Politics
Electrocuted Boy, 12, Petitions RVHA
Last week, the State Assembly received a petition on a 12- year – old Rivers State indigene and a Junior Secondary School student of Government Secondary School, Oroworukwo, Master Uchechukwu Ewurum who resides at Ojoto Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt with his parents .
The petition, presented on the floor of the House by Hon Augustine Ngo, alleged that Master Uchechukwu is a victim of electrocution, caused by a high tension wire, which got severed from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), facility, near their home.
The petition said the wire with high electric current was left dangling until it rested on the handrail of the victims rented apartment.
On the fateful day, the boy had run out to welcome his mother and unfortunately touched the handrail of the apartment electrocuted him.
Although, he is still alive, he has lost his right hand from the shoulder down, has a sore tummy and suffers memory loss.
The parents of Uchechukwu are so poor that they cannot afford to pay the medical bills.
According to the petition, PHCN has not shown any sympathy or interest in the matter and the parents do not have money to sue PHCN for criminal negligence and therefore, appealed to the Assembly to intervene.
Another petition by Prince Chinedu Agu and presented by Hon Irene Inimgba, representing Port Harcourt Constituency II, alleged that a property belonging to the petitioner was demolished by Rev Mina Aprioku and the land relocated to another person.
Mr Agu said he properly acquired the land before erecting a three, bedroom structure on it.
According to him, trouble started when Rev. Mina Aprioku demanded N1m from him to be given to the permanent secretary or risk demolition of his structure. While efforts to seek clarification on the demand for such amount was going on and the inability to raise the money, Rev Aprioku allegedly ordered the destruction of his property under the pretext of directive the State Governors.
Unfortunately, soon after, the land was sold to Mr Boma Obuferibo by Rev Mina Aprioku. He, therefore, prayed the State Assembly to come to his aid as the police that initially intervened following his complaint on the matter had now been bought over.
Speaker, Rt. Hon Otelemaba Amachree directed the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions to handle them and report back to the House soon.
An interating source on Wednesday sitting was the appearance of three Commissioners of Environment, Mr Nyema Weli, Speical Duties, Mr Dickson Omunakwe, and Inforamtion, Mrs Ibim Semenitari to brief the lawmakers on their level of preparedness towards the predicted heavy rainfall that would cause flooding.
Responding to questions, Mr Dickson Omunakwe failed to provide necessary details about the 2012 flood handling in the State on the grounds that he assumed office on January 16, 2013.
He, however, disclosed that N30million was approved by the flood committee to produce seedlings and suckers for distribution to farmers in the affected local government areas.
Mr Nyema Weli, who suggested dredging of the Nyer and Orashi rivers to reduce volume of water, however, failed to remember the name of any of the communities affected by flood that he visited.
The Information and Communciation Commissioner, Mrs Semenitari told the House that her Ministry had mapped out plans to use electronicard, print media, bill board, town criers to enlighten the public on the predicted flooding for 2013 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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