Author: Editor
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu When Major-General Muhammadu Buhari overthrew the elected civilian administration of President Shehu Shagari on the last day of 1983, he inherited an economy in a mess and a political system in a turmoil. This crisis of a dysfunctional political economy was Buhari’s principal reason for sacking the Shagari administration. For Buhari, Nigeria’s crisis of balance of payments was the result of two things: indiscipline and economic crimes. His answer to the former was a War against Indiscipline (WAI), a catch-all acronym for everything from instilling a queue culture in the population to capital punishment for drug suspects.…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, has announced November 2, 2024, as the date local government election in the state. Unveiling the timetable for the poll Saturday in Umuahia, ABSIEC Chairman, Professor George Chima, said all political parties in the state would be given equal play ground. He said the commission was committed to doing things right and vowed to deliver a credible poll. “We have been set up to give free, fair and unpolluted election that will be accepted by Abians,” he assured. He solicited the cooperation of the parties, urging them to comply with the…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu A Chieftain of the Accord Party (AP) in Enugu State, Barrister John Nwobodo, has described Saturday’s Local Government Council election as a clueless exercise. Nwobodo said this in a statement he raised in reaction to the election. The statement is entitled “Enugu Elections 2024: a Wasteful Exercise by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC).” He said: “The Local Government Elections holding in Enugu today, 21st September, 2024 is one that is bedeviled with many invalidating factors, as it is riddled with a cacophony of complications and dereliction. “It will be recalled that preparations for the elections…
Ugo Nosiri, Owerri The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) says it has deployed both sensitive and non-sensitive materials to various 27 Local Government Areas of the state for the state elections. The Police command in the state has also deployed security operatives throughout the State to ensure that the ongoing Local Government Council Election is peaceful, credible, and transparent. The Police commissioner in the State CP Aboki Danjuma reiterated that the Command is fully committed to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring a safe environment for ISIEC officials and voters. The state is currently experiencing relative…
Our Reporter, Abuja The much awaited whistleblower protection law in Nigeria must cover all gaps in the existing laws in the country and globally, to compensate for the long wait for it following a journey that was said to have lasted over a decade. This was the consensus of participants at the national conference on whistleblowing, corruption and human rights organised by African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), in collaboration with Amnesty International Nigeria. The conference took place on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at the Reiz Continental Hotel Abuja, and had many stakeholders in the anti-corruption fight including…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Johnson Urama, has lauded UNICEF for partnering with the institution in several fields of endeavour. He said this at a two-day training workshop on green activation organised for secondary and undergraduates of UNN and some selected secondary schools. The event was on the auspices of UNN, Youth Friendly Resource Center in collaboration with, Enugu State Waste Management Agency and UNICEF, Enugu Office. Urama, a Professor of Astro-Physics, who represented the acting Vice Chancellor, Polycarp Chigbu, said the university appreciates the support of UNICEF to the school. “I…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Stakeholders in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, have thrown their weight behind the calls for the creation of ‘Office of the Citizens (OOTC)’ Help Desk in the local council areas in the state. They said the move would help to promote good governance, transparency and accountability. They also said it would give them a voice for timely reporting of challenges and needs in their localities. The people made their feelings known in Urum during a major stakeholders meeting with Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) Nnewi, a faith-based non-profit organisation, and its development partner, Enough…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia As the United Nations marks World’s Clean Up Day today (September 20), Governor Alex Otti has urged Abia residents to key into the state’s recycling initiative aimed at revolutionalising waste management in the state. This is as the Governor cautioned against dumping of waste at unauthorised places or drainages which according to him, leads to flooding and environmental hazards. The Governor in his message to mark the day, restated his administration’s commitment to timely and efficient waste evacuation to keep the state clean. According to the message released by the General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu Some political parties in Enugu State on Wednesday signed Peace Accord for the Local Government Elections holding in the state on Sept. 21. The parties signed the peace accord during a “Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Enugu State 2024 Local Government Elections” organised by the ActionAid Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and others were not present during the signing while All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) declined due to absence of the ruling party at the meeting. Speaking, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu,…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has said that the objectives of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), are in tune with his administration’s vision to bring poverty to zero level in the state. Mbah said this during the “Peer Learning And Experience Event” organised by the Federal Cares Support Unit of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Enugu on Thursday. The NG-CARES is a collaboration between the Federal Government and the World Bank aimed at responding to hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State…