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Tag: Imo

  • The rage of erosion in Imo

    The rage of erosion in Imo

    Many residents watch the earth move, pulling down homes, cutting off roads and leaving them in  despair.   OKODILI NDIDI reports on the ravages of erosion in Imo State 

    It sometimes looks like a horror movie in slow motion. Right before their eyes, roads and farmlands are being washed away. Some communities are  being cut off, houses buried in red earth. In some places, residents of threatened homes peer down in horror on the huge gulf created by that seven-letter word: erosion.

    Most communities in Imo State are coping rather badly with the phenomenon. Displaced residents have been suking, unsure when the terror will end.

    Their pain has been compounded by the increasing rainfall that has resulted in flooding and the creation of gully erosion that has eaten away the already deplorable roads.

    Worst hit, are the residents of Ihiagwa, Old Nekede and Umudibia.

    Coincidentally, the affected communities all in Owerri West Local Government Area are hosts to two Federal institutions in the state, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede.

    The Nekede-Ihiagwa Road, for instance, can best be described as a disaster waiting to happen as residents and motorists plying the road are exposed to great danger; the  road may cave in anytime  without warning.

    This obvious risk has compelled staff and students of the tertiary institutions to abandon their cars at home and engage the services of commercial motorcyclists at exorbitant fares.

    Hoodlums have also cashed in on this situation to torment residents and road users alike as they now lay ambush at these points where they pounce on their victims and dispossess them of their valuables.

    Recently, a Reverend Father, who was also a lecturer at the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, was murdered at one of the erosion points  by gunmen who laid ambush there. Some others have taken it upon themselves to mend the potholes and equally demand for money from the motorists.

    Piqued by the development and the continued neglect of the roads by the relevant authorities, students of the two federal institutions are now threatening to embark on protest to draw attention of government to their plight.

    The traditional ruler of Umudibia Autonomous community, Eze Godwin Merenini, appealed to government to come to the aid of the residents as economic and social activities have collapsed in the community as a result of the bad roads.

    The obviously disturbed monarch, lamented that indigenes who go to Owerri, the State capital for their businesses now spend more than an hour going through Ihiagwa via Obinze instead of 20 minutes it normally takes from Nekede to Owerri.

    Motorists and tricycle operators plying the road are equally counting their losses as they meander through the borough created by the erosion to take their passengers to their respective destinations.

    At the old Nekede road, tricycle operators have to intermittently drop their passengers who will cross to the other section of the road on foot before they commence their journey.

    Indigenes of the community complained that they now live in constant fear as the fast expanding erosion is endangering most houses along the road which they fear may cave in when the people are asleep in the night.

    The residents disclosed that all the entreaties to the state government to come to their aid and tackle the menace had gone unheeded.

    They appealed to both the state and Federal Government to urgently tackle the erosion, imploring that the road is the only link between the community and the state capital.

    Also the residents in Ndegwu, Irete and Orogwe have resigned to fate as they watch helplessly while erosion wreck havoc on their roads, houses and farmlands.  For instance, the only road leading to Ndegwu, a sleepy agrarian community has been totally submerged by flood. The residents wade through the waist deep water to take their children to school and ferry their farm produce to the market.

    One of the residents, Mr. Stanley Uzoadu, observed that the road became worse after the contractor handling the critical link road which connects the three communities abandoned it after excavating the both sides of the road.

    According to him, “we are exposed to serious danger crossing the water and the rate of water borne diseases have increased in the last two months. We are appealing to the state government to carry out a palliative maintenance on the road to avert the impending disaster”.

    Public institutions like schools and markets are also not spared by the rampaging erosion. Several school buildings have been reportedly abandoned for fear of possible collapse as a result of the erosion.

    A highly placed government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the erosion menace became worse because the state have not been able to access the Ecological fund in the last four years due to politically motivated bottlenecks.

  • ‘Okorocha on rescue mission in Imo’

    ‘Okorocha on rescue mission in Imo’

    Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere spoke with reporters in Lagos on the challenge of governance, the cash crunch and how the government is implementing the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast state. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    How have been coping as the deputy governor of Imo State?

    We give God the glory for everything that He has provided us. The Almighty Father is the ultimate who makes all things possible. So, we are grateful to God, for wherever I have found myself today, it is God first and the next person is Rochas Okorocha.

