The Enugu State Government has announced plans for a landmark trade fair that will accelerate growth for local businesses as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Announcing the initiative at a press conference in Enugu, the Special Adviser to the Governor on MSMEs and Digital Economy, Arinze Chilo-Offiah, said that the trade fair would be held under the banner of the newly created brand, the “Enugu 042 Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair.”
“This inaugural event will take place on the second and third of November, 2024, and is expected to become an annual fixture on the state’s business calendar,” he said.
He explained that the fair is a collaborative effort between the Enugu State Government, through its SME Agency and Office of Digital Economy, and NaijaBrandChick, a renowned business influencer and entrepreneur dedicated to empowering SMEs across Nigeria and beyond.
Chilo-Offiah maintained that the initiative aligns with Governor Peter Mbah administration’s vision to invigorate Enugu’s economy by promoting private-sector investment and facilitating the ease of doing business.
On her part, Founder, NaijaBrandChick, Mrs. Nelly Agbogu, said that vendors from across Nigeria and beyond are expected to participate in the fair, creating a melting pot of business opportunities and market connections.
“Our goal is to empower these businesses by making them more visible, connecting them to new customers, and helping them grow,” she said. “Beyond facilitating trade, Agbogu emphasised that the fair would also include workshops and training sessions for participants.”
As part of the effort of his administration to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn and ensure food security, tractors needed for farming in Enugu State will be produced in the state before the end of the year, governor of the state, Dr. Peter Mbah has announced.
The governor stated this when he received the newly elected President of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, and other leaders of the association at the Government House, Enugu, at the weekend.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to creating a business-friendly environment and helping to de-risk investment in the state, calling on investors to key into the growing investment revolution in the state.
“We are ready for business and we are open for business. You could not make a better choice than Enugu when you are thinking about where to invest or where to grow your wealth because you are dealing with a government that is business-friendly and we do not only think about creating the environment for businesses to thrive, we are also interested in working with you collaboratively either as a Joint Venture (JV) or Private Public Sector Partnership (PPP) or even helping you to de-risk the investment flow. We are interested in listening to you, knowing what areas that would make it possible for you to invest.
“We have just signed an order with a Danish company that is coming here to manufacture their tractors. So, our target is that before the end of the year, we would have been able to assemble over 300 tractors. Our ultimate target in the medium term is to get up to 1,000 tractors before the end of next year.
“What this means is that you would not have to import the machinery and the implements you need to be able to farm in Enugu State.
“Again, we are interested in value addition and processing too. We are building a Special Processing Zone where we expect that as we plan to scale up our production in the agricultural space, we have produced cities where those things can be processed. It is not just producing and exporting them raw. We are planning to add value, create and capture those values,” Mbah said.
He added that the government was taking measures to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure, ranging from urban roads to access roads to farm, power, and water, while also making huge investments in security and collaborating with security agencies to sustain and strengthen the relative security attained by the state in the last 15 months.
“In the area of roads, our target is to make sure that all our streets, all our roads in the city are paved and we are already achieving that. Just recently, we completed the 71 roads we awarded last October and we again awarded another 141 roads. We are also making sure that we also get our rural roads paved, most importantly the access road to the farmlands because we have some ambitious target in our agricultural sector where we now have over 300,000 hectares of land in our landbank,” he said.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, Thursday, performed the formal flag-off of the revitalisation of the Enugu United Palm Products Limited, EUPPL.
The flag-off, which took place at Ibite-Olo, Ezeagu LGA of the state, was sequel to the N100bn deal between the Enugu State Government and Pragmatic Palms Limited, PPL, in May this year.
At the event during which he equally performed the groundbreaking for the staff quarters at the plantation, Mbah thanked the people of the state for believing in his vision and determination to revive and convert the state’s moribund assets to productive assets.
“For me, this flag-off is a triumph of vision over cynicism. Recall that a few months ago, when we announced an investment of N100bn in partnership with Pragmatic Palms Limited, the news was greeted with a lot of cynicism and doubt. We had a lot of naysayers and critics, who ascribed all sorts of things to this humongous investment. But as you have seen, we were absolutely clear as to what we wanted to achieve and accomplish for our people in Enugu State.
“So, what this groundbreaking ceremony represents for us is a new lease of life for Pragmatic Palm Product Limited. It also shows that we are getting closer to our dream to transform Enugu State as a premier destination for investment, industry, tourism, business and living.
“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to reassure the management and executive of PPL of our commitment to supporting every step of this investment,” he said.
Speaking, the Managing Director/CEO of Pragmatic Palms Limited (PPL), Prof. George Nwangwu, rolled out a five-year aggressive plan to reposition EUPPL as one of the leading integrated oil palm establishments in Nigeria, playing in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.
He added that the firm would create 3,500 direct and indirect jobs.
In the upstream, he said that with only 40 per cent of the 6,700 hectres of land planted so far, EUPPL would embark on aggressive planting of the unplanted lands, increasing the planted area to at least 20,000 hectres in five years.
In the midstream, Prof. Nwangwu said, “We will set up world-class oil mills across the three locations as well as increasing the oil production capacity over time.
“We will also set up and improve our refining capacity to produce crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, olein, stearin, biodiesel, as well as refined, bleached, and deodorised oil.
“In the downstream, we plan to have a share of the retail market by setting up the largest network of agents to aggregate fresh fruit bunches from around our catchment area.”
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Adaora Chukwu, recalled that EUPPL, originally established by the government of the defunct East Central State in 1970 on 6,700 hectares traversing Ibite-Olo in Ezeagu LGA, Ugwuoba in Oji River LGA, and Umulokpa in Uzo-Uwani LGA, though initially viable, was crippled by mismanagement, obsolete equipment, and limited market access.
She, however, said that the N100bn joint venture sealed between the state government and Pragmatic Palm Limited in which the state provides the land/plantations, while PPL provides finance for 60 per cent of the transaction, would see to the turnaround of the company to the immense benefit of the state through job creation, economic diversification, infrastructural development, revenue generation, technology development, innovation, among others.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, said the partnership between the Enugu State Government and PPL towards the revitalisation of EUPPL was very strategic to the overall vision of the Mbah administration for the agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, the host communities, lauded Governor Mbah for reviving the EUPPL after over 40 years of dormancy and ruin, with a businessman and community leader from Olo, Johnmary Anagolu, pledging a donation of N50m to support the administration’s infrastructural development in the area.
The Enugu State Government says it has suspended the Industrial Gas Emission Levy introduced by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, pursuant to an extinct state environmental law.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG ), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this in a statement issued in Enugu and made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
Onyia stated that the levy, which was handled by consultants to the ministry, was suspended on August 29 and that the consultancy terminated with immediate effect.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry was quoted as saying that the use of power sources, other than the national grid, contravened several sections of the state’s environmental laws and was subject to fines.
