City Reports

Some residents and shop owners in Awka, Anambra State capital, were thrown into wailing and weeping moods, as Anambra State Government resumed demolition exercise in the area, barely four days after the last lap of the 2023 General Election. Started on Wednesday, the demolition exercise, which is being carried out by the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), affects over one hundred shops, hotels, and residential apartments, located along the Oby Okoli Avenue, which stretches from UNIZIK Temporary Site Junction to across Okpuno village in Awka. ATM facilities, churches, and some other marked structures in the area were also not spared.

It was gathered that the structures were earlier marked for demolition by the ACTDA, which gave their owners seven (7) days to remove them (before January 25, 2023) or have them crushed to rubbles by the Authority. However, given a public outcry and series of media publications on the planned demolition and the shortness of the notice, the Authority suspended the exercise and gave a ‘grace period’ of barely one month.

Although, some of the affected residents and shop owners had already dismantled, relocated, or evacuated some of their facilities and wares ahead of the expiration of the first deadline to avoid incurring much loss. To some others, the second extension was a sort of relief, as they were yet to move a single pin from their shops in preparation for the appointed day. It was, however, surprising to many of the shop owners and the residents as the officials of the ACTDA were nowhere to be found to start the demolition (as expected) when the second deadline elapsed on February 24.

It was understood, by many, to mean that the Authority had suspended the planned demolition because of General Election, which kicked off on February 25. The election period apparently tarried till March 18, when the last lap of it, the House of Assembly Election was held.

Be it as it may, the residents and the shop owners were taken by surprise when, barely four days after the elections, the officials of the Authority stormed the area with a heavy-duty caterpillar and started crushing down some structures in the area. This forced others whose structures were also marked to start hastening up and calling for assistance to evacuate their wares before the demolition could get to their turns.

The rush helped minimize losses for some, while some were not fortunate enough to take out a single ware from their shops before it got to their shops. Currently, over 80 shops, residential house and other structures have so far been demolished in the area, with many victims still struggling to rescue their trapped wares, while metal scrap dealers count it lucky as they feast on the metal scraps.

Some of the victims of the demolition who spoke to Our Correspondent including Kingsley Umeh, Josephine Mbachu, and Judith Igwebuike described the demolition as unwarranted, unexpected and destabilizing, given the current economic realities in the country.

Many of them said they just recently renewed or paid their rents and expressed worry that such ‘unfortunate‘situation is befalling them in the first quarter of the year. They also wondered what could be the government’s reason for the demolition, as their shops are not illegally sited, nor did they block the drainage channels or have any structural defects.

In his quest to find out the actual reason behind the demolition, in an interview the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Mr. Ossy Onuko, after he visited the site to inspect the demolition. His request for interview was, however, turned down by the ACTDA Boss, who said he doesn’t have any business with the media, and directed hi…
[17:57, 26/03/2023] +234 806 627 4114: Concorde Hotel Owerri is in coma – Staff

By Ikenna Orioha

A staff of Concorde Hotel Owerri who did not want his name in print has alleged that the public establishment has been in coma due to negligence and mismanagement of its resources by management. Speaking to our reporter who visited the hotel recently, the staff pointed out that the hotel which is acclaimed to be a 5- Star hotel is now a shadow of itself as nothing seems to be working there. He observed that water, power, including facilities at the hotel are in shambles given to poor management and government shenanigan and lack of political will in investing hugely on commerce and industry, tourism, culture, art and theatre (entertainment). “Regrettably, Concorde Hotel Owerri is now a shadow of itself. Nothing works there. It has problems of poor power and water supply, decay of facilities and under -staffing and number of customers had reduced drastically with many rooms there being deserted. Virtually, all the departments including the toilets and bathrooms have totally decayed. No water to flush the toilet after use due to lack of power and water. The hotel which used to be rated as one of the best in South East especially in terms of facilities, activities, services, quality of food, drinks and number of workforce is now a shadow”, the staff stressed. The staff who further revealed that the hotel has turned to an abode where mainly government functionaries including politicians now live, called on the Imo State government to quickly intervene to restore the status quo of Concorde Hotel Owerri, saying the repositioning of the hotel would create more employment to Imo youths. However, efforts made to hear from the management of Concorde Hotel Owerri proved futile.
[17:58, 26/03/2023] +234 806 627 4114: In Anambra, 5 lynched to death for snatching phone
From Uchenna Ezeadigwe
Awka

Luck ran out of five suspected phone snatchers as they met their waterloo in Awka, Anambra State capital on Saturday. News Echo learnt that angry youths apprehended and set them on fire while allegedly attempting to rob some passers-by of their phones. According to a video from the scene, currently trending on the social media, the incident happened along the Old People’s Club Road in Okpuno village, Awka. The video shows one of the suspected robbers lying lifeless and half-naked on the road, and surrounded by the crowd, who were still raining weapons and abuse on him; while his suspected accomplices were already cruising on fire. As that was going on, tyres, planks and other combustibles started surfacing from nowhere and landing on the suspect. The defiant mob also played some pranks with the genital organ of the suspect, before they eventually poured fuel on him and lit him up. Okpuno village in Awka, especially the Woman Lecturer Axis, and some parts of Nodu village, have been very notorious for different kinds of robbery incidents, most especially phone snatching and other such robberies, which usually happens during early, lonely and late hours of the day. Efforts to get the reaction of the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, on the incident, proved abortive, as at time of filing this report.

Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State, has expressed worry over the descent of Imo into a failed state, accusing the State Governor, Hope Uzodimma and the All Progressives Congress of desperation to subvert democracy in the State.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Chibuike Onyeukwu, and made available to newsmen in Owerri, the former governor described the state Assembly election held on March 18, 2023, as a rape of democracy.

Making reference to the State Assembly polls in his Aboh Mbaise LGA, he frowned “at a horrible incident at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Aboh Mbaise LGA, where security agencies, in connivance with some compromised personnel of the Commission, carted away electoral materials.
“There is no doubt a state sponsored wickedness and determination to execute an evil plot.

“We will not be surprised if a man that was roundly rejected by the people of Aboh Mbaise, including his polling unit, is declared winner just to satisfy Uzodinma’s ego to humiliate Ihedioha, for defeating him in the March 9, 2019 governorship election” part of the statement read.

The former governor explained that “it is on record the PDP candidate, Ugochukwu Amuchie, convincingly won the election by a very wide margin in the 11 out of the 12 wards of Aboh Mbaise.

“But the Electoral Officer, the Officer-in-Charge, Anti Kidnapping and the election CP, bluntly refused and indeed resisted every attempt to collate the results even when Collation Officers arrived Aboh Mbaise LGA at about 4pm.
“As if that was enough, PDP agents, Rt. Hon. Mike Iheanetu and Mr. Chibuzor Ekenze were assaulted, arrested and taken away for no other reason than being of the PDP.

“The OC kidnapping and the election CP who were apparently in cahoots with the INEC officers have done the worst to our democracy and to God.
“Regrettably this is the same tale of horror, daylight rigging, voter intimidation, and manipulation of the electoral process, across the local government areas in Imo State.

“Verifiable records show that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, swept the polls across the state but agents of darkness have again denied the people their constitutional right to choose their leaders” the statement stated.
He called on the Chairman of the electoral commission and heads of security agencies to be fair and allow the votes count.

The Director-General, Imo State Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Hon. Mrs. Obioma Okafor, has advised consumers to be mindful of goods and services they buy and consume from the market to avoid being cheated, shortchanged or endangering their health.

She gave the advise during the commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day and the First Imo CPC Business Summit, held at CPC Office, Owerri, on Wednesday.

Okafor who noted that since her inception as Chairman of CPC, the commission has recorded more success especially in the area of creating awareness to consumers on the need to know their rights, goods and services they consume to avoid being cheated or contracting disease, adding that the business summit was aimed at exhibition of goods and services by marketers or traders.

While urging consumers of goods and services to open up against any fake or adulterated product to CPC for quick response and solution, Okafor mentioned that CPC has been relating cordially with consumers and government on way forward, informing that CPC has staff in all the 27 local government areas of Imo State to enhance consumer education, rights and protection.

According to her, “the theme of this year’s World Consumer Rights Day is “Empowering Consumers Through Transition”…The theme is even more interesting because it will create the necessary awareness to ensure sustainable generation, distribution and usage of energy by the consumers. Knowing our rights as consumers is very important to enable us identify when our rights is trampled upon, when to raise our voices or take legal action against any producer or service provider that goes against our rights”.

She commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for given CPC the needed support to operate optimally hence it was able to achieve good result in awareness creation, protection of consumer’s rights, regular and unbiased monitoring and regulation.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, says it has suspended for two weeks, it’s industrial action in Imo State.

The Union had proceeded on the strike on allegations of Imo State government interference in the activities of Labour union in the State, Vanguard reports

A statement signed by Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, said the suspension of the strike was to ensure an enabling environment for citizens in the State to carry out their civic duty on March 18, by voting for candidates of their choice, in the State Assembly elections.

He also stated the strike was suspended “due to persistent interventions by highly respected and well meaning Nigerians from within and outside Imo State; assurances by agents of the State government to make amends; and especially, in order to have an enabling environment for citizens in the State to perform their civic duty on Saturday, March 18 by way of voting for State House of Assembly Candidates of their choice.

“On behalf of the Nigeria Labour Congress, I hereby announce the suspension of the ongoing strike action in Imo State”

The NLC had last week embarked on strike in the State, shutting electricity supply and closed the Imo Airport

In preparation for the forthcoming coming House of Assembly elections on Saturday 18th March, the youths of Ezinihitte Mbaise under the aegis of Ezinihitte Youth Concerned Citizens have raised concern over the conduct of the current Electoral Officer of the LGA, Mrs Ekeoma Nebo.

The Organisation through a protest at the INEC office in the LGA called for the immediate removal of the EO and her further replacement.

Speaking to newsmen, at the protest, the Chairman of the group, Comrade Iheoma Wisdom disclosed that the reason for the protest is to register their ill feeling about the activities of the EO who has being in the LGA office for three consecutive electioneering period.

The chairman disclosed that the conduct of the EO during the last presidential/ National Assembly elections portrayed one who is partisan and bias in the discharge of her duties.

He further explained that the activities of the EO speaks volumes as she has been bought over by a particular party, whereby she works to project their interest and not for the general well-being of the electorate in the LGA.

According to him, during the last election the list of INEC ad-hoc staff was supposed to be published earlier but the EO played a smart one by withholding the legitimate list of the trained INEC staff and pasted names of those that were not trained in the LGA.

He maintained that they have respect the EO as a mother hence the peaceful approach been used and would not want the eruption of violence in the course of the discharge of her duty either

The chairman further pleads on the INEC REC, Prof Slyvester Uchenna Agu to intervene by redeploying the EO and a fresh replacement for the sake of peace and for a free , fair and credible elections in the LGA

Speaking also a member of the group, Steve O. Echeta said the removal of the EO should take effect before the forthcoming House of Assembly Elections.

Echeta affirmed that the EO is sentimental, bias and working for specific individuals. He maintained the the group is not partisan or working for a particular party but seeks for the general interest of the LGA.

He said, the replacement is necessary in order for a violent free election. According to him, several misconduct of the EO proves she has a hidden agenda.

He maintained that the group stands for peace hence the peaceful approach in their demands.

No fewer than three thousand women from Umunze Community, and neighbouring villages in Orumba South Local Government Area, on Tuesday staged a protest, over the death of a septugenarian, Mrs Charity, whose body parts were harvested for rituals.

Ohr correspondent reports that the late Mrs Charity as she is simply known, was last week attacked at her residence in Umunze, where her nipples, private part, lips and fingers were cut off by her attackers, presumably for money ritual.

She was rushed to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, where she was receiving treatment, but later died as a result of injuries sustained.

Women of Umunze community who trooped out to the local government headquarters on a protest identified the assailant as an indigene of Abakiliki in Ebonyi State, while calling for the expulsion of all indigenes of Abakiliki, residing in Umunze.

Women’s leader in the community, Mrs Bridget Enekwechi told journalists that: “We have reviewed the activities of Abakiliki people living in Umunze, and we have come to the conclusion that they must leave our community.

“They are many in our community. They impregnate our girls out of marriage; they rape our woman, and are involved in most of the killing you hear on Umunze. See how they butchered Madam Charity, they will leave our community for peace to reign.”

The President General of the community, Mr Hippolite Olua who addressed the women at the council secretariat promised to ensure that the deceased, Mrs Charity gets justice even in death.

“We are calling on all of you to maintain peace and go about your protest peacefully. Our mother who was killed was a good woman, and she does not deserve to be murdered in such a gruesome manner.

“The suspect has been arrested and handed over to the police, and he confessed that a native doctor told him to bring the items for money ritual. He has refused to produce the body parts he cut from our sister, and he will be charged to court soon and jailed. We promise you monitor the matter until justice is served.

In the meantime, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Promise Eze, who spoke to journalists corroborated the criminal activities of most of their tenants, saying that a register has been opened for all non-indigenes living in Umunze to register their names.

“We want to know those living within us, what they do for a living, where they live and also get the guarantee of their landlords that they are of good conduct.”

Scarcity of new naira notes has began to take another shape in Anambra state as a bereaved family provided POS machine for transaction and payment of condolence money by sympathisers.

The incident happened over the weekend at Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, which is the hometown of the State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

According to a video currently trending online, the digital burial was organised by the Orafu family.

Aside the POS machine provided by the mourners, the video also shows an account number where those who want to make transfer can send their condolence token.

masculine voice which was heard over that accompanies the video also announced that the family would not accept old naira notes from any sympathiser, while also informing that naira scarcity won’t be an excuse for one not to pay condolence visit to the family, as alternative means of payment have been provided.

Recall that the introduction of new naira notes and outlawing of some old ones by the Central Bank of Nigeria has led to scarcity of naira notes in the country, as the acceptable notes (the legal tenders) are in short supply and scarcely available to the people.

The situation has not only generated a chain of actions and reactions in different parts of the country, but has also compelled people to start making cashless transactions and exploring other means of payment, which were hitherto underused in the country.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has congratulated the newly elected President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, saying he has joined the many sons and daughters of Imo who have made the State proud.

Comrade Ajaero, the Deputy National President of NLC since 2011, was returned unopposed Wednesday morning by his colleagues at the 13th National Delegates Conference of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Abuja.
He succeeds Comrade Ayuba Wabba whose tenure elapsed same as day, February 8, 2023.

A statement by Oguwike Nwachuku, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma said his principal noted with pride that Ajaero’s emergence has once more shown that Imo State is made up of citizens that can be trusted with higher national and international assignments.

The Governor was particularly elated that Ajaero emerged unopposed, as a consensus candidate, an indication that his colleagues have invested so much trust in him.
In congratulating Ajaero, Governor Uzodimma said he has no iota of doubt that his leadership of the NLC will help to galvanize national progress and development, and that through partnership with government that lasts, Labour under his watch will render service to humanity and God.

The Governor who also congratulated the delegates for conducting a peaceful conference said Ajaero’s victory is a victory for Nigerian workers who believe so much in his capacity as their President to lead them to the promised land.

Ajaero, a former Secretary General of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) hails from Emekeuku in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.

In a similar vein, the former Governor of Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has congratulated Comrade Joe Ajaero who emerged as the new President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Ihedioha in a statement he released through his Spokesman, Chibuike Onyeukwu noted that Ajaero has made history by emerging unopposed at the 13th National Delegates’ Conference of the union, Wednesday in Abuja.
He decried the insecurity, poverty level and unbearable situation of the Nigerian workers across the country.

“While expressing confidence that Comrade Ajaero, being a true democrat, defender of democracy, an astute labour leader with rich experience, will provide an independent and purposeful leadership that will alleviate the plight of workers and indeed restore the dignity of the Union, Ihedioha urged him to remain on the path of patriotism, especially at this time, the nation is faced with several challenges ahead of the general elections.”
He equally prayed God to grant the new president and his team, wisdom and grace to excel in the onerous task ahead.

Comrade Ajaero, a native of Emekuku in Owerri North LGA of Imo State, was until his emergence as President, Deputy National President of the Union.

Imo State Accountant General AG, Mr Linus Okeafor has revealed that the Imo State Government led by Senator Hope Uzodinma, has finally paid all genuine workers in the State’s Civil Service Work Force.

The Accountant General made this submission Tuesday at State Secretariat complex located along Owerri Portharcourt road while delivering lecture/paper presentation for the Civil Service Week.

The Accountant General who was poetic and dramatic while presenting his paper titled “Early and Regular Payment of Salaries”: made it abundantly clear that Governor Hope Uzodinma is always anxious of the welfare of Imo Workers adding that no authentic Imo Worker is complaining of salary any longer.

He maintained that Imo Workers will continue to receive their salaries as at when due.
He advised those Civil Servants with little salary issues to go to the office of the Head of Service and sought themselves out.

“Pensioners and workers will be getting their money promptly from now on. Even this month that have just ended, workers have received alert of their payment” AG said.

Speaking further, he explained that every verified worker in Imo State is being paid because of the improvement in the data management and salary payment.

He made it clear that a digital technology makes it possible for easy and prompt payment of salaries and pension.

The Accountant General also said the Governor is motivating workers for them to be more productive in the State.

According to him, the promotion coming up is for every qualified worker. He assured Imolites that the 13 month salary will remain constant through the period of the 3R government.

He therefore urged all workers of the State to reciprocate the good gesture of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
Our reporter gathered that the event is the first of its kind over the years and it was mainly organized to thank God for the smooth end of year 2022, to offer prayer to God for mercy and protection of the governor and the entire State.

The civil service week started with a church service on Sunday at Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri. Preaching the homily, the Cathedral Administrator Rev Fr Clement Odemene said God created man to be an embodiment of love, kindness and peace and urged Christians to be mindful of their dealings.