September 11, 2024

NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

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Breaking News

1 Group drums support for FGs plan to privatise refineries

2 FG committed to independence of auditor-general’s office – Tinubu

3 FCTA, GAIN sign MoU on access to affordable, nutritious food

4 FG, stakeholders synergise to boost poultry production

5 Eguavoen says report of quitting false

General News

South-East Dev Commission a game changer- Chief Asadu

By Kingsley Okoye and Emmanuel Jonathan

Igwe Samuel Asadu, Chairman, South-East Traditional Rulers Council, says the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) is a game changer for the development of the zone.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Bola Tinubu signed the bill seeking the creation of the commission into law on July 24.

Asadu, who said this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja on Sunday, said the council was excited over the establishment of the commission.

Asadu, who is also the traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu Kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, said that the establishment of SEDC after several failed attempts, validates the policy of  the three “Rs” as conceived after the civil war.

The three Rs – Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction – were conceived as a deliberate policy to shore up development after the 1967-1970 civil war ravaged most parts of the South-East.

“We are excited. It is a game changer, we love the president for that. It is kind of him.

“Everyone knew that after the civil war, we felt alienated from the country for political reasons. The SEDC has been delayed for a long time.

“With the SEDC, we can do better; this President saw the value, the benefit in it and the development coming with it.

“So, we thank Tinubu, all the Senators and members of the House of Representatives led by the Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. We give kudos to them for the astute support they gave to the passage of the bill  into law,” he said.

He said the entire south-east zone was so excited over the commission, saying that it would further serve as a veritable platform for productive engagement of youths in the zone.

“We are happy and loyal to the president Tinubu; we have never had it better than this, so we are in support of those policies that have an impact on people,” he said.

He emphasised the need to ensure the appointment of persons of integrity to drive activities of the commission to enable it realise its full mandate

Asadu also urged a background check on the team to pilot the commission, adding that they should be persons with verifiable means of livelihood, people with proven character and integrity.

“We have been through a lot, so I am sure that the government would be very wise enough to pick the right people to run the affairs of the commission,” he said.

NAN reports that SEDC is expected to manage funds allocated from the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads and other infrastructural deficits suffered by the region due to age-long neglect.

It will also tackle ecological problems and related environmental challenges that had devastated the South-East for decades. (NAN)

Edited by Joseph

General News

S’East traditional rulers push for 2 more states

By Kingsley Okoye /Emmanuel Jonathan

The Council of Traditional Rulers in the South-East has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to consider the request for the creation of two additional states in the zone.

Speaking on Sunday in Abuja when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum, its Chairman, Chief Samuel Asadu, said the request was part of the demands the traditional council agreed to pursue at its last meeting.

According to him, the request for additional two states is to address the imbalance in the number of states in the six geopolitical zones.

“At the meeting, the traditional rulers agreed to accept any state created from any part of the eastern states.

“We are united in this struggle. We have five states in the South-East. There are zones that have seven. Some have six. So, we need to have two more states to be even.

“But whatever we get, we thank the President. We are at his mercy and God bless him for that.

“So, when the state is given to us, we will endorse it. It does not matter where it comes from, it does not matter whose lawmaker sponsored the bill.”

On the clamour for constitutional roles for traditional institutions, Asadu said that the traditional rulers were very experienced in all spheres and should be challenged with some statutory roles.

“We want to have some constitutional relevance, some constitutional powers.

“The statutory monthly allocation of five per cent from funds released to Local Governments is not given to traditional rulers in the states.

“The states don’t release the money.

“Traditional rulers play an important role in communicating government policies and programmes to members of the community.

“What that means is that they must be supported to do so. They need financial backing to handle these tasks. No one should pretend about that,” he said.

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

General News

South-East traditional rulers seek Nnamdi Kanu’s release

By Kingsley Okoye/Emmanuel Jonathan

The Council of South-East Traditional Rulers has appealed to the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, and expressed optimism that his freedom would reduce tension in that geopolitical zone.

The Chairman of the Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu, made the call when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday.

Asadu said that the council was in support of stakeholders’ call for Kanu’s release.

“Governors in the five states of the South-East have called for his release. Our lawmakers have done the same. That is the position of everyone in the South-East,” he said.

Asadu spoke further: “He is our son. He has been there for a long time.

“Of course, we back the Governors Forum and other stakeholders’ call for his release so that tension will be reduced.

“Before that, the government will do its due diligence to guarantee that his release won’t cause anything unexpected. There should be some form of measures, a deal to be made.”

Asadu said that the eventual release of Kanu would, to a large extent, usher in  relative calmness and evoke joy to the people of the zone.

“If the president looks into that and gives him a pardon,we will be excited. It is affecting our area because some of the people are his die hard fans.

“Who would want to have his son locked up for a long time? We are praying every day, all the traditional rulers are praying for Nnamdi Kanu to be released.

“We feel his pains and the pain of his family.

“It will be a gift, if the President does that. We will come back to thank him in a big way.”(NAN)

Edited by Maureen Ojinaka/Sadiya Hamza

General News

Protest: South East traditional rulers not in support – Asadu

By Kingsley Okoye and Emmanuel Jonathan

Igwe Samuel Asadu, Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional rulers, says the council is not in support of the planned nationwide protest slated for Aug. 1 to 10.

Asadu, who is the traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state, said this when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday.

The traditional ruler said that the council would not support any agitation organised by “some faceless people”, adding that the council is asking for calm.

He urged those behind the protest to find other ways of ventilating their anger to avoid causing chaos across the country.

Asadu said that peaceful protest could be infiltrated by miscreants who would take laws into their hands to cause anarchy.

“It is easier to destroy than to build, so all we are asking is for calm; we are asking for dialogue,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to engage them in a dialogue as they may have their reasons for planning the protest.

The traditional ruler said that times are hard with the current economic situation in the country, coupled with the fuel subsidy removal.

“I am feeling it in my community because the people come to me every day for assistance. We are not in any way supporting the protest at all.

“But I still want the government to see a way of engaging them in dialogue, the President is the Father of the nation,” he said.

Asadu encouraged traditional rulers in the country to find a way to engage their people by organising festive activities periodically.

“Find a way to engage the people, everything is not about government alone, insist on what you can do for your people and not what they can do for you as their leader,” he said.

NAN reports that several groups have announced their withdrawal from the planned nationwide protests against economic hardship.

A group from the South East, under the aegis of Enugu Innovative Youths, said on Saturday that it was opting out of the exercise to avoid exacerbating the security situation in the state and the country.

It recalled what transpired during the ENDSARS protest and argued that the tendency to hijack the protest was too high.

The group called for patience while things improve.(NAN)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Judiciary

S/East senators seek Kanu’s release

By Ebere Agozie
Senators from the South-East zone met with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to demand the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The senators made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during their close door meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fgebemi, SAN.
The senators numbering 15 were led by a former Abia Deputy Governor, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe.
They claimed that unless Kanu was released, social and economic activities in the South-East region will continue to be stagnant.
The senators handed over their letter of appeal for the release to Fagbemi for onward passage to the president.
Abaribe, who spoke to the press on behalf of his colleagues lamented that the economy and social life in the region  had suffered enough due to the continued incarceration of the Biafra nation agitator.
He noted with grave concern that the peaceful demand of the detained IPOB leader had been hijacked by hoodlums and hardened criminals leading to wanton killings of innocent people, including security operatives.
Abaribe said he had already met with Kanu at the headquarters of the DSS and that Kanu had agreed to abide by any conditional release.
He expressed optimism that once Kanu is released, the tension and acrimonies engulfing the South East region since 2021 when he was clamped into DSS custody would become event of the past.
The senators, therefore, pleaded with the AGF to convey their message to Tinubu, and for the AGF to use his position to terminate all charges brought against the IPOB leader by the federal government.
They said that virtually all political and religious leaders as well as stakeholders have unanimously agreed that Kanu be released for peace to bounce back to the region.
It would be recalled that Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 by the federal government and brought to the country for trial on terrorism charges.
Although he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to admit him to bail on the ground that he had earlier jumped bail in which Abaribe was his surety.
Kanu has been in the custody of the DSS on the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
General News

OSPRE commends FG’s efforts at rebuilding trust with South-East communities

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

The Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) has called on the Federal Government to complement security interventions aimed at rebuilding trust with communities in the South-East for peace and development.

Nike Babalola, Head, Communications and Public Relations OSPRE, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the advocacy was made at a two-day workshop on peace held in Awka, Anambra.

