Issuu

THE NATION ON SUNDAY JUNE 16, 2013

Akwa-Ibom swears in four commissioners, special adviser From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

KWA Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has warned the four newly appointed commissioners and a special adviser to disrobe themselves of the fanciful idea of power and influence. He urged them instead to join hands in building a state that would create conditions and opportunities for Akwa Ibom persons to fulfill their aspirations. The governor gave the warning yesterday after swearing in four commissioners, a special adviser and chairman, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly Service Commission at the new Governor's Office, Uyo, the state capital. According to Akpabio: "If you came with fancy ideas of power and influence, I warn you that the principles of our administration are founded on loyalty, dedication, integrity, service and humility. "If you are a politician, remember that as from today you have disembarked from the boat of politics and joined the ship of statesmanship.” The new commissioners are Engr. Iboro Ekanem, immediate past Chairman of Akwa Ibom Rural Water and Sanitation Agency; Dr. Glory Emmmanuel Edet, former lecturer of Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Uyo; Prof. Atim Bassey Antai, former Dean of Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar and Dr. Emem Baassey, former Chief Consultant, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo. The new special adviser is Akparawa NtukUdeh, a onetime International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio. The chairman is Obong Cornel T. Udoh, former Chief of Staff to Governor Godswill Akpabio and a retired Permanent Secretary.

Calabar agog for GE's manufacturing plant

ENERAL Electric (GE) has scheduled the groundbreaking of its $250 Million manufacturing and assembly plant for Tuesday in Calabar. The ceremony will be performed by the Vice President, Arch. Namadi Sambo. When completed in the next three years, the facility will be the biggest in Africa and will have an additional operating expenditure of about $1 Billion in the next 10 years. Besides, it intends to make Calabar the hub of its manufacturing activities in sub-Saharan Africa. Calabar is agog with various activities just as economists have been listing the impacts GE's arrival will have on the economy of Cross River State in particular and Nigeria as a whole. Prof. Ndem Ayara, the economic adviser to the Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, said: "The biggest infrastructure gap we have is in the energy sub-sector. “

News

Residents flee community over gas pollution S OME residents of O g b o i n b i r i Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa have fled their homes due to gas pollution caused by leakage from an oil rig. Former Chairman of the Ogboinbiri Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Newton Daniel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa yesterday that the incident occurred on Thursday night till late Friday.

``The gas leak which started at about 8p.m. on Thursday, came from an oil rig owned by Agip Oil Company and covered the whole area. Everybody fled till late Friday,'' Daniel said. He said that the leadership of the CDC visited the scene shortly after the incident and met with some of the workers on the site, who confirmed that there had been gas

leakage from the rig. Daniel said the community had dispatched a delegation to meet with Agip officials, adding that the company had not responded as at the time of this report. The project officer of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), an NGO, Mr. Alagoa Morris, said the group had received report of the leakage. ``I have received the

report of the gas leakage, which they say is very serious and had forced many people in the area to flee their homes due to the pollution.'' He said the report reaching ERA indicated that the gas leakage was from a rig working on an oil wellhead in the community and promised to visit the scene. The spokesman for Agip Oil Company, Mr. Tajudeen Adigun, declined to comment on the matter on phone.

• Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, presenting a plaque to wife of Adamawa State Governor, Dr. Halima Nyako, during a courtesy call at the Governor's office, Uyo

Four UNIBEN students killed in cult clash F OUR students of the University of Benin have been reportedly killed in a renewed cult war between two rival cult groups. It could not be ascertained what led to the recent killings. Sources said two were killed at Osasogie Street close to the university main campus at Ugbowo along the Benin-

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Lagos Express Road. The source said several shots were fired in other areas around the university including the staff quarters. Apparently in a reprisal attack, another two students

were shot inside the university campus where students have queued for biometric registration at the University Sports Complex. One of the victims, who is a 200-level Mathematics student and simply identified as Snazzy, was shot in the neck. The attackers were said to have dropped the gun and

escaped in the ensuing stampede. The identity of the other student could not be ascertained as at press time. Snazzy was rushed to the University of Benin where doctors battled to save his life to no avail. The Public Relations Officer of the university, Harris Osarenren, did not pick calls made to his cell phone for comments.

committee set up on the issue. The President of the Students' Union Government (SUG) in the university, Lucky Inyang and the vice president of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Ubon Marcus, regretted the incident,

blaming it on miscreants who hijacked the peaceful protest. The State Police commissioner, Umar Gwadabe, said the 45 suspected rioters arrested are being screened, promising that those found culpable would be charged to court.

