Day: April 25, 2023

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday unveil 81 national and regimental colours for the newly established and operationalised units and retired unit colours of the Nigerian Army.

The Army’s Director of Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this while briefing newsmen on the Trooping and Presentation of Colours Parade on Tuesday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the last trooping and presentation of Colours Parade for the army units was conducted in 2007.

He added that new units had been established and operationalised since then in line with the increasing operational commitments of the army as well as provisions of its extant Order of Battle (ORBAT).

He said colours were usually retired after 10 years of service.

According to him, most of the colours in the Nigerian Army have been used in multiple operations in various geopolitical zones of the country as well as foreign countries, hence deserving retirement and the presentation of new ones.

“It is against this backdrop and in line with the traditions, customs and ethics of the Nigerian Army, trooping and presentation of colours parade 2023 will be conducted to retire torn or worn out colours.

“A total of 81 units will, therefore, be participating in the parade; 53 colours will be due for retirement, while 28 will be presented to new units.

“The event is a unique ceremony not only to the units eligible for colours presentation, as many are looking up to this ceremony to witness the height of military discipline and regimentation.

“No doubt the parade will win more admirers for the Nigerian Army as it will provide another opportunity to showcase its reputation for excellent and colourful parades,” he said.

According to him, the special guest of honour and reviewing officer is the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The event will also have in attendance members of the National and Executive Council, members of the Diplomatic Corps and Governors of the States benefitting Units.

“Others are Service Chiefs, past Chief of Army Staff, senior military officers both serving and retired, captains of industries as well as other important dignitaries,” he said.

Nwachukwu explained that the national and regimental colours carried by army units during parades and ceremonial activities were important source of identity and pride not only for the units involved but for the army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He added that the sight of the colours created a feeling of pride in soldiers and ex-soldiers.

He said from ancient history, colours had served as inspiration for heroic acts of self-sacrifice and became the symbol of the fighting spirit of regiments.

He explained that colours also symbolised the campaigns, battle honours and badges granted to the regiment in commemoration of the gallant deeds performed by its members from the time it was raised.

“The association of the colours with heroic deeds of the units emblazoned on them has led to the custom of regarding the colours with veneration,” he added.

Nwachukwu advised motorists to make use of alternative routes and all proximate routes to the Eagle Square from 5.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. on Thursday.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says it has so far spent over 1.1 billion dollars on the ongoing construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline and Station project from its cash-flow.

The NNPC Limited GCEO, Malam Mele Kyari said this on Monday while touring some of its project sites in Kogi, with newsmen and other stakeholders.

Kyari was accompanied by some top officials of the NNPC Limited and Oilserv Limited, (Pipelines and Facilities), the contractor of the project.

Kyari said the company would continue to fund the massive project which it was delivering in phases and has been active even though it did not have third party finance for the project.

“So far, NNPC Ltd has funded over 1.1billion dollars on the project and to date none of the project activities is abandoned as reported and we reassure all stakeholders that we have a line of sight to project delivery on schedule.

“NNPC Limited remains highly committed towards the delivery of strategic National infrastructure projects through responsive project delivery, active collaboration with government security agencies and communities as well as deployment of technology for delivering the project.

“This is is one of the most massive projects of proportion value to our country for economic growth. It is a must-deliver project and we have continued to fund in spite of not having third party finance support, we will deliver this project.

“We do not owe a dollar to our contractors, there are over 30 sites that are active today in this project, we are very hopeful and optimistic to deliver this project,” he assured.

The GCEO decried the fact that due to insecurity, it had lost some site workers thereby expressed sadness over thier demise and consoled their families whom he said the company shared in their grief.

He said 70 per cent of the welding work had been completed adding that once welding was completed, it could actually flow gas through the pipeline.

He said on completion the pipeline would deliver two billon cubic feet of gas, powering industries, powering power plants and creating gas based industries.

He said the entire welding work would be completed by the third quarter of 2023 then it would actually energise the pipeline.

Kyari further said that the gas pipeline was projected to support power plants with a total of 3,645 Mega Watts, adding that it would soon begin constrution of Abuja- Kaduna power plants in ernest.

