By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

Militants under the aegis of Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) have given Governor Udom Emmanuel 14 days ultimatum to publish federal allocations to local governments in Akwa Ibom State.

The agitators asked the governor to make public records of council allocations received by the state from June 2015 to date, failing which they will stage a mass protest, which may lead to some grave impacts on the state.

The NDLF last week accused the Emmanuel administration of stalling development at the grassroots by tampering with council funds since his assumption of office in 2015.

But the state government denied the allegation.

In a statement at the weekend by the state commander of the NDLF, ‘Captain’ Victor Eyoh and four others, the group asked the state government to prove its innocence by making public records of council allocations.

The statement said: “For the avoidance of doubt, as indigenes of Akwa Ibom State, we are aware that during the first five months after the inauguration of the outgoing local government councils, the 31 councils were operating on zero allocations.

‘’In subsequent months, N6 to N8million per month were disbursed to each local government for the payment of political office holders, elected councillors and traditional rulers.

‘’We, therefore, stand by our earlier claims that the state government has been illegally tampering with local government funds, and challenge the government to publish for public scrutiny details of the monthly receipts of revenue from the Federation Account from June 2015 in respect of the allocations to the 31 local governments and records of disbursements of same to the councils.”

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong, has denied tampering with council funds, saying Governor Emmanuel is not a signatory to any local government council account.

Ememobong, who said the NDLF might be working for the opposition, asked the group to approach the Federal Government for records of funds allocations to local government councils in the state.

He said:  ‘’The publication of allocation to local government areas is done by the Federal Government and is available for all to see.

‘’The local government leadership through ALGON can answer whether the governor has been tampering with their allocation or not.

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‘’However, for your information, the governor isn’t a signatory to any local government council account and therefore cannot tamper with an account he’s not a signatory to.

‘’But it’s amazing how a militant group can now claim to be spokespersons for issues  that make them sound like echo chambers of some Akwa Ibom opposition chieftains’’.

By Nsa Gill, Calabar

The palace of the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, has said the Obong has nothing personal against Prof. Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State.

The clarification came on Sunday from a palace source who pleaded anonymity and insisted that the Obong will not speak further on the matter, “but the truth is that the Obong has nothing personal against Governor Ayade”.

Our source said the Obong spoke when he received in audience, former governor Liyel Imoke on a visit in the wake of the devastating destruction of properties of the government, individuals and organisations.

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“The Obong is unhappy about the level of wanton destruction of government institutions, structures and private investments in Calabar, Akpabuyo and Bakassi local government areas. The protest was purportedly on the #EndSARS agitation and it became hijacked by violent elements”, the palace source said.

He added: “The Obong believes there was a security breakdown in the state on October 23 and 24 with the governor as the chief security officer of the state not holding a timely security council meeting of the state.”

In a swift reaction to the position of the Obong suggesting that the governor should step aside, Mr. Asu Okang, the commissioner for Information, said: “We are in a democracy and everybody is entitled to his or her opinion.”

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has slammed churches for disobeying COVID-19 regulations.

He threatened to impose fresh restrictions on worship centres.

Wike spoke at the weekend at St. Thomas Anglican Church in Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt Local Government, during Chief Azubuike Nmerukini’s family special thanksgiving service organised in honour of his wife, Dame Oroma Nmerukini, who survived a critical medical condition.

The governor said he observed during the service that more than 80 per cent of worshippers did not wear face masks.

Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, warned that if violation of the protocol continued, he would revisit his position on the population of worshippers at the worship centres.

He said: “Eighty-five per cent of those who are here are not wearing face mask. That is the problem we have. Nobody wants to obey simple instruction.

“The mere fact that we have agreed that we should worship and allow everybody, does not mean that we should disobey the protocol.

“My lord Bishop, encourage our people to wear their face masks. It is very important. If this continues, then I will go back and review the restriction to say it cannot be more than a particular number.”

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The governor thanked God for the healing of Dame Nmerukini, describing her as a sister and mother.

In his sermon, the Bishop of Diocese of Niger Delta, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo, admonished the congregation to discard the habit of bemoaning what they lack.

Thanking God for the restoration of her health, Dame Nmerukini said the experience was bitter, but she was grateful to God for healing her.

The governor was accompanied by his wife, Justice Suzzeette Nyesom-Wike, state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Desmond Akawor, Chief of Staff,  Government House,  Chukwuemeka Woke and Head of Rivers State Civil Service,  Rufus Godwin, among others.

Our Reporter

BAYELSA State Governor Douye Diri has directed the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to repair the collapsed portion of the bridge on the Edepie-Otuasega-Imiringi road in Ogbia Local Government.

The governor, who gave the directive at the weekend during an inspection of the failed portion, said he asked the ministry to carry out remedial work on the federal road project, as its users were Bayelsans who suffered the effect of the damage.

The road, which links three local governments, was cut off by erosion last Wednesday, leaving commuters stranded on both sides.

