The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enugu

  • 2015: Enugu PDP zones governorship to Nsukka

    2015: Enugu PDP zones governorship to Nsukka

    IF political developments in Enugu State are anything to go, Governor Sullivan Chime is having its way on which of the three senatorial districts produces his successor in 2015.

    The Caucus of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State affirmed its earlier position that the 2015 governorship seat should be zoned to Enugu North Senatorial District, otherwise known as Nsukka cultural zone.

    The affirmation ended aspirations of groups from Enugu West Senatorial District, the political constituency of Governor Sullivan Chime.

    Recently, the governor and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu disagreed on which district takes the next shot at the Government House.

    It (party decision) was taken in the presence of the Chime and Ekweremadu – two major dramatis personae in the zoning row.

    The unanimous endorsement followed a motion to zone the position to Enugu North Senatorial District which was moved by former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Chief Dubem Onyia,

    Onyia hinged his recommendation on the “inherent agreement we have in Enugu State in view of our historical antecedents.”

    Senator Ben-Collins Ndu seconded the motion.

    There was no dissenting voice when it was put to voice vote by the chairman of the party, Vita Abba.

    The decision attracted a loud ovation from members at the Governor’s Lodge, venue of yesterday’s caucus meeting.

    Chime called for sacrifice and understanding, especially from most of the elected representatives, saying “we have to respect agreements based on zoning in order to make transition easier and smoother.”

    In his remark before the endorsement was put to vote, Senator Ekweremadu said he has no problem with the governorship position being zoned to Nsukka zone.

    “If we want it (zoning it to Enugu North Senatorial zone), let us discuss it (because) I’m all for it,” the senator said.

    Former governor and ex-chair of the ruling party Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, commended Chime’s leadership style and wide consultation prior to elections.

    He said: “Some of us initially did not understand the governor’s style but he was convinced and pushed it through.

    “What has been said by the governor (need to respect agreements) is true because it has saved us from unnecessary rancour and bickering.

    “I want to congratulate the caucus on the decision (zoning the governorship to Nsukka) taken today.”

    At the meeting were: all National Assembly members from the state (except Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was bereaved), former deputy governor, Ezenwata Okechukwu Itanyi, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Ambassador Justina Eze, Speaker of the House of Assembly Eugene Odoh and other principal officers, PDP Board of Trustees member, Mrs. Sally Egbogu and former federal lawmakers among others.

  • Chime reshuffles cabinet

    Chime reshuffles cabinet

     … Drops five commissioners

    Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State on Thursday dropped five commissioners in a minor cabinet reshuffle.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Enugu by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Amaechi Okolo.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the affected commissioners are – Prof. Martin Anikwe (Agriculture), Dr. Simon Ortuanya (Education), Dr. Fidelia Ugwu (Health), Mr. John Egbo (Environment) and Mr. Charles Ajah (Water Resources).

    It directed the former commissioners to hand over to their successors, who were sworn in on Wednesday.

    The new commissioners are Prof. Chris Okoro (Education), Dr. George Ezeh (Health), Dr. Nnaemeka Chukwuone (Environment), Mr. Michael Eneh (Agriculture) and Mr. Michael Nwachukwu (Water Resources).

    Chime said, while swearing them in that the shake-up was aimed at injecting new blood into the cabinet, and expressed the hope that the new commissioners would accelerate the implementation of the four-point agenda of his administration by 2015.

     

  • Church accuses Enugu of withdrawing 54 schools

    The Anglican Church in Enugu State has accused the government of withdrawing 54 primary schools and 10 secondary schools previously handed back to the church.

    Eight bishops, who addressed a briefing yesterday, said other churches were not affected by the action.

    The bishops said they perceived discrimination among church denominations in the state and asked the government to resolve the impasse by returning all their schools back to them.

    Led by the Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of Oji-River Diocese, Rev. Amos Madu, the bishops called for the sack of the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Simon Ortuanya, who they alleged was directly responsible for the “marginalisation and humiliation” of the Anglican Church.

