The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

Woman perm sec wins varsity award

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) has presented an award of excellence, regarded as the Union’s highest, to Dame Ifeyinwa Nwoko, Permanent Secretary, Abia State Ministry of Finance, for her contributions in advancing the course of women.

Presenting the award, SSANU chairman, Comrade Loveth Chisaa Ekwemalor, said it was in recognition of the recipient’s unique administrative acumen and for distinguishing herself in her career.

She said that her remarkable achievement in the service of Abia State, especially under the administration of Governor Theodore Orji, is a pride to women.

According to her, the FUTO branch of SSANU, diligently searched and identified Dame Nwoko, who she referred to as “Jewel of inestimable value” and “deemed it wise to bestow on her SSANU highest award”.

She added further that the award was to propel the recipient to greater heights and to encourage other women who may come in contact with her, adding that people should use their positions to affect lives in all circumstances of life.

Responding, the highly elated recipient, dedicated the award to the Abia State government and Governor Orji, who she said has continued to inspire her through his commitment to the development of the state.

December 4, 2014
Rallying Ndigbo in town halls

Town halls are coming in handy in rallying Ndigbo. At such settings, regional leaders are setting new goals for the people. One such leader is the National Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie.

Explaining why he adopted the strategy, Okorie told The Nation that town hall meeting is more effective than huge rallies.

“For a growing party like ours, this strategy is more effective because in a rally, many of the participants do not hear or assimilate the message of the speakers. In fact, people who watch rallies on television get more information than most people. Since we have a new message which we want to put across to the common people, town hall meetings are more effective,” he said.

This year alone, Okorie has used this strategy to “re-sensitise Ndigbo” resident in various communities, locally and internationally. Among the areas he has recently carried out this unique campaign are Aba, Houston, Newark, New Jersey (September 6, 2014) and Lagos. He said he will soon take the message to Onitsha and Abuja where he would meet with Igbo leaders in the 19 northern states.

At the World Igbo Congress held this year in Houston, Texas, he successfully halted what would have amounted to an unconditional Igbo endorsement of Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. At that meeting, Okorie challenged the claim that Ndigbo as a whole have endorsed the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 elections.

He argued that the alleged endorsement is a party issue not Ndigbo as a race, adding that UPP has zoned its presidential ticket to the South-East and will field a candidate at the election.

Explaining it further, he told The Nation in Lagos after the Sheraton town hall meeting that “any time Ndigbo did not contest in presidential elections, we usually loss out completely. But each time we contested, we are able to negotiate at least for alliances and this has always resulted in fantastic dividends, in terms of relevance, in terms of positions, in terms of respect, adding, “And that was the question I put to Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu in Houston, when he said Ndigbo should negotiate from inside. I asked how Jonah, inside the belly of the Whale can negotiate with the Whale?”

Okorie added that even if Ndigbo will end up endorsing Jonathan or any other candidate for that matter, such an endorsement must be a result of careful and satisfactory negotiations.

At the New Jersey meeting, Okorie said a tripod had always existed, between “Igbo-controlled, Yoruba controlled, and Hausa/Fulani-controlled national parties.” The UPP, he concluded, is the only chance of restoring that tripod in the 2015 general elections.

According to him, “Just by the mere strategy of zoning the presidential ticket to the South-East, the UPP has been elevated to be among the top three parties in Nigeria because only three parties will field presidential candidates in 2015,” Okorie said.

He added that the Igbo “constitute the largest ethnic group in Nigeria, have the second largest population in all states outside Igbo land, are present in every local government in Nigeria and will ultimately choose to be masters of their own destiny when the UPP presidential candidate emerges.”

People who attended the Lagos meeting late November said Okorie’s use of the town hall concept is not ordinary but “fresh and unique.”

“Unlike what other politicians call town hall meetings, where they fill the halls with rented crowd and touts, Chief Okorie, the Ojeozi Ndigbo, has shown that this common concept can be truly utilized to reach the masses and to give the common people the opportunity to express themselves,” said Mazi Udodinanma Ukuku, at the Sheraton Hotel venue in Lagos.

In that meeting, Okorie, besides sensitizing his audience to be part of the political process in Lagos State, used the opportunity to market his political party to his people, explaining to them that “given the unfortunate developments in All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which he said had led to derailment of APGA, UPP has come on the stage as the credible alternative. According to him, “UPP, which was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission on October 4, 2012, is designed to be a mass movement of Nigerian people all over the country.”

