Category: Breaking News

  • Traders Associations In Calabar Closed Shops For Two Days Over Incessant Kidnappings Of Its Members

    Traders Associations In Calabar Closed Shops For Two Days Over Incessant Kidnappings Of Its Members

     

    Culled from Negroid Heaven

    Traders in Cross River under the auspices of Calabar Traders Union have shut markets as well shops in the state capital to protest the spate of kidnapping in the state.

    The traders lamented that over 18 of their members have been kidnapped in the last 10 months adding that it is an ugly development that has become very disturbing following the kidnap of one of their patron, Chief Jude Odinka who has been in captive for eight weeks.

    Speaking with Journalists at Bedwell, the biggest spare parts hub in Calabar, Vice President, Electrical dealers & Allied product, Akparawa David Esien said the issue of insecurity was strange and allien to Calabar.

    Essien bemoaned that they have been become a veritable target as many of their members have either been kidnapped or attacked or died in their captors den.

    “We are closing our shops, shades and markets including timber markets, spare parts market/shops, electrical stores amongst others for two days to protest the incessant kidnap of our members.

    “Just recently, it has degenerated to kidnap of ordinary traders and not the moguls, that’s how bad it is now. We laud their effort in demolishing houses of Kidnappers but the state government must rise up and take the bull by its horn.

    “We can no longer keep quiet because our members are suffering, some of these traders use loans, while some get goods from importers on credit and pay back after sales.

    “But due to ransom they pay to these criminals they have become perpetual debtors because it seems they now work for the kidnappers because booty capital and profit are paid to the hoodlums after they kidnap our members, some have paid as high as 7million naira.

    “We are appealing to Gov Ayade, the police to come to our aid, the two day closure is just a warning to drive home our grievances.

    “We are not happy,we do business in fear, the level of insecurity in Calabar is already out of hands and the state at large, there is an anti kidnapping law, it should be enforced seriously and to the latter, they should beef up security, equip security agencies,” he said.

    On his part, Bro Festus Mbanu, Chairman building materials Traders Association Calabar, called on government to come to their rescue as they are afraid to do business as they used to for fear of being attacked, kidnapped or killed.

    His words:” This is our way of letting the authorities know that we are now doing business as traders in fear, most of us no longer go to our shops or business places, because you don’t know if you are next. We are kidnapped daily.

    “Many of our members both male and female, no one is spared, once you are perceived to be able to pay, you will be picked up and you are forced to pay the ransom for your release a lot of shops and businesses have packed up already because of this ugly trend ” he said.

    Spare parts dealers Association Chairman Calabar, Obi Ajuluchukwu also urged the government to help security agencies carry out their duty adding that within the last six months about 7 of his members have been abducted.

    “Some of my members have been kidnapped more than once, other traders too have been picked up many times, even a pregnant woman (Mrs Peter Okon ) is still in their den, Mrs Etim B Okon and many others, we can no longer bear the pain.

    “Over 25 of my members are now in Akwa Ibom state some no longer bring goods to their shops in Calabar instead to go to Uyo, Calabar is no longer safe as it used to be. Government should take a critical look into the matter. The two day shut down is a warning strike.

    “The government should declare a state of emergency on security, because a lot of people especially business men and women are no longer at ease, and it is not acceptable, security of lives and property is the primary responsibility of government.

    “We know we have our role to play, which is part of what we are doing, by letting the authorities know, that we are no longer safe in the metropolis and beyond, kidnapping is really strange in Calabar,” he said.

  • Just In: Drugs Peddlers On The Run As Cross River Security Operatives Begins Bursting Of Hideouts

    Just In: Drugs Peddlers On The Run As Cross River Security Operatives Begins Bursting Of Hideouts

    By Admin

    In a bid to comply with the directives of His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State for  zero crime and criminal activities in the State with the mandate to security department, the State Security Adviser in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force had begun an aggressive manhunt for criminal elements within the State.

    Today, in a joint operation by the State Security Adviser and selected appointees of the governor, bursted several drug hideouts within Calabar South and Calabar Municipality respectively.

