Five LGA Chairmen of Labour party in Nasarawa state abandoned their party and decamped to PDP. #Atikuiscoming
Like I told you, while you talk about Labour party on Social Media. I am working with your family people in your village to deliver @atiku Abubakar. Today I inaugurated the LGA Coordinators of @AbubakarYouths in Abia State.
Twenty-two more senators of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) are planning to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the APC, Femi Fani-Kayode has said.
He stated that the planned defection is because the senators were denied the party’s ticket to contest the 2023 elections.
Expressing worry over the mass defections in the party, Fani-Kayode in a tweet on Wednesday said something must be done to prevent it.
“22 APC Senators are threatening to decamp to PDP because they have been denied the tickets to return to the Senate. This is serious & something must be done to prevent it.Many are concerned & we urge our able Nat. Chairman & Nat. Sec. to reach them. We cannot afford to lose them,” he wrote.
Early today, Daily Trust had reported how seven senators dumped APC for other opposition parties.
Members of the Senate who defected from the APC are Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi) Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Dauda Jika (Bauchi), Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina), Lawal Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi), and Francis Alimikhena (Edo).
Briefing reporters after a closed-door meeting with APC senators, the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, said it was unfortunate that the lawmakers left the party.
He, however, said the defections were expected due to the electioneering season when the country usually witnesses all manner of things.
A merger that could present the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on a joint ticket is currently being discussed on Twitter.
According to some of the analysts, only the joint ticket, with Tinubu as the running mate, can stop the Peter Obi tsunami that's about to hit them.
"At this rate, APC/PDP can only win this election if they merge against Labour Party.", said Ifeanyiaka @buchiboi17, a Twitter analyst.
Another tweep, Chibby @23chibby said, "APC and PDP really need to just merge."
For OBIdient AdeOlowo @AdeOlowo2031, "If the so-called 3rd Force could come 2nd ahead of the PDP, then PDP & APC must merge before they can defeat Peter Obi’s Popularity. Remember the elderly accounted for over 70% in Ekiti. Imagine the youths out en masse for the @PeterObi? A Tsunami is coming.✊"
In a 2018 interview, Peter Obi said he invested $20 million in International Breweries on behalf of Anambra state as a governor.
Obi’s claim was in response to questions on economic development, Anambra politics and his presidential ambition.
“… Anambra state is the single-highest shareholder in that facility. I invested in it, over $20 million,” Obi had said.
“It is worth almost $100 [million] today. That’s what government should do.”
TheCable had previously fact-checked some of the claims.
Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, also debunked a recent statement ascribed to him regarding the investment.
International Breweries (IB) Plc is a subsidiary of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) — a multinational drink and brewing giant based in Leuven, Belgium.
In its 2021 audited financial statement, the company said it holds 43 percent economic interest in International Breweries Plc, a publicly listed company in Nigeria.
According to a report by The Nation, AB InBev merged its Nigerian operations under a single corporate entity in 2017. It had three indirect Nigerian subsidiaries — International Breweries Plc, Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited. SABMiller Nigeria Holdings BV — another subsidiary of AB InBev — was also a major stakeholder in Intafact and Pabod.
ANAMBRA’S INVESTMENT
In a statement made available to TheCable on Tuesday, Ifeatu Onejeme, Anambra’s commissioner of finance, confirmed that Peter Obi’s administration invested the sum of N1,955,535,247.00 (an equivalent of approximately $12,616,356.43 at the then average CBN exchange rate of N155.00/$1) in Intafact Beverages Limited, a green-field brewery set up in Onitsha by SABMiller Breweries of South Africa in 2012.
Onejeme added that the state government still holds 407,321,264 ordinary shares of International Breweries Plc in exchange for the Intafact Beverages Limited investment.
“Based on the NGX closing price of N5.50 as of 20/6/22, these shares were valued at N2,240,266,952 on that date,” the statement reads in part.
“Based on the Central Bank of Nigeria I&E exchange rate of N415.75/US$1.00 on same June 20, 2022, this investment was valued at an equivalent of approximately US$5,388,495.37 (and at N604/$1.00 parallel market rate, only US$3,709,051.24).”
IB PLC’S SHAREHOLDERS & THEIR CURRENT STAKES
Checks by TheCable showed that International Breweries has two major shareholders with stakes above 5 percent. The highest shareholder is AB INBEV Nigeria Holdings BV with 72.03 percent followed by Brauhaase International Management GMBH with 8.85 percent. These details are contained in the company’s financial report dated March 2022.
AB INBEV NIGERIA HOLDINGS BV – 78.44% BRAUHAASE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT GMBH – 8.85% FREE FLOAT – 11.03%. Further checks showed that these individuals/ special purpose vehicles (a subsidiary company that is formed to undertake a specific business purpose) are part of the company’s minority stakeholders. They include:
Olugbenga Awomolo – 1.24% Michael Onochie Ajukwu – 0.27% Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe – 0.15% Akintoye Sunday Omole – 0.01% Peter Nwokike Anugwu – 0.02%
Peter Obi's running mate, Doyin Okupe, has warned supporters of his principal to stop creating and propagating falsehood on social media.
Mr Okupe issued the warning while debunking viral reports that Lamido Sanusi and the Sultan of Sokoto had endorsed the flag bearer of his party, Mr Peter Obi.
His words:
"We plead wt all our supporters to pls desist from creating falsehood in the social media. Lets focus on claims that are verifiable & true."
The apex Yoruba interest group, Yoruba Council Worldwide, has endorsed the presidential standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
The group noted that it endorsed the former Lagos State Governor based on “intellectual acumen.”
The council’s President, Oladotun Hassan, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said, “Having critically considered all presidential candidates and their political parties beyond ethnic and primordial sentiments, that the Northern Hausa-Fulani would have served and completed eight years by 2023 under President Muhammadu Buhari. These are no times for any ethnic and political opportunist to take advantage of our precarious situation.
“We, therefore, settle for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, being a thorough breed experienced nationalist and the APC presidential candidate as our next President come 2023.
“This is done based on his uncommon intellectual acumen and eagle eyes to pick the best cabinet ministers and parastatal heads from all geopolitical sections of the country; without any iota of political, ethnicity, religious vengeance and biased sentiments, to progressively serve and drive the nation forward.”
Hassan also appealed to the Yoruba nation agitators to sheathe their swords ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Six disgruntled chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including lawmakers and a former deputy governor, have terminated their membership in the party and have defected to other political parties in Bauchi State.
The defections are a major blow to the aspiration of the party to topple the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in the 2023 governorship election. The incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed, is seeking his second and final term as governor.
The gale of defections from the APC blows beyond Bauchi. In some states in the north of the country, aggrieved members of the party are leaving in droves and joining other political parties.
Many of the defectors were discontent about the conduct of the party’s primaries.
BAUCHI APC
In Bauchi State, the senator representing Bauchi South District, Lawal Gumau, defected from the APC to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) after he failed to win the APC primary election to represent his zone.
Similarly, Halliru Dauda – Jika, the senator representing Bauchi Central switched parties after he failed to get the governorship ticket of the APC.
In the same vein, Yakubu Shehu, the House of Representatives member Bauchi constituency, quit the party after his failed attempt to secure the party’s senatorial ticket. He has not announced the new party he moved to.
Though the immediate former deputy governor of the state, Abdu Sule – Katagum, did not contest to be the party’s representative for any elective office during the primaries, he ended his membership of the party for what he described as a “lack of principles”.
Other bigwigs who left the party in the state are Farouq Mustapha who contested for the governor’s ticket but lost, and a former House of Representatives member, Ibrahim Mohammed, who contested for the Bauchi North Senatorial seat, and also lost.
KATSINA
In Katsina State, the three House of Representatives members who defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) sought a return ticket but were all defeated.
