The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • APGA calls for cancellation of results

    The Abia State factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Reagan Ufomba has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to nullify the results of the three council areas earlier cancelled by the returning officer.

    Chief Ufomba, who directed his supporters to vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential elections because of the way the political pendulum was swinging, said Prof. Benjamin Ozumba was in canceling the results.

    Speaking with our correspondent at his country home at Umuogelle Ntigha in

    Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of the state, Ufomba said the results of the three council areas of Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala Ngwa North should remain cancelled because of several electoral malpractices.

    He said there were massive rigging, illegal thumb printing of ballot papers, snatching of ballot boxes by political thugs, shooting and monetary inducement of voters, with stockfish and other materials to force them to vote against their wish.

    He said the re-run scheduled for tomorrow by INEC in some polling units in nine local government areas of the state is not enough.

    “There should be total cancellation of the entire election held in the three council areas of the state for justice to have been done,” he said.

    Chief Ufomba said: “Our party is insisting that the election results in the three council areas be canceled, as the returning officer is right in law to cancel the

    results and has no right to reverse himself.”

    He alleged that the reversal of the decision of the returning officer was as a result of the visit of the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji to the Resident Electoral Officer and the returning officer, stressing that the governor has no right to be at the collation centre.”

    Continuing, he said: “The returning officer has the right to cancel any election result, as he is the chief returning officer for the state, even if the results have been announced at the local government level.

    “The visit of the governor to the collation centre changed everything; I am sure that the returning officer must have seen something or heard something beyond his expectation which made him to reverse himself. He cannot appropriate and reprobate at the same time.”

    The APGA governorship candidate thanked the people for voting for his party despite all odds, adding that the April 25 re-run has provided an avenue for their party to win the election on a landslide, urging them to come out en masse that day to cast their votes for his party.

  • Assemblies of God: Faction heads to Supreme Court

    Assemblies of God: Faction heads to Supreme Court

    Despite the Court of Appeal ruling sacking Prof. Paul Emeka as General Overseer of the Assemblies of God Church and affirming Dr. Chidi Okoroafor in his place, the leadership tussle in the church persists. A convention of the church stakeholders in Enugu not only rejected the Appeal Court ruling but headed to the Supreme Court.

    Prof. Emeka made it clear to the convention that the claim by the Chidi Okoroafor faction that the court sacked him and ordered the instatement of Dr. Chidi Okoroafor in his place was not included in the Appeal Court ruling.

    “There was no declarative order in the judgment. They just concocted those claims and gave to the press to publish,” Emeka told the stakeholders while distributing copies of the judgment to the stakeholders.

    •Rev. Paul Emeka
    •Rev. Paul Emeka

    Prof Emeka who said he was “as sure as the prophets” expressed optimism that in the long run the truth shall prevail.

    He said: “I am sure that justice will be obtained from the Supreme Court. Even if we lose at the Supreme Court that will not mean that we are not right. We will continue the struggle. What is right is right no matter how the courts interpret it.”

    Emeka insisted that the cause he and his faction were pursuing was not only a spiritual cause, but also just and evangelical, adding that the one chosen by God would be victorious and not the court’s decision.

    “We are in court because we are clearly dealing with people who are desperate. We are occupying where we are today because they know that there is no declarative order by the court asking us to vacate here. We are not leaving here because our sojourn here is God’s own making,” said Emeka, amidst applause from the members who filled the church hall.

    The church lawyers from different parts of the country were also present at the convention. One of them, Rev. Ben Chinedu Kalu who is also the National Public Relations Officer (NPRO) of the church told reporters that the church rushed to the Supreme Court not to pre-empt the takeover of the headquarters of the church but to redress the issues taken to the Appeal Court.

    According to him, the Okoroafor-led group “concocted things that were not in the ruling and that are why we are rushing to the Supreme Court for it to clear them. They raised technical issues. The era of technicalities has gone. We are in the era of substantial justice. They raised about six issues, (1) whether they are properly served or not, (2) whether the case is an abuse of court or not, (3) whether the removal of Rev. Prof. Paul Emeka was in order or not, (4) whether the matter is a fundamental rights issue or not, (5) whether the abridge of time was in line with the rules of court or not.

    “These are the issues they raised but the hallmark of the whole issue is whether Paul Emeka in line with the Constitution of the Assemblies of God was properly treated. That is the major issue. The constitution of the Assemblies of God of Nigeria said that you will bring a signed request to the General Superintendent assuming if he refused to appear. But in this case, our agitation is that those men that formed the general committee are the same petitioners and a petitioner cannot be a judge.

    “There is no declaration by the Appeal Court. What you saw in the newspapers and what you saw on facebook are all concocted. We are dealing with people that can manipulate facts, that can take laws into their hands. Immediately the judgment came out they concocted some declarations on their own which cannot be found in the Court of Appeal ruling. And so because we don’t want them to harass our churches, invade our churches forcefully, we decided to go to the Supreme Court.”

