ESE'S BLOG

Saturday, 20 August 2016

A story of an abandoned 14 year old boy at Umuahia Prisons

Article sent in by AbsuLawclinic - a non-profit unit in the Faculty of Law Abia State University, Uturu, that render probono legal services to people whoc can't afford lawyers. Read the article below..

The story you are about to read discloses one of the pathetic yet interesting cases that ABSU Law Clinic, through its services to the community is handling. It is pitiable to see that in a world where it is loudly proclaimed that children are the leaders of tomorrow, a 14 years old boy, lavishes behind bars for roughly 2 years for a crime he has not been convicted of.

Even as an orphan, his potentials has made him a cynosure at Umuahia prisons, Afara, where he has been remanded all this while. His name is Chima Chimaroke and this is his story;
Chima Chimaroke was born in January 2001 into the family of the Chimas, from Umuekwuele in Afugiri, Umuahia, Abia State. Unfortunately for him he lost his parents and only twin brother at a very tender age.

Despite these challenges Chimaroke exhibited swift learning abilities that led him to acquire skills in phones and other electronics devices repair. He further harnessed his swift learning abilities at Umuahia prisons where he is a barber and the sole shoe maker.

Just as a man on a swing sways in whatever direction the wind blows, Chimaroke was soon swallowed up in social vices as he lacked the attention, love and direction he would have gotten from his late parents. As a boisterous young man, he began to fend for himself by hawking Lacasera and Gala on the streets as the family he found himself in had no eye for him.

He was introduced into the world of crime by his co-hawkers who compelled him to stand as a lookout while they carried out their devious plans. As a fresh man in the world of crime, he was the only one arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery whilst the ringleaders are graciously at large.

Through the joint efforts of the ABSU LAW CLINIC and the office of the Chief Judge of Abia state, Chimaroke was granted bail during the jail delivery that took place on the 4th of May, 2016. But we are faced with a problem, thus;
Chimaroke is an orphan with no immediate relatives except for his stepmother and step brothers. The stepmother has refused to have anything to do with him and has gone on to prevent her children from helping out. Saying that China is an "abandoned government property". It was a herculean task for ABSU LAW CLINIC to locate, communicate with and convince one of his step brothers to sign Chimarokes bail bond. Although by Gods intervention he agreed to sign but on the condition that Chimaroke is not welcomed in their home as their mother would not allow it. He said he could only sign it if we could provide accommodation or a place to rehabilitate Chimaraoke.

The problem now is DO WE RELEASE CHIMARAOKE TO A FAMILY THAT SEES HIM AS AN ABANDONED GOVERNMENT PROPERTY OR DO WE RELEASE HIM BACK TO A WORLD OF CRIME?

Chimaroke needs to be taught love where he has seen hate, peace where he has seen chaos, a home where he has been left on the streets.
Chimaroke need YOU to harness his talent where his talent has been left dormant.
His stay in the prison has done more harm than good to him and the society at large, as he would be molded from the things he learns now. Chimaroke is susceptible to change and only needs the right hands to lead him aright.

The ABSU LAW CLINIC calls on non-governmental organizations, individuals to help provide a home and a means of livelihood for Chimaroke. We see a lot of potentials and possibilities in Chima and we want you to join in his progress. As it stands, we are the only ones the little boy has. His only hope It is one of our duties to the community.

The ABSU LAW CLINIC.

AbsuLawclinic is a non for profit unit in the Faculty of Law Abia State University, Uturu. We are collaborating with Network of University Legal Aid Institution (NULAI) to render probono legal services to indigent members of the society.

Friday, 19 August 2016

Nigeria To Float $25bn Infrastructure Development Fund, Says Udoma

Minister of Budget and National Planning-Udoma Udo Udoma

Nigeria will establish a $25 billion Infrastructure Development Fund to finance projects in the country, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, has said.

Mr. Udo-Udoma said this while receiving the Report of the three-day Pre-Summit Workshop from the Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership Summit Group on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the development fund would provide a pool of fiscal resources for long term financing of priority projects.

He said the ministry had developed the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) for accelerated infrastructure development in the country for the next 30 year.

“The fund seeks to raise the stock of infrastructure from the current level of 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the GDP to at least 70 per cent by 2043.

“A total investment outlay of 3.05 trillion dollars will be required for the implementation of NIIMP.

“The investment will be geared towards meetings infrastructure requirements of the major sectors of the economy.

“The NIIMP captured Energy, Transport, Information Communication Technology, Agriculture, Water, Mining, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Security and Vital Registration sectors”, Udo-Udoma said.

He pointed out that the implementation of the NIIMP required collaboration of stakeholders – Federal and State Governments and the private sector – to provide required investments.

“The NIIMP, apart from being a robust framework for infrastructure development, will also serve as investors’ guide, enhance economic growth, and create job opportunities among other benefits”, he said.

Earlier, Abubakar Mahmoud, Chairman, Infrastructure PPP Summit Group, said the group was formed to address deficit in infrastructure and that government alone could not drive the provision of infrastructure.

