The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, has assured that his administration will expedite the completion of over 130 ongoing projects in Ogoniland.
Professor Zabbey made this statement while addressing youths who visited the HYPREP office in Port Harcourt on Tuesday to demonstrate their support for his reappointment as the Project Coordinator.
President Bola Tinubu on Monday reinstated Zabbey as the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, after rescinding his appointment of Olufemi Adekanmbi last Saturday.
The President cited Zabbey’s good performance as the reason for his reinstatement.
His decision to replace Zabbey with a non-Ogoni generated negative reactions from Ogoni people and groups in the Niger Delta (who felt stakeholders were not consulted).
Speaking, Zabbey revealed that the projects have created direct employment opportunities for over 7,000 youths.
He said, “We have 130 ongoing projects in the area of remediation, water positioning, strengthening of hospitals or health systems, and a lot of livelihood
“And under remediation alone, we have remediation of contaminated land, we have shore line cleanup and we have a mangrove restoration project going on concurrently.
“These have created a lot of jobs for Ogoni youths. Our estimate is over 7,000 youths.”
He stated that HYPREP would train traditional rulers in conflict resolution to ensure the smooth progress of the cleanup project in Ogoniland.
HYPREP is the agency under the Federal Ministry of Environment responsible for handling the Ogoni Clean-up project on oil spill sites.
Reinstated HYPREP Coordinator, Zabbey vows to expedite Ogoni clean-up project
Reinstated HYPREP Coordinator, Zabbey vows to expedite Ogoni clean-up project
Sanwo-Olu hosts dinner to celebrate Soyinka at 90
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, hosted a dinner at the State House on Tuesday to honour Noble Laurette, Prof Wole Soyinka, on his 90th birthday.
During the birthday dinner, Sanwo-Olu also unveiled a “special portrait” of the renowned playwright and novelist.
Sharing photos from the event on X.com, Sanwo-Olu wrote, “This evening, we had the honour of celebrating the 90th birthday of our esteemed Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
“It was a night of joy, memories, and inspiration as we celebrated his many contributions to literature and touched on how his humanity continues to inspire us all.
“The highlight of the evening was unveiling a special portrait of Prof., a true reflection of his enduring legacy.”
Sanwo-Olu further thanked Soyinka, saying, “We celebrate not just his 90 years of life but the countless lives he has inspired and continues to inspire.”
He added, “His Nobel Prize win many years ago opened the door for many to dream and believe that greatness is achievable. His works transcend time, touching hearts and minds across the globe.
“Thank you, Professor Wole Soyinka, for showing us that through resilience, creativity, and dedication, we can achieve greatness.”
The Nobel Laureate, who turned 90 years old on Saturday, July 13, was described as a shining light and national treasure by President Bola Tinubu.
See more photos below
Top 10 stories from across Nigerian Newspapers, Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Here are the top 10 stories making headlines across the country.
1. Tinubu to meet labour leaders again on Thursday to finalize new minimum wage
President Bola Tinubu is to convene a follow-up meeting with labour leaders on Thursday to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.Read more
2. Kogi sets October 19 for local government elections
Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission has announced October 19 as the date for local government elections across the state, following a recent Supreme Court ruling that deemed caretaker committees managing local government affairs nationwide illegal.Read more
3. Pro-Fubara lawmakers reject move to stop Rivers govt’s spending
The faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalaye Fubara has rejected the move by a rival group to stop the governor from spending the state’s revenue.Read more
4. Binance executive’s health worsens, appears in court in wheelchair
The executive director of the cryptocurrency platform, Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, arrived at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a wheelchair for his trial for alleged money laundering on Tuesday.Read more
5. Nigerian govt rules out handover of varsities to private investors
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said on Tuesday the Federal Government has no plan to hand over public universities in the country to private investors.Read more
READ ALSO:Top 10 stories from across Nigerian Newspapers, Sunday, July 14, 2024
6. Renewed tension as Sunday Igboho gives Fulani herders ultimatum to vacate South-West forests
Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has renewed his call for Fulani herders to leave forests anreas across the South-West region of Nigeria.Read more
7. FG, states, LGAs share N1.35tr as revenue allocation for June
The three tiers of government on Tuesday shared the sum of N1.35 trillion as revenue allocation for June.Read more
8. FRC, MOFI reveal how Nigeria can achieve $1tr economy
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) identified how President Bola Tinubu can achieve its $1 trillion economic projection.Read more
9. Navy rescues eight victims of human trafficking, 2 drowning fishermen
The Nigerian Navy has rescued eight female victims of human trafficking in the country.Read more
10. Nigeria absent at Africa Youth Champs over scarcity of funds
Nigeria is conspicuously absent from the 2024 ITTF Africa Youth Championships, which are currently underway in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.Read more
The post Top 10 stories from across Nigerian Newspapers, Wednesday, July 17, 2024 appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Hardship: Kebbi Govt tackles food crisis with 210 trucks of fertilizer, agricultural inputs
In a concerted effort to arrest the food crisis rocking the country, especially the Northern Region, Kebbi State government has procured 210 trucks of fertilizer to aid farming this rainy season.
The effort is part of concerns to curb food insufficiency and general hardships being experienced by the citizens.
Governor Nasir Idris, who announced the new move in Birnin-Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, said that the 210 trucks of fertilizer would be made available to peasant farmers in the rural areas at no cost.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, Governor Idris said that no fewer than 48,000 peasant farmers have been targeted to have the fertilizer to aid their farming capacities.
According to the statement, the fertilizer would be transmitted to the local farmers in their respective villages and communities along with other agricultural inputs.
The move to combat the food crisis headlong was said to have been made public by the governor at the launching of agricultural inputs by the State COVID 19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, Kebbi State Cares Coordinating Unit.
The exercise is said to be under the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fadama III Implementing Unit
Gov. Idris pointed out that the effort was part of his decision not to leave any farmer or group of farmers behind in their farming work.
According to the statement, 100 trucks of assorted fertiliser would be distributed to the people of the state free, while another 110 trucks of fertiliser would also be channeled to Local Government Areas in the state also free-of-charge.
The governor charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the inputs for mass food production to ensure food sufficiency at the end of the rainy season of the year.
The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abba Sani-Kalgo was said to have highlighted the importance of the programme and commended the governor for the support and assistance to the ministry and generality of farmers in the state.
Hardship: Kebbi Govt tackles food crisis with 210 trucks of fertilizer, agricultural inputs
Former Tornadoes prodigy Degol explains Rangers move
Former Nigeria Tornadoes winger Clinton Jephter Degol is delighted at his move to Nigerian champions Enugu Rangers, According Sports Extra reports.
In a voice note made available to According Sports Extra by the club’s media department on Tuesday, the youngster said he showed no hesitation in choosing the Flying Antelopes over a litany of suitors jostling for his signature.
“Firstly, I want to thank God for making it possible for me to be here. Secondly, I feel so happy and good to join a great side like Rangers International, the reigning league champions. I feel proud to be part of this club. I know the signing is coming late, but I am grateful it happened due to pressure from a couple of clubs for my services. It was a hard decision for me, but I believe Rangers is the right choice for me, and I feel happy and good to be here,” said Jephter, who penned a year-long deal to defend the badge of the CAF Champions League campaigners.
Jephter, who was among the top performers for the Minna-based side in the concluded season, put pen to paper for coach Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side on Monday, July 15, 2024, at the club’s corporate office in Enugu.
The Southern Ijaw Bayelsa state-born ball juggler makes the 10th addition to the Coal City side as they continue to fortify the team for a successful title defence and fruitful continental challenge, which starts in the middle of August 2024 with a preliminary round fixture against Comoros Islands side, U.S. Zilimadjou.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from According.
Contact: [email protected]
Govt will not tolerate any hostility, civil unrest – Delta Dep Gov Onyeme
The Delta State Government has declared that it will not tolerate any community causing hostility or civil unrest.
Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme gave the warning on Tuesday in Asaba during separate meetings held with leaders from Ugboba and Obomkpa Communities in Aniocha North Local Government Area, and Issele-Asaba Community (Akpoma Quarters) in Aniocha North Local Government Area and Okpanam (Ogbeozoma and Amachai Quarters) in Oshimilli North Local Government Area.
