News

Ndiomu Bags Double Awards For Visionary Leadership Of PAP

Published

3 years ago

March 26, 2023

The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major-General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retired), on Friday bagged a double award for his visionary leadership of the Programme since assumption of office.

The two awards were those of Excellence for Legacy Projects and the Eagle award for his visionary leadership and administrative competence.

The awards were presented by the Strategic Communication Committee (STRATCOM), a body comprising leaders of ex-agitators drawn from Phases one, two and three which interfaces between the Amnesty office and delegates in the PAP conference room, Abuja.

In his acceptance speech, General Ndiomu dedicated both awards to President Mohammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (retired) and ex-agitators of the Niger Delta Region, for whose benefits and progress he administers the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

He expressed appreciation to members of Stratcom for the high sense of maturity and patience exhibited as well as having faith in his administration’s ability to change the fortunes of ex-agitators.

The Interim Administrator contended that “If the current policy initiatives were introduced at the inception of the PAP, delegates would have been weaned off the sixty-five thousand naira stipends and progressed to being self sustaining”.

“The NSA has given his endorsement for the legacy projects particularly the cooperative society which is being processed for registration with funds already set aside for take off”.

General Ndiomu noted that debts from the arbitrary scholarship award, obligation to contractors, monthly stipend payments which has been scaled down to an extent and other running costs were still overwhelming burden on the finances of the Programme.

“We will engage some members of the diplomatic community and relevant donor as well as development agencies for their buy-in to enhance the sustainability of the legacy projects to drive the socio economic process in the Niger Delta” he further announced.

The Interim Administrator expressed gratitude for the double awards and adviced that the entitlement mentality culture among some persons and the atmosphere of violence need to change for healthy competition and economic development.

Earlier Nature Dumale-Kieghe, chairman of Stratcom explained that the awards were in identifying with the Interim Administrator’s strides in six months, a period marking the laying of an economic recovery process for the Niger Delta through the legacy projects.

Dumale-Kieghe decried the entitlement mentality culture by some ex-agitators and noted that the policy initiatives introduced by General Ndiomu were to transform delegates from being dependent on the monthly stipends to proud entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

22 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

44 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.