Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on emerging as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election, pledging to mobilise support for his re-election across the country’s 176,846 polling units.

The association, however, urged the President to exercise greater caution in the appointment of aides, heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and chief executives of government parastatals when re-elected, saying shortcomings in some appointments had undermined the delivery of benefits to artisans and technicians.

In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Head of New Media, Abdulkadir Salihu (IBN), ASNAT described Tinubu’s emergence as the APC flagbearer as a well-deserved victory and commended the economic and social reforms introduced under his administration.

The group said the President had laid the foundation for Nigeria’s structural transformation through his Renewed Hope Agenda, expressing confidence that he would continue to drive national development if given another mandate.

‘While we acknowledge that the nation has not yet reached the Promised Land, we remain steadfast in our belief that through his Renewed Hope Agenda, God will grant him the wisdom and strength to achieve greater national development,’ the statement said.

ASNAT noted that although artisans and technicians had encountered challenges over the past three years, largely due to what it described as the failure of some government agencies and parastatals charged with their welfare, members of the association had nevertheless benefited from several flagship initiatives of the Tinubu administration.

The association specifically cited the federal government’s tax reforms, which it said exempted artisans and other small businesses with annual turnovers of ?100 million or less and fixed assets not exceeding ?250 million from Companies Income Tax and other levies.

According to the group, the reforms have eliminated the four per cent development levy, Capital Gains Tax and Value Added Tax obligations for many artisans and technicians, easing the financial burden on small-scale enterprises.

It also praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that student loans provided through the scheme were helping many Nigerian families, including artisans whose children were pursuing higher education.

ASNAT further applauded ongoing infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, expressing optimism that artisans and technicians would benefit significantly from the economic opportunities expected to arise from the projects upon completion.

Reaffirming its support for the President, the association said its members remained committed to Tinubu’s vision and would replicate the support they offered during the 2023 election.

‘Our network across the 176,846 polling units nationwide remains committed to the Renewed Hope vision,’ the statement added.

The association, however, advised the President to be meticulous in assembling his team for a possible second term, stressing that Nigeria’s ongoing transformation required competent, loyal and patriotic public officials.

‘We strongly advise him to exercise extreme caution and diligence in selecting the team of aides and officials, particularly heads of MDAs and directors-general of parastatals who will work with him in his second term, to ensure that the significant failures of this first term are not repeated,’ the statement said.

It added that the country was passing through a critical phase of national transformation and that consolidating the gains already recorded would depend largely on the quality of individuals entrusted with implementing government policies.

ASNAT wished the President success in his future endeavours and reiterating its support for his administration and re-election bid.

The Abuja Jazz Club has inaugurated a new Executive Council (Exco) and Board of Trustees following elections conducted during the club’s Annual General Meeting held four days earlier.

The inauguration ceremony took place at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, and was attended by members and supporters of the club.

Performing the inauguration, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ambassador Yammah Mohamed, charged the newly elected officers and trustees to re-energise the club and take it to greater heights in line with the vision of its founding members.

According to Ambassador Mohamed, the primary objective of the Abuja Jazz Club remains the promotion of friendship, unity, and social interaction through the appreciation of jazz music.

The newly inaugurated Executive Council comprises Emmanuel Abah as President, Elvis Obaseki as Vice President, Jamila Bello as Secretary-General, Rekpene Bassey as Financial Secretary/Treasurer, and Habibat Abubakar Alero as Social Secretary.

Members of the Board of Trustees are Ambassador Yammah Mohamed, Olabode Sola, Victor Onukwugha, Kolapo Akinyemi, Vicky Sylvester, T.F. Okajagu, Ademola Aderele, and Johnny Chukwu.

In his acceptance speech, the new President, Emmanuel Abah, unveiled a number of initiatives aimed at repositioning the club as a leading cultural and social organisation. Among the proposed initiatives are an annual Abuja Jazz Festival and a Jazz Awards Ceremony, both of which are expected to be launched in the near future.

Abah said the programmes would position the Abuja Jazz Club among leading jazz organisations around the world while promoting jazz culture and strengthening the club’s membership base.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Ambassador Mohamed called on jazz enthusiasts and lovers of good music to join the Abuja Jazz Club and contribute to its growth and development.

Founded to foster friendship and cultural exchange through jazz music, the Abuja Jazz Club has, over the years, established itself as one of the Federal Capital Territory’s notable social and cultural platforms.

Denja Abdullahi is at it again, even when Abuja is trying to square it up on its own. The literary landscape of Nigeria is becoming increasingly more interesting and inspiring. Now attention is being focused more on Abuja, this serene, modern and unpolluted capital of Nigeria. It is courtesy of Mallam Denja Abdullahi. Abdullahi is keen on raising the standard of the literary awareness of Abuja. All over the different encampments and locations in Abuja, surrounded by rocks and hills and valleys, paved with classical network of roads, stories beckon, poems hibernate in all corners, waiting to be explored, harnessed and made alive.

Abdullahi is now set to allow such to manifest into reality. In this exercise codenamed The Abuja Narratives – Short Story Anthology, he is calling on interested writers to write and submit short stories to this project. The deadline is 30 July, 2026. And the theme of The Abuja Narratives Short Stories Anthology is quite intriguing. It is Abuja – Seen, Unseen, Remembered, Imagined. So, if you are so touched, or moved or intrigued by the intrigues or intricacies or the beauties that surround Abuja, try and write a short story between 1,000 to 5,000 words and send to [email protected] not later than 30 July, 2026.

It is one short story per a writer. The story must in all intents and purposes represent, dwell and celebrate or even denigrate a ground or imaginative nuances and consistent sense of Abuja. Don’t forget also that Abuja is a replication of Brazilia, the immutable and dazzling capital of Brazil, a country like Nigeria that has had about three capitals overtime.

In a statement, Abdullahi, the brain behind the project and a former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) explained that the idea for the project emanated out of the genuine love he has for Abuja and Nigeria as a nation. ‘It cannot always be Lagos alone’, he teased. ‘This time around, we have to focus on Abuja to celebrate its natural ambience and serenity’.

He said further: ‘The Abuja Narratives Initiative (TANI) is being organized under the chairmanship of Udenta O. Udenta. It invites writers to submit short stories for The Abuja Narratives – a curated anthology exploring the many layers of Nigeria’s capital city’. According to him, the initiative is a cultural and literary platform dedicated entirely to documenting, interrogating and amplifying the lived realities, histories and the evolving realities of Abuja. This is why the theme is suitably titled: ‘Abuja, Seen, Unseen, Remembered, Imagined’.

So those outstanding features that trip you once you set your eyes on Abuja, or once you wake up in the morning to start your day, must ginger you on now to produce a story. The ball is in your court and whatever story you contribute, it is a testimonial to the many ingredients that always define and distinguish Abuja as one among equals, a city that keeps expanding in leaps and bounds.

Abdullahi, a renowned literary and culture activist and advocate went on: ‘Conceived as a place-based literary archive, the anthology positions Abuja not merely as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing force within the narrative fiction’.

Therefore stories are invited from all and sundry to explore Abuja in all its trappings, ‘as a fully embodied city, where place shapes character, conflict, memory and imagination’. And perhaps where single ladies or hook-up girls also flaunt their beauties without care and where young bachelors squat in the suburbs to avoid high cost of accommodation inside the main Abuja city. It is a mixed grill.

Areas to explore in the short stories bazaar are varied and diverse. Abuja must not be spared – the ugly, the beauty, the inanities, all must be explored in order to safely and genuinely capture the enigmatic semblances of Abuja, a city that glitters even when the citizens themselves are in tatters. A city that has been tagged, the city of politicians and the wealthy.

Therefore all submissions must ensure that Abuja is vividly and clearly presented in setting and atmosphere. The city actively influences plot, character and narrative direction and so readers can also experience the city through its geography, institutions and social rhythms.

Abdullahi is particularly attentive to how the city functions as a living narrative force where policies that shape Nigeria are mooted and implemented. That in itself is a story that must be pursued with vigour and purpose and tenacity. Writers must not necessarily be only Abuja residents. Those in the Diaspora can also contribute based on their impressions about Abuja. So, both established and budding writers are encouraged to participate. The stories to be submitted must therefore be original, fresh and unpublished elsewhere. This means that previously published works cannot be entertained.

