₦airaland Forum

Mynd44:
Out of prison and into the other party. Salvador is clowning himself and everyone

August 27, 2018

By Godfrey Bivbere

The Kebbi State government last year earned about N150 billion from the sale of its locally cultivated rice, the Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has said.

The governor disclosed this when he played host to Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, Hassan Bello, in his office.

Bello had gone to inform him of the plan to develop an Inland Container Depot, ICD and a Truck/Trail Transit Park in the state.

Bagudu assured the management of NSC that any people oriented project embarked upon by them that will ensure trade facilitation and sustained economic growth will be supported by his administration.

As part of measure to earn more from the popular staple food and shore up the economy of the state, the governor said three giant rice millers, Wocat Rice Processing Mill, Dangote Rice Processing Mill and Dadangari Rice Processing Mill are working at full capacity with the state earning about N150 billion from sale of rice last year alone.

He equally stated that Kebbi State as an agrarian state has enormous potentials in agriculture coupled with acquatic splendour which positions the state as part of the Blue Sea economy.

Bagudu explained that the ICD and the Transit Park are strategic projects given the enormous agricultural and mineral potentials in the state.

Kebbi State with a population of about 15 million, sharing borders with Niger and Benin Republics places it on an advantage in terms of trade facilitation and export of commodities.

The state has 7 big rivers with River Niger traversing all the 3 Senatorial Zones of the state while Argungu River that houses the International Fishing Festival has become a tourist destination.

According to Bagudu, Kebbi State is the highest producer of rice, onions and pepper in the country.

This places the state on advantage for the Lolo Inland Container Depot and Vehicle/Truck Transit Park to help in the evacuation of farm produce from the hinterland to the urban areas and for export.

He further informed the NCS team that the Federal Government’s grand design to open the hinterlands so as to achieve sustainable growth will help Kebbi State as the agricultural belt of the nation.

“We have provided enabling environment to our teeming farmers in the rural areas with farm implements, seedlings and fertilizer thereby encouraging them for all season farming,” he stated.

Explaining further why his administration is desirous to partner with NSC on the proposed projects, the governor revealed that apart from his being the National Vice-Chairman of Food Security Committee, a nation’s health and economic growth is measured on food reliance and self sufficiency.

“A nation that cannot feed its people will suffer a lot of international market vagaries. The Lolo Inland Container Depot will help in galvanizing the evacuation of farm produce to the urban areas and for export.

“We have also entered into partnership arrangement with an indigeneous company for an ultra modern World Class Sugar Processing Plant with a total cost of about $330million when completed. The project is sited in Augie Local Government Area, a border town between Kebbi State and Sokoto State. All these agricultural transformation drive of this administration has encouraged farmers to not only be active and productive but has to a large extent reduced youth restellness as the state is adjudged as the most peaceful state in the northern geo-political zone. We believe that your twin projects can que into our model,” Bagudu noted.

In his remarks, Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council Hassan Bello informed the Governor that their decision to construct the two projects in the state after a careful study showed that Kebbi State is strategically located not only to stimulate the economy of the state but the multiplier effect of its location is enormous.

emonkey:
Don't be killed by ignorance

Motorists and other road users on Friday poured praises on traffic management agencies for sustaining smooth traffic flow, in spite of the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The 11.8km bridge was closed to traffic on Aug. 23 for maintenance. The closure had sparked fears that Lagos would face a traffic lock down.

The `investigative maintenance test’ is expected to last for three days between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26. A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent monitoring, reports that traffic was smooth on the Lagos-Abeokuta highway from Iyana-Ipaja through Agege Motor Road.

The correspondent reports that traffic also flowed on Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge through Apongbon to the Lagos Mainland. Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), FRSC and the police could be seen directing traffic at various areas, including Ijora Olopa Bus Stop.

Speaking on the matter, a business woman, Mrs Tosin Amos, told newsmen that she experienced free flow of traffic from Dopemu to Idumota Market on the Lagos Island. “It is only traffic light that stopped us around Mushin, the road is very free. The people controlling traffic are trying.

“But I also feel that a lot of people have not returned to Lagos from the sallah holiday,” she said.

A commercial motorist, Mr Segun Daramola, who plies the Ojo-Alaba to CMS route, told newsmen that the free traffic flow was amazing for a city that had witnessed gridlocks for months.

Daramola said that he drove from Sango-Ota in Ogun to the Island without major obstruction. “I am happy that all the roads are free. From Ojo-Alaba down to Costain is free. LASTMA, police and road safety people are everywhere.

An NURTW official, who oversees Contain Bus Stop and the National Theatre area, Mr Sule Osho, commended the agencies. “Look at all the bridges, they are free. There are no congestions on the bridges at all.

“Congestion on Eko Bridge or Carter Bridge cannot hide, the spillover are always spontaneous but I give kudos to the officials.

A civil servant, who identified herself simply as Chinwe, said that the roads were free, contrary to fears of road users. “I drove all the way from Ago Palaceway to the Island and there was no single traffic snarl. I thank all officials manning traffic on the roads,” she said.

However, another civil servant, Mr Louis Chukwudubem, attributed the free traffic flow to lower population because some residents had travelled for the sallah holiday and had yet to return. “Schools are on holidays and some people that travelled for sallah are not back. All the same, the people directing traffic are working,” he said.

Assistant Corps Commander of the FRSC, Hauwa Olowookere, told newsmen that the success recorded was due to adequate planning. She said that a committee, comprising traffic regulatory and law enforcement agencies, set up by the Federal Ministry of Works were working in synergy to ensure free flow of traffic. “The traffic control sub-committee set up by the Lagos federal controller of works, FRSC, LASEMA, RLU, Civil Defense, LASTMA, police have been working together to ensure free traffic flow.”

Olowookere, however, appealed to road users to continue to cooperate with traffic managers and law enforcement agencies to sustain sanity on the roads.

NAN

benben1000:
You are mistaking me for someone else. My posting history doesn't show any record of me opening any thread on Ibadan.

benben1000:
Tired of what? I just showed a picture I took.

Iamgrey5:
This was the best NURTW chairman from oyostate for a while


Tokyo and Elewe-eran were nightmares

FORMER Governor of Plateau State who is also a serving senator representing Plateau North, Senator Jonah Jang has declared his intention to contest for the presidential primary on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

A close associate of Senator Jang who was a former Secretary to Plateau State Government Professor Shedrach Best who disclosed this to Nigerian Tribune in Jos, Plateau State said the former governor has submitted his letter of intent to the National Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja and also made a declaration at his constituency.

According to him, Senator Jang joined the race after a wide consultation in the country especially in the Middle Belt which is his immediate constituency as far as the presidential race is a concern.

“After he submitted his letter of intent to contest at the National Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, he had a wide consultation and meeting with his followers in his constituency and got the nod of the people to contest for the number one seat.

“Senator Jang decided to throw his hat into the ring having examined the state of the nation especially the insecurity, energy, bad economy and lack of purposeful direction by those in leadership positions in the country. He joined the race primarily to make a difference”.

Professor Best who said the former governor of Jang has the full support of the Middle Belt for his aspiration added that the fact that the geopolitical zone has not enjoyed representation through electoral governance further propelled Senator Jang to indicate his interest to contest.

“PDP has zoned presidency to the North, the North Central otherwise called the Middle Belt has not enjoyed representation through electoral governance, it is the belief of Senator Jang that since North Central is part of the North it should be given an opportunity this time around,” he said.

Professor Best further disclosed that the former governor will fully launch out this week from Plateau state where the campaign will be taken to other parts of the country.