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Senate Orders Arrest of Julius Berger MD

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Senate Orders Arrest of Julius Berger MD Over Abandoned Projects

Senate Orders Arrest of Julius Berger MD Over Abandoned Projects

 

The Senate on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr. Peer Lubasch, following his repeated failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Works.

The resolution came after a motion was moved by the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West), and co-sponsored by Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South) and Mpigi Barinada (PDP, Rivers South-East).

In his motion, Senator Ngwu highlighted that Julius Berger had persistently ignored invitations to clarify issues surrounding abandoned projects and the significant increase in the cost of contracts, from N54 billion to N195 billion.

He raised concerns over the Odukpani-Itu Highway project, noting that Julius Berger had received more than N18 billion in public funds but had failed to meet targets and honor contract terms. “Despite receiving substantial public funds, Julius Berger has refused to provide details of their role in the Odukpani-Itu Highway project,” Ngwu stated.

Ngwu further pointed to discrepancies in the performance of contractors, with Julius Berger specifically singled out for not meeting expectations. He referenced the National Assembly’s constitutional powers to investigate and summon any person or organization handling public funds, as stipulated in Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.

The senator also drew attention to the alleged termination of Julius Berger’s contract for the Odukpani-Itu Highway due to its failure to accept contract review terms, despite initially agreeing to a contract worth over N54 billion. Julius Berger later sought an upward review to N195 billion, which was rejected.

Ngwu called on the Senate to invoke its constitutional powers, as outlined in Section 89(1)(c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution, to compel Dr. Lubasch’s attendance at the rescheduled investigative hearing. Senate President Godswill Akpabio confirmed that a specific date for the MD’s appearance would be included in the arrest warrant.

The motion led to a heated debate in the Senate, with some senators calling for the immediate issuance of the arrest warrant. Senators Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), and Joel Onowakpo Thomas (APC, Delta) supported the motion. However, Senators Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North), and Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North) proposed resolving the matter at the committee level to avoid unnecessary escalation.

Despite the differing opinions, the Senate resolved to proceed with the arrest warrant, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.

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Join the TM Foundation in Empowering Girls Through the Sanitary Pads Project

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Join the TM Foundation in Empowering Girls Through the Sanitary Pads Project

Join the TM Foundation in Empowering Girls Through the Sanitary Pads Project

 

Menstrual hygiene is a fundamental right, yet countless girls face the harsh reality of not having access to essential sanitary products. At the TM Foundation, we believe no girl should feel ashamed, miss school, or lose confidence due to a lack of resources during their period.

Join the TM Foundation in Empowering Girls Through the Sanitary Pads Project

To combat this issue, we are proud to introduce the Sanitary Pads Project, a three-month initiative dedicated to distributing menstrual hygiene products to girls in need. This project aims to restore dignity, confidence, and hope for a brighter future.

However, we can’t do it alone. This mission depends on the kindness and support of individuals and organizations like you. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to ensuring no girl is left behind.

Together, We Can Make a Difference
Your support will directly impact the lives of young girls, helping them stay in school, focus on their education, and thrive with confidence.

How You Can Help:
Visit www.tmfoundation.giving to make your contribution and be part of this life-changing initiative.

Let’s work together to break the barriers to menstrual health. With your help, we can create a world where every girl has the opportunity to succeed.

Thank you for standing with us in this important cause.

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://tmfoundation.giving/
Phone (South Africa): +27823781398 | +27747835891
|+27 81 289 0171 | +27 69 286 4950
Phone (Nigeria): +234 813 448 0159

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TM Foundation: Transforming Lives, One Generation at a Time

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From Automobiles to Acts of Compassion: Olatunde Mukaila Lawal is Transforming Lives in South Africa

TM Foundation: Transforming Lives, One Generation at a Time

In a world where compassion is increasingly vital, TM Foundation stands out as a beacon of hope and empowerment. Established in 2019 by the visionary Olatunde Mukaila Lawal, this South Africa-based organization is dedicated to uplifting the elderly, less privileged kids, and the vulnerable, fostering stronger communities through a mission rooted in dignity, love, and care.

 

Making an Impact Since 2019

TM Foundation began with a simple yet powerful goal: to create meaningful change for those often overlooked. Since its inception, the foundation has provided vital resources and emotional support to kids, seniors and young individuals, bridging the gap between generations and creating a sustainable future for all.

 

“We believe in the transformative power of compassion,” says Lawal. “Our work is about more than just helping—it’s about empowering people and building stronger, more resilient communities.”

A Multi-Faceted Mission

TM Foundation operates on three key pillars:

Social Support and Companionship: Ensuring no one feels forgotten, the foundation offers a caring hand and a listening ear to, kids, seniors and others in need.

Promoting Wellness Across Ages:

Through various programs, TM Foundation prioritizes physical, mental, and emotional well-being for all generations.

Fostering Compassion and Understanding: Building bridges of empathy, the foundation strengthens the fabric of communities.

These programs aim to create lasting change by addressing both immediate needs and long-term challenges.

TM Foundation: Transforming Lives, One Generation at a Time

Why You Should Support TM Foundation

TM Foundation’s efforts rely on the support of individuals and businesses who share their vision. Your contribution—whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word—directly impacts lives. From funding wellness programs to providing companionship for seniors, every act of kindness counts.

 

“Together, we can ensure no one feels forgotten or alone,” Lawal emphasizes. “It’s about leaving a legacy of compassion and empowerment.”

How to Get Involved

There are many ways to support TM Foundation:

Volunteer: Offer your time and skills to assist in their programs.
Donate: Your financial contributions help sustain their impactful initiatives.
Raise Awareness: Spread the word about TM Foundation’s mission to inspire others.

Contact TM Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.tmfoundation.giving
Phone (South Africa): +27823781398 | +27 81 289 0171 | +27 69 286 4950 | +27747835891
Phone (Nigeria): +234 813 448 0159

Join TM Foundation today and become part of a movement dedicated to empowering seniors and young ones. Together, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future.

TM Foundation: Transforming Lives, One Generation at a Time

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Olam Agri and GIZ Sign MoU to Scale Up Sustainable Development in Global Agriculture and Food

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Olam Agri and GIZ Sign MoU to Scale Up Sustainable Development in Global Agriculture and Food

 

Singapore, January 20, 2025 – Olam Agri, a market leading food, feed, and fibre agri-business, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to scale up sustainable development in the global agri-food sector. The MoU provides a framework that will facilitate collaboration between the two partners across staple agriculture supply chains that include rice, cotton, and rubber in developing markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This extends and deepens the long-standing partnership that GIZ and Olam Agri have shared over the past 15 years helping smallholder farmers become more productive, profitable, and sustainable.

 

Three key objectives of the MoU are to support sustainable food production at a range of scales towards climate adaptation while protecting and preserving soil health, biodiversity, and water resources; to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and providing them with access to key services and inclusive opportunities; and establishing sustainability and traceability across agriculture supply chains. This is aligned with Olam Agri’s purpose to transform food and agriculture for a more sustainable and food-secure future.

 

For joint projects, GIZ and Olam Agri have identified six priority intervention areas: nutrition-sensitive regenerative agriculture; harvest and post-harvest loss reduction; access to finance for smallholders; economic inclusion and rights; management of crop residues and reuse; and ecosystem services, including protection and restoration of ecosystems and carbon initiatives. Both partners will continue to identify topics relevant across value chains and regions to drive innovation and scaling, with possible cross-sectoral issues including climate and carbon credits, landscape-scale approaches, and digitisation.

 

Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder & Group CEO of Olam Agri, said: “We’ve shared a strong and fruitful relationship with GIZ over the years during which we’ve made significant inroads in transforming smallholder farming in several supply chains across many geographies to be more productive, profitable, and sustainable. I am thrilled to be signing this MoU with such a valuable partner that is GIZ and commit to collaborate even further to scale up our sustainability programmes in developing and emerging agriculture economies.”

 

Anna Sophie Herken, Managing Director at GIZ said: “The signing of this MoU with Olam Agri marks a pivotal step forward in our collaborative efforts towards sustainable food production. I am very happy and grateful that we can deepen and broaden our cooperation efforts simultaneously. We look forward to enhancing the scope and impact of our successful projects in climate-smart farming.”

 

The MoU builds upon years of successful cooperation between the two organisations since 2008. Starting in Africa, the partnership has expanded through several key initiatives. In the rice supply chain, for example, the progress the partnership has made with the founding of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) in 2011 has led to positive transformation of the sector by advancing sustainable rice cultivation. Through climate-smart methods and technologies, sustainable rice cultivation reduces usage of water and fertilisers, and consequently significantly reduces the emission of methane, a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. Under the joint efforts of GIZ and Olam Agri, the Market Oriented Smallholder Value Chain (MSVC) rice project in Southeast Asia has improved the livelihoods of more than 28,000 smallholder farmers and their families in four years, raising their incomes by 20 per cent while reducing their ecological impact. GIZ and Olam Agri continue to engage smallholder rice farmers in Southeast Asia in large scale projects and currently also cooperate in a regional sustainable cotton project in Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Chad, and in sustainable natural rubber in Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia.

Olam Agri and GIZ Sign MoU to Scale Up Sustainable Development in Global Agriculture and Food

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