All Posts in "DFC Management"

SAN conferment: Hon. Nnaemeka Obi congratulates Barrister Uwanna 

 

A former Special Adviser to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Hon. Nnaemeka Godsprince Obi, has hailed the Attorney General of Abia State and former Chairman of the NBA Lagos branch, Ikechukwu Uwanna, on his elevation to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

He said the conferment was not a surprise as the vibrant AG has remained sharp-witted and committed to his duties as the chief law officer in Abia State.

He prayed for more Grace and strength for the legal practitioner to continue to do what he knows best for the overall interest of Abia and its people.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), approved the elevation of 57 legal practitioners to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

At its 169th plenary session held today in Abuja, the LPPC, under the distinguished Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, approved the elevation of 56 advocate appointees and a single appointee under the academic category.

Only two female legal practitioners were conferred with the rank this year; they are the Chairman of the NBA 2024 Annual General Conference Planning Committee, Mrs Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya, and Mrs Chinyere Ekene Moneme.

Besides Uwanna, other names include the immediate past Attorney General of Nassarawa State and now Secretary to the State Government, Labaran Magaji, the Attorney General of Osun State, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, as well as the Attorney General of Enugu State, Kingsley Udeh.

The youngest appointee on the list is 34-year-old Olufemi Oyewole, who is a partner at a leading law firm and the son of a justice of the Court of Appeal.

DFC Management by — September 29, 2025 in Politics 0
Otti hosts scholarship banquet, awards ₦250,000 each to 50 undergraduates

 

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has hosted a scholarship banquet in honour of 50 beneficiaries of the 2025/2026 Alex Otti Undergraduate Scholarship Programme, presenting each with a cheque of ₦250,000 to support their academic pursuits.

A statement signed by Ctz. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said the annual scheme, which has run for nearly a decade under the Alex Otti Foundation, is designed to support brilliant but financially challenged undergraduates across Nigeria, regardless of state of origin or political affiliation.

Speaking at the event in Umuahia, Governor Otti reaffirmed that the programme is anchored on excellence and transparency, stressing that selection is strictly merit-based through online applications, tests, and oral interviews.

“This is not a political programme. It doesn’t matter whether you know anyone or not; once you merit it, you get it. I urge you to continue to excel, make your families proud, and uphold the values of the Foundation,” he said.

The Governor presented a dummy cheque to the Foundation’s management for onward disbursement of ₦250,000 to each beneficiary, adding that the support would continue annually until their graduation.

In his keynote address, the Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Dr. Christopher Okoro, urged the scholars to view education not only as a tool for knowledge but also as the foundation of responsive and effective leadership. He commended Governor Otti for investing in human capital development through sustained scholarships.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Chidiebere Nnanna, described the programme as a springboard for students to build meaningful careers and impact society positively.

Beneficiaries, including Mr. Godwin Ndubuisi and Miss Chinyere Chijioke, expressed gratitude, noting that the gesture eased the heavy financial burden on their parents.

The banquet was attended by senior government officials, parents, and guardians of the scholars.

 

DFC Management by — September 29, 2025 in General News 0
Customs, Manufacturers strike agreement on 4% FOB exemptions, trade facilitation

 

