The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • June 12: Igbo kings back Buhari

    On the heels of giving him their nod to push for reelection, monarchs in the Southeast have also given President Muhammadu Buhari thumbs up for declaring June 12 a national holiday. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    Opposition figures are doing their best to undermine his quest for reelection but as far as traditional rulers in the Southeast are concerned, President Muhammadu Buhari can hardly put a foot wrong. Of the voices against him, Southeast ones were once thought to be the most strident, a development that started since the run-up to the 2015 general election.

    Things are changing. President Buhari’s recent declaration of June 12 as a national holiday and the honour bestowed on the presumed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late MKO Abiola, has endeared him to the royalty in the Southeast.

    The South East Council of Traditional Rulers noted that the action of the President will hasten national integration and cohesion, as well as heal old wounds caused by the annulment of “that historic election”.

    The monarchs, who had earlier unanimously endorsed President Buhari for second term, stressed that the President in the last three years has done a lot to revive waning confidence in Nigeria’s unity and democracy.

    Chairman of the South East Council of Ndieze, Imo State Chapter, Eze Oliver Ohanwe, who spoke on behalf of the Igbo monarchs in the meeting held in Imo State, said that the President’s action has reinforced their support for his reelection.

    “We thank the President for this courageous and all important action which underscores his uncommon and unwavering commitment to the unity and progress of the country.

    “The President has demonstrated an uncommon resolve to sustain the peace and security of the country and has taken bold steps and measures that will certainly restore faith in our nation. Our country is being gradually transformed into a modern state with best practices in the conduct of public affairs.

    “The President is on a salvage mission that has rescued the nation from the abyss no matter what the professional naysayers and compulsive agitators might be up to. The President has demonstrated an uncommon resolve to sustain the peace and security of the country and has taken bold steps and measures that will certainly restore faith and health in our nation. Our country is being gradually transformed into a modern state with best practices in the conduct of public affairs.”

    The monarchs urged Nigerians to jettison all sentiments and give President Buhari a second chance in 2019 to complete the good work he has started.

    The Council had, at their Zonal meeting in April also held in Imo State, endorsed Buhari’s 2019 presidential re-election bid, making them the first set of traditional rulers to openly endorse the President.

    Speaking during the well-attended meeting at Ehime Mbano in Okigwe Council Area of Imo State, Ohanwe, who is also the Vice Chairman Southern Region Association of Christian Traditional Rulers, said that “since the annulment of the June 12 election, there has been clamour for the validation of that election, which had been largely seen as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria, no President in Nigeria had the gut to do the needful”.

    He added that “with the recent declaration of June 12 as a national holiday and the award of GCFR to the man that symbolized that era, a new chapter of national rebirth, unity, transformation, national integration and cohesion has been opened”.

    According to the exited the President’s action in recognizing Abiola’s sacrifice and that of other illustrious Nigerians that which birthed the nation’s democracy has more than anything else reassured the Igbo that their grouses which successive administrations have failed to look into will soon be addressed.

    The monarch continued that, “June 12 remains a watershed in the history of Nigeria and is the basis of our current democratic journey.  It is therefore appropriate to declare it as the authentic Democracy Day while May 29th remains the transition date”

    The traditional rulers insisted that their support for Buhari in 2019 remains unshakeable, adding, “when we endorsed Buhari at our meeting in April, many people thought that it was out of some pecuniary considerations. Now we have been vindicated that we took the right decision. Like Nostradamus, it appeared that we saw tomorrow that this is the man that will make Nigerians to forget those aspects of our past history that has been hunting us. I think what remains now, is for the President to come out with same joker that would assuage Ndigbo on the 1966 coup and lay the ghost of the civil war to rest forever”.

    Further justifying their support for Buhari, the Igbo monarchs noted that that President Buhari has rescued the nation from abyss through his policies, especially the fight against corruption and insecurity, adding that “the country is on the verge of a new era with endless possibilities of a diversified economy.

