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Tag: abia

  • FERMA starts fixing roads in Abia

    FERMA starts fixing roads in Abia

    The zonal director of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in charge of Abia, Ebonyi and Cross River states, Mr Bayo Adedayo, an engineer, has said that the agency is determined to ensure that all federal roads in Abia State are in good condition for motorists.

    Speaking with The Nation while inspecting the work being done at Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia-Arochukwu Road, Adedayo expressed satisfaction on the level and quality of the job done through direct labour.

    Adedayo said that the agency is ready to do a very good job, and called on the federal government to release funds that will make them perform at its optimal level. He stressed that they are ready to do the entire road from Umuahia to Arochukwu.

    The FERMA zonal director said that once the agency gets the necessary funds, the roads will wear a new face.

    “We assure the people of Abia that all federal roads in the state will be free from all forms of potholes which will make the road users to move freely,” he said.

    He, however, called on the residents who live along the federal roads to help the agency by doing their communal duties such as desilting the drains in front of their homes, pointing out that doing that will make their work easier.

    Earlier, one of the senior engineers of the agency, Mr Erinne Obiora said that they were in the state to monitor the progress of work being done by their people in Abia state, adding that what they have seen shows that the motorists will enjoy the road during the Christmas period.

    Obiora said that the agency has the mandate to make all federal roads across the country motorable by ensuring that potholes on the roads disappears, stressing that they will make use of the dry season to move fast.

    He explained that they are working according to the best international standard practice, “We are working with the best quality materials available in the construction industry and the roads will stand the test of time”.

    The FERMA engineer said that the agency will work faster once they have the required funds, “The lack of funds which has bedeviled the entire country is also affecting the agency, we are praying for things to improve so that motorists will smile at the end of the day”.

    Obiora pleaded with motorists to bear with the federal government and the agency, stressing that the roads are priotised by government at all times, “ No government will ever play with amenity such as roads”.

    Welcoming the zonal team the resident engineer in the state Engr Abraham Akange Tangu said that the issue of the agency slowing down with the rate of work in the state is because of lack of funds and not because they are not ready to work.

    Akange noted that the issue of lack of fund is hitting all departments across the country, “The problem of lack of fund is affecting all sectors of the country and not only in FERMA, if we have the funds, we assure the people of the state that they will have the best quality road they desire.

  • Orji is senator in exile, says Abia ex-Speaker

    Orji is senator in exile, says Abia ex-Speaker

    A former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Stanley Ohajuruka, has said former governor and senator representing Abia Central, Theodore Orji, has not given his constituents effective representation.

    The former lawmaker described Orji as a senator in exile.

    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, Ohajuruka said Abia Central was unfortunate to have voted for Orji.

    The former speaker accused the former governor of not doing anything to impact on the lives of his people since he got to the Senate.

    He said: “Look at the kind of senator we have here in Orji. Can we say we are having an effective representation in the Senate? We don’t have effective representation in the Senate. I stand to be corrected.”

    Ohajuruka, who was also a member of the House of Representatives, recalled that he attracted 63 projects to Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency when he was in the House.

    The former lawmaker said it was unfortunate that Orji had not attracted a single project to his senatorial zone since he went to the Senate.

    He said: “How many projects can the present senator (Orji) tell us he has attracted to the people of Abia Central? Has he ever invited anyone from the area for a senatorial meeting? Where is the senatorial office? Does he have any? If you can find any, you tell us.”

  • Lawmaker flays herdsmen’s attack in Abia community

    Lawmaker flays herdsmen’s attack in Abia community

    The member representing Arochukwu constituency at Abia State House of Assembly, Luke Okara Onyeani has condemned the clash between suspected Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers in which five farmers from Ndiokereke Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state sustained injuries.

    Onyeani said there is need for security agencies in the state to curb the excesses of Fulani herdsmen  while those who were involved in the attack on members of his constituency should see brought to book.

    Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia after visiting the wounded farmers, Onyeani warned that Abam people are known warriors and should not be pushed to the wall as the people could react in a way that will be unpleasant.

    He noted that the people of Abam have resolved to be peaceful and law abiding.

    He said, “Our resolve to be peaceful and law abiding should not be taken for granted, we want the herdsmen to leave our place and the entire Arochukwu Local Government Area.  We want the security agencies in the state to live up to expectation, the members of the state assembly had during one of their sittings decided that herdsmen should not be carrying fire arms and same was reached during a meeting between the police, herdsmen and indigenes which herdsmen have flouted”.

    The Abia lawmaker was visibly angry over the development, saying  that he is not happy that his people were harmed by herdsmen with dangerous weapons, stressing that these were the kind of stories people were hearing happening in Enugu and Benue states, but now it has gotten to us”.

    He said, “It is shame that people who went to their farm were attacked by gun and machete carrying Fulani herdsmen after destroying their farm land and the farm produce with their cows”.

    One of the victims who is receiving treatment in one of the hospitals in Ohafia, who gave his name as Ogbu Kelechi said that he is student of NTI and also a rice farmer which proceeds he uses to sponsor his education was attacked by the herdsmen when he complained about their cows destroying his produce.

    Kelechi said, “I went to my farm after attending lectures and saw some cows feeding on my already harvested rice and when I complained the herdsmen descended on me with the machetes saying that they will not leave me until I [was] dead”.

    “I pretended to be dead and they came and turned me around to make sure that I [was] dead but then some people who saw what was happening raised the alarm which made the youths to come to find out what was happening but by the time they arrived the herdsmen had fled”.

    One of leaders of another community, Ameke Abam, Chief Sunny Agbara said that the issue of herdsmen have ben destroying their farm land and farm produce, “We do not want any conflict with them, but there is a limit to endurance as we have endured enough”.

    Agbara said, “Anyone who attacks your farm, attacks your stomach and wants to destroy your life, we want the state Commissioner of Police Leye Oyebade who is the state chairman of Conflict Resolution Committee on herdsmen to do something as was discussed during their inaugural meeting”.

    It could be recalled that there was a clash between suspected Fulani herdsmen and the people of Ndi Okereke Abam in Ovukwu autonomous community, Arochukwu local government area of Abia State, which has left about five people badly injured and battling for their lives in an undisclosed hospital.

    The injuries they sustained was said to have arisen from bullet and machete wounds inflicted on them by the suspected Fulani herdsmen during the clash between them and the indigenes of the Arrochukwu community.

    The President General of the town union, Chief Chukwuma Egbuta Okubi, said that the incident happened last Friday when the herdsmen led their cattle into the farms destroying the crops in the farmland of his people.

    Okubi said that the matter was made more painful by the fact that the suspected Fulani herdsmen would uproot the cassava and yam for their cows to eat, including trampling on the entire farm land, thereby making it difficult for our people to harvest their farm produce.

     

  • 35 Abia communities get N104m for rural development

    The Abia State Agency for Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) has given out N104.2 million to 35 communities from across the 17 local government areas of the state for  community-based developmental projects.

    The projects which range from markets, roads, toilets, electricity and health centres, among others, are part of a partnership between the state government and World Bank aimed at upgrading the rural areas to curb urban drift.

    The cheques of various amounts was given to 35 benefitting communities for their infrastructural development which is based on counterpart funding as the communities are expected to provide 10% of the total contract sum while CSDP will provide 90%.

    The projects in all the communities are always discussed by all members of the community and they also contribute the money for the 10% counterpart fund, this makes them joint owners of the project and also enables them to guard the project jealously.

    It is expected that all the projects which the additional financing were presented are all based on the need of each benefitting communities and will be completed before the end of December this year.

    Speaking at the ceremony in Umuahia, the general manager of AbiaCSDP, Dr Chinatu Njoku said that the agency was established by World Bank as one of the portfolios aimed at empowering communities and local governments to sustainably increase access of poor people to social and natural resource infrastructure.

    Njoku said that the projects are chosen by the communities, plan, part-finance, implement, monitor and maintain which are socially inclusive, “Therefore the projects are driven by the communities while the agency provides 90% of the project cost and the communities just 10%”.

    He said that the issuing of cheques to the benefitting communities are just additional funds as they had earlier been given funds that enabled them to commence their different projects but had to stop because the state did not pay its counterpart fund to the World Bank.

    The Abia CSDP boss said, “The CSDP prior to the additional financing intervened in 119 communities through funding of their developmental plans, 201 micro-projects were completed and the completed projects vary from community to community according to their needs”.

    In his welcome address the board chairman of Abia CSDP Chief Chijioke Onwutuebe said that the agency is of the state government established to sustainably increase the access of the poor to social and natural resources infrastructure in a sustainable manner.

    Onwutuebe said that the additional financing came as a result of the success achieved by CSDP and is a continuation of a successful partnership between the World Bank, federal government and Abia state government.

    He said, “Our thanks goes to the state government that made it possible for the additional financing to take-off in the state when other states were still battling with the decision to join in the venture”.

    “It is on record that our governor was the first in the federation to pay the mandatory state contribution and fulfil other conditions as stipulated by the World Bank for CSDP additional financing effectiveness”.

    In his opening remarks the chairman of the occasion and Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Prof Uche Ikonne said that the exercise is a continuous one which the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has inherited with the aim of making the rural areas habitable.

    Prof Ikonne said that Ndigbo are known for their community development projects which the current government is assisting the various communities to achieve, stressing that the idea will help to reduce urban drift once the social amenities are provided.

    Speaking while handing over the cheques to the benefitting communities, the state governor, Dr Ikpeazu said that his administration is proud with what the CSDP has been able to achieve in his time.

  • Deputy governors challenge cleric over doomsday prophecy

    Deputy governors challenge cleric over doomsday prophecy

    Deputy  governors of Abia, Ebonyi, Kano, Sokoto and Taraba states have  rejected a prophecy that they will have issues with their principals (governors) before the end of their tenure.

    The prophecy which was credited to Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, the Spiritual head of INRI Evangelistic Spiritual Church, the deputy governors said was meant to create rancor and disaffection in the polity.

    The self-acclaimed prophet had in the prophecy said that the four deputy governors will have issues with their principals (governors) before the end of their tenure.

    An online news platform had at the weekend published the prophecy in which the cleric made certain wild assertions concerning the future of these politicians.

    But in a swift reaction, Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Kelechi Igwe has described the publication as outright falsehood designed to create rancour and disaffection in the polity.

    In a statement he issued in Abuja  on behalf of his  other colleagues, Igwe  faulted  the cleric  on his prediction and accused him of concocting prophecies that had no foundation in reality.

    “Ordinarily, we would have ignored this so called prophecy   but doing so could create the impression that we believe him or that that he should be taken seriously.  We make bold to state that this prophecy like the ones before it are fallacies meant to create tension, rancour and unnecessary friction in the polity. We vehemently reject this so called prophesy which in our own estimation is nothing but a figment of the imagination of the man who released it.

    “We all have had and still have very good working relationship with our bosses in our various states and do not see any reason for the predicted crisis.  We urge the government and the good people in our various states to ignore Primate Elijah Ayodele for he knows not what he is saying or doing.

    “Primate Ayodele could not have heard from God because he has been in the business of releasing false prophecies at every turn in the politics of Nigeria and the world.  It was he who predicted that President Goodluck Jonathan will win the 2015 presidential election; it was he who predicted that Governor Ahmed El- Rufai will not win the governorship election in Kaduna State last year and it was the same man who recently predicted victory for Hilary Clinton, the Democratic Party candidate in the just concluded elections in the United States,” he said.

    Igwe  said that  with the series  of failed  prophecies  emanating from  the clergyman,  he should  be hiding his face from God and the general public, adding that he lacked   the credibility to utter  any further “gibberish”   in the name of prophecy.

