The Speaker, Benue Assembly, Mr Hyacinth Dajo, has said that Gov. Hyacinth Alia has so far demonstrated capacity, courage, and uncommon zeal to entrench good governance in the state.

Dajo stated this in his remarks during the presentation of the 2024 budget estimates to the house by Alia on Wednesday in Makurdi.

The speaker said that as elected representatives of the people, lawmakers could attest to the smiles on the faces of their constituents.

“For instance, apart from the payment of pensions and salaries between the 22nd and 23rd of every month, Mr Governor, you graciously approved and implemented a N75,000.00 minimum wage with arrears for Benue workers in November, 2024.

“This amount is one of the highest among the 36 states in the country,” he said.

He noted that the progress on road infrastructure, investment in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to digitalise the state institutions, and the silent industrial revolution under the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) was outstanding.

Dajoh lauded the effective management of the security challenges facing the state as among the achievements of the 2024 budget under your watch.

The speaker expressed optimism that the 2025 budget would be used to sustain the achievements recorded so far and accommodate new projects and programmes to move the state to the next level of development.

He assured that the house was willing to process the budget estimates speedily and return the same within record time.

Dajoh, however, decried a lack of a befitting chamber and office accommodation for members of the assembly.

“May I once again bring to the attention of the governor that the house does not have a befitting chamber and office accommodation for members.

“I, therefore, request that His Excellency see to the completion of the comprehensive renovation that he began last year.

“Otherwise, most members use their cars as offices, and this is not honourable,” Dajo said.(NAN)

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, assured the German government and businessmen of Nigeria’s preparedness to expand frontiers for investors by removing administrative bottlenecks in the energy and solid minerals sectors.

Tinubu said this at a business session during the State Visit of Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German President, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said activation of the latent potential in the energy sector remained central to Nigeria’s development.

“I welcome Mr President to Nigeria and the State House. Your visit is a significant milestone. And I must thank you for the warm reception when I visited Germany.

“We need each other, and you emphasised this in our private discussion.

Nigeria is going through a transformative period and trying to align with the best strategy and practices on good governance globally.

“We like our relationship with you as friends and partners. Germany is well-industrialised and renowned for its sustainable infrastructure,” Tinubu said.

He reassured the German businessmen that Nigeria was ready and open for business.

“As you mentioned, you are ready to support Nigeria in the energy sector, which you have long been doing.

“Also, in alternative energy, we have the sun, and you have the technology. We should continue our partnership in every way that we can,” said the President.

Tinubu said the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Solid Minerals, Power, Industry, Trade and Investment had been directed to work closely with investors to develop the energy sector.

“I will re-emphasise again and again, we must enhance the possibility of becoming highly industrialised by exploring opportunities in our natural resources,” he added.

Tinubu said the country’s reforms had been designed to bring long-term prosperity through sustainable and dependable frameworks.

“We are synchronising to ensure a grounded and flourishing partnership that brings prosperity to our people. We know that Germany has the capacity and is involved in regional cooperation and collaboration.

“We are glad that we are trading in Euro with you. We are more transformative than before. We have made changes in the way we do business. It is now easy in and easy out for investors.

“We are projecting investment in gas and alternative energy. Our transformation involves natural gas.

“We are leveraging solid minerals, particularly lithium. We have a dynamic, anxious-to-learn and flexible youth population.

“We have many Nigerian students who were trained in Germany. We want domestic investment that will promote growth in our economy. Equally, we need skill development,” the President said.

Tinubu noted that Small and Medium Enterprises were also being repositioned to play a more central role in development, assuring that bottlenecks to investments had been removed.

In his remarks, the German President assured Tinubu that there were also more specialised companies in Germany that would be encouraged to look towards Nigeria for expansion opportunities beyond the big brands in the energy sectors.

“There is a growing interest in Nigeria on the German side beyond those who are already here, like Siemens. Other companies are looking for investment opportunities, especially in renewable energy,” he stated.

In his presentation, Mr Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said Germany had a dedicated one billion Euro fund for diversifying the supply chain in renewable energy, and modifying the conditions could easily accommodate the opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

Alake said the critical minerals for energy transition, cobalt, nickel and lithium, were readily available in Nigeria.

“German companies can come in under the Renewed Hope Agenda that has sanitised the environment, enhanced security with a new architecture around solid minerals, created tax incentives and waivers for important equipment and provided opportunities for joint ventures,” he said.

He said pre-feasibility studies had been concluded, urging German investors to look to Nigeria for diversification of the energy supply chain.

Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; and Mr Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, also made presentations at the business meeting.

The business delegation from Germany and their Nigerian counterparts commended President Tinubu for his long-term vision for the economy.

They also praised his courageous steps in repositioning Nigeria for greater prosperity by making the economy more globally competitive with streamlined foreign exchange and improved ease of doing business. (NAN)

Dr Emmanuel Ahmadu, a Nigerian who wrote the West Africa School Senior Certificate Education 17 times, has earned a distinction from the prestigious London Graduate School in the UK.

Ahmadu, a Nigerian mental health advocate and accomplished professional based in the U.S., disclosed this in an interview in Lagos.

He said that he was also inducted as a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC) in Lagos.

Ahmadu said that the formal induction ceremony and certification workshop took place  in Lagos and UK on Nov.

26, where he was lauded for his exceptional contributions.

According to him, this dual honour highlights his inspiring journey from writing O’level examinations 17 times, due to family instability, to becoming a globally recognised figure in mental health advocacy and consultancy.

Ahmadu said his new accolades would significantly amplify his global impact, which would enable him to contribute further to addressing mental health challenges, particularly among Gen Z, teenagers, and adolescents.

“My Fellowship, the highest grade of membership in the Institute of Management Consultants, will position me as a thought leader equipped to provide innovative strategies in tackling depression and suicide.

“This recognition is not just a personal milestone but a step forward in the global fight against mental health crises.

“It’s a call to action to innovate solutions that inspire hope and resilience”.

The Institute of Management Consultants, in its nomination statement, praised Ahmadu’s “outstanding academic and professional standing and demonstrated commitment to creating, maintaining, extending, and promoting the highest world standards of management consulting practice.”

Ahmadu said: “My certification as a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) will further enhance my credentials, making me to offer my expertise across over 50 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom,” he said.

He said that his personal story had resonated globally, inspiring millions.

“A childhood marked by instability saw me attend 16 primary schools and 14 secondary schools, yet I persevered, ultimately earning two honorary doctorates and publishing in mental health journals”.

On Instagram (@mr.voiceover), Ahmadu shared, “Nothing is impossible with God.

“I’m forever grateful for this life-changing moment and determined to keep pushing forward in this journey to make a positive difference in the world. Glory be to God almighty,” he said.

He said that Prof. David Iornem, Director-General of IMC Nigeria, during the induction, remarked that he (Ahmadu) exemplified the transformative power of resilience.

“His expertise and leadership will undoubtedly elevate global efforts in mental health advocacy and management consultancy,” said Iornem. (NAN)