We read a very comical and unintelligent piece from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, aimed at an attempt to exonerate Prof. Ogbonnaya Francis Otunta from allegations of sexual harassment and illegal seizure of staff salaries.

The piece though expensively advertised was very funny, watery and emanated from Prof. Ogbonnaya Otunta’s acolytes in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, wherein they said he has been exonerated from allegations of sexual harassment which has been established against the randy VC.

If not for overwhelming evidence of guilt, I wonder why a Professor and Vice Chancellor of a federal University will go ahead to spend millions of naira sponsoring such a worthless advertorial knowing fully well that the council is still on the matter and has not cleared him of any of such accusation.

To set the records straight, no known authority has cleared Prof. Otunta of any accusation of sexual harassment, gross embezzlement and mismanagement of school resources leveled against him, on which he is at the moment facing trial, it is also noteworthy that the ICPC is already prosecuting him over allegations of fraud and embezzlement and the matter is scheduled to be heard in the high court holden at Umuahia on march.
It is on record that the governing board of the university is yet to give verdict on the allegations of sexual harassment and illegal seizure of salaries leveled against Prof. Otunta by Prof. Mrs. Etuna Mbah. Our investigations revealed that the Nigerian Universities Commission, the regulatory body of all the Universities in the country has not washed the morally deficient Professor Otunta clean of the grievous offences of sexual harassment and illegal seizure that is in their table at the moment.

It is public knowledge that the matter is still subsisting in the National Industrial Court Owerri and the court has not dispensed of the matter to either clear or pronounce Otunta guilty of the allegations.

Records also show that the matter was reported to the ministry of education where the minister of state for education Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba has tried to resolve the matter and had ordered Otunta to pay Prof. Mrs. Mbah her due entitlements.

While we are not bothered about the mission of self-entertainment and self-fulfilled lies by Otunta and his minions, it is also very important that the records will be set straight.

Otunta and his group of friends would have been patient for the authorities saddled with the responsibility of taking care of such issues who are already handling the matter to come out with their verdict before advertising their lies. Is It therefore not a sign of guilt and public deceit for Otunta and his disciples to have gone ahead to exonerate the morally deficient Professor of crimes already being handled by the court and other competent authorities when they are still to come out with their pronouncements.

Is it not embarrassing that from University of Benin, Federal Polytechnic Uwana, Afikpo and presently Michael Okpara University all you read and hear about Prof. Otunta are allegations of Sexual harassment, corruption and fraud?

It is evidential and highly regrettable that Prof. Otunta has mismanaged and ran down the once robust institution he inherited, all that exists in MOUAU today are decayed infrastructure and reduced students population courtesy of his inability to expand on his predecessors’ achievements or even create new windows of improvement.

Our investigations revealed that Prof. Otunta has compromised the Council Chairman and has stopped him from diligently carrying out investigation on most of the allegations as demanded, We are also aware of how Prof. Otunta cajoled the school senate into summoning an emergency meeting on Sunday 2nd February through Monday 3rd February with the preconceived agenda of clearing him of those allegation and forward same to the governing council for confirmation.

Prof. Otunta has openly boasted about being untouchable and that he can do anything including victimizing anyone who refuses to yield to his wishes and go scot free because he is under the protective umbrella of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onuh, the minister of Science and Technology.
The randy Professor was overheard saying that all the cases established against him will not see the light of the day because there is a godfather watching over him in the person of Dr. Onuh. It then becomes more worrisome that a person of Dr. Onu’s standing will watch a randy professor mess with his reputation.

The question we will want Prof. Otunta and his confused friends to answer is “Which authority or committee cleared him of the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him”?

Until Prof. Ogbonnaya Francis Otunta attempts an answer to the above poser it will remain unjustified for Prof. Otunta to continue to function as the Vice Chancellor of the institution pending the determination of all the allegations heaped on him which bothers on corruption, sexual harassment and intimidation, abuse of power etc. it therefore behoves on the government and the school council to move for his stepping aside in order not to suppress justice as he is doing at the moment taking advantages of his influence and the huge resources available to him from the schools coffers as a sitting Vice Chancellor.

Comrade Uche Aguoru
Secretary
Concerned Ikwuano\Umuahia Citizens Initiative

Following events around the country within the last two weeks, there has been over 10 reported cases of wives killing their husbands and vice versa, just recently in Abia state a man shot his wife in the presence of their children and the community had to kill the man instantly, the case of Maryam Sanda is still fresh in our memories, in plateau state there has been over 3 incidents of couples killing each other, I feel embarrassed each time I come across such terrible news and its high time those who conduct marriages in churches, mosques and registries tell their clients the truth about the “VOWS” they undertake.

I have seen pastors divorce and remarry, I have seen Imams abandon their marriages, I have seen highly respected and revered religious leaders leave their matrimonial unions because their marriages have broken down, and yet they will mount the pulpit to instruct you to remain in a marriage that is life threatening, because you want to maintain a marriage doctrine coined and written by man.

Brethren, that marriage counselor telling you that it is only death that can separate a marriage contract is not only being deceitful but qualifies as a big liar. If that marriage is not working please walk away, it's only a living person that enjoys marriages, don't manage because of your children or what the society will say, because you will die an agonizing death leaving those children behind and probably your partner will be in jail with no one to take care of those your precious kids that made you stay back in a marriage that you know has completely broken down, you can only train those children, if you stay alive and the same society that you are afraid of what they will say will also blame you for not taking a walk.

No relationship is worth your life, If trust issues get worse in your marriage please walk away when you still have your life, most times couples rediscover love and respect for each when they are separated.

So When Next Your Pastor/Imam Tells You That Marriage Is “Till Death Do Us Part” tell him/her that it’s a lie.

Uche Aguoru

The member representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo federal constituency Hon. Solomon Adaelu’ has concluded arrangements for the construction of a Mini Stadium in his constituency, the sports complex which will be named “Osisioma Ngwa Ultra-Modern Sports Complex” will be located at Amavo Umunneato Autonomous community.

When completed the sports complex will be hosting state of the art facilities with an intendment to harness, nurture and develop talented youths and sportsmen not only from his constituency but across Abia state.

When completed the Ultramodern 600 seater capacity sports facility will be hosting national and international sporting events such as track and field events with indoor games (eg) cricket, table tennis, lawn tennis, squash etc.

There will be an Olympic size football field for Football Competitions with a standard dressing room.

The Complex will also house
1) An Olympic size Swimming Pool
2) Pool Bar
3) Restaurant
4) Handball Court
5) Volleyball Court
6) Basketball Court
7) Table Tennis
Facility for all Olympic Recognized Field and Track Competitions like Javelin, Shot-put, Hammer, Long Jump, Weightlifting, High Jump etc.

In an interview with the News Gazette Online, Hon. Adaelu’ popularly called the Messenger by his constituents, revealed that the major aim of establishing the Complex is to ensure early talent discovery, grassroots Youth development, curb negative vices in our Society, adequately prepare our Sports men and women for future National and International Sporting Competitions and most importantly keep the youths engaged and away from crimes and criminality, in his words“ I decided to site the complex in my constituency so as to open up our Constituency to the World” he described as worrisome the indulgence of our youths into drugs and all manner of crime and noted that if our youths are gainfully and passionately engaged, crimes and indulgence in drugs will experience considerable reduction.

Members of the concerned Abia Pensioners that were reportedly arrested yesterday by Abia state police command is exonerating the commissioner for Finance, Dr. Aham Uko of any involvement in their ordeal.

Speaking during a visit to FLO FM, Secretary of the Group, Emeka Okezie and another member, Kalu John who however failed to name who ordered for their arrest said they never met with the commissioner.

They explained further how police arrested them after applying for permission to hold a peaceful protest.

Recall that Abia state Police command on Thursday arrested two pensioners in Umuahia for allegedly organizing a protest in Umuahia against alleged state government’s failure to pay their entitlements.

Source: Flo FM

Some pensioners protesting pension arrears in Abia State were Thursday morning arrested and detained by the police.

The pensioners according to their mouthpiece were arrested on the orders of a highly placed State Government official.

Those arrested were Daniel Amugo , and Chukwuemeka Augustus, the Chairman and Secretary of Abia State Concerned Pensioners, respectively.

