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General news

Osinbajo makes public letter to organisers of 2019 anti-corruption defender award

Osinbajo makes public letter to organisers of 2019 anti-corruption defender award

By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Letter
Abuja, Dec. 9, 2019 (NAN) The Office of the Vice President has made public the letter which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo wrote to the organisers of Anti-corruption Defender Award of 2019.

The letter made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, indicated that the vice president had given two reasons why he would not be able to attend the event held on Monday in Lagos.

Osinbajo said his first reason was that he would be in Abu Dhabi for an international meeting under the auspices of the government of the United Arab Emirates where he was the keynote speaker.

The vice president’s second reason was that he thought it insensitive to attend the ceremony in view of the recent  developments on Friday in the Sowore case.

“I am extremely grateful for the recognition and award of the ‘Integrity Specialty of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism’s Anti-corruption Defender Award of 2019’ to me.

“The award, I note, is for our Justice reform efforts in Lagos State. I had accepted the award with pride on behalf of the excellent Justice Sector team we had.

“However, two reasons explain my absence. First is that I am currently in Abu Dhabi for an international meeting under the auspices of the government of the UAE where I am the keynote speaker.

“Second, in view of the developments on Friday in the Sowore case, I think it would be insensitive and inappropriate to attend the ceremony.

“Please accept my heartfelt apologies and extend the same to the other members of the organising team. God bless you,” the letter reads in part. (NAN)
CJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

How can we make Diaspora bonds work – VP Osinbajo

How can we make Diaspora bonds work – VP Osinbajo
By Maureen Okon
Bonds
Abuja, Nov. 7, 2019 (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says it is imperative for Nigeria to proffer solution on how Diaspora bonds and Diaspora mutual funds will work to boost the country’s economy.
Osinbajo said this at the two-day Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit 2019, which was organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit had the theme: “Leveraging Diaspora Resources for Economic Growth’’, held at the Presidential Villa.
The vice president said that the interest in previous attempts at Diaspora bonds appears to have attracted mainly institutional investors.
He noted that Nigeria can explore how Diasporans in the financial industry in their countries of residence can partner with local private capital companies to raise capital in both jurisdictions for investment.
“In the past four years a major focus of our government has been on infrastructural development, on rail, roads, bridges and power.
“Our infrastructure spend is by far the largest in history, yet the infrastructure deficits remain significant because we have major funding gaps.
“Part of the solution is private sector collaboration by way of tax credits for investment in public infrastructure. The other is the infrastructure fund; the fund at the moment has only received institutional investors.
“But there is in my view room for investment from Diaspora funds, such investments especially when managed with the known expertise of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund can be both safe and profitable.
“Our focus on renewable energy in the power sector also presents an opportunity especially with our green bonds, Africa’s largest sovereign Green Bond.
“The bond issuance has done so well and has supported very lucrative investments in our energising education project.
“The programme will improve access to power to 37 federal universities and seven university teaching hospitals across the country.
“It will also impact the residents of surrounding communities of over 1,110,000 people,’’ he said.
He added that the possibilities of mobilising the Diaspora capital for local investment was key, adding that in Kano State a total 119MW of power will be provided out of which 60MW will be solar powered projects.
“Only last month at the Bayero University we commissioned the largest hybrid solar plant in Africa at the Bayero University Kano.
“Investments in the green bonds serve important economic and environmental purposes. The possibilities are many.
“I hope we will spend some time at this summit to closely scrutinise the options for mobilising Diaspora capital for local investment,’’ said Osinbajo.
He said that an `excellent work done by Aaron Terrazas, Diaspora investment in developing and emerging capital markets’.
He added that some international agencies such as USAID and OPIC two U.S. agencies have supported Diaspora investments in their countries of origin through risk reduction.
“USAID does this by focusing on the lenders in the country of origin and OPIC by focusing on Diaspora investors who are U.S. citizens.
“The Development Credit authority also a U.S. government initiative has provided partial credit default guarantees to enable Ethiopian entrepreneurs in Diaspora access bank credit.
“The way it works is that the credit guarantee allows USAID partner banks to mobilise locally held assets and savings. The DCA then guarantees 50 per cent of losses in case of default.
“Also OPIC supports U.S. registered companies investing overseas by offering discounted insurance to protect against currency risk.
“In particular the possibility that an investor may have difficulty converting profit or capital from local currency to dollars, and also political and expropriation risks.
“Now it is entirely possible to work with both local and international agencies to seek ways of de-risking Diaspora investments to encourage more interest in local investment opportunities,’’ the vice president said.
According to him, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) can de-risk Diaspora investment in agriculture and agri-business.
He noted that NIRSAL’s mandate was to stimulate the flow of affordable finance and investments into the agricultural sector by de-risking the agribusiness finance value chain. (NAN)
ETIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Osinbajo passionate about humanitarian crisis in Borno – Sen. Ndume