    In Imo, what has really worked for us is that you have a man that is focused. We have a man who believes and who made us to believe that the best way we can achieve anything in stipulated time is through a task force process. And that is why people say we do things in unconventional way. We do it and we achieve results. We have a new Imo State.

    Having said that, in my journey so far, it has been a matter of going through tutelage. I am following a man who has the vision, a leader, who has the mantle of leadership. And we being the apostles of Rescue Mission, we are playing the best supporting role to make sure we succeed as a team. And this, to the glory of God, is where my role lies.

    For me also, coming from the private sector and finding oneself a public servant is quite challenging. But, anything that has to do with service to the people is quite interesting and you learn every day.

    But, people see you as a strongman in your constituency…

    My federal constituency, Mbaitoli/Ikeduru (Mbaike), used to be predominantly PDP. But, when we came in 2011, we were then in the APGA. Of course, we won Mbaitoli, which was my local government. The other part of my federal constituency, which is Ikeduru, we lost that. And we had to do a lot on the ground. Because of the infrastructure, some of the things the governor did; the dividends of democracy that was extended. There is no ward in my federal constituency or in Imo State that you will not see text of rescue mission. And that alone speaks louder than could be said. And how can you defeat free education, from primary to tertiary level? These are the hallmark. How can you defeat 27 General Hospitals in all the local governments? How can you defeat 305 primary schools? These are the hallmarks of what we have to remind our people because they already know about it.

    Why is Owerri zone not agitating for governor again?

    Rochas Okorocha is quite an example of a detribalised leader and not a zonal leader. My leader, our leader, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is a man inspiration. Why did I say that? Today, more than 75 per cent of the infrastructure is in Owerri zone. The other 25 per cent is shared between Okigwe and Orlu. You have a governor who believes in putting projects not because of where he comes from, but based on the fact that it is good for Imo State.

    Today, for example, we are talking about industry, industry, industry, factory, factory, factory! We have gone back to bring back the old Mbakwe factories. For instance, card board packaging industry is in Owerri not in Orlu. We have recovered that. De Raising Paint is in Mbaise here, Owerri zone, we have recovered that. These things will now start coming in place. We have got some Italians trying to bring back those apex factories. These are the things that are lying fallow for over thirty years. Now, this governor is not thinking about his village. He is not thinking about his own person. This is a governor who makes sacrifice, who goes through pains every day, just to make sure that Imo people and Ndi Igbo are recognized in this country. And that is why when people say that he is a governor for Imo, not a governor for a zone or a local government, people do not agitate.

    The issue of 2019 is an issue that is quite too far. This is 2015. We just got re-elected. We have not even constituted a government and people are talking about 2019. The team with which Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Madumere were elected have not been constituted for the second tenure. You are thinking of something that is not even in the pipeline yet. This is like placing the cart before the horse. I am not that type of person that people can just try to mesmerize into desperation. No. I am focused; we are on a mission, and our mission for the next four years is factory, factory, factory, industry, industry, industry. That is the focus and, with God helping us, we shall get there.

    How do you relate tot he opposition leaders in Imo?

    There are two ways to this. One of the things I have learnt over time is never to join issues. What is at stake is never personal and should never be treated as such. For me, we have to distinguish ourselves and show a positive way out for others to learn. We do politics without bitterness.  Politics is about constructive issues, not about personal issues. Everybody who has vied for any position knows that. Let me give you example. When I ran for Senate under Action Alliance, many years ago, I was the only candidate who visited fellow candidates and others from opposing political parties to discuss issues of general interest. I went to their houses and ate breakfast. It doesn’t happen in most quarters these days. That is my background. That is how I am taught and that is the way of my leader; if we mean that we are in this business for our people, then, play politics of no bitterness. That is what the people want. Nigeria is changing. The idea that you lose election and you cannot pick up a phone and congratulate the winner is becoming a thing of the past.

    Could you tell us a bit about your private sector experience?

    Back in the United States, I worked with Pepsi Incorporated. I was the Head of Channels Development of various chains, and travelled wide in many countries. I actually worked in many countries. I travelled to well over 50 countries, where I worked. And at a time, when I got married in 1996, I felt it was time to step closer to your family. I had to come back and I left the job. I established a trading consulting company and a trading company. This is so because I have always had flair for business? I have always had a small business which I do.

    How would you describe Okorocha?

    The man, Rochas Okorocha is a philanthropist. He is a family man. He is a man you will love to be close to. Rochas Okorocha I know is vehement but his brain is faster than clock. For you to be able to meet up with him, you must come a little closer. Just imagine, someone you’ve been with for over two decades, by now I could have told you I have a PhD on him. No, I do not. By the time, you get closer; my boss will keep shifting the goal post. He is a man who likes challenges. He is an adventurer. He believes in a thing, then, it is achievable. He is not too perfect a person. He is a man who is also very eager and open to learning from you. As he is holding a conversation with you, he is picking up one or two things from you, but you don’t know. The day he will use them, he will say remember the day you said. That is the man, Owelle Rochas Anayochukwu Okorocha.

    Within the context of the Imo Rescue Mission, have you developed your personal vision for Imo?

    My oga’s vision subsumes mine. And that is the way it is. As much as I operate with my oga, you only have one captain at a time.

    Your Excellency, going from this discussion, one thing we can deduce is loyalty. As a leader, what are the issues that have been driving you?

    Number one, my upbringing has got a lot to say about me. I came from a home that my father is a disciplinarian. My father is in charge. My father came from nowhere to somewhere. He made himself and became a name for himself, from a very poor family. His father died while he was still a little boy. His father did not see him through as a man. But, grandmother saw my father through farming and business of palm kernel and raised some amount of shillings to help his grandson to start selling building materials. So, it was with that upbringing that my father impacted in us. Can you believe that my father built the Imo State Commissioners’ quarters as a government contractor. This Deputy Governor’s Lodge where I am living now was built in 1977. I worked as a student and my job was to dispense drugs to the labourers who were called Kiri Mbum. Can you believe that later in life, I would live in one of the houses I participated in building from the foundation, casting the decking. I also did a lot of menial job just to make my own money. My father didn’t know about this. I also was one-time my father’s personal driver, after secondary school. I drove my father till I sat for my school certificate exam.

    How is the government implementing the APC manifesto?

    Free education has run for four years now, and free education has come to stay. It is what people never believed it was possible. The opposition never believed that it could happen and the doubt is with them till today. I don’t think that we as a government have done very well in giving free education the publicity it deserves. Many people outside the direct beneficiaries are the ones that can say yes, this is free education. It seems like there is this shadow as if there is, may be, a thing of Rochas magic. No, there is a practical thing on the ground. We have three major tertiary institutions owned by the State – one of them, Imo State University. It is free from admission to your first degree. It is free. It is hundred percent free. The same thing applies to Imo State polytechnic, Umuagwo, Imo State University, School of Health Sciences, Amaigbo and other State owned tertiary institutions. The same thing applies to Imo College of Health Science, Okporo, Orlu and School of Nursing, Amigbo.

    What effort is being made by the government to boost the Internal General Revenue (IGR)?

    Like I said, this state has not done very well in IGR for obvious reasons. We have instituted a committee trying to make sure that the state does well in IGR. We are generating about 600, 000 may be 500, 000 or a little bit over 500, 000 monthly. It is not supposed to be so. A State like Imo should have a minimum of N2billion IGR. Look at Edo, look at Cross River. You can say these are contemporary States. You don’t expect us to be the same with Lagos or Kano for instance. What they have, we don’t have them. But the contemporaries States are the ones to be used to create a template or a benchmark to judge Imo State. It is Edo and Cross River. This sabotage is as a result of internal sabotage that they put up. Those are some of the loopholes we are trying to block. Some of the laws are there. Some are outdated. Some we need to change. We are working on it to change some enforcement. The governor is focused. He is acting on everything. We created some kind of committees. There is an angle that I am leading just to make sure we do that. The governor is personally involved in IGR revitalisation.

  • Gunmen kill Catholic priest in Imo

    A Catholic priest and lecturer at the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Rev. Dennis Osuagwu was, at the weekend, killed in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

    The Priest, a member of the Claretian Missionaries Eastern Province, was said to be heading for St Mark’s Catholic Chaplaincy at Obinze Barracks, where he served as chaplain, to conduct the day’s mass.

    According to eye witnesses, the assailants waylaid him at Avu junction on the Port Harcourt/Owerri Road, dragged him from his car and shot him in the chest.

    He died immediately.

    The management of the Imo State Polytechnic confirmed the incident but declined comment.

    Police spokesman Andrew Enwerem confirmed the incident.

    “We are investigating the murder and the body has been deposited in the morgue for autopsy,” he said.

  • German investors to build power plants in Imo

    German investors to build power plants in Imo

    There is hope that power supply will no longer be a problem in Imo State. This is because a consortium of German investors will soon establish independent power plants in the state.

    The leader of the German delegation and indigene of the State, Mr. Wilson Chukwunyere disclosed that the investors are going to establish a 50 megawatts plant and another 30 megawatt solar energy facility to boost the state’s industries.

    He revealed further that the group once made attempts to establish a motorcycle plant under the then Sam Mbakwe administration before it was thwarted by a military coup.

    Chukwunyere also stressed the need for government to provide them with the enabling environment to invest in the state.

    Another member of the delegation and the Business Development Manager of the said Company, Mr. Volker Gutijahr assured that they will not disappoint if given the opportunity.

    In his response, the State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, who received the delegation in his office, affirmed that the state government will not go back in its promise to create a conducive environment for sincere businessmen who are willing to invest in the state.

    He noted further that the state government will also provide adequate incentives that will encourage and motivate investors coming to the state.

    Lamenting the dearth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), which he attributed to poor power supply, the Deputy Governor assured the group of the state government’s support, adding that “power remains the key for revitalisation of SMEs and establishment of industries in the State”.

     

  • Imo prepares for flood

    Imo prepares for flood

    After the horrors of 2011 floods, the Imo State government has taken measures to avert a repeat. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    The warning was dire. The rains this year will be heavy, resulting in flooding, the experts said. Imo State has taken the hint and started preparing against the watery menace. In 2011, the year floods swept through much of the country, the state was considerably affected. Several houses were submerged, farmlands washed off in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area. Parts of Owerri, the capital, and other areas were flooded too. Many residents who were affected by that flood are still reeling from its effects. That is what the Rochas Okorocha administration wants to prevent this year.

    What step is the state taking to avert the flood? It is by coming to terms with how flood causes havoc, in the first place. In prolonged, heavy downpours, rain water finding no drains to flow out, overflows the gutters and other drains and pours into as many places it can find access.

    Imo gutters and drains have been clogged because they are not regularly cleared, but the governor has other ways of doing the same thing. He directed that everybody come out to clear the channels. The people obliged him. Besides, the state also provided trucks and other tools to aid the work.

    The water channels hitherto blocked with illegal structures have been reopened and the drainage cleared of refuse to allow for easy flow of water.

    The state, according the Chief of Staff, Chief Uche Nwosu, is working to realise the Owerri Master Plan, which he maintained will mitigate environmental hazards.

    As a result of the efforts, the state capital is now wearing a brand new look, with the heaps of refuse that constituted eyesore in strategic locations across the city evacuated and properly disposed.

    Imo state, which was among the states that experienced massive flood disaster in 2011, has not been participating in the traditional monthly environmental sanitation, because according to the Governor, Rochas Okorocha, it is not proper to wait for a given date to clean up one’s surrounding.

    However to avert the impending disaster, the state held a compulsory cleanup exercise across the state, which in no small means yielded great results.

    The exercise, which was supervised by the State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere and the Chief of Staff, witnessed massive turnout as traders, artisans, landlords and various trade associations came out in their numbers to clean up their business places and homes.

    Movements were restricted between the hours of 7.30 in the morning to 10. 30am. At the end of the three hours exercise, mountains of refuse were mopped up and evacuated with lorries that were provided for the purpose.

    The people worked with incomparable sense of commitment, apparently to forestall a repeat of the 2011 flood disaster.

    Most of them who commended the state government for the initiative, however advised that the exercise should be sustained to ensure that the heaps of refuse, which were almost becoming a source of concern for the residents does not return.

    Chief Roland Ibekwere, a Landlord at Douglas Street, noted that, “we are grateful because the exercise has forced most of our tenants to stay at home and participate in the exercise. And the drainages that were blocked for a long time have been reopened again. The reason we are grateful is the participation of the state government in the exercise by promptly evacuating the refuse, which had been our challenge in the past”.

    The Deputy Governor, in his remarks, commended the people for coming out en mass during the exercise to clean up their environments and business centers.

    He expressed satisfaction over the enthusiasm displayed by the residents of state to join hands to making it the cleanest State in the Federation.

    Madumere who described the exercise as a huge success said it was part of the vision of the Okorocha’s administration to avert all flood related disasters and make the State the most desired haven for tourists and investors.

    He noted that the monthly Clean-up seeks to make the State the most friendly and healthiest environment with healthy and energetic work force.

    The Deputy Governor therefore advised the people of the state to always “dispose their refuse at the right places and stop littering the environment”.

    He warned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in gutters and drainage, adding that “such unhealthy habit causes flooding and breeds mosquitoes, which causes malaria and other deadly diseases”.

     

  • Imo intensifies battle against kidnappers

    Imo intensifies battle against kidnappers

    The arrest of a dreaded kidnap suspect and his accomplices underscores increased efforts to root out outlaws in the state, reports OKODILI NDIDI

    Kidnapping, a major challenge in the region, especially Imo and Anambra states, will soon be a thing of the past, pledged security chiefs in Imo after a meeting with the state governor Rochas Okorocha.

    It was not the usual rhetoric of security agencies, which were often not backed with commensurate action. Already the Department of Security Service (DSS) has recorded a major breakthrough in the war against kidnapping with the arrest of a most wanted cross-border kidnap kingpin, 29-year-old Henry Chibueze, known in the underworld as Vampire.

    His name, according to security sources, instills fear in the heart of families of victims who have heard stories of his vicious operations and often part with huge sums of money without informing security agents.

    •The Hilux vans presented to the police to boost operations
    •The Hilux vans presented to the police to boost operations

    The efforts of the security agents to rid the state of the kidnappers and other undesirable elements has also been boosted by the state government with the donation of ten brand new Hilux Vans to aid their operations.

    Governor Okorocha who described the arrest of the notorious kidnapper and members of his gang as a huge relief, stated that, “Imo has been under the siege of kidnappers, especially this dreaded Vampire, but today he is in security custody and we have to commend and encourage our security agents for the good job of ridding the state of all criminals. This criminal has been terrorising Imo State, where he has killed several people including a Commissioner with the Service Commission and many others.

    “We have set up a combined task force that will henceforth track and apprehend kidnappers anywhere they are hiding in the state. The task force will also tackle the issue of cult activities in some parts of the state, especially in Ohaji-Egbema where cultists are killing innocent citizens. And we have warned hotel owners to verify the identity of the people they accommodate because any from now any hotel or building where a kidnapper is arrested will be pulled down”.

    The DSS Director, Francis Ejiofor, confirmed that ‘Vampire” was responsible for series of kidnappings in neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Ivory Coast, where he resides.

    According to Ejiofor, who paraded the suspect alongside other alleged members of his gang, before the state governor and journalists, disclosed that the suspect was arrested after an operation in the state.

    He said that the victim of the last operation was released after the family paid N15 million as ransom.

    In his words, “This suspect Mr. Henry Chibueze, known as Vampire, engages in kidnapping from Nigeria to Cotonou, Niger and Ivory Coast. He is a vicious kidnapper and kills his victim at the slightest suspicion that security operatives are on his trail. When he learnt that he was in the state and had kidnapped a woman we waited until he has collected the ransom and released the woman and we went after him.

    “We traced him to a hotel close to Owerri where he was planning to kidnap the Tribunal Judges who were lodged there but our men stormed the place and he escaped with gunshot wounds to the home of his native doctor in Abia State where he was picked up. Another member of the gang who provides security cover for the gang is an Army deserter, Akeem Bello, who still uses his Identity Card to navigate security checkpoints.”

    The DSS boss attributed the successful smashing of the notorious gang to the support of the state government, assuring that the Department will end incidents of kidnapping in the state in no distant time.

    •The suspected chief kidnapper, Vampire
    •The suspected chief kidnapper, Vampire

    The suspect, while providing gory details of his criminal activities in his five years of operation, said that he has lost count of how many victims he has killed because the family failed to pay up the ransom or delayed the payment.

    He particularly recounted how he wiped out the entire family of his girl friend, who he said absconded with his N45 million.

    In his words, “yes I killed my girlfriend and her parents because she stole my N45m I kept in my house. I went to her family house in Lagos and when she saw me coming she ran into the house I went in and shot her and other people in the house. She died instantly but I don’t know how others died.

    ”I started kidnapping business five years ago and I joined the business because my people did not train me. I am from Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State. I have killed many people but I don’t want to be released now. I want to stay in custody for many years so that my brain will cool down. I live in Abidjan with my wife and only daughter. I don’t know if she is aware that I have been arrested because she does not know the kind of business that I do.”

    But another member of the gang, Bello, who deserted the Army, in his confession, denied knowing that Vampire was a kidnapper.

    “Yes, I am a soldier and I have not been dismissed. I ran away from Boko Haram in Borno State and I was using my car to do town service when I carried him one night; I didn’t know that he was a kidnapper until I was arrested.”

     

  • DSS parades suspected kidnappers in Imo

    DSS parades suspected kidnappers in Imo

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has paraded a suspected cross-border kidnapper, Mr. Henry Chibueze, a.k.a Vampire, with his gang in Imo State. Chibueze is said to be responsible for the kidnappings in the Southeast, Southsouth and in neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Niger and Ivory Coast, where he resides.

    Parading the suspects yesterday, DSS director Francis Ejiofor said ‘vampire’ was arrested after an operation where the victim’s family paid N15 million ransom for her release.

    “Henry Chibueze, known as ‘vampire’, engages in kidnapping from Nigeria to Cotonou, Niger and Ivory Coast. He is a vicious kidnapper and he kills his victims at the slightest suspicion that security operatives are on his trail.

    “When we heard he was in the state and had kidnapped a woman, we waited until he had collected the ransom and released the woman before going after him.

    “We traced him to a hotel close to Owerri, where he planned to kidnap the tribunal judges who were lodged there, but our men stormed the place and he escaped with gunshot wounds to the home of his native doctor in Abia State, where he was picked up.

    “Another member of the gang, Akeem Bello, who provides security, is an Army deserter. He uses his identity card to navigate security checkpoints,” Ejiofor said.

    Vampire said he started the kidnapping business about five years back, boasting that he had lost count of how many victims he had killed.

    He said he murdered his girlfriend and her entire family because she stole his N45 million.

    “I killed my girlfriend and her parents because she stole my N45 million. I went to her family house in Lagos and when she saw me coming, she ran into the house. I went in and shot her and the other people in the house; she died instantly.

    “I started kidnapping five years ago and I joined the business because my people did not train me. I am from Nwangele Local Government Area. I have killed many people but I don’t want to be released now; I want to stay in custody for many years so that my brain will cool down. I live in Abidjan with my wife and only daughter; I don’t know if she knows I have been arrested because she does not know the kind of business I do,” he said.

  • Contest for mind, medals in Imo

    Contest for mind, medals in Imo

    To build young minds and healthy competition, Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere co-sponsored a contest in the state schools. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    As they sprinted, loud cheers erupted from the crowd. It was not just their mates applauding. Their parents and teachers were hailing too.

    It was the Prince Eze Madumere Athletics Championship staged at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, the state capital. The goal is to develop young minds and help the youth to aspire to the greatest heights.

    The young athletes proved their mettle as they competed for the medals to the amazement of the fans, who were shocked at their speed and level of fitness. The school teachers were also caught in the frenzy as they shouted, jumped and hugged their victorious students.

    The competing athletes tested their skills in ten track and field events ranging from 100 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 4×400 meters, 800 meters, long jump and high jump for both male and female.

    In the keenly contested men’s 100 meters race, Nwachukwu Ekene of Nguru Secondary Commercial School in Aboh Mbaise Council Area of the State set an enviable record of 11:9 seconds to emerge winner, the first runner up, Amadi Clinton of Methodist High School, Egbu, Owerri, finished up at 11:59 seconds and the second runner up, Master Osuchukwu Chukwuebuka of Government secondary School, Owerri, finished up at exactly 12:00 seconds.

    In the female category of the 100 meters, Agu Chidinma of Holy Rosary Model Secondary school, Amaimo, Ikeduru Local Government Area, finished up at 13:00 seconds to emerge first, while Osuagwu Chinecherem of Nguru Secondary Commercial School, Aboh Mbaise, came second at 13: 09 seconds and Uzoagba Lilian of Umuroha High School, Mbaitoli Council Area, finished at 13:11 to place third.

    •The Deputy Governor shakes hands with one of the athletes
    •The Deputy Governor shakes hands with one of the athletes

    In his remarks, the Deputy Governor who assured that subsequent editions will be better organised and bigger in terms of the number of participating schools and prizes to be won, described the event as the beginning of the realisation of his aspiration to drive sports development in the state.

    He said that his love for sports is hinged on its proven unifying factor.

    According to him, the dearth of interest in track and field events among other sporting activities motivated his choice of the event.

    He reminded the students of famous athletes from the state who have made the country proud, including Chioma Ajunwa, Charity Opara, Chidi Imo and a host of others.

    He urged the school management board to ensure that the students engage in sporting activities to discover talents and promote healthy living.

    Madumere further commended co-sponsors of the event, Monarch and Company and their Managing Director in West Africa, Mr. Gerald Uche Lebechi for giving back to the society.

    The state governor Rochas Okorocha, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu, commended the Deputy Governor for re-invigorating sporting activities, noting that sports once placed the state in an enviable position.

  • Horrors of oil spill in Imo

    Horrors of oil spill in Imo

    Stinking dead fish in polluted waters and farmlands of withered trees are some of the challenges facing residents of 13 oil-bearing communities in Imo State. OKODILI NDIDI reports on the devastation caused by oil spill in Ohaji-Egbema council of the state

    Health and survival top the list of challenges facing residents of Obokofia, Abacheke and Mmahu communities in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. An oil spill has poisoned their waters, leaving foul-smelling fish bobbing up on their rivers and creeks. Their once-lush green farmlands have become lifeless with withered trees.

    •The scene of the oil spillage
    •The scene of the oil spillage

    The people are as worried about their health as they are concerned about their day-to-day survival. A spill from Agip oil firm has left them breathless and angry.

    So massive was the damage that the residents are threatening to take up arms against the AGIP, owners of the exploded hydrocarbon storage tanks that caused the spillage.

    A traditional ruler of one of the communities, Eze Justice Okwuodu, explained that the explosion, which took place  at Ibeocha location in Rivers State, affected about 13 communities in Ohaji/Egbema Council Area of the state.

    He said that the pollution affected houses, rivers, aquatic life and food web in the environment, lamenting that the oil companies operating in the area, have not shown commitment to the well being of the host communities where they operate.

    According to him, “the people have been devastated by the level of the recent pollution and up till now, nothing has been done by the AGIP oil company, the owners of the hydrocarbon tanks. Our source of livelihood has been destroyed by the pollution and if nothing is quickly done to clean up the spillage, it could lead to epidemic”.

    He decried the non-implementation of the MoU reached with the oil companies many years ago, adding that the oil companies neglected the agreement, especially the AGIP oil company.

    He appealed to the state government to wade into the matter since they do not want to take the laws into their hands.

    But the youths warned that they will no longer fold their arms, while their lands are ravaged by oil pollution, while they wallow in abject poverty.

    They insisted that the oil companies responsible for the recent spillage will adequately compensate the affected communities or face the wrath of the youths.

    A youth leader from one of the communities, Kennedy Irona, stated that the youths are waiting for the outcome of the meeting between the concerned companies and leaders of the affected communities, adding that “if nothing tangible is achieved from the meetings, the youths will move into action against the oil companies”.

    He stated further that, “we have been marginalised by the oil companies operating in our area. Our youths have been burnt to death several times as a result of fire from oil spillages, yet we have nothing to show for it. Our crops have been buildings and fish ponds have been damaged without any form of compensation but this time we are ready for the oil companies and they will hear from us soon”.

    It will be recalled that Imo State House of Assembly, which was irked by the neglect of the oil producing communities in the state, had passed a motion, demanding the payment of N40 billion owed the state by the oil companies in the last 38 years.

    The House had in the motion demanded the immediate payment of all outstanding ground rates and other statutory payments from Oil companies operating in the State since 1978.

    The lawmakers chided the oil companies for dubiously withholding the statutory payments and other benefits accruing to the state.

    In a motion sponsored by the member representing Oguta State constituency, Hon Uzoma Ezediaro, the House decried the continued short changing of the State by oil companies, stating that, the companies have capitalised on the peaceful disposition of the people to deny them of their rights and privileges.

    The House urged the Governor to direct the Chairman of the Internal Revenue Board to mandate the companies to pay up all outstanding ground rates and other statutory payments owed the state since 1978.

    It also directed the oil companies to comply and henceforth pay all entitlements due the state as at when due.

