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Tag: Enugu

  • World Cup: Police assures football viewers 24-hrs protection

    Enugu State Police Command says it will provide adequate protection for residents during the World Cup through its 24-hour patrol and surveillance.

    The Command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Enugu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s Super Eagles and 31 other countries would trade tackles at the June 14 to July 15 football fiesta.

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles are in Group D comprising Argentina, Croatia and World Cup debutantes, Iceland.

    The event would feature 64 matches, all of which would be televised by various Pay Television Networks being subscribed to by football match viewing centres, relaxation spots and hotels.

    Amaraizu said that residents of the state are free to watch the World Cup matches even very late into the night without fear as there would be adequate police presence.

    “We don’t sleep in our duty especially on minute-by-minute patrols in the state. That is why there is always night life in Enugu.

    “However, we are redoubling our efforts to strengthen the existing patrol and other security frameworks during this World Cup season.

    “This is knowing what it means for the residents and visitors to watch the matches live in a secured environment,’’ he said.

    The spokesman also urged football lovers and residents to be of good conduct especially in the aspect of controlling their emotions as a match progresses.

    “Do not allow your emotions to cause commotion. Football is a game meant to promote peace, love and oneness among people.

    “Residents should watch matches and make new friends notwithstanding the outcome,’’ he said.

    According to him, the officers and men of the command are wishing the Super Eagles a fruitful outing and superlative performance that would make the country proud.

    “For those who cannot make it to Russia due to one circumstance or the other; the person, family or group can come to Enugu and watch the matches through Pay Television Network in viewing centres and hotels as well as experience the peace and hospitality the state offers,’’ he advised. (NAN)

  • Town unions to Ndigbo: think home

    Southeast Town Unions rose from a one-day economic summit in Enugu with a clarion call to Igbo sons and daughters with businesses outside Igboland to begin the process of repatriating their investment back home.

    This is with a view to opening up opportunities and addressing the unemployment crisis and the attendant security challenges in the zone.

    In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the group lamented that the extant security arrangement in Nigeria today has not served the interest of the Southeast “especially as it concerns the lives and property of the vulnerable, poor defenceless people at the grassroots.”

    The communique signed by the national president, Chief Emeka Diwe alongside state presidents of the association states further: “It is our view that security everywhere is a local affair and to overhaul the security architecture of Nigeria is an idea whose time has come. An effective community policing will certainly solve the problem.”

    The communique described as an aberration the non-inclusion of an Igbo man as a member of the National Security Council that is made up of eleven persons.

    On the menace of herdsmen, the group was of the view that both farmers and herders need the land but averred that herding of cattle is a private business which should be treated strictly on that basis.

    The group said it aligned with the concept of restructuring as advocated by many organisations in the Southeast. “However, our in depth research on the feeling of the people, the town unions being the closest to the grassroots, indicates that the people would want to agree first to live together before the conditions of living together would be spelt out.”

    On the issue of Biafra agitation, the group stated: “We regret the patently unsustainable approaches often being adopted by successive governments in Nigeria to deal with the Biafran question. Suppressing an idea does not succeed in making it go away. The Biafran agitation is not necessarily about secession or the break-up of Nigeria. Rather, it is an expression of displeasure over the unarguably prolonged marginalisation of Igbo people in the scheme of things in Nigeria. We therefore maintain that continous dialogue and genuine commitment to addressing the root cause of the agitations will solve the problem.”

    The summit with the theme “Economic, security and leadership challenges in the Southeast” had in attendance all Southeast town union leaders and as well as other stakeholders.

    The summit was chaired by the representative of the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo in the person of Hon. Alex Ogbonna, the Enugu State president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    Papers were presented by guest speakers at the occasion. The Speakers included Sir Stanley Chidozie Amuche whose presented the paper “Harnessing the Economic Potentials in the South East for the Prosperity of the Grassroot,”  Paulinus Igwe Nwagu who spoke on security challenges and Prof Ihechukwu Madubuike.

    The highlight of the summit was the Investiture of National patrons and meritorious awards conferred on the former governors of Anambra State Peter Obi and Chris Ngige and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

  • Enugu: APC faction breaks into party secretariat to hold meeting

    The tension generated by the just concluded congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State heightened at the weekend with the factional chairman, Okey Ogbodo, forcefully breaking into the party’s secretariat.

    As at the time of filing this report, Ogbodo, who leads the faction loyal to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geofrey Onyeama, was holding a meeting of his faction at the secretariat in Park Avenue, GRA Enugu.

    Ogbodo was said to have acted under the cover of suspected thugs and heavily armed operatives of Department of State Security (DSS), Enugu State Command, who were sighted by our correspondent at the secretariat while the faction was meeting.

    Although the re-elected Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, had earlier scheduled a meeting of his executive at the party secretariat, he was advised to shelve the meeting to avert a total breakdown of law and order in the secretariat.

    Ogbodo had petitioned against the re-election of Nwoye in the last state congress, demanding that he (Ogbodo) should be issued with certificate of return as the chairman of the party.

    However, the three-man appeal panel from the APC national secretariat dismissed his petition for lacking in substance.

    An insider source alleged that breaking into the party secretariat was a covert plot by the minister’s faction to provoke a clash with the party leadership and create an atmosphere of crises in Enugu State, ahead of the national convention, slated for June 23.

    According to our source, the faction was irked that none of its members, including the minister, was named in the list of Enugu State delegates to the national convention released by the national secretariat.

    Before claiming to be a contender for APC chairmanship early this year, Ogbodo contested for the state chairmanship of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was defeated by the incumbent chairman, Augustine Nnamani.

    Ogbodo’s foray into the state chairmanship of APC was viewed as an attempt by the ruling PDP in the state to destabilise APC, its main challenger in 2019.

    Notable APC bigwigs in Enugu State narrowly escaped death during the state congress when Ogbodo’s faction stormed the venue of the party’s state congress in Enugu State with suspected political thugs.

    Those who escaped by whiskers include former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, immediate past governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, and the National Vice Chairman of APC, Southeast, Emma Eneukwu.

    Others were former commissioner in Enugu State, Hon. Joe Mammel, and the state chairman of the party, Nwoye.

    All the dignitaries were already seated at the Indoor Sports Hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu, venue of the congress, while the delegates were being called in when the minister and members of his faction stormed the venue at about 2.pm.

    The suspected thugs, who chanted praises for the minister, chased away the delegates to APC Enugu State Congress.

  • Talents compete for N2m as Enugu hosts Hi-Life Fest

    The coal city of Enugu is set to host the grand finale of Hi-Life Fest on Saturday, June 2, 2018 where contestants will be vying for a N2m prize.

    The talent hunt which is aimed at celebrating the heritage of Igbo people through music, has featured acts from seven state auditions. Over the past weekend, the indigenous highlife music competition took the talent hunt to Onitsha, Anambra State, where the remaining contestants – five groups in the traditional dance category and 10 singers in the highlife music category – slugged it out for a place in the finals.

    And competing for the grand prize in the Hi-life music category are Dons Ifeanyi Frank (Anambra), Kalapi Ojuka (Port-Harcout), Emmanuel Agbom (Delta), Uwazie Chuks Arthur (Imo), Chinedu Obiajulu Ada-Chi (Enugu) while the traditional dance category will feature Kanaowo Dance group (Port-Harcourt), Noel Cultural Entertainment (Ebonyi), Asinodricks Africa (Imo) and Umuchiziri Egwu Cultural Dance (Enugu).

    One of the finalist Ada-Chi said – “I am so glad to be the only woman to make it to the grand finale in the singing category considering the fact that it is a male dominated activity, I am still here and I hope to clinch the grand prize.”

    Last year, Chibest David from Imo (Owerri) won the maiden edition of the the Fest. The Enugu finals of the Hi Life fest, an initiative of Life Continental Lager Beer which is brewed by Nigerian Breweries Plc, will feature performances from Onyeka Owenu, Phyno, Bright Chimezie, Obiligbo Brothers, Tipsy Kelvano and Chibest David.

    Speaking ahead of the event, Bright Chimezie said: “All the cities we have been to for the festival has featured very talented artistes. It will be interesting to see who eventually emerges the winner at the grand finale. However, I want to emphasize even more on the unity that this competition represents for the Igbo people and the country at large. Beyond whoever wins, the ultimate goal is celebrate Igbo culture through highlife music.”

    The Portfolio Manager – Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Emmanuel Agu said, “Hilife fest is a show of the commitment of Life Continental Lager beer, the Igbo man’s partner in progress, to continue promoting and propagating the beautiful heritage of the Igbo people through highlife music.

    “We understand how much these classic tunes mean to the consumers and are delighted to bring this music fest to them. Seeing all the honed talents, and the beautiful performances at the quarter and semi finale concerts, have been a joy to behold and we look forward to working with the winners in managing their talent and preserving the beautiful highlife culture.”

    Enugu, which hosts two important annual Igbo traditional festivals – the Mmanwu festival and New Yam festival – has taken further steps to create more festivals which are managed by Enugu council of Arts and Culture.

