An agribusiness giant, Santuscom Agro Investment Company Limited has disclosed that it secured $1.2 million credit facilities from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Industry (BoI), SunTrust Bank, and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), to boost food production.
This was made known in a statement signed by the Managing Director of the company, Chief Paul Ofana, on Tuesday.
Ofana also said the company signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with CBN, BoI, SunTrust Bank, and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank to access the facilities.
According to him, the BoI/SunTrust facility is for procurement of equipment, plant and accessories for complete rice milling plant of 60 tonnes per day, which is put to the tune of over N300million.
Santuscom Agro Investment Company Limited is the producer of the popular Ogoja Rice.
He said: “Santuscom Agro Investment Company Limited, the producers of our popular Ogoja Rice have secured and signed an investment deal with the Bank of Industry (BoI) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Anchor Borrowers Programme to the tune of $1.2 million, which is equivalent of over N761.9 million.
“The investment from Bank of Industry through the SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited is to upscale our rice processing factory to package and process a 60 tonnes per day and five tonnes per hour per boiling mill.
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“While the N460 million is secured from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank to finance 2,000 hectares rice field in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.”
He also expressed optimism that, “These facilities are not just going to impact in few months but the facilities that will impact positively in the agro industrialization of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and also help support the food security initiative of the government.”
Meanwhile, the Santuscom boss assured that, “It will create employment and wealth for our teeming youths, because a lot of them are going to be engaged in activities in our farm and in the entire value chain.
“It is also going to support the Government’s food security effort, and also improve our export, because part of the agreement is to export to nearby African countries, which is going to earn us some foreign exchange into the country as well.
“So it’s a huge boost in the agricultural value chain, especially in the rice sub-sector and our target in the next couple of months is to crash the price of rice, which is one of the stable foods in Nigeria. And all these are hugely encouraged by the government intervention in agriculture.
“On the issue of the current high prices of rice in the market, he said, “Our target is to crash the price of rice and make it affordable and available for Nigerians to get vitamised Ogoja Rice in the nearest shop and market.”
A man was sentenced to nine years in prison on Monday for stabbing Junius Ho, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), in 2019.
The 31-year-old man, Tung Pak-fai, has pleaded guilty to wounding Ho and his bodyguard with intent.
In November 2019, when Ho was at his street stand in Tuen Mun, Tung appeared and stabbed Ho in the chest with a knife. Ho’s bodyguard was also hurt during the incident.
The judge of the HKSAR High Court said that Tung had visited Ho’s street stands two days before he committed the crime, which is believed to be premeditated.
The judge described Tung’s behavior as irrational and horrible, which was intolerable in a civilized society.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal challenging the decision of the National Industrial Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, affirming the ownership of 2.5% equity shares of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited by ex-workers of the company.
The National Industrial Court had earlier dismissed an application seeking to set aside an Arbitral judgement awarded and enforced by the Federal High Court in respect of the ownership of the 2.5% equity shares through their Cooperative Society.
The newly employed staff of the company filed a suit with Number CA/PH/209/2018, between Kendrick Oluka & others Vs Bala Marama & others, contending the ownership of the shares.
They argued that exited staff of the company who are members of the co-operatives should not continue benefitting from the dividends as they are no longer staff of the company and as such should be replaced by the newly employed staff.
But the Industrial Court declined entertaining the application over lack of jurisdiction, stating that the Federal High Court that granted the order enforcing the arbitral award was a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
Dissatisfied with the judgment of the Industrial Court, the Appellants approached the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the industrial court and also to uphold their argument.
But the Appeal Court on Friday, September 24, 2021, dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in favour of the former staff of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited.
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The Appeal Court held that since there is no injustice suffered by the appellants, the ground was resolved in favour of the former staff and Cooperative Society.
The case was consequently dismissed with the cost of N200,000 granted in favour of the exited staff and the Cooperatives against the appellants.
The recent conduct of local government election in Kaduna State via electronic voting and transmission has rekindled the call for the use of same technology for the forthcoming 2023 general elections, MUYIWA OYINLOLA writes
Amid the controversy surrounding the feasibility or otherwise of the transmission of results of the forthcoming 2023 general elections electronically, Kaduna State government raised the debate on the feasibility of electronic transmission of results when it conducted its local government elections earlier in the month, using the e-voting system.
