₦airaland Forum

360degreess:
.Sai baba project

Funtua Inland Dry Port officially commences operations, receiving first cargo and promising to reduce import processing time for regional traders.

Nigerian Shippers Council’s initiative aims to bring shipping services closer to hinterland importers and exporters, facilitating cross-border trade.

The Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State has officially commenced operations, receiving its first cargo on Monday to the delight of stakeholders.

This milestone is part of the Nigerian Shippers Council’s initiative to develop inland dry ports, bringing shipping services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterland.

Dr. Pius U. Akutah, CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council, represented by Hajiya Kareematu Usman, Director of the Northwest Coordinating Office, expressed enthusiasm about the port’s launch.

He encouraged the Funtua community and regional businessmen to seize the economic benefits provided by the facility.

Katsina State Customs Controller, Idris Abba Aji, commended the port’s readiness for operations. He urged merchants to adhere to the rules for smooth and efficient services.

“All the facilities, machines, and structures meet the required standards. We pray for the port’s long-term success and development,” Abba Aji said.

The port’s managing director, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Dodo, invited importers and exporters to utilize the port’s services. He emphasized the efficiency of transporting goods from Lagos to Funtua in just two days.

Dr. Umar Mutallab, the port chairman, represented by Alhaji Tijjani Dandutse, appreciated the Nigerian Shippers Council for ensuring the project’s success. He disclosed plans to make Funtua a regional business hub, citing a memorandum of understanding signed with Niger and Chad to facilitate cross-border trade.

The port anticipates receiving eight additional containers in the coming weeks. Officials noted that the facility will significantly reduce Niger’s import processing time from three months to just a few weeks, boosting regional trade efficiency.

9 months ago, Tinubu Flags Off Funtua Inland Dry Port

Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has approved the naming of several old and new legacy projects in the state in honor of historic figures and leaders, a move aimed at preserving the contributions of these individuals.

Among the key names is the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, who will have the multibillion-naira Civil Service Clinic project named after her.

Also, the late football icon, Rashidi Yekini, will have the main bowl of the Kwara State Stadium Complex named after him.

In a statement on Monday, the government said old Civil Service Clinic would be completely reconstructed to become a multi-storey health facility.

“Senator Tinubu will perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the huge project as part of her official visit to Kwara State between January 28 and 30, 2025,” a statement from the Governor’s office read.

“Along with the ICT centre built under the Renewed Hope Initiative of her office at the Kwara State University of Education, the wife of the President will also inaugurate a few legacy projects of the governor such as the Unity flyover, ultramodern Intensive Care Unit, Executive Ward,

and Gen Tunde Idiagbon flyover — earlier named after the late disciplinarian leader,” the statement further noted.

“The road leading to the flyover is now to be called the Tafawa Balewa Road, a gesture in honour of Nigeria’s former Prime Minister, who was killed in the January 1966 military coup,” it added.

The governor has also approved the naming of several other projects after prominent figures.

The ICT centre is named after a former minister of state for health, Amina Ndalolo, a jewel of Kwara North.

The Executive Ward at the Kwara State Teaching Hospital has been named after the late prominent physician and politician, Dr. Amuda Aluko.

“The first state secretariat is now to be called the Brigadier General David Bamigboye Secretariat, in honour of the first military administrator of the old Kwara State,” the statement read.

“While the new secretariat is named after Rear Admiral Muhammed Alabi Lawal, who governed the state between 1999 and 2003.”

The Kwara State Stadium Complex is now known as Major-General George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, in appreciation of his contributions to the state.

“The main bowl of the stadium is named after the late Rashidi Yekini, a football legend renowned for scoring Nigeria’s first World Cup goal and the country’s highest goal scorer to date,” the statement added.

The governor also approved the naming of several sports facilities. The Table Tennis Arena has been named after Atanda Musa (Manza Musa), a national champion in the games in 1979.

The Indoor Sports Hall is now named after Gabriel Babatunde Ladipo, the first black principal of the Government Technical Training School Ilorin, who was regarded as the father of sports in the state.

The Squash Court in the stadium is now named after Coach Bolakale Mogaji, the executive chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, who was the pioneer coach, player, and national champion in the squash game.

“KFA Academy is named after Coach Usuman Adenuja, the first football coach who took the Kwara Academicals to the final of Academical football competition, with the governor among his products,” the statement further said.

The Hostel A of the stadium is now named after Salihu Ishola, the first Kwara Commonwealth Games’ medalist. Hostel B is named after Paralympic badminton bronze medalist, Bolaji Eniola.

Hostel C is named after Bola Esan, the first female director of sports in the state.

This initiative reflects the Governor’s commitment to honoring figures whose legacies have significantly impacted Kwara and the nation.

YouAreNobody:
Imo state houses a substantial quantity of gas, amounting to over 200 trillion cubic feet with an additional potential of 600 TCF.
The state has the largest gas deposits in Nigeria and Africa

https://cddfactcheck.org/fact-check-imo-state-houses-the-largest-gas-reserves-in-west-africa/

Some chieftains of the Labour Party loyal to the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, have raised a motion for the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, to be sanctioned over the role he played in the internal strife of the party.

They warned that Obi might face his worst electoral defeat in the 2027 presidential election if he continued to destabilise and factionalise the party.

They vented their frustration in separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH .

The warning came three days after Abure expressed optimism that the internal crisis rocking the party would be resolved well ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The national chairman declared that he was prepared to reconcile with Obi, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and other aggrieved chieftains of the party.

Abure’s comment comes in the wake of last Friday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal recognising him as the National Chairman of the LP.

The court nullified the LP National Caretaker Committee headed by Nenadi Usman, set up by the Obi and Otti’s camp to steer the affairs of the party.

In response to the judgment, the Usman-led panel has headed to the Supreme Court, signalling an elongation of the LP internal strife.

One of the chieftains of the party, Dr Blessing Elaigwu, observed that the LP had stagnated in the past one year due to lack of leadership from Obi and the needless litigation his caretaker committee had brought on the party.

Elaigwu, who is the convener of the Alliance for All Labour Party Professionals and Stakeholders, therefore, warned the leadership of the party to completely severe any ties with the former Anambra State governor if he went ahead to drag the party to the Supreme Court following his Appeal Court victory.

He said, “You will recall that Obi and the current Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, had in September last year, convened an illegal stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia to remove the Abure-led executive and handpicked their cronies, including Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha, as the Chairman and Secretary, respectively.

“But INEC denied them recognition which resulted in them approaching both the lower court and Appeal Court where they lost. If Peter Obi thinks that he wants to destroy the party before moving to other political party as being speculated, he must know that he is destroying himself.

“What exactly has Abure and his executives done to deserve this back-stabbing? Obi was frustrated out of the PDP and Abure offered him a platform in the Labour Party.

“What a good leader would have done, given the momentum of the 2023 election, is to consolidate on the progress made and get ready for 2027.”

Another chieftain, Cornel Max-Nduaguibe, also urged Obi not to kill the momentum of their 2023 general elections exploit.

Max-Nduaguibe, who is also a member of the Obidient Movement, pleaded with the former Anambra State governor to reconsider his position against the party.

He said, “I urge him to use his influence to encourage all party members to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal. We must present a united front to achieve success. To build a stronger party, we must prioritise transparency, accountability and inclusivity.

“This involves fostering open communication among party members, ensuring that all voices are heard, and promoting a culture of respect and tolerance.

“I call on you and all LP members to take immediate action to address our internal conflicts. Let us work together to build a stronger, more united party that can effectively serve the Nigerian people. The time for unity is now.”

When contacted, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, to our correspondent that his principal was not prepared to banter words with the Abure’s camp or engage in any form of proxy war.

“His Excellency Peter Obi is not interested in an endless drama or name calling. For that, we don’t respond to Julius Abure’s shenanigans,” he stated.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has said that President Bola Tinubu’s inclusive governance irrespective of ethno-religious differences has overshadowed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the Presidency.

Besides, Northern CAN Chairman, Reverend Yakubu Pam, told Journalists in an interview shortly after the meeting of the National Executive Committee of Northern CAN in Kaduna that it would be good to have a Christian as the number two citizen at the Presidency for balancing between the two major religions in the country.

He said: “For me, the most important thing is a government that is inclusive and as far as they have done Muslim-Muslim ticket, we have also seen reasonably inclusiveness. Left for us, we will say yes, let’s have Christians in certain positions like Vice President and other positions to reflect our diversity.”

Pam noted that “the Presidency will be good to bring a Christian as number two. We will appreciate it, there is nothing wrong with that. Whatever way the important thing is that insecurity should be tackled.

“We know the desire of people is to see that insecurity is addressed so that they can go about their normal daily activities without fear. This is already happening, we want the government to declare a complete state of emergency on the issue of insecurity.

“We may have a Christian there and killings may still be going on, but it is something we still pray for.

“The performance of the current administration is going on a little bit better, but we want them to do more. There are pockets of things here and there that should be addressed; the situation is not as bad like the previous years where there were bombings.

“I think the major challenge now is hunger. People are really, really suffering. Prices of commodities are crazy. That is what we are crying for now. But the President has said that with time… I believe, let’s see how it goes.”

Earlier in his address at the meeting, Pam who acknowledged the presence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), George Akume at the meeting urged Nigerians to keep praying for President Tinubu and for the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nigeria.

“While we celebrate unity and religious harmony, we cannot overlook the significant challenges facing Christians and the general population in Northern Nigeria,” he said.

“Christians in some states still face challenges in acquiring land for church buildings, as well as marginalization in political appointments and access to opportunities.

“The rising cost of living and limited economic opportunities have left many struggling to survive, particularly in the face of insecurity and displacement.

We appreciate the efforts made by Mr. President and his administration to address these issues, but we appeal for greater intervention to restore peace and stability in Northern Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Akume, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Christopher Tarka, said that Tinubu was committed to promoting good governance across the country while urging Northern CAN to continue to pray for unity, love, and peace in the region.

“The President’s actions, particularly during the last Christmas season—providing palliatives to Christians across the North, reducing fuel prices, and prioritizing security during the festivities—demonstrate his commitment to the welfare of all Nigerians,” he said.

“The government is working tirelessly to restore peace, stability, and economic growth in affected areas.

The concerns regarding difficulties in acquiring land for church buildings and the perceived exclusion of Northern Christians in key political appointments are well understood. I will personally bring these issues to the attention of Mr. President to ensure that they are addressed appropriately.”

Ojuntana:
Your aim at Obi is decrepit as it is infantile. You started with bad grammar. You rambled aimlessly all through and ended the tirade like a drunk who fumbled his way to the door, flunked the attempt to open the door and then fell at the door, reeking of alcohol.
You should be more concerned about how Nigerian businessmen are going round to expand Nigeria's trade and prosperity on the continent while the government you serve is going about advocating and glorifying dignity in poverty on the world stage.
Pity.

Moses Paul, an aide to Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has disclosed why some ex-associates of his principal in the banking and business sector are avoiding him in public.

Paul disclosed that the fear of retribution from President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made Obi’s associates in the banking and business world to avoid him in public.

He disclosed this in an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica.

Paul recalled how Aliko Dangote and other Nigerian businessmen avoided Obi in Kigali, Rwanda, during a recent function.

He said: “There was an occasion when I travelled to Rwanda with Mr. Peter Obi. Alhaji Aliko Dangote was in Kigali to hold a conference alongside lots of top Nigerian businessmen and bankers.

“You will not believe that people who were friends with Peter Obi in the banking sector were dodging and avoiding being seen with him because of fear of retribution from the Tinubu government against them or their businesses.

“It’s shocking that in the 21st century, people are afraid to be seen with an opposition leader because of fear of what the government of the day will do. This shouldn’t be coming from a country like Nigeria that is the only future of the black man on the face of the earth.."

mrvitalis:
Is it that you don't know how to read or you just trying specially today to be stu.pid?

So Benin would abandon their already designed trade Chanel with Benin to a toll free port in Benin to use your way longer route?

I calculated nigeria gets 30% of trade volume and you are here saying rubbish

Ojuntana:
Besides, the rail IF completed will be competing with rail connecting Cotonou port with Niger which is much shorter route to the coast with less insecurity.
Also, Niger presently uses the Benin port as they are both francophone which means ease of doing business in terms of language and common currency
That rail is a big waste

mrvitalis:
There is already a trading export channels through TOGO and Benin so at best you get 30% of trade export ( which I doubt after how your president killed Econwas)

Niger export is around 1 billion dollars per year according to world Bank... 30% is 333 million dollars

Say they pay us 5% .. That's 17.5million dollars for 365 days at best ...

Let's say forget energy and running cost . .. It would take us 142 years to break even from this project based on its cost ... When you capture the loan interest we would never be able to break even

So how that make senses to you APC people is beyond me

ogugwa1992:
As PDP Data Expert Witness storms Court with Multiple forensic evidence of rigging*



https://leaders.ng/2025/01/24/breaking-edo-election-petition-tribunal-relocates-to-abuja/

EmperorCaesar:
More like an interregional railway within NW. I know Kano is just beside Jigawa but still, FG dey work abeg

Umahi tho. Na workaholic be this man o


Project everywhere since Jan1

God Bless PBAT