Total Blackout In Rivers As Angry Youths Shutdown Afam Transmission Lines

Some angry youths in the late hours of Friday, shutdown the Afam power station belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) resulting to total blackout in Rivers.

Mrs Chioma Aninwe, the acting Manager, Corporate Communications, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

She said that the youths, who forcefully took control of the facility, had demanded 24-hour electricity supply to their communities in Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers.


“The youths known as Oyibo Youths, shutdown Afam Transmission lines around 214 p.m. on Friday night, thereby, throwing the entire Port Harcourt and Rivers state into darkness.

“The youths took laws into their hands and marched in their numbers to the transmission station, forcing the operators to shutdown supply without observing safety measures.

“This ugly incident has become the order of the day due to their acclaimed inadequate power supply to their communities,” she said.

Aninwe explained that the electricity shortages being experienced in the area was due to load shedding introduced to accommodate every customer.

She said that PHED had held several meetings with leadership of Oyibo communities to enlighten them on the load allocation formula from the National Grid.

“PHED also informed them on the need for the company to apply systematic load shedding in order to accommodate all its customers.

“However, all our attempts have proved futile as the youths insisted on 24-hour supply, negating our efforts at ensuring equitable distribution of supply to customers.

“PHED condemns in its entirety the frequent shutdown of Afam power station, and hereby, draws the attention of law enforcement agencies and the Rivers government.

“We urge the authorities to come to our aid and put a final stop to this frequent disruption of power distribution to customers at the slightest power challenge in the state,” she pleaded.

The PHED acting spokeswoman said the company was worried that many residents in Oyibo see electricity as a form of social service rather than business.

According to her, this perception by majority of Oyibo residents has resulted to PHED being owed billions of naira due to non-payment of electricity bills by the communities. (NAN)

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Total blackout in Rivers as angry youths shutdown Afam transmission lines - Orient Daily News

Some angry youths in the late hours of Friday,  shutdown the Afam power station  belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) resulting to total blackout in Rivers. Mrs Chioma Aninwe, the acting Manager, Corporate Communications, Port Harco

Umuezuo Community In Imo Seeks Status Of Autonomous Community

The Umuezuo community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo has called on the state government to grant it the status of an autonomous community.

Mr Bede Anyanwu, the Spokesman for the concerned members of the community, on Saturday called on all members of the community to join hands to prevail on government to grant the community the status.

Anyanwu made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri.


He said that Umuezuo was created from Umuokirika Autonomous Community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Authority of Imo state.

Anyanwu said that with the establishment of Umuezuo Autonomous Community, a new traditional ruler (Eze), would be elected and presented to Ahiazu-Mbaise Local Government Chairman as detailed in the Imo State Traditional Rulers and Autonomous Community Law.

He said that having an autonomous community would also mean presenting the traditional ruler’s details to Imo State Government for a Staff and Certificate of Office.

Anyanwu expressed regret that Mr Eddie Anyanwu, the traditional head, had been an Eze-Elect for more than 15 years, the longest in Imo State.

“It is believed that powerful lobbies against him prevailed till January 2020 when a rushed coronation was carried out in the traditional rulers (Eze-elect’s) residence.

“Can this be considered a proper coronation carried out by the kingmakers of the villages that make up Umuezuo?

“Does Umuezuo Autonomous Community exist in Law? Has any of this been gazetted? These are questions from concerned citizens of Umuzeuo,” he said.

The spokesman called on leaders of Umuezuo and stakeholders to work together to get the autonomous community gazetted as soon as possible so that the benefits from Imo State Government could flow to the people who needed it greatly.

“Imo State is running many empowerment programmes based on autonomous communities and we are missing out.

“We are in August and can not celebrate New Yam Festival in the community. We have not participated in this unique Mbaise culture for so long that some of our childeren don’t even know that it is their culture,” Anyanwu said.

Another concerned member of the community, who wanted anonymity, said: “If the Eze Ezuo cannot attend meetings at the LGA, then Umuezuo is losing all its rights coming to Umuokirika Autonomous Community” .

“The people want the Umuezuo Autonomous Community, but condenmed the leadership tussle raising its head in the community,” he said.

When contacted, Mr Damian Anyanwu, Information Officer in the Ahiazu-Mbaise Local Government Information Officer, explained that the issue of automous community is a state affair and urged the people to follow the due process to obtain the recognition by the government.

According to him, where more than one person come out for the Eze stool, a plebiscite has to be conducted. (NAN)

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Umuezuo community in Imo seeks status of autonomous community - Orient Daily News

The Umuezuo community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo has called on the state government to grant it the status of an autonomous community. Mr Bede Anyanwu, the Spokesman for the concerned members of the community, on Saturday called on

Nigerian Traders In Ghana Decry Closure Of Their Shops By Ghanaian Authorities

Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, President of Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana, on Saturday decried Ghanaian authorities’ closure of shops owned by Nigerians doing business in the country.

Nnaji, who made this known in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), urged the Federal Government to intervene in the matter.

He said that shops belonging to Nigerian traders in Accra were locked up by Ghanaian authorities who demanded cash payment of one million dollars from them before the shops would be opened.According to him, an inter-ministerial Tasktask force went round on Aug. 10 to identify shops owned by Nigerian traders and request for registration of business taxes, resident permit, standard control and Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) registration.

“Most of our members do not have the GIPC registration, because it requires one million dollars cash or equity and they gave us 14 days within which to regularise.“As of Thursday, they had moved to another area and started locking up shops of Nigerian traders.“Nigerian life in Ghana matters.

This is livelihood of Nigerians being destroyed by Ghanaian Authorities. This is not being perpetrated by a trade union, but Ghanaian authorities.

“They demanded that we must employ a minimum of 25 skilled Ghanaian workers and must not trade in commodities that Ghanaian traders have applied to trade in,” Nnaji said.

“The humiliation of Nigerians is getting out of hand. We are calling on the Nigerian government to come to our aid.”We have legally registered our businesses and we pay taxes,” Nnaji said. (NAN)

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Nigerian traders in Ghana decry closure of their shops by Ghanaian authorities - Orient Daily News

Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, President of Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana, on Saturday decried Ghanaian authorities’ closure of shops owned by Nigerians doing business in the country. Nnaji, who made this known in a telephone interview with the News Agency

WHEN A MARRIAGE IS IN TROUBLE
Most times when a marriage is in trouble, people tend to see their Marriage as a mistake rather than seeing the mistakes they are making in their marriage. At this point they regret marrying their wife or husband, begin to think of a new partner, imagine marrying their ex or fantasizing a marrriage without issues.

Some even divorce or remarry and later wish they had remained with their first Spouse, as they find greater trouble in the new spouse. This is because the first marriage was not a mistake, and the mistake has not been discovered yet.

So you can remarry as many times as you like, you will still experience problems in marrriage until you discover the mistakes you are making in your marrriage and correct them.

So divorce or separation is not a solution to consider when you are having problems with your marrriage.

When your car has a flat tyre, you do not abandon it, but change the tyre and move on.

When we have a headache, no matter how excruciating, we do not cut off the head but take care of the headache.

When a bulb blows out in the room we do not change the room or the house, we replace the bulb and light up the room.

When we have challenges at work, we do not refuse to go to work, we go there to solve the problems.

So when marriage has an issue, we don't have to try to change the spouse instead of changing the attitude that is creating the problem.

Most times when we see some couples enjoying their marriages and enjoying each other to the fullest, we admire and cherish them, but the opposite is seen in our own marriage. The reason is that some people have worked on their marriage by paying the necessary price and that is why they are enjoying the fruits of their labour. It is said, “The way you make your bed is the way you will lie on it”.

Your marriage is as good or as sweet as you make it. Some couples, because of the negative things they are seeing in their marriage, accuse each other of being responsible. They point accusing fingers at each other for being responsible. Some even say many bad things about their spouse, even calling him or her names; some think that marrying that man or that woman was a mistake.

It is not so, your marriage was not a mistake, but you are the mistake.

