The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Akpabio, Enyong put smiles on faces of constituents

    Akpabio, Enyong put smiles on faces of constituents

    Constituents in Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial District and Uyo Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State last week counted their blessings with smiles and gratitude as their lawmakers at the National Assembly came home to impact on their lives.

    Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio was at the best of his elements as he commissioned people-oriented projects across his senatorial district much to admiration and endorsements of his people.

    Likewise, the lawmaker representing Uyo Federal Constituency, Hon. Mike Enyong empowered no fewer than 200 women of his area with cash for them to venture into and sustain their small scale businesses.

    Communities visited by Senator Akpabio went agog as the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State commissioned standard Borehole Water Project at Ibiakpan Ikot Obioekere in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the State.

    Also commissioned was a 20-stall open market shed at Utu Edem Usung market in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

    Other projects commissioned included Open Market Stores at Urua Akpan Ibom, Midim and Two solar powered bore hole water projects at Ebibit Afaha Obong and Ikot Akpan Idem all in Abak Local Government Area.

    Senator Akpabio assured the people of his effective representation at the Red Chambers while appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for approving Constituency projects for the Senate. He also acknowledged the role of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in the implementation

    of Constituency projects across the different Senatorial Districts in the Country.

    He charged the communities to protect the projects executed in their domains against vandalisation.

    The team had previously visited Ini and Ikono local government areas for the commissioning of market stores, tastefully-furnished classroom blocks with seats and fans and solar powered borehole projects with 3.5km radius.

    The Senate Minority Leader was accompanied by his wife, members of the State Executive Council from the Senatorial District, Council Chairmen, political stakeholders, student leaders, women and youth groups, among others.

    Community leaders described the gesture of Senator Akpabio as unprecedented and thanked him for touching their lives in many ways through the projects.

    The commissioning was part of the over 50 Constituency projects executed by the Senate Minority Leader across the 10 Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District.

    In the same vein, Enyong doled out Five Million Naira to 200 beneficiaries to embark on small scale businesses as a means to alleviate poverty among his constituents in fulfilment of campaign

    promises to the people.

    The financial assistance by the Uyo federal constituency lawmaker was another gesture in addition to 46 women leaders from all the wards in the Local Government of Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai, Uruan and Uyo Council Areas within the federal constituency who are already in the

    monthly pay roll of the federal law maker.

    The largesse which Engr. Enyong explained as a follow up to last year training program on skill acquisition for women of the federal constituency supervised by the National Human Right Commission to train women on effective management of scarce resources, self-reliance and entrepreneurship to prepare women in the face of economic recession that confronted the nation in the past years.

    Addressing the beneficiaries, Engr. Enyong recounted importance of women in nation building and noted that a woman is a society in miniature as any assistance given to them would influence the larger society positively and described woman as good managers of scarce resources.

    Hon. Enyong further encouraged women to revive activism in them as shown by women of old who fought the obnoxious tax policy that led to Aba women riot of 1929.

    Hon. Enyong told women of Uyo federal constituency that apart from the cash disbursement for small scale businesses, he had secured job placement for youths in different establishments such as Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Central Bank of Nigeria, National Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), among others.

    In an interview with newsmen, Barr. Jummai Usman Msheila who represented the Executive Secretary of National Human Right Commission that monitored the disbursement of the funds said when women are empowered the society is affected positively.

    She said, Akwa Ibom was among the Twenty States in the Federation where the funds was disburse and commended office of the Secretary of the Government of Federation for setting up a mechanism for monitoring such that the Law Makers will not escape with the funds.

    Responding, the PDP chapter women leader of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government, Mrs. Ime Ekpenyong said women have no other means to appreciate Engr. Enyong than pass a vote of confidence on him and moved a motion for his adoption for second term in 2019.

    The motion was seconded by the Chapter youth leader of PDP in Uruan Local Government Mr. Richard Eyo.

    Engr. Enyong said the same people who adopted him for second term in 2019 were the same that adopted Governor Udom Emmanuel and assured the people that they would not be disappointed in their choice for Udom in 2019.

     

  • Ex-ANA boss sets agenda for literary prizes, new writers in Bayelsa

    Ex-ANA boss sets agenda for literary prizes, new writers in Bayelsa

    Like a heavy rainfall, literature especially the genres of prose and poetry pounded the creeks of Bayelsa State last year. Creative minds were continually engaged in the art of writing through many programmes, competitions and events especially during the reign of Mr. Michael Afenfia as the state Chairman, Association of Nigerian Writers (ANA).

    Afenfia had an earnest desire to make Bayelsa, the capital of literature in Nigeria. Stakeholders, who branded him the most successful and engaging ANA chairman in the state, believed that he helped to reposition the state in the literary map.

    In fact, the writer, who is also the Speech Writer to Governor Seriake Dickson, has not given up his desire to lure the world to Bayelsa through the genres of literature even after his leadership of ANA. Afenfia, who has to his credits four books, “Don’t Die on Wednesday”, “When the Moon Caught Fire”, “the Street Called Lonely” and Paxoid”, started the New Year with a literary event.

