Headline
Abia Govt. to develop solid minerals sector
The Abia Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, has expressed the readiness of the government to develop its solid minerals sector to enhance the economy of the state.
Kanu made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council, at the Government House, Umuahia.
He said that about 17 solid minerals had been discovered in the state, adding that the government had resolved to deploy the relevant resources to explore the sector.
Kanu said that the solid minerals sector would play a vital role in boosting the internally-generated revenue of the state, going forward.
He said that the solid minerals sector of the state holds tremendous opportunities for investments and job creation, which would further boost wealth creation in Abia.
“The state government is ready to explore the array of solid minerals the state has been blessed with as a number of them have not been tapped over the years.
“This government is committed to ensuring that solid minerals are tapped.
“The idea is to provide investment opportunities, because we need investors, to provide job opportunities for the people of Abia and boost the state’s revenue base,” Kanu added.
Also, the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, said that the Abia government was working in line with the Federal Government’s agenda to transform the solid minerals sector.
Ogbonna said that the solid minerals that could be found in Abia include limestone, kaolin, gypsum, galena, bentonite clay, silica sand, black marble, copper, gold, phosphate, salt, laterite, gravel, lignite, granite, coal and magnetite.
“We want to take it a step further to go into appraisal and development to ascertain that the quantity available would be enough to attract investors.
“The Federal Government has made solid minerals a top player in terms of investments and with respect to this has outlined seven solids minerals which include limestone, coal, gold, iron ore, bitumen, lead-zinc and barite.
“When you look at the list, one can see that Abia has the top three,” he said.
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr Sunny Onwuma, said that the government had built a Computerized Vehicle Inspection Centre, aimed at ensuring road worthiness of vehicles in Abia, adding that the center would be inaugurated on Wednesday.
Onwuma said that the decision to build the center was informed by the need to take proactive steps to ensure that all vehicles plying Abia roads are road worthy as this would reduce road accidents in the state.
He said that the safety of the people of Abia was paramount to the government, saying that centre was necessary to encourage vehicle owners to ensure that their vehicles meet all the requirements for use.
Onwuma added that the cost for testing small vehicles for road worthiness at the center costs N1,700, while testing for bigger ones would cost N3,000.
The Commissioner for Works, Mr Otumchere Oti, said that the proposed expansion of Ossah-Express Tower road from four to six lanes was still on course.
Otumchere said that the necessary preparations such as payment of compensation to owners of buildings marked for demolition as a result of the road expansion, getting the road design ready, among others, were in the concluding stages for the take off of the road project.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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