Your habit is the mistake
Your character is the mistake
Your manner, anger, unforgiveness, laziness, lack of love, lack of affection, lack of attention, impatience, bitterness, selfishness, ignorance, stinginess, not being considerate, infidelity and lovelessness are the mistakes.

Talking about bitterness. Some still dream of a marriage with their ex seeing your spouse as a stumbling block. Wake up to the smell of coffee. Be content with your spouse. That behavior is your mistake.

So get up now and build your marriage because it is not a mistake.
Divorce or separation are never options.

*May God bless all marriages*

(Copied)

Election: Stay To Defend Your Vote, Obaseki Tells Electorate

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has urged the electorate in the state to go out and vote massively on the Sept 19, governorship election.

Obaseki made the call on Friday in Ukhuse in Owan West Local Government Area, when addressing members of the Party (PDP) at the Ward 6 campaign ground.

“On the 19th of September, come out and vote massively for PDP and make sure you stay back in your polling units to defend your vote to avoid manipulation.

“Don’t listen when they ask you to go home or even threaten you. If you obey them, they will manipulate the results.

“My coming to Ukhuse is a home coming, Four years ago I couldn’t get to you people because of bad road, but I made sure I constructed the road for easy transportation.

“Now, you can now move your commodities to the market and other village to sell.

“I need to buy more tractors for mechanised farming because farming now is very important to Nigeria. We want to phase out the old way of farming, we want to make farming more attractive to our youths.

“The development of Edo is in your hands. Come out with your Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and vote PDP and I will make sure I keep all my promises to you all,’’ he said. (NAN)

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Election: Stay to defend your vote, Obaseki tells electorate - Orient Daily News

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has urged the electorate in the state to go out and vote massively on the Sept 19, governorship election. Obaseki made the call on Friday in Ukhuse in Owan West Local Government Area, when addressing members of the Party (P

Bayern Thumps Barca 8-2 To Reach UCL Semis

FC Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich as Hansi Flick’s side ran riot at Estadio da Luz to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

Bayern Munich made a grand statement in the Champions League as they hammered Barcelona 8-2 to book their semi-final place in remarkable fashion.

Lionel Messi and his team-mates were swept aside by the dominant Bundesliga champions in a chaotic first half, with Philippe Coutinho then coming on to deal further blows to his parent club in the closing stage.

Thomas Muller’s sublime strike got things started and, although David Alaba’s own goal drew Barca level, Ivan Perisic and Serge Gnabry had Bayern 3-1 up by the 27th minute.040:41



Muller’s second piled further misery on Barca – who conceded four goals in the first half of a Champions League match for the first time – and while Luis Suarez responded after the break, Bayern had more to give.

Joshua Kimmich restored a three-goal cushion with a goal set up by the brilliance of Alphonso Davies, before Coutinho set up Robert Lewandowski and helped himself to a double within the space of seven minutes to compound the misery of the club that owns him.

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Bayern Thumps Barca 8-2 To Reach UCL Semis - Orient Daily News

FC Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich as Hansi Flick’s side ran riot at Estadio da Luz to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Bayern Munich made a grand statement in the Champions League as they hammered Barcelon

Most Nigerian Girls In Lebanon Entered Legally – Lebanese Envoy

Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Houssam Diab has said that contrary to the assumption, most Nigerians, especially ladies in Lebanon were not trafficked but entered into the country legally.

Diab made this known when he visited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama on Friday in Abuja.

According to Diab, the Nigerian ladies who recently called for help in viral videos were stranded in Lebanon because they could no longer be paid by their employees as a result of the recent economic downturn in the country.

Diab said the temporal ban on the issuance of visas to domestic workers since May had also helped in mitigating the level of ladies stranded in Lebanon.

“As of May 1, the Lebanese government have stopped issuing visas for domestic workers coming from Nigeria.

“This will definitely stop any new cases from arising; they will not be able to get into Lebanon, the specificity for the issue at Lebanon is that all these girls are entering into Lebanon legally.

“There is no human trafficking illegally into Lebanon.

“About 90 per cent of the agencies involved in it are Nigerian agencies and they apply through Lebanese agencies in Lebanon through the security general to acquire work visas and work permits for the ladies.


“This is how it is; so by stopping the issuing of the visas, we would have stopped new cases from arising,” Diab said.

He noted that out of the estimated 5,000 Nigerians living in Lebanon, majority of them were gainfully employed.

Diab said the Lebanese government and the Nigerian government had successfully evacuated 500 Nigerian ladies from Lebanon with 200 more to be evacuated soonest.

He noted that the evacuation further showed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, in spite of the recent explosion in Lebanon.

Onyeama appreciated the Lebanese government and the Lebanese community in Nigeria for their efforts in facilitating the return of the stranded Nigerian girls.

According to the minister, the temporary ban on visa issuance will give Nigeria time to review the whole situation and to ensure that we get our labour laws in place.

“As we battle with the strong involvement of the Embassy in Beirut, the immediate challenge was to repatriate these girls and we would like to offer our profound gratitude to the Lebanese community for their efforts to make available resources to bring these girls back and bring them back fairly quickly.

“We appreciate that enormously because it was a challenge to bring them back.

“The resources were not there and you very kindly have stepped in and that shows we have a long history between Nigeria and Lebanese communities,” Onyeama said. (NAN)

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Most Nigerian girls in Lebanon entered legally - Lebanese envoy - Orient Daily News

Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Houssam Diab has said that contrary to the assumption, most Nigerians, especially ladies in Lebanon were not trafficked but entered into the country legally. Diab made this known when he visited the Minister of Foreign

NSCDC Dismisses Report Indicting Personnel In Ebonyi Market Theft

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dismissed reports that its personnel were involved in a theft incident at the Ebonyi International market on Aug. 8, 2020.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. David Umahi during a state function on Aug.13, disclosed that the Close Circuit Camera (CCTV) installed at the market captured NSCDC personnel being involved in the theft incident.

The corps’ State Commandant, Lucy Samu, in an interview with NAN on Friday in Abakaliki, dismissed the report, insisting that it was a ‘misinformation’.

Samu, who said she was saddened by the report, noted that the CCTV footage clearly showed that the culprits were not the corps’ personnel but those of a private security firm contracted by the market authorities.

“The NSCDC personnel guard the ‘lot’ 1 of the market while the private security outfit guards the ‘lot’ 2 where the incident occurred.

“We have made adequate representations to the state government on the matter and it has discovered through the CCTV footage, that it was not my personnel.

“I appeal that thorough investigations should be conducted before such reports are made as this is very important,” she said.

Assistant Superintendent of the Corps, Gideon Njoku, Leader of the NSCDC team at the market, told NAN that the corps personnel could never be involved in such act.

“I received information on the morning of Aug.8 that a certain vehicle entered the market the previous night around 11.30pm which made me rush to the market.

“I interrogated the private security outfit’s personnel who confirmed that one of them on duty on the night of Aug.7, interacted with some unknown persons that night.

“The particular personnel according to them, opened the market’s gate to the unknown persons after interacting with them for about 30 minutes.

“Details of their discussions were not made known to me but they said that the personnel allowed the unknown persons to enter the market with their vehicles without knowing where they were actually going.

“The CCTV captured the footage and three personnel of the private security outfit were consequently arrested on Aug.8,” he said.

He said that he kept guard at the market with the corps’ personnel on Aug.8 and on Aug. 9, the Secretary to the State Government visited the market and interrogated him.

“I narrated the whole incident to him and it is clear that our personnel were not involved in the incident,” he said.

Efforts made by NAN to get the reaction of the SSG proved abortive as he did not pick the mobile phone calls or replied the text message sent to him. (NAN)

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NSCDC dismisses report indicting personnel in Ebonyi market theft - Orient Daily News

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dismissed reports that its personnel were involved in a theft incident at the Ebonyi International  market on Aug. 8, 2020. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. David Umahi during

Edo Governorship Election: INEC Trains Visually Impaired On Use Of Braille Ballot Guide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo, on Friday trained visually impaired persons on the use of braille ballot guide to vote in the Sept. 19 governorship election in the state.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo, Johnson Alalibo, while declaring the training session open, said braille ballot guide was designed to include the blind in the electoral process.

