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Police arrest nine, repel attacks on Plateau communities

Mustapha USMAN
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Police arrest nine, repel attacks on Plateau communities

THE Plateau State Police Command said it had repelled attacks on villages in Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The Police Assistant Inspector-General (AIG), Zone 4, Ebong Eyibio, in a press briefing on Thursday, January 25, at the state command headquarters, also confirmed the arrest of nine suspects in connection with the recent attacks in the state. 

According to him, operatives repelled an attack targeted at the Ntam community and the ASTC Company in Mangu town. 

Eyibio also said that the police foiled an attempt by some arsonists in Panyam District to burn some worship centres.

The AIG added that he had ordered the deployment of additional special intervention personnel to Mangu LGA to restore normalcy.

Part of his address reads: “The command is grateful to inform you that the situation, as of today, is under control, and so far, nine suspects have been arrested. Exhibits recovered from them include dangerous weapons, such as machetes, kegs containing petrol, and other items. The area remains highly secured by security forces, and strict compliance with the curfew is being observed. 

“In another development, a delegation from the Plateau State Government led by the Security Adviser to the Governor, heads of other security agencies, and leaders from both the Christian and Muslim communities gathered at the Mangu Township Stadium and the Miskam Mwaghavul Palace in Mangu yesterday, the 24th day of January 2024 to deliberate and chart a way forward to put a stop to the menace.”

The police chief also stated that over ten corpses had been recovered from various locations, with two injured persons currently receiving treatment at the hospital, noting that a car and ten houses were burnt down in the area.

He called on religious leaders to caution their followers and ensure compliance with the government-imposed curfew. 

“I also wish to make it clear that the command under my leadership and supervision will bear zero tolerance to any act of criminality and will continue to intensify its efforts towards restoring peace, public confidence and normalcy within the state,” he said.

The ICIR reported how 15 people were killed in the aftermath of the clash between Muslim and Christian groups in Mangu LGA on Tuesday, January 23.

According to a local source who spoke with The ICIR, before the curfew was declared on Tuesday, January 22, a community believed to be harbouring Fulanis was attacked by Christians retaliating against alleged earlier attacks by the Fulanis.

The incident further escalated, leading to indigenous Muslims from Mangabu allegedly resorting to burning the homes of Christians residing in the community in retaliation for the earlier violence.

The source explained that as of the morning of Wednesday, January 24, over 15 people were discovered to have been burnt and killed in their homes in Kwaghalalek on Tuesday night by gunmen, adding that some houses in Kinat were also torched.

The source also accused the military personnel deployed to the area of killing an unarmed civilian in the process, noting that the troop was abetting some Fulanis to burn the houses of Christians despite a 24-hour curfew imposed on the LGA.

The military, however, denied killings of unarmed civilians and taking sides in the clashes.

Economists back CBN, say inflation will moderate to 21.4% in 2024

Harrison EDEH
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Economists back CBN, say inflation will moderate to 21.4% in 2024

SOME economists have said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 21.4 per cent inflation moderation projected for 2024 is achievable.

The economists, like the CBN, hinged their projection on the resumption of operations of the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian state-owned Portharcourt Refinery.

The CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, who gave the apex bank’s stance at the 2024 macroeconomic outlook of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) on Wednesday, January 24, in Lagos, said the public and private refineries becoming functional would help to moderate Nigeria’s inflation to 21.4 per cent this year.

“The anticipated moderation in pump prices of PMS is due to the expected operational status of the country’s government and private-owned refineries in 2024, which is a pivotal factor in the economic equation of moderating inflation.

According to the CBN governor, the economic stabilisation or reduction in fuel costs is poised to have far-reaching implications across various sectors, contributing significantly to overall economic efficiency and resilience.

“Inflationary pressures are expected to decline in 2024 due to the CBN’s inflation-targeting policy, which aims to rein in inflation to 21.4 per cent, “he said.

He added, “This will be aided by improved agricultural productivity and the easing of global supply chain pressures, benefiting businesses by boosting consumer confidence and purchasing power.”

He also informed that the apex bank would adopt an inflation-targeting framework for monetary policy instruments and collaborate with fiscal authorities to achieve price stability and positively influence consumer behaviour.

He assured that declining inflation would greatly impact businesses, provide a more predictable cost environment and potentially lead to lower policy rates, stimulating investment, growth, and creating job opportunities.

For the chief executive officer of Financial Derivatives Limited, Bismarck Rewane, the resumption of the Dangote refinery and the Port Harcourt refinery will guarantee supply and moderate energy prices, a key inflation trigger.

