News

Nigerian Army sends 173 soldiers to Guinea Bissau for peacekeeping mission

Published

1 year ago

April 21, 2022

As part of strengthening and enhancing security in the West African sub-region, the Nigerian Army has deployed 173 officers and soldiers to Guinea Bissau on an ECOWAS peacekeeping Operation.

The Chief of Operations, Army Headquarters, Major General Oluwafemi Akinjobi, announced this on Thursday at the graduation and pre-deployment training of the troops from the Martin Luther Agwai Peacekeeping Centre in Jaji Kaduna State.

The graduation comes ahead of their departure to Bissau, the Guinea Bissau capital as they are expected to leave Nigeria immediately after their induction.

While addressing the troops, the Chief of Operations, represented by Major General Zakari Abubakar, warned the contingent to abide by the rules of engagement, exhibit braveness as professionals, and also respect the cultural sensitivity of the people of Guinea Bissau.

“Nigeria remains the beacon of peace and gatekeeper of the ECOWAS sub-region. Consequently, the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to the deployment of a contingent to maintain peace in the Republic of Guinea Bissau,” he said.

“The history of peacekeeping in Africa cannot be written without the commitment and sacrifices of Nigeria. The first contingent of Nigerian peacekeepers was deployed in 1960 shortly after our independence.

“Since then, Nigeria has contributed over 100,000 peacekeepers in over 40 peacekeeping missions in Africa and across the globe. I must say with pride that our peacekeepers have had to restore peace in many conflict areas around the globe which has earned Nigeria many national and individual commendations from several nations.”

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Abubakar reminded the soldiers of the United Nations’ zero tolerance for drug trafficking and human rights abuse.

He also asked them to avoid indecent characters capable of tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Army and the nation in general.

In his remarks, the Commandant of the Martin Luther Agwai Peacekeeping Centre, Major General Auwal Fagge, also highlighted the importance of the pre-deployment training.

He said the training is in line with the Nigerian Army Headquarters’ desire to ensure that troops receive the needed robust and theatre-specific pre-deployment training prior to their induction into peacekeeping missions.

Fagge expressed confidence that the high level of enthusiasm and cohesion exhibited by the soldiers and officers will reflect on their operational conduct abroad.

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Ghana is looking to supply Nigeria with its electricity needs following power grid shutdown

Published

16 hours ago

September 23, 2023

Seun Okerayi

LAGOS- With the goal of achieving “100% universal energy access” and maybe exporting electricity to its neighbor, Nigeria, Ghana has steadily been developing its power sector.

During his presentation in Lagos on the second day of the Nigeria Energy Leadership Summit, Mr. Hanson Monney, the Head of the Generation and Transmission Unit at the Ghanaian Ministry of Energy, made this point, emphasizing that via effective policy development and implementation, Ghana has already attained an impressive 80% to 85% universal energy access inside its boundaries.

“So, we are working on all these things to make sure that the power system of Ghana continues to be as good as it is or even better, and then, maybe, we can be exporting more to our big brothers in Nigeria when the grid is finally settled,” Mr. Hanson Monney said

This declaration follows the second national power grid breakdown in Africa’s most populous country and the continent’s top oil producer, Nigeria which resulted in a total blackout of homes and businesses.

In contrast, Ghana is aggressively pursuing a variety of energy sources, including grid electricity, mini-grids, and solar-dominated renewable energy, to attain “Universal access to energy by 2024” as instructed by the country’s President.

Monney agreed that the geographic limitations make it difficult to provide everyone in Ghana with access to electricity, particularly on isolated islands, riverbanks, or lakeside villages. In response to this, he stated,

“So, now, we are trying to scale our renewable energy access, and that is how we have planned in 2022 to scale up our renewable energy program,” he said.

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Financial sustainability is one of the biggest problems facing Ghana’s power sector, as the country struggles with growing debts and the purchase of surplus capacity.

“There is so much debt that the government has to shore up to make sure that the system is afloat because we have procured a lot of excess capacity, which comes with attendant costs. So, these financial challenges require some policy actions to eliminate legacy debts,” Mooney stated.

Monney stressed the significance of lowering electricity prices, particularly for enterprises, since high electricity bills are a major issue in Ghana. “We saw that in Ghana historically. These industries have been subsidizing the residential sector, and it should be the other way around. Industries should remain viable so that businesses can thrive,” Mooney stated.

Crime

EFCC declares Delta brothers wanted over alleged N330m fraud

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2023

Seun Okerayi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared two siblings from Delta State wanted for alleged fraud of N330 million.

This was contained in a statement issued by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Friday.

The anti-graft agency named 55-year-old Faith Onoja and 44-year-old Emmanuel Onoja, both from Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, as being declared wanted by the EFCC.

According to the commission, Faith’s last known address is “Close to Celestial Church, Ekrovie new layout, old Egini road, Orhuehorun, Delta State” while Emmanuel’s last known address is “No 6. Jasmison Street, NPDC/ND Western Estate, Warri, Delta State”.

The statement urged that “anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should contact the commission” in its offices nationwide.

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Education

Gov. Kefas Grants 50% Tuition Cut for Final Year Nursing Students

Published

3 days ago

September 21, 2023

Seun Okerayi

In a move that underscores the commitment of the Taraba State Government to prioritize education and make it more accessible, the Taraba state Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas has approved a significant reduction in tuition fees for final year students at the College of Nursing and Midwifery Jalingo.

Effective immediately, all final year students pursuing their nursing and midwifery diplomas will benefit from a 50% reduction in tuition fees. This decision aims at alleviating the financial burden on students and their families, ensuring that quality education remains affordable and accessible to all.

Dr.Agbu Kefas stated, “Education is the bedrock of our society, and we are dedicated to providing opportunities for our students to excel without the undue burden of high tuition costs. We believe that this reduction will not only support our students but also contribute to the development of the healthcare sector in our state.”

The Taraba State Government remains committed to enhancing the quality of education and healthcare services in the state. This reduction in tuition fees is a significant step towards achieving these goals.