Leading the pack of the defectors is the incumbent House of Representatives member representing the governor’s constituency, Malumfashi/Kafur, Babangida Talau. The other two lawmakers are Armayau Kado representing Kurfi/Dutsin Ma, and Aminu Ashiru of Mani/Bindawa constituency.
One of Mr Kado’s legislative aides, Bature Ibrahim confirmed that his boss defected to the NNPP and would now seek to retain his ticket under the NNPP.
Mr Talau has “won” the NNPP ticket to contest for the Katsina South Senatorial seat.
Two former gubernatorial aspirants, Umar Abdullahi and Garba Dankani (who contested in 2018) left the APC.
While Mr Abdullahi who got eight votes during the primary last month, joined his former party, the PDP, Mr DanKani joined the Action Alliance and is now its governorship candidate in Katsina State.
In SOKOTO, Wamakko still the leader
The defectors in Sokoto State, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, are mostly those who were involved in an internal fight with the party leader, Aliyu Wamakko, a former governor.
The member representing, Gwadabawa/Illela/, Abdullahi Salame, had fought Mr Wamakko for the control of the party structures.
After the decision of the party’s national headquarters to identify Mr Wamakko’s faction as the legally constituted faction, Mr Salame remained in the party but after he lost the governorship primary to Mr Wamakko’s preferred candidate, Ahmed Aliyu, defected to the PDP, the ruling party in the state.
Isa Kurdula, the member representing Gudu/Tangaza, also defected to the PDP after failing to get the ticket to re-contest for his seat.
A former minister of culture and tourism, Bello Jibril, also joined the PDP but has not made public the reasons for his defection.
ABUJA–THE federal government, Monday, released the results of the 2022 National Common Entrance Examination for admission into unity colleges across the country.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, released the result after formally receiving it from NECO Registrar of National Examinations Council, NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi in his office, in Abuja.
With the release, he said the government would do everything to ensure that all admission processes are completed before July 1, 2022
Adamu, while presenting highlights of the result, announced a candidate, Miss Ajidagba Mariam Akanke, an indigene of Sokoto state as scoring the highest with 201. Her centre is Oshodi Junior Secondary School, Tolu Complex, Apapa, Lagos State.
The National Common Entrance Examination,NCEE, is for admission into the first year of Junior Secondary School,JSS 1,of federal unity colleges, administered to final year pupils of primary schools.
The examination was written on Saturday 7th May, 2022 in Nigeria, as well as Benin Republic and Togo.
A total number of seventy-one thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight (71,738) pupils registered, with 34.030 being males and 37,708 being females.
The Minister of Education said the state that registered the highest number of candidates is Lagos State with 19,518, out of which 18,787 sat and 731 were absent while FCT was second with 8,623 candidates that registered, out of which 8,317 sat while 306 were absent.
Anambra State came third with 5,335 candidates that registered, out of which 5,070 sat and 265 were absent.
Zamfara State was fourth with 4,500 candidates registered, out of which 3,745 sat and 755 were absent.
While the state that registered the least number of candidates is kebbi with 74 candidates.
The minister represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Mr. David Adejo said the lowest score was 1 mark and it was scored by 15 candidates from various states.
According to the minister, the criteria for selection of qualified candidates into Federal Unity Colleges are 60% merit, 30% equality of state and 10% exigency.
The Registrar National Examination Council NECO Professor Ibrahim Wushishi said overall performance this year was higher than that of last year.
Nigeria does not need placeholders. We need pacesetters. Bola Tinubu calls himself Asiwaju. The literal meaning of Asiwaju is someone who opens up the front. A leader. A pacesetter. What kind of Asiwaju can’t make up his mind who his running mate should be on time?
Nigeria needs a leader who can take decisions. Someone who can work and decide under pressure. If Nigeria is attacked, we need a leader who can respond in a timely manner. People who can’t choose their running mates within the allotted time can’t be decisive leaders
If Tinubu says he has a lifelong ambition to be President, it says a lot about his ability to plan, and the planning ability of those other Presidential candidates who are still relying on placeholders. You planned for a lifetime only to end up with a placeholder?
I hope those who are acting as placeholders, and those who are sending them to act for them, remember that Vice President Osinbajo was meant to be a placeholder for Tinubu, to warm the seat for him. But Osinbajo contested against him. May history not repeat itself!
Arewa Twitter influencer and unapologetic Igbo-basher, Sarki @Waspapping, has seen his fortune swell since the election season kicked off.
Mr Sarki, before now, was a strong 'anti-Igbo presidency' advocate. In one of his tweets, he wrote, "Nigerian’s biggest mistake will be the day we allow an IGBO MAN (A Biafra Man) to become the President of this great country. That will be end of us all, especially Northerners."
He reiterated his position in another tweet. According to him, "IGBO MEN on twitter keep giving us reasons why we should never ever allow an IGBO man to rule this country. Jonathan might not be IGBO, but he's from that region and a mistake we the lovers of this country should never allow to happen again. #IgboYahooboys"
On Peter Obi, he said "Peter Obi, the presidential aspirant is from Anambra state. The state where northerners were butchered in numbers… I’ll let you guys draw your own conclusion".
"I’ll vote a cow for President before I vote Peter Obi to rule this country", he added.
Mr Sarki, however, made an exception. He agreed to "promote" any candidate only if he's paid.
His words, "Please stop tagging me on your favorites politicians tweet. If you want PR from me, you have to come and pay me money. Stop looking for free PR"
It was not long before pro-Obi campaign began to pop up on his timeline, making his followers wondering whether he'd been paid for the PR job. One of the tweets read "Time to start supporting and selling Peter Obi to northerners then."
He later revealed in one of his tweets that he'd received cash gifts from an Igbo 'gentleman' from the South East.
"A gentleman whom I assumed to be Igbo from south east slides into my DM yesterday, ask for my account number and sent me money."
The announcement appeared to have achieved its purpose as it inspired other Igbo 'gentlemen' to also 'slide into his DM' amid cheers from Peter Obi's supporters.
In the last 7 years, Gov. Okowa has massively upgraded infrastructures which has stimulated growth in the economy, attracted tourists, investors and public-private partnerships and has also advanced the architectural beauty of Delta State.
Through the urban renewal and infrastructure sector, in 2015, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa set up a Project Steering Committee to transform the Asaba International Airport into a regional economic hub through a robust public-private partnership.
Before signing a 30 years concession agreement with Halcrow Infrastructure Consortium in 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; 1. Fully rehabilitated/reconstructed the runway, taxiway and other ancillary works, 2. Completed the perimeter fence, 3. Evacuated the hill beside the airport to provide an obstacle-free zone for the runway as demanded by regulatory authority. 4. Completed the installation of Instrument Landing System & the Airfield Ground Lighting System. As a result, the airport can now handle night operations 5. Established a medical center, 6. Completed the Fire-fighting Station with a Watchtower for firefighters, 7. Rehabilitated the unserviceable Automatic Weather Observation System and the Low-Level Wind Shear Alert System which has improved the overall safety of the airport. Subsequently, the airport was upgraded from a category 3 to Category 6 airport, which enables aircraft as large as the Boeing 737 to land.
Since 2015 till date, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has constructed over 883 road projects, covering over 1,814.85 kilometers and 109179.66 meters of drainage channels across Delta State through the;
1. Ministry of Works; 2. Ministry of Urban Renewal, 3. Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); 4. Direct Labour Agency, 5. Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Areas Development Agency (WUEDA); and 6. Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DCTDA).
Some roads and drainages commissioned by the @OfficialPDPNig National Chairman @iyorchiayu in Delta State. In the same period, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa completed six (6) bridges in his effort to improve the road network in the state, and currently, the construction of 15 bridges is ongoing.
The completed bridges are; 1. The bridge over rail crossing at Agbor; 2. The Ovwor/Effurun-Otto bridge; 3. 2 Pedestrian bridges in Asaba; 4. The Agbarho/Orherhe bridge; and 5. The Oha/Orerokpe bridge.
