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Oronsaye Report: Ohanaeze Alerts Tinubu Of Gang-up Against PRODA

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has alerted President Bola Tinubu of a sinister plot to emasculate a federal government agency, the Projects Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu.

The Igbo group raised the alarm at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, where it said those behind the move were hiding under a doctored Oronsaye Report to carry out their evil agenda.

National President of the Ohanaeze Youths, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, who was flanked by other exco members of the organisation, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be wary of those hellbent on destroying his government.

He said in line with the Oronsaye Report, what PRODA deserved was proper funding in order to carry out its statutory mandate.

Okwu stated that PRODA has been up to its responsibility, stressing that “anyone in doubt is free to visit the place.”

He said they were taken aback “by a recent doctored report planted by fifth columnists, in which they listed the Project Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu, as one of the agencies of government to be merged or scrapped.

“We received this with great consternation and shock considering the clear provisions of the Oronsaye Report, as well as the report by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which formed the Government White Paper.

“The SGF report titled: “RE: RESTRUCTURING & RATIONALISATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS, COMMISSIONS AND AGENCIES”, clearly provides in Item D that: ‘The Government accepts the recommendation that: a) NASENI and NCAM be merged but with the exclusion of FIIRO and PRODA.”

“With the above, one then wonders the intent and drive of those behind the list being circulated in the media space.

“A little look into history shows that PRODA was a creation of the defunct East Central State Government. It was created through an edict in 1971.

“It was charged with the broad function of generating and catalysing industrialization by carrying out industrial research from the laboratory stage to the pilot plant stage and by rendering consultancy services to the Governments, industries and individuals.

“PRODA is one of the oldest research institutions under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

“When the East Central State was split in 1976, the Federal Government recognized the need not to balkanize PRODA by the emerging states and hence took it over as a Federal Government Research Institute.

“Ever since then, PRODA has evolved under different leaderships, experiencing neglect from one time to the other.

“However, within the last few years, like a human being who miraculously came out of coma, PRODA again became a cynosure of all eyes, with a lot of reforms being initiated to take it back to the glory days.”

He expressed worry that “the same people who held PRODA down over the years are at it again.

“This time, they want to kill it completely for a reason best known to them, but definitely not in national interest.

“Their only interest is that anything associated with Ndigbo must not be allowed to survive. These are people who feel that the civil war has not ended and that anything sited in Igbo land must be emasculated.

“They profess one Nigeria but their actions show a totally different thing.

“They tend to forget that PRODA is not serving Igboland but the nation, and has been clearly positioned to take research and development to another level.

“Nigeria is a nation that totally depends on importation without producing anything, and this is the bane of the economy. Under such circumstances, an agency like PRODA deserves all the attention and funding it can get.

“We, therefore, warn those doctoring the Oronsaye Report to keep PRODA away from their evil agenda, as any attempt to implement the compromised version would not augur well. Enough of this humiliation and insult to the sensibilities of Ndigbo.

“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council gave President Bola Tinubu their total support during the presidential election and would want the president to succeed. However, he should be wary of those planting seeds of discord and working hard to discredit the government.

“We urge Mr President to discard the doctored report and stick with the original version as contained in the SGF’s letter, dated April 8, 2014.”

The Igbo group reaffirmed their unflinching support to Mr President “as he navigates the country out of the present economic crisis.

“Indeed, this administration shall succeed to the shame of naysayers,” Okwu declared.

News

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

Published

13 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

2 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.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

20 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.