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Delta signs MoU for Asaba commercial city project

From Victor Sorokwu, Asaba

The Delta State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with development partners to start the construction of the multi-million dollars Delta Commercial City project in Asaba, with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa assuring of government’s commitment to boost infrastructural development in the state.

Speaking yesterday at the signing ceremony, Okowa who said that Deltans were desirous of development, stated that government would provide the enabling environment for infrastructural development to thrive.

He stressed that the Delta Commercial City would not only provide employment for the people of the state but also bring development to the state.

Barr. Ovie Agas, Secretary to the State Government, signed the MoU on behalf of the state government and witnessed by Governor Okowa along with other members of the State Executive Council, while Messrs. Moise Nassogui of D’Arcano Group and Olawole Rhodes-Vivour, Al HUDA Nigeria Limited signed on behalf of the Development Partners.

“The process of the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] is heart-warming as everyone is eager to get the project started. Deltans are eager to see development in the state. We are convinced the time for the Delta Commercial City is now, as we are building a city for the future today,” the governor said.

In his remarks, Mr. Kingsley Emu, Chairman, Steering Committee for the project, said with the signing of the MoU, the process to kick start the development of the project would be activated and the Special Project Vehicle [SPV] would be put in place, assuring that the project had great economic prospects for the state and the investors.

Messrs Moise Nassogui of D’Arcano Group and Olawole Rhodes-Vivour, Al HUDA Nigeria Limited on their part, said that the Delta Commercial City was a project which would pivot the development of the state promising due diligence in the delivery of this project.

Alleged debt suit: Ecobank loses bid to wind up Honeywell

From Yahaya Ibrahim, Lagos

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday struck out the application filed by Ecobank Nigeria Plc seeking to wind up Honeywell and its sister company, Anchorage Leisures Limited, for abuse of court process.

While ruling on the application, Justice Jude Dagat held that a court faced with winding up application, must first determine if the petition was brought in good faith.

According to him, Ecobank knew that Honeywell was challenging the alleged debt and had instituted a matter before Justice Mohammed Idris of the same court, who had ruled that parties maintain status quo.

The judge said that despite the orders, Ecobank started its forum shopping by filing winding up petitions instead of recovery of the alleged debt.

Justice Dagat also stated that since the matter pending before Justice Idris is premised on the same facts as the petition, there was an established abuse of the orders of Justice Idris regarding maintenance of status quo.

He further held that the matter before Justice Idris was first in time, therefore the subsequent petition by Ecobank constituted an abuse of court process.

CAN to Buhari: Your appointments are lopsided

From Lami Sadiq, Jos

The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to correct what it described as his administration’s lopsided appointments of key federal positions.

“The appointments are clearly skewed to favour a particular religion or region,” the CAN youths said.

YOWICAN President, Eng. Daniel David Kadzai said in a statement made available to journalists in Jos that while it appreciated the efforts of President Buhari in trying to stamp out corruption, there was need for the president to pay more attention to the growing economic hardship, unemployment, and non-payment of salaries in some states.

The statement asserted, “The appointment of key federal positions is clearly skewed to favour either a particular religion or region. We believe this does not reflect the unity of Nigeria, equity, fairness or federal character principles. Men and women of honour and integrity abound in every religion, tribe or region capable of handling important government positions.”

It further urged religious leaders to preach against corruption but stressed that the anti-corruption war as spearheaded by the presidency must not be seen to be one-sided and based on political or sectional interests.

Cure for Zika, Ebola, found

From Hussein Yahaya

Cures have been found for Zika and Denge diseases, according to the 4th annual clinical trial summit held in Abuja.

The samples of the herbal drugs were given to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, by a leading African herbal farmer and researcher, Ben Amodu, a pharmacist.

Presenting the herbal drugs to the minister during the summit themed. “Clinical Research and Public Health Emergency in Sub-Sharan Africa,” Amodu said that the CD8 of a number of patients who used the herbal drugs had increased from 608 to 778 and 1,419 to 2,419.

“This shows that it has strong activity against Ebola,” Amodu said

FG distributes 15, 000 bags of grains to IDPs in Gombe

From Haruna Gimba Yaya, Gombe

The Federal Government yesterday flagged off the distribution of 15,

000 bags of maize to the 4, 779 Internally Displace Persons (IDPs)

living in Gombe state.

Speaking at the flagging off ceremony at the National Emergency

Management Agency (NEMA) office in Gombe, the Minister of Environment,

Hajiya Amina Ibrahim, said the federal government decided to

distribute the maize to reduce the pain felt by people displaced by

the insurgency and living in various camps across the six north-eastern states.

The minister urged the committee members under the

chairmanship of Alhaji Adamu Malala, to ensure transparency and

accountability in the distribution exercise in all the 14 designated

centres across the 11 local government areas of the state.

Also speaking when he received the minister in his office, Governor

Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, sought federal government’s support towards settlement of

the IDPs to ensure their integration into the society.

The governor further appealed to the minister to look into many

environmental challenges faced by the IDPs.

Assembly approves N14b Loan for Nasarawa govt

From Hassan Ibrahim, Lafia

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday approved N14.1 billion loan requested by the state government from the federal government under the fiscal budget implementation support plan.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi announced the approval of the loan after the House passed a resolution on a letter presented by the Majority leader of the house, Alhaji Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North) on behalf of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura at the floor of the house in Lafia

Balarabe-Abdullahi, who commended the members of the house for their maturity and understanding in approving the loan request, directed the clerk of the house to communicate the resolution of the House to the executive governor.

The Majority leader of the House, Alhaji Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North) said: “I want to present this letter on behalf of Gov.Tanko Al-Makura seeking the house to approve N14.1 billoin for the state government to access the federal government loan package.”