Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has said that the construction of the 3.5 billion dollar Bakassi Deep Seaport would soon commence.

This is contained in a statement issued by Ifeanyi Nwoko, ICRC’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity in Abuja on Monday.

Ewalefoh made this known at a High-level Stakeholders’ meeting where a statement of endorsement for the port project was signed.

The ICRC D-G who said the construction would commence under the administration of Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River State, assured that the project would be completed in record time.

He said that his assurance was premised on four things which include the fact that the government of the state had demonstrated great commitment and zeal required for the project.

Others he said were the newly streamlined ICRC Public Private Partnership(PPP) processes; the securing of a financier for the project; and the support of all other stakeholders present.

Ewalefoh said the 3.5 billion dollar project whose funding has been secured from the African Import-Export Bank(Afreximbank), is to be executed as a PPP project.

He said that the ICRC had streamlined its PPP processes to ensure they were faster than before.

According to Ewalefoh, we are not compromising standards, we are only making the process more efficient which I have commenced as the D-G of ICRC.

He assured the Governor of Cross River that the project would be completed under his tenure with the support of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Shippers Council and all the stakeholders.

“You have demonstrated that you have what it takes to do it, just like President Tinubu has given confidence to investors to bring their funds to Nigeria.

“This is not a project that you started, the baton was only handed over to you, but like the man on the last lap, you are running the fastest and you will cut the tape.

“With the team you have assembled and the activities that are going on, you will arrive at the destination of the Bakassi Deep Seaport.

“I am convinced that in your tenure, with your team, Bakassi Deep Seaport will be a reality to the people of Cross River state and Nigerians,” he said.

The D-G said that the port was very important as it would diversify the traffic from the Western Port and serve as a succour to the Eastern parts of Nigeria.

He added that the Bakassi Deep Seaport is an Agro-Value-Chain port that will explore the potential in the nation’s agricultural sector in the South-South part of Nigeria, the North as well as all of Africa.

Ewalefoh thanked Afreximbank for believing in the state and Nigeria as he reassured investors that Nigeria was a choice destination for investment opportunities.

The statement said a high point of the meeting was the signing of the statement of endorsement by all critical stakeholders to the projects including the ICRC and the Cross River State Government.

Others include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Shippers Council, among others.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New York to represent Nigeria at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

This was confirmed in a statement on Monday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of The Vice President).

Shettima landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the early hours of Monday and was welcomed by key officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.

Other dignitaries present were Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigerian diplomats, and UN officials.

As directed by President Bola Tinubu, Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation at this year’s UNGA, where he will deliver the country’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings.

The 79th UNGA session is a significant moment for accelerating progress toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It includes the highly anticipated Summit of the Future, which focuses on addressing global challenges like climate change, poverty, and inequality.

The summit aims to reaffirm commitments to the SDGs and the UN Charter while promoting enhanced international cooperation.

World leaders will gather at UN Headquarters on September 22-23 to tackle gaps in global governance exposed by recent global crises.

The event is expected to produce a “Pact for the Future,” a document designed to strengthen global cooperation and effectively address current challenges for the benefit of all and future generations.

Additionally, the UN Department of Global Communications will hold its flagship SDG Media Zone from September 23-27, featuring interviews and discussions on key global issues. Secretary

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to boost trade, encourage local production, and simplify cross-border transactions.

This was revealed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during a meeting with SMEDAN’s Director-General, Mr. Charles Oidi, and his team at the NCS headquarters in Abuja.

Adeniyi explained that a dedicated SMEDAN team would be stationed at the NCS office to offer specialized support and streamline processes for small business owners involved in cross-border trade.

“The population of SMEs cannot be ignored. Supporting them strengthens the nation’s economy,” Adeniyi said, acknowledging the critical role SMEs play in job creation and the informal economy.

According to the SMEDAN National Survey, Nigeria relies on 41 million micro-businesses and 73,000 small and medium enterprises, despite the challenges they face.

In response, Oidi emphasized the importance of assisting SMEs, praising the NCS for their dedication to SME development.

He pledged to continue fostering collaboration between government agencies and the SME sector, stating, “SMEDAN remains committed to identifying challenges, developing inclusive solutions, and implementing strategies to support the growth of SMEs in Nigeria.”

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has condemned the outcome of the Edo State governorship election, describing it as “shameful,” “rape,” and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Fintiri’s statement comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the September 21 poll.

Okpebholo, 54, secured 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 247,274 and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) who came a distant third in the race with 22,761 votes.