With the escalating hike in the cost of cooking gas (LPG) in recent times, Nigerians have resorted to readily available alternatives to help them cushion the effect of the soaring cost.

The escalating cost of cooking gas in Nigeria-surging to as high as N2,000, N2,400, or N3,000 per kilogram in some areas-has sparked widespread outrage and hardship. Households, food vendors, and marketers are demanding urgent federal intervention, warning that the hikes threaten to reverse years of progress in clean energy adoption.

The unrelenting price surge has generated massive reactions and significant shifts in daily life across the country:

A survey conducted by our correspondent across some neighbourhoods within Lagos metropolis and environs revealed that, besides the soaring cost of cooking gas, the majority of the gas stations did not have supply, thus further exacerbating the crisis.

Checks by our correspondent revealed that prior to the hike, a one kg gas went for an average cost of N1200-1300 across the majority of retailers while wholesalers sold at least N990-N1050.

However, with the scarcity, the price surge was inevitable; hence, for many households the way out was to get anything else but gas.

Thus, driven by the exorbitant cost of refilling cylinders, millions of lower- and middle-class families are being forced to revert to firewood and charcoal.

Families report being forced to choose between feeding their children and paying for gas, with many now rationing by purchasing gas in tiny, fractional amounts rather than filling standard N12.5kg or N5kg cylinders.

Food vendors, roadside caterers, and small-scale restaurants are caught in a bind. The rising energy costs erode profit margins, forcing them to either pass the exorbitant costs to consumers or operate at a loss.

Sharing her experience, one of our respondents, Mrs. Obiamaka Anima, who hitherto got her cat fish specially dried by a vendor, had a rethink.

Last week she bought her fresh fish and, as usual, carried them to the food dryer; to her surprise, the dryer had increased her price by about 40%. Previously, drying a kilo was N500, but now N700.

‘I like to buy her fresh catfish, then get professional food dryers to prepare them for me before storing them up for use later if I want to cook, especially when it comes to cooking Nigerian soups for pounded yam etcetera. But that has changed now due to the escalating cost of cooking gas,’ she recalled.

According to Mrs Anima, the dryer, Mama Ejima explained that the price went up because of the high cost of cooking gas. ‘My sister and I were buying 1kg of gas for N1300 but now I buy gas for N3,000 per kg. I would have changed to charcoal, but I am an asthmatic patient, so smoke is a no-go area for me.

‘Also, I only agree to dry if I have enough fish to fill my oven. Before, I used to use my oven if it was not filled to capacity, but in order to maximise my gas, the oven must be full.’

Apart from rationing gas, many consumers have turned to using charcoal and firewood, which are far cheaper than gas. Many have also resorted to electric cookers and kerosene stoves.

Also, a civil servant in Enugu, Ijeoma Okoye, said she uses a charcoal pot which cooks as fast as gas and does not emit any smoke when very hot. ‘When the price of gas got as high as N37,000 per 12.5kg cylinder, I got a reference from a colleague at work who was already using it.’

The mother of five said she bought the charcoal pot for N25,000 and spends about so on N500 on charcoal every week.

Another Consumer who gave her name as simply Funmi said she has no regrets using the charcoal pot. Funmi, a resident of Miro in Lagos, said she bought her charcoal pot about two years ago from Abule Egba market. ‘I just bought it after hearing about it, but now it has come in handy.’

However, with many people turning to charcoal pots, the price has started going up. In major cities in Nigeria, charcoal generally costs N6,000 to N9,500 for a standard bag of 50kg sack, but now the price is gradually rising.

For smaller everyday needs, you can buy a 20L paint bucket or smaller nylon packs for about N300 to N4,000 depending on your exact location.

Mrs Madeyese, a charcoal seller, said a 50kg bag was around N5,000, but three months ago, the price rose to N10,000. She noted that despite the cost, many families still consider it cheaper than gas.

Mrs Janice said that though she uses a coal pot, which she said even cooks faster than gas, she prefers cooking with gas. ‘When the coal pot starts catching fire, it emits smoke, which is the only disadvantage, and that is what I hate about it, but when all the charcoal turns red, the smoke stops.’

Mrs Irene Irebawa, a mother of three, says she cooks mainly at night when electricity is usually stable in her area at Satellite. ‘Fortunately, we do not have prepaid but estimated billings from Nepa. Our light is usually stable from about 11 pm to 6 am, so I use the opportunity to make food for my family.’

