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Sen Kalu Embarks On Massive Renovation Of Schools In Abia North (Photos)

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Sen Kalu Embarks On Massive Renovation Of Schools In Abia North (Photos)

In a bid to ensure that pupils in his constituency study in a conducive environment, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senator representing Abia North senatorial district has embarked on massive reconstruction and renovation of primary schools in his constituency.

The lawmaker is also providing boreholes to enable his constituents have access to potable water.

The lawmaker who is also the Chief Whip of the Senate, said he was committed to delivering more democratic dividends to his constituents.

READ ALSO: Sen. Kalu Hails Bishop Onuoha On Election As Christian Council Of Nigeria President

He insisted that investment in education should be a priority project of any good government.

Our correspondent reports that some of the schools include Aggrey Primary School Ibom in Arochukwu LGA, Eziama Central School, Nneato in Umunneochi LGA, Ahaba Imenyi Community School in Bende LGA and Ugwuafia Primary School Akanu Ohafia among others.

Reacting to Senator Kalu’s giant strides in the education sector, Glory Oty, a constituent from Umunneochi LGA said: “Dr Orji Uzor Kalu has always been a true and compassionate leader who loves and values education. When he was a state governor, because of his love for education, OUK drastically subsidized school fees to N35,000 for students in Abia State University. He was passionate about enabling schools to become better places for students to learn and for teachers to work. He arithmetically increased subventions to the Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and the College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu.

“The same could be said of infrastructure and other facilities that enhanced cognitive capacity in the citadels of learning. The rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools by his administration shows him as a transformational leader and change agent who had great dreams of what public education could be. It is also pertinent to state here that all through tenures of Dr. Kalu as executive governor, there was no single industrial action by workers in the state because of the harmony that existed between the workers and government (OUK).

” The only time workers embarked on strike was when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on a national strike. Academic activities were never interrupted in any of the tertiary institutions in our state throughout the duration of our government, making the students to graduate when they should. All these were made possible because Orji Uzor Kalu went to Abia State University and negotiated a deal with the state’s chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and they told him they would join their colleagues to commence the action and would back out after two days. And they kept to their words. This is exactly why he told the present Federa Government to keep the agreement they had with ASSU so as to call off the srike for the sake of Nigrian students.

“Do you also know that Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK), the philanthropist, owns a foundation that provided and still provides scholarships for undergraduates? Till date, I mean as I am talking to you, Dr. Kalu still gives scholarship to many students. I can categorically say that there are many people under education scholarship from Orji Uzor kalu Foundation from primary education to the university level.

“This is what OUK did in education as a governor which made him stood out among the Southeast governors in his time.”

Hoodlums Set INEC Office In Ebonyi On Fire, Ballot Boxes, PVCs Burnt (Photos)

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Hoodlums Set INEC Office In Ebonyi On Fire, Ballot Boxes, PVCs Burnt (Photos)

Hoodlums have set ablaze the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, destroying, among others, 340 ballot boxes and yet to the be-determined quantity of Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs.

Hoodlums Set INEC Office In Ebonyi On Fire, Ballot Boxes, PVCs Burnt (Photos)

The attack is the third on INEC’s local government offices in less than three weeks, following similar attacks in Ogun and Osun states on November 10, 2022.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.

READ ALSO: I’m Here To Correct Wrongs Of The Past – Adeleke To Osun Indigenes

He said the Ebonyi Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mrs. Onyeka Ugochi, reported that the commission’s Izzi Local Government Area office, located in Iboko, was set ablaze, yesterday morning.

“The incident occurred around 10.00am when some unidentified persons set the entire building ablaze,” said Okoye.

He said although no casualties resulted from the attack, “the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed. These include 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures, and yet-to-be-determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards.

“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies has been drawn to the incident and have commenced investigation,” said Okoye.

Abuja-Kaduna Rail: Expect Increase In Fare, Says Minister Of Transportation

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Abuja-Kaduna Rail: Expect Increase In Fare, Says Minister

Mu’azu Sambo, the Minister of Transportation on Sunday declared that there would be an increase in the rail service fare as a result of the economic situation in the country. 

According to the minister, the number of trips per day will also be reduced, adding that there will be night travelling.

This was made known on Sunday by Sambo to journalists in Kaduna while inspecting the train station.

He said, “The number of trips will be reduced. Naturally, you should expect that a certain number of passengers will not be comfortable boarding the train for obvious reasons.”

He further stated that the number of trips per day would increase as the travelling population increased.

“We are human beings, we are bound to feel a little bit uncomfortable until we can see that every security measure has been put in place. So, we will reduce the number of trips and as the travelling population picks up, we will increase the number of trips but we will certainly not travel at night for now.

