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Tag: Enugu

  • NGO makes widows happy in Enugu

    NGO makes widows happy in Enugu

    Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Cari-ng Heart Foundation has made 20 indigent widows happy in Enugu State.

    The widows who were drawn from two local government areas of Ibeagwa-Agu and Nimbo in Nsukka and Uzo-Uwani  were promised cash donations that will give them a means of livelihood.

    While presenting the gift items, Mrs. Joy Agbo, President of the foundation in a remark, said their objective is to help orphans, widows and elderly people in the society to alleviate their sufferings and give them a sense of belonging.

    “We are eight women friends that formed this NGO, our objective is to assist indigent widows, orphans and elderly people who have nobody to care for them in Nsukka senatorial district.

    “We are women married in Nsukka and we are living with our husbands in Lagos, this charity oriented foundation gives succor to those who have nobody to look after them.

    “It’s not that we have excess money but we want to use the little we have to put smiles on faces of widows, orphans and elderly, “she said.

    She said that she had one to one talk with benefitting widows and what they said they needed was money to farm to enable them to get something to eat as well as take care of their families.

    ‘Before March this year when farming will start, the foundation will send some amount of money through a volunteer member of the foundation from the local government.

    According to, Mrs Amaka Ugwu, Secretary of the foundation, non-refundable cash donations will be made available to the widows which we will monitor to ensure that the money was used judiciously.

    “When the foundation gives out the money to the widows, we will monitor the use through our volunteers to know if the money is correctly put into use.

    ”You know most times when you give this money to the beneficiaries they may channel it to some other things other than what it was meant for.

    Ugwu said two months ago, the foundation gave some gift items to some orphans that today was the turn of widows adding that in the next three months it would be the turn of elderly people.

    ‘We ensure this charity work is not concentrated in a particular local government by ensuring we select beneficiaries from different LGs that made up the zone, ‘she said

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Mary Ezema said she lacked words to express the happiness in her heart, but pray God to bless the foundation for coming to their rescue.

    “We have nothing to pay them back but only God  will reward them on the year gift and promised to send money to enable us buy farmland and hire labourers ,’she said

    A women leader in Ibegwa Aka community, Mrs. Joy Ezea, who witnessed the event commended the foundation for coming all the way from Lagos to help indigent widows and prayed God to help the foundation in their own point of need.

    “God will surely reward this foundation for remembering the poor in the society, “she said.

  • Enugu gets N500m for 1600 micro-enterprises

    Enugu gets N500m for 1600 micro-enterprises

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released N500 million to the Enugu State government to finance 1600 micro-enterprise borrowers as recommended by Enugu SME Center under the state micro, small and medium enterprise development program (MSMEDP).

    The Special Adviser to Governor Sullivan Chime on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, Mr Anayo Agu who disclosed this in a release said the fund represented the first tranche of over 3500  potential beneficiaries of the Enugu State-CBN micro, small and medium enterprise development fund (MSMEDF).

    Mr Agu said that the second tranche comprising of small and medium enterprise borrowers, is expected before the end of January 2015.  He added the release of the funds was a fulfillment of the promise made by Governor Sullivan Chime to make capital available for small entrepreneurs to prosper and for rural farmers to grow.

    Mr Agu emphasised that the state SME loan is open to every entrepreneur and enterprise in Enugu State irrespective of political affiliation, faith or state of origin adding that subject to the program’s guidelines, an applicant including a farmer, a cooperative society, or an NGO may borrow as little as 100,000 naira for one year for a micro venture and as much as 50 million naira for five years to build a small or medium cottage industry.

    He further disclosed that  the Enugu State government paid the 3 per cent cost of the N2 billion available to the state from CBN under the scheme and waived it to potential borrowers in order to  make the soft loan very attractive to qualified applicants, .

    Additionally, it approved that the participating microfinance banks earn only 6 per cent as administrative charge or interest rate per annum inclusive of all bank charges for the three categories of loans under the fund.

    It would be recalled that Enugu State was one of the twelve states that signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CBN on July 24 2014 under the CBN 220 billion naira micro, small and medium enterprise development fund (MSMEDF).

    Over the past five months, the State Special Purpose Vehicle (S-SPV) for the fund, Enugu SME Center in association with the Ministry of Human Capital Development and Poverty Alleviation, has prospected for borrowers and held outreaches in almost every local council, major commercial town and religious denomination in Enugu State.