Further investigations, however, revealed that people using prepaid to buy electricity are not enjoying electric cookers.

‘I only use an electric cooker once in a while because of my prepaid. It is not really cheaper than gas except when you are on estimated billings,’ said Dupe Adekunle of Ikeja.

Some food vendors have also turned to firewood, which they claim is not easy to manage, but has to endure because it is cheaper than cooking gas.

To worsen the matter, the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers [NALPGAM] has also warned that the supply crisis could push millions of households and businesses into deeper hardship.

Operators in the industry attribute the rise to supply pressure in depots, high replacement cost, logistical hiccups, and foreign exchange pressure influencing importation and distribution of LPG.

Investigations revealed that the price of cooking gas has been surging. It rose from N1,200 to N1,500, then N1,700 and N1,800 per kilo and now, as at June 12th, it is selling for N2,000-N2400 in various towns in Nigeria. Many Consumers refilled a 12.5kg cylinder of gas for N27,700 and more last week.

According to Mr Lekan Ahmad, a resident of Agege, Lagos, ‘Initially, when my wife came to ask for more money to add to the one I had given her to purchase cooking gas, I thought she was cheating and refused to give her the money, but when I drove to the gas plant myself, I saw things for myself.

‘It is so frustrating. We are now using both charcoal and gas to cook. I usually have many visitors, so my wife does a lot of cooking.’

For Madam Ireti, the price surge has increased pressure. ‘Buying gas is not something we plan for, but now it has become a project which you have to plan very well. The last time I went to refill, I was shocked. At N2,700 per kilo, many families will find it difficult to refill.

‘It means cooking beans, cow leg/skin and other food items that take a long time to cook will be a no-go area now. My children love bean porridge; how will I cope,’ lamented the mother of three.

Restaurants are not left out in the saga. Though the price of beans is relatively stable now, due to the cost of cooking gas and because it takes longer to cook, the price of beans meal in restaurants has increased.

According to Thomas Okoye, ‘I ordered a meal of rice and beans in my regular restaurant, but when the food appeared, the beans were so small, and the owner of the restaurant explained that she might stop cooking beans entirely as it was burning up her cooking gas.’

Another food vendor, Mrs Dora Ike, said she had to pass the cost to customers. ‘I do not like what is happening, but I have no choice. If production cost increases, then the cost of food will increase. Gas is the only thing I use in cooking.’

At Chioma’s Bar at Igbosere, Lagos Island, noted for cow leg/cowtail and all manner of pepper soup, the story is the same. Prices of their products have slightly adjusted upwards.

Executive secretary of the NALPGAM, Bassey Essien, said that marketers have made repeated representations to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) seeking incentives, but have not received relief.

‘The problem is beyond marketers. Domestic suppliers such as NLNG and the Dangote Refinery cannot meet the rising demand,’ Essien said.

Indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo leaders in Delta State’s Warri Federal Constituency have declared that while they have accepted President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the controversial ward delineation exercise in the area, they will not tolerate any further alteration of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) report.

They warned that additional changes could trigger serious consequences.

The position was made known on Sunday during a joint press briefing in Warri, where the leaders said they had accepted what they described as an ‘injustice’ only out of respect for the President and in the interest of peace.

A statement read by Olorogun Victor Okumagba on behalf of the Ijaw and Urhobo people, followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, June 11 to address tensions arising from the Supreme Court-ordered fresh delineation of electoral wards and constituencies in Warri Federal Constituency.

The statement was jointly signed by Chiefs Godspower Gbenekama, Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, John Eranvor, Arthur Akpodubakaye, David Reje, and Samuel Ako on behalf of the people.

‘We have reluctantly accepted the intervention of the President and Commander-in-Chief in respect of the alteration to the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards in Warri South-West Local Government Area as a mark of respect for the President and in the interest of peace,’ the leaders stated.

However, they cautioned against any additional review of the May 20, 2026 delineation report.

‘That we would not accept any further alteration to INEC’s delineation report presented to stakeholders on the 20th day of May, 2026 with respect to the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards composition, names of Registration Areas, Polling Units composition or any other form of alteration to the report.

