The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebonyi State Governor

  • S/East PDP endorses Secondus

    S/East PDP endorses Secondus

    The Southeast caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Friday adopted Prince Uche Secondus as its candidate for chairmanship of the party in Saturday’s national convention.

    The party’s National Vice Chairman for the zone, Mr. Austin Umahi who announced the decision in Abuja on Friday said the caucus settled for Secondus after due consultation.

    “We are very conscious of the personality of who becomes the national chairman of our great party for the next four years. Based on the foregoing, we have unanimously in our today’s stakeholders meeting, here in Abuja decided that we will back an aspirant that has character and content.

    “In this circumstance, and without prejudice to the right of other aspirants to this national chairmanship position, credible and transparent election, we have decided to back and vote for Prince Uche Secondus for the position of national chairman of our great party.

    “We have also agreed to vote the following positions zoned to the Southeast, Col Austin Akobundu for national organising secretary; Hon Ude Okoye for youth Leader; Alphonsos Gerald (Deputy financial secretary)”.

    Among those that attended the meeting was attended by Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara; members of the National Assembly from the zone among other party leaders.

  • Buhari to commission stadium, factory, road projects in Ebonyi

    Buhari to commission stadium, factory, road projects in Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi on Thursday said that all is set to receive President Muhammadu Buhari on working visit to the state.

    According to him, the President is expected to commission stadium, factory, and many road projects in the state.

    He spoke with State House journalists after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said “I am here to see some of the officials of the Villa because of the coming of Mr President to our state next week.

    “We are fully prepared for the visit. We pleaded with Mr. President for the visit and before then we have been preparing, we are fully prepared.”

    On the kind of projects the President will commission in the state, he said “We have quite a lot of projects that we have executed within this past two and the half years. We have three numbers of twin flyovers that is built across the African transahara Road running from Enugu to Cameroon passing through  Ebonyi State, so we have to build  three twin flyover to decongest traffic on that  road, each of the twin flyover is 700 metre length.

    “We have completed two and the third one is 80% done, Mr President will commission the two. We also have a mall what we call Ebonyi mall that is modelled after the famous Dubai mall. But a kind of microcosm of that microcosm.

    “And we intend for the President to lay a foundation stone of that mall which we will like Mr President to commission within the next 12 months.

    “Also we are building a tunnel that dovetails into a flyover that is parallel to the existing flyover, that particular junction that is called Akanibium junction, we want Mr. President to lay the foundation stone and that flyover bridge will be named after Mr. President and we are sure to finish that project in the next 12 months, Mr. President will also come back, he will be commissioning it when he comes back during his campaigns.

    Read Also: Buhari remains only credible candidate for 2019 Presidential election

    “So we will like to make them ready. So there is also a federal Road that is 14.5km that we got the consent of Mr. President to build and the road is fully done. We have 18.5km that is leading to the Federal University, we did that road with concrete and overlaid it with Asphalt, its fully ready.

    “We have 15.5km of Nigercem that road passes through the first cement factory in the country which is in Ebonyi State and it’s passes to Benue, we will build the 15.5 km in the axis of Ebonyi with concrete ,ready for Mr. President to commission. 23.5km of state road we built with concrete is ready for Mr. President to commission.” he said

    The governor added “We have 500 km of internal roads which we completed in Ebonyi is ready for Mr. President to commission. We have the stadium we remodeled, we have the best VIP stands in the whole country in our stadium is fully air conditioned and all the stands are fully covered. Mr. President will also commission that; we can go on and on.

    “We have a minimum of 30km of concrete Road in each of our local government; most of them completed some have attained 80% completion. We have quite a lot for Mr President to commission. We have mushrooms factory, Agric project that I want the president to commission. We have a launch of one man one hectare programme in Ebonyi, we want Mr President to launch it for us.”

    Asked if the President told him he was going to re-contest, he said “Well, any first term governor would want to go for second term and if what you wish yourself, you should be honest enough to wish another person the same. Since, Mr President is doing his first term and I am doing my first term, it’s my wish to re-contest and I will as well wish the president the same to re-contest.

  • States seek take over of Federal roads

    States seek take over of Federal roads

    To revive the near total collapse of most federal roads across the country, states governors on Thursday urged the Federal Government to hand over such roads to them.

    This was one of the major resolutions adopted by the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    NEC comprises of the Governors of the 36 states of the Federation, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and some Ministers.

    Council members expressed concern over issues of roads construction, damage and maintenance and suggested that the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing should come up with strategies to regulate the weight of heavy duty vehicles plying the roads as this may be responsible for road damage and collapse.

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, while briefing State House correspondents after the NEC meeting said the Governors were disturbed by the state of the roads and urged the federal government to hand over the roads for repairs.

    He noted that already discussions were on amongst the states to collaborate with investors and fix the roads on Public private partnerships arrangement which will allow states toll such roads to recover funds expended on them.

