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Tag: Owan

  • When Owan nation deliberated on peace, development

    When Owan nation deliberated on peace, development

    Recently, those indigenous to the Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State gathered at the expansive Institute of Physical Education (IPE) Hall on Afuze-Auchi Road in Afuze, the headquarters of Owan East Local Government Area. The Owan Conscience, a socio-cultural organisation organised a summit whose theme was “Transcending the Miasma of Ethnic Chauvinism: Towards a People-centred Development in Edo North” to chart a new path for the development of the area. The event also served as a platform to reward those who had contributed to the development of the Owan ethnic nationality. Southsouth Bureau Chief, BISI OLANIYI reports

    On March 9, this year, the Institute of Physical Education (IPE) Hall on Afuze-Auchi Road in Afuze, the headquarters of Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State came alive.

    As early as noon that day, guests had begun to throng the spatial headquarters of the local government.

    There was heavy drumming, singing, trumpeting and breath-taking dance steps by various cultural dancers who thrilled the guests who had seated before the arrival of important dignitaries invited for the occasion.

    It was all glamour and show of opulence, as a substantial number of guests had gathered at Afuze.

    The weather was calm as the sun shone brightly out of the azure sky. The spacious hall was largely suffused with different beautifully coloured traditional dancers who entertained the people. Gaily dressed Owan women known for their panache and active social lifestyle were a marvel to behold. The men equally in their beautiful traditional attire swirled to the suiting rhythm of drums and other musical instruments in that somewhat balmy afternoon. It was a gathering of who is who in Owan land and Edo State.

    Those indigenous to Owan West and Owan East local government areas, their eminent friends and associates, came together at the maiden Owan Summit which was organised by Owan Conscience whose theme was “Transcending the Miasma of Ethnic Chauvinism: Towards a People-centred Development in Edo North.”

    The easiest and much shorter route to Afuze is through the strategic Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Abuja Expressway. Currently, the thruway has become deplorable; with craters in the middle of the hitherto-busy road. Drivers of articulated vehicles and other motorists, as well as commuters now spend weeks, instead of hours before reaching their destinations, even as the residents of the areas volunteer to cook for the stranded road users, who are mostly travelling towards the North.

    Despite the expressway being in a deplorable state, people must necessarily embark on trips. To achieve this, motorists and commuters find alternative routes to make their journeys somewhat easy.

    This time around, the alternative route to Afuze is the narrow, dangerous, accident-prone, deplorable, but manageable Benin-Sobe-Ifon-Akure Highway that is a haven for kidnappers/robbers.

    Travellers from Benin will, from Ifon in Ondo State, link Sabongidda-Ora, the headquarters of Owan West Local Government Area of Edo, and then pass through Ojavun-Emai in Owan East Local Government Area, as well as some of the other Emai communities, before getting to Afuze. This gives rise to an elongated and stressful journey.

    Owan is one of the five major ethnic groups in Edo State, with the others being Bini, Esan, Akoko-Edo and Etsako.

    Owan, with 22 political wards (each local government area has 11 wards), is located in the northern part of Edo State, and one of the three federal constituencies that make up Edo North Senatorial District.

    The area has 13 clans, with nine in Owan East, while Owan West has four. There are 50 autonomous communities in Owan, with over 20 camp settlements.

    Owan occupies a landmass of about 2,160 square kilometres and it is bounded in the North by Akoko-Edo LGA, in the East by Etsako West LGA, in the South by Esan West, Esan Central and Uhunmwonde LGAs, and in the West by Ovia Northeast LGA of Edo and Osse LGA of Ondo State.

    The area has a tropical climate, characterised by the wet and dry seasons, with a population of 251,686; according to the 2006 census of the National Population Commission (NPC), while the 2011 estimation put the population at 390,350.

    Owan, as an ethnic group, is not a unified linguistic entity, as it is a conglomeration of various, but similar dialects. There are no fewer than 18 dialects spoken within Owan communities.

    Owan Conscience is a socio-cultural organisation established by patriotic Owan sons and daughters who are zealous about the growth and development of Owan; to give it a proper placing in the political and economic space of Edo State and Nigeria. Its mission spans development, security, politics and empowerment.

    Owan Conscience ensures that the harmony and refined social relationships among the various communities in Owan are sustained; advances the development of every community in Owan as emerging modern towns and villages; intervenes and ensures that development inflow retains/sustains the environmental sanity of the various communities in Owan land.

    The organisation aims to deploy advocacy and legal options in defence of Owan people and their communities against infractions that affect their environmental and social well-being; bring coordinated economic development to the people through programmes that enhance small-scale economic initiatives and rural economic development; and strengthen the moral content of the younger generation of Owan land, while ensuring their commitment to academic development and exploits.

    The Organisation is poised to ensure that the elected representatives from the area are not disconnected from the Owan community, especially in their various constituencies; identify areas of needed infrastructure and draw the government’s attention to such imperatives; and organise award-driven competitions such as quizzes, debate and essay-writing for Owan youths.

    Fourteen illustrious individuals who are indigenous to the Owan Clan, including four posthumous, were honoured at the colourful and carnival-like summit. The awards were in recognition of their contributions to the development of the area. Those who were presented with the awards included a former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase (from Owan West LGA) and the member representing Owan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, who is also the Leader of the House, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (also from Owan West LGA).

    Other individuals who were honoured are Senator Yisa Braimoh, Maj.-Gen. Joseph Omozogie, Pally Iriase, Patrick Giwa, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, Justus Aikhoje, Julius Ikoghode and Greg Uanseru.

    Those who were honoured posthumously included the Oleije of Emai, His Royal Highness (HRH) J.A. Ogedengbe II; Okumagbe of Luleha, HRH Timothy Omo-Bare; Alhaji (Chief) Inu Umoru and Chief J.A. Aigbokhaode. All the recipients of the awards were presented with certificates and plaques.

    Ihonvbere described the Owan people as dedicated, resilient, hardworking, peace-loving, conscious and warm, with great abilities and undiluted commitment to the growth of their ethnic nationality.

    The Leader of the House of Representatives urged Owan people to rise against primordial, petty or political sentiments and recommit themselves to their communal existence, rebuild their strength, resources and opportunities to mentor the youth population, since there lay the Owan nation’s strength, even as he declared that the journey would not be easy, given betrayals and political opportunists that would twist the goals and comments to find favour elsewhere.

    Arase, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) assured  that he was committed to leveraging his close ties to the authorities to promote the interests of the Owan people. He was optimistic that there were brighter days ahead.

    A former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rev. Peter Obadan, who hails from Owan West LGA, equally urged the Owan people to imbibe the love and oneness bequeathed to them by their forebears for the Owan nation to be great again.

    The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Owan Summit, Richard Ofen-Imu, a lawyer, in his welcome address, said that Owan Conscience was a response initiative that focuses on identifying basic anti-development obstacles confronting the Owan people and resolving the contradictions in the best interest of the senatorial district.

    Ofen-Imu, a former Chairman of Owan West Local Government Council, said: “Critical to the present challenges of the Owan people is a process of denigration integrated into a philosophy of alienation. It is about a deliberate design to enthrone an inferiority complex in the psyche of the Owan personality. It is a response to the compass of derogation, inferiority, subjugation and alienation foisted on our people and community.

    “As patriots and objects of holistic development, we will be undermining the development of our country, when we permit or tolerate ethnic chauvinism that eliminates the best brains and hands of our small geographical compass in harnessing the potential of our country.”

    Read Also: Edo Speaker at Owan summit: Avoid pull-him-down syndrome

    He also stated that beyond the provocation rendered by the ideological contraption, Owan Conscience focuses on making responsible and responsive leadership the hub of the cultural nexus.

    The Chairman of the occasion, Justice Rowland Amaize, a retired Judge of Edo High Court, insisted that Owan ethnic nationality could not be undermined in any circumstance in Nigeria.

    Amaize also described Owan as a viable land that must be reckoned with in Nigeria, even as he stated that the ethnic nationality could not afford to lag. He insisted that the people must eschew primordial considerations in order not to undermine the youth.

    The Keynote Speaker, Prof. Monday Igbafen of Edo State government-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma noted that the theme of the summit was apt, given the renewed awareness and agitation for fairness and equity in the sharing of political power among Etsako, Owan and Akoko-Edo, the three sub-ethnic groups that makeup Edo North Senatorial District.

    Igbafen, a Professor of Philosophy, who is the Benin Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) also pointed out that the summit was germane, against the backdrop of a growing sense of ethnic dominance, marginalisation, relegation and alienation in Edo North Senatorial District by one sub-ethnic group against others.

    He said “Politics in sane climes is the bedrock of transformation and development of society, either in economics, politics, morality, material, freedom, justice, equality or security.

    “I commend and congratulate Owan Conscience on blazing the trail in bringing quality sons and daughters of Owan together to engage and interrogate the all-important issue of ethnicity vis-à-vis collective progress and development in Edo North.

    “The problems associated with ethnicity are not Edo North specifically. They are Nigerian problems, as they are global, especially because Nigeria has more than 300 ethnic nationalities.

    “The summit desires to chart a new roadmap for assured Owan’s identity and recognition in the socio-political matrix of Edo North, now and in the future.”

  • Kidnappers demand N100m ransom from APC candidate

    Abductors of Hon Micheal Ohio-Ezomo, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) candidate for Owan West constituency, are demanding a ransom of N100m.

    Ohio-Ezomo was kidnapped on January 23, 2019 at his Sabongidda Ora residence by gunmen after his police orderly was killed.

    Family sources said the kidnappers called family members last weekend where they made the demand.

    It was however gathered that an attempt to rescue him by a special police force failed and the abductors managed to escape to another location.

    Edo Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, confirmed that the kidnappers have opened communication channels but was silent on how much was being demanded.

    Read Also: APC to Atiku: Nigerians will never return to Egypt

    Odumosu said the police was being careful because of the victim.

    He said the police busted kidnappers den at Okada Junction in Ovia South West local government area where locally made pistol, one cut to size barrel and two wooden guns were recovered.

    The Edo Police boss said seven kidnap victims were rescued in January in different parts of Edo State.

    He called on the citizens to assist the police with useful information.

  • Police nabbed two robbers in hotel

    Men of the Edo State Police command have arrested two suspected armed robbers who were invited from Kaduna and Abuja to carry out special operations.

    The two suspects identified as Dúnia Damboa and Sam Joshua were nabbed at a hotel in Uzebba, Owan West local government area.

    They were preparing to go out for the operation when they were rounded up.

    Dúnia who spoke to newsmen while being paraded at the police headquarters said they were invited to break into shops in the area.

    He said the person that invited escaped before policemen swooped on them.

    Read Also: State police , only remedy to secure lives, property – Lawmaker

    According to him, “We came tô one village at Uzebba from Abuja. The people lodged us in a hotel. Police raided the place and arrested us.

    “We were invited to break some shops. We have not executed the job when we were arrested. The person that invited us was not around when we were arrested.

    His accomplice, Joshua said, “I was just invited from Kaduna to rob in Edo. We did not know what he called us for. We didn’t want to do kidnapping but to do some stealing.“

  • Why there is no electricity – Owan

    Why there is no electricity – Owan

    The pioneer chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Ransome Owan, yesterday opened up on why there is no sufficient electricity supply from the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    According to him, there is no adequate power supply owing to consumers’ inability to pay for it.

    He said: “The reason why you don’t have power now is the inability to pay for it.”

    Owan who is also the Group Managing Director, Aiteo Power Infrastructure added that “the same tariff we pay today is the tariff we paid three years ago.”

    He explained that the federal government which holds 40% equity in the Disco has capped the rate in the last three years while the investors have refused to embark on further capital expenditure.

    Owan said “The reason that government interferes is because it has a hand in that business. Remember that in the Discos government is the largest shareholder. Two, the 40% holder says “I will no longer invest one penny in the business.”

    He spoke at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) workshop for energy correspondents in Abuja. The theme of the workshop was “Deepening the reportage of the NESI for effective customer education.”

    He noted that in four years after the privatisation of the power firms some of the contracts that were entered into are not still adhered to.

    Continuing, he submitted that “some of the DisCos are not bankable. The banks are saying they are yet to repay previous loans so there is no need for further exposure to the sector.”

    Insisting that low revenue collection is accountable for the DisCos  low investment in infrastructure, Owan said that “velocity of electricity must match revenue.”

    He also blamed the collection losses that pervade the electricity market on the fraudulent attitudes of the citizenry.

    “Collection losses is the problem. What has not changed is the people,” he said.

    The former NERC boss noted that since the passage of the Power Sector Reform Act, successive governments have supported its regulation, which he described as a good signal to the development of the sector.

    Asked whether he was suggesting that there should be tariff increase, he said that tariff increase is not the only answer to power sector challenges.

    He said that since there is high refusal to pay for electricity in the country, the DisCos could improve their earnings through the efficiency of their operation.

    The Managing Director, AEDC, Mr. Ernest Mupwaya, noted that the company is to introduce handed meters reading devices to help eliminate estimated bills.

    According to him, the company has procured 120,000 meters while it has been installing 10,000 monthly which is bound to double  next year.

  • Joy as Owan gets first indigenous Anglican bishop

    Joy as Owan gets first indigenous Anglican bishop

    There was jubilation in Sabongida-Ora Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in Owan West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Reverend Augustine Ehijimetor Ohilebo was enthroned as its first indigenous bishop in accordance with the tradition of the Anglican Communion.

    Some young members, who were witnessing the enthronement of an Anglican bishop for the first time, were thrilled at the observance of the church’s traditional rules.

    The process began with the bishop knocking three times on the west door of the St. John Sabongida-Ora Cathedral with his pastoral staff seeking to come inside to give thanks to the Lord.

    He informed the cathedral warden, who opened the door, that he had been elected, confirmed and consecrated bishop of the cathedral.

    Archbishop of old Bendel Province and Supervisory Bishop of the cathedral, Reverend Friday John Imaekhai, demanded that the mandate of the Archbishop and Primate of All Nigeria, Reverend Nicholas Okoh, introducing Ohilebo as the elected bishop of Sabongida- Ora Diocese, be read.

    It was read by Francis Okanigbuan, registrar of the diocese. The bishop then took the oath of canonical obedience. Following which Imaekhai administered on him the Declaration of Fidelity.

    After this, he was presented to the congregation.

    He obtained a pledge of loyalty from the cathedral’s clergy and laity, and unveiled his vision by promising to consolidate on achievements of his predecessors.

    Praising the College of Bishops  for electing him, Ohilebo promised to enthrone humility, integrity, dedication, loyalty to constituted authority and faithfulness.

    Ohilebo urged the clergy  to adhere to their responsibilities of fulfilling the command of Christ, warning against laziness and lukewarm service.

    He promised to bridge the communication gap, assuring all that the welfare of the clergy will be given priority.

    Ohilebo said he’s a child of destiny,  recalling how he ran away from serving, but God spoke to him through Baba Agbaje, and he was called to the Ministry in 2001.

    Among challenges he promised to tackle are reviving the church dilapidated infrastructures, such as a cassava processing factory, ‘pure’ water factory and printing press.

    His words:  “Our administration shall be committed to the revamping of these structures. With God all things are possible. We should give up anything if God asks us to do so.

    “I feel happy that God has favoured us and we are given the assignment to shepherd his flock in times as this. We are not here on our own. God gave us this assignment. We rely on him to lead us.

    “We are coming to a diocese where the Bishop’s Court needs N24 million to renovate. There is no official car for the bishop. We will depend on the strength of God to rebuild the infrastructure. We are willing to take the diocese to higher heights.”

    Reverend Ohilebo started his education at Owato Primary School and proceeded to Oke Secondary School.

    He attended Ezekiel College of Theology, Ujoelen-Ekpoma; obtained a diploma in Religious Studies and Diploma in Theology.

    The bishop was ordained in 2004 before proceeding to former Amrose Alli University, Ekpoma, to study Religious Management and Cultural Studies.

  • Nasty, brutish life in Owan

    Nasty, brutish life in Owan

    •Community appeals to Oshiomhole to fix their road

    Nigerians in the last sixteen years of experimental democracy have demonstrated and shown obligation in the area of civil responsibility by voting various political parties and political office holders into political offices. But the question of fulfilment of electioneering promise hangs in the balance. Painfully, Nigerians have grown accustomed to, and are used to their plights being shelved aside and their hopes smashed by politicians who made empty promises at elections without any intention of fulfilling them.

    Since 2007, a stranded people of Okpuje community in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State have set their hopes on the slender shoulders of a man they have dubbed the political saviour of their time, in the person of Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State. Seven years on the saddle, their exulted hopes have become forlorn and faded, and have been replaced with resentments, hopelessness, despairs and utter indignations.

    The people are now rumbling and urging Governor Adams Oshiomhole to honour his pact with them to fix their road nearly seven in office! Numbering almost fifty thousand in population with about thirty thousand register voters, the largest in the local government, the community leaders, coated with an appeal, have no kind words for Mr Oshiomhole. They alleged the governor visited the community repeatedly with helicopters to rake in votes for his political parties; then as AC, ACN and now, the APC.

