The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ikpeazu

  • Ikpeazu calls for prosperous, unified Nigeria

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has said that the hope of a prosperous and unified Nigeria lies on mutual respect between its federating units in the country.

    Speaking on Thursday during the South- East Security and Economic Summit in Enugu, Ikpeazu said it was time to respect the capacity of all federating units.

    “The hope of this country lies on how we show respect to the federating units and we will do well when we recognise the capacity of all ethnic groups to contribute to nation building,” he said.

    He also said that governments of the region needed to forge closer collaboration to address issues of governance that had kept the zone marginalised its progress impeded.

    The governor said it was sad that politicians from the region had not understood the import of politics to socio-economic development of the people.

    Ikpeazu called on politicians from the zone to forge closer ties with other ethnic nationalities in order to address issues of underdevelopment and exclusion that had bedevilled the zone.

    “Though as a people we are pressed on all sides, but there is something we can do than to respond to the impulses on all sides,” he said.

    The governor said that the people of the region were one and needed the unity more at the prevailing circumstances, irrespective of political delineation.

    Also speaking, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State said that the whole of the region was faced with precarious situation which needed to be urgently addressed.

    Ugwuanyi said that the near lack of federal presence exemplified by the deplorable condition of federal roads in the zone had impacted negatively on its economic development.

    “The whole of the South-East is faced with erosion threat, state governments are financially handicapped and we solicit financial support to face our challenges,” he said.

    Ugwuanyi called on the Federal Government to pay more attention to infrastructure development of the zone.

    He, however, expressed the gratitude of the governors in the zone regarding the bailout funds and financial assistance from the Presidency.

    In an address of welcome, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi expressed the hope that said that the summit would give birth to integration and improved love for one another in the zone.

    The Ebonyi governor stressed the need for the people of the zone to address all issues such as boundary disputes impeding the development of the in the region.

    He said that when the resolution of the issues would ensure closer harmony among the people.

    Umahi said that politicians from the zone had for too long played politics of attrition, adding that it was time to close ranks in the interest of the people.

    “We have been running individually but it is time to come together as this is the platform that will drive commerce in the zone,” Umahi said.

    Contributing, the Deputy Governor of Anambra, Dr Nkem Okeke, said that governments in the region could not continue tgo depend on federal allocation to attend to their needs.

    Okeke said that the zone needed to leverage on its abundant natural resources as well as the people’s enterprise to move it forward.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice-President Dr Alex Ekwueme, and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu attended the occasion.

    Maj.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), Prof. Barth Nnaji, top government officials from the five South-East states, members of the state Houses of Assembly also made the list.

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo was, however, absent at the event.

  • Media and Ikpeazu’s infrastructure revolution

    Media and Ikpeazu’s infrastructure revolution

    SIR: No project presently demands the deployment of the ancillary roles of the press more than the infrastructure revolution of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State. Ikpeazu has kept to his promise of using the dry season window to fix the dilapidated Faulks Road. It will be recalled that Ikpeazu had earlier flagged off the reconstruction of 4.7km Faulks Road with a contract sum of N6.8 billion. This approach was to provide a permanent solution to the strategic road which has defied efforts by the previous government due to the menace of flood.

    Ifeobara basin, an artificial lake, collects run off storm water from most part of Aba, especially the Ariaria area. The basin is usually filled with domestic waste, debris, silts and sediments which impede the underground drains to discharge water whenever there is heavy rain because they are blocked. Recovering and desilting the basin is strategic to a successful reconstruction of Faulks Road. It has been severally posited in the past that the past administrations failed in their bid to fix Faulks Road because proper attention was never given to Ifeobara basin. Also, Ifeobara is a major contributor to the problems Ukwi- Mango and the flood water along Faulks. Therefore, complementing the road reconstruction with 5.6km underground water channel would proffer a lasting solution to the lingering problems of both Ukwu-Mango and the flood water along Faulks Road.

    Faulks Road is very strategic to the commercial life of Aba, the commercial- nerve of Abia State and indeed, the South-east. The road begins from Brass Junction by Aba-Owerri Road through Ukwu-Mango to Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway. It also serves a major link to Ariaria International Market. Ariaria International Market which was established in the 1970s, is arguably is the largest market East of the Niger. The market cuts across three local government areas of Aba North, Aba South and Osisioma, and countries of West and Central Africa such as Cameroun and Gabon are served by the market. The market is the largest shoemaking cluster in Africa with 85 zones.

    The media is expected to go beyond the surface of Ikpeazu government’s policies and programmes to explain, where necessary ask questions, to ensure that the public’s support is mobilised for such policies and programmes.

    The mass media are both agenda setters and opinion moulders. They have enormous role to play in Ikpeazu’s infrastructure revolution in Abia State.

