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February 6, 2024 3 States to get African Development Bank Funds for Agro-Industrial Development
IFMUYONEWS

3 States to get African Development Bank Funds for Agro-Industrial Development

Cross River, Oyo and Kaduna states are set to get their shares of the $540 million packaged by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for development of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in Nigeria.

The three states are in the first phase of beneficiaries of the project.

Following the hint, Vice President Kashim Shettima called for immediate action. He said the time has come for the government and its development partners to act.

These were contained in a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President attached to the Vice President’s Office on Media and Publicity.

Other states are to get their own shares of the funds as part of moves by the Federal Government and the AfDB to ensure food security in the country.

Speaking after representatives of the AfDB and that of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) presented their separate reports on the status of projects being executed in Nigeria to him, Shettima called for immediate action.

According him, all hands must be on deck to ensure the delivery of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visions to Nigerians.

The vice president said: “We have passed the age of talking; we have to walk the talk.  We can talk from now till eternity and it does not mean anything if there is no action and hence we must make this work.

“We have not seen beyond the depth of our pockets; what comes to us is more important than what comes to the generality of the people. Things must change.

“I read a book on how Korea transformed itself with no natural resources, how they started producing steel against all odds, how they went into shipbuilding; and how Hyundai, Daewoo, Samsung, Kia came about. I believe that when there is a will there is always a way. We have to walk the talk.”

Making AfDB’s presentation to Shettima, Prof Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka said: “The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) is an initiative of the African Development Bank that is aimed at turning the rural landscape into economic zones of prosperity and harnessing the power of commercial agriculture and food.

“The primary objective is to support inclusive and sustainable agro-industrial development in Nigeria. The phase1 of the project  is at the point of disbursement. Kaduna, Oyo and Cross River States are all in the process of receiving disbursements and we hope for the other states, they can speed up with their documentation so that we can fast-track these states.

“We raised $540,000,000 in catalytic funding and we expect every state to find a partner that will bring equity and join up with them. It is a government-enabled project but private-sector driven.”

The SSA to the AfDB President further explained that the first phase of SAPZs is being implemented in seven states of Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun, and Oyo, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He added: “Ogun state found a partner for the project and decided not to take the loan. We are basically going to distribute the loan to the other states. The next thing is preparation for phase two with 27 states. The demand is enormous but we have to prioritise those who move fast.

 “We have set up eligibility criteria for the states and to rank them. We expect them to have a feasibility report, environmental impact study and a commitment to counterpart funding.”

February 5, 2024 Edo State PDP Holds Congress, Shaibu 8 Others Missing, Makinde Quits Committee
IFMUYONEWS

Edo State PDP Holds Congress, Shaibu 8 Others Missing, Makinde Quits Committee

The Peoples Democratic Party; PDP, in Edo State, on Sunday, conducted an elective congress to pick delegates that will participate in the party’s February 22 governorship primary.

The congress was, however, trailed by irregularities as nine out of the eleven PDP governorship aspirants boycotted the exercise and the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who was the chairman of the three-man committee in charge of the Edo delegates election, withdrew without giving reasons.

The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, who isthe deputy chairman of the committee, however, went on with the exercise, commending the large turnout of party members for the election.

Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, described Makinde’s withdrawal from the process as unfortunate but said it would not undermine the credibility of the exercise, which, he said, witnessed a large turnout of party members.

The nine governorship aspirants, who boycotted the delegates election, were Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, Hafia Hadizat Umoru, Omosede Igbinedion, Dr Earl Osaro Onaiwu and Arthur Esene.

They wrote a protest letter to the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and sent a copy to  the National Vice Chairman South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.

The nine aspirants complained about the composition of the committee conducting the delegates election.

Speaking to party members at the George Idah Primary School, GRA, Benin, the collation centre for Ward 2, the Enugu State Governor said, “This is democracy where our people come to exercise their franchise. We appreciate this turnout. Our party is known for the principles of fairness, equity and justice. I wish you to all conduct yourselves properly as we hold this election.”

