South East

Abia ASUP, PRODA Threaten Fresh Strike

Published

10 years ago

August 6, 2014

Abia State Polytechnic
Chapter Of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Thursday said it would resume its suspended strike without notice if its Governing Council did not meet its demands.
This is contained in a letter jointly signed by Mr Precious Nwakodo, and Mr Kalu Uma, the chapter Chairman and Secretary, respectively. The letter, dated July 21, 2014 and addressed to the Chairman, Governing Council of the Polytechnic, was made available to newsmen in Aba.
The letter said,” the union at its emergency congress held on Thursday, July 17, resolved to suspend its strike for three weeks from July 22. This decision was largely informed by the confidence members have in the leadership of the governing council that it will fulfill its promise to pay additional two months salaries on or before Aug. 11 and also address the issue of irregular payment of staff salaries. “It is also the expectation of the union that within this period, council and management will start meeting the demands of the union.”
According to the letter, the union also demanded for visible mechanisms to improved management of the polytechnic’s resources.
It called for the provision of a concrete ceiling for expenditure approved for both management and council.
ASUP further seek a return to due process and extant rules in the general administration of the polytechnic.
The union also demanded the implementation of the report on Abia State Polytechnic Staff Certificate Verification as well as the release of its 2014 staff promotions list.
The union expressed the hope that the council’s strong desire and commitment to return the polytechnic to the paths of progress would be realised.
It, however, urged the council to do the needful to forestall a possible break of activities.
Also staff of Projects Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, at the weekend as the three unions have resolved to resume their suspended strike.
The workers alleged failure of the management and Governing Council to address staff welfare, which they said, had been on for the past 24 months.
At the end of their meeting in Enugu, the three unions –Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Senior Staff Association (SSAUTHRIAL) and Non- Academic Staff Union (NASU), accused the management of insensitivity, flagrant disregard for staff welfare and grossly unsatisfactory conditions of service.
A case in hand, they alleged, was the abandonment of a female staff, Miss Nmaju Chiagozie Eunice, who on March 25, 2011 sustained injury on her left eye while undergoing table analysis in the Chemistry laboratories.
They stated that since the incident, the unions had made several efforts to get the management to assist her financially to enable her undergo surgery to no avail, stressing that the woman’s situation has degenerated, “to an alarming stage because of lack of funds and adequate attention”.
The unions also alleged delayed staff confirmations and advancements, non- payment of the statutory 28 days in lieu of accommodation and transport to new staff, discriminatory and non-standard criteria for staff conversion and non-implementation of grade level skipping – CONRASISS 9 to CONRAISS 11 among others.
Other issues they highlighted include “improper pension and remittances to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), non –implementation of mandatory pre-retirement leave, the board’s and management’s total disregard for due process and the federal character policy in surreptitious staff employments, and non- implementation of employees’ Right to Life Insurance and other friendly government circulars”.
The workers said following management’s inability to act, they resolved to embark on peaceful protest last month, adding that rather than find ways to address the issues, management invited the police to stop the demonstration.
The unions which though were not specific on the date for the resumption of the strike, accused management of feeding the public with half truths on the activities of the institute, stressing that the agency under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology had been unable to fulfill its mandate.
Efforts to reach the Acting Director-General, Mr. Charles Agulana yesterday on the development were unsuccessful.

L-R: Commissioner, Child Rights Brigade (Crib), Enugu State Command, Mrs Oluchi Promise, representative of Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Zakari Ya’u,Chairperson Child Protection Network, Mrs Margaret Nwagbo and Crib National Head of Operations, Mr Archibong Anderson, at the inauguration of CRIB, Enugu State Command in Enugu last Saturday.

South East

Corpse Of Woman Found In Ebonyi Hotel Room

Published

5 years ago

December 17, 2018

The Tide

The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”

South East

Senate Passes S’East Dev Commission Bill

Published

5 years ago

December 13, 2018

The Tide

The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.

South East

2019: Oyedepo Predicts Peace In Nigeria

Published

5 years ago

December 10, 2018

The Tide

Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.