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Upperhill News is committed to promoting accurate information on African stories, issues relating to the Girl-child, gender-based violence, health, politics, sports as well as national and international events of public interest.

  • Tinubu ready to pay above ₦60,000- FG

    The Federal Government has announced the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to achieving a national minimum wage that is above N60,000.

    This was one of the resolutions at a meeting between the Federal Government and the organised Labour on Monday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, in Abuja. 

    The meeting followed a nationwide industrial strike called by the Labour, led by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over national minimum wage disagreements.

     

    Reading out the outcome of the long-drawn meeting, Akume announced that to arrive at a mutually agreeable national minimum wage, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage would resume negotiations from Tuesday. 

    He also affirmed that no worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action.

    “The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday 3rd June, with a view to ending the strike action.

    “After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:

    “The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;

    “Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet everyday for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;

    “Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above undertakes to convene ameeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and

    “No worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action,’ the agreement read.

    The agreement was signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris and the Minister of State for Labour and

    and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on behalf of the federal government. 

    For the Organised Labour, President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, and the President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, signed. 

    The Organised Labour would be meeting with its affiliate members on Tuesday to deliberate on the next line of action. 

  • Real Madrid sign Mbappé for five years

    Real Madrid, on Monday, announced the signing of French superstar, Kylian Mbappé.

    The Spanish giants and the 25-year-old forward have reached an agreement that will see him wearing the iconic white jersey for the next five seasons.

    The official statement from Real Madrid read, “Official statement. 03/06/2024 Real Madrid C.F. and Kylian Mbappé have reached an agreement whereby he will be a Real Madrid player for the next five seasons.”

    According to reports from Le Parisien, a Spanish media outlet, Mbappé, widely regarded as one of the best finishers in the world, will initially wear the number 9 shirt at Real Madrid.

    However, the report further revealed, “Kylian Mbappé will wear the number 9 shirt during his first season with Real Madrid. He will then recover the number 10 shirt from Luka Modrić when the Croatian leaves in 2025.”

    Earlier, Mbappé removed his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, from his bio on Instagram, confirming his departure from the team.

  • Organised Labour Shuts Down Grid, Plunges Country into Darkness

    Organised Labour shut down the national grid, plunging the country into darkness.

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), confirmed this development in a statement released early Monday.

    The grid shutdown comes in the wake of a strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and Trade Union Congress ( TUC) due to their ongoing dispute with the Federal Government.

    The unions are demanding a new minimum wage and the reversal of the recent electricity tariff hike.

    The General Manager of Public Affairs of the TCN, Ndidi Mbah, who confirmed the development in a statement, said: “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby informs the general public that the Labour Union has shut down the national grid, resulting in a blackout nationwide. The national grid shutdown occurred at about 2.19 am this morning, 3rd June 2024.

    “At about 1:15 am this morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was brought to zero.

    “Other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo Transmission Substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to the ongoing activities of the labour union.

    “On the power generating side, power generating units from different generating stations were forced to shut down some units of their generating plants, the Jebba Generating Station was forced to shut down one of its generating units while three others in the same substation subsequently shut down on very high frequency. The sudden forced load cuts led to high frequency and system instability, which eventually shut down the national grid at 2:19am.

    “At about 3.23am, however, TCN commenced grid recovery, using the Shiroro Substation to attempt to feed the transmission lines supplying bulk electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation. The situation is such that the labour Union is still obstructing grid recovery nationwide.

    “We will continue to make effort to recover and stabilize the grid to enable the restoration of normal bulk transmission of electricity to distribution load centres nationwide.”

  • Organised Labour Begins Strike As Meeting With FG, NASS Deadlocked

    The industrial action called by the organised labour leaders commences at 012.00 am on Monday morning following the stalemate in the meeting called by the federal lawmakers and the executive branch to prevail on the workers’ unions to shelve the indefinite strike.

    Organised labour had made some demands on the federal government including an N494,000 salary given the current economic realities in the country, reversal of the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by law to N225/kwh to N66/Kwh and the alleged apartheid categorisation of Nigerian electricity into bands.

    The federal government offered N60,000 minimum wage which the workers’ unions considered insufficient given the inflation in Nigeria which peaked at 33.69 per cent in April 2024.

