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2011 - Diverse Forces Test Strength in Abia
Steve Oko
Umuahia — As political activities for the 2011 general election get underway, political parties and aspirants to elective positions have intensified efforts towards actualizing their various ambitions.
While incumbent political office holders continue to perfect arrangements to have a second tenure, fresh aspirants get into lobby with stakeholders and political god-fathers and mothers, on how to wrest power from the incumbents .
In Abia State however, the battle, from all indication , appears to be between the ruling Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as nothing suggests the existence of other political parties.
While PDP has severally vowed to reclaim its alleged stolen mandate come 2011, PPA insists on continuity.
Already, some aspirants have declared their intension to fly the PDP flag in the 2011 governorship polls but political analysts believe the party still has a long mile to cover if it is serious about producing the next governor of the state.
One major problem that the party may have to contend with is supremacy crisis as virtually all the former guber candidates from other parties in the 2007 polls have since defected to PDP.
For example, Chief Ikechi Emenike who contested under All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007 has gone back to PDP and has declared his intention to run under the party's ticket, his All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) counterpart Chief Uzodimma Okpara has also defected to PDP and wants to fly the flag.
Similarly, Chief Henry Ikoh, a former PPA governorship aspirant and major financier of the party before he was allegedly short changed in favour of the incumbent governor, is also back in PDP and wants to be given a chance to execute his manifesteo under the PDP platform.
Other political big-wigs who are also jostling for the PDP ticket include: Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe , Chief Chime Asonye, and Chief Regan Ufomba.
Apart from the avalanche of political bigwigs seeking nomination in PDP, the party's candidate in 2007 election Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, is not relenting efforts in his legal campaigns to have the exercise upturned in his favour, and will more unlikely step aside for the new 'messiahs'.
Political watchers believe that unless PDP produces a consensus candidate who has the blessing of all these non-push overs, the party may not survive the fall out of any lop-sided primaries.
Be that as it may, the guber ticket in PPA is not contestable but seems to have been exclusively reserved for the incumbent governor,Theodore Orji who is gunning for a second tenure.
The recent pronouncement of the party hierarchy to this effect has laid to rest months of speculation that the governor might be dropped for his Deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas.
It is also believed that the decision of the party to give Orji an automatic ticket may have been as a result of the thinking that any attempt to dump him might lead to his much-rumored decamping to PPA and that may lead to the death of the party in the state .
The defection of Gov. Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State to PDP had dealt a deadly blow to PPA and it is not ready to risk loosing another serving governor hence the decision to support Orji for a second term.
Although, the governor came to power on the shoulders of Reality Organization, the political structure of elder Mrs. Eunice Uzor Kalu, the mother of his predecessor, and political god father, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, he has also formed and consolidated his own political structures.
Orji's loyalists believe that Reality Organization today despite its might may not withstand a coalition of pro-Ochendo political structure in PPA.
Gov. Orji, a retired civil servant is learning fast in the game of politics as he has tactfully built and consolidated formidable political structures to guarantee his political future in the eventuality of any friction between him and the powers that be in PPA.
His numerous party structures include: Ochendo Prosperity Movement(OPM) headed by his Special Assistant on Transportation, and the son of a strong man of Abia politics, Chief BenJamin Apugo, Mr. Ikechukwu Apugo; Ochendo Solidarity Movement(OSM); Ohendo Vanguard; Vote Ochendo Again(VOA);Ochendo Women; Fans of Ochendo; etc.
It was not surprising therefore, that Gov. Orji in a recent meeting with PPA Local Government Party executives boasted that it would be futile for anybody to think he could be pushed aside from the party he has invested so much to sustain.
"Apart from Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and his family, I am the only person who has invested heavily in the formation and sustenance of this party.
"Nobody can push me away from the party I have suffered so much to form", Orji warned.
Orji is also believed to have infiltrated the ranks of PDP by the recent formation of a group known as Abia Re-Union which parades some stake holders in PDP but working assiduously to actualize Orji's second term bid.
Another serious factor working in favour of Orji's second term bid is the recent resignation nay removal from office of the Abia-born National Chairman of PDP, prince Vincent Ogbulafor.
Ogbulafor's removal is very much celebrated among Orji's supporters as PDP may not bother to exert much pressure on winning the state as it did in 2007.
Perhaps the most fortunate coincidence in favour of Orji second term bid may be the recent ascendancy to power of the former Acting President, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan, a bosom friend and close political ally of Orji as the substantive president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Even since then, Orji has thrown to the winds his PPA background and openly drums support for Mr. President who he described as God-sent.
Addressing royal fathers recently in Umuahia, Orji said, "I want you to support Mr. President because he is our friend".
"He has visited us many times while he was vice president. If we support him and pray for him, when we go to him with our problems he will listen to us".
It is speculated in certain quarters that Orji may not mind dumping PPA for PDP should PPA power hawks dare or continue to make him uncomfortable.
The governor's shuttles to Aso Rock ever since Jonathan assumed office as the president also tend to suggest that some political re-alignments may be going on.
Another interesting fallout of Jonathan's ascendancy to power still in Orji's favour is the fear in some quarters that the James Ibori scenario may soon happen in Abia concerning ex-governor Orji Uzor Kalu vis-B-vis his charges at Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
There are permutations that EFCC may likely dust Kalu's corruption charges which were kept in the cold in the days of Late president Umaru Musa YarAdua.
This, perhaps, explains why the Abia ex-governor that had always commented on virtually every national and global issue has rather decided to maintain unusual silence in the current political developments in the country.
Should Kalu, God forbid, be remembered again like Ibori by the anti-graft body, his alleged political influence over Orji and indeed in Abia will irredeemably shrink obviously to the advantage of Gov. Orji.
But for the rumoured undue political influence on Orji by his benefactor and the mother, Ochendo would ordinarily have no qualms in going for a second tenure as the average Abia electorate has sympathy for him.
Source: Daily Champion, 25th June 2010.
ABIA: Opposition Weak And Overwhelmed By Ruling Party
From Gordi Udeajah - Umuahia
OUT of the over fifty registered political parties in the country, only eighteen (18) presented candidates for the governorship contest in 2007 in Abia state.
The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) won the election and Theodore Orji became governor. His election was however challenged unsuccessfully by the candidates of the PDP, ANPP, APGA among others, with the PDP candidate Onyema Ugochukwu still pursuing his case at the Court of Appeal.
Not long after Orji assumed duties, the opposition, especially the PDP and ANPP began to monitor his government, which many considered democratic and good for democracy.
Between May 29, 2007 and now, some of the candidates who contested with Orji have decamped from the parties on whose platforms they contested, either to the PDP or the ruling PPA. Some too became politically inactive.
ANPP candidate, Ikechi Emenike returned to the PDP, APGA's Uzodinma Okpara to PDP, AA's Candidate Ephraim Iroakazi to APP, Labour Party's Chuku Wachuku joined the PPA.
The scenario in Abia State is that, the opposition is weak despite the presence of a branch of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), whose chairman is Chief Emeka Longman Nwachukwu, who is also a factional Chairman of APGA as well as serving Commissioner for Lands Survey and Urban Planning.
He (CNPP Leader) while speaking on the state of opposition said, " the opposition has to be weak when the government in power is performing. The CNPP is participating in the unity government in the state, following the invitation to the members by the PPA's governor Dr Theodore Orji.
"The CNPP pointed out the ills and mis-governance to the governor and he took steps to address them. We do not condemn for the sake of it, we commend where and when necessary and call attention where the need arises; that is constructive criticism.
"Governor Orji found the need to involve all parties in his government as commissioners, board members etc; and this made way for mutual respect and political harmony. CNPP called the PDP to respond the governor's call to partake in the state unity government."
According to Mr Igbeaku Orji, an Umuahia based Journalist, "there is no gainsaying the fact that the opposition in Abia is non existent, not to talk of playing its role as a watch dog of government in power. The reason for this is not far fetched. With the exception of the PDP, the other political parties are members of the CNPP, which according to its national Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, is not an opposition party. The CNPP is represented in Orji's cabinet by its state chairman Emeka Nwachukwu. The PDP refused to join the CNPP in the state, yet it is not providing the needed opposition to the sitting government. All PDP does is launch periodic attack on one government policy or individual and then go into a long silence."
State Chairmen of ANPP and AC also commented on the matter. Evangelist Cassidy Agbai of ANPP dissociated his party from the views expressed by the leader of the CNPP saying, "in ANPP, we are politicking in our little way; many things have gone wrong and we are putting our house in order and gearing up for 2011 elections, many interested elective office seekers are indicating so every day. We are not participating in the so-called unity government. We are not dull; we criticize constructively. Opposition can not do much without funds, we have not been having subventions from our party head office."
Action Congress chairman, Obi Aham described the PPA government as a continuation of that of his predecessor Orji Uzor Kalu. The PPA has not met the people's expectations and AC is not alone holding this opinion."
According to the state's Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) Chairman, Comrade Ifeanyi Onwuneme, the CNPP made opposition worse when it compromised after the last general elections, when its chairman was appointed a commissioner by Governor Orji. This has made it impossible for the CNPP to criticize the government. However, we are yet to see what the likes of Chief Ikechi Emenike and Reagan Ufomba, both of the PDP will do as the elections draw nearer. These are the duo whom I know have the muscles, capacity and courage to dare the present administration in Abia, as it is not yet known if the candidate of the AC in the last election still has interest in the game."
Source: The Guardian, 2nd May 2010.
3 new Perm Secs for Abia
Umuahia—Three new Permanent Secretaries appointed by the Abia State Government have been sworn-in by Governor Theodore Orji. They are Mr. Mac-Steve Nwejike, Mr. Nkwachukwu Agomuo and Mr. John Irokansi.
In his remark at the ceremony held at the Government House Umuahia, Governor Orji said the event was significant as it highlights the continuous nature of government.
The Governor said that his administration will continue to appoint deserving civil servants as well as strengthen the machinery of government, adding that the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries have acquitted themselves well in their duty posts. Governor Orji pointed out that his administration believes in rewarding excellence and hard work and charged the new appointees to see their elevation as a call to higher service. He charged them to act as role models to the junior ones.
He said that he reposes a lot of confidence in them and urged them to justify the trust, adding that he will appoint only those who support his administration.
The Governor also educated civil servants in the state that appointment to the post of Permanent Secretary was at the discretion of the Governor, who reserves the right to appoint whoever he wants.