However, Fintiri, a member of PDP, alleged that the election was marred by irregularities, including vote-buying, disruption of collation processes, and suspicious results with more votes than accredited voters.

He also slammed APC’s national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stating “What’s truly shameful is APC’s national chairman flying into Edo with a private jet on election day, defying movement restrictions, while their Governors used armoured escorts to intimidate voters.”

Fintiri noted that democracy indeed is under attack and called on Nigerians to denounce what he described as a “rape of democracy.”

“I weep for Nigeria’s democracy after witnessing the shameful Edo Gubernatorial poll. The APC’s desperate attempts to discredit me by falsely claiming I announced results won’t distract from the real issue. I merely shared results from INEC’s Irev portal, as collated by INEC from the various Local Government Areas,” Fintiri said.

“What’s truly shameful is APC’s national chairman flying into Edo with a private jet on election day, defying movement restrictions, while their Governors used armoured escorts to intimidate voters.

“This blatant disregard for democratic norms is the real brigandage. Nigerians are outraged, slamming INEC for compromising and favouring APC. The reported vote-buying, disruption of collation processes, and suspicious results with more votes than accredited voters undermine trust in our democracy. Democracy indeed is under attack.

“We must condemn this rape of democracy and demand accountability. The world is watching, and Nigeria deserves better.”

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has appealed to residents to remain calm following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) announcement of Monday Okpebholo as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election.

Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) with 22,761 votes.

However, Obaseki claimed in a statement that the election was marred by a disregard for processes and the rule of law.

“Regrettably, the outcome of the September 21st governorship election appears to have daunted the spirit of many Edo people who feel powerless in the face of the brute force of the institutions that are supposed to protect them. It is therefore understandable that many people feel sad and aggrieved,” Obaseki said.

“Clearly, it is obvious to the least discerning, the amount of impunity and reckless disregard for processes and law that was displayed in this gubernatorial election”

The governor also noted that “the attractive thing about democracy is the power it bestows on the people to choose who governs them,” but said that “when this power is blatantly seized from the people, it is not just a tragedy, but a travesty of democracy.”

Obaseki urged those who were upset by the outcome to seek redress through legal means rather than resorting to violence or destruction.

He also called on the people of Edo to continue with their daily lives, reassuring them that the government remains committed to their security and well-being during this period of uncertainty.

Obaseki statement reads; The statement reads, “In the last few months, the various political parties have embarked on very rigorous campaigns to sell their respective candidates for the office of governor to the people of Edo State in an exercise which came to a climax yesterday with the gubernatorial election.

“The attractive thing about democracy is the power it bestows on the people to choose who governs them. Therefore, when this power is blatantly seized from the people, it is not just a tragedy, but a travesty of democracy.

“Regrettably, the outcome of the September 21st governorship election appears to have daunted the spirit of many Edo people who feel powerless in the face of the brute force of the institutions that are supposed to protect them. It is therefore understandable that many people feel sad and aggrieved.

“But in the midst of this despair, I am urging all my fellow Edo citizens to maintain calm and not resort to violence and destruction of property in spite of this provocation.

“Peace and justice will always win in the end and this is my prescription to all the good people of Edo State who feel vexed and violated at this time.

“Clearly, it is obvious to the least discerning, the amount of impunity and reckless disregard for processes and law that was displayed in this gubernatorial election

“In a democracy, there are safeguards for addressing grievances, and we hope that those affected will seek resolution for this blatant disregard of law and process.

“With this in mind, I implore all Edo people to go about their lawful businesses and rest assured of the commitment of our government to your wellbeing and security.”

Anthony Joshua explained why he was knocked out in the fifth round by Daniel Dubois during their heavyweight clash on Saturday, where Dubois retained his IBF heavyweight title.

The fight, held at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 96,000, saw Dubois deliver a commanding performance.

The 27-year-old knocked Joshua down four times before landing a decisive right hand to the chin in the fifth round, ending the fight.

During the post-match press conference, Joshua reflected on his defeat, admitting that a series of mistakes cost him the bout.

“In the first round, I got caught with an overhand right, chin in the air, no defence—kaboom. From there, it was a bit of a downhill slope.

I tried to turn things around, but it just wasn’t my night,” Joshua said.Speaking about what went wrong in the fifth round, despite starting it strong, he explained:

“I caught him with a good shot and tried to press forward, but then I got hit with an overhand right while I was throwing an uppercut.

“The problem was, I wasn’t setting up my shots. In a shootout like that, you need to be more precise, more sniper-like. But after taking a few hits, it’s all about survival mode.”