The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebonyi

  • Flood sacks Abakaliki

    Residents of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital woke up on Thursday to flooding of some parts of the city following heavy overnight downpour.

    The flood which affected both residential and commercial buildings is believed to have been caused by the overflowing of the Iyiudele and Iyiokwu rivers.

    Our reporter who went round the city observed that one of the biggest hotels in the city, Salt Lake was affected by the flood as its premises and club house were flooded.

    Hope High International Schools located along Onwe Road Abakaliki and G-spot, a popular relaxation centre adjacent the school, both owned by wife of the first civilian governor of the state, Mrs Eunice Ukamaka Egwu were also affected.

    The management of the school was also forced to close down the school temporarily as parents and their children were seen going back home with them following the management’s decision.

    Members of Christ Embassy and House on the Rock Church which makes use of the multipurpose halls inside the relaxation centre spot were seen literarily swimming through the flood water to get to the church to try and salvage some of their equipments.

    Also, parts of the international market being built by the state government were also flooded.

    Some residents of the city blamed the flooding to blocking of the canal being constructed by the federal ministry of environment to channel excess water from the two rivers.

    Ebonyi State Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Paul Okorie, who described the situation as unfortunate blamed the flooding on inability of the contractors to complete the channelization contract.

     

     

     

  • Ebonyi bans illegal fees

    The Ebonyi State government has banned the collection of N500 lesson fees and other unauthorised levies from pupils.

    The Commissioner for Education, Mr Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo, said at a meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital, between principals of public secondary schools and officials of the Ministry of Education that the ban was necessary to check undue exploitation of pupils in public schools by authorities.

    “The collection of N500 from students for extra lessons and money in lieu of handicrafts amounted to extortion and negated the free education policy of the Governor Martin Elechi administration,” he said.

    He warned that any principal who violated the ban risked demotion or dismissal.

    Chibueze-Agbo urged the principals to shun acts capable of undermining the transformation going on in the education sector and be committed.

    His words: “As critical stakeholders in secondary education, the government and the general public expect much from you in our very attempt to build a solid, functional and qualitative secondary education. I implore you to display a high level of commitment and patriotism in the discharge of your duties.

    The commissioner also directed the principals to effectively monitor and supervise the teachers under them to enhance the promotion of academic excellence and discipline.

    He assured them of the government’s commitment to uplifting the welfare of teachers and also providing conducive teaching and learning environment.

    Chibueze-Agbo commended the school heads for maintaining the status of ‘an examination malpractice free state’ conferred on it by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in 2011.

    “It is a clear indication that our policy of zero tolerance to malpractice is yielding positive results. I therefore urge you not to rest on your oars,’’ he said.

  • APGA chairman survives assassination attempt in Ebonyi

    APGA chairman survives assassination attempt in Ebonyi

    Chief Jerry Obasi, the Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi, said on Tuesday that he narrowly escaped assassination on Monday in Abakaliki.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki that four gunmen allegedly attacked him at his Hill Top residence.

    Obasi said that the gunmen waited for him near his house and waylaid him as he parked a vehicle to put a call through to a friend.

    “As I was waiting for my friend, a tall, young man with a Kalashinov gun approached me and as I asked him what the problem was, a short fellow appeared from nowhere and brandished a pistol.

    “He told me not to move or he would shoot me but I summoned courage and hit them with the car’s door which caused their fall.

    “I jumped out from the car immediately and ran for my dear life and was hearing one of them shouting ‘shoot him, shoot him”, he said.

    He alleged that the gunmen zoomed off in the car and was grateful to God for sparing his life.

    He lamented that the incident took place few metres away from a police check point, saying that the spate of insecurity had become alarming.

    “I reported the matter immediately to the police authorities in the state which assured me that the gunmen would be arrested and the vehicle recovered,” he said.

    When contacted,  the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sylvester Igbo, confirmed the incident, saying that they had opened investigation into the matter.

    “We have sent our signals around and are determined to apprehend the culprits and recover the car.

