Ekiti Speaker seeks diaspora support for Gov Oyebanji

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Olubunmi Adelugba, has urged the Ekiti in Diaspora to key into the blueprint of the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to boost the industrial and investment profile of the state.

Adelugba made the call in her office in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday when she hosted members of Ekiti in Houston Association, the umbrella body of Ekiti indigenes in the city of Houston, Texas, United States of America.

According to a statement by her Special Adviser, Media, Odunayo Ogunmola, members of the association who were led on the courtesy visit by their President, Pastor Bolu Alabi, said they were impressed by positive developments going on in their home state and expressed their readiness to partner with the government in key sectors of the economy.

The Speaker urged Ekiti citizens in other parts of the world to leverage the enabling environment provided by the Oyebanji Administration for development purposes, especially in agribusiness, commerce, tourism, Information and Communication Technology, education, and health, among others.

She pointed out that Ekiti is making progress in key sectors of the economy and the inputs of its indigenes abroad would be needed to complement what the state government is doing to make the state a destination of choice for business and investment that would create more jobs for the youths.

Adelugba stressed that Ekiti now has an airport that was established for the export of agricultural produce and to also open up the state to other parts of Nigeria and outside the country.

She said: “In Ekiti, we now have our own airport and planes can land there. We used the Akure Airport more than the people in Ondo State but now, we have our own airport and it will be put to good use. It is also a cargo airport that can be used to export and market our agricultural products.”

Speaking earlier, the President of Ekiti in Houston Association, Pastor Alabi, said the body was delighted that Ekiti has produced the first female Speaker in its political history.

Alabi disclosed that there are over 1,000 Ekiti families in the city of Houston, many of whom are doing well in various fields of human endeavours.

He said: “We want to be part of the progress and be part of the new dawn in our state. We are here to see how we can contribute our little quota to the development of the state.

“We want to work with the Ministry of Education on how we can award scholarships to deserving indigent students in all the local government areas of the state.

“We are also working with the Ministry of Works on how we can be involved in the renovation of public infrastructure especially the public hospitals in the state. We also want to institute endowment funds in the two state-owned universities to encourage academic excellence and infrastructural development of these institutions.”

He also expressed delight with the cooperation and smooth working relationship that exists between the Executive and Legislature in Ekiti State which he noted would facilitate good governance.

Abubakar Yunusa, Abuja

Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Court 4, Abuja has set March 16, 2023 for the commencement of trial of Vektr Capital Global Group along with two staff of the company Mr. Solomon Edet Solomon and Mr. Zakari Haruna on allegations bordering on operating as fund managers without registration by the Securities and Exchange Commission among others.

Hon. Justice Abubakar also directed that the two defendants be remanded in Suleija Correctional Centre pending when Mr. Zakari Haruna is able to fulfil his bail conditions.

The SEC had in March 2022 sealed up the Wuse Zone 5 office of Vektr Capital on suspicions of illegally collecting money from the investing public to the tune of N891,000,000 while not registered with the Commission.

In the four count charge brought against the company and its promoters by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Vektr Capital Global Nigeria Limited is alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the honourable court with intent to defraud, conspired amongst themselves together with one Kayode Sal Viktor and your other staff to obtain the sum of over N891, 729,000 from investing public including Cordelia Ukomaka Ducke Eze and others under false pretence that they were a fund managers which you are not and thereby

3 ships discharge frozen fish at Lagos ports

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, on Monday said that out of the 21 ships discharging at the Lagos Port Complex, three of the ships were carrying frozen fish.

It said that the remaining 18 ships discharging at the port were carrying soya bean meal, bulk gypsum, bulk urea, bulk salt, general cargo, bulk wheat, container, truck and petrol.

The NPA, however, reports that no ship was waiting to berth at the port.

The organisation also said that 17 other ships expected at the ports were carrying bulk wheat, general cargo, container, soya bean meal, boat, bulk sugar, bulk salt, butane gas and bulk fertilizer.

The NPA said that the ships were expected to arrive at the Lagos Port Complex as from February 6 to February 17.