The Nation Newspaper

Tag: support

  • Youths explains support for Lagos senator

    SOME youths in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have explained their support for Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, to seek another term in the National Assembly.

    The youths’ Chairman, Akintunde Olamilekan, said the senator deserves another term for being an advocate of human capital development.

    Speaking at a programme in Bariga, where the youths endorsed the senator, Olamilekan said Ashafa has made his mark by building a towering reputation as a consultative contributor to bills, motions and matters of national importance.

    Besides, he said the opinions of the senator can be trusted to be unbiased and nationalistic.

    Ashafa, according to him, has through various platforms of engagement directly empowered and impacted on the lives of over 10,000 constituents of Lagos East and is still going strong.

    He said: “He has done well for the youths in Bariga LCDA and that is why we are endorsing him for another term in the senate, so as to enable him continue with the good works he has been doing. Ashafa has done a lot in our constituency and the youths really appreciate him.

    “He has donated entrepreneurial tools and equipment to the constituents, constructed boreholes across the district, constructed ICT center/town hall in Ikorodu, donated transformers and supported education.

    “He constructed blocks of classrooms in various schools, embarked on free medical outreach, agricultural entrepreneurship programme and empowerment programme for widows and widowers.

    His (Ashafa’s) actions are driven by a firm believe that one of the primary responsibilities of the government is to implement economic policies that lift millions of our citizens out of poverty and to use the resources at its disposal to create safety nets for the poor and vulnerable in the society.

    “The senator has supported six bills in the 8th Senate, including the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Achievement Bill 2014, the Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport Bill 2016, the City University of Technology Bill 2016, Sporting Tax Holiday Bill 2016, the Nigerian Postal Bill 2017 and the Nigerian French Language Village Established Bill 2017.”

    Another youth, Fatimah Adebayo, said Ashafa is being endorsed because of his many contributions to the development of the society, especially his constituents at the Lagos East senatorial zone.

    “He has done well to us and we want him to continue his good deed. I urge the youths in this LCDA to get their Permanent Voters Card and vote for Ashafa; he needs the support of us all to continue his good deeds.”

    “He has empowered us through the ‘Say no to drug abuse campaign in conjunction with the Valley View Events Centre, Magodo Estate; and Bank of industry (BoI) loans for Lagos East constituents; the Senator Gbenga Ashafa medical outreach/free eye test; installation of solar powered and street lights; as well as financial assistance to thousands of constituents, groups, associations and religious organisations through the Gbenga Ashafa Trust Empowerment

    “It is our responsibility to get what is ours. He has promised to give us what is ours; he has empowered us and given transformers. He deserves another term.”

     

  • ‘Support bitumen project’

    Ondo State government has said it will ensure bitumen exploitation, for the state’s development.

    Regional Integration and Special Duties Commissioner Prof. Bayonile Ademodi gave the hint yesterday at a one-day session with bitumen host communities in Irele Local Government.

    Agbabu community in Irele is the second largest producer of bitumen deposits in the world.

    He noted that the ministry has fashioned out an approach to meet stakeholders in the bitumen project.

    The commissioner said host communities should cooperate and buy-in into the bitumen agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration at federal and state levels.

    He said his ministry concluded arrangements with the Ministry of Environment on evolving environmental protection strategy, which licensed bitumen companies would comply with.

    Ademodi said there were benefits in the development of bitumen, urging the communities to support the government and investors.

    According to him, the Federal Government has awarded blocks to five companies covering almost the entire stretch of the bitumen.

  • Oshonaike urges support for local coaches

    Six-time Olympian Olufunke Oshonaike has canvassed support for Nigerian coaches to update their knowledge across all sports.

    She also urged corporate bodies to identify with table tennis, considering the laurels the sport has won for Nigeria in major competitions across the globe.

    Also, the Oshonaike annual U-21 tournament is expected to serve off on Thursday, at the Lagos Country Club (LCC) in Ikeja.

    The Germany-based former African champion spoke at a press briefing to herald the commencement of the tournament later this week, said she was willing to continue to lift the fortunes of the sport in the country.

    “I want to appeal to those in charge of our sports to support our coaches to update their knowledge in various sports across the country. There is no doubt that we have the talents that can withstand any team in the world, but our talents must also be supported by knowledgeable coaches that will complement their talents with the right coaching. I am passionate about table tennis and I am using this opportunity to appeal to corporate bodies to come to the aid of the sport so that we can produce more top-class players,” she said.

    For the three-day tournament, Oshonaike said this year’s tournament coincides with her 44th birthday and she intends to use it to lift the fortunes of the sport by staging a tournament that will throw up talents.

