THE
NIGERIAN
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TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013
News EDHA summons NDDC Commissioner
Continued from page 1 water project in the commuThe resolution also ordered the appearance of the state Project Engineer and the contractor of NDDC to plenary for the briefing. It further urged the NDDC to liaise with the House Committee on Energy and Water Resources, the state Project Engineer and its contractor with a view to urging them to complete the water scheme and other projects in the state. The adoption of the resolution followed the deliberations on Matters of Urgent Public Importance raised by Hon. Elizabeth Ativie bothering on the 2010 abandoned Orhua Water Project in Uhunmhode Local Government Area during plenary session. Hon. Elizabeth Ativie, while explaining the state of abandonment in the 2010 NDDC
nity said that the non-completion of the Orhua water project has increased the hardship of her people who have resorted to walking a distance of up to five kilometres to get water from the river. Lending their voices to the deliberation on the Orhua water project, Hon. Peter Aliu expressed the need for parliament to invite the Commissioner of NDDC to explain
why shoddy jobs executed by the commission abound in the state. The views of Hon. Peter Aliu were further corroborated by both Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusor and Hon. Johnson Oghuma who expressed displeasure over the preponderance of abandoned and shoddy projects initiated by NDDC stressing that the Orhua water project underscores the need to invite the
FG to shut down private Continued from page 1 museums if ... raise awareness on the importance of museums in the development of the society. According to him “A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development; It is open to the public which acquires, conserves, research and communicate” .
He described museums as a store house for the memory of the society encapsulated in the objects. According to him,” the objects themselves tell the stories of the various cultures of the peoples of the world and of their natural heritage”. “The skills, the inventiveness,
Gully erosion sacks Auchi is quiet about it. It Continued from page 1 residents Everybody looks like they don’t hear in
recent times with the heavy rains as it continued its devastation having extended its fingerlinks far and wide covering the entire southern axis of the town. A visit to the area by The NIGERIAN OBSERVER revealed a pathetic scene as many houses had been swallowed up, thereby rendering their occupants homeless while many others being threatened are relocating in droves. Areas worst hit are Audu Momoh, Egbeadokha, Momoh and Inu-Umoru streets where the only primary school had also been taken by the gully while the several fingerlinks are bulldozing their way to the Central Hospital
commissioner to parliament to explain the factors working against the execution of projects in the state. The Speaker of the House Hon Uyi Igbe condemned the preponderance of shoddy projects initiated by the commission across the state.
and other places. Another area under the threat of the gully and massive erosion is Aboitse quarters, now completely devastated as residents, awaiting forced evacuation are living between hope and despair and without manageable access to their homes. A terribly disturbed community leader, Prince GAZ Momoh whose storey building is at the edge of one of the gullies described the situation as pathetic, horrible and unbearable lamenting that the problem appeared not to be receiving the listening ears of the authorities. “Nobody is listening to us.
Nigeria what is happening in Auchi. It appears they regard us as outcasts, as if we are not Nigerians for whatever reason we don’t know” Prince Momoh regretted. He recalled that over 50 houses had gone with the gully while many owners of lost buildings had died before their time from extreme frustration adding that more houses were being lost daily as the rains continue. Momoh who invited those in positions of authority to see for themselves appealed to the federal authorities to listen to their cries irrespective of political affiliation and tackle the gully menace.
the creativity of mankind are all embeded in the material culture of the people”. In his address the chairman of the occasion, chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom reminded the people on the Circunstance surrounding the sitting of the Benin museum on its present site by the then Governor of Mid-western state, General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemdia.(Rtd). Chief Esogban however called on the federal government to speed up action against the insurgents of Boko-Haram and other forms of militancy in order to finance the repatriation of artifacts stolen by Europeans into the country. In a lecture titled, “Museums: Memory Plus creativity equals social change’s Prof. O. S. B. Omoregie, harped on museum as technology geared towards social, economic, political and cultural transformation of any given society. Prof. Omoregie stressed the need to reengineer museums and monuments that would evolve of people’s ability to put memory and creativity into developing a commensurate fullness in its civilization through museum.
Mark decries insurgents influx in nation’s borders
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local governments in the 21 states along Nigeria’s borders,’’ he said. According to him, in spite of the amendment, the condition of border communities in Nigeria has yet to improve. The Senate president also decried the rise in human trafficking in border communities and attributed it to the inability of government to meet the needs of the people. “The situation is worsened by the dearth of amenities, such as good schools, hospitals, markets and even water and it makes the inhabitants cross to neighbouring countries for them,’’ he said. Mark expressed optimism that the amendment bill
would enable the agency to function efficiently to improve the lives of people and tighten security around the borders. In his remarks, the sponsor of the bill, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin (ACN-Oyo) noted that although the Border Communities Development Act was signed into law a decade ago, the condition of people at border communities had not improved. He attributed the situation to poor funding of the agency and added that the fund got smaller every year with only N436 million budgeted for it in 2013. “The downward trend of the
Students to pay for damaged properties Continued from page 1 students of the school had destroyed facilities in the school during a protest on the shoddy manner the principal of the school Mr. Bright Omoregie was said to have handled a case involving one of the students who was involved in an auto crash. The students blamed the death of their colleague on the delay by the principal in rushing the deceased student to
the hospital. Similarly, the Governor directed the Commissioner of Lands and Survey, Donald Boi to demolish all structure on government land and within the premises of government schools. He said that owners of the demolished properties would be made to bear the cost of demolition, warning that they were at risk for encroaching on government property and land.
