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Tag: Cross River

  • NEWMAP coordinator laments impacts of flooding, erosion in Cross River

    NEWMAP coordinator laments impacts of flooding, erosion in Cross River

    Dr Fidelis Anukwa, the Coordinator of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project ( NEWMAP ) in Cross River has expressed concern over the menace of flooding and erosion in the state.

    Anukwa in Calabar on Sunday said that many people in the state lost crops and property worth millions of naira to flood and erosion this year.

    He said that the disaster, occasioned by excessive rainfalls, had continued to cause economic waste and create problems for residents, especially those in the rural areas.

    According to him, the menace of erosion and flood in Cross River had gone beyond the handling capacity of the state government and the affected residents.

    “We have massive erosion and flooding in Cross River and they have become critical and gone beyond the handling capacity of the state government and the people.

    Most of the communities that border the major rivers in the state are usually affected by flood during the rainy season.

    “The primary source of income of most of the affected victims is rice farming and fishing.

    “We have been sensitising the victims; the problem now is that most of them do not have where to relocate to.

    “I am happy that the Disaster Risk Management team from the Office of the Vice-President has visited some of these sites and has given assurance that something positive will be done soon,’’ he said.

    The coordinator said that many houses in Calabar metropolis had been brought down due to the worsening gully sites.

    “The Ikot Ekebere erosion site is deepening daily. The erosion site has finger one and two and over 20 houses have been affected in one site alone.

    “The problems of residents in this area are enormous and that is why we are partnering with the Federal Government to see how much support we can get to ameliorate their plight,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • 185,000 communities displaced by Cross River road project

    185,000 communities displaced by Cross River road project

    Human Rights and Environmental activist Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene has said that 185,000 communities have been displaced following the construction of super highway project in Cross River state.

    Dumnamene during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, accused Governor Benedict Ayade of disobedience of the law.

    He said:’’Governor Ayade was told to comply with 23 conditions before the issuance of official permit to proceed with the construction of the superhighway project but has refused to obey them

    ’’But as we speak just three days ago the same Governor was on the super high way project, tearing the road,violating the laws,not carrying out the Environmental Impact Assessment as instructed.

    ’’If he wants development he should involve the people,obey the laws of Nigeria and do the needful otherwise i don’t think that what he is doing is of the interest of the people’’

    On his part,Mr Umo Isua-Ikoh of Peace Point Action said that the Governor started pulling down the houses of the people on the 6th of January 2016 without consulting them.

    ’’Their houses were pulled down,economic trees on which they were their source of income was also pulled down and as we speak they are left with nothing

    ’’The impact has become so much that most of these people cannot feed themselves again and to make matters worst it is now difficult to send their children to school’’He said.

    Mr Isua-Ikoh also stressed that women are even exposed to even taking their bath outside because their toliets were pulled down by this same Governor of Cross-River State.

    However the Executive Director Rainforest Resort and Development Centre Mr Odey Oyama noted that The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), provides for the prompt payment of compensation to communities and persons whose lands and property are being affected by the superhighway

    ’’By the provisions of Section 44(1) of the Constitution, compulsory acquisition of moveable property or interest in an immoveable property is prohibited except in compliance to the provisions of this subsection. In line with this provision, the Federal Ministry of Environmentdemanded in paragraph VIII of the preconditions issued to the Cross River State government that this provision must be complied with before commencement of the project.  So far there is no documentary evidence that this condition has been fulfilled.

    He added:’’The attention of the President of Nigeria is hereby drawn to the irregularities and improprieties pertaining to the violations of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the processes pertaining to the Superhighway project of the Cross River State.

    ‘’It is hereby recommended that the issuance of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and certificate be suspended and kept on hold until the proponent of the superhighway project complies with the demands specified in the 23 conditions issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

     

  • Cross River assures warring communities on sustaining peace

    The Cross River State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Dr. John Inyang, has expressed government’s commitment to sustain the peace agreement between the warring communities; Mbembe people of Adun and Okum in Obubra Local Government Area.

    The commissioner gave the assurance when he inspected the piece of land that has always been the cause of dispute between the Adun and Okum communities.

    The peace agreement was initiated by an Obubra son,  Chief Chris Agara, and the state government.

    Inyang said the administration of Governor Ben Ayade preaches peace, unity, growth and development; hence anything that will hamper the serenity and tranquility of the state will not be tolerated.

    The chairman of the peace agreement committee, Chief Ernest Irek, admonished the two communities to embrace peace, unity and love so as to fast track development and progress in the area.

    The Clan Head of Adun, His Royal Highness, Oval Patrick Erong Edom, thanked the initiator of the peace accord, Chief Chris Agara and the state government for restoring peace and pledged that his people will never engage in any war or crisis.

    The Clan Head of Okum, His Royal Highness, Mbina Mbina Ajom III, expressed satisfaction over the successful restoration of peace to the land and called on the people to sustain it.

     

  • Foreign tutors for Cross River school

    Cross River State government is to recruit foreign teachers for  the British Canadian International Model School, Obudu in Obudu Local Government Area.

    The Chairman, State Universal Basic Education (SUEBEB), Dr Stephen Odey, spoke yesterday in Obudu, while inspecting work at the school.

    Odey said the school, modelled along those in Britain and Canada, would rank among the best in infrastructure and education curriculum.

    “Here, they are not going to be ordinary teachers within the locality; we are bringing teachers from abroad.

    “The concept is that the school will not only be for formal education; as part of extra-curricula activities, students will learn music and engage in other activities,” he said.

    Odey said that between now and next September, education in the state would take a new dimension.

    The SUEBEB chairman said the school would be equipped with modern facilities, competent staff and conducive learning environment in line with global best practices.

    He described the school as one of the signature projects of the administration.

    Odey said the government  located the school in Obudu, close to Obudu Ranch Resort, so that foreign pupils  would take advantage of the ranch.

    “Remember that this school is not only us; it is an international school; even those outside Cross River and Nigeria can bring their wards,” Odey said.

    He expressed satisfaction at the level of work done by the contractor, urging him to speed up the process to complete the job on time.

    Also, Mr Kanayo Okoye, managing director, Jukok International Ltd., the construction company, commended the government for living up to expectations.

    Okoye assured the board that the project would be completed on time.

    “The job is being well funded and the governor is living up to expectation. The work is going well.

    “We are hoping to deliver the project within the time frame given to us.

    “This is a massive project, we will not compromise standards,’’ Okoye said.

     

  • ‘Cross River to employ foreign teachers for Obudu Model School’

    ‘Cross River to employ foreign teachers for Obudu Model School’

    Cross River Government says it will recruit foreign qualified teachers to teach in the British Canadian International Model School, Obudu in Obudu Local Government Area.

    Dr Stephen Odey, the Chairman, State Universal Basic Education ( SUEBEB ), made this known on Thursday in Obudu, while inspecting the ongoing construction work at the school.

    Odey said that the school modelled along those in Great Britain and Canada, would rank among the best in the country, in the areas of infrastructure and education curriculum.

    “Here, they are not going to be ordinary teachers within the locality; we are bringing teachers from abroad.

    “The concept is that the school will not only be for formal education; as part of extracurricular activities, students will learn music and engage in other activities,” he said.

    Odey said that between now and next September, education in the state would take a new dimension.

    The SUEBEB chairman said that the school would be equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities, competent staff and conducive learning environment in line with the global best practices.

    He described the school as one of the signature projects of the present administration in the state.

    Odey said that it would take basic education to the next level, not only in the state, but in Nigeria at large.

    He said that the state government chose to locate the school in Obudu, close to the Obudu Ranch Resort, so that the foreign students coming to the school would take advantage of the ranch.

    “Remember that this school is not only for people of Cross River; it is an international school; even those outside Cross River and Nigeria can bring their wards here,” Odey said.

    He expressed satisfaction with the level of works done by the contractor, urging him to speed up the process so as to complete the job on time.

    Also, Mr Kanayo Okoye, the Managing Director, Jukok International Ltd., the construction company handling the project, commended the state government for living up to expectations.

    Okoye assured the board chairman that the project would be completed within the stipulated time.

    “The job is being well funded and the governor is living up to expectations. The work is going on well.

    “We are hoping to deliver the project within the time frame the government has given us.

    “This is a massive project, we will not compromise on standards,’’ Okoye said.

    NAN

  • Customs generates N7.8bn in Cross River, Akwa Ibom in 10 months

    Customs generates N7.8bn in Cross River, Akwa Ibom in 10 months

    The Customs Area Controller of the Cross River State, Calabar Free Zone and Akwa Ibom State Area Command, Comptroller Patience Nanbyen Burromvyat, on Thursday said they had generated N7.8 billion since between January and October this year.

    Addressing reporters at the Command Headquarters in Calabar, Burromvyat said the figure represents a 58 per cent increase compared to what was recorded for the corresponding period last year.

    Her words, “Despite the various challenges faced by the Command, the total sum of N7, 845, 214, 264. 65 was generated between January and October, 2017 out of the N8, 750, 385, 298.38 revenue target of the Command.

    “This represents a 58 per cent increase compared to what was recorded for the corresponding period last year and 89 per cent of the 2017 revenue target. I am hopeful of not only meeting the target but surpassing it.”

    She said their successes have also been due to cooperation with other security agencies.

    “I must commend the officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit, Compliance Team, CIU and other sister security agencies for assisting and complementing our efforts in some of these seizures. Mention must also be made of the untiring cooperation and assistance received during difficult operations from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and Directorate of State Services,” she said.

    The Comptroller also said in a bid to stem the tide of smuggling in all its ramifications, a lot of seizures were made during the period under review.

    “A total of 28 seizures were made which includes items like used tyres, used vehicles, live animals and a total of 1, 521 (50kg) bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice. The Duty Paid Value of the above mentioned items is put at N34,945, 516. 11. In as much as smugglers will continue to operate, we shall continue to apprehend them, so that it will serve as a deterrent,”

    Burromvyat said though no life was lost, some of their officers suffered various degrees of injuries in the course of discharging their legitimate duties.

    She said the ban on the importation would be sustained, while they are stepping up efforts to check arms smuggling.

    “Let me reiterate for emphasis that as an institution that is saddled with the enforcement of governments’ policies, the compliance level on the ban on importation of rice would be sustained.

    I also want to reemphasize that in line with Headquarters directives to beef up security along the jetties and borders considering the security threats  of illegal importation of arms through the nation’s sea ports, the Command in conjunction with other security agencies and units are deploying high level intelligence to fortify the entire area in order to foil any attempts at arms smuggling and other trans-border crimes.

    “On the issue of Tinapa, let me use this opportunity to inform the general public to patronize Tinapa as purchases of up to N50, 000 are allowed. Any purchase above this would require opening Form M and payment of appropriate duties. The rice issue should not scare away stakeholders and the trading public,” she said.

    She expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs Col Hameed Ibrahim Alli and his team for their support, as well as gallantry of the officers and men of the Command despite all odds.

  • Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    Monkeypox hit Abuja as FG confirms six fresh cases

    The Federal Government has confirmed six new cases of the MonekyPox virus in the country, with one case recorded in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Health, made this known in a statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director of Media and Public Relations, Ministry of Heath.

    Akinola said apart from the one recorded in Abuja, two cases were confirmed each in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom while Enugu State had one case.

    Ehanire also said investigations were ongoing to see if any of the new cases has a link with the Bayelsa cluster, where the outbreak started.

    He further called for calm among members of the public, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is working with all affected states to ensure case finding and adequate management.

    He added that as frightening as the manifestation of the ailment might seem, no fatality has been recorded to date. As of Oct. 25, a total of 94 suspected cases have been reported from 11 states, (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Rivers and Abuja).

    He said patients of the newly confirmed cases were already being managed by public health authorities and have been receiving appropriate clinical care.

    He said Ministry, through NCDC, was in close contact with all State Epidemiology Teams, and the health facilities providing clinical care to both suspected and confirmed cases.

    He added that State Commissioners of Health have been advised to place all health care facilities and Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers on alert, to ensure early case detection, reporting and effective treatment.

    Read also: Monkey Pox victim commits suicide in Bayelsa hospital

    The minister said a National-level Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the NCDC with support from our development partners, was coordinating outbreak investigation and response across affected states.

    He added the EOC included the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as experts from partner agencies.

     

  • Cameroonian refugees invade Cross River communities

    Cameroonian refugees invade Cross River communities

    Over 6,000 refugees from Cameroon are squatting at border communities in Obanliku and Boki local governments of Cross River State due to crisis.

    This followed agitation for the independence of Southern Cameroon.

    The refugees comprise mostly women and children. They  lack basic needs.

    State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said over 50 of the refugees were expectant mothers without medical care

    It said most of the children were ill.

    “Most of them are accommodated by the community people, with some households taking care of 20 refugees.”

    Although the community leaders said they were happy to provide for the refugees, they complained that their facilities had been overstretched and will require assistance from relevant authorities.

    The Clan Head of Utanga, one of the communities invaded by the refugees, Chief Joseph Suhumba, said they were hosts to over 1,000 refugees, adding that their facilities have been overstretched.

