COORDINATORS AND MEMBERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT CENTERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

ORLU ZONE

 

NKWERRE L.G.A

OWERRE NKWORJI DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

HEADQUARTERS - ISHI OWERRE

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

DAN ORISAKWE

CORDINATOR

0803372849

2.

MRS CAROLINE ONWUZURUOHA

MEMBER 

07038725503

3.

SAMUEL UKAIGWE

MEMBER

08037792642

4.

RAYMOND UZOHO

MEMBER

08050216261

5.

NZE MATHIAS NWOSU

MEMBER

08034617116

6.

CHIKAODI ANELE

MEMBER

07016790518

PGS-ISI UMUDI UMUDI, OWERRE NKWOJI, UMUWALA, UMUARO, ISIALA.

NKWERRE LGA

NKWERRE WEST DEVELOPMENT CENTRE 

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

MICHAEL ONYEMA ESIWE

CORDINATOR

08034022913

2.

EJIOFOR  CHIKASI N.

MEMBER

07032470250

3.

VITUS ATASIE

MEMBER

08137193587

4.

SAMUEL NDUBUISI ONUMAJURU

MEMBER

07033006102

5.

FABIAN MBEGBU

MEMBER

08162407783

6.

liL«

CHIDIEBERE NMEZI

MEMBER

08038674503

PCS - AMA OKPARA, EZIAMA OBAIRE, EZE ANORUO

HEADQUARTERS - AMAOKPARA

EGBEMA NORTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER HEADQUARTERS - MG BARA EGBEMA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

HON. 08IMNA ARIAGA

CO-ORDINATOR

08037795551

2.

EBEL CYNTHIA ETEKWURU

MEMBER

08141920882

3.

MARCEL EMMANUEL ECHEAZU

MEMBER

07031354099

4.

ALBERT UCHE

MEMBER

08037803887

5.

CHETACHI UZOKWE

MEMBER

08037803887

6.

NATHAN N WO KOCH A

MEMBER

08064762557

PGS - OBOKOFIA, ETEKWURU, EKUGBA, MGBARA/ OFOROLA

OHAJI/EGBEMA LGA

OHAJl WEST DEVELOPMENT CENTER 

HEADQUARTERS - AMAFOR

S/NO,

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

PRINCE OMEREJI EMMA

CO-ORDINATOR

09075417710

n

Z.

STANLEY OKEDINMA N.

MEMBER

08120230775

3.

HELEN OBI

MEMBER

07064211677

4,

HENRY NWAKAIRE

MEMBER

08027665723

5,

TONY OKEHI

MEMBER

08064943563

6.

MONDAY NWAKAJI

MEMBER

08124683300

'

    

PCS - OHOBA, UMUNWAKU, OBILE, ASSAH, AWARA/IKWEREDE

i

OHAJI/EGBEMA LGA

OHAJI DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - UMUOKANNE

S/NO,

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

UZOMA ANTHONY EJIKE

CO-ORDINATOR

08033442890

z,

ELIJAH OGBUEHI

MEMBER

09077189639

3,

LIVINUS NDUBUISI IGVVE

MEMBER

07064654154

4.

MCSUNNY DIKEOCHA

MEMBER

08037560449

K

*

JACINTA ORDUNZE

MEMBER

07032201905

6.

MR IGNATIUS ODUMZE

MEMBER

08067470291

PGS - EKWUATOR,

0BITTI/MGSUISII, UMUAPU, UMUAGWO, UMUKUNE/ETIOHA

NWANGELE LGA

NWANGELE DEVELOPMENT CENTER 

HEADQUARTERS - ISI NWANGELE

S/NO,

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

CHIEF MAURICE ONWUKWE

CO-ORDINATOR

08035639473

2,

MR FABIAN DIKEUKWU

MEMBER

08037309355

3,

PASCHAL ACHONYE •

MEMBER

08064483404

4

i *

LEO ANYADIEGWU

MEMBER

08068057501

K

JULIANA ABAMARA

MEMBER

08166299168

6,

HYGINUS EZE

MEMBER

08035500420

7,

MARTIN OPARA

MEMBER

07065229151

PGS - UMUDURUNNA ABBA, OGWUAGA ABBA, UMUMNA, EKITIAFOR ABBA, ABBA AUTO COM, ISU ACIENT KINGDOM, UMUOZU, DIM NA NUME, AGBAJAH

IDEATO SOUTH L.G.A

IDEATO SOUTH WEST DEVELOPMENT CEWNTER

HEADQUARTERS - OGBOKO

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

NWADIKE CHRISTIAN

CO-ORDINATOR

08035744133

2.

LUCIA CHIBUZOR NWOKEOGU

MEMBER

08163743732

3.

KENIS EZE

MEMBER

08025139908

4.

SUCCESS AGOMEZE NDIUKWU

MEMBER

08137558180

5.

ONYEKAZIE HYCIENT

MEMBER

08065266713

6.

TIMOTHY ANUMEHE

MEMBER

08063631371

PGS - U MUCH IMA, UMUMA ISIAKU I, UMUMA ISIAKU II, OGBOKO I, OGBOKO II, AMANATO, UMUESHI, UGBELLE, NTUEKE, OBIOHA.

NJABA LGA

NJABA SOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - UMUAKA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

AKUNESIOBIKE IHEANYI

CO-ORDINATOR

08032702921

2.

VINCENT AHAOTU

MEMBER

07063005495

3.

HON. MRS PRISCA ODUEZE

MEMBER

08062111486

4.

HON. OKEY CHUKWUEMEKA

MEMBER

08033182231

5.

IKEMEFULE NWOSU

MEMBER

08065880144

6.

REV MARCEL ADIEGWU

MEMBER

08065843111

PGS - AMAZANO I, AMAZANO II, UBA/AMAKOR UMUAKA, ISIOZI/UGBELE, AMIYI/IBELE, ACHARA UMUAKA

—

ISU LGA

ISII ISU DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - UBURU EKWE

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

IKE BASILIA OYIBO

CO-ORDINATOR

08065623522

2.

TONY EGWIM

MEMBER

09030045100

3.

FESTUS IBE

MEMBER

08144548886

4.

MOSES EKEMEZIE

MEMBER

07040479041

5.

MRS CELESTINA ESONVVANNE

MEMBER

07089723211

6.

OSUJI CHINEMEZE

MEMBER

08101386864

PGS - EKWE I, EKWE II, EKWE III, EKWE IV, ISUNJABA I, ISUNJABA II, ISUNJABA III, ISUNJABA IV.

OGUTA LGA

ALAOMA DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - AKABOR ALAOMA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

HON. IROKANLO ANSELEM MILLER S.

CO-ORDINATOR?

08032677416

2.

NNEKA ORJIAKOR

MEMBER

08032117193

3.

OKAFOR SAVIOUR

MEMBER

07065301595

4.

SAMUEL OSSAI

MEMBER

08034518997

5.

MRS IJEOMA EKEANYAWU

MEMBER

08068491868

6.

FABIAN MIRICHUKWU

MEMBER

08139406953

PCS - IZOMBE,

EJEMEKWURU/AKABOR, MBANO,

MGBALA/UBA,

NDIULUKWU/UMUOWERE

OGUTA LGA

AGWA DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - OBUDI AGWA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

OBINNA JUMBO

CO-ORDINATOR

07034629407

2.

MARVELOUS EGBULEM

MEMBER

08133636351

3.

NWANNA EZEJIOFOR

MEMBER

08038418448

4.

MOSES EZE P.

MEMBER

08066743366

5.

MRS. IREH AZUBUOGU

MEMBER

08036729830

6.

JOHN BOSCO IWUNZE

MEMBER

08063497070

PGS- OBUDI 'A', OBUDI'B', UWAORIE W, UWAORIE 'B', UWAORIE 'C' MGALAUBA.

ORLU LGA 

ORLU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER 

HEADQUARTERS - ACHI

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

NGOZIIHEMDI

CO-ORDINATOR

08037097708

2.

SCHOLAR IHEJIAHI

MEMBER

08067692122

3.

MORGAN EBEL

MEMBER

08175283419

4.

NWADIKE TOCHUKWU

MEMBER

08149286814

5.

EMEKA C. UCHENNA

MEMBER

07032526313

6.

PATRICK OKWARAJI

MEMBER

08033216363

PGS - EZIACHI/AMIKE, UMUZIKE, UMUODIOKA.

ORLU LGA

ORLU WEST DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - IKPA NWERERE

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

MAGNUS NNADI

CO-ORDINATOR

07069628032

2.

OBINNA OKEKE

MEMBER

07037621510 

3.

AZUBUIKE IWUOHA

MEMBER

08160477586

4

i *

MBAKWE FELIX

MEMBER

08064302021

5.

AGATHA OKOROUKWU

MEMBER

07069162809

6.

NORBERT 0 BIN All

MEMBER

08035012325

PGS - OHAEKE OKPORO, OHAFOR QKPORQ, UMUTANZE, OVVERRE- EBEIRI, UMUOWA.

ORLU LGA

ORLU NORTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - ACHARABA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

HON. NGAOBIDI GREG NWOSU

CO-ORDINATOR

08035463437

2.

IJEOMA AGULONYE

MEMBER

08035689293

3.

WILFRED EBIGBUO

MEMBER

08034354982

4.

HENRY AWUZIE

MEMBER

08131049346

5.

EJIOGU FRANCIS

MEMBER

08063528046

6.

GREG IRIELE

MEMBER

08064034345

PGS - OGBERURU/OBIBI, OKWUABALA, IHI1 ! b OWERRE, AMANATO/OBINUGWU

IDEATO NORTH LGA 

IDEATO NORTH EAST DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - NDI-AWA ARONDIZUOGU

S/NO

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

HON. OKOYE FRANCIS NWOSU

CO-ORDINATOR

08063825603

2.

MRS JOY NWANKWO N.

MEMBER

08108347264

3.

DANIEL OKEKE

MEMBER

08038873639

4.

J .

OFFOR JULIAN CHIMEZIE

MEMBER

08034314233

5.

ONYEABA CHIMA

MEMBER

0803379008

6.

PATRICK OBIOHA

MEMBER

08033420665

PGS - N DI-IH EM E/ARON DIZOGU I, NDI-IHEME/ARONDIZOGO II, IZUOGU ARON DIZOGU I, IZUOGU ARON DIZOGU II, NDIOMOKO, UZII/UMUOLOMA

i

IDEATO NORTH LGA 

IDEATO NORTH CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - UMUOPIA

S/NO,

NAME

POSITION'

PHONE

1

CHARITY NWANKWO

CO-ORDINATOR

08037325248

2

NNANYEREOZO EBUKA

MEMBER

08126447890

3,

GODWIN ONWUELINGO

MEMBER

08064222120

4.

CHIBUEZE MOSES OKOLIE

MEMBER

07062586750

5.

JULIANA ONWUNAEME

MEMBER

08062900829

6.

NKEIRU NNAJI

MEMBER

09030637690

PGS - AKWU-OWERRE, UMUOKWARA, UMUKEGWU/ UMUOPIA, UMUEZEAGA, AKPULU, ISIOKPO

ORSU LGA

ORSU NORTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - IHITENANSA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

AUGUSTINE CHIDIEBERE NWADIKE

CO-ORDINATOR

2.

JOSEPH OJIMBA

MEMBER

08034095400

3.

ANGELINA EGOLE

MEMBER

08123454905

4.

NNAEMEKA NWANORO

MEMBER

08174197470

5.

ENOCH UDUBA

MEMBER

08091448152

6.

IKEJE BENARD

MEMBER

PGS - ASSAH UBIRIELEM, AMARURU, IHII i tNANSA I, IHITTENANSA II.

ORSU LGA

ORSU CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - NKWO-UDELE UMUHU-OKABIA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

NZE NNAEMEKA R.A. EGOLE

CO-ORDINATOR

08033339500

2.

UGOCHUKWU OKENKWO

MEMBER

08066357285

3.

IFEANYI OBI

MEMBER

08033385475

A

SUNDAY ADIOLE

MEMBER

08089447957

5.

ONWUMA PAMELA C.

MEMBER

08066116042

5.

TOBIAS OBI

MEMBER

08181347173

PGS - EZIAWA, UMUHUOKABIA, OFEAHIA/UHUALLA, ORSUIHITTEUKWA I,

0 RS UIHITTEO KVVA II

ORSU L.G.A

ORSU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - EZEOGWU

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

CHIEF CASMIRE MBAMARA

CO-ORDINATOR

08089778199

2.

MACWULU UZOMEWULU

MEMBER

08038785534

3.

MR. JOEL NWANEKEZI

MEMBER

07062520069

4.

MRS. MARBEL OBIEFULE

MEMBER

08038103529

5.

MR UBA PETER

MEMBER

08137920235

6.

MR ATUEGBU CLEMENT

MEMBER

08038760355

PGS - OKWUAMARAIHE, ISIAMA, ETITI

0RU WEST LGA

ORU NORTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - UBULU

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

CHIKA ONYEMENAM

CO-ORDINATOR

08033157266

2.

HELEN CHUKWU

MEMBER

08068997317

3.

ISAAC OBINOZIE

MEMBER

07047388784

4.

VALENTINE OKOLIE

MEMBER

07084713564

5.

EUPHEMIA OZOBI

MEMBER

08028337556

6.

ONYEKA OBI

MEMBER

07089577393

PGS - UBULU I, UBULU II, IBIASIEGBE, AMAOFUO, AJI, ELEH, NEMPI

ORU EAST LGA

AMA/AKU ORU DEVELOPMENT CENTER 

HEADQUARTERS - AKUMA

S/NO.

POSITION

PHONE

1.

HON. EMMA EMECHETA

CO-ORDINATOR

08039285460

2.

HON. KEVIN MADUIKE

MEMBER

08034014101

3.

MR. SAMUEL IGBOAYAKA

MEMBER

013136457493

4.

ICHIE TIMOTHY OBI

MEMBER

08032565241

5.

MRS. SANDRA ONYEJESI

MEMBER

08064222654

6.

MR. JONATHAN OBINATU

MEMBER

08101264042

PCS - AKUMA, AMAGU 1 EZIOHA

ORU EAST LGA

NNEOHA ORU DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - OZUH - OMUMA

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

CHIEF MATHEW E. NVVOGU

CO-ORDINATOR

07041516666

2.

MR. SOLOMON C. OKONKWO

MEMBER

08034133722

3.

MR IFEANYI MWOKEDI

MEMBER

08035401654

4.

BRO. CHIMA OKEKE

MEMBER

08069321705

5.

MR FERDINARD ONYEHARAM

MEMBER

08033561290

6.

MR UCHE ANYAMELE

MEMBER

07037326477XC

PGS - UMUHU, OZUH, ETITI, ABIA

ORU EAST LGA

AMIRI ORU DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - AMIRII

S/NO.

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

n

CHIEF ODESSEY OSIOHA

CO-ORDINATOR

07067999967

2. 

MRS STELLA AMYACHO

MEMBER

08106368051

3.

CHIGOZIE AGUPURUONYE

MEMBER

08101252312

4.

CHIEF CULTBERT I LIKA

MEMBER

08036587619

5.

MR CHAPEL OSISIMIKE

MEMBER

08036326448

6.

CHIEF EUGENE EZEOBA

MEMBER

08030489496

PGS - AMIRI ORU, AMIRI ISU,

UMUDURU/IGWEMMADU, MBUBU

ORU EAST LGA

ORU SOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HEADQUARTERS - OTUNNE [AWO-OMAMMA]

S/NO,

NAME

POSITION

PHONE

1.

BARR, KENNETH ONYEMEJALAM

CO-ORDINATOR

08037586809

2.

NZE EUGENE IKWUOMA

MEMBER

08037104121

3.

MRS JULIANA IROH

MEMBER

07037211414

4.

MRS LOVE MADU

MEMBER

08035142641

5.

CHIEF ROMANUS NNAOMA

MEMBER

08033369582

6,

HON. CHIGOZIE CHUKWUMA [camphope]

MEMBER

08077089135

PGS - EZIAVVO I, EZIAWO II, OFEKATTA I, OFEKATTA II, OFEKATTA III UMUEZEALA/UMUEME

Kidney donors: Indian Police arrest two Nigerians, one Ghanaian for fake hospital website

 

                          The suspects

The Bengalore police have arrested two Nigerians and a Ghanaian for allegedly creating fake websites mimicking that of various city hospitals and luring prospective kidney donors for transplants with fake advertisements offering up to Rs 4 crore (about N217 million).

 

The arrested persons identified as Matthew Innocent, Matthew Miracle from Nigeria and Collins from Ghana, make  prospective donors pay lakhs of rupees upfront in the name of various charges such as registration fees and later cut contact, Indian Express reports.

 

The incident came to light when the medical director of Sagar Hospitals filed a complaint with the southeast division CEN (cyber economics and narcotic crimes) police station, saying that some miscreants had launched a website in the name of their hospital.

While Sagar hospitals website was sagarhospitals.in, the website created was sagarhospital.site, said the police.

 

The police found the accused in an apartment at the Amruthahalli police station limits. Upon interrogation, they found out that Innocent and Miracle had arrived in India on student visas and those had expired. Collins is in India on a business visa, the police said.

 

“The accused created fake bank accounts in the name of multiple hospitals in the city. However, when checked, there was no money in these accounts. We found out that the money was transferred to other accounts and we are probing. We have taken court permission to go through their digital wallets and other accounts. Presently, they are in judicial custody,” the police said.

Credit: SaharaReporters 

Russia halts gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria

 

                                  Putin

              Gazprom facility in Russia

Demands payment in roubles to shield it from sanctions

EU denounces gas cut-off as 'blackmail'

Russia halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland on Wednesday for rejecting its demand to pay in roubles, taking direct aim at European economies in its toughest retaliation so far against international sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

The step was denounced by European leaders as "blackmail", and comes as European countries have joined the United States in ramping up arms shipments to help Ukraine fend off a new Russian assault in the east.

Ukraine reported on Wednesday that Russian troops had made gains in several villages there. Russia reported a number of blasts on its side of the border, including a blaze at an arms depot, which Kyiv called "karma".

Moscow says the gas cut-off is to enforce its demand for payment in roubles, needed to shield its economy from sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was a reliable energy supplier and denied it was engaging in blackmail.

Gazprom (GAZP.MM), the Russian gas export monopoly, said in a statement it had "completely suspended gas supplies to Bulgargaz and PGNiG (PGN.WA) due to absence of payments in roubles," referring to the Polish and Bulgarian gas companies.

"Basic legal principles have been broken, violated," Polish President Andrzej Duda said. "Appropriate legal steps will be taken and there will be appropriate compensation from Gazprom for violations of the provisions of the contract."

Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov said: "It is clear that at the moment the natural gas is being used more as a political and economic weapon in the current war."

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded last month that buyers from "unfriendly" countries pay for gas in roubles or be cut off. The European Union says this violates contracts that called for payment in euros.

"The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"This is unjustified and unacceptable."

Poland and Bulgaria are both former Soviet-era satellites of Moscow that have since joined the EU and NATO. Poland has been one of the Kremlin's most vocal opponents over the war. Bulgaria has long had warmer relations with Russia, but Prime Minister Kirill Petkov, an anti-corruption campaigner who took office last year, strongly denounced the invasion of Ukraine.

Petkov was due to travel on Wednesday to Kyiv, the latest European leader to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Poland receives its Russian gas through the Yamal-Europe pipeline from Russia's huge gas fields in the Arctic far north, which continues west to supply Germany and other European countries. Bulgaria is supplied through pipes over Turkey.

Supplies from Gazprom (GAZP.MM) cover about 50% of Poland's consumption and about 90% of Bulgaria's. Poland said it did not need to draw on reserves and its gas storage was 76% full. Bulgaria has said it is in talks to try to import liquefied natural gas through Turkey and Greece.

Other European countries, including Germany, the biggest buyer of Russian gas, did not report cuts. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, declined to say how many countries had agreed to pay in roubles.

Credit: Reuters

Possible Impacts of e-Naira

 

An Editorial by the Nigerian Academic Excellence Magazine

On Monday, October 25, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the eNaira at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, after a previous plan to unveil the digital currency on October 1 was put on hold.

“We have become the first country in Africa and one of the first in the world to introduce a digital currency to our citizens,” President Buhari said at the official launch.

eNaira is the digital form of cash and is a direct liability on the Central Bank of Nigeria while the customer deposits are direct liabilities on the financial institutions.

eNaira wallet, on the other hand, is a digital storage that holds the eNaira. It is held and managed on a distributed ledger. The eNaira wallet is required to access, hold and use eNaira.

Nigeria is one of the five countries in the world to develop an official digital currency and the country's CBDC pilot is now the second largest behind China’s digital yuan, and aims to digitise payments and increase financial inclusion in Africa's most populous country.

President Buhairi said during the official launch that digital currency and the blockchain technology it uses can foster economic growth and increase the GDP of Africa's biggest economy by $29 billion over the next 10 years.

Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele added that around 500 million eNaira (1.21 million) have already been minted in lieu of the digital currency going live.

In a press release,  the CBN said the eNaira’s launch “marks a major step forward in the evolution of money and the CBN is committed to ensuring that the eNaira, like the physical Naira, is accessible to everyone.”

CBDCs are rapidly gaining popularity worldwide, and Nigeria is the first African country to officially launch a digital currency pilot.

Development of the eNaira was carried out by fintech company Bitt, whose Digital Currency Management System is also behind the East Caribbean Central Bank’s digital currency DCash.

Among the CBN’s goals is to digitise payments and increase financial inclusion, and a CBDC can offer citizens greater access to financial services for the underbanked or unbanked.

The Nigerian Academic Excellence, believes that because Nigeria is still considered as one of the most ‘unbanked’ countries in the world, decentralized identity systems and CBDCs will provide the population with a way to prove their identity and get access to banking services directly from their smartphone.

Using the blockchain ledger, the eNaira will be able to eliminate the need for third parties and contribute to efficient and low-cost transactions, as consumers gain access to low-risk and reliable payment options.

Additionally, enhanced oversight of funds and payments provides a level of transparency that can serve to strengthen public confidence and allow financial authorities to tackle economic crime and fraud.

However, critics of CBDCs fear they will allow central banks to accrue greater control, serving as a tool for regulators to monitor private citizens’ financial footprint.

The Nigerian banking sector is also likely to face a new challenge when dealing with digital assets. 

As genuine as the demerits might appear, the advantages of e-Naira, which include, fast, cheap, reliable and available payment channel, support for digital economy, improved economic activities, simplified and easy cross border payments, trade inclusion of excluded people in the financial system, improved effectiveness of monetary policies, ease in targeted social interventions to support Nigerians, ease in tax remittance and collection to support the Country’s growth are numerous enough to sustain it.

We therefore urge the Central Bank authorities to ensure that it stands the test of time.

    

Imo: Police Attack on Civil Defence ...The true story

 

By Nigerian Academic Excellence Magazine

According to a release by the Imo State Police Command and signed by the Police Public Relations officer CSP Michael Abbatam, 

The true facts of the incident that occurred on the 25/4/2022 at about 1630 hours, are as follows: "That on 24/4/2022 at about 2010 hours, a Police Superintendent Ezenwanne Nonso, a Mobile Police Officer and the Armament Officer of No. 18 Mobile Police Force, Owerri,  was driving in his car heading to Imo Police Command Headquarters on an assignment, on reaching Control Post Round About, there was a heavy traffic Jam, where drivers were trying to maneuver their vehicles to free themselves from the traffic.  While the officer was trying to make way for himself, the Civil Defence Personnel who alighted from his rear, hit the Police Officer’s vehicle violently, shouting and ordering him to remove his vehicle from the road. He replied the Civil Defence Officer that he is equally trying to see how he can free himself from the traffic, only for the Civil Defence Officer to slap him hard on his face calling him a stupid man. At that point he alighted from his vehicle, introducing himself as a Police Superintendent serving at Police Mobil Base, Owerri. It was as if he angered him the more and he gave him another slap and others joined in beating him. The police officer then brought out his phone to put a call to his Commanding Officer but they seized the phone, rushed into their vehicle and zoomed off. 

"The police officer had to manage and followed them to their office. On getting there, he demanded for his phone, but they refused rather they dragged him into their office, beat him up and seized his service pistol. After much torture, he was locked up in their cell not minding his plea to call his Commanding Officer. The officer slept in the cell till the next day. 

"For the sensitive office the officer is holding, his disappearance became alarming to every office in the Base and they were suspecting kidnapping. Hence, a search party was organized. When all efforts made to trace his whereabout proved abortive, his phone was tracked and the result led the team to the Civil Defence Headquarters Owerri.  

"On arrival, the team of Policemen made enquiries to confirm if there was any Police officer detained in their custody. The Civil Defence Personnel became hostile, ordering them to leave or they will shoot them. When the Police insisted, they started shooting into the air. The Mobile Police Officers sensing danger, professionally used minimal force to defend themselves by using teargas. Hence, the Civil Defence Personnel scampered for safety and in the process the Police Superintendent was rescued gallantly from their custody leaving nobody hurt or injured. 

It is pertinent to mention here that in the ethics of the Force, whenever any member of the Force is arrested by any Security Agency, it is mandatory that the arrested personnel’s office is immediately informed, which is the standard practice.

It is laughable that a very Senior Police Officer of the rank of a Superintendent was arrested and detained for over Twenty-Four (24) hours by the Civil Defence Corps, Imo Command and the Commandant never deemed it necessary to inform the Commissioner of Police as required by law, moreso, when the victim pleaded for them to allow him put a call to his Commanding Officer or the Commissioner of Police.

Meanwhile, the officer is presently on admission at the Police Medical Centre, Amakohia.

Meantime, the Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID) to commence detailed investigation into the remote cause of the incident, promising that, at the conclusion of investigation the outcome will be made public. 

The release equally condemned some news media will publish stories without confirming same to ascertain the true facts of the story, describing that as a calculated attempt to dent the robust synergy the Command is enjoying with other Security Agencies in the state since the assumption of office by the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc+.  

However, In response to the Police statement, The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni has sued for peace and directed personnel of the NSCDC, Imo State Command to remain calm and not take laws into their own hands following the invasion of the Command along Okigwe road, Owerri by some heavily armed personnel of a sister security agency.

In a release signed by the Director of Public Relations, NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja DCC Olusola Odumosu, the NSCDC maintained that security is a collective responsibility and every agency of government empowered by law to protect lives and property of Nigerians must work together and see themselves as partners in progress, noting that two wrongs cannot make a right and there are more progressive channels to resolve issues amicably without necessarily resorting to violent attacks on each other's personnel or facilities. 

He described the invasion of its Command headquarters in Imo state as avoidable and unnecessary in the face of synergy and collaboration that is needed to combat the various security challenges in the country and urged all NSCDC personnel to maintain a high level of civility and decorum by avoiding any form of confrontation with other security and law enforcement personnel while going about their lawful duties.

Addressing his personnel on the matter, Dr Audi maintained that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is committed to peaceful coexistence among security agencies and remained undaunted despite all that transpired. 

"Our mandate of securing lives and protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure is very sacrosanct in ridding the nation of criminal elements and economic saboteurs, therefore, I urge you to remain focused, resolute and continue to maintain harmonious relationship with your professional colleagues on the field at all time, even in the face of harassment and intimidation.

"We are committed to synergy and collaboration with other agencies despite what has happened, I therefore, urge all my officers to remain calm and avoid any form of reprisal attack by allowing the leadership  of both agencies to resolve the matter amicably. We are also seeking the support of members of the public in the fight against insecurity affecting our dear nation through timely release of intelligence information that could lead to arrest of all criminal elements disturbing the peace of the country." CG said.

FLASHBACK: Atlanta 1996 - Men, greatest Olympic match ever played.

 

Nigeria made Olympic football history by becoming the first African and non-European and South American team to win the gold medal. While the football tournament remained primarily an Under-23 competition, each of the 16 competing countries were allowed to use as many as three overage players in a compromise between FIFA and the International Olympic Committee.

The Nigerians, whom many observers predicted would be the first African side to win a World Cup, showed so much promise and expectations over the previous decade. They won the 1985 Under-16 World Tournament and finished second in 1987. They took third and second, respectively, at the 1985 and 1989 World Youth Championships. But they could never break the final barrier at the higher levels.

Nigeria, coached by Dutchman Johannes Bonfrere, started their path to the final with a 1-0 victory over Hungary and a 2-0 win over Japan before completing the first round with a 1-0 loss to Brazil. The Africans then shut down Mexico and goalkeeper Jorge Campos, 2-0, in the quarter-finals to set up a pair of amazing matches. Losing in the semi-finals to a favoured Brazilian side that boasted Bebeto, Ronaldo and Rivaldo, 3-1, Nigeria finally woke up in the 78th minute as Victor Ikpeba scored from 20 meters. As time was running out, captain Nwankwo Kanu took center stage, scoring in a scramble in front of the goal in the final minute to equalize. With extra-time barely three minutes out, Kanu fired home the game-winner from 16 meters to complete one of the great comebacks of international football history and in what many observers felt was the greatest Olympic match ever played.

As if trying to top themselves, the Nigerians then staged another miraculous comeback against Argentina in the gold-medal match in front of 86,117 spectators in the Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

The Argentins held a 2-1 advantage on goals by Claudio Lopez (third minute) and Hernan Crespo (tournament-best sixth goal on a penalty kick in the 50th minute) before the Nigerians equalized on Daniel Amokachi's shot in the 74th minute. With a minute remaining, Emmanuel Amunike pulled off some 11th-hour heroics as he took advantage of a botched offside trap and beat goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero from point-blank range for the winning goal in a 3-2 triumph. "I guarantee you that as I talk to you now, everyone in Africa is celebrating," forward Sunday Oliseh said. "There is no sleeping tonight. Everyone will be happy. This is for all the African countries."

Besides Nigeria, this competition had a number of surprises. Italy, coached by Cesare Maldini, crashed out of the tournament after a disastrous first round. Those results and disappointing performances eventually cost Maldini his job.

Unfancied Japan stunned Brazil in the opening round, 1-0. During a span of several minutes after their 1-1 draw with Mexico, Ghana went through agony and ectasy. They left the field with sullen faces, thinking they had failed to qualify for the quarter-finals. But their faces turned to smiles when Mexican coach Bora Milutinovic told them they had made it.

Brazil, who had won four World Cup crowns but never the Olympic gold, were forced to settle for a bronze medal. The South Americans, spurred by Bebeto's three goals, strolled to a 5-0 win over Portugual in the third-place match.

Only two years after a successful World Cup, the Olympic Football Tournament proved to be popular in the USA, as it was during the 1984 Summer Games. A total attendance of 1,364,142 witnessed the 32 matches, most games paired as double-headers with the first Women's Olympic Tournament.

Credit: FIFA

Mobile Nuclear Reactor: Japan’s Mitsubishi To Commercialize technology by 2030s

 

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant catastrophe in 2011, Japan is moving ahead to leverage a new technological approach to satisfy the country’s future energy needs.

Leading the effort is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which  intends to build and commercialize nuclear reactors small enough to be transported on trucks by the end of the decade, to capitalize on the demand for non-carbon emitting energy, according to Nikkei Asia.

The microreactors, which will be 3 meters tall and 4 meters wide, will weigh less than 40 tons. The reactor and power generation equipment will rest inside a container truck, making it possible to transport it to remote or disaster-stricken locations.

The microreactors’ maximum output will be 500 kilowatts or one-twentieth of the capacity of normal nuclear reactors that generate more than one gigawatt. According to the report, each microreactor will require tens of millions of dollars, significantly less than the $6 billion or more than a 1.2-gigawatt nuclear facility would need.

Mitsubishi Heavy’s microreactors will be able to provide power to remote and disaster-hit areas. (Image courtesy of Mitsubishi Heavy)

The cost of producing one kilowatt-hour will be higher than that of a conventional reactor, but it will be comparable to the cost of providing power to isolated islands now. Remote places will be able to obtain a cost-effective, carbon-free source of energy owing to these micro-reactors.

The reactor as designed will be compact enough to be buried underground to reduce the possibility of a mishap. The technology may also be employed in space exploration. 

Once the company secures clearance from Japan and other governments, Mitsubishi will commercialize the technology in the 2030s at the earliest. However, due to their proximity to inhabited regions, microreactors will need to be made safer than traditional reactors. 

The company has also taken this into account, designing the technology such that all of the nuclear reactor’s components, including the core, coolants, and other equipment, are housed in tightly sealed capsule containers.

Furthermore, highly enriched uranium will be utilized as fuel, and the reactor will not need to be replaced over its 25-year lifespan. The microreactor can be retrieved once the fuel has been used up. The reactors can be installed underground to lessen the danger of natural catastrophes and terrorism because they will only require little maintenance. 

Mitsubishi Heavy will also lessen the chances of catastrophic coolant failure. The microreactors will use a solid-state graphite material that is very thermally conductive rather than liquid coolants.

During normal operation, the graphite surrounds the core and distributes heat to the power generation system. Even when an accident occurs, natural ambient cooling removes excess heat from the core.

Similar trends Around The World

Despite the fact that the technology has yet to be commercialized, multiple designs are ongoing in North America and Europe, with demonstrations scheduled in the next few years.

Oklo, a US-based company, submitted a license application in March 2020 to design and operate a microreactor, with the first reactor expected to start up at Idaho National Laboratory by 2025. 

The US-based companies Westinghouse (0.2-5 MWe), NuScale (1-10 MWe), and UltraSafe Nuclear (5 MWe) are all building reactors with a power output of fewer than 10 MWe, while Sweden’s LeadCold (3-10 MW3) and a UK consortium lead by Urenco (4 MWe) are also developing on comparable systems. 

The Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) system from Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation is a 4th Generation nuclear energy system. (Credit: Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation)