The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State government

  • Edo bans use of school premises, roads for social events

    Edo bans use of school premises, roads for social events

    The Edo State Government Wednesday announced the immediate ban on the use of all premises of public schools, roads and other public places for social events.

    The ban was contained in a press statement signed by the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu.

    The government explained that it frowns at the behavior and would not accept the practice in a civilized society as ours and would therefore not condone it forthwith.

    The statement said: “By our ancestry as Edo people, we have always shown the example of public order and decency which others have emulated over the years and this administration is determined to make Edo a model of magnificence and beauty once again.”

    The statement warned that “Henceforth, any violation of this decision of government will be dealt with in accordance with extant laws” and urged all agencies of government to enforce compliance.

     

  • Edo raises committee on accreditation of Nursing, Midwifery School

    Edo raises committee on accreditation of Nursing, Midwifery School

    Edo State Government has set up a committee to work out modalities for the re-accreditation of the state owned School of Nursing and Midwifery.

    The committee is also to ensure that the school become a world class institution.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki who stated this when he received executive members of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said the accreditation must be done before the end of September.

    Obaseki promised to collaborate with members of NANNM to make the state a hub for Nursing and Midwifery.

    His words, “I believe that when we reposition the school will be able to train our people to address quackery in the state and raise the standard of health in the state.

    “A lot of work is begin to reposition the healthcare system in the state. We will do the right thing to put the State back on track in terms of health.”

    Chairman of NANNM, Mrs. Catherine Eseine, highlighted their challenges to include quackery and discrimination against Nurses in headship of Primary Health Care as coordinators in the local government.

     

  • Edo registers 150,000 unemployed persons

    Edo registers 150,000 unemployed persons

    Edo State Government said it has registered a total of 150,000 unemployed persons in the state under its Edo Jobs Initiaive.

    It said the registration of unemployed persons was the first step towards achieving Governor Godwin Obaseki’s promise to create 200,000 jobs within four years.

    Governor Obaseki who disclosed this while addressing workers Monday at the May Day celebration said his Agripreneur project which focused on major crops will employ over 40,000 people.

    Obaseki said the issues of non-payment of wages in the local government made him to commence direct oversight functions of local government administration in the state.

    He stated that the pilot scheme he introduced for the collection of revenue for local government has yielded good results with daily income of over N500,000 from nine locations in Oredo local government against N42, 000 that was previously remitted.

    Obaseki vowed to ensure all revenues due to local government are collected to make sure workers and pensioners of the local councils are paid promptly.

    On the issue of Bendel Brewery, Governor Obaseki vowed not to use tax payers money to offset huge debts of the company.

    He said previous administration plunged the company into debt and he was not ready to pay the debt.

    His words, “People took so much money from the company and left huge debt. We will not pay the debt. We will rather redeploy the workers there and pay them their arrears.”

     

  • Edo rainstorm victims seeks govt.’s assistance

    Victims of rainstorm disasters in Etsako East and Akoko Edo Local Government Areas of Edo have renewed their appeal to the government for assistance.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rainstorms, which occurred on March 7 and April 1, left three people dead and ravaged about 150 residential buildings in the two local government areas.

    The victims, who spoke with NAN in Okpella on Thursday, said that the affected communities were still counting their losses after the natural disasters.

    One of them, Christopher Yakubu, said that the victims had yet to receive any assistance from the Federal Government or the state government.

    “Since the incident happened, we have yet to get any assistance from government. I am appealing to the relevant authorities to come to our aid, so as to cushion the effects of the rainstorm,’’ he said.

    Another victim, Muhammed Muhammed, said that the affected communities had been appealing to the government for assistance, adding, however, that they had yet to get any response from the government.

    He urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the state emergency management agency to assist the rainstorm victims with relief materials and other palliatives, so as to improve their living conditions.

    “The disaster came at a time when most of us are facing cash crunch.

    “We are appealing to NEMA and the state emergency agency to give succour to us in order to cushion the effects of the rainstorm,’’ he said.

    Esther Obanga, another victim, said that many government officials, who had visited the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction, pledged assistance for the communities.

    She, however, expressed regret that the residents of the communities had yet to receive any assistance from the government.

    “Some government officials have visited the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction, with a view to providing us with relief materials and shelter.

    “‘But as l speak to you now, we are yet to get anything from either the Federal Government or the Edo State Government,’’ she said.

     

  • Appeal Court upholds Oba of Benin authority over Ogiamien

    Appeal Court upholds Oba of Benin authority over Ogiamien

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City has upheld the appeal filed by the Edo State Government against a ruling of an Edo State High Court over the validity of the Traditional Rulers and chieftaincy edit of 1979.

     

    It said the High Court erred for ruling in favour of one Arisco Osemwengie who filed the suit challenging the validity of the Traditional Rulers and chieftaincy edit of 1979.

     

    Arisco and some members of the Ogiamien family had attempted to challenge the authority of the Oba of Benin by carving out his Utantan kingdom out of Benin Kingdom and declaring himself an imperial majesty.

     

    They were charged to the Magistrate Court for traditional treason and installing a traditional ruler without lawful authority as prohibited by the Traditional Rulers and chieftaincy edit of 1979 of Bendel, state as applicable to Edo state.

     

    Justice Olukayode Bada in his ruling said the suit filed by Arisco and others against the state government and the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) at the High Court Benin City is status barred and does not disclose the reasonable cause of action.

     

    Justice Bada said the suit was instituted outside the time limit stipulated by the status of limitation of Bendel state as applicable in Edo state.

     

    He held that the law Arisco and other relied on which existed during the Midwest region has been repealed by the Traditional and chieftaincy Edit of 1979, therefore they have no locus standi to institute the suit.

     

    Justice Bada said Arisco and others have been in slumber for 37 years but “suddenly woke up from their slumber even when they (Ogiamien of Benin Kingdom) have no reasonable cause of action as they are only recognized as a chief in the palace of the Oba of Benin  as indicated by the extant law.

     

    Reacting to the court ruling yesterday, Counsel to the Edo state government and the BTC, Chief Charles Edosomwan (SAN) leading O.A.Aimiuwu Esq and Douglas Ogbankwa, described the judgment as victory for the Benin traditional institution and the people of the Kingdom.

     

    He said, “ the Appeal Court has its own wisdom declared that the suit filed by Defendants at the High Court was an abuse of process and there was no course of action in it and suit was caught by the limitation of action law. The Appeal Court said this issue has been there over 37 years ago but they brought it today just to constitute some nuisance in the polity.

     

    “But it was declared as such and an abuse of process so the appeal was declared meritorious and was allowed and the suit in the lower court was struck out. There is no suit pending anymore, the only thing pending is the criminal charges against those who have perpetuated this criminality at the magistrate court and that will take its course”.

     

    With this ruling, Arisco and others who were earlier remanded in prison but granted bail will now face trial at the Magistrate court for declaring himself Ogiamien of Utantan Benin nation without the authorities of the Oba of Benin and the state government.

  • Assault: Oshiomhole suspends Onojie of Uromi

    Assault: Oshiomhole suspends Onojie of Uromi

     …Suspension is unconstitutional, Esama of Uromi

     

     

    Traditional ruler of Uromi, His Royal Highness Anselm Okojie, Aidenojie II, the Onojie of Uromi, has been suspended for seven days by the Edo State Government.

     

    The Onojie of Uromi was suspended for allegedly assaulting a married woman, one Mrs. Betty Okoebor and traveling outside the country without getting appropriate permission.

     

    This was contained in a letter signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere and dated October 26, 2016.

     

    It said the refusal of the Onojie to respond to a query issued by the appropriate authority within the stipulated 72 hours demonstrating total disregard and disrespect for constituted authority.

     

    The letter said the suspended Onojie demonstrated disregard for extant regulations and laws by travelling outside the country without appropriate permission.

     

    It reads in parts, “Your unprovoked attack, inflicting grievous bodily harm on one Mrs Betty Okoebor on September 28, 2016 in full public glare to the embarrassment of those present and causing disgrace to your otherwise esteemed office

     

    “In the circumstances, the State Executive Council has arrived at a conclusion that these and other acts of misconduct of Your Royal Highness, the Onojie of Uromi are not only distasteful but also unbecoming of a traditional ruler of your status.

     

    “Based on the above and convinced that your Highness has denied yourself of the opportunity of entering a plea against the charges against you that were duly conveyed in writing to you, and therefore in exercise of the powers conferred on the State Executive Council by virtue of Section 28(1) of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law (1979) and all other Laws enabling it in that behalf, has approved your suspension from office as the Onojie of Uromi with immediate effect for a period of seven (7) days, that is, from the 26th of October 2016 to the 1st of November, 2016.

     

    “Consequently, within the suspension period, you shall cease to be recognized and treated as traditional ruler or as the Onojie of Uromi in Edo State and you shall not exercise any powers or function or enjoy any privileges provided for under the Traditional Rulers and Chief Law (1979) and all other relevant provisions under the said law.

     

    “Within the 7-day suspension period, you are required to tender unreserved apologies to your victim, Mrs Betty Okoebor and the Government of Edo State. However, if within the said 7 days no public apology in tendered by your very self, you will stand deposed as the Onojie of Uromi.”

     

    It was would be recalled that the embattled Onojie was quizzed in April by officials of the Directorate of State Security over a petition sent to it by one Prince Ernest Okojie over alleged threat to life.

