…Feeds less privileges in Ebonyi communities

The Billion Coin (TBC), held its Nigeria International Conference at Enugu on Monday, march 2, 2020.

Three cities which are Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos were selected for the International conference while the first point of call was Enugu State. The Billion Coin is a Crypto currency founded by Kris Kringles and it thrives on pear to pear transaction, and It came into existence in 2016.

Addressing journalists as part of the activities marking the event, the TBC global trainer, Mr. Mbeh Derick, disclosed that they were in Nigeria to train over one million members of the group who are registered, even none registered members.

Stating: “Many of them do not really understand our objectives and they are just there for the money, but TBC is not just about money, TBC is about humanity. Remember, if you teach the people what they need to know, they will definitely have all what they need in their life.

Stating that they have the humanitarian part of TBC, adding that it’s not just about money but about giving humanity that dignity that they need.

He said they are in Nigeria for two reasons and the first was for goodwill and that the TBC administration from USA has provided some funds to ensure they feed some localities.

“We are here to help you, we have great conferences and trainings, workshops where we shall educate the TBC community, both members and none members.

“We shall be teaching them a technical part of it because we have a lot of technicalities and people are also trying to confuse our concept with other concepts that they know. We are in a new era and not all really understands, so we invite everybody to partake in one of these conferences because it’s going to be awesome”, he noted.

On her part, Mrs. Derick thanked their members in Enugu, most especially the women, stating: “this is a sign that ladies are not just house wives, but they are able to pull the bull by the horn and make sure that the vision and mission of TBC which is to eradicate poverty, lifting humanity out of hunger and misery comes to realization.

“Our mission is key, our objective is to serve one another with love and respect. So if we are here today in Nigeria, what drives us is the love and respect that TBC has for humanity”, she state.

Mrs. Derick charged the ladies to keep pushing; “and with you here we believe that TBC in Enugu is going to move to another dimension because we can see the man and their ladies standing behind them”, she added.

Earler in his speech, the national coordinator of TBC, who is also the host, Dr. Solo Amahaotu, said that TBC is a worldwide organization.

Amahaotu noted that TBC has the aspiration and vision of eradicating poverty globally, adding: “You understand that it is not a small feat to eradicate poverty in the world of over 7 billion people. But we intend to do that by having a membership of at least a billion people in the whole world. We want to have a special country in the world that has no border, no limitation of any kind, just people who want to survive and take away the slavery that the world’s elites have subjected the people into. In order to do this, TBC introduced a coin called the kringle.

“As of now we are over 50 million members and we are still growing. In Nigeria we have more than 1.6 million members, we are not new, but the point is that everybody does not know about TBC yet and everybody is supposed to know about it if you have the aim of freeing yourself from slavery.

“We have been mentally enslaved that’s why we are peculiarly poor. Poverty manifests itself through the brain to the empty pocket”, he state.

The national coordinator reiterated that their members are their own banks and are always in charge of their wallets, adding: “nobody can touch it because you alone knows your password and nobody else knows it”.

He noted that TBC is a special type of coin which is not dependent on the market situation to thrive as is the case with other coins, stressing that TBC grows because of its dependency on membership.

“Every member that comes in starts as a grain of gold and that is why when we get to our economic stage which is 1 billion grains of gold, if by that time a grain of gold is 302 dollars, it means you are having 3.2 billion dollars in one coin you have and with this we can employ more than 10 people each and if we do so, we have wiped out unemployment on the face of the earth and when we are doing this with love and respect for humanity we are given the people real life where you work and see the benefit of what you are doing,” the coordinator noted.

He said TBC is not quoted in the public market as such, there is no way to exchange the money, adding that it is used pear to pear.

“That is, you transact with me and I transact with you. As of now we have over 3,000 merchants. By the time we got to economic state, we shall have over 5, 000 legal merchants, which means there are no goods and services in this world we shall not be able to provide among ourselves and use our own money to transact it. Gentlemen, it’s an innovation and in the whole world, there is nowhere this is happening except in TBC”, he stated.

He said they are yet to get to the economic stage, but are in the distribution stage where a registered member is given TBC free of charge, but such person have to do some job which is to recruit people into TBC. “And we will pay you handsomely for doing this job”, he added.

He averred that as a crypto currency, that it has a blockchain and that registration is free but there’s maintenance fee which people are not obligated to to pay, but it will help members to enjoy more benefits.

Asked why some who had TBC long time ago are unable to access their wallet, the programme coordinator South East, Isaac Priston Ikegwu, pointed out that some do not know how to access their wallet because they are yet to educate themselves on how to do that, adding that though they do not charge transaction fee but they charge administrative fee. “So you can imagine, if someone does not pay administrative fee and he cannot access his wallet, how then will the person complain that he cannot access his wallet when he has not paid administrative fee.

“That account can always be accessed when you open it, but there are certain things you can no longer operate if you have not paid the administrative fee, but just to login to your account, everybody can always do so because your account is always there, just that you are always limit to some features in the wallet”, he stated.

Meanwhile, after the press conference, the team journeyed to Ebonyi state where they distributed relief materials to some less privileges at Ezzamgbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area and Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

The Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has ordered striking Ebonyi State University lectures to either resume work on Monday, March 9 or leave the university.

This was contained in release signed by the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government and the Coordinating Commissioner, Dr Kenneth Ugbala.

He maintained that government will not pay anyone who has not done his or her BVN registration with Banks and as well as any who refused to go to work from Monday.

Gov. Umahi assured those who choose to resume work on Monday of their full protection, adding that government will invoke every sections of the law to protect such workers .

The governor reiterated that most of the demands by ASUU are more political than genuine, insisting that it was not enough to embark on strike action.

The statement reads: ” The Governor has personally intervened on the affair and welfare of ASUU workers in the State and only last year, a total of 1.5 Billion naira has been paid to ASUU by Ebonyi State Government for the accumulative demand of ASUU from the past administration .

“Government also has gone through the issues between ASUU and Management and discovered that most of their demands are more political than a genuine demands thereby making Government to see this demand as not enough to make ASUU embark on any strike action.
“Therefore, Government will as from Monday March,9th 2020 not to allow anybody who has not done his or her BVN registration with Banks and not also going to work to receive salary .

“Government therefore directs that such worker must leave the University and perhaps continue his or her strike action at home. However Government wishes to assure full protection of all academic workers of the University who wants to work as Government will invoke every sections of the law to protect such workers .

”The Visitor to the University and the Governor of Ebonyi State hereby offers to mediate between ASUU ,Ebonyi State Chapter and the Management of EBSU over their current misunderstanding and proffer a lasting solution .

“Consequently Government will personally hold ASUU Chairman responsible for any form of public disorder or break down of law at the University as Ebonyi State law and other laws are very clear on this matter . Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of His Excellency ,Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi, fnse,fnate is committed at providing affordable and quality education in our tertiary institutions as he continues to appeal to ASUU , Ebonyi State Chapter to lend their support .

The Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, has ordered striking Ebonyi State University lectures to either resume work on Monday, March 9 or leave the university.

This was contained in release signed by the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government and the Coordinating Commissioner, Dr Kenneth Ugbala.

He maintained that government will not pay anyone who has not done his or her BVN registration with Banks and as well as any who refused to go to work from Monday.

Gov. Umahi assured those who choose to resume work on Monday of their full protection, adding that government will invoke every sections of the law to protect such workers .

The governor reiterated that most of the demands by ASUU are more political than genuine, insisting that it was not enough to embark on strike action.

The statement reads: ” The Governor has personally intervened on the affair and welfare of ASUU workers in the State and only last year, a total of 1.5 Billion naira has been paid to ASUU by Ebonyi State Government for the accumulative demand of ASUU from the past administration .

“Government also has gone through the issues between ASUU and Management and discovered that most of their demands are more political than a genuine demands thereby making Government to see this demand as not enough to make ASUU embark on any strike action.
“Therefore, Government will as from Monday March,9th 2020 not to allow anybody who has not done his or her BVN registration with Banks and not also going to work to receive salary .

“Government therefore directs that such worker must leave the University and perhaps continue his or her strike action at home. However Government wishes to assure full protection of all academic workers of the University who wants to work as Government will invoke every sections of the law to protect such workers .

”The Visitor to the University and the Governor of Ebonyi State hereby offers to mediate between ASUU ,Ebonyi State Chapter and the Management of EBSU over their current misunderstanding and proffer a lasting solution .

“Consequently Government will personally hold ASUU Chairman responsible for any form of public disorder or break down of law at the University as Ebonyi State law and other laws are very clear on this matter . Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of His Excellency ,Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi, fnse,fnate is committed at providing affordable and quality education in our tertiary institutions as he continues to appeal to ASUU , Ebonyi State Chapter to lend their support .

…Victims beg Gov Umahi not to render them homeless, suggest expansion, bridge

Nde-Ekuma family in Uhu Amaji, Amasiri community in Afikpo North local government area, are now in tears over the recent decision by the state government to construct a flyover at Amasiri Junction.

The victims lamented that over 70 houses within the project site have been marked for possible demolition, stressing that if the demolition is carried out that majority of them will be left homeless.

In their written appeal to the governor which was signed by Ichie Dickson Akuma Osim, Iche Chief Okoche Osim, Ichie Omezue Martin Oko Ewa and five others, they described Governor Umahi as God-Sent to Ebonyi people.

However, they appealed to him to remember his five-fold covenants with God on assumption of office, while making reference to No 1 and 4.
“No 1 reads and we quote: To serve Ebonyi State with the fear of God”. And no 4. ” To passionately help the widows and the oppressed.

“Since the voice of the people is the voice of God, the undersigned (representatives of the would be victims), for ourselves and the entire populace of Uhu-Amaji (aka Amasiri Junction) are solemnly appealing to the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State to reconsider the building of flyover at Amasiri Junction”, they appealed

They further urged the governor to instead construct by pass within the junction. One from Asa to Central where little or nothing will be destroyed, then another for Edda-Okposi road which is already there but needs to be tarred.

They also suggested that a bridge could be constructed at Amasiri Junction for pedestrians.

They explained that the site is the ancestral home of Nde-Ekuma family and co-inhabitants who have lived there before Nigeria came into being.

“To us, Uhu Amaji Amasiri aka Amasiri Junction has been and remains the ancestral home of the historic Nde-Ekuma family and the proposed demolition will make us and so many others refugees in our own land.

“That no amount of compensation or even resettlement programme will be commensurate to the harm the project will occasion to Nde-Ekuma family as refugees in our own land.

“That we observe presently that there is no heavy traffic of vehicles or human beings at Amasiri Junction to warrant such gigantic project, which will eventually render many of us homeless in our ancestral home. As it stands now, some vehicles coming from Okigwe follow Akaeze through Uburu-Onicha to Abakaliki. Then others coming from Abakaliki follow Onueke-Onicha via Uburu to Abia State. Leaving a very negligible proportion that pass through Amasiri.

“Your Excellency, Sir, we may suggest, that what Amasiri-Afikpo-Ohaozara roads require is double lane and maybe, Zebra check-mate over speeding.

“That for ages and centuries past, the said Uhu Amaji aka Amasiri Junction if taken from us by your administration, will constitute the highest degree of man’s injustice to man, (thereby making us lose our identity). It is on this premise that we pray you to withdraw this proposal as you consider the effect the said proposal, if implemented will have on the lives, security and future of your teaming population of the community”, they further appealed.
Speaking with the youth leader, Akuma Chigozie Osim, he reiterated that despite the place being his ancestral home, that he was born there and don’t have any other place to go.

He stated that instead of the flyover, the state government can expand the road, stating that such was done in other places within the local government area.

Akuma said that if the government fails to heed to their plea that they will not fight it, rather will continue praying that God touches the governor’s heart.

Adding: “We are not fighting the government and the youths are not protesting any form of development in that area, but we are pleading that expansion of the road be embarked on instead of the flyover.

