The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Enugu constituency tackles neglect

    Enugu constituency tackles neglect

    ‘We note with regret that despite our undiluted support for the party (PDP) whereby no person from Udi North challenged Governor Sullivan Chime during his elections, he never visited any part of Udi North either on a working visit or friendly tour’

    The people of Udi North in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State have marshalled out strategies to extricate themselves from “centuries of marginalisation and neglect” of their area.

    They pointed the finger of blame at the last administration led by Sullivan Chime, who hails from Udi South.

    At the meeting which saw eminent citizens of the area pouring out their minds, three papers were presented at the occasion tagged “Udi North Leaders’ Forum”. A former secretary to old Anambra State, Prof. Onyema Ochioha presented a Paper on “Development Administration as Vehicle for attainment off Good Governance”, a security chief, Mathew Obodoechi gave a talk on “Security and Vigilance” while a former legislator, Chief Marcel Njeze presented a paper “The price of inaction on the history of marginalisation of Udi North.”

    After a thorough examination of their disadvantaged they claimed to have found themselves in the socio-economic and Political Map of Enugu State the people in a communique, we resolved that Udi North Constituency has been politically and economically marginalised and ignored for too long that it seems they have been forgotten. That “our hope and chances of liberation was dashed by the immediate past administration that discriminatively cut off Udi North from the little development that was brought to Udi Local Government to the extent that the construction of old Opi- 9th mile Onitsha Road was commenced without considering the Udi North side of the road”.

    They further claimed that in “the last eight years prior to the assumption of office by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration, rural roads in Udi North were not considered, Schools were not renovated, school children sit on the bare floor while in many instances, learning was being done under the Mango and Cashew Trees. It is in the same strength that any people with snake bite in Udi North, be it as far as Akpakwume/Nze and Affa must have to travel to Enugu before treatment could be administered because no General Hospital exists in the entire Udi North neither is there any functional Health Center.”

    According to them: “We note with regret that despite our undiluted support for the party (PDP) whereby no person from Udi North challenged Governor Sullivan Chime during his elections, he never visited any part of Udi North either on a working visit or friendly tour throughout his tenure as Governor.

    We also stand to be challenged and make bold to say that the only road done and which Udi North incidentally benefitted is the road from Eke leading to Sullivan Chime’s Expansive Farm/Ranch in Oghu. This was done ostensibly to enable him access to the farm and easy evacuation of his produce.

    Against these backdrops of innate and calculated slavery status that characterized the plight of Udi North since 1999, we view Sullivan’s decision to come to Udi North and declare his joining the All Progressive Congress (APC) as insult to the sensibility of Udi North and a deliberate attempt to put the People of Udi North on collision course with the People Friendly Government of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the worthy Representation of both Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi.

    We state in clear and unequivocal terms that Udi North has never ever supported any other party but PDP and this we vow to continue doing in support of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Hon. Dennis Amadi We note with joy that in less than two years, the bypass to decongest traffic at the 9th mile, a project conceived by Chimaroke Nnamani but abandoned by Sullivan has been completed by Governor Ugwuanyi. That the Uborji – Ameke Ngwo – Ama bypass which was pegged by Chimaroke, abandoned by Sullivan was done and completed by Governor Ugwuanyi all to the greater benefit of Udi North people as this is the route to our various communities.

    We are also not unaware of some landmark efforts of our brothers in the National Assembly particularly Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi.”

    They sent a save-our-soul message to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to come to their rescue in constructing many roads in Udi North especially the Umulumgbe- Amokwu Affa- Ikedimkpa – Egede- Awhum link road, Ebe Junction by Enugu – Nsukka Road to Ebe Market then to Eke- Egede New Road and the completion of Affa-Akpakwume-Nze- Mkpologwu-Aku Road.

    In an apparent spite of former Governor Sullivan Chime who dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) they declared: “In the light of these visible impacts, we state in clear terms that PDP is our party and that we are solidly in support of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Hon. Dennis Amadi.

  • Obiano’s wife donates delivery kits

    Obiano’s wife donates delivery kits

    The wife of Anambra State governor, Mrs. Ebelech-ukwu Obiano has continued her tour of communities in the state with delivery of free kits for expectant mothers.

    The packs were handed out to 10 expectant mothers at Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area, one of the five communities she visited.

    Other communities where the kits were distributed were Ebenator, Ukpor, Osumenyi, and Akwaihedi.

    Speaking while handing out the kits to the women, Mrs. Obiano stated that no woman should be exposed ýto unsafe delivery due to lack of basic sterilised equipment in the rural communities.

    She said, “My NGO, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE), decided to use the opportunity of this tour to reach out to pregnant women to ensure that they observe necessary antenatal visits and have the Mama kits ready and handy on their Expected Delivery Date.”

    “We are grateful to our donors GEANCO Foundation, a US based organization which made it possible for us to get this modern kit to assist us in promoting safe delivery as a means of reducing high maternal mortality rate in our state and country”

    She told the women that her husband, Governor Willie Obiano treats the welfare of women as priority and does not want to hear that any woman could not deliver safely in any part of the state.

    “I am supporting the effort of our governor in promoting the health and safe delivery of pregnant mothers by giving them these delivery kits and each pack contains all the tools for safe delivery”

    “I want you to keep the kit inside your packed bag unopened to avoid contamination until it is handed over to the Nurse whenever you enter labour.”

    One of the expectant mothers at Ezinifite, Mrs. Chizoba Obiakor thanked the wife of the governor for the gift and for giving women in Anambra a sense of belonging in many ways.

    Each Mama Kit pack contains sterile scalpel, OB pad, pair of non- latex gloves and 4×4’’ gauze, Sterile Bulb Syringe, Sterile Umbilical Clamps, Plastic Underpad, Receiving Blanket, Non-Woven Towels, BZK Towelette, Plastic Placenta Bag, Plastic Apron, Twist Ties, Trash Bag, and Apgar Scoring Chart.

  • Ikpeazu hails group for kitting schoolkids with Aba products

    Ikpeazu hails group for kitting schoolkids with Aba products

    The campaign to market Aba and its products is catching on, and its chief promoter Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is very pleased.

    Ikpeazu has praised a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Hope Foundation International for donating school materials worth about N500,000 to the pupils of Umuoriehi/Amankwo Primary School in Umuahia South Council area.

    But it was not just the gesture nor what was donated, that pleased the state’s chief executive; the thrill was where the materials donated came from: Aba.

    The founder of the NGO, Madu Prince Gabriel handed out a set of school uniforms, one pair of sandals, one school bag, and a set of writing materials to each of over 100 pupils, expressing his happiness also that the products were all made in Aba.

    Speaking at the ceremony Ikpeazu expressed joy that the school materials which were locally made is in line with his objective of making Aba the industrial hub of made in Abia products in Nigeria and the world in general.

    Ikpeazu said that he is happy that his call on Abians in Diaspora to come home and invest in the state, having provided the enabling environment for investment to thrive in the state is yielding good results.

    The governor who was represented by the General Manager, Abia State Passenger Integrated Manifest/Safety Scheme, (ASPIMSS) Kingsley Megwara said that Gabriel, has done well by remembering his roots.

    He said that the NGO founder who is an international Nurse based in Baltimore, USA was not the only person that passed through the primary school, “But so far he is the only one that remembered to give back to the school system that produced them”.

    Ikpeazu challenged Hopee founder to reach out to other Abians like him in the US to come home to invest and not wait until they come home in caskets, “Gabriel had disclosed to the state government that he was challenged by lack of infrastructure in some schools”.

    The governor said, “I want to disclose that the founder of the NGO that donated these materials had told us that he has concluded plans to build a modern toilet and to sink a borehole in the school”.

    In his speech, the founder of Hopee Foundation International, Gabriel said that the foundation is in place because of his love for the less-privileged, especially the youths, widows, children and other similar people as directed by God.

    Gabriel said that he decided to give back to the primary school where he passed through from primary one through primary six, stating that the foundation hopes to extend the gesture to more schools.

    He identified infrastructures that are lacking in schools in the state, promising to come back to the schools across the state to do more projects that will affect the lives of the pupils.

    He explained that the foundation has projects in Philipines, India, Jamaica, United Arab Emirate, United States of America and in Nigeria to affect lives of people and called on all who has the ability to affect lives to do so early and should not wait to be millionaires before doing so.

    In her speech of gratitude, the headmistress of the school, Mrs. Christiana Chinasa Chika described as a gesture worthy of emulation for Gabriel to came back to his primary school so many years after to say thank you and called on others to emulate him.

  • IPOB alleges kidnapping of members by DSS

    IPOB alleges kidnapping of members by DSS

    The Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has raised an alarm over the incessant kidnappings of their members across the Eastern part of the country.

    The alarm was raised by the Emma Powerful, the media and publicity secretary of the group who said the group’s newly appointed Africa Representative and member of the Directorate of State (DOS) Mr George Onyeibe from Agbor Delta State has been kidnapped from his house by men suspected to be DSS men.

    Powerful alleged that the suspected DSS men ransacked his house, molested his wife and rough-handled his children during the kidnap according to a neighbour who observed the incident.

    The statement reads, “It is deeply worrying that this APC Government, through her security agencies especially the DSS, have renewed their clampdown on innocent family members of IPOB just because we are exercising our God given right to self determination”.

    “It is very pathetic that the Nigeria Government and her security agencies are completely ignorant or failed to read the declaration made by Federal High court Abuja on the 6th of March 2017 concerning the legality of IPOB.

    “The newly appointed Africa representative Mr. George Onyeibe’s whereabout is now unknown to his people and IPOB members. For the avoidance of doubt, all his electronic gadgets and properties were either seized or destroyed by the DSS operatives who lunched the attack on him around 2am on the morning of 22 April 2017 in his house in Obiakpor Rivers State.

    “Our intelligence unit have also uncovered meetings held in Abuja by the DSS where they perfected plans to secretly eliminate any IPOB member they lay their hands on.

    “We are also aware that our members have been executed in cold blood by this murderous and tyrannical Government of APC led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari through his DSS. They have cleverly devised s system of killing any IPOB member arrested on the way to before they reach their dungeon.

    “We are calling on the community civilised nations within the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the US Government, European Union, African Union, men and women of good conscience around the world.

    “Russia Government and other relevant Human Rights Organizations around the globe to prevail upon the Nigerian Government and her security agencies especially the DSS to release our African Representative George Onyeibe and others, or charge them to court if they are still alive,” Powerful stated.

  • Killer-lake in Abakiliki

    Killer-lake in Abakiliki

    No fewer than three persons have drowned in an artificial lake created by a construction firm in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital, triggering calls for its closure, writes OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE

    The drowning of an SS1 pupil of Abakaliki High School, Presco, Chinonso Nwokporo, in an artificial lake in the Ebonyi State capital has reawakened calls by residents for the closure of the pond.

    The lake was created by a construction firm building the International Market, Abakiliki.

    Nwokporo and his friends had gone to swim in the pond.

    The body of the schoolboy, a native of Oriuzor in Ezza North Local Government Area of the state, was recovered inside the lake with blood gushing out of his mouth, ears and nose.

    An eyewitness, Master Okechukwu Eze, said he and the deceased had gone to the pond with other friends to swim when he got drowned.

    He said: “We went to the pond to swim and nobody among us knows how to swim. So we were just at the shallow part of the pond where people normally stay and fetch water for their various uses. We stayed there and fetched water and came out and bathed.

    “As were going back to our houses that evening, my friend Chinonso went back and I thought he went to bring his cloth he forgot. Before I could notice what was happening, he had entered the pond and started shouting for help and I went to rescue him.

    “When I jumped into the pond, I started drowning also but I was able to come out and I didn’t know when and how I came out because I was shouting JESUS! JESUS!! JESUS!!! I shouted on top of my voice when I came out of the pond for rescue of my friend but no one came around until one of the security men stationed to take care of the market came to fetch water from the pond.

    “I met the security man and he told me that he doesn’t know how to swim and can’t do anything on my friend’s case. I then ran to the house of my friend and informed his mother.”

    Mother of Okechukwu, Mrs Gladys Eze while thanking God for her son’s escape from death, alleged that the lake has killed at least three other persons in the past years, adding that there is a spirit in the lake responsible for the deaths.

    A resident, Mr Adewale Oni, who leaves on the same street with the family of the deceased, called on the state government to close the lake for the safety of the residents of the area especially the children.

    According to him, the pond is very deep as it even swallowed the caterpillar that was used to dig it which had to be brought out by a crane.

