NEWS
Nigeria, China Sign $2bn MoU for Projects
….Nigeria, China Sign $2bn MoU
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Government and three Chinese partners have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for new projects valued at $2 billion.
The signing ceremony was performed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) on Thursday, at Nigeria’s Embassy in Beijing in the presence of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
NASENI received letters of intent for new projects and investment worth $4 billion from more Chinese companies coming on the hills of the just concluded 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Forum, hosted by China.
Also, Nigeria’s Ministry of Works also signed an MoU with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd for the construction of the Lekki Blue Seaport contract at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.
NCDMB Boss Canvasses Support for NASENI.
Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Belt and Road Initiative Forum in Beijing, China, witnessed the event, which also had the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Power, Works and other top government officials present.
Speaking to Journalists soon after the signing ceremony, the Vice President commended all stakeholders and their Chinese counterparts saying Nigeria has never been this ripe and ready for businesses to thrive.
He said with the meticulous efforts by the President Tinubu administration to ensure a level playing ground for all investors following the removal of all bottlenecks, the coast is now clear for deepened economic and trade collaborations.
Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Halilu said the manifestation of the agreements was a fulfillment of NASENI’s commitments towards boosting the Foreign Direct Investment drive of the Tinubu administration.
“This is a very important day for us at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure because it is a day to show the results of some of the work that we have been doing in the last six weeks since I assumed the leadership of NASENI,” Halilu said.
The MOUs to partner NASENI for investments in Nigeria were listed as follows: Shanghai Launch Automotive Technical Co Ltd – MoU to establish a new energy automobile facility for the production of new energy electric vehicles; China Great Wall Industry Corporation – MoU for the turnkey delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) assembly line projects; and Newway Power Technology Company Ltd –MoU for the transfer of technology on lithium batteries, electric vehicles and allied technologies.
The Chinese firms that presented Letters of Intent to the Vice President to pull together Four billion US Dollars in investments are TBEA (solar products); DongFeng Vehicles Co. (vehicle design and production) and HiLong Energy (CNG, LNG, methanol)
Others are Space Star Technology (Drone technology transfer); ENRIC (clean energy utilization technology); and Hidier Group (development of new industrial park), China State Construction Company (building technology and materials); CIMC (natural gas infrastructure delivery); Value Platform International Services Ltd (vocational training) and Acadia Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (smart grids and microgrids).
During the signing of the MoU on the construction of the Deep Blue Sea Port at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, said the massive project was yet another indication that Nigeria still remains an industrial haven for many investors.
Another segment of the event was the meeting of the Vice President with several communications, tech, railway, power and construction giants based in China: the China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), China Communications Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC), HUAWEI Technologies, Senteng International Company Nigeria Limited, China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. Ltd.
NEWS
FG Declares Public Holidays for Christmas, New Year
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, Thursday and Jan.1, 2025 as public holidays.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on Monday in Abuja.
According to Ajani, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said that the public holidays were to enable citizens to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and the New Year respectively.
“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal.
“As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” the Minister.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and to strengthen bonds across families and communities.
He assured citizens of the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.
He further expressed confidence in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu’s administration for a better and prosperous economy in 2025.
The Minister, on behalf of the federal government sent warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.(NAN)
NEWS
Hoodlums Attack Etsu Lokoja’s Palace, Raze Properties
Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning properties within the premises, including a vehicle.
The palace, located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00 am on Saturday.
The Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union were planning to host the 2nd edition of the Nupe Natives end-of-the-year event, tagged “Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta,” on Dec.
21, 2024, before the incident occurred.The event was, however, aborted due to the unfortunate attack.
Dauda-Shelika said this on Monday in Lokoja that he heard a big bang on my door at around 1 am.
“I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car that was set ablaze by attackers.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace, and therefore I could not come out because of fear of being attacked. So, I managed to come out through the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Thereafter, I came out to the road and realised that all my neighbours in the community were on the ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.”
The traditional ruler appealed to the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
He admonished Nupe natives in Lokoja to avoid any reprisal attack but continue to remain peaceful and law abiding and allow the government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the attack.
“We are appealing to Gov. Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to please use their good offices to investigate this unfortunate incident and bring to justice whoever is concerned, whether directly or indirectly.
“We also want the government to kindly visit our issues by recognising and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja, which had been in existence before colonisation,” he said.
He stated that the Lokoja Local Government Area chairman and his security team came for an on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning, as well as the police and other security outfits.
The National President, Nupe Natives Union Lokoja, Alh. Abubakar Ndashite, said the event scheduled for Saturday was a celebration of Nupe cultural heritage and not any form of coronation as being insinuated from some quarters.
Ndashite, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee, said the aborted event was to project the Nupe spirit and culture as well as the rich history of the diversely composed Lokoja community and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence among her.
He expressed his displeasure over the aborted cultural event, noting that the union had expended so much on it, and urged the government to bring perpetrators to book. (NAN)
NEWS
Eight Dead, Three Injured in Ohafia Road Crash
The Abia Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of eight persons with two others injured in a road traffic crash that occurred along the Bende-Ohafia Road.
A statement by the Sector Commander, Mrs Ngozi Ezeoma, on Monday in Umuahia said that the crash occurred on Sunday along the Mmuri River axis of the road in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
She said the crash involved a Trailer carrying chippings which hit and fell on a Sharon Volkswagen vehicle with 10 persons on board.
“At the time of the crash eight persons had died including a woman standing by the roadside and three were injured.
“The injured victims were taken to the hospital while the dead ones were deposited at the morgue,” she said.
Ezeoma said that preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused by dangerous driving and excessive speeding. (NAN)