Earlier, Mr Steve Nnorom, Project Manager, Oilserv Ltd explained that there were three schematic of the pipeline and station installations which included Brovo, Chalie and Alpha spread segment, that showed progress of the project.

He said they were currently doing full auto welding, completed 73 per cent of its mainland welding works and had done 222 kilo metres remaining 27 kilo metres of welding work to complete.

“We are crossing rivers, railway, existing pipelines. We have other sites where various work activities are ongoing, our target is that concurrently all works will be going on at different spread,” he said

Nnorom, while noting that the project has been active and fully financed said that it has purely 100 per cent Nigerian workers.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Chief Abubakarr AmaduToloba, the Chief of Dogon, a suburb of Madina in Accra, has advised Muslim youth to hold on to moral uprightness and live above reproach after the Eid-ul-Ftr celebration.

‘The end of Ramadan does not mean bringing an end to the humane and upright nature of your character,’ he said, and urged all Muslims, especially the youth,to continue to abide by the virtues of Ramadan.

Chief Toloba, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, implored parents to play their expected rolesin the upbringing of their children and ensure they avoid unruly behaviour and other social vices.

‘As parents you need to devote your time to monitor the routine activities of your children and help them make decisions that will shape their future for the good of society,’ he said.

He said the Madina Municipality was noted for peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians and entreated the youth not to do anything that would tarnish its image.

‘All inhabitants of the area have a noble duty to live responsibly to keep the peace we are all enjoying.’

He said his doors were opened to all for constructive ideas to promote the development of the area and paid glowing tribute to Chief Amadu Baba Seidu, the Chief of Madina, for his exemplary leadership, whichhad ensured peace.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Richard Kwadwo Adu, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Wenchi Municipality says physical infrastructural development under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government is exceptional, but ‘that alone cannot guarantee or secure us election victory in 2024’.

He, therefore, called on the government to do more to ‘put money into the pockets of Ghanaians’, and facilitate the completion of stalled, and abandoned projects, saying that would position the NPP well to be able to canvas for votes and persuade the masses on the need to retain the party in the Election 2024.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Wenchi in the Bono Region, Mr Adu, a former Wenchi Youth Organiser of the NPP said the government must do more and create jobs for the youth as well as ‘make value for the Ghana cedi’ saying ‘our cedi is valueless in the daily market’.

He said ‘until the Ghanaian electorate see money in their pockets, they would never recognize and appreciate whatever development initiative the government takes. If the system continues like this, and remains unchanged, then we must prepare for election defeat’.

Mr Adu, also the founder of the ‘G Boys’, an emerging political group in the NPP in the Wenchi constituency indicated the group had a membership of about 300, and ready to conduct a vigorous electioneering campaign, saying ‘government must give us a convincing campaign message by completing stalled projects in the constituency.

He said funds ought to be made available for the completion of the government laudable initiatives such as the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) and the agenda 111 Hospital projects which he added ‘are all glaring for everybody to see’.

‘The 1D1F has the potential to create more jobs and put money into the pockets of the people. The government must complete projects under these initiatives to give a convincing campaign message for the NPP to lure the voting masses for election victory’, Mr Adu stated.

On the NPP Presidential primaries, Mr Adu said ‘if the socio-economic plights of the people are alleviated, the NPP will win the Election 2024 with any of the aspirants who are contesting the primaries to lead the party’.

He said all the aspirants contesting the party’s presidential race had charisma, proven track records, and marketability, saying ‘what we have to do as a party is to make the NPP more attractive and popular in the eyes of the masses’.

Mr Adu, also a former Assemblyman for the Ntoase Electoral Area in the Wenchi Municipality reminded the party that ‘breaking the eight’ was an arduous task that required unity of purpose, and asked parliamentary and presidential aspirants and their followers to remain decorous and avoid pettiness and attitudes that could disintegrate the party and narrow its political fortunes in the Election 2024.

‘Instead, we must all see ourselves as one party, under a great elephant ready to break and push the umbrella into the political grave in the next General Election,’ Mr Adu stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency