
News
Gov. Ugwuanyi legacies in ministry of transport unprecedented – Perm Sec
The Enugu State Ministry of Transport says Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi legacies in the ministry in terms of staff recruitment,provision of working tools,continuous training and cordial working relationship with the stakeholders remained unprecedented and monumental.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Chief Ogbonna Idike, told newsmen on Sunday in Enugu that Ugwuanyi’s administration took the ministry and its service delivery to the residents of the state “very serious”.
Idike said that the ministry had enjoyed maximum support in terms of guidance, financial and moral support from Ugwuanyi-led administration.
According to him, it is unprecedented in the history of any state in the country for a government to recruit 314 traffic officers and men instantly and fully train them over months and get them regularised in the State Civil Service.
“His Excellency, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in his peaceful and progressive nature, helped the ministry to achieve good working relationship with the transport stakeholders and unions/associations leading to the ministry’s resounding successes for some years now.

“The 314 officers and men of Enugu State Transport Management Authority (ESTMA) are current full-fledged civil servants and have continued to receive fully funded internal and external training by the state government.
“The officers and men of ESTMA on a routine basis get free new uniforms, belts, booths and head gears from the government as a mean of motivation and make them neat and presentable to the residents of the state they serve,” he said.
Idike said that the governor with his wealth of experience identified other revenue sources for the ministry and this had led to increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) derived from the ministry; thus, making the ministry one of the revenue yielding ministries in the state that in the last two years performed creditably.
“Ugwuanyi was able to install traffic lights in areas where there were no traffic lights, refurbished all existing ones but unfortunate during the EndSars saga, 90 per cent of the traffic lights in the state were completely vandalised.
“Since the traffic lights and its components were sourced abroad, it took the wisdom and commitment of Gov. Ugwuanyi to get all the traffic lights back to normal to serve Enugu State people,” he said.
The permanent secretary lauded Ugwuanyi for establishing a mobile traffic offence court with magistrates and s lawyers to try traffic offenders and ensures that traffic matters are treated with dispatch and professionalism.
Idike said that the governor in his own wisdom found out how difficult it was for commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators, who want to eke out a living from their daily operation, to get the national drivers’ license.
He said, “So, the governor approved for riders permit to be issued to them at a very low rate which has made it easy for starters in the business.
“This move has helped the commercial operators of tricycles and motorcycles a lot in the state and check vices that idleness can cause in the state.
“Currently, the ministry is supported with public enlightenment equipment, digital motorbikes with communication gadgets, two brand new tow trucks, which have helped to decongest traffic in Enugu metropolis, major roads and ensured that no obstruction within the roads.”
He noted that the governor also projected into the future of traffic decongestion in the state and approved for the engagement of 500 ad hoc traffic control officers for uncovered areas in Enugu metropolis, Agbani, 9th Mile, Nsukka and some emerging metropolises.
“The governor also approved 20 additional Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) to man council areas and approved N5,000 special duty allowance for traffic officers due to extra hours they put to maintain traffic and to motivate them for their amazing job.”
Moving forward, the permanent secretary congratulated the Governor-elect, Dr Peter Mbah, for his well-deserved victory, noting that he posses the requisite experience and wealth of knowledge within the business and public sectors to drive Enugu State to greater heights.
He noted that as revenue generating ministry, no amount spent in re_ positioning the ministry would not yield anticipated returns to the state’s IGR, adding that for two years running the ministry had helped in surging up the state’s IGR.
He encouraged the in-coming governor to continue where Ugwuanyi stopped by implementing approvals made especially the special duty allowance for traffic officers, expansion and engagement of VIOs and 500 ad-hoc traffic officers of able bodied young men.
“I will also advise that those to be engaged as ad-hoc traffic officers will be 80 per cent male and 20 per cent female due to the strain, toughness and at times late hour of duty required in the job,” he said.
He urged the incoming governor to provide a conducive office accommodation for the ministry; and at least six vehicles for ESTMA for effective monitoring/supervision and taking traffic officers home when they close late or needed for quick mobilisation to a trouble traffic spot.
“At the moment, the ministry hires buses to do its official and traffic control/monitoring functions and it is relatively difficult getting the best from the officials under this arrangement.
“There is a need to make ESTMA a fully fledged agency with a clear cut management staff to oversee its day-to-day running, while the ministry’s top officials engage in periodic supervisory role to the agency just like ENTRACO,” he said.
He said that incoming governor had to find a way to strengthen/quicken the state’s Pay Direct System by ensuring those paying for traffic fines and other payments spend few minutes in the banks, adding that the idea of cash payment by hand should be abolished to check IGR leakages.
He said, “There is a need to have a comprehensive bio-metric data of all commercial buses, taxis, tricycles and motorcycles operating in the state as it will help revenue generation and security of the state.
“There is a need to set-up a state-owned modern driving school to give qualitative training to new drivers, make it a referral school for erring drivers, do refresher driving/riding training for all manner of vehicles, transport unions/associations/companies operating on a commercial basis.
“A state-owned standardised driving school will definitely add to the state’s IGR; instill sanity and professionalism among drivers who might be referred to the school for refresher courses if they commit gross driving mistakes.”
In conclusion, Chief Idike said that any money the state government invests in the ministry of transport would yield multiple folds on the state’s revenue as far as you have square pegs in square holes as heads of the ministry
“The ministry also has great potentials to create more employment for youths and beef-up IGR of the state when well harnessed,” he said.
Business
Enugu Air Launches New Website
…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng
Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.
The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.
Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”
Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.
The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.
The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.
It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.
News
Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi
A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.
The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.
The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.
A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.
In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.
The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.
The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.
In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.
Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.
Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.
In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.
One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.
In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.
Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.
In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.
In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.
The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.
In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.
The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.
The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.
News
UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list
Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.
The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.
The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.
According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.
“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.
India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.
South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.
The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.
To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.
Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.
They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.
Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.
Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.
The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.
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