The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

  • Niger Delta women threaten to name, shame persons diverting NDDC funds

    Niger Delta women threaten to name, shame persons diverting NDDC funds

    The Wailing Women of the Niger Delta (WWND) has threatened to name and shame persons behind the embezzlement of funds allocated to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The women, in a statement by their Coordinator, Odighonin Adienbo, said they had every reasonable suspicion  that some people were manipulating President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the current administration in the NDDC to enable them amass wealth to bankroll their 2023 ambitions.

    Adienbo said: “Beyond our lines of advocacy, in the coming days, we shall name and shame suspected saboteurs who are embezzling allocations to the NDDC and publish the total sum allocated to the current illegal sole administrator under the current Minister for Niger Delta Affairs. This is with a view to demand accountability.

    “We wish to ask Mr. President whether the current state of the NDDC, where it is questionably put at the behest and mercy of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, both jointly and severally, is a reflection of the legacy he wants to leave for the Niger Delta people.

    “Mr. President should be reminded that he has about a year left to exit office and so it is curious that the NDDC may have been classified as a special purpose vehicle by a corrupt few to bankroll the 2023 general election for self-serving purposes, while the president looks the other way.

    “We have a correspondence letter from the AGF and the Niger Delta Affairs Minister where the AGF on his part insisted that no section of the NDDC Act is in breach as per its current composition and modus operandi despite public and stakeholders outcry of treachery to the contrary.

    “The Niger Delta Minister wrote to us, extricating himself by copiously accusing President Buhari of being responsible for whatever state the NDDC currently is and asking us to go to him with our demands.

    “The big question is: What have the funds coming to the NDDC been used for since the illegal appointment of a life sole administrator in sheer defiance to the NDDC Act without a properly constituted board? More so as contractors are not being paid and no projects are embarked upon under the guise of forensic audit report. The current situation in the region can only be likened to a crime against humanity and we will not accept it.”

  • Umahi denies using Ebubeagu to suppress opposition

    Umahi denies using Ebubeagu to suppress opposition

    Ebonyi Governor David Umahi has denied using Ebubeagu security outfit to suppress opposition in the State.

    Ebubeagu was set up by the Ebonyi State Government to complement the police and other security agencies in the fight against crime in the State but the security outfit has recently been enmeshed in some controversies over its operations.

    Umahi was reacting to a statement by the national spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, who accused the Governor of using Ebubeagu to “unleash terror” on the opposition in the state.

    Ologunagba called for the release of the state spokesperson of the PDP, Chika Nwoba, whom he said was arrested on trumped-up charges.

    Nwoba was arrested by Ebubeagu and handed over to the police and subsequently charged to court for allegedly violating the cybercrimes law of the state.

    The court – a magistrate court – ordered him remanded in police custody.

    Ebubeagu was last two ago accused of extra-judicial killings, which led to a violent protest in Akaeze, Ivo Local Government Area of the state.

    Many houses and other properties were burnt down during the protest.

    About 11 people reportedly involved in the killings and the resultant protest have been arrested by the police.

    Members of the House of Representatives from the state, under the PDP, recently raised a motion calling on the police to investigate the alleged excesses of Ebubeagu.

    READ ALSO: PDP, APC in war of words over Ebubeagu

    Umahi, in a statement on Monday by his media aide, Francis Nwaze, described the accusations by the PDP spokesperson as ‘senseless’.

    He said Ebubeagu is not a militia group as alleged by the PDP but citizen-based neighbourhood security established by the law of the House of Assembly.

    The security outfit, he said, has attracted widespread commendations for their roles in assisting the police and other security agencies in “stamping out insecurity” in the State.

    “Ebubeagu Security outfit was not set up to witch-hunt the opposition but to provide alternative security to the lives and property of all citizens irrespective of political party affiliations.

    “Those who fear or feel unease about the Ebubeagu are probably those who meddle in criminalities who wouldn’t want their criminal escapades to be unearthed by the effervescent Security outfit,” the statement said.

    Umahi is a tolerant governor who is not against the opposition, the statement said.

    “The Governor has no plans of rigging the 2023 General elections as alleged by the PDP.

    “He has insisted that the decision of who replaces him in 2023 would be made by the people themselves and not the other way round,” he added.

  • Anambra APC to Buni: resolve leadership crisis

    Anambra APC to Buni: resolve leadership crisis

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has urged the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to reconcile aggrieved leaders of the party ahead of February 26 national convention.

    The factional Secretary of the party, Chukwuma Agupugo, made the appeal yesterday in reaction to the just concluded state congress that produced Chief Basil Ejidike as the party’s newly elected chairman.

    Besides, the party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis involving the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and the candidate of the party in the state governorship poll, Sen. Andy Uba.

    Addressing reporters in Awka, Agupugo, a lawyer, described the Uba faction congress as illegal, warning that the decisions taken at the convention would be contemptuous of dual court rulings, while the Ejidike-led executive would render the exercise null and void.

    He warned that the party’s attendance at the convention with delegates outside the directive of the court would amount to invitation to nullification of the convention.

    He said: “I’m not surprised to hear that some people conducted a purported state congress on Sunday, because there has been this desperation by some individuals in the party to concoct what seems like a congress.

    “There was no congress in the party on Sunday. There is a subsisting order and ruling by the Court of Appeal filed by Emeka Ibe by the judgment secured by Onyekwere Uzochukwu.

    “That order emanated from the Court of Appeal and directed that the status quo should be maintained, where the former chairman, Ibe, was returned as the state chairman of the party.

    “That notwithstanding, the order, I believe, was duly served on us and to the national secretariat of the party. I particularly wrote a memo to the secretariat requesting their directive and intervention to that effect, and even till now, none of the reply has come back to the state branch of the party.

    “Consequent upon that, I do not believe that the party will be blind to that judgment. Of course, you know that no matter how big or small a court order is, it is meant to be obeyed.

    “We also received a court order by some people, about 18 local government chairmen, who went to court, asking the court to grant them relief on the fact that their tenure had not elapsed, and as such, no congresses should be held in Anambra.

    “Only on the 25th, we got information that the people who went to court, secured an order and the next day, we received the order, which was also served on the national secretariat.

    “The next day, we heard that the purported ward congresses were to go on, and if anybody was to pay a blind eye and deaf ears to this, that person must be a serial court offender.

    “What is imminent is that if Anambra produces a list for the national convention, that convention may be null and void because people will go to court.”

  • Leaders urged to support military to check crude oil theft

    Leaders urged to support military to check crude oil theft

    Oil producing communities in the Niger Delta have been urged to support the military to tackle crude oil theft.

    The Economic Sustenance Group (ESG), which appealed to the leaders and other stakeholders in the oil bearing communities, said besides enormous economic loss to the country, crude oil theft also degraded the environment.

    The group, in a statement by the President and Secretary Okoro Anselem and Baba Usman, lamented that environmental challenges, such as the soot in Rivers State was a consequence of the activities of crude oil theft.

    ESG said the people of the region were facing environmental challenges as a result of the nefarious activities of a few.

    The group hailed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, for his recent operational visit to troops of the Joint Task Force South South Operation Delta Safe.

    It said the visit would further strengthen the troops and send a message that the Armed Forces were determined to protect oil and gas installations in the Southsouth.

    The body praised the CDS for warning personnel against engaging in illegal oil bunkering, which he said would attract punishment.

  • Fed Govt empowers PLWD with digital skills, laptops in Rivers

    Fed Govt empowers PLWD with digital skills, laptops in Rivers

    The Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, through the National Information Technology Development Agency, has empowered People Living with Disabilities (PLWD) in Rivers State with laptops after training them in digital skills and innovation.

    It urged them to key into its drive to grow the economy by harnessing human creativity through Information Technology (IT).

    The ministry, through NITDA, has concluded a five-day training programme of over 30 PLWD selected from the Southsouth in digital skill and innovation.

    The Director General of the agency, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the acting Director, Corporate Planning  and Strategy, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, encouraged the participants to deploy their digital skills and make people feel their impact in areas they could no longer use their hands.

    Addressing the beneficiaries, he said: “I know that you have gone through five days of intensive practical exposure to digital skills and are also empowered mentally and socially as well to go out there to create your digital world.

    “There is no limit to what digital technology can do for you. As leaders, part of our responsibility is to give you the required digital skills and to ensure that for you to go out there and create your digital world so that you will create the required wealth and have your prosperity.”

