The Lumine News

Author: News

  • Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor Calls For Peace And Love On Christmas. Showers Constituents With Cash, Rice And Gift Items

    By Caterpillar Media

    The senator representing Cross River State Central Senatorial District, Sen. Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor has called for peace and love among his constituents, the state and nation at large to reflect the true essence of Christmas.

    In a goodwill message to his constituents, the performing senator and Orator of the 9th Senate poured out his heart in appreciation to his constituents for always standing by him and with him, while admonishing them to continue to show love and care to one another, which is the core essence of the yuletide season.

    In his philanthropic disposition, the performing senator showered his constituents with cash, rice and other gift items for a fun-filled celebration while describing Christmas

    as a time to cherish peace, show love, goodwill and to be plenteous in generosity. He went further to say that peace, love, charity, and brotherliness can only come to stay when we live Christmas in our everyday lives.

  • Ayade Chief of Staff, Hon. Martin Orim Celebrates Christmas With UTUKALU, Extols Alege/Urban Traditional Rulers

    By Elijah Ugani

    The Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon. Martin Orim has hosted his people, UTUKALU nation for the Christmas celebration.

    The reception was held at the resident of the political leader of UTUKALU, Ukani PJ Ekunke at Nkirira, Utugwang Central ward, Obudu local government area on the 24th of December, 2020.

    The astute political scientist, Ukani PJ Ekunke welcomed the people to the meeting and admonished everyone present to see the opportunity created by the circumstance of the meeting as call to the unity of UTUKALU.

    Hon. Martin Orim was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor, Political Affairs, Chief of Staff Office, Hon. Peter Okaba, craved the people’s indulgence to excuse the Chief of Staff absence from the meeting as he desire to be present in the meeting was scuttled by official exigencies.

    Orim held that “it is my desire that this meeting holds at intervals of four months to enable us consolidate the gains of our identity. We must realize the fact that political parties are fulcrums to achieving powers and we must not allow our political differences to truncate the development of our ideals”

    The people expressed satisfaction with the convener of the meeting and wished him the best in his endeavor.

    Earlier, the Chief of Staff had hosted the Alege/Ubang Traditional Rulers Council in his home town, Ukweriseng – Ubang for the Christmas celebration.

    Hon. Orim was represented by his wife, called on the traditional rulers to see the opportunity given to them to serve their subjects as a call to selfless service.

    He commended the role played the traditional rulers in maintaining peace and other in their various communities and charged them to continue to do more, for the reward of hard is more work.

    The council expressed gratitude to the Chief of staff for the show of love.

    The Chief of Staff had provided solar light for all the communities in Alege/Ubang and Ukpe wards including compounds of traditional rulers.

    The council used the opportunity to extend the felicitation of their various communities to the Governor Ayade Chief of Staff and prayed God to continue to sustain and enlarge his coast to enable him do more.

  • GFO Orim Foundation Hands Over Renovated Building To Widow At Bekwarra

    By Elijah Ugani

    The Chairman of GFO Orim Foundation, and the Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon. Martins Orim has handed over the renovated building to Mrs. Angelina …, mother of four kids.

    Dedicating the house, the Assistant Parish Priest of St. Benedict Cathedral, Rev. Fr. Peter Ibu, admonished the widow to take good care of the children as well as take the grinding business serious to enable her bring up the children.

    He commanded the founder of GFO Orim Foundation for the gesture of renovating the widow’s house and maintained that the gesture is very commendable.

    He prayed God to grant the Chairman good health of mind and body to enable reach out to those who are in dare need of his magnanimity.

    Speaking after the dedication, the Special Adviser to the Governor on International Donor and Development Commission, Hon. Sylvester Agabi maintained that this renovation project is one among various interventions designed by GFO Orim Foundation to reach out to the less privilege.

    Speaking to theluminenews, the Mrs. Angelina Afo thanked the management of GFO Orim Foundation for coming to her rescue.
    She maintained that “when my husband died, I had no place to stay, no light, no toilet, no bathroom, no source of livelihood. But today, this man ( referring to the Chairman of GFO Orim Foundation) came and renovated my house, provided doors, windows, ceiling, toilet. Please help me thank him. May God continue to bless him”

    The Leader of Bekwarra of Bekwarra Legislative Council, Hon. Thomas Emonshe Enyi thanked the Chairman of GFO Orim Foundation for extending the magnanimity to Bekwarra Local Government Area, he prayed God to continue to bless him.

