The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • ‘How we ensured peaceful polls in Abia’

    Security agencies explain why there was no violence in Abia State during the polls, reports SUNNY NWANKWO. Additional writing by OGOCHUKWU IKEJE

    There were jitters in Abia State as the election drew near. The state is home to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra or IPOB, a secessionist group which clashed with the military in late 2017 during the Operation Python Dance. That clash reportedly left several people dead with Kanu himself rumoured to be missing.

    This year, as the presidential and legislative elective neared, there were fresh fears that the secessionist group may spring a few surprises. On Election Day, no surprises were sprung. Voters went to cast their ballots, and have since known the results of their efforts. There was relief in the state.

    Security agencies are happy that they did not take any chances. They launched what they called a show of force during which they sent a message that they would contain any situation that threatened peace in the state during the polls.

    A military source said, “The security situation was okay. It wasn’t as critical as we thought it would be. Everybody was [thinking] that Biafra will come out. They are [thinking] that there will be a clash between military and the hoodlums where people will be caught in the web. The military and police were patrolling to ensure that there was peace in the state.

    “When reports came about some of the malpractices going on, we directed them to the appropriate authorities. What the military did was to ensure that there was peace, law and order in the state, prevent snatching of ballot boxes and other issues that truncate the process and attack on any INEC [Independent National Electoral Commission] official and offices.

    “The peace recorded in Aba and the state is as a result of the things that we had done before the election. It sent a message that the security agencies are prepared to deal with any form of insecurity in the state.

    “Two police officers were disarmed and handed over to the police. A Hilux vehicle belonging to a known politician in Aba was equally confiscated and handed over to the police for proper action to be taken. The Hilux is having the election duty sticker on it and upon inquiry, we discovered that it belongs to a politician and the car doesn’t have any reason for being on the road at that material time.

    The Abia commissioner of police, Ene Okon in a telephone interview said, “We had a near perfect security situation in Abia during the election process in the state.

    “We have some security challenges, but they were too isolated. We have shortage of manpower in not up to ten polling booths, but that didn’t lead to any problem as the elections went on peacefully because of the security architecture put in place by the security agencies.

    “There was nothing like ballot box snatching, killing of anybody, or injuring of anybody throughout the election. That was why I said that it was a near perfect security situation.”

    CP Okon said, “You know that Abia was a flashpoint before the election because of IPOB threat and you should know that this is the headquarters of IPOB.

    “The show of force did a lot of wonders. It sends signals that the police and other security agencies were ready to deal with any security challenges and because of that they retraced their steps to allow people to go and vote.

    “We have even restrategised ahead of the governorship and State House of Assembly elections. I met with my management team. As I speak to you, we are working on a new deployment design that will take care of all the polling units and collation centres. We have discovered that politicians normally start their malpractices at collation centres. We have designed a way of putting mobile policemen right from the ward level to the local government levels.”

    Confirming the arrest of some electoral offenders by its men, the Abia police boss disclosed that about four persons including one Dr. Ibe who was arrested in Arochukwu LGA were nabbed for tearing ballot papers, adding that they would soon be handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution as the command had finished preparing their case files.

    The peace in the state was a fall-out of a comprehensive security strategy involving virtually all agencies of the security community.

    The show took place in Aba, the state’s commercial nerve, and Umuahia, its capital.

    The exercise in Aba which started at the Abia Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force had the presence of personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Army, personnel of Counterterrorism Unit (CTU), Mobile Police Force (MPF), among others.

    Sources within the security circles who spoke to our reporter anonymously said that the essence of the security patrol was to send warning signals to people or group of persons that might want to foment trouble in the election and to also assure Abians and Nigerians who were ready to exercise their franchise of the readiness of the military and other security agencies to protect lives and properties of citizens of the state.

    Addressing the personnel at the end of the patrol, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Aba Area Command, Peter Okpara who represented the State Commissioner of Police, Etim Ene Okon, thanked the personnel for comporting themselves while the operation lasted.

    Okpara charged them to be professional in the discharge of their duties at their various places of primary assignments, reminding them of the need to protect the INEC staff, voters, and themselves.

    “Saturday is the D-Day. The security agencies are on ground to discharge their duties according to the constitution. You must protect INEC officials, election materials, voters, foreign observers and also protect yourselves.

    “You shouldn’t be biased; there’s no friendship in election. Do your work the way it should be done. No brother, no party affiliation, no religion, no tribe.

    “Comport yourselves tomorrow. From 12 midnight, all of us must be on duty till the election materials leave for Umuahia.

    “You must be careful because the world is watching us. If this election goes well, others will take the glory. But when it goes bad, they will blame us and that is why we must be professionals. We will not fail. Be in your duty post as early as possible for without your presence, no INEC staff will work until you come.”

    The leadership of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has organised a two-day seminar for its personnel in Abia State.

    The seminar which was held in Umuahia, the state capital was attended by both junior and senior officers of the agency under Abia State Command.

    According to the organisers of the event which attracted the presence of Police, DSS and INEC in the state, it is a capacity building programme on election duties for FRSC staff.

    Speaking at the event, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi represented by Kenneth Nwaegbe, an Assistant Corps Marshal and Commandant in-charge of FRSC Academy Udi, Enugu State while reminding the personnel of the agency that FRSC isn’t a partisan organisation and has no allegiance to any political party, warned the personnel of identifying with any political party, but to perform their duties as given to them by INEC in conjunction with other sister agencies.

    According to Oyeyemi, “FRSC’s participation in the 2019 General Election will involve certifying all the vehicles to be used for conveying all the election materials and personnel. Therefore, we must apply due diligence and integrity we are known for.” This is even as he warned the personnel against getting involved in any act that would truncate the electoral process and called for all hands to be on deck to ensure that the agency didn’t disappoint the trust Nigerians reposed on it.

    The Abia State Sector Commander, Mr. Meshach Jatau in his speech said the command would mop up all abandoned vehicles on major roads in the state to ease vehicular movement during the election.

    Jatau said the exercise was necessary to checkmate unscrupulous elements that might use such vehicles to block roads against vehicles convening electoral materials and personnel during the election.

    He said the training was on the instance of the FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi to sensitise corps official on their duties particularly as it concerns the conduct of the 2019 general election.

    He said, “As a member of the Inter Agency Committee on security working with the Independent National Electoral Commission the FRSC is fully involved in maintaining law and order to ensure the successful conduct of the election”.

    “We are going to support the police, the main security agency in-charge of the conduct of the election in inspecting vehicles that would be used for distribution of election materials.

    “Our officials would also be deployed to Support the speedy movement of election materials to remote areas in the state to ensure that the election starts on time across the state”.

    He pointed out that FRSC officials would also liaise with the police and other security agencies to ensure orderly and secured movement of vehicles convening Sensitive materials during the election.

    Other speakers at the event were personnel of the DSS, Police and INEC who in their speeches expressed willingness to partner with FRSC to make their work easier and to ensure that the 2019 general elections was free and fair.

    They stated that their agencies and organisations have put adequate measures on ground to ensure a hitch-free exercise in the state.

  • EEDC disconnects erring subscribers

    In compliance with the directive issued by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), instructing them to disconnect power supply to all structures, buildings and premises that are in violation of the Power line Right-of-way (ROW), the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has commenced disconnection of erring properties within its network.

    This development was made known to newsmen in Enugu by the Head, Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.

    Ezeh said that EEDC is in full liaison with relevant government agencies to ensure this directive is carried out effectively. “We have been disconnecting properties identified within our network to be in violation, and working closely with relevant government agencies, some of these structures have been demolished”.

    The power line right-of-way is the mapped out corridor for distribution and transmission power lines. As a precautionary safety measure, these mandatory clearance levels are to be observed and adhered to by members of the public when putting up structures.

    Sometime last year, EEDC issued a release advising her customers and the general public against putting up structures and carrying out business activities within power line right-of-way.

    The distribution company equally enumerated the various power lines and their respective clearance levels. For instance, 11 meters is to be observed on 11KV and 33KV lines (that is 5.5 meters on both sides); while 30 meters is observed on 132 KV line (that is 15 meters on both sides) and 50 meters observed on 330KV line (that is 25 meters on both sides).

    Ezeh also said that EEDC has applied various communication medium in sensitising its customers on the need to be safety conscious by observing these clearance levels.

    “We frown at the indiscriminate manner structures are erected within electricity right-of-way and warn our customers to desist from this hazardous behaviour”.

    “Also, we have situations where ornamental and economic trees are planted under or very close to our High and Low Tension lines, thereby interfering with the electricity network, causing intermittent tripping. These trees also pose high risk of electrocution.”

    Ezeh went ahead to  mention that there are situations where electricity lines sag or snap, and if the specified clearance level is not observed, lives of people living within the area will be exposed to possible electrocution.

  • Foundation extends job creation plan

    As year 2018 drew to a close, the International Breweries Hero’s Foundation extended its job creation plan beyond the Southeast where it has been empowering youths every year since 2016.

    Now the job plan has been expanded to include Delta, Benue, Edo and Rivers states.

    The training and empowerment by the foundation are for youths between the ages of 18 and 35 residing or doing business in the aforementioned selected states.

    Already, the foundation had fished out budding talents numbering 44 in the said states and had equally spent 84.5 million naira to set up their businesses.

    Based on the initiative by the foundation, the revered traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, have called for synergy between the government and corporate organisations in the country.

    Some of the youth are engaged in fishery, poultry, tailoring, beed making and according to the Otunba Michael Daramola, the legal and Corporate Affairs Director of the group, “the ultimate aim of the programme is to instill a culture of entrepreneurship among young people thereby reducing youth unemployment in Nigeria.”

    The programme, according to a member of the Board of Trustees, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, was first launched in South Africa in 1995 as poverty alleviation initiative, and has also been implemented in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Tanzania.

    For Obi Achebe, who is the chairman of the foundation, he expressed joy that the foundation was able to run another successful Hero’s Foundation Kick-start programme.

    He urged the awardees to use their business grants and all they had learned during the business training to create value for themselves and the society.

    “Running business is not for the faint hearted, especially in Nigeria. Do not relent and make the use of this amazing opportunity you have been gifted to create value for yourself and the society.”

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, represented by his deputy Dr Nkem Okeke, thanked International Breweries Plc for continuing to train, empower and encourage young entrepreneurs in the country.

    “The Hero’s foundation has taken upon itself the mission to instil the culture of entrepreneurship in our youth by empowering them with much needed training and funds to start up new businesses or expand already existing ones.”

    “This brilliant purpose has pleased the governor, as well as fellow members of his administration because bridging the gap between the youth and productivity is a project we embark on with sincere passion.”

    Speaking with The Nation, one of the awardees, Ijoma Elizabeth, expressed gratitude to international Breweries Plc for giving them such opportunity of a life time.

    For Joy Opeyemi, the foundation had provided access to business professionals and experts during the business training, millions of naira in business grants and a yearlong mentorship.

  • ‘How we ensured peaceful polls in Abia’

    Security agencies explain why there was no violence in Abia State during the polls, reports SUNNY NWANKWO. Additional writing by OGOCHUKWU IKEJE

    There were jitters in Abia State as the election drew near. The state is home to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra or IPOB, a secessionist group which clashed with the military in late 2017 during the Operation Python Dance. That clash reportedly left several people dead with Kanu himself rumoured to be missing.

    This year, as the presidential and legislative elective neared, there were fresh fears that the secessionist group may spring a few surprises. On Election Day, no surprises were sprung. Voters went to cast their ballots, and have since known the results of their efforts. There was relief in the state.

    Security agencies are happy that they did not take any chances. They launched what they called a show of force during which they sent a message that they would contain any situation that threatened peace in the state during the polls.

    A military source said, “The security situation was okay. It wasn’t as critical as we thought it would be. Everybody was [thinking] that Biafra will come out. They are [thinking] that there will be a clash between military and the hoodlums where people will be caught in the web. The military and police were patrolling to ensure that there was peace in the state.

    “When reports came about some of the malpractices going on, we directed them to the appropriate authorities. What the military did was to ensure that there was peace, law and order in the state, prevent snatching of ballot boxes and other issues that truncate the process and attack on any INEC [Independent National Electoral Commission] official and offices.

    “The peace recorded in Aba and the state is as a result of the things that we had done before the election. It sent a message that the security agencies are prepared to deal with any form of insecurity in the state.

    “Two police officers were disarmed and handed over to the police. A Hilux vehicle belonging to a known politician in Aba was equally confiscated and handed over to the police for proper action to be taken. The Hilux is having the election duty sticker on it and upon inquiry, we discovered that it belongs to a politician and the car doesn’t have any reason for being on the road at that material time.

    The Abia commissioner of police, Ene Okon in a telephone interview said, “We had a near perfect security situation in Abia during the election process in the state.

    “We have some security challenges, but they were too isolated. We have shortage of manpower in not up to ten polling booths, but that didn’t lead to any problem as the elections went on peacefully because of the security architecture put in place by the security agencies.

    “There was nothing like ballot box snatching, killing of anybody, or injuring of anybody throughout the election. That was why I said that it was a near perfect security situation.”

    CP Okon said, “You know that Abia was a flashpoint before the election because of IPOB threat and you should know that this is the headquarters of IPOB.

    “The show of force did a lot of wonders. It sends signals that the police and other security agencies were ready to deal with any security challenges and because of that they retraced their steps to allow people to go and vote.

    “We have even restrategised ahead of the governorship and State House of Assembly elections. I met with my management team. As I speak to you, we are working on a new deployment design that will take care of all the polling units and collation centres. We have discovered that politicians normally start their malpractices at collation centres. We have designed a way of putting mobile policemen right from the ward level to the local government levels.”

    Confirming the arrest of some electoral offenders by its men, the Abia police boss disclosed that about four persons including one Dr. Ibe who was arrested in Arochukwu LGA were nabbed for tearing ballot papers, adding that they would soon be handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution as the command had finished preparing their case files.

    The peace in the state was a fall-out of a comprehensive security strategy involving virtually all agencies of the security community.

    The show took place in Aba, the state’s commercial nerve, and Umuahia, its capital.

    The exercise in Aba which started at the Abia Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force had the presence of personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Army, personnel of Counterterrorism Unit (CTU), Mobile Police Force (MPF), among others.

    Sources within the security circles who spoke to our reporter anonymously said that the essence of the security patrol was to send warning signals to people or group of persons that might want to foment trouble in the election and to also assure Abians and Nigerians who were ready to exercise their franchise of the readiness of the military and other security agencies to protect lives and properties of citizens of the state.

    Addressing the personnel at the end of the patrol, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Aba Area Command, Peter Okpara who represented the State Commissioner of Police, Etim Ene Okon, thanked the personnel for comporting themselves while the operation lasted.

    Okpara charged them to be professional in the discharge of their duties at their various places of primary assignments, reminding them of the need to protect the INEC staff, voters, and themselves.

    “Saturday is the D-Day. The security agencies are on ground to discharge their duties according to the constitution. You must protect INEC officials, election materials, voters, foreign observers and also protect yourselves.

    “You shouldn’t be biased; there’s no friendship in election. Do your work the way it should be done. No brother, no party affiliation, no religion, no tribe.

    “Comport yourselves tomorrow. From 12 midnight, all of us must be on duty till the election materials leave for Umuahia.

    “You must be careful because the world is watching us. If this election goes well, others will take the glory. But when it goes bad, they will blame us and that is why we must be professionals. We will not fail. Be in your duty post as early as possible for without your presence, no INEC staff will work until you come.”

    The leadership of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has organised a two-day seminar for its personnel in Abia State.

    The seminar which was held in Umuahia, the state capital was attended by both junior and senior officers of the agency under Abia State Command.

    According to the organisers of the event which attracted the presence of Police, DSS and INEC in the state, it is a capacity building programme on election duties for FRSC staff.

    Speaking at the event, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi represented by Kenneth Nwaegbe, an Assistant Corps Marshal and Commandant in-charge of FRSC Academy Udi, Enugu State while reminding the personnel of the agency that FRSC isn’t a partisan organisation and has no allegiance to any political party, warned the personnel of identifying with any political party, but to perform their duties as given to them by INEC in conjunction with other sister agencies.

    According to Oyeyemi, “FRSC’s participation in the 2019 General Election will involve certifying all the vehicles to be used for conveying all the election materials and personnel. Therefore, we must apply due diligence and integrity we are known for.” This is even as he warned the personnel against getting involved in any act that would truncate the electoral process and called for all hands to be on deck to ensure that the agency didn’t disappoint the trust Nigerians reposed on it.

    The Abia State Sector Commander, Mr. Meshach Jatau in his speech said the command would mop up all abandoned vehicles on major roads in the state to ease vehicular movement during the election.

    Jatau said the exercise was necessary to checkmate unscrupulous elements that might use such vehicles to block roads against vehicles convening electoral materials and personnel during the election.

    He said the training was on the instance of the FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi to sensitise corps official on their duties particularly as it concerns the conduct of the 2019 general election.

    He said, “As a member of the Inter Agency Committee on security working with the Independent National Electoral Commission the FRSC is fully involved in maintaining law and order to ensure the successful conduct of the election”.

    “We are going to support the police, the main security agency in-charge of the conduct of the election in inspecting vehicles that would be used for distribution of election materials.

    “Our officials would also be deployed to Support the speedy movement of election materials to remote areas in the state to ensure that the election starts on time across the state”.

    He pointed out that FRSC officials would also liaise with the police and other security agencies to ensure orderly and secured movement of vehicles convening Sensitive materials during the election.

    Other speakers at the event were personnel of the DSS, Police and INEC who in their speeches expressed willingness to partner with FRSC to make their work easier and to ensure that the 2019 general elections was free and fair.

    They stated that their agencies and organisations have put adequate measures on ground to ensure a hitch-free exercise in the state.

     

  • Shelter for Anambra workers underway

    The Federal Government has continued to demonstrate its commitment to the provision of comfortable and affordable housing for the teeming populace across the country.

    Among such commitments is the National Housing Scheme currently going on at Isiagu, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The project, designed in four-storey buildings condominium to contain 216 units (flats), is expected to accommodate over 433 civil servants and other categories of workers in the state when completed.

    Speaking with The Nation at the project site, Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Power and Housing, field headquarters, Awka, Okafor Iwuchukwu Umeano, an architect, said the project which started on March 25, 2017, would be completed in no distant time.

    He said the categories of persons targeted for the houses were the high, middle and low classes in society.

    He said, “The houses will have one bedroom, two and three bedroom housing units, purely for civil servants at subsidised rates whose monies would be deducted from their monthly salary for the purpose.”

    Although Umeano could not give the tentative amount of money the project would gulp, it is expected that the Federal Government would invest huge sums of money to execute the project.

    “The Federal Government is desirous to alleviate the problem of housing accommodation to Nigerians to meet the annual requirement of 70,000 housing units for urban areas in Nigeria as suggested by United Nations Habitat Survey between 1991 and 2001,” he added.

    According to Umeano, it was imperative for the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the Minister of Housing and Power, Raji Fashiola to address the housing accommodation issue as the budget could withstand.

    He named Messers Vic Phranc Nigeria Limited, Dochob Nigeria Limited and Cosco Investment Limited as the three contractors engaged for the building project.

    Umeano further revealed that the estate had already been provided with the necessary infrastructure, including access roads and electricity soon to be connected to the national grid.

    He added, “The only setback the project encountered was when a soil test was later conducted, it was discovered that the type of foundation to be used was different from the one the buildings were originally designed for which affected the earlier cost by upward review.”

    He however pledged the commitment of the Federal Government towards ensuring completion of the project at recorded time.

    One of the contractors handling the project, Chief Daniel Orji, said he was yet to receive payment for the money he invested.

    Orji, whose buildings were at the first decking stage, appealed to federal government to offset the debt to ensure the project did not suffer unnecessary delay.

  • Foundation extends job creation plan

    As year 2018 drew to a close, the International Breweries Hero’s Foundation extended its job creation plan beyond the Southeast where it has been empowering youths every year since 2016.

    Now the job plan has been expanded to include Delta, Benue, Edo and Rivers states.

    The training and empowerment by the foundation are for youths between the ages of 18 and 35 residing or doing business in the aforementioned selected states.

    Already, the foundation had fished out budding talents numbering 44 in the said states and had equally spent 84.5 million naira to set up their businesses.

    Based on the initiative by the foundation, the revered traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, have called for synergy between the government and corporate organisations in the country.

    Some of the youth are engaged in fishery, poultry, tailoring, beed making and according to the Otunba Michael Daramola, the legal and Corporate Affairs Director of the group, “the ultimate aim of the programme is to instill a culture of entrepreneurship among young people thereby reducing youth unemployment in Nigeria.”

    The programme, according to a member of the Board of Trustees, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, was first launched in South Africa in 1995 as poverty alleviation initiative, and has also been implemented in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Tanzania.

    For Obi Achebe, who is the chairman of the foundation, he expressed joy that the foundation was able to run another successful Hero’s Foundation Kick-start programme.

    He urged the awardees to use their business grants and all they had learned during the business training to create value for themselves and the society.

    “Running business is not for the faint hearted, especially in Nigeria. Do not relent and make the use of this amazing opportunity you have been gifted to create value for yourself and the society.”

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, represented by his deputy Dr Nkem Okeke, thanked International Breweries Plc for continuing to train, empower and encourage young entrepreneurs in the country.

    “The Hero’s foundation has taken upon itself the mission to instil the culture of entrepreneurship in our youth by empowering them with much needed training and funds to start up new businesses or expand already existing ones.”

    “This brilliant purpose has pleased the governor, as well as fellow members of his administration because bridging the gap between the youth and productivity is a project we embark on with sincere passion.”

    Speaking with The Nation, one of the awardees, Ijoma Elizabeth, expressed gratitude to international Breweries Plc for giving them such opportunity of a life time.

    For Joy Opeyemi, the foundation had provided access to business professionals and experts during the business training, millions of naira in business grants and a yearlong mentorship.

  • EEDC disconnects erring subscribers

    In compliance with the directive issued by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), instructing them to disconnect power supply to all structures, buildings and premises that are in violation of the Power line Right-of-way (ROW), the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has commenced disconnection of erring properties within its network.

    This development was made known to newsmen in Enugu by the Head, Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh.

    Ezeh said that EEDC is in full liaison with relevant government agencies to ensure this directive is carried out effectively. “We have been disconnecting properties identified within our network to be in violation, and working closely with relevant government agencies, some of these structures have been demolished”.

    The power line right-of-way is the mapped out corridor for distribution and transmission power lines. As a precautionary safety measure, these mandatory clearance levels are to be observed and adhered to by members of the public when putting up structures.

    Sometime last year, EEDC issued a release advising her customers and the general public against putting up structures and carrying out business activities within power line right-of-way.

    The distribution company equally enumerated the various power lines and their respective clearance levels. For instance, 11 meters is to be observed on 11KV and 33KV lines (that is 5.5 meters on both sides); while 30 meters is observed on 132 KV line (that is 15 meters on both sides) and 50 meters observed on 330KV line (that is 25 meters on both sides).

    Ezeh also said that EEDC has applied various communication medium in sensitising its customers on the need to be safety conscious by observing these clearance levels.

    “We frown at the indiscriminate manner structures are erected within electricity right-of-way and warn our customers to desist from this hazardous behaviour”.

    “Also, we have situations where ornamental and economic trees are planted under or very close to our High and Low Tension lines, thereby interfering with the electricity network, causing intermittent tripping. These trees also pose high risk of electrocution.”

    Ezeh went ahead to  mention that there are situations where electricity lines sag or snap, and if the specified clearance level is not observed, lives of people living within the area will be exposed to possible electrocution.

    Adherence to power line Right-of-way as well as these clearance levels will go a long way in safe guarding not only lives of the citizens, but also their property.

  • ‘My ordeal in kidnappers’ den’

    On January 28, just hours before President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, visited Abia State to mobilise for the election, chairman of the party in the state, Donatus Nwankpa was kidnapped. He was freed four days later. In this exclusive interview with SUNNY NWANKWO, he relived his encounter with his abductors, saying, among other things, that he had wild animals for company while his kidnap lasted, and that the authorities should engage kidnappers and get the best out of them. Excerpts:

    While everybody was expecting to see you at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba during the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, the news of your kidnap by gunmen broke. What really happened?

    It was just one of those unfortunate situations. We finished giving people responsibilities in Umuahia and I felt that it was necessary that I should know the state of preparation at the arena,

    Enyimba Stadium, where the President would be hosted. We agreed that we will be visiting the arena to see things for ourselves and make some adjustments where necessary to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    Unfortunately, as we were driving down, we ran into hoodlums immediately after the Aro-Ngwa Setraco security checkpoints. The funniest part of it is that the police were not up to 30 meters from the scene of the incident, because it was the police checkpoint that slowed us down.

    When we saw these other people, we were querying why another police checkpoint within sightt and before we knew what was happening, they were hitting at us and when we tried maneuvering the situation, they shot into the car through the headlamp and started shooting sporadically which forced our vehicle to a halt.

    It was at that moment that they came to our vehicle and started shooting severally on the vehicle and when they couldn’t get through, they started hitting it with iron. It is still funny when I remembered how we managed to come out of the car without much injury. It is only God that will take that glory.

    Initially, we thought that they were armed robbers. They took us into the bush where they ransacked and took everything that they could find on us and later blindfolded us. While one of us escaped, they took me and the other person to a location where we later learnt that they were about seven-man gang.

    They allowed the other person go to enable him treat his injury because he was badly injured. They knew that I am the APC chairman and that I was going to receive Mr. President the next day.

    From there, they took me on a long motorbike ride with three heavily armed men to a heavy thick forest where I was kept under the rain and without shelter for four days. Mosquitoes and wild animals became the closest friends that I had.

    I didn’t even know the location because we drove for a long time with my eyes being blindfolded. It was not until I was released that I found myself at the boundary between Abia and Rivers State, after they took me on a long ride with motorcycle. When I started asking questions, I discovered that it was a village that I know already.

    The villagers assisted me with slippers and later brought me down with their motorcycle after I was released at about 9:15pm.

    It was alleged that you withdrew a huge amount of money on the day of your kidnap which was supposed to be used for the hosting of Mr. President?

    Let me tell you journalists, I don’t want you to give credence to idiots. Whoever that is saying that is a cursed idiot. Poverty, stupidity, mischief has led a lot of people to unintelligent analysis. I said that it is unintelligent analysis because we withdrew money donated by one of our chieftains for the rally to host the President.

    The monies were disbursed for buses, welfare, protocol, security and among other miscellaneous expenses. Do I have the magical powers to turn around the money to N50 million after disbursing them?

    The bank didn’t even give us the money at a go and none of the money entered my car. The money wasn’t even disbursed in my house and the one that was taken to my office was the one that was handed over to local government chairmen and support groups.

    The central thing was done in the house of the rally committee chairman. The only money I had in my vehicle was just N250, 000 and when my bag was retrieved, the money was intact.

    Who donated the N50 million, if there was such an amount of money? The people saying that I had N50 million in my car, who made such donation, anyone saying that I was with N50 million on the day of that ugly incident is mentally imbecile. Did I carry the money with a Ghana Must Go or a trunk bag? Like I said, none of the monies withdrawn ever entered my vehicle and bank didn’t give it to us at once.

    I was part of the appropriation of the funds, but I wasn’t even in the disbursement of the funds. So why is it that people talk about money more than life?

    Even with N10billion, do you think that that I would agree to subject myself to such inhuman condition. If anyone says that my abduction is a scam, they will have such a scam this year. It is insulting to me to hear that.

    People claimed that your abduction could have been engineered by the opposition or as a result of the leadership squabble in your party. What is your take?

    I refuse to accept that. I am not a student of frivolities and triviality. I am a product of Federal Government College when Federal Government College was Federal Government College. I am also a product of Federal University who has gone through so many leadership training.

    I have been a Commissioner and Special Adviser. So, I should be mature enough to separate politics from juvenile delinquency.

    I said so because we ran into hoodlums and the hoodlums, as far as I am concerned were not there for me. They were there for one thing or the other. If anybody gave them information that I am coming, it is a matter of coincidence.

    I am not unaware that some negative and positive calls later came when I was there. Good a thing is that I am a student of International Relations. I engaged them in positive dialogue and there were things that they told me which are personal, anyway.

    For those who are clapping their chest, what Donatus Nwankpa went through is something that can happen to anybody. I have nobody to accuse. I only have one person to accuse, and that is myself, for going out in the night.

    The truth is that if I even had two policemen, they would have shot them. There was police checkpoint not too far from the scene of the incident, but because of the fire power of those people, police couldn’t do anything.

    For people querying why I didn’t move that night with any policeman, ask them if they have seen me as one that parades policemen just to show off because I am the chairman of APC

    Have they equally asked whether the party at the national level has provided any allowances or funds for the security of their state chairmen? Am I the first state chairman to be kidnapped? Am I the first state chairman to be attacked? Am I the first state chairman to be embarrassed? They should go and find out what the allocation for the upkeep of the state chairmen is.

    How many of those making such remarks have paid their dues? It is when you make provision that you request for explanation. If you do not appropriate, you cannot query misappropriation.

    What was the relationship between you and your abductors?

    Initially, they were confused; whether to follow those negative calls. But you know, there are people who are given grace. And I am one of those who keep telling God that the grace He gave King David, He has always given to me. Never in that thick forest did I think that I wasn’t going to come out safely. But what I didn’t want is any crossfire, so that I will not be a victim of crossfire.

    I was blindfolded like every other person that they usually catch. I was chained like every other person that they usually catch. I was subjected to no food. My companions were mosquitoes, tsetse flies and other things in the bush.

    Imagine someone being under the rain and being with one cloth for four days. How would you feel when people come to talk rubbish and vomit the idiocy?

    I engaged them in what I called constructive and positive dialogue and queried why they should be involved in such thing. Some of them accused us, politicians; that they are products of political adventurism. They mentioned one or two governors who at one point or the other armed them.

    They even asked if I will buy them guns, but I told them that if I can’t buy guns for my children, that I won’t buy guns for them. Some of them are undergraduates. They are ready to go to school.

    We have to look for a way, not just the operational or punitive aspects; we should also look for a way to positively engage them in order to give them some sense of belonging. We need to reassure them that their lives are not yet over. To some of them, they have already given up; they don’t believe that they have hope again.

    In the course of being there, I discovered that they have their off moment. In that off moment, you don’t talk to them, you allow them and in their sober moment, you can engage them. All we need to do is to create social programme that will recover our stray and erring youths.

    Do you think that they will abandon the illicit ways if they are provided with jobs?

    Some of them will. Our leaders should not do election as a do or die affair. You don’t think about whom will carry ballot box for you when you are thinking about going in for an election. When you buy them the weapons and either you win or lose, they will go away with the weapons.

    When you get into government, you don’t think of how you can better their lives, but rather, you abandon them at that level that you use them as thugs, attack dogs or killers.

    What is happening to the ex-militants should be extended to them. Amnesty is positive engagements in dialogue where you discover somebody’s talent. Some of them can be sent outside this country because some of them cannot do the N30,000 minimum wage job.

    They need psychologists and counselors to talk to them. One of the areas that we are failing in this country is that the counseling department of various institutions is failing. We should improve the quality of counseling. Every undergraduate whether he or she likes it or not should have an appointment with a counselor. Every student in secondary schools should have time with the counselors. That is going to help us.

    There were speculations that ransom was paid for your release. How true is it?

    (Laughs) That is not meant for public consumption.

  • EEDC to customers: we need your support

    To sustain and further improve on the feat attained in the year 2018, the Enugu Electricity Distribution (EEDC) has called on its customers for more support and partnership as the year 2019 advances.

    The call was contained in a release issued by the Head of Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh during the week.

    Ezeh expressed appreciation to customers for their support, understanding and overall partnership with the company in the course of the year, despite the numerous challenges that adversely impacted on the quality of service delivery to customers.

    Some of the recurring challenges which the company grappled with were: vandalism, energy theft, accidental destruction of power facilities, meter bypass, illegal connections and reconnections.

    Others include: non-payment of electricity bills, attack on EEDC field officers and illegal tampering with electrical installations which interfere with the network and in most cases lead to destruction of electrical facilities.

    “Following series of engagements with customers, EEDC identified areas of focus and mapped out strategic plans to address them;  such as upgrade of some transformers and relieving overloaded ones; installation of entirely new substations; overhauling some weak networks for quality electricity supply.

    There are also plans to deload some feeders and construct more injection substations to boost electricity supply in identified locations within the network.

