The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Govt., Agge leaders’ face-off looms over seaport project

    Govt., Agge leaders’ face-off looms over seaport project

    At an estimated cost of over $3billion (about N1.1 trillion), the Agge Deep Sea Port project in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, is a massive investment layout for, not only the Agge people, but for the state and the entire Niger Delta region.

    With the gigantic constructions which it is expected to commence with when the project gets off the drawing board, the state government is laying a very strong base for the economic development of the tiny, very rich but mostly underdeveloped state.

    The dream inched further towards becoming a reality recently when Governor Seriake Dickson inaugurated a 14-member committee for the project. Governor Dickson had mooted the idea of the deep sea port since 2012, shortly after his inauguration, and while inaugurating the ‘wise-men’ for the project, he said some sort of operation would surely commence before the February, 2020 terminal date of his administration.

    He said: “All I want to see before the end of my tenure on February 14, 2020, is that, some commercial port-related activities should have started in that seaport.  That is why it has become necessary to put this team together.

    “Already, a lot of work has been done.  But going forward, it is the intention of the government to create a formal platform beyond this team either by way of a state corporation, which will be established by a bill that I intend to send to the State House of Assembly. Or, we get the Agge Seaport Development Company registered as a corporate entity that will run the actual management of the assets of that company.”

    However, “the road to hell”, as the saying goes, “is paved with good intention”. It is very clear that Dickson and the present government that he leads mean well for the people in general and Agge people in particularly. But he and his team might have stepped forward with the wrong foot, if the seething disenchantment from the host communities is anything to go by.

    The 14-member committee headed by Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Lawrence Ewhurjakpor, included several known indigenes of the state, retired military officers, representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and others.

    Ironically, the list, much to the chagrin of Agge leaders, did not include any member of their communities, who have already given up 15,000 hectares of land, excluding the 15,000 more that the state government has asked the Nigerian Army to survey for it.

    It was not surprising, therefore, that shortly after the state government announced the composition of a committee for the project, the leaders of Agge expressed their displeasure at their alleged neglect and non-involvement in the committee. The traditional ruler of Agge, His Royal Highness (HRH) D. G Isiayei, who praised the initiative, lamented that the communities only learnt about the constitution of the committee on the pages of newspapers.

    The monarch spoke with The Nation’s Niger Delta Report shortly after an emergency meeting of the kingdom, which was convened to find a way to deal with the announcement and their perceived neglect.

    He said: “It is a thing of joy for development to come to this area; we are a major oil-producing community and our land is blessed to be located in a place suitable for this project. We are also grateful to the governor for choosing Agge for this project. Our joy at the project should not deprive us of our rights; nobody should do that to us.”

    Isiaye, who, along with six prominent leaders of Agge, later wrote an open letter to Governor Dickson, regretted the attempt to ‘cut the hair of the Agge people without their knowledge and on their behalf’.

    The letter to Governor Dickson, a copy of which was made available to our reporter noted: “Your Excellency, it is important to inform you that the Agge people have only learnt about this mouth-watering Agge Deep Seaport Project from  the  pages  of  newspapers from its conception to the stage of commencing operation in 2020.

    “In a capsule, we have not been carried along. We have been treated as total strangers to the project while we shall be the people to provide the land for this laudable project,” the monarch who signed the document along with Chairman and Secretary of Agge, Chief Arthur Benidiwei and Dhemeon Wuka respectively stated.

    Nevertheless, prior to the announcement, the state government had released N230 million to a consultant, while the Nigerian Army was carrying out survey of 15,000 hectares of land that are required for the project, including the port and other ancillary facilities.

    Reacting to this, the Agge leaders said: “It was also in the Newspaper that we got to know that the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps shall undertake the survey of 15,000 hectares of our land. The Army came to Agge and its Federated Communities stayed with us and surveyed the land and left. We later read in the newspaper of June 6, 2013 how the head of the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, General Funso Owonibi, presented his survey reports to you.

    “No recourse whatsoever was made to us the landowners who are prepared to give you the land for this laudable project,” the letter stressed.

    No doubt, the Agge Deep Seaport is a laudable project, with an industrial park, fabrication yard, dry dock, jetty, outfield chemical plant and tank farm. It will also incorporate cement and bagging plants, port housing complex, forward operations base (FOB), container terminal, schools, steel pipe rolling mill, scrapping centres and hospital, among others, which would be powered by a 500 Megawatts power plant.

    However, the growing discontentment in the handling of the project could spell doom for its success, even before a brick is laid.

    Speaking with our reporter, the monarch noted that land is a scarce community in the area, because of its location.

    “If we are giving out so much land for this project, the least they should do is let us know what they are doing with the land.

    “We are farmers, fishermen and business people and land is essential in all of these business ventures; to take that much land and not carry us along, without hearing our pains, hopes and expectation is not good because we have to survive and our survival is tied to our land,” he said.

    Speaking in the same manner, Benediwei, who is the Chairman of Agge and its Federated Communities and the Chairman of the five-man Agge Land Committee appointed by Isiayei to handle the land required by the Bayelsa State Government for the Agge Deep Seaport, warned, “it will be wrong for the Agge people to be treated as strangers for the same project and completely taken for granted.

    “The Governor just appointed the Agge Deep Seaport Project Implementation Committee and our perusal of the members revealed coldly that no single Agge person was included in the picture for the same Agge Deep Seaport that we shall be providing 15,000 hectares of land. I know for sure that the Governor will still require land for the forward operation base (FOB).”

    He said it was important for the Agge Land Committee “to meet with Governor Dickson and the Commissioner for Land and Survey because there is so much to discuss moving forward. The average Agge man and we the members of the Land Committee do not understand what is actually going on with the Agge Deep Seaport Project.

    “While the Agge Deep Seaport Project will surely bring about development, it will make no sense if the Agge man is under-developed because of the Deep Seaport Project. Our land is precious to us and same for our maritime endowment.  We want to be on the same page with the Governor to succeed with the Agge Deep Seaport Project by February, 2020.”

    Investigations by our reporter revealed that the protest letter might be the first of an avalanche that could soon flood the state as soon as the project begins to gain traction. There are no assurances though that the others to come, particularly those by the youth of the area, would be as peaceful as those of their leaders.

    “We are watching what our leaders are doing; we respect them and we trust in their ability to handle the issue to a logical conclusion. But there is always a limit to every man’s patience and tolerance. This is a project that will impact on our lives; we want that impact to be positive and not to impoverish us,” one of the youth leaders of the town, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told our reporter on telephone.

    Meanwhile, the government explained that the community is represented in the 14-member Project Implementation Committee for the Development of Agge Deep Seaport.  The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the committee was the only major step so far taken by the government to begin a process of realising the project.

    “A son of Agge, Stanley Braboke, is a member of the project verification committee. How else do they want to be carried along? We are not really doing much now. We have been conducting studies. It is now that we want to start doing something.

    “There is a proposed road leading to Agge; after that there will be a stakeholders’ meeting. Experts are the ones conducting the studies. I have gone to visit them for about six times. We have not gotten to the stage where they will be involved in the day-to-day activities of the project”, he assured.

  • Stay off kingdom, Gbaramatu monarch tells Avengers

    Stay off kingdom, Gbaramatu monarch tells Avengers

    The king of Gbara-matu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Pere Williams Ogoba, Oboro II, has warned operatives of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and all those aiming to attack oil pipelines, to stay off his kingdom.

    The monarch, who spoke through the spokesman of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, also advised the Federal Government to prevail on the military and call them off his area as his kingdom is not at war with the Nigerian state.

    The warning against the Avengers and all vandals of the nation’s critical facilities came on the heels of fresh apprehension in Gbaramatu over recent deployment of military hardware in the area, including gunboats and military aircraft.

    Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area has been the Avengers’ theatre of operations since it commenced campaigns against the nation’s oil and gas industry last year, destroying several key assets, which severely affected the nation’s oil output.

    But in a statement obtained by Niger Delta Report in Warri penultimate week, the monarch absolved his kingdom and his people from any connection with the dreaded militant group, adding that the group is not welcomed in any part of the kingdom.

    The statement said the monarch had given orders to all chairmen of communities to watch out for strangers or indigenes seen close to pipelines in the kingdom, hold such and hand over to security agents.

    “We want to also warn criminals that will want to use the present threat situation to cause confusion in the Gbaramatu Kingdom. We announce to you that anybody that is caught getting close to pipelines with the purpose of vandalising them, will severely dealt with by Gbaramatu Kingdom.

    “The monarch has directed that all chairmen in the kingdom should be vigilant, if they see any person that they don’t know in the kingdom or should they see any son of the kingdom that is about to carry out nefarious activities as it affects government facilities should be apprehended and handed over to security agents.

    “We don’t support the behaviour of the Avengers to wreak havoc on oil facilities. At the same time, we want to plead with the Federal Government and its agents, especially the military and the navy, please let’s give peace a chance.

    “We are not and we don’t want to be Avengers. We are not in support of the Avengers. All we say is that we want development. Things that the Federal Government has promised such as the Ogoni clean-up, the EPZ project, the maritime university, the Omadino, Okerenkoko, Escravos roads and all that the Federal Government has said they are going to do, let them fast-track them. If they fulfil all they promised, nobody will think of carrying out any destruction of any national asset.

