₦airaland Forum

*jona:
400,000 people have HIV/AIDS in Benue – Gov’s aide
[b]National News Nov 28, 2009 By Peter DURU, UMakurdi
The Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on HIV/AIDS and other Communicable diseases Mrs. Maria Idu has disclosed that no fewer than 400,000 persons have been identified as carriers of the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus in the state.
Speaking at a Media briefing to mark this year’s World AIDS Day in Makurdi, the Adviser noted that the spread of the disease in the state must be checked in order to stem its ravaging effects on the productive sectors of the state’s economy.

Idu who stressed that the state government has not failed on its part to ensure that hospitals are stocked with Anti Retroviral drugs urged the people to undertake mandatory test and counseling in order to know their status.

She lamented that the most avoidable factor driving the HIV epidemic in Benue State is stigma and discrimination among people living with the virus.

The Adviser moreover disclosed that the state government has so far established 22 treatment sites across the state in order to avail carriers of the various free medication and counseling.

She further posited that government has taken the challenge posed by the virus especially amongst mothers and their new born babies by establishing 52 mother- to- child prevention and treatment centers in parts of the state.

Mrs. Idu asserted that more of the centers would be established next year to cater for infected mothers and babies across the state.

According to her, the state government has provided a leeway for a collaboration between the National Poverty Eradication Prograame NAPEP and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS NPLWH in order to provide assistance to the network and ensure a better life for the infected.

In his remarks at the occasion, the Benue State NUJ Chairman Mr. Terlunmun Nyifan urged journalists in the state to team up with government in the renewed fight to stem the spread of the disease in Benue State.[/b]

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/28/400000-people-have-hivaids-in-benue-gov%e2%80%99s-aide/

hackney:
Other governors should bow down their heads in shame especially the eastern governors.
All they do is hire old women to sweep sand off the roads that other governors built.

Fashola now has shown that all the other governors have been old fashioned in their demonic level
of embezzlement and corruption.

redsun:
This crack head don come again,always on igbo issues.In as much they could be factual sometimes,it seems to be her obsession,weirdo.

*jona:
The closing gate of kidnapping in Abia State
By OBINNA AMANZE
Tuesday, November 17, 2009


More Stories on This Section
A disastrous end awaits any democratic government without a National Security. In Nigeria today, the embarrassing nature of kidnapping has become most worrisome and everyone’s nightmare. While the g the unbearable rate of unemployment, failure of the power sector, electoral flaws, money laundering and other corrupt practices, child trafficking etc kidnapping in threatening to assume the status of an industry.

[b]Kidnapping, the taking away of a person against his/her will usually for ransom, has become ubiquitous, commercialized and railed from the Niger Delta to most states of the federation, with some states being hotspots. This perpetuated acts of the Niger Delta Militants “Now rehabilitated through Amnesty” turned out to be a crippling virus living in our society.

In Abia State, extortionist kidnapping is the most serious domestic problem facing residents of God’s own state. Other South-East states are also infested with this evil virus but from statistics available, Aba tops other states in the zone. This fact is supported by the police report released in July 2009. Abia State tops all states with a total of 110 kidnap incidents, 353 cases and 3 deaths in 2008. Where Imo recorded 58, 109 arrest 41 prosecutions and I killed, Anambra 40 kidnapping, 40 released, 18 arrest, 11 prosecutions etc.[/b]This unbearable has caused communal crisis in the state. The traditional rulers of Ngwa land and old Bende pointing. The traditional rulers of old Bende accused the Ngwa people of allowing their communities to be used as exit route for kidnappers. I respectfully advice our highnesses to desist from verbal war on this issue because it will make no way in uprooting this troubling tree (Kidnapping) which has become a nightmare to all Abians.

The activities of kidnappers in[b] Abia State, have disrupted the economic activities in the state, paralyzed our industries and economic developments and caused greater unemployment. My brothers (Kidnappers) I am appealing that you have a re-think over your actions and desist from it. I am not apportioning the whole blame on the kidnappers because all of us contributed to this mess especially the doctors, police Hotel owners, traditional rulers etc.

To eradicate kidnapping in Abia State, there should be positive ideas with collective efforts. However most hotel owners in Aba and Umuahia metropolis have joined the Governor of Abia State, the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies in battling this crippling virus in the state. The management of the hotels ensure that their customers make proper identification with proof before lodging and also alert the police whenever there is doubt as to the person’s credibility. This is a welcome development Governor T.A Orji has beefed up his funding on security matters and provided more equipment, more communication gadets, vehicles and other tools to the state police command. With the support of the Commissioner of Police, new vigilante groups were set up while the existing ones were revamped.

