat the “stomach infrastructure” policy of the Fayose administration.

    Rising from a meeting at the weekend presided over by the head of the family, Chief Moses Ojo, and attended by over 1,000 people, the family  resolved to hold a follow-up meeting with the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe today at his palace.

    It claimed to have been on the land for over 500 years, saying the land was not suitable because it is a cocoa belt, which spreads to Igbemo-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area and never a virgin land.

    Members said they don’t want to be added to the ever-increasing number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs),  expressing fear that the airport project could trigger a refugee crisis in the area, if they are chased out of their ancestral land.

    They recalled that when government acquired the land on which the Ondo State House of Assembly complex was built, land owners were given prior notice and compensated, although there was no cocoa plantation there and that such a ‘benevolent’ action was taken by a military regime.

    The resolution signed by Ojo, the secretary, Osho Olorunfemi and Chief Italohun Fadahunsi, called on the government to consider another virgin land on Ado-Ijan Road, if the family and owners of the cocoa plantations won’t be compensated.

    They said: “The Land Use Decree gives a person using a place for about a century title to the land. Before taking the land from the person using it, royalty should be paid to the owner apart from the property on the land.

    “Ekiti is known to be a cocoa-producing state and this site is renowned for cocoa production. To the best of our knowledge, any land being acquired by government, it is expected that government should settle the owner on the land and property therein before moving to site.

    “To the best of our knowledge, all the farm owners at the present (Federal) Polytechnic were settled before moving to site. We are afraid that stomach infrastructure will be defeated if about 5,000 people are driven away by force.

    “As far as we are friends of this government, government in turn should put our interest into consideration before any project that is secondary to our well-being is executed.

    “If eventually the government sticks to its decision to site the project on this spot, there should be compensation and adequate notice given to allow those who have repayable crops to harvest their crops before moving to the site.”

    But Commissioner for Works Kayode Osho allayed the fear of the family and the people of Aso Ayegunle community.

    Osho, the chairman of the airport project implementation committee, assured the people that adequate compensation would be paid to owners of the land and economic trees.

    The commissioner, however, was non-committal on when the compensation will be paid.

  • Six communities protest abandoned NDDC road project

    Six communities protest abandoned NDDC road project

    Six communities at Iyekogba area of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State have protested over the abandonment of a road construction contracted awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission and the continued deplorable condition of roads leading to the communities.

    Residents and indigenes of the communities, comprising Evbowe, Uholor, Utangban, Efionayi, Evbuodia and Ulemon, took to the streets of their communities to protest the abandoned road project that was supposed to link the communities from Iyekogba near Ogba River to Upper Ekenwan road leading to Gelegele.

    The project was supposed to provide an alternative route to Gelegele jetty through Airport road but over six years after the contract for the road project was awarded, it is yet to be completed.

    Driving through the communities is a nightmare for motorists as even the Upper Ekenwan axis has become worsen. They appeared cut off by the bad roads.

    •A bad spot
    •A bad spot

    Besides accessible road, there is no secondary school in the communities and the only two primary schools at Utangban and Evbuodia are far apart and in deplorable conditions.

    Pupils in the communities usually trek long distance to attend good primary and secondary across the Ogba River.

    Chairman of Ulemon Community, Julius Iredia, said members of the community have been subjected to hardship due to the abandoned road project.

    Iredia said the protest was to draw governments’ attention to their plight as the communities have written protest letters to The Presidency, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and the State House of Assembly, all to no avail.

    According to him, “The bad condition of the road leading to our communities has brought hardship to us. We have tried our best to meet with the Niger Delta Development Commission in Benin for the completion of the road but nothing has happened since.”This abandoned road project has hampered the social economic activities of the community and we are not  going to rest until the government comes to our rescue. We are part and parcel of the country and should begin to reap from the benefits of democracy, which other communities are enjoying to the fullest.”We have been sidelined in the developmental process going on in the country,” he lamented.Investigation by Niger Delta Report at the Upper Ekenwan axis showed that businesses have been paralyzed and social activities are non-existent due to the bad road and lack of electricity for the past five months.When contacted for comments, Edo State Commissioner in the NDDC, Mr. Peter Enogieru, said the road project has been abandoned for over four years because of poor funding.Enogieru said many projects of the NDDC were abandoned not only in Edo State but across the Niger Delta region because of nonpayment of funds to contractors.

