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N69bn oil palm programme: Edo govt, PRESCO to collaborate

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The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said the state government will be collaborating with PRESCO Plc on the development of high yielding oil palm seeds as part of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), an initiative by the governor to revive the sector for global competitiveness.

The governor disclosed this while receiving the Chairman, Board of Directors, PRESCO Plc, Mr. Pierre Vandebeeck, on a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin on Tuesday.

Obaseki said the development of the high yielding seeds was necessary to make the business more profitable for farmers as oil palm has a long gestation period.

The governor said, “We want to collaborate in the area of research to have one of the world’s best planting materials. This is so that we can go back to where we used to be in terms of oil palm production in the world.

“PRESCO has a laboratory in Europe and they are thinking of expanding the laboratory here to Nigeria so that they can reproduce high-quality planting materials.”

He said discussions were also ongoing with PRESCO on supporting the state in the implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Oil Palm initiative and for the company to expand to other locations in the state.

In his response, Vandebeeck said the company has a technology of multiplying seeds, called in-vitro culture that it intends to establish in Nigeria.

He said the Edo State Government has shown willingness to collaborate on the development of the technology in the country, which would also benefit smallholders oil palm farms.

“We want to create a special company in Nigeria for the propagation and distribution of high yielding planting materials,” noting that Edo remains a perfect destination for its business going by ease of doing business, friendly government policies and hospitality of the host community.

Vandebeeck added that the visit to the governor was also to request for more land to expand its oil palm plantation.

Recall that the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the launch of the ESOPP, committed N69billion as part of efforts to revive the country’s oil palm industry.

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IPOB Declares May 30th As Sit-at-home Day Across The Southern East States To Honour Biafran Fallen Heroes

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The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared May 30, 2024, as a sit-at-home day across the South-East to celebrate Biafran soldiers.

The pro-Biafran group said that day is set aside annually to celebrate the men and women who died in the Biafran war between 1967 and 1970 and beyond and even until now.

This was made known in a press statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, adding that every Biafran in the South-East is expected to sit at home and reflect on the war.

He cautioned South-East residents to avoid loitering about on this day, adding that those who intend to travel to and fro Biafra land must do so before the evening of May 29.

The IPOB statement also directed that all the residents of “Biafra Land” are to stay indoors from 6 am to 6 pm on May 30, 2024.

He also called on christians and traditionalists to pray to Chukwu okike abiama for the fallen heroes, And also for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria.

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Anambra State Government Arrests Man For Marrying Off His Underage Daughter

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The Anambra State Government has arrested one Uzochukwu Okoli, for marrying off his underaged daughter.

Okoli was apprehended after his daughter reported to the State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare about the alleged ill-treatment being meted out to her by her father and the man he forced her to marry.

The daughter, Chioma Okoli, who is currently 16 years old, said after the death of her mother, her father took her and her sister out of Edo state and brought them to Anambra.

She alleged that she was first forced to live with a 70-plus-year-old man at the age of 14 but after some time, she ran back to her father’s house before he finally gave her out to a 34-year-old Chinedu Nweke as husband.

Chioma who was in the company of her sister, explained that life with Chinedu has been a living hell because he allegedly beats her and sometimes pees in her mouth.

She said this act made her run away with their 9-month-old baby. Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli, on the other hand, claimed her daughter is 18 years old and, at some point, said she is 20 years old.

After he was handcuffed, Mr Okoli threatened to deal with the daughters if he made it out of prison. He also urged Chioma and her sister to pray he dies in prison because he would make life more miserable for them.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, has instructed that the case be charged to court so that the girl can get justice.

Both Mr Okoli and Chinedu Nweke were arrested and will be arraigned in court.

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Nigerians Seek Woman Who Spoke Out Eloquently Against Fuel Scarcity In Viral 1994 TV Clip

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April 30th 1994, 30 Years Ago, And Till Today Nothing Has Really Changed.

Netizens have gone in search of a beautiful and well-spoken woman who spoke out against fuel scarcity 30 Years Ago.

A user on X.com, Jackie, who identifies as #JWEZEE had shared the video yesterday with the caption, “On this day April 30 1994, same day same time, only difference 30years ago.

“Nigerians in long fuel queues lamenting, 30years later they are still lamenting. And In another 30years will still lament, why? Because patterns don’t lie.”

In the video, which has since gone viral, Nigerians were seen queuing to purchase fuel and lamenting their predicament as citizens waiting in long queues with their gallons to buy fuel.

The woman passionately addressed the unfairness of soldiers skipping queues to resell fuel, highlighting a longstanding problem.

She said in part, “You have the soldiers that come, they buy petrol, they put it in jerry cans they sell it right in front of these people, it’s ridiculous.

“They get the fuel themselves, why do they have to come here, they don’t join the queue, they just buy and they sell right in front of people, it’s ridiculous. Something has to happen.”

The 30-year-old video which recently surfaced coincides with the current fuel price hike across the country.

Here is the viral video from 30 years back.

Currently, the country is facing fuel scarcity and price hike, with fuel being sold at N900 per litre in some states. This has affected the price of goods in the nation.

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