Osinbajo passionate about humanitarian crisis in Borno – Sen. Ndume

By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Borno
Abuja, Oct. 3, 2019(NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had a private meeting with Sen. Ali Ndume, (APC-Borno South).
Ndume, who spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, said he had always paid routine visits to the vice president.
He said that Osinbajo’s humanitarian work in Borno was commendable as many orphans are being assisted.
“I am here to see the vice president and for some of you that have been here for a while, you know that I come from time to time; I have a relationship, very personal with the vice president; just like the president too.
“More especially, I come to brief him from time to time on the humanitarian crisis that we are facing because the vice president is personally passionate about it.
“You know what he did for us; he has an orphanage that is running very effectively in my area; accommodating about 2,000 orphans.
“So, I normally come to discuss with him; he is always very curious about what is going on, so, I came to adequately brief him.’’
On Federal Government’s plans to bring back toll gates on federal highways, Ndume said that the state of Nigeria’s infrastructure was of concern.
He said that there was virtually a collapse in the nation’s infrastructure.
The senator said that if the toll gates would serve the objective of keeping the roads not only motorable but effective and safe; then it was a good one.
“Like the Abuja-Kaduna road for example, where there is toll gate, you will be able to place security there and if you place people there, you have to pay them.
“I am sure every Nigerian travelling, for example, say from Lagos to Ibadan, if you say he is going to pay N100 or N12 to N50 at each point in four places to assure that number one, the road is good; number two, he will be safe.
“He can drive without expecting anybody to come and close the road and kidnap or rob anybody, it makes sense to me but for the toll gate to be placed just for the purpose of it, I don’t think that is what the government wants to do.
“Besides, I heard the minister say that they are bringing private partnership into it; and that is also good.’’
On the Bill for an Act to establish the Communication Service Tax which he sponsored, Ndume said it was a better way of generating revenue without subjecting the poor to hardship.
He said that increasing VAT would have a spiral effect on the populace as it would affect the poor more.
According to him, the effect will be on everybody and even commodity transportation from one point to another which always affect the poor.
“So, that is why I am saying that we should introduce Communications Service Tax and people will pay for it sometimes even not knowing.
“And government will be able to generate more from that angle; you know the money the service providers are making out of communications.
“So, this is my position and I think this Communications Service Tax is part of it; tax those that can afford telephone, 60 million of them; why do you tax 200 million people?
“Tax the 60 million people that can afford it and you get what you want,’’ he said.
Ndume said he was also working on Property Tax Bill and Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) which would make people pay taxes on their property and explain the means of their wealth. (NAN)
CJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Agriculture