    Another resident of the street, a woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the pond has killed at least two other persons.

    She said: “There is something diabolical about the lake as it tends to take one life every year. At least two other persons and a cow have drowned in the pond in the past three years. We want it to be closed”.

    The father of the victim, Mr. Edwin Nwokporo who spoke briefly to our reporter amidst tears expressed surprise on the incident as his late son was not known to go swimming in the lake”

    Speaking to The Nation at the scene, the state Chairman of Emergency Management Agency Evangelist Ephraim Ononye urged the government to close down the pond to stop the continuous drowning of children.

    Efforts to get the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Housing, Sunday Inyima to respond to the development were not successful. He promised to meet this reporter at the scene of the incident but later reneged on his promise, saying he had been called to the Government House for a function.

  • Abia CJ decongests Aba prison

    Abia CJ decongests Aba prison

    The Abia State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Theresa Uzokwe has reduced the number of inmates in the Aba prison, but you will not appreciate the impact of the reprieve until you hear the story of the correctional facility.

    Aba Federal Prisons, left behind by the colonial administration, is weighed down by many burdens, like others across the country. Apart from logistic problems, it is also congested. The Nation gathered that the facility which was originally meant for about 250 inmates is now being occupied by well over 500 inmates.

    It was also gathered that the population of the inmates was putting more pressure on the facility and a daunting challenge for the staff of the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) to maintain peace within the yard.

    From the records, the prison has 597 female and male inmates with 402 detainees on Awaiting Trial roll, nine lifers, 105 convicts, 80 on observation and one detainee.

    A staff member who does not want to named, told our correspondent that the prison facility is being overstretched because of the population of inmates at the facility even as the source blamed the judiciary and police for the population of inmates on Awaiting Trial list.

    According to the source, some of the inmates since they were remanded in the prison custody have never been to court, while some after their initial arraignments have been dumped in the prison with several court adjournments which have stalled their cases till date.

    According to the source, some of the inmates who are the most difficult to manage are people with stringent bail conditions, those who feel that they were unnecessarily arrested and the ones who felt that they were unjustly detained and would have served out their jail term if convicted of the crime which they were accused of.

    Some of the inmates who spoke to our correspondent raised issues of poor sanitary condition, poor feeding, lack of legal aid, non-availability of vehicle to convey them to court any day their matter will be coming up, delayed justice system (persistent adjournment of matters in court) and amongst others which has their continued detention.

    Luck has smiled on some of these inmates as the Chief Judge of the state during a jail delivery exercise at the Aba Prisons granted them bail and equally discharged some.

    Little drama however, played out at about 10:55am shortly after the State Chief Judge started sitting for the day. A woman who was later identified as Mrs. Elizabeth Akwuiwu-chukwu, the Chief Registrar High Court of Justice claiming to be acting on the orders of the Chief Judge, asked journalists who had come to cover the event to leave the hall.

    Akwuiwu-chukwu said, “The CJ asked me to tell you to leave the hall. We will call you in when we finish,” but when the journalists demanded to know why the CJ asked them to leave at such event, the chief registrar said “I am only acting on orders”.

    It was while the journalists were on their way out of the Prison yard, that the public relations officer of the state judiciary, Chika Orji-Nwoke told the newsmen that the CJ has changed her earlier position.

    Uzokwe, who spent over four hours looking at cases of inmates, granted bail to about five inmates while seven others were discharged of the offences that they were alleged to have committed.

    One thing that stood out throughout the exercise was prolonged matters in court and unlawful detention of Abians at the facility without any case pending before any court of law.

    While seven inmates, namely, Ogochukwu Nwaeze, Obinna Nwankwo, Iko Mohammed, Peter Jonah, Akajiaku Achilihu, Ndubuisi Uwakwe and Udo Akpan were discharged for being unlawfully and illegally detained at the facility, Ezere Jite, Nnamdi and Eziaha Chigbu were granted bail of N50, 000 each with one surety.

    Others who weren’t lucky had their cases referred back to the trial judge for speedy hearing.

    The Abia CJ said that some of the discharged inmates were yet to be arraigned in court while others could have served out their jail term if they were tried and convicted of the crime that they were accused of even as she frowned at delayed trial and stringent conditions of bail given by trial magistrates and judges to the accused persons.

