₦airaland Forum

COME WHAT MAY BE, APGA WILL WIN ABIA GOVERNORSHIP BY GOD'S GRACE.

Abagworo:
After my visit to Aba and Ariaria I have concluded that Theodore Orji is a victim of media conspiracy. Most of the pictures circulating on the web are very old and do not in any way represent true situation. At least from Ariaria market point of view. I will now depend on personal experience to pass judgement. All these pictures are false.

Owerri is hospitable, livable and beautiful.

This place is cool

Abagworo:
Thornberry Hotel now in Owerri as Full Moon.

Imo State is Blessed !!! Imo State is fast developing with a bubbling Aviation Sector.

Charlesdonald:
sorry sir

Anyway, the hotel is good looking. Do you know where it is located ?

asha80:
there is a belief that this man's campaign is not strong enough

Yea !!! It appears the battle is mainly between Rochas and Ihedioha

Imo Trader, Artisans Endorse Capt Emma Iheanacho Guber Bid
TRUMPETA | February 6, 2015 | 0 Comments

Iheanacho_Traders_Artisans

It was indeed a convergence of brothers and sister last Monday when Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidates for Imo Governorship race 2015 and his campaign team made a suprise appreaance at the three major markets in Owerri, namely; Ekeukwu Owerri, Relief Market and New market respectively where the mammoth crowd present endorsed his candidacy and reaffirmed him of their unalloyed support.



The successful exercise which commenced with a visit to Ekeukwu Owerri market where women, youths, artisans, traders, Keke operatives among others who could not hide their excitement at the sight of Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho showered much ecomium and rally round him for support. They described him as God sent and a gentle giant who has come to take away their pains and as well deliver them from the government of deceit.

Several traders spoke about the challenges confronting them in the course of the rally that also witnessed a large turnout of enthusaitic supporters at Relif Market and New Market. They assured Capt Iheanacho that they would transcend their support through their votes in the forth coming general election.



Addressing the crowd, Capt. Iheanacho a onetime interior minister expressed his profound gratitude for their overwhelming support. He said youth development and job creation will be one of the main focus of his administration if voted into office as Governor of Imo State. While responding as the traders expressed their problems, Iheanacho said he had seen for himself the total lack of development in the area and had taken note of them, adding that if elected he would see to it that their demand were granted.

http://www.theheartlander.com/imo-trader-artisans-endorse-capt-emma-iheanacho-guber-bid/

We need industries not hotel

Charlesdonald:
New hotel in otown


Oxygen Holiday Resort

Jubilation as Obiano Begins Work on Umueri Airport Road

There was joy on the faces of the rural folks as the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, finally took the first major step in fulfilling his promise of building a cargo airport in Anambra State by flagging off the four-lane road that will lead to the proposed airport in Umeri, in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Obiano who stormed the venue for the inauguration along Aguleri-Otuocha-Umueri expressway, with the members of his cabinet and APGA chieftains on Monday, declared that in beginning construction work on the proposed road, his administration was symbolically opening up the entire area for accelerated development.

The governor expressed optimism that when all the roads that are under construction in Anambra East and West are fully completed, there would be greater access to the agrarian treasures of the state and more opportunities would be opened therefrom.

According to him, no fewer than 300 people are expected to be employed during the construction of the Umueri Airport Road alone.

The governor also used the opportunity to announce that Anambra State government had signed on a South African gas exploration company known as Lubcon to work on its newly approved Gas Well ANAMBRA WELL 1, the state’s first gas well that has been proven to hold a large deposit of gas.

According to him, the South African firm will be “producing 100 megawatts of electricity from the gas that will be mined from that well. With this volume of electricity, the power supply needs of this zone and beyond will be met. This will also attract investors from other places who may want to set up their operations here and take advantage of the steady power supply,” he explained.

The governor also explained that his administration was expediting action on all uncompleted roads in the zone to ensure an effective linkup between the various communities. “When our work is fully done, there will be a lot of progress and prosperity, a lot of activities that will generate income and a lot of jobs for our people. So, when we finish, this part of the state and Anambra State as a whole will witness a significant economic improvement,” he enthused pointing out that his administration had outlined several programmes that would help stimulate domestic growth in the state.

According to him: “We have commenced special training in oil and gas and in agriculture in the Federal Polytechnic, Oko and Anambra State University, Igbariam respectively, to prepare our people to take full advantage of the expected employment opportunities in the emerging industries.

“ We have commenced these trainings because when these investors come, they will need trained hands to work with them. Because that an industry is located in a particular place does not mean that every indigene would be automatically qualified to work in it.”

According to him, the state government is “anticipating the demand for properly trained indigenes that will take over the industries in the future. So, register through your local governments so that you will make yourself employable in the future. These trainings are offered free of charge to willing participants. We are encouraging our sons and daughters to read petroleum engineering because ultimately, they will be the ones to take over these investments when the expatriates are gone.”

The governor also used the opportunity to debunk the malicious rumour in the social media which claimed that he planned to rename the proposed airport after his home town of Aguleri.

“Don’t listen to detractors who are going around insinuating that an airport in Umueri will be named after Aguleri. It is a lie. That sort of thing can never happen. It cannot even be contemplated at all. These people just want to cause trouble for the fun of it. Please ignore them,” he pleaded.

Earlier, Obiano had inspected the 40 Km Aguleri-Uno – Oil Rig road project and expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work done so far, hoping that construction work on the road would reach an advanced stage before the onset of the rainy season.

He further noted that the road which cuts across seven agrarian communities was designed and being constructed to take heavy duty vehicles involved in oil and gas business while it would also open up food producing areas for effective harnessing of the abundant resources in the area.

In his own remarks, the Commissioner for Works, Sir Callistus Ilozumba, disclosed that two more dualized roads from Umunya and Nteje respectively would equally lead to the airport, while the state government had made several representations to the federal government for the dualisation of the Onitsha – Aguleri – Adani road with an interchange at the junction of the new road.


Sir Ilozumba also disclosed that the state had secured approval for the airport project and acquired enough land for its construction while the contract for the major road to the facility was awarded to a competent contractor.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jubilation-as-obiano-begins-work-on-umueri-airport-road/202668/

May their Soul Rest in Peace

IMO STATE IS WELL DEVELOPED AND BEAUTIFUL. IT IS INDEED A NICE PLACE TO VISIT AND LIVE.

Imo natives in Aba endorse Ihedioha
0
By Our Reporter on February 23, 2015 Trending

From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

Imo natives resident in Aba, Abia State, have en­dorsed the candidacy of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, as the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State for the forthcoming governorship elections.

Speaking while receiving Ihedioha, who visited Aba at the weekend in continuation of his campaign, the Coordinator of Imo community in Aba, Mr. Tony Emeh, said they decided to endorse the deputy speaker due to his sterling qualities.

Describing Ihedioha as a man of the people, Emeh stated that the PDP governorship can­didate attracted projects that had touched the lives of Imo people in so many ways.

Emeh said Ihedioha’s visit to Imo indigenes in Aba, marked him out as a man, whose love for the people was unequalled and urged the people to support him.

Addressing Imo natives at the Abia State Polytechnic pa­vilion in Aba, Ihedioha said his visit was to enable him inform Imo people living in Aba of his ambition to govern Imo State and correct alleged wrongs done to the people by the Gov­ernor Rochas Okorocha-led ad­ministration.

“I came to inform you that I have been chosen as the PDP governorship candidate in Imo State. I am contesting to restore sanity in the governance of Imo State. Imo State has become a filthy state. We shall restore in­dustries in Imo State,” he said.

Ihedioha said Imo State does not have free education, stating that Okorocha was only de­ceiving the people.

He assured the people that if he became governor, he would recall the 10,000 workers, whose jobs were terminated by the Okorocha-led administra­tion, stressing that Imo people were suffering.

“This is not the Imo of our dream. We came to inform you that people of Imo have resolved to have good gover­nance. From May 29, Imo State shall be governed by truth,” he said.

