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Enugu Reps member empowers 150 constituents in hospitality management
The three weeks empowerment program sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu came to an end on Saturday the 27th of November with all participants numbering 150 filled with a sense of gladness over having learned a skill that can lift them from poverty and serve them a life time.
The empowerment program which was held in Awgu for the first week, Aniniri the second week and Oji-River the third week where the grand finale was also held saw a total number of 50 participants from each center.
The empowerment program which was themed ‘skill gap improvement’ was organized to teach the participant cooking and hospitality management was powered by the National Institute For Hospitality And Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and also saw an ensemble of teachers from the institute as they taught the participants all they needed to know.
Ibrahim Baba who was representing Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, the Director General of NIHOTOUR who was unavoidably absent in the event expressed his gladness over the success of the program, saying “We’ve run this program in Aninri, Awgu and Oji river and am happy that over 70% component of this training program was hands on, and we have successfully delivered skills in the areas of cooking, baking, confectionaries and a list of others.
“I am confident to say that more than 80% of those we trained can prepare different local dishes”, he said.
Commending Okechukwu for his good work for his people and also advising them to put into practice what they have learned, Ibrahim said “Alhaji greets you and sends congratulation for a successful running of this program. The honorable have done a lot of things for you; therefore my advice to you is to take advantage of this opportunity.
“We usually work round the country, but we have never seen a constituency that prepares a marathon training and empowerment program sponsored by one person. Therefore am sure that the honorable will be proud to see most of you setting up your small scale businesses and running it successfully”, he added.
The program which is a continuation of the excellent service of Okechukwu to his people having already sponsored a free medical outreach for over 5000 patients, paying WAEC fees for over sixty public schools, delivering science kits and giving schools in his constituency desks and seats for the students, renovating and building classroom blocks for students, construction of roads, 7 days training of teachers from his constituency and a lot more.
Addressing the happy participants at the grand finale of the program, Okechukwu expressed his gladness for their willing participation to get trained for in a skill that will open a lot of opportunities for them.
“Am happy that you all were patient enough to learn it. There are places you will go and this training is not important, but here this can make all the difference in our lives. Our local delicacies like achicha, abacha, ugba and the others when sold in open societies and places like Abuja you will see that you can get a large sum of money for it but most people don’t know.
“So am urging you people today that when you get home, apart from the one you will cook for your family, try and open a little joint where you can use this skills to make money. Its from the little we are doing that we can be able to support the economy of enugu state”, he said.
Assuring his people of his unalloyed service to them, the lawmaker said “What is most important is remembrance. We may not have all we want now but anything that falls out I will make sure you all have it too whether it comes in form of medical outreach or any other things make sure to try your best to partake in it”.
The CEO of Best Western Hotel, one of the leading hotels in the state, Sir Isaac who graced the event with his presence spoke to the participants at length over the importance of the skill they just acquired.
“I have worked in the hotel industry for about 20 years now, and to get good chefs at times is always difficult. And this causes chefs to get paid a higher amount of money than most managers in a hotel”.
Commending their food he said “Eating what most of you just made now I believe we have a lot of chefs here. From the way you all are dressed to your manner of food hygiene I can say that you all can work in a hotel so that it’s not only calabar people that are employed to cook in our hotels all the time in Igbo land”.
Lauding the Honorable over a job well done, he said “Toby Okechukwu is really doing well. It’s not easy to host this empowerment programs he does all the time but he keeps doing it, and am promising you people that more is still coming from him”.
Former commissioner for Information, Doctor Godwin Uduehele revealed to UGAMATV that the program was organized by Okechukwu with an aim of assisting families in the increasing their menu and alleviating the sufferings of the families of the people participating.
“At the end of it they will be in the position of preparing different types of soups, both the ones they can eat and the ones they can sell, by so doing they will want to learn how to fish and not just get the fish.
Speaking about Okechukwu’s reason for holding the program in three different local governments, he said “The primary purpose of hosting it in 3 different places is because if you bring all of them together the tendency is that the means of all of them coming together from the 3 different local government for 3 days will be difficult.
“Even if you have it at Aninri, Awgu people will go there 3 times and it will affect the number of people who are participating due to distance. So, we did it this way to ensure they don’t spend much coming from their place to the training ground and so that they dont have any reason not to attend and so today is the grand finale which is aimed at bringing the 3 local governments together.
Adding that Okechukwu has made provisions for those who just learned the skills to kick start their business, he said “We are giving them starters pack which include electric cooker, cooking spoons, fry pan and some amount of money so that they can buy things which they learned and practice it”.
Ebele iloaku who was one of the organizers of the program expressed her gladness that the event was a success stating how difficult it was organizing the program.
“It was not easy organizing the program, but thank God for everything. With the help of God I is was able to monitor everything and there hasn’t been anything like argument or fight.
“Also Dr. Uduehele because he has also been making it very easy for me too because before he leaves the program he always talk to them to work with me. And am happy for their cooperation so far”, she said.
