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Monarch lauds Oshiomhole
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HE Olososo of Ososo, His Royal Highness Oba Anselem Adeloro Obaitan, Ichama II, has expressed lauded the Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for appointing Elizabeth Annena Jemitola as a commissioner. At a meeting of the Ososo Forum attended by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Ososo Ward Chairman Mr. John Bello; former PHCN General Manager Mr. J.M Peters, the traditional ruler and said the appointment “shows that the governor cares for us. For over 30years we have had no role to play in the scheme of things. Today, the governor remembers us. We are grateful.”
Imo to tackle infrastructural decay in schools From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri
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THE NATION ON SUNDAY JULY 31, 2011
News
HE Deputy Governor of Imo State, Chief Jude Agbaso has assured the determination of the present administration to tackle all infrastructural decay in both primary and secondary schools. Agbaso gave the assurance yesterday when he paid visit to Emekuku High School in Owerri North local government area of the state. He regretted that educational infrastructures in the schools in the state have gone bad; adding that noting has being done in the time past to remedy the situation. He stated that Emekuku High School is so dilapidated to the extent that one cannot recognize the school again that used to have conducive facilities for effective teaching and learning in the past. Meanwhile, in its quest to rescue the health sector and save the lives of citizens, the Imo State government yesterday concluded the training of doctors, paramedics and security personnel in emergency response mechanism towards accidents and other disasters. No fever than 1,000 participants drawn from the public and private sectors benefited from the exercise which saw about 15 specialists delivering incisive lectures on how to save lives during health emergencies. Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Sylvanus Amaechi whose office coordinated the two day seminar along with INFAX Nigeria Ltd, described the exercise as “a huge scientific and academic programme geared towards taking health care to the door steps of Imo citizens. Dr Amaechi who is a renowned orthopedic surgeon and former President Nigerian Orthopedic Association , told newsmen that Governor Rochas Okorocha approved the seminar which was conducted free of charge to keep medical practitioners and security agencies involved in health matter abreast of development in the management of trauma and accidents.
Army, police, SSS join forces to tackle lawlessness in P/ Harcourt T
HE Rivers State Government’s Joint Task Force’s operation will commence in Port Harcourt and its environs tomorrow (Monday). The operation is to ensure sanity, instill discipline and put an end to lawlessness. Residents of the Rivers State capital and its environs, who park their vehicles in unauthorised places, trade illegally, obstruct free flow of traffic or litter the environment, will either be fined or sent to jail. The Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, declared that errant persons, whose vehicles are impounded, must pay fine, while vehicles not claimed after a stipulated period, would be auctioned, in accordance with the law, to serve as a deterrent to others. The governor said end must come to people parking vehicles on the walkways and preventing pedestrians from using them, while noting that his administration is determined to transform the state and that the people should not mind the destructive criticisms of the opposition leaders, especially ACN’s governorship candidate, Dr. Abiye Sekibo. The Chairman of the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority, Mr. Isobo Jack, in an interactive session with reporters in Port Harcourt, that there are enough spaces at the prisons in Port Harcourt for convicted persons, who will later become ex-convicts. Jack also sought the cooperation of all residents, to restore Port Harcourt to its “Garden City” days, while stressing that enforcement of environment sanitation laws was never meant to punish the people. The environmental
From Bisi Olaniy, Port Harcourt
sanitation authority’s chairman revealed that there would be magistrates on standby, for arrested persons to be prosecuted and if found guilty, sent to jail. Soldiers, policemen, SSS operatives and officials of the sanitation authority were earlier on the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs, impounding vehicles “illegally” parks, arresting
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We will jail people from Monday, during enforcement. Our officials were beaten up by members of the public on many occasions and our vehicles vandalised, but we always urge our men not to fight back. That is why we now have soldiers and other security men for enforcement. “Port Harcourt residents are now turning the roads and roundabouts into markets and refuse dumps, despite providing receptacles for dumping refuse. Drivers do
not park properly. 20 metres to where people do business must be clean. “Port Harcourt is dirty because of the attitude of residents and people doing business in the city. Some persons now come from outside Rivers state, especially Aba in Abia state to impersonate our officials and return in the evening. We will ruthlessly deal with them. Some of them have been arrested.”
•Bolanle Onagoruwa (Ms), Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) at a meeting in BPE, Hu Zhirong, Vice President of China-Africa Development Fund Abuja on Friday.
