Resume work on August 3, Enugu govt directs civil servants … As state records over 740 Covid-19 cases, discharges 425

By Our Reporter

 

Civil servants in Enugu state have been directed to resume work on Monday, August 3, 2020.

 The State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi gave the directive on Wednesday through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya.

In the statement, the state government advised returning civil servants to observe all Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols for containment of the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), “including hand washing with soap, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, compulsory use of face shield/mask and maintaining social distancing”.

It would be recalled that following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Enugu State Government had directed all civil servants in the state to work from their homes since March 23, 2020, as part of measures to contain the spread of the viral disease.

The state government has been paying salaries of civil servants, as and when due, since the lockdown.

According to data released by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Obi Emmanuel Ikechukwu on July 26, 2020 total laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases  in the state was 741; COVID-19 cases on treatment – 299; number of COVID-19 cases discharged – 425; and number of Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 related deaths – 17.

Enugu State Government has however rolled out an assessment platform for the public to self-assess themselves individually for coronavirus.

The new application, known as, “Enugu State COVID-19 Assessment Platform,” is not diagnostic; rather it is meant to determine your risk of exposure to the disease.

For individuals who do not have access to the Internet or a smartphone, there is a telephone line and a USSD code which can be used. 

The telephone line also has options for English, Pidgin and Igbo Languages. 

The internet link is https://enugu-covid19.eclathealthcare.com

Telephone: 01 440 0037; USSD code: *723*19*12#

 According to the Commissioner for Health, responses are monitored on a dashboard at the State Ministry of Health and will be promptly followed up by the State Emergency Operation Centre.

 The state government urged the public to take advantage of the assessment platform, as Ugwuanyi was putting measures in place to contain the disease.

 

EEDC decries rising vandalism in its networks

By Madu Ezenoha, Enugu

                                            

The Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) has expressed concern over the rising cases of vandalism within its network.

While noting that the development was hampering her operations and efficient service delivery, it appealed to customers to be more vigilant in ensuring that the installations serving them are not vandalized.

The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who made this known to journalists in Enugu on Sunday, regretted the way and manner power facilities belonging to EEDC were a being vandalized across its network.

Ezeh said that this negative trend is not only affecting the organization’s finances, but adversely impacting the quality of services to customers who are subjected to darkness and untold hardship whenever the electrical installations serving them are vandalised.  

According to Ezeh, the company records cases of vandalism of its electrical installations almost on a daily basis, and this ranges from armoured cables, feeder pillar units, transformer oil, etc.

“We have been recording cases of vandalism almost on a daily basis across the network, and this should not be allowed to continue”

In some cases, investigations have led to the recovery of vandalized items at the residence of these vandals who happen to live among other tenants.

“We therefore appeal to our customers to be more vigilant, ensure that the electrical installations within their neighbourhood are not attacked, and also report any suspected activity to the nearest police station”

It was also gathered that EEDC has intensified effort in its engagement with critical stakeholders to forestall this ugly trend. These include the traditional rulers, President Generals, Vigilante Groups as well as the government security agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Army.

Ezeh acknowledged that the vigilante groups have been quite helpful in apprehending some of the vandals who are currently in Police net awaiting prosecution. It is also on record that some convicted vandals are also serving their terms in the various Correctional Centers.

The company’s spokesman commended the efforts and commitment of the respective stakeholders for working tirelessly in ensuring that those behind these clandestine acts are apprehended and brought to justice.

He reiterated EEDC’s continued commitment towards tackling this growing trend and called on well-meaning and law-abiding customers to join hands in the fight, as they (customers) are the worst hit when these installations are vandalised.

Abia group alerts Uzor Kalu on ‘double faced friends’

By Madu Ezenoha, Enugu

The Abia North Stakeholders Assembly (ANSA), a sociopolitical pressure group has pleaded with Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu to beware of deceitful politicians who are presently struggling to ingratiate themselves with him, saying some may be habouring ulterior motives.

The group specifically took exceptions to recent media interview credited to former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Kalu Umeh where he allegedly made a volte-face recognizing the former Abia Governor, Sen Kalu, as the political "patriarch" of the state. 

In a statement released to journalists in Enugu on Tuesday, President General of ANSA, Chief Goodluck Ibem and the publicity secretary, Hon. Sunday Chukwu wondered how Umeh, who recently lambasted the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji for calling on Sen. Kalu to come and take his position as a political leader in the state, could now make a volt-face.

ANSA said that having attacked the speaker for making such call and even recommending that the speaker be sanctioned, it beggars belief that the same person will turn around and describe Sen. Kalu as "Patriarch" of Abia politics.

"Senator Kalu should be wary of turncoat, deserter and bandwagoners like Kalu Umeh who comes in sheep clothing. 

"If he has this kind of opinion against those with whom he sat over affairs of the state at different capacities over a decade then he is capable of anything else," the group said. 

ANSA insists that coveting Sen. Orji Kalu could well be a gambit by people like Umeh and that the Senate Chief Whip should be aware of that.

