Business
Kogi, Agency Move To Explore River Niger Shorelines
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) is collaborating with the Kogi State Government to explore the shorelines of River Niger for the benefit of the people of the state and the country.
The Agency’s Director-General, NIHSA, Mr Moses Beckley, said this in Lokoja last Sunday after jointly exploring shoreline open spaces and some other spots along River Niger with the team of Kogi Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
Beckley told newsmen that he came to Lokoja with his team to see how the state and the agency could take advantage of the excess waters in the confluence state for exploration.
He said the team had gone round the sites which had natural beauty scenery and some other possibilities along the River Niger that could be maximised and exploited for the benefit of the people.
“We are also here in the light of the flooding that characterises this environment, and we have deliberated on how to come up with a conference on climate change, knowing fully well how it has affected water resources potential.
“We are looking at all of these possibilities so that we can synergise and help the state to see how the water resources can be maximised for socio-economic benefits of the people and Nigeria,” he said.
The director-general advised the people to ensure that their surroundings were cleared and well drained.
He also urged governments to ensure that people obeyed rules of town planning and environmental laws.
“Presently, flood has been recorded in close to about 20 local government areas in 13 out of 34 states earlier predicted by NIHSA.
The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, said that the government was collaborating with relevant agencies in the area of annual flooding, climate change, shoreline exploration, social recreational areas, coastline structure and de-silting of rivers.
Osikoya said the major one was the impending flood as informed by partners that the 2012 cycle of flood occurred in every five years, and was due to have come again this year.
She said that the Department of Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment had convened a meeting with the World Bank in February where they were informed that one of the quickest solutions to flood in Kogi was the construction of Dam.
“Beyond dam is the issue of water reservoir where water is strategically managed to divert some of it into a lake like you have in ‘Jabi Lake’, that is why we went to see the site along River Niger at Jimgbe axis.
“This is because during the dry season it was a Sandy Beach and the idea of having a beach just less than two hour-drive from Abuja is not a Lokoja beach anymore but a Nigerian thing.
“So, we are happy that NIHSA is partnering with us as part of the recent declaration of the state of emergency on the environment by Gov. Yahaya Bello on July 14, at the special State Executive Council meeting.
“We are engaging our stakeholders at the federal and international levels to look at the cross-cutting issues, which was part of the visit by NEMA to the state on Friday.
“We hope to do more of assessment of the 14 flooding incidences we have so far experienced in Kogi this season; but this is not the peak of our season.
“So, these are all plans for the future and some of them have immediate consequences,” the commissioner said.(
The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), the country’s satellite operator, has called for immediate promolgation of policy action that will enable the country to harness the potentials of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
NIGCOMSAT, also warned that Nigeria risks missing out on Africa’s projected $1.2trillion share of the global AI economy by 2030.
Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, disclosed this in a statement issued at the weekend following her participation in the Meeting of the National Council for Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, economies, and societies worldwide, with projections that it will contribute up to $15.7trillion to the global economy by 2030. Africa stands to gain $1.2trillion of this if the right policies and innovations are in place”, Idehen said, citing a PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
The NIGCOMSAT MD underscored the transformative potential of AI in agriculture, highlighting its applicability in Benue State, widely regarded as Nigeria’s “food basket.”
According to her, machine learning tools could revolutionize agricultural practices by improving pest detection and optimizing planting schedules using satellite imagery.
“AI offers us the chance to not only flourish economically but also to achieve food security. However, we must ask ourselves if we are prepared to manage this technology responsibly”, she added.
Idehen also noted that internet access remains a significant barrier to AI adoption in Nigeria.
“For AI tools to be effective, basic digital infrastructure is essential. Addressing this gap must be a priority.
“AI is happening. We have the opportunity to manage this technology revolution responsibly, both in Africa and globally, through innovation and governance”, she said.
In August 2024, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy released a draft National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aiming to position Nigeria as a global leader in AI.
Corlins Walter
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Chief David Omereji, has said the council has so far spent over N1 billion for the electrification of communities in the area.
Omereji said this while addressing staff of the council at the council headquarters recently.
He said the move was part of his administration’s resolve to ensure peace and development of the LGA.
According to him, the Council spent about N29 million on monthly basis for the maintenance of the Emohua Local Vigilante group known as OSPAC, with each member being paid a stipend of N100, 000 monthly.
He diaclosed that 11 out of the 14 wards are currently enjoying electricity, while efforts are on to light-up the remaining ones.
“I also want to use this opportunity to inform the political class for purposes of records and for the understanding of the people that the Council under my watch have done more than enough”, he said .
The Emolga boss explained that all that have been achieved were through the personal effort of the Council, without support from anybody as rumoured in some quarters.
Omereji further reaveled that a number of other projects, including roads, fencing of schools, hospitals, courts premises, and reconstruction of some abandoned buildings at the Council Headquarters are being undertaken by his administration.
He enjoined the people of the area to support his administration’s drive to bring purposeful development to the LGA.
The Emohua Council boss, who reiterated his hatred for noise making, stated that his works would speak for him, and solicited the support of staff of the council and the entire people of the area.
He noted the fact that some people may not be happy with his achievements, saying that he would remain focused, while advising critics of his government to do so constructively with facts and figures.
King Onunwor
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has raised some ethical questions over a Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) between Sahara Energy and West African Gas Limited (WAGL), an affiliate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
MOSOP said the agreement was not done in good faith, not in the interest of the Nigerian people, and did not follow due process.
Foremost Ogoni born activist and MOSOP leader, Fegalo Nsuke, who made this known in Abuja, weekend, described the Sahara-WAGL deal as fraudulent, deceptive and an insult on the intelligence and integrity of the Nigerian nation.
Nsuke called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel that FTSA between Sahara Energy and WAGL, noting that the agreement is fraught with irregularities and deceptive.
“What Sahara and the NNPC did in the FTSA between Sahara and WAGL is shameful and depicts high level corruption in public service of our country.
“WAGL is an affiliate of Sahara and the NNPC. How then can Sahara go into an agreement with its own affiliate? It’s as good as going into an agreement with itself. This is deceptive and fraudulent”, Nsuke said.
He continued that “Sahara Energy is certainly not a company the Ogoni people want on their soil and we are calling on Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to terminate any deal between the NNPC and Sahara Energy over OML 11, and to allow for an inclusive arrangement that considers a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in the distribution of revenues from natural resource extraction on Ogoni soil.
“The last Ogoni Congress has been unequivocal on the Ogoni demand for justice and has given a clear path to resolve the three decade old conflict between all critical parties.
“It will be good to explore this path to peace and development for Ogoni and for our country”.
Nsuke accused Sahara Energy and the NNPC of frustrating the progress made by MOSOP to achieve a permanent solution to the Ogoni problem.
He urged a presidential intervention with deep consideration for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in order to permanently address the problem.
He noted that Sahara Energy should give up on the Ogoni area to allow for an engagement in the interest of the country and the people.
Recall that MOSOP and Sagara Energy have recently been engaged in a row in what MOSOP describes as an unholy relationship between Sahara Energy and the NNPC over OML 11.
MOSOP expressly rejected Sahara Energy and called for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in natural resource extraction in Ogoni.
It noted that Ogoni people, led by MOSOP, paid the sacrifice to take the oil from Shell, hence “the position of MOSOP must be taken into consideration in decisions relating to resumption of oil production in Ogoni”.