The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Emmanuel’s will

    Emmanuel’s will

    He was the oracle of Akwa Ibom politics. Not a few believe he still reigns even after choosing a successor.  He spoke and others must obey. The coveted seat of the governor had been reserved, the oracle declared. But, in the oracle’s party, there were 22 others who wanted the job. Two of them were the oracle’s former deputies, who got the boot when their loyalty became suspect.

    The oracle, Godswill Akpabio, now senator, believed none of his former deputies, Patrick Ekpotu and Nsima Ekere, was good enough to replace him. The 20 others were no match too. Umana Okon Umana, who used to be his ally, had read the handwriting on the wall. He defected to the opposition, where he tried his luck but was ‘crushed’ by the oracle’s bulldozers.

    It was either Udom Emmanuel or nobody, the oracle made it clear. In one feeble attempt at peace, Akpabio held a meeting which lasted till the wee hours of Saturday, December 20, last year. The meeting held at the secretariat of the G-22 in Abuja.

    It was almost deadlocked from the beginning. A shouting match ensued between one of the aspirants, Chief Asam Asam (SAN) and Akpabio. Both men were later calmed down by others in the meeting.

    Akpabio
    Akpabio

    As a way of dousing tension, Christian songs were sung. Akpabio, I was told, pleaded with the G-22 to accept Emmanuel as the governorship candidate of the PDP. At a point in the meeting, Akpabio called on Emmanuel to plead with the other aspirants. And this rather added fuel to the fire than quench it. Emmanuel reportedly likened his case to that of Jesus who was initially rejected by his people but later turned out to become the saviour. This allusion to Jesus reportedly infuriated the aspirants as he was castigated for his lack of humility.

    The G-22 maintained their stand that Emmaneul was a product of a sham primary. Akpabio did not see any sense in their position. He gave his all to see his ‘son’ throughout and was convinced that those who wanted to take power through the backdoor would die.

    The general elections came and Akpabio rallied his all behind Emmanuel and he was declared winner of the election, which is now a subject of litigation.

    But, while the legitimacy of Emmanuel’s election is being contested at the tribunal, an interesting drama is playing out in the state.

    Emmanuel met a state in huge debt, but his hands are tied and till date he has not been able to reveal the debt status as contained in Akpabio’s handover note. The N64.5b figure he released on Tuesday was not directly linked to Akpabio.

    Emmanuel played the clever one some days back at the House of Assembly. His request was simply: approve the restructuring of commercial banks’ loans into Federal Government Bonds.

    In his letter to the House, Emmanuel did not include the details of the debts he wanted restructured into bonds.

    The governor said the measure would facilitate fiscal stability and provide avenue to liquidate its huge debt stock to cover a period of 25 years.

    The letter read: “In order for Akwa Ibom State to join other states, it becomes necessary for the state to partner with the Debt Management Office (DMO) of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Finance on this directive to utilise the benefits.

    “The FGN Bond will help the state to substitute short-term higher-cost bank debts with long term lower-cost debt.”

    There was drama at the assembly over the letter. The simple process of moving motion to accept the letter took time.

    The member representing Nsit Atai, Hon. Mark Esset while standing up to move the motion, said: “Mr. Speaker, I am handicapped and my hands are shaking.”

    The letter was handed over to the Finance and Appropriation Committee for further screening and investigation.

    The hush-hush about the state’s debt profile did not start now. The Transition Committee set up by the state government chaired by former Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Sunny Akpadiaha, did not also state the assets and liabilities bequeathed by the Akpabio’s administration.

    Emmanuel has no justifiable reason to keep the state’s debt profile a secret. He realised this on Tuesday by revealing that the state has an indebtedness of N64.5b, which he needed to restructure. Could this be all that Emmanuel has been hiding all this while? May be there is more.

    For many, Akwa Ibom has no reason to be seriously indebted given the fact that it was number one on the federal revenue chart. Its fortunes skyrocketed when the Supreme Court stripped Cross River of all oil wells which entitled it to the 13 per cent derivation. Akwa Ibom’s gain was Cross River’s loss.

    It is estimated that in eight years under Akpabio, the state received over N3trillion. With this sort of cash, its indebtedness should not be anything scary.

    In seeking this soft-landing, Emmanuel is obviously accepting the reality that there is no money for him to fulfil his electoral promises. I hear there is no money to mobilise contractors to sites. The governor is also considering borrowing from the banks to intervene in the reclamation of part of Calabar-Itu highway, which is heavily threatened by gully erosion.

    Even in releasing the N64.5b figure, he shied away from linking it to the Akpabio administration.