  • Anambra records five fire outbreaks in one day

    Anambra records five fire outbreaks in one day

    No fewer than five fire incidents were recorded yesterday in parts of Anambra State, the Director, Fire Service, Mr. Martin Agbili, has said.

    Agbili, an engineer, said in a statement that most of the incidents were caused by bush burning.

    He urged residents to always check their surroundings, including cutting and clearing bush around their homes, churches, mosques, markets, schools, among others, to avoid regrets.

    Agbili said: “About 60 per cent of the fire outbreaks we combated in this dry season were as a result of indiscriminate bush burning that easily spread to structures.

    “The majority of the bush burning occurred in rural communities where residents, especially hunters, indiscriminately set fire on bushes during the dry season.

    “We should cut all bushes to at least five feet away from our homes, schools, churches, markets and offices. If it is not done, fire can easily spread from there to any closest structure.”

    “Just today, we have about five fire outbreaks. Four of them were caused by bush fire and distress calls are still coming.

    “One of the fire outbreaks occurred around 10:39am at Deeper Life Street, Ogbunike.

    “The fire ignited from bush burning, then spread to Sinaco Way House at Deeper Life Street, Amawa, Ogbunike, near toll gate.

    “The fire is under control now. Fire prevention is everybody’s business. Avoid anything that can cause fire outbreak during this harmattan.”

     

  • ‘Why it’s difficult to invest in Southeast’

    ‘Why it’s difficult to invest in Southeast’

    The major reason most Igbo businessmen are not investing in Southeast is because doing business is more difficult in the area than any other region, the Managing Director of FIT Consult Ltd, Chief Loretta Aniagolu, has said.

    Aniagolu, who addressed architects from the Enugu State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and student architects from tertiary institutions in Enugu, who were on an education tour of HELIU Estate in Enugu town, said investing in such businesses as real estates and large scale industries attracted hiccups.

    She said a combination of state governments’ insensitive financial charges and communities’ constant disturbances and demands discouraged investors.

    Aniagolu, however, admitted that Enugu State and Southeast had the highest return on investments, with the highest rate appreciation rate of property in the country.

    She said: “Nobody knows why it’s like that, but I think it has to do with the sentiments of the Igbo in owning property in Enugu.

    “So you find out that the minimum appreciation rate of property in Enugu is 100 per cent annually.

    “For instance, these bungalows – when we built them , we sold them for N8.5milliom for three bedrooms. But today, people are selling them for N20million. I can’t even believe it, but that’s the reality and it’s shocking because the houses were just sold in 2019. So that tells you something about the appreciation rate in this place. Not even Lagos has this kind of high appreciation rate.

    “This is actually the first district we’re developing in the Southeast. We have not done any project in the Southeast. We’ve done in the North. We’ve done in Zamfara State. We’ve done in Taraba State . We’ve done in the Southsouth.”

    Aniagolu lamented that Southeast was a very difficult place to “do this kind of business. In fact, now that we’re doing it, we know the reason some people are not really doing some investments in the Southeast. Indeed, it is a very difficult place to do business. It’s extremely difficult to do business here, and I have to be honest with you.

    “For people who have funds and they are accusing a lot of the Igbo who invested in Lagos, in the West, North and so on. When you see the way they are going to treat you and the way they are willing to bend over backward to try and bring you into their space, you won’t have options but to do business with them.

    “But here, after you battle in the Southeast, you won’t do another project there; that’s even when they’re using your own money, too.

    “In most other parts of the Southeast, when you want to do a project, you actually have to pay the entire money to the government on their land upfront.

    “This (Enugu) is one of the few times we worked with a governor and they said ok, pay us part of the money as we work along. And so we have an arrangement – they take a share of what you have as they go along instead of saying pay us the entire N4billion upfront.

    “So when you are a developer, if they give you bush, you have to provide light, road, water, which is the job of the government. In addition to that, they estimate what you are doing based on an assumption that you have already done it and they charge you as if to say it’s done but meanwhile you’re still in the middle of the bush.

    “So it’s a very difficult place to work. Also, the communities don’t make things easy. As soon as the communities see somebody coming in – I mean, we’ve invested over $15million so far – and we haven’t borrowed money yet.”

