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Tag: Ebonyi State government

  • Nwifuru’s aide not arrested over N200m contract, says Ebonyi

    Nwifuru’s aide not arrested over N200m contract, says Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Government has debunked reports alleging arrest of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s Senior Special Assistant on Project Monitoring, Chukwuma Nwiboko.

    Nwiboko, according to some media reports, was allegedly arrested over some contracts he was involved in for the State Government.

    According to the reports, he is allegedly under investigation for non execution of some contracts worth over N200m.

    But the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Leo Oketa in a statement described the allegations as false and misleading.

    According to him: “the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Project Monitoring, Chukwuma Nwiboko was not arrested by any Law Enforcement Agency and he is neither in detention nor under investigation of any contract, as non was awarded to him”.

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    “Let me explicitly inform the general public, that this is false and misleading.”

    Oketa explained that Governor Francis Nwifuru is investigating the ongoing contract execution of the duplexes of traditional rulers in the State.

    He further explained that the Governor is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring all contractors who are found wanting in the execution of the projects are made to face the Law. 

    The Media aide further noted Nwiboko is part of the team carrying out the investigation and was only at the police station for a brief moment as a witness.

    “The SSA to the Governor on project monitoring, Chukwuma Nwiboko is one of those saddled with the responsibility of fishing out the derailing contractors, as it is part of his job to monitor ongoing projects and report progress to the Governor. 

    “He was not awarded any contract, not to imagine one of such magnitude being alleged. He was only at the police station for some moments, as witness for the police who are investigating some of the arrested contractors,” Oketa said.

  • Ebonyi begins data capturing of underage beggars, hawkers

    Ebonyi begins data capturing of underage beggars, hawkers

    The Ebonyi State Government  has begun capturing data of beggars and hawkers, especially underage, within Abakaliki metropolis.

     The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, made this known on Friday during a road walk  to campaign against  street begging, underage hawking, loitering and trafficking in vulnerable people. The event took place  in Abakaliki.

    The ministry’s Anti-Child Abuse Committee organised  the campaign.

    Nwankpuma described child hawking and begging, especially during School hours, as child labour.

    She disclosed that the data capturing would ensure that underage people would return to school.

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    She added that adult beggars would be trained in skills of their choice and be empowered.

    ”We have made efforts to pick some and requested that they should take up skills, and we will empower them at the end,” the commissioner said.

     She said that the ministry was partnering with  the state Ministry of Health and Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, to embark on treatment of mentally-ill people on the streets.

     “We will start with four persons, watch the progress and gradually pick them one after the other for treatment because some are not completely mentally-deranged but depressed,” Nwankpuma said.

     She said that the campaign would be  carried out in collaboration with royal fathers, community leaders and other stakeholders to properly identify and support the individuals.

  • Ebonyi impounds 378 bags of suspected poisonous rice

    Ebonyi state government on Thursday directed the re-opening of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited located in the capital city after preliminary investigations it carried out on the allegations that some millers were selling adulterated rice not fit for human consumption.

    The State Executive Council at its meeting on Tuesday ordered the temporary closure of the market to enable the state government carry out proper investigation of the allegations.

    Read Also:Ebonyi seals rice factory for alleged poisonous

    Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, the Senior Special Adviser to Governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Kenneth Ugbala said the Committee set up to investigate the matter swung into action by visiting the market on Tuesday and Wednesday where it seized the suspected adulterated and poisonous rice.

    Ugbala, who is the Chairman of the Committee, further said the market has been rid of all the suspected adulterated rice and assured that Abakaliki rice is still very safe and fit for consumption.

    He, however, said the 10 shops where the adulterated rice was discovered will remain sealed pending the conclusion of investigations by security agencies.

    Throwing more light on the issue, Commissioner for Environment, Donatus Njoku said a staff of the Ministry went to the Market on Sunday to purchase rice and while he was there, he noticed that one of the millers was mixing the rice with bags written not for human consumption with other rice and re-bagging them.

