PRESIDENT OBAMA AWARDS NIGERIAN JOURNALIST

Washington – The U.S. President, Barack Obama has awarded a Nigerian Journalist, Mr. Edwin Nwachukwu the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The Volunteer Service Award is a recognition by the UN President of individuals that have helped to address the needs of persons with disabilities.

Delivering the award, President Obama commended the Nigerian Journalist “for helping to address the most pressing needs in the country”.

By this gesture, President Obama said that Nwachukwu had demonstrated that assisting people with disabilities “are duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit than giving our all to a difficult task. ”

Showering more encomiums on the journalist who is the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) North America Correspondent, Obama said “his volunteer service demonstrates the kind of commitment to his community that moves America a step closer to its great promise”.

While commending Nwachukwu for “devotion to service and doing all you can to shape a better tomorrow” Obama pointed out that while government could open more opportunities to serve the U.S. communities, it was up to each of the citizens to seize those opportunities.

Also appreciating the journalist, Chief Eric Ufom, President of FESTAC – USA & Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities, said “for support and contributions towards improving the image of Nigeria abroad, Nwachukwu deserves to be recognised and honoured ’’.

Ufom, whose organisation is a foundation member of the International Disability Alliance ( IDA ) commended the journalist for “being part of raising Nigeria’s bar very high and setting an excellent standard for the country during the 5th session of the conference of States for those with disabilities.

He also thanked him, “for playing a very major role through all those your excellent publications about our side event at the Nigerian Mission, on the occasion of 5th Session of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), RI World Congress in South Korea, Election of Ms. Ekaete Umoh, as the Vice President, RI African

Culled from the Vanguard

Ex-militants unleash mayhem on Bayelsa

Yenagoa—No fewer than 10 vehicles, were, yesterday, vandalized, while one, was set ablaze in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as hundreds of ex-militants protested alleged meagre slots allotted the state.

Also, some shops on Otiotio Road, in Yenezue-Gene, a suburb of Yenagoa, were, allegedly  looted by the protesters.

The incident, which occurred between 11 am and 12noon caused gridlock on the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road, as motorists were forced to make a detour to avoid running into the irate youths.

However, the intervention of men of Joint Task Force, code named Operation Pulo Shield, anti-riot policemen, Operation Doo Akpor, operatives of Department of State Security, DSS and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, brought the situation under control.

When Vanguard, visited the scene,  the charred remains of a Toyota Camry was seen and smashed windscreen of cars and broken bottles littered Otiotio and Erepa roads.

Trouble, it was learnt, started in the area when news filtered to the ex-militants that the Inter-Agency Task Force, IATF, set up by the Federal Government to carry out the verification and reconciliation of disarmament records, had allegedly resolved that 15 guns submitted by a camp will be entitled to one amnesty slot.

The protesters described the slot allocated to them as meagre and inhuman, a development, which stalled the commencement of the documentation, verification and authentification of genuine ex- militants in the state.

Staff of IATF,  to carry out the verification and reconciliation of disarmament records, were already on ground at the Sector 2 headquarters of JTF, to commence the biometric exercise with a view to opening bank accounts in the names of the genuine ex militants to prevent issue of impersonation, when violence erupted.

Culled from the Vanguard