He noted that security agents have the backing of the government to ensure that law and order are maintained in the communities.
He called on communities to maintain peace as government is determined to proffer lasting solutions to various boundary issues and land disputes across the state.
Onyeme who is also the chairman of the Delta State Boundary Committee, charged security agencies to ensure the maintenance of law and order across all communities in the state.
The deputy governor noted that it is the priority of the state government to ensure that peace prevails in all parts of the state.
“Government’s advice and instruction is for all to maintain the peace and we should not do anything that will increase tensions in the community while government will send its experts to look at the issue and find solutions to it.
“The cardinal point of the MORE Agenda of this administration is to enhance peace and security because when we achieve that, every other thing will follow.
“Without peace, there cannot be development, without peace, there cannot be opportunities; there cannot be reforms, except there is peace and security and as a government, we are very serious about achieving peace, Onyeme stated.
The deputy governor stated that the Delta State Boundary Committee’s technical team would within the next three weeks visit the Ugboba and Ogbomkpa communities, as well as the Issele-Asagba and Okpanam communities and look at the issues raised to ensure their quick resolutions.
“We will bring in our technical team to look at what you are saying; solution must be provided and that is what government is after. Every community wants peace and on government side, we want peace because that is the only way that we can move forward as a people.
“The fact that all parties involved have been writing to government for intervention shows that we all want solutions to the issues and solutions we must provide because we are all part of Delta State and if there is a problem in any part of the state, the state will not be settled.
“We did not come to governance just to sit down and watch our citizens start suffering. We are here to provide solutions to the challenges of our people and we are here to be fair to everybody.
“I want us to approach things with fairness and remain calm while we look for solutions to the issues at hand; we should be realistic about the existence of each other as a people.
“As a modern person, I cannot say that a kingdom that was created in the 13th century must remain, as it was created forever, society evolves and the only thing that is constant is change,” Onyeme said.
Also, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, who was represented by the Area Commander of Asaba, ACP Alex Udeze, advised all communities to maintain peace while the Delta State Government proffer solutions to all the issues at stake.
The police commissioner warned that security agents will not fail to enforce law and order and bring to book anyone trying to cause crises in the communities and the state at large.
Earlier in their various presentations, His Royal Majesty, Ezedinbu Nkebakwu III, the Obi of Ugboba and His Royal Majesty, Obi Onyemechi Kanyinaga, the Obi of Ogbomkpa, commended government for initiating the meeting and appealed to the state government to intervene by urgently addressing the issues affecting both communities.
They assured government of maintaining peace in their various communities while also enjoining government to find lasting solutions to the issues raised.
Also, Prince Austin Ugboma, who spoke on behalf of Issele-Asagba community and Mr Joseph Okolie, who spoke on behalf of Okpanam community assured the state government of their communities’ commitment to maintaining peace and ensuring their collaboration with the state government to find a lasting solution to the boundary disputes between the two communities.
Govt will not tolerate any hostility, civil unrest – Delta Dep Gov Onyeme
NCAA to unveil consumer protection portal August
In a move to enhance transparency and accountability in the aviation sector, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has announced plans to launch its consumer protection portal in August.
This announcement follows efforts by the NCAA to address widespread consumer complaints within the aviation sector.
According to the regulator, the portal will allow passengers to log complaints, track the on-time performance of airlines, and access self-reported data on the resolution of cases, making airline performance data publicly accessible and transparent.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, told The According, “The Consumer Protection Portal of the NCAA will soon be going live, where people can log in their complaints. And be able to see the on-time performance of all of the airlines with regards to the numbers of cases reported to them, how many of those cases have been resolved, and how many are pending.”
He explained that the portal would have a self-reporting system, making airline performance data accessible to the public.
“It is a system that self-reports. So each airline will be reporting itself to the general public by the board that measures its performance. So if a particular airline is not doing very well in that regard, it will be open and transparent for everybody to see,” he explained.
According to Achimugu, the NCAA aims to launch this automated system before the end of August.
