The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Imo State

  • “My conversion, key to my first class result”

    “My conversion, key to my first class result”

    Miss Rabiyat Usman, a first class graduate of the Rhema University, Aba has said that her conversion to Christianity transformed the course of her life and academics.

    Usman, therefore, charged undergraduates of Nigerian Universities to fear God and be disciplined, if they wanted a brighter future.

    The 23-year-old graduate gave this advice in Aba on Monday, after her graduation on Saturday, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba.

    Usman, who has finished her youth service, urged undergraduates to prepare themselves for a competitive world out there with discipline, fear of God and obedience to the university authorities.

    The first class graduate said that there was no future for lazy and undisciplined graduates in the larger society, hence the need for a brighter future through hard work.

    She said she made a first class honours degree because she was fortunate to have accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour early at Living Word Academy.

    “I actually came into this Secondary School at Nkwerre, Imo State from a different religion, but I became a Christian in JSS 1, while studying in the secondary school.

    “My conversion made all the difference because Christianity really helped me to learn the tenets that support hard work and connection to God’s assistance. It was God all the way.

    Usman thanked Brother Emma Okorie, the Rhema University Chancellor, for believing in her.

    According to her, she was given a scholarship from JSS 1 at the Living Word Academy, Nkwerre, Imo State, to her final year in Rhema University, Aba.

    The Okene-born Usman said that she had secured admission to Buckingham University, in the U.K. to further her education, before returning to bless Nigerians with her expertise.

    She, however, noted that she would prefer to study at Harvard University, but stressed that she needed some scholarship or funding, to help her to pay tuition overseas.

  • Okorocha swears in new SSG

    Okorocha swears in new SSG

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha Thursday swore-in the new Secretary to the State Government, Sir George Eche, who replaced Sir Jude Ejiogu, who was sacked under controversial circumstances by the Governor.

    Eche a career Civil Servant and former Accountant General of the State until his appointment was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works.

    Speaking during the ceremony at the Sam Mbakwe Exco Chamber, Governor Okorocha disclosed that Eche’s appointment as SSG was to bridge a gap in appointments in the State, noting that in the state, Ngor Okpala, where the new he comes from, is among the most marginalized Local Government Areas in the state.

    He urged Eche to unite his people and the entire state.

    The Governor expressed optimism that the new SSG will live up to expectation, stressing that his predecessor was not sacked as a result of dishonor, while reminding him also that “every political appointment must end one day”.

    In his response, Eche promised that he would bring the needed change to the office of the Secretary to the State Government for better and expressed gratitude to the Governor for finding him worthy for such position.

    At the event, the Governor also on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Imo State University Chapter to call off the strike embarked upon by the lecturers in the University.

    He expressed shock that the lecturers would go on strike in the second week of March over February salary.

    According to him, “it is shocking that the ASUU in IMSU told lecturers to go on strike in the second week of March because of February salary, and when they had been paid full salary for the month of January.  This is shocking.  It is not acceptable to the state government.  ASUU in IMSU should call off the strike without delay because it was by all standard not justifiable and not advisable.”

    He added further that “we shall continue to keep faith with the workers welfare.  If the workers in the state did not go on strike over two months’ salary owed to them, we would have continued to go out of our way to pay them full.  But they went on strike over two months’ salary and we then agreed with labour that they should take seventy per cent of the total income of the state to pay salaries and pensions, while the government takes only thirty per cent for capital expenditure.  And now they have seen the truth of what we have been telling them about the finances of the state.

    “As the allocation dropped further for the month of February, the labour Union in the state may only be able to pay the workers fifty per cent of their salary.  The whole thing has been able to let Imolites and the world to understand what the state has been able to do all these while.  It is on record that Imo government has kept faith in the past in payment of salaries and allowances until recently when the economic situation in the country has become challenging following the outrageous looting of the resources of the country in the past.

    “The workers of Imo state should imbibe the spirit of sacrifice because of the prevailing economic situation at the moment.  They should show concern.  Imo people should also show understanding.  The state has the highest number of ghost workers.  The government has set aside N3.5billion for the Job, Job and Factory, Factory campaign of the state government which must be agro based.”

     

  • Okorocha sacks SSG

    Okorocha sacks SSG

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday terminated the appointment of the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu.

