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Tag: Enugu State

  • Resident doctors issue 14-day ultimatum to Enugu Govt

    Resident doctors issue 14-day ultimatum to Enugu Govt

    The Association of Resident Doctors of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Enugu State Government to employ more doctors and ensure security.

    This is contained in a communique issued on Saturday after the end of the Emergency General Meeting of the association in ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu held on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

    The communique was jointly signed by the President of ARD-ESUT, Dr Chukwunonso Ofonere and its Secretary General, Dr Ikemefuna Nnamani.

    The statement called on the management of ESUTHTeaching and the Enugu State Government to declare state of emergency on the employment of Doctors in the hospital.

    According to the statement, the EGM observed that it is now 120 days since the government through the Secretary to the State Government promised the ARD of employment of Medical Officers and Resident Doctors, and we are yet to see an advert to this effect.

    It said that the EGM was intimated of the Management’s proposed plan to ensure the safety of Doctors and other health workers in the hospital.

    The statement noted that the EGM had resolved to extend the initial 14 days ultimatum by another 14 days ultimatum which shall end on Dec. 1.

    “First, the management should declare state of emergency on the employment of doctors in the hospital. There should be an urgent approval for the recruitment of medical officers, resident doctors and House Officers in the hospital.

    “This recruitment should be focused especially at the Accident and Emergency Department, Surgery Department, Internal Medicine Department, Paediatrics Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments,”.

    It noted that resident doctors that had left the  institution in the past four years were never replaced.

    “Secondly, management should ensure implementation of safety policies to protect her workers against physical attacks and kidnap within one week as promised by the Chief Medical Director (CMD).

    “Thirdly, the immediate implementation of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as our counterpart in other states; even as attached to this communique is the list of the eligible doctors and the financial implications,” it said.

    The statement noted that the EGM resolved that after 14 days and the above demands were not met, industrial harmony could not be guaranteed.

  • Appeal Court fires Enugu Labour Party Reps member

    Appeal Court fires Enugu Labour Party Reps member

    The Court of Appeal has sacked Chijioke Okereke of the Labour Party as the member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency.

    The Court dismissed Okereke’s appeal against an earlier sack by the Enugu State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal.

    In a judgement delivered on Monday, the Court ruled that the appeal against the tribunal ruling that Anayo Onwuegbu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is the rightful winner of the election, lacks merit.

    Recall that the tribunal had sacked Okereke, affirming Onwuegbu as the duly elected candidate of the February 25 poll.

    Onwuegbu had approached the tribunal challenging the declaration of Okereke on the grounds that he was a stranger to the election as his name was not on the result sheet as the candidate of the Labour Party.

  • Power outage: Why parts of Enugu is thrown into darkness

    Power outage: Why parts of Enugu is thrown into darkness

    The Enugu Electricity Distribution (EEDC) says the planned outage by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) scheduled to take place on Saturday is meant for emergency maintenance work.

    The Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said in a statement on Friday that the outage would enable TCN engineers to carry out maintenance on their T1A 150MVA Power Transformer at their New Haven Station, Enugu.

    According to Ezeh, the exercise will affect the Kingsway Line 1&2 33KV, New Haven 33KV, Government House 33KV, Independence Layout 33KV, and New NNPC 33KV feeders.

    “Consequently, electricity supply to our customers in parts of Emene, entire 9th Mile and surrounding communities, New Haven, Independence Layout, Coal City Garden, GRA, Golf, areas behind Central Bank of Nigeria and others will be out.

    “Customers, including those in Colliary, Constitution Road, Railway/Good shed, Western Avenue, Bank Avenue, Ridge Way, Club Road, Kingsway Way Road and Enugu Secretariat, Red Cross and Court Avenue will also be affected.

    “People living in Fidelity Estate, Shoprite, Golden Royale, CBN Quarters, New Market, Works Road, Aguowa, Artisan Market, Asata, New Haven Market and environs will be without electricity supply during the maintenance,” he said.

    The EEDC spokesman said the company would ensure “supply is restored once the maintenance is completed”.

    “EEDC remains committed to delivering improved services to its esteemed customers,” he added.

  • Movement of troops, equipment: Army urges Enugu residents not to panic

    Movement of troops, equipment: Army urges Enugu residents not to panic

    The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has urged residents of Enugu State not to panic when they see movement of army troops and equipment.

    The Division also urged residents, especially those living within Udi Local Government Area and its adjoining communities, not to panic when they hear gunshots between Nov. 7 and Nov. 9.

    The acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, said in a statement on Friday in Enugu that the movement of troops, equipment and gunshot sounds would be part of a range classification exercise of the Division.

    The statement was titled: “82 Division Nigerian Army Training School to Conduct Range Classification Exercise from Nov.7 to Nov. 9, 2023”.

    “Consequently, members of the public especially residents of Ogbede, Ukehe, Umoka, Affa, Ochima and Onyohor communities should not panic on sighting heavy movement of troops and equipment and hearing sound of gunshots on the mentioned date.

    “Similarly, locals are advised to stay away from the range areas throughout the exercise as it will involve the use of live ammunition,” Unuakhalu said.

    The army spokesman explained that 82 Division Training School is saddled with the responsibility of training and retraining of soldiers within the Division’s Area of Responsibility (AoR).

    According to him, the school is presently running its Fourth Quarter Basic Battle Course 6 of 2023.

    “In line with training activities for the course, the School will be conducting range classification exercise for the students from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, 2023 at the 82 Division Nigerian Army Training Area in Udi Local Government Area.

    “The exercise is aimed at improving weapon proficiency and marksmanship skills of the students, as well as to ascertain the serviceability of weapons and practice the theory taught in class,” he added.

  • Police arrest 7 criminal suspects in Holy Ghost axis of Enugu

    Police arrest 7 criminal suspects in Holy Ghost axis of Enugu

    The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested seven notorious criminal suspects, who have been operating for years, within the Holy Ghost axis of Enugu metropolis.

    In a raid, Police recovered nine female handbags, two wallets, two wheel spanners, one iron saw, one serviceable Dell laptop, one Zenith Bank ATM card bearing “Joy Akiji”, one NIN registration slip and other incriminating exhibits all snatched from victims.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Wednesday in Enugu.

    Ndukwe said that the arrest followed a raid conducted in the Holy Ghost axis of Enugu metropolis through the directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu.

    The police spokesman said that the raid and arrest were carried out in the evening hours of Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

    “Police operatives raided Holy Ghost railway axis, Christ Chemist, Old Park and environs, arresting seven male suspects notorious for attacking and dispossessing innocent and unsuspecting citizens of their belongings.

    “The suspects included: Okonkwo Sunday, 35, (a.k.a. Oga Sunny), Nwankwoala Tochukwu, 25, (a.k.a. TC Boy); Ogbu Mmaduabuchi, 18; Miracle Chukwu, 20; Nwali Chinedu, 23; Ananchonam Chinecherem, 18, (a.k.a. Razor) and Junior Nwamini, 20, (a.k.a. Small), all of no known addresses.

    “The suspects all confessed to the crime and have been arraigned in court and remanded in the Correctional Custodial Centre,” he said.

    Ndukwe said that the commissioner had commended and charged police operatives to maintain the tempo while enjoining residents to remain supportive of the police in their efforts to root out unrepentant criminals in Enugu State.

  • Major disaster averted as gas flare results from water borehole in Enugu

    Major disaster averted as gas flare results from water borehole in Enugu

    A major gas fire disaster was averted in Enugu State at the weekend but the State Fire Service successfully put out the gas flare that erupted during a borehole drilling at the Federal Housing Estate in Ugwogo Nike, Enugu.

    This was even as the State government warned against drilling of boreholes without the authorisation of the State’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and other relevant government agencies.

    Prof. Sam Ugwu, the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, stated this during an inspection tour of the incident at Nike on Sunday.

    The gas flare occurred at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and lasted till the early hours of Sunday, resulting in the rig operators and some residents scampering for safety.

    During the site inspection, Ugwu, who was also accompanied by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Kingsley Nnaji, thanked the firemen, led by the Chief Fire Officer, Okwudiri Ohaa, for their prompt intervention.

    According to Ugwu, the state had last year, experienced same gas flaring around the Caritas University, making it the second incident.

    “The government is going to investigate the incident further because already, we have environmental laws. They were supposed to have applied to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

    “The ministry would come here to do an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and then there would be a letter of commencement, which would be issued by the ministry.

    “So, I advise anybody going into the ground to do the proper thing to avoid this kind of experience we now have here. But for the prompt intervention of the State Fire Service, this could have caused loss of lives and houses around this place.

    “But these gas eruptions have also further confirmed Gov. Peter Mbah’s statement that we have both solid and liquid mineral resources in abundance in Enugu State.”

    The governor had said his administration was very much interested in harnessing them for the good of the people of Enugu and the nation in general.

    Ugwu added that Enugu coul not be known as Coal City alone because it had gas, limestone, kaolin, gypsum, and other mineral resources in abundance.

    “That is why the present government is very much interested in bringing local and foreign investors to come and invest in these mineral deposits,” Ugwu stated.

    Narrating the incident, Ohaa said the experience garnered by the Fire Service during such accidental gas eruption around Caritas University, Nike, helped them in applying the right measure to stop the flare.

    “What readily came to mind was the incident at Caritas University last year, around 24th May to be precise. That Caritas University incident took us roughly three weeks to quench because we never had such an experience before that.

    “But with the support of the government that has continued to finance us for emergencies like this, we were able to put off this one in less than eight hours.

    “It shows that the Enugu State Government is not joking about making the state the first choice for investment, ” he said.

    He warned residents of the area to respect the cordon by the servicemen and also avoid coming close to the site with fire of any kind.

    He, however, assured that his men would be on ground until the flow totally stopped.

    A resident of the estate, Mr Boniface Ogbueje, told newsmen that the incident caused pandemonium, but commended the State Fire Service for saving the situation.

    “We thought the rig or the vehicle had gas leakage and caught fire. Eventually it was not the case. The fire continued to increase and increase.

    “People were running helter-skelter, but the firemen came quickly and were able to bring the fire under control after several hours. God really helped us, ” he said.

    Meanwhile, a staff member of the drilling firm, Orange Drilling Company, Kamarudeen Ado, said they were taken unawares as they least expected the presence of natural gas in the water pumping up.

    He, however, confirmed that there were no loss of lives and property, while those injured were receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

  • Police burst child trafficking syndicate, arrest suspect in Enugu

    Police burst child trafficking syndicate, arrest suspect in Enugu

    The Police Command in Enugu State has burst a child-trafficking syndicate and arrested a suspect at Igogoro village in Enugu-Ezike community of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state.

    This is contained in a statement, issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Sunday in Enugu.

    Ndukwe said that the syndicate was smashed on Oct. 27 at about 1.30 p.m.

    According to him, police operatives serving in the Igbo-Eze North Police Division, working with the Neighborhood Watch Group, smashed a child stealing syndicate and arrested one Ifeanyi Omeke, 21, at Igogoro village in Enugu-Ezike community.

    “The suspect was nabbed after he sneaked into the complainant’s house in the community and attempted to steal a 15-month-old girl child.

    “The suspect confessed to the crime, as well as revealed that he was contracted by his cohorts at large to steal children for ritual and other criminal purposes,” the police spokesman said.

    He said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a thorough investigation.

    “A thorough investigation would eventual lead to the arrest of other members of the criminal syndicate at large and their prosecution,” he added.

