Imo Govt. Launches Court For Minor Financial Disputes

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has inaugurated a dedicated Small Claims Court to handle judicial matters involving claims of N5 million or less. The new court aims to provide a faster, simpler, and more affordable avenue for resolving minor financial disputes and ease the burden on both the court system and citizens. Speaking during the inauguration of the court, the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who was represented by his deputy, Placid Njoku, Uzodimma, said that the court would speed up justice in the state. He however, stated that the court was established to take care of certain cases in the state that were not supposed to go through the gamut of the main court for adjudication. Describing it as a good development, Uzodimma unveiled that qualified and competent magistrates would be appointed to manage the court. He said, “We must know the quality of people sent to manage this court. They must know the rules of the game. It is important for Imo State to ensure that magistrates that are sent to this court are people who are sensitive and cognisant of the contents of the court and content of the law.” Adding that the small claims court would reduce the number of case in the High Court, Uzodimma stated that reduction of undue delays of cases was the major reason for the establishment of the court. He added, “It is a well-known fact that the conventional method of justice delivery system is cumbersome, time consuming and sometimes frustrating. The backlogs of cases sandwiched with many other issues, causes undue delay in cases that could be easily decided. That is why the birth of small claims procedure is necessary. The administration of justice in that regard was good for both the judiciary and the citizens.”

2024 Budget: Uzodimma Presents N592b Appropriation Bill To Imo Assembly

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo presented the state appropriation bill totalling N592.2 billion for the 2024 fiscal year to the House of Assembly on Tuesday for consideration and approval. The bill, christened “Budget of Renewed Economic Growth,” comprised N100.99 billion in recurrent expenditure, representing 17 per cent, and N491.2 billion in capital expenditure, representing 83 per cent. Presenting the bill on the house floor, Mr Uzodimma said the capital expenditure increased by 32 per cent. According to him, this indicates his determination to stimulate and fast-track the state’s economic growth. He said the budget “is focused on the state’s rapid economic growth.” The governor promised that every fund projected for the development of the state must be judiciously used to achieve a common goal. Mr Uzodimma further said his administration would continue vigorously pursuing his vision to establish a state “where justice and equity for all are guaranteed.” He further said his administration would remain prudent and cut off frivolous expenditures to fund capital projects. “Prudent and efficient management of public funds is the new norm that cannot be compromised. “As always, all capital projects must be subject to due process, routine scrutiny and audit,” he said. Mr Uzodimma urged the house to grant the budget accelerated passage to ensure it was ready on January 1, 2024. Earlier, the speaker, Chike Olemgbe (APC-Ihitte Uboma), commended the governor for ensuring a harmonious working relationship between the executive and legislature. Mr Olemgbe said the 2024 budget aims to provide more infrastructure and facilitate other government economic activities for the people’s general good. Mr Olemgbe thanked the governor for being the “most responsible fiscal governor since the inception of the state.” He adjourned the house to December 14 for the second reading of the budget bill.

CSCHEI appoints Imo state – born Sylvester Okere to lead Diaspora engagement

 

Sylvester Okere, CIPM ll, FIIM.

A prominent Nigerian diaspora leader in the United States, Dr. Sylvester Okere, has been appointed to lead the CivilSociety Organization on Community Advancement and Humanitarian EmpowermentInitiative (CSCHEI) as the Director, Diaspora (North America and South America). CSCHEI is an accredited non-profit organization that coordinates various registered community-based organizations (CBOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and civil society organizations (CSOs) to provide community enhancement, humanitarian empowerment, dignity, and societal values for development.

Okere’s latest appointment by CSCHEI is believed to have come to pass due to his commitment to serving the African diaspora and promoting community development between the United States of America, The United Nations, The World Bank Civil Society Policy Forum program; as well as African nations.  As the Director, Diaspora (North America and South America) of CSCHEI, Okere is expected to develop and implement strategies to engage and mobilize the African diaspora community in North and South America to support CSCHEI’s mission of community advancement and humanitarian empowerment in Africa. He will also build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, and civil society organizations.

Sylvester Okere led the AGOA International Trade and Commerce Fact Finding Workshop held at Hilton Manhattan New York in February 2013. The initiative brought some leaders from Africa to participate, along with US lawmakers, the UN, Civil Societies, NGOs, and heads of government agencies to discuss critical issues surrounding AGOA.

He facilitated, and mobilized the African Diaspora for The White House Policy Briefing of February 22, 2016

Okere championed USAID's Global Innovation Exchange program for Africa. The Global Innovation Exchange is a global online marketplace for innovations, funding, insights, resources, and conversations, allowing the world to better work together to address humanity’s greatest challenges; and a unique resource by Center for Development Innovation | U.S. Global Development Lab in the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Okere is a member of the World Association of Detectives (WAD), Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), National Council of Investigators & Security Services (NCISS), Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), American Security Foundation, American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), Public Record Retriever Network (PRRN), Maryland Investigators and Security Association (MISA), and other esteemed associations. He is a certified institutional protection manager (CIPM II) with a primary focus on industrial security, infrastructure, and trade facilitation. He is also the Founding President of Strategic Groups USA LLC, a private security and private detective firm, and the United People for African Congress (UPAC), a 501c3 non-profit umbrella organization that advocates for the rights of African nationals across the United States. 

Sylvester Okere hails from Obibi Ezena, in Owerri-North Local Government Area of Imo state. He is a former Nigeria Immigration officer with 18 years of federal service (Kano and Imo state combined). He lived a few years in Europe prior to migrating to the United States where he settled as a businessman, politician, Security Professional and an activist. He has received many national and continental awards; amongst two recent recognition: Prominent African Activist Award by NELAS UK, 2018 ; Presidential award of Nigerian-American Lawyers Association; The Outstanding Nigerian In Diaspora award 2017;  Nollywood Who Is Who USA magazine African Community Leadership Award and African Champion a community service award.

S/Court fines Ozekhome N40M for filing ‘frivolous’ suit against Uzodinma

 

Mike Ozekhome

The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of forty million naira (N40M ) on Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) for filing a ‘frivolous’ motion before the court in respect of Imo Governorship tussle decided in 2019.

In a ruling by Justice Tijani Abubakar, he ordered the Senior lawyer to personally pay the N40M fine to the four respondents he dragged before the court.

Abubakar held in the ruling that the request was strange, frivolous, baseless, unwarranted, vexatious and irritating.

He further held that the motion was a calculated design to demonize the Supreme Court.

Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN called to the Nigerian Bar over 42 years ago was fined a huge amount for bringing a motion before the Apex Court seeking to revalidate the suit that removed Emeka Ihedioha as Governor of Imo State in 2019.

Those to be paid are the Action People’s Party, APP, Uche Nnadi, Uche Nwosu, and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

In the motion considered to be frivolous by the court, Ozekhome had asked the Court for a consequential order to compel INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to Ihedioha to enable him spend a four-year tenure as Imo Governor.

His grouse was that the incumbent governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma unlawfully spent the four years which Ihedioha ought to spend.

Among others, Ozekhome in the motion claimed that the All Progressives Congress APC had no candidate in the 2019 Imo Governorship election, hence, Uzodinmma ought not to have been made governor on the platform of APC.

However, the apex court dismissed the motion on the ground that it has no jurisdiction to entertain such a motion.

 

Gov.Uzodinma inaugurates “Exercise Golden Dawn III” in Imo

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has inaugurated “Exercise Golden Dawn III,” a military operation designed to checkmate a probable increase in crime during the Yuletide “with an increased focus on the security of lives and property.”

Speaking during the inauguration of the military operation at the government house,on Friday, Uzodinma who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku, commended the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, and the entire Army for their arduous efforts, which “have resulted in a drastic reduction of criminality in the state.”

He expressed optimism about the exercise’s effectiveness, commending the people for their efforts to develop and maintain peace in the state while asking them to keep the spirit alive.

Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, stressed the importance of effective engagement with sister security agencies as well as civil-military cooperation for the success of the exercise.

Dada stated that the exercise would take place throughout all of the division’s Areas of Responsibility, encompassing the five Southeast states, from December 1 to January 5, 2024.

 

WAD honors Nigerian – American, Sylvester Okere, for excellence in security services

 

The World Association of Detectives(WAD) have honored a Nigerian, Dr. Sylvester Okere, with the prestigious ‘Vinson Holmes Security Professional of the Year Award. For decades now, WAD has used ‘Vinson Holmes Security Professional of the Year Award’ as a medium to honor members in the security field who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and business acumen in an entrepreneurial endeavor. 

Sylvester Okere is a member of the World Association of Detectives (WAD), Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), National Council of Investigators & Security Services(NCISS), Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), American Security Foundation, American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), Public Record Retriever Network (PRRN), Maryland Investigators and Security Association (MISA), and other esteemed global associations in the Security and allied profession. World  Association of Detectives (WAD) is gearing to celebrate its 100 years of existence by 2025 in Chicago, USA, where it first celebrated the first annual conference in 1925.

Okere is the founder & President of United People for African Congress (UPAC), the non-profit umbrella organization that advocates for the rights of African nationals, empowers and uplifts them, and increases public acknowledgment and respect. He was the first chairman of Maryland Nigeria Sister State, and also served as a  Board of Director for the Maryland Sister State Program, Inc. In 2004 Okere founded Watchman Protective Services, Inc., a multi-faceted private security, private investigation, and private detective agency he proudly owned and operated from 2004 to 2013 in the Washington DC/Maryland region.

Okere is the owner of StrategicGroups USA LLC and Strategic Overseas Limited, an international consulting firm he created to advise and facilitate trade & Investment between the United States and African nations. He was a visiting scholar with George Mason University, the largest public research institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia, interested in researching the African Diaspora’s involvement in the American political system and the interface between African immigrant entrepreneurs and American politics – to highlight their ever-increasing contributions across the nation.

Sylvester Okere, CIPM ll, FIIM.

Okere championed a USAID’s Global Innovation Exchange program for Africa. The Global Innovation Exchange is a global online marketplace for innovations, funding, insights, resources, and conversations, allowing the world to better work together to address humanity’s greatest challenges; and a unique resource by Center for Development Innovation | U.S. Global Development Lab at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Okere held/championed several prominent roles towards the elevating African causes within the United States, Africa, and the United Nations.

Okere is an approved vendor with the United Nations (in business, politics and humanitarian roles) 

Sylvester Okere hails from Obibi Ezena, in Owerri-North Local Government Area of Imo state. He is a former Nigeria Immigration officer with 18 years of federal service (Kano and Imo state combined)

Gov Uzodinma assents to bill extending teachers’ retirement age in Imo

 Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodinma has, assented to a bill extending teachers’ retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of service in the state. 

Before now, the retirement age for teachers in the state was 35 years of service or 60 years of age.

Mr Uzodinma, after signing the bill into law on ,ednesday, said the new law would encourage teachers in public schools to “have a sense of work security and be more effective and efficient in their duties.”

 “Having given the teachers extra five years,’ the governor said the teachers are expected to “work harder to give Imo children the best form of teaching and learning and graduate them as the best in Nigeria.”

The governor, who described the gesture as “value addition”, challenged the teachers to show more commitment and seriousness in their job. He said the new law was a follow-up to a similar bill extending teachers’ retirement age to 65 years or 40 years of pensionable service in Nigeria which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2022.

“This decision aligns with my steadfast commitment to preserving the wealth of experience and knowledge within our educational system,” Mr Uzodinma said.

The speaker commended the governor for showing concern for the welfare of Imo Stste people.

He said that the bill was “well thought-out” and described its passage and signing into law as historic.

Tinubu receives Uzodinma, Ododo over election victory

 

President Bola Tinubu on Friday received Governors Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, and the Kogi State governor-elect, Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State in his office in Abuja.  

They visited the president over the victories recorded by Messrs Uzodinma and Ododo in the 11 November governorship elections in Imo and Kogi states, respectively.

While Mr Uzodinma’s victory earned him a second term in office as Imo State governor, Mr Ododo’s success secured his right to succeed Mr Bello as the next Kogi State governor.

Mr Uzodinma, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting with President Tinubu, said that the visit was to intimate the president on their victories and appreciate him for his support.

‘’As the leader of the party, we came to meet with our president in respect of the victory the party had at the polls in Imo and Kogi.

‘’The elections were an affirmation that the people have identified the quality leadership that the All Progressive Congress has been offering them.

‘’The victory is also an affirmation of the acceptance of the leadership style of Mr President in the last few months of the administration.

‘’By the victory of the APC in both Imo and Kogi states, Nigerians have demonstrated that the Tinubu administration would be given the needed support to succeed,’’ Uzodinma said.

He said that the victory given to the APC in the state would be replicated with resounding development and people-oriented programmes and projects in the coming four years of his tenure.

The Imo State governor also commended the residents of the state for the support and solidarity at the polls, adding that their trust would be repaid with more dividends of democracy.

Similarly, Governor Bello of Kogi State said that the support given to the APC in the state would translate to more development and better living standards for the people.

He said that the governor-elect would hit the ground running in taking Kogi State to a new height, adding that as the outgoing governor he would not interfere in the administration of the new governor.

‘’As Governor Yahaya Bello nobody dictated to me. I carried my cross and I believe the same thing would happen to Ahmed Usman Ododo as a governor.

“I will not interfere in the government and he also has to carry his own cross just as I did.

‘’What I will assure the people of Kogi is that they have a competent person to rule them and I have full confidence in his ability to govern well.

“The state will have a smooth transition into an efficient administration,’’ he said.

The governor-elect, Mr Ododo, also gave the assurance that his administration would ensure a smooth transition from the good works of Bello, adding that all the people of the state are in for a new treat.

Imo government orders revocation of illegally acquired lands

Imo State Government has disclosed that it will revoke all lands illegally acquired by individuals or organizations in the state.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, stated this at a media briefing after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Owerri last week.

He said the council, presided over by Governor Hope Uzodinma, resolved and directed that in view of the discrepancies uncovered in land acquisition, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, should revoke all such illegally acquired lands. It also directed the Commissioner for Education, Professor B. T. O. Ikegwuoha, to query the Vice Chancellor, Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, Professor Adaobi Obasi, over the institution’s failure to pay February and March salaries.

He explained that in spite of subventions released to it, including revenue from fees, Obasi failed to pay salaries, directing that the company responsible for the collections, Tennesy, should stop collecting fees on behalf of IMSU.

In the same vein, the council comprising Governor Uzodimma and the commissioners resolved to engage all stakeholders in taking critical decisions on the state’s education sector.

The council would engage stakeholders including parents, wards and proprietors of private schools on safe reopening of schools in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Governor Uzodinma provides twenty SUVs for judges in Imo state

Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has procured twenty brand new Sports Utility Vehicles for use by judges in the state.

The vehicles were received by the acting Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Ijeoma Agugua yesterday during a courtesy visit by judges to the governor.

The governor, who stressed the need for the judicial arm of government to join forces with the other arms, the executive and legislature, to move the state forward.

He said that the dividends of democracy can only be delivered to people when all the arms of government close ranks and work as a team.

While expressing his zeal to work with the judges, Uzodimma said the gifts of 20 brand new Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to the serving judges was a way of motivating them to work, promising to improve the welfare and working condition

He offered to take care of the outstanding entitlements of the retired judges and ensure that other retiring ones get their entitlements less than two months after retirement, a record which has not happened in the history of Imo State.

He restated his administration’s commitment to introduce modern techniques to quicken justice dispensation and urged the judges to key into the administration and do their work without fear or favour.