Addressing newsmen in Umuahia on the development, the Vice Chairman of the pensioners union, Elder John Kalu, said the arrested senior citizens were picked up after a meeting with the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Aham Uko in his office at the Government House.

According to him, the pensioners had earlier planned to stage a peaceful protest but the Commissioner of Finance invited their Chairman and Secretary for a parley in his office.

He said that they were still in the meeting when the Commissioner was allegedly called on phone by another top government official who told him he was on his way to the venue of the meeting.

Elder Kalu said that shortly after the phone conversation, some police personnel accosted the pensioners on their way after the meeting and whisked them away to the Area Command located at the Central Police Station Umuahia.

Meanwhile, when other senior citizens who had converged at the Sub-Treasury, Bende Road got wind of the sad development, they marched to the police station but were locked out at the gate.

However, after much pleading and dialogue, few of their representatives were allowed entry into the station where they sought to know why their leaders were put behind bars.

The Area Commander, after discussions with the pensioners referred them to the Commissioner of Police at the State Headquarters who he said had directed they should come to meet him.

Meanwhile the wife of one of the detained senior citizens, Mrs. Chiamaka Daniel was spotted at the police station weeping uncontrollably over the plight of her aged husband.

The agitated pensioners later marched to the Police Headquarters where their representatives held meeting with the Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okon, behind closed doors.

Later in an interview, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the state, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the pension leaders were picked up for impersonation.

He said there was a petition against them alleging impersonation of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP leaders in the state.

The PPRO said that the national body of NUP when contacted, disowned them, adding that they are still being investigated.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the Concerned Pensioners, Elder Kalu denied allegation of impersonation, saying they never claimed leadership of NUP.

Elder Kalu who accused the state leadership of NUP of hobnobbing with the state government at the expense of pensioners explained that the docility of the NUP leadership over the welfare of pensioners led to the formation of the pressure group.

He said that the little payment of pension arrears by the state government was as a result of pressure by the group, alleging that the state leadership of NUP is inactive.

Some of the pensioners claimed they were owed for 34 months spanning two administrations in the state.

"I'm owed for 34 months and was just paid one month in January which they said was for November 2019", yelled one of the aggrieved retirees.

The senior citizens who were all decked in black attires vowed never to leave the entrance gate to the Police Headquarters until their leaders were released.

When contacted , the Finance Commissioner denied any involvement in the matter saying he never had any meeting with the arrested pensioners.

" Not me, not me at all. Please do your investigations well", he said in a phone interview with our correspondent.

Attempt to reach the Information Commissioner, Chief John Okiyi Kalu did not yield fruit as his phone was switched off.

End

Press Statement

My attention has been drawn to publications in a section of the media alleging that I met with a group of pensioners on Thursday, January 23, 2019, in my office, and subsequently invited security agents to arrest them.

I wish to state, without fear of contradiction, that I did not meet with the said pensioners and never ordered the arrest of any of them. The story as published is false and malicious as I was involved in meetings outside my office on the said day and only read about the purported meeting with the pensioners from the media.

It is important to point out that following the directive of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, we have prioritized regular payment of pensioners to ensure that they receive their due along with other workers in the state every month. There is therefore no basis for me to order the arrest of any pensioner or any other law abiding Abian for that matter.

Thank you.

Dr Aham Uko
Honorable Commissioner for Finance,
Abia State, Nigeria.
24/1/2020

The death of Ms. Olabisi Shokunbi an indigene of Obafemi Owode Local Government Area in Ogun State but residing in Lagos with her family had sparked off series of controversies between the late Olabisi’s family and Mr. Bode Arowonshoki. The family of the late lady had accused Mr. Bode Arowonshoki of being responsible for the death of their sister who they said died mysteriously two weeks after successful delivery of a baby girl in Cote’Divoire.

Narrating the incident to The News Gazette Online a brother to the deceased Mr. Dayo Shokunbi said Mr. Bode Arowonshoki tricked their sister to Cote’Divoire without the knowledge of any member of the family and did not even inform them when the she died, he said around July 2019 her sister Bisi Shokunbi who is now late informed him that their church is making preparation to take her and other church members to Canada, unknown to me and other members of the family that Bode Arowonshoki who is not known to any member of our family has arranged to traffic our late sister to Cote’Divoire.
She again informed me later that same month that they will be leaving on the 26th of July 2019, I then told her that I will be seeing her off to the airport so I can also see other members of her church that she is travelling with, we agreed on that, but on the morning of the day that she was supposed to travel I began to call her lines so as to meet up with her according to our earlier arrangements since we don’t stay together but her phones were switched off, I got apprehensive and rushed down to her house only to be told that she had travelled, we did not hear from her till a day after when she now wrote to me through Facebook messenger that she had gotten to her destination and that was the last we heard from her, all the messages I sent to her afterwards requesting for her contacts and address was not responded to.

Around August 2019, one Mr. Bode Arowonshoki called to inform us that our sister was sick and that if adequate care is not taken that she might die, it was at that point that we traced to know where the call was coming from only to discover that it was Cote’Divoire as against Canada that my sister said she travelled to, we did not hear from him or anyone else until 9th, Sept. 2019 when someone else who claimed to have been the person housing my sister and her lover in Cote’Divoire called to inform us that my sister was already pregnant before she arrived Cote’Divoire with Bode who introduced her as his wife and said he had done the marriage rights in Nigeria before bringing her to Ivory Coast, he also informed us that our sister died on September 9th 2019 and her body has been deposited in Cocody Mortuary, Ivory Coast, that she died of bleeding after two weeks of successful delivery while her two weeks old child is still with Mr. Bode Arowonshoki, we have made several efforts to reach Mr. Bode so as to know what killed our sister but he has refused to either take our calls or return same.

We have petitioned Lagos State Police Command, NAPTIP and the Lagos State Public Advice Center who confirmed to us that they have sent a letter to their diaspora office, we have also written to the Embassy of Cote’Divoire in Nigeria, all we want is for the body of our sister and the little baby to be brought back to us here for proper burial and to determine the actual cause of her death because the circumstances of her death is sketchy and we suspect is for ritual purposes.

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The President General Ohuhu Welfare Union Chief Sir Obi Aguocha’ and members of his exco on Thursday undertook an inspection of the gully erosion site at Isiokata, at the site, Chief Aguocha decried the dangerous state of the major access road into Ohuhu land and called on the government both at federal and state levels to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of Ndi Ohuhu.

He pleaded with those dumping refuse at the site to hence forth desist, because the dangerous gaseous emissions from the refuse further helps to degrade the earth and ravage the place more, the Ohuhu number 1 citizen said that he will meet with relevant stake holders in Ohuhu land and also the state government to seek ways of introducing immediate palliative measures to wage further encroachment.

Chief Aguocha advised motorists to please use the detour created by Umuahia North Local Government Area under the administration of the immediate past T.C Chairman Barrister Kelechi Ezechukwu for their safety and announced that as a measure to further dissuade motorists from using the road which is already very porous from beneath the tarred road, the Ohuhu Welfare Union will build concrete barriers to block the road and put street lighting points at the detour so as to make it safe at night.

He called on all Ohuhu sons and daughters both at home and in diaspora to assist the union in its effort to bring palliative measures so as to avert the calamity that may happen if an urgent action is not taken on that section of the road before the rains arrive, because no one can guarantee the safety of that road during the coming rainy season which is almost at hand.

He called on the relevant government agencies such as NEWMAP that has captured the project in its budget to please prioritize it and hasten action so as to save the disaster waiting to happen.

Uche Aguoru

The death of Lady Harriet Uzosike has continued to attract great personalities into the quiet Umuawaoli community in Umunwanwa, Umuahia South LGA.

On Thursday the 16th of January 2020, His Eminence Dr. Samuel K. Uche Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria came to pay a condolence visit to the Uzodike’s in their country home in Umuawoli, Umunwanwa over the death of their mother, wife and grandmother late lady Harriet Uzosike, Dr. Uche described the late Lady Harriet Uzosike as a hardworking, God fearing and worthy Christian, who lived a worthy life and brought up her children in the fear and ways of the lord.

His Eminence used the occasion to congratulate Hon Barrister Jerry Uzosike over his 2019 electoral victory into the Abia State House of Assembly as Member Representing Umuahia South State Constituency, he described the victory as God given and urged him to place the interest of his constituents first and ensure that he delivers effective and selfless representation.