The workshop was in collaboration with the Anambra Government, the West African Network for Peace building (WANEP) and the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund.

Babalola said the workshop with the theme “Sustainable Peace, Inclusive Recovery and Durable Security” brought together a host of state actors and civil society organisations from across the zone.

The Director General OSPRE, Mr Chris Ngwodo, pledged the commitment of OSPRE to collaboratively develop multidimensional solutions to the multifaceted challenges of the zone with its partners.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, commended OSPRE for the initiative and noted its many areas of convergence with the Peace in the South-East Project (PISE-P) recently flagged off by his office.

The deputy speaker, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr Sam Hart, expressed his commitment to collaborating with OSPRE to advance the cause of peace in the zone.

In his remarks, Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Gilbert Ibezim, said there was need to collaborate and engage with all critical stakeholders, including government, traditional rulers, security agencies and academics.

He also highlighted the need to address the root causes of conflict and the importance of dialogue and reconciliation.

Soludo commended the efforts of OSPRE in promoting peace and urged all stakeholders to continue their efforts towards resolving the challenges in the Southeast region.

“In recent years, the South-East zone has been plagued by the activities of violent criminal gangs and a secessionist insurgency.

“Attacks on police officers, the military, and other security institutions across the region have heightened a climate of insecurity,’’ he said.

The Chairman of the Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, highlighted the importance of acknowledging the economic effects of the insecurity on the people of the region.

He also called for a sustained effort to address the situation in the Southeast which he described as “complex.”

The Executive Director of WANEP, Dr Chukwuemeka Eze, called for greater interplay “between civil society, policymakers, and international partners” anchored to “an efficient, collective, and holistic strategy.

He said such synergy would address the situation in the Southeast and the country at large.

Inaugurated in December 2022, the Concord Initiative, OSPRE’s flagship national peace-building programme is a convening of early warning, early response, peace, security and development actors.

The initiative, established in 2022, focuses on addressing human security crises in various conflict-affected locales across the federation.(NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Hashtag for PISE-P aimed at disseminating campaign messages for peace in South-East
General News

Group unveils campaign hashtag against insecurity in S/East

By Emmanuel Afonne

Peace in the Southeast Project (PISE-P), a group in the forefront of ensuring peace in the South-East region, has unveiled its hashtag for the peace campaign.

Mrs Mary Ikoku, Head, Media and Communications, PISE-P, who unveiled the hashtag at a virtual news conference, said the hashtag “#Peaceinsoutheast” would henceforth serve as a symbol of communication for the project in the conventional and social media.

The virtual news conference was anchored from Abuja.

“This symbol of communication magnifies our desire to use social media as a tool to spread our gospel for dialogue and the rebuilding of the region.

“This campaign demands public engagement and mobilisation, hence the launching of the campaign hashtag.

“The hashtag encapsulates the essence of our collective strength, resilience, and determination to overcome any obstacle in our path as we rollout our sleeves to begin the implementation of all the programmes of PISE-P.’’

Ikoku said the hashtag was expected to resonate across social media, communities, and hearts, sparking conversations and igniting a flame of action.

“Our mission is to inspire and to deepen our campaign spread which is more than a hashtag; it is a symbol of hope, a catalyst for change, a symbol to break barriers and a challenge to all stakeholders to arise.

“It is a call to action; it is a reminder that together, we are an unstoppable force for good.

“Let it be a beacon that guides us towards a future where positive change in the South-East is not just a possibility but a reality.”

According to Ikoku, the formal unveiling of PISE-P will hold on Friday (Dec. 29) during the homecoming reception of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who is driving the project.

She said the unveiling of PISE-P would mark not only the formal declaration of peace in the South-East but the beginning of not just a journey or campaign but a movement.

“This movement embodies massive campaigns structured to resonate with our collective vision in PISE-P for peace to return to this once-bobbling region.

“With passion, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to this project we have resolved to make noise, amplifying our voices and cries for the insecurity in Igboland to be solved through a non-kinetic strategy,” she said.

Ikoku urged Nigerians especially those from the South-East to take a bold step forward and embrace unity so as to rescue the region from the shackles of crises that had hampered development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

EMAF/CJ
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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

General News

NGO decries South-East’s poor rating in primary education, healthcare

By Peter Okolie

A not-for-profit organisation, Centre for Social Awareness Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), has expressed worry over the “poor performance” of public primary education and healthcare delivery in the South-East.

The Founder of CSAAE, Rev. Fr. Godswill Agbagwa, made the remark in Owerri during the unveiling of a 44-page report conducted between 2021 and 2022 on South-East Public Primary Education and Healthcare Delivery.

He said that the organisation, funded by Open Society Initiative for West Africa, was dedicated to social development and advancement of good governance, accountability and efficient delivery of public services.

“In 2021, we launched the Local Government Good Governance Monitor (LGGM) and built the capacity of 190 youths as champions to monitor public education and healthcare delivery in 95 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the South-East.

“The LGGM project lasted for 23 months during which the LGGM champions visited 1,387 public schools and 534 primary healthcare centres in the region for data collection.

“We designed the project in such a way that we could get into the communities to see how the councils are performing based on minimum standards provided by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency of Nigeria (NPHCDA),” Agbagwa said.

He further said that most primary schools in the region were not conducive for learning, citing the lack of doors, toilets and adequate teachers.

He also said that most primary healthcare facilities lacked doctors, and at least four nurses and ambulances for operational services.

“About 80 per cent of the primary schools do not have toilets thus making pupils and teachers, sometimes, to engage in open defecation when pressed.

“It is a shame that our primary schools do not have toilets where our children can go to ease themselves.

“UBEC says that every primary school in Nigeria must have perimeter fence and there must be a security guard in every school.

“But findings revealed that most of these public schools in the region have no fence, let alone security guards,” Agbagwa said.

He further lamented the absence of water in most of the public primary schools visited.

He said: “No state scored more than 29 per cent in the provision of a minimum of two toilets for male and female.

“Looking at the information from data analysed, one could see that between 2021 and 2022, only Ebonyi scored more than 50 per cent in quality and inclusive primary education delivery based on UBEC’s minimum standards.

“In fact, Ebonyi, the best performing state in the zone, exceeded 50 per cent with just 1.56 per cent, while Imo came a distant second with 42.32 per cent.

“Anambra came third with 39.21 per cent; Enugu came fourth with 33.28 per cent while Abia came last with 29.26 per cent,” he said.

In the area of healthcare delivery, Agbagwa said that Abia emerged the best performing state, scoring 53.46 per cent.

“This means that only 53.46 per cent of Primary Healthcare Centres in Abia met NPHCDA’s minimum standards,” he said.

He said that Ebonyi came second with 52.79 per cent; Imo third with 52.57 per cent; Anambra fourth with 52.43 per cent and Enugu fifth with 40.79 per cent.

“We also looked at how the LGs contributed towards primary healthcare and primary education, and discovered that some of the council officials complained of lack of resources, portfolio and power to execute projects in the sectors under review.

“Sometimes they complained that SUBEB and the Ministry of Education performed their constitutional duties rather than work with the LG Education Authorities.

“This brings to bear the need to redefine the roles of the LG authorities and the roles of the state agencies, who have taken advantage to usurp the roles of the LGs.

“We got our data and an analyst to discover that the South-East is lagging behind generally. The truth is that all of them performed poorly,” he said.

However, Agbagwa said that in spite of the general poor performance, some LGAs distinguished themselves for development in the sectors.

He said that Udenu LGA emerged the best performing LG in the South East, in terms of education, “but interestingly, Enugu is the second worst performing state in the South-East.”

Agbagwa called for urgent interventions to rescue and strengthen the LG system to improve the standards in primary education and primary healthcare delivery.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to 15 persons, including former LG Chairmen for their contributions to the improvement in the primary education and healthcare delivery in their areas.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sam Oditah

General News

Group hails Tinubu’s appointment of Agbasi as FERMA boss

 

By Peter Okolie

A socio-cultural organisation, called The Eastern Mandate Forum (EMF) has thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing Mr Chukwuemeka Agbasi as the Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

 

The group’s National Coordinator, Mr Chinedu Nwaorisa, conveyed its gratitude to the president at a news briefing in Owerri on Thursday.

 

Nwaorisa said that Tinubu’s appointment of Agbasi was a demonstration of the President’s commitment to a united Nigeria “where all zones in the country is relevant and important to the growth of the nation.”

 

According to him, this is the first time the South-East will be heading the federal road maintenance agency.

 

“This is a pointer to the fact that aside wanting improved standards on Nigerian roads, the president is also thinking that appointment of a south easterner as the head of FERMA will change the narratives of the road infrastructure in the South-East,” he said.

 

The group, however, implored the president to continue to appoint round pegs in round holes, irrespective of ethnic leanings.

 

It also berated those accusing Tinubu of selective appointments.

 

“What is more important is for the President to appoint professionals who will deliver on his mandate and directives in the best interest of the Nigerian people,” he said.

 

Nwaorisa described the appointment of Agbasi as a new dawn for road infrastructure in the country in view of his 30-years of local and international engineering, management and applied research experience.

 

He called on all Nigerians to support the new FERMA boss to enable him to achieve the best in roads infrastructure for the Nigerian people, especially as the festive period approaches.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government on Oct. 14 announced the appointment of the Anambra-born civil engineer as FERMA boss.

 

Agbasi holds a Master degree and Diploma of the Imperial College (DIC) in Concrete Structures.

 

His early career started in Nigeria as a civil and structural engineer in a consulting engineering practice and a researcher/lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

 

He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering from the Imperial College, London and University of London, respectively, amongst other academic qualifications.

 

He was a Senior Structures Advisor and Project Sponsor at the Highways Agency, an executive Agency of the UK Department of Transport before joining FERMA.

 

He was also a Director and Head, PPP, Multilateral and Special Duties Department in FERMA before his appointment as managing director. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sam Oditah

PDP supporters with party flags
Politics

PDP initiates reconciliatory steps to reclaim South-East

By Alex Enebeli

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East zone says it has begun the process of reconciling its aggrieved members that defected to other political parties.

The party said this at its Zonal Meeting in Enugu, pointing out that the measure was part of the efforts initiated to reclaim its position in the zone.

It expressed the hope that the initiative would help to consolidate it support base for the political and historical development of the country.

In a speech, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State urged party leaders and faithful in the region to rise to the task of recovering its lost ground and rebuilding the party to its pre-eminent position in the years past.

Mbah, who is the Leader of the party in the zone, said there was need to rejig the party’s financial, administrative and operational strategies.

He expressed a strong conviction that the party would rise again in the zone.

“As the National Vice Chairman South-East rightly observed, we have shed a lot of weight.

“Today, when you look at other parties, whether it is Labour Party, All Progressives Congress or the New Nigeria Peoples Party, and so on, you are actually talking about PDP members.

“But providence has placed a lot on us in the history of the party that we now have to steer the affairs of the party and pull it back to its former glory, to that pre-eminent position we have always held in the historical and political development of this country.

“And in doing that, we have a couple of areas we have to look into, such as financial, administrative, and operational strategies to bring us back to pre-eminence.

The governor further said that it was time for the party to begin to craft a strategy on how it could get back to that “pole position” that they had always occupied.

“It means we have to first of all consolidate our support base as a party, and now reach out to our brothers and sisters, who may have felt aggrieved for one reason or the other and left the party to see how we can bring them back,” he said.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the South-East National Vice Chairman of the Party, Chief Ali Odefa, also called on party faithful and leaders in the region to brace to the challenge that would engender the resurgence of the party in the zone and beyond.

“I would implore all of us to know that the fortunes of the party in the last one year have dwindled so badly and the onus is on all of us to see whatever efforts we can put in to make sure that we redeem the past glory of the party,” he said.

He opined that it was only through the collective efforts of members that the party could return to the enviable height it used to be in the zone.

Odefa, who recalled how PDP used to have five governors in the zone some years back, said “it reduced to four, then three, and one ran away.

“It remained only two and after the last election, we only have one seated with us here – Gov. Mbah.

“But by the grace of God, some of our candidates in other states are in court.

“So, it is our prayers that the one we already have will be retained and the ones that are pursuing their cases in court would win.

“We must do everything to get our party back on the track,” Odefa further said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party and former Senate President, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, has gave assurance that the party would bounce back in the region, given Mbah’s leadership quality.

According to Wabara, nothing will happen to PDP, all these people will come back because this is their home.

“So, I do not want us to be discouraged. Let us continue to have hope and belief in PDP,” he said.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, former governors of Imo, Chief Achike Udenwa and Chief Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu, and Zonal Woman Leader, Ifeyinwa Morah as well as state party chairmen, including Augustine Nnamani of Enugu State. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sam Oditah

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