The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Flooding: Edo intensifies work at resettlement camps, safe havens

    The Edo State Government has said that work has intensified at designated resettlement camps across the state to receive residents, who are displaced by flooding.

    Persistent rainfall in the past few weeks dislodged some persons from their homes, as the state government announced the opening of resettlement camps for residents that were adversely affected by the heavy downpours.

    The state government issued flood alert in parts of the state last week, following new predictions that the state will experience flooding incidence with the persistent rainfall and the release of water from dams in neighbouring countries.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Gowon, said that an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the relocation of affected persons and running of the resettlement camps and safe havens has been set up.

    He disclosed that the committee is made up of officials of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), special assistants to the governor in the various wards, officials of ministries of infrastructure, environment and health, local council chairmen, members of the Red Cross, Fire Service and local government councillors, who are on standby to assist people in distress.

    He listed the areas earmarked as safe havens to include “the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp in Oghomere in Etsako Central Local Government Area and the skills acquisition centre in Fugar.

    Read Also: Edo intensifies promotion of local languages

    “In Esan South East Local Government Area, the council hall and the hall of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Ubiaja will serve as safe haven.  In Ikpoba-Okha local council, Western Boys High School hall has been pencilled down to receive those displaced from their homes in the council area,” he added.

    He said that men and women will be separated in the camps to protect their rights and assured that effort is being made to procure more relief materials to be delivered when the camps are ready.

    “In Ovia North East, the local government chairman has donated a place in Okada while another place in Gelegele, in the same local council will provide succour to flood victims,” Gowon said.

    The governor’s aide maintained that the relevant ministries have desilted blocked drainages to ease the flow of water in the city.

    Two weeks ago, Edo State government donated relief materials to communities affected by windstorm in Esan West and Owan West local government areas of the state. Similar donation had been made in ten local councils where windstorm destroyed houses.

    Handing over the relief materials on behalf of the state government to chairmen of the two local councils in Benin City, the state capital, Gowon said “This is a continuous exercise, we have donated relief materials to communities in about 12 local government areas and we have been receiving letters of appreciation from the beneficiaries.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hydrological Services Agencies (NHISA) have warned that 12 states across the country would experience flooding due to torrential rain falls.

    The two agencies gave the warning during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held with relevant stakeholders in Abuja.

    Mr Clem Nze, Director, Engineering Hydrology, NHISA, listed the states to include: Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, from the River Niger axis.

    He also listed Taraba, Benue and Adamawa as states to be affected from the River Benue axis.

    He said that the decision to raise the alarm was to ensure preparedness among stakeholders and residents of flood-prone communities.

    The NEMA and NHISA alert followed a similar alert issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT), warning of high floods in some identified states across the country including Edo.

  • CVR: INEC registers 318, 255 in Edo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) registered 318, 255 persons in Edo during the recently-concluded Continuous Voters Registration (CVR).

    According to a document obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the figure is comprised of those registered between April 27, 2017 and Aug. 30, 2018.

    The document showed that the Edo South Senatorial District, which comprises of seven Local Government Areas, had the highest figure of 204,539, representing 64.26 per cent of the total figure.

    The district is closely followed by the Edo North Senatorial District with six Local Government Areas, which had 73, 069, representing 22.96 per cent.

    The document further showed that Edo Central with five Council Areas, had a total of 40,647 persons, representing 12.78 per cent, registered during the exercise.

    NAN reports that a further breakdown of the figures according to the Local Government councils, revealed that Ikpoba-Okha from the South, had a total of 56, 254 persons, representing 17.7 respectively, per cent of the total figure for the state.

    It was followed by Oredo and Egor Local Governments, both from the southern Senatorial district, with 45,344 (14.25 per cent) and 39, 647 (12.5 per cent), respectively.

    Read Also: INEC to print 16.5m PVCs before 2019 general elections

    Esan Central (Edo Central), Etsako Central (Edo North) and Igueben (Edo Central), came in the rear with 6,352, 6,626 and 4,089, respectively.

    On the basis of percentage performance, the three council areas scored 2.0 per cent, 2.1 per cent and 1.51 per cent, respectively.

    NAN reports that Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area which had the highest figure, also produce the ward with the highest number of registered voters, with a total number of 10, 315, representing 3.24 per cent, registered in ward 7.

  • ‘APC is gaining more grounds with defections’

    Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon Philip Shaibu, has argued that the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) is gaining more grounds despite the defections of many chieftains from the party.

    Hon Shaibu who predicted that the APC would win more states in next year’s general election said President Muhammadu Buhari has more relevance than the defections in many of their home states.

    Shaibu who spoke to newsmen in Bénin City stated that the APC is now very strong in the South South and in the South East regions.

    He said the APC would come out stronger and united after the party primaries.

    The Edo Deputy Governor noted that any political party like the APC that is determined to get the grassroots involved in its primaries has won the election “because it is the grassroots that will vote after the primaries.’

    Read Also: Chairman urges support of girl child education in Katsina

    His words, “We are going to win more states in 2019. Opposition will always see danger whenever the ruling party wants to do something. During our congresses, they said we will scatter but we came out strong.

    “National convention came, they said that is where it will end but we were dancing and celebrating at the end. We came out stronger. Our primaries will make us stronger than when we went for the convention because we are democratic.

    “Every state and organ will take decision on what mode to use as the National body has directed in line with the party’s constitution on direct, indirect and consensus.

    “The preference of the party is direct primaries. Bringing the grassroots to participate and take ownership of their party. We want to completely democratize our party.“

  • Seven killed in Edo renewed cult war

    At least seven persons have been reportedly killed in parts of Edo State following renewed clashes among suspected rival cult groups.

    Last Saturday, a medicine store owner was killed on Igbei Street in Auchi, while a generator mechanic was killed in Etsako West Local Government Area.

    The killings caused chaos, which led to the deployment of a combined team of armed policemen and vigilantes to restore law and order in the affected areas.

    In Benin, the state capital, a technician, identified as Godbless Olitan, was reportedly killed by suspected cultists near Oliha Market.

    Eyewitnesses said his assailants drove a Toyota Camry car.

    The deceased was said to have received a call at home that a customer was waiting for him at his shop near the market.

    Four other persons were reportedly killed around Upper Uwa, Isiemwerho, between First and Second East Circular Road and at Uwhene Ugbague road axis of the city.

    Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), could not be reached for comments last night.

  • INEC lost millions of naira to flood in Edo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has lost property worth millions of naira to flood in Edo State.

    Heavy downpour of rain on Friday morning chased its workers out of their offices at the State headquarters located at Aduwawa in Ikpoba-Okha local government.

    Activities have been paralyzed at the Edo INEC headquarters since August 24 when the building was submerged in flood.

    Adjoining streets including the road leading to the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal were submerged in flood.

    Staff of INEC could not go into their offices on Wednesday following heavy rain that lasted four hours.

    They had gone into their offices after cleaning it up when the rain started this morning.

    A perimeter fence at the INEC’s building was pulled down by the flood.

    When our reporter visited INEC, the workers were seen wading through flooded waters to get out of their offices.

    Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Alex-Hart, said he has gone to Abuja to report about the damage caused by the flood.

    INEC

    Emmanuel said he was yet to quantify what was lost to the flood.

    The Edo REC said he was informed about the flooding by the Administrative Secretary of INEC.

    According to him, “I came to Abuja to discuss the issue of the flooding with the authorities.

    “My administrative secretary called me to inform me about the current situation in Edo. They were in the office and had to wade through the flood water.

    “The flooding has paralyzed activities at the INEC headquarters in Edo. Where the office is situated is a valley and when it rains, you have surface run-off of water from all the areas to that place.

