The Nation Newspaper

Tag: abia

  • Abia: No longer goons’ own

    When one is entrusted with the people’s confidence, resources and fortune, one would need the amazing grace of God to discharge one’s responsibilities with utmost care, prudence, transparency and equity.

    In 1999, Orji Uzor Kalu was, elected Governor of Abia State. His mandate was to impact positively on the people of the State using the common wealth of the people.

    Odimegwu Onwumere, wrote a piece that is full of incoherence on page 21 of Thisday of Monday 31st December, 2012. In the said write-up, Odimegwu Onwumere, fruitlessly and unethically expressed his grouse over the ‘claim’ by one of Governor T. A. Orji’s aides that the governor has restored the dignity of the Abia person? Kalu, being conscious of the havoc he wrecked on Abians, would not want to hear of the restoration of the ‘dignity’ of Abia people. Hence he has continued to cry wolf where none exists.

    For purposes of educating Kalu and equally calling him to order, let me talk on ‘dignity’ and its restoration in Abia State. Because of his crude and uninformed background, Kalu does not know that ‘dignity’ is that intrinsic quality in one that earns or makes one deserve respect. Dignity does not necessarily flow from wealth. Rather, it is an inalienable associate of character.

    When a person’s ‘dignity’ is restored, the person enjoys enhanced positive image. By virtue of constitutional democracy, every Abian is entitled to certain fundamental human rights such as:

    (a) Freedom of thought,

    (b) Freedom of association and

    (c) Freedom of worship

    Any time that fundamental right of an Abian or any other individual is violated or denied, it goes a long way to cause psycho-social depression. This, certainly, affects the individual and, therefore, impacts very negatively on his or her character and, by clinical extension, his or her ‘dignity’.

    I am saying it for the umpteenth time that during the tenure of Kalu as Governor in Abia State, the fundamental rights of many Abians were deliberately and consistently trampled upon. Today, Governor T. A. Orji has given appointments, contracts and other life-support incentives to many Abians without subjecting any of them to any form of oath-taking. This is restoration of ‘dignity’.

    For the eight years that Kalu presided over the affairs of Abia State, he never gave any quantifiable consideration to the health of Abians, hence he did not think it necessary to erect even a one-bed clinic.

    That Governor T. A. Orji, a quintessential administrator and an accomplished alumnus of Nigeria’s premier University of Ibadan, has been able to build and equip 250 health centres spread across the State and two functional diagnostic medical centres in Umuahia and Aba, has definitely tormented Orji Kalu who now perceives the governor’s performance as a deliberate design to dump him in the dust bin meant for non-performance.

    Abia is an oil producing state, courtesy of Ukwa-West Local Government Area. Throughout Kalu’s tenure, every plea made by the people of Ukwa-West for his administration to set up an Oil Producing Area Development Commission naturally fell on a deaf ear. He did not grant the request because, true to his nature, Kalu hates the progress and comfort of his fellow human beings. But no sooner did Chief T. A. Orji become Governor than he set up the Abia State Oil Producing Area Development Commission. That commission has helped immensely in the development of Abia State, particularly the Oil producing areas of the State. Many Traditional Rulers from Ukwa-West had no vehicles but today are proud owners of jeeps that have, for sure, enhanced their status. Kalu has always been a victim of ignorance and, so, will not realize that an elevation of this magnitude for Traditional Rulers in Ukwa-West would go a long way to give impetus to their ‘dignity’. Does this not justify the Governor’s aide’s claim?

    Kalu’s eight-year governance of Abia State did not witness any quantifiable empowerment of the Abia youth. His administration only recorded donation of ‘Tokumbo’ motor-cycles and wheel-barrows to Abia youths. On the contrary, the Government of Ochendo has motivated Abia youths with more than five hundred cars and more than two thousand tricycles, otherwise known as keke-Napep. The beneficiaries of this unparalleled benevolence of the Governor have subsequently become self-employed and are living very responsible lives and discharging their social cum community obligations. For youths that could only dream of motor-cycles and wheel-barrows during the administration of Kalu to have their taste redirected and their status radically upgraded, Kalu, would not perceive any meaningful restoration of ‘dignity’ in this context. What a pity!

    In order to address the problem of youth unemployment and its attendant youth restiveness; a twin problem that was unattended to during the era of darkness which Kalu’s Government represented, the T. A. Orji’s Government has offered employment to four thousand and five hundred Abia youths and is encouraging them to acquire useful skills with the money they are paid in order to guarantee a stable future for themselves. Because Kalu would not wish or see anything good in Ochendo’s Government, he would not agree that youths that were hopelessly abandoned by his administration but are now being rehabilitated by Governor T. A. Orji have had their ‘dignity’ restored.

    While the Federal Government of Nigeria legislated eighteen thousand naira as minimum wage for the Nigerian worker, the Abia State Government, under Ochendo, pays twenty thousand and one hundred naira to her lowest public servant. It is only the devil that will not see restoration of ‘dignity’ in this vivid expression of humanity.

    In this piece, I do not intend to mention the numerous legacy projects initiated and being executed by the administration of Governor T. A. Orji in the State. Should I talk of the civil servants’ secretariat complex that is eighty percent completed or the five thousand seat capacity International Conference Centre, also eighty percent completed?

    If Kalu should claim he has not seen the new functional Industrial market before the University of Agriculture Umudike, would he be justified to say he has not seen the modern Umuahia market at Ubani-Ibeku, which is just conspicuously along his Ohafia-Umuahia Road? There are too many projects to be mentioned that space and time may not permit here. I, however, challenge Orji Kalu for an open contest on the issue of restoration of ‘dignity’ for Abians by Governor T. A. Orji.

    To ascertain how myopic Kalu and his uninformed Odimegwu Onwumere are, one has to compare and contrast between their preposterous claim that there is no restoration of ‘dignity’ in Abia and their contradictory questioning of the source of money with which the wife of the governor, who through her Non-Governmental Organisation; Hannah-May Foundation, has been touching the lives of the less-privileged by building a three-bedroom bungalow, with provision of water and furniture for such people in the State. It is for the reading public to assess and evaluate if indigenes of a State who, hitherto, had no shelter of their own but through the milk of kindness of the Governor’s wife now own their own houses should be said to have been impacted positively on or otherwise.

    • Chief Ubani, KSC, JP, writes from Aba

  • ‘We’ve got rid of godfatherism in Abia’

    ‘We’ve got rid of godfatherism in Abia’

    Apart from security challenges, Abia State Governor Theodore Orji inherited a poor revenue base and demoralised civil service. In this interview with BOLADE OMONIJO, he speaks on efforts being made by the administration to reposition the state for excellence.

    How has it been trying to rebuild Abia State?

    There are basic infrastructural facilities that should be on ground to allow government take off properly. But those facilities are not there. Abia must have a foundation. Look at the issue of the secretariat. There is none in Abia State that can accommodate all the civil servants. The one there now was built by the Federal Government. Our ministries are all scattered. We want to have a composite building that will accommodate all civil servants because they are the engine room of the government. Again, look at the International Conference Centre. What we have here is the Michael Okpara Auditorium, which was built more than 20 years ago, when we were in Imo State. It can only accommodate 500 people. Now, when you are holding a conference here, you have between 2,000 and 3, 000 people. That place has become very inadequate. We said no. The best thing we can do is to have an international conference centre that can take at least 5, 000 people. These are permanent structures that will outlive us, which any other person coming after me will not think of.  You are here. This is Abia State Government House. My colleague in Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, took me to the new Government House in Asaba. But look at our own. This is my sitting room. If you are many now, some of you will be standing. This has been in existence, since the creation of Abia State. If you go upstairs, it doesn’t contain my family. I have been doing demolition. But the land is there and this is the state capital. It has never occurred to any of those administrations that have been here to build a standard Government House. I am from this town and my people have said that, if you don’t do this now, it is going to be difficult. So, I decided that I will build a new Government House and I am praying that I will be the first person to open it, so that other governors can live here.

    What about other areas? What have you been doing?

    I am sure you went to the Diagnostics Centre or Amachara General Hospital. If you go there, you will see things for yourself; how we are expanding that place to make sure that the people are healthy. As journalists, you have to be healthy to be asking me questions. So, Abia people must be healthy in order to enjoy dividends of democracy. We have opened up many roads. As we are doing in Umuahia, we are also doing in Aba and other places. We have compactors, refuse vehicles everywhere now. We just bought two before Christmas and all of them are going to Aba to help the ones we have there and keep the place clean all the time. So, in all the areas, we have brought out a template that a house must have a foundation. Like the Golden Guinea Breweries, I saw the investor, as I went to Abuja, and he has assured me that he is coming to reactivate the place. We have relocated the industrial market in Umuahia and at the site of the market, we are building the Ohobo Housing Estate. They are clearing the site now. The same thing will happen to the Central Market in Umuahia. We have reached 75 per cent completion in relocating it to Ubani Ibeku. There, we have over 6, 000 stalls against the 3, 000 stalls in this market now. So, once we finish with that, this market will move and in its place, we find something that we will build to befit the town. And just close to the market, the place we had Gariki before, we are building a Shoprite. They have cleared the site. We have completed everything, paid our own counterpart fund to them and it is left for them to come on board. As we are doing here, we are also doing for Aba and all the other local government areas of the state.

    How are you funding these capital projects; are they not too much for the state’s purse?

    We are in a hurry. All these projects are those that I can finish before I leave office. The Shoprite is partnership. I bring my own fund and they bring theirs. Some of the housing estates are partnerships. But we did the one we realised at Amokwe. We were disappointed in our partner there; he absconded and we had to do it ourselves. Out of annoyance, we have started building it. We have finished and people are living there now.

    People believe that Aba alone is capable of generating the required internal revenue for the state. What are the challenges in Aba?

    This state has the capacity to generate one billion naira every month and that revenue is expected to come from Aba. But the truth is that our people don’t pay taxes. So, what we have done is to tutor them. We are teaching them the need to pay taxes and they are responding. Two, there is fraud, not from the people who pay taxes, but those collecting them for the government. Some of them collect and put it in their pockets. That is why we have now introduced another system of direct lodgments into the banks, so that we can have a hold on taxes. We have re-engineered our Board of Internal Revenue, so that it can be more effective. All these are geared towards generating more money, especially from Aba. So, if we can effectively plug the loopholes, the revenue will come.  That’s why I have moved into Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, though the money we expect from there hasn’t come.

    Some of the projects you are doing could be regarded as projects that could outlive this generation.  What do you have in mind when you are doing these legacy projects?

    Everything doesn’t end with building roads. Didn’t Dr. Okpara build roads? Who remembers him today for the roads he built? Nobody! They remember him for Golden Guinea, Mordern Ceramics and agriculture. These are the procedures we are following. Now, if you follow what we are doing, any incoming governor that deviates from that will get the wrath of the people. We have set this standard as we did on security. Any person who comes here and kidnapping returns is in trouble. So, we will set the standards and maintain them so that the incoming governor will maintain them and earn his own respect. These projects we are doing are things that are dear to the people’s heart.

    It is surprising that in Abia State, you are just laying the foundation. Why is everything being fast-tracked now in your second term?

    We had two civilian governors before I came. Ogbonnaya Onu was here, the former governor, my friend (Orji Uzor Kalu) was here. You’d better ask them what they did because anything I say here will be misinterpreted. But you can now see the difference between this government and the previous ones. In my first term, the things I was supposed to do for my people, I could not do them because there was a godfather somewhere. Why we could not do the much we are doing now was because we were in PPA and PPA was a political party owned by one family and they used it to emasculate the government in power because I was in PPA. They were actually dictating what was happening. As a governor, I would like to appoint my commissioners, but they will bring a list for you and tell you to announce. Will you tolerate that as a governor? You wanted to embark on a project and they would tell you no, maybe so as not to outshine any other person. The major constraint I had was being in PPA.

