Since I started pointing out theautocratic behaviours and lack of arithmetic knowledge of governance of embattled Governor Rochas Okorocha, I have been branded so many unprintable names by a selected group of unproductive, uninformed, money hungry, favour seeking, paranoid supporters of the government and accused of being biased and sponsored by political opponents .But this is not true. I’m disappointed that the governor’s supporters resorted to name-calling rather than addressing issues of poor performance raised, but I’m not surprised given the embattled governor’s hooliganismway ofconfronting those who disagree with him. The stories of when he ordered his supporters to vandalize the office of the Nigerian Horn Newspaper, assault its staff and abduct the paper’s editor during the campaign period are still fresh.
A governor is supposed to be a role model, who, because of his prominence and the moral authority that emanates from his office, should set standards of behaviour for the people he serves. His duties also include the stewardship of our values. So no matter how much a governor or others may wish to “compartmentalize” the different spheres of his life, the inescapable truth is that a governor’s conduct can and often does have profound public consequences.The public expects highstandard and decency in the conduct of public business from elected officialsso can someone tell me why,I as a concerned citizen of the state, can’t speak out against the ills going on currently in Douglas House Owerri?
During the election campaigns, Governor Okorocha made a lot of land mark promises to provide a government that will meet the expectations of the people? The people of Imo state expected the self-proclaimed rescue commander to on assumption of office, study, modify, amend laws for the good of the state. They expected their Chief executive officer to provide jobs, electricity in their homes, manpower development, educational development, prompt payment of salaries and better roads among other things. These promises are now seen as part of electioneering which cannot be fulfilled. Little did Imo people know that Owelle was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To their displeasure Okorocha turned to a military governor and is oppressing the people
The worst hit of the Okorocha’s autocratic government is the state civil service and the LGA’s. Owelle dissolved elected council chairmen via radio broadcast and appointed his boys as caretaker ‘share men’ of the LGA’s to loot council funds.The governor used force to chase the chairmen and councillors out of office and collected all government property in their possession .According to the country’s constitution, local government is an independent level of government and not an appendage of the state or federal government. It is abuse of power for Governor Okorocha to install his boys as caretaker ‘ share men’ of the LGA’s . It is a breach of the Imo State Local Government Administration Law and Section 7 of the country’s constitution .The governor now loots the LGA funds, goes to the media to announce allocations sent to the LGA’s while the money he claims in the media that he gives the local government councils is different from what actually gets to them. Currently, local government workers are still owed arrears of salaries.
Another hit of the imperator Owelle is the sack of 10,000 legally employed civil servantsvia radio broadcast. He left the workers sad.Broke the brittle heart of their loved ones into two; and that is very bad . This was the same Owelle that when he was campaigning for governorship, deceived Imo people into believing that Ohakim did not employ any single person in the public service and promised to create thousands of jobs if elected. Immediately he came into power, like a con man ,instead of creating jobs ,he sacked the 10,000 workers and lied to the people again that Ohakim employed them two weeks to his departure and that he will review the employment.Then came another lie that he has reemployed 4000 out of the 10,000 workers . Till now, none of them who were sacked have started work including the ones he claims to have re-employed. I fear that the governor has undercut the efforts of thousands of parents in Imo state who are naturally trying to install in their children the value of honesty. As any mother or father knows, kids have a singular ability to detect double standards. So we can safely assume that it will be that much more difficult to convince our sons and daughters in the state of the importance of telling the truth when the most powerful man Imo state evades it.
Governor Okorocha sees the governance of the state as mere con art and the loud protests of Imo people does not bother him. He believes that he can manipulate the minds of Ndi-Imo through his rescue Imo sweet talks when all he had been doing is playing a game of deception and rescuing his own pockets.Can someone tell me why he has to create a fourth tier government in the state without legislation? Can someone tell me why he is running Imo state with his relatives and with relatives of his wife and his personal associates as if Imo state is his personal property?
