The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Amaechi needs sympathy

    In May 27, 2015, the immediate past failed Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi made very disheartening comments about the incoming administration of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

    Amaechi said, ‘’ I’m not joking, we have no money anywhere. In Rivers State, no money. I think Nyesom Wike is coming, we are waiting. He will look for money for salary; there is none. But when he pays out salary, we will see if any of them can do what we did in this state: whether they can build the schools, the roads, even to get a loan’’.

    After the prophecy of doom above, he ran to Abuja to await news of the collapse of Rivers State.  He was sighted at the Eagle Square happily playing the talking drum in anticipation of the failure of Governor Wike.

    Since May 29, 2015, Amaechi has been waiting in vain. Rather than hear news of despair, he is hearing daily reports of celebration.  Rather than hear tales of woe, he has been hearing stories of endless commissioning of projects.

    The Third Year Anniversary Celebration of the Wike administration has become a major headache to the immediate past failed Rivers State Governor.  Since May 23, 2018 Governor Wike has been rolling out key projects across the three senatorial districts.

    As a statesman, Governor Wike has made it a point of duty to invite leaders from all political divides and interest groups to commission projects as part of the Third Year Anniversary Celebration. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, Obi of Onitsha, Oni of Ife, Former Plateau State Governor, Jonah David Jang, Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara top the list of those who have commissioned major projects in the five weeks.

    At the weekend, a frightened Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi received a chieftaincy title at Elele. This time, his testimony has changed.

    From Wike is doing nothing to Wike is commissioning projects that he (Amaechi) has executed up to 90percent. I like to see the positive side of everything, even the lies of a failed politician.

    At least, Amaechi has admitted that Governor Wike has been paying monthly salaries and pensions, including the four months arrears of salaries and six months of pensions that he used in sponsoring the APC National Campaign.

    For the first time, he admitted that Governor Wike is working, even though he tried in vain to belittle the work.

    Amaechi’s gnashing of teeth on the Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge commissioned by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara  is uncalled for. He abandoned the bridge at less than 30percent and the contractor fled the site because the contract was not funded. This was acknowledged by Governor Wike during the commissioning of bridge and road.

    Let me rehash a background of the all-important Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge that is giving Amaechi sleepless nights.

    For two years running, the Nigerian Guild of Editors held their Annual General Conference in Rivers State.  They were opportuned to see the different stages of the Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge first hand.

    The Guild of Editors  were opportuned to witness significantly, the progression  of this major Inter-Change, abandoned at less 20 percent completion by the immediate past failed Amaechi administration On July 30, 2016, Governor Wike led the Guild of Editors to inspect work on the Woji-Elelenwo Bridge. At this time, though the contractor had worked under the supervision of Governor Wike for over 9 months, the bridge was yet to get halfway.

    From the point where the contractor had reached at the time, Governor Wike and the editors looked across the river into the virgin land and houses on the other side. It appeared as if the project will never be completed.

    Aside the Nigerian Guild of Editors, another group that witnessed the progression of the Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge was the Nigerian Bar Association.  During their 56th Annual General Conference held in Port Harcourt in August 2016, Governor Wike took them on a tour of projects.  The Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge was one of the projects that was visited.

    Still on that stretch is the Abuluoma-Woji Bridge which was abandoned by the previous administration at 30 percent, but completed by Governor Wike.  Both projects overwhelmed the immediate past Rivers State Governor because of their scoop.

    All through the last quarter of 2015 when Governor Wike consolidated the process for the completion of Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge, the reason why the Amaechi administration fled the site was obvious. The project required commitment, strict supervision, dedicated funding and patience.  That failed administration lacked all these qualities.

    The Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge was awarded by the previous administration in 2009 at N3billion. The same immediate past failed Amaechi administration revalued the road to N11billion.

    It refused to fund the project after three years of inconsistency. As a result, the contractor fled the site. Nothing much was done, even though the Inter-Change was critical to free flow of traffic.

    Governor Wike personally supervised the paving of the new road which links Woji-Elelenwo through to Akpajo in Eleme Local Government Area.  The governor debated with the contractors at different times, insisting on the best for Rivers people.

    From 2015 to 2018, the administration of Governor Wike worked round the clock to deliver this all-important project.

    The project is now an architectural masterpiece.  A beauty to behold and a golden manifestation of quality projects delivery. It is furnished with streetlights, flyover, under-pass, 750 meter bridge and a link road.

    On June 8, 2018, the Rivers State Government delivered this brand new road to the good people of the state. It was a celebration of performance as men of goodwill gathered irrespective of party affiliation.

    The Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway and Bridge was commissioned by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara.  He was overwhelmed by what he saw. His joy was written on his face. The relevance of the project transcended party politics.

    He saw first the hard work of a leader committed to the welfare of Rivers people.  This spurred Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara to make very profound declarations.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara described the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as a refiner’s fire and a fullers’ soap, who has diligently transformed Rivers State.

    He said: “This governor is a consummation of excellence.  He is a representative of a refiner’s fire and a fuller’s soap. A refiner’s fire separates impurities from the gold and leaves the gold intact.

    “Refiner’s fire brings out the best. A fuller’s soup removes dirts and leaves the cloth sparkling clean. I am exceedingly proud of what Governor Wike has done “.