    Couldn’t it be that the PDP wanted to frustrate you because you were in PPA? Was your funding tampered with then?

    No! We got our due funds. You should also know that, as a party in the opposition, it wasn’t easy for me. But my personal disposition with our current President ,who was the Vice President then, helped. The major problem then was that I was in PPA. You can now see the difference. Since I left PPA, these things that I have achieved within the two years of my second tenure, for sure, if you have seen all my projects, have surpassed what those who stayed here for eight years did. I can point at some of the things I have done; some of them you have seen. Those that have been here before can point at business empires that are their own. That was their achievement. That is the difference. I am not a businessman. I have come here to work for the people. That is why you see the foundations we are laying. My only constraint now is fund because nobody calls me on phone and says this is what you are going to do or not. I am a godfather to myself.

    Before now, Abia State had been threatened by kidnapping. How did you end the menace?

    That magic is my secret and like we say, it is security. You don’t discuss it before journalists or else, these hoodlums are all around. If I say it and you write it, they will say, oh, is that it? And they will go and find another means of countering it, bringing back another method, which will make me to start fighting back. So, those secrets are what they are – my weapons. Except maybe, any of my colleagues who come to me and ask me how I did it. Of course, it is difficult. One or two persons have come to me and I said, do this or that. You remember we were the first persons in the Southeast to ban commercial motorcyclists as a means of transportation. We saw that it was Okada that was used by kidnappers to run into the bush. Today, our efforts in that direction have paid off because those who were riding Okada are happier today with tricycles and it is safer too. Since we stopped Okada transport, go to Obioma Ward at the Federal Medical Centre, you don’t see people with their legs hanging for months. One doctor congratulated me for making their jobs easier. It is going round. Other states are doing that. That one you cannot hide it but there are secret ones that we don’t reveal.

    Is it true that you spent so much money to end kidnapping?

    The kidnapping era was my worst period here. In the first instance, I didn’t cause kidnapping. It was unknown to us in this part of the world. In Abia State, what we knew before were things like armed robbery, murder and the like. But kidnapping came when I became governor and it became a serious challenge for me. By the time it came, we haven’t got the technology or wherewithal to handle it and it became a serious challenge. Abia’s own was out of proportion to the extent that they were using Abia as an example and our enemies cashed in on that – those who didn’t want this government to stand. At that time, if a rat missed in Abia, it was front-page news for even newspapers owned by an Abia State indigene. The thing was blown out of proportion and criticisms were coming from everywhere and as the man in charge, you will feel highly demoralised, especially that time they kidnapped 15 kids in Aba and a journalist. For the first time kidnapping went on the CNN. Who went and put it there? How many kidnapping incidents have we seen on CNN? It was just to discredit the government. But then, it brought out the indomitable fighting spirit in us to fight. God came and brought ideas. Tactics were coming in numbers and we were using them one after the other. Some were working, others were not. But today, you see our state is a model. Anybody who wants to do any case study on kidnapping comes here to learn from us. It is one of the achievements we have made that have elevated this state and myself to the highest pedestal; that we are able to forestall kidnapping because another cankerworm that is worse than kidnapping; it is Boko Haram. So, the fact that we overcame this kidnap saga is a plus for this state. That’s why I have said that I can stop all projects to invest all the money I have here on security to make sure that we are safe. That is the first thing because it is dangerous for any government that fails in that. Some thought we would not overcome because some of kidnappers were being sponsored. Some were sponsored and people were coming to take money from us by 419 means. Some highly placed persons came and told us they knew the kidnappers, that I should bring money. I gave N20m and the following day, they kidnapped 10 people at Osisioma.

     

  • Abia prepares for National Good Governance team

    •ACN urges team to be thorough

    The National Good Governance team, which has been touring the states, will be in Abia from January 16 till 19 to inspect the federal, state and local government projects, it was learnt yesterday.

