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Bank Of Industry, France Sign €100m Deal To Tackle Climate Change

By
James Orji
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The Bank of Industry, BOI has signed a deal worth €100 million with the French Development Agency, AFD to tackle climate change in Nigeria. The deal will enhance the expansion of green financé in Nigeria, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN said.

The Managing Director of BOI, Olukayode Pitan who signed on behalf of the federal government disclosed that the transaction was approved by AFD under its Transforming Financial Systems for Climate, TFSC Programme with the Green Climate Fund, GCF. Xavier Muron, the Country Director of AFD signed on behalf of the French government

According to Pitan, the 10-year facility has an interest rate of 2.47 percent with four years moratorium, noting that the loan will be invested in areas that mitigate climate change.

He said, “This is the beginning of a long-term mutually beneficial relationship and a significant step for BoI as we scale up our green-lending capacity.

“Given the serious threat that climate change poses to equitable and sustainable development in Nigeria, it is critical for us at BoI to take the lead in mobilising capital for green and sustainable investment.”

The Country Director of AfD, Xavier Muron, revealed that Nigeria was highly vulnerable to climate change with several regions likely to suffer from the effects of global warming. He said that Nigeria needs $400 billion which is between six percent to 13 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

He explained that the French government will partner with Nigeria in her effort to end gas emissions by the year 2060, adding that another 2.5 million Euro grant  will be provided in the area of technical assistance to assist BOI in climate change financing and strategy.

“After this partnership, we hope that other financial institutions key into it as well as the needs are huge when it comes to climate change for some climate smart and friendly investments.

“As development institutions, we have to do something to help the government act, seeing that Nigeria is looking forward to implementing its net zero emissions by 2060.

“We reiterate our commitment towards climate change with the project and are proud to work with the BoI,” he said.

“It will support capacity building for BoI and its customers, thereby providing tools for identification and development of bankable climate-related projects as well as improving the readiness of the bank’s customers to implement green practices in their operations.

“This transaction also highlights both AfD’s and BoI’s longstanding commitment to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The deal came less than a year after the French government promised to invest $70 million in renewable energy projects in Nigeria.

Insecurity: Lagos Speaker Advocates For State, Community Policing, True Federalism, Implementation of Panel Reports

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Obasa Receiving Honorary Award

By Akinwale Kasali

Following the pathetic state of the nation’s security, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, says Nigeria is a country in need of true federalism as part of the solutions to its security crisis.

Obasa made this assertion Wednesday, at the 2022 National Congress and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Psychological Association held at the Lagos State University.

The Speaker, who was awarded Honourary Fellow of the Academic body, lamented that insecurity has continued despite the Federal Government’s deployment of financial and other resources to its fight.

As part of the solution, the Speaker urged the Federal Government to muster the political will to implement the recommendations of different panels and committees that have investigated immediate and remote causes of insecurity in the country.

Represented by Hon. Victor Akande, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC, Obasa further advocated for sincere national mediation, negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation, and broad amnesty as modern conflict resolution strategies where necessary.

Speaking on the topic, ‘Security and National Sustainability’, Obasa described Lagos as one of the safest states in the country owing to the proactive efforts of all the tiers of Government in the State.

“Here in Lagos State, we’ve taken preventive steps to ensure that law and order do not collapse for no good reason. We established the Neighbourhood Safety Corps because we are aware of the critical need for quick response from local security officers at the grassroots level.

“The State Government’s efforts, led by the Neighbourhood Safety Corps and aided by the other security officers on the ground, have made Lagos a secure place to live for everyone.

“There is, however, reason to believe that the Federal Government would support the same objective by establishing a State Police Force. Community preventative policing, as opposed to curative policing, is crucial for maintaining national security in light of the current state of affairs. Constant contact between the security agencies and community people is necessary to get the country out of its current situation.

“At the same time, all three tiers of government should work to significantly cut spending on administration, which includes things like defence and domestic security. As one might expect, this is crucial if we want to see progress in the real sectors of the economy,” Obasa said.

The Speaker, while noting that military action and confrontational approach tend to increase violence rather than decrease tension, added: “to rehabilitate all militants who embrace reconciliation, however, we need to place a greater emphasis on the concepts of mediation, negotiation, arbitration, reconciliation, and broad amnesty as modern conflict resolution strategies.