 

When contacted to react to the Edo situation, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said, ”It is publicly known that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, for personal reasons known only to him, resigned as Chairman of the PDP Edo State Ad Hoc Delegate Congress Electoral Committee. We are not aware of any other person who boycotted.”

February 2, 2024 Anambra State Passes Law to Regulate Burial Activities in the State.
IFMUYONEWS

Anambra State Passes Law to Regulate Burial Activities in the State.

The Anambra State Government has passed a law prohibiting the depositing of corpses in the mortuary or any other place beyond two months from the date of death.

The law was enacted by the Anambra State House of Assembly to control burial and funeral ceremony activities in the state.

Anambra State governor Chukwuma Soludo commended the assembly for the legislation.

“Anambra Burial Law is a very Progressive law to remove the burden and pressure on the poor as well as liberate women from oppressive practices during burials,” Soludo said.

“We celebrate “befitting living” and only a decent funeral.”

By this law, all mortuary attendants are to report to the Ministry of Health of any corpse which has stayed beyond one month from the date it was deposited.

It warned that any person who contravenes the provisions will be fined N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both.

According to the new law, there shall be no public display of caskets for fabrication and sale.

They state that whoever is found guilty will pay a fine of N50,000 or one-month imprisonment or both. Also, the law looked into the registration of burial and funeral ceremonies.

It stipulated that all burial and funeral ceremonies of indigenous deceased persons in the state shall be registered with the town union of the indigenous deceased person.

Also, the registration fee for each burial and funeral ceremony shall be N 1,500.

Also, the new law warned against the blocking of roads and streets during burial ceremonies.

It advised that this can only be done with permission from the appropriate Local Government Authority.

February 2, 2024 PDP Excluded from Plateau Re-Run Elections
IFMUYONEWS

PDP Excluded from Plateau Re-Run Elections

As the stage is set for tomorrow’s by-elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats across 26 states.
Already, sensitive materials have been distributed to the affected polling districts and constituencies by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, the commission said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in the election in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The court had nullified the victory of PDP House of Assembly members in the state, following the party’s failure to conduct its Congresses according to laid down rules.

However, barely 24 hours to the exercise, INEC has confirmedn that the PDP will not participate in the exercise in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.

There were also indications that security agencies have placed Plateau State under watch for the poll while all the parties have been advised to respect the judgment of the Appeal Court on the previous polls in the district and federal constituency.

Following the fate that befell the PDP, the senatorial by-election may be a stiff contest between Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP).

Sources said PDP members may vote for the LP in protest against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The appellate court had sacked a former Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, who was declared winner of February 25, 2023 poll by INEC.

Also, the Court of Appeal invalidated INEC’s declaration of Musa Avia-Agah as winner of the Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.

Although 11 parties have been cleared by the electoral commission for the poll, the battle may be between the APC and the LP.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Having considered legal advice, INEC has dropped PDP from the ballot in deference to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which is the final arbiter on disputes from National Assembly poll.

 

“The appellate court said Mwadkwon was not validly nominated by the PDP for the election because 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) did not participate in the congress that elected him as candidate of the party for the election.

“INEC cannot afford to be lawless. Apart from court pronouncement, INEC is not part of any political compromise. Even when INEC met with the leadership of PDP on January 8, 2024, it made it clear that the party will be excluded from the poll. We are standing by this decision.

“Even this week, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out an application for an order of Mandamus by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to compel INEC to allow it and its candidates to participate in the 3rd February 2024. The judge said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain election matters, and the applicants did not follow the due process of the law to initiate the matter.”

It was gathered that security agencies have advised all the parties in the state to respect the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Another source said: “As for Saturday by-elections, security agencies have keen interest on the development in Plateau State. We will ensure that all the parties comply with the judgment of the court.

“We have also advised the stakeholders in the state, especially political parties, to comply with the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court. Any unlawful action will amount to a breach of the security.”

Apart from Plateau and Ebonyi, states where the rerun will hold are Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River.

Others are Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

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