    The team will also seek the way forward between the state and the Federal Government.

    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Commissioner for Information and Strategy Eze Chikamnayo said the visit would showcase the potentials of the state to the outside world.

    Chikamnayo said it would also help to tell the world that Abia, under Governor Theodore Orji, has done well.

    He said: “The tour is an avenue to showcase to Nigerians and indeed the world that democracy is really working in Abia State and that our people are happy for this. It will also offer us the opportunity to further cement the existing cordial relationship between the state and the Federal Government.”

    The commissioner noted that the low crime rate in the state is a testimony that the huge investment and doggedness of the governor on security have paid off.

    Chikamnayo said: “Today, our state has become a referral centre on security matters and our governor has received many awards for this wonderful achievement and it is our expectation that investors will take the advantage of this since business can only be done in a secured environment.”

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Publicity Secretary in the state, Offor Okorie, urged the visiting team, led by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, to examine the projects well.

    Okorie said there are many things that have not been done for the people.

    He urged the governor to tour the 17 local governments to see things for himself.

     

  • Abia PDP scores Orji high

    The Abia State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] has said that Governor Theodore Orji has not disappointed the  party and the people of the state in view of the quantum of projects currently going on in the state

    Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Uchechi Ogbuka, said that Orji had not reneged in his pledge to transform the state particularly on the area of road rehabilitation and other infrastructure.

    Ogbuka commended Orji for making real his promise to embark on massive renovation of roads in Aba this dry season, saying that the recent flagging off of the renovation of 16 roads in the commercial city is a clear indication that Aba is indeed a focal point of his developmental strides.

    He recalled that the governor had earlier promised the people of the commercial city that after the rainy season work will commence on some roads in that town, “he has not failed the people on that promise as can be witnessed by the people living in Aba.”

    The PDP image maker said that the avalanche of Orji’s legacy projects have put Abia on a new pedestal.

     

  • Abia House okays N24.9b Supplementary Budget

    Abia state House of Assembly has passed a supplementary appropriation bill of N24.9 billion into law to enable Governor Theodore Orji complete ongoing projects before the 2013 budget bill is passed into law.

    Addressing reporters at the monthly House of Assembly media briefing in Umuahia, the state capital, Deputy Speaker and Chairman, House Chairman on Information, Allwell Asiforo Okere, said the members felt happy with ongoing construction work in the state and needed to support the government.

    Okere said the supplementary budget “became necessary because of the unforeseen problems and the need for the state government to tackle its pressing needs; it’s not because those who planned the budget did not do their work well, as no one can plan a perfect budget”.

    He said the 2013 appropriation bill has scaled the second reading and is before the House Committee on Appropriation.

    The lawmaker stressed that the ministries, parastatals and government agencies have been defending their budgets.

    Okere explained that after the budget defence by the various ministries, parastatals and government agencies, “the Appropriation Bill will be returned to the House and we will appropriate what we feel will be necessary for the state”.

    The Deputy Speaker said the Assembly has also considered four other bills, including the Tenancy Bill, 2012, which has undergone second reading.

     

  • MAN partners Imo, Abia

    The Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria(MAN) Imo / Abia Branch has called for a synergy among Imo and Abia governments and the association to promote economic activities in the two states.

    It made the call in Aba,the Abia State capital during its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

    It said without an understanding among them, economic activities will not thrive.

    They called for a level playing ground, which will help to promote the production capacity of manufacturers in the two states.

    The members of the group said to promote employment for job seekers, customers for local goods and dependency on imported goods, the government should support manufacturers to help keep youths off the streets and assist the government in creating job opportunities for undergraduates.

  • Abia budgets N134.148b

    The Abia State Government will spend N134, 148, 037,590 billion.

    This represents an increase of N4,188,712,420billion or 3.2per cent over this year’s budget outlay of N129,959,325,170billion next year.

