The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Okorocha, with his 5,000 children, marks 52nd anniversary

    Okorocha, with his 5,000 children, marks 52nd anniversary

    The 52nd birthday celebration of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha was far from the pomp and ceremony that usually characterised the birthday of the high and mighty; neither was it low keyed as the Governor had instructed his aides, even though it was memorable and remarkable.

    The governor had initially planned to have an in-house celebration with his immediate family and close associates, but he was stunned by the large turnout of people, who besieged the Imo International Convention Centre (IICC), venue of the event to wish him well.

    At the well attended event, the philanthropic activities of the governor, especially his free education programme, were the focus of discussion among politicians and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came from all parts of the country to celebrate with him.

    Also celebrating with the governor were the beneficiaries of the Rochas Foundation Scholarship scheme, whom he had adopted and given free education from primary to university levels.

    Though it is unimaginable for a man to have over 5,000 children which he adequately takes care of, no matter how wealthy he maybe, but not with Governor Okorocha who has ‘multitude’ of children.

    Owerri, the Imo State capital, witnessed a huge crowd when the Governor’s ‘children’ converged on the capital city to celebrate their father’s birthday. It was indeed an emotional gathering when the graduates and undergraduates of different universities in the country, spoke of how their educational careers were rescued through the scholarship offered by the Rochas Foundation.

    Most touching was the ecstasy of the ‘new children’ who had not come in close contact or seen their ‘father’, since they were ‘born’ into the Rochas family. It was a memorable re-union for those who had graduated and parted ways and had not seen their parents or siblings for a long time.

    Wishing the Governor long life, the students who were accompanied by their biological parents, thanked him for devoting his life to alleviating the plight of the needy. They described his adoption of the over 5, 000 children as an unprecedented philanthropic gesture.

    Recounting his experience, Mohammed Lawal, a 200-level student of Kano State University, described the Governor as the hope of the poor, adding that the Rochas Foundation has assisted young Nigerians irrespective of their tribe and religion to realise their educational dreams.

    He said: “My father is the most generous and detribalised Nigerian that I know. If other leaders can have his kind of disposition towards the poor, the world will be a better place. I am studying Business Administration at Kano State University today because of the Rochas Foundation. I had lost all hopes of attaining higher education because my poor parents could not afford it until I came in contact with the Rochas Foundation, where I was offered a scholarship.”

    For Miss Mary Salami, a student of Medicine at Ahmadu Belo University Zaria, the Imo State Governor was a God-send that rescued her from her poor background.

    She said: “I have been down without hope but I refused to give up. It was in the search for a means to pursue my destiny that I ran into Rochas Foundation and I am living out my dream. So, my advice to other people in my situation out there is not to allow their socio-economic background to tie them to the ground.”

    The testimony was the same with other beneficiaries, especially those that have graduated from the University and are gainfully employed.

    Describing the governor’s philanthropic gesture as shocking, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the level of affinity between the Imo State Governor, the students and ex-students of the Rochas Foundation is simply amazing. He urged other leaders and politicians to follow his good example by investing heavily in human capital development.

    He added that, “some say that the Imo State Governor is doing all these because of politics. But if this is what politics is all about, then it is good. Governor Okorocha has proved to be a leader with a large heart and this is what Nigeria needs at this moment.”

    In his speech, Governor Okorocha said: “I am celebrating light over darkness, and victory over ignorance.  The Rochas Foundation spread in all the six geo-political zones of the country is an initiative to give back to the society what God has blessed me with, by offering hope to the hopeless and the less-privileged.

    “My joy lay on the fact that God has blessed me to bless others.  Seventy-five per cent of my wealth goes to charity. I have every reason to be a detribalised leader if elected the President of this country, having been born by Igbo parents, educated by the North and empowered by the West.

    “My success story would not be complete without acknowledging the North for giving me the needed education and the West for giving me the contact which gave me financial success.

    “So, there is every reason for me to be a detribalised Nigerian when elected President.  With the help of God, I have fixed Imo State and I will also fix Nigeria to the glory of God.”

    He further assured that when elected President, “I will also make education free at all levels in the country as I have done in Imo State.  I have been a strong advocate of a peaceful and united Nigeria.  It is time Nigerians discarded ethnic sentiments for the country to achieve her goal of greatness.  We must say no to the deceit of ethnic and religious sentiments that have torn the country apart and embrace one another.”

    Describing the governor as a blessing to humanity, the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere said: “The philanthropic activities of my boss started far before he joined politics. He is a man that does not want the poor or needy to cry. He has demonstrated this through the Rochas Foundation and his free education programme in Imo State.

    “His 52 years on earth has been a blessing to everyone that has come in contact with him, no matter your tribe or religion and we are wishing him a happy birthday and many more years of service to humanity and our nation. He is a man of vision who has the required capacity to enthrone change in the country.”

    Dignitaries present at the event were the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; South-West National Deputy Chairman of the party, Chief Segun Oni and other chieftains of the APC; not excluding thousands of young men and women who had benefitted from the Rochas Foundation Scholarship scheme.

  • Presidency holds land reform workshop in Southeast

    Stakeholders in the Southeast geo-political zone have converged on Enugu on the promptings of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform (PTCLR) to brainstorm on Land Reform and Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR).

    The workshop, which was coordinated by the Enugu State Ministry of Works, was attended by top government officials, traditional rulers, heads town unions as well as professionals on aspects of land from the five Southeast states. It was aimed at explaining the benefits of Systemic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) and to convince them to adopt it.

    It is the first in the series to be held in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

    The benefits, according to the Presidential Technical Committee include significant enhancement in tenure security for all land resources, help to properly plan and manage the country’s land resources, generating reasonable revenue from land through land tax and land transaction fees, helping the development of land/mortgage market and promote economic growth, addressing the massive social inequities and issues that stem from the informalities in the land system and reducing land conflicts and attendant loss of lives and properties arising from tenure insecurity.

    Other benefits include improving food security by empowering farmers to access funds through the use of their lands as collaterals, enhancing rural and urban planning and boosting investment generally because of easier access to land.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, on the occasion made a startling revelation. Anyim, who was represented by Senator Ben Collins Ndu, shocked everyone when he said only three per cent of Nigeria’s approximately 923,768 sq. km of land has been duly documented, titled and registered. Anyim was declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Federal Government.

    He said land ownership was a critical factor in the socio-economic and political life of any country, even as he regretted that documentation and registration have been low.

    He told participants that due to poor documentation, titling and registration of the country’s land, the country has continued to be rated poorly among the comity of nations “with regard to the speed and efficiency in the processes and procedures for land governance.”

    The implication, he said, was that the land resources in Nigeria have not been put to optimal economic advantage, pointing out that the primary focus of the land reform effort was that the result would empower individual land holders and enable them to harness the wealth inherent in their land asset.

    He further said it was gladdening to know that the pilot Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) projects already embarked upon by the Land Reform Committee in collaboration with Ondo and Kano state governments respectively, were yielding remarkable results.

    Also commendable, he said, was the fact that the international development partners such as Growth and Empowerment in States (GEMS) which, he said, was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), have supported the projects in these states while embarking on similar projects in a few other ones.

    “The pilot projects have proved that land titling could be transparent and quick,” Anyim remarked, adding that “the process of recording every parcel in the presence of adjoining owners is also expected to significantly reduce endless litigations. We are expecting that the first set of Certificate-of-Occupancy shall soon be rolled out from the pilot projects.”

    Anyim explained that the comprehensive inventory of land holdings across the country that would be generated from the ongoing titling projects should also aid housing census and provide data for planning.

    “It is pertinent to state that the greatest beneficiaries of the land reform programme are states and local governments…the revenues arising from the processes shall also accrue to the respective states,” he said.

    Advising state governments to understand the programme and sincerely key into the project, Anyim said the country has reached a stage “where appropriate inventory of our land holdings should be the concern of all.”

    The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Mrs. Akon E. Eyakenyi, commended the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform for organising the forum, thereby providing stakeholders the opportunity to engage on issues of reforming the land governance and administration processes in the country.

    The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mrs. Margaret Okolo-Ebube, said the aim of the workshop was to provide full understanding of the land reform processes and benefits to facilitate buy-in and ownership by all stakeholders, especially those in the Southeast zone.

    She said land was strategic and central to the national development process, emphasising that it was the “bedrock for the success of all government programmes and therefore the current transformation agenda of the Federal Government.”

    She recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan reconstituted the Committee on land reform in 2011, and noted with satisfaction the monumental successes that have been recorded by the committee since reconstitution.

    According to Eyakenyi, such successes recorded by the committee included drawing up the draft regulations under section 46 of the Land Use Act which is “awaiting consideration of the National Economic Council before submission to the National Council of States and the ongoing pilot schemes of the Systematic Land Titling and Registration in Kano and Ondo states.”

    At the end of the conference, a communiqué was issued and read by the Chairman of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform, Prof. Peter Adeniyi in which it was resolved that the SLTR “is a process that enables complete inventory of land holdings and subsisting interest in a declared area.

    It was resolved that there should be continued sensitisation and mobilisation of stakeholders on the issue, even as there was the urgent need to embrace the process across all the states of the federation.

    The participants, according to Adeniyi, noted the importance and indispensable role of traditional rulers in land governance in Nigeria and appreciated that such role was being recognised in the implementation of SLTR.

    “It therefore called on the royal fathers and community heads to live up to expectation and play such role effectively when the process commences in their domains.”

  • Abia reassures residents of quality health care delivery

    Abia reassures residents of quality health care delivery

    Abia State Government has reassured its citizens of its commitment to providing quality health care service delivery to them irrespective of their political and religious leanings and wherever they may come from.

    Speaking at the launch of the Health Fair in Bende Local Government Area, wife of the governor, Lady Mercy Odochi Orji said the commitment accounts for the huge government investment in the health sector whose aim was to enhance people’s access to quality health care services.

    Lady Orji said it was in furtherance of this objective that necessitated the building of the specialist hospitals in Aba and Umuahia, the dialysis centre in Umuahia and the chest, ear and eye centres also at Amachara in Umuahia.

    She maintained that government had also built 100-bed hospitals in nine local government areas and over 250 primary healthcare centres in various wards of the state, all with the aim of ensuring healthcare delivery at the doorsteps of the citizens.

    The governor’s wife commended the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji for showing great commitment in the health sector which has enhanced the quality

    of healthcare delivery and in ensuring that people of Abia State remain healthy.

    Speaking about the health fair, Lady Orji said it was aimed at educating and sensitising the people, particularly the aged about their health status and benefits of maintaining healthy living. She advised the people on the need to go for routine medical checkups.

    Lady Orji noted that good dietary and regular exercise will ensure physical fitness and ensure longer life, stressing that health of the people is the concern of the present administration. She also pledged that it will not be compromised for anything else.

    She also advised them to maintain clean environment, regular visit to health centres, even as she urged the aged to control their cholesterol and sugar levels by eating more of vegetables and fruits.

    She added that the fair was part of the health packages of Governor Orji which are targeted at reaching the people of Abia who live in the rural areas and taking the state to higher level of development. She opined that when the people are healthy, the state and government will be the better for it.

    Earlier in his address, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah said the health fair was a health awareness campaign aimed at explaining, promoting and providing health information to the people due to current insurgency of non-communicable diseases.

    Dr. Ogah said diseases such as hypertension and diabetes have become alarming health concerns globally and leading causes of most deaths in the world due to lack of appropriate knowledge among the patients as they do not show clear symptoms early enough.

    He commended the governor for recognising the importance of health of the people by ensuring that they remain healthy and enjoy the benefits of democracy, through the provision of healthcare facilities for the people at the rural areas.

    Dr. Ogah further praised the wife of the governor for her untiring efforts towards ensuring that the people of Abia stay healthy through her numerous health programmes. He urged the people to make good use of information and opportunity provided at the fair in bringing healthcare delivery closer to them.

    In his speech, the chairman of the council, Mr Ukwu Rocks Emma commended

    the Abia governor’s wife for promoting quality healthcare delivery for the people. He further enumerated other achievements of the governor and his wife which have positively touched the lives of the people.

     

     

  • Enugu rehabilitates UNTH roads

    Enugu rehabilitates UNTH roads

    The Enugu State Government is extending its massive road reconstruction to federal institutions. It has begun the construction of roads within the Federal Government-owned University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla.

    The internal roads at the UNTH are about 5.6 kilometres while the contract sum was put at N680 million. The rehabilitation would include drainage and culverts where necessary.

    The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Godwin Madueke, who spoke on behalf of thr government at the flag-off ceremony, said the state government would not relent in its effort to positively touch the lives of the people through the provision of basic infrastructure and social services.

    The commissioner further explained that the government was prompted to intervene in the rehabilitation of the UNTH roads as a result of several requests and complaints about the unpleasant condition of the roads by patients and staff of the hospital.

    According to him, the UNTH is not the first institution to benefit from the state government’s roads reconstruction programme. He added: “We are working on the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State College of Education and University of Nigeria, Nsukka roads.

    He said the government’s decision was informed by the needs and yearnings of the people in the state, despite the fact that some of the institutions belonged to the Federal Government.

    The Chief Medical Director of UNTH, Dr. Christopher Amah expressed gratitude to the state government for coming to the aid of the teaching hospital. “Our joy knows no bound,” he said.

    The Managing Director of Zarcus Nigeria Limited, the construction firm handling the rehabilitation project, Mr. Shuaib Adu Ojo promised to deliver according to specification. “I want to say we are credible. All things being equal, we can beat the deadline.

    Members of the community hosting the UNTH, staff and patients who were present during the flag-off narrated ugly ordeals while plying the roads. They said at every portion of the roads, one had to make a halt even with patients who require urgent attention.

    “The roads had been terrible and embarrassing. They affect the efficiency of services at the hospital,” said one member of staff of the hospital.

  • 2015: Monarch sues for unity

    As arrangements for the 2015 governorship election and contest among governorship aspirants to succeed Governor Theodore Orji thicken, a traditional ruler in Abia State, Eze Young Nwangwa has urged unity among the Ukwa/Ngwa people in order to realise their ambition of producing a governor of the state from the area.

    In a chat with reporters in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state, Eze Nwangwa condemned those opposing the zoning of the governorship seat to Abia South, insisting that the only way the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc could realise their age-long dream of producing an Abia governor in 2015 is to form a united front against forces opposing the zoning arrangement.

    “Ukwa/Ngwa people should come together and consider the interest of the area paramount. We must be united before standing against those opposing the decision to zone the governorship seat to Abia South.

    “The saying goes that united we stand, divided we fall. Since the governorship position which we have been fighting for over the years has been zoned to Abia South which is part of Ukwa/ Ngwa, our people from Isiala Ngwa North and South and Osisioma local government areas in Abia Central zone should support any aspirant of their choice from Abia South to emerge governor in the interest of Ukwa/Ngwa land.

    “Every Ukwa/ Ngwa man must unite to achieve this dream. It does not make sense opposing the zoning policy since every part of the state has agreed that it is the turn of Abia South to produce a governor in 2015 general elections.”

    The monarch, who is the traditional ruler of Ehere Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area, commended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the decision to zone the governorship seat to Abia South. He described zoning of political offices as the perfect solution to the cries of marginalisation by some sections in a state and country.

    “I’m fully in support of zoning. I commend the PDP for its sense of justice and equity in zoning the governorship seat to Abia South for the 2015 general elections.  Only zoning can promote harmony and peaceful co-existence among component units in any local government, state and federation.

    “In zoning, nobody will be cheated out because you are sure your area or constituency will get a chance to produce a representative. Zoning eliminates bitterness, bickering and cries of marginalisation. I think it should be inserted in the Nigerian Constitution.”

    On the adoption of a consensus candidate from Abia South for the governorship election, Eze Nwangwa called on political stakeholders from the zone to heed the call of traditional rulers in the state to play by the rules and consider the fact that only one person can be governor in 2015.

  • Abia residents assured of safety

    Abia residents assured of safety

    Abia State Police Command and the state government have respectively promised residents of the state and visitors of adequate safety of their lives and property.

    Ember months (September to December) are usually regarded as the height of economic activities in the commercial city as volume of trade, vehicular and human movement and activities are usually on the rise as the city usually witnesses influx of people from other states and other Africa countries.

    Abia State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu in an interview with reporters during an official visit to Aba Area Command assured residents that the police in the state were doing everything possible to ensure that lives and property were protected, especially in Aba as the city sets to host people from different climes who may be coming into the city for their businesses.

    Adamu, who accepted that ember months are usually hectic for the police and other security agencies because of the influx of people in the state said police were prepared to tackle any form of challenges, adding that the police, in collaboration with other sister agencies, have mapped out strategies to ensure that the peace already recorded in Aba and other parts of the state were not breached and when it happens, police would respond promptly.

    The police boss who disclosed that arrangements had already been concluded by the state government to distribute security vans to security agencies, described the distribution of the vehicles as timely, even as he expressed his hope that such gesture was not only going to solve logistic problems, but will also enhance their productivity.

    Thanking Aba residents for their support in crime fighting, he further solicited the co-operation of residents to provide useful information to police concerning any suspicious movements in their areas, stressing that being proactive is one of the easiest ways of crime fighting.

    He also had an interaction with officers; rank and file in the 16 police divisions under Aba Area Command. He promised them of better welfare, adding that with the expected or planned recruitment exercise by the Police Service Commission, the issue of shortage of manpower complained by some Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) would be addressed.

    In a related development, Abia State Government has equally assured Abia residents and visitors of their safety.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the state government, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, in an interview with our correspondent on the preparedness of the state government to tackle any breach of security said the “state government has provided security agencies in the state with the necessary logistics that would enable them to perform effectively within the ‘ember’ months and beyond.

    Ajunwa said people should feel free and go about their legitimate businesses without fear, adding that security agencies have also been put on alert to ensure that there would be no breakdown of law and order in the state.

    He said: “Security issues are not what we discuss on paper. But I can assure you that Aba residents and visitors that will be coming into the state during these ‘ember’ months to do their businesses that the state is doing everything possible to ensure safety of lives and property.

    “Abia State is and has always been secured. The state government has provided security agencies with the necessary logistics.

    “Those who reside in Aba and their properties are also protected as well as visitors that will come to stay or do business. No visitor has come into Abia State and had a problem in the past.

    “You know it is the primary duty of any responsible government to protect lives and property of people living in the state and the government of Abia State has done that 100 per cent.

    “Abia is the number one state in Nigeria when it comes to issues of security. It shall continue to make the safety of its citizenry and visitors a priority. So, people should continue to visit Abia and any part of the state having in mind that their safety is assured.”

  • Don warns against extinction of ‘Igbo cattle’

    A university lecturer has raised an alarm over the gradual extinction of the Igbo species of cattle.

    The Igbo cattle, which appears smaller than the Fulani cattle, were regarded highly in Igbo land as they were used to perform some traditional rituals.

    The Head of Department of Animal Science, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Arinze G. Ezekwe, who raised the alarm, decried the rapid decline in the production of the Igbo cattle otherwise known as muturu in the Southeast.

    Ezekwe warned that if nothing was done to check the decline of the animals (efi or ehi as people call it in some Igbo communities) in the zone, the future generation might not set eyes on them again because the animals would have gone into extinction.

    Addressing participants during a workshop on conservation of muturu cattle breed in the Southeast zone in Enugu, he said it was regrettable that the Biafra-Nigeria war was one of the major factors that affected the Igbo cattle (muturu cattle) when soldiers on both sides of the war sacked communities and killed the cattle which they used as food.

    The workshop was organised by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) in the South rain forest of Nigeria, comprising mainly some parts of the Southeast and the South-south geo-political zones of the country.

    Ezekwe said: “The relevance or the significance of this workshop is borne out of the fact that the muturu cattle which is synonymous with Igbo cattle appears to be going into extinction because the number is drastically going down.”

    He added that “the government is keen on reversing the trend now,” hence the workshop which aimed at sensitising the people again to see what could be done to reverse the declining trend in the population of the animal.”

    Explaining further he said: ”The Hausa people call it muturu because muturu means small–but the English name is West African suck-horn. Our people call it Igbo cattle (efi or ehi).

    “In many communities in Igbo land, the cattle are revered because they are used in so many traditional and cultural activities. With the declining population, the fear is that if nothing is done to reverse the trend, then future generations may not see Igbo cattle again.”

    Ezekwe recalled that in 1992 when the last census conducted by government on livestock in Nigeria by Resource Inventory Management Limited, the population given for muturu cattle then was 115,000 all over Nigeria. “By now, it must be lower than that number. So, that is the problem; it is not even up to 200, 000,” he lamented.

    Ezekwe said it was unfortunate that currently in some Igbo communities where the Igbo (muturu) cattle exist, the animal was being kept by older people of, say, in the age brackets of 50, 55, 60 and above, insisting that the younger generation must show interest in sustaining the animals, otherwise they would go into extinction when the older generation finally retired or passed on.

    Also speaking at the workshop, the Director, Animal Production and Husbandry Services in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ademola Raji said the Federal Government was determined to ensure the country’s self-sufficiency in food production in general and beef meat from muturu cattle breed in particular.

    Raji said: “I would like to reiterate that the Federal Government is very determined and fully committed to ensuring that the country is self-sufficient in food production in general and beef meat from muturu cattle breed in particular.”

    Raji assured that with the co-operation of the farmers and other stakeholders alongside the three tiers of government, the task was an accomplishable one.

    He said the workshop was significant because it marked a milestone in Nigeria’s drive to transform livestock production as a business through the capacity building of farmers in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) programme of the Federal Government.

    “The current policy direction is to ensure that Nigeria’s agricultural production met the need of countries within the sub-region through export as the country is highly endowed with natural livestock resources,” Raji said.

    To achieve this, he said the potential for livestock production and productivity will have to be unlocked and environment conducive enough for livestock production put in place for the private sector to actively participate in the industry and practice agriculture as a business and not as a development programme.

    Raji further explained that in view of this, the National Animal Genetic Resources under the auspices of Food And Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the Federal Government under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda has set objectives to “improve household income and food security through improved performance of the muturu cattle breed and paradigm shift of the muturu cattle production in Nigeria from subsistence level production into viable and profitable commercial enterprise by 2015, thereby generating jobs for our youths and create wealth among the rural  dwellers.”

    According to Raji, the workshop was expected to identify the constraints of the muturu breed as a beef animal, its potential, conservation techniques, among others that would enable farmers to maximise its potential as beef animal.

  • Release our members now, MASSOB tells soldiers

    The leadership of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in Abia State has called for the unconditional release of their members allegedly arrested by soldiers in Ohafia, even as it threatened that the Movement will not take it lightly should anything happen to their members on detaintion.

    The Acting Director of Information of MASSOB, Sunny Okereafor told reporters in Aba that 12 members of the group from Abia North were allegedly arrested while they were having their monthly meeting at Ohafia.

    According to him, the soldiers who came in four Hilux vans arrested 12 of them, even when no arm was found on any of them. They described the alleged arrest as provocative.

    “This is not the first time our members had been arrested by soldiers without any just cause. We have been pushed to the wall too far and may change our tactics if this persists,” he said.

    He, however, advised the Military to stop dissipating their energy on members of the Movement who he said had been non-violent in their struggle. They should instead channel their resources in fighting Boko Haram which he said had almost brought the country to its knees.

    “What are we talking about? Imagine soldiers fleeing from the Boko Haram onslaught that has caused so many problems for this country, only to turn around to arrest MASSOB members who neither carry arms nor violent in their struggle,” he said.

    Okereafor reeled off names of those arrested to include Evans Okoronkwo, Udonsi Kalu Ogbuka, Christopher Iroadiogu, Ikpo Innocent Kalu, Uka Ojukwu and John Eke.

    Others were Ferguson Okorie, Chika Uluocha, Marshall Apkan, John Kalu Obu, Ibem Nmecha and Godwin Nwabueze.

    Okereafor called for the immediate release of the members, failure of which he said, they would rise up in their own way in defence of their members.

    When contacted, the Public Relations of 14 Brigade, Capt. Umar confirmed that the MASSOB members were arrested by soldiers at Amaekpu Ohafia.

    Umar said the soldiers discovered some inciting materials while searching the MASSOB members who have since been handed over to the police.

  • Group urges youths to shun election violence

    A youth organisation under the aegis of ZEPUO, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has advised youths across the country to shun electoral violence. They have also been urged to be change agents in the country’s electoral process.

    Speaking at Okpuala Ngwa in Isiala North Local Government Area, founder and President-General of the group, Mr. Uche Ike said though the group is a non-political organisation, it aims at teaching the members to avoid being used to scuttle electoral process during and after the general elections.

    Ike said the group seeks to expand the political frontiers of the youth with the aim of making them key into the programmes of the ruling party. He added that while doing that, they should not allow themselves to be used as political thugs during elections.

    He said the youth are also advised to key into the Federal Government’s youth programmes such as U-Win, saying that the administration of President Jonathan has given youths of the country the necessary tools to express themselves. He opined that the only way youths could benefit from the programmes is to access the funds.

    He further said the organisation preaches against snatching of ballot box and political violence during elections. He regretted that politicians do not allow their children to come out during elections, let alone getting involved in any political

    He explained that youths in the area are being empowered both economically and politically by encouraging them to participate actively in politics and vie for elective positions.

    “But when they are not able to win any election, they should be willing to serve

    in any capacity they may find themselves in any arm of government after the elections,” he said.

    Noting that President Goodluck Jonathan has worked hard to empower youths of the country, the group revealed that it supports President Jonathan’s ambition for a second term, even as it urges Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji to represent the people of Abia Central Senatorial zone at the Senate.

    “President Jonathan has demonstrated a strong commitment to empower the youth through the U-Win programme and liberalising the power sector through genuine reforms, among other things that will help in empowering the youth,” he said.

    Ike further said: “The Alaoji Power Plant in Aba will help to engage the youth and when they are gainfully employed, there will be no youth restiveness thus the economy of the state will improve when they start paying their taxes.”

    The group is also supporting the zoning of the governorship seat by the Abia State caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Abia South, saying it demonstrates equity, fair play and justice as it will make every components of the state to have a shot at governorship position of the state.

    Encouraging Governor Orji to represent his people at the Senate, he said he has empowered the youth through the introduction of various schemes such as provision of cars for taxis, training them in vocational skills and granting them soft loans to start businesses of their own after receiving training. He added that no other governor has been able to achieve these since the creation of the state.

    Ike noted that the governor has made the youth have a sense of belonging, even as he urged them to make good use of the empowerment tools to better their lives. “Because of his good works, we urge the governor to take his good works to the next level by representing the people of Abia Central at the Senate,” he said.

    Mr. Ike expressed the view that the principle of power shift in Abia has been in existence since the creation of the state, adding that the founding fathers made it clear that power must rotate among the different components that make up the

    state for them to have a sense of belonging.

    Continuing, he said: “The power shift with regard to governorship position is accurate as the former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu who governed the state for eight years hails from Abia North while Governor Orji is from Abia Central. So, it will only be right just for Abia South to produce the next governor .”

     

     

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    The organisation preaches against snatching of ballot box and political violence during elections. He regretted that politicians do not allow their children to come out during elections, let alone getting involved in any political violence…Youths in the area are being empowered both economically and politically by encouraging them to participate actively in politics and vie for elective positions

     

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  • Aspirant’s ambition gets a boost

    The ambition of Friday Nwosu, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State for the 2015 general elections has received a boost as a group; Ikwuano/Umuahia Youths Assembly pledged support for his candidature.

    The group stated that Nwosu possessed the best credentials to build on the foundation and legacies already laid by the Theodore Orji-led administration.

    Spokesman of the group, Tony Oriaku, said his group was building on the wide support Nwosu enjoys among the PDP stalwarts and Abia stakeholders throughout the 17 local government areas.

    Oriaku hinted that his group, in its last general meeting at Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area, reviewed political developments in the state, adding that their findings informed their support for the PDP governorship aspirant.

    According to him, the group’s decision to support the aspirant was borne out of what he termed his level-headedness and ability to sustain unity, peace and development through building on the foundations laid by the present administration in order to take Abia to the next level.

    “We have considered all the aspirants for the Abia governorship seat for the 2015 general elections and discovered the PDP aspirant possesses the quality needed to enhance the socio-economic well-being of the people. We have watched with keen interest and critically analysed the aspirants and from all indications, it is clear that. Friday Nwosu is the best man for the job.

    “Nwosu is a great philanthropist who had, out of his own resources, supported many pro-people causes without making noise about it. He is a friend of the less-privileged. When we analysed his programmes and activities even before he showed interest in the governorship race, we are convinced that Abia State would be safe with him as governor than other aspirants.

    “It is therefore our conviction that, if he is supported to emerge governor of Abia State, he will certainly deliver,” he said.