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Bauchi To Benefit From $500m NG-CARES’s Financing – Mohammed

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Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has directed the State Implementation Unit for the NG-CARES programme to urgently work out the necessary modalities of assisting the State to access additional financing from the programme.

The Governor gave the directive at the official launching and distribution of ICT Enhancement facilities to 7,000 Beneficiaries under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Bauchi-Cares Result Area 3 MSEs held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Bauchi.

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Mohammed said that presently, the World Bank has provided an additional financing package of $500 million to support the rollout of the next phase of NG-CARES 2.0 where participating states would access $12 million with additional $46 million set aside as unallocated funds to be redistributed during the programme’s mid-term review meeting.

He observed that the successful implementation of the NG-CARES Result Area 3, in Bauchi that focuses on strengthening the capacities of small and medium enterprises through the distribution of ICT enhancement facilities worth over N1 billion was made possible through the assistance of the World Bank.

READ ALSO: Group Advocates Sexual Education, Teachers Training In Bauchi

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According to him, the distribution of the ICT enhancement facilities marked a significant milestone in the collective efforts to harness the power of technology for the sustainable development of the state and to alleviate poverty through the empowerment of the people.

“With these tools, our youths, small business owners, farmers, and traders will now have the means to expand their businesses, improve their livelihoods, and contribute to the economy in a more meaningful way.

“This programme is not just about distributing technology, it is about creating a sustainable ecosystem where businesses can thrive and poverty can be reduced.

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“My administration remains fully committed to tackling poverty in Bauchi State as we have shown with this programme, addressing poverty requires multi-faceted solutions.

“This is why we will continue to work closely with the World Bank and other development partners to expand and strengthen our social protection programmes,” he said.

READ ALSO: Bauchi Govt. Presents N4m to 4 Best JAMB Students

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He reiterated the unwavering commitment of his administration towards empowering its citizens with the tools needed to create opportunities, build resilience, and participate meaningfully in economic development.

Mohammed added that his vision for Bauchi was to be a state where every citizen regardless of background, has access to the resources required to succeed.

On his part, Abdulkarim Obaje, the National Coordinator of NG-CARES programme, congratulated Bauchi on the milestones achieved in the implementation of the programme and highlighted that the distribution of the ICT gadgets is a key component of the NG-CARES initiative.

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Represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Atiku Musa, Obaje explained that the programme was designed to promote digital inclusion and empower beneficiaries with the skills and tools needed to thrive in today’s technology-driven world.

READ ALSO: Don’t Be Victims of punishment, Bauchi Teachers Warned

On his part, Sadiq Shira, the state’s Commissioner for Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, said the initiative reaffirmed governor Mohammed’s vision of leveraging technology for economic growth and underscored the state’s commitment to empowering its citizens in the digital era.

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According to him, the distributed gadgets include smartphones, tablets, laptops, and POS machines providing recipients with access to digital tools that would help them improve their businesses, education, and overall livelihoods.

“I would like to express my profound gratitude to the state governor for his visionary leadership and continued support for the advancement of small and medium enterprises in Bauchi State and for making this initiative a reality.

“We are not in this for notoriety, but to paint the right colors on the fabric of history so that posterity will be right by us”. He said.

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Okpebholo’s ₦100b Loan Generates Reactions, Controversy

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A Hundred Billion Naira loan approved by the Edo State House of Assembly as support for Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration in delivering key infrastructural projects across the state is generating controversy and reactions from the public.

In a phone-in programme on Benin-based B-Side Radio 98.1FM, while some callers asked the presenter to crosscheck if the loan really amounts to ₦100b or ₦100m, some questioned the rationale behind such a huge loan.

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Also, while some callers chided Okpebholo’s administration for such a huge loan, some callers into the programme asked if such a huge loan is what the state needs at the moment in whatsoever infrastructure it may be used for, arguing that poverty and insecurity has taken over the state.

READ ALSO: Okpebholo Launches 1bn Interest-free Loan For Edo Traders

The callere urged the governor to address pressing issues such as insecurity and hardship rather than things that ordinarily does not add values to their lives.

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The Edo State House of Assembly had yesterday
approved a ₦100 billion loan facility from First Bank of Nigeria PLC to support Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration in delivering key infrastructural projects across the state.

According to the State Assembly, the loan will be utilized to finance major infrastructural developments, contractor financing, and urban renewal projects in line with the Governor’s five-point development agenda.

READ ALSO: Okpebholo Inaugurates Boundary Dispute Committee In Edo

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These projects are expected to boost economic growth, improve transportation, create job opportunities, and enhance the overall quality of life for Edo citizens.

Speaking during the plenary session, the Majority Leader, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, highlighted several key projects the loan would support. These include the construction of flyover bridges at Ikpoba-Hill, Dawson Junction, and Adesuwa Junction in Benin City, as well as the development of major roads in Edo Central ,Edo South and Edo North Senatorial Districts.

Hon. Ibhamawu also explained that while the state government has budgeted for these developments, revenue allocations from the federal level have fallen short of expectations, making the loan necessary to meet the administration’s goals.

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The Speaker, Hon Blessing Agbebaku, emphasized that his local government Owan West and other local government would also benefit significantly from the infrastructural projects. The loan approval was passed through a voice vote by the lawmakers, after which the Speaker directed the Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Audu Omogbai, to forward clean copies of the resolution to the Governor.

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IPOB Rejects FG’s Ranching Proposal, Says It’s ‘Land Grabbing’

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The Indigenous People of Biafra, has condemned the announcement by President Bola Tinubu, proposing the establishment of cattle ranches in Abuja, the ancestral homeland of the Gbagi people and other states across the country.

The pro-Biafran group said the move is nothing but Ruga repackaged and a sinister land-grabbing strategy cloaked in government policy.

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In a press statement released on Tuesday, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, said it is a shame that in the 21st century, the Federal Government is prioritising cow colonies over education, security, and innovation.

Powerful said what began as the “need for grazing” centuries ago led to the total subjugation of proud territories, adding, “the rise of alien emirates, and the transformation of indigenous owners of the land into strangers in their ancestral homes. Abuja is about to witness the same fate if this madness is not stopped.”

READ ALSO:IPOB Members Regain Freedom After 12 Years In Prison

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The statement read in part, “President Tinubu unaware that no sensible country in the world keeps cattle around its capital city?

“Let him point to any major city—from Nairobi to New Delhi, São Paulo to Seoul—where cattle are granted permanent settlements around central governance zones.

“This absurdity is uniquely Nigerian, and disgracefully so.”

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While saying that the land around Abuja belongs to the Gbagi people, Powerful said, “To dispossess them by executive fiat is an unforgivable act of aggression and cultural genocide.”

READ ALSO:Lawyer Alleges Multiple Assassination Attempts For Defending Biafran Agitators, Blames Ekpa For IPOB Woes

He added, “Today, the Gbagi are being pushed to the margins; tomorrow, there will be an Emir of Abuja. And in 60 years—just like what befell the Hausas—the Gbagi will be footnotes in history, reduced to relics of their own heritage.

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“Let it be known that IPOB shall resist any attempt—direct or indirect—to impose this toxic expansionist agenda anywhere in Biafraland. No inch of our territory will be given for herder settlements, cattle corridors, or so-called ranching. Our forests, our villages, our farmlands are sacred to us—not bargaining chips in a federal contract of death.

“Let them be transported by rail, just as is done in civilised societies. That’s how a serious nation handles its livestock economy—not by slaughtering indigenous peoples and seizing their homes under the guise of ranching.”

READ ALSO:IPOB Members Regain Freedom After 12 Years In Prison

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According to him, no progressive nation erects ranches next to homes, schools, and marketplaces. The fact that this administration cannot comprehend this basic logic is a reflection of its failure, not ours.

IPOB stands with the Gbagi people and every other indigenous nationality facing existential threats from Fulani neo-colonial conquest dressed up as national policy. Our diversity must be respected, our cultures preserved, and our ancestral lands protected. Let the killings in the name of cows stop. Let the bloodletting cease. Let Nigeria choose reason over ruin,” the statement added.

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MultiChoice Cuts DStv Decoder Price By 50% To Attract Subscribers

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MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder by 50 per cent, dropping it from ₦20,000 to ₦10,000.

The company announced that the move aimed to attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.

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According to the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, in a statement released on Tuesday, the offer was a way of rewarding customer loyalty and delivering enhanced value to subscribers.

“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day. The ‘We Got You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.

READ ALSO:NGO Reveals How MultiChoice Reduced GOtv, DStv Prices In South Africa Amid Hike In Nigeria

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“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.

“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day,” the statement added.

The company also announced a promotional offer granting subscribers a free upgrade to the next DStv package tier when they pay for their current plan in full between June 16 and July 31, 2025.

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Multichoice maintained the price slash, and the free upgrade initiative is a response “to the noticeable economic impact on the everyday lives of Nigerians.”

READ ALSO: FG Drags Multichoice To Court Over Subscription Fess Hike

This was coming after it lost 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025.

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Recall that MultiChoice Nigeria increased its DStv and GOtv bouquet prices three times within 12 months — first in April 2023, followed by another hike in November 2023, and a third announced in April 2024, which took effect on May 1.

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