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THE GUARDIAN, Monday, November 21.2011
Rivers woos investors with regular power supply security, others By Moses Eboscle
pIVERS Srate Governor, Mr. IXRotimi Amaechi has pledged to facilitate the distribution and supply of 24 hours uninterrupted power supply to industries located in the state metropolis. Speaking at die just concluded first Rivers State Investors' Forum tagged: "Changes that Works" in Port Harcourt, the governor pledged to make Rivers State the first in Nigeria to have 24 hours power supply The governor said: "We have 525 megawatts of power ready for distribution. We are going ahead to distribute and by the end of next year, we will achieve 24 hour electricity supply." He noted diat the business environment in the slate had made many companies that left me state tine to insecurity and poor infrastructure to be relocating back to the state. The fact that former Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Gordon Brown is here for this investor's forum tells you a lot about the security situation in Rivers State. "rfie fact that a company such as Nlgeriar Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) is relocaringits head office to Port Harcourt tells you 3 good story of how things nave changed for the better in River? State," said Am each i. Besides, the governor assured prospective companies and
[hose already operating in die state of goocf security and other necessary incentives for business expansion and growth. He added: "We have strengthened security apparatus in the state and now want to culdown the cost of doing business so that investors who come to cite their businesses in the stale will make more profits. We are establishing a one-stop shop that will make business registration very fast and efficient." In his submission, the Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Wokocha emphasised that companies willing to establish in the state would enjoy constant electricity supply. According to him. Rivers State was the first state to establish a full-fledge ministry to deliver electricity to its people, adding diat it had successfully improved electricity supply in the state. "Our vision is to have a Rivers State where electric power is available, reliable and affordable in every nook and cranny. Similarly, our mission is to ensure that Rivers State meets its energy need? through a sustainable framework that will support the state's economic growth and provide its citizenry with services that meets their expectations as a fast growing economy."
Executive Director. Sterling Bark Pic, Davendra Pliri (left); Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), George Noah (second right): Head of Department, Business Development, LASAA, Siraj Bella; (right); and Head, Brand Management and Communication, Sterling Bank, Mrs. 'Bimbo Sowemimo, when the management of the agency paid a courtesy call on ihe bank, in Lagos, at the weekend.
FADAMA: Nigeria receives commendation from World Bank THE World Banl: has comi-inended Nigeria "for effectively implementing the Third National Fadama Development Project known as Fadama III in a sustainable development manner". The Senior Manager, Sustainable Development, Africa Region, Anna Bjerde gave the commendation in an interview with Nev^s Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday. She said that a visit to some of the areas where FADAMA III projects were implemented showed a remarkable progress, a development, he saicT was an indication that agriculture remained a priority of the Federal Government. " I'm happy tD say that FADAMA is doing very well in a sustainable manner and incur portfolio, agriculture sector is performing very well. Tm very pleased to say this because agriculture is an integral part of the economy here in Nigeria and important part of livelihood for citizens," she
said. Fadama-lll, a follow-up on Fadama n, was aimed at increasing the incomes of users of rural land and water resources on a sustainable basis. The 450 million project was implemented in 35 states, including FCT in Nigeria with 250 million credits from the International Development Agenq' (IDA while 200 million dollars counterpart contributions were siiared by the federal, states and local governments. She stressed that widi what was on ground and various reports on World Bankagricuiture sponsored programme in Nigeria there would be seen more acceleration and robust plan from the bank. In a separate interview, Mr.Tayo Adewunmi, Acting National Coordinator, National Fadama Programme, disclosed that G56 local government councils in the country received 43 million dollars as loan for the implementation of Fadama III.
Apapa Customs generates Nissb in 10 months Âť yTARTFIME activities closed IVlthis week with the Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) saying it generated N!38 billion a:- revenue between January and October. Alhaji Adamu jarko, the Customs Area Cortroller, disclosed this on Friday in Lagos when he received the newly elected executive members of the Maritime Reporters' Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in r_is office. Garko said tliat hk command had consistently surpassed its target in the last ;ix months with an unprecedented collection of more than H25 billion in Oct. He said that the command would not relent in its revenue drive, adding "I accept constructive criticism that
will spur the command to improve on its performance." Mr. Bolaji Akmoia, the MARAN president, said that the newly elected members of the association decided to familiarise themselves with the operations of the command. He added that MARAN, which was an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ). was a body of accredited journalists reporting events in the maritime Industry. Akinola congratulated die controller for surpassing his 2011 revenue target. Meanwhile, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) lias described the return of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to the ports as a patriotic move.
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