The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anambra

  • Police disperse IPOB protest in Anambra

    Police disperse IPOB protest in Anambra

    The police in Anambra yesterday disrupted the protest by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The protesters, mainly women and about 500 carried placards and matched from Amawbia to the Government House but policemen tear gassed and fired shots to scare them.

    IPOB’s coordinator Ikechukwu Okoye said their protest was not to cause mayhem but to seek the unconditional release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    He urged Governor Willie Obiano to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the matter.

    “We are freedom agitators who obey the laws of the land. This is democracy and there is freedom of speech, movement etc.

    “Why would anybody detain our leader and demand a bail bond of two million naira? We have not come to fight anybody because we are peace makers,” Okoye said.

    It was gathered that some members of the group were arrested during the protest.

    Police commissioner Hosea Karma confirmed the arrest. He said: “There is nothing like Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), those people were creating commotion on the highway and they were picked.

    “Right now, I do not know the numbers that were picked, but I want to assure you that anybody who wants to disturb the peace here will not go unpunished.”

     

  • Community honours Anambra Speaker

    Community honours Anambra Speaker

    Ukpor community in Nnewi South Local Government Area has honoured the Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon Rita Maduagwu who hails from the town.

    Maduagwu helped to lift the infrastructural profile of the community after former governors of the state, Dr Chris Ngige and Mr. Peter Obi provided roads and water there.

    For her impact on the community, indigenous Ukpor people resident in Lagos under the aegis of Mkpodu Forum gave her an award.

    The forum is led by Hon Cyril Maduabum.

    Maduabum, who previously represented Nnewi North, Nnewi South,  Ekwusigo Federal constituency, described the Speaker as Oduko Na’mba, Igbo for rare breed.

    The event which attracted de-crème la-de crème in Ukpor community and in the state including Governor Willie Obiano, first Nigeria Aviation Minister, Dara Akunwafor Mbazululike Amechi, among others, took place at the Best Western Meloch Hotels in Awka at the weekend.

    Obiano who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke called on the citizens of the state who reside outside Anambra to think home by investing here in the state, especially, now that security is guaranteed.

    Describing the speaker as an astute politician, Obiano assured the people of Ukpor community that his administration would continue to remember them in all its development initiatives.

    But the concern of the octogenarian former Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazululike Amechi, was for the legislature and executive to work hand in glove to achieve success in Anambra state, which according to him, had eluded the state before now.

    The synergy, Amechi said, would enable more development to thrive, adding that already, there had been a sign of such accord between the two arms as he had noticed.

    Speaking with the Nation, the new national chairman of the All Progressives grand Alliance, Sir Victor Ike-Okoye, said the present leadership in the state, being spearheaded by Obiano, would make sure that all the 177 communities in the state were not left out.

    Earlier, in her emotion ladden remarks, the speaker, Rt. Hon Rita Maduagwu, thanked Ukpor Community for the honour done her, while assuring that her tenure as speaker would bring additional good tidings to the citizenry.

    However, she called for the encouragement of more women to join politics, but did not equally; fail to thank her husband, Hyacinth Maduagwu, also a lawyer for his support.

    Furthermore, she assured the state government of the support of Ukpor Community in taking the state to the higher level.

    The chairman of the occasion, Hon Cyril Maduabum, President General of the community (Ukpor development Union(UDU) Col Anthony Ogunna and chairman of the forum, Chief Emma Nwachukwu told the Nation that the honour was to show the speaker that they were solidly behind her.

    They thanked members of the state House of Assembly for finding the speaker worthy to be elected their leader while urging the citizenry to give support to Obiano to move the state forward.

     

  • Waiting for justice in Anambra

    Waiting for justice in Anambra

    An Appeal Court has sacked the chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area in Anambra State but no one is enforcing the judgment, reports SEUN AKIOYE

    He was a retired Nigeria Army colonel before he became a politician. So when he decided to serve the people of his constituency of Njikoka Local Government Area, he chose to contest for the council’s chairmanship. That was in 2013.

    Since then, Col. Bude Okafor, also known as “Desert Fox” has been fighting a battle to reclaim the mandate he claimed was stolen from him by his party the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and its collaborators.

    The story of his battle to reclaim the mandate is one long labyrinth of court injunctions and protracted legal battle. This later resulted in a judgment by the Court of Appeal in the Enugu Judicial Division which gave an order declaring Okafor as the winner of the chairmanship seat of Njikoka Local Government Area. That was on July 28, 2015. But rather than bring a closure to this long and tiring legal battle, it has opened another floodgate of injunctions. And this was when the troubles of Okafor really began.

     

    An inconclusive election

    The primary election to select the flag bearer of the APGA for the Njikoka local government chairmanship election was held on August 17, 2013. According to the documents made available to The Nation, five candidates bought forms and submitted at the appropriate date and they include one Mr. Emeka Onuora. According to court documents, it was on the election day that one Mr. Tony Nwazojie, who allegedly did not purchase the forms surfaced and presented himself as a candidate for the primary election.

    Despite the reported protest of Okafor, Nwazojie participated in the primary and was declared winner with a total of 324 votes and Okafor who came second polled a total of 77 votes. But that was where sanity ended.  After the primary, one of the contestants, Onuora, who allegedly polled no vote, was declared winner and the flag bearer of the APGA in the local government election.

    Before the election, Okafor who spoke to The Nation said he instituted a court action against the candidate and the leadership of the party on January 9, 2014 at the State High Court, seeking an order to restrain Onuora from presenting himself as the candidate for the APGA for the Njikoka local government election. But the election held and Onuora was declared winner and subsequently sworn in as the elected chairman of Njikoka local government.

    The election held on January 11, 2014 and Okafor lost his case. The Hon. Justice H.O Ozor, sitting at the High Court of Anambra State on October 8, 2014 in the Suit N0 A/9/2014 ruled that the suit was academic and hypothetical because election had been held and the defendant sworn in.

    But Okafor would not give up and proceeded to the Appeal Court in case number: CA/E/640/2014 where he asked for a determination “Whether the Hon. Trial court was right in dismissing this pre-election suit which was filed before the election on the ground that it is academic and hypothetical, because the election had been held and the 3rd defendant sworn in after the election.”

    The Appeal Court saw reason in Okafor’s argument, upheld the appeal and set aside the High Court judgment; the Court also gave a landmark judgment on July 28, 2015, by declaring Okafor winner of the chairmanship seat. The judgment reads: “That the Appellant Col. Bude Nnakee Okafor (RTD) is hereby declared winner of the Chairmanship seat, as candidate under the APGA of the Njikoka Local Government election of 11th January, 2014, having satisfied the provisions of Section 87 (5) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Article 24 (6) of the APGA constitution.”

    The Appeal Court also granted the sum of N50, 000 in costs in favour of Okafor.

     

    Passing the buck

    But the Appeal Court ruling did not give the desired respite to Okafor as he has been battling for the enforcement of the judgment. According to his counsel, Emmanuel Ezeugo, the Attorney General of the state, Anali Chude was duly served with the court order but he did nothing about it. “He was served with the judgment of the Appeal Court and also the order and I requested for arrangement to swear in my client but after all that he kept quiet. He is the legal officer of the state and he is the one that can enforce it,” Ezeugo said.

    However, when contacted, the Attorney General said the Ministry of Justice does not enforce judgments. “The Ministry of Justice does not enforce judgments. I am sure the appropriate quarters saddled with the responsibility will tell you why,” he said.

    Also the chairman of the APGA in Anambra State, Chief Norbert Obi told The Nation that the party never received the court orders but declined to say if the party would respect the order if received.

    “ The party has no such court order per se, we have no information to that effect, we were not served the judgment in our office,” Obi said.

