The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Demolished shopping complex: Traders threaten to drag Benin chief to EFCC

    Demolished shopping complex: Traders threaten to drag Benin chief to EFCC

    When Chief Osamede Adun, the Aiyobahan of Benin kingdom, began construction of a shopping complex comprising 218 stores on Mission Road in Benin City, there was mad rush by traders to occupy the shops. Before the complex was completed, many traders had paid for more than three shops. The reason for the rush was because Mission Road where the shopping complex was located is a commercial area.

    The traders in a bid to outsmart one another  paid between N300,000 and N400,000 annually for a shop and an additional N100,000 as ‘bribe’ even when the building was yet to be completed

    Things turned around for  Adun and the traders when Governor Godwin Obaseki paid a working visit to the area and visited the complex to confirm several reports he received on the shopping complex. Obaseki was said to have ordered the building to be pulled down since it was erected against town planning rules and not in line with what was approved.

    Checks showed that  Adun got approval to build 30 shops with space for car park  but rather erected a building with 218 stores without any provision for car park. Several ‘stop work’ notices were served on Adun but they were not heeded. After the complex was roofed, some of the traders moved in to secure the shops they paid for.

    However, on a Wednesday night in May, officials of the state government demolished the complex. The action shocked Adun. He did not believed that his building would be demolished being a chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Sources said the order to demolish the complex was given after it was discovered that Adun filed processes at the court to restrain the state government from demolishing the building.

    Adun sent emissaries to beg Obaseki but the governor insisted that the building must go in public interest.

    According to the source, “We consider the general interest of the people before we carry out the exercise. If we allowed that building to stand, it will affect traffic in the whole of Ring Road.

    “This government is out to sanitise the state and this is to send a message to anybody that contravene our Town Planning rules and regulations that the era of impunity is over.”

    Adun, in a letter dated May 22, said he was prepared to destroy a large part of the building to comply with Town Planning regulations. He sought the state government’s approval for him to commence restructuring of the building.

    Adun said he bought the property from three families and later sold a part of the land to the state government for N135m.

    He wondered why the state government singled his building out for demolition when other buildings that contravened the laws on the road were left alone.

    His words: “The building was approved. Do you do demolition at night? My son who went there to remove some things was arrested.

    “I am leader of APC in this state. The land was not acquired illegally. I borrowed N750,000, 000 to build that house. I also sold my house in the U.S. to build the house.

    “Government should tell me how they want me to build it and not for them to take the land.”

    The shopping complex has been completely pulled down and the land acquired by the state government for public use but the traders are yet to be refunded the money they paid.

    Last Tuesday, the over 120 traders affected by the demolition  protested, demanding for refund of their money or drag Chief Adun to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if he fails to refund their money. The traders said they protested because they were yet to be told when their money would be refunded.

    One of the traders, who gave his name as Celestine Okoro, said: “In December last year (2016), we made an advance payment for 2017. I have two stores there. Depending on the size of the store, some persons paid N200,000, some paid N150,000. The least amount is for those paying for attachments, which cost N70,000.

    “All of us have paid for 2017. In January, we were informed by the landlord that he wants to demolish the building and replace it with a standard one. When the building got to the lintel level, he demanded another payment, called ‘kola money,’or consultation fee.

    “The old tenants paid N100,000 while the new ones paid N120,000. We also paid an extra N175,000 or N400,000 for seven monthsý, depending on the size.

    One of the traders, who gave his name as Chinedu, said he borrowed the money he used to pay for the shop.

    Another trader, Isaac,  said he was told that a new shop would be provided for him but was yet to get the shop.

    When contacted for comments, Chief Adun said he was yet to be paid compensation by the Edo State Government.

    He denied collecting such money from the traders adding that he was waiting for the government to pay him.

    Commissioner for Communication and Orientation Paul Ohonbamu said he was not aware of any compensation owed Adun.

    But a top government official, who pleaded anonymity, said the state government acquired the property for public interest.

    The official urged Adun to refund the money to the traders.

    According to the source, “The government acquired that place and pulled  it down for being an illegal structure. An advertisement was placed inviting anybody that has interest in the place to come forward.

    “Somebody has written us stating that he owned the land and was in court with Chief Adun over ownership of the land. Chief Adun should not be talking about compensation when he is yet to proof ownership of the place.”

     

     

  • Community to hold Akugbe festival

    Community to hold Akugbe festival

    The people of Idumowu Ebelle Community of Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State are ready to host the first Akugbe festival.

    The Chairman of the planning committee, Edmund Oviawe, said the event is scheduled to hold on September 30, 2017, at Chief Ezomon’s Arena in the community.

    According to Oviawe, the Akugbe festival is aimed at bringing sons and daughters of Ebelle community together in a festive mood, while also providing opportunity for them to socialize and exchange pleasantries.

    He expressed confidence that the event will further foster unity and development of the community.

