馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Kogi State strengthens partnership with Chinese firms for agro-industrial development
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Kogi State is advancing its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone SAPZ program through a strategic cooperation agreement with Hezheng Holdings Group and Hezheng Digital Technology Hezheng Innovation Valley Co., Ltd. The SAPZ initiative aims to boost food production, enhance processing capacity, create employment, attract private investment, and establish Kogi State as a leading agricultural and industrial hub in Nigeria. A central component of this collaboration is the development of a modern agricultural science and technology industrial park in Kogi State, which will drive agro-processing, facilitate agricultural technology transfer, support equipment deployment, promote enterprise incubation, strengthen logistics and cold chain systems, enhance export infrastructure, and provide sustainable power solutions. The Kogi SAPZ structure includes the Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub, Agricultural Transformation Centres in Anyigba, Alape, and Osara, and the Zariagi Agro-Air Hub. The program integrates existing farmer clusters with an additional 150,000 hectares of farmland per zone, focusing on value chains such as rice, maize, cassava, livestock and poultry, sesame, cashew, oil palm, and greenhouse farming. The agreement signifies a move from planning to implementation, attracting technical partners, industrial park operators, investors, and global business platforms into the SAPZ ecosystem. A Kogi State delegation, led by Alhaji Yakubu Okala, Auditor-General of Kogi State and Proj
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The Benue State Government has initiated an investigation into a suspected Mpox case reported in the Konshisha Local Government Area. Dr. Paul Ogwuche, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, stated that the ministry activated its surveillance system and deployed officials to the Tyokula Achihi residence in Korinya, where the suspected case was reported. He emphasized that laboratory confirmation is necessary before diagnosing any case as Mpox, as skin rashes and fever can stem from various medical conditions. The Director of Public Health and the State Epidemiologist have deployed a Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer to the location for assessment, investigation, and sample collection. The commissioner urged the public to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and report any fever accompanied by unexplained rashes or blisters to the nearest health facility. He confirmed that the state's disease surveillance system is active across all 23 local government areas and that the ministry is collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization for prompt detection and response to public health events. The public will be informed once investigation and laboratory findings are available.
Arsenal is reportedly exploring a potential deal for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, although there has been no direct club-to-club contact. Vinicius, 26, is in the final year of his contract with Real Madrid, and the Spanish club might consider selling him if a new agreement isn't reached, rather than risk losing him for free next summer. Arsenal is also considering other forwards, including Julian Alvarez, Yan Diomande, and Bradley Barcola. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is intensifying its efforts to sign RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande, 19, after an initial bid of 拢85.4 million was rejected. Liverpool and Arsenal have also shown interest in Diomande. Reports suggest that if Real Madrid secures Diomande, it could make Vinicius more open to a move, potentially boosting Arsenal's chances. Vinicius was the runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d'Or and is considered a key attacking player for Real Madrid, having also been named one of the club's captains for the new season. Arsenal is looking to strengthen its left-wing options this summer, having sold Leandro Trossard and signed Christos Tzolis.
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State General Sani Abacha, has rejected claims made by former Department of State Services operative Dennis Amachree regarding Abacha's final moments. Al-Mustapha described Amachree's account, reportedly detailed in his memoir "The Shadow Warrior," as false and fabricated. He stated that he possesses CCTV footage of the events and urged Nigerians to disregard Amachree's claims, asserting that it is wrong to make allegations against a deceased person. Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death on June 8, 1998, died under circumstances that have remained controversial, with various conflicting accounts emerging over the years. Al-Mustapha, a controversial figure himself who was acquitted in 2013 after spending over a decade in detention, has consistently defended the Abacha administration against allegations he deems politically motivated or factually unsupported.