Metro

Nigeria has no reason being a poor country, Peter Obi says

Published

9 months ago

April 9, 2024

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s last general elections, Peter Obi, has said the country has no reason to be poor due to rich natural resources Nigeria is blessed with in every part of the country.

Obi, who made the assertion during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Nuhu Bamali, at his palace in Kaduna State on Monday, lamented a situation he described as a waste of the majority of the vast arable lands in the country, especially in the North.

Obi said the uncultivated lands had added to the poverty in the Northern region of the country while most of the industries had shut down due to lack of political will and inconsistent economic policies.

Obi noted that the “current socioeconomic instability in the country requires that all citizens and leaders come together and see how the situation could be salvaged.”

“Nigeria has nothing to do with poverty if those of us who are political leaders including my humble self had decided to serve the country faithfully.

“God created us with a lot of resources, and if those resources are properly put in place, we will pull most poor people out of poverty.

“The way things are in our country today requires that all of us must get involved in one way or the other.

“Because if we do, Nigeria will not have anything to do with poverty. I will always say this anytime I have the opportunity because Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is blessed with everything that is required.

“Looking at the North, we can make more money from agriculture than we are making from oil.

“We have vast uncultivated land in the North which can help pull people out of poverty provide food for Nigeria, provide raw materials for industrialisation, and support export.

“We need to invest in the North. Insecurity is driven by poverty, the more you pull people out of poverty, the more you reduce Insecurity,” the LP chieftain said.

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

14 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.