Why Onogoruwa was sacked as DG BPE

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Ms Bolanle Onugoruwa was removed from office as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) because of her poor working relationship with the Vice President Namadi Sambo, THE CITIZEN can authoritatively report.

BPE is the secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), which is charged with the responsibility of steering the privatization ship. Sambo is the chairman of NCP, which meets monthly to ratify the actions and proposals of the secretariat.

According to reliable source, who is a BPE insider, her trouble was largely poor relationship building and management.

He said, “You may hear different reasons, but the truth is that the (former) Director General was unable to establish a good working relationship with Sambo on one hand and even the Chairman of the Technical Committee on Privatisation on the other.

“They expected to be briefed regularly on the activities of the BPE, but that was not the case. She carried on most of the times without reference to the NCP. The result was that when she got into different troubles, like the Manitoba Hydro Electric contract, she had no strong voice behind her.

“Her handling of the Manitoba case left much to be desired. Her handling of the labour issues with PHCN and the prequalification and verification of bids for the power companies especially those involving former Power Minister Prof. Barth. Nnaji were unsatisfactory to Sambo and the Technical Committee Chairman, Atedo Peterside.”

Another source at the BPE told THE CITIZEN that since she became the Director General of the BPE, privatization activities were at the lowest ebb. Except for the PHCN transactions which process goes back to the period of Nasir El-Rufai, not much happened under her watch?

He said, “It is the personality and office of the Director General that drive privatization. You need to be creative and capable of thinking outside the box. You should be ready for oppositions, but let your plans and actions be unimpeachable.

“Even for those of us here in the secretariat the inactivity of the Bureau under her was loud. She was more interested in clinging to that position and in protecting her position she left her main mandate – driving the privation process – to suffer.”

Besides pressure from Senate asking for her sack after inquries into the activities of the privatization agency going back to 1999.

The Senate ad-hoc committee that investigated the privatisation and commercialisation of public companies between 1999 and 2011 had last year recommended her immediate sack from office.

She was accused of “gross incompetence in the management of the BPE” as well as the “illegal and fraudulent sale of the five per cent Federal Government’s shares in the Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited, EPCL.”

Yet another source stated that Federal Government has been looking for an opportunity to sack her since the Senate passed a Resolution, asking the President to sack her, adding that the issue of Manitoba offered the much desired opportunity FG has been waiting for to discharge her.

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Source: The Citizen

ICT In Ekiti: The Path We Ought Not To Have Travelled – By Adewale Stephen

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Education is primarily responsible today for preparing a society for the future and moderating the adverse impact of social and economic change. For being a part of this challenging economy in this part of the developing world as well as ensuring that able minds are prepared for the future development of the country, Nigerian teachers, as human developers, need to equip themselves with deeper understanding of their various areas of discipline. But this knowledge is by itself not sufficient. They, alongside their pupils, also need to be able to use technological facilities, handle information, communicate proficiently, reflect decisively, work well in group, and turn out new logical and creative mechanism that add values to their students/pupils lives. ICT are means of meeting these challenges.

Therefore, when the news broke out recently that Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti had taken unusual innovative steps of promoting the ICT in the Secondary schools by his distribution of Computer Laptops to the Secondary school teachers across the state, words alone cannot describe how happy I reacted into this positive news. It is noteworthy that at this very time which the reasonable beings across the land are lamenting the non-performing insolences that have become the habitual hallmark of the Nigerian governors; that a State Governor has deemed it fit to launch a laudable programme that can help its poor citizenry to update their intellectual knowledge is noteworthy.

To me therefore, this is praiseworthy project that is worthy of emulation by other state governments and this made me to rise up from my enclave and headed to Ekiti to embark on a comprehensive research of this ICT’s innovation because my believe is that this achievement should not be limited to Ekiti State, it must be comprehensively researched on so as to ensure that this is embraced by all the Governors across the state.

