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Senator Lawan distributed empowerment materials in Yobe
Senator Lawan distributed empowerment materials in Yobe
By: Yahaya Wakili
The former 9th President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan Sardaunan Bade, has today launched the distribution of empowerment and entrepreneurship materials in Gashua, the headquarters of Yobe North Senatorial District.
Speaking at the occasion, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan thanked Governor Mai Mala Buni for coming to the kick-off of this very important event at the center of Yobe North Senatorial Zone C. You have always identified with us, giving us leadership and always giving us the kind of attention that we need. We thank you for your leadership.
“I want to assure you that while you provide very good leadership, our people and all of us will continue to provide very good followership, and this event is an event out of many events that have happened in the past that we will have in the future by the grace of God.”
He further said, “We believe that it is better to teach a man how to fish than to give that man the fish itself; he eats the fish for one day and it is over; he catches the fish, and it will continue to catch the fish to eat every day.” he said.
He said that our youth here in this zone remain at the center of our attention, and we have done very well in the area of providing employment opportunities for our youth, especially graduates.
“We are hopeful that those who were fortunate enough to be employed will also employ themselves to provide some support to people in their families and communities, and indeed, in our state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Governor Mai Mala Buni, in his brief address, said this is no doubt intended by the policy of our administration on employment, and we establish the ministry of wealth creation as a deliberate policy to empower our people to provide employment and alleviate poverty.
He advises the beneficiaries not to sell the items; they should make good use of them for maximum benefit. The government will continue to support our people and make life meaningful for the people of Yobe State.
In his welcome address, the chairman of the caretaker committee for Bade local government area, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagana, said the economic empowerment support that the Sardaunan Bade has provided goes back over 20 years to 1999, and he has been doing it year after year.
“This speaks to Sardaunan Bade’s commitment to empower his people and make life a lot easier for the majority of the people in his senatorial zone, adding that, for many years, Senator Ahmed Lawan has remained at the forefront of providing support to the people in his zone.” Babagana added.
He said the numerous constituency projects cut across the different spheres of the people’s lives, such as road construction, water supply, animal husbandry, food production, medical outreaches, and economic empowerment, among others.
The chairman further said that the Sardaunan Bade has continued to make efforts to secure our people, especially our young graduates, job opportunities wherever such opportunities arise.
The materials distributed are: Land Cruiser Jeeps, Peugeot 406, Peugeot 307, Tractors, Sharon Buses, Rice Millers, Hand Tractors, Combined Harvesters, Rice Planters, Fire Fighting Trucks, Keke NAPEP, 18-Seater Buses, Fridges, Freezers, Tricycle Carriers, Grinding Machines, and Motorcycles.
Others are water pumps, hand sprayers, pots and stoves, sewing machines, small harvesters, and generators, among others.
Also speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mallam Bulama Lawan expressed their gratitude to the Sardaunan Bade for empowering them with the items that will earn them a living.
He assured them that they would make good use of the materials judiciously and thanked the senator for the livelihood support he gave them.
Senator Lawan distributed empowerment materials in Yobe
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
By: Zagazola Makama
Seven suspected bandits were arrested along the Benin–Agbor Road in Edo State during stop-and-search operations, security sources confirmed.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, all Fulani youths, were intercepted after being offloaded from a truck at about 1800 hours on 2 December 2025. A search revealed pictures of assault rifles, including AK-47s, on their mobile phones.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to have travelled from Adamawa State. Investigations are ongoing for the possible recovery of actual firearms and to determine their involvement in criminal activities.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements to help prevent criminal acts in the area.
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
UN Women Calls for Strengthening of Mechanism and Policies Towards Ending Gender Violence
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
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