News
Buhari inaugurates HYPREP’s 2nd Governing Council, BoT of OTF
ABUJA- PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, inaugurated the 2nd Governing Board Council of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project,HYPREP and the Board of Trustees of Ogoni Trust Fund domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The president,who explained that his action was part of his deliberate effort to create an environment for enhanced structured and focused delivery of the project, tasked members to proffer solutions to challenges affecting timely completion of the project.
In a keynote address he delivered at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Buhari particularly enjoined members of the council to proffer solutions to the challenges of community disruption due to land disputes, leadership tussles and unnecessary pressure on the contractors.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,SGF,Mr Boss Mustapha,Buhari regretted that the development had resulted in what he referred to as “as lost times.”
Noting that,” Though some milestones and timelines could not be accomplished circumstantially”, the president assured that “we are nevertheless determined to recover lost grounds and achieve our goals through deliberate efforts to reinvigorate our processes and the machinery of delivery.”
“In addition to your roles and responsibilities, as stated in the HYPREP Gazette of 2016, I expect you to proffer solutions to the challenges of community disruption due to land disputes, leadership tussles and unnecessary pressure on the contractors.
“If these bottlenecks are removed, work will progress freely and we will regain lost timelines,”he said.
He explained that the inauguration was informed by the Minister of Environment,who requested to “further rejig and restructure HYPREP in order to create an environment for enhanced structured and focused delivery of the Project.”
H ear him:”The Honourable Minister of Environment has informed me that remediation of polluted land is progressing in various parts ofOgoniland and I have approved his request to further rejig and restructure HYPREP in order to create an environment for enhanced structured and focused delivery of the Project.”
“Your appointment therefore, is part of this deliberate effort and I hope that you will live up to expectation accordingly,”he told members.
Going further,he said:”We have carefully and painstakingly considered your backgrounds profiles and competences in affording you the opportunity to serve in these offices.
“You are therefore being inaugurated today as Representatives of the Federal Government on the platform of HYPREP and I strongly appeal to you to take this trust bestowed on you with all sense of responsibility and commitment.
“You should see your appointment as a patriotic national duty and a clarion call to service.
“You will be required to promote transparency, propriety and integrity in the operation of HYPREP to ensure optimal and satisfactory delivery of the required services.”
The president explained that,”At its meeting held on 3rd March 2021, the Federal Executive Council approved the award of contracts for six water supply schemes at the total cost of about N6.05 billion to facilitate the provision of potable water to the impacted communities in Ogoniland, in a firm demonstration of its commitment to improving their socio-economic conditions pragmatically.”
He recalled that during his campaign tour of Rivers State in 2015, he promised the people of Ogoniland that hisgovernment, if elected, wouldensurethat the Report of the United Nations Environment Project (UNEP)wasimplementedfor thebenefits of Ogonipeople and theecosystem.
“After taking office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in fulfillment of my campaign promise, I flagged- off the Project for the remediation of hydrocarbon impacted Sites in Ogoniland and provision of potable water and alternative livelihoods to impacted communities on 4th June 2016 and have been monitoring implementation progress over the years,”he said.
On his part,the chairman of BoT,Mr. Mike Nwileaghi, said the inauguration of a second governing council and BOT was an indication of the president’s commitment to HYPREP.
“The preponderance of representations of Ogoni in these two boards is a clear indication of the result of the federal government to allow our people own the entire process of the project,”he said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, ending the operations of a body that has overseen the privatisation, sale and lease of federal assets for more than two decades.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu directed that all matters relating to the committee’s activities will henceforth be handled by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
The PIC was established in 2000 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to supervise the disposal of Federal Government landed assets under the monetisation policy.
The committee was chaired by the then Minister of Housing and comprised representatives of the Ministries of Transportation, Justice, Health and Agriculture, as well as the Nigeria Police Force. Professor P.T. Ahire served as its pioneer secretary, while members were drawn from both the public and private sectors.
The statement recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved the establishment of a Panel of Inquiry on March 22, 2001, to produce a White Paper guiding the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. The panel worked for 21 months before submitting its report.
Explaining the decision, Onanuga said the Federal Government concluded that the committee had outlived its usefulness, as its activities had extended beyond its original mandate and resulted in multiple litigations across the country.
“After careful consideration, the Government has noted that the activities of the PIC had extended beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple litigations across the country, and the continued existence of the Committee is no longer justified,” he said.
President Tinubu also directed that, with effect from November 5, 2025, all outstanding matters previously handled by the committee be coordinated by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
In addition, the former Secretary of the committee, B. S. Dutsin-Ma, was directed to immediately cease acting on behalf of the dissolved committee and the Federal Government on related matters.
The Presidency said the move is aimed at streamlining the management of issues relating to the alienation of Federal Government properties under the supervision of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
By Chinedu Sabastine
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and Afrinvest have urged Nigerian clubs to embrace digital transformation, saying strong online presence, quality data and commercial partnerships are key to financial sustainability.
Speaking at a seminar for media and marketing officers of NPFL clubs in Enugu, NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owunmi, challenged clubs to improve their digital platforms or risk missing sponsorship opportunities.
To underscore the importance of data, Owunmi offered a ₦100,000 reward to any club with a functional website containing comprehensive statistics from the just-concluded season, including player profiles, goals, match records and attendance figures.
He lamented that many clubs either lack functional websites or operate platforms with little useful content, stressing that data and digital engagement have become major revenue drivers in modern football.
“Our Gen Z audience lives online. If clubs are absent from the digital space, they cannot reach young fans, attract sponsors or benefit from e-commerce opportunities,” he said.
According to Owunmi, potential sponsors now demand audience and performance data before committing funds, but many clubs are unable to provide credible figures due to poor data generation.
He urged clubs to reduce dependence on government funding by strengthening their media and marketing departments, citing Rangers International’s ₦200 million sleeve sponsorship deal and other commercial partnerships as examples of what effective branding can achieve.
Owunmi also disclosed that from next season, the NPFL will introduce measurable digital benchmarks for clubs, including website functionality, quality content and social media engagement.
Afrinvest Manager, Emmanuel Eleojo, said the company’s partnership with Rangers International and the NPFL is anchored on its “Finance Meets Football” initiative, which promotes corporate investment in football.
He said Afrinvest’s support for Rangers since 2023 has boosted youth development, led to the establishment of the club’s academy and contributed to two league titles in three seasons, while producing players for the national team.
“When finance meets football, we see growth. We see progress. We see trophies won,” Eleojo said.
One of the lead paper presenters at the seminar, Mr George Isitua-Onukwu, who spoke on ‘Monetising NPFL Clubs Through Marketing, Sponsorship and Brand Investment’, harped on the need for the clubs to adopt a clear and timed approach to branding and marketing.
According to him, NPFL sponsors report hesitation because clubs cannot yet guarantee the consistent visibility and production quality brands ask for.
“Clubs without a structured calendar for renewals, activation briefs, and reporting are, by definition, always reacting,” he further stated.
The seminar brought together media and marketing officers from the 20 NPFL clubs to strengthen capacity in digital marketing, branding, content creation and data management aimed at improving the league’s commercial appeal.
A socio-political organization, Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD), has lauded the sterling leadership qualities of Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa.
Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa is the Nigeria Democratic Congress State House of Assembly candidate for Isiala Ngwa South Constituency of Abia State
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD), whose membership is drawn from the seventeen (17) local government areas of Abia State in a statement on Thursday, hailed
Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa’s resilience and commitment to nation-building and development.
The statement by the forum was signed by the Chairman, Surveyor Samuel Azubuike and Secretary General, Victor Mbanaso.
While noting that Dr Michael Chiemezuo ‘s invaluable contributions towards deepening democracy in Abia state and Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, Forum of Abia Democrats(FABD) also noted that Dr. Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa has remained unwavering in her pursuit of gender equality in the country.
