TheNewsGuru

Tag: Cross River State

  • APC suspends Cross River Commissioner

    APC suspends Cross River Commissioner

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) executive in Ward 8, Calabar Municipality, Cross River, has suspended Mr Ekpenyong Iso, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, for alleged anti-party activities and misappropriation of funds.

    The suspension is contained in a statement, jointly signed on Wednesday in Calabar by the Chairman of Ward 8, Mr Kingsley Ekpe, and the Secretary, Mr Gilbert Bassey, respectively.

    According to the party, Iso’s suspension is pursuant to article 21 (D) of the constitution of the APC.

    “We write to notify you of your 12 months suspension from Ward 8, Calabar Municipality, of the APC.

    “Your suspension is predicated on the recommendations of the disciplinary and fact-finding committee set up to investigate the petition of misappropriation of party funds and anti-party activities leveled against you.

    “Consequently, during the pendency of this suspension, which takes immediate effect, you are to stay away from all party activities.

    “We wish you all the best in your political sojourn.”

    Reacting to the suspension, however, Iso told NAN in a telephone interview that he was not involved in any anti-party activities neither did he mismanaged any funds during the just-concluded polls.

    He said that the statement issued on his purported suspension was written by some “unscrupulous persons”.

    “The allegations are completely false; there were nothing like anti-party activities or misappropriation of funds during the last elections.

    “The ward executive of the party is meeting soon to refute the statement because there is no substance to their claims,” he said.

  • Street sweepers protest in Cross River over unpaid stipends

    Street sweepers protest in Cross River over unpaid stipends

    Women employed as street sweepers in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South Local Government Areas of Cross River on Tuesday protested over the non payment of their stipends for about four months.

    The women, who protested at the entrance of the Governor’s Office in Calabar, had placards with inscriptions such as “pay us our money,” “we are tired of working without pay”.

    Addressing newsmen on the matter,  leader of the protesters, Mrs Nkoyo Effiong, who is 60 years old, said they had not been paid for four months, adding that it was tiring.

    According to Effiong, “We are here to let the governor know that we have not been paid for four months now; in 2015, they refused to pay us for six months and now they want to go away with our four months salaries.

    “Some of us are paid N5,000 monthly  others receive N10,000 while those we call wreckers are paid N15,000 a month; we just want them to give us our money before they leave office,” she said.

    On her part, Mrs Emana Cobham, another elderly woman, noted that they took so much risk in the course of sweeping the streets.

    Cobham said as early as 4.30 in the morning, they were expected to be at duty posts to sweep their portion, always a long stretch before day-break.

    “We have lost some sweepers to accidents, some have been raped while others have been robbed of their valuables, including phones,” she narrated.

    This is not the first time street sweepers are protesting in Calabar metropolis over the non-payment of their stipends.

    In 2022 the aged workers, mostly in their 70s and 60s, took to the streets twice over similar treatment.

    Responding to their plight, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Eric Anderson, said: “I am aware of the situation but that is not my beat. You have to contact the commissioner for environment.”

    But the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Nfon Bassey,  didn’t pick calls or respond to text message placed to his phone by a correspondent over the pathetic situation.

  • Illegal mining: C’River risks landslide soon – NGO

    Illegal mining: C’River risks landslide soon – NGO

    By Wevole Ezin

    A non-governmental organization, Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF), has frowned at the increasing levels of illegal mining taking place in Cross River State, expressing fears that if not checked it may lead to landslide disaster.

    The State PPDF Coordinator , Mr. Umo Isua-Ikoh, disclosed this at a one-day town hall meeting in Calabar with the theme; the Cost of Corruption in the Extractive Industries.

    The event which was jointly organized by PPDF and it’s partner; BudgIT, attracted participants from communities hosting extractive industries, civil society organizations, traditional institutions, youth bodies and the media.

    According to him, “If you go to Biase, there’s illegal mining going on there. There are also other places across the state which we know. Go to Mfamosing, illegal mining is going on, and there are environmental implications for this. So we call these communities let’s come together and dialogue to see how we can hold some of these companies to account for what they’ve done.

    “Some of the mining companies have discovered a lot of resources in our communities. They fail to make it known to us because they are making interest from it, and they also don’t know how to extract it. All they need is the financial benefits at the detriments of the communities.