    The festival will be rounded off with a thanksgiving service on October 1 in all the churches in the community.

  • Tears as Bayelsa varsity VC buries younger sister 

    This is not the best of times for the family of the acting Vice-Chancellor, Niger Delta University (NDU), Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo. The professor wept recently. He has not come to terms with the loss of his younger sister, Mrs. Peace Edoumiekumo Joshua.

    Who would not cry for such an incalculable loss. Peace, a young beautiful and intelligent Ijaw woman died at a tender age of 29. She died on August 29, 2017 leaving behind her husband and a baby girl.

    Her demise drew tears from everyone, who heard about it. Peace also studied at NDU and graduated from Accounting Education Department. She was full of dreams. She wasted no time to tie the nuptial knot with Mr. Berekumo Joshua, when she was in her 200level. She was described by her peers as a woman of faith.

    But her world came crumbling when she became sick before her graduation. She managed the condition till she graduated and got a call-up letter to serve her fatherland.  The sickness would not just go away. The family rushed her to the Federal Medical Centre to be treated of the undisclosed ailment.

    Peace was later referred to the Eko Hospital in Lagos for further treatment, where she later gave up the ghost. Her family members recalled that she warned them never to seek any fetish solution to her situation. “Never take me to an herbalist place. Instead, let me die on the altar of God”, she had said.

    She eventually breathed her last and left the VC and her husband broken-hearted. Her funeral in Yenagoa was attended by most of the people who crossed her path and other sympathisers especially from the NDU.

    In his tribute, her husband, Joshua, he could not understand her early exit. “I just cannot bring myself to realise that you are no more. I still wait every second for you to call me those names that make me laugh, ‘Blue Band’, ‘Jonjon Boy’ and ‘husband of my youth’”.

    He daughter Grace, said she would never forget her love. “Yo were always there for me. I don’t understand what Daddy is saying happened, but I miss you and hope to see you someday”, the little Grace said.

    All her family members described her as a precious and wonderful lady. They said she was caring even in her sickbed.

     

  • Edo, Oshiomhole and road to nation building

    Prosperity is the reward we will get for good planning, good foudation and vissionary blue print when we talk of nations building. When the word NIGERIA floats across my thoughts, I see a swathe that comprises of regions,  states, local council areas, wards, communities, families and individuals; all desperately in need of actual development.

    The question is, how readily prepared are we collectively and individuals as a people to instigate the emergent of a great nation by imploring our selfless positive orientation to make the diffence as patriotic citizens? Can we truly dispense our contractual obligations when elected or appointed as public office holder without cancerous sentiment namely: nepotism, tribalism, factionism, favouritism and selfishness.

    Owan West Local government area, my place of birth as a case study is one of the poorest and underdevelop local government area amongst the 18 local government in Edo state has a lot of challenges that is synomous to other rural local governmennt area in Nigeria. The local council is plagued with high rate of unemployement, lack of basic  amenities, fastructural decay, absence  of maternity home and or dispensery facilities, leading to avoidable deaths, poor road network and lack of markets and other statutory and constitutional responsibility of local governments.

    The setback may not have arisen as a result of lack of managerial acumen on the part of the immediate past and present occupiers of the  councils or they are not doing their best for the citizens. It’s  essencially because majority of the populace and some grassroots political actors have chosen to exchange true development for political sentiment, messiah for devil, economic boyancy for stomach infastructure and selfish political ambition.

    Recently, the former governor Comrades Adams Oshiomhole has been under intense criticism for airing his views on restructuring after his 8-year of successful tenure. Such outright adumbration and “Pull Him Down” (PHD) voyage is not new to Comrade Oshiomhole. Every great man of historical achievemoment as Comrade Oshiomhole is usually a victim of divergent opinions. Even Jesus christ, before and after His cruxification on the cross for the redemption of mankind is yet fo be accepted by many different faith.

    Oshiomole, the once upon a time “Talk-and-do” aka “osho baba” a man with vision and good heart demostrated his patriotism to the great people of Edo State in so many areas such infastructural development, educational reform, job creation etc. far above what he met when he assume office as a governor. Whether you like it or not, Oshiomhole left a legacy that most sons and daughters of Edo State if not all, are proud of today. However, he is still been critisized today by people of different school of thought because however hard you try as a leader, you can’t meet the needs of everybody.

    The success of every political leader is the solid foundation upon which his or her successor continued the process of state re-engineering, both sociopolitical and socioeconomic development for the good of all. The story of Oshiomhole’s 8-year governorship of Governor Godwin Obaseki who has,  less than one year in office, has shown the people of Edo State the meaning of inclusive governance.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki is expectedly building on the the foundation built by Adams Oshiomhole as the incumbent governor of the state. He has, since he assumed office, proven to be a man of astute chacrater and devotion, depicting the true meaning of being a tecnhocrat within a very short period of time. He has achieved what most governors of other states could not do in their 4 years term in office. Despite his visible achievements to date and many more to come, he still faces critizism from never do well politicians. In truth, Governor Obaseki has been blazing the trail. Let us give kudos and honour to those whom honour his due.

    It is clear from the outset that Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s administration will excel as governor. It’s heartwarming that Professor Julius Ihonvbere, an achiever of all time in all areas of endeavour, enigma of intellectual, God sent messiah to our generation, known for his egalitarian philosophy and principles is part Godwin Obaseki’s succees story so far.

    Prof. Ihonvbere’s uncountable developmental strides and contributions to the people of Owan  West is legendary. This is the more reason our people should avoid acrimonious politics of sentiment and hatred that has dominated the livelihood of most people by upholding politics oneness and development. The good professor has a lot to offer to the state and the federation.

    Therefore, those who are clamouring to become chairman of Owan West local government has to be positive towards the development of the entire local council. We must not give room to political sentiment, triabalism, factionism, selfishness and nepotism. It has no place in economic and developmental stride we seek in modern days politics. We must not fail to identify with the less previledge by extending hand of fellowship to our people who needs help at all times. That’s where the likes of Prof. Ihonvbere stand out.

    Our nation Nigeria is what it is today because we fail to do the right thing yestarday. We cannot correct today in today but we can sure accept today as it is and focusing on a better tomorrow but correcting our tomorrow in our today by doing the right thing that will make tomorrow a better day in the kind od choice we make today.

    We must collectively say good bye to politics of sentiment. Every one of us have to join hand together to support the government of Godwin Obaseki, rather than condemning it. Let us all try in giving back to our community in our own little way rather than taking from them, directly or indirectly.

    • Omole is a local government chairmanship aspirant in Edo

     

  • Scattered broom

    Scattered broom

    Time not only flies; it also runs with the speed of light. Just like that, it is one year since Michael Ibru, the brain behind the Ibru Organisation, died. On Wednesday, September 6, members of the his family held a memorial service in his honour at the St. Andrews Anglican Church, Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North council area of Delta State.

    At the service were his only surviving brother, Chief Goodie Ibru, Olorogun Oscar, Gabriel Ibru, daughters –in-law and others.

    The decision of the Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Ughelli Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Cyril Odutemu, to emphasise oneness in the family, was not accidental.

    “Allow Olorogun Michael Ibru to live on because if you can conquer self and look at the life of this man as a mirror, I am sure the sky will be your stepping stone.

    “In the history of Urhobo, I have not heard of any who had wealth and spread it round brothers, paternal and maternal relations. He had everything in the world and he gave it back to everyone he met on the way. Every wealth he has can be sustained if you are sustained and can be blown away, if you are blown away,” Rev. Odutemu said.

    Just six months into his death, a fight broke out. Oskar, Oboden and their 14 siblings are no longer like the broom they once used to be.

    Unlike the kids, their father was not born with a silver spoon not to talk of a golden one. His father, Peter, was a missionary worker. He worked as a nursing superintendent at the popular Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital. His mother, Janet, sold fish in the creeks to help with the family’s upkeep.

    Ibru was only able to enrol at the Igbobi College, Yaba when he was 18. He was brilliant and ended up as the Senior Prefect. His brilliance manifested when, in 1948, he moved straight from Elementary School to Secondary Class 2. In Class Four, Ibru passed the Cambridge School Certificate Examination with Distinction.

    After secondary education, the Olorogun took up paid employment at the United African Company, as a management trainee, in 1951. By 1956, he had had enough of U.A.C. He quit and started a firm known as Laibru. It was in partnership with an expatriate, Jimmy Large. He was just 24. The duo started with general trading and a year later, the late Ibru found that he could make a kill with the frozen fish market. This was a fertile ground no one was working on. Through perseverance, he broke even by establishing an importing company and building cold storage facilities. He triumphed over competitors who labelled his product ‘mortuary fish’.

    So good was business that by the mid-1960s, Ibru had become a millionaire from fish trading. Poverty was now history, far forgotten. By the 70s, he was responsible for about 60 per cent of the frozen fish market. The turnover was over N90 million. His partnership with a Taiwanese company, Osadjere Fishing Company, brought in trawlers and other accessories for trading.

    Before long, his hands were in other pies, such as transportation, palm oil production, tourism, brewery, timber and poultry. Olorogun also expanded into oil storage (Ibafon Oil Limited), aviation (Aero Contractors), banking (Oceanic Bank), and insurance (Minet Nigeria Ltd).

    In 1983, Ibru tried to be governor of the old Bendel State. He lost to Chief Sameul Ogbemudia. He was also a member of the Liberal Convention and the New Movement, which metamorphosed into the National Republican Convention (NRC).

    This was a family that was like a bunch of broom despite the fact that the patriarch had kids from about five women. The close-knit nature of the family was emphasised by Oskar, the eldest son, during his 80th birthday: “The only thing I can say about my family is that we grew up as team. We were like a bunch of broom sticks.”

    Oskar’s father and his siblings, Felix, Goodie and Alex, were also like a bunch of broom sticks. He helped his brothers with their education, gave them stakes in the Ibru Organisation and helped them to chart their own paths.

    Sadly, the 16 Michael Ibru children are in a legal tussle over their paternity and his multi-billion naira assets. This fight shows clearly to me that unity is impossible without trust and love stands no chance when distrust rules supreme.

    Oboden, who was a major player in Oceanic Bank, blew the lid on the fight by approaching the Igbosere High Court, Lagos, for a declaration that all the kids are entitled to the estate of their father. He was countered by his sister Janet, who through an affidavit, urged the court to declare that only persons whose paternity are confirmed by a diagnostics centre in the United States are entitled to an equal share of the estate.

    Oboden’s suit was filed on February 8 by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN).

    The defendants in the suit are: Oskar, Peter, Emmanuel, Gloria, Elaine Ibru-Mukoro, Elvina, Mamemo, Janet, Obaro, Vivi Ibru-Stankov, Edesiri, Christiana, Jero, Vikwesiri, Gabriel and the Probate Registrar, High Court of Lagos State.

    At stake are: No. 20, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; 6, Kensington Park Gardens, London; Starcross Farm; Hillcrest Apartment; Zabadne Plot, Abuja; Maitama Plots, Abuja; Maroko Plots, Lagos; 7, Randle Close, Apapa, Lagos; all shares in Oceanic Bank; Oteri Holdings Limited’s shares in Minet Nigeria Limited; Oteri’s shares in Ibachem and the portion of Ibafon land occupied by Ibachem and Ovwian land.

    Others are: 1, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos; 47, Marine Road, Apapa; 49, Marine Road, Apapa; 52, Marine Road, Apapa; 5,7,9 Emotan Road, Apapa; 3,5,7 Ladipo Oluwole, Apapa; Daska House; Blomfield Court; 33, Michael Ibru Boulevard; 6, Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and 5/7, Queens Barracks Road, Lagos.

    I believe there is enough to go round. May be I am thinking like this because my father left seven of us only two houses to share.

    Oboden is seeking a declaration that a January 2, 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the distribution of the late Ibru’s assets remains valid.

    He also seeks a declaration that the judgment delivered by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on April 17, 2014, remains valid and subsisting, having not been set aside by any court of competent jurisdiction.

    The ex-Oceanic Bank big boy also wants an order appointing him, Christiana, Oskar and Jero, as administrators of the Ibru estate. He equally wants the court to give an order appointing PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited to conduct a forensic audit of the shareholdings and assets of the late Ibru in Oteri Holdings and any other company in Nigeria and elsewhere.

    And finally, he seeks an order directing the administrators to divide the assets into 16 equal shares for the surviving children.

    But as far as Janet and her backers are concerned, Oboden is talking nonsense. No scientific confirmation of your paternity, no inheritance, she insists.  Janet also wants a refund of all expenses on her father in his dying days, including the $48,000 she incurred defending the law suits by one of her siblings.

    The turn of event in the Michael Ibru clan brings to mind the fight-to-the-finish between Goodie Ibru and the late Alex Ibru’s wife, Maiden. The fight has led to law suits jamming law suits. The major victim has been Ikeja Hotels Plc, which was suspended from the Stock Exchange as a result of the bitter fight over the company’s chairmanship. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been involved in this dirty fight. The courts have been busy too. Two Ibru sisters filed two suits in Lagos and there was another one at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the feud.

    My final take: The larger Ibru family has been involved in this quarrel too. Newspapers have made money carrying advertorials and counter-advertorials. Extended family members, such as the Clark family, have also been bloodied in this quarrel that I seems beyond settlement. The broom that once held them together is now scattered. And what can a scattered broom do? I am sure you know the answer.

  • CMD: DELSUTH’s biggest challenge is funding

    CMD: DELSUTH’s biggest challenge is funding

    Seven-year-old Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, is, today, enjoying an outstanding status among tertiary health institutions in Nigeria. Leading this initiative is Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr Onome Ogueh, an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, who tells BOLAJI OGUNDELE, how his intervention is meeting the founding fathers’ vision of a world-class hospital that emhasises ‘’excellence in patients’ care.’’ 

    Nine months in the saddle

     

    It’s been quite challenging; there were loads of issues that I came to meet, but we’ve been working through all of those issues,  which I know we are going to make real progress on them…

     

    Specifics?

