“Nigeria is a big market, take advantage and invest. Let us look at the technologies on display and in use to ensure that the right quality of water is available.
“Using the right facilities will help a great deal. We need to improve on our services for effective service to the populace,’’ Ochekpe said.
The Managing Director, Ace Events Management, UK, Mrs Tracy Shaw, said the event would aid the rapid development of the water sector in the West African region.
She expressed the hope that partnership with Nigerian investors would aid effective management of the water sector toward building more sustainable infrastructure in the country.
It is envisaged to attract more than 100 exhibitors of equipment ranging from water pumps and pipes, to well drilling equipment and building materials.
It is organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Environment, Works, Power and Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
The three-day exhibition which began on Nov. 25, will end on Nov. 27. —————————————————————————–
5 die, 32 injured in auto crash (more headlines) By NAN
Five persons died while 32 others sustained injuries when an articulated vehicle was involved in accident on Monday in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accident occurred at about 10.30 a.m. at Wanzamai village on Funtua-Kano Road when the driver was said to have lost control of the steering.
It occurred close to the new office of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the area.
The lone accident involved a trailer with registration number XA 471 KAT carrying 30 cows and 50 passengers.
One of the passengers in the vehicle, Malam Garba Iliya, said the truck was going to Lagos.
.“The driver lost control and veered off the road throwing all of us into the bush”, Iliya said.
The Malunfashi Unit Commander of FRSC, Malam Tijjani Muhammad, told NAN that the truck was going to Lagos. “The trailer carried 30 cows and 50 passengers.’’
Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of the Sector Commander, Malam Habu Dauda, said the dead and the injured had been taken to Malumfashi General Hospital.
He decried road accidents on Malumfashi-Dayi and Marabar-Kankara roads, attributing the situation to “poor driving attitudes.’’ ——————————————————————————
Onwuliri appeals for calm over death of Nigerian in India (latest news) By SundiataPOST, Abuja
The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has appealed for calm and restraint after youths of Ohaji Egbema community in Imo State threatened to avenge the killing of their son in Goa, India.
Onwuliri made the appeal on Monday in Abuja when she received a delegation from the family of the deceased, Mr Simon Obodo, and the leadership of the National Congress of Ohaji Youths (NACOY) in Imo State.
She said the Federal Government would dispatch a high-level delegation to India this week to sign three agreements with the Indian government on the safety of all Nigerians in that country.
Onwuliri listed the agreements as the Mutual Legal Assistant, Extradition Treaty and Transfer of Prisoners.
The minister, who described the death of the Nigerian as reprehensible, however, said that Obodo’s unfortunate demise would fast-track the signing of the agreements with India.
She told the delegation that Nigeria had formally received an “unreserved apology’’ from the Indian government on the issue and had gone ahead to release some Nigerians who protested in Goa against their colleague’s death.
She praised the Ohaji/Egbema youths for not taking the laws into their hands by attacking over 50 Indians working for oil companies operating in the community.
Onwuliri said that Nigeria would no longer tolerate the maltreatment of its citizens anywhere in the world, adding “we share your sorrow and pain that this happened to a citizen of this great country’’.
“Simon was a law abiding citizen; he was just coming back from lunch when he met his untimely death and I know the pain of losing a dear one suddenly,’’ she said.
Onwuliri recalled that during a meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister at the just concluded Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting in Sri Lanka, she registered Nigeria’s protest over the incident.
