The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • ‘Govt needs technology to promote peace in Niger Delta’

    Discussants at a panel on promoting peace in Niger Delta have stressed the need for improved communication between the government and resident of the oil-producing region to drive development in the axis.

    The session was held at the weekend during the Social Media Week held in Lagos. The panelists were unanimous in their call on the need for the government to adopt technology as a means of enhancing communication with the Niger Delta people.

    The session with the theme: Government and the Citizens, Communicating the 21st Century Way in the Niger Delta, was organised by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND).

    Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Corporation (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere, represented by the commission’s Technical Adviser on Partnerships and Development, Mr John Akpan, participated in the discussion.

    Other panelists included Special Adviser on Communications to Abia State Governor, Sam Hart, Program Director of the Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Florence Kayemba, Chief Executive Officer of NETOPPS, Fibiresima Bereni, and Chime Asonye, Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to of Abia State governor.

    On the role of government in communicating feedback to the Niger Delta resident, Akpan said platforms offered by social media played key role in opening up discussion between the government and the people in the region.

    Akpan said: “The newly-inaugurated governing board of the NDDC is determined to improve openness and transparency in its dealing and engaging the people in the Niger Delta.”

    He reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to 4Rs method it adopted to restructure its balance sheet, adding that the commission had embarked on reform to improve its governance systems to ensure compliance to extant rules and regulations.

    Kayembasaid said the Niger Delta’s heterogeneous nature made its needs peculiar. She advised the government should create a system where residents would provide feedback on the development programmes being currently carried out in the region.

    Hart noted Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had introduced programmes to drive citizens’ engagement in his administration, giving example of an e-library recently commissioned by the Abia government to create platform for feedback from the citizens.

    According to him, the Abia government would host events to select outstanding technology startups in the state.

    While speaking on the need to maintain open budgeting by state in the Niger Delta, Hart said: “I support open budgeting by state in the Niger Delta. It is not required by law to do that, but it has to be done to promote transparency and accountability.”

    He also reiterated the need for governors in the Niger Delta region to engage the social media in communicating with citizens. “Any government not on social media is doing itself a disservice,” he said.

    Speaking on poverty and lack of access to basic amenities, Asonye noted that implementation of the SDGs in the Niger Delta states was poor, adding that there was a need to focus attention on the challenges hindering development in the region.

    The SDGs, he said, will provide a proper channel for irreversible development in the Niger Delta.  Chime called for openness in implementation of government’s programme to tackle poverty. He said there should be a platform where citizens can give feedback and receive responses from the government, citing an example of Abia State which has an active social media presence that serves as a feedback mechanism between the government and the citizens. He stressed the need for evidence-based budgeting process that would afford citizens’ participation in governance process.

    In his discussion on private sector and technology, Bereni said there is a need to improve technology adoption in the region. “The Niger Delta is still struggling with low internet penetration, which is affecting the emergence of startups. Government needs to address the developmental gaps in the region by creating a holistic innovation strategy to support the young people who are marginalised,” he said.

    In response to the panelists’ submission, members of the audience drawn from the Niger Delta region expressed optimism that the discussion could bring about new thinking in the region to drive development.

    One of them, Obat Akpeji, said: “We should hope some of the solutions offered here would be considered by the governors in the region.”

    Another participant from Edo State, Ezekiel Efeobhokan, said: “I hope to see Niger Delta governors spearhead programmes that would impact on innovations of the youth. We want the youth to stop engaging crimes that tarnish the image of people from this region. Niger Delta youths are known as angry people, but we want the narrative to change.”

  • Stranded Amnesty scholarship students seek Osinbajo’s intervention

    This is not the best of times for the Niger Delta Scholarship students studying abroad under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). They are complaining of hard times because of what they refer to as poor funding of the programme.

    In fact, they want the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to wade into the financial difficulties facing the programme. They want Osinbajo to treat their matter with seriousness in the spirits of the ongoing move by the Federal Government to find lasting solutions to the crisis in the Niger Delta.

    The students’ representatives, Mr. Emomotimi Pius, in a statement, lamented that they were no longer allowed by their schools to undertake academic activities for not paying their tuition fees. Pius said they were also facing eviction from their accommodation over nonpayment of school fees and in-training allowances.

    He said: “It has come to our notice how the ministries of finance, budgeting and planning, the Accountant-General and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are frustrating the Amnesty Programme by not releasing funds being approved by President Muhammad Buhari to the Amnesty Office.

    “We are making it known to the general public the suffering the Niger Delta students are facing in foreign land due to poor funding of the amnesty programme.

    “Students have also been asked to return back to Nigeria from America due to inadequate funding of the programme. We are totally against such decision of abrupt termination of our education.

    He further said that students from the various universities were yet to receive a dime from the little sum of money that was released to the amnesty office.

    He noted that Swansea University, Wales; Hertfordshire University, Hartfield; University of Portsmouth; University of Plymouth, University of Birmingham and others had not received their money for  five months.

    “We are in our final year of study and will be graduating soon. We are calling on the acting president, the House of Rep and Senate to take the necessary steps to salvage us from this precarious situation we are in due to lack of funds.

    “While we commend the effort of the Acting president in seeking sustainable peace in Niger Delta through his visits to various states in the region, we call on all youths, ex-agitators, in the region to embrace the move.

    “We are calling on the Finance Minister, the Minister of Budgeting and Planning, Accountant-General and the Governor of CBN to stop frustrating the effort of the Special Adviser and Coordinator of the Amnesty Hrogramme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd) in achieving success in the amnesty programme.

    “We are asking they stop playing politics with the release of funds for the amnesty program and support the effort of the special adviser in bringing the needed peace in Niger Delta and Nigeria”.

  • ‘People inhaled the gas and got choked to death’

    ‘People inhaled the gas and got choked to death’

    February 22 will for some time remain a sad day for community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State. That day, a gas explosion rocked Evekwu and the effects are still being felt. It came from an oil facility. More than 10 people are feared dead. Some of the victims identified by their leaders include, Sarah Obisike, Omevem Ezinwo, Nkesi Wodu,  Kingsley Enyadike,  Samuel Amadi. James Nzokurum, Uche Ize, Faith Mannewe, Chidi Wekwa and a young lady (name not ascertained).

    When the incident first happened in the community, there were confusing reports on what the actual cause of the explosion was and how many casualties recorded. Some said it was only one person that died; others said no death was recorded.

    Rivers State Commissioner for Environment Prof. Roseline Konya visited the scene and was quoted as saying that nobody died in the gas explosion because the incident occurred in a forest.

    But the communities disagreed with her and noted that two days after the explosion, they discovered four death bodies inside the bush. They also argued that it was not only Evekwu community  that was affected by the exposition and that  many members of the community are still searching for their relatives who have been declared missing.

    The Chairman of Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) Emohua chapter, Sir Lucky Worluh, said he was disappointed when he heard that  Konya claimed nobody died.

    He said the inability of the owners of the exploded facility to show sympathy to the affected community and the families of the victims was a sign of enslavement and disregard for the pains and the suffering of the people.

    Worluh said: “Even a deaf and dumb can disappoint you if you think you can take him or her for granted. What we need now in the affected community is remediation and while that is going on, the companies should send relief materials to the people. God will not forgive those who are seeing white and calling it black. I don’t know what people intend to gain by conniving with oil companies to betray their community.

    “The companies and those who are telling them that nobody died in the explosion that has claimed many lives are only beating the drums of war. First, the companies should go there and assess the level of the damage. We want to know what kind of pipe that was buried on the ground, what quality and how long it has stayed there. The companies cannot allow the people to die after polluting their water and the environment. We are only watching, waiting for their next action because I know they will not take our love for peace as weakness.

    “When the incident happened, the affected community started running for safety; according to them, when they get to the next community the people in that area also ran away to the other village just like that. That was why we are recording more casualties because a lot of people jumped inside the river, pond and water –well. For those who said nobody died, the affected communities have continued to discover death bodies and many are still missing. We have a culture that those who died were buried in the forest; that is the custom of the area”

    Hon. Sam Oge, the lawmaker representing Emohua Constituency in Rivers State House of Assembly, said it was wrong and premature for anyone to give any report concerning the explosion when those investigating the cause of the incident are yet to present their report.

    He said he visited the scene and also interacted with the community and the companies but he was not in a position to inform the public if there was casualty or not from the incident.

    Oge said: “I visited the scene I also interacted with the community and the companies involved. But outside the requests being made by the community, what I was interested in is the impact assessment and I was meant to understand that there was investigation going on by the agencies that are saddled with such responsibility. Some agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, visited the community. They are supposed to turn in their report as to demonstrate what happened. Of course, I am not aware if the report is ready or not but the companies told me that as soon as the final report of the investigation is out, they will inform me but until now nobody has informed me of anything.”

    On whether there was casualty or not, the lawmaker said: “For me, whatever comment anybody made at that stage was preposterous and premature. In fact, it is irresponsible for anybody to draw any conclusion in respect of the explosion. Look, it was a big sound and people were running helter-skelter  to anywhere and whenever they saw people running, they joined.  Even police men in the area took cover. I heard that the customary court in the area abandoned their duty and took off.”

    A socio-cultural group in the area known as Odegu General Assembly  said the death toll has risen to 10. The group said several people in the area have developed different aliments.

    Speaking during a protest, the chairman of the group, Mr. Eke Emenike, said:  “Observably, the explosion caused a deep panic in the minds of our people who ran for safety, thereby leaving so many people physically injured and myriads of health challenges such as hypertension and sundry respiratory problems. As at today, the dead toll from this incident has risen to 10.

    “The walls of so many of our buildings were cracked because of the degree of the vibration; our environment is injected with massive poisonous gaseous substances inimical to human health and so many of our children who fled their homes in panic during the resultant tremor are still missing. The pipeline explosion was a manifestation of the negligence meted against the people of the area.”

    He went on:  “In spite of the high magnitude of contribution of the kingdom to the earnings of the country, the kingdom and her people are debased, neglected in provision of infrastructure and human capital development. To our dismay, instead of addressing the remediation, vigorous investigation, inspection and clean-up of the polluted environment, NLNG, NNPC, DPR, NAOC and IDSL are in conspiracy to build up a diversionary story on whose gas facility did the explosion erupted from, whose activity is responsible and who should bear the burden.”