    Most notoriously is an outlet said to be under operation in Calabar South Local Government Area by one of those declared wanted by the state security department for CULTISM, kidnapping, drugs and other criminal activities within the State.

    Items recovered from the various operation sites are hard substances proscribed by the Federal Government, human skulls, weapons of various degrees.

    As at the time of this report, several arrest were made and suspects remanded at the Nigerian Police Anti-Cultism unit for questioning and further investigation.

    Mr Ani Esin who spoke to newsmen onbehalf of the Security team had assured that in no distant time, all culprits of crime, civil violence and anti social acts will be brought to book to restored the dignity of the city.

    His words “we are not relenting in our efforts to zero crime within the State with a strong backing of His Excellency, the Governor who had given us a clear mandate with sufficient apparatus to clampdown and push every criminal elements out of our place.

    “Although we are under immense pressure but we won’t compromise.
    We already have a good number of those declared wanted in our net and the police is currently carrying out investigations. It is just a matter of time before we get hold of others”

     

  • Ayade Directs BORDERCOM To Embark On A Baseline Survey And Needs Assessment Of Border Communities

    Ayade Directs BORDERCOM To Embark On A Baseline Survey And Needs Assessment Of Border Communities

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Sir Ben Ayade has directed the State Border Communities Development Commission to embark on a baseline survey and needs assessment of border committees in Cross River State.

    This was disclosed by the Director General of the Commission, Mr. Noel Ugbong who averred that the exercise is geared towards the birth of a 5 year Strategic and multi year operational plan as well as a guide in budget preparations for the years ahead.

    Ugbong stressed that “the development of Border Communities is key to the Ayade-led visionary administration of rural transformation”

    Recall that just recently, the governor demonstrated a high level of commitment to his passion for Bakassi with the handing over of housing units.

    The DG posited that “border
    communities shall have the full attention of the Governor, who is poised to reach out to this communities in the areas of their greatest needs”

    On the importance of the baseline assessment, the Director General held that “the data obtained from the exercise shall be useful in collaborative development of border communities with Federal Agencies like National Border Communities Development Agency NBCDA, Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and other Development Partners.

    “With the dwindling revenue accruing to the State, it becomes imperative for the commission to build a business case capable of attracting support from outside the State and to strengthen support from International Organizations”

    The Baseline Survey according to the DG is to commence from Bakassi Local Government Area on Tuesday, 17 June 2020.

  • YNaija Governor’s Ranking: Matawalle, Ayade, Uzodinma, Obaseki Emerge Top Performers For May

    YNaija Governor’s Ranking: Matawalle, Ayade, Uzodinma, Obaseki Emerge Top Performers For May

     

     

    By Dayo Taiwo-Sidiq, YNaija

    It has been an eventful year for Governors of the 36 states in the federation and for a good number of them, May marked either their first year anniversary as Chief Executive or the first year anniversary of their second term in office.

    However, with the coronavirus pandemic still a thing in the country, our effectiveness rankings will focus on the usual monthly performance of 10 among these governors across the 6 geo-political zones.

    Worst Performers:

    10. Nyesom Wike (Rivers, South South)

    As in April, the Rivers Government sparked off a debate in the country as Governor Wike in enforcing his Executive Order 6 on COVID-19 in the state, supervised the auctioning of vehicles that allegedly flouted the lockdown order as well as the demolition of Prodest Hotel and Etemeteh Hotel without the order of a court.

    While many have tried to justify this action, it amounts to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. Such high-handedness discourages investment in the state. Analysts have also argued that such orders should have prescribed lesser punitive measures such as converting it to an isolation centre or making the violators pay huge fines to the government.

    The Governor appears to also be increasing tension in the state with consistent allegations about threat to peace as he said that there were plans by some persons to cause breakdown of law and order so as to force the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

    9. Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe, North East)

    Reports from Gombe more than anything else put a dent on the national fight against COVID-19, as the state witnessed two rounds of protests in May by patients at its isolation centres. The first which saw about 20 patients force their way out of the facility to take over the federal highway linking the state with neighbouring Borno, chanting that the state government lied against their status went viral and lamenting alleged poor treatment by the state government.

