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Tag: Cross River State

  • Again, cult clash claims lives in Calabar

    At least two persons have been killed in a renewed cult clash between rival groups in Calabar, the Cross River State capital

    Eyewitnesses said a young man popularly known as Last Born suspected to be a member of a cult group was shot dead on Saturday night along Ekpo Abasi by Mayne Avenue, while another young man, said to be of a rival group was also shot dead along Uwanse Street, later same night, in what was believed to be a reprisal attack.

    These killings are the latest in the rivalry between cult groups that seem to have become a frequent occurrence in the state capital.

    This latest clash, it was gathered may have been related another fight amongst themselves, which occurred about a month ago, and left at least three people dead.

    At the moment the city is tense as residents have expressed fear over the situation, saying they feel unsafe, and wonder whether the problem would ever be tackled.

    Read Also: Bolt launches in Uyo, Calabar

    The occurrence residents feel have become so frequent that they have, despite the gravity of the situation, jokingly come to refer to as Temple Run (a popular mobile game), the pandemonium that usually occurs when such cult shootings break out in the city.

    Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, said the police had swung into action to check the situation, and that some arrests have been made and some weapons seized.

    She said the police have been sensitizing youths to desist from cultism, adding that they were up to the task of checking the menace.

  • NDDC stresses peace for development of Niger Delta region

    The Cross River State Commissioner of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Sylvester Nsa, has stressed the need for peace in the Niger Delta for the development of the region.

    Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement forum organized by the NDDC in the state in Calabar, Nsa called on all stakeholders to work in unity for the purpose of lifting the region despite any differences.

    Nsa, who described peace as a veritable instrument for nation building, said conscious efforts are being made by the Commission in the state to ensure it is achieved.

    The forum had as its theme, “Peace as a panacea for the sustainable development in the Niger Delta region”

    He said the region has a great advantage in terms of manpower and mineral resources, but needs peace to prevail so that dreams can be translated to reality.

    “Elections are over. The Nigerian nation and its people should preach peace at all times. What we need now in this country is peace and not war. The Nigerian nation is urgently yearning for development and this can be achieved by Nigerians themselves,” he said.

    Read Also: Govt to train 1,500 Niger Delta youths

    Presenting a paper at the forum with the title “Effective communication as a veritable told for peace building in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria”, Dr Ndifon Ejoh, said with the seeming failure in the use of force, the only approach to achieve peace in the region is non-violent communication.

    According to him, the non-violent communication strategy offers core processes of empathy and honest self-expression, aimed at healing and resolving deep-seated conflict such as the Niger Delta conflict.

    Prof Roibito Ekpiken-Ekanem, who also presented a paper on the role of women and youths in peace building, said engendering peace building processes should ensure that women’s interests and needs are addressed and also acknowledging their role as peace builders.

    She said the absence of women in peace processes and the failure of peace agreements to promote gender equality can lead to the perpetuation of discrimination against women and their continued marginalization in the post-conflict rebuilding of society.

  • C/River community where trade by barter still thrives

    The Esuk Mba community market in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River is still practising trade by barter as a means of exchange for food items since it was established in 1956, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The market, which is located in a remote village in Esuk Mba in Akpabuyo, is a weekly market that starts from 7am and ends at noon every Saturday.

    Villagers usually move their consumable items to the market in exchange for the ones they are in need of.

    This practice, NAN learnt had been in peaceful existence among members of the community on every market day since 1956.

    The Community’s Youth Leader, Mr Asuquo Effiong, who conducted NAN Correspondent round the market, said the market which serves as a tourists site for most visitors, was in dire need of a facelift.

    He told NAN that the practice was still in existence because the market was handed over to them by their forefathers.

    According to him, the market is also significant because it was also a point of activities during the period of the slave trade in Nigeria.

    “We grew up to meet this market. We hold it so much in high esteem and we want to sustain it. We use it to remember our forefathers and to sustain our culture.

    “As you can see, they are varieties of food items in this section for exchange. In this market, you can bring your palm oil and exchange it for garri, yam, fish or plantain as the case may be.

    “The market is close to the river side and our people here are predominantly fishermen. The community is not comfortable with the size of this market; there have been no expansion of the market since inception.

    “In addition, we don’t have any good school here, no portable drinking water and health post. We need government intervention in this community,’’ he said.

    Read Also: C/River student crushed to death on campus

    A market woman, Mrs Eno Etim, who brought in yams for exchange for palm oil, told NAN that the tradition had been with them for ages.

    According to Etim, she had no palm oil in her house, hence she brought four tubers of yam to exchange for four litres of palm oil.

    Also, Mrs Grace Okon, told NAN that she brought in periwinkle, popularly called `mfi’ in Calabar language for exchange for garri, adding that it had helped them over the years to save cost  in view of the scarce financial resources.

    NAN observed that most of the roofs in the thatched houses inside the market had already fallen off, while the wood, which usually gives the houses a standing position were lying on the ground.

    A youth in the village, Mr Cyril Asuquo, who conducted NAN Correspondent through the slave trade route behind the market, upto the creeks where the slaves were transported through the sea to other countries, said the route was called a `Point of no Return’.

    He explained to NAN that the bank of the creeks was called a `Point of no Return’ because any slave, who got to that point never came back to the family.

    “This route is the Point of no Return as we heard from our fore-fathers; it used to be a slavery ground. When they take you to this point as a slave, it means no mercy, no return.

    “We lost our fathers, mothers and relatives that were taken through this point. But in all, we thank God that the practice of slavery has been abolished,’’ he said.

    Asuquo, who also showed NAN the thatched house that used to serve as a resting point for the slaves after a long distance trek, urged the state government to make the spot a tourist site.

    NAN

     

     

  • Ikpeme takes charge as new UCTH CMD

    Prof. Ikpeme A. Ikpeme has formally resumed as the new Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) in Calabar, Cross River State.

    In a release signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs Department, UCTH, Dr Rosemary Effiong, made available to The Nation on Wednesday, Ikpeme who resumed in line with his appointment letter signed by the Minister for Health, is an orthopedic surgeon and was the head of orthopedic department in the hospital before his merit based appointment.

    According to the statement in addition to his professional calling in the medical field, he brings to the job, his experiences and qualifications in management practices and human resources management.

    “He comes with a clear-cut vision and mission statement which is being communicated to staff in order to quickly restore and reposition the UCTH as a reliable first choice reference hospital within its catchment area,” the statement read.

    Read Also: Cross River NYSC seeks renovation of camp facilities

    Upon resumption of duties, Prof. Ikpeme was conducted round the various departments and offices in the hospital by senior management staff and heads of Departments.

    In his interaction with staff, the new CMD called for cooperation and unity of purpose to achieve deliverables such as staff re-orientation, retraining, restoration of efficient utility services such as water supply, power supply, security and environmental sanitation.

    His words, “We can achieve these deliverables, early enough with the much needed cooperation. Our primary duty of efficient medical and healthcare services is top in the priority list. As such we will have to restore good healthcare practices and functional systems, departments and facilities, while striving for better and modern-age infrastructural facilities. A good image we must have and maintain. Public complain and feedback channels will serve their purposes.

    “Come with me on this journey. It will be tasking but exciting. There may yet be obstacles but we will overcome them. Above all, He who called us has already equipped us. Together, we will raise our battle cry: UCTH 2019: Rebuild, restore, reboot.”

  • Only prudently managed states can access foreign loans, says Edo govt

    The Edo State Government has allayed fears that the state’s foreign debt profile was worrisome, arguing that the credits which the state enjoys were accessed as a result of the state’s transparent governance and prudent financial management.