Ironically, my hope of coming up with something positive was dashed at the first secondary school I got to in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. As I gained entrance into the school, I looked for someone that can direct me to the principal’s office in order to seek permission before embarking on questionnaires distribution. Then at that instance I sighted some boys and girls who I perceived are of age at an open corner, all with their laptops. I moved towards them in order to get the description of their Principal’s office from them but to my uttermost dismay, as I drew closer I realized that what these students were doing with their laptops were to watch films. This made me to quickly got myself acquainted with them in order to open up a discussion and after some initial restraint towards whom they perceived as a stranger, they began to respond to my questions and through that I was able to find out that these set of students don’t even know the usage of the computers given to them.

The encounters I had with their teachers also crown my consternation as majority of them displayed a flagrant ignorance of the purpose of the computers given to them. From Ado Ekiti to Igede down to Ikole Ekiti, I was confronted with the similar depressed anecdote of the teachers and students who never knew the importance, value or usefulness of computers that were dumped at their disposals.

My findings revealed that while the initiative of the Ekiti State Government in giving out the computers to the teachers, with monthly deduction from their salaries, is commendable, the proper enabling environment for the usage of such Computers in Secondary Schools is not created by the same government. As my findings revealed, majority of the teachers are not competent even in the usage of word processing not to talk of other computer applications. The implication of this is that the Teachers in Ekiti State have not gotten even the rudimentary experience of ICT skills and lessons from the technologically advanced country have shown that teachers’ mastery in ICT skills is acute to successful integration of ICT into teaching. As I write, teachers have found it difficult to shift from their customary manual mode of teaching in the state.

Rather than contributing to the growth of teaching and learning enterprise, ICT has actually reduced the level of educational delivery in the state as the majority of the students are now busy with something else on their Samsung Laptops. The kinds of films they can never watch at the presence of their parents at home are being watched in every neighbourhood of Ekiti State’s Secondary Schools. In fairness to the teachers and the students however, the enabling environment for the effective usage of such computers for effective learning were never created by their government.

For example, before we can begin to talk of e-teaching and e-learning in any state, the teachers and the students ought to have been exposed to computer education by the government. A student or a teacher who has never touched a computer before cannot be expected to start teaching; preparing lesson note or leaning on computers overnight. Apart from this, softcopies of all the required textbooks of these students ought to have been uploaded on the computers before handing it over to them; provision of the internet facilities within the schools would have also made it possible for both the teachers and the students to get connected.

Rather than embarking on a careless spree with its taxpayers’ money, the government should have built a modern-equipped computer laboratory in each of the school across the state; it should have employed more capable computer teachers to man these facilities. These experts would have impacted required requisite knowledge and skills of how to make use of computer technology in the classroom on both the teachers and the learners.

Another thing that causes for concern is the attitude of both the teachers and their principals. Or how can one explain a situation whereby students come to school with a load of various indecent films and neither the teachers nor the principal could say anything against this or take any drastic action to nip this menace in the bud? What is the duty of the Ekiti State Ministry of Education who is supposed to serve as a monitoring team of these schools? What are the mechanisms that the government put in place to make sure that these computers are properly used for their intended purposes?

To me, it appeared what the state government does is to procure these computers and gave them out in order to score cheap political goals. The money used for this purpose would have been invested in such a proper manner that would receive accolade from all and sundry and which the incoming generation would have been better off for. The introduction of ICT teaching is a very good project but this is a wrong way of implementing it because this path will undoubtedly lead us into failure. As far as I am concerned, if urgent measure is not taken, this so-called computer projects will end up as another Nigeria’s sad story of white-elephant projects.

Adewale Stephen

Department of History,

Obafemi Awolowo University

Ile Ife, Osun State

Nigeria

08031509489

Minister of Sports Must Go – Dr. Rashid A. Balogun

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MINISTER OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, MALAM BOLAJI ABDULLAHI

The Minister for Sports also regarded as Chairman of National Sports Commission announced at the opening ceremony of the 18thNational Sports Festival that the festival is now open to foreign based professionals contrary to the Executive Governor of Lagos State Mr. Fashola’s declaration that the festival aim is sports development.