  • Sit-at-home call grounds Enugu, Aba

    The sit-at-home call by outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to mark the “Biafra Day” yesterday recorded partial compliance in many cities in the Southeast.

    Many people stayed away from their business premises in Enugu and Aba but it was a flop in Imo and Ebonyi States.

    In Asaba, Delta State capital, and some parts of Port Harcout in Rivers State, compliance was partial.

    Major markets, government and public institutions in Aba closed for business in compliance with the order.

    Ariaria, Cemetery, Ahia Ohuru (New Market), Shopping Centre, Ehi road, Ama Ogbonna, Uratta, Afo Ule, Ahia Nkwo and other markets were devoid of their usual hustling and bubbling.

    Major roads, such as Azikiwe, Faulks, Okigwe, Asa, Port Harcourt, Aba-Owerri, Ikot Ekpene and Osisioma junction, and major motor parks witnessed a drop in traffic.

    Banks on Okigwe road, Aba-Owerri road  carried out skeletal operations; those on Faulks road and near Ariaria were closed.

    This is even as private and public school pupils stayed away from their schools.

    Although police patrol vans were sighted at the headquarters of the three local governments of Osisioma, Aba North and South, civil servants, in fear, stayed away despite a circular from the Head of Service, Sir Onyi Wamah, directing permanent secretaries to take staff attendance.

  • Enugu expels female pupils for ‘cultism’

    Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board (PPSM) has expelled nine female pupils of Urban Girls Secondary School, Enugu for alleged membership of cults.

    It warned pupils against vices, especially cultism, insisting that the state had zero tolerance for cults.

    The board said henceforth, any pupil found to be a member of a cult would not only be expelled, but would also not be allowed to enrol in any school in the state.

    PPSMB Chairman Nestor Ezeme spoke at Ugwuoba Girls Secondary School in Oji River Local Government during the inauguration of a classroom block built and donated to the school by the lawmaker representing Oji River\ Awgu\Aninri  Federal Constituency, Toby Okechukwu.

    He said education remained one of the priorities of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration, stressing that schools should make discipline their watchword.

    Ezeme said the government was committed to promoting education, noting that the governor was an advocate of youths’ empowerment via education.

    The lawmaker, who is the chairman, House Committee on Works, emphasised the need for support for education for the development of the society.

     

  • I am overwhelmed by our 3 years scorecard – Gov. Ugwuanyi

    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State says he is overwhelmed by the three-year scorecard his administration recorded under harsh financial periods.

    Ugwuanyi said this when he addressed the people of Enugu State during the 2018 Democracy Day at Okpara Square, Enugu, on Tuesday

    He said that the promises he made during his inauguration on May 29, 2015 had looked vague and unrealisable due to the huge debt profile of the state as at the time.

    The governor, however, said that with aggressive revenue drive and prudent management of available resources, his administration had held unto its dreams.

    “The laudable goals we have achieved appeared impossible at that time owing to the realities on ground: huge debt profile of the state pressing down our neck and huge salaries and pension arrears confronting us.

    “All these were in the midst of economic crunch and depleted revenue from the centre. Our promises then appeared vague, but we held unto our lofty dreams,” he said.

    Ugwuanyi said that the determination to succeed prompted his administration to modernise the revenue collection process of the state as well as block leakages.

    “Following these reforms, our internally generated revenue hit N22 billion in 2017, the highest by Enugu in a single year since 1999.

    “Today, the results we have on ground and the progress we have made in the last three years bear us out that with God all things are possible,” he said.

    The governor said that his administration had set out to build a state where security and peace were the order of the day.

    He said that apart from partnering with the security agencies to create a peaceful environment, his administration was also getting the youths engaged through job creation.

    He said that the health sector of the state had come alive with the construction of district hospitals and training of 400 volunteer workers for health intervention programmes in rural communities.

    The governor said that doctors, nurses and allied workers had also been employed in the sector.

    Ugwuanyi said that the agricultural sector of the state had also been active with several rice farmers receiving assistance from the government, which had improved yield in the state.

    He expressed gratitude for what he called the overwhelming acceptance of his administration by residents of the state.

    “As we embark on the last lap of this tenure, be rest assured that we will never let you down. With God ordering our steps, we will continue to put efforts at ensuring that the common good remains our watch-word.

    “Let me on your behalf congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the National Assembly, the judiciary and other state governors on this occasion,” Ugwuanyi said.

    NAN reports that the highpoints of the event were parade by the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, musical renditions and cultural displays.

    The theme of the celebration in the state was ‘Festival of Gratitude and Praise’.