    Although no reason was given for the suden removal of the SSG, which was announced over the state-owned radio station, the sack, sources say may not be unconnected with the battle for the 2019 governorship election.

    The Nation reliably gathered that governor’s decision was not unconnected with the recent call by pensioners for the probe of the former SSG’s tenure as Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, where pension funds running into billions of naira were allegedly missing.

    Okorocha was said to have made up his mind after Ejiogu subtly turned an event attended by the governor, the commissioning of the Owerri Mall, into a political rally to advance his political ambition.

    Another reason that may also be responsible for the sack, according to a reliable source within the Government House, is the leakage of classified government documents and information from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

    The source, which pleaded anonymity, added that, “the governor became worried over the way the SSG was carrying on with his ambition, which was beginning to affect his performance and derailing the government. So, his sack may come as a surprise to the public, especially after he was seen with the governor in an event a day before. But within the government circle, it was not a surprise.”

    However, efforts to get the sacked SSG to comment on the matter proved abortive, as he did not pick his phone.

  • Imo earmarks N5 billion to boost agriculture

    Imo earmarks N5 billion to boost agriculture

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Wednesday said that his administration has set aside N5 billion for the development and transformation of the rural communities in the State.

    Aside as part of measure to ensure that the huge investment achieved its purpose, the Governor also inaugurated three hundred and five Government Liaison Officers (GLOs) representing each of the 305 INEC Wards in the state, stating that their primary assignment is to drive the government’s policies and programmes in their respective wards for progress, development and growth.

    Inaugurating the GLOs, the Imo Governor, added that strong leadership must be established at the community (ward) level to drive the development, noting that, “today there is the challenge of downturn in our economy as a result of dwindling oil prices. There is unemployment and insecurity and to address all these, the Governor cannot stay in the Government House and know what is happening in every ward and community. Therefore, the need to share some of my powers with you is inevitable. We will not share the chorus of under-development because of dwindling economy but we shall all rise to build the Imo of our collective dreams and aspirations.”

    The Governor continued, “the GLOs are the pivots on which the wheel of job, job, job policy will rotate.  The GLOs simply mean Job, Job, Job.  Government has set aside the sum of N5b for the purpose of the projects in the wards to be driven by the GLOs.  Go back to your ward and work out how to create Jobs. Take charge of the eco-system.  The GLOs are all challenged to create all the enabling environment for transformation.  You are the flagship of the essence of democracy.  We shall make the state the hob of the economic drive of the south east and by extension the nation.

    “We are also concerned with the issue of security.  The GLOs should allay with traditional rulers and others to review the issue of Imo Community Watch.  At 40 we intend to do things differently to move Imo state forward. Imo is not a fool at 40.  Therefore, we are here gathered to improve the steps and legs of Imo state.  GLOs are created to restructure the wards for greatness.

    “They are to ensure that we develop the resources of the various wards and create jobs and ensure development of the wards.  You can call the GLOs mini-governors.  Today, we have challenges of all types hence the need to decentralize power for result and to build Imo of our collective dream.”

     

    He added further that, “we want to create Jobs and boost the economy of the state.  The GLOs with the traditional rulers and others working together can make a big difference.  This will also help us to fish out new leaders because if one can fix his ward, he or she can also fix the local government and state.”

    He charged the GLOs to look inwards and create more economic activities in their localities.

    He reminded them that the Rescue Mission Government made bold promises of Job, Job, Factory, Factory, Industry, Industry, in his campaign manifesto and this cannot be achieved without a proper structure upon which the wheel of job, Job, rotates, pointing out that they must think outside the box to create at least 100 jobs for 100 youths in each ward within the shortest possible time.

    The Governor also empowered them to oversee the activities of their wards and make recommendations of who should be appointed for certain positions for the purpose of job creation which he said must be agro-based

    He explained that the money set aside is to sponsor agricultural activities in the wards with the purpose of creating wealth.  “Our strength now lies in agriculture since oil is no longer a good story for Nigeria, we must diversify our economy and the first point of call should be agriculture.”

    Responding, the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, who is equally a GLO, commended the Governor for the trust reposed in them, promising that with the calibre of people inaugurated as GLOs the set objective will be achieved.

    He equally assured on behalf of his colleagues that within the next 90 days significant impacts will be felt at the wards and the government and people of the state will be proud for giving them the opportunity to serve in that capacity.