Protocol aside, the feelings of many athletes and coaches suggests that this Minister was on Delta Governor’s payroll because he neither recognized efforts of Lagos State, Cross Rivers State, Benue State and others towards sports development but simply read manuscript of Dr. Uduaghan. Others suggested that the Minister is simply a fool not to understand that following the London Olympics Nigeria’s fiasco due to aged athletes should inform him that the focus must be on sports development rather than maintenance of old footed athletes. Either way the Minister got it wrong and its very unusual that the President is not in the mood exhibited today in firing of MBE Director General.

Dr. Uduaghan recently held meeting of journalist and discredited former athletes that were part of London Olympics fiasco in the heart of Asaba, Delta State while the flooding rampaged the State. The governor was advised by some people in search of relevance, such as Solomon Ogba (who destroyed Athletics Federation of Nigeria), Bert Cameron (Jamaican who attended school and worked in USA for about 20yrs) and other idiots that he should lobby the Minister to allow foreign professionals take over the festival without even considering the fact that Delta cannot boast of good youth athletes.

Athletics

Blessing Okagbare will not have had the opportunity without the emphasis of Youth by Dr. Uduaghan predecessor (Ibori). National Athletics Championship is standards based, Golden League is standard based and many other championships. Stadiums were empty and no fanfare suggested by the Minister.

As a consolation the Minister claimed that there will be National Youth Festival but he does not understand that sports development cannot start with festivals rather from training. The costs incurred by various states to engage professionals from abroad most definitely will reduce any funds available to train the Youth or even attend the National Youth festival.

A single foreign based athlete attendance will cost at least $10,000 for airline tickets, accommodation and allowance. That amount alone can prepare over 100 Youths to attend the festival. Quite frankly, a boycott will likely occur by some states if this decision stands and I really doubt if this Minister will last longer than this year.

Football

How do we begin to note how workable this decision will have on foreign based football professionals? The answer is, it is unlikely and the flare that the Minister seeks evaporates. Clearly this decision was purely aimed at athletics at the convenience of Dr. Uduaghan in the same sense as Delta meeting tagged “sports summit”. I said it before and will say it again that the Delta governor is being advised by good-for-nothing idiots.

Many states are running budget deficits and I don’t see how the Minister got no clue why his action was not thoroughly evaluated. All in all this is one too many wrong decisions and this Minister and his advisers must go.

I rest.

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

Copy : His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan

Honourable Senator Ibrahim Gumba

 

Okorocha Urges Igbos to Fight Their Course

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has urged Ndigbo to rise to the
challenges that militate against their course to the nationa.

Okorocha who described Ndigbo as a gifted tribe to a troubled nation
at the 2012 Ahiajoku lecture held at Ahiajoku convention Centre
Owerri, said, Ndigbis are naturally endowed to submantle the factors
militating against their dreams and aspiration with their God-given
potentials.

According to governor Okorocha who posited that Ndigbo are not in
disunity, however urged them put up a collective efforts needed for
their advancement.

Governor Okorocha added that the essence of Ahiajoku lecture which started many years ago, is aimed at reflecting on matters that concern
the nation, Igbos in relationship with their tradition, culture, norms
and values.

He said that the 2012 Ahiajoku lecture titled “Okezue Ogbuu Alaa”
stressed the need for Igbos to assume their proper place of pride in
the nation.

He drew biblical illusion from the popular message of Angel Gabriel to
Holy Mary, the mother of God which affirmed that “Igbos are full of
grace and the Lord is with them” and further urged them to be
courageous in advancing their course.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and the former governor
of Anambra state, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife applauded Imo state
government for its efforts towards the preservation of Ahiajoku
lecture since its inception in 1979, adding that it has been an
exclusive forum that converges south easterners to chat on the way
forward.

Ezeife commended governor Okorocha’s Free Education project in the
state, pointing out that it would go a long way to stabilize peace and
unity in the state and enjoined the people to reconcile and make peace
with one another.

