News
Minister Lauds Conducive Business Environment In C’River
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, has commended the administration of Governor Liyel Imoke for creating a conducive environment which has turned the state into investors’ haven.
The minister made the commendation in Calabar, recently, while commissioning ultra-modern integrated feed mills, Eastern Premier Feed Mills Company Limited, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.
Aganga described Governor Imoke leadership as visionary, business friendly and proactive, attributes he said have encouraged investors to do business in the state.
“I commend Governor Liyel Imoke for operating a business friendly environment for investors. In the last three years, they have always had something fantastic to say about the state and its people. I cannot thank you enough for creating such environment in the country,” he said.
“General Electric went round the country in search of where to establish its business but finally chose to invest in Calabar and I am happy they are investing more money in a technical school to train the young ones in line with it capacity needs to support its multi billion dollars investment in the state,” Aganga maintained.
He disclosed that the country was witnessing tremendous growth under the present administration through its various policies and reforms to stimulate the industrial sector, adding that the Industrial Revolution Plan was aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s industrialization, diversify its economy as well as increase revenue.
“We cannot only depend on oil because the nation has a large expanse where everything can grow and we cannot become rich if we must remain the eighth oil producing nation in the world, and we should not only produce raw materials but also be involved in production and processing.”
The minister lauded Flour Mills for being one of the first to key into the industrial revolution plan by investing in various businesses to create employment in many parts of the country.
Imoke said the commissioning was a celebration of confidence which the investors have in the local economy which shows that Nigeria is not only safe and good to do business but has opportunities to do business.
According to him, “I am excited that Flour Mills will increase its investments in the state, and in few years, Cross River will become Chicken Republic. I appreciate the President because what we are seeing today is a realization of his transformation agenda to turn Nigeria into the largest economy in Africa.”
The governor explained that the state, through its policy, has created the right environment to become investors’ haven to attain the status of a key destination through PPP, stressing that “we do not only want to be investors’ haven but also the next industrial hub in Nigeria.”
The Chairman Flour Mills PLC, Mr. John G. Coumantaros, disclosed that the mill was the largest in sub Saharan Africa with capacity to create 1000 direct and indirect jobs with the hope of turning Cross River into a “Chicken Republic” adding that its products are intended to produce biggest, fattest, most tendering and delicious chickens in Nigeria.
He said the company intends to diversify into other agro-allied-based investments in the state to boost production.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Rolf Burckhardt, said the mill is capable of producing 70,000 metric tons daily and that Calabar was found suitable for it because of available seaport, suitable labor and raw materials and that their target was to serve the entire poultry farmers in the federation.
Friday Nwagbara, Calabar
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.