Brothers (Kidnappers), if we could remember the fulfilled promises of Ochendu, we need no sooth sayer to tell us that he (Ochendu) is a man destined to change Abians by taking them to the next level. Still on this course, billions of Naira have been spent by the governor in purchasing over 500 Toyota Hilux Jeeps and Ford XLT Jeeps, the fueling, maintenance etc yet kidnappers are bent on mountain special toll on the core psyche of innocent Abians with the humiliation that railed from their actions.

In Abia State today, traders in the market cry bitterly on daily basis for not selling their goods, due to this ugly development and road contractors are scared of completing their paid/funded projects except there is provision of adequate security. This act is preventing the dividends of democracy meant for Abians and the in flow of cash in the state.

It hurts when one realizes that no meaningful investment made so far with the billions of Naira forcefully got by kidnappers other than squandering it on women, cloths, hotels, etc. This entails that hotel owners and kidnapper sponsors are financially growing fat to the detriment of Abia economy. These unscrupulous sponsors jeopardize free movement in the society, force kidnappers to take oath of secrecy before a deity and label them as enemies of the society. Still, these kidnappers found it hard to believe they are conduct pipe that print money for their sponsors.

Consequently, our leaders and other prominent men prefer eating coconut shell to spending a night in Abia State due to the billions of Naira kidnappers extorted from the family members of their counterparts. The list is endless! of Chief J.D Iruke, a former ASUBEB CHAIRMAN, daughter of Navy Captain Obike Ogbonna , Hon. Kelechi Nwankpa, the Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Council, Hon. Monday Ajaegbu, a member of Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Anyansi Agwu, the Chairman of Enyimba Football Club, Prof. Steven Emejuaiwe, Chairman of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, whose police orderly, a sergeant was killed in the attack that led to his kidnap, Elechi Okoro, Eze Appollos, Eze Ezenwat Mbakwe, Joseph Ogwu, several bankers, lawyers, traditional rulers and scores business men. The assassination of UBA Branch Manager along Factory road Umuahia. The failed attempted kidnap on Senator Enyi Abaribe has also chased him away from Abia State.

These prominent men and women are also the leaders representing Abians, to enable their people have a taste of dividends of democracy.
To make it crystal clear to some of our leaders representing us at the National Assembly, abandoning the problems facing Abians will do us no good other than creating a tumbling economy characterized with insecurity and unemployment

Irrespective of the political families we belong, allowing the Abia State Governor to carry this cross alone, sounds very unsupportive. Why do our leaders allow their conscience and good manners to be imprisoned by the arrogant political malice? They seem to forget that those who control their anger have great understanding but those who exhibit theirs make hasty mistakes.

Abuja (FCT) is not a constituency that Abia leaders are representing rather a mouth piece to channel the predicaments facing their constituency people they are representing. Among all the honourable members representing Abians in Abuja, only few
frequently visit their constituences to have a feel of their problems and assist them to solve it.

Notwithstanding the uncared attitudes of some of our leaders governor did not relent in finding a lasting solution to the menace of this unbearable nightmare. It is a welcome development that the governor has granted amnesty to all kidnappers and other criminals in the state. This will bring peace to the state and I see the governor’s effort as a lasting solution in the tackling this societal virus.

My beloved brothers (kidnappers) I urge you to sincerely accept this amnesty and dislodge any fear of betrayal or unseriousness on the part of state government. In addition, the governor has promised to pardon, rehabilitate and provide good jobs to any kidnapper or criminal who confesses and surrenders his ammunition to the state.
Abia is God’s own State and Abia needs to recapture God’s covenant with humanity. To achieve this, our services to the state should be anchored upon incorruptibility, social conscience, justiceability, mutual respect and harmony. Let’s welcome Amnesty and say farewell to kidnapping.
•Comrade Amanze, a Personal Assistant to theGovernor.[/b]



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/freekick/2009/nov/17/freekick-17-11-2009-001.htm

donjon:
@posta,
hopefully they will start with your village first.
Rubbish

*jona:
Insecurity has driven Anambra people away, [b]says Soludo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2010 polls in Anambra and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo said that the level of insecurity in the state was alarming. It has driven people to hold their traditional weddings in Abuja and Lagos, he says. He talked with CHUKS COLLINS in Awka. Excerpts.

HOW far have you gone with reconciling aggrieved members of your party the PDP in view of the tension your nomination raised?


It wonÕt be an exaggeration to say that Anambra is at least 80 per cent PDP. It is not the same with other parties. I put it at a conservative 80 per cent because every other party in the state is a breakaway faction of the PDP. And being a large family, you are bound to have people of different shades of views. Our first task actually is to strive to keep the house together, mobilise the house into the formidable party that it is. I think we have largely succeeded. [b]A large section of the party is intact and is getting ready to take back power in the state because what we have today is an aberration; a little bit of an accident, so to speak. The PDP members have resolved to take back power [/b in the state.


