News

Report Card: Enugu LGA sets the pace, showcases projects

Published

3 years ago

July 20, 2023

It was all commendation and praise by the people for Igbo-Etiti Local Government Chairman as he kicked off a programme dubbed ‘Igbo-Etiti Citizens Project Evaluation Tours,’ Igbo-Etiti PET.

Under the initiative, ordinary citizens, mostly those who had never had any close dealings with the government, some of whom were farmers, full time housewives, petty traders, drivers, Keke and Okada riders, youths, students, palm wine tappers, artisans, etc, were randomly selected for participation.

The programme designed to involve these ordinary citizens from the twenty wards of the local government, cutting across the four development centres in the council area, kicked off with 40 persons from the first four wards of Aku Ward 3, Ekwegbe Ward, Ukehe Ward 4 and Ohodo Ward respectively.

The next rounds will also comprise same number of people and wards until the whole twenty wards in the local government is covered.

The idea of a lean assemblage was to make it more closely interactive following the chairman’s determination to have a very close and personal experience with the team.

Addressing the team shortly before the tour kick-started, the chairman, Hon. Ikenna Nwodo said “we are here today because you placed your trust in us, to preside over the affairs of the local government. We are on an errand, and it is natural we give account of our stewardship.

“As you sent us to the market, it is the correct thing to do by showing you how we have fared with your resources. We will also hear from you in the true spirit of democracy so that you would have also had the opportunity to contribute to how you want to be governed.”

Nwodo told them that he would take them to see as many projects as they were ready to see during which they were free to ask questions pertaining to the costs, the necessity of such projects, and of course why it was located where it was sited. He also told them that after they had returned to his office, they were free to engage him further in any area just as they were free to make their project requests, as his administration in its citizen-based governance model, and having put the people at the centre of policies and projects is determined to take cues from the people.

The Chairman said, “I want to make it clear to you that this engagement is for you, the people, the real people in our villages, communities and towns, who most of the time have no access to presenting their views to those in government. We want a change for good, and this time, we are coming together in a non-partisan and political gathering, just as citizens of Igbo-Etiti, to rub minds together. So, it is not a party thing. It is a people’s affair. Just the ordinary folks who for long have been denied access to those in power with their voices unheard if not suppressed. So, make the most of it today.”

Thereafter the tours commenced. The first port of call was the local government ICT Center where the youths and indeed anyone interested were being taught and equipped with the knowledge and skills to be a player in the digital economy of the world. The Mayor told them that at the moment, at least eighty Igbo-Etiti sons and daughters were attending training at the facility free of charge, four times a week.

Although most of those around were probably seeing a computer desktop system for the first time in their lives, as they sat awestruck on the rows of desks with computers and watched as images of some of the projects they were going to see were projected on a huge screen. It was not hard to see that even when many of them were not literate, they were all the same connected with the full potential of the good intentions the government had for their children and fellow citizens.

The next port of call was the sprawling Ogbede main market. They were shown the general rehabilitation the market had undergone under the current administration, with a beautiful perimeter fence and arched entrance and exit gates, to secure the entire area. They saw the extensive containment system put in place to effectively checkmate the perennial floodings ravaging the market and environs.

From there they proceeded to the ultra-modern building market under construction nearby, which apart from shops upon completion, would also have other facilities like halls for meetings and other social activities like weddings. The team was also at Aku to see the extensive erosion, flood control, borehole drilling, and rehabilitation, as well as road rehabilitation works the council was undertaking.

On the whole, they visited about fifteen locations where they also saw more water, road projects, and power transformers supplying light to many communities which the Nwodo administration had installed.

The team retired to the chairman’s office only after the people complained of fatigue, having spent nearly four hours touring locations.

Many expressed delight at what they saw, commending the chairman and his government for the many projects he had done across the local government area and as they had seen, with strong impacts on the lives of the people.

Some also made requests for new projects and rehabilitation of existing ones that were moribund in their areas. Others raised concerns on the proper management of existing ones, to optimally serve the people.

On his part, Ozor Michael Okeigwe, who came from Ndinwara in Ukehe Ward Four said “What the chairman has done is more than unusual. I commend him for his good work. He did so much and that is why he was confident to call us to see. Such boldness can only come from performance. And even though I have seen a lot, I will also ask the chairman to look at our direction as we in Obletiti Nwankwo area of Ukehe, have not been reasonably remembered by the government in the past.”