    Given the level to which Akpabio went to make him governor, it may seem unfair of him to be seen as exposing the senator. But for how long can they continue to hide the truth about the local and foreign debts incurred by Akpabio? There is nothing wrong in taking loans once they can be justified.

    My final take: What is Emmanuel really afraid of? A fight with Akpabio? Or is he just postponing the fight? Or he does not want to be seen as opening Akpabio’s yansh in the public? Or is the oracle still in charge and capable of pulling the rug off Emmanuel’s feet? Whatever it is, it is the people and accountability that are being taken for granted.

    The people deserve to know. Nothing more, nothing less. Emmanuel’s will should not be allowed to prevail.

     

  • ‘Niger Deltans must demand more from their leaders’

    ‘Niger Deltans must demand more from their leaders’

    Will the Petroleum Industry Bill ever see the light of day?

     

    The PIB had always been in the front burner. I was opportune to be a member of the Petroleum Committee (Upstream) in 2007-2011 and I was a member of the committee that was set up to look into the bill. We worked very seriously and we got to a point where we started considering it on clause by clause basis. Unfortunately, it was aborted because our time ran out.

    Then in the next assembly, I was also a member of the Petroleum Committee from 2011 to 2015. We did creditably well; we did anything that needed to be done. I was the only returning member of the committee to handle the PIB so I was in the driving seat. We did a lot; all consideration of the bill and harmonized all considerations and came out with the report and it was presented to the House. Sadly again, we started and finished the consideration almost on the day the House was winding down, which was about the same thing that happened in the 6th Assembly, but in the 7th we actually did complete it, but almost the same day we were winding down the House. It became like it was jinxed.

    The issue is that the bill needs to concur with the progress in the Senate, but the Senate couldn’t get to the extent which we got to. The PIB was passed by the House (7th Assembly) now we have to wait for the Senate to conclude because we definitely have two different versions and we have to come back again to gavel-to-gavel table where we need to harmonize the two positions. After harmonization, it doesn’t take anything more again, we merely need to adopt and it goes and become law.

    However, because we have a new government in place, we may have the government of the day coming up with some input, fresh ideas, which ‘may’ affect us. But I think it is one issue we need to take up. I  promise I will be one of those that will bring it up as soon as possible.

     

    How has the non-passage of the PIB affected the oil bearing communities and the oil sector?

     

    I will take that of the communities first. The bill is for the entire country; it is to reform and allow our oil companies to run in line with best practices all over the world. It is not an oil producing environment bill; this is where we get it wrong and this is where the wrong perception that the bill is fashioned towards supporting the oil producing states or region. A law made by the National Assembly is never sectional. Don’t forget that oil could also be found in the north or any other part of the country today and the bill covers it; if it goes to the Southwest, Southeast or any other part, it is the same thing. So, the laws are not for the South-south or the oil producing communities; it is not for the Warri Federal Constituency because they have oil, it is a law that is meant to govern in the acceptable best practices all over the world. I don’t want people to see it as a law that is made for particular section of the country because that is where we sometimes have challenges with our brothers and members from other parts of the country.

    In terms of how the bill would have helped the oil producing communities: I have looked at the bill, apart from the aspect of the environmental issues and host communities fund, there is nothing fantastically to the benefit of the oil producing communities and states. Unfortunately for us too, the host communities fund aspect of it, which was to be a 10percent after-tax profit of the oil producing companies – it is not coming from the government. That again lost its value in so many ways. One thing people don’t seem to understand is that the 10percent is coming from the profit after tax of the multinationals and oil producing companies. That again lost its value because what was passed was that all parts of this country are host communities to oil. I find it very laughable to say that the entire country is host to oil. Yes, in terms of our federal law, it says all resources etc belongs to the country. But then do not forget that there is a derivation principle and definition. If you drill deeply, like they do when drilling for oil, into the meaning of derivation, you will find out that the entire country cannot be host communities because there is a point from where that oil is derived. It is that point and adjoining environment that is mostly affected by the oil activities.

    As such, what I suffer as somebody sitting right now in Warri talking to you in terms of the adverse effects of oil exploration and exploitation activities is not what a northern who is thousands of miles away from Warri would suffer from the impact of oil exploration. In terms of environmental damages too, what I suffer here may not be what other somebody in other parts of the country like South-west or South-east or North would suffer. I suffer more. What we are  going through in Warri as we speak is something we need to evaluate and take measure to actually put to rest, if not, this is going to be very dangerous to the generations yet unborn.