  • Abia takes up Michael Okpara’s agric plan

    Abia takes up Michael Okpara’s agric plan

    The Abia State government has launched an agric plan reminiscent of the late Premier of the Eastern Region Dr Michael Okpara’s blueprint. UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE reports

    Before his death in 1984,  Dr Michael Okpara endeared himself to the defunct Eastern Region of which he was premier. The medical doctor who played an active part in the politics of the First Republic,and survived the 1966 coup, was renowned for his passion and vision in agriculture, saying that the growth and future of Nigeria depended on farming.

    In his native Umuegwu community in present Abia State, he acquired and managed the Umuegwu Okpuala Mixed Farms. Soon, other leaders copied his example and started managing farms too. Agriculture caught on.

    The state government has also embraced his plan, kicking off its revenue base diversification programme with an agriculture initiative involving 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation.

    Other agricultural produce like ginger, pineapple plantation and cassava farming are not left out as the state Ministry of Agriculture under headship of Hon. Uzo Azubuike as commissioner is also cultivating high-yielding varieties.

    The state government says its plans of developing the oil palm value chain is to make the state the number one in palm oil production.

    To achieve this, the state government has set a target of developing 7.5 million seedlings between 2016 and 2019, targeting 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation across the state and this would be achieved in phases.

    The governor during an inspection of the nursery at Ahiaba Umueze in Osisioma council area of the state said the future of the economy of the state depends on agriculture hence the renewed attention on farming especially oil palm production.

    According to him, Abia State has comparative advantage over other states in oil palm, as the state stands in an advanced position to enhance her revenue earnings through massive oil palm production.

    He called on Abia youths to engage in farming as his administration is willing to assist them, while calling on farmers to also intensify their efforts in their various farms to enable them have more and improved yields.

    Speaking at the event, Hon Azubuike said the state is targeting 2 million seedlings in the first phrase of the oil palm seedlings, the second will produce 3 million, while the third will deal with 2.5 million seedlings.

    At Ahiaba Umueze oil palm nursery, visited by newsmen, it was discovered that over 1.5 million nuts have already been planted and are being awaited for buying by prospective farmers.

    Azubuike while fielding questions from newsmen at the location said the Ikpeazu led administration had through the project employed over a thousand people especially youths and women in the communities and created wealth for families.

    He said the seedlings were got at N350 each and would replicate over 700 million naira in the next one year, thereby increasing the revenue generation of the state.

    The ministry of agriculture boss revealed that the state is establishing a community-based oil Palm Project which intends to inject the seedlings into the communities, achieve this.

    The seedlings, according to him, would be sold to farmers at subsidised rates, which would be tested with the selected pilot communities and the essence he said, is to ensure that every farm land has two to three stands of high yielding oil palm growing in it.

    He said that this is also geared towards tactically phasing out the low yielding varieties by the state government, stressing that government is determined to phase out the old palm trees which has served the state for several years.

    Azubike said that under the arrangement, each community would have an anchor that would buy off Fresh Fruit Bunches, for processing; thereby making it possible for every community to have a mini palm processing mill, while the state builds an oil palm refinery.

    The Commissioner further revealed that following the zero tolerance to land waste of the state government policy, it has also embarked on ginger and pineapple production at Ohambele, Ukwa East Local Government.

    Also, at Omuma Uzo, Ukwa West Local Government, the state government has began the multiplication of high yielding cassava varieties.

    Azubuike, explained that the varieties which were gotten from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, are TME 419 and Pro Vitamin A.

    He said the interest of the state government is on the stem which would be distributed to farmers because of its disease resistant, high yielding and more nutritious qualities.

    According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, the state is recruiting extension agents to be sent to communities to educate the people on modern ways of farming in a bid to sustain the project.

    Some residents of the host communities who spoke to newsmen commended the state government for such a giant stride and pledged total support for the project.

  • Abia, Ondo cases: NJC dismisses petitions against Justice Abang

    Abia, Ondo cases: NJC dismisses petitions against Justice Abang

    THE National Judicial Council NJC has dismissed four petitions written against Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja by some individuals over his judgments in the Abia and Ondo states governorship disputes.

    Justice Abang, in two judgments on June 27 this year, voided the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State on the grounds that he made false claims in his tax information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), preparatory to the party’s governorship election primary in December 2014.

    The judge held that by providing such false information, he contravened the guideline of his party, and was, therefore, unqualified to have participated in the primacy, even when he came first.

    Justice Abang ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to void the certificate of return issued to Ikpeazu and reissue a fresh one to Sampson Ogah, who came second in the primary.

    The judgments were on the suits by Soampson Ogah and Obasi Ekeagbala.

    Also, on June 29, the judge, in a judgement on the suit filed by leaders of the PDP state Executive Council in the Southwest states, held among others, that the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Executive Council of the PDP was the authentic leadership body of the party.

    He ordered INEC to deal with the Sheriff leadership of the party, including accepting the list of candidate submitted by the Sheriff group.

    In respect of the judge’s judgements in the Abia cases, three individuals – Henry Balogu, Emeka Eze and Charles Esonu – wrote petitions to the NJC.

    Balogu’s petition dated July 13, 2016 was titled: “Abuse of judicial power and injustice meted to the Peoples Democratic Party and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu by Hon. Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/71/2016 between Dr. Sampson Uchechukwu Ogah v. PDP and 3 others.”

    The petition by Eze, dated July 1, 2016, was titled: “Abuse of judicial power and injustice meted to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu by Hon. Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court in suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/71/2016.”

    Esonu’s petition dated July 12, 2016 was titled: “An unusual and uncommon usage of judicial powers by Hon. Justice Okon Abang in suit Nos: FHC/ABJ/CS/71/2016, FHC/ABJ/CS/1086/2014 to unseat Governor Okezie Ikpeazu illegally.”

    Oyedele M. Ibini, who was described as the Secretary of the PDP in Ondo State, wrote a petition in relation to the judge’s June 29, 2016 judgment.

    The petition dated July 21, 2016, was titled: “Petition against order of Justice Abang of June 2016 in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/439/2016 against PDP as recipe for injustice.”

    The NJC considered the four petitions in its meeting of September 29 and concluded that the petitioners failed to provide any evidence to support their petitions.

    It consequently wrote separate letters dated October 18, 2016 intimating the petitioners of its decision to dismiss the petitions.

  • Abia responds to recession with palm plantation

    Abia responds to recession with palm plantation

    The Abia State government has kicked off its revenue base diversification plan with an agriculture initiative involving 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation.

    The plan is seen as a return to the vibrant days of the defunct Eastern Nigeria under the leadership of the late Dr Michael Okpara before the discovery of oil.

    To this end, the state government, under the leadership of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is embarking on oil palm revolution, as the way to economic sustainability.

    Other agricultural produce like ginger, pineapple plantation and cassava farming are not left out as the state Ministry of Agriculture under headship of Hon. Uzo Azubuike as commissioner is also piloting in high-yielding varieties.

    The state government says its plans at developing oil palm value chain is to make the state the number one in palm oil production.

    To achieve this, the state government has set a target of developing 7.5 million seedlings between 2016 and 2019, targeting 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation across the state and this would be achieved in phases.

    The governor during an inspection of the nursery at Ahiaba Umueze in Osisioma council area of the state said the future of the economy of the state depends on agriculture hence the renewed attention on farming especially oil palm production.

    According to him, Abia state has comparative advantage over other states in oil palm, as the state stands in an advanced position to enhance her revenue earnings through massive oil palm production.

    He called on Abia youths to engage in farming as his administration is willing to assist them, while calling on farmers to also intensify their efforts in their various farms to enable them have more and improved yields.

    Speaking at the occasion, Hon Azubuike said the state is targeting 2 million seedlings in the first phrase of the oil palm seedlings, the second will produce 3 million, while the third will deal with 2.5 million seedlings.

    At Ahiaba Umueze oil palm nursery, visited by newsmen, it was discovered that over 1.5 million nuts have already been planted and are being awaited for buying by prospective farmers.

    Azubuike while fielding questions from newsmen at the location said the Ikpeazu led administration had through the project employed over a thousand people especially youths and women in the communities and created wealth for families.

    He said the seedlings were got at N350 each and would replicate over 700 million naira in the next one year, thereby increasing the revenue generation of the state.

    The ministry of agriculture boss revealed that the state is establishing a Community Based Oil Palm Project which intends to inject the seedlings into the communities, achieve this.

    The seedlings, according to him, would be sold to farmers at subsidised rates, which would be tested with the selected pilot communities and the essence he said, is to ensure that every farm land has two to three stands of high yielding oil palm growing in it.

    He said that this is also geared towards tactically phasing out the low yielding varieties by the state government, stressing that government is determined to phase out the old palm trees which has served the state for several years.

    Azubike said that under the arrangement, each community would have an anchor that would buy off Fresh Fruit Bunches, for processing; thereby making it possible for every community to have a mini palm processing mill, while the state builds an oil palm refinery.

    The Commissioner further revealed that following the zero tolerance to land waste of the state government policy, it has also embarked on ginger and pineapple production at Ohambele, Ukwa East Local Government.

    Also, at Omuma Uzo, Ukwa West Local Government, the state government has began the multiplication of high yielding cassava varieties.

    Azubuike, explained that the varieties which were gotten from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, are TME 419 and Pro Vitamin A.

    He said the interest of the state government is on the stem which would be distributed to farmers because of its disease resistant, high yielding and more nutritious qualities.

    According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, the state is recruiting extension agents to be sent to communities to educate the people on modern ways of farming in a bid to sustain the project.

    Some residents of the host communities who spoke to newsmen commended the state government for such a giant stride and pledged total support for the project.

  • Abia has 34,000 unemployed youths, says Ikpeazu

    Abia has 34,000 unemployed youths, says Ikpeazu

    Abia State Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has said there are 34,000 unemployed graduates in the state.

    Ikpeazu, in a radio chat with Aba residents, said the number of unemployed youths was generated at the end of an exercise across the 17 local governments.

    He said: “We are the first state to have a data base of 34,000 unemployed youths; we have issued them with identity cards, which can also serve as ATM cards. So, what it means is that if we have a social responsibility to give handouts or as the Federal Government is planning to employ the youth, there is a platform for people to benefit from that and we are investing seriously on skill acquisition. We want our people to begin to learn vocational skills.”

     

  • Abia: Over 1000 LG workers to lose job over false certificates, double dealing

    There are facts that over 1000 workers across the 17 local government areas of Abia state may be at the verge of losing their jobs over presentation of false certificates and working in two places in the state civil service.

    Speaking with The Nation in an exclusive interview in Umuahia, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Charles Ogbonna, said a committee was set up to verify the authenticity of workers results and certificates.

    Ogbonna said when he assumed office, the state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, charged him to sanitize the local government system, stressing that the place is infested with people who are duping the government.

    He said a committee headed by Rt. Hon. Allwell Asiforo Okere, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, was set up to verify the authenticity of the results and certificates.

    He said that in their preliminary report, after looking into the results and certificates presented by the workers at the point of employment, “what the committee came up with is simply alarming”.

    The commissioner said he is constrained to make public the findings of the committee before the State Executive Council takes action and advised those involved to resign honourably before they are disgraced out.

    Ogbonna said, “There are others who were promoted illegally in their place of work and their cases will be looked into and the appropriate measures will be meted out against them”.

    “There are others who are working in two places and receiving salaries every month, which is fraud and a serious crime against the state; these are people who will turn around to say that government does not want to provide jobs for their children.

    “We have a case of a man working at the Amachara General Hospital and he is on salary level 13, while also working at Umuahia South Council on salary level 14; so he is on level 27 which is abnormal”.

    The commissioner said the ministry is going to expose them and that people should not be surprised when they are exposed, as they have been siphoning public funds for their personal use and to the detriment of the government.

    Ogbonna said after being exposed, whatever the government decides to do to them will be made public, stressing that their act is purely criminal.