The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Clark urges Niger Delta Avengers to enbrace peace

    Clark urges Niger Delta Avengers to enbrace peace

    Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has pleaded with the aggrieved Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to remain non-violent as a result of recent peace dialogue with the Federal Government.

    Clark said the Avengers had given him that responsibility to mediate with the government on their behalf, thus it was important to endure while the peace talk lasts.

    He made the appeal when a delegation led by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (rtd) visited him in his home.

    Clark said a major grouse of the Avengers was the disruption of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) meeting in Port Harcourt, adding that with the explanation by General Boroh, there are assurances that the dialogue is back on track.

    He noted that PANDEF, which he leads, would be meeting soon in Warri.

    The former Information Minister, in his reaction to the threat by the NDA that it will resume hostilities in the region stated that “we are appealing to the Niger Delta Avengers not to resume hostilities. They are our children and they mandated us to negotiate with the Federal Government on their behalf. They have to be patient and give us time to do so successfully.  Any resumption of hostilities will not be in the interest of our people. This is not the time to resume hostilities.

    “It is true the Federal Government has not been quite serious about the negotiations, but we are asking the Niger Delta Avengers to maintain the peace. We have pleaded with them and we are sending a delegation to meet with them.”

    In a statement, Head of Media, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Owei Lakemfa, commended Boroh for his good job as adviser to the President. He asked the Federal Government to adequately fund the programme by releasing all its budgeted funds.

    “You are like the bridge between us and the Federal Government and we are willing to give you all the support you need,” Clark noted.

    In his remarks, Boroh told Clark that the disruption of the PANDEF meeting was due to communication gap.

    He stated that the new vision of the programme is to provide job opportunities for the youth and hasten development of the Niger Delta.

    “The Federal Government has a lot of respect for PANDEF. It regards it as a major partner in the resolution of the Niger Delta challenge, the maintenance of peace and development in the region,” he added.

  • Ecstasy in Bayelsa as cultural troupe wins NAFEST trophy

    Ecstasy in Bayelsa as cultural troupe wins NAFEST trophy

    Bayelsa State  is fast becoming the traditional winner of the overall best in the National Festival for Arts and Culture. Last year, the state won the long golden gong.

    At this year’s edition, the state’s troupe shone again as it shrugged off other contesting states to clinch the trophy again. All the way from Kaduna State, which hosted this year’s edition of NAFEST whose theme was ”Nigerian Peace and Unity, Our Pride”, the state smiled home with victory.

    Kaduna and Lagos states came second and third respectively while Delta and Ogun states were joint winners of the fourth position. The week-long programme was a showcase for the country’s diverse cultural heritage.

    Undoubtedly, Bayelsa is endowed with rich cultural heritage. But credit goes to the state’s Council for Arts and Culture which knows how to interpret the state’s culture and create irresistible public appeal about it.

    The Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is also a happy man. In his tenure, the state has won the competition back-to-back. The latest feat makes it the third time during Dickson’s administration that the Bayelsa Troupe would emerge first at the NAFEST.

    The government described the feat as a true reflection of the “positive things Bayelsa is experiencing under the purposeful leadership of Governor Seriake Dickson”.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, was the first to announce the state’s victory at the competition. He congratulated the contingent on its ability to maintain the prime position.

    He assured them of the continuous support of government to enable them to win more national and international laurels, even as he encouraged them to always aim high.

    He said: “2017 has been a successful year for the state as recently the state Cultural Troupe that represented Nigeria and Africa at the K-POP World Festival in South Korea came tops while 22-year-old Daniel Diongoli popularly known as Idyl emerged winner of this year’s edition of The Voice Nigeria.

    “We are grateful to God for the success stories we are recording. It underscores the kind of leadership that His Excellency, Henry Seriake Dickson is offering the state. As a government, we are proud of our cultural troupes and we will do all that we can to continue to support them”.

    But Dickson later received them formally at the Government House, Yenagoa.

    The governor gave kudos to the State Cultural Troupe of the State Council for Arts and Culture for emerging overall winner of this year’s edition of the competition.

    The governor said the government and people of the state were proud of their achievements, saying Bayelsa had continued to make steady progress in all spheres of human endeavour.

    Dickson said the feat they achieved demonstrated to the whole country that Bayelsa was a state to reckon with in a number of areas, including education, health care delivery, infrastructural development as well as culture and tourism. He assured them of government’s continued support to enable the council to win more laurels for the state.

    He said: “That is the spirit of the new Bayelsa; the spirit of excellence and the spirit of being number one in everything we are doing.

    “We are number one in security, education, health care, infrastructural investment and in culture and tourism. Clearly you are undoubted Champions of Culture. On behalf of the government and people of this state, I will like to congratulate you on your victory. You have made a statement that all states in this country will not forget in a hurry.

    “You have said that what happened last year was not a mistake and that you deserved this trophy last year and you have confirmed that you are number one cultural troupe in the country. This is because you people have done this to show to the rest of the country and the world, that when it comes to the area of culture and tourism, Bayelsa is number one.”

    He said as part of efforts to promote culture and tourism, the government would organise a mock cultural carnival by next year. In appreciation of their remarkable performance in bringing back the Cultural Gong, the governor promised that the government would formally host the state troupe at a later date.

    Presenting the gong to Dickson, Director of the State Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs. Payeboye Festus-Lukoh expressed gratitude to the governor for the support and encouragement given to the council to participate in this year’s NAFEST.

    Ascribing the council’s victory to God, Mrs. Festus-Lukoh also thanked the state government for the timely approval of funds. She assured that the council would do its best to bring the cultural gong back home next year.

  • Change in NDDC rekindles hope of Niger Delta development 

    Change in NDDC rekindles hope of Niger Delta development 

    Regular visitors to the corporate headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State are seeing changes about the commission. Many things have changed within and outside the premises; it certainly looks different. There is a new air around the vicinity and members of staff. But the real changes are not necessarily physical; it is how the new NDDC now functions.

    The era when contracts are literarily hawked around the commission’s headquarters on Aba Road, when touts, hangers-on and praise singers take up strategic positions around the NDDC premises awaiting the ‘big men’ to pass through and throw wads of naira at them like some American rappers are gone.

    This new NDDC rekindles hope in the people of the region, despite the dirty politics by some stakeholders, who include governors. The awakening of the sleeping giant from its ennui towards the achievement of its core mandate, that is development of the oil-rich region, was foretold in February, when the board held a retreat for management and members of staff of the commission.

    The retreat offered the Mr. Nsima-Ekere-led commission along with the board, chaired by Ndoma Egba, the avenue to unfurl its agenda, hinged on the 4Rs of restructuring its balance sheet, reforming governance protocol, restoring the core mandate of the commission and re-affirming a commitment to doing what is right and proper.

    Topics discussed at the retreat revolved mostly round the issue of “corruption in the system”, how to initiate and execute projects that are beneficial to the people and not to serve interests; how to ensure transparency and redemption of the commission’s image in the eyes of the public.

    Erstwhile Director-General, Bureau for Pubic Service Reform, Dr. Joe Abah, said at the retreat that the NDDC of the past was the worst-managed government organisation he ever saw. It was a damning assessment from the respected reformer, who saw lots of dirty government agencies and helped in their cleansing.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Ekere agreed. He lamented the image of corruption the mention of NDDC in the region and beyond conjured, and vowed that his team would work assiduously to correct the image and restore confidence in the commission.

    To this end, the management met with dozens of development partners, which culminated in the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with BudgIT and the UK’s DFID-funded Oxford Policy Management Limited, among others.

    The OPML implements the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform in Nigeria, while BudgIT is a Nigerian civic technology organisation that works towards raising the standard of transparency in institutions such as the NDDC, as well as engagement of citizens towards ensuring accountability in public finance. The MoUs, signed in May, raised the bar for the commission’s budgeting process as well as open it to public scrutiny and participation as never before.

    Under the terms of the MoU, BudgIT worked with NDDC to develop ‘Open Budget Systems’ platform and the implementation of an effective Public Data Dissemination programme. It basically assisted the NDDC to develop an online portal for the NDDC Open Budget System, effectively communicate the transparency initiatives of the NDDC, engage policymakers, private sector actors and the public about initiatives of NDDC.

    The key objectives and advantages of the collaboration, according to the two sides, include: improvement to NDDC reporting process, strengthening accountability, improvements to prioritisation of projects and budgeting, improving transparency and disciplined spending.

    It will also provide support for project monitoring and evaluation, engender stakeholder engagement and generally promote value for money. These are areas that are crucial to the core mandate of the commission, which is to facilitate rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.

    BudgIT has a reputation for transparency initiatives and it extensively works to spur members of the public to demand answers on budget and fund utilisation. BudgIT urges the public to ask questions about the nation’s resources and how their taxes are being utilised in provision of infrastructure and public services.

    The MoU aims at encouraging the NDDC to take steps to institutionalise proactive disclosure of public data and information, and partner with it to develop and execute relevant engagement programme in the communities of the region.

    Ekere described the MoU as a milestone for the management’s and board’s broad plan of action to strengthen NDDC for the achievements of its core mandate.

    “We at NDDC will continue to remain true to our commitment to continuously engage with key stakeholders and partners towards the overarching goal of the development of the people and the region of the Niger Delta,” he said.

    Besides, he noted that the partnership was in line with the Federal Government’s membership of the Open Government Partnership and its commitments towards ensuring that government and its institutions make a strong commitment to promote transparency and accountability; fight corruption and use new technologies to strengthen governance and empower citizens.

    “The expected outcomes of this initiative are to ensure that not only is real change happening within the NDDC and in the Niger Delta region but that this change is benefitting citizens,” the MD said.

    This initiative with BudgIT not only serves as a unique platform for public governance transparency reforms and illustrates the NDDC’s management’s determination and readiness for openness in its operations, but it has also provided a framework of much-needed change that helps the NDDC and its stakeholders decide what is most relevant in their regional contexts thereby leading to the successive tackling of a diversity of issues and a multiplicity of approaches taken.

    Ekere further said: “Beyond the deliverables outlined in the MoU, we at the NDDC hope that this collaboration with BudgIT, will result, among many other things, in assisting management focus efforts and resources on social outcomes that really matter to the people of the Niger Delta.

    “We hope to build a strong and broad-based transformative system that serves to provide citizens with more information about how NDDC functions and thereby enable them to be more informed and engaged and better able to hold NDDC to account. By this initiative, we hope to send a strong and clear message to the people of the Niger Delta, Nigerians at large and the international community that we at the NDDC are committed to doing the right thing regarding good governance.”

    The commission also teamed with the Oxford Policy Management Limited as part of its efforts towards provision of services to strengthen management system and delivery of developmental projects in the region. Oxford is funded by the Direct Foreign Investment Department (DFID) of the United Kingdom and implements the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform in Nigeria.

    The purpose of the MoU, according to documents obtained by Niger Delta Report, aimed “towards providing support services to strengthen the management system and delivery of developmental projects in the Niger Delta region.”

    The implementing team, among others, worked on institutionalising NDDC budgetary processes, emphasising on depersonalisation of projects, as it was in the past where individuals, for selfish gains, chose projects that have little or no benefits for the ‘benefiting’ communities.

    On his expectations for the partnerships, Mr Ekere said: “I look forward to working to deliver on the goals set out in the MoU and in the larger context, to make the Niger Delta the glorious, productive and constantly developing place we expect it to be.”

    From what is happening so far at the commission, the NDDC, since its foundation 18 years ago, has never been in a better stead than now to achieve the purpose for which it was set up in 1999.

     

     

  • How much does Dickson owe civil servants in Bayelsa?

    There is no doubt that the Bayelsa State Government still owes civil servants. Governor  Seriake Dickson in his first term of four years, was not indebted to civil servants.

    Though the governor initiated series of reforms to make the civil service efficient, productive and to weed off ghost workers as well as other fraudulent practices in the system, he kept faith with prompt release of workers’ salaries every month.

    But things changed last year as a result of the economic downturn which resulted from fall of crude oil prices in the international market. The situation led to significant decrease in revenues accruing to the states, including Bayelsa. Everything changed. It became difficult for the government to meet up with its monthly obligations, including payments of salaries.

    Many states across the country accumulated unpaid salaries. However, Dickson engaged and negotiated with the labour unions to find a solution to the quagmire. The unions accepted a monthly half-salary offer from the government pending when the economy would bounce back.

    But this year, things started looking up. With tranches of Paris Club Refund paid to states by the Federal Government and somewhat improved monthly allocations to states, Bayelsa was able to meet up with its obligations to workers. Therefore, this year, the state government has not owed its workers.

    Investigations revealed that the government has also reduced the backlogs of last year’s backlog of salaries to four-and-half months. The state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Bipre Ndiomu, confirmed that though the government did not owe civil servants this year, it had reduced last year’s outstanding to four-and-half-a-months.

    Ndiomu said the NLC held several meetings with Dickson who promised to clear the outstanding immediately the state received the balance of the Paris Club refund.

    He said: “The state government owes civil servants four-and-half months. We are talking with the government to clear the outstanding. We have held several meetings and we are expecting the remaining balance of the Paris Club refund. We have been meeting.

    “We are confident that if the balance is paid, the government will clear the outstanding. We have been patient because the governor actually promised that he will pay. We are sure that he will pay”.

    Subsequent to its efforts to clear the backlogs and meet up current obligations to the civil servants, the state government has constantly faulted the claims of the National President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, who classified Bayelsa among the worse states that owe their workers.

    Reacting to the statement, the former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Nathan Obuebite, recalled that the state was doing so well in terms of payment of workers’ salaries, a reason it refused to join other states to apply for salary bailouts.

    “It is worth noting that Bayelsa State did not apply for nor receive salary bailout to states. This is because when states were applying for salary bailout, Bayelsa State did not owe her workers because the governor had saved some funds for the rainy days.

    “It was the local government councils that applied for N1.2 billion for salaries of local government workers. For the records, it has been the policy of the Dickson’s administration that local government council funds should not be touched by state government and he has not derailed from it,” he said.

    Obuebite also recalled that for the first four years of Dickson’s administration between 2012 and 2015, no worker was ever owed salaries. But he said the problem began last year when the allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) started experiencing a steady decline because the main source of revenue for the state has always come from federal allocations. He, however, said the development was not peculiar to Bayelsa State alone, as most states suffered similar fate.

    He said: “For instance, the net allocation to the state in February, March, April and May last year were N2.98 billion, N2.16 billion, N2.42 billion and N3.45 billion respectively.  When compared to a monthly wage bill of over N4 billion, it became impossible for the state to meet its salary obligations.

    “We must note that these net allocations were not meant for salary payment alone but also to meet all other state obligations, including local loans servicing, running of all MDAs and government, security expenses, education, health and infrastructural development, among others.

    “Inevitably, salaries were owed to workers last year. However, throughout this year, the state has not owed workers for one month. While the state is still gradually defraying the arrears of salaries owed to workers last year, it has kept faith with all its salary obligations for this year, as workers at the state level have all been paid up to date from January to August.

    “As a responsive and responsible government, when the Paris/London Club refunds were received in December, last year and June this year, it met with the leadership of organised labour namely NLC, TUC, NUT, and others on how the funds were to be applied.

    “The government and the organised labour agreed that, for the first receipt, two months arrears be paid and for the second tranche one-and-half months’ salary arrears be also paid and this decision was implemented in December, last year and July this year respectively, leaving an outstanding balance of four-and-half months, knowing that the Paris Club refunds was not for state workers only as the whole citizens of Bayelsa need to benefit from it.

    “The Governor, who immediately directed the payment, also announced that the balance of four- and-half months’ salary arrears would be settled as soon as it receives the remaining tranches from the Federal Government.

    “For the umpteenth time, the Bayelsa State Government sympathises with the workers at the third tier of government, but sadly cannot do much, because local governments equally received their funds, which were not tampered with. Moreover, the state government has limited resources at its disposal, with enormous responsibilities to tackle.

    “It is also worthy to note that Bayelsa State has continued to report its income and expenditure on a monthly basis to its citizens, in line with the administration’s transparency laws which enable people to ask questions about how the state funds have been utilised.”

    Obuebite added that it was a pity that the NLC failed to recognise that Bayelsa was the first state to acknowledge receipt of the Paris Club refund when it received it and that information was made public.

    He said: “It is wrong for anyone to mention Bayelsa State as one of the states that owe salaries of primary school teachers, as it is constitutionally not the responsibility of the government to do so. Let it be known that the payment of salaries of primary school teachers is the responsibility of the local government councils.”

    The commissioner also pointed out that the government disagreed totally with the report by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), that Bayelsa was one of the 13 states still owing primary and secondary school teachers’ salaries.

    He said: “The local government chairmen will testify that since the inception of Governor Dickson’s administration in 2012, the state has never under any circumstance, tampered with local government funds and will never do.

    “Statutorily, local government councils are responsible for the payment of primary school teachers, but because of the governor’s emphasis on education, Bayelsa State government paid 83 per cent of that obligation and allowed the local governments to pay only 17 per cent, but when there was a shortfall in the allocation, the state now paid 60 per cent while the councils paid 40 per cent, which is borne out of the governor’s magnanimity,”

    The Bayelsa State Government on Sunday declared that it remained one of the least indebted states on salary payment to workers.

    The government spoke following reports suggesting that Bayelsa was one of the worst states defaulting in the payment of salaries, a claim credited to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congres (NLC) Mr. Ayuba Wabba.

    Also, the incumbent Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, faulted the Labour leader’s assertion. He insisted that the report was done in bad faith because it lacked substance and failed to reflect the true position of things.

    He stated, however, that the government was most concerned and had, over time, taken payment of salaries of members of staff seriously and never owed the civil servants to date. The commissioner explained that contrary to the report, Bayelsa remained one of the least indebted states in terms of salary arrears to its workers in the country.

    He said the Dickson-led government always fulfilled its salary obligations until recently, occasioned by the free fall in the state’s monthly allocation from the Federal Government. He said government borrowed a number of times to make up for the shortfall to ensure that salaries were paid.

     

     

     

     

  • Ijaw youths condemn death of Briton; seek arrest of culprits

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has urged security agencies in the country to fish out the kidnappers responsible for the death of a Briton, Ian Squire, who was one of the four missionaries kidnapped on October 13, 2017, in Delta State.

    The IYC, in a statement signed by its factional President, Eric Omare, also said it would set up security structures across the Ijaw nation to collaborate with security agents in a scheme designed to make Ijaw land uncomfortable for criminals.

    The tragic death of Squire and the freedom of the three other hostages; Alanna Carson, David and Shirley Donovan, was broken by sources in the British Home Office. Efforts to ascertain details of the incident were unsuccessful as police sources could not provide needed details.

    While urging security agents not to spare any resource in the hunt for those responsible for the crime, Omare said killers of Squire must not go unpunished.

    “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide condemned in the highest terms the death of a Briton, Mr. Ian Squire in the hands of kidnappers in Delta State. This is unfortunate and highly condemnable.

    “This incident does not reflect the character of Niger Deltans. It is a case of criminality and should be treated as such. The people of Niger Delta are peaceful and hospitable as evidenced by centuries of missionary activities by missionaries from foreign countries who have had peaceful sojourn in the region.

    “We call on the security agents to bring the perpetrators to justice. The perpetrators must not be allowed to go unpunished. We, again call on community and traditional leaders to support security agents to help in fishing out criminals from their communities.

    “The IYC would set up clan and community security structures to work with security agents so as to make Ijaw communities uncomfortable for criminal elements,” he said.

     

     

     

     

  • Here and there

    Here and there

    I am troubled by a lot of things today. I am distressed by the Avengers. I am horror-struck by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s latest excitement about what he represented while in government. I am aghast about a man in Bayelsa who is in police net over his wife’s death. And wow, I am sad that kidnappers killed a Briton in Delta. So, I am going to dash from here to there.

     

    Uncle Jona: Lest we forget

     

    Of recent, ex-President Jonathan has used every available opportunity to rewrite the story of what we went through while he was the landlord at Aso Rock. He has told us what a democrat he was in government. He has literally blocked our ears with how Nigerians had money to spend while he was in government.

    But, we sure have not forgotten so many things he represented. While we are not happy that the recession in the country has made life unbearable for millions of Nigerians, it is not enough to make us forget that corruption was at its all-time high when Uncle Jona was in the saddle. And as far as he was concerned, Nigerians who pointed out this fact were just exaggerating. He even remembered his time as a lecturer when he started lecturing us about the difference between corruption and common stealing.

    Hear him: “Over 70 per cent of what are called corruption, even by EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies, is not corruption but common stealing.”

    It took very embarrassing facts for Oga Jona to do away with Ms Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation. Not a few believe he sacrificed Ms Oduah for his political future, which still ended unceremoniously. He once said he believed Ms Oduah, who is now a Senator, has not forgiven him for sacking her.

    Ms Oduah could not clear herself of allegations of procedural breaches in the purchase of two bulletproof cars for $1.6m — about $1.2m more than the market price.

    We also cannot forget his attitude to declaration of assets publicly. His famous 2012 quote: “The issue of public asset declaration is a matter of personal principle. That is the way I see it, and I don’t give a damn about it, even if you criticise me from heaven.”

    Uncle Jona also told us all to go to hell when he granted presidential pardon to ex-Governor Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, his former boss, who was convicted of graft charges. He simply gave no damn when he took this action for the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation, who is now late.

    Oga Jona also hurt us with his handling of the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, over 100 of whom are still in captivity. He simply ruled out the fact that the girls were kidnapped and his wife Patience turned the whole matter to a theatre of the absurd with her ‘Daris God’ exhibitionism. It took Jonathan over 18 days to accept that the girls were truly ferried away by crazy insurgents. Of course, ‘water don pass gari’ by then. And we are yet to recover from his ill-judgment years later. It took Pakistani child rights activist Malala Yousafzai’s visit for Jonathan to even meet the parents of the girls.

    My verdict: President Muhammadu Buhari has certainly not lived to our expectations, but he was a better choice. I wonder where we will be now if Uncle Jona had won.

    Rest, Uncle Jona, rest!

     

    The Avengers are back

     

    The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is back. Not that they have bombed any major oil installations yet. But they have said we should prepare for resumption of bombings of oil installations in the Niger Delta soon. Their grouse is about perceived lack of seriousness on the part of the Federal Government to end the woes of the people of the oil-rich region. They are also said to be unhappy that a meeting of the Pa Edwin Clark-led Pan-Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF) was stopped by security agents.

    They also feel the PANDEF 16-point demand, which include relocation of international oil companies’ (IOCs’) administrative and operational headquarters to the Niger Delta, clean-up of Ogoni land and other communities affected by spill, prompt take-off of the Maritime University and restructuring/funding of NDDC, have not been addressed.

    The co-ordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Brg.-Gen. Paul Boroh, wants the NDA to take the chill pill. He said the planned resumption of hostilities would be devastating to the nation’s economy. Pa Clark and Niger Delta Minister Usani Uguru Usani have also toed a similar lane.

    I join my voice with theirs to say peace is all we need. With peace, a lot of things are possible, especially development of the spirit, body and mind.

    Peace. Peace. And peace, guys!

     

    Lovely murder in Bayelsa

     

    It still baffles me why a man will kill his wife, mother of his children and confidant. How can a woman kill her husband? I just cannot get it. You are your wife and your wife is you. Killing your wife is like killing yourself; and killing your husband, for me, is akin to committing suicide.

    Twenty-Four-year-old man Vincent Edwin is in police net for allegedly killing his wife Joy with a machete. He was said to have committed the offence last Sunday at Boro Camp, Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Asinim Butswat, said: “On November 5, 2017, at 8:30 p.m., one Edwin Vincent, a native of Uwheru, in the Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, but residing at Boro Camp, Kaiama, in Bayelsa State, attacked and killed his wife, Joy, 21 years old.”

    Lord have mercy!

     

    And the Briton was killed

     

    He was a missionary sent here to do the work of God. But he has returned to God without accomplishing the task for which he was sent here. Ian Squire was one of four Britons taken by suspected militants on October 13 in Delta.

    The British High Commission and the Federal Government negotiated the release of Alanna Carson, David Donovan and Shirley Donovan.

    Dr. and Mrs. Donovan, I understand, have lived in Nigeria for the past 14 years, running a charity called New Foundations, which gave aid to remote villages in the Niger Delta.

    “Our thoughts are now with the family and friends of Ian as we come to terms with his sad death,” the family of the four said in a statement.

    For the United Kingdom Foreign Office, “this has been a traumatic time for our loved ones who were kidnapped and for their families and friends here in the UK”.

    The international angle to the kidnap is why I am sad because it has further painted us as barbaric. The Foreign Office has advised Britons against all but essential travel to much of Delta State, saying there is a “high threat of criminal kidnap”.

    Sad. Really sad.

  • Diversification: Edo intensifies push for agric as next oil

    Diversification: Edo intensifies push for agric as next oil

    The Edo State government appears determined to transform the state into the heartbeat of Nigeria’s agricultural revolution. The plan is to make agriculture Edo’s ‘New Oil’ by opening up the state for investments in agri-business. The state’s strategic push to prioritise agric via public-private partnership could be the template to galvanise other states in search of life without oil. Asst Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA looks at recent policies and initiatives that may have positioned Edo to harness agriculture’s immense capacity to create jobs and industrialise the state.

    Nigeria’s intrinsic potential lies beyond oil. And harnessing this potential, mostly in the non-oil sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and agro allied industries, solid minerals, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), entertainment and tourism, among others, has become imperative following the sustained decline in global oil prices which started since 2014.

    The crisis foisted various fiscal and economic challenges on the nation such as sharp drop in foreign earnings, decline in foreign reserves and unstable macro-economic environment. State governments appear worse hit. Many of them could not pay workers’ salaries or meet other financial obligations, prompting huge financial bailout by the Federal Government for some distressed state governments.

    This has forced a strategic rethink in favour of diversifying the economy away from oil, as the nation’s age-long over-dependence on proceeds from oil is believed to have triggered the crisis that later snowballed into a debilitating recession. Since then, economic managers at all levels particularly those in the states have been on their toes in a bid to diversify their economies by exploiting opportunities in the non-oil sector particularly agriculture.

    However, while it appears to have been motion without movement in the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda and indeed, some state governments’, the Edo State Government, The Nation learnt, has moved a notch higher in transforming its intention to diversify into practical actions.

    Rather than hope for a major rebound in oil prices, which appears to be the disposition of the Federal Government and some state governments, the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State may have resolved to walk the diversification talk by positioning Edo for life without oil by prioritising the agric sector.

    Intent on harnessing the huge investment opportunities in agric, the government, under Obaseki’s watch, put the right foot forward by drawing up an ‘Agricultural Roadmap’ anchored on the state’s comparative advantage in oil palm production, cassava and maize cultivation, as well as other key crops such as rubber, cocoa and timber.

    As part of efforts to operationalise the agric roadmap and ultimately, make agric Edo’s ‘New Oil’, the governor is said to have been courting local and international investors to invest in agri-business. One of the State Government’s investment tours to South East Asia paid off when Singapore-based Tolaram Group confirmed plans to invest in oil palm and cassava cultivation in the state.

    Tolaram Group, which is headquartered in Singapore, with business interests currently in Asia, Africa and Europe, has a diversified portfolio consisting of consumer goods, infrastructure, energy, digital services and other interests, which include distribution, financial services, paper products, real estate and textiles.

    The Group’s proposed investment in Edo, according to sources conversant with the deal, is estimated at $50 million, and the bit on cassava is primed to produce ethanol. While in Singapore, the government also sealed deals covering investments in agriculture, specifically, oil palm and cassava to feed the processing plants of Tolaram Group.

    The investment is expected to contribute to efforts at diversifying the state’s revenue base and empowering people to go into farming with the assurance that companies in the state would buy off produce from them at competitive prices.

    The Edo State Saro Farm in Sobe, Owan West Local Government Area, where harvest is  ongoing, is also seen as a template for leveraging a robust public-private partnership to open up a state’s investment opportunities to potential local and foreign investors.

    The Nation learnt that it was the outcome of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative with Saro Agro Sciences Ltd., a leading company in agribusiness. The maize farming was conceived by Obaseki to create jobs for thousands of youths across the state.

    According to him, the maize farm was part of his administration’s accelerated agriculture initiative to boost job creation in the state. He said between 50, 000 to 80, 000 agricultural jobs would be created before the end of the year in the state.

    The first phase of the initiative targets job creation for 1,000 farmers through the cultivation of 5,000 hectares of maize farms across five local government areas of the state.

    Another key aspect of the government’s policies on agriculture is the contract farming scheme that has opened up farmlands to investors with enough financial muscle to undertake large scale farming.

    This would not only ensure that lands that hitherto lay idle will be put into good use, but also that the locals would be gainfully employed.

     

    Edo fertiliser plant is game changer

    One of the key challenges to profitable agriculture in Nigeria is lack of certified inputs that guarantee the best of yield. To tackle this, the Edo State Government recently revamped the hitherto moribund Edo Fertiliser Company Limited in partnership with Wacot Limited.

    The fertiliser plant, which is a public-private venture, has the capacity to produce about 60, 000 metric tonnes of fertiliser per annum. The state also has a standing public-private partnership arrangement for the supply of high quality seeds to farmers in Sobe and other farm settlements in the state.

    At the inauguration of the plant, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed delight at the 500 direct jobs created by the investment, noting that more youth will be engaged as a result of the ancillary economic activities that would be generated by the fertiliser plant.

    “The President Muhammadu Buhari administration is committed to making it easy for investors to do business in the country. We want to achieve this through the promotion of transparency and efficiency. We want every state to be involved in this drive and create the enabling environment for business to thrive in their domain,” Osinbajo said.

    The revamping of the facility was part of the revitalisation of fertiliser blending plants across the country. It was the direct consequence of the presidential initiative to diversify the economy from crude oil, boost farming activities as well as develop the agriculture value chain.

    Osinbajo added that agricultural activities in the country could be enhanced significantly if there was improved access to inputs, hence the drive to make fertilizer, which is a major farm input, easily available and accessible to farmers in Nigeria.

    Osinbajo explained that the blending plant would also complement Obaseki’s agricultural development initiative, which is aimed at improving investment in agriculture via public, private partnership as well as creating jobs for youths across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    Obaseki, who described the commissioning of the plant as “a major milestone”, added that “The aim of revitalizing this plant is to make the state self-sufficient in food production and enable farmers get fertilizer at affordable prices. We in Edo State are determined to make food available in the country.”

    He added the facility would go a long way in providing fertilizer for neighbouring states such as Kogi, Delta, Ondo and Anambra among others as it was the only blending plant in the region.

    He commended the Federal Government’s leadership role in the execution of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative as well as the management of WACOT for partnering with the Edo State Government in revamping the plant.

    The Group Managing Director of WACOT, Mr. Rahul Savara, said the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative has made local production feasible and sustainable in the country, assuring that the Edo Fertilizer and Chemical Company would be made up of 95 per cent indigenous workers.

     

    Nexus between youth, agriculture and jobs

    The State Government’s plan is to build a strong nexus linking youths, agriculture and jobs. It believes that tapping opportunities from its vast arable land to provide jobs for teeming youths would quell job crisis. The idea is hinged on the thinking that agriculture has a huge potential for job creation, which affords the people better life.

    At the opening ceremony of Edo Fertilizer Plant, Obaseki said the plant was a key peg for engaging youths in the state, especially as it provided needed input to fast-track agricultural development. According to him, “This achievement is an open call to other investors to bring in new technology, create more jobs and expand our economic opportunities.”

    Much as these efforts are directed at opening up Edo for agri-business investment, experts say that it also tells of the governor’s long-term plan to make the state the heartbeat of agricultural revolution in Nigeria. Going by the steps taken so far, not only will more investments flow into the state, but the people are in a determined march to progress.

     

    Dangling the proverbial carrot to investors

    Aware that positioning Edo as an investment destination of choice will not be a tea party, the State Government as part of efforts to woe investors, has removed all the barriers to trade and investment.

    One of such moves was the signing of the Private Property Protection Law (PPP) law. The law criminalises the activities of Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the state.

    The CDAs were said to be notorious for harassing land owners by making them pay all sort of illegal levies and fraudulently sold people’s property until the PPP Law was put in place by the Obaseki-led government.

    The passage of the PPP law effectively outlawed the activities of land speculators and grabbers, who had for years tormented investors in the state. This has cleared the space for investors to site factories and industries in parts of the state without fear of intimidation from anyone.

    As part of efforts to woe investors, the State Government has prioritised infrastructure by creating a separate Ministry of Infrastructure to drive the realisation of the Gelegele Seaport, the expansion of the Benin Airport in partnership with the Federal Government and the construction of intra-city and inter-state roads amongst other projects.

    The Nation learnt that work on the Gelegele Seaport is in progress as there is sufficient economic justification for its development. According to Obaseki, the facility would serve as an agro-processing zone and will be driven by the State Government and the private sector.

    The governor explained that the seaport will be located where there is enough gas that can be used to generate electricity and power industries. “There is sufficient economic justification for the Gelegele port and we will raise funds from the private sector to develop the facility,” he said

    Obaseki said the seaport is on course as his administration is talking to consultants who are currently working on the designs and conducting studies on water depth, the width of the river and the amount of dredging needed. He assured Edo people that a lot is being done to make the project a reality within the shortest and realistic time possible.

    To further underscore its commitment towards preparing Edo for life without oil, the State Government has concluded arrangements to host a 3-day business/investment summit tagged, ‘Alaghodaro Investment Summit,’ with the theme ‘Envisioning the Future.’

    Alaghodaro is a Benin catch phrase meaning ‘Progress’ or ‘Moving forward.’ According to its organisers, it will bring together top-notch Nigerian and International business leaders, investors, bankers, industry experts, policymakers and the academia to set the agenda for the state’s development.

    The Alaghodaro summit is a parley for key investment discourse on Edo’s future, wherein manufacturers, industrialists, investors, agro-allied businesses would dominate and generate immense internal revenue, allowing the people the opportunity to pursue their affairs without worrying about the hues of the international oil market.

    It will showcase how Edo State intends to partner with the private sector to leverage on its competitive advantage in different sectors for sustainable economic growth.

  • Hope as Niger Delta battles deadly hepatitis

    Hope as Niger Delta battles deadly hepatitis

    The representative of Andoni Area Council of Traditional Rulers in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, King Moses Dic-Isotu, believes hepatitis deserves more attention than it is getting. His reason: it kills more people than the dreaded HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined.

    So, he wants the awareness campaign on the health challenge to be taken all over Rivers State. He spoke  at a viral hepatitis awareness campaign in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    Dic-Isotu, Abah Ogwuile 8 of Unyengala Doni Town, also admonished other residents of Rivers state to support the awareness campaign, but admonished Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG), to do more in its efforts to adequately touch the lives of people of its host communities and others.

    The representative of Rebisi Kingdom in Rivers state, Enyinda Chike, who is also the community liaison officer, declared that the oil giant (Total) was doing well, while asking other oil companies and multinationals to emulate the good works of the company.

    Chike described as highly beneficial, the screening for viral hepatitis, which all the participants at the awareness campaign were asked to do and handled by the health personnel in attendance, so that the treatment could start immediately.

    Also at the colourful and well-attended event were the representatives of Opobo/Nkoro LGA, Alabo Godwin Bupo and Onne in Eleme council, King John Osaronu, both of Rivers state, among other eminent personalities.

    The Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of TEPNG, Mr. Francois Le-Cocq, in his remarks at the awareness campaign, disclosed that viral hepatitis had been killing more people than HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined.

    He made the revelation at the opening of the healthy living awareness campaign for the people of Oil Mining Licence (OML) 58, Port Harcourt and offshore host communities in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, with the theme: “Hepatitis Awareness,” which was described as the brainchild of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and TEPNG.

    The deputy managing director noted that the healthy living awareness campaign was one of the key public health programmes that the oil giant had been supporting annually for the benefit of its host communities, in order to raise awareness on topical public health concerns.

    He said: “Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. It may be caused by drugs, alcohol use or certain medical conditions. In most cases, it is caused by a virus.

    “There are five main hepatitis viruses, known as types A. B, C, D and E, which are of the greatest concern, because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread.

    “Viral hepatitis is one of the leading causes of death globally, accounting for 1.34 million deaths in 2015, that is as many deaths as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined. Viral hepatitis is not found in one location or among one set of people. It is a truly global epidemic that can affect millions of people, without them knowing they are infected.

    “Lack of awareness can result in the real possibility of developing fatal liver disease at some point in their lives and also transmitting the infection unknowingly to others. The good news is that hepatitis can be prevented. Vaccination is one of the ways used to prevent hepatitis infection. Some forms of hepatitis infection can also be treated. Early identification of signs and symptoms will help us seek medical help, before it becomes too late for diagnosis and effective treatment.”