    “We at INEC are at the receiving end.”

  • Voter Registration: Edo declares Friday work-free day

    The Edo State Government has declared Friday, August 31, a work-free day to avail civil and public servants the opportunity to process, regularise or obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).

    A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. on Wednesday, said that “Government workers are urged to partake in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), so they can perform their civic duty.”

    Ogie added that “With this notice, all government establishments except those that render essential service are expected to be closed and the workers are encouraged to take advantage of the work-free day to visit centers for the ongoing CVR to process or obtain their PVCs. This will make them eligible to participate in the forthcoming 2019 elections.”

    According to the state government, “the CVR exercise had been extended by INEC for two weeks which will terminate on Friday, August 31, underscoring the decision of government to declare a public holiday to ensure that government workers are able to obtain their PVCs.”

    The SSG explained that “the state government is keen on ensuring that everyone in the state is provided ample opportunity to participate in the political process, hence all government workers are encouraged to treat this message with all seriousness.”

  • 50% of road crashes due to drivers’ poor sight – FRSC

    Mr Anthony Oko, the Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ) says 50 per cent of the road crashes in the country are due to poor sights of drivers.

    Oko made the assertion during a sensitization programme and free eye test organised in Benin by the command, in collaboration with the Optometrists Association of Nigeria, Edo chapter.

    He said that because of this drivers needed to check their sights regularly, adding “to prevent accidents, we need to do eye tests,” he said.

    He said that the essence of the programme was to enhance accurate driving and prevent accidents on the road.

    He said road crashes were caused by human, mechanical and weather errors, stressing that the human element usually led to colossal loses.

    “Not everybody knows how to drive under the rain,” he added.

    In his remarks, Dr Onoriode Ateka, Secretary, Optometric Association of Nigeria, Edo chapter, said it had been observed that most road accidents were as a result of unclear vision of drivers.

    Ateka said there was the need to educate drivers on the importance of sight to guarantee safety on the road.

    Read Also: FRSC cautions motorists on Lagos-Ibadan road over tanker accident

    He said that during the exercise, eye glasses would be recommended for those who needed them while those who would need treatment would be advised accordingly.

    He therefore advised drivers to endeavour to go for eye checks as least once in a year to update their vision.

    Some of the beneficiaries of programme, commended the organisers because it had enabled them to seek solution to their eye problems in order to avoid accidents on the road.

  • Police nabbed two robbers in hotel

    Men of the Edo State Police command have arrested two suspected armed robbers who were invited from Kaduna and Abuja to carry out special operations.

    The two suspects identified as Dúnia Damboa and Sam Joshua were nabbed at a hotel in Uzebba, Owan West local government area.

    They were preparing to go out for the operation when they were rounded up.

    Dúnia who spoke to newsmen while being paraded at the police headquarters said they were invited to break into shops in the area.

    He said the person that invited escaped before policemen swooped on them.

    Read Also: State police , only remedy to secure lives, property – Lawmaker

    According to him, “We came tô one village at Uzebba from Abuja. The people lodged us in a hotel. Police raided the place and arrested us.

    “We were invited to break some shops. We have not executed the job when we were arrested. The person that invited us was not around when we were arrested.

    His accomplice, Joshua said, “I was just invited from Kaduna to rob in Edo. We did not know what he called us for. We didn’t want to do kidnapping but to do some stealing.“

  • Edo seeks banking sector reform over SMEs

    THERE is an urgent need for a systemic overhaul of the banking sector so that it could do more for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon Philip Shuaibu, said at the weekend.

    Speaking in Lagos after receiving Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award presented to him by the Rotary Club of Mushin Metropolitan, he said there’s need to fight the scourge of poverty by providing potable water, health, education and other services to the electrorate.

    Shuaibu, who was special guest at the occasion, commended the immediate past President of the club, Rotarian Gregory Otsu for an accomplished tenure, saying the club has done great service to humanity.