    According to him, “The contractor has not been paid because of lack of fund. The contractor will work and no payment will be made to them. Many of them have taken bank loans. They cannot go back to work.”When funding improves like we are expecting under the new regime, things will improved. It is not an Edo State issue, it is the entire Niger a Delta region that jobs are amandine because of funds.”However, the office of the NDDC in Edo State that was sealed over non-remittance of Pay As You Earn tax amounting to N97m was yet to be opened as at press time.

     

  • NB earmarks N100b for commercial paper project

    Nigerian Breweries Plc has signed a deal to establish a N100 billion Commercial Paper (CP) Programme to execute the company’s financing strategy, in an increasingly competitive market environment.

    During the signing at the firm’s head office, Iganmu, Lagos, the brewer said the programme, believed to be the largest established by a (non-financial institution), is expected to complement NB’s other sources of working capital, while diversifying its funding sources to include non-bank investors.

    The event was witnessed by representatives of the transaction advisors from Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, FBN Capital Limited, Banwo & Ighodalo as Legal Counsel, KPMG as Auditors to the Issuer (for the relevant financial years under review), and Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC as Issuing Calculation and Paying Agent as well as officials of the FMDQ OTC Exchange.

    On the launch billed for on or before  October 8, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde,  said: “This transaction underscores our continued commitment to winning with Nigeria and represents the largest ever Commercial Paper programme to be established by a (non-financial institution) corporate issuer following the 2009 guidelines on commercial paper from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “In that regard, this effort clearly demonstrates our leadership status in the industry and an innovative approach towards executing our company’s financing strategy in an increasingly competitive market environment,” he said.

    Also, the Finance Director of NB, Mr. Mark Rutten, said: “This programme is expected to complement our Company’s other sources of working capital, whilst diversifying our funding sources to include non-bank investors.

    “Additionally, this programme will improve our ability to periodically access funding at rates mirroring money market and Treasury Bill yields, would provide Nigerian Breweries with additional tools to help manage and optimise its overall funding cost.”

    NB has been assigned a top notch investment grade rating of “Aa” by Agusto & Co. Limited.

    As highlighted by Agusto & Co, the rating assigned is representative of a company that possesses very strong financial condition and very strong capacity to meet its obligations as and when due, which clearly speaks to the corporate credentials and financial pedigree of Nigerian Breweries.

  • Commodities exchange: Failed project?

    Commodities exchange: Failed project?

    Food prices volatility and high transactions costs have remained major problems to farmers. They have given a strong justification for a virile commodity exchange.Farmers and stakeholders believe the commodity exchange has failed to develop into a sustainable trading platform to boost agriculture. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Many farmers in Nigeria and Africa face a myriad of challenges in marketing their produce. They lack proper storage facilities, which makes them incur heavy post-harvest losses. Most farming areas are inaccessible due to poor road infrastructure, which translates to high transaction costs as they pay heavily to transport their goods. Besides, they are victims of fragmented and disorganised markets where they sell their products lower than the market price.

    To this end, farmers need every support that will provide a centralised market place where they can sell their commodities to manufacturers and consumers to make profit.

    Experts believe the commodity exchange can help farmers link up to markets.

    Commodities exchange, according to the Director-General of African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC), Obiora Madu, is part of efforts to get small-scale farmers sell their crops at a profit.

    Such exchanges come with a warehouse receipts programme by which farmers can store their harvest at a certified warehouse and sell when prices rise. The warehousing system can also turn their commodities into collaterals if they choose to apply for loans.

    According to him, if the farmers are able to increase their income, they would be able to afford input such as high-yield seeds and increase production.

    Normally, farmers, who have produce sell them through the exchange, just like people would sell shares.  Before them, the produce is inspected and certified as tradable. Sellers and buyers place their products and orders, which they execute in a transparent manner. The future aspect of the exchange takes a price risk management function as it helps farmers to avoid serious losses when prices fall. It also enables farmers to receive a guaranteed price from a purchaser or intermediary and facilitates more effective planning and investment because of greater income predictability.

    One of the most prominent examples is The Ethiopian Commodities exchange (ECX) set up in 2008.

    The commodities exchange trades coffee, beans, maize and a few other crops.

