The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Excitement as Okowa inaugurates police special squad office in Delta

    Recently, the headquarters of the Delta State Police Command was agog with excitement as men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) in their numbers witnessed the commissioning of the ultra- modern office of the Eagle-Net Special Squad and observatory post/transit camp within the premises of the Delta State Police Command by Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

    In addition to the harvest of infrastructural projects, 20 operational Siena mini vans with specially fabricated cell facilities for detention of suspects were also presented.

    It was a carnival atmosphere as scores of policemen and women in freshly starched uniforms beaming with smiles walked smartly, barely able to contain their excitement. It was joy unconfined.

    The buildings and operational vehicles were a jointly funded project by State oil interventionist agency, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and Delta State Security Trust Fund.

    Although the project was initiated by AIG Alkali Baba Usman during his tenure as the State Police Commissioner in 2016, it was brought to fruition by the newly appointed CP Muhammad Mustafa, who has renovated the facilities at the Delta State Police Command in record time.

    The inauguration of the edifices mark an end to the sordid and harsh living conditions many policemen were subjected to  in the course of duty;  no longer will policemen live in makeshift  cramp quarters , exposed to the elements, but  these long suffering policemen and women  will enjoy the   cozy well apportioned buildings with modern facilities.

    Okowa  appealed for the support of all stakeholders for the security agencies so as to ensure peace and security in the society.

    According to Okowa, the task of ensuring peace and security of our society should not be left for government alone, stressing that “we cannot continue to leave the affairs of security just to the government alone; individuals who are blessed, corporate organisations ought to and should continue to support police in their work so that they can have the best in delivering their duties because when they have the best working environment they are likely to be more civil in your duties.

    “As a country and as a people we must realise that we require the partnership of the police and we ought to be their partners if we want things to work, the private sector should support the security agencies to ensure peace and security in the country.”

    He commended the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and the Delta State Security Trust Fund for the building projects and operational vehicles stating: “I  must also thank the management of DESOPADEC and the management of the Delta state Security Trust Fund for their collaboration with the police, starting first with the Eagle Net Squad and the Transit camp for the women that was built, we need to partner with Police Force to provide conducive working environment for its officers and members, so  as to get the best out of them.”

    While congratulating Police Commissioner Muhammad Mustafa for his leadership qualities in bringing out the best in his subordinates, Okowa eulogised the initiator of the projects, DSP Usman Dimka, O/C Eagle-Net Special Squad, Asaba, for his initiative in building the office and transit camp and urged others to emulate him.

    Earlier, in his welcome address, the State Police Commissioner, CP Muhammad Mustafa appreciated Governor Okowa for his support to the state Police Command and DESOPADEC for the partnership and the projects.

    Mustafa said the building projects will boost the morale of his men who will undoubtedly redouble their efforts at crime fighting, adding that the Eagle Net Special Squad with its over 100 personnel will “complement the efforts of other existing operational outfits such as the Quick Response Squad (QRS), the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squads (SAKCCS), the State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), the Dragon and Safer Highways outfits”.

    He praised DSP Dimka for initiating and completing the projects for the benefit of the Nigeria Police.

    He said:“ You have best exemplified the message which has been my watchword since my assumption of office as Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command which is: “leave the Command or any place you find yourself, better than you met it”. By building this ultra-modern office, along with its accompanying Women Police Transit Camp/Public Toilet and Bathroom, you have bequeathed a worthwhile legacy to generations of policemen and women and even those yet unborn who one day will serve in this Command.”

    DSP Dimka said the projects were in fulfillment of his vision of what the future police station should look like and providing conducive working environment for his colleagues.

     

  • Reinforcing cultural ties

    His recent move to strengthen cultural ties and peaceful coexistence amongst the regions and ethnic groups is admirable. Apart from constantly preaching peace, unity, tolerance and understanding, HRH (Dr) Appolus Chu, Egbere Emere Okori of Eleme Kingdom, Rivers State, has visited various palaces, a gesture he advises other traditional rulers to emulate.

    Relieving that one of the yardsticks for national unity is the cross integration of culture and social affiliation amongst different kingdoms irrespective of traditional variance and divergence, HRH Appolus Chu is of the opinion that cultural integration is a catalyst for national unity. His presence at the just concluded 2018 Nzem Berom, a cultural festival of the Berom nation in Plateau State where hundreds of people thronged the Jos stadium, venue of the most consistent and promising festival in Nigeria. There, HRH Appolus Chu was received by His Royal Majesty, the Gbong Gwon, Jos, Da Jacob Buba.