    He congratulated the people of Rivers State for the luck of having Governor Wike who is thriving in excellence.

    The Speaker noted that though he belongs to the APC, as a parliamentarian, the entire country is his constituency. He noted that only tribalists are restricted to their tribes and political parties.

    According to him, democracy has no place for tribalists, because they don’t value performance.

    “I wonder why someone will look at this project and say nothing exists. If that is the case, the person is a tribalist. As citizens, we celebrate excellence and we must celebrate Governor Wike”, the Speaker said.

    He said that in some other states, projects of the nature of Woji-Elelenwo Dual Carriageway would be celebrated for weeks.

    At the commissioning ceremony, Governor Wike explained why he invited the Speaker of the House of Representatives to commission this massive project.

    “I don’t want to invite my party person to commission this project. If I do, they will say I am playing tricks. That is why I invited a leader from another party to commission it. We are committed to the welfare of Rivers people “, he said.

    The former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, deserves our heartfelt sympathy.  He set the stage for Wike to fail, but Wike jettisoned failure and is now Nigeria’s best performing governor.

    He is in deep national crisis because the performance of Governor Wike is in the public domain.  The appreciation is genuine and the state-wide acceptance is unprecedented.

    In the face of national failure, Governor Wike has established a template for success and good governance.  He has reached out the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State without discrimination and continues to develop projects in hitherto neglected communities.

    From Ikwerreland to Ekpeye-land through to Kalabari communities down to Ijaw, Etche, Ibani, Abua-Odual, Ndoki, Okrika, Andoni, Ogoni and others, no ethnic nationality in the state has been abandoned.

    That was why Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike during the flag off of   Kira-Nonwa-Barayira-Sime-Eteo Road in Tai Local Government Area boldly declared:

    “This is just three years and we have reached the 23 Local Government Areas. Let anyone come from any local government area, come forward to say that we have not executed project in his council.”

    Rather than dwell on daily lamentations on the overwhelming success of Governor Wike, Amaechi should be honourable enough to apologise to Rivers people for stealing their resources to sponsor the worst Federal Government since the nation gained independence.

     

  • Accolades for Dickson as senatorial leaders tour projects

    With eagerness, most people waited for the verdict of elder statesmen and other stakeholders in Bayelsa West Senatorial District on the performance of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson in their area.

    The elders and leaders of the various restoration caucuses from the district embarked on a tour of projects executed by Dickson in the area. They were led by an elder statesman, Chief Thompson Okorotie who is the Caucus Chairman, Ekeremor Local Government Area. Okorotie also doubles as the Chairman, Forum of Restoration Caucus Chairmen in the state.

    Bayelsa West Senatorial District comprises two important local government areas of Sagbama and Ekeremor. Dickson hails from Toru-Orua in Sagbama. The stakeholders were in a mission to track major ongoing and completed developmental projects in their district. It was an inquisition to ascertain the level of performance of the governor.

    Other leaders from the district, who participated in the tour were the Caucus Chairman of Sagbama, Chief Francis Duokpola, commissioners in Dickson’s cabinet from the district, special advisers and other political appointees.

    Among all the projects executed in the area by Dickson, the leaders were more interested at the ongoing construction of the Sagbama-Ekeremor-Agge Road. To them, it is a signature project that has positively redefined the economic and social fortunes of the area.

    They were impressed that the governor was vigorously pursuing the completion of the road in his Western Senatorial District. The governor first constructed the road to Toru-Orua, his hometown in Sagbama. All kinds of vehicles can now drive to Toru-Orua, a community that was hitherto only accessible through water.

    Dickson took the 100km road to Aleibiri, a community in Ekeremor. People now drive their vehicles to Aleibiri. The governor vowed to link the road to Ekeremor Town in December. Therefore, the stakeholders were happy to see that the contractor was working relentlessly to realise the promise of the governor.

    Speaking at the project site, Okorotie, the tour leader, described Dickson as a monumental success in the history of Bayelsa development. He said though it was not possible to mention all the governor’s project in the district, the senatorial road was outstanding. He said the people of the district would not forget the historic construction of the road.

    He said: “This road got to Alaebiri late last year and as we can see so much work has been done on it. We have no doubt that the road will get to Ekeremor by December as promised by the state government”.

    Okorotie observed that people were already enjoying the socio-economic benefits of the road. He named some of the benefits as convenience and huge reduction of transportation cost; increase in economic and commercial activities; gradual transformation of the people’s lifestyle and promotion of unity among the communities linked by the road.

    He said: “We find in Dickson a leader of uncommon courage, who has taken the bull by the horn in several sections in the development of the state. The three senatorial roads are supposed to be Federal Government trunk A roads that have been neglected over the decades.

    “The restoration administration has taken a decision to construct these roads to access the hitherto neglected communities. With uncommon courage, he has also embarked on the airport project that is nearing completion.

    “Our governor has ably demonstrated the government’s determination to make a difference in the educational sector by establishing model secondary schools with full boarding facilities, free feeding, free uniforms and free books to the reliefs of parents of these children. When the history of the senatorial district will be written, the name Henry Seriake Dickson and restoration government will be written in gold”.

    In his remarks, Duokpola, the Caucus Chairman of Sagbama said the governor did what was hitherto thought to be impossible. He said the action of Dickson made it possible for an Ijaw man to travel to his community without the rigours of water transport.

    “Governor Dickson actually has the interest of the ijaw people at heart, because we have not seen such development, that today we can drive all the way from Yenagoa without passing through Delta State to come to Aleibiri.

    “50 years ago the Federal government proposed this road but they neglected it, now look at this impossible terrain, it takes a lot of money. Dickson has vowed that he is going to do it. He is a man of his words we know that he will do it even during this difficult time when the revenue is slim, he is still doing it. All that we can do is to cooperate with him and support him.

    “Let Nigeria know today that it is possible to develop the ijaw nation, with determination. We want greater dividends of the oil that they’re taking. I am not sure that we have enough share in the 2018 budget but if it takes all the budget in our state to be able to do roads like this to Southern-Ijaw, Brass and Ekeremor, we the ijaw people governed by an ijaw man will do it”, he said.

    Also, the Traditional Ruler of Ebedebiri and former Chairman, the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Chief Anderson Esimokumo, said he was grateful to Dickson for making it possible for people to travel to Ekeremor by land. He said it was a privilege to travel to Alaeibiri on land and asked other governors to imitate Dickson’s spirits.

    Also the Ekeremor Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tolu Amatu, described the road project as wonderful. “We think is one of the biggest projects undertaken by Dickson and as a person and a people we are grateful”, he said.

    He said the youths knew the importance of the project.

  • How Edo, police nabbed man duping job seekers

    When I was going for the job interview, I rubbed anointing oil on my face and forehead so that I will be selected. My Pastor also prayed for him after I showed him the application form I obtained for N2000.”

    These were the words of one of the job seekers who were fleeced by a consulting firm, KAI Environment, which claimed to be recruiting workers for the Edo State Ministry of Environment and Sustainability.

    The applicant who simply gave his name as Osas said he was told about the job recruitment ongoing at Bins Hotel along Ekenwan road and he went to check it out. He said it was what he observed that made him to pay N2000 to obtain application form.

    Osas attended the interview session and was told he qualified but had to pay N15,000 for uniform. He said he was on his way to pay the N15,000 when he was called that the head of the KAI Environment, Prince Benjamin Amaechi Chukwurah has been arrested after journalist investigated the recruitment exercise and broke the news about the fake recruitment.

    However the N15,000 was not the only money the firm demands from job seekers. Others were N2000 for registration form, N2000 for identity cards, N2000 for handouts, N500 for training fees and N500 for examination fees.

    What made many people fell for the scam was that they taught it was part of the 200,000 jobs promised by Governor Godwin Obaseki. Besides, the facebook page of the KAI Environment carried the photographs Prince Chukwurah took with some government officials at the Edo State Government House.

    Chukwurah claimed he hailed from the royal palace of Ugbunor community in Delta State. He said he attended the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, where he studied Public Administration. He claimed he registered KAI Environment as a non-governmental organisation in Delta State.

    In November last year, Chukwurah stormed Edo with some of his recruits from Delta State and wrote a proposal to Obaseki stating his plans to partner on ways to make the state clean. What was missing in his proposal that aroused suspicion was his refusal to include how he planned to be paid or pay his workers.

    It was gathered the proposal was sent to the Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Omoua Alonge Oni-Okpaku. To perfect his plans, Prince Chukwurah and his team dressed in their lemon green uniforms started frequenting the premises of ministry. They would stay outside under the tree to perhaps create impression that they were part of the system.

    During the celebration of the World Environmental Day, Chukwurah sent one of his deputies, Mr. Mok Emmanuel, to attend the event and posed as an official from Abuja. It was learnt that Mok was made to stay at high table closed to the commissioner.

    He enlisted an official of the ministry identified as Friday and obtained list of markets, dumpsites and moats which he later paraded as the mandate areas given to him by the state government.

    Three months ago, Prince Chukwurah began recruitment of workers to be supposedly assigned to various beats after the state government approved his proposal. To convince his victims, he used the Ministry of Environment as his address on the application letter and included pictures of Governor Obaseki. As the number of interested applicants increased, the fees for uniform rose from N7500 to N15000.

    He invited some persons from the legion of ex-service men, paramilitary organisation and an official of the ministry to give talks to the new recruits. The keep fit exercise was carried out at the Garrick Memorial School after which the recruits were given uniforms. Various ranks ranging from Lieutenant to Major were assigned to the new recruits. Junior officers were made to salute senior officers especially within the Bins Hotel.

    The bubble burst for Prince Chukwurah when journalists visited the recruitment center and pretended to be interested. Several persons were seen driving in to pick and submit forms for their relatives. Others were seen undergoing interview sessions.

    Franklyn Nwachukwu who said he is a disciplinary officer of KAI Environmental his boss was recruiting youths with the permission of the state government through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability.

    He said their target is to recruit 500 persons across the state and they would be made to write examination as well as undergo physical fitness.

    According to him, “We will be responsible for ensuring that people put dirt in Waste bins even when they are inside the vehicle. We will put waste basket in every parts of the state.

    “We have not posted people out. We are still collecting credentials. We are recruiting for the state government. Without the state government approval, we will not be here.

    “Officials of the Ministry of Environment were here to talk to the recruits even Road safety people were here. People are to pay for forms and uniform. They can go and buy their boot.”

    Speaking to newsmen shortly after he was arrested, Prince Chukwurah said it was Mok Emmanuel that had discussions with state government officials on his behalf. He said he registered the Kick Against Indiscipline Environment as a non-governmental organisation to help keep the environment clean.

    “I have only made N180,000 from the sales of forms and that the applicants were yet to pay. I registered Kick Against Indiscipline to join the government to clean up the environment and illegal dumping of waste. We started in Delta State and are being supported.

    “We do voluntary service. We applied to work in Edo State last year November. We were not given approval but we recruit and train people to carry out sensitisation on how people should dump their waste. We wrote to the governor and he minuted the letter to the ministry of environment.

    “My proposal has not been approved. The illegal aspect of it is that it has not been approved but on my agency, I tell people I want to train them and they pay for materials

    “When government has not given me approval that is different but when I train people, they pay. We told government about our parameters but did not tell us to go and collect money.

    “We started collecting money and recruiting people because there was an assurance. We were to prepare them for the job they were going to give to me.  In Delta State, our workers earn between N15,000 and N25,000.

    “Our plan is to pay workers in Edo from penalties paid by defaulters. If government said we should refund money we will do that. I do not see what I have done as a fraud.” Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Omoua Alonge Oni-Okpaku, said the ministry officials never had any meeting with Chukwurah adding that she was skeptical when a staff of the ministry invited Mok to seat with her on the World Environmental Day celebration. The commissioner said she has previously chased Chukwurah away from the premises of the ministry after she found that they were always loitering around. She said Chukwurah and his members would be prosecuted and explained that an official of the ministry allegedly involved with the scam did not inform her before giving documents about markets, dump sites and moats to Chukwurah.

    Documents recovered from Chukwurah included photographs he took with some state government officials at different functions he attached to the application letters to deceive his victims.

    Edo State Police Commissioner Babatunde Kokumo said the police would unravel all persons involved in the fake job recruitment carried out by the Kick Against Indiscipline Environment also known as KAI Environment.

    Kokumo, who confirmed taking custody of Prince Chukwurah Benjamin, the alleged mastermind of the scam, said investigation has commenced.

    Prince Chukwurah was arrested and interrogated on Tuesday by government officials after journalists exposed his illegal activities at Bins Hotel.

    Kokumo said all persons involved in the scam including government officials would be exposed after investigation has been concluded.

    “They have transferred the man to us. We will take it up from there. We are doing our investigation.”

  • ‘I am excited Osinbajo noticed what I am producing’

    The joy of a Benin-based entrepreneur, Mr. David Edehia, knew no bounds when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo collected his complimentary card with a promise to get back to him after listening to how his product works.

    David was one of the entrepreneurs that showcased their products at the Edo State edition of Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise (MSME) clinic. His product now only attracted the attention of the Vice President but other persons in his entourage.

    The uniqueness of his product was that it was a smokeless stove that uses gel otherwise known as ethanol made from cassava. David said he produced the cassava gel and the stove at his factory in Benin City.

    Osinbajo was in the state to inaugurate the Southsouth innovation hub, visit the Azura Power Plant, perform the groundbreaking for the building of a 1,800 housing units as well as hold town hall meeting with small business owners and entrepreneurs.

    David said: “I am encouraged that the Vice President has noticed what I am doing. He made me to know that my effort will not be in vain. His appreciation will make me go into more research and produce more from cassava.

    “This gel stove can employ people. It has no smoke and will help to conserve our forest. I am now encouraged and hoped that it will increase my patronage.”

    Addressing the gathering, Prof. Osinbajo said traders with small businesses would be empowered.

    “The policy of the Federal Government is to support businesses, not just big business but particularly small, medium-sized businesses and microbusinesses. The whole idea is that we want to ensure that we give whatever support whether it is cash, advice or even registration to all of our small and medium enterprises.

    “Apart from the existing GEEP MarketMoni scheme, which targets market women, traders, artisans and enterprising youths, Osinbajo also revealed that the Federal Government is rolling out TraderMoni, a new micro-credit scheme to cater for ultra-micro enterprises.

    “It is a different thing from MarketMoni because TraderMoni is for the smaller traders. These are the hawkers; those who are doing little things where in many cases their inventory, the whole thing they are selling is sometimes not even more than N5,000 to N10,000. We want to give those kinds of people some credit as well and once they pay back, we will give them some more money.”

     

  • How Ayade’s trailblazing project charms Buhari

    The enormous demands of his office coupled with the complex nature of the federation makes the Nigerian President one of the busiest presidents in the world hence to get President Muhammadu Buhari to pay a visit to a state twice within three years is no mean feat.

    This is why friends and foes alike have been wondering how Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade was able to bring the President to the state twice in three years, especially in view of the fact that both leaders belong to opposing political parties. President Buhari is of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while Ayade is governor on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).

    Cross River is one of the few states the President has visited more than once since assuming office May 29, 2015. In fact the state was the first state he officially visited shortly after assuming office.

    The people of Cross River say Ayade’s winning formula which attracts the president to the state is good governance.

    President Buhari’s second coming on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 woke the sleepy but alluring city of Calabar, the Cross River state capital as it bustled with human and vehicular traffic.

    Ecstatic and cheering Cross Riverians lined virtually all the streets in the beautiful city to welcome the president and show appreciation to their performing governor. The Nigerian leader was in the state to commission another of Ayade’s people oriented project, the Cross River Rice Seed and Seedling factory. The facility is the first automated rice seeds and seedlings factory in Africa.

    President Buhari beamed with smiles as he commissioned the project. He was evidently excited by the multi-billion Naira magnificent rice factory and Ayade’s unwavering commitment to decouple the state from over dependence on crude oil driven federal allocation by investing massively in agriculture.

    Essentially, Governor Ayade’s revolution in agriculture resonates across the state with the ongoing construction of rice mill in Ogoja, the cotton farm in Woda – Yala, the cocoa processing plant in Ikom, the banana plantation in Odukpani, the feed mill  and yellow mill maize farm in Obubra, as well as the ultramodern poultry  farm in Calabar for export of  frozen chicken.

    Speaking at the event, the President described Calabar as home and said he was delighted to visit the state again in connection with yet another visionary project from Governor Ayade.

    Buhari: “I must say that visiting the state for the second time within three years in connection with Governor Ayade’s people oriented project is heartwarming.”

    The President expressed joy that Ayade’s agricultural blitz in Cross River is in tandem with his government’s vision.

    “When we assumed the reins of leadership of our dear country, our administration launched a zero-oil economic roadmap as a way of making our country less dependent on oil, while encouraging investments in other sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture. I am happy Governor Ayade keyed into that policy and has today become a reference point in our agricultural revolution effort”, the President said.

    He praised the governor for focusing on projects that are building a new economic base  for Cross River rather projects with short term benefits for the purpose of making cheap political points, saying Ayade “has keen eyes for tomorrow”.

    Buhari is optimistic that seedlings from the Cross River rice factory will improve rice yield from the current national average of 3 to 4 tons per hectare to about 9 to 10 tons per hectares, thus helping to ensure rice sufficiency in the country, save foreign exchange and create jobs for the unemployed. The President thus directed relevant federal government agencies, particularly the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through its anchor borrower’s programme to partner with Cross River state in the area of supply of seedlings to farmers.

    Barely 24 hours after the commissioning of the rice factory, the presidential directive assumed life following the receipt of orders from Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) for the supply of rice seedlings to the tune of N2 billion.

    An elated Governor Ayade said: “Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat Production, Senator Abubakar Bagudu has confirmed that they are ready to take off every quantity we have got, so we have open order in excess of N2 billion”.

    Pledging not to relent in establishing income generating industries that will not only create employment for the people of Cross River state but also reduce the state’s over dependence on monthly federal allocation, Governor Ayade praised President Buhari’s economic policies and assured him of Cross River’s support in that regard.

    Meanwhile, the Cross Rivers state governor has disclosed that plans are underway to get the President to visit the state for the third time to commission the multi-billion naira rice mill in Ogoja when construction is completed.

    Located within the Ayade industrial park which also boasts of the garment factory, pharmaceutical factory, the Cross River cosmetic industry, Noddles factory and Poultry farmer/factory, the Cross River Rice Seeds and Seedlings Automated Factory which is the first in Africa parades massive state of the art machinery and produces high yielding, vitamised and disease resistant rice seeds and seedlings. The factory is expected to generate a yearly income of between N70 billion to N100 billion.

     

  • Port Harcourt hosts hearing on corporate governance code

    Stakeholders at a one-day public hearing on Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) have advocated for the adoption of the code by companies and organisations in the country to strengthen their businesses and position them for growth and longevity.

    The event held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was organised by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria.

    The FRC presented was the draft of the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance, 2018, a review of 2016 draft.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SEPLAT, an indigenous oil and gas company, Austin Avuru, and the President Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (PHCCIMA), Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji, said the code was the panacea for incessant death of businesses.

    Avuru, who was the special guest of honour, hailed NCCG for the outstanding recognition and acceptance it has accorded to his business.

    Represented by the company’s Legal Adviser, Mrs. Obianuju, Avuru said: “Good corporate governance is not the easiest way of doing business but it takes discipline to observe, but when applied correctly,  it gives you bulk, it gives you backing. Good corporate governance is an international investors safety measures against in-country risks.”

    Dr.  Membere-Otaji expressed the optimism that the guidelines would promote ease of doing business and reduce unemployment rate in the country.

    He said:  “When companies and organisations imbibe good corporate governance, they will do things right, their survival rate will be higher, when this happens, employment generation and sustainability will be higher.

    “This code does not necessarily apply to just big companies, but also small scale companies and industries as well as NGOs. It will certainly help them to do better and possibly outlive their founders.”

    The Executive Secretary of FRC, Daniel Asapokhai, said the code would attract local and foreign investments and enhance the integrity of the capital market by entrenching a culture of disclosure, transparency and accountability.

    According to the FRC boss, the code was developed based on a comprehensive review of the suspended 2016 code of corporate governance by a 15- man technical committee and extensive consultative and collaborative engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and other regulators.

    He said the NCCG would apply to all public companies, whether listed or not, all private companies and other regulated entities, concession and privatised companies as well as regulated private companies.

     

  • Bringing life back to war-torn Rivers community

    The Headmaster of State School 2, Nvakaohia-Rumuekpe in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Edward Anthony, gave an idea of what the ancient community had passed through, in spite of hosting four oil companies: Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG), Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited (NDPR).

    Anthony, at the inauguration on June 21 of six-classroom block built by Total oil giant for the school, said: “My effusion of unmitigated joy and happiness on this occasion is predicated on the singular fact that some years ago, precisely between June 2005 and October 2008, the continued existence of Rumuekpe was severely threatened in the wake of cult war that rocked the community.

    “To God be the glory, we can now boldly assert that healing, peace, unity, progress and prosperity have returned to our land. Since we came back from exile, Total oil company has helped us in so many ways. Erection of the six-classroom block has rekindled a new hope for education to the parents and the pupils.”

    The headmaster also pleaded for fencing of the school, provision of electricity, water, school band, desks, chairs and tables to facilitate teaching and learning, as well as to provide school bus to convey the pupils, especially during the rainy season, and incentives for the teachers to motivate them, while assuring that the provided facilities would be well protected.

    In Rumuekpe, Total oil firm also provided a block of six classrooms for the Community Secondary School and built two blocks of lock-up shops in Imogu-Nvakaohia. The Ovelle-Nvakaohia Ancestral Hall and two blocks of open shops in Ovelle-Nvakaohia were equally constructed by the oil giant, as part of its corporate social responsibility to one its host communities in the Niger Delta.

    The Junior Principal of Community Secondary School, Rumuekpe, Friday Welenya, who was accompanied by the Senior Principal, Collins Didia, described education as a tool for development and generation of manpower.

    Welenya disclosed that the oil company earlier provided for the Community Secondary School, reading desks, executive chairs and book shelves for teachers, while urging the firm to still assist the school in the provision of desks for the students, assembly hall, mowing machine, science equipment, library, school van, ICT centre, generator, ceiling fans for classrooms, fencing of the school and payment of volunteer workers.

    The representative of Rumuekpe in Total oil company, Richard Ajuru, in his welcome address at the inauguration of projects initiated and completed under the negotiated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), revealed that the event was the first of its kind in the community.

    He noted that besides the five inaugurated projects in Rumuekpe, the Total oil giant was also embarking on three major projects in the community, which according to him, had reached 70 per cent level of completion, namely: Ekwutche-Nvakaohia Health Centre, Imogu-Nvakaohia Town Hall and Ovelle-Nvakaohia Civic Centre.

    Ajuru said: “It is noteworthy to state that Nvakaohia community, Rumuekpe plays host to four major international oil companies. It is heartwarming to inform that among the multinationals operating in Rumuekpe community, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited is second to none. Its operations have been smooth and peaceful, its policies have been developmental, environmental and people friendly.

    “We wish to sincerely thank the management and staff of Total oil firm for the neutral role they played and the supportive role they displayed during and after the fratricidal crisis that decimated lives and property of unquantifiable value in Rumuekpe from 2005 to 2009.”

    Representative of Rumuekpe in Total oil firm also stated that the people of the community would not have been out of the crisis, but for Total’s supportive roles in the provision of potable water, grading of the access roads and making available other relief materials, while condemning the incessant blasting of the oil company’s pipelines and assured that the few criminals involved in the dastardly act would be apprehended and handed over to the security agencies.

    The Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of Total, Mr. Francois Le-Cocq, in his address on the occasion, which was spiced up with cultural displays by students of the benefiting schools, men and women of Rumuekpe, as well as traditional wrestling by men of the community, stated that the use of the provided facilities in Rumuekpe would satisfy some identified needs and aspirations of the people, as well as greatly enhancing communal well-being.

    Le-Cocq, who was represented by the oil giant’s Advisor, Community Affairs and Development, Enefiok Peter Akpan, said: “We are aware of the scale of devastation of social and physical infrastructures within Rumuekpe, as a result of the past communal crisis. This caused the children to be attending schools in neighbouring communities like Elele, which is about ten kilometres away. Completion of the projects will ensure that the children will now attend schools in the comfort of their homes.

    “It is very important to note that each of the projects was nominated by Rumuekpe community, within the scope of the 2012 to 2016 MoU with TEPNG, and each project was conceived to address specific deficiencies in social infrastructure within the community.

    “There is the need for us to maintain peace in our communities, because peace is the oxygen that nurtures development in all climes. It is for this reason that the MoU between TEPNG and its host communities explicitly demands that communities should provide peaceful ambience for the company to operate its business, in order to earn resources to fulfil its MoU commitments.”

    Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of Total also reiterated that whereas the oil firm was striving to fulfil its MoU commitments to the people of Rumuekpe, but regretted that the oil giant had not enjoyed the envisaged peaceful ambience to operate, with the company’s physical assets and facilities in the community being persistently impaired through vandalism.

    He noted that the vandalism had caused disruptions to the oil firm’s operations, weakened the integrity of the facilities, inflicted huge financial losses to the company and most importantly, it adversely degraded the environment and the host community’s sources of livelihood.

    Le-Cocq lauded the community vendors that executed the projects, which he described as a testament to their abilities to perform creditably, when given the opportunity within the context of the local content policy.

    In order to ensure commensurate development of the Niger Delta, other multinationals should emulate Total oil firm and people of the warring communities should give peace a chance, while the errant youths should also put an end to pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities.

  • Bayelsa writer takes ‘Mechanics of Yenagoa’ to OAU

    A famous Bayelsa State-born writer, Michael Afenfia, has been on a voyage. He has been moving to different cities and Ivory Towers for a book tour encapsulated in a programmer he tagged the 18 Questions.

    The Ijaw writer recently anchored his boat at the shores of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife. In his briefcase was also the ‘Mechanics of Yenagoa’, short stories he crafted on Yenagoa, the capital city of Bayelsa.

    Afenfia’s tour was also designed to discover budding talents and encourage them to eke out a living from writing. Therefore, literary-conscious students of the ancient university trooped out to tap from the writer’s wealth of experience.

    The afternoon was charged. The atmosphere was saturated with poetic renditions, engaging discussions on writing, creativity, the arts and its roles in redefining the country. Poems were read and spoken words were performed by the students, who were excited that Afenfia was in the school. In fact, the event held fond memories which the attendees would likely not forget in a hurry.

    Afenfia, an award-winning writer has three novels to his credit – ‘Don’t Die on Wednesday’, ‘When the Moon Caught Fire’ and ‘A Street Called Lonely’. But he publishes the ‘Mechanics of Yenagoa’ as a series every fortnight on his blog.

    He encouraged the budding writers in attendance and those that followed him online to brace up and utilise their capabilities to drive positive advancement in the society.

    He said: “Writers play a major role in influencing life and society for the realisation of a brighter and more rewarding future. As key stakeholders, influencing thoughts and mindsets in the journey towards the attainment of a prosperous nation, they should be celebrated just like pop stars and footballers.

    “As a writer, let your writing speak about something. You have a voice, people look up to you and your writing. Write not only for writing or for art’s sake.

    “The challenge however is that many writers are not unaware of the enormous capabilities and responsibilities they have to society. This contributes to their tendency to take their writing with levity.”

    Speaking about “The Mechanics of Yenagoa”, Afenfia said: “The idea for it was borne out of the need to put my city on the map. It was not birthed by any thunder, lightning or big voice command from the sky.

    “In a way that is engaging and interesting manner, I try to tell the Bayelsa story using Ebinimi, a graduate mechanic. With the mention of Bayelsa names, places and so on, people who didn’t know much about the state can begin to identify with it.

    “Writers do this for the more advanced societies of the world, and even though some of us have not visited, we know them by the stories that have been told about and around them.”

    He said the series on his blog would eventually become a novel. According to him it was quite interesting to write a novel, develop plot, characters, setting and more with many people consistently following.

    “Once published, I can’t undo anything after each episode.’The Mechanics of Yenagoa’ has been at the centre of my literary tour which has taken me from Yenagoa, Bayelsa, to Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and now Ile-Ife Osun State”, he said.

  • A befitting workplace for royal fathers

    Through careful planning and visionary leadership, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has made the traditional rulers in the state part of the process of development.  They have formed the foundation of community involvement in the determination to create a new Rivers State.

    As a result, right from the beginning of his administration, Governor Wike started attending the quarterly meetings of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.  He attended a few at the old dilapidated secretariat.  The governor never liked the environment where the royal fathers held their meetings. Rather than renovate the decayed old secretariat, Governor Wike offered to build a new secretariat with modern facilities.

    This offer was in the interest of the state. As partners in the development of Rivers State, the royal fathers needed a conducive environment to generate ideas.

    The initiative of the Rivers State Governor was backed by his full support. In the course of the State’s Golden Jubilee, a day was set aside to celebrate the contributions of Rivers Traditional Rulers to the growth of the state.

    It was on that day, May 3, 2017 that Governor Wike invited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa-ad Abubakar to lay the foundation for an ultra-modern secretariat for the royal fathers.

    Performing the ground-breaking in Port Harcourt, Sultan Abubakar prayed God to grant Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike the strength to continue to deliver development projects to the people of the state.

    He commended Governor Wike for his commitment to the completion of the ultra-modern traditional ruler’s complex within six months.

    He described the ground breaking event as historic, pointing out the edifice will help the traditional rulers carry out their duties to the Rivers people.

    In his address at the ground-breaking, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said that the contractor has been fully mobilised to deliver the project in record time. He said that his administration will not tolerate excuses.

    He said: “Money will not be a problem in the completion of this project within the scheduled period.”

    The governor explained that the state government resolved to construct a befitting secretariat for the traditional rulers when it was discovered that the existing facility had degenerated to an embarrassing condition.

    Chairman of the Rivers Council of Traditional Rulers and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja lauded Governor Wike his decision to construct the edifice for the Rivers Traditional Rulers.

    All through the construction period, Governor Wike supported the traditional rulers.  All their meetings were held at the Government House, Port Harcourt under the right atmosphere.

    Fast Forward to Friday, June 22, 2018, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa-ad Abubakar and other prominent traditional rulers are back to the premises of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers. This time, the facility has been transformed by the administration of Governor Wike.

    An ultra-modern secretariat has been erected with all the needed facilities to enhance the performance of the traditional rulers.

    The new secretariat has a conference hall that can sit over 400 traditional rulers during their quarterly meetings. There is a smaller 200 capacity hall within the complex for other meetings. The facility has a library, art gallery, lodge and expansive car park. It is fitted with internet and other communication facilities.  There is an elevator for ease of movement.

    The Sultan of Sokoto was happy that Governor Wike kept to his words of delivering a befitting secretariat for the royal fathers of the state.

    Commissioning the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers Secretariat Complex constructed by the administration of Governor Wike on Friday, Sultan of Sokoto christened Governor Wike “Mr Opener”.

    He said: “We will continue to commend you as long as the people commend you. I call you Mr Opener because you have opened eyes to what governance should be. What you are doing will endear you to the people”.

    He noted that the transformation of Rivers State under the leadership of Governor Wike is real, pointing out that most of the projects being commissioned as part of the Third Year Anniversary were inspected  by traditional rulers after their national meeting in January, 2018.

    “We saw these projects with our eyes, nobody told us. You cannot say that this governor has not worked. Even the enemies of progress will acknowledge that something is being done “, the Sultan said.

    The beneficiaries of the secretariat, the Traditional Rulers of Rivers State could not hide their joy. They made it clear that they were happy that Governor Wike has delivered best facility for Traditional Rulers anywhere in the country.

    Without equivocation, they demonstrated their appreciation for the good works of Governor Wike to the state. The Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers conferred on Governor Wike the novel title: “Pride of Rivers State “.

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said that his administration resolved to construct a befitting place where the traditional rulers will share ideas and contribute to the development of the state.

    He said that his administration has worked closely with the traditional rulers to build peace which has led to the development of the state.

    He said: “I will always give priority to the welfare of Traditional Rulers.  The traditional rulers are keys to the stability of the country”.

    The governor said that his administration is committed to the delivery of projects, noting that the administration will continue to commission key projects irrespective of criticisms by the opposition.

    He thanked the state traditional rulers for honouring him. He said the honour will spur him to greater service.

    The development of infrastructure is comprehensive across the state. Governor Wike preparing all sections of the state to contribute to the growth of the state.  For the traditional rulers, a befitting facility has been put in place to create the right environment for them to contribute their quota to Rivers growth.

  • Hope, faith and the fate of Bakassi IDP’s of Cross River

    The fate of over one thousand internally displaced people of Bakassi is being whimsically placed, as they struggle to live with harsh conditions that threaten their entire well-being.

    My visit to the internally displaced people of Bakassi recently, shows that despite the fact that they have been charitably re-accommodated into the society by their closest neighbours- Akpabuyo, they still live without adequate supply of some of the bare necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, amongst others.

    Article 2, section K of the Kampala convention makes it a desiderata for the state to provide adequate welfare for victims of internal displacement within its domain. This must include providing them with necessary training and tools to support their means of livelihood, and not abandon them after providing all these, but constantly support them afterwards.

    No doubt, a number of individuals and agencies have done their best in providing for these victims. Some of them now own tricycles and bikes for commercial purpose. Yet, the fact remains that these victims still live in far worse conditions than when they were in their original ‘habitat’. Some of them who were into large scale fishing and farming before the ceding of their land, now have to live with the odd fate they are now faced with, which involves depending on government and other individuals and corporate bodies for food and other relief materials.

    According to Brookings- a leading research organisation on humanitarian affairs, they warned that “the large-scale human suffering caused by displacement has implications for both future stability and further conflict”.

    This is clearly evident in the Bakassi camp, as children can no longer go to school, simply because there is no money for their parent to register them in proper schools. Young ladies, instead of being in schools, have now become easy baby factories. The young men, if not adequately empowered, may become ready tools for violence and societal disorder. All these are the psycho-social wreckages that usually attends internal displacement which is perilous to the stability of the country.

    Government must take all necessary measures to prevent displacement, and respond to their immediate needs, and find lasting solution to these victims of displacement. Individuals and corporate organisations must also step in and reduce government’s burden in providing for these victims. Women, children and the elderly seem to be the most vulnerable people in that camp, hence there is a need for special provisions to be made for them, albeit without compromising the general welfare of all the victims.

    During my visit to the camp on the 21st of April 2018, courtesy of sponsorship from The Cross River State ministry of Health, The Cross River State Eye Care Programme, The Cross River Essential Drugs Programme, and some other well-meaning individuals, I was able to donate relief items and provide medical service for only about 120 of the over 1,000 victims. This sums up to a mere 12% of the total number of people in that camp. This shows that a lot still needs to be done in fully reintegrating them into the society to live as normal citizens. More has to be done especially in the area of health care and capacity development. They need to be trained on different entrepreneurial skills, needed to be able to provide for themselves and their families, without depending anymore on humanitarian aid.

    Let us not forget that these victims of internal displacement are still Nigerians, and they remain no less Nigerian as any one of us. Owing to this, section 17 (3)(a) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria instructs that ‘’all citizens, without discrimination on any group whatsoever, have the opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to secure suitable employment’’.

    Therefore, our Bakassi brothers and sisters still have a stake in this country as much as anyone else. Therefore, we must help get them back on their feet, and if possible help them fight for the reclamation of their land when next the case is being revisited in the international court of justice.

    As observed by Professor Ikelegbe, ‘’Public policies are meant to solve citizens problems and to benefit them’’. Victims of internal displacement are Nigerian citizens too, and hence government policies must also benefit them and solve their problems.

    • Nsa is the founder of #Persona-llyEnlightened- a think-tank crusade for youth engagement and empowerment.