    But that is how it was passed and that is how it is with parliament; we have a loud minority, but the majority would have their way. The law has been passed that way and even if it is not right, we said, ‘let’s not throwaway the baby and the bathwater.’ That is for some of us who are against the principle of having the entire country as host community. We cannot say just because of that alone, let us throw away a bill of more than a thousand clauses. We would come by way of amendments to some aspects of this bill sometimes in future. That is if it is eventually passed and if it will ever be passed.

    How do you think these various intervention agencies (DESOPADEC, NDDC and others) can have more impact in the lives of the people for which they are set up?

    The people have to demand for adequate attention by way of agitation. This does not mean that they have to be violent or a call to take up arms. Agitations are in various forms: There is the peaceful violence, intellectual approach to agitation and finally, the violence, which I will not subscribe to, because I don’t want lives lost, I prefer the other two.

    What you should know is that a northerner is not on the management board of NDDC; they are all people from the Niger Delta, who know what the issues are with these areas. They must have lived here and people that lived here before their appointments as members of the management team. So, they know. The people should demand their rights from these people.

     

      What is the state of the Koko-Ogheye road project?

     

    The road construction is ongoing. It might be slow, but work is going on there. As we speak, we have accomplished about 6km and we are getting close to the first critical aspect of the job, which is the bridge over the Ologbo River. There is progress towards sand filling to the river. By the time we get to the other side, I think we would have completed close to 15km to the Ologbo Bridge. The bridge is a very massive one, which is the next most critical stage of the bridge. There is something I would say and I have suggested it to people; the road should be divided into sections as it is with the East-West highway for quicker accomplishment. It should be for two or three construction companies: one at the beginning, another at the middle and finally one working from the Ogheye end of the project. That would have gone a long way to expedite action on the road. But because we have one contractor and issues of funding is also a major problem; funds are not readily available to all the mega projects around the Niger Delta. Irrespective of these challenges, the project is ongoing, although as I said before, maybe not so satisfied with the pace.

    That road is one of my dreams and I often asked myself if I have to leave office without the completion of more than 50percent of that project. I ask myself: Would somebody who is taking over from me have the same passion for it as I have? That road is very important and I will tell you why. I have looked at developmental strategies in terms of infrastructure, housing. roads, lights and others and I chose road as one of the most important and primary fundamental process to development.

    Why do I say this? It may be difficult for an ordinary man to put a motorable road into the thick of the forest, but once that road is built, people would start moving in there and they would build their own houses. That is what you are seeing in the Koko-Ogheye road, for the first 6km that we have accomplished, go to the entire area it is been bought up; people are building, tank farms are springing up and they are growing on a daily basis. That is just within two years and the place is opened up completely.

    I want to use this is a forum to advise our governors that what you need to do for the people is to give them infrastructure in some of these areas. What are these infrastructure? A few of them – road with good drainages, light etc –  and you will see the people moving in with their funds to build. There are some instances where I don’t think the Federal Government should be engaged in some of these other ventures like building of houses and others. The people want to build their houses to their tastes but give them the necessary facilities for the people to move in.

     

  • Engage in agriculture, Edo youths told

    Youths in Edo State have been urged to engage in agriculture instead of seeking greener pasture by trekking to Libya through the Sahara desert.

    President of Edo Youth for Good Governance, (E.Y. F.G.G), Iyamu Osaro Culture, spoke at a ceremony to mark the International Youth Day.

    Iyamu said agriculture remained the only viable option for the governments to empower  youths on a sustainable basis instead of any other programme that could be scrapped easily.

    He told youths present at the occasion to begin to engage government on issues affecting them rather than wait for peanuts during electioneering campaigns.

    According to him, “Government must take advantages that abound in agriculture to engaging the youth towards self- sustenance.”

    “Traveling or running to Libya is not an option. You must remain here to achieve great things. As I speak to you today our youths want to go to Libya and the only to curb this is by empowering them in purposeful  agriculture”.

    A guest speaker, Comrade Austin Osakwe, challenged the youth to be involve in the governance process of the Country and learnt to demand accountability from the three arms of government.

     

  • DPR battles petroleum marketers in Bayelsa

    DPR battles petroleum marketers in Bayelsa

    It is a new regime for petroleum marketers in Bayelsa State. They must play by the rules and observe all the regulations governing the industry. The new culture of doing things properly without profiteering is being initiated by the Bayelsa State Office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

    The department will no longer tolerate selling petroleum products especially Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) above the Federal Government regulated prices. It will no longer allow marketers to engage in underhand practices such as under-dispensing, hoarding and other sharp practices aimed at shortchanging unsuspecting members of the public.

    Recently, the department led by its Operations Controller in the state, Mr. Bassey Nkanga, met with the marketers and read the Riot Act to them. Prior to the meeting, the marketers were having a field day selling PMS between N110 to N115 per litre with the exception of the NNPC mega station which was selling at the regulated pump price of N87 per litre.

    But Nkanga at the meeting with the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) ordered the marketers to revert to the regulated price regime. The controller, also warned against under-dispensing of the product to consumers. He said under-dispensing is a form of surcharging the public and selling above the pump price through the back door.

    He told the marketers that defaulters would be thoroughly sanctioned adding that the punitive  measures would include fines, shutting down filling stations for between six and nine months  and outright sealing off.

    Nkanga also warned dealers who engage in adulteration and diversion of petroleum products to desist from such acts. He said the department would punish any marketer engaged in adulteration and diversion of products.

    He said: “We are ensuring that fuel is sold at the approved pump price of N87 and this is with immediate effect. Any defaulter in any form will be adequately sanctioned. Compliance is with immediate effect because penalties would range from fines, shutting down of stations for up to six and nine months.

    “If you divert, we will charge you N200 per litre of the fuel you diverted. If you under-dispense you will be sanctioned appropriately.”

    At the meeting, Spokesman for IPMAN in the state, Ere Peters, said members of the association would comply with the order to revert to the controlled price.

    But the Nkanga-led DPR did not stop at the meeting. The controller immediately constituted a team to go round the filling stations and ensure that marketers complied with the directive. The team stormed filling stations and discovered that some filling stations were still engaged in sharp practices. The team immediately sealed off stations engaged in under-dispensing and selling above the pump price. Some of the stations tried to prevent the DPR team from doing their job. They were punished.

    Among the filling stations sealed for dispensing fuel above the pump price through the “back door” and refusal to allow DPR officials access, were RSK Oil, GA Oil and Gas, Mobil and South-South Oil and Gas.

    For instance, at RSK Oil in Swali area of Yenagoa, the team discovered that the meters were fixed at N87 per litre, but when officials asked the attendants to dispense the product into 10-litre  equipment, they found that the meter had been badly readjusted to cheat consumers.

    The team noticed that product worth N674.25 was sold for N870.00, which meant that consumers were paying extra N195. 75 for every 10 litres of petrol bought at the station. The station was also indicted for not having adequate sand buckets and fire extinguishers.

    Similar discovery was made by the team at GA Oil and Gas on Ox Bow Lake Road. The station was collecting over N140 extra for every 10 liters sold to buyers through under-dispensing. When officials of the DPR returned to South-South Oil and Gas sealed off earlier, they discovered that the station had reverted to the regulated pump price of N87.

    Nkanga said: “We are trying to ensure that nobody sells petroleum above the stipulated price of ?87. The renewed effort is tend towards ensuring that the public also enjoy the price regime of petroleum. That’s why you are seeing us going out en mass and daily, stepping up as surveillance. The essence of it is to ensure that marketers don’t sub-charge the public any longer.

    “When we discover that somebody is grossly under-dispensing, we conclude that the person is selling above the pump price and we close the station and make the penalty to be likethe one selling above pump price. But if it is just normal under-dispensing, we will take it as an error and suspend you and ask you to adjust your pump.

    “Timicon was sealed for selling above N87 per litre. The other one that was suspended for under-dispensing was made to sign an undertaking that they will adjust the pump and not sell above the pump price. That was South-South Oil and Gas.

    “There was one that said he had no product and later claimed that he was trying to fix his generator that went bad. We will do monitoring for that one. We will start with them and ensure they sell what they have so that they don’t sell above pump price. The one that has been shut will remain sealed until he pays the penalty and sign an undertaking never to wilfully under-dispense again.

    “Now the government is putting its feet down that the depots must sell at the government regulated price no matter the condition. That is why everywhere in this country, this change is experienced.

    “Prior to this problem, I had a lot of issues and petitions with Bayelsans when I just got here. But because we knew what we were doing, we maintained our focus.”

    On the punishment for defaulters, he said: “Anybody that is found selling above pump price will pay a penalty of ?100,000. If we catch you three times, you’ll pay three times too. We may decide to punish you immediately or let you exhaust what you have under the ground first. We may decide to shut you down.

    “We are sustaining this monitoring. I have given my telephone number out. The staff we have re the people coming from other places. We tell the public that if they are not satisfied with the volume dispensed to you or the fuel was sold above the pump price, they should call the number and we will respond timely.”

  • NDDC MD gets NGO’s Award

    For his exemplary leadership since he took seat as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sir Bassey Dan Abia, has been honoured with an Excellent Service and Leadership Award.

    Niger Delta Network Advancement Programme (NDNAP), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) committed to addressing problems of poverty, climate change, environmental degradation occasioned by activities of oil companies in the region, said the recognition became necessary following its reality checks of NDDC’s performance in the current dispensation.

    It was at a Dinner and Award ceremony held at the Nature’s Farm Resort, Uyo Village Road, where stakeholders drawn from NDNAP in Nigeria and its international network affiliate, GNDR in London, converged to pass a vote of confidence on Abia’s leadership of the agency.

    Presenting the Award, the President of NDNAP, Comrade Al mustapher Edoho, and the GNDR representative Mr. Chibundu Uchegbu, explained that Mr. Abia’s sterling leadership disposition earned him the Award following approval by the Board of Trustees (BoT), noting that “his achievements in the last 17 months in the saddle clearly stands him out for the honour”.

    Edoho recalled that since its creation by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000, the commission had been operating from a rented apartment until the current leadership erected a befitting 12-storey building which now awaits President Muhammadu Buhari’s commissioning.

    Besides, he pointed at various interventions in scholarships,

    development of teaching and learning infrastructures in nine tertiary institutions, road projects, electricity, jobs and human capital development as other key interventions of Dan-Abia era.

    While commending Buhari for his reform measures since he was sworn-in, the group decried what they described as smear campaign against theNDDC leadership.

    Represented by Hon. Anyanga Anyanga, former Chairman of Esit Eket Local Government Area, the MD thanked the group for the honour and prayed God for a sense of direction to steer the commission in line with the essence of its establishment.

     

  • Rivers waterside settlers battle police over Citizen Igbe’s death

    Rivers waterside settlers battle police over Citizen Igbe’s death

    Two weeks after an Ogoni bus driver was murdered by a police officer attached to Kala Police Station in Mile 4 for refusing to give N100 bribe, another man, Chukwuemaka Igbe, a resident of Elechi waterfront, was last weekend made to jump to his death by officers from Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) .

    Angered by the third extra-judicial killing in the area, the residents of the waterfront took the victim’s body from Elechi waterfront at Mile 1 to the Rivers State Government House where they presented their grievance to Governor Nyesom Wike.

    The residents of the waterfront said the victim died while trying to escape the bullet of the officers from SARS who stormed the waterfront shooting.

    “When they started shooting, about four men ran away and they started pursing them until they jumped inside the water but the man who died did not know how to swim. With the sound of the gun, he was scared and entered the deep part of the water and died,” the community chairman, Mr. Harrison Lawson said.

    Elechi beach settlement, which is popularly called waterfront community, is one of the seashore settlements which escaped the waterfront demolition policy of the immediate past administration of Rotimi Amaechi. The former governor, who demolished most of the waterfronts in Port Harcourt, described them as hideouts for criminals.   Elechi beach linked Njemaze water to Abonima wolf and it is one of the oldest waterfronts in Rivers State.

    A visit to Elechi waterfront showed that the people are living in a different world. Every ten person you see, eight of them are smoking Indian hemp. You need not be told that you are in a jungle when you get there. They have a very poor hygienic environment; the buildings are mostly wood materials. The toilets were constructed with wood close to seashore and it is being channeled to the same water which they drink, bath and cook with.

    They do not have enough space for children to play; the available wet and dirty space is the only children playing ground where they also dump waste.

    Speaking further on how the police have been terrorising the residents of waterfront, Harrison said police officers have been using Indian hemp as an excuse to humiliate residents of the waterfront.

    He said illegal extortion on residents of waterfront started when one officer from Mile 1 police station known as Paulo now with SARS introduced other officers to the waterfront when they discovered that they were making a lot of money from them through forceful collection of money and illegal bail.

    He said: “The police have became more dangerous to us. Every day they are coming here to chase people around in the name of Indian hemp. If they are looking for the smokers of Indian hemp, they should go to the rich man’s house and not here. We are poor smokers, how many of these boys have the money to smoke.   They chased the late Chukwuemeka until he jumped inside the water. Tell me who will hear the sound of gun that would not run.

    “The late Chukwuemeka’s body could not be found until after three days when the river floated it out. It was at this point that we confirmed his death. Police said they didn’t shoot him, they alleged that the man jumped inside the water and drown, but we have eyewitnesses who saw them shooting and chasing the man until he jumped inside the water. The resident who saw them pursing the man specifically told the police that the victim did not know how to swim but they refused and continue threatening the man with gun until he jumped inside the river and died and they said they have no hand.