    Describing Jos as a home for tourists, HRH Chu said, “I appreciate the Gbong Gwom Jos, of His Majesty, Dr Jacob Gyang Buba for guarding the culture and tradition of his people jealously. By promoting his culture in this manner, he is also affording his people the opportunity to come together in love and unity and this is a crystal for national unity.”

    The Major features of the festival included a royal procession and deployment of well kitted Berom traditional warriors, a colourful parade of traditional dance groups as well as the exhibition of the Berom cuisine artefacts, mineral resources and raw materials.

    In continuation of his peace campaign that traditional rulers should be their brother’s keeper, synergise and network so as promote cultural tolerance, integration and cohesion, HRH Chu also paid a visit to the Emir of Misua, Bauchi State, HRH Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman to commiserate with the people of the town and the Emir of Misua on the 22 students of Government Secondary School, Misau, in Bauchi State and their driver who died in an auto crash along Bauchi-Kano early this year while travelling to Kano for an excursion.

    Although very rare and uncommon in the Nigerian traditional institution, for kings to regularly visit one another, mostly, considering the distance, for example, the distance between the Northern Nigeria and South-South, it is always very difficult for kings from one end to regularly visit kings on the other end. But for a noble man of rare personality, distances know no barrier in HRH Appolus Chu’s philosophy of building synergy and oneness aimed at the developing the nation, Nigeria.

    Accosted by royal horsemen, all positioned with the reputable sense of royalty, clothed with respect, the people of Misau, joyfully welcomed, HRH (Dr.) Applous Chu to their emirate and to the palace of the Emir of Misua, Bauchi State.

    Addressing the people of Misua, HRH Chu said, “This visit is long overdue. When the incident where the Misua people lost their children happened, I was so devastated. You know what children stand for, they are our future and when one now loses them, there are apparently some setbacks in the family and community they came from.  I pray that as many that had lost their children during that very sad incident, God will fill the vacuums they have left in their lives and that of the communities.”

    In his response, HRH Ahmed Suleiman thanked Chu for his visit, adding that it is the tradition of the Misua people that when visitors come, they are given traditional gifts as a token of appreciation of their visit. To this end, HRH Chu was presented with some royal gifts which included a well decorated white horse on which HRH Appolus Chu took a ride.

    Nzem Berom was instituted in 1981 as a unifying cultural festival of the Berom people in plateau state, north central Nigeria and indeed, the Berom people are irresistible with unique cultural endowment and love for their tongue, which has sustained the survival of the festival. Under the watch of His Royal Majesty, the Gbong Gwon, Jos, Da Jacob Buba, the over 1.6 million people of Berom nation have kept faith with the ambitious project of sustaining their unity, growing their young population and showcasing the gift of nature through strategically showcasing the rich Berom geographical landmass as an agricultural tourism destination.

  • Commission on Amasomma crisis begins sitting in Bayelsa

    The six-member Bayelsa State Commission of Inquiry set up by the state government to look into Amassoma civil disturbances and unrest began sitting recently.

    The commission commenced hearing on the crisis at the Multi-Door Court House, High Court Complex, Ovom, Yenagoa, the state capital. The Bayelsa State Goveror Seriake Dickson inaugurated the commission following the crisis that engulfed Amassoma, host community of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU).

    The commission was mandated to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the civil disturbances that occurred in and around Amassoma. During the riot, about five persons were reportedly killed and many persons injured  in the violent clash which occurred between security operatives and indigenes of the university town in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    The governor gave the commission a nine-point terms of reference including the identification of the perpetrators of the unlawful acts and their sponsors and to determine the extent of damage to property, both public as well as private, if any during the incident.

    He also urged the commission to recommend measures aimed at averting future occurrences of such incidents within and around the NDU and its host communities, as well as make any other recommendations that might be deemed fit in the circumstances.

    The Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Michael Zuokumor, Deputy Inspector General of Police (retd.), said relevant stakeholders turned up for the hearing on Monday. He said some persons submitted their memoranda including the Vice-Chancellor, NDU, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo.

    Zuokumor added that the commission was not going to work on memoranda alone but would take oral evidences to ascertain the truth of what transpired during the incident.

    He said: “There were some disturbances in Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The road to the Niger Delta University was blocked; there was so much violence and the university was seriously looted.

