The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Power firm conducts enumeration ahead of pre-paid meter

    Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) will install pre-paid meters in its customers’ homes in the Southeast at the end of the ongoing Geographical Information System (GIS) enumeration.

    Mr Tope Borishade, EEDC Deputy Managing Director, made the announcement in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, during EEDC customers consultative forum.

    He said the enumeration would help the company to ascertain specific locations for the pre-paid meters.

    “The reason the pre-paid meters are not yet installed is because we are looking at the past pre-paid metering.

    “We are doing studies and analysis so that we install the pre-paid meters in a manner that is much better than the past pre-paid metering.

    “What we are doing now is the GIS-based studies, which will capture all the buildings in the licensed areas,’’ he said.

    Borishade said the company was making conscious efforts to avoid some of the pitfalls that undermined past pre-paid metering in some parts of the country.

    “We are making sure that we do something better than what was done in the past to enable use monitor the facility and ensure that we are not easily bypassed,” he said.

    He said that at the end of enumeration, the company would roll out the smart and non-smart meters for its non-Maximum Demand (MD) customers.

    Borishade said the pre-paid meters are currently undergoing testing and certification, preparatory to their installation.

    He said that plans were underway to phase out bulk-billing inherited by EEDC.

    “Our plan is to make sure that all our customers are given their personal meters,’’ he said.

    Electricity consumers at the forum took turns to enumerate their problems, ranging from estimated billing to delay in the company’s response to complaints.

    They decried indiscriminate billing of customers even when there was no supply due to major faults or disconnection.

    Borishade assured them that their complaints would be looked into, saying the company was determined to ensure improved service delivery.

     

  • Abia holds women empowerment meeting

    Abia holds women empowerment meeting

    The Abia State government has kicked off a meeting where women are not only  educated on their rights but expected to educate others.

    It is a forum for self-education as well as educating humanity.

    Speaking with reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, wife of the state Deputy Governor Mrs Vivian Oko-Chukwu, who is the chairman of the committee for this year’s meeting, said the theme is ‘Empower Women and Empower Humanity’.

    Mrs Oko-Chukwu said the conference is used to usher in another fuller meeting across the state and the entire country later in the month.

    At that expanded meeting, the women would deliver lectures.

    She explained that before now people looked down on the August meeting, saying it was scarcely more than a platform for vanity.

    She said people dismissed the meeting as a forum “where women… come to exhibit their new wears and affluence, which is not so, as many things are discussed for the benefit of women”.

    The wife of the deputy governor said that women will be celebrating their own as lectures will be held in the area of education, health, women empowerment, politics and child trafficking, among others.

    She said that it is on that basis that the wife of the governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu is organising this year’s August meeting to educate women on their rights and things they are expected to do.

    Mrs Oko-Chukwu said that the meeting will be attended by 31 women groups from all parts of the state, while 50 women will be coming from each of the 17 council areas in the state.

    She said that after the lectures,  the women will be expected to go back home and educate their colleagues in the rural areas.

    “This conference is mainly for the the rural women for  their development.

    The wife of the deputy governor said that three lectures will be delivered by Dr (Mrs) Elizabeth Esochaghi, who will lecture on empowering women through education, while Dr Victoria Uwadilachi will talk about diabetes, Grace Ukeje will lecture on women empowerment rights.

    She said that the highlight of the conference will be the award of honours (Nne Abia) to three distinguished women of the state for their contributions to the development of the state.

    They are Dame Eunice Nwankwo, Dr Rose Ekeleme and Prof Okpete Kanu.

     

  • ‘Erosion threatening Uzuakoli-Ohafia Road’

    A member of the Abia House of Assembly, Mr Chibuzo Okogbuo has raised the alarm over the threat to the Uzuakoli-Ohafia Road as a result of gully erosion at Lohum.

    Briefing reporters on the phenomenon in his office, Okogbuo said that the erosion will cut off the road if urgent steps are not taken to check it.

    He called on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to check the gully erosion to avert imminent danger and possible loss of lives on the road.

    He said that the erosion site in Lohum in Bende Local Government Area posed a serious threat to the lives of motorists plying the road, saying that the gully erosion had become a death trap.

    “My worry is that the deep gully, if not urgently tackled, may claim lives,” he said, and appealed to the relevant government agencies to initiate measures to check further deterioration at the site.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to appeal to the state and federal road maintenance agencies to quickly intervene to save the road from total collapse.’’

    The lawmaker described the road as very important, adding that it linked all the local government areas in Abia North senatorial zone.

    “This is the only good road that connects Umuahia to Ohafia so it will become a nightmare to travel to Ohafia from Umuahia if it is cut off,’’ he said.

    Okogbuo described gully as the major problem facing the entire local government area, saying that the Lohum-Isukwuato road, Itumbuzor-Ntalakwu road, Obibia-Bende road and Mkpa-Lohum road, among others, were also under the threat of erosion.

    “I know that there is an ecological fund for such problems, so I appeal to the state and federal governments to come to our aide,” he said.

     

  • Youths join Obiano’s anti-crime fight

    Youths in Anambra State under the auspices of the Association of Town Unions (ASATU) have inaugurated two committees to help in the fight against crime in the state.

    Governor Willie Obiano has boosted security agencies to fight crime.

    Already, the youth wing of the Town Unions in 177 communities in the state, under the leadership of Comrade Osita Ozalagba, is planning a summit with security agencies in the state.

    This was made known in a communiqué issued by the group in Awka, the state capital, after a meeting at the ASATU office.

    Reading out the communiqué, Ozalagba praised Governor Obiano for tackling security despite criticisms from certain quarters.

    The group called for the implementation of its programme in order to curb crime in the communities.

    “Already,” they said, “we are gearing up to hold a brainstorming security summit with security agencies.

    “We call on the federal government to do the needful by relocating the alleged Boko Haram [prisoners] in Anambra State; their continuous stay is not acceptable to us and viewed as an act of incitement.”

    “We will resist, as demonstrated by the youth leaders of our communities, and we will continue to mount pressure on the federal government authorities, and international rights groups till they are repatriated back to their base of operation.”

    “Also, the federal government should as a matter of necessity, accelerate work on the Second Niger Bridge, knowing the strategic position it occupies in the heart of every Nigerian.”

    They youths also want the federal government to review the operations of the Ministry of Youth Development, adding that it had nothing valuable to offer the Nigerian youth.

     

  • ‘Imo INEC, PDP frustrating APC at tribunal’

    ‘Imo INEC, PDP frustrating APC at tribunal’

    The Imo State chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been accused of conniving with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to frustrate the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the election tribunal.

    The Director General of the Campaign Organisation of the APC Senatorial candidate for Imo West in the last election, Hon. Charles Ubah, who briefed journalists about the “partisan” stance of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), noted that the refusal of INEC to allow them inspect the electoral materials after the Court had granted their prayers was most undemocratic.

    He said, “It is the right of the petitioner to inspect electoral materials, but the Imo State INEC refused to allow us inspect sensitive materials. It was after we petitioned the Acting Chairman of the Commission that we were allowed access to the non-sensitive materials. They have refused to show us the result sheets because according to them the records were mutilated”.

    Ubah also condemned the alleged bias of members of the Tribunal Panel, who he noted were applying delay tactics to frustrate their petition.

    In his words, “after about sitting for many days, the members of the Tribunal decided to split it into three and we were moved from Panel 1 to Panel 2. At first we thought it was done to accelerate the process but the recent plot to return us back to the first Tribunal after we had lost two weeks as a result of the first transfer, clearly show that there is a sinister motive behind the action of the Panel members”.

