FG launches agric empowerment programme in Delta

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has successfully concluded its agricultural empowerment programme across six south-south states with a grand launch of Project “Earn From The Soil” in Delta State.

Mrs Gift Johnbull, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, South-South, made this known in a statement signed by her and made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

According to her, the launch in Warri, Delta State follows the successful rollout of the project across Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Edo, culminating in Delta State with this grand occasion.

Johnbull added that the government was now set to proceed with the full implementation of the project, which aimed to revolutionise agriculture and enhance food security in the region by promoting cooperative formation and commodity-based clustering.

She explained that the initiative aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on food security, agricultural growth, and economic empowerment for women.

She said: “As a daughter of the soil, it is with great pleasure and a deep sense of responsibility that today we begin the domestication of the Women Economic Empowerment Policy (WEE) in Delta State and launch Project ‘Earn From The Soil.

“This significant event marks a critical step forward in our collective effort to economically empower women in Delta State and the wider South-South region,”Johnbull stated.

She noted that the Federal Government’s target was to reach over 500,000 smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and fisherfolk, with a particular focus on empowering women.

“As we embark on this journey together, let us harness our resources, our fertile lands, and our people’s ingenuity to build a prosperous, food-secure, and equitable Delta State,”.

The goals of the project, as outlined by Johnbull, include: Promotion of sustainable farming practices that increase agricultural productivity, Enhancing value addition to agricultural and aquacultural products, focusing on processing and packaging,

Developing robust market linkages to ensure women farmers access both local and international markets, Fostering cluster projects that promote entrepreneurship in agribusiness and create opportunities along the agricultural value chain.

Mr Emakpor Odogu, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Community Development in Delta State, commended the timeliness of the project.

“When you are hungry and you have a means to get on and you have a deliberate course of action, it then means you have hope,” he said.

Odogu highlighted the women’s economic empowerment policy as a key component of this federal initiative, describing it as a “deliberate course of action” being put in place to alleviate hunger.

“The launch of the WEE Policy and the “Earn From is Soil” project is expected to position Delta State as a leader in agricultural development, setting a benchmark for sustainable economic growth through women’s empowerment in the South-South region,”he said.

He noted that this aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of zero tolerance for hunger and expressed gratitude to the federal government for bringing such initiative to Delta State.

The project allowed to tailor its support to the specific needs of farmers, with implementing partners like Nexim Bank, Zenith Bank, REA, UN Women, the Niger Delta, Albright Stonebridge and others offering targeted assistance based on the commodities produced by local farmers.

FG launches agric empowerment programme in Delta

UK Announces $5 million investment in first battery recycling facility in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

United Kingdom has announced an investment of $5 million to establish first battery recycling facility in Nigeria

A press statement on Friday said the British High Commissioner visited Ogun and Lagos States, and announced a new $5m investment to establish first battery recycling facility in Nigeria

The statement read: “The British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, has concluded a productive visit to Lagos and Ogun States, underscoring the United Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and supporting development initiatives in these key regions.

“During the four-day visit, the High Commissioner met with Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, engaging in discussions focused on enhancing economic ties, driving investments, prosperity opportunities and future priorities that could be beneficial to the states and the UK.

A key highlight of the visit to Ogun State was the announcement by UK company, Hinckley Recycling, that they are establishing a new battery recycling facility in the state, using UK-patented technology. Hinckley’s $5m investment will create Africa’s first lithium-ion and lead acid battery recycling and treatment plant.

In Lagos, Dr. Montgomery met with Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and some business leaders in Nigeria including the CEOs of Airtel Nigeria, Standard Chartered, Nigeria Helios Investment Partners, Afrinvest and KPMG West Africa.

At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said: “My visit to Lagos and Ogun States has reinforced the strong ties between our two great countries.

“Both states are key to boosting Nigeria’s economic prosperity and the UK is committed to driving that growth, promoting trade and supporting their developments.”

On the $5 million investment to establish Nigeria’s first battery recycling facility in Ogun State, he said:“It is fantastic that Hinckley Recycling is establishing the first lithium-ion and lead-acid battery recycling facility in Nigeria, creating a new high-value export industry in Ogun State and 100 new direct jobs. Congratulations to the Commissioners and to OgunInvest who worked with Hinckley to make this ground-breaking project a reality.

“The UK fully supports His Excellency Governor Abiodun’s mission to bring new investment and new jobs into Ogun State. The UK Government’s development finance bank British International Investment invested $15 million into Valency International in Ogun State last year, and the UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme is supporting four other companies in Ogun to raise capital and expand their production facilities.”

0Hinckley Recycling became the first government approved E-Waste recycler in Nigeria in 2016. Hinckley is expanding its E-Waste business to create a lithium-ion battery and lead acid battery recycling and treatment plant in Nigeria using patented recycling technology; the local treatment and manufacturing plant will be the first of its kind in Africa.

UK Announces $5 million investment in first battery recycling facility in Nigeria

Borno State Government Pays N494 Million for 2024 SSCE Fees for Public School Students

…Zulum orders completion of permanent NECO office.

By: Our Reporter

In a significant stride towards educational equity, the Borno State Government has announced the payment of N493.9 million to cover the 2024 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees for 25,075 students in public schools.

The Honourable Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Hon. Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, made the announcement on Friday during a disbursement ceremony. He emphasized the government’s ongoing commitment to making education accessible to all, underscoring that the initiative subsidizes the exam fees by 75%, thus alleviating the financial burden on students and their families.

For the 2024 academic year, the state government will contribute N326.7 million, while the 27 Local Government Areas will provide a combined total of N167.2 million, paid directly to the National Examinations Council (NECO). This payment is part of a larger effort by the Borno State Government, which has invested over N1 billion this year alone to cover the costs of both the May/June and June/July WASSCE and SSCE exams.

Since the beginning of Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration in 2019, the state has spent a total of N4.1 billion on examination fees for 138,438 students in public schools. This substantial financial commitment highlights the government’s dedication to ensuring fairness and providing equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of their socio-economic background.

Hon. Engr. Wakilbe also extended his gratitude to NECO for its robust support, acknowledging the council’s efforts to make SSCE examinations accessible across nearly all parts of the state. This expansion has significantly reduced logistical challenges, such as the need for students to travel to Maiduguri, thus alleviating issues of overcrowding in boarding schools and ensuring a smoother examination process for students.

Wakilbe noted that illegal practice leads to difficulties in student verification, encourages indiscipline, and results in corruption and malpractice within public schools. It also places a heavy financial burden on the government and depletes the state’s limited resources. Any principal whose school’s examination centre is derecognized due to malpractice will be immediately removed from their position.

“In recognition of NECO’s efforts, His Excellency has directed the Ministry to submit plans for the completion of the permanent NECO office at the Mustapha Umar Elkanemi College. Following this briefing, we will visit the site, where NECO will formally hand it over to the engineers, allowing for the necessary work to be completed.” Wakilbe Said

The Coordinator NECO Borno State, Mr. Dauda Thomas Yahaya, has expressed gratitude to the Borno State government for its financial support, which will significantly alleviate the financial burden on the families. 
 
On behalf of the Registrar and CEO NECO, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, Yahaya acknowledged the payment and commended Governor Banagana Umara Zulum and Commissioner Engr Wakilbe for covering the SSCE fees of public school children, demonstrating their commitment to advancing education in the state.

Borno State Government Pays N494 Million for 2024 SSCE Fees for Public School Students