     

  • ‘APC has better plans for Enugu’

    ‘APC has better plans for Enugu’

    Okey Ezea, a lawyer, is the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State. In this interview with TONY AKOWE in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he speaks about his plans for the state and how he intends to win the poll.

    You emerged as a consensus candidate in the recently conducted governorship primaries in Enugu State. How did this happened?

    Actually, we had another aspirant in the race by the name of Dr. Ifeanyi Asogwa, but a few days to the nomination, he graciously said there was no need for us to dissipate energy and so he withdrew from the race to contest for the House of Representatives. We come from the same Federal Constituency. That was how the consensus arrangement came about. This was done with the consent of our supporters. I remain grateful to the party for the privilege accorded me.

    You are running against the PDP, which has been in power in Enugu in the last 16 years. How do you intend to defeat the party?

    I have no doubt in my mind that we will defeat the PDP in Enugu State because the people are not happy with the party and they want a change. The PDP has been in charge of Enugu State for the past 16 years and there is nothing to show for it. Our people have remained impoverished year by year. They have remained in poverty and disease, in hunger and illiteracy all these years. So, the people of Enugu state are yearning for a change.

    The PDP has zoned the slot to your zone. Don’t you think this is a set back for you as you will be contesting against your kinsman?

    The only advantage the PDP will have is the power of incumbency. But in terms of acceptability of the people, in terms of the belief of the people in our party and our programme, in terms of their confidence in the person of Okey Ezea and in appreciation of the fact that this is a person who can deliver and have the courage to tackle the issues and have the idea of tackling the issues in the state is not in doubt. The fact that we come from the same Senatorial zone will not in any way hamper our chances.

    Governor Sullivan Chime is believed to have performed. Don’t you think this will rob off on the elections?

    I disagree with you on the popularity of the government of Sullivan Chime. The mistake people always make is that the end up comparing Sullivan with the government before him. When you do that, you are bound to say that he has performed marvelously. Meanwhile, they have not compared the revenue accrued to his government and the one that accrued to the first democratic government from 1999. I don’t think that the government before Sullivan got about 30 percent of the amount of money available to Sullivan and he was able to resurface some urban roads in Enugu metropolis and that is where it ended. The next urban community in the state after Enugu is Nsukka which is impassable cause there are no roads, no drainage, no street light, no good hospital, no secondary schools. So, where is the performance? Even within Enugu metropolis, you can talk about. Bissala road, Okpalla Avenue, Presidential road, Oguiyi road and that is where it ends. Go to Abakpanike, there is no road, go to Emend, there is no road. The same applies to Uguaji and Amechi which are adjourning communities to Enugu metropolis. In any case, the measurement of the performance of any government does not begin and end with resurfacing of roads and putting street lights or awarding contracts. The people have more fundamental problems such as dealing with poverty, the ability to put food on their table, pay school fees for their children; issues of students who have graduated for the last 10 years with jobs. We have those who have learnt one trade or the orpther, big cannot start any business because they are not economically empowered. We have people who are sick and cannot get medical attention. These are the things that touch peoples’ lives and not resurfacing of roads. Any “imbecile” can resurface roads. If it is about resurfacing roads you can seat down in Abuja and run a government in Enugu state., you can seat down in Lagos and run a government in Katsina because the contractors will come to you I. Any hotel you are staying and you award the contract there. You must get down to the people, know the peculiarity of each community, know their problems, know the nature of their terrain, know the kind of roads you can build there and lots more before you talk about performance. With due respect, it is not that because we are running a campaign, you must castigate your opponent. We are saying that the government of Enugu state has not positively affected the lives of our people, especially the youths. These are the same youths they use all year round. They call them out every four years, give them all kinds of drinks give them Indian hemp and even guns and use them to manipulate elections, dump them thereafter and go away.

    So, what is the plan of the APC for Enugu State? 