“It is ready; it is just some other things that we want to launch at the same time with the portal,” the NCAA spokesperson added.
Recall that the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, said regulators of the aviation sector would begin to compel airlines to compensate passengers for delayed or cancelled flights by January 2024.
Keyamo also assured travellers that a list of airlines that delayed or cancelled flights would be published in the media weekly as part of the compensation scheme.
Because of that, the NCAA said that it had recorded a substantial success rate in enforcing airline refunds, with a record of 65 to 70 per cent success in resolving related issues.
He said, “We have recorded a 65 to 70 per cent success rate with enforcing refunds.”
According to Achimugu, this progress comes amid ongoing challenges in the aviation industry, where delays and cancellations have often sparked conflicts between airlines and passengers.
Highlighting the complexity of the issue, the Achimugu noted, “Remember that the honourable minister also did inform us that some of the delays are not the fault of the airlines.
“Even when it is the fault of the passengers, they still blame the airlines. He further illustrated this point with a recent incident.
“Sometimes, some of the issues are down to ground operations. Recently, I had someone complain, asking for a refund as compensation. When I reminded him of the regulations saying that he was supposed to be at the airport at least two hours before the flight, he became angry. He got to the airport 30 minutes before the time of departure, by which time the check-in counters had already closed.”
Achimugu emphasised the need for fairness in evaluating such complaints, saying, “So, when things like this happen, we also need to be fair to the airlines. We need to measure whether it is the fault of the airlines or the fault of the passengers.”
Aero Contractors upgrades clinic
Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors, has upgraded its clinic after Paelon Memorial Hospital donated medical equipment to the facility.
Speaking recently at the unveiling of the rehabilitated clinic, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Ado Sanusi, said that the upgrade of the clinic was historical.
He also commended the Paelon Memorial Hospital for coming to support the modernisation of the clinic.
“This clinic has been there for a long time. And I think it was our CFO, Charles, who actually told me about it and suggested we should upgrade the clinic. And we took it up as a project. And then, luckily for us, Charles Grant has affiliates who decided to pleasantly surprise us by massively supporting the project by donating this equipment.
“We would like to thank Paelon Memorial Hospital very much. This project would not have been done without you. And you have shown that Paelon Memorial Hospital is an entity that understands corporate social responsibility. We are indeed very grateful,” he said.
The Chief Finance Officer of Aero Contractors, Charles Grant, expressed gratitude to his wife and mother-in-law, who are in charge of the Paelon Memorial Hospital.
The equipment donated includes one complete bed, two drip stands, one oxygen concentrator, two-bed lockers and one examination couch.
In her address, the Chief Operating Officer of Paelon Memorial Hospital, Mrs Unoma Grant, explained why the hospital decided to support Aero Contractors in upgrading its clinic.
“When Charles (Grant) mentioned that they were upgrading their clinic, I told him that I would like to see it. It started with me coming to see the place and the space. And he said that even if we can’t do anything, we can advise them of what they can do to upgrade the facility.
“I saw that there was actually a lot they could do with the space because we have assisted some organisations with setting up small site clinics that can take care of emergency cases and provide some care for their patients. So, the next step was, what would they need? So I shared that list with the matron, who offered to donate to this cause with a bed, oxygen concentrator, bedside lockers, and drip stands,” she expounded.
Govs must reduce teacher shortage crisis
THE outlook for basic education in Nigeria is alarming, compounded by the shortage of teachers in the states. As the foundation of the country’s education architecture, issues at the primary level have far-reaching impacts on the secondary and tertiary levels and the overall human capital development in the country. State governors must take up the gauntlet by auditing, employing, and training teachers while creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning.
This gained credence again recently after Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, decried that Nigeria lacked 194,867 qualified teachers and 1.1 million classrooms. Of the 694,078 primary school teachers required, there are only 499,2022. Bobboyi lamented that the shortfall of teachers contributes to learning poverty, as states have failed to recruit new teachers or replace those who resigned or retired.
Despite interventions by the Federal Government through UBEC, including funding for teacher training, facilities, and counterpart funding for infrastructure, the problems persist.