    Analysts say Ethiopia Commodities exchange experiment has helped farmers to sell their commodities at a profit with agricultural mechanisms such as crop insurance and warehousing.

    This will help them gain collateral, and then loans to expand their businesses.

    The ECX has been a big motivator for African nations to form their own exchanges. Only two countries have produced lucrative models: South Africa and Ethiopia. But there have been a large number of commodity exchanges tried over the past decades, many resulting in failure or little growth and activity. One of the examples cited is Nigeria. The exchange has not convinced stakeholders that it can improve food security. One of them is Madu.

    Speaking with The Nation, Madu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer and Programme Director of Multimix Academy, expressed concern that the nation’s commodities exchange has had difficulties getting off the ground.

    He expected the commodity exchange to do well with an economy made up of large commodity producers and many of them are top suppliers worldwide.

    Nigeria one of the largest producers of agro commodities in West Africa, he said, is lagging behind in such market infrastructure.  Watchers see Nigeria as a home of a non functioning exchange.

    Since 2006 when an intensive effort to get commodity trading off the ground through the Abuja Securities & Commodity Exchange (ASCE), stakeholders said the exchange was operating below potential. Relabeling ASCE to “Nigeria Commodity Exchange”, a roadmap was adopted to put in place a fully functional electronic warehouse receipt system, with some 16 commodities selected for trading.

    Notwithstanding, this has not changed the fortunes of the market.

    According to the Programme Corodinator, Farmers Development Union (FADU), Mr Victor Olowe, said a functional exchange rests on clear rules for trade and delivery, as well as consistent monitoring to ensure integrity.

    Apart from that,  the contracts, he said, must define the amount, quality, and location of the commodity traded, as well as an execution date. Other necessary features include the minimum increment for price fluctuations, duties required of buyers and sellers during the delivery process, and deadlines for those duties to be completed.

    Olowe said one of the biggest problems that farmers and producers have is poor knowledge of the market.

    A lot of farmers, who belongs to his group do not know that the market exist not to talk of using the platform to sell.

    His other concern is that the system is not supported nationwide by a warehouse receipts programme, where farmers can store their harvest at a certified warehouse and sell when prices rise. The warehousing systems helps them to turn their commodities into collateral if they choose to apply for a loan.

    This gives the farmers breathing room and the option not to sell their maize at harvest time, when everyone else is selling and prices are low. For him, storing commodities in certified warehouses eliminates a range of risks, guaranteeing quality, and ensuring that the crop is secure. Those two factors open the door to financing from banks. On the whole, he observed that the problem is that conditions for success, such as large trading volumes, a strong financial sector, and a commitment to transparency, do not exist yet. In most of the towns, transactions involving agricultural commodities are not based on formal standardised measures. These conditions make it impossible to operate commodity exchanges, which compel actors to certify quality and quantity by physical sampling. The other issue is lack of reliable market information, not only on commodity prices, but also on available volumes and estimates of demand.

    Further, the system has not been able to curtail cheating on weights and measures from which disadvantaged smallholders farmers suffer, and reduce storage losses. As a result of these constraints,  commodity exchange, he argued, has not lived up to expectations.

    Watchers believe that the system is weakened by an inefficient legal system, small spot markets, limited numbers of potential participants, passive financial institutions, and high levels of policy unpredictability.  More broadly, concerns are mounting that the Abuja commodity exchange was being churned out without due consideration for enabling conditions.

    The failure of such platforms elsewhere shows how important it is to have the right infrastructure in place from the start. Some are of the opinion that the exchange was created as a political rather than commercial endeavour, with poor infrastructure and political bickering that hampered imminent efforts.

    For watchers, trading suffered from the same flaw: a top-down approach that is better at attracting foreign aid than at improving farming practices and developing transportation and communications networks. But AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited (AFEX), a subsidiary of Africa Exchange Holdings Limited, established last year through a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said it is facilitating access to commodity and financial markets for Nigeria’s 35 million smallholder farmers.

    The organisation said it operates across 11 states, but are mainly in the north, offering solutions to agricultural problems faced by farmers in the region.

    The organisation said farmers face a myriad of challenges ranging from poor distribution structures to limited storage, warehousing and quality control. All these, according to it, combine to drastically reduce the price at which their products can be sold, hence their income.