    She also directed judges handling cases of some of the inmates she referred to their various courts to ensure compliance and expedite action.

    Speaking at the end of the exercise, Justice Kenneth Nwosu of Aba High Court III described the exercise at the Aba Prison as landmark.

    According to Nwosu, the exercise is statutorily provided for which empowers the State Chief Judge to visit prisons in the state once in a while to review cases of those who were wrongly convicted, illegally detained or those who might have served out their jail term assuming the accused have been tried and convicted of their various crimes.

    He said an innovation is already in place to ensure quick dispensation of justice and to eliminate seeking of unnecessary interlocutory appeals sought by lawyers which contributes to overstay of matters in court and urged people who felt that their fundamental human rights were being infringed as a result of their long detention to seek redress in court.

    The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons (DCP) in charge of Aba Prison, Stephen Ugba hailed the State CJ for coming and added that the transparency of the exercise would give hope to other inmates and also reduce the stress of the personnel in managing the inmates.

    Ugba called for the support of the state government and other well-meaning Abians and Nigerians to the facility which it said lacks logistics and other amenities to run its day-to-day activities.

    Meanwhile, the freed inmates were left with mixed feelings of leaving the facility and what the future holds for them after their life at the detention camp, but other inmates who were not beneficiary of the CJ’s magnanimity had no other choice than to rejoice with their mates who would no longer eat their malnourished foods, bath in the open, being chased into their confinement by personnel of the NPS.

    They knelt down thanking God for an opportunity to once again reunite with their family members and welcomed back by old friends.

     

  • Community hails Buhari on kinsman’s NDDC job

    The people of Obibor Asa community in Ukwa West council area of Abia state have given kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari for making their son Chief Nwogu Nnah Nwogu a commissioner on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board.

    The people also expressed their thanks to Chief Ikechi Emenike for making it possible for their son to be nominated and presented to Mr President for appointment as NDDC commissioner.

    Speaking at Umukabia Ohuhu in Umuahia North council area of the state, the country home of Emenike during a thank you visit to him, the leader of the group, Mr Chinwe Uruakpa, an engineer, said that the present administration has wiped away their tears with the gesture.

    Uruakpa said that what President Buhari has done by appointing their son as one of the NDDC commissioners has put a stop to the suffering of their people which has been going on for several years.

    He explained that God in his mysterious ways used a man who they do not know (Chief Emenike) to make it possible for them to smile again, stressing that this man from nowhere decided to project their son despite all odds.

    The Obibor Asa leader said, “It is on that note that the entire people of Obibor Asa community left their homes to thank Chief Emenike for what God has used him to do for us even no one expected our so Nwogu to be the nominee”.

    “There were several people with better academic qualifications and the financial muscle who were lobbying for the position but you told us that you did not spend any money to place our son where he is right now”.

    “This wonderful gesture of yours has shown us that you love the people of Asa area of the state and we want to assure you that this good deed that you have done for us will not be forgotten and we will pay you back when the time and need arise” .

    In his own speech Anselm Eletuo the youth leader of the community said that they came to thank him for making the change mantra of the APC to come to their place when no one has ever remembered them in the scheme of things in the state.

    Eletuo said, “Sir if not for God using a person like you we would still be where we have been all these years as nobody would have remembered our place and son for such an appointment”.

    “We want to assure you of our total support in any endeavour you would want to venture into in future and also assure President Buhari of the support of our people at all times, we urged you to tell him not to relent in doing good for the people of the country”.

    “We had always insisted that the NDDC commissioner comes from our place as we produce 90% of the crude oil that makes the state to be a member of the NDDC states, yet we have never been reckoned with in the scheme of things in the state”.

    Responding, Emenike said that it is special blessing from God that when you go to a community one will be able to see good people like Nwogu who everyone will accept when an opportunity like this comes up.

    Emenike thanked the people for coming to appreciate his little effort in ensuring that their son is appointed into the board of NDDC, “But I would rather you thank and appreciate President Buhari who made it possible as I was only the facilitator and not the one who appointed him”.

    He reminded them that the law that established NDDC made it clear that appointments into their board should come from the oil producing community and not anybody from outside such community.