    For the chairman, Adna Hotel, Ehi Braimah, Oshonaike’s initiative needs to be supported, as it would help to discover talents.

    Braimah who is a passionate table tennis fan believes other ex-players should take a cue from Oshonaike by coming up with what they can do for Nigeria.

    In his remarks, Chairman, table tennis section of LCC, Charles Osuntunyi said the club will continue to support the initiative, promote and develop table tennis in Nigeria having staged several junior tournaments in the last two years.

    The tournament was supported by LCC, Adna Hotel and other well-meaning Nigerians who believe in the ideals of Oshonaike.

  • FG offers support for African Drum Festival

    The Federal Government has offered its support to the Ogun State government in its efforts to take the African Drum Festival to a higher level.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance at the opening of the 3rd edition of the festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State, last Thursday.

    “We will continue to support this festival by making all our media platforms available to create awareness for it,” he said.

    “We will also ensure that it is included in our national calendar of festivals, when the calendar, which we are working on now, is ready.

    “The drum festival keys into our objective of turning the creative industry into a thriving industry, one that provides jobs and boosts the economy, and that’s why we will continue to support it. I will also like to appeal to the corporate world to partner with Ogun State and to support this festival through sponsorship.”

    Alhaji Mohammed commended the Ogun State government for “this brilliant and intellectual addition” to the festival, in reference to the decision to convene a conference and an exhibition as part of the festival this year.

    He said the annual drum festival is very important because “it provides an avenue for us to showcase our rich cultural heritage and to attract global tourists to our country.”

    “The festival also plays a critical role in not just recognising the development and curation of the art  form of indigenous drum poetry but, more importantly, the preservation of drum culture for future generations,” the minister said

    He used the occasion to announce that Nigeria will be hosting the 61st meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)/Commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja from 4-6 June 2018, and that Tourism Ministers from 51 African countries, top executives of the UNWTO and tourism stakeholders are expected to attend the event.

    “We want to sincerely thank the Ogun State government for agreeing to partner with us in our quest to host a successful meeting, which will be used to showcase our rich cultural heritage and tourism destinations. As you are aware, culture and tourism are intertwined,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    ncredible. Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day seminar organised by the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigerian (MOPPAN) with the theme “Film Making: Opportunities & Challenges in Nigeria”, which took place in Kaduna,  on Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, NFC’s Managing Director said that Nollywood has and remains Africa’s most prevalent movie industry with an average production of 50 movies per week and 1500 – 3000 films per year.

    Delivering a paper titled ‘Developing Quality Content for Television & Cinema in Nigeria’ Maduekwe said that the growth in film production in Nigeria can only be sustained through training and capacity building of practitioners in the film sector.

    “The film industry has continued to provide content for the cinema and television stations in the country, through the sustained activities of practitioners, who have been able to sustain the narratives as well as the expressions of the depth and breadth of not only Nigeria’s but Africa’s cultural diversity,” he said.

    Dr. Maduekwe listed measures being put in place to address the challenges of the film industry to include, the introduction of tax breaks for filmmakers; development of co-productions treaties, fast tracking of the implementation of Nigeria’s copyright law; sustenance of a robust Nigerian film industry; through the interventions of the Nigerian Film Corporation, curbing and fight against piracy and copy right infringement; promotion of effective marketing and distribution framework and most importantly, the transformation of the Nigerian Film Corporation to a Film Commission in line with Global, and Continental best practices.

    The NFC helmsman decried the dearth of skilled manpower for the industry, which has been inundated with thematic obsession and repetitive themes and storylines, poor funding windows, infrastructural deficiencies, poor marketing and distribution framework as well as lack of safety nets for investments in the sector.

    However, impressed by the objectives of the seminar and the enthusiasm exhibited by participants at the seminar, who were mainly MOPPAN members drawn from the 16 Northern States of the Federation, Dr. Maduekwe announced that the NFC will make the National Film Institute, Jos, available for the next training workshop/ seminar for members of MOPPAN.

    Earlier, the President of MOPPAN, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano Usman explained that the objective of the seminar was to shore up the competencies of filmmakers in the pursuit of their profession. He expressed the appreciation of members of MOPPAN to the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies, including the NFC, BoI, NFVCB, NeximBank for the support and assistance extended to film practitioners in the country.

  • Ex-minister seeks support for free trade zones

    Former Interior Minister Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho has urged the Federal Government to support free trade zones.

    Speaking in Lagos, he said well-developed free zones would generate jobs.