    “We want to assure the residents and citizens of the state of our readiness to reduce the crime rate and protect their lives and property,” he said.

  • Ebonyi doctors on strike over colleague’s kidnap

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ebonyi State yesterday said its members have withdrawn their services in all government and private hospitals.

    The NMA Chairman, Chidi Esike, said at a briefing in Abakaliki that the withdrawal was due to the kidnap of a consultant paediatrician, Dr Pius Maiyike.

    Maiyike, who works with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, was kidnapped on Sunday at the entrance of his hospital, Saint Mark’s Specialist Hospital.

    Eyewitnesses said the doctor drove to the hospital in his car and was waylaid by the kidnappers who waited for him on their motorcycle.

    They said: “The kidnappers abducted the doctor, shot the guard and fled in the doctor’s car.

    Confirming the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), police spokesman Sylvester Igbo said the doctor was kidnapped on Sunday as he approached his private clinic at 15A, Owerri Street, Abakaliki.

    Igbo said Mauyike, who is the owner of St. Marks Specialist Clinic, Abakaliki, was abducted with his vehicle, a black BMW, by two men armed with AK-47 rifles.

    “His guard, who was identified as Peter, was shot dead as five shells of bullets were picked at the scene of the incident.

    “The body has been deposited at a mortuary, and the command has intensified efforts to trace the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

    “As at this morning, the kidnappers are yet to contact the family, though the family is yet to make any formal report to the police. Good spirited individuals informed the police about the kidnap and we are monitoring the movement of the kidnappers.

    “We are still investigating the matter and our man has been detailed to ensure stop-and-search of vehicles. We are trailing the movement of the hoodlums and we want to assure the public that we would not relent until the doctor is rescued and returned to his family safe.”

    A doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, decried the spate of attacks on doctors in recent times.

    “Early this year, one of our doctors was nearly blinded by an Assistant Superintendent of Police for attending to his sick wife.

    “Last week, another doctor was brutalised by relatives of a patient that died in the hospital over alleged complicity that turned out to be false.

    “Efforts should be made by relevant authorities to ensure the safety of doctors to enable them to concentrate on discharging their duties,’’ he said.

    Esike said the doctors could not continue to operate in an unsafe and insecure environment.

    “We shall, however, resume our services immediately our colleague is released by the kidnappers.

    “The kidnappers should know that doctors do humanitarian work and are not wealthy.

    “During this period, there will be no skeletal services by the doctors. It is a pity that doctors now work under siege,” he said.

    It was gathered that doctors just resumed work after a strike to protest an alleged assault on their colleague by a retired permanent secretary.

    Esike wondered why doctors should be made to face such criminality in the discharge of their duties.

    He appealed to Governor Martin Elechi, the police, State Security Service (SSS) and other security operatives to secure Maiyike’s release.

  • Police confirm kidnap of paediatrician in Abakliki

    The Ebonyi Police command on Monday confirmed the kidnap of Dr Pius Mauyike, a consultant paediatrician at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, by gunmen.

    Confirming the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Sylvester Igbo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, said the doctor was kidnapped on Sunday evening as he approached his private clinic at No. 15A Owerri Street, Abakaliki.

    Igbo said that Mauyike, who is the owner of St. Marks Specialist Clinic, Abakaliki, was abducted with his vehicle, a black BMW, by two men armed with AK-47 rifles.

    “His gate-man, who was simply identified as Peter, was shot dead as five shells of bullets were picked at the scene of the incident.

    “The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at a mortuary, and the command has intensified efforts to trace the perpetrators of the dastardly act,’’ he said.

    A doctor at the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity, decried the spate of attacks on the hospitals’ doctors in recent times, noting that it was worrisome.

    “Early this year, one of our doctors was nearly blinded by an Assistant Superintendent of Police for attending to his sick wife.

    “Last week, another doctor was brutalised by relatives of a patient that died in the hospital over alleged complicity that turned out to be false.

