1. I am glad to welcome everyone joining us for this brief ceremony where the State’s “Dig Once” policy will be signed to become an official policy of government to regulate and direct the laying and installation of underground broadband technology infrastructure for individual and enterprise use in our urban and semi-urban communities.
2. This policy is expected to guide technology companies, construction outfits, and all other entities whose activities and business model involve excavation, laying of cables and the installation of underground utilities infrastructure and technology assets.
3. The Dig Once Policy will be our most effective tool of coordinating all excavation and trenching projects along utility corridors in ways that avoid duplication of efforts and also protect our road infrastructure from unintended consequences. Through the erection of underground ducts, service providers can seamlessly deploy their service infrastructure at reduced costs in finances and time.
4. Additionally, the Dig Once Policy will bring about drastic reduction in the needless losses arising from the destruction of underground cables and other infrastructure types in the course of construction projects, and the subsequent disruption in internet services.
5. The policy we have just signed is the product of strategic inter-ministerial collaboration directed by my office with the active involvement of the State’s Ministries of Digital Economy and SMEs, Science and Technology and Works. I want to specially thank the commissioners and their teams for the hard work and sacrifices to get this across the finish line in good time.
6. In very practical terms, the signing of this policy signals our firm commitment to tap into the endless opportunities and promises of the world of high-speed internet and telecommunications services.
7. Our focus is to make high speed internet widely accessible to individuals and businesses in ways that support the adoption of smart enterprise initiatives, improved innovation and expanded access to global markets, and the opportunities that have supercharged the prosperity of many communities and nations across the world.
8. Our target is the young people who are actively migrating to the digital space in pursuit of new opportunities. This policy will give them wings to fly as high-speed internet services become commonplace in all parts of the State.
9. Whether they are setting up their independent ventures, working remotely for firms in diverse parts of the world, selling their products or buying from virtual shops in other places, the aim is to offer them the backbone they need to live their dreams.
10. The Dig Once policy is therefore looking beyond just laying of underground cables and pipes. The goal is more far-reaching as we hope to drive job creation for our young people through this policy, fight poverty and make life better for everyone, no matter where they live.
11. Not much will be achieved in this regard without the active support of all stakeholders and these include telecom and utility companies, construction firms and individuals who may need to excavate along our utility corridors.
12. You are required to interface with the relevant agencies to ensure that you are not in breach of the provisions of this policy. Having reviewed the general framework and specific guidelines contained in this policy, I can say without equivocation that it is in the best interest of every party to take advantage of the structure we have already put in place which are in line with global best practices.
13. Thank you for listening and welcome to the dawn of a new era.
No Nigerian can visit Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC), see investments of more than $8 billion rotting in the African sun, and not cry. I went there, I cried. What exactly is the problem? I have written several articles on this topic, but today, let me write a comprehensive post.
Ajaokuta Steel Company is massive; she has a 68km road network and 24 housing estates on the project. Some estates have over 1,000 homes, a seaport, and a 110mw power generation plant; there are 43 separate plants in Ajaokuta alone. It is estimated that if Ajaokuta becomes operational, it will create 500,000 jobs.
There is no industrialised nation on earth that does not have a steel sector. It’s that simple. A Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) report shows that Nigeria currently imports steel, aluminium products, and associated derivatives of approximately 25 metric tonnes per annum, estimated at $4.5 billion. This figure will continue to rise, and the Nigerian economy will continue to expand. Ajaokuta is an integrated steel company; it was designed by the Russians to be self-sufficient, get all its input from Nigeria, and make steel. Ajaokuta’s strength is its weakness; Ajaokuta can only work with all available inputs.
This will be a slightly technical post, but please try and follow.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, amongst other things; iron is the base metal in steel, and to make steel, you need Iron Ore, Coke from Coal, and Limestone as the main components. These components are mixed in a blast furnace to produce liquid steel, which can be long steel for rail lines, flat steel for automobile making, etc.
For example, look at steel as making jollof rice, iron ore as the rice, limestone and coke as the pepper and salt, and the pot as the blast furnace. The blast furnace is ONLY turned on at a steel plane when the company is ready to make steel. Blast furnaces operate continuously and are never shut down. The raw material fed into the furnace is divided into several small charges introduced at 10 to 15-minute intervals. This means everything must be in place BEFORE the blast furnace is turned on: the iron ore, the coal, the limestone, everything; why? You do not switch off a blast furnace for another ten years, no matter how long it’s campaign life.