    “As monarchs we do not engage in politics but as leaders we can identify and support genuine efforts to develop our nation. President was elected on the firm promise to tackle corruption and insecurity and this administration has given a lot of fillip to these agenda. The President’s grit and strategic support to the relevant institutions, corruption in our national life has practically reduced by more than 75%. Today, the fear of imminent consequences for graft has become an effective tool in curtailing the previously rampaging and debilitating malaise of corruption which has weighed us down and brought anguish and underdevelopment to our nation”.

    The monarchs agreed that the President deserves a second term in office to consolidate on the good programmes he had initiated, which they corroborated has justified the “huge magnitude of the mandate freely given to him in 2015”.

    “That we are completely convinced that the policies and templates of developments already laid down by President in the last three years based on critical thinking, careful and strategic planning are sure enough to catalyse rapid national development in his second tenure”.

    The monarchs however unanimously urged the President to use his “goodwill and reach to support the Southeast region to produce the next President of Nigeria after completing his tenure in 2023”.

  • Abandoned road rehabilitated, 35 years after

    After nearly three and a half decades, an abandoned road in Enugu State is being rehabilitated. The state government has revisited the much-dilapidated Ekochin/Ngwo/Milliken Hill Road, drawing applause the Ngwo community, the primary beneficiaries.

    The road, which was abandoned for 35 years by successive administrations, became a nightmare to the people whose cries and appeals failed to yield any result until Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi responded.

    Addressing newsmen in Enugu, a prominent politician from the area, Mr. Boniface Agu said that his people cannot forget the gesture in a hurry.

    “For wiping our tears; for hearing the cry of Ngwo people; for the lives that would be saved by this project, my people will never forget Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    “This road was last rehabilitated in 1983 by the then governor of old Anambra State Jim Nwobodo and for years the road became so bad and a death trap. Lives were lost on this road just as road users suffered so much agony.

    Agu urged the governor not to relent in his current stride in infrastructural development which he noted has brought a new lease of life to the masses.

    Popularly known as Milliken hill road, as well as Ngwo-Enugu road, it was constructed during the colonial period by countless labourers drawn from neighbouring villages, using pick and axe to cut through thick bush and great stones.

    Milliken Hill is a famous tourist attraction in the beautiful city of Enugu, Enugu State.

    History has it that in 1908, a British expedition on its way to the middle belt from Awka, sighted the hill at Enugu Ngwo and reported back to Lagos.

    Interest in the mineral potential of the hill compelled the colonial government to send a team of mining engineers to the place in 1909 to prospect for silver, but the team struck coal instead.

    The Europeans settled at Ngwo on the top of the hill now called “Hilltop”. The 4.8km long Milliken Hill Road was constructed because of coal discovery on the hill, and it was named after the head engineer who designed the meandering road.

  • Abia growers trained in ogbono farming

    The National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Okigwe has trained farmers in growing a popular food crop ogbono botanically known as irvingia.

    Speaking during the training programme in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, the project coordinator, Dr Mrs Olusola Oyedele said that they are training farmers in the area where the Irvingia is produced in large quantities.

    Oyedele said that the training shows the importance of the seed to Nigerians which has made NIHORT to move to the local areas for the training since farming is mainly done by farmers in the rural areas of the country.

    She said that the aim of the training programme for farmers is to bring development closer to the rural areas, stressing that growers who will benefit from the training will also be given improved Irvingia plants to plant in their farms.

    The project coordinator noted that the institute was established with the mandate to conduct research in fruits and other food spices which are produced locally with the idea for them to be produced in commercial quantities which will in turn help in revenue generation.

    Oyedele said that the institute is established in all the six geopolitical zones with the charge for them to fish out fruits and vegetables that are peculiar to the zones where they are established for the benefit of the people of the area in particular and the country in general.

    She explained that research has been done on Irvingia tree which has reduced its fruiting period from 15 years down to 6-7 years period, adding that before now that Nigerians import Ogbono seeds from neighboring countries, “We intend to put a stop to it through this program”.

    The NIHORT coordinator said, “There is every need for us to do what we are doing apart from the food aspect as most people in the country make use of it for their food, it is another avenue for the country to make more money both locally and internationally”.

    Oyedele noted that apart from food and revenue generation that Irvingia seed is also in high demand for the production of drugs, “It has high foreign exchange earning potentials, so it is expected that people who are involved should harness its economic benefits”.