  • Obi commiserates with Onitsha fire victims

    Obi commiserates with Onitsha fire victims

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has commiserated with the victims of the fire disaster, which occurred at Obodo Ukwu end of the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Onitsha at the weekend.

    He said in a statement by his media office that he was saddened by the magnitude of loss experienced by the victims.

    Obi lamented the economic losses to individuals and businesses, resulting from the inferno.

    He said: “We are grateful to God that no death was reported in the fire disaster. Very saddening, however, is the resultant economic loss recorded in the incident, especially during this prevailing economic hardship in the country. My heart goes out to the victims, who have suffered losses,” Obi said.

    He urged the government, agencies and well-spirited individuals to assist the affected persons and businesses and help them stand back on their feet.

    He observed the growing menace of fire disasters across the country, and in Anambra State, noting that some of the disasters could be prevented through the right government policies and agencies. Obi advised the government to put in place, measures that would prevent reoccurrence of such disasters.

  • ‘Plugging loopholes will avert loss of INEC materials’

    ‘Plugging loopholes will avert loss of INEC materials’

    A group, the Civil Society Organisation and Media Policy Advocacy Network (CSOMPAN), has expressed worry about the missing electoral materials used during the last November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

    The Chairman of the group, Chief Obunikem Asuzu, made this known at the weekend in his office in Awka during an advocacy visit of members of the Justice Development Office (JDPC), in conjunction with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state said it had withheld allowances of over 630 ad-hoc workers engaged in the governorship election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, said the decision followed the officers’ failure to return some of the devices and materials issued to them for the exercise.

    The CSOMPAN boss, while describing the act as corrupt, wondered why persons entrusted with such sensitive materials would fail to retire same after delivery.

    He advised the electoral umpire to device means of plugging such loopholes in their subsequent recruitment exercises, to forestall recurrence.

    The JDPC Manager, Alphonsus Nwoye, said the visit was to collaborate with the group towards generating development issues to be used in engaging the incoming administration in the state.

    He listed the targeted areas to include Community Charter of Demand and Data Profile, Continuous Voter Education, Tax Payment, Proper Waste Management Disposal, among others.

    He appealed to the group to deploy its capacity and competence in reaching out to relevant state authorities and non-state actors in addressing the highlighted concerns to deepen good governance.

  • Jonathan, Jackrich, others preach peaceful agitation in Niger Delta

    Jonathan, Jackrich, others preach peaceful agitation in Niger Delta

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan and an oil mogul, Tien Jackrich, have urged Niger Delta youths to embrace the new narrative of peaceful agitation in the quest for justice, economic and social inclusion for the people.

    They spoke at the weekend at the inauguration of a 350,000 litre capacity state-of-the-art potable water project executed by Belemaoil Producing Limited (BPL), at Idama in Akuku-toru Local Government of Rivers State.

    The project, executed under the NNPC/ Belemaoil Joint Venture (JV), is first of its kind in the history of the community.

    It is part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities to its host community.

    The firm also inaugurated 1,500 KVA generator to tackle darkness in the community.

    Jonathan said: “The use of dangerous weapons in the fight for your rights will continue to yield no results; hence it is high time you stopped it.”

    The ex-president, represented by his former aide, Godknows Igali, said:

    “Yes, even as adults, we have declared, no more carrying of guns, it is an intellectual battle, what the gun cannot do, the pen, which is mightier than the sword, will lead us to success.”

    He praised the Founder and President of Belemaoil, Jackrich, for providing one of the most important amenities in Ijaw communities and prayed for God’s grace on him to extend the gesture to other communities, as he had planned.

    “The cry all over Ijaw nation is water everywhere, but none to drink.

    “The cry is about corporate neglect by those engaged in exploiting the environment and paying back little or nothing.

    “The event today marks a new beginning worthy of emulation,” Jonathan said.

    He lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for its efforts in touching the lives of local oil bearing communities, but said more still needed to be done.

    Jackrich called for the support of everybody for the development needed in the region.

    “Men, women, chiefs traditional rulers, opinion leaders, socialites, those in the public and private sectors, including those in the diaspora, we must get together, rally round what we have in order to produce what we need.”

    “Intellectual warfare is what will create an avenue that will produce the partnership to generate the right corridor that will take you to the land of promise,” he said.