    “I think the inaction of some agencies of the government is the reason people have opportunity to say they want to protest. But to the protesters, we continue to plead with your conscience, sheathe the sword. That is not the right way to go. If you destroy all the facilities in the Niger Delta, we will suffer for it, we will be the losers. We don’t need to destroy government facilities for government to listen to us. Let’s sit down and talk, to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. I repeat, we are not at war with the Federal Government.

    “Criminals who want to use the present situation to cause an unpleasant situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom should leave Gbaramatu Kingdom alone. Should we get any information that anybody wants to get close to government facilities, our youths are on the lookout, we will deal with such people. The traditional ruler has given directives to the community chairmen to ensure that this directive is carried out to the latter”, the statement said.

     

  • Firm distances self from alleged killers of SPDC staff

    The management of MB and C Investment has distant itself from the suspected murderers of a contract staff of SPDC, Cletus Oyekwere, faulting a statement credited to the police where the two arrested culprits were linked to it.

    Recall that a recent press statement by the police had disclosed how the use of forensic technology in criminal investigation by the Rivers State Police command  paid off and unravelled a mysterious killing incident at Shell Industrial Area in Port Harcourt.

    According to Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, Ahmed Magaji, the forensic report was used in apprehending suspected killers of one Cletus Onyekwere.

    Magaji said, ‘’This effort paid off handsomely when after three Months of submitting the Forensic Exhibits, a match was found belonging to one of the profiles earlier sent, identified as that of Kingsley Nwankor 40yrs, a staff of MB $ C Investment Ltd, a subcontracting firm with SPDC who will be paraded today.

    “His confession led to the arrest of the second suspect, Joseph Francis 37yrs also a staff of MB $ C Investment who is currently helping us in our Investigation.’’

    Responding, however, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja , a management staff of the company, Chinyere Okoro said, it was wrong to have linked the two staff to the company even after it was clear they had been relieved of their job and are no longer staff of the firm.

    She said the company had earlier cleared its name in an interview with the police and was surprised to have been linked again to the two suspects.

    The statement further cleared that, ‘’Upon questioning of Kingsley Nwakor by DCP FELIX VWAMMI in the presence of Officer Emmanuel of SCIID and the management of MB and C Investment Ltd, Kingsley Nwakor confirmed that the management of MB and C Investment Ltd were neither involved in any way nor had prior knowledge with regards to the murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere.’’

    The firm also stressed that even as it sympathises with the family of the deceased over the death of the victim, it’s important to also note for record purposes that, ‘’the unfortunate murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere  did not occur during business hours, hence  the need for the company to be dissociated completely from the incident.

    The statement reads, ‘’The notice of the management of MB and C Investment Ltd has been drawn to a recent press release by the Nigeria Police Rivers state command made on 17/11/2017 with regards to the arrest of Kingsley Nwakor and Joseph Francis on the murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere within the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Industrial area in Port Harcourt.

    ‘’By a letter dated 10/11/2017 with Ref: CR: 3000/RVS/X/D4/VOL.29/93, the management of MB and C Investment Ltd were invited for an interview scheduled for 13/11/2017 with DCP FELIX VWAMMI Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) with regards to the murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere.

    ‘’On 13/11/2017, after statements had been obtained from the management of MB and C Investment Ltd by the Nigeria Police, upon questioning of Kingsley Nwakor by DCP FELIX VWAMMI in the presence of Officer Emmanuel of SCIID and the management of MB and C Investment Ltd, ‘’Kingsley Nwakor confirmed that the management of MB and C Investment Ltd were neither involved in any way nor had prior knowledge with regards to the murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere.

    ‘’The management of MB and C Investment Ltd upon cogent confirmation on 13/11/2017 at the State Intelligence and Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police, Rivers State command that Kingsley Nwakor and Joseph Francis were complicit in the murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere, the employment of the duo were effectively terminated.

    ‘’It’s imperative and significant for record purposes to state that the unfortunate murder of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere  did not occur during business hours and there is no justification for the company to be linked to the murder as it is clear that the said Kingsley Nwakor and Joseph Francis acted independently.

    ‘’We sincerely condole with the family of Mr. Cletus Oyekwere on this unfortunate incident and we commend the Nigeria Police for unravelling the perpetrators of this heinous act,’’ it said.

