Bob-Manuel@60: interesting revelations…Heavier cargo for Onitsha Port…The Golf Residency revs up…plus South East Digest…

FG Assures Bigger Cargoes at Onitsha Port Soon

Economic activities will soon increase at the concessioned Onitsha River Port in Anambra State as the Federal Government on Thursday, said that big cargoes will soon berth at the port.

The Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Chief George Moghalu made the disclosure while speaking with State House correspondence, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Fielding questions from journalists on the agenda of his meeting with the President, Chief Moghalu simply said that the visit was a private one. 

He said that discussions were ongoing for the concession of Baro port and as well as the Oguta and Lokoja ports that are still under construction in order to reduce pressure from the government.

According to him, “For Onitsha river port, we have successfully concessioned and handed over to universal Elysium, it is a company that is partnering with Port of Antwerp for the next 30 years.

Photo of the Week

 

Bob-Manuel@60:  interesting revelations

Bob-Manuel Udokwu, easily one of the founders of Nollywood, clocked 60 last week.

It was revelations galore at a reception in his honour at the “Beetle Extra”, Awka, yesterday evening.  The event was attended by several Nollywood actors, producers, and directors.  Bob has been in the service of Anambra State Government for close to two decades now, so the government sector was well represented.  The Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, was there.  The Head of Service, Mrs Theresa Igwebe, was there.  So too, was Governor Soludo’s Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff, Glamour Nwoye.  Several Commissioners and other top government functionaries were there too.

Over one hour was set out to discuss Bob-Manuel with particular emphasis on discovering the dark or unknown side of him.  It was discovered that as the Igboman would say:  “Bob enwero ntupo!” (Bob has no mud on his person!)

There was however one overarching point:  “Bob is like Peter Obi:  he does not give shishi”!!!

 

Mrs Uzonwanne Magdalene Uzoukwu laid to rest

The remains of Mrs Uzonwanne Magdalene Uzoukwu, an Assistant Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and mother of several illustrious children, including Mr Chinenye Mba-Uzokwu, serial investor and public policy advisor, were laid to rest in Umuahia yesterday.

In the words of one of the contributors on her memorial website, Eleanor Nwadinobi wrote:   “A woman of substance, incredible courage and unflinching faith in God. You were industrious, out spoken and raised fine young men who are blessed to have her blood running in their veins.

Thank you for being a dear friend to my mum.”

Anambra State Govt acquires land for Industrial City, Nnewi Automobile Park at Akwaihedi

Governor Chukwuma Soludo has described Manufacturers as key partners in development.

Speaking at Onitsha during a town hall meeting with members of the Manufacturers of Association Nigeria MAN, Governor Soludo who maintained that with a sizable urban population, the future of Anambra State lies on industrialization and manufacturing which he said his administration is committed to following the path.

The Governor who disclosed that the goal of his administration is to make Anambra a striving State where people will always desire to live, visit and make investments, pointed out that the government has acquired one hundred hectares of land that will house the center of commence and grow to be the Africa’s largest shopping mall in addition to four thousand hectares of land that will be an industrial city and Nnewi automobile park at Akwaihedi. 

Governor Soludo called on Ndi Anambra living abroad and outside the State to find a way of sending twenty-five to fifty percent of the tax they pay to their home country and Anambra State for development and charged the people to always patronize locally made products in order to strengthen indigenous firms and improve the revenue profile of both the State and country.

The President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Otunba Francis Meshioye said that Manufacturers Association of Nigeria exist to help deepen the relationship between manufacturers and the government and commended the dedication of members in sustaining their businesses in the face of the dwindling economy.

In an address, the Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, for Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi State, Lady Ada Chukwudozie, emphasized the need to support the existing industrial clusters and commended Governor Soludo for his commitment towards encouraging productivity in the State through strategic efforts to improve power supply, providing durable road infrastructure among others.

 

(A digest of latest reports on the Economy, Industry, Politics, Sports, and developments around the South East of Nigeria)

ABIA STATE

Julius Berger MD visits Abia Governor-elect 3 weeks after MTN did

The Abia State Governor-Elect Dr. Alex Otti on Wednesday played host to the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria, Dr. Lars Richter.

Dr Richter was at Dr. Otti’s country home in Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area, on a courtesy visit to the Governor-Elect. It was a rare visit by such a high ranking staff of the company.

Since being declared Governor-elect of Abia on March 22, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Otti has been meeting with several groups, corporate organisations and individuals, many of whom come to felicitate with him on his victory at the polls, while some others come with proposals to partner with the state in the area of investments and infrastructure development.

One of the earlier callers was Nigeria’s telecom giant MTN, whose team of senior management, led by the Chief Enterprise e-Business Officer, Lynda Saint Wafer, said MTN would be looking at collaborating with the incoming Abia State government in different sectors, including telecommunications access, empowering the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), education, security, and E-Governance among others.

Dr. Otti had, in one of his interactions with the media during the campaigns for the governorship election, declared that the mere fact that he was announced governor of Abia State would attract many strategic investors and development partners to the state.

The Wednesday meeting with the managing director of Julius Berger, reputed as the foremost engineer and civil works Construction Company in Nigeria, coupled with the earlier MTN visit, attests to that fact. 

ANAMBRA STATE

Anambra lost 13,461 hectares of land to flood, erosion

Anambra state has so far lost over 13,461 hectors of land to flood and gully erosion since its creation and a development that has also led to the destruction of 20,000 houses as at the year 2020.

Consequent upon this development Governor Charles Soludo has announced the planting of one million trees every year in order to save the state from environmental degradation.

Similarly community leaders and stakeholders in the environmental sector have been urged to embark on sustained sensitization aimed at recovering the huge loss to flood and gully erosion. 

These were contained in a resolution reached during the Town Hall meeting in celebration of this year’s World Earth Day organized by the state ministry of Environment. 

The Golf Residency revs up

Governor Chukwuma Soludo was on tour of a few housing development projects in the new Awka Capital City last week.  One of the two projects singled out by the Governor as very dear to his heart and representing his dream of housing in a liveable and prosperous homeland, is The Golf Residency, Awka.

During the visit, the Governor was briefed on developments at The Golf Residency, Awka, site entrance based on the masterplan for the project.

It was noted that the Company had since within a few weeks of signing MoU with the Government early in February 2023 commenced work at the site.  Site clearing, soil and water testing were at advanced stages of completion at the project has been dubbed “Anambra’s Billionaires Estate”.

Ebonyi International Airport set for Test Flight

The Ebonyi International Airport is set for test flight this week.  This was disclosed Engr. Frank Ngwu, last week while briefing newsmen.  Engr. Ngwu who is also the special assistant to Governor David Umahi on infrastructure development, said; “As you can see, we are here at the runway, and you can see the level of the marking of the runway. We can say that 95 percent of the runway has been marked and it will be concluded in the next three days.

“The level of infrastructure that has been put in this place, you will be amazed at the level of modern equipment here, they were all made in Europe and the best and latest equipment in the aviation industry.”

He said the terminal building is the single largest terminal building in Nigeria, adding that the apron is also the single biggest in Nigeria with 133,000 square metres.