The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

  • House of Reps: PDP loses again to APC in Imo

    House of Reps: PDP loses again to APC in Imo

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State yesterday upturned the tribunal victory of the member representing Nkwerre/Nwangele/Isu/Njaba federal constituency, Ugonna Ozuruigbo.

    The court declared Harrison Nwadike, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the February 25 House of Representatives election, as the winner of the exercise.

    Ozuruigbo, a second-timer at the National Assembly and a former deputy speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, won at the lower court (tribunal), but unfortunately faced a reversal of his victory with the ruling of the appellate court yesterday.

    This decision by the court brings to an end the prolonged legal battle surrounding the representation of the federal constituency, adjudged as the biggest in the country, comprising four local governments.

    Ozuruigbo, a former APC member under ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha had defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he secured ticket and won at the polls.

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    It will be recalled that his declaration as the winner of the election came 63 days after the exercise due to some irregularities witnessed in the election as claimed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He had served a successful one year tenure at the lower chamber of the National Assembly and a two-term Imo State House of Assembly member, who represented Nwangele State Constituency.

    With the sack of Ugonna Ozuruigbo, Imo State PDP has again lost another at the National Assembly, after losing Jonas Okeke of Okigwe South Federal Constituency, who was earlier sacked by the Appeal Court to usher in a three-term member, Chike Okafor of the APC extraction.

  • Assembly passes Akwa Ibom N849.97b 2024 budget

    Assembly passes Akwa Ibom N849.97b 2024 budget

    Akwa Ibom House of Assembly yesterday passed the state N849.97 billion 2024 budget.

    This followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation at plenary.

    Presenting the report, Mrs Itorobong Etim, the chairman of the committee, said that the budget was made up of N359.07 billion recurrent expenditure and N490.91 billion capital expenditure.

    Etim said the budget was raised from the original N845.62 billion presented by Governor Umo Eno to N849.97 billion, representing an increase of N4.34 billion.

    She said the committee adopted participatory approach in the budgeting process where MDAs, Non-Governmental Organisations and other relevant publics were invited to attend public hearing on the budget.

    After a Clause-by-Clause deliberation at the Committee of Supply, the lawmakers unanimously adopted

    the report and the budget was subsequently passed.

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    The Speaker, Mr Udeme Otong, in his remarks, commended the Committee on for the speedy passage of the budget.

    Otong commended government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that appeared before the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during budget defense, adding that the overall objective was to give priority to areas of immediate importance to the people.

    He directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs Nsikak-abasi Orok, to communicate the House decision Eno for assent.

    Meanwhile, the House adjourned plenary until Thursday, Jan. 18.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governor Umo  Eno had on November  21 presented a budget of N845.62 billion for 2024 to the House for consideration.

  • Fire razes market, traders count losses

    Fire razes market, traders count losses

    Traders in Anambra State are gnashing their teeth, as fire has destroyed their goods worth over 300 million naira.

    The popular Nkpor Main market in Idemili North Local Government, near Onitsha, has been gutted by fire.

    The inferno, which occurred on Wednesday night, reportedly affected a section of the market.

    The Nation gathered that the fire had already razed about 30 shops before the traders mobilised and managed to extinguish it before the arrival of men of the state fire service.

    Confirming the incident, Chairman of the market, Chief Paul Okafor, said over N300million worth of goods were damaged in the inferno.

    He said the fire started from a cold room and spread to nearby shops.

    Okafor, whose wine shop was also gutted, said the fire affected shops loaded with paints, curtains, gum, shoe leathers and polish, wines, hot drinks, thinners, among others.

    He lamented that phone calls put across to the state fire service did not yield positive results, as firefighters did not show up until the traders mobilised and put the fire out.

    Okafor called on the government to station firefighting vehicles under the flyover bridge at Nkpor main market, to serve the three major markets in the vicinity.

    He said: “Goods worth over N300 million were damaged in the inferno. Traders are now counting their losses. This is not good for this Yuletide.

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    “We call on the state, local governments and public-spirited individuals and groups to come to the aid of the affected traders, to enable them bounce back to business as soon as possible.

    A patron of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association and President of Building Materials Traders Association, Chief Jude Nwankwo, sympathised with the victims.

    He called on the government, individuals and groups to assist them. He advised market leaders to provide fire extinguishers at markets, to mitigate the effects of fire, particularly at night.