    The paramount ruler of Rumuji community, Eze Ohna Christian Elechi, said he was disappointed over the behavour of the operators of the exploded facilities.

    Elechi said: “We never knew where to run to. We thank God that this was not a rainy season if not more people would have died. Since this thing happened, we have recorded over nine deaths in the bush.  People inhaled the gas and got choked and others who are hypertensive are also in pain.  Several people got various degrees of injuries. The government should come to our aid.”

  • Amaechi… A minister’s humility

    For the first time in history, a Minister in charge of Transportation had dropped the aura of his executive office to attend a function organised by the ‘seemingly neglected’ in the Society.

    Tricycle and Motorcycle riders popularly called “Okada”, under the aegis of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycles and Motorcycles Owners Repairers and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) had penultimate week organized their 2017 day anniversary, with the theme “the role of tricycles and motorcycles in transport development”, with the Transportation Minister Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi as the chief host.

    The group has its members cut across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT. As it was in the past governments, the leaders of the group had thought that the Minister would ignore their invitation or possibly delegate someone else to represent him. The leadership of ACOMORAN had also thought that considering public perception about ‘Okada’ men it would be unthinkable for such a high ranking political office holder to dream of attending their occasion.

    But to their greatest surprise, the Honorable Minister Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi stormed the event. As a Man of principle who keep to time and a show of humility, Amaechi arrived at the venue of the event before the National Leadership of the group and majority of her members.

    The occasion was bid to commence at 11: am with expected Guests arriving at 10:30 am but Amaechi got there at exactly 10:15am with only an insignificant number of members and other invited Guests already seated.

    Amaechi arrived the auditorium took his seat and waited for the arrival of the host and other top ranking dignitaries of the National Assembly whom were expected at the event.

    Some members of the group who were present when Amaechi arrived the hall were seen making calls here and there probably to alert their leadership and other members about Amaechi’s timely arrival.

    Fourty minutes later, leaders and other members of the group including expected dignitaries started arriving. Some of the dignitaries invited were the former Zamfara State governor, Senator Sanni Yerima, Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, and host of others.

    Amaechi waited patiently and took his time to welcome those who were meant to welcome him. Amaechi would not give a damn to his political status, he would not underrate anyone.

    But before the guests started trooping in those ‘Okada’ riders who were seated before Amaechi arrived were spotted struggling to take pictures with the Honourable Minister.

    For some of them it was the first time seeing Amaechi one-on-one, so it was an opportunity to have a picture with a man who championed the change Nigerians are currently enjoying.

    It was also an opportunity to have a handshake with a man whom they believe is simple, humble and bold to speak the truth, a man whom they perceived to be good and relates with the people.

    It was also an opportunity to exchange pleasantries with a man who was tortured by the past government due to his stand in speaking the truth at all times.

    Some said they would boldly display on their face book and WatSap accounts the pictures they snapped with Amaechi. They referred to Amaechi as a hero of democracy.

    When the occasion kick started with the introduction of dignitaries to the high table, the anchor had said, been the chief host, Amaechi would be the last to assume his seat on the high table as according to him  “big masquerade dey appear last”.

    But When Amaechi was finally told to assume his seat on the high table he realized that a Professor seated closed to him was not recognised on the high table, swiftly, Amaechi said to the MC ” If you don’t invite Prof. to the high table I will not go there”.

    Amaechi’s statement triggered a thunderous applaud by the crowd on Amaechi himself.

    The event was a memorable one and members of the group were excited at Amaechi’s presence and his show of humility to the University Professor.

    In his speech, the National President of ACOMORAN Alhaji Shehu Maihula Babangida described Amaechi as a “great supporter of the downtrodden”.

    Babangida said “Permit me to specially recognize the efforts and supports of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, (CON), who has also been total in his support. Amaechi is a great supporter, the Minister is an icon of great repute to ACOMORAN in terms of his unflinching support and encouragement received from him either as a former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly or as a former Governor of Rivers State”.

    “The Minister has played a vital role in the transportation sector. He has totally transformed the sector from rot and perpetual decay”.

    Babangida also said his group has reduced drastically the rate of crime in the country by engaging the vulnerable youths who would have been involved in armed robbery and other social vices.

    ” Interestingly too, we have accomplished three cardinal things namely; massive reduction of unemployment in the country by engaging individuals who would have been jobless, we have also reduced the act of criminality in the country and we have contributed to the macroeconomic development of Nigeria”.

    Amaechi’s decision to parley with ‘Okada’ men was his style of associating with the poor and down- trodden in the land. It is inherent in Amaechi to romance with the hopeless and build trust and hope in them.

    Amaechi is indeed a “great supporter”, he is indeed, “the peoples minister”, and I dare to say that if there is any Nigerian minister both past and serving that can abandon the luxury of his office and stoop so low to mingling with the most dejected and neglected in the land, Amaechi is the answer.

    For some members of the ACOMORAN whom I interacted with, Amaechi’s presence at their event has rekindled their hope in life. It has also shown that indeed change has come.The group also used the occasion to pray for Amaechi and quick recovery of President Muhamadu Buhari.

