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Taraba: Residents of Mallam Joda call for urgent road rehabilitation

Published

2 months ago

April 13, 2025

Residents of the Mallam Joda area in Jalingo metropolis of Taraba State on Sunday appealed to Governor Agbu Kefas, calling for the immediate rehabilitation of the community’s main access road.

They described the road as “severely deteriorated” and a growing threat to lives and livelihoods.

In a letter signed by concerned residents and addressed to the Government House in Jalingo, the community highlighted the alarming state of the road, citing deep potholes, extensive erosion, and near-total collapse in certain sections.

In the letter signed by Al-Emran Alhassan on behalf of the Mallam Joda community, the residents said the road has reached a critical point where inaction could lead to further economic and social consequences.

“The hazardous state of the road has increased the risk of vehicular accidents, often resulting in injuries, property damage, and delays,” the letter stated.

Residents also lamented how the condition of the road has affected local commerce, hindered access to essential services such as healthcare and education, and exacerbated flooding and erosion due to poor drainage.

Farmers in the area are reportedly facing significant post-harvest losses due to difficulty in transporting their goods to markets, while local businesses are grappling with higher transportation costs. The road’s condition has also delayed emergency response services, including ambulances.

Despite several appeals to the local government, the community says no substantial intervention has been made so far. They are now turning to the state government, urging the governor to take swift and decisive action.

The residents requested that the state government dispatch engineers to assess the road and develop a comprehensive plan for its rehabilitation. They also asked for adequate funding and close supervision of the project to ensure transparency and quality.

“We trust in your leadership and your commitment to the welfare of all Taraba State citizens,” the residents wrote. “We are hopeful that you will act swiftly to alleviate the suffering of the Mallam Joda community.”

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ILO calls for increased efforts to end child labour in cocoa farms, mining

Published

55 minutes ago

June 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called for increased efforts to end child labour, especially in sectors such as cocoa farming and artisanal mining in the country.

Dr Vanessa Phala-Moyo, Country Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone made the call during the commemoration of the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour in Minna, Niger State.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Progress is Clear, But there’s More to Do: Let’s Speed Up Efforts!, End Child Labour’, she noted the need for collective action to protect children’s rights and prevent exploitation.

“There is need for strict measures against child labour and priorities high-risk sectors like cocoa farms and artisanal mining that requires stakeholders collaboration to combat it in the country,” the country director stated.

Phala-Moy, who spoke through Mrs Celine Oni, National Coordinator of Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) Project, stressed that child labour is a breach of the fundamental human rights of children, boys, girls, adolescents and youths.

“We must work to accelerate efforts to institute zero tolerance for child labour in our cocoa farms, in artisanal mining and in our society,” she said.

According to her, a new research by ILO and UNICEF revealed that child labour had decreased from 160 million to 138 million in four years.

“Child labour prevalence has dropped from 9.6 per cent to 7.8 per cent. In Latin America, we saw a drop by 11 per cent while Sub-Saharan Africa saw a 10 per cent drop,” she maintained.

Hajiya Hauwa Zakariya, Niger State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as well as Hajiya Hadiza Sheru, Permanent Secretary, Niger Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, commended partner’s efforts in the fight against child labour while calling for more from stakeholders in Niger State and the country at large in tackling the menace.

News

Air India plane crash: Tinubu condoles Prime Minister Modi, mourns victims

Published

2 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

President Bola Tinubu has expressed shock over the plane crash involving Air India, which claimed many lives.

Tinubu expressed heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government and people of the Republic of India following the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 near Ahmedabad.

Recall that the plane had on board two pilots, 10 cabin crew, 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

Tinubu in the condolence message conveyed through his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident.

He also offered prayers for the families of the victims, the injured, and the entire Indian nation during what he described as moment of grief.

He also commiserated with the leaders of Great Britain, Portugal, and Canada over losing their nationals on the ill-fated flight.

“The tragedy of Air India reminds us, once again, of the fragility of life and the common bond of humanity that holds us together.

“At this moment of sorrow and pain, Nigeria stands in solidarity with our friend, brother and partner, Narendra Modi, and the people of India. Nigeria also deeply sympathises with the families and friends of other victims on board the aircraft,” President Tinubu stated.

He lauded the swift response of the emergency agencies in India and expressed his confidence in their capacity and compassion to make a difference in the complicated situation.

Tinubu closed the condolence with prayers that the Almighty God receive the souls of the departed and comfort their families.

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: ‘It’s shameful to commission only 30km’ – Rhodes-Vivour slams Tinubu

Published

5 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The 2023 Lagos State Governorship Candidate under the platform of the Labour Party, LP, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over what he described as the hasty commissioning of the coastal road that is barely 5 per cent done.

Ekwutosblog reports that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is a 700-kilometre project that is expected to take off from Lagos Island to Calabar in Cross River State.

In a statement on his X handle on Thursday, Rhodes-Vivour, said it was not possible to commission a project that is less than 5 per cent and still gloat over it as having done anything spectacular.

“Not only is it shameful to roll out the drums to commission less than 5% of a project, they still had to lie and spew propaganda on the so-called 30km.

“This is the same way the minister of finance went abroad to reel out fake data only to be checkmated by data from the CBN days after. So embarrassing.

“While insecurity is on the rise, they are shamelessly promoting the ‘genius’ of the NSA.

“The harsh truth is that a party fixated on politics and propaganda cannot govern effectively. That is why Nigerians are much poorer today than they were less than a decade ago,” he said.