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Tag: Ebonyi

  • NGO tackles water scarcity in Ebonyi

    NGO tackles water scarcity in Ebonyi

    A Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, the Initiative for Positive Leadership Ambassadors of Nigeria (IPLAN) has sunk 22 boreholes in Ebonyi communities in a bid to scale back their water challenges.

    The NGO said it secured the funds for the projects from the Mike Ifere Foundation.

    Director of IPLAN, Mr Michael Ifere told The Nation that the organisation embarked on the borehole project after a feasibility study it carried out in the state showed that water is an acute problem in the state.

    “Immediately, IPLAN swung into action by providing water boreholes to some rural communities. We decided to pick Ezza North local government area first where we are currently providing twenty-two number boreholes to residents of the area, two in each of the eleven wards that make up the local government area”, he said.

    According to him, some of the communities that have benefited from the borehole provision are Oriuzor, Ekka, Umuoghara, Okposhi, Oshiegbe, Nkomoro, Umuezeoka, Umuezeokaoha and Omege.

    He said the NGO plans to extend its activities to other local government areas such as Ezza South, Ikwo, Ishielu and Ohaukwu LGAs.

    Mr Ifere said the organisation also have plans to build the capacity of the youths in the state by building a skill acquisition centre in selected communities in the state to train the youths on skill acquisition to fight unemployment and crime in the society.

  • Ebonyi APC chairman suspended

    Ebonyi APC chairman suspended

    The Southeast Zone of All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended Ebonyi State Chairman Ben Nwaobosi.

    In a statement by its Southeast Publicity Secretary, Hyacinth Ngwu, the party said: “Following the report of the Fact-finding/Disciplinary Committee set up pursuant to APC Constitution/Article 21B (II) by the Southeast Zonal Committee to mediate on chairmanship crisis in Ebonyi State and pursuant to the committee’s recommendation submitted to the zonal Executive on October 14, the zonal executive committee met on October 27 and resolved to sustain the suspension of Nwaobosi as Ebonyi State chairman.”

    According to the statement, the resolution was signed by 14 of 15 members of the zonal executive committee members.

    Relying on Article 21 D (vi) of the party’s Constitution (of October 2014, as amended), the state APC Executive Committee had passed a vote of no-confidence in Nwaobasi and suspended him from office.

  • NGO tackles water scarcity in Ebonyi

    A Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, the Initiative for Positive Leadership Ambassadors of Nigeria (IPLAN) has sunk 22 boreholes in Ebonyi communities in a bid to scale back their water challenges.

    The NGO said it secured the funds for the projects from the Mike Ifere Foundation.

    Director of IPLAN, Mr Michael Ifere told The Nation that the organisation embarked on the borehole project after a feasibility study it carried out in the state showed that water is an acute problem in the state.

    “Immediately, IPLAN swung into action by providing water boreholes to some rural communities. We decided to pick Ezza North local government area first where we are currently providing twenty-two number boreholes to residents of the area, two in each of the eleven wards that make up the local government area”, he said.

    According to him, some of the communities that have benefited from the borehole provision are Oriuzor, Ekka, Umuoghara, Okposhi, Oshiegbe, Nkomoro, Umuezeoka, Umuezeokaoha and Omege.

    He said the NGO plans to extend its activities to other local government areas such as Ezza South, Ikwo, Ishielu and Ohaukwu LGAs.

    Mr Ifere said the organisation also have plans to build the capacity of the youths in the state by building a skill acquisition centre in selected communities in the state to train the youths on skill acquisition to fight unemployment and crime in the society.

  • Ebonyi: 18 agro-based co-operative societies get grants

    Ebonyi State Government has handed out cheques of N18 million as Micro Credit Grants to 18-agro based co-operative societies in the state.

    The cheques were handed out through the office of the Focal Person, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the state, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu.

    Speaking at the handing over ceremony in Abakaliki, the state capital, the state governor, David Umahi, said women are very vital in fulfillment of cardinal objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

    Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Bernard Odoh, Umahi said though Ebonyi State was ranking least in many sectors compared to older states in the federation, his administration was committed to advance the status of the state through human oriented programmes like SDG.

    Handing out the cheques to representatives of the cooperatives, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Rachel Umahi, expressed delight that most of the beneficiaries were women.

    She noted that whenever women were empowered, the impact would always be felt by the society.

    Mrs. Umahi, who said that women were endowed with wisdom, enjoined the beneficiaries of the grant to use such endowment in the nurturing of the business which the grant was made for.

    She, however, identified family distrust and other domestic crisis as impediment to business success and advised beneficiaries, especially women, to ensure peace in their homes so as to guarantee proper use of the money.

    Chairman of the occasion and former governor of the State, Dr Sam Egwu, commended the state government and the SDG Focal Person, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu, for the effective management of the programme in the state.

    Egwu, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, enjoined the beneficiaries to utilise the funds properly.

    Obichukwu while noting that agriculture was the main stay of the country’s economy said the one million naira grant given to the co-operative societies must be channeled into agro based activities.

    She applauded Umahi for showing commitment in sustaining SDG in the state but warned that her office would monitor the use of the funds across the six benefiting local government areas.

    Apart from the distribution of the cheques to the cooperatives, Mrs. Umahi also distributed bags of rice, wrappers and other goodies to over 30 selected widows in the state.

  • N18m grant for Ebonyi cooperatives

    N18m grant for Ebonyi cooperatives

    The Ebonyi State government has handed out cheques of N18 million as microcredit grants to 18 agro-based cooperative societies in the state. The cheques were given out through the office of the Focal Person, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the state, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu.

    Speaking at the event in Abakaliki, the state capital, Governor David Umahi said women are very vital in fulfilling cardinal objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Represented by the Secretary to the state Government (SSG), Prof Bernard Odoh, Umahi said though Ebonyi state was ranking least in many sectors compared to other older states of the federation, his administration was committed to advancing the status of the state through human oriented programmes like SDG.

    Handing out the cheques to representatives of the cooperatives, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Rachel Umahi expressed delight that most of the beneficiaries were women.

    She said whenever women are empowered, the impact is always felt by the society.

    Mrs Umahi who said that women were endowed with wisdom enjoined the beneficiaries of the grant to use such endowment in the nurturing of the business which the grant was made for.

    She identified family distrust and other domestic crisis as a hindrance to business success and advised beneficiaries especially women to ensure peace in their homes so as to guarantee proper use of the money.

    Chairman of the occasion and former governor of the state, Dr Sam Egwu commended the state government and the SDG Focal Person, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu for the effective management of the programme in the state.

    Egwu, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial zone in the National Assembly, enjoined the beneficiaries to utilise the funds properly.

    The Focal Person, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Dr Ngozi Obichukwu while noting that agriculture was the main stay of the country’s economy insisted that the one million naira grant given to the cooperative societies must be channelled into agro based activities.

    She applauded the state governor David Umahi for showing commitment in sustaining SDG in the state but warned that her office would monitor the use of the funds across the six benefiting local government areas.

    Apart from the distribution of the cheques to the cooperatives, Mrs Umahi also distributed bags of rice, wrappers and other goodies to over thirty selected widows in the state.

  • Ebonyi threatens to prosecute tax defaulters

    Ebonyi State government yesterday threatened to prosecute those refusing payment of taxes.

    It also warned fake tax collectors to stop collecting taxes  or face prosecution.

    Special Assistant to Governor Dave Umahi on income tax,  Martins Okwuegbu gave the warning in Abakaliki in a chat with journalists, saying adequate arrangements have been made to streamline all the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) collection points and agents to make it impossible for fraudsters to penetrate the system.

    ‘’ We have been having problems of leakages in IGR of the state because some fake persons go about flaunting themselves as representatives of the government and collecting taxes which they never accounted for. This is a grave offence and the government is not taking it lightly.

    ‘’There is now an office being handled by one of the aides to the Governor whose responsibility is to harmonize all the collection agents. We have a central system where all the agents and their information are documented and it is easy to be assessed.

    “Let me use this opportunity to sound a warning to people who are involved in shortchanging the government to stay clear as government would not be soft on anybody caught sabotaging the efforts of this government.

    ‘’ Anybody we catch must go to jail. We know that Ebonyi people are law-abiding, but some people still pay into the wrong hands. If all the money they are paying goes into the coffers of government, there would be enough money for the government to work with. But we are ready for the fraudsters and we are going to deal with them.

    ‘’Our government is a law -abiding one. We have serious regard for rule of law,” he said.

     

    . Base on that, anybody who fails to comply to his statutory duty of tax payment will be taking to court. The law will take its course. We can’t fight over that, no noise. And when the law comes hard on a defaulter, others will brace up and start paying”, he said.

  • Ebonyi bans consumption of foreign rice

    Ebonyi bans consumption of foreign rice

    Ebonyi State has banned consumption of foreign rice at public functions to pave way for the full return of the popular Abakaliki rice.

    Governor David Umahi, who stated this after inspection of Iboko and Ikwo rice mill clusters, said he had directed persons who cook for the state government to turn to indigenous rice forthwith.

    According to him:”The parboiling process Abakaliki rice undergoes makes it durable, unlike the imported rice which does not undergo parboiling.

    “That is why after six months it becomes chaff and unhealthy for consumption.

    “That is why we have banned our cooks from cooking any other rice except Abakaliki rice.”

    Umahi said the parboiling plants, fully installed in the two locations, would enhance massive rice production in the state.

    He expressed confidence that the price of local rice, which hitherto skyrocketed, would drop gradually when government policies on rice production are fully implemented.

    The governor further explained that the available rice mills were not enough.

    He assured his government had concluded plans to establish three more rice mills in the state.

  • GSM subscribers complain at Ebonyi forum

    GSM subscribers complain at Ebonyi forum

    When Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi took his turn to host the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Consumer Outreach Programme, phone users came with a barrage of complaints.

    The event is an avenue for mobile phone users to air their views on the quality of service they receive from network service providers.