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have reached a strategic agreement to exempt manufacturers from the controversial 4% Free-on-Board (FOB) charge and deepen trade facilitation efforts.
The agreement was announced following a high-level consultation between Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and MAN President, Francis Meshioye FR, held in Abuja. The meeting was convened in response to the Ministry of Finance’s directive to suspend the 4% FOB charge and to engage stakeholders under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
The dialogue addressed key concerns raised by manufacturers, including multiple checkpoints, system alerts, and technical glitches on the B’Odogwu platform. MAN also provided insights into operational challenges affecting competitiveness in the sector.
Key Outcomes:
Exemption from 4% FOB charges for manufacturers importing raw materials, machinery, and spares under Chapters 98 and 99 of the Customs Tariff.
Onboarding of additional manufacturers not currently listed under those chapters to benefit from the exemption.
Tripartite consultations between NCS, MAN, and the Ministry of Finance to expedite onboarding and streamline processes.
Credit system for manufacturers who have already paid the 4% FOB charge, allowing future use after onboarding.
Additional exemptions for humanitarian goods, healthcare-related imports, government projects, and commercial airline spare parts.
The NCS also briefed MAN on ongoing trade facilitation initiatives, including the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, Advance Ruling, and Time Release Studies. MAN commended the AEO scheme and called for clear admission guidelines to encourage broader participation.
Both organizations agreed to establish formal consultation mechanisms for regular dialogue on customs policy, proactive feedback systems, and periodic reviews to assess progress and identify new collaboration opportunities.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to Nigeria’s economic transformation through industrial growth, job creation, and export promotion,” said CGC Adeniyi.
“Constructive dialogue like this is essential to building a predictable customs environment that supports manufacturing excellence,” added MAN President Meshioye.
The engagement marks a significant step toward aligning customs operations with industrial development goals, ensuring that regulatory frameworks support national revenue targets while enabling sustainable growth in the manufacturing sector.

Picture: Customs boss, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi

DFC Management by — September 28, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0
Isuikwuato agog as Hon. Nnaemeka Obi empowers Okada riders 

 

It was a celebration of sorts on Friday, September 26, 2025, as one of Isuikwuato’s emerging stars, Hon. Nnaemeka GodsPrince Obi, excited motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada riders, operating in the whole local government area by ensuring they all got free fuel.

The free distribution was done at Sane Consult International Limited, a Petrol Station located in Ovim.

The Okada riders were not just elated by the free petrol but by the news that the gift would be given out every month.

The information which spread like wild fire went round the whole local government as the motorcycle riders turned out in their numbers, hailing OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, the organization that handled the petrol empowerment.

Eyewitness account said all the Okada riders had the OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION stickers on their bikes as a sign of solidarity.

Chairman of Okada riders in Isuikwuato, who mentioned his name as Chibuzo, expressed his appreciation for this gesture and maintained that the Patron, Hon Nnaemeka Obi, is a worthy son.

“We are very happy for this gift and we will support him in any way we can, and anywhere he wants to go.”

However, a Foundation member told him that the gesture is selfless and not because he is contesting any elective post.

The Okada operators maintained a show of solidarity, saying they will come out in mass to back him up if he decides to seek any elective post now or in the near future.

OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, whose motto is”The Light has Come”, is a philanthropic organization designed to lift the less privileged as well as pursue the well-being of Isuikwuato citizens.

Hon. Nnaemeka Obi, the prime mover of the Foundation said that he is a proud son of Umuokogbuo Eluama in Isuikwuato local government.

He said he created the foundation to give back to society. While the activities kick-started with Okada riders, “it will extend to other persons”, he noted.

Picture: Okada riders filing to take their turns.

 

 

 

DFC Management by — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0
Gov. Otti to US Envoy: Abia Wants Partnerships, Not Handouts

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared that his administration is more interested in forging partnerships with the United States than receiving aid or handouts, stressing that the state has much to offer in mutually beneficial cooperation.

A press statement signed by Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said Otti made the remark while receiving the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Umuahia.

The US envoy commended Otti’s leadership style, noting that his reforms in infrastructure, security, and governance had positioned Abia as a model for good governance in the Southeast.

“Your leadership in Abia has brought real, positive change. Your focus on infrastructure and addressing security challenges has transformed the state,” Ambassador Mills said. “The United States values its partnership with Abia and the Southeast. There are tremendous opportunities here for business and investment, especially with your government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and youth empowerment.”

In response, Governor Otti welcomed the endorsement, emphasizing that Abia was not looking for charity but genuine collaboration that would deliver value to both sides.

“In terms of partnership, we don’t believe in grants and aid. We seek real partnerships, knowing there is a lot of value we can create together,” Otti said. “This is the SME capital of Nigeria, and there are many areas—healthcare, education, waste management, technology, and enterprise development—where Abia can work closely with the US to achieve shared goals.”