    As a matter of fact, contract has been awarded for the construction of a 7.5MVA Injection Substation at ABS, Awka, which will cater for customers within ABS environs, Okpuno, Enugu Agidi, Awka Urban, Zik Avenue and parts of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka,” the statement disclosed.

    Also approved was the upgrade of Agu Awka Injection Substation from 7.5MVA to 15MVA. Order has been placed for the power transformer which is expected to be delivered hopefully before the end of the month. This will improve supply to customers at Agu Awka, industrial Area, Amansea, Nkwere Awka, Ifite Awka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University permanent site and its environs.

    The management of the company has equally engaged the services of some private contractors to facilitate repair of faulty transformers, thereby shortening the downtime periods experienced in the network.

    Ezeh equally said that the asset registration and customer enumeration exercise was still ongoing and appealed for maximum cooperation with enumerators, as the exercise is aimed at making EEDC more efficient in providing quality service to customers.

    “All these efforts cannot be effectively actualised without the support and cooperation of our esteemed customers.

    Improved electricity supply in the Southeast will translate to improved business and socio economic activities; and to achieve this, EEDC is soliciting continued support of her stakeholders and customers,” Eze added.

  • ‘Poor funding crippling Open Defecation Free’

    Officials of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Committee in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have identified paucity of funds as major impediment towards attaining an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in all the 96 communities in the area.

    They also said the presence of strangers without a habitable accommodation have further compounded their problem as they battle with their regular defecation in unothorised places.

    Speaking with The Nation in Ojoto, during the formation of WASHCOM federation by the Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), the WASH Coordinator, Ndibe Simeon lamented the frustrations encountered by his team while carrying out their assignments due to poor funding.

    He said the local government authorities always complained of paucity of funds anytime they were approached for assistance.

    He said, “Here, we pursue deadly animals with bare hands, no stick, no knife. Anytime you approach the local government, they say they don’t have money of their own, that everything comes from the state.

    “UNICEF gave us a Hilux bus and three motorcycles, but maintaining them has always been a serious challenge because of the same issue of money.

    “Some other council areas assist their officials, and also participate in their activities. But here, the story is different. It is those that use these bikes that maintain them from their pockets.

    “We’ve severally gone for advocacy visits with some international representatives to sensitise them on the need to support the work, but none of such visits have yielded results.”

    Ndibe noted that the committee had received assistance from the federal and state government apart from UNICEF and the EU.

    Highlighting the numerous achievements recorded by the committee over the years, amidst enormous challenges, the Coordinator said the results would have been a mirage if not for the interventions of donor agencies.

    “When I came here, I met several boreholes drilled that were not functional. WASH activities were being neglected. But through our persistent appeals, the state government intervened.

    “By 2017, precisely May, our local government was able to be rated with two other focal local governments of Anambra East and Aguata.

    “We’ve drilled 16 boreholes, all solar in this local government. We constructed 10 toilets in ten different schools in the area. Some are two units of five compartments, others are two units of three.

    “We’ve also executed so many other projects including Water Safety Plan (WSP), hygiene Promotion. We’ve also trained WASH committee members in all the 96 communities.

    “Besides, we’ve created WASHCOM federation in the area. We elected chairmen and secretaries from the 13 wards in the community,” he added.

    Ndibe, however, noted that he was not deterred by the enormous challenges they were battling with.

    He said, “My passion for the job is what has kept me despite the challenges. My job is to protect lives. Most of things that kill people is from the water they drink and poor sanitary hygiene.

    “I don’t want my people to die. I’m satisfied saving lives with or without money. The Federal Government recently declared state of emergency on WASH related issues due to the seriousness it attaches to it.”

    On his part, Chairman, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) committee, Oba Ward 1, Godwin Uche regretted steady influx of foreigners in the communities without proper habitation.

    “We’ve had influx of strangers due to urbanisation. People from various states are moving into our communities.

    “Uncompleted buildings are being occupied by these strangers. Some of the buildings lack toilet facilities,” he decried.

    He said the committee had to come up with a penalty fine of N5,000 for those found defecating openly in the area as a way of checkmating the ugly trend.

    Uche further attributed the inability of some communities to attain the open defecation free status on those he regarded at illiterates.

    He said, “We have so many illiterates in the community who hardly understand what we are saying.

    “Traditionally, our people like defecating in the open. It has been a culture. Eradicating it has not been easy, though it is reducing gradually.”

    The chairman also confessed that what had kept him in the job amidst paucity of funds and other myriad of challenges was essentially the love for his community.

    He said, “My passions for community development have been my driving force. I am very passionate about developing my community.

    “I work with health, precisely water and sanitation department. I’m doing this not because of money, but because I want my people to be liberated.”

    “I’ve been an activist since the water issue started in the local government since 2006. We’re just lucky to be mentioned among those that have water.

    “WASH has achieved a lot, including capacity building where members of the community are taught the importance of open defecation free status.”