Category: EDITORIAL

If you have not been to hospitals in recent times [especially, private hospitals], you may not appreciate the subject matter of this Editorial, that is, the urgency for governments to resuscitate or increase investments in the health sector. The high cost of healthcare presently, has partly been blamed for reported high mortality and morbidity rates in the country. It has also been partly blamed for the rising ‘medical pilgrimage’ abroad on the part of a privileged few Nigerians. The CBN through its governor, Olayemi Cardoso, recently disclosed that in the…

Reports that Local Governments in Nigeria have begun the process of opening accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to enable them receive direct Federal allocations, is indeed cheery. Local governments across the  Nigeria  are believed to have  been ‘suffocating’ under the alleged chokehold of state governors who have been severally accused of meddling in LGs’ finances. The move to ensure that LGAs in Nigeria get their allocations directly from Abuja, follows the judgement of the Supreme Court on July 11, 2024, that affirmed the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s774…

The importance of roads in the economic growth and overall development of a state cannot be over-emphasised. Many Imo roads especially, in the rural communities need serious attention. Even some roads within the suburbs also require serious attention. The dry season has provided ample opportunity for the state government to work on these roads. Many of these roads are bound to become even worse once the current dry season is over. For instance, the Orji Junction-Umuonyeali- Ogbosisi-Akwakuma Junction road, still begs for attention. Similarly, the Poly Junction-Nekede- Ihiagwa-FUTO road, Orodo-Ogwa…

High cost of living evident in continuously rising prices of goods and services, still persists in the country. The barely two years of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in the  Nigeria, has led to astronomical rise in prices of food and overall cost of living. Efforts so far made by the Federal Government by way of the so-called palliatives and other policies, do not seem to be addressing the concerns of hard-hit Nigerians. The palliatives obviously proved inadequate as it is widely believed that they did not reach many Nigerians…

Owerri, the Imo State capital is gradually degenerating in terms environmental cleanliness. From stuffed, stinking drainages (gutters) to littered streets with perishable and non perishable  items, the odour oozing out of this drainages and some dirty spots in the city, can endanger the health of the  residents. The prevailing environmental situation in Owerri, is a  reminder of the days when Owerri was consistently rated the cleanest State in Nigeria. Both the government and the citizens have their own share of the blame. Many feel that government may not have not…

Nigeria is said to rank the 36th most corrupt country in the world ,according to the 2024 report released by Transparency International (TI) this year, 2025. Reports have it  that Nigeria was joined by “Uganda, Mexico, Madagascar, Iraq, and Cameroon in the same rating . However , no matter how TI arrived at the present rating of the country, many Nigerians are believe or are insistent that corruption is prevalent in the country. The ranking released  recently by TI, is said to be based on the 2024 corruption perceptions index.…

Owerri, the Imo State capital is gradually degenerating in terms environmental cleanliness. From stuffed, stinking drainages (gutters) to littered streets with perishable and non perishable  items, the odour oozing out of this drainages and some dirty spots in the city, can endanger the health of the  residents. The prevailing environmental situation in Owerri, is a  reminder of the days when Owerri was consistently rated the cleanest State in Nigeria. Both the government and the citizens have their own share of the blame. Many feel that government may not have not…

The role of supervision in the school system cannot be overemphasised. This is so, especially, in the public school system. In the past, the issue of supervision in public schools was taken seriously which helped to keep the quality of education not only at an appreciable level, but also ensured seriousness among the teachers, pupils, even the education administrators themselves. It is trite to say that in the  past, the fear of the school supervisors or “Ndi Nlete School” as they were called in vernacular (Igbo language), was the beginning…

The rate of ritual killings especially, by so-called “Yahoo  boys” appears to be assuming a new but worrisome dimension. Emerging trends seem to indicate that the internet fraudsters (also known as Yahoo boys) have now moved to other levels of crime other than the usual swindling of people using online platforms. A recent video that went viral showed how a youngman was set ablaze for allegedly beheading a child in Delta State. Reports of  criminal activities of the so-called “Yahoo boys” abound. This same category of youths were  believed to…