     

  • Labour leader decries poor leadership

    The state chairman, Public Service Negotiating Council (PSNC), Comrade Chris Okoro has attributed poor leadership in the state chapter of the union as the greatest challenge which workers in the state experience.

    Speaking with reporters in Umuahia, Comrade Okoro, who is among the four

    contestants for the state NLC chairmanship position regretted that despite the fact that the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji has continued to demonstrate his love for workers, that union leaders have failed to reciprocate his good gesture.

    Comrade Okoro said the leadership of the union has failed the expectation of the entire workers’ union with their lackadaisical attitude in the affairs that concern workers in the state, stressing that it is not in the best interest of workers.

    He said: “Despite the good gesture of Governor Orji to things that concern workers in the state, the leadership of labour is so poor; the leadership has not been meeting the expectations of workers of the state.”

    The state PSNC boss revealed that his position as chairman of the council with eight affiliate unions is limited. He further emphasised that the major responsibility of any trade union such as the NLC is to ensure that its members receive their privileges and rights from the government.

    Comrade Okoro said: “The conditions of service of Abia State workers are very encouraging. The salary of workers in the state is the highest in the Southeast. I am a trained labour activists, I know that another major challenge which workers experience is the dwindling respects for civil servants in the state.”

    On reasons behind his interest for the position of the labour leadership in the state, Comrade Okoro gave insight into what he wants to achieve, which include improving workers’ welfare, expectations and bring back the glory of NLC in which has been lost years back.

    On his assessment of labour in the state, he identified poor leadership administration as the cause of workers’ nightmare. He promised to use his experience as a state

    chairman, PSNC and Principle Secretary and Allied Union to better the welfare of workers if elected.

    He said the NLC as an umbrella body of Nigerian workers, is expected to protect workers’ interest in the state, even as he blamed the situation of workers to lack of visionary leadership in managing the affairs of the union.

  • Aba residents praise INEC

    Aba residents praise INEC

    Residents of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State have commended the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for holding what they described as improved election in Aba and its environs.

    They also condemned the invasion of some polling units by yet-to-be identified hoodlums to snatch ballot boxes, result sheets and other sensitive materials.

    Recall that a chairman of local government Transitional Committee Chairman in one of the local governments in the state was reported to have been arrested by a combined team of security operatives after it was discovered that in one of the cars in his convoy were some INEC sensitive materials.

    But our correspondent who monitored the election and later went round the city to feel the pulse of the people reports that unlike what obtained in the past, residents of the city have become politically conscious hence the increase in their awareness and unprecedented participation in the 2015 electoral process.

    According to a cross section of the residents that spoke to our reporter, the introduction of the electronic card reader was the best thing that happened in the 2015 general elections which helped in reducing rigging by various political parties.

    While narrating why she brought her results late on April 12 (Sunday), one of the corps members that served at Ohabiam Secondary School said she was helped to escape through the school fence when some hoodlums attacked her polling centre while they (hoodlums) made their way into the arena to snatch the ballot box.

    In an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Chiemela Okeugo corroborated accounts of ballot snatching in some voting units by some hoodlums, blaming some of the INEC adhoc staff for “compromising”.

    Okeugo, who also observed lack of adequate training on the use of the card reader machines among the adhoc, stressed that it was part of the reasons there was massive failure of the card reader machines during the presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He, however, called for the continued use of the card reader machine in subsequent elections, adding that training and re-training of staff on the operations of the card reader machine should be embarked upon ahead of the 2019 polls.

    He advised those that lost out in the elections to go back and analyse why they lost out in order to make amendment and re-strategise ahead of the 2019 and subsequent general elections.

    He urged those elected to represent the people to see their victory and election as call to serve the people of their constituencies, senatorial districts, the state and country at large. He was quick to remind the elected representatives that the people would, at the return of electioneering period, use their voting power to vote them out of office as was the case in the state at the just-concluded polls of March 28 and April 11.

  • Toll of court workers strike in Aba

    Toll of court workers strike in Aba

    Things are better at the federal level but in some states, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) strike is exacting an enormous cost on Aba and its residents.

    JUSUN called a strike back in January seeking redress certain issues especially at the workplace and rights of members.

    While JUSUN members at the federal courts have since resumed work, some of their state counterparts were yet to do so. Abia is one of the states which have yet to resolve the issue with the court workers.

    The result is that so many court cases have been left inconclusive, denying people the right to argue their matters or, if they lose, take them to higher courts.

    Civil and criminal cases, land disputes, even human rights matters have been stalled, causing people to resort to alternative ways of resolving their cases.

    Facilities at Aba and Umuahia prisons have continued to be overstretched while the number of inmates, especially those awaiting trial, has also continued to grow astronomically as security agencies almost on a daily basis have continued to dump suspects in prison yards while the courts remain closed.

    While senior lawyers have learnt to adapt to the situation usually associated with JUSUN strike, the young ones who apparently were still learning the rope according to The Nation investigation remained the most frustrated as they now live on stipends from clients seeking for bail from Police custody.

    A source who spoke to The Nation anonymously disclosed that some of the Magistrates close to him had already prepared judgments on some cases before their courts while waiting for JUSUN to call off the industrial action.

    A lawyer who did not want his name in print told our correspondent that the situation has worsened and that many lawyers who depend on legal practice alone resort to borrowing money from their friends and relations to put food on their family’s table, hoping to repay them as soon as the courts begin sitting.

    According to him, “I am not speaking for other lawyers, but I believe that there are people in the same shoe like mine. You will understand what it means to be a bread winner for two families or more and to make the matter worse; the wife who is supposed to be a helper is being owed for about five months salary arrears.  That could be frustrating because as the bread winner for your own and other families, you must try to meet your dependants’ needs.

    “My sister and brother in-law are in school. My mother in-law is in my house. my own brothers and sisters are also in school and I am the one training them. You must also attend to their other needs to ensure that all of them are happy and would not feel cheated. My own children as the Easter holiday has ended will be going back to school and you need to pay their school fees and you must provide for them with beverages and whatever they would need in the dormitory at least to help them settle in  school weeks after resumption of schools. I am not complaining but it is just to paint a picture of what some lawyers like me are passing through and for someone to have stayed idle for like 3 to 4 months without any other means of income, you can understand what life would have been”.

    A member of the JUSUN who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the press said that they would soon stop collecting their salary until government decides implementing the decisions of the court to grant them autonomy and also the new salary scale which the source claimed had already being approved by the Abia State House of Assembly during the January presentation of the state’s budget.

    In a chat with the Aba branch chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Chidozie Ogunji, he said “I feel the strike embarked upon by JUSUN is an unfortunate situation; unfortunate situation because I don’t think that those who are striking are looking at it from the dangers which the situation portends.

    “Yes, there is an agreement signed which the government has endorsed and the leaders of the Bar have also endorsed. The situation is, why not call off the strike and if there is non-implementation, you can now take it up from there? You cannot talk of implementation when you have not called off. Government has given an undertaking as supervised by the Bar for implementation of the judgment of Court of Federal High Court and compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. So, the situation is a dangerous one.

    “We now have a situation where the courts are not sitting and the people are suffering and by the day now resort to self help which is not good for our democracy, our nation and state.”

    On how the strike has affected their job as lawyers, Ogunji said: “Definitely, everything is at a standstill. It is not even like a small coach, a slow coach is even better now, but the situation we have now is a total lockdown; no work and nothing is moving, the courts are shut, lawyers are in their respective offices doing nothing and as the chairman of the Aba branch, it pains me more because daily, I see my members complaining and groaning in poverty.

    “We will also remember that we have younger practitioners, it is a very untidy situation and we just hope that JUSUN…will call it off, whatever other minor issues that may be discussed can be resolved with [the soon-coming government]. Is it the man that is going away that will enter into agreement with any other person? Once he has agreed to comply with the constitutional provision and agreed to comply with the judgment of the court, to us he has done that as required by law, what other demands we make can be done when the new man comes on board because by May 29, a new man must come and the eight-year tenure of the incumbent administration would have ended and there is nothing anybody can do about it. So we hope that the members of JUSUN would understand this.”

    “Yes, workers should be paid well, but definitely, that is not the reason for the strike. The reason for the strike is the constitutional provision and the Federal High Court judgment. Now having met with that, we can only proceed further by the court being opened and then both the Bar and members of JUSUN joining to agitate for that salary increase that they are asking for.

    “After all, we have relations who are all working in the courts. So, we want them to be paid well but the court cannot be locked and they are now asking for payment. They must open the court and when there is non-compliance, they can now proceed on strike.

    ”So our position is that for now, their demand and using the lockup of court as a measure is not acceptable to the branch (NBA Aba Branch).  Using strike as a means of solving industrial actions is not the best in all situations. There are services that you cannot lockdown, take for example, the hospitals, the police, the judiciary these are sacred institutions, without them, the country will collapse. So, there should be other mechanisms. In worst case scenario, you go to the industrial court. These are not acceptable modes of attracting attention in peculiar situations. I certainly don’t agree to that because that will be creating a danger.

    “My suggestion is that JUSUN should call off the strike immediately and then, upon the inauguration of a new government, we would push for their increment in salary which is what they are asking for”.

    In his own contribution, C.K Nwankwo, NBA chairman Ukwa Branch in a telephone interview, said, “We have been pleading with them to call off the strike. Government has done all it has to do for them to call off the strike and we have with them and considered all their requests and the major ones, we begged them and we equally told them that all issues that they were asking for cannot be met at a stretch. So, I don’t understand the continued closure of the court has become unreasonable, it is totally uncalled for and that is my position.

    “I have been part of the negotiation and we made it clear to them that it is high time they call of the strike.

    “I may not suggest that we take the laws into our hands, but I think we can still meet them and make them see reasons and further dialogue with them. But I want the thing to come from government now, the Attorney-General and all the stakeholders should now bring them, lets still come back to the roundtable and see what is remaining and then, probably some confidence building on both sides so that we can ensure that these things are all over so that we can go back to work.

    “For the general public who are also affected by the strike action, my feelings are that the general populace is gradually on a very consistent note losing confidence in the judiciary. It is unheard of that in a clime like our own, the judiciary will be on strike going to the fourth month. It means that that importance of the court as the last hope of the common man is gradually being eroded and people are gradually looking for alternative means of settling their disputes. The courts are the constitutional means but if the people device other means of seeking justice and settling their matters that means that we are going back into the Dark Age and it is not good for the legal system at all”.

    Lambert Chibuike Onuoha, JUSUN founding chairman, said, “Before now in August 2010, Abia State government and JUSUBN Exco led by me (Onuoha) entered into agreement with the union to pay Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUSS) which was about over N15, 000:00; that was when Abia State was paying her workers N9, 000:00 minimum wage. But instead of the payment, the Executive of JUSUN and other members were posted out of the judiciary and the thing was not implemented. Then, this judgment of February 13 2014 by the Federal High Court Abuja when I came on board. In fact all the states including the federal court went on strike for the implementation. So the federal judiciary suspended their strike because their own is being implemented (their financial autonomy is being implemented). But some states just like Abia now came up with memorandum of understanding (MOU) and that MOU is talking about salary overhead and the capital project but you cannot say you are practicing judicial financial autonomy without the prescribed emolument because the financial autonomy of the judiciary is standing on three legs; one is overhead, the other one is capital project and personnel cost, that is worker’s salary. So when you decide to pay overhead and the capital project and drop the personnel cost which is the main thing, it is like someone keep nine commandments, leaving one and the one he or she has decided to leave is the one God said, love your neighbour as yourself, what is the greatest. So, it is as good as that you have never kept any commandment and you know that the Abia State governor is a worker friendly Governor.

    “He, (T. A. Orji) is ready to pay because he constituted this committee as far back as 2010 and promised to pay. The only thing is that there are bad advisers. People who are supposed to advise him well, like the Attorney General who may be for one reason or the other doesn’t want to advice him (Governor) well. The governor cannot be everywhere, so even now, if they would advice him well, he will sign it. In 2010 when the then C.J (Chief Justice) of the state as at then, S. N Imo went to the governor to make a case for some allowances to magistrates, he instantly approved it immediately.

    The Governor is a worker friendly Governor, so the people who are supposed to advice him well are not doing that so even in this strike, workers are not happy to be on this strike because it is affecting so many people. The workers know quite well that there is paucity of fund in the state. We are not going to the N44, 000 :00 minimum wage, they said we know that the state government doesn’t have enough fund, okay pay us the amount that our brothers and sister from Imo State are receiving which they have gone and defended during the budget sometime February, but the thing is still lingering. If somebody will advice the governor well, the governor will accept it.

    “Even if he is not going to pay now and said okay that I am going to pay from June or May, workers will quickly go back to work, I don’t think that they have anything so special in this strike. Look at the health workers; they are enjoying their own salary structure. But this one as small as N28,000 which the Imo state have e been paying the judiciary since 2010 why don’t you give it to this people instead of the percentage because if you go by the percentage, it will be at about N44,000 which will be outrageous for the state government for now. But instead of telling the governor the truth, they go blackmailing the workers or whoever they think that is telling them the truth; I think that is what is holding the thing.

     

  • Elechi’s wife lifts needy children, caregivers

    Elechi’s wife lifts needy children, caregivers

    Her  husband’s administration is winding down, but no matter. Mrs Josephine Elechi, wife of Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi has continued with her humanitarian project, which she started in a bid to enhance the living standard of mothers and children in the state. Her major concern is the category of such less privileged people as orphans and other vulnerable children.

    During the week she oversaw the handover of educational support materials to some selected Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) as well as empowerment support to their caregivers.

    In her remarks at the event, Mrs Elechi said the programme which was designed to impact positively on the lives of OVCs and their caregivers, was done in partnership with a foreign partner, the Initiative for Good Health (IGH).

    She also assured that the programme will continue even after the tenure of her husband with the support of partner agencies.

    She said: ”The programme which has been a regular feature in my efforts at enhancing the living condition of the OVCs, also aims at encouraging our OVC caregivers in their efforts at promoting the well being of this class of children”.

    “Today’s event will witness the presentation of educational support to 10 OVCs from nine local government areas of the state, while 20 caregivers will be economically empowered to enable them face various challenges arising from catering for the OVCs under their care”.

    “I am particularly pleased to note that most of the caregivers to the OVCs have been doing well in terms of giving these children the needed attention and care that would enhance their living conditions”.

    “I want to commend our caregivers for ther efforts at putting smiles on the faces of these less priviledged children, and urge them not to be deterred by the challenges that might be encountering ion the course of doing this work of charity for God Almighty will reward them in his own way”.

    She called on the caregivers to ensure effective monitoring and supervision of the performance of the OVCs entrusted to their care, so as to assist MCCI in realising the objectives for the establishment of the programme”.

