Author: The Nation

The people of Niger Delta region and stakeholders have expressed joy over the redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for proper supervision and administration.

Prominent Niger Delta activist and Ijaw leader, Mr. Tamuno George, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, said the people of Niger Delta were happy over the redeployment and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for having absolute trust and firm confidence in the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Buhari, had on Tuesday in his independence speech said the recent redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs underscores the government’s commitment to enhance the living standards of communities in the Niger Delta, through coordinated and appropriate programmes.

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“Mr. President has again shown to us that this present administration was committed to the development of the Niger Delta region by the redeployment of NDDC to Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. It was a clear decision by Mr. President  to speedily achieve the desired infrastructural development, and improvement of the living standards of the  Niger Delta people.”

The activist who appealed to stakeholders in the region to rally behind Senator Akpabio and give him the necessary supports to actualise Mr. President’s agenda for the region in the next four years, also cautioned against unnecessary blackmail and distractions.

Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Electricity consumers in Delta State are to be provided with over 200,000 prepaid meters, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has said.

The company said deployment will be over a two-year period.

Executive Director (Commercial),Mr Abu Ejoor, made this known yesterday in Asaba,the state capital during the official flag off of the metering roll out by the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) in the state.

He said during the take off period, the scheme would  have up to three months of buildup roll out with expected monthly run rate of 10,000.

Ejoor said 5 MAP’s approved are G-Unit Engineering Ltd,Sabrud Consortium Big Ltd,Inlaks Power Solutions Ltd,FLT Energy Systems Ltd and Turbo Energy Ltd.

He listed the locations for flag off to include NTA Rd,Behind Government House,Ameachi Iyio Way,Ken Mozia Rd, Maryam Babangida Way and environs among others.

Ejoor said 37 percent of BEDC’s energy allocation comes to Delta State,adding that an average of 84,516 MWh is delivered to the State monthly.

Read Also: How to get prepaid meters, by Ikeja Electric

He lamented that 14 percent of power generated is lost due to poor network infrastructure.

The executive director noted that 36 percent of power generated is lost through commercial theft or illegal consumption and none payment of bills.

Ejoor said transmission problems have hampered BEDC’s ability to receive power for onward transmission to consumers in Delta North and Warri.

He said other transmission limitations include limitations in rearranging distribution network to improve power supply due to public inflexibility, stressing that network and equipment vandalisation is on the increase.

According to him,the MAP scheme will assist in reducing customers’ complaints on metering,wrong and estimated billings which account for over 60 percent of complaints.

The House of Representatives has declared support for the international summit being planned by the Journalists International Forum for Migration, JIFORM, the umbrella body of journalists across the continents with passion for migration reporting.

The international summit on migration with the theme: Addressing migration menace to re-orientate national value is slated for Abuja between November 25 to 29, 2019.

While receiving the delegation of JIFORM at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Thursday, during a courtesy call on the House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Umar Mohammad Jega, lauded the initiative of the group.

He said it was a welcome development the House of Representatives would support without hesitation.

“Every good partnership and initiative to bring about development of this country, I can assure you will be supported by the House of Representatives. This 9th assembly is committed to progress.

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“The conference is a welcome one. Count on our support both at the committee level and the entire 9th Reps. There is need to speak to the consciousness of the people against human trafficking, irregular migration to bring about peace and crisis resolution as you have stated,” Jega said.

JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi accompanied by members of the mobilization committee of the association, Adekunle Adeniyi of 99.8 Kiss fm and Idowu Isamotu of Sahel Standard Newspapers both based in Abuja during his speech said JIFORM was willing to work with the legislature to add value to the quality of laws for the benefits of Nigerians.

The Enugu State Executive Council, on Friday held its maiden meeting and gave approval for the purchase of 18 automated drones for air surveillance within and outside the state for effective security management.

The council meeting which was chaired by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, according to the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, also approved the immediate construction of three pedestrian bridges in Enugu Urban to be located at Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, by Holy Ghost Cathedral, Garki Awkunanaw and Mayor Bus-stop by Agbani Road.

The council also approved the overlay of major roads in Enugu City, which were constructed by past administrations, immediately the rains stop as a lasting measure to take care of potholes created during the rainy season.

Explaining further, Aroh said that the planned overlay of the roads was in addition to the ongoing repairs of identified potholes in Enugu Urban and intercity roads. He added that this is to ensure that the major roads across Enugu City are sustained.

Read Also: Insecurity: Fasanmi, Olajide, others worried

On security, the information commissioner further disclosed that the council ratified the earlier approval given by the last State Executive Council on May 28, 2019, approving the purchase of 100 Innoson Hilux vans to enhance the capabilities of the security agencies in the state. Aroh also stated that 260 vehicles as well as motorcycles and bicycles were to be handed over to forest guards, neighborhood watch groups, among others, for community policing.

Aroh, who noted that the security vehicles had been supplied, revealed that communication gadgets and other security facilities were being installed on the vehicles to ensure maximum effectiveness.

He added that the choice of indigenous manufactured vehicles from Innoson Motors demonstrates the state government’s commitment to encourage local industries, create jobs for teeming youths and protect local investments.

According to the commissioner, “we have extracted commitment from Innoson Group to establish a service centre in Enugu, consequent upon this purchase. This service centre is going to provide part of the technical services for the maintenance of these vehicles, in addition to a one-year maintenance guarantee that was given to the state government by Innoson Motors in line with our purchase agreement”.

Chris Njoku, Owerri

Imo State government on Friday received 45 minors out of 91 indigenes of the state who returned from South Africa following the Xenophobic attack on Nigerians in that country.

Receiving the returnees at the Government House, Owerri , the state  governor, Emeka Ihedioha,  noted with emotion that the state government would properly reintegrate them so that they can forge ahead in life.

He announced that a committee to that effect had been inaugurated to look into the plight of the returnees and reintegrate the minors to ensure that those in school continue with their education wherever they had stopped.

Speaking to The Nation, the governor’s Special Assistant on Information and Advocacy, Adaora Onyechere,  disclosed that the state is topping the list with the highest number of minors among the returnees.

Read Also: Xenophobia: Why attacks won’t stop

She said that out of the 91 returnees, 45 of them had been listed as minors.

Onyechere said that the governor,  in collaboration with the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NDC) had planned to rehabilitate the returnees through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) with skills and funds.

Onyechere disclosed further that the Federal Government had commended the proactive move of the governor to receive the returnees.

“The Federal Government is pleased to have Imo State as one of the first to officially receive the contact list and hosting of the returnees.

“We are dealing with children who are traumatized, the governor is looking at what he is going to do to have them properly reintegrated.  We have the official list of contact persons , we are the first to receive it,” Adaora stated.

She also said that the SEMA law would be reviewed so that the returnees would holistically be reintegrated and rehabilitated.

“We plan to give them both education and medical aids so that they would be reintegrated and rehabilitated,” she said.

More than 100 women from Rivers State and its environs, participated  in a uterine fibroids health awareness programme held  in Port Harcourt, Rivers State,  to mark the 18th anniversary of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation.

The event was a component of a comprehensive health outreach campaign targeted at protecting and promoting women’s reproductive health. It  featured free medical consultations, counselling and screening for women’s reproductive health issues.

What delighted many of those who attended the event, which took place at  La Sien Pavilion, 22 Forces Road, Port Harcourt, was the good news that no fewer than 100 lucky ones among the women suffering from uterine fibroids would benefit from free surgeries to relieve them of the pain and despair caused by the dreadful condition.

Fibroids grow in the womb and can cause excessive menstrual bleeding, premature labour, severe bodily pains, miscarriage, and even infertility in women. Few can afford the prohibitive cost (about N500,000) to surgically remove the fibroids or the womb, which is the most common medical treatment for the condition in Nigeria where women seek treatment when the fibroids are causing acute discomfort. A lot of post-surgery care is also required.

The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation was established in 2001 by Dr (Mrs) Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs to celebrate, structure and institutionalise her husband, national statesman High Chief (Dr) O.B. Lulu-Briggs who passed away on December 27, 2018 in Accra, Ghana. Lulu-Briggs was widely known for his prolific philanthropy and charitable giving, which was targeted at bringing succour to the most vulnerable and under-served.

