Author: Editor

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Residents and citizens of Enugu State are now living in fear following the full return of activities of unknown gunmen. Ikengaonline reports that in less than one week there have been reports of gunmen unleashing terror on innocent residents with little or no resistance. Early this week, there were two separate kidnapping incidents on Ugwuogo-Enugu road which had caused panic and fear among motorists and commuters. Also, within the week over 20 Point of Sale (PoS) operators were attacked at gunpoint at Abakpa Nike, Garki Awkunanaw, New Heaven, and Meniru parts of Enugu city. In Abakpa, the…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Wednesday was given a one-month ultimatum, to fully implement former Governor Emeka Ihedioha’s report of the commission of inquiry on contract awards and alleged looting of the state assets to the tune of over N130 billion by the former Governor of the state, Senator Rochas Okorocha. The Sincere Concerned Organisation, SCO, led by the Director General, Mrs. Foluke Olabimbe Lemechi, gave the ultimatum during a press briefing in Owerri. “Imo people were ecstatic when the current administration started the implementation of the White Paper with the recovery of the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The All Progressives Congress, APC; its presidential candidate, Ahmed Tinubu; and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; Wednesday, opposed the admissibility of bundles of more exhibits tendered by the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the Presidential Election Petitions Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja. But despite their opposition, the PEPC admitted in evidence the exhibits comprising the total number of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, collected in 32 states of the federation before the 2023 general elections. Similarly, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel, admitted in evidence, a bundle of documents that contained the total number of…

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,…