It was learned that a notice sent to an Enugu resident on August 28, allegedly by the ministry, stated that the resident violated sections 124, 125, 126, 127, and 128, by using an alternative power source. was learned that a notice sent to an Enugu resident on August 28, allegedly by the ministry, stated that the resident violated sections 124, 125, 126, 127, and 128, by using an alternative power source.
The ministry allegedly instructed the resident to pay a fine of N88,000 within seven days to the Paskay Global Ventures account or face prosecution.
But the SSG described such a report as blatant falsehood, adding that the government’s legislative and policy directions favored all renewable and green energy sources and saw them as environmentally friendly.
He explained that the ministry acted within its powers, given the provisions of Section 4 (2) and Section 124 of the Enugu State Environmental and Climate Protection Law, 2024, which covered enforcement of environmental laws.
The SSG added that section 125 of the law, prescribed fines for “obnoxious gaseous emissions into the environment,” but that such levies and enforcements were premature as the necessary groundwork and infrastructure were still being put in place.
He stated: “Recent reports have highlighted the collection of levies on alternative energy sources by consultants engaged by the ministry.
“After reviewing the matter, the government directed the immediate cessation of this levy collection and termination of the consultancy, effective from August 29.
“Furthermore, the governor has directed that any levies that have already been collected must be refunded to the payers without delay.”
Onyia added that while it was important to note that the Environmental and Climate Protection Law of Enugu State empowered the ministry to enforce regulations reducing emissions of toxic gases, the necessary groundwork for the full implementation of these provisions were not yet complete.
“The government is currently in the process of developing a comprehensive climate policy, which will outline a balanced framework for promoting business and industrial activities, while fostering clean innovation and sustainable practices across the state.
“Gov. Peter Mbah’s administration remains committed to protecting the environment and addressing environmental pollution.
“It is equally committed to doing so in a way that ensures fairness, transparency, and regard to proper regulatory preparation,” Onyia added.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Monday, commissioned four newly constructed and reconstructed roads in Abakpa Nike, in Enugu metropolis, among them the Mike Ejeagha Crescent where the music legend lives and the adjoining, popular Obinagu Road, which he renamed him.
Other roads commissioned were Texaco Bus Stop-Ifo Road, and Nkpor Street.
Mbah, who also used the occasion to visit Ejeagha at his residence, announced that the government would henceforth take full responsibility for his upkeep, describing him as a living legend.
“Recall that when you gave us your mandate, we told you that you had kept your own part of the deal and that the burden had downshifted to us to fulfill our own part of the social contract.
“Recall further that we made a firm pledge that all the roads in the urban areas in Enugu must be paved.
“Recall also that last year,n we awarded 71 urban roads and 10 rural roads. Those 71 urban roads had since been completed, but some of the roads we are commissioning today are not part of those 71 roads.
“In the course of constructing or reconstructing those 71 roads, we identified, in January, some roads, which were not initially captured, hence needed to be treated as an emergency.
“So, we are commissioning four roads here today and all those roads are quite significant.
“But one of those roads stands out. It is the road that leads to the home of one of our great legends and icons.
“We have always told people that Enugu State is the home of legends. It is not just sporting legends. We also have the music icons. And we have one man, Mike Ejeagha, who, through his folk songs, have largely brought memories of years gone by to our doorsteps. He is a man who reminds us of our golden heritage as a people.
“When we talked about Enugu as being the centre of art and culture, this is a man, who brought Enugu to that epicentre. So, we are here to celebrate him while he is still living with us.
So, in honour of him, this Obinagu Road, the entire stretch of the road leading to his home, is named after him and will now be known as Mike Ejeagha Road,” he stated.
Mbah, however, stressed the commissioned roads here was only the beginning of a new era for road infrastructure across Enugu State.
We want to assure residents of Abakpa and Enugu State that we are not done yet. If you have followed our events, you would have noticed that recently, we also awarded contracts for the construction of 141 roads and 20 rural roads. And I can also tell you that Abakpa is not left out.
“Very soon, we will commence the dualisation of Penocks junction on the Enugu-Onitsha all the way to Opi-Nsukka. That contract has been awarded and work will soon commence.
“I want to assure you that the commitment we made to serve you with every fibre of our being can never be lost on us. We are going to work for you with everything we have,” the governor concluded.
Earlier in their remarks, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Project Development and Implementation, assured the governor and residents that the roads were constructed with durability and convenience of road users in mind.
“The typical road cross section of Obinagu Road and Mike Ejeagha Crescent comprise 300 to 600mm-thick sub-grade, 150mm-thick sub-base, 150mm-thick stone base course, 50mm-thick asphalt wearing course, and 600 by 600 to 900 by 900 reinforced concrete drainages and culvert,” he stated.
Meanwhile, receiving the governor at his residence, Ejeagha, who spoke through his son, Emma Ejeagha, and daughter, Elizabeth Ugwu (Nee Ejeagha), said that Mbah had honoured him beyond his lifetime.
“Previous governments made promises, however nothing happened. But Mbah never made any promise to us. We only woke up and heavy equipment were all over the place. And like a dream, we have brand new roads. Not long after, Gwo gwo gwo ngwo started trending,” Emma Ejeagha stated.
Also, elated residents, who turned out in their numbers, commended the governor for the roads, noting that the Infrastructure would impact their businesses and lives positively.
Mbah equally did some Gwo gwo gwo ngwo dance steps to the delight of residents.
In line with the administration’s promise to reverse the flow of medical tourism and position Enugu State as the preferred destination for business, investment, tourism, and living, the Enugu State Government has announced that it is embarking on the construction of a 300-bed, ultramodern quaternary health facility to be known as the Enugu International Hospital.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, disclosed this at the end of the Enugu State Executive Council, EXCO, meeting presided over by Governor Peter Mbah at the weekend.
Briefing Government House correspondents, Prof. Obi said that besides providing excellent and highly specialised medical services, the Enugu International Hospital, situated in the heart of Enugu city, would equally serve as a citadel of medical research and training.
“This means that tomorrow is finally here in the health sector because primary healthcare is being addressed, secondary healthcare is being addressed, tertiary healthcare is also being addressed.
“Now we are going to add quaternary healthcare to the scope, which simply means that an extension of tertiary care and advanced levels of medicine, which are highly specialised and not widely accessed, will be available in Enugu in no distant time. So, medical tourism will reverse our environment.
The Enugu International Hospital is going to come up at Rangers Avenue. So, it will be centrally located in Enugu and easily accessible from the international airport.
“It will be the type of place that will give excellent medical services, including research and training. It will be that type of hospital that people will no longer have any reason to leave the shores of Nigeria for healthcare,” Prof Obi stated.
The Commissioner also informed that the meeting discussed measures to control the Mpox disease, previously known as Monkeypox, which he explained had become a major international concern. He added that EXCO directed a scale-up of an awareness campaign on the disease.
