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Imo State Needs Peace to Progress – Ekeh, Zinox Boss
Leo Stan Ekeh, Serial digital entrepreneur and Chairman, Zinox Group, has called on all aggrieved parties in Imo State to embrace peace, noting that no form of progress can take place in an atmosphere of unrest or insecurity.
He made this known while speaking at the Imo State Government House during a courtesy visit to Governor Hope Uzodinma on Monday, May 24, 2021.
The Zinox boss, who has been pained by recent developments regarding insecurity in Imo State, had decided, based on reportage and discussions with various stakeholders, to visit the state for a personal assessment of the situation, even as he noted that the facts on ground show that the situation was not as bad as portrayed.
‘‘I think it is a temporary pain as activities were on full gear during the day and I hope night life shall soon return to what was a very peaceful state before this challenge,’’ he stated.
Ekeh, however, seized the opportunity to call for a cease-fire from all concerned parties.
‘‘The most critical thing to note is that peace is essential to the progress of any society. No meaningful progress can take place in a state where there is a high level of unrest, insecurity or a break-down of law and order. I wish to use this opportunity to plead with everyone to embrace peace, especially because this is not a time for division, but a time for all of us to band together and usher in progress in our dear state,’’ he declared.
The foremost digital disruptor, who hails from Mbaitoli LGA, decried the loss of lives and property in the state, noting that the situation may scare away potential and existing investors, if not curtailed. Furthermore, he pleaded with the people of Imo State, to save the state from such a scenario andsee dialogue as a better option.
‘‘Imo youths are very brilliant kids and street smart, but they must have faith in their future. This may be the right time to reskill to alter their destinies.Violence solves no problem. Instead, it makes a bad situation even worse.
“Rather than resort to violence, it is better to dialogue or find a middle ground. I plead with you all to consider this whenever issues arise. I also understand that the governor is a busy man. In such cases, you can reach out to people like some of us to speak with him.
‘‘I urge you all not to allow yourself to be used to destroy the state. Remember that any actions we take today may also destroy the future of our children and unborn generations.’’
Also speaking at the event, Gov Uzodinma, who reassured the Zinox boss that things had normalized, disclosed his commitment to ensuring peace and security in the state as a means of creating a conducive environment for progress and for businesses and other entrepreneurial pursuits to thrive.
While speaking with journalists on the sidelines of an event, Ekeh restated his love for Imo State, noting that he would continue to support every government in power in the state, irrespective of the status, party or identity of the governor.
‘‘I am not a politician and shall never be one in this my life time. My single interest is supporting any government in power for the progress of the state. I can tell you the Governor assured me that he is putting a lot in place to revive the economy.
“I frankly think the Federal Government, well-meaning Imo indigenes no matter where they reside, our friends and corporates operating in Imo state, should support in whatever little ways they can for absolute peace to return. I shall also do my bit.’’
In addition, the digital entrepreneur, who remains one of the biggest employers of graduates from Imo State, disclosed plans to enhance his investment in the state.
Stating that the coronavirus pandemic was a huge challenge to businesses and individuals worldwide, Ekeh noted that Nigeria was also experiencing the bitter pangs of the pandemic, having being ill-prepared for the crisis.
‘‘The truth is that no government or religious leader anticipated this disaster,’’ Ekeh disclosed.
He advised all to draw closer to God, even as he disclosed that God is the only distinguishing factor.
Ekeh, a renowned philanthropist, has touched millions of lives in Imo State and across Nigeria through his support for the less privileged, churches, educational institutions and other segments of the populace.
Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, his personal foundation, Ekeh has granted scholarships to many indigent students, constructed markets, provided Medicare for many and also set up an interest free N1.5bn revolving loan scheme for entrepreneurs, among many other noble interventions.
This holiday season just got a whole lot more exciting! PalmPay, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, operates Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and has teamed up with Jumia, the continent’s e-commerce giant, to launch a festive campaign that’s all about convenience, rewards, and enhancing your shopping experience.
Running from December 11th to 28th, 2024, this holiday campaign is set to reward shoppers who use the new “Pay with PalmPay” feature on Jumia with cash prizes. Every purchase made using the direct payment method automatically enters participants into a draw, giving them a chance to win exciting cash rewards while enjoying the seamless shopping and payment process.