    He said: “Some communities were incited against the Anglican Church while some have been taken over by the Catholic Church.

    “Later, we got a letter from the Commissioner for Education that a school at Awkunanwu was wrongly handed over to us. The commissioner is working against us.

    “The commissioner also denied us allocation of school buses. We have written to the government but nothing is forthcoming yet.

    “We urge Governor Sullivan Chime to intervene in the matter.

    “The commissioner’s list should be ignored and we ask for his immediate removal. We pray for the government every Sunday and we wonder why this kind of treatment should be meted out to us,” the church lamented.

    But Ortuanya said it was not only the Anglican schools that were withdrawn but all other mission schools.

    He said the government has set up a committee to look into conflicts emanating from the handover of schools , adding that the committee is yet to submit its report.

     

  • Still on Ekweremadu and Enugu governorship

    Still on Ekweremadu and Enugu governorship

    The last seems not to have been heard on the controversy surrounding the zoning of the 2015 governorship in Enugu State to the Nsukka zone.

    A few weeks ago, Governor Sullivan Chime stirred the hornet nest when he declared that it was the turn of the Nsukka zone to produce the governor in 2015. But the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, rumoured to be interested in taking over from Chime has denied knowledge of the zoning policy.

    And just a few days ago, a pressure group, Greater Awgu Forum, said it is the urn of the zone (not Nsukka) to produce the next governor. Ekweremadu hails from Greater Agwu. It remains to be seen how this controversy will be resolved.

  • Homes, cars destroyed as flood sacks Enugu

    Some parts of Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State have been sacked by flood. Properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed.

    The disaster affected several residential houses, schools, vehicles and household property.

    Some ‘lucky’ houses that were not badly touched were submerged, trapping some occupants in and rendering many homeless.

    An eyewitness said the three-hour rainfall at the weekend prompted the flood.

    The worst hit areas include Umuchigbo, Iji Nike, Ugbene I, Ogburugbu and some parts of the Nike Express Road all in Enugu East Local Government Area.

    At Umuchigbo, several cars, houses, a school, shops, stores, near the Ava River were flooded, making it impossible for motorists to cross the Ava Bridge.

    A patient with a broken leg at the Foundation Gracia Medical Clinic, Livinus Idu, was trapped in the hospital.

    It took the intervention of the combined team of the Chairman, Enugu East Local Government, Prince Cornelius Nnaji, the representatives of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA), the Ministry of Environment and some other agencies to save Idu.

    He was rehabilitated by Nnaji, who paid his hospital bill, bought his drugs and paid his fare to his home town, Eha-Amufu.

    At Ugbene I, the situation was the same. The stream in the area rose to an astronomical level and all structures near the water ways were sacked.

    The Chairman, Enugu East Local Government, Cornelius Nnaji, said that his council would address the situation.

    “If parts of my council start experiencing this type of flood in May, what would happen in June, July, August, September and October?”

    He called on the Federal Government to enlist his local government as an ecological problem area.

    Commissioner for Environment John Agbo called on the Federal Government to expedite action towards handling the ecological problem that resulted in the flood.

    Some victims-Mrs. Beatrice Jideofor, Daniel Obetta, Crescent Ibekwe and Mrs. Edenoma Justina- blamed the flood on the activities of greedy landlords, who built houses and fences on the water ways.

  • Enugu ACN suspends 22

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has announced the suspension of its 2011 governorship candidate in Enugu State, Val Nnaedozie.

    He was suspended alongside 21 others, including a former state chairman, Emeka Udeh.

    The party’s executive council announced the suspension yesterday at a briefing at its secretariat in Enugu.

    State Secretary Uche Ogbu said the members were suspended for alleged anti-party activities and impersonation.

    But Nnaedozie dismissed the suspension and said: “I don’t know anything about any suspension; the state executive led by Emeka Udeh has not suspended me.