    Days later, in similar fashion, some COVID-19 patients at the Federal Teaching Hospital staged a protest on the streets claiming they had not been given drugs and were left to fend for himself alongside other patients at the hospital. Sadly, the explanation by the government didn’t do much and health workers are also complaining about their unpaid allowances.

    The Governor has also come under criticism over a bill that was recently passed into law for the establishment of the Joint Development Project Agency. Described as obnoxious, the joint agency is alleged to be a conduit for siphoning local government funds and making them mere appendages of the state government.

    8. Yahaya Bello (Kogi, North Central)

    After months of being only one of the two states without a case of COVID-19 in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced two positive cases of COVID-19 in the state, but the Kogi government quickly issued a statement rejecting the results while maintaining that the Confluence State was free of the coronavirus.

    The development is worrisome as the Kogi Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had persistently cried out over the lack of adequate testing for coronavirus in the state describing it as a great risk for doctors and other health workers. Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre accused the Yahaya Bello-led government of frustrating the efforts to ascertain the presence of the virus in the northcentral state, while investigative reports suggest that many patients report to the Kogi Specialist Hospital with symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, but none of them gets tested for fear of being punished by the state authorities.

    At the centre of these fears are statements by Governor Yahaya alleging that the NCDC wants him to declare false cases in the state, leading residents of the state and beyond to describe COVID-19 as a hoax with little or no attention to measures as use of face masks as well as social distancing while movement flows freely through the streets, entry and exit to and fro boundary city -Abuja (which has recorded not less than 500 cases) were without hitches despite the ban on inter-state travel.

    Fair Performers:

    7. Dapo Abiodun (Ogun, South West)

    All appears not to be well in the Ogun health sector as doctors under the state employment are having a running battle with the government over the unexplained delay in the payment of its members’ salaries and agitations on the need for improved welfare package for its members.

    The doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu alleged that compared to other workers in the state whose salaries for April and May were paid promptly, their April salaries were paid mid-May despite working during the period of the lockdown, while May salaries were yet to be paid as of May 21.

    While it is commendable that the Ogun Government announced a review of hazard allowance for State health workers from 200 to 300 per cent as well as a life insurance policy for frontline workers, it is worrisome that the Governor is putting the life policy on hold from taking off immediately, opting to wait for the Federal Government to put in place a similar programme. The state government has a lot of work to do in ensuring that all issues leading to industrial action at a critical time of the COVID-19 pandemic is resolved.

    6. Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna, North West)
    The Kaduna Governor in the month under review waived the Right of Way (RoW) charges for broadband and related communication infrastructure in the state. As described by the Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, one of the key benefits of the decision is the rapid growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) of any country that increases its broadband penetration.

    In the fight against the Coronavirus, apart from threats of prosecution to any Islamic cleric who enrolls children into an Almajiri school in the state, the government has ensured optical screening and rehabilitation of 200 children in the Almajiri system of education repatriated from Nasarawa in the wake of the pandemic, bringing the total number of repatriated Almajiri pupils to 900 from Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and Nasarawa states.

    The unpleasant news from the North-Western state this month however, is the attack on inhabitants of the Southern Kaduna communities by gunmen leading to the death of women and children. Such inhuman act despite the lockdown is very worrisome and there is a great need for proactive measures to avoid a reoccurrence.

    Good Performers:

    5. Godwin Obaseki (Edo, South South)

    The state’s COVID-19 response team headed by the Deputy Governor have taken commendable steps in managing the pandemic in the state especially with regular updates and boost of its isolation facilities in the state to over 600-beds spread across different health facilities in Benin, Auchi and Irrua; making it the state first outside Lagos, to have three testing centres in the country.

    This is evident in acclaimed credits from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health on its recent inauguration of a 300-bed isolation centre and molecular laboratory at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin, along with a third Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) molecular laboratory established at the Edo State Specialist Hospital.