“Please, expect an increase in fares. I am having final consultation with the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the management of the ministry to see whether it will be immediate or we will take a little time.

“We all know that prices of things have gone up, even airfares have gone up and we have not heard anybody cry about it. Why is it that it’s only when it is train fares that people are reactive? I can assure you that the poor masses will be taken care of and considered because we are a very sensitive government.”

Tanzania To Introduce Cable Car On Mount Kilimanjaro

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Tanzania To Introduce Cable Car On Mount Kilimanjaro

Tanzanian tourism officials have announced that plans to install cable cars on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, are nearing completion.

The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mary Masanja, stated that the process of introducing the cable car on the mountain is on track and will begin very soon.

Masanja stated at a press conference in Dodoma that the cable cars would primarily be used by tourists and other climbers who were unable to walk to the mountain’s peak on foot.

Mount Kilimanjaro, one of Tanzania’s leading tourist destinations, is about 5,895 meters above sea level, with roughly 50,000 climbers from across the world attempting to reach the summit of the mountain annually.

In Dec. 2020, Paul Banga, the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) assistant conservation commissioner for national parks development, said the government of Tanzania had approved the installation of a cable car on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Banga said the government had given TANAPA the green light to invest in the installation of the cable car.

 

Qatar 2022: We Played Morocco With Fear Of Losing — Martinez

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Qatar 2022: We Played Morocco With Fear Of Losing — Martinez

Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez has said his side went into their clash with Morocco on Sunday with fear of losing.

Second half goals from Abdelhamid Sabiri in the 73rd minute and Zakaria Aboukhlal in the 92nd minute, earned Morocco their first win at the World Cup since France 1998.

The win took Morocco to four points going into their final group game with already eliminated Canada.

For Belgium they face a difficult encounter against a Croatian side that hammered Canada 4-1.

And reacting to the shock defeat, Martinez explained how his team fell to the North Africans.

“That is a mindset, I don’t think it is a lack of quality. We played a lot better on the ball than we did against Canada and got into really beneficial positions, but then that next pass was missing, that link-up was missing in the final third.

“We couldn’t find that spare man and I think that was because we played with a fear of losing.

“That is difficult to understand because in the last six years we are a team that always find opportunities to score. We had scored goals in almost 50 consecutive games, but here we failed to find the back of the net and it cost us.

“The players work so hard for each other off the ball and then on the ball I don’t see that enjoyment and that’s what we need to work on. We need to be ourselves.

“We probably now are in a situation where we have nothing to lose anymore [against Croatia].

“It is something to win. It would be a real start for us at this World Cup because the talent is there and the quality in front of goal has always been there as one of the strengths of our team.”

Gov Adeleke Warns Against Violence In Osun Motor Parks

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Ademola Adeleke

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has warned transport workers’ unions in the state to desist from violence.

In a statement signed by Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Governor Adeleke on Monday, the state governor directed all security agencies to maintain the status quo across the motor parks.

There had been reports of attacks between rival gangs within the transport unions in the state.

A pregnant staff member of the union, identified as Doyin and an official of the National Union Of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Osun State, were allegedly beaten by factional members of the union who went berserk while trying to take over some motorparks with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

In the process of the attack, it was reported by the state secretariat of the Union located at the Sadiat Hotel area of the state capital, that Financial Secretary of the Union, Sunday Akinwale, was badly injured.

“All union leaders and their supporters are hereby directed to remain calm and bring any grievances to the State Government for resolution.

“Security agencies are consequently directly to maintain law and order,” the statement read in part.

 

Only God Gives, Takes Life – Fani-Kayode Blasts Those Wishing Tinubu Death

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Only God Gives, Takes Life – Fani-Kayode Blasts Those Wishing Tinubu Death
Femi Fani-Kayode and BolaTinubu

Femi Fani-Kayode, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential campaign council, blasted Bola Tinubu’s detractors for wishing the former governor of Lagos death. Tinubu is the party’s nominee for president.

The former aviation minister insisted in a video posted on his official Twitter account that Tinubu cannot be killed, emphasizing that only God has the power to give and take life.

Tinubu had during a recent campaign rally in Lagos, declared that nobody can kill him.

Backing his stance, Fani-Kayode said in the video that nothing will happen to Tinubu before or after the forthcoming election.

He said, “There is one fear that I will touch up now. And that is the fear that something may happen to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during or after the elections.

“Like he said in the rally, his enemies and detractors cannot kill him, we stand on that word and we pronounce it day and night. Asiwaju cannot be detained, he cannot be locked up, his election cannot be annulled, nor can he be killed.

“Those harbouring this evil thought of death upon our candidate, you are a man and nothing more than that. You are nothing and can do nothing. Only God gives and takes life”.

Police Arrest Two In Possession Of 468 PVCs

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Police

The Police have arrested two persons in possession of 468 Permanent Voter Cards.

This was made known in a statement signed by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Sunday.

According to the statement, the offenders; Nasiru Idris, was found with 101 PVCs in Sokoto State, and another (name not mentioned) was caught with 367 PVCs in Kano State.

Okoye stated that their offence was in contravention of Sections 117 and 145 of the Electoral Act 2022.

The statement added that the offenders were currently receiving their due punishment.

The statement read, “In the last couple of weeks, the Nigeria Police has arrested some individuals found to be in illegal possession of voter cards in some States of the Federation.

“In one case, the Police have concluded investigations and handed over the case file to the Commission, resulting in the successful prosecution of one Nasiru Idris at a Magistrate Court in Sokoto who was found to be in possession of 101 PVCs in contravention of Sections 117 and 145 of the Electoral Act 2022. He has been sentenced to a year in prison.

“Similarly, the Police in Kano State have arrested a man who was found to be in possession of 367 PVCs. The suspect has been charged to court and the Commission is pursuing his prosecution.

“The Commission wishes to reiterate that it will continue to pursue all violators of the Electoral Act and ensure their diligent prosecution.”

Giving an update on the PVC collection, the commissioner explained, “Following the end of the statutory period for the display of the register of voters for claims and objections, the Commission is determined to make the collection of PVCs as seamless as possible.

“A standard operating procedure has been developed. This will be among the issues to be discussed and finalised at a retreat holding in Lagos from 28th November to 2nd December 2022 involving all the Resident Electoral Commissioners.

“At the end of the retreat, the Commission will release the dates as well as the detailed procedure for the immediate collection of PVCs nationwide.

“The Commission appreciates the patience and understanding of Nigerians, especially those who registered as voters or applied for transfer/replacement of their cards from January to July 2022. In making the cards available for collection, the Commission is also working to ensure that the process is hitch-free.”

FG Says It Has Identified 100 High Risk Sponsors Of Terrorism In Nigeria

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Osun 2026: Aregbesola Shun Group, Individual Alliance
Rauf Aregbesola

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said weekend the federal government has identified 100 high-risk financiers of Boko Haram,

According to him, the financiers have links to at least 10 countries of the world.

Aregbesola made the disclosure at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing, with the theme, “No Money for Terror”, which took place in India.

The minister, who disclosed this in a statement by his aide, Abdulmalik Suleiman, yesterday, said: “The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, has played a significant role, in supporting all our intelligence, security, and military services.

”The unique ability of the NFIU to work with counterparts in the region and across the world, particularly through the framework of the Egmont Group of FIUs, is a key asset for our country.

”In particular, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss some recent results achieved with the support of our partners. In 2019, the NFIU commenced an in-depth analysis of the financing of the Boko Haram group.

”This analysis, which took almost 18 months to complete, resulted in the identification of almost 100 high-risk financiers and identified links to 10 different countries.

“The NFIU was able to build a thorough picture of the transnational sources of the group’s finance, using intelligence from several countries, including our immediate neighbours, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Togo.

”Ultimately, the results of the analysis resulted in the arrest of 48 of the financiers and the ongoing prosecution of a number of them.”

Aregbesola also canvassed for improved welfare for Nigerians living, studying or seeking business opportunities in India.

He made a four-point demand from the Indian government for an improved well being of Nigerians living in that country.

Aregbesola, who also advocated a change in Indian visa policy for Nigerian students, added:

“This is to allow Nigerian students have visa for study programs and not on six monthly basis which is burdensome in cost and time.’

He equally canvassed granting of special visa for Nigerian businessmen and women to facilitate trade between the two nations.

He urged the Indian government to, as a matter of urgency, reciprocate Visa on Arrival policy for Nigerians visiting India.

Vanguard

Ohanaeze Should Go Beyond Endorsing Peter Obi, Should Also Sponsor Him To Victory — Ezeife

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Former Civilian Governor of Anambra state, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife has applauded the apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo for its recent endorsement of the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi.

He however stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should not limit its relationship with Obi to mere endorsement alone but should expand it to sponsoring him to victory.

Ezeife who spoke to newsmen yesterday on phone, while reacting to the recent endorsement of Obi, by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said the best way of showing its outright approval for Obi is for Ohanaeze to go beyond endorsement and give financial and logistic assistance to enable him come out victorious during the elections.

According to Ezeife, “Ohanaeze should not only endorse Obi but also sponsor him to victory”.

“I came to the East, they told me that Obi deserve to be president because it is the turn of Ndigbo. I went to the West, they told me that Obi deserve to be president because he has the intelligence and capacity to return Nigeria to part of glory and in the North, they told me that he deserve it because they believe he has the economic survival plans for Nigeria in his palms, based on his antecedents”.

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