‘INEC must not do any alteration to the May 20, 2026 report in any form whatsoever and under any circumstances,’ the statement read.

They added that any further delay in the implementation of the delineation report and attempt to alter the report ‘would amount to betrayal of trust by the Federal Government and INEC, and we should not be blamed for the likely consequences that would follow.’

Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who also addressed journalists, echoed the position, saying the Ijaw and Urhobo people had made painful compromises to sustain peace.

‘We have accepted this bitter pill because of President Tinubu’s intervention and because we respect the office he occupies. But there must be an end to concessions. We will not budge any further,’ he said.

Notable woman leader of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Veronica Tangbavei while expressing displeasure over the outcome of the deal struck woth the president, urged the Federal Government and INEC to immediately implement the report.

Other speakers at the briefing maintained that the communities had demonstrated commitment to peace by accepting the President’s directives despite reservations over the outcome.

The leaders argued that the final arrangement approved after political interventions reduced Ijaw representation in the delineation exercise while increasing that of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality beyond what they claimed was recommended in the original field report.

The INEC field report had recommended 14 wards for Ijaw communities and four for Itsekiri communities in Warri South-West LGA, but subsequent political interventions increased the Itsekiri allocation to nine wards.

Across the three Warri local government areas, Ijaw electoral wards were reduced from 27 proposed in the field report to 24, while Itsekiri wards increased from 21 to 27.

Despite these grievances, the leaders said they agreed to President Tinubu’s proposal for a revised ward structure in Warri South-West and participated in discussions on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on power sharing and political rotation among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities.

The agreement followed the President’s intervention after days of escalating tension across Warri Federal Constituency.

The delineation dispute had sparked widespread protests by Ijaw and Urhobo women, youths and community groups across Warri North, Warri South and Warri South-West local government areas.

Protesters staged peaceful demonstrations, occupied several oil and gas facilities and blocked sections of the Escravos River, demanding immediate implementation of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation report released by INEC on May 20.

The protests prompted the emergency stakeholders’ meeting at the Presidential Villa, attended by President Tinubu, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, security chiefs and representatives of INEC.

At the meeting, the President called on the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities to embrace compromise and coexistence, while directing that adjustments be made to the ward structure in Warri South-West and that an MoU be developed to guide political power sharing in the constituency.

The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders said they remain committed to peace, but insisted that the implementation of the delineation exercise must now proceed without further delay or modification.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has applauded Governor Umo Eno for his giant strides in the execution of various life-touching projects across Akwa Ibom State.

She described Eno as a visionary leader who is committed to rewriting the history of his people, saying the projects are of high quality.

Ojukwu said this at the weekend in Uyo after a tour of some project sites, including the ARISE Palm Resort, Ibom Convention Centre, Ibom Hotel, the Medical City, as well as the Senior Citizens Centre.

The minister who is in the State for an orientation seminar organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Ambassadors Designate to West African Countries, acknowledgef Eno’s approach to development as holistic and worthy of emulation.

Impressed by the quality of projects undertaken by the administration, Ojukwu said: ‘Looking at what I have seen on ground since I arrived Akwa Ibom State, I can firmly adjudge Governor Umo Eno as a phenomenal and intentional leader’.

She praised the creativity and vision behind curation of the ARISE Palm Resort from a desolate gully and the administration’s commitment to completion of hitherto abandoned projects in the state as audacious.

The Minister and her team were taken round the projects by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Inibehe Silas, alongside other officials of the state government.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said the legacy infrastructure projects being executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will stimulate economic growth, boost agricultural productivity, attract investments and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

Umahi spoke on Saturday during an inspection of major federal government projects in Ebonyi State by the Presidential Communications Team as part of the ongoing Renewed Hope Media Tour across the South-East geopolitical zone.

The media team, led by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, undertook an extensive tour of strategic federal and state government projects to showcase the impact of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and complementary development initiatives of the Ebonyi State Government.

Other members of the delegation included Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, alongside several presidential aides on media, publicity, digital communications and public engagement.

The delegation’s first stop was the Government House in Abakaliki, where Onanuga said the media tour was designed to provide Nigerians with a firsthand assessment of projects being implemented under the Tinubu administration while also highlighting the collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments in delivering development dividends.