    The recent completion of a substation at the Edo State Secretariat complex and installation of 33KVA lines ahead of the test run of the CCTEC-Ossiomo Power Plant, with a capacity of 55 megawatts is also a major move towards opening up the state’s power sector to competition for the benefit of residential and industrial consumers.

    While the governor cannot be solely blamed for the heightened tension arising from the actions of political actors warming up for party primaries ahead of the September 19 Gubernatorial elections in the state, he has a critical role to play in dousing tension in the state being generated by the political class, as well as ensure the security agents stay on top of their game in the fight against incessant kidnappings and rape cases in the state.

    4. Hope Uzodinma (Imo, South East)

    The Hope Uzodinma administration took a bold move to ensure judicious use of the state’s commonwealth by assenting to a bill repealing the law that created pension allowances and gratuities for former Governors, Deputy Governors, Assembly Speakers and Deputy Speakers.

    As rightly pointed out by the governor, not only does the repealed law run contrary to the provision of the 1999 constitution as amended, which stipulates that a pensioner must have worked for at least 10 years and must be up to 45 years of age, some beneficiaries of such payments also earn salaries and allowances in other positions they occupied such as serving as Senators or Members of the House of Representatives.

    Another commendable move by the Governor was the signing of an executive order that slashes the Right-of-Way (RoW) charges for InfraCos in the state from N4,500 to N145 per metre. The review will ease the cost of deploying the necessary infrastructure that would aid the National Broadband Penetration plan by Telcos, trigger ancillary on-line services, especially in the field of education and in turn usher in innovations across the sectors.

    3. Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom, South South)

    The Akwa Ibom Government in the month under review slashed the salaries of all political office holders in the state by 20% in what it described as a response to the prevailing economic realities of dwindling revenues, caused by the crash in the price of crude oil in the global market. As expected of thinking leadership, the step is considered a good move as it will go a long way in showing it is paying beyond lip service to call for sacrifice.

    A major feat for the Udom administration in May was the addition of a Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft to the Ibom Air fleet in line with his plans to open the State up for industrialization through land, sea and air, with plans underway for another aircraft to increase the fleet to five aircraft.

    The administration also provided computers, cameras, printers, scanners and other essential work tools that will aid in the profiling of convicts and overall efficiency to the State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). The support will go a long way in ensuring the implementation of all non-custodial sentencing such as community services, probation, parole, restorative justice and others as enshrined in the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.

    2. Ben Ayade (Cross River, South South)

    Governor Ayade received massive commendation from Nigerians across the federation this month for the new policy of his administration’s which exempts micro and small businesses from the payment of taxes as well as the inauguration of an anti-tax agency to put an end to illicit taxes on the people while ensuring the small business owners do not come under the harsh hands of the desperate search for money by tax consultants.

    The initiative which he tagged as part of post-COVID-19 palliative to the people in response to the level of poverty in the state, exempts all Okada (commercial motorcycle) riders, taxi drivers, small saloon owners, small catering and restaurant points, street food vendors, hotels with less than 50 rooms across the whole state and all others who sell basic things or struggling to earn a living,

    For a country where multiple taxations are a big deal, such policy will encourage basic entrepreneurship and wealth creation in the state. Judging from the state’s revenue, concerns have been raised however as to how the government hopes to meet up with his obligations and carry out its “ambitious projects” with such policy. The administration also employed additional 1,000 workers as demand for Cross River Garment Factory facemasks skyrocketed in this month.

    1. Bello Matawalle (Zamfara, North West)

    The award of N3.1 billion contract for the construction of 423 classrooms in the state and decision to accommodate as many street children known as Almajiri expelled from any state with open arms as well as integrate the Almajirai model into western education for the purpose of acquiring qualitative education in both western and Islamic knowledge is very positive.

    This will go along way in promoting a sense of belonging and reduce the “stigmatisation” meted on the Almajiri Islamic teaching and learning in the country when most of the Governors in the Northern part of the country have toed the line of repatriation.

