News

Unity Bank Committed to Make Rice Farmers Achieve Target in Rice Production – Somefun

Published

5 years ago

March 4, 2021

Eric

About 642,860 smallholder farmers across 35 states of the federation have received support from Unity Bank Plc under the CBN’s Anchor Borrower’s Programme, ABP to boost food production and attain self-sufficiency in rice production in Nigeria.Giving the assessment at the flag-off of the 2020 wet season harvest aggregation in Kebbi State on Tuesday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs Tomi Somefun reassured the rice farmers of the commitment of the Bank to providing necessary support to rice farmers in Nigeria.While delivering a goodwill message, Somefun went down memory lane stating that the berthing of the Bank is closely linked to the critical role it played in Agric financing, adding that “Unity Bank remains fully committed to its partnership with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN and its programmes”.“This commitment will ensure the attainment of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s target to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production through the association,” she added.Unity Bank in 2019 earned an award of recognition, which was jointly presented by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) for its strong participation in the ABP in 2019.

She recalled that the bank’s participation in the CBN’s Anchor Borrower’s Programme, ABP dates back to 2017 after the official flag off the scheme in Kebbi State by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 17, 2015, noting that the first two-State-led-windows of the ABP was sponsored by the Bank.

“We financed wheat production in Jigawa in 2017 with about 1,600 farmers and in the same year, financed rice production in Sokoto State with a total number of about 6,600 smallholder farmers,” she recalled.

She stated that in 2018, the Bank entered into a strategic partnership with three major associations – Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN) and National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) and explained that the Bank’s participation in 2017 provided the much-needed experience and the learning curves for the APB transactions.According to Somefun, the Bank’s strategic partnership with RIFAN in 2018 witnessed the financing of about 273,000 smallholder farmers to a tune of about N37 billion. This, she said, was the largest single ticket transaction that year, as the financing cut across 33 states of the Federation including the FCT.

She said, “In 2019, the Bank increased the tally by financing another 146,810 smallholder farmers to a tune of N42 billion for the wet and dry season farming. This funding cut across 35 States of the Federation including the FCT.”She said despite the challenges that came with 2020 especially the coronavirus pandemic, the Bank through the apex bank’s intervention supported the farmers by increasing funding in the Agric sector and also re-priced the interest rate from 9 per cent to 5 per cent.She said that so far, the CBN had funded the association to the tune of N49 billion to finance about 221,450 smallholder farmers across 32 states of the Federation including the FCT.

“Our message to the beneficiaries of this season’s Intervention Programme is that we urge them to take the inputs and utilize it judiciously for the farming purpose which is aimed at actualizing the Federal Government’s goal of attaining food sufficiency, diversification of the economy from oil, job creation for the teeming youth and poverty reduction. The income of the smallholder farmer will significantly improve if the inputs are widely used,” she said.

News

Fubara Appoints New SSG, Chief of Staff

Published

23 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) and Barrister Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff, after the recent shake-up of the State’s political and administrative structure.

The appointments were announced on Thursday in a Special Government Notice signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, and made available to journalists. Both appointments take immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor appointed Dr Dagogo Wokoma as Secretary to the State Government and Mr. Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff.

The statement said the appointments take immediate effect, adding that the new appointees would be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The development comes amid the protracted political crisis in the State, which recently escalated into impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, by the State House of Assembly. The crisis was eventually diffused following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, had last week announced during plenary that the Assembly formally withdrew the impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy after the President’s intervention.

Political observers suggest that the dissolution of the cabinet may be part of efforts to rebalance the power structure in the following the peace accord. However, it remains unclear whether the new appointees are aligned with the governor or loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The statement read in part: “The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the Secretary to the State Government and Barrister Sunny Ewule as the Chief of Staff.

“Both appointments are with immediate effect. The new appointees will be sworn in at 2:00 pm.today, Thursday, February 26, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.”

News

Court Strikes Out Forgery Case Against Ozekhome As FG Withdraws Charges

Published

3 days ago

February 24, 2026

Eric

The Federal Government has formally withdrawn the forgery charge filed against senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome, bringing an abrupt pause to a case that had drawn public attention.

The charge was originally instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
It followed a judgment delivered by a London court over a property linked to the late former FCT minister, Jeremiah Useni.

In January, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the matter from the ICPC for what it described as effective prosecution.

However, proceedings took a new turn on Tuesday at the FCT High Court.

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Peter Kekemeke that the Federal Government was withdrawing the case file for “further instruction”.

He explained that the decision was taken in line with the provisions of Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Counsel to the defence, Paul Erokoro, SAN, told the court that his team had no objection to the withdrawal of the charge.

In a brief ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that since the application was not opposed, it was granted.

He consequently struck out the charge and ordered that the case be dismissed.

The withdrawal effectively halts legal action against Ozekhome over the alleged forgery linked to the disputed property transaction.

News

Vexatious and Meddlesome: ADC Condemns Wike’s Tour of FCT Polling Units

Published

5 days ago

February 21, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of interfering in the ongoing Area Council elections in Abuja by visiting polling units during voting hours.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described Wike’s movement across polling centres as “direct interference” capable of intimidating voters and election officials.

The party alleged that the minister’s tour of polling units came after what it termed a unilateral curfew imposed on potential voters, arguing that such actions raise questions about neutrality and fairness in the electoral process.

“The African Democratic Congress strongly condemns the movement of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, around various polling units in Abuja under the guise of monitoring,” the statement read.

ADC further argued that Wike is not a registered voter in the Federal Capital Territory and, as a serving cabinet minister with clear partisan affiliations, has no constitutional role in the conduct of the election.

The party also cited reports of voter suppression and intimidation, alleging collaboration between agents of the All Progressives Congress and some security personnel. It urged its agents and supporters to remain calm but vigilant, while documenting and reporting any irregularities.

Beyond the minister’s presence, ADC raised concerns over disruptions to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, stating that the platform remained inaccessible while collation was ongoing. The party called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately restore full functionality of the portal and provide a public explanation for the disruption.

Describing Wike’s presence at polling centres during active voting as “vexatious and meddlesome,” the party warned that such actions risk undermining public confidence in the credibility of the elections.

Earlier, videos circulated by Wike’s media aide, Olayinka Lere, showed the minister visiting polling units in Karu, Karshi and Garki.

Speaking after the tour, Wike maintained that the elections were peaceful, security personnel had performed effectively and voter turnout was impressive in satellite towns, though relatively low in parts of the city centre.