The Nation Newspaper

Category: South East

  • Abia Assembly tasks police on extra-judicial killing of innocent citizens

    Abia Assembly tasks police on extra-judicial killing of innocent citizens

    The leadership and members of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly has called on the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Janet Agbede, to ensure that its personnel in the state to stop the killing of innocent citizens and residents of the state.

    The lawmakers stated this after the member representing Obingwa West State Constituency, Hon. Thomas Nkoro who brought a Matter of Urgent Public Importance to the House about the extra judicial killings, harassment and extortion of innocent citizens and residents of the state by men of the Nigeria Police in his constituency especially police officers at Ohuru Isimiri police station.

    Nkoro while narrating how one of his constituents, Mr Ugochukwu Chinyere, a young graduate and the breadwinner of his family was shot by men of the Nigeria Police at their illegal checkpoint within the Umukalika axis in Obingwa Local Government Area, lamented the death of the victim who lost his life in the hospital despite frantic efforts made to ensure that his life was saved.

    The lawmaker also alleged that motorists in his constituency now live in fear because according to him, none of them knows the uncertainty that might befall them from the hands of the trigger-happy policemen in their area.

    After contributions from Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Hon Okey Igwe and Rt Hon Kennedy Njoku, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Engr. Chinedum Orji after commiserating with the family of the late Ugochukwu Chinyere announced that the House was mandating the Attorney-General of the State to speedily step into the matter and find out the remote and immediate causes of the sad incident with a view to ensuring that justice is served in the matter.

  • Anyanwu urges aggrieved PDP members to reunite

    Anyanwu urges aggrieved PDP members to reunite

    The National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu has called on aggrieved party members across the country who left the party over unresolved internal issues to come back, assuring them of genuine reconciliation.

    Anyanwu also urged concerned Nigerians to utilise the ongoing PDP E-registration and revalidation exercise to join the party, saying that such avenue remains the only option available to rescue the country from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media) Ikenna Onuoha, the PDP Nation’s Secretary maintained that the current National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP was elected not only to rebuild the party but to rescue Nigeria from economic servitude, political imbalance and avoidable security lapses.

  • Rivers residents unaware of Omicron variant, abandon preventive measures

    Rivers residents unaware of Omicron variant, abandon preventive measures

    Most residents of Rivers State are not aware of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, it was found at the weekend.

    Most of the residents said: “What do you mean by Omicron variant? I don’t know what you are talking about.”

    There was mass disobedience to COVID-19 preventive measures in public places visited at the weekend like major markets and notable shopping malls.

    People were no longer wearing nose masks and were not observing physical distancing rules as they expressed belief that coronavirus was no more.

    Most residents said they had not received COVID-19 vaccines and were not thinking of vaccination.

    Some big supermarkets, eateries, which hitherto did not allow customers without nose masks had relaxed their rules.

    They were also no longer administering free and compulsory hand sanitisers at the entrance of their facilities.

    There are fears that the Omicron variant could spread like wild fire following abandonment of preventive measures by residents and relapsed enforcement by the authorities.

    Out of the 533 cases confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on December 10, Rivers was third with 33 cases.

    When asked about the Omicron variant, a resident, who identified himself simply as Abdul, said: “Which one is Omicron again? I am not aware of any virus; we are happy that the COVID-19 is going away. Which one is Omicron again?”

    But others, who claimed to have heard about the variant said they did not think it was effective enough to compel them observe any preventive protocol.

    Another resident, Emmanuel, said: “I have facemask before. But as the virus stopped I stopped wearing it. But as I now know about the new virus, I will buy another nose mask.”

    Many of them like one Ahmed said they had not been vaccinated saying he nursed fears for the vaccine.

    “I have fears for the vaccine. I have fear because even my sister who took it has been having fever and headache ever since. So I fear to take.”

  • K. O. Mbadiwe University now fully owned by Imo State, says Uzodimma

    K. O. Mbadiwe University now fully owned by Imo State, says Uzodimma

    Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has disclosed that the Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University in Ogboko, Ideato South is now a fully owned State University by the people and for their benefit.

