NIGERIAN NOTCH

The Federal Government is considering repossession or recapitalization of 10 electricity distribution firms as one of the options to rescue the nation’s beleaguered electricity industry. This is coming ahead of the scheduled final performance review of the private firms that bought into the distribution companies carved out from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria. However, document available to one of our correspondents shows that the Federal Government would require up to $2.4bn (N736bn) to repossess the privatized distribution assets from the core investors if it finally takes the decision. Giving clue that it could recover the assets from the core investors, the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in a document sighted by one of our correspondents has described the co-owners of the distribution companies as ‘failed investors.’ The distribution and generation companies carved out of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria were handed over to private investors o...

The newly elected chairman of Goat Dealers association in Agboedo Market Nnewi, Chuma Okoro. has restated there position in supporting the decision made by the South East governor's to reject the imposition of RUGA in the South East He made this assertion last week, during the official handover to him as the new chairman of the association. He said " the policy of the federal government to impose on colonies in disguise is not only dead on arrival but a policy in bad light. Comrade  Chuma Okoro however promised to make policies that will attract government of Anambra state to look into some of the petinent problems confronting them in the market and to see how to proffer ways to solve it He said he has started a weekly sanitation clean up of their market place, which will ensure that the place is clean and decent at all times, because cleanliness is next to Godliness, which he said will attract more people to the goat market. We went on to commend the past administr...

The leadership of the Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, the umbrella body of all the markets in Anambra state, has reechoed its stand on monthly prayers in all markets in the state as agreed in its meeting with all chairmen and stakeholders of different markets. The market body issued a stern warning that default to the new guideline will no longer be tolerated. President General of ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, reechoed the warning on Monday, August 12, at the ASMATA headquarters in Onitsha, Anambra state, during an enlarged stakeholders meeting, which attracted all market leaders and ASMATA executive. This medium reports that the purpose of the meeting was to reexamine activities in the various markets and proffer solution on the way forward. The ASMATA PG said that one of the contending issues was violation of guideline for prayers in different markets. He said he received an intelligence that a section of the Bridge Head Market, known as O...

In this interview, with Hon. Obinna Okechukwu, the second Vice President ASAMTA, he takes time to explain the role of ASAMTA in all the 66 markets in the state, and their efforts in bringing sanity in the markets. He also highlights on what is currently happening in NASPA with regards to the said hear say about divisions among stakeholders in the market. Q: Sir, please can we know you?? A: I am Hon. Obinna Okechukwu, the Second Vice President ASAMTA. I am also the caretaker Chairman of New Motorcycle Spare Parts Association Nnewi. Q: Please can you tell us what ASMATA has achieved since it's creation by Anambra State Government?? Ans: I am happy to inform you that our administration is moving on fine. You know it's good for governance to change hands, so that new innovations and changes can take place, as that is what government should be. Our administration since inception is progressing and our president general Comrade Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu is doing fine, as he i...

The Managing Director of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), Engr. Anthony Okwuosha, has assured that the Commission has no plan to sack workers or slash their salaries as against a report on Monday, August 12, 2019, suggesting that the Deputy Governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona, had recommended to ISOPADEC Board to consider sacking some of the workers or slash their salaries as a way of reducing the wage bill of the Commission. The Managing Director gave the assurance through a press release by his S.A. Media and Communication, Mr. Collins Ughalaa, on Tuesday in Owerri, saying that the newspaper report was false. Engr. Okwuosha said the report that he was about to implement the said recommendation and that workers at the Commission were apprehensive were also false. He said: "There is no truth in the report as it is entirely fabricated and a vaticination of the parochial imagination of the purveyors and authors of the story...

The IMC Chairman of Ikeduru, Dr A.C Oparah has expressed satisfaction on the appointment of Ikeduru indigenes into key  positions by H.E Emeka Ihedioha's administration. He also highlighted that he has  a good working relationship with the Honourable Member representing Ikeduru LGA, at the State House of Assembly, Amb. Uche Ogbuagu, and  Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Sir Bon Unachukwu, who are all Senior Govt Appointees from Ikeduru. The Ikeduru LGA IMC Chairman,  Dr. A.C Opara, however tasked stakeholders in the LGA to look inwards towards  development in the area. While his presenting remarks and scorecard of his committee, he thanked Ikeduru Leaders and Stakeholders for finding time to attend the  stakeholders meeting. Dr. Opara informed the Stakeholders of signature projects of the sate Government, across  27 LGAs in the state which includes,  Construction of Iho Stadium,  building of new Office/ LGA Secretar...

The Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi has not been denied visa by any embassy in Nigeria. This was disclosed in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem. Obienyem who  was reacting to the news circulating on social media, said  that the irony of the falsehood was that Obi was presently in the USA on the invitation of highly-placed officials who were supposed to have denied him the said visa. “Obi is a good brand such that organisations and countries are satisfied to associate with him because he has proven to be  a highly responsible person/ politician.  Those peddling the rumour are the same people that are exasperated by the honour coming his way and are desperately trying to associate his name with one crime or untoward action not purely out of hate, but out of the desire to prove that he is after all human and can sin a little. Regrettably for them, Obi will not be caught in the web of their wickedness and intrigues beca...

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A After the momentary hitch and delay in the implementation of the promise by the Imo State governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON KSC that his administration will revert back to paying workers in the service of Imo State 100% of their salaries as against the 70% that the ex-governor Rochas Okorocha was paying them, the promise will eventually come alive from the payment of the salary of August 2019. A circular to that effect signed by the Accountant General of the State, Igbo Donald, confirmed that, urging all ministries, departments and agencies in the State to comply with the governor's directives on his promise. Ordinarily, the payment of 100% salaries to Imo workers would have commenced with the June salary. But because the salary was computed based on subsisting 70% by oversight, it had to be paid as. When, however, the 70% was repeated in the recently paid July salary, the workers and the opposition screamed outrage. It was a...

Less than 24 hours after Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike placed a N30 million bounty on notorious cultist, popularly known as Bobrisky of Gokana, the governor has confirmed his arrest by Nigerian Army and promised to redeem the pledge. Speaking during a security meeting with leaders of Rumuolumeni Community at the Government House Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike thanked the Nigerian Army for capturing the suspected cultist. “The Army has captured Bobrisky of Gokana. I will pay the bounty that I promised to the Nigerian Army. “Anyone who generates insecurity in Rivers State, I am ready to pay any amount to ensure the arrest of that person”. Governor Wike called on community leaders to supply information to the State Security council on criminals in their communities for the security agencies to act frontally to reduce crime. He described Rumuolumeni as one of the flashpoints in the state, where criminals use the waterway as a getaway point. He urged communi...

Imo State Governor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha has charged the leadership of Imo State University Alumni Association to always speak truth to power and engage the Government regularly. Governor Ihedioha gave the charge when the group paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Owerri. He noted that the Alumni Association as an elite group, should be bold enough to speak truth to power when the need arises, stating that the welfare of the students whom they left behind should be of greater interest. The Governor who said that constructive criticism will help keep his government in the right path, noted that freedom of speech is a fundamental right of Nigerians. In his speech, the President of the IMSU Alumni, Prince Ezeala Akano, said the visit was to invite the Governor to their annual global convention that will hold at Imo State University, and to congratulate him on his overwhelming victory at the 2019 elections. He described the massive support which the Ihedioha’s admini...