The Lumine News

Category: Metro News

  • Obudu Council Chairman Stole The Show, Hosts Chairmen Of Cross River And Benue State

    Obudu Council Chairman Stole The Show, Hosts Chairmen Of Cross River And Benue State

    By Richard Abu

    The Executive Chairman of Obudu Local Government Council, Hon. Boniface Eraye Ewhe played host to his counterparts from Northern Cross River and Benue states in his official residence, Obudu council secretariat after the successful flag-off of the field verification exercise on the Cross River/Benue boundaries.

    In attendance were; Hon Dr. Joe Owan, Hon. Fabian Ogbeche and Hon. Boniface Eweh Bekwarra and Yala and Obuf Local Government Areas respectively.

    Also in attendance were Hon. Mrs. Tyoer Garber Kukase of Vandeikya, Hon. Mrs. Joyce Chianson of Kwame, Hon. Mwuese Ubebe of Konshisha and Hon. Clement Onah of Oju Local Government areas of Benue States.

    The get-together further created acquaintance and harmony among the Chairmen from Cross River and Benue States which they promised to extend to their people.

  • GFO Orim Foundation Puts A Smile On The Face Of A Widow

    GFO Orim Foundation Puts A Smile On The Face Of A Widow

    By Elijah Ugani

    In line with the vision and mandate of GFO Orim Foundation to alleviate the plight of the less privileged in the society, the foundation had on Saturday October 7th, 2020 given hope to Mrs. Angelina Godwin Afo, a widow with four kids and a set of twins at Anyikang, Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    Mrs. Afo has lived in adject penury after the death of her husband, and life became very unbearable for her couple with the set of twins God blessed her with recently.

    The death of her husband forced her to live in an uncompleted building without doors and windows.

    The Chairman/Founder, GFO Orim Foundation, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon. Martin Orim who is known for his magnanimity and humanitarian interventions aimed at changing the fortunes of the less privileged in the society, made a cash support to the widow and pledged to undertake the following;

    Plastering of the entire building, install doors and windows in the building, install solar light in her house, providing her with a grinding machine to enable her start a business, and to supply food items at regular intervals to enable her provide for the children.

    Hon. Orim was accompanied by the former leader, Obudu Legislative Council, Hon. Sylvester Agabi.

    This comes just three weeks after the foundation paid hospital bills for an abandoned twenty years old Miss Theresa, who delivered premature triplets at Sacred heart hospital Obudu, and made provision for the children to be incubated at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital Abakiliki.

    When contacted, the Chairman/Founder, GFO Orim Foundation told The Lumine News that “I feel very disturbed and I have no peace when I see people subjected to untold situations. I wish I have what it takes to change the stories of most vulnerable people in the society. But we are constraint by the limited resources within our disposal.

    “Despite the paucity of funds, we will continue to do the best we can. For us, the comfort of this widow matter a lot to us. Those children deserve the best form of care. No body knows what God has destined them to become. We have to support their mother to enable her give them the basic training needed for the realization of their destinies and potentials”

  • Mediatrix Holds A One Day Training For Advocates And Social Media Influencers In Calabar

    Mediatrix Holds A One Day Training For Advocates And Social Media Influencers In Calabar

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF), under the Spotlight Initiative, held a one day training for advocates and social media influencers with the view to create awareness on Gender Based Violence and inspire advocacy towards eliminating violence against women and girls.

    Speaking at the training, at Treasure Land Hotels, Calabar on Friday, October 6th, 2020, the Chief Operating Officer of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr. Jeffrey Adamade charged the advocates to consider giving their best to engage the public with the view of ending all forms of violence against women and girls.

    Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries.

    Worldwide, an estimated one in three children and women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.

    Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in the culture of silence.

    Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.

    The training was aimed at increasing the use of social accountability mechanisms by civil societies order to monitor and engage the ending of VAWG/SGBV/HP efforts and promoting women and girls’ SRHR.

    The objectives of the training was as follows;

    To increase the capacity of 16 participants (8 in Calabar and 8 in Obanliku) to act as social media advocates in response to violence against women and girls in Calabar and Obanliku local government areas.