    On the first day of the year, Afenfia rolled out the ’18 Questions (2018 Questions) to reawaken his desires that the streams of literature would never run dry in the state. The ’18 Questions has become part of series of competitions he had organised to encourage writings among the youths such as the JB Afenfia Flash Fiction Competition and a literary blog containing stories in episodes, called “the Mechanics of Yenagoa”.

    Therefore, youths, writers and other stakeholders in literature trooped to the serene compound of Afenfia in Yenagoa, where they received answers to questions bugging their minds. It was, indeed, an encouraging start for them in 2018.

    Throwing more light on the event, Afenfia said: “The programme ’18 questions was borne out of the zeal to reveal that Bayelsa now has a vibrant and active literary community.

    “So, while appreciating God for keeping us till this year, we want to remind Bayelsans that this community of literary and creative minds exist and 2018 will be a great year for us as we have a lot to offer, so much to write about and so many things happening in the state to portray and communicate to the rest of the world.

    “There are so many projects going on that has not being before and policies that are being introduced by the government that will transform the lives of the people in a very positive way. The government cannot do this alone. Sometimes, these things are disguised in stories and books that people can read and appreciate what is going on.

    “We want to begin to present ourselves as a formidable platform for Bayelsans to take advantage of. We are storytellers, that’s what we are and do and there are lots of stories to tell in Bayelsa state.

    “We are beginning to rally the community together and identify young, talented writers who ordinarily will be doing other things but because of the deliberate direct mentorship that we have embarked on, we are able to harness this potential and use it to better the lives Bayelsans.

    “We bring up competitions to encourage them to be fearless and believe in themselves. They are young and need mentorship. We want them to believe in themselves, to be a voice that people want to reckon with.

    “Those invited for the programme are some renown writers and poets as well as the young writers and poets in the state. I can categorically state that the Governor of Bayelsa state is keen, committed and devoted to anything that has got to do with education, nurturing the minds of the young ones productively and dissuading them from truancy.

    “The governor will always support any project that has got to do with this and he has demonstrated that in the way he supported the competitions organized in the previous year as well as the Ministry of Education”.

    Afenfia challenged the young ones to grow and compete with their colleagues in the bigger cities and the world at large. He said the essence of the competitions was to make them utilize their skills and give them confidence.

    “When I was in secondary school, I was already writing so well like the university graduates. That is why we created this platform, to deliberately mentor them, visit them in their schools. We don’t want to lose them.

    “We want to expose them. Not just to win the prizes attached to it but to mentor and train them for leadership positions in future, to train them to have the potential of influencers in future, to be a voice to reckon with. They are doing this for the state not just for themselves.

    “At the end of this year, I and like-minds like me want to see the youths as better than they are, exposed continentally and a step ahead of their mates, fully equipped for what lies in wait for their future”, he said.

    Speaking on some of the literary platforms he had so far created, he said: “So far, I have organized competitions to encourage writing in our youths, one of which is “JB Afenfia Flash Fiction Competition”, a nationwide competition on the internet.

    “It’s been going on for like a month now and it’s winner, Jason Osisiogu’, a medical student from Abia State, was unveiled recently. Such competitions will of course make the youths imbibe the culture of writing and reading voraciously.

    “Also, I recently started a blog where I upload a story in episodes ‘The Mechanics of Yenagoa’. I just feel it’s time to start telling the Yenagoa story and place it on the global map so that whenever the name Yenagoa is mentioned, people can picture the streets, the people and state”.

    One of the participants, Martin Franklin, pioneer winner of the Robert Iworiso Foundation Essay Competition, expressed happiness for being part of the ’18 Questions.

    He said: “I have received direct mentorship from Mr. Michael Afenfia. Inwant to grow up to achieve better than he had achieved. To me, he is just like my father. He has been so concerned in all I do since that competition and I hope to make him proud always and uphold my family name”.

    Also, a 15-year-old Poet, Alagba Kingsley Andris, said: “I am happy to be a part of this programme. It is an honour to participate and ask the “Mighty” Afenfia a question. This has made me understand that with writing, I can meet anyone in this world. I hope to go higher every day and better this year”.

     

  • Hellhole and shithole

    It was a Friday. I cannot remember whether it was in the morning or early afternoon. I woke up to meet missed calls and messages on my phone. One of the callers was our Southsouth big boy, Shola O’Neil. An ex-governor from an oil-rich state wanted to speak with you, he told me.

    A perusal of the missed calls showed a strange but special number, which, I rightly guessed, was the big man’s. I called him back and his first line after pleasantries was: “Do you know who you are speaking with?”

    I mentioned his name.

    “True caller exposed me,” he joked.

    He added: “You are afraid I want to fight you because of your piece…”

    He was quick to point out what he agreed with in the piece, which was on projects he started but did not complete and thus contributed to making his state a shithole.

    My conversations with the ex-governor came to me in the wake of President Donald Trump’s alleged description of African countries as shitholes. His explanations show that the blame for underdevelopment is not all at the door-step of political leaders.

    One of the things he told me was how he had to abandon some projects because the people they were to benefit wanted bribe. Another was abandoned because the people did not want a particular god residing in a rock disturbed by blasting the abode.

    I remember visiting some sites in the Niger Delta and expatriates narrated tales of regular harassment from youths who wanted to be ‘settled’. There were even instances of kidnapping for ransom.

    When we stall development by our little actions, we are contributing to making the oil-rich region a shithole.

    Until he met his Waterloo, a crazy fellow in Rivers who called himself Don Waney turned Omoku into a hellhole. His men killed about twenty people on crossover night. Men like him bring imageries of shithole and hellhole to mind. Not a few have relocated from the town to avoid being victim of the blood-letting going on there. It was in this vicinity that Alkali Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and his orderly were beheaded. Some days later, their uniforms and riffles were recovered in this violent town.

    Mohammed and his orderly met the waterloo at Ujju community near Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers. The agents of death waylaid the DSP and his junior colleagues from the Mobile Police Unit 48. After the hoodlums took off the duo’s heads, they snatched their patrol vehicle and weapons.

    Another set of people who bring about imageries of shithole and hellhole are so-called youths and ex-militants in the Niger Delta, who have seen the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a place to get free funds. Last December, key officials of the NDDC had to close for the year earlier than the norm. Reason: They were always harassed at such periods by youths who wanted money for no work done. So, the officials had to run away from their offices so that they would meet empty chairs on arrival.

    The inadequacies of intervention agencies also invoke the imageries of hellhole and shithole. If only the Willink Commission report had been implemented, if only the Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC) and other intervention efforts had been implemented sincerely, the imageries would have been that of heaven on earth. I dare say the NDDC has not done much. This is not fully its fault because it has also not got all it is entitled to from government and other stakeholders. But the token it has got has also been wasted. Largely.

    We all remember the millions an ex-chairman of the board wasted on a juju priest. How can we forget the insider abuses in which contractors were encouraged by people within to sue the commission just for the purpose of extorting money through out-of-court settlement? At a point, the commission had over 400 court cases pending. Or have we forgotten instances where money was spent on projects with no direct bearing on the lives of the people?  What on earth was NDDC doing renovating Port Harcourt Club and commissioning a study on the generation of electric power from gully erosion sites? How can we forget that the quality of some of the infrastructure projects fall below acceptable standards?

    In the commission, contracts, at a point, were awarded with no design and no specific location but with the sole purpose of collecting advance payments.

    Things were so bad in the commission at some point that an insider said if it were a private sector firm, it would be regarded as insolvent.

    The inadequacies of government and agencies in the Niger Delta have no doubt left us with imageries of shithole and hellhole. I see poverty, see degradation, see rejection and see desperation in this oil-rich enclave.

    In this rich enclave, there are houses, made of wood, covered with palm front, which the owners must change from time to time as they wither away. There are imageries of luxury here and there, but in short supply. It is something many hear about and see when the rich choose to throw their weight about. So many children cannot go to school. But, do they really have any reason to be poor? I don’t think so. They were born into wealth. What I mean by being born into wealth centres around the fact that the oil of Nigeria’s prosperity is drilled in their domain.

    A constant reminder of what this wealth can do is evident in the Residential Area or RA, as we are wont to call it, of the multinational the government gave the licence to drill oil on its behalf. The homes of multitude when compared with the RA cannot be described better than saying “heaven and hell, side by side”. The majority lives in hellhole and shithole; the minority in heaven.  It is like the people have sinned and come short of the glory of God to be consigned to that sort of existence. Or is it that they have sinned against their leaders, the men they elect to lead them? Or, better still, the men who forced themselves on them as our leaders.

    In some parts of the Niger Delta, they never see night. The multinational operating in these areas have their flow stations so close to homes and send out gas flares throughout the day. So, the only way to differentiate between night and day is to check their wrist watches.

    Oil pipelines in many a community are not underground. They are in the open. And often they burst or are burst and our soils and existence are damaged in the process. What does this bring to mind is shithole and hellhole.

    Protests and violence have been used by the people, yet change has refused to come. It is as if the multinational also has another licence: to send them all to their early graves so that their leaders can have all the wealth for themselves, including the little they manage to spend on basic amenities. This environmental genocide, as some have called it, is having serious effects on the people. Strange diseases are killing the people. Pregnant women are developing strange allergies. Yet, health centres are ill-equipped to take care of their health needs. They have several people with aggravated asthma; there are increases in respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and difficult or painful breathing, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function. Premature death is not uncommon.

    The oil majors, truth be told, are more interested in the oil than in the people’s well-being. They can die for all they care. For them, oil is more important than man. The government is an accomplice in helping these guys makes a shithole of a region that should be paradise on earth.

    My final take: The fault for this shithole is not in the stars but in us all — militants who demand money for no just cause, governments that fail to spend money judiciously, multinationals that value oil more than the people, criminals who kill and maim for silly reasons and youths who demand bribe before developmental projects can be sited in their communities. We just all must change for change to come.

  • Military begins war on militants in Bayelsa community

    Tragedy has befallen the Toru-Ndoru community in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. The rural community has murdered sleep since the beginning of the New Year. It has been a tale of violence for the people, who had prayed for good tidings at the break of 2018.

    What led to the bloodshed and destruction in Toru-Ndoru? It has the trappings of militancy. The crisis in the community is blamed on the nefarious activities of a militant leader identified as General Karaowei. The militant leader and his foot soldiers brought the destruction upon the community.

    Karaowei was said to be on the wanted list of security agencies in the state especially the military. Sources identified him as a notorious kidnapper and murderer and he is said to be leading a gang of militants involved in abduction, sea robbery and other criminal activities in the area.

    His gang was also linked to the kidnapping of four British missionaries and humanitarian workers last year and the killing of one of them identified as Ian Squire. The military was engaged in undercover operations to smoke out the militant leader and his gang without disturbing the peace of the community.

    But the undercover operation went awry. A senior intelligence officer was beheaded in the community by the gang. A resident of the community, Mr. Living Miting, threw more light on the circumstances that led to the beheading of the security officer.

    Miting, a former Clerk of Parliament, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, said an undercover operation, which went awry led to the decapitation of the officer, adding that Karaowei also abducted a former militant leader, who was involved in the operation.

    He said: “Karaowei was contacted by some persons in a ploy to get him. They arrive the town together with the military intelligence officer. They told him there was money stashed somewhere and they needed him to get the money so that they could split it.

    “In the middle of that discussion, Karaowei was called on phone by an unknown person who told him that the meeting was a set-up to get him killed and that every conversation was being recorded.

    “This got him angry and he took the military intelligence officer and the other person to his camp. He returned the next morning to the community with the head of the military officer”, he said.

     

    Military Operations

    Karaowei did not only decapitate the security officer, he made a ceremony out of it. Residents were stunned and scared to their bone marrows when they saw the militant leader walking majestically round the community with the head of a military officer. In a display of arrogance and impunity, the gang converted the head to a drum and later disappeared into the creeks with it. There was tension in the community and some residents fled out of panic.

    The military was provoked and troops stormed the community to neutralize the gang and arrest its members. There were outcries. The residents accused the military of razing over 50 houses while searching for the killers.

    Casualties in the operation increased. Four soldiers and unknown number of militants were killed in an offensive launched at the militant camp by troops.

    Mitting said: “In the course of trying to get Karowei, the military launched an attack at his camp. His boys were caught when they went to get food stuffs in the community market by members of the community and handed over to the military officers.

    “After being tortured, the boys confessed to be Karaowei boys and they revealed his location. So the military launched an attack in the company of those boys two days ago on Karowei’s camp. He was on the run on seeing them and there were casualties on both sides though figures unknown.

    “There are so many houses that had been razed down now. The Ijaw boys working with the military officers point at houses and the houses were burnt immediately. Over 50 houses have been burnt now. In the community were his mum hails from, about 20 houses had been razed.

    “Right now, so many persons are displaced, having nowhere to stay,money to feed and nowhere to sleep. Also, there are serious looting. Once the military leaves a point, criminals from all angles to pounce on the area and loot the area.

    “It is most times politicians who create these monsters. How does this boy get his weapons? He isn’t running short of supplies. He has sophisticated weapons. He doesn’t have what it takes to buy these guns. He shoots sporadically into the air to stop people from attacking him.

    “In the last elections, I worked for PDP while he worked for the opposition party. We hail from same community. I almost got killed by this same boy when I wanted to get materials to Ekeremor community. He is very deadly and needs to be taken seriously.

    “He should be apprehended because if he comes back to the community, the people are in trouble. He has more information than the military. He knows who revealed information about him and will go after them with force and commit more damage than the first”.

    Lamenting the situation, the Chairman of IYC, Central Zone, Mr. Tare Porri, condemned the violent attitude of some youths in communities. Porri asked the soldiers to rid the community of militants. But he appealed to the troops to conduct their operation professionally.

    He said: “The situation there at Ndoro community was orchestrated by some of our political leaders who buy these weapons and pay these young men to intimidate people during elections and after the election, they fail to retrieve these weapons from them.

    “This has brought us to where we are today. This issue is a big problem. And the annoying thing is that when reported to the security personnel, they come after your life. It is very painful. This is a self -inflicted injury.

    “Some of our political leaders celebrate these young boys more than the sane ones. As a zone and Ijaw youth council, we sympathise with those affected by the operations carried out. We condemn the act in its entirety.

    “Cutting the head of a human and celebrating with it is an abomination and we condemn it.  We call on our community’s leaders and rulers to stop celebrating criminals. I am worried that if the military doesn’t succeed in apprehending the young man, his return will be deadly.

    “We don’t want this issue to be misinterpreted. This is a clear case of political leaders encouraging criminality and sponsoring our people against our people. We appreciate all their efforts and pray that the perpetrators are brought to book.

    “We call on our political leaders, community leaders supporting criminals in our environment to stop. The Governor of Bayelsa State, who doubles as the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation has swung into action and has had several meetings with security operatives. The military, police, civil defence and Navy has mobilized into the community. What we want is peace to return to Ndoro community”.

    Also, the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who has always stated his administration’s zero-tolerance to crimes, described the recent killings as barbaric, lawless and totally condemnable.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Dr. Boma Spero Jack, asked security agencies to also unmask politicians sponsoring the militants. He described the development as completely unacceptable and counter-productive to the security efforts of his government.

    The statement called on fleeing members of Toru Ndoro community to return and go about their normal and legitimate duties, as the government was on top of the matter. The statement also called on the military authorities to be professional in the ongoing operation and abide by the rules of engagement to avoid collateral damage.

    The statement advised the army to consider the lives of innocent and law abiding citizens, especially women and children. He also called on community leaders not to allow criminally-minded persons to gain ground in their domains, as their actions could impact negatively on them.

    The governor advised community members to continue to volunteer useful information to the government to support the efforts to flush out criminal elements in the area in consonance with its policy of zero tolerance for crime and violence. He said that the government would also support all efforts aimed at unmasking political leaders who sponsor criminal elements in the society.

     

  • The essence of Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road

    One of the key commitments that Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike made during his campaigns ahead of the 2015 General Election is the completion of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road which links the riverine communities to the mainland.

    Governor Wike stated that what the former Commissioner of Works, Mr Dakuku Peterside, an indigene of Opobo Town, failed to do for his people, will be achieved in the course of his first term.

    On November 16, 2016, Governor Wike made good his promise. He flagged off the completion of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road.

    The road, which was initiated by former Governor Peter Odili, was abandoned  by  immediate past Governor Rotimi Amaechi .

    Flagging off the completion  of the Ogoni Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road , Governor Wike assured the people of  Andoni and Opobo-Nkoro  that before the end of his first term,  they will  be  driving home to their respective communities .

    He regretted that the immediate past Amaechi administration despite getting N20billion  to N25billion monthly from the Federation Account , failed to embark on meaningful developmental projects .

    He assured that the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road will be consistently  funded because his administration  remains committed  to  the  economic development of the riverine communities .

    He said: “This road is a major economic intervention for the riverine communities of  Opobo and Andoni Local Government Areas.  It also cuts across Khana Local Government Area.

    “This project is a major empowerment scheme for the people of these three local government areas.  Our people in the riverine communities can now drive home.

    “I am happy that the 2015 APC Governorship candidate who was a Works Commissioner, but refused to construct the  road to his home local government area, will now drive home”.

    This project has become one of the major highpoints of the Wike administration.  The contractor, Raffoul Nigeria Limited is working round the clock to ensure the actualization of the governor’s pledge.

    Funding has been consistent. So far, rural dwellers have been empowered through regular sub-contracts, direct and indirect employment by the contractor.

    On the Opobo axis at the Nkoro Junction, the contractors have laid asphalt up to Bridge Number 7, which is approximately four kilometres. Work has been completed along this section.

    After bridge 7, the contractors  are heading  towards bridge 8 . The span of bridge 8 is 1600metres long. Work has reached 300 metres away from the position of bridge 8.

    Bush clearing work towards bridge 8 has reached advanced stage and it will be completed in two weeks. For now, bush clearing has reached the creek crossing into Opobo Town.

    From the bridge to Kalaibiama, the contractor is embarking on extensive earthworks and piling with sharp sand.

    With the consistency of work and the delivery of culverts, roads and asphalts, the contractors will enter into Opobo town between June and July, 2018.

    For the Andoni axis, from the Nkoro Junction, asphalting has gone beyond five kilometres up to Bridge 3. The contractors have done quality stone base.

    The road is expected to reach Ngo town, the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area between June and July, 2018.

    Governor Wike remains committed to state-wide development, carrying every ethnic nationality along in the growth process.

    For the people of Opobo-Nkoro and Andoni Local Government Areas, the Unity Road remains a vital source of economic opportunities.  The roads will kick-start multiple economic activities, especially small and medium scale enterprises.

    The fact that the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road links the all-important Sakpenwa-Bori Road makes access to Port Harcourt easier for businesses in the two local government areas.

    For Governor Wike, the main goal is to improve the living condition of Rivers people, enhance their security and transform their environment.

    • Nwakaudu is Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s Special Assistant (Broadcast).

     

  • To their Excellencies

    To their Excellencies

    I would have written you all individually. But since you are all brothers from the Southsouth, I have taken the liberty to make it a joint New Year missive.

    Consider this my New Year contribution to the development of the goose that lays the golden egg, which has made us all lazy and unable to diversify.

    Permit me to start from Akwa Ibom. Governor Udom Emmanuel, please pardon me for poke-nosing into your affairs. Why? It is all about the Uyo Church tragedy on which I have written a couple of times.  In the spirit of the New Year sir, ensure the victims of the tragedy do not die in vain by punishing those complicit.

    Sir, last December marked the first anniversary of the tragedy at the Reigners Bible Church. On the occasion of the anniversary, I had raised some posers:  Will we ever see the White Paper of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which you received on July 7, last year? That day when  Justice Umoekoyo Essang, who chaired the panel, presented the report to you at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House Uyo, you said: “I want to thank you for this great job that you have done and to assure you once again that the recommendations of this report would be taken seriously. We would do everything to implement and prevent future occurrence of this tragedy. May this affliction never occur the second time”.

    You also used the occasion to commiserate with families of those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

    Sir, one of those it took away was Josephine Effiom. You too survived by the grace of God. The founder of the church, Pastor Akan Weeks, had his leg broken.

    Effiom, who was a polytechnic student, a friend said, “was one of the first three brilliant chaps in my class”. Effiom was the face of a tragedy in a house of God, where fear should have been the last thing on anyone’s mind.

    As typical of our nation, no one appears sure of how many people died. The day after, we saw figures as high as 160 in the media. It was attributed to the Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, who later denied it. Police gave the figure as 29. Commissioner for Health Dominic Ukpong said 26 people died in the unfortunate incident.

    Your men who crawled out of death’s hole had interesting testimonies to share. Your Chief Press Secretary Ekerette Udoh said an iron rod nearly cut his neck, but eventually hit him on the back. The cap of his left knee was broken and pains travelled all over his body.

    Your Commissioner for Information, Charles Udoh, who joined the State Executive Council only some one week earlier, thought he was watching a movie when the pillars started coming down. He was on his way out of the church to catch a flight when tragedy struck.

    The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) said the tragedy was caused by shoddiness. Sir, I want to plead that you should please ensure that those who overtly or covertly contributed to the tragedy must be punished. The Reigners Bible Church Int’l Inc tragedy must not happen again. One way to do this is to implement the recommendations of the Justice Essang panel. Anything short of this will be a disservice to the memories of the dead.

    Let me move to your brother in Rivers, Governor Nyeson Ezenwo Wike. Sir, I write this with fear in my mind because the last time I wrote you, my friend who is your media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, described me in terms I am still contemplating.

    But that notwithstanding I will make my New Year request. On Monday, you addressed the good people of Rivers State on the January 1 killings in Omoku. 23 innocent persons were killed.

    In that broadcast, you released a list of 32 who you accused of being responsible for violence in various local government areas of your state. According to you, some of them embraced the Amnesty Programme you initiated but later reneged.

    You offered to pay N20 million to any person who volunteers useful information that will lead to the arrest and prosecution of any of the 32. You had harsh words for the late Don Wanny, who you described as “notorious cultist, kidnapper, terrorist and murderer”.

    You also assured the security agencies of your determination to continue supporting them to have these criminals apprehended and brought to justice.

    My request Your Excellency is that you should work with all possible to see that the bad boys are run out of town or arrested and prosecuted. Rivers is a beautiful state and should be for only beautiful people. The ‘ugly’ ones should have no peace.

    Let me stop there Your Excellency before I write anything that will incur Nwakaudu’s anger. Your Excellency, Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, my request is simple: find a way to manage the former First Family. I know you will disagree with me about your not-too-good relationship with the former First Family, especially embattled ex-First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    I foresee a situation your loyalists and the former First Family’s will be at war over who gets what in the state.

    My next stop is at the doorstep of Your Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki. Sir, towards the end of last year, a battle broke out between two business moguls, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu over a mining site in Okpella.

    Since the battle started I have had cause to feel that the state government is taking sides with one of the parties.

    Your Excellency, I want to believe that these signs are not clear enough. May be I need to change my eye-glasses. That notwithstanding, my plea is that both Rabiu and Dangote have contributed immensely to our economy. They are men who without many will be jobless. So, when a dispute arises between them, the right thing is to allow it to be resolved through civilised means. There is a court case over the dispute and I plead that the law should be allowed to take its course.

    Your Excellency, I am troubled each time your media aide issues statements which give the impression that you are willing to sacrifice one of these men. Please, let the law take its course. Abeg!

    Delta is a state dear to my heart. A part of my wife comes from there. I don’t have a request Your Excellency, Governor Patrick Okowa. Let me just congratulate you for allowing the train of charade called local government elections in Nigeria to berth in your state. I will not expatiate.

    I end this all with Cross River helmsman Prof. Ben Ayade. My request is simple: get the doctors back to work. The Cross River State Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) earlier in the week directed all its members to immediately withdraw their services following the abduction of another of its member, Dr Emem Udoh, in Calabar.

    Yes, this is not Your Excellency’s fault largely but as the chief security officer, it is your duty to ensure safety of life and property. On this basis, do more to end kidnapping and other crimes in the state.

    The doctors must come back to work to ensure innocent lives are not lost to non-availability of medical hands to attend to emergency cases.

    I also appeal to Your Excellency to work with the Cross River State House of Assembly to pass a law prescribing severe punishment for those convicted of kidnapping in the state. They should be made to lose the proceeds of the crime, such as houses, hotels and so on.

    Bye for now, Your Excellencies.

     

  • Youths seek end to joblessness, crimes in Bayelsa

    Youths seek end to joblessness, crimes in Bayelsa

    The Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP) recently visited the Bayelsa Sate Volunteers (BSV) in Yenagoa, the state capital. Its mission was to seek lasting solutions to myriads of problems confronting the youths in the state.

    The South-South Leader of NYP, Mr. Atti Moses, who led the special delegation to meet with the Secretary of BSV, Mr. Prince Koroye, insisted that youths in the state needed deliberate programmes of engagements and empowerments to get them out of the streets and enable them realise their potential.

    Moses noted that Ijaw youths were multi-talented. But he said they needed opportunities to showcase their potential and help build their society. The leader, who was accompanied by some parliamentarians, Nicole Spiff and Ebitimin Tombre, lamented that some companies operating in the state were averse to employing indigenous youths. He specifically decried the attitude of big supermarkets, accusing them of refusing to engage Ijaw youths.

    The parliamentarians were also concerned about the pockets of insecurity and communal violence in some parts of the state. Moses passionately appealed to the volunteers to expedite actions in tackling them.

    He said youths should be given the opportunity to join communal security outfits to effectively combat crisis in communities. Moses further made appeal for the expansion of BSV to accommodate more youths.

    Spiff, one of the parliamentarians, decried intimidation of the youths by the police. She alleged that innocent youths were being arrested and detained unjustly by the police. He said the police were involved in the business of collecting money from the arrested youths to set them free. She implored the volunteers to take the matter up with the police authorities in the state.

    Expressing happiness for the visit, Koroye said he had been following robust discussions and contributions of Bayelsa youths in the social media. “It shows that in Bayelsa state, there are youths who think positively and work towards the development of their mates”, he said.

    He also said he was elated to know that some youths were concerned about the security and development of Bayelsa. He said the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who established the volunteers, had a plan to recruit more youths into the group.

    He said: “As a body under the government, Bayelsa State Volunteers has always engaged youths on a daily basis. I assure you that very soon, we will increase the number of volunteers to some thousands according to the desire of the Governor of Bayelsa State.

    “As soon as it’s time to get more volunteers, slots will be given to you to bring disciplined and hardworking individuals. But before engaging youths, I want to be sure that they won’t work to become drug addicts along the way with the money paid to them.

    “We don’t want to use criminals for this work. You will also help monitor them to be sure that we engage the decent ones that will not thwart the aim of the scheme. Also, about partnership, student support and employment in companies, we will partner in more areas to engage the youths.

    “Persons that love music, football and other games will be partnered with to help them grow. As for the job aspect, most of the youths are not ready to wok too. They don’t want to be paid meagre amount of money.

    “They prefer quick riches. The ladder of life is climbed gradually not at once. So advice them and encourage them to learn how to work for their money. But we will look into it too.”

    Koroye told his audience that the security challenges in the state were minimal when juxtaposed with the last administration. He blamed some of the criminal activities on the handiwork of opposition parties accusing them of trying hard to tarnish the image of the ruling party in the state.

    The volunteer boss said he was not aware of the brutality the youths suffered in the hands of the police. He vowed to investigate the issue and tackle it. Koroye conducted his guests to some areas in Yenagoa where he addressed some residents on the need to stay away from crimes.

    One of the areas with the highest population of youths he took his guests to is the newly built Oxbow Lake Pavilion. He said the pavilion was constructed by Dickson to create employment for the youths and reduce crimes. “This shows how much the state government has the youths at heart, and listens to them always”, he said.

    Koroye, then took his guest to the busy Tombia roundabout, where he assembled and addressed operators of commercial tricycles popularly known as Keke. He lamented that hoodlums were using tricycles to commit crimes in the capital city and told the drivers to assess their passengers before picking them.

    Speaking for the commercial drivers, one Ipalibo promised that they would henceforth apply caution. He, therefore, made a case for the construction of parking spaces for commercial tricycles to avoid harassment by the police.

    He said: “Please, provide parking spaces for us to make us enjoy doing our work and serve the society better; reduce accidents along the road and increasing our take home money because we pay a lot to police who arrest us for parking on the road.”

     

  • Gas pipeline explosion sends panic round Delta community

    A midnight gas explosion yesterday sent panic round Ejere community in one of the creeks around Warri South Council Area of Delta State.

    Although there was no casualty, The Nation gathered that residents of the Itsekiri community, who were terrified by the massive blast, were already running out of their homes to make for the open bushes to seek refuge.

    A reliable security source told The Nation that the incident, which occurred at about 4:30am, was an explosion from a gas pipeline operated by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) and was believed to have been as a result of a system malfunction.

    A community source, who spoke under conditions of anonymity, told The Nation that the explosion shook the houses in the community to their foundations, adding that most people panicked because the explosion was initially taken for a militant attack.

    “People started jumping out of their beds to find escape routes because it was so massive, we even thought it was a militant attack, until army people started coming in at about 6:00am and assured us that there was no cause for alarm”, the source said.

    Efforts to get a feedback from the NGC on the development were unsuccessful as calls and SMS sent across to the company’s spokesman in Warri, Violin Antaih, went unanswered and not replied.

    The explosion, the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, said he was yet to get a full briefing on the development as at the time he was reached.

  • DPR sanctions 85 petrol sanctions in Delta

    DPR sanctions 85 petrol sanctions in Delta

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office has sanctioned over 95 erring petrol stations in Delta since fuel scarcity resurfaced in December 2017.

    The Zonal Operations Controller, Mr Antai Asuquo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Warri that the petrol stations were sealed over offences bordering on hoarding, over-pricing and diversion of products.

    According to him, over 80 of the fuel stations were sanctioned between December 2017 and Jan. 3, while 15 others were booked in the last one week by the regulatory agency.

    He also said that two staffs of a fuel station in Warri were recently apprehended by the surveillance team for violating DPR seals’ rules.

    The controller added that the culprits would be released and the station unsealed after the owner  pays N1 million as penalty.

    He also said one station in Warri was sanctioned on Wednesday for diverting 38,000 litres of petrol, stressing that it would pay N200 per litre of the volume as punishment.

    Asuquo said he led a group of surveillance team to some depots in Koko, Warri North Local Government after monitoring some petrol stations in Warri and environs on Wednesday.

    According to him, the aim is to ascertain the claim by petroleum marketers that they purchase the products above the government approved ex-depot price of N133.28k per litre.

    Some petroleum marketers had told NAN in Warri that the landing cost of their product from the depots hovers between N167 to N178 per litre, as such it would be unwise for them to dispense at N145 per litre.

    Asuquo, however, cautioned depot owners and marketers against hoarding, noting that such would be counter-productive to the economy.

    “DPR have been monitoring and we will continue to intensify surveillance to ensure that marketers and depot owners comply strictly to the government approved pump prices.

    “We have sanctioned over 80 erring petrol stations before and in the last one week, we have sealed additional 15 stations across the state for hoarding, over-pricing and diversion of products.

    “We deploy two monitoring teams every working day to the field to ensure that we effectively covered all the Local Government Areas in Delta.

    “We also revisit the already visited petrol stations to ensure they dispense at the approved pump price of N145 per litre to the consumers,” he said..

    Asuquo urged depot owners to support government’s effort towards normalising the situation, adding that marketers should stop patronising depots that sell above approved price.

    “We appeal to the depot owners to sell at the government approved price as the product is provided to them by the government, they should also sell directly to the marketers rather than the “bulk or third party,” Asuquo said.

    He commended the Department of State Service (DSS) for its support and expressed confidence that the situation would soon be over.

  • JTF tasks promoted officers on professionalism

    JTF tasks promoted officers on professionalism

    The Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, has tasked four promoted military officers in his command to apply professionalism in discharging the mandate of the security outfit.

    Apochi spoke recently at the headquarters of ODS in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when the officers were decorated with their new ranks following their  promotions.

    The headquarters of ODS in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was a beehive as friends, spouses and relations of the beneficiaries trooped out to witness the formal decorations of the officers recognised for their sacrifices.

    The guests watched with excitement as the Commander ODS, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi presented Col. M.U. Muktar, and Lieutenant Commanders Thomas Otuji, Obiora Anyikwa and Roy Nweke with their new ranks.

    Muktar, the Sector 4 Commander, ODS in Delta State, was decorated with the rank of Brigadier-General while Anyikwa, Otuji and Obiora got their new ranks of Naval Commanders. The brand new Commander Anyikwa heads the Legal Department of ODS while Otuji was a former Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Office (JMCC).

    Apochi urged them to be of good conduct and view their new ranks as added responsibilities. He said promotion was divine and appealed to other officers to work, pray and wait for their time of elevation.

    The promoted officers, who spoke through Brig.Gen. Muktar, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Services Chiefs especially the chiefs of the Navy and the Army for considering them worthy of the promotions.

    He said they were conscious of the responsibilities attached to their new ranks and vowed to meet and exceed all expectations of their new positions. He specifically thanked Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi and Gen. A. Aligbe, saying without their guidance and support the promotions would never had seen the light of the day.

    Muktar appreciated their wives and other family members for their sacrifices in ensuring that their elevation sailed through. He recalled how his uncle encouraged him to join the army. He said having failed on two occasions to gain admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he gave up the ambition.

    But the general said: “My uncle, Alhaji Suleiman, particular encouraged me to still try again for the third time. I failed to get admission into the Nigeria Defence Academy for the second time. I made up my mind that I was not going to try again.

    “I visited my uncle in Sokoto and that time he mentioned it and said, ‘why don’t you want to apply again? It doesn’t matter, try again’.  I heeded his advice and glory to the Almighty God, today here we are witnessing my decoration to the rank of Brigadier-General”.

    He prayed that those, He could not make the present promotion be considered in the next batch. He asked yet-to-be-promoted officers to be steadfast believing that their time of promotion would surely come.

    “Our prayer is for all those who missed the promotion this time, will get it next time coz truly God knows the best. Our prayer is that you will get it at the time it is most pleasing to the almighty God.

    “I want to assure everyone that we are conscious of the added responsibility and the expectations of greater efforts signalled by this promotion and I assure you we will spare no effort in meeting and indeed exceeding the expectations that come with this rank,” he said.