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Tag: abia

  • Abia youths hold prayer summit

    The National Youth Wing of the Abia State Town Unions Association (ASTUA) will hold a prayer summit on September 20 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

    Its President, Prince Ikenna I. James said this during a briefing in Lagos.

    He said the youth are presenting the state Governor, Dr. Theodore A. Orji, before God and also interceding for all Abia youths and people for overall success.

    He noted that the governor represents the life and image of the state. That, he said, necessitated the need for prayer for all-round success in his programmes.

    James said the summit would hold in Lagos first and later in Umuahia.

    He added that the elections of the association would hold in October, stating that the president and the vice-president are the only elected officers.

    Officers such as Legal Adviser, Director of Protocol and National Coordinator are appointed positions which are held by James Nwabuche Esq., Prince Kelechi, Ulu Torti and Dr. Emeka Nwaogu.

    Assessing Orji’s administration, James praised his efforts, particularly the empowerment of youths. He prayed that God would grant the governor more knowledge and good health.

    On the purported claim by one Okey Ezekwe as the public relations officer (PRO) of ASTUA youth wing; he said the group had no PRO, adding that such false claims are common given that the elections are drawing near.

    The youth leader expressed his belief that the prayer summit will strengthen Abia youths and open channels of blessing for them.

    Evangelist Uma Ukpai will be the chief guest speaker.

  • Orji’s urban renewal initiative

    SIR: In Abia State, change moved from the realm of expectations to a clear-cut state craft. Though it is fashionable and patronising to resist change, it has remained the most enduring dynamics of human existence and social setting.

    A philosopher once asserted that “in a sick country, any attempt to cure the disease, is an affront to those who benefit from the sickness”. Indeed, the relocation of the markets situated at the heart of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has remained a vexed issue, a grand demonstration of tough love and test of Governor Orji’s political will; it has turned out a flagship of the administration.

    Three big markets (Umuahia Main Market, Auto Spare Parts Market  and the Industrial Market at the World Bank Housing Estate) in Umuahia had denied the state capital city of the usual decorum and tranquillity expected of a vintage seat of power. As a matter of fact, the plan to relocate the Umuahia Main Market, popularly called Isi-Gate began in 1935 but successive administrations ‘played safe’ and served out their terms. Yet, the nagging questions agitating the people’s mind had been: who would bell the cat?

    Hitherto, a first time visitor to Umuahia would be greeted with a shabby environment and noise, emanating from the Main Market at the heart of the town. The nightmarish and long stretch of traffic gridlock occasioned by the activities in the market was better imagined than experienced. Even the pedestrian bridge built at the Isi-Gate to safeguard human traffic from the risk of road accidents, was abandoned before it was demolished last year. Today, people are beginning to reap the gains of the vision of relocating the market.

    Ubani Ibeku, the new site of the Ultra Modern Market with over 6,000 shops, is a few kilometres from the city centre.  By the side of it is a sprawling estate with about 5,000 two-bedroom houses, which has already provoked strategic thinking on greater development options in the new area. The new Ubani  Ibeku Market has internationalised the business climate of Umuahia and decongested the city from the tantrums and nuisance of the old market. The human face approach adopted and the constructive engagement with the traders made the resettlement less emotionally cumbersome. Governor Orji spared no effort in making the market comfortable for the traders. Provisions are made for basic amenities like adequate water supply, electricity, good and motorable roads, well-paved gutters and flood channels, toilet facilities, recreation ground and other necessities like fire station, clinics, banks, schools and security.

    By way of incentives, government scaled down the initial price tag of the shops, and initiated the payment by instalments for a period of four years.  As a stop-gap measure, Governor Orji procured air-conditioned buses to convey traders to and fro the new ultra market at subsidised  rates.  The panic-ridden mood that usually trailed this kind of exercise was clearly absent as the civil approach employed by the Abia State Government in implementation of the market relocation made it less stressful. Traders were not ejected forcefully. Bulldozers were not used to stampede the traders to the new site. Without much bickering, the market was painstakingly relocated. The other markets – Auto Spare Parts Market and the Industrial Market were also successfully relocated to Ohiya and Ahieke Ndume, respectively. These developments have given impetus to economic activities at the suburbs. For sure, this rare political will marked a quantum leap in the age-long vision of making Umuahia a befitting state capital. The sites of the old markets have been re-channelled into other developmental efforts. Already, a state-of-the -art Event Centre is being developed at the site of the old Umuahia Main Market, while a unique estate has sprung up at the old site of the Industrial Market. More importantly, the decongested city centre has repositioned the state capital for accelerated inflow of development activities and elicited new thinking and paradigms, to maximise the accruing opportunities. Ultimately, the whole scenario of success has cut out Governor Orji as a leader who defied bookmakers to break a 78-year old jinx. This unequivocally stands him out as the chief architect of Abia modernisation.

    • Jasper Uche,

    Umuahia, Abia State

     

  • Nwaogu: There is no zoning in Abia

    Nwaogu: There is no zoning in Abia

    Senator Nkechi Nwaogu will complete her second term in the Senate next year. Between 2003 and 2007, she was a member of the House of Representatives. In this interview with GBADE OGUNWALE, the Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submits that zoning with outlaw merit and enthrone mediocrity.

    Why do you want to veer off the legislative terrain  where you have become an authority for the Abia State governorship tussle?

    I think I can do it better as a woman. I know a woman has never been a state governor in Nigeria, but it is a shame that we are wasting over 50 per cent of human resources, who are of the female gender; they are not bereft of ideas. You can’t continue to make them hand clappers and uniform wearers. We are eight women in the Senate today. All of us are chairmen of various committees where men are more in number. This is a place where we have ex-governors and other Nigerians of achievements. Yet, these women have performed their roles creditably well. We have been able to comport ourselves and  do things orderly. I am convinced that if there is a level playing ground, the people of Abia would want a positive change. They would want to try a woman. If Barack Obama had not presented himself to the Americans, nobody would have believed that a black person can become the President of the United States in the 21st century. I am offering myself for  service as governor of Abia State. I have reeled out my programme to my people. All I am asking for is a level playing ground.

    How are you going to scale through the hurdle of the zoning arrangement?

    Zoning has never happened in Abia before. Our  founding fathers saw the goodness in Abia and drew what we call the Abia Chapter of Equity that recognised the old Bende and old Aba zone or the Ukwa Ngwa as it was called. For governorship in Abia, it is two major political blocs. In Abia State, what we have that determines where somebody comes from for governorship purpose is either you are from old Bende, comprising of eight local governments, or Ukwa Ngwa. There was never a time in the history of Abia that we adherred to a zoning formula for governorship purposes. Since Abia was created in 1991, people have campaigned and vied for governorship from every part of the state. In 1999, under the PDP, Orji Uzor Kalu  ran, I. C Madubuike ran, Dan Nwankwo  from Obingwa in Abia South ran, Dr. Amuta from Isiala Ngwa South ran, Dr. Nduadibe from Isiala Ngwa North ran, Chukwu Nwachukwu from Isiala Ngwa South ran, Lambert Nmecha of blessed memory ran for governorship across the state. But at the end of the day, Orji Uzor Kalu emerged as the candidate of the PDP. In the same 1999, for the All Peoples Party (APP) it was Vincent Ogbulafor that emerged. I ran for governorship in 1999 under the platform of the APP. So many people across all the senatorial districts ran and at the end of the day, it was Vincent Ogbulafor that emerged as the governorship candidate. Orji Uzor Kalu won the election and the rest is history. From 1999 to 2007 and even in 2003, when Orji Uzor Kalu was running for a second term, even our brother, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe ran under ANPP from Abia South and was the candidate for Abia South. We have never done zoning in Abia State. It is alien to our state, it is divisive and   destructive. So, that is what has been unsettling the political the climate in Abia State. It is very abysmal to say that we the Abangwa people are divided. Let it be on record that Iiala Ngwa is the ancestral home of the  Ngwa people. So, why will anybody say that Isiala Ngwa North and South and Osisioma Ngwa will not be included. Just because they don’t want certain people to run for governorship. This so-called zoning excludes three local government areas in Ngwa. But, unfortunately, Isiala Ngwa is the father of Ngwa; it’s the ancestral home of Ngwa and you cannot exclude people from that axis like me. Isiala Ngwa people have not even been deputy governors before. For instance, in Obi Ngwa in Abia South, they have been professional deputies; you have Abaribe, Chris Akoma and another person, all have served as deputies. They are all from one local government from 1999 to date. There have been four deputy governors under the platform of the PDP, all coming from Abia South. In Isiala Ngwa as a whole, nobody has even served as Secretary to the government, let alone a deputy governor. What is the import of this call for zoning?