    The mission of APC in Enugu State is summarized in the quest for wealth creation and poverty alleviation. APC is out to create wealth in Enugu state and alleviate poverty. Anything we are doing that is not tailored towards this objective is outside our mandate. In achieving this, agriculture will be a priority area of governance. Enugu state is an agrarian society with 60 percent of the people being farmers. Once you address their problem, you have addressed the essence of governance. Once you make them happy, government has performed. Most of these farmers don’t use these resurfaced roads and don’t even come to Enugu, even though the roads are also important. We are going to give these farmers the implements in other to make farming an enjoyable venture. We are going to have extension workers and clear large portion of land through Mechanised means parcel these lands out to young farmers. We will get the graduates interested in farming and have their own parcel if farmland and when they produce, the government will buy the produce from them and create income for them immediately. We will make sure that in these farms, there is irrigation because there are rivers and lakes in Enugu where we can pump water for all season farming for these people. We will provide fertilizer at very subsidized rate and provide good seedling for them. We will create the impression in them that farming is a good business.

    Outside agriculture, the next thing we will look at is education. If is a cardinal principle that there must be free education in all states controlled by APC. In Enugu state, our target is for there to be free education up to senior secondary school level. If is going to be free and compulsory. It is not that if you like, you go and learns trade in Nnewi. No, you must acquire secondary school certificate and depending on your performance , we will then decide whether you go to university or polytechnic or you go for vocational education. We will provide vocational education so that people can learn skills for people to help themselves and create wealth. We have two technical schools in Enugu state with one in Nsukka and the other in Enugu state. We will revive these schools and get equipment for the schools. If they have these skills, they can become entrepreneurs. We intend to reduce the cost of school fees in our tertiary institutions so that a lot of parents who cannot take their children to IMT and other institutions should be able to do that. We will also support them with some bursery award. You may ask where the money is going to come from. The money will come from an articulated process of revenue generation because all these people, when they have jobs, they will create income from where they can pay rates and taxes and government will be able to recover some money. My government will apply strict discipline and accountability on funds accruing to the state. Enugu state has collected more than N544 billion from the Federations Account between 2007 and now and nobody gives us account of these money. Enugu state does not look like a place where that kind of money has been spent. When we apply discipline and accountability in the management of government resources and funds, there should be money to take care of these problems.

  • Cash crunch mars celebrations in Enugu

    Cash crunch mars celebrations in Enugu

    On Monday, two days before New Year’s Day, the streets of the Coal City were deserted. Informal football teams could have played on them without any hindrance. On Tuesday, the footballers could have extended play-time. Why? More and more residents of the Enugu State capital were moving to their hometowns.

    Why did they not travel earlier as they were wont to? It had to do with cash. Civil servants in the state got their salaries a bit late, on Christmas Eve, and could not make their yuletide arrangements until Christmas Day. Traders were just as disenchanted because of low patronage. So, as soon as some cash came in, Enugu residents made their purchases, packed their bags and headed for their hometowns, leaving behind essentially indigenous people.

    This was unusual. Before now, salaries were paid much earlier and the outflow of residents to the villages began as early as the 22nd. Travelling out of the city during the Yuletide is a tradition and many head out to be available for such commitments as weddings, traditional marriages, and memorial services, among others.

    By Tuesday, many residents had travelled out of Enugu, as Mr. Mike Anyim put it, “to usher in the New Year in my ancestral home”.

    Mr. Uche Nwosu, who deals in cosmetics, said this period was one in which families who lived apart gathered in their hometowns to relish one another’s company and sometimes thrash out issues.

    But this year, the residents had some challenges.

    Nwosu said, “Although [travelling out of the city] has taken root in our lives and every family strives to make it home during this period, but you can see that there was delay by people travelling home this year. It was due to difficult times. Besides, the civil servants could not receive their salaries in time and we the traders could not dispense our goods”, posited Mr. Nwosu.

    Nwosu, however, was optimistic that it would be better next year, having blamed the trend on politicians “who reserve their money for the February elections.” He may not be far from the truth by blaming the crunch on politicians.

    As investigations by the Southeast Report revealed, the politicians are capitalising on the yuletide period to shift their campaigns to the villages. Although here have not been open campaigns, undercurrent maneuvers were on among the politicians who dish out some hand outs of food to the rural dwellers. Also meetings after meetings as alignments and re-alignments were being negotiated this period.

    A post-primary school teacher, Ofoegbu Aneke who tried to explain the cash crunch this Yuletide, said, “It is true that there is cash crunch which made this year’s Christmas low-key. But remember we are on the eve of an election year. It is so every four years. Once the election is approaching, about two months away, there will not be much cash in circulation. The politicians hoard the money. The government will give excuses. So it is not new. The cause is election-year”.