A statement issued on Sunday morning by the State House Director of Information and Public Relations, Abiodun Oladunjoye, said Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru welcomed the delegation and assured members of adequate security throughout the inspection exercise.

Nwifuru also commended President Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East, particularly in Ebonyi State, as well as the administration’s broader national renewal programme.

Accompanied by Umahi, Acting Federal Controller of Works in Ebonyi State, Engr. Maxwell Okoh, and Project Manager of Infiouest International Limited, Mohammed Mustafa, the team inspected ongoing construction works on the Calabar-Abuja Trans-Sahara Super Highway, including the 90-metre link bridge in Section One and concrete pavement works on the Onueke axis of the project.

The delegation also visited the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, which links the state with Cross River State and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The Calabar-Abuja Trans-Sahara Super Highway, a flagship project of the Tinubu administration, is designed to connect Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Providing details of the project, Umahi explained that the original scope of Section One covered 118 kilometres of a single carriageway but was later reviewed to accommodate both lanes of the 123.6-kilometre stretch at a cost of N445 billion.

He added that the procurement process for the dualised component of the highway was already underway, while Section Two would extend from the Ebonyi border through Benue and Kogi states to the Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State, covering another 123.6 kilometres.

According to the minister, the project has recorded more than 28 per cent completion despite the challenges posed by the rainy season.

‘We are utilising concrete technology for durability,’ Umahi said.

The team also inspected a completed section of the concrete pavement link road connecting Ebonyi and Cross River states, stretching from Okposi-Ukawu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State to Ugwulangu-Abaomege in Cross River State.

Speaking on the broader benefits of the administration’s infrastructure programme, Umahi said the projects were designed not only to improve transportation but also to unlock economic opportunities across the country.

He noted that the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway corridor would feature more than 73 dams to support irrigation farming and strengthen agricultural production, while the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other strategic road projects would improve connectivity and attract investment.

The minister stressed that the infrastructure projects inspected in Ebonyi reflected the determination of the Tinubu administration to stimulate economic activities, create jobs and improve living standards through sustained investments in critical sectors of the economy.

A memorial monument to commemorate the victims of the Yelewata attacks was unveiled on June 12 by Mr. Judd Saul, the CEO of Equipping the Persecuted.

The Yelewata Genocide Memorial Monument, sponsored by Equipping the Persecuted USA and facilitated by Franc Utoo, Esq., honours over 270 individuals who lost their lives in the June 13 and 14, 2025 attacks on the farming community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

During the ceremony, Mr. Saul emphasised that the monument serves as a reminder of the persecution of Christians in the region and a testament to the organisation’s commitment to advocating for an end to such violence.

The Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, received the ETP delegation and reiterated his stance on the need for displaced residents to return to their ancestral homes.

Bishop Anagbe commended Equipping the Persecuted for its support to victims of violence and praised their efforts as a commitment to humanitarian service.

Franc Utoo highlighted the significance of preserving the memory of each victim, stating that the monument ensures their stories are never forgotten.

A memorial service led by Bishop Anagbe was held yesterday, June 13, to honor the victims.

Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is delivering major road infrastructure projects in the South-East that were originally conceived during the colonial era but abandoned for decades.

Umahi said the projects, particularly the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Sahara Superhighway, are being actualised under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and are expected to transform economic activities across the South-East, South-South and North-Central regions.

The minister spoke on Saturday in Ebonyi State while leading senior journalists and government officials on an inspection tour of key federal infrastructure projects as part of the Renewed Hope National Media Tour.

Describing the superhighway as a long-forgotten colonial-era vision, Umahi commended Tinubu for reviving the project and ensuring that construction work is progressing.

In a statement issued by Director of Media and Publicity, of Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Tunde Rahman, Umahi said ‘it is a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it, and construction is now underway. We must thank him immensely’.

He explained that the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Sahara Superhighway is designed not only as a transportation corridor but also as a major economic route that will boost trade, agriculture and regional integration.

According to him, the highway will facilitate the movement of agricultural produce such as cassava, yams, cashews and palm oil from Cross River, Ebonyi and Benue States while strengthening economic links with neighbouring Cameroon.

‘The Trans-Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyse trade in agricultural produce and connect Nigeria more effectively with neighbouring countries,’ he said.

