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World Bank to construct 13.16km Lagos farm roads
Lagos State Government says its World Bank-assisted Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement, Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project will construct 13.16km Farm Access Roads (FARs) in four cluster areas. The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, said this on Thursday during the activities to commemorate the second year of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration. Olusanya noted that the four farm cluster areas were Igbodu in Epe, Araga also in Epe, Erinkorodo in Ikorodu, and Afowo in Badagry. She said the access roads when completed would ensure smooth movement to and fro the farms. Olusanya added that it would reduce losses encountered by egg farmers as a result of the bad road. The commissioner said it would also improve the productivity of the concerned farmers. She said the evaluation and engineering design for the four roads had since been finalised and construction would commence immediately.
“APPEALS Project is a World Bank-assisted project aimed at enhancing the productivity of small-scale farmers in the three identified value chains of poultry, aquaculture, and rice through capacity building, provision of infrastructure, and empowerment. “The project will be rehabilitating and constructing 13.16Km farm access roads already identified in four different clusters across the state. “The design of the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation for the four FARs is at final report stage. “The advertisement for potential contractors and subsequent implementation will be carried out once the work plan is approved by the governor,” she said. According to Olusanya, 1,621 regular beneficiaries under the Project’s Women and Youth Empowerment Programme (WYEP) has been trained in agribusiness management and other soft skills within the last two years. “Of the number, 462 have received “No Objections” on their Business Investment Plans and are presently implementing their projects. “Other beneficiaries will equally be supported before the end of the year, “ she said. Olusanya added that the APPEALS project had equally identified and verified 9,942 farmers and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, while 8,156 of them had received at least one form of training in relevant areas of agribusiness. She said this was with a view to enhancing their agricultural productivity and improving value addition. Olusanya noted that no fewer than 460 beneficiaries were sponsored for training, workshop, and conferences out of which 425 of them were farmers. “A cluster of fish farmers at Badagry have adopted the production of fish crackers and fish cakes. “Over 1,000 packs (696 Kg) of fish fillet and crackers had been produced and sold during the period under review. “Use of nets for the control of birds in rice farming had since been adopted by our farmers. “Over 100 rice farmers in Ganyingbo, Badagry is presently trying this technology with other agronomic practices learnt through the state collaboration with AfricaRice, IITA, Ibadan,” Olusanya said.
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Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has filed a fresh corruption charges against former Governor of Kano Abdullahi Ganduje.
The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Magaji disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday.
According to Magaji, investigations uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.
Magaji alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023, purportedly for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.
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He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.
“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg. As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3bn local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.
“We have filed a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1bn in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis, and it was taken away and sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4bn whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he said.
Recall that the state government has said it will arraign Ganduje, alongside his wife and son, for money laundering, later this week.
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
News
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to ignore the Yoruba nation agitators, who invaded the Oyo State government secretariat last week, describing them as attention seekers.
Speaking when he received in audience members of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, who paid him a courtesy visit at his lodge in Eko Hotels, Victoria Island in Lagos to inform him of the sixth annual Omoluwabi festival which holds on April 27- 28, 2024, in Ile Ife and the grand finale holding in Lagos at LTV 8 Blue roof on May 1, 2024, the monarch commended the president of Yoruba Council Aare Oladotun Hassan for promoting Yoruba culture and extolling the good virtues Yoruba are known for.
Oba Ogunwusi, however, advised Nigerians not to give the Yoruba nation agitators any attention.
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He said: “We should not give those people relevance, they are achieving their aims just to seek attention,we are having challenges here and there in the country, this administration is really trying her best.
“Under President Bola Tinubu, he is doing very well, he is doing exceptionally well, by trying to fix the economy,we should give him benefit of doubt and also to engage people, very important we should be engaging people to talk to others about success recorded by the government in power.
“For us, we will continue to uphold and support the government, to support the president to ensure everything he does is to our advantage not as a race, but to our advantage as a nation, irrespective of where you come from Yoruba land or anywhere.”
Speaking on the importance of organising the Omoluwabi day, the president of the organisation, Mr Hassan said the essence is to rekindle the fast dieing Yoruba morals and values and as well inculcate it into the youths.
He said: “Yoruba Council Worldwide is registered organisation with Corporate Affairs Commission with vocal point of promotion of Yoruba cradles Omoluwabi ethos, National development, ensuring due dividend of democracy.
“The organisation was established 18th March 1999,just celebrating the sixth edition of world omoluwabi day.
it is a unique day, every May 1 declared by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi and late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the late Alaafin of Oyo. We receive countless of support from all the monarcs in Yoruba land, and this to us is an engagement and conversation to rekindle that Omoluwabi ethos that is fast dying in our society.”
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
News
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment says it has begun disbursement of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to verified applicants after an exhaustive selection process.
The government, through the Bank of Industry, had said it would be disbursing three categories of funding totalling N200bn to support manufacturers and businesses across the country.
In a progress report posted on the trade minister’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Doris Aniete stated that an unspecified number of beneficiaries have received their grants, adding that by Friday, April 19, another significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants.
She said, “We are pleased to inform you that the disbursement process for the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme has officially commenced. Some beneficiaries have already received their grants, marking the beginning of our phased disbursement strategy.”
“By Friday, 19th April 2024, a significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants. It is essential to understand that disbursements are ongoing, and not all applicants will receive their grants on this initial date. However, rest assured that all verified applicants will eventually receive their grants in subsequent phases.”
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This is coming more than eight months after President Bola Tinubu announced the grant for manufacturers and small businesses and two weeks after applicants were directed to submit their National Identification Numbers as part of the requirements to obtain the grant earmarked to cushion the effect that recent economic reforms have had on businesses in the country.
In the address, the president said he was determined to strengthen the manufacturing sector, increase its capacity to expand, and create good-paying jobs.
“We are going to spend N75bn between July 2023 and March 2024. Our objective is to fund 75 enterprises with great potential to kick-start sustainable economic growth, accelerate structural transformation, and improve productivity.
‘’Each of the 75 manufacturing enterprises will be able to access N1bn credit at 9 per cent per annum with a maximum of 60 months repayment for long-term loans and 12 months for working capital,” Tinubu said.
The programme, riddled with multiple delays and a complex registration process, had received several criticisms from prospective beneficiaries.
The President of the Association of Small Business Owners, Femi Egbesola, had decried the slow pace of data collation by the supervising agencies, alleging that genuine businesses were being deliberately discouraged from accessing the loans.
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
Troops kill ISWAP Commanders, 30 other terrorists
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
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