VP Osinbajo flags off National Livestock Transformation Plan

VP Osinbajo flags off National Livestock Transformation Plan
By Muhammad Adam
Livestock
Mayo-Belwa (Adamawa), Sept. 10, 2019 (NAN) The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa.
Inaugurating the project on Tuesday, Osinbajo said the plan is designed to run from 2019-2028 as part of Federal Government’s initiative in collaboration with States under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).
He said the plan, targeted at supporting the development of Nigeria’s livestock sector, is to be implemented in seven pilot states of Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara.
According to the vice president, the plan will be implemented as a collaboration project between the Federal and State governments, farmers, pastoralists and private investors.
“In this plan the State Government or private investors provide the land, the federal government does not and will not take any land from a State or local government.
“Any participating state will provide the land and its own contribution to the project. The federal government merely supports.
“It is a plan that hopes to birth tailor made ranches where cattle are bred, and meat and dairy products are produced using modern livestock breeding and dairy methods.
“This solves the problem of cattle grazing into and destroying farmlands. It ensures a practical response to the pressures on water and pasture by forces of climate change,” Osinbajo said.
He noted that the plan was designed to provide modern meat and dairy industry and in some cases integrated crop farming.
According to Osinbajo, the unique feature of the plan is that any participating state will determine its own model.
“I wish to emphasise that this is not RUGA. Because the idea of RUGA settlements launched by the Ministry of Agriculture created a problem when it was perceived as a plan to seize lands to create settlements for herders.
“RUGA was not the plan designed and approved by the governors and the President rightly suspended the implementation,” Osinbajo said.
He said that the NLTP was endorsed by all governors and could only be implemented with the full participation and consent of the governors and the people of the state.
He said no state could be forced to participate, adding that Adamawa had chosen to begin the implementation of the plan.
He noted Adamawa state experienced several crises on account of clashes between herders and farmers resulting in the destruction of lives and property.
He also observed that the introduction of the livestock transformation plan was a win-win for the state and its people, and would provide a basis for peaceful coexistence, jobs for many and a mechanism for resolving disputes.
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa said that the flag-off of the plan was a robust all encompassing life-changing transformation programme in the livestock sub-sector.
Fintiri said the introduction of the plan was the solution desired for peaceful coexistence among diverse people of the state.
“The Plan will create job opportunities and solve lingering conflict between farmers and herders,” Fintiri said. (NAN)
AMA/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

FG committed to delivering effective power supply to Nigerians – Osinbajo

By Yunus Yusuf
Electricity
Abeokuta, Aug. 15, 2019 (NAN) Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday reassured Nigerians that Federal Government was committed to ensuring effective and cost reflective power supply in the country.

Osinbanjo gave the assurance during the official inauguration of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) new 2×60MVA, 132/33KV substation and associated 132KV transmission lines in Abeokuta, Ogun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the vice president inaugurated the 2×60MVA, 132/33KV relief substation for Abeokuta; line bay extension works at Otta, Papalantoro and old Abeokuta 132/33KV substation.

According to Osinbajo, this commissioning is an important part of  government effort to improve supply and quality of power to homes and businesses in Nigeria.

“In past few years, resolving the power problem has been top priority of government of Nigeria.

“Today, we have about 13,427 megawatts installed capacity and available capacity of 8,342 megawatts.

“This was achieved through the effort of government and private sector partnership on rehabilitation of turbines in Shiroro Egbin, Delta, Sapele, among others,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that before the end of 2019, new generation was expected to be injected into the national grid to boost and increase power supply in the country.

Osinbajo said the distribution capacity in the 11 Discos were significantly low, hovering at around 4,000 megawatts on average with a peak at about 5,400MW.

He added that despite all the availability of about 8,000MW of generation and 7,000MW of transmission capacity, the lack of Disco infrastructure to absorb and deliver grid power to end-users had  largely restricted generation to an average of about 4,000MW, and sometimes even falling below 4,000MW.

“It is evident that despite all efforts that has been put into trying to expand the grid, the structure of the market today cannot deliver on government’s promises to provide power for domestic and industrial use.

“A substantial change of strategy is necessary. There is clearly need for a change of strategy.

“What we have done in the past has taken us to a point where there is clearly a change of strategy,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NDPHC, Mr Chiedu Ugbo, said he the new 2×60MVA, 132/33KV substation of Abeokuta, when fully come on stream, would provide reliable power off-take via six 33KV distribution feeders to the state capital (Abeokuta) and its environs.

He explained further that the 1×60MVA transformer at Otta would  provide additional power supply via three 33KV feeders to Otta and its environs.