     

    Take for an instance the time I got here this facility has not had electricity for three months, we were cut off from the power source because we were having issues with payments, we were running on generator and that was something good for a hospital, where we had equipment that rely on power. We have three generators; a 1000 KVA, 500 KVA and a 200 KVA generators. These were what were being used to run the place, but very quickly, with the help of the state government, under the leadership of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, we were able to restore power. The state governor has been very magnanimous to this institution since I came on board. With the help of an initial grant, we were able to pay some of the money we owed the electricity company, so we were able to quickly reconnect the hospital to BEDC. That’s something that we have done since I came, but we also want to go beyond that by having a dedicated line that guarantees 24/7 electricity in this place and as we speak, we are currently in the process of connecting that. That’s what we should expect in a facility of this sort, especially when one of the main visions of the facility is to provide world class excellence in patients’ care and you cannot do that without having guaranteed 24/7 electricity supply.

     

    Towards a world class excellence in patients’ care

     

    By the time I got here in December 2016, we had a 64 slide CT Scan in this hospital that had not worked for about a year before I got here. We also have a 1.5 Tesla MRI, there’s probably only one or two in the whole of the South-South, top range equipment that had not worked for about 4 to 6 months by the time I got here and we had loads of such other equipment in this place. If I take the Radiology Department as an instance, we’ve had funds from the government since I came and we’ve now been able to revive the department so that now we can provide any kind of radiological services that people need. Now, unlike in the past, rather than go to Lagos or Abuja to have MRI or CT Scan, all that can now be done at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital.

    We’ve made strides in that direction and you can say that in the 9 months that I have been in the saddle, I have been able to revive the Radiology Department, but one of the things we have also done , which is a bit different from what we used to have is that we now have a public/private partnership arrangement with EcoScan, which guarantees that the Radiology Department will remain functional all the time. They have a maintenance contract with us; if any equipment goes down, you won’t have the kind of downtime we had before my coming, now there’s no downtime anymore. Before patients get to know that there’s a problem with an equipment, it has been fixed because there’s that maintenance contract for managing all of those equipment in the department. They maintain the equipment and run the department so the service is now seamless. However, we still have the staff of the hospital, the teaching staff, they are still the ones delivering the services, but they now have the private partners who are ensuring that everything that they need for the functioning of the is there; they manage the facilities, they repair and fix things if necessary. With all of that being done, it means that the rest of us can concentrate on doing the real work of caring for the patient.

     

    Well equipped, what about manpower?

     

    We have manpower, but one of the things that we also find in this country is that we may not have all the man power we need in every area so if I take this hospital for instance, this is a major teaching hospital in this area, the only one in Delta state and which is quite close to a major thoroughfare between Warri and Lagos, which means that we see accident victims on a regular basis, but at the time I got here we did not have a neurosurgeon, we had to send cases in the need of neurosurgical care out, but since I came, with the kind approval of the governor, Dr Okowa, we now have neurosurgeon who came on board in May 2017 and since he came on board we are now able to treat people with brain injury or any kind of neurosurgical procedure we are able to provide here.

    So we now have those kinds of manpower and that’s why it’s useful to say at this point that we are working at achieving the vision of this institution; which means that if people have medical conditions for which they need help, before they think about going South Africa or India or the UK or America, they should think about coming to DELSUTH first. That’s our drive; to be able to deliver that kind of care and I know that we are making real progress towards that.

     

    DELSUTH’s future

     

    I want us to achieve the vision of the founders of this hospital and the vision is to achieve world class excellence in patients’ care and some of the things I’ve said to you are working towards that goal, but even if we have that world class goal and we are able to do some of these things here, we still have to do the small things right. In terms of the small things that we are doing, as we speak, just yesterday, we have approved funding for an optic laboratory. We have an Ophthalmology Department in this hospital, we have ophthalmologists who do high end stuffs, who are able to operate on the eye and do all sorts of things for people who have problems with sights, but when patients need glasses for example, they now have to go outside to buy, but what my approval yesterday will do is that those patients no longer have to go outside, they now have the complete package here. That’s what I meant by doing even the small things well. Like we have the Eye, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists, one of the other things I want to achieve in the next few months is to buy and audiometer to that we can also do hearing test here rather than do all the big complicated things, but we don’t do the small things; when you need a hearing test we send you out elsewhere, but now we’ll be able to do all of those.

    We have a Maxillofacial Department, the Dentistry Department; we have loads of wonderful equipment that we have in the labs, but have not been used in the last 7 years. There re a few things left to complete a restorative dentistry lab, that’s something else that we are hoping for so in the next few months we should be looking at having a restorative dentistry lab where we can do interesting things for people, do tooth implant for instance and all of those kind of things that can add to the main work we do. In the Maxillofacial Department, for instance, we’ve been doing loads of interesting things. We recently removed a huge left-sided tumor from a young boy, an ossifying fibroma from the left mandible. This is a tumor that took over the whole of the left side of this boy’s face, but again I keep going back to our governor because he saw this boy in town hall meeting and referred him to us here and we managed to do that surgery. When people see the boy now, they wonder if he was taken to India for the operation. No, it was done here at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital. So we are doing those big things, but we also need to do the small things so all of those small things we will be achieving in time, we will continue to expand our services. We will grow the place so that we can really get to that vision of world class excellence in patients’ care.

