Sachet water dealer gets freezers from BusinessDay reader

 

With tears of joy rolling down her cheeks, the dreams of Benedicta Bajomo, widow pure water seller has come through as she gets two deep freezers out of a total of N190,000 given to her by two esteemed readers of BusinessDay Newspapers.

One of the readers gave her N150,000 while other reader gave her N40,000. This she used to purchase two deep freezers after the presentation of cheques at BusinessDay’s corporate office.

One of the donors after reading her story as published in the BusinessDay said, “I am interested in supporting Madam Benedicta to acquire a freezer.”

“I prefer to make cash donation provided you will buy the deep freezer for her (do not give her cash). Tell me how much and I will make the payment into provided account below.

“Also I do not need my name to be mentioned, but will appreciate if I get an email notification when you plan to carry the presentation so that I can make sure I buy that day’s paper.

“Lastly, I would like you to pass on to her at the presentation of the freezer that my biggest reward will be if she can make a great success of her business and sometime in future she or her children can extend same to at least one person. This is the essence of the Zakat from which she is benefiting from God,” the donor said.

He paid N150,000 and the second donor also paid N40,000 into the Dollar-A-Day account and two cheques of same amounts were presented to the beneficiary which she used to purchase the deep freezers.

Responding to the gesture, Bajemo said “I thank them for allowing God to use them to wipe away my tears. I have gone to men severally and they have failed. God has proven Himself as God concerning my case. I pray God will continue to uplift the work of their hands and uplift them above their mates. The will continue to be the head and not the tail. God will continue to replenish their pocket and give them long life.”

Heavy duty trucks face

restriction within Owerri

A/Ibom denies neglecting oil

producing communities

ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK,UYO

Heavy duty trucks above 15 tons and other long haulage vehicles would soon be restricted to plying only at certain times within the Owerri metropolis, following a bill at Imo State Assembly for a law to control and restrict the movement of heavy duty vehicles within the Owerri capital city.

Sponsored by Ikechukwu Amuka, representing Ideato-South State Constituency, the bill, which is now at the committee stage, would spell out the movement schedule of such vehicles to be restricted within the Owerri capital city between the hours of 9pm to 7am.

The bill was consolidated with the one being sponsored by Ngozi Pat-Ekeji of Aboh Mbaise State Constituency, the Assembly Minority Leader, seeking to enact the Imo State Luxury and Horticultural vehicles Parks Establishment Law and other matters, connected thereto due to their similarity, among other things.

It provides for the establishment of parks at the entry points of the state capital, meant for heavy duty trucks and vehicles above 15 tons capacity.

Amuka informed that the bill was aimed at putting an end to unwarranted accidents and deaths that occur on a regular basis on our roads, especially along the Assumpta Avenue Road, Owerri, where heavy duty vehicles have caused many accidents leading to several deaths and destruction of cars.

It is recalled that every week, heavy trucks, mainly those above 15 tons, on descending the Assumpta Avenue Road fail breaks and ram into smaller cars, often killing many people.

Amuka in the impending bill suggests that heavy trucks and vehicles above 15 tons capacity would be restricted to ply within the capital city from 9 o’clock at night till 7 o’clock in the morning.

He stated that even though those vehicles render services that are essential such as conveying consumable items, he stressed that “it is important to regulate their movements to instill sanity on our roads.”

He asked that parks for those vehicles should be established at all entry points into the capital city; adding that, establishing parks at the entry points would usher in development and commerce at those areas, as well as provide employment and revenue to the state.

Supporters of the Bill submitted that, the Bill would check the menace and nuisance caused by drivers of such heavy vehicles.

Akwa Ibom State government has denied neglecting oil producing communities attributing the delay in the construction of a major road in the area to subsisting agreement between the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the contractor handling the project.

This denial is coming on the heels of a protest by youths from the oil producing communities alleging neglect and the non completion of the Eket-Ibeno road which the state government has promised to construct.

Oil producing communities in the state have often cried out against neglect by the state government saying that the area has no good roads, pipe-borne water and health facilities.

But according to Aniekan Umanah, commissioner for Information and Communication, the state government understands the pains and discomfort the uncompleted Eket-Ibeno road is causing the people of the area adding that the construction of the project was awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission to a local contractor.

In a statement, the commissioner said though the contractors seemed to have abandoned the project on account of various issues with the NDDC, “it is difficult for the State government to mobilise to the site because there is a subsisting contractual obligation and liabilities between the NDDC and the contractors.

“The allegation of abandonment of the project by the State government does not arise at all,’’ he said, adding that the people of Eket have not been abandoned by the state government as 49 urban roads have been constructed in the area.

“Although the delay in the completion of the road project is regrettable, the State government is making effort to ensure that all issues are resolved to ensure the timely completion of the road project for the benefits of the people,’’ he said.

However, a spokesperson for Ibeno and Eket, Obong Etim Mfon and Emmanuel Sunday Skey said the community was aggrieved because since the road was awarded by NDDC to Foundation Construction Company many years ago, no serious work has been on the project.

“In my assessment, government is not fair to us, in the entire 31 local government areas of the state, Ibeno is the only local government area you have not seen any single road from 1999 till now,’’ they said.