Akpabio seeks probe of students' riot

OVERNOR of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has demanded for an investigation panel to probe last Wednesday's riot at the University of Uyo. The authorities confirmed one student dead in the mayhem while four officials of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NANS) were killed in a road accident same day on their way to the institution to resolve the crisis. Engineering students of the university embarked on a peaceful protest against the N100 increase in transport fare from the temporary campus to the permanent site at Nsukara Offot. The protest turned violent and the police were called in to restore order. A 200-level geology student, Kingsley Umoette, died in the process. Akpabio, who was on an on -the- spot assessment of the situation, described the riot as criminal and premeditated. The governor, who was conducted round by the vice chancellor of the University, Prof. Comfort Ekpo, said the rioters took undue advantage

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

of the disagreement between the authorities and the students to destroy the school's academic records. According to him: "This act is a disaster. My observation here is that the destruction of the buildings was targeted at the 20-year-old school records and examination results. "It was a pre-planned arrangement by miscreants, who are 'professional students' using the opportunity of the peaceful protest to raze down buildings where the school's academic records were kept." He asked the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the case and suggested the involvement of visitor to the institution and the minister of Education in getting to the root of the crisis. He sympathised with the institution over the sad incident and pledged the state government's readiness to build and hand over two hostels to the university as soon as the school allocates a site for the project. The vice chancellor said the increase in transport fare was introduced with the knowledge of the students' representatives in a

SURE-P: ACN chieftain berates PDP for hijacking scheme

CHIEFTAIN of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Ojie Ogwu, yesterday berated the Delta State Government for allegedly hijacking the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme(SURE-P) in the state. He spoke at Aboh, the headquarters of Ndokwa East Local Government. Ogwu, who said that the SURE-P programme is a people-oriented programme and not just for PDP, expressed shock that the transition committee chairman of the council has hijacked the programme meant for the entire state. Condemning the act, Ogwu stated the scheme has no party colouration and should be evenly shared for

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri all and sundry irrespective of party affiliations. He said: "The money was not brought for PDP to empower few people or individuals for the purpose of election or to bribe some persons but the SURE-P is a programme for those that are buying fuel, traders and farmers in the area but they are not getting it." He went on: "The SURE-P is not a PDP affair but for all the people who are suffering from this subsidy removal. "They should ensure it spreads around the people instead of giving this money to a few people in the name of party and should not be tied to PDP because they are in power."

10 killed in Edo cult clash From Osagie Otabor, Benin

VER 10 persons have been killed in different parts of Benin City in a renewed clash between two rival cult groups in the state. The killings was said to have started on Thursday. A community leader in Egor Village identified as Odigie was among the latest victim of the cult clashes. He was said to have been traced to his residence and shot dead by his assailants. A resident in the area said several shops in the area were closed for fear of arrest or further attacks. "People in the street have become apprehensive. They are afraid of arrest," he said. A son of Benin Chief was said to have killed last Thursday. Victims of the latest killings, according to sources, included students, commercial bus drivers and businessmen. Spokesman for the state Police Command, DSP Moses Eguaveon, said several suspects have been arrested. He disclosed that some arms and ammunition were also recovered. According to him: "There are cult -related incidents in Benin metropolis. Somebody was shot in UNIBEN yesterday. Some arrests have been made in cult related matters. "We are putting measures in place to get to the root of the matter".

Kidnap: Three buildings demolished in Delta From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

HREE buildings have been demolished in Ovara-Orogun community of Ughelli Noth Local Government Area of Delta State following the kidnap of the wife of the traditional ruler of Ughelli kingdom. It was learnt that two of the buildings demolished by the combined team of the men of the Nigeria Police, Army and the local vigilance group belonged to the kidnap kingpin. The kingpin said to be residing in Lagos built one of the buildings for his mother and rented the other to keep his victims. The wife of the traditional ruler of Ughelli kingdom, Queen Gladys Oharisi, was kidnapped last Thursday by gunmen who intercepted her and others on her way from school where she went to register her courses at the Delta State University, Abraka. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Delta Central Area Command, ACP Awosola Awotinde, said: "As you have known, we started this demolition in EbohOrogun. We have done it in Warri, Ozoro and we will continue to do it anywhere the owner of any building allows his building to be used for this dubious job." A source close to the family said a ransom of N1.1million was paid to the kidnappers, a claim that Awotinde refuted.