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ALGON Lauds Governor Ugwuanyi On Restoring Peace, Security In Enugu State
The National Leadership of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for the state’s secure and peaceful atmosphere as well as the giant feats his administration has recorded in infrastructural development with the limited resources at its disposal.
Addressing newsmen after members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of ALGON inspected some projects being embarked upon by the Gov. Ugwuanyi administration across the state, the National Chairman of the association, Hon. Kolade David Alabi, said that “my impression about Enugu State is what the legal minds will call fact speaks for itself”.
The ALGON National Chairman, who disclosed that they were in Enugu for their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, stressed that “Gov. Ugwuanyi has done very well”.
Hon. Alabi further said: “I was completely amazed when I got to the College of Medicine (ESUT) that is being put in place by the Executive Governor.
“You know this COVID-19 pandemic has already exposed that we have deficit of healthcare facilities, and what the governor is doing is commendable.
“The Commissioner for Information has told me that he (Ugwuanyi) has also provided Isolation Centres in the General Hospitals. That is commendable too.
“Enugu is peaceful; we have seen that; like I said, to measure a state is to look at the security of that state”.
Speaking on ongoing calls for State Police, the ALGON boss urged the Federal Government to grant the request to enhance the security of the country.
“We also use this medium as a point of contact to the Presidency that they should grant State Police because to me security is a bottom-top approach. It is not a top-bottom approach, and when we adopt this bottom-top approach to security then the country will be safe for all of us”.
Hon. Alabi also applauded the Council Chairmen in Enugu State for their efforts in promoting peace, security and infrastructural development in the rural communities, adding: “From what I have seen so far, they have also performed creditably well”.
He added: “It is not all about building infrastructure; it is also about investing in physiological infrastructure which is what we have seen. They are promoting peace, art and culture and it is a very good one.
“So, thank you to the Chairman of ALGON in Enugu State (Hon. Solomon Onah) you have done well. Since yesterday we came into Enugu, the way you conducted the affairs of ALGON is the best in the country. I gave them a good mark yesterday and of course there is a reward for that.
“Our purpose in Enugu State is to hold our National Executive Council meeting and this is the third since we decided to be rotating our NEC meeting. Before now we use to hold our meeting in Abuja.
“The reason for doing that is that we want to assess the performance and the activities of all our people in various states and you agree with me that it is a good one.
“We can’t sit in Abuja and know what is going on in all the states and all the local government areas in the country”.
In his remark, the Chairman of ALGON in Enugu State and Chairman of Udenu LGA, Hon. Onah, expressed delight at the verdicts by the national body of the association on the modest achievements of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and that of the council chairmen in the state.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, who led the team to the project sites such as the Nike Lake Road T-junction flyover bridge, Enugu East LGA, the Nsukka Township Stadium and the ESUT Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine projects, spoke of the significance of the projects to the health and socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Enugu State.
The Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman of ALGON, Mr. Odunayo Adegbero, and some State and National Executive Council Members of the association accompanied the National President on the tour.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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