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Ebonyi tackles poverty with N483m
Written by DENNIS AGBO
ABAKALIKI—THE Ebonyi state Community Based Poverty Reduction Agency, (CPRA) says it has spent over N483 million to reduce the scourge of poverty in the state.
The CPRA however, noted that the project is a World Bank assisted programme aimed at alleviating the plight of 124 rural communities in the state through the execution of projects in areas as health care delivery, education, provision of portable water and road rehabilitation.
Speaking during the inspection and commissioning of the completed Micro projects, in Ebonyi South Senatorial zone, the General Manager of the Agency, Dr. Peter Mbam, said that the executed Community Poverty Reduction Projects (CPRP), has impacted positively on the lives of the rural populace, stressing that the community contributed 10% to the Micro projects, while the Agency, made a 90% commitment.
According to the CPRA General Manager, the second phase of the Agency projects, named Community and Social Development project (CSDP), will take-off in the second quarter of the year, pointing out under the scheme, roles are designated to the local government councils, to ensure sustainability of the intervention,and to guarantee transparency and accountability in the use of public resources.
Source: Vanguard, 26th March 2009.
Ebonyi loses N700m monthly due to global economic meltdown
THE Ebonyi State government said that it was losing over N700 million revenue monthly due to the current global economic meltdown.
The state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Minerals Development, Prof. Joe Chukwu, said that at a ceremony to mark the Ebonyi special day at the just concluded Kaduna International Trade Fair recently that the amount was part of the state's monthly statutory allocation from the Federation Account.
The commissioner attributed the dwindling revenue of the state to the drop in crude oil prices at the international market from about $150 to $43 per barrel.
Chukwu, who did not disclose how much the state received as its monthly allocation and the amount it generated internally, said that with the current economic recession the state was refocusing its policy trust by paying more attention to its untapped mineral resources and agriculture.
According to him, the state had identified more than 21 mineral resources, which included limestone, salt, gypsum, kaolin and other numerous precious stones that were available in commercial quantities in the state.
Chukwu said that the state had resolved to involve the private sector in exploiting these resources through public private partnership, where thousands of youths would be employed thereby generating more revenue internally for the state.
He assured that the state had put in place strategies to reduce the huge dependence on oil revenue and appealed for support from the people in the state to achieve the objectives of government in reducing poverty and creating employment for the youths.
Source: The Guardian, 16th March 2009.
Ebonyi women to benefit from state micro credit scheme, says Elechi
WOMEN in Ebonyi are to benefit adequately from the Ebonyi State Micro Credit Scheme, Governor Martin Elechi has said.
Elechi made the disclosure at the weekend in Abakaliki, at an event to commemorate the 2009 International Women's Day in the state.
Represented by his Deputy, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, the governor said that the scheme would enable women to be economically empowered to help in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The governor said that his administration would continue to support the laudable efforts of the Mother and ChildCare Initiative (MCCI) programme of his wife, Josephine, to ensure the wellbeing of women in the state.
Elechi said that to make the women socially relevant, his administration would continue to increase the slots to them in elective and appointive positions.
He challenged the women to continue to serve as agents of social transformation right from home to make the society a better place for all.
In her address, Josephine said that the theme of the celebration, "Men and Women Unite to End Violence against Women," was instructive, following the rising cases of gender-based violence.
The Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Catherine Ogbu, represented Josephine.
She urged the government to implement policies that would guarantee the protection of the rights of women as a practical step to end violence against them.
She said that the South Eastern Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) centre initiated by the MCCI, would be developed to a national centre so that women from all over the country could benefit from its services.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Mabel Aleke, called for the abolition of customary laws that infringed on the rights of women.
The event witnessed a match past by women groups, cultural dances, drama and lectures on women empowerment.
March 8 is celebrated the world over as International Women's Day.
Source: The Guardian, 9th March 2009.
Demarcation of Ebonyi, Benue communities' boundary begins
From Leo Sobechi, Abakaliki
MOVES aimed at ending the perennial boundary disputes between two Ebonyi and Benue states' communities, Nkaleha and Agilah, began yesterday when representatives of the federal and the two state governments kicked off the boundary demarcation at Nkaleha, Ishielu Local Council Area of Ebonyi State.
Present at the occasion in addition to leaders of the two communities were Gbadamosi Lateef, representing the Surveyor-General of the Federation; Surveyor-General of Ebonyi State, Nicholas Ogah; Peter Onyini, representing the Surveyor General of Benue State, and the council chairmen of Ishielu and Ado councils, Onwa Ali Onwa and James Ede.
In his remarks at a brief ceremony in the Ishielu Council Headquarters before the take-off, Vice-Chairman of Ishielu Council, Chidiogo Oji, noted that "what we are about to do will remain indelible in the history of our two states".
He added that the council was ready to provide necessary logistics support for the effective implementation of the exercise.
Lateef expressed gratitude to the two states, pointing out that "this exercise would put an end to something that has been lingering for 30 years" and expressed the hope that with the demarcation exercise, a permanent job would have been done on the contentious issue.
"Our action will be in accordance with the 1954 Boundary stipulation in the legal framework. The divergence of the two states is obvious. There has to be an agreement with the two communities. They should eschew rumour-mongering so as to ensure the security of field team. With the legal notice of 1954, the red line, we have some agreement as such a limited number of persons, including eight policemen, should be on the field team", Lateef stated.
He enjoined the representatives of the two communities to brief their people properly on the issue, since according to him, the agreement of both communities was necessary for the success of the exercise.
In his own contribution, Onyini noted that what was permanent interest in the matter was peace, recalling that with the agreements reached by the two communities, "we will do all in our power to ensure the success of this exercise and usher in a permanent peaceful relationship between the two neighbours".
However, Ede drew the attention of the team to the necessity of aligning the framework for the demarcation with the other legal notice put in place by the colonial overlords, remarking that removing all areas of doubt would entail the co-operation of the two communities so as to make the exercise peaceful.
Kicking off the demarcation, the Ishielu Council boss, Onwa, observed that "what we are witnessing today is a landmark of peace between Ebonyi and Benue states".
He pointed out that several meetings had been held between the surveyor general and deputy governors of the two states, where it was resolved that the joint team could go to the field and have the boundaries demarcated.
Onwa noted that the demarcation was a political and administrative instrument even as he enjoined people of the two communities to continue with their normal peaceful and good neighbourly relations.
Recalling how several representations had been made on the boundary demarcation, the council chairman contended that since all areas of misunderstanding had been taken care of, the exercise would be undertaken in an atmosphere of peace.
Source: Guardian, 30th January 2009.
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