The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Estako East Local Government

  • Benin Industrial Park: Investors angle for lots

    …as Park gets electricity license

    Coming on the heels of the approval by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of an electricity license for the Benin Industrial Park (BIP), investors are falling over themselves to snap up juicy lots at the park, located at Iyanomo, near Benin City.

    The BIP is a big-ticket project by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State aimed at driving the state government’s industrialization agenda and hosting manufacturing, agro-allied, textile and automobile industries.

    Governor Obaseki, at the commissioning of the new 1X60MVA, 132/33KV power transformer in Okpella, Estako East Local Government, disclosed that a Chinese company will be mobilising not less than 20 engineers to the proposed site of the Benin Industrial Park to commence preliminary work.

    According to him, “The approval of the license has further prompted a partnership with a Chinese Company that has shown interest to partner with us to develop our industrial park. They are sending 20 engineers to the state next month.”

    The visit by the Chinese Engineers follows several other business concerns that have expressed interest in setting up at the site, checks at the state’s Investment Promotion Office, show.

    Read Also: Gunmen attack trader at ATM stand in Benin

    “We have noticed impressive enquiries on the status of the project and the opportunities for investment. I think what is pulling the interest is the assurance that we now have a license for power generation at the site. As you well know, power is one of the major considerations for investment. With the governor’s investment-friendly posture, the assurance of electricity clears the coast for potential investors,” an official at the Investment Promotion Office said.

    Mr. Osamudiamen Efosa, who resides in Iyanomo, said that there has been an increase in traffic of people coming to the site of the industrial park with the news that a power license has been approved, noting that the state government’s commitment to the project is remarkable.”

    According to him, “Aside from the usual set of people we often see here, we are seeing a new crop of people who have been coming to make enquiries on the status of the project and they are often delighted to see a field office at the site.

     

  • Monarch cries out over flooded domain

    Traditional ruler of the Oliola Uzanu of South East Uneme in Estako East local government, HRH Benjamin Ikani, has cried out over the sacking of six communities in his domain by flood.

    The Monarch said more than 1,700 persons from the six communities are now displaced looking for where to stay.

    Ikani listed communities affected by the flood to include Uneme-Ekwuekpele, Uneme-Ogwoyo, Uneme-Ukpeku, Uneme-Ogbethaya, Uneme-Yeluwa and Uneme-Unubu.

    He said he relocated some widows, old women and children to Uzanu community to enable the children go to school.

    Speaking to newsmen at his Palace at Uzanu, Ikani said the displaced persons have been move to higher ground at Uneme-Yeluwa waiting for interventions from the state or local government.

    Ikani said he has reported the matter to the relevant authorities but was yet to get any help.

    Read Also: Flood claims 53 lives in Katsina, Kaduna States

    He expressed worry over stranded pregnant women that could no longer get access to ante-natal care.

    “The flood started last week. You can see the women and children in my palace. Nobody died in the flood but my people need help.

    “The most pathetic situation is the pregnant because of lack of health care, food stuff, medicine. The people can no longer harvest their crops.

    “I brought 18 persons because all of them have left their villages to stay at Uneme-Yeluwa.”

    Chairman of the locality, Mr. Aremiyau Aligamhe, said he has provided what the council could do for the victims.

    He said two resettlement centers have been prepared for the purpose of taking in persons displaced by flood.

  • Flood destroys farmlands, houses in Edo

    Twenty houses have been destroyed in six communities in Estako East local government by flood after days of heavy rain fall.

    Also, 20,000 hectares of farmlands were submerged by the flood.

    Communities affected by the flood are Ebelle, Okpekpe, Ukhomedokhai, Amugbe and Ekpeli.

    Read Also:INEC lost millions of naira to flood in Edo

    Witnesses said roads leading to the communities have been washed making access to the communities difficult.

    One of the farmers affected by the flooding, Mr. Tony Enike, a farmer, said his 10 hectares of farm were affected by the flood.

    “I am confused and do not know what to do as I speak with you. I just want help to come to us as fast as possible because, we are suffering,” he said.

    Chairman of the local council area, Mr. Aremiyau Aligamhe, who visited the affected communities called for help from relevant authorities.

    Mr. Aremiyau noted that there was little the local council could do to ameliorate the people’s suffering because of the level of destruction caused by the flood.

    He said the State Government has been informed about the development.

    “I share in your pains at this particular time of this natural disaster. The council has made representations to the State Government to see how respite could come to the affected people and communities,” he said.

    Special Adviser on Special Duties, Mr. Yakubu Gowon, said he has taken census of the destruction.

    “As I speak with you, the displaced have been sheltered while we await the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). If the case is beyond SEMA, then the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), will be invited,” he said.

    He urged people living in riverine communities that are prone to flooding to move upland and take refuge in safe havens that have been created in local government areas in the state.

    The governor’s aide warned that communities in Ikpoba-Okha, Ovia North -East, Esan South-East, Estako Central and Etsako East local councils have been identified as areas prone to flooding, and advised residents to “as a matter of urgency, move upland to avoid being overtaken by the menacing flood.”

  • Don’t close Obuh mining site, Okpella leaders

    Don’t close Obuh mining site, Okpella leaders

    Community leaders of Okpella Community in Estako East local government have urged the federal government to rescind its decision on the closing down of Obuh mining site because of ownership tussle between Dangote Group and BUA Group.

    The community leaders said the closing down of the site was ill-advised and capable of causing crisis in the community because of loss of jobs.

    A former council chairman of the locality, Mr. Godwin Isichei, who spoke on behalf of the leaders said BUA Cement has created 10,000 direct and indirect employment for the people of Okpella and other indigenes of Edo North.

    Isichei explained that there was no need for dispute as according to him, the area Dangote Group is laying claim to is in Kogi State while the area assigned to BUA is in Edo State.

    He said several meetings on boundary dispute he attended as chairman of Estako East spelt out the areas belonging to Edo and Kogi States.

    His words, “Giving the directive is totally wrong and not advisable. For BUA to shut down the plant it has invested so much in is not good for the economy of Okpella. It will cause unemployment and crime in the area.

    “What Dangote is claiming is in Okene. What BUA inherited from Bendel Cement is Obuh. We don’t have Obuh at Okenne. There is no way Obuh can be in Okenne, Kogi State. The place should be opened to any investors. We are not asking Dangote not to come but the way he is going about the whole process, the entire community is not happy. He should not instigate the shutting down of BUA. Dangote does not have a Cement plant but BUA has a plant and has even expanded.

    “It was wrong to shut the mining site when the matter is pending in court. Where is the order to close down the site. Obaseki can call both sides and resolved the issue. We do not want our community to be turned to a theatre of problem.”

  • First rain destroys 100 buildings in Edo community

    The first rain of the year that fell in Okpella, Estako East local government has wreaked havoc on the community

     

    It destroyed over 100 residential buildings, school buildings, electrical installations and farmlands.

     

    The rain lasted for about four hours.

     

    Eyewitnesses told our reporter that residents are currently trying to remove items from the ruins of their buildings.

    The witnesses said classroom blocks at Iddo Community Grammar School were pulled down which made it impossible for students to receive lectures.

     

    One of the victims who gave his name Abdulahi Issah said the roof of his house was entirely removed.

     

    He described the development as “the will of God Almighty” that no human could have stopped’’.

     

    “I am appealing to the relevant authorities to come to our aid to cushion the effect of the rainstorm,” he said.

     

    Another victim, Muhammed Muhammed called on the Edo State Emergency Management Agency to assist the victims.

     

    Vice Principal of Iddo Grammar School, Kashim Otaru said the students do not have a place to learn.

     

    “The rainstorm has wreaked havoc on our building, as you can see we don’t have roof under our head or a building where the students can learn.

     

    “So we are appealing to the relevant authorities to come to our aids as students no longer hava a place for conducive learning,” he said.

  • Community threatens showdown with Dangote over cement factory

    Community threatens showdown with Dangote over cement factory

    The people of Oteku community in Okpella clan Estako East Local Government have warned Dangote Group to negotiate with the real owners of the land before establishing a cement factory in the area.

    Dangote Industries Limited recently announced plans to commence a three million tonnes per annum production capacity cement plant in Okpella after it obtained license from the Mining Cadastre office for the Obu limestone deposit.

    Residents of Oteku who protested over the acquisition said they were not opposed to the presence of Dangote or any other investors but fighting against forces trading off their land without their consent.

    The protesters who carried placards with inscriptions as “Okuokpellagbe romancing with Dangote on illegal lease”, “Obu deposit in Okpella not Kogi”, “Obu is for BUA not Dangote” and “Okuokpellagbe has sold our birthright” went through major Streets in Iddo, Okugbe and Afokpella.

    Spokesman for the protesters, Mr. Uduafemeh Otaru Gospel, said they were prepared to resist any illegal acquisition of mining deposits in the area without the knowledge and consent of the land owners.

    He said the protest was to avoid communal clash in Okpella.

    President of Iddo Youth Forum, Mr. Mohammed Mohammed, said they would resist any attempt by Dangote Industries to frustrate investment of BUA Cement which has commenced cement production in the locality.

    According to him, “We cannot condone its back door activities in Okpella. We are a peace loving people and don’t want crisis under the guise of investments.”

    “Okpella people cannot watch helplessly as Ado Ibrahim and Dangote have redrawn the map of Okpella in Edo State.”

    Executive Chairman Etsako East Local Government Council, Hon. Abdulmalik Suleiman Afegbua, who addressed the protesters, said Governor Adams Oshiomhole was already handling the matter.

    He however promised to contact the Edo State Governor and relevant agencies, stressing that an inch of Okpella land will not be ceded to Kogi State.

    He however maintained that Dangote and other investors were welcome to other minerals deposits which abound in Okpella.