  • Gov. Mbah approves completion of abandoned Int’l Conference Centre

    Gov. Mbah approves completion of abandoned Int’l Conference Centre

    Enugu State Government has approved the completion of the abandoned Enugu International Conference Centre, (ICC) and expressed readiness to revamp other moribund facilities and structures in the state.

    The State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, made this known while briefing journalists on the outcome of a meeting presided over by Gov. Peter Mbah at the Government House Enugu on Friday.

    The commissioner who said the Enugu ICC would be a world class venue in the entire South East region, noted that it would make Enugu an international city alongside it’s international airport.

    This, she said, would provide a major attraction for organisers of mega conferences and become a destination for tourists from across the globe.

    She added that the centre would not only create hundreds of jobs for the teeming youths in the state, but also increase the state internally-generated revenue, and assured that the project would be completed by March 2024.

    The Enugu International Conference Centre which would have been one of the legacy projects of former Gov. Chimaroke Nnamani’s administration before leaving office in 2007, has been abandoned for the past 16 years

    The Centre has a 3,000-capacity auditorium, 1,500-capacity secondary event venue, Dome with 500 seating capacity, shopping facility, food court, recreation center with a mini amusement park, among enticing facilities.

    On the controversy surrounding the Presidential Hotel Enugu, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Aka Eze Aka, reiterated that the hotel was not for sale, and urged Enugu people to disregard the rumour of sales making the rounds by mischief makers.

    While maintaining that the 180-day deadline for the revival of water project in Enugu metropolis remains sacrosanct, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Felix Nnamani, said reticulation was still ongoing, and called on the residents to report any fault identified around their areas to the ministry for onward actions.

    Nnamani said as the construction is still ongoing, the water supply to the areas that had been completed may be epileptic as the contractors test-run the project by switching on-and-off to identify areas that needed attention.

    He urged the people not to panic whenever their water stopped flowing.

    While commending the state governor, Dr Peter Mbah, for his commitment to infrastructural development in the state, Gerald Otiji, the Commissioner for works and Infrastructure, said the identified 71 roads in the urban areas, to be constructed, expanded, dualised and rehabilitated in the first phase of the road project, would be carried out.

    He hinted that the roads would be completed by December and urged the residents not to panic whenever they see heavy duty trucks conveying equipment to their areas.

  • Independence: Federal Establishments Heads gift foodstuffs, cash to Enugu therapeutic home

    Independence: Federal Establishments Heads gift foodstuffs, cash to Enugu therapeutic home

    The Association of Heads of Federal Establishments (AHFE), Enugu State Chapter, on Saturday donated food items to the City of Refuge Rehabilitation/Therapeutic home in the state to mark Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary.

    The association led by its Chairman, Mr Emeka Nwokolo, said that the gesture was to show love and care to the less privileged persons in the spirit of the country’s Independence.

    The charity home formerly known as the Mother Louisa Charity Home, in Udi-Siding Enugu, is a home for the physically and mentally challenged persons including children.

    Some of the items presented to the home included 50kg bag of rice, cartons of detergents, adult and children diapers, 20 tubers of yam, cartons of biscuits and cash.

    According to Nwokolo, the AHFE, who are heads of various federal establishments, recognised the need to give out to the charity home, to give them a sense of belonging in the society.

    “As an association, we will continue to engage in this type of charity visit to different charity homes in the state, at least three times in a year and this is our second time of being here,” he said.

    Nwokolo however, called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate bodies and governments, to make out time to visit and support the special persons homes in the country especially in the current hard economic situation.

    “In spite of the financial challenges in the country, we are able to donate from the little we have and I encourage Nigerians to do same because, they are our brothers and sisters,” he said.

    Responding, the founder of the home, Mrs Louisa Ekwe, commended the AHFE for remembering them.

    Ekwe, who said that taking care of the less privileged persons was a call from God, noted that the charity home, had 87 physically and mentally challenged persons, abandoned at various places in Enugu and other states.

    “So many of them were abandoned children at open places like Holy Ghost Cathedral, Central Police Station (CPS) all in Enugu and the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia.

