chukwuemeka.opara

Umahi made the disclosure in Abakaliki when the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian, paid him a courtesy call.

Represented by his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, Umahi said that Ebonyi have several agreements and protocols with the China in its bid to become one of the best economies in the country.

“The desire to achieve this aim made the governor to visit you in Abjua as China that used to be one of the ‘poorest’ countries in the world suddenly skyrocketed to an enviable economy,” the governor said.

He thanked the ambassador for the visit, noting that he was the first public officer to visit him since his re-election.

Earlier in his remark, Pinjian projected that abject poverty would be eliminated in China by 2020 due to the sustained, rapid transformation of its economy.

Pingjian noted that by Oct. 1, 1949 when China was formed and up to 1978 during its acclaimed reforms, the country was one of the most backward countries in the world.

“Ninety-eight out of 100 Chinese then lived on the poverty line but I assure you that by the end of next 2020, abject poverty will be eliminated in China due to the rapid economic transformation witnessed since then.

“In the past four decades, according to world bank figures, China has lifted over 740 million people out of poverty and has an annual growth rate of 9.5 per cent,” he said.

The ambassador said that for the past 40 years since its 1978 reforms, China has attracted over $2 trillion in Direct Foreign Investments (DFI).

“The DFI keeps pouring, attracting over $138 billion in 2018 and is the largest from any developing country of the world.

“The country’s outbound investments have also attracted over $100 billion and we intend to grow with our friends such as Ebonyi, Nigeria and Africa,” he said.

He noted that the National Peoples Congress (Chinese legislature) recently passed the important Foreign Investment Law which entails China opening its doors for investment from the outside world.

“We believe that openness brings progress as some industries, especially the labour intensive ones, are relocating fast to neighbouring countries and outside world.

“We want to see more Chinese investment in Ebonyi, Nigeria and Africa for the needed mutual cooperation in the economy and other sectors of national life,” he said.

He congratulated Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on his re-election, noting that the country would partner Ebonyi, especially in the area of rice production.

Governor of Anambra state, Dr Willie Obiano.

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has said that about 14 Chinese companies with a trade volume of about $3.7 billion were operating in the state.

14 Chinese companies worth $3.7 bn operate in Ebonyi - Umahi

<h1>Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has advised the people of the state not to abandon their farm work and other agricultural ventures because of the general elections.</h1>

Umahi gave the advice on Thursday in Abakiliki, during the launch of the 2019 farming season in the state.

He said at the event, which was attended by rice and cassava farmers, traditional rulers and beneficiaries of government’s empowerment schemes, among other stakeholders, that government had enough funds to assist farmers during the farming season.

He said: “We have funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Government so farmers should register with the state ministry of agriculture and natural resources to be able to access the loans.

“You only need to tell us how much fund, fertilizer and herbicides you want and how you intend to pay back because we will not profile farmers this farming season.”

He said that government would only verify the farmlands to be used for cultivation but will not provide rice seedlings to farmers this year.

“Our own people, including workers and government officials, dealt with us last farming season and when we are eating our future, we do not know.

“You pay high amount of money for rice seedlings and they (officials) would get the seedlings through the farmers and supply them to us.

“We are therefore not procuring rice seedlings for anybody again,” the governor said, adding that farmers should produce their own seedling or go to Benue to buy.

“My father was a farmer all through his life, trained all his children to the university level but never sought for government’s rice seedlings,” he said.

He further advised civil servants, who had yet to access the N4 billion agricultural loan for farmers, to register.

He, however, warned that the facility would not be treated like the issue of gratuity.

“The records of the gratuities paid by the past administrations in the state were burnt. “Otherwise, the 40 per cent payment we made could have been used to pay all the civil servants,” Umahi said.

The governor, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, appealed to the traditional rulers to persuade their subjects to vote for him on March 9.

He said that voting massively for him in the election would demonstrate the people’s appreciation of all that God had used him to do for the state.

“The turnout of voters on February 23 was poor. You should persuade our people to vote for us instead of voting on the basis of clannishness,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Eze Charles Mkpuma, the Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council, admitted that votes were cast on clannish consideration.

“We shall, however, guard against such attitude on March 9. We shall use the election to reward you for the rapid transformation witnessed in the state under your watch,” Mkpuma said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of the farmers and town unions and beneficiaries of the governor’s empowerment schemes took turn to assure him of their unflinching support.

Umahi gave the advice on Thursday in Abakiliki, during the launch of the 2019 farming season in the state.

Don’t abandon farming for elections, Gov. Umahi advises Ebonyi indigenes

<h1>Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has debunked the insinuation that South East Governors influence results to help President Muhammadu Buhari achieve 25 per cent of votes in states in the zone.</h1>

Umahi made the declaration on Monday in Abakaliki while addressing newsmen, noting that the insinuation was unfounded and blamed such on fake news purveyors in the social media.

“Why do we need to negotiate for the sex of a child when the child has been given birth to?

“The fact is that the president remains the boss of all governors and any reasonable governor must respect the president, party differences apart.

“You gain nothing by castigating him and such castigation does not stop him from being the president.

“You should rather make him your friend and see how you can get something for your people.

“The bible tells us that when the ways of a man is pleasing unto God, it keeps his enemies to be at peace with him,” he said.

The governor noted that those who lived for themselves end up heating the system as they collected their salaries at the end of the month, fed freely among others.

“I am in a hurry to change the story, narratives of Ebonyi people so whatever vehicle of peace that I need to join to achieve this, I will join.

“Our people are good in social media but will never go to get their voter cards and will be announcing results,” he said.

He enjoined journalists to vote in the elections to enshrine good governance despite their election monitoring schedules.

“I expect 90 per cent success in the elections of March 9 and I want you to ask me question on this, that day.

“All the prophecies made on this election failed and you (journalists) were the ones propagating these prophecies.

“People will just wake up and declare: thus says the lord and this is unfortunate,” he said.

Umahi commended INEC for ensuring a hitch free election but urged it to ensure the efficiency of the card reader which recorded several hitches on Saturday.

South East Governors did not influence results to favour Buhari-Umahi

Umahi made the declaration on Monday in Abakaliki while addressing newsmen, noting that the insinuation was unfounded and blamed such on fake news purveyors in the social media.

<h1>The police command in Ebonyi has frowned at the lingering clashes between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in some parts of the state.</h1>

ASP Loveth Odah, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday that the command was disturbed by the unwholesome political development in the state ahead of the polls.

Odah also confirmed that Chief Nweze Onu, the APC candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial District, was attacked by unidentified hoodlums in the area.

“The candidate is currently receiving treatment in a hospital but investigations have commenced to apprehend and prosecute the hoodlums,” she said.

She said that the command felt worried by the political clashes because APC and PDP were among the parties that signed the peace accord for violence-free elections in the state.

Odah said that the dimension of the clashes showed that they were not political but criminal.

She said: “The clashes have reached the highest level, especially in Izzi Local Government Area, the home council of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

“These clashes occurred mainly on Friday and Saturday, the day that the presidential and national assembly elections were supposed to take place.

“At Ezinya-Agbaja community of Izzi, for instance, supporters of both parties set six houses decorated in APC and PDP party colours ablaze.”

The PPRO however could not confirm whether lives were lost in the clashes but said that no arrest had been made by the command.

She promised that efforts would not be spared in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the culprits.

“We have reinforced our patrols in the area. We are also holding dialogues with political stakeholders on how to put a permanent solution to the clashes.

“We have appealed to them not to engage in reprisal attacks but wait for the state government and police to take action on the matter,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state PDP in a statement signed by Mr Bethran Okulegu, its Publicity Secretary, condemned the alleged killings and wanton destruction of property.

Okulegu urged security agencies in the state to take urgent steps to put an end to the clashes.

“We urge our members to remain calm and law-abiding but never to succumb to intimidations or assaults on our members,” he said.

Chief Eze Nwachukwu, the state APC Chairman, faulted the police for blaming both political parties for the clashes.

Nwachukwu said, “The Police is definitely taking sides, if it blames both parties for the clashes after seeing the wanton destruction of lives and property of our party supporters.”

___4332572___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___4332572___2015___11___6___11___Nigeria-Police-Force

Odah also confirmed that Chief Nweze Onu, the APC candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial District, was attacked by unidentified hoodlums in the area.

Police decry lingering PDP, APC clashes in Ebonyi

<h1>The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, Mr Awosola Awotunde, has been directed to fish out the criminal suspects, who allegedly inserted a hot-iron inside the private part of the Vice Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area of the state.</h1>

Gov. David Umahi gave the directive on Thursday, when the new police boss paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Abakiliki.

Umahi, who expressed bitterness over the incident, described it as “barbaric”.

He said: “The hoodlums inserted a hot-iron inside the private part of the vice chairman, while they cut the tendons of some men in the area.

“I have demanded for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and would never allow the matter to go untreated.

“I will follow the matter up to any level, even reporting it to President Muhammadu Buhari because the victims were actually kidnapped,” he said.

The governor said that he always insisted on fairness and justice to all and had never abused his office to order that anyone be punished unjustly.

“I have always maintained that whether it is the Peoples Democratic Party or All Progressive Congress, among others, the life of every human being is important to us.

“I hate to see blood and your officers can attest that I have never supported evil,” he said.

Umahi said that he had always propagated the philosophy “that all perpetrators of evil must be arrested and prosecuted, even if they are my brothers or sisters.”

He pledged to cooperate with the new CP but insisted that his work would only be made tedious, “if a man is made a woman.”

He said: “Where there is fairness, there is no crisis as someone without a gun can neutralise another with a gun by insisting on his right, which should not be matched upon.

“The main opposition party in the state boasts it would write the election result and use the federal might on us but I declare that we pay the federal might.

“Everybody owns the federal might and the present Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) do not break the law.

“We have actually prepared for this election with anti-terrorism trainings to guard against intimidation of the common man in the state,” the governor said.

He further said that he would on Friday, expose a tape where a candidate of the main opposition party in the state revealed how they intended to foment trouble during the elections.

He said: “I also learnt they are bringing in thugs who are camped in Enugu but fortunately, I am paying one of them.

“I am trailing them and when they arrive in the state, we will round them up with the assistance of security agencies.

“Any of them that we apprehend on our own would be kept in the state until after the elections.” Earlier, Awotunde thanked the governor for the reception and assured the people that the police would be nonpartisan during the elections.

“The whole world is focusing on Nigeria and we are assuring all the political parties of a level playing ground during the elections.

“We would ensure that peace reigns before, during and after the elections, while also ensuring than no soul is lost during the exercise.

“We also pledge our loyalty to your government and would do our jobs as professionals,” the police boss said.

Gov. David Umahi gave the directive on Thursday, when the new police boss paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Abakiliki.

Umahi orders arrest of suspects who inserted hot-iron in vice chairman’s private part

<h1>Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on has declared Friday, Feb. 15 a public holiday to enable citizens travel to places they registered for the elections and vote.</h1>

Umahi made the declaration while addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, noting that the directive was in conformity with the powers vested on him as the state governor.

He said that the decision was to prevent such citizens from traveling on Saturday because of transportation challenge that might be experienced on election day.

“Some people might have problems accessing transport to their various destinations while some vehicles conveying them might break down on the way.

“It is then better for them to travel on Friday to have the latitude of going back to their locations and perform their civic responsibilities,” he said.

Umahi wished Ebonyi people a wonderful outing during the elections, enjoining them to turn out en-masse to exercise their franchise.

“I want you to come out in your numbers and give me a minimum of 1.2 million votes which Ebonyi is known for.

“I pray that God will give us violence- free elections and elect candidates at the presidential and National Assembly level of whom he wills.

“God will frustrate the devices of those who want to cause violence and trouble, while I congratulate candidates of my party who will make it during the elections,” he said.

Umahi gave the assurance to the people not to worry over insinuations that the election results from Ebonyi had been doctored and kept in Abuja by the main opposition party, to be announced after the elections.

“Elections were never written and kept in Osun and Ekiti as was insinuated as nobody can write results under the present Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Elections are won and lost at the polling units and I am not aware that the state’s former attorney-general and commissioner for justice has been appointed as a returning officer in the elections.

“I thought that the norm all over the country is to appoint someone in a higher institution as the returning officer of the elections.

“I don’t know when INEC because of me will shift to appoint someone in the private sector and a member of the main opposition party as a returning officer.

“A section of the electoral act stipulates that anybody who has the sympathy of a political party is not qualified to be an ad-hoc staff of INEC and the section is clear,” he said.

Umahi made the declaration while addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, noting that the directive was in conformity with the powers vested on him as the state governor.

Elections: Governor Umahi declares Friday public holiday in Ebonyi

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