Delivering the 2012 Ahiajoku lecture proper on a topic titled “Okezue
Equity and Justice in Igbo jurisprudence and the Nigerian Polity” A
Professor of Law in Imo State University, Prof. Uba Frank Nnabue said
democracy can only be meaningful when it secures people’s rights, in
the affairs of the nation.

Professor Nnabue condemned the inequitable distribution of wealth, and
imbalance done in the state creation, pointing out that Igbos are not
getting their due share in the scheme of things.

According to Nnabue “a sharing formula does not become just simply
because it is based on law, if such law is obnoxious, repugnant to
natural Justices, equity and good conscience, or if such law is a
product of nepotism, discrimination and devoid of acceptable reason or
if such law is unjust, in this situation though the judgment has been
given, it is not equitable”, he said.

He decried of the spate of leaders playing politics at the detriment
of the people they represent, adding that time is up for people to
elect credible leaders who possess the requisite integrity to ensure
free and fair election.

He also added, “…if one knows that rigging will not earn him/her
anything but a possibility of going to jail, there will be free and
fair election, that will bring out best as governors, the best
governors will appoint the best as commissioners and board members and
these will produce equitable formula for distribution and enthrone
development in the state, stooges and sycophants cannot tell the
governor the truth they are bereft of ideas and cannot perform.”

The highlight of the occasion which was well attended by dignitaries
across the nation was the introduction of 2013 Ahiajoku lecturer,
Professor Mrs. Ochendu Nzewuihe who would deliver on to topic “Nwanyi
Sokwa” the role of women in Science and Technology.

Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Group Drags PSC Chairman to NSA

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Following complaints made to it by some staff of the Police Service Commission (PSC) alleging misapplication of fund running to several millions, a pro-transparency group-HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has petitioned the office of the National Security Adviser; office of the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives; Chairman, House Committee on Narcotics and anti-graft and the secretary to the Government of the Federation requesting that the allegations be probed.
A media release endorsed jointly by the National coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Director of media Affairs, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA, a democracy inclined civil society group also invited the top government officials to use their executive powers to probe the said allegations of financial misappropriation and/or abuse of power brought to its attention of the staff who pleaded anonymity against the Chairman of the PSC Mr. Parry Osayande, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police.
The group urged the Government officials to commence immediate probe of the allegations in order to determine the veracity or otherwise of their claims and take legal steps to redress these alleged transgressions if found to be true.
A copy of the position paper sent by the Human Rights WRITERS’ASSOCIATION of NIGERIA, to the National Security Adviser Colonel Sambo Dasuki[rtd] and made available to the media alleged thus; “Sir, last week we received a written but unsigned petition titled as above brought in by some persons who were clearly known senior Nigerians identified as prominent pioneer staff of the Police Service Commission (PSC) alleging serious cases of violations of extant civil service rules and statues concerning accountability and transparency regime in the commission. These persons also presented photocopies of purported vouchers alleged to be evidence of their knowledge and/or belief that serious cases of official transgression has happened viewed as operating above the law and indeed conducts himself in a manner that displays the odious impression of ‘Alpha and Omega’ portends danger to public interest and endangers national security.”
“It is alarming and reprehensible, that in alleged flagrant disregard for Government Policies and Financial Regulations, an alleged act bordering on alleged corruption and alleged abuse of office, if established after thorough, dispassionate and professional investigation, Mr. Osayande allegedly caused the payment of N4,732,036.85 to be made in his name and Helen Onokwai, a Grade Level 08 [young female]Administration officer functioning as his Secretary, through an alleged Federal Government of Nigeria Payment Voucher No. PSC/OC/425/12 of 07/11/2012 on the alleged reason that he, the Chairman will be travelling to the United Kingdom allegedly for medical checkup and appraisal of recruitment, promotion and discipline cases from 12th– 29th November, 2012 and will be accompanied by his Secretary”.
 