“Prices are made up of costs and the margin. One clear thing is guaranteed supply and price moderation. Because energy prices lead to inflationary pressures, the guaranteed supply would help to moderate inflation,” he said.

“This is a major milestone for Nigeria and the West African market. 650,000 barrels per day. This would address our concerns of energy security and satisfy our local consumption markets, “he added.

In a similar submission, an investment banker and an economist, Oyinkasola Aregbesola, gave reasons why the inflation would moderate below 24 per cent.

“There is going to be a rebound in the oil sector and an increase in oil production for the sector. The government’s efforts to curb oil theft would also help in moderating energy prices which is a main trigger for food inflation.

She noted that these developments would also help to moderate inflation, while projected growth in the non-oil sector would help to moderate inflation rise.

Ondo State Assembly confirms Adelami as deputy governor

Ijeoma OPARA
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Ondo State Assembly confirms Adelami as deputy governor

THE Ondo State House of Assembly has confirmed former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Olayide Adelami, as the state’s deputy governor.

Adelami was nominated by state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday, January 24, and his name forwarded to the state Assembly for confirmation.

A letter from the governor on Adelami’s appointment was read by the House Clerk, Jaiyeola Benjamin, during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, on Thursday after he was screened.

His confirmation after the screening was followed by a report by the House Selection Committee and recommendation by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Abayomi Akinruntan, affirming that Adelami had been properly screened.

Akinruntan said the deputy governor displayed an understanding of the office and qualified for it.

The new deputy governor hails from Owo, the same Local Government Area (LGA) as the immediate past governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

He served as deputy clerk at the National Assembly until 2018, when he left the position.

Adelami contested the Ondo State governorship election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in 2020 but withdrew from the race for Akeredolu.

Akeredolu died on Wednesday, December 27, after battling a prolonged prostate cancer.

Being Akeredolu’s deputy, Aiyedatiwa served in an acting capacity before his principal’s death and was sworn in as governor hours later.

Akeredolu’s long absence from Nigeria while attending to his health in Europe resulted in a feud between him and his deputy following the late governor’s insistence on retaining power despite being unable to function optimally.

Some Akeredolu’s aides tendered their resignation letters upon Aiyedatiwa’s assumption of office, with some citing loyalty to the late governor as the reason for their decision.

Before appointing his deputy on Wednesday, January 24, Aiyedatiwa had dissolved the state executive council and other aides appointed by Akeredolu.

Inflation will reduce to 21.4% in 2024 says CBN

Mustapha USMAN
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Inflation will reduce to 21.4% in 2024 says CBN

NIGERIA’s inflation is expected to drop to 21.4 per cent in 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has said.

The governor said this at the Launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) 2024 Macroeconomic Outlook Report, according to a statement issued via the Bank’s handle on X on Wednesday, January 24.

The ICIR reported how the Nigerian inflation rate rose to 28.92 per cent as of December 2023, noting a consistent pattern of rise throughout the year.

According to the CBN governor, the forex market reform by the Bank aims to streamline and unify multiple exchange rates, foster transparency, and reduce arbitrage opportunities. 

The CBN boss emphasised that the apex bank was committed to improving liquidity in the foreign exchange market, reassuring investors and stakeholders of positive economic change.

“We are implementing a comprehensive strategy to improve liquidity in our FX (forex) markets in the short, medium, and long term. Our focus is on addressing fundamental issues that have hindered the effective operation of our markets over the years.

“Investors, both local and foreign, and other stakeholders can rest assured that the economy will transition to a new state of stability in the short-to-medium term as we recalibrate our policy toolkits and implement far-reaching measures.

“The NESG 2024 Report resonates with the recently launched CBN strategic plan for the next five years! Our commitment to ensuring stability, promoting inclusive growth, and fostering financial sector resilience remains unwavering,” he said.

Cardoso also noted that prioritizing transparency in the exchange rate system was crucial for stability and fair determination of rates.

For 2023, Nigeria’s inflation rate started at 21.82 per cent in January and consecutively rose to 28.92 per cent as of the last record in December 2023. 

The ICIR reported how policies by President Bola Tinubu since he assumed power in May 2023 have affected the inflation rate despite several palliative measures.

Supreme Court upholds Sokoto, Taraba governors’ elections

Bankole ABE
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Supreme Court upholds Sokoto, Taraba governors’ elections

THE Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Agbu Kefas as the governor of Taraba State.

The court denied the appeal by Yahaya Sani of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in a unanimous ruling on Thursday, January 25, due to its lack of substance.

Sani, the NNPP’s candidate in the March 18, 2023 election, had petitioned the court to nullify Kefas’ victory.

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He had claimed anomalies, other malpractices, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

He asked the court to pronounce him the election winner on the grounds of scoring the majority of the lawful votes cast.

The Court of Appeal had in November 2023 dismissed Sani’s appeal against the tribunal’s decision which upheld Kefas’s election.

Kefas contested and won the Taraba State governorship election on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

The Tribunal had decided that the NNPP’s appeal was without merit and dismissed it on September 30, 2023.

In the March 18, 2023, governorship election, Kefas won 257,926 votes to defeat Yahaya, who garnered 202,277 votes.

Similarly, The Supreme Court upheld the victory of Ahmed Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Sokoto state governor on Thursday.

In the lead judgment, Tijani Abubakar rejected the PDP’s and its governorship candidate Saidu Umar’s appeal, concurring with the lower courts’ decisions.

The Supreme Court earlier affirmed Siminalayi Fubara as the duly elected governor of Rivers State.

The apex court dismissed the appeal of Tonye Cole of the APC against Fubara’s election.

In a judgement on Thursday, January 25, the court maintained that Cole did not establish the allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, among others.

The court held that the appeal was incompetent and dismissed it for lacking merit.

 

Military denies killing unarmed civilians, taking sides in Plateau crisis

Mustapha USMAN
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Military denies killing unarmed civilians, taking sides in Plateau crisis

THE military, on Thursday, January 25, denied killing Christians and taking sides in the ongoing ethno-religious clashes in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in a statement released by its acting director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a brigadier general, stated that the video by the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Mangu Chapter, Timothy Daluk, was aimed to malign military personnel deployed to address the security challenges in the area.

It further described the accusations made in the video as baseless and untrue and lacking any reasonable foundation.

The ICIR  reported how 15 people were killed in the clash between Muslim and Christian groups in Mangu LGA on Tuesday, January 23.

A source who spoke to The ICIR also accused the military personnel deployed to the area of killing an unarmed civilian in the process, noting that the troop was abetting some Fulanis to burn the houses of Christians despite a 24-hour curfew imposed on the LGA. 

As alleged by the source, the LGA CAN chairman, Daluk, in a video obtained by The ICIR, accused the Nigerian military of overseeing the killings of Christians and destruction of property in the Mangu area.

According to him, the military is suppressing the Christian group, sending them away from their houses for the Muslims to burn their houses.

“At this particular point in time, they have sent every Christian away from the new market, thereby leaving the Muslims to come and burn their houses. They set the curfew. The curfew is only restricted to only people within Mangu – within the Christian domain. Within the Muslim domain, they are free to move and do whatever they want to do.

“And not only that, the military has killed three of our young men of which I know. One is before my church. They killed one yesterday, and I reported to security (officer), and he said it was fake soldiers.

“At first, he said I was lying until I proved to him beyond a reasonable doubt. Then he finally said it was fake soldiers. I said no, it was not fake soldiers; it was a real soldier who killed him. Finally, they made a signal to the soldier, and he disappeared from the scene,” the CAN chairman alleged.

Meanwhile, reacting to the accusations, the DHQ stressed that the troops of Operation Safe Haven had carried out their duties professionally and by the rules of engagement. 

It also noted that the military had successfully arrested criminals involved in looting and burning of properties, as well as recovered weapons.

“It is deeply disturbing that a religious leader, who is expected to demonstrate high levels of moral judgement and truthfulness, has resorted to spreading falsehoods about the military and its personnel. We want to reiterate that the military remains neutral, focused, professional and committed to its constitutional role of protecting the lives and property of law-abiding citizens. We will deal with anybody found disobeying the law without bias or prejudice.

“We therefore call upon the public to support the ongoing military operations aimed at decimating non-state actors operating in these troubled areas of the state. We will not be distracted by baseless accusations and remain steadfast in our commitment to restoring peace and security. We strongly caution individuals involved in making malicious comments against the military to cease from such acts. Henceforth,  any person found spreading falsehoods will face constitutional redress, regardless of their status in society,” the DHQ added.

Soldiers shot unharmed civilians in Mangu – Local insists

Speaking to The ICIR on the statement released by the DHQ, which denied the killing of Christians, a source who resides in Amgwan Sarki, a community in the Mangu LGA, explained that he was an eye-witness to one of the killings and harassment by the Nigerian military.

“The issue we have in this country is very pathetic because, in everything, you want to be on the defensive side – to defend your own personnel. Yes, we agreed there are military personnel who are very professional in their dealings, but whenever the military doesn’t accept or acknowledge that they have bad eggs in them, we will never weed out bad egg soldiers in our system. That’s just the fact because if he had acknowledged that they were still investigating, that’s a different thing, but he categorically denied the killing.