    “They are not coming here for anything than to generate money from the residents of waterfront in the name of searching for Indian hemp smokers. We have warned them severally that if it was the Indian hemp smokers they are targeting they should look for them because a lot of people are living here. Everybody cannot be a criminal or Indian hemp smoker, as far as we are concerned we also have responsible people living here.”

    “The worst thing is that whenever they enter here, they will start shooting and it is only a tree that will remain in one place when shooting is taking place. So, whenever the police come around to shoot, the boys will take off and they will pursue them as if they are criminals. Sometimes, the officers will enter here early morning to knock on people’s door and as soon as you wake up to say who is that the next thing you will here is handcuff him. The funny thing is that when they take us to police station they don’t allow us to write statement. The only thing they do is to force us to bail ourselves which is bad. If you go to work, the police will break into your house, collect handset and cash without telling the person his or her offence. They also come here to smell residents’ hands and mouths and at the end, they will claim that their hands and mouths smell Indian hemp and the person will be arrested.”

    Mr. Olanikon Okoneonimim, one of the residents of the waterfront who doubled as the Vice chairman of the waterfront community, said residents of the area were also being arrested based on their dressing.

    He said: “They have forgotten so soon  how they begged us on the first and second killing before we allowed them to sponsor the burials,  showing that they were guilty of the offence. Now, they have killed another person, we will not take it lightly with them this time around. The first person they killed here the man was fixing an electrical wire connected to his house and they saw him and asked him if he is a NEPA man. When the man said no, they dragged him down and killed him. The police authority also visited us and pleaded with us, what have we done to the police. The Police should stop using us to raise fund. This is robbery; police had been robbing us which started with officers called Paulo, Kennedy and Victor from Mile 1 police station. We want the Commissioner of police to know that the police officers coming here are more criminal than the people they are looking for. Here is not a criminal base, all the crimes committed in Port Harcourt happened in upland.”

    Godwin Amos, one of the four men who jumped inside the river when the police were allegedly chasing them, said he pleaded with the police to arrest him so that he could rescue the deceased.”We were just relaxing when we heard hold him….hold him and we immediately realised that it was police, so we took off.   Of course, in waterfront, you have limited space to run to, because we are surrounded by water. When we ran a few distance and the police were still pursing us, we had no other option than to jump inside the water. But unfortunately, the guy who died was a new neighbour and did not know how to swim. When he got to the point where he should jump inside the water, he stopped and the police was still shooting. Because he didn’t want to be arrested, he followed us and jumped inside the river and he drowned to death. Meanwhile, when the residents who were around saw the police coming they told them that the guy did not know how to swim, they pleaded with them to stop so that the guy would not be threatened to jump inside the water but they didn’t listen to anyone.”

    12-year-old Imore Clement, who was fishing at the water when the incident took place, said: “I was getting some fish at the water when I heard a gunshot. I didn’t know they were pursing some residents of waterfront. I thought it was the issue of robbery. The next thing I saw was the boys jumping inside the water, but one of them stopped at the front of the water showing that he did not know how to swim. The residents didn’t close their mouth as they shouted to SARS officers that the man could not swim; yet the officers were seriously shooting until they chased the man inside water. It was few days later that the river floated his body out lifeless.”

    The Southsouth General Secretary of the Buhari Legacy Foundation, Comrade Felix God’swill Nkwazema, who visited the waterfront, said the organisation would partner with some human right groups to ensure justice on the matter. He said the police had no right to take the life of anyone, even that of a criminal until the court of law says so.

    The Rivers State Police Public Relation Officer, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ahmad Mohammad, said the police as a responsible organisation would not kill the people they are supposed to protect. “Police as a responsible constitutional agency will not be involved in the killing of the citizens they ought to protect,” he said.

     

  • United Ikwerre gone with the wind

    Ikwerre bu’otu (Ikwerre is one) was a popular slogan used in those days by the people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality to remind themselves that they are one indivisible entity. The slogan was also used to remind any Ikwerre man that it was necessary to always queue behind their brothers in times of good and bad.

    It is in this spirit of Ikwerre Bu’otu that the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality called Ogbakor-Ikwerre was set up.  Ogbakor-Ikwerre was the final voice of Ikwerre people. Any matter taken to it  was resolved amicably. They pronounced judgment on issues and parties accepted their decisions.

    But today Ogbakor-Ikwerre is seen as a mere gathering of unrecognised village chiefs. It has been infected by political virus and has lost its value.

    Ikwerre sons and daughters have forgotten the slogan Ikwerre Bu’otu because of personal aggrandisement and selfish desire, which escalated to high level of betrayal and rape of trust.