In his Speech, the Arch Bishop Dr. Opoko described Hon Uzosike as a committed Methodist and Christian who is always ready to carry out the things of the lord and undertake any assignment that will glorify the name of the lord.

In his vote of thanks, Hon Uzosike described them as very special visitors and thanked them for remembering the family, He counted Himself and the entire Uzosike family lucky for having the man of God and head of Methodist Church Nigeria in His house, He thanked the Prelate for his love for him and the family and prayed God to continue to guide the Men of God in their task of evangelization and spreading the word of God.

The prelate and other men of God in his entourage prayed for the family and delivered Prophetic prayers upon Hon. Uzosike.

Those who joined his Eminence in the visit include His Grace, Most Rev. Dr Raphael C Opoko, the Arch Bishop of Umuahia Arch Diocese, The Rt. Rev V.C.E Onoh Jp, The Rt. Rev. Dr. James Anyanwu and a host of other Men of God

In a Press Statement on Wednesday, the chairman of NUJ Enugu state council Comrade Rex Arum, and Secretary Mrs Amaka Agbo, said the duo of Emeka Anyalebechi, Chinedu Adonu, are not updated members of the union and does not have the right to vote or be voted for and at such does not possess the rights to meddle into matters that concerns the union, the statement also advised Anyalebechi to concentrate his energy on clearing his name with the allegations of embezzlement leveled against him by his colleagues over the funds contributed for Christmas/New Year festivities at Radio Nigeria.

PRESS STATEMENT

The attention of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council has been drawn to a purported press statement allegedly issued and circulated on Jan. 7, 2020 by one Emeka Anyalebechi, a staff of Radio Nigeria, Coal City FM, Enugu and one Chinedu Adonu, a freelance reporter with The Vanguard Newspapers in Enugu who claimed to be caretaker chairman and secretary respectively of the state council.

Ordinarily, the council would have refused to dignify the impostors, their ‘co-travelers’ and paymasters with a response but for members of the public who could easily fall prey to their mischief.

Also Read: PUBLIC NOTICE: NUJ Acting Vice President Disclaims Sebastian Okafor, Says NUJ S/EAST ELDERS FORUM Is Unknown

It is pertinent to note that the NUJ Enugu State Council has validly constituted executive led by Comrade Rex Arum as chairman and recognised by the national leadership of the union.
The leadership of the union in the state operates from the NUJ secretariat at Rangers Ave., Independence Layout, Enugu and has the full backing of members of the union in the state and beyond.

We wish to also state that the impostors are not members of the union in good and regular standing and do not have the locus to lay claim to any leadership position in the union.

While Emeka Anyalebechi who but for his questionable character and anti-union activities may continue to enjoy his membership of the union, the same cannot be said of Chinedu Adonu.
As a freelance reporter with no regular employment, Chinedu Adonu can only qualify as an associate member and by the NUJ Constitution, does not have a voice or voting rights in the union; He is not qualified to vote and or be voted for in an NUJ election.
As Chinedu Adonu does not qualify to hold any position even at the chapel level, one, then, wonders why his ill-conceived claim.

Emeka Anyalebechi, Chinedu Adonu and their sponsors should, perhaps, be reminded that the state council of the union has since moved on from those crises-ridden years and is now a one big and happy family. Never again would we allow the locusts to feast on the council and on our common patrimony. Once ordinarily would have expected Anyalebechi to have spent more energy in clearing his name on what he allegedly did with funds contributed by his colleagues at Radio Nigeria for the Christmas/New Year festivities but true to his colours instead of destroying his already bartered image for a paltry N15000.00.

It will be in the best interest of Anyalebechi and his co-travelers to give peace a chance or face the consequences of their inglorious actions.

Finally, members of the NUJ in the state, hereby, reiterate their full support and confidence in the ability of the national president, Chief Chris Isiguzo to restore the lost glory of the union.

Rex Arum
NUJ Chairman

Amaka Agbo
NUJ Secretary

PLEASE KINDLY VISIT YOUR BANKERS TO RENEGOTIATE YOUR RATES ON YOUR PERFORMING FACILITIES NOW .

*This is a free financial advisory service.

The decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to completely prohibit individuals and local firms from investing in both its primary and secondary Open Market Operations (OMO) auctions and to raise Loan to Deposit ratio of deposit money banks to 65% is having a positive impact on deposit and lending rates

As at close of business on January 6, 2020, deposit rates across the whole deposit money banks have crashed to between 2 to 3%.

Please if you have any running facility or credit with any deposit bank that is still running at double digit interest rate , kindly approach your Bankers to RENEGOTIATE the rates to single digit .

No bank is supposed to charge you an interest rate that is priced above 7% band between deposit and prime lending rate .

Kindly note that this advisory is only for those, with excellent performing facilities and are well collateralized and not for the customers with non performing facilities

PUBLIC NOTICE/DISCLAIMER 11/01/2020

It has come to my notice, a purported ‘Press Release’ attributed to one Sebastian Okafor, masquerading as ‘Chairman NUJ South East Elders Forum’ wherein he dabbled into affairs relating to the recent demolition of the fence of the Press Center of NUJ Enugu State Council.
Okafor, also in the same release, as published in Reformist online of January 10, 2020, made spurious allegation against the leadership of NUJ, particularly, our National President, Chief Chris Isiguzo, alleging that he collected N25 million from alleged sale of NUJ land donated to Enugu council in 1971 by the state government.

The Zonal Leadership of Zone C (South East) of NUJ does not wish to join issues with regard to unfounded claims made in the said release by Okafor, who, obviously for ‘stomach infrastructure’, equally assumed the devil’s advocate of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA); as such criminal allegations would be addressed at the appropriate time.

The Zonal leadership under my watch wishes however to make the following categorical statements:
1. There is no body or group known to the Zone as ‘NUJ SOUTH EAST ELDERS FORUM’. It is therefore an illegal/criminal and ad-hoc creation of criminal minded individuals as a platform to carry out hatchet jobs and extort money from unsuspecting public.

2. That the Zonal Executive Committee of the Union Zone C, whether when I served as Zonal Secretary or presently as Acting Vice President, had at no time met to deliberate on or set up such a body which is unknown to NUJ Constitution.

3. That the only Zonal Executive Committee meeting of the Union held so far since the emergence of the current leadership on October 4, 2018, was the one held in Abakaliki the Ebonyi State Capital on December 5, 2019, which I presided over.

4. That Sebastian Okafor is a charlatan of the highest order, and is hereby sternly warned to desist further from parading himself and/or issuing statement under any guise connoting NUJ South East. Okafor will be arrested and prosecuted by the law enforcement agents should he ignore this warning and issue further statement under such guise.

5. The general public is hereby advised to discountenance Okafor and his statement, as he is of no consequence what so ever.
Sincerely yours.

Comrade Kenneth Ofoma
Acting Vice President, NUJ Zone C

Hon. Chinwendu Uruakpa had cautioned the youths on the need for love and oneness, he advised them that no one has ever grown by bringing another down. According to him the greatest weapon to fight discrimination, poverty and underdevelopment in Asa land is to imbibe the spirit of oneness and love irrespective of political affiliation, he also reminded them that whatever any one sows that he shall reap and there is time to sow and time to reap.

He said this while addressing the youths in his country home in Umuezeke Village, Asa, during his birthday ceremony on the 31st of December 2019, he maintained that the first step to be taken for the development of Asa Land is for the youths to be self-disciplined, work on our integrity, express love to each other and stand on the truth no matter the challenges ahead.

While addressing the youth made up of members of all the Political Parties in the Community, he charged them on the need to eschew greed if they want to succeed in politics, he reminded them that everybody will not be on top at once but that we can only grow if we show support to those who are on top today rather than try to pull the person down and reminded them that it is only God that can bless and position people for leadership.

He also used the opportunity to react to a publication credited to Daberechi Ihenko and one Chibuike Ogbonna wherein they said that Hon. Nwogu Nwogu is not qualified to be an NDDC commissioner that he was involved in anti party activities and that it was High Chief Ikechi Emenike that recommended him to the President, Engr Chinwe Uruakpa said that he called Hon Daberechi Ihenko,and he denied the publication, saying that he is not aware of the publication and that it did not emanate from him but he expects him to refute the publication if actually the publication did not come from him.

He encouraged the youths to see every Asa man as one not minding our political differences and warned that any petitions written against Hon Nwogu Nwogu is a petition written against God because it was God that positioned him not man. He described Hon. Nwogu as a man who has sacrificed for the development of the party APC in Ukwa and that he is only reaping the reward of his hard work and loyalty he told the people to channel their energy towards the development of Asa Land rather than fighting against each other as that will rather bring setbacks than development.

He also raised his voice in support of the Forensic Audit being carried out in NDDC describing it as the only move that will restore sanity in the Commission and bring development to the area and also assist the incoming Board to follow the Act governing the Commission to the letter.

In his New Year message, Amb. Chief Charles Nzechi has advocated on the need for people to get their priorities right, he advised Abians to pursue opportunities necessary for a prosperous tomorrow and also used the opportunity to thank Ndi Ikwuano Umuahia for their support and love over the years.

Full Text…..

It is a real honour to have us all see the new decade, and I thank Ndi Ikwuano Umuahia for their support and love over the years.
I believe we have all made our mistakes and had our corrections, but in all circumstances God has shown us kindness, there is a need for us to retrospect so as to come out greater in this new decade,I have on my own been able to consider the thousands of conversations I had with my people, their needs and aspirations, as we enter into this New Year, my prayer and wish is that things have got to turn for the better for all of us.
While we continue in our advocacy for good governance and the welfare of our people and to hold leaders accountable, it behoves on us collectively to secure the transformation and development we need, there is a need to place our priorities right politically and socially.

We need to set our values and pursue opportunities necessary for a prosperous tomorrow as we enter into a new decade, I believe there is a need for us to cultivate a healthier mindset that will bring about positive development in every area of our lives.

I pray that God will give all of us the strength, wisdom, love and grace that will guide us through this decade and beyond.
Have a peaceful New Year.

Ambassador Charles Nzechi
Aha Eji Aga mba

The Editor in-chief of the News gazette Online Comrade Uche Aguoru, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Chairman of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Chief Nnia Nwodo and other distinguished Igbo men and women across the globe will on Saturday the 29th of December 2019 receive the prestigious Igbo Heritage Awards for their significant contributions to human and socio-economic development of Igbo land and Nigeria.

This award which is scheduled to hold at Best Western Hotels, Independence Layout, Enugu on Saturday, December 28, 2019 has as its theme: Reinventing Igbo land: Setting the Agenda for a New Consciousness.

The Awards are exclusively for persons of solid integrity nominated on the merit of their sterling pedigrees as people whose pioneering breakthroughs, innovations, leadership excellence and humanism have brought honour to Igbo land and Nigeria. Anchored on celebrating ONLY the highest standards of character and achievements for youths to emulate, it is conceived as the most prestigious Award brand in Igbo land.

Dr. Gregory Ibe, the Chancellor of Gregory University will be delivering the key note address while Chief Nnia will be the chairman of the event.

The President General of Ohuhu welfare Union Chief Obi Aguocha on Thursday the 26th of December 2019 ended his reign as the President General of Okaiuga Nkwoegwu Improvement Union, in a colourful send forth ceremony organized in his honour, the Eze’s, village chairmen, women and youths of Okaiuga Nkwoegwu thanked him for returning peace to the once divided community and wished him well as he takes on the leadership of Ohuhu welfare Union.

In his address he thanked the people of Nkwoegwu for giving him the privilege to have served in the capacity of the President General and also for giving him the support and followership he enjoyed during his reign which was largely responsible for the successes his leadership recorded.
He enjoined them to extend same support to the new leadership stressing that it is only with the support of the led that the leadership can achieve success.

“I am conscious of the high expectations on me to deliver in Ohuhu, it is an established fact that Ohuhu welfare union have not been impactful in recent past but my aim is to make Ohuhu Welfare Union an instrument of development in Ohuhu land that will be accepted by all, I am mindful of history that my father was President of Okaiuga Nkwoegwu and later Ohuhu and I am now replicating same”.

“In me a new Michael Okpara is born, an Okpara reborn that will attract employment, open partnership and bring development to Ohuhu land”
Chief Aguocha has gone down in history as the first Ohuhu Community leader that will be celebrated after a successful reign in Ohuhu land, he was escorted home with Odumodu to mark the end of his reign.

Chief Obi Aguocha is the first OWU president to emerge unopposed.

Hon. Kelechi Onuzuruike has expressed deep gratitude to constituents for their collective will and resolve to stand for the peace and unity of Ohuhu Clan despite our political and ideological differences.

This was contained in his Christmas broadcast to Ndi Ohuhu and made available to News Gazette Online.

According to the member representing Umuahia North State Constituency in the Abia State house of Assembly, “as we celebrate Christmas, the season of peace, love and goodwill, I ask you again to continue to embrace the peace, unity, development and sound morals which we have pursued and promoted over the years.

Hon. Onuzuruike encouraged political opponents to come join hands and ideas with him to advance the course of development in Ohuhu.
“the time for politics is over this is the time for us to join hands and move Ohuhu forward, let’s all drop personal interests and work towards our collective interest as Ohuhu people”

“let me again, extend my hands of fellowship to my brothers and sisters on the opposite side of the political divide to come join me in building the Ohuhu we all will be proud of, it is only when we consolidate on the gains made so far in the Ohuhu project that we can succeed in actualizing our long term developmental vision.

“As we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, let the spirit of the season, a season of love and happiness, of goodwill and celebrations be the abiding cords of our unity, prosperity and continuous peace, progress and development,”

Merry Christmas and I pray that Every Ohuhu man and woman will see 2020.

Hon. Sir Kelechi Onuzuruike
Member Representing Umuahia North State Constituency

The President General Ohuhu Welfare Union, Chief Obi Aguocha, has advised parents to reinvent high moral values in their children and wards, he said this in his welcome message to Ohuhu Indigenes who returned home for the Christmas and new year celebrations, he regretted that youths of today rather than imbibe the spirit of good behaviour and respect that Ohuhu is known for has taken to Drugs, cultism, criminality and every known vices while abandoning the culture of respect and sound morals that Ohuhu is known for..


Read Full address…

From: The President General

Ohuhu Welfare Union World Wide

Umunne’m|Umunna’m ndi Ohuhu.

On behalf of the Central Executive Council, Traditional Rulers, Elders Council and Leaders, we welcome all Ohuhu indigenes, friends and relations home to the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

It is our prayer that the peace, prosperity and victories which are embedded in the redemption package delivered to mankind through the birth of Jesus Christ will manifest in the life of everyone of us now and throughout the new year.

We bless God for journey mercies granted all of us and pray that the same grace will adorn the journeys of our loved ones who are still on their way home. May your stay in Ohuhu land throughout the holidays be a memorable one in Jesus name.

As you may already know, Ohuhu Welfare Union is the umbrella body encapsulating all unions and administrative bodies in our clan. A new executive has just assumed office with effect from the 11th of November, 2019 with a mandate to ensure a new narrative of peace and prosperity in Ohuhu land.

While I and my executive team are desirous to deliver on these expectations, let me use the opportunity of our home coming to seek the full support and assistance of every Ohuhu indigene in the journey to change our narrative and history. “Weta aka nye aka ka aka ji eto ogologo.”

Today our land is confronted with increasing moral decay within our family systems and youth. This is manifesting in the worrisome out of school and school drop-out statistics, illicit drug use and abuse, and even cultism in our communities. This is worsened by growing poverty indices and choking infrastructural deficit within Ohuhu land.

We want to use this opportunity to appeal to our parents and guardians to reinvent those high moral values that made Ohuhu land an exemplary destination in the past. On our part, we will continue to relentlessly engage with government and all agencies of State that can help advance the pace and development of Ohuhu land.

We enjoin our different Autonomous Communities, Traditional Rulers, Chiefs, Community President Generals and leaders to work together in synergy and harmony for the peace and prosperity of their communities. “Unu cheta kwa na eji ko aka nyuo mamiri ya gba ufufu.”

We shall soon be engaging on our roadmap to restoring the glory of Ohuhu land and we hope to continue to count on your cooperation.

We wish you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Obi Aguocha (Udo Ji Agu-Ohuhu)

President General

Ohuhu Welfare Union World Wide

The member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia in the federal House of Representatives Rep. Sam I. Onuigbo, has promised to ensure that the road from Umuokoroala to Ulonna North farm settlement down to Nkpa receives priority attention, Rep. Onuigbo gave this promise as he commences the rehabilitation of the over six kilometer Umuokoroala/Ulonna North farm settlement to Nkpa road which has remained in a deplorable condition over the years, he said he undertook the reconstruction of the road not only to make it passable during the yuletide season but because of the critical importance of the road to the state and the nation.

He described the road as an important road that will ease the transportation of agricultural products from the rural settlement to the urban and promised to do all within his powers to ensure that the road will be given priority attention soon.

Members of the community who were all jubilant as they came out to witness the rehabilitation exercise thanked Hon. Onuigbo for the gesture and described the road as one of the most important roads to farmers in the community as it will ease the difficulties they has been encountering while moving their agricultural products from the farming community to the Urban center. They appealed to Hon. Onuigbo and the state government to please ensure that the road does not go back to its former condition as the state of the road has affected their productivity.

A farmer in Ulonna North farm settlement Chief Chidi Uwakwe expressed gratitude to Hon. Sam. Onuigbo and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for remembering them this yuletide and described the road rehabilitation as the best Christmas gift they have received from the government, he however pleaded with the government to give the road a permanent solution.

The body of late Lady Harriet Ihunnaya Usozike, the mother of Hon. Jerry Uzosike, member representing Umuahia South state constituency in the Abia state House of Assembly will be laid to rest on Monday the 30th of December 2019.

In a release made available by the family, Lady Uzosike’s body will leave Madonna hospital by 4pm on Sunday 29th December 2019 and will have a brief stop over at Ihee Ihienwekeala Autonomous Community, Umuopara, Umuahia South LGA by 5pm.

Body Arrives her husband’s compound in Umuawoli, Eluama na Mgbedeala Autonomous Community, Umunwanwa by 530pm.
There will be a service of songs and testimony night at the family compound Umunwanwa.

Burial service will be taking place at secondary technical school, Umunwanwa by St. Pauls Methodist Church Umuawoli,Umunwanwa by 11am.
Interment follows immediately.

Prof Mrs Patricia Etuna Mbah, an internationally certified (IPHE) Home Economist has decried sexual harassment and stoppage of her salary by Prof. Francis Otunta the vice chancellor of Michael Okpara University Umudike.

Narrating her ordeal, Prof Mbah said that the vice chancellor stopped her salary since April 2019 because she refused to yield to his sexual advances and had made good his threats of making her stay in the University hell if she continues to reject his advances by stopping her salaries.

The professor of home economics stated that it all started shortly after Prof. Francis O. Otunta was made the Vice Chancellor, having served as one of the panelist that interviewed and certified him as being qualified. Upon assumption of office, Prof. Otunta proposed my name as the Deputy Vice Chancellor and when that could not workout he approached me and requested that we became lovers, a request I politely turned down and told him that I am a married woman, a grandmother and devoted Christian.

I had expected a man of that status to respect my decision having politely rejected his amorous advances, but he had gone ahead to intimidate, harass and afflict me with all manners of wickedness and at various times had tried to force me into sleeping with him.
In one occasion Prof. Otunta invited me to his office pulled down his trousers and tried to force himself on me right inside the office, I resisted and push him down, opened the door and ran away.

A similar incident also happened when I came back from the hospital after my treatment and discovered that my salary had been stopped despite obtaining all the necessary approvals from my HOD and other relevant authorities with documentary evidence to be away on medical vacation. when I came back I was told that the VC had ordered that my salary should be stopped, I went to his office to find out why, he delayed me from 10 am till about 5:30pm in the evening and when everybody had left, he proceeded to make sexual moves towards me right inside his office and I had to ask him if he was human to have contemplated having sex with a woman in my medical condition. He said he doesn’t care that all he wants is to have me and that he must achieve it or I should be ready to receive more punishment from him. With tears in my eyes I turned the door keys open and ran out of his office, He had also invited me to different hotels which I turned down. On one of the occasions I had to go with my husband and on seeing my husband he was visibly angry.

He had at various times threatened my life, a case in point was when his orderly Mr. Progress Ibor, made telephone calls to me warning me of immediate danger and likely death, if I do not leave the University. I had to report to the former commissioner of police Abia State, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade who investigated the matter and made him sign an undertaking that should anything happen to me he will be held responsible
Since then Prof. Otunta had gone ahead to live up to his promise of making life miserable for me in the university. Beyond stopping my salaries, he had also gone ahead to remove me as Head of Department, forced me to resign as chairman of exams and time table committee. As if that was not enough he went ahead to demote me from being a Professor to an Associate Professor, all these for the simple reason that I refused to yield to his sexual advances.

All my efforts to make the university council to resolve my issue with Prof. Otunta failed, I have also petitioned the honourable minister of Education Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba who looked into the matter and ordered Prof. Otunta to pay my salaries only for him to also decline and rather chose to pay me half of my due entitlement against the ministers directive.

When the News Gazette Online contacted Prof. Francis Otunta the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University over the allegations of Sexual Harassment and illegal seizure of salaries, he denied that nothing of that nature happened between him and Prof. Patricia Mbah and gave no reasons why her salaries are being withheld or was unable to defend why Prof. Mbah is being punished.

However a member of the governing council of the school who spoke to The News Gazette Online on condition of anonymity informed us that the V.C had compromised the council chairman Rt. Hon. Lawal Zayyana Muhammed and the council can no longer caution or even correct the Vice Chancellors wrong policies or actions. He lamented that Prof. Otunta is now running the school as a “Sole Administrator” and had ran the school down, he stated that it is unfortunate that he has bought over the conscience of the chairman of the governing board of the school and that was why the board cannot call Prof. Otunta to order on the matter of sexual harassment and seizure of salaries against Prof. Mbah.

He also revealed that there are several other complaints of sexual harassment,intimidation and seizure of salaries against some female staff of the university by Prof. Otunta which had been reported to the university council but the board chairman having been so heavily compromised had refused to allow them treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

The Abia NDDC Commissioner Designate, Chief Nwogu Nnah Nwogu has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his 77th Birthday.
In a message made available to newsmen and signed by him, he described President as an excellent role model to him and many young aspiring politicians, because of his patience, uprightness and the way and manner he has managed to sustain the survival of our country as an indivisible country even in the face of many daunting challenges.

“You achieved great success in the fight against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insecurity”

“I pray that almighty God will keep and protect you to consolidate on the achievements you have recorded in your lifetime and particularly for your humility, deep sense of honesty and faith you have shown in the various aspects of governance, politics and democracy as our President.
Hon. Nwogu wishes His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, many more years of perfect health, grace and wisdom.
Happy birthday your Excellency

Question…As the immediate past Commissioner for Finance, Abia State, what challenges did you encounter on assumption of office?

Well, on assumption of office on June 2nd, 2015, we had about four special advisers. I started as a Special Adviser Economic Affairs on secondment from First Bank and this means that I functioned as a staff of First Bank and they still paid my salaries for the four years.

I never got any salary from Abia State Government and my name was never on the payroll of Abia State Government.

There were a lot of challenges, first, we found out that the State was still processing payment of salaries manually, there was no centralized pay roll/data management scheme in place. There was no biometric capturing of civil servants, there was no idea of TSA, and there was no existing relationship between the State and any donor agency like World Bank etc.

Our overhead obligations were heavy and cutting down was the way to go, all these and more were too heavy for the young administration.

One of the things we deliberated on was whether to pay salaries with the old processes we met and that means manual payment through the MDA’s. The process is such that cheques are issued based on the submission of the payroll officers which are most times fraudulent and manipulated by the collaborations of the payroll officers. We devised a means which was highly resisted by the civil servants by developing a checklist which captures your name, Ministry, Agency and departments, date you joined service, current level, last promotion date, gross and net amount earned. We made sure that the director of administration, finance and Permanent Secretary jointly sign that the person is a bonafide staff of the Ministry. With this, we started gathering the data of civil servants though we discovered they were not cooperating, this semi automation process was highly resisted.

This is because the manual process they were using helped a lot of them in defrauding the State.

We identified about few bureaus that had about 20 to 30 staffs, most of them gave reason that they do not know what excel format means, however we engaged the bureaus under the SSG and taught them how to prepare the excel format and went ahead to announce that we have started paying salaries for June 2015.

Our MDA wage bill was One billion, five hundred million naira (#1.5b) as at june 2015 when we came on board with automation we saved about Six hundred million naira (N600m for the State, today the MDA salary have gone down to about 800m without prejudice to those that retired and those newly employed.

It’s instructive to note that some departments were paying cash to their staff in brown envelopes
We had to deal with the issue of fraudulent employment of workers without waiver, a small committee was set to review those employed without waiver over 800 illegal workers were discovered.

When the salary committee was invited by EFCC office in Port Harcourt, payroll officers inserted the 61 names into the State payroll and two months later, they were discovered and removed which cost the State about Fifteen Million naira (#15m)

Where things are done well, the pay roll officers should have been sanctioned and made to bear the punishment of how we lost Fifteen Million naira (#15m) to non-existing civil servants, so these are the issues we met and the processes that led to where we are today.

That is my legacy that we were able to get the database of the civil servants, have them under one centralized payroll system, Did biometric capturing of entire civil servants, the subsequent administration can only improve on what we have done as it affects salary processing but currently the ministry of finance is still running on my template.

On pension, we introduced automation of pension payment instead of cash payment that was abused, it is on record that when we came in, pensioners were being unfairly treated as they were made to travel from their local Governments and villages to the Sub-treasuries and even end up going home empty handed because pensions couldn’t get to them, even for as low as Five Thousand Naira and Two Thousand Naira (#5000, #2000) were being paid under the mango tree, they were at the mercy of those Sub-treasurers, civil servants lobby to be made sub-treasurers than Permanent Secretaries because they were pocketing about #7m monthly, building hostels and hotels in Umuahia and Aba.
To curb the pension fraud we introduced the automation of pensioners by gathering their data because we are dealing with old people to confirm if they are still around or not, if they are not, we remove them and input the freshly retired. We also had the issue of TSA. getting all our payments under one kettle, we succeeded in doing that but I cannot tell you it’s 100% but we did at least 70% of the implementation and this also saved the State a whole lot.

We also have programmes currently going on in the State and it was courtesy of the window we opened and the narrative we changed in our relationship between Abia State, World Bank and other multilateral agencies.

Then the issue of over-bloated wage bill, we discovered that Abia till today pays the highest in the whole South-East, our Permanent Secretaries earn highest in the entire South east which is cascaded down to the least staff in the state.

In line with the Governor's directive of cutting down 50% of his emolument, we were able to cut down Seven hundred and Fifty thousand naira #75,000 from One Hundred and Fifty Thousand naira #150,000 which naturally should have been overhead in the Permanent Secretaries salary but they embedded it in the entire salary.

This cost cutting affected every other overhead expense as a committee made up of the then SSG, AG and myself we took a critical look at our overhead and decided to reduce the entire overhead including that of my office by reducing the cost of going to Abuja for FAAC from One million, six hundred thousand naira #1.6m to Five hundred thousand with the belief that we must practice what we preach but surprisingly the amount has been jacked up to 1.6m since I left office.

It is surprising to note that barely two days after the new exco was formed, the salary committee that worked very hard was disbanded as was announced on air.

But it is interesting to note that after one week, this same committee headed by Mrs Charity Ukonu the lady that was detained at Afara prison and her team is still and currently processing payment of Abia civil servants, but why the current commissioner for finance decided to keep it a secret is still a surprise to me.

Question.. During your time as Commissioner, salaries were coming late, sometimes into the first and second week of the following month but now, salaries come latest the 28th of the month. What was the problem?

Salaries were the major issues of the previous administration and even the current one. The picture they succeeded in painting was that Obinna Oriaku was not keen on paying salaries as it were.

As it affects salaries and pensions, I must state that the issue of salary payment is very fundamental and that is where I lost it with the civil servants and people who refuse to reason with it. If what we used in paying one civil servant in Abia is what is used in Enugu to pay for two months which does not add up. If you like bring Ngozi Okonjo Iweala to be the Commissioner for Finance, the issues are there and they will continue to be there until the fundamentals are addressed which was the area I focused on.

You cannot eat your cake and have it. You cannot have an over the bloated workforce, employ everybody in your village because your brother is the Governor. You are earning far than what you should earn. I did an analysis of our total receipt in 45 months and outside the intervention of the Paris Refund, the State got about one hundred and fifty six billion naira (#156 billion) and about One Hundred Billion (#100 billion) was used for salaries, emoluments and pensions, the other Fifty Six Billion Naira (#56 billion) was used for overhead and capital projects, the implication is that Abia State exist just to pay salaries this has to change if the State is to move forward.

On why salaries are being paid early, during FAAC meeting in April 2019, the Commissioners Forum made a passionate appeal to the current Minister of Finance that we want the FAAC brought closer, before then our FAAC meeting date starts 24th -26th and if it falls on a weekend, that means the allocation is gotten either 30th because you will have to give a 2-3 days notice after FAAC meeting to get your allocation. That is why the average expectancy for FAAC allocation is between 27th -28th and after that, you can begin to talk about salaries.

After the demand by the Commissioners Forum, the FAAC meeting was brought back to the 19th of every month. The implication is that by the 22nd -23rd of every month, allocations have arrived and salaries are being paid.

That salaries are being paid today has no input from anybody except for the fundamental change in FAAC date from the federal government and the repayment of the Temporary Overdraft (TOD) under my watch as the commissioner for finance.

Most importantly, we were running on a temporary overdraft, this means that we usually go to the banks, ask for little augmentation to pay salaries and that system has been on for over three years.

That was why salaries were paid the first week of a new month because you must wait for them to do their end of the month for the CBN and other regulatory authorities to see that that account is in credit.

Abians should note that it had no human or technical intervention, it is only this thing that I have explained now done under my watch that is making salaries come early, go to the DMO and CBN sites and confirm when the FAAC holds.

Question.. Can you highlight those Reforms you brought on board as the Commissioner for Finance?

1) We discovered that we cannot be going round the problems of Abia State as they are fundamental from the military era. We resolved to attack them which we did. One of the reforms we did is the Judiciary reform. I know that the white paper was about being implemented when I left. The JUSUN salary issue, people ran to the judiciary, when you go there, we have more than 30 staff in one small magistrate court and even the customary courts and they do not seat more than once in a quarter and you are paying a humongous wage bill. An analysis of the judiciary will tell you that the entire judiciary constitutes over 40% of the entire wage bill so we felt that we need to attack it.
2)
Civil Service Reform: I expect that the civil service reform should be concluded. That civil service reform is very critical to the survival of the state because today in Abia State, the budget is not being followed.
A situation where every year people are being promoted, the civil servants are excited about it but they forget that they are also going to wait for the repercussion, imagine every one leaves together at level 16, it will have an effect on the pension and it becomes difficult to pay, I'm sure their pension is hitting Five Hundred Million naira (500m) monthly and It beats me how these payments will be made regular with poor monthly allocation and I wonder which government will pass out such value with the meager allocation we are getting. So these are the reasons I made enemies because I said we must address these issues if we are going to tell ourselves the truth.

3) We also have the IGR reform which is still ongoing, we automated the processes, the autonomy was about being implemented but there are still some issues that need to be addressed, the workers in the board of internal revenue, those employed as a board cannot be sacked or moved, these are the issues that needs to be sorted out because the reforms demands that you run the board like a private-sector based organization where professionalism and performance is given prominence than where you come from or how long you have been in the organization, these are the reforms that are still ongoing, We need to find a mutual resolution of those workers employed by the board and fully implement the restructuring as being done by other States that have grown their IGR as fresh and highly motivated staff is what is needed.

4) Again we did that of parastatals, we set out committees that visited them, discussed with them and also get to know their problems and now the implementation is what I expect the government to follow up.
Also the Educational Institutions: schools, I remember that Professor Mkpa headed the one for the technical college, so the report should be out by now.

5) Local Government Reform, we engaged in that reform because we discovered that some people earn salaries in the local government at the state level and also earn as political appointees, with the automation we did, and linking with their BVN we were able to identify them and made it clear that their salaries can come from only one source while others can be called allowances, but these are the reforms that we did and substantial savings were also made at the local and state government levels because we realigned our salaries in line with what it should be.