After the Sunday town hall meeting, Okorie, who had encouraged participants to express some of the problems facing Igbos in Lagos; their aspirations and desires, paid a special visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola the following day, Monday, tabling before him his people’s desires and needs. He also called for healthy rivalry between political parties.

The governor, joined by some members of the State Executive Council, including the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Ademorin Kuye, Home Affairs and Culture, Hon. Oyinlomo Danmole and Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, warmly received Okorie and some UPP officials like the National Vice Chairman of the UPP in South West, Prince Segun Olusola, and Lagos State chapter chairman, Mazi Mike Okereke.

Fashola assured Okorie and his team that his government would continue to implement policies that would create room for everyone, emphasizing that as far as electoral issues are concerned, “residents who are interested are welcome to join the fray since it is an election.”

December 4, 2014
A feast to save Arochukwu culture

A memorable fair has been scheduled for a remarkable community in the region. On December 30, indigenous people of Arochukwu in Abia State will defy their notoriously horrible road to seek a recapture of their fast-eroding culture, SUNNY NWANKWO reports

The details have been sorted out. The name has been chosen and so has the venue. Everyone is looking forward to the maiden edition of the Arochukwu cultural carnival likened, in impact, to the famous end-of-year Calabar fiesta. Aro natives hope to halt the slide of their culture and begin to recover the glory of a city, which, among others things, once stood out as a formidable slave depot. But, first, they must overcome the impassable Arochukwu-Ohafia Road.

The road, a federal government project, has been a sore point for as long as the people can remember. It links Abia to Akwa Ibom and Cross River states but despite its importance its users have been left in pains. In the dry season it is very bad; in the wet period it is impassable. The situation has robbed this cultural and tourist haven of revenue, among other things. Many lives have been lost on the road, just as several vehicles have been wrecked there.

The community’s monarch, Eze Aro Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro leads the outcry for the redemption of the road. He has drawn the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan to the fact that the local contractor handling it has failed to do anything even after being mobilised. Not much has happened to relieve the Aro people but they say they will honour the December 30 carnival if only to save their disappearing culture and, perhaps, even consider what they can also do about the road.

Arochukwu is about 120km from Umuahia, the Abia State capital, if the road is good. It is the third biggest city in the state after Aba and Umuahia. It shares common boundaries with Ohafia, Akwa Ibom State and some parts of Cross River.

Apart from the fact that the city has produced great Nigerians such as Nwankwo Kanu, Mazi Sam and Mao Ohuabunwa, among others, it is also noted for its richness in staple foods and artifacts, a cultural value which has enrolled the city as one of the tourist attractions Abia State can boast of.

The Aro Kingdom has played a great role in the pre- and post-colonial era. Anyone acquainted with Nigerian history will remember the Aro slave trade route and market.

The influence of the Aro-Okigbo people in Igbo and Nigeria history was so evident that there is no state in the Southeast and beyond that doesn’t have Aro settlers because the slave era found most Aro people migrating to every part of Nigeria. Wherever they went, they took their culture with them, naturally.

The Aro Okporoenyi, Aro Ndizuogu, Aro Ikwere, Aro Yoruba, Aro Ngwa, Aro Izombe, Aro Cameroun, Aro Ajalli, Aro Oru, Aro Nkwesi, Aro Ajatakiri, Aro Ndi Ikelionwu and other Aros settled in different parts of the country.

However, the city with 19 villages and about 30 different traditional songs and dance steps is now in danger of losing its cultural identity. Some say if nothing is done to urgently salvage the situation, Aro heritage will in no time be swept off by a rampaging Western culture that is gaining popularity and comfort iamong the youth.

It was based on the established findings that the Aro ancient kingdom was gradually losing its cultural heritage or identity after a careful study, that a concerned group of Aro sons and daughters in partnership with the 19 Ezeogos has agreed to recover the identity of the kingdom and prevent it from going into extinction.

As part of the activities to mark the maiden edition of the event billed to take place at the Obinkita Square, Arochukwu, the mascot which shall serve as a symbol of the event was unveiled.

According to the initiator of the carnival, Mr. Ndionyenma Nwankwo, the event will provide the opportunity for the revival of the Aro Kingdom’s culture which was going into oblivion.

Mr. Nwankwo said that he was worried that the people of the area was losing its cultural values and if not properly checked, will die out in no time.

He said that over 3,000 Aros in Diaspora have already endorsed the programme with the backing of the 19 Ezeogos, expressing optimism that the programme will grow rapidly in years to come because of its positive in the community.

He said, “The Aro carnival is going to restore some of our cultural values that are going into extinction. There were songs that we had in the past that are no more today. The carnival is going to bring them back. Like the Calabar and other notable cultural carnivals, it is going to revamp economic activities in our area as it will encourage our sons and daughters to come home and invest. Aro is a town anyone can come to spend his or her vacations. The carnival is going to attract tourists who will use the period of the festival to explore some of the cultural and historical sites in our place. This is the first edition of the programme and as the event progresses we are going to add values to it.

“We have a lot of cultural values. We have to keep our culture and also use the opportunity the carnival will provide to impact it on the outside world. It will create job opportunities for the unemployed youths as we expect that many of our sons and daughters will come back to invest in Arochukwu. They will come to build hotels and among others which will in turn provide jobs for our people.

“We are expecting that over 30 groups will be performing on that day and by the time the event progresses, more groups will be incorporated and probably the number of days for the carnival extended. But we are sticking with the December 30 plan and we believe it is going to be a huge success. We want to be remembered by our generations to come as a people that initiated this project of peace and economic boom for the people of Aro Ancient Kingdom. It is not politically motivated, but to assist our people to reawaken the cultural consciousness of the Aro people which is gradually going into extinction,” he said.

Ndionyenma informed the audience that after the unveiling exercise, the mascot would be taken to some selected parts of the country to replicate a similar ceremony, notifying the audience that invitations had already been sent out to her sons and daughters in Diaspora and other parts of the country to honour the invitation in numbers.

Eze Aro Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro represented by Prince Joshua Kanu Orji after unveiling the mascot urged Aro sons and daughters not to abuse the mascot, but to protect it very well as the mascot serves as a symbol of the Aro Ancient Kingdom.

He expressed hope that the upcoming event would bring peace, love and new hope to the people of the area and their economic lives.

Highlights of the event included the unveiling of the mascot by the Eze Aro’s representative, as well as a good dose of entertainment supplied by a cultural group at the event.

December 4, 2014
A voice for Anambra women

Various organisations have been busy in Anambra State. What about? Helping to give women a voice and, ultimately, power. Traditional, economic and social factors have tended to keep women, especially those in rural areas, out of the mainstream. They cook, clean and give their husbands children. Hardly do they make any substantial financial contributions, and are often looking up to their spouses for almost anything. These organisations have been busy trying to teach and encourage the women to break out of their cocoons and have a go at the things men seem to have cornered for centuries such as politics and governance.

A group known as Hope Givers Initiative (HOGI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is giving hope in Umunnachi in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state. Another group, Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) is also working with them. Together they organised a two-day training and sensitisation campaign in the area, urging rural women to join the electoral process.

The coordinator of the programme and Executive Director of HOGI, Mrs. Onyeka Udegbunam told The Nation that the organisation also planned another event for men. Voice to the People or V2P was also involved in the efforts.

One of the officers of JDPC, Cynthia Arinze, told The Nation that HOGI was selected for the awareness campaign because the group studied its profile and was convinced about their credibility. Arinze, who supervised the exercise, said HOGI has proved it has the capacity to mobilise and sensitise rural women in the context of their campaign.

Mrs. Udegbunam said their organisation would urge men to encourage their wives and daughters to contest electoral positions.

Again, she said it would equally centre on the need to nominate women into key positions in their communities including the cabinets of traditional rulers.

The women also marched through the community, holding aloft their voter cards indicating their readiness to participate in the electoral process.

Udegbunam said, “Women are the bulk of the population of Nigeria and studies have shown that women are more articulate in the act of decision making. If we have them participate in different groups and politics either in families, communities, etc, it will lead to better decisions for the community and also take the country away from poverty.”

“If you empower one woman, you have empowered the entire family; women are the ones who know the needs of the family, and if you involve them during decision-making process, the decision at the end will be better”

“Nigeria’s culture is such that men sit back in the parlour after work and they are served, so they do not know what some of the basic necessities are”

“But if the women are part of the decision making, they make contributions that will ensure availability of these scarce necessities”

“What we are doing is that, we selected women especially their leaders from all the villages and communities in Dunukofia local government area to train them on this so that when they get back, they can impact same to on other women” she said

However, she praised the awareness of the women, adding that she was even surprised that most of them already knew some issues like electioneering and even opted to play drama of the processes of election in Nigeria.

Another group known as Development in Practice (DIP), has also added their voice to the battle cry, calling on stakeholders and political parties to accommodate more women. The group made the call at the Udoka Housing Estate in Awka, the state capital at an event organised by DIP, a partner of V2P. The event was declared open by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mrs. Ojobo Atuluku.

Atuluku urged the participants to make use of opportunities available and pass the advocacy messages to the public to enable more women participate in the political process.

Furthermore, she called on governments at all levels to address the low capacity of poor and marginalised citizens especially, the rural adolescents and women in the society.

The lawyer noted that the aim of the programme was to achieve improved social, economic and political well being and better quality services across Anambra state.

Atuluku said, “The progress ratio is to address the urgent need to meet the high level of marginalisation and poverty which persists in Nigeria due to poor governance and ineffective services”.

“The sustainable improvements can be achieved by both governments and community’s capacity to act by addressing factors that drive ongoing state governments’ accountability and responsiveness”.

December 4, 2014
Erosion agony in Anambra

The pain is not just that their soil is breaking up and giving way. Or that the residents are losing property. The torment of Ekwusigo Local Government Area in Anambra State is that nobody has come to their aid. Now, erosion is claiming lives, reports NWANOSIKE ONU

It is not a pretty pastime, yet every resident counts their losses. Their houses collapse into the depths of red earth. So do farmlands. Many buildings could follow suit. Now they are counting their human losses, too.

Communities in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State epitomise the horrors of much of the Southeast, but in this council, the people say they have a reason to feel doubly hurt. Why? No one is listening to them even though they started crying out well over a decade ago.

Two brothers of the Igwemadu family in Urumabiam community in Ozubulu have died of a heart attack, the latest victims, the people said, of their horrible present and an uncertain future.

Their appeals spanning over 10 years to the federal and state governments have done nothing to address their pain.

The people recall that only the Peter Obi administration made an attempt to look their way but even then, it was in the twilight of his second term: too little, too late.

The House of Assembly member representing the people, Hon Pauly Onyeka has been in tears over what his people are going through.

Onyeka said his people believe that Governor Willie Obiano will one day visit the suffering people and begin palliative work on the sites since they know that the situation is beyond the state government.

One of the elders in Ihembosi community, 74-year-old Ichie Ezekwem Ezeana, told The Nation that the community alone has about 14 erosion sites, and that the residents have been living in fear.

When The Nation visited the area, the sites were horrible to behold. The agony of the people is immense.

The old man, in tears, said, “I cannot say that our government is a listening one, otherwise it would have noticed the devastation in these areas”

“We do not want to lose more lives before they come to help us. To tell you the truth, what we are doing in Ekwusigo is suffering and smiling.”

“Our major concern is every time election comes, all of them including the governor will come and promise heaven and earth, but after voting them in, they will abandon those that voted them to die slowly; it is unfortunate”.

Also, the building belonging to 76 year old Pa Onyejiaka Anazodo is at the verge of being swept away by the same menace and the septuagenarian is in his knees begging Obiano and other governments for help.

The fence of the building is already gone. Should the house cave in, the man and his family have nowhere to go.

Furthermore, The Nation was told that the traditional ruler of the area, Igwe Dr. Daniel Udoji has made appeals and representatives to the government, all to no avail.

Chukwulobe Ifeanyi said the erosion problem in the area began in 1996 and then escalated because of the activities of the construction firm, Consolidated Construction Company (CCC) when it began reconstructing Onitsha- Owerri Road, a federal way.

He said, “the construction company failed to direct the erosion to Ekulo River, so all the water from Ichi, Ifite, Oraifite were all channelled to this place”

“And if the thing is allowed to continue, by next rainy season, this area will be swallowed and many lives will be lost, while uncountable numbers of buildings will equally go.”

It was discovered that the erosion problem has cut off some communities from others, two of them being Awo and Ifite.

A student of Saint Paul University Ufondu Emenike told The Nation that Awo Road linking Ifite was passable up till 2012 until the rains came and swept off the place.

The erosion menace has equally consumed the house of one Gabriel Asuzu. The site of the erosion is believed to be the longest in West Africa, measuring about four kilometers.

It is also said that the building belonging to one Ikechukwu Asuzu is on the verge of being swallowed up by the erosion.

Speaking with The Nation, one of the rural women, Mrs. Catherine Mbonu said the problem began about 15 years ago and has attracted no form of help from anybody or government.

Following the rapid surge of the erosion, one of the residents of Ozubulu community, Anaeto Echezona said that many people in the area have started what he called movement of Jah people (Exodus) to other communities.

“We are almost dead in these areas, we need somebody to rescue us from this problem of erosion; the people of the different communities do not feel comfortable any more in their own land.”

However, The Nation discovered that some of the erosion sites were man-made, caused by land excavation especially at Egbema Ozubulu which had gone five feet deep, while others are caused by natural disasters.

Chief Goddy Ulasi, the Vice president General of Ozubulu Development Union (ODU), told The Nation that the Urumabiam erosion site had been there for the past 20 years.

He claims that some of the people have relocated to other areas where they would be safe, while the government at any level allowed people to be consumed.

“This erosion has cut off brothers, sisters, relations and neighbours from their people, this village is no more, we have suffered in this place, we can no longer communicate with our people”

The lawmaker, while lamenting in tears, told The Nation that it is unfortunate that villages and communities that used to live in harmony had been separated by erosion, yet the governments are still adamant.

“Before now, our former Governor, Mr. Peter Obi sent a delegation for palliative measure before he left office and I know that our Governor now, Chief Willie Obiano (Akpokuedike) is an environment friendly Governor and will not allow his subjects to perish”.

“We cannot continue in this manner nobody knows what the future holds for these people, every community in this my constituency in Ekwusigo has at least 10 erosion sites, therefore, we need help and urgent attention”

“What we are doing is to bring them to the notice of the state, Federal Government, International Donor agencies, before now, Anambra State had been known as erosion ravaged place from Oko to Nanka to Agulu but today, it is Ekwusigo, we are half dead”

“This place should be declared erosion disaster area, all the erosions in other areas combined cannot equate those of Ekwusigo, these communities need help” Onyeka lamented.

November 27, 2014
N100m fake products burnt in NAFDAC crackdown

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken its crusade against patrons and manufacturers of counterfeit, fake and substandard drugs to the Southeast, destroying unhealthy drugs valued at N100 million in Enugu.

The counterfeit products confiscated from traders, drug manufacturers and dealers included beverages, drugs particularly those of malaria, cosmetic products and drinks.

The Director of Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh who stood in for the NAFDAC Director General Dr. Paul Orhii supervised the destruction.

Jimoh said NAFDAC was committed to ridding the nation of such products because of their harmful effect on the public.

He said that the exercise which began in Kaduna with the destruction of fake products worth N50 million, would be a continuous one as the agency would not relent in its determination to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard products which are harmful to humanity.

He also disclosed that the agency would destroy 20 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs in Kano, 10 trailer loads of such illegal products in Onitsha, Anambra State and other states where such bad products had been impounded.

He urged everybody to join NAFDAC in fighting the menace of counterfeit drugs because no one knows who will fall victim.

Jimoh therefore enjoined everybody including the drug manufacturers, the media and security agencies to help out in the battle against counterfeit drugs, which fight, he said, NAFDAC has started winning with the type of technologies already deployed for the exercise.

He stated that in past years, the fight against counterfeit drugs have been yielding results because the rate with which the country was dogged with counterfeit drugs has reduced to the barest minimum while they were still trying to reduce it to zero tolerance.

The DG, Special Duties pointed out that what has been helping in the fight is the cutting edge technology employed by the NAFDAC boss, Dr. Orhii to fish out fake and counterfeit drugs as well as the hand device used by NAFDAC officials that can detect fake drugs from markets and pharmaceutical stores in the country.

Jimoh also pointed out that NAFDAC is not alone in fighting the counterfeit drugs as the agency was working in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, WHO and other world class agencies that are partners in ridding the society of counterfeit products not only in drugs but also food including water for consumption.

He stressed that NAFDAC has been working assiduously to rid the country of counterfeit drugs but some people misconstrued them and think that they had gone to sleep whereas they are working silently.

“Some think that NAFDAC has gone to sleep in the fight against fake drugs but it is not so; we are working silently through well-coordinated approach. We are winning the war against drug counterfeiting,” he said.

Jimoh noted that what spurred NAFDAC into action was because Orhii who had been to developed countries of the world found out that they had achieved zero tolerance for counterfeit drugs coupled with the fight that his predecessor, late Prof. Dora Akunyili had started the onerous task of ridding the country of such illicit products that are harmful to health.

The destruction of the drugs was witnessed by various organizations including members of the NYSC, the Custom, Immigration, and Civil Defence Corps, the Media as well as drug manufacturers.

November 27, 2014
A healthcare boost in Anambra

How do you discourage people from travelling abroad to treat almost every ailment, and save money? It is by equipping the hospitals at home, says the Chief Emma Bishop Okonkwo Foundation.

The foundation demonstrated this by donating some high-value items to the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital (ANSUTH). The gesture thrilled staff of the hospital.

The equipment, according to Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Akabuike, will stop what he described as medical tourism through which millions of naira is lost.

Some of the donated equipment included four units of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, fowler beds, plain beds, attending beds, emergency recovery trolleys, obstetric labour tables, obstetric labour examination tables, bedside lockers and over-bed tables.

Others were wheelchair folders, hydraulic operating tables in wooden boxes, crash carts, IV stands, monitor trolleys, instrument trolleys and dressing trolleys, all in varying numbers amounting to 58 units.

The cash donated was not mentioned but The Nation gathered that the equipment given out was worth over N200 million.

Akabuike said the administration of Governor Willie Obiano is committed to boosting medical infrastructure in the state teaching hospital.

This, according to him, is a means of ending what he called capital flight through overseas travels for medical attention.

He said the Obiano administration is focused on attracting rich individuals from other states to Anambra for medical care rather going abroad.

Furthermore, he said the state is encouraging rich individuals and corporate organizations to donate medical equipment for the upgrade of the hospital, adding that Obiano’s dream of making the state attractive will be realised.

Again, Akabuike said that in countries like Nigeria, donor agencies are very rarely regarded, adding that rich individuals who should help tend to invest more in politics than helping the poor.

“Here today, we have a man who knows the importance of donating to charity; he has always done so and we appreciate him”

“This institution has a lot of potentials and the management team here has been managing it well, even with the meager resources available”.

“Government is committed to giving Anambra a world-class health facility that can meet the health needs of the people and even stop medical tourism”.

“We call on other rich individuals to make contributions as government cannot do everything for us, but with the help of some individuals, these things will be achievable”

The former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, who chairs the hospital board, thanked the foundation for the donation.

The Ohaneze boss who had been in Medical practice for 56 years said his years in the field, the equipment donated to the hospital by the foundation were of highest grade and obtainable in world class institutions.

Also, while speaking with the Nation, the Chairman of the foundation, Prof. O.O. Mbonu, said the donation was borne out of the objective of the foundation to assist in provision of quality and affordable healthcare to the needy through various programmes.

Though, he refused to mention the price of the equipment, Mbonu said the foundation hopes that the equipment would improve healthcare in the hospital.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor, said the equipment will help the state in its drive to obtain one of the goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which he said is the reduction of maternal mortality.

He said, “The equipment will help us function better and also bring out the professionals in us”

“This equipment will help us reduce maternal mortality and attain development goal faster”

“Ours is an institution that has potential, by next year (2015), we are graduating our first set of medical doctors and all we can assure the foundation is that we will put the equipment to optimal use” Ikeakor said.

November 27, 2014
Safety orientation for FRSC staff, motorists

More than any other season, the Yuletide presents a peculiar challenge: more people hit the road, necessitating more vigilance by road safety personnel. That was why the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) directed that its staff as well as motorists be properly oriented in the run-up to Christmas and New Year festivities.

Such a sensitisation has just ended in Aba, with attendants from the five states of the zone. Its theme was “Road Safety, a Shared Responsibility”.

The Commanding Officer, RS9, Corps Marshal Samuel Obayemi told reporters that the exercise was carried out to “remind all road users in the zone and the country that they have a responsibility to ensure there is safety on the roads within the festive period and beyond.

Obayemi who was represented at the event by Gojara Yahaya Yusuf, the zonal Head of Operations said that the expectations of the command was that by the end of the exercise, FRSC personnel that would be deployed on the roads would work optimally and drivers drive with safety knowing fully that they needed to get to their various destinations safely.

Yusuf also said that having patrolled on major roads in the zone where vehicular activities are going to be on the increase, they have been able to access the roads and spotted out some of what he described as black spots, assuring that they would advice government appropriately.

According to him, “The Yuletide is fast approaching and it is expected that by December, there will be heavy inflow of vehicles on roads in the southeast and other cities. People from this area (Southeastern States) usually travel from their different locations across the country to visit home for one festive activity or the other and so it is usually a hectic period for us.

“But we are not relenting and that is why we have come to train our personnel and also sensitize drivers on the need to be safety conscious on the road and to avoid anything that will make them go against traffic rules and regulations.

“The same exercise we are having here is replicated across other states in the southeast. We are going to deploy a handful of our staff on the roads. We are going to station ambulance at some strategic areas along the expressway. We have been able to notice that Obolafor-Nsukka, Okigwe-Umuahia, Umuahia-Aba, Aba-Ikot Ekpene and among others usually witness traffic gridlock within the festive period and we are going to pay special attention on the aforementioned roads.

