The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • UPU seeks gas flare trust fund in Urhobo land

    UPU seeks gas flare trust fund in Urhobo land

     Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

     

    URHOBO Progress Union (UPU) has appealed to the Federal Government to site the national headquarters of the gas flare trust fund in Urhoboland.

    President-General Olorogun Moses Taiga insisted the Urhobo were entitled to the headquarters of the gas flare trust fund because other states and ethnic nationalities have got ‘their fair share of Federal Government establishments’.

    Taiga said the facility ought to be located in Urhobo land due to the deleterious impact of gas flare on its environment.

    In a statement, he noted: “Urhobo Ethnic Nationality has been a host to major oil and gas assets since the discovery of petroleum in Nigeria, producing oil and gas from Afiesere, Eriemu, Osioka, Evwreni, and Oroni fields (OML 30); Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Utorogu, Effurun, Ward River and Orho I fields (OML 34); Okwefe, Amukpe, Okporhuru, and Mosogar, Ovhor and Orhogho (OML 38); Sapele, Ubaleme, Okoporo (Ugborhen/Ozue) fields (OML 41); Matsogo field (OML 56); Aroh, Okwefe, Deep and Oghareki Fields (OML 49).

    Read Also: On the herdsmen attack on Urhoboland

    “Urhobo are host to some of the largest gas fields, with the Ughelli East and Utorogun Gas fields being the largest gas plants in West Africa. These fields are served by oil flow stations, pumping stations and the gas plants.

    “These are all sources of gas and other pollutant emissions. The Urhobo people and their environs, being upland and swamp, had more than enough share of gas flares than any other nationality in Nigeria.”

    He stressed the readiness of the Urhobo people to host the headquarters of the proposed body, stressing that facilities abound in Warri and environs for its take-off.

     

  • Rivers approves N9.5b for road

    Rivers approves N9.5b for road

    Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

     

    THE Rivers State Executive Council has approved N9.5 billion for the construction of 6.5km road to link Woji-Aleto-Alesa to the Port Harcourt Refinery.

    A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the approval was given on Wednesday during the State Executive Council Meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Wike.

    Nsirim said the project would be executed by Rafoul Nigeria Limited, adding that it was in recognition of the infrastructural blueprint of the government and its Urban Renewal Programme.

    He said: “This project will enhance municipality expansion as it will open the state to a vast expanse of land that can be used for industrial and estate developments in the near future.

    “There will be an arithmetic increase in the ground rent revenue and taxes in the area in the near future. The road will also open a corridor which will lead to the Onne Port, Indorama and the Port Harcourt Refinery, and have a far reaching strategic advantage in the short, medium and long term…”

  • ‘Widows, others empowered’

    ‘Widows, others empowered’

    Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

     

    NIGERIAN Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) at Elele Barracks in Rivers State has donated starter packs to 25 members trained in various skills.

    The beneficiaries are widows of deceased officers and youths.

    NAOWA Chairperson at 6 Division in Port Harcourt Mrs. Irefin Olayemi hailed the association for training the women and giving them starter packs.

    Olayemi, who was represented by Mrs. Chinelo Koughna, noted that the gesture was worthy of emulation and called on NAOWA in other areas and divisions to follow suit.

    NAOWA Zonal Coordinator Mrs. Imabong Essien encouraged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the skills they have acquired and the starter packs given to them to add value to their lives.

    Read Also: Rivers reopen markets, worship centres

    The host, Mrs. Abimbola Adebimpe, said the ceremony was the fourth edition under her regime. She said it was to address poverty through education and training of vulnerable and marginalised group like women and children to position them to improve their family’s living condition.

    Beneficiaries included six widows, women and youths who trained in Information Communication Technology (ICT), hair dressing, catering services and fashion designing.

     

  • Marginal oil fields: Fed Govt, oil communities to dialogue

    Marginal oil fields: Fed Govt, oil communities to dialogue

     Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

     

    DELTA State Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro has said the Federal Government will dialogue with oil-producing communities about their demands on marginal oil fields.

    Some ethnic groups have been threatening to disrupt oil operations over alleged neglect.

    But Otuaro, who spoke on Wednesday in Asaba, said the government did not wish for the agitation to escalate into a bigger problem.

    He said: “The Federal Government has said it would not allow the agitation to escalate into bigger problems. That was agreed at the Abuja meeting I attended. Representatives of the oil-bearing communities will be invited and discussions will hold in stages for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders.

    Read Also: Obada laid to rest in Delta

    “Only last week, the Federal Government sought information from the state which will assist the process, while giving indication it was putting together its relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that will be part of the engagement.

    “I am sure our wait won’t be long or endless. A result-oriented dialogue is a process, not an event, and preparations for same have begun. If I was not myself convinced, I would not sustain my appeals to the communities.

    “I must thank the oil-bearing communities for listening to appeals to exercise restraint and surrender to the coming dialogue where problems get resolved.”

  • ‘Crisis merchants pushing for PAP’s scrap’

    ‘Crisis merchants pushing for PAP’s scrap’

    Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt 

     

    THE Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has warned that scrapping the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) will lead to violent agitation in Niger Delta.

    A statement by its President, Peter Igbifa, said those benefiting from and sponsoring violence were mounting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the programme.

    Igbifa urged Buhari and his progressive advisers not to succumb to such pressure.

    He said the Presidency should only drop the scheme when it had fulfilled its mandate since it was designed not to last forever.

    The IYC chief urged the government to jettison alleged plots to stop Amnesty and float a similar scheme for repentant Boko Haram fighters.

    He said: “The full intent of the Amnesty programme has not been realised. At its inception, the Federal Government  pledged its commitment to carry out the disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation and provide reintegration assistance to ex-militants. These… were major preconditions to address wider development challenges in Niger Delta.

    Read Also: Ijaw need tested men in Senate, says Clark

    “Whereas we acknowledge that the disarmament phase was swiftly done, other phases have remained largely unfulfilled. The government should fulfil the promises it made to the repentant militants before thinking of discontinuing the programme, otherwise we will consider it as the highest level of insincerity and a deliberate ploy to play on the people’s intelligence.

    “Those advising President Buhari to scrap the programme are lying to him. They are the true enemies of Nigeria who desire a return to violent agitation in the region to enable them profit from bloodshed.

    “Niger Delta needs additional interventions and can’t afford to lose any existing empowerment programme. We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhati to appoint a credible coordinator for the PAP to continue with the task of realising other promises contained in the scheme.”

  • Obiano’s kinsmen seek monarchs’ removal

    Obiano’s kinsmen seek monarchs’ removal

    Nwanosike Onu, Awka 

    The five communities making up Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government have demanded the removal of two monarchs, who were part of the Abuja trip.

    Governor Willie Obiano is from Aguleri.

    Obiano last week suspended 12 monarchs for visiting President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja without permission.

    The protesters carried placards and marched round Aguleri, urging Obiano to remove the monarchs for ‘’committing sacrilege with their actions’’.

    Read Also: Suspension: Please forgive me, Anambra monarch begs Obiano

    A popular roundabout,  Otuocha, was blocked, causing a gridlock.

    Spokesman and President-General of Aguleri Chief Chidi Onwuegbune said the protest was to let the world know that the rulers went to Abuja without their people’s consent.

    He said: “Our people were taken aback at the unbecoming conduct of the royal fathers. They embarked on a journey to Abuja with Prince Arthur Eze without telling our people and the government.

    “Although they have already been suspended by the Traditional Rulers’ Council and government, we know that the world is watching to see what our position on the matter is. We are not part of the action. We condemn their actions, which portrayed our community in a bad light, especially as the governor is our son.”

  • Uzodimma’s govt is PDP in disguise, says Okorocha

    Uzodimma’s govt is PDP in disguise, says Okorocha

    Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

    Former Imo State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha on Monday said Governor Hope Uzomma has sidelined key All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in the state.

    He said the state is only “APC in name” and that the current administration’s is controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According to Okorocha, Uzodimma did not appoint any key APC stakeholder to his cabinet.

    He wondered why Uzodinma of the APC has refused to disband probe panels set up by the PDP administration of Emeka Ihedioha to investigate Okorocha’s APC administration.

    Okorocha, a serving Senator, was reacting to Uzodimma’s statement that he fell out with Okorocha for refusing to grant his request to dissolve the probe panels.

    Okorocha, through his special adviser (media), Sam Onwuemeodo, said in a statement that Uzodimma was inventing problems where they do not exist.

    Besides, the senator said he went to court to challenge the probe panels.

    The statement said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cannot be probing him on issues contained in the avalanche of petitions written against him by the state government and the same government would also have about 12 panels probing him on the same items or issues.

    “The fact remains that the real APC members in the state have wondered why an APC governor would retain panels set up by the PDP government to probe APC government, in party politics.

    “They have suggested that the governor should set up his own panels, instead of continuing with the PDP panels. But, we know that certain forces behind the governor won’t allow him to do that.”

    Read Also: Okorocha: No alliance with Ihedioha to sack Uzodimma

    Okorocha accused Uzodimma or running a PDP administration in disguise.

    He said: “The government in Imo as we speak or as we write is APC in name, but a PDP faction in structure and actions.

    “The governor has not done anything to show that he is of APC and that his government is that of APC. The government is ‘CampHope’ government made up of those who were with him in his faction of the PDP.

    “He was inaugurated in January 2020 as governor. The key or the main stakeholders of APC in the state and their supporters were all at the inauguration, including Rochas Okorocha, Ifeanyi Araraume, Uche Nwosu, etal.

    “But a few weeks after the inauguration, the governor made his appointments of about 106 people, including Commissioners. He never deemed it necessary to bring in at least one known APC member in the state to make the list.”

     

  • Rivers reopen markets, worship centres

    Rivers reopen markets, worship centres

     Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

     

    MARKETS in Rivers State will reopen from 7am to 6pm daily, beginning from Tuesday.

    Governor Nyesom Wike, who gave the directive in a broadcast, however said Rumukwurushe (Oil Mill) and Oginiba Slaughter Markets remain shut.

    The governor, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the markets must operate in strict compliance with the established protocols on wearing of face masks, washing of hands and maintaining social distancing. He said the ban was lifted to increase the tempo of economic activities.

    He said: “Market managers must provide for hand washing and use of sanitisers for everyone at the entrance, ensure wearing of face masks and maintaining social distancing.

    Read Also: Rivers SSG hails Odili at 72

    “Any market that opens to the public and fails to comply with these protocols shall be shut again. The managers shall be prosecuted while the contravening shops shall be forfeited to the state without notice.

    “Churches can now hold services with 50 per cent of their hall capacity provided the leadership can enforce wearing of face masks and washing of hands…”

     

  • ‘Fulfil your obligations to your host communities’

    ‘Fulfil your obligations to your host communities’

     Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

     

    IJAW Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has urged International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Niger Delta to fulfil their obligations to host communities, especially ones contained in their Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

    Chairman of IYC (Eastern Zone) James Tobin, who spoke in Port Harcourt at the weekend, said the council had reports of firms abandoning promises in Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) signed with hosts.

    He lamented that lack of commitment by the multinationals had caused joblessness.

    According to him, the council would mobilise youths to occupy major oil installations if companies continued to neglect the agreements.

    He said: “IYC Worldwide is founded to seek equity, equality and justice for our people to improve their standard of living, development and environmental health.

    Read Also: Ijaw need tested men in Senate, says Clark

    “All companies operating within the Ijaw nation in particular and the Niger Delta at large must not violate our sacred values. Although we look forward to having the best of cordial and mutual relationships with them, our friendly disposition should not be taken for granted.

    “We have, however, discovered insincerity in the operational mechanism of these firms, and this has led to increasing tension in the communities. The council has refused to be passive while the Ijaw are being short-changed.

    “We have mapped out an action plan to occupy major installations and facilities if these firms continued to treat their social responsibilities lightly.

    “What we need is peace and security, as such all actions by IOCs that are capable of causing chaos should be avoided.”

  • Cross River APC to elect chairman

    Cross River APC to elect chairman

     Nsa Gill, Calabar

     

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State is to elect a substantive chairman, it was learnt.

    The party, at a meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) last weekend, resolved to replace the late Matthew Achigbe, who died in November 2018, with a nominee from Obubra Local Government.

    State Working Committee (SWC) listed the vacant positions as chairman, assistant secretary, assistant welfare secretary, vice chairman (Central) and Zonal Woman Leader (Central Senatorial).

    Read Also: Cross River to repair NYSC orientation camp

    Publicity Secretary Bassey Ita said in a statement that the SWC gave a two-week ultimatum to fill the positions.

    Acting Chairman John Ochala, who presided over the meeting, appreciated members for initiating a sense of direction for the party.

    He promised wide and universal consultation to perfect on the peace and reconciliation process.