    Mrs Elechi also urged well meaning individuals and groups to assist the MCCI in their efforts at bettering the lot of the OVC by taking some of the children for caregiving, so as to reduce the burden of OVC in the society.

    “To the benefiting OVC; I urge you to always be obedient and respectfull tonyour caregivers, and ensure that you participate actively in domestic chores as well as your academic programmes, so as to become better and respectful members of the society in future”

    She also urged the beneficiaries to put the funds into effective use to achieve the desired results.

    The Medical Director of National Obstetrics Fistula Centre (NOFIC) Abakaliki, Prof. Sunday Adeoye said that there are over 4500 venerable and orphaned children in Ebonyi State going by a recent survey by the MCCI.

    Prof Adeoye who is also the Coordinator of the MCCI programme appealed to the care givers to utilize the money given to them adding that the MCCI team will be visiting them from time to time to monitor their activities to know if they are actually utilizing the money for the purposes they were meant for.

    She also warned the caregivers not to turn the OVCs to street hawkers.

    She commended the Wife of the Governor for her steadfastness in implementing the programme which is one of the thematic area of the Mother and Child Care Initiative (MCCI) Programme of her Excellency

    The Special Adviser on Primary Education to Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, Mrs Beatrice Nkwuda commended Mrs Elechi for using MCCI programme to increase the number of girl child in the state’s educational system. ENDS

  • Anambra community bemoans excavation woes

    Anambra community bemoans excavation woes

    In Umuezeawara community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, the grief of loss is constant, residents said.

    About 40 of their members have been crushed to death by overspeeding tipper drivers  coming in from other communities to excavate sand in Umuezeawara.

    The residents claimed that their children were killed every dayby the drivers.

    There is also another worry: the huge craters created by the excavators are very dangerous and could become death traps, the residents further said.

    They also alleged that despite their cries and petitions to the Anambra State Ministry of Environment to come to their aid have failed to yield the needed result.

    A 28-year-old widow, Mrs. Roseline Nwankwo, whose husband was killed by the reckless tipper drivers plying the community, said instead of action taken to remedy the situation, it has become worst.

    She noted that the Tipper Drivers’ Association paid her a paltry sum of N200, 000 as compensation after its member knocked down and killed her husband.

    A Hydro-geologist, Mr. Emmanuel Nwabineli lamented that their environment is under threat as a result of the degradation occasioned by the excavation of sand.

    He said: “I have sent petitions to the federal and state ministries of environment; you know that before one starts to excavate sand at any point, you must carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) but this was not done here.”

    The deplorable condition of the Umuezeawara Road, has elicited reactions from the public, as it remains impassable anytime it rains, yet the tipper drivers do not care despite the number of deaths the community has recorded.

    The road which traverses Okija community junction through Ihiala to Egbema in Imo State to Rivers State was constructed by President Shehu Shagari regime in 1980. As a result of its bad nature, some parts of it were reconstructed by the Anambra State government through the local government.

    Despite the reconstruction, the road is still in a sorry state due to the pressure exerted on it by over 120 Mercedes 911 tipper loaders that ply on it on daily basis.

    Some of the traders at Afor Igwe Umudara village market rue the hardship they experience every market day.

    One of the veteran journalists from the area, Pa Hyacinth Nwabineli, told our correspondent that the people experience much pains and agony because of the situation.

    He said: “We are really suffering so much. Look at the road in front of my house, it is always like River Niger and we always place logs of wood for people to walk over.

    “So many school children and farmers have been killed by these tipper drivers. The number of death recorded in this place as a result of the horrible situation is between 40 and 50 people.”

    He appealed to the state government to come to the aid of the people before it is too late.

    Also, one-time Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Ody Chukwube described the situation as worrisome to the people of the area.

    Chukwube said: “I feel troubled about what my village is going through at this moment. You can see it yourself; in fact, we lack words to express the havoc being caused by these truck drivers.

    “Before now, we had made sustained representation to the National Assembly through our legislator, Chief Forte Dike. The community leaders are still meeting and after that, we shall also speak with the state government before taking the next line of action.”

    •Traditional Head, Chief James Chukwudolue of Umuezeawara
    •Traditional Head, Chief James Chukwudolue of Umuezeawara

    The mood of the traditional head of Umuezeawara, Ogbuehi James Chukwudolue was that of frustration, anguish and pains.

    He said: “The tipper drivers begin as early as 4:00 a.m. every day and the way they drive around our village is a threat to lives and even people’s buildings.

    “They do not respect traffic rules and even when other road users complain, they are sometimes beaten up. Since 1964 that I became the traditional head of this place, I have never witnessed this number of deaths,” Chukwudolue said.

    The chairman of Umuezeawara village, Dr. Donatus Iberi, alleged that the tipper drivers display such attitude because somebody was behind them.

    “We know that this is business for some people, but it should not be to the detriment of our lives and the major road that passed through our village.

    “You need to come here when it rains, you cannot even move around. Many vehicles had been stuck on those deep and wide pot holes which can even pass for a gully.”

    Iberi further said that sometimes the people follow bush paths to go wherever they want to go, due to the deplorable condition of the road.

    For a 44-year-old Louis Okani, his agony was unbearable. His seven-year-old son, Chukwuebuka was killed few months ago by one of the same tipper drivers.

    “Before these tipper drivers started using the road, we had no problems. We had enough space to do our trading. Suddenly, the road began to form deep pot holes and encroached into the market.

    “I lost my seven-year-old son Chukwuebuka to the accident that occurred few months ago. He was returning home from school when one of the tipper drivers hit him and he died on the spot.

    “The worst is that the driver ran away with his tipper and all my efforts to find out that particular driver that killed my son proved abortive because hundreds of them pass through that road on daily basis on speed,” he said.

    When approached for comment on the matter, one of the tipper drivers refused to either to talk or disclose his identity. He threatened to run over any body that tried to block his way.

    Efforts made to contact the Commissioner for Environment yielded no result as he refused to pick his calls. A visit to his office was also not fruitful as our correspondent was barred from seeing him.”

    However, a staff in his office who spoke to our correspondent in confidence because he was not competent to speak on the matter said that a petition on the issue was brought to the office, adding that in due course, the state government would look into the matter.

  • Showers of gifts at Mothering Sunday

    SUNNY NWANKWO reports that women in Aba were recipients of  remarkable kindness in appreciation of their role in church and nation-building

    Appreciation comes now and then, but on a Mothering Sunday, it comes in a deluge.

    Christ Holy Church International (CHC) has marked the day in Aba, during which women received gifts for their role in the birth and resurrection of Christ, the church and their homes and the society at large.

    Men, children and other family members showered gifts on the women, presenting them with assorted materials. It was a day for wives and mothers.

    The celebration in one of the church branches in Aba also provided an opportunity for the women to present their own offering to God, though they said it was not enough to thank Him for protecting their families, the church, the state and the entire country.

    With their beautiful voices, they rendered melodious songs to the admiration of the parishioners.

    The women who could not allow the euphoria of the event to overshadow the need for prayers as the country awaits the handover of government by the out-going President Goodluck Jonathan to General Muhammadu Buhari, also used the opportunity to offer special prayers for peace in their families, businesses, the church and the country at large.

    It was really a day that Christ Holy Church family prayed and thanked God for witnessing 2015. The event lived up to its billing as there was no dull moment from the start to the end of the service.

    The event would not have been complete if the Bishop of CHC Province III, His Eminence Rt. Rev Aaron Eziuzor failed to admonish the women and the church.

    Eziuzor who took his reading from the book of Proverbs 31:10-17 speaking about the virtuous woman, described a virtuous woman as one whose worth is priceless and one who would not be reminded of her role as a mother.

    The cleric while lauding the role of the women in the church and in sustaining their families urged them to continue to be obedient, respectful and submissive to their husbands and those in authority even when they were the bread winners of their families.

    According to him, women should learn how to love their husbands both in scarcity and in plenty and also urged the men to care for, tolerate, support and love their wives at all times.

    The women in their separate speeches could not hide their joy and thanked God for keeping them alive to witness the 2015 mother’s day edition and prayed that they would be alive to celebrate it years to come.

    Mrs. Anulika Marizu said, “Today is a wonderful day indeed. Christ Holy Church International, 7b Ibo Road, Aba and our sister branches in other parts of the world are celebrating their mothering Sunday today and I am so happy. It is a great privilege that I am alive today to celebrate it. A lot of people wanted to see today, but they are no more, but I thank God that God granted me that mercy to see today and to be part of the celebration today. I equally pray that God will grant me more life to keep celebrating this day many years to come.

    “For me, being a mother is a great calling because we (mothers) have a lot of responsibilities; responsibility to God, to the immediate family, colleagues, friends and the world at large. A woman they said is a womb of the nation.

    “For women who leave their responsibilities at home for their husbands and house help, I think it is an error in the highest order because it is true that God gave us the gift as a second Fidel in the family as the man takes the first position. Being a woman, you are supposed to play your rightful role as a good helper to the man. We are to make the home, we are called home makers. So, for you as a woman to leave your responsibility for your husband to do, is an error which should be corrected.

    “To correct the error, we should go back to the word of God like Proverb 31:1-end. Women should see their duties as a God fearing woman. Let’s go back to the drawing board and stand by the word of God, I think that that error will be corrected. Christian women should know that we have our own responsibility to train up our children in the fear of God as was instructed by God; to train up our children in the fear of the Lord so that when they are old, they will never depart from it. Remember that if you train the children in your family very well, it will extend to the larger society and this society will be a better society to live. Everybody is fighting against corruption, we know that the Lord Jesus is coming very soon, in our own little corner, let’s start doing our own work so that it will now go round and this place (earth) will become a better place”.

    Said Mrs. Udodi Uche, “I am very happy to celebrate this year’s mother’s day with other women, it is not easy. Among all the women here in CHC 7b Ibo road, we are complete celebrating this year’s mothering Sunday.

    “As a young mother, today signifies a lot of things to me and other mothers. At least, it brings joy in my home, it shows me that I have a lot of things to carryout in my family, in the church, the less privilege among other people that I have to accommodate and treat them as a mother should”.

    On the message preached by the bishop she said “the message by the bishop taught me a lot of things. It taught me how to be patient in my home; how to tolerate my husband, how to take whatever thing that I see in my home since I am there, I am there for real, there is no need of going back; whatever thing I see in my home, I should take it that way.

    “As Bishop told us, he is urging all the women in the church and out there that we should go back to our duties as wives. That we should go back and pick up from where we are backsliding, amend our ways and also be role models which the younger ones will emulate. And for the country, I am praying for peace to reign in all that we do”.

     

  • Amuzi Spring: Imo’s fountain of life

    Amuzi Spring: Imo’s fountain of life

    Do you want to live long? Then drink from the Amuzi Spring or the Iyi ishi ehi as the natural fountain is called in Imo State.

    The people of Umulowu, a sleepy community in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State are known to live long. The oldest man in the community died at the age of 135 and several others passed on at not less than 100.

    Today, the community is blessed with hundreds of gray-haired men and women, who, irrespective of their advanced age, still go about their normal businesses with uncommon strength.

    This feat is no longer common in modern-day life, where the ageing process is characterised by ailments. But thanks to this legendary spring which seems to have provided the water of life, things are apparently different for the people of Amuzi.

    Located in a flourishing rainforest, the Amuzi Spring offers not only ‘life’ but memorable fun to tourists who brave its hilly and snaky path in search of longevity.

    The serenity of the environment is another attribute that makes the Amuzi Spring a tourist’s delight. Surrounded by a plantation of fully grown bamboo trees, crafted together to form a greenish and beautiful shelter, the Amuzi Spring is, indeed, another wonder of nature.

    A native of the community, Chief Innocent Okporo, who lives close to the source of the spring, attested to its healing and soothing powers.

    “The history of the river was passed to us by our fathers,” he said. “Although not many people in the state or beyond believe in the enormous benefits that are derived from drinking from the Iyi ishi ehi, our people live a long and healthy life. My own father died at the age of 118 and my mother who is over 100 years is still alive and strong.

    “The secret of this longevity of life is the Amuzi Spring. People come from far and near to fetch from the River. It is our only source of water and it is purer than the common borehole that is springing up everywhere. We drink from the River and wash our clothes with it as well.”

    Further confirming the powers of the river, Mrs. Ngozi Ihekworo described the river as a great blessing to the community. She stated that for centuries, the people relied on the river for their health challenges.

    She said: “I don’t drink any other water apart from the Amuzi water. I can tell you that the benefits are enormous. For instance, I am over 60 years but I feel like I am still a youth. Nobody in my family has ever died before the age of 90 years. People who suffer from different ailments have been miraculously healed after drinking from the river.”

    But, irrespective of these confirmed benefits, not so many people, even in Imo State know about this mystery spring. Others still dismiss the claimed powers of the River as mere superstition that lacks scientific proof.

    However, in the midst of this doubt, the Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, embarked on a historic visit to the fountain to have a firsthand account of the tales that have surrounded the mystery pool but majorly to look at possible ways of developing the tourism potential of the River for the benefit of the state.

    The breath-taking descent into the valley, which is estimated at 200 feet below water level, through slippery pathway, could not deter the Deputy Governor and his entourage that were cheered by the villagers.

    At the River, Madumere, who was led by a member of the community, Mr. Joseph Umoru, was fascinated by the serenity and charm that exuded from the pool. The shrill cry of children as they dip into the cool river, added to the allure of the moment.

    The Deputy Governor said he got a report about the wonders of the river from one of his staff and decided to make the expedition to see ways the state could harness the potential of the river.

    He said the mission of his technical team was also to see how government can improve the welfare of the people by helping them have access to the water without climbing the steep valley and to develop the water front into a source of tourism.

    The Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Technical Matters, Mr. Alba Opara, who was part of the delegation, said it will require the installation of a high-capacity booster-machine to generate enough hydro-pressure to make the water available for everyone.

    He further said it will also require the installation of a water treatment unit and other facilities that will protect the people who drink from the water source.

    Umoru, who told the Deputy Governor about the existence of the mystery pool, disclosed that the water sits at an estimated 65 meters or over 200 feet below ground level. He said the water flows from under a huge high rock through four channels.

    He also said, according to mythology, the river was discovered “when one of the cows belonging to a wealthy member of the community whose house was seated atop the rock encasing the water centuries ago, broke off the rock with its horn and the water started gushing out to form the Iyi ishi ehi, which means the river of cow head, which has continued to flow till today”.

    But some who are indigenous to the community hold a different view about the claimed powers of the mystic spring.

    Mr. Uzoaru Okafor, had this to say: “The claimed powers in the Iyi ishi ehi, as well as its origin are more of a folktale than reality. Come to think of it, if the claims were true as we were made to believe, why is it that people from the community still suffer from ailments and die prematurely?

