Pondering the Remarkable Policies of Utsev as Water Resources Minister

By John Peters

Sahara Weekly Reports That The affirmative impacts of the water value chain on the entire universe and global communities cannot be overstressed. Many logicians support the aphorism “water is life” because human existence in every ramification relies on the availability of the water value chain. The entire universe cannot function for a second without H2O; thus, water is the air we breathe. It shelters us, and machines cannot be made without water. Every living and non-living thing begins and ends with water. Subsequently, “water is indeed life.” Life without water is meaningless.

Thanks to the late Afro-beat artist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who praised the neutrality of water in one of his albums. Though many may interpret Fela’s song on water as having no time to keep enmity, if he were alive today, I would have given him accolades for praising water’s neutral stance. Fela anchored that water has no enemy, as even adversaries cannot do without water.

Besides, the Bible describes the world as being without form and void, with the spirit of God moving upon the waters (Genesis 1:2). This means the universe came to meet water on earth. I would have loved to sing more praises of water, but I must switch to the main issue that motivated me to write this piece: the impactful policies of Professor Joseph Utsev, the present Honorable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

No doubt some readers may have different views regarding his policies; however, facts don’t lie, and technology has made every segment of human existence and the global community transparent. So, I may be correct in respect of the facts at my disposal to appraise his remarkable policies on the water value chain in Nigeria.

The positive policies of Professor Utsev, a thoroughbred engineer with a proficient touch, cut across over 80,000 council wards that formed the 777 local government areas in Nigeria. His leadership has positively impacted every segment of Nigeria. To say the Federal Ministry of Water Resources under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration is renewing Nigerians’ hope in water supply, sanitation, and economic purposes could be an exaggeration. However, Professor Utsev’s visionary leadership style, attested to by experts as the best thing that has happened to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources since its establishment, is beyond imagination. His technocratic display of leadership prowess has placed the water resources ministry on the map of best-performing countries in the water value chain.

To say the Federal Ministry of Water Resources under the administration of His Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is renewing Nigerians’ hope in the area of water supply, sanitation and using water for economic purposes could be said to be an exaggeration. This is true because the visionary leadership style of Professor Joseph Utsev which many experts in the water value chain attested to as the best thing that has ever happened to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources since her establishment is not just beyond imagination but a wonder and technocratic display of professionalism which in all standard is placing the water resources ministry under the renewed hope mantra of his Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubu on the map of best-performing countries in the water value chain.

His technocratic display of unimaginable leadership prowess on assumption in office, having devoted the best of his time as an erudite scholar for the past 17 years with broad knowledge and experience on water sanitation, hit the ground running as Nigeria’s Honorable Minister for Water Resources by instantly putting up suitable modalities to curb the then high rate of flooding in the year 2023 raining season which caused a lot of devastation across the 36 states of Nigeria especially the flood-prone areas in Nigeria.

He also in the year 2023 on assumption in office achieved a lot in the area of erosion control especially in the south-eastern region of Nigeria, which before he was appointed Honorable Minister for Water Resources caused a lot of havoc in most of the communities in the five state in south-east Nigeria. At this moment, due to the visionary leadership styles of Professor Joseph Utsev as Honorable Minister for Water Resources, most of the communities seriously damaged as a result of erosion in Nigeria especially in the southeast geo-political zone in Nigeria can now have a sigh of relief. His combined proficient efforts with the state minister of water resources Barrister Goronyo are also yielding positive results, especially in the area of dry season farming which normally commences after raining season.

To achieve greater output in the area of irrigational farming, he and the minister of state Barrister Muhammed Goronyo initiated an irrigational farming campaign across the six geo-political zones within the federation and the riverine areas in particular. As expected, the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) as a result of the irrigational farming system is increasing beyond imagination, especially in the area of fruit farming, rice and other cash crops. The 12 River Basin area in Nigeria is also receiving qualitative attention from Professor Joseph Utsev’s fantastic and highly productive leadership style. On his assumption in office, he hit the ground running by holding frequent meetings with the twelve Managing Director of the 12 River Basin Authority in Nigeria.

The aim is to arouse them to come up with workable policies that can be used to cushion or even to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian masses through the use of water to initiate projects that have positive impacts on every Nigerian in the area of rural, urban and economic development. After the meeting with the Managing Director of the Twelve River Basin Development Authority, he embarked on a tour of all the River Basin headquarters for firsthand information about their operation to know the precise challenges they are facing. During most of the tour, he was moreover able to visit the locations of the Earth warn dam established by the federal government but needed the necessary professional touch to keep them functional to boost the economy of the country.

A prominent earth warn dam visited in the course of his national tour was; the Hadeja Dam in Kano, Kano State. Due to space constraints; I may not be able to highlight all his earthshaking achievements over the last year of piloting the affairs of Nigeria’s water resources value chains, which is making his name become a topic of discussion in every nook and cranny of Nigeria. However, let me highlight just a few! Professor Utsev as a technocrat in the water sector clearly defines dreams and visions for Nigeria’s water value chain, on assumption in office, initiated the taken off of the fractional commercialization policies of the 12 River Basin Development Authority across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. The aim is to boost productivity and to as well fuel effective service delivery.