    He stressed the need for improved palliatives to cushion the sufferings of the SMEs, especially in the area of access to funds from the lenders.

    He described local lenders as Depository Houses with little emphasis on financing SMEs, a situation he lamented, has led to the demise of small businesses with brilliant ideas.

    “Banks are collecting indirect collateral, because when you need a guarantor with like some amount you want to give out as loan to the SMEs, then, you are indirectly collecting collateral. That is not helping the economy. Remember, the SMEs today will become multinationals tomorrow.

    “Therefore, banks in Nigeria need overhaul in such a manner they will accommodate engineers, psychologists, sociologists and others with a touch in humanity, as against the present penchant to recruit ‘fine boys and girls’ with little understanding about business financing,” he said.

    He said without proper care for the SMEs, poverty would continue to multiply as has been seen in the economy.

    He said: “I am happy that what started about a year ago is coming to an end on a positive note. I am happy that Rotarian Otsu is handing over gracefully. It is my prayer that the incoming president will consolidate on your achievements and even perform better, because Rotary is about impacting lives or serving humanity.

    “I also feel honoured by the award given to me by the Rotary Club of Mushin Metropolitan. That is why I strongly believe we should cease from passing bucks rather work harmoniously to tackle issues around poverty- water, health, education and other related indices.”

    He said this measure has inspired programmes of Edo State. “Our goal is to reduce poverty. The government of Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki is on achieving economic prosperity for Edo State, which is a consolidation of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’ achievements. We are working with private and corporate entities to make this happen.’’

    Earlier, the MD/CEO of LAPO Microfinance Bank, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, said technology will play a vital role in promoting financial inclusion.

  • Effective legislature: The Edo example

    The function of the parliament in any country is to make laws and legislate, as well as act as representatives of the people. To all intent and purposes, effective legislation is a panacea for accelerated development and a catalyst to good governance. The role of parliament as a vital organ of government cannot be overemphasized.

    Section 4(1) (2) (3) and (7) of the Constitution 1999 (as amended) establishes the National Assembly, and House of Assembly of the state  to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the federation, and the state respectively. As one of the three organs of government, the sanctity, dignity and the authority of the legislature cannot be sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity

    The current friction between the legislature in some states and the executive, as well as the national assembly and the presidency is quite alarming. The legislature now acts under the whims and caprice of the executive. The interference of the executive in legislative matters with the use of state apparatus such as the police, DSS etc, is a travesty on our democracy. There should be independence of every arm of government, even as each other acts as check and balances on each other in furtherance of the doctrine of separation of power as contained in section 4,5, and 6 of the constitution.

    Only recently, eight members of the Benue State House of Assembly sat under the protection of the police and issued an impeachment notice on Governor Samuel Ortom, as against constitutional requirement, thereby making a mumbo jumbo of the constitution, this offends the spirit and letters of the constitution.

    Few states enjoy harmonious working relationship between the executive and legislature like Edo State. The legislature in the state is effectively carrying out the constitutional functions entrusted on it by virtue of section 4(7) of the constitution. Edo State is a shining example in this regard.

    In the state, the fact speaks for itself. The Speaker, Kabiru Adjotu has brought sanity to legislative business. Basically the House has indeed become a true assembly as against a house of commotion and comedy that it used to be prior to this very time. The assembly has being able to pass numerous bills that touch directly on the lives and businesses of the good people of the state.

    The synergy of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary is quite commendable. This is quite commendable and a good example of what a proactive legislature should be, and quite evident for the national assembly and other legislative houses all over the country to borrow a leaf from.

    Bearing in mind that government is the amalgam of the people, the executive can function effectively and provide the basic necessities of life if there is an active and effective legislature to make laws for the good governance of the people. At any level whatsoever, the legislature is the representative of the collective will of the people. It is the symbol of democracy, and it should be active, distinct and independent.

    • By Peter Erekose,

    University of Benin, Benin City.