    Le-Cocq also revealed that to promote awareness and eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, one of the four disease-specific global awareness days, officially endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), was dedicated to hepatitis.

    He stated that as part of the oil firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), it used the forum to demonstrate its commitment to the comprehensive well-being of the people of its host and neighbouring communities.

    The deputy managing director said: “We wish to draw the attention of our stakeholders to very easily overlooked health conditions and lifestyles that can deprive them of their wellness and confine them to sickbeds in hospitals, sometimes with fatal consequences.

    “We encourage you to embrace total change – change of values, change of habits and change of lifestyle, in order to promote overall wellness and healthy living. Most illnesses get worse for the simple reason that their victims were not aware of the ailments.”

    Le-Cocq also stated that the awareness was a step towards living a healthy life, while urging the numerous participants to take advantage of the knowledge provided to live healthy and encourage other community members to embrace the lifestyle change.

    Total’s deputy managing director lauded the Rivers state government for the cooperation the oil giant had leveraged in providing the life-saving services to its host communities.

    While also speaking, Total’s Deputy General Manager, Community Affairs/Development, Mr. James Urho, who was represented by the oil firm’s Community Relations Manager, Port Harcourt/Offshore, Mr. Ikechukwu Obara, urged the participants and other people of the host communities to take their health seriously.

    The resource person, Dr. Sylvanus Ojum, who declared that hepatitis was more dangerous than HIV/AIDS, described the disease (hepatitis) as one of the silent killers, while calling for prevention and for the people to ensure proper screening of blood.

    In order to be alive and well, it is essential for people to take their health seriously and opt for regular medical check-ups and screening for diseases, since health is better than wealth.

  • NGO empowers 37 civil society groups in Niger Delta

    NGO empowers 37 civil society groups in Niger Delta

    The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has organised training for thirty-seven civil society organisations in the Niger Delta empowering them with skills through its learning series- CAPABLE Learning Forum.

    Some participants who met in Asaba, the Delta State capital shared experiences on leadership, funding challenge and other dilemmas facing civil society groups in the Niger-Delta.

    PIND is a non-profit organization working “to build partnerships for peace and equitable economic development in the Niger-Delta”.

    Its strategic programme areas centre on economic development, peace building, capacity building and analysis and advocacy.

    The event, according to Bose Eitokpah, Capacity Building Programme Manager (PIND), is to “harvest our results in terms of getting people to share their experiences, their achievements, their successes from attending the CAPABLE training and post training support”.

    According to Eitokpah, the CAPABLE trainings programme was organised to address capacity gaps such as assessing resources from development partners and building their institutions among C.S.O’s in the Niger Delta.

    Her words,:“We are trying to harvest our results in terms of getting the people to share experiences, their achievements, their successes from attending the capable training and post training support we have been providing. The capable training started in 2012 and over 900 groups and individuals have benefitted from our training series. We are trying to see how we can help civil society organisations in the Niger Delta to achieve their mandates, carry out their objectives and to be able to provide more support for communities in the Niger Delta and in doing this bring about development of the region. We did an assessment and found that  community based organisations  have some capacity gaps in terms of assessing resources from development partners and also in building their institutions, so we put in place some modular trainings to help these organisations able to address these gaps.

    “For you to be able to partner you must have some capacities .For you to be able to work with development partners; you must have some competencies in terms of systems. The donors want to see that you have systems in place financial systems, administrative systems, programme systems so that the donors can entrust their resources into your hands. If these systems are lacking they will not do business with you. We have to help these organisations  to build these systems so that they can be attracted to various development organisation and in so doing they will be able to get resources  that will help them carry out objectives like advocacy, effective service delivery in the communities”.

    Many participants spoke at the interactive sessions including Chikodi Onyeri. He is a volunteer coordinator of Youth Alive Foundation, a civil society organization based in Akwa-Ibom State who is on the verge of getting the Akwa-Ibom State government pass a Law to address youth unemployment in the state.

    He said his group’s goals include creating a platform for young people can find succor, express themselves , build their capacity to become productive.

    According to Onyeri, the courses he was exposed to at the CAPABLE programme helped his organisation to become more efficient in achieving group mandate.

    According to him, he put his knowledge gained from the stakeholder’s analysis course into practice by identifying relevant stakeholders who are identifying with his group’s quest to drive the bill in the State’s legislature.

    Onyeri said the bill has scaled second reading at the House of Assembly.

    His words: “We are carrying out a campaign in Akwa Ibom State seeking the State government to pass a bill that would address unemployment and we say it should allocate funds to create a body that will be able to help young people that are innovative, graduates, and skillful youths. Thanks to CAPABLE training we have been able to engage the 18 legislators who are all in support of the bill. The main promoter of the bill is the Chief Whip; Emmanuel Ekpenyong of the Akwa-Ibom legislature the Speaker. The bill has scaled the second reading. The bill was published in the Assembly journal during the State’s celebration of its 25 years of statehood .One particular training during the CAPABLE course really helped us was stakeholder’s analysis. After the course we sat down to examine those persons we could involve. We are trying to get a bill passed, who can we consult, who are those that will champion the bill and that training helped us to consult the right persons.”

    Onyeri believes the current funding challenge facing many non-profit organisations in the Niger-Delta are its inability to properly write proposals that will attract the attention of donors

    He said: “It boils down to structures, not having the ability to package a good proposal. Sometime in the past we did a proposal and we could not get funds but after this training we went back and implemented things we learnt, we had a complete turn- around. We noticed donors suddenly getting our attention. The reason why many civil society groups do not get funding is down to wrong structure. We just got a DFID grant of $2million to work on anti-corruption campaign in five states.”

    Oladimeji Olutimeyin, a team leader with Engineers Without Borders Nigeria believes the training his group was invaluable in helping them design systems and processes that have ensured adequate donor funds flowed.

    He said he formed Engineers Without Borders Nigeria in 1990 during his days as a student at the Federal University, Yola to use his engineering skills to help local communities grow an economy by teaching candle making skills.

    He said: “The CAPABLE training is a Eureka moment for us. It showed a lot of gaps while we were running the project in the university in our interactions with local communities .The training helped us learn about systems and processes you need to put in place and that we were able to achieve with the CAPABLE training.