“Sir, With the Monetization Policy of the Federal Government, the Nigerian tax payer would be interested to know whether a public officer in this case, Mr. Osayande is entitled to Government funding of his medical trip abroad. It would also be of interest to the public to know whether such officer can embark on such medical checkup abroad without the prior approval of the President of the Federation. Again it would be of interest to the public to know what role a  staff on Grade Level 08 on such a mission abroad would be playing, allegedly earning a walloping sum of N1,131,250.45, an amount that is far and above three times her annual salary, vis-à-vis
Helen Onokwai GL 08
Chairman’s Secretary
Estacode @ $381 per night X 15 nights = $5,715 (885,825)
Air returned ticket Abuja-London-Abuja (British Airways Economy Class)
$1,583.39 (N245,425.45)
Total = $7,298.39 (N1,131,150.45)”
“Furthermore, and in the same vein, Mr. Osayande has allegedly caused the Commission to pay over N12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million Naira) only to External Solicitors in prosecuting allegedly [his] many cases in Court in alleged clear defiance of Government Policy relating to consent of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation prior to engagement/payment of External Solicitors.”
The group told the NSA further thus “Sir, these petitioners also stated in their position paper that “It is common knowledge in the Nigeria Police Force that Mr. Osayande is allegedly creating the problem of disloyalty within the hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force as he allegedly operates as if he is superior to the Inspector General of Police in matters of crime prevention and detection”.

Gov. Dickson Inaugurates Land Use and Acquisition Committee; …To Begin Massive Acquisition of Land

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In line with the state government policy on land acquisition, Governor Seriake Dickson has announced that N750, 000 will be the maximum payment per hectare of any land acquired by government.

The Governor who made the announcement while inaugurating members of the State Land Use and Allocation Committee in Government House, Yenagoa, however said that where there are crops or improvement made through human efforts on the land, government will value it separately and pay appropriate compensation.

He stated that no landlord will be allowed to hold the state to ransom for lands that are collectively needed for development.

“If private buildings are to be taken over in the public interest, which are allowed to do in the land use act, I will not hesitate to sign the appropriate acquisition notices”, the Governor stated.

Hon. Dickson called for sacrifice on the part of all, adding that the overriding interest of the state will always be paramount in government’s developmental plans for the State.

According to him government will begin massive acquisition of areas, reserve them as well as make adequate plans for their future use.

He sounded a note of warning to members of the public, who either out of ignorance or feel government does not care and have encroached on government land to leave the land as soon as possible as government is out to reclaim all its lost lands.

“For landlords or persons who have collected compensation and have gone ahead to sell government land without its authorization, you can be assured that the law will catch up with you”.

While, calling on the public to bear with government as it takes the necessary steps to beautify the state capital, the Governor warned land owners or individuals not to sell any land already acquired or about to be acquired by government.

Governor Dickson stressed the importance of land for development adding that as a state moving forward with a very ambitious development agenda and programmes, it needs to manage all its land efficiently and professionally.

Hon. Dickson explained that government is poised to turn around Yenagoa to a beautiful and befitting state capital of the Ijaw Nation.

According to him, the committee members are made up of people who are committed and professional enough to help government manage its land resources as well as advice it on the best ways to put the land to use.

The Governor frowned at the indiscriminate allocation of lands to government officials and their cronies describing it as an abuse of land policy in the state.

He stated that government will take disciplinary measures against people who develop structures without control or regard for aesthetics, adding that going forward, all lands will be properly planned according to the Yenagoa master plan.

“If we must allocate lands and plots, those in the committee will advise government” he noted.

Hon. Dickson, while disclosing that new areas would be opened up, said that no allocation will be made without a certificate of occupancy backing it up.

Responding on behalf of the Land Use Allocation Committee, the chairman, HRH Iboro Ige- Idaba assured Governor Seriake Dickson that the committee has resolved to take the assignment seriously because of the importance attached to lands, especially for developmental purposes.

He assured government of the committee’s readiness to key into the restoration agenda of the present administration.

