[dropcap]S[/dropcap]takeholders of Anioma Newspaper Publishers have advised the youths of Oshimili North to give their total support for the actualization of the aspirations of Hon. Innocent Esewezie, a Delta State House of Assembly hopeful in Oshimili North Constituency under the auspices of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Anioma Newspapers Publishers made the call while receiving Hon. Innocent Esewezie during a consultation meeting at their secretriate in Asaba, explaining that it was time for the youths to be actively involved in determining those who genuinely represent their interests at the legislative chambers. They noted that Hon. Innocent Esewezie is a vibrant youth with proven integrity, propelled by the desire to serve and make laws aimed at achieving people oriented goals in Oshimili North Constituency.According to the Publishers,“Your decision to start consulting with the people in Oshimili North Constituency early enough is a good one because it will give the constituents the opportunity for a general assessment of your personality, your vision and mission.We will assist in mobilizing general support, especially the youths and media to make your ambition successful. We believe that as a youth, you still have the dexterity to contribute meaningfully to the people of Oshimili North because we also need vibrant representatives at the state legislature.”
The House of Assembly aspirant, Hon. Innocent Esewezie, who hails from Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta state is a vibrant young man who started his political career from the grassroots; who is solidly rooted and grounded and has successfully served in various capacities. He was appointed Transition committee member representing Ward 5 (2002-203), duly elected Councilor, Ward 5 in Ibusa (2004-2007), appointed Oshimili North Coordinator in Uduaghan Vision Movement in 2007, appointed political aide to then State PDP Chairman, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi (2008-2010), appointed Special Assistance, Political Affairs to the former Gov. Uduaghan (2011), appointed Chairman, Oshimili North Transition Committee (2012-2014), appointed Oshimili North Campaign Coordinator for 2015 election, appointed Coordinator of Okowa’s Senatorial Campaign Organisation in 2011, Coordinator, Oshimili North PDP Campaign Organisation for 2015 election (delivered on all elections), presently, the Delta North Representative in Directorate of Orientation since 2015 till date, Coordinator of Oshimili North Laison Office (2017), Director General, State Community Youths Association (2017 till date).
This grassroots mobilizer, philanthropist, and a man of integrity, said his decision to contest was to render genuine representation and service to the people, adding that he has all it takes to compete for the state House of Assembly seat both at the primary and general elections.
Hon. Innocent Esewezie therefore appealed to the people of Oshimili North for total support of his political ambition for youths emancipation, women and youth empowerment, genuine representation, unhindered access, as well as constituency consultations and development through prompt delivery of democracy dividends.
The Publishers further enjoined the Oshimili North people to be very careful in choosing their representatives henceforth, saying that the choices they made in the past is yet to make meaningful impact in the lives of the constituents due to poor representation and quest for personal enrichment at the expense of the people who voted them into offices.
While pledging his loyalty to the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the ward, local government and state level,Hon. Innocent Esewezie promised to give credible and effective representation to the people of Oshimili North constituency which will make the leaders, women and youths proud.
Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, says there is no reason for any marketer to sell Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, above the approved price of N145 per litre.
Baru made this known at the NNPC Day at the ongoing 29th Enugu International Trade Fair on Thursday.
He said the corporation was under direct instruction from President Muhammadu Buhari to sell the products to marketers at N133.38k.
He said: “The issue of profiteering on sale of petroleum products has been the problem.
“Every petroleum supplied in this country at the moment is from the NNPC.
“We are under direct instruction from the President that we must not sell above N145 per litre and that is what we have been doing.
“So, there is no reason why any marketer should sell above N145 per litre.”
Baru said the South East was the worst hit by recent petroleum crisis and appealed to marketers to reciprocate the goodwill of the Federal Government by ensuring that the masses did not suffer.
He said: “Appeal to your members to extend this goodwill to the people by selling within N145 per litre.
“If they complain that it is because of transportation, I have reports that marketers in Maiduguri are selling at N141 per litre and they are lifting either from Calabar or Port Harcourt.
“So, somebody here cannot complain.”
Baru called on Nigerians to report any infringement on the sales of the product to the Department of Petroleum Resources nearest to them.
Baru said the corporation was glad to be part of the fair after long years of its absence.
Earlier, the President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Emeka Udeze, said they were glad to have the NNPC chief executive attend the event.
Udeze said appropriate steps needed to be taken to remove all bottlenecks in the petroleum supply chain and ensure the availability of the products.
He said the last crisis in the sector, which lasted for long, though abated, till date had continued to leave telling effects on Nigerians.
He said: “We do hope that the lessons learnt from this crisis will provide the needed buffer to stabilise the supply chain in the industry and reduce the level of volatility in the economy.”
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]head of the heavy rains being predicted to hit the country soon, Delta State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has assured Deltans that the Jesus Saves/DLA Road Water Storm Drainage Project will be delivered by the end of May, noting that the swift work of the drainage was made possible by the State Assembly which did the needful by passing the 2018 budget early enough thereby initiating a rippling effect of early awarding of contracts across the State.
Okowa disclosed this and other recent developments in the State with journalists during the first session of the 2018 quarterly media interaction on Wednesday, March 22, 2018 at Press Centre, Government House, Asaba, saying that the Jesus Saves/DLA drainage project is one of the three critical drainage projects out of the eight storm water drains to be constructed in Asaba to checkmate the issue of constant flooding of the State Capital.
“We have taken the bull by the horn as regards the flood control in the state; we wanted to be sure that we were on the right path, we did not just want to start constructing drains all over again without bringing solutions to the flood issues in Asaba so our consultants worked with the Nigerian Society of Engineers to provided us with eight options of drains,” he said.
“Storm drainages that we had to undertake as a state which was put at a total cost of a little above N30 Billion and out of the eight strategic network of Drains, we chose to work with three as they were very critical and the total cost of the three is about N11 Billion.”
He continued, “the first one we started with was the one that is going to be within the area of DLA road through Jesus Saves road, the Agric Road area and that is the construction that is ongoing straight from that area through the Nnebisi road to the Amilimocha river and I think that the project has gone very far; we have been promised that the project will be delivered by the end of May this year and we are happy to announce that from my inspections, the project is going on very well and I am sure that a lot of us would have had the opportunity to see this construction and for those of us who may not have, I must appeal that for us to be able to do proper reporting, there is a need for us to visit projects to see what is on going.”
“There are two other projects, one of them is the drainage project that will take us through Ambassador Ralph Uwechie road to discharge to the Anwai stream and that project is already ongoing; the project was awarded about a month ago and work is ongoing and it will take 12 months to complete, so, we may not be getting all the relief within the Okpanam areas all through the rainy season but, it is our hope that before the next rainy season they would have completed the project so hopefully the project will be delivered by God’s grace by the end of February 2019 and once it is completed it is going to drain the larger part of Okpanam while part of the water coming from Okpanam will be drained through the project that has a discharge point at the Iyi-Abi stream that is across the Asaba/Onitsha expressway and I am happy to announce that the company working on the Okpanam project has stepped up their pace of work; the third of the storm drainage projects is the one that is going to drain DBS area and the adjoining areas around the DBS and that project is a 12 month project and I hope that they all will be delivered on time because, the impact of the projects will only be fully felt in the year 2019 and it is my hope that we can reasonably go far enough before the rains sets in this year.”
The Governor who further revealed recent developments in the State, said that the current contractor handling the Asaba Airport rehabilitation project did bid quite lower than the initial amount paid to the first contractor that could not deliver the project in three years, stating that the project is currently at top gear as handled by SETRACO and will not only be fully operational by August, but also be a major Air transport hub in the region. He added that, SETRACO which happens to be handling the drainage channel at DBS road and environs has promised to double up efforts as evident in the airport project.
Continuing, Okowa expressed satisfaction that the January 6th local government polls which was successful, was a redemption of his pledge in accordance with the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that he was not going to appoint people to run the councils, but rather allow democracy swing into action. While adding that at the emergence of reasonable improvements in the economy since October 2017, the state government has updated salaries at the state level and has gone ahead to support local governments in payments of salaries including settling of back logs.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has sentenced Police Sergeant Jilla Lannubo to death by hanging for extra-judicial killing. The policeman was arraigned for the extrajudicial killing of one Oruyegha Grand in the Agudama area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on May 13, 2017.
Lannubo, a native of Bokos community in Bokos Local Government Area of Plateau State, was attached to Mobile Police Unit 30, Bayelsa Command and deployed in Akenfa Police Station for patrol duties before the incident. The State Special Prosecutor, Arthur Seweniowor, had charged Lannubo with murder in contravention of Section 247 (1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C14 Laws of Bayelsa State, 2006.
Lannubo, who admitted shooting Grand, however, claimed he did so in line with his duty to prevent the deceased from evading arrest.
The prosecution had called 15 witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and brother.
Seweniowor said: “My lord, the prosecution has placed before the court sufficient facts to sustain a conviction and as a court of law.”
Justice Ineikade Eradiri, in his ruling, said the prosecution had proved the murder charge against Lannubo beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced him (Lannubo) to death by hanging.
Smuggled rice seized from Ogbomosho Operation by Customs FOU, Zone’A’
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]omptroller Mohammed Garba, Controller, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service, who by any matrix, can be called an anti-smuggling czar and his proactive teams are now taking the battle to the Smugglers den as they have vowed to stop smugglers from operating in their zone. Compt. Garba described smugglers as economic saboteurs who are bent on circumventing the law.The Crack Team of the Nigeria Customs ,Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ led by DC Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement and the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team has achieved a major feat at Ogbomosho in Oyo state.This is because Mohammed Uba Gaba, the Comptroller appears to have put his search on the Oyo state described as a haven for smugglers who had relocated from Seme and Ogun state to the state.
The Crack Team of the Nigeria, Customs Service Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Deployed his Men To Oyo to arack Rice Smugglers acting on credible intelligence , Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement , on the instruction of Garba, the Comptroller, was said to have ordered the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team to mobilize his boys in readiness for another operation in Oyo state.The first operation carried out in the state by the state by the Lagos Roving team was said to have taken place at the Saki border Community, where suspected foreign rice and other prohibited items had been smuggled and transported into different parts of the state.
This time the name of the town where the operation was expected to take place was said to have been kept a closely guided secret from the officers and men of the Command by the Comptroller to avoid filtering out into the ear of the smugglers.
A reliable source confided to us that the only officers who may have had the privilege of knowing about the town in Oyo state where the operation would take place was was Yahaya , the Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, and Jack , the boss of the Lagos Roving team, the trusted crack men of the Comptroller.
It was learnt that even when the officers selected for the operation from the Roving team were making their logistics arrangement to start the journey on Thursday, March 15, 2018, they never let the cat out of the bag where they were going for the operation.
It was learnt that the same informant facilitated the successful operation in the first operation in Saki between Wednesday, March 7, and Friday, March 9, 2018, in which eight trucks loaded with foreign rice were intercepted and taken to Lagos, despite the logistics problem encountered by the team.
Comptroller Uba Garba Mohammed CAC, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja
It was gathered that when the officers eventually knew they were heading to Ogbomosho for the operation, there was that initial apprehension because of the notoriety of the smugglers in the area.Indeed, not many officers had expected the operation to be successful because of the side talks in the Command that Jack and his boys appear to be the only ones doing the job as virtually all the major seizures had been linked to the team. notoriety of the smugglers in the area. A source told us that the aggrieved officers were waiting to hear that the Ogbomosho operation had failed to malign the team. They got it wrong.
It was gathered that Jack who was expected to lead the operation, regarded in Customs circles as a deadly cause could not hide his joy to be involved in it. ”This is the kind of challenges I like”, he was said to have told a close associate.He was said to have inspired his boys into action to face the Ogbomosho smugglers squarely. insiders told us that what was some smuggled trucks load of rice from Cotonou port in Republic of Benin.
The team were said to have invaded the town on Thursday, March 15, 2018, and headed straight to the location where the smugglers had planned to discharge the trucks allegedly loaded with the smuggled rice concealed with empty crates of beer from Saki border Community.But the question on the lips of most people was how the truck drivers could beat the numerous security checkpoints including that of the Customs check points from Saki to Ogbomosho town . Eyewitness account disclosed that the truck drivers and their loaders stopped at the busy Ibadan Expressway ,with police men on the road watching to buy bottled waters from hawkers . They had expected the police men armed with AK47 to take advantage of their uniform to block the trucks from continuing their journey instead they waived at them after collecting their settlement.
There are indications that ”it is either the smuggler had booked for the bags of rice to grant him free passage from Cotonou port as the plate number of the trucks may have been allegedly given out to officers at the checkpoints to turn their away their eye when they see the trucks coming by higher Authority”, an officer remarked.Unknown to the smuggler and the suspected Security operatives giving him coverage , the FOU, Zone A, Lagos Roving team which had been furnished with information about the organized rice Crime in Saki hand prepared to truncate them at Ogbomosho town where the items were to be delivered in the owner’s warehouse.
They may allowed the drivers of the trucks loaded with the foreign smuggled rice to park at its location before striking to avoid open confrontation with the people. Despite the peaceful way of taking over the key of the trucks loaded, with the foreign smuggled rice, the aggrieved Youths of the Area in Ogbomosho town where the operation took place were said to have armed themselves with broken bottles, stones and other pellets which they threw at the Customs operatives, and calling them ”names, business killers”.
The aggrieved Youths may have resorted to the use of dangerous weapons, a source said, to provoke the Customs Operatives to shoot at the crowd to justify their attack on them . They got it wrong as Jack who was in full control of the operation never allowed the officers who were armed to the teeth and trigger hungry to lose their temper that could lead to lose of life.
A resident who spoke to the us from his Ogbomosho base disclosed that despite the attack on the Customs Operatives to frustrate them from taking away the alleged smuggled trucks loaded with foreign rice from the town, the Customs operatives still maneuvered their way and took away the trucks and its contents back to the Command premises in Lagos.
An elated Comptroller Garba was said to have heaved a sigh of relief when information filtered out that the operation was a successful one. He was said to have waited late in the office to welcome back the officers who had gone on the operation in the ancient Ogbomosho town. It could not be ascertained how many trucks were intercepted in the town . Efforts to peak to Attah Jerome, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs and the Command Image maker on the operation and the number of trucks intercepted by the team proved abortive.
Many believe that Garba, the FOU, Zone A , Customs boss ,in the recent time may have given a breather to the assorted car mart owners and Lagos socialites using expensive cars such as Rolls Royce, Jaguar, G Wagon, Bentley,Toyota Land cruiser to Mercedes Benz to face rice smugglers in the south west, particularly, Oyo , regarded in security circles as the smuggler haven . the smugglers in Lagos and Ogun states border Communities may have gone underground or relocated to Oyo border areas because of the heat from Garba and his men.
A senior officer who spoke to the Magazine on condition of anonymity confirmed that smuggling of rice along the Seme route had reduced considerably. The officer posits that the recent trailing of nine cars loaded with smuggled foreign rice from Cottonou by the FOU, Zone A, Lagos Roving team which fell into the waiting hand of the police who are still holding on to it for no good reason was an indication that that the area was no longer safe for the rice smuggling business.
Many believe that, the FOU, Zone A Customs boss , may have shifted attention to the rice smugglers because of the Presidential directive to Customs on January 1, 2016, to donate seized rice from smugglers to the Internally Displaced People’s, IDPs, Camps in the north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe . The other Camp in the list to benefit from the Customs rice donation was the one in Edo state, in the Niger Delta. At present , the Camp warehouse had been stocked with thousands of seized rice excluding the nine cars loaded with smuggled which are still in the custody of the Dente Police station, Oyigbo, Lagos Main land.
They may seen the recent intervention of the FOU, Zone A, Comptroller in Saki border Community and Ogbomosho in Oyo state in the recent time to make seizures of smuggled foreign rice from Republic of Benin as an indictment on Odibo Ochonma ,the Comptroller of Oyo Command.”The argument may not hold water”, a senior Customs officer who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, had said. the officer disclosed that since ochonma assumed office in the Command last January, he had been having a running battle with the smugglers , forcing him to rejig his operational team, to give a bite to the Command anti-smuggling operations in the state.
He had described his colleagues deployed to Saki and other border towns in the state as being in the war front because of the activities of the fifth columnists who are bent in making nonsense of the Customs efforts to contain the activities of the smugglers.There is no gain saying the fact foreign rice from the republic are the only items being smuggled being smuggled to Nigeria through Saki border Community. in Oyo state. Arms and ammunitions were also said to be among the prohibited items being smuggled into the country through the land Border Community.
As the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss and the Command Lagos Roving team anti-smuggling heat had shifted to Oyo, there are fears in both official and unofficial circles that the unrepentant smugglers, now operating in the state may relocate to other states in the north east where smuggling still thrives on a large scale. They may also be tempted to shift base to Seme or Ogun state where there are many Border Communities both known and unknown to continue with what they know best: smuggling as the FOU, Zone A, Authorities appear to relaxed their operations in the area for now.
Infact the working combination of Compt. Mohammed Uba Gaba ,DC Yahaya, the Command Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement and the rugged Okpabi Jack, a Chief Superintendent of Customs in-charge of the Command Lagos Roving Team is unbeatable and a blessing to Nigeria Customs Service. Compt. Mohammed Uba Gaba has advised smugglers to stay clear from his zone because his proactive team will never compromise with any dubious agent or smugglers.Presently, some dubious agents have resorted to blackmail against the officials of Zone ‘A’ and sending threat text messages to them for serving this nation. But amidst these challenges,He said his roving crack team is battle ready to fight Smugglers .
CP Imohimi Edgal The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Lagos State Police command has said that it has arrested one Thomas Emmanuel, male, 29 years old and Okon John, male, 34 years old in connection with running a prostitution ring at Collabor Hotels located at No. 3 Ige Street, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr. Imohimi Edgal who disclosed this in a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday said that the command had on the 10th of March, 2018 received intelligence which revealed that some persons were running a prostitution ring in the said hotel with underage girls they brought to Lagos. “Based on the intelligence, a team of Policemen from the command and FSARS operatives stormed the location and arrested one Glory Asuquo, age 15 years and she confessed that she was brought to the said address some weeks ago and handed over to one Monica Ita, ‘f’, 25 years. This led to the arrest of other underage girls, namely Destiny Ita Bassey, ‘f’, 19 years and Bright Effiong, ‘f’, 18 years.
“Meanwhile, the coordinators of the prostitution ring, one Thomas Emmanuel ‘m’ 29 years and Okon John, ‘m’ 34 years were also arrested. The case would be charged to court at the completion of investigation”, Edgal said.
Edgal further said that the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol team of the command posted to Lekki-Epe expressway, on the 14th of March, 2018 at about 0130hrs, while on stop and search duty, intercepted a Toyota Camry Saloon Car with registration number APP 145 EE driven by one UBER Service operator with two passengers.
According to him,” When search was conducted in the car, 2 knives and a pack of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp hidden under the carpet of the car was recovered from one Simon Tyozemda, ‘m’, 27 years, from Katsinala Local Government Area of Benue State and one lucky Friday, ‘m’, 25 year, a native of Iyede in Isoko Suth Local Government Area o Delta State.
“Investigation into the case revealed that the suspects’ intentions were to divert the UBER driver to a comely place and snatch his car from him. They were on the way to execute their plan before luck ran out on them.
“Further investigation revealed that early this year, in the same manner, the suspects snatched a Toyota Corolla Saloon Car with registration number FST 663 EZ belonging to another UBER driver along Obadore Road, Ajah at about 0200hrs. They killed the driver and took his car away. The corpse of the driver is still in the mortuary. The late driver’s case was recorded at the Langbasa Police Station at the time of occurrence.
“Hitherto the killing of the UBER driver, the two suspects were in prison custody on remand for two months before they were released early this year. The command’s undercover operatives attached to RRS have recovered the late driver’s Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number FST 663 EZ, white in colour snatched by the aforementioned robbers from one Mohammed Usman, ‘m’, 41 years and John ThankGod,’m’, 25 years who bought the car from the robbers at the rate of N350,000 but have paid N100,000. They were about to take the car to Jigawa State before they were arrested”.
The Police Commissioner however, advised the UBER, Taxify and other private cab operators to avoid taking passengers to unknown or lonely destinations.
The Police Chief also said that the command’s anti-kidnapping squad had on the 9th of March, 2018 at about 0600hrs arrested a suspected kidnapper by name Aaron Muboh even as he disclosed that the suspect and his gang kidnapped one Adebola Ogunyemi, a retired Bank Manager at Malajonyue Village, Epe on two different occasions.
He continued,” In one of the occasions, he made the sum of forty thousand (N40,000) as his share. He was the Chief negotiator before Mr. Adebola Ogunyemi was released. Other members of the gang include one Kadiga currently in prison custody for other offences and one Akoforoja currently at large.
“Similarly, the following kidnappers were arrested in various parts of the state. They are; Lukman Fokoja age 15 years, he was arrested at Imogo Village, Epe at about 0130hrs. He is the leader of a man kidnapping gang that kidnapped Mrs. Abosede Killani on the 11/12/2017 at about 2030hrs. One of his gang members by name Agbehia had been arrested and charged to court while the other called Kidiga is in prison custody. Suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded”.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he attention of the United Labour Congress of Nigeria has been drawn to the forward and backward movement by Nigeria in its effort to either join the CFTA or abandon it. ULC commends the President for putting a halt to its hurried signing and we berate the aides who wanted to rail road Nigeria into this very agreement that would have finally become the death knell of the fragile industrial sector.
Nigeria is not only an importer nation but also an economy with weak infrastructural base thereby increasing the cost of the products produced in Nigeria.
If signed, the CFTA will only encourage industrialized countries to use other African Nations to push their products to the Nigerian market thereby killing locally produced goods.
Also, we are shocked when at a time when other countries of the world including America are resorting to protectionism in defence of their local manufacturers, ours is trying to open the economy to be finally killed. We reject it in its entirety.
Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe Chairman/MD, Chrisnak Group of Companies
“[dropcap]G[/dropcap]reatness is a property for which no man can receive credit too soon; it must be possessed long before it is acknowledged.” When one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Ralph Waldo Emerson handed down the above words of wisdom, those he had in mind were certainly the likes of Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, the founding Chairman, Chrisnak Group of Companies.
For the trail-blazing business mogul and industrialist par excellence from Umuogele Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, it is certainly impossible to gloss over his attributes for greatness.
The popular cliché, ‘first impression sticks’ is not applicable to Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, Group Managing Director, Chrisnak Group of Companies .If you profile and categorize him based on the spur of the moment kind of judgment,then you have done so using the wrong barometer and faulty premise. This is because at first encounter, you are confronted with a man you could pass for a middle income earner. He wears no airs and there are none around him. He is as simple as air itself. The calm ambience he exudes is just natural. He is just being himself.
However, many would be shocked to later learn that this unassuming youngman who mingles with the lowly and the downtrodden without discrimination is a workaholic,a business czar, corporate tiger and sits atop multi-billion dollars investments spanning several interests.Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe is a tested industrialist and anachiever-a job creator,an employer of labour and a philanthropist. And he makes no noise about these.
Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe and his wife Princess Peace Ogechukwu Igwe
Prince Igwe’s rise to the top was not a one-step movement. Chris Odinaka Igwe was born on 16th February, 1970 to the devoted Christian family of Elder Joseph Igwe and Deaconess Rose Ejiaka Igwe of Umuaghamanya, Umuogele Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.His parents were surely the strong pillars of his foundation and strong ethos that formedthe astute character of young Chris and his siblings.Unfortunately, he lost his visionary father early in his upbringing. From a very humble but focused beginning, Chris cut his business and entrepreneur teeth, going through various apprenticeship and tutelage, with sheer determination and diligence to succeed. It was a humble beginning for a humble man. The inter play of factors that would established him as one of Nigeria’s reputable captains of industry shaped Prince Igwe’s principle and philosophy of life and business-humility, honesty and hard work. His unassuming nature and infectious humility explain why he does not trumpet his numerous philanthropist gestures. One of these philanthropist acts was the contribution of N300m of the N800m cost for the construction of a six and half kilometer Amuda Community road in Abia, while the state government pays the balance of N500m.
Having lost his father at a young age, The truth is that his father was not poor but immediately he died, his expectations turned contrary, and things became too difficult for his family and In the midst of all that challenges he vowed never to be poor . But the young Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe would not allow poverty to limit him. He thus forcefully brushed aside vagaries of life to embrace hard work, and then reaped subsequent strings success in the business arena. He started business with N10,000, but today, he is reaping the reward of diligence and hard work.
Prince Chris or Chrisnak as he is fondly called is today a very successful, respected and recognized philanthropist especially within the Christendom and community.Prince Chris had his primary education at Isuochi Central School. Unlike most of his peers at the time, Chris Odinaka Igwe was not privileged to attend a Secondary School following the demise of his father. He was self and home tutored, sat and passed his General Certificate of Education Examination.He then proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic Oko where he obtained OND in Business Administration.Chrisnak is also an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School.Over the years he began his career as a freelance Salesman with Nanac Enterprises Limited, Owerri and rose to the position of General Manager. In 1992, he started his own business with a small capital as a small trading company in Onitsha. Due to his resourcefulnessand hardwork, he was able to grow the small business to a Conglomerate.Today, he is the Group Managing Director ofChrisnak Group of Companies. The group of companies have shipping oil and gas, Real Estate Development, Manufacturing, Air Services, Travels and Tours Management and General Merchandise. Presently, he has more than 1,000 workers in his payroll of which 70% of the staff is from his home base Isuikwuato- Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
Prince Odinaka Igwe due to his avid love and passion for human resources development, Chrisnak setup Chris Odinaka Igwe Foundation which has awarded numerous scholarships in various tiers of education, as well as youth empowerment initiatives and massive financial assistance to the internally displaced persons from the current insurgency in the northern part of the country.In 2000 he inaugurated a football competition for the youths of Isuochi and Umunneochi to showcase his love for sports as well as engage them in meaningful venture. Prince Chris Igwe, contributed three hundred million naira out of eight hundred million naira Amuda Community road project in his home town. His stomach infrastructure is the best among all. Chris Igwe has been appreciating God by given out to the Society. To God be the Glory.
Prince Odinaka Igwe is happily married to Princess Peace Ogechukwu Igwe, who bagged her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from Federal Polytechnic Oko Anambra State. Their marriage is blessed with five (5) children, four boys and a girl.
We all know that wealth can never satisfy man’s want but an act of charity to the glory of God could leverage one’s name for eternity. Chris Odinaka Igwe has become a monumental asset for the memory of not only her father but for the remembrance of the family name for good and challenged Christians to always take positive steps at all times to immortalize their names for Christ.We eulogised Chrisnak Group of Companies CEO for not being carried away by money and all that money could buy and remembered to continue to register his name in the annals of history to the glory of God.
The mark he has made in the Oil and Gas sector is indelible and his contributions to the economic growth of his fatherland undeniable. This is why Prince Chris Odinaka Igwe, will be the cynosure of all eyes as he stands shoulder high to be honoured by that respected all the community Newspapers in Nigeria (Grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network) as the “Grassroots Man of the Year 2017”.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, has urged the party to embrace urgent reforms to prevent its demise.
He lamented that the PDP “is still lost in depression and suffering from a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), adding that the platform had crossed the bridge from pride to shame.”
Orubebe noted that imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed were responsible for the party’s electoral defeat in 2015, stressing that the crisis rocking the platform was compounded by the mishandling of its last national convention.
The party stalwart, who caused a stir during the collation of the 2015 presidential election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, said the PDP would need vigour, courage and sustainable ideas to bounce back to reckoning.
In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, published in this edition, the former minister said the party must accept that it made mistakes while in power for 16 years.
Chiding the party for not living up to expectation as a leading opposition platform, he said: “We have gone from a party of pride to a party of shame and gradually receding into the abyss of political reality. For the simple reason that the nation is witnessing calls for the rise of a “third force,” we are fast becoming a shadow of ourselves.”
In Orubebe’s reckoning, the PDP had regressed to the same imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed that heralded its electoral misfortune, adding that its leaders are not building a culture of democratic representation.
Referring to the domineering role of the PDP governors, he said “the party is gradually coming under the control of certain individuals, who are exhibiting dangerous levels of undemocratic behaviours.”
The former minister said unless the grandstanding and imposition gave way to a healthy competition, the party could avert a looming doom.
He said the party should be liberated from the jaw of its exclusive funders, who have held it hostage.
Orubebe said: One of the biggest challenges that the PDP faces is balancing its needs for funding with established egalitarian values and internal systems. If the party continues to be held hostage by few major donors, it will continue to find it difficult to instil the values that will endear us Nigerians.
“We must take our appeal to Nigerians and through our reforms, let the party truly become a people-funded party. Small donations from millions of Nigerians will go a long way in the party’s finan cial requirements and will create the necessary atmosphere for true ownership among members of the party.”
Urging the party leadership to embrace reforms, Orubebe said the leadership should re-organise to break down the silos of loyalty and allegiance within the party.
He added: “It is my expectation that the necessary reforms will be put in place before it is too late to salvage what we have left.”
[dropcap]E[/dropcap]do State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA ) has arrested in Benin , 64-year-old grandfather Daniel Idemudia, in connection with the discovery of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa in a warehouse.The State Command of the NDLEA, has launched an onslaught against drug cartels in the State, leading to the discovery of two secret warehouses for weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa.
A total of 5,650 kgs of dried weeds suspected to be the banned substance, were found in the two warehouses. The first warehouse is a residential house located behind Tipper Garage, Egor, Egor Local Government Area, where 280 sacks of the dried weeds weighing 4,200 kg. The second warehouse is located at Ugwella-Gidi village, Ovia South West Local Government Area, where 245 sacks of dried weeds weighing 1,450 kgs were recovered. This major discovery is coming barely few weeks after the Command publicly destroyed 136,844 kgs of various narcotic drugs, including cannabis sativa.
The State Commander of NDLEA, Mr. Buba Wakawa, disclosed that the seizures were made based on intelligence reports received by the Command. According to Wakawa, the exhibits at the Egor warehouse were hidden inside the ceiling of a bungalow, where a 64-year-old grandfather, Daniel Idemudia who resides in the warehouse was been arrested.
“We were shocked to discover 280 sacks of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa all hidden inside the ceiling of the building. This discovery will serve as a warning to others that their warehouses will be discovered and the drugs seized,” he said. The suspect, PA Daniel Idemudia, who admitted knowledge of the exhibits found inside ceiling in his house, said that a friend kept the banned substance in his house. “A friend of mine kept the cannabis inside the ceiling of my house. The house was built by my son who resides in Europe. He promised to handsomely reward me after selling the drugs,” he said.
The NDLEA Commander who promised to arrest other members connected with the warehouses, appealed to members of the public with useful information that could lead to the recovery of drugs and arrest of traffickers, to provide such information to the Agency.
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