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Reconstruction of Ayanfuri-Kwamprakrom road begins

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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Transport Minister addressing the gathering while District Chief Executive for Upper Denkyira West looks on

The Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr. Stephen Pambiin Jalulah, has, on behalf of the Minister of Roads, cut the sod for the reconstruction of the Ayanfuri-Kwamprakrom road project.

The project, which is expected to address the deplorable state of the road network in the area, would also see the upgrading of the Asaman-Nyinawusu feeder road.

Deputy Roads and Highways Minister breaking the grounds for the reconstruction works

The Ayanfuri road connects the inter-regional and national integration, including the Central, Western North, Ashanti and Ahafo regions.

The Deputy Minister, at the sod cutting ceremony last Monday, commended President Akufo-Addo for making the project possible, and that the contractor was ready for the job, and urged the members of the community to give them the needed support.

He said the contractor had started with the clearing, construction of concrete, earthworks, u-drains and culverts.

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, promised the chiefs and people that the project was bound to be completed in good time, as the contractor had already commenced work.

The Central Regional Minister Justina Marigold Assan, gave the assurance that the government was committed to infrastructural development to enhance the socio-economic development of the citizenry, as well as facilitate the free flow and movement of goods, services and access to the market.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper Denkyira West, Mr. Richmond Koduah, said the project would be completed within two years, and commended the President for delivering on his promise.

He appealed to the chiefs and farmers who would be affected by the construction process, to settle all issues amicably with the contractor.

The DCE pleaded with the constituents to reconsider their position against the government and support it and ensure massive votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the elections.

Load limit to be rigidly enforced on Accra-Tema Motorway

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Accra-Tema Motorway

Mr. Kwasi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, says vehicles which exceed the legal height limit of 4.5 metres will, in the coming months, be sanctioned and denied access to the Accra-Tema Motorway.

This was to allow for the seamless construction of about 22 metres bridge over the Tema Motorway which is expected to begin in May this year. The construction which formed part of the Flyover project from the Flowerpot roundabout has a duration period of about four to five months.

The Minister said he would be seeking the assistance of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to strictly enforce the height limit of trucks on the motorway.

He has therefore urged the Messrs China Railway No.5 Engineering Ghana Limited contractors and Doeke Consult Limited, the Supervising Consultant not to relent in having culprits turned away and dealt with for flouting the law, adding that “don’t treat any driver who flouts the law with kid’s gloves.”

Mr. Amoako-Attah also urged the contractors to take proactive steps to ensure that the traffic situation on the motor way was well managed during the construction to reduce loss of productive time in traffic.

Mr. Emmanuel Dogbotse, the Resident Engineer, said the engineers were working hard to minimise the impact of the construction on economic activities, adding that “we will try to work day and night so that the time for construction can be reduced from four and half to maybe three months.”

“We have four stages of traffic control and seven stages of construction. In our first traffic control, we will maintain the original lanes and we will do stage one construction.

“In the next traffic control, we will do stage two and stage construction and we will put the motor way road through the median of the motorway. We will still maintain our two lanes in two lanes out,” he said.

He indicated that the contractors would be mounting gentries on each side of the road to prevent vehicles with heights exceeding the legal limits from passing through the construction site.

“The law says 4.5, but most of the truck on the motorway are more than 4.5 metres, but we will allow up to 4.8, because our clear height limit is 5.2 metres,” he said.

The flyover project consists of one mainline bridge of 802 metres, two ramp bridges, four auxiliary roads of 2.5 kilometres and ancillary works.

It will involve creating an access route from the Motorway to the Boundary Road roundabout and an exit into the Cantonments from the Giffard Road interchange.

The project which originally started in March 2017 has a revised completion date of Dec 31, 2023, from March 16 2019 and an intended final take over period of December 31 2024.

The revised contract sum for the project is GH¢284.6 million according to the Ministry.

