Category: South East

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Edo State chapter, Comrade Odion Olaye, yesterday hailed Governor Godwin Obaseki for intervening in subsidy removal.

He called on the Federal Government to issue more modular refinery licences to operators in Edo, to expand the state’s refinery output, noting that Edo was already leading the charge of boosting local production of refined petroleum products.

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Olaye said Obaseki had set the right example by making Edo a conducive environment for investment in the oil and gas sector, adding that two modular refineries were operational in the state.

Edo NLC chairman praised the governor for his worker-friendly policies.

He said: “The removal of fuel subsidy has caused hardship for Nigerians. We thank Governor Obaseki for reducing the working days of civil servants to three in a week.

“We want the Federal Government to fix the four refineries and give licences for more modular refineries in Edo State, so that we can refine more petroleum products and sell to Nigerians.

“Fuel price has been increased by 300 per cent. So, workers’ salaries should also be increased by 300 per cent.”

Olaye also hailed Edo governor’s plan to allocate N500 million as the state’s palliative package, to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. He said Obaseki’s efforts were well intended.

Stakeholders from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have warned Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to beware of a former member of the House of Representatives, Israel Sunny-Goli, who recently claimed to have dumped his benefactor of many years, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The stakeholders under the auspices of the PDP Alliance for Democracy, said Sunny-Goli’s public declaration of support for Diri’s second term appeared to be a game plan, noting that the former lawmaker might be acting a script.

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The group in a statement in Yenagoa by its Convener, Ekiye Akposeye, an architect; advised Diri to be careful, saying the period was too sensitive to have fifth columnists around him.

The PDP stakeholders said: ”If we remember well, in 2019 we lost the main elections because of betrayers. We cannot afford to toe that path this time.

“We know that Sunny-Goli is like a son to Sylva and practically grew up with him. Sylva made him SA Youths as Governor; made him Bayelsa State House of Assembly member and House of Representatives member, plus a plethora of contracts. Why will anyone think Sunny-Goli and Sylva are at war?

“We urge Diri and members of our great party, the PDP, to eat with such people with a long spoon. We don’t trust them because we know their antecedents.”

The body said Diri’s continuation in office for another four years would be determined by how he handled the likes of Sunny-Goli, whom it alleged might be a mole in the PDP.

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori yesterday decried the deplorable state of the abandoned East-West road, despite the huge oil revenue the region contributes to the nation.

He spoke during a visit by the Senate Ad Hoc Committee investigating the non-completion of the East-West road led by Senator Abdul Ningi in Asaba.

He said the road, which connects the Southsouth, Southeast and Southwest remains in a bad state and uncompleted despite several attempts.

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Oborevwori said the region, which produces the highest wealth of the nation, should be given better treatment by ensuring that the road is completed.

He said: “It is my pleasure to receive the team that I have seen here today and from the presentation of the chairman, it’s obvious they are out to do something good this time.”

“At times when they set up ad hoc committees, it looks like a jamboree, but when I went through the names in the team and seeing the name of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, I became a bit relaxed.

“The East-West road is very strategic to all of us in this region. With what we have contributed to the nation in the past and with the region contributing the highest wealth to the nation today, it is proper that attention is paid to this region.

“I want to thank the leadership of the National Assembly for deeming it fit to appoint people of high integrity and capacity into this team.

“We are also happy about this visit because in one of our National Economic Council meetings, we have agreed collectively as governors from the Southsouth to work on the East-West road.

“My appeal to you is that you fast track whatever investigation and inspection you are to carry out, so that by the beginning of the next dry season, work can begin on the road.

“So your coming is a good one and I know that we will enjoy a lot of benefits if the East-West road is completed because apart from oil producing states, we also have agrarian states in this region.”

Senator Ningi had said the Senate committee was in Delta on a fact-finding mission on why subsequent administrations had failed to complete the East-West road despite the enormous funds appropriated and disbursed for the road. 

He said: “It is imperative to understand that the East-West road occupies a very central nerve in this country and the Senate felt that the road has not gotten adequate attention that it deserves over time.

“We are going to take a critical exercise of the entire stretch of the road and have some discussions with stakeholders because the road should not be in this condition that it is at the moment.

“That road shouldn’t be in that condition. We believe that there is a missing link and it is our view that this committee will be able to identify the missing link so that the road will be fixed.”

A rivers plying Nnewi-Onitsha road in Anambra State yesterday protested the death of their member, Mr. Vincent Chukwujekwu, following alleged attack by touts in Onitsha over his refusal to pay them N800.

The protesters caused gridlock, as they brought the body to Akwudo mortuary, Nnewi, shouting “no more ‘agberos’ (touts) in Onitsha and Nnewi”.

They insisted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo must sack the touts from revenue collection or work in synergy with them.

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Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr. Justin Anyadike, the managing director, Oha-na-eze Mass Transit Limited, under whose platform the deceased’s shuttle bus, Awk 78 ZQ, was registered, said the attackers never listened to the deceased’s plea that he had no money.

He expressed surprise that the touts still troubled his colleagues despite government ban on revenue collection.

He regretted that the deceased, from Utuh in Nnewi South Local Government, was a father of six, who were still in their tender ages.

Anyadike said: “The late Chukwujekwu’s bus had engine problem and he had to sell a portion of his land to raise money to buy a new engine.

“He replaced the engine on Saturday and decided to test-run the vehicle on Sunday to make little money, having spent heavily to fix the engine.

“The ‘agberos’ on Onitsha-Owerri road stopped him that Sunday to pay them N800.00 and he said he didn’t have the money at that time. They started beating him up.

“After that attack, his fellow drivers rushed him to hospital where he died and we later brought the body to Akwudo mortuary from where we are taking the body to Police Area Command, Onitsha.”

“If we are not satisfied, we will take the body to Government House, Awka. These ‘agberos’ work for some people. Both the Governor and Commissioner for Transport are aware of this.”

One of the drivers, who simply identified himself as CY, said: “Chukwujekwu told me he had promised to pay them the N800 in his next trip since that was his first trip after being out of business for some time because of his faulty bus. But they refused.

“That day he came to report the incident to me. He was bleeding profusely after he was stabbed in the head with a sharp object.”

The Nation gathered that the drivers not only pay N800 daily to the touts outside N3,300.00 weekly payments to the state government, but also pay N1,000 each time they load either in Onitsha or Nnewi on a daily basis.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has hailed security agencies, particularly the Army, for the improved security and peace in the state.

He also lauded the Army for its efforts in ending the illegal sit-at-home, saying his administration would not let down its guard.

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The governor, who gave the commendation yesterday when he received the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, at the Government House, said the improved security would aid his administration’s promise to grow the state’s economy in an unprecedented manner, as the growth was going to come from the private sector investment.

He said: “But one thing that is key is that private sector investment will not happen if we do not have peace and security. That was why when we took over, we immediately identified the security challenge and the sit-at-home as the big elephants in the room. 

“We recognised that the continual Monday sit-at-home was not only creating this perception of insecurity in our state, but it was also doing so much damage to our psychology as a people, our social wellbeing and our economy. We moved against it and made a pronouncement to put an end to Monday sit-at-home.

“So, I want to immediately put on record our profound appreciation and our immense gratitude for the support, dedication and commitment we have continued to receive from the Military, particularly the Army, in our quest to have a peaceful and secure Enugu State.”

General Dada said security could only get better given the level of resources and manpower deployed in the state.

He assured the citizens of their safety as they go about their businesses.

He commended Governor Mbah for leading the charge against insecurity and illegal sit-at-home, saying the Army and other security agencies had restored security in Enugu State through the governor’s support.

The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has said members of the party are ready for next month’s local government election.

He spoke yesterday in Benin at a news conference.

Aziegbemi said Edo PDP would inaugurate its campaign committees later yesterday, stressing that the things that needed to be done by the party concerning the chairmanship and councillorship elections had been done, in order to prevent any hitch.

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He urged members of the opposition parties to dismiss the insinuation that leaders of his party (PDP) would write the results of the election.

He said the poll would be free, fair and credible.

Aziegbemi said Edo PDP had developed a culture where the state’s governor would always lead in all the campaigns, by meeting with the party’s candidates before the elections, to appraise their readiness, capacities and capabilities.

He said elders of PDP in Edo were not sleeping over the face-off between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, which he assured would soon be resolved.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has urged security agencies to be brave and ruthless on criminals.

Dr. Otti while launching a new security operation targeted at dealing with criminals code-named ‘Operation Crush’, at the Okpara Square Event Centre in Umuahia yesterday, said the operation was targeted at dealing with criminals.

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He said his administration had zero tolerance for crime.

Speaking on behalf of heads of other security agencies, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, praised the governor for demonstrating and showing commitment in ensuring that there is security in the state.

He promised that they would help to ensure that the governor’s vision on security was met.

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu yesterday assured the people that no part of the state would be ceded to Cameroon any longer.

He spoke at a public hearing organised by an ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives.

The committee is investigating a land tussle between Danare community in Boki Local Government of Cross River and Biajua community, split between Cross River and Cameroon.

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Following a 2002 judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, Nigeria began the ceding of parts of the Bakassi Peninsula in Cross River to Cameroon in 2006.

The territory was completely ceded to Cameroon on August 14, 2008, exactly two years after the first part of it was transferred.

Chief of Staff to Governor Otu, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, who represented the governor at the public hearing, said the state was still nursing the consequences of the loss of Bakassi and its 76 oil wells to Cameroun.

He said Cross River believed that the issue could be revisited.

He urged the committee to invite stakeholders involved in the loss of the oil-rich peninsula, so as to get to the root of the matter.

“I hail the House of Representatives for setting up the ad-hoc committee to investigate the disputed borders in Danare and Biajua communities.”

“The visitation of the committee members to the disputed pillars 113 and 114 in Boki communities is a welcome development and will help you to put up painstaking reports.

“Let it be known that Cross River will no longer allow any part of its land to be ceded to Cameroon in the name of implementing the 2002  judgment of the ICJ,” the governor’s representative said.

Contrary to speculations that Imo State Government has the consent of Catholic Church for remodelling of Assumpta roundabout at the Control Post, Owerri, Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji has described the allegation as false and misleading.

There had been request to reconstruct the roundabout even when Archbishop Anthony Obinna was in charge of the Archdiocese, but it was turned down.

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However, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji, in a statement, distanced himself and the church from the rumour.

He said he rejected the request when it was presented during the administration of Most Reverend Archbishop Anthony Obinna.

Ugorji, recalling what he told Archbishop Obinna then in office on the request, said: “Your Grace, thanks for sending me the design for a freeway before the Assumpta Cathedral Owerri. 

“I wish to underscore that people’s right to freedom of worship is sacred and inviolable. It involves the right to worship in an atmosphere that is calm, serene and free of distractions. Constructing such a freeway, designed for high-speed and noisy vehicular traffic, in front of Assumpta Cathedral, is to say the least, an affront to people’s right to freedom of worship. 

“What can be more disdainful to the religious sensibilities of Catholics than to hide or rather relegate the sacred image of the Holy Family under two intersecting overhead bridges? This is unacceptable.  

“Please appeal to the government not to provoke the Catholic Church in Nigeria and particularly in Imo State by trying to deface the facade of a place of worship and deliberately importing noise to distract people during worship. 

“A by-pass could have solved the problem of traffic congestion at the control post, without infringing on people’s rights and freedom.”

Governor Hope Uzodimma, on assumption of office, pulled down the roundabouts built by former Governor Rochas Okorocha and reconstructed a befitting freeway, except Asumpta roundabout.