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Otti renames Abia Poly after late Onu

Published

3 months ago

November 8, 2024

Gov. Alex Otti, has renamed the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, after the first governor of the state, late Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

Otti made the announcement on Thursday, during a Commendation Service held in honour of the deceased at the International Conference Center, Umuahia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onu, who passed away in April at the age of 72, also served as the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.

The governor said that late Onu made significant contributions to the development of the state and nation at large.

“We as a state have decided to immortalize him by renaming the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba after him.

“The Polytechnic will henceforth be known as Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba,”he said.

The governor added that the deceased made significant contributions to Abia’s development.

This, he said was especially with the founding of the Abia State Polytechnic, the Abia State College of Education (Technical), and supporting the establishment of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU).

“The simultaneous establishment of these institutions in the three senatorial districts of the state speaks to Dr Onu’s distinction as a strategic leader.

“He was a leader that understood the connection between institutions of learning and the development of the critical manpower necessary for holistic and widespread economic growth,” he said.

Otti recalled that late Onu’s act of patriotism in 1999 when he sacrificed his presidential bid for national unity, adding that the deceased showed great commitment to Nigeria’s future.

“He loved the country and its democratic future more than his desire to occupy the exalted seat of the presidency.

“Dr Onu was by every measure, qualified to serve this country as its president at the dawn of the Fourth Republic and had a good run at it.

“He only had to let go of his ambition when circumstances contrived against it but he still found other veritable ways of serving the country he loved so dearly.

“He was an important voice for democracy, a true nationalist and patriot who saw beyond the narrow prism of ethnicity and religion.

“He saw every Nigerian as a citizen who has the right to pursue their economic and social aspirations from any part of the country, unrestricted by individual or institutional biases,”Otti said.

He said Onu’s demise had created a social and political void that would be very difficult to fill.

Otti prayed God to grant the family of the deceased and the people of Ebonyi State the fortitude to bear the loss and urged them to emulate his life of service and integrity.

In a homily, the Bishop of Umuahia Catholic Diocese, His Lordship Michael Ukpong, emphasised the need for all to live responsibly.

Ukpong said that the former governor positively impacted lives and left indelible marks in Abia.

He said the deceased would be remembered for many reasons including contributions such as attracting the rebuilding of the Abia Tower of Peace, establishment of Broadcasting Corporation of Abia, National Ambassador among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted dignitaries including chairman, National burial planning committee, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim among others.

(NAN)

News

House of Reps Halts Oil Company Divestments Over Unresolved Liabilities

Published

1 hour ago

February 6, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…as lawmakers callRepresentativelegal framework on oil company divestment

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to immediately suspend all divestment moves by Shell, TotalEnergies, and other International Oil Companies (IOCs) until their outstanding environmental, social, and financial liabilities are properly addressed. Lawmakers insist that no sale or transfer of assets should proceed without full transparency and direct consultation with Niger Delta communities and state governments.

Additionally, the House is pushing for the creation of an Environmental Restoration Fund, funded by the IOCs, to tackle the estimated $100 billion in damages outlined by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Bayelsa State Commission. Legislators also demand the introduction of profit-sharing arrangements to ensure host communities receive direct benefits from oil and gas revenues.

The Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has been directed to strictly enforce the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by scrutinizing all divestment applications, ensuring corporate accountability, and thoroughly assessing the financial, technical, and environmental capacity of new operators before approvals are granted.

These resolutions followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, titled “The Need to Protect Environmental Integrity, Community Welfare, and Regulatory Independence in the Niger Delta by Halting Divestments of International Oil Companies, including Shell and TotalEnergies.” The motion was debated and adopted during Thursday’s plenary session.

Speaking on the motion, Chinda emphasised the federal government’s responsibility to safeguard the rights and welfare of its citizens, particularly Niger Delta residents, who have suffered decades of environmental degradation and socio-economic hardship due to oil exploration. He warned that approving divestments without resolving these long-standing issues would set a dangerous precedent.

The motion reads in part: “The House notes that the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, vests the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission with the responsibility to regulate the upstream petroleum sector in line with national interests and global best practices.

“The House also notes that independent assessments, including those by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, and the Bayezid State Oil and Environment Commission, have documented the catastrophic environmental and health impacts of oil exploration in the Niger Delta, including contaminated water sources, soil infectivity, loss of biodiversity, and public health emergencies.

“The House is aware that recently the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has rejected Shell’s divestment application, citing failure to address environmental liabilities and concerns about the capacity of the Renaissance Consortium to manage the assets effectively.

“The House is also aware that past divestment by IOCs, such as Shell’s sale of assets in Nembe to Aleppo, ExxonMobil’s transfer, and E&I’s agile sale to Rwanda have left communities with unresolved pollution, worsened environmental degradation, and increased social unrest.