Source: Vanguard, 29th April 2010.
Elechi decries LG admin in Abia
Our Reporter
Abia Deputy Speaker Chinedum Elechi said in Umuahia on Monday that ``nobody is happy that there are no elected council officials in this state''.
Elechi told newsmen that the use of heads of service "to administer the local governments is a doctrine of necessity to save the system from the point of self destruction.
"The present government in the state ought to conduct elections to replace those it dissolved in January 2010.
"This has not been done because of the huge debt owed by the councils,'' he said.
He said that the government was trying to clear those debts, adding that the governor of the state should be commended for not conducting elections to compound the problem.
Meanwhile, Elechi said that the assembly was at present considering a bill to amend the customary court law of the state for a third time, adding that amendments were carried out in 1984 and 1988 respectively.
He said that the amendment to make legal practitioners become chairmen of the court became necessary because of complaints from NBA that non-practitioners decided issues of law in the courts.
On the crisis in PDP, he said that the fact that the national chairman of the party could be arraigned had shown that "nobody is above the law".
He called for early resolution of the matter because "when PDP quakes the whole country is in trouble. We do not want further crisis after the president's saga."
On the Police/NBA clash, he said that the assembly had confidence in the Commissioner of police, Mr Jonathan Johnson, noting: "We are comfortable with his fight against crime in Abia."
Source: Daily Champion, 28th April 2010.
Abia PDP readmits old members
Umuahia—AHEAD of 2011 general elections, Abia State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has set out to increase its membership by readmitting those who left the party and re-register old members. To this end, the leadership of the party in the state has set up committees in the 17 local government areas of the state to monitor the on-going re-registration and registration aimed at beefing up its membership in preparation for the general elections.
The state leadership of the party led by Chief Ndidi Okereke has been touring the council areas as part of the sensitization exercise of the party in preparation for the 2011 elections. The team visited Umuahia North Local Government Area, where the membership re-registration/registration committee was inaugurated by the party chairman, Chief Okereke, who commended the party faithful for their steadfastness even in the face of intimidation by the ruling Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, in the state.
He charged the committee members to ensure that registration materials get to every ward in the council area, so as to enable old members re-register while new members are also to be registered, in preparation for the coming elections. He charged them not to reject anybody who has come forward for registration.
Okereke also warned the party faithful that the only registration cards given to them by the committees are the authentic cards and urged them to ignore registration cards given to them by another other person.
Source: Vanguard, 27th April 2010.
Nigerian governors 'threaten to execute inmates' to ease prison congestion
Amnesty International has condemned a reported move by Nigerian state governors to execute death row inmates to ease overcrowding and urged the authorities to instead address the underlying problems in the criminal justice system.
According to media reports, Theodore Orji, governor of the south-eastern state of Abia, announced this after a meeting of 36 state governors in the country's capital Abuja on Tuesday.
â??More than three of every five prison inmates in Nigeria have not been convicted of any offence; instead they wait years for their trial in appalling conditions,â?? said Aster van Kregten, Amnesty International's Nigeria researcher.
â??It is shocking to suggest that executing prisoners is a way around this problem.â??
According to Nigeria's Minister of the Interior, the total prison population is 46,000, of which some 30,000 are awaiting trial. Few can afford a lawyer and the government funded Legal Aid Council only has around 100 lawyers. There are currently more than 870 death row inmates, including women and juveniles.
Amnesty International research shows that many death row prisoners may be innocent as Nigeria's justice system is riddled with flaws. Many have been sentenced to death after blatantly unfair trials.
Trials can take more than 10 years to conclude. Appeals in some death row cases have been pending for a decade. Some never happen because case files have been lost.
International law prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by people under the age of 18, yet in Nigeria juvenile offenders continue to be sentenced to death.
Two expert groups set up by former president Obasanjo - the National Study Group on Death Penalty (2004) and the Presidential Commission on Reform of the Administration of Justice (2007) - recommended a moratorium on executions because the criminal justice system can not guarantee a fair trial.
â??Federal and state authorities must not ignore the recommendations of their own study groups, Nigerian NGOs and other international organizations which have all found Nigeria's justice system to be woefully inadequate,â?? said Aster van Kregten. â??Until these underlying problems are addressed, Nigeria's prisons will remain overcrowded.â??
In November 2008, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights at its 44th Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria, adopted a resolution calling on state parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights to observe a moratorium on the death penalty.
In December 2007 and 2008, the UN General Assembly also adopted two resolutions on the use of the death penalty calling upon states that still maintain the death penalty to progressively restrict the use of the death penalty; reduce the number of offences for which it may be imposed and establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
While Nigeria did not adopt an official moratorium on executions, the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs stated in February 2009 at the 4th Session of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) that Nigeria has a "self imposed moratorium"
Any step by the Nigerian government, state or federal, to resume executing will be contrary to commitments made by Nigeria at international level.
Source: Amnesty International, 22nd April 2010.
Abaribe's Record is Known to Abia People - Orji
Sunny Ogboanugo
Excerpts:
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, from your state, of recent described you as incompetent and that was why you are encountering some of these problems you are facing in Abia State. What is your response?
Senator Abaribe was relatively unknown in Abia state until the former governor Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, who was coming home and had a ride with him in a bus and decided to pick him out of others who worked for the party as his running mate without knowing actually the type of person he is. That was when the unholy marriage started.
When he was in government and then I was the Chief of Staff, the first face off between Abaribe and Chief Kalu was when he went to Hallmark Bank and opened an account in another name. He opened the account in the name of Tamuno Felix and arranged with a revenue collector, so that when they collect the revenue they will pay into this account and siphon the money. That was the first problem he had with Uzor Kalu. That was why the House of Assembly impeached him, and he resigned before the House of Assembly could submit its report. This is the antecedent of the man who wants to be governor of Abia state; somebody who by 1999, when some politicians were still sleeping had perfected how to siphon government fund. By now he must have gone electronic.
What I have told you about him is correct. I'm not maligning him. Ask anybody in Abia state.
Each year he would say he wants to be governor, even if it is the turn of his own local government to produce the next governor. He is not the only person from that area. Even his local government is where you have the greatest number of kidnapping.
The people he used during the election, he trained these bad boys, and they are now pursuing him. There was a time he came home, and they pursued him, he ran away, but we are at home fighting the evil he planted.
When he wants to talk to the press, he should address issues and tell people why he wants to be governor. What can he point to as his achievement since he got to the National Assembly? He should come and tell us what he did. What he has been doing in the National Assembly is to credit my achievement to himself and say he went to NDDC and put that road or this in NDDC project. So if he wants to be governor, let him pursue his aspiration in a very decent way, because he, who lives in glass house, should not throw stones.
Well, that is the type of man they want in the PDP.
Are you interested in seeking a second term in office by 2011?
As of now, some of these problems I mentioned are the problems I am facing that I want to solve and complete some of the projects I started. I want to make maximum impact on our people. When the time for 2011 comes, I will tell you. You are my friends I will tell you because you are going to help me out also. I will tell you.
Sir, how do you respond to the allegation that your predecessor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu determines what happens in your government including the utilisation of state resources?
Is the statement you made factual or a rumour. If it is factual you have to show empirical evidence. You see people manufacture rumours left, right and centre. They tell you when you get allocation you go and give it to somebody tell you what to do with it. It can never be correct.
Like you said he said I should be fair to my conscience. Even if he didn't say that, I have a conscience. I owe a duty to Abia people; not to any individual but to Abia people. Those are the people who elected me and those are the people I owe a duty; Abia as a whole not to any individual. Like I have said, it is just fabrication from the opposition. That is what people will tell you.
They will say, he is doing this, he is doing that in running government. Governance is not run like that. It is not possible. Me as a governor, I don't even have access to the fund. You can only have access to the fund through people, through the commissioner for finance, through the Accountant General. A governor cannot remove government fund direct. It has to go through somebody, who is a government official. If money is going through somebody to somebody else, it cannot be a secret thing. It will leak. So there is no truth in that type of thing they are telling you; that somebody is controlling you and this and that. There no iota of truth in that. I said it at a function last night that I'm in charge. I'm the governor. Anything that happens, if I make an impact, it is my own glory, if I fail they are not going to call another person, it is me. I am very conscious of that.
I am very conscious of life after governorship. I have it at the back of my mind; life after governorship, because I can never be governor for ever. One day I will leave. You will be judged when you leave office. It is then you will know whether you did well or not. It is when you leave office then you will know the level of acceptance from your people and that level of acceptance will be determined by your performance. I am very conscious of that. I want to leave office as a good person and to be accepted back by my people. And it is now that I have to do it.
I am on my own. I am in charge. If a make a mistake I will accept the mistake, if I do it well, I will accept that I have done well. So I'm not under the influence of anybody. I'm the governor, you can't have two governors in a state at the same time. So there is no truth in what they are saying.
What about this intense pressure we hear that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is mounting on you to join the party? Have you succumbed or have they given up?
Overtures? Yes, that is what is in politics. Political parties make overtures to people they know will win election. You cannot go to somebody who will be a liability to the party and make overtures to him. Overtures will come, not only to me; I am sure also that some other governors are getting overtures from many political parties, but it is left for the person they are making overtures to, to decide and weigh the pros and cons and make up his mind. So, as of now, I am a member of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), I am PPA, I am still PPA , I don't have any intention of moving to anywhere. This is the party on whose platform I was elected. I have not done anything bad to the party and the party has not done anything bad to me. So, one has to have conscience. The point is that some politicians don't have any conscience. They do whatever they like at any given time. But I believe that if you have conscience, your conscience should be your guide, if you have conscience, God is always there to guide you.
What is the financial State of Abia at the moment?
Abia state part of the world and also had to grapple with global economic meltdown. We are having some cash problems; cash problems in the sense that Abia State was created out of Imo state. When we were part of Imo state, precisely during the time of Chief Sam Mbakwe, many industries were built. I can mention them; the Glass Industry, the Metrological Complex, many of them, Concord Hotel. Most of them were completed and some were not completed. They were built with borrowed money, guaranteed by the Federal government. When that regime was sacked by the military, it was time to pay back the loan. When Abia state was created , we inherited our assets and liabilities, liabilities in the sense that those industries that were built and sited in Abia became ours. Most of them were the uncompleted ones and we have to pay. What is happening is that the Federal Government has to recover its money. So, whenever our allocation comes, the Federal Government first of all takes away that fund it guaranteed from our allocation and it affects us. As of now, we still owe the Federal Government the sum of 22 million dollars.
That money we started paying right from the creation of Abia State, we still owe 22 million dollars. It is above 22 million dollars, but let's approximate it to 22 million dollars and until we finish paying this debt, then we shall not be free.
Apart from paying the debt one needs to also to perform. You have to build roads, provide water, drainages, provide health services. Averagely in a month, we receive about 2.5 or 2.6 billion naira as allocation from the federation account and we spend N1.4 billion to pay salaries. So, when you remove N1.4 billion from 2.4 billion, you know how much is left. And you have to pay some banks ISPO, then you have to run government. So, that is the problem we are having. That is why we are making conscious effort to see that we become financially buoyant and the conscious effort we are making is that we have intensified effort to increase our Internally Generated Revenue, which is very, very important. We have brought in consultants, and we have given them a target. At least we should generate N1 billion every month in Abia State. In Aba alone we can generate N800 million. We have equally approached the World Bank for a loan of 200million dollars.
The 200 million dollars World Bank loan is virtually free. The interest rate is very, very low, and the repayment time is very long. If we should have it, it will ease off some of our problems, because the money would be used for the development of Abia State.
We also went to the bond market. But we realised that all these effort to raise money is being thwarted by people from our state also; those who are in the opposition, who don't want the state to move forward. When you go here or there, they will come and block you.
When we wanted to go to the World Bank, before we could say, Jack Robinson, the thing was already tabled on the floor of the National Assembly, whereas some other states have gone for the loan. Abia State's own became topical because of the members of the National Assembly from Abia State, who don't want progress. That is a problem. You need to overcome the hurdle and it takes some time to overcome it. So, the time we could have used to pursue the loan, we were using it to answer questions at the National Assembly. So, these are problems we are facing. But we are very hopeful that very soon things would be okay.
Your PDP opponent, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu is back in court. We thought the Court of Appeal had already decided on the case, what's this present effort for?
It surprises me. It is very surprising that he has gone to court again. I don't know what he wants again. He was at the tribunal and Court of Appeal, which is the highest ruling body in governorship petition, has ruled and the thing has been settled. So, I don't know what else he wants in court. His going to court does not unsettle me because, we are used to it. So long that he takes us to court we will go and answer him. He is a man, I am a man, I am not afraid.
The only thing is that I expected that, by now, he should have accepted defeat and his concern should be that since the state belongs to all of us, it should be reasonable for him to give me time to concentrate on governance. It should be reasonable of him too to assist me by proffering suggestions, and joining hand with me to make sure we move Abia to the next level. That was what I expected from him not the action he is taking.
He is from the same local government with me. There are other governorship candidates that I defeated that never went to court. There are some who went to court but they have all withdrawn. But he is the person that has been moving from one court to the other and as he continues to drag us along, we continue follow him to whichever court he goes. So we are not afraid.
What will you say are your achievements so far?
In every sector we have made impact. Within three years, not four years or eight years, what we have done, we have the support of the people. In terms of road, in Abia State, there is road construction going on in each local government; some we have completed, some are on going. In terms of road construction we have made tremendous impact. Right now in Aba we are constructing 33 roads.
As I am telling you, these roads constructed you don't know about it, because they were not highlighted in newspapers or electronic media. Even in Aba we have glass industry which we revitalised and it is into production and it creates employment for our people. We have expanded it to produce glasses. These are all achievements, which these our opponents tend not to see. We are partnering with geometrics to build 180 KVA plant to give power to Aba industrialists. In that same Aba, you know the rate of kidnapping has reduced drastically. These are all tangible achievements. That is in Aba. In Omuahia, we have changed the face of the town from a glorified village you call it, to a status of a state capital and Umuahia is one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria. We have equally distributed 250 transformers to the villages to help boost electricity supply, but we don't make noise about it. Even in Umuahia we are putting in place a diagnostic centre. We have equally built 68 health centers scattered round the 17 local government areas, and many other things we are doing.
We make do with the little resources available to us. We only get extra money when they share the excess crude oil. The last excess crude oil we got N2.1 billion, Federal Government deducted 50 per cent of it, because of the money I told you we owed and what came to us was N1.1 billion. If we had collected 2.1 billion, it will go a long way in settling this salary problem that we have. While some states do collect 20 billion, 25 billion, 13 billion, 12 billion naira, I only got N1.1 billion. So when you are making your assessment, you should use something as background information, you can't compare my state with Rivers State or Akwa Ibom State. It is incomparable or Delta or Lagos state. You will be doing unfair comparison, because if I have the resources these states have, I will do more than what I have done. What I have done was to make use of the resources available to me efficiently and judiciously. We should be commended instead of the unfair criticism.
That if one thing I say about the opposition. Like I have said their name is opposition. They have to continue opposing. Whether it is good or bad they will oppose, they will never commend you, they can never tell you of the good works you have done. Have you ever heard it from them? Come to Abia and help us, the state belongs to all of us , my administration is a government that has all good intention to move the state forward, come and assist , the only thing we have not been doing is that we have not been publicising our effort .
Are you not bothered that the opposition parties are shrinking, even though, they are many in number? Is it not a source of worry that even close to a general election, the opposition does not seem to be doing much? Do you think the opposition will get anywhere with this attitude?
You are very correct with what you have said. But I believe that time will actually tell. We are in the process. The nation that is just evolving democratically and things cannot dramatically be turned around.
My own assessment is that we are making progress and the three arms of government are very conscious of their duties and responsibilities. The judiciary is playing a vital role in solving most of the problems that arose as a result of election.
It is this process of electoral reform that will also move us up. I believe in electoral reform; that when the reform comes into play we will have better democracy, about the party, I am a member of PPA, a minority party in the opposition just like the others.
You as a journalists have a role to play because people listen and read you very much. Your ideas do come to play, not only the politicians. The politicians appoint you as special advisers and commissioners. Why we take from your stock is to tap from your knowledge and ideas. You advise the governor and he will implement that. You can't force people. People have to belong to political parties. It is out of their own will out of their own ideology. There are some people who don't like the PDP. They won't have anything to do with the PDP; there are some people who don't want anything to do with my own party and there are some who don't want anything to with AC or ANPP. So it is like that.
You know an attempt has been made by this Mega party, Nigerians are trying. Those who want to form the mega party. If they form it, they will have a strong opposition. We must keep trying and trying until one day we will make appreciable impact.
Source: Daily Independent, 22nd April 2010.
Abia community alleges marginalisation
By Wole Oyebade
UKWA Ngwa community of Abia State has accused state government of marginalisation.
In a statement by the National Coordinator of Ukwa Ngwa Assembly, Mr. Tony Nwabeke, the community accused the administration of Governor Theodore Orji of not only marginalising the community like his predecessors, but also reducing the people to second-class citizens in the state.
The group observed that two governors, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Orji Uzor Kalu, had ruled the state including the incumbent governor since its creation in 1991 by the Ibrahim Babangida regime.
It noted that from 1999 to 2007 when Orji Kalu, who hails from Igbere in Bende province served as governor, the three deputies he had, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Dr. Chima Nwafor and Acho Nwakanma, were all from Ngwa.
"Out of all the deputies of Orji Kalu who are prominent sons of Ngwa, Kalu did not find any of them worthy enough to take over from him... What Orji did was to look for another man from Bende province to hand over to.
"This makes it possible for one section of the state to be producing the governors of Abia State. When he produced Theodore Orji, he made another Ngwa man his deputy. All in Ngwa has been reduced to a second fiddle in the politics of Abia State".
Source: The Guardian, 22nd April 2010.
Abia govt denies neglecting Ngwa-Ukwa
Awka—ABIA State Government has said that it has not in any way neglected the Ngwa/Ukwa people in the running of the affairs of the state. The government says it has always carried the people of Ngwa/Ukwa along in the allocation of political offices and amenities in the state.
According to Governor Theodore Orji's Adviser on Electronic Media, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue, the only thing that was worrying the government was the issue of kidnapping, which has been hindering developmental projects sited in Ngwa area, as the contractors handling such projects were being kidnapped, hence they abandoned the projects.
He blamed youths from the area, who are involved in kidnapping activities for the delay in the execution of projects sited in the area and urged the people to look inwards and assist the government in the fight against kidnapping.
Emezue, was reacting to allegations of marginalization of Ngwa/Ugwa people and non performance against the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, government by a group known as Concerned Ngwa Citizens, Asia-Europe-U.S.A.
The group had in a statement accused the government of Chief Orji of neglecting Aba, buying up streets and buildings in Umuahia to the detriment of the development of the state and allegedly bribing few Ngwa leaders, so that they would not speak out.
Source: Vanguard, 19th April 2010.
2011: Abia Community Accuses Leaders of Marginalisation
By Gbenga Adeniji
The Ukwa/Ngwa community in Abia State has faulted the continued marginalisation of its people in the politics of the state, saying the time has come for its people to produce the next governor in 2011.
In a statement made available on Thursday by the National Coordinator of Ukwa Ngwa Assembly, Mr. Tony Nwabeke, the group reminded the stakeholders that three governors from other parts of the state; Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Chief Orji Kalu, and incumbent Governor Theodore Orji, had ruled the state since its creation in 1991.
But the group stated that from 1999 to 2007 when Kalu, whom it stated hails from Igbere in Bende province area of the state, served as governor, his three deputies, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Dr. Chima Nwafor and Chief Acho Nwakanma were from Ngwa.
The community said, "Out of all the deputies of Kalu who are prominent sons of Ngwa, Orji did not find any of them worthy enough to take over from him. What he did was to look for another man from Bende province to hand over to as the Ngwa were schemed out.
"This made it possible for one side of the state to be producing the governor of Abia State. When he produced Orji, he made another Ngwa man his deputy.
"It is unfortunate that all Ngwa have been reduced to a second fiddle in the politics of Abia State."
The group, said that Abia State which has 17 local government areas with Ukwa/ Ngwa comprising nine and Bende province consisting of eight, it wondered why the Ngwa could not produce a governor, considering the fact that it had the largest population than any other group in the state.
It further accused the present administration of marginalising the community like its predecessor, alleging that it had neglected the area as if it did not exist or have a stake in the state.
The community, however, demanded that it should be its turn to govern the state in 2011 if fairness was to be observed, saying that it could no longer accept the marginalisation.