    “Efforts should be made by relevant authorities to ensure the safety of doctors to enable them to concentrate on discharging their duties,’’ he said.

  • Mob sets murder suspect ablaze

    A murder suspect, Emmanuel Nwegwe, has been set ablaze by a mob in Umunaga, Ohaozara Local Government of Ebonyi State.

    Nwegwe allegedly killed his relative, Innocent Onu, over a disagreement on a wedding reception venue.

    It was gathered that Nwegwe, after allegedly committing the act in their family compound, ran into a forest.

    The suspect was reportedly apprehended and set ablaze by some youths, who had been searching for him.

    Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo condemned the act.

    He said the youths had no right to take the law into their hands.

    “The youths discovered where the man was hiding, they brought him out and killed him. His body was set on fire.

    “Before the police got to know about it, the man had been killed.

    “The police cannot arrest anyone now because we are still investigating to know who actually killed the suspect.

    “People are not permitted to take the law into their hands. Even though the deceased allegedly killed his brother, the case had been reported to the police.

    “What the youths should have done when they saw him was to bring him to the police station. There is no law that permits them to kill the man.

    “We are yet to confirm the number of youths who carried out the act.”

  • Group Urges EFCC to Probe Ebonyi’s N40billion debt

    A group, Concerned Citizens of Ebonyi State, has raised the alarm over the huge debt problem facing the state.

    It called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately probe the administrators of the states, resources.

    The president of the group, Mr. Elechi Ikeburu, in a statement stressed that the situation is more alarming because there are no tangible completed infrastructural development projects to march the huge debt profile.

    “It is unthinkable that Ebonyi State will have such huge debt without corresponding evidence of completed projects carried out in the state,” the statement stated.

    Ebonyi State led the list of the states in the country that failed the domestic debt sustainability analysis undertaken by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

    According to DMO, Ebonyi recorded a negative score of 272 per cent, representing her domestic debt stock of N40.239 billion relative to her IGR of N14.778 billion.

    It would be recalled a lawmaker from Ebonyi State representing Ezza North/West Constituency, Enyi C. Enyi, recently opposed a motion for a vote of confidence for the Governor and his Deputy, citing the numerous uncompleted projects that litter the state.

    Enyi said: “Most of the projects put in place by the present administration are yet to be completed. The ongoing water schemes are yet to be completed, so we are yet to assess its impact on the people of the state.

    “It is clear that the road leading to the State House of Assembly is in shambles. Therefore, it is premature at this point for the state house of assembly to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Martin Elechi and his deputy.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ebonyi suspends 15 lecturers over certificate forgery

    The Ebonyi Government on Thursday suspended 15 lecturers of the state’s own College of Education, Ikwo, indefinitely.

    The Personal Assistant to the state governor on Higher Education, Prof. Mike Itumo, told journalists in Abakaliki that the affected lecturers were alleged to possess forged Masters and Doctorate degree certificates.

    Itumo said that the suspension had been approved by the institution’s disciplinary body and communicated to Governor Martin Elechi.

    He said that further sanctions would be given to the affected lecturers at the end of full-scale investigation.

    “There is an ongoing investigation into the allegation and, as soon as it is concluded, further sanctions will be announced.

    “Forgery is a criminal offence and our system frowns at it, and so we shall not hesitate to institute criminal proceedings against those found liable.

    “We are determined to clean up the augean stable and we will stop at nothing to achieve this,’’ Itumo said.

    He restated government’s determination to make the college a model for teacher education and maintained that plans to upgrade the institution to a degree-awarding college had reached final stage.

    The aide warned that government would, henceforth, clamp down on illegal and unapproved satellite campuses and study centres of unrecognised institutions of higher learning operating in the state.

    He said the state would not recognise certificates or degrees obtained from such institutions for employment or any other academic transaction.

    “We are committed to entrenching academic excellence in order to safeguard the educational future of our state and that of our children.

    “In doing this, we shall ensure that those we have entrusted with the academic destiny of the state are those qualified to do it.

