Governor Samuel Ortom has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for focusing on the energy sector.

After listening to the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, speak at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi on Tuesday, the Governor said he was enlightened by the details of what the Federal Government was doing in the state’s power sector.

“You can do more to improve Nigeria’s power generation,” he said. I’m enjoying listening to you give these details, Minister. Personally, I am enlightened. And that is admirable. When there is electricity, industries will be flooded with workers.”

While advocating for federal, state, and local governments to work together to fund the power sector, he also stated that his administration is willing to support other initiatives to improve the state’s power sector because “electricity is key to industrialisation.”

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Governor Ortom said that since the Buhari-led administration took office in 2015, he has identified power and security as priority areas for attracting domestic and foreign investment.

He stated that his administration is committed to supporting federal projects, particularly those that focus on maximizing the state’s economic potential, and that it was in this light that he intervened to ensure that transmission lines pass through communities with compensation requests to the substation.

The Governor praised the Ministry of Power’s progress in providing electricity, describing it as an opportunity for Aliyu, the minister, to write his name in gold.

He then wrote to the Federal Ministry of Power, requesting that the cost of procuring electricity infrastructure not be passed on to customers by Distribution Companies, or DISCOs.

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Instead of leaving the responsibility to the end-users, the Governor explained that DISCOs, as essential service providers, should collect money from customers in the form of bills and use it to procure and or repair transformers and other electrical infrastructure for customer use.

He praised Senator Gabriel Suswam, who represents Benue North East and is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, for his contribution to the sector’s progress.

The Governor was previously informed by the Minister of Power, Aliyu, that they were in the state to inspect the work on the Yandev Power Substation, which is part of the Kashimbila Power Generation Dam’s trajectory.

He said the first phase of the project, which involved upgrading the substation, was completed and that it will be able to generate 40 megawatts of electricity, which will help the state’s power supply.

He said the transmission lines from Yandev to Makurdi and other parts of the state would be carried in phase two of the project, which had reached 40% completion.

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The minister, who was accompanied by Goody Agba, the Minister of State for Power, and other officials, said the project was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve power generation and distribution in the country.

According to him, the national grid has been upgraded and strengthened to the point where system collapse has been reduced to the bare minimum.

Concerned that the number of vulnerable and abandoned children on the streets was growing, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced that it would soon begin aggressive operations to collect them and send them to various orphanages for proper care.

Hadiza Mohammed Kabir, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT’s Social Development Secretariat, gave the hint when she inspected the FCT Unity Children’s Home in Gwako, Gwagwalada Area Council.

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She stated that the administration has zero tolerance for child abuse and that vulnerable children will not be allowed to litter the streets.

Kabir, who expressed dissatisfaction that some of the territory’s expansive social welfare facilities were underutilized, promised that the Secretariat would develop programs aimed at optimizing the facilities.

The Secretary, who also paid a visit to the Gwagwalada Women Multi-purpose Food Processing Centre, expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of redundancy there.

She was also surprised that the multi-million naira equipment and machinery installed there had not been put to use or served the purpose for which it was built, despite the fact that it had been there for many years.

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The Secretariat, she said, was working on a package for women’s empowerment and would soon activate the Centre to boost economic growth.

While she charged the officials in charge of maintaining the facilities, she also stated that no acts of vandalism would be tolerated.

She also stated that the Secretariat has begun a number of reforms aimed at improving social services.

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed on her reappointment for a second term, assuring her of Nigerians’ prayers and support, particularly from the Federal Executive Council, where she previously served.

In a message, President Buhari expressed his gratitude to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for placing his trust in the former Minister of Environment, providing her with another opportunity to serve the global body and humanity, enhancing Nigeria’s voice and presence.

President Buhari says Mohammed’s commitment to duty has always been exceptional, and her desire to improve people’s lives through personal and institutional efforts continues to distinguish her, adding that the UN Deputy Secretary General is an inspiration to many women in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.

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The President joins the renowned technocrat and diplomat’s family, friends, and associates in congratulating her on her well-deserved reappointment and wishing her success on the next rung of the leadership ladder.

Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has expressed his condolences on the death of Chief Ernest Shonekan, the former head of the Interim National Government, who died on Tuesday morning.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola said he was saddened to learn of Shonekan’s death.

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He expressed his condolences to the deceased’s wife, Mrs. Margaret, as well as the entire Shonekan family, the government, and the people of Ogun State.

The governor described the Abeokuta-born elder statesman and industrialist as an exceptional leader who demonstrated strong commitment to Nigeria’s peace, unity, and development both in and out of office.

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He said the late Shonekan, who led the country during a difficult and delicate period, would be remembered for his courage, selflessness, and patriotic service to his homeland for a long time.

“I express my condolences to the wife of Chief Ernest Shonekan, his family, government, and people of Ogun State on behalf of my family, government, and people of Osun.” “I pray that God grant Chief Shonekan’s soul eternal rest and that God grant his beloved wife, family, and the people of Ogun State the strength to bear his loss,” Oyetola said.