Alalibo, who was represented by the INEC Administrative Secretary in Edo, Mr Etim Umoh, said blind voters were at the risk of compromised access to printed ballots and other electoral materials.

The reside t electoral commissioner said INEC recognised the rights of persons with disabilities.

“The commission within its mandate has taken concrete actions to incorporate People with Disabilities (PWDs) in the electoral process with the introduction of the braille ballot guide for use by visually impaired.

“The braille ballot guide was effectively deployed in Osun 2019 general elections and in Kogi election to help secure the right of the blind to vote in secret and independently,” Alalibo said.

According to him, the commission is doing it best to ensure inclusiveness and accessibility for all eligible Nigerians irrespective of their abilities and status.

The Assistant Director, CSO liaison, INEC headquarters, Abuja, Sunny Ezumah, explained that the device enabled the visually impaired voter to place the ballot paper in the guide without assistance.

Ezumah said “the objective of the the training is to educate the participants on the voting process and procedure.

“It is also to educate the participants on the planned activities of the commission towards the governorship election.”

According to him, the braille ballot guide piloted in Osun, marked a critical advancement in opening of Nigeria’s electoral process to voters with disabilities.

Mr Timidi Wariowei, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity in the state spoke on voting procedure and INEC policy framework on election day activities amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Wariowei noted that the voting procedure had not changed, adding that accreditation and voting would take place simultaneously.

He said: “Accreditation and voting would begin at 8.30 a.m. and stop at 2.30 p.m. Anybody on queue before 2.30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

“This training will enable you to master the braille ballot guide so that you can vote independently. Phones will not be allowed into the voting centres.

“So take the training seriously so that you can also teach others who are not here because of COVID-19, and we have to maintain social distancing.”

According to him, the commission will ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and guidelines on the election day.

Mr Melody Omosa, the President of Network Advocacy for Persons with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID), thanked INEC for the gesture and urged the participants to take the training seriously.

In a related development, INEC also held a one-day voter education and sensitisation forum for sign language interpreters.
INEC said the objective of the forum was to educate and equip sign language interpreters with the relevant knowledge needed to assist it interpret the voting procedure to the deaf at the polling units. (NAN)

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Edo governorship election: INEC trains visually impaired on use of braille ballot guide - Orient Daily News

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo, on Friday trained visually impaired persons on the use of braille ballot guide to vote in the Sept. 19 governorship election in the state. The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in

One Dies In Anambra Auto Accident, FRSC

A male adult, has lost his life in an accident involving an articulated vehicle, which occurred in-between the two bridges at Agulu Lake, along Nanka-Agulu road in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Andrew Kumapayi, the State Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Anambra, confirmed the incident on Friday, in Awka.

Kumapayi said the crash, suspected to be caused by overspending, occurred at about 6:30 a.m.“The fatal crash involved a Mack trailer with registration number RUM646XA.


“The driver of the trailer, whose identity was given as Wilson Chukwunaru Chibuisi, lost control of the vehicle, due to excessive speeding, resulting in the accident and death of his motor boy.

“One out of the two male adults involved, was confirmed dead by doctors at St. Joseph Hospital Agulu, where he was rushed to by FRSC rescue team from Nanka Outpost.

“The obstruction caused was cleared by the combined efforts of operatives from the FRSC, NPF, DSS and Fire Service,” he said.

The Sector Commander, who condoled with the family of the dead, warned drivers against all forms of dangerous driving and overspending.“That crash could have been easily averted if the driver had maintained the recommended speed limit.

“We need to remind road users that drivers, who are caught driving recklessly will be sanctioned,” he said. (NAN)

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One dies in Anambra auto accident, FRSC - Orient Daily News

A male adult, has lost his life in an accident involving an articulated vehicle, which occurred in-between the two bridges at Agulu Lake, along Nanka-Agulu road in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports tha