     

    Challenges and solutions

     

    One of the biggest challenges in the role I’m playing here is attracting funding to the hospital to be able to provide the services that we need our people. That’s a major challenge, but like I’ve said, I’ve had a very good relationship with the governor, who has a keen interest in this place and has been quite forthcoming with funding to help us achieve some of the things we need to do. I’ve also said that we’ve been looking at public/private partnership to try and raise those funds. We have one in the Radiology Department, we also have a private partner for the laboratory services, that too is to ensure that we have some regular income without having to do too much in terms of investment into the lab. Money is a challenge, but we are doing what we can and we are hoping that as we improve the services that we give, as people begin to see the kind of quality of care that we provide that money will follow because people will want to come here. Like I said, people should about DELSUTH before thinking of going anywhere else. Growing the services is one way of attending to our challenges.

    One other big challenge that we had in this place, I’ll say, is one of industrial disharmony. Before I came, situations were that out of the 365 days in a year, you had more than 200 days that the hospital was shut down because of industrial actions. But since I got here in December 2016, this is the first time this hospital has had a strike and as you know, this one is a national strike and none of the things they are talking about has anything to do with this hospital, but the resident doctors felt they needed to join the national body. But for the first time in the history of this institution, this hospital was opened in 2010, for the very first time, a group of doctors has gone on strike and the hospital is still open because for the first time once we knew that the resident doctors were going on strike, we immediately put measures in place to ensure that the doctors who are left, the consultants, the house officers, are able to continue services. For instance, even as we are on strike, the Outpatients Department is still running. I ran my own clinic on Wednesday. Other doctors are running their own clinics now. We also decided that patients who are already in the hospital must be looked after; so, we didn’t discharge patients in the hospital.

    The laboratory is functioning fully, the Radiology Department is functioning fully. The only thing we said is that we will not bring in new patients because the resident doctors who should be the people on the ground are on strike, but the rest of us are still working and giving patients care. So in terms of dealing with the challenge of incessant strikes, we’ve now gone almost 10 months without strike and the only reason we have a strike now is because it is a national strike. The way we have been dealing with is by being proactive; I’ve met with all staff groups, all unions and we’ve been able to address issues that people may have in a positive and collaborative so that there’s really no need to begin to look at industrial action because in fairness there’s really no issue you cannot resolve with dialogue. For an institution like this, where people’s lives are put at risk, we must focus on using dialogue to change the way we address things.

     

    Greatest challenge

     

    I must say that the greatest challenge for me in the this place is about changing the hearts and minds of my people, the workforce, so that people can begin to think more positively about the work they do, about the institution, about where we are heading as an institution and what the vision for this place is.

  • Death trap called Benin-Auchi-Lokoja highway

    Death trap called Benin-Auchi-Lokoja highway

    The Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, Revd David Ugolor, is yet to get over the harrowing experience he had the last time he travelled by road from Abuja to Benin. A journey that would have lasted four hours became a nightmare that lasted over 12 hours. Rev. Ugolor left Abuja at about 6am and got to Benin at 9pm.

    The Abuja-Benin express road is now an eye sore. The Ekpoma axis of the road that has been causing motorists nightmare for the past two years is nothing compared to other axis of the road, such as between Iruekpen and Benin, the Ewu hill known as the hill of deaths and Okpella axis.

    Vehicular traffic on the Abuja-Benin express road has reduced. This is because motorists now prefer to use longer routes to get to Owan or Auchi before heading to Abuja. Motorists either travel through Ondo State via Ifon community or they use the new roads constructed in Edo Central during the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole The roads that link Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben local government areas enable motorists avoid bad portions of the road between Benin and Iruekpen and the Ekpoma axis.

    For the construction of the Irrua-Usugbenu-Igueben-Ujiogba roads by Oshiomhole, motorists would have opted to pass through Agbor in Delta State to get to Auchi. The option of taking long distance routes have increased transportation from Benin City to towns and villages in Edo Central and Edo North by 50 per cent Benin tô Auchi that used to cost N800 is now N1200.

    Heavy duty trucks are now mostly seen on the Benin-Ekpoma axis of the road because communities that the new roads linked used cross bar to prevent heavy duty trucks from plying the roads. Some bus drivers that still ply the route had to navigate  through mud roads and bushes whenever they are stuck in traffic along the road. Youths in some of the villages are seen on the road carrying out repair works to enable one truck or tanker pass through at a time and in return get some tips from the drivers.

    Between Iruekpen and Egor, several bad spots were noticed on the road and they are developing into a deep gully.  The villagers had to sewn woods into logs from nearby bushes which they placed on the road for trucks passed through but at a very slow pace.