He said they were not informed about the demolition until on Monday when some from the community told them to remove their properties that government was coming for demolition on Wednesday, that is today.

“We were not invited for any meeting as regards to the demolition. Every meeting they had was kangaroo and charade. The property owners and landlords have not been consulted for any meeting. The community just woke up on Monday this week to announce that they are giving us from that Monday to today which is Wednesday to evacuate every property in that area that government is coming for demolition”, he noted.

By Angela Nwaeze

The expect, David Onyinyechi Agu, a Consultant with Development Strategy Centre, Nigeria, disclosed this on Monday while delivering his keynote address during a one day workshop in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital.

The one day review workshop for stakeholders was organized by a non-governmental organization, Center for Social Justice (CSJ), with the support of the European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative.

Agu explained that the available records of the state’s budget between 2016 to 2019 shows that the state did not carry out any notable project on the sector.

Stating: “We observed that there has been an increase in the level of sexual based violence against women compared to what it was previously especially in 2013 and now. And that demands that government should do more in the area of interventions to ensure that these vices are curtailed”.

“Between 2016 and 2019 there is only one line item in the entire budget that speaks to the issue of gender based violence. Outside that we don’t have any other line item in it. Even the little that was budgeted was not implemented and that means that nothing was done within these period targeted at reducing sexual gender based violence”.

“Activities of donor agencies and civil society organizations have been helping to give voice to the issue but that is not enough. Government has to be doing something and must also be seen to be doing something to eliminate the vice from our society’, he said.

Noting that any donor funds being accessed by the state government should also be captured in the budget.

“Even for this particular indicator, the most recent data show that the state still posts a high record of more than 16% of the women being married before they turned 18 years of age.

“Similarly, there has been an improvement in the proportion of women and girls in Ebonyi state who had one form of female genital mutilation or the other. However, the improvement does not necessarily stand for total elimination of the problem.

“This is because up to 5.2% and 53.2% of the girls and women respectively still had one form of genital mutilation or the other as at 2018. These data are very scary considering the fact that these harmful practices are usually associated with the prevalence of women who suffer from Vesico-Vaginal Gistula (VVF)”.

On his part, the Lead Director of CSJ, Eze Onyekpere, called for budgetary provisions for capital projects that would help eliminate sexual gender based violence, violence against women and girls and harmful practices in the state.

Onyekpere maintained that the little provisions made against sexual gender based violence in the state are not usually executed and called for an end to it to reduce or eliminate the violence.

He reiterated that with more sensitization, more policy base analysis, sexual gender based violence will start reducing in the nearest future especially when the surviours and victims begin to claim their rights and make it impossible for the perpetrators to think twice before embarking on the act.

“This gathering is called to valid the study we have done on budgeting for reduction of violence against women, reduction of harmful traditional practices and reduction sexual and gender based violence as well as promoting the enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls.

“We are trying to see the resources the state government put behind the laws against on gender based violence to be able to implement them because we know that laws and policies and plans are as good as the resources being dedicated to implement them. So, we are looking at what has been the budget? How much of that budget has been released? If it has been released, how much of it has been utilized and whether there have been value for money and the impact of the state government investment”, added.

However, the Executive Director Neighborhood Initiative for Women Advancement (NIWA), Nancy Oko-Onya, pointed out that the meeting will validate the data collected on the state on sexual reproductive health and rights, how much the state budgets, whether there are budgetary allocations for issues of sexual reproductive health and rights.

Nancy frowned at sexual violence and other harmful practices against the girl child and women, stating that the act is on the increase in the state despite the government claim that it has reduced as a result of its policies against the acts.

“The thing is that the law is there, how effective is the law? How many people know that the law exists? How many people have been prosecuted? How many people have been jailed”, she asked.

While the Senior Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu said: “we are just coming out of the recession. So people have to bear with the government. All the budgetary provisions are lean”.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Adamu has confirmed the zonal re-arrangement of the Nigerian Police Force as requested by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi, during his visit to Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday.

Umahi had requested the IGP to remove Ebonyi from Police Zone 6 Calabar to Zone 9 Umuahia and equally create additional mobile squadron in the state.

In a press release by the Special Assistant to Umahi on Media, Francis Nwaze, he stated, “Today, IGP office confirmed that Ebonyi State Command has been removed from Police Zone 6 Calabar to Police Zone 9 Umuahia. “It is imperative in achieving the policing of our nation’s dream.”

Before the rearrangement, Zone 6, Calabar comprised Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Ebonyi states while Zone 9 comprised Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo, making Ebonyi the only Southeast state that was not in Zone 9.

Ezza nation has been thrown into mourning following the death of a former member who represented Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency, Hon. Tobias Chukwuemeka Okwuru, at the lower chamber.

Okwuru who buried his father late last year, died around 9:30am on February 28, at Niger Foundation Hospital Enugu at 59years old, leaving his wife and kids behind.

It was learnt that his corpse has been transferred to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

According to a family source, he died as a result of over-weight related sickness.

He was born to the family of Chief Michael and Mrs. Christiana Okwuru in the pastoral community of Amudo in the then Ezzikwo Division (now Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State), the death of Tobias Okwuru is a big blow to Ezza Nation.

Okwuru had his primary and post-primary education at St. Paul’s primary (now Community Central School, Amudo) and Boys’ Secondary School, Ezzamgbo, respectively. Later on, he bagged a second-class degree in Government/ Public Administration from Imo State University, Owerri.

He was Ward Secretary Social Democratic Party, SDP, Amudo/Okoffia ward 1991 – 1993; Councillor, Amudo/ Okoffia ward between 1996 and 1997; Supervisor for Works, Ezza South Local Government Area in 1997; State Administrative Secretary, Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), Ebonyi State, 1998; Pioneer State Auditor, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State, 1998 -1999; Pioneer Chief Whip of Ebonyi State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003; Pioneer Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007; Ebonyi State Commissioner for Public Utilities from 2009 to 2010; and member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the 7th House of Representatives from 2011 till 2015.

The Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed the first coronavirus case in Lagos State Nigeria.

This was contained in a release signed by the Minister, Dr. Osagle Ehanire.

The case was confirmed on February 27, 2020 and it was an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milian, Italy to Lagos on February 25, that came back with the deadly disease.

Below is the release.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, has called for the immediate disbandment of all offices of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The call was disclosed by the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on public affairs, Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

Offices of SARS located in places like Ikorodu, Ijebu-Ode and in Obada Oko will now be taken over by police commissioners.

This development came shortly after the killing of a Nigerian footballer, Tiamiyu Kazeem, in Sagamu, Ogun state, by some SARS officers on Saturday, February 22.

Tiamiyu was killed on Saturday, February 22, after being allegedly pushed out of a moving police vehicle by the operatives who had arrested him and were taking him to Abeokuta, the state capital.

The disbandment of the unit was announced by the deputy inspector-general of police, Peter Ogunyanwo, on Tuesday, February 25, during a condolence visit to the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.

It was scooped that Ogunyanwo explained the decision is part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the police for service delivery

The Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has disclosed that the five governors of the zone have come up with measures to curb insecurity in the area.

He assured residents of the South East that the Governors of the zone have evolved a new security architecture that will provide a formidable policing process for the communities in the South East to comprehensively tackle the menace of criminalities in the area.

Umahi stated this in an exclusive interview with Channels Television Sun Rise Daily Programme on Sunday.

The governor explained that there will be a more inclusive, integrative, and collaborative security relationships among the five Governors of the South East, whereby a central coordinating unit in Enugu will be equipped to track the daily security histories of each state.

He said that the outfit will analyse and provide supportive measures accross the five states to arrest every insecurity situation that may occur in any part of the zone.

“All the States will fortify their respective local vigilante outfits, train and empower them to assist conventional security outfits to flush out criminals, whether in the day or in the night or in the forest or anywhere within their jurisdictions and ensure the prosecution of those arrested by them.

“The South East is noted to have the lowest insecurity profile so far among the 6 Geo- Political Zones.

“This is because of the effectiveness of the local vigilante groups of the five states,” he stated.