    On his part, Amaechi hailed the union members and their leadership for their contribution to nation building. Amaechi explained that his Ministry recognises the role played by the transporters in the economy not only in terms of growing their own personal economy but growing a national economy.

    “The ministry of transportation recognizes the role you play in the economy not only in terms of growing your personal economy but also growing a national economy because transportation is logistics. It is the movement of goods and services from one point to the other. Its absence can mean that the economy cannot grow, so you create that job, not only do you create that job you also create services in other to grow the economy”.

    “You provide the easiest and quickest means of transportation. Tricycles and Motorcycles are used for Agricultural purposes. You convey goods from one place to another and people depend on you because you are cheaper than the rest means of transportation and so nobody should undermine you, nobody should take you for granted”, Amaechi explained.

    But however, Amaechi also told the group the hard truth about public perception on them. He noted that while Nigerians recognise their importance they have become associated with lawlessness and recklessness.

    “Majority of Nigerians recognise your importance, they recognise that you take them from one point to the other, the only problem is that people believe you are reckless. Before, the number of accident and the rate at which people were dying and losing their legs seem to be very high but now it has gone down. People think you are reckless, they think you are disobedient to road signs, there is impatient and you park any where you see”,he said.

     

    • Okpara, an aide of the Minister of Transportation, sent this piece from Abuja.

     

  • Stop dumping toxic waste in Koko, says ERA

    Stop dumping toxic waste in Koko, says ERA

    The Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, wants the Federal Government to end the dumping of toxic wastes in Koko, Delta State. He spoke at a news conference on Wednesday. Excerpts from his address:  

    This is an urgent conflict alert to draw the attention of the Delta State government and the federal agency National Environmental Standard & Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to immediately set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the recent dumping of toxic waste in Koko town in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State. This is not the first time this is happening. To refresh our memory, persistent ecological onslaught on the people of the Niger Delta being perpetrated by corporations and their Nigerian collaborators continues unabated leading to massive pollution of water bodies and soil contamination.

    To recall, in 1987 an Italian businessmen Gianfranco Raffaeli and Renato Pent, of the Waste Broker firms Ecomar and Jelly Wax respectively, signed an illegal agreement with an unsuspecting Nigerian businessman, Sunday Nana, to use his property for storage of 18,000 drums of hazardous waste for approximately $100 a month.1  Italy is believed to produce between 40 and 50 million tons of industrial wastes and 16 million tons of household wastes each year, most of which are exported to developing countries like Nigeria for disposal. Nana was made to believe the wastes were substances relating to the building industry, and were residual and allied chemicals. By the time the truth came out, it was discovered that the contents included “toxic and radioactive” substances including asbestos fiber and dioxin, among other dangerous chemicals. The Koko people and those

    who handled the wastes were exposed to the hazards of the chemicals and some were hospitalized with problems ranging from chemical burns, nausea, to paralysis. The chemicals included resins, solvents and pigments that cause inflammation of vital human organs, poisoning the blood system and cancers. Nana reportedly died while watching the toxics.

    Recall that it took several media stories before the then Ibrahim Babangida junta stepped in and made some arrests and finally through diplomatic means ensured that the toxic wastes were returned by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to sender in Italy.

    That incident played a crucial role in the birth of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) charged with the administration and enforcement of the provisions of environmental laws in Nigeria. In addition, the government enacted the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions) Act, 1988, to deal specifically with illegal dumping of harmful waste.

    Another toxic nightmare unfolding in Koko?

    It may shock you all to know that nearly 30 years after the sad incident we mentioned, ERA/FoEN and locals have again confirmed new wastes dump in vessels owned by Ebenco Global Link Limited as hazardous.  Ebenco is into waste management and recycling and operating in the Koko since 2007 or thereabout and known for emptying sludge and similar wastes into the Koko river or simply burying them.2

    The waste substances are said to be from an international oil company which is in a Joint Venture (JV) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Owing to complaints by some locals, ERA/FoEN worked with some researchers to extract soil and water samples from the community and sent them to a certified laboratory where it was discovered that over a dozen chemicals were in the dumped waste. From the independent report, the dangerous chemicals includes poly nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), Oil and grease, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) and BETEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene and Xylene) and some heavy metals with values higher than acceptable levels of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.3

    Not only is ERA/FoEN disturbed by this trend, we are also very alarmed about the Nigerian government seemingly incentivisation of waste imports and dumping in the country due to lowering environmental standards, and the lack of compliance of extant environmental laws.

    In the wake of the toxic dumping the issue is being discussed in hush undertones suggesting conflicts and division in the community as to how to handle the waste. While some have aligned with the company involved and demanding compensation others insist on the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry to unravel the persistence of toxic waste dumping in Niger delta and in particular Koko town.