    Quite importantly, with low testing capacity posing a major challenge to the fight against the pandemic in the country, one great feat of the Matawalle administration in the last one month is the launch of the largest zero-contact testing centre for COVID-19 in Nigeria.

    With a capacity of collecting 70 samples in an hour, this will significantly protect health workers who are on the front line and ensure timely delivery of collected samples since the booth can be deployed in border towns and remote areas. The sample collection booths are also said to be convertible into telemedicine booths post-COVID – 19; which will also boost the people’s access to healthcare and their overall wellbeing, especially in the hinterlands of the state.

    Editor’s Note: The YNaija Effectiveness Ranking is a perception index by our special editorial programme as determined by correspondent assessment, news reports, and opinion surveys. It is graded on the following parameters: campaign promise, social impact, and infrastructural development.

  • Odinkalu Declines Interview With National Daily Over Journalist, Agba Jalingo’s Incarceration

    Odinkalu Declines Interview With National Daily Over Journalist, Agba Jalingo’s Incarceration

    By Admin

    Human rights activist, and immediate past Chair of the National Human Rights Commission NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has said he declined an interview with a national daily in Nigeria following the paper’s decision to award a sitting Governor who allegedly orchestrated the arrest and incarceration of journalist, Agba Jalingo.

    Odinkalu, who is currently the senior team manager for the Africa Program of Open Society Justice Initiative, in a brief chat said that people have to be held accountable for their actions as it relates to the Nigerian civic space which reports show is shrinking.

    Nigeria currently ranks 115 out of 180 countries on World Press Freedom Index as compiled by Reporters without Borders (Reporters sans frontières). The last report issued in April 2020 cited the killing, detention and brutalisation of journalists as well as deliberate attempts to shrink the civic space by the Nigerian Government as reasons for the ranking.

    And, Odinkalu, while explaining the reason why he turned down an interview with Daily Independent earlier in the week, said; “We are not stupid people. We have to hold everyone to account.”

    A top level editor of the paper had reached him to comment on the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. But, Odinkalu in his reply said: “I’d wish to respond but I am not sure I can.”

    According to Odinkalu, the daily’s editor “went to Calabar to give an award to Ben Ayade while he was detaining Agba Jalingo. I personally decided I would have nothing to do with Independent for at least 1 year.”

    Who is Agba Jalingo?

    Jalingo is the publisher of CrossRiverWatch, an online newspaper based in Nigeria’s southern port city of Calabar. He was arrested in his Lagos residence on August 22nd 2019, about a month after he published an article wherein he demanded that the Cross River state government comes clean on the whereabouts of the NGN500 million it approved and released for the floating of the Cross River Microfinance bank.

    He was then driven to Calabar by road in a journey that lasted about 26 hours. He arrived on August 24th and was detained at a Police black site for 34 more days before he was arraigned on September 25th before Justice Simon Amobeda of the Calabar division of the Federal High Court. He was remanded at a medium security custodial center in Calabar.

    Justice Amobeda denied admitting him to bail twice and following a leaked tape of him allegedly threatening that Jalingo will be meted the ‘Dele Giwa’ treatment, the defense team wrote the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment of the case; the judge later recused himself.

    Now, Cross River Governor, Benedict Ayade was fingered as the architect of his travails, an allegation the state has continuously denied and accused Time Newspapers of practicing “Gutter Journalism” after it published the November 2019 list of the #OneFreePressCoalition “10 Most Urgent Cases Of Threat To Press Freedom In The World,” wherein Jalingo was listed number 9.

    The award…

    On January 13, 2020, a news story emanating from the office of Mr. Ayade’s spokesman, Christian Ita said the Governor has “bagged the Independent Newspaper Governor of the Year award for 2019.”

    The story quoted the newspaper as saying that; “by his sterling performance so far in office, amidst paucity of funds, Governor Ayade has effectively distinguished himself as one of the most outstanding governors since the advent of the current democratic dispensation since 1999, and also a pathfinder of good governance in Nigeria.”

    As at this time, Jalingo’s fate remained unknown until February 13, 2020 when he was eventually admitted to bail by a different judge, Justice Sule Shuaibu. He will spend four more days before he was eventually released on February 17, 2020; same day, the Managing Director and Editor- In-Chief of Independent Newspaper, Mr. Steve Omanufeme visited Calabar and presented the award letter to Governor Ayade as the Daily Independent Newspaper Governor-of-the-Year.

  • Breaking: Nigerian State’s Legislature And Judiciary Now Independent As Buhari Signs Financial Autonomy Order

    Breaking: Nigerian State’s Legislature And Judiciary Now Independent As Buhari Signs Financial Autonomy Order

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed into law Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary Order, 2020.

    Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media to Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, made this known in a statement.

    The development means that Nigerian States’ Legislature and Judiciary Arms no longer have to wait for Governors for funds.

    Gwandu recalled that a Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended); taking into considerations all other applicable laws, instruments, conventions and regulations, which provides for financial autonomy at the state tier of government.

    Gwandu said the implementation of financial autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary will strengthen the institutions at the State tier of Government.

    He noted that it will also make them more independent and accountable in line with the tenets of democracy as enshrined by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).

    The statement added that President Buhari signed the Executive Order number 10 into law based on the power vested in him as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), which extends to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution, laws made by the National Assembly (including but not limited to Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution(as Amended), which guarantee financial autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary.

    According to the order: “The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or

    Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended)”.

    Gwandu further stated that based on the new Executive Order and in line with section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended), all States of the Federation shall include the allocations of the two Arms of Government in their Appropriation Laws.

    • Article 6 (1) provides that “notwithstanding the provisions of this Executive Order, in the first three years of its implementation, there shall be special extraordinary capital allocations for the Judiciary to undertake capital development of State Judiciary Complexes, High Court Complexes, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal and Court Complexes of other Courts befitting the status of a Courts.
  • C’River State Government Launches ICT To Curb Fake News

    C’River State Government Launches ICT To Curb Fake News

    By Solomon Asha – Calabar

    In an attempt to curb the prevalence of fake news and misleading press releases in the state, the Cross River State Government, through the office of the Senior Special Assistant on ICT/New Media Mr. Nate Otaba has launched an application/solution for verification of official State Press Releases.

    Introducing the CRSGVERIFY application,  Otaba noted that “fact-checking and warnings of misinformation are increasingly prevalent in modern news media and political communications. While many warnings about fake news are valid and enable people to reject misleading information over the years, attempts to creating a solution to curb the deception has yielded little ”

    Speaking further, Otaba disclosed that, “in his bid to provide a one stop solution to eradicate fake news in the State, His Excellency, Sen. Ben Ayade instituted a framework which led to the development of the CRSGVERIFY app.

    “As the name implies, the CRSGVERIFY app enables the public to verify news update or press releases. It is also aimed at curbing the spread of fake news in the State.

    “The CRSGVERIFY app is embedded in all social media platforms namely facebook, telegram etc. Users are advised to search for CRSGVERIFY on facebook, telegram etc to access the online platform.”

    He lauded other members of the CRSGVERIFY team particularly Engr. Iwada Eja – SSA ICT and Mr. Ekema Onyam – sofware engineer for their contributions.

  • Gov Ayade Doles Out 1.5M To Two Families In Boki And Obudu

    Gov Ayade Doles Out 1.5M To Two Families In Boki And Obudu

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The governor of Cross River State, Senator Professor Benedict Ayade, has doled out the sum of N500, 000.00 to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Saviour Kembre of Boki Local Government Area for being blessed by God  with triplets, all girls.

    Ayade equally donated the sum of N1million to the Fanny family in Obudu, whose living house has almost collapse from years of dilapidation and disrepairs.

    The humanitarian and kind gestures from the governor was delivered by the Commissioner for Humanity and Social Welfare, Blessing Egbara, when she paid a visit to both the Saviour Kembre family of Boki at Boki and the Fanny family of Obudu in Obudu.