    “From what learnt, lives were even lost. The essence of this commission is a fact-finding one to look into the issues that happened. The commission is not to indict anybody but to ascertain what happened so that we can do whatever we can prevent such from happening again in the state.

    “We have received memoranda from the university and from other persons; we do not work on memoranda alone. This is fact-finding; we also take oral evidences. The strict rules of criminal trial do not take place here since it is fact-finding. But in order for people not to mislead us, they are meant to swear to an oath.”

  • Obasanjo’s medical tourism in Bayelsa

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was in Bayelsa State recently. The Owu chief’s second coming this year to the Ijaw state was devoid of politics. He was in Bayelsa for his routine medical check-ups.

    The former President’s medical trip to Bayelsa surprised many a politician of his caliber. Usually Obasanjo would take his health matters to an undisclosed hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

    Politicians in Obasanjo’s class most times shun hospitals in Nigeria and take their medical inquiries to notable health facilities abroad.

    They lack confidence in health facilities located within the country. They can’t imagine subjecting their lives to homegrown medical practitioners. It is risky. But Obasanjo shunned his American hospital and raced down to Yenagoa to undergo his annual medical procedures.

    What did Obasanjo, whom most people consider hard to please see in Bayelsa? It could be recalled that sometimes in February this year, the former President was a guest of the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson. The governor invited him for a working visit in the state.

    Obasanjo was taken round legacy projects of Dickson in different parts of the state. He saw Dickson’s projects in various sectors of the economy especially in the areas of education, health and agriculture.

    The former President who inaugurated and toured some of the projects poured encomiums on the governor. He was particularly impressed by the state-of-the-art medical equipment at the Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre (BDC) and the Bayelsa Specialist Hospital.

    He appraised the vision and mission of Dickson in the health sector.

    The Owu chief then reflected on the medical equipment obtainable in his hospital abroad and the ones he saw in Bayelsa. There was no difference. He immediately promised that instead of going abroad he would come to Bayelsa for his medical tourism.

    Obasanjo made good his promise. He came on Monday this week. Though, the former President arrived the state very late in the night, he reported to the specialist hospital close to the Government House. His medical procedures commenced that night.

    The former President himself gave reasons why he abandoned the USA for Bayelsa. He said the move was to fulfill a promise he made earlier in February when he inspected medical facilities built by Dickson.

    At about 8am on Tuesday, Obasanjo was already at the VIP wing of the specialist hospital where he ran some tests in various health departments accompanied by senior medical staff of the specialist hospital.

    The former President was later driven to the Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre (BDC) where some medical experts took him through medical equipment at the centre. Obasanjo, who emerged from the centre after spending a few hours was full of smiles.

    Explaining the medical procedures he went through and why he chose Bayelsa, he said: “Last time l was here in February, l did say that l would want to come and patronise the facilities here because l was impressed with what l saw then.

    “Having made that promise, l had to fulfill it. I started last night with the gadgets l had to wear to sleep with to check my blood pressure while l am awake and while l am sleeping. This morning, l started with blood, urine tests.

    “I went through the whole process of heart test. They looked at other internal organs such as kidneys, liver, spleen and all the internal organs. Eventually, l had semi-sleep in the MRI where my brains were examined.

    “It may be of interest for you to know that the doctor said my head is correct.  I want to thank all the staff for their commitments. I went through the machines, the way l used to go through them where I normally have my medicals at Atlanta, Georgia.

    “We have trained Nigerians and the machine here. I got my results and it is the same thing l had in USA. The difference is that it is cheaper here than there”.

    The former President praised the efficiency of the health insurance scheme instituted by Dickson. He is a registered member of the scheme.

    And he immediately his receipt to show that he pays N14,000 monthly to remain an active member of the scheme.

    He said: “I am also a beneficiary of the health insurance in Bayelsa and l pay monthly. And again, it is good to know that health insurance is very good because when you are need of attention and you don’t have money but you have insurance to take care of you. I have done and paid for one year and half. My health insurance is N14,000″.

    The former president insisted that it is more cost-effective patronising good medical facilities at home like the ones in Bayelsa than traveling to other countries for the same purpose. He said he spent N350,000 for all the medical procedures he went through in Bayelsa.

    He noted that it was cheaper compared to the cost of similar procedures abroad. He said it would have cost him to get similar services and standard in the USA. So, instead of traveling abroad, he advised others to come to Bayelsa. He said that the results of his tests showed that he is as fit as a fiddle adding that the doctor only asked him to drink more water.

