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Tag: Abia State governor

  • FG, Abia State sign agreement on Enyimba Economic City 

    The Federal Government and Abia State Government have signed definitive agreements for the Enyimba Economic City, in Abia State.

    The agreements signed marked the commencement of work at the site of the Enyimba Economic City.

    The groundbreaking event of the city is expected to be done soon by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Read Also:South-East Governors want Second Niger Bridge ready in 24 months 

    Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu led a delegation of host communities of the Enyimba Economic City from Abia South in Abia State for the signing of definitive agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria represented by the Nigeria Special Economic Zone Investment Company Limited and the Abia State Government represented by the Enyimba City Development Company Limited, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja on Friday.

    President Buhari and other top Federal Government functionaries witnessed the agreement signing ceremony at the Council chambers.

    Enyimba Economic City is an audacious and game changing project for Nigeria.

    It is a 9,803 Hectares of new economic city, spanning three (3) Local Government Areas of Abia State, Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo.

    The land is at the center of the five (5) Southeast and four (4) Southsouth States and has the right characteristics and ingredients to drive massive economic expansion of the region and by extension Nigeria.

    It has major arterial, intercity roads connections. It is near existing sea ports (Onne and PortHacourt) and proposed Akwa Ibom Deep Sea Port.

    It has proximity to Airports (Owerri, PortHacourt and Uyo). It has functional gas pipelines and boarder Owaza gas fields. It is transversed by existing National Rail line, PortHacourt – Maiduguri etc.

    The key pillars of Enyimba Economic City is to create a global business hub that connects the nine (9) Southeast and Southsouth States, build first class infrastructure in the location, including dedicated power and attract economic activities that are mainly driven by manufacturing and supported by other uses e.g. Logistics, Medical, Entertainment, Education, Lifestyle Residential etc.

    The target is to attract proactively long term local and foreign investments, thereby integrating Nigerian businesses (manufacturing and services) into regional and global supply / value chains.

    This project is combining the clear focus of the private sector and the enabling powers of the Governments at all level. Hence, it is a Private Public Partnership (PPP) of Crown Realties Plc, the Host Communities, Abia State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria under project Made In Nigeria for Export (MINE) of Federal Government of Nigeria.

    On that basis, the Federal Government has designated Enyimba Economic City a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with Free Trade Zone Status and one of the three (3) pilots that include Kano and Lagos. It has also taken 20% equity in the project.

    The First Phase of the project is fully designed and the projection is that construction will commence in Q1, 2019 and various major anchor tenant discussions are progressing well for manufacturing transfers from China, Germany and other Countries to the new city.

    The positioning and master planning of the city was done by some of the bests in the business in the World, Surbana Jurong of Singapore and CBRE of India in collaboration with local firms. The positioning study indicate that Enyimba Economic City will at capacity, provide over 625,000 jobs, urban housing of over 300,000 units, urban population of more than 1.5 Million people. It is projected that the city will provide more than 2,000industrial/ business units, with estimated annual value output of more than $5 Billion.

  • Kanu’s whereabouts: Ohanaeze slams group over allegations against Ikpeazu, Abaribe

    Kanu’s whereabouts: Ohanaeze slams group over allegations against Ikpeazu, Abaribe

    THE Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, yesterday slammed a South- East based group, the World Igbo Youth Congress, WIYC, for blaming Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for the disappearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    Ikpeazu had told State House correspondents, after a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, that it was not his duty to locate Kanu. But the WIYC, through its Deputy National President, Dr. Fidelis Ugwu insisted that the duo of Ikpeazu and Senator Abaribe had answers to Kanu’s whereabouts.

    Reacting to the claims, the OYC said it was childish and trivial for anyone to associate Ikpeazu and Abaribe with Kanu’s sudden disappearance. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Engr. Obinna Adibe, the OYC warned the WIYC not to toy with the name of the Abia governor, who had taken pains to address all the issues thrown up by the Biafra agitation to the satisfaction of everybody.

    He said, “It is petty for anyone to link Governor Ikpeazu with the sudden disappearance of Nnamdi Kanu. It is very much on record that Nnamdi Kanu was last seen the very day the Nigerian Army took the Operation Python Dance to his door step.

    “So, we insist that security operatives are in a better position to tell the current location of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Neither the governor nor Abaribe is a soothsayer or a detective to actually say whether Kanu is alive or dead as well as his present location.

    “The governor and his colleagues in the South-East rose to the occasion and averted what could have been another major mayhem in this zone. We believe, just like other men of goodwill, that the governor should be commended not vilified.

    “We, therefore, warn that any further attempt to drag these our leaders into this matter will be stoutly resisted. The era where fifth columnists infiltrate some desperate political jobbers to cast aspersion on our people is over.

    “By this notice, the WIYC, and all the people behind the group, are warned to desist from further attempt to disparage the governor of Abia State. If they continue with this untoward business, we shall ensure that they are fished out and disn

  • It’s not my duty to produce IPOB leader – Ikpeazu

    It’s not my duty to produce IPOB leader – Ikpeazu

    Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, on Thursday said that it was not his responsibility to produce the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
    He spoke with State House journalists after meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    According to him, it was the duty of those that were trained to track people that should give information about the whereabouts of the IPOB leader.
    Stressing that Kanu was his brother, he insisted that the state government does not know his whereabouts.
    He said: “Those who are looking for him may have a better knowledge and have the capacity to determine the location of anyone in Nigeria.
    “There are people who are trained to track people and it is their responsibility, not mine.”
    According to him, the state was trying to set up a committee for the MSME Council and that he was a critical stakeholder in that because Abia state was the SME hub of Nigeria today.
    He said: “The patronage of Made in Nigeria products in Abia is going up.
    Part of the direct fall out of our campaign since the past 24 months is that today some parts of Ariaria market where the shoemaking enterprise is flourishing has enjoyed steady power for three weeks now on a pilot scheme courtesy of the agency in charge of the rural power supply.
    “Beyond that, we are interfacing and having the better relationship with funding agencies now and we were able to attract about N1.3bn or N1.4 billion on direct sales from the made in Aba shoes, made in Abia dresses and all that.
    “And apart from that, the Made in Aba fashion show was held in Abuja and another one was held in New York where they came face to face with world class designers and we did not do badly at all.
    “The made in Nigeria campaign has assumed international dimension.
    On efforts to encourage the local industries, the governor said that having direct sales of N1.4 billion was not a joke and ensuring that there was constant power supply uninterrupted for three weeks which he said was not a mean feat.
    He said exposing them to fairs as far as to New York was not something you sweep under the carpet.
    He said: “Confidence is returned; everybody now places proudly Aba, Proudly Nigeria in his ware. If our youths are happy doing what they are doing then we have started something.
    “We have been working on infrastructure steadily, roads, electricity, security as all of them are part of enablers that will drive our vision going forward.
    “This government has completed about 45 roads and about 25 of those roads are in Aba. We are doing the first flyover in the entire Abia state in Aba and the cement roads we are doing our roads have survived three rainy seasons now and they are standing,” he stated.
  • IPOB: Osinbajo, Ikpeazu meet in Aso Rock 

    IPOB: Osinbajo, Ikpeazu meet in Aso Rock 

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday met behind closed doors with Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Ikpeazu arrived the Vice President’s office around 2:24 p.m.

    The activities of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in recent times have been threatening lives and properties in the state and other parts of the country.

    That led to deployment of security personnel to the area and proscription of IPOB.

    The meeting between Ikpeazu and the Vice President was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

    Details later…

  • Chaos in Aba as army, IPOB clash

    Chaos in Aba as army, IPOB clash

    There was tension and pandemonium in different parts of Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State Tuesday evening as soldiers reportedly clashed with members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Unconfirmed reports have that a number of people reportedly died in the process.

    Trouble was said to have started when some members of IPOB who left Aba in the morning for Umuahia in solidarity for their leader, Mazi Nnamdi kanu over the invasion of his house at Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, were alleged to have been stopped by soldiers at Isiala Ngwa junction along the Enugu/Port Harcourt Express were manhandled, some of them being forced to roll inside muddy water.

    The IPOB members, who escaped the soldiers’ wrath at Isiala Ngwa junction, were said to have met another set of soldiers at Osisioma junction some kilometers away from the heart of the commercial town which led to a face off.

    The soldiers were said to have shot sporadically as the IPOB members were moving towards Ariaria International Market, causing pandemonium as people scampered for safety.

    The chaotic state which enveloped the Osisioma axis stretched beyond Ariaria market, to the Fly Over junction, a distance of over eight kilometres, leading to the destruction of some vehicles and death of unconfirmed number of people.

    There was pandemonium also within the city centre as soldiers condoned off all roads leading to the Aba Central Mosque on Mosque on Hospital by Mosque road to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation in the city to vandalize the Mosque.

    As soldiers condoned off the area, they shot sporadically to wade off intruders, and people ran for dare lives, forcing traders to close business for the day and rushed home.

    The situation was still very tense as at the time of filing the report, but to ease tension, Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu declared dusk to down curfew in the city.

    As at the time of filing this report, our correspondent gathered that the 14 Brigade army Chief was addressing Journalists in Umuahia, the state capital.

  • Threat to Life: Ikpeazu petitions IGP over Nwosu’s allegations

    Threat to Life: Ikpeazu petitions IGP over Nwosu’s allegations

    Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to thoroughly investigate the allegations of one of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the December 14 primaries, Chief Friday Nwosu bothering on threats to his life.

    In a release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Enyinnaya Appolos, Governor Ikpeazu was not happy at what he described the “penchant for unnecessary and frivolous assertions without proof by politicians to curry attention” and demanded full scale investigation into Nwosu’s allegations.

    Nwosu had in a petition to the Inspector General of Police accused Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Theodore Orji, Hon Chinedum Orji and one Ekpe Ekpe of planning to assassinate him.

    Governor Ikpeazu, in a petition to the IGP through the the Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Umeh Kalu SAN, stated in part: ” the said petition (by Nwosu) contains Weighty criminal allegations that are capable of truncating the enduring peace in Abia State and should be investigated to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

    “The truthfulness or falsity of Nwosu’s grave allegations has its consequences in our criminal legal system, for those who plot to kill another as well as those who offer false information to the police are culpable of known offences”, the petition further stated.

     

  • Aba agog over Ikpeazu’s victory

    Aba agog over Ikpeazu’s victory

    Supporters of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu on Friday trooped out in their numbers in Aba, the commercial hub of the state to celebrate the victory of the governor at the Supreme Court, Abuja over a fellow People’s Democratic Party (PDP) man, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah.

    At about 10am, when the news of the victory apparently broke, there were sounds of fireworks and cannons at both Aba North and South Local Government Headquarters respectively.

    When our reporter visited the Aba South LGA, the road leading to the local government which also serves as a major road to Aba Main Park was closed down as jubilant Ikpeazu supporters dance round the arena to the tune of music being played by various music groups.

    Prominent among elated supporters of Ikpeazu whose joy over the victory at the Supreme Court knew no bound was Hon. Eziuche Ubani, a close associate of the governor and the Works Commissioner.

    At about 12pm, the convoy of the victorious Ikpeazu rode into Aba amidst jubilation from some residents and supporters from Abia South who came to welcome him.

    The governor later made way for his country home, Umuobiakwa in Obingwa LGA through Aba-Ikot Ikpene Expressway and Ururuka road where he was later received by his kinsmen after which he went in for a closed door meeting with some of the people that came back with him.

    Some of his kinsmen and Obingwa indigenes including Chief Dan C. Nwaogwugwu described the victory as divine.

    According to Nwaogwugwu, he expected the governor and his team to focus on delivering democratic dividend to the people.

    Nwaogwugwu urged Ikpeazu to have the heart to forgive, accommodate and extend olive branch to those that took him to court and to also use the remaining years to complete some of the project he has started across the state.

     

  • Group seeks consistency in Justice dispensation

    Group seeks consistency in Justice dispensation

    A civil society group, Civic International in collaboration with civil society coalition for judicial reforms on Wednesday called on the judiciary to exhibit consistency in the dispensation of justice to ensure the the supremacy of the law.

    The group’s coordinator, Ameh Ejeh and Secretary, Abdulrazak Ajala, who were represented by Onuoha Oliver in a press briefing in Abuja, insisted that consistency in judgement should be one of the critical reforms the judiciary should take into cognisance especially in similar cases.

    This, according to Civic International, will ensure fair and undiluted dispensation of justice.

    Ejeh said: “The existence of controversial and seemingly incoherent or rather obnoxious judgements are not new in the history of our judiciary, but it took a very dangerous and alarming dimension in the cases occasioned by the aftermath of the 2015  general elections.”

    He added that the whole nation was bewildered by the judgements delivered by judges at different courts in cases that emerged due to the outcome of the election.

    Contrary to similar cases across the country where different judgements were given, the judiciary should ensure that similar justice for any individual involved in similar cases and similar facts should get similar judgements to further boost people’s confidence in the justice system.

    Recalling the alleged presentation of three different birth certificate case against the incumbent Cross River state governor, he said that a similar case involving the Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu is in the Supreme Court awaiting trial and only then could consistency in judgement be tested again.

    According to him, ” delivering judgements on election petition cases and other sensitive political matters are very crucial aspects of the role the judiciary plays in a nation and the Nigerian judiciary must be consistent and principled in rulings if the citizenry are to truly enjoy the dividends of a democratic dispensation “.

    He said that an erroneous removal of a governor by the court amounts to disenfranchisement of the people and inhuman treatment meted on the governor question.

    Explaining why it focused on the Abia State governor’s case, the group said that a state governor is a collective product of the people via election.

    He noted: “We in the civil society participate actively in the process through voter education and mobilization, conduct /monitoring of the main election and in monitoring the outcome so as to make sure that the will of the people will at every time prevail. The masses on their own part undergo whole lots of exercises which at every time involves the exercise of their inalienable rights as human beings.

    “This we notice in voter registration, massive participation in party primaries and campaigns and more especially in casting their votes. The government on their on part mobilizes a lot of Manpower and resources gotten from the tax payers money and our collective wealth as a people into the electoral process to make it credible, transparent and to make sure that the whole exercise is a success thereby enabling the will of the people to prevail.”

  • ‘Rivers people are reaping rewards of electing prepared governor’

    ‘Rivers people are reaping rewards of electing prepared governor’

    Former Abia State Governor and Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Theodore Orji has described the transformation taking place across Rivers State as a wonderful outcome of voting a prepared leader.

    Addressing journalists after joining Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on projects inspection on Thursday, Senator Orji noted that all projects being executed in the state are targeted at improving the living condition of the people.

    He said: “This transformation is wonderful. You need to come to Rivers State to see things physically.

    “It is not enough to hear the wonderful works of Governor Wike from outside. When you come to the state, you feel the work of the governor and know that transformation is going on.”

    He expressed satisfaction with the quality of roads and bridges being constructed across the state, noting that they will help in strengthening the economy.

    “I have seen real development. Construction of roads, bridges, parks and hospitals. Governor Wike is indeed a transformer,” he said.

    The Former Abia State  Governor particularly lauded Governor Wike for his the development of the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, saying that it will place the state on the tourism map of the continent.

    “Look at the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park. This place was a slum, but the governor has transformed it into an international tourist centre. He is even planning to build a five-star hotel in the park”, Senator Orji said.

    Former Abia State  Governor and Governor Wike inspected the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, the Second Nkpogu Bridge, the Ogbunabali/ Nkpogu Land Reclamation  Project, Restored Brick House, Government House Chapel and the Amphitheatre.

    Governor Wike explained that his administration will continue to sustain the development of projects across the state.

  • FG targets $1 billion from asset, income scheme 

    FG targets $1 billion from asset, income scheme 

    …50% of recovered fund to go states

     

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday approved the proposed Nigeria Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) which will take off May 1, 2017.

    It is expected to yield about $1billion to the Federal Government’s purse.

    The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the NEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    He was joined at the briefing by Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Bala Bantex.

    He said that the scheme will capitalize on the considerable international goodwill already built by President Muhammadu Buhari in his mission to rebuild Nigeria.

    The policy, he said, was necessitated by the under payment of tax via the use of Tax Havens and other evasion strategies, which he noted has not been helpful to Nigeria.

    According to him, the practice has been principally perpetrated by multi-national companies and high net worth individuals, making Nigeria to have the lowest non-oil tax to GDP at 6%.

    He said that the policy will also capitalize on the current global movement against tax evasion and illicit financial flows and will offer a window for those who have not complied with extant tax regulations to remedy their position by the provision of limited amnesty to enable voluntary declaration and payment of liabilities.

    He said the VAIDS scheme targets to increase the tax to GDP ratios to 15% from just 6% by 2020 while simultaneously generating revenue and encouraging investment and economic activity “as only 214 individuals in the entire country pay N20 million or more in tax annually.”

    On the scope of the programme, Bowler said: “VAIDS scheme will embrace all Federal and States’ taxes such as Companies Income Tax, Personal Income Tax, Petroleum Profits Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duties, Tertiary Education Tax, Technology Tax.

    “The scheme is intended to cover all back taxes without any limit to time on how far back a tax assessment can go where a taxpayer has willfully defaulted.”

    The FIRS boss said the scheme is targeted to run from May 1, 2017 for up to six months and incentives will be put in place to encourage early participation.

    “Tax payers will be allowed up to 3 years to settle their liabilities. Revenue expected from the scheme conservatively estimated at US$1 billion,” he stated.

    On the role of state governments, he said that based on initial estimates, it is anticipated that at least 50% of the funds recovered will belong to states who are the ultimate collectors of personal income taxes.

    Kaduna State Deputy Governor said that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, briefed the Council on the security situation in the country with particular reference to Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, cattle rustling, ethnic militias/security outfits, kidnapping, among others,.

    According to him, the NSA blamed the situation on unemployment, which he said was a major security threat.

    He also said that the Council has agreed to hold an extra-ordinary session to discuss security matters especially as it has to do with the economy.

    Abia State governor, who spoke on deforestation in the country, said that the Council backed suspension of temporary wood export from the country.

    It was also disclosed that NEC received report of Excess Crude Account as at 15th March, 2017, which stood at US$2, 45,864,724.59, recording a marginal increase of US$2,458,382,882.03.