budget allocation must be arrested coupled with the need to strengthen the institutional framework of the agency,’’ he said. Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Umaru Dahiru (PDP-Sokoto), said some border towns had become a hub for trafficking of arms, stolen goods, drugs and hostage taking by criminals. Dahiru stressed the need for
the Senate to tackle the poverty and dearth of basic infrastructure at the border towns. According to him, the Border Communities Development Agency needs to be strengthened and adequately funded to carry out its duties. He said this would go a long way in curbing crime, infiltration and smuggling of small arms, light weapons and ammunition across the borders.
ITV/Radio Beauty Pageant
Commissioner advises By THOMPSON contesERHOMONSELE and other necessary artants BENIN CITY- With few rangements were perfected days to the Independent Television (ITV) and Radio Miss Hot Legs Beauty Pageant scheduled for May 26, Edo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Oil and Gas, Hon Orobosa Omo-Ojo (JP) has advised the contestants to shun all forms of vice including drugs that will jeopardize the chances of emerging the winner. He encouraged them to brace up to the competition with boldness, coportment, self-esteem and to exude confidence in order for them to be at their utmost performance. The Commissioner gave the advice when the bery of young ladies contesting for the crown and members of the organising commttee led by Sunny Duke Okosun paid a courtesy visit to the ministry in Benin City yesterday. Speaking from his residual knowledge and experience as front-line organiser of similar beauty competitions of high magnitude, Hon. Omo-Ojo urged the organizers of the ITV/Radio hot leg beauty pegeant to ensure that the stage, equipment
for the successful hosting of the event. Hon. Omo-Ojo enumerated previous events like face of Edo, African University Beauty Pageant and Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) hosted in Benin City as inclinators that Edo state is an enviable hob of entertainment that boosts tourism and hospitality sector of the economy pointing out that Edo state has a good number of standard clubs for such parts of Nigeria. According to the Commissioner, the state Ministry of Special Duties, Oil and Gas is empowered to build human capacity hence it will support the hot leg competition to encourage the youths to acquire skills to better their lives in future. Earlier, the leader of the Organising Committee and contestants, Mr. Sunny Duke Okosun hinted that their visit was to intimate the commissioner with the forth-coming Miss ITV/Radio Hot Legs Beauty Pageant scheduled for May 26, 2013 in Benin City as well as to solicit his support towards the success of the event.
State Of Emergency
More Troops Arrive Adamawa YOLA - Some 200 troops arrived in Yola yesterday in continuation of the deployment of troops in the state following the declaration of a state of emergency. President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe on Tuesday, May 14, following prolonged insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamic group. Addressing the troops at the headquarters of the 23 Armoured Brigade in Yola, the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Fatai Alli, urged the soldiers to adhere to all necessary rules of engagement in their assignment.
Alli said necessary areas for deployment in the state had been identified for action and that more troops were on their way to join those on ground. He appealed to members of the public to accord maximum support and corporation to the troops to facilitate the successful execution of their assignment. The commander commended the support and cooperation so far shown by the public in the state since the declaration of the state of emergency and urged the people to sustain the relationship. Meanwhile, the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state is still being enforced
Over 9m die of hypertension yearly UMUAHIA - More than nine million people die annually of hypertension worldwide, Dr Moses Dike, the Medical Director, Priscilla Memorial Hospital, Umuahia has said. Dike, a general physician, made the disclosure at a seminar organised by St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church, Umuahia, to mark the 2013 World Hypertension Day. The World Hypertension Day (WHD) is commemorated on May 17 every year. The theme for the 2013 event is “Healthy Heart Beat - Healthy Blood Pressure’’.
He said that more than one billion people also have hypertension across the world. Dike said that the figures emanated from the recent report of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Dike, who spoke on the topic, “Hypertension, Causes, Effects and Solution’’, said that high cigarette smoking, alcohol, snuff and salt were among factors that caused hypertension. He said people suffering from hypertension were at risk of stroke, heart attack
and kidney failure. Dike identified neck pain and shortness of breath as some of the signs and symptoms of the disease. He urged participants to check their blood pressures regularly and also reduce their intake of alcohol, snuff and cigarettes. Dike urged them to reduce consumption of red meat and fatty foods as well as attend various health awareness programmes on other ways to check and handle the problem of hypertension. Also, Rev. Fr. Leo
Amafili, the Parish Priest of the church, urged participants at the seminar to educate others on the prevention, detection and treatment of hypertension. Some of the participants, Messrs Sampson Mba, Chinedu Anyaso and Lucy Isha said the lecture would assist them to guard against hypertension. The World Hypertension Day is an initiative of the World Hypertension League, an umbrella organisation of 85 national hypertension societies and leagues.