NIGERIAN NOTCH

The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has said about N4 trillion had been lost to the stay-at-home order in the South-East region within the past two years. Kalu said the situation observed every Monday in the region in the five states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo had crippled businesses and stifled opportunities for economic growth. The deputy speaker spoke in a keynote address delivered at the ‘All Markets Conference 2023’ with the theme: “Catalysing Partnership with Traders through Innovation, Technology, Analytics & Sustainability” held in Lagos yesterday. Kalu said the order had forced potential investors out of the South-East, adding that violence was alien to region and called for a collective efforts by all Igbo sons and daughters to end the menace. He said: “The existential threat to Igbo entrepreneurship and businesses now is the insecurity and sit-at-home problem in the South-East. The mutation of this problem is largely unfat...

The Imo State Governor,  Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma has reiterated his commitment to the smooth running of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education.  Governor Uzodimma said this at the courtesy visit of the Assessment Team from the Federal Ministry of Education for the new Federal Institution. The Governor reassured them of his continued support for the smooth running of the institution as the host State which will in return benefit Imo citizens and the Nation.  Speaking earlier, the team lead from the Ministry of Education, Dr Uche Ubah disclosed that the assessment was to ascertain the Institution's readiness for its new University status and make recommendations to the Federal government on their immediate takeover.  She further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education came with agencies like the National Universities Commission (NUC), TETFUND and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) for the assessments.  #KaImoDikw...

By Chikeluba Romanus Izuchukwu    Security of lives and property is a fundamental responsibility that every government owes his citizen, and Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah  has taken it upon himself ( even as a legislator) to trigger the conversation on the safety and protection of the Southeast region. In the face of recent insecurity challenges that have negatively impacted the economy, Senator Ubah, representing Anambra South Senatorial District, has emerged as a strong advocate for peace and end to capital flight in the region. With a deep understanding of governance and a commitment to supporting the efforts of the  state government, he envisions a secure and prosperous future for Anambra State in particular and the Southeast in general.    Senator Ubah's initiatives in Anambra South serve as a blueprint for progress throughout the region. By duplicating his efforts in other senatorial districts, a solid foundation can be established to foster securi...

A new commissioner of police has resumed office in Anambra Police Command, in the person of CP Adeoye. The commissioner of police in his first interaction with members of the press in the state, restated the commitment of the force to combat crime and criminal elements in the state. He however, warned that it will never be business as usual, as the police command under his watch will ensure that Anambra is peaceful for the citizens to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of molestation.  He however used the opportunity to highlight the efforts of the police command in combating crime in the state in less than 24hrs of his assumption of office.  According to the CP, in the late hours of Tuesday 11/7/2023 by 8:13 pm, the police in collaboration with Anambra state vigilante at Ichida bus stop along the Ichida- Igboukwu expressway, rescued a kidnap victim, demobilized two members of the notorious gang and recovered one Ak47 rifle, two pump action guns, two Ak47 magazi...

A civil society group in Imo state under the aegis of Imo Coalition For Justice, Peace and True Democracy has petitioned Hon. Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu to the Inspector General of Police over what they described as withholding information on the pervading criminality and insecurity in the south east and allegation of sponsorship and connivance of Gov. Hope Uzodimma in that order.  Ugochinyere had on Arise TV programme made unfounded allegations against Gov. Hope Uzodimma bordering on; Gov. Uzodimma and other governor's in the south east, where he stated that they are enjoying criminality as it benefits them, thus alleging that Gov. Uzodimma is sponsoring and recruiting unknown gunmen into Ebubeagu vigilante group, Imo State, and as such stated that the Governor is fuelling crisis and killings in South east. Furthermore, he also alledeged that Imo State Governor Is attacking citizens and their properties and that since the crisis in the south east started, that Imo State Governor is sp...

Following the recent JAMB declaration of Miss Nkechinyere Umeh from Anambra State as the highest scorer with cumulative mark of 360 in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has congratulated the remarkable student on doing the state proud with her exceptional performance.   In further celebration of Miss Umeh’s feat, Governor Soludo has announced a well-deserved scholarship for her to study any course of her choice at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State.  The scholarship will not only serve as a token of the state government’s appreciation for her hard work but also provide her with the opportunity to pursue her dreams and contribute to the development of the state in the future.   While wishing Miss Umeh continued success in her future academic pursuits, Governor Soludo also encouraged other young ndi Anambra students within the State and across...

By Pope Obinna Tony Amaefuna. The security situation in southeast Nigeria today should has become a serious source of concern to every stakeholder, resident and independent observers.  The deteriorating state of affairs within the region with it's attendant multidimensional crippling effect on security, economy, academics and general cohesiveness is indicative of leadership failure. The demerits of the faux pas strategy and self destructive ideas adopted and enforced by some elements as response to the unlawful kidnap and continued illegal detention of Nnamdi Kanu is now loud enough to the ears of the deaf and clear enough to the eyes of the blind.  Within a space of two to three years, Igbos has turned against themselves. Our economy has been set on a freefall down the bearish slopes of the Nigerian money market. Our customers has rechannelled their resources elsewhere where the security of their lives and properties are not threatened.  The southeast region has become a...

  Auto Spare Parts Machinery Dealers Association, ASPMDA, over the weekend at Mountain of Fire, Festac Town, thanked God for his mercies and blessings in its first 100 days in office. The market moved to it's permanent site on the 14th of February 2000, and has since, been doing business in the market with no hitch.  In an interactive session with Nigerian Notch,the President of the market, Hon. Ngozi Emechebe thanked God for the opportunity to celebrate 100 days in office. He said " this 100 days in office has been fruitful in several dimensions as it has helped us access and look at the immediate needs of the market. In 100 days we reinstituted the celebration of our moving into this promised land from Idumota on the 14th of February 2000.  "In 100 days we were able to clear the mountain of refuse that almost caused an epidemic in the market, as the refuse has not been evacuated for over 5 years. With over 200 tippers we cleared over 800 tons of waste, which LAWMA can a...

By Chigozie Igbo Jr. The security situation in the south east has gone gaga and definitely certain measures different from the norm, must be set in motion to bring it to a stop forthwith. What we are witnessing in the south east is not about activism or the quest for Biafra's emacipaction, as being touted in some quarters, but a well thought out plan by criminal elements to cash in on the Biafra struggle, so to say, to perpetually humiliate people from the south east. Not only are we humiliated, we are also maimed, most times our properties and sources of livelihood destroyed for selfish interest. Today, the south east has become a ghost of itself, with economic activities grinding to a halt on Mondays, and any day, they deem fit as their sit at home days. An economy that was bubbling with steady growth and fun is now a place for pity. Who visits owerri, enugu, onitsha, aba, abakaliki, nnewi to ease off the stress or do business again without being afraid of the unknown? The term u...

Accuses Finland of ‘complicity Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has accused the self-styled separatist, Simon Ekpa, of playing the script of enemies of Igboland, having allegedly collected huge sums of money to destabilise the region and undermine its progress. Ohanaeze accused Finland-based Ekpa of using the pro-Biafra struggle and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s name to enrich himself at the expense of the lives, property, and wellbeing of Ndigbo. It wondered why Finland has continued to harbour and allow Ekpa to use the European nation as a launchpad for what it described as deadly sit-at-home campaigns and destructive incitements. These were contained in a statement issued by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, in Enugu on Sunday. The group described Ekpa’s sit-at-home orders as part of a deal to destroy the economy and social life of the South East. “We want to make it abundantly clear to Ndigbo, Nigerians, and the inter...