The deputy speaker prom­ised that his administration would provide effective health­care for all the local govern­ment areas in the state, restore sanity in governance, good sanitary and hygienic envi­ronment, which the state was noted for in the past.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=106122

oneeast:
Imo state is actually the least developed state in the SE with only brothel business as the only economy. You can live with that deaddiamond..

Road show continues down to the deep rural areas..

Genuine infrastructural development round the state..

AM NOT WHAT YOU SAY. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE SHOWING US PICTURES OF A BRIDGE ABOUT TO BE DAMAGED BY EROSION.

IMO STATE HAVE MANY DEVELOPED TOWNS AND CITIES THAT CAN RIVAL THE STATE CAPITALS OF SOME LOUD MOUTHED STATE

abagoro:
Oguta

https://s26.postimg.org/u4lix0wwp/oguta_golf.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/d0dv57kpl/oguta1.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/a067g5o61/oguta34.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/dsgj4eowp/oguta11.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/xbub592ft/oguta30.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/4fp4rrzx5/oguta17.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/p7d091195/oguta1.jpg

https://s26.postimg.org/y4xq6dtp5/ogutal.jpg

AT CHINO DIKE WHICH PART OF ANAMBRA STATE LOOKS LIKE THESE PICTURES OF OWERRI.

Can you point ANYWHERE IN ANAMBRA STATE THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL LIKE THIS PICTURE OF AN AVENUE IN NEW OWERRI ? I GUESS NOT. THIS IS BECAUSE IN TERMS OF PLANNING, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOSPITABILITY AND BEAUTY, Imo State is far ahead of Anambra State but Anambra State has more Industries that Imo State.

oneeast:
My friend you are not making any point. Contemporary wise do you mean those old ikwerre type houses that filled up the entire landscape of Owerre? You are goofing my friend.

Lemme tell you Awka alone has some of the most modern architectures one can find in the SE. I am not making mouth but the type structures and edifices. Go figure

I will keep repeating it, Anambra beats Imo state in every sense you want to reason it except brothels and prostitution.

Donmarrius:
Soon and very very soon,Igboland will be prime destination of investors. Our long time Asian trade relationship is grossly paying off with speed of light.

You are right brother !!! Igboland is on the move to greater height.

Obiano Launches Intercity Taxi To Link Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka

In a bold move to give the three leading cities of Anambra State an outlook of modernity and shore up their social index, the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has launched three landmark initiatives that will change the face of the State.
The initiatives are the Anambra State City Cab Scheme, Operation Clean & Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade) and the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency (ATMA). Although Anambra State with its three major cities and pockets of urbanizing towns is the most developed state in the South East, residents have always complained of the absence of organized intra and inter-city taxis that will facilitate the movement of commuters inside and between the cities.
Launching the first phase of the Cab Scheme with 200 taxis at the Alex Ekwueme Square at the weekend, Governor Obiano explained that the idea was to ensure that the state would have an effective transportation system that would lift it into a world class business environment.
He further maintained that the introduction of the Cab Scheme is expected to slash the unemployment rate and eventually contribute to a growth in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.
揟he City Cab Scheme is aimed at empowering the youths of Anambra by offering them an opportunity to own brand new taxi cabs via a hire purchase scheme,� he revealed, further pointing out that the scheme has a 24 hours call centre for residents to call the operators for pick-ups at any time of day or night.

www.elombah.com

CaptainOjemba:
Yes I agree with you on Ngwa, Ukwa East and West, Umunneochi Bende axis that comprises of Isiukwuato

.

Yea !!! You seem to know Abia State well. I thought you are from Enugu ?

CaptainOjemba:
Aba is locked down for Otti, I guess he should channel his energy and campaign to Umuahia and Bende axis.

Arochukwu and Ohafia are also Otti. I think he should concentrate on Ikpeazu's Ngwa LGA and Umuahia/Isikwuato axis.

We’ll roll out first Nigerian-made construction equipment in 18 months – Muonagolu

By Our Reporter on February 19, 2015 Business

By AMECHI OGBONNA

Chief CJ Muonagolu is the Executive Chair­man of Richbon Group, an indigenous company engaged in im­portation and assembly of automobile and construction equipment. Just recently, his company in alliance with its Chinese technical partners signed a $40million Memo­randum of Understanding with the Anambra State govern­ment for the establishment of a Nigerian assembly plant that would manufacture agricultur­al machineries, construction equipment and mass transit buses as part of strategies to deepen Nigeria’s industrializa­tion process.

