General
Anyanwu Unfolds Economic Agenda for Imo
By Ebireri Henry Ovie
Pulling Imo people out of the clutches of poverty and propelling the economy of the state to prosperity were given at the weekend by Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu as reasons for joining the governorship race.
“If our natural and human resources have been properly harnessed and judiciously managed, Imo would have been one of the richest states, if not the richest in Nigeria.
“My goal is to serve as a bridge between the leadership and the people to ensure that the state is pulled out from the clutches of poverty, while ensuring timely payment of pensions and full restoration of civil servants’ salaries and emoluments,” he said.
The former member of Imo State House of Assembly, who wants to contest the governorship polls on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is thinking about how to put right the mess Governor Rochas Okorocha and other All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders have made of Imo State.
He promised to assuage the suffering of Imo people through wealth creation, employment generation and poverty reduction.
Mr Anyanwu told reporters in Owerri that the state has enormous human and material resources that could serve as alternative source of revenue to the Federal Government if properly harnessed and managed.
He attributed the economic hardship in the state to lack of commitment and sincerity of purpose on the part of the current administration.
“A responsible and positive government should drive policies and programmes that would promote real development.”
The former local government chairman promised to liberate the state from the dependency on federal allocation, grow the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state by activating robust private sector business engagement and restore local government system and town unions.
“We will energize private enterprise and allow people unfettered ownership of the means to wealth creation and production. We shall pursue a course that will exceed the expectations and aspirations of our people. We will ensure economic growth as against financial impoverishment and hope in place of despondency and despair. Our administration will submit to international best practices in governance, which includes transparency, accountability, due process and rule of law.”
Mr Anyanwu promised to bring principles that promote respect for rule of law, justice, fairness and integration of all stakeholders.
“I know the terrain, understand the politics and have built networks of political and social alliances across the state; I know the people, the issues, challenges, expectations, the possibilities and the potentials of the state. I will run a government that focuses on developing the economy of the state and making it the hub of South East market by identifying and developing viable areas of comparative advantage. I will create an enabling environment that will attract investors and encourage private sector participation in developing the state economy.”
He vowed to ensure security of life and property thereby making Imo the tourist destination of the world, guarantee a qualitative and holistic free education, with a clear path on sustainability of funding, reposition agriculture as vehicle for job creation, wealth generation and food security, decentralize the health sector in preparation for a universal health care system and embark on a comprehensive infrastructural development.
He also pledged to end deprivation, humiliation and hardship in the state.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privilege and Public Petitions urged PDP leaders in the country to mend fences and respect the feelings and views of others.
“Our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has had it fair share of political crisis. We must begin to mend fences and respect the feelings and views of others. Though individuals are bound to have their personal ambitions within a political party, such interests must be pursued without sending wrong signals that would unsettle the greater number of the members or make them feel that the party has lost its character as the big umbrella that should provide shade for all members. Impunity and high handedness in political engagement weakens the party, making it vulnerable to external and internal manipulators and deprives us of the qualities of a formidable political party.”
The representative of Imo East Senatorial District called on PDP members in the state to make judicious use of their electoral power when the time comes.
“The movement to Douglas House starts today. Never again would we gamble with the fate of our dear state and the destiny of our people. We must caution ourselves as we prepare to elect our flag bearers in the forthcoming party elections. The fate and destiny of our party depend on our resolve to elect people that are acceptable to the masses and can lead us to victory in the general election.”
Popularly known as Sam Daddy, the Imo East representative appealed to the people of Orlu and Okigwe zones to support the aspiration of Owerri zone.
“This will help us build a bound of love, friendship and strength needed to overcome the challenges ahead,” he added.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former Chief of General Staff, General Oladipo Diya (rtd), has been reported death by his family.
The late military officer was the second-in-command to the late Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, from 1993 to 1997, when he was arrested for an alleged treason.
In a statement, Mr Oyesinmilola Diya said the former Military Governor of Ogun State died in the early hours of Sunday, March 26, 2023.
However, he did not disclose if the 79-year-old Odogbolu, Ogun State-born army general suffered from any illness before his demise.
In the statement, he only stated that further announcements would be made public in due course.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government of Nigeria has assured that it is ready to fulfil the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to ensure effective gender inclusion.
This was disclosed by Mr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, during the inauguration and inception workshop of the project in Abuja tagged The Nigeria Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), Just and Gender Inclusive Transition (JGIT) Project.
The project is aimed at helping countries to better assess the impacts of their climate policies and actions and fulfil their transparency commitments.
Mr Ngige said the objective of the inception meeting was to launch the ICAT Just Transition project and increase awareness among the national stakeholders for a better understanding of its implementation.
He said that ICAT, an International multi-stakeholder partnership of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), was supporting Nigeria in setting up Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of a Just and Gender Inclusive Transition(JGIT).
The minister, represented by Ms Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said Nigeria had signed a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the UNOPS, represented by the ICAT management.
According to him, the PCA is to firm up the process leading to the take-off and implementation of the project over a 12 months period.
“The objectives of the project, among others, include developing JGIT monitoring and MRV and ensuring it links with the sectoral MRV system.
“Another objective is to Enhance Transparency Framework (ETF) implemented by the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve synergy, institutional memory, and stakeholder inclusion and cooperation.
“It will further enable a tripartite cooperation between government, labour, and employer associations to achieve a Just and Gender Inclusive Transition going forward with the implementation of the Paris agreement,” he said.
The minister said that the ICAT project would be implemented by a team of national experts and international ICAT consultants under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
On his part, Dr Yerima Tarfa, ICAT, JGIT Project Team Lead, said the initiative would help to increase the overall transparency capacities of countries and assess the contribution of policies and development objectives.
According to him, this is by providing appropriate methodological information and tools to support evidence–based policymaking.
Dr Tarfa noted that Nigeria was the largest economy and leading oil producer, and most populous in Africa.
“It faces the unique challenge of having to diversify its economy away from fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and increasingly, coal) while responding to the unmet energy needs of its growing population.
“Nonetheless, Nigeria is turning this challenge into an opportunity by increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing its carbon footprints, and eliminating gas flaring.
“Nigeria’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs) is committed to a 20 per cent emission reduction by 2030 unconditionally and 45 per cent conditional, with focus on power and electricity, oil and gas,” he said.
The team lead said the highlights of the NDCs include ending gas flaring by 2030 and a 30 per cent energy efficiency level by 2030.
He said the inauguration of the inception workshop would provide the opportunity to create awareness and build a national cross-knowledge sharing that would provide a platform for key stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the Nigeria ICAT JGIT Project.
He added that this would further set up an MRV of Just and Gender Inclusive Transition and its Roadmap for implementation in Nigeria.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An appeal court sitting in Abuja on Friday upturned the judgment of the Osun governorship election tribunal, which removed Mr Ademola Adeleke as Governor of Osun State.
In January, the tribunal declared the former Governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, as the authentic winner of the 2022 governorship election in the state.
While Mr Adeleke contested for the position under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Oyetola flew the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Adeleke was declared winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but Mr Oyetola, who contested as a sitting governor, approached the tribunal to dislodge the winner.
He argued that Mr Adeleke won through an electoral fraud, over-voting and his prayers were answered, as the tribunal upturned INEC’s decision and declared him the winner.
However, Governor Adeleke appealed the judgement and today, a three-member panel of justices held that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that Mr Oyetola and the APC proved their allegation of over-voting.
The appellate court held that Mr Adeleke was validly elected as the governor of Osun State and restored his mandate.