This is the second time the state government was using the innovation in the conduct of its poll, the first being in 2018. Kaduna is the first state in the country and the second government entity in Africa after Namibia to achieve this feat. Prior to the September 4 date, Dr. Saratu Binta Dikko-Audu, chairman of KADSIECOM, presented the upgraded electronic voting machines for the 2021 local government elections to the stakeholders.
She said the commission was encouraged by Governor Nasir El-Rufai to deploy technology for elections, noting that KADSIECOM, therefore, acquired electronic voting machines which were successfully used in 2018.
“We pioneered the electronic voting system during our last Local Government Councils election, that was in 2018,” she said. “Why that happened was because the Governor of this State, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, being very progressive and courageous, decided when we came on board to task us with the responsibility of deploying technology to our Local Government Councils election.
“Initially, we thought all he meant was using the smart card reader because it had been such a success in the 2015 elections. But he said no, he wanted us to go the whole hog and have citizens actually vote on a machine and so we set out to develop the voting machine which we eventually presented to the public in 2018.”
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan
Most Nigerians had over time craved for an amendment to the Constitution as well as the Electoral Act 2010 to allow for an electronic voting system, which many believe will boost the confidence of voters in the electoral process if properly implemented.
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Section 52 (1) (b) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), outlaws electronic voting in Nigeria. It states: “The use of the electronic voting machine, for the time being, is prohibited.”
However, many have argued that the need for an amendment to this section of the act to allow for electronic voting will address lack of enthusiasm usually exhibited by most eligible voters each election year.
The country’s elections have always been marred by gross irregularities such as ballot snatching and stuffing, vote-buying, manipulation of figures as well as thuggery and violence, among others. It is against these backdrops that relevant political stakeholders have persistently clamoured for adoption of modern techniques, especially the e-voting system to improve the nation’s electoral process.
In the buildup to last year’s governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a policy document hinted at a plan by the electoral umpire to “work towards the full introduction of electronic voting in major elections starting from 2021.”
While many construed this to mean that 2021 is the take-off date for e-voting in Nigeria, spokesman to INEC chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, clarified that “what the policy says under ‘ICT and Voter Registration’ is that INEC will pilot the use of electronic voting at the earliest possible time (not Edo and Ondo), but work towards the full introduction of electronic voting in major elections starting from 2021.
He added: “The key words here are pilot, work and towards. As we all know, INEC cannot unilaterally introduce electronic voting because our constitution does not allow/recognise it. That’s why we said we will work towards the full introduction of e-voting.’
That was not the first time INEC will seek to adopt the electronic voting system. Yakubu’s predecessor, Prof Attahiru Jega, had in 2012, said the commission was ready to adopt modern technology in the conduct of elections as long as it is in line with the provisions of the constitution.
Sadly the legal constraints are yet to be addressed. An opportunity to break the glass ceiling and put Nigeria on the path of adoption of technology to enhance her electoral process was dashed recently as the National Assembly voted against electronic transmission of election results.
In the Senate, for instance, out of the 88, who were available to vote, 52 of APC extraction, voted against, while 28 of PDP extraction voted in favour. Twenty-eight of the senators were absent from plenary.
The APC senators hinged their position on the claim by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that only 43 per cent of the country has network coverage. The PDP senators, on the other hand, said allowing the NCC and the National Assembly to meddle in the affairs of INEC will affect the integrity of elections.
The House of Representatives also turned down electronic transmission of election results despite protests by its members of PDP extraction, who staged a walk-out during voting on the issue.
As expected, condemnation trailed the lawmakers’ rejection of the proposal that would have empowered INEC to transmit election results from the various polling units.
The national publicity secretary of PDP,, Kola Ologbondiyan, said majority of Nigerians were shocked by the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.
The decision, according to him, amounts to undermining Nigeria’s electoral process. He added that the action of the APC senators was an “atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner that would engender free, fair and credible process.”
He further described the action of the senators as a direct affront and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government.
Similarly, the umbrella body of registered politics in Nigeria, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), not only berated the federal legislators for their action but urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to sign into law the Electoral Act 2010 amendment, when transmitted to him by the National Assembly. The CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, who spoke on behalf of the group, said “withholding assent will be the only proof that Mr. President is not part of the conspiracy to undermine the country’s electoral process.”
Despite lawmakers’ rejection of electronic transmission of election results, INEC said it has the capacity to transmit election results electronically across the country regardless of the poor conditions in remote areas.
The commission said its joint committee which consists of telecommunication stakeholders had revised the system and concluded that e-transmission of election results was practicable.