     

  • Imo: Guard butchers boss to raise money for Christmas

    Imo: Guard butchers boss to raise money for Christmas

    A 30-year old security man, David Kwaguru, who murdered his boss, Mr. Innocent Ndukwe, in cold blood in connivance with two others, Friday Awuba and Francis Amos at Egbu in Owerri, have been arrested alongside his accomplices by Policemen attached to the state Police Command.

    The victim, a final year student of Civil Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, was stabbed to death after he was tied up with electric cable by the suspects who are all from Plateau State.

    Parading the suspects, the State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, described the arrest of the suspects as a major breakthrough in the fight against crime in the state.

    Acording to him, “the assailants after slaughtering their victim made away with his Pathfinder SUV with registration number KRD 109 BP, two Plasma TV sets, one home theatre and assorted personal effects.

    “The Police Control Room quickly alerted operatives of the Command who immediately cobwebbed the entire state. As a result, the assailants who tried to escape the eagle-eyed operatives were apprehended along West-End old Nekede road, Owerri.”

    He appealed to the residents of the state to avail the Police of useful information that will aid in the fight against crime and criminalities in the state by calling the phone numbers provided for that purpose, warning that thorough security check should be conducted before hiring security guards.

    Meanwhile, the prime suspect and gate man, said they were lured into committing the crime to raise money to travel home for the Christmas celebration.

     

  • Shun negative conducts, Adamu tells herdsmen in Imo

    Shun negative conducts, Adamu tells herdsmen in Imo

    The Special Adviser to Imo Governor on Livestock and Hausa Community Affairs, Mr Hassan Adamu, has advised herdsmen in Imo to shun acts capable of igniting crisis.

    Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri on Saturday that situations where herdsmen rape women, attack and destroy farms in the course of their operation were unacceptable.

    “Before now, there have been some reports of herdsmen using their cattle to destroy crops in farms, rape women and even attack the natives who came to rescue their victims.

    “This kind of misconduct is against the promotion of unity encapsulated in one Nigeria philosophy and must be stopped by those who perpetuate these crimes,’’ he said.

    NAN learnt that there has been an upsurge in the cases of herdsmen raping women and attacking natives in Owerri West and Ngor Okpala Areas of the state.

    Adamu said he had been part of the team that brokered peace in most of the cases, urged them to be law abiding and reciprocate the hospitable gesture of Imo people.

    The aide also warned northern youths against indulging in criminalities, noting that his office had received reports of youths arrested for house breaking and stealing of public property.

    “Recently, a northern youth was electrocuted in Imo because he went to steal a transformer and security men traveling with the state deputy governor arrested some vandalising somebody’s vehicle along Port Harcourt Road.

    “The Commissioner of Police equally informed me sometime that some northern youths were in police custody because of one crime or the other.

    “I feel the youths must refrain from such negative conducts in the interest of peace,’’ he said.

    Adamu, who expressed confident that the involvement of some youths in misconduct would soon been history, said he had met with the leadership of various Hausa quarters on the problem.

    He, however, commended Governor Rochas Okorocha and Imo people for their hospitalities to northerners, and prayed God Almighty to continue to engender peace among Nigerians irrespective of where they live.

  • Imo assures flood victims of support

    Imo assures flood victims of support

    The Imo State Government Thursday assured flood victims in riverine communities in Oguta Local Government Area of the State of government’s intervention to cushion their sufferings.

    The State Governor, Rochas Okorocha who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, gave the assurance when he visited some of the flooded communities to ascertain the level of the havoc wrecked by the flood.

    The Deputy Governor described the flood as a disaster which has caused pain and huge loss to the people.

    He advised the victims to keep off the river banks to avoid accidents that could cause further loss of lives.

    The Deputy Governor said that the state government will deploy health workers and environmentalists to provide medication and prevent breakout of epidemics.

    Speaking further, he said he was in the know that the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government, Mr. Kingsley Uju had visited with relief material but that other relief items are on the way to serve as palliatives to them.

    He assured that the State will liaise with the Federal Government to ensure that they get necessary relief, to mitigate the impact of the flood.

     

  • Imo denies alleged harassment of workers

    Imo denies alleged harassment of workers

    Imo State Government, Thursday described as unfounded, the allegation that it brutalized and chased out workers from their offices with security operatives after it concessioned the parastatals.