    “In terms of environmental issues, most of the extractive sites will be left open. Sooner or later we will have a lot of landslides across the state base on this. So we need to start agitating for the communities to know what the companies are doing and also hold the miners accountable.”

    Umo called on the government to wade in, and possibly regulate the activities of the companies involved in illegal mining with a view to safeguard the state from imminent disaster.

    Meanwhile, in their respective presentations, Mr Kingsley Eworo from Budget Transparency and Accountability Network (BTAN), and Mr Anietie Akpan, South South Deputy Bureau Chief of the Guardian Newspaper, decried the rampant corruption that has eaten deep into the extractive industry sector in Cross River State.

    This, they unanimously agreed, has deprived members of host communities the benefits from their God-given resources, and thus exposed them to the effects of environmental degradation caused by unregulated mining, and exploration activities.

    The resource persons blamed the situation on political leaders and community elders for making themselves pliable and easily influenced by mining companies to rip off the people’s common wealth.

    They also flayed the “divide and rule” antics employed by mining companies to weaken community resistance to their illegal and exploitative activities.

    They, however, noted that corruption in the extractive industries has its peculiar issues of human rights abuses, environmental degradation, conflicts, non-disclosure, infrastructural deficits, among others.

    At the end of the various presentations, the following recommendations including coherent development strategy, beneficial ownership, free prior and informed consent, transparency, benefit transfer, domestic resource mobilization, contracts, among others were made.

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  • Delay in Waya’s burial embarrassing to NASS-CRS lawmakers

    Delay in Waya’s burial embarrassing to NASS-CRS lawmakers

    Wevole Ezin

    The Federal Government has been called upon to speedily take over the burial obsequies of former Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas, inorder to a avoid further embarrassment it delay had caused the National Assembly.

    This followed a motion of urgent public interest jointly sponsored by the Senators representing the three senatorial districts of Cross River State in the National Assembly including Gershom Bassey; South, Sandy Onor; Central, and Jarigbe Agom; North, respectively.

    Senator Joseph Wayas, Senate President in the second republic, reportedly died in November, 2021.

    According to the lawmakers, it is worrisome that sixteen months after his demise, the former President of the senate was yet to be buried.

    The trio recalled in nostagia how the late Wayas brought about high degree of legislative knowledge and panache to lawmaking in the second republic, urging the government not to hesitate towards giving him a befitting burial.

    A press statement jointly issued shortly after sponsoring the motion read in part: “Worried that the remains of the late Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas is yet to be buried 16 months after death.

    ” Concerned that this delay is an embarrassment to the National Assembly that he headed between 1979-1983, and the Federal republic of Nigeria.

    “Accordingly, call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency take up the burial plans of Senator Joseph Wayas, and see to his burial before the end of April, 2023.

    ” The senate agreed that a national monument be named Senator Joseph Wayas.”

    Meanwhile, a socio-cultural group based in Cross River State, Basang Nation, has hailed the lawmakers for their eventual intervention over the delay in the burial of Senator Wayas.

    The group, in a statement issued to newsmen by it’s President, Hon. Anyawho Sylvanos, yesterday in Calabar, said the delay in the interment of the former Senate President had brought embarrassment not only to the lawmakers, but also to his kinsmen and community in general.

    “The president of Basang Nation and leader of the 8th Executive Council of Basang Development Association (BDA), a socio cultural organization with it’s headquarters in Basang, a political Ward in Obanliku local Government Area of CRS.Hon Anyawho Sylvanus Commend
    Distinguished Senator Gershom Bassey, senator Sandy Onor, and Senator Jerigbe Agom for taking the delay in Wayas’s burial, to the National Assembly. we received and watch in appreciation your motion as was presented at Senate plenary on Tuesday the 4th of April, 2023. Calling
    On the federal government to takeover the burial arrangements of our Son and leader, late senator Dr Joseph Wayas.

    “The entire Basang people, both at home and in diaspora do appreciate your call for Federal Government intervention.

    “The delayed internment of his remains have become an embarrassment to us his community, kinsmen, local Government, the state as well as the entire country.

    “We also appreciate your call to the Government to immortalized senator Dr. Joseph by Naming the Senate Wing after him. As his immediate community, we request through you our representatives to the National Assembly that a National library be built in wayas compound and the College of Education Campus in Bebi be Converted to Wayas University of Agriculture and an Educational Foundation be set up to be headed by His family and Basang community. These to us, will be a more appreciable way of immortalizing senator Dr. Joseph Wayas”, the statement read in part.