“The principle of true federalism advocated by militants in the Niger Delta and other groups should be adopted because it guarantees genuine political autonomy and the right to control resources.

“In a similar vein, the federal government and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s violent sociopolitical and ethnically based crisis need to muster the political will to carry out the recommendations of the numerous panels and committees set up to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.”

He attributed insecurity to a number of factors including the country’s inheritance of a faulty security structure and the failure of successive governments to effectively restructure the system.

Beyond impacting knowledge, the Speaker tasked tertiary institutions to be interested in the affairs of the nation as part of their contributions to the sustenance of national progress.

He commended the NPA and LASU for honouring him as he promised to continue to play roles for the advancement of Nigeria.

Earlier in his address, Prof. Olukayode Afolabi, President of NPA, lamented the security situation in the country saying it now affects every facet of Nigeria’s development and forcing investors away.

Among other suggestions, he said there was an urgent need to bring psychologists into the recruitment and development processes of security personnel.

On her part, Prof Adenike Boyo, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of LASU who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, expressed hope that the 5-day conference would add value to Nigeria’s development.

Pastor Kumuyi Speaks On Next Year’s General Election, Arrives Ondo For Crusade

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, on Wednesday said the emergence of the next Nigeria’s president has already been determined by God and nothing will change God’s plan for the country in 2023.

Pastor Kumuyi stated this at the palace of Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo when he paid a homage to the monarch ahead of the widely publicized Global Crusade for Kumuyi, (GCK), scheduled to start in Ondo town on Thursday.

The Cleric expressed the confidence that God will answer the prayers of ‘conscientious People’ who had been praying for President Buhari’s successor.

“As to next year, 2023, about the election, everything is in the hand of God. I want to tell you, no pin drops anywhere in the world without God’s knowledge and nobody goes ahead without God’s control. He controls everything that happens in the world.

Will there be election, will there not be election ? Who will come out as the President of our country and who will come out as the governor of each of the states is known unto God.

“He answers to the prayers of conscientious People in our land. What he wants will come true.

“When a lion is coming in the way, no rat stands in its ways and says you will not pass. When the almighty God says this is what it is, for Nigeria in particular, in 2023 in particular, no elephant of a man can stand in his way.

“God’s will will be done and we will all rejoice that all wise God has done what we are praying from Him.”

On the choice of Ondo as the venue for the Crusade, Kumuyi said it was based on God’s instructions.

“It was God that led us into Ondo city. That was God’s choice at this time.  He said it is Ondo city for the GCK, that is Global Crusade for Kumuyi and we are following His leading.”

Kumuyi had earlier arrived Ondo state for the global crusade and was welcomed at the Akure airport from where he proceeded to the governor’s office where he was welcomed by the state governor and members of his cabinet.

 The state Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu commended pastor Kumuyi for his passion for preaching the gospel saying his visit to the state has ushered in good tidings.

The Governor also lauded Pastor Kumuyi’s prowess as a former lecturer to the preacher of the gospel and accepted the invitation to be at the crusade with some of his cabinet members.

Earlier, Pastor William Kumuyi extolled the virtues of Governor Akeredolu describing him as courageous and prayed for God’s wisdom for him to fulfil his manifesto before leaving office.

The crusade is billed to hold at the Ondo Anglican Grammar School from  Thursday to 30th.

Osun Restricts Traders From Highways, Task Force To Enforce Order

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

As a fallout of attack on the convoy of wife of Osun state Governor, Kafayat Oyetola, last week, the  state government has announced that it will no longer condone display of wares on the roads and pedestrian walkways.

Some security details attached to the first lady’s convoy were reportedly wounded during the attack, which happened at Owode/Ede market.

Police spokesman in the state, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident explained that“On Friday, at about 8:30p.m, the police received credible information that, at Owode, Ede Market expressway, some hoodlums were attacking the convoy of the wife of Osun Governor.

The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, disclosed the ban in a statement released after the State Executive Council meeting.

According to the statement,  the ban became necessary because of growing traffic snarl and danger to everybody using the markets.

The release states  “Osun state government is worried about the increasing danger that roadside display of wares is posing to its residents and citizens.

“The State Executive Council today set up a Special Task Force to stop the trend. This team will pay unscheduled visits to the markets and arrest those obstructing traffic with their wares.