Umahi disclosed that Section One of the project, originally designed as a 118-kilometre stretch, has been expanded to 123.6 kilometres, with a contract value of N45 billion.

He said dualisation works are ongoing, with some sections already recording about 28 per cent completion despite the rainy season.

The minister attributed the progress to the adoption of concrete pavement technology, which he said was pioneered by President Tinubu during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and is now being deployed on major federal roads nationwide.

He further revealed that Section Two of the highway, stretching from the Ebonyi border through Benue and Kogi States to Nasarawa State, has been awarded at a cost of N668 billion.

According to him, the section covers 123.6 kilometres and extends to the Loko-Oweto Bridge corridor.

Umahi expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for what he described as a new era of inclusion for the South-East region.

‘All our forefathers sought-inclusiveness-we have it now,’ he said.

During the inspection tour, the delegation visited major infrastructure projects, including critical bridges along Section One of the superhighway and the concrete pavement corridor around Onueke.

The team also inspected the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, which links the state with Cross River and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The minister said the bridge would significantly improve connectivity and economic activities between communities in both states.

The delegation further inspected the completed concrete pavement link road connecting Okposi-Ukawu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State with Ugwulangu-Abaomege in Cross River State.

Umahi also highlighted the strategic importance of the Onueke Flyover project in Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, describing it as a key intervention aimed at easing traffic congestion.

According to him, the N35 billion project features a 90-metre-high flyover with a 2.2-kilometre access road on both sides.

Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State used the occasion to commend President Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East and across the country.

Receiving members of the media delegation in Abakaliki, the governor said the state had witnessed extensive development under both federal and state governments.

Nwifuru also declared Ebonyi the safest state in the federation, claiming that no kidnapping incident had been recorded in the state since he assumed office.

He said his administration had continued to invest heavily in infrastructure and social services across all local government areas.

‘We have kept contractors busy in the state with projects spread across every local government area, from rural roads to primary health centres and water schemes,’ the governor said.

‘We do not even view the road projects as a big deal because we have road projects scattered all over the state.’

The governor also praised Tinubu’s national renewal programme and expressed support for the President’s leadership.

As part of activities marking the media tour, South-East governors, political leaders and stakeholders are expected to gather in Abakaliki on Monday for a major rally in support of President Tinubu.

Umahi said Governor Nwifuru would lead the people of Ebonyi State at the event to demonstrate appreciation for the President’s interventions in the region.

He urged residents of the state to ignore opposition criticisms and instead focus on the infrastructure projects being executed by the administration.

The ongoing South-East inspection tour is organised by the Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.

The delegation, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, is touring projects across the five South-East states.

After the Ebonyi leg of the tour, the team is scheduled to visit Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo states to inspect projects being implemented under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

MTN’s Youth cultural and lifestyle event ‘The Gathering’ will hold in Aba at the Prime Event Centre from June 14 to 15, 2026, with a high-stakes Pitchathon designed to spotlight and reward the most promising early-stage founders in the city, offering a total prize pool of ?5 million.

The competition will award ?2.5 million to the winning startup, ?1.5 million to the first runner-up and ?1 million to third place, giving young entrepreneurs not just funding, but a direct platform to validate their ideas in front of investors, consumers, and industry stakeholders.

The Aba Pitchathon follows a highly successful Lagos edition of The Gathering on 100, which took place at the National Stadium, Surulere, the from April 22 to 26, where eight startups collectively received ?45 million in seed funding after pitching solutions across fintech, healthtech, agritech, edtech, and creative technology.

At the Lagos edition, Hurpham Africa emerged as the overall winner with ?15 million in funding support followed by Coconoto Ltd with ?10 million and Rava Send with ?5 million.

Five other startups such as URI Social, Dulces Jams, Kindly Book, Africa Medical Marketplace, and MyFund; each received ?3 million, alongside visibility and MTN business ecosystem support.

Organisers say the goal is to deepen access to opportunity across Nigeria by taking The Gathering on 100 beyond Lagos into high-potential commercial hubs like Aba, where entrepreneurship continues to thrive.

Registration is now open via The Gathering’s official website. Entrepreneurs, builders, and early-stage founders in Aba and surrounding cities are encouraged to apply for a chance to pitch live at the event.