News

Ohaneze Moves To End Insecurity In S’East

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2023

The Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide has vowed to use non-kinetic approach to resolve security challenges in the South East region by appealing to people causing bloodshed to embrace peace.
The President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, disclosed this during a World Conference organised to announce the programme for this year’s Igbo Day Celebration scheduled for Enugu on September 29.
Iwuanyanwu, who described the killings and bloodshed in the South East as ‘strange’, said as a father, “I am tired of the death of my children and they have given me the responsibility to lead them”.
According to him, each time I hear anybody killed, I feel sad because most of them are doing what they are doing because of hunger and unemployment.
“I am not saying that hunger and unemployment will make one to be a criminal but not everyone has capacity to endure hunger”.
The president-general maintained that security of every place in the country was the collective responsibility of everyone, pointing out that the Federal Government alone could not handle it.
He said that during the Igbo Day Celebration, he would announce the non-kinetic approach to end insecurity in the zone.
“As a father, I will call and appeal to everybody to embrace peace and the non-kinetic approach requires everybody’s support both State and the federal governments for us to have peace in southeast.
“Whatever sacrifice to bring non-kinetic approach to bring an end to bloodshed and killing in Igboland, I will do it.
“I am going to reach these people by any means to beg them or even given my life if they want it; I will surrender it to ensure peace reigns in the region,” the Igbo leader said.
Iwuanyanwu said he would send a delegation to Finland and other places to beg those causing bloodshed in the South East.
“We are not going to arrest or kill them. I don’t want to kill any of our children; we are going to appeal to them to tell us what they want us to do.
“Those who are hungry, we will find them something to do to keep them happier but letting of bloodshed and killing should stop.
“It is not easy to stop a hungry person who has found means of getting livelihood through guns but as a father, I will go and cry to them and I am praying God that these my approach work out well,” he said.
He added that he would also resolve all the political crisis among the political leaders in the zone by reconciling them to move the region forward.
The Igbo leader appealed to the Federal Government to assist the zone with the reconstruction of railways, creation of seaports and more international airports to ease their businesses.
“The issue of sharing rice as palliative does not have any meaning to any Igbo man but what you can do for him is to give him opportunity to make a living for himself,” he said.

News

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

Published

4 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

4 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

4 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.