    The Abia APC leader said that Nwogu who is now a member of the NDDC board from the state deserved the appointment and that when the appointment issue came up that people Nwogu never believed that he would be nominated not to talk about appointing him.

    Emenike noted that during the lobbying time that many people who were not from the oil producing community, “Were brought to me to be presented to Mr President for the appointment, but I insisted that NDDC board member must come from Asa community”.

    He said, “When Nwogu came with a Prof to present to me I ask him why can’t he be appointed and he answered that he has only his school certificate and I told him that many people in the country are where they are today with less qualification”.

    “After he was nominated a lot of petitions came against him saying that he is nobody and I told them that the only qualification required for the appointment is that he hails from the oil producing community of Asa and that killed such petitions”.

    “I want to plead with the youths of Asa not to put too much pressure and to much expectations from him as he will not empower everyone at the same time, just give him time and all the wrongs will be corrected”.

    Emenike described Nwogu as a very humble man saying that he brought about four different people to him for consideration for the post be is right now occupying but I insisted that he must be the one for the post.

    The community presented Emenike with such gifts as crude oil, palm oil, a copy of the Bible and assorted drinks in appreciation of what he has done for them. They urged him to present the crude oil to Mr President as it is what comes from their area.

     

  • Court orders EEDC to pay man N.9m in overcharges

    An Abia State High Court sitting at Umuahia has ordered the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to pay a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Benjamin Benedict Apugo the sum of N996,426 being the sum over charged him by the electricity company for fixed charges and energy charges.

    The order was sequel to suit No. HU/240/2014 instituted by the claimant (Apugo) against the defendant (EEDC), stating that the defendant breached in a contract it entered with him on November 11, 2013 as par installation of 3-phase pre-paid metre.

    The claimant also stated in the suit that the fixed charges and energy charges the defendant made him to pay was arbitrary and urged the court to revise it and for the defendant to refund the excesses collected from him.

    After listening to the submissions of counsel to the claimant, Chief O.O Amuzie and that of the defendant, Justice Amanze Chikwendu Chima in his ruling observed that the defendant was in breach of the contract it entered with the claimant on November 11, 2013 as par installation of 3-phase pre-paid meter.

    The Judge ruled that the defendant was only entitled to bill or charges the claimant for fixed charges and energy charges in accordance with the Multi-Year-Tariff Order 2 as revised and approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in accordance with the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

    While ordering the defendant to install 3-phase pre-paid meter for the claimant and stop further arbitrary charges on the claimant, the court also ordered the defendant to pay/refund the claimant the sum of N996, 426:02k being the sum over charged him for fixed charges and energy charges.

    Meanwhile, apparently irked by the persistent irregular power supply and outrageous monthly bills to electricity users in the state, the Abia State House of Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence on the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

    The House also summoned the State Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to appear before it on May 2 when it will reconvene after the Easter holiday.

    According to reports, the NERC state chairman was summoned to explain to the lawmakers during its executive session on said date with the view of briefing them on the way forward concerning reported ugly activities of the EEDC in the state.

    The Deputy Speaker and member representing Bende North State Constituency, Sir Cosmos Ndukwe in a matter of urgent public importance on the mindless extortion by the EEDC and a petition by a widow who accused the company of exposing her to untold hardship through outrageous bills lamented that the electricity distribution company has been exploiting Abians who pay for services that wasn’t rendered by the company.

    Ndukwe prayed the house to summon the authorities of the electricity distribution company for southeast to give answers to questions arising from their activities.

    Some of the lawmakers including member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Elder Luke Ukaronyeani, Bishop Kennedy Njoku from Osisioma State constituency, Martins Azubuike of Isiala Ngwa North State constituency, Solomon Akpulonu of Osisioma State Constituency, Comrade Chibuzo Okogbue amongst others backed the Deputy Speaker’s position.

    They stated that it was time the company was called to order over what they described as the company’s incompetency to distribute power effectively across the state and issue consumers with bills that corresponds with their monthly consumptions.

    The speaker, Mr. Chikwendu Kalu noted that the house had few weeks ago passed a resolution on the ugly activities of the EEDC and regretted that the company hasn’t done anything to retrace its step

    Kalu in his speech said the continued issuance of estimated bills and indiscriminate disconnection of peoples’ power supply by the EEDC staff was illegal.

