Nation
Group Urges Okorocha To Tender Apology Or Face Recall
The Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA), a political body in Orlu Senatorial District of Imo, has advised Sen. Rochas Okorocha to apologise to Imo State Government over his action on government’s sealed property.
The group made the demand at a new conference in Owerri and threatened to recall Okorocha from the National Assembly if he failed to apologize to the state.
OPOCA National President, Mr Rex Anunobi, said that Okorocha behaved in a way unbecoming of a former governor and a Senator when he allegedly arranged with some boys to break a property sealed by the state government.
“The OPOCA, after an extraordinary emmergency meeting, is using this opportunity to give the former governor and Senator representating Imo West in the National Assembly, Rochas Okorocha, 48 hours from today to apologise to Gov. Hope Uzodimma for the shame his recent, but uncivilized action has brought to the state.
“If after 48 hours, Okorocha fails to apologise to our governor and Imo people, OPOCA will be left with no option, but to initiate a recall process that will aim at exiting Rochas Okorocha from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Anunobi called on Uzodimma not to be distracted by what it called the antics of the former governor, but fully activate all instruments of the law and state powers to recover all that were looted by Okorocha, his family members and ‘cronies’ in Imo.
He recalled that few days ago, the state government, acting in accordance with a gazetted White Paper and in line with its “recovery” move, sealed a property known as Royal Spring Palm located along Akachi Road and purportedly owned by Okorocha’s wife.
“The only option available to Okorocha in the instant case, if he feels otherwise or disagrees with the action of the state government, is to approach the court, rather than invade the said property hitherto sealed by the government with thugs,” he said.
Anunobi said that the group, had on two occasions, intervened by mobilising and appealing to Orlu sons and daughters to support Okorocha irrespective of his “anti-democratic actions”.
He said they did so not necessarily to save Okorocha, but to protect the collective and overriding interest of Orlu zone.
Anunobi said that OPOCA’s mandate was to protect, without compromise, the individual and collective political interest of Orlu sons and daughters both home and in the Diaspora.
“It is, therefore, in view of the foregoing that OPOCA rises to condemn in strong terms the brigandage, thuggery, hooliganism and lawlessness action unleashed against the state by Okorocha and his men on Sunday, February 21,” he said.
Okorocha, former governor of Imo State, was on Monday arraigned before an Owerri Magistrates’ Court for allegedly breaking open Royal Spring Palm sealed by the state government.
He was later released under bail.
Nation
Mbah Inaugurates ESUT Governing Council
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has inaugurated the newly constituted Governing Council of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), in line with Section 6 (1) of ESUT Establishment Law, stressing that education remains the strongest weapon to fight poverty.
The Governing Council has Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa as Chairman with Prof. Ikenna Chukwu, Engr. James Ifeanyi, Mrs. Gladys Okoro, Hon. Chinedu Onu and Dr. Eric Oluedo as members.
He noted that the Governing Council was constituted based on competence and the expressed confidence that the institution and state government would benefit from members of the Council, given their track records, networks and experience.
Mbah, while calling on the new Governing Council to ensure operational effectiveness of the institution, urged both Council and the Management to work hand-in-hand to realise the lofty dreams for which the institution was founded.
“You know that your responsibility as the Governing Council of the university is widespread and is far-reaching. And it is my hope that you are going to cultivate a harmonious relationship with the management team of the university. You should see your roles as complementary. That is the only way we can achieve the objective of the university.
“Of course, our expectation is that you are going to put in place an effective control in the area of management of finance and the investment of the university; and that you are going to see yourselves as bringing value to what the management team of the university is doing. So, it is our hope and belief that there will be a harmonious relationship between the Council and the management of the university.
“It is also my hope that this inauguration would in effect redouble the operational effectiveness of the university.”
He reminded the members of the Governing Council that their appointments came at a very auspicious time when the government had earmarked 33 per cent of the annual budget for education, stressing that it underscored his administration’s belief that “education is the strongest weapon with which to fight poverty.”
“We are constructing 260 smart schools across the 260 wards of our state. We are establishing a Centre for Experiential Learning. Similar centers like the tech hubs and the innovation hubs are also being set up in the state
Nation
Kebbi Commences Census Of Almajiri Schools
Kebbi State government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs has commenced the census of Almajiri schools across the State to identify the parents, origin, location as well as number and age of the pupils with a view to finding lasting solution to the educational system.
The Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Muhammad Sani Aliyu, who revealed this at the ongoing ministerial briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture held in Birnin Kebbi, said the Ministry was working round the clock to fashion out modalities that would position Almajiri system of education side by side with the secular education for the overall development of the society.
He stressed that the current state of Almajiri education where children below the age of five were sent to schools without means of sustenance, forcing them to roam streets and houses begging for means of survival was in direct contrast to the teachings of Islam, a problem the Ministry was poised to correct.
Aliyu said the Ministry would henceforth regulate the conduct of Almajiri training, streamline the concept of Almajiri education as well as improve Almajiri system of education in order to curb the vices associated with the deviants amongst the Almajirai who usually end up in political thuggery and drug addiction.
The commissioner also revealed that through the Zakat Department, the Ministry between May 2023 and March, 2024 had treated 23,542 psychiatric related cases across the State free of charge in Neuro Psychiatric Programme Outreach of the State being carried out on Saturdays and Sundays.
The patients, he said, were drawn from the 21 local government areas of the State, neighbouring States as well as Benin and Niger Republics and are treated at Zauro General Hospital, on the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi with medical personnel drawn from Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Usumanu Danfodio Teaching Hospital all in Sokoto.
Nation
Bauchi Rewards Community With 200 Bags Of Rice For Preventing Looting
The government of Bauchi State has applauded Daben Kasuwa community in Ganjuwa Local Government Area for safeguarding a fallen trailer loaded with grains against looting.
For a commendable display of integrity, the community was awarded 200 bags of rice and millet as a token of appreciation.
This act of communal vigilance became widely acknowledged following a viral social media video that captured the villagers protecting the overturned truck from potential looters.
Governor Bala Mohammed, represented by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Abdu Hassan, during the reward ceremony, lauded the residents of Daben Kasuwa for their exceptional behaviour, contrasting sharply with recent incidents of mass looting in various parts of Nigeria fuelled by rising food prices and widespread hunger.
The governor’s accolades were specifically directed towards the youth of Daben Kasuwa, acknowledging their role in positively distinguishing the LGA and Bauchi State at large.
On behalf of the community, Sarkin Daben Kasuwa, Malam Sanusi Sale expressed gratitude towards the State’s recognition and reward.
He highlighted the community’s long-standing record of peace and low crime rates, and seized the opportunity to appeal to the government for the provision of essential services such as clean water, education, electricity and healthcare facilities in Daben Kasuwa.
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