Vanguard, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013 — 21
Security, priority issue of all tiers of govt — KADCCIMA BY NAOMI UZOR
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From left: An official of the Platinum Standard Publication Limited, Mr. Samuel Adesina presenting the “4th Nigeria Merit Gold Award for Productivity” to the Base Manager of Seplat Development Petroleum Company Limited, Sapele, Engr. Chukwumah Uje-Uku Igelenyah, at the Nigeria Merit Award Centre, Maitama, Abuja.
$1bn GE investment plant’ll put Nigeria on world map — Maku … as FG targets 370,000 SURE-P jobs in three years BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE
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INISTER of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has said the $1 billion manufacturing plant being constructed by General Electric in Calabar, Cross River State will place Nigeria on world map. Mr. Maku disclosed this at the Citizen Forum of the Good Governance Tour at the Cultural Center in Calabar, Cross River State. He said the investment of GE which was attracted by the state tourism potentials has already provided 2,000 jobs and is to generate additional 6,000 more. Maku also commended Cross River State for maintaining peace saying it was key to development. “If we give President Goodluck Jonathan peace in this country for the next two years you will not recognise Nigeria as major transformation will occur in critical sectors”, Maku stressed. He disclosed that the Federal Government will provide 10,000 new jobs annually through Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) for next three years in Cross River State
and other 35 states of the federation including FCT and hopes to sustain it for the next three years bringing the total number of jobs to 370,000. He also called for focus on internally generated revenue for the state governments, stressing that oil dependence was no longer sustainable. The Minister stressed that Nigeria must begin to move away from mono economy of oil and focus on other non oil sectors of the economy where the future lies. Maku also reiterated that rehabilitation the railway is ongoing on the Port Harcourt Maiduguri rail line and is expected to be completed before the end of the year, adding that federal government has also approved that the railway will be extended to Calabar and then to Obudu Cattle Ranch. In another development, the students of the College of Education, Akamkpa have called on the Cross River State Government to consider upgrading the institution to a University as this will enable them acquire better qualifications and skills to better contribute to the development of the state and the nation. They made the call during interaction with Maku who
led members of the National Good Governance Tour on an inspection of projects in the institution, the students commended the development in the school following the intervention of the Cross River State Government. They further informed the Minister and his team cultism is now at zero level in the school. In his remarks, Maku said the team was in their school to inspect projects and he urged them to work hard and be of good conduct. “If you are not reading you can’t make it. Character is more important than becoming number one. We can see Cross River is moving forward and you must move forward as well. You have to expose any one engaged in cultism because it is a disgrace to the family, the nation and the institution”, the Minister said. Briefing the Team earlier, the Acting Governor, Cross River State, Mr. Efiok Cobham, said before the establishment of the College of Education, there was no institution dedicated to the training of teachers especially in the area of primary education. He said most of the infrastructure seen in the institution were put in place from 2007 to date.
HE Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), has said that the challenges of security issue in the country have obviously impacted negatively in the socialeconomic activities and has remained the priority issue of all tiers of government. In a parley with pressmen, on the forthcoming 34th edition of the Kaduna International Trade fair (KITF), tagged “Combating Security Challenges and the Way Forward for Nigerian Economic Transformation” the 1st Deputy President of KADCCIMA and Chairman, trade fair organizing committee, Alhaji Awwalu M. Makarfi, said effort of the government and its agencies, the contributions of religious and traditional institutions as well as those of numerous organizations toward restoring peace and developmental pace in the country are highly appreciated and commended. “The choice of the 34th edition of the KITF theme is not coincidental. The process has reckoned with current realities on ground. In a way, it intends to appreciate and compliment government effort towards combating the embattled security challenges. You may recall that the last edition of the KITF had to be rescheduled twice before it was finally held in April/May 2012, as against the usual and traditional period of February/March. This had to do with the same unfortunate security uncertainties.
138.45
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