Mrs. Augustina Agali, from Umuagwani in Ohodo ward, raised some concerns about the habit of commercializing water boreholes provided by the government by some community management committees, and people. According to her, “The people find it quite uncomfortable that after a borehole is provided by the government, some people in the communities would use some means to start collecting money from the people. When you complain, they say it is for maintenance. Yet, when they break down, it is the government that will repair them as the Chairman is doing in some of the places we saw today. Chairman, please look into this.”

The chairman promised to take his time to go through all of their observations and requests and would do the needful according to the resources at the disposal of the government. The event came to an end after a light refreshment, with some tokens handed to each attendee as Fuel Subsidy Removal Palliative.

Meanwhile, below are some of the projects executed or being carried out by the Nwodo administration in Igbo-Etiti:

1. Rehabilitation of Water Works at Ogbede Health Centre (Completed)

2. Rehabilitation of Water Works at Amauwani Nkporogwu Ukehe (Completed)

3. Rehabilitation of Water Works at Amaedem, Ikolo (Completed)

4. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Oshigo Aku (Completed)

5. New Borehole at Ugwuinyinya Uwelle Amokofia Ukehe (Completed)

6. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Amufie Ohodo (70 % of work done, further redevelopment required)

7. New Borehole at Umuokwo Idoha (50% done)

8. Rehabilitation of Borehole at Mgboko Aku (40 % of work done)

9. Rehabilitation of Borehole at CSS Umunko (50% done)

10. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Umuofiagu, Ukehe (Commencing)

11. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at CSS Ekwegbe (Commencing)

12. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Diogbe 2 (Commencing)

13. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Ozarra Uwellu (Commencing)

14. Rehabilitation of Waterworks at Ochima (Commencing)

15. Establishment and training of LG Water Sanitation and Hygiene (W.A.S.H) UNIT (Completed)

16. Establishment of 299 community-level institutions called ‘WASHCOMS’ (Completed)

17. Entrepreneurial training on Sanitation Marketing for TBOs (toilet business owners), and masons (Completed)

18. Passing of Prohibition of Open Defecation Law & establishment of a special task force on enforcement (Completed)

19. Supply and Commissioning of 500KVA Transformer at Uwelle Amokofia Ukehe (Completed)

20. Supply and Commissioning of 300KVA Transformer at Onyohor (Completed)

21. Supply and Commissioning of 300KVA Transformer at Ohodo (Completed) (It seems the Transformer is currently faulty; we are procuring a replacement)

22. Supply and Commissioning of 300KVA Transformer at Ohebe Dim (Completed)

23. Commissioning of Transformer and installation of distribution lines in Umuna (Completed)

24. Purchase and modification for security 4 Sienna Vehicles (Completed)

25. Purchase and modification for security 2 Hilux Vehicles (Completed)

26. Purchase of Computers and Printers for local police (Completed)

27. Purchase of security gadgets for Neighbourhood Watch, Forest Guards, and the police (Completed)

28. Refurbishment of seven (7) security Sienna buses for Neighbourhood Watch (Ongoing)

29. Establishment of Igbo-Etiti Tech Hub (Completed)

30. Installation of LG Secretariat-Wide WiFi (Completed)

31. Creation of the first ever Igbo-Etiti LG Website, and probably the only one so far in Enugu state (Completed)

32. Ogbede Market Upgrade (70 % Done)

33. Ogbede Building Material Market (40 % Done)

34. Ogbede Warehouse Rehabilitation Project (50 % Done)

35. Aku Major Drainage and Road project (20 %, Progressing)

36. Diogbe Drainage and Road Project (50 % Completed)

37. Uwelle/Ogbede LG Headquarters Drainage Works (50% Done)

38. Enugu-Markurdi Expressway Igbo-Etiti Portions Remedial Works (Ongoing)

39. Enugu-Orturkpo (Old Road) Igbo-Etiti Portions Remedial Works (Ongoing)

40. Medical Supplies to Various Health Centres (Ongoing)

41. Provision of Seedlings and Fertilizers to Farmers (Ongoing)

42. Scholarships Awarded to Students (Completed)

43. Procurement of Educational Materials for Primary and Secondary Students (Ongoing)

44. Infrastructural Works at Ogbede New Layout (Ongoing)

45. Furnishing of All Offices in the Chairman’s Office Block (Ongoing)

46. Renovation of Councillors Offices (Completed)

47. GEEP Programme (Completed)

48. Omenuko Adult Education and Welfare Scheme – Monthly Financial Support to over 700 indigenes)

49. ITF-NECA Construction and Artisanal Training in collaboration with Enugu SME (Ongoing) – Training about 10 students on 4 Month Course. Currently in the third month)

50. Ogbede Skills Acquisition Centre Project (Ongoing)

51. Supply and Commissioning of 300KVA Transformer at Umuofiagu, Ukehe (Soon to Commence)

News

US based Catholic Priest commits suicide to avoid being sent back to Nigeria

Published

5 hours ago

July 11, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

A Catholic priest from Nigeria who was on a pastoral mission to the United States of America has taken his own life after the expiration of his visa and following prevailing new visa policy of the USA.

Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu (Father Ben) as he was fondly called by his parishioners, aged 54, took his own life Thursday evening, July 2, 2026 after he reportedly expressed unwillingness to go back to Nigeria because he had fallen in love with the community of Cape Ann, the city of North Shore including the parishioners.

Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning sent a message to fellow priests confirming that Father Ben took his own life.

Local law enforcement and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office investigated the scene and noted that no foul play was suspected.

“Sincerely, it is not my wish to return home right now, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” Father Ben wrote.

“My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. I will miss the home I found away from home… I will deeply miss the seaside, where I often drive to after Mass to call my family and hear about their Sundays.” he was reported to have posted a farewell message on the parish newsletter.

Father Ben, a 54-year-old Nigerian national from the Diocese of Abakaliki, had been serving as a beloved hospital chaplain and parish priest on the North Shore of Massachusetts since 2021.

His R-1 religious worker visa was expiring, and he was ordered to return to Nigeria. Just days before his death.

The Boston Globe reported that he had expressed deep fears about what would happen to him upon returning to Nigeria, where clergy frequently face severe perils, including violence and kidnapping

News

Two Infected Terrorists Executed As Cholera Outbreak Kills 9 ISWAP Fighters

Published

15 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

A cholera outbreak has reportedly killed at least nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the notorious Timbuktu Triangle, one of the group’s major strongholds in Borno State, according to intelligence sources.

The outbreak is said to have spread across several ISWAP enclaves, exposing worsening sanitary conditions and the dwindling availability of medical care within the insurgents’ camps.

Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on X, citing intelligence sources familiar with the situation.

According to the sources, two other ISWAP fighters who contracted the highly infectious disease were allegedly executed by members of the group after efforts to treat them in Kimba village proved unsuccessful.

The incident is believed to reflect the increasingly difficult conditions inside the terrorist camps, where sustained military offensives have disrupted supply routes and severely limited access to medicines, healthcare and other essential resources.

Intelligence sources said the combination of poor hygiene, inadequate medical facilities and mounting operational pressure has left many of the insurgents vulnerable to disease outbreaks.

The sources further disclosed that military commanders have been advised to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceutical products suspected of being destined for terrorist hideouts. Security officials believe cutting off access to healthcare supplies could further weaken ISWAP’s ability to treat injured or sick fighters and reduce the group’s operational capacity.

While the reports have not been independently verified, the development is seen as another indication of the mounting challenges facing the insurgent group as security forces continue sustained operations across the North-East.

News

BREAKING: Kidnapped Oyo pupils, teachers regain freedom

Published

16 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The pupils and teachers abducted in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom.

The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

In a shared post on his verified X handle, Onanuga simply announced that the victims had been released by their abductors.

“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.

As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid or the circumstances leading to their freedom, had yet to be disclosed.

The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.

No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.

During the attack, a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.

Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.

The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.

The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.

The incident had triggered weeks of public anguish, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarking on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.

It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.

News

‘N100,000 Is Not Enough’: Veterans, Serving Personnel Fault Soldiers’ Pay

Published

22 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.

Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.

The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.

A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.

“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.

Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.

“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.

Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.

Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.

“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.

The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.

Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.

The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.

The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.

News

Nigerian Visa Applicants Now Required to Submit Applications Directly at Embassy, Consulates

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.

The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.

The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.

However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.

He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.