    He said the community incurred debts in the last two weeks caring for them, and urged the government to take over.

    Suhumba said the refugees, whose population increase everyday, required medical treatment, shelter, food, mattresses, beddings, towels, toiletries and others.

    An ex-Post Master of Akwaya in Cameroon, Mr. Toko Zacharia, said he had been in Utanga for about two weeks following an alleged plan by the Cameroonian authorities to arrest him for his part in the agitation for the independence of Southern Cameroon.

    Another refugee, Mr. Abia Hillary, said he spent days in the bush without food, adding that he drank from springs.

    He lamented the condition of his family, who he feared may be victimised, following his escape.

    Agba Christopher, a refugee, alleged that he was lucky, as youths in Akwaya community in Cameroon were killed by Cameroonian soldiers.

    He hailed Nigerians for their hospitality despite the  challenges of shelter, food and medical.

    SEMA’s Director-General  Mr. John Inaku said the government was aware of their  challenges, adding that the collaboration with the United Nations’ agencies will give the people succour.

    Inaku hailed the host communities for their magnanimity.

  • 1 dies, 2 injured as vehicle falls into gully in Cross River

    1 dies, 2 injured as vehicle falls into gully in Cross River

    One person has died while two others were seriously injured after a bus fell inside a gully at a bad portion of the Biase-Calabar federal highway, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Both the deceased and the injured were among those who went into the gully to rescue the people inside the vehicle.

    The head of the vigilante in Iwuru community in Biase, Mr Daniel Bassey, told a NAN correspondent, who visited the scene, that the incident happened at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

    He said the driver of the bus failed to observe the warning sign indicating that a section of the road was no longer motorable.

    “The whole incident happened at the early hours of Tuesday. The driver failed to observe all the warning signs and even when the vigilante men were trying to stop him, he sped off and fell inside the gully.

    “Incidentally, the driver did not die. But when our men went into the gully to rescue him, the other layer of the road now fell on three people.

    “One died instantly, while two others sustained very deep injuries,’’ he said.

    When a NAN correspondent visited the victims at Pioneer clinic in nearby Betem community, they were said to be in stable condition.

    One of them, Mr Samuel Bassey, told NAN that he only went inside the gully to save the fallen vehicle and the driver before the remaining layer of the road fell on him and two others.

    “I am a member of Iwuru community vigilante. As soon as the other portion of the road became bad, we all agreed that we will be coming out at night to direct vehicles so that there will not be any accident.

    “On Tuesday morning, a vehicle fully loaded with biscuits and can-drinks fell inside the gully.

    “As we went in to rescue the driver, the upper layer of the road that was left now fell on us and I found myself in the hospital.

    “These injuries are too deep for me to bear. At this point, I don’t even have money to run the necessary test the doctors required. I am appealing to the government to come to my aid,’’ he said.

    It was reported that rehabilitation work on the road was ongoing as the Federal Government had mobilised Sermatech Construction Company to site.

    Mr Bassey Nsentip, Assistant Director, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, who was seen supervising the work, described the death  as unfortunate.

    “I heard that a vehicle fell  into that gully in the night after failing to adhere to the directions of the local vigilante group.

    “I wish to appeal to road users to always obey road signs. I am happy that massive work is going on this road now and very soon the road will be much better for motorists,’’ he said.

  •  Military not involved in vaccination – FG

     Military not involved in vaccination – FG

    Federal Government on Wednesday said  the military is not involved in any monkey pox vaccination as presently rumoured.

    The rumors had spread like wildfire that the military was injecting monkey pox virus to people in their medical outreach across the country.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole said this when he briefed State House correspondences at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    According to him, the eleven states are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa and Rivers.

    While stressing that outbreak was confirmed in Bayelsa, he said that out of the 19 samples tested, 3 tested positive from Bayelsa 12 tested negative from Bayelsa, and 4 tested negative from Lagos.

    He explained that the military  medical outreach has never harm anyone and in some cases involved in road construction and other services.

    He said “Council also received an update of the public health of the nation.  We informed Council about the latest development with respect to the Monkey Pox virus outbreak. So far, as of today, there are 74 suspected cases in 11 states of the country. We have confirmed three in Bayelsa state, We are still expecting the results of other ones.