    He said “We are highly concerned about the failure of our roads, even after fixing the roads, they would collapse with six months and we identified that the over loading is one of the major factor because in road design you take an axial load.

    “Most of the time you don’t use an axial load of more than 35 tonnes but we have noticed that a lot of our trucks carrying majorly fuel do 45,60,70 tonnes and that’s a major concern to state governors and we said that the minister for works and housing should come up with a strategy to regulate the weight of heavy trucks plying the roads which have been fingered as the root causes of road collapse.

    “The state governors are very much concerned about these failures, its being agitating our minds and we are thinking about strategies and we are soliciting that federal government give out some of the federal roads to states so that states can fix the roads through investors and toll the roads and we believe strongly that it will be more effective because the number of federal roads that is being handled by federal government there is no amount of budget that can fix it but if some of these roads are given out to state government and they maintain a handful of it and ofcourse the budgeted funds” he said

    Council therefore resolved that interested States could write to the President requesting approval for States to take over some of the Federal Roads to ensure proper and efficient maintenance.

    NEC also expressed willingness to take a wholistic approach on the issue of such roads across the country.

    He said “The Minister of Finance had earlier made a presentation on special accounts of the federation and gave us the closing balances.”

    It was revealed that Stabilization Account Balance as at 26 September 2017 stand at N4.354,300,295,64k

    Development of Natural Resources Account balance as at 26 Sept. stand at N84.693,588,214,54k, while Excess Crude Account balance as at 22nd of sept stand at $2,309,577,899.02

    “You know there was a gentleman agreement entered into between the Minister of Finance in the NEC and the 35 governors and Lagos is not participating and that is a programme we call budget support and the agreement was because of the down turn of economic challenges that endangers a number of states not being able to pay salaries”

    “So, we came to understanding that every month the total sharable revenue in the federation account any time it is less than N600billion then the Minister of Finance will give each state budget support, we concluded that in the last twelve months and that continued for the second year, states have done very well some states have been able to pay their accumulated salary debts and then also increase their commitment to infrastructure and generation of revenue”

    “From July that was not paid and in the month of August I think about seven states were paid because according to the minister other states did not comply with the set down rules, the most outstanding of that was the non remittance of virety from the states, so those seven states have been paid but more states have complied but we requested that those states that have complied should be paid.”

    “The good news is that in the month of September the shareable amount is N630billion so there would be no budget support for the states.” he said

  • Umahi breaks eight years water scarcity jinx in Ebonyi

    Umahi breaks eight years water scarcity jinx in Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has broken the age long jinx in the area of distribution of portable water in the state since inception of successive administrations.

    The Commissioner for Water Resources, Mrs. Euphemia Nwali stated this in Abakaliki Saturday while addressing journalists.

    She said the ministry has been able to fix all problems associated with reticulation of water across the state with the state capital taking the lead.

    She said the state government through the ministry of water resources had embarked on provision of affordable water to the people of Ebonyi state in a sustainable manner to improve living standard of the people.

    Nwali disclosed that following the water losses in the pipe network in Abakaliki metropolis, often occasioned by vandalism on the pipes conveying water from the Oferekpe water scheme, the state government embarked on comprehensive pipe replacement programme in order to reduce water loss, replaced aged pipes and ensured sustainability in water delivery.

    She said water has been reticulated to a distance covering over 500km using different sizes of HDP pipes which WHO recommended for water
    distribution and over 23 streets have been covered and HDP pipes ranging from 181 lengths of 6 HDP pipes and installation of fitting were also used to achieve the feat.

    The Commissioner also flayed the statement allegedly credited to the former General Manager of the defunct Ebonyi Water Corporation, Paul Okorie alleging that there was no water in the state and described the statement as pure falsehood coming from the propagandists of opposition party in the state.

    “The state government has completed two giant water schemes it inherited from the past administration example of such included the Iyiokwu washout chamber which was awarded to James JS Construction Company and Washing of Oferekpe Water transmission line.

    “The state government has been able to design and initiate the construction of new water scheme in Ishiagu in Ivo local government area of the state and reconstruction of Uburu water scheme. All these were achieved within just two years in office and that is why water is running in every home in the state”

     

  • Ebonyi distributes relief materials to IDPs

    Ebonyi distributes relief materials to IDPs

    Ebonyi state Governor, David Umahi on Monday distributed relief materials worth N20million to Internally Displaced Persons in the intra-communal dispute between the people of Ogiri and Okporojo, Afikpo South local government area of the state.

    The two neighbouring communities have been locked in land dispute which claimed the lives of over 40 persons when fighting broke out in May this year with properties including houses worth millions of naira destroyed.

    The relief materials include cartons of noodles, bags of rice, cartons or wrappers, sleeping mattresses among others.

