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  News   Abia Lawmaker Erondu Jnr. to Flag Off Osaa Ukwu Civic Hall | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image Abia State – Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jnr, the Member representing Obingwa-West State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly (ABHA), is set to inaugurate the foundation laying ceremony of the Osaa Ukwu Community Civic Hall. This significant event will take place on Thursday, July 4, 2024. In an official release signed by his spokesperson, George Egejuru, and distributed to the press, Erondu Jnr., who also serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Service, emphasized the project's goal of enhancing community infrastructure. He highlighted that the new Civic Hall aims to foster unity and development within the Osaa Ukwu autonomous community and its surrounding areas. Erondu Jnr., a former Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Area (LGA), reiterated his unwavering commitment to providing quality representation to his constituents. He assured the public of his continuou

  News   … Abia Speaker, Emeruwa, is a Disgrace - Chikwe Udensi | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image In a scathing critique, Sir Chikwe Udensi, a renowned security consultant with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), has condemned Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, for his alleged hostility towards journalists. Udensi described Emeruwa's actions as "a disgrace" in light of recent events. The controversy centers around an incident where a journalist from Enyimba TV and Radio Ltd, Aba, was forcibly removed from a press briefing held by the Speaker. This incident followed persistent reporting by the media outlet, urging Emeruwa to fulfill his constitutional duty by swearing in Hon. Aaron Uzodike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  Uzodike was declared the winner of the 2023 Aba North State Constituency election by the Court of Appeal in November and received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electo

  News   File Image Umuahia - The construction of the 19.1 km Itungwa Umuoba road has faced a significant setback following a scandal involving the $50 million Abia Rural Access and Mobility Program (RAMP). The resignation of the Project Coordinator (PC), Engineer Chinemeram Ogbonna, has cast a shadow over the project's future. The Itungwa-Umuoba RAMP Project, initiated under the previous administration led by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had reached approximately 75% completion. Dr. Ikpeazu secured a $50 million facility to cover 500 km of roads and handed the project over to the current administration of Governor Alex Otti. Upon taking office, Governor Otti dismissed the initial coordinator, Mr. Babington Chibunna John, and appointed Mr. Ogbonna, who has now resigned. Under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti, Abia State has encountered criticism for continuing the perceived tradition of governmental inefficiency. The recent developments have only reinforced this sentiment. Yesterday, En

  News   File Image Umuahia - The Ibeku Youth Association has issued a strong call for the immediate and unconditional release of their kinsman, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). In a communique jointly signed by the National President, Mr. Martins Chiedozie Nwosu, and the National Secretary, Mr. Chibuzor Onwukamuche, and read to the press by Mr. Nwosu at Isieke, the Ibeku ancestral home in Umuahia, the association expressed deep sadness over Kanu's prolonged detention. The group highlighted that his continued incarceration persists despite court rulings that have ordered his release, at least on bail. "It saddens our hearts, as peace-loving and law-abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that one of us – our own dearest brother - Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has long been detained and incarcerated by the DSS in Abuja, despite court rulings to release him," the comm

  News   Ijeoma Akunyili Elected to Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Board: Celebrating Legacy and Leadership | #NwokeukwuMascot  Ijeoma Akunyili  Cambridge, MA - In a notable achievement reflecting both heritage and individual excellence, Ijeoma Akunyili, the first daughter of the late Dora Akunyili, has been elected as an alumni board member of the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) in the United States. Ijeoma’s election, alongside eight other distinguished professionals from various countries, marks a significant milestone in her illustrious career and continues her family’s legacy of public service and leadership. Ijeoma Akunyili, who currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Jersey City Medical Center, a facility under RWJ Barnabas Health in the US, will assume her new role on July 1. Her term as an alumni board member will span four years, during which she will contribute to the institution’s mission of fostering global leadership and public policy. In an official stat

  Opinion   Abia Finance Commissioner Allegedly Takes N10m Monthly, Others N3m; While Forcing Workers to Forfeit Their Salaries | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image by Aguwamba Uzochukwu, Umuahia. Governor Otti’s Commissioner for finance allegedly takes about  N10m monthly other Commissioners N3m while he forces workers to forfeit their salary Governor Alex Oti has never hidden his insensitivity to other Abians except those that are close to him since 2014. While Abia is the only State in Nigeria that is yet to implement the wage award for workers, The Governor after the first deceitful pubic expression of what he pays his aides, we have come to know what they are paid  montly while Abians suffer  Just like the deliberate lie about security vote, we have come to realize that the Commissioner for finance takes home over 10m montly.  This is made up of the following: 1.) 5m montly allowance  2.) 1.5m faac allowance . 3.) 3.2m which is paid to all the Commissioners in the state. This is made up

  News   Fear Grips Civil Servants as Abia Government Initiates Certificate Verification Process | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image Umuahia, Abia State - Anxiety has spread among civil servants in Abia State as the government moves forward with a comprehensive verification of 7,582 academic certificates. The state government has called on civil and public servants who have not yet uploaded their credentials online to do so promptly. The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, during a press briefing in Umuahia. The briefing followed this week’s state executive council meeting, presided over by Governor Alex Otti. Reports indicate that some civil servants have been uneasy since the verification process began. Commissioner Kanu revealed that a total of 36,875 academic certificates have been uploaded as part of the ongoing exercise. In addition, 25,458 career documents have also been submitted online for verification. Kanu emphasized that 7,582 certifi