According to the organisers: “The foundation began its work with the Care for Life Programme, which has provided over 500 with a safety-net of free healthcare, shelter, hot meals, monthly food baskets, cash stipends and social and spiritual support to elderly citizens in Rivers State. It remains one of just a few programmes focusing on the elderly in Nigeria. Other platforms the Foundation uses include Free Medical Missions.

“These are five-day medical camps in rural and semi-urban areas where a team comprising volunteer doctors, pharmacists, medical laboratory technologists, and non-medical professions provide medical care, including surgeries (eye, hernia, appendicitis, etc.), health awareness information and distribute eyeglasses. Since 2005, 124,826 men, women and children in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states have received treatment free of charge. “

They added: “The Foundation’s Education and Scholarships Programme renovates schools,  gives cash incentives to teaching and non-teaching staff and awards scholarships to encourage academic excellence among students at the primary secondary and tertiary levels, including St. Augustine Nursery and Primary School, Abonnema and Community Secondary School, Krakrama.

By Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt

THE National Coordinator of Conscience of Ogoni People (COOP), and former KenSaro-Wiwa’s associate, Chief Gani Topba, has stated that to avert fresh crisis in Ogoni, the governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, must steer clear of Ogoniland.

Topba, on Friday in Port Harcourt, stated that the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland’s four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme, must follow due process and all the stakeholders should be adequately consulted.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) was sent packing from Ogoni in 1993, in a non-violent struggle, while a renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other Ogoni martyrs were hanged at the PortHarcourt Prisons on November 10, 1995, during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

The national coordinator of COOP, however, declared that the many years of non-violent struggle by Ogoni people would not be allowed to be in vain. Topba said: “COOP refuses to believe that Governor Wike can exploit the debacle between SPDC and the Ogoni people by going behind to work against the Ogoni interest and to sabotage the supreme price paid by the Ogoni forebears in seeking justice for the oppressed people.

“Ordinarily, COOP would have ignored Governor Wike’s announcement, knowing full well that his mission is dead on arrival, but for the numerous calls from Ogoni people, friends of Ken Saro-Wiwa, international human and environmental rights groups and well-meaning individuals, both within and outside Nigeria, who have inundated our office with calls and inquiries regarding the unpatriotic broadcast.

“The broadcast is filled with inconsistencies, contradictions, outright falsehoods and exaggerations. It is our considered view that the reasons adduced are divisionary and a veiled attempt to conceal Governor Wike’s real capitalist-driven personal interest. It has everything to do with his personal interest and less to do with the interest of the people of Rivers State.

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“There is no such thing as SPDC’s 45% interest in OML-11. The OML-11 is a joint venture involving NNPC with 55% stake, SPDC with 30% stake, Total with 10% stake and Agip with 5% stake. Therefore, its inconceivable and impracticable that the Rivers State government will purport to have acquired 45% of interest, when all that SPDC has is 30%.

“SPDC was declared persona non grata in Ogoniland in 1993, followingits decades of economic and environmental injustice perpetrated against the Ogoni people, who were forced to live in perpetual hunger, starvation, misery, exclusion, poverty, unemployment and above all environmental degradation caused by reckless exploitation of oil and gasre sources in OML-11 (Ogoni fields) and the adoption of bad oilfield practice.

Osagie OTABOR, Bénin

TEACHERS in Edo State under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), have endorsed Governor Godwin Obaseki for a second term in office. The teachers made their opinion known when they paid a thank you visit to the governor at the New Era College hall in Benin City.

Chairman, Edo State chapter of the NUT, Comrade Pius Okhueleigbe, said their endorsement was because the achievements of Obaseki in three years surpassed achievements of his predecessors that spent eight years in office.

Comrade Okhueleigbe noted that Obaseki is fixing infrastructures in schools, embarked on training and re-training of teachers as well as attended to their welfare.

Okhueleigbe hailed Obaseki for approving nomenclature for primary school teachers to enable them rise beyond grade level 15.

Read Also: Edo APC crisis: You don’t deserve a second term, group tells Obaseki

He listed areas where Obaseki has boosted teachers’ welfare and condition of service to include appointment of six teachers as Permanent Secretaries, prompt promotions, restoration of annual incremental credit amongst others.