This act also incurred enmity among friends and relations who feels that because you are there it is your turn to protect their own people and perpetuate the fraud and immorality that is going on in the system so that it how it affects the reforms we did.

The most important one which today I'm excited about is the disarticulation, this is one of the most exciting reforms I supervised, It’s unfortunate that almost 20 years after the implementation of the Universal Basic Education law in 2004 Abia State is the only State that still had the Junior secondary school management under the State, This accounts for why we have challenges with teachers salary.
Today we have successfully moved the management and supervision of JS1 to JS3 to ASUBEB which is under the local government and free the state to focus on the senior secondary school, today the State is better positioned to clear the arrears of secondary school teachers as the wage bill has drastically gone down this is one of our legacies and I am excited that after 20yrs we have solved that problem.

We made available #6b as state Government contributions towards clearing the arrears of outstanding UBEC counterpart funding obligations, today over 10b has gone into remodeling of our primary schools and with our recent success in implementation of disarticulation. our Junior Secondary schools (JS1-3) will now benefit from the UBEC intervention in schools.

6) Economic Reform and Provision of counterpart funding of Projects: On assumption of office there was no viable donor agencies projects on going in the State .This was basically due to the mismanagement of such funds by past officials of government we understood that we cannot solve our problems alone we focused on provision of funds to attract the federal government component.

These include provision of over Six Billion naira (N6b) as state government contribution. Today we have almost cleared arrears of our UBEC funds that were lying fallow at UBEC Abuja. We provided over One Billion (N1b) as counterpart fund for NEWMAP that attracted over Thirty Two Billion Naira (# 32B) to Abia State for the takeoff of the Port Harcourt road, Uratta Road, Ngwa road, Drainage and flood control management.

We also provided over Six Hundred Million (N600m) for the Ramp. Today we are among the few States in the south South and South East states involved in Ramp 2 worth of Sixty Million USD ($60m dollars), We also intervened in the world bank ARIN program worth over Twenty Million USD ($20m). FADAMA 2. We were among the few States that keyed into the Sftas program etc.

African development Bank. AFDB. Our engagement with Adfb was reinvigorated even before assumption of office in 2015 through Mr. Emeka Ononiwu. This intervention has literally been concluded as ADFB have already concluded the procurement process for the engineering design of some projects. This intervention which is on drainage, road and Sanitation is worth Three Hundred Million Dollars ($300m). As the Commissioner for Finance I successfully defended the loan request before the House Committee of both the National Assembly and the Senate.

Note: This is outside their interest in the Enyimba Economic City Project
Procurement Reform. Under my watch we redefined government business by making sure that our procurement process is very transparent, this as expected did not go down well with few disgruntled people, however I am convinced that it is the only way to go and no regrets about it and this this saved the state a lot of money.

Explosive: Obinna Oriaku Opens Up, Says I know Why They Want Me Out, Abia Finance Ministry Still Runs On My Template.

Wait for it:

its explosive, it's revealing, you cant afford to miss this explosive interview with the former commissioner for Finance.

Abia State Government, Security Agencies And The Need To Kill The Spirit Of “Sampson The Grave”.

By Uche Aguoru

The Nigerian Police, Abia State Command on Tuesday 3rd of December were all over the place humming songs of victory and smarting in gallantry over the killing of a notorious armed robber called “GRAVE” who had terrorized Umuahia for more than a year.

While I am excited over this achievement that might make Umuahia relatively peaceful this Christmas period, but it worries my inner mind why it took the police and other security agencies this long to get the notorious daredevil kingpin who operates openly in a particular area of the town that almost every resident of Umuahia knows him by name, his hideouts, his looks, his native address and even his favourite spots and girlfriends.

The notorious robber and his gang had operated in a manner so brazen that one may be tempted to think that they acquired their criminal licenses from some protective agency outside planet Earth, is it not insulting on the security agencies that such a notoriously popular criminal had succeeded in carrying out all the crimes he committed including killings, maimings, snatching of vehicles, breaking into people’s homes and business premises, including snatching of police riffles through same operational style and tactics for more than one year successfully unchallenged.

While the dreaded armed robbery kingpin and gang leader Sampson Iheukwumere Nwokocha, a.k.a GRAVE is dead, I am not enthused that Umuahia is now safe as the security agencies would want to make us believe, What had prevented the security agencies operating within Umuahia to carry out a raid of the valley behind government house down to Ossah Ibeku where Sampson and his gang operated from, all these period.

My major worry and that of the public right now is, where are Sampson’s gang members?

Unconfirmed reports have it that residents who operate their businesses within Palm lane, Ubakala street etc. have on different occasions allegedly contributed funds to pay to those bandits living in that forest inorder for them to stop breaking into their shops, homes and business premises which indicates that those who terrorize Umuahia are known by the people but that the masses had no confidence in the security operatives and feels better negotiating their safety and security with those that terrorize them than trusting the police for their security.

Why has the government continued to allow the notorious valley (popularly Called Forest) which stretched from the By-pass behind Okigwe Road down to Palm Lane extension to be used as a popular criminal hangout where criminals are allegedly trained and haboured with all manner of hard and illicit drugs, arms and criminal equipment merchandised?
Yes I know that security strategies are not easily discussed over the media, but Considering the fact that security of lives and properties is the first-line charge of every government, the residents needs to be reassured by both the Government and the security agencies through visible action that they won’t be experiencing the resurrection of another “Sampson the Grave” atleast in the immediate future.

Aguoru
Writes From Umuahia

A careful following of the legislative activities of Honourable Solomon Ezinwa Adaelu, Deputy Chairman House Committee on ICT and member representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbor federal constituency, one will not fail to appreciate him as a futuristic leader and one who is worried about the countries educational, technological and economic future.

Hon. Adaelu had consistently made case for the country to imbibe the new and emerging financial system just like most advanced countries of the world. He has been unfluctuating in his advice that if the country is interested in advancing in technology and is interested in eliminating financial and electoral fraud within our economic and political system that there is need for the country to embrace distribution ledger technology, blockchain and cryptocurrency which as of today are the most modern of technologies and means of economic exchange.

It will be a waste of energy restating the fact that Nigeria is backwards in terms of technology and we have always queued behind if not the least in terms of digital economy, no leader that has foresight will watch his country board last in technological advancement in today’s world, knowing that crude oil is no longer the modern day driver of the world economy but rather ideas and technology.

Hon. Adaelu can be likened to a modern day prophet and seems to be a lonely voice in the wilderness, he has been calling on the country to invest into the future knowing that today is lost and tomorrow is bleak if we do not advance our technology to meet up with the next generation, truth is, the present traditional financial system which has been in use has created so much pain, hunger, deprivation and poverty as a result of the greed of a few individuals who operate in a central system and as custodians of trust they have willfully and blindly abused the trust and collective will of the people.

Hon. Adaelu is a lawmaker par-excellence whose entry into the legislative theater has not only been fruitful to his constituents but to Abia state and the country at large, he had through his constitutional responsibilities attracted so many infrastructural development projects to his constituency, he has attracted functional hospitals and roads and has also ensured that access roads within his constituency remain motorable all year round, he has made useful legislative contributions which has seen some of his bills passed into law.

His Corporate Social Responsibility Outreach Program had seen him undertake free health care programs for the rural dwellers with particular interest in Women, the aged and the children, payment of school fees for students up to tertiary stage, training and setting up of the youths in acquiring gainful skills with special interest in the unemployable.

His advent into the green chambers from 2015 till present has exposed us to effective legislation and result oriented representation, he had demonstrated capacity, efficiency and Dexterity.

Hon. Solomon Ezinwa Adaelu can best be described as a modest and highly intelligent politician who thinks of the next generation when others are thinking of the next election.

Uche Aguoru
A Writer and Public Affairs Analyst Writes From Umuahia

Hon. Nwogu Nna Nwogu the presidential nominee for the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Has been confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday.

Also confirmed are the former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, as Chairman of the NDDC Board.

Others are Chief Bernard Okumagba, who was also confirmed as the NDDC Managing Director, Otobong Ndem who is now the Executive Director, Projects and Maxwell Oko as Executive Director, Finance and Administration.