Can someone tell me why Rochas has not been able to pay the 18,000 naira minimum wage? Owelle was the first to promise to pay the 18,000 naira minimum wage to workers and workers were all happy and eager. Days wear by and they became agitated for the money like the Israelites in the wilderness. What did Owelle do? He turned round to say that the demands of the workers are most unrealistic in view of the peculiar financial position of the state. He claimed that labour was demanding 90.4 per cent wage increase across board which would shoot up the state’s wage bill from over N2 billion to over N3 billion monthly, if implemented. And when workers in Imo state embarked on strike in protest of the non-implementation of the 18,000 naira minimum wage ,the governor jumped into a plane and ran out of the state to USA in pretence of scouting for foreign investors .Is this not a case of going after rats while your house is on fire? This action is insensitive, callous and a total disregard for the people
Can someone tell me why Governor Okorocha is trotting the globe? When it comes to globe-trotting jamboree of Nigerian governors since may 29th this year, Governor Okorocha has few peers. .He is failing to attend to pressing issues in Imo State because he is always traveling out of the country. Okorocha , who became governor on May 29th this year hardly spends up to one weeks in the state capital, Owerri, without travelling out.. Okorocha has been junketing from one foreign city to the other. Either he is in the United Kingdom or Germany or USA or Saudi Arabia, China or the United Arab Emirates. He is being panned for trotting the globe, traveling the world and cartoonists are having a field day as he is saddled with the unflattering name of Vasco da Gama .
Additionally to funding the overseas trips with the state funds, the governor receives huge out-of-pocket allowance for each trip, which he does not have to account for. While the rank and file workers in Imo state are being asked to forget about their 18,000 naira minimum wage, the governor continues to enrich himself more and more at the expense of the citizens. If one were to count the amount of overseas trips, times the amount of out of pocket allowances that Okorocha receives plus what is going on in our LGA’s in the name of caretaker government, it exposes the ugly underbelly of what he means when he said he was on a rescue mission. He is really rescuing his pocket.
We now have an Imo state of unemployed youths; Imo state were minimum wages are denied workers, Imo state were workers are owed salaries, Imo state were 10,000 young people are being denied employment in spite of their potentials; Imo state of escalating executive lawlessness, Imo state were LGA funds are looted, Imo state of disregard for constitutional rights. Oh yeah, rather than giving the people jobs our governor one time turned himself to public retailer of kerosene, hoping to use it to gain cheap political points. Governor Okorocha falsely gave Imo people the impression that he was the donor of the federal government’s free kerosene.
Like Dr Herbert Nwankwo said “ Our job is not to support Rochas the man no matter what. Our job is to support what is good for Imo people no matter what. If he move along the lines of making Imo what we expect her to be, we will give him our full support. But right now, Imo got to be rescued from the rescuer’
By Kenneth Uwadi
Mmahu-Egbema
Imo State
Egbesu Mightier Fraternity Of Izon [IJAW] Land [The Water Lion ]
26th September, 2011.
Press Statement
BOKO HARAM: Enough is enough and No Basis For Unity.
We are compelled by the present Boko Haram merciless bombing in the country without verifiable developmental agitation. The continuous killings of Christians in the north should be stop forthwith. Those foolish and irresponsible enough to assume or pretend that it is possible to run Nigeria by sectarian dictation do no more than reject a natural phenomenon, which is that when it hits, it reverberates.
The tsunami of Boko Haram will not, in its sweep, skip the homes and interests of it promoters, active or passive. Boko Haram has been leaving bombs around churches and other places with clusters of the innocent. In the event of a failed state, all those Nigerians pretending to possess two heads, and currently cruising around in limousines and jetting about the globe will be grounded.
Why can’t we live in peace? If peace is pronounced a war, why can’t we go our separate ways by amicable agreement? Boko Haram may have its origins from wherever it likes. Its wild excesses are essentially a reaction to the Presidential ascendancy of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. It has its sponsors and financiers. If we are actually one Nigeria, why won’t we allow other Geo-political Zone to rule the country?
Saudi Arabia is the centre of the Islamic faith, yet, there was not even a single killing of Christian faithful in that country. why all these killings of National Youth Service Corps members and other innocent citizens in reaction to Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Victory?
“NOTE WELL, if further killings by Boko Haram as a result of Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency in the country within fourteen days of this statement, we shall without hesitation commence sending every Muslim in the Niger Delta Region to their various homes and ask our people to return home. No section of this country is an embodiment of killing others. Muslims can’t live in our land freely (Niger Delta) while they will be killing our people in their land. If they don’t want peace we will meet them were ever they are. This is our message.”
No Muslim has condemned the killings of Christians by Boko Haram in the North. Is it only the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan Nigeria has witnessed major security lapses as the northern elites want to ridicule him as incapable of protecting the territorial integrity of the country? we have tasted blood war. That Borno and the entire North are guilty of harbouring and protecting Boko Haram. If they don’t want the terrorist organization they should push them out of their midst and give them up to the military after all they live amongst them and probably pray in the same mosque. So they can’t claim that they don’t know where the Boko Haram are.
The emergence of the notorious Boko Haram was premediated and designed to blackmail and undermines the authority of President Jonathan. The Sect is suspected to be affiliated with the Yemini version of Al Quaeda.
We urge the President to invoke his powers as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and give his security chiefs an ultimatum within which to use every strategy to dislodge the notorious Boko Haram and other perpetrators of attack on the Nigerian people. The Truth is that no dispensation will ever be good in Nigeria except from Muslim North. The release of Boko Haram Co-founder, Alhaji Ali Tishau by the Police on request by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and later vanished from detention is clear demonstration that the North is out to fight the President with the Islamic Sect. Enough is enough with this Sect to worry Mr. President.
That if further attempt to distract the developmental attention of Mr. President in the country, we the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity will earth the so called Boko Haram in the North. This is our word. We have killed and we will not care to kill again.
This is signed by the joint Revolutionary Council.
GEN – OKIN SELE GEN – ELVIS TENTEN
Bazoka Boys of Water-force of Izon land
Niger Delta
GEN – kurumah GEN – ABU MIC
The Strike Force Barkoromo Ogbo of
of Izon land Niger Delta
Information available to 247ureports.com through principal sources within the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] party in Abuja indicates that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] arrested and detained three national executive members over charges of misapproipriating N2.6billion of party funds.
Among the arrested were, the National Secretary, Dr. Shinkafi, National Treasurer, and the Deputy[Assistant] National Treasurer. A source in APGA indicated that the National Chairman was also arrested but the National Chairman, Chief Umeh has denied being arrested but noted that he will honor the invitation of the EFCC should they invite him. The National Secretary has also denied being arrested by the EFCC in a phone chat with 247ureports.com. He claimed he was in Kano for a wedding over the weekend.
According to the information received, the EFCC having received a 12-point charge petition against the APGA National Chairman and his Executive members from a group within APGA purportedly sponsored by the Governor Peter Obi, moved to arrest the APGA Executives on Friday September 23, 2011 and released on Saturday September 24, 2011 at 1:30pm after 12 hours of interrogation. As gathered, the EFCC’s inquiry concerned the manner funds are disbursed by the party executives. Sources indicate that the EFCC is gathering a case against the Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh.
But there appears a discrepancy in the supposed EFCC arrest. The EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi when contacted told 247ureports.com that he is not aware of any arrests made recently by the EFCC. He noted that he will need to verify if there were arrests made of the APGA officials – and that it was unlikely an arrest was made. A source within the EFCC spokeman’s office however contradicts the spokeman’s statement – stating that the spokeman was only relaying what the Chairwoman of EFCC wants related to the public. The source confirmed that some national executive members of APGA were in the custody of EFCC from Friday to Saturday. He did not disclose their identities.
The EFCC source continued to state that the APGA National Chairman was asked by the EFCC investigators to return to the EFCC office on Tuesday/Wednesday with certain documents that the EFCC has requested from him. He was requested to return with his tax documents, proof of income, APGA bank documents snd other document showing his source of incomes and the manner the party’s funds was expended. The 12-point petition had charged the national executives, in particular, the National Chairman of pocketing the monies collected from the sale of party nomination forms during the period leading up to the general elections of 2011.
But close colleagues of the APGA Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh who spoke in defense of the Chairman noted that the Chairman was innocent of the charge but added that there were monies in the custody of the party that later grew invisible legs and disappeared. They confirmed that there were monies unaccounted for.
The new development comes amidst growing turmoil within the APGA – as the Governor’s of Anambra State [Peter Obi] and Imo State [Rochas Okorocha] have intensified a push to remove Victor Umeh from the seat of Chairman.
Stay tuned
Speech Delivered By His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,Gcfr, At The Swearing-In Ceremony Of The Chief Justice Of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Dahirumusdapher, Cfr On Monday, 26th September 2011 At The State House, Abuja.
PROTOCOLS
Today marks another special moment in the history of the Nigerian Judiciary as we have just witnessed the swearing-in of Hon. Justice DahiruMusdapheras the 12th Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Hon. Justice DahiruMusdapher has a very rich and impressive legal background which eminently qualifies him for this appointment. The hallowed office of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria carries with it onerous obligations. It requires the occupant of such an office to possess certain qualities: hardwork, perseverance, ingenuity, a robust intellect and integrity.
Your Lordship, it is the expectation of the general public that as you assume office, the judiciary will remain totally committed to the cause of justice.
