News

Igbo Women Beg Tinubu To Disarm Herders

Published

3 months ago

June 10, 2024

Igbo women have called for the immediate disarming of violent herdsmen wreaking havoc in various agrarian communities in South East, lamenting that farmers are scared of going to farm due to attacks and criminal activities of the herders.
The visibly agitated women who spoke under the umbrella of Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) also demanded the dismantling of multiple military checkpoints across South East, claiming that they are stifling the economy of the zone and driving away the youths who allegedly suffer humiliation and molestation at some of the checkpoints.
Addressing a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State over the weekend, IWA National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to quickly come to the rescue of Igbo rural dwellers who are mostly farmers “as they no longer go to farm” as a result of incessant unprovoked attacks by criminal herders.
Lolo Nneka who was flanked by other women, regretted that no arrests had been made after the recent barbaric slaughter of farmers including two brothers in Enugu State by suspected herders.
The IWA President argued that since there is no case of cattle rustling in the South East, no herder in the zone should be allowed to bear weapons.
She said that “the excuse by the former President that he permitted herdsmen to bear arms because of cattle rustlers” is lame and should not apply in South East as there has not been any incident of cattle rustling in the zone.
The women lamented that despite killings and maiming of innocent citizens by murderous herders, security agencies are yet to frontally engage the perpetrators.
IWA decried the high cost of food items in the zone, blaming it on the activities of criminal herders which have taken a toll on farmers.
“We have land but we cannot go to farm again because of herdsmen. We now depend on the North to feed. We say no to this”, she said.
The women urged South East governors to enact and strictly enforce anti-grazing laws to help checkmate the activities of herdsmen in the zone.
“ Igbo people are all over the country doing their businesses. We buy our shops and build them. The same way, cattle rearing is a big business. Herdsmen should be made to buy lands for ranches and stop using their cows to inflict sorrows and economic pains on us.
“ You cannot use your cow to destroy my crops and later sell it to me. It doesn’t make sense”, Nneka said.
Decrying what they called “militarisation of South East”, the women appealed to President Tinubu to pull the military from South East roads back to their barracks from where they could be deployed in the event of any emergency.

News

Nigeria’s Rail Transport Generated N1.69bn In Q2 -NBS report

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian rail system generated N1.69billionn in revenue from passengers in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting a 53.14 per cent increase compared to the N1.10billion recorded in the same period of 2023.
This data was disclosed by the National Bureau of Statistics in its report released yesterday.
According to the report, a total of 689,263 passengers travelled by rail in Q2, representing a growth rate of 45.38 per cent compared to 474,117 passengers in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The volume of goods transported via rail also saw a significant increase, with 143,759 tons moved in Q2 2024, up from 56,936 tons in Q2 2023. Additionally, the Nigerian Railway Corporation reported a volume of 5,940 tons of goods transported through pipelines in Q2 2024, an increase from the 2,856 tons recorded in the same period of the previous year.
Revenue from goods conveyed via rail stood at N537.36m in Q2 2024, a remarkable increase of 206.68 per cent compared to N175.22m in Q2 2023. The movement of goods through pipelines also contributed to revenue generation, with N42.08m collected in Q2 2024, compared to N12.81million in Q2 2023.
Other revenue receipts amounted to N994.68million in Q2 2024, representing a staggering increase of 5,206.68 per cent from the N18.74m recorded in the corresponding period of last year.
In the first quarter, of 2024, The Tide source reported that Nigeria spent more on servicing the debt incurred for building its railways than the revenue generated by its railway system. The country spent 2,470 per cent more on railway debt servicing than it made from revenue from rail services in the first quarter of 2024.

News

NDDC Unveils Initiative To Enhance Food Security In N’Delta

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.
Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta.
He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.
“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.
Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.
Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.
“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.
The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.
According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security.

News

Tinubu Shelves UNGA79 Trip To Address National Challenges

Published

2 days ago

September 20, 2024

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
In his stead, Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the annual summit.
Tinubu “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed yesterday.
The statement is titled ‘Vice President Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly.’
It reads, “President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
“Therefore, the President has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.”
Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trips to China and the United Kingdom, “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” said Onanuga.
At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.
The high-level General Debate, with the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations,” will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024.