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  • Thugs set 7 PDP vehicles ablaze in Cross River on eve of election

    Thugs set 7 PDP vehicles ablaze in Cross River on eve of election

    Wevole Ezin

    Suspected thugs have attacked, burn down seven vehicles belonging to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members in Odukpani local government area of Cross River State.

    The thugs suspected to have been sponsored by opposition party carried out the attack on Friday at Okut-Ikang/Akpap area of Odukpani.

    “At about 11:45pm on Friday, March 17, 2023, seven PDP vehicles including four buses and three SUVs were burnt down by unidentified thugs.

    “One woman was also shot in the belly at Ikot Effiong Otop. Some policemen were disarmed and weapons taken away.”

    It was gathered that the vehicle belonged to the Director Security of PDP campaign organization in the state, Mr. Bobby Ekpenyong, as well as the state Vice Chairman (South) of the party.
    Reacting to the incident, the PDP Governorship Candidate, Senator Prof. Sandy Onor, condemned the act.

    He however urged the electorates not to be discouraged by the unfortunate incident but to go out and excecise their voting rights by voting out the APC.

    When contacted, The State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo, said that the command has not received any official complain on the incident.

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  • SAD! Fear in UNICAL as University Don found dead with multiple stabs

    SAD! Fear in UNICAL as University Don found dead with multiple stabs

    The police command in Cross River has confirmed the recovery of the body of a Professor of Political Science with the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Felix Akpan.

    The command’s spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident, said the body was discovered on Sunday with multiple stabs in his apartment at Plot 181, Duke Town Close, State Housing in Calabar.

    Ms Ugbo said an arrest had been made while the matter was still under investigation.

    “We have a suspect in custody who claims to be a friend of the deceased (Prof. Akpan).

    He said he did not know what happened to him or who stabbed him to death.

    “Our crack team of detectives have already swung into action; we will soon get to the root of the matter by unravelling who the killer is,” she assured.

    Meanwhile, a source who pleaded anonymity said the deceased, a former dean of Students Affairs at UNICAL, had a guest on Saturday but left very early on Sunday to Akampka before his body was found.

    “A lady who stays in the compound said that she heard a loud scream the same day the visitor, who has now been confirmed to be a friend, left his apartment and alerted people in the neighbourhood about the noise.

    “Perhaps, he forgot something that made him come back to the victim’s house, where he was apprehended and taken to prof’s apartment, where we saw the lifeless body of Prof. Akpan with multiple stabs,” he said.

  • IPAC suspends chairman in Cross River over alleged misconduct

    IPAC suspends chairman in Cross River over alleged misconduct

    By Wevole Ezin

    Cross River State Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC) has announced the sack of its state Chairman, Anthony Bisong as it elects a new Chairman, High Chief Ndabo Okon.

    While addressing journalists, the IPAC new secretary Henry Isong, accompanied by the new Chairman and other stakeholders from Youth Progressive Party (YPP), disclosed this on Friday in Calabar after electing the new executive.

    Bisong was removed on allegation of playing anti-party, threat to state security and also collecting bribe from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and other offences that is against the party’s Constitution.

    He was also accused of discrediting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Cross River State government.

    His removal may not be unconnected to his recent call, that INEC should allow IPAC inspect the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) but it was not granted.

    It will be recalled that two weeks ago,the embattled Chairman had addressed journalists at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) , Calabar and gave INEC in the state 24 hours to allow for the inspection of the equipment.

    Isong said the leadership met and considered it necessary to elect a new leader after his suspension by YPP.

    ” This became necessary because of the suspension of the former IPAC state Chairman, Mr. Anthony Bisong following his suspension by his party.

    ” Our goal is to unite all political parties and work in synergy with all relevant stakeholders in ensuring that the 2023 general elections is birthed safely.

    ” We hereby warn all trouble makers to keep-off Cross River State. Cross River State is indeed in the hands of God.” Isong warned.

    He further noted that they have confidence in INEC giving that the BVAS initiative will add more credibility to the electoral process.

    Speaking also, the New Chairman thanked IPAC for finding him fit to direct the affairs of the council in the state.

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  • BREAKING: Gunmen abduct Cross River Commissioner for Women Affairs

    BREAKING: Gunmen abduct Cross River Commissioner for Women Affairs

    The Commissioner for Women Affairs in Cross River State, Mrs Gertrude Njar has been abducted by gunmen.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mrs Njar was abducted by the yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday.

    This is coming barely 72 hours after an aide to a federal lawmaker, Mr Kenneth Abang was kidnapped along Calabar-Ikom federal highway.

    Information available indicates that the gunmen, who were masked forcefully took the commissioner out of her official car in the Calabar South area of the city and whisked her away

    Meanwhile, Police operatives in Cross Rivers have initiated efforts to rescue the commissioner.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Ayade has ‘deceived’ our people enough, should restitute-PDP guber candidate, Sandy Onor

    Ayade has ‘deceived’ our people enough, should restitute-PDP guber candidate, Sandy Onor

    Wevole Ezin

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Prof Sandy Onor has accused the governor Ben Ayade’s led government of deceit, and disjointed governance in the State, calling for restitution.

    Sandy, who spoke at a press conference held in Calabar on Friday, also rejected the eleventh hour recruitment into the state public service by the governor; describing it as a voodoo exercise.

    He noted with regret how the people had suffered untold hardship under the present APC administration in the state, and are eagerly awaiting for a purposeful and peoples oriented leadership to take charge.

    According to Sandy, “Rather than chase shadows, Ayade should take deliberate efforts to restitute for his sins against the people of Cross River State for about eight years now. He still has a few more months to do this. I urge him to get into his closet and do some self-examination before the end of his disastrous tenure.”

    While reiterating his commitment towards creating sustainable employment opportunities for Cross Riverians if elected as the next governor, he lampooned governor Ayade’s hasty and deceitful recruitment into the state public service.

    He alleged that the exercise was political rather than altruistic; intended to sway unsuspecting members of the public towards supporting his failed party in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

    “The outgoing government has deceived our people enough. We have, for instance, spoken many times against moves by the governor to embark on last minute programmes and projects including the plan to conduct a recruitment exercise into the state public service in the twilight of this administration. At best, this is a voodoo exercise meant to curry favour from unsuspecting members of the public”, he said.

    On the forthcoming elections in the state, he urged both INEC and the security agencies to allow IPAC certify the authenticity of the BIVAS.

    “We therefore call on INEC and the security agencies to allow IPAC certify the authenticity of their pronouncement on the BIVAS. This is critically important because confidence building is critical in election management, prior to, during and after the elections,” Onor added.

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  • Christmas Horror: Man kills girlfriend’s sister, hides body in septic tank

    Christmas Horror: Man kills girlfriend’s sister, hides body in septic tank

    The Police Command in Cross River has arrested a 49-year-old man, who killed and dumped his girlfriend’s aunty in a septic tank.

    The state anti kidnapping squad led by SP Ogini Chukwuma, revealed this to newsmen in Calabar on Sunday.

    Chukwuma said that the suspect, Eyo Bassey, who is currently in custody, has confessed to the crime following his arrest on Sunday morning at Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River.

    He said that the victim, Miss Harmony Edemawan, 45, had been declared missing since Thursday, Dec. 23.

    Chukwuma said that the suspect was arrested based on credible intelligence by the tactical unit of the anti-kidnapping squad.

    According to him, the suspect had earlier given false information that the victim sold his property amounting to about N9 million and did not want to remit same amount to him.

    “So he contacted some persons to abduct her in a bid to recover the money, but subsequently killed and dumped her inside a septic tank.

    “We have recovered her body from the septic tank and deposited the remains at the mortuary and further investigation is ongoing to unravel others behind the heinous crime.

    The anti-kidnapping boss said that Bassey had borrowed about N1.2 million from the victim whose niece, Ruth Edem, 22, a 200 level student of the University of Calabar, he is dating.

    A source who pleaded anonymity, said that the victim, a Lafarge staff, and the bread winner of her family, only wanted to help the suspect by supporting him with some money to boost his palm oil business.

    “My sister gave him the money in tranches and it’s about N1.2 million and it was given to him earlier this year to enable him boost his palm oil business.

    “My sister needed to return the money back to where she got it because it is not her own, but the suspect refused, instead he turned the whole thing around, claiming to have given my sister a house document to sell and my sister absconded with the proceeds of N9 million.

    “I last saw my sister on Wednesday, Dec. 21, then on Thursday, we spoke on phone where she told me she was in the bathroom and promised to call me back.

    “But I never heard from her again until the shocking news of her death on Christmas day,” the family source said.