[dropcap]A[/dropcap] General Court Martial (GOC) sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced a soldier serving in Operation Lafiya Dole to death. The court sentenced the soldier, Lance Corporal John Godwin to death for killing five rescued civilians in the Yamteke area of Borno State during the investigation, Channels tv reports. This is just as some other soldiers were jailed by the court for various offences ranging from manslaughter to illegal possession of fire arms and ammunition. The soldier was charged with murder, which is punishable under Section 106 (a) of Armed Forces Acts (Cap A20), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Samuel, 7 Division’s spokesperson who confirmed the sentence said, “The civilians were earlier rescued by troops of Godwin’s battalion and were taken for investigation at the time he shot and killed five of them. “Another soldier, Sergeant Innocent Ototo, was sentenced to life imprisonment for manslaughter after torturing and killing a 13-year-old boy who he said stole his phone.
The incident happened at Zamanbari area of Maiduguri in Borno State.”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is set to embark on indefinite strike beginning from Monday, following a stalemate in the peace meeting the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr Emmanuel Kachikwu, brokered between the union and Neconde Energy Limited. PENGASSAN and Neconde have been embroiled in crisis over allegation of anti-worker practices.
PENGASSAN, the umbrella body of senior workers in the oil and gas sector, alleged that the management of Neconde wrongly terminated the employment of some of its workers, threatening to go on strike if the sacked workers were not recalled within 72 hours. The matter caused Kachikwu to initiate a meeting between the two warring bodies in Abuja during the week, but the meeting ended in a deadlock.
In a release signed by PENGASSAN Public Relation Office, Fortune Obi, and made available to Grassroots Publishers online yesterday, PENGASSAN said it would embark on industrial action on Monday.
Obi said: “Following the failure of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to settle the rift between this body (PENGASSAN) and Neconde, the management of PENGASSAN has agreed to start the strike on Monday night (December 18th, 2017).
“Prior to the strike, PENGASSAN will hold an emergency Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Monday morning, which will be followed with announcement of strike on the night of Monday.’’
The union said it has put its workers across the country on standby for the strike, adding that nothing whatsoever would stop the body from starting the strike by midnight on Monday.
PENGASSAN’s Lagos Zonal Chairman, Abel Agarin, had in a communiqué said it would not tolerate any act of victimization against any of its members.
He said the union’s position was that the termination of employment of some workers by Neconde was unlawful, as it was not in line with equity, good conscience and industrial relations best practices and extant labour laws.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Managing Director (MD), ULO Consultant Limited, handling the Asaba downgraded Asaba airport contract and the abandoned section (C) of the dualization of Asaba/Ughelli as well as the failed Maryam Babangida Way dualization road project, Uche Luke Okpunor has accused the chairman, Delta State House of Assembly House Committee on Works, Evance Ivwurie, of approaching him and making an “unholy” demand to terminate the ongoing probe of his company.
The house committee on works has been probing the MD of ULO company for not been able to complete the multi billion naira Asaba airport, his failure to complete the section (C) of the dualization of Asaba/Ughelli road project and the failed Maryam Babangida way dualization road project awarded to his firm by former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration.
Mr. Okpunor, who disclosed that Ivwurie, allegedly came to him and requested for softener, (“unholy demands”) to halt the investigation on why the projects handled by his company failed after receiving billions of naira from the state government, claimed that he has the video clips of the meeting with Ivwurie where he allegedly came and demanded for incentive in order for the committee to suppress the inquiry.
But in a counter allegation, chairman of the House Committee on Works, Evance Ivwurie, in a statement made available to this medium, debunked the allegation and said instead it was Okpunor, who allegedly sent him a text message to deliver a ‘welfare package’ to him and members of the committee for possible quashing of the probe.
HERE IS THE FULL TEXT OF IVWURIE’S PRESS STATEMENT AND COUNTER ALLEGATIONS.
THE UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS OF CHIEF UCHE LUKE OKPUNOR AND HIS THREATS TO MY LIFE.
RE: INVESTIGATION OF THE STATE OF ASABA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MARIAM BABANGIDA WAY AND SECTOR “C” OF THE ASABA–UGHELLI ROAD CONSTRUCTIONS ABANDONED BY ULO CONSULTANTS LIMITED.
My attention has been drawn to a spurious, baseless and unfounded allegation said to have been made against me by Chief Uche Luke Okpunor, Chairman of ULO Consultants Limited who is the contractor handling the Asaba International Airport, Mariam Babangida Way and Sector “C” of the Asaba – Ughelli roads constructions.
In an interview granted to the Guardian Newspapers and published on the 9th of December, 2017 at page 42, the said Mr Uche Luke Okpunor asserted that the Delta State House Assembly Committee on Works angrily ordered him to refund 7.4 billion paid to his company for the Asaba – Ughelli road dualization project for non-performance because he “refused to accede to unholy demands” from me. In the said publication, he went further to claim that he has Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage of me making such demands from him which he said he is ready to play at the right time.
I wish to state very categorically and without equivocations that, the Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Works and indeed my humble self, Honourable (Chief) Evance Ochuko Ivwurie did not at any time place any demand holy or unholy, on Mr Uche Luke Okpunor of ULO Consultants Limited for personal gains or gratification whether with respect to my work as the Chairman of the Committee or in any other respect whatsoever. Such demands as allegedly claimed by him could only have been made in his own imaginations. I urge him to explain what he meant by “unholy demands” and I also dare him to make such footage public now and without delay, if they do exist, just as I have made public his text messages to me, offering me and my Committee “Welfare Package” to compromise us which I rejected in my reply text to him. Majority of Deltans know that there is nothing beyond this subterfuge contractor and are well aware of the various plots and plans of this failed contractor against me for daring to investigate the contracts in question.
Certainly, his allegations are not only laughable, but portray the antics and desperation of one whose reprehensible acts are suddenly brought to light. They are nothing but the last kick of a dying horse. In actual fact, the said allegation is a shameful attempt to turn the truth on its head. This is a classic case of the culprit playing the victim as a strategy to distract and hopefully derail the on-going investigation by the DTHA Committee on Works aimed at unravelling the reasons behind and exposing all non-performing contractors who with impunity abandon contracts awarded to them after receiving humongous payments from the State’s treasury, thereby undermining the government and people of Delta State.
As Chairman, Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Works, I and the dedicated members of the Committee vowed as a point of duty to all Deltans irrespective of party affiliations, that we would perform our oversight functions on project execution as awarded by the Delta State government, without fear or favour. We have been diligent in living up to this vow as of today, but it seems some unscrupulous persons for obvious reasons feels threatened by our good work thus far.
It is based on this that we have been effective and efficient in pursuing our duties and responsibilities by giving everybody including defaulting contractors who abandon projects awarded to them as well as the Ministry of Work, the Delta State Government Consultants to the projects and the Office of the Accountant General the benefit of doubt to make themselves available for the ongoing inspections and investigations of the contracts, but rather than avail themselves of the opportunity to duly explain why they abandon projects awarded to them after receiving billions of naira and having failed to compromise members of the Committee, some of these contractors have begun a campaign of calumny against the Committee hoping that same would derail us.
It is worthy of note at this juncture that in line with the constitutional mandate assigned to the Committee, while we have made lots of startling revelations/discoveries and have indeed been able to compel some of these contractors to go back to site, others like ULO Consultants Limited of Mr Uche Luke Okpunor who has no respect for rules, regulation and the law, have wilfully refused to honour our three (3) invitations. He has repeatedly given excuses of either being with or about to board a flight with and fly in the private jet of Honourable Minister Kachikwu Ibe or dropped the name of the respected Vice President (VP) Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) recklessly with the assertion that they are friends and classmates from Igbobi College and the VP calls him daily and does business with him; as such, he is so busy and unable to honour such invitations. It is for these flimsy excuses that Uche Luke Okpunor has refused to honour the Committee’s invitations to be personally available to present his side of the story at the three contract sites during our inspections, assessments and evaluations of the work he has done so far vis a vis the billions of naira he has been paid for the Asaba International Airport, Mariam Babangida Way and Sector “C” of the Asaba – Ughelli roads constructions.