In this interview with Daily Sun, Muonagolu explained the benefits of the project, pointing out it would create over 6000 direct and indirect jobs while boosting Anambra state’s internally generated revenue among other advan­tages.

Excerpts

About Richbon

Richbon started like every other Nigerian business because some­times you may not know what to say, but suffice it to say that God has been so wonderful to us. For instance, the remarkable event that is taking place today is indeed my vision from childhood when I was dreaming of manufacturing an aero plane thinking as a child.

But today it is not coming as an aero plane but something close to it. Richbon Group started by importing completely built units of trucks and trailers and by 2000 we moved into construction equipment. From that point we got the dealership of SINO Trucks which we expanded further to get the franchise of XGMA construc­tion equipment which is rated 3rd best quality construction equipment manufacturer in the world. That has taken us to the height you are seeing today and we give all glory to God.

Why we signed MoU with Anambra Govt

My vision is never to continue thriving on the completely built unit. We decided to sign this Memo­randum of Understanding with the Anambra state government because from inception of my career I have always wanted to create employment for our youths to complement what the state and Federal Governments have been doing.

But I can also say here that we have received quite some impetus in that direction from both the Federal Government and the state govern­ments in our effort to achieve this ob­jective, hence the fresh challenge for us to go back, re-strategise and talk to our partners to bring the assembly plant down here so that it can help our people create jobs and support our industrialisation process.

Today you can see we are one of the first to capitalise on that op­portunity to help our economy create more jobs. That is also why we boldly told our partners that the tune of the business is changing in our en­vironment hence it is no longer going to be business as usual. We told them that we need to start doing something like assembly plant here and we are happy they did not hesitate to ap­prove of the request considering our strength and role in the market.

However, having agreed that this is feasible, we looked round to see where we can set up this industry and we penciled down some states and Anambra came tops.

As a matter of fact what made Anambra to emerge as a preferred destination for us to begin establish­ment of this assembly plant is the government’s four point agenda for development and its aggressiveness in tackling the security threat in the state. It is so exciting that up until 11pm yesterday we were still in an office holding meetings and I was impressed that things have really changed in the state

Back in those days of insecurity, no one could have contemplated that because as early as 6pm everybody would have gone to bed for fear of kidnappers and robbers. But to the glory of God that things are chang­ing fast here courtesy of the Willy Obiano led government.

Roll out of assembly products after MoU

Oh, sure immediately after this MoU, we will impress it on the governor to inaugurate a five -man action committee to ensure we take possession of the property allocated to us so that we can start work im­mediately. We are going to produce made -in -Nigeria construction equipment which would be the first in Africa in the next 18 months from the day of the MoU.

Partnering China instead of EU, USA

The Chinese were willing to invest in Nigeria because when we spoke to our partners they agreed with our proposal. Even before we agreed to partner with the Chinese partners, we took time to look at the quality of their products and we were convinced that they were worth dealing with.

For instance, XGMA is a global brand and when we say they are third best in the world, we are sure of their standards. I don’t whether you know the number of construc­tion equipment manufacturers in the world today. In china alone they are more than 500 companies that are manufacturing construction equip­ment. In USA and Europe, they are more. So, if XGMA comes third in the world, then there is every need to partner it.

In terms of quality there is no reason we cannot give it a thought especially as they are willing to also invest in Nigeria.

Project cost

The value of the project is about $40million and the Anambra state government through Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protec­tion Agency ( ANSIPPA )has been very wonderful in its support to the project. We want to thank the managing director, Chief Joe Billy Ekwunife, and his team for their sup­port for being a responsive agency. The inauguration of that agency has made it possible for what usually takes years to achieve to be accom­plished in weeks. It is wonderful. This MoU would have been signed in December but because I was out of the country and that shows you how efficiency ANSIPPA has been in facilitating industrialization of the state.

Our product

We will be assembling XGMA construction equipment and Sedan trucks and buses and these products will be made in Nigeria and sold at affordable prices. The quality will be top class and the status rights would be guaranteed in the sense that if you are not satisfied with our products, we advise you bring it back to us and you will be compensated.

The same standard of our partners will be on all our products and the next stage of the project after the MoU will be for all our technical partners to demonstrate the quality control and all that will be stream­lined.

Power supply

You can see that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is tackling the issue of power supply and the Anambra state government is giving it top priority. However, we are also making alternative ar­rangement on how we can power our factory when we begin production.

Employment

We will employ between 1000 and 1500, immediately after com­mencement. But by the time we go into full production we will be creating employment for about 3500 to 5000.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=105520

Abia 2015: Otti to Create Ministry of Aba Affairs to Boost Economy

By Our Reporter on February 18, 2015 Politics

By JOB OSAZUWA

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti has disclosed plans to create the Ministry of Aba Affairs to hasten economic development of the Enyimba city if elected on April.

Otti disclosed this during a recent business luncheon with members of Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), where he said such a ministry had become necessary to fast-track the development of the commercial city, which he observed was currently in shambles.

At the parley with the Aba business community, he said the planned ministry was an initiative targeted at complementing other agencies of government and to speedily tackle the numerous problems being experienced by residents and the business community in the city.

“As most of you can attest, the infrastructure decay in Aba is alarming. Bad roads, blocked drainages, dilapidated market structures and poor city management. All these will be tackled once we are in government,” Otti declared.

The forum afforded members of ACCIMA and other Aba indigenes to discuss with APGA’s candidates with a view to forging a symbiotic alliance to tackle the myriad of challenges facing business operations in the ancient city.

The Chief Executive officer of Tonimas, Chief Anthony Enukaeme, who is also the President of ACCIMA, expressed confidence in Otti’s blueprint to transform the entire Abia State, which is currently the dream of all Abians.

Also at the event, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Aba branch, Dr. Mike Ikejiaku, quizzed Otti on how he intends to revive healthcare sector in the state. According to him, the current government in the state had incapacitated the sector with health workers owed salaries for six months.

Representing hotel managers/owners, Chief Godwin Egbuchulam, asked Otti how he would resolve what he described as multiple taxation, lamenting that it had become the bane of business growth in Aba in particular, and the state in general.

In his response, Otti disclosed his intention to build new specialist hospitals in the state and pay outstanding debts owed not only health workers, but all civil servants in the state.

Otti restated his promise to abolish all forms of multiple taxations in the state to give businesses a breathing space. He also declared his unflinching support for all non-indigenes plying their trade in the state, assuring that his government would offer them maximum protection without any discrimination.

“As long as you live here, do business or work here, pay your tax as at when due, law abiding and you are contributing to the economy of the state, you are entitled to enjoy equal privileges.

“The current government sacked civil servants that are not indigenes of this state with a flimsy excuse that they are taking jobs from the indigenes. I call that an inhuman decision. It also shows that they are bereft of ideas on how to create jobs.

“With our blue print for the state, we will create jobs that will accommodate both indigenes and non-indigenes, open up our state to local and foreign investors by creating an enabling environment for business to thrive “, Otti promised.

The governorship hopeful urged the participants to see it as a duty to vote for him and other APGA candidates in the forthcoming elections in the state, saying that APGA is the only party that can bring about the change and transformation that Abians desire.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=105407

APGA Candidate Alex Otti Attracts 100 Billion Dollars Grant To Build Industrial Park In Aba

Feb 18, 2015

Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State, Alex Otti, said he has attracted International Finance Corporation’s (IFC)’s grant of $100 billion for an industrial park in Aba.

The APGA governorship candidate has also promised to recall the non-indigenes in the Abia State civil service sacked by the present administration.

Otti, who stated this on Monday while presenting his manifesto at a political event organised by the Aba Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture in Aba, explained that the money would be accessed as soon as he becomes governor of the state.

He informed his audience that the grant from IFC was structured in such a way that it would not suffer depreciation as a result of the fluctuations in the exchange rate.

