The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enugu State

  • FRSC recruits 4,650 personnel, begins training nationwide

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Friday said that the 4,650 successfully screened candidates are currently undergoing a six-month training in three locations across the country.

    The commission’s Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.

    Kazeem said training for the Officers was taking place at FRSC Academy, Udi, Enugu State; for Inspectorate cadre at Training School, Jos, Plateau; and for Marshals’ cadre at Nigeria Army Training Centre, Kontagora, Niger.

    Read Also: Second hand tyres are like time bomb – FRSC

    He said the training commenced on Tuesday and the candidates would go through a one-month internship in-between the duration of the training.

    Kazeem said the commission recruited the number of candidates approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that they were contacted as expected.

    NAN recalls that the agency did the recruitment between Sept. 24 and 29, last year, with physical screening of no fewer than 324,000 applicants.

    The exercise was for various the various cadres: officers, Marshal Inspectors and Road Marshal Assistants.

  • INEC express worry over uncollected 500,000 PVC’s in Enugu

    Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC )in Enugu State has expressed worry over uncollected 500,000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) in the state.

    Ononamdu disclosed that only 600,000 of the 1.1 million PVCs had so far been collected by the electorates in the state.

    He made the observation during the National Orientation Agency’s campaign against invalid (void) votes held in Enugu on Thursday.

    According to him, it is worrisome that 500,000 PVC’s are yet to be collected barely six weeks to the general elections.

    The REC said the reason for the development could be attributed to the notion that electorates votes did not count.

    “Please dispel any rumour that your votes will not count and as such, you have made it a reason not to collect your PVC and use it during election.

    “I can categorically tell you that INEC has put in place adequate measures to ensure that you excise your right and vote for your choice person without being robbed of such vote.

    “One of such measures is the use of smart card readers which will help guide against issues such as ballot snatching and rigging hitherto rampant before.

    “It is for this reason that politicians are not jostling to buy your PVC’s because vote snatching and rigging has been curtailed with the introduction of smart card readers.

    Read Also: Congo presidential loser rejects surprise result as ‘coup’

    “That is why there were no cases of ballot snatching and rigging during the Osun and Ekiti elections but the issue of vote buying,” he said.

    Ononamadu hinted that INEC would embark on a weeklong aggressive campaign from Jan. 16 to ensure that all PVC’s at its disposal were collected.

    The REC disclosed that there would be over 4,000 voting locations and 2,958 polling units in the 260 electoral wards spread across the 17 local government areas of the state.

    Moreso, he noted, that INEC Enugu has made provision for 6,000 smart card readers to adequately cover all the voting locations and minimize error or malfunctioning as against 4,000 needed for the state.

  • Ugwuanyi tasks political parties on peaceful polls

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, called on the political parties registered to participate in the forthcoming general election to allow peace to reign.

    Ugwuanyi made this call in a meeting during which the political parties signed the 2019 general election peace accord in Enugu.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, said the aim of the meeting was to sign the peace accord to ensure free, fair and credible 2019 general election.

    “We want the forthcoming election to be free, fair, credible and peaceful; that is why all the political parties need to endorse the peace accord.

    First, let us not allow personal interest to deny the state its prevailing peaceful atmosphere and I wish to thank the British High Commissioner for his sponsorship of this peace accord.

    Enugu has been a peaceful state and I do not want the forthcoming election to divide us, so it is our duty to carry this massage to our various localities,’’ she said.,

    In his advice, His Royal Highness (HRH) Igwe Lawrence Agubuzo, said that he had been working with the police and other security agencies to ensure the success of the election.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi swears in two commissioners

    “I want to ensure you all that I, and other royal fathers in the state will continue to work with the security agencies before, during and after the election to ensure peace.

    “It is worthy to know that the people in Enugu State are peace loving citizens,’’ the royal father said.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Enugu chapter, Mr Rex Arum, urged security agencies in the state to raise their strategies of security to ensure a peaceful election.

    He promised that journalists in the state would discharge their duties without compromise and also cooperate with the security agencies to ensure a successful and credible election.

    The two major political parties in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates as well as their party chairmen were present.

    The 2019 general elections have been slated to hold on February 16 for Presidential and National Assembly candidates and March 2 for Governorship and House of Assembly flag bearers.