Source: Punch, 16th April 2010.
Abia PDP Rallies Support for 2011 Elections
By AGENCY REPORTER
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia, Chief Ndidi Okereke, has said that it is only a united PDP that can upstage the ruling PPA in the state come 2011.
`No disunited party can remove a bad government," Okereke said in Umuahia on Friday during a sensitisation tour of Umuahia North local government by the state executive of the party.
``I want every PDP member and supporter to be united and work with one accord during the forthcoming 2011 general elections.
``This is the only thing that will guaranty us victory in all the elections,'' he said.
Okereke said the party had commenced membership registration and re-registration at the wards, local government and state levels to provide level-playing field for all members.
Okereke, who said the sensitisation exercise was necessary to integrate everybody in the party, advised the party executives at all levels to avoid discriminating against anybody.
``I want you to treat old and new members equally in the exercise.
``Do not discriminate against our returnees from other parties, they have returned to help us fight our common enemy," he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the tour took the state party executive to Umuahia North PDP Secretariat, the homes of party stalwarts like Chief Uzodinmna Okpara, APGA governor candidate in 2007 polls.
Source: Punch, 16th April 2010.
Returning to PDP is not on my agenda-Orji
By Our Correspondent
Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has disassociated himself from a group, 'Abia Reunion', which has been campaigning for his return to the Peoples Democratic Party, saying that he would not dump the Progressive Peoples Assembly for another party.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Mr. Ugo Emezue, the governor denied any link with the group led by one Chief Allen Nwachukwu, insisting that having been a founding member of PPA, he would remain in the party and work hard to ensure that it retained control of government in Abia State in 2011.
He said, "The governor has said it severally that he was not going back to the Peoples Democratic Party. Recently he was at the secretariat of the Progressive Peoples Assembly and he declared that he was a member of the party, he was part of the people that built the party and that he would remain in the party.
"The governor has played his card well. He has said it over and over again that PPA is his party and that he will remain in the party and will do everything possible to make sure that the party wins the election next year. The party chairman in the state has also said it that all they are hearing about the governor not being in good terms with the party is all mere rumour and we want to leave it at that. At the appropriate time I am sure that people will really know that what we are saying now is the truth."
However, Emezue who spoke with our correspondent in an interview said that if a group elected to campaign of the governor, it might have been because it had found out that the governor was credible.
"The fact remains that the governor is a credible person. This is a man that has been doing well, so if some people in PDP take it upon themselves to campaign for Chief Theodore Orji, it tells you the kind of person he is. And we encourage anybody or any group that is doing that to continue doing it because the governor is the father of everybody and not the father of one party.
"But when it comes to election, people to now see what the governor has achieved and on their own are clamouring for him to join their party just as you have several parties planning to have the governor as their candidate. You see, you cannot take it away from the governor that he has done well. We have over 50 political parties in the country, in the days to come you may see more parties coming to say that this man is the person we want. So if PDP wants to join the bandwagon it is good for us.
"This is politics and there will always be groups which will want the governor to look their way. So Allen Nwachukwu and his people are Nigerians, they are freeborn citizens, they are Abians and if they say this is the way they want it nobody should feel bad about it, that is what politics is all about", he said.
Emezue said the Orji administration had achieved a lot in the past three years and that it would only be logical for Abia people to renew his mandate in the 2011 gubernatorial election.
"I believe the governor has done well in the past three years given the resources at his disposal and I believe that in the next one year when his mandate will elapse he would have really consolidated on some of these achievements to merit re-election", he said
Source: Punch, 15th April 2010.
Abia Lawyers Accuse Police Boss Of Disobedience Of Court Orders
From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
LAWYERS in Umuahia, the Abia State capital under the Umuahia Branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) have accused the state Police Commissioner (CP), Mr. Jonathan Johnson of persistent disobedience of court orders and reported him to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo.
In the petition dated April 6, 2010, which copy was distributed to Journalists on Thursday at a press conference by the NBA chairman, Chief Amanze Chioma, the association listed the allegations against Johnson.
Chioma said Justice Agwu Uma Kalu of Umuahia High Court was enraged by the CP's alleged disobedience of his order for immediate and un-conditional release of an applicant which order was given by a Chief Magistrate in Umuahia.
According to the NBA Petition, jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Amanze Chioma and Eze Ihekoronye, "the unrepentant and ever growing addiction to disregard court orders by the Commissioner of Police is a daunting challenge to the administration of justice and shameful confrontation to the rule of law.
"The Police cells in Abia State are over crowded with inmates some of whom are innocent or have been freed by the courts, yet the commissioner gleefully plays the ostrich by clinging to his self-made laws, deliberately and relentlessly compromising the efforts of the judiciary in strengthening the rule of law and the constitution.
"While we may approve of calls by the public to prosecute Mr. Jonathan Johnson over several disobedience of court orders, it is imperative to advise him to desist from his unconscionable policy of detaining persons whose freedom has been declared by the court of law. Johnson's attitude is a stubborn and recurrent problem in access to justice and the rule of law in a democratic polity and we condemn it and urge you to call him to order in the interest of justice or he may face the wrath of the Law he sought to destroy by his worrisome and continued disobedience."
Asked why the NBA would not deal with the matter through legal means like instituting contempt charges/proceedings against Johnson, Chioma said though this channel is explorable, enforcement of it is still dependent on the police, which in the state is the CP.
Contacted on Thursday for his reaction to the petition, the CP denied ever disobeying any court orders, saying that since the matter was in court he would not comment further.
His words: "Where is the order of the court I disregarded or disobeyed. The NBA has never called me or liaised with me, everything will be sorted out in court. Let the NBA bring the orders. I have never disobeyed any court order."
Source: The Guardian, 10th April 2010.
Abia varsity bans indecent dressing
Steve Oko, Umuahia
Piqued by the rate of indecent, bizarre and provocative dressing among students on campus these days, the management of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSD), has outlawed all tight-fitting dresses, especially those that expose private parts of the body such as mini-gowns and skirts, trousers and blouses with unusual slits at very odd angles.
Vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Mkpa, Agu Mkpa who announced this during the 28th matriculation ceremony of the university, said any dress culture, which is not in conformity with the known standards of decorum expected of university students was totally unacceptable to the school authorities.
"We prohibit male students swaggering in atrocious faded, baggy jean trousers that hang precariously at the brink of the buttocks, suspended by hands in the pockets and revealing the inner, often not-too-clean boxer pants – all reminiscent of famished, condemned Iraqi prisoners of war awaiting possible execution".
Professor Mkpa also disclosed that out of about 50,000 candidates that applied for admissions into the regular and part-time programmes of the institution for the 2009/2010 session, only 5000 was admitted, and enjoined the lucky ones, not to abuse the opportunity.
He however, warned that the school would not hesitate to terminate the studentship of any candidate whose credentials were discovered to be short of the requirements of the discipline admitted; or withdraw any certificate(s) already awarded if the discovery was made after graduation.
The VC, who noted that admission was not for sale, decried the activities of admission racketeers who make fake admission offers to gullible candidates at very exorbitant fees, and warned that any student(s) fraudulently admitted by these faceless fraudsters, who often pose as agents of key officers of the institution, would be weeded out during routine checks.
On the superiority tussle and dichotomy between regular students and their counterparts in the Institute of Arts and Science, otherwise called evening programme, the VC explained that both programmes are the same, adding that IAS was created with clearance from the federal government so as to meet the increasing admission needs of the people.
"The IAS and the UME are both regular programmes. They share the same curriculum contents, lecture periods, teaching staff, classrooms and laboratory space. The minimum duration of study has also been equalized, and the same certificates will be obtained".
Mkpa also noted that ABSU has established a centre for entrepreneurial education aimed at making students acquire, before graduation, at least two marketable skills in addition to degree in one's chosen field to enable them become employers of labour, instead of roaming the streets for non existent whitecollar jobs.
In the same vein, Mkpa said the institution has equipped its Institute of Computer Studies with 250 computers for compulsory computer education by all students considering the pivotal role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the modern age.
He frowned at the sale of hostel accommodation by students and announced stiff sanctions for any allotee caught in the act.
The VC also disclosed that the school, because of its love for the environment, had embarked on the provision of concrete walkways on the campus and that when completed, any one found walking on the grass lawns would face expulsion from the ivory tower.
Source: Daily Champion, 10th April 2010.
Orji denies plan to dump PPA
From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
AGAINST insinuations in some quarters that Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has been searching for another political party on which platform he will contest the 2011 governorship polls, the governor on Tuesday said he still remains a member of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
He told PPA's State Executive Council members at a meeting in Umuahia, the state capital, that it is unthinkable that anybody can push him out of the party.
Orji said he is not only the governor of the state but also the leader of the party, claiming that after the chairman of the PPA Board of Trustees and his family, he is the next in line to have made the highest contribution to the party.
He added: "I am one of the builders of the PPA, hence it would be improper for me to destroy it. Having built this house/PPA, it would be unthinkable that anybody can push me out of it".
He, therefore, charged the party members to strive to build a stronger party and not to destroy it but to bring new people.
"Nobody is dividing the party as serious consequence awaits anybody who attempts doing so. Be steadfast. As the governor, I am the party's leader in this state and I cannot fail in this responsibility. Nobody can take away this secretariat from me".
The governor, however, confessed that things are difficult everywhere, adding that the PPA-controls only one state - Abia, hence, for the party to be sustained and perform well, all members have to perform too.
On his achievements and challenges, Orji said within the limited funds available, he has touched every sector, including Aba roads.
He added that while the state was allocated N2.2 billion excess crude recently, only half of the sum or N1.1 billion was released to it while the other half was withheld to service old debt.
He explained that he and his Enugu state counterpart, Sullivan Chime, had petitioned the withheld excess crude allocation on the ground that there was an agreement that deductions would not be made from excess crude funds allocation.
Similarly, he said the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the state, which was wrongly put at N205 million stood at N167 million, a situation he had sought explanation from the state Board of Inland Revenue.
He described as precarious the situation where his government operates under paucity of funds, hence his renewed appeal for residents to pay their taxes and levies.
Source: The Guardian, 8th April 2010.
Nobody can deny me second term ticket –Abia gov
By Agency Reporter,
Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has said that it will be improper to deny him the Progressive Peoples Alliance' governorship ticket in 2011, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Orji made the statement in Umuahia during a meeting on Tuesday night with PPA local government chairmen and their secretaries at the state party secretariat.