Otti who equally addressed members of the Aba Sports Club afterwards also said the commercial town would soon begin to enjoy uninterrupted power supply with the completion of the Geometric Power Plant in Osisioma, near Aba, which is awaiting inauguration by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He recalled how in 2009 he, as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank, intervened when the construction of the plant suffered a setback due to the lack of funds and expressed delight that the project had been completed as efforts were being made to sort out outstanding issues delaying its inauguration.

He promised to tackle the infrastructure deficit in Aba, especially the deplorable road condition, blocked drainages and environmental challenges.

The APGA flag bearer said a special ministry would be created to re-design and rebuild Aba, adding that he had the international connection and integrity to access grants and investment from multinational organisations for the overall development of the state.

“There are multinational organisations with grants and aids tied to developmental needs, such as water, electricity, rural development and agriculture. But such monies will only go to people who have a track record of credibility and transparency,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, the President of the chamber, Chief Anthony Enukeme, said the forum was organised to afford the candidates the opportunity to showcase their manifestoes to the people.

A prominent member of the Chamber, Chief John Udeagbala, called on the people to rise to the challenge and work for a positive change in Abia by voting massively for Otti.

http://www.ekekeee.com/apga-candidate-alex-otti-attracts-100-billion-dollars-grant-build-industrial-park-aba/

Keep shut if you have nothing sensible to say. People within that axis have related ancestory. You can read various Igbo history books to know more.

oneeast:
I will keep making it clear to you..no part of Anambra has anything in common with any part of Imo state. Not in culture, destiny, language or marriage. Go and look for your brothers else as we have nothing in common with you people. We are a different people altogether. Go and ask your ancestors..

What would the large uncompleted multi story building be used for ?

Abagworo:
Owerri wu oke mba!

The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics which is the main statistic body which process verified data into information put Owerri as the 4th busiest in Nigeria and this corresponds with the fact that most local Airlines in Nigeria fly's to Owerri regularly. How many airlines fly's to Kaduna regularly with the level of insecurity there ?

IGBOSON1:
^^^But i read another report a few days ago saying that it was kaduna (not Owerri) that was among the top 4 busiest airports.....and i was wondering how it came from nowhere to carry 4th!

Owerri needs to be upgraded to int'l status, and they need a brand new int'l terminal as well!

You are right. Imo Airport is the 4th busiest Airport in Nigeria as most Airline starting from Arik, Dana, Discovery, Peace Airline etc now fly regularly to Owerri. Ala Imo State wu Oke Mba !!!

Abagworo:
When a small city like Owerri has overthrown mega cities like Kano and Ibadan in air traffic even with proximal Asaba, Uyo, Calabar, Enugu and Port Harcourt it does not take an expert to know that it now hosts higher number of affluent visitors than most cities in Nigeria. That same way it is probably the 4th fastest developing city in Nigeria behind Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

So welcome to the boom. Imolites should get ready to tolerate new settlers and embrace cosmopolitan reality.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=105515

Passenger patronage of domestic
airlines leaps by 20%
BY LOUIS IBA
Passenger patronage of domestic airlines in Nigeria rose by
20 per cent between 2013 and 2014, according to a recent
industry data obtained by Daily Sun.
The data sourced from domestic airline operators at­
tributed the increase to “signs that the larger economy was
witnessing a growth although it, noted that the increased
patronage did not translate to higher profit margins for op­
erators.
About a decade ago, a lull had hit the aviation industry
following the reluctance of Nigerians to fly owing to the
poor airworthiness of most operational aircraft and obso­
lete navigational and weather forecast facilities, which cul­
minated in frequent air crashes claiming hundreds of lives
of passengers. The industry also had issues with the poor
state of the airports and poor regulatory environment.
“But between 2013 and 2014, passenger growth on
domestic routes went up by about 20 per cent meaning
that more Nigerians are now taking the convenient option
of flying to their destinations with domestic carriers than
go by road,” said the report obtained on Tuesday.
“Aviation is a barometer for measuring an economy. One of
the ways to check the pulse of an economy is to observe
whatever happens to the flow of passenger traffic in the do­
mestic airline industry.
“There had been a lull particularly after the Dana Air crash
of 2012. Traffic slumped. It hovered around three million
and at its peak four million. But between 2013 and 2014,
passenger traffic rose to above 14 million, which clearly
shows signs that the larger economy was witnessing
growth,” it added.
Four airports were listed as attracting the highest volume
of passengers: Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Owerri,
while airports in the crisis-ridden North East of Nigeria
ranked as the lowest in terms of passenger patronage.