    To address the indiscriminate and illegal dumping of hazardous wastes like in the case of Ebenco Global Link Ltd, and more importantly in keeping with the spirit and letter of Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution for the protection of air, water, soil, we make the following demands:

     

    Our Demands:

    • That the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) live up to its responsibility of protection of the environment and enforcing compliance with all environmental laws both in Nigeria as well as international agreements, protocols and treaties on the environment to which Nigeria is a signatory.
    • Delta state Ministry of Environment and the federal Ministry of Environment should also step in to collaborate for a proper Commission of Enquiry to unravel the persistence of toxic waste dumping in Koko.
    • That Ebenco Global Link Limited be compelled to clean up its mess in Koko and evacuate its hazardous wastes, including those allegedly surreptitiously buried in large quantities4
    • That Ebenco should pay specified penalties and fines as well as compensation to victims/community people whose land have been contaminated.

    We stand in solidarity with the people of Koko and concerned environmental advocacy groups in challenging the human rights abuses and impunity being perpetrated by the company. This environmental onslaught at the behest of the company that has led to the divide and rule of the people in Koko must stop now!!!

    The environment is our life, it is not for sale!

  • Bayelsa firm battles bank over alleged missing N151m

    A firm, Godsidi Investment Limited, owned by a popular politician in Bayelsa State, Mr. Godwin Sidi is engaged in a legal warfare with the Access Bank Plc over an allegation that N151million disappeared from its account.

    The matter is before Justice Young Ogola of the state High Court. The court has already started hearing the case. It has fixed March 13 for further hearing. The firm is determined to prove that the bank inherited the money as part of its liability when it acquired the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc in 2012.

    In a writ of summon, the firm said it became suspicious when Access Bank  denied it access to the account. It said the bank stopped it from withdrawing the money. The company argued that the bank’s explanations for non-withdrawal was untenable.

    It said: “The explanation tendered on the reasons for non-withdrawal from the account was not convincing and the demand for a statement of account was turned down. The claimant demanded for a statement of account through the Festus Keyamo Chambers.

    “On 5th Febuary, 2010, the bank came up? with a doctored statement of account showing irregularities and unrealistic transaction claims.

    “The claimant consequently reported the matter to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), which reffered the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which in turn responded by arresting agents of the defendant, who were later released on bail.

    “Since then the defendant has done nothing to restore the claimants money in his account despite several demands.? The claimant’s complain of fraudulent manipulation of its account, dated February, 2010 is hereby pleaded.

    The firm asked the court to issue an order directing the defendant to restore claimant’s initial lodgement and balance of the sum of N151million?.

    It also asked the court for an order granting the sum of N3billion only to the claimant as damages for unlawful detention of its money from 2009 till date.

    But Access Bank is also determine to floor the firm, owned by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the bank’s statement of defence?, it described the allegations and claims by the firm as false and baseless.

    It said it was  a surreptitious attempt by the company to reopen the matter against Intercontinental Bank already investigated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Consumer Protection Council and the EFCC.

    The bank said the firm failed to substantiate its claims when the relevant government agencies investigated the matter.

    It said: “All the investigations conducted revealed that the account of the claimant was credited with various sums of money by claimant’s account officer at the time without any document to support the lodgement.

    “The defendant was not in any position to have restored the money allegedly belonging to the the claimant as the claimant never had any such money in the possession of Intercontinental Bank Plc”,

    The bank said prior to the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank, there was no report, findings or memo indicting the defunct bank by the CBN, CPC and EFCC in respect of the claims.

    It asked the court to dismiss the claims in its entirety with substantial costs because of its frivolity. The court will further head the matter on March 13.

  • Environmentalists raise alarm over alleged Koko toxic dump

    Environmentalists raise alarm over alleged Koko toxic dump

    Koko, a town in Delta State which became popular several years ago as a result of harmful industrial waste dumped on its soil,  has been in the news for the same reason in the last few weeks. Environmental rights activists are urging the Federal Government to  seal off the site of the alleged toxic waste dump, writes BOLAJI OGUNDELE

    A group of environmental rights activists,  the Itsekiri Environmental and Human Rights Group (IEHRG), has urged the Federal Government to  seal off the site of an alleged toxic waste dump in Koko, Warri North Council Area of Delta State.

    The group, in a statement, alleged that in a bid to cover up the truth about the dumping of the toxic waste in the community, the company that brought the suspected dangerous substances to the community, Ebenco Global Link Limited, had started burying them in the site of the dump.

    Some community sources, weeks ago, raised the alarm over the continued dumping of substances suspected to be toxic waste in the community by the company, raising fears of compounded health hazard for the people of the community, who had had to live with the effect of a similar toxic wastes, which were imported from Italy in 1987/1988.

    According to the group, which claimed to have done some laboratory tests on samples of the substance and had confirmed they are toxic, while some leaders of Koko community, it claimed were beneficiaries of the company, had been working hard to help the company in its cover-up scheme, some officials of the federal government agency that ought to have taken action against the development had allegedly been compromised.

    It, however noted that the resort to cover up and burying the toxic materials in the soil of the community would hasten the damaging of the ecosystem in the area and expose the people to hazard more quickly, hence the need for government to swing into action immediately and stop the ongoing dangerous activity in the community.

    “The irony of the matter is that some Koko community leaders and residents are aiding, abetting and supporting Ebenco in the cover up of the criminal dumping of highly toxic and carcinogenic wastes in their town because they are on the payroll of the company and its backers. We also understand that some officers of the regulatory body that were sent to the site were alleged to have been compromised.

    “As at Tuesday, February 28, 2017, the company, Ebenco has heaped tons of sand on the dumped site and used bulldozers to grind and press the toxic wastes into the ground perhaps unknowingly hastening the seeping of the toxic and carcinogenic materials into the underground water system. The intention of the company is to create an impression that there is no toxic waste dumped at the site because the pits have been covered with sand.

    “It is evident that the exposure of the company’s activities in Koko has kicked in a survival instinct which has resulted in high spending, cover up and other criminal activities.

    “The government has responsibility to the people of Koko. It must take immediate and positive action on the unfortunate occurrences in Koko. The place should be sealed up, while Government is conducting its investigation.

    “The time lapse since we raised an alarm and petitioned the Federal Ministry of  Environment  has given the company the opportunity to think that it can cover up the criminal dumping of toxic and carcinogenic waste in Koko community. In the mean time, the company is busy hoodwinking the locals and corrupt local government officials”, the group said.

    The House of Representatives, on Wednesday in Abuja, passed a resolution to investigate the dumping of toxic waste in Koko community in Warri, Delta, to avert failure of human organs.

    The House also mandated its Committees on Environment and Habitat, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources to investigate the extent of the environmental impact of the toxic waste on the community.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion titled “Need to Investigate the Dumping of Toxic Waste in Koko Community of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State,’’ sponsored by Rep. Daniel Reyenieju (PDP-Delta).

    Moving the motion, Reyenieju recalled that in June 1988, toxic waste was dumped in Koko which resulted to illnesses and environmental damages to aquatic life of the people.

    He expressed concern that apart from the incidence that happened in 1988, there was recurrence in 2017 which violates the environmental guideline and standard for the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

    The lawmaker said 80 per cent of oily sludge is considered hazardous because of the presence of toxic organics such as aromatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and complex compounds with very high molecular weights.

    “The consumption or absorption of toxic and carcinogenic contaminants by plants and lower animals will ultimately lead to bioaccumulation in humans from food chain in nature which will result in failure of organs and ultimately death.

    “During the rainy season, surface and underground water which is the source of drinking water for the people is gravely contaminated through seepage of toxic and carcinogenic substances into aquifer.

    “The area around the dump site is residential and a primary school, with its numerous pupils and teachers, also share a common perimeter fence with the dump site facility,’’ Reyenieju said.

    The House mandated the relevant committees to report back their findings within four weeks for further legislative action.

  • Peterside, a people’s missed opportunity

    The campaigns for the 2015 general election in Rivers State tasked the strongest and left the weak sapped. But for Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, it was an engagement on the catwalk. For him, a man’s strength can only be verified at a long distance race. The dash is only for the swift-legged, but would you want to show raw strength and attest to a runner’s resilience,, set him on the marks for a marathon.. In 2015, Peterside ran a marathon as for the outcome, Rivers State is reaping the fruits.

    This discourse is the product of empiricism derived from statistics both verifiable and marginal. Since 2015 the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared his main opponent in the governorship election winner, Rivers State has lost its eye and sleep unfortunately, at the same time. Had the state still its eyes, it could pray for sleep.. But losing both its sleep and eye becomes its irredeemable tragedy. In 2015, Rivers State had an opportunity to build on its peace; expand its boundaries for development. No doubt, Peterside was the poster page boy, the symbol of an emerging revolution anchored on humility and trust. Peterside, a thorough disciple of the Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi political school and thoroughbred loyalist, not anxious nor given to haste, ran a campaign anchored on intelligence, respect for elders and decorous diction. He was never faulted nor found loquacious with his speeches. Even though the average Nigerian politician seeking for votes could go merry and wild in their speech during campaigns, for Peterside a man’s words show who he is. So, never at any time was he caught on the offside of the tongue. The case was different with his major contender who razor-bladed with his tongue, whose slogan was laced in violent chants and slogans.

    Often found in the carriage of ancient philosophers and wise men who understood the power of the tongue, even when provoked beyond measure by his opponent and other reverse political interests, Peterside clung to modest response that even his supporters would spoil for war. Not even the infamous Okrika attack on him and the campaign train arm twisted him to become who he was not – a man of peace. His reaction to that provocation sold him further as a man of peace whose administration would pursue peace for the sake of Rivers State. However, ulterior forces, mobilised by anti-peace agents from home, bungled such fine opportunity. Today Rivers State is reaping the bitterness of that diversion.

    Since the current regime in Rivers State came on board, the state has graduated from its glorious “Rivers of Possibilities” to its now inglorious status of “Rivers of Blood”. Streets are deserted as the day hits evening over fear of rampaging apostles of King Herod. Remember that Roman potentate domiciled in Jewry was the first recorded murderer who beheaded John, the Baptist. This Herod, the murderer, drew the first sword across a neck and would be proud today that his bestial example is today a big industry in Rivers State. But trust, had Peterside occupied the Brick House, Rivers State would not have walked this boulevard of murderous Herod. Peterside abhors violence and speaks out against its proponents. He believes that nothing is impossible through peace.

    Today in this state, life is as cheap as the cheapest as people get killed, their heads beheaded and pinned across streets as football goal posts. It never got that bad until now. Peterside’s foray into the Rivers governorship was not for personal aggrandisement but was to proffer abiding peace and development module. What Rivers State missed!

    The current unfortunate scenario in Rivers State was avoidable. Peterside was a clear solution to the tragedy of today. He was not rejected by the voters but was shot out by messengers of hot pellets buoyed by their paymasters. That sad incident has dragged Rivers State into an abyss. Today, the future of this greatly endowed state is in the hands of clairvoyants, people who rule by fiat and terror.

    This piece shall return with options open to Rivers State with Peterside still an unavoidable option.

     

    • First published by Neighbourhood
  • His Excellency’s mistress

    His Excellency’s mistress

    There was a strong wind.  A very strong one at that. Roofs were being torn apart. Houses were collapsing. Roads were sinking. And cul-de-sacs were giving way. The end appeared to be here.

    All of a sudden everything took shape again. The wind stopped blowing. Torn roofs got fixed. Everything just got back to the shape they were before the strong wind started blowing.

    It was in the dead of the night. As they moved deep into the thick forest, Moseyn Ekiw could see a spooky dark alcove which looked very much like a shrine. He was to find out it really was a shrine, where his initiation into the demonic cult was to take place.

    They, five in all, were decked in red attires. Some kind of uniform. Moseyn was carrying a calabash, which contained the blood of the he-goat for his initiation. He was also carrying a black polythene bag, containing the black fish and other initiation materials.

    Fear was beginning to grip him now that they had reached the outside of the murky waters around the shrine. But there was no going back at this stage.

    The sounds they could hear were that of the forest insects and frogs lurking in the murky waters around the shrine.

    Imalaya, who appeared to be the leader of the demonic group, ordered them all to back the shrine. He served them the local gin. Of course, after he had poured the libation.

    “Now, with your back, walk into the shrine.” And they all did.

    “Let’s pray,” Imalaya said as they had all taken their seats on the mat.”

    “Lord of the Great Men of the Earth, who has the secret of wealth and prosperity in hand, here we are to add one more person to your kingdom, let success smile on us…”

    “Ase,” they all chorused. And the prayer was over. Imalaya motioned to Moseyn to stand up.

    “Say this after me. In the name of the Lord of the Great men, I, Moseyn Ekiw, hereby swore to an oath of secrecy to dedicate the rest of my life to the worship of the Lord of the Great men in pursuant of my dealings in the evangelism industry.”

    “Kneel down”

    Moseyn complied. Imalaya carried the calabash and black fish.

    “These, we offer you on behalf of our brother,” Imalaya said and placed the objects before the Lord of Great Men, symbolised with some carcasses that looked like human heads, Imalaya waited for sometime as if awaiting reply from the god.

    “Congratulations, Moseyn. The deed is done. The next thing is for us to tell you about ourselves. After that we’ll tell you about your duties and responsibilities to the lord and give you the instruments you need to work in your ministry.”

    One by one, they told Moseyn about themselves. He discovered that they were all big men, with power and fame.

    “We are getting to the end of it,” Imalaya announced, bringing out the instruments he earlier talked about, “Take these.” And he handed them over to Moseyn.

    “With the dark one, that is the Olugbohun, whatever you decree shall come to pass.      And with the red one, Aworo, you’ll have a lot of members in your political ministry. David’ll give you the incantations and how to go about it.

    “Those two instruments eat food. And their food is once in a year. And it is blood.”

    “There is no problem with that”, thought Moseyn.

    “And it is the blood of human beings, 8-day-old baby.”

    Shock gripped Moseyn. He never envisaged this. But he was ready. There was no going back.

    “Ready to provide it?” Imalaya asked.

    “Yes, yes,” he spluttered.

    “In fact, you’ve no choice at this stage.”

    The gathering dispersed after their demonic chants.

     

    ***********************

    Moseyn jumped out of the bed. He screamed and his startled wife jumped out of bed too.

    “What is the problem darling?”

    “It was a nightmare…”

    “What did you see?”

    “Never mind, I will be okay,” he said and encouraged her to go back to sleep.

    He walked to the sitting room to think about his life. The dream he just had was a repetition of reality, reality of several years ago when he was just trying to start his political career. He had been told he needed to fortify himself and he agreed to join the brotherhood and had kept to the agreements.

    As he searched his mind for an answer to the dream, he remembered Lilian, his mistress who boasted to make life miserable for him after making away with his $10million, which he stole from the fund he was supposed to use for the good of the people. He had threatened to send the police after her.

    “You dare not. You will have to explain to the security agency how you came about the money, you useless good-for-nothing man,” she had screamed at him.

    A few days ago, The Country had scooped the news. Part of the report had said: “A governor from an oil-producing state is in soup and under probe by some security agencies.

    “The governor seems to have been duped by his mistress who stays in Texas in the United States. The governor is worried after discovering that his girlfriend has defrauded him of $10 million.

    “What started as a love affair and promises of good faith has turned sour. Yet the governor would not want his wife or the people of the state, who will be disappointed, to know about this ugly transaction.

    “Investigation so far indicated that the governor allegedly diverted part of the bailout funds meant for his state to the mistress.

    “All relevant security agencies are already tracking how the cash was wired to the mistress as well as the whereabouts of the funds.

    “Very soon, the details of the transaction will be revealed to Nigerians. This is why the government has decided to monitor how bailout funds and London-Paris loan refunds were spent.”

    Moseyn remembered how many who commented on the report on the social media had all got it wrong. A colleague of his from a neigbouring state was accused of being the culprit. Aides of the accused governor and those looking for one favour or the other fell over themselves to clear his colleague. He laughed while reading the spat. The opposition party in his colleague’s state even issued a statement asking him to account for the money he never lost. There was even a former commissioner who laid the blame for the report on a popular columnist. It was a galore of gaffes and it made him smile.

    He was still lost in thought when his phone rang. He checked the number. It was a call from the United States. His mind told him it must be Lilian. And he was right.

    “Your Excellency, this is your mistress calling,” Lilian said as soon as he picked the call.

    And before he could say anything, she added: “I am sure you are enjoying the confusion over the report. You must be happy it is your colleague that is being linked to the deal. Enjoy it while it lasts. That crazy daughter of a former Southwest governor even helped you by claiming her investigation revealed all manners of things that ae even worse than fiction. To make matters worse she linked an actress to the whole thing and even claimed an editor with The Country was paid by your colleague to deny he was the culprit.”

    There was silence for some seconds and when she sensed Moseyn was about to talk, she shouted: “I did not call to hear your husky voice. I called to let you know you aren’t seen nothing yet. Sleep will elude you and when you manage to get some sleep, nightmare will force you to abandon it. The $10million dollars is mine and mine for good. No one can take it away from me. I understand the system in the U.S. so well that Nigerian security agents will only be chasing shadows trying to probe where the money is. It is my inheritance. It is the money Waters State owed my father and you as the governor has paid back. Good bye and good riddance.”

    Moseyn cursed the day he met her in London and chose to make her his mistress. At this point, he remembered her threat that he would look for sleep and not see and that when he even managed to get some sleep, nightmare would wake him up.

    “Did she have anything to do with the dream or nightmare he just had?”

    He knew he would never find an answer to the question. He decided to put the issue at the back of his mind. There were more serious matters, such as a supplementary legislative rerun election, to attend to and not even Lilian would make him allow the Change Peoples Congress (CPC) to win the two seats up for grab.

    “Waters State must remain under the umbrella,” he said and went back to the bedroom. He took Tramadol and was convinced that with it, no weapon fashioned against him would disturb his sleep.

     

  • Expert laments delay in completing Niger Delta roads

    A fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Highway Engineers (FNIHE), Mr. Mayne David-West,snr, has lamented problems arising from the delay in completing critical roads in the Niger Delta region awarded by the Federal Government.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, he raised the alarm that some roads awarded since 1970s were still far from completion.

    He said: “It is difficult to swallow that a 33.5km road project awarded since 2009 has a completion status of only 47.76% as at now. The Federal Government should do all it could to facilitate the completion of stalled projects.

    “Each time there is delay in a project, it pushes the price up. A road like Bodo-Bonny Road has been in the realm of dreams since 1974.

    “In 1990, we carried out some preliminary studies and produced inception report and drawings on this road and the preliminary cost estimate was just a few hundred million naira then, but today that project will cost nothing less than N150bn.

    “The Bodo-Bonny road alignment which is proposed to run initially along the eastern periphery of Bonny Island, crosses the Nanabie and then flies over Opobo Channel and Patrick Creek before running through Bodo to Mogho Junction after a distance of about thirty-nine (39) kilometers.”

    According to Mayne David-West,inadequate budgetary provisions,delay in the payment of certified works within the stipulated time frame in the contract and initial community problems, all conspire to restrain the completion of major Federal road projects in the Niger Delta region.

    David-West added: “The Bodo-Bonny road project will entail engineering soil transplant procedure, PVD installation, embankment placement and the construction of three River Crossings such as the Opobo Channel, which is about 950 meters long, the Nanabie Crossing which is about 720meters and Patrick Creeks which is 600 meters long”.

    He, however, blamed the delay on inadequate budgetary provisions, delay in the payment of certified work within the stipulated time frame in the contract and initial community problems.

    He lauded the recent tour of abandoned and ongoing road projects in the region by the Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola?, describing it as commendable and reassuring.

    He said the decision by the minister to visit project sites such as the abandoned Bodo-Bonny road project in Rivers State and the Yenegwe-Okarki-Kolo road project, which links Rivers State to Bayelsa State, had reassured the people of the Niger Delta region.

    He said the minister’s initiative had helped to consolidate the gains of the recent visit of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and restore the peoples’ confidence in the Federal Government’s readiness to accelerate development in the region.

    David-West works for the Pearl Consultants, the firm that designed the 730km East-West Coastal Highway (Calabar – Lagos). The firm is handling the 33.5km Yenegwe-Okarki-Kolo road project.

    David-West expressed confidence that with the visit of Fashola, the Bodo-Bonny road project would commence adding that completing the road would give credit to late Chief Harold Dappa Biriye and others who fought for it.

    David-West urged all the major stakeholders of the Bodo-Bonny road such as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), other multinationals, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rivers State Government (RSG) and Federal Government to launch a trust fund for the road.