  News   Abia Among 34 States That Failed to Attract Foreign Investment in Q1 2024 | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image Abuja, Nigeria - The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released its report for the first quarter of 2024, revealing a concerning trend for many Nigerian states. According to the NBS, only two states, Ekiti and Lagos, along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), succeeded in attracting foreign investment during this period. This leaves a significant number of states, including Abia, struggling to draw international financial interest. The report indicates that Ekiti and Lagos were the only states to record any foreign investment in the first quarter of 2024. This concentration of investment highlights a growing disparity in economic attractiveness and development across the country. The Federal Capital Territory, with its strategic importance and political significance, also continued to attract foreign investors. The NBS report lists 34 states that did not attract a

  News   Niger Governor Allocates N5 Billion for NYSC Camp, Gifts Corps Members N200,000 Each | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image Paiko, Niger State – In a significant show of support for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State has announced a substantial financial commitment to enhance the corps members' experience. During the swearing-in ceremony for the 2024 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, Governor Bago revealed that the state government will allocate N5 billion for the construction of a new permanent orientation camp. In addition to this long-term investment, Governor Bago also announced an immediate bonus of N200,000 for each of the approximately 1,600 corps members posted to the state. This gesture aims to ensure their comfort and well-being during their service year. The governor's generosity extended further with the provision of 20 cows and a trailer load of rice to support the corps members' ne

  Innovation   The Ingenious Journey of the BIC Cristal Pen | #NwokeukwuMascot File Image In 1930, Hungarian journalist and inventor László József Biro found inspiration in an unexpected place. Watching children play with marbles in a puddle, he noticed that the marbles left a trail of water as they rolled. This simple observation sparked a revolutionary idea: what if a writing instrument could mimic this effect using a ball-shaped metal nib? Sharing this insight with his brother György, a chemist, the two embarked on a quest to reinvent the pen. After extensive research and experimentation, they developed a groundbreaking design: a pen with a viscous ink and a small, freely rotating ball at the tip. This ball allowed the ink to flow smoothly onto paper without drying out prematurely, ensuring consistent and controlled writing. In 1931, the brothers presented their innovative pen at the Budapest International Fair, and in 1938, they secured a patent. However, the pen was not immediatel

  News   File Image Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in another public gaffe on Tuesday, said nobody would recognise Nigeria again by the time President Bola Tinubu completes his "seven years" in office, obviously gifting the latter a second term.  Akpabio weeks ago had said the old Nigerian national anthem was responsible for heightened banditry and insecurity in the country.  In his latest comedy-like address, Akpabio on Tuesday told Nigerians not to worry about the challenges facing Nigeria but only pray for the success of the Tinubu’s administration, saying it would pay off in the next seven years.  Speaking during the flag-off of the Kugbo Bus Terminal in Abuja on Tuesday, Senator Akpabio said, “I have no doubt that by the time the president is through with his tenure in the country, seven years from today, many people will not recognise FCT, they will not recognise Nigeria again. “So, all I can say is: let us continue to pray for him and be hopeful that the challenge

  News   File Image Enugu, Nigeria – The Nigerian Senate has mandated the Nigerian Army to pay a condolence visit to the Eke community in the Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State and to offer compensation to the families of local security agents killed by soldiers. This directive follows a tragic incident where two members of the Eke Neighbourhood Watch were killed. The Senate’s resolution includes directives for the Nigerian Army to sympathize with the injured and provide adequate compensation to the victims’ families. This decision comes after an investigation into the incident, which occurred in July 2023, revealed that soldiers from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army killed two members of the Eke Neighbourhood Watch during a pursuit of kidnappers along the 9th Mile-Eke-Ezeagu road. Despite the Nigerian Army’s initial claim that the victims were hoodlums, the Senate formed a committee to investigate the matter following public outcry from the community and civil society organi

  Politics    File Image  The Imo State House of Assembly has suspended four lawmakers over an alleged plan to impeach the speaker, Chike Olemgbe. The announcement was made on Tuesday during a plenary. Mr Olemgbe disclosed that the decision was taken at the executive session. The suspended lawmakers included Samuel Otuibe (Ahiazu-Mbaise constituency), Henry Agbasonu (Ezinihitte-Mbaise constituency), Chidiebere Ogbunikpa (Okigwe constituency) and Dominic Ezerioha (Oru-west). Mr Olemgbe noted that standing Committees belonging to the suspended members had been retrieved from them and minor adjustments made on the committees.

  News   South-East Governors Advocate for Release of Nnamdi Kanu, Plan to Meet President Tinubu | #NwokeukwuMascot Mazi Nnamdi Kanu In a significant political development, the South-East Governors Forum has announced plans to engage with the Nigerian government to secure the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The decision followed a comprehensive six-hour meeting at the Enugu State Government House on Tuesday. All five governors from the region—Peter Mbah (Enugu), Alex Otti (Abia), Prof. Charles Soludo (Anambra), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), and Senator Hope Uzodimma (Imo)—participated in the meeting and signed a five-point communiqué outlining their resolutions. The communiqué highlighted several critical resolutions: 1.) Engagement with the Federal Government: The governors resolved to visit President Bola Tinubu to discuss pressing issues affecting the South-East region, including the release of Nnamdi Kanu.     2.) Implementation of