IMO STATE IS BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED

berem:
Umutanze-Akata road in Orlu. First time i see a rural road with drainage in Imo State.

There are lots of rural roads with drainage in Imo State. The road in my villlage built by the Ohakim's administration have drainage.

Jonathan and his Transformation Agenda

Feb 13, 2015

MALACHY UZENDU,
Deputy Editor, Abuja

BETWEEN former President Olusegun Obasanjo and incumbent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, there is a whole lot of difference both in style and performance. While Obasanjo believed in “do-or-die” and professed it openly, Jonathan believes in methodical approach to issues. Obasanjo broached no contrary opinion, if anyone did, that person met his or her waterloo. For the over four years that Jonathan has held forth in the administration of the country, there has not been a single insinuation of state sponsored killings or elimination of persons who belonged to any opposition political party, or persons who hold contrary opinion.
Instances of politically-motivated killings are replete. For instance, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, a chieftain of Alliance for Democracy (AD), was gruesomely murdered under circumstances Nigerians believed were politically-motivated. Ige was killed during the Obasanjo regime. To make matters worse at the time, there was orchestrated drama led by one criminal element, Fryo, who staged an ignoble drama, partly acted between him and the Nigerian Police, concerning Ige’s murder.
Then, the killing of Chief Marshal Harry, erstwhile chieftain of All Peoples Party (APP). Harry was said to be so strong politically that the government at the centre became convinced he was capable of removing Rivers State from the grip of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Marshal Harry had to be killed. He was killed at his residence behind the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, in a manner stage managed to look as if some “rag-tag armed robbers” killed him. But, the theory up till today, concocted by the state, have refused to be bought by the public. They knew Harry’s death was politically-motivated.
Then, Chief Ogbonna Uche. Uche was a chieftain of APP in Imo State. He had to be eliminated because the government at that time never broached any opposition. Uche’s killers, up till today, are walking the streets as free citizens. Similar sordid stories are replete, but let us stop at these.
State governors are no longer daily facing orchestrated politically-motivated impeachments or abductions as was the case between 1999 and 2007. Recall the case of the abduction of former Governor Chris Ngige by the late Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Raphael Ig,e simply because Ngige refused to open the vault of Anambra State to his political godfathers, who were intimate friends of the Obasanjo administration. Also, the case of the impeachment of former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state and Dieprieye Alamieseigha of Bayelsa state. The sordid arm twisting of state Houses of Assembly to move out of town, under heavy security threat and escort, to impeach a sitting governor in the middle of the night in a hotel room are no longer part of our recent history.
Arm twisting of state anti-corruption agencies like the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Police, are no longer the case. Remember the humiliation of former Internal Affairs Minister, Chief Sunday Afolabi, former National Chairmen of PDP, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo and Vincent Ogbulafor, as well as the ignoble removal of Chief (Mrs.) Ifenyinwa Obegolu, National Commissioner (Legal) at INEC, on trumped-up charges, have not yet obliterated from our memories. These gentlemen were arrested in a most disgusting manner, state agencies used to blackmail them of corruption, “abracadabra” charges preferred against them, only for all the charges to fail the litmus test of evidence in the courts after several years of struggle to prove their innocence, yet bruised and dented even in their innocence. They suffered all these because they offered contrary opinion against the wishes of the government then in power on certain policy decisions.
It was only the case of Mr. Tafa Balogun, then Inspector-General of Police (IGP), who was humiliated by a far subordinate, then Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nuhu Ribadu, then at the helm at EFCC, that succeeded. Balogun was removed from office in a most ignoble manner. But, the under lining factor was that Balogun disagreed with his erstwhile partner, one Tolu Jinadu, who was a government agent, on sharing formula of a mere N5 million out of several billions voted for Police salary, welfare, equipment and accouterments. But Chief James Onanaefe (Ochuko) Ibori, former Delta State governor, who stole the state funds silly, was assisted to obtain legal reprieve here in Nigeria for series of charges, of which a fraction of it all, got him convicted and landed him in a London jail.