    Governor Uzodimma made the dosclosure on Friday while speaking to newsmen at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri on arrival from Abuja.

    Fielding questions on the Certificate of Ownership presented to him by the Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed on Wednesday, Governor Uzodimma said his administration “rejected an attempt to convert the K. O. Mbadiwe University built and furnished with the tax payer’s money, by an individual.”

    The governor added that “the need to have full grasp of the University is anchored on the growing youth population in Imo State and level of drop-outs resulting from inability of these youths to secure admission in the tertiary institutions.

    “The need for more higher institutions in Imo State became inevitable and to that end, government has to encourage the youths by securing the second state-owned university.”

    On the return of illegally acquired landed property in Imo State to the rightful owners based on the recommendations of the Committee on the Review of the White Paper on Land and Other Related Matters which government set up for that purpose, the governor said it is a promise his administration made which it has kept.

    He further added that his administration is driven by the three cardinal points of reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery, noting that to achieve vision his government is busy “reconstructing the roads and recovering government assets in addition to rehabilitating all the moribund factories/industries that were in bad state” before he assumed office.

    “Put together there is no doubt that the shared prosperity government is making progress to satisfy the expectations of Imo people,” he added.

    At the airport to receive the governor were the Deputy Governor,  Prof. Placid Njoku, the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe; his deputy, Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu and some Principal Officers of State House of Assembly, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie and some members of Imo State Executive Council.

  • APPEALS: World Bank insists on proper implementation

    APPEALS: World Bank insists on proper implementation

    The 7th pre-implementation support mission of the World Bank assisted APPEALS project has ended in Calabar with a view to proffering solutions to immediate challenges of the project. The pre- mission is a prelude to the main mission with the objective of putting things in place for a hitch free mission, as well as proffering solutions to immediate challenges of the Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project.

    The National Coordinator of the APPEALS represented by the National M&E Specialist and team leader, Mr. Adekunle Adesoye, in his short remark frowned at the slow implementation and disbursement and sued for restrategising for better implementation. In her remarks, the Commissioner of International Development Corporation (MIDC) Dr. Inyang Asibong,  stated that the State government is committed to the success of the APPEALS project in Cross River State and promised to transmit all messages to the state government for expected  result.

    Adekunle Adesoye who led the team, appealed to the Cross River State Government to expedite action on the process of granting approvals for the release of counterpart funding which is part of the agreement the state had signed into as one of the pilot states. He noted that the delay in the release of the Counterpart fund was impacting negatively on the speedy efficient realization of the program goals given the fact that World Bank assisted project has a limited span.

    Most beneficiaries of the program who narrated their experiences during the inspection of their  enterprise, identified lack of rural road infrastructure network, especially roads leading to project sites, security concerns as  major challenges  hampering their operations. They however expressed delight over the World Bank intervention in poverty alleviation programs in the country through grants and other forms of assistance.

  • Ebonyi makes NECO exams compulsory in all secondary schools

    Ebonyi makes NECO exams compulsory in all secondary schools

    Examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) are now compulsory for all secondary schools in Ebonyi, Governor David Umahi has said.

    The governor gave the directive following a request made to that effect by the Registrar of NECO, Prof Dantani Wushishi during a courtesy visit to the governor in Abakaliki.

    A statement signed by Head, Information and Public Relations Division of NECO, Azeez Sani listed the examinations involved as National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the Senior School Certificate Examination(SSCE).

    The governor, who commended NECO for playing an important role in the educational development of the country, assured that the Ebonyi State Government will continue to support NECO to enable the agency deliver on its mandate.

    The Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO had earlier commended the state government for its positive disposition to the exam body.

    Prof. Wushishi commended the state for registering the highest number of candidates in the 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the country.

    He explained that NECO, being the only national indigenous examination body in the country, deserves the support of all stakeholders.

