Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Chinese power generation company, CCETC, has announced plans to establish a power plant and an industrial park in Ogun State, in what is being described as a major boost to the state’s industrialisation drive. Chairman of the company, Mr. Guo Xianda, disclosed this at the weekend during a strategic meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun and top government officials at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. Xianda revealed that the firm would install a 3MW power plant at the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport, Iperu-Ilishan, free of charge, to accelerate economic activities at the facility and its environs. The development follows Governor…

The Muslim Congress (TMC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to introduce comprehensive measures to cushion the harsh effects of his administration’s economic reforms on ordinary Nigerians, warning that the biting hardship is pushing many citizens into deeper vulnerability. The faith-based organisation also urged the President to urgently intervene in the brewing crisis between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery over unionisation of workers, stressing that the dispute could snowball into a national economic crisis if not swiftly resolved. Speaking in Abeokuta on Saturday during the 18th Annual Lecture of…

The Dangote Refinery has applauded the Nigerian judiciary for what it described as its courage and fairness in upholding the rule of law amid recent disputes, while also reiterating its commitment to employee welfare and national development. In a statement issued at the weekend, the management of the refinery said it remained resolute in building a workplace culture that rewards performance, protects workers’ dignity, and ensures a safe environment. “Through continuous training, mentorship and professional development, we create visible pathways for growth, thereby empowering our employees to advance into leadership roles and build long-term, fulfilling careers,” the company said. The…

Daud Olatunji The deaths of two students of Ilugun High School, Elega, Abeokuta, Ogun State, allegedly chased into a river by Amotekun operatives, have ripped the veil off the rot in the state’s public schools—an ugly mix of indiscipline, sex, drugs, extortion, and heavy-handed policing. The victims—19-year-old SS1 student, Ayomide Babalola, and a physically challenged female student, identified simply as Esther—had left their parents’ homes for school on that fateful day. Hours later, they were found drowned in a river near the school, allegedly while fleeing operatives of the Amotekun Corps invited by the school authorities. “He never missed school”…

The Nigerian Army on Sunday dismissed reports that bandits overran troops in Obanla, Kwara State, carting away heavy weapons and ammunition, insisting that its operational bases remain intact. An online platform had reported that the armed group, which has been linked to recent killings in Kogi State, allegedly seized at least six General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and over 30,000 rounds of ammunition from soldiers during an ambush in Kwara last month. Quoting a senior military source, the report claimed the weapons haul boosted the capacity of the bandits now terrorising communities in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi,…

The Emir of Kano and former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Muhammad Sanusi II, has called on financial regulators to compel banks to disclose the number and value of loans granted to women-led businesses as part of efforts to close Nigeria’s gender financing gap. Sanusi made the call on Thursday in Lagos while delivering a goodwill message at the third Gender Impact Investment Summit and the launch of the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Roadmap 2025–2035. He argued that mandatory disclosure would drive healthy competition among banks while exposing those with poor records of supporting women entrepreneurs. > “Nobody…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described teachers as the foundation upon which all other professions are built, declaring that education remains the cornerstone of national development. Abiodun stated this on Thursday during the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration, themed “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborating Profession,” held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. Represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor said the theme underscored the need to reimagine the teaching space as one anchored on teamwork, mentorship, shared learning, and mutual support. “Teaching is not an isolated endeavour, but a collective mission that draws strength from cooperation…

… Say Project Threatens Nigeria’s Food Sovereignty, Smallholder Farmers … Warn Of Health Risks, Displacement,  “Industrial Food Colonialism” Daud Olatunji Civil society groups, farmers, community leaders, and other stakeholders in the South-West have raised alarm over the $2.5 billion industrial animal farming investment plan by Brazilian meat giant, JBS S.A., warning that it poses a major threat to Nigeria’s food sovereignty, environment, and public health. The concerns were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a regional workshop on the implications of industrial animal farming, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on September 30, 2025. The participants described Nigeria…

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised the alarm over what it described as a deliberate plot by entrenched interests to cripple the operations of the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery, warning that the move could destabilize Nigeria’s fragile economy and discourage foreign investment. In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T.A. Muhammad-Baba, the northern socio-political group said the refinery — Nigeria’s largest and most modern indigenous crude oil processing plant — had faced “an unrelenting onslaught” since its inception. According to the ACF, the challenges confronting the refinery — ranging from regulatory interference to…

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has opened a full-scale investigation into the alleged diversion of more than N4 billion of state funds into the Dala Inland Dry Port project during the administration of former governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The anti-graft agency said the probe followed several petitions alleging that the Ganduje-led administration injected over N4bn into the inland port project, despite Kano State having been stripped of its equity ownership. According to findings, the state originally held a 20 per cent equity stake in the multi-billion-naira project. However, in 2020, that equity was allegedly converted…