    The Debt Management Office (DMO) recently released Nigeria’s foreign debt profile, in which Lagos, Edo, Kaduna and Cross River states, in that order, topped the list of sub-nationals with high external debts.

    In a statement, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the state government prioritises sustainable development and judicious use of state funds, which is what has enabled it to promptly access the low-interest credit from multilateral organisations.

    He argued that it was erroneous to assume that foreign credits are bad, noting that they help to fast-track development at the lowest cost of funds possible.

    According to him, “Foreign credits usually come with single, lower digit interest rates, ranging from one to five per cent. They carry many years of moratorium, that is, a period within the tenure of the loan when the borrower is not required to make repayment. This gives the borrower more time to bring development to the people and therefore increase the capacity to repay the loan.

    He argued, “Contrary to opinion by less informed people that ranking as the second state in the country after Lagos with the highest foreign debts portfolio is a negative feat, it is actually a positive development because this simply indicates that Edo State, like Lagos and Kaduna States, are the few states in the country with the requisite level of transparency in governance to access the huge international pool of development financing to help improve infrastructure and enhance the living standards of the ordinary people.”

    Read Also: NIS issues 6,097 passports in Edo

    He stressed that what is important is that the Governor Obaseki-led Edo State Government is putting every penny sourced from the Federation Account, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and international development financing to judicious use to improve the lives of the people.

    “In less than three years, Obaseki’s government has constructed more roads than previous governments were able to do in 16 years. We have revamped and rebuilt basic education almost to the point of re-invention. There is a primary healthcare revolution currently going on in Edo State, as well as the big-ticket transactions of the Benin River Port, Benin Industrial and Enterprise Park, the Benin Modular Refinery Project and many more, where we are making steady progress,” he said.

    He stressed that many of the states that are ranked low on foreign debts in DMO’s records are not necessarily happy to be in that position, as they would have preferred that they had the requisite governance structure and transparency in financial management to attract these useful funds from international development finance institutions.

  • Police deny abduction of NURTW chairman, others in Cross River

    The Cross River State Police Command has debunked reports that the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Okuku Wing in Yala local government area in the northern part of Cross River State, had been abducted with some other people

    An indigene of the area had raised alarm through a WhatsApp message that there was tension in the area following the alleged abduction of the people, who were passengers in a vehicle, around the Ikwo/Izzi area along Abakaliki road as they were headed for a destination that could not be confirmed.

    But Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, said the information was false. “I have reached the Divisional Police Officer in Yala, and there was no such incident,” Ugbo said.

    Read Also: Police assures corps members of safety in Cross River

    “Business and economic activities have been grounded in some communities of Yala including Okuku, Okpoma and Yahe where road blocks have been mounted preventing vehicular movement to and from Abakaliki area. All shops remained closed in these areas as the youths are protesting the uncertainties and whereabouts of their beloved ones. They also threatened a reprisal action if the abducted persons are not found, as it is still uncertain if the abducted persons are still alive or killed,” the source had said in the message.

  • Child needs N12m for heart surgery

    The arrival of their twin daughters brought joy to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Nwaugha. Now, that joy is threatened as one of the babies has been diagnosed with a heart disease.

    Nwaugha hails from Ngor Okpuala in Imo State but lives with his family in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    While the Nwaughas were basking in the euphoria of the babies’ arrival, the sad news came. One of the twins was diagnosed with a life-threatening ailment.

    According to a medical report, made available to our reporter by Mr. Nwaugha, the baby is diagnosed with a hole in the heart that needs urgent operation if the child would be alive to celebrate her first birthday.

    Nwaugha who is a federal civil servant has exhausted his money and needs the help of well-meaning Abians and Nigerians to come to the rescue of their family.

    Speaking to our reporter, Mr. Nwaugha who spoke amidst intermittent cries, said, “I am from Ngo Okpuala in Imo State.

    I live at No. 16, Road K, World Bank Housing Estate in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. I am a civil servant with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Calabar, Cross River State and I work in the accounts department.

