Rivers

Ekpeye Kingdom Gets New Monarch

Published

3 years ago

April 13, 2022

Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo, has emerged the winner of the Eze Ekpeye Logbo stool election conducted on Saturday at Ahoada Town, the administrative headquarters of Ekpeye Kingdom in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Anugwo garnered five votes out of a total of 12 delegates to defeat his three other rivals; High Chief Nname Robinson Ewor grabbed four votes, while High Chief Stephen Ezekwem Amenim and High Chief (Prof.) Dulu Appah, scored three and zero votes respectively.
Declaring the result, the Electoral Committee chairman, Hon Stephen Umanta Ihua-Maduenyi, ex-Ahoada East Council boss, advised the contestants to accept the result in good faith, noting that the election was conducted in the glare of the law enforcement agencies, Rivers State Government representatives, press men and other observers. The chairman after announcing the result, issued certificate of return to Anugwo, the winner of the election.
Speaking shortly after the declaration, Anugwo said, “I am overwhelmed. I never knew Ekpeye people like me this way; I dedicate the certificate to God, and my late parents, who never lived to see their son become the third Eze Ekpeye Logbo.” Anugwo thanked all his supporters including the law enforcement agencies and both council chairmen for making the day a huge success.
He reiterated his three points agenda which include security, peace and placing Ekpeye in the scheme of things.
Meanwhile, effort to get comments from the losers failed as they had departed the information centre, the venue of the election, before the result was pronounced.
The Electoral Committee Chairman remarked that election of Eze Ekpeye Logbo was not strange in Ekpeye land. He emphasised that it started when the need for a Chief to represent Ekpeye at the Eastern Region House of Chiefs in Enugu, was established by the colonial government.
Maduenyi noted that the maiden election which saw the Late Upata, Eze Edmund Unoshi Ashirim, as winner was keenly contested by late Chief Tom Imo from Ehuda, Late Chief Fred Ogbonna from Igbuduya, while Late Chiefs Aganuzor and J.D. Okwukwu were Akoh and Ubie. He added that Ashirim who represented the Ekpeye at the House of Chiefs reigned from 1960-1977.
The ex-Ahoada East council boss recalled that the second election was occasioned by the demise of the first occupant of the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo in 1978. He said, Late Eze Robinson O. Robinson (Ubie) emerged as the winner, while Chief C.U. Ideozu from Ehuda, Eze O. Owukori of Igbuduya and Chief C.A. Okpara – Upata were among the contestants. He added that Eze Robinson ruled from 1978-2018.
He stated further that the vacancy created by the death of Eze Robinson necessitated the formation of the Committee he chaired to conduct the election.
Recall that the Ekpeye people have been grappling with the election of a new Eze Ekpeye Logo since after the conclusion of the necessary rites associated with proper burial of their late monarch.
The Tide learnt that there were agitations from the various clans especially Ubie and Upata clans laying claims as the heir apparent to the stool. To make matters worse, even the incumbent first class monarchs of the clans were allegedly eyeing the apex seat of Ekpeye.
However, relief came their way as the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, during one of his facility visits to Ekpeye land last December, issued an ultimatum that the Ekpeye should elect another monarch within two months.
Recall also that the people of Ekpeye ethnic nationality had held a special congress last Thursday to address the issue of the lingering Eze Ekpeye Logbo election. While in the convention at Ekpeye House in Ahoada, it was unanimously agreed that the earlier 20 delegates prescribed by the Eleco from each of the six clans of Ekpeye be pruned to two delegates each and a new date fixed for the election.
Also in the said meeting, a 7-man Eleco led by High Chief Godwin Osai was set up to conduct election of Uzugbani Ekpeye Executives (EU) whose tenure expires May 2022.The members of the committee who were drawn from the six clans and one special nominee for EU executive has High Chief Godwin Osai (Upata) and Barr. Hamilton Morrison (Ubie) as Chairman and Secretary. Others include ;Adamu Moses (Ahoada), Barr. Uchechukwu Igbegiri (Igbuduya), Mr Godday Owoh Chizhim (Ugbobi), Mr. Umuna Robinson (Akoh) and Dr. Friday Onyije (EU exco nominee).
Meanwhile, the Eleco after inauguration was given 30days within which to conclude their work.

BY: Agimo, Emenike Benson

Rivers

Perm Sec, NOA Director Task NGOs On Self Reliance, Networking

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

The Tide

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Uchechukwu Uriri, the Rivers State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barrister Young Ayotamunu and others have called on civil society organisations to improve their capacities with a view to becoming self-reliant.
They made the call at a one-day mutual capacity project for partners in Rivers State organised by Ofure Centre For Peace and Development in conjunction with Odudu Development and Peace Initiative in Port Harcourt.
They said time has come for civil societies to develop capacities for self-reliance in the event of a drought in external fundings.
Speaking with newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Uchechukwu Uriri also called for networking among civil society organisations in the State.
She said networking will not only improve their capacities but enable them to attract the necessary fundings for their activities.
“Networking is paramount and giving back to the society is also important.
“We should network collectively for effective civil societies, “she said.
Also speaking, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Barrister Young Ayotamunu said financial independent has become important among civil societies review of the present economic realities in the society.
Ayotamunu also commended the organisers for building the capacities of both old and emerging civil society organisations in the State.
“The workshop is very important in several ways and talking about strengthening their capacities in such a way that their activities are sustainable in such a way that there is a future for them, ensuring that they are self-reliant, “he said.
The state NOA Director also said the workshop will instill in them the virtue of building resilience as they are not operating in an independent environment but in a global millieu “in the sense that they are taking about NGOs that are in partnership and there is this issue of donor fatigue.
“So it is important that NGOs begin to look inward, look at issues of self-reliance, issue of autonomy, so that when this funding gap begins to come their activities will still be sustainable”he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Ofuru Centre for Peace and Development, Ambassador Sylvester Okoduwa said the workshop which was organised in conjunction with Odudu Development and Peace Initiative was to develop the capacities of emerging civil society organisations to improve their access to Oxfam Nigeria grant.

John Bibor

Rivers

OSPAC Re-branding: Obalga Boss Promises Crime Free LGA

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

The Tide

The Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo, has said he would stop at nothing until the entire Local Government was free of crime.

Ihunwo made this known at a meeting with the state leadership of the Onelga Security Peace And Advisory Council ( OSPAC) at the Council’s Secretariat on Friday.

At the meeting, he named a Three- Member Committee made up of his Special Adviser on Security, Obi Iwara, Chief Obidike Nwokoho, and the leader of OSPAC in Rivers State, Comrade Emeka Onyeocha.

According to him, one of the first steps of the committee was to advertise for placement in the security outfit, profiling of members and training before the relaunch of same in the LGA.

He faulted those who doubted his powers to dive into security issues in the local government and added that he is the Chief Security Officer of the place.

“We have agreed that whosoever is interested in joining OSPAC should apply through my SA on security, because we are starting the recruitment, profiling and training of members from next week (this week)”, he said.

The Chairman stressed that no one can blackmail him into hurriedly restoring OSPAC in the LGA without him following due process.

He stated that he possessed the constitutional powers to handle security and related matters as the number one citizen of the Local Government.

The Obalga Boss, who announced the rejection of one Azubuike Amadi, alias Ocean, as an OSPAC member, cleared that such was not tied to any form of malice as perceived at some quarters, but a mere step to have a better security architecture in place.

The Tide gathered that upon the rebirth of the Vigilante group, an office space will be provided for them in the Council Secretariat.

It was further learnt that profiling of the local Security outfit would be greeted with a high professional approach to provide the best of security services for all in the area.

It will be recalled that the Obalga Council Boss disbanded OSPAC operations in the LGA few days in office, citing lapses in the system as part of the reasons for his action.

Rivers

RSG Partners Building Institute To Check Quackery

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has pledged partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Building to check quackery in the building profession as a way of reducing incidents of building collapse in the State.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, who made the pledge when a delegation of the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building paid him a courtesy visit in his office, said the partnership also aims to promote professionalism and adherence to building standards.

Describing the spate of building collapses in the State as worrisome, Bipi attributed the causes to use of substandard building materials and failure by site engineers to adhere to standards and regulations of the building industry.

The Commissioner said findings by the Ministry also revealed that property owners are complicit in the recent building collapses in the State for prioritizing cost-cutting over safety and quality standards.

He said some property owners hire unqualified site engineers and foist substandard building materials on them to cut corners.

The Commissioner acknowledged that as key stakeholder in the building industry, the Nigerian Institute of Building plays a crucial role in reducing incidents of building collapse in the society by ensuring that only qualified professionals practice in the industry.

He further said the Institute of Building can also contribute through advocacy and public enlightenment on the dangers of building collapse and adherence to safety standards in building sites.

Hon. Bipi assured that the Ministry is poised in partnering with more professional bodies in the industry to curb the menace of building collapse in the State.

He also informed his guests that he has reconstituted the Compliance Committees of the Ministry to effectively monitor building sites across the State and enforce compliance with the building law and regulations of the State as part of measures to address the issue of building collapse.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Rivers State Chapter, Mr. Abah Adejoh, suggested that Construction Methodology, Project Quality Management Plan, as well as Project Health and Safety become mandatory requirements for property developers seeking building plan approval from the State Government.

He stated that this will enhance compliance with safety and regulatory standards, while also facilitating accountability in the event of a building collapse.

Mr. Adejoh advised property developers to insist on hiring qualified site engineers or Licensed Builders rather than quack engineers in order not to compromise the structural integrity of their buildings and put lives at risks.

He said, “prioritizing cost-cutting over safety and quality standards is an unwise decision that can lead to far greater losses”.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Building also asserted that unlike medical negligence, building negligence has far-reaching and devastating consequences including loss of multiple lives, widespread destruction, long-term displacement and psychological trauma, hence the need to hire certified site engineers.

He further stated that to prevent compromise of the structural integrity of buildings, site engineers must insist on maintaining standards and quality, no matter the pressure from property owners to cut costs.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Surv. Wisdom Hebron, Directors, Town Planners and other Senior Staff of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development were in attendance at the courtesy visit.

Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso