By Ikenna Uwadileke

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, has said that he never betrayed the South-East in pursuing his political ambitions.

Kalu, in a statement he issued on Thursday in Abuja, reiterated his determination to continue to advance the Igbo cause.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark had accused Kalu of betraying the Igbo cause by dropping his presidential ambition and supporting Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.

Clark said that although Kalu was one of the oldest vocal frontline politicians in the South-East, he doubted his sincerity and transparency.

The elder statesman added that it was surprising that Kalu did not only drop his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election, but also declared his support for the presidential ambition of Lawan who hails from North-East.

Kalu, however, dismissed the accusation and said that rather he is doing his best to reintegrate the South-East into mainstream politics.

I have great respect for Chief Edwin Clark; he is an elder statesman and a patriotic Nigerian. I want to sincerely commend him for openly supporting the South-East geo-political zone to produce the next president of Nigeria.

It is imperative I remind him that I didnt betray my people, rather I am doing my best to reintegrate them into mainstream politics.

In the last two years, I have been at the forefront agitating for a Nigerian president of South-East extraction, when most of them were all saying Southern Presidency, Kalu said.

He argued that none of the actors openly said the South-East geo-political zone should have it.

I was shocked that even the zone the entire South-East supported in unity including myself in 2011 and 2015 respectively, has the highest number of contestants without thinking of their brothers.

This is knowing fully well that the South-East zone has remained the only zone in Southern Nigeria that has not produced the nations president since the rotation convention dispensation that began in 1999.

Coming this late hour to support the South-East is rather suspicious to me if they couldnt do it two years ago.

The truth is, Chief Edwin Clark knows the South-East cannot get the ticket of any party in an open contest as it is today without a gentleman agreement to concede it to the South-East.

If all the aspirants from the South-West and South-South cannot support their brothers from the South-East, it is only politically correct to support the North-East geo-political zone, which to me is the shortest route for the South-East geo-political zone to produce the president after their eight years instead of waiting for another 16 years.

It is rather surprising to me that Chief Edwin Clark didnt call the majority of other Southerners including governors working against the South-East to order or the names he called me.

What did you say or do when all the aspirants from South-South and South-West were buying forms to run against South Easterners who have always supported them.

I know some people want us to keep quiet and then allow other Southerners take turn of South-East. If you meant well for the South-East, you could have discouraged other aspirants against running for president.

Nothing stops the South supporting only presidential aspirants from the South-East.

The betrayers are those who dont care about South-East. We are wiser, Kalu said.

The former governor of Abia further told Clark that majority of the Southerners in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party were secretly supporting a North Easterner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

The welfare of my people is a passion that is driving me, I am not doing anything to advance my personal interest or seek personal glorification.

I also lost my businesses fighting for the political interest of the Igbos. I cannot betray them now if I didnt do it yesterday, Kalu said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Obike Ukoh

Source: NAN News

By Sylvester Thompson

Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the Director-General, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari had signed the NABDA Establishment Bill 2022 into law in April.

Mustapha said in Abuja during a Modern Biotechnology and Biosafety Regulation Sensitisation Workshop for NABDA Board Members that the bill which would officially be gazetted had expanded the agencys scope of activities.

In April 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the NABDA Establishment Bill 2022 into Law and this has since been officially gazetted (No.69 Vol. 109). The Act has expanded NABDAs scope of activities.

We are now fully recognised as a research institute with the mandate to create awareness, coordinate, facilitate, deploy, domesticate and carry out research in all areas of biotechnology for the development of the nation.

Nigerian scientists in the field of biosciences are delighted that their nation was among the comity of nations on course in appreciation and application of modern biotechnology research.

I am so optimistic that these activities have the potentials of improving the quality of life and create job opportunities for the people, Mustapha said.

The DG assured that the immense benefits derivable from this technology are globally acknowledged, adding that they varied as the vast scope of the technology itself dating back to the first to the third versions.

Consequently, Nigeria as a developing nation was quick to embrace biotechnology by producing a well-developed, robust and all-inclusive biotechnology policy.

NABDA has been able to create the necessary awareness amongst the political class, farmers and the public on the importance of biotechnology to our national development, he said.

Mustapha further stated the agencys efforts and gains farmers were making from the commercial planting of two biotech crop varieties, BT cotton and BT cowpea, saying Bt cotton has the potential yield of 4.1 to 4.4 tonnes per hectare as against 650 to 960kg of the local variety.

Similarly, he also compared Bt cowpeas potential yield of 2.9 to 3 tonnes per hectare as against the local variety with 350kg per hectare.