    He said the staff reported to him on Monday and he made preliminary investigations before reporting the matter to the State Executive Council which ordered for the closure of the market and also up the committee to investigate the matter.

    Mr. Njoku said the Committee seized over 378 bags of the poisonous rice which was imported into the state from other parts of the country.

    The exercise which he noted was carried out in conjunction with security agencies also led to the arrest of several persons in connection with the alleged importation and selling of the rice to unsuspecting members of the public.

    …Suspension of the leadership of the mill

    Mr Ugballa also announced the suspension of the leadership of the Rice Mill headed by Joseph Ununu

    “An interim leadership will be set up to manage the affairs of the Rice Mill till further notice as nature abhors vacuum”

    He said the reopening of the market is to ensure that the traders and customers both from within and outside the state do not suffer untold hardship.

     

    …Govt action not politically motivated

    Both Mr Kennet Ugballa and Donatus Njoku led allegations that the actions of the government were a witch-hunt targeted at the Chairman of the Rice Mill, Joseph Ununu due to his political ambitions.

    Mr Ununu is aspiring to represent Abakaliki South State Constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.  The position is presently being occupied by Luke Nkwegu.

    Ununnu was said to have refused entreaties from some major stakeholders in the state to step down for Nkwegu.

    It was alleged that the alleged closure of the market and suspension of the leadership of the market may not be unconnected to the political battle in his constituency ahead of the 2019 general election.

    But, Ugballa debunked any political undertone to government actions.

    According to him, the state government is only interested in saving the lives of Ebonyi people and Nigerians who eat the rice daily.

    “We are not interested in any witch-hunt, I am not from the constituency, members of the committee are not from the constituency, so we have no interest in the politics of the area or the Chairman’s political interest”.

    Mr. Ugballa also said some shops belonging to some members of the market’s leadership were involved among the ten shops where the adulterated rice were discovered.

    “The leadership is supposed to monitor the market and ensure that such adulterated rice does not come into the market. They have not been able to do this and that is why the State government ordered their suspension”.

    Spokesman of the Police in the state, Loveth Odah confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    “One of the bags of rice has been sent to NAFDAC for expert analysis to confirm if they are poisonous. The Commissioner of Police, Titus Lamorde has directed the matter to be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for adequate investigation to be carried out,” she said.

    Mr. Njoku later showed reporters some of the suspected adulterated bags of rice.

     

  • Ebonyi contains spread of Lassa fever

    Ebonyi contains spread of Lassa fever

    The Ebonyi State Government on Friday said that it has contained further outbreak of lassa fever reported in the state since January 14th

    Dr Daniel Umezurike, the state Commissioner for Health disclosed this in Abakaliki during a sensitization program on the disease.

    Newsmen reports that the program was organised for health personnel and members of the public on ways of preventing the deadly disease.

    Umezurike said that the quick intervention of the state and federal governments in the provision of logistics and manpower, with collaboration of stakeholders helped in containing the disease.

    “The successful treatment and discharge of three suspected patients from the hospital on Jan. 25 signified the conclusion of our damage control in containing the disease.

    “We are presently focusing on intensive enlightenment of the populace to prevent a resurgence of the disease and ensure that they are abreast with its preventive measures.

    “We had six suspected cases of the disease in the state with four deaths, as nine suspected patients were admitted in hospitals over the disease,” he said.

    He commended the state governor,c for releasing N5million for equipping of the Virology Centre in the state.

    The commissioner added that the centre would be fully operational next week.

    “The admission wards at the Specialist Hospital Irrua, Edo are filled with suspected patients, as the Federal Ministry of Health provided tents at the hospital to contain more patients.

    “We intend to ameliorate the situation with experts working assiduously to ensure that all units in the virology centre become fully operational.

    “The dialysis machine has been test-run and is operating perfectly, while the experts are working to ensure that the laboratory section becomes operational soon.

    READ ALSO:No confirmed case of Lassa fever in Abuja – Director 

    “Lassa-fever tests are biologically-molecular in nature and relevant technicians undergo higher, intensive training due to the disease’s complex nature,” he said.

    He urged the people to stop embalming corpses at home, engaging in traditional throat surgery, and bush burning to ensure that Lassa-fever is totally controlled.

    “I urge traditional rulers, opinion leaders, Local Government Areas to relay this information at the grassroots and ensure that the people comply with it,” he said.

    Dr Chamberlain Nwele, state Head of Service, also commended organizers of the program and urged the people to ensure that the disease was permanently checked.

    “The people should realise that the increased rate of bush burning in our communities makes rats, the disease’s primary vector to relocate to homes.

    “We should, therefore, take suspected victims to nearest hospitals and ensure that our surroundings are generally kept clean,” he said.

    Dr Nnenna Ajayi, a physician at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, in her lecture entitled, “Lassa fever and the Community’’ remarked that the disease was preventable and curable.

    According to him, the disease does not have minor or severe level because once it is treated; the person is free and should not be discriminated against.

    NAN

  • Ebonyi denies owing workers’ salaries

    Ebonyi denies owing workers’ salaries

    Ebonyi State Government Tuesday debunked media reports  which named it as one of the states owing their workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities, describing the report as baseless and falsehood.

    Governor David Umahi’s Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor in a statement on Tuesday described the Vanguard newspaper report as not only embarrassing but mischievous devoid of any facts and value.

    The statement further described the publication trying to link Ebonyi state among the states owing salaries as frivolous and malicious, adding that Ebonyi state since the inception of Governor Umahi’s administration has never failed to pay workers’ salaries on or before 25th of every month and teachers’ on the 15th of every month.

    Uzor also disclosed that a state that just released workers’ promotion and leave allowances in addition to 13th month salaries could not have been said to be owing salaries, and called on the general public to disregard the publication which he said was oozing with an odorous lies.

    “The report linking Ebonyi state government with some of the states across the country owing their workers’ salaries came to us as a shock. I make bold to say that the report was not only false, embarrassing and malicious but also a demonstration of ignorance in governance especially as it concerns a state like ours where workers’ welfare form the bedrock of our conflicting priorities”

    “While Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi does not see prompt and regular payment of workers’ salaries as a special service to the workers but as right, he has been committed to the welfare of workers and has ensured that they are paid every month and today, there is no worker in the state civil service both at the state and local government levels that is being owed a half month salary. The records are there”

    “It is no longer news that Ebonyi state government under the able leadership of Governor David Umahi is not owing any salary but went as far as clearing a backlog of workers’ salaries since 2006, pensions and gratuities which he inherited upon his emergence as governor in 2015″, Uzor wrote.

    Mr Uzor said that there is also another N2b set aside by the state government for all civil servants in the state different from their normal emoluments to access and develop themselves economically.

    “Stand to be challenged that workers in the state have keyed into this empowerment programme to better their lots”, he added.

    The Chief Press Secretary also lampooned the report and called on the general public to disregard such harmful publication.

    “In the light of the above, I call on Nigerians to disregard this injurious reports which I see as a deliberate sabotage on the image and sincerity of the state government towards workers’ welfare”.

  • BoI, Ebonyi govt seal N4b deal to fast-track industrialisation

    TO fast-track industrialisation through entrepreneurship and create jobs, the Bank of Industry (BoI) and the Ebonyi State Government have signed a N4 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote agriculture and establish industries in the state.

    The signing, which took place at the Ebonyi State Government House, in Abakaliki on Monday, will usher in economic boom for the state, which targets to set up at least one industry in each of its 150 communities under the dispensation of the N4 billion Fund.

    Governor Dave Umahi praised BoI for supporting the state’s economic growth initiative with 50 per cent of the Fund. He stressed that the bank was, indeed, not out to make money, but to foster development.

    The governor added that empowerment programmes have been proven to be more impacting when anchored with BoI, which has competent personnel and an effective coordinating strategy.

    He said: “Free money is not productive when it is not worked for, and the way to go about empowerment is what we have done today with the BoI, which has made tremendous impact in recent times.

    If this is enacted across the 36 states of Nigeria, it will lead to job creation on a massive scale.” The governor added that the initiative was Nigeria’s solution to the economic recession currently plaguing the country following the crash of global oil prices.Governor Umahi explained that N2billion under the initiative will be dedicated to the agric sector, while the other N2billion will go to the industrial sector.

    He said beneficiaries of short-term loans will be charged five per cent, while long-term beneficiaries will pay back with a 6.25 per cent.Umahi charged his cabinet members to drive awareness of the intervention fund across their constituencies and encourage would-be beneficiaries to set up cooperative societies to enable them access the fund and attend entrepreneurship capacity building workshops to be hosted by BoI.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of BoI, Mr. Kayode Pitan, noted that the bank has been involved in supporting entrepreneurs in the growth of large and small scale industries in the state before now in excess of N2billion.”With this, we will now be able to help more people to get employed as well as enhance the growth of the solid minerals sector as the governor has also requested,” he said.

    He added that the development finance institution was ready to finance more projects beyond the scope of the MoU.”We are partners with the state and are happy that this MoU has further strengthened that partnership,” he said.Some of the projects financed by BoI include Ebony Agro Industries, Crystal Chemical Nigeria Limited, Hapelroadstone Nigeria Limited as well as Maxdove Foam and Chemical Industries Limited.

     

  • Ebonyi wants justice for citizen killed by herdsmen in Ondo

    Ebonyi wants justice for citizen killed by herdsmen in Ondo

    Ebonyi State Government has urged security agencies to ensure that the killers of an indigene, Linus Ogbee, suspected to have been killed by Fulani Herdsmen in a farm settlement in Ondo state, are apprehended and prosecuted.

    Mr Ogbee, a 67 year old father of 7, was killed at the weekend in his farm at Ilion Camp, Igbatoro, and a farm settlement community in Akure North local government area of Ondo state.

    The State Governor, David Umahi stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital on Tuesday night shortly after inspecting projects in various parts of the state.

    He described the incident as height of barbarism and called for proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Ebonyi farmer in Ondo State.

    While lamenting the wanton loss of lives and property as a result of the activities of the Herdsmen, Governor Umahi commended the police in Ondo state for quick intervention which led to arrest of some suspects in connection to the killing and called for proper investigation to bring the suspects to justice.

    “I call for full scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of one of our brothers, Linus Ogbee who until his death was a father of seven and a farmer based in Ilion in Akure North council area of Ondo state.

    Those behind his death should be finished out and brought to justice. It is very heartbreaking that our brother was killed by suspected blood sucking herdsmen whose sanctity for human life amount to nothing”

    Umahi condoled with the family of the deceased and promised to help them in any possible way to stand, adding that he would do everything within his powers to ensure that justice is done and those behind the dastardly act brought to book while reassuring the people of the state of his administration’s commitment towards protecting lives and property of every citizen.

    He further used the occasion to reiterate his earlier call on various segments of Ebonyi indigenes in various parts of the country who are not meaningfully or gainfully employed to return home and be part of his agricultural revolution in which farmers are given grants to go into full farming.

    “While we mourn the death of our fellow compatriot, let me reassure Ebonyians that this administration is committed to all campaign promises of bringing back our people especially youths hawking in various cities and taking them out of the streets and make them become part of the progress of our dear state through the empowerment scheme which would enable them go into any business of their choice”.

  • NDLEA arrests drug traffickers in police uniform

    NDLEA arrests drug traffickers in police uniform

    The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two suspected drug traffickers who posed as police officers in Nasarawa area of Kano metropolis.

    Kano State Commandant of NDLEA, Alhaji Hamza Umar, told newsmen in Kano on Tuesday that the suspects were arrested in a brand new escort vehicle with police colour, siren, and pilot plate number and in possession of two police caps.

    According to him, the suspects were arrested blaring the siren and pretending to be police officers while conveying 715 kilograms of Indian hemp to Yobe.

    Umar said “during investigation by our officers, we discovered that the suspects were from Edo State, while their destination was Gashua, in Yobe State.

    “The two suspects who were arrested along with 715 kilograms of Indian hemp disclosed to us that they normally convey such exhibits once a month”.

    The commandant added that “if those people had succeeded in their mission to their destination, Yobe State, where the issue of insecurity is a major concern, only God knows what would have happened”.

    One of the suspects told newsmen that he was offered N200, 000 to convey the Indian hemp to Gashua.

    Meanwhile, the command has also arrested a lorry with Ebonyi State Government plate number on its way to Libya through Kano, loaded with 64 kilograms of Indian hemp hidden in fish packs.

    The commandant said the lorry was apprehended along with the driver and three other persons.

    “We are still investigating the suspects and i assure you we are getting more information from them that will assist us in getting the real owner of the exhibit.

    “At the end of our investigation, the suspects would be taken to the Federal High Court to face the law,” Umar said.

    The NDLEA boss added that in April alone, the command had intercepted over four tons of different illicit drugs and arrested 42 suspects, out of which seven had been convicted.

     

     

  • Ebonyi suspends unified exam in schools

    • Orders teacher’s to refund illegal fees

    Following protests against the unified examinations introduced in the state school system, Ebonyi state government Wednesday announced suspension of the policy indefinitely.

    It blamed the decision on the illegal fees collected from students by schools heads for the exams.

    The state Commissioner for Education Prof John Eke announced this while briefing reporters in Abakaliki, the state capital.

    He gave all school Principals in the state seven days ultimatum to refund the illegal fees they collected from students for unified examinations introduced by the government in the school system.

    According to him, any school principal who fails to refund the illegal fees after the seven days ultimatum will be sanctioned.

    He noted that the government introduced the concept of the unified examinations in all the public and private schools in the state to tackle the poor performances of students in WAEC and NECO.

    Prof Ekeh noted that the illegal fees imposed on the students by Principals for the unified exams was threatening the concept and tarnishing image of government.

    He said: “We came up with a decision that there must be unified examinations for students before they move to their next classes.”

    ‘’We approved for amount of money to be collected for the unified exams; N1, 000 for secondary schools and N500 for primary school. In it, N100 was approved for logistics for secondary schools while N50 was approved for primary schools.

    ‘’Unfortunately and embarrassingly, some school heads started collecting outside what we approved. Some are collecting N1, 500, some are collecting N700 instead of what was approved and this government feels for the plight of our parents”.

    ‘’This is why we decided to suspend the unified exams indefinitely and order the refund of all the fees collected from the students for it because the unified examination is not for money making,’’ he said.

  • Ebonyi to train volunteer farmers

    The Ebonyi State government has said that it had concluded arrangements for the training of 2,600 volunteer farmers in commercial farming.

    The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources,Mr Romanus Nwasum, told journalists in Abakaliki that the volunteer farmers would be drawn from the 13 local government areas of the state.

    ‘’The youth volunteer farmers will be trained on various techniques involved in modern agricultural practices as well as get exposed to the new technology involved in the business.’’

    He said that government was hoping that the skills acquired would assist them to embrace commercial farming.

    ‘’This initiative is in line with the state government’s transformation agenda in the agricultural sector of the economy and it is designed to encourage youths to venture into commercial farming.

    ‘’More so, the training will develop their capacity and enhance their skills for self-reliance as well as make them become employers of labour,’’ Nwasum said.

    He added that it would also expose them to different branches of agricultural production such as rice farming, animal husbandry, fishery, bee-keeping, snail-rearing and piggery, among others.

    The commissioner said that the initiative was part of the government’s transformation agenda in the agriculture sector of the economy, adding that, it was aimed at boosting food production in the state.

    He described commercial agriculture as a lucrative business and called on the youth to develop interest in farming to improve their revenue base with a view to boosting the nation’s economy.