By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has felicitated his Sokoto State counterpart and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, as he turned 55 on Sunday.

Okowa’s felicitation was conveyed in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, on Sunday in Asaba.

He said that Tambuwal had made sterling contributions to the socio-economic and political development of Sokoto State and Nigeria in general.

Okowa added that such efforts were worthy as an inspiration to the younger generation.

He described Tambuwal as a nationalist, whose selfless and impressive political disposition had placed him ahead of his contemporaries.

According to Okowa, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has brought his wealth of experience to bear on the development of Sokoto, especially in the education and road transport sectors.

“The people of Sokoto State are no doubt, reaping the benefits of trusting you to lead the state for a second term as can be seen in the monumental achievements in infrastructural development under your astute leadership.

“As chairman of the PDP governors’ forum, you have provided leadership and direction to a virile opposition party ready to return Nigeria on the path of greatness in 2023.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I congratulate a gentleman of candour and unassailable integrity.

“I congratulate a leading light of this generation, an astute politician of our time and a courageous democrat, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on his 55th birth anniversary.

“For your sagacity and doggedness, you have become a household name and an emerging nationalist in the contemporary politics of Nigeria.

“As you celebrate this anniversary, I join your family, associates and well-wishers to thank the Almighty God for your life which has been marked by outstanding and discernable accomplishments,” Okowa said.

By Kelechi Ogunleye

Mr Ibrahim Liman, the Controller General, Federal Fire Service, has pleaded with Kebbi government to acquire modern fire-fighting trucks for effective fire-fighting.

Liman made the call during the deployment of one modern fire-fighting truck to the state government on Thursday in Kebbi.

He said that the deployment of the truck was to complement the efforts of the state Fire Service in fire-fighting and related emergencies and to reduce the response time to fire incidents.

He also donated five Personal Protective Equipments worth more than N1 million alongside fire fighting trucks chemicals.

He called on the state government to purchase two new extra fire trucks with provision of chemical and foam compound for effective fire-fighting in the state.

Liman said that the allocation of two utility vehicles was paramount as one would enable the Federal Fire Service officers in the state to complement the state Fire Service.

“This will be used in the area of fire
risk assessment in public and private premises while the other one will be converted to Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV).

“They will complement equipment and gadgets for quick response in the event of emergencies,” he said.

He appealed to Kebbi government to enhance welfare package for fire personnel by implementing Para-Military Salary Structure for the benefit of fire fighters.

“Strengthen state fire service through recruitment of capable hands and rehabilitation, upgrade of fixed and mobile fire-fighting assets,” he pleaded with the government.

He also advised citizens to call on the federal or state fire service on time in cases of fire incidents.K

Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi said that the state government would look into all requests made by Liman with the view of complementing the services of the fire service.

Bagudu, represented by Mr Suleiman Argungu, Chief of Staff in Kebbi, said that the deployment of the modern fire-fighting truck was prompt because of the harmattan season when fire outbreak could be rampant.

“With the new truck, we hope to attend to fire outbreaks on time to save lives and property.

“We will ensure our fire-fighters go on training and re-training on how to effectively attend to fire incidents.

“We will ensure that more modern fire trucks will be purchased to help fight fire outbreaks in all the local governments of the state.

“We will continue to enlighten our people royal fathers and local government council leaders who are present here to help to prevent or reduce fire incidents within the state considering the high fire incident recorded in 2020,” he said.

In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Works Abubakar Ladan, said that deployment of the new truck would ease the stress on the functional rucks in the state.

Ladan said that that in 2020, the state recorded 156 fire incidents report while in 2019, 157 fire incidents were recorded.

“In 2019 the state lost 11 lives to fire incidents while in 2020 only one life was lost,” he said.

By Grace Alegba

A construction expert, Mr Temitope Runsewe, says construction industry will be a significant growth driver for the Nigeria’s economy in 2021.

Runsewe, Managing Director, Dutum Construction Company Ltd., made the assertion on Thursday at the “2021 Nigeria Real Estate Market Outlook” meeting in Lagos.

He said that with the over N3.85 trillion budgeted for capital expenditure by the Federal Government in 2021, spending on infrastructure would help to drive economic growth.

Runsewe said that though, the Coronavirus pandemic had affected economies and businesses globally, the medium to long term outlook for the industry remained positive.

He said this was because the construction industry increased its contribution to Nigeria’s GDP to N572.9 billion from N513.6 billion in Q2 2020.

Runsewe said the National Bureau of Statistics had projected the construction industry to record a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 16.6 per cent to reach an all-time high of N13.2 trillion by 2024.

According to him, this makes it imperative for players in the real estate and construction industry to exploit the attendant opportunities for growth that will be presented.

He shared the plan for one year of his firm to grow the sector in 2021.

