The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Peace in Coal City

    Peace in Coal City

    Things are changing in Enugu State. Criminals are smoked out of their dens and made to face the music. There is peace in the state. The Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar indeed declared that the state was the safest, posting the least crime rate in the country. Last week the state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abubakar Mohammed substantiated that statement with facts and figures.

    Adamu spoke at the conference room of the state police headquarters, Enugu, the state capital, on the occasion of the first conference of the year 2014 with all the Divisional Police officers and Heads of Department in the state command.

    Analysing the crime profile of the state in 2012 and 2013, Adamu expressed satisfaction that the police command was really equal to the task of tackling crimes of all sorts in the state.

    The state police chief provided information on the recoveries made, kidnap victims rescued and the number of cases in court. He listed them as follows:

    Number of armed robbery cases reported in 2012 stood at 79; in 2013 it was 28. The number of kidnapped cases reported in 2012 was 39, six in 2013 while the number of murder cases reported in 2012 was 53; 25 in 2013. The number of  rape cases reported in 2012 was 30 and in 2013 it was 11, while arson cases reported in 2012 and 2013 were four apiece.

    According to Adamu, a total number of 205 reports of armed robbery were made in 2012 while in 2013 it was 72. Under recoveries made, Adamu hinted that a total number of 115 vehicles were recovered in 2012 while 18 were  recovered in 2013. And 82 local made pistols recovered in 2012 and 33 in 2013. Four AK47 riffles were recovered in 2012 while 1 was recovered,3 pump Action guns  recovered in 2012  while in 2013 1 was recovered. In 2013 2 berretta pistols were recovered while none was recovered in 2012.

    The comparative table further showed that in 2012 1 brownie pistol was recovered while none was recovered in 2013. In 2013 2 revolver pistols were recovered while none was recovered in 2012. Also a total number of 227 ammunition were recovered in 2012 while 51 were recovered in 2013.A total number of 190 cartridges were recovered in 2012 while 30 were recovered in2013.

    Under suspects arrested, Adamu stated that 188 armed robbery suspects were arrested in 2012 while in 2013, the number of arrested suspects stood at 92 .

    A total of 91 kidnap suspects were arrested in 2012 and 30 arrested in 2013, 37 cultists arrested in 2012 and 11 arrested in 2013 while a total number of 20 car snatching suspects were arrested in 2012 while 15 were arrested in 2013.

    Also, a total number of 11 kidnapped victims were rescued in 2012 while 7 were rescued in 2013.On the number of cases in court, Adamu informed that a total number of 70 armed robbery cases were prosecuted in 2012 while 28 were prosecuted in 2013. Thirty-four cases of kidnapping were prosecuted in 2012 while six were prosecuted in 2013. Fifty murder cases were prosecuted in 2012 while 23 were prosecuted in 2013 in addition to 30 rape cases  prosecuted in 2012 while nine were prosecuted in 2013.

    In 2012, a total number of 20 car snatchers were prosecuted and 10 prosecuted in 2013.

    Adamu gave kudos to the unrelenting efforts of his personnel as well as partnership that have existed between  the command and other sister security agencies, government and good people of the state, relevant stake holders, media organisations, neighborhood watch groups and members of the police community  relations committee in the state and appealed for more collaboration to make the entire state more safe and secured.

    He also used the occasion to acknowledge the effort of those that lost their lives in the line of duty and prayed for the repose of their soul.

    Adamu  restated the command’s commitment and readiness to partner with all relevant stake holders in the state in order to make the state safer and secured in 2014.

    He maintained that in the year 2014 that the command would embrace vigorously, community partnership which will see the command collaborating strongly with the community to fashion out ways to fish out criminals in the hinterlands through direct assistance as well as strong involvement of  neighbourhood watch group and members of the police community relations committee in various Divisions across the state command.

    According to Adamu, the command would be focusing more on proactive policing which will expose the command more to partnership, intelligence led policing amongst others.

    He further maintained that the command within the period under review, embarked made available the Emergency call line for the command for members of the public to always reach out to the command in time of distress and assured of creation of more distress call lines in the year 2014 for people to reach out to the police at any given time.

    He also stated that within the period under review that the command got involved in weekly retraining of personnel at the 3pmf Enugu as well as public Relations seminar and conferences through the police Public Relations Department of the command to sensitise personnel and also to sensitise members of the public on partnership and security tips and added that this will be vigorously pursued in 2014.

     

  • ‘Anambra election betrayed people’s confidence’

    ‘Anambra election betrayed people’s confidence’

    Chief George Muoghalu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Director-General,  Senator Chris Ngige Campaign Organisation during the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, in this interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, speaks on the election, its lapses, as well as the security situation in country, among other issues.  Excerpts:

    AS the influx of so many people, including governors, into the All Progressives Congress a blessing to the party or do you see danger in managing the defection?

    APC is a brand, and what is happening is expected because the situation where we are today in the country, people have always clamoured for an alternative, a very viable alternative that will provide them with opportunity to express themselves. So it is expected because APC as a party is seen as that alternative and people are moving into APC in droves and there is nothing actually wrong with that because like I have always said in the past, a political party is like a church or mosque where you don’t restrict people from coming in, only that you must have rules and regulations and anybody coming into the party must accept basically that there are set out rules and a constitution governing the operations of the party and when you are moving into such an establishment, you must have it at the back of your mind that you are going into the establishment with a view to (i) abide by the rules and regulation of that organisation and bring in your quota to the development of the organisation and in this case, developing the polity. So I don’t see anything wrong with that. It is expected.

    Do you think the PDP has collapsed?

    No, I wouldn’t say that the PDP as a party has collapsed because they have government at the centre and they have government in some states but at the same time, sight should not be lost to the fact that there are some problems. They have internal problems which have been brought to the fore and one thing you must understand, because of the position of PDP as a party that controls the government at the center, issues and challenges, internal squabbles and whatever that is brought to the public domain, will certainly concern or affect every politician or affect the polity because of the vantage position they are occupying but that is not to say that the party has collapsed. The party is still there as a strong platform and an alternative also to the APC.  For me, I don’t wish them collapsing, I wish them to be there so that some of us who have always wished that we have two strong political parties will have it in place.The APC on one side and the PDP on the other side so that each can call the other to order and provide alternative to the average Nigerian.  If you think this side is not doing the right thing, you give the other the opportunity to implement their policies all with a view to improving on the livelihood of the average Nigerian which I believe very strongly in our party the APC is the main.The greatest concern to us as a party is the general welfare of Nigerians.  So, I know they have not collapsed, but I wish them well.

    Why did APC lose the Anambra election?

    I make bold to say being an insider and at the forefront of what happened that there was practically no election in Anambra State. To say APC lost the election is totally unacceptable because it is not true.  We found ourselves in a situation where both the government at the centre and the government in the state collaborated with the supposedly Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the entire voting process with a view to installing a pre-determined candidate which I consider a betrayal of people’s trust and confidence.  This is also the view of everybody, even the international community agrees with this view.  What happened in Anambra State is a charade.  What happened in Anambra State cannot be considered an election. If they want to test popularity of APC in the state, if they want to test the credibility or strength of any political organization, let them organize free, fair and credible elections.  That is why we are asking for a total cancellation so that whoever is the popular candidate and acceptable to the people will win.  If they do that, they know APC as a party will win the election in Anambra State ten times over.  Let them stop deceiving themselves by saying there was an election.  How can you say there was an election when the voters register had no integrity?  What happened in Anambra was not an election because if it was an election, Jega won’t come out to say there were issues, so there was no election in Anambra State, what happened is not a basis for any test to determine the strength or the capacity of APC.If that is what they intend to do in Ekiti and Osun States, God help them because if that is their intention, I can guarantee you that our democracy will not survive its.

    You are talking about the lapses in the voters register, is it not due to the inability of APC to organise and examine the voters register as provided by law prior to the elections?

    What could we have done? We had no access to the register.  There is an organisation called INEC whose responsibility it is to organise free, fair and credible election in Anambra State as in the entire country, but they failed woefully, what are we going to do as a party?  There is a limit to what we can do. It is INEC that produces the voters register and it is INEC that plans and executes any election and as such is responsible for the materials.  An organization brings voters materials at 5pm to a voting point and you expect voting to start and end at 6pm.  Do we have access to the result sheet? INEC delivered materials to some points and withheld result sheets all in an attempt to manipulate the process to achieve a pre-determined result.  There was no election; there was nothing we could have done as a party.  Even the attention of the world was drawn to this manipulation before the election because I addressed a world press conference where I raised the issue of voters register manipulation. I raised the issue of late arrival of materials, in some cases outrightly non-delivery of electoral material, I raised the issue of withholding of result sheets.  Virtually all media houses in the country attended that press briefing where these issues were raised by me and they still went ahead to do the same thing so what could we have done?

    You raised these issues and you still participated in the election, why did you have to participate?

    Because there were assurances that it was not going to happen; I raised the issue for them to know that we are already aware and INEC in Anambra State was quick to respond that it won’t happen, that we should not worry, that everything will be done right. It turned out that the only thing that went right was withholding result sheets or late arrival of materials and manipulation of the voters register where names of registered voters were removed to make sure a lot of people were disenfranchised, particularly in some local government areas.So what were we supposed to do?  I had expected that having raised such issues, INEC would have been honest and sincere enough to prevent such things from happening because they had re-assured us that it will not happen and the whole thing happened the same day, so what could we have done? Practically nothing.

    The concern of a lot of your supporters is funding and mutual suspicion amongst all the parties that merged. There were speculations that Ngige had problems of funding prior to the election, what is your take on that?

    I make bold to say that funding wasn’t a problem.  In actual fact, what are you doing with the funding? Your funding is to handle your logistics affairs and we had no problem or challenge handling our logistics. We had no problem with that. Funding was not an issue at all.  One thing about an election is that any amount of money you put into it will surely finish, whether it is in billions or trillions. It is just for the organisation to plan properly, applying the funds available to their specific needs to achieve desired results and that is exactly what we did.  So funding wasn’t an issue at all.

    But could you have won an election of this magnitude without the backing of other governors under the APC platform? Were APC governors supportive?

    The entire APC governors backed the project; I can say that without fear of contradiction.  If you recall, a month or so before the election, all the APC governors met in Nasarawa State and the only agenda for that meeting was the Anambra election and all our governors were in attendance, except for one or two who sent their deputies because they were out of the country.  How else would they have demonstrated their commitment, some of the governors visited during the campaign in Anambra State to see how we were doing, some came before the election to encourage us, ask question and to see how we were doing.  So the governors were totally committed to the project.

    But media reports showed that the fund raising dinner you organised in Lagos was a flop because people did not buy up the project.

    That is not true

    So can you talk us through what really happened then?

    Governor of Lagos State hosted a fund raising dinner for Ngige in Lagos and it was successful.  Anybody saying something contrary is lying, the videos are there, newspaper publications are there.  Captains of industry came, politicians came. Please note that a governor must not appear in person to support a project. Governors could decide to host dinners for a project in their states. Don’t forget that as governors, they enjoy a level of goodwill among their subjects, their contractors and their friends. They can tell their friends to please support Mr. A.  Don’t forget also that there is a limit an individual can give in line with electoral guidelines and we are very conscious of that fact.

    So what really happened to the political class in Anambra?  Your detractors are insisting that one of the reasons why Ngige couldn’t fly or win in this election was that the political class did not endorse him.

    Who are the political class? We are the political class; I am from Anambra State, and we are the political class.

    They insisted that no politician of note in Anambra supported him.

    That is not true. A lot of notable politicians keyed into the project.  Those that have value to add, not just anybody.

    Anybody else?

    There are so many more who endorsed him who may not be known to you. To drive this point home, let me bring in an Igbo proverb that says “When a child is sent to visit a family, even if he meets the parents and older siblings at home, but did not see his or her friend because of whom he or she visited that house, if you ask him whether he saw anyone at home, he will say there was nobody at home when he visited” because as far as he is concerned, there was nobody because the person he expected to see was not there. That is exactly the problem of Anambra State politics.  There are specific people who have either out of popularity or notoriety made themselves identifiable as politicians in Anambra State. If you don’t see them in any particular project, you are likely to assume that those people are not supportive and such names in some instances are nuisances, they have no political value to add to you rather they major minuses. There is no law that says all of these credible ones must be together because there are many political parties and interests. There are credible people in the APC, PDP, APGA, Labour Party and others but it is a matter of who is the person, what is his pedigree, what is his style. How has he been in the system, what role has he played?  These are questions the person himself may not be able to answer. For the purpose of this election, there were three or four major candidates and these candidates have their individual friendships spread across the political class and they have took advantage of it. There is no way you will expect that one person will attract all. For example, I am identifiable with the APC project, if you are looking for me therefore in the PDP project and you don’t find me you will be right to assume that there are no members of the political class there because it is me you are looking for. If you go to APGA you assume there are none because it is me you are looking for but when you are not looking for me, you are looking for another politician, if you don’t find him in APC you conclude there is no political class there.  That is exactly the scenario.

    There are reports that a lot of the Deputy Directors of the Ngige Campaign Organisation who handled sensitive positions are people of questionable character.  This reflected in the scenario where you were actually fighting against the status quo before your appointment as the DG of the organisation.

    If there was any structure before APC, as far as I am concerned, it is immaterial. I am concerned as to the point of the campaigns and elections because Ngige Campaign Organisation is a creation of the National Leadership of the party of which I was at the point of commencement, the Deputy Chairman. Later I became chairman and the Director General which therefore meant I was to run the entire campaign with lieutenants and we had a structure that had two Deputy DGs  with about 15  directorates headed by a director and in some instances two deputy directors depending on the size or scope of the directorate. We also had about 15 committees that had specific responsibilities. Each committee had a chairman, deputy chairman and a secretary and that was the way we built up the structure and I must be bold enough to say that I had the support and loyalty of the deputy DGs and all other officers in the organization. In fact everybody accepted my leadership of the organization and we worked as a team and as a family.  I didn’t have any challenge as to the status quo because there was no status quo; there was no campaign organisation before I came to take over. We came with the campaign organisation; we started with it up and until now, we are the drivers, we ran the process, so I had no challenge, no issues regarding status quo. But you must understand one thing, you are dealing with human beings.  Everybody or most people have their own expectations; a lot of people also have what they expect as results, how they expect their own result. It is a case of 9 + 1 = 10, 1 + 1 + 8 = 10 and 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 5 = 10.  The question is achieving the answer, the process may vary from Mr. A to B.  Some people may not accept the way I want things done. They may wish it is done their way but unfortunately, I was in charge.  But in such situation as a leader, if I think you have a different process of achieving the same result, I call you, hear you out then try and convince you, using my own modus operandi.  I compare what I have side by side with your own then at the end of the day, it is either I convince you or you convince me, but the important thing is that we must to achieve the result.  That is how we worked so I didn’t have any challenge, so to speak.

    But your detractors see some of these directors, stakeholders and keyholders as people who did not have the capacityand credibility to win their Local Governments, Wards or even booths, so they ask how Dr. Ngige can bring these people to work with you, because the whole thing became a case of old wine in a new bottle.

    Fine, you see the issue of winning wards or Local Governments is not a basis for assessing the capacity of the peopleyou are working with, reason being simple; there was no election.  If you come to somebody’s local government for example, you bring voters register that has no integrity, you manipulate their result, you withhold the result sheet, you deliver materials late and at the end of the day you say the man did not deliver, you are not being fair.  If there was free, fair credible election, a voter’s register with integrity, materials delivered on time, election conducted, result sheet available and results announced, if those process were followed and at the end of the day the person fails to deliver then you can blame the person.  There are circumstances also that may affect an individual’s capacity to deliver within his local government or ward.  That is not to say that I will like to defend non performance, no I will not defend non performance, I will rather support and encourage performance, but I must also not lose sight of the fact that when a deliberate impediment is placed on the way, there is practically nothing the person can do and more so, we must not expect to win in the entire 21 local government areas of the state reason being that the candidates who are running the same election with you, have their individual strongholds.  Strongholds that were built out of sentiments and/or performance which you cannot wish away.  For example, there is no way my people will like a stranger more than they like me, especially when I have the pedigree.  These are the realities you must put into account if you are making any honest political assessment.

    Can you beat your chest and say that Dr. Chris Ngige was actually prepared for this election?  I asked this question with regard to the allegation that he lacks inter-personal skills; he did not reach out to the business community that no businessman of note in Anambra backed or endorsed him.

    The mistake you are making about backing and endorsement is that most notable businessmen will not come out in the open to back a candidate to avoid jeopardizing his business interest.

    Is that not debatable?

    Sure it can be debated, it is not rocket secure but the point is that some people may decide to take the risk.  So the businessmen who supported him may have done so devoid of the expected publicity as they may have businesses running with the Federal Government, knowing fully well that Federal Government is antagonistic to the man’s ambition, they might have projects with the state government knowing fully well also that the state government is antagonistic towards the man’s ambition, so these are realities that cannot be ignored. You must take this into account in making any assessment.  As for preparation, I can beat my chest and say the man was prepared for the election.

    As a person or as a candidate?

    As a person and as a candidate, there are certain things you cannot take away from him; you cannot take away his popularity, which is anchored on experience, having been there before. So a good percentage of the people who are aligned to him, are aligned to him on that note.They keep saying that if he could do all he did within a space of three years when he was Governor before, if he is given the opportunity, he will do better and he will improve on what he did in the past.That is why the campaign was anchored on experience counts.

    Let’s look at APC at the national level with regards to the 2015 general elections. Most people feel that APC is a paper tiger,  just blowing hot air?

    APC as a party is fully prepared for election; we only keep throwing this challenge to the establishment, give us the enabling environment, we want an INEC that is truly independent, committed to delivering on their mandate of providing free, fair credible election.Their mentality must change; their attitude must change if they are sincere about giving us a credible election in 2015.  We are asking the security agencies to see themselves more as Nigerians who have a responsibility to Nigerians more than an individual or a political party who certainly will go one day, they must be neutral.  Once this tool is put in place, the responsibility of voter education lies both with INEC and the parties, to keep educating the voting public.As for being prepared, APC as a party is fully prepared and will continue to prepare for elections.  I remember I told you sometime back that the strength we have, which I pray we don’t deviate from, is internal democracy.  Whatever it will take, I am among those who will continue to champion it, I know the party is focused on it, there must be internal democracy in APC as a political party, and we must have internal democracy, create the enabling environment for everybody to everybody.  Everybody has to have access to power, if you are the popular candidate of your people, you must be allowed to contest election, whoever wins primaries should be the candidate, whoever shows interest to contest for any office, please allow him to contest.The moment we agree on all these things, I am sure we will be on cruise control and the party will continue to grow.  The only time we are going to have problem is when we deviate from theseprinciples. These progressive principles we laid down by ourselves as a guide.

    Talking about deviating from principles, from 1999 to date, most Nigerians accuse PDP of lacking in ideology and one thing that people see in APC is that they are equally ideologically bankrupt because it has become an all comers affairs and at the end of the day, there is no single ideological point to where you can say, this is why APC is existing other than the craze and crave for power.

    I will recommend that you read our manifesto and constitution.If you read the two; you will understand basically that progressism and the welfare of the people are the two key cardinal points in the party.  As to people who are coming in, if you are willing to follow the rules, you are welcome because we already have a manifesto written down and we agree that everybody must implement this manifesto and the manifesto covers every aspect of our national life.

    But you have an infusion of PDP governors who have been governors for almost 8 years and they were not ideologically driven, they were just there to share the money according to some Nigerians and now they have joined APC……………

    I don’t agree

    They have joined you

    The governors, who came into the APC today, have a track record of performance. Would you say Kwakwanso is not performing, would you say Wamako is not performing, would you say Amaechi is not performing? Or the Kwara man, what about Al-makura.  Who amongst them will you boldly fault?  Except if you are blinded by bias.

    That is your own opinion and it is debatable.

    Certainly, there is no situation that is not debatable; it depends on the angle you are coming from, but there are empirical evidence to judge this people, but one thing everybody has been preaching is; when you come into a new system, you certainly will adapt, there may be changes you have to make in your operational methodology because the truth is that you are coming into a progressive party built on the premise of equality, justice and good governance , anchored on the welfare of the people.  The sum total is; where does the average Nigerian stand in your calculation.  We are saying things are not right, we want to change it. We are saying that the peoples vote must count; we are saying that the people must be the reason for government; we are saying that the educational system has collapsed; we are saying healthcare delivery has practically collapsed, we must look at them.  We are talking about security, we say we must look at them, we are talking about power and these are issues we have taken and studied critically and came out with a manifesto which I recommend to every Nigerian.

    Beyond the manifesto sir, you are talking about Amaechi and others; Governor Amaechi gets close to N20b per month from the Federal account.

    I had to talk about them because you mentioned the governors that came in but if you want to assess the performance of our governors, I will give you reference points.

    Please do

    Go to Lagos , go to Borno, go to Zamfara, go to Yobe, go and see what is happening there.

    But is Amaechi a reference point?

    Why not?

    With N20b every month and some people in Rivers State are insisting that he has not done anything with the money?

    You must not fail to note that the people who speak to the media may not be the people who speak the mind of the people.

    Is that not the same thing you said?

    That is an independent opinion, get down to Rivers State and see what is on ground, look at what the state was before he came in because when you are making an assessment of anybody, you assess him or her from the point where he started, where he is and where he is going to.  It will not be fair if you start assessing somebody without knowing where he is coming from.  The issue of Rivers State getting N20b has been there, Akwa-Ibom gets far more than that, Delta State gets far more than that so, when you are assessing Rivers State, you assess him taking account of where he is coming from, where he is and where he is going to.  When you look at states like Zamfara, Borno and Yobe, despite the challenges of insecurity, go there and see practical governance, go to Lagos today, go to Ekiti and Edo , go to Oyo, go to Ogun, these are practical things, it is something you go and see for yourself.

    Have you been to Jigawa or Katsina?

    The last time I spoke to you, I said Jigawa and Katsina governors are doing well.

    So would you want to compare somebody who collects N20b monthly to somebody who collects N3b?

    Compare Katsina with Zamfara and Borno, these are states that are on the same pedestal.  If you say Amaechi gets N20b, compare him with Delta that will be a fair comparison.  You can’t compare Amaechi who gets N20b and Zamfara who gets N3b.  Look at Imo State ; compare it to any other South-Eastern State except Enugu .  Just look at Imo State in 2years compare to other states in the south-east.  You are talking about something that is practical, go to Owerri, go to Okigwe, to go Orlu.  You see governance in practical terms and you ask yourself where this state was before this man came in? Where is it today and where will it be tomorrow, what is it going to be like after four years, if this can be achieved in two years. So if you are talking about states that get N20b, compare them with other states that get N20b.  It will be an unfair comparison if you compare Akwa-Ibom with a state like Zamfara because what Akwa-Ibom gets in one month is what Zamfara get in one year.

    But supporters of President  Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency have insisted that if you want to do comparison in the aviation and agricultural industry before he came into power, he has done a great job………….

    At what cost, let us put the cost implication on the table.

    But you never said anything about cost implication in what Amaechi is doing

    Yes, you mentioned Amaechi gets N20b, I said fair enough, he gets N20b but if you want to compare him, compare him with Delta that gets over N20b, compare him with Akwa-Ibom that gets over that, if you want to compare Zamfara, look for a state that gets N3b, if you want to compare Borno look for a state that gets within the range of N4b, despite the security challenges there.

    So are you saying the Federal Government has not done anything in agriculture?  Because the Minister of Agriculture, recently got an award from Forbes Magazine because of his strides in Agriculture. Aviation is another sector that has witnessed a lot of positive innovation.  Are you not recognizing these marked achievements?

    It will be unfair to say there is none, there is improvement no doubt.  But then, is there where we should be?

    And the Niger Delta Ministry for instance…….

    For the Niger Delta Ministry, it was created to address the imbalance, to address the failures of previous government as it concerns the Niger Delta people and it is commendable.

    What is your take on the importance of the ministry?

    The fundamental issue here is that we already have a Niger Delta Affairs Ministry to address the imbalance; I therefore want to commend the government for appreciating that there is a need to correct an imbalance.  The leadership as at then who created the ministrymust be commended; they should also be commended for what they are doing now because the important thing is that you are addressing the issues that concern the people. I am a people-oriented politician and anything that has to do with alleviating the challenges of the people, the imbalance, the unfair treatment at any point in time, no matter who is involved, I am for it.  So I am totally for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, I also want to use this medium to appeal that it should be properly funded.  For example, this East-West road is almost a National embarrassment.  It is a key project in the Niger Delta region, that once it is delivered, you will notice some improvement both in the economic development of that area.  So I can’t sit here and tell you that the federal government has done nothing.That would be very unfair.  I am not a politician who criticizes just for the fun of it. Any time I criticize any particular policy of government, I try to proffer an alternative.  The point I have made is that, yes there is improvement in the aviation sector no doubt about it, but at what cost, a lot more still has to be done.

    Talking about APC’s convention in 2014, speculations are rife that people like you are gunning for the removal of the zoning process so that it will enable you run for the chairmanship of the party, what is your take on this?

    Well, speculation is part of political life.  Anybody can speculate anything, I believe that there is need for zoning so that every interest will be accommodated, so that there will be equity.  As for the speculation, I like you to know that once you are in the open, anybody can say anything about you.  Some of these speculations are anchored on confidence, some may feel that you are good to do something; some may also feel that you are qualified to do something and the speculation can be built based on that.  But I believe my main concern today is that we should first build a strong party, we need a strong party before we start talking of who aspires to be what.  When the convention comes, we will be able to take our decision, but what I can tell you confidently is that there is consultation going on everywhere.

    But are you going to contest for something even though you don’t know what to contest for as it is now?

    Yes I am consulting very widely.  I am not a politician who dabbles into things, I like to consult. I like knowing what my friends, supporters and leaders think so that you don’t make any mistake.  It is not a do-or-die thing; it is about offering service, it is about bringing to bear your experience, knowledge and what have you.  But when you take this into account, you still have to understand that in every structure, there is leadership, there are interest groups and you must work in tandem with that.  And that is why I said for now, we are still consulting and when we finish with the consultation, we will issue a statement to that effect.

    Finally, let us look at the issue of security.  Few months ago before now, it was like hell let loose in Nigeria but thank God during the Christmas period, we did not hear of bombings, killings and all that, it looks like finally Mr. President has gotten hold of the security issues in the country, do you agree?

    We have had a lot of issues on security, but that we did not have any incidence in very strategic places in the country during this holidays is a welcome development and I am happy about it. This is one area nobody wants to play politics with because you can’t talk about driving an economy in an insecure environment.  For me, anything that can be done, any sacrifice that can be made to make the country safe should be of primary consideration because I see it as a primary responsibility of government and I welcome it.  So we will keep praying that everybody concerned will live up to expectation and live up to their responsibilities.

    Just before you go, still talking about security, INEC has said that the states under emergency rule may not be up for elections in 2015, what is your take on this?

    It is a joke because like the governor of Borno said which makes so much sense, the moment you say that, you have given in to the insurgents, you have confirmed that they are in charge, so you don’t do such a thing and more so, with the recent local government election in Yobe State which was reported as free, fair and peaceful with a large turnout  has made nonsense of that assertion, so I think that we should not think about that, INEC should prepare themselves and go and conduct elections in those states at the proper

     

     

  • Group donates classrooms to school

    Group donates classrooms to school

    Imo State government has said that education remains the biggest industry of the state and is consequently given top priority in the state.

    That is why the Rochas Okorocha administration has made free and qualitative education a major policy thrust of the state’s Rescue Mission agenda.

    The Commissioner for Primary, Secondary and Non-formal Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Uche Ejiogu stated this while inaugurating a new classroom block built and donated by US-based Ulakwo People’s Assembly for Community Central School, Ulakwo in Owerri North Local Government Area.

    Dr. Ejiogu noted that the Okorocha-led administration has repositioned and transformed the education sector as well as other sectors. Some of these achievements are construction of 305 units of modern school blocks and payment of monthly allowances to pupils and students of the state’s public schools.

    She further said government has sustained regular payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances, even as it has recruited more teachers to improve pupils and student-teacher ratio in public schools.

    She reeled off other achievements to include establishment of Owerri City School, establishment of Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies (ICAPS), procurement and distribution of 600,000 set of school uniforms and desks to all public school, among others.

    The commissioner praised the Ulakwo People’s Assembly for contributing to the development of education in the state, pointing out that government would welcome individuals, groups and communities that will identify and partner with it in this direction.

    Chairman Ulakwo People’s Assembly in the USA, Chief Adol Ibe disclosed that the association embarked on the construction of the five blocks of 10 classroom buildings as a result of the deplorable condition of the school.

    He expressed his hope that the gesture would salvage the awful school environment.

    Chief Ibe, however, commended Okorocha for the giant strides his administration has made in revamping education in the state, even as he assured that the association will continue to partner with government in its effort to turn the fortunes of the state around.

    Contributing, the Headmistress of Community Central School, Ulakwo and Mrs. Hope Nnaji thanked the Ulakwo People’s Assembly USA, saying that God used it as a vessel of change in enhancing the community’s human capital development. She prayed for God’s blessing s and guidance on them.

    Mrs. Nnaji noted that from 2011when she was posted to the school, its population has risen from 159 to 400 pupils, a rise she attributed to the free and compulsory education programme by the state government and the unrelenting efforts of the teachers.

    She added that with the new buildings in place, teachers are motivated and pupils enjoy environment conducive enough for teaching and learning.

    She also commended the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for supplying desks and chairs for the teachers, urging them to supply textbooks and bookshelves for the school library. She equally commended the free education programme of government as well the distribution of school uniforms to pupils in the public schools.

  • Honour for newspaperman

    Honour for newspaperman

    The atmosphere was electrified as the Argosy University, Chicago, United States and the Illinois School of Professional Psychology held their convocation ceremony and conferment of doctoral degrees on its graduates. One of those graduates was Dr Azubike Okoro, founder of Aro News and its pioneer editor-in-chief. Aro News is a regional periodical.

    At the occasion which was well attended by members of Chicago chapter of Nzuko Arochukwu and representatives of All-Aro USA.

    They witnessed as distinguished academics were decorated with the highest scholastic award “having satisfied all requirements, including rigorous dissertation process.” The event was held at the Down Town Chicago Campus.

    While on sabbatical, Mazi Azubike Okoro, Ikemba Arochukwu earned a second Master’s degree (MSHR) from the Graduate School of Business, Loyola University Chicago and concurrent enrolment into the doctoral programme at Argosy University Chicago.

    On November 15, 2012, he successfully defended his dissertation which focused on strategies for curbing fraud and stemming banking distress in Nigeria. Then, in January, 2013, he was awarded the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree.

    At a graduation party hosted by friends and relations at Vee Vee’s African Restaurant, Broadway Street in the North Side of Chicago, members of the elite club of Igbo professionals, the Friday Club International, congratulated Dr Okoro on his sense of mission that led to the enviable success.

    Also, the Arochukwu community in Abuja and its environs, including representatives of Nzuko Aro Lagos; not excluding colleagues and friends, were entertained at a grand reception put together by a committee of friends in honour of Dr Okoro.

    The event, which held at the Exclusive Garden at the Dome Club, Central Business District, Abuja featured an open air buffet, music, jokes and dancing and guests in their business casual attires relaxed themselves amid sumptuous meals, rare wines, networking opportunities and other side attractions.

    Dr Okoro is currently Deputy Director in charge of man power planning and career development at the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

    He started his career at the defunct Political Bureau in the Presidency from where he went into journalism at the Nigerian Economist Magazine before rejoining the public service.

    He was among few Nigerians, who were recently honoured with the highest professional award of Fellow by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) in September, 2013. The fellowship award, the biggest event of the Institute’s 45th Annual National Conference held at International Conference Centre, Abuja.

    A Human Resource professional, Dr Okoro has been a member of the Institute since 1983 as well as a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), USA.

    With extensive exposure in leadership development, some of the trainings, seminars and workshops he attended locally and overseas included Executive Development Programme and High Performance Leadership, University of Chicago; Overview of Financial Sector Issues Workshop, World Bank, Washington DC; Management of Performance and Reward and Human Resource and Change Management, RIPA, UK; Strategic HR – University of Michigan; HR Africa Conference, South Africa; Prince2 (Project Management) Practitioner Certification, RIPA, UK and Impact and Influence: Driving Outstanding Results – Ashridge Business School, UK.

    His varied research experience include publications in local and international journals such as studies on Industrialisation and Indigenous Manpower Development in Nigeria, Empirical Study of the Behavioral Pattern of Insured Bank Staff to Job Dissatisfaction; Perspectives on Arochukwu History and Civilisation; Survey of Employee Well-being Post-Bank Consolidation in Nigeria and Exploring the Role of Job Satisfaction in Managing Banking Distress in Nigeria: A Quantitative Causal-comparative Study.

    Some past honours he had earned included induction into the highest international honour Society for Graduates of Business, Beta Gamma Sigma at the Loyola University, Chicago and Merit Award for founding a Quarterly Community Newspaper, Aro News, bestowed on him by the monarch of Arochukwu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro (CFR).

    Dr Azubike Okoro is married to Stella and they have children.

  • Health, unity through communal walk

    Health, unity through communal walk

    On December 28, another edition of ‘Walk for life’ was unveiled. The walk is an integral part of Ibobo Ujaligwa, a human development project of indigenous Umuavulu Abor community in Udi Local Government Area in Enugu State. The project evolved from a group of inspired members of the community but has quickly spread to neighboring communities in its effort to celebrate the strengths of collective heritage.

    The programme helps to unite communities and also keep their people in good health.

    The three-mile run around the town terminated in the same place it originated – the Orie market Square, approximately two hours later. After refreshments of okpa (a local delicacy) and cold drinks had gone round, the people were split into two factions. The first faction constituted the children aged between 13 and 18 while just about everyone else – infants, youths and the elderly –made up the other group.

    The children took part in an academic competition organised by the Ibobo Education committee. The competition was organized as written tests in four subjects – English language, Mathematics, Physics and History. The venue was the examination hall of St Theresa’s Girls Secondary School, Abor and students thronged in to register for the competition.

    The second group gathered on the side of the market square for the Medical Mission, another arm of Ibobo Ujaligwa. The outreach started with a health talk by Dr. Eva Offiah, a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) with Parklane hospital, Enugu. His talk was centred on the issues of dietary regulation, exercise and their relevance to the general well being of the human body. Questions bordering on the relevant issues were asked by attending members of the community and the CMO did justice to all of them.

    The medical mission then kicked off. It was organised into seven stations – the Clerking station where patients were registered and their bio-data filed; Blood pressure post, Blood sugar post, Urinalysis post, Body Mass Index (BMI) post and Consultation where practicing doctors analysed the results from the conducted tests and diagnosed accordingly. The last station was the drug dispensary unit where drugs were dispensed according to the doctors’ prescriptions. This recorded enthusiatic patronage as many turned up to be tested for high blood pressure and other ailments. They were also given medication.

    The chairman of the Medical Mission for Ibobo Ujaligwa 2013, Dr. Neze Njeze in a chat with this reporter, noted that the medical mission was a definite improvement over the past year’s affair; in addition to the increased number of stations available, there has been a greater turnout of people. She praised the members of the family and community who had participated and volunteered in all capacities.

    As has become the tradition, the events were summed up in the Ibobo Cultural Night, which commenced at 7pm on Sunday, the 29th of December, 2013. Opening formalities led to a talk that introduced the idea of Ibobo to the teeming audience gathered at the threshold of Dr. Gabriel Njeze, host for the evening. The talk which was delivered by Mr. Chidubem Njeze, an IT consultant and electronic engineer by profession, was titled “Ibobo: How it all began”. He described Ibobo as a pot cooking over a tripod stand whose three stilts were representative of Educational foundation, Health foundation and Entrepreneurial foundation.

    Ibobo as a name, Mr. Njeze revealed, refers to the substantive quality of charm or beauty a person or people possess. The Ibobo Ujaligwa, consequently, identifies the substantive charm of the Ujaligwa people. The motto of Ibobo Ujaligwa – Eka di igwe na-aru ohue which literarily means ‘A Collaboration of Equal Partners’, he concluded, summarizes Ibobo’s laser-like focus on human capacity development and character formation.

    The second presentation of the evening was by Mr. Matthew Obodoechi and it was centered on the topic ‘History of Abor’. Ochiagha, as Mr. Obodoechi is fondly addressed, started his talk by stating that the history of Abor was entirely hinged on oral tradition, which by virtue of its nature, varied from family to family. He proceeded to recount his own version of the Abor roots. The founding fathers of Abor, according to Ochiagha, were majorly warriors who fought numerous wars conquering lands and domains over time. He emphasised the inherent greatness in the Abor heritage while noting that over time, the warrior-spirit of Abor sons and daughters had been channelled into more veritable ventures such as education, business and healthcare. Ochiagha concluded by charitably calling for other versions of the Abor origin from members of the audience, one of who was the traditional custodian of the Abor heritage and ruler, HRH Igwe Dr. C.C. Njeze, Ujaligwa II of Umuavulu Abor. The monarch needed no further prompting as he took to the stage with a presentation that added vibrancy and color to the picture of Abor roots already created by Mr. Obodoechi.

    The third and final talk of the evening was a topic, which questioned the modern Abor indigene’s commitment and loyalty to the presiding power vested in one’s Umunna (or kindred) by tradition; it was delivered by Sculptor Innocent Anidi. Aptly titled ‘I mawo ku ezhi di? I maru I mee gunu?’, the presentation encouraged indigenes to actively identify with their Umunna especially as distance was no longer a barrier in our technologically-advanced world.

    Other activities that spiced up the evening included Igbo speaking competition, traditional music competition, songs, dance and the Mr and Miss Ibobo pageant which yielded Mazi Nwachukwu Etta and Nwaada Munachi Orji as the newly-crowned Mr Ibobo and Miss Ibobo respectively.

    The highlight of the event however was the awards ceremony; first up was the awards for the academic competition. The chairman of the Education committee, Miss Somto Ukozor was on hand to introduce the Ibobo Education Foundation (IEF), a new initiative of the Education arm of Ibobo which had been formed to “battle the vices which are stealing the attention of our youths away from substance”. Supported by her committee, she outlined the many projects taken on by the IEF one of which was the ‘Donate a book’ campaign which recycled used books, originally belonging to older indigenes of the community, for the use of the younger students. The committee also announced the winners of their pioneer project – the education competition; while the winners in the four subjects were rewarded with books, the overall best three positions were rewarded with a high-tech mobile phone for third place, a laptop for second place and a laptop plus a scholarship of N150,000 per session comprehensively spanning the entire duration of a university education for the winner. Njeze Arinze took the third position, Ogbu Ifebuche was second and Ugwu Lucy was the deserved winner of the star prize.

    Other prizes given out for the evening were the Award for Personal development won by Miss Kanayo Anidi, Award for Ibobo person of the year won by Dr. Obinna Onodugo and Award for Sports person of the year which went to Chief Chilo Offiah.

  • Five years without polio in Anambra

    Five years without polio in Anambra

    Do you have a stiff neck or back? Or do you have sensations of abnormal reflexes, or trouble with swallowing and breathing? You just might need a physician to run a lab test. It could be polio.

    But for five years, no such symptoms or conditions have been recorded in Anambra State, thanks to a comprehensive health plan of the state government.

    Two frontline international foundations run by two of the world’s greatest philanthropists, Dangote Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have set a target to wipe out polio in Nigeria by end of 2014. They are Chairman, Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Gates, made the promise in Lagos.

    Dangote said the rate of polio in Nigeria, which has now reduced to about 51 per cent, would be kicked out completely by the end of this year as a result of ongoing efforts by the two foundations.

    He said they have intensified campaign to make sure that children in the states where polio is prevalent are vaccinated. Dangote confirmed that they have been receiving support from northern leaders and that many families have agreed to get the vaccine.

    On his part, Mr. Gates said they are collaborating to wipe out polio in Nigeria because they believe it will help to improve the lives of people and move the economy forward.

    Gates further said that the security crisis in the Northeast, especially in Borno and Yobe states, is undermining the fight to eradicate polio in the country. He noted that a lot of problems still remained as some states do not pick up the best vaccines while others do not release money as and when due for the implementation of the campaign.

    President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has initiated a reward system that would encourage folks in rural areas to take part in the routine polio immunisation programme, in all the 44 local governments of Kano State.

    Dangote promised that women who present their children for immunization would be rewarded with free Dangote household products such as noodles, pasta and sugar. He also proposed a more regular meeting of the stakeholders to assess the strategy in order to accelerate the pace of progress recorded so far.

    The Dangote Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Kano State Government had last November signed a Memorandum of Understanding to embark on strategies aimed at eradicating polio from the state. The partnership agreement also includes strengthening immunization as a core component of Primary Health Care (PHC).

    Minister of State for Health, Ali Pate, expressed satisfaction that Nigeria was on course to eradicating the disease, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that all the necessary funding be made available for the programme.

    In Anambra, Governor Obi said the state would remain polio-free as his government was determined to keep tackling health challenges of any form in the State.

    At the flag off of the Anambra state 2013 National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) at the Primary Health Centre Uboma, Ukpor in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikeakor explained that the objective of the NIPDs which is safe and free is to ensure that every child born in Anamabra State receives two potent oral polio vaccine, to sustain the interruption of wild polio virus in the state and to scale up delivery of other routine immunisation antigens and other child survival interventions.

    Dr. Ikeakor stressed further that the target population will receive OPV antigen for children from 0-59 months, BCG, DPT, HBV antigens for children under 1 year of age, measles and yellow fever vaccine for children of nine months of age and tetanus toxoid for pregnant women and women child bearing age, adding that special team will be employed to stay at strategic and transit positions to give OPV to children.

    Obi flanked by his wife Mrs. Margaret Obi, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Lady Henrietta Agbata, her lands counterpart, Barr. Chibuzor Okoli Akirika and some development partners said that Anambra State will be more aggressive in this year’s routine immunization to ensure that Anambra children are healthy.

    “We are here for polio immunization” Obi said. “We did it on quarterly basis last year but this year, it will be monthly because we want to be very aggressive to ensure that our people are healthy. Every child is important to us as we cannot afford to lose any of them as a result of ill health”. While his wife Mrs. Margaret Obi in an interview attested to the fact that Anambra is polio-free, she stressed the need to sustain the onslaught against the white polio virus in the state. Obi, accompanied by his wife, Margaret, daughter, Amaka kicked the exercise off by administering immunisation to many children. He said that he always tried to grace the campaign personally because children, who were the future of the society were concerned. He maintained that any society that neglected to take care of its children and the youth would suffer the consequences in future.

    The Governor who expressed happiness over the improvement in all health indices of the State, including the accreditation of major health institutions in the state that lost accredited before he took over Government, promised that he would not relent.

    Obi thanked those collaborating with the government in the fight against polio. His words:  ”We thank our partners – WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates, DFID, USAID, Red Cross, Rotary International, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and others for their contributions. We will continue to partner with them in our concerted effort to eradicate polio. Our commitment to achieving the MDGs and making our people healthy and happy is total.  Today, again, I wish to reaffirm our resolve”.

    The representative of Rotary Club, Rotarian Chika Ekwueme expressed happiness that for five years, Anambra has remained polio-free, which he attributed to the governor’s commitment to the people of the State and lauded the target of 2 million children for immunization during the Prof Amobi Ilika era as commissioner which the incumbent Dr Lawrence Ikeakor continued.

    Development partners, Dr. Rosemary Oyibe and Mr. Diden Gbofeyin who represented WHO and UNICEF respectively harped on the need to stamp out polio in Nigeria. Mr. Gbofeyin avvered that antigens will be used to boost their coverage and urged all stakeholders, community based organizations to make health facilities work while Dr. Rosemary maintained that eradication of polio in Nigeria is synonymous with eradication of polio in the world.

    Immunization of the children by Gov. Peter Obi and his wife, Margaret and distribution of long life insecticide treated net, soaps and biscuits to the parents of the children formed the highlight of the ceremony.

    Some parents, Mary Okoli, Monica Udebalu and Basilia Obiagha thanked the governor for performing the immunization exercise and for the gifts and assured him of their continued support for the polio campaign and prayers in the area.

    At another flag off at Atani, The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze said the exercise should be embraced by all to promote the health of children.

    The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Austin Nnalue commended the mass turn-out by people for the programme and assured that the campaign will be sustained to keep polio away from the State.

    The Transition Committee Chairman, Ogbaru Local Government, Mr. Steve Chukwuma thanked the Governor for his determination to promote the health of  the people.

    Also speaking the Transition Committee Chairman, Ihiala Local Government Area, Mr. Chinedu Ukachukwu noted that the Governor has brought a new dawn in the health sector.

    Mr. Ukachukwu said the well equipped Primary Health Centre in various communities have given people easy access to healthcare facilities.

    Then transition Committee Chairman of Onitsha North, Barr. Egwuoyibo Okoye thanked Gov. Obi, and his wife for their choice of Nnewi South for this month’s flag off of while polio virus in the state. He commended the governor for his massive road construction in the area and assured him that Nnewi South will surely throw their weight behind his anointed candidate come this year’s governorship election in the state.

    These commitments to eliminate polio earned Obi an award as the best performing governor on the eradication of polio in the southeast from Bill Gates and Melinda Foundation at a massively attended ceremony at the Women’s Development Centre in Awka.

    Speaking while presenting the award to Gov Obi which went with a cash prize of N120 million, the minister of state for health, Dr Mohammad Bate said the award was not by chance as Gov Obi had distinguished himself in the health sector which he observed had resulted in the provision of ambulances to hospitals, accreditation of schools of midwifery and the wonderful partnership with the Church and described the Anambra example as a total package, noting that the state had remained polio free in the past five years.

    Responding, Obi thanked the minister for coming to the state to present the award on behalf of Bill Gates and Melinda Foundation and noted with satisfaction that it was not one of the awards anyone could suspect as having been bought and said the state government would match the N120m it received with another N180m which would be ploughed into the building of ten more health centres in the state.

    Recalling some of his strides in the health sector, he cited the state’s first teaching hospital as an example.

    ‘What happened was that the government of the day admitted medical students without a medical school in place and the assessors said they would not accredit the university but I pleaded with them when I came in to give me two or three years to put a teaching hospital in place but they could not believe me as they thought it impossible that a teaching hospital could be built in two, three years. It was one of them that pleaded with them to give me a chance and they did. When they returned at the appointed time they were shocked to see the teaching hospital in place. It has since become the fastest teaching hospital to be built in Nigeria,’ Obi stated to the applause of the packed audience.

    A member of the state legislature Hon Nikky Ugochukwu, congratulated the governor on his award and said it was expected, given his unprecedented achievements in office and also commended him for his youth friendly disposition.

    The two events were attended by top government functionaries, traditional rulers, student nurses and stake holders.

    And Obi announced that his government will use the money it won from being the best State in immunization programme in the South-East to build 10 maternities in remote parts of the State.

    Obi announced it during the flag-off of the National Obstetric Fistula Repair Programme at the Amaku Teaching Hospital, Awka.   He said that the State had matched the 1 million dollars monetary award with 120 Million Naira for the project.

    The Governor also flagged-off the fumigation exercise against mosquitoes in the State.  He said the exercise was part of the State Government programme towards elimination of malaria.  He called on the people of the State to corporate with those carrying out the fumigation exercise since it is for their own good.

    In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Anambra State University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor thanked the Governor for turning the State University ground.  He invited the people to visit the campus of the University at Igbariam and witness the transformation going on there.

    Already work has commenced the building of 10 maternity projects in 10 rural communities of Anambra State. The project which will cost N30m per one is partly funded by the N150m prize money Anambra State received by coming first in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation award as the best State in the South-East in immunization.   Anambra State Government is providing the rest of the money.

    The benefiting communities are:  Ugwuagba, Umuchu, Awba-Ofemili, Urum, Umueje,Umudioka, Isseke, Azigbo and Umunze.

     

  • ‘Nigerians should ask what govt is doing with SURE-P cash’

    A director in the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Retired Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga has challenged Nigerians to ask their various governments, whether local, state or federal, what they are doing with their SURE-P funds.

    Nkanga said SURE-P funds are shared between the three tiers of government with the purpose of helping the federal government to fast track development in the various communities in the country and that the funds must be well utilised.

    The retired air force officer said that it was wrong for Nigerians to only focus on the Federal Government regarding the development of their areas when the other tiers get substantial part of the SURE-P fund, saying that the fund was made for good governance for the people.

    Speaking in Aba during the flag-off and monitoring of SURE-P/FERMA public works on roads in the Southeast, Nkanga who is the Southsouth representative on the FERMA board, said that it is only when the people monitor the movement of the funds that government at various levels will be up and doing in the discharge of their duties.

    Nkanga who represented the chairman of FERMA board, Chief Ezekiel Adeniji, said that the FERMA SURE-P public work programme has already employed 6294 youths across the country and expressed hope that before end of the year it would engage 10000 youths who are paid N18,000 monthly.

    He said that the present administration decided to start the SURE-P because of the youths in the country with the aim of allowing them to be gainfully employed, “So that they will not trouble their parents until they gain admission into a higher institution of their choice”.

    The FERMA board member called on the states and Local Governments to deploy their own share of the funds to engage the youths as part of the President Jonathan’s fight against youth unemployment.

    Nkanga said that the introduction of SURE-P is part of good governance for the people of the country, saying, “Good governance brings peace while bad governance bring anarchy and youth restiveness, but the present government under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan is out to correct the ills of the society through the SUR-P programme”.

    He said, “This is a social security programme designed by the President for the youths and in the last two years over 2000 Federal Roads have been maintained, over 200 communities connected by rail and thousands of youths engaged and by the end of the year the FERNA SURE-P programme would employ 10, 000 youths and they will be getting Goodluck alerts from their banks every month”.

    Continuing, Nkanga said: “We want to work and get zero potholes on our roads as directed by Mr President, which we have been doing and Nigeria is consolidating on that so that we can be respected in the comity of nations”.

  • Foundation’s tools for the needy

    Foundation’s tools for the needy

    The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Usman Tilli Abubakar has urged Muslims in the state to always live in peace with their neighbours and also form the habit of giving arms to the less privileged in the society as part of the Islamic injunction of Zakat.

    Abubakar said that Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam which is not compulsory except for the rich, adding that the well-to-do have a moral obligation to give out from the abundance of their blessings from Allah.

    Speaking in Umuahia during the first Zakat distribution ceremony by Zakat and Sadaqat foundation (ZSF), Abubakar who was the special guest of honour said that Zakat which means giving out is one of the foundations of Islam which must be practiced.

    Abubakar said that there is need for all Muslims to live in peace with their neighbours irrespective of wherever they found themselves, adding that the religion of Islam is founded on the basis of people helping each other and sharing the little they have among themselves and the needy in the society.

    The executive director of ZSF Imam Abdullahi Shuaib in his speech said that there are 42 beneficiaries of the foundations who will be given cash and four others who were given motor cycles and four women who were given sewing machines to help up lift their standard of living.

    Imam Shuaib said that they are in the state to identify with the less privileged in the society, “Who have suffered a lot despite the intervention of the state government, as government alone cannot handle the issue of helping or empowering such people on their own”.

    He said that giving out to the less privileged is part of the promise he made to them last year, adding that he believes that the gift they are going to get from his foundation will help them to live a dignified life and also to help them contribute to the economic development of their areas.

    The executive director of ZSF regretted that there are over 60% of people living below one dollar per day and that such people have been neglected by the people in authority, “So we have come to compliment where such people in authority have stopped”.

    Imam Shuaib said, “Our job is to compliment the efforts of the various governments, and we are urging all well to do people in the society to help by giving out from their abundance. This is because when the youths are empowered the country will be a better place and the destination point for investors”.

    He therefore advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials such as cash, motor cycles and sewing machines for their benefit and also to help themselves to make a better living for their family members and make themselves self reliant in the society.

    Earlier the chairman of the occasion Alhaji Suleiman Ukandu said that Zakat is part of Islam which signifies alms giving, stressing that it will also help to bring an unquantifiable blessings to the giver, as Allah always rewards givers and helpers of the less privileged.

    Ukandu used to opportunity to express his thanks to the government of Abia state for introducing the youth empowerment scheme through which many youths in the state have been given a new lease of life, adding that he hope that more Muslims in the state will also benefit.

  • Arochukwu death trap

    Arochukwu death trap

    The road to Arochukwu does great injustice to the larger-than-life image of this historic town in Abia State.

    The town is known for many things. One cannot say it is the most important community in the state. But it is indisputably the most important as far as tourism is concerned, and not only in Abia State but the entire Igbo land.

    This is because of the role the town played during and after the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The Aro, then, were the sole organisers of the trade in Southeast of Nigeria which then stretched from Idoma land down to the Niger Delta.

    Their influence was felt all over these areas as they were the major suppliers of the “product”. They were in constant contact with the Potokiri (Portuguese) who were the real slave dealers.

    But the people and the town were subjugated by the British after a large-scale war that was fought throughout Igbo land and beyond between 1902 and 1904. It was tagged The Aro Expedition of 1902. The influence of the Aro throughout Igbo land and beyond; which spanned over 500 years, came to abrupt end after that subjugation.

    The Aro had to turn to other means of livelihood. They embraced Christianity and western education. And they have excelled in all aspects of life. The first Igbo graduate, the late Dr. Alvan Ikoku hailed from Arochukwu.

    Ikoku was also the first President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). The first Igbo Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Nwakanma Okoro hailed from Arochukwu. Okoro was also the first man east of the Niger to lead the Nigerian Bar Association and the first Nigerian to have a PhD in Law. There was Christian Nwafor, the first architect east of the Niger. These are just the first known at the time of writing this report.

    Arochukwu has notable Nigerians present and past who have contributed in all aspects of national life–politics, government, business, medicine, journalism and sports, among others.

    The roll-call include Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Mazi Ukpabi Ukpabi, Mazi Alex Oti, MD Diamond Bank, Prof. Mark Chijioke founder of Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Kanu Nwankwo the football prodigy and Chidi Imoh the 100 metres champion.

    It produced the likes of late Mazi Sam Ikoku, the late Sir Alex Onyeador who is the first Nigerian to be a manager with Shell, the late John Onyeador who was the first captain of the national football team after independence.

    Arochukwu is the ancestral home of the crusader of boycott all the boycottables, the late Mazi Mbonu Ojike, the timber and caliber politician, the late Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe, the palm produce merchant, the late Chief L. N. Obioha, the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, the renowned author and human rights activist, Dr. Arthur Nwankwo, Prof. Anezi Okoro and Prof. Pita Nwanna, among others.

    But today, as important as the town Arochukwu is to Igbo land and Nigeria in terms of tourism, there is no passable road to it. The road that leads to the town from the Abia State capital, Umuahia, ended at Ohafia.

    Described as the worst road in Africa by road users, the Ohafia-Arochukwu Federal Road cannot be less described. The road has suffered neglect since the end of the Nigerian civil war 44 years ago. The road, stretching about 40 kilometres covers five communities of Arochukwu, the historical town hosting many tourists centres; Ututu, Ihechiowa, Isu and Abam, all of which are agrarian communities in Abia State.

    In normal circumstances, the journey from Ohafia to Arochukwu will not be more than 30 minutes. But, with the present deplorable condition of the road, there is no way a vehicle can make it in less than two hours.

    The plight of the communities was almost under check before the advent of Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 1999. Before then, the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) had awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the road from Umuahia to cover the stretch to Arochukwu and Ikot-Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State.

    Work started in earnest and progressed from Umuahia to Ohafia, a stretch of about 70 kilometres when Obasanjo assumed office. Obasanjo scrapped the PTF and all its responsibilities transferred to the Federal Ministry of Works.

    That singular action brought an end to the construction of that road up till this day. And 12 years after, the remaining section of the road from Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Army Barracks, Ohafia to Arochukwu and Ikot-Ekpene has remained untouched. The road caves in to the crushing weight of floodgates of every rainy season.

    To be fair to Obasanjo’s administration, the rehabilitation of the remaining portion of the road was re-awarded to Julius Berger Construction Company. At a time, the company started moving in their equipment to the area. There were jubilations by members of the communities. These equipment remained there unused for years. And after sometime, the company retrieved their equipment from the site.

