Our Reporter

Enugu State Government has handed over a brand new 18-seater bus to Presentation Nursery and Primary School, Awgu, in fulfillment of the pledge made by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during the Requiem Mass for the seven pupils and two teachers of the school, including other victims who lost their lives in a recent fatal road accident in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.

It would be recalled that Gov. Ugwuanyi, on the heels of the devastating incident, visited the recuperating survivors in the hospitals, and promised to pay their hospital bills, which he fulfilled through the Catholic Diocese of Awgu – the proprietor of the school, among other interventions.

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Presenting the bus to the Enugu State Catholic Education Secretary, Rev. Fr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, said that the gesture was in keeping with the governor’s commitment to providing succor to the masses as well as his sensitivity to quality education and protection of lives and property of the people of the state.

Responding on behalf of the school and the Catholic Dioceses of Enugu, Nsukka and Awgu, Rev. Fr. Ani, expressed profound gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for all his interventions since the tragedy occurred, recalling that the governor did not only go round to see the survivors in the hospitals, he also paid their hospital bills and was personally present at the Requiem Mass to pay his last respect to the deceased victims, where he promised the school the bus.

The State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, witnessed the brief event.

By Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

A former Transition Committee (TC) of Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State; Mr. Sylvanus Nwaji, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has denounced his membership of the ruling party in the state to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nwanji is the immediate past TC chairman of Ukwa West LGA.

Nwaji was received into the party by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu at his Camp Neya Country Home in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of the state.

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Presenting the broom to Nwaji on behalf of the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the APC;  Donatus Nwankpa, Kalu commended the former LG boss for his decision to join the APC, and asked him to register in his ward immediately.

Kalu said he was glad Nwaji is back to the APC after rendering service to his community through the PDP.

In his response, Nwaji said: “The Chief Whip of the Senate of Nigeria; Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, the former Chief of staff; Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, my brother here who stands as my witness. I accept the broom as a symbol of my family where I belonged before. “I was called to serve; service is for all of us and I have served my people in the capacity of transition Chairman and today I am back to my family.”

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State government has alerted the residents of the presence of some filling stations indulged in the sale of adulterated petroleum products in the state.

The state Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Dr. Ebiere Jones, who raised the alarm in a statement yesterday, warned all such stations and petroleum tanker drivers to desist from the act forthwith.

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He assured the Bayelsa people that the ministry’s petroleum task force would monitor and penalise defaulters.

Jones said: “This is also to notify oil and gas servicing companies to henceforth secure government clearance before carrying out their activities.

“As a government, we would not hesitate to penalise such companies. Be warned!”

By Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abia State chapter, has cautioned Abia State Government against “playing politics” with the welfare of teachers in the state.

NUT, which accused the state government of not honouring any of the agreements it entered with teachers, threatened to embark on strike to drive home its demands.

The Nation gathered that the National Leadership of NUT, had in a letter dated December 2nd, 2020, gave the Abia State government 21 days to clear the salary arrears of her members among other demands or risk indefinite closure of schools.

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In an enlarged State Leadership Meeting of NUT, Abia State Wing, held in Umuahia, the state capital, the union stated that it observed with dismay that its members were still being owed backlog of salary arrears despite promises by the government.

NUT in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Elder Comrade Kizito A. Kalu; and Secretary, Comrade Mrs. Nnenna Okonkwo, respectively, decried the attitude of the state government towards teachers’ welfare, and threatened a showdown.

The statement read in part, “That Abia State government has not taken any tangible step aimed at meeting the demands of the Union. That the three months’ salary payment out of 15 months arrears was insignificant. That Junior Secondary School Teachers are still being owed 11 months while Primary School Teachers are still on arrears of three months.”

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing to keep promises it made to the country.

Wike insisted that unlike the APC, the PDP had the best interests of the people at heart with its commitment to fulfill all promises.

The governor in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, spoke when he led the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal to commission the dualised Forces Avenue, Olumeni and Harvey Streets in Old Government Residential Area, Port Harcourt.

He said the administration of his predecessor under the APC deliberately ignored the roads in the Old GRA of Port Harcourt, leaving the area in blighted condition.

Wike stated that his conviction in developing the city and building it into a world class status stemmed from the fact that it remained the first point of contact to every visitor.

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He revealed that former Rivers State Governor,  Celestine Omehia before leaving office in October 2007 awarded contract for the dualisation of Forces Avenue , but his successor, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, for inexplicable reasons stopped the contractor from executing the project.

He said: “Celestine Omehia was the one who awarded the dualisation of this project, not to Julius Berger, but to another contractor. But, his first cousin (Amaechi) said the job should not go on. But I thank God today that Celestine Omehia is witnessing that his dream has come through to the glory of God.”

Inaugurating the road projects, Tambuwal, said that the performance of Wike justified the confidence reposed in him by Rivers people, who reelected him to serve them for a second term.

Tambuwal, who affirmed that PDP governors were doing well in their respective states, described Wike, as a bridge builder, and a special gift to the country.

“Those following you and those following development in Rivers, and democratic development in Nigeria, know your place in this state, and at the national scene in delivering your mandate, and your efforts at building bridges across Nigeria.  You’re indeed a special gift to the people of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.”

In his remarks, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said since the roads were first built by the colonial masters, no government had given them serious attention until Wike’s intervention.

“You are one of the shining light of our party because your good works speaks for itself. I don’t think another governor or governors of the other party can really compete with the governors of PDP.”

Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi said the roads were previously between 6.5 meters and 7 metres without drains, and streetlights.

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

The Sole Administrator, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Effiong Akwa, has made a crucial appointment to douse the tension caused by his new position in the commission.

Akwa at the weekend appointed a former President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, as his Special Adviser on Youths, a highly priced position in the commission.

The appointment of Eradiri, who was a former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa State during the administration of Seriake Dickson, was said to have calmed frayed nerves especially among a section of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

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A section of the IYC mainly from Bayelsa protested against the appointment of a sole administrator for NDDC and threatened to shut down the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

But the naming of Eradiri, who hails from Bayelsa as the Special Adviser on youths to Akwa, attracted commendations from Ijaw leaders, described it as masterstroke.

The Ijaw traditional religious body, the Sacred Order of Egbesu Brotherhood applauded President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Akwa for considering Eradiri for the appointment.

The body in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Bodmas Kemepadei, described the appointment as timely, adding that the choice of Eradiri cut across party lines.