"It has come to our attention that the erstwhile Attorney General of Abia state, Barr. Kalu Umeh nurses the intention to contest for Abia state governorship seat come 2023 for which he has suddenly made a volte-face recognizing Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia, as the political "patriarch" of the state. 

"What is however ironic in all this is that throughout the time (9 years) he was state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, he never acknowledged Orji as a patriarch."

The group claimed that Umeh does not stand any chance of becoming a governor and should not be entrusted with any leadership position, even a councillorship position.

The group further dismissed the claim by the former Attorney General that he was an "introvert" which was why he was not vocal in defending Sen. Kalu during the days of political travail.

"If our "introvert" is a man of integrity as he parades himself why did he not join the Orji Kalu political divide? ...Today he is no longer in speaking terms with his former principal - Theodore Orji - and has discovered a better use for his tongue; such a sad tale."

 The group commended Abia Speaker, Chinedum Orji for his visit to Sen. Kalu saying that a visit of one political actor to another was not in any sense wrong “as politics was not a Machiavellian affair.” 

"Kalu Umeh has been in the vanguard of those calling out the speaker for such a visit. His grouse is that it was anti-party and lack of respect for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, then ailing (thank God he has recovered) governor of Abia state. If it was for addressing Orji Kalu as a leader in Abia and urging him to come take his rightful position that Umeh Kalu harangues the speaker, what then does he understand by the word "patriarch" as and why does he accord same on Orji Kalu on the said interview?

"What Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji said to him was that, as a former Governor and a leader in Abia he should come home to assume his position as one of the leaders in Abia to move the state forward.

“If the speaker asked him as insinuated to come and take over as authentic leader, where does the speakers’s father fall in?

“Is he retiring his own father? No one can deny that senator Orji Kalu is a leader in Abia. But for anyone to politicize Mr Speaker’s words to suit themselves or score cheap political point is cowardly. And he has no apologies to give”.

COVID-19: Enugu proposes 13.67% reduction in N169.5bn 2020 budget, engages citizens on revision

Pix: Enugu State Deputy Governor, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo (2nd left), with the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu (2nd right); Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya (left) and Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Amb. Lawrence Agubuzu, during the Citizen Engagement on the 2020 Revised Budget, held in Enugu, yesterday.

By Our Reporter

Enugu State government on Tuesday, engaged citizens on the proposal to revise the state's 2020 budget and tailor it down to align with the current economic realities occasioned by the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

To this end the State Government has proposed a 13.67 percent reduction in the 2020 budget size of N169, 557,658,300.00, which amounts to N23,183,017,220.00.

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has made it imperative for the federal government and all 36 states of the federation to revise their budgets, in line with the templates adopted by the National Executive Council, to be able to adapt to the current situation globally. 

Speaking during the public presentation of the revised budget at the Dome Event Centre, Enugu, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, represented by his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, said that the revision became crucial because of "the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, especially the drastic reduction in government earnings, arising from the sudden collapse of the global demand for price of crude oil".

Mrs. Ezeilo pointed out that the public session with citizens of the state underscores the state government's commitment to participatory democracy and transparency.

The Deputy Governor added that the exercise was also "in fulfillment of our obligations under the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and the conditions of the World Bank budget policy support partnership as well as our Open Government Partnership (OGP) obligations.

She maintained that "the budget of the Enugu State Government is 'the business' of all the stakeholders and opinion leaders as well as all Ndi Enugu at home and in the Diaspora", stressing that their brilliant and patriotic inputs and the faithfulness “made our 2019 budget to achieve a performance of 80%”.

She said this was in addition to Enugu’s current enviable rating as one of the six most economically viable states in Nigeria.

Earlier in his remark, the State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. David Ugwunta, disclosed that the state government had carried out similar exercise during the preparation of the 2020 budget, which he said, offered citizens the opportunity to make their inputs.

Dr. Ugwunta explained that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic had its negative consequences that resulted in the drop of GDP growth, which brought about increase in inflation.

The commissioner said that the development propelled “the need to look at the 2020 budget and to be able to bring it down and align it to the current economic realities”.

Dr. Ugwunta, therefore, informed the public that the State Government proposed a 13.67 percent reduction in the 2020 budget size of N169, 557,658,300.00, which amounts to N23,183,017,220.00.

He stated that the proposed revised budget estimate is N146,374,641,080.00, while the savings and additional sum required are N53,617,927,900 and N27,455,910,680.00 respectively.

The commissioner further disclosed that the 2020 budget approved recurrent and capital expenditures of N68,790,000,000.00 and N100,767,658,300.00 were revised to N69,790,000,000.00 and N76,584,641,080 respectively, representing 48 percent and 52 percent.

While seeking the cooperation and inputs of state residents, Dr.  Ugwunta assured them that the revised budget, if approved, will guarantee the state government’s firm footing to address their development needs and respond to the challenges associated with COVID-19 pandemic.

Dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu and other members of the State Assembly, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya and other members of the State Executive Council, state traditional rulers led by their Chairman, HRH Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Mr. Casmir Ugwu, members of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), President Generals among others.