 

Ex-ANPP boss, two others killed

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Bauchi—Three people, including the District Head of Gudumbali, Zanna Mulima and former local council chairman of All Nigeria Peoples’ Party, ANPP, have been reported killed in separate attacks in Borno and Bauchi states, weekend.

In Maiduguri, Borno State capital, the former ANPP boss, Alhaji Tar Kusurambe was killed by unidentified gunmen. Two other persons were killed in Bauchi, even as an explosive planted in the house of a retired police officer at Gudum Sayawa, was successfully defused.

15 gunmen

Vanguard gathered that unknown gunmen, numbering about 15, stormed Gudun Sayawa, a suburb of Bauchi at about 8pm and killed the two persons.

One of the victims, Mrs. Alheri Ayuba, a mother of three, was killed on her way from a neighbourhood, while Iliya Duba was shot dead as he was about to go to bed.

Some residents of the area, however, alleged that the attack was targeted at a retired police officer. The explosive was found atop the roof of the said officer’s house.

According to sources, some of the residents of Gudun Sayawa put distressed calls to the anti-bomb squad, which quickly evacuated the explosive.

Some members of the vigilante group in the area, however, claimed that the police reportedly prevented them from pursuing the gunmen with the aim of arresting them in the premises of a company where they hid shortly after the gun attack.

They vowed to retaliate, blaming the Isa Yuguda’s administration for failing to address the insecurity challenges experienced in the area, alleging religious intolerance.

9 in Zango

Some weeks ago, nine people were killed in Zango, near Gudun Sayawa, in similar circumstances.

Among hundreds of sympathisers, who stormed the area to see the level of damage, was Director-General Inter-Religious Council, Pastor Kennedy Masau.

Masau, however, condemned the incident, saying it was not only barbaric but uncalled for. He called on the people to be at alert and guard themselves against future occurrence to ensure peace, unity and tranquillity in the state.

Attempts to confirm the incident from the Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ladan Mohammed, were futile.

Meanwhile, Kusura-mbe was shot dead at his residence at 2am in Magumeri town, barely two days after returning from Saudi Arabia on the 2012 hajj exercise.

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Source: Vanguard

FG’s statistics on budget performance deceptive – David Mark

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Senate President David Mark yesterday described Federal Government’s claims on the implementation of the 2012 budget as deceptive. Speaking at the 2013 budget defence of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mark said heads of ministries, departments and agencies were still in the habit of selective implementation of budget.

He blasted the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, for awarding constituency projects barely one month to the end of the 2012 fiscal year.

Mark said, “Statistics given by percentage (on budget implementation) never gives any real figure or perception or what is practically on ground. You have less than 30 days. What can you do? Budget performance is very low. We want to look at the performance based on the real number of people it has affected. At the end of the day, it is not the statistics on paper. If the statistics don’t translate to change in the lives of Nigerians, it has not done what it is supposed to do.”

Mark also queried the minister’s electronic wallet approach to fertiliser distribution, saying “I want to know how much fertiliser and seedlings went to the farmers directly through the new method you introduced.”

Responding, the minister said through the electronic wallet method, fertiliser had been distributed to about 1.2million farmers, 90 percent of whom were from the north. He put the 2013 budget estimate of the ministry at N47. 3billion out of which capital expenditure is N40.2bn; personnel costs, N6.7bn and overhead costs, N368.8 million.

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Source: Daily Trust

 

Egi People’s Assembly of Rivers State make moves for Egi mega city developmen​t

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the inaugurated teams to develop strategy for a mega Egi city

 

From PreciousWerner Ahiakwo, Port Harcourt

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The Egi People’s Assembly in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government area of Rivers State has inaugurated the Egi Strategy Team and Boards of Egi City Development Initiative and Trust Fund to foster development and entrepreneurship in the Egi clan.

The development imperatives of the three platforms inaugurated are to focused on economic development projects and programmes that will empower and create employment and wealth to the Egi people, motivate each community in the clan to embark on community development plan that has short, medium and long term goals and deliverables and the immediate adoption and implementation of a community budgeting framework to guide development planning instead of craving for sharing of the money.

