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Stakeholders commend Tinubu, NDDC for prioritising Niger Delta development
Some Stakeholders in the Niger Delta have commended President Bola Tinubu and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for giving priority attention to the region’s development.
The stakeholders made the commendation in a letter to Tinubu which was made available the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Thursday.
The group also commended the president for giving the current NDDC leadership the needed support to play its roles as an interventionist agency.
The stakeholders, which include leaders of ethnic nationalities, professional bodies and elder statesmen, said that the current leadership of NDDC was committed to its task of developing the region.
“We write as leaders and representatives of ethnic nationalities, critical stakeholders and professional bodies across the Niger Delta, to express our gratitude for the renewed peace in our region.
“This change is transforming the negative narratives of the past concerning our region, we sincerely thank you for this.
“We thank you for your steadfast support to the region through the NDDC, your commitment towards the sustainable development of the region is unwavering” the letter read in parts.
The stakeholders said that the vision of the Tinubu-led government had enabled NDDC to effectively undertake its mandate as an agent of development.
“The current NDDC leadership has demonstrated a renewed focus on addressing the core developmental challenges faced by communities in the region,” they said.
They further said that the current government had shown visible willingness to positively impact on Niger Delta people through infrastructure, skill acquisition, education support, and entrepreneurial development.
“The Federal Government has not only transformed lives, it has restored confidence in the commission’s activities,” the stakeholders said.
They commended the national assembly for carrying out proactive oversight of the commission in order to ensure that the needs of the region were met.
The stakeholders urged Tinubu to remain committed to the development of the Niger Delta by ensuring prompt release of allocations to the NDDC.
They said that through proactive engagements with key stakeholders, the NDDC had re-established robust frameworks to ensure accountability and inclusivity in their operations.
“This has significantly restored public trust and enhanced the commission’s credibility in the rating of the people,” the stakeholders said.
NAN reports that the letter was signed by Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, Ijaw National Congress, Sen. Emmanuel Essien of Pan Niger Delta Forum, and Olorugun Ese Gams.
Others who signed the letter are: Prof. Chris Akpotu, Prof. Simeon Achinewu, Prof. Atuboyedia Obianime, Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu Chief Edward Okpoko,and Mr. Dominic Saatah, among others. (NAN)
The Assembly of Councillors in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State has removed the local government Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli, and his Deputy, Hon. Usman Adamu, from office.
Their removal followed a committee investigation that found them guilty of gross misconduct, financial mismanagement, failure to perform their duties, and abuse of office.
A resolution signed by 10 councillors, including the council leader Hon. Wali Adamu and his deputy, officially declared the offices of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman vacant with immediate effect.
The resolution explained that, “The removal of the Chairman and his deputy is based on the findings of the investigation committee, which has established that the chairman and his deputy were engaged in financial, mismanagement, failed to perform their duties, breached the trust placed on them, and abused their office.”
While briefing journalists of this development, the Council Leader explained that both Beli and Adamu have faced increasing scrutiny for their management of the local government’s affairs.
He claimed that they have failed to perform their duties and have severely breached the trust placed in them by the people of Shira despite several warnings, and they can no longer afford to tolerate such conduct.
All efforts to get the reaction of Beli and Adamu have proved abortive so far.
FEC Okay N2.5bn To Procure Satellite Technology To Combat Illegal Mining
The federal executive council (FEC) has approved a N2.5 billion budget for the procurement of satellite technology to tackle unlicensed and unregulated mining operations in the country.
Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
“The satellite equipment will be installed in strategic locations to provide real-time visual monitoring of mining operations nationwide,” the minister said.
“This technology will enable us to track mineral extraction, monitor truck movements, and assess security conditions at mine sites.
“Our approach has been two-pronged: persuasive and coercive. We have encouraged artisanal miners to form cooperatives, which has led to the formation of over 300 legalised societies.
“However, for those who remain recalcitrant, we have established the mining marshals to apprehend and prosecute illegal operators.
“Once these miners become legalised and structured, they can access financial institutions for loans, expand their businesses, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s revenue.”
Alake said the satellite technology will be linked to a central command centre, allowing authorities to monitor activities at the click of a button.
The minister added that the technology will significantly improve efforts to combat illegal mining activities and ensure responsible and sustainable exploitation of mineral resources.
Alake said state governments are increasingly interfering in mining activities, posing a challenge to federal authorities’ efforts to regulate the sector.
“There have been cases of interference by states in mining activities. If there is an infraction in a state, the governor must consult us before taking action,” he said.
“We investigate and either act directly or authorise the state to act under federal cover.”
He noted that the government is working with Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, and the ministry of defence to curb illegal operations.
Alake said efforts to combat illegal mining have led to the apprehension of 320 illegal operators.
According to the minister, 150 are facing prosecution, nine have been convicted, and four foreign nationals have been prosecuted and convicted.
Alake said Nigeria has lost trillions of naira to unregulated and illegal mining activities, adding that the federal government’s control over the gold mining industry is being limited by state influence, resulting in lost revenue.
To address the challenge, he said the government is cooperating with state governors and offering alternatives such as special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to ease tensions and encourage state participation.
‘FG TO DEPLOY SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT ILLEGAL MINING ACTIVITIES’
The minister said Nigeria has lost trillions of naira due to underreporting, illegal mining operations, and the challenges of monitoring its vast territory, describing the scale of losses as “mind-boggling”.
“A very elementary, non-scientific estimate we conducted in 2023 immediately after we assumed office revealed trillions of naira lost through unregulated, under-reported, and unlicensed mining activities,” he said.
“You should not ask how much the nation has gotten from gold; you should ask how much the nation has lost in gold. It is humongous, unheard of.”
Alake said the federal government will deploy satellite surveillance technology within the next month to monitor mining activities across the country, tackling revenue leakages and enhancing security.
The minister added that the initiative will enable the government to track operations even in remote locations, identify revenue leakages, and plug them to increase revenue flow.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu says Nigerians are unfair to former military president, Ibrahim Babangida following the recent release of his memoir.
In the 420-page memoir titled, A Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangida’, the former military leader admitted that MKO Abiola won the 1993 election his government annulled.
His admission after 32 years generated different reactions across the country, with some critics saying that it was coming too late.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Uzor Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Senate, said that Nigerians are not being fair to Babangida.
“On the Babangida’s book, I think Nigerians are very unfair to Babangida because he came out on his own,” the former Abia State governor said on the programme.
“When I say the story is not complete, I wanted President Babangida to write more of the stories because the stories have not finished. There is more to the story, there are officers who told Babangida you cannot hand over to this man.”
Senator Kalu said that Babangida came out on his own to say what many people have not dared to say for a long time.
He said that Babangida in his book disclosed that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup, “a sin” which he said people have held against the Igbos for many years.
‘IBB should write a second book’
Senator Orji Kalu said that there is a need for Babangida to write a second book which will contain roles that other top military officers played in the June 1993 election fallout.
According to him, Babangida himself was in danger at the time considering the way he left power.
“More military people that were there should talk about this. There should be a second part of the book because if you mention only one name or two, it is not complete,” he said.
“They should go all hog and tell Nigerians the truth. Babangida should write a second book, I know that Babangida was in danger throughout those periods. If you remember the way he left power, you will know something was wrong.”
The annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election between Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and his main challenger Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) has remained a controversial political discussion in Nigeria.