    “We will not condone in our tertiary education system those whose academic qualifications are questionable; nothing short of the best is acceptable to us,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the 15 senior lecturers in the institution were discovered in December, 2012 to be teaching with forged masters and doctorate degree certificates.

     

  • Ebonyi lawmaker’s suspension stirs controversy

    Ebonyi lawmaker’s suspension stirs controversy

    Ogbonnaya Obinna in Abakaliki reports that supporters of suspended female member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mrs. Lilian Igwe, are threatening state wide protests if she is not re-instated immediately

     

     

    The leadership of Ishiagu Community Development Union (ICDU) and other political stakeholders of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have declared a seven days praying and fasting aimed at seeking the face of God to intervene in the continued suspension of its female lawmaker, Hon Mrs. Lilian Igwe, who was suspended nine months ago by the State House of Assembly over alleged act of drunkenness, an act considered embarrassing to the House of Assembly.

    In a release signed by the President of the union, Mr. David Ajah, and the Secretary, Mr. Sunday Chukwu, and made available to newsmen at the end of its emergency meeting held at the community, the town union regretted that for nine months running, the state constituency has not had representation at the State House of Assembly, describing it as undue marginalisation of the people.

    According to the release; “The union expressed surprise at what it described as current conspiracy of silence over the unjust and mischievous suspension of the lawmaker, Hon Igwe from the House of Assembly.

    Similarly, a Human Right group based in the state, Center for Peace and Defence of Human Right Abuses, said it would soon mobilise all civil society groups in the state, all women groups and other groups to protest the continued suspension of the lawmaker without recourse to the constituency she represents.

    Speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki, the State Chairman of the right group, Comrade Chigbo Nwaeze, noted that the suspension of the female lawmaker has denied the constituency any representation for a period of nine months describing the allegation against the lawmaker by the State House of Assembly as baseless and unfounded.

    “They said she was found drunk, that she drank her self to stupor, fell inside a gutter and some student came and carried her put her inside a tricycle and brought her to the House of Assembly. Did PDP know she was a drunk and gave her ticket? We have urged the House to present any prove to the allegation. None of them is yet to do that.

    Our investigation reveals that she was suspended because she did not support the impeachment of the former speaker, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwo,’ the group said.

    Meanwhile, the leadership of the House is reportedly insisting that the suspended lawmaker must come to the floor of the House and tender an apology before the House will consider her case. But the rights group found this unacceptable. ‘This is a happily married woman with grown up children, apologizing means acceptance. What becomes of her happy family? They are bent on tarnishing the image of the woman and we must stand up against that,’ the group said.

    Also some concerned groups have petitioned the President, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the wife of the President, who is championing 35 percent affirmative.

    When contacted, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, said that no amount of petition or protest would force the House of Assembly to recall the suspended female lawmaker without any formal apology letter from her.

     

  • Ebonyi absorbs 200 disengaged EBSUTH staff

    The Ebonyi Government has absorbed not less than 200 disengaged staff of the defunct Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH), Abakaliki, into its main stream civil service. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EBSUTH was taken over by the Federal Government and merged with the former Federal Medical Centre, to become the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Mr Chike Onwe, the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, announced this on Saturday in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting. Onwe disclosed that the government had also ordered the immediate payment of 10 months salary arrears of the affected workers. “The Ministry of Health had been directed to deploy them to primary and secondary health facilities in the state. This is to alleviate their plight and ensure that their expertise is tapped to enhance the productivity of the state’s workforce.” The commissioner said that the state government had also set up 10 Executive Council Committees to oversee the implementation of government policies, programmes and projects. “The 10 committees include: Rice mill Test-Run Committee, Committee on Integrated Farm to revive and upgrade the State Hatchery and the Dairy Farm, the Airport Development Committee, as well as that of Campus Development and Power Generation. “The State Secretariat and International Market, Green Park Development, Hospital Renovation and Reconstruction Committee, Solids Development and National Good Governance Committee, are also among the committees.”