Business + Economy Imo To Strengthen Partnership With IFAD OWERRIThe Imo government has said that it will strengthen its partnership with
Indonesia, Nigeria Trade Climb To N80.4bn
LAGOS - The Director of Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), Mr. Pontas Tobing, has announced a trade volume of $588.2 million (about N80.4 billion) between Nigeria and Indonesia in 2013. Pontas told newsmen in Lagos that trade between both countries increased by 31 per cent in 2013, from $448.6 million (about N71.8 billion) that was recorded in 2012. “Relationship between Indonesia and Nigeria dates back to the 1960s. Since then and until now, both countries’ bilateral and mutual relations have been waxing stronger. “In 2012, total non-oil and gas trade between Nigeria and Indonesia stood at $448.6 million (about N71.8 billion). “This is with the aim of increasing the figure by 31 per cent at the end of 2013, which eventually got to $588.2 million (about N80.4 billion),’’ he said. The ITPC director also said that the Indonesian Government was working hard at promoting and encouraging more investment in Nigeria. Pontas added that the government was also willing to create a conducive environment for Nigerians to invest in Indonesia. He said that there were presently over 15 active Indonesian companies “waxing stronger and stronger by the day” in Nigeria. Pontas said that his government had also established the Indonesian African Trade Association (IATA), to boost trade relations with Nigeria and other African countries. The director said that IATA was an initiative of some Indonesian businessmen and African entrepreneurs to promote trade between them. He expressed the ITPC’s commitment to boosting the development of the Nigerian nonoil and gas sector through market penetration, expansion, as well as promoting business relations between both countries.
the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to widen its reach in community based natural resources management. Addressing a delegation of the donor agency in Owerri the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr.
Eze Madumere, said the IFAD programme was in line with the state government’s Community Government Council whose main goal was to bring development to the rural areas. Madumere said the government stood to promote and
encourage programmes geared to empower the people and eradicate poverty in the society. He said the state government had laid more emphasis on even development in its 27 local government areas, adding that the
IFAD project would help to strengthen the effort to eradicate poverty. “This government has set up a community government council aimed at bringing its presence close to the communities. “We are happy that IFAD is here to augment what the government is already doing. “We will do everything possible to sustain this project in Imo State,” he said. Earlier, the Country Programme Manager of IFAD, Ms Atsuko Toda, told the deputy governor that the agency’s mission was to seek partnership with the state government. She said IFAD would play a major role in empowering the people, especially vulnerable youths. “The Imo government stands to
Kogi Approves N400m For Micro-Projects Participants at the 4th session of the Nigeria-Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Abuja yesterday.
ICHALA-AJODE (KOGI)The Kogi government has approved N400 million to fund micro-projects by its Community and Social Development Agency. Governor Idris Wada announced the approval at the inauguration of two blocks of
China Donates Air Conditioners To Bauchi BAUCHI- The Bauchi State Government has received a donation of 5,000 units of airconditioners from the Peoples’ Republic of China. A statement from the Permanent Secretary in the state
ministry of environment, Alhaji Hassan Jumba, in Bauchi said the donation followed a series of visits by state officials to China to establish cordial relationship with the country. He said the state was expecting
other technical aids from the country, including 100 tractors to boost agriculture. Jumba said that Governor Isa Yuguda had approved the allocation of the items to general hospitals, tertiary institutions, ministries, departments,
agencies, local government councils and traditional councils. He said the youth would be engaged in the installation of the items and urged the beneficiaries to use them judiciously.
Participants at the 4th session of the Nigeria-DPRK Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Abuja yesterday.
Stakeholders Urges Govt To Establish Special Micro-Finance Banks
LOKOJA- Participants at a small-holder women farmers town hall meeting called on the federal and state governments to establish special micro-finance banks for women farmers. The participants made the call at the end of the one-day meeting in Lokoja, saying it will enable them to access micro credits for seasonal cropping. They called on the governments to encourage other micro-finance institutions to
benefit a lot from this programme because it is community-based. “Since the government has started a community government programme, we will help to attract more projects to the state,” he said. She commended Governor Rochas Okorocha for embarking on infrastructural development in Imo which had gone a long way to alleviate the sufferings of the people. The National Programme Coordinator, Mrs Irene Ibeabazie, said the only way the programme would yield fruits in Imo was for the government to pay its counterpart fund. Ibeabazie urged the government to fulfill its part of the partnership, saying the IFAD will always work to alleviate poverty in Imo.
assist women farmers in view of their meagre resources and smallscale status. They argued that as a result of administrative bottlenecks, “the government credit or monetary assistance comes when the farmers are out of cropping season. “Farming is season-based and once you cannot access credit facilities at the right time, the objective of applying for it is defeated,’’ they said.
The stakeholders discussed the myriad of issues affecting women farmers in the country and Kogi in particular and called for increase in the number of redemption centres for the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in the state. They called for realistic subsidy on seeds and fertiliser as well as enhancement of land redemption and ownership by women. Mr Victor Adejoh, the
Executive Director of Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change In Development, the organisers of the meeting, said it was aimed at closing the communication gap between the government and women farmers. He urged the government and individuals to change their attitude toward farming, saying: “If we do not want hunger to besiege our land, we must change our attitude and begin to see
farming from a brighter perspective.’’ Adejoh commended Gov. Idris Wada’s agricultural transformation agenda and said it should be translated into ‘’food on the table’’. “There is no better way to face death than facing hunger and family insecurity,” he said. The meeting was attended by delegates from the federal and Kogi ministries of agriculture and women affairs, women in agriculture, small-holder women farmers associations, NGOs and the civil society.
classrooms and a motorised solar-powered borehole in IchalaAjode village in Ibaji Local Government Area. The governor said the state government approved the money because the International Development Association (IDA) had stopped providing funds for the agency in 2014. “We have retained the status and structure of the agency for 2014. “We have been informed that there will be little or no IDA funding to such agencies in all the states of the federation. “We are therefore harnessing resources so that we commit at least N400 million to fund community projects,” he said. Wada commended the agency’s community development approach, saying it is a reliable instrument for the development of the rural areas where about 70% per cent of the people lived. The governor reiterated that the agency was vital to the state because rural dwellers had access to less than 20 per cent of the state resources. “This government strongly believes in the restoration of the dignity of man, which can only be achieved by stamping out the causes of poverty, disease and ignorance,” he said. Wada also promised to construct a road linking IchalaAjode with Echabi Junction from Idah-Onyedega road to ease the transportation challenges facing the community. Earlier, Mr James Odibla, the agency’s General Manager, said the World Bank had so far given it N1.2 billion to execute community development projects in the state. Odibla said the state government had paid N421.5 million as its counterpart funding and recently directed the payment of N1 million as the state’s contribution to the agency. He said the state government had also awarded a contract of N47.5 million for the construction of the agency’s secretariat. Odiba said that 260 microprojects had been approved and N751 million disbursed directly to the communities as of March. He added that 226 out of the 260 micro projects had been completed.