NEWS
Okpebholo Inspects 36km New Road In Edo Central
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has inspected the ongoing 36 kilometers Utako-Unewa-Eworah-Uromi road, assured the people of a quality job and timely delivery.
Gov Okpebholo, according to a government statement in Benin City on Sunday, led top officials of his administration on the inspection
He received accolades and prayers from residents of the communities who were thankful that government has now remembered them.
Similarly, Gov Okpebholo inspected Anko road and Udomi Primary school which are at various stages of completion.
According to him, his administration has embarked on practical governance, which will see the people enjoying the dividends of democracy.
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He said, “You can see the joy on the faces of the people. We are happy that the people we are serving are happy and appreciate what we do for them and we will do more to develop the area and the State.
“We have embarked on practical governance, doing what the people will see and benefit from. We will continue practical governance. The road we are constructing here is about 36 kilometres.
“When this road is completed, the area will be open for economic development and growth. We want the people to feel the impact of true governance.”
An indigene of Benue State, resident in the area, Larha Fanel thanked the Governor for opening the communities through the construction of the road, saying the previous administration had forgotten the people of the area.
In the same vein, another resident, Alice Ojeifoh, said the people of Udomi, Unewa and other communities which will benefit from the road construction are happy, as the road will open up the area for economic growth and development.
“The road was abandoned for years but the Okpebholo administration remembered us,” she said.
The contractor, Michael Rezk, said the road will be connecting about eight communities, and open them up for growth and development. He added that the completion time is two years.
“The road is 36 kilometres, starting from the federal road in Uromi as work has commenced on the concrete drains to collect water from the main road down. You can see the progress on laterite and soon we will enter the stage of stone base and asphalt. The road when completed will connect eight communities, and the project will be completed in two years,” he explained.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has named Tony Elumelu, Founder and Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, to its newly formed Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth.
The council, convened by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, is tasked with addressing regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship and shaping policies that foster innovation, resource allocation, and private sector-led economic expansion.
A statement confirming Elumelu’s appointment was released on Friday, highlighting his influence as a strong advocate for entrepreneurship in Africa.
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Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, he has provided funding, mentorship, and training to over 25,000 African entrepreneurs since 2015, championing the belief that private sector investments can drive the continent’s economic transformation.
“Elumelu will be instrumental in ensuring that Africa’s entrepreneurial potential is central to global economic policymaking,” the statement noted.
The IMF Advisory Council comprises global leaders from business, finance, and academia, including: Marc Benioff, CEO and Co-Founder of Salesforce, Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander, Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group, Robert Smith, Founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, HRH Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Federico Sturzenegger, Argentine Minister of Deregulation and Professor Ufuk Akcigit, Economist, University of Chicago.
At the council’s inaugural meeting on March 26, 2025, Georgieva emphasized the significance of entrepreneurship in economic growth.
“The Council brings together a group of leading thinkers and practitioners in business, finance, academia, and policymaking to share their views and experiences on how macroeconomic and financial policies can provide a supportive environment for innovation, entrepreneurship, and productivity—key ingredients for a thriving private sector and strong economic growth,” she stated.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, shaking the region and sending tremors as far as Thailand and China.
The quake’s epicenter was located in the Sagaing region, near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, home to around one million people and renowned for its historic temple complexes.
Panic erupted as buildings swayed and dust filled the air.
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In Mandalay, videos shared online showed terrified residents rushing out of residential towers while traffic came to a sudden halt.
Reports indicate that a major bridge spanning the Irrawaddy River collapsed into the water in a cloud of dust and debris.
The quake was felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, where video footage showed a partially constructed building in Chatuchak Park crumbling to the ground.
Thai authorities reported that 43 people were trapped in the wreckage, while seven others sustained injuries.
In Chiang Mai, a resident described feeling the tremors for about ten seconds before fleeing into the streets.
In Myanmar’s commercial hub, Yangon—about 380 miles from the epicenter—residents also experienced the powerful shaking.
One resident recalled, “We felt the quake for about a minute, then ran out of the building.
It was very sudden and very strong.” Another noted that phone networks in the city, home to around 8 million people, briefly went down but were later restored.
Myanmar, one of Asia’s poorest nations, is already grappling with the effects of a brutal civil war sparked by a military coup over four years ago.
The conflict has devastated the economy, and the country remains ill-equipped to handle a major natural disaster of this scale.
The Sagaing region, where the earthquake struck, is a war zone with multiple factions—including the ruling junta, pro-military militias, and rebel groups—fighting for control.
The ongoing violence has made travel by road or river extremely dangerous, posing significant challenges to delivering emergency aid and assessing the full extent of the damage.
Tremors were also felt in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, underscoring the quake’s intensity.
Authorities across the region are now assessing the situation, with emergency teams mobilizing in both Myanmar and Thailand.
A fire outbreak in the early hours of Friday morning has gutted buildings on Ifejika Street, by Sokoto Road, Onitsha, prompting swift intervention from the Anambra State Fire Service.
The inferno, which reportedly started in one of the buildings at about 6:20 a.m., quickly spread to an adjacent structure, causing panic among residents and business owners in the area.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown at the time of this report.
READ ALSO: Fire Ravages Two-Storey Commercial Building In Anambra
Eyewitnesses say residents and passersby joined forces with the firefighters in an attempt to salvage goods and properties from the affected buildings.
The head of the Media and Publicity Unit of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident in a brief statement.
“Anambra State Fire Service is currently on intervention at the scene of the fire outbreak at Ifejika Street, by Sokoto Road, Onitsha. The distress call came at 6:20 a.m. today, and our firefighters deployed immediately. The public is advised to remain calm as the situation is under control,” Chiketa said.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to completely extinguish the fire were still ongoing.
Authorities are yet to determine the extent of the damage and the possible cause of the outbreak.
More details to follow………
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