General
O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation Delights 3,000 Pupils, 800 Teachers at Christmas
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
It was a sweet Christmas for over 3,000 pupils and 800 teachers in 16 primary schools in three local government areas of Rivers State as the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation shared some items with them.
The organisation distributed backpacks, books and bags of rice to them from December 14 to 16, 2023.
Business Post gathered that the pupils received 3,030 school bags, 3,500 books, and 3,897 bags of 5kg rice. The Foundation ensured every teacher, headteacher, and worker also took a bag of rice home.
The beneficiaries could not hide their joy as they all beamed with smiles, while most burst into spontaneous applause for the leading NGO after receiving their gifts.
Some of the pupils serenaded the Foundation’s team. They prayed for the continued good health and prosperity of the Chairman, Dr Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs-Briggs, who explained that the distribution of gifts was in place of the annual Christmas party the group usually organized for children every December 25, but had been unable to hold since 2019.
“Christmas, the joyful season during which Christians honour and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, on December 25, has always been marked with a mega-Christmas Party for children by the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation in Abonnema, Rivers State.
“However, since 2019, we have not been granted permission to host the party. But this has not stopped the Foundation from celebrating this season of gratitude and joy by bringing light, love and laughter into homes through children.
“Children are at the centre of our homes, and they, more than anyone else enjoy the cheer which families share because of Christmas Day- a day when the world honours and celebrates the priceless gifts of love, light and eternal life which Jesus Christ represents.
“This year, the Foundation has noted that families are struggling because of the cost-of-living crisis. We hope these gifts from the Foundation will bring light, joy and peace to the children’s homes as they remember and pay homage to our precious Lord and Saviour- Jesus Christ,” she said.
It was learned that the items were also given to other selected schools from Akuku Toru, Asari Toru and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.
The beneficiary schools were Model Primary School, Universal Primary Education School, Baptist Schools 1 & 2, Our Saviour School, St. Michael Schools 1 & 2, UNICEF Primary School, Asalga Primary School and Bishop Crowther Memorial Primary School, in Buguma, Asari Toru local council.
The five beneficiary schools in Akuku Toru council included Universal Primary Education Model School, Nyemoni State School, St. Joseph State School, and St. Augustine’s Nursery and Primary School, all in Abonnema, Akuku Toru and State School, Obonoma.
In addition to the gifts, St. Augustine’s Nursery and Primary School, which is supported by the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, also received chairs, tables and shelves, while Mary Slessor Primary School was the only beneficiary school in Port Harcourt Local Government Area.
“We are very excited because this is not the first time she has done this. We are happy that they are coming within the shortest notice given to us; here they are with these tremendous Christmas gifts.
“We love Dr Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs, and we pray God to continue to bless and strengthen her. The good Lord will continue to empower her and fight all her battles. God is the only one that will reward these acts of benevolence,” one of the beneficiaries and Chaplain of St. Augustine’s Nursery and Primary School, Abonnema, Reverend Mpaka Long-John, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Three African subsidiaries of global advisory firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), have been debarred by the World Bank Group for 21 months after being found guilty of manipulating procurement processes for a major cross-border electricity project.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Washington-based multilateral lender said PricewaterhouseCoopers Associates Africa Ltd, based in Mauritius, along with its Kenyan and Rwandan affiliates, engaged in “collusive and fraudulent practices” linked to the Eastern Electricity Highway Project, a flagship initiative to transmit hydropower from Ethiopia to Kenya.
The decision sidelines PwC from lucrative World Bank-funded projects on the continent, dealing a blow to one of the region’s most influential audit and advisory firms.
This development could reshape competition for high-value consulting work across emerging markets, potentially disrupting startups and tech firms reliant on World Bank funding, as scrutiny over governance and compliance tightens.
The World Bank, through its private sector arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC), offers grants and low-interest loans to startups across emerging markets.
Earlier this week, the IFC committed $20 million to invest in high-growth startups in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
“The debarment makes PwC Associates, PwC Kenya, PwC Rwanda, and any affiliates they control ineligible to participate in Bank Group-financed projects and operations,” the World Bank said. “It is part of a settlement agreement under which the three companies admit culpability for sanctionable practices.”
The determination was based on the company’s conduct between 2019 and the award of contracts for consultancy services and asset valuation work for the Ethiopian state power utilities.
According to the World Bank statement, the firm obtained confidential procurement documents to improperly influence the award of a contract for the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards at the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation.
They also attempted to steer a separate contract for a fixed asset inventory and revaluation for the power utility towards PwC Associates. During the bidding and execution of that contract, the bank found that the company misrepresented the availability and qualifications of key experts and failed to disclose the full list of subconsultants involved.
According to the World Bank, the debarment is shorter than would otherwise apply because PwC admitted misconduct. The advisory firm also agreed to a series of remedial measures, including internal investigations, disciplinary action against responsible staff, terminating relationships with all subconsultants involved, and additional staff training.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has affirmed the right of Nigerians to film personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on duty.
The judgment was given by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa on Tuesday in a case filed by Mr Maxwell Uwaifo in suit number FHC/WR/CS/87/2025.
The court held that Nigerians have the constitutional right to use any device to record police officers executing their official duties in public.
It was ruled that police officers must wear visible name tags, display their force numbers, and must not harass, intimidate, arrest, or seize devices from citizens documenting their activities.
The court awarded the applicant N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights and N2 million for the cost of litigation.
Business Post reports that the respondents in the case were the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the NPF, the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The lawyer filed the case in accordance with Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41 of the Constitution of Nigeria and others.
“This judgement has significant implications for policing standards, civil liberties, and public accountability across Nigeria,” Mr Uwaifo said after the judgement.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The General Manager in charge of Transmission for Lagos Region of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Adeshina Adeonipekun, has stressed the critical role of Lagos in the national grid.
While receiving the chief executive of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Ms Wola Joseph Condotti, at his office on Monday, he said the Lagos region accounts for about 30 per cent of total power off-take in Nigeria.
He stated that TCN was implementing strategic expansion and project upgrades aimed at enhancing grid stability and operational efficiency in response to rising demand.
Mr Adeonipekun highlighted recent key milestones achieved in the region, including the commissioning of a 100MVA power transformer at the Ijora 132/33kV Transmission Substation, a 300MVA transformer at the Lekki 330/132kV Transmission Substation, and a 125MVA unit at the Agbara 132/33kV Substation, among others.
According to him, these additions have further increased the region’s installed capacity to 5,470MVA on the 132/33kV network and 4,110MVA on the 330/132kV network.
He further said that there were several ongoing rehabilitations at key substations within the region, including Amuwo GIS, Akoka 132/33kV, and Itire 132/33kV Transmission Substations, all geared towards further improving reliability, reducing system constraints, and enhancing the overall efficiency of power delivery.
In her remarks, Ms Condotti expressed appreciation for TCN’s continued partnership and support, underscoring the importance of sustained collaboration between transmission and distribution companies in building a more stable and efficient electricity transmission and supply network.
Both parties explored ways to strengthen collaboration and ensure a more stable and efficient power supply in Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn