The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Cleric to Wike: shun confrontation

    The Archbishop, Anglican Communion of the Niger Delta North, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey has advised Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike to avoid confrontation with opponents and perceived enemies.

    Kattey’s advice was contained in his presidential address at the 3rd Session of the 7th Synod of the Diocese of Niger Delta North which took place at St Silas Anglican Church, Eneka, Rivers State. He urged the governor “to do all in your power to avoid confrontation and God will raise men and women who will confront those who confront you.”

    The Anglican Archbishop also told the governor that “any form of confrontation will divert your attention and reduce your performance.”

    He further enjoined all and sundry to “join hands together to build Rivers State.”

    While noting that Wike is the governor of the state today, the Cleric also pointed out that it might be the turn of another person tomorrow cautioning that “we should not destroy the state because someone else is the governor.”

    Continuing, Kattey told Wike that  as the father of everybody resident in the state, he should run an all-inclusive government adding that “this is necessary as it will  build bridges and give people a sense of belonging even as it will guarantee greater participation in the State’s Project.”

    The cleric also commended the governor for his zero-tolerance to cultism and secret societies in all educational institutions in the state.

    He said: “Governor Wike has not left anyone in doubt of his administration’s desire to provide quality education and also create employment opportunities for the graduates.

    “He has reintroduced boarding system in some selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and is paying examination fees and materials for the National Examinations Council, and released funds for the accreditation of 17 academic programmes in Rivers State University of Science and technology (RSUST).”

    The cleric also enjoined the Governors of the South-South states to be focused, dynamic and transparent while maintaining their commitment to good governance adding that “the entire peace-loving and good people of the region are praying for them.”

    He cautioned politicians in the South-South region and the rest of the country against acts that might endanger the lives of the people and decried the level of insecurity in the country.

    Kattey, who is also the Bishop, Niger Delta North told politicians that the game of politics must not be played at the detriment of the people who are supposed to benefit from it.

    He also stressed the need for leaders in the various political parties to demonstrate Christian leadership qualities of service, humility and integrity, to give glory to God.

    The theme of the Synod which is: “The second coming of Jesus Christ”, Kattey said is apt in view of the happenings across the globe now, pointing out that the unfolding events across the world must keep Christians at alert as the Lord Jesus Christ may come  at any moment.

    Citing various Biblical prophecies to buttress his point, Kattey said that even as other religions have attested to the second coming of Jesus Christ.

    “When we have heard and understand the truth of Christ’s promised return, we cannot just keep living our lives in the same old way.”

  • At 90, Prof Emeritus gathers friends against corruption

    At 90, Prof Emeritus gathers friends against corruption

    It was his 90th birthday. Prof. Emeritus Otonti Nduka gathered his friends to fight corruption.

    At the conference on Corruption, Democracy and National Development put together by Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education and Nigerian Academy of Education to mark his 90th birthday celebration in Port Harcourt, the Prof Emeritus demonstrated his hatred for corruption and ill practices of acquiring wealth.

    The programme, which took place at Dr. Obi Wali Conference Centre, G.U. Ake road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, was chaired by Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, the Vice Chancellor,  University of Sokoto. And the keynote speaker was Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili who extensively spoke on corruption and the way out.

    Apart from cutting his 90th birthday cake, the Prof. Emeritus also presented three books, titled: Values Education and National Development, The Roots of African Underdevelopment and Otonti Nduka: The man and his works.

    Speaking that the event, the Ikwerre – born Nduka  said: “I must confess that for ever so long I have often looked at some men and women of wealth and influence in the face with a mischievous or wry smile  sometimes with undisguised horror and even contempt. The gamut of my “righteous anger” extens for various reasons, from some heads of state, governors and top civil servant, ministers and the legislators, element of the judiciary, top bankers and business men. The military establishment, to the Pentecostal establishment, element of the academia and the teaching profession as well as to parents and guardians who have helped to lower our educational gold standard by aiding the abetting various forms of examination malpractice and corrupt practices In various walks of life.

    “We may wonder why the net appears to be extraordinarily wide. Let us advert to some of the various facts that have been tumbling out of hidden closets in recent times, thanks in part to the exposes facilitated by the internet and those revealed by government probes and international collaboration. A sample will do. Here we go: The billions of naira and dollars siphoned from the national treasury and deposited abroad by late General Abacha and other government functionaries, dead or alive.

    “The monumental pension fund and other financial frauds traceable to, or are being investigated in the office of the Head of service of the federation as well as parallel scams in many ministries across the country. The scandalous misappropriation or squandering of state resources by some governors, the impunity with which legislators across the country allocate a scandalously high proportion of the national resources to themselves in the form of salaries and allowances has made me to say we must speak in one voice to fight the fight if we must get it right.”

    Ezekwesili said corruption has eaten deep into the soul of the country and has made some Nigerians to now support corruption and attacking anyone who want to fight corruption with the idea that those identified as being corrupt are not the only people indulging in the evil practice.

    She said: “The best antidote of corruption is transparency; corruption within the transparency institution is described as misuse and abuse of office.  Many things have gone wrong in Nigeria because of corruption and some Nigerians are tolerating corruption because they believe that those accused of corrupt practices are not the only one.

    “  I am worried because the children of the poor are mostly the victim of corruption, young women who were sent to acquire  education where abducted.  But I have said it before now, that the education of the poor cannot be made as a basis of mockery. There are few people who believe that there is no chance for Nigeria ever making it again. But to tackle corruption in Nigeria you have to face all manner of attack, opposition and mockery.  But more than 60 percent Nigeria are living in poverty after more than trillion dollars earning over the period of oil discovering. This alone should make the citizens not to tolerate corruption. “

    Yaqub thanked the initiator and the members of the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education, for extending an invitation to him to chair the conference.

    “It is therefore a Conference that demands that a serious attention be given to it, of course, not necessarily because of my presence, but because of the intrinsic value of the Theme. Before I go on to appreciate the intrinsic importance of the Conference, let me pay tribute to the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education for always showing its avant-garde role and relevance to issues that should define why Nigeria should take its rightful place in the comity of nations, particularly the global scheme of things that is always in a state of flux.

    “Its concern for values education, for instance, is too relevant to all of us that it should be looked at a bit more beyond definition, which has been given as the teaching and learning of what is right and important in life. This essentially emphasizes the training of the mind, such that it is so learnt and it forms the basis of what the individual graduates with and to the world of work.”

    “I will say that a related concept to values education is moral education, which some may even argue is one and the same thing. Moral education is defined as promoting in the individual a desire to gain the greatest possible knowledge and understanding of whatever kind [of knowledge] will help him  make autonomous choices that are based on careful and informed thinking about the issues involved.”

  • Activists demand clean-up of Niger Delta

    Activists demand clean-up of Niger Delta

    Niger Delta must be cleaned, say environmental activists in a historic environmental awareness programme held at Ogbia Local Government Area Bayelsa State.

    Notable environmentalists and champions of climate change education gathered at the site of the first oil well on Tuesday to canvass for the clean-up of the oil-polluted region.

    Oil was first struck in commercial quantity in Nigeria on June 26, 1956 at the Oloibiri Oil Well 1 at the rate of 5,000 barrels per day.

    The 12,008 feet Oloibiri oil well has since become a shadow of itself. The first well is no longer producing oil. Sadly, it has been abandoned by oil multinationals, the Federal Government and others, who milked it dry, the way an ungrateful child forsakes his mother.

    Its immediate environment has also been abandoned to decay after many years of oil-induced pollution. The Otuabadi and other host communities of the well, still wallow in abject poverty. In fact, there is nothing in the communities to show that they hosted the first oil well in the country.

    But there is a monument, a symbol of oil well built by the government at the site of the first wellhead. It was built by the Federal Ministry of Tourism and National Orientation in 2013, maybe as the government’s only way of remembering the contributions of the communities to national growth and development.

    No wonder the Nengi James Foundation in partnership with other civil society groups decided to hold its sensitisation programme at the Oloibiri oil well. The programme tagged, “Role of fossil fuels on climate change” was designed as part of global week of events to raise awareness on the need for communities to support government’s efforts to clean up the Niger Delta region.

    Indeed, it was a gathering of activists and host communities. The Director of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) Mr. Nnimmo Bassey and other state representatives of ERA like Alagoa Morris were present at the occasion.

    All of them had one message.  They demanded the immediate clean up of polluted areas in the Niger Delta by the Federal Government and multinational oil companies and advocated an end to crude oil spills and gas flaring in the region.

    The demands of the host communities of the first oil well, were reeled out by Chief Napoleon Ofuruma, a former chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area. He lamented that oil exploration and exploitation had brought tales of environmental devastation and suffering to the people.

    Ofuruma said because of the drilling of oil with its consequences of pollution, it has not been easy for the people to return to their basic occupations of farming and fishing. He cried out that nothing had been done to clean the communities’ polluted land and creeks.

    In his remarks, Bassey dwelled on the need for the nation to embrace alternative sources of energy by de-emphasizing on fossil fuels which he described as major drivers of climate change.

    Also speaking, the facilitator of the programme and Founder, Nengi James Foundation, Alabo Nengi James blamed the pollution of communities, coastal erosion and ocean surge including climate change on oil exploitation.

    James, who is also the Chairman of the Civil Liberties organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa State, urged the Federal Government to grant at least 10% of the revenues to host and oil-producing communities to facilitate the development of such areas.

    Many solidarity messages from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), the Ijaw Women Connect (IWC) and leaders of civil society groups were read at the occasion. They called on government to ensure the speedy clean-up of all communities in the Niger Delta devastated by pollution.

    In a related development, the Environmental Management Association of Nigeria (EMAN) has commended  President Muhammadu Buhari for mustering the political will to embark on Ogoni Clean-up exercise.

    Its National President, Dr Emmanuel Ating, gave the commendation at a news conference in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, while highlighting some environmental management issues facing Nigeria .

    He said his association was delighted to hear from the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed that the Federal Government would flag off Ogoni Clean-up exercise on June 2.

    He noted that the clean up exercise had been long overdue going by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)  reports released in 2011.

    His words: “The leadership and entire members of EMAN are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for mustering the political will to embark on the Ogoni Clean up as recommended by UNEP.

    “The action of the president is highly commendable but as a professional body, EMAN wishes to advise that the clean-up of Ogoniland should not be politicised.

    “The Federal Ministry of Environment should be transparent in all stages of the clean-up.”

    He called for the engagement of skilled and experienced environmental managers in the clean-up exercise.

    He reminded the Federal Government not to allow the Ogoni clean up to suffer the same fate as the control of Nypa Palms  (Nipa Fruitican) spread in the mangrove swamps.

    Ating noted that proliferation of Nypa Palm aggravated coastal erosion and flooding but the Federal Ministry of Environment had abandoned the Nypa Palm control after inauguration in 2001.

    The association also called on the federal government to convene a national forum to discuss the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

    He said the forum was necessary to enable environment stakeholders know implementation response measures initiated by the Federal Government.

    He noted that there was need for awareness creation on the Paris Agreement 2015 before implementation by government following Article 12 of the Agreement.

    He quoted the agreement thus: “Parties should cooperate in taking measures, as appropriate, to enhance climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information.”

    EMAN president urged the Federal Government to refrain from establishing Climate Change Commission rather all the agencies of the Ministry of environment should be strengthened to function effectively.

    The professional body also urged Federal Government to lace military operations with environmental management strategies in rebuilding the ruins in North Eastern Nigeria.

    Ating said: “The success achieved so far by the military is enough for the the provision of infrastructure to commence.”

    He opined that absence of environmental management initiatives in the North Eastern Nigeria was responsible for long stay of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps. .