A Strategic Partnership To Enhance Digital Payments
The integration of the “Pay with PalmPay Wallet” feature on Jumia marks a major milestone in the partnership between the two industry leaders.
Speaking at the media announcement, Mr. Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay, highlighted the broader mission driving this collaboration: “We are thrilled to join forces with Jumia to redefine convenience for shoppers. At PalmPay, our mission has always been to drive economic empowerment through accessible and user-friendly financial services. This partnership is a natural step forward in achieving that goal.”
Beyond the holidays, this partnership with Jumia m,k is a signal of bigger things to come. Mr. Chika added: “This is more than just about payments—it’s about creating value for our customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will unlock in 2025, including campaigns and innovative initiatives that will further transform the online shopping landscape.”
Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, highlighted the shared vision between both companies, stating: “At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience. This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform. By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions.”
How to Join the Holiday Fun
Participating in the campaign is simple. When shopping on Jumia, select the “Pay with PalmPay” option at checkout, and your entry into the draw is automatic. It’s that easy!
Bonus Entry: Share a screenshot of your purchase on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #PalmPayXJumia to increase your chances of winning. Additional winners will be selected from participants engaging with the campaign on Twitter.
Whether you are shopping for gifts, or gadgets this festive season, PalmPay and Jumia are making sure your experience is not only seamless but also rewarding.
To learn more about the campaign, stay tuned to the official X accounts (formerly Twitter) of @palmpay_ng and @JumiaNigeria. for updates, announcements, and more chances to win.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has revealed that none of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in the country complied fully with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures in the passing year.
This was following the findings from the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) for the MDAs.
The Commission warned that henceforth, non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.
According to the EICS scorecard released on Thursday in Abuja by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, no MDA out of 330 MDAs that were assessed through physical deployment by ICPC teams achieved full compliance.
The EICS serves as a preventive tool used to assess and enhance the compliance of MDAs with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.
Findings from the report indicated that no MDA achieved full compliance, while 29.55 per cent of MDAs captured attained substantial compliance, and 51.62 per cent had partial compliance.
The report also observed that 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance, while 292 per cent were non-compliant.
According to the report, common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports.
Commenting on the report, Bakare noted: “This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 MDAs non-responsive and categorised as high corruption risk.
“It is imperative to inform you that this initiative has yielded some positive and value-driven impacts, and these are, but not limited to, increased awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures, enhanced competition among MDAs to meet criteria, and improved procurement processes and data reliability.
“The Commission recognises the MDAs with substantial compliance and will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability.
“Non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives. We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has dismissed claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) used a $1 billion loan secured through a crude forward sale agreement to support the refinery during a liquidity crisis.
In a statement on Wednesday, Anthony Chiejina, company’s chief branding and communications officer, said the NNPCL’s stance was a distortion of the facts.
“We would like to clarify that this is a misrepresentation of the situation as $1bn is just about 5% of the investment that went into building the Dangote Refinery,” Chiejina said.
Chiejina stated that the refinery’s decision to enter into a partnership with the NNPCL was based on the recognition of “their strategic position in the industry as the largest offtaker of Nigerian crude” and at the time, the sole supplier of petrol into Nigeria.
“We agreed on the sale of a 20% stake at a value of $2.76 billion. Of this, we agreed that they will only pay $1 billion while the balance will be recovered over a period of 5 years through deductions on crude oil that they supply to us and from dividends due to them,” Chiejina said.
“If we were struggling with liquidity challenges we wouldn’t have given them such generous payment terms. As at 2021 when the agreement was signed, the refinery was at the pre-commission stage.”
According to the statement, the agreement would have been cash-based rather than credit-driven if the refinery struggled with liquidity issues.
The refinery’s spokesman said the NNPCL was subsequently unable to supply the agreed 300,000 barrels a day of crude (bpd).
He stated that the shortfall was because the NNPPC “had committed a greater part of their crude cargoes to financiers with the expectation of higher production which they were unable to achieve”.
“We subsequently gave them a 12-month period for them to pay cash for the balance of their equity given their inability to supply the agreed crude oil volume,” he said.
“NNPCL failed to meet this deadline which expired on June 30th 2024. As a result, their equity share was revised down to 7.24%. These events have been widely reported by both parties,” he said.
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