For instance, during his tour to the Hadeja water Dam in Kano, Kano State, he commissioned some projects that have good positive impacts on people, especially in the area of job creation which of course will boost the economy of Nigeria especially the indigenes of Kano State. Before I forget, his impacts on the staff welfare in the Ministry and all the agencies, parastatal and commissions domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources is second to none. A mere look at the staff working at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources will convince an individual that they are doing very well all thanks to the good leadership prowess of Professor Utsev who is doing his best that their emolument is constantly paid to boost their working spirit.

The infrastructure of the ministry is also receiving good attention above all in the area of renovations and provisions of working tools. It is also on record that the 777 LGA in Nigeria including the six area councils in Abuja is receiving serious attention in the area of providing constant pipe-borne water as well as rehabilitating some of the water plants that for so many years have been in comatose. It is given this few out of his tremendous mindboggling encouraging performance across the board both at the rural and urban areas that experts in the water sector and community development commentators are daily singing his praises by saying that if at all there is any minister that deserves excellent award or reward for keeping to the renewed hope agenda of His Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, such person should be Honorable Minister for water resources Professor Joseph Utsev.

Peters writes from Lagos

HOW CHINEDU NSOFOR CHANGED THE NARRATIVES AT UNN THROUGH HIS WORK WHILE IN SCHOOL INITIATIVE
~By Don Peter Okoro

Chinedu Afamuefuna Nsofor is a highly respected, celebrated and dynamic Social Worker, Successful Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Much Sought After Technocrat and Intellectual Giant. Through his Foundation, the Work While In School Foundation, he has brought succour and comfort to countless number of students from different Secondary and Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria, especially the University of Nigeria Nsukka ( UNN). His passion to see Students working while still Schooling has enabled him to equip and empower many students, not just to be self employed, but to become Employers of Labour as well. Thus his very popular Work While in School Programmes recorded testimonies of how ordinary students were turned into student millionaires within a short time by the help of God. His contributions to the progress and human capacity development of the students of UNN during his Undergraduate days as a Student Leader are still subjects of discussion many years after. Among his numerous contributions to UNN was his ability to host not less than 7 Conferences and Programmes that positively impacted on the lives of his fellow students and projected UNN in the Frontline of Extracurricular and Human Resource Excellence. As the Igwe of the Faculty of Social Sciences UNN, he initiated and implemented a 7 Day African Education and ICT Conference in 2010, while in his second year at UNN at a very tender age of 21years old. Through this Conference, Chinedu Nsofor attracted prominent Nigerian Leaders to UNN, among whom was the then Chairman of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission who was also a former Presidential Aspirant and presently the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR, Present also at the occasion were the former Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University ( UNIZIK), Prof. Pita Ejiofor and the CEO of Peace Mass Transit Ltd. Dr. Sam Onyishi to mention but a few. His keynote resource person flew into the country from the United Kingdom just to facilitate on the programme. This Conference was a partnership project between the Work While In School Foundation and the Institute of African Studies (UNN) and his office as the Igwe of the Faculty of Social Sciences UNN. The Conference served as a platform to train over 3000 students of UNN in Entrepreneurship in 7 Faculties of UNN with the Deans of the respective Faculties declaring Lecture Free Days for the Training. The 7 Days Conference went down in history as the biggest Work While In School Conference in the annals of UNN as the Conference attracted a N5 Million Scholarship Fund for students and also a N50 Million donation to the Institute of African Studies UNN both by a renowned Philanthropist and CEO of Peace Mass Transit Dr. Sam Onyishi. Chinedu Nsofor also, in his final year initiated and implemented another Work While In School Conference. This particular one was organized by the Work While In School Foundation and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research UNN. Happy with the Innovation, the Centre embodied the Work While In School Initiative of Chinedu Nsofor as a compulsory entrepreneurship programme for all 3rd year students of UNN by signing a Memorandum Of Understanding ( MOU) with him for partnership to implement the project in UNN and Nationwide. Thus Chinedu Nsofor broke a Record in UNN by becoming the first undergraduate student to sign an MOU with the University. This Conference attracted another 2,500 students. Chinedu Nsofor through this Conference once again attracted prominent Nigerian Leaders to UNN including Prof. Osita Ogbu ( Former Economic Adviser To The President and a Former Minister for National Planning) who was the Guest Speaker, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR was again present. Chief Iwuanyanwu was so moved by the Impact made through the Conference and by the sight of such a large gathering of students which he described as the largest student gathering he had ever witnessed, that he announced to institute the Iwuanyanwu Entrepreneurship Development Foundation, which was estimated to cost him over N100 Million. While still in his final year at UNN, an Organization, the Great Minds International, identified Chinedu Nsofor as an exceptional Student Leader and decided to celebrate him alongside the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences,Prof. Emma Ezeani as they rounded off their tenures as Igwe FOSSSA and Dean of Social Sciences UNN respectively. The Organization therefore partnered with the Work While In School Foundation and the Faculty of Social Sciences to Organize a colourful Global impact show dedicated in honour of Chinedu Nsofor and Prof. Emma Ezeani. The event was massively attended as the day was declared a Lecture Free day by the Faculty Administration. In recognition of his immense contributions to the empowement of UNN students and for his examplary leadership qualities, Chinedu Nsofor while still a student of UNN was honoured by many Institutions and Organizations, among which are: Most Political Student of UNN By the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association, The Most Popular Student Award by the National Association of Social Work Students UNN. UNN Most Acknowledged Personality of the Year By the Archeology Students Association of UNN, Leadership Excellence Award By Rotract Club of UNN, Meritorious Service Award By National Association of Social Work Students UNN. Spotlight Medalist on Entrepreneurship ( Big Brother Award) UNN Raiser of the Year. By Golden Heart Foundation Lagos, in conjunction with Trailblazers, his Profile was also published in the University of Nigeria Book of Fame: Who Is Who In UNN as an Outstanding Personality of UNN. Many years after graduating from UNN, the board, entire management and staff of the department of Social Work UNN where he graduated from, wrote him officially to notify him of the unanimous decision of the department to honour him with the Premier Alumni Award in recognition of his outstanding examplification of Social Work in the Society. This Award was bestowed on him in a very colourful Home Coming event of the department of social work in 2018. Chinedu Nsofor who is a Skilled Networker, Human Capacity Builder, Highly sought after Resource Person, A seasoned Project Management expert, Social Worker Per Excellence, Youth Mobilzer and Business Development Expert/ Consultant is always available for Consultations and strategic partnerships. The Work While In School Initiative which is a Masterpiece he designed to question the status quo, to challenge the minds and intelligence of our young people and to spark off creativity to the glory of God, outlines curriculum on Invention, Innovation, Development and Idea Creations, it position the hands to requisite skill acquisition in line with the respective courses of study; and challenges the student to embrace virtues and Godly principles that turn ordinary men into Principal People of all ages and generation. Upon Graduation from the University of Nigeria Nsukka with Second Class Upper Division and after successful completion of his Masters Degree Programme in Social Work at LAUTHEC. Chinedu Nsofor at a very young age of 26 years, secured a partnership with the Federal Government through his company; the Work While in School Ventures Ltd, to implement the Work While in School Programme in all the colleges of Education in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Commission for Colleges of Education and the Nsukka College of Education became the first college of Education that benefited from this very impactful programme, this is because of Chinedu’s strong inclinations to Nsukka through his beloved alma mater the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He had also earlier organized other very impactful Work While in School conferences in UNN during his National Youth Service Programme at the Presidency SURE-P, one of which was also a 7 day Conference that attracted the presence of the then Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Technical Matters who doubled as Secretary of the SURE-P Programme of the Federal Government; Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo. Indeed time would not permit to outline the so numerous impact Chinedu Nsofor made in the University of Nigeria Nsukka during and shortly after his undergraduate days to the glory of God!