    Presenting the budget, called Budget of Hope to the House of Assembly yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital, Governor Theodore Orji said it is targeted at capital project development to address the critical issues in Vision 20.20.20.

    The governor said the state would next year focus more on how to increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to make it less dependent on Federal Allocations.

    He said the state would adopt direct bank lodgment, adding that it would expand its revenue base.

    Orji said the IGR would be N34,940,133,420 billion, representing an increase of 57.37per cent over this year’s 26.05per cent of the total budget outlay of N134,148,037,590 billion, or 30.94per cent of N112,943,586,87billion projected revenue.

    The governor said the recurrent expenditure is N67,820,454,270billion against this year’s recurrent expenditure of N58,838,997,070billion, which is an increase of N8,981,457,200billion, or 15.26per cent, while the capital expenditure is N66,327,583,320billion for next year.

    He told the lawmakers that there would be massive road construction and reconstruction, while major projects would be completed.

    According to him, the 17 local governments will be encouraged to set aside some funds to maintain rural roads.

    Speaker Ude Oko-Chukwu assured the governor that the Assembly would give accelerated passage to the budget to enable the executive implement it effectively.

    The Speaker said the lawmakers were willing to sacrifice their holidays during the Yuletide to accelerate their work for the benefit of the state and its residents.

  • Abia varsity boils over fee hike

    Abia varsity boils over fee hike

    For the fourth time in four years, the management of Abia State University (ABSU) has increased tuition fees payable by its students. The latest of such increments led to a violent demonstration.

    The university was shut down indefinitely. PASCAL OKEZU (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.

     

    LECTURES have been suspended indefinitely at the Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, following a violent protest by students over an increment in tuition fees. The students said the management has increased the fee four times in four years.

    This is the second time the university has been closed down in three years.

    Our correspondent learnt that in late 2007, the school fees being paid was N27,000 but by mid-2008, it was increased to N30,500. There was no protest because the students felt the increment was minimal.

    However, in 2009, the hiking of the fee from N30,500 to 60,000 sparked a demonstration, which led to the closure of the state-owned university for six months. Students later resumed when the fee was reduced to N47,500.

    In 2011, the school fees was again raised to N50,500, an increment the management explained was as a result of an inclusion of faculty dues of N3,000. Students reacted that the faculties’ dues had been included in the initial figure of N47,500 but management disagreed and had its way.

    However, in January this year, a new regime of fees was introduced. Faculties were required to pay different exorbitant fees. Fresh students in faculties such as Law and Nursing and Optometry were asked to pay N120,000 while their colleagues in higher level will pay N100,000.

    At the Faculty of Humanities, freshers will pay N100,000 while students in higher levels were asked to pay N90,000. In the faculties of Business and Education, it is N90,000 for the freshers and 80,000 for other levels.

    Though the management gave the students the grace to pay the fees in two instalments. But trouble started when the authorities discovered that majority of the students had not paid the new fee. This made the management to issue a statement directing students to pay the whole amount before writing their second semester exams.

    The students rejected the directive, saying they could not afford the new fee. This led to an outrage among students of the Faculty of Education, who were billed to start their exams last week. Majority of them have not paid the complete fees, and thus were not allowed to write their papers.

    Students went on rampage, chanting various solidarity songs to register their displeasure over the fee hike. They besieged the campus, paralysing all activities. During the violent demonstration, staff vehicles, louvres of offices and facilities in the school auditorium were vandalised. A statue at the front of the Faculty of Law was destroyed.

    The protesters also tried to vandalise the school’s generator but were repelled by soldiers attached to the school. In the process, the diesel being used to fuel the generating set was spilled by the students. The soldiers, who have been stationed at the school’s main gate since last year, did not fire a shot during the demonstration but prevented the protesters from destroying more property.

    Reacting to the protest, the school authorities closed down the institution indefinitely.

    Adiele Chidozie Oluwafemi, 400-Level History and International Relations, said: “It is not a thing of joy that the school has been closed down because it is not in anybody’s interest. But, for me, the school should not be opened until the fees are reduced. There has been a steady increase in the school fees over the last four years. When I was admitted, I paid N32,000. Now, they want me to pay N90,000, which is quite unfair. There should be a steady fee, at least, for over the next five years, instead of this obnoxious increment in fees all the time.”

    A protester, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “They have been increasing the school fees without anything to show for it. It is not as if there has been a turnaround in the infrastructure the school has; in fact, most of the buildings being put up in the school are either through the Education Trust Funds (ETF) or by private individuals. What are they now doing with the money?”

    Some of the protesters felt there should be a complete overhaul in the school administrative system. Chidiebere Mbataku, 300-Level student, said: “I am one of the student leaders and, as it stands now, we are angry with the Vice-Chancellor and Governor Theodore Orji. When did it become a crime to go to school? Are we going to kill ourselves because we attend ABSU? Even if they re-open the school, there is no assurance that we will still not go on protest because what all students are saying is that management should revert the school fees to 50,000. That is all we want.”

    For Ogechi Iroha, ABSU management has overstepped its bounds and “we also want to show them that they can’t get away with the increment this time around.”

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the University Mr Acho Elendu did not pick calls and reply text messages when our correspondent contacted him.

     

  • Why Abia council poll can’t hold in January, by Deputy Speaker

    The Abia State House of Assembly has said it rejected the proposal that a local government election be held next January because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not ready for it.

    The Assembly noted that INEC needs to put many things in place before it can conduct a credible council poll.

    Such things, it said, include the delineation of wards, holding of party primaries and putting in place other logistics.

    Deputy Speaker Allwell Asiforo Okere, who spoke in Umuahia, the state capital, explained that after examining what is involved in the conduct of a council election, the Assembly discovered that it would not be possible to hold the election next January.

    Okere, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Information, said after meeting with the state’s chairman of Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) and other members, the Assembly noted that the commission has nothing on the ground to hold the election.

    He said: “ABSIEC does not even have the funds. It has not done the delineation of political wards and the party primaries, which take about three or more months, have not been done with other logistics associated with such election. We then came up with the idea that the election will not hold.”

    The Deputy Speaker explained that the Assembly was not against the conduct of the poll.

    He added: “But we want the proper things to be done so that our politicians will not waste their money on a venture that will not hold.”

    The lawmaker urged ABSIEC to educate the public on when the poll will hold since the January date is no longer visible.

    He noted that those who wish to participate in the poll would be better prepared.

     

  • Abia urges monarchs to protect pipelines

    Abia urges monarchs to protect pipelines

    The Abia State government has called on traditional rulers of pipeline host-communities to identify individuals in their domain who perpetrated pipeline vandalism for appropriate sanctions.

    The state Commissioner for Petroleum and Solid Minerals Development, Chief Don Ubani, gave the order in a statement in Aba.

    It would be recalled that some persons perished while attempting to scoop petroleum products from a vandalised pipeline at Umueke village in the Umueze Autonomous Community of Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of the state.

    “Henceforth, any traditional ruler in whose community the PPMC pipeline is vandalised should be prepared to identify such hoodlums for appropriate action by government or face the consequence of nonchalance.’’

    Ubani urged hospitals or traditional healers currently treating any suspected pipeline vandal to report such persons to law enforcement authorities.

    “Any medical practitioner or traditional healer who fails to heed this clarion call will be regarded as an accomplice and will be treated as such.’’ he said.

    The Managing Director of Pipeline and Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Haruna Momoh, said at the re-opening of the NNPC Aba depot in July that it lost products worth N7.6 billion to pipeline vandals between the Port Harcourt and Aba segments since 2007.

    He said that over 30 million litres of PMS (fuel) was readily available at the reopening of depot, while assuring that the trend would be maintained if the pipelines were not vandalised.

    The depot was commissioned about 33 years ago with the capacity for over 133 million litres of petroleum products, including petrol, kerosene and diesel to serve Imo, Abia, Anambra and some past of Akwa Ibom.

    NN