UBEC says 40 per cent of classrooms in the basic education category are in unpalatable conditions. Many pupils in public schools learn under harsh conditions, as the classroom roofs and windows have either been stolen or removed by the elements. They sit on the bare floor to learn and grapple with the presence of grazing cattle and faeces. The schools lack toilets, libraries, and computers.
Although the rampant insecurity across the country sabotages education, the lack of an enabling learning environment has also adversely affected enrolment. Nigeria has 20.1 million out-of-school children, the second largest in the world behind India’s, per UNESCO.
The shortfall of teachers is glaring, breeding deficiencies and frustration in schools. While the national policy prescribes a teacher-student ratio of 1:35, the ratio is 1:124 in the North-East.
According to a World Bank report, teacher absenteeism causes a 13.7 per cent loss in public expenditure. The Human Capital Public Expenditure and Institutional Review on Nigeria revealed that 19.1 per cent of teachers who are present in school are not in classrooms. This reflects a lack of passion, as teachers spend less than three-quarters of their official hours on scheduled teaching.
Furthermore, teachers are demoralised by the absence of facilities, poor learning environments, lack of training and career advancement opportunities, and humiliatingly low wages.
The governors are culpable in this mess as they continue to underfund education in their states. Although basic education remains their statutory duty, many of them have refused to advance it by providing counterpart funding to access the UBEC funds. Only 16 of 36 states accessed N21 billion out of the N51.6 billion 2023 matching grant as of June. This translates to 41 per cent of the funds.
Many governors restricted the recruitment of civil servants, including teachers, thereby exacerbating the shortage of skilled teachers.
Urgently, more funding should be allocated to education, ensuring it reaches the intended beneficiaries, while school infrastructure should be improved to provide a favourable learning environment.
Teaching should be made an attractive profession with competitive wages, like in Finland, Germany, and South Korea. States should lift employment bans and recruit more teachers, while regular training and professional development should be prioritised.
Governors should embark on a comprehensive audit to determine the exact number of primary schools, the current state of the schools, and the required number of teachers to reposition education in their domains.
On a national scale, there is an urgent need for a robust revision of national policies to involve states and local governments in managing primary education effectively.
Wema, SMEDAN boost market access for entrepreneurs
Wema Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria have collaborated to host the Naija Brand Chick trade fair in a move to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises, with a special focus on women-led businesses.
The NBC trade fair, scheduled for August at The Intercontinental, London, aims to offer MSMEs opportunities for market access and knowledge sharing, helping them expand their reach and grow their businesses.
The Divisional Head of Retail and SME at Wema Bank, Ayodele Olojede, said in a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday that the partnership with NBC was designed to boost intra-continental trade and increase investment by connecting Nigerian exporters with the global market.
According to the World Trade Organisation, only 15 per cent of businesses engaged in international trade are led by women, highlighting a significant gender gap in the industry.
Olojede noted that the percentage of Nigerian women-led SMEs participating in international trade was likely much lower.
“In Africa, women produce only 25 per cent of the total export value, despite making up 50 per cent of the population. This indicates vast market opportunities that remain untapped,” she declared.
According to Olojede, the initiative also focuses on integrating Nigerian businesses into the global value chain, facilitating foreign exchange collections through digital tools, and driving socioeconomic transformation for Nigerian women through enhanced business partnerships and shared market insights.
“As a purveyor of wealth for over eight decades, we understand that the economic prosperity of our people is directly related to ours. Africa, especially Nigeria, can only grow if we trade amongst ourselves and, more importantly, with other countries, regions, and continents,” she expounded.
The Director General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, said the agency was exploring partnership opportunities with the Nigerian Postal Service and DHL, the logistics and courier company, to reduce logistics and transportation costs for micro and small businesses in the country.
He revealed that SMEDAN had been in talks with NIPOST and DHL to offer discounted rates for businesses, making it more affordable for them to move their goods.
SMEDAN DG said the agency was committed to supporting local entrepreneurs by making it easier for them to transport their goods around the country at a lower cost.
Further, he announced that businesses travelling to London for the NBC fair would have access to single-digit loans to support their participation in the international fair.
