Category: Press Release

  • Press Statement: Otti debunks statement credited to him implying support for sit-at-home enforcers

    Press Statement: Otti debunks statement credited to him implying support for sit-at-home enforcers

    The attention of the Abia State Government has been drawn to a widely circulating statement purportedly made by His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, the Governor of Abia State on the order allegedly issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for a Sit-At-Home protest on May 30th, 2024.

    In the statement, His Excellency was said to have spoken through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, and alleged to have implied support for the sit-at-home order. The Abia State Government hereby categorically and unequivocally states that His Excellency did not make the statement attributed to him, nor does it reflect his personal views or those of the Abia State Government under his leadership. Even though the officer in question has said he was quoted out of context, the Governor has ordered a full investigation into the egregious comment which is at variance with Government’s posture towards IPOB and other organisations or persons seeking to obstruct the rights of the citizens to freedom of movement. The public is hereby advised to totally disregard the comments in the purported statement.

    Prior to, and since taking office as Governor, His Excellency has consistently, publicly and uncompromisingly maintained that no individual or organization has the right to deny citizens of their sacrosanct right to freedom of movement, freedom to earn a livelihood and freedom to pursue their endeavours in an atmosphere of peace, security and with all the assurances of citizenship.

    His Excellency’s policy of zero-tolerance for criminality and civil disturbances under any guise whatsoever has been backed by very strategic investments to keep our communities and neighbourhoods safe and secure, resulting in Abia State being ranked amongst the safest in the country. Under this administration, incessant kidnapping for huge ransoms, robbery and in some cases, murder have been reduced drastically.

    It is unfortunate, regrettable and deeply concerning that a few criminals and conflict merchants have orchestrated the recent callous murder of members of our Armed Forces in Obikabia, Obingwa LGA. Like we had indicated in our response to the tragic attack, we are working with the security agencies and well-meaning citizens to unmask these criminals and we shall not rest until they are arrested and made to face the full force of the law.

    Having earlier placed a N25 million bounty for information leading to the apprehension of the perpetrators of the killings, the following secure number – 07071902444 – has been activated in the Office of the Governor for the members of the public to freely call or text with useful information.

    Prince Okey Kanu
    Hon. Commissioner for Information & Culture

  • FOR THE RECORD: Building the New Abia: One Year After – Being the Text of Abia Governor, Alex Otti to Mark His One Year Anniversary in Office 

    FOR THE RECORD: Building the New Abia: One Year After – Being the Text of Abia Governor, Alex Otti to Mark His One Year Anniversary in Office 

    1. Umunne m Ndi Abia, I address you today with a deep sense of gratitude, first to Almighty God for preserving our lives and for His divine guidance over the past 12 months. I am also thankful to you, fellow Abians, for your unrelenting support. Thank you for the great faith you have reposed in our government since we took office on this day in 2023.

    2. Let me also appreciate our friends and development partners for their consistent show of goodwill. We continue to receive a lot of enquiries on how we can be assisted to support our development drives. We cannot take this for granted.

    3. May 29 2023 was not significant for the mere fact that there was a change in baton from one administration to the other. While it is very noteworthy that an opposition party came to power for the first time in our State since the return of democracy in Nigeria 25 years ago, the most remarkable import of the events of that rainy Monday at the Umuahia Township Stadium, 12 months ago is the message we sent to the world that the will of the people will always triumph no matter how hard their traducers try.

    4. While the State had existed for almost 32 years before May 29 last year, the joy on the faces of our people at home and abroad tells the story of freedom on one hand, and great expectations on the other. The excitement that greeted our swearing-in ceremony was more telling because of the anxiety that had gripped the land a few days earlier following an attempt to derail our course through a strange judicial pronouncement from Kano, even after our resounding victory at the poll.

    5. I want to thank you umunne m for your unyielding faith in democracy — for believing that the power of the ballot is the strongest force for the social and economic transformation of a society. You are the real heroes of the New Abia and deserve the admiration of the world for what we have collectively achieved. You refused to give in to despair and the cynicism that would normally follow a long period of disappointment.

    6. It has been 12 long months and today presents us two unique opportunities: one, to pat ourselves on the back for moving away from the old system that pauperised the majority, to a new order that places the interest and welfare of the people at the centre of decision making. This day also presents us an opportunity to take stock, evaluate what has been achieved, identify where mistakes have been made because ultimately, there are no human endeavours without errors, and then plan for another 12 months.

    7. The beauty of democracy, beyond the demands of periodic elections, is the opportunity it affords leaders to regularly interface with the people and feel their pulse. In the last one week, we have toured all the Senatorial Districts in the State to talk to and learn from our people at the grassroots.

    8. The interest and enthusiasm shown by Abians across the zones point to the evolution and expansion of the democratic space in our dear State. It is heart-warming to know that our people have become more passionate about democracy, using every available opportunity to make their views and sentiments on the important issues of the day known.

    9. I am glad to have interfaced with several community and religious leaders, youth and women groups, and of course, the political leaders who shape opinion in various parts of the State. I can assure you that the inputs received shall be carefully considered and factored into our programme as we begin the second year of our administration.

    10. The last 12 months have presented a special learning opportunity for us because leadership is essentially about learning. Ours so far has been the story of the man in the arena as Theodore Roosevelt captured it. We do not seek perfection but to make things better for the ordinary Abian who first believed in the beauty and prospects of democracy.

    11. We strive valiantly but again and again, we come short, not because we so desire but because it is the nature of human endeavours. Our modest success in the last one year has come from waking up with new enthusiasm each morning, believing that we shall achieve better outcomes in the new day, having learnt from the mistakes of yesterday.

    12. In the last one year, we have rehabilitated and reconstructed over 80 different stretches of roads across the 17 LGAs of the State. While we have committed the bulk of our resources to the urban centres of Aba and Umuahia because of their strategic importance to the economic and social trajectory of the State, the truth is that our road infrastructure development agenda has been spread to all parts of the State because whether urban or rural, every community in the State is important to the economic ecosystem of Abia.

    13. Even then, our most significant stride in the restoration of the State’s Road infrastructure network has come from taking on long abandoned stretches of roads. Port Harcourt Road, Aba was in terrible shape for almost three decades; today, the story is changing very rapidly and it is easy to see why the people fought so hard to move away from the mediocrity of the past. The on-going reconstruction of the Osisioma-Ekeakpara Road, abandoned for more than 20 years, is another strong testimony to our commitment to the restoration of the economic glory of our dear Enyimba City.

    14. Residents, businesses and visitors to Omuma, Cemetary, MCC by Aba-Owerri Road, Shalom, Udeagbala, Umuimo, Ehi, Kent, Old Court Roads and several other places in the city can testify to the difference that has been made in the last one year.

    15. Across Umuahia, motorists and commuters now move round the city and across the suburbs with greater ease, unlike what was obtainable 12 months ago when the major roads in the city were littered with potholes that posed multiple dangers for road users. Later today, we shall commission the 6-lane, 3.5 kilometre Ossah Road which was reconstructed and expanded to ease traffic flow and enhance the aesthetics of the Capital City.

    16. The reconstruction of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Ohafia, Arochukwu-Ndi Okereke- Ozuabam Roads, and the construction of the Nunya Isuikwuato Road, covering five different local governments across Abia Central and Abia North Senatorial Districts are designed to expand the frontiers of opportunities around our major agricultural zone, increase access to urban markets for farmers and expand the investment corridor beyond the urban centres.

    17. Our road restoration project in Obohia and Ohanku areas of Aba will stretch into several communities in Aba South, Ugwunagbo and Ukwa East Local Government Areas, opening up new pathways for multiple economic activities including manufacturing, real estate development, agriculture, metal fabrications, and local crafts.

    18. The reconstruction of the Obohia and Ohanku Roads highlights our commitment to the welfare of the common man on one hand, and very significantly, a fulfilment of our promise that no community shall be neglected as we work to build a society where the opportunity to dream, and become, is available to all, irrespective of their economic and social backgrounds.

    19. To be clear, we are not just expanding and improving the network of roads to score some political points. Our objective is more profound and as I had said on many occasions, roads for us are gateways to economic prosperity. This is why we have so far focused on roads with direct economic importance to our largest populations.

    20. Beyond roads, we have also taken the bull by the horn in the area of security, making very strategic investments to keep our communities and neighbourhoods safe and secure. Twelve months ago, our roads, markets and forests in Umunneochi and Isuikwuato LGAs were playground for kidnappers, armed robbers and sundry criminal groups who made life unbearable for our people through incessant kidnapping for huge ransoms, robbery and in some cases, murder.

    21. Right from the inauguration podium, we served quit notice to the criminals, making it clear that no inch of space in the territory of the State shall be accommodating to them. Weeks later, we launched the Operation Crush Joint Security Force with a clear instruction to take the battle to the criminals. Today, the situation is completely different and our people are now free to go about their legitimate endeavours without fear of attacks, or harassments.

    22. In the few cases where our resolve has been challenged, we have also responded in a manner that left no one in doubt that we are not prepared to compromise on the security of our people and businesses. I want to specially thank our security team, the leadership of the various security and intelligence agencies working in the State, and the operatives for their hard work and commitment.

    23. One critical front where great improvements have been recorded in the last one year is in the area of urban waste disposal. 12 months ago, it was difficult to walk through the streets of our urban centres and breathe freely. One of the first steps we took on assumption of office was to declare an emergency on waste management.

    24. We set up a crack team with a clear directive to rid the streets of the mountains of refuse that had become major landmarks. 12 months after, things are looking better and we intend to keep improving until we reach the point where the initiative is entirely driven by the people.

    25. The Labour Party government in Abia emerged in large part because of the untiring support of the workers who believed our promise that we shall pay them their entitlements as at when due. At our inauguration, we made a firm declaration that every legitimate employee of the State Government shall be paid on or before the 28th of every month.

    26. I am glad to report that in the last 12 months, we have honoured our promise to the workers as not for once have we defaulted on our commitment to pay on a deadline that became the new standard.

    27. We promised earlier in the year to raise the take-home pay of our hard working civil servants in the light of the present economic realities. Our proposal had been delayed by the difficulty in reaching an agreement on the new minimum wage between the organised labour unions and the Federal Government.

    28. We are, however, conscious of our promise and as soon as a headway is made, Abia will be amongst the first to pay whatever becomes the new national minimum wage. The patience, understanding and sacrifices of the workers are very much appreciated, and shall never be taken for granted.

    29. We have kept our bargain with our senior citizens through regular and full payment of their entitlements. Recently, it became a policy of the State Government to pay pensions before the 28th of every month and we have kept faith with that important obligation. The present Government in the State appreciates the place of the senior citizens and shall continue to prioritise their welfare.

    30. A very important promise we made during the campaigns was to provide soft loans for our micro-, small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs to support, and grow their businesses. I am glad to announce that I recently gave approval for N1 billion revolving loan scheme for micro-, small- and medium-enterprises across the 184 wards in the State.

    31. Through registered local cooperatives, our women, youths, and other demographics who run, or intend to start businesses of their own can apply and get the funds they need. We encourage the beneficiaries to be faithful to the terms so that others can also benefit.

    32. Our efforts at reviving the health sector are already yielding great dividends with the resuscitation of the State Specialist and Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia. Presently, the eye centre at the facility has become a major reference centre in the region, providing quality services to patients from far and near places. Before the end of last year, we fixed the hitherto dilapidated Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) and got its accreditation restored after 3years of its suspension.

    33. Do not forget that we had earmarked 15% of the entire budgetary outlay for the 2024 fiscal year for the development of the health sector. The goal is to increase access, and quality of care that our people get at the various primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities in the State. In that wise massive rehabilitation is going on in several of the facilities.

    34. In the same vein, we have also launched several initiatives to make education an integral part of our development agenda. In the 2024 fiscal year, 20% of the entire public sector spending shall be channelled into the education sector. At the moment, we are rebuilding and remodelling 173 primary and 54 secondary schools across the 17 LGAs of the State.

    35. Our target in this regard is to improve the physical environment to support effective teaching and learning. We are also building staff quarters within the school premises to provide suitable accommodation for our teachers. Many of these structures will be completed and ready for use in the next three months.

    36. Also in education, we recently commissioned a full audit to determine the staff needs of our primary and secondary schools. By the time the audit is completed, it will be easy to identify areas of critical needs, particularly in Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). When we have our data sent in and carefully considered, we shall open the door to bring in graduates with requisite qualifications to join the employ of the State Government as teachers.

    37. Ndi Abia umunne m, it may also interest you to know that we have launched major initiatives to make teaching more attractive, including raising the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65. An improved pay package for them will be announced as soon as the details are concluded.
    38. In the area of sports, let me gladly inform Abians that grassroots sports have received good attention in the past one year. Our professional sports teams at national and international levels are flying the flag of the New Abia higher at every outing. We are also seeing a revival of schools’ sports, investments in sports equipment, and rehabilitation of sports facilities for professional and recreational uses.

    39. We are presently in discussion with several partners who have indicated interest to work with us to develop the College of Sports Excellence within the Nsulu Games Village. This facility when operational will be the best of its kind in the region and will serve to nurture sports talents from the State to become excellent professionals.

    40. From ICT to Emergency Services, Agriculture, Trade and Commerce, judicial reforms, poverty alleviation, women empowerment and protection of the most vulnerable groups in the society, our administration has shown great resolve to do things differently and achieve results that impact positively on the life of the people.

    41. Fellow Abians, permit me to tell you that the most important achievement of the Government in the last one year is the new sense of optimism that has been created amongst our people at home and abroad. People now see clear direction in leadership and are filled with new belief; the conviction that we shall get it right.

    42. In the New Abia, collaborations have become a very important philosophy. This can be seen in our relationship with the legislative and judicial arms of government. I want to very respectfully thank the leaders of the two very important arms of government in our State, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and Justice Lilian Abai, the State Chief Judge, for being effective partners in the push to build a state where the principle of inter-dependence are leveraged upon to achieve better outcomes. Thank you for being very supportive, without being subservient.

