The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

  • Prison congestion: stakeholders blame state laws

    Prison congestion: stakeholders blame state laws

    Stakeholders in the correctional sector have blamed state laws for the over crowding of correctional facilities in the country.

    They said out of the 81,742 inmates across various facilities in the country, about 70 per cent of them are awaiting trial and data has shown that 90 per cent of people in facilities are actually state offenders whom in some cases committed petty crimes.

    Executive Director Hope Behind Bars Africa, Mrs. Funke Adeoye, said most criminal laws are state laws, which creates more offenders making the Federal government spend billions to take care of which can be corrected when states are made to set up their own facilities.

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    She said most laws are akin to increased custodial measures but the Nigerian Correctional Service act creates room for alternatives to incarceration, which is known as non custodial sanctions.

    The Executive Director said this yesterday in Abuja during a national dialogue on enlisting state Corrections in Nigeria.

    She said: “We have a large number of awaiting trial inmates in Nigeria, about 70 per cent of people in prison are awaiting trial. And we also have data that 90 per cent of people we find in our facilities are actually state offenders. That’s because most of the criminal laws are state laws.

    “And so this is an issue that needs to be addressed because we cannot have the federal government just taking care or feeding people that are incarcerated, even though many of them are state offenders. I think there is also data to show that billions of Naira is being spent by the federal government on feeding these inmates we are hopeful that at the end of this conversation today. We will have a trajectory as to where to go in terms of the management of state corrections in Nigeria.

    “There’s so many things that we can do with respect to state laws, one conversation that we have started earlier in the year, and which is very important is looking at alternatives to incarceration.”

  • Tribunal affirms Nwifuru’s victory

    Tribunal affirms Nwifuru’s victory

    • Enugu Senate seat: Tribunal strikes out Nnamani’s petition

    Ebonyi State Election Petitions Tribunal has affirmed the election of Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Francis Nwifuru winner of the March 18 poll.

    It also declared Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as first runner-up and Bernard Odoh of All Progressives Grand Alliancev(APGA) as second runner-up. 

    But both Odii and Odoh and their parties, PDP and APGA, rejected the outcome and vowed to challenge it. 

    They subsequently approached the tribunal seeking the nullification of Nwifuru’s election on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and alleged failure to score the majority of lawful votes cast at the poll.

    In separate petitions, the duo of Odoh and Odii argued that Nwifuru was not qualified to contest the election on the platform of the APC because he was still a member of the PDP.

    However, Nwifuru’s party, the All Progressives Congress, submitted a letter before the tribunal showing that the governor resigned from the PDP while serving as Speaker of the state House of Assembly, and defected to the APC before its primary election.

    Read Also: Afenifere hails tribunal ruling on Atiku, Obi petitions

    In its judgment yesterday, the three-man panel of the tribunal chaired by Justice O. Lekan held that the issue of nomination and sponsorship by a political party, being a pre-election matter, should have been challenged before the Federal High Court before the election.

    The tribunal then declined jurisdiction to entertain the grounds of Nwifuru’s sponsorship by APC, saying it was an internal political party matter.he National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu has struck out a suit filed by Chimaroke Nnamani, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the victory of Senator Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Chukwu as the winner of the Enugu East Senatorial District poll after he secured over 69,000 votes to defeat former governor of Enugu State, Nnamani, who got about 49,000 votes.

    However, Nnamani had alleged that the election was marred by over-voting, irregularities, election malpractices and non-compliance with the electoral guidelines.

    He also urged the court to declare him the rightful winner of the election or declare as invalid the results of the election.

    Delivering its ruling yesterday, the tribunal upheld Senator Kelvin Chukwu’s victory.

    It awarded a cost of N500,000 against the petitioners in favour of the three respondents, Kelvin Chukwu, Labour Party and INEC.

    The three-man panel led by Justice Nusirat Umar unanimously dismissed the petition for being vague, lacking in merit, incompetent, generic and an academic exercise.

  • Monarch laments exclusion of Ogoni from Fubara’s exco

    Monarch laments exclusion of Ogoni from Fubara’s exco

    The Paramount Ruler of Baroko Community in Gokana Local Government of Rivers State, Kadilo Kaabari, has decried the exclusion of Ogoni ethnic nationality from the executive council (exco) of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    He lamented that the people of Ogoni were marginalised and treated like modern-day political slaves in the state.

    Kaabari spoke when a socio-cultural political group, Sor Ogoni, visited him yesterday in his palace.

    The monarch said it was sad that nobody from the two key Ogoni local governments, Gokana and Khana, had been appointed as a commissioner in Fubara’s administration.

    He asked the leaders of apex Ogoni socio-cultural  group, KAGOTE, an acronym for Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, the four councils comprising Ogoniland, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and other Ogoni political leaders to wake up from their slumber and agitate for the rights of their people.

    The monarch said:  “Imagine we the Ogoni people that even the colonial masters could not conquer are now seen as modern day political slaves with no voice due to the antics of some politicians who I prefer to call ‘belleticians’.” 

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    “Imagine that up till now Khana and Gokana have no commissioner in the Rivers State Executive Council. We cannot see Julius Berger doing internal roads in any part of Ogoni land.”

    He complained that the palace of prominent Ogoni king was being desecrated in the full glare, while Ogoni leaders, especially those in elective positions, kept quiet.

    The monarch said his late predecessor, Mene Barikura Kabari, who was also a former executive chairman of Gokana Local Government, would always be remembered for his role in the struggle for political emancipation of the Ogoni people.

    The National Coordinator of Sor Ogoni, Elder Jude Nwiko, said the visit was to remember the late Mene Barikura Kabari, whose contributions towards the Ogoni political struggle had left a legacy that would stand the test of time.

  • Uzodimma creating tech millionaires in Imo State, says Zinox boss

    Uzodimma creating tech millionaires in Imo State, says Zinox boss

    On a day 15,000  youths graduated with digital skills in Imo and were empowered by the state government,  Chairman of Zinox Computers, Chief Leo Stan Ekeh, has predicted the boom of millionaires in the state.

    Trained under the Skillsup Imo digital programme, the 15,000 youths received laptops and other equipment from Governor Hope Uzodimma to enable them to  be self-reliant.

    At the ceremony in Owerri attended by many dignitaries, including the Minister of Digital Economy,  Dr Bosun Tijani, Chief Ekeh described what Uzodimma did as phenomenal and unprecedented which was driven by sheer vision.

    According to him,  apart from taking the youth off the job market, Uzodimma has started the process of creating millionaires in the state.

    He was emphatic that out of the 15,000 youths who received their start up kits from the governor, no fewer than 3,000 will be billionaires in  future.

    Ekeh noted that going by his experience as a tech giant, what Uzodimma has done is unprecedented and futuristic.

    He said as an apolitical personality, he was not campaigning for anyone but appreciating the vision by Uzodimma to make Imo State the technology and digital hub of the country.

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    The Digital Economy Minister also shared the same view, saying Uzodimma has done what no other state governor has done in the country.

    He said with what he had witnessed in Imo ,the federal government was going to partner the state in the training and empowerment of youths in digital skills to boost the economy.

    In his speech, Gov Uzodimma disclosed that the 15,000 youths were the second batch to benefit from the programme after the first batch of 5,000.

    According to the governor,  a record 300,000 Imo youths are slated to benefit from the programme.

    He said the 20,000 youths trained have been equipped with relevant digital tools to enable them to launch their own startups, create new ventures and become self reliant, noting that some of them have already taken advantage of freelancing opportunities that come with the digital economy to provide tech servics to local and international companies.

    He pledged that his administration is committed to leveraging on technology to build a sustainable digital economy that will generate new jobs and expand the state’s economic space.

    Uzodimma charged the youths to make use of the skills they learnt towards transforming Imo State, and by extension, Nigeria, into a bedrock of technological advancement in Africa.

  • Abia govt begins demolition of houses

    Abia govt begins demolition of houses

    • To facilitate six-lane road construction

    Abia State Government yesterday began demolition of residential and commercial houses on Tower-Ossah-Michael Okpara Square road, leading to Umuahia.

    It said the demolition would allow the building of a six-lane road from Enugu-Aba-Port-Harcourt expressway, leading to Umuahia, the capital.

    Our correspondent reports that the Michael Okpara-Ossah-Tower road, over the years, because of huge influx of vehicles into the state capital, usually witnesses gridlock that forces commuters going into and coming out of Umuahia, including those using Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway and Umuahia-Amachara-Obowo-Mbano road, to spend hours and sometimes days on the road, especially during the Yuletide.

    Read Also: Tinubu celebrates NUPRC boss Komolafe at 60

    The Nation had reported that the state government postponed the demolition by a fee weeks to enable it tidy up grey areas and allow owners of affected property to vacate their property, to give way for the demolition.

    Our correspondent reports that the state government, on the expiration of the grace period yesterday, deployed heavy duty equipment in site to start demolition of the affected property, to give way for the commencement of the road project expansion.

    While some residents are sad that they have been displaced from where they have been doing business in over two decades, others express happiness about the political will of Dr. Otti in doing what he promised ‘Abians’ during his campaign.

    The state government said it had begun process for the payment of compensation fees to those whose structures would be affected in the demolition for the construction of a six-lane Ossah road in Umuahia.

    Lands and Housing Commissioner Chaka Chukwumerije, who disclosed this at a town hall meeting with the people of Ossah and Umuorie, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, said about 130 structures would be affected.

    He said the affected people had been notified, while valuation and enumeration had started, adding that the claimants had also confirmed their claims.

  • ‘Avoid feeding social media with negative narratives’  

    ‘Avoid feeding social media with negative narratives’  

    Anambra State ICT Agency has urged media influencers to resist the temptation of feeding the social media space with negative narratives about the state.

    Managing Director, Fred Agbata, gave the advice yesterday at the one year anniversary celebration of the Wikimedia Anambra Network of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Wikimedia Foundation, WMF.

    He said there were several positive stories about Anambra than the negative narratives being peddled by enemies of the state.

    He congratulated the Wikimedia Anambra Network on her one year anniversary, underscoring its place in the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration’s efforts to make the state liveable and prosperous.

    He said: “Media practitioners must brace up to the challenge of projecting right stories about Anambra, especially through digital platforms such as the Wikipedia.

    “If you don’t tell your story, no one will, because no one knows your culture and your realities the way you do. For example, editors in Lagos or elsewhere may not know exciting stories of Anambra communities.

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    “That’s why it’s important this kind of network multiplies across all parts of the country. It’s also why Anambra ICT Agency decided to work with the Network to assist in changing the narratives.”

    Head, Wikimedia User Group, Anambra Network, Dr. Ngozi Osuchukwu, said the Network had planned and executed over 22 projects in the state and beyond since its one year of existence.

    “These projects cut across many areas including health, governance and politics, community information, open knowledge and lately, they ignited a partnership with the state government, through the Anambra State ICT Agency.

    “The Anambra Network won the network with the most participants in July’s ‘Naija Office Hour’. From here, people have been selected to attend Wikimedia international conferences.

    “Last month, one of us was sponsored to Singapore for a Wikimedia activity. In the months to come, one of us is going to Morocco for Wiki activity and another person is going to India also soon.

    “So, there are a whole lot of activities going on. Today offers us opportunity to count our numerous successes,” she said.

  • IYC urges Tinubu to reinstate sacked Ijaw in NNPCL

    IYC urges Tinubu to reinstate sacked Ijaw in NNPCL

    • Threatens to shut down firm’s operations

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order immediate reinstatement the Ijaw purportedly sacked from their jobs at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

    Vowing to resist any ploy to sack its kinsmen in the company’s employ “over alleged cooked and manipulated story of retirement,” the youths threatened to shut down all NNPCL facilities in a few days. 

    Read Also: Tinubu celebrates NUPRC boss Komolafe at 60

    A statement yesterday evening, signed by Binebai Yerin Princewill, spokesman for the IYC, while pledging its loyalty to an indivisible Nigeria, stressed that any attempt to “unjustly undo sons and daughters of Ijaw nationality occupying sensitive offices in the Nigerian State” would not be accepted.

  • Akwa Ibom group impacts 1,300 lives through medical outreach

    Akwa Ibom group impacts 1,300 lives through medical outreach

    No fewer than 1,300 indigent people, including the aged, women and children at Okoroinyong and Egwenwe communities have benefited quality health care and medical attention from a group, the Ibom Developers, at a two-day medical outreach held at the Egwenwe Town Hall and Okoroinyong Health Centre, in Eastern Obolo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State.

    The theme of the medical programme was ‘Health is Wealth,’ and it reinforced the commitment of Ibom Developers to render medical assistance and ensure the well-being of the host communities. 

    The communities were given free treatment for malaria, typhoid and some prevalent skin rashes.

    The Village Head, Chief Johnson Osiba (Ijongo IV), the Okaama of Egwenwe community; said: “This event marks the beginning of a new dawn in our relationship with Ibom Developers. We are happy to see the commitment and the love for humanity to organise this laudable health care programme for Egwenwe community.”

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    He said medical outreach programmes such as this, which targeted underserved communities, served as excellent examples of initiatives that educated, inspired and made a significant impact.

    The Chief Security Officer of Ibom Developers, Mr. B. A. Abass, said: “The programme serves as a testament to the company’s commitment to the well-being of the communities. We are positive that there will be more such initiatives in future.”

    The programme contributes to fostering stability and growth within a community, playing a vital role in shaping its development trajectory.

    Chief Godfrey F. Tallick (Inukuk X), the Okaama of Okoroinyong; said: “Our community is impressed by such a benevolent act, and we appreciate the company’s sincere efforts and kindness.”

    Ibom Developers is committed to driving sustainability and empowerment that address immediate health concerns and promote the welfare of the host communities for a long-term healthy living on the long-term.

  • Oil palm growers excited over Otu’s plans

    Oil palm growers excited over Otu’s plans

    Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN) has expressed appreciation over plans by Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu to provide 3.5 million free oil palm seedlings for oil palm farmers.

    It said the plan by the governor to ensure that Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) had a permanent branch office in Cross River State to guide farmers to have quality yields was a positive move.

    OPGAN National President Mr. Joe Onyiuke said at a town hall meeting with state leaders and members of OPGAN in Cross River that “it takes a governor who means well for the ordinary citizen to commit investment to the oil palm industry and economy.

    He said OPGAN members were excited because genuine farmers had been given the needed lift to grow and expand for the general good of the economy of the state and nation.

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    He said the governor in a speech he delivered to mark his 100 days in office affirmed that his administration was in partnership with OPGAN, and had begun the planting of 3.5million hybrid oil palm seedlings in 13 identified locations across the state.

    The OPGAN national president likened what Governor Otu was doing in Cross River State to what the late Michael Okpara did with oil palm in the defunct Eastern Region.

    He said OPGAN was encouraging family cooperatives and group cooperatives so that when finances were accessed for expansion and growth, sustainability would be ensured.

    The state Chairman of OPGAN, Mr. Nyaim Bisong, said oil palm growers were not only going to remain growing, but would also participate in the value chain of oil palm produce, as planned by the governor.

  • Otti launches training of 50,000 farmers

    Otti launches training of 50,000 farmers

    Abia State Governor Alex Otti has launched the training of 50,000 farmers in Organic Agricultural Development Culture and Practice, at Abia State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) headquarters, Umuahia.

    Speaking at the event, the governor expressed delight about the selection of Abia as one of the 22 pilot states to participate in the first phase of the programme. 

    He said the aim of the programme was to promote non-agro business and ensure food sufficiency.

    Otti, represented by the state Director of Agriculture Services, Dr. Ngozi Obioma, stressed that effective agricultural practices would promote good health, generate employment and engender rural farmers’ participation.

    Urging farmers to make themselves available for the training, the governor said N2,000 fee that was expected to be paid by farmers, who would participate in the training, had already been paid by his government.

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    Agric Commissioner Prof. Monica Ironkwe said there was need to revert to organic agricultural culture and practice because of the damage that had been done to agriculture and soil through the use of inorganic agricultural chemicals such as fertilisers, pesticides and others.

    Ironkwe, represented by the Director of Finance, ADP, Mrs. Edna Egbu, said the high cost of inorganic fertiliser had made it almost unavoidable for small scale farmers to increase their cost of production. 

    She said the time had come for a change to organic agriculture, which, according to her, produced nutrients that were non-toxic to the soil and guaranteed the production of organic healthy food and rejuvenation of impoverished soil nutrients, among other benefits.

    The Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Aloysius Mba, said the ministry was committed to organising and managing agricultural sector to facilitate agricultural business, increase food security and employment, commodity value chain and agro-industrial development, to earn foreign exchange and contribute to socio-economic development. 

    The Director-in-Charge, Abia ADP, Mrs. Nnenna Udumma, said the state was lucky to be among the 22 pilot states selected across the country for the training.