South-South
C’River IPMAN Debunks Taking PPMC Boss To EFCC
The leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Calabar depot has debunked claims that it took the Area Manager of Pipelines and Product Marketing Company) System 2 Zone, Mr. Nnadike Offordike, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of diversion of petroleum products by the PPMC boss, saying there had been no such thing.
IPMAN executive in Calabar Depot made the clarification while reacting to a publication in a national daily (not The TIDE) to the effect that, some petroleum marketers had dragged some PPMC officials to EFCC.
Giving the clarification Mr. Justin Egbe, the body’s image maker opined that they were in a position to know if petroleum products meant for Calabar Depot were diverted elsewhere, saying, “We are not aware of any incident of diversion of petroleum products, meant for the Calabar Depot. The petition was written by disgruntled members of the IPMAN, who were plotting to discredit the PPMC leadership and cause confusion between the two bodies.”
He insisted that PMAN was not part of the petition purportedly written by anybody against the Area Manager of PPMC, Mr. Nadike Offordike and others.
“We are calling on EFCC and members of the pubic, to disregard the petition, as IPMAN is making arrangements to bring the writers to book for impersonation. Authors of the petition only impersonated the IPMAN leadership.”
Continuing, he said, “our Zonal Executive Council led by Barrister Utazi and Prince John Ubong has never written any petition against PPMC leadership, and we want to let the public know that we are loyal to our National President and his cabinet.”
The petition, made available to our Correspondent had alleged that “the PPMC Area Manager and two others, including the Calabar Deport Manager, Mr. M. E. Etuk, and the Sales Supervisor, Mr. Emmanuel Ehute did not supply petroleum products to the end users within the designated area, but diverted same to border areas from where they were smuggled out of the country.”
Continuing, he said, “NNPC has about 21 depots across the country and for now, a good number of them bridge their products from Calabar and Port Harcourt, Enugu has not had supplies for five years now, Aba has not had supplies for three years, Makurdi, about seven years and the problem is as a result of pipeline vandals. “
“Since the refineries have stopped supplies through the affected pipelines, some of the accused persons have resorted to taking their tickets to the functional depots to get their supplies and there have never been any incidence of diversion in Calabar Depot,” he stressed.
In its determined efforts to take a stand and demand more committed action in the fight against pneumonia, Society for Health Enlightenment Initiative (SO-HEALTHI), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), took its enlightenment and advocacy campaign to IkotOffiongAmbai in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
The event which held at Saint Peter’s Primary School, Ikot Offiong Ambai, to mark the World Pneumonia Day, saw a contingent of six selected primary schools take part in lecture sessions on pneumonia awareness by experts from the SOHEALTHI Team, climaxing with a spelling competition where winners were given pneumonia-crested exercise books and cash prizes.
At the end of the spelling competition, Amicable Ebrigor Offu and Martha Joseph Aya, both of St. Peter’s Primary School, Ikot Offiong Ambai, emerged joint best performing students, scoring 100 percent, Godsfavour Okon Eyo and Abigail Godwin Anthony, also of St. Peter’s Primary School, came second, scoring 90% apiece, while Victoria Asuquo Okon of St. Peter’s Primary School and Wendy Edet Ekpo of Jehovah Shalom Primary School, clinched third position, scoring 80percent respectively.
In her remarks, the Founder and Team Lead of the NGO, Mrs Rosemary Archibong, stated that SOHEALTHI, founded in 2006, was saddled with the responsibility of creating awareness and advocating for a pneumonia-free world in accordance with this year’s Theme: ‘Keep the Promise; Stop Pneumonia Now.’
Mrs Archibong noted that, according to global indices, the disease sickens 155 million children under five years and kills 1.6 million each year, it has become pertinent to bring this health crisis to public’s attention, encourage policy makers and grassroot organizers alike to combat the disease.
The Executive Chairman, Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Stephen Odey has enjoined staff of the board to complement Governor Ben Ayade’s efforts in the basic education sub-sector by supporting him to realise his lofty programmes for the State.
He made this known in a meeting to mark his three years in office as Executive Chairman of SUBEB. Dr Odey said in spite of the financial status of the State, Governor Ayade had made remarkable impact across sectors in the State, especially in the Basic Education sub-sector.
According to Dr Odey, “he is a young man that has a lot of energy, and with ambitious plans for the state, but he is being frustrated by lack of funds”.
Speaking on the achievements recorded in the basic education sub-sector, he thanked Governor Ayade and staff of SUBEB for their support, adding that these feats could not have been achieved without the support of the Governor and hard work of Staff.
He urged staff to remain committed to their responsibilities, stating that “hard work, dedication and loyalty pays in the long run.”
Speaking earlier, the Director of Administration, Emmanuel Ojong, commended Dr Odey for the giant strides recorded in the board within this short time in Office.
He recalled the massive infrastructural developments in schools across the State, and the sanitisation of SUBEB work force to eliminate ghost workers and track down staff without requisite teaching qualifications. Ojong also poured encomiums on the Board Chairman for placing staff welfare at the forefront of his administration.
By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar.
Ahead of the 2019 general election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini has disclosed that no fewer than 22 polling booths have been discovered in the homes of politicians and other private residences in the state.
Speaking in an interview in Uyo, the state capital, Igini explained that “the polling booths are not illegal, but are located at improper places”, adding that such polling booths had been relocated to public places where voters can easily access.
“We have relocated such polling booths to proper places where the people can have access to them. Elections will hold in Akwa Ibom State and votes will count,” Igini assured, even as he warned desperate politicians against hate speeches that could inflame the polity.
He said he was on a mission to Akwa Ibom to conduct free, fair, credible and transparent exercise in line with the relevant sections of the Electoral Act and enjoined eligible voters, party agents and other stakeholders to join hands with INEC to deliver hitch-free polls which outcome would not be disputed.