The Lumine News

Category: Metro News

  • Sandy Onor Sets Up ICT Centre, Donates 230 Digital Instructional Materials To Secondary Schools In Central Senatorial District

    Sandy Onor Sets Up ICT Centre, Donates 230 Digital Instructional Materials To Secondary Schools In Central Senatorial District

    By Caterpillar Media Team

    Having identified the advantages of advanced teaching and learning methods and considering the interruption of academic sessions by the novel Covid-19 pandemic and it’s devastating effect on the learning process in Nigeria, the Distinguished Senator Sandy Onor, who is Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND has set up a fully equipped Information and Communication Technology Centre in Holy Child Girls Secondary School Ikom. The Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Donatus E. Akpan has eulogised this important gesture in a written appreciation to the Distinguished Senator.

    In the same vein, Sen. Sandy Onor who is encouraging digital literacy has also donated 100 Desktop Computers, 30 Printers, 60 Mecury UPS, 10 Scanners, 24 fans, 10 Air Conditioners, 6 generators to the following six secondary schools in the Senatorial District:

    -Community Secondary School, Etomi and Government Secondary School, Nsofang, in Etung LGA,

    Regina Pacis Secondary School Ofumbonga Obubra LGA,

    -Community Secondary School Ugep and Community Commercial Secondary School, Ekukune Assiga Old Town, Yakurr LGA.

    -Bawop Secondary School, Boki LGA,

    In November 2020, the Senator had donated 200 furnitures to Bahumono Grammar School in Ebom, Abi LGA and one hundred desks to Community Secondary School, Idomi in Yakurr LGA.

    Similarly he has completed renovation work on Corpers’ Lodge in Igbo Imabana, Abi LGA as well as the construction of Three classroom block at Bafin Etimtim, Boki Local Government Area.

    No doubt, his representation, which has witnessed the rain of the dividends of democracy is for the good of all the people.

  • Philip Obin Facilitates 110 Slots For The One-off Survival Fund For Biase LGA

    Philip Obin Facilitates 110 Slots For The One-off Survival Fund For Biase LGA

    The Technical Assistant to the Vice President of Nigeria on New Media, Hon. Philip Obin is facilitating 10 slots each for the 11 wards of Biase LGA for the N30,000 one-off Survival Fund Grant.

    Total of 110 Slots = N3,300,000

    Required details:

    Surname:
    Middle name:
    First name:
    Sex:
    Phone no:
    Bank name:
    Account no:
    BVN:

    Beneficiaries must be resident in Calabar or able to travel to Calabar as physical capturing is scheduled for today, Monday 15th February, 2021.

    Also, those who were captured in December and subsequently paid are exempted, as the system already has their data and cannot pay them twice.

    Leaders of each ward have been contacted to collate and submit details of beneficiaries from their respective wards before 4pm Sunday 14th February 2021.

    Recall that 500 persons had in December, 2020 and early January, 2021, benefitted from the N30,000 one-off Artisan Grant facilitated by Hon. Philip Obin.

    Between December, 2020 and January 2021, a total of 15 million naira has been disbursed to 500 Cross Riverians. This is in addition to several others, whom the Presidential Aide has helped secure approval for COVID-19 loan applications and the Payroll support for indigenous companies, valued at over 200 million naira.

    Also, 34 members of the newly inaugurated caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River were given slots; Akamkpa and other LGAs were also considered.

    Speaking on a telephone with The Lumine News, Barr. S. A. Akpanke, lecturer and Exams officer, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar noted that Mr. Philip Obin’s love and service to Cross river youth is unprecedented. He used the opportunity to call on all youth in the state who are in a position to assist others to take the steps initiated by Mr. Obin for the betterment of our dear state.

     

  • Ikenga Prince Ezeimo Invites You To NIMO Profile Conference 2021

    Ikenga Prince Ezeimo Invites You To NIMO Profile Conference 2021

    By Admin

    Prince Tony Ezeimo inviting people across the globe to join in his first edition of NIMO PROFILE CONFERENCE which he said is in line with the mandate given to him by his late mother to lead a campaign against abortion.

    According to Nkanga Ezeimo “In line with my Late Mother’s instructions asking me to lead a campaign against Abortion, I present NIMO PROLIFE CONFERENCE where we shall discuss elaborately the effects, menace and consequences of induced abortion, drug/substance abuse, sexual harassment and other related Bioethical issues.

    “It will be a life changing summit for Njikoka Youths and beyond.

    “Soonest, we shall register a movement that will be saddled with the responsibility of leading  campaigns against anti-life policies.

    “I implore you to be part of this life changing movement for the benefit of my generation and the next generation”.