“The House is concerned that approving Shell and Total Energy’s divestment request, without addressing these historical and ongoing liabilities, risks undermining Nigeria’s regulatory independence, transferring corporate responsibilities to the Nigerian state, and signaling impunity for environmental crimes.

“The House is also concerned that allowing IOCs to divest without accountability will jeopardize the future of the Niger Delta, undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty, and burden the Nigerian people with the economic and environmental costs of cleanup.

“The House believes that a comprehensive and transparent review process, including full disclosure of environmental liabilities and enforceable commitments for cleanup and reparations, must precede any approval of IOC divestments.

“The House is worried that if regulatory independence is not safeguarded to uphold the rule of law and protect national interests against undue corporate and political interference, the sovereignty of the country will be threatened and citizens’ trust in the government would further diminish”.

Lawmakers who spoke in support of the motion acknowledged the federal government’s ongoing efforts to address oil industry challenges through relevant agencies.

Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Rep. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, emphasized that legislative intervention would enhance these efforts, ensuring a more comprehensive approach to managing oil sector transitions.

“This motion not only allows us to tackle the pressing issues affecting our people, but it also provides an opportunity to revisit existing legal frameworks. We must introduce permanent statutory provisions to address gaps that were overlooked during the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” Doguwa stated.

He further clarified misconceptions about divestment, explaining that International Oil Companies (IOCs) are not physically exiting Nigeria but rather shifting investments from shallow-water to deep-sea operations.

“Divestment, in this context, does not mean these companies are leaving Nigeria entirely. They remain committed to their corporate, commercial, and economic responsibilities within the sector. It is essential that this distinction is understood,” he added.

Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Rep. Tersee Ugbo, noted that multiple committee sessions and retreats had revealed a critical oversight: the PIA lacks clear provisions on how divestments should be handled.

“We discovered that divestment was completely omitted from the PIA, and there are no proper legal guidelines for how IOCs should exit their investments. This gap has led to discussions on the need for a Divestment Act to establish a structured framework for such transitions,” Ugbo explained.

Lawmakers stressed that without a well-defined regulatory structure, unchecked divestments could pose significant economic and environmental risks to host communities and the country at large.

The Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu who presided over plenary in his ruling refers the motion to the Committee on Host Communities, Committee on Environment, Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, and Committee on Legislative Compliance and repoet back in foru weeks for further legislative action.

News

Katsina: Bandits kidnap ex-NYSC DG, nine others

Published

1 hour ago

February 6, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Bandits have reportedly kidnapped the former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brgd. Gen. Maharazu Tsiga (retd.), in Tsiga village, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, in the early hours of Thursday.

The bandits also killed one person and abducted at least nine others, even as they were said to have ransacked several homes, carting away valuables.

The bandits attacked at 12.30am on Thursday, as eyewitness reports have it that the armed hoodlums stormed the community, shooting sporadically to scare residents.

Our correspondent contacted the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, to confirm the attack but said he “can’t talk now” in an SMS.

Details soon…

News

JUST IN: Reps Committee Propose 31 New States

Published

1 hour ago

February 6, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has proposed the creation of 31 new states in Nigeria.

If approved, Nigeria will have 67 states in total. The proposal was announced in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who chaired the session in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

Under the proposal, six new states would be added to the North Central region, four to the North East, five to the North West, five to the South East, four to the South South, and seven to the South West.

The letter read in part, “The committee proposes the creation of 31 new states. As amended, this section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation, which include the following:

1. New state and boundaries

An act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if it requires support by at least the third majority of members.

“2. The House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area are received by the National Assembly.

“Local government advocates for the creation of additional local government areas are only reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, applies to this process.

Specifically, in accordance with Section 8 (3) of the Constitution, the outcome of the votes of the State Houses of Assembly in the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for fulfilment of state demands.

“Proposals shall be resubmitted in strict adherence to the stipulations. Submit three hard copies of the full proposal of the memoranda to the Secretariat of the Committee at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, and Abuja.

Sub-copies must also be sent electronically to the Committee’s email address at info.hccr.gov.nj. For further information or contact, please contact the Committee Clerk at 08069-232381.

“The committee remains committed to supporting the implementing efforts that align with the Constitutional provisions and would only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines. This is coming from the Clerk of the Committee on Constitutional Review

The proposed new states are Okun, Okura and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa states from Benue; FCT state; Amana state from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi states and Savannah states from Borno and Muri State from Taraba.

Others are New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East Adada from Enugu, Orlu and Aba from the South East.

Also included are Ogoja from Cross River State, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo; Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun state as well as Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States.