The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia

  • APC accuses PDP of flooding Edo with fake Army, Police, NYSC uniforms

    APC accuses PDP of flooding Edo with fake Army, Police, NYSC uniforms

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have sowed fake Army, Police and National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), with the plan to compromise the electoral process in the Governorship poll on September 28.

    Briefing newsmen in Benin, on Friday, Mr John Osakue, the Deputy General of the Godwin Obaseki campaign organization, alleged that the fake uniforms are to be used by agents of the PDP to derail the process.

    Osakue also alleged that the opposition party have infiltrated top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in order to gain direct access to information, logistics and planning for the purpose of rigging the poll.

    He said more worrisome, is the plan to assassinate the candidate of the APC, Godwin Obaseki.

    While describing all these plans as not only heinous, but dastardly, and should be condemned by all peace loving people of the state, he stressed that it is a threat to democracy.

    The Deputy Director General, maintained that the APC and its candidate remained committed not only to a peaceful election, but a free, fair and transparent one.

    “As often as the APC inspires confidence in the political space, so on the other hand, the PDP sows fear and this is threatening to roll back the progress made politically and economically.

    “Edo people fret that politics is being drawn into another downturn and citizens keep guessing the next line of action by the PDP, since they won’t run out of destructive, outdated and unfashionable political ammunition.

    “The time has come for Edo to save their future and they have to fight to secure it. The sheers reckless of the PDP has led the state to this stage of heightened tension.

    “The PDP is not only taking extreme actions, particularly in the most benighted political environments, they have included and deployed risky tools.

    “For us, with room to lead this emancipation, have held back and would not degenerate to their level but we do know that a combined united progressives would pack more of a punch on this full-blown retrogressives to free politics from desperadoes and move Edo state forwards together.

    “In spite of this intimidation by the PDP, we remain poised to win the election.

    “We urge you to be law abiding as you go out enmasse to vote for the APC and Godwin Obaseki,” he stated.

    It would be recalled that the INEC had on September 7, postponed the poll from September 10 to 28, citing security reason.

  • NAFDAC seals shops, seize goods worth millions in Edo

    NAFDAC seals shops, seize goods worth millions in Edo

    The National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two shops and seize products worth millions of Naira, for the sale of counterfeited products in Benin City on Wednesday.

    The team of NAFDAC Officers and mobile policemen led by the Head of Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Process Foods, Mr. Ejiofor Kingsley stormed the popular Mission road in Oredo Local government of Edo State, to conduct inspection on assorted drinks, with many marketers scrambling to prove authenticity of their products to avoid arrest.

    The team conducted series of test on different wines and other assorted drinks, which eventually led to closure of two shops belonging to one Mrs Oluchi Peters and another unidentified.

    In a chat with journalists Mr Ejiofor said that NAFDAC as a law enforcement agency, owe it to the public to protect and preserve lives, disclosing that the number of fake goods in the market is on the increase.

    According to him “We believe we owe a duty to the nation and the society to save lives. The products we have seized today are all counterfeited products, they are products that people ingest and they kill.

    “We know what is going on in the society, the incidence of cancer is increasing and there is need for Government to do something about it, that is why we are here and appealing to all consumers to check products properly especially assorted drinks before purchasing them”.

    He also revealed that some dealers now mix chemicals and other substances to produce wines, noting that the agency is not out to destroy businesses of individuals, but to maintain sanity and evict fake products from the society.

    “We have instances where people mix all sought of concussion and even uses “formalin” chemical that is use in embalming corpses in these drinks, I mean we are talking about lives here, no amount of money is worth people’s life.

    He further said that the agency will commence investigation on the seized products before fate of the suspects will be disclosed, but however urged dealers in food, drinks, cosmetics, detergent and chemicals to register their products with the agency in order to ease detection of unwholesome products.

    Ejiofor however enjoined members of the public to support NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeited and fake products from the market, stating that it is a collective responsibility we all must uphold and encourage.

  • Keshi’s children lament FG withdrawal from burial

    Keshi’s children lament FG withdrawal from burial

    The children of the late former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, have lamented the inability of the Federal Government to keep to its promises of giving their father a befitting burial.
    Keshi (Jnr), who spoke on behalf of his siblings at the indoor Sports Hall of the Stephen Keshi international Stadium, Asaba, said it is disheartening that the federal government pulled out of the burial at the late hours.
    They, however, commended  Edo and Delta States for coming to their rescue.
    The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Brutu Otuaro, who represented the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said Keshi lived a fulfilled life, having paid his dues in Nigeria and abroad.
    The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Monday Igbiya and the member representing Aniochi/ Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Amaechi Mrskpor, urged Nigerians to always honour efficiency which the late Keshi was known for.
    Keshi’s body is currently lying in state at the palace of the Obi of Illah, before the interment.
  • Prisoner escapes in Benin

    Prisoner escapes in Benin

    An inmate on Wednesday morning escaped from the court where he was taken to for his trial.

    The unidentified inmate, escaped from the watchful eyes of prison officials who took him and other inmates to court.

    The prisoner, an awaiting trial inmate in Oko medium prison, Benin, escaped at the premises of the state high court, Benin.

    A prison official who spoke with TheNation under the condition of anonymity, said prison warders have been sent to go after the escaped prisoner.

    Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Edo command of the Nigerian Prison Services (NPS), Mr Aminu Suleiman declined speaking to journalists on it.

    The spokesman, who could neither deny nor confirm the report, said he was not in a position to speak on the issue.

    Suleiman said that the state commander of the NPS, Mr Effiom Etowa, was out of the state on official assignment.

  • ICPC step up campaign against corruption

    ICPC step up campaign against corruption

    The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)‎, on Wednesday stepped up campaign against corruption by inaugurating the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the University of Benin (INIBEN).

    The Commissioner ‎of ICPC in Edo/Delta, Mr Olukile Olusesan, during the inauguration, charged members of the unit to be alive to their responsibility.

    He noted that ACTU was not set up to act as a parallel operational unit in the office of chief executives, but a complimentary instrument to checkmate corrupt practices in institutions.

    He said to fight institutional corruption in the Nigerian system, there must be functional and value driven linkages between anti-corruption agencies and institutions

    Olusesan added  that the responsiveness to attitudinal challenges by members of the committee will go a long way in the process of natural rebirth.

    ‎He said more ACTU committees would be set up in other institutions and government agencies in the state, starting with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on Thursday.

    UNIBEN ACTU members is made up of 11 senior lecturers drawn from various faculties of the university and two other non teaching staff members of the institutions.
    The unit is under the chairmanship ofProf Ahbor Ighoroje of the Department of Physiology as chairman.

    Other members of the committee are Prof. D.I. Teilanyo, Prof. (Mrs) A.O. Aisen, Prof (Mrs) C. Okiemen, Dr Friday Ezomo and Engineer Johatem Edoreh.

    Responding, Prof  Ighoroje, assured of the preparedness of the committee to work with the ICPC in order to tackle corruption.

  • Economic crisis: Blame past governments – Edo Commissioner

    The Edo state commissioner for solid minerals, Hon Saturday  Uwulekhue has posited that the current economic crisis being experienced in the nation is as a result of the failure of previous government to peg budget based on economic reality.

    He said records have shown that previous governments did not take into consideration the reality in international market while using the dollar as a benchmark in preparing the budget

    He added that because the price of crude oil in the international market does not correspond with the reality on ground, the nation was bound to fall into the crisis we are now.

    He further added that these suffering should have long been expected stating that “What we are observing today should have been expected by the previous government and by those who were saddled with the responsibilities of advising government. For instance the price of oil was based on the abnormalities in the prices of oil in the international market and people were working the budget based on the abnormalities.”

    “The issue is that what we are seeing at the international market is that we were living in a borrowed economy because of the crisis in the international market.”

    “They would have prepared the budget based on the reality on ground. Budgets were based on these abnormalities. I believe that the issue of diversification should have long been taken care off before now. We should have done that over 20years ago. As I speak no state government has any other source of revenue other than oil. No machines are on ground to explore or exploit solid minerals, all that is happening is that private sector participation. What the government do is just collect its taxes and haulage and personal income tax.”

  • Oshiomhole’s aide resigns over alleged corrupt practices

    Oshiomhole’s aide resigns over alleged corrupt practices

    An aide to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on the board of Edo state Produce committee, Sir Peter Oba, on Wednesday resigned on grounds of corrupt practices by the Chairman of the committee.

    A copy of his resignation letter made available to newsmen in Benin city, Sir Oba alleged that over eighty percent of the revenue generated is paid as cash into the chairman’s personal account.

    The resignation letter read in part: “There is a high level of corrupt practices perpetuated by the present chairman of Edo state produce Committee,

    “The Chairman of the Committee illegally constituted a parallel committee that now performs the function and duties of the committee put in place by the office of the Governor. It is pertinent to know that these illegal activities of the Chairman have been in place on, before and after the inauguration  of the Committee

    “Over eighty percent of the revenue generated from the produce bits across the state are paid in cash to him in some cases to provide accounts. This is gross corruption.”

    “However, for record purposes,I wish to dissociate myself from these acts, especially at this period of the fight against corrupt practices. I wish to state clearly that with effect from today,29th February, 2016,I seize to be a member of Edo State Produce Committee.”

  • Girl, 18 narrates how grandma was Killed

    Joy, an 18-year-old secondary school student in tears yesterday narrated how her grandmother, Mrs Clara Uwaifo, 65, a retired headmistress was shot dead by a neighbour whose family has been at loggerheads with her grandmother.
    Weeping uncontrollably, Joy said: “At about 3:00p.m when my friend and I entered my street returning from school, I sighted my grandmother walking opposite my direction, she was holding a bag and walking towards our house with one Agbangbanyan son following her closely. As I ran to assist her take the bag inside, I accidentally hit my foot against a stone.”
    Narrating the killing of her grandmother further with tears rolling down her cheeks, she said: “Then my grandmother was approaching the gate, suddenly, I saw the Agbangbanyan son who was wearing blue jeans trouser and a light milk shirt raised his shirt, brought out a short gun and shot my grandmother on the back and ran away.
    According to her: “My grandmother fell down, I ran and raised her shouting mama stand up!, mama stand up! Help! Help! Help me!, mama looked at me, shook her head, I begged my grandmother not to die.
    “One brother now rushed out from our house, joined me and my friend to carry her in Keke Nape (tricycle) to hospital where they said she was dead”.
    Joy had linked the killing of her grandmother to a quarrel between the two neighbouring families to the day a member of Uwaifo family entered the compound of the Agbangbanyans’ to pick their fowl that strayed into the premises.
    She alleged that members of the Agbangbanyan family started accusing her slain grandmother and her children of being responsible for the death of their daughter one Oghomwen, who died in Indian.
    As the quarrel persist, joy said and threat to kill their grandmother, a petition was written through their lawyer to the commissioner of police, as nobody was invited for interrogation.
    Inside sources, however, linked the incident to cultism as the male children of the Uwaifo alleged to belong to a rival cult group of that of the Agbangbanyan’s.
    The Agbangbanyan’s family compound is currently deserted as non of the family members are ready to speak to press.
    The Public Relations Officer, Edo State Police Command DSP Osifo Abiodun said the suspect is a teenage cultist and serial killer on the police wanted list.

  • Girl, 15, Detained by Hospital for unsettle bills

    Miss Jenefe Osedei, 15years old, who was knocked down by a hit and run vehicle on her way to the farm in April 2013 had her left leg
    amputated in the process.
     After a successful treatment she incurred a bill of fifteen thousand naira which the parents could not afford to pay and she was
    subsequently detained by the hospital authority.
      The incarceration of Jenefe Osedei by the management of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital for her inability to meet the medical bills
    was described as inhuman by the chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Hon. Godwin Aigbodion.
     Aigbodion therefore  called on the federal government to put in place health policies that will be beneficial to all Nigerians.
     He visited the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, where he paid the bill of the little girl, Miss Jenefe Osedei , an SS1 student of Holy Trinity
    Grammar School, sabongidda-ora.
     Aigbodion who however frowned at the attitude of the health institution to the plight of the citizens that at this time when the people should be enjoying free health services, the young girl, because her parents could not pay for the medical bills incurred was not allowed to go home after being certified fit by the doctors.
     The chairman also expressed shock that health workers who are supposed to provide essential services to the people could go on strike without consideration to the lives of the people is not encouraging and urged the federal government to wake up to its responsibilities to ensure that the citizens of the country do not suffer.
    While encouraging the young girl not to see her present predicament as the end of the road, Agbodion added that the welfare of the citizen of Owan West is paramount to his administration and ordered the supervisory councilor for health, Enahoro Aikpokpo to see to the needs of Miss Osedei and reintegrate her back to the society.