“With the positive outlook of the construction industry for 2021 and the forecasted growth in the industry, Dutum construction intends to participate and contribute toward the development of various industry segments,” he said.

Dutum is a Nigerian company with interests in public and private industry construction that has delivered projects in the education, energy, aviation, hospitality and social sectors.

Also, Mr Ayo Ibaru, Chief Operating Officer, NorthCourt Real Estate, listed opportunities being presented to stakeholders in the industry as demand for real estate increases.

Ibaru said Nigeria was at a great risk of losing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to less volatile neighbouring economies, if it failed to adapt to economic realities or continue with the trend of policy inconsistencies.

He added that the situation would present an opportunity for local investment in the construction industry to thrive.

The chief operating officer pointed out the role technology and innovation would play for the future of the industry.

According to him, the adoption of virtual viewings of properties and other property technology offerings are increasing despite cultural concerns.

Other speakers at the event took turns to share their thoughts on measures to grow the construction industry.

The speakers included Mr Tayo Odunsi, Chief Executive Officer, NorthCourt Real Estate; Mrs Sandra Momah, Assistant Director Ernest & Young; Mr Olaide Agboola, Chief Executive Officer, Purple and Mrs Funke Okunbadejo, Director Actis.

The Real Estate Market Outlook 2021 event was organised by NorthCourt Real Estate, in partnership with Dutum Construction Company Ltd., to provide insight into the Nigerian real estate market.

The annual event brings together experts and stakeholders in the Nigerian real estate and construction industry to share industry projections, trends, opportunities and insight into what to expect for the year.

By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo

A 24 year-old woman, Medinat Ibrahim on Wednesday, was paraded by Police Command in Kwara for allegedly conspiring with two others to arrange her kidnap to collect ransom from her family.

Briefing journalists at police Command Headquarters, Ilorin, CP Mohammed Bagega, said that on Jan. 2 information was received from one Nurudeen Solagberu that one Medinat Ibrahim of Olude Oke-Fomo area of Ilorin was kidnapped by unknown persons.

Bagega said that the command received the information at some minutes past 5pm via its emergency telephone lines.

According to him, on the strength of the information, the complainant was directed to make a formal report at Oloje Police Division that has jurisdiction over the area.

“Preliminary investigation revealed a conspiracy, so I directed the newly constituted state anti-kidnapping to take over the investigation.

“It was however revealed in the course of investigation that the said Medinat Ibrahim conspired with one Amudalat Wahab, her sister to arrange for her kidnap.

“And a GTB bank account No. 0116404467 belonging to one Hammed Lekan was used to cash the ransom of N250, 000 paid by the father of the suspect.

“The suspect later confessed that she needed money for something, hence she devised the fake kidnap.

“All the suspects have been arrested, exhibit recovered and case under investigation,” said the CP.

He advised criminals to relocate from Kwara as the command would stop at nothing to deal with any criminal arrested no matter how highly or lowly placed. (NAN)

By Hamza Suleiman

A 33-year-old suspect, Hassan Ebere, has  revealed how he sold 6,000 dead poultry to residents of Maiduguri for five years so as to raise money for his livelihood since he lost his father.

Ebere made the revelation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), after being paraded by the Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), on Wednesday.

“I usually go to the Ngadabul river, behind Borno Radio Television (BRTV) complex, to pick the carcasses of poultry that are thrown away from poultry farms.

“So every week, I pick at least ten or even more than that, then process it and take it to sell to unsuspecting customers.

“My market base are usually Baga fish market, where I sell some of them as bush meat, Monday market, suya joints and some selected restaurants within the metropolis.

“The products usually go for N700, N800. But if it had spent some days, I take them to local beer parlours at the back of Ngomari ward and sell them for N250,”he said.

Ebere said he was pushed by the devil to engage in such nefarious activities, and begged for forgiveness.

Speaking, the Borno Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim, said that the suspect was arrested, while processing the meat behind BRTV complex on Jan. 2, 2021.

Ibrahim said that the command got intelligence reports about the nefarious acts before swinging into action to apprehend him, adding that the arrest of the suspect had stopped what had been a serious health hazard to the people.

He called on the Ministry of Environment and the the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to fight the circulation of such unwholesome products, in order to ensure the safety and health of the people.

On his part, State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mr Nasiru Mato, said the implication of such an act was in the threat it posed to public safety.

“The carcass of the poultry from the farm must have died from one or two infectious diseases which could easily be transmitted to humans.

“So it can be very disastrous and dangerous to consumers. There are severe penalties on any one found engaging in this type of unwholesome activity.

“We, therefore, urge the general public to make sure, when buying live chicken, they should either slaughter them by themselves or are slaughtered in their presence. They must also make sure that the chicken are certified by a registered vet to ensure public safety”, he said.