Mr. Mahmoud said that the concept of forming the group was for private sector to pull resources and expertise together to create framework for PPP dialogue and engagement.

“We have received a lot of support from government agencies, including the ministry”, he said.

Also Speaking, Daniel Gori, a member of the team who presented an outcome of the summit, said that infrastructure was key to reclaiming Nigeria as the biggest economy in Africa.

Gori recalled that Nigeria had lost its first position as the largest economy in the continent to South Africa.

“We know that infrastructure is critical to this; infrastructure deficit is putting a break on Nigeria potential.

“The report focuses on Power, Transport, Agriculture and Health and we have analysed all sectors and ways they can be developed”, he said. (NAN)

Your Pains Will Soon Be Over, Buhari assures Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that they would soon begin to feel the impact of his policies in their lives just as South west governors put forward suggestions on how perceptions of marginalisation could be redressed.

Mr. President spoke at the South West conference of the APC at Ibadan, where the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun charged party members to enlighten the public that effecting change in the polity would take time.

Oyegun noted that 16 years of rot in the economy cannot be reversed in just 15 months.

President Buhari was represented by his political adviser, Senator Femi Ojudu. He said: “You all may well know, the darkest part of the night is the period before dawn. Nigeria’s dawn is about to break. We are determined to turn things around. Change is not easy, but we are not relenting until we achieve a better life for all Nigerians.

The change we advocate will be irrevocable when we are finally done. We just have to change from our old ways of doing things because things cannot be allowed to continue the way they were. Though, things may appear difficult at the moment, it will not be long before Nigerians start deriving the full benefits of the current policies of government which are designed to reposition the country and improve on the prevailing economic situation.”

Speaking further, he said: “Already, there are signs that things are turning round for the better. In the oil and gas industries for instance, investors are showing tremendous interest in building petroleum refineries. In no distant time, the issues of fuel scarcity will become a thing of the past.”

Monday, 15 August 2016

Today in Nigerian History: 15th August

On this day in 2015;Zambian President, Edgar Lungu lauded the business ingenuity of the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote saying his business expansion across Africa is worthy of emulation by African businessmen in the task of continental development.

Also on this day in 2015;NATIONAL Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, was taken aback when a middle aged man identified as Christopher Anirah, who was presumed dead, made a surprise appearance to testify before it.

Anirah, was subpoenaed by the tribunal to give evidence in an election petition matter between Hon. Gibson Ighofose Akporehe of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Hon. Evelyn Omavowan Oboro, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, told the tribunal that his death certificate was allegedly forged by the APC House of Representatives candidate.

Meanwhile, Hon Evelyn Oboro, in her preliminary objection, asked the tribunal to dismiss Akporehe’s petition for lack of merit, saying it is an abuse of court process. Akporehe who is the candidate of APC in Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie federal constituency in the 2015 election, through his counsel, Mr Charles Umweni, had told the tribunal that the witness he intends to call (Anirah) cannot come to the tribunal to testify, claiming that he died after suffering a cardiac attack. But, at the resumed hearing of the matter, yesterday, in Asaba, somebody who claimed to be Anirah stormed the tribunal and stepped into the witness box to give evidence when the chairman of the three-man tribunal panel, Justice Adebukole Banjoko, called out the name.

The sudden appearance of the said Anirah created commotion in the tribunal as the bewildered audience started shuffling and murmuring in low tones over the appearance of a ‘dead man’ in court, prompting Justice Banjoko to call for calm.

And on this day in 2014;Former President Goodluck Jonathan stressed the need for a revolutionary expansion of the oil and gas industry for the country to become the leading African nation in the sector.

He said: “The nation’s gas known to be of much quantity than oil, when maximally utilised, will not only boost the economy and create employment, but will to a very large extent, reduce cases of gas flaring to its barest minimum by 2020.”

Tosyn Bucknor is a year older today

Yay! Tosyn Bucknor is a year older today!

Nollywood Meets Media July edition

Tosyn Bucknor is an actress, radio presenter, singer, songwriter and a writer.

Tosyn graduated from the University of Lagos where she studied law. She has won many awards including the Nigerian Broadcaster's award, Future Awards, Exquisite Lady of the year and others.

She has featured in soaps like, "Now We Are married", "Tinsel" and a couple of others.

Tosyn Bucknor at her wedding

(Instagram/Gbemioo)

The OAP celebrated her birthday today on her Instagram page writing, "Happy New Year Tosyn!!!!!!"

Happy birthday to the celebrant!

The Hunky Pat Attah

This week's man crush is veteran actor, Pat Attah! Pat, real name Patrick Uchenna Attah, is an actor and musician from Anambra state.

Pat Attah

(misspetite)

One of Nollywood's lover boys of the 90s and early 2000s, Attah made his movie debut in the movie, "Glamour Girls" produced in 1994.

As a musician, Attah has performed in several reggae concerts in Germany where he lives.

Although, he graced our TV screen ions ago, Attah has been busy doing well for himself in Germany and recent photos show he is still a heartbreaker.