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Tag: Willie Obiano

  • Anambra youths threaten reprisal over alleged killing, raping of women

    Youths of Anambra West local government area, Anambra State on Monday, staged a peaceful protest over alleged continued killings of farmers and raping of women in the community.

    They accused the state government of paying lip service to their plight, threatening to embark on a reprisal attack if noting urgent was done.

    Addressing newsmen shortly after the protest, Secretary of the youths, Ikechukwu Onuorah, wondered why they would be asked to be patient while they continued to be humiliated by visitors in their communities.

    He said, “We are disappointed that the government is paying lip service to addressing the problem.

    Read Also: Police nab 151 suspected cultists in Anambra 

    “How can people be sleeping in their farm settlements and homes while visitors will attack, kill and cut off their neck? It makes us look as if we are weak.

    “We are just respecting Governor Obiano that is why we have not confronted the killer herdsmen. We don’t want to create an embarrassing situation for him, but we expect him to act now.

    “If they continue what they are doing, we will confront them and it will be bloody and I’m sure at the end of the clash no herdsman will ever come into Anambra West.”

    On his part, the Coordinator, Mr. Odikpo Madubueze said, “We don’t want to take laws into our hands, but Federal and State governments shouldn’t allow us to match them violence for violence, they have killed many of our people and farmers have deserted their farms.

    “It’s only few courageous farmers that go to farm in groups now, unlike before they go alone and even at that, they have always run out of the farms claiming to be pursued by herdsmen.

    “We cannot run away from our farms and villages because of people we decided to accommodate to do their cattle rearing business.”

    The protesters, carrying placards, chanted songs, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Willie Obiano to intervene by stopping further killings in the area.

    Some of the placards read, “Silent killings of our people by Fulani herdsmen our farms and villages still going on”, “We are running out of patience with the violent activities of Fulani herdsmen in Anambra West”, “Pushing us to the walls will bring mayhem, enough of the killings of our people.”

  • Obiano celebrates arrest of most wanted murder suspect

    Anambra State Government yesterday celebrated the arrest and prosecution of the most wanted murder suspect, Ikechukwu Udensi, (aka Ikanda).

    The suspect was declared wanted last year after he allegedly killed a 38-year-old graduate businessman, Ndubuisi Nwokolo, in June, in Onitsha.

    Governor Willie Obiano, in a statement yesterday in Awka, hailed the new police commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura, for the feat.

    In the statement, made available to reporters by Information and Public Enlightenment Commissioner Mr. Don Adinuba, he said there was more work to do by the command.

    Read also: We’re losing great men difficult to replace – Obiano

    The statement said Obiano had written to the police commissioner to express satisfaction about how officers in Onitsha acted on a tip-off and arrested Udensi, who was at a secret location waiting for his agents collecting revenues illegally, to bring him money.

    “The governor has been studying the strategy the command used to arrest this person on whom the government placed N1million bounty since last year for the callous manner in which Nwokolo’s life was ended last June.

    “Obiano is impressed that immediately Udensi was arrested, he was taken to court, to avoid legal loopholes.

    “The arrest and quick prosecution of Udensi show that the new police boss is here to work for the people and has bought into the government’s development agenda, which makes security of life and property the first cardinal objective of the present administration.

    “We recognise the importance of security in our socio-economic development architecture,” Obiano said in his letter to Dandaura.

  • We’re losing great men difficult to replace – Obiano

    Anambra state governor Chief Willie Obiano has expressed worry over steady loss of irreplaceable great men in the country and the state in particular.

    Obiano made the observation on Friday in Nnewi, Anambra state, at the occasion of the day of tribute for the former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife.

    The governor, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said people of the state should be more concerned with legacies they bequeath to the younger generation.

    He said: “My concern, especially for our dear state is that we keep on losing men of stature, men of integrity, character. Yet nobody is replacing them.

    “Who are the young men that will take over from these great men? I’m yet to see them. This is a wake -up call for all of us.

    “Life is not all about making money, getting married and raising children. We must stand up for something.

    “Let’s all begin to think of how to better our society through our characters and daily dealings with people. Let’s begin to live by example.

    “Legacy of a man is not his wealth, but what he contributed to humanity.”

    He described the late elder statesman as one who stood for something, little wonder the large number of great men and women that graced the occasion.

    While praying for God’s consolation for the family, Obiano challenged his son, Ikedife Jnr to be courageous to step into the late father’s shoes by upholding truth and peace which he represented.

    Wife of former Biafra warlord, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu canvassed for immortalisation of the late elder statesman.

    She said it has always been an issue on how to immortalise great men, especially of Igbo nation.

    “I think individuals themselves, organisations, institutions should sit down and think of enduring monument for such great men.

    READ ALSO: Obiano inaugurates farmers support initiative in Anambra

    “Such monument should not just be in making statutes to remember the dead, but to set up projects that show his philosophies, ideologies and all the things he believed in life where they are discussed, expoused, promoted and investigated,” she said.

    Ojukwu, former Ambassador to Spain, described him as extraordinary man who she spent time with in the company of her late husband.

    “He’s a true Igbo man who advanced warfare the course of igbo nation. He was always there to fight for their rights,’” she added.

    Minister for Science and technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, described late Ikedife as a special gift to the Igbos who knew the power of love.

    He said it was the understanding of the virtue as the strongest force that made him offer selfless service, which made him see goodness in others.

    Other dignitaries that graced the occasion included, first republic Aviation Minister, Mbazuruike Amechi; Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Peter Obi; President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Sen. Andy Uba, among others.

  • Another banker primed to become governor

    THERE seems to be no end in sight to the trend of bank executives aspiring to high political offices, particularly governorship. The latest from the grapevine is that the Managing Director of a commercial bank well rooted in Anambra state,  has been primed to succeed the governor of the State, Willie Obiano. If that becomes the reality, the MD would be following in the footsteps of Obiano, who himself was an executive director in Fidelity Bank before he became the governor of Anambra State.

    Before him also, there had been cases of prominent bankers occupying high political offices or aspiring to them. One of them is the current governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, who until his election was an executive director in Zenith International Bank. The current governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, was also a top banker with Zenith while Femi Pedro, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, had previously functioned as the chief executive officer of First Atlantic Bank, later FinBank before it was acquired by FCMB.

    Besides, Fola Adeola, the pioneer managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), was running mate to former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, when the latter ran as the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2007 elections.

    Read also: Obiano committed to paying N30,000 wage

    It would seem that bankers are getting tired of spending their entire lives counting money. And in the case of this ambitious MD, he is counting on his chummy relationship with Obiano to realise his governorship ambition. Only recently, the MD attended a public function with the governor where he donated a handsome amount, which some people quickly interpreted as investment in the governorship

    But the governorship election in Anambra State is still three years away and anything can happen before then. For now, the MD can only pray that his investment matures well.

  • Anambra to seal petrol stations with gas plants

    The Anambra state government on Tuesday threatened to seal all filling stations operating cooking gas plants within their premises.

    The Chairman, Enforcement and Compliance Unit of the state, Prince Innocent Offordile, dropped the hint in Awka while reacting on the implications of locating gas plants inside filling stations.

    He said the practice, which had become rampant in almost all the filling stations across the state, was totally illegal as it posed high risk to residents.

    Offordile, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on security, regretted that despite notice to the operators to remove the petrol stations, more of the plants were springing up within fuel stations.

    He revealed that plans had been concluded to commence enforcement on the directive as soon as the government gave a final approval to that effect.

    READ ALSO: Obiano inaugurates farmers support initiative in Anambra

    According to him: “The Anambra state government had to embark on the enforcement considering the fact that its citizens will be at the receiving end in the event of any fire outbreak.”

    He further warned those citing filling stations within residential areas to desist from such practice as they would not also be spared by government.

    Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Nnamdi Onukwuba, stressed that the enforcement of the separation of gas plant from petrol stations across the state was aimed at reducing the rate of explosions in filling stations.

    He urged all proprietors of filling station to adhere to the directives or face the full wrath of the law.

    Onukwuba said: “Governor Willie Obiano’s directive to all gas plants to relocate is because gas and fuel cannot co-exist as it pose a great danger of fire out breaks.”

  • Obiano inaugurates farmers support initiative in Anambra

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Friday, inaugurated a Farmers Support (FS) Initiative, to eradicate extreme poverty among rural farmers in the state.

    Speaking at the occasion at Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area, Obiano said his administration had earmarked N300 million as loans for farmers in the coming farming season.

    Obiano, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Afam Mbanefo, expressed commitment to eradicating poverty through agriculture.

    He, however, urged farmers, yet to repay their previous loans to do so.

    He said participation of youths in agriculture had risen from eight per cent to 25 per cent since he became governor in March 2014.

    According to him, women currently occupy over 60 per cent of the farming population, with men coming below 40 per cent, pledging 100 per cent support for the project in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative is a UK-based International Development Organisation that promotes farming in Africa and Asia.

    It is in collaboration with the State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and the State Ministry of Agriculture.

    In his remarks, the International Director of FS Initiative, Mr Ikenna Offor, explained that the five-year multi-million naira project was designed to address subsistence and peasant level of farming.

    “The focus is on advocacy, information, training and logistical assistance where necessary.

    “We promote farming as a viable means of livelihood and an avenue of sustainable socio-economic development in developing economies.

    “We plan to commence the project among farmers from Anambra East and Anambra West Local Government Areas after which other local government areas will follow,” he said.

    According to him, the organisation also plans to assist farmers with grants, farm seedlings and inputs on a path to sustainable development.

    “With as a little as N400, 000, I can tell you that most of these peasant farmers can be put on sustainable development and upgraded from the extreme poverty level ,” Offor said.

    Read Also: Obiano satisfied with elections

    In his speech, the Director-General of the State Chamber of Commerce, Mr Ikechukwu Chukwumaije, expressed confidence that the project would benefit the people of the state.

    He urged stakeholders to key into the project by being supportive at the various stages as part of measures to help farmers out of poverty.

    Other speakers, including Chief Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya) and Prof. Chukwuemeka Omaliko, said if properly implemented, the initiative would impact positively on the security programme of the state.

    NAN

     

     

  • Executive, legislature on same page with APGA victory, says Obiano

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano state has commended the people of the state for voting overwhelmingly for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the State House of Assembly elections.

    He was particularly happy for their peaceful, orderly and law-abiding disposition throughout the exercise.

    Obiano, who spoke through the Commissioner for information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C Don Adinuba, described the overwhelming support for APGA as a referendum on the performance of the party.

    He said the party’s victory has further bridged the gap between the executive and legislative arms of government, saying it would guarantee accelerated development and enhanced living standards.

    He said: “The elections confirm Anambra’s reputation as Nigeria’s safest and most peaceful state, despite one or two incidents.

    “Our people inspire the world with their love of democracy and the rapid development which comes with it.

    “APGA won 24 of the 30 seats, leaving the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with only six seats.

    Read Also: NJC, Obiano hail Umeadi on retirement

    “Their support is as inspiring as it is challenging because it makes all of us in government constantly to seek to attain greater heights for the benefit of our people.

    “With both the executive and legislative arms of government on the same page, our people are guaranteed accelerated development and enhanced living standards.

    “APGA is Nigeria’s foremost development-oriented party, and the people of Anambra State have embraced our philosophy and development strategy without reservations, making us arguably the most competitive state in Nigeria right now.’’

  • Obiano orders clampdown on illegal revenue collectors

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has ordered clampdown on all forms of extortions in the state.

    He directed security operatives to immediately stop all illegal tax collectors currently going on in the state, especially in Onitsha and its environs.

    Obiano, who gave the directive on Tuesday through his Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C Don Adinuba, asked the security agencies to step up efforts in protecting lives and property.

    He said: “My attention has been drawn to the activities of the new wave of robbers, who are dispossessing people of hard-earned money and other valuables.

    “Some criminal-minded elements, fake and illegal revenue collectors are making life unbearable for Ndi Anambra through fake and illegal revenue collections.

    Read Also: ‘Obiano in a hurry to develop Anambra’

    “Innocent citizens are daily robbed in the city and the adjoining towns. You must do something to re-assure Ndi Anambra of their safety.

    “This is not tolerable. You must maintain all-day and night surveillance to nip robberies in the bud.”

    Obiano, who distanced his government from those persons he described as robbers, vowed not to give them second chance in the state.

    He added: “Those armed with sticks and cudgels are not appointed by Government to collect Internally Generated Revenue for Government (IGR).

    “These illegal collectors operate during the evenings, weeping people and acting in a manner that portrays them as self-serving mindless robbers.

    “We cannot afford to have the marauders back in our midst again.”

  • Obiano satisfied with elections

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has expressed satisfaction over the level of orderliness in the voting process across the state.

    He said this after casting his vote at Otuochi ward 1. Eri polling unit, Anambra east local government area of the state.

    Obiano who arrived at the polling unit with his wife around 10.09am, was optimistic the orderliness continued till the end of the exercise.

    He called on other eligible voters to come out enmass to exercise their franchise.

    Read Also: Obiano: additional state feasible under Buhari

    “My wife and I just performed our civic responsibility. You can see it’s orderly. Hope it continues all over the place.

    “I appeal to everyone that has voters card to come out enmass to queue orderly on or before 2pm to vote in line with INEC directive.

    “I encourage all citizens everywhere to vote. Don’t blame yourself if you don’t vote because this is the time to show your support what is happening.

  • Cost of justice expensive for the poor – CJ

    The Anambra State Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi has decried exorbitant cost of seeking justice in Nigeria.

    He said such costs were responsible for abandonment of several genuine cases which could have been pursued to its logical end.

    Speaking in Awka during the renaming of the State Judiciary Headquarters after Hon Justice Anthony Ikechukwu Iguh, Umeadi called for a review to make it affordable for indigent persons.

    He said, “Exorbitant cost of seeking justice in Nigeria has made some indigent people to abandon claims that are genuine and feasible.”

    Read Also: Justice Academy for Ekiti

    Umeadi further explained that the center was available to the public for alternative dispute resolution, fast track mediation, mini-trial, arbitration among others.

    “The State Judicial Service Commission agreed to re-name the institution after the renowned retired Justice, at its two hundred and thirty seventh (237th) meeting held on 7th August, 2017 after an approval by the Governor,” he hinted.

    Appreciating the immense contributions of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, the Chief Judge noted that such role would assist indigenes and other residents of the state get justice at ease.

    He also praised Governor Willie Obiano for his support which he described as immeasurable in achieving the feat.