    Aneke, however, praised the governors of Enugu, Imo and Anambra states who ensured that the workers were paid while calling on other governors to emulate them even as they were about completing their tenures.

    One noticeable thing in this year’s yuletide period is the stability in prices of commodities. Rather than the usual increase that follows the yuletide, prices of commodities were stable and in some cases, there were reductions. Items like a 50kg bag of rice sold below N9000, four litres of vegetable oil sold for as low as N900.

    Chickens, goats and turkeys were within reach. So also were clothing and shoes. The only concern was lack of cash.

  • PDP’s wounded governors: What next?

    PDP’s wounded governors: What next?

    Governors of Adamawa, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu and the deputy governor of Sokoto states lost out in the power game that trailed the recently concluded PDP primaries. In this report, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, attempt to unveil the counter plots of the wounded governors

    Ebonyi: Elechi and the LP option

    EBONYI State governor, Martin Elechi, is unhappy. His sour mood stems from the outcome of the governorship primary election of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In spite of his open support for former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, as his preferred choice for the governorship candidate of the ruling party, party stakeholders, led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, succeeded in truncating Chukwu’s emergence.

    The development no doubt left Elechi sulking and he has openly vowed to fight the injustice meted out to him by the PDP. Amidst news that he may have decided to dump the ruling PDP for the Labour Party with his supporters, the governor recently said he would remain in the PDP to fight the injustice meted out to him.

    He spoke at a town hall meeting at the Women Development Centre (WDC), Abakaliki. The governor told the people not to be disturbed about the rumoured impeachment plot against him by his estranged deputy, Chief Dave Umahi, who is now PDP’s governorship candidate, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku and their collaborators.

    A visibly angry Elechi rejected the candidature of Umahi and vowed to continue to reject all forms of injustice being perpetrated in the party by people he referred to as enemies of the people. According to him, he has been treated very badly by the party he so much loved.

     

    Supporters gone

    Although the governor says continually that he remains a member of the ruling PDP, observers of the politics of the state say he may be selling a dummy to the leadership of the party as his supporters recently defected to the Labour Party (LP) to realise their political ambitions.

    Reports say the defectors numbering about 600,000 joined the little known LP in the state to hold its primaries for governorship, National Assembly and state Assembly.

    Notable supporters, allies and political associates of the governor among the defectors included senator representing Ebonyi-North Senatorial District, Senator Chris Nwankwo, member representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Chief Tobias Okwuru, the member representing Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Peter Oga-Ali, 13 members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and Governor Elechi’s first son, Chief Elechi Elechi.

    Others were a business mogul, Chief Edward Nkwegu, the immediate past state chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Ugorji Amaoti, former House of Assembly leader, Ikechukwu Nwobo, Commissioner for Economic Empowerment, Chief James Aronweke and former Ikwo Local Government Area Chairman, Chief Celestine Igberi Nweme.

    Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Blaise Orji, former Abakaliki council chairman, Chief Mathew Uguru, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Celestine Nwali, the Commissioner for Education, Prince Ndubuisi Agbo, his agriculture counterpart, Romanus Nwasum, a former minister, Chief Goddy Ogbaga and a former bank Managing Director, Sam Agom-Eze, among others.

    “These people are the very nerve of Governor Elechi’s political family. With serving commissioners, federal and state legislators defecting to the LP alongside aides and allies of the governor, it would be foolhardy for anyone to believe Elechi’s song of still remaining in the ruling party. He’s gone for good. Don’t forget he has vowed to fight the injustice meted out to him. How else do you think he will fight?

    “Politically, the situation in Ebonyi, as we speak, is unpredictable. The people leaving for the LP are not pushovers politically. With the governor tacitly supporting them, you can be rest assured that PDP will find it tough at the general election,” Chidi Emordi, a legal practitioner and state co-coordinator of Access to Jusitce (AJ), told The Nation.

    The Nation also learnt that the defection of the governor’s people into Labour Party was actually planned and agreed upon by his entire political family following his inability to foist his preferred candidates on the party at the last primary elections of the PDP.

    “The movement to PDP is our response to the hijack of the PDP by a few Abuja-based money mongers who are bent on taking over the structure of the ruling party for their selfish ambitions.