    He maintained further that, “it is obvious that the APC won the Imo West Senatorial election, having won nine out of 12 Local Government Areas but the PDP is still playing pranks with the Tribunal to scuttle the chances of the APC. But we are seizing this opportunity to warn that we will resist any attempt to recruit INEC again to complete the fraud it perpetrated by declaring the PDP candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma as the winner of the election, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary”.

     

  • Quadruplets for couple, four years after

    Quadruplets for couple, four years after

    For three years after they tied the knots, the fruit of the womb eluded Mr and Mrs Chidubem Igboji who live in Ebonyi State. In the fourth year, four bundles of joy came. It was if they were compensated for the years of great expectation, one baby for each.

    The years of waiting presented other challenges. Some family members and friends pressured Chibubem to dump his wife and marry another. He chose to stand by his wife. Soon fibroids were diagnosed for which his wife underwent a surgery. This led to more pressures on the man to send his away. Again, he stood his ground.

    His faith and patience paid off, but it was four years after. A set of quadruplets has come to them. Mrs. Igboji delivered the babies successfully at Mile Four Catholic Hospital, Abakaliki.

    The elated husband told our correspondent that he wedded his wife in 2011 and they have been having difficulties in child bearing added to pressures from his parents and friends who were telling him to marry another wife.

    He said, “We married in 2011 and in the same year, my wife suffered fibroids. So, we embarked on operation and began to wait for the fruit of the womb.

    “Last year my wife told me that she was noticing a sign of pregnancy which I told her to wait, not until four months when I asked her to go for ultra-sound. The report of that ultra-sound scan showed twins.

    “After some time, I asked her to go back for the ultra-sound which she did and the number started increasing geometrically and finally it was quadruplets.”

    He called on couples who are yet to bear children to trust in God.

    ”I saw hell in this period of four years because there was nothing people did not tell me; some asked me to marry another wife that my wife may not bear child. Even members of my family could not help matters; there mounted serious pressure on me to go for an option of another wife and I promised God that I will not do that.

    “Today, God has blessed me with this set of babies at once and am very grateful for what he has done.”

    Mr Igboji appealed to the state government and public spirited individuals to come to the aid of the family to cater for the children.

    Mr Igboji, a pharmacist noted that he would welcome any assistance from government and good spirited individuals.

    He stressed that taking care of a baby is not easy not to talk of four babies.

    “Children are government’s property entrusted to your care to take care of. You can imagine how it used to be for one to just nurse a baby let alone four boys at once. If government comes in, I will appreciate and I will be very grateful. Though I don’t have money but looking at these babies, I‘m fulfilled,” he said.

  • Chamber urges Southeast governors on export promotion

    The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce has urged Southeast governors to show more commitment to export promotion.

    Speaking on the need to change the trend of business from import to export in the Southeast in Onitsha, the new President of the chamber, Mr Uchenna Apakama, said that the export of agro-allied produce held the future for the economic prosperity of the zone.

    Apakama noted that the governors should involve the organised private sector in all its export programme for the people to take ownership of such programmes.

    “To fast-track the growth and development of non-oil export business in the South East zone, we urge all the state governments to quickly revive, empower and strengthen their various state committees on export.

    “In many states of the federation, their committees on export have successfully facilitated the growth of non-oil export business that runs into billions of naira.

    “The nature of this export committees – made up of relevant government officials and the private sector, is sine qua non for state’s success in export business,”Apakama said.

    He urged the Anambra government to leverage on the structure of the three chambers of commerce in the state to draft its policies and legislation.

    He called on the government to include members of the chambers in government trade and bilateral delegations to expand businesses in the state.

    “As a step toward strengthening Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, we urge Gov. Willie Obiano to assist the chamber to take full possession of its permanent trade fair on the Onitsha-Enugu expressway.

    “This will facilitate a better realisation of the state government’s four-point-development agenda, as they relate to business and the organised private sector enterprise development,” he said.

     

  • Okorocha’s deputy hails health workers

    Okorocha’s deputy hails health workers

    Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere has praised health workers on the continent for their heroic role in ending the deadly Ebola scourge.

    Madumere spoke while addressing members of the West African College of Physicians during their 39th Annual General and Scientific Meeting held in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    He particularly commended the efforts of the West African College of Physicians for their effort in solving the puzzle surrounding Ebola virus disease in Africa.

    The deputy governor described those who fought to contain the scourge with all they had including their lives as heroes.

    He said, “Let me use this forum to thank you and to salute the family members of these heroes especially Dr. Stella Adadevoh who first diagnosed Ebola-infected Sawyer and raised the alarm before her heroic death from the same disease”.

    He further challenged the College members to go the extra mile to ensure that Nigerian Doctors and their counterparts in other West African countries measure up with others in the developed nations.

    In his words; “It will be in our best interest to build a strong competitive health sector in Nigeria and at the region at large. A situation where our Doctors here do not respond rapidly to the health challenges in the country and rise up to the occasion even above their western counterparts when they travel out shows we can be the best. While I commend you for having distinguished yourselves, it is imperative that you carry others along so as to make our region a haven of health care solution.

    He further assured the College of the readiness of the  Imo State Government to partner with them, which he said has been kick started by the State Governor, Rochas  Okorocha with the  allocation of a parcel of land for development of the College facilities in Owerri.

    However the Deputy Governor advised the Health workers against embarking on incessant industrial actions at every little challenge with the governments.

    He therefore urged them “to embrace dialogue and to ensure every rules and principle procedures of industrial engagements and negotiations are exhausted before thinking about removing the toga of nobility”.

     

  • Reps to IGP: investigate Enugu traditional ruler’s assassination

    The House of Representatives has urged the Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase to intensify investigation into the killing of a traditional ruler in Enugu, Igwe Peter Onuoha.

    The resolution emanated from matter of urgent public importance raised by Rep. Chukwuemeka Ujam (Enugu-PDP), which was unanimously adopted by members.

    It would be recalled that on July 11, the traditional ruler of Isienu Amofu, Igwe Peter Onuohu and three others were allegedly assassinated by unknown gunmen.

    Ujam had expressed worry that the assassination occurred without any form of resistance by security operatives in the area.

    According to him, the unknown gunmen engaged in sporadic shooting for a lengthy period of time, leaving scores of injured community members who are currently receiving treatment in Emene, Enugu.

    “This dastardly act amounts to a desecration of the traditional institution of the people of Isienu Amofu and a reprisal attack could be eminent.

    “If drastic measures are not employed, a repeat of this dastard incident is likely to occur,” Ujam said.

     

  • Residents urge bank to decongest van-induced traffic

    Residents urge bank to decongest van-induced traffic

    Residents and commuters have urged management of  the Diamond Bank Plc branch at Ikot Ekpene Road, Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State, to decongest the traffic build-up around its offices especially when its bullion vans come in to deposit cash or take it away.

    The hilly road is usually blocked, causing motorists all sorts of problems.

    Commuters fear that except the trend is checked, accidents could result when heavy-duty vehicles breaks fail and roll uncontrollably downhill.

     

    The road which is busy, especially in the morning hours, has become a danger to road users, as the two-way lane is always blocked any day the vans come to deliver money, leaving motorists to make do with just one lane.

    A motorist interviewed, who does not want his name in print, described the situation as unfortunate as the bank’s bullion vans puts motorists in danger any day they come to drop or collect it.

    He said on two occasions, ghastly crashes were averted only by the grace of God and that many lives would have been lost due to the blocked road.

    Another motorist who gave her name as Mrs Kalu Mercy said there was a day when she also escaped death, having to stop her car suddenly owing to reckless driving of the bullion van driver.

    Mrs Kalu said that she was taking her children to school when the incident happened.

    She called on the management of the bank to find a way manage their bullion van movements to avoid blocking the entire road.

    She said that one side of the lane on the road should be blocked instead of the entire road, so that the busy road would remain open for motorists.