The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southeast report

  • Ebonyi to spend $500m on varsity

    Ebonyi to spend $500m on varsity

    EBONYI State government has announced that a total of 500 million dollars would be spent on the development of the state university (EBSU), Abakaliki.

    The state governor, Chief Martin Elechi made this known during the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of 2013 instructional materials, assessment report booklets and commissioning of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) warehouse at the SUBEB headquarters Abakaliki.

    Elechi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo stated that since the decision of government to run a single campus system as against the four-campus structure for the state university, the government has already commenced massive infrastructural development of the permanent site at Ishieke, in collaboration with an American firm.

    The governor announced that the administrative block and the office of the Vice Chancellor would be commissioned by the first quarter of the year while work on two hostel blocks and another faculty block was progressing rapidly.

    He stated that the state government at inception of his administration in 2007 assured Ebonyi residents of qualitative education of the children, and stressed that a lot had been done in the realisation of that objective.

    The state, he said, built 31 boarding schools and established three new technical colleges in the state.

    Governor Elechi promised that the issue of accessing of funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Abuja would be addressed very soon by the payment of the state’s counterpart funds, saying that the state will not leave any fund un-accessed from UBEC.

    In her opening remarks, the Acting Chairman of SUBEB, Mrs. Perpetua Elom stated that through the state government’s funding, in collaboration with UBEC and Education Trust Fund (ETF), Ebonyi SUBEB was able to construct 345 classroom blocks, renovation of 69 school blocks, procurement of 29,302 sets of school furniture, provision of 140,902 textbooks, procurement of library, computers and intro-tech equipment and training of 40,209 teachers, in addition to employment of 2000 tutorial and 200 non-tutorial staff.

    Southeast Coordinator of UBEC, Mrs. Ngozi Ojukwu stated that Ebonyi was the first state in the country even ahead of the federal government to sign the UBEC Law, and to now flag-off distribution of instructional materials, but urged the state to sit up in terms of payment of her counterpart funds to UBEC in order to draw down her trapped funds.

    Chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon Chris Usulor while commending the state government and SUBEC in doing wonderful job in the education sector, promised to hold a meeting with the State Ministry of Education and SUBEB officials towards finding a way to resolve the payment of counterpart funds to UBEC.

  • Cultural revival in Ngwa

    Cultural revival in Ngwa

    The Ngwa Day festival attracted eminent indigenous Ngwa people from home and the Diaspora. Our Aba correspondent Sunny Nwankwo who witnessed the event, reports

    While many have embraced western culture to the detriment of their own, a group of Ngwa people under the aegis of Ngwa Patriot Forum (NPF) is determined to ensure that their traditional values are revived and bequeathed to succeeding generations.

    The Ngwa Festival Day celebration in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State, unlike the maiden edition though was low-key. But one thing that stood out in the event was that like one of the vision statements of its organisers, Ngwa Patriots Forum (NPF), the event attracted Ngwa sons and daughters from the economic, social and religious strata, putting their political, religious and economic leanings aside.

    Some of the Ngwa sons and daughters who where present at the event included the National Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress party (APC) Southeast, Chief Nyerere Chinenye Anyim, Senators Nkechi Nwaogu and Enyinnaya Abaribe.

    Hon. Eziuche Ubani, member representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, Honourable Minister for Labour and productivity Emeka Wogu, Mr. Friday Nwanozie Nwosu, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Chukwu Wachuku were among other Ngwa crème de la crèmes that graced the occasion

    The event, according to the organisers, was not only to promote the culture of the Ngwa nation, but also a time for the group to reason together, unwind and dine together and also honour people of Ngwa extraction who have distinguished themselves in their different professions and field of endeavours.

    According to the president of the NPF, Chief Okey Ahiwe, in a keynote address, the forum is an umbrella  body of well-meaning and committed Ngwa sons and daughters that come together to interact and show a sense of oneness on account of a common ethnic generational and natural identity.

    Ahiwe also said that the idea of NPF was to create a forum where the developmental aspirations of Ngwa people can be raised, discussed, analysed and be pursued irrespective of their political leanings, adding that the event was coming at a time when most Nigerian and Igbo cultures are being threatened by westernisation

    He said: “This festival is dear to our hearts for many reasons but most importantly is that it presents an opportunity for the high and mighty in our tribe to shed all toga of status and embrace the fact of our common heritage as well as reflect on how to utilize our God-given advantage for the betterment of Ngwa land and people. The center of our mission statement is to provide a veritable platform for harnessing positive ideals and resources toward the socio-cultural, economic and political development of Ngwa nation.“

    Calling for unity among Ngwa people, the group’s leader said “beyond the pomp and fanfare that this festival promises to offer today is an avid desire to imagine how great we can be as a people if only we regularly come together, mutually understand challenges, pull efforts together and speak with one voice on matters of common interest; key among which is development. It is that imagination that our Forum has committed time and money to make a reality since inception.”

    He further listed some of the group’s achievement in the last one year to include sponsoring of civic awareness campaigns, payment of bursary to many indigent Ngwa students in various higher and tertiary institutions, granting of an Micro-credit (non-refundable) to trained artisans in different fields, organizing town hall meetings/summits in major cities across the country which allows Ngwa people to brainstorm on issues as it affects the Ngwa nation among other developmental programmes initiated by the socio-political group.

    The chairman of the occasion, Elder Paul Ananaba, thanking the Ngwa group for their laudable initiative called for the support of all Ngwa nation in sustaining the cultural event, which he said would foster unity among them.

    Ananaba, who described 2015 as a defining moment in the history of Ngwa land used the opportunity to call on the people of the area to support the course of Ngwa governor in the state come 2015

    Prominent among the people honoured in the event is the Chairman of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty Eze Eberechi Nwanneyadi Dick.

    HRM Eze Eberechi Dick who spoke on behalf of the awardees thanked the group for deeming them fit for the award and therefore called on all Ngwa sons and daughters to rally round the group.

    Eze Dick while thanking Governor Theodore Orji and President Goodluck Ebere Jonathan for appointing Ngwa sons and daughters into positions of trust in the state and federal level, urged the people of the area to continue to support the governor and the president’s administrations.

    Traditional rulers from Ngwa land in their neatly and well suited regalia were also in attendance to add life to the occasion and to also perform all the traditional rituals required of in the event.

    The event would not have been completed without various Ngwa cultural troupes who were on hand to thrill the audience with their wonderful performance.

  • Ubah provides aid for the physically-challenged

    Ubah provides aid for the physically-challenged

    The Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah has presented  no fewer than 800 mobility aids to physically challenged persons in Anambra State .

    The aids were presented at the Finotel Hotels in Awka under the aegis of the Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability (ASCEND).

    The aids that included 50 American-built customised tricycles, wheelchairs, guide chains, Braille wristwatches, computers for the blind, telephones for the deaf and other assorted aids.

    The candidate of the Labour Party during the November 16, governorship election in Anambra promised them the items a few weeks ago.

    Making the presentation to the the physically challenged with his campaign team, Ubah said he shared their challenges and pains.

    He said the gesture would be a continuous project in order to improve their lives, those of their families and to strive to enthrone people-oriented government with human feelings in the state whenever opportunity presents itself.

    Ubah maintained that the materials were just the phase two of the programme, adding that he had passion for the less- privileged, the physically-challenged inclusive, especially any time he saw them happy.

    The national president of the group, Dr Cosmos Okoli described Ubah as the friend of the down-trodden, real masses in the society, needy and the neglected.

    He lamented other challenges facing them including employment discrimination even for qualified members, inaccessibility of the society, lack of accessibility to public and private buildings, mobility restrictions, and societal discriminations.

  • Chime signs industrial park MoU with Chinese firm

    Chime signs industrial park MoU with Chinese firm

    Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime has said that his government has put in place adequate measures and infrastructure that has made the state more than ready to host investors from around the world.

    The governor stated this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State Government and a Chinese Company, Goalmark Group for the establishment of a mega industrial park in Enugu.

    He noted that the measures which, according to him, have already triggered an influx of both local and foreign investment into the state were to be sustained and strengthened.

    He stated that due to the importance the government attached to the project, it has already provided a large expanse of land for the establishment of the Industrial Park and would also ensure that all necessary facilities were provided to ensure its successful take off.

    “This project is dear to our hearts, we are full of expectations and we want to see GoalMark Group developing the place immediately. The land in question is immediately available and we are making sure that all necessary infrastructure including proper access road to the estate will be put in place”, he said.

    Chime also noted that the Industrial Park will complement the massive infrastructural development of Enugu City that his administration had embarked on to give it a brand new and modern outlook.

    The leader of the delegation from Goalmark Group which has its headquarters in Beijing, China, Mr Lin Feng said the company decided to go ahead with the project after a careful study that confirmed Enugu as a conducive place for it.

    He disclosed that the project which, according to him, will cost billions of dollars to complete, will bring massive investments to Enugu from all over the world and ensure the tremendous improvement the economy of the state and environs.

    He said that the park will comprise investments in such major areas as cement, coal, power and water treatment plants as well as cassava and rice processing concerns.

    Feng added that the project will also entail the establishment of a specialised school for training of manpower to handle the various investments that the park will be attracting and called for continued support of the government to ensure that all of its objectives are met.

    He expressed delight that the project has become a reality and commended the government for its commitment towards ensuring its successful take off.

  • ‘Aba ingenuity has come to stay’

    ‘Aba ingenuity has come to stay’

    They have a way with gadgets. They see through the most complicated machines, and their magic fingers move in to fashion out stunning pieces. Aba, a city of 1.5m people in Abia State, teems with a rare breed of fabricators and technologists.

    They bring failed industrial machines back to life. Badly damaged car parts are easily replaced in Aba. All manner of old and broken-down cooling items such as refrigerators and air conditioners are taken apart and made to work again as if nothing went wrong in the first place.

    Yet, the ingenuity of Aba technologists is not limited to gadgets. In fact, they are unlimited. Various home appliances come to life in the city, as do clothing like jeans.

    Though the origin of one of the most populous commercial towns, east of the Niger, could be traced as far back as 1901, Aba became famous for the women’s riot of 1929 when women resisted attempts by the colonial masters to impose taxes on them especially in the then Eastern Province.

    Apart from the women’s riot, the city also became popular because of its importance to the state and the volume of economic activities in the city. No wonder the journey of any serious investor in Nigeria would not be complete if he or she failed to visit Aba.

    Aba is ranked among Nigeria’s economically buoyant cities because of its volume of trading activities. Experts in the economic sector have often claimed that the amount of revenue generated in Aba, if well managed and properly utilised, can sustain the state economy. The city’s major economic activities range from textiles, pharmaceuticals, plastics, cement, lubricants, cosmetics and its high technological creativity. There are breweries and distilleries within the commercial city.

    This city popularly called ‘Enyimba’ is also known for its industrial profile, perhaps recognised as a global market. It is the home handcrafts. The ingenuity and the industry of the people in crafts such as handbags, belts and shoes, tailoring, steel works (machines, tools and equipment) and fabrication of both domestic and industrial engines spare parts justifies the ‘Japan of Africa’ slogan.

    The unskilled engineers in the commercial nerve centre of Abia State have become the most wanted by most dredging companies who rely on them to replicate or reproduce some of their machine parts that are either scarce or must have been phased out of the market.

    The ingenuity of the people in using locally sourced materials to produce things that can compete favourably with their counterparts in the global market has earned its goods the popular nickname ‘Made in Aba’ just like we have ‘Made in China, UK, U.S.A,’ among others.

    Many have argued that what people regarded as ‘fake’ because it was produced in Aba, would outshine their contemporaries both in quality and durability.

    This has attracted high patronage on goods produced and manufactured in Aba by consumers beyond the shores of the country. Aba products traverse the West, East and North African countries, making the commercial city a sort of Mecca for traders within Nigeria and other African sub-regions.

    Aba has long been touted as the Japan of Africa given the many innovative and entrepreneurial activities going on among the inhabitants of the city. Speaking on the ingenuity of Aba Mr. Fortunate Dike, the President, Aba Small Scale Industrialist Initiative (ASSII) and a fruit drink manufacturer, in a chat with this reporter in his office boasted that, locally fabricated industrial machine spare parts lasts longer than the imported ones.

    Dike said that for Aba engineers to compete favourably with their foreign counterparts, “all they need is to be exposed to the modern technologies in order to help them meet with the modern trends of technology”.

    Professor Charles Chinekezi, a media consultant, added “anybody who tells you that Aba is an ingenuity city is only stating the obvious. From the beginning, Aba as a city has been known and exemplified for the gospel of copy technology which remains the scoring points of the Japanese technology and development. Today, the People’s Republic of China has repeated exactly what the Japanese did in the early 70s. If we talk about Nigeria, and possibly when you talk about Africa, Aba remains the bastion of the gospel of copy technology.

    “The multi-nationals have survived doing business, making profits, keeping their owners and investors in all corners of the world in the last 25 to 30 years from the ingenuity of the mere illiterate artisans who parade the streets of Aba. So, if anybody tells you that Aba has played a greater role in the development of Nigeria and Africa due to its commitment to the gospel of copy technology, that person is merely stating the obvious.

    “One of the problems Aba would face is lack of interest of the government to help these people to grow.”

    The government has refused to build technological villages, clusters and a mere encouragement of individuals, organizations, companies, associations and unions that promote this gospel of copy technology and that’s what have been crying about in the last 25 years, because of irregularity and inconsistency of people in government or because of the poor quality and judgmental pattern of government in choosing who runs the technocratic departments of the government in the last 25 to 30yeras. That is the only challenge we suffer from the promotion of this gospel of copy technology for which Aba as a commercial city is known in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa specifically. So, I am afraid. But I think if with the help of the press, civil society organisations, intellectual discusses and public campaigns and lectures, I think we can overcome this weakness or threat to our development as regards to the promotion and development of our indigenous technology.

    “How can anybody say that things produced anywhere is fake? They are just being mischievous to say that anything produced in Aba is fake. If you say that something that is produced in Aba is fake, that means, something produced in London, Italy, France, New York, Tokoyo (Japan), Hong Kong is also fake. That’s just the meaning. We are only interested in quality control which is a standard issue worldwide and specifications. The standardisation of quality control is the same from here (Aba) to where the world ends. We can only be talking about fake when people in our territory refuse to adhere to certain acceptable global standards. Anyone who is talking about fake and fakeness when it concerns quality control, when we are willing to collaborate with other people is being unreasonable. Technology is never transferred, it is acquired worldwide.”

    However, the pride of the commercial town of Abia State is at risk as most respondents said that they were contemplating leaving the state due to what they described as ‘harsh and unfriendly’ condition of doing business, excessive taxes and levies by government agencies is threatening their continued existence in the business.

    According to a machine fabricating engineer, “the challenges of epileptic power supply and over-estimation of PHCN bills has been a problem that we have long tried to address without any positive result. You know how much diesel is being sold at filling stations today and then imagine the amount of money we spend every day or would have spent running on generator throughout the year.

    “All we need is for the federal and state government to provide us with the enabling environment to do our businesses. Aba is known for its ingenuity. We are proud of it and will always make sure that, that which Aba is known for will be protected. We hope that the state of power supply will improve when Geometric Power Station and the EEDC (Enugu Electricity Distribution Company) finally resolve whatever that has been hindering effective power generation and distribution in Aba.”

    One thing that is certain is that the ingenuity of Aba people has come to stay and will only require the partnership of the artisans with Abia State, Federal government to sharpen their skills in order to help them grow their businesses beyond its present state.

  • Age grade system drives communal growth

    Age grade system drives communal growth

    The age-grade system in any typical Igbo contemporary set-up has always helped to fast-track communal growth. The case of Amokwo Item in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State is not different.

    Over the years, the people of Amokwo Item have benefited from the benevolence of the age grade system which is believed to have come into existence in the community form more than 100 years ago, including individual persons who have seen the need to plough back to the community where they were born.

    The normal thing is that the age-grade starts with a few youths coming together to form a social club, but they must have been born within the same period with a five-year difference. Within this period they scout for members who are of their age bracket and have the same mindset.

    When they increase in number, they approach the town union for registration, after which the town union gives them responsibilities, even financial targets to meet in the interest of the community.

    While they are still a social club in the community, they are regarded as boys even if they have married and produced children, so long as they have not graduated to become an age-grade and the already graduated age grades have the right to send them on errands and they must also have an age grade that will be their patron.