    What went wrong remains a matter of speculation. The road was consistently included in the budgets of 2002 to 2007. It was learnt from a reliable source that mobilisation fee of N1.4 billion was released for commencement of work.

    The total cost of work on the road was put at N4.8 billion. But that money never got to the construction company. The company tried as much to get the money but all to no avail. Hence, it pulled out of the site.

    Nobody could give hint of what happened to the mobilisation fee up till this day. The representatives of the area at the National Assembly at the time were Comrade Uche Chukwumerije of Abia North Senatorial zone and Mazi M. A. O. Ohuabunwa who represented Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.

    While Ohuabunwa is no longer there, Chukwumerije is still at the Senate. It is on record that Ohuabunwa tried as much to see that the road was fixed, but his lone efforts could not yield any result.

    The current representative of the area in the Federal House of Representatives, Prince Arua Arunsi, our correspondent learnt, is on the neck of the contractors. He had expressed displeasure over the “virtually abandoned work on the road.”

    The Abia State government had wanted to fix the road, but was prevented by the Federal Ministry of Works. The government had, indeed, mounted its sign post and started work but were “driven” away by the Federal Ministry of Works.

    Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji once told this reporter that “I cannot imagine why a town as important as Arochukwu will not have a road to access it. This is disturbing. I have begged the Federal Ministry of Works to allow us enter the road, they refused. I don’t know why. They say they have awarded it to a company but there is no progress at all.”

    Actually, the contract for the rehabilitation of the road has been re-awarded to a construction company. But the snag there is the capability of the company to handle the road reconstruction effectively.

    For the past two years the company started work on the road, it has not done up to three kilometres. It had blamed the rainy season for the slow pace of work. But since the rain subsided, the story remains the same.

    When South-East Report visited the site, no work was going on. But there were some equipment lying idle while motorists struggle to find their way through the rough road. The road is expected to be completed by June this year. Although the construction company has formally apologised to the people of Arochukwu for its lackluster approach, it promised to complete work on the road as scheduled. It is doubtful that it can fulfill their promise going by what is on ground.

    An official of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had told this reporter that they cannot intervene on the road because it is still under “reconstruction” by the contractors of the Federal Ministry of Works.

    He said: “It is only when they complete work on it that we will take over for maintenance.” But the baffling thing is that the signpost of FERMA is mounted at various points on the road.

    A community leader of the area who wouldn’t want his name in print said: “Our representatives in the National Assembly should explain to us what is happening to that road since 1999. They gave us hope that they would tackle the issue of the road head-on. But, up till now, nothing has been done about it.”

    As a result of the incredible condition of the road, transporters charge as much as N700 from Ohafia to Arochukwu. This would have normally cost N100. Commercial farmers in the area no longer produce enough for export to the cities as vehicles that would convey them are no longer willing to ply the road. They have now resorted to subsistence farming to sustain their families.

  • Monarchy redefined in Imo

    Monarchy redefined in Imo

    Traditional rulers in Imo State are no longer restricted to their palaces from where they administer their kingdoms. Why? A new role assigned to them now allows them to also participate in the day-to-day running of the government.

    Their new role encapsulated under the newly created Traditional Parliament of Imo State has given the monarchs the opportunity to collaborate with the government and the people in the process of development and improving the lots of their subjects.

    The Parliament, otherwise known as the ‘Ogbako Ndi Eze Imo,’ is structured after the State House of Assembly and its activities and procedures equally have stunning similarities with that of any other parliament. One could mistake the sitting of the Ogbako for that of the Senate except for their traditional regalia and wooden Mace that looks like an object of traditional worship.

    The membership of the Traditional Parliament is strictly restricted to traditional rulers from government recognized who holds their sittings once in every three months in the hallow chambers, known as ‘Ime Obi’.

    The Parliamentary procedures is similar to all Legislative Houses in the country even though the ‘Ogbako’  does not embrace all the rules and behaviors of the legislative Houses as a result of traditional observances.

    Also like every other Legislative House, the Traditional Parliament has eight Principal Officers made up the Chief Presiding Officer, known as ’Eze Imo/Aka-ji-ofor, who shall be the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, three Deputy Chairmen from the three Senatorial zones of the state, the Secretary, The Public Relations Officer(Okwuru Ndi Eze), the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip.

    The procession is also very much like that of the national and state Assemblies, except that all deliberations are done in Igbo language. The mace bearer or the Sergeant at Arms who is known as ‘Aka-bu-nkpo-Ogbako’, takes the lead followed by the ‘Eze Imo’ while chanting a slogan in the local parlance Aka-Ji-Ofor Eze Imo! Ofor Ree’, just as obtained in every other Parliament”.

    The appointment of Chairman or Eze Imo and his three deputies is done by the State Governor, while the remaining principal officers are elected by the general House through a simple majority vote.

    Every session starts by 10am, except where there is need for time change and all members shall be seated in the ‘hallowed chambers’ before the entrance of the ‘Eze Imo and the closure which is usually by 2pm commences with a motion by any of the members praying that the activities of the day be adjourned to another date. This motion shall be seconded by another member and put to voice vote.

    The Mace known as the ‘Nkpo Ogbako’ like that of other Legislative Houses, bears the Nigerian Coat of Arms but made of a wooden staff issued by the government. During the sitting of the traditional rulers, the Mace embodies the various official staff of office of all the traditional rulers and no sitting is valid without the Mace.

    Also the Gavel or ‘Ofor’ during every sitting is in the possession of the ‘Eze Imo’ or any other person presiding on his behalf and once the presiding officer strikes the ‘Ofor’ it signifies the end or conclusion of any issue.

    During sittings, the ‘Eze Imo’ allocates seats to all members with the Principal Officers, Grand Patrons and Patrons sitting in front row. A member’s seat represents his autonomous community and he can only speak from his seat. No member can seat one another’s seat.

    For every valid session of the ‘Ogbako’ to commence, a one-third of the members must be in attendance to form a quorum and the passage of a resolution is by a simple majority vote by the sitting members through a voice vote moderated by the presiding officer just like in the National or State Assemblies.

    The rules and code of conduct during sittings, stipulate that no member can use profane, offensive or abusive language in the hallowed chambers, no member is allowed to take snuff or smoke during sittings, members are also nit allowed to come into the Chambers with Firearms, machetes and any other dangerous materials and there are no clapping of hands during sessions.

    A non-member can only be allowed into the Hallowed Chambers after a motion is moved and seconded and this is also applicable to the State Governor and other government functionaries as well as traditional rulers from other states.

    The Traditional Parliament has the powers to summon any government official through the office of the State Governor to provide it with clarifications on matters of state interest.

    The members enjoy certain immunity to the extent that no member can be held responsible for statements made during sittings.

    Another unique feature of the ‘ogbako’ is the existence of standing Committees like in any other Parliament, which include the Security Committee, Communities Development/Town Union Committee, Inter-Governmental Agency Committee, Igbo Language, Culture and Traditional Sports Committee.

    Others are the Education and Core Ethical Values Committee, Health Committee, Lands, Agriculture and Foods Security Committee, Information and Strategy Committee, Legal, Justice and Public Complaints Committee and the Chieftaincy Committee.

    Although the resolutions of the Traditional Parliament if not binding on the state government but the government is morally expected to accept the good resolutions of the ‘Ogbako’ in furtherance of good governance.

    The role and importance of the Traditional Parliament in the state cannot be over emphasized. Since inauguration of the ‘Ogbako’ it has remained a strong partner with the state government especially in conflict resolution and enhancement of internal security in the state. It has also helped in no small measure in reviving the Igbo language and culture.

    Recently, the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, announced that all political appointees must be screened by the Traditional Parliament before they would be cleared for appointment.

    The Governor pointed out that traditional rulers across the country have a major and important role to play in building a united  nation by offering their wealth of experience to the political class.

    According to him, they should be structured into government to give them the opportunity to contribute their quota in governance, ”our royal fathers should be given a place of honour where they can play their God given role of providing direction for those in authority.

    Although the aim of establishing the ’Ogbako’, was not  to duplicate the functions of the State Assembly, it provides the State Assemblies with in-depth knowledge of the norms and traditions of the people even though  its resolutions are subject to the ratifications of the State Assembly.