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Ebonyi Gov Not Corrupt, Won’T Collect Loans – Finance Commissioner

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From Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki
Ebonyi state Commissioner for Finance, Leonard Uguru has said that the governor Francis Nwifuru is not corrupt and will not borrow money to finance any project.
Uguru, equally debunked the involvement of the state government in the borrowing of 226.8bn from domestic and foreign financiers by thirteen governors in the country.


The state Commissioner, Uguru explained that the state governor, Francis Nwifuru has not borrowed from both internal and foreign creditors since assumption of office on May 29, 2023.

He made this known while reacting to the publication of Debt Management Office,DMO which reported that Ebonyi government under Francis Nwifuru are among the 13 states had between June-December 2023 borrowed $125.
1m(111.24bn) where the state according to report accumulated external debt of $37.54 million.
The state Commissioner explained further that the state has not borrowed money since assumption of office as the governor has vowed never to borrow to fund his government.
According to him: “Since the inception of this administration, Ebonyi state government has not borrowed any money whether foreign or domestic loan. So, any organization that’s writing that Ebonyi is among the states that has borrowed money, I don’t know where they are getting their data.
“According to him, the governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, is not even ready in the near future to borrow, because he said that he’s not going to leave a loan for his successor or unborn generation.
“So, the money we are getting from the federation account and IGR is enough to give to Ebonyi citizens what they want from him based on the people’s charter of needs as promised by the governor in as far as the government is not corrupt to be diverting what’s meant for personal aggrandizement and that’s our stand for now.
“The state debt profile is not as high as other states. Debt profile being high is a relative term because you can’t expect the debt profile of the United States of America for instance to be the same with a country like Togo.
“So, in South East states, Ebonyi state is still the least in both domestic and foreign debt. Even though the 150 million dollar loan from Africa Development Bank and Islamic Bank by the past administration in the reconstruction of ring road which is what made the loan to increase, it is worth it as the road cuts across various Local Government Areas of the state. Outside that, I don’t think there’s any other debt owed by the previous state government.
“The state government is not sleeping on its oars as long as we know that the priority of the present administration is not on infrastructure but based on welfare of the citizens.
“That’s why the government started with buying vehicles to be conveying civil servants going to work both those working in the universities, Centenary City and other places of work free of charge both to and fro.
“Recently, the governor has also directed the office of Head of Service to make sure that every arrears, those due for promotion and others, be prepared to ensure that people enjoy their promotions with financial effect.
“To those who are not civil servants, it is not my office to tell you because we are all aware that some group of hawkers in different parts of the country who are indigenes of the state were given free two million naira as grants to their businesses and that was one of the ways the state government is using to elevate the suffering of Ebonyians both those in the state and outside with other programmes ongoing.
“We are still preparing now to go for one billion naira distribution for another set of hawkers and once the process of selecting them is fair and transparent, we will begin to empower them.
“Investors are coming, and during the inauguration of the Internal Revenue Board, the governor was emphatic that they should tackle the rich and not the poor vegetable sellers. Most times, the poor are the ones paying revenue. The investors can see that there’s no more double taxation as the state means business in their efforts to create an enabling environment for investment to thrive.
 “The 2024 budget as approved is going as required in its implementation level at every ministries. By the 28th of this month, the ministry of Budget and Planning will be sending a report to the nation based on law on the implementation level.
“The ministries submit returns on a monthly basis based on the performance of the budget and on the 28th the ministry will send their quarterly report to the national from where we know the performance of our budget.
“Right now if you are writing any memo to the governor,it must be attached with the budget. The judiciary has received fifty percent of the budget as they are autonomous” he said.

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5-year Old Girl Crushed to Death Crossing Expressway in Lagos -Police

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The Police Command in Lagos State says a five-year old girl, simply identified as Bosede, was  crushed to death by a truck while crossing the Iganmu-Apapa expressway with her mother.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Sunday.

Hundeyin said the information of the accident was received by the Iponri police Division on Saturday at about 11.

30 a.
m.

He said the accident happened at Iganmu under the bridge, inward Apapa, involving a truck driven by yet to be identified driver.

The spokesperson said the girl and her mother were allegedly crossing the expressway when the truck hit and crushed her head, killing her on the spot.

Hundeyin said the police traffic officers from the division visited the scene and removed the corpse for burial by the family.

He said investigation is ongoing for possible arrest of the fleeing driver. (NAN)

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Gov. Sanwo-Olu Applauds Prince Harry’s Initiative 

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Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
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Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has commended Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, for rehabilitating serving and fallen heros mentally and physically, by creating the Invictus Game.

The governor made the commendation on Sunday, while receiving Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Dutchess of Sussex, at the Lagos House, Marina, on a courtesy visit.

Reports says that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived Nigeria on May 10, to promote the Invictus Games.