    It said AFEX’s investors, are deploying capital and entrepreneurial skills to create a competitive agricultural sector and a commodity market with price discovery and risk management mechanisms.

    Licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in March this year, as an operator of a commodities exchange in Nigeria; it said Afex is the first private sector-led commodities exchange in Nigeria.

    With its facilities, it said farmers will have direct access to high value markets, store long enough to earn over 30 per cent increased profit from sales. While its Electronic Warehouse Receipt System (EWRS) secures the underlying commodities, instills integrity of trade and facilitates access to finance, the organisation said e-WRS is a real-time online inventory management system with the ability to transfer stock between buyers, sellers and banks.

    The organisation said it plans to scale up to 100,000 farmers in the 2015/16 season, creating up to 25 million in increased income to the rural communities across Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has resolved to partner with the Nigerian Commodities Exchange Commission to develop the commodity market.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, who disclosed this in Abuja, when he received the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and management of Commodity Exchange Commission, expressed the readiness of his ministry to collaborate with the board in developing the commodity market and its storage programme, but informed the commission of the presidential directive on the ministry to do an index study before engaging in any concessionary plan.

    He said the ministry is promoting ware housing and working very hard to open the market to competitors, saying some may be kept for storage reserve. He advised the commission to consider warehousing, saying 33 of such warehouses are available for off-taking.

    Earlier in her remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Exchange Commission, Mrs. Zaheera Baba-Ari said the Commission was in the ministry to seek areas of support and value addition.

    She said the Commission would want to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on storage and co-operatives with the Ministry and equally needs warehouses in some locations in the country.

    She said the Commission started working with the Ministry of Agriculture since 2010, with a request for the leasing of some warehouses and had worked with some seed associations in the past.

  • Graduating students defend project

    Graduating students defend project

    Graduating students of the Department of Geography at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have defended their final year project theses. The exercise created fear among the students, because none of them did not know what to expect.

    The department’s Project Defence Coordinator, Mr. C.A Onyekwelu, said the exercise was to enable lecturers know it was students, who carried out the projects. He added that the exercise would make the students defend their theses anywhere if they were called upon to do so.

    Students, who successfully defended their projects, came out of the venue jubilating and taking photographs. One of them, Onyedika Onwujubah, said he was pleased with the conduct of the exercise, adding that he was happy because he would be leaving the school after four years of study.

    A lecturer, Mr A.T. Mozie, advised the final year students to be consistent, saying it was key to becoming successful. He also urged them to be good ambassadors of the school.

  • Suspend Centenary City project’

    Some indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Lugbe/Iddo District Community Youth Forum have urged the federal government to suspend all overt and coverts actions or steps with regard to the Centenary City Project pending the constitution of standing ad-hoc committee to complete modalities of compensation and resettlement of affected indigenes.

    The natives who are indigenes of Toge, Dayisna, Kpaipai and Barwa communities, also advised the Managing Director of the Centenary City Plc, Dr. Ike Odinigwe to thread with caution in actualising the project, and not to infringe on their fundamental human rights as bona fide citizens of Nigeria.

    Speaking on behalf of the natives, the Chairman of the Forum, Emmanuel Gade, faulted the comment made by the Managing Director of the Centenary City Plc, Dr. Ike Odinigwe in July 24 edition of the Daily Trust Newspapers in respect to the acquisition of vast land for the resettlement project, that 671 bulidings would be constructed for the affected indigenes and that N1.237Bn has been spent on compensation and ressettlement project.

    Gade said that it was amazing that the authority acted in contrast to their earlier agreement, after series of consultative meetings between the authority and the concerned communities who are both critical stakeholders in the centenary city ressettlement scheme.

    “It is worthwhile, that we draw the attention of the authorities to the earlier compromise strucked between them and the affected communities. This was in effect that after the payment of compensation to the original inhabitants with respect to their farm lands, in favour of road networks within the centenary city, which was concluded accordingly.

    “The next step was to constitute and inaugurate an adhoc standing committee with membership drawn from the authority and concerned communities of which its terms of référence is to design and fashion out modalities and the module operandi with respect to the relocation and resettlement of the affected communities.

    “We like to state that, no committee of such magnitude was ever constituted and we wonder on whose mandate the Managing Director of the Centenary City Project is making those pronouncements.

    “We the entirely affected communities in strong term vehemently and in totality rejected the publication made by the Managing Director regarding the centenary city project, but instead demand the authority to tender an unreserved apology to the affected communities via an advertorial by this same medium or any other means as praticable,” he said.

     

  • Buhari advised to probe Centenary City project

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to probe the multi-billion dollar Centenary City project.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Vice- Chairman, (Southsouth), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had accused the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, of unilaterally acquiring the Centenary City project with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja, project.

    The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Northern Activist Groups, led by the Northern Patriotic Front (NPF), Comrade Ali Abacha, at a news conference in Abuja, faulted the comments credited to Dr. Ojougboh.

    He said: “The allegation is not only misleading, but is aimed at negating the good intentions of the project. More so, Dr. Ojuigboh’s attempt at disparaging the character and personality of the ex-SGF is unacceptable. We declare such utterances emanating from  Ojuigboh as baseless, directionless and a desperate man’s reckless depicting of acrimony.

    “The Federal Government should look into the project, but should not kill it.”

    The statement, which was read by NPF’s Secretary, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa, said: “Dr. Ojuignoh has unwittingly allowed his personal crises into the public domain to expose himself as a confused man, who does not know the next point from his current position.

    “As against his claims of vindictive removal from his position as the former chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Export Processing Authority (NEPZA), by the former SGF, Dr. Ojougboh was relieved of his position on account of gross inefficiency. What has he done as the national vice chairman of the party to forestall this dangerous trend and hold out on his duties and responsibilities as the party’s reference point in that zone? Rather, he has created the picture of a man busy chasing rats while his house is on fire.”

  • Sahara’s project produces alternative energy

    Young inventors at the second edition of the ‘Sahara Light Up Nigeria Challenge’ in Lagos, have proffered alternative and renewable energy sources that have the potential to enhance eco-friendly and sustainable electricity supply in Nigeria.

    The competition, a yearly event hosted by Sahara in partnership with ENACTUS Nigeria, seeks to inspire students of tertiary institutions across the nation to explore opportunities for achieving sustainable power supply within their environment. It also serves as Sahara’s contribution to the growth of the Power sector where it has affiliates in the generation and distribution sectors through the Sahara Power Group.

    The contest involved the development of simple power models that can reduce production cost and encourage the broad utilisation of different energy sources to power communities and schools.

    Kaduna Polytechnic’s Renewable Energy Advancement Project (R.E.A.P) emerged as the winning entry in the competition that had impressive projects from 28 schools.

    The Kaduna Polytechnic team created a self-running hydro-power system that runs solely on the kinetic energy of water. The energy produced is stored in a  75-litre enclosed water tank that houses a pump and other materials required to drive generation of electricity. The technology is made from locally modified and recycled parts to ensure that it is environmentally friendly. The development of this project has brought about an alternative to electricity generation for small businesses, a health care centre and a school within the impact area of the project.

    “We are excited about our performance and want to thank the Sahara Group for giving us a platform to express our abilities. With more support, we believe we can contribute immensely to efforts aimed at improving power supply in Nigeria,” said Gibson Emmmauel, from Kaduna Polytechnic. The institution will represent Nigeria at the Enactus World Cup 2015 scheduled to hold in Sandton Convention Centre, South Africa from October 14  to 16, this year.

    Sahara Foundation’s Manager, Babatomiwa Adesida said: “We believe the Sahara Light Up Challenge has started a movement that will ultimately redefine the way we produce, store and consume power in Nigeria, whilst ensuring environmental protection. We are confident that the competition will ultimately light up Nigeria.”

  • Jonathan’s kinsmen protest plot to relocate project

    •Youths threaten war

    Youths and kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State yesterday protested an alleged plot by the Nigeria Content Management Development Board (NCMDB) to relocate a project in one of their communities.

    NCMDB was said to have acquired land at Emeyal community during the administration of Jonathan to establish an  Oil and Gas Park.

    But following the exit of the President, some “forces” were said to have mounted pressure on the content board to move the project to another local government area.

    Sources said some people working for the state government   were making moves to take the project  to Toru-Orua, Governor Seriake Dickson’s community in Sagbama Local Government Area; others said the governmrnt had nothing to do with the moves.

    Investigation showed that the move to relocate the project unsettled Ogbia; various youth groups have been threatening a showdown.

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Ogbia clans, Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), the Ogbia Brotherhood and Emeyal Youth Group have held a series of meetings on the matter.

    They were said to have written a protest letter to the Executive Secretary of the agency’s board, warning against any plot to divert the project.

    The letter was signed by IYC Chairman for Ogbia clans, Osaanya B. Osaanya; President, Ogbia Brotherhood Youth Council (OBYC), Daziba Apiri; Secretary-General, NDYM, Isaac Amakuro; President, Emeyal Youth Group (EYG), Victor Otobo and the National Union of Ogbia Students (NUOS).

    In the letter, the stakeholders expressed appreciation about the decision of the agency’s board to locate the oil and gas park in Ogbia, the local government area where oil was first struck in commercial quantity in Nigeria.

    They expressed concerns over speculations that the board was under pressure to move the project to another local government area.

    They said: “Ogbia youths want to inform the board that the project is welcome in Ogbia and advise the board to remain resolute to the Act that established it and keep politics out of its operations.

    “Ogbia youths will resist any attempt from any quarters, no matter how highly placed the individual may be, to remove the oil gas park out of Ogbia because the project stands to develop Ogbia and its environs.

    “It is an established fact that the board has acquired a portion of land in Emeyal community in Ogbia and pray for the board to continue the project in Ogbia.”

  • Ebonyi governor’s wife launches project

    Ebonyi governor’s wife launches project

    The wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Rachel Umahi has kicked off a project aimed at providing skills for women and youths.

    The project called “Family Succour and Uplift Programme,” focuses on health, education, economic empowerment of women and youths as well as women liberation.

    She said, “On health the programme aims at achieving an effective and efficient primary healthcare…On education, the…programme has the mandate to achieve 100 per cent girl-child education in the state…which aims at giving the girl-child the deserved opportunities.

    “The economic empowerment for women and youths aspect of the programme targets achieving sustained economic empowerment and creation of jobs for women and youths, through entrepreneurship and agriculture to put food on the tables of their families, in addition to addressing the problem of poverty”.

    “In the area of liberation, the…programme intends to liberate Ebonyi women from all vices against the female folk and ensure the uplift and enhancement of their general living status.

    ”In view of the harsh economic realities of our time, it is pertinent to harp on the importance of the programme on entrepreneurship centre for women and youth empowerment.

    “It is a well known fact that the major challenges facing families, especially women and children revolve around poverty. Statistics have shown that most of the social malaises prevalent in our society today are a result of poor or inadequate healthcare, school dropout syndrome, delinquency among youths, waywardness among our girl children such as prostitution and other anti-social behaviours all stem from poverty”.

    “Economic empowerment is a solution to poverty and this informed my determination to improve upon the family income of our people through entrepreneurship and job creation for women and youths”.

    She said the programme will utilize the entrepreneurship centre at the Women development Cengtre (WDC) ion Abakaliki to achieve the goals.

    “The centre provides such skills such as palm oil processing and palm kernel oil extraction, shoe making, hair dressing, fabric weaving/weaving of cardigans, fish farm, soap making, IT-software development, and system maintenance for youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development training among others.

    “The major activities of the centre includes; production /product development, processing and marketing, training retraining and capacity building as well as micro credit programme of the state government, it will provide graduates of the centre with micro credit to establish their micro credit programmes outside the ones provided by the state government, and other government agencies such as the Central Bank”.

    “It is pertinent to note that this programme is part of my effort at using my position as wife of the governor to mainstream certain issues that will improve upon the productivity of our women and youths; so as to reduce the burden of poverty among our people’.

    Representatives of various international agencies at the occasion promised to partner with Mrs Umahi to achieve the aims and objectives of the programme.

    The partners include IFAD, UNIDO, USAID, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, Un-Habitat, SFH.

    The Governor of the state, Dave Umahi assured of both personal and governmental support to the initiative adding that the project will bring succor to Ebonyi people.

    He noted that the programme is a prayer answered as it will assist the state government to cater for Ebonyi women, and youths as promised by his administration.

    The wife of the governor later distributed 464 bags of fertilizers, and other agro products to Ebonyi farmers. The other product includes cartons of vespamil plus chemical for clearing weeds from the farms, philo-16 sprayers and other agro chemicals.

    The hugely subsidized products were procured and distributed in conjunction with IFAD one of the partners of the programme.