    “The application of military option only is counterproductive, because it produces internally displaced persons (IDPs). The military and Environmental Management strategies should be applied,” EMAN president advised.

  • A governor’s uncommon love for workers

    A governor’s uncommon love for workers

    Since he became Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has scored many firsts. He is the first to pay workers’ salaries every month. Between 13th and 20th of every month, salaries are paid. And to set a new record, he paid this month’s salaries on the first day of the month. Not because he was out to play any stunt but as a demonstration of his love

    The governor paid April salaries less than two weeks before paying May’s. April salaries were paid on the 20th.

    Ayade’s feats will make more sense when juxtaposed with the fact that states with ten times Cross River’s revenue are owing arrears of salaries.

    To enhance purchasing power and reduce poverty, he signed into law a bill that exempts minimum wage earners from paying taxes and he has just introduced a car ownership scheme for civil servants. Also, he has removed a 23-year old embargo placed on employment into civil service.

    Ayade, in his inaugural speech, vowed that no workers in the state will go hungry which have resulted in his faithfully ensuring the regular and prompt payments of salaries of the state work force every month.

    Others initiatives by Ayade to enlarge the labour space in the state include the establishment of the Calabar garment factory where over 2500 cross Riverians will be given employment and the Green Police where another 1000 jobs have been created.

    The ongoing construction of the Calabar Pharmaceutical industry and the Thai Africa Rice city where over 3000 people will be engaged and given a means by the Ayade’s government to provide food for their families are also initiatives which show the governor’s love for his people. The Organized Labour in Cross River State recently declared him the Most-Labour Friendly Governor in Nigeria.

    The Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade John Ushie, said the workers in the state are very happy with the governor for his pro –workers policy and pledged total support of all the workers in the state to his administration. The NLC state chairman stated this when he led executive members of the NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Public Service Negotiating Council in the state on a courtesy call on the governor at the State Executive Council Chambers in Calabar.

    According to Ushie, “The Organised Labour has resolved to single you out in the whole Nigeria and West Africa as the Digital and Best-Labour Friendly Governor.”

    He explained that Ayade was chosen for the award for a number of reasons, including prompt payment of workers salary and the courage to embark on economy changing projects like the 260km superhighway, the Bakassi Deep Seaport, the Calabar Garment and Textile Factory and the establishment of Green Police.

    His words: “Since your assumption of office, every 13th to 18th day of each month, workers smile home with their salaries. We have gone through the records and across all other states since our colleagues exist in all, we have also found that you have surpassed your colleagues in Nigeria and have gone far to surpass the Federal Government especially in the area of payment of salaries. “

    The NLC chairman who reiterated the resolve of the Organized Labour in Cross River to work in harmony with the governor, prayed God to grant him the needed wisdom to steer the ship of the state.

    “We will not deceive you as we will speak out on anything we feel strongly about. As you know, Labour leaders cannot be coerced, and nobody will instigate us against your government. We also believe that nobody will instigate you against us.”

    Ayade applauded the Organised Labour in the state for the honour and promised to do more for workers in the state despite the downturn in the nation’s economy.

    “I thank you for all your kind words. For labour to find me worthy of an award calls for celebration because you are a people who cannot be bribed. You are not a people who can be sold, you very courageous people,” the governor said.

    Touched by the plights of retirees who have to wait for their benefits for long after service to their fatherland, Ayade said “society will be so unfair if this continues,” stressing that “the primary thing for a man who fears God is to ensure that those who toil do not do so in vain.”

    The governor assured that issues of pensions, promotions and gratuity will be looked into.

    He also lauded the Organised Labour in the state for their concern towards good governance in the state.

    Certainly, there is more in the goody bags for workers in the state and for the workers, this seems to be the beginning. And Ayade deserves praises and not condemnation.

    • Daniel sent in this pice from Calabar.

  • UNICEF, Rivers colaborate to protect women, children in Niger Delta

    United Nation Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is set to partner Rivers State government to protect the rights of children and women in the Niger Delta.

    Mr. Wilbroad Ngambi, UNICEF Chief of Field office led other members of the organisation    on a courtesy visit to Rivers State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Isaac Kamalu in his office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    Ngambi  informed the commissioner of the creation of UNICEF Port Harcourt office that would coordinate the organisation’s operations in four states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta. He  said the port Harcourt would help them to serve the people better.

    He  said the idea of making Rivers State the zonal office was to help protect  the rights of women and children in the region.

    He noted that the partnership with Rivers State government is a sign of commitment to strengthen the existing collaboration, adding that part of the effort is the opening up  of a field office to cover four Niger Delta States within the region.

    He thanked the Ministry of Budget and Economic planning for the effective coordination of the programmes and collaboration between UNICEF and Rivers State government.

    Ngambi said: “With a deep sense of humanity and poise  to work with your Ministry toward delivering result for children and women in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, South-South geopolitical zone, I found it highly important to perform my first official function to ensure a good synergy.

    “On behalf of UNICEF, I extend our hand of partnership to record positive exploits for children and women in the region. UNICEF has been supporting Rivers State in programme such as health and nutrition for child survival and development, education, water and sanitation.”

    Kamalu assured UNICEF’s team of Rivers State government corporation and assistance in all area it’s may  want the government to render assistance.

    He said Governor  Nyesom Wike was delighted when he heard that UNICEF has opened their regional office in Port Harcourt. He also announced that the governor has ordered the release of counterpart fund for better cooperation.

  • Between saboteurs and avengers

    There is a ring to his name, a poetic ring. The surname is not global. But, the first name pretends to be. Madoch Agbinibo —that is what he claims. His first name and surname are radical departure from Gbomo Jomo, the generic being who spoke for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). And also remind us of the dreaded Gbomogbomo (aka abductor).

    Agbinibo claims to be Ijaw and I assume he speaks Izon. His names sound real; though I doubt he is real. He has been spitting fire in the last few weeks. Heaven will fall, hell is real, Agbinibo has been telling whoever cares to listen and he is not losing his voice yet. If his conditions are not met, I suspect he will soon tell us that he will detonate bomb that will wipe out the whole of Nigeria. The man get mouth and liver no dey cut am, some must have hailed him.

    At first Agbinibo, who prefixes his name with the Army rank of Colonel, gives me the impression that he and the boys in the creek for whom he speaks are willing to die martyrs but I remember that militants are no terrorists. Terrorists love their victims so much that they die with them. Militants do not have such love for their victims. Unlike Boko Haram elements, militants fire gunshots or throw grenades and, most times, run away; terrorists strap bombs to their bodies and die with those they want to kill.

    Militants love the good life, the choice wines, the easy women and the giddy excitement that comes with having free money to throw around. So, why does Agbinibo talk like a terrorist? He is a militant for goodness sake.

    But the creek boys’ recent moves tell a tale of how a generation of leaders has failed the young at every level. And make nonsense out of their lives.

    Agbinibo’s story, which has enjoyed massive space in the traditional and social media, is of vengeance. It makes no sense to him and his like that vengeance is of the Lord. No wonder his group goes by the name the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). They say without some conditions being met by President Muhammadu Buhari, peace will elude the Niger Delta, their home. And, by extension, Nigeria.

    For the president to take them serious, they have carried out some bombings. They bombed the Chevron valve facility in the night of Wednesday last week and the 48-inch trunk line supplying crude oil to Warri refinery. They say they will crumble the economy unless their demands are met.

    One of the demands is the immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference organised in the run-up to the last general elections by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. They say if this is not done, the country will break up.

    Another demand centres on ownership of oil blocks. They say 60 per cent of the oil blocks must be owned by indigenes of oil-producing areas and 40 per cent for others.

    They also have an axe to grind with their fellow Niger Deltan and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who earlier in the life of the Buhari administration faulted the Maritime University started by the Jonathan administration. They say Amaechi, an Ikwerre man from Rivers, must apologise to the Ijaw on whose soil the university is sited for his “careless and reckless statement about the siting of the university”. They say maritime university is located in “the most appropriate and befitting place Okerenkoko” and must start the 2015/2016 academic session immediately.

    That is not all. They also show some love to the Ogoni people of Rivers. They say their land and all oil-polluted areas in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up and compensation paid to the communities.

    Their love is not limited to Southsouth alone. They also extend their love to the ‘Biafra’ nation. They say the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, must be released unconditionally.

    They also have issues with the Niger Delta Amnesty programme, which they say must be well funded and allowed to continue to function effectively.

    Their conditions also affect the Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. They say it is skewed in favour of his political associates. The militants say that all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are indicted in any corruption-related cases should be made to face trial like members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Fair enough, you will say.

    Those they want apologies from also include Buhari, the Department of State Services and Timipre Sylva. Their offence: They killed former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, “with intimidation and harassment because of his party affiliation”.

    They also have a word for oil multi-nationals and foreign investors if the government dares them. They say the failure of the government to meet their conditions will lead to attacks on their business interests.

    There is a sordid ring in Agbinibo’s statement in which his group claimed responsibility for the Chevron attack. In the statement, the group said it was taking its fight off the creeks to Lagos and Abuja and advised oil firms not to rely on the country’s security.

    The statement said: “This platform is the most significant platform for chevron because it’s the main connecting point where all other platforms linked up and it’s a fulcrum to Chevron BOP and the Chevron Tank farm. With the valve platform blown all Chevron activities are now halted.

    “This is what we promised the Nigeria Government that since they refuse to listen to us we are going to zero the economy of the country.

    “As for zeroing the Nigeria economy we the Niger Delta avengers is (sic) done with Delta State major oil installations. Now we are taking the fight out of the creeks to the Niger Delta. We are taking it to Abuja and Lagos now.

    “We want to pass this message to all international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that the Nigeria Military can’t protect your facilities. They should talk to the federal government to meet our demands else more mishaps will befall their installations.

    “And to the Military we are the masters of the creek and it is time for you to admit you don’t understand the terrain making it impossible for the Nigeria military to stop the activities of the Niger Delta avengers.

    “Not until our demands are met (sic) no repair works should be done at the blast site. Whoever that is going there for any repair work will be doing that at their detriment.

    “The high command of the Niger Delta Avengers wants to use this medium to thank strike team 6 for successfully blowing up of the Chevron valve platform. And we are ready to protect the Niger Delta people.”

    Interestingly, the Avengers’ hide-and-seek tactics have incurred the wrath of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) led by John Togo. This set of militants thinks the Avengers are cowards. They also want the Ijaw man who heads the Amnesty Office, Paul Boroh, sacked if the president wants to be in control of the “current oil war”.

    Their spokesman, Mark Anthony, who, unlike Agbinibo, has universal first and surname, says: “Those bombing pipelines in Delta State should not behave like cowards if they are truly fighting the interest of Niger Delta.

    “They should be bold enough to come out. When we were bombing, our leader General John Togo did not hide his face. We dealt with the Nigerian army, and we were not hiding.

    “They should not hide their identity. Buhari is not God and they should not be scared of him. JTF should not attack and arrest innocent people in Ijaw communities, they should go for the real saboteurs.”

    My final take: At this stage, I am enveloped in fear. The storm is gathering and no one is sure what will happen next. Togo’s men obviously have my kind of fear when they urge the military to go only after the saboteurs and not arrest innocent people.

    The Army and the Navy are threatening fire and brimstone. Buhari has given them the order to crush the saboteurs who like Togo’s men noted in their statement are cowards by hiding under the cover of darkness to perpetrate evil and claim to be fighting for the Niger Delta. By threatening to attack Lagos and Abuja, their cup seems not full and running over.

    The almighty Government Ekpemupolo has also dissociated himself from the avengers. His position and Togo’s seem to tell me that there is no difference between the avengers and cowards.

  • Lassa fever: NDDC donates drugs, kits to Cross River

    Lassa fever: NDDC donates drugs, kits to Cross River

    As part of efforts to check the spread of Lassa fever in the country, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated drugs worth millions of naira as well as other personal protection equipment (PPE) to the Cross River State Ministry of Health.

    The delivery of the items taken at the Ministry of Health and Essential Drug Stores was made on behalf of the acting NDDC Managing Director, Mrs Ibim Semenitari by the State Director, Mr Alexander Okenwa, to the Director of Medical Services, Ministry of Health Calabar, Dr Ogban Ikpoti.

    Okenwa said, “We are very proactive in all modus operandi because we try to give people in the Niger Delta region the very best, we don’t want to be reactive in responding to any health issue whether endemic or otherwise and this is why we are carrying out this gesture.

    “We have donated the consignment so that the hospitals can be well prepared to handle any incident of Lassa Fever professionally and efficiently too.”

    Okenwa said though no incident has been recorded in the state, there was need to fully equip and prepare the health workers.

    He said Lassa Fever has killed over 80 people in 18 states of the Federation.

    Director of Medical Services, Dr Ogban Ikpoti said it was very important for the health workers to protect themselves before caring for others.

    Ikpoti said, “With this donation we now have the means to protect caregivers and health workers in our various hospitals with NDDC gesture they can now do their work no matter the nature of the disease they have to deal with.”

  • Minister seeks synergy among stakeholders in Niger Delta

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs , Usani Uguru Usani, has called on all stakeholders to work together in promoting development in the region and its environs.

    Usani made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He urged stakeholders to be more concerned about what would accrue to the region rather than the financial benefits accruing to them.

    Usani added that stakeholders should also focus on performance and structural reforms in the region.

    He said that to ensure a progressively stable management by streamlining the administrative structure, a development policy must be evolved and adopted by all stakeholders.

    “Such a policy will act as a complementary guide to the Niger Delta Regional Master Plan and help configure a sound planning, operational and quality management track for the commission,” he said

    He said that the development policy should itemise and prioritise the goals of the region within a specific time frame.

    “For instance, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) policy can define conditions for intervention in an infrastructural development or expansion project.

    “It can set five –year targets in agriculture and aquaculture using community based cooperatives as a vehicle.

    “It can also foster partnerships with international agencies and local partners for potential development initiatives in health, education and the environment,” the minister said.

    He, however, called for a Sustainable Development Partnership as a mechanism for greater relevance in the region which would also include a representative of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    The minister said the progressive drop in revenue should be the concern of the Federal Government.

    He added that it was important for NDDC to have an interface with National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to develop the region.

    “That’s the only way the region can compute, derive and pursue what rightly should accrue to its coffers from the producing companies.

    “Economically, the NDDC plays a very important role in the economy of the Niger Delta, but the companies only remit what they decide to after their autonomous computation of what the three per cent means to them, “ he added.

    The minister said it would sustain over 50,000 permanent and temporary jobs across the region.

    “But it also offers a window for the implementation of crucial reforms which must be founded on a realistic development policy,” he said .

    He said that the small management team was an opportunity to design a transformational framework for the NDDC.

    “It is an opportunity to engage the very competent skill set within the region,“ he said.

    The minister said that key stakeholders had commenced the design of a development policy for the organisation that would drive subsequent intervention efforts.

     

  • Bedridden for 13 years

    Bedridden for 13 years

    A 34-year-old man, Daniel Emori who has been bedridden for the past 13 years, needs N15m to walk again.

    He is pleading with Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade, public-spirited individuals and corporations to help him raise the money so that he can proceed to an Indian hospital for a knee replacement surgery.

    Daniel, who hails from Adadama community in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River, said he was in perfect condition until 13 years ago when he was knocked down by an errant cow in Anambra State.

    He said: “When I finished my secondary school education and sojourned to Anambra state to seek for greener pasture, little did he know that the journey would put him in a bed ridden condition.

