Economy
NRC, SEDC Into Partnership On Rail Rehabilitation In South-East
NRC, SEDC Into Partnership On Rail Rehabilitation In South-East
NRC, SEDC into partnership on rail rehabilitation in South-East. He underscored the priority attention the commission attached to rail development in the region.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) will play a crucial role in the federal government’s vision to rehabilitate, expand and optimise the country’s railway infrastructure.
The managing director and chief executive officer of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, said this during a working visit by the leadership of SEDC to the NRC headquarters on Wednesday in Lagos.
Mr Opeifa said the visit by the SEDC managing director, Mark Okoye, and its South-West director, Adejoke Adebayo-Chukwumah, underscored the priority attention the commission attached to rail development in the region.
He noted that the NRC had historically been at the heart of Nigeria’s economic growth, tracing it back to the colonial era when the first rail lines were built to facilitate trade and commerce.
Mr Opeifa said the government was prioritising the rehabilitation and expansion of narrow gauge railway networks to enhance mobility, reduce the cost of transporting goods, and improve economic productivity.
“While Nigeria developed 3,500 kilometres of rail lines in our first 60 years post independence, the Federal Government successfully constructed over 1,000 kilometres of new or refurbished rail lines in the past decade, marking a significant milestone in railway development.
“Revitalising the railway sector will lead to a significant reduction in the cost of goods, benefiting businesses and consumers alike.
“Rehabilitation of the eastern corridor railway line will restore connectivity between key cities in the southeast and other parts of the country,” he said.
On the raging concerns on vandalism especially on the Eastern corridor, he pointed out that the railway assets were still much in use and not scrap irons.
He said the NRC was actively working to repurpose outdated infrastructure and improve service delivery.
In his remarks, Mr Okoye outlined an ambitious roadmap to transform the region into Nigeria’s preferred investment destination by 2030.
He added that the commission was prioritising railway development across five states in the South-East.
“Our goal is to develop a seamless business climate across all five states in the region. We want consistency in ease of doing business policies, laws, and investment regulations to attract both domestic and international investors.
NRC, SEDC Into Partnership On Rail
“The commission intends to establish an investment fund driven through an investment corporation to finance long-term projects, ensuring financial independence within a decade,” he said.
He said the collaboration with NRC would play a crucial role in the region’s master planning, which included multi-modal transportation systems, industrial clusters, and agro-processing zones.
Mr Okoye said successful models like Lagos State’s partnership with the NRC would serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in the South-East.
Mr Okoye reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to fostering development partnerships and urged the NRC to consider SEDC as a key stakeholder in its future projects.
“We are here on a plucking mission to identify and maximise opportunities for regional growth,” he said.
Court: 18-Year-Old Girl Sent To Prison For Stealing N800,000
Court: 18-year-old girl sent to prison for stealing N800,000. Upon her arraignment on Friday, the convict confessed to the two-count charge of entering and stealing.
AGrade A Customary Court at Mapo in Ibadan has sentenced 18-year-old Zainab Adebayo to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing N800,000 from her neighbour’s bedroom.
Delivering the judgement, the court’s president, O.E. Owoseni, held that Ms Adebayo was convicted and sentenced based on her guilty plea and the evidence presented by the police prosecution.
Ms Owoseni held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others with similar criminal tendencies.
She sentenced Ms Adebayo to six months’ imprisonment or six months of community service.
She was also given the option to pay a fine of N200,000.
Upon her arraignment on Friday, the convict confessed to the two-count charge of entering and stealing.
The prosecution, Ayodele Ayeni, had informed the court that the crime was committed on March 28 in the Ologuneru area in Ibadan.
Court
Mr Ayeni explained that Ms Adebayo entered the bedroom of Temitope Musbau, the complainant, a businesswoman, and stole her piggy bank, popularly known as ‘kolo’, which contained N500,000 in cash.
The prosecutor further stated that Ms Adebayo stole an additional N150,000 in cash from the same room, which was kept outside a safe, along with various perfume bottles totalling N150,000.
Journalis Urged To Promote Family Planning In Sokoto
Journalis urged to promote family planning in Sokoto. He said the meeting reviewed challenges and opportunities in reporting on family planning initiatives in Sokoto.
On Friday, the non-governmental organisations Devcom Network and The Challenge Initiative called on media professionals to continue their advocacy and awareness-raising for family planning services.
Bello Kilgori, TCI manager for Sokoto, made the call at a review meeting of the media focal group, a component of the TCI/Devcom project in Sokoto.
He commended local media for their role in promoting family planning services, particularly at the grassroots level.
Mr Kilgori highlighted that the group had achieved success in raising awareness among parents and households across the LGAs where the project was active.
He added that Sokoto was now recognised as a leading state in family planning adoption, with the project contributing to its success.
He said the meeting reviewed challenges and opportunities in reporting on family planning initiatives in Sokoto.
Media practitioner Abdullahi Elkurebe shared guidelines and strategies for effective reporting, addressing challenges and offering solutions for better journalism practices.
Naomi Kogbenda of Vision FM, Sokoto, suggested the organisers introduce a timeline for media programmes to improve delivery.
Family Planning In Sokoto
Isma’il Umar of Voice of Nigeria called for greater commitment to increasing awareness of family planning and contraceptive services.
Musa Ubandawaki, the project’s media coordinator, stated that the meeting was organised to review achievements, discuss challenges, and explore ways to further enhance the project’s impact.
The meeting also stressed the importance of sharing ideas and experiences to improve media coverage throughout the year.
The event was crucial in fostering collaboration to ensure effective media coverage and continued advocacy for family planning services.
Adamawa LG Chair Says Autonomy Driving Grassroots Development
Adamawa LG chair says autonomy driving grassroots development. Local government autonomy is driving impactful grassroots development in Adamawa, says Kassah Shalum, the chairman of Guyuk LGA.
Local government autonomy is driving impactful grassroots development in Adamawa, says Kassah Shalum, the chairman of Guyuk LGA.
Mr Shalum said this on Thursday.
”We must commend Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who implemented financial autonomy for Adamawa councils five years ago, allowing them to effectively address the needs of their communities.
“This free hand and open-minded approach by our governor has challenged every chairman to work harder. Now, each of us is focused on ensuring that our people receive tangible benefits from democracy,” he said.
Mr Shalum noted that the collaboration between local government chairpersons and the governor has fostered healthy developmental competition.
“Every chairman is engaged in projects that directly impact rural communities, ensuring they feel connected to the government they elected.
“In Guyuk LGA, which consists of ten wards, each is witnessing visible development. Every ward is undergoing transformation with at least one major project, and the evidence is there for all to see,” he said.
He highlighted ongoing projects, including constructing and renovating schools, establishing modern healthcare facilities, and developing rural roads.
According to him, these projects are designed to meet the specific needs of communities and improve their quality of life.
Adamawa LG Chair
Regarding youth unemployment, Mr Shalum commended Fintiri’s initiative through the Poverty and Wealth Creation Agency, which trains young people in various vocational skills.
He said the programme aims to provide youths with employment opportunities and financial stability.
“Lack of employment is the root cause of crimes in society, but I assure you that in the coming months, this initiative will lead to large-scale job creation,” he said.
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