Gov Ortom inaugurates committee for Och’idoma’s Palace

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom Thursday, January 26th, 2023 inaugurated a 46- member committee to plan towards the commissioning of the newly constructed Och’Idoma’s palace in Otukpo.

Governor Ortom charged the committee to work assiduously within the limited time of two weeks to ensure the success of the assignment.

“Your duty is to supervise and ensure that the entire complex is completed. It is your responsibility to ensure it is completed within this time because we have very little time for the palace to be commissiined on the 9th February this year,” the Governor emphasised.

The terms of reference of the committee include to ensure the security of the venue and Otukpo town before and during the ceremony, to draw up the list of people to be invited and all that may be required, stressing that “I want the success of the commissioning.”

The committee has the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ekpe Ogbu as its Chairman, other members of the committee include, former State Chief Judge, Justice Adam Onum, the 9 Local Government Council Chairmen from the Benue South senatorial district as well as traditional rulers among others members.

The Special Adviser Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Kenneth Achabo is to serve as Secretary of the committee.

In a response on behalf of members, the Chairman, Chief Ogbu, expressed appreciation to the Governor for the privilege to be entrusted with the task and assured him that the committee will live up to expectations.

The Committee will submit its reoort on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023 for implementation.

FLIGHTS RESUME AFTER WORKERS STRIKE

Air passengers both local and international can now heave a sigh of relief as normalcy is gradually returning to airports across the country as seamless passenger facilitation has commenced.

This is coming on the heels of the suspension of strike by aviation unions over the review of salaries of its members in the Nigeria Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO.

The strike was called off after three hours meeting between the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, and the management of the company.

Flight operations were grounded on Monday morning following the industrial action embarked on by the staff of NAHCO over failure to review their current salaries since June 2022.

Flight disruption due to the strike left scores of passengers both local and foreign stranded at the Lagos airports which spilled over to airports across the country.

Speaking on the strike, Secretaries General of the Unions in NAHCO, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, Comrades Ocheme Aba and Frances Akinjole noted that its members embarked on the strike because the NAHCO management handled their seven-day ultimatum with kid gloves.

According to them, the management also continued to play on their intelligence through rescheduling of purposeless meetings.

In an agreement reached at the end of the meeting, all staff have been directed to resume work immediately, negotiation of all workers’ welfare to start Wednesday this week and NAHCO management decided to withdraw the suit and vacate the earlier court order obtained.

Reacting to the strike, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Mr. Nnaji Nnolim earlier in a statement had appealed to the unions and management of the company to dialogue and avert further disruption to aviation activities.

Mr. Nnaji urged the union to douse its agitation and show concern for the pains the action would bring on innocent Nigerian travellers both locally and internationally.

Responding to the development, the Group Executive Director, NAHCO, Dr. Olusola Obabori said, the Company engaged the Unions and other stakeholders because they understand the power of negotiation.