    “While in Anambra state at the age of 21, I got myself a job with one of the plastic companies as a machine operator where he worked and saved some money and got myself enrolled in a driving school. Upon graduation

    from the driving school, I secured a job as a delivery van driver with an investment company.

    “On 10th of October, 2003 as I went to make supplies to one of the company’s customer. As I parked my vehicle in front of the customer’s shop to off load the goods and was alighting, a stray cow just charged towards men and knocked me down and put me in this pitiable bedridden condition. After some medical examinations they found that I had an internal injury which affected medical experts said had affected my spinal cord.”

    Daniel said immediately after the unfortunate incident, he was first taken to a nearby hospital before he was transferred to the University Teaching hospital Enugu and finally discharged to go home as his poor mother whose husband had died since 2009 could not afford the medical bill at the hospital.

    He said his condition would have been worse than it is now if not for the assistance of one Reverend Charles Nunso Asiodu, Senior Pastor of Life Link World Outreach Ministry International, who learnt of his predicament through the media.

    He however regretted that the financial burden had been beyond the clergyman’s capacity.

    A summary of Daniel’s cost and expenditure from Saket Hospital Delhi, India from the Advanced Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Centre (APRC) of the hospital, reviewed and signed by the Medical Director, Dr. Harsh Priyadash, estimated the cost for treatment at the hospital at N15m.

    Also, a medical report signed by Priyadash, made available to our reporter showed that the surgery that the Daniel will undergo shall help in strengthening his trunk strength and abdominal muscles to enable him walk with artificial legs.

    Among other things which the medical report said the Indian hospital shall do for Daniel are the undergoing of a preliminary evaluation and conservative management/ infection control, skin grafting and debridement, orthopaedics intervention and post discharge stay.

    Daniel begged, “ I have not given up hope as I strongly believe that help can still come from public-spirited individuals and well-meaning Nigerians. Please help me to beg Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River  State and his dear wife Dr. Mrs Linda Ayade to come to my aid. My earnest desire is to walk with my feet like my mates.”

    He said he could be reached on  08098929156 and 070316552091. He also gave his bank details as: Daniel Imo Emori,  Fidelity Bank Account Number: 6160829205 or Daniel Imo Emori, UBA Account Number: 2072008766.

     

  • Alleged child trafficking: Delta Assembly dismisses petition against ministry

    The Delta House of Assembly on Wednesday dismissed a petition on an alleged child trafficking and gross violation of the Child Rights Law brought before it by Mr Ighorhiowumu Aghogho against the state Ministry of Women Affairs.

    The Assembly dismissed the petition which accused the ministry of gross violations of the law for lack of merit.

    The petition was rejected sequel to a report presented by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Mrs Orezi Esiovo, during the plenary.

    Esiovo noted that the petitioner, Aghogho who is the proprietor of Explosive Academy Hope Independent School in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state had appealed to the state House of Assembly to investigate the allegations.

    Esiovo said that the petitioner said he observed a continuous and deliberate abuse of the Child Rights Law by the ministry since June 2015 when he applied to the ministry for approval to allow him operate a correctional facility institution for children beyond parental control and exploited children in the state.

    She said that the committee in carrying out the investigation invited the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Omatsola Williams, who represented the ministry.

    According to Esiovo, the commissioner told the committee that all the allegations were intended to undermine the efforts of the ministry and the present administration.

    Esiovo also said that the commissioner informed the committee that the ministry had never indulged in any form of child trafficking and illegal adoptions of children as alleged by the petitioner.

    She also said that the commissioner stressed that the ministry had never promoted any child labour rather than embarking on enlightenment programmes such as “Children’s Day celebration’’ and “Day of the African Child’’, among others.

    Esiovo said that the committee in its findings observed that the petitioner was not able to prove his allegations and therefore recommended that the petition be dismissed for lack of merit.

    Consequently, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Tim Owhefere, moved a motion for the consideration of the report which was unanimously adopted by the House.