    They would up dividing Ukwa Ngwa people. We are one indivisible political bloc. We fought collectively for it. So, the position should be given to us as a people. We are in the majority in Abia State. Nine local governments made up of about 2. 3 million people. How can you now say that the next governorship should be restricted to half of the Ngwa people.

    So, you think the emphasis should be the capacity to move the state to the next level. Do you have the requisite experience for the job?

    For the Abia people to have given me the opportunity to serve them in the Senate for three times is not a mean feat. I think I am equipped for the job. I know the terrain very well. I am fully mature right now and I have the blessing and direction of God right now. The time is now, with the 12 years I have spent in the National Assembly gathering legislative experience, establishing national and international outreach.

    What do you have to show for the 12 years you have spent  as a federal lawmaker?

    During that period, I was the first and it is still on record that between 2003, 2004 to 2007, I provided mobility as a means of income generation for my constituency on a very affordable basis. I was also instrumental to siting one or two health centres within my area. As a woman and as someone on ground, I realised that the health centres then were very sparsely located. Consequently, mothers or child-bearing mothers in the community were finding it difficult to get to conventional health care centres or hospitals. These are the achievements that are still on record. As a member of the Senate, I brought about certain changes in law which is our primary function as legislators. I sponsored a law which today has brought about relief to the financial sector, that is today the establishment of the Asset Management Company (AMCON). AMCON was a novelty in Nigeria. It was and is still a revolutionary vehicle that is intended to ensure that banks are not saddled with toxic financial loans. When I say toxic loans, I mean loans that are no longer serviceable. The owners of the loans are no longer servicing them, they are no longer repaying them. So the banks are carrying paper profits and with that paper profits, it is deemed that the banks are no longer solvent. With the advent of AMCON, banks today are good, I mean solid. You can put your money there and go to sleep. I have my name on it. Also, I was the co-sponsor of the amendment of the Nigerian Deposit  Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

  • No virus case in Abia, says Orji

    No virus case in Abia, says Orji

    Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has dispelled the rumour that the dreaded Ebola virus has entered the state.

    The governor said there was no case of the virus in any part of the state.

    Speaking with The Nation, in Umuahia, the state capital, Orji decried the rumour some people were spreading in the media on the disease.

    The governor urged people to allow his administration to do its work instead of creating panic.

    Orji said the government had taken precautionary measures to ensure that the virus does not enter the state.

    The governor said a committee on the virus had been set up, adding that the members were sensitising the people on how to prevent infection.

    He said: “The committee was set up to chase Ebola virus away from the state, instead of the virus chasing us in the state. We have ordered for all the necessary equipment to fight the virus. The Health Commissioner purchased the equipment.”

    Orji said his administration was ready to tackle the challenge of the virus.

    He said: “Just like we did against kidnapping, I want to thank the doctors for their sensitisation on how to avoid contracting the virus.

    “We must be ready to face it when the need arises. For now, it is not yet here.

    “I am speaking as the governor. After consulting with experts in the medical field, there is no Ebola in any part of Abia.”

  • My plan for Abia people, by Senator Nwaogu

    My plan for Abia people, by Senator Nwaogu

    Senator Nkechi Nwaogu represents Abia Central Senatorial District at the Senate. She is the chairman, Senate Committee on Gas. In this interview with JUDE ISIGUZO, she speaks on her governorship ambition in Abia State come 2015 and sundry issues. Excerpts:

    As a governorship aspirant, what are your plans for the people of Abia?

    Before now, I established an annual publication known as Oyibo Nwanyi Magazine. I was the first to initiate documented legislative activities of any legislator. That magazine reveals that I am the first Senator that established a skill acquisition programme for sons and daughters of Abia in various vocations.