  • Ugwuanyi flags off COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in Enugu

    Ugwuanyi flags off COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in Enugu

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday flagged off COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in the state.

    Ugwuanyi also used the occasion to launch the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme Implementation, explaining that the two important and closely related programmes in the health sector were commenced together “in our frontal attack on the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    Represented by his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, Governor Ugwuanyi disclosed that his administration, since the outbreak of COVID-19, has been proactively taking all the necessary measures for prompt containment of the virus including the implementation of sundry programmes designed to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic on the people of the state.

    The governor added that the state government also carried out comprehensive upgrade and conception of the health systems “and wide deployment of social safety nets and other measures designed to reduce resulting fragilities and sustain our livelihoods.”

    Stressing that mass vaccination is a global and nationwide measure adjudged by both World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to effectively combat the obviously rampaging pandemic, Governor Ugwuanyi stated that the state government through the flagship of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) and Ministry of Health has commenced the mass vaccination campaign for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines for those who have not been vaccinated before.

    The governor pointed out that the mass vaccination campaign targets at least 50 percent of the eligible population of Enugu State, expressing delight that ENS-PHCDA is leaving no stone unturned to achieve this target.

    “Accordingly, it (ENS-PHCDA) has taken concrete steps to expand vaccination sites to at least one primary healthcare centre in every ward. It has also created vaccination sites in all our secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities in addition to 24 new mass vaccination centres, 36 mobile vaccination vans and some selected private healthcare facilities designated as vaccination sites.”

    While launching the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) programme, the governor hinted that the action was sequel to the approval by the NPHCDA to implement the programme in all the 291 healthcare facilities in the state, which translates to at least one per ward.

    The governor further stated that Enugu was one of the few states that got all its recommended primary healthcare facilities approved for the implementation of the BHCPF programme after series of capacity assessments and verifications conducted by NPHCDA and its partners.

    In his address, the Executive Secretary of ENS-PHCDA, Dr. George Ugwu applauded Governor Ugwuanyi for his unprecedented support to the agency, stating that “the target for this vaccination phase (mass vaccination campaign) is to get at least, 1,265,013 persons in Enugu State vaccinated by January 5th, 2022.”

    Ugwu disclosed that the agency has already trained 1,942 vaccination personnel including vaccinators, e-recorders and validators, adding that “we have also inaugurated special teams of DSS and ICPC to ensure a vaccination card racketeering-free campaign.”

    “In phase 1, we vaccinated 65,703 persons with the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine. In phase 2, we vaccinated 28,325 and 45,085 persons with Oxford astrazeneca and Moderna vaccines, respectively. In total, we have so far, vaccinated 139,113 persons out of which 50,161 are fully vaccinated with both Oxford Astrazeneca and Moderna vaccines.

    According to the UNICEF representative, Mrs. Maureen Okolo, “Enugu State has not allowed any of the vaccines to expire in her hands and has always consumed her assigned doses and even more. Kudos to the Executive Secretary and his team.”

    Other participants at the event include Hon. Sam Ngene (House Committee Chairman on Health); State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Obi represented by the Director of Public Health, SMOH, Dr. Boniface Okolo; Hon. Alex Ugwu (Chairman of Enugu East LGA); Dr. T.C. Asogwa (ENS-PHCDA Board Chairman); Dr. Edith Okolo (Executive Secretary, ENS-AUHC); Sir Philip Ugwueze (NPHCDA State Coordinator); UNICEF Chief Field Officer, Ibrahim Conteh represented by UNICEF Nutrition Specialist Maureen Zubie Okolo; Dr. Ada Erinne (WHO State Coordinator), among others.

  • Obaseki: new SANs are inspiration to youths

    Obaseki: new SANs are inspiration to youths

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said the three new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from the state: Prof. Oluyinka Osayeme Omorogbe, Prof. Edobo Bright Omoregie and Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, are inspiration to youths.

    He said Wednesday’s conferment of the SAN rank on the illustrious indigenes of Edo State was a testament to their diligence, dexterity and hard work over the years, stressing that the honour was well-deserved.

    Read Also; 72 new SANs for inauguration December 8

    Obaseki said: “I heartily congratulate Prof. Omorogbe, Prof. Omoregie and Dr. West-Idahosa on the attainment of the exalted rank of SAN.

    “The government and people of Edo State are proud of your accomplishments and what you stand for in the practice of the legal profession. You are an inspiration to Edo youths.

    “At a time youths are looking for role models, you present a sterling example of who they should aspire to be. It takes determination and zeal to attain this height. Hence, I urge our youths to emulate these traits, to reach the zenith of their chosen life endeavours.”

    The three newly-elevated eminent lawyers have practised over the years and have contributed to the development of the state.

  • Bayelsa youths praise Dickson, Diri over factory

    Bayelsa youths praise Dickson, Diri over factory

    Youths in Bayelsa State, under the auspices of Bayelsa West Youth Leaders Forum (BWYLF), have praised former Governor Seriake Dickson for initiating a 60 metric tonnes of cassava processing plant at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government.

    In a statement yesterday by the acting Director General of the group, Akeme Moses; Secretary, Ms. Mercy Clement and Publicity Secretary, Doupere Fada, BWYLF said it was thoughtful of the former governor, now a senator representing the district in the National Assembly, to initiate the project.

    The body said the project, when inaugurated, would employ thousands of youths in the district and the state, a development that would empower youths.

    The statement said: “The starch, cassava and garri factory is one of the biggest of its kind in Nigeria. It has the capacity to generate thousands of jobs for deserving youths in Bayelsa West and the state at large.

    “This is the kind of project needed in the state to boost job opportunities. We are proud of the ex-governor for initiating the project. The project, will no doubt, empower youths and drive many of them away from crime.”

    BWYLF also applauded Governor Douye Diri, who inherited the gigantic project and continued from where  his predecessor stopped.

    It said the continuation of the project by Diri would consolidate his administration’s prosperity agenda.

  • APC confirms Agballah as Enugu chair

    APC confirms Agballah as Enugu chair

    The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed Ugochukwu Agballah as the duly elected chairman of the party in Enugu State.

    The party dismissed misconceptions in some quarters as to the authentic leadership of the party in the state, after the October 16 state congress.

    In a letter, sighted by reporters in Enugu, the national secretariat of the APC, which was responding to inquiries by Uche Isibor, said Agballah, a lawyer, remains the duly elected and recognised chairman of the party in Enugu State.

    Isibor had on behalf of ‘Concerned Citizens of Enugu’, written a letter to the APC national secretariat, titled: “Enugu State Congress: Application to Determine the Winner of the Chairmanship Position”.

    Read Also; Nasarawa APC, PDP bicker over Sule’s performance

    Replying to the application in a letter addressed to Isibor, and signed by the Head, Legal Services of the party, Dare Oketade, ESQ; the national leadership of the APC confirmed Agballah as the state chairman of the APC.

    The letter said: “I am directed by the National Chairman of our party, Governor Mai Mala Buni, to respond to your query dated 22nd of October 2021, with respect to the purported rejection of the chairmanship of Ugo Agballa by the national secretariat of the party.”

    “I am further directed by the National Chairman, Governor Buni, to inform you that the news of the purported rejection is false. There is no iota of truth in it. The party only recognises any executive who has emerged from the congresses conducted by any committee, which was set up by the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee.

    “Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu’s committee was duly set up and the result, which was submitted by his committee, has been duly received and accepted by the party.”

    A seven-man Enugu congress committee led by Dr. Arodiogbu conducted the Enugu State congress on October 16, at the Destiny Event Centre, Independence Layout, Enugu, and declared Agballah as the winner.

    The former chairman of APC in the state, Ben Nwoye, had led a faction of the party to conduct a parallel congress at the party’s state secretariat where they declared Adolphus Ude as the chairman.