The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • PIND foundation trains oil palm farmers on use of mechanical harvesters

    Towards boosting oil palm production in Nigeria, the Partnership Initiative for Niger Delta (PIND) foundation and the Nigerian Institute For Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) have trained oil palm farmers on the use of improved harvesting technology.

    The palm fruit motorised harvesting device was introduced to the oil palm farmers at a workshop held at the headquarters of NIFOR in Ovia North East local government area.

    A demonstration of the machine showed that it increase the time frame for pruning and harvesting of palm products by almost 200 per cent and also reduce the risk face by farmers in the manual harvest system.

    Speaking at the workshop, Acting Executive Director of NIFOR, Dr. Napoleon Aisueni said Nigeria was still importing 400,000 tonnes of palm oil to meet local consumption because many farmers were yet to embrace modern farming techniques.

    Dr. Aisueni stated that the continuous and constant retraining of farmers on new methods of harvesting palm products was the surest way to guarantee farmers safety, improved revenue drive and sufficient food.

    Represented by the Director of Production, Dr Michael Ugbah, Aisueni noted that NIFOR and PIND has been working to revive the downward slide of oil palm production.

    According to him, “PIND and NIFOR have been in some partnership for sometimes now to address some of the drudgery in harvesting and other aspects of oil palm production. As you know, overtime, the oil palm became very difficult for farmers to reach the bunches because of a lot of things. You may miss it or unable to reach the bunch which could resort in the quantity and quality of the oil we get with this development.”

    Spokesperson for PIND, Blessing Adebayo noted that the essence of the workshop was to share with farmers improved harvesting technology as well as introduce farmers to financial institution that may provide loan to purchase the machine.

    “We organised this workshop to share with farmers the benefit of using improved harvesting technology. What we hope to achieve from this workshop is to get farmers to start thinking of adopting technology for their farming processes and harvesting processes.

    “We also want other investors to see the benefit of investing in harvesting technology. While people are complaining about lack of opportunity, there are real opportunities staring at them, farmers are complaining about harvesting their oil palm fruits. If these fruits are not harvested, we cannot produce and we cannot meet our national demand. Someone can invest in harvesting technology and do the harvesting at a better fee for the farmers.”

    “We have a technology adoption grant where PIND provides 50% of the cost of the machine for harvesters in region where they have a sizeable clusters of farmers. We want to reduce conflict in the Niger Delta. We know conflict is link with unemployment and lack of opportunity. We are doing that through different method and one of them is economic development. If we can provide opportunity for people to make money and increase their income, we believe it will reduce unrest in the Niger Delta.”

    A farmer from Omoregbe farm in Benin City who participated in the workshop, Engineer Osagie Omorogbe, said the Mechanical Adjustable Harvester (MAH) is a very wonderful machine as it would help to make the job of a farmer very easy in the areas of oil palm bunch pruning and harvesting.

    ” The advantage of this machine is that you will find out that one person with the machine can do the job four persons and at the end of the day, you won’t as tired as the one who used conventional method which also save time. And as it saves time, it also translate to saving of money for you. And at the end of the day, you find yourself doing a whole lots more than people have done in the past. It will also increase revenue for the harvesters. One machine can do the job of four persons like I said before and that automatically translate to the income of four person to one person. It commercialise the use conveniently,” he stressed.

  • No industrial growth with paper certificate alone, says Obaseki

    No industrial growth with paper certificate alone, says Obaseki

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki  has said investment in vocational education is fundamental to job creation and industrialisation of the state as well as the country as oil revenue continues to dwindle.

    Obaseki spoke when he received donations made by the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in collaboration with the Industrial Training Funds (ITF), at Government Science Technical College, Benin.

    He commended the organisations for the donating electrical equipment and tools to the technical college.

    According to him, no country can grow industrially with `paper certificate’ alone; it must have technical skills to make the needed difference.

    The governor noted that most industrialised countries had in their workforces, people with vocational training who might not be university graduates.

    He said that plans were underway to set up three or five megawatts of power on the Government Science Technical College premises for its light industrial park to ensure constant electricity supply.

    The governor gave the assurance that the donated items would be judiciously utilised.

    The Director-General of NECA, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, thanked the state government for emphasising improvement in vocational and technical education.

    Oshinowo said that the biggest challenge facing Nigeria was that of unemployment due to lack of technical skills to make youths employable.

    He urged that all hands should be on deck to tackle the challenge.

    The Principal of the college, Mrs Bose Imafidon, said that the benefitting electrical department was one of 10 departments with highest enrolment.

    Imafidon pledged to use the equipment for the intended purpose.

  • Imoke, Owan-Enoh, others brainstorm against insecurity in Cross River

    Imoke, Owan-Enoh, others brainstorm against insecurity in Cross River

    Restoring peace in Cross River State was the crux of discussion when former  Governor Liyel Imoke, Senator John Owan-Enoh,  the Chairman of the Cross River Partnership for Peace and Security (CRPPS), Mr. Lawrence Alobi, and others brainstormed at a Peace and Security Summit in Ikom.

    They sought a way out of the rising spate of insecurity in the state, especially in the central senatorial district in the Summit organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and the Foundation for Peace and Security Education in collaboration with CRPPS.

