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Iloenyosi endorses FCT Correspondents Chapel football tournament

Published

7 months ago

May 19, 2024

Former Super Eagles defender, Chikelue Iloenyosi has endorsed the football tournament of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

Iloenyosi, who is the current Chairman of Anambra State Football Association, was a member of Nigeria’s team to the FIFA U20 World Cup on home soil in 1999.

Popularly known as The General, Iloenyosi endorsed the NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel football tournament in Abuja on Friday when executives and members of the Chapel led by Chairman Jide Oyekunle paid him a courtesy visit.

Speaking during the visit, the Anambra FA Chairman disclosed he does not joke with journalists, and that he is excited about the prospect of the football tournament.

“I do not joke with journalists. I am very happy that the NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel deemed me fit as the ambassador of the football tournament.

“I am excited about the prospect of the football tournament, which I learnt is to strengthen the relationship among participating organisations. I fully endorse the tournament,” Iloenyosi said.

Earlier, Chairman of NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel had disclosed that the visit was to express gratitude and sincere appreciation to the former Super Eagles defender for accepting the request to be the ambassador and the face of the tournament.

Comrade Oyekunle informed Iloenyosi that the football tournament will hold between July 11th and 13th, 2024 and that the draws for the tournament will take place on June 18th, when the Anambra FA Chairman would be unveiled officially as the ambassador of the tournament.

“We are here to express our gratitude and sincere appreciation to you for accepting our request to be the ambassador and the face of our tournament.

“Your contribution to sports development within and outside the country will continue to be a reference point. We consider your positive disposition to our request as honour and privilege. We do not take it for granted but with gratitude,” Oyekunle said.

Speaking on the essence of the football tournament, the NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel Chairman said it is to strengthen the friendly relationship among the participating organisations through football.

Oyekunle listed the participating organisations to include: Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal High Court (FHC) and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

Others he said are: National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Sports Writer Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Correspondents Chapel football team and amongst others.

Oyekunle said: “The 3-day tournament will be held at the Area 10 football field by Old Parade Ground. It is aimed at providing avenues for journalists and security agencies and government organisations to come together as one family with the aim of strengthening friendly relationships through football.

“Sport does not have a language. Sport is an integral activity that unites the people and has the power to change the world irrespective of religion, ethnic and political background.

“Football makes people forget their differences because it is a unifying factor. It heals wounds and bonds people together.

“This is our own little way of contributing and lending our voice to national unity, peace and harmony.

“As a media friendly football legend in the country, you have been a role model in your chosen career for the younger generation.

“Your exceptional and invaluable contributions towards sports development within and outside the country will continue to be a reference point in the annals of history.

“You have impacted so many lives through your humanitarian programmes and projects and this kind gesture will continue to resonate and never go unnoticed.

“It is my pleasure to also inform you that the formal unveiling as ambassador will come up on Tuesday June 18th by 12 pm at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja during the Pre Tournament Press Conference and draw.

“As Ambassador you will also help to supervise the draw which will be attended by the sports enthusiasts, dignitaries, the representatives and team leaders of the participating organisations.

Highlight of the visit was the presentation of a gigantic thank you card to the former Super Eagles defender. The NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel football tournament is in its 2nd Edition.

News

Zamfara Gov Lawal Signs ₦546bn 2025 Budget Into Law

Published

4 minutes ago

December 20, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has signed the 2025 appropriation bill of Zamfara Gov Lawal Signs ₦546bn 2025 budget into law.

The 2025 budget, titled “Rescue Budget 2.0,” was presented to the governor by the Zamfara State House of Assembly Speaker on Thursday at the Council Chamber, government house, Gusau.

During the signing of the 2025 appropriation bill, Governor Lawal committed to completing all ongoing legacy projects and building on the successes achieved in his administration’s past 18 months.

The governor highlighted the importance of the 2025 budget, saying that “we must not only look at where we are or where we are going, but where we’ve been.”

“The situation last year was concerning. A decade of poor governance led to economic collapse, unpaid wages for civil servants, and liabilities that hindered children’s education. Infrastructure was damaged, hospitals were abandoned, and public services became bloated,” he said.

“Additionally, there was a lack of accountability, ongoing electricity bill issues, inadequate water supply, insecurity, and the rise of communicable diseases like cholera, along with declining internal revenue.

“If we had not acted swiftly to all the challenges, Zamfara State would not be a place we all could live in today.

“The 2025 Rescue Budget 2.0 is driven by our commitment to continue the work we’ve started for our people, reflecting strong policies and enthusiasm. This budget also accounts for the increase in the minimum wage for civil servants, rising from N30,000 to N70,000.

“The 2025 budget upholds the best practice of allocating 28% of recurrent expenditure compared to 72% for capital expenditure. The rescue agenda also focuses on key areas for the 2025 budget, including security, education, health, infrastructure, and agriculture.”

Governor Lawal revealed that it is time for Zamfara State to overcome its infrastructure decay and commit to quality architectural development.

The 2025 budget allocated resources to fund the ongoing projects at Gusau International Airport and the construction of the Gusau-Magami to Dansadau Road.

News

‘Abuja Almost Looking Like London,’ Akpabio Hails Tinubu’s Infrastructure Drive

Published

5 minutes ago

December 20, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has hailed President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure drive which he says has transformed the nation’s capital and other cities in the country.

Akpabio said this on Wednesday during the president’s 2025 budget presentation to a joint session of the National Assembly.

The lawmaker listed the Coastal Road which runs from Lagos State to Calabar in Cross Rivers as part of the Federal Government’s projects which he said has increased connectivity in Nigeria.

“Notably, your infrastructure renaissance has paved the way for many roads, including the Coastal Road and crucial arteries in Abuja Capital City – imagine Abuja now looking almost like London — and other parts of our country,” the Senate president said.

“These developments are not merely about concrete and asphalt; they represent the lifeblood of our economy, connecting our people and fostering growth.”

Akpabio also raised concerns about ministers and other government appointees shunning the invitation of the National Assembly when summoned.

He said such a behavior is uncalled for.

“Those who disregard invitation by the National Assembly are not democratic and therefore have no place in your government,” Akpabio told Tinubu before a full house of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Akpabio re-echoed the need for the ministers and other government appointees to promptly honour invitations of the National Assembly to give an account of their stewardship.

He threatened to use the legislators’ “Constitutional powers to take further actions” against ministers, and others who fail to honour NASS invitations.

Tinubu presented a ₦49.7tn Budget Proposal presented before a joint session of the National Assembly.

Security and defence, infrastructure, health, and education were some of the sectors with high allocations in the budget proposal.

The President listed some of the highlights of the budget as defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn, health – N2.4tn, and education – N3.5tn, among others.

News

Civil Society Groups Urge FG To Halt Oil Asset Divestments in Niger Delta

Published

5 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to stop all ongoing and planned divestments of oil assets in the Niger Delta region by oil companies.

This demand was outlined in a petition titled “Urgent Call to Halt All Divestment in the Niger Delta, Including Shell’s Refused Sale of SPDC Shares”, addressed to President Tinubu on December 16, 2024, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas on December 18, 2024.

During a press briefing in Abuja, Mr. Isaac Botti, Programmes Coordinator of Social Action Nigeria, and Reverend Nnimmo Bassey, Founder of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), highlighted the severe environmental and social impacts of oil exploration in the Niger Delta. They stated:

“We are here as representatives of Nigerian society organizations, community leaders, and concerned citizens to address a grave and urgent issue that threatens not only the people of the Niger Delta but the environmental and economic interests of Nigeria and the social future of all Nigerians”, he said.

The Coalition expressed concern over the divestment process by International Oil Companies (IOCs), particularly Shell’s proposed sale of its remaining shares in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to the Renaissance consortium, as well as similar moves by companies like TotalEnergies.

They warned that these actions could undermine national interests and exacerbate environmental damage in the region.

The Coalition detailed extensive damage caused by decades of oil exploration, including:

Water Contamination: High levels of hydrocarbons in water sources have rendered them unsafe for drinking.
Soil Degradation: Continuous oil spills have destroyed farmlands, threatening food security.
Biodiversity Loss: Entire ecosystems have been decimated by oil spills.

Citing reports by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission (BSOEC), the Coalition provided alarming statistics. UNEP revealed benzene levels 900 times above safe limits in Ogoniland, while chromium levels in Bayelsa were over 1,000 times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

The BSOEC estimated it would cost at least $12 billion to remediate Bayelsa over 12 years, with a broader cleanup across the Niger Delta requiring $100 billion. Comparatively, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the U.S. saw BP pay $60 billion for damages from a single incident.

The Coalition emphasized that past divestments by Shell, ENI/AGIP, and ExxonMobil have left unresolved environmental liabilities:

Shell’s sale to Aiteo in Nembe resulted in worsening pollution without proper cleanup efforts.
ExxonMobil and ENI/AGIP similarly failed to ensure adequate environmental management post-divestment.

These cases have set a troubling precedent of IOCs avoiding accountability for environmental degradation.

The Coalition urged the federal government and the National Assembly to take immediate action by:

Halting all IOC divestments until historical environmental liabilities are addressed.
Ensuring inclusive consultations with host communities before divestments.
Mandating that Shell, TotalEnergies, and other IOCs fund cleanup and remediation efforts.
Upholding the regulatory independence of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Creating an Environmental Restoration Fund to support long-term remediation.

They also demanded profit-sharing opportunities for host communities and the inclusion of gas flaring cessation in divestment agreements.

The Coalition stressed that approving Shell’s SPDC share sale without addressing environmental and social liabilities would undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and well-being.

“Approving Shell’s or TotalEnergies’ divestment in its current form without addressing the profound environmental and social costs would be a grave injustice to the people of the Niger Delta and could lead to significant unrest in the region.”, it stated.

The Coalition reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring environmental justice and called on President Tinubu and the National Assembly to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians over corporate interests.