     

    • Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu,

    keshiafrica@gmail.com

  • Labour urges Ikpeazu to sack ABSUTH’s,others’ management

    Labour urges Ikpeazu to sack ABSUTH’s,others’ management

    The leadership of organised Labour in Abia State has urged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to sack the management of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Abia State Polytechnic (ABIAPOLY) and Abia State Transport (ABIALINE) for their alleged inability to pay their workers, despite the funds they generate.
    Speaking on behalf of other unions, the Nigeria Labour Union (NLC) State Chairman Uchenna Obigwe said the umbrella union could not understand why an agency that was generating money failed to pay the salaries of its workers.
    Obigwe said each time the unpaid workers boarded the transport company’s vehicles – to and fro the capital city – they paid cash.
    The union wondered why such agency of government found it hard to pay the salaries of its workers at the end of every month.
    He said: “My Governor, ABIALINE is owing workers 12 months. We can’t understand why. This is because everyday, you see ABIALINE buses on the road and cars carrying passengers and goods to every part of the country. The passengers do not enter ABIALINE on credit. We also pay our transport fare.
    “We have picketed ABIALINE. Yet, we can’t understand why it is owing. So, we think that sacking the current management and bringing in a new management, which will be ready to work with the state and pay up salaries, will be the appropriate thing to do now.
    “The same thing goes to the management of Abia Poly and ABSUTH. Students of Abia Poly pay their schools fees and other fees which the management of the school demand. We can’t also understand why the management can’t pay the workers.
    “Sick people who go the ABSUTH pay for their medical bills. We also can’t understand why the management of the hospital can’t pay salaries. We think you should sack the management of these agencies.”
    The Labour leaders spoke at a meeting with the governor to deliberate on how to deploy the refund of N10.6 billion by the state from the excess deductions on World Bank loans.
    The parties agreed that part of the funds would be used to clear salary and pension arrears in the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

    While making contributions, another Labour leader acknowledged that Abia State University, ASOPADEC and some others are up to date with salary payments and wondered why ABIAPOLY with more students than Abia State University continues to have challenges with salary payments even after the current administration in the state bailed the management out of N2b loan to banks that have been outstanding for years.
    The Nation recalls that on Monday 19th of December all the unions at the Abia Ploy and ABSUTH blocked major roads in Aba to protest the inability of the management of their different institutions to pay them arrears of the salaries that runs into seven to eight months.

  • Ikpeazu as good brand ambassador

    Ikpeazu as good brand ambassador

    SIR: Brand ambassadors, also known as Corporate Ambassadors, are hired by organisations to represent brands positively as well assisting companies to increase the awareness of brands to promote sales.  Few characteristics mark out brand ambassadors. One is that they should have an appreciable knowledge of the core principles of marketing. Another is that they should reach out to a wide range of people.

    Also, brand ambassadors have the capacity to influence people’s perception of products as well encourage them to patronise the product. Another important function of brand ambassadors is to foster strong relationships between the customers and the brand. They also gather feedback from customers about a product. This will enable the firm to improve on their products and services.

    These and more are what Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State is doing for the made -in- Aba wears as brand ambassador. The governor has not relented in his efforts to ensure that these products capture the global market and attract huge patronage. He has taken advantage of every opportunity to market the made-in – Aba wears. One of the occasions is the 2016 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum held in Lagos recently where Ikpeazu did not take chances to launch made-in -Aba shoes. This excited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who served as one of the panelists, to place an order for pairs of shoes.

    This also prompted the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to urge other military and paramilitary outfits in the country to emulate the army by immediately banning the purchase of all imported foot wears in preference for locally produced ones.

    While Governor Ikpeazu is fulfilling his beat in marketing the brand “Aba”, the federal government should not hesitate in fulfilling its own beat. There have been calls from several quarters on the federal government to ban importation of all goods that Nigerians have the capacity to produce locally.

    The former Senate President, David Mark in 2013 during a trade fair to launch made-in Aba products in Abuja described Aba as the “catalyst of industrial revolution in Nigeria” and urged the federal government to discourage importation of foreign goods because Nigeria has no business importing those goods which do not measure to the quality being produced in the country.

    Abians have no other option than to  assist this great brand ambassador (Ikpeazu) in this his marketing efforts, especially now that serious pressure is exerted on our currency (the naira) because of import dependency .This situation is necessitated by weak, narrow export base where revenues generated from oil and gas account for over 70 percent of our foreign exchange earnings.

    The time is ripe for us to encourage made-in-Aba goods. This effort if implemented will go a long way in ameliorating the economic woes of the country by saving the nation the foreign currencies expended on importation of good and services( even those we have the capacity of producing).

    • Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu,

    Umuahia, Abia State.

  • We’re with you in prayers, Ikpeazu tells Emmanuel

    We’re with you in prayers, Ikpeazu tells Emmanuel

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said residents of his state are praying for Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel and his people on the church building collapse.

    In a statement yesterday by Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, the governor said: “Governor Ikpeazu wishes to express the heartfelt condolences of his government and the people of Abia State to …Emmanuel and the people of Akwa Ibom State on the tragic collapse of Reigners Bible Church building at Uyo…

    “The government and people of Abia State are saddened to hear of the unfortunate collapse of the church building, which claimed dozens of precious lives, with the governor barely escaping from the scene of the tragedy.

    “Our hearts are with the government and people of Akwa Ibom State at this tragic time and we join others in praying that the Almighty God will give the family and friends of the bereaved the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    “Accept our deepest condolences and may God be with our brothers and friends as we pray for happier memories. We’re with you in prayers.”

  • Ikpeazu to Corps members: learn from Aba entrepreneurs

    Ikpeazu to Corps members: learn from Aba entrepreneurs

    Over 2,200 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been drafted to serve in Abia State but to the state governor Okezie Ikpeazu, it was an irresistible opportunity to market made in Aba products and their famous makers. He did not let the chance slip by; Governor Ikpeazu told the Corps members not just to patronise the local products but also learn some skills from the masters.

    At the Corps’ orientation camp in Bende Local Government Area of the state, Governor Ikpeazu revived his pet campaign, which earned him the title of “chief marketer of made-in-Aba goods”.

    At the Umuahia Township Stadium, on May 29, 2015, Okezie said his government would promote the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the state, paying special attention to garment and shoe makers in Aba. He has also taken the campaign just about everywhere he has visited in the country. Ikpeazu has sold the Aba idea to the Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and many others, including the Army which, some months ago, ordered about 50,000 pairs of military boots from Aba shoemakers.

    With the Corps members, and fully kitted in NYSC gear made in you-know-where, Ikpeazu said he was going to take samples of the uniform to the Director General of the Corps, Brigadier General Sule Zakari Kazaure in a bid to persuade the agency to start making the uniforms in Aba.

    The state governor advised the corps members to think of how they were going to use the time of their service to learn and equip themselves with various skills that would enable them to be independent in the face of unemployment and now that the federal government is pushing for diversification of the economy from petroleum.

    The state coordinator of NYSC in the state, Mrs. Francisca Ifon explained that the scheme which was designed to expose the corps members to practical skill acquisitions, leadership, inculcating core values and promoting unity amongst Nigerian youths has gone a long way to affect the lives of the youths positively.

    Ifon equally used the opportunity to draw the attention of the state governor to the area of needs where they would need the assistance of the state government which includes building of more hostels for NYSC staff and corps members, refurbishing of hostels which are already in bad shape and the repair of their borehole which supplies water in the camp.

    The corps members promised to be of good conduct throughout their stay in the state, promising to use the opportunity of their service year to develop skills in other areas of life which they opined will serve as another means of generating income.

     

  • Ikpeazu wears Aba-made NYSC uniform to swear in members

    Ikpeazu wears Aba-made NYSC uniform to swear in members

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu yesterday demonstrated his preference for Aba-made products when he wore a complete National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform made in the commercial city at the swearing-in of 2,296 Batch “B”, Stream I corps members deployed in the state.
    At the NYSC permanent camp at Umunna in Bende Local Government Area, Ikpeazu urged the corps members to reflect on what they would take away from the state during their service year.
    The governor noted that many corps members posted to the state would become self-reliant at the end of their service year.
    He urged them to use their posting period to learn things that would place food on their tables.
    Ikpeazu said Abia State, as the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) capital of the Southeast, had a lot to offer the corps members.
    According to him, the state boasts other resources, such as oil and gas, as well as good soil for agriculture.
    The governor said his administration was anchored on five pillars of trade and commerce, oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure.
    He said the corps members’ presence in the state was an advantage, urging them to use the opportunity to enhance their skills.
    Ikpeazu pledged to promote made-in-Aba NYSC shoes and uniform to the scheme’s director-general in Abuja to show what the state could offer.\
    The governor said this would enable the NYSC chief to know that the state could produce all the scheme needed to kit the corps members across the country.
    NYSC’s State Coordinator, Mrs Francisca Ifon, assured of the corps commitment to the development of the state, especially in healthcare delivery, education, agriculture, rural infrastructure and sanitation.
    Mrs Ifon said the orientation course was aimed at exposing the corps members to the ideals and objectives of the scheme as well as prepare them for leadership roles in the society.
    She said it would also make them self-reliant in the future.
    NYSC’s Governing Board Chairman and Commissioner for Youths, Hagler Okorie, urged the corps members to participate in camp activities to maximise its benefits.
    The highpoint of the event was the administration of the oath on the corps members by the Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Theresa Uzokwe.

  • Appeal Court hears Ikpeazu, Nwosu suit December 5, 6

    Appeal Court hears Ikpeazu, Nwosu suit December 5, 6

    A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting at the Owerri Division has fixed December 5 and 6 for the hearing of an appeal filed by Sir Friday Nwosu against the July 8 judgment of the Federal High Court in Owerri, which cleared Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of alleged submission of false information and forged tax documents.
    Nwosu, who contested the December 8, 2014 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Abia State, accused Ikpeazu of submitting forged tax certificates and false information to his party.
    A hearing notice by the Court of Appeal’s Registry, Owerri, reads: “Take notice that the Appeal between Sir Friday Nwosu (Appellant) and the PDP and three others (Respondents) has been fixed for hearing, ruling/mention, judgment before the Court of Appeal sitting at Port Harcourt Road in Owerri on Monday and Tuesday (December 5 and 6).”
    Due to the nature of the appeal as a pre-election matter, which ought to have been decided, it is believed that the court would deliver judgment on December 6 to allow the parties who may not be satisfied with the verdict to go to the Supreme Court.
    There are pending appeals on the same suit at the apex court.
    The court had fixed September 22 and 23 for hearing and judgment, but when the case came up for mention on that date, Justice R. C. Agbo upheld the argument of the counsel to the fourth respondent, O. J. Nnadi (SAN), who said he was not served.
    The judge adjourned the matter till October 20.
    But on October 20, the court again adjourned the matter to allow the Supreme Court determine a motion filed by Nwosu.
    The politician prayed the apex court to take over the matter but the motion was struck out on November 8.

  • Appeal Court hears Ikpeazu, Nwosu suit December 5, 6

    Appeal Court hears Ikpeazu, Nwosu suit December 5, 6

    A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting at the Owerri Division has fixed December 5 and 6 for the hearing of an appeal filed by Sir Friday Nwosu against the July 8 judgment of the Federal High Court in Owerri, which cleared Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of alleged submission of false information and forged tax documents.

    Nwosu, who contested the December 8, 2014 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Abia State, accused Ikpeazu of submitting forged tax certificates and false information to his party.

    A hearing notice by the Court of Appeal’s Registry, Owerri, reads: “Take notice that the Appeal between Sir Friday Nwosu (Appellant) and the PDP and three others (Respondents) has been fixed for hearing, ruling/mention, judgment before the Court of Appeal sitting at Port Harcourt Road in Owerri on Monday and Tuesday (December 5 and 6).”

    Due to the nature of the appeal as a pre-election matter, which ought to have been decided, it is believed that the court would deliver judgment on December 6 to allow the parties who may not be satisfied with the verdict to go to the Supreme Court.

    There are pending appeals on the same suit at the apex court.

    The court had fixed September 22 and 23 for hearing and judgment, but when the case came up for mention on that date, Justice R. C. Agbo upheld the argument of the counsel to the fourth respondent, O. J. Nnadi (SAN), who said he was not served.

    The judge adjourned the matter till October 20.

    But on October 20, the court again adjourned the matter to allow the Supreme Court determine a motion filed by Nwosu.

    The politician prayed the apex court to take over the matter but the motion was struck out on November 8.

  • Ikpeazu opens Shoprite in Umuahia

    Ikpeazu opens Shoprite in Umuahia

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has inaugurated the mall of popular shopping company, Shoprite, in Umuahia, the state capital.

    The governor said the mall would be a hub of opportunities for the residents to do business.

    He expressed joy that Abia had joined the league of states with Shoprite.

    Ikpeazu urged the management of the mall to display made-in-Aba products, such as shoes and bags, alongside foreign goods.

    The governor hailed his former Governor Theodore Orji for initiating the project.

     He said the mall was economically significant because it would attract the attention of people from across the world to the state.

    Ikpeazu urged Abia residents to be good hosts while using the shopping mall.

    Orji, who narrated the history of the project, said it would create jobs for many residents, especially the youths.

    The senator said he was not the owner of the complex, as is being rumoured in some quarters.

    He noted that the entry of Shopping into the state would further boost its economy and cause what he called a healthy economic competition in the area.

    Orji assured that the shopping mall would not kill or swallow up other markets in the state capital.

    “Rather, it will bring out the best in trade and commerce in the state and also help to showcase the great potentials of the state,” he said.

    Managing Director of Abia Mall, Mr Chuka Okoye, expressed appreciation to his team and the state government for making the project a reality.

    He said Shoprite was a joint venture with the state government.