    In addition to the relief materials, the government also gave each household affected in the crisis N100, 000 to the over 121 households.

    Handing over the relief materials to the IDPs at government house, Abakaliki, Governor Umahi represented by his Deputy Dr. Kelechi Igwe called on the over 130 communities in the state to live in peace.

    He said the distribution of the relief materials will) be the last time the government will be intervening in intra crisis.

    He noted that the government was spending much in maintaining security of lives and property of the citizenry and warned that it will not tolerate anyone or community frustrating the government’s
    efforts.

    “We are doing a lot to change the state for good and also touch lives. What security is taking from this government is so much that any other government would have collapsed because in all our border communities, there are crisis and the government has been providing security in all these flash points. The government ensures the welfare of the security agencies in these areas”, Umahi said.

    The Chairman of the local government, Eni Uduma Chima who commended the government for the gesture, said normalcy has returned to the two warring communities. 

    Eni Uduma Chima who lamented over the condition of the affected village in terms of infrastructure and welfare added that the present administration has begun the reconstruction of the houses in the area to ensure that the people were comfortable and repositioned to face the challenges ahead of them.

    Chima further noted that security personnel were fully mobilized within and around the affected village to ensure peace and order adding that his office would ensure that the relief materials were duly distributed to the IDPs.

  • Umahi emerges Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum

    Umahi emerges Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum

    Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has been elected as the Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Umahi was unanimously endorsed at a meeting of the forum attended by all the governors from the zone in Enugu on Sunday.

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, who announced this after a closed door meeting, said that the lot fell on Umahi to lead the group because Abia and Anambra had had their turns in the past.

    “I want to specially recognise the oldest member of this forum, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra.

    “We have just risen from a meeting and it is my pleasure to officially introduce the chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum in the person of Gov. Dave Umahi.

    “He is our chairman today because Anambra and Abia have taken their turns in the past and we are moving forward from Ebonyi flank at this moment,” Ikpeazu said.

    Umahi said his election was an honour to lead the forum even though he might not be the most qualified.

    “I want to thank my brother governors and to accept the leadership position my colleagues have pushed on me.

    “Not being the most qualified but they decided that I should be the chairman of the forum at a time like this. I want to thank them with all sense of humility,” Umahi said.

    NAN reports that this is the first time after the 2015 general elections that all the governors were meeting face to face at the forums’ meeting.

    Some of the governors had in the past delegated their deputies to represent them at the meeting.

  • Umahi denies decamping plot

    Umahi denies decamping plot

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has denied speculations that he plans to dump his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He was rumoured to be making final arrangements with his deputy to jointly move to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, said that the speculations of the movement was false.

    Stressing that the speculation was the figment of the imagination of those harbouring the rumour, he said that Umahi is going nowhere.

    He said: “There have been speculations as to whether the Governor of Ebonyi State is moving to the APC or whether he is remaining in PDP, and who is going with him and who is not going with him.

    “I want to address this matter hopefully once and for all, for all Nigerians to understand that Governor Umahi is one of the centre pillars of the PDP.

    “And I say that with a very deep conviction from my soul. This is a party on whose platform he has been the state Chairman for four years, a party on whose platform he was the deputy governor for four years and now, governor hopefully for eight years.

    “And anyone speculating about either his commitment or his strength, or his role within the party or any doubt at all about whether he is remaining or decamping, is just dreaming,” he added.

    The former lawmaker also noted that Umahi’s leadership style was one of the qualities that would lead the PDP out of the current challenges bedevilling the party.

    “If the Umahis are not in the PDP, it will completely collapse. And that is why his colleagues and others recognize that he is a man of considerable political wisdom, and knowledge and understanding and can really play the game very well. So, he is not going anywhere.

    “And all those with him, I emphasize that; every single member of his cabinet and those that are the stalwarts of PDP in Ebonyi state are with him 110 percent. Nobody is going anywhere.

    “He has provided the sort of leadership that I think not only is it necessary in Ebonyi to have that sort of leadership, but it is absolutely imperative that in a country, we should have that sort of leadership as well.

    “So, his style is to be emulated and if the APC or any other party for that matter is hoping that Umahi would join them, I think they should not be blamed for wishing to have a very good quality political material indeed,” he stated

  • Strike: Umahi sacks EBSU bursar

    Strike: Umahi sacks EBSU bursar

    …Suspends ASUU chairman, predecessor

     

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi Wednesday terminated the appointment of the Bursar of Ebonyi State University, Chris Ngwuta with immediate effect.

    The governor also ordered the suspension of the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ebonyi state chapter, Prof Ndubuisi Idenyi and his predecessor Prof Emeka Nwakpor for gross misconduct.

    The Governor made the pronouncement during an address to the people of the state on radio and television over the strike action embarked upon by the university.

    He said he took the decision to terminate the appointment of the bursar because the bursar was re-appointment did not follow due process.

    According to him, the bursar was reappointed for a second tenure by the school management without recourse to the visitor of the school and Governor of the state contrary to the laws enacted by the State House of Assembly.

    “When I asked the school management, they said he was only re-appointed and that re-appointment is normally done through the school senate and management. But I disagree because re-appoinment is also a form of appoinment and since the visitor made first appoinment, he should also be informed and his accent sought for his re-appointment. The law talks about appointment and only mentioned re-appointment once”.

    On the suspension of the two union leaders, Umahi accused them of misinforming the lecturers on what transpired at the meeting they held with him on Monday over the strike action embarked upon by the union.

    He also accused them of politicising the strike action.

    While calling on the striking workers to call off the strike, the governor further said the state government will adopt no work no pay if they refused to head the government’s call.

    He directed the freezing of the accounts of the school until the lecturers resume duties and also announced the witholding of the government’s subvention to the university.

    He, however, promised the lecturers that their agitations and demands will be looked into and fulfilled as government have already set up a committee to look into the matter.

  • Umahi condemns killing of man in Ebonyi

    Umahi condemns killing of man in Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi Monday condemned the killing of a man in Isu, Onicha local government area by members of a vigilante group.

    According to the governor, the members of the vigilante outfit seized the man, killed him and tied his legs with bags of sand and threw him into the river.

    The governor, who said the incident came after he directed the scrapping of all vigilante in the state, said the Council Chairman and the Coordinator of the Development Centre will have to answer to him for flouting his directives.

    He said: “Another incident happened while I was away. The Chairman of the local government and the Coordinator of the Development centre will have to answer to me.”

    “They must answer to me because I directed that there should be no vigilante for now. It was my directive and vigilante killed somebody, it is terrible. The vigilante just ceased the man according to report, killed him, tied his legs with bags of sand and put him inside the river.”

    “So I want the Chairman and Coordinator to give me report.”

    Umahi who was away on his annual vacation when the incident happened revealed that another development Centre Coordinator is wanted by the police in two states.

    “We have another one in Ohaukwu involving one of the Coordinators in the local government, Offorbuike.”

    “After seven days, I will get rid of him and declare him wanted because the security agents have been on me. He was declared wanted in Enugu and declared wanted in Ebonyi.

    It was gathered that that the coordinator, Offorbike Onwe is wanted for various criminal offences ranging from gun running and car snatching.

    Umahi said the Police will be allowed to do their job in all the cases before the state government will act.

    “So, we are using the opportunity to report to police, SSG who will bring him to see me and I will now make him available the way the Deputy Governor made Ogbonnaya Eneh available in the case of Uzoamaka”.

    The governor also condemned the stripping and flogging of Miss Uzoamaka Chukwu by some persons in the area led by the Coordinator of Ohaozara Development centre, Ene Odii.

    “Stripping the young girl naked and flogging the girl. I watched the video and I felt so terribly about it. It is very inhumane to have so acted but sometime you don’t follow the masses”.

    He, however, condemned pressures being put on the state government to sack political appointees when the police have not concluded their investigations.

    While maintaining that no one is guilty until proven otherwise, Umahi promised that the government will act at the right time.

    “People were expecting that we should sack the Coordinator, no.  I directed the police to prosecute all those involved in the crime and I will act when the police would have finished their work”.

    “They must not do it the way the social media wants us to do it or very ungrateful elements would want us to do it.”

    “We condemn that in totality and we encourage the law enforcement agents to act accordingly, after that we act but the law enforcement agents must prosecute the person”.

    “The security agents respected us so much by not going after our appointees or elected people without first getting clearance from us and I think it is enough respect and we have to also give them their own respect”.

    “Let me emphasize that we can’t sack people anyhow. These are people that were appointed or elected, so if they commit offence, we must allow the law to take its cause and then we can now react”.

    Police spokesman George Okafor confirmed the killing of the man.

    According to him, the Police have arrested six persons over the matter.

    Okafor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police said the command sent divers into the river who recovered the corpse of the victim.

    He promised that all those found culpable of the murder will be prosecuted.

  • Photos: Wike bids late mother of Gov Umahi farewell

    Photos: Wike bids late mother of Gov Umahi farewell

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Thursday night at Umunaga Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area during a wake keep for the Mother of the Ebonyi State Governor, Late Mrs Margaret Umahi.
    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Thursday night at Umunaga Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area during a wake keep for the Mother of the Ebonyi State Governor, Late Mrs Margaret Umahi.

     

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Rachel Umahi and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Thursday night at Umunaga Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area during a wake keep for the Mother of the Ebonyi State Governor, Late Mrs Margaret Umahi.
    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Rachel Umahi and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Thursday night at Umunaga Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area during a wake keep for the Mother of the Ebonyi State Governor, Late Mrs Margaret Umahi.