Abia Rant

ICYMI: Abia Assembly refuses to screen 3 commissioner nominees with incomplete credentials

There was a mild drama at the plenary of the Abia State House of Assembly yesterday, as three out of six commissioner nominees sent for confirmation by Abia Governor Alex Otti appeared without some required credentials.

This followed an observation presented to the House by the member representing Obingwa-West state constituency, Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jr., who frowned at why commissioner nominees would appear for screening without their complete credentials.

In his words: “Going through their documents here with us, there is no single paper, including First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), West African Secondary School Certificate (WASSC), tax clearance certificate, birth certificate or age declaration, among others, to back up their claims in their Curriculum Vitae.”

He urged the House to critically look into the anomaly to forestall further recurrences.

Reacting, the Speaker, Emmanuel Emeruwa, said that one of the commissioner nominees was not present at the screening because he was coming from afar and affirmed that others would be confirmed after they presented their credentials to the House at the next plenary.

Out of the six commissioner nominees sent to the Abia State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation by the state governor, only two, Ubochi Goodluck Chinedu and Ogbonnaya Uche, were confirmed after the screening by the House.

The confirmation of the other nominees was suspended pending when they submitted their credentials to the clerk of the House.

The House also passed into law HAB 10—The Abia State Cocoa Development and Other Commodities and Marketing Board Bill, 2024—following its third reading and consideration of the report from its Joint Committee on Agriculture, Trade, Commerce and Industry.

The House later adjourned its plenary to reconvene on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

Papiloo, one day I know say u go make us proud. Congratulations,
New chairman/sole administrator Enyimba FC.

EXIT OF A COLOSSUS.

The remains of Late Hon. High Chief Prince Ndu Nwanke ( former Chief of staff to the Asepa Chairman Aba Zone) was laid to rest today at his country home, Umunkiri in Obingwa LGA, Abia State.

The funeral service held by the Anglican Church was led by the Bishop of Aba Diocese, Rt Rev. Christain Chiozoadighi Ugwuzor.

In attendance were high profiled dignitaries like ; Sen. Enyi Abaribe, Rt Hon Rowland Nwakanma, Rt Hon Eziuche Ubani, Hon Chief Hanson Amaechi Sunday ( Abacha), Hon Kingsley Nnaji, Elder Obioma Nna, Hon Seth Agomuo, Chief Rowland Nwosu, Hon Iyke Aaron and other respected people too numerous to mention.

May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen.

MOUAU ARE OUR PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

IKPEAZU

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu says that the Abia State Government will sustain its partnership with the Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in working towards creating a more robust economy for the grassroots with women and youth inclusion in focus.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu stated this while receiving a delegation of the
Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe and his management team who called on him in Government House, Umuahia. He said, it is as a result that the administration is bent on setting up agro-based cottage industries in the 17 LGAs, especially in the areas of palm kernel oil processing, cassava processing and rice milling. According to him, 6 LGAs have been selected for the pilot scheme which would soon take off, while equipment for the industries have since arrived the State from India.

Governor Ikpeazu said that the State government will be open to partnership with the University to see how to do reverse engineering on the possibility of fabricating and producing agro-equipment,such as the ones imported from India. He noted that the greatest challenge of the Nigerian Universities is how to bridge the gap between research findings and actual inventions to put them to every day use.

The Governor said his government will be willing to support the patronage of the inventions of MOUA as the State yearns for economic development. He also assured that government will give Visitation Panel the enabling environment to do their job. He congratulated the new management team of the university and directed the SSG to take up the issue of the Certificate of Occupancy of the school which they said has been outstanding while commiserating with them on the loss of the former Vice- Chancellor, Late Professor Otunta.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe said the visit was to present himself as the 6th Vice-Chancellor of the University, his management as well as presenting the Presidential Visitation Panel of the school to the Governor. He requested the Governor to continue to extend his goodwill to the school as it is the only specialized university of its kind in the South East and South South area.

He thanked the Governor for his encouragement and support that led to his emergence as the new Vice-Chancellor and expressed their readiness to partner with the State in the area of agriculture. He reminded him that the land alloted to the University since 1994 has not been properly documented by the State.

Contributing, the Chairman of the Visitation Panel, Professor Suleman Adeyemi said, the purpose of constituting the Visitation Panel by Mr. President, is to review performance of the university in governance, academic standard, management of finances, staff and students relationships among others. He said, one issue of concern for the institution is land and appealed to the Governor to look into non issue of C of O to the University as well as encroachment of the university land by unauthorized people.

Deputy Governor Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem, Honorable Commissioner for Finance, Dr Aham Ukoh, State Head of Service, Sir Onyi Onyii Wamah and Deputy Chief of Staff in the office of the Deputy Governor, Sir Don Ubani were amongst top officials of the State Government who witnessed the event.

Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
5th May, 2021.