By Raphael Atuu, Abuja

TPL Chief Amb Hon. Stephen Shekwonce Yakubu, the District Head (Hakimi of Garki Shekwope), had his investiture with the prestigious Fellowship of his profession, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP).

The investiture ceremony took place at De Podium Centre, Aromire Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday, October 24, last part of activities surrounding the institute’s National Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The conferment of the fellowship marks an important milestone in Yakubu’s professional journey and recognises his standing within the Town-Planning Profession.

The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners is a professional body committed to promoting excellence in Urban and Regional Planning, sustainable human settlements, and the orderly development of communities across the country. 

The fellowship distinction is an important professional recognition and the peak within the institute, highlighting the value of professional experience, commitment to the discipline, and contributions to the advancement of Town Planning.

Yakubu’s investiture also underscores the importance of professional development and the role of qualified Town Planners in addressing the challenges associated with rapid urbanisation, population growth, housing deficits, and infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Town Planning remains critical to the creation of organised, functional, and sustainable communities.

Professionals in the field contribute to land use management, environmental protection, infrastructure coordination, and the development of urban and rural settlements.

The NITP National Conference and AGM, scheduled for October 26 to 30, 2026, provides a platform for professionals to discuss emerging issues in the built environment, exchange ideas, and explore strategies for improving planning practices and sustainable development.

Yakubu’s recognition is expected to further encourage professional engagement and highlight the importance of Town Planning in Nigeria’s development process.

The investiture represents a significant moment for the new Fellows, his associates, and well-wishers, as he joins the distinguished community of professionals recognised by the institute who are now charged with the slogan “From Recognition to Responsibility”.

From Sylvia Udegbunam Enugu 

Governor of Enug State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has doubled down in his support for the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it was undebatable and inconceivable for anyone to imagine a return to the old order.

Mbah spoke at the “Meet the Candidates” town hall meeting organised by Afia TV in Enugu on Wednesday, where he also said that his administration had delivered good governance to the people of the state across all sectors.

He described it as a pathetic misconception of the country’s situation and the direction it was headed for anyone to talk about the reintroduction of fuel subsidy.

“If you reintroduce fuel subsidy today, we will lose ten times whatever we are currently trying to gain in terms of the removal of subsidy. The poverty rate that you are going to experience will be very high because the naira would be automatically devalued.

“We cannot go back to subsidy. And I do not think it is in the interest of the country for us to even debate that.

“Again, we should not even debate it because we do not want to send a signal to prospective investors that we are contemplating it. That would take us back. It is going to create panic in the system. It is going to get investors to pull back.

“Those that are coming in today to invest in that sector will become jittery. So, it is not even a subject to debate. It is something that we have moved on from, and we should be thinking about how to ensure that the natural benefits cascade to the households, create jobs and generate wealth for our people,” he said.

He said the nation should focus on how to further encourage private capital to flow, noting the growth the nation had experienced in the stock exchange space.

He added that Tinubu’s policies had stabilised the macro indicators, thus encouraging foreign direct investment.

“You can see quite a lot of funds coming into our country, not just portfolio investments, but also direct investments. It is also going to strengthen because the macro indicators are right,” he stated.

Mbah maintained that whereas fuel subsidy removal enables the government to target the less privileged, fuel subsidy as earlier practised benefited the rich more.

“By the way, I do not think the subsidy we practised before the President removed it was even the right one for the country because even the people we were looking at benefiting from it were only insignificantly benefiting from it. It was largely beneficial to our wealthy folks.

“But now, you can almost notice that the government is doing that in targeting the poor, using proceeds from subsidy removal. The government is aggressive on cash transfers. There is also the programme where the government is targeting 1,000 persons per ward across the entire country to be able to provide seed capital for them to become productive,” he added.

Meanwhile, on his stewardship so far, Mbah said his administration had kept faith with the people of Enugu State, delivering good governance across all sectors in line with his campaign manifesto.

He said the people of the state only needed to imagine where the state was before his inauguration as governor and where it is currently headed.

“Let us imagine the Enugu we knew four years ago. Let us just imagine an Enugu without Hotel Presidential. Let us imagine an Enugu without the International Conference Centre. Let us imagine an Enugu without Enugu Air. Let us imagine Enugu without the transport terminals, the 268 Smart Green Schools, 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres.

“You do not want them to imagine an Enugu without the International Hospital. You do not want them to imagine an Enugu without the CNG buses, the Nigergas. I think the list is endless.

“But I even think that we can stretch that imagination further because the work ahead will be more profound. Just imagine an Enugu where our children are receiving education that prepares them for the world because they have been imbued with evolving 21st-century skills. Imagine again an Enugu where you do not have any part of the city with an unpaved road.

“Also, imagine an Enugu in four years’ time that generates 660 megawatts of electricity; where we are able to provide 24-hour power supply; where you cannot come into your house and have the light off; and where people can run their businesses for a whole week without worrying about the cost of diesel. Just imagine an Enugu where you generate electricity and the people of Enugu are buying that at 120 naira because they own the coal that feeds the power plant.

“Imagine an Enugu where you now have to ride, not just on our CNG buses, but you have the monorail that can take you from point A to point B. Imagine an Enugu where you can fly from here to the United Kingdom, to the United States and other parts of the world,” he charged the electorate.

He urged the people to keep faith with the journey of greatness, growth and development, defending the gains of his first term and guaranteeing the promises of his second term by working for his re-election.

“If these imaginations capture our fancy, then we have a duty to fight for it. We do have a duty to continue to make sure that the bar does not come down and that the standard we have set in Enugu is sustained,” he concluded.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted dust haze and sunshine from Monday until Wednesday across the country.

‎NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, envisaged moderate dust haze over parts of Kebbi and Kano States of the northern region on Monday.

‎It predicted horizontal visibility of 2km to 5km over the region with the rest of the northern States to be under sunny and hazy skies throughout the forecast period.

‎”For central region, moderate dust haze with horizontal visibility of 2km to 5km is anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory and Niger states, while the rest of the states in the region should be under sunny and hazy skies throughout the forecast period.

”For southern region, sunny skies with a few patches of cloud are anticipated over the region with prospects of afternoon/evening thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Bayelsa, Lagos, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States,” it said.

‎According to NiMet, a slight dust haze is anticipated over parts of Kano and Kebbi States of the northern region on Tuesday, while the remaining states in the region are expected to have sunny and hazy skies throughout the forecast period.

The agency envisaged sunny and hazy skies over the central region throughout the forecast period with chances of isolated thundery activity over parts of plateau state during the afternoon and evening hours.

‎It anticipated sunny skies with patches of cloud over the southern region with prospects of afternoon or evening thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.

‎NiMet forecasts sunny and hazy skies over the northern region throughout the forecast period on Wednesday.

‎The agency predicted sunny and hazy skies over the central region throughout the forecast period.

‎According to NiMet, sunny skies with a few patches of cloud are anticipated over the southern region with prospects of afternoon or evening thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.

‎”Dust particles are in suspension; the public should take necessary precaution; People with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues should be cautious of the present weather condition.

‎”Driving under the rain should be with caution. Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations,” it said

‎The agency urged residents to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet, and visit its website on www.nimet.gov.ng.