    “I got my results and l am as fit as a fiddle. The doctor said the only thing l need to do is to drink more water. The same thing you can get anywhere in the world, you can get it here. Why do you have to travel?”

    He insisted: “Wherever we get best practices, let’s spread it. When l was here last February, l saw the standard of the facilities here that could be used by all Nigerians. There is no need for a Nigerian to say he is going to Dubai, UK, America for medical checkups.

    “I came here last night, before 1 pm what l started at 8am came to an end. I went through all the medical checks, that l would normally have gone through anywhere. The eye, the mouth, the head and the doctor showed me what my brains looked like.

    “When l looked at he said my brain is clean and clear and l said, it means my head is correct. Not only that the cost I reasonable. The services were superb. So, what people were going to Dubai, India, America, UK, Saudi Arabia for is here in Bayelsa”.

     

    Obasanjo prays with Dickson

    On the eve of his medical check-ups, Obasanjo prayed with Dickson. He joined the governor to observe the state’s monthly thanksgiving service at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, the chief hailed Dickson.

    He said under the governor, God took control of the affairs of Bayelsa and its people. He remembered that prior to the administration of Dickson, the state was notorious for militancy and insecurity.

    He urged leaders especially Governors who desired to perform well in their states to come to Bayelsa and learn the secret of Dickson’s success. The elder statesman expressed appreciation to God for giving the governor the spirit of praise and thanksgiving. He said nothing is more important than man’s relationship with God.

    He said: I want to thank God for the life of Governor Seriake Dickson, for doing this to honour God. This is what happens when youput God first. All other things happen the way God has ordained them to happen.

    “The peace of God is here. Bayelsa used to be dreaded for militancy and insecurity and now people are asking what is happening in Bayelsa State. If you are a Governor and you want to do well, come to Bayelsa and learn the secret”.

    In his remarks, Dickson thanked Obasanjo for being an instrument in the hand of God. He said God remained the state’s source of strength.

    He recalled that despite the 2016 recession that hit the country, his administration continued to break the frontiers in the health, education, infrastructure sectors among others.

    Dickson stressed that Bayelsa is the only state with a Thanksgiving Law in the country. He explained that he emulated the former President by building an Ecumenical Centre for the worship of God in the state, appointing clergymen, holding morning devotion  and state memory verse.

    He said the state went ahead of others in terms of infrastructural and economic development. He called for continued prayers, understanding and support for the state, its leadership and the country at large.

     

  • Why we killed our girlfriends, suspects

    The trio of Alexander Ogbeije, Osarenwinde Iduwanyi and Junior Omo-Shaba now share a cell at the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command awaiting when they would be charged court to face murder trial.

    Their fate now lies on how well they can convince judges that they are innocent of the crimes they are accused. They are strangers now bounded by the similar crimes they committed at different locations in the month of July. All of them allegedly killed their lovers.

    Their stories are that of love turned sour, betrayal and perhaps killing by mistake. They all planned to marry their lovers they ended up killing.

    Osarenwinde Iduwanyi , 46, said his life is  in a mess because he refused to listen to his mother not to fall in love with a single mother of three, Gladys Okoh. He said late Gladys frustrated his life because he did everything she wanted him to do. The multiple stabbing he inflicted on his lover showed how bitter he was about how their love affairs turned out. Police said he stabbed his lover in several places, including her vagina.

    He told reporters that he was in Italy for 12 years after which he left for the United States before he finally settled in South Africa. Osarenwinde said he has a family in Italy.

    Narrating how his late lover frustrated his life, Osarenwinde said he loved her and wanted to marry her despite the warnings from his mother and relatives.

    According to him, “Look at me now. My life is finished. I wanted to marry her so I always try to make her happy. My mother told me to leave her but I did not listen.

    “She was always insulting my mother and I will be begging her and begging my mother. There was a day I saw condom in her bag but that was not the reason I stabbed her.

    “She said I should open business for her so I sold my SUV at a cheap price of N250,000 and gave her N150,000. I travelled to Lagos and when I came back I saw that she has bought clothes and other personal things with the money. I was annoyed and reported her to her brother about how she spent the business money I gave her.

    “I wanted to still buy a caravan for her but she was still quarrelsome. On the day the incident happened, I was calling her and she was not picking my calls. When I got to her house, she said she wanted to leave the relationship. I told why, after she has frustrated my life, she said it was my mother that frustrated my life.