    Importers, exporters and other stakeholders in the maritime value chain, he said, would also benefit  from free trade zones.

    Iheanacho, who is Genesis Shipping and Integrated Oil and Gas Company Cchairman, decried the low level of awareness about free trade zones, adding that their promotion by stakeholders and  President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was important for their development.

    He told The Nation that Genesis Worldwide Shipping Company has gone far in the development of the $450 million Tomato Industrial Free Zone in Lagos and that the facility will aid ship building and fuel distribution.

    The former minister added that the facility would have a shipbuilding yard for ships taht are over 10,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt).

    ”Nigeria has for a long time wanted to be a builder of ships; now we are making this a reality. The jetty for berthing and loading vessels will be ready in nine months,” he said.

    Iheanacho told The Nation that his company had earlier secured a grant of $1 million from the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to facilitate market study for the detailed engineering master plan of the island. He said the Island would also host a 20,000 barrels per day modular refinery and over 30 fuel storage tanks with about 500 million liters capacity.

    He said with such facility, the nation could get 15 days uninterrupted supply of petroleum products. Already, the company has completed the construction of the base park, which serves as office complex, while the base for the tank farms are being completed with more under construction.

    Iheanacho said the tank farms are  structured in such a way that they supply and pump fuel to ships on the Island.

    “This tank farm is different from every other tank farm that relies on arrangement where ships supply tank farms and then lorries come and pick up the supply. But because we are located on an Island and because of the function that they are designed for, we supply by ship then actually pump back by ship to the tank farms that are located to the West,” he explained.

    He stated further that the company would start erecting more structures in the next few months to accommodate government agencies on the Island.

    Iheanacho identified some businesses that are being planned at the free trade zone, which will add  value to the economy in terms of industrialisation, employment and revenue generation.

    The project, estimated at $450 million, includes a ship fabrication yard, a modular refinery, access slipway, oil storage tank farms, water treatment plant, power generation plant, container lay down/transit, and crude oil distillation unit, fire station, and a heliport and helicopter service facilities and  a five-star hotel, among others.

    The free port zone occupies 75 hectares of land in between the Snake Island and the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), which are enjoying free trade zone status. According to Iheanacho, some Chinese and British investors have shown interest in investing in the project.

    The Tomaro Industrial Park, which was last year granted a free trade zone status, is expected to generate 2,000 direct jobs on completion.

  • Firm hails govt for support

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Concession Company (LCC), Mr. Mubashiru Hassan, has hailed the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration for its support.

    Hassan, who spoke at the inauguration of LCC’s Operation Centre near Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, said the government had assisted the company to realise its dream of offering superb services to motorists and other road users.

    He said the centre, with many facilities, would boost the firm’s operations.

    “This structure was put in place because of road users. We want to ensure their comfort and safety. We want to prioritise security on our roads. We established the Operation Centre to facilitate movement in Ikoyi, Lekki and their environs.

    “We have put in place a team to maintain what we have on ground and raise its standard. The security of road users is of utmost importance to us. You can hardly hear of robbery or car-snatching on our road because of the security put in place.

    “If you drive on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, you will not see potholes because we maintain the road regularly. We still have the ambition of taking over other express roads, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, if given the opportunity by the government,” the managing director added.

    He said to ensure that the Lekki-Epe Expressway was not defaced, LCC’s security officials regularly apprehended hawkers to prevent hawking of goods and maintain the cleanliness of the road.

    Hassan said: “Besides preventing defacement and dirtiness on the expressway, we want to avoid a situation whereby hawkers will be knocked down by motorists. The safety of people on our road is our priority.”

  • Ahmed to support IPI congress 2018

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has promised to support the International Press Institute (IPI) to ensure that Nigeria successfully hosts the IPI World Congress in June.

    The governor, who spoke when a delegation of the IPI Congress Media and Publicity Committee visited him in Ilorin, promised to sponsor journalists to the congress.

    Ahmed urged the media to use the congress to promote positive developments in the country.

    He said: “The IPI World Congress should be used to showcase the best of Nigeria and its uniqueness as a united and vibrant country despite its challenges.”

    Ahmed said he believed in free press towards ensuring adequate information dissemination to the people.

    Chairman of the delegation Tony Iredia sought the government’s support for journalists from the state to attend the congress in Abuja, which will feature, among others, training and interactions with media experts.

    He also stressed the need for a free press that will be alive to its constitutional responsibility of making the government accountable to the people.

    Iredia said there could only be a free press when journalists are not harassed while performing their duties, and are paid promptly.

    He added that the IPI World Congress will also present an opportunity to the media and other stakeholders to change the negative reportage of events about the country.