    However, at the meeting initiated on Sunday night by the government comprising the executive and the legislature, InsideBusinessNG gathered that the labour leaders insisted they would have to meet with Congress to discuss the National Assembly leadership’s appeal to suspend the strike and allow for further dialogue.

    The meeting was attended by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere; and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity,  Diket Plang and Gboyega Adefarati, respectively,

    Also, the representatives of the Federal Government present at the meeting included: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Science and Technology,  Uche Nnaji; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; Head of Service, Folasade Yemi-Esan.

  • Five Years of Governance Very Challenging, But Most Beautiful Experience of My Life-Abiodun

    Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described the past five years of his administration as challenging, but added that his faith in God had brought the victory he desired.

    Speaking during his 64th Birthday and 5th Year Thanksgiving Service held in his honour at the Ogun State Government House Chapel, Oke-Igbein, Abeokuta, on Sunday, Governor Abiodun recalled his journey to power despite all odds, attributing his victory to God Almighty.

    “The process through which I emerged as Governor was a very unusual one; one in which my predecessor who was in the same party with me was fighting me and campaigning for another person in another party, and I will sit down and ask myself, ‘Baba God, this is very unusual, why do I have to go through so much to assume this office?’ And then I will answer myself that it is because God wants to take that glory.

    “The last five years of governance over the state of Ogun for me has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. It’s been extremely turbulent, it’s been very challenging, particularly, it has been rancorous. But the most important thing is that in all of this, God has given us victory.”

    Abiodun said his government was taking giant steps to reshape the economy of the state and that the steps were yielding results.

    One of such steps, according to him, is the plan to make Ogun an oil producing State, as the Ministry of Petroleum Resources would soon begin oil exploration in the state.

    “Only on Friday, the leadership of the Ministry of Petroleum led by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, was here with three others and the chairman of Shell to make an announcement that they would soon begin to drill oil in Ogun State,” he said.

    Prince Abiodun also seized the opportunity to respond to comments by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election, Ladi Adebutu, on the Sagamu-Iperu road project.

    Adebutu had criticised the 8-kilometer Sagamu-Iperu road project of the state government.

    The governor said his focus was to continue the positive trajectory of the Gateway State and not to dwell on the submission of a man who could not see the over 600km of roads across the length and breadth of Ogun State done by his administration.

    Abiodun said he had learnt not to respond to people who had developed the habit of barking whenever they are no longer in the spotlight.

    “I read on one of the papers that someone was saying that he was embarrassed that I was commissioning an 8-kilometre road, and a counterpart of mine was commissioning a 77-kilometer road,” he said, adding that he had learnt not to respond to such ignorant remarks.

    He wondered that despite the stupendous wealth of the Adebutu family, the road that runs through their house was in a deplorable state for a long time and the family could not deploy a fraction of their wealth to repair it.

    Governor Abiodun promised that his administration would continue to make life comfortable for the people of the state by embarking on the provision of more infrastructure that would, in turn, improve their well-being.

    Earlier in his message, the Shepherd in charge of Grace Baptist Church, Abeokuta, Rev (Dr) Emmanuel Ajayi, who took his sermon from Psalm 92 verse 1, said that it was a good thing to praise the Lord because of who He is.

    Rev. Ajayi, giving thanks to God brings more blessings to those who praise Him.

    While calling on the people of God to imbibe the culture of giving thanks to God in their closet, Rev. Ajayi said that praises help Christians to show their gratitude to God Almighty.

    Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade had, in an earlier statement in response to Adebutu’s comments, said the defeated PDP governorship candidate lacked the requisite mental capacity to assess Governor Abiodun’s performance in office.

    He said: “It is rather laughable if not completely bizarre to learn that a suspect in the on going case of money laundering and electoral banditry in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, could summon courage to speak on any issue whatsoever in the public space, not to talk of issues pertaining to governance.

    “Adebutu’s recent gibberish in the media, where he queried the leadership capability of Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration’s performance eloquently gives out the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate as a man with little mind and zero cognitive capacity.

