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Tinubu approves management teams for river basin authorities By Nicolas Adekeye.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of the executive management of the 12 river basin development authorities under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
This move is expected to bolster the efficiency of the organisations and improve the lives of citizens.
The river basins established in 1976 are government agencies responsible for managing water resources for agriculture, industry and domestic use.
Their functions include constructing dams, dykes and polders, drilling boreholes, developing irrigation infrastructure, controlling erosion and flooding, improving navigation, generating hydro-electric power and encouraging industrial complexes.
Each of the 12 river basins operates independently within its own geo-morphological and political boundaries, sharing the basin resources of the eight hydrological areas in Nigeria. Despite their potentials, the river basins’ impact have been minimal due to economic and political changes in the country.
The newly appointed executives are expected to bring their wealth of experience to bear in their new roles. According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu expects the appointees to use their expertise to enhance the performance of the river basins and improve the lives of citizens.
The newly appointed executives include Odebunmi Olusegun as chairman of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, Dr. Adedeji Ashiru as managing director and Ayo Oyalowo as executive director finance, among others.
Other river basin development authorities that got new executive management teams include Upper Benue, Chad Basin, Benin-Owena, Niger Delta, Upper Niger, Lower Niger, Lower Benue, Anambra-Imo, Hadejia Jama’are and Cross River Basin Development Authorities.
The appointments cut across various states, including Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ekiti, Rivers, Bayelsa, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina.
As the new executives settle into their roles, they are expected to work towards achieving the Tinubu administration goal of bettering the lives of citizens through improved water resources management.
General News
POPULAR 16-YEAR-OLD WHO HALTED PETER OBI CAMPAIGN CONVOY UNJUSTLY DETAINED FOR 4 MONTHS OVER ARMED ROBBERY CHARGES
A 16-year-old teenager, Alabi Quadri, has been remanded at the Minimum Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos, for four months over alleged armed robbery charges. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong revealed this in a statement, claiming Quadri is a victim of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
According to Effiong, Quadri’s troubles began when he stood in front of Peter Obi’s presidential convoy during the 2023 electioneering campaign and received a gift. Some self-acclaimed area boys demanded a share of the gift, and when Quadri refused, they abducted him and dragged him to the Amukoko Police Station.
The police initially accused Quadri of being involved in street fights but later charged him with armed robbery alongside four other individuals. The alleged offense involved stealing N579,000 and four mobile phones. Effiong spent two hours interviewing Quadri and believes the teenager is innocent.
“The last point that we want to state on the record is that Alabi is a minor. He is less than 18 years,” Effiong stated. Quadri has appeared before the Magistrate three times, and the court has remanded him pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Effiong vowed to do everything possible to secure Quadri’s freedom, saying, “We shall provide additional information and the available legal options subsequently. Suffice it to say that we will do all that is legally permissible to secure Alabi’s freedom.”
A State High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an order preventing the Sole Administrator from resuming his duties in Rivers State pending the determination of the substantive suit. The suit, filed by Hon. Edison Ogaranya, former Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Similaye Fubara, challenges the presidential pronouncement of a state of emergency in Rivers State, arguing that it is unconstitutional.
Justice Danagogo, in his wisdom, granted the prayers of Ogaranya and urged all parties to maintain the status quo. This development is a significant setback for the Sole Administrator, who was appointed to take charge of the affairs of the state following the declaration of a state of emergency.
Ogaranya’s suit is seen as a test of the constitutionality of the presidential pronouncement, and the court’s decision is being closely watched by legal experts and political analysts. The case is expected to have far-reaching implications for the governance of Rivers State and the limits of presidential power.
Many feared dead and multiple vehicles have been torched in an inferno that occurred following the explosion of a tanker carrying Compressed Natural Gas alleged to belong to Dangote group.
The tragic incident that happened on the Kugbo-Karu bridge axis off of Abuja-Nassarawa express way, has left the area in a massive gridlock as vehicular movement have been largely affected.
According to updates as the incident unfolds, as at the time of publishing this, for over 2 hours, there is yet to be any official first responder, law enforcement, emergency services etc.
Videos show casualties including vehicles and wounded humans.
See video below.
This story is developing and CTN is following it up. Updates as event unfolds.