    When they are ready to come out as an age grade, they must approach the town union executives to assign them a project they must finish before they are allowed to come out and be regarded as men and a fully-fledged age grade in the community and will serve the community as the vanguards and local errand men and in most cases as the local vigilante people in Amokwo Item community.

    When they are tired and aged within the age bracket of a minimum of 70 years, they are expected to retire from active community service including paying levies as may be directed by the community union leaders. This is called Ikptonma “dropping of knives for the men and holes for the women” and they must also complete a retiring project before they are allowed to retire.

    They will serve the community in that capacity until a new age grade comes out to replace them as the vanguard of the community, even if it will take the new age grade five years to come out, they must remain the main errand boys of the community.

    On December 31, 2013, the Amokwo Item community under the executive leadership of Chief Kingsley Ogba Nwokoro, the community led a social club then known a Lovers Social Club to graduation into an age grade now known as Ochonma Age Grade of Amokwo Item.

    The new age grade had earlier been assigned a project at the village main market to build one of the stalls in, as the union had made the local market which normally opens every eight day into a daily market.

    The new age grade had built and painted the stall and handed same over to the town union as part of the criteria for their age grade outing.

    On New Year’s Eve, the new age grade with their men dressed in pink Igbo top with a black hat and a wrapper to march and their women wearing a pink top with a pink head gear and a wrapper to march danced from the village hall led by Chief Nwokoro and his executive council to the mini stadium built and donated to the community by Ms Arunma Oteh, the director general of SEC.

    The chairman of the day was Dr Davy Ukegbu Osoka, whose duty it was as the chairman of the occasion to charge the new age grade members to live up to the standard set by the founding fathers of the community and to be ready to serve the community at any level and at all times.

    Dr Osoka witnessed the handing over the baton of service from the outgoing age grade that served as the vanguard of the community for a over four years, the Chinemere age grade and it was handed over to the president general of the new age grade, Sebastian Odu Onwuchekwa who pledged on behalf of the new age grade to serve the community wit diligence until another age grade comes out.

    The ceremony which took place during the Okwo Day ceremony was witnessed many sons o the community which include the insurance guru, Chief Joe Irukwu, Prof Herbert Orji, chairman, BON, Chief Emmanuel Akwari Ukpabi, Emelike Igwe Kalu, Commissioner for Public Utilities and James Kwubiri Okpara commissioner for special duties, Legal and Due Process office of the governor both of them who are from the community and  among others saw the President-General of Amokwo Item Welfare Union [AIWU], Chief Nwokoro, thanking everyone for finding time to grace the occasion for that year.

    Kwubiri Okpara used the occasion to tell the people of Amokwo Item that the governor, Chie Theodore Orji has promised to build the road from the Umuahia/Ohafia/Arochukwu road down to Amokwo Item and that it has been budgeted for, while Kalu said that the water schemes in Apuanu and Okoko Item will be revived within the shortest period and urged the people of Item to give their support to the governor.

    The highlight of the occasion was the giving out the certificate of age grade outing to the new age grade, Ochonma age grade and the assigning of a stand during Okwo Day to the new age grade, after which the masquerades took the centre stage.

  • Independence Layout, heart of Enugu govt business

    Independence Layout, heart of Enugu govt business

    Independence Layout, Enugu, the highbrow section of Enugu, the coal city, was carved out by the post-independence administration of the legendary late Dr. Michael Okpara, the then premier of Eastern Region. Okpara, after Nigeria’s Independence, expanded Enugu with further acquisitions for physical development.

    Apart from the present Independence Layout which was primarily carved out to mark Nigeria’s Independence, Okpara acquired and developed more areas such as Uwani North, Uwani South and Uwani Central, Bridge Head Layout, Emene Industrial Layout, Housing Estate, Abakpa and the Trans Ekulu Layout.

    The Independence Layout was planned to accommodate the headquarters of the three arms of government viz the Executive, the Legislator, and the Judiciary.

    The official quarters of officers of these arms of government are also located there. The Government House, Enugu, popularly known as the Lion Building is synonymous with the name Independence Layout.  With the exception of Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, all governors, administrators (military and civilian) after Dr. Okpara occupied the Lion Building during their time. Ojukwu as military governor of Eastern Nigeria preferred to operate from the Governor’s lodge, now turned to National Orthopaedic Hospital.

    Although Okpara was able to complete the headquarters of the Executive and the Legislative arm of the government before his ouster in 1966, it was not until  2006 that the Judiciary headquarters was built by the administration of Chimaroke Nnamani.

    Also located at the Independence Layout are the imposing Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court, the Industrial Arbitration Court and other courts concerning the Federal Government.  Also located at the Independence Layout are the state radio and television station, Enugu State Radio and Television Broadcasting Service (ESBS), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Enugu and the foremost Hotel Presidential which is now dilapidated.  Highly placed Nigerians, top brass military officers, all have houses in the highbrow carve out.

    It is no secret that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has his house along Independence Avenue within the layout. The house has been there since early seventies. Late M.K.O. Abiola also owns a building there.

    Suffice it to say that no South Easterner worth his salt, that does not own a building in Independence Layout, except the founder, Dr. Michael Okpara. All the ministers that served under Okpara during the First Republic owned houses there.  Also, those that served under the Ukpabi Asika regime as well as the regimes of Jim Nwobodo and Chimaroke Nnamani owned buildings there.

    The only thing to be associated Independence Layout with the late premier is the popular Okpara Square named after him. Almost all important public and private ceremonies are held in Okpara square.

    One addition to the Independence Layout is the unofficial “Fourth Arm” of the government. The Enugu State headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) is firmly located there. The Press Centre which has been there since 1971 was allocated to the NUJ by the then Administrator of East Central State, late Ajie Ukpabi Asika. Asika reasoned that since the other three arms of the government are located in the highbrow area, the “Fourth Arm” must be there too.  Today, Independence Layout is expanding. Parts of the Owo River Layout and the Republic Layout have been acquired by government and renamed Independence Layout Phase II. Under the present Sullivan Chime administration, some areas which had distorted the beauty of the layout have been reclaimed and given a new look.

    These include the present Independence Avenue and Pocket Layout.In addition to being the centre of government business, it is also being inundated recently by 5-star hospitality businesses and bush bars rearing up here and there. At least, built newly within the layout are five 5-star hotels.

    One of the best hospitals East of the Niger, The Niger Foundation Hospital owned by the Opus Dei is also located at Independence Layout. Also located at the Independence Layout are the Eastern headquarters of the anti-graft outfit, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the State Security Service (SSS), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Federal Secretariat.  Ends

  • Mammoth crowd welcomes Okorocha

    Mammoth crowd welcomes Okorocha

    The return of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha from a three-week vacation in the United States of America drew a mammoth crowd. He got a hero’s welcome from the people of the state who turned out in their large numbers. The crowd was unprecedented as the people, both young and old turned out in great numbers to catch a glimpse of their governor.

    The governor, who travelled to the USA to felicitate with his daughter who was delivered of a set of twins, could not restrain his emotion when he saw the mammoth crowd that came to welcome him home and to rejoice with him for joining the league of grand fathers.

    As early as 7:00 a.m. on that fateful Friday, vehicular and human movements along the road leading to the Sam Mbakwe International Airport were already grounded as large number of people, including gaily-dressed women, businessmen, religious and pressure groups, traditional rulers, student bodies, clergymen, artisans and politicians headed for the Airport to await the arrival of the governor.

    At the Airport, several dance troupes took turns to entertain the crowd that defied the scorching heat of the sun, dancing to the rhythms of music that were mainly songs of praise for the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The atmosphere was also charged in the VIP Lounge of the Airport where senior officials of the state government and other dignitaries waited anxiously for the flight scheduled for 12 noon. They chatted away time over political developments in the state and the country.

    At about 1:30 p.m., the jet marked LearJet45X conveying the governor touched the tarmac. The impatient crowd broke loose and officials of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and efforts of security agents to prevent the crowd from rushing into the tarmac were somewhat taxing.

    On hand to receive the governor were his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Eze Agunwa Ohiri, members of the state Executive Council and chieftains of the APC, among others.

    Speaking with newsmen shortly after his arrival, the visibly elated governor restated his administration’s determination to continue to provide the dividends of democracy for the people.

    He assured his teeming supporters who were eagerly waiting to know his next political line of action that he would run for an election, even though he said his position would be communicated to them at the appropriate time.

    Away from the Airport, the various groups who were distinguished by their colourful attires, walked the over 16km distance to the venue of the grand reception, disrupting the governor’s convoy as he had to stop at several points to acknowledge cheers from the surging crowd who waved at him relentlessly.

    Travellers along the Owerri/Aba Road were stranded as a result of the heavy gridlock resulting from cars that struggled to keep pace with the convoy. At various villages along the route, cannons were fired by ecstatic villagers in salute to the governor.

    The event, which was meant to be a mild reception for the governor who was away during the Yuletide, turned out to be a massive political rally where the ideals and prospects of the APC were exhaustively discussed to the admiration of party supporters.

    Arriving at Emmanuel College Roundabout, venue of the grand reception, Okorocha, who was obviously stunned by the large crowd of party supporters started singing and dancing to songs of praise to God for leading the state thus far.

    He told the crowd that he has been re-energised to do more.

    “I want to tell you that we are ready to do more. When we came on board, I assured Imo people that we are no longer under bondage. Imo today is free and better. The Egyptians we see today we shall see no more.

    “Let me assure you that the free education will continue. This year will be better for our people; we are going to chase away poverty from the land. The 27 brand new government hospitals will be completed this year and no Imo man will die as a result of treatable diseases,” he said.

    Half way into his speech, the governor, apparently moved by the women’s show of solidarity, announced thus: “henceforth in all the government-owned hospitals, pregnant women will be given free maternal care.”

    The announcement sent the crowd into frenzy as the women temporarily took over. They danced and sang the governor’s praise.

    Continuing, Governor Okorocha urged the women to continue to support his administration’s effort to rebuild the state.

    “We will continue to emphasise on the free education as the biggest investment in our state. Our children will have access to quality education irrespective of their background. No Imo child will ever be allowed to waste away because of poverty,” he said.

    However the import of the historic gathering was not lost to political analysts who described it as a test of the Governor’s control of the political machinery of the state.

    The overwhelming turn out of people who were neither coerced nor induced to attend, proved beyond doubts that the APC-led administration in the state, had come to stay.

    Chants of ‘up APC, up Okorocha, down PDP, down corrupt leaders, rented the air as the governor, who inaugurated two strategic roads close to the venue of the event, reeled off the endless list of what his administration had achieved in the last two-and-a-half years.

    An octogenarian, Nze Chibuike Onyeukwu who leaned heavily on his walking stick, apparently out of exhaustion, said: “I came out to see the man that has followed the footsteps of one of our great sons, Dee Sam Mbakwe. Okorocha has truly rescued the state from a clique of misguided young men who looted the state.”

    The retired civil servant further added: “What I have seen and heard is a testimony of the fact that our governor is sent by God to wipe away our tears. The projects, completed and ongoing, are there for all to see unlike before where projects only existed on the pages of newspapers and internet.”

    Before the curtain was drawn for the day, the governor dispelled the rumoured rift between him and his deputy, urging the people to ignore the falsehood.

    He described Madumere as his ”political son in whom he is well pleased”.

  • Philantropist builds quarters for police chief

    Pissed by the poor accommodation provided area commanders in Nsukka zone of the Enugu state police command, a philanthropist from the area built a modern quarters for the police zonal commanders posted to Nsukka zone.

    Chief William Agbo  also an industrialist after witnessing the way zonal police officers stay briefly and work their way out of Nsukka due to poor accommodation decided to arrest the trend by building a befitting staff quarter for the police zonal commanders posted to Nsukka.

    Agbo the Chief Executive Officer of Willson Nigeria Limited while explaining the rationale behind the multi million naira house he built for the Nsukka Area Command Headquarter said that the  building would serve as an encouragement to Area Commanders to stay and work for the good of his people

    He said, “Before now some Area Commanders quickly work out their transfer out when they discover that the place is not conducive for them while those who stay sleeps in hotels

    “This is why I embarked on building a place of residence for Area Commanders posted to Nsukka. The Area Commanders posted here are our own Commissioners of Police and so they should have a befitting place of abode while carrying their task of safeguarding lives and properties of people of Nsukka”.

    Agbo stressed further that police officers are human beings who deserved to be comfortable in the discharge of their duties , adding, “Police is our friend, we believe that the peace and tranquillity we enjoy in the society is as a result of their tireless efforts

    “We believe that if we are comfortable, we should also encourage them by making them comfortable believing that if we do, they will help us, protect us and save our lives and properties. Not just me but the entire people in the society’.

    According to him, the society will be fulfilling the dreams of a crime free society if people always assist the police at their own time of distress

    “I believe that for us to enjoy a crime free society, we must encourage the police by making them comfortable. So I enjoin all well meaning individuals not to leave the task of the welfare of police officers into the hands of governments alone’, he said.

    Agbo attributed the reduction of criminal activities in Nsukka and its environs to measures put in place by the area command.

    “Since the arrival of Ros Haladu Assistant Commissioner of Police as the Area Commander to Nsukka the people have been sleeping with their  two eyes closed and even during the last Christmas celebration there was no criminal activity recorded

    Agbo had in July 2009 rebuilt the Nsukka Police Division after the infamous invasion of Banks and the Police stations burnt down  by armed robbers.

    A police officer who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, expressed delight at the generosity of Chief Agbo to the police adding that they were not surprised as he has always been the one that spur their spirit each time

    “We will continue to be grateful to Chief William Agbo and pray that God will keep him for us’, adding that, ‘What is left is the official commissioning of the building by the Commissioner of Police before the area commander can move in as everything is already in place”, he said.

  • We saved for the rainy day, says Obi

    We saved for the rainy day, says Obi

    ANAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi has said his administration was able to execute many projects without borrowing because the team planned well in addition to a sound saving culture.

    The governor said such painstaking prudence and saving for the rainy day helped to keep his administration afloat and not having to borrow or go to the bond market.

    He also said he liked laying the foundation of only projects which are never abandoned. He said this during the laying of the foundation for the second arm of the Onitsha Hotel Resort at the GRA, Onitsha. Both the first and the second arms of the hotel have reached 70% completion.

    Speaking further, the governor said that what gladdened his heart was the fact that he made planning the cornerstone of his administration and that through prudent and painstaking planning, he was able to do much in the state without borrowing a dime or raising a bond. He said that upon that, his government has been able to meet its financial obligations, ranging from paying debts that preceded his administration, liquidating arrears of pension owed workers since 1999 to the tune of N33billion, among others.

    Speaking on the so many projects he flagged off, the governor said that his government set aside the money for the completion of those projects and called on the people not to worry.

    “Even the recent recruitment exercise was adequately planned for. We are recruiting over 3,500 civil servants and teachers. In other not to encumber the incoming government, we have equally set aside their salaries for two years,” Obi said.

    The governor who described what will happen in the remaining two months of his government as a “tsunami”, said:  ”We shall do something unprecedented in the next two weeks. I do not want to let the cat out of the bag; watch out and see what will happen, including presentation of over 25,000 computers and generators to schools in the State  all of which we had taken delivery of.”

    In his earlier remarks, the Commissioner for Housing, Engr. Patrick Obi said that his Ministry had literary been kept awake trying to move as fast as the Governor. He said that the first arm of the Hotel project would have been completed but for delays occasioned by the need to expand the hotel to 150 rooms to meet the specifications of foreigners already in agreement with the Government to  manage the Hotel and the one also being built at Agulu Lake.

    In her own remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Project monitoring, Mrs Chinelo Ofoche  said that while her counterparts in other States were idle for want of projects to monitor, that covering the entire gamut of Governor Obi’s projects was quite herculean.

    The governor also inspected the on-going Shoprite Shopping Mall within the same expansive compound and expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of work. He also thanked the contractor that dualised the road to the complex for a job well done

    Asabe Ahmed has been a Special Adviser on Investment and Housing to Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

    A graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where she read Public Administration, she hails from Bida in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State. She is a daughter of Professor Jonathan Ndagi, the first Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.

    She worked with KPPC-NNPC as Administration and Strategic Planning Officer after a stint with the Niger State Ministry of Education