    “How can any serious political party allow a seating governor to be so shabbily treated by people who cannot even win councillorship positions in their wards? We found out too late that a lot of dummies have been sold to the presidency by these same people. They are destroyers. They have nothing to offer the people of Ebonyi.

    “We cannot fold our hands and watch them destroy all we have laboured to do in eight years. We have the support of Governor Elechi and the people of the state in our decision to go to LP and pursue our political ambitions. Don’t forget that the governor’s son is here with us. We will deliver Ebonyi from these political traders in 2015,” a serving commissioner said.

    Trouble started for Elechi the moment he announced former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, as PDP’s candidate for the 2015 general election and his successor as the next governor of the state.

    The governor made this known during a meeting at the Government House, Abakaliki, which lasted over six hours with members of the state PDP caucus, lawmakers, stakeholders and youth leaders across the 13 local government areas of the state in attendance.

    Elechi, according to a source at the meeting, adopted Chukwu, after an in-depth search and therefore requested the ex-minister to make himself available for the governorship position in the 2015 general election as a consensus candidate.

    Confirming the adoption, the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Dr Chike Onwe, said the resolution reached was that all Abakaliki people should support the power shift arrangement in the interest of peace and mutual co-existence of the various sections of the state.

    According to feelers, the governor who chaired the meeting said zoning the governorship slot to the South was due to the immense contributions of late Dr. Akanu Ibiam in the state creation as he hailed from the area, Unwana Afikpo LGA of the state.

    But hardly had the announcement of Chukwu settled down that a battle for political supremacy between the governor and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, started with the later rejecting the choice of Chukwu.

    Soon, the PDP in the state was divided into two camps with Elechi and Anyim taking commands of the two warring factions. So vehement was the crisis that the national leadership of the party and the presidency intervened on a number of occasions.

    Elechi’s camp had the likes of Comrade Chinedu Ogar, Youth Leader of the state chapter of the PDP and the immediate past Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu. Scores of federal and state legislators, commissioners and local government chairmen, amongst other political office holders and state appointees, also lined up behind the governor.

    Those urging Anyim on include immediate past governor, Dr. Sam Egwu, deputy governor Dave Umahi, factional Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku and former state PDP chairman, Ugorji Amaoti.

    The others include Amaoti’s erstwhile deputy, Joseph Onwe, some federal and state legislators and a few disillusioned members of the Elechi administration. But at the end of the gubernatorial primary election, David Umahi, Anyim’s candidate and Deputy Governor of the state, was declared winner.

    According to the result announced by the NWC of the party, Umahi defeated other candidates by polling 541 votes out of the 592 votes cast by the delegates. Elechi also lost his bid to get a senatorial ticket of the party. But Chukwu, alongside supporters and associates of Governor Martin Elechi, boycotted the primaries.

    Thus began the crisis that is now threatening to cost the ruling PDP its traditional stronghold of Ebonyi state should the governor make good his vow of fighting the injustice that has been meted out to him till the very last.

    “Nothing is certain as we speak. Should the governor support them, the crop of politicians that are daily trooping to the LP today in Ebonyi State can pull a surprise in 2015. And don’t forget that the governor’s son is with them in this struggle,” Emordi said.

  • 2015: Police sensitise Abia communities as Enugu boosts health

    2015: Police sensitise Abia communities as Enugu boosts health

    2015 is inspiring a flurry of activities. In Abia, SUNNY NWANKWO reports that the police have started a state-wide community tour with a message of credible polls. In Enugu, CHRIS OJI reports that the Chime administration is winding down with focus on primary health

    The word is already out from the Abia State police command. The election year is at hand. Take no chances. Meet the people from one community to another and keep talking with them. Every effort must be made to ensure a smooth election.

    That was what the state Commissioner of Police Mr Adamu Ibrahim told his divisional officers and other personnel at a seminar in the capital Umuahia.

    Soon after the state police chief’s directive, it fell to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Titus Anayo Ugwoke, Ohuru Isimiri divisional head, to kick off the campaign with a meeting with residents of Obingwa Local Government Area.

    Other divisions in the state command will take a cue and replicate what the DSP has done in fulfilment of the directive.

    In Enugu State, Governor Sullivan Chime flagged off the second Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week. Women turned up with their newborns, getting medications and inoculations as well as a good dose of health orientation. But one thing that stood out at the health week was Chime’s pledge to stock all the health facilities in the 17 local governments of the state for effective primary health delivery before handing over in 2015.

    At Obinwa in Abia , the seminar whose theme was “Ensuring a Hitch-Free 2015 General Election” attracted youths from the council area, the local government Transition Committee (TC) Chairman Prince Obinna Nwabiaraije, members of the Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ), Aba Chapel, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) personnel among others.

    The forum provided the opportunity for NOA’s Chief Organisation and Mobilisation Officer, Mrs. Kalu Ojingwa, INEC Electoral Officer for Obingwa Local Government Area, Mr. Peter Okorie and the police to interact with the participants. They shared ideas on how to achieve a violence-free and fair election in the Ohuru Isimiri Police Division.

    Nwabiaraije, in his speech, said, “Any election that is not free and fair cannot be adjudged as a credible one”.

    He challenged all the security agencies to live up to their statutory responsibility of ensuring that elections were conducted in 2015 under a peaceful atmosphere.

    The Transition Chairman said, “To ensure a peaceful and successful election in 2015 in the country security agencies, the electoral umpire, INEC, including other relevant agencies, should avoid indulging in any form of sharp practices that could lead to the breach of the conduct of the elections in 2015. Youths should not  be used for electoral violence that would hinder the smooth conduct of the election.”

    He thanked the police for bringing experts to educate the people and to enlighten the people on the essence of a free and credible election.

    Mrs. Kalu Ojingwa, Chief Organization and Mobilization Officer National Orientation Agency (NOA), and Electoral Officer, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Obingwa Local Government Area, Mr. Peter Okorie in their separate lectures stated that the two agencies were already prepared to ensure that the coming election in the local government would be peaceful.

    They urged individuals who were yet to get their voters card to do so to enable them participate actively in choosing who their leaders become in 2015.

    His Royal Highness, Eze Nwabeke and the President National Youth Council Obingwa chapter, Ihuoma Gideon promised that the people and youths of the area were peaceful and would do everything possible to ensure that they sensitize those absent from the programme, promising that election in the area in 2015 without recording any form of violence.

    Earlier Ugwoke in his address at the event said that the problem Nigeria witnessed in the past is that the electorates made bad choices during elections because they were influenced or been induced with money which translates to the quality of leaders that were produced at the end of every election.

    “However, the quality of government in a country is to a great extent determined by the quality of elections through which the legislative and executive organs of government that are constituted. If citizens elect or allow corrupt and violent persons to get into power and exercise legislative and executive powers, they cannot expect to reap peace, freedom, security, development and prosperity”.

    The convener said that the essence of the seminar was to discuss major factors that engender violence during elections and to proffer recommendations that could lead to a credible 2015 elections in Obingwa Local Government Area.

    He suggested among many other factors that political parties should establish and maintain a fair and effective system for redressing grievances and solving conflicts among their members, eschew political violence, fraud and corruption as way of ensuring a free, fair and credible poll in 2015 and beyond.

    At Uwani Health Centre in Enugu South Local Government Area, where the programme was launched in collaboration with United Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners, Governor Chime said his administration would continue to partner with stakeholders in the sector to ensure an improved health system in the state’s rural communities.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health George Eze, commended UNICEF for its support and collaboration with the state Ministry of Health in making sure that health issues are effectively tackled in the state.

    On the theme of the MNCH Week which is (Effective Hnad-washing), the governor said it was in line with the programme of combating the scourge of the Ebola virus and also thanked UNICEF for their intensive effort in using effective hand washing against the virus.

    He further stated that his administration has released 12 brand new vehicles to the ministry of health for monitoring and supervision of activities and will keep supporting the ministry of Health in the provision of funds and other interventions to ensure that health programmes are implemented everywhere in the state.

    In his remarks the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Moses Otiji who represented the ministry thanked the labour leaders in the state who despite their strike granted his one-week request for the programme for the benefit of children and mothers.

    He also expressed joy at the large turnout of the mothers and advice them to tell others to go to health centres close to them to access the vaccines and drugs free of charge.

    Speaking on behalf of the National Health Center development agency Dorothy Nwodo said that the agency supported Enugu state with the distribution of Mama Kits which is a kit given to every woman that gave birth in the health center having attended ante-natal care.