Advising the participants she said “I will advise them to take the program serious because last year we did the same program but it was based on making liquid soap, disinfectants, Vaseline and many other things. I pleasantly surprised when I went to Gariki market one day and saw one of our students who was selling Vaseline and liquid soap and I was happy because it proves what we are doing have not been a waste. So my advice to this set of students is that they start up something with what they have been given today and not to go back to start staying idle”, she said.
Mrs Kelechi who took the participants on baking and cooking classes have commended the honorable and other organizers for their efforts in making the three weeks training go smoothly.
Speaking with UGAMATV, she said “I’ve been teaching them on both cooking and pastries for three weeks and I’ve had 150 students for the 3 centers. Each center is 50 people”.
Adding that she was very impressed with the performance of the participants so far, she said “Most of them are really ready to work. Even after their class is over some of them at Awgu have been calling me and am very happy because even their parents are also encouraging them.
Commending the efforts of Okechukwu for his people she said “I pray God should bless Toby. If we have people like Toby and Ekweremadu who have been really working in the state then Nigeria will be great.
Advising the students not to just attend the workshop due to the packages the honorable promised them, she said “they should put into practice what they have learned here and they should always pray for Toby, because as he is going forward we are also going forward with him”.
One of the participants of the program from Awgu, Cecilia Udeh have thanked Toby Okechukwu for providing the opportunity for them, stating that “its not easy for him to come from the federal to the east just to do this for us so I pray for more upliftment in his life.
“This program have enlightened so many people that partook in it. I decided to participate in the program because I knew I will learn a lot of things from it like how to make certain pastries and local delicacies. I believe that with all I have learned so far by January I will start a business with them”, she said.
Tony from Aninri who was also one of the male participants of the workshop was filled with nothing but words of praises for the Honorable. “Toby Okechukwu brought people from National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism to teach us how to make cake, meatpie, fish roll, cooking and other things”, he said.
At the end of the program, Okechukwu who had eaten a lot of the food and pastries prepared by the participants was impressed with what they had done. In an exclusive interview with UGAMATV, he revealed that his motivation for organizing programs like that every year was to prevent them from being idle.
“An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. The only thing you can do for your people is to get them skillfully engaged. This training on local cuisine and pastries is meant to enable them to have the skills and capacity to earn a living and have the opportunity of working in a restaurant as a chef and they can open up their own businesses.
“We are creating opportunities for people to have skills, so that when they get money by any means they can multiply that money and then raise their own capital.
“My assurance is that I will do my best to ensure that anything that is being shared to the citizens by the federal government gets to my people and they don’t lag behind, I will always do my best to represent them”, he said.
When asked how long he had been running programs like that he said “This has been running for a long time now. We have supplied science kits to all the secondary schools in my area,we trained teachers for one week at SEDI on how to use this kits.
Emphasizing that people needed to stop expecting the government to give them works, he said “Sometimes you expect government to give you employment but most times it better you employ yourself. 99% of employment is self employment, so that is why we try to bring these skills to sustain them.
“We have trained engineers at SEDI, we have trained people on agriculture like snail farming, fish farming and the rest. (speaking on his next training) These are areas they can also find a niche. Going forward we are going to teach our constituents on how to make gas from waste, because gas is now very expensive”, he concluded.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reassured the public that safety remains the overriding priority of Enugu Air following Thursday’s runway excursion involving one of the airline’s aircraft at Benin Airport.
Reacting to the incident for the first time in a statement personally signed on Friday, the governor expressed sympathy with the passengers and crew members on board the aircraft, while thanking God that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
The Embraer E170 aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin, experienced a runway excursion after landing at Benin Airport on Thursday.
Mbah said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and pledged full cooperation with aviation authorities investigating the incident.
“The Enugu State Government is aware of the incident of a runway excursion affecting Enugu Air, Embraer E170, Flight 4264, operating into Benin Airport from Lagos on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
“The government empathises with the 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft over the traumatic experience and is thankful to God that no life was lost and no injuries have so far been reported,” the governor said.
He commended the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) for swiftly launching an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, assuring that Enugu Air would cooperate fully with investigators and relevant regulatory agencies.
“The government commends the swiftness of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in embarking on the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances and factors that may have led to the incident. The government will ensure the full cooperation of its going concern, Enugu Air, with the investigation and regulatory authorities,” Mbah stated.
While urging the public to await the outcome of the investigation, the governor maintained that the airline operates under stringent safety protocols that place passenger welfare above commercial interests.
“While the outcome of the investigation is awaited, the government assures the public that the operations of Enugu Air are guided by the highest safety standards. The airline is founded on a corporate culture that places safety above profit and schedule, and its quality assurance and quality control systems stipulate a safety threshold that is considerably higher than the industry benchmark,” he said.
Mbah said the airline’s uncompromising safety culture had contributed significantly to the growing confidence and patronage it had enjoyed since commencing operations.