Nigeria is blessed with all the primary raw materials needed to produce steel, including iron ore in Kogi, coal, and limestone in Enugu.
Nigerian iron has a deficient iron concentration. Agbaja has the largest iron ore deposit in Nigeria, with about 2 billion tonnes, but the Agbaja iron ore has a high phosphate content. Phosphate can cause brittleness in steel, making it fracture. Thus, Agbaja was abandoned for Itakpe. Itakpe iron ore has no issues with phosphate but has low iron content; therefore, to make steel with Nigeria iron ore, a process called “beneficiation” has to be done to process the Itakpe ores to raise its iron content to meet the required standard for steel production.
Coal? Most of the coal found in Nigeria is non-coking and, thus, unsuitable for steel production. Coal deposits in Enugu have no impurities but are non-coking. The good news? Nigeria has an abundant deposit of limestone, and we have natural gas to provide power
So, back to Ajaokuta, what happened? Why can Nigeria not make steel anytime soon? Let’s link up the elements.
Policy Failure: The Ajaokuta contract was signed between the Nigerian government and the Soviet state-owned company, Tiajpromexport (TPE), and the company was scheduled for completion in 1986. In 2012, the Federal Government launched its backward integration policy. Going forward, import licenses for steel products were only granted to companies producing steel locally. TPE, to ensure they could import steel parts for Ajaokuta, went ahead and built the rolling mills in Ajaokuta before the actual steel plant was completed; they imported billet from Ukraine to accomplish this. Thus, Ajaokuta was producing steel before the actual steel plant was started. Therefore, amazingly, Ajaokuta has functional rolling mills but no operational blast furnace; Ajaokuta cannot produce steel from primary iron ore found in Nigeria in her blast furnace.…this is the definition of the cart before the horse.
NIOMCO Factor: The iron ore in Nigeria, earmarked for Ajaokuta, is from Itakpe; it has low iron content. Thus, the FG built the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), a 2.15 metric tonnes beneficiation plant designed to process the low-quality iron ore from Itakpe to iron ore suitable for Ajaokuta Steel. If NIOMCO does not operate, Ajaokuta CANNOT operate (unless Ajaokuta uses imported iron ore). As of today, NIOMCO is not operational.
Railway: 15 million tonnes of iron ore cannot be moved by road, which will destroy the roads. Thus, a railway was built from Itakpe to Ajaokuta to take iron ore from the beneficiation plant in Itakpe to the Ajaokuta. Itakpe to Ajaokuta by rail is just 52km. The rail line was to be delivered by March 2019. Still, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, revised the delivery date to June 2018 and converted the purely commercial railway to carry human passengers. These changes meant the cost of the project and delivery dates had to change as passenger wagons and train stations had to be built. To achieve this, 12 new passenger stations and 12 access roads must be designed and built. The Itakpe to Ajaokuta (IA) has two stations. As of June 2018, the IA1 station – Eganyi to Itakpe, is still under design. Station AW1 – Ajaokuta (standard station), zero per cent of work done. Thus, the railways are not functional.
Blast Furnace: The furnace in Ajaokuta is the heart of Ajaokuta; it is the pot where the jollof rice will be cooked; however, it has never been turned on; why? Because there has never been any time Ajaokuta has had raw materials available to ensure continuous day-to-day production for five years. Why have there never been materials? Because there is no railway to take iron ore from Itakpe to Ajaokuta. Why is there no railway from Itakpe to Ajaokuta? Because NIOMCO in Itakpe is moribund and not functional, Nigerian iron ore cannot be converted to high-grade ore for the furnace in Ajaokuta.
So, it follows that for Ajaokuta to work, we MUST have three key critical paths:
NIOMCO must be functional
The Itakpe to Ajaokuta Railway line must be functional
Blast Furnace operational
All three are not functional, so Nigeria cannot make steel in Ajaokuta. Nothing, however, stops a corrupt government official from importing billets and running them in the rolling mills to deceive taxpayers. So, when anyone tells you Ajaokuta will soon work, ask them if a steel plant can work without NIOMCO, railways, and a blast furnace.
All is not gloom; Kayode Fayemi, as Minister, secured an out-of-court about Ajaokuta, and we must build on this.
