Tag: Owerri

A lawmaker in the Imo House of Assembly, Mrs Ngozi Obiefule, has urged female aspirants to take advantage of the reduced prices of nomination forms and participate actively in politics.
Obiefule, representing Isu state constituency, made the call in Owerri on Thursday while reacting to the reduction of prices of nomination forms for intending female aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
She described the decision as a welcome development which would not only spur women politicians to increased participation, but also create the opportunity for gender balancing in politics.
The lawmaker said that in the past, she had ran two elections under the platform of the APC “but never paid a dime”, and thanked the party for maintaining its legacy of price reduction for women.
“Women have bitterly complained about being marginalised, therefore, the decision to strike out payment of nomination forms for women is a wonderful step in the right direction.
“For example, a woman running for the Federal House of Representatives seat will have to pay only the expression of interest fee of N1m rather than a combined fee of N10m. This is a welcome development,” she said.
She called on women not to be discouraged by the possible financial implications of political campaigns but to channel their energies towards building viable, generally acceptable and achievable manifestos that would attract the support of the electorate.
She noted that womanhood did not inhibit participation in politics and called on women to take advantage of the amended electoral Act to prove themselves.
“I was the first woman to run for the House of Assembly in my Local Government Area. I had to challenge myself and today, the evidence is clear, women can succeed in politics,” she said.
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She further called on Nigerians, especially youths, not to sell their votes but to choose the right persons for the right elective positions for the general good of the country.
She however, called for a downward review of the prices of nomination and expression of interest forms so as to accommodate more well-intentioned intending aspirants.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ruling APC has asked its intending female aspirants not to pay for nomination forms but for the expression of interest form.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo state has advocated for a bill that would compel multinational companies to allocate a percentage of their corporate social responsibility funds to the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).

Uzodimma said the fund would enable ITF sustain and train more Nigerian youths in various skills, as well as empower them with start-up packs.

The governor made the call at the closing ceremony of the 2021 National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) for 100 beneficiaries on Friday, in Owerri.

“There is so much funds in the corporate social responsibility accounts of multinationals, oil servicing companies and oil companies that if dedicated to ITF would help train more youths for self-reliance,” he said.

Uzodimma, who was represented by his Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Mr Jonathan Nweke, said when passed, the law should reflect a tax cut for the multinationals.

He said the state government had developed clusters for skills acquisition and was presently discussing with the CBN to inculcate the facilities into its schemes for loan disbursement.

The governor said the state was also reviewing its school curricula to enable a more technical orientation and trainings for pupils and students, as obtained in civilized climes.

He said the Igbo apprenticeship system, which had helped the growth of many businesses, especially in the South East, should be encouraged and sustained.

He urged beneficiaries of the NISDP to imbibe the basic elements of financial management and as well align with peer groups to benefit from government incentives for cooperative societies.

Uzodinma said the state government would partner with ITF to increase the beneficiaries in the state to about 1,000 per programme.

Earlier, the Director-General of ITF, Mr Joseph Ari said so far, 3,905 Nigerians had been equipped with skills in two trades namely, catering and event management; and plumbing and pipe fitting.

“This phase of the programme, which is the closing ceremony taking place today, commenced in the third quarter of 2021. The training lasted for three months.

“In Imo, 100 youths were trained in catering and event management; and plumbing and pipe fitting.

“I believe that if Nigerians were equipped with requisite skills, unemployment and poverty would be reduced,” said Ari, who was represented by Mr Stephen Warave, the Deputy Director, Internal Audit, ITF Headquarters.

He charged beneficiaries to utilize the opportunity provided by the training and the start-up packs to improve their lives and contribute meaningfully to the economy and actualization of the policy objectives of the Federal Government.

He appealed to state Governments, Organised Private Sectors (OPS), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Faith-Based Organisations, politicians, and other stakeholders to collaborate with ITF in its efforts to train Nigerians.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items, including oven and plumbing kits, were presented to the beneficiaries as start-up packs.
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One of the beneficiaries, Miss Ruth Obi, commended ITF and the state government for the training programme, promising to ensure judicious utilization of the oven provided to her.

Uchenna Anoruo on Friday proved why he was one of the best in the race to the Nigeria Masters tournament as he dusted his strong contenders to win the 12th Leg and make the cut.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the final round of the 12th Leg of the race to Nigeria Masters saw a total of five golfers slugging it out at the Arsenal Golf Course, Owerri ,with only three of them lucky enough to make the cut.

​With a cumulative of 292 and +4 after 72 holes, Anoruo became the first player on the leaderboard.

His play in the final round started with a par in the first four holes, a bogey in the fifth, par in the sixth, seventh, eight and eventually finishing the front nine with a birdie to make 35.

