Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu with Agency Report The organised labour has vehemently opposed the proposed 114% salary hike for the President, Vice President, Governors and other political office holders. Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission has recommended an upward review in the basic salaries of political and judicial office holders. This is coming at a time many states are finding it difficult to pay N30,000 minimum wage to their workers. The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Muhammadu Shehu, who was represented by the RMAFC commissioner from Kebbi State, Mrs Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, disclosed this on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi, during the presentation of…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), said it has launched Roll-out of The Community-based Health Research Innovative-training and Service Programme (CRISP) to strengthen primary healthcare facilities in the country. Ikengaonline reports that the programme is aimed at optimising human resources for health, reduce maternal and newbom mortality rates, and enhance the capacity of primary healthcare facilities. It is also aimed enhancing reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health services in the country. This was disclosed by the the Executive Director and CEO National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Fraisal Shuaib during the maiden Quarterly Review Meeting of the…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu No fewer than 190 Masters and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) applicants from the South-East were on Wednesday screened for 2023/2024 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) overseas scholarships. The Team Leader/ Supervisor, PTDF South-East Zone, Mr Samson Amadi, disclosed this during the ongoing PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS) 2023/2024 Academic Session selection interview for southeast in Enugu on Wednesday. Amadi said that 190 students of M.Sc and Ph.D from the South-East participated in the screening, adding that only 25 successful applicants, five each from the five states in the zone would be selected. He said that only the best among the applicants would…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Reactions have continued to trail President Bola Tinubu’s recent appointments of Service Chiefs and over 30 appointees with only two of the appointees coming from the South-East geo-political zone. In separate interviews with Ikengaonline some residents of the state bared their minds on the development. Speaking, the Chairman of Enugu Lawyers for Good Governance, Barrister Justice Nwabueze, said the President’s appointment so far was a pointer that the people of the zone do not have any hope in the present administration. He described the development as very worrisome and not in tandem with the spirit of true…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Forced disappearance of innocent citizens especially youths in the South-East geopolitical zone, has become a serious source of worry for stakeholders. The stakeholders met at a one-day “Police-Stakeholders Dialogue on Security and Justice in the South-East: Tackling the Root Causes of Insecurity and Injustice,”  held in Umuahia, Abia State. The purpose of the dialogue organised by Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre(RULAAC) with support from Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), was to provide a platform for interaction and dialogue between the police and representatives of civil society and community stakeholders. Participants also included religious…

Past govt visited us, did nothing – PG Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Many houses have been deserted in Amamba Uzuakoli Autonomous Community in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State following the menace of gully erosion that is ravaging the agrarian community. At least five buildings have so far been swallowed and many others under imminent threat since the menace started about four years ago, according to a community source. The recent heavy rain in the community led to the collapse of a two-storey building on Sunday. This is happening less than one year after another two-storey building was completely swallowed…

By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu It is astounding that Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is still so relevant across the globe at 65 years of age. Things Fall Apart was first published on June 17, 1958, by William Heinemann, London, and contains only 50,380 words, but it has packed more influence all over the world than many fatter novels written by masters and wannabes of all races and creeds. I cannot count the number of the editions of Things Fall Apart I have owned all through the years. My long-standing plan had been to write a short story inspired by Things Fall Apart,…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has said that he felt like a lion devouring Nigeria’s foes. Egbetokun stated this while fielding questions from newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after his decoration with his new rank by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The new IGP who was appointed Monday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, vowed to give criminals no breathing space in the country. “I feel like a lion in me, ready to devour all the internal enemies of Nigeria. That’s my feeling right now.” Shettima decorated Egbetokun  alongside his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun. Egbetokun…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Members of Amanuke Community in  Awka North of Anambra State on Tuesday besieged the State High Court, Awka over a lingering leadership tussle in the community. The people were numbering over five hundred including men and women in their 80s who eagerly awaited the court decision over dispute of the ezeship throne of their  community. Recall that the Anambra State High Court presided over by Justice Charles Okaa, had remanded Chief Dennis Ezebuilo, one of the claimants to the  ezeship stool of Amanuke on 15th June 2023 at the  Awka Correctional Center for not showing appearance in…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, has taken its advocacy on tobacco control to Abia State in its quest to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco consumption on the citizenry, and shore up revenues for Government. Programme Manager of CISLAC, Mr Okeke Anya, who led a team of experts from the non-governmental organisation to the state, presented a draft bill on tobacco control to the Ministries of Health and Environment, as well as a lawmaker. Presenting the bill to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health/Acting Commissioner for Health, Mrs Franca Ekwueme, the CISLAC Programme Manager, decried the…