Category: Southeast report

Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

THE State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia State Command; Mr. Vincent Ogu, has stated that his command arrested 126 suspected pipeline vandals/oil thieves in the year 2020.

Ogu who disclosed this at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital, while speaking on the achievements of the command in the year under review commended the efforts of the officers and men of the command who he said have shown unreserved commitment in carrying out the zero tolerance directives of the Commandant General, Abdulahi Gana Mohammadu, against all forms of vandalism of petroleum pipelines and other critical national assets of government within the state.

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According to him “As a command, we appreciate the locals for having confidence in us as demonstrated by the timely and useful information they provided which helped in no small measures towards the successes the Command has recorded in the fight against all forms of Economic Sabotage against our Nation Nigeria.”

Giving update on the prosecution of some of the suspects so far arrested, the Abia NSCDC boss stated that “The command has secured a total of 60 convictions with over 35 vehicles (Truck and Passenger Cars) used in various illegal Petroleum Products business forfeited to the federal Government.

“We have a total of 66 cases at different stages of trial at the Federal High Court, Umuahia”.

Elo Edremoda, Warri

THE Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Bashorun Askia Ogieh, has said that the future of Nigeria belongs to artisans, not youths seeking scarce white-collar jobs.

Askia stated this Friday, in a New Year message titled ‘a New Year and Hope Renewed’, personally signed by him.

He noted that the commission will focus on entrepreneurship and building skills for youths from oil bearing communities across the state, disclosing that the DESOPADEC Skills Academy will kick start in the new year.

Urging youths to take advantage of the academy to secure their future, he noted that “beneficiaries of these trainings would become employers of labour.”

The statement read in part: “Programmes designed to equip our people with requisite business acumen and entrepreneurial wherewithal to venture into businesses will be vigorously pursued by DESOPADEC in the New Year.

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“Our primary target for the programmes are our vibrant youth and our womenfolk. We are poised to kick start the DESOPADEC Skills Academy, believing that the future belongs to the artisans and not youths who parade certificates, looking for non-existent white collar jobs.

“For the ready youths, DESOPADEC will make them employers of labour and confident and enterprising youths, through our Academy,” he said.

He commended the people of the agency’s mandate areas for their continued peaceful and supportive disposition which has enabled development to thrive.

 Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

BAYELSA State has alerted residents that it did not constitute a task force on street trading.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, warned anyone parading himself as chairman or themselves as members of such a task force to desist forthwith.

Governor Douye Diri on Wednesday visited site of the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area. The hospital is being built by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The project began in May.

Diri, who expressed satisfaction with the progress of work, said: “The engineer has promised completion in six months.”

The state has taken steps to overcome the challenges which stalled delivery of the 22 kilometre ring road started by the previous administration, it has been learnt.

The State Executive Council (SEC) yesterday approved the re-commencement and construction of the road from Igbogene to AIT road in Yenagoa, from next year.

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Commissioner for Information and Orientation Ayibaina Duba spoke to NAN on plans to fund the project, amid outstanding loans of over N20 billion approved by the House of Assembly from February till date.

Duba said the project, scheduled to restart in the second week of January, will go on despite challenges facing the state as the government had set aside N21 billion for it in the 2021 budget.

He stressed that the government remains committed to meeting its pledge to the people despite the harsh economic climate occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and dwindling revenue.

He said: “The government is very committed to the timely delivery of this project as part of its commitment to filling the infrastructure gap. We had planned for 18 months completion date, but we realised that given the realities, it was too ambitious so we settled for 24 months.

“We will be very innovative and prudent; we have made feasible milestones to be achieved by the contractor and the state is currently stable and enjoying goodwill from investors.

“We have to take these bold steps following the arrangements we made, and we are hopeful that the project will unlock the economic potentials of our state and serve as catalyst for the prosperity of our people.,

 Chris Njoku, Owerri

IMO State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu have urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State to ensure the party wins the governorship election.

They spoke on Wednesday at a stakeholders meeting.

Uzodimma appealed to party members to shelve their differences and work towards wining Anambra for the party. According to the governor, winning Anambra will make the party stronger in the zone.

He said: “The problem confronting APC in the Southeast is grievances, and we must begin today to address them. We need to reconcile all aggrieved members because our party would be stronger, and we also urge all of you to help secure a victory in Anambra.”

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Onu, who affirmed that the people want APC, maintained that this is the reason the party should win the Anambra governorship poll.

He said: “People of the southeast wants APC, this is why we must be united and be at peace with each other. We must be united to achieve our aims; we will make sure southeast controls Anambra.”

Former Senate President Ken Nnamani told party members that registration will begin from the unit levels where the members will cast their votes. This, he said, will afford the party know the actual number of members in every unit. He urged those who have not registered to do so immediately.

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, who was represented by Senator Anthony Agbo, expressed happiness at being a member of the party. He promised to work with Uzodimma to make sure other governors join APC.

Chris Njoku, Owerri

IMO State Governor Hope Uzodimma has flagged off the reconstruction of rural roads in the 27 local government areas.

He promised to apply the 3R mantra of rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery of his administration to dilapidated infrastructure.

Performing the ceremony at the Heroes Square on Concord Avenue, New Owerri, Uzodimma said some of the equipment to be used were recovered from those who stole them, to complement those that were purchased by his administration to ensure maximum effect.

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He reiterated his administration’s concerted efforts to recover every stolen state property, noting that government will continue to put machinery in place to do so, and deploy such equipment and property in areas that will benefit the people.

Commissioner for Special Projects Kingsley Ononuju noted that the flag-off was borne out of the governor’s desire to ensure that rural dwellers have motorable roads that will make life easy and improve their economic well-being.

Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

A CHIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Onuoha Nnachi has blamed the insecurity in the country on poor leadership by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nnachi spoke yesterday at his Owutu, Edda home in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

According to him, the president’s inability to manage the economy is partly responsible for the growing insecurity in the country.

Nnachi, a former senatorial aspirant, said the president’s failure to appoint capable hands to manage the country’s economy led to its collapse.

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He said: “It is a presidential issue. The president has failed the country on security. It is as if we have no president. The economic structure is not properly handled. We know that causes insecurity.

“As at February, the value of our naira was N360 to a dollar. It means if you have N360 million, you could afford a million dollars. But today, to afford a million dollars you need N480 million; that means a difference of N120 million. That’s the rate of devaluation; you cannot survive it in our economy.

“And it is true, our monetary policies are a failure, our fiscal policies are a failure because we have the wrong people in the wrong place.”