  • Breaking new grounds: NDDC’s interventions in coastal communities

    Breaking new grounds: NDDC’s interventions in coastal communities

    Coastal communities in the Niger Delta never had cause to celebrate. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports that the recent inauguration of projects in Olero Creek, one of the coastal communities in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has brought hope of a better future for the people.

    A journey to the coastal communities in Olero Creek, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State through the Benin River is not a mission for the faint-hearted.

    Although Mr James Amoina, a prominent community leader in Jakpa, would want visitors to feel at home, the reality is that the eerie feeling that one is going into a security zone still persists. Whether real or imagined, the Koko area is still wrapped in an aura of fear and mystic.

    Amoina and other Itsekiri sons like him, feel pained by visitor’s negative perception of their coastal communities.

    “We are peaceful and law-abiding like other Nigerians in other parts of the country. All our people are asking for is development. We contribute to the economy of Nigeria, so we expect that basic amenities such as water and schools should be provided for us,” he said.

    It was against this background that the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere, recently led a powerful NDDC team that included the Executive Director Projects, Mr. Samuel Adjogbe, an Engineer, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Board, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, and other directors to inaugurate projects in Olero Creek.

    Eventually, when the convoy of speed-boats anchored at the Gbokoda Jetty, after a bumpy and scary ride on rough waters, it was a jubilant community that received the visitors.

    You could feel the excitement in the air as people from various communities turned out to witness the inauguration of seven rigid pavement roads, covering almost eight kilometres, built by the NDDC. The roads, divided into sections, were Tebu-Gbokoda Road, Tebu Gbokoda-Udo Road and the Udo-Ajamita Road.

    Responding to the welcome address of the people of the ancient Itsekiri community, the NDDC Chief Executive Officer said he was touched by the emotions expressed by their leaders. He remarked: “I share in your joy. When you spoke, I felt your positive emotions.“

    Ekere noted that developing communities that could not be accessed by road posed enormous challenges, especially with funding and logistics.

    He observed: “ The terrain is so difficult. A very serious engineering work has been done here because of the difficult terrain. That is why we feel sad when people don’t factor in the difficult challenges of terrain while talking about the cost of construction in the Niger Delta region.”

    The Commission was already devoting 70 per cent of its budget to the completion of ongoing projects. To this end, the NDDC boss recently told the Commission’s design and supervising consultants that only 30 per cent of the budget would go into new projects.

    He declared: “We have reduced the number of new projects in our budgets to enable us to complete on-going ones. We have tried to prioritize them to enable us deliver on the more critical ones.”

    A representative of the Olero Creek Community, Mr Eyde Michael, said they were excited by what the NDDC had done for them.

    “We have not seen much from the oil companies. That is why we remain very grateful to the NDDC,” he said.

    Eyde appealed to the NDDC to complete other ongoing projects in the area, especially the Koko-Oghoye-Escravos Road.

    The 21.4-kilometre road, with four bridges, would connect various riverside communities that were hitherto inaccessible by road in the oil-bearing communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    A former NDDC Managing Director, Bassey Dan-Abia,  who inspected the road in 2014, observed that the project was very strategic as it would eventually link up with the Koko-Oghoye Road.

    He said: “This Ilaje area is a typical Niger Delta terrain and I wish other Nigerians will appreciate the peculiar problems we encounter in the region. However, we look forward to driving on this road to Ayetoro in no distant time.”

    “Living in the creeks is nothing but tortuous. That is why we are crying that government should develop our area. We deserve some basic amenities as people from whose land oil is drilled to sustain Nigeria,” he said.

    For youths such as Johnson, the NDDC projects are the only government presence they can relate with as the interventionist agency had consistently tried to live up to the expectations of the people.

    The intervention in Olero Creek communities is, by no means, isolate.  The NDDC had previously undertaken similar notable projects. The historic transformation of Trofani community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State is one such ground-breaking interventions.

    Hitherto landlocked communities in Sagbama will forever cherish the18-kilometre Odi-Trofani Road and bridges, tearing through virgin forests and swamps, thus changing their lives for good. Remarkably, it was on account of the road constructed by the NDDC that vehicles drove into Trofani through a land route for the first time.

    If Odi was given a gateway into the Nigerian nation, Trofani was liberated from topographic isolation and it would forever remain grateful to the NDDC, because before the road was opened, it was a swamp-locked community on the banks of the River Nun.

    In fact, when the first set of vehicles entered Trofani in 2006, after the completion of the bridges, the community was thrown into tumultuous celebrations. The children ran out in large numbers shouting “moto! moto!” Their excitement was understandable because majority were seeing cars for the first time.

    The NDDC had helped Odi to rise from the ruins of a military invasion in 1999. Riding through the quiet streets of Odi today, one could hardly see the “scars of war.”  Slowly but steadily, development is blurring the dark marks of destruction visited on the town.

    Acknowledging the important role played by the NDDC in the Odi transformation, Chief Apre noted that the commission gave his people two very important keys to development.

    The Odi-Trofani Road traverses three major communities, namely Odi in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area, Aduku and Trofani in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    A representative of the Trofani traditional institution, Chief Asherifa Torru, agrees that the NDDC played a historic role in the restoration of Odi.

    He summed up the feelings of his people thus: “Our hearts are filled with profound joy on the construction of the Odi-Trofani Road.”

    Mr Hope Okuta, a welder plying his trade along the Odi-Trofani Road said his people from Trofani could not easily forget that some years ago they could not drive their vehicles home because there was just no road for that kind of luxury. Then, he said, both the rich and the poor could only get vehicular access to Trofani through Patani in Delta State or through the River Nun.

    Another coastal community that shares a similar story with Trofani is Nembe also in Bayelsa State. For the people of Nembe, the 27-kilometer Ogbia-Nembe Road with seven bridges and more than 50 culverts launched them into a new life.

    The N24.5 billion project, a partnership between the NDDC and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), is already connecting 14 communities which were previously inaccessible by road.

    Although the road has not been inaugurated, the people are already looking ahead to the second phase which will take it to Brass.

    The Vice-Chairman of the Nembe Se Congress, Dr. Ebinyo Young-Dede, said recently that they were eagerly waiting for the commencement of work on the Nembe-Brass section.

    The prospects for launching the second phase look good as potential partners are impressed by what the NDDC has done so far.

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, made it clear that the lawmakers could be counted on for support.

    After a recent tour of the Ogbia-Nembe Road, Senator Nwaoboshi could not hide his joy as he declared: “I wish that we can have this type of project all over the Niger Delta and I wish we have this success story in all the projects.”

    Yet another star project by the NDDC is the multi-billion Naira Ibeno Bridge and the 6.87-kilometre Iko-Atabrikang-Opolom-IwuoAchang Road in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The N10.4 billion Ibeno Bridge, spanning 600 metres across the Qua Iboe River connects Iko, Rikang, Akata, Opolom, Ikot-Enwang, Okoroutip and Iwochang communities with about 24 others.

    Although the bridge has been completed, it has not been inaugurated because the NDDC wanted to ensure that the road connected all the intended inland communities. Thus, a contract for the second phase was promptly awarded in 2014.

  • Forum takes safe school campaign to Rivers

    Forum takes safe school campaign to Rivers

    The Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has begun its safer school campaign, as part of its efforts towards achieving Quality Education in the Sustainable Development Goal.

    The GSC, Port Harcourt adopted Community Secondary School, Nkpolu as its pilot school with training tagged “Say No to Bullying” and “Conflict Management”.

    Mr Dayo Ibitoye, Curator, PH Global Shapers Hub, said the training was aimed at “ensuring quality education”, towards ensuring that “our schools are safe havens for learning unhindered by bullying or inadequate infrastructural and learning facilities.”

    “We decided to embark on a two-prong safer schools campaign with training on bullying, conflict and anger management and the possibility of re-fencing the school property to prevent interlopers, criminals and other undesirable elements from using the school grounds as a thoroughfare or constituting harm to the students,” he said.

    He further said students were taught, through practical and theoretical exercises, the adverse effects of bullying, the causes of bullying and how to avoid being bullied.

    “At the end of the day, it was obvious that these trainings have to be continuous exercise with a more hands-on approach, possibly even private counselling sessions for students who are victims of bullying and who may be unable to express themselves in a class full of other students.

    “It was also evident that beyond rebuilding the fence, a lot of the senior classes we visited are in dire need of refurbishing as most of them had grossly inadequate and damaged furniture, blackboards and broken ceilings.

    “While we are not certain that this damage was occasioned by outsiders or overuse, we believe that the students must also be given a sense of responsibility with regard to their classroom facilities after they are refurbished.

    “In conclusion, CSS Nkpolu is a big school with a sizeable land mass and a substantial student population and the student-to-teacher ratio seems to be quite unbalanced.

    “The challenges already stare us in the face- how do we make a scalable and sustainable impact in a school so big with such a diverse student population?” Ibitoye asked.

    Ibitoye said the hub intends to take the challenges one step at a time, adding that they would be seeking partnerships with individuals and other bodies to do so.

  • Green River Project: Agip’s alternative to oil

    Green River Project: Agip’s alternative to oil

    The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has shown that food production and crude oil exploration can co-exist. In fact, the company’s Green River Project (GRP) is a proof that the Niger Delta region is endowed beyond oil. The region, as the colonial masters observed, has the capacity to feed the nation and West Africa.