“Mpox has now become a disease of public health of international concern, and the government of Enugu State has had discussions on how to ensure that effective surveillance, control, and prevention of any upsurge of Mpox in the state will be put in place.
“The Ministry of Health is, therefore, working with the other health sector players, including the Akanu Ibiam International Airport’s Port Health Services, to ensure that Enugu citizens are aware, safe, and minimise their exposure to the Mpox,” the Commissioner concluded.
In another development, the government also announced the constitution of a broad-based committee to accelerate the implementation of the Enugu State Geological Information System Service Law 2024.
Briefing Government House correspondents, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kingsley Udeh, said the intent was also to enhance the value of land holding in Enugu State. Those who own a flat in the city or a piece of land in the village will be able to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy to make their property bankable because the entire state would be captured digitally.
“With the implementation of the Enugu State Geographic Information System, the era of applying for a Certificate of Occupancy, which will take months to handle, will be a thing of the past because everything about land administration in the state will be managed digitally and electronically. This is a high-end technology, and we are not discussing what is far-fetched but what is already being implemented. So, EXCO approved strengthening and expediting the implementation.
“So, it will be fully on stream and operational very soon. This will transform not just land holding and administration but also everything that relates to data concerning land. And all these are geared towards the Governor’s vision to eradicate poverty and also connected to growing our GDP from $4.4bn to $30bn,” Udeh stated.
Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah has commissioned an asphalt production plant built by his administration In furtherance of his campaign promise to construct 10,000 roads in eight years.
Inaugurating the plant Thursday, Mbah said the state would also produce the inputs for asphalt production, noting these moves would drastically reduce the cost of road construction for the state.
“The asphalt production plant is designed to produce 160 tons of asphalt per hour,” he said. “For context, it will produce 2.5 tons every minute and 160 tons per hour,”.
Speaking further, he said “What it effectively means is that if we decide to work 20 hours in a day, we can produce 3,200 tons every day. This is not seen anywhere in the South East,”.
He noted that his administration will also inaugurate a plant where the stones needed to feed this plant will be mined and crushed.
“It is our hope that we are going to start the exploration of bitumen in the state because we are also blessed with bitumen. So, in a few years time, we are going to be able to produce the bitumen that will feed this plant. It means that we will get the bitumen here, get the stones, and sand so that everything is made in Enugu,” the governor said.
JUST IN: Governor Peter Mbah set to commission the newly installed Enugu State Asphalt Plant, tomorrow, the largest in the region. @PNMbah’s road construction, rehabilitation and expansion programme is about starting off in earnest. #TomorrowIsHere
Gov Mbah pays tributes to founding fathers, vows to actualise their dreams
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Tuesday, joined the people of the state in commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the state’s creation, saying that his administration was also getting ready to celebrate the 115th anniversary of Enugu city as a pre-eminent centre of history, commerce, and administration.
He paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers of the state, reiterating his administration’s determination to hasten their lofty dreams to fruition.
Speaking at the ceremony organised by the Enugu State Development Association, ESDA, in the state’s capital to mark the 33rd anniversary of the creation of the state on August 27, 1991, Mbah, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, said his administration was determined to bequeath a state where unprecedented development, social justice, and equal opportunity reign.
The governor said, “As we commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the creation of Enugu State, I congratulate Ndi Enugu and enjoin them to always take pride in its long and illustrious history. Enugu State may rightly be described as 33 years old as a formal state. Yet, its history stretches farther back.
“The history of Enugu is very much the history of Nigeria’s evolution from pre-amalgamation, when the discovery of coal in Enugu, in 1909, became a watershed moment for the then fledging Southern and Northern Protectorates.
“So, today is an opportunity to recall the sacrifice of our founding fathers, for whom the creation of our dear state was a lifelong project. We honour their steadfast commitment, not just in words, but by our bold actions aimed at enthroning a new socio-economic order consistent with the dreams that birthed Enugu State.
“We carry in our hearts the fire of the dreams of the titans whose struggles helped make Enugu the cosmopolitan state that it is today.
“Indeed, we recall as well the sacrifice of our forebears whose sweat and toil built the coal mines from where much of the wealth that oiled the wheel of development of our dear nation was derived. Let us be inspired by their resilience and sacrifice.
“In November, we would be celebrating the 115th anniversary of Enugu as a pre-eminent centre of history, commerce and administration. The pride that Enugu State’s history inspires should never seem like a false dawn.
“Today serves as yet another reminder that we carry the weight of history and the people’s expectations, which could be lessened only through sustained delivery of people-centred governance. It is a cause to which I am wholly committed.
“Together we can make Enugu State the premier destination for investment, business, tourism, and a place where basic utilities can truly be taken for granted. We are actually ticking all the boxes – from public water supply to quality public education and expanding the primary healthcare system.”
Calling for optimism, Mbah assured, “The dreams of Enugu’s founding fathers are not dreams betrayed. We have an absolute fidelity to those dreams, and to our pledge to bequeath a society of which the generations yet unborn will always be proud.
“So, let optimism blossom where cynicism once reigned, for we are on the cusp of a renaissance.”
In his welcome address, the President-General of ESDA, HRH Igwe Ezeudo Abel Nwobodo, paid tribute to the founding fathers and leaders of the state from inception till date, lauded Mbah transforming dreams to reality at grate speed.
“We are indeed particularly grateful to God for our amiable, capable, indefectible, and quintessential governor, whose mantra, ‘Tomorrow is here’, is a manifestation of fulfilment of the dreams of our founding fathers, who saw a greater tomorrow ahead of them,” the elder statesman said.
In his remark, the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Samuel Asadu, said Governor Mbah was divinely prepared and preserved to lead Enugu into the long-awaited development and prosperity.
Asadu also stressed the need to educate the younger ones on Enugu’s historic journey to statehood to enable them appreciate the sacrifices and struggles that birthed the state to prepare to work for its continued greatness.
The members of Federal House of Representatives representing Abeokuta South Constituency at the National Assembly Hon Afolabi Afuape on Monday launched a 2-day free medical outreach to residents of his constituency.
Penpushing reports that thousands of residents’ majority elderly besieged the Centenary Hall located in Ake area of Abeokuta South local government of Ogun State to benefits from the gestures, which was the initiative of the lawmaker.
The free medical services include various medical examinations such as blood pressure, eyes, tooth, blood, sugar level, diabetes, malaria and minor surgery among others, as well as provision of drugs to all those who came for the medical services
Penpushing further reports that medical personnel which include Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and Physiotherapists were engaged in the exercise which attracted large number of beneficiaries from the local government areas
The initiator of the programme which was part of constituency project in an interview with journalists the free medical outreach was a key aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), stressing that health is wealth
Penpushing also reports that Afuape popularly called ‘Afoo’ emphasized his commitment to ensure the well-being of his constituents, and that he doesn’t mind if he has to spend from his personal funds, as he equally pledged to take responsibility for any additional medical expenses incurred by beneficiaries.
