GRBusiness

Ekeukwu Owerri Relocation Sparks New Debate in Imo State

Published

6 years ago

January 27, 2018

Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State has denied the allegation that he planned to demolish and relocate the Ekeukwu Owerri Market while he was in office as Governor between 2007 and 2011 but did not have the political will to carry it through, saying that he did not at at any time plan relocating and demolishing the market.

It could be recalled that Governor Okorocha had demolished the Ekeukwu Owerri Market on Saturday, August 20, 2017, leading to the death of 10 years old Somtochukwu Ibeanusi.

The demolition of the market by Governor Okorocha was said to have been in disobedience to a subsisting court order bareing him from demolishing or relocating the market, against public outcry against it.

But in a press statement on Friday in Owerri by the Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor, Mr. Collins Ughalaa, he said that in the course of the urban renewal programme of his government and faced with the challenge of easing traffic and sanitizing Douglas Road, his government decided during exco meeting to set up a committee to consult with stakeholders.

According to the former Governor, the Committee completed their consultation and presented their report which had two recommendations.

“For the records, at no time did the administration of Ohakim contemplate relocating the market, rather in pursuit of the urban renewal programme of the government, how to ease traffic and sanitize Douglas Road were discussed at the State Executive Council meeting and a committee was set up to consult with stakeholders and make recommendations to the government.

“In its report, the committee came up with two recommendations: one, outright relocation of the market, with a caveat that in the course of consultation with stakeholders, the traditional ruler, late Eze Njemanze, advised against the relocation because of the historical, cultural and traditional significance of the market to the people of Owerri Nchi Ise.

“The second recommendation was to modernize the market without destroying these values which the people are very sentimental about”, he said.

He further explained that his government did not consider relocating the market because it was a “listening government” and considered the happiness of the people, saying that his government believed in wide consultation.

He said: “As a listening government that was sensitive to the feelings of the people and believed strongly in consulting widely, knowing that the welfare, happiness and public support should be critical in shaping policies, the Ohakim government settled for the second option.

“To achieve the option of modernizing the market, government through Exco decision that was documented, directed the committee to visit Tejuosho Market in Lagos State to see first hand what a remodelled Ekeukwu Owerri Market would look like on completion.

“When the final report was submitted, the State Executive Council considered it and approved that a firm of architects be enlisted to come up with design for the execution of the project. This was the stage before the change of government and the details were contained in the handover notes”, he added.

The former Governor who is aspiring for a second term in office added that it is “preposterous and divisive for anyone to allude that an administration that banned okada operations (though introduced keke simultaneously) and embarked on urban renewal that led to clearing of shanties, lacked the political will to execute a project.

“The Ohakim administration was not deficient in courage but was sensitive in the face of viable options that would not hurt or bring economic hardship on the citizens, thus making the welfare and happiness of the people the centerpiece of government’s policies and programmes”.

He wondered that “If stakeholder-interface and buy-in is not a critical component of driving government business in a democracy, the legislature at all levels would be churning out laws from their legislative chambers without public hearing to get inputs that would aid making laws for good governance”.

He reassured the people that “The Ohakim administration therefore never at any time contemplated the relocation of Ekeukwu Owerri Market, neither did it find itself in a situation where court orders were disobeyed in the course of executing any government programme.

“Any allusion to the contrary amounts to a misrepresentation of facts as it concerns the then government’s position on the Ekeukwu Owerri Market issue, and those spreading the false rumour should better get their facts right”.

Finance

EFCC Chairman Tasks Nigerian Youths Against Crimes And Fraudulent Acts

Published

11 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Chairman of Economic Finance Crime Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has stressed the need for Nigerian Youth to see themselves as agents of positive change that have a lot to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the Nation.

Speaking at the 2nd edition of a Leadership Trainings Programme in Abuja, Olukoyede, who was represented by the Head Enlightenment and Re-orientation unit, (EFCC), Aisha Mohammed, said the commission’s dream is to see the youth contribute meaningfully to the society, emphasizing on the need to work together in bringing positive change to society.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Boss declared the readiness of his agency to work with all Stakeholders, including the youth towards changing the narrative and reposition the country to greater exploit.
Also speaking, the representative of the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Sonny Echono, appealed to the youths is to eschew social vices that could deter their full potential in life.

Other speakers at the event, including the Chairperson, Zero Tolerance for Social Immoralities Initiative (ZEITI) Africa, Rasak Jeje called on all stakeholders to join hands in collective pursuit of empowering new generation of leaders to curb the rising tides of social Vice among Nigerian youths.

The Chairperson, Zero Tolerance for Social Immoralities Initiative (ZEITI) Africa, Rasak Jeje made the call while addressing journalists at the 2nd edition of it Leadership Trainings Programme in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the training was aimed to intimate students leaders with knowledge and insights that will help them drive positive change and become exemplary leaders in their respective spheres.

Finance

AISA Has Refunded The Fees Paid By Yahaya Bello To EFCC

Published

1 week ago

April 27, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the American International School Abuja (AISA) has refunded the fees paid by the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, for his children attending the school.

In response to a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said $845,852 was paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.

Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.

We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).

No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

In a chat with The Cable, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the school has refunded the money.

‘’The money has been paid into public account,” Dele Oyewale was quoted as saying

Finance

Godwin Emefiele Disobeyed Direction Of Law With Intent To Harm The Public, He Printed ₦684.5M Using ₦18.9B Says EFCC in fresh charge

Published

2 weeks ago

April 23, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed a fresh charge at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

EFCC in the charge accused Emefiele of approving the printing of N684,590,000 at the rate of N18.96 billion.

EFCC also alleged that Emefiele broke the law with intent to harm the public during his implementation of the naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

EFCC’s top prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN revealed that Emefiele will be arraigned on a new four-count charge before Justice Hamza Muazu

Counts one to four of the charge, read,

“STATEMENT OF OFFENCE: Public Servant disobeying direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.

“PARTICULARS OF THE OFFENCE: That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

This and three other charges were stated against him. They read;

“COUNT 2: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“COUNT 3: “That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

“COUNT 4: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”