    Also the National Chairman of APGA, Dr. Victor Ike Oye in a message to The Nation could not comment on the matter, saying there is an appeal on the case.  With those who could enforce the judgment passing the buck, it left many questions begging for answers.

    What is the role of the governor,Willie Obiano in the unfolding saga? Is it true that the Attorney General was ordered “from above” not to obey the court injunction? Why is the Party not wading in to resolve the imbroglio?

    Ezeugo said a contempt motion has been slammed on the state Attorney General.  “We filed a motion at the court of appeal for contempt to try the Attorney General, let him show cause why he should not be committed to prison for disobeying the court order. The court removed the chairman of the Local government and declared Col. Okafor as the winner of the election and by that judgment, my client should have been sworn in since July,” he concluded.

     

  • Relief in Anambra as federal roads come alive

    Relief in Anambra as federal roads come alive

    From the depths of despair, residents are starting to savour the joys of smooth roads. NWANOSIKE ONU reports that the people have the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to thank for it

    The casualty statistics is grim. In the last 10 years no fewer than 136 people have died on the roads, said a driver. Others recalled that an uncountable number of vehicles have been damaged on the poor roads. Then consider the sheer agony of farmers and traders moving from one location to another.

    Federal roads in Anambra State have been in such disrepair that those who travel on them simply gave up hope.

    Now, that hope has returned, thanks to the Federal Road maintenance Agency (FERMA). The agency’s intervention in the state is said to be massive, giving the people hope to live again.

    Before now, road accidents on the deplorable federal roads in the state had reached an alarming state, with all the federal roads including the Onitsha-Enugu expressway impassable.

    One of the drivers in the state, 46 year old Chukwubuike Okoye told The Nation that in the past 10 years, no fewer than 136 lives had been lost on those roads through accidents.

    Some of these federal roads in Anambra state which had suffered neglect included Awka-Ekwlubia road, Oba-Nnewi road, Nnewi-Arondizuogu-Okigwe Road and the Onitsha-Enugu expressway among others.

    For the past 30 years, the Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe road had been neglected by the successive federal governments, while the Onitsha-Enugu expressway had become a past tense to the residents.

    But last week, FERMA began rehabilitation of some of those roads to alleviate the sufferings of the road users for the ember months as Christmas is fast approaching.

    Already, the agency had moved its equipment to Ekwulobia, Nnewi and Onitsha to fix the roads, especially, those critical ones.

    The director of Public Works of FERMA, Abuja headquarters who visited Anambra to kick-start the programme, Mr. Godson Chimezie Amos, an engineer, said all the sections that had dangerous potholes must be recovered.

    He said he was in the state to ensure that deplorable roads were given adequate attention and rehabilitation to meet specified standard.

    Amos lamented the high rate of accidents recorded during ember months nationwide, adding that the federal government under the president Muhammadu Buhari administration was out to get it right this time around, the reason according to him for the massive intervention by (FERMA).

    He went round the roads with the South East zonal coordinator, Mr. Rufus Onimisi and the road maintenance engineer in Awka, George Francis Usoroh to assess the damage caused by erosion in some of the roads.

    Another residents, Mrs. Onome Nwajiaku, told The Nation that what FERMA was doing was a way of wiping away the tears of the road users in the state.

    She commended the agency for what she called its new idea adding that the Buhari administration had begun on a good footing which the previous governments failed to do in their era.

    The FERMA team advised motorists to be cautious while driving on Onitsha-Owerri Expressway because of the gully erosion on it.

     

  • Special reading lessons for Anambra teachers

    Special reading lessons for Anambra teachers

    Teachers in three local government areas in Anambra State have been lectured in what was called special reading lessons.

    The local government areas are Anambra East, Awka South and Orumba South.

    The lessons were conducted at the Girls Secondary School, Amenyi, in Awka South Local Government Area.

    The programme was organised by the reading Association of Nigeria (RAN) at the roll out ceremony and workshop for Master Trainers of the Literacy Enhancement and Achievement Project (LEAP).

    It was for junior secondary schools in the state by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Reading Association of Nigeria, led by Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu.

