The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Owerri

  • Labour, FG on collision course over violation of Public Service Rule

    Labour, FG on collision course over violation of Public Service Rule

    Organised Labour are set for a possible showdown with the Federal Ministry of Health over the decision to reinstate the Medical Director of the Federal a Medical Centre, Owerri, Dr. Angela Uwakwem in contravention of the Public Service Rules.

    Labour is accusing the Minister of State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire who over sees Federal Medical Centres across the country of contravening public service rule 030406 by reinstating Dr.Uwakwem five days after she was formally arraigned before an Owerri High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with two others.

    In reinstating her, the Ministry had said that after due consultation, they found out that Dr. Uwakwem has not committed any offence.

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba told newsmen in Abuja that organised Labour was surprised that the Minister would order the reinstatement of a public officer who was undergoing criminal trial for fraud instead of interdicting her.

    Wabba explained that the public service rules stipulate where a prima facie case has been established against a public officer, such an officer shall be interdicted.

    He said that rather than interdicting her, the minister of State wrote a letter asking her to resume duty as the Medical Director of the Centre and given a full complement of security agents that led her into the FMC, Owerri despite protest by the five unions at the centre.

    Wabba said: “there were two issues in contention at the FMC, Owerri. Last year, we succeeded in resolving the industrial relation issue and referred the one that has to do with corruption and mismanagement of resources to the relevant agency of government which is the EFCC for investigation.

    “She was then suspended from office, while a caretaker management was put in place. We did not even know that investigations were ongoing. The EFCC concluded their investigations and established a prima facie case against her. She was formally arraigned in court on an 18 count charge on October 11, 2016.

    “To our surprise, five days later, the Minister of State for Health wrote a letter asking her to return to her duty post from the suspension she embarked upon last year and we felt that something is wrong somewhere because the is against the rules.

    “She went to the hospital with security men, including Mobile Police and right now, she is threatening the whistle  lower who wrote the petition against her and all the witnesses listed against her by the EFCC. Together with my counterpart in the TUC, we went to the senior Minister, Prof, Adewale to complain and he claimed he was not aware and that we should get a copy of the court papers for him.

    “We have obtained a certified True copy of the suit filed against her by the EFCC and my colleague in the TUC has forwarded it to the Minister. All we are saying is that government must live by example. They should not been seen to be going against the laws of the land.

    “Infact, rule 030409 of the civil service rules require her to her to inform her employers who, in this case is the Ministry of Health that she has been charged to court. She has not done this”.

    “We are going to write to the President, the Presidential Committee on Corruption, the Minister of Justice and other relevant agencies of government putting them on notice. If nothing is done about this, we will have no option than to protest.”

    Wabba said reinstating her back to her position as Medical Director of the Centre while she is undergoing g trial can impede the course of Justice as it may give her the opportunity to tamper with evidence against her as well as intimidate witnesses.

    He said “immediately she resumed duty, she queried the staff who petitioner her and threatened the witnesses listed against her. She has even threatened not to pay their salaries”.

    Wabba said reinstating Dr. Uwakwem when a case of corruption has been established against her will rubbish the anti-corruption crusade of the zhuhai administration and warned that the union will not accept such an action.

  • ASUP decries non-payment of lecturers’ salaries

    ASUP decries non-payment of lecturers’ salaries

    …set for nationwide strike August 21

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), on Thursday in Oweri, the Imo State capital, said it will shut down Polytechnics and Mono-technics nationwide to protest the non-payment of 14 months salary arrears of its members and the  Federal Government’s refusal to implement the agreement reached with the Union two years ago.

    The Union, said the planned industrial action will commence after the 21st of August, when the one month ultimatum it earlier gave to the government will expire.

    The Coordinator of ASUP Zone D, Comrade Chika Ogonwa, who disclosed this during a media briefing shortly after an emergency meeting of the Union at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, recalled that the Union suspended its nine month strike in 2014 “on the strength of the appeal by parents and other stakeholders and the promises of the government to resolve the 13-point demand of the Union within three months”.

    But he noted that, “two years have elapsed and yet government has not come around to effectively address the Union’s demands”.

    According to him, “several attempts by the Union to engage responsible government officials both under the past and present administration to address the demands have met with lethargic response from them. The effect of this may be likened to a sour left unattended to for too long; the challenges facing the sector have continued to worsen.

    “The worsening state of the sector has been brought to the attention of the present government. The indifference shown by government has compelled the Union to issue a one month ultimatum to the government, effective from 21st July 2016 to address the current challenges if we are to stop the decay in the sector”.

    He listed the Union’s grievances to include the non-implementation of the Needs assessment report of 2014, the conduct of needs assessment survey for public polytechnics and monotechnics and the review of Polytechnics Acts, the victimization of union officials and non-release of check off dues and interference in the union activities by the management of Federal Polytechnic Oko and four others.

    “Our officials are being suspended, sacked, and bounded by these campus dictators and this is the prevailing situation in Federal Polytechnics Oko and Mubi, Delta state Polytechnics Ogwashi-Uku, Adamawa State Polytechnics, and Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Ikot Osurua”, he stated.

    The Union also expressed worry over the non-payment of salaries of its members in 14 institutions spread across the country in the last ten months.

    It named the affected institutions where workers are owed between two to ten months salaries to include Abia, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and Benue.

    Others are Imo, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ondo, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun, and Nasarawa.

    Ogonwa noted that in spite the release of the bailout fund by the Federal Government the state-owned polytechnics and Colleges of Educations in these states were still being owed arrears of salaries.

    ASUP particularly express serious concern over the current situation in Oko, where the Union alleged high level of victimization of its members and decay in academic standard.

    According to the Union, “in Federal Polytechnic Oko, the Rector, after destroying academic standard in the institution, has seized the check off dues of the Union for two years and is currently hounding Union officials through spurious queries, suspensions and Court cases”.

    However when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Oko Polytechnic, Mr Obini Onuchukwu, described the allegation by as misleading.

    He said that ASUP in Oko is currently factionalized.

    Onuchukwu who described the Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof. Godwin Onu,  as `a union friendly Rector’, said “he would not have withheld the check off dues meant for ASUP if the union was not in dispute”.

    According to him, “the matter between the two factions are in court, and I hope it will not be prejudice talking to you, but all the same the rector cannot withhold the check off because it does not belong to him.

    “The Rector had made spirited effort to resolve the matter and the matter continues to deepen such that the matter is even threatening the peace of the institution’’.

    Onuchukwu explained further that, “after due consultation in other not to have the place in flame, the rector decided to keep the check off in safe mode pending the final resolution of the matter. Whatever is due the Union as check off is intact”.

  • Why Igbo leaders met in Owerri, by Okorocha

    Why Igbo leaders met in Owerri, by Okorocha

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday said the recent gathering of Igbo leaders in Owerri, the state capital, under the Igbo Unity Forum, was not a launch pad for Igbo Presidency.

    The governor said the meeting was to rekindle the spirit of resilience and determination among the Igbo.

    He added that the continued outcry of neglect was alien to the Igbo culture of hard work and industry.

    Okoroch, who addressed reporters in Owerri, noted that the greatest challenge holding down the Ndigbo was disunity.

    He said: “When we come together, we can solve all our problems as a people. This is because we cannot continue to cry about marginalisation but we should rise up and build our place.

    “The essence of the gathering of Igbo leaders in Owerri was not to talk about or prepare for Igbo Presidency but to mobilise our people to come together and build an Igbo nation that is economically viable.”

    Okorocha added: “When people talk about Igbo Presidency, I don’t get excited because I believe that anybody who has something to offer should lead the country, irrespective of where he comes from. This is because we may have an Igbo President who may turn out to be a disappointment.

    “Just like when our people keep crying about marginalisation. But there was a time we had everything, like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senate President, Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), among others. But today, we have nothing to show for these positions. So, our priority now is to build our place and attract development. But at the right time, we will have a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.”

  • Old Boys reward pupils in Owerri

    Old Boys reward pupils in Owerri

    To the Old Boys, it simply is not enough to be fond of your alma mater, or to rehabilitate some of its failing infrastructure; you also should motivate and inspire younger pupils to excel.

    That is exactly what the 1996 set of  the Government College Owerri is doing. Their association has invested their time, energy and resources in  their alma mater, helping it to keep abreast of the times. But they have also instituted an annual competition in Mathematics, with winners taking home handsome rewards.

    This year’s edition of the completion which is the fifth in the series, according to the President, Mr Uche Nwogu, an engineer, was divided into two segments of junior and senior categories.

    He said that the initiative, supported by all the members of the 1996 set, especially those in the Diaspora, USA and UK, was a way of giving back to the very school that moulded them into responsible citizens and also to encourage learning among the students and reward hard work.

    The president who was accompanied to the presentation of award to winners of this year’s edition by the Secretary, Emeka Udeogu and other members of the group including Mr. Nnadozie Njoku, Amara Njemanze, an architect, among others, advised the students to keep faith and work hard and become successful Nigerians, adding that “there is no short cut to hard work.”

    He said, “We chose to organise the mathematics competition to encourage the students to work hard. They should avoid paying to pass exams but take their studies seriously. Apart from that, this is one of the ways we are giving back to our alma mater”.

    The president advised that entrepreneurial studies should be included in secondary school curriculum to give the students skill acquisitions that will make them self-reliant.

    Corroborating the president’s statement, Njemanze added that the group is also involved in career mentoring.

    “We also mentor the students on how to choose their careers and also carry out social outreach where we assist the teachers in several ways,” he said.

    He particularly commended members of the group in UK and USA for their contributions towards the success of this year’s edition of the Mathematics completion.

    Meanwhile, winners of the both category, got N50, 000.00 cash reward, while the first and second runner up got N30, 000.00 and N20, 000.00 respectively.

    Addressing the students at the Assembly ground, where the prizes were presented to the winners, the Principal of the College, Mr. Obiyo Richard, admonished the students that greatness comes from hard work mere wishes.

  • DANA Air to resume daily flights to Owerri July

    DANA Air to resume daily flights to Owerri July

    Dana Air on Wednesday said it will recommence scheduled flight operations from Lagos to the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri, effective July 11, 2016.

    The airline disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa in Lagos.

    According to Ezenwa, the addition of Owerri brings the current route network coverage of the airline to five destinations –. They include: Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Owerri.

    ‘’We are greatly delighted to extend our operations to Owerri,’’ said Obi Mbanuzuo, Accountable Manager of Dana Air.

    Speaking further, he said Owerri is fast becoming a hub in Nigeria, and we feel very proud to once again extend our award winning service to the good people of Owerri, as we look forward to expanding our operations even further.’’

    Obi, while assuring business and leisure travelers of pocket-friendly fares, said: from July, 11 2016, we will operate one daily flight from Lagos to Owerri with a return flight.

    Commenting further, Obi said the weekend schedule will be slightly different.

    Meanwhile, the airline has launched a promo for members of its frequent flyer program on social media.

    The promo tagged: ‘Make a wish,’ strictly on twitter; entails guests to make any wish ranging from free tickets, extra baggage allowance, discounts, access to lounge, free miles, and the wish will  be granted by the airline.

    Commenting on the promo, Mbanuzuo, said Dana Air’s vision is to be recognized and respected as Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline, and this he says, the airline  will achieve by consistently demonstrating commitment to service and providing affordable regional air transport services that focus on innovation, quality and service excellence.

     

  • Imo judiciary, police and detainees in Owerri prisons

    SIR, The judiciary is supposed to be the last hope of the common man. The judiciary through its platforms (that is, the courts) provides the opportunity for the oppressed to express himself or herself. The oppressed common man gets justice through the courts. The oppressed common man secures his freedom through the courts. But most unfortunately in Imo State, it is not so. The oppressed common man is denied justice.

    Since Justice Paschal Nnadi became the Chief Judge of Imo State, the judiciary has gone on strike on three consecutive times. The first strike lasted for almost three months; the second for over two months. The third strike has entered its second month, and there is no sign that it would be called off. The law courts have been under lock and key, which has directly affected the fate of innocent prison inmates awaiting trials in Imo State. Honestly, this judicial imbroglio signifies incompetence in the hands of the current leadership of the judiciary.

    The Owerri Federal Prisons originally has the capacity for about 800 inmates, but today there are about 2400 inmates. Despite the fact that the courts in Imo State are not open, special courts sessions are held where suspects from the Imo State Police Command are brought or arraigned, and finally remanded at the over-congested Owerri Federal Prisons. This happened just few days ago.  Through this conspiracy, the population of inmates at the Owerri Prisons has continued to increase, to the detriment of both the prison officials and the inmates.

    Even when the courts are in session; corruption, long adjournments, absenteeism and perhaps deliberate manipulation of judicial process have been adopted to suffocate and indeed frustrate the desired freedom of these innocent awaiting trial inmates at the Owerri Prisons. The resultant effect is that these innocent inmates remain in prison custody for a long time.

    The Imo State Police Command and its very corrupt officers are part of this conspiracy against innocent inmates.

    The questions now are; if special courts are used to remand people in prison custody, even when the courts are not open, why can’t special courts be used to grant inmates with bailable offences bail? Why can’t special courts be used to discharge and acquit innocent inmates?

    At this point, it is expedient to let Governor Rochas Okorocha know that he cannot stand aloof and allow innocent inmates at Owerri Federal Prisons to continue to suffer in the hands of the moribund Imo State judiciary. He must step into the matter by ensuring that the judiciary calls off its strike.

    • Dr. Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha,

    Owerri – Imo, Nigeria

  • Commercial activities grounded as Owerri monarch is laid to rest

    All markets and business places in Owerri, the Imo State capital were on friday shutdown as the paramount ruler of Owerri Eze Dr. Emmanuel Emenyonu Njemanze (Ozuruigbo V of Owerri) was laid to rest in his palace.

    Vehicular movements were also restricted as most of the major streets that used to be congested were almost deserted. Residents of Owerri reported that cannon shots started booming as early as 1am and continued until 12 noon.

    Eze Njemanze, whose reign was relatively peaceful, ascended the throne in 1989 and joined his ancestors in May 2016.

    The corpse was last taken to Government College Owerri where he was a pioneer student for a brief lying in state before a burial service at the Cathedral of Transfiguration of Our Lord (CATOL), where family members and Owerri indigenes turned out in large number to bid the monarch farewell. There was also a colourful road walk by youths in royal dresses.

    In his sermon the officiating Priest and the Anglican Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dr. Cyril Okorocha stated that the quality of a man was not measured by his wealth, adding that the late monarch lived a life worthy of emulation and commendation.

    He prayed God for the repose of the soul of the departed monarch and the fortitude for the family to bear the loss.

    The burial was witnessed by eminent Nigerians including the former Governor of the State, Chief Ikedi ohakim, the Deputy Governor of the State, Eze Madumere ,  Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Minister of state for Education, Prof. Anthony anwukah Chief Mike Ahamba SAN, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, former Military Administrator of the State, Senator Ike Nwachukwu and Amb Kema Chikwe.

    Others were Amb. Jude Agbugba, Livy Uzoukwu SAN, Ken Njemanze SAN, Prof. Viola Onwuliri,  Dr. Pascal Dozie and Hon. Onyewuchi Ezenwa among others.

  • PDP Chieftain to Sheriff: shelve your ambition to save PDP

    PDP Chieftain to Sheriff: shelve your ambition to save PDP

    Ahead of the National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a political analyst and a chieftain of the party, Ebubeagu Ekenulo, has called on the acting National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff to discontinue his ambition of becoming the substantive Chairman to save the party from disintegration.

     

    Ebubeagu, who made the call while addressing newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, said that it became imperative for the embattled acting National Chairman to jettison his ambition, following his inability to conduct credible congresses by encouraging internal democracy devoid of impunity and imposition.

     

    According to him, “the best thing that can happen to the PDP now is for Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff to discontinue and stop his jaundiced and inordinate ambition of becoming the substantive national chairman of PDP following his inability to conduct credible congresses, enshrine internal democracy and shun impunity and imposition.

     

    “Ali-Modu Sheriff has proven to be the crown prince of impunity. The acting National Chairman who was recently sacked by the Prof Jerry Gana led concerned stakeholders of the PDP and PDP Elders Forum has woefully failed to reunite the party instead his actions and behaviours have deepened and worsened the crisis in the PDP”.

     

    The embittered activist, continued that “Senator Sheriff as the acting National Chairman of PDP in the past few months has only succeeded in crowning  corruption, impunity and imposition as a way of life in the party instead of taking bold steps to tackle these vices and rejuvenate the party ahead of 2019.

     

    “He has shown no respect for the party’s constitution, congress guidelines and the vigorous efforts of the founding fathers, responsible stakeholders and leaders of the party to return PDP to the people.

     

    “With Senator Sheriff on board as the substantive Chairman PDP can never be returned to the people. He has exhibited the crass ability to run the party as a one man show whereas PDP is too big for anyone to run as a one man show and get away with it”.

     

    He further argued that, “the only reason certain people supported Senator Sheriff to become the acting National chairman of PDP in the first instance was because he is a wealthy man and assumed will run the party with his money whereas nowhere in the world can one man run a party as big as PDP with only money from his pocket”.

     

    Ebubeagu also alleged that, “today, Senator Sheriff is busy collecting money and cars from whoever and in return you can be sure of having the party structure of your LGA or zone in your pocket. Is this the type of National chairman who can be trusted to rebuild the party alongside internal democracy, honesty and integrity?  The answer is no.

     

    “PDP in Anambra and Imo state chapters, as well as other chapters are more polarised today than ever because Senator Sheriff is the new sheriff in town set out to destroy PDP completely.

     

    “While there is a Convention and Congress Committee with Gov Nyesome Wike as the Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff still called some state congress committee chairmen to distort the congresses guidelines with his own directives contrary to laid down guidelines to satisfy the whims and caprices of those he had collected exotic cars and money from.

     

    “More so, how can the National Chairman and Presidential candidate are zoned to one geo political zone in the North? Where has that happened and the party succeeded at the end of the day? If the two exalted positions must be zoned to the North, why not zone it to two different zones in the North than lumping the two in one zone? Who says zoning the two exalted positions to North East is a guarantee to win APC come 2019?

     

    “It will be counterproductive for PDP to over price North East zone and over price Ali Modu Sheriff. Make Ali Modu Sheriff the substantive National Chairman and see at least two PDP Governors defecting to APC shortly after.”

     

  • FIRS shuts more firms in Lagos, Aba, Owerri

    FIRS shuts more firms in Lagos, Aba, Owerri

    The enforcement unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) yesterday continued its closure of big companies in Lagos and across the country for non-payment of a variety of taxes. In Lagos, FIRS officials shut down the premises of  RT Briscoe Nigeria PLC, Sinopec Nigeria, an oil and exploration company in Ikoyi, over failure to remit their taxes.

    The Lagos enforcement team, led by Emeka Obiagwu, sealed up Briscoe Motors  located on  Fatai Atere Way, Mushin, over the company’s failure to remit  N1.9 billion in taxes. The team ordered  the  staff out of their offices and locked up the building.

    A top management staff of the company made efforts to pacify FIRS officials, saying the company had  N150million to the FIRS.

    Obiagwu, however, maintained that until “the company remits a minimum of 50% of the total amount owed in taxes, its premises will remain shut.”

    “My mandate is to get at least 50% of the total amount owed by the company, anything less  than that will not be acceptable,” Obiagwu said.

    At Sinopec Nigeria, the company which  owes $15million, the enforcement team had no trouble shutting down the office premises  and staff quarters

    The first company visited by the enforcement team, Hammoud and Saidi International, is located at Wuse Zone 5 Area of Abuja.

    The company is owing N5.9 million tax liability for the 2012. Only one official of the company who simply identified himself as Tony was available at the time of the enforcement’s team’s arrival.

    He could not present any evidence of payment  to the enforcement team. Consequently, the office of the company was shut.  Also yesterday, the FIRS team in Aba, Abia State, shut down the premises of Dan Dollars Limited and D.E Okafor and Sons Limited for non-remittance of taxes.

    It will be recalled that the FIRS team, on Thursday, shut the Imo Transport Company and Hotels & Tours Ltd in Owerri, Imo State.

  • Imo election rerun: Court urged to restrain INEC

    Imo election rerun: Court urged to restrain INEC

    Can the Independent National Eelectoral Commission (INEC) conduct a re-run election after the 90 days ordered by a court? Did the Electoral Act 2010 make provision for INEC  to seek extension of time to conduct re-run election having failed to conduct the election within the time ordered?

    These, among others, formed issues to be determined by the Federal High Court, Abuja in a suit seeking to restrain INEC from further conducting the re-run election ordered in Imo North Senatorial District by the Court of Appeal, Owerri division.

    Defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/23/2016, filed by Igwe Maduakolam, are INEC and Senator Athan Achonu Nneji, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last National Assembly Election for Imo North Senatorial District.

    Nneji was declared winner of the election for the Imo North Senatorial District held on April 28, 2015. The election was set aside by the Court of Appeal, Owerri in its judgment of December 11 last year on the ground that INEC failed to include the logo of Accord Party on the ballot papers.

    The appellate court ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election for the Senatorial District within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

    Maduakolam stated in a supporting affidavit, that the 90-day timeline handed INEC by the court to conduct fresh elections elapsed on March11 this year and that no election was conducted by INEC.

    “I have read sections 1 to 158 of the Electoral Act 2010 and cannot find any provision fro extension of time to comply with court ordered elections,” he said. Maduakolam noted that for the past five month the Imo North Senatorial District, from where he hailed, has been denied representation at the Senate as a result of INEC’s failure to conduct the re-run election as ordered by INEC.

    The plaintiff wants the court to declare that the INEC has no powers to conduct the said Imo North Senatorila District, Okigwe outside the 90 days as ordered by the Court of Appeal, Owerri pursuant to Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act.

    He seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st defendant from conducting or attempting to conduct any further re-run/fresh election into the Imo north Senatorial District till 2019, having failed to conduct the re-run election within the 90 days orcered by the court of Appeal in suit: CA/OW/EPT/SN/52/2015.

    Maduakolam equally wants an order directing the 2nd defendant to continue in office as the Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District since INEC has failed to conduct the fresh election within the timeline as ordered by the Court of Appeal, Owerri delivered on December 11, 2015 in suit No: CA/OW/EPT/SN/52/2015.

    Although none of the defendants has responded, the suit has been assigned to Justice John Tsoho, who has fixed May 4 for preliminary hearing.