It is equally expected that your Lordship will at all times, particularly in the course of your service as the head of our nation’s judiciary protect and uphold the rule of law, respect and observe due process, exhibit great character and learning in the discharge of this sacred responsibility which God has placed on your shoulders.
And more importantly, inspire the confidence of the general public in the Administration of Justice.
It is my hope that your Lordship will steer the ship of the Nigerian Judiciary to the best of your ability at this moment when our dear nation and the Judiciary especially, is faced with daunting challenges. There is no doubt about the need to embark on comprehensive reforms in the Judiciary to enhance capacity, efficiency, and productivity as well as the perception and confidence of the general public in the ability of the judiciary to dispense justice.
The judiciary has a sacred duty to help ensure stability within the polity through the promotion of the rule of law, strict guardianship of the Constitution, and constant and unfailing application of the principles of justice.
To my mind, a vibrant judiciary, fulfilling its essence as the Third Estate of the Realm, acts as a restraining influence on the likely excesses of the Executive. It also provides a signal to all men that while their rights would be protected under the law, no form of impunity or wanton recklessness will be tolerated under the same laws. The fundamental value of the judiciary thus lies in the manner in which it builds a tradition of respect for the law.
Your Lordship, the most urgent task, with regard to the judiciary at this time, is to protect and ensure the sustenance of that tradition of respect for the law.
My Lords, distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, our judiciary has had quite an eventful history in contemporary times:
from the era of military rule when its officers had to walk the tightrope between the enforcement of constitutional principles and the challenge of managing a military that combined both executive and legislative authority, to recent years when the separation of powers is well defined under a democratic framework. Political questions are now increasingly being resolved by the courts, a general awareness of the place of the courts as the last hope of the common man seems to be on the rise. This is an encouraging development.
In many ways, the judiciary is proving to be a pillar of our Constitutional democracy; its potentials and value are well advertised. But it is also, I must say, a judiciary that is faced with a lot of problems; in its relative success lies many unanswered questions, challenges and opportunities for fresh learning and reform.
The wheel of justice, for example, still grinds rather slowly although many laudable efforts have been made to correct this. There are questions also about the quality and efficiency of the administration of justice with regard to procedures. This year, I had signed the Evidence Act and the Legal Aid (Amendment) Act as an indication of our preparedness to support all efforts to enhance the dispensation of justice. We are prepared to continue to collaborate with the judiciary and the legislature to do everything possible to upgrade the performance of the judiciary as an institution.
However, a much bigger challenge is to be traced to Your Lordship’s reference at a recent public occasion to the widespread perception of a growing crisis of integrity within the judiciary.This is something that should be carefully addressed.
The reputation of judges, the public perception of their commitment and integrity, is central to the efficacy of the courts to uphold the law and dispense justice. Judges are expected to be impartial, independent-minded and fair to all concerned. A partisan judge compromises his or her oath of office and acts unfairly. A corrupt judge disgraces the Bench on which he or she sits and the title that he wears. Judges should have power, and they do, but just as the Executive and the Legislature must not abuse their powers, judges are also expected to be above board.
Your main task therefore should be to further enhance the dignity of the courts, for on that foundation rests the integrity of our Constitutional Democracy. Every one of us must wake up every morning, confident that the judges of Nigeria will always protect our freedoms.
My expectation is that all judges whatever be their title or rank will cooperate with the Chief Justice of Nigeria to make his tenure successful. In-fighting, personality clashes, and needless acrimony within the judiciary can only serve the unwanted purpose of bringing the entire institution to ridicule. Nigerian judges themselves must see the need to set their institution on a path of renewal.
On the part of the executive, we pledge to make ourselves available and ready to partner with your Lordship on how to make the judiciary more efficient and inspire the generality of our citizens to become more confident about the capacity of the judiciary to do justice to all men.
To this end, this administration will give full support to your Lordship’s Reform Initiatives and necessary funding will be made available.
My Lords, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I will personally liaise with the National Assembly to support constitutional amendments necessary to further ensure the independence of the Judiciary and improve Judicial efficiency. Efforts would also be made to liaise with the State Governors to ensure that state judiciaries are also adequately provided for by giving full effect to the provision of S.121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Finally, I wish Hon. Justice DahiruMusdapher, CFR the best of luck as he assumes the leadership of the Nigerian judiciary.
I thank you all.
“Plead to the victim to give one vital information that will make us round up the gang within the next 24 hours. There is all indication that she nows at least one of the gang member. She could conceal her identity for now but not that of her assailants. God help us. We are still working on other leads though.” – stated the Police Commissioner in Abia State, Bala Abdullahi Hassan in response to 247ureports.com over inquiry on the status of the gang rape investigation.
News reports from other news meduims indicate that some gender based non governmental organizations have made contact with the girl [victim] and have initiated some form of rehabilitation. Against this backdrop, the Police Commissioner of Abia State sought to reach out to the victim through any meduim of her choice to help untangle the knot in the case. Commissioner Hassan, in talking with 247ureports.com urged for anyone with contact to the victim to please reach out to the police. In his words, “I don’t know the girl. Please urge her to come forward for only her testimony will make dispensation of Justice faster. She may even block her number and pass the names of the offenders to my GSM or any security agent“.
Meanwhile, there appears turmoil brewing within the top ranking aides to the governor of Abia State concerning the media mis-management of the gang rape fiasco. As our source indicates, some within Gov T. A. Orji’s cabinet believe that the media handlers of the government failed badly in their response to the gang rape video. The source said that some are livid with the brute manner the State Governor dismissed the gang rape of a young Igbo girl [by young men alleged to be students of Abia State University] without an inquiry to determine the validity of the claim. “They just dismissed the gang rape of a young Igbo girl as “not important” to the administration of T. A. Orji”, the governors aide complained. He further reveals that the Governor is unhappy – and is considering a minor reshufflement – soon as the gang rape crisis subsides.
In a related development, 247ureports.com sought the reaction of the President General [PG] of the apex Igbo Organization worldwide, Ohaneze Ndigbo, in the person of Mazi Uwechue – to the gang rape of an Igbo girl by five young men. On the telephone, Uwechue was quick to dismiss the gang rape citing that the Governor had already dismissed it as activities of miscreants. When informed by our correspondent that the Governor had made an about-turn on the gang rape, he responded that he needed more time.
And since Saturday September 24, 2011, when our correspondent spoke with Uwechue, he has yet to formulate a response nor what the apex Igbo organization in Nigeria intends to do to facilitate the arrest of the culprit or the rehabilitation of the victim. [Call him @ 0803 310 8763 and ask him what Ohaneze intends to do]
The fight to end corruption and mismanagement of funds in Nigeria appears to remain a lip service to calm the nerves of the international community who have proven to have the powers that Nigerian official bow to. This is as Wikileaks have exposed through its website how our leaders jostle to reach the Ambassadors of the United State of America to gossip over their activities in and around the Aso Rock.
247ureports.com through its examinations of the various Federal Ministries of the federation has come to the educated conclusion that the symptoms of Nigeria’s administrative maladies lie within the manner the Ministry prioritizes and implements its budget.
In this PhotoNews – we present the Hospital and Health Centers; the Primary and Secondary School Infrastructure – under the care of the Ministry of Abuja Federal Capital Territory [FCT] – particularly the Primary Health Care Center located in Jikwoyi, the Government Primary and Secondary Schools in Jikwoyi and Nyanya in Abuja FCT – .
According to official records, the 2011 Federal Budget gave N44.632billion [N44,632,306,455] to the Federal Ministry of Abuja Federal Capital Territoty [FCT] – Abuja FCT measures 2,500 square Kilometers in land space translating to N18million per square Kilometer, and Abuja has an official population of 6.7million.
Out of the N44.632billion budgeted for the entire Ministry, N895.8million [N895,818,621] was earmarked for Hospitals and Healtcare centers in the FCT.
A warping N2.542billion [N2,542,876,876] was earmarked for the National Assembly office complex – another N324.1million [N324,084,963] was earmarked for the Residence of the Senate President and other principal officers of the Senate. For the Millenium Tower and Cultural Center the sum of N2.484billion [N2,484,651,384] was earmarked.
Click here to view the 2011 Budget for the Ministry of Abuja FCT.
View the picture gallery. It shows the dilapidated nature of the Primary Health Care Clinic in Jikwoyi, Abuja FCT. It shows the state of the building, the toilets, the waiting rooms as wanting and indicative of financial foulplay on the part of the Ministry.
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The gallery below tells a more horrid story of the financial cruetly on the part of the Ministry. It shows the delivery room of the Health Care Clinic.
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Below is what the education infrastructure looks like in Jikwoyi, Abuja FCT.
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Below is what the education infrastructure looks like in Nyanya, Abuja FCT.
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