    Of course, it is now a shame and taboo to shout Ikwerre bu’otu in any gathering or in the public. It is now meaningless.

    Our communities have been divided; they are now giving their support to one political leader or the other. Our community leaders and kingmakers now accept bribe in the daylight to execute their brothers or lead protest against them even without asking what he has done wrong. Some of the communities in Ikwerre land have two monarchs and council of chiefs, the one loyal to ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the ones loyal to Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

    We thought it was  just a mere  destruction of  the traditional symbol of trust and brotherhood but it went beyond that; it has got to a level where Ikwerre people no longer trust one another. His brother is not just an enemy but an unforgivable one. We are in a situation where we prefer to trust a man from another tribe than to live or trust our brother. Many Ikwerre people, especially those who find themselves in the position of authority, have on several occasions signed the death warrant of their fellow Ikwerre brothers. And they are still doing that till today just because of their personal interest.

    Where is Wike, who once told his fans when he was local government chairman that he would forever continue to support his brother, Amaechi? Of course, he fought the battle like a great Ikwerre wrestler when former President Olusegun Obasanjo pronounced the K-leg wahala on Amaechi. At the end they won the battle and took over Rivers State Government House through the Supreme Court judgment. Today where is the brotherhood that bound Amaechi and Wike together? It is now torn to pieces? Who among them should our children emulate as a role model?

    Chief Sergeant Awuse is one of the popular sons of Ikwerreland; he once enjoyed the admiration and support of Ikwerre people. Most of us, during his days of political bulldozor when Amaechi was in the Rivers State House of Assembly as Speaker, supported his ambition to become the first Ikwerre governor. But as a political prostitute, he frustrated most of his supporters and abruptly ended his dream of becoming the governor by jumping from one party to the other. During Amaechi’s second tenure election campaign, Chief Awuse told Ikwerre youths and supporters that he wouldn’t have measured with Amaechi’s achievements if he were governor. He then raised Amaechi’s hand and asked Ikwerre people to support him. Where is Awuse and the love for the brotherhood which he once preached to us?

    Mike Elechi, a former permanent secretary in Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, was an incomparable supporter of Amaechi. He was not the type that gave order or made call when it was getting tough, he fought the fight by himself. And Amaechi hardly joked with him as far as Elele community and Ikwerre Local Government was concerned. Today the Ikwerre affection that made him to support Amaechi is gone.

    What of O.C.J Okocha and family?  They were very close to Amaechi. The relationship was intact until they went off the lane with betrayed heart. Where is Austine Opara, former Deputy Speaker of House of Representative and Amaechi’s   soul brother who with other friends turned Amaechi house to their meeting  point during the Peter Odili administration? Emeka Woke, Prince Paul Wonodi, Chief Wogu Okala, Chinyere Igwe, Sam Ogeh; these were Amaechi reliable soldiers whom he gave opportunities to serve  the state in different capacities, both at the state and at the federal levels. The list is endless.

    These people are all Ikwerre, and they were before now strong supporters of Amaechi. What went wrong? What were their reasons for leaving Amaechi or Amaechi’s reason for not begging them to come back? Could it be possible that our political hatred on one another can supersede the love we have for one another as brothers and sisters? How united is Ikwerre ethnic nationality? Do we ever consider the future of our children in imbibing the true spirit of our fatherland? Must we hate or kill our fellow Ikwerre man before we could make it in life? What are we teaching the younger generation that will take over from us? These are unanswered questions burning in the heart of many Ikwerre people. As far as I am concerned, our pursuit of personal gain cannot in anyway bring peace and unity in Ikwerre land; instead it will divide us the more and make mockery of Ikwerre Bu’otu, which our forefather taught us to say. Ikwerre Anumeka.

     

  • Communities, Nipp/Bedc trade words over epileptic power supply

    Communities, Nipp/Bedc trade words over epileptic power supply

    Residents of Asaba, the Delta State capital since its creation in August 27, 1991, have endured poor public power supply.

    Numerous communities across Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South have suffered worse fate than Asaba with some enduring blackouts for upwards of ten years.

    So, its residents must have heaved a sigh of relief following the commissioning by the Federal Government of the 330/132/33KVA transmission substation located near Asaba after many postponements.

    But several months after the inauguration of the transmission substation, public power supply in Asaba and environs has remained epileptic and unreliable, dashing the high expectations of residents.

    The frustrated communities have led several protests against the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) demanding improved services.

    The Supervising Engineer, Nigeria Integrated Power Plant (NIPP), Mr Amobi Odinakachukwu, further stoked the embers of controversy when he criticised BEDC for dereliction of duties, stressing that basic power infrastructure are lacking.