“He is not in Mangu here, he doesn’t know what’s happening, it’s just information that either his junior sent to him, and he’s acting on that. I am a civilian, and I told you they shot people in my community, and they are military personnel,” the source said.

Supreme Court affirms Fubara as Rivers Governor

Bankole ABE
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Supreme Court affirms Fubara as Rivers Governor

THE Supreme Court has affirmed Siminalayi Fubara as the duly elected governor of Rivers State.            

In a unanimous decision, the apex court dismissed the appeal of Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Fubara’s election. 

In the judgement on Thursday, January 25, the court maintained that Cole did not establish the allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, among others.

The court held that his appeal was incompetent and dismissed it for lacking merit.

Cole, the APC candidate for the March 18, 2023 election, contested Fubara’s victory on the grounds that he had not resigned from his position as Rivers State’s Accountant-General before the election.

Cole listed, among others, purported anomalies, disregard for the Electoral Act, and corrupt activities by Fubara.

He requested that the Court of Appeal and Tribunal’s rulings, which affirmed Fubara as governor, be overturned.

Fubara got 302,614 votes to defeat Cole, who scored 95,274 votes in the election.

The Tribunal and Appeal Court rejected Cole’s petitions in separate rulings, saying they lacked merit.

The courts said he failed to produce sufficient proof of his allegations of non-qualification, corrupt behaviour, and non-compliance and upheld Fubara’s victory.

In its ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court’s five-member panel headed by Ibrahim Saulawa affirmed the Appellate Court’s ruling, citing the APC candidate’s inability to substantiate his claims of excessive voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

‘80% of Nigeria’s aviation earnings threatened by foreign airlines exit threats’

Harrison EDEH
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‘80% of Nigeria’s aviation earnings threatened by foreign airlines exit threats’

NIGERIA may lose 80 per cent of its earnings from the aviation sector as foreign airlines continue their threats to exit the country.

Currently, the air transport industry, including airlines and its supply chain, adds $600 million or 0.04 percent to the GDP in Nigeria. Spending by foreign tourists supports a further $1.1 billion of GDP, totaling $1.7 billion. The ripple effect is enormous with 241,000 jobs supported by the air transport sector.

“There are serious implications of foreign airlines leaving Nigeria. 80 per cent of Nigeria’s earnings in commercial aviation will be gone. To understand the implication of the threats to the economy, look at the annual average earnings of $100 per passenger on 1.5 million passengers, $4,000/flight on 20,000 flights for landing and parking, and other services. All these amounts to about   $230million  or  N170 billion and are paid to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria-FAAN alone and don’t include earnings from domestic flights and domestic passenger services,” former Airport commandant at Murtala Mohammed International Airport and aviation security expert, John Ojikutu, told The ICIR. 

Already, key players in the foreign aviation sectors have threatened to pull out their services from Nigeria due to the lingering unpaid trapped funds in Nigeria.

As of December, the regional vice president of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the Middle East and Africa, Khalil Al-Awhadi, had at the 2023 Global Media Day Press conference in Switzerland put the accumulated trapped funds in Nigeria at $792 million which made Nigeria the highest indebted nation to the foreign carriers globally.

Aviation analysts said the government must ensure international commercial aviation threats don’t materialize.

Ojikutu, who spoke further on this, suggested the sector’s audit as a key foreign exchange earner for the government to maximize its impact on Nigeria’s currency market.

He questioned trapped funds in the sector, noting that the sector is a top-dollar earning agency, but lacks transparency.

“For the records, the sector makes an average of $4,000 landing/parking charges on about 40,000 institutional flights alongside $1/kg on about 500,000kg cargo annually. There is also a payment of $100 for each two million average international passengers. Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) average of about $500/flight navigational charges on about 40,000 international flights (should be questioned), “he stressed.

Despite the Nigerian government’s efforts to clear the backlog of foreign exchange, the naira continues to depreciate against the dollar, raising concerns about foreign exchange scarcity and supply challenges on the part of the government.

For instance, the naira depreciated against the United States dollar, routing to N902.45/$1 on Friday, January 19, as foreign exchange (FX) demand outweighed supply, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) clearance of $2bn FX backlog.

The ICIR analysis of transactions in the FX market in the just concluded week shows that the naira depreciated against the dollar by 1.34 per cent at the official market and 6.62 per cent at the black market.

At the official market, the naira, which opened on Monday, January 15, at N890.54/$, closed at N902.45/$1 on Friday, January 19.

Similarly, at the black market, the naira opened at N1,269/$1 and closed at N1,353/$1, respectively.

During the week, CBN announced that it had cleared about $2 billion of FX backlog across the manufacturing, aviation, and petroleum sectors.