    Egbara who was pleased to see the bouncing triplets in good conditions equally assured the family that His Excellency the Governor will always be there to support them, maintaining that children are a source of Blessing to every family and that triplets have brought joy and blessing to the Kembre’s Family.

    Responding on behalf of the family, Mr Saviour Kembre praised Governor Ben Ayade for his donations and kind heart towards the poor and those in need, and for being so generious towards his new born babies and the family as a whole.

    The Kembre family bread winner who had lost his job before now said that the gesture from the governor will also aid in reviving his business to keep the family going and pray God to continue to bless and keep the governor for them and the entire state for his good works.

    At Obudu, the Commissioner also paid courtesy Visit to the Fanny Family in Obudu, to see for herself the challenges facing the family.

    Hon. Egbara who was touched on seeing the state in which the house the family are living disclosed that His Excellency, the Governor, is aware of their situation and has donated cash gift of 1 million naira to support the family.

    She also disclosed that His Excellency has instructed her to give a report on the structure and challenges of the building in which the family lives to enable the ministry swing into action.

    She however stated that what she has seen is a sorrow sight and that once she gets the report to the Governor, something will be done urgently to ameliorate the family situation.

    She informed the family that for now the N1million cash gift is to enable the family take care of some basic needs.

    The good gesture of the governor,who is popularly known as a welfarist leader continues tomorrow as the commissioner is expected to visit some places to give out palliative from the governor.

     

  • Vice President Yemi Osimbajo Gave An Insight On His Whereabouts In The Past Few Weeks

    Vice President Yemi Osimbajo Gave An Insight On His Whereabouts In The Past Few Weeks

    Culled From Daily Post

    Osinbajo, who spoke through his spokesperson, Akande Laolu, disclosed that he has been attending to official matters on how to improve Nigeria’s economy.

    Laolu, in an Instagram post shared with DAILY POST, after he was contacted on Osinbajo’s whereabouts, urged Nigerians to ignore fake claims regarding President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President’s whereabouts.

    He recalled that the Vice President on Thursday met with the Governor of Central Bank, CBN, Kaduna State Governor, and some Ministers via video conferencing.

    According to Laolu: “With my boss the Vice President last night in his office, reviewing some of the events of the week.

    “By the way continue to ignore professional fake news conduits who share fictions about the whereabouts of the president and his Vice.

    “The critical mass of our people see both the president and the VP regularly on TV, hear about them regularly on radio, read from them in the press and observe their activities regularly on the social media.

    “For instance, on Thursday the VP held a videoconferencing meeting that included the governor of Kaduna, Power and Finance Ministers, the CBN governor and other government officials on how to expand electricity in the country.

    “The work goes on, and Nigeria will surely prevail. We will do it together.”

    Osinbajo’s absence from public view in the past weeks had sparked some form of conspiracy that he may have contracted COVID-19 or he’s in trouble.

    However, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had explained that Osinbajo has been busy working with the Economic Sustainability Committee.

  • Breaking News: Nigeria Records 245 New Cases Of Corona Virus

    Breaking News: Nigeria Records 245 New Cases Of Corona Virus

     

    By Elijah Ugain – Calabar

    The National Center for Disease Control NCDC, has stated that Nigeria has recorded 245 new cases of corona virus.

    NCDC made this known on it’s website on month 4th May, 2020.

    The statement reads in part “On the 4th of May 2020, 245 new confirmed cases and six deaths were recorded in Nigeria. No new state has reported a cases in the last 24 hours.

    “Till date, 2, 802 cases have been confirmed, 417 cases have been discharged and 93 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    “The 245 new cases are reported from 16 states- Lagos (76), Katsina (37), Jigawa (32), Kano (23), FCT (19), Borno (18), Edo (10), Bauchi (9), Adamawa (6), Oyo (5), Ogun (5), Ekiti (1), Osun (1), Benue (1), Niger (1), Zamfara (1)”