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Abia Govt to establish innovation park – Commissioner
Mr Okey Kanu, the Abia Commissioner for Information and Culture, says plans are underway to establish an “Innovation Park” to accelerate socio-economic development in the state.
Kanu disclosed this during a news conference on the outcome of the State Executive Council at the Government House, Umuahia.
He said that the decision to embark on the project was informed by the resolve of Gov. Alex Otti to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of Abia.
Kanu said the initiative would provide an avenue for the state government to address the issue of youth unemployment in Abia.
“A lot of investors are showing strong interest to partner with government to establish the Innovation Park.
“The park will house an incubation centre.
“Those involved in manufacturing, logistics, power, modular refinery will form part of this park,” he said.
On payment of pensions in the state, he said that the government was committed to resolving all hitches in the payment.
Kanu added that thr state government was making serious efforts to ensure payment of 100 per cent pension to pensioners.
He, however, apologised to pensioners over the shortfall in the June payment and attributed the shortfall to the historical method adopted by the past administration.
Kanu said the method was being reviewed to ensure that pensioners would be paid 100 per cent of their pension and subsequently their outstanding before the end of the year.
On environment, Kanu said that in line with the rebuilding agenda of the present administration, the government would commence a “Clean Abia Programme” aimed at improving the cleanliness of the state.
He said that the government was focused on encouraging the people of Abia to imbibe the culture of keeping their surrounding clean and actively participating in the monthly clean-up exercise observed in the state.
The Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, said that efforts were being made to rehabilitate the road leading to Osisioma Depot to make the facility functional and accessible to oil marketers.
Ogbonna said that the state government was making efforts to effect repairs on the vandalised Port Harcourt-Osisioma pipeline damaged by suspected vandals.
He said the ministry would set up an effective monitoring team to ensure that filling stations provide the public with good quality product.
Ogbonna added that plans were underway to set up a modular refinery in Ukwa West through Public-Private Partnership as part of government’s efforts to address the issue of high cost of petroleum products.
Also, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mrs Ngozi Felix, said the ministry would hold the annual Abia Women Delegates Conference (AWADEC) on August 13.
Felix said that the conference would be attended by over 2,000 participants from across the three senatorial zones of the state who would be trained in different areas of life and in turn would go back to teach women in the various local communities.
She added that the event would feature empowerment of vulnerable groups, widows and physically challenge persons.
Felix said that plans were in top gear to establish a Sexual Assault and Refferal Centre to take care of victims of sexual assault and other violent acts in the state.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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