In what sense are you talking of aberration in the state?

There are two parties in power in the state today. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has the executive arm, while the PDP has 100 per cent of the legislative arm. It is such that even the single APGA member in the House of Assembly, out of 30, has decamped to the PDP that he says that what happened in 2003 was an accident. We also know from the results of that election that APGA did not have the spread. There was a kind of protest vote that year and people fragmented into so many parties. The APGA then had a simple majority but did not have the 50 per cent in two third of the council areas of the state. However, we know the crises that happened that time and how eventually the APGA candidate was declared the winner. But still the rank and file of Anambra, the vast majority of the people are still with PDP and in spite of these other fragments of political parties in the state, its still safe to say that at least 80 per cent are still PDP.


Many years after its creation, Anambra is behind her peers in terms if development. What do you think is the problem?

Well, that is precisely way I am running. I would not be running if the state were realising more than 10 per cent of its potentials. I would not be running if Anambra as richly endowed in human and material resources is actually standing up to be counted among the states of Nigeria. Anambra has become the butt of every joke. There is no physical war going on, but the people are moving out in droves as if a refuge, as it was out of the state. Joblessness is the second name, insecurity is the other and the state should actually be number one in terms of economic development; every indicator shows that.


Onitsha is not only decaying, it is dead. People are daily moving out to places like Asaba

There is no symptom or sign to show that the state is moving forward. If anything, every indicator shows that the state is in a reverse gear; moving backwards. And that is why some of us have volunteered in spite of grave personal inconvenience to say, Ôif not us, who; if not now, when?Õ I give credit to those who have been governors of the state, including the incumbent I can say that given their capacity and other issues, they have done a good job, especially where you have had a history of people getting 10 per cent, 15 per cent or 30 per cent. If you get a 40 per cent, it would be regarded as a good job. But for me, this election is about a 40 per cent to 50 per cent performance when someone has a capacity to deliver 99 per cent. Anambra is a first class state; it needs a first class material. It is not a third class state and that is why I am in the race. I believe that Anambra has got the men and women with first rate materials to lift the state to realise 99.9 per cent of its potentials instead of the 40 per cent that is beginning to look like a great achievement.


What would be the priorities?

The draft copy of our manifesto will unveil what we have planned for the state. It is a revolution; it is a design to build Anambra as AfricaÕs own Dubai-Taiwan. That is the big dream. I have in mind what we are going to do from the first day, not just the first 100 days; the legislations and the kind of programmes that must be put in place; the declaration of state of emergency on Onitsha and the other four major urban centers of Awka, Nnewi, Nkpor and Ekwulobia urban. I donÕt want to pre-empt our plans at this stage but one big idea is that we will start to lay the foundation to create 300,000 jobs over a period of time at the minimum. The people would start to come to Anambra for job, and not Anambra people moving in droves in search of non-existing jobs elsewhere. The world must begin to return to Anambra that has the strategic geographical advantage to be AfricaÕs Dubai-Taiwan. When you move down to those places, our administration would lay the foundation for a good beginning for the state.


Insecurity [/b] fuelled by with kidnapping and violent crime is a menace in the state. What do you think has led to the critical stage?

It is the common talk that security has become an intractable problem in the state. It is now so bad that people now perform the usual traditional marriage rites outside the state and in places like Lagos, Abuja. You can imagine for an Igbo man to perform the mandatory traditional carrying of wine in cities outside their country homes and kindred. It is because people are no longer safe to go home for fear of being kidnapped or robbed, or even being killed by hoodlums. You cannot have development, and investments in a place where people cannot sleep with their two eyes closed. It is part of our agenda, but there is no strategy to tackle it that will work in the long run if there is no effort to create jobs. My primary aim is to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.


Since 1998, each successive governor has failed or refused to hold council electionÉ

That is one of the things we will do within the first year in office. I have told the people to prepare for council election as soon as we settle down in office. The state will no longer appropriate the funds of the councils. We must create developments to the grassroots.[/[




http://nigeriaworld.com/cgi-bin/axs/ax.pl?http://odili.net/news/source/2009/nov/16/4.html

ezeagu:
All of the above.

(nedu2000)-igbo man stop the lies.:
D problem of d SE states r a result of yrs of mamarginalizationave u been 2 Yobe,Borno,Kebbi,BaBaseless ?have u ever wondered y most igbo indigenes u know don't travel home?even d Lagos sef?

oko1:
Igbo name command attentions, people can only challenge a champion.

Afam:
Greed is dangerous. Not being contented with what you have is another disease. There are cleaners in Nigeria that are taking care of their families without resorting to drugs or crimes.