    For over 30 years, Agip has kept faith with the GRP. The GRP was developed to revolutionise agriculture; diversify the economy; engage restive youths in meaningful ventures and gradually eliminate the country’s over-dependence on crude oil. It has been a tool for job creation and a counter-strategy against militancy and pipeline vandalism.

    Records show that the GRP has been a huge success. It has produced many vibrant farmers across the nine states of the Niger Delta. Therefore, every year, Agip celebrates thousands of farmers and their yields. The Farmers’ Day celebration rewards outstanding farmers in different categories; motivates local farmers and highlights importance of farmers and dignity of farming.

    This year’s Farmers’ Day celebration under the auspices of GRP was an assemblage of successful farmers and dignitaries from all walks of life.

    The event, which was held at the Achiever’s Farm, had traditional rulers, representatives of the nine Niger Delta states and delegates of other oil companies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in attendance.

    Various co-operative societies erected stands to exhibit their farm produce. Some farmers, including a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Israel Sunny-Goli, displayed their fishing skills. Dignitaries present at the event watched them as they navigated large fish ponds in the farm with canoes and fishing gears.

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who was represented by his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) was impressed with the success so far recorded by the company’s GRP.

    Jonah said: “I was very impressed with what I saw here because it is in line with what Bayelsa state stands for that we must think beyond oil. These actions by Agip, not only to get our farmers empowered but also trained is very commendable. I urge you to continue with it.

    “A good head with a good heart is what we need to move forward. Thankfully, Agip has a good head and heart and thus they gave to us. They have assisted in training and also empowering our young and old men and women who were once focused on oil as the only source of living. I am certain that they are benefitting from it today.

    “I implore you all to embrace the emergence of agricultural revolution. We have the farm for it and the mechanised aspect has been inculcated in them.”

    The Deputy Governor said the Achievers’ Farm had improved tremendously compared to the last time he visited it.

    “That is what we want to see, development on a yearly basis. With this expanse of land, cassava could be produced massively which will not be sold in Nigeria alone but also beyond. This will definitely better the lives of the farmers and provide jobs for our youths”, he said.

    He was thrilled that the farmers were not only trained in production but also in the preservation of the produce. He said Bayelsa has the best environment for rice farming.

    Going down memory lane, he said: “I want to state that between 1951 and 1952 while I was in primary 1, I remember that in my school we used to grow rice and at the end of the year it is the rice that we grow that we cook and eat. This implies that the land you need is there.

    “What you need now is co-operation and collaboration and I promise, on behalf of the Bayelsa government under the watch of Governor Dickson that we will not leave you alone in this. We will collaborate with you to ensure that those farms are brought back to life”.

    He added: “With this I state that there is no other way to go in this country today. The only route to prosperity and self-reliance is farming. To those receiving awards, I want to congratulate you and those who didn’t, tomorrow is another day. If you don’t relent, you will get where you want to be too.”

    The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, NAOC, Massimo Insulla, was particularly elated at the achievements of the GRP. He said the year’s celebration was the 21st edition, adding that the project had become a veritable tool for food sufficiency.

    “For the past 30 years, the Green River Project has remained a continuous success by not only being a prime source of employment and improvement of the standard of living for our communities, it has also served as a veritable tool for sustainable development and food sufficiency”, he said.

    He also said the theme of this year’s celebration, “GRP: Actively Leading the Future of the Niger Delta”, was chosen to highlight the contributions and preparedness of Agip JV scheme to support the development of the communities. He noted that such development would come from boosting the capacity of the communities through training, extension services, technological support and knowledge transfer.

    He highlighted some of the achievements of the event. He said Agip, through GRP, has acquired a farm in Bayelsa State to train youths, women and local farmers in the Niger Delta on agriculture as part of its efforts to stop restiveness in the region.

    He said the project provided over 5,000 poultry birds, 17,000 plantain suckers 100 banana suckers, 2,500 bundles of cassava stems, over 500 pineapple suckers and 350kg maize seeds to farmers in the region within the year.

    Insulla said over 2,000 yam seeds and 850,000 fingerlings were also distributed to farmers. He added that the multinational, in partnership with its joint ventures, trained about 300 youths in agro-skills acquisition programme, adding that NAOC inaugurated a 10-hectare plant propagation centre in Kwale, Delta State.

    “To further strengthen and sustain the future of Niger Delta, Eni companies in Nigeria have embarked on training of over 1,000 vendors in capacity development initiatives through our various programmes.

    “We have commitment to the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) to provide one year specialist subsea engineering training for 10 NCDMB-nominated engineers.  “We have subsisting Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with Standard IBTC, Zenith Bank and UBA for provision of credit facilities to our vendors at favourable rate.

    “We have ongoing collaborations with all major Nigerian universities and established non-governmental organisations (NGOs) having impeccable track records in agricultural advancement to integrate agriculture as an alternative means of sustainable source of livelihood as opposed to oil theft, pipeline vandalism, bunkering and other vices.”

  • Environment rights group seeks speedy Ogoni clean-up

    The Federal Government has been advised to speed up the remediation and clean-up of the Ogoni environment, as advised by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

    The National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade gave the advice during its 8th Annual Security and Environmental Conference in Benin, Edo State. He also advised all regional agitation groups to adopt the non-violence approach.

    Meanwhile, the United States of America’s Consul-General to Nigeria, John Bray, who was expected at the event, was absent due to an alleged failure to get security assurances from the Edo State government to attend.

    Mulade also appealed to the Ogoni people to be patient with the Federal Government, even as he urged them to sustain the dialogue approach until they see their land and environment restored.

    He noted that the dialogue approach would engender peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region. He said: “It will assuage the citizens as well as reduce tension and further crisis in the area.”

    While cautioning the various regional agitation groups, including the Arewa youths, Niger Delta agitators, Oduduwa youths, to adopt the non-violence approach in order not to plunge the country into chaos, he advised the Nigerian armed forces to respect the rights of citizens and treat them with dignity.

    “Let the military know that applying force will escalate the conflicts and create more disaffection between the military and the civil populace.

    “Learning how to solve disputes without aggression is a great way to enjoy peace. We can collectively or individually sponsor activities and actions that promote environmental justice, clean environment, enhanced security and culture of peace,” Mulade said.

    The Programmes Director at the CEPEJ, MacDonald Ekemezie, explained the absence of the US Consul-General, saying “the Edo State government was supposed to give the US Consul-General assurances on his security, but it didn’t do so.”

    It should be noted, however, that the absence of the American Consul-General due to security concerns, raised apprehension at the event.

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, who was represented by Suleiman Kadri, expressed concerns that insecurity would scare any investor away from the region. He called on the leadership of CEPEJ to make the issue a critical topic in its discussions.

    In a goodwill message, the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, who was represented by Mrs. Victoria Adeleye, said Edo State is very hospitable just as she assured the people, particularly the organisers of the event, of their safety, during and after the programme.

     

  • Oron youths back Fed Govt on Maritime Academy

    Oron youths back Fed Govt on Maritime Academy

    YOUTH leaders of various groups in the five local government areas of Oron nation in Akwa Ibom State have pledged their support to the development of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.

    The youth commended the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring that the academy is brought at par in terms of standards with similar training institutions the world over for global competitiveness.

    They stated their position in an interactive session with the Rector of the academy, Commodore Duja Effedua (rtd) on Saturday in Oron.

    Speaking, the Rector intimated the youth leaders of plans by the Federal Government to reposition and restructure the academy.

    He enjoined them to shun restive tendencies and embrace peace since no meaningful development could take place in rancorous and violent atmosphere.

    Commodore Effedua, who assured them that the academy’s management would continue to perform its corporate social responsibility to its host community, urged them to unite and form one formidable and cohesive group.

    He also advised the youth to create a research and development unit, where they would carry out research on issues affecting the people and proffer solutions them, even as he urged them to request for assistance when necessary.

    This, according to the Rector, would have a more positive effect on members of the community in terms of development and human empowerment and will also help in writing their names in gold.

    He assured them that the host community would be considered first whenever there is any development programme to be carried out. He also clarified the issue concerning the rumoured sack of members of staff by the Interim Management Committee (IMC).

    He said: “The Interim Management Committee is not here to victimise anybody; it is easy to employ but not easy to sack. There are a lot of procedures involved.”

    The youth, who spoke differently, said they support all the processes that would lead to the development of the Academy.

    Prince Uwe Ebek of the Akpakip Oron Grand land Peace Keeping Association maintained that “the youth are here to see the institution develop into a fully-fledged, world-class Maritime University. We pledge our total support for the development of the Academy”.

    His counterpart, the President of Oron Youth Forum (OYF), Comrade Sunday Odokwo said: “We have heard all you said. I want to state that the Federal Government has lofty plans for the Academy. I also want to state that the Oron people are peace-loving and hospitable and will continue to be so.

    “That’s why people from all climes are resident here. We the youth will join hands with you to ensure our institution attains acceptable and enviable height and standard.”

