Senator Lawan urges the World Bank to invest in Yobe

By: Yahaya Wakili

Former Senate President, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, Ph.D., GCON, Sardaunan Bade, Yobe North Senatorial District, has asked the World Bank to double its investment in Yobe, particularly since the state hasn’t been a beneficiary of investments made over the years.

The President of the 9th Senate, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, made the peal in a statement issued and signed by him, which he shared with newsmen in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.

“I joined my brother and friend, the Executive Governor of Yobe State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Mai Mala Buni, CON, for a high-level official engagement on investment partnerships, resource mobilization, and the official launch of the Yobe State Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).” Sen. Lawan said.

Also present was our leader, the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs and former Yobe State Governor, who served between 2009 and 2019, His Excellency, Sen. (Dr.) Ibrahim Gaidam.

Others present include the Senator representing Yobe East Senatorial District, Sen. Musa Mustapha, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, His Excellency Nicolas Lang, diplomats and representatives of the World Bank, and other donor agencies.

The investment and resource mobilization meeting, which was held at the Switzerland Embassy in Abuja, focused on establishing strategic partnerships with key international donors and partners to support the Yobe state development plan for improved partnerships.

Senator Ahmed Lawan revealed that the Yobe State Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) represents a significant advancement made by the Governor Buni-led administration in tackling the issues of protracted displacement.

“I also underscored the need for donor agencies to be carried along by state governments in the formulation of policies, as their participation is essential for the successful implementation of developmental policies that ultimately target the people as beneficiaries.

Senator Lawna urges the World Bank to invest in Yobe

PressOne Africa Brings Revolutionary Phone Systems to Lagos Startup Week

By: Michael Mike

PressOne Africa is set to make waves at Lagos Startup Week with its revolutionary phone systems designed to empower ambitious Nigerian businesses.

Anticipation is high as the innovative telecommunications firm prepares to showcase its cutting-edge solutions that promise to elevate Nigerian businesses to world-class standards.
 
At the core of PressOne Africa’s exhibition is their advanced business phone system. Unlike traditional SIM cards tied to physical devices, PressOne’s business phone system offers unparalleled flexibility and significant cost savings. Its seamless integration across multiple devices streamlines operations, while the ability to handle concurrent inbound calls, ensures no customer is left unattended.
 
The centralized admin dashboard simplifies management of the entire communication setup, allowing businesses to control communications on the go. These features make PressOne a compelling choice for a more efficient and cost-effective communication solution.
 
Security and scalability are paramount in today’s business environment, and PressOne Africa leads the way with robust encryption and authentication protocols that safeguard sensitive communications and enhance overall operational security.
 
“PressOne Africa is all about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in business communications,” said Mayowa Okegbenle, Chief Executive Officer at PressOne Africa.

Okegbenle said: “We’re excited to unveil our voice communication technology at Lagos Startup Week, empowering Nigerian businesses to operate more efficiently and securely.”
 
He said attendees at Lagos Startup Week can look forward to live demonstrations, interactive workshops, and insightful discussions that highlight the transformative potential of PressOne Africa’s technology. This event promises to be a pivotal moment for the company as it continues to drive innovation and set new standards in the telecommunications industry.

PressOne Africa Brings Revolutionary Phone Systems to Lagos Startup Week

Dein of Agbor Asks Drug Dealers to Vacate His Kingdom

By: Michael Mike

Frontline traditional ruler in Delta state, Dein of Agbor, His Royal Majesty Benjamin Ikenchuku Gbenoba has met with the Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) to seek a partnership that will end the activities of drug dealers in his kingdom.

Marwa welcoming the monarch to his office, expressed the readiness of the agency to collaborate with all stakeholders including traditional rulers and community gatekeepers to ensure that the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking is stamped out from communities across the country.

He said: “We’re at the moment deploying our personnel to the local government areas to establish our presence at the grassroots to further our advocacy against substance abuse and enforce the law against those dealing in illicit drugs at that level. Towards that, we met with the leadership of ALGON last week to make this process seamless and we welcome the support and partnership with all stakeholders for successful implementation of all our drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, through a whole of society approach.”

In his remarks at the meeting, the monarch said “we’ve been having some issues with drug dealers in Agbor. We’ve tried to handle it once or twice, but we’d like to at least be able to provide some land to have NDLEA come to Agbor. My main hope is General Marwa right here. Everything he touches turns to gold. Since he came on board at NDLEA, you people were reinvigorated. And I have seen that since he came on board, the drug dealers are now more hesitant, and we need more of that. So, we continue to learn from his experience and continue to make sure that this agency is strengthened as much as we can.”

He said his desire to bring NDLEA into his kingdom is to eliminate the activities of drug dealers and protect his people from the devastating effects of illicit substances destroying the lives of youths and adults all over the world.

He said his partnership with NDLEA is to send a strong message to drug dealers that their time is up in his kingdom.

He added that: “I always try to tell criminals, that life is left and right, good and bad, up and down. If you are intelligent enough to be selling drugs, then you deserve to go to jail. You deserve to be incarcerated because that intelligence can also lead you to be selling houses or to be selling goods. Do something that doesn’t affect people negatively. Because every drug dealer doesn’t want their children taking these hard drugs. But they don’t mind their neighbour next door taking such drugs. It is destroying us as a nation.

“Kidnappers are now using these illicit drugs to go about their nefarious activities. The reduction of it in our society will bring down the crime rate, robberies, and so on.
So, my message to the drug dealers, beware, you are on notice; we do not want you in Agbor; we do not want you in our country.”

The monarch also has words of caution for those abusing illicit drugs. He advised that: “For those who are taking drugs, once you have taken them, it is a life-or-death decision you are making. You can take it for the first time, and you can die. You destroy your family, and you destroy the people around you. So, as much as possible, choose life over death on these drugs.”

Dein of Agbor Asks Drug Dealers to Vacate His Kingdom