The pro-democracy forum further noted that Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo’s continued support for human empowerment, community development, and as well passion for good governance.
“Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa has remained committed to public service and also dedicated to the advancement of democratic values in Abia state and larger Nigeria. And this illustrious son of Abia state has continuously demonstrated his desire to contribute to societal building and development, having chaired and coordinated professional bodies effectively and efficiently.
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD) therefore threw their weights behind Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa’s House of assembly bid, describing his recent emergence as the NDC State House of Assembly standard-bearer for Isiala Ngwa South state Constituency as a beginning of a new chapter of progress and purposeful leadership in Isiala Ngwa South.
The forum expressed confidence in the ability and capacity of Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa in driving even development and uplifting local communities across Isiala Ngwa South Constituency through attractions of government’s provision of critical infrastructural amenities and projects when elected into the Abia State House of Assembly come 2027.
According to the ethnic-nationality body, aside from attracting meaningful socio-economic and infrastructural projects across IIsiala Ngwa South Constituency, we believe Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa equally possessed the wherewithal to pursue and make impactful laws that strengthen all statutory and relevant institutions of democratic governance in Abia State.
“Dr Prince Michael Chiemezuo has remained a defender of justice and advocate for the rights and welfare of average Nigerians.
“The confidence and widespread acceptance he enjoy among the electorates in isiala Ngwa South state constituency will turn into electoral victory for NDC in the coming general election next year,”the forum noted.
Forum of Abia Democrats (FABD) pledged to rally bulk votes for NDC State House of Assembly Candidate, Dr. Prince Michael Chiemezuo Agrippa to ensure his total victory in the upcoming election in 2027 in isiala Ngwa South Constituency by the independent national electoral commission (INEC).
The southeast forum also used the medium to call on all eligible Nigerian citizens to participate in the ongoing nationwide voters registration exercise by INEC, so as to enable them exercise their franchise in next year’s general election in the country.
“Every eligible imo citizens should ensure it register and collect their permanent voters cards (PVC), because, it is the only weapon and power vested on citizens by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to effect a change in government, and vote in credible people to mount leadership saddle in all levels in the country,”They stated.
The Service stated this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the NIS, the only authorised platform for passport payments by Nigerians, both within the country and in the diaspora, is its official passport portal.
It added that foreigners seeking Nigerian visas should use only its official visa portal for embassy applications or the designated e-visa portal for electronic visa applications.
It said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to reiterate that the only authorised platforms for passport payments for Nigerians (at home and in diaspora) is https://passport.immigration.gov.ng.
“For foreigners wishing to apply for visa, https://visa.immigration.gov.ng (for visa at the Embassy) and https://evisa.immigration.gov.ng (for e-visa) are the official links.
The NIS urged applicants who require clarification or assistance with passport or visa applications to contact its verified communication channels.
It listed its official X accounts as @nigimmigration and @InquireAtNaija, while its verified Facebook and Instagram handles are @nigimmigration.
The Service also provided WhatsApp numbers 09160878000 and 09117717772 for enquiries and support.
The statement reiterated the Service’s commitment to ensuring secure and transparent passport and visa application processes, urging the public to avoid fraudulent intermediaries.
The US Department of State said the move is aimed at centralising routine visa services in regional hubs to enhance national security, reduce government spending, and ensure greater consistency in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.
In a statement on the US Department of State website on Wednesday, the department said the reorganisation aligns with the President Donald Trump’s administration’s priority of placing America’s interests and security first.
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and vetting and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.
“The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world,” the statement read.
Besides Abuja, the affected diplomatic posts are located in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
It also emphasised that all diplomatic missions will continue to provide consular services and carry out their regular functions on behalf of the United States.
The department further assured travellers that the policy does not invalidate visas that have already been issued.
The United States periodically reviews its global diplomatic operations to reallocate resources and streamline consular services.
Under the new arrangement, applicants in countries affected by the policy are expected to access routine visa services through designated regional processing hubs, while embassies and consulates continue to provide other diplomatic and consular assistance.
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