AKINBO AKINBODE

President Bola Tinubu is currently in a meeting with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Prof. Okonjo-Iweala arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 2:50 pm.

She was accompanied by a former Minister of State for Health under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Dr. Ali Pate.

Prof. Okonjo-Iweala last met with Tinubu in June when they both attended the leadership summit held in Paris, France.

She was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy during Jonathan’s government.

Punch

A 23-year-old man, Abdulwahab Yusuf, was on Tuesday arraigned in a Sharia Court sitting in Kano for allegedly stealing cow skin, (ponmo) worth N8,500.

Yusuf, who lives in the Tukuntawa Quarters area of the state, was charged with theft.

The Judge, Umar Lawal-Abubakar, ordered that the defendant, who pleaded guilty be remanded in a correctional centre.

Lawal-Abubakar adjourned the matter until August 22 for summary trial.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Inspector Abdullahi Wada, told the court that the complainant, Fatihu Auwal, also resides in Tukuntawa Quarters, reported the matter at the Fagge Police Station, Kano, on August 5.

Wada reported that the defendant entered into the complainant’s stand and stole the cow skin.

(NAN)

1. The Ogun State Government has said that the agro international airport located at Iperu-Ilishan Road in Illenne Local Government Area of the state was 90 per cent completed.

   In a statement on Tuesday, by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, the state Commissioner of Works, Ade Akinsanya, said this when the acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, inspected some projects in the state.

   Among the projects inspected by the Customs CG included, the proposed 100 hectares Customs Training College, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ headquarters, government warehouse, and the agro international airport.

   Speaking during the visit, Akinsanya highlighted the accessibility of the area and the expected period for completion of agro international cargo airport.

   He said, “The target for us to get this project ready is the end of the year. The runway is completely done, the control tower is about 90 per cent, and all the equipment needed is completely procured. In terms of capacity, there is enough room to grow, right now we have a warehouse under construction with a terminal building where you will be able to help us man. So things are taking shape and the governor is pushing us to get everything done by the end of the year.”

   Earlier, the Customs boss had expressed delight at the progress made so far and promised to be a responsible neighbour to the state government.

   In his words, “We are happy that we are going to be your neighbours, and I can commit to you that we are going to be very responsible neighbours; we are going to operate in a way that will make Ogun State proud”.

   Adeniyi urged the contractors to work within the timeframe of the contract period.

   He added that the project was going to be very strategic to the future of customs operations in Nigeria.

   According to him, “As we try to get our process right, as we try to bring innovation, we now need outstanding infrastructural support to drive these operations.”

   The CGC said the service is going to be very strict with the contract period.

   “We are going to be very strict with the contract period. We cannot afford the airport to take off too far away before we start here. So we want some kind of development to be happening side by side. I believe that our presence here will add value to the airport just like we believe that the airport will also add value to us”.

   Adeniyi, who was in the company of the commissioner, project manager, as well as his management team, undertook a tour of the proposed customs project site and the agro cargo international airport under construction.

   Punch

The Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu who is currently the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States has convened another Extraordinary Summit of the Authority on the political situation in the Republic of Niger.

“The Summit will hold in Abuja, on Thursday, August 10, 2023,” a statement published on the website of the West African regional bloc said on Monday.

“The ECOWAS Leaders will be considering and discussing the political situation and recent developments in Niger during the Summit.”

The PUNCH reports that Niger’s military rulers announced Sunday that they had closed the country’s airspace, warning that any attempt to violate it would meet with an “energetic and immediate response.”

“Faced with the threat of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the preparation of neighbouring countries, Niger’s airspace is closed from this day on Sunday… for all aircraft until further notice,” the country’s new rulers said in a statement.

The announcement came as the deadline from the West African bloc ECOWAS for them to hand back power to the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum was due to expire.

ECOWAS last Sunday issued Niger’s new military rulers with an ultimatum to stand down within the week or face possible military intervention. Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 when members of his own guard detained him at the presidency.

Punch

1. Lawmakers are in a rowdy session over the screening of a ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo, SAN.

Keyamo, a former Minister of State for Labour and Employment under former President Muhammadu Buhari, appeared before the Senate to be screened and confirmed.

However, things didn’t go well as Darlington Nwokocha (LP Abia Central), moved a motion requesting the suspension of the screening of the nominee.

Nwokocha reminded Keyamo of how he insulted the lawmakers from both chambers during his tenure as a minister.

The motion was thereafter seconded by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (APGA Abia South). The lawmakers are currently in a closed-door session.

Details later…

Punch

The World Institute for Peace has urged the Federal Government not to grant amnesty to terrorists and bandits.

The advice came on the heels of a reported call for amnesty by bandit kingpins in North-Western states on Sunday.

Speaking at the International Peace Conference of the institute on Sunday, WIP Country Director, Lamina Omotoyosi, said instead of amnesty, the government should deploy more resources to flush terrorists and bandits out of the country.

He said, “If we want this country to grow, the government shouldn’t say people will talk if we do this. Government should close their eyes and do what is right.

“The government must say that this is right and should be done.

“Recently, I heard that one of the former governors of Zamfara pleaded for the government to give amnesty to bandits. There were also reports on Sunday that the bandit kingpins in North-West states are clamouring for amnesty. On what basis? For what purpose?

“There should be no amnesty granted to bandits. On what basis would the government give amnesty to bandits? I plead with the Federal Government not to amnesty bandits.

“The Government should use the military. The military is capable of facing any security threat. The criminals want amnesty because of the military onslaught. They bandits cannot be trusted. Military operations against terrorists should be well funded.”

Earlier, guest speaker, Ambassador Pradeep Sapkota, said the government must conquer hunger to truly address insecurity.

Punch

The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Benue State, Aondongu Saaku, says incessant attacks by killer herdsmen have led to a drastic reduction in irrigation farming in the state, despite support by the Federal Government.

Saaku said over 500 hectares of farmlands along riverine areas had been abandoned by farmers, over security concerns.

According to him, irrigation farming inputs supplied to farmers in Benue State by the Federal Government are now lying fallow.

The AFAN chairman, who spoke to journalists at the weekend, said, “Insecurity is the major bane of irrigation farming in Benue State because when you prepare the farmlands at the river banks the presence of armed herdsmen make it impossible for you to continue.

“Most of the communities around the river banks of River Benue are affected, beginning from the branch of River Katsina-Ala down to Logo area, from Ayilamo to Anyebe, where we are planning the irrigation farming because the land is good

“But because the vegetation is always green there, the herders that usually come in their numbers make use of these river banks to graze their cattle.

“So it becomes impossible and some people who actually struggled and farm around these river banks in the past lost their lives. So, since then,  farmers have been afraid to go to such areas.

“Over 500 hectares of farmland along the river banks have remained uncultivated as a result of insecurity.

“If you go to my office now some tools meant for irrigation farming that the Federal Government supplied us,  such as machines, fallow pumps and solar mobile irrigation pumps, are lying fallow. No farmer is ready to have them because of fear.”

Saaku appealed to the Federal Government for security at the river banks across the state to enable farmers to engage in irrigation farming.

Punch

Two hundred and sixty constituents drawn from Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency in Osun State trained in fish farming and aquaculture, have received a start-up grant of N100,000 each.

A statement obtained on Saturday in Osogbo indicated that the agric empowerment programme was sponsored by the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Lukman Mudashiru.

The participants, who received training in fish farming, preservation and marketing, were also promised additional N500,000 each after six months if the initial N100,000 take-off grant was used for the purpose it was meant for.

Addressing the participants during the training, Mudashiru, who said the intention was to make his constituents employers of labour, added that he would personally inspect farm of the each of the participants in another six months to ensure that they properly utilise the grant.

The statement, quoting Mudashiru further read, “After six months, I will personally inspect your farm. Once we see that you have a thriving fish farm, you will receive N500,000 additional grant to expand your business.

“Our target is to make many constituents employer of labour. It is our own way of fighting poverty using agriculture to create jobs and add value.”

Punch