    GFO Orim Foundation renovated the building, provided solar light, provided toilet and bathroom, provided a grinding engine, a bag of rice for Christmas, cash donation and promised continuous support for the upkeep of the children.

    Reacting to the development, the councillor representing Ibiaragidi ward, Hon. ….. noted that “I’m particularly grateful to God because, what GFO Orim Foundation has done, is to my advantage because two of this widow’s children are on my scholarship scheme, and I have been thinking of what to do because I’m from this community. I will ensure that she makes good use of this assistance to better her life and that of her children”

    The Clan Head of Anyikang thanked the Chief of Staff to the Governor for the kindness shown to one of his subjects, and prayed God Almighty to grant him (Hon. Martin Orim) his heart desire.

    The event was attended by councillors from Obudu, Bekwarra, Yala and Ogoja local government areas.

  • UN, CRSG Trains Cross River Key Sector Players On Budget Monitoring And Evaluation

     

    The United Nations has urged key players involved in budget planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in Cross River State to get themselves acquainted with the global best practices in an effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goals Target by 2030.

    This was disclosed during a three day training for key sector players in Budget, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) as well as Monitoring and Evacuation (M&E) staff across line Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

    The programme was facilitated by the Cross River State Government through the Ministry of International Development Cooperation in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held at Transcorp Hotel, Calabar.

    Speaking at the opening session, the Commissioner, Ministry of International Development Cooperation (MIDC), Dr. Inyang Asibong said “the three- day meeting is to bring stakeholders involved in budgeting and the implementation of the SDGs to boost the capacity of the personnel, resources and institutional frameworks thereby strengthening and coordinating your efforts to achieve the set target”

    Asibong was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, MIDC, Mr Felix Ekpeyong Ita and the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Barr Mark Obi, stated that the implementation and tracking of the Transformation agenda 2030 in the state is realisable.

    According to the Commissioner, the training of the line MDA staff in the state was timely due to their role in the development planning architecture across sectors including the Local Government Areas in Cross River State.

    Presenting the key note address,the representative of the UNDP, and the Senior Special Assistance to the President, President Muhammad Buhari, Dr Bala Yunusa, said that the office will focus on strategic direction and impetus to the National commitment to the SDGs.

    He emphasized that expertise and resources of all, both public and private sector, Scientific community and Donor community as well as the wider civil society are needed.

    The training session was conducted by consultants from the UNDP, office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria, Director of Administration, MIDC, Mrs Mbong Ausaji, CRS Statistician-General, Dr Josephat Ogar amongst other technical staff from the MIDC and State Planning Commission.

  • I will Improve On The CSR Of Unical, Says VC, Florence Banku Obi

    By George Odok Jrn

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has pledged to improve on the institution’s Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards the university’s host communities.

    Prof. Obi made the pledge when she received the executives of the Akim Youths Council from Calabar Municipality who were in her office for a courtesy visit.

    The Vice Chancellor, who said she was happy to receive them, described the Akim Youths as very organized as exemplified by their patience and candor, even as she encourages youths of other local government to emulate them.

    She informed the youths that she recognizes the role the community has played in the development of the university, hence her decision to visit the chiefs of the host communities even while she was still VC designate.

    She added that it has always been her desire to work closely with the host communities.

    The VC informed them that the university under her leadership will continue to explore other ways of empowering members of the host communities.

    “The host communities should be the first to police the university, as a matter of policy, ensure that they take ownership and protect the university from vandals and those who seek to plunder it,” she said.

    In an earlier remark, the President of the Akim Youths Council, Mr Fred Okon, while congratulating the Vice Chancellor over her success at the keenly contested Vice Chancellorship interviews, said her appointment was well deserved.

    According to Okon, the visit was a mark of solidarity and for them to associate with the new Vice Chancellor and by extension, the entire university management.

    Okon, while expressing the Youth Council’s appreciation for the opportunity and privilege, recounts the events of the unfortunate #Endsars protest hijack, and how the Akim Youths took it upon themselves to defend the university on Oct. 24.

    Describing the Vice Chancellor as a mother, the Youth President pledged that the Council will continue to support the VC, as well as protect the university at all times.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Youths presented the VC with an artist impression of her portrait as a gift.

  • Breaking: INEC Issues Jarigbe Agom Certificate Of Return

    The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has issued Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom certificate of return as the authentic winner of the September PDP primary election.

    Recall that both Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom and Dr. Stephen Odey had laid claim to the flag of the PDP after the primary election.

    While the Rt. Hon. Jarigbe camp had the backing of the INEC national officials, Dr. Stephen Odey had the support of INEC, Cross River State.

    Jarigbe had approached the vacation court in Port Harcourt to challenge the outcome of the primaries which he claimed was in total breach of the directives of the court for the PDP to use the authentic list of ward and chapter exco members.

    The 4th of December, 2020 was memorable as two  federal high courts of equal jurisdictions, delivered opposing judgement on the authentic winner of the PDP primaries.

    While the Federal High sitting in Calabar ruled in favour of Dr. Stephen Odey, the Federal High in Abuja ruled in favour of Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom.

    Effort to halt the inauguration of Dr. Odey by Jarigbe failed and he was sworn in on the 15th of December, 2020 as the senator representing Cross River Senatorial District.

    Barely 24 hours after the inauguration, the Court of Appeal in Abuja presided by Justice Binta declared Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom as the winner of the PDP primaries and directed INEC to issue certificate of return to Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom.

  • US Based Nigerian Doctor Shoots Wife, Commits Suicide

     

    A US based Nigerian medical doctor has shot his wife and thereafter turned the gun on himself.

    The incident happened in Texas, Saturday morning.

    The couple whose wife is a nurse are blessed with three children.

    No one could tell the reason for his action but this is how USA based veteran journalist Azuka Jebose reported the incident

    Morning Texas Tragedy

    At sunrise this cold Saturday, Dr. Ben Okigbo, a medical doctor in Houston, pulled up a handgun and fatally shot his wife.

    His wife was a nurse too. A few seconds later he turned the gun on himself.

    These hours their three children are dealing with the tragedy of losing their parents at home.

    We will never know why Dr. Okigbo, decided to kill his wife and commit suicide thereafter.

    It’s my understanding that Dr. Okigbo was originally from Idumuje Unor while his wife was from Akwukwu Igbo, both towns are in Delta State of Nigeria. copied

     

  • Dealing With #FakeNews From Government. By Agba Jalingo

     

    Government has been accusing citizens and the press of peddling “Fake News” and pushing multi-pronged efforts to suffocate channels of information dissemination.

    I agree,

    It is true that there is #FakeNews.

    It is true that individuals are peddling #FakeNews.

    It is true that the media is peddling #FakeNews

    It is also true that #FakeNews is doing incalculable damage not just to society but also to public trust in the media profession.

    It is also true that the media space needs to self-regulate to weed out #FakeNews.

    But there is one truth also that is missing from this whole gamut.

    That is, Government is the biggest peddler of #FakeNews.

    What effort is been made to ensure that #FakeNews from government is curbed?

    Who should be the fall guy or fall babe when government peddles #FakeNews?

    In the various #SocialMediaBills pushed around, what are the prescribed punishments for #FakeNews from government?

    Why does GOVERNMENT, who is arguably the biggest dispenser of #FakeNews, feel that it has a duty to control something it is as guilty of, as those it accuses?

    Let me give you some examples of what I am talking about.

    1. Every home in Nigeria got COVID 19 palliative – Humanitarian Affairs Minister. #FakeNews

    2. Only 10 Kankara school boys were abducted – Shehu Garba #FakeNews

    3. Boko Haram has been technically defeated – Buhari #FakeNews

    4. I have created 20,000 new jobs in Cross River civil service – Ayade #FakeNews

    5. Our government is doing everything to fight corruption – Buhari #FakeNews

    6. Fashola finds camera a #LekkiTollGate – #FakeNews

    7. Nobody died at #LekkiTollGate – FG
    #FakeNews

    8. Government is not fixing fuel prices, the sector has been deregulated – FG #FakeNews

    When all these offensive lies are dished out to the public by a government, who should be held accountable and with what legal instrument?

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo

  • If You Want To Win God’s Favour, Do Not Depend Too Much On Human Approval – Peter Abue

    FAVOUR
    Somewhere in the Bible, it says, “…God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34). Mary was humble, upright, and did what was acceptable in the sight of God. Hence, she was favoured by God through the angel, Gabriel (Luke 1:26-28). Through this divine favour to Mary came the incarnation or Christmas as we know it today and since then the world has not been the same again.

    David was another recipient of God’s favour; but because he failed to live a humble and upright life, God did not want David to build a house for him. Rather, God sent the Prophet, Nathan, to tell David that his son Solomon would be the one to build the temple and that his posterity will reign forever (2 Sam 7:1-16). The book of Chronicles gives the reason for the change in plans: You have shed much blood and you have waged great wars; you may not build a house in my honour, because you have shed too much blood upon the earth in my sight” (1 Chr. 22:8-10). Eventually, Nathan’s prophecy was fulfilled and a descendant of David who would reign forever; Jesus, the son of Mary, was born.

    The lesson here is that God uses upright and peaceful people to bless the world. Although David was favoured, he let himself be misused by men and so he lost his favoured position.
    God’s word is irrevocable. Sometimes, we wrongly think that we can buy favour from God or misuse God’s favour; we think that things will always remain the same. God’s favour is earned not negotiated. The greater lesson here is that God blesses human beings abundantly and can use us for divine things, but sometimes we mess up big time. Don’t be deceived by the way men run around you, to think you are favoured, so anything goes. No. Indeed, it’s not so. At the end of the day, the verdict of human beings may not necessarily be that of God.

    Mary earned God’s favour through her cooperation with the grace of God, which she fought to preserve. David, on the other hand, abused this favour through over-indulgence in his humanity. If you want to win God’s favour, do not depend too much on human approval, but always seek to know and do God’s will. Through you, God might choose to bless your family, your community, or the larger world like he did through Mary at the first Christmas. Remember, nothing is impossible with God, so gear yourself up and be ready for God’s favour this coming year. “Do not be afraid…You have found favour with God” (Luke 1:30).

    Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Obele Abue

    Is the Vicar General of the Of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, and Parish Priest of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Igoli.

  • Asuquo Ekpenyong Foundation Facilitates CBN AGSMEIS Loan For 1,000 Cross Riverians

     

    Cross Riverians seeking capital to fund a business idea and money to expand an existing business now have a golden opportunity through the Asuquo Ekpenyong Foundation (AEF) in collaboration with the NIRSAL Bank’s approved Entrepreneurhip Development Institute, Moure Consult in the Agric Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, AGSMEIS, established by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as an empowerment programme which also benefits all age categories willing to get into agriculture or any other small and medium scale business.

    This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr Emmanuel.

    According to him Cross Riverians can access a soft loan facility to the tune of N10 million. The loan covers all categories of small and medium enterprises, yet the most interesting part is that the recipients have seven years to pay back the loan and at a concessionary five per cent (5%) interest rate. He commended the applicants for their coordination through out the training exercise while urging them to efficiently utilize the cash when it comes in.

    The Cross River State Commissioner of Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr the trustee of the foundation who closed the training said 1,000 Cross Riverians will benefit from the first phase of the loan.

    He revealed that all that is required is for interested persons to apply and attend the 3 day training for free as the foundation have paid the training fees for all trainees which also covers lunch for the training days, venue and resource persons as well as facilitation fees for application assistance as well as business plan development to facilitate access to the grants.

    He said selection process was done by the Consultants who made open the applications to everyone across the 18 LGAs of CRS without interference from any Political class.

    Mr Ekpenyong poured encomium on the participants and prospective beneficiaries for taking the training very serious and making Cross River State a shining star among other states.

    Asuquo said “give a man a fish and he will feed his family for a day, but teach a man to fish and he will feed his family in perpetuity”

    Speaking with newsmen, the Chief Facilitator of the training, Mr Omotayo Omolade said the Entrepreneurship Training programme has been designed to take your business to greater heights, and if you’re a start-up, the information you’ll get will give you a very comfortable footing to start your business. So, you have no reason to miss this great opportunity.”

    The Lead Facilitator from Moure Consult, Mr Muhammed Tahir disclosed that many Nigerians are already benefiting from the loan facility while lauding the Cross River participants to have been the most well behaved and well coordinated across the country so far.

    Highlight of the event was presentation of Certificates to trainees by the Honorable Commissioner For Finance, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong.