Nation
Senate Raises Alarm Over Erosion Menace In Edo, Anambra
The Senate, Tuesday, called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency put all relevant agencies to work on the devastating havoc being wrecked on Edo and Anambra States by erosion and othe to related environmental issues.
Four senators took took turns at the plenary raising the alarm on the havoc being wrecked on communities and roads of various communities in Edo , Anambra and Ondo by environmental issues as they called on the federal Government to address the issues and stall further damage and danger .
The Senators who came through different motions noted that lives and livelihood of the members of the communities are in great danger .
Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central senatorial district, in his motion, tagged “Urgent Need to Control the Erosion Ravaging Onitsha-Oba Section of the Onitsha-Owerri Federal Highway in Anambra State,” warned of severe consequences if the issues are not addressed.
He said: “We note with dismay the devastating effects of ravaging gully erosion and landslide on Onitsha-Owerri Federal Road, between Electrical Parts Market and Metallurgical Training Institute, Obosi (Idemili North LGA) and Oba Junction near Rojenny Games Village in Idemili South LGA – along Onitsha-Owerri Federal Highway, all within Anambra Central Senatorial District of Anambra State.
“One lane of the affected road has been cut off by the gully erosion at the Oba junction with the second lane under serious threat of imminent collapse while buildings and factories within the vicinity are on the verge of collapsing into the gully.
“The erosion and landslide are creating traffic gridlock along the sections of the Onitsha-Owerri Highway.
“If the menace of gully erosion and landslide is not urgently controlled, those sections of the road will completely cave in, thus leading to total disconnection of the highway with attendant severe consequences and cutting off of vehicular movement to Imo, Abia, Akwa lbom, Rivers and Cross River States.
“Onitsha-Owerri federal highway is a gateway to business activities and other relationships between the Western States and South-East and South-South States. The magnitude of the menace is beyond the control of the State Government.
“We urge the Federal Government to direct the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to commence repairs and re-construction of the affected parts of the Onitsha-Owerri Federal road particularly, the sections between Upper Iweka Round about in Onitsha and Onitsha-Owerri in Idemili South LGA of Anambra State which span about 6 kilometers.
“We also urge the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure regular surveillance of Federal High ways to identify and nip erosion threats to Federal roads in the bud.
“We urge the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to join the detection and prevention of erosion menace on highways.”
Senator Tony Nwoye raised a motion on the urgent need for restructuring and rehabilitation of the Onitsha – Otuicha – Adani road boundary by Enugu state .
Among other prayers ,the motion the NNPC and FiRS under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme to prioritise the roads
Senator Monday Okpebholo, Edo Central) in his motion tagged “Urgent Need for Erosion Control in Edo Central Senatorial District to Save Lives and Property”, said the flooding menace has put many communities under the constant threat of erosion devastation, resulting in massive gully erosions, flooding and road devastations.
He said: “The Okene-Auchi-Benin expressway, a major road infrastructure in Nigeria began to fail at the Ekpoma axis owing to several gully erosions. The Ewu-Uromi-Agbor Road corridor has also experienced similar fate in Uromi axis. Nigerians in Irrua, Ekpoma, Uromi, Ewu and other communities have fled their homes or got their access roads damaged owing to the erosion problems.
“In June, two persons died after being swept away from their homes in Ujoelen, Ekpoma. A school girl died two years ago in Efandion, Uromi, on her way to school due to the uncontrollable flooding. It is difficult to construct roads to Udo community because of the wild erosion gullies. This trend is all over the area
“The highway road projects in Edo central face the risk of being damaged even before they are completed, as a result of which the country may just be losing hundreds of millions of naira because of the natural disaster. The cost of interventions in erosion disaster is too weighty for local and state governments to bear.
“We urge for the collaboration of federal agencies, namely; the Federal Ministry of Environment, Ecological Fund Office and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing towards tackling the menace of erosion devastation in Edo Central Senatorial District
“We also urge the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to collaborate and carry out emergency works on Ekpoma (Uhiele, Ujoelen, Ukpenu, Borehole Road & Emuhi), Irrua (Uwesan and Ikekato), Ewu (Eguare and Uzogholo), Uromi (Efandion, Eguare & Uzegwa), Udo and Illushi.”
In a similar development, the Senator representing Ondo South , Senator Jimoh Ibrahim raised a motion on the need to arrest incessant Sea Incursion ravaging Ayetoro community of Ondo State .
Senator Ibrahim in his motion noted that the community is of utmost economic importance to the nation as an oil producing community as well as it’s thriving fish trade and urged the Senate through its Committee on NDDC when constructed to commence immediate interventions to save the community.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim also called for investigation of N6-5 billion contract earlier awarded for the protection of the shore lines
All the prayers of the options were adopted as Senate resolutions at Plenary .
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
A non- governmental organisation under the aegis of South South Media Association has presented an award to the Divisional Police Officer, Omoku ,CSP John Ladan.
The event which held recently in Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, saw the attendance of top ranking officers and well wishers who gathered to celebrate an icon.
Presenting the award, the Chairman of the group, Kio Hopeson, said following the DPO’s selfless service to humanity, peace and development of the society, the group found him worthy to receive the award.
Hopeson hinted that the award had long been overdue, as his posting to Omoku had brought about peace, social harmony and drastic reduction of crime, saying, his open door policy and ensuring that every stakeholder is carried along in the fight against crime, was a contributing factor.
He said their investigation revealed that the people were extremely pleased with the reduction of crime under his watch in the area, stressing that his effort to interface with everyone has boosted the cooperation between the police and the residents.
On his part, the recipient, CSP John Ladan thanked the group for the honour done him.
The DPO expressed his gratitude to God and the Commissioner of Police for the support given him to serve.
He urged the people to see the police as friends as their job is protection of lives and property.
As part of efforts towards enrolment into the National Health Fellows programm of the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation, (WHO) and other development partners has started the process of interviews for the selection of health professionals to be enrolled into the programme.
The National Health Fellows Programme is an interventionist initiative by the Federal and State Governments following the declaration of a state-of-emergency on the health sector by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the physical and financial burdens on health-seeking Nigerians.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Acting Director, Research and Planning, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Juliane Nwoke, who spoke on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh said the programme is expected to enrol 774 persons representing each of the local government areas in the country.
In Rivers State, she said 23 persons are expected to emerge from the 69 shortlisted candidates, adding that already, nine persons have been interviewed, adding that the successful candidates would be engaged by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support the provision of healthcare services especially public health at both local, state and national levels.
She explained that core areas of competencies of shortlisted candidates includes public health, proficiency in Information and Communication Technology and data management.
“We have interviewed already, about nine candidates and by the end of today, we’ll be interviewing about 29 candidates.
“The interviews will end officially today for Rivers State because we are expected to interview 69 candidates.
“Specific competencies were considered in the selection process with interest on competencies in public health, ICT and data management, so we received the shortlist of candidates which we expect are based on these competencies.
“As you may know, there is a global and local shortage of manpower, so the 23 who qualifies in this round will add to the skilled manpower that is needed to drive healthcare delivery.
“As per impact, this fellows would be engaged directly by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support healthcare delivery and population health management at the local government, state and perhaps national levels, working directly from their LGAs,” she stated.
Dr. Nwoke assured shortlisted candidates of fairness in the screening process, maintaining that only the best will emerge at the end of the exercise.
John Bibor
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has described as unacceptable, callous, wicked and cruel the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court last Friday, concerning Rivers State political crisis, saying they are nothing to write home about.
This is even as the union has said Nigeria is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is not upheld but thrown overboard.
The union equally took to the cleaners the Justices, who gave the judgments and pronouncements, for allegedly mortgaging their consciences, and urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara not to obey the judgments until such a time that the case bordering on the defection of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, pending at the Court of Appeal is dispensed with.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who canvassed this position in an interview in Port Harcourt, particularly described the judgment ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release the Federal Allocations of Rivers State as not only callous and wicked but cruel and self-serving.
He said civil servants in the State in particular reject the judgements and pronouncements of the apex court in their totality, and enjoined them to rise up against all plots and machinations to unseat the Governor, as a demonstration of their love, support and solidarity for him, contending that folding their arms and watching the plots to succeed, would amount to giving the enemies of the State a free rein to overrun the State.
He said the workers firmly believe that those fighting Governor Fubara, are not only fighting him but the people of the State, and enjoined them to rally round the Governor, who he noted has put smiles on their faces within the short period he has been in office.
Osumah noted that the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements are an attempt by enemies of the State to pull the hands of the clock backwards, considering the monumental achievements of the Fubara administration so far.
He said it is unfortunate that the Justices who handed down the judgments and pronouncements, have through their actions and inaction, desecrated the sacred temple of justice, and by so doing making the judiciary a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, instead of elevating it in such a way that it becomes the much-acclaimed last hope of the masses and the common people in the country.
He decried a situation where the country’s judiciary has rather degenerated to a level where the highest bidders have held it hostage, at the expense of the ordinary people, saying it is a strong indication that the country is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is bastardised and thrown overboard.
According to him, the judgements and pronouncements portend grave danger for the State and the people, as they are a recipe for chaos, confusion and unabated crises.
Osumah further lamented a situation where the case bordering on the defection of the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers is relegated to the background while other contending issues are given undue preference and preeminence, saying the defection case is rather the kernel and pivot on which every other matters concerning the political crisis in the State gravitate.
The labour leader, therefore, stressed the need for the execution of the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements to wait, pending the final determination of the defection suit, describing as hasty and preposterous the issuance of a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, to present before them the 2025 Budget of the State.
Osumah equally reminded civil servants in the State that the time has come for them to boldly rise up and defend one of their own, and never allow the shenanigans of the old order to overwhelm and subject them once more to the throes and pangs of penury, poverty and needless suffering and hardship.
He recalled with glee that Governor Fubara has wiped away their tears, by not only providing a conducive environment for them to operate but also making sure that their welfare needs are given top priority, thereby restoring and providing all that the enemies of the State had denied them in the past.
While reiterating that the entire workforce in the State vehemently reject the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court, Osumah said the apex court has through such judgements and pronouncements, declared war against the State and her people.