The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor of Ebonyi state

  • Umahi condemns renaming of Abakaliki street by Anambra govt

    Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of Southeast Governors Forum David Umahi, has condemned the alleged renaming of Abakaliki street in Awka, the Anambra State capital by the state government.

    The governor made his feelings known in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Emmanuel Uzor after the renaming of the street to ‘Club Street’ caused uproar on the social media.

    The governor while calling on the people to remain calm said he has contacted his Anambra counterpart, Willie Obiano with the aim of getting him to correct the action.

    Ebonyi and Anambra are in the Southeast region of the country together with Imo, Abịa and Enugu states which are predominantly Igbo speaking states.

    Read Also:Umahi suspends solid minerals development commissioner

    Umahi who noted that Mr. Obiano has every constitutional right to rename any structure,  be it road or any other infrastructure,  however pointed out that “in doing so,  what should come to mind should be the unity and perpetuation of legacies and sustenance of the sacred thing that holds us together as a people”.

    “While he condemns in its  entirety, Umahi has put everything in place to ensure that Chief Willie Obiano reverses the action of bringing back the Abakaliki street,  a name gazetted long time ago in the spirit of oneness in Igbo land”, said Mr Uzor.

    “There should be no part of Igbo land that should be discriminated upon. Ebonyi State has received the highest discrimination even from among her brother states and this is not healthy especially as we fight to unite our people and form formidable economic and political blocs”.

    “The Governor has put a call through to his brother Governor, Chief Willie Obiano on how best to resolve the conflict of interest especially as regards the social media claims that the street was taken away from Abakaliki people because they are not qualified to answer such name of a major street in Awka”

  • Taraba herdsmen, farmers agree to sheathe swords 

    Taraba herdsmen, farmers agree to sheathe swords 

    Herdsmen and farmers in Taraba State have agreed to end hostilities and embrace truce. This followed the intervention of the facts-finding committee chaired by the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Nweze Umahi.

    The Umahi-led committee, since arrival on Sunday, has met with Governor Darius Ishaku, the leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and All Farmers Association, chairmen of local government councils, commissioners and advisers, traditional rulers, leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Muslim Council as well as security agents on a round-table discussion.

    Umahi, who addressed reporters in Jalingo Tuesday, said “all the parties want ceasefire.”

    He disclosed that the Miyetti Allah has agreed to endorse the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. But certain sections of the law, particularly those that have to do with penalties, will be amended.

    And that the Taraba governor should extend the period of transition -from open grazing to ranching.

    It was also resolved that: “All legal cases concerning the anti-open grazing law should be withdrawn.

    “They would be a census to identify all the herdsmen and all their cattle in the State.

    “Any herdsman traveling from one state to another must obtain a letter from his ardo and must equally be accepted by the ardo in his place of destination,” the Ebonyi governor said.

    The committee disagreed with Miyetti on its allegation that Fulani were seen as second-class citizens and sidelined in the scheming of affairs by the Taraba state government.

    Umahi notes that deputy governor of the State is Fulani, a council chairman is Fulani, Senior Assistant to the governor on Political Matters is also Fulani, among many other positions.

    The committee, which visited the IDP camps Tuesday, said over a hundred residents have been killed in clashes between pastoralists and crop farmers. Thousands have been displaced, as several homes were razed.

  • FG targets $30 billion from non-oil revenue yearly 

    FG targets $30 billion from non-oil revenue yearly 

    • Sets up panel to boost export promotion

    Towards restructuring the Nigerian economy, the Federal Government is targeting to get at least $30 billion revenue from the current $5 billion from non-oil sources.

    This was disclosed by the Director – General of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Segun Awolowo while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice – President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

    He was with the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Governor of Kwara State, Ahmed Abdulfattah, and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu.

    According to him, Nigeria is going through the sharpest falls of export revenues in her history, losing over $100 billion (N30 trillion) of national export revenue between 2015 to 2017 due to the crashing oil prices, which resulted in recession.

    He said “The NEPC made a presentation to the NEC on a plan to restructure the Nigerian economy to survive without crude oil. The plan is called “the zero oil plan.”

    “Council was informed that there was urgent need to rapidly ramp up non-oil exports as our future earnings from crude oil faces significant headwinds.

    “The zero oil plan aims at earning at least $30 billion from non-oil sources in the near to medium term as against the current earnings of about $5 billion.

    He said the objectives of zero oil plan is to add $150 billion to Nigeria foreign reserves in the next 10 years, create 500,000 jobs, lift 10 million Nigerians out of poverty and integrate each state of the federation into the export value chain.

    Awolowo said that the focus of the plan is on the export of the following crops: rice, wheat, corn, palm oil, rubber, hides and skin, sugar, soya beans and automotive parts among others.

    He listed the destination countries for Nigeria’s exports to include Netherlands, China, Iran, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Sapin, Italy, India, Saudi Arabia, among others.

    He said NEXIM briefed Council on the “States Export Development Initiative” which is being pursued as a medium to long term strategic plan aimed at stimulating and increasing deliberate funding intervention to SMEs in the non-oil sector for attainment of its objectives.

    He further said that council was informed that one of the major objectives of the initiative is contributing to the implementation of economic policies of the country, like the ERGP and Agricultural Promotion Policy, among others.

    He added that the initiative is built on schematic transaction dynamics with key features like provision of a dedicated funding of a minimum of N5 billion as a pilot phase with window for other facilities and partnership for transactional support.

    “Council was further informed that the initiative will also help re-awaken the business consciousness of the states towards export and value added production especially in the areas of manufacturing, agro-processing and solid minerals,” he stated. 

    He said the Managing Director of NEPZA briefed council on the need to have more special economic zones in addition to the Calabar Free Trade Zone.

    “He told the council that the major defect in Calabar Free Trade Zone is that the zones have not been linked to the Calabar Port and that there is urgent need to do so in order to make the zone a lot more effective.

    “Partnership between the federal and state governments as well as the private sector is needed. He urged council to ensure that the location of free trade zones should be done strictly on business consideration and not political considerations.

    “He also asked council to provide incentives for free trade zones to include linkage to rail line, express ways, close proximity to utilities, airports among others,” he stated.

    The Council on Thursday also constituted a committee towards improving Nigeria’s non-oil exports.

    The National Committee on Export Promotion is to review several ideas and suggestions tabled at the NEC meeting.

    The committee consisted of three State Governors: Jigawa, Lagos and Ebonyi and the federal ministers from Industry, Trade & Investment, Agriculture & Rural Development, Power, Works & Housing, Transportation and Finance.

    Other members of the Export Promotion Committee of NEC are  the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, NEXIM Bank, and the CBN. Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Mohammed B. Abubakar is the Chairman, and Industry, Trade & Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah is Co-Chair.

    The Committee which is expected to submit an initial report by November is expected to come up with a concise action plan on how to drive non-oil exports based on the presentations and discussions of Council at today’s meeting.

  • Why we proscribed IPOB – Umahi

    Why we proscribed IPOB – Umahi

    Chairman of the South East Governors forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief Dave Umahi Saturday said the governors of the zone had to proscribe activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to stop tension that was rising in the zone.

    Umahi who briefed journalists in his office in Abakaliki said the Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu was gradually losing control of the situation and the group prompting the governor’s to wade in to prevent further bloodshed.

    He said the proscription has achieved desired result.

    He said IPOB has lost its original ideal by causing unnecessary tension and killings in the south east which he said has affected investment drive in the region.

    The governor also stated that based on evidence before him, the Military did not attack IPOB on Sunday as claimed by Mr Kanu adding that it was the IPOB members who threw bottles and stones on Military officers who were passing.

    “When you put a small fire, it can go very far and become difficult to controll”.

    “The IPOB activities were gradually getting out of control of Nnamdi Kanu. Soldiers were passing on the way when IPOB members started throwing stones and other objects on them and it sparked off the clash between the group and the military.

    “It is a shame that when this thing happened, a man called Charles Ogbu had to send phone numbers of all South east governors, Senate President and others and all our people could do was calling us to insult us, talked to them anyhow. These are people that never experienced any war in their lives.

    He said the lives of Northerners and all non-indigenes in the state and zone must be guaranteed at all times warning that security agencies have been directed to deal decisively with anyone that tries to cause a breach of the peace.

    “Our focus is how to save lives of every Nigeria and we believe in a united Nigeria. Lives of people are involved and we must not play politics with that,” he said.

    “Anybody that wants to foment troubles must be crushed and I want security agencies to beef up security around all the non-indigenes in the state and to report to me of any problem because we must maintain the peace.

    The Governor called on youths to stop insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of the country as according to him was very bad.

    He also noted that the Northern Governors will soon visit the South East, a visit which will also be replicated by the South East Governors to the North as a means of fostering unity in the country.

    He maintained that majority of Igbos do not want secession from Nigerian but to be treated fairly and justly in the county.

    “That is why we are all talking about restructuring, there is no part of this country that is not feeling marginalised somehow and that is why all the zones are setting up committees on restructuring”.

    Umahi however noted that injustice or marginalisation should not be a reason to talk about secession maintaining that dialogue should be the best way to resolve and redress all differences.

    On operation Egwu Eke II (Python dance II), the governor said the exercise was never targeted at IPOB but intended to curb rising incidents of crime especially kidnapping and armed robbery in the state.

    He noted that no one including the Military expected that there will be violence as the Egwu Eke II that was staged last year was largely successful.

    Heads of security agencies in the state and some Principal Officers of the state government attended the briefing.