News
Mbah moves to pay outstanding pensions, gratuities, sets up committee
He recalled that a similar committee was recently constituted at the state level to clear the outstanding pensions and gratuities owed civil servants since 2006, adding that the decision was in fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people.
Governor Mbah, who charged the committee to reflect their integrity and experiences on the assignment given them, said the team was selected based on some critical consideration bordering on their track records and credibility in life.
He further disclosed that the committee at the state level, which would serve as a guide, had done extensive work and was expected to submit its report and recommendations on Friday.
The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, expressed confidence in the integrity of the members of the committee, even as he enjoined them to justify their selection into the all-important team by upholding the hope of the people and what the government represents.
The terms of reference of the committee include, verifying and determining all outstanding pensions and gratuities due to local government staff and primary school teachers; verifying and determining the total number of local government retirees that are primary school teachers and local government staff; to recommend an appropriate plan or module for payment of all the verified pensions and gratuities, and to submit their findings and report within three weeks of its inauguration.
“This is the continuation of our passion to ensure that there is an equitable approach to the way pensions and gratuity matter is being addressed.
“We have taken out time to inaugurate the state level team and they have been working diligently. We will all agree that verification is critical to the success of this project. So, what you are going to be doing is almost mirroring what is being done at the state level, but because that of local governments might be a bit complex, we needed the level of experience of the people we have here.
“The Chairman of the committee, Rev. Fr. Nnamdi Ambrose Nwankwo, is someone we can trust and hold to a very high esteem. Your recommendations will determine what my administration does as a policy declaration after you have also submitted your report.
“By this Friday, the State Committee on Pensions and Gratuities will be handing in their report.
“You have a duration of three weeks to do yours. Yours is going to be looking at the data we have already; see if they are credible and the processes. That is why your selection is very critical.
“We have confidence that you will provide that level of expertise and credibility to the process. Like I said to the committee at the state level, which the SSG chairs; two things are very important: hope and credibility.
“These are very important because you are dealing with people who have invested all their lives to build the state. Hope is important here, and the integrity of the process is critical. We are hoping this team will reflect it in its entirety and in everything it does.
“We are confident this team will provide the necessary decisions, support and recommendations for us to be able to act on the next step to this journey that we have started in meeting our pensions and gratuities’ obligations,” the Governor said.
Responding to their inauguration, the chairman of the committee who also doubles as Rector, Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Fr. Nwankwo pledged that the team would not disappoint the government and the people of the state as they had what it took to deliver on the assignment.
He vowed that the team would come up with plausible and outstanding suggestions that would be beneficial to the people, especially those retirees who were in urgent need of the succour the governor would avail them.
“I want to appreciate the Governor for the passion shown to the people, especially to those who have suffered and contributed to the progress of this state and are now in their retirement,” Fr. Nwankwo said.
He added that the committee would do its best to help the government in extending the gesture to the people, describing the act as a timely relief that would get to those involved.
Other members of the committee include, Donatus Achi, a retired Sermanent Secretary, Comrade Ike Ekere, State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Theophilus Nweke Odo, State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Kenneth Ugwueze, State Chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Adenike Okebu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue, Larry Oguego, human rights activist, Chinedu Ngene from the State Audit Department and Prof. Obiamaka Egbo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Finance, who will serve as secretary of the committee.
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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