The Governor described the Ambassador’s two-day visit as a vote of confidence in his administration and outlined ongoing reforms across key sectors to strengthen economic growth and improve the quality of life for Abians.

He was joined in the closed-door meeting with Ambassador Mills by senior members of his cabinet, including the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, Chief of Staff Pastor Caleb Ajagba, and commissioners in key sectors.

Picture: Governor Otti and Ambassador Mills.

DFC Management by — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0
NPA Boss unveils reform agenda for competitive, investor-friendly Ports

 

Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the authority is working to build a globally competitive port system that will enhance trade facilitation, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic future.

Dantsoho disclosed this while delivering a paper titled “Optimising Digitalisation and Trade Facilitation for Regional Growth” at a side event of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

He said the NPA was implementing reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a hub for maritime commerce in West and Central Africa, leveraging technology and international best practices.

According to him, ongoing efforts include the deployment of port community systems, expansion of hinterland connectivity through rail and inland dry ports, and the entrenchment of a service culture that prioritises efficiency and competitiveness.

Dantsoho stressed that a robust and digitally driven port ecosystem was critical to unlocking the country’s economic diversification agenda and sustaining regional integration.

He added that the NPA remained committed to strengthening partnerships with global stakeholders to ensure Nigerian ports operate at par with leading maritime gateways around the world.

Picture: NPA MD, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho

DFC Management by — September 26, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0
DESPERATION Taken Too Far: OBINNA ORIAKU Inciting Ethnic Conflict

By Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA

The busy-body, attention-seeking, and desperate former Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, a PDAPC chieftain and the Commissioner designate representing Abia State in the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Obinna Oriaku has taken his petty and hate-ridden cynicism, falsehood, lies, and misinformation in the guise of opposition politics, beyond the boundaries of sanity and acceptable discourse.

In an incitement-laden false alarm on his social media account yesterday, Mr. Obinna Oriaku demonstrated his reckless readiness to endanger and sacrifice his State, the Igbo Nation, the lives, properties, and businesses of our people across the Country, including the peace of the Country, on the altar of desperate and petty opposition politics.

Mr. Oriaku’s inciting and dangerous dimension is more worrisome because he can pass off as an educated elite who understands the prevailing ethnic volatility and mutual suspicion in Nigeria but chooses to ignite a flame that can set the Country ablaze and consume the lives and sources of livelihood of our people in the name of opposition politics and being critical of his nightmare, Governor Alex Otti.

Oriaku’s false alarm, concoction, lie, misinformation, and incitement about banning Fulanis from entering Abia State are not only irresponsible but also dangerous and wicked.

Why would a mammal that eats food and drinks water accuse a detribalised Nigerian like Governor Alex Otti of banning Fulanis from a State where he has not only abolished the indigene policy but also declared that anybody who lives in Abia is an Abian and has demonstrated it, both in words and actions by appointing non-Igbos into positions of authority in the State and hired workers into the State’s workforce on merit irrespective of State of origin, ethnicity or religion? Under Governor Otti in Abia State, where you are from is no longer a part of interview questions.

Obinna Oriaku’s resort to ethnic incitement, clannishness, lies, and blackmail in the name and guise of opposition has further exposed his desperate thirst for political power even at the risk of sacrificing the blood of his own people.

Under Governor Otti, Abia State is open for business to all Nigerians, Africans, and the globe, irrespective of race, tribe, ethnicity, and religion. Gov. Otti as a private sector person has lived and worked in different parts of the Country, and appreciates the fact that every Nigerian is free to peacefully live and work in any part of the Country without restriction or molestation, and can never conceive the idea of banning or restricting any Nigerian in any part of Abia State.

This madness by Obinna Oriaku, which is capable of endangering the lives and properties of Abians and Igbos living in the Northern part of the Country, must be condemned by all men of good faith and lovers of peace. Nigeria must not be turned into a theatre of war, ignited with propaganda and lies, just to satisfy the desperate power thirst of one man.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA  is Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.

DFC Management by — September 26, 2025 in General News 0