    Teachers were taken down memory lane by Prof Onukaogu by answering on the spot questions as it is done in the classrooms.

    The president of the Reading Association of Nigeria, Dr Gabriel Egbe and the American Consultants that came to Anambra because of the pogramme Mr. and Mrs. Ronald and Alis Headlam were all thrilled.

    The chairman Board of Trustees of the non-governmental organisation, Prof Onukaogu, former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra state, said every September 8, the world celebrates the literacy day.

    Letters and poems were read by Onukaogu and Anambra state commissioner for Education, Prof Kate Azuka Omenugha who represented Governor Willie Obiano, to the teachers and other guests.

    In all, 60 participants from the three local government areas and other allied participants from the state government took part in the reading exercise.

    One of the participants from Nneoma Community Secondary School Nibo in Awka south council area, Adibe Adaora, described the exercise as a laudable project.

    The lady told The Nation that if what the state government and the organisers said were carried along, that it will bring a lot of changes and transformation on the children.

    For one of the allied participants Dr Mrs. Ngozi Okereke, the programme was fantastic and will have a good impact on the children.

    While speaking with The Nation, the president of reading Association of Nigeria (RAN), Dr Gabriel Egbe, said Anambra state had been the leading literacy professional organization in Nigeria for the past 33 years.

    Furthermore he said the state had given the association the mandate to transform the literacy landscape of the state.

    Egbe said, “This hiatus is necessary because without it, you cannot shift from your comfort zone. If you shift from your traditional practices, then there will be a change; there will be a transformation; and then you will make a difference and your students will learn the way they have never learnt before”

    “This Project will challenge what you have always done and expose you to evidence-based best practices. You will learn the value of inclusiveness and diversity in unity in teaching, the importance of deep thinking, and the need to allow students take ownership of their learning”

    “In the cause of this Project, you will come to appreciate the relevance of working with the five principles of effective teaching which are: students’ learning builds on the previous knowledge, learning best takes place in a social setting, knowledge taught in a variety of contexts is more likely to support learning across students with diverse learning needs, connected,   organised   and   relevant   information   supports   both   knowledge   and development of higher order thinking skills; and feedback and active evaluation further students’ understanding and skill development”

    Obiano’s representative, Prof Kate Omenugha, told the Nation that the state government wanted a strategic object in making the state the lowest illiteracy state in Nigeria, adding that the government had found one in (RAN).

    “Obiano is passionate about education in Anambra state and its teachers and that is why he has made policies that are favourable to the teachers”

    She lamented how the government visited a remote community called Ndi-Ukwuenu recently and found out that the children were not going to school because of lack of none, while according to her, arrangements were in top gear by the government to erect school in the area.

    “Education is key to us and therefore, every parent should find a way of giving their children the needed education, literacy is not about reading and writing, but also, ability to be creative”

    “We do not have dull children, what we have in the society is dull classrooms, this is something we need to drive, it is a programme for the children, this is a serious business that should not be trivialised”

    “The government has done a lot in education in Anambra state and therefore, anything thought here today, should be put in practice in classes in this state, we want this state to maintain its lead in education in this country” Omenugha said.

    The two expatriates, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald and Alis Headlam, told the Nation that they came from America to participate in the Reading exercise, which according to them, would make serious impact on the students and teachers in Anambra, nay Nigeria.

  • Police, Herdsmen battle in Anambra

    The Anambra state police command and the herdsmen are in fierce battle following the decision of the former to ban the later from operating in the state in the day time.

    The state police commissioner, Mr. Hosea Karma has insisted that the herdsmen would only operate at night from 8pm in Anambra henceforth.

    The police decision was taken Friday at the state government house in Awka after a joint meeting with the Anambra State Cattle Menace Conflict Committee.

    Karma said the essence was to minimize conflict between the herdsmen and native farmers in the area.

    But one of the herdsmen who spoke with the Nation in confidence said such decision would not work in the state as they could only move in the day time.

