12062019 - How Lawan, Gbaja, others emerged winners

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019
Ihedioha probes leasing of ITC
O
W
By Chinonso
Alozie
E R R I —
GOVERNOR
Emeka Ihedioha of Imo
State has commenced
investigation into how his
predecessor leased the
Imo State Transport
Company, ITC.
It was gathered
yesterday in Owerri that
Ihedioha, through the
Secretary to the State
Government, Uche
Onyeagucha had
inaugurated an interim
management committee
headed by Emeka Aririguzo
to achieve this aim.
Other areas included in
the terms of reference are
to review the contract
agreements, revenue
generation of the transport
company as well as
payment of its workers.
He added that the aim
of the probe is to
resuscitate the company
Expert accuses govt of
neglecting visual arts
CHIEF
Kingsley
Okafor, a creative arts
development economist,
sculptor and art promoter,
who doubles as the
National President and
Chairman, Board of
Trustees, BoT, Association
of Professional Creative
Artists and Designers in
Nigeria, has expressed
anger over what he
described as “the criminal
n e g l i g e n c e
and intentional exclusion
of visual artists from the
recently-approved
Creative Industry
Financing Initiative
valued at N200 billion.”
While also faulting the
Director-General of
National Gallery of Arts for
insensitivity towards the
creative arts, Okafor said:
“The Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, in
collaboration with the
Bankers Committee,
structured this as part of
effort to boost job creation
in Nigeria, particularly
among the youths.
“This Initiative has four
pillars according to CBN:
fashion, music,
information technology
and movie. Details shows
that IT students receive up
to N3 million; fashion
designers, N30 million;
movie producers, N30
million and movie
distributors gets up to
N500 million loans at a
single digit interest rate of
nine percent and a 10-
year repayment term.
“These loans will cover
rental fees, services,
equipment, trainning
with a view of giving it a
standard.
The committee is
expected to develop an
implementable
framework for
repositioning ITC for
optimal service
delivery and
profitability; review all
existing contractual
concessionary
agreements and advice
on the way forward;
ensure that all existing
leasing and franchise
agreement obligations
are met; ensure that
salaries of workers are
paid regularly; receive
and manage all
accruable revenues to
ITC and government.
Other members of the
committee are Emeka
Nwokeke, Kelechi
Ngumezi, Williams
Aburi, Ndidi
Onyemachi, Ngozi
Oguike, with Uche
Alisigwe as Secretary.
among others. I implore
CBN to explain their
understanding of the
components of the
creative industry and the
modus for selecting the
professions that make up
the industry, while
leaving out an integral
part of the industry—the
visual art.
“Today, a lot of artists
wallow in penury due to
lack of support. Now that
the government has
decided to pay attention
to the creative industry,
visual arts ought to be
accommodated as well.
“Nothing kills
creativity like lack of
support and patronage.
To receive patronage,
the artist needs support
and encouragement by
way of financing.”
By Peter Okutu
A BAKALIKI—THE
National Publicity
Secretary of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo Worldwide, Uche
Achi-Okpaga, yesterday,
described the National
Assembly elections as an
orchestrated gang up
against the South-East
geopolitical zone.
In a statement in
Abakaliki, the organisation
said: “We are not surprised
a bit. He that is down needs
fear no fall. Recall that I had
told you that we are not
expecting any favour from
Police place N.5m bounty on runaway killer-cop
By Anayo Okoli
U MUAHIA—ABIA
State Police
Command has declared
wanted, the Police
Sergeant, Collins
Akpugo, who allegedly
killed 21-year-old
Chibuike Onuoha of
Isiama, Afara Ukwu and
has also placed N500,000
bounty on him.
Sergeant Akpugo has
been on the run since the
incident happened on
June 4. The State
Commissioner of Police,
Ene Okon, has asked him
to hand himself over to
the command within five
days to face disciplinary
procedure and followed it
up by dispatching a team
of police officers on a manhunt
for the run-away
cop.
At the expiration of the
grace period, the
Command declared him
wanted and promised to
give N500,000 to any
person with useful
information on the
whereabouts of the
Sergeant.
BRIEFING: From left— Assistant Creative Director, Adebisi Odubela; Assistant Creative Director,
Bukola Litan; Creative Director, Mobola Abiru, all of J.Vanni Global, and host of the event, Jimmie Akinsola,
at a briefing on AFROPROM Class of 2019 for age of 14 to 18 years, in Lagos.PHOTO: Akeem Salau.
Embattled Anambra Speaker shuns
Gov Obiano’s visit to her LGA
By Chimaobi
Nwaiwu
N NEWI—THE
embattled Speaker
of the Anambra State
House of Assembly, Rita
Maduagwu, was missing
yesterday when Governor
Willie Obiano visited her
Nnewi South Local
Government Area to inspect
a road project within the
College of Nursing
Science, Amichi.
The school of nursing is
owned by the Anglican
Diocese of Amichi and the
this administration.
“The government of
President Buhari does not
place any premium on the
South-East and he did not
mince or mumble words
about that right from the
onset of his first tenure.
“So, all his political foot
soldiers and adherents in
the National Assembly and
elsewhere watch and
identify with his body
language, embellished
with primordial
ethnocentric and religious
tidings.
“Government has
succeeded in igniting an
road project was newly
executed by the state
government, as part of
campaign promises made
to the people of Amichi by
the governor and All
Progressive Grand
Alliance, APGA.
Speaking at the project
site, Governor Obiano
disclosed that the
inspection was to ensure
that the contractor did a
quality job and according
to standard specification
and expressed satisfaction
oat the speed and quality
of work done so far.
NASS elections fraught with gang up
against South-East—Ohanaeze Ndigbo
orchestrated gang up
against the South-East.
“We have continued to
extend our hands of
fellowship but on each
occasion, it is trampled with
the feet of hatred buoyed
by the air of ethnic
chauvinism.”
In his own views,
Chief Abia Onyike
advised Ndigbo to sit down
and decide their political
direction.
According to him, ”I
support the emergence of
Senator Omo-Agege as
Deputy Senate President.
He was nominated by his
Obiano also presented a
22-seater Coaster bus to the
College of Nursing and
promised to rehabilitate
more infrastructure.
In their responses, the
Bishop, Diocese of Amichi,
Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor
and former Commissioner
of Information and member
Board of Trustees, BoT, of
APGA, Chief Maja Umeh,
expressed gratitude to the
governor over the projects
and other supports being
given to the church and
community and assured
him of their continued
party, APC, and had no
serious opposition.
“Senator Ike
Ekweremadu had been in
that position for three
terms and he is of the
opposition PDP, so the
Senators were not prepared
for the controversial
arrangement of 2015,
which paired him with
immediate past Senate
President, Bukola Saraki.
“The Igbo should sit
down and decide their
political direction
henceforth. They should be
content by being in
opposition for now.”
prayerful support to ensure
the success of his
administration.
Meanwhile, Maduagwu
is currently in a legal battle
over the result of the state
House of Assembly
election, won by the
People’s Democratic Party,
PDP, candidate.
Vanguard gathered that
the Speaker was also
reportedly floored at the
October 2018 party
primaries by the current
Nnewi South Council
chairman but was given a
soft landing by her party,
via substitution process.
Vanguard also gathered
that the Speaker had
allegedly remained aloof of
the needs and challenges
of citizens of the council
area for so long, hence had
been at variance with the
stakeholders, the reason
they alluded to the series
of attempts by members of
the State Assembly to
impeach her.
Stakeholders in Nnewi
South also alleged that she
must have chosen or
advised to stay away from
the governor’s visit to avoid
being booed again as was
the case when the
governor’s wife toured the
council area last year and
citizens shouted the
Speaker down to the embarrassment
of government.