“The team will work with the Federal Road Safety Corps and other law enforcement agencies to ensure safety in our markets.

“The state can no longer fold its arms while some traders in our markets, especially weekly markets take over the motorways and pedestrian walkways with their wares.

“The ugly and unsafe trend must stop. This directive has become pertinent in view of increasing bottlenecks and security breach along market corridors, with vehicular and pedestrian traffic now contending for space amid trading activities on the same spots.

“The government has immediately set up a Special Task Force that will ensure compliance with safe conducts in our markets and ensure the safety of road users.

“It is therefore calling on all traders and their patrons to comply with this directive as the Task Force team will operate without prior notice and those arrested will be prosecuted swiftly.

“Traders and artisans who have encroached on the main road and walkways with their wares are hereby directed to vacate such unauthorized trading spots with immediate effect.

“This move is in the interest of all residents, as the safety of Osun citizens remains a priority of the government. It is, therefore, necessary for all concerned to work with the government to end this unsafe practice.”

OPC Condemns Removal Of Fuel Subsidy, Decries High Cost Of Gas, Fuel

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

A faction of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, formed by Late Dr. Frederick Fasheun, is lamenting the high cost of Fuel and Gas, and has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Government to, with immediate effect, halt the removal of fuel subsidy.

The Group demanded that pending when the nation’s four refineries would begin local production, the Buhari administration  must rescind any plan to remove fuel subsidy.

This call was made by the OPC in a statement signed by its President, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, popularly called Askari. It stated that  scrapping fuel subsidies without locally-produced fuel would further escalate inflation, endanger industries and increase the hardship Nigerians already suffer.

OPC demanded that the Government should equally tame the galloping prices of cooking gas, domestic kerosene and aviation fuel.

The statement reads: “Many households and families are suffering due to the high cost of cooking gas and domestic kerosine. They want the government to alleviate their sufferings by ensuring that the price of gas, for example, returns to N256/kg at most, instead of the current astronomical price of N850/kg.”

It further stated that the price of diesel has also sky-rocketed from N190 to N810, Which has, in turn, had a negative effect on industries and transportation with attendant high cost of goods and services.

According to the OPC president, lower fuel prices will reduce inflation, restore the health of the devalued Naira and increase the purchasing power of citizens, with the overall boosting of the economy.

Challenging the government to invest in local production of fuel instead of importation, Afolabi said Buhari must see to the revamping of the country’s four refineries and encourage the abundant establishment of functional modular refineries.

“What is happening today was not what General Muhammadu Buhari promised Nigerians when he was campaigning in 2014. His promise to change the fuel situation by revamping the four refineries was attractive to Nigerians who were dissatisfied with the high cost of imported fuel. Nigerians voted for change. Now the situation is even worse.

“How do you explain that Buhari called fuel subsidy of N306.92 billion a scam in 2015, but under him fuel subsidy rose to N1.43 trillion in 2021 and N4 trillion in 2022?

“By running the economy on imported fuel these past seven years, the Buhari government has sacrificed Nigerians to the unchained greediness of an evil cabal that has deliberately paralysed local refining. Clearly, no country will do well under such a system. Time has come to say, ‘Enough is Enough.’

“President Buhari, as the Minister of Petroleum, lacks any excuse to import petroleum products at all. Nigeria is an oil-producing country. Nigerians are blessed with petroleum resources and they deserve to enjoy the benefits of this God-given gift.”

Afolabi went down memory lane, and said that when Buhari took over in 2015, petrol was sold for N87 at the fuel pump, as against N190, which is over 120 percent increment.

OPC equally faulted the high price of aviation fuel, saying the situation had increased the cost of flight tickets and made travelling by air expensive, unattractive and nightmarish.

Afolabi said: “It is unreasonable that just a few months back aviation fuel sold for N190 and today it has increased to N880. Yet the government allows the situation to continue, without doing anything to bring this alarming situation under control. This is unacceptable.”

Osun PDP Mocks Gov. Oyetola Over Students Performance In WAEC

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State said it is shameful that the state placed 36th in the recent West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance index.

In the WAEC ranking, Osun is 36th out of 36 states, including FCT.

The PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Akindele, asked the Governor Gboyega Oyetola-led government to apologize to the people of Osun State for “a destructive handling of the education system that led to the state’s very shameful placement.”

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday in response to the  recent state-by-state performance record in the Senior School Certificate Examination for the 2022 calendar year.

The PDP lamented the distasteful result as a function of the laissez-faire attitude of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administration to education in the state.

PDP accused the APC administration of leaving the all-important sector in the hands of ‘do-nothing propagandists,’ while the proverbial future leaders are having their future inadvertently fogged up.

“For long, the state government had rebuffed all wise counsels to employ competent professionals to fill existing vacancies in key subjects in almost all public secondary schools in the state, in a bid to avert the present disaster.

“What more, Oyetola is happy expending parts of the funds expected to be used to revamp the badly bleeding education sector in the state on illegal local government elections that will surely fall flat.

“These are streams of misplaced priorities for which innocent students are being made to suffer heartaches and bleak futures through faulty education.”

Promising a better education system, the PDP pledged that under the Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, “parents, whose wards have been subjected to psychological trauma with the unsavory performance in WAEC and other basic examinations of better days ahead.

“Senator Ademola Adeleke’s administration, as promised during electioneering, will set education as topmost priority by restoring sanity to the sector, away from personal aggrandizement.”

Costa Rica 2022: NFF Debunks Claim Falconets Were Stranded In Turkey, Slept On Bare Floor

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Falconets Sleeping on Floor

By Akinwale Kasali

After the Quarter Finals ouster of the Falconets of Nigeria from the ongoing FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Costa Rica, images emerged online of the National Team players sleeping on bare floors, Chairs at the Istanbul Airport in Turkey, yesterday.

The team had left San Jose, Costa Rica and boarded a flight to Turkey on a 24-hour layover in Istanbul.

Super Eagles’ ex-media officer, Collin Udoh, had posted on his Social Media Handle, saying m, “Nigeria’s #Falconets have been travelling from Costa Rica since 6:30am on Monday.

“They’re now in Istanbul on a 24-hour layover and sleeping on the airport chairs and floor, or wherever they can find.”

The images caused outrage from Social Media users and Football enthusiasts who lamented the ill- treatment meted on the Ladies.

Accusing fingers are being pointed at the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, led by its President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, for their poor and shoddy arrangement, and making the nation a laughing stock.

Reacting, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, says the Falconets missed their flight from Istanbul, Turkey to Nigeria, adding that they were not stranded in the European nation.

He debunked reports that the Falconets were stranded in Istanbul, describing the reports as mischievous and misleading, saying the girls missed their connecting flight.

“The Falconets were not stranded in Turkey; to say the girls were stranded is a mischievous statement. It’s the fault of the airline.

“By the time they arrived in Istanbul, the connecting Turkish Airline flight that was supposed to convey them from Turkey to Abuja had left and the Falconets had to wait for the next flight.”

Sanusi said the Falconets have, finally, boarded a flight to Abuja.

PDP BoT Chairman, Jibrin, Backs Wike’s Camp, Says Party’s Leadership Structure Unfair To The South

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Senator Walid Jibrin - PDP BoT Chairman

By Akinwale Kasali

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustee, BoT Chairman, Senator Jibrin has agreed that the leadership hierarchy of the Party is Pro-North.

By agreeing to that, Jibrin has backed the Camp of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, which has been fighting the party over the situation.

In the crisis that has engulfed the Party since Atiku Abubakar won the Presidential Primary, one of the requests by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Camp is that the Party Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, should step down for a Southerner since Atiku is from the North. Ayu’s refusal to do so has caused a stalemate in the ongoing peace talk.

Jibrin, who had earlier made this assertion, faulting the leadership structure of the opposition Party, further reaffirmed his  position while featuring on a Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.

He insisted that it was unfair for the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar; its national Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; and himself to come from the North.

Jibril, in a statement, on Tuesday he stood by his earlier position.

He said, “Based on my earlier statement that the PDP cannot produce a Northern President, National Chairman, BoT Chairman all from the North for the 2023 Presidential elections, I still maintain my stand on that statement.

“The PDP is a party that caters for all Nigerians; it is not sectional but loved by all Nigerians.”

He said as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, there was the need for him to speak the truth regardless of any form of rejection.

“As a PDP BoT Chairman, I must say the truth and nothing but the truth no matter anyone’s criticism. I do not fear anyone but God and the true agenda of our party.  I will add that I stand strongly on my toes; I have been a true member of PDP since its inception in 1998.

Today, I am one of the Trustees’ members of the party who remained in the party since 1998 that never changed to any party passing all positions in the PDP,” Jibril said.

There is pressure on Ayu to step down, but he insists he was elected to a four-year tenure. However, Atiku said in an interview on ARISE TV, that Ayu would step if he wins the Presidential election.

Court Seizes Andy Uba’s Cars Over N50 Million Debt

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate in the 2022 Anambra State Election, Andy Uba, has lost his cars to a Court judgement.  Officials of the Execution Unit of a Federal Capital Territory High Court, working with officers of the Nigeria Police Force, on Tuesday, seized vehicles belonging to Uba in his Abuja residence over a N50 million debt resulting from a loan he took from Oranto Petroleum Limited.

The one-time two-week Governor of Anambra State lost in a case instituted against him by Oranto Petroleum.

The seizure of Uba’s property was sequel to the judgment of an Anambra State High Court delivered on March 6, 2017, in a case presided over by Justice Mbonu Nwenyi of the Aguata Judicial Division Ekwulobia

Oranto Petroleum is a Pan-African oil exploration and production company owned by Chief Arthur Eze.

The seized vehicles were impounded at Uba:s residence on No. 49 T.Y Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

In his ruling, the Judge held that Uba as the defendant in the case had not denied receiving the friendly interest-free loan from the plaintiff.

The Court further held that, having gone through the statement of defence of the defendant, the defendant had not disclosed any good defence to the suit and in such circumstance the plaintiff was entitled to the judgment.

Justice Mbonu stated, “The Plaintiff has sufficiently shown that he granted interest-free friendly loan to the defendant which has not been denied and since has not been repaid.

In the circumstances I enter judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of N50 million being refund of interest-free loan granted to the defendant by the plaintiff at the request of the defendant.”

Ugochi Obajekwe with the brief of Chief Tugbe Ike appeared for the plaintiff, while G.N Onovo with the brief of Chima Oguejiofor appeared for the defendant.

The execution took place in Abuja as a result of a motion ex parte dated May 5, 2022, and filed same date praying the court for some reliefs and subsequent order of the FCT High Court dated June 30, 2022 as follows:

“Leave is hereby granted the plaintiff/judgment creditor/applicant to register the certificate of judgment of the High Court of Anambra State in the Aguata Judicial Division holden at Ekwulobia and delivered by Hon. (Justice) C.N. Mbonu-Nwenyi on the 6th day of March, 2017 in suit no. AG/94/2016:Oranto Petroleum Ltd Vs Senator Nnamdi Emmanuel Andy Uba as the judgment of this Court.

“An order of this Honourable Court deeming the judgment of the High Court of Anambra State in the Judicial Division holden at Ekwulobia and delivered by Hon. (Justice) C.N. Mbonu-Nwenyi on the 6th day of March, 2017 in suit no. AG/94/2016: Oranto Petroleum Ltd VS Senator Nnamdi Emmanuel Andy Uba as the judgment of this Court is hereby granted.

“An order of the Honourable Court directing the cost of the registration and execution of the judgment to be recoverable from the Defendant/Judgment Debtor/Respondent to an amount assessed by the Court in the circumstances of this case is hereby granted.

“The order was issued in Abuja, under the seal of the court and the hand of the presiding judge this 30th day of June 2022.”

Anambra: Assembly Majority Leader, Okafor, Slumps In Hotel Room, Dies

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Nnamdi Okafor

By Adesina Soyooye

Death has again hit the Anambra State House of Assembly.

Honourable Nnamdi Okafor, its Majority Leader  is dead.

Okafor, reportedly,  died in a hotel room in South Africa, after he suddenly slumped.

He and a number of his colleagues had gone to South Africa for a legislative retreat when death suddenly called on Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

The details of his passing are still sketchy as nobody has confirmed, yet, whether he was ill before the trip, or suddenly took ill there.

There is no official statement, for now, either from the Anambra State House of Assembly or the State Government.

Until his passing, Okafor was the representative of Awka 1 State Constituency in the Assembly.

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