News
Hardship: NEMA hands over food items to Borno Govt
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has handed over 37,000 bags of assorted food commodities apprived by the federal government to the Borno Government.
The Director-General of NEMA, Malam Zubaida Umar, represented by the Borno NEMA Zonal officer, Muhammad Aji, handed over the items to the state government in Maiduguri on Monday.
Umar said that President Bola Tinubu approved the release of 42,000MT of assorted food for distribution to vulnerable households, groups and associations in order to cushion the current socio-economic hardship in the state.
She added that as a strategic reserve under the custody of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMoA&FS), the assorted food commodities include maize, millet, sorghum, and garri.
She added that Borno state has been allocated 594 metric tonnes of Maize, 252 metric tonnes of Millet and 9,972 metric tonnes of sorghum (bags of 50kg).
Responding, Gov. Babagana Zulum, commended the federal government for the gesture and promised to distribute the commodities given to the state judiciously.
“I want to acknowledge the 37 bags of 50kg assorted grains received by the Federal government under President Tinubu.
”On behalf of the most vulnerable population of Borno, I wish to appreciate the Federal government for its continued support towards the vulnerable population.
“I want to assure Mr President, the Minister of Agriculture and NEMA that the food will be distributed to the most vulnerable population and no diversion will be found.
Zulum also commended the Federal government for all the other support that it has been rendering to the state noting that apart from food items, it has been receiving support to strengthen the resilience of the displaced populations.(NAN)
Another explosion occurred at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa area of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday.
This incident follows a similar explosion that shook the Trans Niger Pipeline, operated by Shell, in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area just hours earlier.
The latest explosion reportedly took place at a manifold connected to a federal pipeline deep within the forest, which transports crude oil to Brass in Bayelsa State.
While the explosion has not yet been officially confirmed, community sources reported seeing massive flames and thick smoke rising from the oil installation in the forest.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, stated that she would investigate the incident but had not provided a response at the time of this report.
A video obtained by our correspondent displays a large fire burning in a remote location.
In a separate development, Ijaw youths blocked the Ahoada section of the East-West Road leading to Bayelsa State on Tuesday in protest.
The demonstrators, numbering over 100, carried placards in solidarity with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid his political dispute with the state House of Assembly. Some of the placards read: “We demand Wike’s dismissal as FCT Minister” and “Martin Amaewhule and 26 lawmakers have defected and lost their seats.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the four tax reform bills transmitted to the National Assembly in October 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that the House had on Thursday last week, considered and approved the report of the House Committee on Finance which made some recommendations, particularly in controversial areas such as the Value Added Tax and inheritance tax.
While awaiting the Senate to similarly pass the bills, the proposed reforms are expected to be transmitted to the President for his assent in the days ahead.
Details shortly…
Two members of the house of representatives have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, announced the defections in a letter read on the floor of the lower legislative chamber on Tuesday.
More to follow…