NIGERIAN NOTCH

BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka  The State Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra, Barr. Ifeatu Obi-Okoye has advised politicians waiting for appointments to key into Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo's new vision of building millionaires through the One Youth Two Skills Development Initiative.  Obi-Okoye who stated this while x-raying the achievements of the party under his headship in the last one year, noted that Governor Soludo has come up with a new attitude of teaching the citizenry how to fish rather than giving them fish and subjecting them to the proverbial Oliver Twist.  He told this journalist that about 3000 people were appointed Executive Assistants, Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and a host of others in the last regime but today, he observed that most of them were out of employment.  He said instead of waiting for political appointments, politicians should join thousands of people being empowered by the gove...

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has concluded plans to commence the metering of customers served by “Band A” feeders across its network through its mobile MAP metering initiative. The exercise which is expected to kick off in Enugu on Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, will focus on EEDC customers served by “Band A” feeders under its Ogui, Awkunanaw, and Abakpa districts. The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC. Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who made this known through a press statement, said the Mobile MAP metering approach is part of efforts by EEDC to ensure that customers under service “Band A” across its network are metered within 48 hours. According to him, the company adopted this approach to ensure that the affected customers who enjoy minimum daily availability of 20 hours can begin to manage their energy consumption and pay for what they consume. EEDC customers under Awkunanaw district, served by Topland 11KV, Gariki 11KV, Amaechi 33KV, and UNEC 11KV feeders are t...

BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka The Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, High Chief Barr. Ifeatu Obi-Okoye says APGA will retire a lot of politicians in next year's governorship election in the state.  Obi-Okoye who spoke exclusively with this journalist in his office at the APGA Regional Headquarters Agu-Awka on Thursday, observed that in every election season the same set of politicians recycled themselves only to contest, fail and return again another season for another round of noisemaking.  He said they will make sure they retire those set of politicians in next year's governorship election because they will make them loose very disgracefully.  Obi-Okoye who explained that APGA is the choice political party for Anambra people, maintained that to beat APGA in any governorship election in Anambra State, one needed more than the flamboyance and noisemaking of some loud-mouthed politicians.  He said that one needed to do more ...

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to notify her customers with outstanding electricity bills that effective from 10th June 2024, the company will commence the disconnection of electricity supply to these indebted customers. This exercise has become necessary considering the huge unpaid electricitby bills and accrued arrears, which has consistently put the company in a precarious revenue deficit position, making it difficult to meet up with its power purchase obligations. For EEDC to continue providing services to its esteemed customers, it is pertinent that electricity bills, which are for energy already consumed, are paid in full. If this is not done, it will be difficult for the company to keep up its operations to serve customers and enhance the quality of service. Some of the indebted customers include, Enugu State Government, Ebonyi State government, Anambra State Government, Abia State Government, Imo State Government, Innoson Technical ...

The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, on Thursday submitted the estimated cost implications of implementing a new national minimum wage to President Bola Tinubu. Officials in the know of the matter reported that Edun submitted a proposal of N105,000 to the president as the new minimum wage.   The disagreement between organised labour and the government over the implementation of the national minimum wage. While organised labour is asking for a wage of N494,000, the government said it would pay N60,000.   However, following the declaration of an indefinite nationwide strike – which commenced on Monday and was relaxed for one week – the government committed to pay above N60,000.   The Trade Union Congress President, Comrade Festus Osifo, noted that there was no new development or offer from the government.   “The government is yet to present anything to us. What we have been discussing are principles but no new template yet,” he said.   Details load...

Fresh narratives have emerged on the true reasons behind the blackmail by some sections of the media, directed at the members of Anambra House of Assembly, with particular reference to Hon. Muobike over the recently failed picketing of the state assembly yesterday, 3rd June 2024 by union leaders of the NLC, Anambra chapter.  A viral video which emerged yesterday which has been confirmed as fake claiming that the lawmaker representing Aguata 2 State Constituency in the 8th legislature, Hon. Tony Ifedilichukwu Muobike said that Anambra workers will be replaced by Robots, is nothing but a doctored video, aimed at tarnishing the image of the law maker. In an exclusive chat with the lawmaker this morning, he enumerated how the altercation started and what he told the said person, as he cautioned him not to disturb the peace of the assembly. He however restated the fact, that he didn't say such thing neither did he make any unwarrented statements against civil servants in the...

BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka   Contrary to a false viral video trending on the social media where the peddlers claimed that the lawmaker representing Aguata 2 State Constituency in the 8th legislature, Hon. Tony Ifedilichukwu Muobike called Anambra workers Robots, the lawmaker has said that he didn't say such thing neither did he make any denigrating statements against civil servants in the state.  Muobike who spoke exclusively with this journalist with an emotionally ladened voice said opposition elements were bent on dragging his hard earned reputation in the mud because he simply could not comprehend the reason some people would purposely dish out falsehoods and blatant lies only for reasons of cheap blackmail.  He said what really happened on Monday 3rd June at the state assembly complex Awka was that striking NLC members carrying sticks and other destructive objects found their way into the complex chanting war songs.  He said lawmakers who were pres...

Ugwuoba town, which is a gateway into Enugu State, most times is construed to be in Anambra for those who don't know the difference as the town is bordered with Amansea, a border town on the fringes of Anambra and Enugu.  Ugwuoba is bounded by Amansea to the West, Oji River urban on the East, Ozzu Ndiukwuenu and Agbalaenyi to the South and Obinofia Ndiagu to the North. Ugwuoba is however a border town on the bank of Oji River in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Ugwuoba is made up of seventeen (17) villages, which includes: Upata, Okwe, Agungwu, Aguabosi, Mkpagu, Eziachi, Okpuno, Ude, Egbeagu, Agolo, Obinagu, Efulu, Ogbudu, Umualu, Agungwu-ogboo, Umuonwu and Aniocha. The Ojinator and Dodo community is an extension of Okwe. Ugwuoba is known for its arable land and enormous agricultural potentials. The town is known for its gas reserves within the gas-rich Anambra Basin, South Eastern Nigeria, but it's unfortunate that government after governmen...

By Hon Kamen Chuks Ogbonna By the end of the Nigeria Civil War(1967-1970 BB), the Igbo people of Nigeria faced devastating losses, including estimated 3 million deaths, displacement, and economic ruin. Despite the federal government's "no victor, no vanquished" rhetoric, the policies of the country post civil war left the Igbo people feeling marginalized and excluded from Nigeria's affairs. Fifty years after, Ndigbo are still nursing that feeling of systemic exclusion from government appointments, infrastructure development, and resource sharing.  This has led to renewed agitations for secession and the resultant insecurity challenges in the southeast region of Nigeria. However, the message behind this treatise is to refresh our memories back to the igbo communal collaboration system, the bedrock of Igbo lightening speed progress especially in the past 50 years. I also wish to propose this as the underlying recipe that made Ndigbo not just survive, but als...

The Transmission Company of Nigeria through the GM Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah in a press release made available to this medium has informed the general public that the Labour Union has shut down the national grid, resulting in black out  nationwide. The national grid shut down occured at about 2.19am this morning, 3rd June 2024. Mbah said that at about 1:15am this morning, the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was brought to zero. Continuing, he said that other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo Transmission Substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to t...

BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka Nnobi community in Idemili-South Local Government Area of Anambra State have unanimously endorsed the Ikemba Nnobi Special Chieftaincy title bestowed on High Chief Hamilton Emeka Ezeonu, a son of the soil whom they all attested has used his wealth and vast experience to transform Nnobi into another London.  Indigenes of the community also categorically declared that High Chief Emeka Hamilton Ezeonu is the authentic Ikemba Nnobi they know and that any other character parading himself or impersonating Hamilton Emeka Ezeonu as Ikemba Nnobi is doing so at his own peril because Emeka Hamilton Ezeonu, according to them, fulfilled all the necessary constitutional requirements for the Ikemba Nnobi Special Chieftaincy title to be conferred on him by His Royal Majesty Igwe Engr. Nick Obi.  Although they said a certain individual is claiming to have been conferred Ikemba Nnobi sometime in 1999 by the then traditional ruler His Royal Majesty Igwe Edmond...

......decries moral decadence in the society The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has ordered an immediate investigation into the lifeless body of a baby found today 2/06/2024 in a sack at a refuse dump along Ifite Road, Awka. This hw made known through a press release made available to newsmen on Awka the capital of Anambra state by the commands PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.  Preliminary investigations he said revealed that the child should be a day old and was abandoned by an unidentified woman suspected to be the mother. Meanwhile, the body has been recovered and the Police are currently working with some eyewitness information at the scene for possible arrest of the perpetrator. To this end, the CP decries moral decay in Society and describes the act as ungodly, barbaric, and inhuman. He also urges Parents/Guardians to pay greater attention to children/wards and call on anyone with useful information that can aid the investigati...

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas on Sunday held a meeting with the organized labour in a last ditch effort to avert the nationwide strike by the labour unions on Monday.  The meeting which had in attendance the leadership of the National Assembly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Mr Wale Edun among others was held at the National Assembly.  A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/Communication to the Senate President, Anietie Ekong quoted Senator Akpabio to have told the members of the labour union that the leadership of the National Assembly had to cancel an important engagement to convene the meeting to explore ways to reach a consensus between the government and organized labour.  According to Senator Akpabio, “I do know that Mr President had set up a very serious committee...

Less than 24 hours after to start of the nationwide strike over a new national minimum wage and hike in electricity tariff, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has directed its state councils across the country to ensure total compliance. This came to light on a day unions in the oil, electricity, financial and other critical sectors pledged total support for the indefinite strike declared by NLC and its counterpart, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC. Recall that the two labour centres, last Friday, announced an indefinite nationwide strike from tomorrow (Monday) over the government’s failure to agree on a new national minimum wage and reverse the recent hike in electricity tariff. NLC and TUC leaders had, on Workers Day, celebrations given the Federal Government a May 31 deadline to conclude the negotiations on a new national minimum wage or risk nationwide industrial unrest. The tripartite committee on a new National Minimum Wage set up by the government failed to ma...