    “One of my twin babies became sick after their delivery on October 26, 2018. They were delivered through CS (Caesarean Section). When we were still at the hospital after their delivery, the doctor who came to check on them noticed that one of the twins was breathing fast and hard.

    “In the two months that we spent at the hospital for close monitoring of the children, we were sent for scan from Federal Medical Center (FMC), Umuahia to University Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu. It was found out that the baby has a very big hole in the heart.

    “They said that the operation will not be carried out in Nigeria. They said it can be operated in India, USA and another country that I cannot remember.

    “They don’t have the machine in Umuahia to scan a baby of two months. But in UNTH, they have the machine which enables one to see the heart of the baby and the hole on the screen. We saw everything through the scan. It was through the scan that I started imagining what my baby was going through.

    “Before the arrival of the twins, I already had three children; a boy and two girls. The last of them is about five years.

    “At the moment, it takes a lot of things including money to ensure that this baby stays alive daily. It hasn’t been easy, from sleeping at the hospital to taking care of other kids at home and combining them with my work. We stayed in hospital for about two months while they were monitoring the babies.

    “We were later discharged after it was established that one of the babies has a hole in the heart. We were however asked to be coming to the hospital every Tuesday in the week to check the baby and to get drugs. The baby is eating well, but the major challenge is her breathing; her breathing is so bad that you can’t even sleep with her.

    “Taking care of the two kids and their siblings has not been an easy thing. Immediately I receive my salary, it goes into taking care of the medical bills and meeting some of the needs of their siblings.

    “My sister and boss in the office have been assisting me financially whenever I run to them. I sometimes go to get loan from my bank (Access). When the month ends, they go to remittal to collect it. Sometimes, I take salary advance to buy their milk and pampers and when they pay salaries, the bank, like I said, will take whatever that I borrowed and leave the balance for me. That has been the way we have been managing all these while.

    “We got to know about the treatment in India through the doctor that has been taking care of the baby. What is holding us back is the money that we will use to pay the baby’s hospital bills and cover other logistics.

    Read also: Day Corona tackled child’s mental health, depression

    “The doctors in Enugu and Umuahia said that it may cost us about N10m-N12m to cover our medical and flight expenses. We have already made contacts with about two or three hospitals in India, but we can no longer go further since we don’t have the capital to push further the matter.

    “That is why we are making this appeal to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and wife including other governors of the Southeast and philanthropists to please come to our help. This is a crucial time for our family. We need their help and cannot just sit and watch our child; Victory Chinwendu die helplessly. She deserves to live and we will go to any extent legally possibly to ensure that we get this matter solved.

    “I have equally been trying to reach the likes Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation, but all efforts seem to be futile.”

    The account number to make the donations is Fidelity Bank 5332205142 Nwugha Christopher O.

  • Ayade hailed for hiring youths, lawyers

    A group, the Ayade Trans-Generational Movement, has hailed the Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade for his industrialisation policy, which it said, has created jobs for youths and lawyers.

    Through its Director-General Chief Hart Modey and Legal Director Dr DorncKlaimz Enamhe, the group congratulated the governor on his victory in the just-concluded governorship election.

    ATM said: “This is the first time in the history of the state that a candidate will beat all his opponents in the other political parties in all the wards of the state.

    “The reason we mobilised support for the trans-generational governor who has been able to bring people from all generations into government was amongst other things, his welfare package where Cross River workers remain the first to be paid in the country every month.

    “The ability of the trans-generational governor to employ young people into the state service, including young lawyers, endeared him to them, a situation that had not happened in over two decades

    “ATM is also very impressed with his dogged industrialisation policy in a state that could not boast of one industry for over 30 years, even when the state was a full oil producing state and had the capacity to fund it.

    Read also: Ayade woos opposition governorship candidates in Cross River

    “Governor Ayade is the only governor in the history of the state who has raised the bar so much that he has been able to spread industries across the three Senatorial zones in the state.

    “ATM is shocked beyond words and wonders where the government got the funding for the garment factory, the pharmaceutical factory, the banana plantation, the toothpick company, the cocoa industry, the rice industry beyond the rice seedlings factory

    “ATM is overwhelmed that beyond the hiccups the state government had on the construction of the superhighway project and Bakassi deep-sea port, the government has covered this level of mileage in the two signature projects.’’

    ATM also praised the governor for his intention to run an inclusive government.

  • Ayade woos opposition governorship candidates in Cross River

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has called on other candidates who contested the 2019 governorship election in the state to align with his administration for the progress of the state.

    Ayade who made the call yesterday in Calabar after a meeting with some stakeholders said that the candidates’ ideas would be critical in making the state better.

    “Cross River is refocused on creating a prosperity agenda to take her from third world to first world under my administration.

    “I want every single Cross Riverian, particularly those who ran the election against me to recognise the fact that, I’m ready to provide a platform for us to work together.

    “Some of them have great ideas; some of them are very intellectually brilliant and I have respect for all those who ran against me.

    “I’m in a haste to have them all come together so that we can work and build the Cross River of our great dream and expectation,” Ayade said.

    He expressed delight over the credibility of the election across the state, describing the process as peaceful.

    The governor reiterated his desire to take the state to greater heights in the next four years.

    “The election was adjudged to be the most peaceful election so far across the country, particularly in Cross River.

    “This is creditably so because we focused on politics with ethics. Cross River was at peace because of the consistency in salary, commitment and industrialisation.

    The governor added that he was committed to delivering on his signature projects for the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 26 candidate’s parties contested the governorship election under different parties and was won by Ayade under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the second time.

  • C/River tribunal receives petitions from Ndoma-Egba, 10 others

    The Election Petition Tribunal in Cross River State has so far received eleven petitions challenging the outcome of the last general elections in the state, The Nation gathered Monday.

    The petitions received so far are only for the National Assembly elections held on February 23rd, 2019.

    According to the Secretary of the Election Petition Tribunal in the state, Mrs. Josephine Ekperobe the time frame to file a petition for the National Assembly elections elapsed on March 17th but the time is still open for the filing of any petition pertaining to the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

    Mrs. Ekperobe disclosed that formal inauguration of the tribunal will be done soon. “We will inform the media and sitting will commence shortly after” she added.

    Read Also: Gunmen attack former C/River commissioner

    Details of the eleven petitions before the tribunal are as follows, EPT/CAL/S/01/2019 –Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and All Progressives Congress versus Ntufam (Dr) Sandy Ojang Onor, Peoples Democratic Party and Independent Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/S/02/2019 – Solomon Idor Esor and Social Democratic Party versus Sandy Ojang Onor, Peoples Democratic Party and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/03/2019 – Mr. Egbe Abeng Egbe and All Progressives Congress versus Hon. Michael Etaba, Peoples Democratic Party and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/04/2019 – Victor Abang and All Progressives Congress versus Independent National Electoral Commission, Hon. Chris Agibe and People’s Democratic Party.

    EPT/CAL/S/05/2019- Sen. Bassey Edet Otu versus Sen. Gershom Henry Bassey and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/06/2019- Jude Ogbeche Ngaji versus Jarigbe  Agom Jaribe and Independent National Electoral    Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/07/2019- Mkpanam Obo-Bassey Ekpo versus Daniel Effiong Asuquo and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/08/2019- Akibe Bassey Ekpenyong versus Rt. (HON) Eta Mbora and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/S/09/2019- Wabilly Nyiam versus Oko-Rose Okojie and Independent National Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/10/2019- Dominic Aqua Edem versus Hon. Essien Ayi and Independent Electoral Commission.

    EPT/CAL/HR/11/2019- Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo and People’s Democratic Party versus All Progressive Congress, Dr. Alex Egbona and Independent National Electoral Commission.