    She said that the process of producing the seed is very tedious, “This has made the institute to produce Irvingia nut cutter which will make it easier for farmers to process the seed faster and easier for them”.

    The Okigwe NIHORT boss said that after the training that farmers will be given an improved version of the tree for them to plant, while some of the cutters will be left behind for them to use when they are harvesting.

    Oyedele recalled that when the institute visited one of the big time farmers in the state that they saw farmers using machetes to cut the nuts which makes it difficult, “This made us to go back and produce the nut cutter to make it easier for farmers to produce more and faster”.

    Earlier in his address the programme manager of Abia state Agricultural Development Program (ADP), Batho Onyemaobi said that the success of the training program held earlier in their office complex called for the second one as the farmers are happy with what they got during the training program.

    Onyemaobi who was represented by Godwin Chukwuekezie urged farmers to be serious with their work and also pay attention to what they are being taught as it is no longer business as usual for farmers of Irvingia in the state.

    He noted that agriculture is now a big time business, “As farmers who are serious are expected to reap from their fruits of their labour on like what use to happen before now, Nigerian farmers are enjoying their work as they getting their rewards now”.

    The Abia ADP boss said that the importance and benefits of Irvingia tree and its seed is the reason behind their efforts to ensure that they are planted in commercial quantities in the state which will in turn reduce its importation into the country.

  • N30m deal for 120 Imo rural women

    There are many women needing financial help in Imo State but if only one of them got, say, a N1 million grant to set up a business, she will surely hit the roof. Why? If she manages the cash well, she will escape poverty, and in due course be able to lift up several people around her. That is the power of empowerment. Now, consider that no fewer than 120 indigent women in the state’s oil-producing communities in Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West councils have received N30 million to plough into their businesses.

    For them this is a time to dance, a new dawn for growth. Gone are days of penury, when they were condemned to lack in the midst of plenty, being indigenes of oil-bearing communities.

    Before now they grappled with post-militancy challenges, having lost their means of livelihood to years of crime and insecurity that bedeviled the riverine communities.

    Coupled with the fact their farmlands and rivers where they carried out their fishing business were polluted by oil spillages that have characterised the activities of oil companies operating in the communities.

    Their benefactor is Zara Uju Global Foundation, which worked in collaboration with Women’s Wealth Wellness Community Project. They forked out N30 million for the 120 women, each of them taking N250,000 as grant to start small-scale businesses.

    Such act of generosity and show of love was unprecedented in the history of the communities. This much was confirmed by the jubilation and fanfare that attended the ceremony at the country home of the Chairman of the Foundation and Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) to the Imo State governor, Hon Kingsley Uju Chima in Umuorji community in Egbema, Ohaji/Egbema Council Area.

    For the beneficiaries and their families, it was a new beginning. A new chapter of hope and prosperity has been thrown open for the people who had given up despairing.

    They had been surviving as peasant farmers barely cultivating enough to feed their families but like the popular saying, light has come at the end of the tunnel.

    Majority of the beneficiaries could not hold back their emotions as they filed out to receive the cheques from the Founder of the Foundation, Mrs Nonye Uju Chima, a lawyer. Some openly wept, others went wild with jubilation, while many more were too stunned to react.

    The founder in her speech at the well-attended occasion disclosed that the gesture was a fulfilment of her promise to serve humanity with her strength and resources.

    According to her, “the Foundation was borne out of the passion to impact lives and render selfless service to humanity by providing assistance to people, especially in the rural areas, executing community development projects, capacity building programs, business empowerment schemes, health care for all, education and social services”

    Speaking further, she said, “The scope of the cooperative society is large as it covers farmers, traders, artisans, social, religious and political groups, which imply every woman in these Local Government Areas is a potential beneficiary of this scheme”.

    The soft spoken trained lawyer also took time to commend her partners as well as the beneficiaries for gracing the occasion.

    The Chairman, Hon. Uju Kingsley Chima in his brief remarks that was intermittently disrupted by thunderous ovations, described the exercise as a major step towards tackling poverty in the rural areas by empowering the women.

    He commended the founder and his wife and the organizers, especially Hon. Mrs. Petrolina Ngozi Ojure for the organizing success of the event, while congratulating the beneficiaries “for being among God’s chosen women for the empowerment”, stating that “the amount would go a long way in sustaining and improving the lives of not just the recipients but also the society at large”.

    Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mrs. Florence Onukogu, thanked Zara Uju Global Foundation for giving them a platform that will assist them to start different enterprises that will help them conquer poverty.

    She assured the money will be invested in meaningful ventures that will turn their fortunes around.

    The dignitaries that attended the event, including top government functionaries and businessmen, thanked God for using Foundation to unlock the potentials of the women who had no other alternative to subsistent farming.

    Those in attendance include the state Commissioner for Information, Prof. Nnamdi Obiareri,

    Prof. Emenalo Chizoba, Commissioner of Tertiary Education, Barr. Chief Tony Umezurike, Commissioner for Housing,

    Chief Dom Mgbeanulu Obinna,  Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Emeka Benjamin, Commissioner for Special Duties and Hon. Barr. Mrs. Ngozi Njoku, Commissioner for Gender and Social Development.

    Others were the member representing Ohaji/Egbema Councila Area in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Emma Orie, member  representing Oguta LGA, Hon. Henry Ezediaro,  Hon. Engr. Bernard Iroegbu, Hon. John Uba,  Chief Jeff Nwoha, Hon. Amadi Ebenezer, TC Chairman, Ohaji/Egbema, Barr. GT Mgborokwu, TC Chairman, Oguta LGA, Obinna Okoro, Hon. Henry Igbomezie, HRH Eze S Okwodu and HRH Eze Uju Kingsley, among others.

  • Ikpeazu’s stand on plastics

    Abia State on Tuesday, June 5 joined the rest of the world to mark Environment Day. Sunny Nwankwo writes about the position of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who was at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike to mark the 2018 edition of the day. The report.

    Plastic are destroying the world slowly, environment-alists have been warning. They are blocking drains in cities, killing sea creatures, even birds, and endangering the entire world.

    That is what informed the growing campaign to limit the use, or check the misuse, of plastics by recycling or safely disposing of them.

    On June 5, the world marked Environment Day, and joining the global event was Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, a biochemist and former waste manager.

    Ikpeazu called for legislation against use of plastics for packaging and storage, saying it will help to check polluting the environment with plastics.

    Governor Ikpeazu spoke at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) during the 2018 World Environment Day titled: “Beat Plastic Pollution, If you can’t, re-use it, refuse it.”

    He said, “The only way forward is to opt for a refusal of the plastics option. Let us legislate against its use for packaging and storage. There are more sustainable and environmentally friendly options. Plastic is an extraneous substance to the environment. It is not naturally occurring and is largely derived from the polymerisation of ethylene.

    “Therefore the chemical structure of plastic renders them resistant to most biodegradation processes. Indicating that they can be retained in the physical as well as biological system for longer period of time. Hence it’s accumulation which constitutes pollution to the environment.”

    He identified a high level of plastics production for storage, packaging transportation and slow degradation processes as major factors that lead to increased levels of plastics in environment.

    He said. “Whereas it is possible to control the method of plastics handling in the developed world, in Africa and indeed Nigeria, more plastics are burnt and the rest are left to block drainages, leading to flooding and utter pollution of our waterways.

    “The implication of handling plastics is far-reaching. If they are allowed into the sea, it takes a long time to degrade. The marine conservancy has predicted that foam will take 50 years to decompose while plastic beverage holder will take 400 years. A disposable napkin will take 450 years while fishing line will take 600 years.

    “Unfortunately, a by-product of this degradation is byphenol which also has profound deleterious impact on aquatic life, as well as consequences for human organs that encounter it.”

    In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Francis Otunta thanked the Governor for making time out of his busy schedule to visit the University and to come and deliver the lecture on plastic pollution in the environment.

    The Governor was accompanied to the University by his Commissioner for Education, Prof Ikechi Mgbeoji, Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Aham Uko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Uzo Azubuike and Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, Dr Uchenna Onyeizu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment and Climate Change, among other top government functionaries.

  • Abia APC to ensure Buhari’s reelection

    The newly elected chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abia State Chapter, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa has said that the party would ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari is reelected next year.

    Speaking at the party’s state secretariat in Umuahia, the state capital, Nwankpa said Buhari has within the three years in office, given so much attention to the southeast which the PDP failed to do in its 16 years it ruled the country.

    The APC chairman who boasted that the party in the state also has  the right candidates for the governorship and other elective positions in the state,  urged Abians and the entire Southeast to show commitment to the realisation of Igbo presidency in 2023 by voting massively for Buhari and the APC.

    Nwankpa also declared the recently concluded APC state congress that brought him to office as the party’s chairman as “No Victor No Vanquished,” pleading with every member of the party to bury the hatchet and come together to fight for the common goal of taking Abia away from the current ruling party in the state.

    “One cardinal point is that APC Abia will deliver President Muhammadu Buhari come 2019. This country requires the maturity of Mr. President. It requires the consciousness of a leader who is passionate about the future of this nation. For this, we have declared that come 2019 presidential election, Abia State will deliver President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “APC is the paternity to Igbo president 2023. Every privilege requires responsibility. You cannot ask for the presidency when you do not display commitment in the rules of “pass to me I pass to you” as seen in football. So, we are going to support Mr. President, we will give him enough votes to show him that we are committed to what we want. Mr. President has showed commitment to the Southeast and we know he will show more.”

    Nwankpa who extended the olive branch to aggrieved members of the party, urged them to adopt what he called the “Solomite Theory” which he described as that biblical theory that called for the preservation of a baby that could have been killed before King Solomon. This is even as he stressed that Abia APC members must avoid any call for the dismantling of the party that has been handed over to them.

    “I want to declare today that in APC Abia state, no victor no vanquished. We may have our individual disagreement and differences, but that does not undermine our core objective. That objective is the end point, no matter the battalion and platoon command you belonged to we all are working towards taking over the government of Abia State come 2019.

    “For our brothers who may have doubts in our ability and capacity to lead this party, we plead for their understanding. The doors are open. Politics is built on the fundamentalism of disagree, disagree and agree. Politics is a game, but it must be played according to the rules. Political arena is like a football pitch. We must play like a team. No single player can make up a team.

    The Abia APC Chairman who said he extends hands of fellowship to all members of the party called for absolute commitment and dedication stressing that what lies ahead requires such in its entirety and that the party will never make headway with intra-party crisis.

    “I extend hands of fellowship, unity, solidarity, collectivism, collaboration and mutual cooperation to all members of APC in Abia State. To anyone who in anyway feel offended by us in any form, we say we are sorry. Today is a new beginning. We will not win the governor of Abia State with intra party crisis.

  • NGO: Southeast needs more women in governance

    A non-governmental organisation for the rights of women, Alliances for Africa (AFA) had a two-day brainstorming session in Enugu pressing for more participation of women in politics in Southeast states.

    At the end of it all, participants who included female state commissioners, local council bosses and other female stakeholders, called on the Nigerian government to emulate other African countries that have successfully addressed the underrepresentation of women in political leadership.

    Among other demands of the women include promotion of gender equality in the political sphere and in decision-making processes at local and national levels in Nigeria.

    Insist on political parties to bridge gender gap by mainstreaming gender in their internal party policies.

    Taking concrete actions to demonstrate government’s commitment to actualising 35% Affirmative Action in all government institutions, structures and decision-making positions.

    Demonstration of a clear road map of implementing and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) especially goal 5 on Gender equality.

    The statement articulating their demands and signed by the Executive Director of AFA  also called  on the Senate to pass into law the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEOB) presently before them which supports equal participation and representation of women and men in all decision making processes.

    The statement says inter alia: “ýAs Nigeria looks forward to its 2019 General Elections, Alliances for Africa (AfA) is bothered to note that the present political dispensation has the lowest representation of women in public office. In the Nigerian parliament as presently constituted, women represent a dismal 5.6% in the House of Representatives and 6.5% in the Senate. Obviously very far from the agitated 35%, Affirmative Action (AA) provided for, in the National Gender Policy (NGP) 2006.