    “It is just a figment of the imagination of political jobbers. I’m sorry for them.”

    The party alleged that apart from anti-party activities, Udeh went on radio and claimed he was the state party chairman even when he had handed over to a caretaker executive on July 6, last year.

     

  • Workshop on Boko Haram in Enugu

    The Catholic Institute for Development, Justice, Peace and Caritas (CIDJAP) in collaboration with Christian Defence Force (CDF) and Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Action is organising an international conference/workshop on religious freedom, Christian persecution and intolerance in Nigeria and the need for dialogue.

    The event, which holds tomorrow in Enugu, seeks to deliberate on Boko Haram and its implication for Nigeria as well as analyse the phenomenon of religious intolerance and proffer solutions.

    The conference would also seek to promote and guarantee religious freedom in Nigeria as a fundamental human right.

    A statement by the facilitator, John Paul Okolo, urged everyone to be part of “this sharing of facts about Boko Haram, Islam in Africa, religious intolerance, Christian persecution and the way forward.”

     

  • Police uncover another baby factory in Enugu

    Police uncover another baby factory in Enugu

    •Centre to help infertile couples, says proprietor

    The police yesterday uncovered another baby factory in Enugu, just less than one week after the last discovery.

    A middle- aged man, who gave his name as Ozo Ben Akpudache of Ogui Eke in Udi local Government Area of Enugu state, is said to be behind the baby factory.

    He is helping the police in their investigation over his alleged involvement in the running of the place where young expectant girls were kept and delivered of their babies.

    Akpudache told the police that the babies after delivery were given out to those in need of children.

    He was arrested by the operatives of 9th Mile Division of Enugu State Police Command at his Ogui Eke residence where he has a three-room apartment reserved for keeping of young pregnant girls.

    Police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, said the suspect’s house was raided following a tip-off.

    Six young pregnant girls who gave their names as Chika Nwankwo, Ogochukwu Amadi, Amarachi Sunday, Ugwu Nnenna, Maryann Ani and Ogbu Precious were rescued from the apartment.

    Nnenna narrated her ordeals, pointing out she went to the apartment out of frustration.

    She said the proprietor promised to give her some undisclosed amount of money after delivery to take care of herself.

    An undisclosed acquaintance, she added, introduced her to the centre, an action she said she regrets.

    Akpudache stated that he had been in the business for five years.

    He said the business was geared towards helping childless couples who can afford to buy the babies.

    He further confessed carrying out the deliveries in one of the rooms of his apartment where a traditional labour room was set.

    He admitted he is not a medical doctor but does his things traditionally.

    The rescued girls are now helping the police in their investigations.

  • ••• Allay fears Enugu

    There was a bomb scare in Enugu yesterday. It followed a rumour of a bomb attack on Shoprite. The rumour was reportedly spread by yet-to-be identified people, who alleged that the supermarket was no longer safe for business because of a bomb scare in its mall across the country.

    Enugu State Police Commissioner Mohammed Abubakar Adamu visited the supermarket yesterday with his men.

    He assured the workers of the mall that their safety and that of the supermarket was guaranteed.

    The police chief urged the people to be sure of the information they pass to their friends and relations to avoid panic and chaos.

    Security was tightened on the premises of the supermarket. Men of the anti-bomb squad of the Enugu State Police Command searched the place with their anti-explosive devices. But the customers were seen shopping at the premises.

  • New police commissioner for Enugu

    A new Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, has resumed in Enugu State.

    In a statement by police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, Mohammed replaces Tonye Ebitibituwa, who has been redeployed to Bayelsa State.

    Mohammed has served at the Interpol Headquarters in Lyon, France as a specialised officer in Economic and Financial Crime Directorate, where he rose to become the first African Assistant Director.

    He was also the Director of Nigeria Police PeaceKeeping Directorate.

    The commissioner also served as deputy commissioner in Ekiti State and in Kaduna as deputy commissioner in charge of Criminal and investigations Department from where he was deployed to Enugu.