    “We gather them here and take care of them,” Ekwe said.

    She listed accommodation and feeding as major challenges facing the home.

    According to her, the present home is not suitable to keep the children, stressing that they are looking for a permanent site.

    “We feed them from gifts from good hearted Nigerians who always come here to show them love and support,” she said.

    She appealed to governments, corporate bodies and public spirited Nigerians to support the home.

    “They are our brothers and sisters and I alone, cannot carry the burden,” she said.

    The chairman was accompanied to the visit by some heads of federal agencies including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Code of Conduct Bureau, NDLEA, NNRA.

    Others were the Representatives of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH).

    NAN

  • NGO empowers widows, orphans, PWD, disabled children across 27 states

    NGO empowers widows, orphans, PWD, disabled children across 27 states

    The Royal Ambassadors Charity Home, a non-governmental and non-profit organization, says it has empowered no fewer than 2,000 widows, orphans, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and destitute children in 27 states across the country.

    The Executive Director of the NGO, Amb. David Jonathan, disclosed this during the official inauguration of 35-member State/Zonal/Council Area Executive Working Team for the NGO’s Enugu State Chapter on Saturday in Enugu.

    Jonathan, who said that the NGO was also out to assist the poor and persons with special needs, said that the NGO had made tremendous impact on the lives of Nigerians through its members’ efforts as well as philanthropists and public-spirited donors.

    According to him, “I established this organization 12 years ago; and I envisioned not only helping widows, orphans, PWD, destitute children, the poor and persons with special needs but also building Homes that will shelter them.

    He said that the NGO had expanded its feasible reach to all regions of Nigeria and 34 countries of the World where Royal Ambassadors Charity Home members’ presence are currently making impact with voluntary humanitarian services and direct assistance.

    “It is important we look at how far we have come and think about how farther we can go. We have come a long way but the road ahead is still far,” he said.

    The executive director said that the management of the organization had discovered that in Nigeria widows are neglected, victimized, intimidated and humiliated just because they lost their husband to the hands of the invisible dreaded, “Mr Death”.

    “Our culture and society are not favourable to them at all, the worst of it all is that when any widow does not have a male child, the relatives of her late husband will try to possess what their late brother acquired before his death.

    “In view of this development, a team of advocates and human rights activists in this organization have commenced advocating for the widows’ fundamental rights, protection and welfare in the National Assembly as well as in our neighborhoods.

    “We are very much aware there is no specific law in Nigeria that protects the widow’s rights unlike the PWDs and children that have laws passed as a bill on their behalf for their protection in Nigeria,” he said.

    Jonathan urged residents of Enugu State to join hands with the organization to assist security agencies in fighting against crime in neighborhoods by quickly reporting any suspicious movement or persons within any vicinity to the nearest security station.

    “Security is everyone’s business. We cannot have a secure Enugu State if we are indifferent to events that may threaten the security of our neighbourhoods,” he said.

    For the newly inaugurated executives, Jonathan directed them to join in the onerous task of serving God and humanity in Enugu State by being a blessing to the society along the path that guarantees superior outcomes.

    “I made it clear that it would no longer be business as usual and all hands must be on deck to ensure that people benefit from this organization,” he said.

    Dr Amaka Ezekwonna, Coordinator of Royal Ambassador Charity Home, Enugu State Chapter, said that the inauguration was a practical demonstration of the state members’ commitment and desire to serve humanity.

    “Royal Ambassador Charity Home, Enugu State, has come to provide the channel to reach out to widows, orphans, PWDs, destitute children, the poor and persons with special needs in Enugu State in particular and Nigeria,” Ezekwonna said.

    A physically challenged person, Mr Levi Nnamani, appreciated the NGO for assisting him and other physically challenged persons in the state, adding: “I will continue to pray that God will bless Royal Ambassador Charity Home for this unprecedented assistance we are receiving.”

    NAN