‘Health is very important and this is one of the goals of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). We thought that we need to look at the health status of our people and going forward, some people might need minor surgery, this is part of my constituency project to give back to my constituency’, he stated.
“If they need minor surgery I may need to spend more from my own personal money because I so much believe that once our people are healthy then all other things shall be added onto it. We don’t have a target but I’m very happy with the turnout’, Afuape added.
‘These exercises cover, malaria/typhoid, ulcer, eye, teeth, high blood pressure, diabetes, surgery (minor), first aid ambulance service (for emergency) it depends on the Doctors. If at all they discovered something that’s not part of this, they can refer that to another hospital, I can take the responsibility to pay for such person. It’s just a way of giving back to society. With this kind of turnout, I can say clearly that we may need to do this more often, it depends on the feedback,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that Rafiu Egunjobi, a beneficiary of the exercise praised the lawmaker for his initiative pointing out that many politicians forget about them after they’ve been voted in, explaining that Afuape does not belong to such category.
‘This outreach relief us because going to the hospital these days we have to spend a lot of money. We received different kinds of medical treatment here. We give kudos to Hon. Afuape, he has really done well. People are benefiting from different kinds of treatment here. I urged other politicians to emulate him’, Egunjobi said.
‘My advice for politicians is that they only have four years to spend in that position and if they have done well people will be happy to vote them back in that position. They should try to go back to their constituency to see what they are in need of’, he added
The Enugu State Government has announced that it has commenced payment of pensions to local government retirees.
A statement on Sunday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said over 7,000 eligible pensioners have received their payments following a thorough biometric verification process.
Onyia said that the verification exercise conducted by the Local Government Pensioners Biometric Verification Committee identified and eliminated 2,640 ghost and deceased pensioners who were still receiving payments.
“This move is part of the administration’s efforts to clear outstanding pensions and gratuities inherited from previous governments, ensuring that legitimate retirees receive their deserved benefits.
“Recall that Governor Peter Mbah had earlier promised that his administration was poised to eradicate poverty in the state by clearing the inherited backlog of pensions and other liabilities and also keep up with its current fiscal responsibility to the citizens, among other measures. This will improve our people’s standard of living, raise purchasing power and promote strong and sustainable economic growth in the state,” the statement said.
He added that a total of 7109 local government pensioners received monthly payments of close to half a billion naira in July, including 989 newly captured entrants who retired between April 2022 and April 2024 but were not accommodated in the pension scheme.
The SSG, who frowned at the level of fraud in the pensions system, said the record provided by the Local Government Pensions Board indicated that the state had been paying over 8760 local government retirees as of April 2024 against the 7109 verified pensioners.
Reiterating the state government’s commitment to clear all arrears, Onyia stressed that the payment mode adopted by the state would guarantee that backlogs were phased out within the timeline set out by the government.
“This administration will continue to support our citizens, particularly our senior citizens who dedicated their time and energy to serving the state. We will soon phase out all arrears inherited by the administration.
“We are reforming the pensions system through strong institutional policies that would make it difficult for corrupt elements to find their way into the scheme. We have been able to digitalize the institution with measures that would make every transaction and payment transparent, accountable and traceable,” the statement added.
The demolition is coming hours after security operatives killed 27 suspected kidnappers across various criminal hideouts in the state.
The Enugu State Government, on Wednesday, demolished properties used by suspected kidnappers for keeping their victims in Enugu State.
The development occurred hours after security operatives killed 27 suspected kidnappers at various hideouts in the state.
The Chairperson of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, Uche Anya, led a team of government officials and workers to carry out the demolition.
The properties were demolished in communities within Enugu East Council Area of the state.
The government demolished an uncompleted three-story building with an underground tunnel at Nkwubor Layout in Emene-Nike.
“The activities here were even more gruesome. You have seen the underground cell they built and covered it with a manhole.
“Ordinarily, you will think nothing is happening here, only for security agencies to discover that there’s an underground where human beings are kept, and we found their armoury, many AK-47 rifles and other crazy equipment that no civilian is entitled to hold,” Mr Anya said.
“But, today, it has to go down as directed by the governor in accordance with the laws of Enugu State,” he added.
Another demolished property was a large farm housing a poultry, piggery, and plantain plantation at Ogbeke-Nike.
“So, people were kidnapped and brought here, including the woman that was kidnapped near the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. This has been ongoing. But after today, this place will never exist again in the manner you met it,” he said.
The chairperson continued: “That is why we are here to send a strong signal, and we are also warning property owners not to come and tell us that they are in South Africa, China or Germany and do not know what is happening.
“Once your property or commercial entity is used for kidnapping or anything involving grievous bodily harm or threat, including attempted murder, we will come after you and your property.”
Recovery of arms, ammunition Mr Anya said the state government recovered some arms and ammunition from the kidnappers’ hideouts.
The chairperson, for instance, said at Nkwubor Layout in Emene Nike, 17 firearms were recovered, including eight AK-47 rifles, seven pump action rifles and two shotguns.
He said two AK-47 rifles were recovered at the Ogbeke-Nike farm, pointing out that shrines, charms, and mini Indian hemp farms were also destroyed during the demolition.
‘Demolition backed by law’ Speaking to reporters, Mr Anya said a law passed by the Enugu House of Assembly in 2016 backed the demolition.
“Enugu State has an anti-kidnapping law, but beside that, the Criminal Code covers that whatever that deprives you of your liberty and leads to death is what the government cannot condone,” he stated.
The chairperson said the government would take over the demolished properties and put them to good use, pointing out that the exercise was still ongoing because more structures were already marked for demolition.
“So, all these places will be taken over by the government and we can turn it into a children’s playground, garden, park or primary healthcare centre. But whoever thought he or she owned this place before this hour will no longer touch his or her foot here forever,” he said.
Mr Anya stressed that the state government would do everything to fight kidnapping and other crimes in the state.
The demolition is coming barely 24 hours after the state government threatened to demolish buildings and other properties used to aid and abet kidnapping in the state.
The government had cited the amended Criminal Code Law of Enugu State 2017 which provides for demolition of properties used for criminal activities in the state.
Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law CAP. 30, Laws of Enugu State, posits that: “If the building or structure owned by the offender or any other person, who knows or ought to reasonably know that the building or structure is so being used for that purpose, the building or structure shall be demolished or forfeited to the state government.”
The Enugu government says it will increase the state’s electricity capacity from 70 megawatts received from the national grid to 700 megawatts through private sector investment.
Governor Peter Mbah said this in Enugu on Tuesday at an event organised by the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) to review its draft regulatory instruments.
