Ekiti: Monarch Withholds Monthly Salaries Of Chiefs For Four Years; Govt Wades In

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September 1, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Government has condemned a Traditional Ruler in the State for withholding the monthly stipends of some Traditional Chiefs perceived to be disloyal to him for four years.

The Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, has, therefore, directed the Alawo of Awo, Oba Abdulazeez Olaleye to immediately look for money and pay the affected chiefs.

The affected chiefs are said to be against Oba Olaleye’s enthronement as Alawe, and even went to Court to challenge his emergence.

The Deputy Governor condemned the act, and ordered those perpetrating the act to effect immediate payment to restore unity and peace.

The State Government described as wrong and undemocratic, the way some Chiefs loyal to Alawo of Awo- Ekiti, Oba Abdulazees Olaleye, had stopped the salaries of 2015 -2019 to these victims for opposing Alawo’s selection and enthronement, despite the release of the money by local council.

Mrs Afuye, expressed Government’s position, on Friday, while intervening in the petition written by some Awo-Ekiti chiefs over the stoppage of their monthly salaries.

The peace parley was convened by the Deputy Governor to resolve the accusation raised by some kingmakers in the town that their salaries were stopped for a period spanning four years on the order of Alawo due to their opposition to his ascendancy.

In her position, Mrs Afuye disagreed with the defence put up by the monarch that the fund was withheld because the chiefs allegedly abdicated their duties, saying there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prove the allegation or showed that they were under suspension to warrant such deprivation.

The Deputy Governor, also said the claim that the money was used to prosecute a litigation filed against the Kingmakers over the selection of Oba Olaleye, was tantamount to misappropriation and diversion of funds, since the fund was specially released for payment of salaries.

“Government operates with laws and guidelines and these must be strictly followed. The statutory monthly fund being released by the Local Government to traditional rulers was for their upkeep and it is strictly for that purpose.

“So, you couldn’t have used it for any other purpose without the consent of the petitioners. If they pursue this case against you in court, you will all be charged for fraud.

“The arrangement to use the money for litigation was wrong. If you wanted to do that, you should have carried them along. You shouldn’t have spent the money without putting the concerned chiefs into confidence.

“I want you to go and resolve within yourselves how the money will be paid, because it is their entitlements and you have no power to deprive them.

“When you spent government’s money wrongly, it is called misappropriation or diversion. I expected you to have spent the money on what it was meant for, which was to pay the salaries of the chiefs, whether they are with the king or not.

“It could have been a different game now if you showed enough evidence that they were suspended within that period”.

Meanwhile, Mrs Afuye also directed the aggrieved chiefs to release available documents relating to the town’s accounts and minute books to Oba Olaleye, saying inaccessibility to those documents prompted resort to diversion of salaries to fund litigation.

“The accounts of the town must be returned to the monarch because he is still in charge pending the determination of the case at the Supreme Court. The petitioners must do proper handing over of all accounts to the monarch to avert crisis.

“Kabiyesi should go and summon a peace meeting. He shouldn’t allow division. We thank God that the money between 2019 and now is in the custody of the Local Government. Coming together is the only way your town can have development.”

Earlier in his defence, Oba Olaleye, disclosed that none of the chiefs took salaries within that period under contention, revealing that they unanimously agreed to use the fund to prosecute their case in court.

“In the case filed against the kingmakers, those opposed to my enthronement were also joined as defendants that was the reason for the decision by the chiefs to use their salaries to defend everybody, so that they won’t go to jail. It wasn’t a case of embezzlement.”

PDP: Ayu Gets A Bloody Nose

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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September 1, 2023

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Efforts by a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Iyorchia Ayu to get a reprieve for his removal have failed to materialized, as a Benue state high court has dismissed a suit seeking his suspension to be set aside.

Ayu was suspended by the Ward Executive of the party in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area, LGA, on March

26 this year, for alleged antiparty affairs, including that he “worked against the success of the party in Igyorov Council Ward.”

Since then, the former PDP chairman has tried to get a reprieve from the court unsuccessfully.

The ruling on Thursday, according to those monitoring what is going on in the party could be described as giving the former PDP boss a bloody nose.

Delivering a ruling on Thursday, D.M Igyuse, the presiding judge, described the suit as an abuse of the court process.

The case was filed by one Nongo Ordue on behalf of the 17-member executive of Ayu’s Igyorov council ward of Gboko LGA.

Aside from seeking to void the suspension, the plaintiff also asked the court to reinstate Ayu as the national chairman of the PDP.

However, Clement Mue, counsel to the PDP, submitted that the suit constituted an abuse of the court process.