    “Granted the river has served our people over the years as the only source of water, with modern technology, which has created better means for accessing better and safer water, it is no longer advisable to take the risk of climbing the valley to fetch water from the spring.

    Mrs. Faith Ejerenwa dismissed the claim that the longevity of life in the community was as a result of drinking from the spring as fetish. “I think it is mere ignorance for people to believe that the water from the Amuzi River or any other river can prolong their lives. It is mere superstitious believe that cannot be substantiated,” she said.

    Describing the belief as idol worship, Mr. Kingsley Ibechodo, a student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), said: “I go to swim in the Amuzi River each time I return to the village for the fun of it. I don’t attach any other meaning to it. My father told me that the story about the healing powers of the river has been on for centuries, which is just a folktale passed from one generation to another in the community.”

     

  • Residents urge Obiano to fix road

    Residents urge Obiano to fix road

     

    May-rose Road in Amawbia, said to have been in use since the pre-colonial era, links Nise and other communities in the state, but it has neither been maintained nor rebuilt over the years.

    Consequently, motorists face all sorts of challenges on the road. Pedestrians, too, especially women carrying farm produce or articles of trade sometimes fall and fracture their legs.

    The poor state of the road adds to the unflattering profile of the state through successive administrations.

    In his time, Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju did his best with meager federal allocations, but the only thing that collapsed his administration was the salaries owed to teachers and workers in the state, which led to the closure of schools for over one year.

    Despite these challenges, Mbadinuju deployed the meager resources at his disposal to open up some of the areas.

    Dr. Chris Ngige, who succeeded him brought what the people of the state regarded as liberation from the clutches of godfathers, when he fought them to a standstill to pave way for development. Many more communities opened up through new roads, schools and health centres, among others.

    Governor Peter Obi, who came after Ngige, continued to build on what his predecessor left.

    Today, Chief Obiano, who vowed to surpass what his predecessors did, is on the road to doing so. His one year in office has brought some changes in the capital city Awka, and tourism and leisure have returned to the city.

    But residents would have the hard-working governor go round capital territory to see the imperatives of prioritising infrastructure, some of which are access roads in Awka.

    This, according to the residents, will ease the traffic gridlock in the capital city.

    May-rose Road, for instance, has been abandoned for decades.

    If nothing is done by the government of Chief Obiano, there is the likelihood that some of the established schools, hotels and other facilities will be adversely affected.

    Some of these facilities along the 2.5km road include Kabe Primary School, Kabe Secondary School which boasts over 4,000-strong student population, Amawbia High School and May-roses Hotels, among others.

    They said the road has a long history, where the people of Enugwu-Agidi in Njikoka, Achalla in Awka North Local Government Area, among others, link Nibo in Awka South Local Government Area, Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area and Mbaukwu in Awka South Local Government Area.

    The only means of transportation in the area is through motorcycle operators otherwise known as okada, while some of the residents who have cars park their vehicles outside their domains.

    Speaking with The Nation on the abandoned road, one of the community leaders, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Nwokoye, who is the Ide–Amawbia, said the only thing that will make the people happy is when the state government comes to the aid of members of the community.

    He said for the past 200 years, the road, which was once a path way in the olden days has become so important that no government could abandon it.

    Nwokoye further said that the community had, before now, taken their case to the state government for it to fix the road, but all to no avail, as the past government of Obi reneged on its promise.

    The community leader said: “Everybody here is sad; we are in pains because the children who are attending these schools are suffering; the women who walk through this road suffer pains.

    “Obiano is trying his best, but his best will just be enough if he comes to inspect this road and just award it to reduce the pains of the people. This road is very important to the people of Amawbia.”

    For another community leader, Edward Dije, an engineer, the road has become a nightmare to the people and the people are only waiting for a day to say “thank God.”

    Also, Kabe Onyeogu, an engineer and Okwy Erike, a lawyer, told The Nation that some of the children and women have fractured their legs because of the quantum of dilapidation.

    When The Nation visited the community some days ago, the only area that is good for vehicles to ply was the beginning of the Onitsha–Enugu end of the abandoned road.

    Apart from this road, there are other important link roads that require the attention of the state government, including the road at the back of the Governor’s Lodge at Amawbia that also links Nibo community and other communities.

    The proprietor of May-roses Hotel, who pleaded for anonymity because he didn’t want his name in print, expressed hope that both the state and local governments should appreciate the contributions of the proprietors of hospitality industry and accord top priority to tarring of the road.

    When The Nation visited the hotel, it discovered that it boasts a 24-hour power supply, hydraulic lifter, technological power water borehole and other enthralling facilities similar to what obtains in civilised climes.

    The sad story of dilapidated link roads was evident in other hotels at Nibo, Nise, Okpuno, Amansea and Mbaukwu, all in Awka South Local Government Area.

    The proprietor of the hotel, The Nation gathered, was former governorship candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the state and who is state coordinator of Muhammadu Buhari campaign organisation in 2007 presidential elections on the platform of All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in Anambra State.