“We are warning drivers to avoid overloading their vehicles which puts their lives and that of their passengers in dangers. Anyone caught overloading or going against the road traffic codes will be booked and punished appropriately. We are also made arrangements with government hospitals to accept and treat accident victims brought to their hospitals, at least to save their lives, while we appeal to private hospital owners to do same in order to save accident victims’ lives,” Yahaya pleaded.

Abia State Sector Commander, Rindom Kumven in a separate interview promised that the State Command was going to build on the exercise to work optimally during the anticipated hectic period.

Kumven appealing to public spirited individuals, states and federal government to assist the agency in meeting logistic challenges facing them said that they were going to make use of the available limited resources within the command to ensure that road users had a smooth ride in and out Abia State during the festivity.

He urged drivers to make sure that they double check their vehicles to make sure it was in good shape before embarking on any trip and warned alcoholic merchants in and around motor parks to relocate their trade, adding that any driver caught driving under the influence of alcohol will be fined or prosecuted.

They later took to the highway where they educate drivers and as well carried a thorough check to ensure that they maintained safety standard.

November 27, 2014
Anger as voter card’s distribution ends in Imo

The distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and Continuous Voter’s Registration has ended in Imo State with a call for its cancellation. Aggrieved voters called the exercise a flop.

The exercise which started on a shaky note left much to be desired as over 20 million PVCs were reportedly missing. The exercise was characterised by heavy protests and severe criticisms.

For instance, in most of the local government areas visited by The Nation, there was a large turnout of people but the few capturing machines were either slow or totally out of service, resulting in chaos at most of the centres.

In the absence of INEC staff, the ad-hoc personnel told agitated people waiting to be registered that the setback resulted from lack of sustainable power to run the machines.

At Umudagu Mbieri and Ezinihitte Mbieri both in Mbaitoli Council Area of the State, the situation was worse as aggrieved indigenes accused INEC of systematically disenfranchising them.

At Orie-Agu Central School in Ehime Mbano Council Area, foreigners from Niger Republic were caught with Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC), while many others caught registering.

The State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, who monitored the exercise on the first day, blamed INEC for the shortcomings.

He noted that the electoral body was not prepared for the exercise, “with what I have seen today, it is obvious that INEC was not prepared for the exercise. You can see the impressive turn-out; the people have been waiting but none of the machines are functioning and that is quite appalling”.

In the first two days, the voters endured the frustrations of waiting endlessly at the polling units to collect their PVC, but when it became obvious that the names of some of those they were registered in 2011 were no longer on the INEC list, all hell was let loose as the people took to the street in mass protest against what they claimed was a ploy by the Commission to compromise the 2015.

On that fateful day, thousands of angry voters who could not collect the PVC overrun the INEC Headquarter in the state, calling for the immediate redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Selina Oko.

The protest which resulted in heavy gridlock along the busy Port Harcourt-Owerri Road and other parts of the capital city, crippled activities at the INEC Secretariat as the REC and other staff of the Commission were held hostage by the protesters who locked up the entrance gate and prevented vehicles from going in or leaving the premises.

Addressing reporters, Victor Okonkwo alleged that INEC colluded with some politicians to hijack the PVC, saying that the Commission has proved that it cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair election in the state.

Expressing his doubts over the 2015 general elections in the state, Okonkwo described the withholding of the PVC by INEC as ‘electronic’ rigging, which he said was one of the newly introduced measures to undermine the conduct of the election in the state.

According to him, “we demand the immediate release of our PVC. Let this not be an electronic rigging, INEC, our PVC is our right, let us be real Nigerians, why hijack some booths, INEC has failed. About 20 million PVC are missing in the state”.

He threatened further that, “there won’t be election in the state until INEC does the right thing. INEC should not disenfranchise Imo people, we say no to this plot”.

Meanwhile, addressing the protesters at the Government House, the Commandant General of the Rochas Campaign Organization and Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Barr Iheukwumere Araribe, assured that the obvious malpractices will be urgently addressed.

He noted that the reported malfunctioning of the machines could be one of the ploys by INEC to disenfranchise the people.

Also irked by INEC’s poor performance, the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha also called for the total cancellation of the ongoing voters’ registration in the state.

He insisted that the exercise has grossly fallen short of standard and expectations.

The Imo Governor noted that the shoddy manner the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has handled the registration exercise as well as the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC), has shown that the Commission was not ready for the exercise, stressing that INEC should cancel every other activity relating to the registration until it is seen to be ready.

The Governor while meeting with leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from the 27 Council Areas of the State, who had, through their individual reports given worrisome accounts of how the exercise failed in the areas, frowned at the indifferent attitude adopted by INEC, despite the widespread complaints against the exercise.

Meanwhile before the meeting, various groups had also described the INEC exercise as a sham and a deliberate attempt to reduce the voting strength of the state.

According to the Governor, ”I have gone round myself to over 20 wards and I found out that there is no evidence to show that the INEC voter registration exercise is designed to succeed in the State. I saw lengthy queues of people without any registration going on. And the machines are not available in most of the places. And the few available ones are not working. Either the battery is dead or the printer is not printing or the computer cannot register anybody”.

He added further that, “some people have been to most of the wards for more than five times since the exercise began to register but, they have not been registered. At some places where the old machines are available you see only ten people being registered between 9am and 4pm. The aim for which we declared public holidays appears to have been defeated.

“So, from all indications the exercise is designed to fail. It is obvious INEC is not ready for the exercise. So, I would advice INEC to cancel this registration exercise and come up when they are fully prepared. People are suffering for desiring to play their civic role. And INEC wants to end this registration by Monday which will see hundreds of thousands of our people willing and ready to register not doing so.

“I also want to call on INEC to register our people in their respective polling booths and not giving one machine to a ward with some of the wards having about 20 booths that does not make any meaning. I therefore call on Imo people to remain calm while we hope that INEC will do the right thing”.

However in her response via a radio broadcast, the REC appealed to the people who were yet to get their PVC to remain calm as efforts were already on top gear to get it distributed.

November 27, 2014
‘Ohaneze council coming’

Are Ndigbo discriminated against in Abia State because they hail from elsewhere? If that is true, an Ohaneze development council in the state will correct that.

That is the position of Chief Friday Nwosu, a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said he will create such a council if he succeeds Governor Theodore Orji next year.

Addressing a rally convened by the Nzuko Ohanaeze Ngwa Na Ukwa and Ukwa/Ngwa Peoples Council at the Ngwa Cultural Centre in Aba, Nwosu said that the creation of such a council has become necessary to unite Ndigbo rather than discriminate against them as non-indigenes in sister states.

“If I become governor, I will create an Ohanaeze Local Government Development Council to take care of all Ndigbo who are not from Abia State; they will become indigenes. Ndigbo will no longer be regarded as non-indigenes in Igbo land. The dichotomy between the Ukwa/Ngwa and non-natives will be gone forever. We must ensure the unity of Ndigbo wherever they find themselves.”

Speaking for their organisations, National Coordinator, Nzuko Ohanaeze Ndi Ngwa Na Ukwa, Mr. Maurice Uchechi and Chairman, Ukwa/Ngwa Peoples Council, Prof. Benjamin Eheazu, endorsed Nwosu as their consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state, insisting that he remains the right person to succeed Governor Theodore Orji.

The two Ukwa/Ngwa socio-political groups attributed their decisions to endorse Nwosu to his sterling performances in the past and his contribution to the sustenance of peace in the state party, adding that the guber aspirant has the best capacity to take Abia to the next level among his contemporaries.

According to them, “The people of the nine local government areas of the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc want a grassroots person who has always identified with the cause of the people. Barrister Friday Nwosu perfectly fits the bill; his integrity, levelheadedness and godliness towers above other aspirants. With Barrister Friday’s Nwosu’s attributes of honesty, transparency, godliness and untiring dedication to the cause of the people, Ukwa/ Ngwa gladly presents him to Abia people as a consensus candidate for the position of governor in 2015.”

“The Ukwa/Ngwa people cannot fail to present the right candidate to Abia people; we adopted Nwosu because he has proved his mettle over the years.

“We have adopted Barrister Friday Nwosu as a consensus candidate for the governorship position because we know those of our son who can deliver on such tasking assignments. He is somebody who doesn’t succumb to any kind of inducement; financial or otherwise. I think this is the problem that he has with the powers that be.

Ukwa/Ngwa people have been longing to produce a governor of Abia State; we won’t like a situation where when the seat is given to us, it is given to somebody who can’t perform because of one reason or the other or to somebody who have acquiesced to a lot of pressures. In a situation like that, at the end of the day, such a person will mess up things and they will say, is it not Ndi Ukwa/Ngwa who wanted to be governor. Now we have given them the seat and they have messed up. We won’t allow such a situation to happen. We believe that Barr. Friday Nwosu is above this and would truly serve the people.

November 27, 2014