Many killed, houses, vehicles destroyed in Delta petrol tanker explosion 

Many people were feared dead as a petrol tanker exploded Sunday afternoon on a highway in Delta State.

The accident occurring on Asaba-Lagos Road in the Agbor Ika South Local Government Area caused huge damage to houses and vehicles trapped in the inferno.

The explosion was reported to have happened when the petrol tanker was navigating a turn near First Bank in Agbor and overturned.

Firemen from both Delta state and federal authorities were mobilised to the scene, according to the director of the state fire service, Eugene Oziwele.

Oziwele also confirmed that the casualties were high, adding firemen from Asaba joined those in Agbor with others from the Federal Fire Service to put out the raging fire.

Farmer-herder crisis: Cooperative to establish ranches in 774 LGs

The National Agricultural Mechanisation Cooperative of Nigeria (NAMCON) has disclosed plans to establish cattle ranches in the 774 local governments across Nigeria.

According to the National President of the cooperative, NAMCON, Dr Aliyu Waziri, the move is part of sustained efforts to modernise livestock production in the country, bolster value-addition and address the persistent clashes between farmers and herders.

He spoke with journalists in Kaduna adding that the ranches would be provided with adequate animal feeds, mega dams and an array of features of world-class equipment, thereby ensuring herders and their livestock have no cause to migrate in search of water and food.

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He said the ranches would be adequately equipped with clinics, western and Islamic schools and other necessary infrastructure.

Waziri said, “These ranches will be fully equipped for both rainy and dry season farming activities for the sustained production of food as this is very crucial to boosting food security, jobs creation, poverty eradication and jerking off Nigeria’s foreign reserves.”

The ranches, he said, would also have plantations of various economic trees like mango, guava and cashew.

He said, “The gesture will also greatly help in combating the recurring herder-farmer clashes in the country.”

Waziri maintained that the goal of the cooperative was to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector through mechanization and empowerment programs.

He recalled that in November 2021, NAMCON empowered 15 million farmers, especially women and young people, on farm mechanisation.

He then urged the government to explore the agricultural sector’s hidden potential to address unemployment and food security.

Farmer-herder crisis: Cooperative to establish ranches in 774 LGs

Again, Northern elders ask FG to suspend tax reform bills

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has again raised concerns over the Federal Government’s proposed Tax Reform Bills, urging immediate suspension of the implementation and calling for extensive dialogue with stakeholders.

The forum criticized the government for failing to engage critical stakeholders and experts before drafting the reforms.

NEF expressed its position in a statement on Saturday signed by its Chairman of Management Board, Al-Amin Daggash, highlighting the reforms’ potential adverse effects on Northern Nigeria and the nation as a whole.

Daggash said: “Once again, it is necessary to reiterate, that indeed, Nigerians in general and Northerners in particular, are not really against the introduction of any form of good and meaningful reforms by those in positions of authority, at the federal, state or local government levels.

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“Even though, we shall remain very implacable in reaffirming that, our practical experiences teach us, that, going by global best practices, successful reforms are known to be underpinned by strict adherence to certain common cardinal characteristics of the public policy-making process.

“For convenience of exposition, these similarities include, but, not limited to the under listed basic essentials: Extensive pre-reforms early engagements with experts and critical stakeholders, in order to secure their buy-in

“Establishing a very well-defined media/communication strategy, that clearly articulates the full import of the reforms and disseminates public awareness and mass enlightenment on a nationwide scale.

“Designing a robust, transparent and inclusive implementation mechanism. Pro-actively putting in place a well-sequenced process, in order to ensure that the meticulously planned reforms, really meet the society’s desired and anticipated outcomes.

“The Northern Elders’ Forum make bold to say that the recently proposed Tax Reform Bills by the Federal Government, were clearly in the breach, with regards to adhering to the above listed common characteristics of reforms and public policy-making process, all over the world and in conformity with the global best practices.”

Again, Northern elders ask FG to suspend tax reform bills