The immediate past Secretary to Imo State Government, Hon. Uche Onyeagucha, has submitted that George Obiozor’s emergence as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo will kill the socio-political organization.
Onyeagucha spoke at the 3rd anniversary of Egbu Declaration, championed by the Coalition for Owerri Reawakening, held in Owerri.
He described Obiozor as Governor Hope Uzodimma’s stooge and not a consensus representative of people of the state.
Onyeagucha expressed disappointment that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu involved himself in the purported adoption of Obiozor as the consensus candidate of the state, describing such action as rubbing mud on the faces of the people.
He called on Owerri people to remain resolute in their avowed determination to reclaim the governorship of the state.
In their separate remarks, chairman of the occasion, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor; keynote speaker, Prof. Jude Njoku and chairman, planning committee, Hon. Oliver Enwerem, said the event was to reaffirm the stand of Owerri Zone in the Egbu declaration which is on the moral right and necessity for the zone to produce the governor of the state and to make it clear that the stakeholders are keeping alive the quest.
They appreciated people of Owerri Zone for their unity and passion in the 2019 general elections and urged them never to relent.
In a chat, a former commissioner, National Population Commission, Chief Emma Nwaogu, insisted that Owerrri Zone will reclaim the governorship in 2024.
He noted that the people of the zone committed their all to elect a governor in 2019, but regretted that the Supreme Court judgement cut short the joy of the people.
Nwaogu encouraged the people to keep hope alive, while describing the ousted governor, Emeka Ihedioha, as a refined politician.
[6:06 PM, 12/6/2020] +234 703 132 5955: Stakeholders want review of NOGIC Act
From Rhoda Godwin,
Yenagoa
Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have called for the amendment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGIC) Act to accommodate a local benefit plan for host communities.
The call was made during the annual public lecture of the Federated Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Bayelsa State council.
The event which had as theme: “Ten Years of the NOGIC Act: Achieving 70% Nigerian Content”, held at the NUJ Press Centre, Yenagoa.
Chairman of the occasion, and retired federal permanent secretary, Ambassador Boladei Igali, lamented that host communities were still ignorant of the provisions of the act, adding that the local folks should be sensitized on its provisions.
Igali, who was represented by the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, Chief Nengi James, while commending the Correspondents Chapel for organizing the lecture, called for the domestication of the act to accommodate local realities.
The guest lecturer and Director-General of the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, YECCIMA, Mr. Warmate Jones, said the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) was yet to achieve the projected 70 percent Nigerian content, pointing out that only 30 percent has been achieved so far.
He noted that the NCDMB has stated that it hopes to achieve the strategic roadmap in 2027, as well as create 300,000 jobs.
On the amendment of the NOGIC Act, he highlighted that Section 7,10,13, and 15 need to be amended to include a local benefit plan, and proposed that a minimum of 40 percent of all in country services for purchases to be made from within the productional areas of the oil industry.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Dr. Ibiere Jones, said the state government has been providing the enabling environment for the multinational oil companies to peacefully coexist within the host communities.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Chairman of the Federated Correspondents Chapel, Mr. Chris Eze, said the lecture was to provoke discourse and commentaries and appraise the enforcement of the NOGIC Act 10 years after its enactment.
By Uzoma Ogoke and Ikenna Orioha
