By Raymond Ozoji,  Awka

There are very strong indications that the Anambra State House of Assembly Complex Awka may reopen for legislative business on Thursday, April 18.

Although investigations at the assembly complex on April 16 revealed that the House would have resumed plenary on April 11 but the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) industrial action stalled the resumption of legislative sessions because offices were closed in the complex.

Recall that the Anambra state chapter PASAN led by Abraham Okoye had on March 28 joined her counterparts across the federation to begin an indefinite strike since state governments seemed complacent about the full implementation of autonomy for the legislature coupled with other lingering issues.

Anambra PASAN had on April 11 held an emergency meeting with the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkemakonam Udeze, management staff of the State House of Assembly and representative of the national body of PASAN, where they arrived at the following resolutions: “That the strike continues pending when they are paid all their allowances that have been pending since 2019.

“That the union is not out to fight or witch-hunt the Speaker nor the Governor of the State but agitating for their right which has been denied them since 2019.

“That the union no doubt appreciates the good work which the governor is doing in the state including the facelift of the state House of Assembly and also the Rt. Hon. Speaker for his push to ensure further reshaping of the State House of Assembly complex.

“That it is quite obvious that the State’s condition is quite peculiar but cannot be compared with  the State Judiciary which is another arm of government that had gotten her Judicial autonomy since 2020 while they are still pleading for legislative autonomy.

“That they have appealed to the State Government to do the needful so that they can call off the strike and consolidate further on the existing Legislative-Executive cordial relations.”

When this journalist visited the House of Assembly Complex in Awka on Tuesday April 16, he discovered that the entrance to the legislative chambers was locked and some of the workers who defied the strike to come to work were spotted sleeping on duty.

Meanwhile principal officers of the 8th legislature who had a prolonged crucial meeting with the Speaker on Tuesday, could not also have access to their offices because the office complex was under lock and key.

But the Deputy Minority Leader of the 8th Assembly and lawmaker representing Ogbaru One State Constituency, Hon. Noble Igwe, who spoke exclusively with this journalist on Tuesday shortly after the crucial meeting of principal officers with the Speaker, said the strike action was an internal issue and that members of PASAN have the right to demand for what was due to them even as he pointed out that the industrial impasse would be resolved.

Igwe disclosed that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo was not sleeping over the issue instead he is working assiduously to make sure that the right thing is done.

He said the governor was not against autonomy for the legislature and that the Speaker is interfacing with the governor to ensure that their demands were met inorder to resolve the matter and call off the strike.

Igwe said his colleagues in the 8th Assembly just returned from the Easter break only to be held back again by the strike embarked upon by assembly workers even though he expressed hope that the House may reconvene for plenary on Thursday this week.

Igwe however maintained that the strike would not continue because according to him, what Anambra PASAN is agitating for is what the governor can easily do for them.

Also another principal officer of the 8th assembly, Hon. Paul Obu, who represents Orumba-North Constituency and doubles as the Minority Whip of the House, corroborated what his colleague said, confirming that there is 100 percent likelihood that the House of Assembly would resume plenary on Thursday this week.

Obu said members of the 8th Assembly feel the pains and plights of assembly workers but stated too that with dialogue the impasse would be resolved amicably.

Confirming the meeting of principal officers with the leadership of the House, Obu told this journalist that the Speaker was on top of the matter and doing everything possible to get PASAN members back to work to enable the lawmakers to reconvene for their constitutional legislative duties.

…Says funding is from IGR

By Barth Ndubuwah, Port- Harcourt

The Rivers State Executive Council has given approval to the State Government to spend the sum of N6.7 billion for the reconstruction of the 5-kilometre long Okania-Ogbogoro road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The approval was given at the Council’s 7th meeting, presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu and other members of the cabinet in attendance.

The meeting, which was the second this year, held at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Engr. Atemea Briggs, explained that the road stretches from Okania through Ogbogoro to Ozuoba.

He noted that the road contract was initially awarded to Nugi Nigeria Limited on April 12, 2017, but was abandoned after preliminary works.

Engr Briggs said that with the abandonment, the road collapsed, making it completely impassible thereby constituting a major traffic challenge to motorists, especially now that works have intensified on the Port Harcourt Ring Road that traverses part of Ozuoba.

“The proposed Okania-Ogbogoro Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area is about 5 kilometres in length. It is connecting Okania to the major Ogbogoro-Ozuoba Road. Presently, the state of the road is completely impassible; and it is filled with water.

“The project was previously awarded to Nugi Nigeria Limited on April 12, 2017, and partial work was done up until 2020 when the contractor abandoned the project.”

According to him, “From that time, until now, due to the neglect, the major sections of the road, including the internal community roads have all collapsed.

“But presently, due to the outcry of the people around the area and commuters as a result of the ongoing construction of Port Harcourt Ring Road, the road is considered for reconstruction.

“The Council has approved a total sum of N6,734,865,277.88 kobo only for the road contract. The period of the construction is expected to last only five months,” he said.

Also briefing newsmen, the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, said Council approved that the former contract with Nugi Nigeria Limited be terminated and the project re-awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Johnson stated that a 40 percent mobilisation fee has been paid to the new contractor, CCECC, adding that the project will be funded entirely from savings in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State.

He added that the State Government believes that it could fund virtually all its projects with savings from Internally Generated Revenue without necessarily borrowing from financial institutions because of its prudent application of scarce resources and funds to deliver good governance to Rivers people.

The Information Commissioner also explained that the State Government has begun the distilling and clearing of the Nta-Wogba Creek to check flooding in the Port Harcourt City centre in the State.

He further said that the State Government will soon begin rehabilitation work on the failed sections of the Igwuruta-Chokocho Road to assuage the discomfort experienced by the people in the area.

On her part, the Acting Director General, Bureau for Public Procurement, Engr Ine Briggs, said the agency considered the six applications received from the Ministry of Works that outlined the estimates for the project, and issued a certificate of no objection after thorough due diligence was conducted on the applications.

By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Arewa Youth Consultative forum (AYCF) has expressed worries over the current allegations of corruption against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

The group in a press statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday by the National President of AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima called on the anti graft agency, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to tread with caution.

Shettima averred that since the case is already in court awaiting determination, the anti graft agency should not take the laws into its hands, by making all efforts to tarnish the image of the ex governor despite not being convicted of any offence.

AYCF said, “We are worried on whose authority or interest the anti graft agency is carrying out their actions despite the disclosure by the Kogi State government that no money is missing.

“The invasion of the former Governor’s Abuja residence by the operatives was contrary to a subsisting court order granted February 9, 2024 by the Kogi State High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division, in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello Vs. EFCC, restraining the Commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining or prosecuting him, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.

“The EFCC was duly served with that Order on 12th February 2024 and on 26th February 2024; the EFCC filed an Appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said Order to the Court of Appeal Abuja division. The Appeal was accompanied by a Motion for Stay of Execution of the Order of the High Court which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till the 22nd day of April 2024.

“It is unfair that contrary to all of the above, the EFCC decided to lay siege to the home of the former Governor seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders!

“We perceive the desperation of the anti-graft agency to embarrass and harass the former Governor by all means through spurious allegations, especially the latest one dating back to September 2015, way before he assumed office.

“We are aware that there are clandestine moves to correct the error, but with even more questionable allegations, which would embarrass the Commission and Nigeria more than the initial one.

“It is unfortunate that an agency that is supposed to enforce the law is now the first culprit with respect to disobedience of court orders. This is a big dent on the fight against corruption. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the EFCC to order in the interest of legal sanity because we are not in a banana republic where anything goes.

“AYCF therefore calls on the EFCC to ensure that fundamental right of the ex Governor is respected to the letter, we are watching with keen interest,” the statement averred.