    From 2009 to 2010, I trained 200 men and women in various vocations and resourcefully empowered them by providing them with the equipment required for the training. Right now, 150 men and women have been trained in various vocations such as tile making, interlocking, POP making, hair making, fishery, piggery and bead making.

    Very soon, I will provide them the necessary equipment to start life. I am the first Senator to provide assistance for the first 75 tertiary institutions in my Senatorial District.

    In 2012, I provided two-year scholarship assistance for 150 students in tertiary institutions. I am the first Senator that provided a corporative grant of N1 million for the six local government areas. I provided automobiles for the chairmen. I have also distributed more than 80 transformers to the people. There is no local government area that has no one or two projects which I executed.

    This is my 12th year, my third time of soliciting for my people. I am saying let me go to the executive so that I can add value to the society and in the lives of the people too to add to what is being done by the present government.

    What is your background?

    I was trained in financial management. I have been a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament since its inception in 2005. I know what bilateral trades that exist that can help a state like ours.

    As part of my programmes, I will ensure that there is a bilateral trade expansion among the 15 member states. If we empower these private entrepreneurs, they will create jobs. We can talk owners of Golden Guinea, Ceramics and Aba Textile Mills to see how we can help them so they can get back into business. These are areas we can bring on board for real economic development.

    Politics is often seen as an enterprise for men. How did you venture into politics?

    I would say I started being interested in politics while I was working as a member of Abia Economic Advisory Board between 1991 and 1993 when Ogbonnaya Onu was the governor of Abia state.

    By 1997, I found out that there was need to help women be financially independent. When I noticed the situation women found themselves in as a result of depending solely on the men, I decided to approach politics from the angle of economic empowerment and emancipation. This led to my establishing a non-governmental organisation (NGO) known as Women in Action for Development. I believe that when women are fairly economically empowered, they will begin to look at their environment which includes political environment. Then they will begin to assert themselves by insisting that they can add value to the society by being part of nation-building.

    Between 1994 and 1997, I vied for governorship election under United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP). Unfortunately after we have picked the form, the Republic was truncated.

    In 1999, I went back to politics, this time I found myself in APP. I also contested for governorship position, even though I lost at the primaries to Prince Vincent Ogbulafor.

    I was the Deputy National Treasurer of the party by December 1999. By February, 2000, I had become the Acting National Treasurer. I held that position until I vied for a seat at the House of Representatives. After that, I contested for the Senatorial position to represent Abia Central District at the Senate and God gave me victory.

    Would zoning not affect your gubernatorial ambition?

    Definitely I will run for the office of the governor of Abia State. I believe that the same God that brought me this far will see me through. The same God has not finished with me. I will run on the platform of PDP. I am the only woman running for this position. I am the one to beat. I know God will use me to break the jinx to become the first elected woman governor in Abia State.

    In our party, the constitution doesn’t say you should zone positions. I am challenging my people and the party executive in the state to give us a level playing ground. I have nothing and can do nothing but in God I can do something and I know people of Abia are still interested in Nkechi Nwaogu becoming the next governor of the state.

    Sometimes change is difficult to accept and change does not come easily. I am not bothered about the zoning. Anybody has the right to make a pronouncement or a proclamation that it has been zoned to Abia South. I am indigenous to Abia. I have the constitutional right to contest any election.

    What would you say are some of your achievements as Chairman Senate Committee on Gas?

    As the Chairman Senate Committee on Gas, I saw the pains of our not realising the potential in gas resources. The first six months the members inaugurated, we instituted a public hearing and we got the approval of the leadership to ensure that the international operating companies in oil and gas sector that Nigerian government should insert units that will measure gas when it is produced, gas used and gas flared.

    Before now, it was only the measurement from the IOC that Nigeria operates on. Nigeria has even more gas than oil. We have been to Russia and other countries where gas is even more supreme, yet we know our power sector is suffering as a result of insufficient gas supply.

    We are worried to increase domestic utilisation of gas. We had a conference in May this year which aimed at creating awareness for foreign investors to come to Nigeria. This is yielding results as investors are coming. We are also amending the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Law so that we can get rid of the obsolete laws, concessions and expired waiver that were given to NLNG from 1989 till date. The pricing of gas at the moment is unattractive.

    We must begin to unbundle the gas sector and hopefully by the time the Petroleum Industry Bill is passed into law, some of these things will be unbundled and more investors will come.

    On fuel subsidy, I support its removal. They are crying about corruption, yet they are supporting its retention.

    They allow importation of refined fuel. It’s only the very few cabals that are enjoying that. The subsidy government removed was with good intention and for the benefit of the less-privileged and downtrodden who use kerosene. It still gets to them at controlled price. It is the middlemen and women out there that have become notoriously rich. We think Nigerian Labour Congress should support subsidy removal unless they share the booty of the ill-gotten wealth from subsidy. They should allow subsidy to go just like subsidy has been gradually removed from AGO (diesel). Today, diesel sells between 160 and 170. We refine it here. Bringing kerosene at N40 and selling at N150 is wickedness.

    How would you assess President Jonathan’s performance?

    President Goodluck Jonathan is doing very well. Despite doing well, people still criticise him. What I notice about what is happening is conspiracy.

    People have decided to destroy our country yet they are blaming it on Mr. President. Does he know who Boko Haram is?

    But there are people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Why haven’t they come out in mass to give the security operatives the real information about how to stop this problem that is impinging on our economic development? There is nobody that would do better than he has done so far.

  • ‘Orji ’ll deliver Abia to PDP again’

    ‘Orji ’ll deliver Abia to PDP again’

    Abia State Governor Theodore Orji is focused and determined to leave lasting legacies to enable the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to retain power in 2015, his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Charles Ajunwa, has said.

    Ajunwa, who spoke with The Nation in Umuahia, said with the foundation that Orji has laid, it would be difficult for another party to defeat the PDP in Abia.

    He was reacting to a statement credited to the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, when he said his party would win Abia in  the 2015 elections.

    Umeh visited the state last week to open the party’s secretariat and told his supporters that nothing would stop APGA from winning Abia at the general election.

    However, Ajunwa urged Abians to intensify their support for the PDP-led administration and discountenance the APGA’s chairman’s comment.

    The CPS described the claim as laughable, adding that a party that was not strong could not have made such a statement.

  • Abia POWA remembers officers’ widows

    Abia POWA remembers officers’ widows

    It was a day of shedding tears of joy as the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) of the Abia State command for the first time in the history of the association remembered the wives of the fallen police men who died in active service.

    It was the day 64 wives of police officers of the Abia State command who died in active service were empowered by POWA at the Police Officers mess, Umuahia, where several items were given to the women to help them be self-sustaining.

    The empowerment items, which included sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dressing equipments and cash were presented to them by the POWA chairperson in the state, Hajia, Khadija Ibrahim Adamu.

    Speaking at the event, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Adamu, said the gesture was the command’s way of assisting the widows and advised them to make good use of the empowerment items.

    Adamu said the empowerment was a legacy of police to empower POWA and help them uplift the standard of living of their colleagues who lost their husbands in the line of duty so that they would not be begging for help all through their lives.

    He said that this is the first time the empowerment programme is happening in the command, stressing that many of the widows have suffered since the death of their bread winners while serving their father land.

    One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Evelyn Onyike Aja, who was giving a sewing machine, said her husband died in 2012, in active duty. She explained that since her husband’s death taking care of the three children has not been easy for her.

    She said that her the husband died in FMC Umuahia, after he was rushed there from his duty post and since then the husband’s family abandoned her and the children, stressing that it was a great relief to her that the sewing machine was given to her as it will help her to start life anew.

    Mrs. Aja said, she was already sewing before her husband died but did not have her own sewing machine, but with the machine that has been given to me today, I am going to start sewing again with ease.”

    She said that her husband was preparing to buy a sewing machine for her when he died. “Since his death life has been very difficult for us the members of his immediate family, so you can imagine what this sewing machine means to me and my children.”

    Mrs Aja said, “I learnt how to sew before my husband died. He was about to buy machine for me before she died. The sewing machine will help me to earn income and take care of the three children my husband left for me.

    His family abandoned us, so this will help me to take care of the children he left behind, I am grateful to the CP and POWA leadership for including me in the programme our children are in primary school aged between seven to four years, since his death we have been surviving through the help of God.”

  • Fed Govt trains Abia technicians

    Fed Govt trains Abia technicians

    It was a three-week intensive practical and theoretical training for selected members of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) in Abia State. Our Aba correspondent, SUNNY NWANKWO who was part of the training reports

    They may not have the academic qualifications that certify them as professionals, and you don’t expect them to start writing examinations for admission into universities to pursue a four or five years’ rigorous academic process and training.

    Also, they may not have hand outs or textbooks in engineering courses to catch the eyes of the global village, yet their natural skills and abilities to fix and keep industrial machines and automobiles working have saved most companies from being comatose.

    Companies within the Southeast and Southsouth are running their services, not because of cheap labour, but because they have much confidence in the services rendered by the unskilled auto-mechanics and electricians, who have displayed great skills in fixing various mechanical and electrical faults.

    Just like their counterparts in the business sector, automobile electrical and mechanical engineers help to keep companies in oil and gas, agricultural and industrial sectors functioning.

    Most companies that do not have the financial capacity to hire the services of expatriates or whose machines may have been caught up with technological innovation rely on their services to still be in production.

    To improve their skills in auto repairs, management of finances and customer services, the Federal Government, through the National Automotive Council (NAC), SURE-P and SMEDAN organised a three-week intensive training workshop for them.

    The exercise, which was well attended by members of the association in Abia State, featured lectured tutorials on the use of modern electronic device for easy test and identification of faults in cars.

    The participants were equally trained on the management of their resources and how and where they can go as small and medium-scale entrepreneurs to access funds.

    In a chat with reporters, Abel Onuma, the supervisor of the training from Bascom Motor Skills Agency Nigeria, said: “The training is being organised by the National Automotive Council (NAC), Sure-P and SMEDAN and it is aimed at upgrading the skill and competency of Nigerian auto-technicians on how to fix challenges associated with modern vehicles, especially the new generation cars. “We consult with the Federal Government, especially NAC as a government body to train and re-train automobile mechanics and electricians. Our mandate is to train trainees in automotive sector as regards technological advancement in new modern vehicles.

    ”We have 27 participants who were being trained by the Federal Government to expose them to the modern method of fixing modern vehicles. The three weeks training has enhanced their skills on how to fix modern vehicles. In these 15 days training, we can attest that they are professionals in the areas they have been tutored.

    “We have very few universities that offer courses on automotive-mechatronics. They have been the people who have learned this skill over the years. Even though prior to this time there has never been curriculum on how they should follow as it should be done in school, they are the one fixing the issue now.

    “Our university to a large extent has not been able to produce competent and skillful engineers after graduation. We have seen a number of graduates who are just engineers on paper and cannot do what these set of people are doing even without being to formal school.

    “We have taught them the theoretical and practical aspect of automotive-mechatronics and that makes them to be very competent. The common people you see when fixing vehicles on the streets are these technicians.

    “They are the best people for us at the moment to approach to begin to solve the problem associated with repairing of new model vehicles in our society and that is why Federal Government is much more interested in them. The Federal Government has also empowered them. The OBD2 scanning machine which has market value of over N100, 000 has been offered free of charge.

    “We went ahead to offer them 12 volt battery tester, multi-meter free of charge as well to empower them to fit in and be able to not only diagnose a vehicle, but to fix the challenges that is related to these vehicle.

    “The training has been certificated by the Federal Government. Their participation has been very impressive and don’t forget that It is a pan-Nigerian programme.

    In a chat with another resource person from Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Onyezonwu Allwell added “We are here to train the NATA people on entrepreneurship. Actually, we came from small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). You actually know that as the name implies, it’s just an association but these are entrepreneurs who are doing various businesses in the automobile industry. They are rendering services and may be they have been doing it in an informal or crude way and you see that in the automobile industry these days you have a lot of challenges. The industry is growing. There are a lot of new automobiles in sophisticated gadgets that are coming up every now and then. And they need to know what and what they should do to actually remain in business.

    “If you see in Nigeria, in terms of industrialisation, we are backward because in the past this opportunity of training entrepreneurs was not there or was  not properly done. People did business haphazardly; they did it the way they choose and not the way the customers wanted.