    43. We have made the business of governance at the Local Governments a very serious endeavour and so far, the results speak for themselves. I am very pleased with the performance of our Mayors. We are seeing new roads being opened to support agricultural development and improved food production, LGA secretariats are being retrofitted, and community development projects now get steady government support through the Mayors. There is also a grassroots-driven security architecture that is supported by the Mayors. This has made our communities much safer and peaceful.

    44. I want to thank members of our team, especially the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu, and other senior officials of government for the great sacrifices and commitments of the last year. Abia is better today on the strength of your efforts, and posterity will never forget.

    45. Gratitude is also due to members of the fourth estate of the realm, the media, for being very effective watchdogs, asking questions where they need to, and pointing us to where we have come short. You shall remain worthy partners in the New Abia project. We are not unmindful of the blackmailers and hired agents of opposition who dish out lies and half truths daily hoping that we will invite them for settlements or be distracted. Our response to them is that their demands will remain unmet no matter the number of videos they churn out and we will never be distracted. Our loyalty is to the generality of Abians not a handful of selfish individuals and groups

    46. As I conclude, may I specially recognise our friends from far and near who support us by telling our story to the world, highlighting the positive things we have done using their social and traditional media platforms.

    47. As we begin another lap of our journey, one thing I can assure you is that we shall continue to work hard not to disappoint you. We shall daily strive to meet your expectations and at every point, you shall be treated with great respect as worthy partners in the efforts to build something great for the present and future generations.

    48. The next 12 months promises to be more rewarding because the fruits of much of the investments we have made in the last 12 months must have started coming forth, especially in the health, education and transport sectors.

    49. Even then, we shall continue with our aggressive road infrastructure development in many more communities. Furthermore, we shall also unveil series of initiatives to cushion the storms of the present economic realities on individuals and families. Additionally, we shall train thousands of Abia youths in marketable, in-demand skills which shall give them the leverage to establish themselves economically wherever they go. Arrangements in this regard are already concluded. Our dream is to make Abia a major hub for quality skills for the global market.

    50. It shall be challenging but if there is one thing I have learnt from our history, especially since the beginning of the 4th Republic 25 years ago, it is the fact that we are built to conquer, and win, irrespective of the opposition we face.

    51. Thank you for listening and may God bless you.

    Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR,

    29/05/2024

  • [PRESS STATEMENT] Umahi Felicitates President Tinubu on First Anniversary, Says Outstanding Milestones Recorded

    [PRESS STATEMENT] Umahi Felicitates President Tinubu on First Anniversary, Says Outstanding Milestones Recorded

    It is with profound sense of responsibility that I convey the warmth of my deepest felicitations to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on this memorable occasion of the first anniversary in office of his Renewed Hope administration, holding on Wednesday 29th May 2024.

    Your Excellency, we thank God for the hallmarks of accomplishments that greeted the first anniversary of your productive leadership. Despite the accumulated developmental challenges, you have remained undaunted, bold. and audacious in your determination to confront and conquer the monstrous problems that impede the development of our nation and the progress of our people. You have remained resolute in addressing the critical infrastructure needs of the nation, especially the road infrastructure interventions that have received public acclaim as a catalyst for economic growth. We are proud to identify with the outstanding milestones recorded within one year in office by the Renewed Hope administration in all sectors of governance. May God continue to bless and prosper the Renewed Hope aspirations.

    Once more congratulations to Mr. President, the Vice- President, all the progressives, and indeed Nigerians on this auspicious moment of our collective march towards enduring democracy.

    HE Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, FNSE FNATE, CON
    Hon. Minister of Works

  • FOR THE RECORD: First Anniversary Broadcast By Dr. Peter Mbah

    FOR THE RECORD: First Anniversary Broadcast By Dr. Peter Mbah

    Ndi Enugu,

    Exactly 12 months ago, I was inaugurated as your governor. In that solemn moment, I felt the weight of history as I looked around the sea of heads that swarmed the Michael Okpara Square that morning, and became even more determined to surpass the expectations that I glimpsed on your faces. I pledged wholesome service to you – the people – in my oaths of office and allegiance.

    This ceremony is significant because it also celebrates 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in Nigeria. I congratulate Ndi Enugu and every Nigerian for this milestone. While this long run is testament to our resilience as a people, it yet serves as a reminder that democracy should never be construed as an exclusive preserve; societies thrive when governments nurture a sense of inclusion and banish feelings of alienation.

    Let’s think about it: what really is democracy without the people? Without the people, democracy loses its defining ethos.

    You would thus recall that the first action I took barely one hour after I was sworn in as governor was the signing of three Executive Orders.

    The first such Order was in regard to the Citizens’ Charter, which essentially outlined our commitment to the provision of jobs, as well as quality amenities and services that substantially improve citizens’ living condition; transparent and inclusive governance; and the convening of consultative town hall meetings to present government’s plans and receive citizens’ feedback.

    That action was beyond symbolisms and in no way driven by any quest for validation. It boldly reaffirmed my conviction to make the people the centre-piece of our government’s policies. The commitment I made on my first day in office, and indeed every single pledge I made on the campaign trail, are sacred pronouncements against which all my actions as governor should expectedly be benchmarked.

    From the outset, there was absolute clarity about our vision for Enugu State, which could be summed up thus: To make Enugu one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product and achieve a zero percent rate in the poverty headcount index. This also includes our resolute goal to grow Enugu State’s GDP from $4.4bn to at least $30b in the next four to eight years.

    SECURITY

    We realized as well that nothing poses as much threat to the spirit of enterprise and, indeed, drains life out of a city as does criminality – or any hint of it. That explained why freeing the state from the stranglehold of an illegal sit-at-home order was among the earliest actions I took as governor.

    Crime may be an ever-present fixture in the society. Nonetheless, we have a zero-tolerance for crime in Enugu State. And we continue to demonstrate this through our consistent fight against crime, strengthening the capacity of the Distress Response Squad and providing logistical support to the various security arms in Enugu State. We have seen a significant drop in crime in our communities. Despite that, we stayed proactive and vigilant. This is evident in our Security Command Centre, a technology-enabled platform offering a real-time, round-the-clock surveillance of our major streets and neighbourhoods via CCTV cameras placed at strategic locations.

    Our establishing of the Security Trust Fund yet underscores our determination to keep the entire state safe and enthrone a sustainable platform to pool resources to fund our security needs. This Trust Fund, which has been signed into law and also constituted, has helped in fostering citizens’ engagement and a sense of civic responsibility.

    In the past 12 months and across all the sectors, our fidelity to the Citizens’ Charter and courage to bring that vision to fruition has remained unbroken. Our efforts are vindicated by visible turnaround we see in public infrastructure, and sustained increase in annual IGR. We are not reinventing the wheel, but we have certainly created a suitable environment for the wheel to spin faster and unencumbered, in a way that meets the exigencies of our time.

    Indeed, the exigencies of our time demand that we attain the socio-economic minimum, where the provision of basic amenities is taken for granted by citizens. That’s because there can never be any plausible excuse for ineffectual leadership. People generally don’t expect to hear why a problem cannot be solved by their government. They expect to hear from them how – and when – problems that have blighted their living condition will be solved. That, in simple terms, is my motivating philosophy.

    WATER SUPPLY

    So, when I gave a 180-day timeframe within which Enugu’s water problem would be solved, it wasn’t because I considered it a “low-hanging fruit” that could be easily notched. It was because I knew where the provision of potable water ranked on every resident’s wish list – and how urgently they wanted it to be ticked off.

    I reckoned that the problem of acute shortage of potable water that Enugu residents had experienced for decades should by no means become a situation that simply has to be endured. The mere fact that an anomaly had persisted for so long is not an excuse for it to be normalized, as it were. That is why daily sights of children standing in long queues, with buckets and cans, to buy water from tankers was one of my most depressing encounters during the campaign for last year’s general elections.

    Today we have transitioned from that utterly unacceptable narrative to a situation where potable water is accessed simply by turning on taps in homes and in public galleries. Nonetheless, context is still important. To give us a sense of the scale of this accomplishment, let’s understand that daily water supply to Enugu municipal was an average of two million litres before our intervention. But we upped that paltry figure to 120 million litres of daily water supply. And we did so within the projected timeframe.

    I know that some would say the flow has not been consistent in their neighbourhood. That may be correct; but it’s in part due to the challenge of vandalism and largely because we are in the process of changing old asbestos pipes, which were laid in the 1950s, to modern ductile pipes. Those pipes had become brittle and corroded and could barely contain the intense water pressure. Once that process is complete, a city-wide reticulation would be achieved.

    Again, like I noted earlier, the “hows” and “whys” of municipal problems are usually not subjects the public is easily inclined to contemplate. Solutions are what its ears are primed to listen to. And that’s natural. But context remains vital, for it helps lend perspectives and shed light on presumptions and misconceptions.

    The fact is that only about 45 percent of what constitutes Enugu metropolis was reticulated, comprising mostly the older residential neighbourhoods. Much of the outlying – and fairly recent – districts were never connected to the supply grid. We have successfully delivered water to those areas originally on the distribution line, mostly including neighbourhoods where public water had not run in decades.

    A good example is the Enugu Campus of the University of Nigeria (UNEC). It was gratifying seeing the excitement on the face of the deputy vice-chancellor as water gushed out from the institution’s main supply line two days ago. According to him, it was the first time in over a decade that they would be getting public water supply. The excitement for the students will be just as sky-high. And why shouldn’t it be? The sanitary conditions in hostels generally improve when there is regular water supply. Indeed, this is why governments exist!

    Coal Camp is other such neighbourhood where the taps had been dry for longer than most residents could recall. So, the excitement was understandably palpable. On a general note, we have achieved this level of coverage across the Enugu municipal:

    · GRA I & II – 80%

    · Abakpa – 55%

    · Ogui – 80%

    · Independence Layout (including parts of Nza Street) – 60%

    · Uwani – 85%

    · Trans Ekulu – 30%

    · New Haven – 85%

    · Idaw River – 55%

    · Emene – 60%

    The public water supply experience in most of these neighbourhoods and their surrounding areas was at best unreliable – and at worst non-existent. And it had been that way for years. Once the issues of replacement of pipes, and water line obstruction we are seeing in several locations arising from physical planning infraction are resolved, a total coverage of reticulated areas would be achieved. At the moment, it seems – more or less – like getting to the last man. Happily, our governance philosophy abhors anyone being left behind in the development march.

    When the availability of basic amenities is taken for granted, municipal challenges of old tend to be recounted merely as tales from a distant age. As a matter of fact, people often quickly forget how bad things had been not long after vast improvement in living conditions.

    ROADS

    We are, for instance, increasingly seeing roads that were, for many years, bywords for neglect and municipal dysfunction wearing new looks. I’m sure nearly everyone in Enugu wouldn’t have to think hard to cite few such neighborhoods. They abound – from the once port-holed and dusty roads of Odudukoko and its environs in Gariki; the gullies that for years left Trans Ekulu a shell of its once glorious past; to the literally impassable Premier Layout and College Road, in Abakpa, which was a nightmare stretch for motorists and residents.

    There can never be any excuse for such roads in their previous conditions. So I wouldn’t begrudge anyone who has forgotten what their condition had been like. The primary responsibility of governments, after all, is the security and welfare of the people.

    I can say confidently that there is hardly anyone who hasn’t encountered some major road construction around their locality. It hardly matters where you live; our rehabilitation and reconstruction of 71 roads in Enugu urban areas has ensured that virtually every neighbourhood in the city is experiencing an impressive road infrastructure makeover.

    Our rural communities are not left out. The ongoing construction of the 40-kilometre Owo-Ubahu-Amankanu-Neke-Ikem Dual Carriageway that will practically open a new gateway to the North-Central region is indicative of our determination to bring a new lease of life to rural communities.

    Indeed, with our recent acquisition of an asphalt production plant, which has a capacity to produce over 1000-ton eco-friendly asphalt daily, we are looking set to fix more roads even beyond our projection.

    Every intervention in the last one year has further reinforced the need to radically retool our socio-economic paradigm to make the hopes and aspirations of Ndi Enugu not to perennially seem like a dream deferred.

    EDUCATION

    This realization strikes a particularly resonant tone in our education sector, where the learning imparted to our children over the years had failed to keep pace with the rapidly-changing world of knowledge. This evolving order is rendering obsolete our children’s supposed knowledge, causing them to be left behind as the rest of the world continues to take giants strides. Our Smart Green School initiative is a bold response to the shortcomings of our public education system.

    The Smart Schools, which we are building in each of the state’s 260 electoral wards, are clearly at the cutting-edge of innovation. These schools are reflective of our steely resolve to bequeath to our children an experiential education that can help them navigate our evolving knowledge-driven world, and imbue them with a skillset that ensures they can practicalize what they have learnt, and are literally at ease with the tools of tomorrow’s workplace. Our Smart School project is not an abstract dream; its prototype stands out elegantly in Owo as a pointer to what the 259 others will look like on completion by 2025. Construction works are ongoing at 135 schools, with contract for the rest due for award in the second phase.

    Each Smart School features an interactive digital whiteboard, an internet system, robotics and artificial intelligence centre, modern ICT centre, two science laboratories, hybrid multimedia library, creative production studio, 25 inclusive classrooms and 700 Android tablets.

    Through these schools, we are nurturing a silent technological revolution.

    So, our disruptive innovation mantra is by no means a catchphrase merely intended to captivate. It is rooted in the conviction that innovation is the handmaiden of development. The famous saying credited to Saudi Arabia’s former oil minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani that “the Stone Age didn’t end for lack of stone,” easily comes to mind here.

    The wealth of nations may be measured in terms of material resources, oil reserves, and the like. But true wealth lies in the quality of a state’s human resources – shaped to a great degree by the attention paid to public education, for no nation can truly rise above its education standards.

