Author: Editor

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri Persons With Disabilities have called for the enforcement of the Disability Rights Law and legislations that address both physical and social barriers they face in their day to day activities.  They also want public awareness campaigns to challenge the stigma surrounding disability and the promotion of the idea that PWDs are capable and should be included in political process.  Executive Member, JONAPWD Anambra State Chapter, Ms Chidinma Ajemba made the call while speaking on the topic “Access and Political participation of PWDs in the South-East,” at the Ikengaonline virtual monthly townhall meeting.  Ms Ajemba maintained that it…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), have advocated the inclusion of sign language interpretation in school curriculum. They also called for the engagement of sign language interpreters in hospitals to help attend to PWDs. PWDs made the advocacy when two of their members, Chidimma Ajemba, and Ugochukwu Okeke, featured on Ikengaonline monthly virtual townhall meeting held Thursday night.  Comrade Okeke is the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State chapter; while Ajemba is an accomplished journalist, public relations executive, and communications strategist. The duo spoke on the theme: “Access and political participation of…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka  Two disability rights activists have voiced out against the continued political marginalisation and exclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in South-East Nigeria. The duo made their concerns known on Thursday during the Ikengaonline monthly townhall meeting themed: “Access and political participation of PWDs in the South-East.” In their presentations, they said some practices still pose barriers, preventing persons with disabilities from exercising their legal rights and participation in the political process as citizens of the country.  One of the guest speakers, Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, Chairman of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Anambra State Chapter,…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Abakaliki Division of the Federal High Court has affirmed the suspension of Ali Odefa from office as the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Odefa was suspended from the party on October 4, 2024, by the Executive committee of the party at his Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, for alleged anti-party activities.  But Odefa, argued that the suspension is null and void as those who allegedly carried out the suspension were not bona-fide ward executives of the party.  A member of the party, Herbert Ovuta, took the embattled…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia  Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has set up a committee to checkmate drug abuse among Abia youths. Speaking at the Banquet hall of Government House Umuahia where the committee was constituted, the Governor’s wife said the initiative marked a significant milestone in the fight against drug abuse and its devastating impact on individuals, families, and communities.  According to her the initiative underscored  Government’s unwavering commitment to protecting the lives of the people. “Drug abuse is a complex and multifaceted public health challenge, a monster that continues to destroy lives, impede personal growth, and foster…

…Urges S’East students to subscribe to NELFUND  Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia  Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has refuted speculations that the management of the institution increased school fees by 400 per cent. Professor Iwe who was responding to a question during a pre-convocation press conference at the university on Thursday, urged students from the South-East zone to stop complaining but subscribe to the National Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and bankroll their studies. He expressed worry over the reluctance of students from South’East zone in embracing the students loan scheme unlike their counterparts from…

By Emelie Evarist Oranika  Foremost Nigerian Permanent Secretary and the first Director-General, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Chief Gordian Chukwuemeka Oranika (Ochendo Abatete), died recently at the age of 89 and will be buried on December 6, 2024. He was the Director-General of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between 1991 and 1994 and served under two Ministers, General Gado Muhammadu Nasko and General Jeremiah Timbut Useni. He was the Director-General when Nigeria’s capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991. He served as the Director-General for over three years. He significantly shaped the city’s development curve during that time,…

By Azu Ishiekwene Donald Trump’s election overshadowed Kemi Badenoch’s emergence as the leader of the Tory Party of Britain. Yet, no one gets the worst political job in one of the world’s oldest political parties and walks away quietly. This is especially the case when the candidate is a straight-talking, ideological woman and a child of an immigrant in a largely conservative society. It was not a mistake that a section of the British press framed the last contest for the Tory leadership as one of the worst match-ups in recent times, if not in its history. Here was Badenoch,…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has presented the sum of N396 billion, before the House of Assembly as the fiscal budget for the year 2025. The appropriation bill is christened “Budget of Economic and Social Development.” A breakdown shows that N112 billion is proposed for the recurrent expenditure, while N284 is allocated to capital expenditure. Presenting the budget, Nwifuru, a former Speaker of the Assembly, noted that the health sector will get a 111% increase when compared with the 2024 budget. According to him, the 2025 health budget is N39,012,563,000.00 which is way higher than the NN18,487,118,000.00…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki  The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Anthonia Adaku Uche-Anya has pledged to partner with journalists to safeguard the state. This was as she condemned assaults on some teenagers and a journalist in the state, Chinedu Ngwuta, by some members of the public and some policemen on duty. Receiving members of Correspondents Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state led by Comrade Uchenna Inya, in her office at the police headquarters, Abakaliki, the state capital, Uche-Anya described journalists and policemen as partners in progress in the task of securing the nation through effective policing and…