    However, the police commissioner urged the Fulani cattle herdsmen and host communities to allow peace to reign by cooperating and living harmoniously.

    He warned that the police would not spare anybody who would want to foment trouble in the state.

    The committee Friday included the Security Council, representatives of traditional rulers, Presidents-General of town unions and other stakeholders.

    According to Karma, “the committee had worked hard to minimize conflict between the host community farmers and cattle herdsmen as well as for them to live harmoniously.”

    “He said that there was an instance case where the cattle herdsmen had to pay N400, 000 compensation to the farmers as damages.

    “We must live in peace together. If there is any problem, they should report to the appropriate authority. Nobody is allowed to take the laws into his hands.”

     

  • Committee to avert land crisis in Anambra

    A community in Anambra State has found a way to end crises resulting from the sale of its land.

    Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area used to peaceful until some residents started selling land indiscriminately, resulting in crises.

    But the traditional ruler Igwe Peter Ezenwa (Eze Okpoko I), his chiefs and the town union have set up a committee to regulate land use and sale, hoping it will contain the bad blood generated by land conflicts.

    The General Assembly of the community met first on April 6, under the aegis of Oba Patriotic Union (OPU), while the second and third joint meetings were held on May 20 and 19 June.

    The new committee by the community which was inaugurated at the weekend is led by Chief Vincent A.O. Obi.

    In recent times, however, due to population explosion and urbanization, land has become a scarce commodity in Oba.

    The LUSAC chair, Chief Vincent Obi, popularly called (Akamba) in the area, said, ”Oba town which has existed from time immemorial has also known peace, progress and brotherhood and would want the same conditions to prevail from generation to generation.”

    The surge in indiscriminate and illegal sales of land and flagrant abuse of traditional procedures for community land disposal were becoming an order of the day for youths they refer to social drop outs in the community.

    As a result, the community waded in, with committee to curb the menace that nearly torn the community into shreds.

    According to the code of conduct for all land deals in Oba community; “That Individuals or Kindreds who have Personal or Communal Lands have rights to sell their bonafide property, provided that the President General of the town mandatorily appends his signature to the Agreement or Assignment before the sale can be consummated and forwarded to the Ministry of Lands for Title Deeds”

    “That the Ministry of Lands shall be informed to dishonor any application for a Title Deed which does not bear the signature of The President General”

    “That the Ichie/Chief of the village and designated members of the village where the sale is about to and/or has taken place shall attest that the land is/was in their village and that the seller is a citizen of the village and is the bonafide owner of the land”

    “That any person or persons who indulge in secret land deals and transactions would be punished by the Oba traditional laws and customs until they return to sanity”

    It was signed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa, the president General of the town union, Ifeatu A. Uzowulu, Clifford M. Enendu and Chief Vincent A.O. Obi.

  • UNICEF-poly partnership bears fruit in Anambra

    UNICEF-poly partnership bears fruit in Anambra

    The partnership between United Nation International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) with the Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra state has started yielding results.

    Eight modern toilets have been built in the institution with the help of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) under the Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) programme.

    This according to UNICEF is to ensure that the vision of achieving open defecation free by the year 2025 is achieved in the land.

    •One of the toilets being inspected by the team
    •One of the toilets being inspected by the team

    The WASH consultant for UNICEF, Nicholas Dosunmu, who led other members of the team to the institution on Monday, commended the management for partnering with them on the project.

    He said that they also came to Oko polytechnic to train participants who will in turn, take up the projects to their respective villages and communities in the state.

    Dosunmu said over fifty million Nigerians engaged in open defecation which according to him, could result in outbreak of epidemics.

    The UNICEF man also disclosed that federal polytechnic Oko was hosting the pilot scheme of the programme, expressing the hope that if the project succeeds, the name of the institution would be written in gold.

    The Director of International Linkages, Sir Walter Ezeanata thanked UNICEF for choosing the polytechnic for the pilot scheme and also, commended other agencies for making the polytechnic a hub for training participants for the WASH programme.

    Ezeanata disclosed that four of the toilets were sited at the female hostel, two beside the polytechnic field, one at the old Fine and Applied Arts site and the last at the extension site of the institution.

    Mr. Douglas Mba, the permanent secretary, state Ministry of Water resources and utility, said the state government was happy with the programme.

    He however, commended the institution for accepting to host the programme which he said, will go a long way in tackling open defecation.

    He described Anambra state as peculiar and unique, adding that before the projected 2025, the state would have achieved zero open air defecation through a high level sensitization and awareness.

    Another UNICEF consultant, Prof Dipak Roy, said he was excited that the programme lived up to expectation and tanked the institution for making it possible.

    The UNICEF representative expressed the readiness of the donor agency to partner the school in other areas that could improve lives of the people and sustaining virile environment.

    He assured that the polytechnic would not disappoint its partners by making sure that the project succeeds, adding that maintenance of the project was quite important.

    Also, Deputy Rector (Academics), Mrs. Gladys Anene said the project came when the institution was putting toilet facilities all over the places in the institution, adding that the Rector was a man who loves creativity.

    One of the participants in the training, Peter Akwobi while speaking with the Nation, described the training as a worthwhile experience.

    The toilets had two septic tanks of one metre each and could last up to seven years.

  • Tribunal cautions INEC against disregarding order

    Tribunal cautions INEC against disregarding order

    The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal for Anambra has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against disregarding orders made by it.

    The tribunal chairman, Justice Nayai Aganaba, gave the warning during the hearing of a petition filed by Mr Ifeanyi Ibezi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) against the election of Mr. Obinna Chidoka of PDP.

    Ibezi is challenging Chidoka’s victory in the March 28 election in Idemili North and South Federal Constituency of the state on grounds of alleged electoral malpractices.

    The tribunal expressed displeasure over the failure of INEC to respond to its subpoenas.

    “I am not happy with the way and manner INEC officials treat orders of the tribunal.

    “Once a subpoena or any court order is issued, those concerned should respect and respond to the directive to avoid clogging the wheel of justice,” the chairman said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a bailiff, Mr Peter Obuesi, had during the hearing of the petition, informed the court that he served the subpoena to officers at the INEC headquarters but they refused to receive it.

    Obuesi said that INEC officials insisted that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Edwin Nwatarali, had given a standing order that he would personally collect all court orders.

    However, the bailiff said he could not serve the REC as he had travelled out of the state.

    Meanwhile, Counsel to Chidoka, Mr Osita Nnadi (SAN), had applied for the subpoena to enable INEC to tender some electoral materials used for the conduct of the poll in the area.

    Following the failure of INEC to appear in court, the tribunal adjourned the petition till Tuesday for continuation of hearing.

     

  • Biafran activists, security operatives clash in Anambra

    Biafran activists, security operatives clash in Anambra

    Three persons are feared dead and over 20 others injured in a clash between security operatives and members of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOD) in Onitsha, Anambra State, at the weekend.

    It was gathered that the group was on its routine evangelism on the need to embrace the Biafran struggle when the clash happened.

    A survivor Chinwendu Ikechukwu alleged that it was a combined team of Navy officers and policemen that attacked the group.

    “On reaching Okpoko junction, we were accosted by a detachment of policemen who fired tear gas at us.

    “They later allowed us to go because we were not violent but on reaching Uga junction, before the Niger Bridge Head, the Naval men opened fire on us.

    “Three people died while about 20 sustained injuries. The police, who initially allowed us to go, later joined in the shooting,” Ikechukwu said.

    But the police has denied involvement. Spokesman Okechukwu Ali said the police were in a Show of Force operation as at the time of the incident but never shot at the group, though the law had outlawed all pro-Biafran groups.

    A Naval officer, who pleaded for anonymity, described the allegation as false. “They are liars, if they insist that their members were killed, let them produce one of the bodies,” he said.