    The issue of insecurity, according Alobi, arose from the numerous communal clashes and cult wars, among other violent crimes that have claimed the lives of several persons, as well as destroyed a lot of properties.

    Alobi, who declared open the summit, said it was disturbing that the state, which was once rated as the most peaceful in the country, has become a hotbed of insecurity.

    “I served as a police officer maintaining law and order promoting peace and security for 35 years and it pains my heart how my people, young men are causing mayhem destroying themselves in the name of cultism. Communities that are supposed to live together in peace are fighting each other.

    “It is particularly disturbing that Cross River Central Senatorial District has gained an unfortunate notoriety as a theatre of war due to communal clashes, cultism and other violent crimes. We cannot allow this trend to continue because if this ugly situation is neglected it might snowball into an unimaginable level like we are witnessing today in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.”

    Also speaking, Imoke stated that as a former governor he wondered why young people would join cults to become ready tools for politicians.

    He said: “I will just like to say that for the organisers to put this event together means that there must be some concern about the level of peace and security in Cross River State. It is everyone’s responsibility. That has been my own experience. The earlier we nip each challenge in the bud, the better it is for each and every one of us.

    “When I was governor, I was very concerned about young people joining cults and about politicians using these young people or cultists who went in and committed all kinds of crimes and offences in the name of politics sometimes in the name of support for a political party or a politician.”

    He said there was need to urgently address these concerns.

    Owan-Enoh said the six local government areas in the district were experiencing one form of violent conflict or the other.

    He said: “There is about no local government area in the district that has no communal conflict. We are gathered here because the zone has become a theatre of war, which ought not to be.

    “I think things have deteriorated actually and the fact that this summit is holding is the greatest indication of that fact. It’s a response by people and this is not government but people that are concerned about what is going on.”

    Also in attendance at the Summit were former General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj-Gen. Moses Obi (rtd), a former Cross River State Security Adviser, Mr. Bassey Rekpene, and Prof.Oshita Oshita, among others.

  • Oil’s evil will live after oil

    Oil’s evil will live after oil

    It is a song these days. Call it a hit —like they do in the entertainment industry— and you are not likely to be faulted. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Amnesty Programme chief Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh and many others have given life to this hit titled ‘oil has no future’.  Their reason for singing this dirge is not unconnected with the fact that the world is moving away from oil. Renewable energy is the way to go. With this realty, we will wake up one day and discover no one wants to buy our oil.

    Speaking at the Second National Council on Niger Delta, NCND, meeting held in Akure, the Vice President said: “Many countries are getting alternatives to oil, the development which will make the resource unprofitable in a few years.”

    Gen. Boroh’s sentiments were not exactly different when he said: “Since it has become clear that oil will not last forever, there is need to prepare the youths for the future.”

    It will certainly take some time before oil finally fades away. I cannot place my hand on the exact time but one thing I am sure of is that the evil oil does will live after oil.

    After oil, we will remember Oloibiri and how oil has left it impotent. We will remember Ogoni land and remember how oil killed its leading lights, such as the great Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa. We will remember oil and remember with dismay that Ogoni people had no choice but to drink benzene-contaminated water. We will remember oil and remember poverty, degradation, rejection and desperation. We will remember oil and we will remember imageries of luxury here and there, but in short supply.

    Long after oil has stopped being our main source of revenue, we will remember wealth was something many heard about and saw when the rich chose to throw their weight about. We will certainly remember that despite all the wealth around the region, many students and pupils had to stay at home because school fees were gold and diamond their parents could not afford.

    How can we ever forget that while oil reigned in some parts of the Niger Delta, they never saw night. Reason: The multinational firms in these areas have their flow stations so close to homes and send out gas flares throughout the day. So, the only way to differentiate between night and day is to check their wrist watches.

    We will always remember that while oil was the lord, oil pipelines in many towns were not underground and often burst damaging soils and existence. Will it be possible to forget that the people shouted, protested and threatened violence over their fate, yet change refused to come.

    The oil giants seem to have another licence: to send their hosts to early graves so that their leaders can have all the wealth for themselves, including the little they manage to spend on basic amenities. This environmental genocide is having serious effects on the people. And we will never forget.

    Long after oil, we will not forget that strange diseases killed the people, pregnant women developed strange allergies while health centres were ill-equipped to take care of their health needs. We will never forget that several people developed aggravated asthma and respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and difficult or painful breathing, chronic bronchitis, increased and premature deaths were not uncommon.

    We will always remember that while oil was the lord, oil majors were more interested in the oil than in the people. They can die for all they care. We will remember their mantra: Oil is more important than man.

    How can we ever forget that while oil reigned we all forgot agriculture, which before independence from the colonial masters paid our bills? We will certainly remember the great Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke who loved her people so much that she wasted not the opportunity to grab as much oil cash as possible while she was oil minister and proved that what a man can steal, a woman can steal better.

    Long after oil, we will remember the interventionist agencies set up to improve the lot of the people of the Niger Delta. We will remember how at a point the oil cash meant for the betterment of the people were given to an herbalist by the head of the board of an interventionist agency. We will remember that one of these agencies became a cesspool for corruption where contracts were hawked like bean cakes, where insiders encouraged outsiders to sue the agency so that judgment debts could be shared. We will not forget that while oil reigned, greedy men stuffed dollars — millions of it— in safes tucked away in poverty-stricken communities. We will remember the yachts, the private jets, the mansions, the diamond wristwatches and the world they bought with stolen oil cash.

    We will remember that men and women thrust into positions of influence used them to acquire affluence. We will apparently not forget that in the oil era men lost their conscience and humanity to the extent that they bought guns for the youths to take out political adversaries.

    I doubt if we will forget that oil’s curse began with the enactment of the Mineral Ordinance by Nigeria’s first Governor-General Sir Frederick Luggard in 1914. We will remember that in 1937, the British colonial government gave the exclusive rights of exploration and exploitation to Shell D’Arcy, which could not actualise this mandate because of the Second World War and a year later entered into collaboration with British Petroleum — formerly Anglo-Persian Oil Company— for oil prospection in Nigeria. Their early efforts yielded 450 barrels of crude oil in Akata I Well, in 1951. Further successes were made in Oloibiri in 1956 and Bomu Oil Field in 1958 when oil was struck in commercial quantity.

    When we remember oil, we will have at the back of our minds the 12-Day Revolution in the Creeks in 1967, which was championed by the trio of Isaac Adaka Boro, Samuel Owonaru and Nothingham Dick in a failed bid to secede from Nigeria.

    We will also remember protests and agitation by groups, such as the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by the late Ken Saro-Wiwa who was killed by the Gen. Sani Abacha Administration. The activities of groups, such as the Ogba Solidarity, the Urhobo Progressive Union, the Niger Delta Environmental Forum, the Chikoko Movement, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, the Ijaw National Congress, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force led by Mujahid Asari Dokubo, will also come to mind. We will not be able to wish away men such as Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Victor Ebikabowei Ben (aka General Boyloaf), Ateke Tom, John Togo, Fareh Dagogo and others. We will also remember that some of them got free cash, which they lavished on women and wine and frivolities.

    My final take: When we remember the facts about oil, we will remember the pains, tears, sorrow and blood that followed. We will also not forget the good things that oil brought but we will continue to debate whether or not we would have been greater if agriculture had not been abandoned because of black gold.

     

  • Corps member who drowned in Bayelsa

    Johnson Uduebor, a youth Corps member, drowned in Bayelsa on September 8. Here is the true story of how the Edo State-born star was dimmed, reports MIKE ODIEGWU

    Johnson Uduebor woke up as fit as a fiddle on September 8. The young man, who hailed from Edo State, was full of life. For him, that day in the Ologoghe community, Ogbia, Bayelsa State, where he served his fatherland as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was bright and held many promises.

    A hard-working Uduebor, whose Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) was the Ologoghe Community Secondary School, had a dream. He dreamt of taking advantage of the school holiday to secure his future. He wanted to key into the agricultural revolution by cultivating cassava. His ultimate aim was to keep himself busy after passing out in December instead of parading the streets in search of scarce jobs.

    The Batch B Stream 2 Corps member’s main objective was to produce cassava flour popularly known as garri because of its scarcity and high demand in Bayelsa. But all his dreams, aspirations and efforts were swallowed by Bayelsa waters.

    Uduebor never knew the danger lurking around. Already, he purchased a parcel of land alongside his colleague and lodge mate, Jethro Ololade, for cultivation. On the fateful day, the duo set out to clear the land and get it ready for cultivation. They went to the site without their life jackets.

    In fact, there was no need for the jackets since the farmland could be accessed by land. As they trekked, they spoke about the farmland; how fertile it was and the kind of yields they expected from it.  It was a smooth journey. They got the work done without bruises, though they were exhausted.

    At the end, Uduebor and his friend decided to trek back to their lodge. But the Edo man never saw his lodge again. He was buried underneath the water.

    Ololade, who survived drowning, but yet to recover from the shock, narrated how they ended up having a boat accident. He said around their lodge, they saw one of their students, a 15-year-old boy, paddling a rickety canoe. The boy, whose name was not given, was just learning how to paddle a canoe.

    “We were almost at our lodge because it was a walkable distance when we saw the boy. There was no need for us to board the boat because we would get home without using the water. But on sighting our student, Uduebor beckoned on him.

    “When the boy came with his canoe, we exchanged pleasantries with him and Uduebor suggested that we join him in the boat to cross over to the other side since the distance was not much,” he said.

    Ololade said he tried to discourage him from boarding the canoe. He said the paddler even told them that he was an amateur, who was just learning how to survive the Ijaw way. He confirmed that the boy also said the boat was too small and too fragile for three persons.

    But the Corps members decided to board for the sake of having the feeling of sailing on water.

    “We just wanted to experience being on water for the first time. That’s why Uduebor suggested it and I agreed,”he said.

    The canoe boy struggled with his emergency passengers across the water. He was almost at the shores, when the tide rose with speed and overturned the canoe. Ololade was able to jump with all his energy to the shores and held tenaciously to a stump of a tree. The canoe boy did the same. Both of them were rescued by an elderly woman.

    However, Uduebor was nowhere to be found. He fell into the water that was filled with hyacinths. The community was thrown into confusion when news filtered in that a Corps member was missing along the Ogbia waterways. Some community folks dived into the spot to save him but could not find him.

    Ololade said: “I was able to struggle and hold onto the stump of a tree and was rescued by an old woman. The boy paddling the canoe almost got drowned but was rescued by the old woman too. Johnson was nowhere to be found. He was searched for thoroughly but the search yielded no fruit.”

    Indeed, the community of Corps members were in disarray when Ololade returned to the lodge without his friend. The leadership of the NYSC in the state immediately started making frantic efforts to locate the missing corps member.

    On September 11, the state coordinator, NYSC, Mrs. Loto Bolade, who could not control her tears, led a delegation to the distressed area in the company of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters, Appah Kelvin, the NYSC Public Relations Officer, Mathew Ngobua and other senior officials of the scheme.

    As the search for Uduebor continued, Mrs. Bolade and her entourage boarded a boat and went round the riverine communities in Ogbia, assembled Corps members posted in the areas and warned them against traveling by water no matter the distance without their life jackets. She reminded them of the orientations they received in the camp on how to use life jackets that were given to them. She prayed for them.

    Mrs. Bolade was still hopeful that Uduebor would be found alive. She concluded that perhaps the young man, who was loved in the community because of his humility, intelligence and hard-work, had been rescued in any neighbouring community, but was unconscious to identify himself.

    The state government was involved. The government set up a committee led by the former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff with a mandate to comb all the nooks and crannies of the creeks to find the missing Corps member.

    On September 12, the committee, including Mrs. Bolade, visited the missing corps member’s community and met with the principal of his school. The principal, who lamented the development, said he was not aware that the corps members purchased land for farming.

    He said he had given all of them serving in the community a parcel of land for cultivation. He added that if he had known that Uduebor wanted a personal farmland, he would have provided a parcel for him free of charge.

    The principal also said the Corps members had no need for cultivation of land since they were to pass out in December. But Ololade explained to the committee that they embarked on the project to keep them busy after passing out because of the high level of unemployment in the country. He said they had planned to come back, harvest the cassava and process it into flour for sale.

    Days turned to a week, but Uduebor was nowhere in sight. Funds were provided and more divers and search parties were employed to locate Uduebor. Divers spread their tentacles and explored the waters of Ogbia, Nembe and Brass. Mrs. Bolade was not herself. Everyday she would go to the community and come back to Yenagoa with sorrow.

    Eventually, some experienced divers went back to the spot of the incident and found the remains of Uduebor on September 17. After nine days underneath the water, Uduebor was found clutching heaps of water hyacinth. The body was conveyed to the morgue of the Federal  Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa.

    It was a period of mourning for all the Corps members and officials of NYSC. Mrs. Bolade cried like a baby. She refused to be consoled. In fact, people thought she was the biological mother of the deceased.

    On Tuesday, the remains of Uduebor, who died serving his fatherland were released to his family and evacuated to Edo State for burial. For his parents, it was an incalculable and irreparable loss; an investment gone down the drains.

    It was one death too many. They lamented that the death of Uduebor was avoidable. One of the Corps members, who identified himself as Daniel, said he would never go close to water again without his life jacket.

    Also, Destiny, another Corps member, described Uduebor as a cool-headed man. He wondered why he boarded a boat without his life jacket.

    “Despite all the warnings, it is sad that just a few minutes of joy could land Uduebor in the grave,”he said.

     

     

  • Benin Republic varsity honours Niger Delta philantropist

    Benin Republic varsity honours Niger Delta philantropist

    A Bilingual university  in Cotonou, the Republic of  Benin, Ecole superieure d’Administration, d’Economie, de journalisme et des metiers de l’ audioviduel ( ESAE),   has conferred  a Doctorate honorary Degree award on a Nigerian phylantropist, Mrs.  Nice Aleruchi Alamieyieseigha.

    The university said the recognition followed her outstanding self-less service to the rural dwellers in Rivers andBayelsa states. The event was held at the Palais De Congress, Cotonou, Republic Du Benin.

    Chief Alamieyesiegha is the founder of Nice Esther For All Foundation/Nice Esther Alamieyeseigha Rescue Initiative, a Non-Goveenmental, Charity Organisation.

    The university said: “You have demonstrated a passionate commitment and great enthusiasm in delivering a self-less service to the people in your locality and Nigeria in general.

    “Your exemplary gesture has contributed immensely to the development of several corporate  organisations and the society at large.

    “After thorough deliberations, the Governing Council of our University in recognition of your enormous impact and outstsnding achievements do hereby confer on you a Doctorate (Honorary) Degree in Leadership/ community Development.     Congratulations Chief Mrs. Aleruchi Nice Doris Toboulayefa.” it said.

    Chief Alamieyesiegha expressed appreciation for the honour done her.

    She said the development has encouraged  her to continue to live for the downtrodden.

    She said:  ” It is with teary eyes and revel mind that I stand before everyone present here to say what my heart beholds.

    “The word ‘thank you’ appears like a platitude because, most times it is used without realising the value of its depth. But for each time, I say thank you for opportunities, privileges or rights bestowed upon me, it is with all of my being.

    “I am very happy today.  This day will forever remain  remarkable to my life. It is in awe I proudly say, I feel honored and elated.”

    Giving a brief synopsis of the origin of the NGO and  what it stands for, she said:  “Nice Esther for all foundation is a non-governmental faith-based and non-profit making organisation. It was registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria on the 7th day in July 2004 and it has given birth to 12 other NGOs.

    “It is a selfless act that has progressed from cradle stage to what we have today.

    “As a child, I saw my mother (Lady Ngozi Confidence Amadiwochi) cater voluntarily for the less privileged on the streets, the teenage mothers, widows and orphans, that it how it all started.”

    The NGO, she noted, has about 16 main areas of focus which include preaching Christ through evangelism, scholarship schemes, free health care, building homes for the elderly, empowering  women through skills acquisition, supporting girl child education and others.

    The graduate of Computer Science from the Rivers State  University of Science and Technology (RSUST), said funding has beena  challenge.

    “In all of my sincerity and honesty, funding this NGO hasn’t been an easy task, but it is for passion, dedication and love for the down trodden that has been my enabling factor.

    “Funds are mostly gotten from proceeds of my business and donations from close friends  who have watched me over the years,” she said.

    She called on  corporate bodies and the rich to help out.

     

  • Water, water everywhere

    Water, water everywhere

    Water,  water everywhere. The paradox of water.  I am not referring to the tragic floods of Benue State nor those of Texas caused by Hurricane Harvey. I am  not referring to  Huricane IRMA which has caused so much devastation in  the Caribbean and United States. Rather, my  mind is on the ancient riverine Community of Gelegele in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State which I visited again on Friday September 8.  It was like keeping an appointment with destiny; I had promised myself and officials of the Presidential Amnesty Programme that the next time we visit the town, we must leave a positive mark. I had no doubt what that should be.

    Gelelge is an oil-rich town in the watery creeks of the Niger Delta which has almost been by-passed by civilization and development in spite of centuries of contact with Europeans..

    Its being virtually  submerged in water, the town had no safe drinking water. It reminded me of the sailor in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” who was in a ship at sea, but had no water to drink because it was salt water. He had lamented “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink”

    Like the Ancient Mariner, Gelegele was virtually inside water, but had none to drink.  The town   being oil rich,  with gas flaring right inside it, but not in a demonstrable way, benefitting from its natural resources, was another paradox.

    I knew that  the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has evolved   policies to stop gas flaring, involve the people  directly in the wealth of their land by  encouraging them to participate in the Modular Refinery project,  produce mass jobs with the proposed pipeline surveillance project and generally, take the lead in the development of the Region. But I was also conscious  of the reality  that these cannot be achieved immediately, so I thought of some quick-impact project  that would make life easier. So I decided that we need  to develop a big borehole that would be high yielding, easy to operate and easy to maintain.

    It was Chinua Achebe in his  1960 book , “No Longer at Ease” who admonished that “A man who lives on the banks of the Niger (River) should not wash his hands in spittle.”  That could well be the  story of Gelelege.

    When I returned to Gelegele on September 8, to commission the borehole, I felt a sense of fulfillment although this is essentially,  a gesture. I felt one with the people and the community; I felt  we had a bond that will grow.  Speaking and interacting with the community, led by His Royal Majesty Alagbabunafa of Olodiama with the Zonal President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC)  Chief Robinson Ogunkoru, I  had a feeling of elation especially when they let it be known that this is a Government that has rekindled their hope and an administration they can trust.

    But I had more good news for them.  The President Buhari Government is not only committed to ending gas flaring , but the process will also lead to the direct creation of an estimated thirty six thousand  direct jobs and two hundred thousand indirect jobs in the Niger Delta Region. Additionally, some six million households  will have  access to renewable energy as the gas being flared, will be harnessed and channeled to homes.

    The Gelegele people expressed  their appreciation but had a request; they want to play an active part in the surveillance of pipelines. On  this I assured them that it is the policy of government to make  this project, community-based; the conviction of  the Government is that the best persons who can do such a job, are the very communities through which the pipelines pass. Another request they made, is for skill acquisition centres; this I told them the Presidential Amnesty Programme is willing to look into within its budgetary approvals.

    The next day, I was in  Ondo State where I visited Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu  who wants the Federal Government to expand the Amnesty Programme to accommodate more youths in the Region  in order  to reduce youth restiveness. He also  advised that educational training should be domesticated. I was happy about this as one of my first acts as Coordinator  of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, was to domesticate the offshore training of the project.

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ondo State Council also conferred on me the award of Niger Delta Peace Ambassador.. The NUJ Chairman, Mr. James Sowole said this was in recognition of my “dynamic” leadership of the Amnesty Programme and my Peace-Building Initiatives in the Niger Delta.

    At the Second Summit of the National Council of Niger Delta (NCND) held in Akure, I was elated as the Vice President, Professor  Yemi Osinbajo  rolled out the plans of the administration for the Niger Delta including the injection of more funds into the Presidential Amnesty Programme  for overall greater impact in the Region.

    I was also privileged to accompany the Vice President to Igbokoda, in Ilaje where he listened to the people, addressed and interacted with them at the Ondo State Niger Delta Communities Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting. I had nothing but praise for the youths who have maintained peace and along with the rest of the populace, warmly welcomed the Vice President and his delegation.

    I came away from Ondo State ever convinced that the most challenging task we have is to engage the youths in whatever way; from vocation, education, training (especially in agriculture) empowerment to make them self-employed, to mass employment. I also had no doubt that this cannot be left to the federal and state governments alone; the private sector- especially the oil and gas companies- has to play a major role.

     

    • Brig.-Gen. Boroh is the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

     

  • Putting UN Award for Wike in proper context

    In the midst of national retrogression and unparalleled economic stagnation, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has emerged as Nigeria’s leading light . An icon of development and good governance.

    Governor Wike has proved that in the midst of national failure, a leader can re-define the developmental reality for his people and set them aside for greater things.  He has proved that Nigeria cannot be all bad news. He has shown to the world that there are great performers in Nigeria. Men committed to development and uninterested in propaganda and distractions.

    Under the leadership of Governor Wike, Rivers State  has transformed into Nigeria’s Oasis of Development. A huge construction site, with a growing economy  that works for the people.

    In the recent past, Governor Wike has been a recipient of several awards on the account of his performance.  He won the Independent Newspapers  Man of the Year 2016, the Authority Newspaper Man of the Year, 2016 and Sun Newspaper Governor of the Year, 2016. He was also enthroned  as Rivers State  Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle of Peace.

    After over two years of total and rapid development  of a New Rivers State , Governor Wike has been recognised  for his outstanding contribution to sustainable cities. Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has been nominated for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “Global Human Settlements  Outstanding Contribution Award “.

    The “Global Human Settlements  Outstanding Contribution Award ” is organised by Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA). The group is supported by the United Nations Environment.

    In a letter of notification  of  the award to Governor Wike , Secretary of Global Forum on Human Settlements and Main Representative to the United Nations, Mr Lu Haifeng,  said the award would be conferred on the governor  at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on October 31.

    The ceremony  will be held as part of the 12th Global Forum of Human Settlements at the United Nations Headquarters in New York between October 30 and 31. According to the Main Representative to the United Nations, Governor Wike  is being recognised  for his great commitment and contribution to sustainable  cities in Rivers State.

    The group further lauded Governor Wike for developing infrastructure in settlements in different parts of the state and ensuring that people have access to basic amenities.

    Governor Wike was also applauded  for constructing the Iriebe Medium Housing Estate, Rivers Quarters at the NNS Pathfinder, Quarters for Junior Staff of the DSS and facilitating  the improved  investment in housing by private investors.

    The Rivers State Governor also received  commendations for investing in land reclamation/sand filling in Asari-Toru, Degema, Akuku-Toru and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.

    The centre-piece of Governor Wike’s development programmes have been to improve  the living conditions of Rivers people, by developing  infrastructure  that will enhance their living standards in communities  where everyone will be proud to live in.

    The actualisation  of the goals of the administration is a work in progress. However, it is safe to declare that so much has been achieved within the period under review.

    Wike started his exemplary leadership with the development of critical infrastructure  that improved the living conditions in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.

    On his very first day in office on May 29, 2015, the governor launched the “Operation Zero Potholes”. This project created access to densely  populated suburbs  in Diobu and Borokiri/Port Harcourt Township.

    The road and drainage  infrastructure  across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor have led to better housing facilities in different suburbs, improved security  and other basic amenities.

    Aside, the massive development of road infrastructure in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike has constructed inter and inter community roads in 13 out of the 23 Local Government Areas to create the required access to these areas . The creation  of access to communities  have created additional settlements and improved housing.

    Land Reclamation and Sand-Filling of areas to create additional lands for housing and settlements have received the deserved attention  of the Wike administration.

    The land reclamation projects in Asalama (Asari-Toru) , Bakana(Degema) and Nkpogu/Ogbunabali (Port Harcourt City) are projects that will develop new settlements in the state. In the case of Asari-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas, the beneficiaries of the reclaimed lands would be less privileged persons.

    Since May 29, 2015, Governor Wike has created the right environment for  the development of affordable housing.  The Iriebe Low Housing Estate completed and commissioned by the administration, accommodates 50 low income families , especially civil servants.

    The administration constructed 50 one bedroom (self contained) houses for operatives of the Department of State Services working in the state.

    There is the ongoing construction  of the Nigerian Air Force Quarters, while the Rivers Quarters at the NNS Pathfinder has been completed and commissioned.

    Private Housing Developers have been attracted to the state as a result of the programmes of the Wike administration.  The Lekki Gardens Estate  has been commissioned at the GRA in Port Harcourt.

    Port Harcourt has been made more habitable with the installation and  revival of street and traffic lights, the construction of Port Harcourt Pleasure Park and the improvement of security across the state.

    Governor Wike’s improvement of educational and health facilities  across the state have re-established the framework for a rewarding growth of Port Harcourt and other towns in Rivers State.

    • Nwakaudu is Governor Wike’s aide on electronic media

     

     

  • Jubilation as NGO releases inmates to decongest Bayelsa prison

    Jubilation as NGO releases inmates to decongest Bayelsa prison

    Six inmates will remain eternally grateful to the Patriotic Citizens of Nigeria (PACON). They recently regained their freedom from Okaka Prisons in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. PACON made it possible for them to breath healthy air again.

    Their freedom came following the drive by PACON, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), to decongest the hot and sultry prisons in the state capital. On August 21, the convener of the group, Mr. Aluzu Ebikebuna and PACON’s Head, Legal, Mr. Nehemiah Ayogoi visited the prison.

    They had a nasty experience at the prison, which was opened in April 2013 by former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, to accommodate 300 inmates. The detention facility was already occupied by over 588 inmates. Of the number, 550  were awaiting trial inmates while only 38 persons were convicted.

    Besides, the five-year-old prison lacked facilities for sporting , training, and skills acquisition , among others, for the inmates. PACON officials were sad at the development and immediately started working round the clocks to play a key role in decongesting the facility.

    They also saw the suffering of the inmates especially as most of them lacked basic provisions. In fact, PACON  visited the prison again, this time in partnership with Ijaw Women Connect (IWC), Heritage Magazine (HM), Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Bayelsa State Chapter, African Children And Education Development Foundation (ACAEDF), Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), and Partners 4 Peace (P4P).

    They donated gift items worth thousands of naira to inmates. The prison authority received the items and described the gesture as “noble and worthy of emulation”. Offic land of PACON were, however, moved with pity when one of the inmates narrated how he landed himself at the prisons.

    The prisoner said he came from Rivers State for a manual job in Bayelsa. He said he was involved in a brawl and was later charged with affray. He was then remanded at Okaka Prison since May 5, 2016 despite that the Magistrate granted him bail.

    He lamented his inability to perfect his bail condition. He said though his offence upon conviction attracted about six months in prisons, his inability to satisfy his bail conditions kept him within prison walls for a year and five months.

    Moved by their findings, officials of PACON demanded for the list of inmates that had already been granted bail for simple offences such as misdemeanor and felony. Their intention was to perfect such inmates’ bails to decongest the prisons. Aluzu said his organisation was able to keep to its promise.

    He also called for a better working relationship with judiciary employees and alleged that some of them deliberately wanted to frustrate the release of the inmates.

    He said: We are happy to be here today. We are taking three inmates out, this brings the total number of inmates released by us to six. Four was taken on bail while two  had been discharged and acquitted.

    “Upon our request, we were given a list of inmates charged with simple offenses at different magistrate courts by the prison authorities. We went further to ascertain their bail statuses after which we perfected same for deserving inmates and proceeded to settle some matters out of court.

    “It was difficult getting sureties for them so we used professional sureties. We would have released more than this but some court staffs are deliberating frustrating our efforts because we refused to compensate them for carrying out their lawful duty”.

    On why they are decongesting the prisons, he said: “Sequel to our recent visit to the Okaka medium security prison specifically on the 21st of August, 2017, where we donated items to inmates, we unearthed the cram condition of the prison.

    “The prison was built with a capacity to accommodate 300 inmates but as at August 21, 2017, it was boasting of almost 600 inmates in it (twice its size) with only 38 of them convicted and over 550 inmates were awaiting trial. The overcrowded nature of the prison rendered it unfit and dangerous for human inhabitants.

    “Also, the number of cases awaiting trial gave us a worrying cause for concern as it portends something sinister in the offing. An occurrence we hope to forestall was something that might put the inmates or warders in a perilous situation.

    “Our interaction with inmates and complainants have shown in most cases that some inmates are only being oppressed.

    “Some prisoners are often locked up without trial for years and half of the inmates had never been legally sentenced. Some inmates had sat in their cells for ten years without ever seeing a judge. Innocent prisoners are people’s loved ones. We want to help reconcile them back with their family”.

    He added: “During our meeting with the state’s Controller of Prisons, it was unearthed that despite the slow justice system in the country, the prison is overcrowded because most of the inmates are unable to meet their bail conditions having been granted bail by their respective courts.

    “So PACON undertook to help indigent and deserving inmates meet their bail conditions and recommending deserving cases to Legal Aid Council of Nigeria for pro bono service, the Attorney General of Bayelsa State to exercise his powers of nolle prosequi and the Bayelsa State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

    “PACON in collaboration with its legal team also volunteered to provide legal representation for selected inmates.

    “We went further to engage the services of professional sureties for a fee of N20,000 to N30,000 for each inmate, depending on the amount contained in the bail bond and the level of such surety.

    “This amount charged by sureties is thought to be reasonable considering that the bail bond of some inmates goes as high as N2million. The risk is being borne by the sureties in case inmates jumps bail, they will be held responsible”.

    But Aluzu said PACON was not done yet. He said decongesting the prison required the help of members of the public. He appealed for financial assistance to enable PACON help more inmates regain their freedom, he, however, thanked persons, who contributed to take the six inmates out of the prison.

    He said: “We thank all those who have contributed to this cause. We are however, appealing to the general public and those sympathetic to humanity to make voluntary donations with respect to decongesting Okaka prison.

    “The list given to us contained 31 names but was reduced to 11 names after going through some considerations. We have so far gotten six out of the 11 out of Okaka prison and we hope to get the remaining five out very soon.

    “No amount is too small as every kobo counts. There is a glimmer of hope for those who have sat in their cells without trial. Support the works of PACON. Let’s start to reach out to those deserving inmates and send them back to their families”.

  • Niger Delta minister : giving roads to people, others not favours from govt

    Niger Delta minister : giving roads to people, others not favours from govt

    Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, in this interview with NICHOLAS KALU in Calabar, talks about how the Muhammadu Buhari administration is redefining the concept of development among other issues. Excerpts:

    What is your assessment of the development of the region?

    It is not a story to be told. It is what is to be seen and when you talk of development. What is your idea of development? There are certain things that are basic to life, which in the misconstruction of political mischief, people think is development, which is not. Making water available, giving roads to people, people going to school, providing health facilities are not development.

    They become development when people have been cheated enough to define those things as favours from government and so far you can understand our focus is to lift people from a no-level to the pedestal of development, which is to say providing these things and going beyond to get people to have capacities and skills to make choices for themselves, which is why emphasis is on human development, while infrastructural and physical development are rudimentary baselines for human survival.

    One, laying more than 30 per cent of budgetary provision to infrastructural development, which is a propelling foundation or platform, for other development issues to take place. Two, getting people involved, politics of inclusion. Today you hear we have a programme to get modular refineries, where communities would be shareholders.

    So ,they can decide their fate by the proceeds of what returns to them. So, if want to talk about development, vis-à-vis the administration of this era, you will realise that we are redefining development in the true perspective that affects humanity, and not by the deception of what people see as flashpoints, which vanish later and that has been the reason we never ever sustained any reasonable foreign reserves.

    We should also carry on what can sustain an economy for tomorrow. Are you not surprised to hear today that Nigeria’s yam is accredited for export? Are you not surprised that within two years, the LAKE Rice, which is a collaboration between Kebbi and Lagos states are providing millions of tons towards food security and self-sufficiency. Just few days back the Vice President had gone to commission fertiliser plants and today we have a minimum of 14 fertiliser plants within two years, revived.

    And we are embarking on a programme of linkage activities between the produce, the producing subsector and the manufacturing in the Niger Delta by an initiative that puts together all the funding establishments such as the development banks, private investors, state governments and the initiative drivers to be able to ensure that we revive the agric sector in the region and moribund industries as far as they meet the terms of our templates.

     

    The issue of abandoned projects in the region has been a recurring decimal. What is your plan towards this?

     

    The policy of government is to make sure that projects are completed and that is why when you hear mass capital estimates in the budget for various ministries, you find out that most of the money goes to what they call ongoing projects because we do not want them to be abandoned.

    Go to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ministry of Water Resources, you find out that all these ministries are concentrating on projects that had been established long ago, but not completed yet. If we want to play politics with the development of our people, we will put on new things, so people will clap hands for us.

    But all will be at the same stage of stagnation in future. But this we are doing because we are sincere. People may not appreciate because it is their level of understanding, but we know that in time to come, we will appreciate what foundations we are putting in place.

     

    The Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene-Aba Road contract has been awarded, but so far it appears nothing is being done about it…

     

    First, remember that before November 2016, people slept on that road for two, three days. While awarding the contract for the dualisation of the road, the government took immediate action by putting on a remedial repair, which today at least enables people to flow.

    That tells you that our programmes, according to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), define short term, medium term and long-term programmes. So, people would continue to enjoy progressive actions towards the final intended goods. That is one. Two, if you hear that a contract is signed, there are procedures in government for release of funds and so on.

    We have not done anything to deceive anybody and we are working very hard because of lack of funds to get many of these things funded by various programmes or financial acquisitions from concessioning to credits and so on and so forth.

    And these things are things that normally take negotiations for years, but we are able to fast track and get some within three months, six months and so on.

     

    Would defaulting contractors be punished?

     

    The intention is not to punish anybody because even if you put a man in prison, the project is not finished. The intention is to ensure that any money released to anybody receives value so that society can benefit.

     

    What is situation on the extension of  the East-West road to Calabar?

     

    Remember we became Ministers in November 2015, so effectively we have been Ministers for about 18 months or so. And if this period is long enough not to appreciate the action of government in correcting the misdeeds from design to contractual agreements and so on, then you should ask yourself, what 11 years mean when the project was started in 2006. And I can tell you why the segment of Oron to Calabar is delaying is that from the design to the contractual terms, suggests that project would never ever have been finished. One the design fell short of every social, economic and physical expectations of a sustainable project. Even when the environmental impact assessment showed that the design was faulty, they went ahead. Now we are a stage where we have corrected it and the Federal Executive Council has given approval, and the consultants are going to deliver within the next two months, the real design by which we can then go ahead to do the proper negotiation for the contractual agreement. It may interest you to know that the contract that was negotiated in naira was signed in dollars, which means if that project had been taken off the basis of that contract agreement, in an unstable exchange regime, forever there would be no value to that contract, and we must correct it.