    According to the speaker, the public has the right to arrest EEDC staff who attempted to disconnect electricity supply to their homes when there wasn’t any supply of electricity to their homes.

    The house adjourned sitting and proceeded on Easter holiday to reconvene on the second day of May where they are expecting NERC state chairman to appear before it.

    It could be recalled that the level of electricity distribution in Aba, the commercial hub of the state is a far cry from the expectations of organizations, Small and medium Scale industrialists who are the most populated group in Aba and has also has affected the cost of production as many organizations rely on generator to power their equipment whose cost of maintenance and fueling is a big burden on the company.

  • Protest at Agric ministry

    Protest at Agric ministry

    The people of Ndi Oji Abam in Ohafia local government area of Abia state have protested against what they called years of marginalisation by those who have been managing the rubber estate situated on their land.

    They said that they have been short changed as those managing the estate have reneged on the agreement reached with the then Premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, late Dr Michael Okpara who set up the estate.

    They recalled that when the estate was established that there were agreements on how the place would be managed which includes employment of the indigenes of the area and royalties that should be accruable to them which have been abandoned by those in charge of the place.

    The people however reminded the present administration led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to implement his campaign promise to make agriculture the economic base of his government.

    Speaking during a peaceful demonstration at the premises of the state ministry of agriculture in Umuahia, the leader of the group Ezeogo Chika Oji said his people are worried that the governor has not been able the make agriculture his economic base as promised.

    Oji said that they were at the ministry to protest the wrong being done to them over the rubber estate which is located at their land, stressing that the rubber estate is a veritable source of fulfilling his promises.

    He alleged that those who had been managing the rubber estate have not been doing the plan with which the former premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, late Dr Michael Okpara when he established the estate.

    The leader of the group said that the estate which was established about fifty years ago by the Eastern Nigeria government was managed by a corporation which “Employed various cadre of workers and the donor communities had the privilege of having their children being engaged”.

    He said, “During that time the royalties accruable to the communities were defined and religiously sustained which the present administration is finding difficult to implement till date”.

    Oji recalled that the problem of the estate started in 1988 when it was leased out to a company which interest was to extract and transport the rubber latex for their own interest while they tell the host communities of low sales, failure to pay royalties and not able to pay workers.

    He noted that despite all odds that the people managing the estate has left it to grow into a thick forest, “This has made it possible for the communities to house over five thousand cows that graze within and outside the estate which is source of threat to our people”.

    Their leader said that the people of Ndi Oji Abam is using the occasion to appeal to the governor to intervene in the delay by the Ministry of Agriculture to release the outstanding sum of N 1.350 million being the part of the royalty accruable them for the year 2016.

    Orji said, “There was an agreement between the ministry and the host communities except Ndi Oji that the sum of N4.8 million be held in trust by the ministry for the host communities pending when an election into Amaeke Development Union is conducted”.

    “Part of the money has been paid and efforts made towards recovering the remaining sum of N1.350 million has proved abortive, hence this appeal for intervention for the payment of the money which is part of the royalty the ministry held in trust for us”.

    “We reject the companies that are said to be awarded the management of the rubber estate, our interaction with them shows that they do not have any knowledge of how a rubber estate is managed”.

    The commissioner for agriculture Rt Hon Uzor Azubuike later called some of the leaders and elders of the Ndi Oji into his office for interaction and a source at the meeting told The Nation that the commissioner insisted on the community working with the current investor.

    The source said, “After we had laid our grievances before the commissioner, he insisted that we must accept to work with the investor who had already signed an MoU with the state government, which we refused”.

    “Our refusal is based on the fact that the investors like those before them will only exploit the estate and we insisted on an investor like INNOSON group which has the capacity to rehabilitate and develop the rubber plantation”.

    Part of the placards they people of Ndi Oji carried read, ‘We have been fooled for the past 50 years today, we say no more’, ‘This looting is not late Dr Michael Okpara’s plan, he was full of passion and ideas for the people’, ‘If you say no to our request, please take your rubber while we take our land’ among others.

  • Community laments destruction of property

    In 2009 the Ebonyi State government acquired the land of over 700 hectares. Then it proceeded to destroy the houses and economic trees. At the time, the excuse the government gave was that the people refused to vacate the land.

    They heaved a sigh of relief when the present administration came on board and promised to compensate and resettle them. But the people of Ndieze Inyimegu Unuphu, Izzi-Amegu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state have run out of patience, and are now seeking redress in court.

    According to history, Izzi-Amegu land belong to the state military cantonment even though that the people of their area are claiming that it is their ancestral home.

    In 2009, the then government of Chief Martin Elechi struck a deal with the military who agreed to give the land to the state government. The government after necessary procedure acquired the land.

    After the acquisition, the people of the area refused to vacate the land. The government had to use force and took over the land and immediately commenced developmental projects on some part of the land.

    A lot of houses and other valuable properties were destroyed by the government which led to pockets of protests by the residents which did not produce any results as the then government insisted that it cannot pay compensation to the people.

    Some of the residents vacated the land and relocated to other places. But many refused to leave even as their houses were destroyed. Some of them prepared local houses and remained in the land.

    Last year, governor Dave Umahi  who during his campaign in 2015 promised to compensate the people budgeting  the sum of N120million which  was approved by the state House of Assembly during a plenary.

    But the people, who are running out of patient, took to legal action. The land is where ultra-modern workers secretariat and International Market were constructed by the state government. Some federal agencies were also built in the land called Centenary City.

    Speaking to The Nation, a physically challenged woman Mrs. Maria Nwankwegu who is living under a roof which has been pulled down during demolition of structures in the area by the government, said she refused to leave because that place is her ancestral home.

    She noted that she lost her husband and co-wife over shock when their house was demolished in 2012.

    “I have been living under the demolished roof of my house since 2012 when government came into our land with soldiers and demolished houses. My husband and co-wife died of shock because of the demolition and I don’t have anybody living with me. My three children who were living with me and schooling, have dropped out of school and went to different cities in the country where they are hawking some goods’’, she said.

    Meanwhile, in a suit brought before the federal high court, the community sued the Military, police and the state government for allegedly breaching their fundamental human rights.

    In the suit which was filed by Chief Egbarada Nwanknwegu, Chief Nwibo Nwogbaga, Chief Christopher Nwaifuru, Comrade Sunday Ogbaga, Mrs. Maria Nkwegu and Mrs. Felicia Igwe on behalf of the community, the people   ‘alleged that the respondents violated their fundamental human rights of human dignity, private and family life contrary to sections 34 and 37 of th;e Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended).

    The applicants also alleged that the respondents breached their fundamental rights to economic, social and cultural development, general satisfactory environment favourable to their development, and freedom from spoliation, contrary to Articles 17(2), 21, 22 and 24 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights , Cap A9, Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.

    The applicants  further alleged that the respondents unlawfully, forcefully and without lawful authority, entered into their lands with bulldozers and other demolition equipment, destroyed, demolished  and cleared away some of their homes, farms and economic tress in December 2013 and 22nd November, 2016.

    According to the suit which was filed yesterday, the unlawful actions of the respondents rendered the affected applicants homeless, broke their families apart and brought starvation upon the applicants.

    The applicants  however sought injunction restraining the respondents from arresting them, carrying out any further  evacuation, demolition and/or destruction of their homes, buildings, farmlands, economic trees, etc, on the community.

    They also sought N1billion exemplary damages against the respondents.

    Meanwhile, ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the applicants’ counsel, the law firm of Ani and Edema at the  Federal High court sitting in Abakaliki,  the presiding judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko ordered parties to the disputed Abakaliki new capital city otherwise known as centenary city, to maintain status quo in further development of the new city, pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by the indigenous land owners against the violation of their fundamental human rights by the state government and the Nigerian Army.

    Meanwhile, The Nigerian Army has denied selling a land housing the new Abakaliki capital city to Ebonyi state government.

    In a counter affidavit deposed by the army as respondent to a suit instituted by some indigenes and inhabitants of the disputed land, Ndieze Inyimegu village, the army denied previous ownership of the land.

    The state government had rushed to the court room, pleading to be allowed to file it’s counter affidavit out of time.

    The applicants are contending that the Nigerian Army and Ebonyi State government have continued to unlawfully demolish their humble homes and livelihood.

    The matter was adjourned to May 3, 2017 for further hearing.