The committee discovered to it chagrin during the inspections, assessments and evaluation that Uche Luke Okpunor has been evasive because he has not performed efficiently on the contracts and he has abandoned the projects after collecting billions of naira. Following the discoveries, the Committee then immediately commenced investigation into the activities of ULO Consultants Ltd for abandoning the three projects after receiving billions of naira. Rather than appear before the Committee and offer explanations the vintage Uche Luke Okpunor has embarked on a campaign of calumny against the Delta State Governor, Sen. (Dr) Arthur Ifeanyichukwu Okowa and my humble self.
The first time and day I ever spoke to and met Uche Luke Okpunor was on Wednesday 15, November 2017 when he called me to use the names of Vice President Osinbajo and Honourable Minister Ibe Kachikwu to say he is not participating in the first inspection of Thursday 16, November 2017 and being a Committee with human face, I personally met him and told him point blank that he must not fail to personally join us at the Asaba International Airport site at 9:00am the next day for the inspection so that he can brief the Committee on what he claimed was his side of the story.
But rather than make himself available, he sent me an SMS on November 16, 2017 at about 9:24am while the inspection was going on. His text to me reads thus:
“Good morning honourable, For your information only. Me and the SPD have arranged a welfare package. My boy would deliver it today after the inspection. His name is Jerome.”
I replied him immediately I saw the message at 11:41am which was after the inspection, and my text reads:
“Thank you very much for the offer sir, but am not interested in taking any money from you sir.”
In a volte-face only typical of the timeless and vintage Uche Luke Okpunor, at about 5:46pm on the same day, he curiously and iniquitously replied me in another SMS, and his text reads:
“Good evening honourable, Plz, am just seeing your text message. I didn’t remember offering you any money. I hope nobody did on my behalf.”
I immediately ignored his text as I imagined that he is a highly skilled ‘actor’ and ‘capone’.
The general public would be surprised to know that when his attempts to compromise the Committee failed, he resorted to character assassination and made threats to my life. He directly boasted to me on the phone, on 27th and 28thNovember, 2017 that he will stop at nothing to deal with me and crush me. On the basis of his threat on me, I have directed my lawyers and they are currently reviewing Luke Uche Okpunor’s threats to my life and his aspersion on my integrity.
This is a defining moment in the State infrastructural development history. I can never be intimidated or swayed by the wealth of bad contractors acquired from the sweat and taxes of Deltans, but by my principle; not by your dropping the names of respected Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) (“as my friend and classmate from Igbobi College who calls me daily and do businesses with me”) or the Honourable Minister Kachikwu Ibe (“I use his private jet anytime”), but by simplicity, not by influence, contacts and arrogance, but by conviction and humility; I am not lazy! I have summoned uncommon valour and determination for a common purpose – to tell the bad corporate contractors-blackmailers and lobbyists that they are the recognized enemy of development in Delta State and especially Asaba and they are a shame.
I am not perfect, but I am not also empty and hollow like you. You know that you have never encountered any man like me in your entire life, and from the depth of your heart, you will forever respect me, because I have never and will never demand a dime from your filthy lucre. When you offered me and our Committee your “welfare package” I rejected it via a replied text message because your treachery and sharp practices has caused untold pains and deaths to Deltans whom you deprived the use of the various projects you failed to deliver after receiving payments. I can’t take a dime from you because of the agony you have put our people and government through.
I will continue to act with transparency and integrity in my oversight function especially on critical infrastructural projects so that ordinary Deltans can understand their government and trust that their money is well spent by ending abuses by contractors like you because, contractors abuses has cost Delta taxpayers billions of naira, and you exemplify this chicanery. I also verily understand the implications and risks of taking on powerful interest like you, but what you don’t know is that all powers belong to God the creator and giver of life.
With the fear of God, I will continue to use the powers entrusted upon me by our constitution to oversight and investigate all contractual abuses and unethical violations of the State contracting policies by all contractors who have been paid monies for contracts that they have failed to execute no matter whose horse is gored. The public is assured that ethics complaints against any contractor and government personnel will be investigated to know how well those contracts are completed. I do not want to score political points, I want to solve problems. Our work and determination to perform is not personal or targeted at anybody or any contractor. We are engaging and holding to account all erring contractors, that is why work has resumed on Okpanam road Asaba and other roads and projects that we are currently focusing on and there will be no exception.
Finally, as Chairman of the Committee, I would want to use this medium to advice all contractors to use the dry season window to return to site for the benefit of all Deltans as the Delta State House Committee on Works remain focused and would not be distracted or deterred by any form of blackmail and intimidation in the discharge of our duties.
Signed
Hon. Evance Ochuko Ivwurie, Chairman House Committee on Works, Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he economic benefit of President Olusegun Obasanjo visit to China in April 2006, where he appealed to Chinese industrialists and investors to utilize the opportunities created by the conducive democratic environment in Nigeria to invest in its economy, Chinese Electronic giant, Skyrun International Group has reponded by establishing her second factory outside China at the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ).
At the commissioning ceremony of the factory in Nigeria, the Chairman of Jiangsu Skyrun International CFTZ, Mr. Shao Xie disclosed that his company decided to heed President Obasanjo’s call because Nigeria is a friendly nation with a lot of potentials and business prospects, which was occasioned by the triving democracy in the country.
Skyrun is a company belonging to Jiangsu Skyrun International Group of companies. Located on a sprawling landmass at the Jiangsu industrial zone, the company produces cheap consumer electronics for Chinese middle class, and low income families.
Skyrun Electronic Company has no experience in international businesses. And its manufacturing products were entirely consumed in China and other Asian countries. In 2005, the Chinese government developed a policy and backed it up with functional provisions to enhance new technological companies to explore opportunities abroad. It was at this point the Tinapa Resort and the Calabar Free Trade Zone were constantly on the news.
A group of Chinese investors visited the then President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek investment opportunities in the country. One Adolphus Chima from Rivers State led the delegation to Nigeria.
In 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo led a delegation of Nigerian business men and women, and ministers to China were he told then Chinese President Hu Jintao that his visit was for economic cooperation and technological transfers. Trade and economic agreements were signed, and Obasanjo visited Jiangsu Skyrun operation headquarters were he singlehandedly invited the company to Nigeria.
In April 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao made a visit to Nigeria were companies like Skyrun CEO, China Electric CEO, China-Sinopec CEO, and host of others followed. Sinopec got three oil bloc licenses from that visit. Skyrun Electronics got the go ahead and approval to start operations in Calabar Free Trade Zone in 2006, towards the commissioning of Tinapa.
Sinopec will later buy off Canada’s Adax Petroleum operation fields in Calabar and Bonny. In 2007, Sinopec Conglomerate bought over Adax International Holdings in a deal that shuck the world.
For Skyrun, entrance into the Nigerian business environment was hazy. So, they team up with two other companies with credible operational experience inside Nigeria. China Jiangsu International Group, China Golden Gate Group of Companies, and Shinco Air Conditioner Manufacturing Company all came together to form the Skyrun Electronic Company Nigeria Limited, located at Calabar Free Trade Zone, in Cross River State.
Between 2006 and 2010 when Skyrun first rolled out its first TV sets and Fridges, the global economic recession in China between 2008 to 2011, saw Skyrun operations Calabar suffer a slow rise. By the end of 2013 when China global outlook looked good, Skyrun had so much support from China Import and Export Bank.
Today, Skyrun has dominated the Nigerian market with its relative cost effective and good standard quality for home appliances and electronics. Skyrun has over 1000 thousand workers at the Calabar Free Trade Zone in Cross River State. 210 of these workers are permanent staff, while the other are casual technicians that are called for during peak periods and tight order delivery.
Presently, Skyrun manufactures for countries like Cameroun, Niger, Ghana, Benin, Guinea, etc. Export link roads include South Africa and Madagascar.
Skyrun invited former President Obasanjo to commission its Deep Freezer section on the 11th of December, 2017 as an appreciation to former President Olusegun Obasanjo for all the support he has given the company.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]cting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Magu on Tuesday night escaped death by the whiskers as some gunmen stormed his house in Abuja. When they didn’t find the EFCC boss in the house, they killed one of the police guards attached to the house and disappeared. According to findings, the gunmen stormed the farmhouse in Karshi in the Federal Capital Territory at about 10pm and exchanged fire with the policemen on duty, The Nation reports
A police Sergeant was hit and he died instantly.This is the second time that the same the house will be attacked by unknown elements.The last 10 months had been tough for Magu because of his refusal to bow to pressure from some high-profile suspects and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).
Following threats, security was beefed up for Magu and his immediate family leading to the deployment of policemen to the uncompleted bungalow in Karshi.Some suspected elements had also been prowling the family’s house in the Borno State capital and issuing threats to the woman.
This latest attack came barely 48 hours after Magu said the anti-corruption will be a do-or-die affair.Speaking on Monday after a walk to mark the anti-corruption Day, Magu said: “For those of us on this side; in the anti-corruption agencies of government, in the media, and civil society, the dagger is drawn and I believe I am speaking the mind of everyone on this side that we intend to neither retreat nor surrender in our noble intention to cure our country of the evils of corruption.“For us as a country, the fight against corruption is a ‘do or die’ affair; we have to win the battle or die trying.
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]o fewer than 20 vehicles and four commercial motorcycles were on Wednesday afternoon burnt when a tanker laden with petrol fell and spilled its content on the Festac Link Bridge in Awuwo Odofin LGA of Lagos State.The fire started at noon and raged for about an hour. Fire fighters arrived at the scene about 30 minutes later but did not have enough water to quench the fire.
A witness, Mr Olufemi Popoola, told our reporter that the tanker, coming from Apple Junction and going to FESTAC Town was ascending the bridge but suddenly rolled back and fell. The impact of the fall separated the tank from the body, resulting in an explosion, according to Popoola.
He said that some residents and passers-by attacked the fire with buckets of water to no avail. Popoola , who lives in FESTAC, said that the fire from the tanker spilled over to nearby vehicles , forcing their occupants to run, abandoning them.
“The fire then spilled into a car shop on the foot of the bridge, burning some of the cars, while the attendants quickly drove out some.“Furniture items, bags and boxes displayed for sale on the foot of the bridge all burnt.The vehicles burnt included a 2010 Toyota Highlander and a commercial bus.
The fire caused gridlock on the bridge and in the adjoining roads.A crowd of affected persons and sympathisers gathered at the scene to lament the situation.One of the owners of the burnt motorcycles, Mr Akuko Okoli, said that he narrowly escaped death.It was not clear at the time of the report whether any life was lost to the fire.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was like a carnival on Thursday at Issele-Uku, headquarters of Aniocha North local government area of Delta state as the All Progressives Congress, (APC), ahead of the January 6, 2018 council polls flagged off its campaign rally.The rally which was attended by the state party chairman, Jones Erue and former speaker of the house of Assembly, Victor Ochei and other top notch of the party witnessed the presentation of flags to the chairmanship candidate, Andrew Azubuike Odozi (Goodness), and 14 councillorship candidates.
Speaking at the well attended flag-off held at the Oligbo Royal Palace Ground, state chairman of the party, Jones Ode Erue, told the candidates and party members, “you have being baptized politically. We are not here to talk mere words, we are here for action”, and charged the candidates not to be afraid as the party is strongly behind them in the race.
While assuring the candidates and party members that gone are the days of writing and fixing of results by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Mr. Erue disclosed that “I shall move with you people from street to street in Aniocha North to ensure victory for the party and our candidates. They cannot write the result of Delta State anymore.” The chairman called on the women to preach the party message to their husbands and children at home who are in other parties adding that “The slavery and the suffering are enough. We cannot continue like this”.
Erue accused governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration of looting the state treasury at the expense of the entirety of Deltans, “Yet they say Ego-Aria”, and at this point the mammoth crowd was thrown into an uncontrollable laughter.The chairman who charged the chairmanship candidate and his deputy and councillorship candidates to represent and win the election for the party, called on the masses to shun the PDP in the forthcoming local government election and cast their votes for the APC that has their interest at heart.
Also addressing the mammoth crowd, highly elated and outspoken former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, charged the chairmanship and other candidates of the party in the forthcoming council polls to be steadfast and be bold against all odds. Mr. Ochei, who is from the Aniocha North extraction, appealed to all those who contested with the chairmanship candidate, Mr. Andrew Azubuike Odozi (Goodness), to put the past behind and work for the victory of the party.
“Already, we have our candidates, whether you contested with him in primaries or you were not supporting him, please put everything behind you and support him because you believed in APC. And you know that we must create a change in this local government. APC is the idea that its time has come but the battle starts with you and me. That is we have to ensure that in our various wards we should not be ashamed or afraid”. Ochei however charged the candidates and party faithful to carry out the gospel of APC, “come out and do the voting from wards 1-14. I don’t want to see any councillorship candidate who is afraid. You will stand your ground as a lion. APC is a party of lions.
“In 2015 the party and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, defeated an incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan which has never happened before. So you must go out there, stand, defend your votes and you must win your wards”, promising them that the party would go round the whole wards to campaign.
The former speaker, used the medium to dared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that APC would meet them at the polls, “Let them think that we are not on ground and they will be making noise. When they came here in Aniocha North, even the governor was here, the crowd was not half what we have here today. It is on records. So we are telling them, get ready because APC is coming”.
In his acceptance speech shortly after receiving the party flag from the state chairman, the Aniocha North chairmanship candidate, Andrew Azubuike Odozi (Goodness), thanked the party, especially the former speaker, Mr. Ochei who has always been a pillar of the party in the local government and the entire state, assuring that come January, 6, 2018 it will be win win for the party in the local government.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] coalition of civil society groups will on Monday (today) hold rallies nationwide to press home their demand for the dismantling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police.
SARS has been widely accused of bribe taking, indiscipline, meddling in cases not related to its roles and inhuman treatment among others, .
The organisers of the protests include the Convener, #EndSARS, Segun Awosanya; Convener, Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju; Coordinator, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy, Ariyo Atoye; Adebayo Raphael, OurMumuDonDo Movement; and Abdul Mahmud and Bako Usman of the Campaign for Democracy.
The rally, according to the coalition of civil society groups, will hold in Abuja at the Unity Fountain; Lagos, Gani-Fawehinmi Park, Ojota; Warri, Enerhen Junction; Jos, Polo Terminus; Port Harcourt, Garrison Junction; Kaduna, Murtala Square; Ibadan, Mokola Junction; and Awka, Wetheral/Okigwe Road Roundabout.
The group said in a statement on Sunday: “We are appalled by the stories told by victims, friends and family members of victims who have recounted experiences of extortion, torture, murder and disappearance of friends and loved ones.
“To this end, we will be holding a series of peaceful protests around the country on Monday, December 11, 2017 at locations in several cities to call for the immediate dissolution of SARS as a police unit.
“Whilst calling for the scrapping of the unit, we are also calling for greater funding of the police, better training, the provision of better equipment and living quarters, the provision of insurance, the establishment of a stricter code of conduct, the public prosecution and discipline of errant police officers and such other connected matters.”
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has recently attracted strong condemnations for erected statues of visiting President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the president of Liberia. Last week, he appointed his sister, Mrs Ogechi Ololo as Commissioner of Happiness and Couples’ Fulfillment, to the chagrin of most Nigerians. In this report, Grassroots Publishers looks at the penchant of the governor for running Imo state like a personal fief.
Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, has been in the news in recent times for frivolous reasons. Last week, he constituted his cabinet, about ten months after the dissolution of the Imo State Executive Council.
On December 4, Okorocha swore in 28 new commissioners and 81 transition committee members of the local government councils in the state. At the swearing in ceremony, the state governor had described the appointees as ‘’the privileged group that has the opportunity to make names for yourselves, and put your signatures in the sands of time.’’ The government, Okorocha had warned, ‘’shall not tolerate any sharp practice or corruption of any type. Neither shall we accept indolence or laziness. You have been called to duty to help us achieve our vision in the Rescue Mission Project”. Significantly, the newly created Ministry of Happiness and Couples’ Fulfillment and the appointment his sister, Mrs Ogechi Ololo as the commissioner, raised eyebrows and the issue has been trending in the media.
In an attempt to defend his principal, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo said “the real essence of life is to be happy and to fulfill one’s purpose in life; government officials are elected to address this. This is the very reason people elect their leaders: to guarantee their happiness and purpose fulfillment. A great leader therefore, is one who provides happiness to the people”. Okorocha’s action and Onwuemeodo’s explanation, according to analysts, is the peak of comedy from a governor who has reduced governance to theatrics.
Governance as a family affair
Significantly, apart from reducing governance to comical levels, Governor Okorocha is said to be running Imo state both as a family affair and a private business. The governor, with reckless abandon, has been appointing family members as commissioners, directors and chairpersons of state institutions.
In 2016, Secretary to Imo state Government, George Etche had revealed that Okorocha’s wife Nkechi, was in charge of Ministries of Women Affairs, Works and Health. Before her new appointment, Ogechi Ololo was the governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on Domestic Matters.
In addition, it is widely believed that Okorocha wants his son in-law, who also doubles as the Chief of Staff, Mr Uche Nwosu, to succeed him in 2019.
Presidential statues
Last October, the Imo state governor took hospitality to absurd heights, when President Jacob Zuma of South Africa visited him. Apart from honoring Zuma with the highest Igbo traditional title of Ochiaga(the great warrior), a street was named after the South African president.
To cap it all, a giant statue was erected in his honour. Significantly, Okorocha had received bashing from within and outside Nigeria for wasting state resources on frivolities. Smarting from this, the governor ran into similar controversy, when the Liberian President, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf came calling.
Like Zuma, she was also honored with Chieftaincy title of ‘Ada Di Oha Nma’, literally meaning a ‘daughter that is pleasing to all and sundry’ and a statue. Both statues, according to reports, gulped over one billion naira.
As always, spokesman Onwuemeodo came to the defence of his boss. According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), for the 12 years that it held sway, ‘’never attracted any meaningful visitors to the state except PDP NEC members who were coming to loot the state.’’
He argued that ‘’if all we need to do to attract good things or investments to Imo is erecting statues, then we have no option than to erect as many of such structures as possible. We owe no one any apology”.
Surprisingly, despite the public outcry, the Imo state Governor still erected another statue in honor of the Ghanaian President, Mr Akufo Addo which will be unveil in a later .
SERAP kicks
As usual, the Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly investigate Governor Okorocha’s actions.
In the petition dated 10 November, 2017, which was signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunmbo Mumuni, SERAP noted that “the spending on statues and apparent misuse of Public resources may have violated constitutional provisions and international standards on code of conduct for public officers.
According to the anti corruption watch dog, erecting the statutes cannot be justified under any circumstances whatsoever, especially at the time when Imo state is unable or unwilling to pay teachers salaries and pensioners entitlements. ‘’Inviting Zuma and Johnson -Sirleaf to attend the opening of his foundation and honouring them with statues suggests abuse of office and apparent conflict of interest as such acts were undertaken by Governor Okorocha in the exercise of his public functions to presumably promote and advance the commercial and other interest of the Foundation”.
“SERAP believes that rather than serving the common interest of the public, spending over 1 billion naira of possibly public funds on Zuma and Johnson – Sirleaf in the context of their participation in the opening of the Rochas Okorochas Foundation would seem to put Governor Okorocha in a conflict of interest situation.”
Traditional rulers object
Similarly, the traditional ruler of Obinugwu in Orlu local government of Imo State, His Royal Highness Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, has kicked against Okorocha’s indiscriminate erecting of statues.
According to him, “Governor Okorocha is continuously desecrating Igbo culture, customs and values by conferring chieftaincy titles to undeserving strangers” . The traditional ruler pointed out that it is an aberration in Igbo culture to confer chieftaincy titles at about 11 at night. ‘’Only initiations into clandestine or cult groups are done at that time of the night,’’ he added. Chief Ilomuanya lamented that in recent times, Imo state has constantly made mockery of Igbo culture and traditional institution. ‘’As far as I am concerned, these visits are for personal gains and have no socio-cultural or economic benefits or relevance for Imo people.
Instead, our culture has become a foot mat for foreigners to march on and trivialize. The whole thing is exasperating”, the traditional ruler pointed out.
Misplacing priorities
In spite of reported salaries arrears, Okorocha is still frittering away state resources on mundane statutes. According to analysts, this is an indictment on the All Progressives Congress(APC), a party which came on board to curb waste and fight corruption.
As things now stand, the erecting of status which have no bearing on the people of Imo state and running government as a family affair seems like the worst form of waste and corruption in recent times. No doubt, these antics may count against Okorocha and APC in the coming election.
Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita the new Head of Service
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has issued a disclaimer to the viral job advertisement in the social media. The job announcement which was published on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) website has been described as false.
A statement signed by Dr. Joel Oruche advised members of the public to disregard the advertisement. Oruche said job seekers in the FCSC should always check the authentic website for advertisements and any other necessary information from the commission.
Read the disclaimer issued by the FCSC on the job advertisement below.
Civil Service Recruitment DISCLAIMER:
The attention of the Federal Civil Service Commission has been drawn to the recent online advertisement of job vacancies by the Commission in the media.
Members of the public are hereby informed that NO such advertisement emanated from the Commission. The advertisement should be treated as false and therefore be disregarded.
The Commission only advertises vacancies first in the Newspapers and on its website. We wish to advise members of the public to always visit our authentic website for advertisements and any other necessary information from the Commission.
We wish to inform the general public to beware of impostors who use the name of grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network to solicit for interviews, adverts or award presentation to always confirm the authenticity of such transaction through the following numbers:
09029375906 | 08149835420
As this body will not be held LIABLE for any unauthorized transaction with anyone. BE WARNED!
Speaking at the well attended flag-off held at the Oligbo Royal Palace Ground, state chairman of the party, Jones Ode Erue, told the candidates and party members, “you have being baptized politically. We are not here to talk mere words, we are here for action”, and charged the candidates not to be afraid as the party is strongly behind them in the race.
In his acceptance speech shortly after receiving the party flag from the state chairman, the Aniocha North chairmanship candidate, Andrew Azubuike Odozi (Goodness), thanked the party, especially the former speaker, Mr. Ochei who has always been a pillar of the party in the local government and the entire state, assuring that come January, 6, 2018 it will be win win for the party in the local government.