Mue said a similar case filed before a high court in Makurdi had sufficiently addressed the issues raised by the plaintiff.

In the suit marked MHC/85/2023 cited by the PDP lawyer, Maurice Ikpambese, a high court judge, held that Ayu could no longer hold the office as the national chairman having lost his membership of the party at his ward.

Mue informed the court that Ayu had since filed an appeal against the decision which is yet to be determined.

He said hearing and determining the present suit would amount to sitting on an appeal against the earlier decision of the court.

In his judgment, Igyuse described Ayu’s case as “the worst form of abuse of court process,” pointing out that the plaintiffs had filed a similar claim in a suit marked GHC/36/2023 between themselves as plaintiffs, including Ayu who was the 18th complainant.

The judge noted that the said suit was struck out by the high court 3, Gboko, on June 27.

Delta Gets Highest As FG Shares Over N4 trn With States, LGs

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James Orji

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September 1, 2023

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The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has disclosed in a report how the federal government, 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and 774 Local Government Areas shared N4.37 trillion from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations for the first six month in 2023.

The information and data are contained in the latest NEITI report approved by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnanya Orji.

According to him, total distributable FAAC allocations to the three tiers of government in the first and second quarters of 2023 stood at over N2.32 trillion and N2.04 trillion respectively. The NEITI quarterly review revealed that inflows into the federation account in the second quarter of 2023 declined by 23 percent and this affected the distributable revenue which fell by 12 percent when compared with the total revenue disbursed in the first quarter. Each tier of government received more than N1 trillion over the six-month period.

A breakdown of the revenue receipts showed that the federal government received about N1.78 trillion, or 40.7 percent, while the State governments received N1.5 trillion, or 34.5 percent, and the Local Government Councils, N1.08 trillion or 24.8 percent of the total distributable revenue for the period.

NEITI further disclosed that a comparative analysis of the total allocations on a year-on-year basis in the corresponding quarters of 2022 and 2023 showed that the distributable revenue of N4.366 trillion shared by the three tiers of government between January and June 2023 was higher by about 16.7 percent from about N4.05 trillion shared in the corresponding period in 2022.

Consequently, the report revealed that the allocation received by the federal government over the period under review increased by 19.8 percent to N1.78 trillion in 2023, from the N1.48 trillion in the corresponding period in 2022.

Similarly, allocations to the State governments grew by about 11.2 percent to N1.42 trillion in 2023 from N1.26 trillion in 2022, while allocations to the Local Government Councils rose by 16.8 percent to N1.08 trillion in 2023, from N926 billion in 2022.

The report said the increase in half-yearly allocations in 2023 was consistent with an upward trend from the previous period where the distributable revenue for the first half of the year rose by 16.7 percent, from N3.47 trillion between January and June 2021 to N4.05 trillion in the corresponding period in 2022.

Also, allocations to the Federal, States, and Local Government Councils increased across the board by 8.8 percent 26.5 percentand 14.2 percent respectively.

However, compared to the same period in 2022, the report showed that FAAC distribution in the second quarter of 2023 declined in absolute value, with total distributable revenue of N2.02 trillion being less by 13 percent than about N2.16 trillion distributed in the second quarter of 2022.

Further analysis of the disbursements to the states showed that Delta state received the highest allocation of N102.79 billion in the second quarter of 2023, followed by Akwa Ibom N70.01 billion, Rivers N69.73 billion, Lagos N60.64 billion and Bayelsa N56.34 billion.

The total disbursements to these five states (N359.5 billion), or 35.9 percent of the total FAAC allocations, was more than the total allocations to the next 15 states (N349.3 billion), while the cumulative allocation to the five states was also more than the share of allocation to 19 other states put together. The bottom 10 states received 17.3 percentof the revenue shared in the second quarter of 2023.

Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe and Taraba states received the lowest allocations of N16.71 billion, N16.84 billion, N16.95 billion, N17.22 billion and N17.45 billion respectively.

The report said four of the five states with the highest allocations, except Lagos, received a significant share of 13 percent derivation revenue allocated to oil-producing states. The total disbursements to these five states (N359.5 billion), or 35.9 percent of the total FAAC allocations, was more than the total allocations to the next 15 states (N349.3 billion), while the cumulative allocation to the five states was also more than the share of allocation to 19 other states put together.

The bottom 10 states received 17.3 percent of the revenue shared in the second quarter of 2023.

The NEITI report stated that the bulk of the revenues to the federation account came from remittances from the three main revenue-generating agencies, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS. These revenues came through earnings from the different revenue streams, including oil and gas royalties, petroleum profit tax, company income tax, value added tax and import & excise duties.