    “This time we are trying to let them know that the customer is the key. You don’t do things the way you like. You do what the customers want. If  you want to produce  goods or render services, you find out what will meet  the need of the customer so that, you don’t come out to say you are doing business and nobody patronises  you. Of course with the seriousness and time they have put into this programme, you don’t expect them to go and start looking for work in companies or elsewhere and which is not even the best. So, we want to empower them to enhance their entrepreneurial skills; let them know what they are supposed to do to make sure that they can compete with others/counterparts in the same field.

    ”SMEDAN is exposing them on customer relationship, how to manage their resources, study their target market and also to build the confidence that they can compete favourably with their counterparts.

    “Actually, by the law or edict establishing SMEDAM, MEDAN doesn’t have the powers to give out loans. We are just facilitators. We facilitate the access to finances for these entrepreneurs. If at the end of this training, finance becomes their problem, they can approach the agency.

    “We have what we call business clinic. First of all, we will put the business in the clinic, test run it, find out actually if finance is what they need for the business to grow. The agency is patterning with Bank of Industry (BOI) and some other lending institutions. We can mediate between them just like we have been doing in the time past. So, it all depends on what they want.”

    On ways to monitor loans borrowed to ensure that they were used for the purpose it was meant for, Allwell added “Currently, there is this programme, we call it NEDEP  programme. There is a particular amount of money the Federal Government has voted  for Small scale businesses , the money is being channeled through the Bank of Industry and  this has been like that  over the years. Some entrepreneurs as I speak with you are at the verge of getting theirs.

    “So, we want to encourage them to form themselves into cooperatives. Forms are already available and once they meet the criteria that are required, the funds will be made available to them. The Bank of Industry has what it takes to checkmate that,” he assured

    Elder Reginald Umeike, Abia State Chairman NATA, Okechukwu Ike and Engineer Eusebius Obimkpu in separate interviews at the end of the training/workshop thanked the Federal Government for such gestures and stated that the training have opened their eyes and widened their knowledge, adding that the training was going to make them function well and better in their job as technicians and mechanics.

    According to NATA state chairman, the exercise should be made yearly and extended to their members who were not accommodated in the exercise.

    He said that they are going to take what they were taught into practice and called for more or a related exercise to be extended to them anytime the need be.

    Highlight of the event was the presentation of electronic devices purchased for members of the group by the federal government through the SURE-P project.

  • I’m still in Abia governorship race, says senator

    I’m still in Abia governorship race, says senator

    A lawmaker, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, representing Abia Central, has reassured her supporters across the 17 local governments that she would contest for the governorship next year on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    She spoke at a political meeting at the weekend.

    Senator Nwaogu described the decision to zone the governorship to Abia South as unconstitutional, saying it was contrary to the 1999 Constitution and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The legislator, who is the only woman contesting for the governorship in the PDP, from Ukwa Ngwa, said the statement credited to members of the Abia State PDP caucus was an attempt to divide the Ukwa Ngwa people.

  • Generator fumes: Abia promises to pay victims’ bills

    Generator fumes: Abia promises to pay victims’ bills

    Abia State government has promised to pay the hospital bills of the 15 persons, who survived Saturday’s generator fumes incident in Aba.

    The survivors are members of the Young Peoples Christian Fellowship, an inter-denominational fellowship of believers from Ututu Arochukwu. They inhaled carbon mono-oxide from the generator placed at the corridor of the church.

    Deputy Governor Emeka Ananaba visited Austine Grace and Goodness and Mercies hospitals at Okigwe and Faulks Road at the weekend to sympathise with the victims.

    It was learnt that the deputy governor, who was touched by the victims’ health condition, through the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, sent an undisclosed amount of money to the doctors to start treatment.

    Of the 15 survivors (nine women and six men), 11 are hospitalised at Austine Grace Hospital and four are at Goodness and Mercies Hospital.

    The doctors said the victims were responding to treatment, adding that they would survive the suffocation. At press time, a five- year old boy, whose parents were said to be unconscious, was confirmed dead.

    Aba residents have hailed the police and the management of the hospitals for their prompt action.