     

  • NEWMAP Dissuades Cross River Communities From Indiscriminate Dumping Of Refuse Into Drains

    NEWMAP Dissuades Cross River Communities From Indiscriminate Dumping Of Refuse Into Drains

     

    By Nsa Gill – Calabar

    The management of the Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project NEWMAP, Cross River State has charged benefiting communities of the World Bank assisted projects to take ownership and guide the projects jealously.

    The charge was given in a workshop on Wednesday, February 10th 2021 in Calabar organised by NEWMAP to sensitize communities on waste management and Erosion prevention.

    The Commissioner for International Development Corporation and the Acting Project Coordinator of NEWMAP in the State, Dr. Inyang Asibong decried the nonchalant attitudes of benefiting communities towards the multi-million naira projects to be eroded by irresponsible human activities.

    She averred that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains is causing erosion even in areas where erosion control had earlier been achieved.

    Dr. Asibong charged communities to activate local waste management task force to checkmate and stop residents who often dump waste in the gutters.

    She assured that government will provide more refuse bin, but most importantly, local residents must understand the dangers and implications of indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

    Speaking during the workshop, on Effective Waste Management and Erosion Prevention, Dr. Escor Udosen, urged the communities to take responsibility for the various projects of government in their vicinity.

    One of the benefiting communities of NEWMAP projects, Ikot Ekpo community commended the various interventions of NEWMAP which has gone beyond erosion and waste management to provision of water as well as street lights in some instances.

    They pledged to do their best from the impact of the workshop and requested for the expansion of NEWMAP intervention in their area.

  • UBA, Former Staff In Court Over Entitlements

    UBA, Former Staff In Court Over Entitlements

    By Joseph Kingston, Calabar

    The United Bank for Africa (UBA) and its former staff, Mr Anthony Idagu, are in court over an alleged refusal of the bank to pay him his entitlements since 2018, as well as an unjustified termination of Idagu’s appointment after 18 years of meritorious service.

    The case, which is in the National Industrial Court, Calabar with suit number NICN/CA/20/2019 was presided over by Justice M N Esowe before his transfer a few months ago. The new Judge, Justice Sanusi Kado, is now in charge of the matter.

    In his statement of claims, Mr Idagu said he was deployed from the Calabar branch of the bank to Ikom in central Cross River in April 2013 as a cash officer, and that he had served in the Ikom branch faithfully till January 31, 2018 when his ordeal with the bank started.

    He averred that as a cash officer of the branch, he was saddled with the responsibility of carrying out integrity test for all staff of the branch following reports of underpayment of customers, noting that he diligently discharged this duty without hitches whatsoever.

    “I carried out the integrity test in conjunction with the Operations Officer of the branch with the aid of cameras without the knowledge of the tellers and one of the tellers (name withheld), failed the test.”

    He said when one of the officers failed the test, he reported his finding to the Control Officer, Mr Kenneth Akpom, who rather than discipline the staff, said the erring staff should be advised verbally and allowed to continue work.

    “We have on record several queries on the said staff, bordering on allegation of cash suppression and under declaration, including that of integrity test on January 31, 2018, but no action was taken against him by Branch Operations Manager, Mr Kenneth Okpom and Matthew Nyiam.

    “The integrity test register was signed by the Operation Manager and he followed his instructions given to him by the Branch Operations Manager to register every outcome of the integrity test which he duly signed,” he submitted.

    According to him, when he insisted on the right thing to be done with sanctions against the erring staff, a committee was set up to investigate the matter but surprisingly, the committee suspended him while the erring staff was left untouched.

    The suspension, he said, went beyond the recommended three months, and that despite the obvious lopsided decision and injustice, he was later asked to resign for no justifiable reason.

    “After eighteen years of meritorious service I was asked to resign just like that, and when I wrote in the resignation letter that I was asked to resign, they rejected it and said I should remove the clause ‘asked to resign’ and that I should say that I was resigning voluntarily. This was designed just to ensure that I do not get my benefits.”

    The former UBA staff appealed to the court to order the bank to pay him his outstanding salary and emoluments. The case was adjourned to April 20, 2021.

  • Young Girl Who Beat Security To Grab Osinbajo Hands In Nyanya Market Is Now VP’s ‘Daughter

    Young Girl Who Beat Security To Grab Osinbajo Hands In Nyanya Market Is Now VP’s ‘Daughter

    By Admin

    The personal photographer to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Tolani Alli, on Saturday, February 6, shared a very inspiring story about a girl named Chinaza.

    According to Tolani, Chinaza had breezed past the vice president’s personal security, grabbed his hand, and compelled him to visit her mum’s shop.