    A great numbers of old and young in the community felt used, deceived and dished several times over by dubious politicians who constantly lure the people away into voting political parties with vague platitudes without keeping their promises. The Opkuje inhabitants would not forget in a hurry how their own son deceived and frittered away their common patrimony and lost the opportunity to fix the less than 8 kilometres road as two-term Local Government Chairman on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Okpuje road picture
    •Okpuje road

    The seven autonomous communities of Okpuje sub-clan are directly linked by the less than 8 kilometres major road that has been abandoned by successive local and state governments. The sub-clan remains one of the largest and most vibrant political ward in the entire local government with agriculture as the dominant occupation of the rural dwellers. The community also serves as a tourists attraction since it is rich in culture and has accounted for the reason thousands of people flock the place yearly for their annual festival. There is no doubt that the agricultural occupation of Opkuje people has contributed greatly to better rural livelihood and general economy growth of not only the rural areas but the state in general. It remains a puzzle that Okpuje is impoverished, abandoned, developmentally excuded ward in the state on account of inaccessible road.

    The level of abandonment and obvious consequences of absolute bad road have become alarming due to huge economic losses. It becomes even more worrisome that Okpuje people continued to be law abiding; pay taxes to govt and still actively involved in all electoral processes, but remains the most underdeveloped ward. The road is the only road in Owan West that has been generating serious attention long before Mr Adams Oshiomhole become governor. The road still remains in its sorry state even at the twilight of Oshiomhole government.

    As it stands, the people cannot do otherwise than to call the government attention repeatedly and appeal to Governor Oshiomhole not to renege on his promise on this most important road that link several communities. Besides, the road also connects to the present Secretary to the State Government’s private residence and this has left many tongues wagging. Not only that, the SSG’s mother is said to be a native of the sleepy town of Okpuje. That the people have been voting for Mr Adams Oshiomhole and his political party is enough evidence to prove the social contract between the people and the governor. This is the reason the people are continually calling on the governor to keep his own side of the bargain before the expiration of his tenure.

    Prior to Governor Oshiomhole’s governorship, Hon. Daniel Asekhamen, the former local government chairman was alleged to have awarded the same road to his automobile mechanic elder brother, Titus Asekhamen based in Port Harcourt without the slightest knowledge of construction or any known registered company. While a few persons believe Hon Asekhamen’s elder brother made minimal dent on the road were hundreds of millions of naira went down unaccounted for, prominent citizens of Okpuje community disagree, almost violently. They are of the view that Hon Asekhemen and his brother mechanic brother should be thoroughly investigated, prosecuted and jailed if found guilty for ruining the the economic live of an industrious and progressive people.

    They lamented the horrible and deplorable condition of the road which makes life nasty, brutish and unbearable for not only the inhabitants of the seven sub-clan but the motorists, traders, tourists, artisans, farmers and well-wishers who traverse the length and breadth of the once boisterous and most populous towns for various economic activities. Virtually everyone on the streets of Okpuje expects to see Hon. Daniel Asekhamen and his elder brother behind prison walls for ruining their means of livelihood, which they claim lies on the road.

    Speaking for the Okpuje Progressive Union, (OPU), the highest socio-political group in the sub-clan, and on behalf of the President, Mr Osadebe Clement Ogedengbe, the Vice President Mr Mutaba Asekhamen bluntly denounced and relentlessly chided Hon. Asekhamen whom he called the nemesis of Okpuje road and people. He quipped at the unreality of the claims that Hon. Asekhamen made any impact on the road: “Our road was 100 per cent in order, even though it is an earth road before Daniel Asekhamen swept his way through to the Council and destroyed everything thereof. Ordinarily, I drive my cars from the neighbouring town, Uzebba to my home town, Oromen without stress. Now, I have to park my car in a family friend’s house after Asekhamen’s house and hops on a motorbike to get to my house”.

    Mr Mutaba alleged that while Oshiomhole has turned his ancestral birthplace, Etsakor East, Etsakor West and Cetral local government areas (Auchi speaking in Edo North) to model cities with newly constructed roads, walkways and street lights, the governor refused to tar a single kilometre of road in Owan West Local Government. He therefore questioned the morality behind the mindless maginalisation of his people, giving the fact that Owan West falls into the same senatorial district as the governor’s, Edo North.

    He said the reason Okpuje community voted for the APC in the last general elections was solely on account of Prof Julius Ihonvbere’s last minutes appeal that the governor would mobilise contractors to fix the road once the elections are over. He retorted that the governor who could not visit Okpuje’s towns in the last election as a result of bad road belatedly visited a neighbouring town, Uzebba, few hours before the general election and reiterated the promise his Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere had earlier made.

    The Vice President chronicled the reason himself and the community have been supporting Governor Oshiomhole since 2007 after the governor made public pronouncement at Osaije Central School, Ivbiodohen to fix the road if elected governor. “We were moved after the governor’s solemn promise to mounted serious campaign against the PDP that have ruined our futune, believing that the comrade governor would come to our aid as promised. Okpuje Progressive Union sponsored many of our people to Benin to testified in court in favour of Mr Adams Oshiomhole to enable him retrieve his mandate from the PDP sitting governor, Prof Osareimen Osunbor to our detriment at the time.

    “We mounted similar rigorous campaign in 2011 for his re-election after he came to Okpuje with Helicopter three times, promising to fix the same road. The governor made similar promises elsewhere in the local government in the course of the last general elections, using Okpuje road for the umpteenth times to cajole the people in order to win the people’s sympathy and votes in the entire local government and the people sadly fell for the tramp again because of our brother and son, Prof Julius Ihonvbere who is virtually incapacitated in his government”.

    A notable chief and Major (Rtd) Benjamin Jimoh Igbafen  also recounted how Governor Oshiomhole deceived them into voting his party several times without fulfilling his electoral promise concerning the road. Major Igbafen gave vivid account on how the governor who could only access the community by a helicopter due to the deplorable condition of the road told the unhappy people that the contractor handling Uroe-Ikhin-Otuo road in Owan East will relocate promptly to Okpuje road as soon as the construction is completed.

    •Igbafen
    •Igbafen

    High Chief Major Igbafen said a check by his people has revealed that the contractor working on Owan East road which Governor Oshiomhole promised would relocate to Okpuje road has since completed or left Uroe-Ikhin-Otuo road to wherever they come from over two years ago.

    The retired Major groaned in righteous anger: “Several letters from me and the entire community reminding the governor of his promise to my people at the electioneering were never responded to”, saying it was  governance by deceit by the rambled governor”. He asserted that no single road project by the present government has been constructed in the entire Owan West local government, let alone Okpuje road, yet several road projects are going on in other parts of the state particularly the governor’s local government.

    He further stated that any government that can’t keep its electoral promise or extend its  reach to every part of the sphere of its geographical domain is either myopic or it is simply interested in marginalising a part of the whole. He said Okpuje with a total population of nearly fifty thousand people with about twenty thousand registered voters spread across the seven major communities namely, Ikpeyan, Oromen, Okeigho Avbioghola, Ivbiodonhen, Oah and Iloje deserve government patronages with regards to the road construction or other basic amenities.

    Chief Igbafen intones that “the basic fundamental purpose of governance is to extend development to the farthest part and, to the wretched of the earth, thereby creating a sense of belonging and social integration into the larger society for the less privileged. Dripping venom, the retired Major says, “anything short of that, as with Mr Oshiomhole’s government, is sheer hollowness”. It is left to be seen whether Mr Adams Oshiomhole will fulfil his electoral promise to a resolute people who have been hanging their hopes tenaciously over the years on his shoulders as his administration tapes off.

    •Ikhueoya sent this piece from Benin

     

  • We need base stations at Ikhin

    We need base stations at Ikhin

    HON. PALLY Iriase is a good lawmaker representing his people well. I mean the people of the Owan Federal Constituency in Edo State.

    When we needed electricity at Ikhin in the Owan East Local Government Area, he gave us without wasting time. He has always been giving us dividends of democracy.

    Now, we need base stations (masts) in our community in order to boost mobile communication. People in the area are suffering as a result of poor communication being experienced.

    In the light of this, I am calling on Hon. Iriase to use his position to bring base stations to our area.

    He is our leader. We shall always support him because he has been treating matters concerning our welfare with urgency.

     

    Bright Aigbokhai,

    Ikhin, Owan East,

    Edo State.

  • FG to regulate electricity tariffs

    The Chairman, Round Table Committee of 11 companies that bought Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Ransom Owan, said the Federal Government will regulate the electricity tariffs to protect consumer’s right.

    Owan made the disclosure in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

    He said companies which bought the PHCN had paid up as at August 21 and would soon commence operations.

    Owan said electricity prices were controlled and governed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission as the protector of the consumer.

    He said the new PHCN owners would treat the consumers as “kings’’ since they stand to pay for the industry’s financial responsibilities.

    “Why won’t the consumer be king when generation, transmission and distribution of power are paid for by the consumer through rates that are controlled,’’ Owan said.

    The chairman said the new electricity owners were not expected to exceed the prescribed regulated price by the commission.

    He urged consumers to remain confident as their interest would be protected in the regulation of tariffs.

    Owan also said that all existing staff of PHCN would be paid off 100 per cent by the Federal Government in line with labour unions demand.

    He said the new owners of PHCN also had an agreement with the government to retain some PHCN employees for a period of six months for continuity.