Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Christian Reformed Church, Nigeria CRC-N has said that the Federal Government is not doing enough to combat the prevailing insecurity situation in the country, as perpetrators continue unabated to jeopardize the peace of the nation.
The church disclosed this in a Six points communique issued at the end of the its 121st Synod held in Takum, Taraba State and signed by the President of the church, Rev Dr. Caleb Ahima and the General Secretary, Rev. Sagarga Nuvalga.
The church observed with dismay the prevailing spade of unrest in most sections of the country occasioned by the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and secession threats.
It noted that the trends has enormous negative effect on the corporate existence of the country and it growth.
The communique enjoined the church to rise up to its role as the Earth’s salt and light and to look at itself as partner in the business of restoration of peace and hope to the nation.
The Church’s council also reminded believers of their position as Christ’s ambassadors and the need to live exemplary godly lifestyle in character and conversation, devoid of unrighteousness.
It emphasized that when believers conduct themselves in godliness, there won’t be room for most of the societal challenges confronting humanity.
During the synod the appointment of Rev Nuhu Akoga as the Provost Veenstra Theological Seminary Donga, Donga LGA of Taraba State was ratified, following the retirement of the erstwhile Provost, Rev Dr. Nuhu Elisha Sn.
Also the appointment of Rev. Japhet Ayuba was ratified as the new Assistant General Secretary of the Church, following the expiration of the tenure of the former AGS, Reverend Timothy Elkanah.
FG COMMISSION MORINGA/OIL PROCESSING FACTORY IN TARABA STATE.
Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Federal Government has targeted to add about two hundred and eleven enterprises across two hundred and eleven local government areas of the federation under the One Local Government, One Product Scheme, this year.
The Director General of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN), Dikko Umaru Radda disclosed this in Jalingo, at the Commissioning Ceremony of Women Economic Emancipation Initiative Morninga/Oil Modern Processing Facility held in the State Capital.
He said so far, the program has empowered 346 enterprises across the country with average membership of 10 which give both direct and indirect job employment to near 10,000 persons.
He explained that the Agency under the 2017 appropriation empowered 3 business enterprises in Taraba State that include Wen Economic Emancipation Initiative (Moringa Processing), Riyekwe Multipurpose Cooperative Society (Rice Processing) and Eleje Fadama Users Multipurpose Cooperative Society also (Rice Processing).
According to Dikko Umaru Radda, the facility commissioned is another proof of their concerted efforts toward empowering Nigerians to improve the performance of their enterprises for the sole objective of job creation, wealth creation and poverty alleviation.
The DG also informed that President Muhammadu Buhari is leaving no stone unturned for agric-business development especially as it concerns Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector.
He maintained that the scheme adopted by SMEDAN for promoting the development of at least one identified product per LGA in Nigeria, aimed at to add value and advance such identified raw material (s) to a brand, certified product with expanded market including export potentials.
Earlier in an address, Taraba State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Yusuf Njeke described the scheme as impactful, saying that it worked in many countries of the world, particularly the Asian Tigers like Singapore and Japan who have gone further to one village one product and one factory one product respectively.
Njeke also stated that: “Taraba State Government has wholeheartedly subscribed to this idea which informs our resolve to strengthen the state Agency on Small Scale and Medium Enterprises.
“It may interest you to know that this scheme is in tandem with the state government’s Socio-economic transformation Agenda tagged; the “Rescue Mission” which is grassroot based aimed at total re-orientation of the people by broadening their horizons through enlightenment, education and skills development to enable them think ‘out of the box’ and take their destinies in their hands with active support of the Taraba state government.” Njeke said.
On her part, the CEO, Women Economic Emancipation Initiative (WEEI), Dr. Mary Faninga they started by selling in small containers but now they have been upgraded which she appreciated SMEDAN for the gesture as well as other organizations who supported them.
Our Correspondent reports that the OLOP assistance for the Moringa enterprise in Taraba comprise funding for the provision of Moringa processing equipment, workspace upgrade, working capital, capacity building and business development services (BDS).
Court Grants Bail to 3 Accused Pastors In Taraba.
Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The three accused Pastors and one member of the United Methodist Church In Nigeria (UMCN) that were last week remanded in the National Correctional Center by a Magistrate Court in Jalingo for allegedly spying on the property of the Nigerian Police Force, Taraba State Police Command have been given conditions to be granted bail.
The accused clargymen and one member were on the 22nd June, 2021 remanded at the National Correctional Center for breaching the “National Official Secret Act” of photographing the Nigerian Police headquarters and some sensitive locations in the state Command and attaching same photographs to foreign partners of the Church.
In the second hearing of the case, Magistrate Bartholome Vakkai Kaigama, who granted bail to the accused persons at the Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed National Industrial/Magistrate Court Jalingo, said the accused persons will be granted bail if they meet the condition of the bail.
” The accused persons will be granted bail with the following conditions, the accused persons will: 1. Deposit their International Passports to the Court, pending the determination of case by the court.
The accused persons will not travel out of the state for more than three weeks without notifying the court.
That each of the accused persons must provide two guarantors who must be landlords within Jalingo metropolis and would pay the sum of #2,000,000 in an event that any of the accused is goes missing”. He stated.
Magistrate Kaigama, however adjourned the case to 19th of July, 2021 for the next hearing of the case, noting that the ensense of adjourning the case is to allow the police carryout their investigations.
On his part, one of the accused persons, Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel who spoke to newsmen, said he was greatfull to God that he has been granted bail.
” I am a Pastor of the United Methodist Church in full connection, I have served the Church for 18 years without a single query in my record, I was invited to the court, as a law abiding citizen, I have to avail myself here. We are law abiding citizens, we will never indulge in any act that will breach public peace and security. So, we are been accused of something we know nothing about”.
He called on all the members of the United Methodist Church to be calm as the case is a mere allegation and God will always vindicate his people.
Also, reacting on the decision of court, the United Methodist Church leader in Nigeria, Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna said he was shocked that the case involving his clergymen and the Nigerian Police Taraba State Command had escalated to this level despite the church intervention on the issue.
” Initially, when I heard that a letter of complaints was written to the Commissioner of Police Taraba State Command about our Church and that some of my Pastors and members were invited to the station for interrogation, I quickly wrote to the Police Command pleading with them to withdraw the case from the police station, because it was a church matter and we would like to handle the case within the church, but I was so shocked to my bones when I heard that my pastors and member were charged to court and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Center for allegedly spying on the property of the Nigerian Police headquarters Taraba State Command” He said.
Bishop Yohanna, however called on members of the United Methodist Church to be calm and be law abiding citizens as the Church will do everything within it reach to help the Pastors and the member in this trying times.
Nasarawa Reporters 