Category: South East

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar and Chairman of Senate, Prof. Florence Obi, has announced the appointment of two female Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs) of the institution.

The announcement is contained in a statement signed yesterday in Calabar by the Registrar, Mr. Gabriel Egbe.

The two DVCs are: Prof. Angela Oyo-Ita, who was re-appointed for a second term as DVC Academic and Prof. Grace Eno, who was newly appointed as DVC Administration.

Egbe said the appointments were ratified by Senate members at the 231st meeting.

“The VC lauded the former DVC Administration, Prof. Michael Okom and Oyo-Ita, for the good working relationship and their supportive stance for her administration.”

“The VC described them as God-chosen for helping her to stabilise at the early stage of her administration.

“The new DVC Administration, who accepted her appointment with joy, said her appointment is a divine providence.

“While speaking to members of the Senate, she assured them and the VC of her loyalty and determination to work for the best interest of the management and the institution,” Egbe said.

He also said the former DVC Administration has been appointed as the Director of Alumni Relations of the university.

Anambra State Government has warned hoodlums parading themselves as members of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) and extorting money from house owners to desist or face the consequences.

The Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB), Chike Maduekwe, who gave the warning in a chat with reporters, said the government would not fold its arms and watch hooligans take over its responsibility.

Describing the development as disturbing, Maduekwe said he had informed the COREN leadership in the state, which denied knowledge of the development, urging the public to be on the alert and report such individuals to the police.

He said: “I’ve been inundated with barrage of queries by government officials and individuals about some anomalous situations that came up in the last one week.

“A group of young men are going around in many parts of the state placing demand notices in the name of Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), announcing they’re now in charge of Physical Planning and Building Control and Regulations and demanding money from house owners.

“It’s important to inform the public that following challenges in Physical Planning and Building Control and Regulations, including infiltration by quacks, leading to building collapse, we recently had an understanding with professional bodies for some form of collaborations to ensure integrity and sanity in the process of building and development control.

“We also met with members of COREN, who asked for some sort of understanding. They were to give us their project compliance forms, which the engineers must fill and we send back to them for endorsement with a fixed fee of N10,000.

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has described the 2022 edition of the Calabar Cultural Parade, a major component of Carnival Calabar, as a potpourri of Nigerian culture.

Prof. Ayade, represented by Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, spoke while launching the four-kilometre long cultural parade at Millennium Park, Calabar.

He expressed delight that the Carnival Calabar brand had continued to grow despite the two years COVID-19 setback.

Ayade said: “I especially welcome the states that have come to participate with us in this year’s cultural carnival. This is the last carnival we will be hosting as an administration and we are delighted to have continued with this flagship event.

“In the past, we had more states than there are today. But, to have 14 states today shows Cross River State has become a brand, which other states chose to come and celebrate peacefully at the end of the year.”

The governor praised the participating local governments, saying: “I welcome the contingents from the 18 local governments that have come to showcase the multifarious culture of our people in Cross River. In fact, no matter where you come from as a Nigerian, you are bound to identify with one form of culture or the other. So, it is a potpourri of all that we need in Calabar for this annual event.”

Ayade thanked God for helping his administration keep faith with the people and the annual carnival fiesta.

He was optimistic that the tourism event would continue its steady growth on the international tourism scene.

The Chairman of Calabar Festival Committee, Ken Aklah, described the cultural parade as “a fusion of culture” depicting Nigeria’s unity.

He said: “It is to say to the world that today you are going to see a fusion of culture. What we do through this festival of culture is to see how Nigeria can speak in unity through culture and we the contingents here, we will show Nigeria to the world.”

The Executive Secretary of Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr. Austin Cobham, said the parade was an opportunity to present to the world the different cultural experience in the state and country as a whole.

According to him, “it gives us joy to present to the world Cross River State greatest export, which is our culture, tradition and people. It is a mixture of the entire culture of Nigeria as we have over 14 states participating and the entire 18 local governments of Cross River State.”

The parade started with the Cross River State Cultural Centre Troupe led by the couple in traditional attire, mostly referred to as ‘Nwan ye Ebe Ndo’, then followed by a special dance known as ‘Ikpaya’ (presented during the coronation of the Obong of Calabar) and ‘Ubom’, an all-male traditional display dedicated to the traditional fishing festival as well as ‘Moni Nkim’, the maiden dance by the Ejagham speaking people of Ikom.

The states participating in the cultural parade include Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun as well as Oyo.

Cobham said the best performing states would be awarded points and cash prizes, while prices would also be awarded to the best three local governments.

He said the criteria included costume, dance, use of time and presentation of theme.

Suspected hoodlums yesterday attacked the office of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in Tai Local Government of Rivers State.

The governorship candidate of the SDP, Magnus Abe, confirmed this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt.

He accused the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the local government of orchestrating the attack on the pretext of enforcing executive orders 21 and 22 of the state government.

He said the party was preparing to receive him at Tai where he was due to address supporters and inaugurate the office when they got the report of the attack.

Abe said: “It was shocking to us when we started receiving reports that the leadership of PDP met and said Senator Abe could not come to Tai and that no office of the SDP could be opened at Tai.

“It was a thing of shock when we started getting reports last night that thugs were being mobilised at the local government council secretariat and in the early hours of this morning, they attacked the secretariat (SDP) with guns and dangerous weapons, vandalising the secretariat and scattering everything. The canopies and stage that had been set for us to come there and open the place were destroyed.”

The SDP candidate, however, vowed that he would not be intimated by such action.

According to him, “no amount of thuggery and violence can stop me from going anywhere in Rivers State to share my message of hope.”

The Founder of Living Christ Mission, Most Rev. Daddy Hezekiah, has cautioned Nigerians against being bought over with gifts, money or promises ahead of the 2023 general election.

The cleric, who gave the advice in his special Christmas and New Year message, enjoined the electorate to follow their conscience and vote sensibly.

He said voters would indirectly extend their sufferings if they sold their votes.

“If we allow ourselves to be influenced with money and gifts, we will indirectly be extending our suffering for another four years or thereabout.

“Therefore, obtain your permanent voter card and vote rationally, wisely, conscientiously, responsibly and reputably,” Prof. Hezekiah said.

Describing Nigeria as a great nation endowed with natural and human resources, the archbishop, who is also the proprietor and chancellor, Hezekiah University, Umudi, Imo State, urged the Federal Government to consider the plight of the masses.

“We know this is one of the right steps to curb indiscriminate kidnappings, killings and social ills in the country. Hence, I appeal to the Federal Government to consider the lives lost on a daily basis to situations that can be truly aborted.

“I also appeal to politicians to avoid imposing a leader on the people. Politics should not be a do or die affair. Elections should be free and fair.

“In 2019 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) performed poorly and I hope it will improve in the next elections so as to win back people’s confidence,” he added.

The cleric advised Nigerians to take advantage of the Yuletide to put smiles on the faces of the poor and the less privileged by sharing what they had with them.

He frowned at spending times on unprofitable ventures, noting that celebrating Christmas by drinking to stupor, committing immorality and worldly partying were misrepresentations and misinterpretations of what the season symbolised.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has urged the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) not to dabble in partisan politics, but should remain focused on protecting the interest of Niger Delta.

He said this when the PANDEF executive led by its Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, visited him at the Government House in Yenagoa.

He praised the efforts of leaders and other stakeholders of PANDEF, particularly elder statesman Edwin Clark, for showing leadership over the years on issues concerning the region.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor said PANDEF had made efforts towards the growth and development of the region.

Diri said: “PANDEF is an apolitical body. I advise that it remains so in order for its integrity to be intact.

“PANDEF is a voice in the Niger Delta and in Nigeria and it is contributing to the growth and development of our region. We appreciate the leaders because of the role they play in stabilising the Niger Delta and the Nigerian state.

“We also thank our elder statesman, Pa Clark, who has given leadership to PANDEF.

“Our leaders have been at the forefront of our struggles and agitations, raising the issues from time to time. So far, we have not achieved our desired goals, but we must continue to agitate for what rightly belongs to us.”

He assured PANDEF of his administration’s continued support and  directed the Ministry of Lands and Housing to provide a befitting accommodation for the body’s headquarters in Bayelsa.

“Niger Delta should have a voice working for us at the national level. The forum needs to have synergy with governors. We used to have the BRACED (Bayelsa Rivers Akwa Ibom Cross River Edo and Delta) Commission, which is comatose but God willing, we will bring it back on stream,” Diri noted.

By Josef Onoh

As the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), when I was enforcing compliance, I requested for the cooperation of the Nigeria railway Corporation to demolishing all the illegal properties standing on the tracks of the Nigeria Railway within Enugu metropolis but they accused me of sabotaging their projects. Today, I’ve been vindicated because as it currently stands the south east does not show readiness for development and so we have to begin to look at our inner faults.

One of the greatest problems of the south east is the peoples’ mentality; they have refused to participate in becoming part of the Nigeria transformation, but they will be there to undermine any progress in Nigeria while they stay in already developed cities and nations to take materialistic titles and make their homes as only good for home celebrations returns in their rats and cockroach-habited mansions. The entire attitude of a typical Easterner is all geared towards vanity at the detriment of their own survival.

Some of them encourage IPOB while they take refuge in the Diaspora without feeling the pains of what is happening. Today, the sit-at-home culture has crippled the south east economy. For not voting for the APC we lost and failed the first and second time and should not fail the third time because it could be the last straw to the progressive of the south east which has already been devastated by senseless agitations and has crippled the once glorious region that is now at the mercy of criminals. Those in the Diaspora that set the fire that is now raging shamelessly could not come home for Christmas but remained outside the zone and out of the country.

The botched south east railway that the Pro-Biafra groups complain about was already doomed earlier than now, because the NRC had sold all the components of the rail, the tracks and every other property of the corporation.  In Enugu, there is a GSM village built on railway track and as chairman of ECTDA I tried to demolish their nuisances of over 3600 structures brought about by the NRC profligacy, just within the Enugu metropolis. I had sort for the attention of the former Honourable Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi to no avail, but I will remain highly indebted to the minister for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, whose cooperation ensured that demolition was carried out in Enugu airport and which the NRC stood against it. If those shanties which the NRC sold were not demolished the south east would not be enjoying the Akanu Ibiam International Airport as it does today.

The Ethiopian Airline would not have been flying today in Enugu if not this part of history that I participated in the making. Sirika gave so much support in the realization of this achievement and today Enugu is the only international travel destination in the south east. In spite of Enugu being a PDP state, the APC administration delivered in the south east capital as much as it did in other states. All these agitating groups in the south east are the south east people using some criminal elements to cause confusion and mayhem in the zone.

Read Also: Experts x-ray Tinubu’s plan on exchange rates, subsidy

The South east should truly go for soul searching, open our eyes and go into main stream politics other than our empty ego which has made us not see the extent of damage we have caused ourselves.

I’m supporting Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and I want the rest of the south east to do proper arithmetic to see that the party they did not support in two consecutive elections of 2015 and 2019 has given them maximum benefit with the following visible achievements in the south east of the APC-led federal government. They are:

The Rehabilitation of Sections 1 to 4 of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway (Sukuk Bond) (ongoing); Rehabilitation of Amansea–Enugu Border section of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Sukuk Bond) (ongoing); Rehabilitation of 18km critical stretch of Onitsha–Awka Road (ongoing); Construction of Second Niger Bridge: Completed design of the Approach Roads from Onitsha and Asaba; Award of Main Construction Contract to Julius Berger; and funding of the project by the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, PIDF.

In August 2018 PIDF paid 33 billion Naira (US$90 million) to Julius Berger for the Second Niger Bridge project; Rehabilitation of Arochukwu–Ohafia–Bende Road (ongoing) and Ariaria Market Electrification Project (The Federal Government is implementing its Energizing Economies Programme, which will bring stable and reliable electricity to all the 37,000 shops in Ariaria Market, by providing the Market with a gas-powered IPP) (ongoing).

Others are the Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme being implemented in Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi state; Nnamdi Azikwe University – Awka Campus, Anambra. The Programme will provide these Universities with an Independent Power Plant, as well as upgrade existing distribution infrastructure, and also provide street-lighting; Completed Ikot Ekpene–Alaoji–Ugwuaji Switching Station and Transmission Line; Construction of Modern Medical Diagnostic Centre at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia (FMCU) (ongoing); Completed Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum (contract originally awarded in 1996, abandoned at various times, Buhari Administration revived the project in 2016, and completed it in 2018); Enyimba City Special Economic Zone: Definitive Agreements signed between Federal Government, Abia State Government and Enyimba City Development Company Limited on December 7, 2018 (ongoing).

They also include the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative–has led to the revival of the Ebonyi State Fertiliser and Chemical Company Limited (EFCCL), creating jobs and boosting the supply of fertilizer in the Southeast; Social Investment Programme: 68,000 N-Power Beneficiaries across the 5 States of the South East; the School Feeding Programme has kicked off in all 5 States of the Southeast; Pensions paid to Retired War-Affected (Ex-Biafran) Police: In 2017, the Buhari Administration paid 500 million Naira to clear pensions arrears that had not been paid since their presidential pardon in 2000.

Now that the south east rail project has collapsed, all hope is not lost because Tinubu’s manifesto contains development of rails and if we can play intelligent politics and get into the main stream, other than sentiment, supporting Asiwaju Tinubu will help restore the temporarily abandoned rail project. Some people from the south east even participated in the balkanization of the rail properties, built on rail tracks.

So the problem we have today is not about the APC as some politicians are trying to make us believe, but in ourselves against the detriment of our progress. The world has moved but we are still lagging. Now is the time to make amends and get it right by voting Asiwaju Tinubu who has put the development of the south east in his manifesto. Some of us such as myself, Chimaroke Nnamani, the Imo and Ebonyi states governors and few others have been insisting that we should participate in mainstream politics. The emancipation of the south east is not about Tinubu or the APC but about what Asiwaju has, that will benefit our economy and we can’t continue to play politics of sentiment.

I can tell my people that Peter Obi will not win the presidential election just like Atiku Abubakar is going nowhere except going back to Dubai. In my brother, Peter Obi’s words, they should go and verify.

Dr. Josef Onoh is the spokesman of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council in the South East.