The Enugu State Monitoring Team on Work Attendance and Productivity has paid an unscheduled visit to the Ezeagu Local Government headquarters at Aguobu-Owa where they issued queries to absentee council workers and also read the riot act to civil servants in the state.
The team was received by the Chief Executive Officer, Administration, at the council, Mrs. Lorita Akwuchie.
The unscheduled visit followed a video, which went viral on the social media, recently, showing the local government headquarters deserted on Friday, April 5, contrary to the directive by the Dr. Peter Mbah Administration to civil servants in the state to revive productivity by working five days in a week.
The monitoring team during their visit to Ezeagu LGA on Friday
It is recalled that the Mbah Administration is currently undertaking a staff audit of local government councils as it emerged that many of the people on the payroll, who also transit to the state’s pension payroll, do not come to work at all, while many others live outside the state and the country even as they draw salaries and other benefits from the local government system.
However, the voice-over in the viral video narrated that no single staff was found on duty, a development that has drawn the wrath of the government and the general public.
Taking a tour of all the offices and departments in the council headquarters, the team, which comprised the Head of Service, Mr. Kenneth Ugwu; Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo; Chairman, Enugu State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ben Asogwa; and the Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Ezekiel Omeh, among others, met only 36 out of the over 200 council workers.
The team vowed that the acts of negligence and absence from duty without permission by the council workers would not go unpunished and reminded civil servants across the state that productivity remained the watchword in the Governor Peter Mbah Administration.
The Head of Service, Mr. Ugwu, who led the Monitoring Team directed that queries be issued to all the council workers not found on duty.
“As you are aware, the administration is carrying out a diligent audit of local government workforce in the state. The standard is that you must not only come to work, you must also have assigned responsibilities and proof of fulfilling them. We are also introducing electronic clock-in.
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“The watchword is productivity because that is the only way to build our economy from $4.4bn to $30bn because every segment of the society and every arm and every organ of government must contribute its quota for that growth to be possible,” Ugwu said.
Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has sentenced three police officers to life imprisonment for killing a suspect.
The deceased, Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, aged 42, said to be a family man, hails from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
Uchenwoke was reportedly killed while the police officers were executing his arrest for alleged assault and malicious damage.
The officers allegedly committed the offence on May 14, 2016 at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko, Ogbaru Council Area, in the Onitsha Judicial Division.
As a consequence, the cops, Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor, and Raphael Chike, were dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.
Delivering judgment in the matter on Wednesday, the court presided over by Honourable Justice A.O. Okuma held that the prosecution counsel proved his case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them.
Their offences were said to be contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State, Nigeria 1991, as amended.
The three were all convicted and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.
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TRULAW Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, Esq., prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.
Reacting to the judgment, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory for TRULAW Chambers, and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
While counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment, counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa Esqr., and counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they would need a copy of the judgment to determine the next line of action. (Tribune)
As a political communication expert, stakeholder, and an informed speaker on issues of national importance, I understand that the recently announced N100bn palm project has raised questions and concerns among opposition party members. I’d like to take this opportunity to address these concerns and highlight the benefits of this innovative initiative.
Addressing Concerns
We understand that some people may have concerns about the evolving partnership between the Enugu State Government and Pragmatic Palms Ltd. Let me assure you that this collaboration is a strategic move to revitalize our state’s economy and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. The agreement is structured to ensure a win-win situation for all parties involved, with clear performance targets and timelines to guarantee the project’s success.
Benefits for All
This project is pro-people. It is not just about the government or the private sector; it’s about the good people of Enugu State whose well-being and happiness has become a top priority of the Mbah administration. The N100bn palm project will:
– Create thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, in the agricultural sector
– Generate significant revenue for Enugu State, increasing Gross Domestic Product GDP and stimulating economic activities
– Promote agricultural development, enhancing food sufficiency and security as well as reducing unnecessary dependence on imported products
– Stimulate economic growth and development in the region, creating a positive impact on the local economy
Collaborative Approach
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We believe in the power of collaboration and public-private partnerships to drive economic growth and development. This project is a shining example of what can be achieved when we work together towards a common goal. The government of Dr. Peter Mbah had since invited stakeholders, opposition party members to join him in supporting his planned programmes of action. This initiative has the potential to transform Enugu State’s economy and improve the lives of our citizens.
Let us put aside our differences and work towards a common goal. The N100bn palm project is a game-changer for Enugu State. This is why it invites all stakeholders to support this innovative initiative. Together, we can unlock our state’s economic potential and create a brighter future for generations yet unborn.
The autopsy conducted on the body of late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, is said to have been unable to ascertain the cause of his death.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the coroner’s inquest held in Lagos State on Wednesday.
According to him, the pathologist in charge of the autopsy told the coroner that the deceased’s body had decomposed by the time the test was conducted.
He said, “According to him (pathologist), the cause of death cannot be determined because by the time they conducted the test, the body had decomposed and that it is not possible for them to determine the cause of death.
“So, in summary, he is saying the cause of death cannot be ascertained. When you say the cause of death cannot be ascertained, it means it is suspicious, it is not clear. No particular reason.”
According to Shittu, the pathologist further stated that the late singer may have died due to a reaction to certain drugs administered to him before he died.
“He went further to say that he does not know whether it is those drugs that led to the death,” he added.