    In attendance at the interactive forum were youth leaders of Oron Youth Movement, National Association of Nigerian Students, Oron Patriotic Youth Organisation, Oron International Youth Forum, Oron Nation Young Professional, Common People Organisation and Eyo Akan-obio Youth Council, among others.

     

  • Students’ parliament honours Ibom Power MD

    Students’ parliament honours Ibom Power MD

    The Managing Director of Ibom Power Company Limited (IPC), Mr. Meyen Etukudo, an Engineer, has been honoured with the Pan-African Distinguished Leadership Award as the icon of nation-building in Africa by the African Students’ Union Parliament (ASUP).

    Delegates of the students’ parliament that covers all the students within 54-member African countries presented the award to Engr. Etukudo in his Uyo office on Monday.

    The Deputy Speaker of the parliament, Herve Forku from the Université de Douala in Cameroun said the honour is in recognition of Engr. Etukudo’s contributions to the development of the society through quality power supply, administrative excellence, youth empowerment and service to God and humanity.

    He stated that the core objective of ASUP is to encourage co-operation and harmonious co-existence of students in universities across the African Continent.

    “The objective is achieved through exchange programmes, seminars and conferences held across member universities in Africa,” he added.

    Responding, Engr. Etukudo appreciated the students for the honour bestowed on him. He praised the initiative of students from different universities across Africa coming under one umbrella to drive youth development in the African Continent.

    Engr. Etukudo, who shared how his 32-year work experience has taken him across several countries, states and tribes in Nigeria said Africa has not developed beyond its present position due to bad leadership. He urged the students to grow beyond nationality and tribe to promote development in Africa.

     

  • Flood sacks four Bayelsa communities

    Flood sacks four Bayelsa communities

    Four communities of Anyiama Clan in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State have been dis- placed by flood. They are taking refuge in neighbouring communities. MIKE ODIEGWU reports that efforts are being made to rehabilitate them

    Ordinarily, the meeting between the Paramount Ruler of Ogbia Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Dumaro Charles-Owaba and the President, Azikel Group of Companies, Dr. Azibapu Eruani, an industrialist, would have been a happy one. But both of them wore grim faces.

    They were all worried about the flood that ravaged four communities in their kingdom.

    They were not happy that flood had taken over four big communities in Anyiama Clan of Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. The river surrounding the communities seemingly was angry and overflowed its banks, emptying its contents into the communities’ farms, homes and stalls.

    Not only did the flood sack Emadike, Epebu, Ologoghe and Otuobhi, communities, it also destroyed their properties worth millions of Naira.

    The flood submerged household items and forced most people to relocate from their ancestral homes. Some elders who refused to relocate, were seen sitting helplessly in the pool of water.

    Disturbed by the natural menace, the industrialist,  Eruani, who controls multi-billion naira investments in Bayelsa, some of which include a refinery project, paid an unscheduled visit to the Ogbia king.  Eruani called for collaboration between the government and the private sector to address the perennial flooding of the area.

    He observed that if nothing urgent was done to address the situation; members of the affected communities could be permanently displaced . Eruani, who was in the company of other officials of his company and residents, insisted that the flood would continue unless the government partnered the private sector to embark on massive land reclamation, sand filling, embankment and other strategic initiatives to prevent a reoccurrence of the natural disaster.

    Eruani lamented that the communities had suffered hardship because their property and means of livelihood were destroyed; forcing them to flee their homes to other communities. He maintained that the antidote to flooding was reclamation of land and massive sand filling to regenerate land and save the affected communities from going into extinction.

    Eruani said: “It’s regrettable that flood has continued to wreak havoc in Anyiama Clan, and government at all levels must act fast to save the situation. I know that the solution to flooding is massive reclamation and sand filling of the affected areas.

    ‘’The process of resettling the communities cannot be handled by any single individual. We will do our best to address the problem. I wish to call on the monarch to use his good offices as the overall king of the area to draw the attention of government at all levels to the plight of Ogbia people.

    “My strength will not be enough. That’s why I have come to tell the Obanobhan to inform the government at the state and national levels of the humanitarian emergency in Anyiama Clan, particularly Emadike, Epebu, Ologoghe and Otuobhi communities of Ogbia LGA.’’

    The industrialist said with the huge success already recorded by Azikel Group in sand filling and reclamation of land in a bid to combat flood in Rivers State, the conglomerate was prepared to re-enact the feat in Bayelsa State and other affected states.

    Responding, King Charles-Owaba said he was deeply touched by the plight of members of the displaced communities. The monarch assured the indigenes that his council of traditional rulers would make recommendations to the Presidency in order to address the ugly situation.