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CHINA To Lend Africa $10bn
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has pledged to give African countries 10 billion dollars in concessional loans as a two-day forum on China-Africa Cooperation opened in Egypt yesterday.
“We will help Africa build up its financing capabilities… we will provide 10 billion US dollars for Africa in concessional loans,” Wen told the forum in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
His pledge was included among measures he said would be taken over the next three years, including cancelling debts of African countries to increase his country’s role in the continent.
The Asian giant pledged five billion dollars in assistance over three years at the last Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit, held in Beijing in 2006, and has signed agreements to relieve or cancel the debt of 31 African nations.
It will also provide a one-billion-dollar loan for “for small- and medium-sized businesses,” Wen said.
“China is ready to deepen practical cooperation in Africa,” he said, adding that Beijing was prepared to take on a role in “the settlement of issues of peace and security.”
China will also remove tariffs on 95 percent of products “from the least-developed African states that have diplomatic relations with China,” he said.
Wen added that China would set up environmental programmes in the continent, including 100 clean energy projects, and increase cultural exchanges and medical assistance.
Chinese firms have been pouring investments into oil and other raw materials in Africa to fuel the Asian country’s booming economy.
Over the past five years, Chinese direct investment in Africa has soared, from 491 million dollars in 2003 to 7.8 billion dollars in 2008, according to official Chinese figures.
Total trade between China and Africa surpassed 100 billion dollars in 2008 — a tenfold increase in eight years.
Booming trade ties have been accompanied by China also building schools, hospitals and clinics to fight malaria and offering scholarships for Africans to study in China.
But Beijing’s growing economic role in the poverty-ridden continent has also been met with some scepticism and criticism.
China has been accused of throwing a lifeline to pariah regimes accused of human rights violations, such as the government of Sudan’s President Omar al-Beshir, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Beshir, who is at the summit, thanked China in a speech for its diplomatic role in Sudan, where a six-year conflict in the country’s western Darfur region has killed 300,000 people, according to the United Nations.
As Rivers State celebrates the 58th anniversary of its creation today, some stakeholders have called on the State Government to do more towards improving the quality of infrastructure and human capital development in the State..
A cross section of stakeholders who spoke in an interview with The Tide also commended successive administrations in the state for their efforts towards expanding infrastructure network across the state.
They noted that more communities, both at the upland and riverine parts of the State, now have access to road network than when the stayte was created 58 years ago.
They, however, urged the government to return the state to the era of overseas scholarship when brilliant students are given opportunities to further their studies.
Speaking with The Tide, former youth leader of Chokota community in Etche Local Government Area, Mr. Ebere Nwankwo, said Rivers State has made progress in various fronts, despite the ongoing political crisis in the State.
Nwankwo noted that the State now has more tertiary institutions, both private and public, while the number of secondary schools have tripled.
He added that the State has also recorded tremendous progress in the area of healthcare.
According to him, healthcare has been brought closer to the doorstep of the common man, as there is hardly any local government in the state that doesn’t have a government health centre today.
The youth leader further said that many Rivers indigenes, home and abroad, have brought glory to the State in their various capacities, and urged the government to provide the enabling environment for the youths to excel.
Also speaking, the spokesperson for the International Peace Advocates, Mr. Emmanuel Nkweke, said the position of Rivers State among the comity of states in the country cannot be taken for granted.
He attributed this success to the efforts of successive administrations in repositioning the state for development.
Nkweke, however, called for a speedy resolution of the political impasse in the State to enable the State move to the next level of development.
Also speaking, a civil servant, Mrs. Ngozi Sunday, noted the efforts of government to improve the quality of lives of Rivers people, but called for a return to democratic governance in the State.
Another civil servant, Mrs. Munuonye Tina Ogechi, said Rivers State within the past 58 years has recorded significant achievements in road infrastructure, youth empowerment and repositioning of the state civil service for greater productivity.
She commended the suspended Governor of the State, Sir Similanayi Fubara, for taking the issue of women empowerment and peace seriously.
Meanwhile, a teacher, Mr. Orie Fiberesima, decried the high cost of living and lack of jobs in the State, and the need for a more effective government.
He also stressed the need for the government to look into the issue of high rent in Port Harcourt, noting that houses are now beyond the reach of the average Rivers man.
Mr. Innocent Chimobi, in his own view, urged the government to attract more industries and foreign investments to the State as a way of providing employment opportunities for the jobless youths in the State.
He also called the attention of the government to the terrible state of roads in some rural communities, advising the government to work hand in hand with the communities to foster better development.
By: John Bibor/Claire Julius
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, yesterday, unveiled a 12-member ministerial committee to oversee the 753-unit recovered housing estate linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The estate was recently handed over to the Ministry by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement released yesterday, Dangiwa emphasised the critical nature of the assignment, describing it as a key step towards realising the housing component of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The statement read, “Housing and Urban Development Minister, Ahmed Dangiwa, has inaugurated a twelve-member ministerial committee on the 753-unit recovered housing estate located in the Lokogoma district, Abuja, FCT.”
He reiterated that the committee’s mandate aligns with the President’s vision and the Ministry’s reform objectives to transform the estate into liveable, secure, and affordable homes for Nigerians.
“The committee was constituted based on the vision of Mr President and the Ministry’s housing reform drive to ensure that the recovered property is swiftly transformed into liveable, secure, and affordable homes for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.
Dangiwa underscored the importance of technical expertise and institutional integrity in executing the assignment, noting that committee members were selected from key departments within the Ministry.
“Your selection is a testament to the confidence the Ministry has in your ability to drive this initiative with the seriousness and efficiency it demands.
“Nigerians are watching and expect results. They want to see homes completed and allocated transparently. They want to see the government working for them,” Dangiwa emphasised, urging committee members to collaborate effectively and remove unnecessary bottlenecks.
He charged them to adopt a fresh mindset, stating, “Think outside the box. Be results-oriented.”
The committee is chaired by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, and includes senior directors and aides from the technical, financial, engineering, planning, procurement, and media departments.
The committee’s Terms of Reference include conducting a thorough structural and integrity assessment of the buildings, determining the number and condition of housing units, and valuing existing work through proper surveying and market evaluation.
Additionally, the committee will assess costs required to complete essential infrastructure such as roads, power, and water. It will also develop standards for architectural and finishing consistency, propose a fair and transparent strategy for disposal and allocation of units via the Renewed Hope Housing Portal, and devise a public engagement plan to build confidence.
The committee must ensure effective coordination with key stakeholders, including the EFCC, FCTA, and relevant utility providers. A preliminary report is expected within four weeks.
The Minister of State, Yusuf Ata, emphasised the need for the committee to co-opt additional professionals as required, given the scale of the task and tight deadline.
“The committee should have the authority to co-opt members to assist, considering the magnitude of the task and the four-week timeline,” he noted.
Belgore assured that the team would execute its duties diligently and professionally.
“The committee has been tasked with ensuring the recovered estate undergoes a comprehensive technical assessment, is strategically completed, and disposed of transparently and cost-effectively, in line with national housing delivery objectives,” he said.
He added that the success of the assignment would serve as a model for transforming recovered public assets into impactful infrastructure.
“The successful execution of this assignment will serve as a benchmark for converting recovered public assets into infrastructure that directly benefits the people,” he concluded.
Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been deported from Saudi Arabia after being denied entry into Medina, effectively barring him from participating in the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Gumi, a Kaduna-based cleric, known for his controversial views on national and international issues, confirmed the development in a statement posted on his official Facebook page, yesterday.
“Due to some reasons related to my views on world politics, the authorities in Saudi Arabia do not want me to be present at Hajj even though they have granted me a visa,” Gumi wrote.
The cleric, who was part of a delegation of religious scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), arrived at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina on Saturday night via Umza Air.
However, upon arrival, Saudi immigration officials reportedly stopped him at the airport and denied him entry into the city, before placing him on a return flight to Nigeria.
Sheikh Gumi added in a statement on his page that the Nigerian authorities have shown concern and have promised to engage Saudi officials to seek clarification and resolution.
“I am grateful to the authorities in Nigeria who have pledged to engage with the Saudi authorities on this matter,” he said.
Although no official reason has been provided by Saudi Arabia for the deportation, observers believe the action may be connected to Sheikh Gumi’s outspoken political and religious views, which may be at variance with the kingdom’s policies.
Gumi has, in recent years, played a prominent role in dialogue initiatives with armed groups in Nigeria’s northern region and has often voiced criticism of Western and Middle Eastern political interventions.
The incident has sparked discussions among religious communities and the wider public, with many questioning the implications of political ideology on religious observance.
As of the time of filing this report, there is no official statement from the Saudi embassy or the Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the development.
Sheikh Gumi has since resumed his public preaching and teaching engagements in the country.