Social Reporters News Service, published by IOE Publishers - CAC/BN/3400383

Edo State Government in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria, is to set up a pineapple juice industry at Iguobazuwa, the Ovia South West Headquarters, in a bid to empowering some Libya returnees from the state. The decision was reached at a stakeholders meeting attended by Senior Special Assistant to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Anti Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration Issues, Solomon Okoduwa, the IOM team and the Coordinator, Society for Young Persons, Jennifer Ero as well as stakeholders in the community, where they reached a consensus to set up a Pineapple juice industry at Iguobazuwa. The entire Ovia South West local government area is known for its rich pineapple cultivation. The Odionwere of the community, Pa Sunday Erhunmwunse Omokaro satisfied with terms of his guests, immediately ordered the community's Allotment Committee to provide four plots of land to site the industry. Similarly, a 12 man steering committee members will b

… to set up Forestry Commission The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said the state government will set up a Drug Control Committee in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to control the cultivation and abuse of Cannabis in the state. The governor, said this when he received the Edo State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Wakawa Buba, who was on a working visit to the governor at the Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital. Obaseki expressed displeasure over Edo State being listed among the highest Cannabis producing states in Nigeria, noting that his administration will provide support to the NDLEA to stem the tide. He said, "Edo State Government identifies with your effort to reduce the demand and supply of Cannabis. We will support your effort through sensitisation, counselling, prosecution and rehabilitation of drug addicts, through the state's ministries of Health, Women Affairs and Social Development.” Obaseki said that th

Governor Godwin Obaseki has refuted the claim by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that the Edo State government had approved land for the establishment of cattle colonies.The party had at a ‘Meet The People Tour’ in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo council area, made the allegation.   But a statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Media Strategy to the governor, Crusoe Osagie, said the allegation was “another set of lies” against the Obaseki administration.He stated: “The claim is the PDP’s concoction, fabrication and the aim of the dying party to attempt to smear the rising profile and image of the Obaseki administration.    “PDP’s resort to outright falsehood as a tactic for redeeming its irredeemable image demonstrates the party’s lack of capacity to engage in intellectual and ideological contestations.“It is also not true that the Edo State government is not doing anything about the activities of the Fulani herdsmen in the northern senatorial district.    “The s

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has described as outright falsehood, the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, that the Edo State government has approved land for the establishment of a cattle colony in the state. Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said in a statement issued on Monday in Benin City, that the claim is a barefaced and brazen lie concocted and fabricated by the PDP. “Our attention has been drawn to another set of lies by the dying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has approved land for the establishment of cattle colonies in Edo State. “We wish to categorically state that the Godwin Obaseki-led government has not entered into any agreement for cattle colonies in any part of Edo State. “The claim is the PDP’s concoction, fabrication, and the aim of the dying party, peopled by rogues and bandits, is to attempt to smear the rising profile and imag

" Governor Obaseki, what is your position?" The Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih has challenged the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and the ruling party to make a bold statement on cattle colonies as proposed by the Federal Government across the states. Chief Orbih gave the charge in Igarra, the administrative headquarters of Akoko Edo Local Government Area, as it commenced its 7-day PDP Meet The People Tour 2018. Chief Dan Osi Orbih also harped on the need for its members to register and encourage their children, friends and relatives who are of age to come out and register to vote. He told them to take advantage of the ongoing continuous voters' registration process ahead of the general elections. Orbih sympathised with the people over the incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen, and described governor Obaseki as the "Exponent of cattle colony". "Obaseki is the brain behind cattle colony". He accuse

NWAFOR POLYCARP 20 JAN 2018 …Customs collect N7000 at Kano border …Nigerian ladies turned to sex slaves …Male migrants given out to gays By Evelyn Usman On January 14, 2018, at about 11.52pm, a Max Air plane with registration number 5N- HMM, landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers state with the  third batch of 560 Nigerian returnees from Libya. Among them were 20 infants. In recent time, the print and electronic media have been awash with news of Nigerian returnees from Libya and their horrific tales during their sojourn. Nigerians, especially youths , leave the shores of the country in search of better living condition, owing mostly to unemployment . In their desperation to achieve their aim, they fall prey to agents who sweet talked and cajoled them into believing that they could get to their dream country, if they could raise between N150,000 and N400,000. Some youths , resorted to several criminal means of raising this amount , only to realise at the end

The Edo State Government has said that 500 Libya returnees will undergo a skills acquisition training to be organised courtesy of the Vice President’s wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo. The training programme is expected to equip the returnees with skills for improved livelihood as they settle into society. The training by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Osinbajo is one in a series of efforts to reintegrate returnees from Libya to fit into society and ensure they don’t fall into vices that led them to embark on the ruinous journey. Recall that the state government spearheaded the re-integration of Libya returnees, who are indigenes of the state, in the wake of global outcry that led to the return of over 2000 people to the state after they were rescued from slave camps in Libya. The state government through the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking has been organising training programmes and paying three months stipends to the returnees. A training on agriculture has also been

Nigeria’s Falconets have qualified for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France, as they thrashed South Africa 6-0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Saturday. The Falconets went through on a 8-0 aggregate score. Gift Monday opened scoring for the Falconets after seven minutes with an assist from the outstanding Rashedaat Ajibade. Ajibade turned scorer in the 21st minute, when she rounded up the South Africa goalkeeper before she found the back of the net. Five minutes later Anam Imo made it 3-0 off a rebound, before Ajibade got her brace in the 32nd minute. Gift Monday then got her own brace on 39 minutes. Anam Imo got her brace in the 73rd minute. The only blemish on Nigeria’s copy book was the dismissal of goal star Gift Monday three minutes from time after a second booking for a poor tackle. The 2018 FIFA U20 World Cup will be played in France in August. Nigeria have reached the final of the tournament twice, in 2012 and 2014. The Falconnets have made nine s

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has pledged to provide all necessary support to Chinese consortium comprising Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company and Sinopec Oil and Gas Nigeria, who are set to commence construction of a 5,500 barrels-per-day (bpd) modular refinery in the state. Governor Obaseki gave the assurance after a delegation from the company led by its Director, Mr Tim Tian, made a presentation of the project timeline to the Governor at the Government House, in Benin City, the state capital. Governor Obaseki said the state government was taking advantage of the Federal Government’s modular refinery initiative to boost supply of petroleum products in the country. "The state is at an advantage in building modular refineries as most of the oil and gas assets across the various communities in the state are onshore," he said. The governor said that the most delightful aspect of the project is the training of indigenes in fabrication and maintenance of modular ref

…PDP merely dancing to the gallery if not in court – Okojie The surreptitious plot by the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to disrupt the forthcoming local government elections in the state, by contesting the powers of the Edo State House of Assembly to make and amend laws for local government elections, has come under attack by legal experts. Percy Okojie Esq., a lawyer, declared “The Edo State House of Assembly has the power to legislate on local council elections.” He said: “I am aware that the Edo House of Assembly pushed through a motion and the proper procedure was duly followed. Memoranda were duly sought before the bill was passed into law. The House of Assembly has members of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Except the PDP is saying that there was no quorum while the amendment was passed. In any case, in democracy, majority carries the day, though the minority has its say. “If members of the PDP feel otherwise, they s

…flays dearth of literary clubs in schools, to leverage on tech Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has pledged his administration's commitment to reviving the reading culture in the state with a view to address challenges confronting the basic and post-primary education system. Speaking at the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Edo Reading Culture Campaign 2018 in Benin on Friday, Obaseki said poor reading culture amongst other challenges plague Nigeria’s educational system. The Reading Campaign was organised by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in collaboration with the Edo State Government in the seven Local Government Areas in Edo South Senatorial District of the state. Governor Obaseki said that in a technology age, students need to learn how to read and write to be able to access information on the internet and do well in academics. He regretted that most schools no longer have Literary Societies, which according to him, is useful in inculcating reading

A community in Umuchu town in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State has been thrown into mourning after one of their prominent lawyers, Barrister Solomon Uzoigwe slumped and died in a court room during trial over a land matter. This caused pandemonium inside the court room as the lawyers who were present in the court ran helter skelter, abandoned him on the floor and fled. P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on Wednesday within the premises of Onitsha High Court where the late Uzoigwe had gone to defend a matter against the advice of his wife. It was gathered that the late Uzoigwe had gone to court to defend a matter but before the trial date, he suddenly fell sick. Despite his condition, he rejected his wife’s advice to rest and face his medication, went to the court where he eventually collapsed and died. The 41-year old lawyer who got married recently, had only a kid before he died. He was said to have slumped in the court room and was later rushed to several

Barely a day after Chinese engineering firm, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd arrived Benin City, to commence preliminary work on the Gelegele Seaport Project, another Chinese company, Tianjin -Yuyung Construction Engineering Company Ltd, has indicated interest to partner the state government on the development of the Benin Industrial Park (BIP). Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, who received the team at the Government House, Benin City, said the final drawing for the park would be completed by the consulting engineers before the end of February. The governor advised the company to visit the Chinese companies in the state, who had indicated interest to relocate to the park when completed. "About 2000 Chinese companies are looking for new locations; we are looking at interacting with the companies before the park will be completed,” the governor said. Managing Director, Tianjin-Yuyung Construction Engineering Company Ltd, Mr. Wen Yujin, said the visit was a fol

A Non governmental organisation (NGO), Concerned Edo Citizens has stormed markets in Benin metropolis to encourage citizens to participate more actively in politics. The group, which visited different parts of Oka Market in Benin City, called on residents to remain vigilant and exercise their civic duty by voting for credible candidates in the forthcoming local government elections.

The fashion industry and UN Climate Change are searching how best to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the sector and have fashion’s voice heard in international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Currently, total greenhouse gas emissions from textiles production, at 1.2 billion tonnes annually, are more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined. By some estimates, sector emissions are expected to rise by more than 60 percent by 2030. United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, said; “I believe we stand at a turning point in history. For the first time, humans are no longer just affected by weather cycles, we are affecting those cycles—and suffering the consequences of doing so. Some 38 representatives of well-known brands, such as Hugo Boss, Adidas, Puma, Kering VF Corporation, C&A, and H&M, together with a yarn manufacturer, recycler and representatives of a

By Akpomejero Friday , Benin Member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency, Hon. Johnson Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and the former Peoples Democratic Party's governorship aspirant, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen yesterday lauded the Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki on the infrastuctural  development of the state within one year. The duo gave the commendation in Benin City after decamping to the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state. Agbonayinma, while stating the reason he has to dump his former party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress said he was attracted by what the government of the state has done  by ensuring that development cuts  across the three senatorial districts noting that it would be a sin on his part not to have joined him to develop the state. "The interest of Edo State is what is paramount. That is what the governor was trying to tell Edo State people and Nigeria in general and that we must put this nation first and Edo State for me to

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has said that the construction of the 5,500 barrels-per-day-(bpd)-capacity Edo Modular Refinery will commence in the next three months to create jobs, train youths and guarantee availability of petroleum products. Obaseki said this at the weekend during the APC Mega Rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, noting that the refinery project was one of the offshoots of his recent business trip to China. According to him, “You can recall that I was in China recently. I went there to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some Chinese companies. “We have signed the agreement for the construction of the first Modular Refinery in this country. The refinery will be located in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state. Construction work will commence in three months’ time.” A 12-month timeline has been set for the first phase of the project, after necessary approvals from the relevant regulatory authorities. The governor said tha

By Isaac Eranga BENIN CITY – The Edo State Government has expressed its readiness to partner the Network of Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) Edo State Chapter in promoting water and sanitation of the various Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in the state. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. David Osifo made this remark when the Executive members of NEWSAN paid him an advocacy visit in his office. The Commissioner thanked NEWSAN officials for the great work they are doing in improving the water and sanitation condition in the state. “We are very happy to work with you. We shall send messages to all our Primary Healthcare Centers instructing them to cooperate with you,” he said. Earlier, the Edo NEWSAN coordinator, Dr. Tom Aneni said the vision of NEWSAN is to ensure safe accessible water and sanitation for citizens of the state. NEWSAN over the years include the networking of water supply and ensuring sustainability of water facilities in the state. “In ensuring this, water consu

Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a former leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, who led over 10,000 members of his party to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, on Friday, has told the PDP to forget retaining power in Edo State in 2019 and 2020. According to him, ¨there is no PDP anymore in Edo State after we left the party. We left because of impunity, injustice and, above all, the developmental strides of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who today is adjudged as the best governor in Nigeria¨. Among those who defected to the APC were the House of Representatives member representing Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Johnson Agbonayinma, and Elliot Ebole, a former PDP leader in Igueben. Iduoriyekemwen, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard shortly after his defection, stated that ¨the PDP in Edo State has failed to face reality, they failed to understand that the days of deceiving people are over. I have been in PDP since its format

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has expressed readiness to partner with Edo indigenes in the diaspora to engender social economic growth, especially in empowering women and girls in the state. Obaseki disclosed this when he hosted Ms. Blessing Itua, a United States of America-based Edo indigene and Gender and Development Advocate/Founder, Blessing of Africa Empowerment, who was on a courtesy visit to the governor, at the Government House, Benin City. Governor Obaseki said the state government is ready to partner with the diaspora community, in empowering women to open up the space for women participation in efforts to transform the state into an economic hub. Obaseki said, “the state government will take advantage of the human resources in the diaspora community to promote socio-economic growth and development, and to make life better for Edo people.” He said the state is not only blessed with natural resources but with human resources, noting, “This administration is desig

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has reiterated his administration’s commitment to grassroots development, noting that efforts to develop rural communities will positively impact the lives of ordinary people. Governor Obaseki said this when he received the Midwest Personality of the Year Award at the MidWest Tempo 2017 Annual Awards organised by MidWest Tempo Magazine, a community newspaper in Benin City. Represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki said that he values the views of those at the grassroots because they are honest and are not coated to earn cheap favours. According to him, “We place premium on the ordinary people and appreciate newspapers like this, which is the voice of the ordinary people. For a community newspaper to recognise me as their Personality of the year, it is a commendable verdict. “Some people may flatter you, but the people in the grassroots will tell you the truth. They have spoken here today

Apart from being extremely broke, investigations has revealed that the Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have other reasons why they withdrew from contesting the forthcoming Edo Local Government Council Polls. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has opted to head for court instead of heading to the polls. In a message released by the party's Chairman; Chief Dan Orbih, he revealed that his party were going to court to challenge the power of Edo State House of Assembly to validly amend the Edo State Local Government Electoral Laws to abridge the length of notice of Edo State Local Government Polls. Investigation by *Flash Reporters* however found that Dan Orbih's plan to head to court was only a ploy to get some more hundreds of millions of Naira from Governor Of Rivers State; Nyesome Wike and Governor of Delta State; Ifeanyi Okowa who are major sponsors of the Edo PDP.  Dan Orbih's brother is a SAN who also represented Edo PDP in the contest of Sept.

As reported by The Punch, no one ever prays to go to prison; however, for the popular blogger, Kemi Olunloyo, 2017 is a year that she would likely not forget in a hurry as that was the year she was remanded in custody three times. The blogger was sent to prison for alleged cybercrime charges and defamation of character after accusing Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries of adultery. In an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats,she recounted her experience at Port Harcourt Maximum Prison. She toldSaturday Beats that even though she was locked up with criminals, they all feared and respected her to the extent that she became a gangster in prison. She said, “I think the Port Harcourt prison is the biggest in Nigeria with 4,175 inmates – 75 women and 4,100 men – between the ages of 18 and 25. It is filled with young Nigerian men, but it is a disaster. The male inmates really worked for me and they gave me the nickname, Mummy K. I was really dealing with armed robbers without guns.

The dying days of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State are here at last as two major pillars of the party in the state, Hon Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma,   representing Ikpoba-Okha/ Egor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and former gubernatorial aspirant of the PDP, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City. The two progressives who resisted frantic efforts by members of the dying PDP to leave the ailing party, are bringing into the APC, their teeming followers across the state. Their defection is a confirmation of the fact that PDP will not recover from its electoral wounds and misfortunes in Edo State which the party foisted on itself after squandering Edo people’s goodwill of over eight years as the ruling party. PDP is down and sunk in Edo political waters and never to rise again. Never again will Edo people be led by a bandit like the PDP, renowned and very not

By Omoregie Elvis, Benin The Junior Chamber International (JCI), Benin Metropolitan has charged active Citizens on voluntary and safe blood donation to ease the burden of accident victims and those suffering from different ailments in Nigeria. To this end, a significant number of Nigerians have been enlisted into the voluntary blood donation campaign held at the Weekend in Benin City. During the programme which was supported by Central Hospital Management Board and RAHI hospital in Benin, President of JCI, Bevy Efe, highlighted safety concern as the reason for the collaboration. He tasked the volunteers to embrace healthy lifestyle haven pledged their commitment to save lives. "We are here at the expense of our Area Directors who directed that we should use today as advocacy for awareness campaign with regards to blood donation. And we came out enmass as a group committed to humanitarian growth to ensure the exercise was a success.  "We are obliged to sensitise the publ

By Akpomejero Friday Edo State Police Command, yesterday paraded a-3-man-armed robbery gang who robbed and superglued the mouth of an octogenarian, Mrs. Imasagbonre Enahoro and locked her up in the toilet in Idunmwun Itutu, Igueben Local Government Area of the state. The gang was among the 62 criminal suspects paraded by the police for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, cultism and rape. The 3-man robbery gang, Kingsley Odion, Ehimatiomwan Osaze  and other at large, according to the Commissioner of Police, CP Johnson Kokumo, went into the house of the 86 years old woman at Idunmwun Itutu in Igueben to rob her. CP Kokumo said during the process of robbing, they superglued the mouth of the octogenarian and her daughter and made away with her Camry Car while her old mother.