    “Obviously, no right thinking individual with sound mind could just wake up on the wrong side of his bed and start discrediting what the global community is applauding from all fronts. While we understand the limitations of Oladipupo Adebutu as a certified indolent and overfed brat, we never realized his mannerless tendency had grown to this level of nuisance.

    “For crying out loud, what does a man that could not manage an ordinary small-scale business know about the government that superintend the affairs of over six million people in a geographical location of over 16000 square kilometres.

    “Adebutu antecedents are majorly rooted in the life of recklessness and uncontrollable verbal diarrhoea, with no single achievement except the free money of his octogenarian father.”

    Akinmade also said Adebutu pretended to be blind to the developmental projects and policies of Governor Abiodun in all the sectors of the State’s economy, ignorantly thinking he could score cheap political points and sneak out of his present oblivion.

    “Like he himself rightly observed, he should be ashamed of himself for coming from the same town with a personality like Prince Dapo Abiodun, who has showcased leadership acumen and rare sagacity for inclusive governance beyond expectations.

    “We hereby advise Adebutu to concentrate on his criminal case in court and face it squarely, while it is necessary for him to go for rehabilitation after facing the full wrath of the law on his atrocities,” he said.

  • Ogun NIPR Spins Colorful Diamond Anniversary as FG donates 1000 tree seedlings

    It was a colorful spectacle in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Saturday, the 1st of June , 2024, as the Ogun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations joined its counterparts across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory to stage a wonderful 60th anniversary of the Institute.

    The colorful event began with the anniversary walk from the State Secretariat behind the Central Bank of Nigeria building in Oke-Ilewo Abeokuta, through Ibara Police Station-Omida to Panseke, which was the termination point.

    Members of the State Chapter of the NIPR in their colorful red- coloured T shirts which represents the corporate color of NIPR and their green caps which stood for the ‘Green Nigeria’ initiative, embarked on the walk themed: “Diamond Walk for Economic Transformation’. The twin event also has the planting of 60 economic trees to commemorate the anniversary as directed by the National Secretariat of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; as part of the Institute’s Corporate Social Responsibility aimed at impacting positively on its publics and the environment, at large.

    The Chairman of the Ogun State Chapter, Mrs Seun Boye, represented by the Vice Chairman who doubles as the Chairman 60th Anniversary Planning Committee, Mr Waheed Ogunjobi, said in giving consideration to the planting of 60 trees to commemorate the event, the institute understands the importance of environmental conservation to make the world more habitable for the present and future generations. According to her, the body is promoting a sustainable environment as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which is why it decided to plant 60 trees in commemoration of its diamond jubilee to promote environmental sustainability by managing today’s resources in a way that future generations are cared for.

    The Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Kunle Salako who was the Special guest of Honour at the event said that a collective commitment was required to foster a sustainable environment in Nigeria.

    The Minister who flagged off the tree planting exercise stated this at the commissioning of the NIPR Diamond Green Park at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta.

    Subsequently, the Minister, on behalf of the Federal Government, donated 1,000 seedlings to support the tree planting campaign being promoted by the NIPR.

    Represented by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, FRIN, Professor Zacharia Yaduma, Salako described the theme for the NIPR Diamond Anniversary, “Green Nigeria,” as appropriate. According to the Minister; ‘though Nigeria is green, continuous efforts are required from the citizenry to achieve a greener Nigeria and more eco-friendly environment’.

    He gave a thumb up to the NIPR for incorporating the idea of tree planting in its diamond anniversary activities and called for collective commitment to fostering a sustainable environment in Nigeria, saying the Federal Government requires strong stakeholders’ support to combat the challenges of climate change.

    “As we reflect on our journey as a nation, we are reminded of the vital importance of sustainable development. Greener Nigeria is not just a slogan; it is a call to action. It urges us to embrace practices that promote environmental stewardship, to innovate in ways that reduce our carbon footprint, and to invest in the health of our ecosystems,” he said.

    Also speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, lauded NIPR for contributing to the wellness and well-being of the Nigerian society with its tree planting campaign.

    The governor, who was represented by the Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya, noted that the NIPR was planting for posterity as the trees would outlive the current generation.

    “Today, as we celebrate this Diamond Anniversary, let us renew our pledge to protect and enhance our natural heritage. Let us work together to ensure that our forests remain lush, our rivers flow clean, our gutters waste free and our air stays pure. Let us support initiatives that drive green energy, sustainable agriculture and conservation efforts across our beloved nation”, he said.

    In a remark, the Rector of MAPOLY, Dr Adeoye Odedeji said the premises of the institution is adorned with trees due to the importance of trees on the conservation of the environment, assuring that the NIPR green park would be nurtured as a unit in MAPOLY for present and future generations of Nigerians.

    The State Chapter Chairman, Mrs. Seun Boye had earlier said the choice of MAPOLY was in recognition of the significant role the institution is playing in producing Public Relations practitioners in Nigeria, a mission which she said was in tandem with the mandate of the NIPR.

    Also speaking during the walk, a fellow of the Institute and former State Chairman, Mr Akin Okudero, harped on the health and economic importance of trees which he said can be used as raw materials as well as medicine.

    Another former Chairman of the State Chapter, Mr. Femi Dokunmu, said the institute decided to key into the Green initiative to support the Federal government in ensuring a sustainable environment.

    The National President of the Landscape and Horticulturists Association of Nigeria, Mr Sanya Fálemú who is a major partner with the Ogun NIPR in developing the Green Park, explained that tree planting would help protect the environment while the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Chapter, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju congratulated NIPR on its 60th anniversary and assured of a stronger synergy between the NUJ and the NIPR.

    On their part, the state chairman of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Alhaji Atinuke Ebun, and the State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr Kunle Ashimi said they were proud to be associated with Ogun NIPR, lauding the initiative of tree planting for economic growth and sustainable development.

    Among dignatories at the event was the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Adesina, MAPOLY Deputy Rector, Mrs. Lanre-Iyanda, the Registrar, Mrs Bunmi Elewadalu, representative of the TRACE Commander, Commander Seni Ogunyemi and Lecturers of Mass Communication and Public Relations, including Dr. Sina Aina and Mr. Lekan Togunwa, who is also a past chairman of the State Chapter of NIPR, among others.

    Waheed Ogunjobi, is the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Ogun State Chapter and the Chairman, Planning Committee of the NIPR Diamond Anniverssary in Ogun State and can be reached on 08035004741 or waheedogunjobi@gmail.com

  • I Didn’t Buy My Triplets, Yinka Ayefele Opens Up

    Gospel singer Yinka Ayefele has clarified that he fathered his triplets contrary to what many people think.

    He explained that though it was rare for people with spinal cord injury to impregnate a woman, but he happens to be one of the few exceptions.

    Ayefele who made the clarification during the ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’ show hosted by content creator Bae U Barbie, added that he impregnated his wife and they had triplets.

    “I’m shocked you said you have three beautiful and amazing kids. My question is, how did you do it?” the host asked the singer.

    In his response, Ayefele said, “How did I do what? Curious that I impregnated my wife? How did I get three kids? You would have seen pregnant women before. I impregnated my wife and she got pregnant and had triplets.

    “You thought I bought them? I don’t understand what you mean. I know you are curious, you want to talk about my spinal cord injury. Anybody who has a spinal cord injury might not be able to impregnate a lady. Yeah, it is a fact, it is one out of a hundred.”

    The PUNCH reports that Ayefele became famous after he survived an accident that almost ended his life on December 12, 1997.

    While celebrating 20 years after the nightmarish accident, Ayefele told Sunday Scoop that on the day he first had an erection while he was in hospital, everyone became ecstatic.

    He said, “After the accident, everyone jubilated when I had an erection one afternoon. I was wondering why they were rejoicing and they told me the doctors said I would not be able to have an erection again. They had concluded without my knowledge.”

    He admitted that life would have become meaningless had he not regained the ability to have an erection.

    But even amid the trouble, he never reasoned that his girlfriend, Temitope Titilope, who later became his wife, would forsake him.

    He reacted, “She didn’t leave me when I was hospitalised, so why would she leave me afterward? When things were bad, she was with me all through. We got married after the accident and we are blessed with four boys.”

    The Punch

  • HAJJ 2024: OGUN PILGRIMS APPRECIATE ABIODUN’S BTA INTERVENTION

    Pilgrims from Ogun, who are presently performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia, have appreciated the state government for ensuring that their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) was fully paid.

    It would be recalled that Governor Dapo Abiodun recently paid the differential in BTA for all state Muslim pilgrims and ensured that they received $500 as initially agreed, instead of $415 as BTA, due to change in the official exchange rate.

    A cross-section of pilgrims interviewed expressed delight and appreciation for the swift intervention by the state government from what could have negatively affected their welfare.

    One of the pilgrims, Alhaji Abdulfatai Sokunbi, described the move by the governor as exemplary, saying, “I did not expect that the governor would come to our rescue at this point because we are already in Mecca. It was something he might have termed a financial burden and not his concern. But this shows that he is a compassionate governor. May Allah reward him”.

    Another pilgrim, Fadeke Sulaimon, expressed her gratitude to the state government for the benevolent gesture, noting that the governor’s intervention was unprecedented.

    She mentioned that the BTA issue had caused subtle upheavals among pilgrims from other states but praised Ogun State officials for promptly updating their pilgrims about the governor’s kind gesture.

    On his part, Hamzat Trimisiu, who described the governor as a man of the people, noted that many pilgrims were dismayed by the news of their reduced BTA, adding that only God could reward the governor for his concern for the welfare of his people on pilgrimage.

    Having spent sometime in Medina praying in Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque, a total of 934 pilgrims from the state are  now in Mecca to commence the Hajj rites.

     

  • Ogun To Join Oil Producing States, As Exploration Commences

    The quest of Ogun State to be an oil producing State would soon materialize as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), sets to begin oil and gas exploration in the Gateway State.

    Stakeholders in the oil industry, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri,
    Managing Director, SHELL Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Mr. Osagie Okubor; Chief Executive, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari, stormed Ogun State on Friday on plans by the Federal Government to start oil exploration in the state.

    They were received by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

    Hon. Lokpobiri, who spoke at the governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta said Ogun State has always been part of the Dahomey Basin with prospect of having huge deposit of hyrdro-carbon.

    The Minister said: “We decided that we are going to resume exploration in the different Basins; we decided to come to Ogun State to reassure the people that we have very high potential of discoveries here. Ogun has always been part of the Dahomey Basin and our presence underscore the seriousness the federal government attaches to the exploration activities that we want to carry out in Ogun State.”

    Hon. Lokpobiri who added that oil and gas remain the quickest way to Nigeria’s economic prosperity, said his team is in the State in continuation of the campaign for exploration activities.

    He said the visit was also to demonstrate the seriousness and commitment of the federal government to shore up its revenue through the oil and gas sector.

    “Today we are here to tell the people of the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that we continue our campaign and exploration activities across the country. We are doing this exploration activities in several places across Nigeria and today we are in Ogun after which we will proceed to Sokoto State,” he added.

    The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited,(NNPCL) Mr. Mele kyari, while speaking, said Ogun State is blessed to be in the Dahomey Basin corridor with expected high deposit of oil, assuring that the corporation is coming back in ernest to commence exploration activities, even as he expressed the hope that oil would be found in commercial quantity.

    In his remarks, the Executive Director, Nigerians Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Mr. Genga Komolafe, said the coming of the team to Ogun State is to further demonstrate the commitment of the Federal Government to grow the oil reserves and enhanced federation revenue.

    “We all understand that Nigeria is very prolific in oil and gas, but then there is still need to grow the reserves through exploration activities given our huge hyrdro-carbon as a bench mark,” he noted.

    Komolafe informed that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) makes provision for the funding of the development of the Frontier Basins, adding that in line with the commitment and the aspirations of the government, the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission is working in synergy with the NNPCL to leverage on the PIA to aggressively carry out oil exploration in the Dahomey Basin.

    “The Dahomey Basin stretches up to Delta, Edo, Ogun and Ondo states. We intend to in the course of this exercise, cover all those states leveraging on the provision of Section 9, Subsection 4 of the PIA. This is good opportunity for the people of Ogun State and it would be complementary to the reforms and transformation initiatives of the governor. We want to congratulate the governor and the people for being the beneficiaries of this initiative,” Komolafe said.

    Responding, Governor Abiodun said Ogun State is part of the OPLs 302,303 306, 307, saying the acreages present unique opportunities for the qualification as a Frontier Exploration State as defined in the PIA section 9.

    He observed that the history and studies over the years allow any investment under the frontier exploration basin funding to not only realize the oil and gas potentials, but also acquire data that would aid Bitumen exploration and exploitation in Nigeria.

    The country, Abiodun maintained holds the second largest resolves in the world of 42,b tons, adding that a lot of studies have shown the potential of the basins, which brings Ogun State to the fore and projecting it towards becoming a beneficiary to achieve commercial success and derive economic benefits from exploration and production within a minimum time schedule.

    “It is noteworthy that this is a region of the country that provides ease of access, low entry and operating costs, a safe and welcoming community and a very active state government support and participation.

    “Ogun State therefore presents some unique opportunities towards the realization of the full intentions of the PIA section 9 on frontier exploration as it will contribute to guarantee additional petroleum production of additional petroleum products for the country and afford more supply to potential refineries in the area.

    “As a low hanging result, this area also presents the opportunity for Bitumen extraction, thereby reducing import dependency and bringing with its savings in foreign exchange expenditure on this single line item,” governor said.

  • PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP: OGUN APPLAUDS BASIA GROUP

             Ogun State government has applauded the unwavering determination of the Build A School in Africa (BASIA) towards ensuring development of education, especially in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

             Giving the commendation was the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, during the handover ceremony of a block of four classrooms and school start-up kits to Salawu Abiola Comprehensive High School, Osiele, Abeokuta, by BASIA group, in collaboration with the school’s Old Students Class of ’85.

             According to Engr. Salako-Oyedele, the donation marked another significant milestone in their efforts at supporting public schools in the state and joining government’s drive to position the education sector through provision of conducive learning environment in public school across the state.

             The Deputy Governor revealed that the initiative had engendered transformative changes in the state’s education landscape, stating that the organisation was instrumental to the completion of several projects across the country, which she said, showcased the relentless drive to foster education, despite the escalating costs, unfavourable terrain and logistics.

             She urged the school authority and students to make judicious use of the facility for the overall betterment of the school.

            “This new classroom block will not only alleviate overcrowding, but will also offer a more engaging and effective learning environment for students of Salawu Abiola Comprehensive High school”, she said.

             On his part, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, who expressed delight at the donation, noted that it was a worthwhile gesture which would spur the students to learn, promising to partner the organisation for more developmental projects in the state.

             Contributing, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, represented by the Director, Secondary and Higher Education in the Ministry, Mr. Oluwole Majekodunmi and his counterpart from Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, who is the President of the Old Students Association, Hon. Gbenga Oyerinde,  appreciated BASIA and COAFRICA for the donation, to complement government’s efforts in providing a conducive learning environment for students in the state, calling on the school management and  students to protect the edifice and put it to good use.

             Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs. Melutia Ogunremi, commended the efforts of the donor, saying government alone cannot provide the wherewithal for its citizens and assured that the state government would continue to encourage private entities in its ‘Building Our Future Together” agenda.

           While urging the students to use the project wisely, Director, COAFRICA USA, Mrs. Marci Romney, informed that the project was part of the group’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for learners in the state, due to the prevailing numbers of out-of-school children, imploring the teachers to continue to inspire the students through effective teaching.

             Remarking, the donor, Dr. Victor Ukorebi, disclosed that the organisation was committed to construction of classrooms, building of toilets and providing portable water in schools across Africa, due to the high rate of out-of-school children, as well as help the young ones to actualise their dreams, pointing out that his organisation had donated 10 blocks of classrooms to the state government, promising to continue to partner with government and private organisations in the education sector.

             Earlier, the Principal, Junior Secondary School, Mr. Taoheed Bankole, expressed gratitude to the donor for providing modern classrooms for learners and also appreciated government for Private-Public Partnership initiative, while urging the students to make good use of the facility and continue to be good ambassadors of the school. 

             Appreciating the donor on behalf of the students, the Head boy of the school, Master Junior Abdulrahmon, said the facility would aid learning, just as it had made the school to stand out among other schools in the state.