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South East has Potentials to Drive National Economic Growth – Deputy Speaker

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…hail President Tinubu’s support to small, medium scale businesses
By Gloria Ikibah
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has said that the South East region has great potentials to drive national and economic development, as it is home to some of the most enterprising individuals and communities in the country, with a rich history of commerce that spans generations.
Kalu stated this while delivering his goodwill message, at the launch of the 5th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Enugu State by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday.
The initiative is one of the federal government’s strategies for ease of doing business in Nigeria, with the first, second, third and fourth editions launched in Benue, Ogun, Ekiti and Jigawa States respectively.
The Deputy Speaker stated that locating the 5th Expanded National MSME Clinic in Enugu is another proof that the South East region holds a special place in administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as it recognizes the region’s potential to drive national economic growth through MSMEs.
He also stated that the MSME Hub in Enugu is not just a facility; but a vital and strategic platform that taps into the latent economic power of the South East.
Kalu noted that the hub was well-positioned to bridge the gap between ambition and opportunity, empowering the hardworking men and women of the region to transform their dreams into successful enterprises, even as he expressed optimism that it will serve as a center of innovation, providing entrepreneurs with the resources, training, and mentorship they need to scale their businesses.
The Deputy Speaker also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President doe their commitment to supporting Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium-Scale Enterprises (NMSMEs), noting that the government’s strategic interventions are directly targeted at removing the obstacles small business owners face, and their efforts has created an enabling environment for  businesses to thrive.
He also commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah for his efforts in prioritizing small and medium scale businesses in Enugu, with collaborative efforts between the Federal Government and the State.
Speaking further, the Deputy Speaker reiterated the commitment to the 10th House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, towards supporting economic growth and entrepreneurship using legislative instruments.
He said that the parliament is aware that a conducive legislative framework is critical to the success of initiatives such as the MSME Clinics, hence why they have sponsored an adoption of the famous Igbo Apprenticeship System, the Igba-Boi System into a National Apprenticeship Scheme, adding that the bill is currently at a crucial stage of consideration in the House of Representatives.
Kalu said, “I bring you all warm greetings from the Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives. This event not only symbolizes our collective commitment to the growth and sustainability of MSMEs in Nigeria. Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have witnessed bold steps that are breathing new life into Nigeria’s economy.
“Today, we acknowledge the monumental strides taken with the introduction of various funding schemes tailored to support businesses across the nation. The establishment of three funds totaling N200 billion, including the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme (PCGS), the FGN MSME Intervention Fund, and the FGN Manufacturing Sector Fund, is a testament to President Tinubu’s recognition of the critical role MSMEs play in driving sustainable growth. The Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme (PCGS), providing financial support to nano business owners with a N50 billion grant, is reaching one million small businesses nationwide. By supporting sectors such as food services, ICT, artisanship, and more, this scheme ensures that even the smallest enterprises are not left behind in the journey toward economic prosperity.
“As we gather here in Enugu for the commissioning of this strategic MSME Hub, we must acknowledge the significance of this location. The South East zone of Nigeria has long been renowned for its entrepreneurship and industrious spirit. It is no secret that this region stands as a beacon of commerce, apprenticeship, and innovation, and establishing this hub is a direct recognition of the entrepreneurial dynamism that flourishes here. In a zone known for its industrious culture, this hub will harness that energy, creating a thriving ecosystem where businesses can flourish, create jobs, and contribute to Nigeria’s economic prosperity. It also feeds into our Peace in South Project (PISE-P) ethos of a non-kinetic approach to engineering peace and prosperity in the South East. Let us leave here today with renewed hope—hope in the potential of our small businesses, hope in the resilience of our people, and hope in the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Sen. Kashim Shettima, whose commitment to the progress of Nigeria remains steadfast. Thank you, and may we continue to strive toward a prosperous future for all Nigerians.”
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Hon Nnamchi Grants 500 Youths Scholarships To Universities

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Five hundred youths drawn from various communities in Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State have benefited from Hon. Professor Paul Sunday Nnamchi’s scholarship scheme.

The scholarship scheme was instituted by the Federal lawmaker who represents Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives to cater for indigent constituents in the constituency.

The beneficiaries who are currently on admission in various universities across the country are pursuing the following disciplines; microbiology, biochemistry, human physiology, and human anatomy.

Others are studying mass Communication, Business Education, Education Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry Computer Science and Civil Engineering among others.

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Their school fees amounting to millions of naira have already been paid by Professor Nnamchi for the current academic session not withstanding the challenges some of them had encountered in their performances.

The scholarship scheme was in fulfillment of Rep Nnamchi’s campaign promises of empowering of the youths of Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency.

The scholarship according to him was to help those desiring to study at the tertiary levels but lacked the wherewithal to further their education after secondary schools.

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Trump’s declasification of JFK, MLK assassination files opens window into US most shocking crimes

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A trove of long-classified government documents concerning some of the most politically charged killings in modern American history — including the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy — could finally be made available to the public.

But that’s just the start of the latest saga surrounding the killings, which have sparked fascination, conspiracy theories, and history-changing debate for decades.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at declassifying government documents related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. The order essentially requires the nation’s security organizations to create plans to release the records.

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The full findings of the government investigations into the three killings have been hidden for decades, sparking wide-ranging speculation and preventing a sense of closure for many Americans. All three men were national and international icons whose assassinations — and the theories swirling around them — became the stuff of books, movies, controversy, and the pages of history itself.

“A lot of people were waiting for this . . . for years, for decades,” said Trump in signing the release of the documents. “Everything will be revealed.”

JFK assassination, Nov. 22, 1963
The shock of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 still echoes more than half a century later.

Kennedy, known for both his glamour and steering the country through the closest it ever came to nuclear war, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. He was shot and killed as his presidential motorcade brought him along a downtown city street and as he waved to adoring bystanders from the open-roofed car.

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Police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald less than an hour later. But Oswald himself was killed on live TV just two days later as police were transferring him to a county jail.

Oswald’s killer, Jack Ruby, acted alone on an impulse, the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, known as the Warren Commission, concluded. The commission ruled that Oswald also acted alone.

The JFK assassination sent the nation into mourning and shook it to its core, as Americans searched for answers. Hundreds of books have been written and documentaries produced, with bits and pieces of information emerging to this day.

Many regard the commission’s work as a government-orchestrated coverup and doubts have been raised over who killed John F. Kennedy have persisted. Conspiracy theorists lay the blame on everyone from Cuba – at the heart of the nuclear missile crisis – to the CIA itself.

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The wide-ranging theories over Kennedy’s death – how many shooters were involved, how many bullets – became so ingrained in popular culture that they made it onto the comedy series Seinfeld.

MLK assassinated in Memphis, April 4, 1968
King, whose work furthering the Civil Rights Movement is honored with a federal holiday, was killed on the balcony outside his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Atlanta preacher was visiting the city to march alongside striking workers. On the evening of the assassination, he was preparing to leave for dinner at the home of a local minister.

He stepped outside to speak with colleagues in the parking lot below and was shot in the face by an assassin. James Earl Ray, a 40-year-old escaped fugitive, later confessed to the crime and was sentenced to a 99-year prison term.

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But Ray later tried to withdraw his confession and said he was set up by a man named Raoul. He maintained until his death in 1998 that he did not kill King.

A Memphis tavern owner and a former FBI agent both also claimed a figure named Raoul was behind the killing, according to the Department of Justice.

Loyd Jowers, a former Memphis tavern owner, claimed 25 years after the murder that he participated in a mafia-linked conspiracy to kill King. Jowers also linked Memphis police and Raoul to the assassination, the Justice Department said.

Donald Wilson, a former FBI agent, also claimed in 1998 that after King’s assassination he found some papers in Ray’s car that mentioned Raoul as well as figures linked to the Kennedy assassination.

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Wilson said the papers were stolen from him by someone who later worked in the White House, according to the Justice Department.

RFK killed in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968
Robert F. Kennedy never achieved the political heights of his older brother. But he was no less a beloved figure for his championing of civil rights.

He served as his brother’s attorney general and as a senator. He was killed in Los Angeles where he had gone for the California Democratic primary, just months after declaring his presidential candidacy.

The younger Kennedy spent the evening of the election at a suite at the Ambassador Hotel awaiting election results. He eventually went down to a hotel ballroom to thank supporters, then went through the hotel kitchen after being told it was a shortcut to a press room.

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An assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, killed him as he shook hands with a hotel busboy. Sirhan remains in prison.

But some believe the same elements behind the older Kennedy’s assassination also killed the former senator.

The presidential candidate’s son Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, has long maintained that Sirhan didn’t even shoot his father. The Trump cabinet pick believes Sirhan missed and that instead his dad was shot by a man linked to the CIA.

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Nigerian military silences 25 bandit gang members

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigerian troops have silenced at least 25 members of the gang led by notorious terrorist Bello Turji, the military said Wednesday.

Turji’s second-in-command Aminu Kanawa and about eight other commanders were killed as troops raided terrorist camps in the northwestern states of Sokoto and Zamfara from Monday to Tuesday, Edward Buba, the spokesman for the Nigerian military told a press briefing.

Buba said “the camp of Turji is in disarray” following the killing of Kanawa and dozens of others.

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“The death of Turji’s second-in-command, close allies, commanders, and combatants was a significant blow to the terrorists’ network in the northwestern part of Nigeria, as well as their fighting capabilities,” Buba said, noting this group of terrorists was responsible for numerous kidnappings and terrorist attacks across the region.

“Overall, troops are not relenting until these terrorists are destroyed,” said Buba.

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