On the agricultural sector, Nigerians will not forget in a hurry, the unprecedented fertilizer scam that was the order of the day between 1999 and 2007. Then, farmers had tales of woes to tell unlike now that the introduction of e-wallet system completely eliminated the huge billion Naira scam that the agric sector had been. Under Obasanjo’s watch, nobody knew that the problems in the agriculture sector was so menial that it had a roadmap towards resolving it; fertilizer, both adulterated and pure fake, arrived to middlemen long after each planting season. issues of storage, hiring and purchase of tractors, irrigation, Fadama farming, better yield seedlings, among other factors, remained intractable.
Remembering the nightmare the Nigerian federal roads were during the Obasanjo administration, is capable of making a pregnant woman deliver prematurely. Sordid stories of how Nigerians spend up to three days travelling from Onitsha to Lagos; two days from Ibadan to Kaduna; five days from Enugu to Maiduguri, a day and half from Makurdi to Abuja; two days from Kaduna to Sokoto and almost a week traveling from Benin City to Calabar or Yenagoa, have not disappeared from peoples memory. Yet, no less than N500 billion were allegedly spent rehabilitating the vast Nigerian roads. In less than two years of the Jonathan administration, all the nightmare that were Nigerian roads, have literally disappeared to the extent that traveling from Uyo to Maiduguri which hitherto took a week, are now completed within a day, or slightly above that, due mainly to the drivers taking their time to avoid insurgents. It is only remaining the Enugu – Onitsha; Enugu -Port Harcourt; Enugu – Makurdi and Calabar – Uyo – Yenagoa and Calabar – Makurdi as well as Benin – Port Harcourt highways, that are being reconstructed at snail speed. Top government functionaries at that time, especially in this sector smiled to the banks, unlike now where Arch Mike Onolemene, is seen practically doing his best and offering first-hand explanations on what was going on, unlike in the past, when nobody felt the public has any need to know.
In the education sector, the level of confusion and fraud that bedeviled the sector with attendant ghost worker and pension scam, have become stories of the past. Under the Onasanjo administration, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities and its counterparts in the education sector, received the worst form of treatment; agreements reached were fragrantly violated because such criminal acts cannot be punished on the state. Contractors were owed billions of Naira for contracts executed and budgeted for, while in the health sector, aviation sector, maritime sector, the stories were not different. The central payroll system introduced by the Jonathan administration and the close scrutiny of out-of-pocket expenditure through a central poll, have in no small measure reduced outright stealing of public property and funds.
Apart from the self-inflicted tension by the political parties which exacerbated tension through their utterances, campaign of hate and outright acts of intimidation and violence, the current electoral atmosphere, none the less is not as tension-soaked when compared with electoral period under the Obasnjo administration. At about this moment in 2007 or 2011, the level of tension and uncertainty in the land would have reached its crescendo. Stories of “do-or-die” would have rented the atmosphere and it would have been obvious that the government would not let go, even if it would involve announcing a non-existent result and asking the agrieved party to go to court. That was what happened in Anambra, Ondo, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo states, which were recovered through judicial pronouncements.
If nothing else, the transformation witnessed in these sectors, among several others which space and time would not permit, are obviously verifiable instances which the Jonathan administration can rely and boast of. What could be said to be remaining is a credible internal party democracy, which is still lacking across the political parties. Until the system permits the party members use the guidelines approved for party primary without changing the game in the middle or without unnecessary meddlesomeness by the leadership of political parties, then all the talk about political thuggery; all the talk about political tension; all the talk about massive movement of people from the cities to their villages during elections, will never come to an end. It is up to Jonathan or his successor, whoever wins, to improve on the successes recorded and take the bull of internal party democracy by the horn.

http://www.championnews.com.ng/jonathan-and-his-transformation-agenda/