Source: GNA

Editorial: We applaud NAS, Florida University collaboration but …

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admin
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Editorial

The management of the National Ambulance Service (NAS), in collaboration with the University of Florida and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has introduced MotoMeds to enhance healthcare at night.

MotoMeds, according to a story we published yesterday, is a free paediatric telemedicine and medication delivery service designed to prevent pre-emergent illnesses from transitioning into emergencies at night when children are most vulnerable and isolated.

Addressing a news conference in Accra, this week, the Chief Executive Officer of the NAS, Prof Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah, applauded the University of Florida for embarking on this project.

Explaining how the system works, an official from the University told journalists: “When a child gets sick at night, their parents or guardian calls the dedicated MotoMeds hotline. Our specially trained NAS Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will conduct a telemedicine assessment over the phone to develop an initial patient assessment, then one of the EMTs is sent out to deliver the medication to the child.”

The telemedicine, which is currently limited to Jamestown and Ussher Town communities, has, according to the said official, has helped over 300 children since November last year. To ensure a healthy economy, the health of the population must never be undermined. The Chronicle is, therefore, happy that such a laudable project has been initiated by the two institutions.

Our prayer is that it will gradually be extended to all parts of the country to save the lives of children who would have, otherwise, died from preventable diseases. But much as we appreciate this collaboration with the Florida University to ensure efficient healthcare delivery for our children, we do not think this must lead to the relegation of the core mandate of the NAS.

Through the efforts of the government, all the 275 political constituencies have, at least, one ambulance. The idea is to bring healthcare delivery to the doorsteps of the people, most of who are living in hard-to-access areas. Unfortunately, the hopes of the people have been dashed, because majority of them do not have access to ambulance services when the need arises.

There are several reports that when people fall sick and the Ambulance Service is called, they are ignored with excuses that they (NAS) do not have fuel in the vehicle. Indeed, a couple of months ago, we used this very column to express concern over a similar development that occurred in the Volta Region.

The NAS was not set up to cater for only the affluent in society – it is meant for all Ghanaians, irrespective of their financial standings. To deny the people whose taxes were used to import these ambulances the right to use the service is, therefore, very unfortunate. In our opinion, if the claim of not having fuel is really the true reflection of the situation on the ground, coupled with allegation that money is requested for fuel, then it is rather very unfortunate, and must be investigated by the NAS.

We cannot be shouting on top of our voices that each of the 275 constituencies has an ambulance, yet its services are not satisfactorily made available to the public. We hope the Minister for Health will make a direct intervention to ensure that the ambulance services are made available to every Ghanaian.

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (227)

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admin
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Opinion

The Construction of Ewiase and Its Implication on Day-Borns (1)

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? I hope you are do fine, just as I and all my mines are all do fine.

Senior, I am still in the Eastern Light mood, celebrating the victory of Yahweh’s Only Pickin, Yesu Christus Emmanuel over Wofa Sasabomsam and his entire military armed forces.

Senior, like I stated in the previous letter, the readings that sweet me pass, on the eve of Eastern Light was the story on how ewiase was constructed. It was later revealed unto me, the impart each day has for those born into it.

Senior, it went like this. One fine something, it cannot be a day because days were not born then, Yahweh, opened the Eastern Window of His bedroom and beheld a vast area not yet developed. He decided to develop that area and bring life and civilization there. He would do so in seven sections.

Senior on the following something, Yahweh seeing how dark that area was, said, “Let there be Light.” That First Something went to look for Light but could only bring osono. Yahweh rejected it, since with the slight breeze it became dum and unless you sor, there will be no light. That was how dumsor came about. After searching and searching, the Something to be called Sunday, managed to get hold of a burning touch he plucked from the burning bush, which was Sunlight, not the soap. Yahweh accepted that, and because the touch was brought closer to the time when darkness was fast coming, Yahweh called the Light, Day and the Darkness, Dumsor. Yahweh, blessed Sunday for his efforts.