The Senate also confirmed Prophet Jones Erue (Delta), Chief Victor Ekhator (Edo), Nwogu Nwogu (Abia), Theodore Allison (Bayelsa), Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom), Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River), Olugbenga Elema (Ondo), Hon. Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Murtala Muhammed (Kano), Ardo Zubairu (Adamawa) and Amb. Abdullahi Bage (Nasarawa).

The Senate however failed to confirm the nominee from Rivers State, Dr. Joy Yimebe who according to Senator Nwaoboshi failed to appear before the committee for screening

It was a mixture of anger and laughter when I read a piece of news from an online news platform where a gubernatorial candidate of the PPA in 2015 who unsuccessfully aspired in 2019 under the APGA for the governorship of Abia state Chief Chikwe Udensi rather than face the accusations of being financially induced to initiate crisis in his party had the audacity to insult senator T.A Orji, the former Governor of Abia state and two time senator of the federal republic, while I commend the maturity of Senator Orji for not giving this epitome of confusion, extremely violent bully and wife beater some undue attention by responding to him, I want to let the world know why this character should not be taken seriously.

Chief Chikwe Udensi is a personification of hostile irascibility who goes about unleashing terror on not only staff and associates but even to his own wife, telling the world how he had serially battered his wife is just like repeating a familiar story line known to every Abian.

Chikwe Udensi should tell Abians what he does for a living, in a recent interview just after the 2019 general elections where he failed to secure the tickets of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, a journalist after listening To Chikwe’s unintelligent submission asked him “Sir What exact do you do for a living” Chikwe Udensi Replied, “I am an InterPol expert” one begins to wonder what manner of job is called InterPol Expert, this clearly shows that Chief Udensi does not have any visible means of livelihood and nothing to show for his acclaimed wealthy status.

Does Chikwe Udensi think that Abians have forgotten how he was alleged to have bullied and dealt violent blows on a popular Abia based photographer who came to his house to demand for his payment for a job he delivered 100%, instead of Chikwe Udensi to pay him as agreed all he did was to dish out several blows to the young man who had to escape from his compound for fear of being killed.

Chikwe Udensi Should do well by explaining to us the reasons why the security men attached to him abandoned him at Roots Restaurant Umuahia in 2015, if not for the wicked and inhuman treatment he hands out to the security men while on duty.

I want to sincerely assume that Chief Udensi’s dementia has taken to an alarming proportion that he no longer remembers that prior to Senator Orji becoming a chief of staff to the then Governor, he is already an accomplished civil servant who climbed to the zenith of his chosen profession without blemish, just maybe you lack knowledge sir, Senator Orji held different positions including that of Administrative Officer and served in various capacities in the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Ministry of Agriculture and the then Imo State Government House.

Upon the creation of Abia state Sen. Orji returned to Umuahia to contribute in the course of laying a strong foundation for the smooth take-off of the new state. He served at various times in Government House, Umuahia, Bureau of Budget and Planning and Ministry of Agriculture. In all the places he served, Theodore Ahamefule Orji left indelible footprints in the sands of time.

I won’t be surprised if told that you are a poor student of history, if not, how would you not have known that T.A. Orji was seconded to the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) now INEC, Abia State, as Administrative Secretary, and was later redeployed to Enugu State in 1997 where he supervised the elections that ushered in the democratic government in that state in 1999.

While I am not willing to go on with the achievements of this Iroko called senator T.A Orji, may I use this opportunity to remind you that no member of your generation have attained the height that he has so far, and as you can see he keeps climbing while you keep diminishing in political and social stature.

My candid advice, when next you want to open your unguarded tongue to spew rubbish do check peoples history and background as senator Orji, though chose to live a modest and quiet life style has never been associated with poverty, he is a man of honour whose records and strength of character has remained untainted despite all the failed attempts of some inconsequential people like you to tarnish his image.

Chuks Ahamefule is a political Analyst And Social Crusader

Rt. Revd Ikechi Nwosu PhD, The Arch Bishop of Aba Province / Bishop Umuahia Diocese of the Anglican Church of Nigeria on Monday paid a pastoral visit with members of St. Barnabas Anglican Church Umuawa Alaocha, Ohuhu East Archdeaconry to the country home of Mayor Lucky Martins Igbokwe the founder of Don Lulu foundation in Umuawa Alaocha, Ohuhu, Umuahia.

During the visit Rt. Rev. prayed God for the success of the Don Lulu Foundation which was officially launched in 2018, he asked God to provide the needed resources which the foundation requires to keep assisting the less privileged and thanked God for the life of the president of the Foundation who he said has assisted the church greatly and has helped to spread the word of God by assisting the poor and the needy as instructed by the creator.

The Archbishop was accompanied in the visit by the Reverend in charge of Ohuhu East Archdeaconry and other notable members of the church.

We are now in a network society, society is increasingly being reorganized around media access to digital information and the delivery mechanism which allows for innovations like the internet.

A decentralized society is emerging, technology is disrupting central authorities ,giving the people power to participate in every decision that affects them.

Technology has had astonishing impact on our society, but it’s greatest impact will be on our monetary system. The way we exchange values.

A true democratic process, through digital transformation will remove the powers of a few individuals called the GOVERNMENT.

Governments all over the world have realised what is coming ,unfortunately, no central authority can control it’s impact. Government can only regulate its applications and not the underlying technology.

The cryptocurrency that started it all,Bitcoin, is the first digital currency to solve the “double spending problem ” or counterfeiting problem without the aid of a central authority, such as a bank or a government, making Bitcoin truly peer to peer.

Join the Bipartisan blockchain group, National assembly to discuss “THE PARLIAMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.

Hon Engr Solomon Adaelu
Vice chairman house committee on ICT
Chairman bipartisan blockchain group National assembly of Nigeria

Following the death of the mother of Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, members of proscribed IPOB had scheduled to hold protests in Umuahia and Aba tomorrow the 26th of October 2019 in honour of late Ugo Eze Kanu.

Reports reaching us suggests that members of the group have been instructed to gather at Umuda, Isingwu in Ohuhu, Umuahia North LGA by 8 am from where they will proceed on demonstration over the death of the mother of their leader, recall that via an online broadcast, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the proscribed indigenous People Of Biafra had accused president Buhari of killing his mother Ugo Eze Kanu and has threatened severally to rain fire and brimstone on Nigeria.

There have been reports of suspicious movement being witnessed by residents of Ohuhu and Umuahia town as members were instructed to gather at the Ezumezu event center located at Ohuhu/Uzuakoli road junction, while another group was also asked to gather at Umuda Civic hall, Umuda Isingwu.

It is however not clear if the protest will take a violent dimension but bus loads of strange looking youths has been spotted in various drinking joints within Umuda Isingwu. Also a few days ago members of the Jewish tradition, Mazi Kanu’s religious sect were involved in violent clash with the police during a procession within the state capital.

A 4th year law student of the Abia State University Hackney Chidera, has been arrested in connection with exam practices, in the incident which happened on Friday when year 2 law students of ABSU were taking constitutional law 224 a course being handled by Dr. ACB Agbazuere.

Hackney Chidera was caught by the invigilators when he was about to submit an exam script with Hon. Ginger Onwusibe’s names and registration numbers written on it.

One of the invigilators who spoke to us on account of anonymity said they got suspicious when they saw the names of the member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency in the Abia House of Assembly Hon. Ginger Onwusibe who also happens to be a 2nd year law student of ABSU in the exam attendance sheet but we discovered that he was not physically present, that was why we decided to cross check every exam script being submitted and we discovered that the script one Hackney Chidera submitted belonged to Hon. Onwusibe that was how we apprehended him and hand him over to the security men on duty, on further interrogation by the security men he disclosed that he has been the one writing exams for Hon. Onwusibe since his year one in the law faculty and that he was also contracted by the Honourable member to sit for this very exam before he was caught.

However the security men informed our reporter that the matter is now before the head of Law faculty Prof. Erugo whom we discovered is not showing seriousness on prosecuting the lawmaker but rather his actions suggests that he has been compromised and is now taking sides with Hon. Ginger Onwusibe.

Our attempts to reach the Vice chancellor Prof. Ikonne was not successful as he was said not be on seat as at the time we got to the school, but our repeated calls and text messages to Prof. Erugo was not responded to.

We are aware that Prof. Ikonne and the school senate does not take exam practices lightly and we will keep close monitor on the situation to ensure that justice is done and the culprits will be punished accordingly.