    A nine-man committee headed by Hon Uzoma Ezediaro, with Hon Ikechukwu Amuka, John Ezeruo, Mike Iheanetu, Obinna Eguh and Joy Mbawuike, among others was set up to supervise the debt recovery.

    Meanwhile, the State Government has indicated interest in addressing the brewing restiveness occasioned by the pollution.

    The State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, who visited the site to ascertain the level of damage, said that the government will partner with the leaders of the affected communities and bring the AGIP oil firm to a roundtable to ensure that right things are done.

    Speaking after inspecting the level of pollution at the Oloshi river, Madumere, appealed to the communities especially the youths to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands.

    He also reminded them of the resolve of the state government to ensure that every community is carried along in the scheme of things.

  • Traders groan as Imo pulls down shanties

    Everyone loves a well-planned city, yet when bulldozers started tearing down shanty structures in Owerri, there was a flood of tears, reports OKODILI NDIDI

    Women shop owners broke down as the bulldozer blades went to work in a shanty in Owerri, the Imo State capital. Some shouted and threw themselves at task force officials in a bid to stop the demolition. The men looked gravely at the scene, some trying to salvage as much of their wares as possible before everything was gone.

    It was like a scene in a James Bond movie. The bulldozers rampaged on, and fierce-looking task force officials leaving no one in any doubt that they meant business. The state government has started demolishing illegal structures and shanties in the state capital.

    At the entrance to the city, by the popular Control Junction, traders numbering over 1000 were affected by the demolition exercise, which was supervised by the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim.

    Also affected were shops located along the Word Bank Housing Road, which were said to have flouted the capital city master plan.

    The adamant traders, were forewarned a week ago by the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who had personal visited the traders and told them the need to clean up the entire city to give it a look befitting of a state capital and to guide against the dangers of flooding, especially as the state has been named among states to witness unusual rainfall this year.

    But the warning fell on deaf ears as the traders who had promised the Governor that they will pull down the illegal structures before the demolition tam arrive, carried on in defiance of the Governor’s directive, apparently because previous directives were not enforced.

    Meanwhile, some of the affected traders claimed that the state government did not provide any alternative place for the traders, nor were they given enough time to relocate.

    Also, the governor had earlier, shortly after being sworn in for his second tenure, said that the state government would no longer tolerate shanties and illegal structures scattered across the state capital.

    One of the affected shop owners, Mr. Paulicap Osuala, while recounting his loss, said that he cannot believe that he could lost everything he has labored for all his life under few minutes.

    He lamented that he had lost over N8 million to the demolition exercise, adding that “as it is now I don’t know what to do or where to start from”.

    Osuala, who said that he was present during the Governor’s visit, last weekend, insisted that the governor never told them that the demolition was going to affect the shops in his area, but was shocked when the bulldozers started pulling down the shop, without giving the traders the opportunity to explain.

    He said, “The governor never directed us to pack our goods and relocate, because if he had told us, I would have packed my goods and left the place to avoid losing them like this now. I was surprised to come out this morning to see all my goods and properties destroyed without even a pin left. So where do they expect me to start from”.

    He further condemned the action of the state government, adding that the punishment being “meted to poor people who fought and even died for the governor during the last election to ensure his victory at the pool is unfortunate”.

    Another affected trader, Mrs. Ulumma Onyechehe expressed total disappoint at the exercise, stating that, “we never expected this kind of treatment from our governor. I still cannot believe that this is happening”.

    She stated herself and the elder brother have been doing business in the place for years and have been paying for the shop at the sum of N170,000.00 per annum.

    She however claimed that they were preparing to relocate their things before the task force team came and destroyed the roof of their shops, crying that, “I don’t intend to do anything other than to pack my things home and wait for what the future has for me.

    Meanwhile, the state government had defended the action, describing it as genuine efforts to clean up the capital city and realize the master plan, which has been abandoned to the detriment of the residents.

    The Chief of Staff to the Government House and Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Uche Nwosu, said that the state government embarked on the exercise to clean up the city by removing all illegal structures built without requisite approval from government.

    The governor had also in a media chat with journalists, appealed to the traders and other residents to cooperate with the state government over its plan to sanitize the state capital.

    In his words, “I am appealing to my people to cooperate with us because if we continue like this we won’t clean up our state capital. It was a painful decision to take, considering my relationship with my people but this has to be done for a better Imo State”.