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Osinbajo opens 60, 000 Metric Tonnes Fertilizer Plant in Edo *Hails Obaseki’s effort at improving business environment

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By Ikhili Monday EBALU, Benin City

The Vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has inaugurated the Edo Fertilizer Plant and Chemical Company Limited, a public, private venture which has the capacity to produce about 60,000 metric tons of fertilizer per annum.

The Vice President, who was accompanied by the ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh; and Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, commended the foresight of the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, for creating the enabling business environment which saw to the revitalization of the fertilizer plant which had been non-functional for about 14 years.

Osinbajo expressed delight at the 500 direct jobs that have been created by the investment, stressing that much more employment opportunities would result from the ancillary economic activities that would be generated by the fertilizer plant.

Commending the governor for having the right attitude to development, he called on leaders across the country in different areas to dedicate themselves to activities that will improve the lot of their people.

“The President Buhari administration is committed to making it easy for investors to do business in the country. We want to achieve this through the promotion of transparency and efficiency. We want every state to be involved in this drive and create the enabling environment for business to thrive in their domain,” Osinbajo said.

He said the revitalization of fertilizer blending plants across the country was the direct consequence of the presidential initiative to diversify the economy from crude oil, boost farming activities as well as develop the agriculture value chain.

He added that agricultural activities in the country could be enhanced significantly if there was improved access to inputs, hence the drive to make fertilizer which is a major farm input, easily available and accessible to farmers in Nigeria.

Osinbajo explained that the blending plant would also complement Governor Obaseki’s agricultural development initiative which is aimed at improving investment in agriculture via public, private partnership as well as creating jobs for youths across the three senatorial districts of the state.

In his remarks, Governor Obaseki said the commissioning of the fertilizer plant signified a milestone in his administration as the facility was never operated for a day after it was fraudulently launched by the opposition party about 14 years ago.

He said what the opposition could not do for nearly a decade, his government, with the support of Edo people, has done in only about nine months.

He said: “The aim of revitalizing this plant is to make the state self-sufficient in food production and enable farmers get fertilizer at affordable prices. We in Edo State are determined to make food available in the country.”

He added the facility would go a long way in providing fertilizer for neighbouring states such as Kogi, Delta, Ondo and Anambra among others as it was the only blending plant in the region.

Obaseki commended the leadership role played by the Federal Government in the execution of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative as well as the management of WACOT for partnering with the Edo State government in revamping the plant.

“This achievement is an open call to other investors to bring in new technology, create more jobs and expand our economic opportunities,” he said.

The governor called on the Otaru of Auchi, the community where the plant is located, to ensure the protection of the facility against vandalism as it creates a large range of opportunities for businesses in the community and the state.

Also speaking the Group Managing Director of WACOT, Mr. Rahul Savara, commended the Vice President for commissioning the plant and governor Godwin Obaseki for fostering the partnership between the state and his company.

He said the presidential Fertilizer initiative has made local production feasible and sustainable in the country, assuring that the Edo Fertilizer and Chemical Company would be made up of 95 per cent indigenous workers.

Speaking of the numerous benefits of having a fertilizer blending plant in the state, the Deputy Governor of Edo, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu said: “Many jobs will be created, it will boost business activities, farmers will no longer go through undue hardship before they get fertilizer to buy and productivity will increase. We are keying into the federal government policy to make fertilizer affordable and available in the country.”

In his remark, the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh, Ikelebe the III, said the commissioning of the plant demonstrates Governor Obaseki’s zeal to improve the economy as well as industrialize the state.

“The governor brought in people to revamp this plant and told us at the palace that within three months, it will become functional, we taught it was a joke, but thanks to Allah that we are here to witness the commissioning of the plant,” the traditional ruler said.

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu Calls for Unity, Highlights Tinubu and Governor Yusuf’s Achievements in Kano

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Hon. Hafiz Kawu, Honourable Commissioner at PENCOM, has urged APC supporters and faithfuls in Kano State to rally behind the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Speaking live during a radio program in Kano, Hon. Kawu OON, MNI delivered a compelling message of reconciliation and renewed commitment to the ruling party’s vision for development.

In his remarks, Hon. Kawu emphasized the importance of President Tinubu’s administration to Kano’s progress, pointing to several landmark projects that have reshaped the state’s infrastructure and economic outlook. He cited the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway reconstruction and the dualization of the Kano–Kongolom Road as evidence of federal commitment to easing transportation and boosting trade. He also highlighted the modernization of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and the approval of the Kano Light Rail project as transformative investments in transportation.

Hon. Kawu further pointed to the AKK Gas Pipeline as a strategic investment that will power industries, create jobs, and strengthen Kano’s role as a commercial hub. He noted that the appointments of Kano indigenes into key federal positions demonstrate the President’s recognition of Kano’s strategic importance in national politics.

Turning to state-level initiatives, Hon. Kawu praised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s urban renewal and rural connectivity projects, including the construction of the Dan Agundi Interchange, the Tal’udu Cloverleaf Overpass, and the revival of 5KM roads across 44 local governments. He described these projects as complementary to federal efforts, ensuring that both urban and rural communities benefit from development.

Addressing internal party divisions, Hon. Kawu noted: “This is the time to set aside differences and return to the fold. The projects we see today are only the beginning of greater things to come under APC leadership. Unity is the key to victory, and victory is the key to sustaining development.”

His live radio broadcast blended detailed references to federal achievements under President Tinubu with state-level initiatives under Governor Yusuf, leaving listeners with a clear message: Kano’s future is tied to APC’s success, and every supporter has a role to play in securing that future.

As the broadcast concluded, Hon. Kawu emphasized that cohesion across the APC structure remains the decisive factor in the political contest ahead. He stressed that only a united APC — working seamlessly from the grassroots to the national stage — can secure victories across all levels of governance and sustain the momentum of development. His words positioned unity not as a plea, but as a strategic imperative for the party’s continued dominance and for the progress of Kano and Nigeria at large.

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Nigeria Is Not a Muslim Country — Rev Dachomo Counters Sheikh Jingir

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The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has rejected comments by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, that Nigeria is a Muslim country.

Jingir had reportedly made the remarks during a programme in Kano State over the weekend while expressing support for the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement.

The cleric argued that Muslims constitute the majority in Nigeria and should therefore have the opportunity to lead the country. He also reportedly referred to Christians as infidels and suggested that Christians who were unhappy with the arrangement could leave the country.

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, Dachomo strongly opposed the comments, insisting that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation and “is not and can never be a Muslim country.”

The COCIN chairman cautioned Jingir and other religious leaders against making statements capable of deepening religious divisions or creating hostility between Christians and Muslims.

Dachomo argued that political leadership should not be determined by religious numerical strength but by competence, justice, good governance and the ability to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“Nigeria is a multi-religious country in which Muslims and Christians have historically participated in the political process and contributed to the development of the nation,” he said.

He urged religious leaders to exercise caution when commenting on political matters, particularly issues capable of affecting relations between religious communities.

According to him, linking political leadership to religious majority could create the impression that one faith has greater ownership of Nigeria than another.

“I urge religious leaders to be mindful of their public statements, particularly when discussing politics and issues capable of affecting relations between different religious communities,” Dachomo added.

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Muslim-Muslim ticket: No regret over my statement – Sheikh Jingir

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Islamic cleric and leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has stood his ground over his Muslim-Muslim ticket comments and description of Christians as “infidels.”

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jingir said he had no regrets over his recent declaration of support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite the criticism trailing the statement.

He said his position was not politically motivated or intended to campaign for President Bola Tinubu, but was based on what he described as his responsibility as a Muslim.

According to the Islamic cleric, he would continue to support and encourage Muslims to back a Muslim-Muslim ticket, regardless of the criticism his position might attract.

“I have no regrets. I will continue to support and encourage the Muslim-Muslim ticket. What they say will not stop me. They started it; at a point, we suffered in their hands,” he alleged.

DAILY POST recalls that Jingir, during a mass wedding organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples, declared his support for the Muslim-Muslim arrangement and urged Muslims to vote in a manner that would demonstrate their numerical strength in the country.

He further stated that, as a Muslim preacher, he had the right to advocate a political arrangement that was consistent with his religious convictions.

The cleric also challenged claims that Christians or other religious groups constituted a larger proportion of Nigeria’s population than Muslims.

His remarks have continued to generate reactions, with some commentators describing them as divisive, while others have defended his right to express his religious and political views.

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