In 2016, Governor Okowa established the Delta State Investment Development Agency (DIDA). A body charged with harnessing available natural resources in the state to: 1. Promote inflow of investments 2. Diversify the state’s economy from over-dependence on petroleum revenue 3. Liaise with the organized private sector, embassies, and investors to utilize investment opportunities and 4. Grow the state’s economy.
In 2018, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa completed the Stephen Keshi Stadium — 16 years after the foundation was laid by previous administration and hosted its first international march between Nigeria and Uganda in the same year.
Subsequently the stadium is set to host the 21st National Sport's Festival in November 2022 housing over 15,000 athletes and team officials.
In 2019, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Approved the reconstruction of water schemes in some riverside communities, particularly in Warri North LGA.
In 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa approved the establishment of the Film Village and Leisure Park at Ugbolu, in Oshimili North Local Government under a public-private partnership.
In 2020, Governor Okowa completed and inaugurated; - The 17th Court of Appeal division — a state of the art architecture in Asaba, Delta State. - The ‘Smart Delta Food Arena’ across various locations in Asaba through the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA)
Governor Okowa also completed and inaugurated; - A 720-capacity hostel for NYSC members at the Permanent Orientation Camp in Issele-Uku. - 28 internal roads in Okpanam.
Gov. Okowa also; - Approved the construction & rehabilitation of 13 roads across the state and a flyover along Ibusa Road at Koka Junction in Asaba. - Implemented a public-private partnership for the establishment & operation of an Agro-Industrial Park in Aboh Ogwashi-Uku, Delta
In 2021, Gov. Okowa; - Commissioned the Multi-Billion Naira Ultra Modern Secretariat Complex adding to the architectural beauty of Asaba, the state capital. - Signed an MoU with USAID for the implementation of effective water sanitation and hygiene services across Delta State.
The Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat was commissioned by the Vice-President of Nigeria, His Excellency, @ProfOsinbajo.
In 2021, Gov. Okowa also; - Approved the widening & rehabilitation of the 2.1 km Orhuwhorun Road in Udu LGA of the state. - Completed & commissioned the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council Secretariat in Asaba and;
As Governor Okowa’s administration draws closer to the finish line, its political will to bring development to various parts of Delta State, improve its rating on transparency and accountability, and foster rural-urban integration remains pivotal in his drive to finish strong.
In the last 7 years, Governor Okowa through massive infrastructural upgrades and policy formulation in the educational sector has improved literacy, expanded the quality of education and developed skilled human resources in Delta State.
These remarkable accomplishments started in 2015 when Gov. Okowa created the Delta State Ministry of Technical Education to institutionalize technical and vocational education to empower Deltans with the requisite knowledge & entrepreneurial skills for business, trade & commerce.
In the same year, Governor Okowa also provided state-of-the-art technologies as teaching aids for use in the Technical/Vocational Institutions and Introduced the use of Support Staff for Technical/Vocational Institutions.
Arising from the interventions of the Technical and Vocational Education and Agricultural Training institutions in Delta State, students' enrolment in the state increased by 22%, and the pass rate in technical subjects improved by 59%.
In his first tenure — leading to the 2018/2019 academic year, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa approved the sum of N381 Million naira under the bursary scheme for students in higher institutions across the country — with over 17,000 students from Delta State benefiting from the scheme.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his first tenure also paid a total of N5.2billion naira in counterpart funds for the Universal Basic Education Fund (for the years 2013-2017) and accessed marching grants of N5.2billion naira.
In the same period, he procured 140,478 students’ furniture and 22,440 teachers’ furniture.
In 2019, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa approved the construction of 19 new technical colleges across Delta State — with 9 of the colleges already completed.
(A video of Government Model Technical College, Asaba.)
In 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa established the Teachers Professional Development Centre to ensure the recruitment and continuous training of teaching staff. Through this centre, a total of 6,504 personnel in Delta State have been trained under the:
In 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa established three new universities in the state namely; - Dennis Osadebey University, Asaba from former Anwai Campus of Delta State University, - University of Delta, Agbor from former College of Education, Agbor, and - Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro from former Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa also Upgraded over 80% of public schools in Delta State and Established 79 additional schools in the state — which include 16 Primary Schools, 43 Secondary schools, 8 Vocational schools, 9 Technical Schools and 3 Tertiary Institutions.
As a result of these, Education GDP has been on a steady rise since 2015 recording 37% growth from 2015 to 2019 and 14% growth in 2020.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration continues to invest in quality education in Delta State as part of his #StrongerDelta agenda and vision — as his administration works towards finishing strong.
In the last 7 years, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration — through Six Ministries, Departments, and Agencies established 12,000 entrepreneurs, created 100,000 direct jobs, and catalyzed over 1,000,000 indirect jobs.
These achievements in the Job Creation sector started in 2015, when Gov. Okowa created the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer, as a Special Purpose Vehicle to initiate strategic wealth creation programs & provision of Jobs for all Deltans as captured in his SMART agenda.
The wealth creation schemes and intervention programmes initiated include: 1. Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme (YAGEP) 2. Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) 3. Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP)
4. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development programmes 5. Special Programmes for Persons with Disabilities 6. Graduate Employment Enhancement Programme (GEEP) 7. Rural Youth Skill Acquisition (RYSA) Programme 8. Women Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme (WESAP)
9. Information and Communications Technology Youth Empowerment Programme (ICT-YEP) and, 10. Girls Entrepreneurship and Skills Training (GEST) Programme.
In 2015, a total of; - 1,329 beneficiaries were trained and empowered in YAGEP and STEP. - 3,600 smallholder farmers and agro-processors were supported in the agricultural value chain support programme under PPSP.
Also in 215; - 2,563 MSMEs benefited from the N428,130,000 loan disbursed by Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (DMSMA).
Between 2016 to 2019, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Trained 850 women in confectionery and industrial production, and - Empowered 500 women with cassava processing machines, oil extractors, and fish dryers.
In 2017, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Trained and established 999 YAGEP, STEP beneficiaries including PWDs. - Contributed N600,000 as counterpart fund under the State Employment and Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) project.
Also in 2017; - Disbursed N835.7 Million Naira to 593 cooperative societies with a total of 6,252 beneficiaries from across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state, under the Delta State Micro-credit Scheme.
In 2018 and 2019 respectively, a total of 745 and 1,201 YAGEP and STEP beneficiaries — including PWDs were trained and empowered in the state.
In 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa empowered; - 450 GESTpreneurs through the Girl Child Empowerment Office, - 810 rural youths through the Ministry of Youth Development; and - 460 women through the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs.
450 Girls Entrepreneurship and Skills Training (GEST) Programme beneficiaries in the 2020/2021 cycle.
810 Rural Youth Skill Acquisition (RYSA) Programme beneficiaries in in the 2020/2021 cycle.
Women Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme (WESAP) beneficiaries in 2020.
In 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa approved the commencement of a new cycle for - 810 youths under the RYSA programme, - 900 girls under the GEST programme and - 630 youths under ICT-YEP
In 2022, a total of; - 593 successful ICT-YEP beneficiaries were empowered with starter packs, - 1,000 STEP, YAGEP beneficiaries including PWDs were empowered through the Job Creation office, and - 817 successful GEST beneficiaries were empowered with starter packs.
These programmes have so far; 1.Improved economic/trade skills and activities in vulnerable groups like the Women, the Girl Child, PWDs, PLWAs, etc. 2.Improved youth engagement in economic activities 3.Improved Delta State’s position in the index of poor states in Nigeria 4.Improved the state’s GDP 5.Improved participation in Graduate Certificate Holders in Agro-prenuership 6.Built a new generation of entrepreneurs, and 7.Secured sustainable prosperity for all Deltans
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration — through the establishment of entrepreneurs and the development of MSMEs, has built a stronger economy for Delta State.
I’ll be sharing some achievements of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the last 7 years as Governor of Delta State. I’ll also be narrowing this down to 7 key sectors and I’ll be as detailed as possible.
1. HEALTH SECTOR
Between 2015 and 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Renovated and upgraded a total of 209 primary healthcare centres. - Renovated and upgraded 65 hospitals. - Ensured full accreditation of 7 health training institutions in the state.
Between 2015 and 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Expanded the number of training institutions offering Nursing Degree Programs in Delta State. - Completed the construction of the General Hospital in Asaba and upgraded its physical infrastructure to enhance service delivery.
Between 2015 and 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Ensured that the Routine Immunization Coverage offered in the various primary health centres has consistently stayed above the national recommended target of 80 percent.
Between 2015 and 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; - Constructed lecture halls at the School of Midwifery, Sapele, and - Constructed an 80 bedded ward at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara.
In 2016, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa signed into law the bill establishing the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC) to implement and regulate the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme.
So far, as of February 2022, the scheme has provided services to 1,094,871 enrollees in the state and currently has 496 accredited healthcare facilities in which enrollees can access medical care with 17 financial facilities for its operation.
In 2017, Gov. Okowa approved the evaluation of existing health facilities in the state and subsequently recommended their appropriate classification. This resulted in; - 485 Pri Healthcare Centres - 269 Private Health Facilities - 64 Pub Secondary HFs and - 2 Tertiary HFs.
All 820 health facilities submit their data on the web-based District Health Information System (DHIS) to boost a solid database in the state.
In 2018, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa launched the Emergency Ambulance Service to provide pre-hospital acute medical care and transport to definitive points of care in Delta State.
Between 2019 and 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa recruited; - 142 Health Professionals at DELSUTH Oghara, - 155 Health Professionals at the Asaba Specialist Hospital (ASH), - 255 Health Professionals at the Hospital Management Board (HMB)
Between 2019 and 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa also recruited; - 40 Pharmacists to bridge the manpower deficiency of pharmaceutical personnel in Government Hospitals in Delta State.
In 2020, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa secured life insurance schemes for 2,557 healthcare workers working on the frontlines during the COVID19 pandemic.
Currently, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is constructing and renovating; - The Advanced Diagnostic Medical Complex, Owa-Alero, Delta State. - 3 Mother and Child Medical Centres in Delta State and - A Clinical Building at DELSUTH Oghara, Delta State.
The political elite in Northern Nigeria are propping up former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the region in the 2023 presidential election.
In this wise, former national security adviser, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd), is set to present Atiku Abubakar to former military head of head, General Ibrahim Babaginda tomorrow as the anointed northern candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
This follows Atiku’s emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the election over the weekend after defeating governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and other candidates at the just concluded PDP primaries.
Top sources, who confirmed the move to LEADERSHIP, said some powerful northern elite, led by former military president Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) and Gusau, met before the primaries and asked all northern candidates to step down and support the Atiku’s candidature, but that Bala Mohammed and Bukola Saraki insisted on going on with the election, which did not please the group.
It took the intervention of General IBB, who personally called the Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal to step down for Atiku and that was why it was done openly at the convention as a sign of allegiance to the group and the grand plan of having a united northern candidate for the 2023 general election.
The sources also stated that the group was annoyed with Governor Bala Mohammed and was determined to punish him by ensuring that he does not get an opportunity to go back to his position where a proxy had obtained a ticket for him.
Gusau was said to have been the middle man who negotiated and lobbied to ensure that all candidates from the North came together to support the candidature of Atiku Abubakar for the PDP general election in 2023.
@OfficialAPCNg Members in Sokoto defects to @OfficialPDPNig as two serving members of National Assembly and two Former local Government Chairmen Dump APC for PDP in Sokoto state.
Politics › PDP Gains as Mass Defection Hits Labour Party in Nasarawa, Abia by SATANICALLY(op): 9:01am On Jul 10, 2022