“This accounts for the growing confidence and patronage the airline has continued to enjoy from both passengers and industry stakeholders. Enugu Air will therefore continue to serve its teeming customers and abide by its utmost commitment to safety, professionalism, and a sense of hospitality,” he added.
The governor also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the widespread support and goodwill shown to the airline in the aftermath of the incident, noting that many passengers had continued to share positive experiences about flying with Enugu Air.
“We wish to express our profound gratitude to Nigerians for the outpouring of solidarity since the unfortunate incident. Quite uncommonly, Nigerians have continued to share their positive experiences with Enugu Air since it was launched a year ago. This matters so much to us as a government at this time,” Mbah said.
The runway excursion involving the state-owned carrier has drawn national attention. However, with all 63 passengers and five crew members safely evacuated, attention has now shifted to the outcome of the ongoing investigation by aviation authorities.
Amupitan gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday.
The commission’s chairman led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors and his technical aides.
Amupitan described Abubakar as “the father of democracy in Nigeria”, noting that his transition to civilian rule in 1999 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
The INEC chairman said the commission regarded the former Head of State “not merely as a statesman but as a pillar of support for INEC.”
He also commended Abubakar’s role as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, describing its Peace Accord initiative as “a moralising influence on Nigeria’s political ecosystem.”
According to INEC, Amupitan said the initiative had provided political actors with a platform to commit to non-violence, thereby strengthening “the sovereignty of the will of the Nigerian people.”
The INEC chairman told Abubakar that, regardless of the pressures confronting the commission, it remained committed to ensuring that the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls would prevail.
He said, “The Commission’s determination under my leadership was to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote, confident that their votes would be duly counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,” describing this as “the core assurance INEC owed the electorate.”
Amupitan also formally confirmed the dates for the 2027 general elections.
According to INEC, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Abubakar, in turn, called on Nigerians to support INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga says, “this approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”According to the statement, “the expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.”Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
The Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) worldwide, a pan-Igbo socioeconomic pressure group, has urged the Federal Government to direct the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to supply Dangote Petroleum Refinery adequate crude.
The Chairman of NUF, Chief Augustine Chukwudum, made the call on Wednesday in Enugu while reacting to Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s move to start direct sales of refined Petroleum products in dollars.
It would be recalled that a top management official of the Dangote Group said that its refinery was receiving just four million barrels of crude oil monthly under the arrangement, instead of about 13 million barrels envisaged after President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 directive.
The refinery had attributed its decision to switch from naira-denominated fuel sales domestically to dollar transactions to the crude supply shortfall, saying it would also increase exports of refined petroleum products to earn foreign exchange.
Chukwudum called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently before things get out of hand and Nigerians suffer the more.
According to him, fuel price remains major determinant of prices of other commodities and services in the country as transport cost depends on.
“Things are bound to get worst if the Federal Government neglect to take immediate and decisive actions meant to better the life of the citizens.
“NUF is rasing this alarm because this administration is behaving as if they are not answerable to the people their are supposed to be serving.
“The Federal Government should direct NNPCL to supply all the crude oil needed by Dangote Refinery since the company has the capacity to meet local or domestic petroleum needs of the country.
“The government must stop all forms of fuel importation because that money been used for importation is a waste and put a pressure on our fragile foreign reserve as a nation,” he said.
The NUF boss noted that the refinery company must be allowed to pay in naira with this move, suffering of citizens would be curtailed.
Chukwudum also reiterated the call of the group for the Federal Government to set up judicial panel of inquiry to look into the account of NNPCL for some years now.
A commotion reportedly erupted at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State after some officials were accused of demanding ₦2,000 from applicants before processing voter registration and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The allegation surfaced in a video circulating on social media, which showed what appeared to be a heated confrontation between applicants and officials at the electoral commission’s office.
According to a resident who narrated the incident in the video, some INEC officials allegedly insisted that applicants pay ₦2,000 before their voter registration or PVC processing could be completed.
The situation reportedly escalated when one of the applicants challenged the alleged demand, insisting that voter registration and PVC-related services are free and should not attract any payment.
The applicant was said to have confronted the officials and attempted to record the exchange with a mobile phone, triggering a heated argument that attracted other applicants and bystanders.
Although raised voices and a commotion could be heard in the footage, the circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.
The video has since sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians condemning the alleged extortion and calling on INEC to investigate the incident and sanction anyone found culpable.
INEC has consistently maintained that voter registration services are free of charge. These include fresh registration, collection of PVCs, transfer of voter information, correction of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
The commission has also repeatedly urged members of the public to report any cases of extortion, bribery or illegal charges involving its permanent or ad hoc staff during voter registration and PVC distribution.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official statement specifically addressing the allegations involving its Onitsha South Local Government Area office.
The incident comes as the electoral commission continues its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has also introduced an online self-service platform to enable prospective voters and existing registrants to complete several registration-related processes conveniently, while reiterating that voter registration services remain free of charge.
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