200 arrested for sanitation offences in Edo MORE than 200 persons were yesterday arrested in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okhia local councils in Edo State for sanitation offences. Edo State Government had
Arik Air records over 1m passengers in first half of 2011 RIK Air, Nigeria’s largest airline carried a total of 1,039,656 passengers across its network of 120 daily flights in the first half of 2011. The New York route experienced the largest increase in passenger numbers with a 30 per cent increase of traffic. The daily London and Johannesburg routes also saw an increase in passenger numbers, as did most domestic routes. LagosAbuja remains the strongest domestic route. Within WestAfrica, Arik Air saw considerable improvement in its operations at Dakar, Freetown and Accra. The most significant individual month was March when Arik carried 201,936 passengers in the run up to the mid-term holidays. In April the passenger figures were badly affected by the interruptions to our schedules due to the elections and non-movement restrictions in Nigeria.
persons who disobeyed traffic laws or trading in authorised places and seizing goods, which heightened tension. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rivers state chapter, through its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, condemned the operation, while declaring that the Rivers state capital was under siege and accused the Amaechi’s administration of frustrating people of the state. Jack further stated that: “We must instill discipline.
Speaking on the disclosure of the half year figures, Arik Air Vice President Planning & Marketing, Mr. Bert van der Stege, said: “Whilst these have been impressive results, we aim to carry even more passengers in the 2nd half of 2011. Arik Air is the carrier of choice during the current holiday season and we already see an encouraging amount of forward bookings for the month of December. Clearly our current attractive price promotions have helped”. Arik Air has recently been awarded Africa’s fastest growing airline by the influential Airline Network News and Analysis (anna.aero). In just four and a half years of operations, Arik Air carried over seven million passengers. In the 2nd half of 2011 Arik Air is expected to launch new international destinations and continue its growth path.
•Two arraigned over N4.5m fertilizer theft From Osagie Otabor, Benin
re-introduced the monthly sanitation exercise in the state and movements of persons were restricted from the hours of six to 10:00am. Some of the arrested persons were discharged and acquitted while others were sentenced to between seven to 14 days imprisonment or a fine option of N1,000. Chief Magistrate in Oredo, Afe Osamudiamen said some of those discharged were found to be on essential duties while others were discharged on medical grounds but with caution. Top government officials that monitored the sanitation exercise included Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Pius
Odubu, Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe, and local council Chairmen. Dr. Odubu in a chat with journalists said lot of campaigns was done to sensitise the people to clean their environment within the stipulated hours. He said the task to keep Edo State clean by the incumbent administration must be achieved. Meanwhile, two staff of Edo State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources have been arraigned at the Irrua Magistrates Court in Esan Central Local Government Area for stealing fertilizer worth N4,515,300.00 (Four Million five hundred and fifteen thousand, three hundred naira). The two persons, Mr. Okoh
Sylvester Ehizua (a Chief Superintendent Agriculture Officer) and Mr. Osaretin Aiyeki (Storeman) were arraigned for conspiracy, compounding felony and stealing. Police investigation said the two accused sold the fertilizer at Irrua store which comprises of NPK 15-15 and Urea worth N4,515,300,00. A staff of the ministry told The Nation that one of the accused persons, Mr. Okoh Sylvester Ehizua, in both his answer to a query dated 8/7/ 11 and during his arrest allegedly pleaded guilty to the offence and asked to be allowed to pay the whooping sum at installment to the government. The case was adjourned to August 8, 2011 for further hearing.
Edo ACN suspends commissioner
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HE leadership of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Owan West Local government area of Edo State has suspended Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Inimidun Idehen for alleged anti-party activities. A suspension letter signed by the ward Chairmen and sent to the State Chairman of the party, Barr. Thomas Okosun
From Osagie Otabor, Benin
said their action was based on Section 9 (1) (2) (3) and (4) of the Constitution of the A C N. Owan West Chairman of ACN, Mr. Peter Eguaboi who led other members to deliver the suspension letter said the commissioner deserved the suspension. Mr. Eguaboi alleged that Mrs. Idehen in violation of the party constitution picked one Ojo “to put in a place a parallel
party structure across the length and breath of Owan West”, and destabilize the ACN in the locality. Reacting, Mrs. Idehen said those who claim to have suspended her do not have the powers to do so, because as far as she is concerned she has not been involved in any activity other than those designed to help promote the growth of the party in her local government area of Owan West.