    NAN

     

  • Boy, 8, roasted to death in Enugu community

    The Enugu State Police Command has commenced investigation into the death of an 8-year-old boy from suspected kerosene ignited fire in Umundu Community, Udenu Local Government Area.

    The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday, said the incident occurred on Sunday night.

    Amaraizu said the boy and his family were in their house when the fire broke out and engulfed the whole apartment on that fateful day.

    “It was gathered that the incident occurred when the victim, little Chikamso Nnamani, about 8 years old, had tried to refill their lamp with kerosene.

    “But unfortunately, the light went wild and quickly engulfed the whole house.

    “It was further gathered that as occupants were scampering for safety, the said Chikamso ran towards another direction where he was allegedly consumed by the fire,’’ he said.

    According to Amaraizu, a full scale investigation has commenced into the incident.

    The police spokesman also said the serene community had been thrown into mourning this festive season following the unfortunate incident. (NAN)

  • Police nab vandals of Enugu Games Village

    The Enugu State Police Command, on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of eight suspected vandals of installations and building materials within the Awgu Games Village of the State Ministry of Youths and Sports.

    The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ebere Amaraizu, said that the suspected vandals were arrested on December 17 at about 9:30 p.m.

    Amaraizu said that the feat was achieved by the police detectives from the Awgu Division, following a raid.

    Read Also: Police nab suspected burglar in Enugu

    According to him, the raid is borne out of intelligence information received concerning the activities of the suspects lately.

    “They were nabbed with their two vehicles alongside other vandalised and stolen materials from the Games Village.

    “A full scale investigation has commenced into the alleged incident.

    “The suspects are currently helping police operatives in their investigation,’’ Amaraizu said in a statement.

    NAN

  • Ugwuanyi presents N109b 2019 budget proposal

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Monday, presented N109,199,243 billion for the 2019 budget appropriation to the state House of Assembly.

    Capital expenditure gets N43, 493, 343,000. 00 representing 39.8 per cent of the budget proposal while recurrent expenditure stood at N69,705,900,000.00 representing 60.2 per cent of the budget.

    In the sectoral allocation, N633,000,000 million was budgeted for agriculture while N2.34 billion was for health and N5.55 billion was set aside for education.

    Presenting the budget, tagged Budget of Peace, Equity and Prosperity, the governor said that his administration has implemented the previous budget of 2018 to 85 per cent, stressing that the government has taken development to the urban and rural communities.

    He reeled out achievements of his administration in the last three years which include, massive rehabilitation of roads both in urban and rural areas as well as in health facilities, agriculture and education.

    Read Also: Ugwuanyi urges speedy completion of projects

    Ugwuanyi who said the state remains one of the most peaceful and safest states in Nigeria pointed out that his administration has invested heavily in agriculture noting that this was to ensure that no family in the state goes to bed without food.

    “To ensure security of lives and property in the state, the government has procured 77 vehicles to the police and Siena buses for the neighbourhood watch to complement the security in the rural communities.

    “We want to make sure that no family goes to sleep without food, this while this administration has mapped out various agricultural programs to ensure adequate food production,” he said.

    He said that the government in the last three years has been paying salaries and pensions regularly adding that they set aside N1.2 billion monthly for the payment of gratuity.

    In the area of health, Ugwuanyi said that the government has reconstructed and upgraded seven general hospitals in Oji-River, Awgu, Udi, Enugu Ezike, Agbani and Nsukka.

    He said that his administration has procured the state of art equipment for the ESUT Teaching Hospitals, which includes; four baby incubators while accreditation for ESUT College of Medicine was secured.

    He noted that the medical diagnostic centre has been completed and the 2019 budget would see to the installations of facilities at the centre.

  • Christmas: Enugu traders embark on night trading for brisk business

    Barely two weeks to Christmas celebration, dealers in all kinds of Christmas items have taken over major markets and pedestrian walkways in Enugu, at night, to make brisk business.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  correspondents who visited some of the markets and shopping malls in Enugu report that most of the traders were seen selling brocades, jewelry, shoes and sandals.

    Other items include ready-made clothes, weave-on, balloons and the traders stay deep into the night.

    Many of the traders were seen ringing bell to attract passersby, wooing them with discount prices at the major strategic locations in the area.

    A trader in Ogbete Main Market,who gave her name as Mama Akano, said that she decided to display her wares on the pedestrian walkways to attract civil servants returning from work.

