The 9th World Bank/FGN support Mission to Kogi state has charged the state government to encourage benefiting communities to assume ownership of development projects under the Fadama III (AF) initiative. The TaskTeam Leader, Dr Adetunji Oredipe, made the call while on a courtesy visit to the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Kehinde Oloruntoba in Lokoja on Wednesday. Represented by Prof. Yomi Omotosho, the team leader said the mission was part of the Third National Fadama Development Project (Additional Financing).
He said community ownership of projects was important, more so as the bedrock of Fadama intervention remains community development driven (CDD). The Task Team Leader said the Fadama III programme would soon end but the projects would have to be sustained by the benefiting communities through wholesome ownership. Oredipe, however, called on the state government to pay up its counterpart contribution to enable sustenance of the project and implementation of its last phase.
He noted that government was very supportive of the Fadama initiatives in the state but of late, there had been a little delay in meeting its counterpart obligation to the project for the current season.
The Commissioner, represented By Jerry Uwah Lagos The Special Offences Court sitting in Lagos yesterday declared the chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, Innocent Chukwuma, wanted over his failure to appear in court for his arraignment for the fifth time. Chukwuma and his company are to be arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, property belonging to Guaranty Trust Bank.
The accused are to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Mojisola Dada had declared the accused person wanted as she granted the request of Anselem Ozioko, the lead prosecuting counsel of the EFCC. Chukwuma had previously failed to make an appearance in court for his arraignment on January 17, February 9, March 14 and April 25.
His failure to appear before the court for five consecutive times informed the issuance of the bench warrant. During the proceedings of March 14, it was revealed that Chukwuma had petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over Justice Mojisola Dada, the trial judge. Ozioko in his submission seeking the declaration of Chukwuma wanted said: “This appears to be the fi fth time this matter is coming up before your lordship for arraignment. “The learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria representing the second defendant (Innoson) is still insisting on taking his application without ensuring the defendant is physically present in court. “
The question is, where is the second defendant? Is he too big for the court? Is he too big for the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Is he too big because he has money? Where is he? “What my learned friends, the defence counsel are doing is contemptuous.
“We shall be applying for an order to declare the second defendant wanted.”
Earlier, during the proceedings, Ozioko had informed the court that the anti-graft agency will also be taking steps to ensure Chukwuma’s attendance in court on the next adjourned date. Counsel to Chukwuma, George Uwechue (SAN) had requested that the court hear his application despite Justice Dada’s declaration that no application will be heard until Chukwuma is physically present in court.
“At the last hearing, the court maintained its position that it will not take its pending application unless the first defendant is arraigned,” he said. by Mr David Apeh, Special Adviser on Agriculture, said there was strong political will on the part of government to promote agriculture. He said that the state was proud of Fadama, taking cognisance of its numerous interventions in the state in cassava and rice production among others. The commissioner hinted that efforts were being made to pay the counterpart contribution, adding that payment would be made within the next two weeks.