Invictus Games is an initiative of Prince Harry, founded to support the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service men and veterans, including Nigerian soldiers and their fight against terrorism.

NAN reports that the royalties arrived the Lagos House at exactly 1.

10 p.m. and were accompanied by Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, and his wife, Lilian.

The visit, which is mainly to promote the Invictus Games, founded in 2014, and aimed at helping serving members of the military and veterans to overcome their physical injuries or mental health challenges, which helps them develop a sense of belonging and increased self-esteem.

“We’re indeed happy for what they’re doing, especially for our military men on conversations around mental health and how they can manage people, who require support both in the military and private.

“Mental health issues are also something we all live around, with the denial, and the stigmatisation.”

Sanwo-Olu explained that the royal couple were on a visit to Nigeria, and Lagos was one of their stop-overs and that Nigerians were excited about their wonderful ideas.

“We just want to assure you gentlemen of the press that for Prince Harry, this has been a very informative trip to the country, he has seen a lot, he is still soaking in a whole lot.

“And part of the things that we’re hoping that he would take away is our diversity and the extent of how big our country is, how we continue to ensure that we live together in peace and harmony and the role Lagos plays,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said he looked forward to hosting the couple in the near future, adding that Meghan, who has a decent percentage of Nigerian in her genealogy, looked well in her Aso-oke, (Nigerian traditional attire).

“Talking importantly about the Invictus Game, at what point can we have it in Nigeria , so that the Nigerian competitiveness can also be reflective in that game,” the governor said.(NAN)

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Hoodlums Attack, Demolish 67-year-old Visually Impaired Man’s House in Enugu

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Hoodlums have again, attacked and demolished a 67-year-old visually impaired man’s house, Mr Anibeze Nnadi.from Awoke-Agana family in Uwani-Otobo, Umuezike Aku in Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State.

The hoodlums was said to have arrived Nnadi’s house in their numbers at midnight when he was asleep, shot sporadically in the air, attacked him and brought him outside before demolishing the house.

Speaking to newsmen on Sunday in Enugu on the development, Nnadi accused the son of the suspended traditional ruler of the community, Prince Uzochukwu Okwor, of being responsible for the attack.

Reports says that Uzochukwu’s father, Igwe Christopher Okwor, was on September 2021, suspended by the Enugu State Government for allegedly demolishing a two bedroom building belonging to Nnadi, a house built for him by Ezemagu family over land issues.

Nnadi, who said that he had no issue with anyone, wondered why he had become a subject of attack.

“I am not quarrelling with anybody but they frequently attack me.

“I was in my house on Tuesday when I heard gun shots but before I knew it, they started beating me, drag me outside and demolished my house.

“This is the sixth time they are demolishing my house that good Samaritans built for me.

“The land they built on belong to me,” he said.

Nnadi, who said he had been suffering from serious body pain since the incident, however, appealed to Enugu State Government to come to his aid and build him another house.

The eldest man in Ezemagu family, Chief Daniel Ezemagu, said that the perpetrators carried out the act because the blind man had nobody to speak for him.

“We could not resist the attack because they came with guns and other weapons and were shooting everywhere.

“I want peace and I want Enugu State Government to help us achieve that peace by allowing truth to prevail,” he said.

Ezemagu further said that the continuous delay by the Enugu State Government to release report of its panel of enquiry on the matter was contributing to the suffering of the victim and causing breakdown of law and order.

He described the act as painful, stressing that they were suspecting Okwor’s son to have perpetrated the demolition.

He hinted that the community was planning for peace on Sunday but they came on Tuesday and demolished the place, leaving Nnadi homeless.

“I don’t know their interest in the matter. Government should help us to unravel those behind the demolition as we now live in fear,” he appealed.

Reacting, Okwor’s son, Prince Ugonna Okwor, said no member of the royal family had been attacking anybody.

He said that all the allegations were untrue and a ploy by Nnamdi Ezemagu to tarnish the image of the royal family.

According to him, there are several pending cases in court; they destroyed the building themselves and run to the media to seek sympathy.

“They have seen that my father is about to be reinstated by the Enugu State Government and came up with the demolition allegations.

“We agreed that everybody should build their own and that nobody should touch one another’s buildings but they continue building and demolishing and run to police to intimidate my younger brother.

“There is no blind man connection to the ownership of the land in suits in court,” Okwor said.

According to him, Nnadi had a house which they say it was inhabitable for him.

“Why can’t they build in his old house they demolished but prefer going to the land that is in contention to build for him?” he asked.

When contacted, Nnamdi Ezemagu stated that allegations by Okwor were false and a calculated attempt to divert the attention of the public from the criminal activity of his brothers and their gang.

He said that one Kenechukwu Ani was arrested and confessed to the crime of demolishing Nnadi’s house in 2021 through the connection of Uzochukwu Okwor and his father. (NAN)

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