30012018 - 2019: No alternative to Buhari, says el-Rufai

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Edo pensioners bemoan
non-payment of arrears, gratuities
By Gabriel
Enogholase
BENIN—A group of
pensioners in Edo
State, “Most Aggrieved
Pensioners,” has
disclosed that contrary to
insinuations and
propaganda by the state
government, gratuities
and the bulk of pension
arrears have remained
unpaid to its members.
The group said that
despite President
Muhammadu Buhari’s
deliberate effort to solve
the protracted issue of
unpaid pension arrears
and gratuities, the
problem still persists in
Edo State.
A statement in Benin
City, yesterday, by Mr.
Gabriel Osemwenkha
said: “It is worrisome
that despite the release
of over N18 billion London/Paris
Club, payment
of refunds and other bailout
funds to Edo State
Government, senior
citizens still suffer woes/
untold hardship due to
government insensitivity.
“Understandably,
President Buhari and
debtor state governments/
governors under the aegis
of Governor’s Forum
agreed that not less than
50 per cent value of the
A-Ibom community rejects
establishment of 1200MW
nuclear plant
By Emmanuel
Ayungbe
UYO—LEADERS of
Ikot Ebon
Community in Itu Local
Government Area of Akwa
Ibom State have rejected
the proposed
establishment of the 1200
MW nuclear plant by the
Federal Government in
the area.
Secretary to Ikot Ebon
Traditional Rulers
Council, Mr Okon Akpan,
made the disclosure,
yesterday in Uyo while
addressing newsmen.
Akpan said the Federal
Government was yet to
officially inform the
community of the
proposed project, adding
that the community was
not ready to host a
nuclear power plant.
According to him, the
community will reject the
proposal when the
Federal Government
eventually reveals its plan
for the establishment of
the proposed nuclear
plant in the area.
He said: “What we are
going to do is to come
together as a community
to oppose the idea
because of its disastrous
consequences which far
outweigh its advantages.”
Also speaking, a Youth
Leader in the community,
Mr William Kevin,
wondered if the
community would be
relocated from their
ancestral land before
establishing the proposed
nuclear plant.
He noted that
London/Paris loans
refunds should be
utilized to offset arrears of
pensions and gratuities to
erase embarrassing debt
profile and bring succour
to the government, but
this has not happened in
Edo State."
preliminary investigation
had shown that the
nuclear plant should be
established about 30 km
away from residential
areas.
FG’s school feeding programme suffers
setback in A-Ibom
By Harris-Okon
Emmanuel
U YO—VENDORS
of the Federal
Government’s school
feeding programme,
yesterday, took to the
streets to protest alleged
interference by the Akwa
Ibom State Government in
the scheme.
Vanguard visited some
of the schools in Uyo
metropolis and observed
that pupils were stranded
and hungry as food
vendors had withdrawn
their services.
The protesters, mainly
women, marched to
Government House, Uyo,
the state capital, accusing
the government of
meddling in the running
of the scheme.
Contacted, state
Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Charles
Udoh, denied any
interference in the
programme, saying
“There was a
communication mix up
between the Federal
Government coordinating
office, the local focal
person and the vendors,
but that has been cleared
and the vendors can
access their funds now.”
One of the protesters,
Mrs. Mary Offiong,
earlier said: “Officials of
the state government have
hijacked the programme
and shortchanged us.
“The coordinators who
have taken over of the
programme had
prevented us from
accessing the funds
directly from the bank.
They told us to come for
the cash at the bank and
when we got to the Oron
and Abak road branches
of the bank, we were told
that we couldn't access the
funds as there was no
money for us.
“In other states, I heard
food vendors are being
paid N35,000 monthly to
render services to the
pupils, but here in Akwa
Ibom, it is a different case.”
Another vendor, Miss
Etinyene Etim, said: “The
money they released to us
could not cover all the
food condiments and
other facilities such as fire
woods, cooking oil,
Indormie and other
materials.
“In fact, we cooked and
served the children
without profit. I don’t
know why the state
government should
politicise the welfare of
school children.”
Hoodlums invade Delta community
...Buildings, other property destroyed
By Festus Ahon
S USPECTED
hoodlums have
invaded Erhoike
community, Ethiope East
Local Government Area,
Delta State, inflicting
injuries on a police officer
attached to Heritage
Energy facility and
vandalising several houses
in the community.
The hoodlums,
numbering over 50, also
destroyed two vehicles,
seven motorcycles and
property worth millions of
naira.
It was gathered that the
hoodlums entered Erhoike
community with cutlasses,
battle axes and other
dangerous weapons, at a
time unsuspecting
indigenes of the
community had gone out
for their businesses.
Though the cause of the
hostilities could not be
ascertained at press time,
sources said it may not be
unconnected with
leadership tussle between
the community and some
neighbouring villages.
Speaking with newsmen
on the development, a
leader in the community
Mr. John Ikushoni said:
“About 9:30a.m., suddenly,
we saw a large crowd of
youths in our community
and they started destroying
our houses and other
valuables.
“Some of them went into
various houses and stole
money amd other valuables
They did not end there.
They also injured many of
our youths who were trying
to make peace with them."