With a birdie in tenth, bogey in the 11th, par in 12th, birdie in 13th, par in 14th, bogey in 15th, birdie in the 16th, 17th and 18th hole being a par saw him coming in with 36 to finish the round with an under course par (71).

“I’m excited that I am the first on the board, words can’t express how happy I am to have made the cut after a while of not winning”, an elated Anoruo told NAN after the game.

NAN also reports that in second place was another optimistic golfer, George Inalegwu whose game ended with a cumulative of 297 with +9 after 72 holes which made him to also make the cut.

Inalegwu’s game play in the final round saw him coming in with 1 over par (73).

Also in third place was David Ali who was Anoruo’s strongest contender after the third round but faltered in his final round.

His game ended with a cumulative of 302 with +14 which also saw him making the cut.
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NAN also reports that the 13th Leg of the race to Nigeria Masters will hold between April 5 and April 8 at the Arsenal Golf Course, Owerri.

Gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network attacked the Obowo Divisional Police headquarters in Imo on Monday.

Police spokesman in Imo, CSP Michael Abattam, stated in Owerri that the assailants approached the station from an ungoverned forest at the rear.

He added that they threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices that fell on the transit camp behind the station and on a parked vehicle.

“Police operatives and some of the Command’s Technical Teams engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel preventing them from gaining entrance to the station.

“In the process, they forced the hoodlums into retreating into the forest with various degrees of bullet wounds.

“The police operatives gave them a hot chase and while combing the bush, three undetonated explosives, four expended AK47 bullets and five live cartridges, were recovered.

“Also recovered were 33 expended cartridges, two masks, one pump action gun and a motorised sawing machine,’’ Abattam stated.

He added that apart from the minimal damage on the transit camp and the vehicle, no life was lost.

He stated also that a police operative who sustained minor gunshot injury had been treated.

The police spokesman added that Acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Maman Giwa, who visited the scene, commended the officers and men for repelling the attack.

Giwa appealed to Imo residents to continue to give the police timely and credible information about criminals and their activities and to report any person seen treating bullet wounds within the community to the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, a source in the community, who requested anonymity, said two persons were feared killed in the attack.

“The attack started around 2 a.m. and lasted for about three hours. We heard the sounds of various firearms and suspected dynamite during the attack.

“We do not know whether the assailants took away police weapons as they usually did,’’ he said.
ALSO READ:No gun duel between soldier, policemen in Owerri – Nigerian Army
Monday’s attack brought the number of police divisional headquarters attacked in Imo in March to four.

Earlier in the month, gunmen attacked Orsu, Oru East and Umuguma police divisional headquarters.

A water resources expert, Mr Boniface Onyeji, has advised residents to conduct laboratory analysis of their borehole water to test for bacteria and acidity.

Onyeji, Head of Engineering Services Department, Imo State Water and Sewage Corporation (ISWSC), gave the advice on Wednesday during a campaign to mark this year’s World Water Day.

“Borehole is good but from analyses we discovered lots of problems. Some of the boreholes have zinc particles, iron fibres and some are acidic, yet people don’t mind thinking it is healthy.

“When you see water from borehole, it sparkles, but after laboratory analysis, you may discover some pathogens, especially those drilled close to soak away.

“I am encouraging Imo residents to take samples of their borehole water to Otamiri Laboratory for analysis to know if it is safe for drinking because a lot of them are acidic and can cause cancer and other infectious diseases,” he said.

Onyeji, who said that the campaign was to raise awareness on the dangers of the ‘invisible visibles’ in boreholes, said public water such as the Otamiri Water Scheme remained the best for consumption.

According to him, the Otamiri Water Scheme is safer for consumption because it undergoes a lot of processes.

He said the Otamiri Water Scheme has a production capacity of 60,000 cubic metres of water per day meant for 300,000 households in the municipals within 14 km radius.

Onyeji lauded the efforts of international agencies for resuscitating the facility, but noted that it was still faced with the challenge of reticulation.

He said the urban renewal programme of the state government under former Gov. Rochas Okorocha had tampered and destroyed most utility lines supplying water to many areas within the Owerri metropolis.

He said some of the areas affected included some parts of Aladimma, Ikenegbu, World Bank, Onitsha Road and Port Harcourt Road.

“If the state government can fix the utility lines damaged by the past administration, more Imo residents will gain access to clean water,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for this year’s celebration is “Groundwater – making the invisible visible.”
ALSO READ:No gun duel between soldier, policemen in Owerri – Nigerian Army
The World Water Day is commemorated annually in March to celebrate water and raise awareness of the two billion people living without access to safe water.