In the same vein, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Ogun State, Olusegun Agbaje, said INEC “is absolutely empowered by the constitution to transmit election results electronically without seeking the approval of the National Communication Commission (NCC).” Agbaje said this while speaking to journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital, recently.
He urged federal lawmakers not to stop INEC from performing its constitutional role. The REC said it would be a great disservice to Nigerians and democracy if the National Assembly prevents INEC from transmitting election results electronically. He said, “The commission is in no way shy in transmitting election results electronically. In fact, we have the capacity to do that. We are only waiting for the National Assembly not to disturb us.
“Even as we are now today, I believe that the commission has enough reason and legislation to back us to do this,” he said. Similarly, the director of programme, Yiaga Africa, a civil society group, Ms Cynthia Mbamalu, stated that what is expected of the leadership of the National Assembly is to constitute a Conference Committee that will ensure the harmonisation of the different versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by both chambers.
The success of the electronic transmission of Kaduna LG result shows possibilities that the technology can be successfully used for the 2023 general elections.
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that it was regrettable that 61 years after Independence, Nigeria was still grappling with leadership challenge. The governor pointed out that because of such leadership failure, Nigeria was now at a point in its history needing God more than ever. Wike made the assertion at the Interdenominational Church Service organised in commemoration of the 61st Independence Anniversary of Nigeria at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt, yesterday. The governor stated that there was hardly anything for Nigerians to celebrate as the country marks 61st Independence anniversary because its leadership continues to entrench hatred, mediocrity, promote ethnicity and religion. “This is the time that Nigeria needs God more. The country is gone. Insecurity everywhere! Everyone needs to say God; we need you because man’s leadership has failed this country.” The governor noted that, perhaps, the only thing Nigerians can boast of celebrating was the existence of the name, Nigeria. “At 61 years, Nigeria is full of enmity, full of divisions, hatred, and ethnicity: A country that cannot put itself together. “Everybody has responsibility; so, ask yourself questions, have I done my own part?” Wike also observed the sorry state of Nigeria, and said at 61, it was far removed from being a country that can compete favourably with prosperous countries of the world, given its abundant resources. The governor bemoaned what has become of the nation’s Legislature that continues to approve anything for the Presidency, and not minding the consequences. He also decried how the nation’s Judiciary has succumbed to intimidation because its judges have abandoned their responsibilities out of fear, and wondered what fate Nigerians would have under such seeming tyrannical atmosphere. “We cannot do the right things. Other countries are talking about how their elections will be transparent; we are talking about how we will rig the election in 2023. “Simple thing, transmit election results electronically to show transparency, that really that the person you’re declaring won the election but we are afraid.” “Where is the Legislature? A Legislature that cannot think, a Legislature, anything they bring is right, a Legislature that cannot say that Nigeria has nothing to regret from conducting free and fair election. “A Legislature that you’ll close your eyes, anything they bring, about borrowing, you say borrow. A Legislature that cannot say that this money we are borrowing, where is it? Where are you applying it? You have no confidence to ask questions. “The courts have been intimidated. The judges have abandoned their responsibilities out of fear. You’re seeing something that is wrong, but because you will be summoned in the night, you abandoned your responsibility.” Wike also blamed the woes the country has suffered on all Nigerians who have refused to do the right things, but rather allowed the wrong things to be perpetrated in all facets of the society. He noted how ascendancy to leadership was no longer by merit but by ethnic affinity and religious consideration, even when such persons do not have the capacity required to function in such offices. Speaking further, Wike berated the church leadership over the inordinate dressing of a young man that he saw in the church, and attributed such sight to lack of enforcement of discipline in the church. In his sermon, Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo, noted that only foolish people despise God and attribute their successes in life to personal efforts and ingenuity. Ihunwo said such foolish people abound in Nigeria because they have hearts of corruption, treat humanity with disdain and delight in doing abominable things and divert public funds for personal use. According to Ihunwo, it was baffling that despite having leadership over the country, there was unabated spree of killings, a seemingly thriving kidnapping business with some officers of the military killed without drastic measures taken to return Nigeria to the path of sanity. While charging the church to rise to speak courageously against wickedness in the land, Ihunwo declared the judgement of God upon the sponsors of such killings and kidnapping that have put Nigeria in a pitiable state that its people cannot celebrate independence of the country at 61 years. Special prayers were said at the service for God’s favour and grace upon Nigeria and its leaders, Rivers State Executive Council, Judiciary and the Legislature, for the governor and his family, as well as the church and its leaders.
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