    “We are also doing advance test in NEDE,  that is the African Centre of Excellence for Genomes and Infections Disease to really understand the genomes of this virus.  Even when they are negative, the laboratory attendance should be able to tell us what exactly they are. We will also be able to locate and identify the origin so that we can take adequate precaution.” he said

    On the military vaccination rumors, he said  “It is also important to use this opportunity to dispel the rumour circulating in the country that the military is vaccinating people and trying to spread monkey pox across the country. The military is not involved in any vaccination exercise and I must also really educate the Nigeria people about how vaccination campaigns are done.

    “Federal will take the lead but we do not conduct campaign without involving states.  So, there is no way we will do campaign for vaccination without working with the states and it is the state that will be in front and we provide support.

    “The rumour that federal is involved in monkey pox vaccination campaign is not true. And as of today, we are only doing vaccination campaign in three states against other diseases.

    “We are doing vaccination campaign against yellow fever in Kwara and Kogi because of yellow fever outbreak in some parts of the country. We are also doing cholera vaccination in Borno state and so anybody carrying the rumour,  please help us educate Nigerians that it is not true. We are not vaccinating anybody, we plan to do missiles campaign very soon and we will also do yellow fever before the end of the year and we will let you know.

    “You will never find Federal staff conducting vaccination campaign without the support and active participation of the state ministry of health, this is just to correct the misconception.” he stated

    Asked whether he was disowning the  military over the issue, he said “With respect to what the military is doing, I spoke about vaccination and not about military campaign. The military as part of a campaign of winning over the heart and soul of the people havel got engaged in several things. In the past,  the military was noted of even constructed roads, the military will do outreaches, measure blood pressure, talk to people. These are normal things,  I referred only to vaccination.

    “We had to request for the assistance of the military in Borno state to reach inaccessible area with respect to the polio campaign so we have worked with the military in the past and we will continue to work with them.

    “There are doctors in the military, there are nurses and when you go abroad, some of the best institutions abroad are those ones managed by the military. So we cannot disown the military. But what I want to put across is that the military is not involved in any vaccination.” he said

    On the report of illegal traffickers of kidney,  he said “With respect to the harvest of organs we received advice periodically from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, from National Security Adviser about goings on around the world. One of which is the harvest of organ illegally and it is our duty to alert Nigerians that this is ongoing, they should be careful, they should seek advice, they should patronize only accredited institution.

    “And as we rebuild our health infrastructure there will be less need for anybody to travel out and so we spare Nigerians the agony of falling victims of some of these illegal practices.”

    Speaking on the growing drug abuse among the youth,  he said “We are quite aware of this.  Abuse will take several forms.  Abuse of substances that are smuggled into the country in higher doses than normal. For example we have metadol and tramadol and even Viagra being smuggled into the country. Look at the dosage, the Viagra dosage is three times normal and when you look at the tramadol it is three to four times normal and once NAFDAC officials come in contact, they are impounded and destroyed.

    “We are also working with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to educate people about the abuses.  We are aware of the abuse of cough mixture because of the content and we are working hard in respect to this.”

    Stressing that Nigeria is part of the campaign against tobacco, he said that the country is implementing the framework convention in tobacco control.

    “As of Monday we were part of the  ECOWAS meeting to look at how do we raise taxes on tobacco. That meeting we really worked to prevent smuggling on tobacco products, we looked at how we can raise taxes on tobacco products. It is known that Nigeria has one of cheapest tobacco prices in the world and that will contribute to the abuse.  That convention and recommendations coming from there will really contribute to raising taxes on tobacco and also generating resources that will go into health.

    The Minister of Water Resources disclosed that the Council also approved the sum of N236 million for the completion of Sabke dam in Katsina state.

    He said “One Memo from my ministry was considered today as part of our efforts to improve the hethrege for irrigation, we have been committing ourselves to completing many of the irrigation projects we inherited in the past two years. One of such is the Sabke irrigation project. This is a project that started as far back as 1997 during the PTF days but was abandoned and then reawarded in 2009, completed 95 percent by 2012 and again abandoned.

    “When we came into office, I commissioned a technical audit of all the ongoing project and n the ministry and because of the status of that project having attained 95 percent completion,  it became a priority project because it was a low hanging fruit for us to complete.

    “Unfortunately, when the contractor was mobilised to site,  we found out that a lot of component of the irrigation project had been vandalized and for us to be able to put that project into effective use,  we now have to do a lot of rehabilitation works and we therefore brought a memo seeking Council to give us an augmentation of about N280m for us to be able to complete the work 100 percent and make it fit for the purpose and Council considered and approved this memo.”