By Prince-Solomon Okorie-Guidepost News

The Chairman Ohankwu/Amana Peace and Reconciliatory Committee, Very Rev. Fr. Dr Abraham C. Nwali, the SSA to the Governor on Religious and Welfare matters and CAN Chairman Ebonyi state, the committee is made up of CAN, the two local government chairmen and some stakeholders of the affected communities.

The chairman of the committee have this to say:

Today beig 17th March 2020 is the 4th meeting and 3rd visit to the to the two affected communities namely Ohankwu in Ikwo local government versus Amana in Ezza South local government by Peace and Reconciliatory Committee inaugurated by Governor to interface with the two waring communities, on 16th and 17th of March, the committee interface with the two parties indispute in their respective village square, the committee went through their memoranda and ask them questions based on their claims. The committee also visited some of th burnt houses and took inventory, “we were told that 4 persons were killed and 2
persons from neighbouring community Amaeka village were mistakenly abducted, the committee is making effort to secure their release”.

It is important to note that there were internal crisis in Amana which is more deadly than the external crisis, the committee recieved security reports through the offices of Secretary to Ebonyi state Government (SSG) and Internal Security from the of retired Perment Secretary and Rev. Fr. Mathew Nsukpa that apart from Ohankwu people fighting Amana that the greater damage was done by Amana people fighting themselves, which is internal political crisis, some of the houses in Amana were burnt by Amana people. In conclution Fr. Nwali counselled Amana to resolve their internal crisis while Government is working on their external crisis.

In his remark, Hon. Sunday Ogodo, Ezza South Local Government chairman urge Amana to call for immidiate stakeholders meeting to to adress their internal crisis.

He added that six peace committees from successive government before Umahi’s led government had mediated on the disputed land and mining site without result, they have equally made effort as Local Government Chairmen to no avail ” our peole don’t even have respect for us politicians, they said we are liers, but as the Governor in his wisdom has handed the matter over to Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who are unbias umpire in dispute resolution, they have more confidence on the Reverend Fathers because they believe that they are closer to God. Look at the mammoth crowd that attended the meeting, if we call them for this kind of meeting they will think it is a political meeting, they will prefer to go their farm or stay at home. The two waring communities has demonstrated their love, confidence and hope in and for men of God and their willingness to embrace peace by ensuring that all of them came to their respective village square, I think God is using the Governor by directing him to handover this age-long crisis to CAN, Ithink he has gotten it right and will achieve the oeac we seek”.

Prince-solomon Okorie-Guidepost News

We have observed and monitored the PDP ward congress in 171 wads in Ebonyi state with deligates from the national working committee that came from Abuja to monitor the congress and we have observed that the congress was peaceful, credible and very transparent, the people have just freely elected candidates of their choice without ranchor, those that will pilot the affairs of the party for the nex four years, I congratulate those who win and advise those who lose to inbibe the spirit of sportmanship and work together as a team for the interest of the party.

Engr. Mrs. Chinwe Uba the chairman of the deligates that came from the national working committee to monitor and supervise th ward congress said that the congress was very credible, she added that Ebonyi is blessed with young, vibrant and prudent leaders like Barr. Nwebonyi and Engr. Umahi who has introduced innovation governance.

By Prince-Solomon Okorie-Guidepost News

Since 2017 Edda Echara youths in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi state has been at a loggerhead over power tousle which has become a re- occuring phenomena following the tenure expiration of their elected leaders, as a result, there was a break down of law and oder, disobedient to the self impose leaders that almost lead to war as there were damages on people’s properties and some people were injured, there was high level insecurity in the community before government intervention

However, the peace loving Governor of Ebonyi state Engr. David Umahi, the chief securty officer of the state in his usual proactive wisdom promptly setup peace and reconciliatory committee consisting of; Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Matters, Barr. Samuel Okoronkwo, Commissioner Internal Internal Security, Hon Stanley Okoro Emegha. While Rev. Fr. Dr. Abraham C Nwali, the Ebonyi state CAN chairman who also double as the SSA to the Governor on Religious and Welfare Matters presided over the Peace committee as the chairman of the committee, he brief the Press after the meeting. He said that CAN observed that the source of crisis is traced to the tenure expiration in 2017 which was the peak of political era which the Governor gave directive that no town union should hold or conduct any election until after the countary’s general election in 2019. Hence during the first Intervention of CAN as directed by the state government it was discovered that they already have bylaw which stipulates that their tenure has long expired in 2017, though they amended their bylaw to avoid operating in illegality, again the time alloted to them also expire in 2018, so there was a clamour for justice that was not heeded immidiately at that time, so CAN observed that there were some pranks played by some of the leaders who who were benefiting from the crisis who subjugates due process, so they ran out of luck when CAN came in to interface and mediate and make the following recomendation to the Governor before this three man committee was setup (1) the review of their bylaw, (2) to adopt the rule of law, (3) to disengage those who were there as leaders since they have broken their constitution by serving extra two years above their constitutional requirement, in the light of the above, the Governor setup three man peace and reconciliatory committee as numerated above to oversee the activities of all the town union in dispute and make recomendation to governor’s office for decision as the father of the state, hence, the committee met with youths at the Government House and asked the purported executive to step down in readiness for peaceful election as required by their constitution.

The essence of the meeting with the youths today was to submit six names of people from both sides who will serve in an interim capacity while they will have time to organize credible election. In conclution Rev. Fr. Nwali said that anyone who think that peace is expensive should try war and discover too late that war bring hardship and untimely death.

Barr. Samuel Okoronkwo Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Matters admonishes the youths to be law abiding and not to involve themselves in anything that can breach the peace of the community so that government will not see them as enemy of the state, he used Ezza/ Ezziulo, Ikwo and Ezza crisis as as case study adding that some youths who started the fight think the war will be in their favour, unfortunately they were killed, insead of war they should think of taking advantage of the Governor whom he describes as professor of infrastructure and human capital development.

The Commissioner for Internal Security Hon Stanley Okoro Emegha who was represnted by the HOD of the ministry said that the two youth groups will be collapse into one, and that some request made by the youths which includes; withdrawing case from the court, to free those in detention and some their properties damaged he promised to let the commissioner know about it.

H.R.H. Eze Sunday Oketa the traditional ruler of the of the community thanked Governor for bringing development to the community which incudes concrete dualisation of Ugwu Ehara road, street lights and bring Engineering Department of Ebonyi State University to their community, he promised insuring that the youths remain calm and respcect government decisions

ON SPOT VISITATION OF THE DISPUTED MINING SITES AT AMANA IN EZZA SOUTH AND OHANKWU IN IKWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY A PEACE COMMITTEE LED BY REV. FR. ABRAHAM NWALI

By prince-solomon okorie

Following Governor’s directive to consficate the disputed mining sites between Ohankwu in Ikwo and Amana in Ezza South local government, according to the Governor, the disputed lands and the mining sites becomes the state government property untill the Peace Committee determines the true ownership of the land in dispute.

Recall that the Governor of Ebonyi state in his wisdom set-up peace and reconciliation committee consisting of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), leaders of the two affected communities: Ohankwu in Ikwo local government and Amana in in Ezza South local government, the two youth leaders from both side and the two local government chairmen; Ikwo and Ezza South. Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, the SSA to Ebonyi state Governor on Religious and Welfare Matters who also double as CAN chairman Ebonyi state chapter is the chairman of the committee and has this to say:
“Isaw something spectacular during the visit unlike what we saw in the map which shows three mining sites, I saw two minig sites divided by the Stream; one mining site before the Stream on the side of Ohankwu and another mining site about 200 metres across the stream on the side of Amana which both parties claim to belong to them, I also observed that one of the mining sites by the side of Ohankwu was not in dispute”.

“We also observed that there were houses burnt at Amana a little distance beyond the mining site across the stream, that gave rise to another question, which is outside them mining site, is there any other thing struggled for? In anwser, we were told that since 1974 even before mining took place, there have been contention over land, therefore the primary source of dispute is land, then the secondary source of dispute is the mining site”.

It is exciting to note that the peace and reconciliatory committee receives memoranda from both sides which indicates willingness to accept peace. The committe were able to interact with the people of Amana during the inspection of the burnt house and they informed us that they do not know the number of people that were killed but that there were casualties. The committee also interacted with a mammoth number of people of Ohankwu at their playing ground who also said that 3 of their men were missing some injured

The peace committee agreed to meet again by next week to interact with the two waring groups and their stakeholders and after a case study, geological and arcchitecural study because they also mention early beacon that exists before1974 that may lead to the truth.

Hitherto we cannot say that A or B is right but the truth must be unravelled because CAN will always be objective, transparent and credible in standing for justice, in conclusion the committee chairman said that with God on their side he is hopeful that CAN will deliver. Guidepost News

By prince-solomon okorie

During an official flag-off of Micro, Small and Medium Entreprise (MSME) in Ebonyi state, the Governor Engr Chief David Umahi applauds the Nigerian Vice President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo for his timely thoughtfulness in creating such an agency to develop micro, small and medium entreprises in the country which he said has taken thousands of Nigerian out of poverty.

He said that it is regrettable that electricity is the determinant of the kind of industries we have in Ebonyi and most unfortunate electricity is like a mirage in Ebonyi, a situation where a barbing saloon operator for instance runs his small business with generator and lavish all his would have been profit buying fuel, it is that bad he added.

Ebonyi of yesteryears is no longer Ebonyi of today, ” my administration is committed in changig the narrative, the administration under my watch is building 3 gigantic industrial clusters in the 3 senatorial zones of the state, the bigest and most sophisticated Shopping Mall in Africa eighty percent completed still onging, the best in the world Ecumenical Centre completed in my first tenure, international market completed, the Rice Mills, the ongoing International Airport, School of Nursing Uburu and School of Medicine Abakaliki all these and more needs commensurate and functional electricity to thrive. More so the large state secretariat and the giant Oferekpe water scheme, 12 mega wats of electricity built by my Boss the immediate past governor Chief Martin Elechi all need power to function”.

The governor therefore appeal to the country’s Vice President to assist the state in the area of electricity which other states are aready enjoying.

The Governor sugested to Mr Vice president that he should think of building one standard industry per a state while the governors will build one per a local government. He also urge the Vice President to strenghten the security in the South East and assured him of unveilling the security outfit that will support the Federal Government in combating crime.

The Vice President commeds the Umahi for all his numerous achievements which he said will not only speak for in Nigeria but anywhere he goes around the world, he promise Ebonyians that they are committed in building a viable economy through Micro, Small and Medium Entreprise (MSME) in Nigeria.

The Vice President said he was satisfied with the standard of MSME development in Ebonyi – Guidepost News

By prince-solomon okorie Guidepost News

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank in partnership with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) offers collateral-free loan to Entrepreneurs who wishes to start up a new business or expand the existing one.

You can access funds up to ten million naira #10,000,000 without collateral at 5% interest per annum for Agric, Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS)

To benefit SMEDAN is organizing mandatory entreoreneurship developmental training for interested applicants in Ebonyi state.

Avail yourself the opportunity

For more information pls contact Guidepost News

By prince-solomon okorie -Guiddepost News

Recently, a nongovernmental organization known as NWATANYOEZE CARING FOUNDATION offers scholarship to 25 secondary school children and 5 undergraduate drawn from various schools in the three senatorial zones across the state, majority of whom were girls.

The founder of the organization Mr Ajah Uguru Justice told our newsmen that his passion for charity was a remembrance of ill treatment he recieved from the rich people when he needed their help, he prayed that if God help him secure a good job that he will change the narative, now that he has a good job with Chevron, he is simply fulfilling his vow.

Hon. Chinedu Ogah member representing Ikwo-Ezza Federal constituency commended Mr Justice for showing such love and care for the indegent members of the society. He urge the the wealthy especially the politicians to emulate what this little boy is doing, it is so touching because this boy has not worked up to one year in Chevron, he has not build his own house and does even have a personal car which many will consider priority in life but he chose to invest in human lives, God will bless him, he concluded.

Dr. Chris Achi the Permenent Secretary Ministry of Heath Ebonyi state, Hon. Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga Ebonyi LG Chairman, Mr Tony Nwizzi, the NUJ Chairman who represented the Speaker Ebonyi State House of Assembly and other dignitries were there – Guidepost News

By Prince-solomon Okorie

During stakeholders consultative meeting held at Salt Spring Hotel in Ebonyi state the head of communications EDDC Emeka Eze who brief our newsmen said that it became necessary for upward review of tariff due to challenges facing their operations which requires a lot of money to fix, he added that when you are runing an operation that is not course reflective you cannot achieve the desired result, though the proposed tariff is not totally course reflective but it will go a long way adressing all their operational challenges,

Mr. Emeka Eze assures the stakeholders and their customers that the proposed tariff adjustment will afford them better services, improve on their network, recently EDDC embark on mentainance overhaul on their 33kv and 11kv lines and they are coming down to 415 lines.

He said that the tariff they are currently using was last adjusted when dollar was one hundred ninty eight naira (#198.00) for over 4 years now dollar exchange rate has been three hunred and sixty Naira (#360) the implication is that they buy light at rate of #360 naira and sell at the rate of #198 naira. You can notice the disparity. The essence of this consultative meeting is to explain these things to their customers understanding and compliance.

The representatives of the regulators were in the meeting to observe and monitor reactions from the stakeholders and customers, they will go back with feedback before giving approval fot the adjustment. Guidepost News

By prince-solomon Okorie

“My people, Ohaukwu people has deomonstrated high level of love, trust and believe in me, by this singular deliberate reposing in me their choice of becoming chairman of the council for the second time by vote for me in the just concluded 2020 PDP local government primary election is a guesture I will never forget but reciprocate, I’m spurred to do more in my second tenure, it shows me that my hagout with them, my been there when they need me, my investment in their individual lives / problems and the development we are bringing to the local goverment is appreciated”.

He thanked the Governor of Ebonyi state, Engr. David Umahi whom he described as his destiny helper, he said that Umahi has demonstrated in Ebonyi state what he can do if given a larger space, he is innovatively bringing new things to the state, he has solution to everything, Ebonyi is not an oil-rich state but the governor was the first to appoint 1,500 appointees to his government, the first topay the new controversial minimum wage, his transformation agenda and security architecture is conspicuously solution based and unbeatable anywhere in the countary. Its on record that he has empowered over 500,000:- youths, widows and pastors in and outside the state. He is the only governor that did all road project on 10 inches concrete base tiling, “let me shock you, do know that as some states are struggling to complete one flyover bridge since the last administration Umahi has completed 4 flyovers, two more are undergoing construction and another two are proposed, Internatinal Airport and industrial Clusters are ongoing, best in the world Ecumenical Centre, Shoping Mall and the Glass Tunnel are epitome of beauty and the speed at which these projects are completed is like magic and the quality of these projects are simply amazing. He has turn Ebonyi to tourism epicentre in Nigeria
It is our prayer that Nigerians should discover Umahi in 2023, elect him as president, then all the security challenges will be a thing of the past. Guidepost News

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I HAVE THE BACKING OF MY PEOPLE- says Izzi Local Government Chairman

By Prince Solomon Okorie

Hon Paul Nwogha says that wining 2020 local government primary election for his 2nd tenure did not come to him as a surprise because he has alway been with his people providing what he think is of best interest to them, some chairmen have radio stations as their second office, trying to propagate what they have not done, “I don’t go to radio in such circumstance because we are busy providing the people with basic amenities and infrastructural development, the concrete base road tiling will be extended to the police station, we bought 6 transformer to be distributed to my people but has not been distributed because we want to complete it 8 transformers so that it can go round the 8 communities of the local givernment” – Guidepost News