The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ABA

  • NAFDAC impounds fake baby drinks, beverages in Aba

    NAFDAC impounds fake baby drinks, beverages in Aba

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has impounded fake baby food and other products worth N3 million in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia.

    The agency’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Aba Special Zone, Mr Gabriel Ezeaguba, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba, added that other items include beverages, wines and hot drinks.

    He said listed the items to include expired cartons of SMA children formula 6x 900 grams, fake Milo drinks in the new name “Mama mma anu tea’’ meaning, “Mother I will drink tea’’ produced with grounded cocoa cake.

    The others are some cartons of Ovaltine, Teco, sachets of Peak milk, Peak Choke, Vitalo drinks, Eva wines and `MacDowells’ preserved hot drinks.

    Ezeaguba said, “Mama mma anu tea’’ was being produced by a man inside a plantain plantation at Uratta area along Port Harcourt Road, Aba, with installed machine and generator which had yet to be retrieved from the site.

    He said that materials confiscated as exhibit included frying pans, bags and some other items.

    He said that the SMA which expired in 2012 but changed to 2015 and other unwholesome products were being faked at Zone 9 of Cemetery Market and adjoining markets.

    The chief regulatory officer said that NAFDAC had also sealed six stores in the markets, while the seized goods had been moved to its warehouse for safety and destruction.

    “We have been working in silence but this particular one is so alarming that we want the consumers to be on the know.

    “We have been on the raid of Cemetery market and some other adjoining markets for the past three to four weeks.

    “About six stores were placed on hold, though we have evacuated the products, most of them are in our warehouse and investigation continues.’’

    Ezeaguba urged market leadership to assist the agency on the war against fake drugs, pointing out that consumption of such products could damage the liver and kidney of the consumers.

  • Orji begins repair of 16 roads in Aba

    Abia State Governor Theodore Orji yesterday started the repair of 16 roads in Aba.

    The governor promised that more roads would be repaired before the beginning of next rainy season.

    He said the ceremony was to show the residents that the repair of damaged roads has begun.

    Orji said the repair of the roads did not mean that his administration had not been working on some other roads in Aba since he assumed office five years ago.

    The governor said the rains had hampered work on the roads.

    He said: “We have been working on the de-silting of drains in the city. Other roads, such as Ukwu Mango, the building of a pedestrian bridge for the State Polytechnic in Aba, among other roads and projects, have been done.

    Orji said his administration has begun the construction of the road to the Geometric Power Plant at Osisioma.

    On the Ikot Ekpene-Aba road, Orji said: “I have contacted Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio and we have agreed to partner to work on that road for the benefit of the citizens of both states.”

    He listed the roads to be repaired in Aba as Ngwa, Azikiwe, Cemetry, Nwala by Faulks, Brass by Aba Owerri, Jubilee, Milverton, Eziukwu to Azikiwe, Amaogbonna to ACCM Headquarters, Ehere, Umuola, Ikot-Ekpene to Opobo junction, Opobo junction to Bata, Umuoba, Access road to Geometrics, among others.

    The Commissioner for Works, Kingsley Mgbeahuru, noted that the reconstruction of the roads before Christmas would boost economic activities.

     

  • Aba: A resident’s creed

    SIR: We believe in Abia, the owner of all moribund industries and deplorable roads in Aba.

    Endowed with oil wells and a formidable football team, including cheering fans. We believe in Aba, the only commercial nerve centre of Abia state, once beautified and decorated by SOM and after some years went into decay but was fairly repaired by OUK and finally suffered under TAO, crucified and dead but not yet buried but would rise again under a forthcoming God fearing leader and be restored to its former glory. There and then its residents would heave a sigh of relief.

    We believe in the law and policy makers, supporters of multiple taxes and levies in Abia State, especially in Aba. We also believe in the judiciary, the overseers of all good and bad in the state and we hope for a sensitive leader who would put smiles on the faces of Aba residents in no distant time.

    We believe in one indivisible Nigeria that would launch us into the utopian world by the year 2020.

    I know they would call for the head of this writer but I fear no evil as I want to go to heaven for I cannot reach there if I did not die.

    • Nkemakolam Gabriel

    Port Harcourt

  • I’m committed to Aba’s facelift, says Orji

    Abia State governor Theodore Orji has restated his commitment to the service of the state.

    He dismissed the activities of those he described as “having sworn to mislead the public through their trade mark of political mildslinging.”

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Communication Mr. Ben Onyechere, Orji said the development of Aba will go on without hindrance.

    He criticised those who are generating sentiment around what they described as the underdevelopment of Aba.

    The statement said: “Nothing can come between me and the development of the state because I have committed myself to the promises I made to the people which is to give the state a befitting status such that it can have the semblance of statehood.

    “In doing so, we have laid out a work plan which must be enacted procedurally because of other contending issues which demand equal attention due to long period of neglect by successive administrations.

    “But irrespective of our avowed commitment and responsibility to the people we will refuse to be stampeded by those who have sworn to mislead the public through their trade mark of political mudslinging because this government has gone beyond blackmail.

    “The reconstruction of road in Aba will continue unabated so as not to hinder commercial activities for which the city is known.

    ‘Government will source for partnership with concessionaries as well as gear up its instruments of internal generation of funds.

    “It is important to urge the people of Aba to cooperate with the government by paying their taxes without which government may find it difficult to re-engage in the huge burden of giving Aba a face lift.”

     

  • Aba residents decry military ‘extortion’

    Residents of Aba, the Abia State capital, have decried alleged extortion by soldiers at various checkpoints in the town.

    They alleged that the soldiers, who were drafted to the town to maintain peace and track down kidnappers, have turned the road blocks into goldmines.

    The residents expressed worry that the soldiers cause traffic gridlock with their stop-and-search at the road blocks and force commercial drivers and other motorists to pat with some fixed toll.

    It was learnt that drivers who refuse to pay the toll are delayed at the checkpoint until they comply.

    At their Aba-Owerri Road checkpoint, the soldiers in front of Abia Hotels allegedly have a young man in his mid-30s as their “toll collecting agent”.

    The man usually sits or stands beside a phone caller’s boot to collect money from motorists for the soldiers.

    The camouflage, it was learnt, prevents unsuspecting members of the public, especially officials of a task force, from catching them red-handed.

    A similar scenario plays out at Faulks Road, in front of LG showroom.

    The soldiers at the checkpoint allegedly cause artificial traffic gridlock on the road and making their fortunes from commercial drivers.

    They are said to sometimes stay inside a warehouse in a storey building opposite the checkpoint. Bus conductors reportedly pay the toll to the soldiers there and pledge their loyalty or risk being delayed until they comply.

    The Nation learnt that the alleged extortion has been going on for over six months.

    Some bus drivers said they often cross the checkpoint with nearly empty buses to avoid paying the toll to the soldiers.

    A commercial bus driver, who gave his name as Felix, said the soldiers detained him the day he tried to outsmart them.

    According to him,, he ultimately paid N100.

    Felix said: “They concentrate mainly on commercial drivers. The day I tried not to pay, they delayed me; I had to beg them. I still paid N100 to their agent, who stays some distance from them.”

    Another commercial driver, who plies the Abayi-Ngwa Road, said: “I am not against their stop-and-search operations. What I am against is the money they forcefully collect from commercial drivers, not minding what we pass through on the roads.

    “It was a similar action, if you could recall, that led to the withdrawal of policemen from checkpoints by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). If this thing continues, these military guys will be more corrupt than the policemen.”

    At Eziukwu Market, it was learnt that some soldiers injured two traders – Uche Nduka and Iyke Ogbuefi – during the search for suspected fake shoe polish dealers.

    It was also learnt that some soldiers have been involved in revenue collection and issuance of tellers and receipts, which have generated a controversy.

  • Aba holds int’l trade fair in November

    The Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA) in conjunction with AIITEX consortium will be organising the first international trade fair in the city from the 12th-22nd of November 2012.

    The trade fair will offer producers resident in the commercial city of Abia state the opportunity for them to also attract international recognition and allow foreigners the chance to see what people in Aba can produce for export.