    She said that the agency is also supporting with the refurbishing of the modern health center and the Sure-P centers including monitoring of the programme.

    The UNICEF programme consultant Joy Oji who demonstrated the way hands should be washed, advised the mothers to spread the message to other mothers.

    She also said that UNICEF has trained health workers and provided adequate vaccines and vitamine A for all the children including financial support for the MNCH week.

    Some other activities were distribution of treated nets as well as soaps to the women for prevention of mosquito bites and general sanitary practices.

     

  • Enugu crisis: Court summons PDP, INEC

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to appear before in to answer to a suit over the dispute resulting from the governorship primary conducted by the party in Enugu State.

    Justice Evoh Chukwu also gave them 24 hours within which to file their responses to the suit instituted by an aspirant, Samuel Maduka Onyishi (owner of Peace Mass Transit Limited) following his dissatisfaction with   the outcome of the party’s gubernatorial primary election held on December 8.

    The judge abridged time for the defendants to respond to the suit in view of the application of urgency made by plaintiff’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN).

    He ordered PDP and INEC to appear before the court on Thursday to show cause why the reliefs sought by Onyishi should not be granted.

    The plaintiff, who raised some questions for the court’s determination, is seeking, among other things, a declaration that the primary election conducted by the PDP in Enugu state was in total disregard and contempt of a subsisting suit challenging the election of delegates for that primary election.

    He wants the court to nullify that primary election for being in breach of sections 87(4)(b)(I) of the Electoral Act and for non-compliance with the electoral guidelines for primary elections 2014 of the PDP and and its constitution.

    Justice Chukwu had, prior to the primary election, held in a suit marked: FHC/Abj/CS/830/2014 filed by Orji Chinenye Godwin and two others against the PDP and 4 others, that the legitimate list of delegates for the primary election should be that  of all the delegates duly elected as delegates at the party’s ward congress held for the state.

    Onyishi stated, in a supporting affidavit, that the state’s  Electoral Panel, allegedly acting in breach of the court’s decision, discarded that list of elected delegates approved by the court, and utilized a different  list of delegates, which they claimed was handed over to them by the leadership of the party.

    He further averred that no valid election took place in the state because  no votes or results could have been recorded from the flawed election.

    The plaintiff said as a result of the confusion created with the substitution of the actual delegate list, some delegates conducted different primaries leading to a situation where the state now parades three persons laying claims to being winners of the gubernatorial primary election of the PDP in the state.

    Justice Chukwu has adjourned to December 18.

     

  • Enugu PDP disowns senator’s claim

    Enugu PDP disowns senator’s claim

    THE Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the claim by Senator Ayogu Eze that he was the person elected as the party’s governorship candidate.

     It declared Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the duly elected candidate.

     In a statement yesterday in Enugu, the party’s publicity secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, explained how the state primary produced Ugwuanyi.

    The statement claimed that the state PDP, in liaison with the national headquarters, picked the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, as the venue for the primary.

    It added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and all delegates were duly informed of the venue for the election, stating that they attended and performed their respective roles.

    The party said the PDP Governorship Primary Election Panel from Abuja headed by King Asara Asara “duly conducted the election with the official delegates list, ballot papers, and result sheets” obtained from the party headquarters.

    The panel, the statement said, announced a result declaring Ugwuanyi as the winner, haven obtained 937 votes of the 983 votes cast.   “Ugwuanyi was, therefore, issued with a certificate of return,” the party said.

    It said: “All the statutory delegates of the Enugu State Chapter of the PDP, including Governor Sullivan Chime and his deputy; the Deputy President of the Senate,   Senator Ike Ekweremadu; the State Chairman of the PDP and all state party officials; all members of the National Assembly from Enugu State (except Senator Ayogu Eze); all members of the Enugu State House of Assembly (including the Speaker and gubernatorial aspirant, Eugene Odo); all local government council chairmen and local government party chairmen; Board of Trustee members, including the former National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, etc, were all present and voted at the primary held at the stadium, along with the elected delegates.”

  • It’s a two-horse race in Enugu

    Today’s Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship primaries in Enugu State is likely to be a two-horse race. The ruling party has temporarily put at bay the crisis threatening to tear the chapter apart. As part of the agreement between the two factions, Governor Sullivan Chime’s has dropped his senatorial ambition.

    The Southeast Secretary General of the human rights watchdog, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo believes there may not be any serious competition between the two camps anymore. “Since Governor Sullivan Chime has dropped his senatorial ambition, the least the Senator Ike Ekweremadu camp is expected to do is to give him (the governor) the privilege of nominating his successor. “The governor has mended fences with Ekweremadu and followed it up with the announcement that he is no longer interested in contesting for Senate,” he told The Nation at the weekend.

    From all indications, the contest is going to be a straight contest between the consensus candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Senate Works Committee Chairman, Senator Ayogu Eze.

    Other aspirants in the race are: the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo; business mogul and transporter, Dr. Maduka Onyishi; the youthful Chinedu Onu; and an Abuja-based contractor, Anayo Onwuegbu. All the aspirants are from Enugu North senatorial district, otherwise known as the Nsukka zone, which is slated to produce the next governor of the state. The only exception is Onwuegbu, who is from the Awgu axis of the state.

    Barring any unforeseen development, Ugwuanyi is likely to get the ticket. The man fondly called Gburugburu by his admirers seems to have an edge over Eze; as the consensus candidate endorsed by the party structure in the state. As Chukwuokolo observed, the least expected from the Ekweremadu camp is to concede the ticket to Governor Chime’s anointed choice.

    Apparently, there are two things working for Ugwuanyi: his humility and grassroots disposition. He is also known for his generosity. Although he was not all that well known before his emergence as a consensus candidate, most people in the state are beginning to appreciate his qualities.

    Aside from his humility and grassroots support, Chukwuokolo believes he is an amenable and fairly disciplined fellow.

    Eze is the next aspirant to watch. There are speculations making rounds that he may spring a surprise, consensus or no consensus. One thing going for Eze is that he had become a household name even before ventured into politics. His sojourn in journalism made his name a popular one. But, Chukwuokolo disagrees with the notion that he enjoys the backing of the populace. His words: “If they produce somebody like Senator Ayogu Eze, it would flop because he is not a likeable fellow.”

    Nevertheless, the other aspirants are no pushovers. Onu’s campaign team, for instance, can be said to be as strong as those of the two main contenders. Onu missed becoming the governor of the state in 2007 by whiskers. He was the anointed successor to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. But, fate did not smile on him as Nnamani at the last minute changed his mind and settled for Chime. People have attributed this to the “hand of God”. What Onu has going for him is his sharp intellect and ability to mix and adapt with any level of the society.

    There were speculations that he was the candidate of Ekweremadu. But, the Deputy Senate President has since refuted that allegation. He is frank to a fault. Take godfatherism away from the primaries, Onu will likely carry the day.

    Onyishi is another aspirant is capable of turning the table against all odds. What he has going for him is his affluence. He is the founder and managing director of Peace Mass Transit. He is reputed to be a very generous man; he has touched the hearts of many people.  He made donations of buildings to universities around the Southeast and Southsouth. His simplicity and low-profile nature makes him the man of the people. Although he played campus politics in his student days, he has been focusing on his business until now. He has been touted as a future strong man in Enugu politics.

    Odo, on the other hand, represents the new generation of politicians. He is ambitious. Apart from his being a lawyer and legislator, nothing suggests that he has an edge over the other aspirants.

    As for Onuegbu, alias Omeiheukwu, he is probably in the race as a spoiler. Apart from the fact that he is not from Enugu North, he does not have any visible structure to rely on. He contested the last primaries against the current governor and he was roundly defeated. Ever since, he has been in court challenging the election of Chime. Some of the cases are yet to be disposed, while Chime is about rounding his tenure.

     

  • Photo: Enugu APC guber primaries

    Photo: Enugu APC guber primaries

    the Elected Guber candidate of APC Enugu State, Hon. Barr Okey Ezea, Chairman of Party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, the Chairman of Guber Primary Committee, Engr. Anthony Alinnor and the State Secretary, Major Gen. Chris Eze……..Thursday . PHOTO: OBI CLETUS.
    Elected governorship  candidate of APC Enugu State, Hon.
     Okey Ezea, Chairman of Party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, the Chairman of
    Guber Primary Committee, Engr. Anthony Alinnor and the State
    Secretary, Major Gen. Chris Eze……..Thursday .
    PHOTO: OBI CLETUS.