Author: Editor

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to dialogue with the suspended broadcast stations to save many Nigerians from joblessness. NGE expressed concern over the shutting down of over 50 broadcast stations by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for failing to pay their renewal licence fees. In a press statement signed by its President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, on Friday, the professional body of all the editors in Nigeria said that the action, if not reversed, will lead to the loss of thousands of jobs in…

By Godwin Onyeacholem The ridiculously lenient sentence recently slapped on Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, a broad-spectrum gangster whose specialty is kidnapping for ransom, is a travesty of justice on a grand scale. No question. A measly seven-year jail term courtesy of a federal court in Abuja for a desensitized criminal whose atrocious exploits in one single night led to the cold-blooded murder of four persons including three policemen by a band of soldiers who had been hand in glove with him in sowing sorrow in Taraba State and the surrounding areas, must be another disturbing entry in the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Senator Mao Ohuabunwa has called for calm over the security breach that led to loss of lives and triggered tension and trepidation at Ohafia on Wednesday. The former Leader of ECOWAS Parliament who condemned the incident, said that the sacredness of human life demands that it be treated with dignity and not wasted for any reasons. He condoled with the families of the victims of the unfortunate incident and called for restoration of peace. Senator Ohuabunwa expressed worry over the disturbing security concerns in Abia North and called for caution so as not to escalate the already…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia As tension remains on the rise in Ohafia, Abia State, following Wednesday’s clash between unknown gunmen and soldiers, the new Commander 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Adegoke Adetuyi, has vowed to deal with the “criminals” behind  the incident. Gen. Adetuyi who made the vow when delegates of traditional rulers and elders in Ohafia, led by the Local Government Chairman, Dr Okoroafor Ukiwe, visited the Brigade headquarters, said that masterminds of the incident would be fished out and prosecuted. The new Brigade Commander who assumed duty barely 24 hours before the confrontation, said that he had “not come to…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Anambra State governor, Professor Charles Soludo, has explained the key reason he hosted Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, at the governor’s lodge, Amawbia. The Governor played host to the Labour Party candidate and the duo held a closed door private meeting which is believed to be an endorsement of the Labour Party candidate as against the candidate of the ruling party in the state, APGA, Prof. Peter Umeadi. Shortly after the meeting, Governor Soludo told newsmen that he played host to Mr. Peter Obi because he (Obi) is an Anambra indigene, reiterating that as Governor…

Michael Onwuka, Enugu Renowned political economist, Professor Pat Okedinachi Utomi, will on August 25, 2022, feature on the 2nd Ikengaonline town hall meeting. Utomi, who would be the guest speaker of the virtual town hall, will speak on ‘Handshake across the Niger: the Imperatives of Southern unity, now and beyond.’ A statement by the Editor-in-Chief, Ikengaonline, Uche Ugboajah, said that the event would be engaging and expository. Ugboajah said that the August 25 event would be the second in the series of such meetings that would hold every last Thursday of the month. He said that the town hall became necessary…

Michael Onwuka, Enugu A group of Enugu State health workers has endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 gubernatorial election, Mr Peter Mba. The Coordinator of the group, Dr. Robert Nnamchi, disclosed this on Friday in Enugu while briefing newsmen after their meeting. Nnamchi said that the endorsement of the PDP candidate followed an unbiased assessment of the antecedents of the major contestants in the election. He said that the group comprised medical doctors, laboratory scientists, pharmacists and nurses. The coordinator said that as a businessman, industrialist and a former commissioner for finance in the state, Mba possessed the qualities needed to…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Member representing Aba South state constituency, Hon. Obinna Ichita, has mocked the State Government for announcing the award of new state intervention projects, saying it cannot be trusted as it has not executed so many projects earlier awarded. He threatened legal action against the  State Government over many  abandoned projects in his constituency. The lawmaker who expressed disappointment over the inability of the State Government to deliver various important projects it had earlier awarded, argued that it would be difficult to believe that the latest ones would be delivered less than 10 months to the end of…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has demanded accountability for the N10 billion loan by the Abia State Government for building of airport, as well as N1.3 billion for the construction of ‘flyover’ at Ogbo Hill area of Aba. APGA which made the demands Thursday in Umuahia, expressed worry over the increasing debt profile of the state. Ikengaonline reports that statistics from the Debt Management Office, showed that as at December 31, 2015, the debt profile of Abia State was N37.55 billion but by March 31, 2021, it rose to N70.57 billion, an increase of 110.47%. There are speculations that Abia’s…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has given reasons the union rejected what it called “Government’s award of salaries” in the re-negotiated 2009 Agreement, accusing the Federal Government of acting unilaterally. ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, in a press statement Thursday, said that the Government refused to carry the union along in the wage review as required by law, hence, its rejection of the “miserly offer.” Although ASUU did not give details of  the new pay package proposed by Government, the university-based union said Government’s excuse of paucity of funds for meager salary increase was…