    Speaking at ACCIMA office in Aba, the chairman of the trade fair organising committee, Philip Ekwempu, said that the trade fair is mainly to announce the return of economic activities in the once boisterous commercial city east of the Niger.

    Ekwempu said that some years ago that kidnapping and other violent crimes forced many manufacturers to flee from the city, “Now security has been restored through the doggedness of the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, and people need to know that Aba is functioning again.”

    In his own speech the president of ACCIMA, Eleanya Agu Okoroji, said that the Abia State chapter of the Chamber of Commerce will ever remain grateful to NACCIMA for granting them the right to host the international trade fair in the state.

  • Illegal refineries shut in Aba

    Four persons, believed to be operating two illegal petroleum refineries in Aba, Abia State have been arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    The NSCDC said the sealing of the illegal refineries followed the information from concerned citizens .

    Many items were recovered from the suspects as investigation commenced.

    Spokesman of the Corps, Victor Ogbonna said 16, 25-litre cans of substance believed to be adulterated products and other items were recovered.

    Ogbonna said the illegal refinery was identified at 41 Milverton Avenue by a team of its joint anti-vandals and counter terrorism squad, where Michael Udeze and Ifeanyi Aduzie, were arrested.

    He said the second illegal refinery was located at 12 Umuoji Street by 139 Port-Harcourt road, in a house that has 14 rooms. Substance suspected to be AGO [diesel], was recovered.

    He spoke on the second illegal refinery: “our team recovered substance believed to be AGO, while Mrs Chibuzor Nwaogu and one Nnamdi believed to be owners of the illegal refinery were arrested and are being investigated”.

    The NSCDC, Nathaniel Ubong condemned the operation of illegal refineries and oil bunkering that has been giving the state a bad name, adding that his command will not relent in its efforts to ensure that the illegal businesses are closed.

    Ubong noted that those operating illegal refineries and oil bunkering in the state caused reduction in revenue accruable to the state from the Federation Account, adding that Governor Theodore Orji is doing all in his power to put a stop to such illegal businesses in the state.

    He advised those who are involved in the business to relocate to another state or start another type of business as the command is ready to compliment the effort of the governor. “My command is ready to tackle such group of people operating in the state”.

    The commandant urged traditional rulers and other concerned citizens in the state not to relent in giving them information, stressing that they need such information to function properly, as they are determined to sanitise the state from illegal businesses.

    Ubong also told the community leaders to educate their people on the dangers of allowing illegal refineries and oil bunkering to flourish within their communities, “the laws of the land must be allowed to take its course and it will never be compromised for any reason”.

     

  • The menace of Aba metropolitan city

    The menace of Aba metropolitan city

    At times when I behold the scene in Aba, Abia State, I wonder why the town is the way it is. I only but concluded that something has gone wrong somewhere. It will interest you to know that Aba was a town that once competed with big ones like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and others. Aba even was leading, once upon a time, history had it that the economy of Aba was so buoyant that desperadoes ventured into its heart so much. After the Biafran war; things began to take a negative turn. Those investors began to look for town where things are moving well. Whereas, Aba was totally devastated by the war, war is evil. Indeed, Aba became a victim. A town once the chief business centre in Africa. Oh, the problems, of Aba grew worse when the originals of Aba began to challenge the government of Orji Kalu, this warranted the government to show the town its back.

    Aba was totally annihilated when kidnapping became the order of the day, may be to frustrate the people living in the land. This brought the great town to its knee despite its great achievements. The government, of Theodore Orji showed total disregard and negligence to the affairs of the town that once humiliated his predecessor by throwing pure water on him.

    This town has been over taken by evil, religious deception through black magic exhibition, injustice, hatred, wickedness, lack of forgiveness, rituals, extortion and other social vices. I may not be able to explain further on the happenings in this town that has become a nightmare to the world.

    Majority of the people are living in poverty, so much pain is encountered. It is only God that will save Aba.

    God help Abia State!

     

    By Ezinwanyi Ugwuala, Aba,

    Abia State.