Inaugurating the teams, the President General of the Egi People’s Assembly, Chief Oris Onyiri expressed confidence in them and the teams to work with institutions in the clan in order to realize the Egi development plans, “äny group or sector concerned with the developments in Egi will support us. We’ll assist the team within our limits. Looking at you, no part of this world any of you’ll go to represent the Egi people and will have doubt, we believe that you have the capacity n capability to do service that will b remembered forever”, he said.

Also in an address by the Chairman of the event, an educationist and elder statesman of Egi clan, Elder I.O Izeogu who described leadership as service and sacrifice also urged the inaugurated teams to be transparent and diligent in their services to the Egi people, “if you fail to deliver and decide not to be truthful, there’ll be problem because lies cannot continue for too long. When the morning breaks and the truth comes out, the liar will be running helter skelter. So it’s good to say the truth as it is, by doing that you have been transformed into the likeness of good citizenship. Leadership is not to force someone to submission, it’s for general welfare of the people, its sacrifice and service” he said.

In an acceptance speech by the Chairman of the inaugurated team and Board of Trustees, Pastor Nonye Nwokomah, described the call to serve as a challenge to give back to the Egi people. He called on the Egi people to play a role that will encourage and make the job easier for the teams to deliever the projects in a short time adding that the EPA has shown an exemplary way to love and be loyal to one another in the clan.

The plenary session of the event saw the delivery of keynote address on “Developing Egi City through the spirit of entrepreneurship” by the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture PHCCIMA, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, “The Idea and Practise of Community Trust Funds”by Chizor Wisdom Dike (DNRS) and “The Idea and Practise of Egi City Development Initiatives and Programmes by Chika Emeh (CREDO).

The event which took place at the prestigious Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt was well attended by oil giants and institutions operating in Egi communities, the Egi council of Chiefs and a host of professionals from the Egi Kingdom.

Woman, 31, bags three and half years for stealing, forgery

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From PreciousWerner Ahiakwo, Port Harcourt

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The act of greed caught up with a 31-year-old woman, Oju Bob-Manuel, who got sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment by a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after being found guilty of stealing and fraud. The convict had been forging the signature of a fellow girl whose man was showering with money and gifts while she watched from the sidelines as a go between.

By the charges brought against her in court, she withdrew over N300,000 from Princess Nume Mangibo’s (her girl friend) account with Union Bank including the stealing of $2,500. She did not only stop there, she got enchanted by the jewelry of her friend and stole same all in a bid to look flashy without working for it.

She was said to have committed the crime between August 11, 2005 and April, 2006, at Union Bank Plc Station Road, Port Harcourt and No. 66 Aba Road, in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District.

The convict, who was found guilty on four-count charge, was arraigned on November 14, 2007, on nine-count charge.

Delivering the judgment on Monday, November 26, 2012, Emmanuel Woke, a Chief Magistrate in charge of the trial proceedings, said that the convict, who was standing trial with Union Bank Plc, Station Road Branch, Port Harcourt, were found guilty on counts three, five, six and seven, which were stealing of N372,000, possession of torn Union Bank Plc withdrawal voucher No. 5016162, stealing of $2,500 and stealing of one cosmetics box valued at N372,000, respectively, all property of one Princess Nume Mangibo.

However, in counts three and five, she bagged six months imprisonment each, or a fine of N50,000 each; count six, she is jailed six months, or a fine of N10,000. While, in count seven, the court sentenced her to two years jail term, or N100,000 fine.

The prosecution did not find her guilty on counts one, two, four, eight and nine, which were conspiracy, stealing of N975,000, N750,000, Union Bank Saving withdrawal and forgery of signature and thumb-print Princess Nume Mangibo, respectively.

The bank was discharged because the prosecution could not prove his case against it. He held that the bank only paid out the said money on the grounds that the signature presented to it was same as was in its system and not as a co-conspirator with the convict.

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