Economy watchers said this development would not solve the foreign exchange scarcity concerns, except there’s an increase in supply to the economy.

Former Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi questioned Nigeria’s dollar scarcity despite oil subsidy removal since the current Bola Tinubu-led administration.

“We are no longer paying the subsidy on Petroleum products, so where are the dollars? Sanusi asked at an event organised by the Bank Directors Association of Nigeria.

The former Chairman of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) Adetunji Oyebanji, who spoke to The ICIR said the clearance of foreign exchange backlog by the government is not impacting the FX market.

“There are still lots of outstanding debts to the sector. The gradual clearance has not made the needed impact. The country needs enough foreign exchange from various sectors of the economy to strengthen the naira,” he said.

Police probe viral LGBTQ video

Ijeoma OPARA
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Police probe viral LGBTQ video

THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said it is investigating a viral video in which some people identified themselves as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ).

The Force’s public relations officer (FPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this via his official X handle on Wednesday, January 24.

“They are criminal and punishable under the law. We are on this clip to take necessary action according to the provisions of the law in Nigeria. These are unnatural offences and are totally condemned,” he said of the video.

In the video, eight persons who took part in a trending TikTok challenge identified as members of the LGBTQ community.

The video generated a lot of reaction from social media users who had various views on the legality of their actions.

While many people condemned the video, describing it as a contravention of the Same-Sex Marriage and Prohibition Act (SSMPA), others argued that their actions were not illegal.

Calling the attention of the FPRO to the video, an X user, King Yusuf, queried the effectiveness of the SSMPA.

Another social media user, Chinonso, argued that the Act only criminalises same-sex marriage, not identification as a member of the community.

“I don’t see any crime here! What the law criminalises is same-sex marriage, not someone calling themselves anything!” Chinonso posted.

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan passed the SSMPA bill into law in 2014.

The Act proposed a 14-year jail term for persons who engage in same-sex marriage or civil union. It also punishes public shows of amorous relationships between people of the same sex, membership of gay rights associations or clubs and aiding or solemnising gay unions with ten years’ imprisonment.

Following the signing of the bill, the civil society organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) recorded a spike in abuse of members of the Nigerian LGBTQ community.

In a report published on October 20, 2016, HRW disclosed that the law led to an increase in extortion and violence against members of the community while restricting their access to essential services.

Kwara Assembly passes N292.7bn 2024 budget, reduces estimate

Mustapha USMAN
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Kwara Assembly passes N292.7bn 2024 budget, reduces estimate

THE Kwara State House of Assembly on Wednesday, January 24, passed the state’s 2024 appropriation bill of N292.7 billion.

The approved budget is lower than the initial N296.4 billion estimate presented to the Assembly by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in December 2023, having reduced it by N3.7 billion. 

The passage followed the presentation of a report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation on the Proposed Year 2024 Budget by its Chairman, Arinola Fatimoh Lawal, representing Ilorin East Constituency.

The approved appropriation bill reflected an increase in total capital expenditure to N180.21 billion, surpassing the governor’s initial proposal of N178.905 billion, while the recurrent expenditure was reduced to N113.836 billion, from the budgeted N116.43 billion.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, who presided over the plenary, conveyed hope that the budget would significantly improve the lives of the state’s residents.

The Speaker further directed the Clerk, Olayiwola Ahmed, to produce a clean copy of the bill for the governor’s assent.

The ICIR reports that the state government had stated in December 2023 that capital expenditure took the lion’s share of N180 billion, representing 61 per cent of the total fiscal plan, while the recurrent component got N116 billion, or 39 per cent of the proposed budget.

“This fiscal plan will prioritise the completion and unveiling of several of our legacy projects and the introduction of a few other ones that centre around the welfare of the people. I am glad to inform this Honourable House that the Ilorin Capital City Master Plan will officially produce what we call the Ilorin Smart City Satellite Town, which will cover an area estimated at 18,000 hectares. This city is modelled after sustainable, green cities around the world, such as Washington DC. The groundbreaking of this huge project will be done next year, God willing,” he had said.

The governor also highlighted key projects while presenting the budget, noting that it would expand 13 hospitals and construct 250 housing units across the state.

“Some other highlights include the establishment of the Kwara State University Teaching Hospital; Kwara State University of Education; completion of the first phase of the industrial park at Eiyenkorin; MSMEs Support Funds; rehabilitation of Ilesha Baruba Waterworks and others elsewhere in the state; construction of statewide rural access roads through RAAMP; rehabilitation of Isanlu Isin Waterworks and extension of pipes; rehabilitation of Pampo Waterworks and extension of pipes, among others,” he had added.

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