How Primate Ayodele Foretold Attack On France In ‘Warnings To The Nations’

Sahara Weekly Reports That France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple “malicious” acts including arson on Friday, in what has been described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage” to disrupt travel ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

The French state railway company SNCF said in a post on X that “a large number of trains were diverted or canceled,” and asked “all travelers who can to postpone their trip and not go to the station.” By Friday afternoon its services had partially resumed though widespread disruption continued.

The operator said the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines were impacted, with damage caused to several of its facilities, adding that one of the acts was “foiled” in the east after SNCF agents scared off several individuals. The Atlantic line services the west and southwest of France from Paris, the Northern line takes travelers from the French capital to Lille and the Eastern line journeys from Paris to Strasbourg.

This is in fulfillment of the prophecy of Primate Elijah Ayodele which he shared in his annual prophecy book titled Warnings To The Nations (2024/2024 edition) that he released on Saturday, 6th of July, 2024.

Warnings To The Nations, which is a prophecy booklet that contains prophetic revelations to nations across the world, including France warned that the nation would come under attack and several crises. He warned of unpleasant situations and an attack on the country’s territory.

These were his words

‘’France: the country will experience explainable shooting attack and there will be so many crisis that will come up in the country. The country will face unpleasant situations. The president must be careful of some decision that he will take and it will boomerang. The president must be careful against unnecessary distractions as some of the countries that they are in alliance with are going to have several issues with them. the country must pray so that their military and territory will not be attack and must be careful because of unexpected climatic trouble and will ravage the country. The country will have several issues to face and must be careful not to run into unexpected debt………’’( Pg 81)

Apart from the attack on France, several prophecies contained in the prophecy book have also come to pass. They include Dangote’s current crisis, exit of Rishi Sunak as UK Prime Minister, heavy protest in Bangladesh, Joe Biden’s exit from presidential race, assassination attempt on Donald Trump, to mention but a few.