The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Osisioma Local Government Area

  • Aba transporters, commuters cry out over bad roads

    Motorists, commercial tricycle operators and residents of Ayaba Umueze in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State have appealed to their local and state authorities to fix bad roads in their area.

    The state’s teaching hospital ABSUTH is located in the area.

    Some of the roads that crisscross the community serve as alternative routes into and out of the commercial city of Aba, especially during traffic build-up on Port Harcourt-Enugu and Aba-Owerri Expressways.  The agrarian community also uses the roads to convey their farm produce into the city centre.

    A staff of ABSUTH who could not disclose his name told our reporter that going to work on the Ayaba Umueze Road is hellish.

    When it rains, according to the staff, the road is virtually impassable, adding that the situation has drastically cut down the number of people visiting the hospital.

    Some commercial tricycle operators lamented the impact of the road on their business, saying that people prefer trekking home than boarding their tricycles.

    A resident Chijioke Onyemachi said, “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu came to this Ayaba Umueze. He was at the Oil Palm Nursery to flag off the distribution of 2million oil palms to farmers in the state.

    “We were all waiting to see how he would pass through this same road, but the people leading him took him to the venue through the Adventist, Eastern Union Road that is a little bit motorable.

    “We were hopeful that the road would have received accelerated attention from the governor if he had used the road. But that brings to question of what the local government is doing with all the monies that they get from the state and federal allocation.

    “Their primary responsibility is the people in the grassroots including road and infrastructure. Let this be a wakeup call to the Osisioma local government chairman. He should rise to the occasion to address the impassible nature of roads in the local government area.”

     

  • Three die as soldiers clash with Police in Aba

    Three persons were on Friday reported dead in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State as personnel of the Nigerian Army attached to the Ngwa High School Forward Operation Base (Charlie Coy) and personnel of Mobile Police Force (PMF 55) unit in Osisioma Local Government Area of the State.

    While a yet to be confirmed report has it that a police officer’s hand was severed in the shootout, another report has it that two mobile policemen and a soldier died in the melee.

    It could be recalled that in 2015, soldiers from Ngwa High School FOB and policemen of PMF 55 clashed at the same Osisioma junction, leaving a policeman who was hit by a bullet during crossfire that lasted for about thirty minutes dead.

    While efforts to reach both police and army hierarchy in the state until the time of this report failed to yield fruits as the State Commissioner of Police and the spokesman of the Command, Michael Ogbizi and Geoffrey Ogbonna were yet to reply to a text message our correspondent sent to their phones.

    Sources who claimed to have witnessed the incident feared that incident which caused pandemonium at the major exit and entrance route into the commercial nerve of the state also wounded many passersby.

    According to one Chinyere Ikem, the incident forced many shop owners to quickly close for business while many petty traders along the Expressway abandoned their wares to scamper for safety as lorry load of mobile and regular policemen arrived the scene that is already charged with gunshots.

    Ikem said that while some passengers going to different parts of the country that were yet to board vehicles to their locations were trapped in the shootout, others coming into the country, used alternative routes to avoid being caught in the web of the crisis.

    “It happened like what we used to watch in American movies. It happened in a flash and before you know what is happening, trucks of army and police vans were everywhere.

    Read Also:Court grants bail to seven Jewish worshippers in Abia

    Police and army were shooting themselves face-to-face. From what we later learnt, two policemen and a soldier died in the gun duel. It is better seeing that being told. I don’t know what is happening at this Osisioma junction. Don’t forget that some time ago, police and army clashed here and shoot at each other leaving one policemen dead.

    “I saw some people running with blood stain and I guess that they were hit be stray bullets. Police and army leadership in the state should call themselves to order. They are sister agencies and I don’t think that it is in their own interest to be fighting among themselves when they are supposed to be working hand in hand with each other especially as the state Governor is doing his best in tackling insecurity in the state,” Ikem stated.

    While normalcy has since returned to the area at the time our reporter visited the scene, shop owners were yet to open for business as people in clusters recount their experience of the incident.

    However in a swift reaction, Abia State Government in a press release through the commissioner of information in the state, Chief John Okiyi said that the state received with sadness “disturbing reports of an unfortunate confrontation between a group of soldiers and police officers at the Osisioma area of Aba earlier today (Friday June 15).”

    Okiyi who said that the state government was working with heads of security to bring the situation under control also assured that investigation was ongoing to know the cause of the incident and to fish out those behind the incident.

    “We are working with the heads of the concerned security agencies in the state to ensure that the situation, which has been brought under control, does not repeat itself or escalate within the state.

    “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has also directed full investigation of the circumstances that led to the breach of public peace with a view to preventing future occurrence of such armed confrontation that endanger the lives of innocent citizens and security agents working in the state.

    “While we are currently working with law enforcement agencies to review the immediate and remote cause of the incidence, members of the public are advised to go about their normal duties as the situation around the area has been pacified.

    “Those responsible for this breach of public peace will certainly be unraveled and punished according the law,” Okiyi added.

  • De-worming exercise for pupils in Aba

    De-worming exercise for pupils in Aba

    Abia State governor’s wife Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu has flagged off a deworming exercise for pupils of Osisioma Local Government Area which took place at Abayi Umuocham Primary School Aba.

    Speaking during the event, Mrs Ikpeazu said the programme, which is part of the state’s free school feeding programmes, is meant to provide balanced diets for pupils in primaries one to six and make them healthy.

    Mrs Ikpeazu said that Abia State is among the first states in Nigeria selected to benefit from the homegrown school feeding programme funded by the Federal Government under its Social Investment policy and noted that the deworming exercise is in line with her pet project Vicar Hope Foundation.

    The governor’s wife said that the deworming exercise is part of the systems and structures laid down by the state Primary School free meal program which has made it attractive and seamless for the federal government to get involved in the feeding of school kids in the state.

    She said: “Over the past two years, we have made several sacrifices to sustain the Home Grown Free school meal and its state components, it is a welcome development that we now have added deworming to our service”.

    “This deworming programme will go round all the schools where our free school meals are being served, it will complement our efforts to make our children healthier and more capable of pursuing their educational career”.

    Mrs Ikpeazu noted that Abia state has become better with the two programs, “Our expectations are that our children will be stronger, healthier, more intelligent enough to sustain our unbroken record as the leading state in education development in the country”.

    The State Focal person of the Home grown School feeding programme, Mr Chinenye Nwaogu said that the deworming exercise will consolidate the expected result of the Free School Meal and boost the children’s health and academic performance.

    The Programme Manager Emeka Ahuruoye said free school meal has been caring for over 800 schools while 1,600 women were employed by the state government who cook the food for the school children.

    Ahuruoye said that the governor had insisted that those who will cook the food for the school children must be people who do not have any means of livelihood, stressing that it part of the way to empower the people of the state.

    In a similar event 50 graduates of Vicar Hope Foundation/springboard Skill Acquisition Program of the Wife of the Governor, have been charged to use the knowledge gained from their training to become self-reliant.

    The wife of the Governor of Abia State Mrs Ikpeazu gave this charge at Bende Local Government headquarters while empowering the graduands of Hair dressing, Interior Decor and Catering management

    Mrs Ikpeazu also disclosed that by the program the Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has created a platform for business development and empowerment and called on public spirited individuals, donor agencies and the organized public sector to join government in adding value to peoples lives.

    The Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment Lady Buchi Ojei, commended the wife of the Governor for her positive touch to all categories of Abians.

    Responding on behalf of the graduands,Mrs Ugochi Ijioma thanked the first lady for the opportunity given them and assured they will put into good use the empowerment items given them.

  • Ikpeazu’s wife launches deworming exercise

    Ikpeazu’s wife launches deworming exercise

    Abia State governor’s wife Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu has flagged off a deworming exercise for pupils of Osisioma Local Government Area which took place at Abayi Umuocham Primary School Aba.

    Speaking during the event, Mrs Ikpeazu said that the programme, which is part of the state’s free school feeding programme, is meant to provide balanced diets for pupils in primary 1 to 6 and make them healthy.

    Mrs Ikpeazu said that Abia State is among the first states in Nigeria selected to benefit from the homegrown school feeding programme funded by the Federal Government under its Social Investment policy and noted that the deworming exercise is in line with her pet project Vicar Hope Foundation.

    The governor’s wife said that the deworming exercise is part of the systems and structures laid down by the state Primary School free meal program which has made it attractive and seamless for the federal government to get involved in the feeding of school kids in the state.

    She said, “Over the past two years, we have made several sacrifices to sustain the Home Grown Free school meal and its state components, it is a welcome development that we now have added deworming to our service”.

    “This deworming programme will go round all the schools where our free school meals are being served, it will complement our efforts to make our children healthier and more capable of pursuing their educational career”.

    Mrs Ikpeazu noted that Abia state has become better with the two programs, “Our expectations are that our children will be stronger, healthier, more intelligent enough to sustain our unbroken record as the leading state in education development in the country”.

    The State Focal person of the Home grown School feeding programme, Mr Chinenye Nwaogu said that the deworming exercise will consolidate the expected result of the Free School Meal and boost the children’s health and academic performance.

    The program manager Emeka Ahuruoye said that free school meal has been caring for over 800 schools while 1,600 women were employed by the state government who cook the food for the school children.

    Ahuruoye said that the governor had insisted that those who will cook the food for the school children must be people who do not have any means of livelihood, stressing that it part of the way to empower the people of the state.

    In a similar event 50 graduates of Vicar Hope Foundation/springboard Skill Acquisition Program of the wife of the Governor, have been charged to use the knowledge gained from their training to become self-reliant.

    The wife of the Governor of Abia State Mrs Ikpeazu gave this charge at Bende Local Government headquarters while empowering the graduands of Hair dressing, Interior Decor and Catering management

    Mrs Ikpeazu also disclosed that by the program the Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has created a platform for business development and empowerment and called on public spirited individuals, donor agencies and the organised public sector to join government in adding value to peoples lives.

    The Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment Lady Buchi Ojei, commended the wife of the Governor for her positive touch to all categories of Abians.

    Responding on behalf of the graduands,Mrs Ugochi Ijioma thanked the first lady for the opportunity given them and assured they will put into good use the empowerment items given them.

  • Abia community protests high electricity tariff by EEDC

    Abia community protests high electricity tariff by EEDC

    Commercial and vehicular movements were on Wednesday obstructed in some parts of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State as the people of Umuode village in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state took to the streets to protest what they described as “obnoxious and unjustifiable” electricity tariff to electricity users in the community.

    The protesters bearing different placards with inscriptions like “We are tired of estimated bills”. “Give us pay as use meter”. “Enough is enough”. “Oh God, deliver us from the hands of the EEDC”. “52,000 is it for 2years?” and amongst others marched through Umule-Faulks road to Calabar Street where the distribution office of the EEDC is located to lodge their complaints.  

    The residents who brandished several of their February to journalists questioned why the EEDC would bill them excessively even when the electricity distribution company hardly supply power to their homes making them to power their homes and workshops with generator most of the days in the week.

    The protesters while bemoaning the attitude of EEDC staff and management in Aba towards their customers also demanded the supply of the much hyped prepaid meters to their home as measures to curb excessive billing by the electricity distribution company.

    Comrade Onyebuenyi Chimaobi and Mr Ibe Ihesinaulo said “We are protesting of the crazy electricity bills that the EEDC people are giving to us. It has been like that in the past, but the February bill is very outrageous. Some of us were to pay N106, 000 for three bedroom flats, some over N200, 000. The cheapest one is N38, 000 for three rooms. We are not happy with the way things are going because the issue has been happening in the past.

    The high rate of bill is unacceptable to us. That is why we are calling on Abia State and Federal Government to see that we are given prepaid meter. Someone who is living in a room should pay for the electricity consumed, but it must not be 3,000. The cost of paying for electricity bill is now higher than the cost of rent.

    The money you will use in paying for EEDC bills will be used to pay for three bedroom flats in three years which is unacceptable to us. We have made efforts and have even paid for meters several years ago but as we speak, the meters are yet to be supplied to us. With prepaid meter, this issue of overbilling will be reduced.”

    Officials of the EEDC could not be reached for comments when reporters made attempts to speak with them over the allegations made by the Umuode community.