Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah and the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi have commended the South East zone for heeding the call not to join in the August nationwide protests.
Both leaders spoke on Sunday during an inspection tour of various road projects by the Federal Government and the Enugu State Government on the Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Abakaliki, and Enugu-Port Harcourt expressways.
Speaking to newsmen, Mbah and Umahi said the people of the region had by shunning the protests in the South East and beyond prevented needless loss of Igbo lives, businesses, and property, while also showing good faith to the President Bola Tinubu administration.
“I also want to take the opportunity to commend our people greatly for heeding our call to shun the protests and go about their business. We commend them highly because they understand the value of hard-work.
“Sometimes, you may not be able to appreciate the effect of government policies immediately, but I tell you that some of these policies are well-intentioned. With time, if we can just exercise a little more patience with the Federal Government, we are going to begin to see the values of these reforms.
“We want to continue to call on our people to go about their business and know that if they destroy our assets, we are still going to use the wealth of our common patrimony to fix those assets. So, we must remain focused and continue to do our work,” Mbah stated.
In the same vein, the Minister of Works said the people of South East and the Igbo community all over Nigeria had made a loud statement by not protesting.
“We are not going to protest. We want proper integration in the affairs of this country. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr President, started it by giving an Igbo man the Minister of Works, appointing an Igbo Man as a service chief, among others.
“We have been excluded from governance and development in the past. But now, you can see infrastructural developments in South-East. So, why should we protest against a man who has given to us what was never given to us before?
“I thank Governor Mbah very much for showing leadership not only in development strides, but also when it mattered most. I appreciate other governors and other states that did not protest,” he concluded.
Gov Mbah, Umahi commend South East for shunning nationwide protests
Gov Mbah, Umahi commend South East for shunning nationwide protests
Mbah, Umahi commend South East for shunning nationwide protests
The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, praised the South East region for not joining the recent nationwide protests during an inspection tour of Federal and State road projects on Sunday.
Addressing journalists during the inspection tour, they disclosed that the region’s decision to abstain from the protests helped avoid potential losses and demonstrated goodwill towards the Federal Government.
The leaders commended the region’s restraint, which they believe prevented unnecessary risks to life, property and business.
Mbah said, “I also want to take the opportunity to commend our people greatly for heeding our call to shun the protests and go about their business. We commend them highly because they understand the value of hard work.
“Sometimes, you may not be able to appreciate the effect of government policies immediately, but I tell you that some of these policies are well-intentioned. With time, if we can just exercise a little more patience with the Federal Government, we are going to begin to see the value of these reforms.
“We want to continue to call on our people to go about their business and know that if they destroy our assets, we are still going to use the wealth of our common patrimony to fix those assets. So, we must remain focused and continue to do our work.”
Umahi said the people of South East and the Igbo community all over Nigeria had made a loud statement by not protesting.
“We are not going to protest. We want proper integration in the affairs of this country. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr President, started it by giving an Igbo man the Minister of Works, appointing an Igbo Man as a service chief, among others.
“We have been excluded from governance and development in the past. But now, you can see infrastructural developments in South-East. So, why should we protest against a man who has given to us what was never given to us before?
“I thank Governor Mbah very much for showing leadership not only in development strides but also when it mattered most. I appreciate other governors and other states that did not protest,” he stated.
Protest: Investigate killing, looting in Kano – APC stalwart urges Tinubu
A stalwart of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Kano State and former commissioner, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, has asked, President Bola Tinubu to hasten the launch of an investigation into the nefarious actions of some hoodlums in the name of protests in Kano.
Kwankwaso stated this on Sunday in Kano while addressing journalists about the protest.
“In Kano, it was the governor who called the hungry and angry people to come out to protest. Now that people have been killed and property vandalised, he should take responsibility and pay the compensation.
“Let the victims seek the services of competent lawyers, go to court and seek compensation from the state, because it was the governor who asked you to come out to protest, even as his boss, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has called on the people not to protest. He must pay for the compensation,” he said.
Kwankwaso said further: “We are drawing the attention of Mr President to instruct the Kano State governor to pay the compensation for the damages, looting and loss of lives suffered by the people of Kano.”
He also blamed governors for the hardship being faced by the citizens, saying that President Bola Tinubu had shared about N570 billion to all the states and was confident that Kano State had gotten not less than N50 billion.
According to him: “With this availability of funds given to the governors, Nigerians should not be crying of hunger if properly utilised in human development projects.
“As I have stated, even the flyovers they are constructing are not part of the special allocation they received, it is the local government money, up to N15 billion. How can you take money from my local government and come and build bridges in the city? It’s wrong. What I am saying here is that the problem is not with Mr President, but with the governors.”
He stressed: “You did not hear any of the 36 governors complaining over the removal of fuel subsidy because they are beneficiaries of the money. But they have not explained this to the grassroots. So, let us be realistic.”
He urged the public to desist from destruction of property meant for their benefit.
“The ICT hub of the NCC which was about to be commissioned when it was vandalized, if it had been allowed to be put to use, more than 11,000 persons would benefit from it in Kano,” he said.
Protest: Investigate killing, looting in Kano – APC stalwart urges Tinubu
Kano residents seek end to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests
Some residents of Kano have called on protesters to sheath their swords and embrace the path of dialogue.
They made their position known while reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday broadcast.
Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano metropolis, the residents described dialogue as the best means of solving critical issues.
They observed that it was apt for the protesters to stop the protest and opt for dialogue as proposed by the president.
Mr Taiye Hassan, an entrepreneur, who commended the president for the broadcast, called on the protesters to retreat, “because the president has listened to your complaints.
“I want to emphasise the need for the youth to allow dialogue to take place because every dispute ends with dialogue and understanding.
“You have the right to protest against hunger, hardship, and insecurity, however, the president has called for dialogue, therefore, give him a chance,” he advised.
Another resident, Bala Muhammad, a businessman, who described the president as humane and true democrat, urged the protesters to accept dialogue as suggested by Mr President, for the good of the nation.
He cautioned the protesters to be mindful of infiltration by some people with sinister motives, who only wanted to take advantage of the protest to loot and vandalise people’s property.
Similarly, A’isha Ibrahim, a school teacher, who also lauded the president for calling for dialogue, appealed to the protesters to calm down in view of the fact that the protest had been hijacked by hoodlums.
“I want to use this medium to appeal to the president to match his words with action and dialogue with true protesters as promised,” she advised.
Nura Imam, a journalist, said that dialogue was the best and only option to settle any dispute or crisis.
Imam, who acknowledged the fact that Nigerians were economically pressed, enjoined the leaders of the protest to retreat since their voices were heard.
He urged the protesters particularly the youth to be united and be their brothers’ keepers irrespective of their ethnic or religious leaning.
Imam urged them to be patriotic and cautioned them against being used by selfish individuals to destroy their motherland.
“Remember, this is your country and you do not have any other country except Nigeria.
“Don’t allow some unpatriotic individuals to use you to destroy your motherland; enough is enough,” he maintained.
(NAN)
Ogazi in men’s 400m semi-finals, teammate Okezie awaits fate.
Samuel Ogazi on Sunday qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 400 metres event of the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, with compatriot Chidi Okezie made to wait till Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ogazi had an impressive race with his performance in heat 4 of the event at the Stade de France.
Running from lane 5 in the round 1 race, Ogazi picked up from fourth place after about 250m to burst forward and move into second place.
He ran in at 44.50 seconds for a personal best, shaving off .02 seconds from his personal and season best.
NAN reports that the world number 23 placed behind Quincy Hall of the U.S who is the world’s number one.
On his part, Okezie finished fourth in heat 1 after running from lane 7 with a time of 45.52, way behind his personal and season best of 44.97.
But the world number 49 can still find a place in the semi-finals if he can succeed from the repechage round fixed for Monday morning.
He has been placed in heat 2, where the winners in the four heats and the next two fastest will join in the semi-finals scheduled for later in the day.
(NAN)
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Tami duo evicted from BBNaija season 9
In a surprising turn of events, Tami, the dynamic duo composed of Toyosi and Damilola, has been evicted from the Big Brother Naija ‘No Loose Guard’ Season 9 house.
Despite their best efforts to win over their fellow housemates and viewers, they failed to gain enough support and were voted out of the competition.
With only one week to make a lasting impression, Tami’s stay in the house was short-lived as they were evicted on Sunday.
Their departure marks the first eviction of the season, leaving the remaining housemates to continue the battle for the coveted prize.
This eviction reduces the number of pairs to 13, setting the stage for intense competition and shifting house dynamics.
Initially, four pairs received the least votes: Chekas (Chizoba and Onyeka), Streeze (Mayor Frosh and Toby Forge), Radicals (Mickhy and Fairme David), and Tami (Toyosi and Dami).
However, the custodians, Chinne and Nne, exercised their power, granted by Big Brother, and they saved the Radicals.
The remaining saved pairs were then asked to vote out a pair in the diary room, ultimately leading to Tami’s eviction.
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Protest: Tinubu’s speech fails to address hardship – Atiku
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast to the nation on Sunday morning, describing it as a hollow speech devoid of solutions to the hardships facing Nigerians.
Speaking through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, in a statement in Abuja, Atiku said the broadcast, intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration’s poor governance, utterly missed the mark.
He said: “His (Tinubu’s) speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.
“This address lacks credibility and fails to offer any immediate, tangible solutions to the Nigerian people.
“Given the extensive publicity surrounding the protests and the threats issued by government officials against demonstrators, one would have expected President Tinubu to present groundbreaking reforms, particularly those aimed at reducing the exorbitant costs of governance.
“But alas, no such announcements were made. The President ignored the protesters’ demands, such as suspending the purchase of aircraft for the President, downsizing his bloated cabinet, or even eliminating the costly and burdensome office of the First Lady, who has been indulging in extravagant trips at the nation’s expense.
“In his lacklustre recorded speech, President Tinubu offered a superficial account of his so-called reforms, revealing his own tenuous grasp of policy as he failed to convince his audience.
“While the President has spoken, it is unfortunate that his words lack substance and respect for the protesters’ sentiments, leaving Nigerians with little faith in his reform agenda—if one exists at all.”
He challenged the president and his team to own up to their failures over the past 14 months and abandon the absurd theory that the protests are orchestrated by the opposition.
According to him, this administration has failed on all fronts, even in the simple task of keeping a presidential speech confidential.
Protest: Tinubu’s speech fails to address hardship – Atiku
Use of bullets, tear gas against protesters abuse of power – Wole Soyinka
Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has called on security agents to exercise caution in the handling of the ongoing protests, to avoid fatalities.
Soyinka made the call in a statement on Sunday while reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s address to the nation.
The Nobel laureate and global literature icon particularly cautioned against unprofessional conduct that could hurt protesters “who are merely asking for bread.”
According to him, a hard approach to the protests could lead to “more desperate upheavals.”
He said: “Even tear gas remains questionable in most circumstances; using it is certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest.
“Hunger marches constitute a universal SOS, not peculiar to the Nigerian nation.
“They belong, indeed, in a class of their own, never mind the collateral claims emblazoned on posters. They serve as summons to governance that a breaking point has been reached and, thus, a testing ground for governance awareness of public desperation.”
Soyinka said the tragic response to the hunger marches in parts of the country constituted a retrogression that took the nation backwards.
He said that the nation’s security agencies should explore alternative models for security intervention, and abandon permanently what he called the “anachronistic resort to lethal means.”
TVN recalls that President Tinubu had, in a nationwide address, urged protesters to embrace dialogue.
“Under the circumstances, I enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to, at the slightest opportunity.
“Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all—regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides – to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation.
“To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned,” the president said.
Use of bullets, tear gas against protesters abuse of power – Wole Soyinka
Daily crude oil output hits 1.7m bpd
The Joint Taskforce Operation Delta Safe in the Niger Delta has said daily crude oil output had reached 1.7 million barrels per day.
Additionally, it said the international oil companies are operating at maximum production capacity with all three major oil pipelines achieving 100 flow.
The Coordinator of OPDS Joint Media Campaign Centre, Major K.O Owolabi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday and sent to newsmen.
Owalabi, recalled that on July 17, 2024, a directive was issued by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to end crude oil theft in the Niger Delta Region.
He said following the above directive, Commander of the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral J. U Okeke, immediately precisely on July 18, 2024, swung into action.
Some of the actions according to the statements include,” a series of sensitization visits, assessment of hotspots and subsequent raids as well as destruction of illegal refineries, seizure of IRS materials and boats involved in these activities.
“With these and other measures to enhance security both offshore and onshore around oil facilities, Headquarters Operation Delta Safe is pleased to report significant progress.”
The statement reads, “The terminal factors on all major pipelines, including the Trans Niger Pipeline, Trans Escravos Pipeline and Trans Ramos Pipeline have achieved 100 per cent flow, reflecting full operational capacity.
“Daily crude oil output has reached about 1.7 million barrels per day indicating that International Oil Companies are operating at maximum production capacity with little interruption or vandalism along the three major pipelines.”
On the update on the pipelines monitoring and crude oil output as of August 4, the statement said, “The terminal factor on all pipelines (TNP, TEP, and TRP) recorded 100 per cent between 1 and 3 August 2024, with daily crude oil output estimated at 1.7 million bpd.
“This indicates production at full capacity by the IOCs, despite a reported incident of a hacksaw cut along the TNP in Zone 7 this morning by PINL.”
He further said the current efforts by troops to monitor, patrol, and deter vandals along the pipelines are yielding positive results.
The statement added, “However, output has not yet reached the target of 2.2 million bpd, which could be due to the collective production capacity of the IOCs.
“Therefore, it is necessary for the NNPCL to encourage IOCs to increase production to meet the target of 2.2 million bpd, given the security and 100 per cent terminal factor on all lines.
“The success recorded is due to the rigorous and continuous efforts of our security forces in monitoring, patrolling, and deterring vandals along the pipelines. Additionally, personnel of Operation Delta Safe have been effective in discovering and dismantling illegal refinery sites, denying criminals approximately 3.6 billion naira in July alone.
“These efforts have been crucial in maintaining the 100 per cent terminal factor. Our security agencies are committed to maintaining this high level of vigilance and operational tempo to safeguard our oil infrastructure.”
It further said in recognition of the collaborative success in securing the pipelines and improving crude oil production, the Commander of the Joint Task Force South-South, OPDS, Rear Admiral J.U. Okeke lauded the exceptional contributions of the Land Component, Maritime Component, Air Component and all other security agencies components with OPDS.
“Their unwavering commitment and adherence to the Chief of Defence Staff’s directives have been crucial in our mission to eradicate crude oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta Region, ” the statement added.
Rear Admiral, Okeke, also urges that, moving forward, the NNPCL and the IOCs should focus on expanding production capacity to achieve and surpass the target of 2.2 million bpd.
On Sunday’s live broadcast by President Bola Tinubu, the statement said it is a testament that things are getting better, saying the OPDS Commander will continue to sustain the current tempo along the pipelines, denying criminals access within his jurisdiction.
Rear Admiral Okeke urges both local and international oil exploration companies to ramp up production and fully utilize the pipeline capacity.
“If the pipelines are already at full capacity, the NNPCL must assess whether the nation can produce 2.2 million bpd.
“Long-term efforts by the NNPCL and oil companies should focus on increasing the nation’s capacity to reach the targeted output of 2.2 million bpd, ” the statement said.
Golden Slam! Djokovic beats Alcaraz to finally win Olympic gold
Novak Djokovic triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling match on Sunday to secure his long-awaited Olympic title, completing his career ‘Golden Slam’.
The 37-year-old becomes just the fifth player to win the ‘Golden Slam’ in singles – all four majors and the Olympic title – after Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
Djokovic, who holds a men’s record of 24 major titles and has won every significant tennis title, finally claimed Olympic gold in his fifth Games.
The Serb put in his best performance of the year to beat French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) in front of a packed crowd in Paris.
Read Also: BREAKING: D’Tigress qualify for first-ever Olympic quarterfinals
“It was an incredible fight and I had to play my best tennis,” an emotional Djokovic told the media.
“I put my heart, my soul, everything to win gold. I did it for my country first – for Serbia.”
Alcaraz, 21, was also in tears after the match, but will leave with a silver medal on his Olympic debut, while Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti won bronze after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada last Friday.
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