The governor siad, "It will be improper to push me out of PPA considering the role I played in the growth of the party.
"Apart from Chief Orji Kalu and members of his family, nobody has contributed as much as I have done; and having built this party it will be improper for anybody to push me out."
The governor was reacting to insinuations from some party officials that he had fallen out of favour with Kalu, his political godfather and predecessor.
He said, "Ignore what they are saying that I will not be given ticket to run in the 2011 elections at the right time we shall know who is who."
He said that the difficulties residents of the state, including party supporters, were facing was as a result of the lean resources of the state.
"I cannot allow people to suffer just like that," the governor said, noting that the state government's funds had depleted drastically.
He said that in spite of the financial constraints faced by his administration, he had made some landmark achievements.
He said that his government had performed well in the health sector by collaborating with an Indian firm to equip the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre.
Orji said that the Indian firm would build optometry specialist hospitals in Umuahia and Aba, adding that the state government had fulfilled its obligation to the firm and was waiting for the company to reciprocate.
He expressed regret that the state had not been getting its fair share of the excess crude oil fund through deductions from its allocations.
Orji said that the latest shock was when the Federal Government made a deduction of N1.1bn from the N2.2bn that accrued to the state.
He said the state received less than N700m during the sharing of the second phase of the fund.
He expressed regret that the internally-generated revenue of the state had not been encouraging, noting that out of an anticipated N250m monthly revenue, the state only realised N167m.
Source: Punch, 8th April 2010.
Emulate God's Love, Orji Tells Nigerians
From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has charged Nigerians to draw inspiration from lessons of Easter, which signify love and victory through faith.
In his Easter message to Abians, issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kingsley Emereuwa, the governor prayed Christians and Muslims alike to eschew rancour and hate by living harmoniously with one another, pointing out that adherents of both faiths were beneficiaries of the gift of love from God.
He said a major importance of Easter was "the display of love to the point that God would sacrifice the life of His only son, so that all people that dwell on earth will have life in abundance."
He added that challenges thrown up by the sacrifices Christ made for Man should spur Nigerians to be willing to sacrifice, even a little for their fatherland. The governor urged the people to ponder and ask where the nation would be if it applied the lessons of Easter by making sacrifice for the country.
"If, as a nation, our people are able to show to one another the kind of love God used the death of his son, Jesus, to show, the sour taste left in our mouths by several ugly incidents would never have been experienced," he said.
Source: The Guardian, 4th April 2010.
Abia Gets N200m from World Bank
Written by By Oliver Ndife, Umuahia Wednesday, 31 March 2010 22:12 "
World Bank Task Force Team leader on Community and Social Development Project ( CSDP), Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa has said that the bank through the programme has released $200 million (N3 billion) to states in Nigeria.
Okunmadewa, who disclosed this at the flagging-off of Abia chapter of the programme in Umuahia, said that 24 states would benefit from the fund in the country.
He stated that in the past the Community-based Poverty Reduction Programme (CPRP), and the state agency, executed 281 projects, stressing that the bank contributed N1 billion while the state government provided 25 per cent of the fund.
He expressed the hope that the new programme would assist to increase access to the various communities to fund their developmental needs.
Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, while flagging off the project, said that "World Bank partnership with the state has been fruitful", noting that the receptive attitude attests to the massive project implementation in the state.
"Abia is receptive to developmental overtures and gestures, especially when such positively affect the lives of the rural poor," he said.
He observed that his administration was keen in transforming Abia to a vibrant state, stressing that "the leeway is in linking with development agencies, whose beam light is focused on alleviating poverty.
"When poverty is reduced, rural-urban drift is reduced, unemployment is fought, social vices are reduced, productivity is increased and decency of living is promoted," he remarked.
Source: Leadership, 31st March 2010
10 Illegal Immigrants Arrested in Abia
The Nigeria Immigrations Service, Abia State, has arrested ten illegal immigrants from the Republic of Niger.
The State Comptroller of the Service, Mr. Samuel Igoche who made this known to newsmen in Umuahia said efforts were being made to repatriate them.
Nine of the illegal immigrants were said to have been arrested in their residence at No 5 Ikot-Ekpene Road, Umuahia while the remaining person was later caught on his way to the house.
Mr. Igoche made it clear that though the immigrants were from the ECOWAS region where the protocol stipulated a 90 days grace, most of them had stayed for over two years in the country without proper travel documents.
The Comptroller, however, stated that investigation carried out by the service did not establish any criminal act against any of them.
In an interview, two out of the illegal immigrants, Abdullahi Mohammed and Suleiman Usman who explained that they engaged in farming and shoemaking, made it clear that their stay in the state was meant to be temporal.
The Secretary of Nigerien Association in the area, Mr. Dayebu Adamu, stated that he would ensure that their documents were completed, if they were permitted to stay.
He,however, emphasised that immigrants in the State were peaceful as they were guided by the constitution of the association.
Source: Leadership, 31st March 2010.
Kidnappers Abduct Industrialist
Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha
An Onitsha businessman and renowned industrialist, Chief Finbarrs Ofordum, was last Sunday night kidnapped by unknown gunmen at his town, Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. The kidnappers are demanding N300 million as ransom to release of Offordum.
Offordum, the Chief Executive Officer of Oquism Group of Companies, according to a reliable source, was returning to Onitsha after spending the weekend in his village, when he was abducted at Nkwo Igboukwu Market junction and taken to an unknown destination by the gunmen.
"The three gunmen, who operated in a blue Mitsubishi L-300 bus shot sporadically into the air to scare away passersby before dragging their victim out of his Nissan laurel salon car and forced him into the kidnappers' bus," said one of the eye-witnesses, who would not want his name in print.
Another source said that the victim was one of the few businessmen in the state who had done everything to check the excesses of robbers and hoodlums in the state, adding that his abduction has exposed the porosity of security network believed to have mounted by police and Anambra State Government in the wake of kidnapping to the state.
According to the source, the family has been established contact with the kidnappers who are said to the demanding a whopping sum of N300m ransom from the family, but the source said they are still negotiating with the kidnappers.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said he has not been briefed about the kidnap, but promised to get in contact with his men.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ekwulobia which covers Igboukwu, scene of the incident , David Dang, when contacted on his mobile phone confirmed the kidnap, but said it has been reported to the State Police Command, adding that investigation was ongoing.
Source: Daily Champion, 30th March 2010.
Abia Official Alleges Plans To Blackmail Govt
By Samson Ezea
As the 2011 general elections approach, the Abia State government has raised alarm over plans by a segment of the opposition in the state to use anti-graft agencies to wage a political war against its officials.
Addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Theodore Orji, Kingsley Emeruwa said information at government disposal showed that the arrow-head of the planned onslaught against the state and its officials is a defeated gubernatorial candidate in the last governorship election, who could not realise his political ambition at both the polls and the courts, and has subsequently opposed the state government in the last three years.
Emeruwa alleged that already, some persons under the instruction of the opposition politician have claimed to be in possession of spurious and baseless petitions, which they plan to send to the anti-graft agencies.
He stated that the plot is to put away some notable persons considered political threats to the disgruntled politician, and create panic within government circles, with a view to putting a clog in the wheel of governance to gain political leverage ahead of next year's polls.
Emeruwa said: "Government wishes to assure Abians and Nigerians at large that this uncovered plot, like a similar one hatched before the 2007 elections will, as usual, collapse like a pack of cards.
"While this government will not, under whatever guise, condone corruption or protect any government official found culpable in any corrupt act, the state government is by this announcement warning that it will not take kindly to any attempt to infringe on the rights of its functionaries.
"Consequently, anybody or group alleging any official misdemeanour against any government official must be able to stand and substantiate such, failure of which such petitioner(s) will be made to face the music for proffering false information," he stressed.
"The state government also wishes to advise anti-graft agencies to be wary of the impostors who want to use these agencies to achieve selfish aims by substantiating the veracity of whatever allegations levelled against any official before acting on them."
Source: Guardian, 27th March 2010.
Killer Cop Arraigned, Remanded in Custody
From Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
The police constable, Christopher Obano, who shot and killed a butcher at a check point, was yesterday arraigned at an Umuahia Chief Magistrate court on one Count charge of murder, four days after he killed the father of five, Godwin Uwaegbu.
Immediately after the charges were read, Chief Magistrate Israel Nwulu said his court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate over a murder case and referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to prepare the matter for transfer to the high court.
However he remanded the killer cop in custody and advised him to apply for bail at the high court if he so desired.
The death of the butcher threw Umuahia into chaos on Tuesday when hundreds of protesters comprising butchers and youths invaded the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia when the police came to deposit the body of their victim. In the ensuing confrontation the police shot sporadically wounding no fewer than seven persons.
Meanwhile the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has urged members of the Umuahia Butchers Association to control their emotions and not do any thing that would disturb the peace of the state capital.
He made the call yesterday when he received a delegation of the butchers association he invited to Government House for discussion over the ugly incident resulting to the killing of their member.
The Abia chief executive sympathised with the family of the deceased and the butchers association in general, saying "what has happened has happened" irrespective of who was at fault in the incident leading to the deadly shooting.
Earlier the chairman of Umuahia Butchers Association, Chief Anamelechi Nwoke, had narrated to the governor the circumstances that led to the killing of their member, adding that even though they were very much saddened by the incident they still controlled themselves without taking law into their hands.
Source: This Day, 27th March 2010.
3 Feared Dead As Police, Butchers Clash
Written by Oliver Ndife, Umuahia
Tragedy struck in Umuahia, Abia State capital, when a police man shot dead three butchers who were on their way to the abattoir for alleged refusal by their driver to part with N50 "roger."
The early morning killing sparked a violent clash between butchers in the state capital and police men.
The clash, which degenerated into a heavy shooting aimed at dispersing protesting butchers was so heavy that residents had to run for cover, making frantic phone calls and sending text messages to loved ones to keep off the streets and roads.
Reports said that four other persons sustained serious bullet injuries, and one of them was said to be on danger list. Also, unconfirmed number of butchers were also arrested by the police, while an unidentified uniformed man was said to have been hit by a stray bullet.
Those injured were rushed to the Emergency Ward of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where doctors battled to save their lives.
It was gathered that the incidelnt took place at Ohiya area of Umuahia South Local government Area, which is on the way to the abattoir.
