South East
Chime Appoints New Perm Secs
Five new permanent secretaries have been appointed by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State to replace those retired from service and or upgraded to higher posts in the State.
Information, Culture and Tourism, commissioner ,Mr. Chuks Ugwuoke, disclosed this at the end of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Chime.
Ugwuoke who was accompanied by his Special Duties Inter-Ministerial counterpart , chief Clement Okwor and State Head of Service, Mr. Chris Ugwu listed those appointed to include Mr. Dennis Eze, Emmanuel Edoga, Linus Obayi, Mrs. F. O. Alio and Mrs. Ifeoma Egbo.
The Commissioner explained that with the new appointment, there would be movement of Permanent Secretaries in various Ministries in the State, adding that the State head of Service would give details of the movement later.
In order to improve the health sector in State, Mr. Ugwuoke said that the Council approved that Government should collaborate with the existing Health institutions in the State to participate in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
This, he said, would help improve health care delivery in the State as contained in government’s 4-point agenda.
Mr Ugwoke further said that the Executive Committee on this project has been mandated to explore further grounds for its implementation to ensure service delivery.
Using the forum to comment on the update report on the progress so far at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium for the hosting of the incoming U-17 World Cup, Mr Ugwoke said that the floored lights have been installed and functional, the electrinic score board installed, waiting test running, while the installation of the Astroturf (artificial grass) is in progress.
He assured that all the selected Stadia in the State for the competition would be ready before the FIFA’s visit on August 1,adding that EXCO received reports from Victoria Garden Limited on the provision of water in Enugu metropolis and Nsukka urban in line with government programmes in that Sector.
The commissioner also said that the State Government has taken over the facilities of the former Cooperative and Commerce Bank [CCB] Headquarters on Okpara Avenue Enugu to put same into proper use.
He added that in due course government will come up with full details on the use of the facilities.
The Federal Government to develop their region. I cannot see any problem that cannot be solved. So I hope the amnesty granted them will be enough panacea to the Niger Delta problem. I also hope the amnesty will mark the end of hostilities in the region for development to start in Ernest in the entire area. “
On the issue of re-branding, Prince Igwesi made it clear that it is not an academic thing, but a thing of the mind.
The exercise, he went on, would at the end of the day be another exercise in futility unless “our leaders first of all rebrand themselves.”
“If our leaders start doing the right things Nigeria will naturally be re-branded. Re-branding is not something the minister of lnformation and Communication, professor Dora Akunyili should be going up and down talking about. If you reform our electoral processes you have re-branded Nigeria.
If you give Nigerians light 24 hours, you have rebranded Nigeria. I you give jobs to unemployed youths, you have re-branded Nigeria. Our leaders should help us rebrand Nigeria by making transparency their watch words. They should stop stealing and squandering our money”, the former law maker pleaded.
According to him, these are the things that will make Nigeria a re-branded country and not going about preaching as the minister oflnformation, professor Akunyili is cunently doing, adding that “our leaders know our problems in this country and they also know that the solution is transparency and leading by example.”
Focusing on the nation’s electoral system, prince Igwesi expressed total disappointment that the system is nothing to write home about.
“We should have internal democracy in our party. Within the party level we should have internal democr?r branding had to do with internal democracy within the party. Let us do election within the party after … conduct election with transparency. These are the kind ofre-branding we need in Nigeria at the mo’ preaching the opposite of what our leaders are doing”, the former law maker further reasoned.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.