    “She brought out a knife and wanted to stab me but we struggled and I took it from her. I don’t know why I didn’t go outside with the knife but I stabbed her and went home”.

    Alexander said he had worked hard on his farm for the past three years to raise the money that eventually caused the crisis that led to his killing the woman he wanted to marry.

    Police said he used cutlass to kill Mercy but he said he only slapped her and she fainted.

    According to Alexander, “My girlfriend slapped me two times and I slapped her back then she died. She is my wife. I want to marry her. We are from the same Abavo village in Delta State. I have a farm in Urhonigbe, Edo State. Since last year, we have been together. We were putting things together planning for the future. There was a time I told her that I have over N500,000. I told her that I will use part of the money to pay her bride price and use the rest to open business for her.

    “After three days, I returned from work and saw that the money was missing. I asked her about it and she said she will kill me if I ever talk about the money again. I left her. In the evening, this girl has arranged boys in the house. They started beating me and I do not know why they were beating me.  She reported me to the police and anti-cult unit. I have to run away from my town. When she came to meet me at the farm, I asked her why there was misunderstanding between us. She slapped me twice and I returned the slap which made her to faint. I ran away and later reported myself to the police.

    “I did not bury the body. I left it when I saw that she was no longer breathing. I worked hard alone to get that money.

    “All I am begging is that government should help me to beg the family to my back any expenses. It was a mistake for me to kill her.”

    Junior Omo-Shaba said it was a big mistake for him to kill his girlfriend. Aged 19, he opted to learn fashion after he finished secondary school. He rented an apartment and enrolled his late girlfriend to learn how to make hair.

    He said what led to the death of his girlfriend was an unserious argument on why he used to return home late.

    According to him, ”She was on her way to her house at about 10pm when I met her at the gate. We went back home. She brought out a knife from my room and started peeling orange. She was jokingly saying I was with other girls who made me to always return home late. She said she would use the knife to injure my face so that other girls will not follow me again.

    “I told her I will use the knife to injure her face. I held her behind her back and we were dragging. It was then the knife pierces her right breast. I ran out of the house in fear. My friend visited me and I told him what happened. He said we should take her to the hospital. It was while we were taking her to the hospital that some persons pointed torch at us and my friend ran away leaving me with my injured girlfriend. The knife was still in her breast.

    “I was sacred so I ran away too. I heard gun shot and it was later I saw that it hit my finger. I was called the next day that my girlfriend is lying on the street dead. I called my mother and she called my father. My father said I should report to the nearest police station but I said he should accompany me. It was my father that took me to the police station.

    “She was just 19. She is a young girl. I felt bad about what happened. My father married another wife so I decided to rent an apartment.”

  • How Edo is battling paedophiles

    It all started in May when Governor Godwin Obaseki read reports of a 12-year-old girl, who was sexually assaulted by 58-year-old Lambert Ighodaro.

    Obaseki, aside ordering the immediate arrest, prosecution of Ighodaro, constituted an inter-ministerial committee to give tooth to the Child’s Right Act.

    The governor’s worries, his aides said, stemmed from his belief that abused children become disturbed adults, who most likely, become dangers to the society.

    The committee comprises representatives from the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, State Universal Basic Education Board  (SUBEB), media and civil organisations. It was mandated to identify children with traits of sexual assaults, arrest and prosecute their abusers.

    The thinking is that pupils will not fully benefit from the good-intentioned programmes of the government if they were continuously exposed to paedophiles, whose actions alter their psychological and emotional balance.

    To achieve its mandate, the committee launched a state-wide campaign to names and shame paedophiles, just as it partnered trained Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo BEST) teachers, who have been schooled on the art of fishing out pupils going through physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

    Barely two months into its mandate, the committee, according to SUBEB’s acting Chairperson, Dr. Joan Oviawe, has recorded many arrests, while some cases were being investigated.

    Among those arrested, Oviawe said, was 65-year-old Matthew Omokhafe, who defiled a 13-year-old pupil in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

    She said Edo SUBEB was instrumental to the suspect’s arrest by ensuring the case was moved from Akoko-Edo Police Division to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Benin City.

    Oviawe said: “With the collaborative efforts of the Child Protection Network (CPN), SUBEB was able to handover the child’s custody to the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.”