The bone of contention, according to sources, was the demand for N50 by the Police at a check point from the driver of the bus hired by the butchers to convey them to the abattoir for the early morning slaughtering of cows.
The sources said that the driver when stopped, offered the police man N20 but he insisted on taking N50 which the driver refusing.
The Police man was said to have opened fire on the bus when the driver drove off after giving him N20, wounding many occupants of the bus.
Unconfirmed report said that two occupants of the bus died on the spot while others were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, where another person was said to have died later.
Angered by the incident, the butchers alerted their colleagues already at the abattoir. They assembled and marched to the Government House, Umuahia, to protest to the Governor. The sight of the butchers triggered sporadic heavy shooting from the police which sent shivers down the spines of residents of the city.
Source: Daily Champion, 25th March 2010.
Evangelist, 4 Others Kidnapped in Aba
ABA—Kidnappers last week went on rampage at the Ogbor Hill area of the commercial town of Aba in Abia State, abducting five persons, including a popular TV preacher, Evanglist Jacob Achilefu of the Church of Christ, Aba.
The nefarious activities of the hoodlums had continued unabated especially in Abia South senatorial zone of the state, despite various security measures adopted by the state government to check the development.
Evangelist Achilefu, was kidnapped along the Aba- Ikot Ekpene highway.
According to a reliable source, Dr. Achilefu was kidnapped as he was returning from the National Institute of Technology, NITS, an arm of the Church of Christ located in Onicha Ngwa, in the state.
The evangelist who was traveling in company of his driver and secretary, was held hostage in the forest and regained his freedom after paying the sum of N2million ransom.
Few days after the clergyman's abduction, another gang of six gunmen stormed the Grail Centre on Opobo Road, also in Ogbor Hill. It was reliably gathered that in order to clear the coast before they began their operation, the hoodlums shot sporadically into the air and mobile policemen on a checkpoint, some 400meters away took to their heels.
It was further gathered that when solders on patrol duty got to the scene, the gunmen engaged them in a fierce shoot out and after about 20 minutes, the solders withdrew as they were over powered by the superior fire power of the armed gang.
The gunmen were said to have later kidnapped the septuagenarian wife of a foremost fast food eatery owner, who had gone to the Grail Centre for a programme. She was abducted alongside two others.
Also in the week, three other persons including a lawyer and a sales representative of a leading brewery in the country were kidnapped. But they were, however, released after paying various sums of money as ransom.
Residents who spoke to our correspondent on the development decried the renewed violent crime in the town, particularly kidnapping.
They said it was unfortunate that despite the heavy presence of military/police personnel, kidnappers have continued to operate in the town with little or no resistance from the security agencies in the town.
Source: Vanguard, 23rd March 2010.
Orji's Aide Battles with N50m Libel Suit
From Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
For circulating a "malicious" text message allegedly maligning a university law lecturer, a senior aide of Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, Stanford Ubani, is now battling at a high court in the state to shake off a N50 million libel suit hanging on his neck.
Ubani, a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Relations, was dragged to court by Mr Haggler Okorie, who teaches law at the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) for allegedly originating and circulating a text message accusing the university don of hatching an evil plot inimical to the security and political survival of the Governor of Abia State.
In his statement of claims, the plaintiff averred that the defendant had launched an ill- motivated attack against him after he declined to sign a press release prepared by a body of senior special assistants to the state governor.
Okorie, who is also a politician, explained that Orji had sometime in October 2009 offered him the post of senior special assistant on inter-governmental affairs which he declined and wrote the governor on November 2, 2009, stating that he was preparing for the defence of his Ph.D thesis and therefore, not disposed to accepting the political appointment.
The plaintiff stated that after he had declined Orji's appointment, the defendant sometime in December 2009, approached him at Umuahia, the state capital and asked him to sign a press release by the body of senior special assistants, adding that he not only refused to sign the said document, but also informed the defendant that he was not a senior special assistant, having declined the offer in writing.
Okorie said that thereafter, Ubani with an alleged ill-motive went and scandalised him before the governor and followed it up on or about January 6, 2010 when he circulated a text message to the effect that Okorie has an evil plan that threatens the security and political survival of the Governor of Abia state.
The plaintiff held that the said words used therein in their natural, material and ordinary meaning, portray him as a dishonest person, criminal, threat to the security of Governor T A Orji- and by so doing injured his character, credit and reputation among his colleagues, client and political associates and brought him into public ridicule, scandal, odium and contempt.
He asserted that unless his good name was restored, there was every likelihood that his reputation as a respectable law abiding citizen and his integrity as a legal practitioner and politician have suffered and would continue to suffer irreparable loss and damages.
Hearing on the case is expected to commence next week as the presiding judge, Justice Onuoha Ogwe had granted the defendant 14 days to file his defence following the plea by his counsel, Mr. C.J Maduka for extension of time since, according to him, he only got the brief on March 16, 2010 even though counsel to plaintiff, Mr. David Ifedilinwoke had argued that the defendant was actually served on February 25, 2010.
Source: This Day, 22nd March 2010.
More Abia Households Enjoy Portable Water
From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
ABOUT 80 per cent households in Abia State have access to improved sources of drinking water, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has said in its 2009 report presented to Governor Theodore Orji in Umuahia at the weekend.
The Zonal Director of UNICEF in Enugu Office, Mrs. Pelucy Ntambirweki, who submitted the report, said the state had also recorded increase in primary school attendance.
The event also featured the signing of the 2010 programme implementation agreement between UNICEF and the state government.
Ntambirweki said Abia recorded an improvement in sanitation facilities, adding that the report indicated that 38.7 per cent of the households have access to improved sanitation facilities even as the state also increased support for breastfeeding activities.
According to her, the report also showed that the state government recorded 82.4 per cent increase in primary school attendance but identified serious challenge in learning environment for children.
It commended the state government on its development of the educational sector.
Source: The Guardian, 22nd March 2010.
'No Criticism Can Discredit Governor Orji's Good Works'
Few months to a fresh round of elections, James Okpara, Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters to Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, speaks on the administration's activities, saying the governor has done well and is consolidating on his achievements in the last three years. He also described criticisms of bad governance against the administration as unfounded, adding that the critics cannot stop the governor's re-election bid.
By Olawunmi Ojo and Onyedika Agbedo
How would describe the state of affairs in Abia State at present?
Abia State is in a state of consolidation. Government has looked at all parts of governance and is trying to consolidate on achievements of the first three years. There are areas where we have done very well, there are areas where the performance is average and there are areas that need improvement. What we are trying to achieve is perfection in Abia State.
Could you give insights into such areas government is trying to improve on?
First, we are improving the internally generated revenue of the state. Recently, the government went into agreement with consultants who would be saddled with the task. We cannot continue to depend on federally allocated funds. As things stand, there are signs of improvement in the IGR already and the mandate to the consultants is that they increase the IGR to about N1 billion per month. In promoting the drive, government has embarked on civic education on the need for people to pay tax and avoid wastages of public resources. The issue of ghost workers is a terrible syndrome that government is also bent on tackling headlong. We are trying to audit the staff to achieve good result.
There are feelers that local council workers plan to embark on an industrial action due to non-payment of salaries, staff transfers and the like. What is responsible for this impending action?
The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) stated that they were going on strike citing unpaid salaries and that some local council employees were transferred out of the local government system. Luckily, some of the NULGE members saw that the move was not in the interest of the state and themselves. People know that, according to the constitution, the state government is not responsible for the payment of workers' salaries.
Unfortunately, some council areas owed their workers up to nine months and when they were dissolved, the governors decided the councils must be put in order before new elections. The governor decided that the heads of administration in the councils run them in the meantime. And so far, the governor has been able to offset about four months salary of the backlog.
On the other hand, complaints about staff transfer could be said to be myopic. There are instances where staff of the local councils had taken up employment in the state civil service; some as permanent secretaries, some as directors. If you can do that, why are there complaints now about government's resolve to reshuffle and ensure things are done right. Besides, some people have occupied a position for years.
When this agitation began, we saw it as efforts by some elements to put the government at loggerheads with the workers. And we promptly informed the citizenry of the true situation of issues. When they knew what was on ground, they backed out of the strike.
Why is government planning to down-size by sacking non-indigenes?
There is no truth in that story. Sometime ago, there were speculations that Abia was not safe; that the state was a den of kidnappers. Now that we have dealt with that, this is the new kite being flown. Though neighbouring states once embraced such idea, it is not in our plans. We know non-indigenes constitute about 30 per cent of our workforce, but most of this people were born and raised in Abia State. A lot of them are married to our sons and daughters; they live and pay their taxes in this state. So on what basis are you going to ask them to leave? They have full rights here.
For us we see this as part of the calculations by the opposition to discredit the government's good works in the state. But government has been respecting all obligations to employees and no one can discredit that.
There are complaints that major roads in the state are either in bad shape or very dirty, a development said to be affecting economic activities adversely. How would you explain this?
One is forced to wonder if the people who make these claims live in the state or just visit. Without been disrespectful to the visually impaired, even a blind man who visits the state would know that these are not correct. For instance, let us consider the most important roads - the Aba-Owerri road, the Aba-Port Harcourt road and the Faulks road. The first two, which are federal roads have been done by the governor, dualised and tarred. And till today, the federal government has not refunded the money. The Faulks road, which is state-owned and leads to the biggest market in Abia, is undergoing reconstruction and is 80 per cent completed. So it is only the cynical and dishonest that would say the major roads in Aba are not working.
On the issue of dirtiness of Aba, that is not true. Granted that the cleanliness of residents of Aba needs to improve but the government has mandated the Abia State to clean up the city regularly every morning. We only appeal to residents to be more civil in disposing their debris to help government efforts.
What are government's plans to re-inject life into the industrial sector as another means of boosting the IGR?
Abia State has three main industries - the Modern Ceramic Industry, Umuahia, the International Glass Factory, Aba and the Golden Guinea Brewery. Before governor Theodore Orji took over, these industries were dead. But as at now, government has succeeded in fully reviving the first two in partnership with private investors. They are both producing and for reference, 80 per cent of the pharmaceutical glasses in Nigeria are made at the International Glass factory. Golden guinea is yet to be completed because of circumstances bordering on the share holden status of the company. In spite of this, the governor has got into an understanding with the investor and serious work has started with a view to bringing the company back on track soon.