On his part, Obaseki said he was in talks with the World Bank to restructure junior secondary education.

He faulted the current 6-3-3-4 system of education saying it made education mere schooling without

learning.

The governor stated that plans were on to revamp all junior secondary school and equip them with laboratory and workshops.

Obaseki noted anybody who passed out of the revamped junior schools would have a skill.

He also pledged to build a technical school in each of the 18 local government areas, adding that the technical schools would train workforce that would work in industries that are coming to the state.

Lagos State has set a six-year target to achieve universal health coverage, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosing on Thursday that the government would work assiduously towards achieving the goal and making affordable healthcare accessible for all residents by 2025.

The Governor spoke at the commissioning of 149-bed Maternal and Child Centre (MCC) sited in Alimosho General Hospital, Igando. The facility was built and donated to the State by the Federal Government through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

The hospital which was opened by the wife of the President, Dr. Aisha Buhari was the second to be commissioned during the current administration in Lagos.

In September, Sanwo-Olu opened a 110-bed MCC in Eti-Osa area of the state.

Sanwo-Olu, who was visibly excited at the opening of the Igando MCC, said the facility would raise the capacity of the State to further reduce maternal and child mortality rate, adding that the MCC would also complement the output of the existing healthcare facilities in the State in providing quality care for nursing women and newborns.

He said: “The delivery of this new MCC is heart-warming for us in Lagos. Not only that it is sited in the most populous area of the State and largest Local Government Area in the country, it is most befitting to help us to give quality care to nursing women and their babies. This development speaks to part of our own plan to achieve universal healthcare coverage for all residents not only by the year 2030; we are now pushing it forward to achieve the target by 2025.

“At the just-concluded United Nations General Assembly, we did make a commitment to see how we can fast-track our process to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the Goal 3, which talks about not leaving anyone behind in the healthcare. But this, we also talked about provision of clean water and engaging in sanitation, so that our people healthy and flourish.

Read Also: How Lagos’ll achieve universal health coverage, by Sanwo-Olu

“All of those components must come together and must be able to take our people out of poverty, because these are the indices that are used when prosperity of a nation is considered. We are building the capacity of our healthcare facilities to give quality care at affordable rate.”

Sanwo-Olu hailed the Federal Government for considering Lagos as one of the States to benefit from the project, saying healthcare delivery was a key pillar in his administration’s developmental agenda.

The Governor assured that the State would put the MCC to good use, disclosing that his government had already engaged the services of clinical facility managers through the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency to maintain the facility.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration, Mrs Ajoh Sanni, who represented Dr. Buhari, called for more effort from the private sector to support the government in combating the challenges of maternal mortality rates.

She said: “I believe the facility will go a long way in reducing the spate of maternal and child mortality in our country. Therefore, I urge for more concerted effort by privileged individual and private sector players to complement government’s efforts by investing in healthcare market, with aim to help the country reduce maternal and child mortality.”

Lagos First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, lauded the Federal Government for the initiative, saying it aligned with the commitment of the present administration in the State to reposition healthcare for premium service to residents.

She said: “As a member of the medical family, I understand and appreciate the positive impact this facility will have on the ongoing efforts of the present administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu to revamp, rejuvenate and reposition healthcare delivery in Lagos State for top-notch service to the people.”

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said the delivery of the facility was another milestone in the effort of government towards improving the health indices in the State. He said the location of facility would enable it serve 3.5 million residents of Alimosho.

He said: “The existing MCC in Alimosho has 70 beds, 44 cots and 10 incubators with the necessary support services. It has become grossly inadequate for the people of Alimosho and its environs. The addition of a new MCC will reduce referrals to other health facilities and provide the much desperately needed space to treat our mothers and children.”

The 149-bed MCC is fitted with state-of-the-art facilities, such as Vacuum Extractor Delivery Set, Anaesthetic Machine, Diathermy Machine, Oxygen Generating Machine, Suction Machine Double Jar, Patients Monitors with EC02, among others.

It also boasts of two operating theatres, recovery rooms, sterilisation room, delivery room, consulting rooms, private and general wards, scanning room, and side laboratories.