    Akano said that she had a shop inside the market but that the festive atmosphere associated with the season motivated her to stay beyond the 5:00p.m and do extra business to earn more money.

    She said that the market closes 5 p.m, adding that the night trading afforded her the opportunity to increase her daily sales, noting that traders at the market hardly made good returns.

    Read Also: Son hacks father to death in Enugu community

    “I open shop by 10:00a.m. every day and till 5:00p.m. I hardly make N2, 000 profit.So, I decided to be selling at night, and this has improved my daily profit,” she said.

    Another trader, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiogu, said that he opted for night trading due to the penchant of most residents of Enugu for trading into the night.

    Ejiogu said that though he had a paid job, “I decided to sell foot wears this season in order to meet my financial needs.”

    Hairdressers at Ogbete Market have been swell time making fast business as most of them stay up to 8:00p.m., a development many of them described as unusual.

    NAN

  • CP cautions against unprofessional conduct, vows to discipline offenders

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam says the command will not condone any form of unprofessional conduct especially extortion from citizens of the state.

    Danmallam spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Enugu, against the backdrop of complaints over alleged unlawful activities of his men in the state.

    The police boss, however, described the allegations as “baseless’’.

    “I as a person, from the days of being a lower senior officer to date, I do not condone unprofessional conducts especially extortion. These can be seen in my records in the Nigeria Police Force so far.’’

    He noted that the command’s enviable record had been achieved by very dedicated, professional and God-fearing officers and men in various divisions, formations and units within the command.

    “The command today is having an enviable record of achieving a very low crime rate among other states in the country.

    “This does not come with only fighting crime and criminality but a high display of professionalism, dedication and courtesy among its officers and men.

    “I have also dealt decisively with issues of unprofessional conducts in any shade; just within two weeks I have to remove two Divisional Police Officers in Enugu metropolis as well as transferred some personnel under them.

    “On this action, I received commendation letter from a pastor on Dec. 3, which I have not seen till today, for removing the DPO in one of our divisions.

    Read Also: Police arraign bus conductor for stealing cellphone

    “I challenge any one with evidence of unprofessional conduct of any police personnel under my command to report to my office and I assure prompt investigation and dealing with the personnel appropriately if found culpable,’’ he said.

    Danmallam said that the command had continued to train its personnel on professionalism and being humane as well as constantly reminding them on the dangers and consequences of unprofessional conduct.

    “Just recently, I have directed the officer in charge of IGP X-Squad, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr John Babangida, to go round the state and fish out officers and men in the habit of extortion of residents.

    “The team is meant to watch out for policemen who extort motorcyclists, motorists and others.

    “Babangida have also given out his telephone number publicly; which is 08033140979 for residents to contact him immediately and report any erring police personnel,’’ he added.

    Meanwhile, an NGO, Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organization (CAPIO)  had said that it was working with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to ensure that innocent persons do not end up in detention unduly in Enugu State.

    CAPIO’s executive director, Rev. Fr. Ambrose Ekereoku who also spoke to NAN, urged the police to check its unwholesome activities.

    Ekeroku said that the organisation had received cases of human rights abuse where the Anti-Cult Unit in Enugu Command allegedly arrested people indiscriminately and extorting money from them.

    The cleric cited a case of a man who was arrested inside his house alongside his brother and neighbour and were detained for days before they were eventually bailed with a huge sum of money.

    According to him, such activities usually get innocent citizens unduly detained for no just cause.

    “The police must as a matter of conformity to modern policing stop mass indiscriminate arrest and arrest by proxy.

    “Modern policing deals with intelligence backed up with smart technologies that aid crime detection and prevention,’’ he said.

    He noted that some police personnel had been involved in unprofessional activities, inimical of destroying the reputation of the police.

    “The Anti-Cult Unit in Enugu have been arresting people indiscriminately without any proper investigation.

    “Those indiscriminately arrested alleged that if one is arrested and does not have money for bail, such a person ends up in prison or police cell.

    “We received information concerning the anti-cult unit officers going from house-to-house doing indiscriminate arrest on people sleeping in their houses at about 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., which most times affects the innocent.

    “At the end of the mass arrest, these people are all dumped in the police cell or prison, if they cannot bail themselves,’’ Ekereoku added.

    NAN

  • SEC takes e-Dividend campaign to South East

    In a move to further enlighten investors and the general public on the process and benefits of e-Dividend, multiple subscription, e-processes and other contemporary issues in the Nigerian Capital Market, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), will be holding a Town Hall meeting with stakeholders and the general public in Enugu.

    The event which has as its Theme: “Current Initiatives by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Nigeria to Enhance Investor Value”, is expected to draw participants from various segments of the society.

    The meeting is scheduled for Thursday December 6, 2018 at Hotel Sylvia, No. 66 Ezillo Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu State.

    Registration of participants starts by 9:00 am while the main event starts at 10:00 am.

    The event will create an avenue for the Apex capital market regulator to educate and enlighten the public on the above subject and also for operators, stakeholders and various investors to interact and discuss other issues surrounding the activities of the capital market.

    Recall that the SEC in January 2015 commenced the e-dividend registration campaign in Abuja with a road show culminating in a town hall meeting.

    Read Also: We are working to improve investors’ confidence, says SEC

    The event will also provide an opportunity to throw more highlights on investment opportunities available in Nigerian Capital market and how retail investors can benefit therein.

    The Commission had announced that the e-dividend registration would continue seamlessly in spite of the expiration of free registration deadline and also enjoined investors yet to enroll, to continue with the registration at a cost of N150 only.

    “Investors should continue to approach their banks or registrars, as usual, to seamlessly mandate their bank accounts for the collection of their dividends electronically, including unclaimed dividends, not exceeding 12 years of issue; as the N150 would not be demanded from them at the point of registration.

    “Also, the Commission recently extended the forbearance period for regularization of multiple share subscription to another one year after the expiration on 31st December 2018.”

    Acting Director General of the Commission, Mary Uduk disclosed this in her address at the 3rd and final Capital Market Committee(CMC) meeting held for the year 2018 in Lagos.

    “I am delighted to report that on the lingering issue of multiple subscriptions and forbearance for shareholders with multiple accounts, the CMC agreed that the forbearance window should be extended by another year from the December 31,2018 deadline previously communicated”, she said.

    The SEC boss called on investors to take advantage of this opportunity to claim their unclaimed dividends and bonuses before the expiration of forbearance period.

  • UPP governorship candidate pledges 17,000 jobs in Enugu annually

    Mr Ekele Uzodinma, the governorship candidate of United Progressive Party (UPP) in Enugu State, says he intends to create 17,000 jobs via agriculture in the state every year.

    “I have plans to kick-start agricultural revolution by cultivating 3,400 acres of farmland yearly, if elected,’’ Uzodinma said in an interview  in Enugu on Monday.

    Uzodinma said that this innovative thought-out plan, among others, had particularly propelled his ambition to serve the people of the state as their governor come 2019.

    The governorship candidate said that when was elected and inaugurated; his administration would acquire 200 acres of arable land in each of the 17 council areas in the state for the agriculture-based job creation scheme.

    “The 3,400 acres acquired from the 17 council acres would be given to 3,400 persons, mostly youths, at the ratio of one person per one acre of farmland for a period of a year.

    “Each of the beneficiary farmers is, in turn, expected to employ at least four persons to work with him in the farm. Thus, this will make them employers of labour as well.

    “At the end, we would have created employment for 17,000 persons for a start,’’ he added.

    Uzodinma, who is also a large-scale farmer in the state, said that the state government would facilitate the provision of soft loans to the beneficiary farmers as start-up funds.

    “We are also going to partner with the Federal Government, commercial banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies as well as international organisations in the implementation of the agricultural project.

    “Financial institutions and other government agencies would be mobilized to stand as off-takers, so as to assure the beneficiary farmers that their produce would be bought at good market prices.

    Read Also: Teenager kidnapped in Enugu found in Niger

    “The off-takers would ensure that the farmers continue with the project; while a new set of 17,000 persons would be enrolled for the programme in the coming year,’’ he said.

    Uzodinma said that the farmers would not only grow crops for the local market, they would also be mobilised to engage in the cultivation of export crops, while the state government and off-takers would be involved in crop processing and packaging.

    “The state government and the off-takers will arrange for foreign markets and freight for the processed and packaged produce,’’ he said.

    He stressed that after four years of the project implementation, the issues of joblessness and people roaming the streets aimlessly would have been tackled to a large extent.

    “In the end, foodstuffs will become cheaper and more affordable for all the people of the state, regardless of their level of income,’’ he added.

     

    NAN