In closing, Ajaokuta is the only steel plant in the world built by the USSR, sold to Americans, then to Indians; all these teams have come and gone with their technical style; there have even been accusations of asset stripping by the Indians.
So why this post? Because I am a patriot, I will not sit by and watch scarce resources be wasted in a grand deceit. Some corrupt folks have probably told Mr President that Ajaokuta can produce economically viable steel if “small” dollars are spent. You can already see how the critical rail line delivery dates were moved back to ensure it was done in time for the 2019 elections, yet it is still in the design stage. Ajaokuta is Nigeria and probably Africa’s biggest failure. It has failed. Can it be made to work? Yes, but the cost of integrating Ajaokuta with her mines and rails can be used to build new, smaller, modern, turnkey, functional steel mills. The government should get out of Ajaokuta, sell the place and allow the private sector capital and expertise to restructure and own it.
If you want to make jollof rice and there is no rice, the solution is not to keep boiling water without rice but to go and get rice.
The naira made a remarkable comeback against the US dollar at the official foreign exchange market this week, giving traders and businesses a reason to smile.
According to data from the Financial Markets Dealers Quotations (FMDQ), the naira’s value jumped to N1,390.96 per dollar on Tuesday, a significant improvement from N1,419.11 on Monday. That’s a whopping N28.15 gain, or a 1.98 percent increase, making it the first time the naira has appreciated in days.
This sudden boost in the naira’s value is a welcome change for many who have been keeping an eye on the foreign exchange market. It also reflects a positive shift after a week of consistent depreciation against the dollar.
However, while the official forex market saw a gain, the parallel market painted a different picture. The naira took a hit, dropping to N1,360 per dollar on Tuesday, down from N1,280 the previous day. It’s a reminder that the forex market can be as unpredictable as a game of chess, with unexpected moves and turns.
Whether this upward trend for the naira at the official forex market will continue remains to be seen. In the meantime, let’s enjoy this victory for the naira while keeping an eye on what the future holds for the parallel market.
As acute petrol supply challenges enter its second week, independent marketers have explained that issues that led to the scarcity of the product would take another two weeks to be fully resolved.
Checks around Abuja on Sunday showed that most stations were out of stock with very few major marketers dispensing the product in Abuja city centre. At the suburbs, the few stations opened to motorists jacked up their pump price from N680 per litre to N870 per litre.
Speaking to Vanguard on the situation, the Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike said the product was not available in-country.
Chief Ukadike blamed the acute shortage in supply of importation bottlenecks and the slow pace of marketers licence renewal by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA.
He disclosed that only 1,050 marketers out of 15,000 have had their licences renewed by the NMDPRA.
He said: “The situation is that there is no product. Once there is lack of supply or inadequate supply, what you will see is scarcity and queues will emerge at filling stations. On the part of NNPCL, which is the sole supplier of petroleum products in Nigeria, they have attributed the challenge to logistics and vessel problems.
“Once there is breech in the international supply chain, it will have an impact of domestic supply because we depend on import. I also have it good authority that most of the refineries in Europe are undergoing turn around maintenance. So sourcing of petroleum products has become a bit difficult.
“NNPC Group CEO has assured us that there will be improvement in the supply chain because their vessels are arriving. Once that is done, normalcy will return. This is because once the 30 days supply sufficiency distrusted, it takes two to three months to restore it. We expect that by next week or so, NNPC should be able to restore supply and with another one week, normalcy should return”.
The challenges faced by marketers in renewing their licences, he said: “NNPC has said the marketers who have not been able to renew their licences will not be allowed to remain on their portal which has been shut for sometime now. Because of this we have not been able to request for new products.
“At this nascent period of deregulation, you will discover that this leads to scarcity even when the product arrives. As it is now, even by their own data, out of 15,000 marketers that are on the portal with licences, only 1,050 renewed their licences. And the requirement for renewal by NMDPRA is so much. Marketers are facing hostile environment. NNPC placed a deadline of April 15, 2024, for marketers to renew their licences.
“We are therefore appealing to NNPC extend this deadline and also to NMDPRA to hasten the release of marketers licences who have completed their processes, and also reduce the bottlenecks around licence renewals”.
The outgoing Commissioner of Police (CP) in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, has said he is now going fully into business and he is ready to give Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, a run for his money.
Adeoye stated this on Saturday during his ceremonial pull out parade from the Nigeria Police Force at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, Anambra State capital.
According to him, he had been at various police units and formations in Anambra State and performed very well, noting that during those years, he served many police commissioners who recorded outstanding performances.
He said that his long service to the state before becoming a commissioner made him a better commissioner, who was prepared for the position.
He also stated that he had been to various dangerous places without a scare to the glory of God.
“I have been through militancy in Niger Delta, Boko Haram in North-east, fought IPOB militancy in the South East, and I’m glad that I’m alive today. Despite face-to-face gunfire and bombs we encountered, to the glory of God I did not have any scare on me.
“The opportunity of being made Commission of Police in Anambra State was the crowning glory of my career in the police. I came in prepared as the CP of the State,” he said.
Adeoye, while commending the Nigeria Police and Nigerians said he had also prepared himself for retirement days.
“I thank NPF for the opportunity to serve and Nigeria for investing in me through training at home and abroad. I have been privileged to be trained in Ghana, England, Israel, California and more.
“I have served abroad in the United Nations, and this career gave me opportunities for self-development, and these have prepared me for retirement. It’s been a unique privilege serving Anambra.
“I’m proud of my men at Anambra State Police Command. You are gallant, heroic and never giving up. We didn’t achieve anything through individual efforts but with other sister agencies,” he stated.
He said that he founded Alpha Trust Investment Club (ATIC) Limited in 2018 and they started it with a modest sum of N54 million, but the investment was now worth over N20 billion.
He said the club currently has investments worth over 20 Billion, and that as he retired, he would go into business full time, ready to give Dangote a run for his money.
“That will be my full-time business from Wednesday, May 1, when I fully disengage. We have been investing and now we want to go into full-time business and we will in the next 10 years give Dangote a run for his money,” Adeoye said.
He also described Anambra State as a good place with good people, saying that he cannot say any evil against the state and the people.
Earlier, the Anambra State Governor, represented by Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim, praised Adeoye for his efforts in helping Soludo fight insecurity in the state.
He said: “There’s a time to start and a time to begin and a time to end everything. We knew today would come. The CP came to Anambra and has played his role meritoriously. He came when Soludo was tackling insecurity and people were in the bush fighting lawful citizens.
“Adeoye came in at the same time with his own style and dedication, sincerity of purpose and doggedness and within a short space, Anambra is now calm.
It is not over until it is over and the fight is still sustained.
“If it were in our hands, we would say let this goodman continue because we are happy with his works. A street has been named after him and many awards too. I’m happy to proclaim that you are now a citizen of Anambra. We wish you well in your future endeavours.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has described the recent attack that resulted in the death of four natives in Nimbo as unacceptable to his administration, vowing that enough is enough, as government would track down and bring the attackers to book.
He described the attack as a collective tragedy to the entire state, assuring that the government would work with community and security stakeholders to strengthen security not only in Nimbo, but also the entire Uzo Uwani LGA.
This was even as the Nimbo community called for the strengthening of its Forest Guards and Neigbourhood Watch, stressing that their attackers always came from neighbouring states, taking advantage of the remoteness of their community.
An enraged Mbah spoke during a visit to Nimbo community on Monday, accompanied by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu; State Director, State Security Services, Theresa Egbunu; Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier General Murtala Abu; and Coordinator of Enugu State Forest Guards, Matthew Obodoechi.
He said: “Let me assure you that enough is enough. I don’t think that we would allow our hospitality to be taken for granted. We expect people, who have come to mingle with us, to also play by the rules and laws of our land.
“I don’t think that we really do have any reason to exist as government if we cannot guarantee the safety of our people because the primary purpose of government is to guarantee the security and the welfare of its citizens. So, a situation where our people would go to bed with their two eyes open must end. And it must end immediately.
“I want to assure you that we are going to deploy everything within our powers; and I mean everything: the law, the forces, everything that is necessary in order for us to guarantee your security.
“We are truly pained by such dastardly killing by people who trespass, come into the locality of our people, who are living quietly within their environment, and open fire on them. That is inexcusable and unacceptable, and we are going to identify, track these culprits, pursue them wherever they are, capture them, and ensure that we bring them to justice.”
Governor Mbah, who had earlier visited and condoled each of the bereaved families before holding an interactive session with the community leaders and members, promised to work on their recommendations and requests for representation in government and strengthening of their local security resources.
“We have listened to you on the issues you raised about making sure that the people of Nimbo are integrated into government. We are going to do just that. Your voice has been heard.
“I also would want to inform you that we shall not abandon you in this time of need. Going forward, the government will be responsible for the victims who are being treated, including those going back to the orthopaedic hospital. We will bear the cost.
“All the survivors of victims of this dastardly act, we are going to ensure that their suffering is abated. We are going to make sure that the kids do not suffer anymore than they have already suffered by losing a father. We will ensure that they go to school through our scholarships and those who need job, we are going to give them job.
“But more importantly, let it be known that enough is enough, and we will never have to go through this again,” Mbah said.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the community earlier, the President-General of Nimbo, Mr. Clement Akachukwu, said their attackers had preyed on their community for decades due to the remoteness of Nimbo.
While thanking Governor Mbah for his prompt response, he called on the government to strengthen Nimbo Neighbourhood Watch and Forest Guards to complement the security agencies. He called for the inclusion of the community in government appointments, as they had no voice in government.
“You can see for yourself that Nimbo is living at the outskirt of Enugu State. We live directly in the border area, and they come in any time and kill and go back.
“It has repeated itself again and now, not only one person, but four were killed. About two months ago, they kidnapped a number of people, but they were rescued, although the kidnappers escaped. It has been like this for years, even before I was born.
“So, we only need one thing. We have community vigilantes. If only they can be strengthened and if more can be brought and paid well to do the work because we need 24-hour vigilance here. These attackers know all the routes in the villages and bushes so well. We need our local vigilantes to be strengthened because they can match them. The width and length of our farmlands are so massive” Akachukwu stated.
The Political Leaders , Governors, in South East are shameless. They have allowed the Region to degenerate economically, politically and morally. The economic inequality in the south east has widened to the extent that political offices have become most lucrative.
These Governors have deliberately locked all the economic opportunities that would make the young ones independent.
Truth be told , Nigeria Constitution favors central government but it is expected that south east Governors will think outside the boxes in providing Good Governance for a people who have lost confidence in anything Government.
Keke Tricycle has become another viable slave business for the unemployed and under-employed youths in south east. Many people whose businesses suffered setbacks had to seek refuge in tricycle transportation business because of its quick return on investment
.The reason is obvious: Banks including microfinance have seen tricycle operations as a cashcow that has higher and quick return on investment because of available market.
Few days ago , i was on the street to buy some food items . I was held in a serious traffic jam- the entire road was blocked by keke Tricycle. That was when i realized that the number of Keke Tricycle on the road has increased in geometric proportion.
I have previously concluded that any city with higher number of Keke Tricycle is sending one signal – that employment opportunities are limited. Again , because of quick return on investment, financial institutions can always make money available on hire purchase basis.
The experience i had that night in traffic jam made me to start asking questions; how much is keke Tricycle that most young people can afford to buy one in order to join the business of the moment . I was informed that Keke Tricycle is N2,700,000 ( Two million seven hundred thousand naira) . I was dumbfounded! I could not believe myself that people could cough out more than N2million to buy Keke Tricycle. I was further reminded by Keke Operator that microfinance banks give out Keke Tricycle at hire purchase for N3,800,000 with proper documentation and surety.
It is obvious that access to capital is the only reason why our roads in the south east have been taken over by keke tricycle operations. Again, quick return on investment is the factor that encourages lending .
In Anambra State for instance, Government is enjoying the windfall from keke Tricycle operations. Each keke tricycle operator has a unique tax code and is required to pay N15,000 per month amounting to N180,000 per year. After several months of agitation, Soludo Administration brought it down to N8,000 per month ,N96,000 per year . A Keke Operator told me that there are more than 2000 registered keke Tricycle operating in Awka town alone . Do your mathematics!
But , i am worried ! In 21st century, things are done differently. Government determines the direction of economic activities. Agriculture is known to be the highest employer of labour and to solve the problem of food shortage, Government organizes the value chain in food production from the starting point to selling point. Once the value chain is organized and investors can be assured of their investment,the sector will become attractive and viable like Keke Tricycle operations. This is the role of Government. Unfortunately, South East Governors are not providing this needed Leadership. Prof Chukwuma Soludo was a former CBN Governor that should attract special Agricultural intervention.Sadly, i have not seen such intervention neither have i seen any farm settlement developed by the State Government. This is Leadership failure and people have no choice than to operate without Government initiatives .
Ndubuisi Anaenugwu is the Ambassador General of Good Governance Ministry (GGM)
…. congratulates Abia Governor, Otti’s transparency in governance
Pro-Biafran group, Biafra De Facto Customary Government (BDFCG) has strongly condemned what it termey “lackluster approach” of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, towards addressing the pressing electricity concerns in Anambra state.
The group said despite glaring need for decisive action, the Soludo’s leadership has faltered, leaving Anambra people in the dark.
Giving the verdict in a statement issued by BDFCG Spokesperson, Prosper Odinga, the group said Governor Soludo’s actions have unfortunately not aligned with the best interests of Ndigbo.
It said upon the enormous support he received during his election as the Governor of the State, he has continued to neglect the welfare of the people.
“Last year, Gov Soludo signed an MOU with EEDC regarding 24-hour electricity—a move the Biafra De Facto Customary Government denounced. Today, there is no sign to indicate that he understands the importance of transitioning electricity regulation from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. He has been closely associated with the owners of EEDC, stifling all business initiatives in Anambra State”.
BDFCG said it initially believed that Soludo would represent the political face of Biafraland due to his distinguished tenure in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and his expertise as a first-class economist, but regretted that the Governor’s recent actions have revealed shortcomings in his leadership abilities, urging all Biafrans to prepare for a day of reckoning.
In light of recent developments, the group congratulated Governor Alex Otti of Abia state for his commitment to transparency and accountability in governance, adding that audit of the state account of the previous administration has unveiled the extent of corruption perpetrated by the former Governors, urging the Governor to uphold the principles of justice and integrity by making the audit findings available to the public.
“It is evident that these individuals are nothing but common criminals who must be held accountable for their actions”.
The statement reads in full:
The Biafra De Facto Customary Government (BDFCG) strongly condemns the lackluster approach of Prof Chukwuma Soludo towards addressing the pressing electricity concerns in Anambra state. Despite the glaring need for decisive action, Prof Soludo’s leadership has faltered, leaving our people in the dark.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s actions have unfortunately not aligned with the best interests of Ndigbo. Upon the enormous support he received during his election as the Governor of the State, he has continued to neglect the welfare of the people. Last year, Gov Soludo signed an MOU with EEDC regarding 24-hour electricity—a move the Biafra De Facto Customary Government denounced. Today, there is no sign to indicate that he understands the importance of transitioning electricity regulation from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. He has been closely associated with the owners of EEDC, stifling all business initiatives in Anambra State. The BDFCG initially believed that Soludo would represent the political face of Biafraland due to his distinguished tenure in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and his expertise as a first-class economist. However, his recent actions have revealed shortcomings in his leadership abilities. The BDFCG urges all Biafrans to prepare for a day of reckoning.
In light of recent developments, the BDFCG extends heartfelt congratulations to Governor Alex Otti of Abia state for his commitment to transparency and accountability in governance. The audit of the State account of the previous administration has unveiled the extent of corruption perpetrated by the former Governors. It is evident that these individuals are nothing but common criminals who must be held accountable for their actions. We urge Alex Otti to uphold the principles of justice and integrity by making the audit findings available to the public.
Furthermore, the Biafra De Facto Customary Government commends Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state for his swift establishment of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission within a remarkably short period. The transfer of regulatory power from NERC to ESERC signifies a pivotal step towards ending the reign of the oppressive monopolist known as EEDC. The days of exploitation and impunity under EEDC’s control must come to an end, and we stand in solidarity with Governor Mbah’s efforts to ensure a fair and equitable electricity distribution system in Enugu State.
It is imperative to recognize electricity as a fundamental public good that demands government intervention and investment. The BDFCG firmly believes that achieving 24-hour electricity supply at affordable rates is essential for the industrialization and prosperity of Biafraland. We call upon progressive governors in our region to join hands with us in reclaiming control of our land and its vast resources.
We emphasize that stable electricity cannot be guaranteed as long as decisions regarding oil and gas exploration and production remain in the hands of authorities in Abuja. True autonomy and self-determination are prerequisites for achieving our vision of a prosperous and self-sufficient Biafraland.
The Biafra De Facto Customary Government remains resolute in its commitment to championing the interests of our people and advancing our collective aspirations for a brighter future.
Tragedy struck at BrickHall Schools located in the Cadastral Zone B11, Kaura in Abuja, on Wednesday, when a four-year-old pupil, Miguel Ovoke, died during the school’s feeding hours.
According to the death certificate dated April 24, 2024, issued by Excel Specialist Hospital, Abuja, which was sighted by our correspondent, Ovoke was brought to the hospital by his teachers around 11 am in an unconscious state.
The medical report, signed by Dr. Akinwande Ajayi, on behalf of the medical director, indicated that he was brought in, “on account of aspiration on meat while feeding at school.”
The hospital said upon examination, the medical team found that the boy’s pupils were fixed and dilated, with a nonreactive response to light.
His peripheral pulses were said to be “impalpable, blood pressure was unrecordable, and there was no cardiopulmonary activity or respiratory excursions,” the report indicated, noting that all the efforts of the medical team to resuscitate the boy failed.
The report concluded that he was “Brought in Dead.”
The parents of the deceased, suspecting foul play, had contacted a lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, to handle the case on their behalf.
Adeyanju confirmed the development to our correspondent on Thursday.
“We are writing a petition to the state Commissioner of Police on the matter,” the lawyer said.
Miguel Ovoke was said to have been dropped off at school in the morning, only for his mother to receive a call from her husband, said to be currently in Aba for a business transaction, informing her that Miguel’s school had called him to come, according to Adeyanju.
“So the wife quickly rushed to the school, only to find out that Miguel was dead. The school claimed that he had experienced a seizure and died, but she was told by other pupils who saw him dead in the toilet that they had informed the teachers he was having a seizure. However, the teachers told the four-year-old boy to go and ‘sneeze it out’ in the toilet, where he died.
“When the mother requested the CCTV footage, they refused to provide it. However, with the intervention of the Garki DPO, they claimed the CCTV footage had crashed. Only today’s footage crashed, while other CCTVs were working. The footage to show what happened to Miguel is not there, which clearly implies they have wiped it. They even blamed the mother for reporting to the police. As of now, they have failed to report the matter to the police,”.
Attempts to get the reaction of the school authorities as of the time of filing this report yielded no fruit as it had yet to respond to an email sent to its known email address.
Our correspondent also called and sent messages to the Head of School, Gloria Ijezie, to get the school’s reaction. However, these efforts proved abortive as the calls to her line were redirected and the messages sent to her as of press time remained unanswered.
The FCT Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said the police had begun an investigation into the matter.
“The incident was reported today, April 25, 2024, at the Wuye Divisional Police headquarters. An investigation has commenced and the outcome will be communicated soon.”
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gas 360, Emmanuel Uwandu on Friday revealed that over 98,000 Nigerian women die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal.
Uwandu added that about 21,000 women die annually from the usage in the Niger Delta.
He stated this in his keynote presentation during the 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquified Petroleum Gas Depot Project ceremony organised by Windek Energy Limited held at Atabrikang Aquaha Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He revealed further that cooking with firewood and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes, noting that such is what Nigerian women go through on a daily basis.
Uwandu said, “Cooking with firewood, and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes For an average smoker that is too much, that is what women in Nigeria have to deal with daily.
“In Nigeria 98, 000 women die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal and across the 774 local governments that translates to about 2,700 deaths annually.
“In Niger Delta alone 21, 000 women die from the use of firewood and charcoal. If we bring that home to Akwa Ibom State 31 Local governments 75 women die every year from the use of firewood and charcoal”.
While noting that cooking with ‘dirty’ fuel is the highest killer, the MD lamented that attention is given to malaria and HIV Aids while nobody is talking about dirty fuel.
“Today, in Nigeria, cooking with dirty fuel is the highest killer of Nigerians but for some reason malaria and HIV get the attention, and nobody talks about cooking with dirty fuel. Globally, 4.6bn dollars was provided to fight against malaria and HIV for Nigeria but clean cooking receives less than 200 million dollars, we have to do more” He stated.
He called on Nigerian governments both at the national and sub-national levels to unlock global opportunities for clean cooking adding that what the global committee wants is to “see clean action plans on policy and support for the government to transform their communities from dirty fuel to clean cooking.”