    To Foster discussions on existing laws in relation to GEWE/VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR

    To build Partnership and Networks for Knowledge Exchange with relevant stakeholders

    To Increase coordinated efforts to jointly advocate on GEWE/VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR

    To give regular feedback on updates on GEWE/VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR in Cross River state

    To Increase Capacity of Social Media Advocates on Various Social Media Handle and Reporting.

    To setup State Media Team to to jointly advocate towards GEWE/VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR in Cross River State.

    To improve participants knowledge on Gender Based Violence, types and effect in our communities.

    To transfer new knowledge and skills through experience sharing on Violence Against programs. (Success stories, challenges and lessons learned)

    The facilitators, Mr. Obase Okanke, took the participants through the various forms of violence against women and girls, while Mr. Valentine Bassey tutored them on the use of social media handles to report activities, awareness campaigns/sensitization and cases of gender based violence against women which increased their knowledge on GEWE/VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR, and Social Media Reporting.

    One of the participants of the training, Mr. Boniface from Obanliku thanked thanked Mediatrix for the initiative to train them and maintained that despite his knowledge of ICT, he was exposed to so many things especially, twitter and promised to put in his best in the advocacy using social media to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

    Social media handles were set up for participants to ease their work while working to end gender based violence against women and girls.

    A WhatsApp group for reporting was set up for the trained advocates.

  • Gully Erosion: Our Lives, Properties Under Serious Thread – Hon. Solomon Ika Cries Out

    Gully Erosion: Our Lives, Properties Under Serious Thread – Hon. Solomon Ika Cries Out

    By Admin

    The Honourable Councillor representing Ward 9 in Calabar Municipality, Hon. (Elder) Solomon Etim Ika has called the attention of Calabar Municipal Council and Cross River State governments to the lost of lives and valuable properties due to a deep gully erosion at Stream Road (Usung Efag) Water Board in Ikot Effanga Mkpa Clan, Ward 9, Calabar that have remain unattended to for several years and calls for urgent intervention.

    He made this known in a MOTION OF URGENT PUBLIC INTEREST before the 6th Legislative Council on Friday 30th day of October, 2020 over the imminent thread to lives and properties occasioned by the severity of the deep gully erosion at Stream Road (Usung Efak) Water Board in Ikot Effanga Mkpa Clan Ward 9 and it’s environs which falls within his constituency.

    Hon. Ika went further to tender photographs taken during his ON THE SPOT ASSESSMENT TOUR on the affected areas showing the extent of damage done by the said erosion for the house perusal.

    The lawmaker fondly referred to as the “People’s Honourable” in his prayers, urged the house to;

    √ The Legislative House rise to visit the affected areas for more clarity and insights on the matter;

    √ The Executive Chairman should as a matter of urgent public importance write a “Safe Our Soul (SOS) letter to draw the attention of our Humane / Passionate GOVERNOR, His Excellency Prof Ben Ayade to come to the rescue of the people of that area.

    The Leader thanked all the Honourable Members for their contributions and immediately set up an urgent Ad-hoc Committee, headed by the sponsor of the motion, Hon. Solomon Ika, to handle the matter. He asked the committee to visit the affected areas immediately after plenary and report same in the next legislative sitting.

    Hon. Solomon Ika used the opportunity to thank the Governor of Cross River State Senator Prof Ben Ayade for the ongoing works at the Ikot Nkebre area gully erosion sites, saying the intervention was quite commendable and sustainable.

     

  • Looting: JOHESU seeks FG, NDDC Assistance For Psychiatric Hospital Calabar

    By George Odok Jr.

    The Join Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Assembly of Health Professionals, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar branch, has called on the Federal Government and corporate organisations to assist them over the looting of their valuables by hoodlums.

    The Union made the call in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Mr Daniel Odo, and Mr Ken Bassey and made available to newsmen on Friday in Calabar.

    The Union said that on Oct. 24, hoodlums made up of women, men and children, heavily armed with guns and machetes, descended on the hospital in a Gestapo-style operation.

    The statement said that when members of staff finally settled to know what went on, they discovered that the once pride of mental health services in the country had been looted dry.

    “The unimaginable plunder of our institution was an exhibition of man’s bestiality at its best. Items looted include refrigerators, computers, fans, generators, hospital beds, laboratory x-ray equipment, drugs, books, tables and chairs among others.