    The state Fire Chief, Martin Agbili, did not pick his calls for confirmation.

  • NSCDC promotes spokesperson, 200 others

    NSCDC promotes spokesperson, 200 others

    Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command, has promoted its spokesperson, DSC Okadigbo Edwin, to the next rank of Superintendent of Corps (SC).

    Okadigbo was decorated with his new rank alongside 200 other newly- promoted officers of the command, who benefitted from the 2023 promotion recently released by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB). 

    Performing the decorating ceremony at the state Command Headquarters, Awka, on behalf of the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Abubakar Ahmed Audi, State Commandant, Mr Edwin Osuala, described their promotion as well deserved and reward for dedication and commitment to duties.

    Osuala congratulated the newly promoted officers, urging them to consider their new status as a challenge to do more, with a call to remain loyal, dedicated and committed to the service of protecting people’s lives and property.  

    He said: “I want to congratulate you on your deserving elevation to the next rank. This is a testimony to your dedication, hard work, sacrifice and commitment to duty. 

    “It is said that to whom much  is given, much is expected, therefore this promotion is a challenge to continue with your good work and even perform better. Please do not betray the trust and confidence reposed in you.” 

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    The command second in charge, DCC Steve Ikeorah, praying for more career success for the promoted officers, admonished them to be good ambassadors of the Corps, be honest, straightforward and loyal to constituted authority to deserve more promotions while in service. 

    Responding on behalf of the promoted officers, DCC Ukaobi Prominence appreciated God in their lives to witness the memorable day. 

    He thanked Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) and the management of Civil Defence Corps for finding them worthy of the new ranks. 

     He appreciated family members and well-wishers who honoured them with their presence, stating the avowed commitment of the ‘promotees’ to justify the responsibilities conferred on them by their new ranks optimally.

  • Governor’s wife pays medical bills

    Governor’s wife pays medical bills

    Wife of Ebonyi Governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, yesterday paid the hospital bills, totalling N471,570, for four indigent persons at Vincent Hospital, Ndubia, Izzi Local Government.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the intervention was also extended to a number of women, comprising the aged, widows, men and other indigent young persons and daily labourers who received bags of rice and cash gifts each.

    The distribution of the items was made when Mrs Nwifuru visited their spots in Abakaliki.

    The governor’s wife said the gesture was to support indigent persons who couldn’t afford to buy food items due to the high cost of commodities.

    The governor’s wife, who had a wonderful time with the groups in their spots and the patients, said it would also enable them to celebrate Christmas with ease.

    The hospital Administrator, Rev Fr Paul Elom, appreciated the wife of the governor for the exercise, saying the women had been detained in the hospital for the past three months because they could not pay their hospital bills.

    “But you came today and released them to go and celebrate Christmas with their families.

    “In January, we engaged the services of some obstetrics and gynecology consultants, and they have helped us achieve our goal of zero mortality rate of mother and child,

    Read Also: Yuletide: Don’t think of vacation this season, we’ve burden of Nigerians on our shoulders, Shettima tells NEC

    “Thank you for doing the work of Christ that God sent to liberate those in captivity,” Elom said to Mrs. Nwifuru.

    Mr Nwaoye Oshiri, a recipient and bricklayer, thanked the governor’s wife for providing for indigent persons in the society.

    Mrs Agnes Uguru, also a recipient, who said her source of livelihood was mixing building concretes and engaging in other menial jobs, expressed satisfaction over the gesture.

    Uguru described the gesture as renewed hope for the people, which has helped in reducing poverty in the state.

    Another recipient, Mrs Felicia Egede, lauded Mrs Nwifuru for the gesture, saying it should be sustained to reduce hardship among indigent persons.

  • Insecurity: Obi of Onitsha endorses PISE-P

    Insecurity: Obi of Onitsha endorses PISE-P

    The Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, has endorsed the non kinetic approach of resolving the violence in the south east region of the country.

    The approach is being canvassed by the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) initiated by the members of the National Assemby from the region led by the Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

    The initiative has also received massive support and endorsement from the Presidency, the National Assemby leadership, the business and corporate worlds as well as the entertainment industry among others.

    Speaking on Wednesday night when Kalu led a delegation of the PISE-P members to pay him a courtesy call in Abuja, Achebe commended the initiative, saying it was time restore peace in the south east.

    He said: “Your spirit is in the right direction. We are looking for the same thing. We just have to join forces and make things happen. We want peace and reconciliation in Igboland. Our strength is in what we can do for ourselves”, he said.

    Kalu said that PISE-P was conceived to address the sociological challenges in the south east, stressing kinetic means had not solved the issues of the region.

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    According to him: “That’s why we came up with this concept to use the non kinetic approach, using these pillars that will include integration through infrastructures, skills acquisition, education, etc, to appeal to our people to calm down not to depending on the government alone. Time will not allow me to go through all of them but this is something that has been welcomed massively.”

    PISE-P is expected to be formally unveiled in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State on December 29, 2023.

  • Akwa Ibom beats Ebonyi, FCT, others to emerge cleanest state 

    Akwa Ibom beats Ebonyi, FCT, others to emerge cleanest state 

    Akwa Ibom State has beaten Ebonyi State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and the rest states to emerge Nigeria’s cleanest state for the sixth time with a cumulative score of 72 per cent. 

    The result was announced yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, following a survey conducted under the five years project review circus, tagged: ‘STONE Pro- Max 2023’.

    Akwa Ibom since the inauguration of the STONE project in 2018 has maintained first position, having won five times in a row.

    National Coordinator/Secretary, National Technical Study Group (NTSG) on Clean Up Nigeria, Prince Ene Baba Owoh, Jr., congratulated the government and people of Akwa Ibom State on emerging five times overall Cleanest State in Nigeria.

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    “For emerging the overall best performing state in the six years performance indicators and five times cleanest state in Nigeria under the six years project circus review period (2018-2023) tagged: ‘STONE Pro-Max 2023’, Akwa Ibom State will be conferred with the STONE 2023 Pro-Max 2018-2023 Cleanest State in Nigeria Green Crystal Award.

    “It is therefore our privilege to proudly invite the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSPEWMA), Obong Prince Ikim, to come forward and receive the Cleanest State in Nigeria Pro-max Green Crystal Awards certification in all the five performance indicators and the STONE Pro-max (2018-2023) five times Cleanest State in Nigeria, Green Crystal Award,” he said. 

    Owoh also announced Ebonyi and FCT to have closely followed Akwa Ibom in second and third positions with 50 and 47 per cent scores. 

    He encouraged stakeholders to engage in peer review mechanism by creating time to visit both best performing states/cities and the backward states/cities to gain more insight into what the top states are doing in order to improve on their performance ratings.

    the state government to continue to work to ensure a safe and secure environment through institutional framework that would support a safe environment. 

    The commissioner pledged government’s commitment to proper waste management, end to gas flaring and other practices that threaten the serenity of the environment. 

    Reacting to the awards, the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSPEWMA), Prince Akpan Ikim, paid glowing tributes to former Governor Victor Attah for creating the agency by signing into law the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency CAP 47 law 2000. 

    He acknowledged former Governor Godswill Akpabio, who built the receptacle maintenance and workshop at Itam, for proper waste disposal and management.

    “Then Udom Emmanuel came, and had that political will to constitute the board and gave us all the necessary support and we started winning the cleanest state award in 2018.

    “Then Governor Umo Eno, he has given us the necessary support. It is on record that he is the first governor that has joined us for environmental sanitation. 

    “He has given us a marching order to ensure the state remains the cleanest in Nigeria, ranging from the vegetation. There is what we call environmental sustainability. We are looking at recycling waste to wealth etc.

     ”So, we are working with the House of Assembly Committee on Environment for a law that has to be in tune with international best practices. The law has to be such that will encourage investors to come in. This is why we are also liaising with AKICORP so that anyone who has investment that has to do with waste will register with them,” he said. 

    He praised Clean Up Nigeria Initiative for recognising excellence and pledge to keep Akwa Ibom as a model clean state in Nigeria.

  • UNIPORT Class of 86 donates 10KVA solar panel to alma mater

    UNIPORT Class of 86 donates 10KVA solar panel to alma mater

    • Varsities urged on maintenance culture

    Vice-President, Class of U86, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT),  Dr. Patterson Ogon, has urged managers of universities to pay attention to the need to protect and maintain facilities on the campuses, to make them sustainable and conducive for learning.

    He spoke when the Alumni Association during its inaugural reunion, inaugurated 10KVA 48 Volt Solar Panel system for the university library.

    Speaking with reporters after the event, Ogon decried infrastructural rot in the universities due to lack of proper maintenance culture, and called for deliberate and realistic policies by the universities to ensure prompt maintenance, to guarantee longevity and derivation of their full benefits .

    He said: “The Nigerian university environment is in a sorry state. There is need for provision and maintenance. It makes no economic sense to provide and not maintain.”

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    He noted that maintenance of facilities provided was crucial for sustainability and value addition.

    Ogon called for the intervention of other alumni associations of universities, including those of UNIPORT, in addressing some of the critical needs in the schools, saying institutions and governments alone could not completely take care of the challenges, to ensure enhanced quality learning and research work.

    The UNIPORT workers had explained the group’s decision to remodel the school library power supply system after 33 years of graduating from the school.

     “We came here as part of our 33 years after exiting the university. We felt it is important after graduating from this university to once again reconnect with ourselves. Some of us have not seen ourselves for decades after we left here.”

    The association later held a symposium for the students on life after school, educating them on how to prepare themselves ahead by building their capacity while yet in school.

    The Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Owunari Georgewill, reiterated the call by Ogon on the need for alumni associations to join hands in building the institutions that trained them by giving back to the schools.

    He hailed the Class of U86 for the donation to the institution.

    Delivering lecture, one of the resource persons, a former bank manager, Francis Ekonye, said for students to succeed on graduation, they should embrace only the things that could influence positive development in their lives and society.

  • Abia govt to enforce ban on street trading

    Abia govt to enforce ban on street trading

    Abia State Government has said it would enforce ban on street trading, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre, from next year. 

    Information and Culture Commissioner Prince Okey Kanu made this known while briefing reporters on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti. 

    He said street trading had become a menace and was adversely impacting on the newly constructed roads.

    Kanu said: “Despite spirited efforts by the government to tackle the menace, it is continuing unabated. The government will not fold its arms and watch the anomaly continue.

    “With the efforts the government has made, this menace (street trading) keeps rearing its ugly head, particularly in Aba. 

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    “Most of the new roads this government has built, people use them to display their goods. This will not augur well for these new roads.” 

    He reassured people of the government’s determination to ensure one carriage way of the Ossah-Okpara Square road “is completed and used during this Yuletide.” 

    The commissioner said Governor Otti was committed to making good his promise of defraying arrears of pensions owed pensioners by previous administrations.”

    Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities Engr Ikechukwu said the Light Up Abia Initiative was aimed at lighting every street with solar light.

    “We started with Umuahia first, now we have moved to Aba.” 

    Governor Otti has said his administration is committed to rooting out crime, to ensure Abia remains safe.

    He spoke yesterday while declaring open a one day ‘Sensitisation Campaign Against Cultism and Drug Addiction in Nigeria’, organised by Abia State Orientation Agency (ABSOA) and held at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia. 

    According to the governor, “no amount of alcohol, drug addiction or whatever it is that one has consumed will justify any action taken that is against the law. 

    “For us, we are single minded about rooting out crime and criminality and ensure that our state is safe for our citizens and visitors.”

    Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, represented by DCP Sani Shuaibu, described the campaign against cultism and drug addiction as timely and commendable, as the youth have fallen victim to cultism and drug addiction.

    He said the police were ready to synergise with other sister agencies and the state government to fight cultism and drug addiction.

    The Director General, Abia State Orientation Agency, Pastor Dike Nwankwo, said the programme was aimed at sensitising and reorienting the citizens, especially youths, on the danger of cultism and drug addiction. 

  • Organised labour warns Fubara’s detractors 

    Organised labour warns Fubara’s detractors 

    Organised labour in Rivers State has warned detractors of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, following N100,000 Christmas bonus approved for civil servants by the governor.

    The workers said with such rare magnanimity from the governor, they would continue to support his administration.

    The governor in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joe Johnson, called for implementation of the approval to enable the civil servants enjoy a wonderful Yuletide.

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    The statement said: “Governor Fubara has approved N100,000 as Christmas bonus for the civil servants.

    “He gave the approval on Tuesday for immediate implementation, to enable the civil servants enjoy a wonderful Yuletide.”

    Commending the governor for the gesture, the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), in a joint statement signed by their chairpersons, Alex Agwangwor and Sir. Ikechukwu Onyefuru, called on civil servants to support the Fubara administration.