    The incident happened at the popular Nyanya market in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja when Osinbajo visited retail stores to promote the Trader Moni initiative of the Buhari administration.

    Osinbajo travelled to major markets in Nigeria when Trader Moni was launched to ensure that the funds reached traders.

    TraderMoni is an empowerment scheme of the federal government created specifically for petty traders and artisans across Nigeria.

    Tolani wrote on Twitter: “In 2018, Professor Osinbajo visited Nyanya market, Abuja to monitor the impact of the TraderMoni scheme, a mild shock greeted him.

    “Chinaza, whose mother owned a store at the market, and had promised herself to tell the VP what she thought of him from his appearances on her TV and other media, made her way through his security and grabbed his hand.

    “Amidst the presence of a security detail, and an extremely large crowd, she tugged at the VP’s hand ceaselessly, insisting that he visited her mom’s store, and telling him about how much he inspired her to be courageous and reach for her dreams.

    Fast forward to two years and some months later, Chinaza sits with her mum in the presidential villa, with a man who has now come to know her as a “daughter”.

    “Almost three long years since their time of contact and a few correspondences later, Chinaza is on her way to The University with dreams of becoming a Medical Doctor, and the ideals that she has picked up from observing The Prof. up close and afar are unchanged.”

     

  • Ndok – Itek Clan Confers Chieftaincy Title On Sen. Sandy Onor

    Ndok – Itek Clan Confers Chieftaincy Title On Sen. Sandy Onor

    By Caterpillar Media Team

    The people of Ndok Clan in Ogoja Local Government Area has conferred a chieftaincy tittle Njuranfam of Ndok on Sen. Sandy Onor, for facilitating the opening of the Ndok – Kakwagom road.

    The event was held at Ndok-Itek Community in Ogoja Local Government Area to appreciate the senator for facilitating the repairs of the entire stretch of the Ndok – Kakwagom road.

    The community was overwhelmed with excitement noting that the repairs has alleviated the plight of motorists who ply the road.

    Speaking on behalf of the community, the Clan Head of Ndok – Itek, His Royal Highness, Chief Clement Ashaba Ijanga noted that “As a people, we are short of words to express our gratitude and appreciation. You’re God sent. For God to talk to you and move you to do this road for your brothers suffering somewhere, the Lord will continue to increase you.

    “You are the Original Caterpillar, and today the Ndok people confers on you this chieftaincy tittle Njuranfam of Ndok, which means, you can repair every year, from North, South, East and West, you can repair”

    Responding, Sen. Sandy Onor averred that “when my DG asked me to come that the people wanted to receive me, I said I won’t come, because I didn’t want people to read politics into it. Am not senator representing the North”

    Speaking further, Sen. Onor held that government is about the things that touch the people.

    His words “When you hold public office, you hold it for the people. Government is about things that touch the people. When you touch the people, give them the small one they want. We may not have tarred it this first time, we just open it up, but see how happy you are because it’s something that touched you”

    The road is said to have run from Boki Local Government Area in central senatorial district to Ogoja Local Government Area in northern senatorial district.

    Communities in Ogoja that the road link are: The Katsina junction popularly referred to as Ndok junction, Ndok aminica, Ndok itek, Ndok egrima.

    Boki communities: Oku aro, Buanakong, Orunghe Bawop, Kakwagom and Okundi clan.

  • C’River State Consumer Protection Agency, Hausa Community Agrees On Collaboration

    C’River State Consumer Protection Agency, Hausa Community Agrees On Collaboration

    By Admin

    As part of efforts to ensure adequate protection of residents of Cross River state from intake of fake, sub standard and unhygienic products, the Director General of Cross River state Consumer Protection Agency, Prince Charles Ushie has solicited the support of the Hausa Fulani Community in fostering safety measures for a hygienic society.

    Ushie spoke while on a courtesy visit to the Head of the Hausa Fulani Community in Cross River State, Sarki Salisu Abba Lawal II, stressed on the need for collaborative sensitization as primary source of fighting for consumer protection.

    In his words “the agency is against any product that causes harm to public health. We have a Governor who is passionate about protection of people under his watch and that necessitated the making of Consumer protection Agency which initially operated only as a department under ministry of trade and investment.

    “We also know that product such as palm oil, meat and other consumables are processed by the Hausa people thereby making them, vital stake holders of the agency”

    Reacting, Sarki Salisu Abba Lawal II, applauded the DG of Consumer protection Agency and his Entourage for cueing into Governor Ayade’s lofty leadership pattern, known for quality, speed and up to date with standard best practices.

    The Sarki said “According to our own estimation, we see every effort by Sen Prof Ben Ayade as people oriented. Every Hausa Fulani man will attest to the fact that never in the history of governance have we secured so much appointment as it is done by the present administration.

    Seen Prof Ben Ayade is our Governor and we must support his administration”. He avarred.

    On the need to form sensitization teams at Community level, Sarki Salisu Abba Lawal II promised to start the sensitization in calabar before stepping up same to other Hausa Fulani settlements across the state. “it is obvious, our people are not Aware of their expectations and roles in the consumer protection process”.He added

    Highlights of the visit include group photograph and presentation of pamphlets to Cross River State leader of the Hausa Fulani Community.

  • CRNEWMAP Donates Compact Truck To Waste Management Agency

    CRNEWMAP Donates Compact Truck To Waste Management Agency

    By Admin

    Cross River State Government in partnership with the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) has donated a brand new compact truck and other working equipments to the State Waste Management Agency.

    The effort is in keeping with the commitment of the State Government led by *Gov Ben Ayade* to strengthen the Agency’s capacity and operation of the Waste Management Agency (CRSWMA)

    Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Commissioner, Ministry of International Development Cooperation, *Inyang Asibong* explained the vision of the State’s environmental cleanliness policy to sustain Calabar in particular, and Cross River State as Clean and Green Corridor in Nigeria.

    Asibong said the partnership with NEWMAP to deliver the compact truck was to boost the daily operations of the Cross River Waste management Agency routine works.

    Also speaking, the SSA on NEWMAP, *Mr Francis Agaba* explained that the truck has been tested with satisfactory performance on collection and disposal of waste products and optimally ready for use .

    Receiving the truck on behalf of the CR waste management Agency, the Director General, Mr Sunday Oko thanked the State Government through the Ministry of International Development Cooperation and NEWMAP for boosting the Agency with another truck which will significantly improve public solid waste disposal across the state.

  • Rivers State Govt Pledges 500M To Support Sokoto Rebuild Burnt Market

    Rivers State Govt Pledges 500M To Support Sokoto Rebuild Burnt Market

    By Kelvin Ebiri – Rivers Govt House Press

    Rivers State government has pledged Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m) to support the Sokoto State government rebuild the Sokoto Central market that was gutted by fire on Tuesday.

    Part of the money will also be used to support victims of the devastating fire that destroyed goods worth billions of Naira.

    Rivers State governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, made the pledge on behalf of the State government during a visit to the Governor of Sokoto State ,Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Wednesday.

    Governor Wike who was conducted round the destroyed market by Governor Tambuwal, said he was saddened by the devastating fire that razed over 60 percent of the 16000 shops there.

    “We have come here to commiserate and sympathise with our brother, our friend and the good people of Sokoto State on what had happened to one of the biggest market in this country, the Sokoto central market.

    “When I got the information last night, I was touched and I said as brothers, what affects you affects us. What affects Sokoto State affects Rivers State.”

    The Rivers State governor who empathized with the traders over the loss of their good worth billions of Naira, thanked God that no life was lost in the disastrous inferno.

    “There is nothing you can equate with life. That there was no life lost, we give glory to the almighty Allah. Having come here, I’ve seen the level of destruction, it is unfortunate. People have lost their goods, the state government will have to see how this market will be brought back to the way it is supposed to be .

    “We sympathise with you. We identify with you and we know the negative effect on the economy of the various families; families who depend for day to day trading and sales of their goods .”

    Governor Wike expressed his appreciation to the various security and paramilitary agencies that prevented the fire from destroying the entire market.

    He pledged that the government of Rivers State will support Sokoto State to rebuild the market and ameliorate the plight of the traders with N500 million.

    “On behalf of the government and the people of Rivers State, we will support the Sokoto State government to see how quickly they can rebuild this market” he added.

    Governor Tambuwal thanked Governor Wike and the people of Rivers State for the kind gesture.

    Governor Wike also paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar in his palace to commiserate with him over the demise of junior brother , Hon. Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar, who was Sokoto State Commissioner for Home Affairs.

    In his response, Sultan Abubakar, acknowledged the age-long relationship between Sokoto and Rivers State and lauded to Governor Wike for sustaining it.

    He explained that Governor Wike’s visit and pledge to support Sokoto State is a demonstration of what Nigeria is and should be.

    The Sultan further commended Governor Wike for his remarkable developmental stride in Rivers State

    ” I commend you and congratulate you for all what you have been doing for Rivers state in particular, because we have seen a lot of infrastructure being put in place and that is why they call you Mr project in Rivers.

    ” You have just some few more years, please do much more so that no body will beat you when he take over from you

    Similarly, the Sultan lauded Governor Tambuwal for his judicious management of the state resources which earned the State a World Bank grant under the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability And Sustainability (SFTAS) program.