    “All the official and private cars parked within the precincts of the hospital were vandalised without any milk of human kindness. Also caught in the melee are members of staff who lost substantial amount of money and other valuables.

    “The attack and desecration of our establishment to say the least was satanic and should be condemned by well meaning individuals and groups.

    “We seize this rare opportunity to salute the courage, resilience and sense of commitment to duty displayed by both management team and members of staff who braved all odds to ensure that they render mental health services to our patients literally on top of rubbles,” the statement said.

    The Union appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health to dispatch a high-powered team to assess the extent of destruction towards finding a remedy.

    “We are constrained to specifically appeal to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Federal and Cross River State Emergency Management Agencies and the Niger Delta Development Commission to come and assist us.

    “We also call on members of State Assembly and National Assembly from Cross River, Non Governmental Organisations and philanthropists to come and help us’’, the statement added. (NAN)

  • Sen. Rose Shone At Every Stage Of Her Career – Sandy Onor

    Sen. Rose Shone At Every Stage Of Her Career – Sandy Onor

    By Admin

    The Senator representing Cross River State Central Senatorial District, Sen. Prof. Sandy Onor has described the late Sen. Rose Oko as a woman who shone at every stage of her career and overwhelmingly productive as a member of the Cross River State Executive Council.

    Sandy stated this at the funeral mass of the late Sen. Rose Oko at her country home Ijegu Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    In his words “Senator Oko shone at every state of her career. She flourished in the academia and was exceedingly brilliant and overwhelmingly productive as a member of the Cross River State Executive Council. She performed so well that it attracted several appointments in apex institutions over the years until she joined politics as a legislator, where she offered quality representation to her people, as a devout Catholic, Dr Rose Oko lived a life in service to God and humanity. She was an excellent mother, sister, and friend to many across the Nigerian landscape. She was indeed a model, mentor and benefactor to several persons who would surely miss her, therefore on behalf of the good people of Cross River State Central Senatorial District, my family l commiserated with the family of late Sen Dr. Rose Okoji Oko at this trying moment in their lives and prayed that God gives them the fortitude to bear the huge lose.

    May her soul find rest in the bosom of the lord. Amen”

    A 23 man high power delegation of the NIGERIA Senate to the burial obsequious was led by the senate minority leader ,Sen Abaribe, who presented a condolence message to the family on behalf of the Nigerian Senate.

    Other dignitaries at the event include former governor of cross River State, Sen Liyel and the incumbent governor His Excellency Sen prof Ben Ayade amongst other dignitaries.

     

  • Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    Gov Ben Ayade Presents N277.7bn 2021 Budget, Christened ‘Blush And Bliss’

    By Admin

     

    The Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade has presented Two Hundred and Seventy Seven Billion, Seven Hundred and Eight Million Naira (N 277,708,000,000) as Budget Estimates and Appropriation Bill for 2021 to the State House of Assembly.
    The Budget which he tagged budget of “Blush and Bliss” has One Hundred and Ninety Two Billion, Five Hundred and Eleven Million (N 192,511,000,000.00) representing Sixty Nine percent (69%) as recurrent expenditure while Eighty Five Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Seven Million (31%) is slated for Capital expenditure.

    The Governor stated that 2021 Budget will focus more on “the Humanitarian perspective” disclosed that 70% of the recurrent expenditure will be targeted for Youth empowerment, medical support, scholarships, immediate suspension of tuition fee for indigenous Students as well as other Humanitarian support to better the lives of Cross Riverians.

    Ayade described the Budget as unusual coming against the backdrop of several challenges including the COVID 19 pandemic and the #ENDSARS protest which hoodlums hijacked leading to wanton destruction of both public and private properties across the state. He condoled with all Cross Riverians who suffered losses during the mayhem and prayed that “may 2020 never come in the history of Nigeria”.

    Other specific areas which the 2021 Budget will address according to the Governor include; neighborhood protection to enthrone better security for citizens, extension of the NYSC period, boost in Agriculture as well as the take off of the State’s airline, CALI AIR.

    Earlier, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams in a welcome address commended Governor Ayade for his achievements including measures put to in place to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic, efforts to address Youth restiveness as well as his Industrialization drive. “your Excellency, recent happenings are not enough to cast doubts on the giant achievements your administration has made in the State. The Industrialization programme is on course and most Industries are either already completed or above 90% completion”. he said.
    Williams promised an early passage of the budget after due legislative processes.

     

  • Cross River Lawmakers Attend 2-Day Capacity Building Workshop

    Cross River Lawmakers Attend 2-Day Capacity Building Workshop

    By Admin

    The Cross River State House of Assembly has engaged in a capacity building workshop for members organised by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) held at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu from the 21st to 22nd of October, 2020.

    At the two-day Capacity Building Workshop for members and selected key Management staff, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Eteng Jonah Williams in his remarks lauded Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) for the magnanimity in organizing the workshop in spite of the challenges in the country.

    “As a third termed lawmaker, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation is not new to me as I have had the privilege to participate in their previous trainings but I must say this is the best I have attended,
    from the carefully selected topics to the excellent resource persons, no doubt, the gains from this workshop will impact positively in our legislative work wen we return,” the Speaker said.

    According to him, as Legislators, the importance of training and re-training cannot be overemphasized.

    “On behalf of my dear colleagues, we are indeed grateful to Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for taking us through such impactful exercise”, he said.

    Resident Representative of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Dr Vladimir Kreck in a welcome address said that; “We believe that the State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria should play a more decisive role in governing their states. This is the reason why we have been supporting democratic governance on state level for more than a decade. And this is also the reason why we approached the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies about a year ago with a request to partner with us to elevate our services to a new quality”.

    Also, the Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, in his remarks, pointed out that the lawmakers must begin the process of building internal capacity within the Assembly, preparatory to full autonomy by understanding its implications on legislative administration and parliamentary business as lawmakers and career officers needed to understand the various roles and responsibilities that the autonomy seeks to put on them.

    Meanwhile, among papers delivered at the training programme included: “Legislative Agenda and Benchmarking the activities of the State House of Assembly, Overview of Legislative Practices and Procedure, Management Models of Parliaments and State House of Assembly Service Commission, Financial Autonomy of State Houses of Assembly and LGAs in Budget Budget Management Processes , Legislative Code of Conducts and Ethics”, amongst others.

  • Fr. Titus Armon’s Arrest, Detention, Release and Matters Arising!

    Fr. Titus Armon’s Arrest, Detention, Release and Matters Arising!

    By Elijah Ugani

    The media space has been inundated lately with the disgusting story of the arrest of Fr. Titus Armon, the Assistant Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Abuochiche, Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, just after the much celebrated #EndSARS protest that was hijacked by hoodlums that led to the looting and destruction of properties across the country.

    As a devote Catholic of the Ogoja Diocese, I joined the crusade in my personal capacity to question the rationale behind Fr. Titus arrest, as well as the advocacy for his unconditional release.

    Thank God Fr. Titus was released unconditionally on the intervention of the team sent by the Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Donatus Edet Akpan, led by the Vicar General Admin, Rev. Fr. Peter Obele Abue.

    Being curious to know what led to Fr. Armon’s arrest, I contacted the team lead and Vicar General Admin, and he assured me that the Director of Communications of the Diocese, Fr. Emma Eroh was going to reach me on developments.

    I consistently called and Fr. Emma Eroh perhaps hurriedly sent me a WhatsApp massage, stating that an #EndSARS video was shared from Fr. Titus’s phone being the alleged reason for his arrest, and I immediately published same without premeditation.

    However, the Director of Communications, Issued a press release and published same on his Facebook page, which supersede any other statement credited to him, where he fingered the Governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade to be responsible for the arrest of Fr. Titus.

    A perusal of the release by Fr. Emma Eroh, necessarily demands the Media Aides of the Governor as mater of necessity to address all the issues raised by the said press release that accused the Governor to have masterminded Fr. Titus arrest, they are busy copying my publication, which is subservient to the later press release by the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja.

    Someone should help me tell the Governor’s media aides to address the issues raised by the Director of Communication of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja alleging the Governor’s involvement in the arrest of Fr. Titus Armon.

    Let the aides of the Governor gather and do a combined rebuttal of the said allegations, or if they are wangling in guilt, they should apologize to the priest and the diocese.

    Until we see a strong worded rebuttal of Fr. Emma Eroh’s press release, addressing all issues raised, I’m also tempted to share the sentiment that Fr. Titus arrest was masterminded.

    The public is hereby advised to disregard any document shared other the one shared by the Director of Communications, Fr. Emma Eroh.

    Elijah Ugani is
    The Editor-In-Chief/Publisher of
    www.theluminenews.com

  • Sir Ben Ayade Owes His Home Diocese Detailed And Unreserved Apology If Religion Means Anything To Him – Emma Eroh

    Sir Ben Ayade Owes His Home Diocese Detailed And Unreserved Apology If Religion Means Anything To Him – Emma Eroh

    By Admin

    The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, Very Rev. Fr. Emma Eroh, has stated that the Governor of Cross River State, Sir Ben Ayade who is a Knight of the Catholic Church owes his home diocese detailed and unreserved apology if religion means anything to him.

    The cleric made this known in a press release where the Governor is fingered to be responsible for the Gestapo arrest and detention of Rev. Fr. Titus Armon.

    The release indicates that the Department of State Security and by extension, the state Governor, Sir. Ben Ayade who is a Knight of the Catholic Church owes his home diocese a detailed and unreserved apology, if religion means anything to him.

    The release reads in full:

    “KNIGHT GOV. BEN AYADE, FR. TITUS ARMON AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

    “The arrest and release of a Catholic Priest of Ogoja Diocese, Fr. Titus Armon by men of the Nigerian Army (29th Oct 2020) at the behest of the Department of State Security in Cross River State is in the public domain with neatly parcelled versions in favour of their pay Masters. We are not interested on whoever wants to make political gain and capital from this event but rather appalled at the manner and style of the Department of State Security. Are they licensed to kill?

    “It is pertinent to underline the fact that a Catholic priest is not immuned from obeying the laws of the land, however there is a more honourable path for security agencies to tow in the planning, interpretation and eventual execution of their script. I find them culpable and negligent in the Gestapo style the gentleman was arrested without prior invitation. It is despicable, preposterous, dehumanising and traumatic at all layers.

    “The State Department of State Security and by extension the State Governor, His Excellency Sir. Ben Ayade ( who is a Knight of the Catholic Church) owes his home diocese a detailed and unreserved apology, if religion means anything to him.

    “Fr. Titus Armon was in his room when two gun trottling Army men entered and demanded that he descends downstairs to speak with their boss who was in the car, his attempt to put on his cassock was rebuffed and he was dragged down like a common thief and emptied forcefully into the waiting Hilux van.

    “The journey from Abuochiche in Bekwarra to Calabar which lasted over five hours in the midst of unknown men with intermittent interrogation was hellish. He spent the night at the detention facility in Akim Army Barrack before his eventual relocation to SSS detention facility. His crime: he allegedly originated an ENDSARS protest video traced to his phone.

    “Nelson Mandela posted years ago, ” to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”. The onus is on the government to accord us freedom of expression and to respect the dignity of its citizens and walk the path of due diligence especially post ENDSARS era. Is the Cross River State government imbibing any lesson?

    “Besides, Fr. Titus Armon works in a reputable, ubiquitous and time tested religious organisation where Gov. Ayade prides himself as a worthy Knight, was it not proper to inform the bishop of the diocese? Are the words of Robert Mitchin true of our Governor? ” There are three times in a man’s life when it’s useless to hold him for anything; when he is madly in love, drunk or having an exalted political office. Could all these three be working in favour of the Governor? If a Catholic Priest can be so recklessly treated, what’s the assurance for others?

    “Gov. Ben Ayade should be reminded that no one has ever won the Catholic church in a battle. Can Gov Ayade change the pages of history where emperors and kings could not succeed. This is a tall dream.

    “The handlers of the Governor must eschew the art and mastery of psychophancy which flows in their veins and face reality, you dont play politics with peoples’lives. His multi-layered media aides whose importance originate from being in the periphery of power and having food on their tables, ought to know this drama is a bad omen. Our beloved Governor should be reminded that of the timeless words of Richard Harns “THE MOST DINSTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCEESFUL POLITICIANS IS SELECTIVE COWARDICE”. Will they have the gumption to do the needful, the answer lies in the womb of time.

    “Fr. Emma Eroh is the Director of Communication,
    Catholic Diocese of Ogoja.”