    The contract for the dualisation of the Benin-Lokoja express road was awarded in September 2014 to four contractors. Section I, which covers 40 kilometers between Obajana Junction-Okene in Kogi State, was awarded in favour of Messrs CGC Nigeria_ Limited. Section II, which covers 26.70km between Okene in Kogi State and Auchi in Edo State, was awarded in favour of Messrs Mothercat Limited. Section III between Auchi-Ehor which covers 29.20km in Edo State was awarded in favour of Messrs Danata and Sawoe Construction Company Limited while Section IV between Ehor-Benin and covers 47.70km was awarded to Messrs RCC (Nigeria) Limited.

    Former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, had said the contracts would take 36 months to complete and that the four sections of the road were awarded at a cost N75.8 billion. The 36 months scheduled for the completion for the dualisation of Benin-Lokoja road has passed and the road is still a death trap and a cause of worry to travelers and motorists alike.

    During the visit of the Senate Committee on Works led by its Vice Chairman, Senator Clifford Ordia, residents of Ewu community in Esan Central local government cried out that they were tired of carrying dead bodies off the Ewu axis especially the Ewu hill along the Benin-Auchi express road.

    Spokesman for the community, Pa Jerome Idiata, told the Senate Committee on Works that the number of deaths recorded on Ewu axis of the road due to accidents was under reported.

    Pa Idiata stated that the community was agog when they the contractor working on the road shortly before the 2015 general elections but they were now surprised that the road has become a trench where people now die.

    His words: “Go and see the carnage on the road. Our people now take bush path to where they can take vehicle to their destination.

    “We want this road to be done. The Ewu hill section is not good.”

    At the time the Senate Committee on Work inspected progress work on the Lokoja-Benin express road, the contractor handling section iii, Dantata and Sawoe was at Ekpoma to do palliative work on the failed portion in the axis.

    The presence of the contractor did not elicit any positive reaction from Ekpoma residents and motorists as they expressed mixed feelings that the contractor was only present because they might have been aware of the coming of the monitoring team from the Senate.

    Project Manager for Dantata and Sawoe,  Roy Hungushi, said the firm would return for major work repair on the road during the dry season and said work on the firm’s section was slow became no mobilization fee was paid.

    His words, “We are trying to clean up the bad areas in preparations to come back with working materials during the dry season. We want to make the road motorable for the time being.

    “It is difficult to do major work. As soon as the rains are over, we will come back.”

    “This particular section that was awarded to us, no mobilization fees has been paid. It is difficult to move to any work site without mobilsation fee.”

    But Senator Ordia said N1.3bn has been paid to the contractor and that the contractor didn’t do what was supposed to be done on the Ewu hill section but that they have been told to reduce the vertical alignment to reduce number of deaths.

    He said,  “It cannot be true that no mobilization has been paid. Some amount has been paid nd that I know. This section that is bad is part of the scope covering Ewu hill. We have paid some amount but what he would say is that it was not enough.

    “Government has directed that they should come here and carry out some palliative works. You can see the community members are angry. Government is doing much to fix the road”.

    Ekpoma residents told our reporter that they were not sure whether the ongoing repair work would alleviate their suffering as they have seen several bulldozers in the past two years. Business owners located along the failed portion lamented that they have lost patronage and recorded poor sales.

    A restaurant owner who gave her name as Rita said the failed portion of the road has paralyzed her business. She said repair work on the road would not help them as various persons have carried out palliative work on the road.

    Why worsen the situation in Ekpoma is that the internal road network has been destroyed due to diversion of traffic.

    A community youth leader, Andrew Ikhajangbe, said they want the Federal Government to fix the road and not palliative work that the rain would damage.

    “You can see vehicles moving into the town. All the internal roads are now damaged. What we are asking is that the federal government should focus on the road,” he said.

    However, the dualisation of 14 kilometers of the road from Ramat Park axis in Ikpoba-Okha local government area has been completed. The section of the road used to be a nightmare for motorists as the contractor left site after the 2015 general elections. The completion of the 14 kilometers has stopped federal government agencies like the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal from being heavily flooded.

    Revd Ugolor in a chat with our reporter said the Lokoja-Auchi-Benin express road represents impunity in the country.

    His words: “People get contracts and they don’t deliver. Government insensitivity  to the plight of the people is bad. It is shameful that those at the helm of affairs fly alll the time. It is not their business about conditions of our roads. I left Abuja 6am and got to Benin at 10pm. We got to Iruekpen and had to take through the bush. Particularly Iruekpen to Benin. It is very bad. What is unfortunate is that tax payers money are used to award contracts and nobody is held responsible.”

     

  • Delta workers seek active on stalled contracts

    The Niger Delta Volunteer Forces (NDVF) has called on the Federal Government to intervene in the stalled contract for the identification, location, marking and removal of wrecks in the nation’s waters.

    The group, in a statement  by its spokesperson, J. C Gordon, alleged that over three months after NIMASA advertised for expression of interest for the contracts, it has kept mute “over the projects, which would have had  direct impact on the lives of youths in the South South, especially the Niger Delta region surrounded by the country’s waters.”

    According to NDVF, the contract would not only clear the waterways to boost economic activities of the country, it would also create jobs for youths across the South-South, South-East and South-West regions.

    The statement called on the Presidency,  Ministry of Transport, the National Assembly and other relevant government agencies to properly monitor the contract award process to ensure that only qualified who have the interest of the Niger Delta people as well as based in the region, get the final nod to positively impact the lives of the people in the area.

    It argued that the contracts were capable of engaging youths in the region and discourage them from activities inimical to the socio-conomic wellbeing of the nation.

    “We decided to call the attention of relevant authorities to the award of the wreck removal contracts as investigations have revealed monumental underhand dealing, hence the tactical undue delays. We want the Presidency, Ministry of Transport, the procurement agency and the National Assembly to immediately look into this disturbing revelation to avoid complications, and insecurity in the Niger Delta Region,” the statement said.

     

  • Okowa to parents: encourage your kids to embrace agric

    Okowa to parents: encourage your kids to embrace agric

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has advised parents to encourage their children to key into the state government’s agriculture revolution programme for food sustenance in the state.

    The governor gave the advice yesterday at the inauguration of Mega Fish Farmers Cooperative Union at Okelle Farms in Ugbisi, Udu LGA.

    He said youths could take advantage of the abundant arable soil in the state to boost food production.

    He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through its Anchor Borrowers Programme had assisted 682 fish farmers in the state boost production.

    He added that the fish farmers now had   combined staff strength of over 2,000.

    “The oil economy appears to be going down and it is time for us as parents to talk to our children to embrace agriculture;

    “We are very glad that the number of our people engaged by this anchor programme has helped to swell up the number of entrepreneurs we have created in the last two years.

    “When you add the 682 beneficiaries in the first batch of the anchor programme to the over 3,000 that we have through Youth Agriculture Empowerment Programme (YAGEP), you will agree that our efforts at diversifying our economy through agriculture is on course.

    “Government cannot continue to employ people into the civil service; so we are happy when the CBN introduced the Anchor programme which has supported aqua-culture, rice production, among others,” he said.

    Okowa said that his administration decided to key into agriculture to reduce unemployment and enhance the culture of food sustainability.

    He commended the Mega Fish Farmers Cooperative Society for the successful commencement of sale of fish.

    Responding, the Chairman of the Cooperative, Christopher Egwuyenga, said that the farmers turned out 2, 046 tons of fish in their first batch of harvest.

  • CBN Anchor Borrowers: Okowa launches harvest, sales of fish in Delta

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa  on Wednesday launched the harvest and sales of fish under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme in Okelle Farms, Ugbisi, Udu Local Government area of the state.

    Okowa commended Mega Fish Farmers Co-operatives Union for keying into the programme known as “Private Window’’ in line with the states agenda.

    The governor said the agricultural sector suffered neglect over the years due to dependence on oil in spite of its potential to create jobs, food and develop the country.

    Okowa stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace agriculture because oil was no longer dependable.

    He urged people not to continue to depend on government alone for support and called on well meaning Nigerians and community leaders to support people to go into agriculture.

    The governor, who lauded the CBN for spending N1.2 billion so far on the programme, said the programme had succeeded in producing 2,046 tonnes of fish in four months.

    “We are happy when this window came and CBN, Bank of Agriculture supported us in rice, cassava and aquaculture (fish) production.

    “I am glad to hear that the Mega Fish Farmers have employed over 2,000 workers and currently training 300 youths.

    “I wish to thank you for embracing this programme and it is my hope that in the next five years, you will record more successes.”

    He advised the people to sustain atmosphere of peace to ensure security and development in the area and the state at large.

    The Branch Controller, CBN, Asaba, Mrs Elizabeth Agu, said that CBN had so far spent N1.2 billion on the Private Window of the programme, which has over 4,000 fish farmers.

    She commended the participating farmers for effectively utilising the funds made available to them for expansion as well as engaging more people in the scheme.

    Prince Niyi Akenzua, Executive Director, Finance and Risk, BOA said that the bank was committed to keeping its mandate of ensuring that the people were empowered through agriculture.

    Akenzua said the partnership between the state government and the farmers should be strengthened to ensure empowerment of the rural communities through agriculture.

    Mr Chris Egwuyenga, Chairman, Mega Fish Farmers Cooperatives Union, said with the support being given to the programme t the state would soon be placed on the map of fish cultivation in Nigeria and abroad.

    “It will interest you to know that Mega Fish Farmers with 682 profiled farmers for the first batch has turned out 2,046 tons of fish.

    “This translates to employment, generated directly and indirectly, of over 2000 workers in line with the state agenda and prosperity for all.

    “Still under the programme, about 300 youths are undergoing training with us to acquire fish farming skills.’’

    “Through this programme designed by CBN and with the support of the state government, we are optimistic that food security in terms of protein requirement of Deltans is assured,” Egwuyenga said.