     

    Also, former Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Louis Odion, had raised alarm that the Onojie of Uromi threatened to deal with him over an article he (Odion) wrote criticizing the conferment of Adolor of Uromi on Mike Onolememen.

     

    The People’s Democratic Party described the suspension as “senseless, unconstitutional and anti-people”.

     

    State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih who is also the Esama of Uromi, said, “This recent action of the governor is a clear manifestation of what I said at that time. 

     

    “What Oshiomhole must come to terms with is that he has no power, under our constitution and law to take the actions he has just taken.

     

    “If anybody for any reason was accosted by the Onojie, the rightful place to report is the police station and the rightful thing for the police as an institution to do if they found any truth, is to take it to a court of law.”

  • ‘PDP didn’t pay to use public schools for campaign’

    ‘PDP didn’t pay to use public schools for campaign’

    Edo State Government has described as untrue allegations by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that it refunded money paid by the People’s Democratic Party for the use of public school fields and other public places for electioneering campaigns.

    It also said no school head was summoned by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for allowing the PDP to use Okpujie primary school in Uromi for its campaigns in Edo Central Senatorial district.

    State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, had accused the state government of denying them the use public property for its campaigns.

    But State Commissioner for Education, Gideon Obhakhan, in a chat with newsmen said it is difficult to refund any money paid into the state Internally Generated Revenue account.

    Obhakhan challenged the PDP to show evidence of its application and payment for the use of school field and other public places across the state.

    He said the APC led administration believed in equity and fairness and as such gives equal opportunity to everybody in the state to use public facilities.

    The Education Commissioner said there was no evidence to show that the PDP paid for the use of any school field and was denied access.

    According to him, “As far as they apply, they pay and it is approved, they are allowed to use it. There is no evidence from our record to show that the PDP paid and they were denied. There was no request from them to use any primary school and there was nothing that was denied. They have used other primary schools and there was no denial.

    “To say a school head was sanctioned is the figments of their own imagination because there is no record to show that anybody has been sanctioned or queried for allowing use of Okpujie Primary school because there is no reason for denying them the use of the school.

    “Their allegation is not going to prevent APC from winning the election. They are free to use any school as far as they follow due process. I heard they said they paid and somebody refunded the money. How do you get money from the IGR account as if it is one man’s business. Raising sentiment in the public will not help their course because their past government was a failed one. They think the only way to gather support was to create media hype and sentiments from the public.”

  • Edo govt approves appointment of new Oba of Benin

    Edo State Government has approved the appointment of His Royal Highness Edaiken N’Uselu, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa as the Oba of Benin, with effect from 29th April, 2016.

    In a letter dated 24th May, 2016 signed by the Secretary to State Government, Prof Julius Omozuanvbo Ihonvbere, OON, titled: “Appointment of His Royal Highness Edaiken N’Uselu, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa as the Oba of Benin” the Government said:  “it is hereby notified for general information that in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 19 (1) of the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, 1979  (as amended) and by virtue of all other laws enabling it in that behalf, the Executive Council of the Edo State Government of Nigeria has approved the appointment of His Royal Highness Edaiken N’Uselu, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa as the Oba of Benin, with effect from 29th day of April, 2016.”

     

  • Edo govt to workers: Shun NLC strike

    Edo State government has warned its workers to shun the strike action embarked upon by a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress led by Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun.

    It threatened to invoke no work no pay rule on any worker that stayed away from work.

    Edo State Head of Service, Mrs. Gladys Idahor in a press statement warned the workers to stay at their duty post or risk forfeiting his or her salary.

    Mrs. Idahor said the current strike embarked on by the NLC was illegal as the National Industrial Court had issued a restraining order on the strike.

    According to her, “Workers are expected to be at their duty posts. Any worker who stays away from work will forfeit his or her pay as ‘no work, no pay’ will be strictly enforced.

    “All public schools and institutions are expected to remain open as school is in session.

    “Heads of Departments and Parastatals are directed to keep records of workers’ attendance for further action.”

  • Edo seals three illegal health centers

    Edo State Government has ordered the closure of three private health care centers operating illegally in the state.

    The affected health centers are Blessed Assurance Emergency /Maternity Centre, Afuze in Owan East local government, Dominion Nursing and Maternity at Ehor in Uhunmwode local government and God’s Glory Nursing and Maternity Home in Eyean, Ikpoba-Okha local government.

    Director of Nursing Services, Mrs. Aitesene Eromosele, who led the State Monitoring/Enforcement Team, ordered the closure during a routine monitoring of health facilities in the state.

    Eromosele said management of the Blessed Assurance Emergency /Maternity Centre was yet to meet the requirements for the registration of a health care centre.

    She noted that the affected heath centres were operating with unqualified personnel, training quacks as nurses and carrying out services they were not registered for.

    Eromosele insisted that all health centres operating illegally in the state would be closed down.