Mr Mbah said increasing electricity capacity aligned with his administration’s vision to meet the state’s power needs and grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
He added that his government was eager to get the inputs of industry stakeholders into the state’s draft electricity regulatory framework to make the state’s electricity market viable.
Mr Mbah said the campaign promise to resuscitate pipe-borne water, improve security, education, healthcare delivery services, and others would not have been possible without a drastic improvement in electricity capacity.
The governor assured the industry players of the continued independence of EERC so that they could operate without political or administrative interference.
EERC chair Chijioke Okonkwo said, “We have given ourselves some projected targets that within the next two years, Enugu state should be consuming at least 300 megawatts and by 2030, we would have hit at least 700 megawatts.
“Right now, we are getting approximately 70 megawatts from the national grid. This is not sufficient for us to say that we want to put ourselves in the position to industrialise. We want to change that narrative. The industry players and operators want a place where they can carry out commercially viable businesses.”
Mr Okonkwo said the engagement would allow stakeholders to make inputs and enable them to agree on the regulations to support investment initiatives before finalisation, adoption, and implementation of the regulatory framework.
Siemens Energy Nigeria’s managing director, Seun Suleiman, lauded the transparency of the State Government through its regulatory agency.
The acting managing director of the Infrastructure Bank, Nkiru Chime, described Enugu as proactive “in setting out how the electricity market will play.”
Enugu State Government will in the coming days move against properties, whether private residences or business premises, used for kidnap purposes, the state government has said.
In a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Tuesday, the government said the step was in continuation of the determined effort of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to rid the state of all forms of crimes and criminalities.
Recall that the Enugu State House of Assembly had in November 2016 amended the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, which was subsequently signed into Law by the former governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on 20th January 2017.
Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State, currently provides, “If the building or structure owned by the offender or any other person, who knows or ought to reasonably know that the building or structure is so being used for that purpose, the building or structure shall be demolished or forfeited to the State Government.”
Enugu citizens have therefore wondered why the government is yet to enforce it eight years after.
But responding to the citizen agitations over what they perceived as a lukewarm attitude to the law, the current administration said it was taking time to carry out due diligence to ensure that nobody suffers undue losses or miscarriage of justice.
The government warned property owners to take necessary steps to know their prospective tenants before leasing properties to them.
“Now, after due diligence, the government has compiled the properties used for kidnapping purposes in recent times and they will go down sooner than later to serve a deterrent to others.
“There is no hiding place for criminal elements in Enugu State. They either repent, leave town or meet their Waterloo. The choice is theirs”.
Young people of Enugu State have smiled home with various cash prizes and commendation letters, as winners in the art competition to depict the transition from Monday sit-at-home to productive Monday emerged.
The joint winners are Mstr. Nwachukwu Sunday and Ms. Ukeje Olubebe Victory, while Ms. Nkiruka Ogbonna is the runner-up.
The competition, according to the Special Assistant to Governor Peter Mbah on Visual Communications, Mr. Great Okeke, was put together to allow the youth of the state to tell their stories during and after the sit-at-home.
“The governor came in and made that declaration that there was no longer sit-at-home in Enugu State. So, after one year, we tried to put the art competition together for the youth of Enugu State to tell us their own stories about the sit-at-home.
“For instance, you know the students were among the most hit because they did not go to school on Monday before now. They lost 52 days out of the 365 days in each year that it lasted. And, at the end of the day, those in secondary school would still compete with others in Lagos or other states in the same examinations such as JAMB UTME and WAEC,” Okeke stated.
Presenting the prizes, the Secretary to State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, expressed happiness over the restoration of the entrepreneurship, productivity, and studies in all parts of the state on Monday, saying the sit-at-home was a sad and shameful part of the state’s history it wants to put behind it.
“One of the key things the governor said at the very beginning was that the sit-at-home syndrome that had lasted and changed what we are as a people, who are entrepreneurial and fearless, was over in Enugu.
“Before that, activities in Enugu State dwindled and you can see the first drawing here shows the very basic things that happened: people going out to sell, but they could not anymore because they were scared of the confusion, the chaos, the running around, and of course the syndrome that when you moved around and you saw the Sienna and it was tinted, that something bad was going to happen.
“So, I am happy that I can see the transition you depicted and that joy and order have come back. You were selected because you really reflected the thinking of this administration. In your storyline, you expressed the desires of the governor for Ndi Enugu to feel that level of safety, for commerce to come, for our people to live in joy and peace, and for our state to be great again,” Prof. Onyia stated.
Speaking, the winners, Nwachukwu Ozoemena and Ukeje Oluebube, said they were motivated by the theme of the competition, especially given the frustrations they suffered as students and youth while the sit-at-home lasted.
“The theme says “The echoes of sit-at-home”. So, immediately I saw the theme, I was very thrilled and it encouraged me to say yes, I need to do that which I have been keeping in mind. I said let me express myself.
“The message here is that anybody should move around and do his or her businesses because Enugu State today is free on Monday as other days of the week. Normalcy has returned because this current administration has actually helped us by keeping up with the promise to protect lives and property,” Ozoemena said.
On her part, Ms. Ukeje said, “My first painting depicts the dark part of the sit-at-home where I used the tomato seller as a topic. From the picture you see Sienna and whenever people see Sienna they will scamper for safety because of fear of the unknown gunmen.
“From the second painting, you could see her sitting at home and peeping through the window, seeing the unknown gunmen with their Sienna and no one is moving because of fear.
“But the third picture depicts the return of normalcy on Monday after the emergence of Dr. Peter Mbah as the governor of Enugu State. The woman can now take her perishables to the market and sell since there are security personnel everywhere. She is now happy.”
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dele Momodu, has faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s conduct in its attempt to prosecute the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
He said he had expected the anti-graft agency’s boss, Ola Olukoyede, to have learnt from the cases of his predecessors, who he said were “booted out ignominiously”.
Momodu, who spoke on his Instagram Live show, while responding to questions on the burning topic by viewers, also frowned at the issue of selective prosecution, saying “a situation where EFCC would have to be told who can be touched and who cannot be touched is unacceptable.”
He said, “When they brought in the new chairman, I thought oh, you will have the benefit of learning from your predecessors. All of them were booted out ignominiously and if I were in the shoes of the current chairman, what I will simply do is make sure I do my job as meticulously, as professionally, as efficiently as possible. And, you will never go wrong if you obey the rule of law.
“I watched the EFCC chairman, I think either last week or the week before the last, I was almost crying because the way he went on and on..if I don’t do this… spitting fire and all.. you don’t have to do media trial.”
When asked if EFCC was lying about the former Governor, he said, “I have no idea, I don’t work for EFCC but from all the things that I have read, a lot of them, they misfired. That is the honest truth. They misfired. They didn’t do their due diligence. When you said a man took out money and paid for his children’s school fees, just as he was about to leave power, and you go and check the documents and you see that these things started happening from 2021, 2022 (laughs); I am not an illiterate.