  • 500 women receive support from Ooni

    500 women receive support from Ooni

    No fewer than 500 women across Osun State have received support to boost their ventures from the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

    Speaking at the Ooni Annual Women Empowerment Workshops 2018 held at the Oba Okunade Sijuade Hall, Enuwa Ile-Ife, Oba Ogunwusi described micro-economy development, as a viable catalyst of speedy economic growth in the developing countries, and a sustainable solution to its various socio-economic challenges.

    According to the revered monarch, the initiative must be driven by active participation of people at the grassroots through   Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

    Bemoaning level of poverty  among the mass of Nigerian  people, Oba Ogunwusi  said there was an urgent need   for people at the helm of affairs to give priority to women and youth empowerment.

    He said: “The solution to Nigerian economic  problem, like many other developing counties  is the development of micro-economy through  small and medium scale  enterprises. We have to start empowering the women and our youth to be an active stakeholders in the economic development.

    “It’s time for us to change our method of nation -building,  we must prioritise women and youth empowerment to drive the micro-economy and boost economic activities in the country generally.

    “If you empower one woman, you have empowered more than a nation. Women are different in their approach and mannerism, they are the pillar of every home, they are the custodian of homes, they make good homes.”

  • Mechanics pledge support for cleaner Lagos

    Mechanics pledge support for cleaner Lagos

    The Lagos State chairman of Motormechs and Technicians Association of Nigeria (MOMTAN), Alhaji Morufu Arolowo has urged members to support government initiative to attain cleaner Lagos.

    Speaking at the launching of the MOMTAN N250 million Secretariats, Kosofe branch, Arowolo said efforts are being made to ensure mechanics render better services.

    He said the secretariat will provide members a convenient place to address issues of common interest, noting that members who undermine their customers would face its task force disciplinary committee.

    “We now operate with the growing new technologies and apply them in order to work in the best way it should be done, just like other mechanics work in the advanced parts of the world.

    Arowolo said: “The youths of today are wasting away precious times doing nothing. My advice and prayers for them is that they should make the necessary moves to become motor mechanics for decent living.

    “Some youths simply want to become rich overnight but, that is not possible. In the process, they take to criminal activities and get themselves destroyed.

    “I make bold to say that mechanics are not dregs of society. It was wrong for people to assume that the vocation is for unintelligent school drop outs.

    “You have graduates from the best universities are roaming the streets, that I will say is not dignifying. I therefore, think it is wise for such graduates to learn the craft to earn decent living.”

    Kosofe Branch Chairman, Ayoola Adeyemi said with over one million mechanics in Lagos, MOMTAN was contributing to the state growing economy.

    “We have seven divisions and 66 branches in Lagos. So, our members are in millions with lots of input to the state. Also, the era when mechanics appear dirty is over. Logos will not condone dirtiness and we are ready to collaborate with government to ensure its cleaner Lagos policy is successful.

    “We have task force they ensure that members comply with the policy. When we go out we put on our overall and it must be clean so that we can mix with people in public places freely.

    Customers can complain at the secretariat if they believe they had been short-changed by any mechanics thereafter such a person

  • Agric minister pledges support for college

    Agric minister pledges support for college

    The Minister of Agriculture, and Rural Development,  Audu Ogbeh, has praised the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), Dr. Samson Odedina, for  infrastructural development, academic growth and better staff and students welfare.

    Ogbeh commended  Governor  Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his contribution towards the development of agriculture in the institution and the state.

    The minister made the commendation during a facility tour of the college.

    The visit, according to him, became necessary in order to assess the various innovative centres under the management of the  institution

    Ogbeh praised the innovative effort of the management in creating a conducive learning environment for students and stakeholders.

    The minister  promised to support the school by providing a ‘milking machine for the dairy farm, crusher for the manufacturing of feeds for livestock, flash dryer for high quality cassava flour, and bio-fortified value chain as well as forage seeds for the resuscitation of grazing paddock. He noted that the equipment will support the training of young people who have chosen agriculture  as a profession.

    Responding, Odedina said the  minister’s visit was an accomplishment for the college as it was the first time a minister would be visiting the college in 50 years.

    Odedina added that the visit also served as a platform to present  the challenges of  the college to the Federal Government.

    The minister flagged off the National Egg Powder Production scheme (NEPRO) in the state where a cheque of N564 million naira was presented to 135 farmers.

    Officials who accompanied the minister  include  his Special Assistanton News Media, Mrs. Aishat Onusi, and Special Assistant on Quality and Standardisation, Mrs, Akanni.