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Enugu on the right path of investment under Mbah – Budget Minister, Bagudu

…as Austrian Ambassador lauds Enugu’s investment-friendly environment

Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has commended Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for the deliberate commitment of his administration to creating a sustainable business environment for investors, saying that the state was already on the right trajectory of investment and development.
This was even as the Ambassador of Austria to Nigeria, Thomas Schlesinger, lauded the eco-friendly business environment, which he said motivated the Austrian development partners and investors to invest in the state.
The minister, who was on a working visit to Enugu alongside the Austrian Ambassador, to inspect some of the projects executed by the country’s development partners, as well as select facilities implemented under the Nigeria COVID-19 Action, Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-Cares), expressed satisfaction with the prudent and responsible use of the funds in executing the projects.
While congratulating Mbah on the successful hosting of President Bola Tinubu and the commissioning of some of the landmark projects by the governor earlier in the month, the minister expressed optimism that more projects would be completed and commissioned.
He stressed that his visit was necessitated by the need to inspect the European Business Park and the Austrian Eco-Social Market Economy Programme located at the Godfrey Okoye University where young entrepreneurs are trained, with their services outsourced in Europe and other developed countries. He said that he also inspected NG-Cares Basic Services Projects at Enugu-Ngwo, Amagu Akaegbe Ugwu and Obeagu-Uno water schemes.
“We visited 5 Local Government Areas today, namely Enugu East, Udi, Enugu North, Nkanu West and Enugu South, and all the women we met there were dancing and sent their regards. They were dancing for a good reason because you underscored the development. We visited your massive waterworks at 9th Mile delivered in 180 days.
“We’re so impressed given that the mandate of the Ministry is to appraise programmes that can either be expanded, replicated or serve as proof of consent. We are quite impressed. Apart from what we saw, we saw the practical education; we saw the outsourcing in practice and we saw partnership with the university and the bakery.
“But more than that, we saw the enthusiasm of a development partner, the Austrian Government, that appreciates that to share prosperity, you must be partners. And what we saw is a real partnership. It wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation, leadership and guidance of Enugu State. So we must say a big thank you on behalf of all of us in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning,” the Minister added.
Senator Bagudu also noted that Enugu State under the Mbah Administration was one of the top performing states in the utilisation of the NG-Cares funds, promising that the state stood to benefit immensely from the new phase that was being negotiated by the ministry.
He called on investors across the globe to see Enugu State and Nigeria in general as an environment receptive of businesses with high returns on investments.
“We want investors. We want people who will come to our country and make money. Our country is a haven for those who want to make money and we want to partner with them through the instrumentality of those with whom God blessed us with, such as yourself,” he added.
On his part, the Austrian Ambassador described the administration of Governor Mbah as not only business-friendly but also inspiring entrepreneurial growth among the populace.
He maintained that the state possessed the ideal condition for training of young entrepreneurs, who could outsource their skills, adding that the Austrian Government was open for partnership with Nigeria on mutual grounds that will foster development.
Reacting, Mbah argued that Nigeria could only attain its development trajectory, create wealth and eradicate poverty through a shift from the federal to the sub-national development orientation.
He said the federal government had already started beaming light towards the recommended state-to-centre development approach through the series of reform initiated by the President Tinubu Administration, maintaining that the federal government was already treating the state governments as partners in progress to be able to touch lives.
Mbah, who underscored that development waits for nobody, said the state has the capacity to absorb high skills investment across various sectors with bankable projects that can yield good returns-on-investment.
The governor said some of the interventions undertaken by his administration were deliberate attempts to lift people out of poverty by creating employment opportunities, raising better living standard and ending open defecation in the state through urban and rural water projects.
“Our development model is grassroots-based. If you take for example what our intervention in the education sector which we described as a cut-off point, we are building 260 brand new Smart Green Schools across the 260 wards. The Smart Green Schools; it’s not just about the infrastructure like the blocks which are over 7000 classrooms in total, but it’s about the features. The fact that it will finally ensure that our children have access to quality learning and they are imbued with the right skill-set required to deal with the rapidly shifting world.
“We are not only bullish about sustainable development but also inclusive prosperity, which is also what we are doing in the primary healthcare sector, with 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centre. We hope to accomplish them before our second anniversary. It is also not about the structure, but making sure they are well-equipped. I have just approved the recruitment of 2,500 healthcare personnel to make sure they are well-staffed and provide 24/7 services,” he added.
According to him, the administration was also intervening in the agriculture sector through the construction of 260 farm estates to boost and upscale production across all the electoral wards, each having at least 200 hectares of land.
While adding that the farm estates will help in the training of small holder farmers with the right crops to grow, and other facilities that would ensure zero post-harvest losses, the governor urged the minister to pay special attention to Enugu State in terms of intervention that would boost micro, small and medium enterprises.
Additional Photos on the visit:
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, the Ambassador of Austria to Nigeria, Mr Thomas Schlesinger, the Commissioner for Local Govt, Chief Okey Ogbodo, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Patrick Ubru, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water and Waste, Mr Andreas Gebauer, alongside the Vice Chancellor, Prof Christian Anieke, inspecting the European Business Park and the Austrian Eco-Social Market Economy Programme at the Godfrey Okoye University as well as the NG-Cares facilities executed the Governor Peter Mbah administration in partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank.
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Two Rivers Pastors caught with caskets, skulls, other ritual items


The Rivers State Police Command has paraded two pastors, Prophet Bassey Umoren (60) and Prophet Elijah Anietie (50), who were caught with fetish items, including caskets, monkey skulls, carved skeletons, and other spiritual materials, in their respective churches.
The duo, who were apprehended by youths of Rumunduru community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, are the founders of God’s Deliverance Apostolic Church and Power House of Glory International Gospel Church, both located along Eneka Road in Rumunduru.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this on Thursday while parading the suspects at the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt.Iringe-Koko saying, “This case, which has been trending on social media, involves two pastors reported by youths of Rumunduru community, led by their youth leader, Henry Worlu, on January 20, 2025, at about 9 am.
“The youths brought the suspects, Prophet Umoren Bassey and Prophet Elijah Anietie, both of Akwa Ibom State origin and handed them over to the police for discreet investigation.”
She listed the items recovered from their churches including several photographs—some of which were of children—small caskets, spiritual books, carved images, wooden skulls, crosses, and other ritual items.
The police spokesperson noted that investigations into the matter were ongoing to ascertain the full extent of their activities and possible victims.
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Imo lawyer shot dead in his hometown


Gunmen have shot dead a well-known lawyer from Imo State, Chinedu Nwowu, in Mgbidi, located in the Oru West Local Government Area.
According to a local source who wished to remain anonymous, the lawyer was ambushed and killed on Wednesday evening in his hometown.
The source revealed that armed men forcibly blocked his vehicle before shooting him.
This incident has sparked widespread panic in the state, as no motive for the murder has been made public.
In response to this tragic event, the Orlu Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, to which the deceased belonged, has declared a suspension of court sessions today in the Mgbidi, Oguta, and Omumma areas.
The branch convened an emergency meeting for its members following the lawyer’s death.
A memo issued by Chukwuemeka Okoro on behalf of the branch announced that the emergency meeting will commence at 10 am at the High Court in Mgbidi.
The statement read: “In light of the brutal murder of our colleague, CHINEDU NWOWU, last night in his hometown of Mgbidi, all lawyers from the Oru/Oguta Forum are hereby notified of a crucial emergency meeting this morning at 10 am at the High Court, Mgbidi.
“No court sessions will take place today in the Mgbidi, Oguta, and Omumma High Courts. Please be punctual.”
Ben Amukamara, the NBA chairman of the Orlu Branch, told our correspondent that members will gather at the Mgbidi High Court this morning in response to the lawyer’s killing.
He confirmed that no courts in the Oguta, Mgbidi, and Omumma areas will be in session today.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Thursday and assured the public that the police had begun an investigation into the killing.
“The police are pained by this incident.
“But I can assure you that we will apprehend the hoodlums behind this dastardly act. We have already commenced an investigation and will stop at nothing to catch the gang,” Okoye stated.
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‘Don’t Japa, countries you’re running to were built by people’ – Jonathan tells Nigerians


Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to remain hopeful despite the country’s challenges, emphasising that these obstacles are surmountable.
Speaking in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State over the weekend during the commissioning of the Soybean Plant and Refinery of the CSS Group and the birthday celebration of Prof. John Kennedy Opara, former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Jonathan weighed in on the importance of collective effort in nation-building.
The event was attended by dignitaries including former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma; Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri; former Cross River State Governor Prof. Ben Ayade; former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen; and Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, represented by his deputy.
Jonathan cautioned against the increasing trend of migration, popularly referred to as “Japa,” urging Nigerians to contribute to the development of their homeland.
“You don’t need to Japa. Those countries you are running to were built by people. We must build this country together, and invest in it so that the youths can get jobs. We must not run away from our responsibilities. This country belongs to all of us, and we must not abandon it,” he said as quoted by DAILY TRUST.
Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri echoed Jonathan’s sentiments, stating, “There is hope in Nigeria. So those who want to Japa, please, don’t Japa. Nigeria is a blessed country. If we all key into what the private sector is doing, no one will Japa.”
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), addressed the nation’s food security issues, calling for urgent action to tackle hunger caused by high food price inflation.
“The level of hunger in Nigeria is too high due to very high food price inflation,” he said, emphasizing the need for accelerated efforts to expand food production, lower food costs, reduce import dependency, and support local farmers.
Adesina recounted, “There is no doubt that Nigerian farmers can feed Nigeria. They did when I was Minister of Agriculture under President Jonathan. The price of rice at the time was N8,000 per bag; today it is over N100,000 per bag.”
He called for bold programmes and policy support for farmers and agribusinesses to develop agricultural value chains.
He also revealed that the African Development Bank, in partnership with the federal government and other stakeholders, is implementing a $538 million programme to develop special agro-industrial processing zones in eight states: Cross River, Imo, Oyo, Ogun, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, and the FCT.
He added, “The second phase of the special agro-industrial processing zones will cover all remaining 28 states in Nigeria. The SAPZ-Phase II is planned with a financing target of $1 billion, from the African Development Bank, the Arab Bank for African Economic Development, and the private sector.”
Former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma expressed optimism about Nigeria’s role in Africa’s progress, stating, “If positive things happen in Nigeria, we are happy because Africa can only get it right when Nigeria gets it right.”
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