Senior, evening came, morning followed, the First Day. In fact, all the dumsor, dumsor that we have been experiencing is due to Sunday. Go and bring Light, he brought osono which was dumsor. And bring the proper light in time, he spent that long time and Yahweh had to officially baptise darkness as dumsor.

Senior, then Yahweh said, “Let there be Sky.”Here too, the Second Day or Monday went looking for tall, tall buildings like Job 600’s senior brothers which are called skyscrapers. He spent so much time and came with a few, which were all rejected. He later came with the Sky proper after climbing up Mount Everest and plucking it down. This was accepted, and Yahweh blessed Monday for his efforts.Evening came morning followed, the Second Day.

Senior, because Monday was very capable of climbing tall, tall things, Monday Borns are good at climbing people’s coconut trees, mango trees, cashew trees and pear trees and plucking the fruits without permission. So, if you find out that your fruits are not on the tree and not also on the ground then go to a Monday Born near you. Whatever fruits they will have in their possession are all yours, just take them away without any comments. I am not in any way attempting to suggest that Monday Borns thief fruits, no, they don’t. Their expertise is just in climbing people’s walls and cleverly navigating into their garden,and plucking fruits without asking permission or being noticed. This is different from what you are thinking in your thoughts.

Senior, on Day Three, Yahweh said “Let There Be Dry Land and Wet Sea,” and the very intelligent Third Day or Tuesday, produced Dry Land and Wet Sea immediately and Yahweh blessed Him. But it was still morning, so Yahweh said again to Tuesday, “Let there be Cassava, Cocoyam, Plantain, Kola Nut, Mango, Orange and Cashew tress and all plants, that will make the earth green, green,” and before Yahweh could finish talking, Tuesday produced them. Yahweh was very impressed and blessed Tuesday again. Evening came, morning followed the Third Day.

Senior, the most productive people of all ewiase are Tuesday borns. Tuesday Borns are not proud, arrogant, too known or loud. They are very gentle, humble and usually quiet but in all this ewiase cannot function without them. In fact, Yahweh saw in Tuesday the salvation of mankind, and He handpicked a very beautiful young maiden born on Tuesday, called Eno Abena Maria to be the mother of His only Pikin, Yesu Christus Emmanuel who was also born on a Tuesday. The old man who protected both Mother and Child, was also born on a Tuesday born, called Agya Kwabena Josef.

Senior, Yahweh was full of hope and thought that His construction work was going to be simple and easy going and so He said, “Let there be touch lights in the Sky,” and a too known Wednesday, without finding out what exactly Yahweh wanted went to bring fireflies. Yahweh said, “Hmmm, not again. This is not what I want.” It took almost the whole day before Wednesday arrived with small, small touch lights to make Christmas trees lights in the night. Yahweh, anyhow blessed Wednesday, too.

Senior, if you want to talk about Wednesday Borns, people will think you hate them. But that is not the case. They are people who complain always and think what they think is the right thinking. Too known, too four o’clock tea always doing before thinking. That is Wednesday Born.

Senior, a certain Akua in my house, wants some help. I will be back. So, I am Kwabena, no I am Dan, sorry I am done.

It’s me!

Mechanical Engineer charged with stealing, fraud

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

Kwame Amanya, a mechanical engineer, has been accused of fraud and stealing a Valtra tractor valued GH¢80,000.00.

He was arraigned together with Joe Clark Arthur, a fabricator, who is facing the change of dishonestly receiving.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to bail in various sums of money.

Amanya, first accused (A1), was given bail in the sum of GH¢100,000.00 with two sureties to be justified by landed property, while Arthur (A2) was given GH¢20,000.00 with one surety who is a family member.

The court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, has adjourned the next hearing to May 3, 2023.

Addressing the court, Chief inspector Daniel Danku said during the year 2019, the complainant in the case entrusted his Valtra tractor with registration number GR7118-18 to the accused on rental basis.

However, after a period of about six months A1 and the tractor could not be located.

He said the complainant later got information that the tractor had been spotted at Maame Krobo near Afram Plains in the Eastern Region.

Therefore, a report was made to the Cantonments police and investigations led to the arrest of A2 who was in possession of the said tractor.

He informed the police that he bought the tractor from A1, and this led to the arrest of the latter.

During investigations Amanya also stated that he sold the tractor to A2 upon the authorisation of the complainant, but could not produce his proof of transaction or any money paid to the complainant after the sale.

During investigations, a witness in the case also showed up at the police station and stated that the tractor in question had been sold to him by Arthur, but when he requested for the documents covering the vehicle, he was assured that the documents would be retrieved from the complainant in Accra for him, but A2 failed to do so.

The witness added that until he heard that the tractor in question was involved in a case under investigation at the Cantonments police station he did not know the real owner.

The prosecutor said the tractor had since been impounded by the police and kept at the Maame Krobo District Police Headquarters.

After thorough investigations, the 1st and 2nd accused persons were charged with the offences and put before court.

4 men, one woman grabbed for allegedly accessing Ecobank customers’ accounts

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

Five men and a woman, between the ages of 22 and 30 years, are standing trial for unauthorised transfer and interception of ECOBANK customers’ accounts.

They are Frank Effah, 25 and unemployed, Kwabena Agyapong, 30 and barber, Perlos Nyani aka Seth Baah, 30 and unemployed, Ebenezer Yaw Annin, 25 and unemployed, Aisha Ankoma Asumang, 22 and a student, and Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae alias Paygez, at large.

The accused persons are residents of Afrancho-Krobo, and Techiman-Takofiano.

They were arraigned before the court on conspiracy to commit a crime and unauthorised transfer and interception.

Their pleas are yet to be taken, and were remanded into police by an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, yesterday.

The trial court was told by the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah, that the management of Ecobank Ghana, represented by Peter Nyaba, Head of Internal Audit, reported the case.

According to him, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023,  Ecobank Ghana reported to the police about some unauthorised transactions on some of their customers’ accounts.

According to Ecobank, internal investigations of customers who fell victim to these unauthorised transactions had their SIM cards linked to the accounts.

He said these SIM cards had been swapped or replaced and issued to the perpetrators to enable them gain access into the customers’ accounts to transfer various sums of money.

The court was told that the accused persons transferred the customers’ funds into the mobile money wallet of pre-registered SIM cards.

Preliminary police intelligence revealed the location of the perpetrators around Assin Fosu and Kumasi.

He indicated that the accused persons’ leader was Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae, alias Paygez.

C/Ins Anquandah added that based upon intelligence received, the police proceeded to Kumasi and upon sustained surveillance arrested all five accused persons.

He stated that preliminary investigations also revealed that Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae alias Paygez, who is at large, was the brain behind the fraud.

The prosecutor continued that a search conducted on the suspects revealed Ecobank account opening slips, 72 Vodafone and MTN SIM cards and starter packs suspected to be pre-registered.

Some involvements of all the accused persons had also been established.

The court was told that the investigation was still ongoing to locate and arrest suspect Nicholas Gyekye alias Paygez.

Based on this, the prosecutor urged Mr. Acquah to remand the accused persons into police custody to further assist the investigation.

Two more Chinese fined after Aisha Huang’s son

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

An Accra Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, has sentenced the remaining two Chinese nationals standing trial with Galamsey Queen Aisha Huang’s son.

Huang Haihua and Shi Yang, alias Philip, were charged together with Huang Lei, Aisha’s son, who was convicted on his own plea from not guilty to guilty.

The sentence of Haihua and Shi also follows the changing of their not guilty plea guilty.

They were charged with possession of forged residence permit and ammunition.

Justice Marfo sentences Haihua to a maximum fine of 1,000 on each of the five counts.

Haihua was guilty of one count, possession of forged residence permit, while Yang was held liable for possession of forged residence permit and ammunition.

The court ordered that upon failure to pay the fine, the convicts would serve two years imprisonment in hard labour.

Per the current rate, a unit fine is GH¢12.00, therefore, each of the convict would pay GH¢12,000.00.

Meaning Yang was sentenced on four counts, which should result in a fine of GH¢48,000, but would only pat GH¢12,000.00, because the charges are to run concurrently.

The court explained that it took into consideration the circumstance of the case, as well as the youthful nature of Huang Lei, being a first time offender.

It also took into account Haihua pleading early, which had saved the court’s time and resources. “I will sentence the 2nd accused person (Haihua) to pay a fine of one thousand penalty units, and in default he should serve two years imprisonment in hard labour.”

Justice Marfo added that Shi was sentenced on the previous preamble, and was to pay a fine of one thousand penalty units, and in default serve a prison sentence of two years in hard labour on counts four, five, six, seven and eight.

Facts

Watkins Adama, State Attorney, read the facts to the court that sometime in August, 2022, the National Security Council Secretariat, the Ghana Immigration Service, as well as other security agencies received intelligence that Huang Lei and Huang Haihua, together with other foreign nationals, had remained in the country without permits and were also suspected to be engaged in illegal mining activities.

On September 2, 2022, a team of security officers visited the residence of Lei and Haihua at Ahodwo in Kumasi, where they were arrested.

The arresting officers also found and arrested at the same residence Jian Li Hau, who is said to be the girlfriend of Huang Lei, and one Ruixia Huang, also known as En Huang or Aisha Huang.

Aisha Huang was repatriated from Ghana in December 2018, on the directive of the Comptroller General of the Ghana Immigrate (GIS), the directive is still in force.

The arresting team retrieved from Huang Lei his Chinese passport, with number E44932112. Affixed in his passport is a permit issued by the Director of Immigration with number EP-002029, which authorised Lei to remain in Ghana until May 16, 2022.

Lei, upon his arrest and interrogation, admitted he did not have a valid permit to remain in Ghana.

A search conducted in Lei’s room revealed ammunition among other things, including eight packs of Eley shotgun cartridges containing about 250 pieces of ammunition, but Lei was not able to provide a valid license for them.

Huang Haihua also had in his possession a Chinese passport bearing his name with number EC4624083, and affixed it was what appears to be a Republic of Ghana residence permit.

The said the permit number was RP-0386869, purportedly to have been issued by the Director of Immigration for one year with effect from May 26, 2022.

However, investigations disclosed that the supposed permit was not issued by or with the consent or authority of the Ghana Immigration Service.

Based on further intelligence gathered, the team of security officers visited a property at Daban, Kumasi, on September 14, 2022, where Shi Yang, together with others, were also arrested on suspicion of remaining in Ghana without the requisite permits, as well as engaging in illegal mining operations.

A Chinese passport, with number E716840608, bearing the name and other particulars of Yang was retrieved from him.

Affixed in the said passport was what appears to be a Republic of Ghana Residence Permit, with number RP0386576, purportedly issued by the Director of Immigration for one year with effect from May 26, 2022.

However, investigations disclosed that the supposed permit was not issued by or with the consent or authority of the Ghana Immigration Service.

Also retrieved from Yang’s room were 83 pieces of live 9mm ammunition, three pieces of live 8mm bullets, 22 pieces of live BB ammunition, and three pieces of live AA ammunition, all of which were in the possession of Yang without legal authority.

Nigerian fined £26,835 for smuggling cigarettes into London

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admin
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Heathrow Airport

A United Kingdom tribunal has held that a Nigerian be fined the sum of £26,835 (over N15 million) after being charged in relation to 61,800 cigarettes found in his bag without appropriate disclosure to relevant revenue authorities. The cigarettes were seized at Heathrow Airport, London, in February 2020.

Details of the judgement are contained in an appeal filed by the Nigerian, Oladipupo Fagbewesa, against the civil evasion penalty issued on 21 June 2021.

In court documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the tribunal judge, Abigail Mcgregor, held that Mr Fagbewesa owned the cigarettes that were seized from his bags and subsequently upheld the penalty.

According to the court document dated 12 April, the Notice of Appeal was submitted to the tribunal just over a month late and was received on 23 September 2021. An explanation for the lateness was given in the Notice of Appeal, the document said.

The reasons for the lateness include, among others, the fact that the conclusion letter, dated 14 July 2021, was not received by Mr Fagbewesa until 14 August 2021 because he had been away in Nigeria caring for his sick mother for a 3-week period from 25 July 2021. Similarly, the document said Mr Fagbewesa works at night and therefore has limited time in the day to seek legal advice; he found affordable legal advice on 27 August 2021; English is not his first language and he had trouble understanding the procedure.

Based on the reasons given and the absence of objection from the HM Revenue and Customs, a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes, the court decided to admit the appeal late.

But after hearing arguments from the parties, the tribunal ruled that the seized cigarettes belonged to Mr Fagbewesa and upheld the £26,835 penalty against him.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

Boy, 14, sent to prison for defiling 22-month-old baby

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admin
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Nigeria court

A Family Court in Iyaganku, Oyo State on Thursday ordered that a 14-year-old boy, who allegedly defiled a 22-month-old baby, be remanded in the Agodi Corrections facility.

The police charged the boy, a minor, with defilement.

Chief Magistrate P. O. Adetuyibi did not take the plea of the minor for want in the jurisdiction.

Adetuyibi ordered the police to send the case to the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

She adjourned the matter until July 20, for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Oluwakemi Arowosaye told the court that the boy resides with his parents at No 4, Salawu Street, Ibadan.

Arowosaye alleged that the boy defiled the baby between March 31, and April 3.

She said that the baby, an orphan, was left in the care of her sister.

The offence, she said, contravenes the provisions of Section 34 of the Child’s Right Law of 2006.

The baby has been taken by the Oyo State Child Welfare Department of the Ministry for Women Affairs.

Credit: punchng.com

Zelensky invites Tinubu to Ukraine on state visit

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admin
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Zelensky and Tinubu

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has congratulated Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on his election victory.

This was even as Zelensky invited him to his war-ravaged country of Ukraine on a state visit.

The felicitation is coming two months after the former Lagos governor was declared winner of the contentious presidential election.

Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his counterpart in Labour Party, Peter Obi, who garnered 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.

In his congratulatory message, Zelenskyy praised Tinubu over his victory, adding that his war-torn country is determined to further strengthen cooperation with Nigeria.

The Ukrainian leader also used the opportunity to extend an invitation to the president-elect to visit Ukraine on a state visit after his inauguration on May 29.

His letter read, “Please accept my sincere congratulations on your election as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Despite extremely difficult testing times, caused by the full-scale armed aggression of Russia against our state, Ukraine is determined to further strengthen cooperation with Nigeria at the bilateral level and within the framework of international organizations.

“We are grateful for your country’s support of the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization “Principles of the UN Charter underlying a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.

“I count on the active participation of Nigeria in its practical implementation. We see the further provision of global food security, of which Ukraine was and remains a reliable guarantor at the global level, as an important direction of cooperation.

“The fulfilment of this task will be facilitated by the successful implementation of the Ukrainian initiative “Grain from Ukraine”, which is designed to significantly increase the supply of grain to African countries in order to prevent famine.

“Taking this opportunity, I invite you to pay an official visit to Ukraine at a time convenient for you.

“I am confident that your visit will strengthen the dialogue between our countries and contribute to further consolidation of joint efforts of the international community aimed at solving the urgent challenges of today, in particular the crisis situation caused by Russia regarding the guarantee of world food security.”

Credit: punchng.com

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