We note with appreciation, the commitment of President Buhari Administration to the revitalisation of the agricultural sector as a strategic cardinal policy in diversification of the Nigeria economy, Mustapha said.

He said the workshop was organised by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB)in Africa, Nigeria chapter.

In her presentation on Agricultural Biotechnology Advocacy in Nigeria, OFAB Nigeria Experience, Dr Rose Gidado, Country Coordinator of OFAB, gave a breakdown of agricultural biotechnology and why it matters.

She said there was urgent need to hasten up because of the total number of undernourished people in the world; more than 282 million people were from Africa.

More alarming is the fact that the figure keeps increasing; 118 million people were facing hunger in 2020 than in 2019.

Recently, the war between Ukraine and Russia has further thrown several millions across the globe into severe hunger and malnutrition, more specifically, regions across Africa that depends on the conflicting countries for food supply, Gidado said.

Others who made presentations were: Prof. Paul Oyenekwe, keynote speaker and Director-General of Sheda Science and Technology Complex, spoke on: Biotechnology in National Development: The role of research and Development Agency in Knowledge Economy.

Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, a speaker and Director, Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project-IITA, spoke on: Plant Genetic Modification: The case study of Bio-fortified Cassava Plus and Highlights on Genome Editing.

Prof. Rufus Ebegba, Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency, also spoke on: The Imperatives of Biosafety regulation in Nigeria. (NAN)()

Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Moses Omorogieva

A gateman with Mabila Hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos State, was killed in the early hours of Wednesday by some gunmen and robbed some officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that lodged there.

The Police spokesman for Lagos Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the JAMB officials had been relocated to a safe place.

The PPRO said, One Prof. Odunsi, an official of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) who lodged at the hotel was robbed of his two phones, one HP Laptop and N20,000 cash.

Similarly, two female officials of JAMB, who lodged at the hotel, were robbed of their phones and jewellery, he said.

The spokesman said that the hoodlums shot the hotels gateman, simply identified as Peter, 40, who attempted to prevent them from escaping.

He explained that the gateman was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where he later died, adding that the corpse had been deposited at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary.

Hundeyin said that the police got a distress call at about 2.40 a.m. on Wednesday that some hoodlums had invaded the hotel located at No. 60, Omodisu St., Asolo-Owutu, Agric area in Ikorodu.

He said that based on the call, the police from Owutu Division went to the place immediately, adding that when the hoodlums sighted the police van coming, they all fled in a Lexus SUV.

The Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, CP Abiodun Alabi, has assured that no stone will be left unturned. He has ordered a serious manhunt for the suspects, he said. (NAN) ()

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Peter Dada

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

Healthcare

The Ultimate Health Management Services, an Health Management Organisation (HMO), on Wednesday urged its newly appointed Board of Directors to improve health insurance services to ensure universal health coverage.

The Managing Director of the HMO, Mr Lekan Ewenla, gave the task in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja after its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new board members include Dr Minapuye Bob-Manuel, Medical Director of Valentine Hospitals in Port-Harcourt; Alhaji Abdulaziz Mashi-Abdullahi, a retired federal permanent secretary; and Mrs Susan Giwa-Osagie, an Independent Nin-Exe utive Director of Regency NEM Insurance, Ghana.

According to the statement, the new members will replace three retiring directors who have completed their terms of office.

The appointment of the three new board members were ratified by the shareholders of the company at the AGM.

They should support in driving the vision of the organisation.

That is by focusing on the enhancement of the existing operational processes and procedures that would further concretise the growth and the expansion strategy of the company.

This is with a clearer view of the future of health insurance programme and the implementation of business models that will stand the organisation out in the industry and the country, he charged them.

Ewenla expressed appreciation to the outgoing officials for being valued board members and transforming the HMO into a world-class organisation operating with innovative work processes and procedures. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Barely 48 hours after disassociating himself from moves by some groups to draft him into the 2023 presidential race, former President Goodluck Jonathan has finally made up his mind to vie for the top post.

Nigeria is set to go to the polls next year in a crowded contest parading many contestants in both the ruling APC and several opposition parties, including the main opposition PDP.

On May 9, Jonathan had rejected presidential expression of interest and nomination forms bought for him by people, described as nomadic Fulani pastoralists and Almajiri communities.

He was quoted as saying that it was an insult for people to buy the form for him without his consent but the former president has now made u-turn on the issue.

A dependable source in Jonathans camp, who pleaded anonymity said that the former president had indeed, joined the APC formally, having registered at his Otuoke Ward in Bayelsa.

The source disclosed that Jonathan was expected to submit his completed APC expression of interest and nomination forms bought for him earlier in the week by Fulani groups and pastoralistcommunities on Thursday.

According to the source, the former president has secured the support of the required number of APC delegates from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Several bigwigs of the party have also been calling Jonathan to pledge their loyalty and support to the former president, the source revealed.

The source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) political correspondent late on Wednesday that some influential African leaders had called Jonathan earlier on Monday to advise him to contest the election in the interest of Nigeria.

At least three top African leaders called the former president on the matter. They all urged him to run.

One of them specifically told him that it didnt make sense travelling all over Africa settling disputes only to shy away from leadership responsibility in his home country.

Another reminded him of the implication of failing to put the experiences he garnered as a former Nigerian president and as a continental statesman to good use, the source added but did not mention the names of the African leaders.

The source cited some of the African leaders as telling Jonathan that Nigeria was passing through challenging times and needed a unifier like Jonathan at this time.

Jonathan, who lost power to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, was born in 1957 in the Ogbia district in Bayelsa State.

He was previously of the PDP party on whose platform he ruled Nigeria until he lost the presidential election to Buhari in 2015. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has reiterated deepened commitment to the promotion of the countrys non-oil export.

Mr Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary, NSC, said this when Dr Ezra Yakusak, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) led a team to visit him on Tuesday in Abuja.

Jime expressed the councils readiness to partner with the NEPC to ensure compliance of trade rules by exporters and importers in the country.

I am informed that there is a high level of non compliance to trade rules, now we think that this is actually a problem of both importers and exporters.

So to address this challenge the NSC will like to collaborate with you to organise more enlightenment seminars and you have already called for it, so this is our acceptance of the need to have that partnership.

And in doing this, we intend that there should be seminars so that exporters and importers can imbibe ethics of integrity in international trade.

These are areas I think that partnership will lead us into developing and understanding.

The NSC is fully committed, I want to promise you this, to support all measures towards promoting non-oil export in Nigeria.

And in this regard, we are ready to synergise and collaborate with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to be able to achieve this, he said.

On the Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW), Jime explained that it was the councils duty in collaboration with critical agencies to develop the standard operating procedures for the warehouse.

We think we also need to provide guiedlines for setting of tarrif for the operation of the export warehouses, he said.

Jime advocated the usage of the inland dryport as part of the domestic warehouses.

He said the council would create a level playing field for ports service providers, users and exporters.

We intend to remain fair in our activities.

We are unbiased and we think its our job to ensure that decisions taken in the ports sector are arrived at true consultations with all the stakeholders.

Jime granted the request of Yakusak to assign some officers of the NSC to join the NEPC team in a walk aimed at sensitising Nigerians on the need to massively invest in the non-oil sector on May 13.

Earlier, the NEPC boss commended the NSCs efforts and collaboration aimed towards repositioning the non-oil sector of the country.

While also commending shippers council for the role they were playing on the DEW project, Yakusat appealed that a desk officer be assigned as liaison on the DEW matters and project.

I also want to request that an officer be specifically assigned as liaison on the domestic export warehouse matters and project.

This will ensure smooth interface between operators of the project and exporters as well as speedy or smooth take off of the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DEW initiative, when fully implemented, will curb logistic constraints in the non-oil sector.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patricia Amogu

Prof. Ebele Uzodike, Registrar/ CEO of Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN) has been conferred with the Integrity Icon of Nigeria, Ethical conduct and Self-Value awards.

The investiture and award which had 250 Federal MDAs secretly investigated and scrutinized, with about 20 emerging finalists had ODORBN clinging Second position.

The awards were presented by the Centre for Ethics and self-value orientation in Abuja.

Uzodike in her remarks said the honor would spur her to capitalize on what the board has done credibly well already to deserve this honor and build on them to achieve greater heights.

They have recognised me in three categories, in the areas of Ethics, Transparency and Selfless service, I have had several awards but I have never dreamt of being honored with multiple awards in one standing.

Leaders must do what they must to make a good name for themselves while in the office.

Money is not everything, your staff take-home pay and remuneration must be paramount if you must hold them accountable in the discharge of duties.

Look into your management, they must work as a team, if all hands will be on deck within a period of 5 to 10 years this country will be a beautiful place, she said.

The professor thanked the Centre for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation (CESVO) for honoring her and the ODORBN management team with the award.

The Executive Director, CESVO, Prince Yakubu Salih Musa said that various criteria were put in place while checking credibility of the MDAs to receive the awards including checking for participatory management style, staff welfare and discipline.

We are privileged to be in this very strategic agency that have conducted their affairs with credibility and transparency, with innovative leadership skills, we are here to thank the management for a job well done.

We honor them for changing the narrative of governance and corruption in Nigeria, we have also offered awards to five heads of department and six heads of units.

We are also going to be conducting a retreat and training on Ethics for the awarded staff of the Agency later in the year as part of our recognitions for their contributions to better the face of governance in Nigeria, he said.

Uzodike has many awards to her feather including Award for the best final year student in Clinical Optometry, Certificate of professional achievements, health leadership impact award, icon of humanitarian service among others (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Afonne

Music Promoter Peter Omotoso, popularly known as Pedrotech has called on the Federal Government to issue a bailout fund to the Nigerian music industry to boost the sector.

Omotoso, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pedrotech World Limited, an entertainment and management company based in the UK, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the bailout fund was needed to avoid the looming crash of the music industry, and to enable hunters of music talents and other stakeholders reposition the sector in Nigeria for better results.

It will be a good step in the right direction if there can be a bailout for the Nigerian music industry, because as a talent hunter, almost everyone you see on the street has one unique talent or the other.

Only few are able to fight their way to the top, and that is why many are still irrelevant.

We need to invest in the industry and to get better results, it will be beneficial to the country on the global stage, Omotoso said.

According to him, massive funds are needed in the music industry to make the country stand out and maintain its music uniqueness in the world market.

Omotoso said that Nigerian music had a unique selling point with its sound and genre, which had made it the cynosure of international artistes, who now craved for collaboration with Nigerian performers.

Nigerian music is on another level now and the competition between artistes is getting tougher by the day.

Those days when you have a hit song making waves throughout the year is long gone; hits now hardly last for more than three months.

We create good music and the fact that Afrobeat is recognised and appreciated globally, is a big plus to the industry.

The Nigerian music industry is inestimable because we have not even explored 10 per cent of the talents we have, and when you hear the figures exchanging hands within the industry, you will understand what I am talking about.

To bill an artiste for an event, or collaboration, or advert, it is in large figures. There is so much to make in the industry and I see it not declining but progressing ultimately, he added.

The music promoter urged upcoming artistes to pay less attention to fans who always compared artistes, because this had led to unhealthy competition.

Even when they have a hit song, they should not be relaxed with a hit, but work positively and be surrounded by positivity, Omotoso added.

NAN reports that Omotoso who is a promoter, talent manager and a global entertainment plug, who has worked with Nigerian music artistes such as Style-plus, Durella and Zlatan.

He currently manages Commissioner Dj Wysei. (NAN) ()

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Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has urged the leadership of the FRSC Staff Cooperative Ltd. to ensure prudence and integrity in the management of its resources.

Oyeyemi made the call at the cooperatives 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, in Abuja.

He said that the focus of the cooperative was to empower officers and marshals of integrity to be able to create other sources of income apart from salaries.

Oyeyemi, however, enjoined the members to always fulfill their expected obligations and uphold the cooperative ethics and practices so as to continue to actualise the dictum of each for all, all for each.

He said the leadership of society would be able to ensure better performances and resilience of the society to fulfil its mandate, if all members continue to do their bits.

Oyeyemi urged the leadership of the society to continue to work hard to satisfy the demands of members.

What you have seen is a success story that today we declared a dividend of N60 million and the profits have been rising from the last six years.

So, it shows that if the cooperative is properly managed, It will reduce burden on the government but the foundation must be on integrity and trust and industry itself.

Once that is done, I think things will go better. So the best advice is for people to form cooperative groups based on integrity that will reduce pressure on the government and on the society, he said.

FRSC boss assured members of the cooperatives commitment to continuous growth to the overall benefits of members.

He said the management had provided exceptional guidance and leadership to the society in the areas of investment, programmes and pursuits from 2014 to date in its commitment to strengthen the society.

He said the corps had recently approved another N300 million auto-loan facility for staff, which is a joint venture between the cooperative and Post-Service Scheme.

The focus of the facility, according to him, is to essentially ease the mobility challenges faced by most officers and marshals when reporting to work.

In addition, Stanbic IBTC/FRSC staff cooperative loan was also approved to enable staff meet their basic needs due to pressure on monthly salary as their common source of income.

However, a Committee headed by the DCM (AHR) was set up for the review of loans and advances to members.

So far, disbursement for auto loan is ongoing and we can assure you that all members requests will be properly attended to and loans granted with ease, while considering applicants integrity with appropriate recommendations, he said.

The President of the Society, ACM Shehu Mohammed, said the results for the 2021 financial year was a reflection of resilience and commitment of his team in the face of challenging economic conditions, especially the effects of COVID-19.

Mohammed said the society experienced yet another year of strong growth, mainly attributable to increased patronage by FRSC Staff to IBTC Bank Loan Scheme, which contributed 45 per cent of net operating income during the year.

According to him, the total disbursement of IBTC loans within the financial year 2021 was N1.2 billion to 4,200 beneficiaries while the cumulative disbursement from the commencement of the scheme in 2014 to date is about N5.09 billion to 13,531 beneficiaries, mainly FRSC Staff.

The positive impact of increased revenue from our day to day business activities stood at 40.78 per cent over the year 2020 from N608.7 million to N856.9 million resulting to improved profit for the year 2021.

The profit before Investment Income rose by 33 per cent compared to year 2020 to close at N94.8 million.

Based on the financial results laid before you, the cooperative management proposed a dividend of 4 kobo for every N1 saved by members as dividend pay-out for the year 2021 financial year, which translated to 33 per cent increase over the previous year 2020.

The total proposed dividend for the year under review is N60 million payable as the AGM is concluded and endorsed by the corps marshal, he said.

The president said the earning per share had also improved steadily over the years with 6 kobo in 2017; 18 kobo in 2018; 20 kobo in 2019; 49 kobo in 2020 and 66 kobo in 2021.

He added that the cooperative had remained consistent in dividend payment since 2018 with N31.8 million in 2018; N36 million in 2019; N45 million in 2020 to N60 million in 2021.

A member of the cooperative, Albert Hansen, a Superintendent Commander, said the society had continued to help members to achieve many things like housing needs.

Hansen said he had been able to execute projects through loans from the cooperative, adding that the FRSC cooperative society had been ran in the most efficient manner. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu/Chiazo Ogbolu

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Tuesday pledged to provide logistics and formulate policies that would sustain piracy decline in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

Dr Bashir Jamoh, Director-General of NIMASA, made the pledge at the Fifth Plenary of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum/Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (GoG-MCF/SHADE).

The forum had the theme: Enduring and Sustainable Security.

Jamoh said that, in sustaining piracy decline, collaboration was of essence among member-countries so that each countrys boundaries and limitations would be considered, to prevent any form of conflict.

According to Jamoh, the regional forum provided an opportunity to share mutual maritime concerns, jointly face threats and create mitigations.

According to him, Nigeria, through NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy, stands ready as co-chair of the SHADE to continue to provide every necessary support in collaboration with the ICC.

He said that SHADE would be nurtured to maturity and give laudable results.

Two years ago, we connected virtually with a dark, sad and persistent cloud of blue crimes enveloping the region, but today we gathered with the cloud opening and we are seeing the sun gradually shining through.

No one can easily forget the frequent reports of attacks on ships and kidnapping of seafarers in the GoG in 2019 and 2020 when they reached their peak, he said.

Jamoh noted that the attacks hadnegative economic effects on seaborne trade in the region.

While it is important to recognise success so far made, the future must, however, be the focus.

Our deliberation over the next two days must be forward-looking even as it seeks to provide specific ways to maintain the current momentum, offer concrete solutions to ensure sustainability and build on success, he said.

He said that more remained to be done in terms of the legal framework to enable SHADEs existence.

SHADE must be nurtured to remain a force for good.

As members, we owe a collective duty to this forum to keep its dialogue robust and guard it from slipping into complacency as to become a toothless bulldog.

Our SHADE must be strengthened through cooperation, coordination, collaboration and communication.

Security success can never be solitary achievements, he said.

Nigerias Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo, said that SHADE would offer a veritable platform for GoG nations and other partner-nations to congregate and cooperate to address piracy challenge facing the region.

Gambo represented by Rear Admiral Garba Saidu, Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, said that challenges experienced by member-countries should not deter their collaborative efforts toward reinforcing initiatives to advance and coordinate maritime security activities.

Much has been achieved but there is still room for greater collaboration in the areas of information sharing, increased presence of naval assets and strengthened legal frameworks among the GoG nations as well as international partners.

The safety and security of shipping in the GoG is a vital enabler in the recovery process of global economy and trade suffered due to COVID 19 pandemic.

It is therefore imperative for us to succeed in this drive, he said.

Other stakeholders present at the plenary include Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary-General, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa; Admiral Narciso Fastudo, Director, Interregional Coordination Centre (ICC-Yaounde); and Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, Co-Chair, SHADE-GoG/Maritime Collaboration Forum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SHADE was established by Nigeria and 22 other countries of the ICC in July 2021.

The forum is to implement more effective operational counter-piracy cooperation between navies and shipping industries. (NAN)(www nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Source: NAN News