Imo Govt flags off re-certification of C/O for land owners

Land owners in Imo state have been advised to go for a re-certification of their Certificate of Occupancy at the ministry of Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban planning.

The governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Sir George Eche gave this advice at the occasion to mark the flagging off of ‘Signing of land title documents’ by the State Government.

Speaking during the occasion which held at the Imo International Convention Center (IICC), Owerri today, the governor said that the new C/O has been designed to correct the lapses associated with the old C/O, adding that “unlike the old C/O, the new C/O will be very difficult to forge”. He said that in addition to generating revenue for the government, the new C/O will guarantee the upgrade of the process of land ownership in Imo from analogue to digital. 

 

Earlier, Governor Okorocha’s Chief of Staff, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu disclosed that as at 2011, the ministry of Lands were using manual procedures for land registration and this made it easy for land syndicates to forge land title documents.

Speaking further, Nwosu said that by 2012, the ministry of Lands under his leadership upgraded the procedure for documentation of land ownership using ICT based techniques and this led the emergence of the new C/O. He said this has brought integrity to ministry of Lands and assured that the ministry will run an open door policy.

Also speaking, the commissioner for Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban planning, Chief Lawrence Eburuoh said that the day’s event marks a giant stride in the effort of the state government to satisfy the yearnings of the people for a genuine land ownership system, adding that cost of processing the C/O will be cheaper now that the ministry has computerized the procedure.

He said the new C/O does not invalidate the old one but advised land owners to obtain the new C/O so as to secure their land.

In attendance at the event were some members of the State Executive Council, some members of the State House of Assembly, Civil Servants, Artisans and other private citizens including the Lecturer of the day’s event, Prof. Iche Kanu.

High point of the event was the signing of the new C/O belonging to a land owner by the commissioner for Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban planning, Chief Lawrence Eburuoh.

Okorocha, Ganduje, others eulogize Madumere at book launch in Owerri

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, his Kano State counterpart, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, deputy governors from six states in Nigeria as well as other dignitaries attended a book launch today in Owerri in honor of Prince Eze Madumere.

The event which was held at the Concorde hotels Owerri attracted guests from within and outside Imo state including members of Civil Society groups, top political office holders and members of the press who gathered to witness the launching of the book titled, ‘Eze Madumere: A True Manifestation of a Loyal Prince’ written by Peter Cleaver Obi.

  
Speaking during the occasion, the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha said that the occasion was designed to give honor to whom honor is due, adding that he regards Maumere as a colleague rather than a deputy. He said Madumere became a deputy governor not on account his incarceration during the campaign for the 2011 governorship election, but on account of his loyalty and dedication to duty.

Continuing, governor Okorocha disclosed that it is up to 22 years since Eze Madumere began to work for him and in all that time, he did not find any reason to question his loyalty and support.

He applauded the author for writing the book and thanked the guests for honoring the invitation.

Speaking earlier, the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje described the book as a testimony of the revolution taking place in Imo. He described Governor Rochas  Okorocha as a bridge builder and a detribalized Nigerian who has labored hard to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged in Nigeria.

He congratulated Prince Madumere for being a loyal servant and also congratulated Rochas for having confidence in Madumere.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Niyi Michael Akintola (SAN) described Prince Eze Madumere as a man of uncommon principle who put his life on the line to ensure that he achieves success.

The book which has 186 pages gave account of the Prince Madumere’s background, his sojourn in politics, his speeches and interviews, his contributions towards the promotion of sports and charity as well as his achievements in office.

In his closing remarks, Prince Eze Madumere disclosed that his first meeting with the author was the day the author presented him the scripts of the book for approval and publication. He thanked his master, Governor Rochas Okorocha for his guidance and encouragement and expressed appreciation to the guests that graced the occasion.

Also present at the occasion were the Imo State first lady, Ugo Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha; the Kano State first    lady, Dr.(Mrs.) Hafsatu Umar Ganduje and the deputy governors of  Oyo, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara . Others are the members of the Imo State House of Assembly, Commissioners, Transition Committee Chairmen and the book reviewer, Professor Joseph Ahaneku.

The book presenter, Mr Alex Mbata was represented by Mr. Dan Ikpeazu who donated the sum of one million naira to support the book launch.

Okorocha’s message on Nigeria’s 56th independence anniversary

As Nigerians celebrate the 56th anniversary of the Country’s Independence, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle  Rochas Okorocha has said that despite the ugly picture being painted by certain Nigerians, the country has not done badly after all.
Speaking shortly before taking official salute from the military and paramilitary organizations and students at the Heroes Square, Owerri today, the governor said that Nigerians should have every reason to celebrate and if for no other reason, for the fact that the country has remained united despite certain predictions in the contrary.
He said that whatever challenges the country is facing at the moment could not be said to be strange because all the big nations of the world we celebrate today had also passed through such challenges and even more traumatizing challenges.
The governor reiterated that at 56 Nigeria has remained a united nation not minding the glaring diversities, and charged Nigerians of goodwill to begin to see light at the end of the nation’s tunnel both in her economy, politics, development and growth,
He remarked that the coming of both APC and President Muhammadu Buhari all portend good things to come for the nation and her people, especially when Nigerians have all begun to talk much about going back to Agriculture, and talking less these days about oil.
He said that in the past few years, nobody was talking about Agriculture, but oil. And today, Agriculture has become the unavoidable issue in the nation’s debate or discuss. All these point out the fact that the nation is moving to the fast lane of development and growth.
He urged Nigerians to stop the songs of distress and recession, but should begin to sing the songs of progress, surplus and prosperity for the nation and her people.
He therefore wishes the President, Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians of goodwill, happy and successful independence anniversary.

Appeal Court did not freeze Imo accounts as reported by Vanguard

The Imo State Government has denied the banner headline report of the Vanguard Newspaper Stating that the “Appeal Court has ordered the freezing of all the accounts of the Imo State Government for the money in the affected accounts to be used to settle the debt owed to the litigants”, with the Government stressing that the Appeal Court did not give any order or ruling freezing the accounts of the State government as claimed in the report.
The Attorney-General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Miletus Nlebedim told media practitioners on Tuesday September 27, 2016 the same day, Vanguard Newspaper carried the disputed report, that the story was nothing but a deliberate mischief and then challenged those behind the false report to publish their facts.
Hear the AG, “I want to categorically state that the Court of Appeal Sitting in Owerri did not make an order or gave any ruling freezing the accounts of the State Government as reported by the Vanguard Newspaper. The burden now lies on the Vanguard Newspapers to authenticate their Claim by Publishing their facts”.
“There is no such order or Judgement from the Court of Appeal and for the avoidance of doubt, what happened relates back to the year 2011 when a company called E.C. Network Nig. Ltd. took out an action against the state government claiming the sum of 800million naira as contract sum for a contract awarded to them during the time of His Excellency Chief Ikedi Ohakim. The contract has to do with the supply of waste bins to Imo State government when the then government was pursuing its clean and green policy”.
“The goods were not delivered to Imo State government. The contention of the claimant was that he imported the waste bins in pursuance of the contractual agreement, the goods arrived the Apapa wharfs but couldn’t be cleared because the government was unable to provide funds to him and as a result the goods were seized. This is his Claim. The goods in question never reached the state, he now made claims of the contract sum and damages”.
“The sum of 800 million naira was claimed as contract sum and 200 million as damages, that was the claim before the Court. The High Court sitting in Owerri granted his relief and awarded the sum of 1billion naira to him”.
“The government of Imo State appealed against that judgement to the Court of Appeal in 2012. The appeal was argued last year, and judgement dismissed the appeal by the State government”.
“Two days after the judgement, we filled an appeal to the Supreme Court challenging the judgement as delivered by the Court of Appeal as it was a malicious judgement looking at the facts and contract agreement. There was a clause there that said that if there is a misunderstanding between the parties, that, they will first go for arbitration and if it fails either party could then go to Court. That arbitration clause in the agreement was not followed, as such it was challenged that the case was premature as it did not follow the due process as agreed by the parties”.
“We did not stop at appealing at the Supreme Court, we followed it up with filling a motion for stay of execution. The motion for stay of execution is even yet to be heard in Court”.
“I wonder where the Vanguard Newspaper got the information of the Appeal Court then freezing the accounts of the State government when there is a pending motion for stay of execution and a pending appeal at the Supreme Court”.
“The issue of freezing of account does not even arise as the Claimant never included it in its prayers to the Court, both at the lower Court and Appeal Court. In law the law does not give what was not asked for”.
“There is no way the Court of Appeal would have awarded the respondent what he did not claim”.
The publication by Vanguard is misleading and malicious as they never even cared to verify their facts from the office of the Attorney-General before going for publication. It is now left for them to publish what they have to prove that they were not on blackmail trip”.