    At Abakiliki, the state capital, where the event held, subscribers criticised the network providers, condemning what they their shoddy services, including dropped calls, unsolicited SMS as well as alleged illegal credit charges.

    Governor Umahi said Information Communication Technology has an important role to play in advancing the growth and development of the economy, adding that the opportunities offered by the new media, if well harnessed, can put the nation on the path to economic recovery.

    He said, “If the NCC as the ombudsman could properly regulate unsolicited text messages, ring tones and arbitrary reductions of monies by service providers from users, it will be a catalyst for economic growth.

    Represented by his Deputy Mr. Kelechi Igwe, a lawyer, the governor expressed dismay over the way and manner the service providers treat their customers without apology.

    This he said poses great consequences to the growth of the industry.

    He also blamed ignorance on the part of the consumers for some of the alleged misconduct of service providers.

    “So, I think that these complaints are what NCC as a body has to look at with a view to encouraging the service providers to resolve the issues,” he stressed.

    He said that the state government as a result of its unequivocal commitment to developing the ICT sector established the Ebonyi Telecom Infrastructure Compliance Agency to ensure there are legal and proper ways of developing Telecom infrastructure in the state.

    Earlier in his address, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau in the NCC, Abdullahi Maikano represented by his deputy, Joseph Atoyebi said the commission has identified Consumer education as one of the most-effective mechanism that provides and guarantees consumer protection.

    He stated therefore that to ensure that the Telecoms consumer is well Protected, Informed and Educated (PIE mandate), the commission has developed series of initiatives with the main goal of empowering Consumers with appropriate information that will ensure that their rights are not only protected but their choices provide them with value for money.

    He further stressed that the commission recognises that the rights of every telecoms consumer must be protected and one of the fundamental rights of the telecom consumer is the right to be informed and educated.

  • Jobs tools for freed inmates in Ebonyi

    Jobs tools for freed inmates in Ebonyi

    Abakaliki Prisons was in the news last month for the wrong reasons when some of its inmates reportedly lost their lives in a foiled jailbreak. But the facility seems to have moved on from the ugly incident as five inmates were released following the completion of their two years jail sentence. They were not just released but also trained in some vocations and given tools to enable them launch their new trades.

    The Ebonyi State Command of Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) at a send forth of the five inmates inside the prison premises handed over to them the workings tools with which they can use to start new businesses in their chosen fields and become useful to themselves as they reunite with their families and the larger society.

    Handing over the tools to the freed inmates in the presence of their family members at the prison yard, the State Comptroller, Mrs Emilia Oputa disclosed that the Command trained them on the skills as part of its core mandate.

    Five of them, all married with children, Peter Nwankwo, Sunday Iboko, Sunday Ogodo, Moses Abarike and John Nwenyi were trained in carpentry, welding, electrical maintenance, tailoring and catering.

    The state comptroller explained that they were able to procure the tools through government funding and individual contributions.

    Mrs Emilia who urged them to pay deaf ears to what people might be saying about them when they get home, charged them to live a useful life and shun acts capable of bringing them back to prison.

    She noted that both the Federal and State governments had turned to agriculture to grow the economy and urged them to queue into it to be self-dependent.

    She further explained the Command had trained many of the inmates on different skills/hand works and solicited for the assistance of the public to enable them provide them with necessary tools, noting that government ‘would not do it alone.

    Five of them who are from Otam Nkaleke in Abakaliki local government Areas were jailed for conspiracy and attempted murder and had spent two years each in prison before freedom came their way.

    The freed inmates thanked the NPS and pledged to put the tools to the best use in order to be able to adequately fend for themselves and their families.

    One of their family members, Isaiah Moses, thanked God for keeping them alive all along and also the prisons officials who made their release possible.

  • Man, 92, ‘commits suicide’ in Ebonyi

    A 92-year-old man, Horri Oko Eluu, has allegedly committed suicide at Amangballa in Afikpo North Local Government of Ebonyi State.

    The Nation learnt villagers woke up and discovered the nonagenarian’s body dangling from a rope at the Ogo square.

    An eyewitness told our reporter that the deceased’s sons, who were surprised at the incident, untied their father’s body and took it to Mater Miscrecordia Hospital mortuary in Afikpo.

    The source said the deceased had been battling one of his brothers over a land.

    But one of the sons, Mr. Okpara Oko, dismissed such insinuation.

    He said: “The matter was decided by the community. It was resolved in his favour. Our father never had any problem, as we took care of him.”

    Okpara confirmed that his body had been taken to a mortuary.

    He said the police were investigating the incident.

    Police spokesman George Okafor said one of the deceased’s sons, Michael, reported the incident.

    He added: “The complainant said his father was found hanging at the village square. He said when he got to the scene he was still breathing and he quickly untied the rope and took him to Mater Miscrecordia Hospital, Afikpo, where he later died while undergoing treatment.”

    The spokesman said when the police visited the scene, they saw a rope and a stool.

    He said although investigation was on, there was no suspicion of a foul play, adding that “we are awaiting the result of the autopsy.”