Besides, Ugbo underscored the importance of the projects and said they would impact positively on power supply to Abeokuta, Otta axis and Papalanto.

“NDPHC’s contribution to the tansmission grid system has transformed the hitherto radial 330Kv/132KV grid into a more robust grid system with significant provision of alternative power flow routes which now serve as redundancies and which has resulted in a more reliable and stable Nigeria grid.

“Of note in these respects are the commissioning of the over 220KM long 330KV Double Circuit (DC) lines providing alternative supply route into Abuja and the FCT from Geregu.

“Through a new Lokoja substation, a new Gwagwalada substation into the existing TCN Katampe and Apo substations with several significant expansion works on existing substation developments along this route,” he said.

Agbo said electricity supply to those parts of Ogun along the axis of Otta right up to Abeokuta the state capital were initially via a double circuit 132kV line into Otta, from the mega 330/132/33kV transformer substation at Ikeja west which serves as a marshalling station for several power plant inflows into Lagos.

*A 2X40MVA 132/33kV substation was built at this Otta location for supply to Otta and environs.

“Out of Otta, a single circuit lower capacity 132kV line was built to connect Abeokuta via an intermediate 132/33kV Substation at Papalanto within the premises of Lafarge Cement Company.

“The Abeokuta Substation was also equipped with 2X40MVA 132/33kV Transformers for suppling Abeokuta and its environs.

“Over time, all these facilities became overloaded and lacking capacity to cater to growing demands in these locations, necessitating NDPHC intervention.

“A schematic overview of the old status and NDPH intervention is attached for visual clarity,” he added.

The NDPHC boss said the company constructed a total of 77.5kms high capacity 132kV transmission Lines, thus providing near quadrupling of the supply (wheeling) capacity out of Otta (from 70MW to 250MW) and thereby eliminating supply constraints and attendant load shedding that had existed before at Otta, and Abeokuta.

He said that additionally, the NIPP 2X60MVA 132/33kV Substation at New Abeokuta provided reliable 6nos. 33kV distribution feeders to Abeokuta environs, while the added 1X60MVA 132/33kV Transformer at Otta provided additional 3nos. 33kV feeders to Otta environs.

The Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Usman Mohammed, said 1.66 billion dollars had been secured from the World Bank and other multilateral financing agencies on network projects.

Usman said the financing was raised for the expansion of the national power grid.

He said  the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project, which sought to redress certain deficiencies and operating constraints of the power transmission system, was financed by the World Bank and was worth 486 million dollars.

“The project is in three stages; two phases have passed pre-qualification state while the third is still on pre-qualification stage.

He said the pre-qualification of the Northern Corridor project being funded by the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) was almost completed.

Mohammed said: “The project will cover the closing of loop in-between Sokoto to Kaura Namoda and Katsina.

“Environmental Impact Assessment is on-going, verification for compensation for the right of way is also on-going. The project loan is 300 million dollars,” he said.

According to him, the Lagos-Ogun transmission project, which is worth $238m, is being financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Usman said the project design, EIA studies, technical studies and resettlement action plan had been concluded.

He said compensation request had been forwarded to the Bureau of Public Procurement for due diligence which was expected to be concluded in the third quarter of the year. (NAN)
YO/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Osinbajo heads to U.S, meets Pence

Osinbajo heads to U.S, meets Pence

By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Visit
Abuja, June 22, 2019 (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will depart Nigeria on Saturday  for U.S. where he will be meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Mr Mike Pence, and other key groups and interests in the country.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Ahead of his meeting with Pence on Wednesday in Washington D.C, Osinbajo will be meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations on Monday in New York.

In his meeting with Pence, Osinbajo will be discussing matters of mutual interests between Nigeria and the U.S.

He will be speaking on Nigeria’s economic prospects and other related matters in his meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations.

The vice president is expected back in Abuja on Thursday. (NAN)
CJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Purported resignation: Osinbajo dismisses fake news alert

Purported resignation: Osinbajo dismisses fake news alert

By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Resignation
Abuja, Feb. 21, 2019 (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has dismissed a trending social media fake news alert suggesting his resignation in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Osinbajo’s spokeman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the vice president gave the clarification at a meeting with young Christian leaders on Wednesday in Lagos.
Osinbajo dismissed the purported resignation being circulated on some social media platforms and described it as deliberate propaganda.
“They are deliberate propaganda. Today (Wednesday), they’ve been spreading some information around that I have resigned.
“They said I didn’t attend a security meeting yesterday. I was too busy in my office.
“The same security people were meeting with me that same evening. Must I attend every meeting? Can’t the President hold a meeting with the security chiefs without me?
“They said I was so angry that they didn’t bring me to that meeting, that I was excluded, then I resigned! I have not resigned,” he said.
In continuation of the Next Level engagements, Osinbajo visited Ikeja, Lagos State, where he met with the Hausa community.
He then proceeded to Yola, Adamawa, where he met a group of Christian leaders.
On his return to Lagos on Wednesday, the vice president held an interactive session with young Christian leaders at Muson Center, Onikan, where he cleared the aire on the fake news.
Osinbajo is expected in Kwara and Abia States today in continuation of the Next Level engagements. (NAN)
CJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Osinbajo makes proposal for resolution of Zamfara APC crisis

Osinbajo makes proposal for resolution of Zamfara APC crisis
By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Zamfara
Abuja, Feb. 19, 2019 (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has made a proposal aimed at resolving the protracted crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, Sen. Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara Central) has said.
Marafa disclosed this while speaking with State House correspondents after a private meeting with Osinbajo on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that the postponement of the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections provided an opportunity to APC in Zamfara State to resolve the stalemate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that Zamfara APC will not field candidates in the 2019 elections, following unresolved issues arising from the party’s primaries in the state.
A Zamfara State High Court sitting in Gusau and a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Jan. 25, gave conflicting judgments on the Zamfara APC crisis.
While the State High Court upheld the primary election conducted by the state chapter of APC, the Federal High Court in Abuja barred the party from fielding candidates in Zamfara in the upcoming general elections.
Marafa said he was in Presidential Villa on the invitation of the vice president.
“It has to do with the political impasse in Zamfara; he called to see if we can work a way out of it.
“Our discussions were quite fruitful; it was an honest discussion; he is a good man and he gave out a proposal which we are going to look at because I am not alone in the journey; I have followers and friends; we are going to look at it and I promised I will get back to him; today or tomorrow.
“The vice president is concerned that the problem still lingers up until this time and he promised to do the needful and we will tap from his years of experience and wisdom,” the lawmaker explained.
According to him, the postponement offered a window for discussion.
He said that if not because of the postponement, he would not have been in the Villa to discuss anything.
“It goes without saying that it is an advantage; if the election had actually taken place last Saturday, there will not be anything to discuss.
“So, I think it is understatement to even to say it is an advantage to Zamfara State,” he said.
Marafa said that the postponement had given Zamfara APC five more days within which to work out something. (NAN)
CJ/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Election: Osinbajo takes campaign to biggest market in Ogun

 

Campaign
By Temitope Salami
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), Feb. 12, 2019 (NAN) The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday took the ‘Next Level’ campaign to the new market in Ijebu-Ode, adjudged the biggest in Ogun.

Osinbajo, who arrived to the admiration and jubilation of the traders, assured them that the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari would consolidate and improve lives of the downtrodden.

The vice president, in the company of the new market leader, Mrs Sherifatu Ogunba, pleaded with traders to secure their future by voting Buhari come Feb. 16 poll.

“It is not that we don’t have funds as a nation to meet our demands, but we hitherto lacked leaders with integrity who were more concerned about self-enrichment.

“These people canvassing to come back have been there before and they are the ones who left us in this situation due to their mismanagement.

“For example, look at our Lagos-Ibadan expressway that took them 16years and yet it couldn’t be done until we came to the rescue.

“Nigeria’s wealth is commonwealth and the aim is that the dividends of democracy get to everyone irrespective of class, social status, tribe or religious allegiance.