Apart from these, the government has gone into partnership with an investor to build a cement factory in Arochukwu. Plans are also afoot to build a state petroleum refinery in Abia. These are part of the governor's industrialization plan for the state.
There have been comments and sponsored advertorials by Senator Abaribe and Henry Ikoh stating that Governor Orji's term at the helms has been a period of bad governance. Apart from these, there are also wide beliefs that the state is not working. How would you react to all these?
Senator Abaribe and Henry Ikoh are both deficient in honour, principles and integrity. They are political harlots. There is no party they will not join and there is no governorship election they will not contest. They are a menace to the peace, progress and security of Abia State. They are prepared to do anything to get power. What we expect them to do is to tell us their programmes and not to abuse and insult the person and office of the governor.
Henry Ikoh claims he is a successful businessman and that he will use his business acumen to run Abia industries well. However, we know that all his companies are moribund. His foam industry is comatose and he is expected to use the proceeds he got from disposing his few properties to resuscitate his companies and not to throw into politics thinking that he can buy the governorship of Abia State. A man who sells his properties to contest a governorship election will surely rape and plunder the state treasury if he becomes the governor.
On the other hand, Abaribe claimed that he has only seen the governor twice, but whose fault is that? Did anybody stop him from meeting with the governor and why is it that other Senators and federal legislators from the state do not have this compliant? He knows what is pursuing him because old sins have long shadows.
He claimed that he was nearly abducted but is he the only Senator from Abia State? Were the other two most distinguished senators attacked? You cannot train and arm young men and use them to intimidate and brutalise your political opponents for all sorts of electoral malpractice and refuse to pay them as agreed. If you do that, one day, they will come for you.
There is a common adage that a man who lives in a glass house does not throw stones. Abaribe lives in a glass house and should not throw stones. The interview he granted gives the impression that he is God's gift to humanity. He does not believe that any other person except him is good for the governorship of Abia state.
I quite agree with his assessment that the PDP in Abia has no credible gubernatorial candidate for 2011 election. He gave reasons why Ojo Maduekwe, Vincent Ogbulafor and Onyema Ugochukwu cannot contest the forthcoming election. His assessment of his party members portrays him as somebody who is immodest, arrogant and as someone who has an exaggerated opinion of himself. If he had stopped his diatribe with the PDP, I would not have had any problem with him. But immediately he said the zoning formula that exists in the state, which is responsible for the political peace in Abia State today should be abolished, he presented himself as a selfish man and a megalomaniac, who is ready to do anything to become the governor.
The zoning formula in Abia was agreed upon by the founding fathers of the state. The zone of former Governor Orji Kalu has had two terms. The zone of the incumbent governor is on its first term and the second term will be completed by 2015. Because Abaribe is not interested in the peace and cohesion of the state, he wants to jettison this credible zoning arrangement. Furthermore, we know that with his record in public office, even when it comes to the turn of his zone to produce the governor, he will not smell it.
He should tell us how many bills and resolutions he has initiated, sponsored or originated in the Senate. What are his contributions in the Senate Committees where he is a member? What federal projects has he attracted to Abia State and his zone? His seat in the senate is useless to his zone and Abia State as a whole. The salary and allowances he receives, as a Senator is a waste.
Before he starts to blow his trumpet about his ambition to be governor of the state, he should tell Nigerians and the whole world why he was forced to resign his post as the deputy governor of the state. Is it true that there were serious allegations of financial misconduct against him before the state House of Assembly? Is it true that the House was set to impeach him before he resigned and that the deal to save him was that he should resign and not be prosecuted?
However, I want to state categorically that he is not a threat to Governor T. A. Orji's return bid to Government House Umuahia come 2011. A billion Abaribe's and his cohorts cannot stop Governor Orji because he has no iota of credibility in the political circle.
On the other hand, I do not agree with the idea that the other complaints or allegations are from people resident in the state. The fact that Governor Orji does not believe in propaganda does not mean he is not working. Abia State is working. In fact, some states have approached the government to know how it has managed to tackle the menace of armed robbery and kidnapping.
Apart from armed robbery and kidnapping, what are some other indices that can be used to measure the success you are talking about?
I have talked about efforts on road, industry and security. If you go to the health sector, the government has built 68 health centres, some functional, some still being equipped in the 17 local council areas. The governor donated ambulances to all the councils. All the senatorial zones in the state have a specialist hospital. The pregnant woman, children and old people receive free medical treatment in the state. These are verifiable. The government has also acquired a private hospital, which has been turned into Abia Diagnostics and Specialist Centre. The aim is to ensure that when we finish equipping the hospital, Nigerians would no longer have to travel outside the country for health treatment.
Source: The Guardian, 20th March 2010.
Rights group accuses Abia CP of intimidation
Umuahia—AN Umuahia based human rights group, Global Centre for Peace and Justice, GCPJ, has accused the Abia Police Commissioner, Mr. Jonathan Johnson of using his position to intimidate some persons, who allegedly were witnesses in a case against him in court.
The group also accused the police boss of allegedly disobeying a court order, which gave protection to the said witnesses.
GCPJ coordinator, Chief Anthony Agbazuere said in Umuahia, that the stance of the Commissioner of Police to the cause of human rights had become worrisome to the group.
But the Police Commissioner, Mr. Johnson, has denied the allegations, saying that he has no reason to intimidate any person. Johnson explained the allegations were baseless.
According to the Commissioner, one of the witnesses, Nnaduechi was standing trial before a Magistrate Court for allegedly masterminding the kidnap of his younger brother, Ibezimako.
He denied knowledge of re-arrest of the said witnesses. According to him, one of them was granted bail by a Magistrate Court in a case the court has no jurisdiction and that his men had attempted to re-arrest him and charge him to the High Court for proper trial.
Agbazuere, a lawyer, disagreed and condemned what he called "the constant violation of the human rights of the people by the police under the Commissioner" and decried a situation where innocent citizens would be intimidated by legion of armed policemen. The police, he said should be made to respect the human rights of the people.
He alleged that the Police Commissioner had repeatedly threatened his clients, Chief Godfrey Nnoduechi and Mr. Sunday John of Egbelu Mbutu in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State for allegedly giving testimonies in court against what the Commissioner expected.
Source: Vanguard, 19th March 2010.
New Masterplan for Abia
Umuahia—Abia State Government has concluded plans to produce a masterplan for the state.
The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Mr Emeka Nwachukwu, told newsmen, yesterday in Umuaihia that the masterplan would include digital mapping of Umuahia, the state capital.
Nwachukwu said that the digital mapping would signal the implementation of the long expected transformation and development of the state.
The Commissioner said that the masterplan of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, would equally be implemented.
He said that the exercise was put on hold due to paucity of fund, noting that the state government had shown the will to carry on with the project in spite of the huge amount it would take.
The Commissioner said that the state government had contacted its technical partners from South Africa for them to start physical development and planning of the two cities.
Nwachukwu said that the state government was not going back on its plan to demolish illegal structures in the two cities, adding that government was only waiting for those who are yet to obtain the change of purpose certificate for their buildings, to do so.
"We had warned the violators of town planning laws to use this as a window to revalidate their document and remedy their situation, because the demolition is expected to start next month," he said.
Source: Vanguard, 19th March 2010.
Orji suspends female permanent secretary, accountant-general
From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
THE Permanent Secretary in the Abia State Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Mrs. Chinedu Brown and the State Accountant-General, Mrs. Bridget Onyema, have been suspended from office.
During a visit to the office of the accountant-general in the Ministry of Finance on Friday, it was said that the deputy accountant-general, whose name was given as Lady Ada Ndem, was acting in the absence of Mrs. Onyema.
When The Guardian also called at the office of the state's Finance and Economic Planning Commissioner, Ezeogo Jones Udeogu, for comments and confirmation of the suspension, he was said to be out of office.
But when contacted, the state's Information, Culture and Tourism Commissioner, Chief John Nwokocha, told The Guardian on Friday that the suspension, which took effect from March 4, 2010, was ordered by the state governor, Dr. Theodore Orji.
He, however, asserted that their suspension was not as a result of any fraud or misappropriation of funds or related matters, adding that two weeks after, they would return to their duties posts.
Source: The Guardian, 15th March 2010.
Abia LG Workers Urged to Support Orji
From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba
Special Adviser to Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State on Women Affairs, Chief (Mrs) Amarachi Dede, has urged workers in the state's unified local government system to support the administration of Governor Theodore Orji in its drive to clear the arrears of salary owed them by the immediate past chairmen of councils in the state.
She made the appeal in Aba during the send off ceremony organized for the former Head of Personnel Management (HPM) for Aba South Local Government, Mrs. Joy Dimanochie, by the Local Government Administrative Officers Association (LGAOA) of the council.
Dede, who spoke against the backdrop of the reported planned industrial action by workers of the 17 local government councils in the state over unpaid salaries, said workers' support had become imperative since the state governor is personally making spirited efforts to off set the salary arrears owed them. Some of the local governments owe their workers as much as ten months.
She commended the workers for their patience and said with the intervention of the state government, the backlog of salaries owed them would soon be a thing of the past. She commended the governor for his efforts in reducing crime, particularly kidnapping, in the state and called on traditional rulers to partner with government to stamp out violent crimes in Abia state.
Mrs. Dimanochie said it was a great honour to have worked in Aba south local government which she described as the commercial nerve center of the state. Dimanochie, who had been transferred to Bende local government in the same capacity, while commending the residents of the council for being peace loving, extolled the good virtues of the workers of the council exhibited through sense of patriotism when she was with them and urged them to extend the same to Sir, Ben Nwulu, the new HPM.
Members of LGAOA, Aba South, through their chairman, said Mrs. Dimanochie was instrumental to the formation of the association in the council which was its first in the 17 local governments of the state and described her as a woman of substance, wishing her well in her new posting.
Source: The Sun, 4th March 2010.
Abia Varsity Set to Establish Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
STEVE OKO, Umuahia
Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, has perfected arrangements to establish its faculty of pharmaceutical sciences, thus becoming the second university in the South East after University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to offer such course following the release of N138 million special grant by the Education Trust Fund (ETF), to the institution.Vice-chancellor, Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa, who gave the cheery news in a press conference to mark the 20th convocation ceremony of the institution, said contract for the project had already been awarded, and expressed deep regret that hitherto, only UNN, out of the tertiary institutions in the South East states, offered the course, despite its scientific importance.
He noted that ABSU has accessed and made judicious use of all its ETF funds thus ranking among the first three universities to access ETF funds.