    Against this backdrop, imagine a situation where 50 percent of children are unable to read despite having spent four years in primary school. Imagine also a scenario where 50 percent lacked simple numeracy skill like subtraction and addition after five years of primary school education. These were the shocking revelations of a baseline study we conducted in the early days of my administration. Nothing underlines our strong commitment to improve the quality of education in our dear state like the sum allocated to the sector in our budget.

    My administration’s N158.78bn education budget is both the highest per capita in the country, and in regard to the percentage of total budget sum – at 33 percent. It is also higher than UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15% – 20% of total annual budget. I dare say it’s perhaps highest in the world. The significance will be more profound if we paused for a moment to break down this figure: It implies that for every 100 Naira spent, 33 Naira goes to the education budget. Think about that.

    We continue to demonstrate that there is no room for half measures where education is concerned.

    HEALTH

    Our investment in the health sector is no less remarkable. We’re also building new Type 2 healthcare facilities across the 260 electoral wards in the state. For us though, it’s not just about the physical structures. We’re just as enthused by those features that truly make hospitals worth their name. This reflects in the 30 PHCs currently being built. Each centre is well-equipped and boasts the requisite manpower, comprising doctors, nurses, and other relevant health workers. To curb the notorious practice of workers’ absence in hospitals, there are living quarters with constant and alternative power supply for doctors and nurses.

    We have also paid due attention to the welfare of our healthcare workers, and have ensured that every obligation in relation to allowances as well as agreements are fulfilled. This includes employment of medical practitioners, as may be necessary, to bring our doctor-to-patient ratio to acceptable standards. This would be impacted, no less, by the presence of the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences, which received further boost when I signed the bill upgrading the institution to a teaching hospital.

    Another area of success has been in the digitizing of patients’ records at our various healthcare facilities, which has created a seamless access to patients’ health history at state-owned facilities.

    Development experts often say that the test of a policy is always evident in its outcome and impact on general wellbeing. This is especially true with our inputs in the health sector, where there has been vast reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate.

    REVIVING MORIBUND ASSETS…RECOVERING STATE’S ASSETS

    Indeed, we are paving our roads, including in areas that had never experienced a coat of asphalt, and our schools are experiencing unprecedented makeover. These feats are proofs of how much change we can bring to bear if we muster the will to refuse to be content with measures that barely shift the needle of progress. But there are always new grounds to break.

    Few weeks ago, we signed a contract for the revamp of the iconic Presidential Hotel, and works have actually begun in that regard. I also performed the groundbreaking for the 345-room International Conference Centre Hotel, Enugu, a few days ago, which would be the first 5-Star category hotel in the South East.

    The absence of a truly 5-star hotel has long deprived Enugu State the opportunity of tapping into the immense benefits inherent in the expansive service industry such as conferences, meetings and events. This is despite the long illustrious history of our capital city. But with its completion schedule of 11 months, this hotel, alongside the 5,000-seating capacity International Conference Centre due for opening in a few months, will take us a step closer to our aim to make Enugu the Conferencing Capital of Africa. Both facilities represent key enablers of our target of three million annual tourist visits to Enugu.

    It is instructive that Presidential Hotel was built in 1963 with income earned largely from agriculture, by the premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara. The same could be said of the several once thriving but now moribund industries such as Nigergas Company Limited, Niger Steel Limited, Sunrise Flour Mills, etc. We’re already taking steps towards reviving these industries.

    We are as committed to reviving long abandoned corporations as we are in the recovery of Enugu State’s assets, which had in a sense been in limbo for years. This commitment earned huge dividends recently with the return of 14 such assets to my government. The motivation is the common good – improving the lives of Ndi Enugu.

    AGRICULTURE

    Oil palm was at the heart of Eastern Region’s agro-based economy. The presence of hectares of palm plantations across the region best illustrates this. Two such plantations from that era exist in Enugu State. Unfortunately, they have for years been in the throes of death – to put it mildly. But with the signing of a N100bn partnership deal with Pragmatic Palms Ltd, a private investor, there is now a clear path to recovery for the moribund United Palm Products Ltd.

    So, we are scaling up agricultural production in Enugu State. Never again will investment in agriculture seem like a mere token gesture – or an afterthought.

    And I can boldly say we are on the verge of an agricultural renaissance, given how we are steadily creating the inputs that would enable us to reap abundantly from the potential it offers. For instance, we have created 100,000 hectares of land in each of Enugu’s three senatorial zones for the cultivation of export-focused cash crops, and building the infrastructure that opens up opportunities in the entire value chain from storage to processing of agricultural produce.

    From this vast tract of arable farmland, we have established a land bank through which we can forge partnerships with local or foreign businesses desirous of investing in agriculture. A few months ago, as a matter of fact, we sealed a Public-Private Partnership deal with Ugwuanama Farms Limited for the industrial cultivation of cassava, rice, maize, banana, oil palm, yams, and sundry crops at a 15,000-hectare farmland in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area. Our investment in agriculture reflects a strong emphasis on value addition and agro-processing, hence the attention we have devoted to growing the cassava-to-ethanol value chain.

    Also, few weeks ago, we received a delegation from the African Development Bank and the federal government through its ministries of finance as well as agriculture and food security. The visit was a preparatory step towards formalizing an investment partnership for our Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, which, besides boosting the state’s earnings when operational, would create massive job opportunities.

    The bottomline is that our income has to keep pace with the scale of our ambition. Of course, it goes without saying that to achieve the growth we crave, it is imperative we grow our state’s economy to never-before-experienced level.

    Our push towards that goal is rooted in our firm recognition of the power of private investment as the key driver of enduring economic growth and prosperity. We have thus implemented robust measures and reforms to de-risk the operating environment for private investments, and to promote the ease of doing business.

    As someone with an economic outlook extensively honed in the private sector, I fully understand the importance of creating a governance framework that enables businesses to flourish. This is the import of the “Enugu State is open for business” refrain.

    ELECTRICITY REFORMS

    In signing the Enugu State Electricity Bill into law and establishing the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission, we took concrete steps towards becoming a major player in the power sector. This is critical to our planned industrial expansion, and our projection to attain regular power supply in no distant time, working with the private sector.

    Indeed, the ceding of regulatory oversight of the local electricity market to the Enugu State government is a strong validation for our quest to develop a commercially viable electricity market that is both reliable and sustainable. It is especially so, given that Enugu State was the first sub-national conferred with such rights. This development is a precursor to the ultimate goal of attracting investors desirous of setting up power generation plants in Enugu State, a move that will guarantee stable power supply and launch our bid to become an industrial base.

    JUDICIARY

    Reforms in the judiciary have yielded many benefits. Much progress has been achieved towards an end-to-end digitalization and automation of court processes. So, it’s only a matter of time before cases are filed virtually. The deliverables of the ongoing project include:

    · Establishment and equipping of virtual hearing centres for the State High Court, the Correctional Centre, and the Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse;

    · E-filing for lawyers;

    · Automation and digitalization of Enugu State laws, amongst others.

    Sufficient progress has also been made towards attaining Verbatim Reporting for the courts. This would eliminate the strain of longhand recording on judges, shave off the time lost doing so manually and, ultimately, improve productivity.

    Voicing a commitment to create an enabling environment for businesses tends to come easily. The difficulty usually lies in bridging the void between commitment and action. Not so for us.

    We have, in our first year, created Specialized Courts to optimize justice delivery. This is crucial because access to justice, ease of enforcing contracts and obtaining documents are critical business enablers and useful indicators for gauging the ease of doing business in any given state.

    But our justice reforms are by no means tailored only towards creating an improved operating environment for businesses. It is all encompassing. We have, for instance, created Small Claims Court with specialized focus covering all matters in which the amount claimed is One Million Naira or less. This is fully operational. Other categories of Special Courts created include:

    · Commercial Court (which deals with Commercial, Contracts, Revenue and Fast-track matters)

    · Probate and Family Court (dealing with Probate, Matrimonial Causes and Family Matters)

    · Criminal Court (responsible for Criminal cases involving sentences above 14 years, including life and death sentences)

    · Originating Applications.

    · Lands (or Real Estate) Court – which handles Land matters.

    The goal is creating unimpeded access to justice for all. Also in line with this, over 15 executive bills were sent to the House of Assembly and have since been signed and assented to.

    TRANSPORTATION

    As we strive to re-position Enugu as a major hub for business, sports, tourism and leisure, giving the city a new lease of life conducive to those lofty dreams has become a compelling necessity. Since the discovery of coal in 1909, Enugu has grown from a modest colonial outpost with a handful of encampments for workers of the various coal mines to the bustling megapolis that it is today. Of course, the population too has grown from 62,000 that it was in 1952 to over four million in just the Enugu metropolis.

    So, Enugu metropolis now grapples with overcrowding and the resulting strain on basic amenities and infrastructure. Roads that once sufficed for the prevailing traffic at the time they were built have literally become too small for the sheer volume of traffic, which could be seen in the perennial gridlock experienced across the city.

    Across the world, cities’ livability drops if they lack a functional transport system with organized bus terminals that confer dignity on users and enhance seamless commuting – both at intra – and inter-state levels. Through the Central Terminal we are set to construct in Ogbete/Holy Ghost, Gariki, Abakpa and Nsukka, we’re creating a modern transportation interchange that literally opens up our beloved city and eliminates the enormous manhour that is lost to traffic on a daily basis.

    To create a comfortable commute for the public and ensure sanity on our roads, we are procuring 150 CNG buses – of which 50 had already been procured – and these would be deployed across various routes. We’re also bringing in over 2,000 taxis in conjunction with a private desirous of setting up an assembly plan in Enugu.

    WASTE MANAGEMENT

    Few things blight cities like heaps of refuse. Across the world, as a matter of fact, waste management is a potent marker of municipal efficiency and government’s responsiveness. For us, rising population cannot be an excuse for overflowing waste bins anywhere in the state – let alone in the heart of the capital.

    We have since matched word with action. It was simply a question of doing things differently – or having the will to fix an evidently broken system that had failed for years to solve a problem for which it was primarily set up. So, we have carried out an extensive re-organization of Enugu’s Waste Management system that has paved for the participation of private companies, which have brought in several waste compactors trucks, in place of open trucks. This has vastly improved efficiency and resulted in a cleaner environment.

    But we intend to take our waste management a notch higher, using the tool of technology to explore the possibilities in waste-to-wealth or waste-to-energy.

    ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

    Just like our pledge to ensure a proper waste disposal in Enugu State, our commitment to enthroning effective remedial actions on climate change is not mere lip service. We are acutely aware of the catastrophic impact of climate change on economic growth and livelihoods, and recognize the urgent need for a robust climate policy that will pave the way for a clean energy transition, spark green innovation, enhance climate resilience, and drive sustainable economic growth for the state, ensuring a brighter, greener future for all.

    To this end, I’m delighted to announce that Enugu State is on the verge of securing a remarkable N100m grant from the African Climate Foundation, which will be instrumental in developing a groundbreaking and innovative science-based climate change policy and action plan for the state. This pioneering initiative will be the first of its kind across the 36 states of the federation, positioning Enugu as a trailblazer in climate action and sustainable development.

    The climate policy and action plan will be our roadmap to an exciting array of initiatives, including a major climate education and awareness programme, climate finance mobililization, and a transformative clean cooking programme to protect our women from the health risks of open firewood cooking. Moreover, a grand tree-planting exercise will rejuvenate our degraded ecosystems, sequester carbon, and beautify Enugu State, setting the stage for a vibrant and sustainable future.

    It is ironic that we often recall the good old days with nostalgia and indeed gush over the mind-blowing aesthetics of Western cities, but yet do little to aid orderly urban planning and imbibe the high sense of civic duty that prevailed in the good old days – or that exist in Western cities. The beauty and orderliness we see in western capitals and cities were not wished into existence. Behind those qualities lie diligent planning, respect for laws and sacrifice.

    Suffice it to say that development is sometimes akin to the early stages of road construction. There might be some slight discomfort; but the end is often redeeming.

    The Central Terminal and the Enugu New City might both seem like a long, painful walk for some. But they will ultimately result in painless, graceful strides crucial to Enugu’s rise to take its rightful pride of place among the world’s best cities.

    The Enugu New City was envisioned to be the premier investment destination in Nigeria. Sitting on a corridor that connects the South-East, South-South and North-Central regions, plus the fact it is a mere 15-minute drive from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, the Enugu New City signals the birth of a new world of opportunities. This vibrant, integrated metropolis driven by manufacturing, commerce and tourism would boast facilities comparable to the standards in globally-renowned cities, from theme park to industrial park.

    During the campaigns, I lamented the fact that Enugu had all but lost its enviable reputation as the preferred location for Nollywood movie productions. I had, of course, expressed a desire to change that narrative. Aside from securing a multi-million dollar deal to construct an entertainment and sports park in Enugu, we have made substantial investments in rehabilitating the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, numerous tourist sites, and in organizing major events where young up-and-coming artistes happily showcased their talent.

    We have invested much in our darling Rangers International FC, improving their welfare, and bringing in the right management team. Of course, this reflects in the fact the club is currently top of the NPFL table.

    HUMAN CAPITAL/WORKERS’ WELFARE

    We’re also implementing an e-governance technology, and digitalization in Enugu State with significant positive impacts on both the people and the economy. The key benefits include Increased Accessibility and Convenience. It will also improve Service Delivery, Transparency, and enhanced communication and feedback from the public. This would be launched in three weeks’ time.

    We have, in addition, paid considerable attention to the twin-issues of pensions and gratuities. Our senior citizens deserve their due reward when they retire, having devoted a great percentage of their lives in service to the state. Doing so, however, requires some verification exercise to digitalize the process and make the payments seamless, going forward. We have, in fact, cleared the verified backlog.

    Few years from now, we can all look back with pride on the role we played. But it won’t be because we want to be heralded as changemakers. We would look back and say we did what we did because it was the right thing to do.

    So, when we say “Tomorrow is Here”, it speaks to the immediacy of the tasks at hand and reminds us that the future we envision is within our grasp – but only to the extent that we innovate.

    Just like work began for me minutes after being sworn in 12 months ago, today the work ahead is no less urgent. The work ahead may be daunting, but our determination is unwavering.

    Ndi Enugu, I thank you all for your support in this past year. The depth of my gratitude equates only to my zeal to make Enugu an inspiring tale of success. I enjoin you to continue to have faith in this journey, because democracy is a collective walk.

    Let our commitment be renewed by the much we have achieved so far. As we have seen, it’s not a leap of faith; it is faith that stems from conviction. We have crossed many watermarks of success. So, on this momentous day, these words by the iconic Chinua Achebe best capture our optimism regarding Enugu’s future: IT’S MORNING YET ON CREATION DAY! Indeed, tomorrow is here!!

    God bless Enugu State. And God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • Media Personality, Uchenna Igboeme Named Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, Enugu

    Media Personality, Uchenna Igboeme Named Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, Enugu

    PRESS RELEASE

    Uchenna Igboeme Innocent, also known as Igwe Dikin, is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the media and communications industry. Hailing from Iwollo-Oghe in Ezeagu LGA, Enugu State, he possesses a remarkable ability to convey complex technical media information eloquently and understandably.

    He was appointed the programme manager of Afia Radio, where he not only pioneered but made history, by becoming the first broadcaster in Eastern Nigeria to successfully simulcast on both radio and television for an impressive 7 hours during the official launch of the station.

    In 2024, he assumed the role of Executive Producer of TEDx Enugu, where he orchestrated a successful event with over a thousand five hundred attendees and esteemed speakers such as H.E Peter Obi, Paul Onwuanibe, Kanayo O Kanayo, Emeka Mba, Napa Onwusah, Nkem Nweke and many others.

    Currently, he is the MD/CEO of Chase Media Consult and Director of Communications and Partnership at Boys Champions Foundation.

    Uchenna Igboeme remains at the forefront of leadership, media, communication, social development, and politics. He holds prestigious professional certificates from the National Broadcasting Academy and Brand Management from the University of London.

    We are confident that the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum in Enugu State under your leadership will provide the desired platforms for the development of young professionals in Enugu State.

    Congratulations Mr Chairman.

    Signed;
    Hon Amb Mark Onuoha
    South East Regional Head Nigerian Young Professionals Forum.

  • Ughelli–Ohoro Forest Killings: Police Operatives Recover Police Arms Carted Away by Attackers, Arrest Suspects, Neutralise Bandits

    Ughelli–Ohoro Forest Killings: Police Operatives Recover Police Arms Carted Away by Attackers, Arrest Suspects, Neutralise Bandits

    …IGP Reaffirms Commitment to Reduce Crime to Barest Minimum

    Leveraging on the recent charge on succinct intelligence gathering and sharing for effective operational deployments by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) has made significant strides in the ongoing efforts to combat crime and restore security in Delta State and beyond. Following the recent tragic events in Ohoro Forest, Ughelli Delta State, where some police operatives were ambushed and gruesomely murdered leading to the loss of thirteen (13) police rifles to the criminal suspects, the FID-IRT have successfully recovered ten (10) of these arms.

    During a coordinated operation, the gallant operatives of the FID-IRT engaged the suspects in a gun duel which led to the neutralization of some of the suspects while the police operatives successfully reclaimed ten (10) of the stolen weapons, and recovered some arms used by the assailants.

    Additionally, the Nigeria Police has effectively addressed the kidnapping crisis that has plagued the Lagos-Ibadan expressway with the arrest of six (6) members of the notorious kidnapping gang terrorizing the area. The suspects are currently in custody, cooperating with ongoing investigations.

    The IGP has reassured the public that the Police will continue to employ all necessary measures to combat criminal activities across the nation as the safety and security of Nigerian citizens remain the top priority, and the Force is committed to maintaining peace and order through diligent and proactive efforts. He reiterated the determination of his leadership to creating a safe and secure environment for all citizens while appreciating their support and cooperation.

    ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
    FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
    FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
    ABUJA

    21 May, 2024

  • PDP to APC: Perish the Thoughts of Forceful Take Over of Rivers State

    PDP to APC: Perish the Thoughts of Forceful Take Over of Rivers State

    The attention of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) @OfficialPDPNig has been drawn to a delusional declaration by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) @OfficialAPCNg in Rivers State, Mr. Tony Okocha wherein he issued a hallucinatory directive that an impeachment proceeding be commenced against the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.

    Such reckless and unwarranted statement by the APC Chairman in Rivers State exposes the vile desperation of the APC, which is roundly rejected in Rivers State, to use violence, coercion and bullying to undermine the WILL of the people and forcefully take over the State.

    The fact that the Rivers State APC Chairman, in his warped imagination, thinks he can direct impeachment proceeding against a duly elected State Governor not only shows the level of APC’s arrogance and condescension for the people of Rivers State but also further confirms APC’s desperation to forcefully annex their democratic rights under the Constitution.

    In any event, the individuals that the Rivers State APC Chairman directed to commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara are not legally members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot contemplate or exercise such powers under the law.

    These individuals, by virtue of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) have since vacated and lost their seats, rights, privileges, recognition and obligations accruable to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly after their defection from the PDP, the political Party platform upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly

    For emphasis, Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution provides that:

    “a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if … (g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political Party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected…”

    It should be noted that Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution is self-executory. The import of this provision is that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected have vacated their seat by reason of that defection.

    The unlawful directive by the Rivers State APC Chairman to these individuals to commence an impeachment proceeding against the Governor is therefore a brazen call for anarchy as it amounts to an attempt to forcefully overthrow a democratic Order in clear violation of Section 1 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    For clarity, Section 1 Sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides;

    “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”.

    The PDP draws the attention of the Inspector General of Police to the subversive utterances of the APC Chairman in Rivers State which is capable of triggering crisis and derailing the Democratic Order in the country.

    The APC must perish the thought of forcefully taking over Rivers State as such is a direct assault on the sensibility of the people which will be resisted firmly.

    The APC Chairman in Rivers State should come to terms with the fact that Rivers State is home to PDP and that the people of Rivers State are not ready to put their destiny in the hands of a corrupt, oppressive and anti-people Special Purpose Vehicle like the APC.

    The national leadership of the PDP expresses appreciation to the people of Rivers State for always standing with the PDP and urges them to continue to resist the APC in its vicious attempt to inject violence and destabilize the State

    Thank you for listening

    Hon. Debo Ologunagba,
    NPS

  • President Tinubu Appoints Two Chief Executive Officers of Two Agencies, Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund

    President Tinubu Appoints Two Chief Executive Officers of Two Agencies, Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund

    President Tinubu Appoints Two Chief Executive Officers of Two Agencies

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Innocent Bariate Barikor as the Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

    The President has also approved the appointment of Prince Ebitimi Amgbare as the Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority (NDRBDA).

    Dr. Barikor is an academic and politician. He was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 2011 to 2015, while Prince Amgbare is a retired naval officer and former commissioner in Bayelsa State.

    The President expects that the new heads of these important agencies will discharge their duties with utmost fidelity to the nation and unfailing adherence to the highest standards of professionalism, accountability, and excellent service to the people of Nigeria.

    President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Jim Ovia, CFR, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

    Mr. Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.

    He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.

    The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.

    The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.

    The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds and of ensuring that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.

  • ENSG Releases Update on Verification for Next of Kin (NOK) of Deceased Pensioners

    ENSG Releases Update on Verification for Next of Kin (NOK) of Deceased Pensioners

    The Enugu State Government is announcing the verification exercise for the Next of Kin (NOK) of deceased pensioners.

    This verification exercise will take place on Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26, 2024.

    The purpose of this exercise is to ensure the accurate processing and disbursement of benefits to the families of deceased pensioners.

    Requirements For Next of Kin Verification

    To participate in the verification exercise, the following requirements must be met:

    1. Information about the NOK:
    * Full Name:
    * Account Details:
    * Bank Verification Number (BVN):
    * Valid Accessible E-mail:
    * Residential Address:
    * Phone Number:

    2. Documents to Bring:
    * Letter of Administration from Ministry of Justice
    * Pension Authorization
    * National Identity Number (NIN) or Voter’s Card
    * A Passport Photograph of the NOK
    * Affidavit confirming the status of the NOK.
    * Death Certificate, Burial Poster, or Burial Program
    * Bank Statement of the deceased pensioner’s account, detailing transactions from the date of death until the current date

    3.⁠ ⁠Separate Account Requirement for Living Pensioners with Joint Accounts.

    Living pensioners who hold joint accounts with another person (where both names are listed together) must open a separate individual account for their pension payments. If both pensioners are using one of the other’s account, the second person must also open a separate account. This requirement is essential to ensure smooth processing and accurate disbursement of pension benefits.

    4. Venue: Enugu South Local Government Council

    Note:
    • Please ensure you have all the required documents and information ready before attending the verification exercise. Failure to present the necessary documents or having a joint account (for living pensioners) could delay the verification process.
    • This schedule is only for local government pensioners.

    Your participation in this verification exercise is crucial to ensure proper record-keeping and rightful disbursement of pension benefits to the families of deceased pensioners.

    For more information or assistance, visit the Local Government Pensions Board Office in Enugu or contact us through our official website or helpline.

    For additional information or clarification, please visit: https://www.enugustate.live you can also email us at verify@enugustate.live

    Thank you for your cooperation.

    Prof. Chidiebere Onyia
    Secretary to the State Government.

  • Ohaneze Disclaims Press Release on Yahaya Bello, EFCC Imbroglio

    Ohaneze Disclaims Press Release on Yahaya Bello, EFCC Imbroglio

    The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been drawn to the headline trending in various print and social media that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo and a Yoruba Group asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tread softly by way of respecting the subsisting court order restraining it from arresting the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello over alleged N80.2 billion money laundering”.

    The report further stated that the “Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Mr Chimaobi Ezejiofor, and the President of the Yoruba Youth Council, Comrade Eric Oluwole in separate statements expressed curiousness as to why the EFCC could not wait to exhaust the legal opportunities before clamping down on Bello”.

    Ordinarily, Ohanaeze Ndigbo would have ignored the disingenuous media reports, but silence in this circumstance could mean giving validity to such a fallacy by the unsuspecting public. Thus, this disclaimer becomes very imperative.

    In the first place, the name Chimaobi Ezejiofor is a new entrant amongst the fraudsters, charlatans, impersonators and mischief makers who ride on the invaluable footprints of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to defraud the unsuspecting public. Secondly, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council is unknown to the organs and structures of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. It is a mischievous contrivance for illicit and immediate stomach infrastructure.

    But, the most worrisome is the unscrupulous, duplicitous and compromised media contractors who collaborate with the transgressors and mercenaries to tarnish the hallowed image of the globally acknowledged umbrella organization that represents the Igbo collective consciousness. Still, the worst recrudescence is that some media platforms who have gained some impressive reputation have allowed their names to be associated with obnoxious yellow journalism. Otherwise, even the most unlettered mischief maker knows that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is Chief Engr.Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR, OFR, CFR, FNICE, FNSE, FNIST, KSG (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) and Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR as the Secretary General; while the spokesman of the group is Rt.Hon. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia,PhD.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the modus operandi of the EFCC is not within the current amplitude and resonance of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Iwuanyanwu; and thus cannot contemplate a press release for or against the EFCC.

    The Igbo Leader since his assumption of Office as the President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rather pre-occupied himself with rechanneling the Igbo entrepreneurship, inventiveness, ingenuity, and enormous human and material resources towards a new economic dawn, job opportunities and prosperity In Igbo land.

    E-Signed: Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide

  • Tinubu Appoints Board of Securities and Exchange Commission

    Tinubu Appoints Board of Securities and Exchange Commission

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the following Nigerian professionals to the Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC):

    (1) Mr. Mairiga Aliyu Katuka — Chairman

    (2) Mr. Emomotimi Agama — Director-General

    (3) Frana Chukwuogor — Executive Commissioner (Legal and Enforcement)

    (4) Mr. Bola Ajomale — Executive Commissioner (Operations)

    (5) Mrs. Samiya Hassan Usman — Executive Commissioner (Corporate Services)

    (6) Mr. Lekan Belo — Non-Executive Commissioner

    (7) Mr. Kasimu Garba Kurfi — Non-Executive Commissioner

    The President anticipates that all members of the Board of this critical commission will bring to bear their wealth of experience and competence in advancing the commission’s core mandate of developing and regulating a capital market that is dynamic, fair, transparent, and efficient, to bolster investor confidence and contribute immeasurably to the nation’s economic development.

    Chief Ajuri Ngelale

    Special Adviser to the President

    (Media & Publicity)

    April 19, 2024

  • Tinubu Congratulates Chess Master, Tunde Onakoya

    Tunde Onakoya
    Tunde Onakoya

    I congratulate Tunde Onakoya @Tunde_OD on setting a new world chess record and sounding the gong of Nigeria’s resilience, self-belief, and ingenuity at the square of global acclaim.

    I celebrate this Nigerian Chess Champion and founder of Chess in Slums Africa for his rare feat, but especially for the reason driving this compelling demonstration of character, which is raising funds for African children to learn and find opportunity through chess.

    Tunde has shown a streak customary among Nigeria’s youth population, the audacity to make good change happen; to baffle impossibility, and propel innovations and solutions to the nation’s challenges, even from corners of disadvantage.

    Nigeria’s youths have demonstrated in all fields, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, the pulsating skit-making enterprise, education, science, and technology, that great exploits can truly come from small quarters.

    I commend the inclination of Nigerians – across artificial partitions – for unity, once again exemplified through their undiluted support for this epoch-making endeavour.

    I assure all citizens that my administration remains strongly committed to creating and expanding opportunities for the youth to explore and exercise their abilities and become the symbols of greatness our nation represents into the future.