CONCORD ONLINE NEWS

.     HOSTCOM members with the Chief Judge (m) during the visit  Hendrix Oliomogbe  The chairman of the Edo State chapter of Host Community of Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Hon. Kenneth Aduwaye has lauded the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa for the establishment of the special court to handle cases related to Cultism kidnappings in the State.   The court which took off on July 1st, 2026 was set up Justice Okungbowa at the request of Governor Monday Okpebholo following an upsurge in cases of violent kidnappings for ransom. Hon. Aduwaye, who spoke recently in Benin City during a courtesy visit to the chief judge said that the initiative by Governor Okpebholo was very timely considering the activities of daredevil kidnappers. The new special criminal court has further brought peace to the various host communities, noting that Edo people can now sleep with their two eyes close as a result of the  initiative. The HOSTCOM chairman further co...

  Hendrix Oliomogbe  The Edo State council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to resist a bill presently before members of the Edo State House of Assembly, which seeks to repeal or/and amend the  Assembly and Judiciary Autonomy Law of 2021. A statement Thursday in Benin City by the caretaker committee chairman, Prof. Monday Igbafen maintained that the development is a dangerous setback to the struggle for financial and administrative autonomy of the legislature and judiciary in the country. Prof. Igbafen emphasized: “Any Bill seeking to amend or ticker with the autonomy law that would compromise the independence of the judiciary and legislature must be resisted. The control of the purse and personnel of the judiciary and legislature by the executive is antithetical to judicial and legislative impartiality in the state." Prof. Igbafen called on the new Speaker Yekini Idiaye to immediately halt the move by lawmakers to repeal or amend the Law of 2021. He describ...

  By Doris Ogbeifun The key duty of government is to deliver security and welfare to its citizens as enshrined in section 14(2)(b), section 16, and section 17 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. To ensure quality and effective service delivery to the people, the federal government employs dedicated institutional instruments, monitoring context to provide good governance and dividends of democracy.  Against this backdrop, section 27(3) of the “Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 empowers ICPC to examine reports or information viz-a-viz suspected crimes as provided under the Act that are “otherwise received” by an officer. With a statutory focus on addressing corruption, bribery, and abuse of office within public sector institutions”. Therefore, it suffices to say that ICPC operates under its statutory obligation to prevent and investigate all malfeasance across the public service. This decree validates the creation of the Co...

Hendrix Oliomogbe  In a move which may not be unconnected with the feud  between The Speaker of the Eso State House of Assembly, Mr. Blessing Agbebaku Monday in Benin City reigned from office in a move which sources say may not be unconnected with a raging feud between him and an influential aide to Governor Monday Okpebholo. In place of Mr. Agbebaku, who stands suspended pending the outcome of investigations of financial improreity and poor leadership against him, is Mr. Yekini Idiaye from Akoko Edo Constituency I. The ex-speaker was slammed with an indefinite suspension following his resignation from office over allegations of corruption and poor leadership. Mr. ‎Agbebaku from Owan West Constituency  resigned  during plenary, shortly after reports emerged of a plot by lawmakers to Kickstart impeachment proceedings against him,  ‎The immediate past speaker, formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was elected as speaker during ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki's...

         Rev. Omobude (m) with the organizers Hendrix Oliomogbe The chairman, Edo State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Frank Omobude has described sports as a unifying vehicle, which promotes inclusivity, cohesion and foster national integration.  Rev. Omobude spoke in Benin City during a visit to his office by the organisers of a boxing competition between Nigeria and Ghana. A statement by the director of media and public relations, Mr. Jacob Afeinkhena explained that the idea behind the competition is not only for physical wellbeing, but the promotion of cultural and bilateral relations between Nigeria and Ghana. He said: "The promotion of national integration and sporting activities align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which Governor Monday Okpebholo is also implementing through his SHINE agenda."  Rev. Omobude reiterated the determination of the board to support the sports fiesta through fervent prayers for a hitch f...

Afegbua (m) Abdallah left at the briefing  Hendrix Oliomogbe  Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Eugenia Abdallah has given reasons for the delay in moving against the growing army of child beggars, mostly from the northern part of the country in Benin City and other major towns in Edo State.  Ms Abdallah, who spoke along with his counterpart in Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said the ministry is very worried about the high cases of child beggars from the northern part of the country, but quickly added that it could not act against them because of the potential backlash by fellow northerners, who may accuse the government of profiling and cruel treatment. The growing number of out of school child beggars, aggressively soliciting for arms mostly ply their trade at downtown Ring Road, Airport Road by the post office, Mission Road by Catholic Church Holy Cross Cathedral Benin City and other places. She recalled that the unfo...

Ugbesia (m), others at the meeting               Hendrix Oliomogbe   The chairman, Edo State Traditional Medicine Board, Chief Abudu Godwin Ugbesia has debunked rumours making the rounds of a plan by the board to introduce compulsory registration and exorbitant fees for traditional medicine practitioners, shrines and ancestral worship centres in the state. Chief Ugbesia, who spoke recently in Benin City at an interactive session with traditional doctors and medicine men also announced plans to construct a traditional medicine hospital, where mentally challenged patients would be treated with herbs, before reintegration back to their families. The chairman further remarked that  hectares of land allocated to the board by Governor Monday Okpebholo from the state government forest reserve in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area have been fully cultivated, adding that herbs for the proposed hospital will be sourced from the botanical garden...