    “Initially we got into a community, do our project and leave. To us we felt we had actually helped, but after the training we now know it is not enough to just commission a project, we need to impact the community and this does not just happens without planning. It does not happen by accident, but by design-this is what we learnt from the training .So, we began to design our projects so that whatsoever we do we asked what we hoped to achieve. So, whatever processes we are taking we measured those processes and we find out if we are getting the results we desired and  if we are not getting it, then we know something is wrong. That is basically what we learnt from the M&E training.”

  • Thanks, Governor Wike, thanks

    Thanks, Governor Wike, thanks

    MY friend, Simeon Nwakaudu, took exception to almost every single word in my open letter to his boss, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. His reply published on this space last week accused me of misinforming the public on the fate of final year beneficiaries of a scholarship programme inherited by the administration.

    Interestingly, the day his reply was published, this newspaper also carried a report that Wike released $1 million for  the payment of tuition of 28 final year overseas scholars.

    Commissioner for Finance Dr.  Fred Kpakol said the Wike administration was not responsible for their admissions, but found it necessary that the education sector should be taken very seriously.

    Kpakol’s words: “We came and incurred a lot of debts because the previous government, even while it took the students to foreign universities, could not pay their fees.  And most of the students became very frustrated.

    “And as students of Rivers State and government is giving service to all and sundry, the governor felt it was necessary to look into their plights and foster a solution to that.

    “Within the first month, as we came in on May 29, 2015,  on June 10,  the governor released the sum of N200 million to the RSSDA to pay for overseas scholarships because they encumbered a lot of cost and they needed to have a good documentation of the students that are involved.  So, the first tranche of N200 million was paid.

    “On September 29, 2016, the governor released N485, 289,000.00,for part of their tuition fees. After he has done that, he considered it was necessary do an audit to know the students and how they were meeting up.

    “Now, the governor has graciously released the sum of $1 million to pay to nine universities for 28 RSSDA final year overseas scholarships beneficiaries for payment of their outstanding tuition fees. This was done in the midst of biting economy and down trend in the economy of the country.”

    In my piece, which Nwakaudu read upside down,  I asked for the governor’s understanding for the sake of the future of Rivers and Nigeria. I also made allusion to my past critical essays and pleaded they should not form the basis for assessing my plea.

    The main concern of the piece was 16 Rivers indigenes studying medicine at the All Saints University in Saint Vincent and Grenadines. These guys, which I have chosen to address as All Saints 16, found themselves overseas after they went through thorough screening under the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi administration.

    The RSSDA found these guys worthy of overseas scholarship and sent them abroad. The overseas scholarship covered Medicine and allied courses. It was received after an aptitude test. After this, RSSDA secured admissions for successful candidates and entered into a bilateral agreement with students and the universities.

    The scheme underwent a review after Wike took over. That review led to the suspension of these guys from medical school two months to their graduation. The school had no choice than to take this line of action because of the inability of the Rivers State government to pay outstanding tuition fees and living allowance.

    Their plight made them upload a petition on www.change.org. Through the petition, the All Saints 16 pleaded with the governor to pay their allowance and tuition, which was stopped in November 2014.

    It reads: “We have not been paid our upkeep allowance for about two years and 11 months. Our tuition fees have not been paid for 5 semesters (Clinical rotation [CR2 to CR6]), and as a result of this, all 16 of us were suspended from school in September, 2016 (2 months to our scheduled graduation date of November 2016).

    “Ever since our suspension, we have been staying at home, not being allowed to conclude our remaining elective clinical rotations and all efforts to contact the Rivers State government for the release of funds proved abortive.”

    One of the All Saints 16, Promise Adimele, spoke with our award-winning star reporter Hannah Ojo. He was full of lamentation: “Feeding has been very difficult as we rely on the charities of friends and school colleagues. Most landlords have evicted us from their houses due to non-payment of rent and threatened us with legal proceedings in order to recover the outstanding rent. Life has been tough and unbearable for all of us since we were abandoned by the Rivers State government and RSSDA.”

    In my ‘offending piece’, I quoted a letter dated July 16, last year, which the RSSDA wrote the school’s management to announce changes to the scheme.

    It reads: “The point that needs to be emphasized here is that we will only sponsor students that are completing their studies in 2016 as well as settle outstanding commitment to date.

    “Kindly be assured that the outstanding tuition payment for our students in your school have been adequately captured in the list of payables that are on the front burners of the Rivers State government. We will plead strongly with you to continue to show understanding and to kindly allow a little more grace and period specifically for the 16 final year students who also fall in the category of students that the government has pledged to continue their sponsorship.”

    The letter, which was signed by Mr Lawrence Pepple, the Executive Director/CEO of the RSSDA, shows that the All Saints 16 still fall under the category the scheme is willing to sponsor.

    Hannah’s attempt to get the reaction of Rivers Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Kenneth Kobani, saw him blaming it all on Amaechi, who Nwakaudu described as The Nation’s ‘second benefactor’.

    “You are from The Nation newspaper. Have you asked the APC zonal leader who was governor who refused to pay the fees of these children since 2014?  When you ask him you can come to us and ask us what we are doing,” Kobani told Hannah and hurriedly hung the phone.

    Unlike Kobani, Commissioner for Information Emma Okah made a lot of sense in explaining the situation to Hannah.  He alluded to the bad economy, which only a dead person, would not have felt in the last two years.

    Okah told Hannah: “For those who are in final year pursing speciliased courses like medicine, the state government planned to pursue their welfare to the extent it can take. Some people have been coming and cases have been dealt with on merit. I do not know what has happened to these set of students.  I am just hearing it for the first time today.”

    He said it was baseless to feel the students were abandoned on the assumption that they are children of political opponents.

    I ended the piece by pleading on behalf of Adden Babeye Paul  (Asari/Toru), Amaechi Promise Adimele (Oyigbo),   Amadi Udochukwu Junior (Etche), Maakai Baribor          (Gokana), Precious Wifa (Khana), Baritore Princewill Ikpe   (Tai),Victor West Kpelene (Tai),  Nsiipu Namene Nsiipu (Tai) and other final year RSSDA scholars, for an arrangement to be worked out for them to earn their degrees.

    I feel happy that these guys will earn their degrees and be in a better position to lift our world.

    My final take: What more is there for me to say? Thanks your Excellency; thanks for being a listening governor. Thanks for hearing our cries.