Category: Southeast report

The Abia State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated it’s Campaign Council ahead of next year’s general elections with a charge for the council to lead the party to total victory.

Inaugurating the Council at Ochendo International Conference Center, Umuahia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, charged the Council members to approach the forthcoming elections with the seriousness it deserves and shun complacency.

He urged aggrieved party faithful in the state to sheath their sword and support the party to victory as the PDP has all it takes to protect the interest of all members.

Governor Ikpeazu reminded the Council that they were supposed to sell the party’s message for next year’s general elections as they were carefully selected since they can harness the resources to win the 2023 election.

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In his remarks, the Abia PDP Governorship Candidate for the 2023 general elections, Professor Uche Ikonne applauded Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for the credible way he has managed the affairs of the state and the party in extension and promised to improve and consolidate on the achievements recorded by the present administration.

In his speech earlier, the State PDP chairman Rt Hon Asiforo Okere said that all members of the PDP are automatic members of the campaign council as the council has been structured into State, Local Government, Ward and Unit levels.

The State PDP chairman who said that the mandate of the council is to deliver PDP Candidates at all levels, added that members of the council are expected to lead campaigns in their various LGAs,Wards and Units while the Local Government Executive Chairmen of the 17 LGAs are expected to inaugurate Campaign Councils at their various Local Government Areas by next week.

Jubilant principals and teachers of secondary schools in Enugu State, under the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB), yesterday, converged on the Government House, Enugu, in their numbers to celebrate and appreciate Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the exceptional attention his administration has paid to their wellbeing and the education sector.

They stressed that Ugwuanyi’s administration has been regular in the payment of their salaries unlike some states in the country, and has carried out various sterling reforms in the education sector that have repositioned the sector and earned Enugu State laurels within and outside the country.

They therefore passed a vote of confidence on the governor even as they assured him of their unalloyed support and votes at the polls to represent Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Led by the new Chairman of PPSMB, Dr. Mrs. Favour Ugwuanyi, the principals and teachers told the governor that they are solidly behind the choice of Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election, assuring him that they will also vote for Barr. Mbah, his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai and all other PDP candidates in the state.

While appreciating Governor Ugwuanyi for reconstituting the PPSMB and bringing in intellectuals with proven track record, the principals and teachers disclosed that their positive impact is already being witnessed in the state’s education sector.

On his part, the Chairman, Enugu State Association of Nigerian Conference of Principals of Schools (ANCOPS), Mr. Robert Okolie, maintained that the recent ranking of Enugu State as first among public secondary schools in Nigeria that presented candidates for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination in 2021 was as a result of Ugwuanyi administration’s investment in the education sector.

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Describing Ugwuanyi’s administration as an “Education-friendly administration”, the PPSMB Head of Department (HOD), Central Registry, Mrs. Joy Agbara, stated that the governor’s good work in the education sector is enormous, pointing out that they include conversion of teachers, payment of inherited promotion arrears,  recruitment of 1,000 teachers, renovation and construction of classroom blocks, provision of modern learning tools, such as computers, laboratory equipment as well as instructional materials, among others.

Speaking in the same vein, the Coordinator, Teachers for Good Governance (TGG), Mrs. Ify Dunu, the Chief Supervising Principal (CSP), Mr. Christopher Ekwunife and Mrs. Chinedu Eze from PPSMB Headquarters, all applauded Ugwuanyi administration’s transformational policies in the education sector and commitment to the wellbeing of the teachers, reassuring the governor of their support for his senatorial bid and that of Barr. Mbah, and other PDP candidates.

Endorsing their stance, the Chairman of PPSMB, Dr. Mrs. Ugwuanyi, informed the governor that the joy on the faces of the teachers was borne out of their conviction that the governor has done so well for them.

The State Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, the PDP candidate for Nsukka West Constituency, Hon. Amos Amadi Agbo, former Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Hon. Ogbo Asogwa, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Religious Matters, Bishop Chinedu Nwoye, Permanent Secretary/Secretary of PPSMB, Remigius Chibuzo Eze, and a Board Member, Ugochukwu John Eneze, were among the dignitaries that witnessed the event.

In a related development, women from the Orba, Ugwuanyi’s community in Udenu LGA, under the auspices of ‘Orba Women Circle of Friends’ also visited the governor to express their solidarity and support for his senatorial bid in 2023.

Led by their President, Mrs. Ngozi Eze, the Orba women, who appeared in their colourful attires, conveyed their deepest and heartfelt gratitude to God for deeming it worthy for their illustrious son to occupy the exalted office as the Governor of Enugu State.

Edo State Government has pledged support for residents of riverine communities, noting that it has put in place plans to provide relief for residents on the banks of River Niger.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Osasere Evboumwan, who addressed reporters during inspection of facilities at the Resettlement Camp, Udaba Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government, said the state planned to ensure proper relocation of residents in lowlands and riverine areas, who might be displaced from their homes by the rising water levels occasioned by overflow of the River Niger.

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He said warning alerts have been issued to residents in lowlands, adding that food, blankets and medicines are available in the state’s warehouse.

According to him, facilities at the camp include: hostels (halls of residence), offices, toilets, bathrooms, water tanks, borehole, a standby 30kva generator, a backup solar borehole and mosquito nets.

Other items are: mattresses, pillows, a large outer kitchen and a washroom to ensure good hygiene, among others.

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has launched additional 300,000 seedlings to be planted across the state.

He did this yesterday to mark the state’s 2022 Coconut Day Celebration at Mkpu, Itu Mbonuso in Ini Local Government, to boost the supply of raw materials to the coconut oil factory in the state.

The governor described the coconut planting exercise as the hallmark of activities held to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the state.

He hoped that the state would become an economic hub with the availability of raw materials to boost production at St Gabriel’s Coconut Oil Factory.

“Among the activities to mark the state’s 35th anniversary, this is one of the most remarkable. Today, we want to inaugurate the first phase in this local government.

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“Based on the survey we have done, Ini will give us a very high yield with hybrid coconut.”

“As announced all over the 31 local governments, we are planting 300,000 coconut seedlings at the same time between now and 2pm.

“Our target before I hand over the baton to the incoming governor is to plant two million coconut seedlings and before December we will meet this target,” Emmanuel said.

He advised the community to protect the project, explaining that the coconut plantation would generate income to the state, as virgin coconut oil sells higher than crude oil at the international market.

Agric Commissioner Dr. Offiong Offor thanked Governor Emmanuel for facilitating the project, which she noted had been a task in increasing raw materials for the coconut oil factory.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri yesterday met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Diri, accompanied by his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, ex-Military Governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, and the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama, King Bubaraye Dakolo, sought the President’s intervention and the support of the Federal Government in addressing critical infrastructural and developmental issues in the state.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying that in pursuance of the President’s policy to establish six federal universities of medical sciences and bio-medical technology in the country, the state was willing to hand over Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) to the Federal Government to cover the Southsouth.

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The governor noted that the medical institution was equipped with a 300-bed hospital and had its programmes accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The governor equally sought the support and collaboration of the Federal Government on the ongoing three senatorial road projects in the state. They include the Yenagoa-Angiama-Oporoma-Ukubie road in Bayelsa Central, the Sagbama-Ekeremor-Agge road (Bayelsa West) and the Yenagoa-Ogbia-Nembe-Brass road (Bayelsa East).

Controversial Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has appealed to members of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) to stop protest, as he officially departed for the monastery.

He made the call via a video uploaded on the ministry’s official Facebook handle yesterday.

In the viral video, Mbaka told his followers that he was departing for the monastery in obedience to his bishop.

He said they should support him with prayers, as he was embarking on deeper reflections waiting on the Lord.

The Adoration Ministry, shut three months ago, was re-opened on Sunday.

In the place of Fr. Mbaka, another clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Anthony Amadi, was posted to take charge of the ministry.

Mbaka has denied prophesying against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi.

The cleric, in a new video on the AMEN’s official page, said he never mentioned the former Anambra State governor’s name during his sermon.

Read Also: Catholic church explains Mbaka’s ‘removal’

There had been reports that during a Sunday mass last week, the clergyman uttered some prophecies against Obi. However, in his reply, Fr Mbaka advised those he termed purveyors of the fake news to apologise.

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo has commented on the controversies surrounding the transfer of Mbaka to a monastery.

In a statement yesterday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) Worldwide said the decision of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu against Mbaka was a continuation of the age-long witch-hunting of the priest.

Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the national president of OYC, who signed the statement, said the group had over one year ago alerted of a sinister plot to take over the Adoration ground.

He said in the light of the above, there would be dire consequences as long as Mbaka stayed away.

“Many people will lose their jobs; many will drop out of schools; the consequences of this decision will be more than anyone has imagined.

“This is why we have always appealed to his Lordship, the Bishop, to handle Mbaka’s case with caution, but it’s like some people are influencing him negatively,” Nnabuike added.

Year yesterday gripped residents and passengers in Awka, Anambra State, as a tanker suspected to be carrying petrol fell at Aroma junction.

It was later discovered that the articulated truck was conveying palm kernel oil to an unknown destination.

When the tanker fell, people scampered for safety; drivers abandoned their vehicles and ran.

The palm kernel-laden truck was descending the hill from Enugu axis of the Awka-Onitsha when the driver lost control and in the process of avoiding casualties, swerved towards the flyover at Aroma and crashed.

An eyewitness told The Nation that the driver veered off the road while attempting to dodge a hummer bus said to be owned by revenue agents, as well as commuters waiting for vehicles at the junction.

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The source said: “The driver was brave. He should be praised for being a trained one, otherwise, we would have been talking about over 70-80 deaths today (yesterday).

“The accident occurred in front of Sunny Star Company Park at Aroma. Over 15 vehicles were loading at the time, while no fewer than 20 persons were waiting for buses plying Eke Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia. It was the Lord’s doing.”

When The Nation visited the scene, residents were seen scooping palm kernel oil, while others watched in bewilderment.

Firefighters, who arrived shortly after the accident, assisted with water to neutralise the contents, while the area was cordoned off, as motorists diverted to other routes.

Restore Foundation For Child Sight (RFFCS), in partnership with Lagos Alibinism Awareness Society (LAAS), has conducted a three-day free eye care examination and treatment for children living with albinism in Lagos. The free medical outreach takes place four times a year.

Children from three months to 16 years formed a large percentage of beneficiaries of the eye care evaluation and treatment, which was held at the LAAS office, No 3 Jibowu Road, NERDIC House Yaba.

According to the Executive Director, RFFCS, Mrs Halima Alimi, the eyes of children living with albinism develop differently due to a lack of melanin pigment during the developmental stage in the womb.

For this reason, Alimi said their vision would be troubled.

She added that their eyes come with a high set of complex errors such as long-sightedness, short-sightedness, astigmatism and unequal eyes.

“The situation is what the Foundation can do something about so that it does not compound the existing structural problems. Almost every child seen today, needed glasses because they have eye problems. Subsequently, the Foundation will continue to see any referred child with albinism in our office. What we do is that we facilitate therapy; we want to make sure that the child gets the necessary help.

“We know people have different social-economic levels, so we look at where we can help. For example, we have those who can afford to pay for glass, those who can pay a reduced cost and those who honestly can’t afford anything, so we help them by doing it free for children. We hope that every child living with albinism gets help,” she said.

Alimi, who spoke with The Nation advised that it is best to start the examination and treatment of the eyes of children living with albinism at the age of three months, so, that their vision doesn’t get to where it shouldn’t.

She said: “The narrative we are eager to put out is that Nigerians need to start checking their eyes from baby age. Today we examined four to six months old babies.

“That is the kind of thing we want to see. A lot of children saw us for the first time at age seven, eight to ten, and they have never used eyeglasses. The right time they need to come in is at baby age, so they can also have a good vision. They are born with eye challenges, some of which we can’t do anything about. Therefore, we need to optimize what they have and where they can’t do, and this is only possible if you start from a young age.

“So we also want to put out the narrative going forward that anyone who knows any child born with albinism, their parents need to know that as early as three months of age, the child already needs to start having eyes evaluations so we can determine the exact moment when it became significant enough for them to need to wear glasses. We had a month-old today that needs to wear glasses, they are never too young just depends on what the problem is. So, that is what we set out to do, and we always go after the disadvantaged children.”

The two-year-old Foundation has carried out medical outreaches in the Makoku community, with over 1,000 children given free glasses and surgeries performed on some of them. It has trained over 1,500 school teachers on ways to identify children with vision problems in classrooms across the state.

The NGO has also intervened for free eye surgery for children from persons in the state.

The Young Progressive Party (YPP) candidate for Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, Ibe Nwoke, has pledged to represent the people of the state in the House of Representatives.

The YPP candidate said

his constituents will feel the dividends of democracy when elected next year.

Nwoko, who was the immediate past Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, said: “The yearning of our people is to enjoy the dividends of democracy as expected but the reverse has been the case in the recent past. Therefore, the need to effectively ensure that our people feel and enjoy the gains of democratic governance.”

According to him, the height of bad governance in Abia State necessitated the birth of YPP.

“It made it imperative for me and other candidates of the party to step in, to answer the clarion call and to fill the void for the common good of the good people of Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency,” he said.

Speaking on his ambition to represent the state at the Federal House of Representatives, Nwoke said: “I have a passion to bring quality representation to my people to fill the gap of unemployment especially among our youths, bring quality health care services, social amenities and other developmental projects that will benefit my people. I have done it before, and I will continue to do it.

“The clamour for young people to take over leadership across the globe begins now and we can get it right this time by leveraging on the opportunities that abound with the 2023 general elections and support our own to protect the generation after us.”

On the possibilities of his party to win the election, he said; “our strategy is anchored on performance beyond legislation. We seek among other things to engage with my people at all levels to understand their needs. Ensure that federal government presence is felt at the three local governments in my constituency through infrastructure development and provision of social amenities

“An accessible office for all as always. As youths, we will ensure that young people within my constituency are carried along in any way that I can. This strategy is to help them improve their living conditions through education, empowerment, and skills development.

“We will also create an open link with them for proper grooming and personal development for easy transfer of leadership through effective communication and healthy relationships with them. We will also create a programme that benefits the elderly after taking up their NEEDS assessment.

“Our mission is to go beyond everyday legislation and close the gap between the people and those at the top while serving as a link between the led and the leaders. Our vision is to inspire young people, bring quality representation and create local opportunities for impact and even development.”

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday inaugurated 8.4km flood control project valued at $34m in Akwa Ibom State.

The flood control scheme was initiated by the state government, in partnership with the World Bank, through the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

The project transverses 18 communities in three local governments and is designed to carry more than half of the flood water generated in Uyo and its environs.

The inauguration of the flood control project in Uyo is part of the activities marking the 35th anniversary of the creation of the state.

Okowa, who is also the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, praised Governor Udom Emmanuel for his courage to undertake a project that might not score much political points, as billions had been buried underground.

“This project is huge. I have had to undertake a flood control project and I know that the amount you put here will do several kilometres of roads.”

“It takes a bold and courageous leader to do this because after sometime, people will forget what was buried underground. So, only great men, who look into the future, will do this,” he said.

Emmanuel hailed World Bank through NEWMAP for partnering the state in tackling the perennial flood problem, which he said had rendered many landlords and residents homeless.

He said ecological and flood challenges across the state were revealed to him during his tour of the state in his early days in office.

Giving a breakdown of the project, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Mr. Charles Udoh, said the intervention was meant to provide a permanent and comprehensive solution for perennial flooding in the surrounding communities.