The VC, who has just returned from France where he bagged the "2009 Winner of the Star Excellence Award in the management of tertiary education in Nigeria" by the African Leadership Magazine, said they held bilateral talks with management of Uppsala University, Sweden, on exchange of programmes between the duo.
According to him, the visit, which was facilitated by the Nigerian Ambassador to Sweden, marks the beginning of a long lasting relationship with the 600 years old famous science university that publishes a minimum of 5000 research articles annually.
Prof Mkpa bemoaned the high level of decay in state universities due to poor funding and tasked the federal government to make available, at least 25 per cent of the total grants to federal universities for infrastructural development of state universities.
"It is not enough to set standards for us through NUC and tell us the number of courses and quality of lectures to have. The federal government should also help us to attain the standards because the state universities produce the manpower the federal government uses."
He also used the forum to espouse some of the gains of the recently introduced Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) exam format of the institution, saying it has encouraged hard work among students and lectures alike.
According to him, an ABSU student who passed through the system emerged the overall best law student at the Nigeria Law School, Enugu, while another ABSU product won one of the six scholarship awards by the Japanese government to the best six engineering students in Nigeria.
On the menace of cultism on campus, the VC noted that cultist activities have reduced to about 70 per cent since he assumed office four years ago, and vowed to fight the monster to a standstill.
He however, noted that some disgruntled students mask as cultists to disposses fellow students of their money and other valuables with toy guns, especially at the beginning of semesters, but warned that "such criminal acts attract outright expulsion."
As part of measures to eradicate cultism on the campus, he said all 31 registered Christian associations in the institution take a day, once in a month, to pray for the school besides the weekly prayers by all the departments in the school.
He also denied the allegation of embezzlement of funds to the tune of N10 billion as levelled against some principal officers of the institution by a faction of the alumni association.
The VC wondered how he could have embezzled such a whooping amount when all the funds that accrued to the university since 2005 was less than N10 billion.
He attributed the genesis of the friction between the association and management of the university to the refusal of the later to allow further remittance of alumni levies to the former, which it has continued to squander.
Mkpa argued that alumni associations are supposed to invest part of their personal earnings in their alma-mater and not to "milk it dry" as in the case of ABSU alumni, adding that the leadership of the association has refused to conduct fresh election only to perpetuate themselves in office for further fleecing of the Alumni fund.
Source: Daily Champion, 27th Feb 2010.
Mass Transfer:
Abia council workers begin strike March 1
Steve Oko, Umuahia
Activities in the 17 local government areas (LGAs) of Abia State will on Monday, March 1, be grounded as council workers in the state under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) have decided to embark on an indefinite strike action following failure of the state government to rescind its decision to transfer all council treasurers in the local government service to state service.
NULGE had earlier given the state government 14 days ultimatum, which elapses tomorrow, February 28, within which to reverse the policy, which it described as an aberration and the height of illegality, or face the wrath of council workers.
This three point resolution, which was said to have got the nod of the national leadership of the union was adopted Wednesday at the Sate Executive Council Meeting (SEC) of NULGE and made available to Saturday Champion in Umuahia.
The resolution endorsed by NULGE chairman, Abia State chapter, Elder Eze Idima, and the secretary, Comrade Jennifer Besong, respectively, reads in part:
"That having exhausted the 14 days ultimatum given in our letter no NULGE/ABSGB/VOL.IV/02/368 of 8th February, 2010, to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State for which the union had been neglected.
"That the same state government has, contrary to existing rules, laws and regulations …. posted all treasurers of the local government to the state, in spite of all entreaties."
NULGE also accused the state government of reneging on its earlier promise to defray all outstanding salary arrears of council workers owed them by the immediate past council chairmen, but instead, decided to pay only January salary.
The union further said the only condition to call off the strike would be the unconditional payment of all arrears of salary of council workers, and return of the treasurers to their duty posts under the unified local government service.
They described the state government's action as an aberration of the constitutional demarcation of the three tiers of government.
On the allegation that the treasurers connived with the immediate past council chairmen to enable looting of council funds, the state NULGE helmsman, Elder Idima said there was no atom of truth in the rumour, and challenged the state government to formally charge any treasurer found wanting.
Source: Daily Champion, 27th Feb 2010.
'There Is No Opposition In Abia'
By Samson Ezea
JOHN Nwokocha, Abia State Commissioner for Information and Tourism, speaks on this year's budget recently presented by Governor Theodore Orji and other sundry issues.
What are the major highlights of this year's budget, as presented by Governor Theodore Orji, and what was the performance of year's budget?
This year's Abia State budget, christened 'People-oriented budget,' because it is a budget of the people, for the people and by the people.
The budget is a total sum of N60.70billion, representing a 28 per cent increase from last year's budget of N55.52billion. This year's budget will consolidate the gains that have been made by the government in the preceding years.
We will create more jobs this year and execute more capital projects through efficient allocation of resources and close monitoring of the budget implementation, which the governor is known for.
As for last year, the budget achieved about 80 per cent of its targets, which is a success story. Abia is working, because the governor has vowed to complete all his people-oriented projects and we have chosen to ignore the tantrums of the blackmailers.
However, we will treat the reckless utterances of mischief-makers as affront that will no longer be tolerated, and we warn them to keep away from our state.
What is happening in the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Abia? We have not heard about any preparations towards the 2011 elections?
A lot is happening in the party and they are being reported in the media. But sadly, what some of you want to hear is chaos, cracks, infighting, instability and violence.
Let me add that in Abia, there is no opposition, because the presence of PPA is being felt everywhere, based on the programmes of the governor. It is not an exaggeration to say that the governor has no rival in the state.
But to answer your question directly, the PPA in Abia has been busy oiling its structures, including strategising, mobilising and sensitising the electorate in diverse ways. We are galvanising them even at the grassroots.
Again, this why the governor is popular in the state. If election is held today, he will win landslide, because Abians consistently pray for their governor and are waiting to vote him again. Ostensibly, the structures are alive; the people know their leaders at any giving time and would go the extra mile to vote them in.
However, we are not unmindful of the activities of some politicians with whom we have tactfully resisted the temptations to join issues. But this should not be misinterpreted to mean that we are a lame duck.
The focus of the governor is to deliver on his promises of good governance in the remaining years of his first tenure in office. Evidently, the dividends of democracy are noticeable in the state under the Ochendo administration. And with this, Abians already know who to vote in come 2011.
The antics of fifth columnists and blackmailers drumming up war and heating up the polity will flounder and flop, while the governor will not be distracted. During the Christmas season, the governor put smiles on the faces of party faithful, through his several welfare packages, for which teeming party members have been commending Ochendo.
The state government was recently reported as offering amnesty to kidnapers in the state. Does the government have the means to carry out such amnesty successfully?
Amnesty is an expensive project indeed. But government is not going to look at the enormity of it and feel shy of dealing with the monster as it were. This is a responsive government that would stop at nothing to tackle the menace of crimes in the state, such as armed robbery and kidnapping.
Amnesty is a measure taken by the state government to discourage kidnapping. However, because of the huge cost involved in carrying out the project to its logical conclusion, it will be a big relief if the federal government comes to the assistance of the state and do what it has done in the Niger Delta region. The federal government should support the initiative of the Abia State government and ensure that the project accomplishes its objectives.
You can see that kidnapping is occurring almost everywhere in Nigeria, unlike before, when people used to point at Abia as if it is the only state kidnappers operated. So, if the federal government can assist Abia, it would have solved a problem in Nigeria and the federal government can move to other states where the phenomenon is present and do a similar thing and gradually, kidnapping will disappear. You know this problem is alien to us.
Insecurity is an issue that concerns everybody. Nevertheless, the state government is calling on kidnappers to embrace the amnesty and surrender their arms and ammunition. But the state government would not be hoodwinked by people who may want to exploit the amnesty package.
Indeed, the incentive is robust to encourage the kidnappers to lay down their weapons. Even as the government is calling on the kidnappers to embrace this offer, it should not be viewed as weakness on the part of the government. It should be understood that the state government does not lack the will to deal with those behind this evil.
What has been the response since the offer was made?
We are recording some success, but it is too early to judge. We should also understand that the issue is security and you don't discuss it generally like a common subject. It involves strategy, synergy and continuous planning.
One of the steps taken by the state government to check the evil is creation of a youth empowerment programme, which is ongoing. The aim is to reduce youth unemployment.
However, majority of those who perpetrate the crimes are not involved in it, because they lack employment; it is just that they are living on the fast lane.
Source: The Guardian, 6th Feb 2010.
VC Appeals To Abia Govt To Adopt
New Salary Structure
Written by Oliver Ndife, Umuahia
The Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu, Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa, has appealed to the Abia State government to as a matter of urgency adopt the new salary structure approved by the Federal Government.
Mkpa, who made this known during the institution's budget defence at the House of Assembly yesterday, explained that if the new salary structure was not immediately adopted by the state government, the institution stands the risk of loosing its academic staff to federal universities and other sister state universities that had adopted the new salary structure.
He, therefore, appealed to the House to review the recommendation of the state estimate committee with respect to funding of the university in 2010 and approve a subvention of N2.82 billion for the university.
The VC observed that N1.2 billion approved for the university as the state government's subvention for 2010 and the current internally generated revenue can not sustain the university's operations when the new salary structure approved by the Federal Government becomes operational in the state.
He revealed that the financial implication of the new salary structure approved for the staff union on campus which would be adopted by the state government any moment from now was N250 million monthly which comes to N3 billion in a year, adding that other recurrent costs estimated at N1.54 billion was not included in the N3 billion.
Mkpa explained that there was limit to which school fees would be increased otherwise it would become counter productive to government policies.
The vice chancellor disclosed that applying the approved fees of N47,500 and considering revenues from other minor sources the university would be able to generate N1.72 billion in 2010 assuming there were no fee defaulters.
Responding to the address, the Chairman ,House Committee on Appropriation, Hon Matthew Ibeh, advised that the institution's request be made available to the state planning commission.
Ibeh promised that once the new salary structure is adopted by the government, the House would not hesitate to entertain any supplementary budget in respect of the new salary structure.
Meanwhile the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and member representing Umunneochi constituency, Hon. Matthew Ibeh, has challenged the ministry of health and its parastatals to increase the provision of health and other medical services to the people of state.
Source: Leadership, 2nd Feb 2010.
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