“If re-elected, we will focus more on improving the living standards of the downtrodden,” he said.

Osinbajo listed three key sectors that the next level drive hope to improve upon to rapidly grow the economy.

The sectors include: youth employment, power and Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

“Youth employment is the most important because we are aware of the frustration and desperation among our young ones in their struggle to survive and create meaningful impact.

“The N-Power is doing much to remove the scourge of unemployment having already catered for over 500,000 youths. We want to take this figure to 1,500,000 in the next two years.

“Power is our next priority because it is the major infrastructure to drive industrialisation.

“We now have many companies investing to restore stability evident in the number of power projects executed in the last four years.

“Financial aid for petty traders through the Trader-Moni initiative has recorded unprecedented success going by the amount of beneficiaries so far,” he said.

The vice-president, however, appealed to the market men and women, who were Trader-Moni beneficiaries to ensure timely repayment so that others could benefit.

He assured them that the funds were interest free, designed to ensure affordability for beneficiaries in meeting up with their various projects.

Also speaking, Ogunba urged her colleagues to come out en-masse to cast their vote for Buhari and Osinbajo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice president earlier had a closed door meeting with the monarch, Oba Yinusa Adekoya, at his palace in Odogbolu Local Government Area.

NAN also reports that the vice president’s visit formed part of activities for his ward-to-ward campaign in Ogun. (NAN)
TDS/MAM/AFA
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Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Felix Ajide

Politics

Osinbajo visits Akarigbo, promises more development in Remoland

 

Osinbajo

 

By Temitope Salami

Sagamu (Ogun), Jan. 23, 2019 (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has promised the people of Remoland in Ogun more development strides if President Muhammadu Buhari is re-elected to office in February.

Osinbajo made the pledge at the official launch of his ward-to-ward campaign in Ogun-East Senatorial District where he visited the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adewale Ajayi, on Wednesday in Sagamu.

Addressing a crowd of jubilant supporters at a township meeting within the Akarigbo’s palace, the vice president said Remoland would be earmarked for unprecedented development like never before.

”There is federal presence in Remo and there can be more. All we need is your continued support to maximise our vision not only here, but in the entire nation.

”We are constructing the Ikorodu-Sagamu Road. The contract for that road was awarded barely six months ago and when completed will help ease traffic within this axis.

”The renovation of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway is ongoing and the Remo water scheme is another one we hope to complete very soon.

”We are also increasing the capacity of the Sagamu Transmission Power Station. We are doing more transmission lines to boost power supply in Remoland.

”There are many things we have sidelines for the development of Remoland and once infrastructure is improved, investment will come in naturally,” Osinbajo said.

He advised the youths in the area to key into the Federal Government’s N-Power scheme, saying over 500,000 graduates and 20,000 non-graduates were already benefiting.

”Every single local government in Remo has N-Power beneficiaries. We also have the school feeding programme fully operational here in Remo.

”Trader-Moni for artisans and traders is also in operation as all our markets are being enumerated with access to credit to boost small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

”The challenge is for our local councils to keep pace with the Federal Government’s development programmes and hasten them at the grassroots,” he said.

He added that ecological projects were ongoing in Ikenne Local Government Area which he said were championed by the local communities.

He, however, said that special interventions for ecological projects by the Federal Government were available on requests which would be granted once reviewed.

Eulogising the traditional ruler for his exemplary leadership, Osinbajo tasked the people of area to continue to support him in his quest to develop Remo.

”Akarigbo is a worthy leader of our people. He has capped a vision for the development of Remoland and that vision is already documented.

”We the sons and daughters of Remo are committed to ensure that the king’s visions are fulfilled.

”However, unity is the answer. If we want to lead and be number one, we have to be united,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme had in attendance the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Ogun, Mr Dapo Abiodun; members of the Akarigbo-in-Council; representatives of Remo towns and other dignitaries. (NAN)

 

TDS/FF/JTJ
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Edited Fela Fashoro/Julius Toba-Jegede