IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Okigwe, a satellite town in Imo State will be set on fire on Sunday, May 14, 2017, as the grand finale and closing ceremony of the Nke Nke Enyi Unity Football tournament comes to a crescendoing conclusion .

The all superlative final competition would be slugged out at the Okigwe Township Stadium, at 3pm.

It could be recalled that competition started on Sunday, March 12, 2017, with foreign and local scouts on ground to discover budding but hidden talents.

The tournament is designed to provide entertainment and meaningfully engage the youths.

The donor of the cup, Dr Ikenna Aniche, said that the six weeks tournament was structured to put the youths off the streets and curb  social maladies .

A source disclosed that the Fiesta is the first time in a football tournament all the participating clubs in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state could smile home with cash rewards .

It was also revealed that the three best teams of the tournament would go home with cash and sponsorship deals.

SENATOR Dr Ifeanyi Okowa today Thursday, May 11th, 2017 received Delta State-born Big Brother Naija winner, Efe Michael Ejeba and called on youths to remain focused in discovering their talents.

According to Governor Okowa, "wherever our youths find themselves they should be focussed in achieving their goals, the youths have latent talents deposited in them they must find ways to develop them and apply them, if you have a calling, you must not allow that calling to die, you (Efe) despite your calling, you listened to your parents and went to school which gave you a good foundation."

"It was obvious that there was no controversy about your winning, you avoided the vices, and showed that you are focused; our youths should find a way to discover their talents, they should stay committed to their dreams and pray to God to achieve it," the Governor said, adding, "there was no issue of sentiments or tribalism, it shows that you are truly, a Nigerian."

Governor Okowa, his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and members of the State Executive Council received Efe who was accompanied on the visit by his parents and members of his family.

The Governor who congratulated Efe on behalf of the government and people of Delta State, asserted, "there is no doubt that you have made us proud, a lot of Deltans are happy with the way you conducted yourself in the Big Brother Naija House, when it came to time for voting, it was obvious that there was no controversy about your winning, you avoided the vices, and showed that you are focused."

"I am happy that the Okpe Kingdom has given you that recognition and you are obviously an ambassador of Delta State and Nigeria; getting to the top may not be easy but, it is also difficult to sustain; you (Efe) have attained that level that a lot of people are looking up to you and it is our prayer and hope that you will rise and keep rising, you have our prayers, be committed," Governor Okowa advised.

He also, urged the BBN winner to be prayerful for God to direct His parts, promising that the state would partner with him on talent discovery of youths.

Efe had earlier told the Governor that he was in Government House to show his appreciation to the government and people of Delta State, stating, "I am truly grateful for all you have done, you have unprecedented number of youths working for you and I say, thank you to everybody that has supported and voted for me."

By Orji Sampson

Recently, Imo's beacon of hope, Mr. Okey Ezeh, had a warm interaction with the Local Government Chairmen of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), Imo State Chapter, at the State Secretariat of the party in Owerri. Mr. Ezeh, ever committed to Imo's economic prosperity and social regeneration, took to these esteemed sons Imo State his message of hope and of the better days which are already near. It afforded him a great opportunity to discuss with them and cross-fertilize ideas that would contribute to making Imo great again.

These men have persistently ensured the survival and growth of APGA, which is unarguably the political identity of the Igbo Nation, and so they stand out as men of prestige, of integrity and of valour. The elated chairmen, thankful for Mr. Ezeh's undying passion and dedication to good governance, took turns to show appreciation for the visit and profusely extolled his humility, simplicity and accessibility, and enjoined him to continue apace.

My people, let us realize that the interests we share as a people are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart. Let us work together, on behalf of the future we seek, to make Imo a better place for all, because the future is now.

Yesterday, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani announced, yesterday, that the ministry’s audit report discovered some discrepancies in the award of contracts in in Imo state. The minister accused some ministry officials, who were sent to monitor the projects, of failing to carry out proper documentation of the progress or flaws of contractors in the state.He, however, vowed to correct the anomalies through a legal framework that would further guarantee equal opportunity to all the nine states that make up the region.



Usani, who hosted the Supreme Council of Oil and Gas Producing areas in Imo state, led by Chief Esom Goddy Obodo, in Abuja, encouraged them to regularly monitor and report the status of developmental projects in their areas to enable government keep track of development.He told the traditional rulers that better days are ahead with the return of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which, hitherto, operated independently of the ministry.

Meanwhile, leader of delegation told the minister that the people of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta have been deprived of quality infrastructures needed for a better living.He partly blamed the federal and state governments, oil companies, multinational corporations, NDDC and other agencies for the woes of the people of the area.

The house of representatives has passed the 2017 budget to the presidency for assent.

The appropriation bill report was passed at plenary on Thursday. N434.4 billion was allocated for statutory transfer, N1.84 trillion for debt servicing and N177.46 billion for maturing bonds.

The budget process was largely delayed owing to the failure of committees to turn in their report to the appropriation committee after ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) defended their budgets.

President Muhammadu Buhari presented an estimate of N7.30 trillion to a joint session of the national assembly on December 14.

But the national assembly jerked up the budget report by N143.

Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya has been impeached this morning during a session of the state House of Assembly session. Mr. Igbuya was immediately replaced with the lawmaker representing Okpe constituency, Sheriff Oborevwori as the new speaker.SaharaReporters learned Igbuya's impeachment was signed by 22 out of the 29 members of the state's legislative assembly.