The Imota Rice Mill in Lagos State would be run by one of the leading rice-producing companies in Nigeria, WACOT Rice Limited, a subsidiary of TGI Group. This conglomerate recently acquired Union Bank of Nigeria Plc through Titan Trust Bank Limited.

This followed the agreement signed between the company and the Lagos State government, which built the rice factory.

The state government said it chose WACOT to operate the facility based on its competence and efficiency.

Imota Rice Mill has a capacity of 32 metric tonnes. The factory is expected to commence commercial operations in the coming months after the handover to WACOT.

The Group Managing Director of TGI Group, Mr Rahul Savara, thank the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the confidence reposed on the company to run the facility efficiently.

“We have been working very closely and will continue to work with Lagos State to make the facility run at its best. We will be deploying the best expertise, technique and training to make the Government proud of this investment,” Mr Savara assured.

“We are happy to partner with Lagos State as our economic core even though our factory is located in Argungu, Kebbi State, a large number of our rice is demanded in Lagos.

“Since setting up the WACOT Rice Mill in 2017, we have doubled our production capacity, and for the Lagos Government to partner with us, it’s a testament to our capability,” the Head of Corporate Communications at TGI Group, Ms Rafiat Gawat, said.

Speaking on the deal, Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “Lagos State Government has set up two lines of 16 MT/hour capacity rice mill, in Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos State to meet the high demand for consumption of rice in Lagos State thereby pushing Lagos State towards self-sufficiency in the area of rice production and processing.”

“Lagos State Government is desirous of operationalising the Imota Rice Mill through the utilisation of the technical services of WACOT Rice Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, to provide commissioning and kick-off operationalization support services,” he added.

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Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Atiku Abubakar, has praised his former boss, Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, for his role in the peace deal signed between the warring Ethiopia and Tigray this week in South Africa.

Mr Obasanjo was elected President of Nigeria in 1999 and ended his two terms of eight years in 2007. Mr Atiku was his vice in the period.

The former Nigerian leader was in South Africa as a delegate of the African Union to broker peace between the two parties in Pretoria, and Mr Atiku heaped praises on the Ota-farmer.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, the former Vice President said the former military Head of State deserves to be on one of the redesigned Naira notes to inspire future generations.

“Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo. A man whose image ought to be in the redesigned Naira note to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent,” Mr Atiku said in one of the tweets posted via his verified Twitter handle.

Last Wednesday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced its intention to introduce new N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes into circulation to curb inflation and counterfeiting.

The Governor of the CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said this was necessary because 80 per cent of the printed notes were not in the vaults of commercial banks, a development he said was not good for the economy.

It meant that most of the Naira notes were with corrupt persons and criminals, including kidnappers, who stashed money outside the banking system.

Since the announcement of the new design of the Naira denominations, there have been speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari’s image may be included in one. But Mr Atiku wants Mr Obasanjo to among Nigerians to be on the notes.

Currently, the image of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello is on the N200 note, the late Nnamdi Azikwe is on the N500 note, while the late Aliyu Mai-Bornu and Clement Isong are on the N1,000 note.

In his tweets today, Mr Atiku also promised to nominate Mr Obasanjo for a Nobel Peace Prize “when entries are open for nominations.”

He said he was not surprised by the action of the Nigerian leader, saying, “he did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office.”

“On behalf of my family, I congratulate you, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, for successfully ending the Ethiopia-Tigray conflict. And I thank God for the gift of wisdom and foresight He gave you, which you have used creditably to steer Nigeria and Africa on the right path,” he said.

Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, will represent President Muhammadu Buhari at the upcoming Conference of the Parties 27 (COP 27).

This was disclosed by the Federal Ministry of Environment on Friday, November 4, through its official Twitter account ahead of  COP 27, which will start tomorrow in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, till November 18, 2022.

According to the announcement, President Buhari directed Mr Abdullahi to represent him as the head of Nigeria’s delegation.

The Ministry explained that the Minister is expected to host sessions on how to combat desertification. The focus would be on the ongoing efforts to build the Great Green Wall across the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.

“The Minister is expected to represent the President at High-Level Sessions and also deliver Nigeria’s National Statement at COP27 plenary, attend bilateral and side meetings on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, amongst other engagements.

“As Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Pan African Great Green Wall (GGW), he is expected to host alongside the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Pan African Great Green Wall, a high-level meeting of Member States on the Great Green Wall.

“Other Ministers to attend alongside the Minister of Environment, are Ministers of Water Resources, Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Agriculture and Rural Development, Power and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and several Agencies of Government,” it said.

The Minister of Environment has been involved in several meetings and dialogues with partners across the board on framing a message to be presented by Nigeria at COP 27.

Nigeria plans to have two panels on the country’s energy transition plan (ETP) at the upcoming COP 27. The panels will include; Energy Transition Plan (ETP) Project/Finance Panel and Advocacy/Governance Panel.

COP 27 seeks to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaled-up adaptation efforts, and enhanced flows of appropriate finance.

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, hosted by Egypt in Sharm El Sheikh, will see delegates from around the world participate in the annual climate change negotiations. With over 40,000 estimated attendees, the summit is expected to host one of the largest numbers of participants in the annual global climate conference, which is running from November 6 to 18 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd, Special Representative to the COP27 President, said: “The Egyptian Presidency team has worked tirelessly to create an enabling environment that is conducive to successful negotiations.

“As the hosts of the COP, we are keen on bringing representatives of nations and stakeholders from across the world and to provide the required momentum to address the required actions for urgent and at-scale implementation of climate commitments and pledges.”

President Buhari is currently in the United Kingdom for medicals. He is expected back in the country in the second week of this month.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed properties linked to Mr Ike Ekweremadu, a former Deputy Senate President.

This order was given on Friday by Justice Inyang Ekwo, following an ex -parte motion filed and moved by Mr Ibrahim Buba, lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are currently in the United Kingdom (UK) and held over allegations bordering on organ trafficking of one David Ukpo, who is said to be a minor.

Justice Ekwo, who granted the motion, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the assets in a national daily within seven days.

The judge directed anybody who had interests in the forfeited properties to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

Justice Ekwo then adjourned the matter until December 5 for a report.

The affected properties include 10 properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.