    Another milestone in the campaign against child molesters was the arrest of 70-year-old Francis Ezomo with his two sons, Nosa, 26, and Festus, 29, who defiled their nine-year-old relative.

    Oviawe said: “The issue came to limelight when the headmistress of the minor’s school noticed a change of behaviour in her. She decided to ask her what the problem was and the pupil narrated her ordeal to the headmistress, who then informed the Education Secretary of the local government council where the alleged crime took place.

    “We then swung into action and got the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development involved,” Oviawe said. When we could not get the necessary action required from the police, the state government swung into action and these three men were apprehended almost immediately.

    She said: “What the men have done is bad and their actions have attempted to destroy the life and future of the minor. The three men took advantage of the child and exposed her to trauma. We waded into the case to ensure justice prevails.”

    Already, a medical report has established the defilement of  the nine-year-old girl, whose hymen was torn.

    Oviawe explained that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has taken custody of the child who is now in a safe place and assured that SUBEB would ensure that her education is not truncated.

    Explaining while the suspects were being paraded, Oviawe said it was to send a clear message that Paedophilia was unacceptable in Edo, adding that the Governor has vowed to create a safe society where children can pursue and actualise their dreams.

    Kokumo said: “Scientific investigation on the minor was sent to the hospital and a doctor’s report has shown that her hymen has been broken. The scientific report has established that the minor was sexually abused. We will investigate the case and charge them to court.”

     

  • 4,000 get free health care service in Akwa Ibom

    As part of its corporate social responsibilities and support for host communities, Oriental Energy Resources Limited carried out free comprehensive medical services in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    About 4,000 patients drawn from five communities, namely Enwang, Ebughu, Effiat, Uda and Udesi benefited from the exercise at the Primary Health care Operational Base, Enwang, the headquarters of the local government area.

    Deputy Manager, Community Relations of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Anslem Okere explained that the programme was part of his company’s efforts to impact positively on the host communities and also complement government’s efforts, adding that the firm has also provided other social investments in the host communities to enhance the living conditions of members of the host communities.

    His words: “We operate in Mbo and this programme is part of our social investments to our host communities. The impact has been tremendous and the people can attest to it. We must commend the host communities for providing very good environment conducive enough to work.  We have an excellent relationship with them. Although Akwa Ibom is part of the Niger Delta, the area is peaceful and we don’t take their peaceful disposition for granted.

    “So, as part of our Corporate Social Responsibilities, we carry out this outreach, among other social investments we have provided for them such as the 100 units Oriental Village and the state-of-the-art skill acquisition centre at Enwang, the science laboratories for Biology, Chemistry and Physics at Ebughu Grammar Secondary School. We work with the Community Relations Committee (CRC) which represents the various communities. We do need assessment for every project to know what they want and we provide exactly what they want for them. As such, there is no friction.”

    Managing Director, Faith Optical and Medical Services Limited, Dr. David Ehimhen expressed delight over the massive turnout of patients and praised them for their orderly conduct, even as he listed the various diseases treated to include hypertension, diabetes, malaria, cataract and hepatitis B, among others.

    He said: “It has been a peaceful and successful exercise and the turnout has been massive and challenging. In a programme such as this, you will expect massive turnout, but we ensured that everybody was attended to.  We had security personnel on ground and other community youths to control the crowd and ensure everything goes on well.

    “The Community Relations Committee co-operated with us and Community Liaison

    Officer was around all through to ensure that there were no hitches.

    “We gave out 200 ante-natal kits and over 1,000 mosquito nets. We carried out malaria and hepatitis B tests, and we treated a lot of malaria cases. We discovered a lot of diabetes, cataract and hypertension cases. The few HIV/AIDS that were reactive, we followed a channel to manage it. This health centre is HIV centre and we just collaborate with them to continue the investigation and if it is confirmed, they will take up the management’’.

    People of the area were overwhelmed by the firm’s magnanimity, even as they urged it to carry out the exercise frequently and provide other social amenities in their communities to give them a sense of belonging, pledging to always protect the facilities of the company in their domain.

    Expectant mothers also expressed their appreciations to the firm. Helen Russel from Uda and Mercy Bassey from Ebughu who spoke on their behalf said: “We thank the company for the kits to enable us cater for our babies. We commend you and we pray God to continue to ensure hitch-free operations and well-being of your workers’’.

    Chairman, Effiat Council of Chiefs, Matthias Nta, praised the company for following its policies on community relations to the letter and pledged that the Effiat people would continue to play their role as good hosts to the firm.

    Chief Nta also advised the company to work with the Committee constituted by the Council of Chiefs, urging it to provide more social amenities to make lives comfortable for the people in the riverside community.

    Also speaking, His Royal Highness, Ovong Savier Edet Ekpe, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) from Udung Eyo in Unyenge commended the firm for the gesture.

    ‘’From the look of things, I have seen a lot of people and it is something worth doing because health is wealth. I am highly impressed by the way the company is carrying out the outreach. I have been treated and my message is that this should be a continuous exercise so that many people can benefit from it’’, he said.

    Hon Etim Okon Abang, the village head of Apranpran Uda, described the turnout of patients as unprecedented and equally praised the firm for coming to the  aid of the people in her area.

  • Colonial road rehabilitated in Enugu

    It used to be the only link road from Enugu to the western and northern parts of the country before the construction of the Enugu-Onitsha express road during the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Miliken Hill Road, with 25 serpentine curves stretching 3km, was abandoned by successive administrations ever since the completion and use of the Enugu-Onitsha Express Road. Lying several metres atop a narrow ledge overlooking a deep and scary valley, the road became a haven for criminal elements. There were no safety wedges to block vehicles from fallen into the scary valley said to be home to mighty pythons. There were no also street lights to illuminate the curves against the dangers and perils of night.

    At the receiving end of all this were the people of Ngwo who use it as the only access road to their community. They had made representations to successive governments for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the road, but all to no avail.

    But their sorrow and lamentation recently came to an end. Tears of joy flowed thanks to the intervention of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

    The Miliken Hill Road or Ngwo-Enugu Road, was constructed in 1909 during the colonial period by countless labourers drawn from neighbouring villages, using pick and axe to cut through the thick bush of the hill’s stony base.

    Miliken Hill is a famous tourist attraction in the beautiful city of Enugu. Indeed a visitor to Enugu who had not gone to Miliken Hill is said not to have visited Enugu. History has it that in 1908, a British expedition on its way to the Middle Belt from Awka sighted the hill at Enugu Ngwo, one of the ten villages that comprise Ngwo community, and reported back to Lagos.

    Interest in the mineral potential of the hill compelled the colonial government to send a team of mining engineers to the place in 1909 to prospect for silver, but the team struck coal instead. The Europeans decided to settle at Enugu Ngwo on the top of the hill now called Hilltop (Enugu), from where Enugu derived its name up till this day.

    The 3km-long meandering Miliken Hill Road was constructed because of coal discovery under the hill and was named after the head engineer who designed the road.

    Due to years of neglect, the narrow and undulating Miliken Hills Road gradually became a death trap before Ugwuanyi came to the rescue.

    There was wild jubilation among the residents of Enugu particularly the Ngwo people during the commissioning of the newly reconstructed and modernised road with street lights for the first time since it was constructed in 1909. It will now also provide an alternative route for travelers plying the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

    Inaugurating the road amid excitement from residents of the state and road users, Governor Ugwuanyi stated that the project is a “great infrastructural asset and rich heritage of our coal city state”.

    Ugwuanyi also inaugurated other legacy projects in the rural areas such as the Ebonyi River Bridge in Ikem, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area and Obollo Eke – Agala – Okpaligbo road in Udenu LGA in keeping with his dministration’s grassroots development initiatives.

    Describing the road as “our natural roller coaster”, Ugwuanyi disclosed that “no road in our environment affords tourists and motorists the beautiful view of Enugu that this road offers.”

    He said, “I stand here today with joy in my heart, buoyed by the happy faces of Ndi Enugu, to inaugurate this reconstructed historic and legacy Miliken Hill road; a renowned tourist attraction hose history is consistent with coal discovery in our state in the early 20th century.

    “The great excitement that greeted the reconstruction of this legacy road is therefore consequential and our gratitude, most profound, goes to God Almighty for affording us the means and commitment to deliver this project”.

    Ugwuanyi urged motorists to drive safely and with care.

    While inaugurating the other projects, Governor Ugwuanyi noted that they were “in keeping with our policy to open up the rural areas and encourage the all-round economic growth of the state.

    “We were also motivated by our resolve to alleviate the sufferings of our people and give them a new lease of life wherever they may be in the state,” the governor added.

    A leader of Ngwo community and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia expressed gratitude to Ugwuanyi for keeping faith with his promise to reconstruct and modernise the road with street lighting and other safety measures.

    Onyia stated that the road was symbolic and very significant to the people of Ngwo, Enugu State and the entire Igbos”, saying that the governor has wiped out their tears for good.

    He maintained that no government had reconstructed the road after it was built, appreciating the governor for his prompt intervention on the road. He equally reassured the governor of the people’s unflinching support for his re-election in 2019.

  • NDLEA raids illicit drug base in Aba

    The Abia State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) led by its commander, Bamidele Akingbade has raided a notorious base used by illegal drug peddlers and users in Aba at Orji Uzor Kalu Bridge near the popular Good Morning Market.

    Akingbade and his team also demolished shanties where the hoodlums engaged in their illicit indulgences.

    The NDLEA commander said that despite several efforts to raid the place, the hoodlums often escaped arrest, regrouped and continued their business.

    Though no arrest was made this time, the agency recovered hard drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and heroine in the process of destroying the shanties.

    The NDLEA boss appealed to members of the public to provide the command with credible information about activities of drug peddlers in their neighbourhoods, adding that the war against sale and consumption of illicit drugs in Aba and other parts of the state remains in force.

    He said, “With the demolition of the structures, drug traffickers and armed robbers will have no place to hide to commit any crime. We are equally going to establish an outpost there like we did at York Street to ensure that they didn’t come back.

    “I want to use this opportunity to thank the authorities of Nigerian Army and other sister agencies in the state for the assistance that they have been able to give us so far which resulted in the successes we have been able to record so far. We are equally appealing to the state government to help provide us with logistics to enable us function well and effectively. For us, the war against sale and consumption of illicit drugs in the state is total.”

     

  • Rivers residents laud govt, navy over declining hydrocarbon pollution

    Some residents of Port Harcourt and Bolo communities have lauded the Federal Government, Rivers Government and the Nigerian Navy for taking steps to end hydrocarbon pollution in the state.

    A cross section of respondents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday said the soot emission had suddenly disappeared from their homes and places of work.

    NAN also reports that Rivers has been grappling with soot emission blamed on the activities of illegal oil refiners as well as indiscriminate burning of tyres and certain activities in abattoirs that affected the ecosystem.

    “It is gratifying to note that the soot menace which we have all been worried about has all of a sudden vanished from the atmosphere,” Joseph Ada, a civil servant, said.

    Lucy Offor, a banker, said reduction of the soot was timely in view of the grave health risk the air pollution had on the health of the people.

    “My hope is that government and particularly the Nigerian Navy continue to do whatever they are doing to avoid resurgence of illegal refining sites in the state.

    “It is too real to be true that we are again breathing seemingly quality clean air after several months of breathing contaminated oxygen and hydrocarbon particles,” she added.

    Chibuzor Obiora, a spare part dealer in the popular Ikokwu Market, described the declining soot as a welcome development to business in the market.

    Etim Udoh, a teacher, however, said the rainy season might have contributed to the reduction of soot in the atmosphere, pointing out that the situation would become clearer during the dry season.

    An operator of one of the destroyed illegal oil facilities in Bolo community, Abgede Oloye, attributed the soot reduction to ‘Swam Buggy’ operation launched by the navy in the destruction of illegal refineries.

    Oloye, who expressed mixed feelings over destruction of his illegal bunker site, agreed the site and other illegal refineries commonplace in the area were partly responsible for the soot.

    “The Navy has reduced our sites to scrapes. However, the air pollution has reduced and we no long take drugs to treat ourselves of the smoke we inhale at the sites,” he explained.

    Capt. Victor Choji, Executive Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder Port Harcourt, said the navy was winning the war against oil theft and soot pollution in the state.

    He explained that the swam buggy approach was a strategy that completely crushed metallic tanks and reduced capability of oil thieves to revive their illegal oil refineries.

    “We are using a multi-faceted approach in tackling the soot knowing that unlawful refining of crude oil was major source of funding for sea pirates and other criminal elements.

    “If people could build illegal refineries; they can equally use same ingenuity to create legitimate means of livelihood for themselves,” he said.

    The Rivers Commissioner for Environment, Prof. Roseline Konya, agreed that the soot had reduced, thanks to joint efforts of the State Government, the navy and other stakeholders.

    “Government set up a technical committee; task force and employed the services of experts to tackle the soot. We thank God that the soot has reduced,” she noted.