    The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson had in a press statement, accused the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha of setting a dangerous precedence by maltreating workers in the state and using the Police to eject them from their offices, so as to concession the parastatals.

    He threatened that the NLC will resist the attempt by the Imo State government to concession the parastatals.

    But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in a statement, said that the state government only concessioned the management of the parastatals to reposition it for better performance and not the parastatals as reported by the NLC scribe.

    According to the statement, “it is important to first and foremost, correct an impression over the action of the State Government on the parastatals. The truth is that Governor Okorocha or the Rescue Mission Government in the State has not concessioned any parastatal in the State. What the government had done was to concession the managements of the parastatals to make them productive. Concessioning the parastatals and concessioning the managements of the parastatals are not the same.

    “Again, no ugly development has ever taken place since the issue of concessioning the managements of the parastatals came on board, including resistance by the workers in the establishments, to warrant the involvement of the police in any way and for any reason. So, accusing the Governor of using the police to chase the workers away, arrest, brutalize and tear-gas them was totally false. And we take exception to that lie.”

    He added that, “we would also want to challenge the NLC National Secretary to prove his allegation, otherwise we would take it as cheap blackmail.

    “The state government’s resolve to concession the managements of these parastatals was only borne out of the desire to make them productive. These parastatals are as old as the state, but they had failed or refused to do the job for which they were set up, in the first place.

    “No patriotic Nigerian or people-oriented organization would support a situation whereby an establishment would be receiving the approved subventions from the State Government, but for long, would have nothing to display either to justify its existence or justify the financial investment in them, especially when these parastatals are not charitable organizations or NGOs.

    “The most unfortunate aspect of the whole story is that even those that were set up to generate revenue for the government had failed to do that and they became parasites on the finances of the State Government with nothing to show for all these. And no responsible or responsive government or governor would see all these and fail to take action.

    “Even before concessioning these parastatals, the government had met severally with the leaders of the organized Labour in the state, and in each meeting, the governor himself had taken time to explain why the concession of the managements of these parastatals should be the most acceptable action to take this time, since, even in the private sector, nobody would like to continue making an investment without anything to show for it at the end of the day.

    “On the fate of the workers in the affected parastatals, the Governor agreed to pay them all their outstanding salaries and also offered them the options of either being posted out to other government Ministries and Agencies or being paid off since the parastatals need fresh ideas and fresh personnel to re-position them and make them functional to achieve the goals behind their establishment ab-initio.

    “However, on the threat of the National Secretary of the NLC, we just want to remind him that Labour unions all over the world are always progressive and not retrogressive. And also let him know, with due respect, that NLC cannot dictate to the Governor of the state or the state government on how to run the affairs of the state.”

     

  • Emenike set to light up Imo State with top stars

    Emenike set to light up Imo State with top stars

    …bury late dad on Friday

    SuperEagles striker Emmanuel Emenike will test his popularity come this friday as his late father will be buried in his multi million apartment at Umuaka Amakor in Imo State on Friday 19th June, 2015, according to statement released by his elder brother Ebuka Emenike.

    The 28-year-old striker is a man of everybody, not only in soccer industry but among Nigeria hip-hop stars as well as Nollywood stars. Imo State will experience a busy day on Friday while tight security has been produced by the state government for the former Spartak Moscow ace.

    Late Felix Ndukwu Emenike died on 27th May, 2015 after a brief illness. All arrangement has been made to give him a befitting funeral burial.

    Expected are former Super Eagles stars like Austin Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Joseph Yobo, popular Nigeria hip hop star KCee, Samuel Eto’o is most likely expected at the event.

  • APC, PDP in close race in Imo

    APC, PDP in close race in Imo

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are in close race in Imo state. Some of the results from the Polling Units indicate that the APC governorship candidate, Rochas Okorocha is leading in Njaba, Nkwerre, Onuimo, Okigwe, Owerri North, Owerri Municipal, Owerri West,  Ideato South and Ideato North Local Government Areas.

    While the PDP governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, is leading in Aboh-Mbaise, Ahiazu-Mbaise, Ezinihitte, Oguta, Ohaji-Egbema.

    The early results show that both candidates are wining in their party’s strongholds.