    This trend flows from the national level, to state down to local levels where few women take the lead in local government chairman and councillors. We note that in other progressive democracies in Africa, in countries like Rwanda women make up 63.8% in the lower House of Assembly and 38.5% in the Senate. In South Africa women represent 41.9% and 35.2% respectively. In Burundi women represent 36.4% in the lower Assembly and 41.9% representation in the Senate. Even Zimbabwe has 31.5% and 37.5% respectively.

    Nigeria as a member of the United Nations signed and ratified  various relevant international instruments, treaties and conventions without reservation. These instruments have always emphasized that member nations put in place all the necessary mechanisms needed to eliminate gender discriminations, ensure equality and human dignity to all, men and women.

    In Nigeria,  no woman has ever become a president or a vice president. The only first female governor in Nigeria, Dame Virgy Etiaba, only functioned as Anambra State’s governor for six months, following the impeachment on November 2, 2006.

    Ever since then, the closest a woman has come in governance is deputy governor. This is regardless of the fact that a National Gender Policy (NGP) has been formulated since 2006 to promote a 35 percent affirmative action for women – a policy that demands 35 percent involvement of women in all governance processes. The NGP is recognised but is not practised as the structures and processes to use are not in place.

    In Rwanda 2003, the government approved a new constitution that included a quota system for women at all levels of government. The legislation mandated that 30 percent of all representatives, including those in parliament, be women. Rwanda’s quota is different than many other systems in that it’s not a quota solely on candidates, but rather reserves a minimum number of seats for women (often known as Equality of Result quotas). Only women are eligible to vote for the women-only seats. In election later that year, women increased their presence in the lower parliament from 23% to 49%. In 2013, women’s representatives rose even further to 64%. Rwanda is the first country in (Africa?) where women have moved beyond half of political leadership, as the country has prioritised women including structures and processes designed to advance them in all level of leadership. Mechanisms for reaching gender parity included a gender ministry with a substantial mandate; women’s councils elected at the grassroots and represented at the national level; a women-only ballot; a gender-progressive constitution shaped by women leaders in government and civil society; and, perhaps most importantly, a required quota of 30 percent women in all government decision-making bodies.

    In Senegal 2010, gender parity law came into force gender quota of 50/50 called the law of parity. The law obliges all political parties to nominate an equal amount of women and men on party lists and as constituency candidates. Parties are not allowed to run election if they fail to achieve gender parity on candidate lists. By 2012, it became very key and number of women increased from 22.7% to 42.7%.

    Alliances for Africa (AfA) with support from United Nations Women Funds For Gender Equality (FGE) is working on a project -”The full implementation of 35% Affirmative Action (AA) in public governance in the five (5) South-east states”, and has recorded some successes with 3 elected female politicians as local government chairmen and member, state house of assembly, 11 female politicians appointed members occupying decision making positions in their respective states.”

  • Ikpeazu takes sickle cell awareness advocacy to lawmakers

    Abia state governor’s wife  Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu is known for her health advocacy. On sickle cell anaemia, she was not content to merely talk about it. She took the campaign to the state House of Assembly where she urged the lawmakers to be ambassadors for their various constituencies to ensure awareness about the ailment.

    Mrs Ikpeazu who led a large coalition of pressure groups, civil society organisations, NGOs and prominent women of the state to the House of Assembly, asked for speedy passage of several stagnated bills whose non-passage impede protection for the rights of women and children.

    She said that the bills, which had been stagnated for several years without any legislative action on them, include a bill for a law to prohibit all forms of violence, a bill for a law to abolish harmful and obnoxious widowhood practices and a bill designed to provide equal rights for men, women, and special persons, among others.

    The Abia First Lady noted that her NGO the Vicar Hope Foundation, and other members of the coalition including the International Federation of Women Lawyers, widows association, have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of women, children and other vulnerable persons.

    Mrs Ikpeazu said, “A large percentage of women and children are experiencing physical, emotional, verbal, economic and sexual abuse in their homes and families but could not speak out because of the stigma associated with such incidents”.

    She named some action taken by her NGO to include provisions of housing for indigent, abused widows; the creation of clusters for local women traders who work collectively to improve the economic status and income.

    The Abia First Lady said, “We have also empowered our women with information and knowledge that will result in awareness of their rights, how to personally ask for it and to protect it without sounding rude”.

    “This we have done by collaborating with ministries, NGOs, the women groups and the individual women here present, to organise annual training sessions, seminars, and workshops on rights of women and the girl child where we get resource persons to speak to the women about their legal and socio economic rights”.

    Mrs Ikpeazu however thanked the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the Law that encourages genotype and blood group testing, saying it will reduce cases of the deadly sickle cell disease.

    It is worthy to note that the house of Assembly few days ago passed the Law for the Identification of Blood Group and Genotype, thereby giving teeth to a campaign by Vicar Hope Foundation and the state health agencies to reduce the prevalence of the Sickle cell disease.

    Receiving the delegation, the speaker Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu and members of the house of assembly assured the wife of the governor that they will give adequate attention to the requests she had brought to them on behalf of the coalition.

    Kalu expressed pleasant surprise that the coalition came to express gratitude for the work done by the House and assured that as representatives of the people, they will always hold the duties of making good laws sacrosanct.

    The Abia speaker commended the wife of the governor and her group for what she has been doing through her NGO and other organizations, stressing that what she has been doing has given Abia women and children voice as well as hope for a better tomorrow.

    He also commended her for her support for the state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, “Without your motherly support and care for our dear governor, the much he has been able to achieve would not have taken place, please keep doing the good works”.

    Kalu said that the state legislative arm has been working with the governor to enable him realize one of his main five pillars of his administration which is health, “Which has made us to pass bills on education and health for the good of our people”.

    He said, “Madam it is pertinent for you and your group to know that we have passed the genotype bill into law just like you said earlier in your speech and we want to assure you that we will surely look into the issue that brought here with dispatch”.

    Kalu noted that the members of the state house of assembly are ready to partner with her to ensure that the fight against sickle cell is taken to all the nooks and crannies of the state to help in the reduction of the spread of the disease.

    The speaker frowned at the way women and girl child are being treated in the state which he said tends to undermine the dignity of women in the state and assured that it will be corrected through various bills that are before them.

    A former Judge of the state High Court, Justice Eunice Aguomba, and a Second Republic lawmaker, in the old Imo State, Lady Victoria Akanwa emphasised the need to provide the right kind of society for women and the girl-child to thrive.

  • Pushback against Operation No Okada

    In Awka, Anambra State’s capital, and Onitsha, its business hub, commercial motorcycle operators have until July 1 to find an alternative job. NWANOSIKE ONU reports that the operators, clergy and others are fighting the state government

    COMPARATIVELY, the July 1st deadline given by the Anambra State government for commercial motorcyclists to quit Awka, the state capital, and Onitsha, its commercial nerve, is coming late. In Lagos and some other states in the Southeast and Southeast , that directive was issued earlier, though operational in areas off the highways, in some cases.

    The overwhelming reasons for the ban on commercial motorcycles or okada are crime and safety concerns. Everywhere okada goes, criminality and ghastly accidents follow. In Lagos, okada accidents became so frequent and deadly that a special ward called okada was created at the famous Igbobi orthopaedic hospital.

    Still, no one can deny that okada operators took up the job not out of fascination for it but out of sheer necessity to survive in the face of crippling unemployment. Nor can anyone gloss over the fact that operators play a huge role in transporting people to places where buses and taxis are not found, and appreciably fast.

    In Anambra, the directive has become a source of worry to many people. Governor Willie Obiano had on May 22 banned okada operations in the two cities, which according to him, could be extended to other cities in the state in no distant time.

    The action has continued to generate controversy in the state. The National President of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria (MTUN) Chief John Onedibe has called on the governor to give okada operators a sense of belonging in the state.

    Not only the operators that are irritated by the directive. The Anglican Bishop of Nnewi-ichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state, Most Rev Ephraim Ikeakor said the ban might be costly and deadly, if the decision is not rescinded.

    Ikeakor, who spoke at the Saint Stephens Anglican synod in Nnewi-ichi, said rather than outright ban, their operational scope should be limited.

    The state government’s statement was issued by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr James Eze.

    He said the ban was in two of the major cities of Awka an Onitsha.

    Obiano further said the decision was taken to reduce crime and criminality in Anambra State, which he said was one of the things he promised Ndi Anambra

    But speaking in Nnewi, the national president of the union, Onedibe, while briefing reporters, debunked the claim that the operators were all criminals, but agreed there were some of them who were not clean in the business.

    Onedibe said, “It is not new that the essence of government is to make life easy and bearable for citizens and not otherwise. Government especially a democratic one such as ours, must consider the voice of majority and minority, the rich and poor for it to thrive and succeed in its governance of the people.

    “Where government considers what is good for the wealthy alone without thinking of how the poor class may feel, with due respect, it then means that the government is for the wealthy alone and such does not protect and represent the interest of all.

    “How can the government decide to ban Okada without first of all consulting the stakeholders or at least invite public opinion on the matter?”

    He gave the instance of how Prof Ben Ayade of Cross River State, who abolished all forms of taxation and levies on low income earners in the state, including Okada riders, which he said was what leadership should be.

    He stressed that the real reason behind the presumed banning of Okada in the state was still not clear to the people, especially the poor Okada riders.

    ”Even if there are genuine reasons to stop Okada riders from plying in the state, government should provide alternative jobs for them, instead of keeping them unemployed.

    Onedibe appealed to the government to support the operation of Okada riders in the state, instead of banning their operations, because many of them trained their children and were still training their children who he said would become medical doctors, engineers, nurses, lawyers, bankers, pilots, politicians, priests and what have you, from the proceeds of Okada.

    He said “There is no better and quicker means of inter-town transportation than Okada, whether the road is good or not is not what an Okada wants to know, as far as he would be paid after rendering his service unlike taxi cabs.

    Onedibe opined that the Union was ready to work with government at all levels to produce better and progressive state.

    “We contributed immensely to the success of this present government in Anambra State, during the past election, which resulted in APGA winning 21/21, a feat that has never happened in the history of Anambra State,” he said

    For the Anglican prelate, Ikeakor, the state government should listen to the voice of reason, instead of taking the action it did recently, adding that the consequences could be devastating in the state.

  • “It’ll be tragic for PDP to rule Abia for another 4yrs”

    A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Benjamin Apugo has said it will be tragic if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rules Abia State for another four years.

    Speaking with select journalists at his Nkata Ibeku, Umuahia country home, Apugo said for nearly two decades the affairs of the state have been in the hands  of the PDP, Abia has suffered tremendously as there was  practically nothing to show for all the years they were in power.

    “If the PDP rules the state for the next four years, there will be nothing like Abia State again, people will die of malnutrition and hunger because in the past 20 years PDP has been in power, there are no good markets, infrastructure and the general things that can create wealth in the state.”

    The BoT member said the only way forward is for the people of the state to vote for APC in 2019 so that the needed change will come to the  state as in other APC controlled states across the country.

    He opined that the success recorded by President the Muhammadu Buhari- led administration in the fight against corruption and the amount so far recovered from looters has endeared him to the Igbo.

    He said, “We the Igbo especially in Abia, are beginning to appreciate the achievements of the Federal Government, we have nothing to fear under Buhari; APC will give us nomination in 2023.

    When PDP was in power under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Boko Haram came to Abuja, bombed everywhere but now the President has fixed Nigeria by not only tackling the insurgents, stopping more corruption, he has just started it and he needs another four years.”

    Speaking further on the decision of the nPDP to suspend further discussion with the Presidency, Apugo who is also a member, assured that the nPDP will not pull out of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “We can’t leave the house we built, we helped the president to win election in 2015 through mass mobilisation, he contested three times before and lost. The truth is that nobody should bring his personal problems to and put it on the nPDP as a bloc, we have talked with the party and the Federal Government and we have agreed, the only mistake Buhari has made so far is neglecting us and not putting members of the nPDP in positions of trust.”