  • Parallel congresses in Ondo, Enugu, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, others

    Some of yesterday’s State Congresses of All Progressives Congress (APC) were marred by violence and disagreements leading to parallel congresses in some states, including Ondo, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, Adamawa, among others.

    In Ondo State for example, no fewer than 50 persons, including some reporters who covered the congress, sustained severe injuries when some political thugs invaded the venue of the congress held by a faction of the party.

    Another state where thugs chased out some delegates during yesterday’s exercise was Enugu.

    Although there was no violence in Imo and Niger states, the outcome of yesterday’s congresses there also left much to be desired. While a faction of the party in Imo held the congress in a secret venue in spite of a court order, in Niger, some contestants publicly shed tears when the leadership opted to adopt affirmation.

    Besides these, many other states, including Adamawa, Kwara, Delta, Lagos and Abia states reportedly held parallel congresses.

    There are also reports of some top APC chieftains, like the National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun of Edo State and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from Bauchi, who boycotted the exercise.

    These problems notwithstanding, the exercise was successfully conducted in the majority of the states where new executives were either elected or unanimously retained.

     

  • Enugu: Congress ends in fiasco, faction elects Ogbodo as chairman

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Congress Committee for Enugu State and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were yesterday saved by security agents from being lynched by thugs.

    The members were ready to conduct the election but while delegates were being screened and accredited, thugs struck.

    The sponsors of the thugs were not immediately identified.  Bigwigs of the party present at the congress ?include former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, immediate past governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu and the National Vice Chairman of APC, South-East, Emma Eneukwu.

    Others are former Commissioner in Enugu State, Hon. Joe Mammel and the state chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye.

    All the dignitaries were already seated at the Indoor Sports Hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu, venue of the congress while the delegates were being screened and accredited when the Minister, in the company of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Justice Reforms, Juliet Ibekaku, arrived the venue at about 2.pm.

    The congress committee members and the INEC officials were smuggled out of the venue of the congress by armed security personal through a backdoor and put into a stationed Honda Accord car.

    The dignitaries left the venue one after the other as the police were sporadically shooting into the air to scare away thugs.

    But soon after, a group alleged to be the faction of the minister, assembled at the same venue and elected Deacon Okey Ogbodo as the state chairman of the party.

    The congress committee members and the INEC officials were not present at the reconvened congress by the faction.

    By the time of going to press, the other faction, led by the State Chairman of the party, Ben Nwoye, were reconvening at a venue for the continuation of the disrupted congress.

     

  • Ramadan: Prices of foodstuff skyrocket in Enugu

    Prices of some food items have soared in Enugu State midway to rainy season and beginning of Ramadan by Muslims.

    A survey conducted by newsmen in some markets in Enugu on Monday showed that prices of foodstuff had increased by about 90 per cent Ramadan: Prices of foodstuff skyrocket in Enugu.

    At Akwata Market in Ogbete, a basket of tomatoes which cost N9, 000 in March now sells at N17, 000 while a paint container of tomatoes costs N2, 500.

    Also, a bag of onions which previously cost N9, 000 now goes for N11, 000 while fresh pepper which was previously sold at N9, 000 a bag now goes for N5, 300.

    A tomato dealer in Ogbete, Mrs Udoka Eneh told our reporter that the increase was due to the off season.

    “Tomatoes were in abundance in March and early parts of April but are usually costly during the rainy season and because tomatoes are perishable, we cannot stock it.

    “Again, Nigeria do not also practice preservation of agricultural produce which makes people to import tomatoes from Cameroon this season, thereby, making it more costly,” she said.

    Eneh said that they lost some of their customers due to high cost of the product; people who could not afford it had resorted to tin tomatoes.

    Read Also: Abuse of Ramadan

    According to Mr Ebuka Njoku in Kenyatta Market, farmers usually experience acute shortage of tomatoes at the beginning of every rainy season.

    The tomato dealer also attributed the high cost to religious fast by the Muslims.

    Njoku noted that when Muslims fast, it affected the movement of food items from the North.

    He said that the patronage they got were from retailers, people who do ceremonies and restaurants owners.

    Mrs Uche Mba, a mother of three, said that because of the high rate of tomatoes, she had switched to coconut rice, fried rice and vegetable stew instead of their regular jollof rice and tomato stew.

    The survey also showed that the prices of melon (egusi) had also increased as the cup of hand peeled melon which previously cost N75 a cup now sold for N180 and a cup of machine peeled is sold at N170 as against N60 sold in March.

    Mrs Vero Ugwueze, a melon dealer said that melon was also off season and most melon farmers had switched to water melon farming.

    She said that the price would hopefully drop in August when new melon comes out.

    NAN