“How do you expect me to believe everything they said when they were too much in a hurry to prosecute him that they did not take their time to check the file. Once you allow a lacuna in law, everything will fall flat. “That is it. I am not one of those people who will say because I don’t like APC and because I supported Dino Melaye in the last election in Kogi State. Dino is my guy. But, I will not because of that be blinded by hatred for Yahaya Bello and say yes, he should go and surrender himself to EFCC when there is an existing injunction.
“And he is not the only governor who went to court and if the court has granted him that, so be it. We all know that our judiciary is not so perfect but you know, even at that, law is law, it must be obeyed. If we disobey the rule of law, then, we will have to obey the rule of the jungle. So, I never said that they are lying, it is their own statement that shows that they didn’t do their due diligence.”
Momodu, a PDP presidential aspirant, advised President Bola Tinubu not to allow people mislead him into disregarding the rule of law, saying those people would not be there tomorrow.
“My advice to President Tinubu is, don’t listen to all these people who will run away when tomorrow comes. Just follow the rule of law. I am appealing, obey the rule of law…. A situation where the EFCC will have to be told who can be touched, who cannot be touched; It is unacceptable. It is unacceptable! And that is why a lot of people have given up. You can see that a lot of serious people are not even interested in whatever they are doing to Yahaya Bello. A lot of people are not interested because they have felt all the gra gra before, it is nothing new,” he stated.
The veteran journalist added that there were a lot of criminals in the system to prosecute but a situation where the agency was getting personal on just one person was uncalled for.
“Nigerians should stop wasting time. There are a lot of criminals in our system to prosecute but when the chairman who should take the people to court comes and say to one person, ‘if I don’t prosecute you to conclusion, I will resign’, that is getting personal. You don’t need all that,” he pointed out.
He disclosed that one of his favourite books while growing up was The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine and that it had influenced him so much that he would always defend the rights of everybody to fair hearing even if he had something against the person.
“I don’t hate anybody as a Christian. I don’t have anything against Yahaya Bello. If they like, they can choose to jail him for one million years, as long as you try him properly. This is my position, you can quote me on it,” he said.
Still on the issue of school fees, Momodu said, “I mean, I looked at the issue of school fees. Before I read, I was like how can somebody pay that kind of money? Then, when I read, it was something else I was seeing. They said he paid upfront just before he left government, and when I checked, that was not what happened. How can you try people before you will go and examine the fact?”
On if he had resigned from the PDP, he said, “If I resign, that means I am quiting. No, I am still a member of the PDP. I said it clearly after the election in 2022 during the PDP primary, they asked us, if you don’t get our ticket, are you going go jump ship? And, I said, I can’t, I won’t jump ship and I stand by that.”
"Today's victory over Angola is a poignant reminder of the adamant spirit of Nigerian football. 🇳🇬⚽️ As we celebrate this triumph, we also honor the memory of Late Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji, who tragically left us while playing against Angola 35 years ago. His passion for the game and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Samuel Okwaraji, your legacy lives on. #WeRememberOkwaraji #RIP"
The Nigeria Customs Service generated a total sum of N3.21 trn in the year 2023, Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adeniyi told members of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise on Wednesday.
Adeniyi who appeared before the committee accompanied by top officials of the NCS told the lawmakers that though the service targeted the sum of N3.67trn in the outgone year, it was only able to generate N3.21trn owing to a combination of factors.
This is even as he stated that all things being equal, men and officers of the NCS will work diligently to generate N5.08trn for the nation in 2024.
He said, “In 2023, the revenue target for the service was N3.67tran and remarkably, the service collected a total revenue of N3.21trn from January to December 2023.
“When we compare what we collected in 2023 to what was projected as our targets, there was a negative variance of N462.9 bn, which represents 12.62 per cent of what was approved as revenue targets.
“Though we didn’t achieve what we projected, but we want to say with all sense of modesty that we did our best. And when we consider all factors, we will appreciate the fact that we at NCS did the best we could.”
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, and other agencies of government to clear all court cases around the $1.3bn deepwater OML 245 oil block located in southern Niger Delta.
Other agencies that also received the order include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
Lokpobiri disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, as he revealed that parties in the deal were currently negotiating to end the over 28 years crisis and litigations surrounding the prolific oil block in the next one month.
The Malabu OML 245 deal and subsequent litigations with the Nigerian government is a complex and long-standing saga involving allegations of corruption, fraud, and legal battles.
The oil block in question, OML 245, is considered one of Nigeria’s most prolific oil blocks. In 1998, Malabu Oil and Gas, a company with links to former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, acquired the block for $2m.
In 2001, the Federal Government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked Malabu’s license due to “questionable practices.”
In 2006, Malabu challenged the revocation in court, eventually reaching an out-of-court settlement with the government under former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
In 2011, Shell and Eni, two major oil companies, acquired the block for $1.3bn from Malabu in a deal approved by the Nigerian government. But since then there have been allegations and litigations, as Transparency International and other anti-corruption groups alleged bribery and corruption in the deal, with funds allegedly funneled to Nigerian government officials.
This resulted in litigations involving Nigeria versus Eni and Shell, as the Nigerian government under former President Muhammadu Buhari pursued legal action against Eni, Shell, and Malabu, alleging corruption in the deal. Commeting on the issue, Lokpobiri said,
“The previous administration initiated most of the cases that we are talking about today, and they took us to court, while we took Eni, Malabu, others to different courts in Europe, Canada, etc, but we didn’t win any of the cases.
“To even shock you, there is one that got us a penalty of over 70 million pounds. How did that happen?” He explained that JP Morgan sued the government for trying to dent its image in the saga, adding that the penalty was now binding on Nigeria.
“So we have been fined over 70 million pounds by the court. Who will pay that? You and I will pay that, or our children will pay, because it is a judgement debt. And in all the ones that we pursue both in Switzerland and other locations, we have no evidence to get conviction.
“And so it makes sense for this government to come and say that for 28 years, this block has been idle. This block is a prolific block that will add so much value to our economy, so let’s see how we can resolve the problem.
“So we are talking to Eni and Shell, and saying let’s sit down and see how we can resolve all the problems. We have taken you to court on multiple occasions, you have also taken us to court, but let’s see how we can resolve these problems,” the minister stated.
In recent days, Twitter has been buzzing with a whirlwind of accusations and counter-accusations involving alleged financial misconduct at the highest levels of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These developments stem from ongoing investigations conducted by the Department of State Services (DSS) and a specially appointed investigator, tasked by President Tinubu, to delve into the operations of the CBN under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele.
The investigations are poised to scrutinize nearly every facet of the bank’s operations, bringing into question the activities of its top officials during their regular duties. However, what has become particularly intriguing is the emergence of smear campaigns on social media platforms. It appears that human nature’s propensity to engage in self-destructive behaviors is on full display.
Social media battalions have commandeered the blogosphere, engaging in a back-and-forth of allegations and counter-allegations. One notable instance occurred when Kingsley Obiora, the Director-General of Economic Policy, was detained for questioning. A vocal faction rushed to his defense, asserting that his detention was motivated by tribal considerations, citing his status as the sole economist on the team. This argument seemed to imply that this fact absolved him or others from any potential wrongdoing.
The situation has evolved into a contest to sway public opinion, with the less discerning readily accepting information without critical analysis. In reality, what is unfolding is a response to a presidential directive to investigate the entire bank, not just individual officials.
Recently, there have been clearly sponsored tweets aimed at tarnishing the reputation of DG Aishah Ahmad, the youngest and only female Director-General at the CBN. These allegations would be shocking if they weren’t so patently false. Aishah Ahmad, a highly educated, renowned banker with an impeccable pedigree, has built a solid reputation for professionalism while leading numerous financial institutions. There’s no reason to believe that her leadership at the Central Bank would be any different.
It’s important to recognize that those vehemently fighting to divert attention from themselves are often those with the most to hide. The public should view these smear campaigns for what they are: baseless attempts to distract from the ongoing investigations. It is imperative to allow the authorities to carry out their duties without undue interference.
The Household of David church in Surulere Street, Adeniyi Jones in the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State has lost its multi-million naira church auditorium to a fire incident that gutted the church building.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred at about 10:00 am on Wednesday.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent in a phone interview, the Lagos State Fire Service spokesperson, Amodu Shakiri, disclosed that the church’s auditorium ceiling was overheating, which caused it to collapse and ignite a fire.
He added that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service’s Alausa and Ikeja Fire Stations, LASAMBUS, LASEMA, and Red Cross were the relevant agencies present at the scene.
Shakiri said the property damaged by the fire included the church’s furnishings and the auditorium.
He said, “The fire was however made to confine within the church’s auditorium it started from while salvaging adjoining properties. The relevant agencies involved were the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Alausa and Ikeja fire stations, LASAMBUS, LASEMA, and Red Cross. And the property involved in the destruction of the fire included the auditorium and church-hold items.
Reacting to the tragedy, the Senior Pastor of Household of David, Olusola Osunmakinde, in a video on Instagram, said, “It is a painful experience.”
According to Osunmakinde, a passerby made fun of him by inquiring, “Where was Jesus when this happened?”
He said the church’s air conditioners, chairs, and other equipment were all burnt.
He said, “As we know, ‘Mercy Conference’ starts today, but something happened that I just want to put a message out there to people. I came here this morning, everybody was setting up, everything was going fine. All of a sudden, we started hearing that there was fire and something up there on the roof of the church. I know there will be reactions, and people will say that and that, but that is none of my concern now.
“The most important thing is this, we thank God no life was lost and we thank God for everything. We are not too discouraged but we believe in God that we will still go on with the conference.
“It is a painful experience no doubt, even someone walked into the compound mocking, saying, ‘Where is Jesus when this happened?’ We don’t owe people an answer, all we believe is that all things work together. We will not back out because of this but by the grace of God, all things work together for good.”
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating the controversial Nigeria Air deal
The Nigeria Air deal was sealed by Hadi Sirika, the immediate former minister of aviation, on behalf of the Nigerian government.
On May 26, 2023, a plane belonging to Nigeria Air, the proposed national carrier, landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
Sirika had told Nigerians two days before the plane touched down in Abuja that an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air, would arrive in the country on Friday ahead of the commencement of operations.
However, on August 31, 2023, Keyamo announced the suspension of the Nigeria Air. The minister said the projects would be put on hold until further notice.
Keyamo spoke on Wednesday evening when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“First of all, I have said it before and I will still say it. It was not a deal that was good for Nigeria in the long run,” the minister said.
“The whole composition and totality of that deal was merely Ethiopian Air flying the Nigerian flag. It was not a national carrier. Two things. A flag carrier is different from a national carrier.
“So while we were being told that a national carrier was coming, it was not a national carrier, it was a foreign airline trying to fly the Nigerian flag.
“The EFCC is investigating that deal. There is a criminal investigation going on. I have called for the report.”
Keyamo insisted that no local airline would be designated as a national airline, noting that “we will establish a proper national carrier”.
In a bid to revamp the National Train service, the FG under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has acquired new trains for the Lagos-Kano rail service.
The trains which will run on existing rail tracks will have stops at Ibadan, Osogbo, Offa, ilorin, mokwa, Minna, Kaduna, Zaria then Kano.
The last stop for the rail service is designed to be Maiduguri but that will be implemented much Later. No time frame was been announced for the recommencement of this project but reports say it should start sometime this year.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced that express services will soon commence on the Kano-Lagos narrow gauge.
The disclosure regarding the restoration of train service operations on the Kano-Lagos narrow gauge was made in a post by the NRC on its official X handle last Saturday.
“Kano-Lagos train services to commence operation soon,” the post read. In addition to the above text, the NRC’s post on X also included a short video footage of a locomotive undergoing a test-run on the tracks.
In another related tweet, NRC noted that major repairs have been completed on the damaged portions of the Kano-Lagos narrow gauge, further affirming the imminent restoration of express train services on the route.
“Test-running of the Train after major repairs that have been carried out on the damaged portions of the rail tracks. “The narrow-gauge Train services will be fully back in operation for the benefit of the Nigerian masses and easy transportation of goods and services in the country,” the tweet read.
Oke Umurhohwo, the Marketing Manager (West Africa 1) at itel Mobile, was named one of the “35 Under 35” marketing professionals at the prestigious Brandcom Awards held at The Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, November 4, 2023. This recognition highlights his outstanding contributions to the field of marketing.
With an impressive marketing career spanning over 10 years, Oke Umurhohwo has been at the forefront of driving marketing strategies and brand development for itel Mobile, a leading mobile phone brand in Nigeria. His exceptional leadership and strategic acumen have contributed significantly to the brand’s success and rapid growth across the West African region.
In his role as the Marketing Manager (West Africa 1) for itel Mobile, Oke has spearheaded several groundbreaking initiatives that have elevated the brand’s presence and reputation in the market. His prowess in developing strategic marketing plans has been instrumental in facilitating itel Mobile’s successful product launches across diverse market segments. By reaching new customers and sustaining brand loyalty, he has played a pivotal role in driving substantial growth in sales for the brand.
The Brandcom Awards, known as Nigeria’s most prestigious recognition platform for Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), celebrates exceptional brands, organizations, and marketing communications professionals each year. The “35 Under 35” category specifically acknowledges the contributions of young and dynamic individuals in the IMC industry.
Joshua Ajayi, the Convener of Brandcom Awards and the publisher of Brand Communicator, explained the significance of this category, stating, “The integrated marketing communications industry is vast and continuously evolving, driven by the relentless efforts of young and versatile professionals. These individuals often go unnoticed or underappreciated for their valuable contributions. It was for this reason that we introduced the ’35 Under 35′ category last year, and in 2023, we received over 23,000 nominations, underscoring the wealth of talent within the industry.”
In his response to the award, Oke Umurhohwo expressed his humility and gratitude, saying, “To be considered worthy of this honour in a field filled with brilliant minds is a humbling experience. I extend my gratitude to Brand Communicator for recognizing the effort I have invested in ensuring consistent productivity and organizational excellence over the years. This award serves as a call to young professionals in the marketing industry, urging them to relentlessly pursue innovative ideas and drive the desire for positive change.”
Oke Umurhohwo’s commitment to innovative marketing strategies and leadership have contributed to itel Mobile’s significant presence in Nigeria and the broader West African region.
The Brandcom Awards have a tradition of honoring marketing professionals who have made exceptional contributions to the industry, and this recognition reaffirms Oke Umurhohwo’s dedication to driving itel Mobile’s success in the West African market.
In a shocking development, the Nigerian Federal Government has suspended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele. Sources reveal that Emefiele was arrested in Lagos by the Department of State Services (DSS) on June 10 and flown to Abuja for questioning which the security agency has now confirmed.
The suspension is reportedly tied to a staggering $1 billion scandal that unfolded just before the Presidential inauguration.
This newspaper learned that Suspicions arose after Emefiele’s borrowing of $1 billion from Afrexim Bank on April 24, 2023 after the elections, during preparations for the May 29 inauguration.
Shockingly, within two days of receiving the money, $750 million was swiftly transferred to Aliko Dangote’s Dubai accounts using a ‘Form A’.
It is alleged that the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was kept in the dark about this transaction.
Sources within the CBN claim that Emefiele sold dollars to Dangote at an unbelievably low rate of 445 Naira to the dollar. 1 billion dollars was received from Afrexim Bank into the CBN’s JP Morgan account on April 24, 2023, out of which 750 million dollars was immediately transferred to Dangote’s Bluestar Dubai account within two days using the “Form A” transaction method, bypassing the requirement of a Letter of Credit.
Bluestar has had ties to Dangote since 2007.
While some CBN officials raised concerns about these transactions, the revelation highlights the potential for money laundering and illicit activities within Nigeria’s financial system, tarnishing the CBN’s integrity under Emefiele’s leadership.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the President took decisive action by suspending Emefiele and ordering a thorough investigation.
In what looks like jokes, Posters of Funsho Ayeni and Bimbo Daramola has been seen flying around internet as means of endorsement of Bimbo A Social Democratic Party candidate.
This is a result that Ayeni who was formerly suspended for Anti-Party but now reinstated by the PDP has Abandoned the aggrieved Osoko political Family group whom the Atiku presidential committee has demystified their leader, Fayose and other politicians leaning on their tenets.
As a result of this infighting of Osoko group and Ayeni group , The PDP group loyal to Ayeni has shifted their allegiance from the PDP House of Representatives candidate Yinka Akerele in Ekiti North 1 to Hon. Bimbo Daramola of SDP. In reaction to this, the Osoko Political Family has tagged Ayeni A betrayal for despising Fayose, a man who gave him Pdp ticket at alacarte, they promised to fight back and fight dirty.
We are on Watch on how further division tears pdp Apart.
GOVERNOR UMAHI WELCOMES THE APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL AND INDEED ALL APC FAITHFUL IN THE STATE TO THE APC PRESIDENTIAL RALLY AND GOVERNORSHIP CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF IN EBONYI STATE HOLDING TMRO, THURSDAY,24TH NOVEMBER,2022*
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be in Ebonyi State today.
Ahead of the 2023 polls, the Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial district in the National assembly Prof Nora Ladi Daduut, on Monday commenced grassroots mobilisation for her Party the All Progressives Congress in rural communities in her zone.
Senator Dadu’ut who spoke to newsmen after sensitizing women in her Senatorial district said the aim was to mobilize and garner support for the Presidential Candidate of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Governorship candidate of the APC in Plateau Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Governor Simon Lalong for our Senatorial race, Idris Maje for Wase Federal constiuency, and other candidates of the APC at the 2023 general elections.
Senator Dadu’ut a member of the TINUBU/SHETTIMA Women Presidential Campaign team assigned to the strategic Planning Directorate said “We have constituted a team in the six local government councils of our district that would go round to the rural areas to ensure victory for our party in the forthcoming polls.”
Senator Daduut who was represented by her Legislative aide Hon Hon. Rufina Gurumyen, said “We have commenced a door-to-door campaign for the success of Ahmed Tinubu/ Kashim Shettima and our candidates in the APC in the 2023 general elections.”
“Tinubu’s wealth of experience is currently needed most to move the country forward.”
“We have the best Candidates in the APC, and we would mobilize our women, Youths and elderly to vote the APC from top to bottom.”
Dadu’ut added that she is committed to the victory of Tinubu/Shettima and all APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
“Tinubu/Shettima are tested and trusted, and their combination offers renewed hope for the citizenry. It will ensure our today and assure us of our tomorrow.
“Tinubu is a good leader to follow. As he did in Lagos, we are sure that he will do more for Nigeria,” he said.
Senator Daduut said “we have assumed the role of apostles by going out there to preach the voting of our party the APC from top to bottom.”
She added that “We would go out and market our Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu across our Senatorial zone as that man who has the magic wand to take us to the promised land.”
She appealed to Women and Youths who are yet to collect their PVCs to do that and vote massively for the party at all levels.
A Senatorial Aspirant of the APC in Cross River North, cries out for Justice as Opponent schemes to frustrate Court Judgement in a Suit filed to challenge her exclusion from a repeat Primary Election, which led to the emergence of Gov Benedict Ayade, as Senatorial Candidate, after the Governor took part in the Presidential Primary Election of APC and lost.
In a Pre- Election Suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, before Justice Evelyn Maha, she asked the Court to declare her the Canfidate of APC. The details are : Cecilia Omonya Adams vs APC & 3 ORS; FHC/ABJ/CS/232/2022.
The Case was reserved for Judgment by Justice Evelyn Maha, more than 60 days ago, but Justice Evelyn Maha has been under immense pressure not to deliver the Judgment , so that Cecilia’s quest for Justice will be frustrated.
Barr. Cecilia Adams is appealing to Justice Maha to do justice to the matter, without further delay, because Justice delayed, is as good as being denied
Politics / Enugu Announces Major Trade Fair To Boost SMEs by Tabithatim: 8:25pm On Sep 23