Also, revenue remittances of about N1.84 trillion in Q2 2023 came from mineral and non-mineral sources, comprising of N809 billion, or 44 percent from mineral revenue (mostly oil and gas) and N1.03 trillion, or 56 percent from non-mineral sources.

The report noted a huge gap between revenue disbursements from the oil and gas and solid minerals sectors, pointing out that this was a reflection of the perennial underperformance of the latter over the years.

In terms of debt service obligations and the impacts on states’ net allocations, the report showed that Lagos topped the list of 36 states with a total deduction of N9.03 billion in the second quarter of 2023, followed by Delta (N6.76 billion), Ogun (N6.10 billion), Kaduna (N5.63 billion), Osun (N5.60 billion and Imo (N5.51 billion).

Jigawa, Anambra, Nassarawa, Kebbi and Enugu States had the lowest deductions of N1.16 billion, N1.29 billion, N1.45 billion, N1.51 billion and N1.88 billion respectively.

NUJ President Challenges Journalists On Their Health

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James Orji

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September 1, 2023

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Chris Isiguzo, the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists has urged journalists in the country to take care of their health, as this will determine their productivity.

The NUJ president made this known on Thursday during a health walk organized by the union and Zeberced at the NUJ which took place from Berger Junction and terminated at NUJ FCT Secretariat in Utako, Abuja.

Isiguzo while commending the organisers advised journalists to find time out of their very busy schedules to attend to their health, adding that constant exercise will keep their body fit and protect them against sickness.

According to him, “exercise is necessary, especially in the present-day world. You need to exercise yourself, considering the kind of things you eat. “

“We don’t have time to allow them to burn out. It’s good to create this kind of platform so that journalists can exercise.

“We have had instances where people die of high blood pressure or diabetes and other diseases and sicknesses. Ordinarily, that is what exercise could have taken care of.

“So that is why what is happening today is a good one. I also want to appeal to them that it shouldn’t be a one-off thing because it is not something you do once and you stop. It is something you must do every day.

“Every time of your life you need to be exercising, and I want to appreciate them for what they have done and, of course, to the union to bring this to journalists.

“How else are you going to describe welfare? It is an empowerment, health empowerment. It is said that health is wealth, and when you are healthy, you are wealthy. All the money you spend will no longer be spent, you will save them. It is a good thing,” the NUJ president said.

Meanwhile, not a few Nigerians have observed that what journalists really need is health insurance coverage to take care of them while on duty, and their families in case they lose their lives in the line of duty.

Uzodinma To Doctors: Consider National Interest, Patriotism, Above Migration Abroad

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The Source

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August 31, 2023

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Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has appealed to medical doctors in Nigeria to consider national interest and patriotism above the desire to migrate overseas in search of green pastures.

The Governor told a gathering of doctors under7 the auspices of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) holding their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Thursday, that God created them for the purpose of saving lives and appealed to them not to gloss over that important role God assigned to them.

The theme of the Conference is: ‘’Healthcare System In A Depressed Economy,’’ was delivered by Dr. Anthony Mba, Consultant Physician/Pharmacologist, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

The Governor in his remarks told the NMA leadership to consider national interest and patriotism to discourage their members from moving outside the country to practice, but rather remain in the country to help to save the Nigerian citizens who wholly depend on them for healthcare and survival.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, the Governor appealed to the doctors to also consider the current economic situation of the country and partner with the Federal and State Governments to improve on the existing healthcare system instead of abandoning the country for other countries, noting that “the only country we can proudly call our own is Nigeria.”

The Governor congratulated the doctors for their choice of Imo State for their meeting and thanked the leadership for the medical outreach they carried out in Nkwerre area of the State.

Governor Uzodimma reminded the doctors that by coming to Imo for their meeting, they have seen things for themselves, including the security situation, which has been largely given a wrong interpretation by political opponents to tarnish the image of the government.

“Your going to Nkwerre for the programme and coming back safely is a pointer to the fact that peace has returned to Imo State and the insinuation that Imo State is the insecurity headquarters of the world is not true.”

He said the NMA has joined the list of high profile meetings that had taken in the past two years in Imo State and involving the Army, Police, Conference of Bishops, Accountants, Nigerian Guild of Editors and others. “That these bodies successfully held their meetings in Imo without hitches shows that Imo is safe.”

Governor Uzodimma said that his administration has made efforts, since inception, to give Imo citizens the best of healthcare first, by increasing the health sector’s budgetary allocation from paltry four percentage to eight percent and hoping to move it to 16 percent in the subsequent budget as part of measures to improve health delivery.

He recalled that his government established Free Mobile Health Clinic at inception in addition to the rehabilitation of the 305 Primary Healthcare Centres in the 305 Wards of the State because of the poor state of the health sector when he assumed office.

On Secondary healthcare system, the Governor informed of the construction of three brand new General Hospital in the State, equipped with state of the art facilities and ready for commissioning, all meant to complement the excellent works of the Specialist Hospital at Umuguma in Owerri.

He also recalled efforts made by his administration in the return of accreditation to School of Nursing and Midwifery at Aboh Mbaise and Amaigbo as well as the recovery of Imo State Teaching Hospital Orlu which was in a comatose state when he assumed office in January 2020.

Governor Uzodimma used the opportunity to thank the Federal Government for the approval to make FMC, Owerri a Teaching Hospital, saying the development has led to Imo State having two Tertiary health institutions, “a partnership that will offer comprehensive healthcare to the citizens of Imo State.”

Furthermore, Governor Uzodimma said that comprehensive and compulsory health insurance scheme which his government has initiated has started yielding results and solicited private partnership for it to work optimally.

Though the Governor acknowledged that the doctors working in Nigeria may not be getting enough compared to their contemporaries outside the country, he assured that on his part, his government will continue to take their welfare seriously “because it is work in progress.”

He commended the patriotism of the leadership of NMA at the State and National levels, and the entire membership of the Nigerian Medical Association and promised that Imo State will continue to support them.

In his address, the national President of Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Uche Ojinmah noted that contrary to what they heard and read on social media about insecurity, “Imo is safe.”

He called on his members “to persevere, work closer together and provide anchors for one another to weather through the raging storm of life ocean,” reminding his members of the Hippocratic oath they took.

He also urged his members to pray and work for peace and prosperity of the nation.

Dr. Ojinmah commended the Governor for all he has achieved in the health sector in the State and enjoined him to do more, saying “with little incentive the services of doctors can be retained.”

He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing seven medical doctors into the Federal Executive Council, saying it portrays doctors as men of trust.

The Imo State chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Chidi Obieshi expressed gratitude to the Governor for hosting the NEC meeting and congratulated him on his landmark achievements in the health sector in the State.

He requested from him more welfare packages for his members, especially the implementation of their special salary structure, the CONMESS.

The Chairman of the occasion, Prof Maurice Iwu, while welcoming the doctors to the State said he strongly believes in the spirit of “one health” as promoted by the World Health Organization.

He asked the doctors to note the changing parameters in their profession which he said is what is happening in the digital world, appealing to them to embrace African Traditional Medicine as part of their own practice in the spirit of one health.

The Minister of Education (State), Hon. Tanko Yahaya Sunono who was also invited for the event thanked Governor Uzodimma for not just revamping the health sector in Imo State but other sectors. He appealed to the Governor to use his position as Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum to get his colleagues to deal with the rising figure of out of school children as it concerns the male child in the country.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Prosper Success-Ohayagha thanked the Governor for singlehandedly hosting the event and for all his interventions In the health sector in Imo State.

Uzodimma Flags Off Distribution Of Palliatives

By

The Source

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August 31, 2023

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Governor Hope Uzodimma on Wednesday flagged off the distribution of palliatives in Imo State, reminding the citizens that the items for distribution are meant for all Imo citizens regardless of their political affiliation.

Governor Uzodimma spoke at the premises of the Imo State Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government (formerly ICAPS Centre), on Egbu road, Owerri where he also inspected the warehouse containing thousands of bags of rice procured by the government for distribution.

“I can confirm, that Imo State has received her own. Out of the N4 billion, N2 billion has been released to Imo State,” the Governor said as he braved the heavy downpour in Owerri, Wednesday, to flag off the distribution with a template that is all inclusive and captures all segments of Imo society.

In his remarks, Governor Uzodimma thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his thoughtfulness over the palliatives and determination to ensure that Nigerians, including Imo State citizens, are not subjected to much hardship following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Governor Uzodimma’s remarks read in parts: “You recall the incident of the policy of the removal of fuel subsidy, and the temporary hardship that followed. That policy was one of the most cogent policies that this government has taken to be able to save our economy from collapse.

“The policy we observed; came with some initial challenges which include high cost of living and poverty in the land. The Federal Government deliberately brought out measures that will cushion the effects of those negative impacts occasioned by the policy. The Federal Government working with State governments have lined up a lot of measures and actions. The Federal Government of recent supported all the States with what they called fiscal support.

“I can confirm that Imo State has received her own.

“In addition to that, the Federal Government also worked out a programme to distribute food products to States, through the State government.

“Out of the N4 billion, N2 billion has been released to Imo State of which the remaining N2 billion will be released very soon.

“In addition to that, the Federal Government will deliver maize worth of N1billion to the 36 States of the federation which means that N1billion worth of maize will also be delivered to Imo State. We are waiting to take delivery of that maize.

“We have decided to buy rice with the N2 billion sent to us, which represents (working by their unit price) N50,000 per bag of rice. We have decided to buy the rice from our local markets so that we can patronise our local sellers. We want the money to go round, so that there will be a value chain.

“Today, I am flagging off the distribution under phase one, 65,000 bags of rice to all the indigenes and citizens of Imo State and I want you to join me in thanking the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu (GCFR) for this gesture of his.

“There will be some initial challenges and teething problems but on the overall, he has rolled out some policies that will recover our economy, reduce the foreign exchange rate in Nigeria, and also create prosperity for all.

“In the area of transportation, the Federal Government will soon be delivering CNG buses and electric buses to States. In addition to that arrangement, the Imo State government will float a brand new transport company that will be equipped with brand new vehicles to reduce the cost of transportation within and outside Imo State.

“Imo State workers and labour unions remain the most patriotic in the country. I salute their understanding and their willingness to continue to support the government.”

Governor Uzodimma who said the government constituted a palliatives distribution committee led by the Secretary to Government of Imo State, Chief Cosmos Iwu, and made up of Commissioners and other key persons in civil service and labour unions, noted that nobody would be left out in the process of the distribution.

He said that the first phase of the palliatives would see to the distribution of 65,000 bags of rice across the 305 Electoral Wards in Imo State regardless of political party leaning, trade unions, political appointees, civil/ public servants, teachers, religious bodies, security agencies, tertiary institutions, ethnic nationalities resident in Imo, among others.

Governor Uzodimma also assured that when the maize grains are released and received, the government will mandate the committee to also work out the modalities for the distribution do that everyone will get.

He appealed to the citizens to keep fate with the government of the day, both at the centre and in the State, as efforts are being made to ensure that the welfare of the citizens remains priority in the policy thrust of government.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Imo State Palliatives Implementation Committee, Chief Cosmos Iwu who is also the Secretary to Government of Imo State told the gathering that nobody would be short changed as far as the distribution of the palliatives is concerned.

He assured that the State Government has enough rice stashed in different warehouses across the State for distribution, hence there should be no need for worry.

Chief Iwu thanked Governor Uzodimma for all he has done to improve the well being of Imo citizens even before the fuel subsidy removal and after the removal, noting that the governor’s people oriented policies are second to none and will always be appreciated.

He added that today in Imo State, the least paid civil servant goes home with N40,000, courtesy of Governor Uzodimma’s raise of the salary of civil/ public servants and immediate implementation following the removal of fuel subsidy.

Movement Unrestricted – Obaseki, As Edo Holds Local Government Election

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Ayodele Oni

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August 31, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Preparations have peaked as Edo state conducts local government election on Saturday, with Governor Godwin Obaseki, assuring that there will be no restriction of movement.

The governor assured commuters transiting through the state of safe passage.

Obaseki disclosed this on Thursday, while briefing journalists after the State Security Council meeting held at the Government House, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The governor, who assured Edo people of adequate security during the election, urged voters to come out en masse to cast their ballots for their preferred candidates.

He noted that the State will be very peaceful as all security agencies are on ground to protect the electorates.

“We reviewed the security situation, beginning with the forthcoming September second local government election in Edo State.

“The local government election will be held on Saturday and one unique thing about the election is that movement is not restricted.

“People will be allowed to go about their normal activities after voting. Movement within the State and commuters going through the State will not be restricted.

“The security must be high. That is why we have met with the various security agencies to look at their readiness and preparation for the election.

“From the level of mobilization, we have seen what is happening across the parties and believe that there is quite a considerable level of sensitization.

“People will come out to vote. My advice is that as they come out to vote, they should do it peacefully. Election is not war.

“Enough preparation has been made to secure the people so that they can go to the polling unit, vote and go home. If they need to come back and wait for the votes to be counted and the election declared, they can also do so, but it must be peaceful.”

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dankwara, assured that security agencies are prepared and ready for the local government election.

“We are prepared for the election and we are all on the same page with our sister security agencies and surely the election will be very peaceful.”

Uzodimma flags off Distribution Of Palliatives