The governor’s spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him in a statement as saying that his administration would not fold its arms and watch Bayelsans suffer as a result of the collapsed bridge.

He said the level of damage indicated that thorough work was not done by the contractor and the engineers that supervised the construction.

“Recently, the Federal Government told states not to repair their roads. But this road links three local governments and the primary users are Bayelsans. So, while we know it is a federal road, we had to take immediate action.

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“To ameliorate the suffering of our people, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure mobilised down here to ensure that remedial work is done to allow our people move.

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“It is, however, unfortunate that the job that was done appears not to be a very concrete one. I’m sure if the engineers come here, they will know where the problem lies,” the governor said.

Responding to questions from reporters, Senator Diri said with the pace of work, the failed portion would be fixed in about one week.

He was accompanied by Speaker of the House of Assembly Abraham Ingobere, another legislator, Tonye Isenah, the Chief of Staff, Government House,  Chief Benson Agadaga as well as the Commissioner for Special Duties (Bayelsa East), Preye Broderick and her Communication, Science and Technology counterpart, Dr. Promise Ekio, alongside other top government functionaries.

 Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

NO fewer than 15 people have died following the outbreak of haemorrhagic fever at Ute Okpu and Idumesa communities in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, the Delta State Government has said.

It said outcome of the samples collected by the Ministry of Health officers would give an indication of the disease and determine the next line of action.

Health Commissioner Dr. Mordi Ononye, who spoke on Sunday at Ute Okpu in Ika North-East Local Government, said the state government had constituted a team to unravel the mysterious disease that had claimed 15 persons from 18 to 25 years in the past two weeks.

He said: “Delta State Government has received information about seemingly mysterious deaths at Ute Okpu and Idumesa communities of Ika North East Local Government, which prompted Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to direct the Ministry of Health to investigate these deaths, identify the  cause/causes and effect containment measures.”

Ononye said a directive has been given by Governor Okowa to upgrade the Comprehensive Health Centre in Ute-Okpu to a full-fledged hospital, and called on members of the community and residents of the state to observe good hygiene, as the dry season approaches, by covering their food, cutting grasses around their surroundings, eliminating rats in their houses and observing the COVID-19 safety guidelines by washing their hands with soap and running water.

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But Dr. Richard Ikwuogu, the state epidemiologist, said his office sent officers to the community immediately the information reached the Ministry of Health, adding that the active case search that began the previous day continues.

He said his team had visited the families of the affected persons in the community, collected their samples and interviewed them.

Ikwogu said although a suspicion of viral haemorrhagic fever, or substance abuse, the outcome of the test on collected samples would give clear information on the disease and that would determine the next line of action.

Our Reporter

THE lawmaker representing Enugu North, Senator Chukwuka Utazi and the monarch of Nkpologu community, Igwe Simeon Idu, have thanked Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his special attention in Uzo-Uwani Local Government through landmark development projects.

Speaking when Senator Utazi received Governor Ugwuanyi at his country home at Nkpologu, Igwe Idu thanked the governor for the ongoing massive work on the long-neglected 39km Umulokpa-Adaba-Ukpata-Uvuru-Nkpologu road, which links communities of Uzo-Uwani Council to their headquarters at Umulokpa.

The monarch, who expressed the joy of the people of the community to the governor, disclosed that “before now, we have not gone to our headquarters in Umulokpa without passing through four local governments of Nsukka, Igbo-Etiti, Udi and Ezeagu.”

He said because of governor’s special love for the people of Uzo-Uwani, “the building of the road (Umulokpa-Adaba-Ukpata-Uvuru-Nkpologu) is ongoing and has reached advanced stage” courtesy of the state government, in collaboration with Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP II).

Igwe Idu also thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for asphalting of the 26.665km Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road as well as the Edem Ani-Urobo-Abbi road (earthwork).

While maintaining that no past government has channelled infrastructural development to the rural communities as the current administration has done, the royal rather appreciated the governor for choosing Uzo-Uwani as one of the seven benefiting local governments where Type-3 primary health care centres are being constructed.

He also hailed the governor for siting the all-important health facility in Nkpologu.

He assured the governor of the unalloyed support and solidarity of the people of Uzo-Uwani Local Government and applauded his visit to the community.

Receiving Governor  Ugwuanyi in his country home, Ama-Ezikeani, Senator Utazi endorsed the speech by his traditional ruler, stressing that the governor’s achievements in infrastructural development in Uzo-Uwani Local Government are unprecedented and commendable.

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The lawmaker said Ugwuanyi’s administration has executed “the longest earth road in Enugu State” in the council area and reassured him that they will not take such considerations for granted.

Dignitaries at the event included the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi; the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Augustine Nnamani; the member representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Prince Cornelius Nnaji; the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; the former state Chairman of PDP, Chief Vita Abba; former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okey Ezea; members of the House of Assembly, EXCO and council chairmen from Enugu North Senatorial District, among others.