    His words: “If there is any problem that makes power not to get down to consumers, I think it is the responsibility of BEDC to take care of that. I think for my own view, most of the areas in Asaba lack power because there are no distribution poles and high tension lines, but there is ongoing rehabilitation of these lines by the Federal Government bodies – NIPP and Federal Ministry of Power.

    “BEDC also has not come up with serious strategies for solving the problem. May be we will have to wait for them, perhaps they are still sleeping.”

    Amobi accused BEDC of shutting down most of their transformers and were not receiving power from the NIPP, adding if all BEDC’s transformers were working there would be light for all Asaba residents and beyond.

    He added: “BEDC has simply shut down most of their transformers and are not receiving power from the NIPP, if all their transformers within their network is on everybody will have light. If they have been managing a certain megawatts, let say, 10 megawatts, with current local poorly motivated workforce, and are comfortable returning funds based on that, if the manager increases his capacity to say 30 megawatts and is unable to make returns generated don’t you think he will be axed?”

    Also, an advocacy group known as The Concerned Citizens of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, in a petition through their counsel, Augustine Elikwu & Co, made available to Niger Delta Report, are threatening mass protest including disrupting electricity supply to ‘favoured  private companies’ and instituting legal redress.

    It also threatened to invoke the Freedom of Information Act to know the modalities with which BEDC obtained the right/licence to distribute electricity within Delta State.

    The petition reads: “It is our client’s demand that you and your company connect/evacuate the light to the various towns and villages in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency that these substations were meant to serve within two weeks from the date of this letter, failing which our client will stage a mass protest against you and your company and we shall also be forced to do whatever is necessary to stop everybody in Asaba and environs, including the private companies from enjoying electricity.”

    Residents have alleged underhand practices by BEDC, blaming the epileptic power supply to diversion of energy from transmission lines direct from the 330/132/33 KVA substation to major industries , including a major telecommunication, steel smelting and aluminium companies among others in the area.

    NDR gathered that the 330/132/33 KVA substation is equipped with six feeders and that all have been energised, but BEDC has dedicated two feeders for private companies.

    The aggrieved communities’ members also claim that BEDC’s desire to service the high net customers to the detriment of residents was the reason behind the poor power supply.

    Manager, Benin Business District, Dr Abiodun gave credence to these speculations recently in an interview with Niger Delta Report when he said: “As a business person, if you have a product that sells for maybe 10,000  units and that same product sells higher somewhere else, where will you take it to? The tariff structure is not created by BEDC; the BEDC does not have power to fix tariff NERC has the responsibility to do this.”

    But he debunked insinuations that the amount of energy allocated to Asaba and environs have risen since the 330/132/33KVA transmission substation was commissioned.

    According to Abiodun, the energy allocated to BEDC by National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from power generated nationwide is 9%, adding that this translates to 24megawatts.

    He maintained that available power allocated to Asaba and environs is insufficient  and has not improved with the commissioning of the new substation adding that BEDC in a bid to satisfy all its customers have resorted to load shedding.

    “When BEDC was taking supplies from General Cutting Mill, Onitsha with only single line running from Onitsha to Asaba the power being transferred was about 24 megawatts, that is our allocation. The share of BEDC of the power that is generated nationwide is 9 per cent. BEDC is just one of the 11 DISCO’s in the country. BEDC serves four States – Ondo, Ekiti, Delta and Edo. We have 22 business units.

    “For instance if power generation is 2700MW and our share is 270mw if it is to be divided equally, according to business unit that would be 12.2 mw for each business unit, but energy is shared according to location and customer population. Asaba’s share is about 24 mw.”

    Dr Abiodun describes the 330/132/33 KVA substation thus: “The project can be likened to having a very big pipe and only little water is flowing through the pipe. That is just the problem, not until our allocation of power is increased the epileptic power will continue. For now it is the same 24 mw that we were taking from Onitsha that we are still taking from there. It is because of this allocated power that we have not been able to serve other communities. We want this allocation to be increased so that we can serve other communities.”

    He accused an engineer supervising the NIPP of altering its initial design in favour of Ibusa community, adding that the alteration is posing challenges to efficient evacuation of energy.

    He, however, added that when the power substation has been delivered the BEDC will effect changes that will enhance distribution of electricity.

    He said: “I do not want to mention names; there is a staff of NIPP, this has been an argument, it is that there was supposed to be a line to Ibusa and that was what was shown to me at headquarters now it going to be two lines. That is where the argument comes in. The contractor explained that the 2/15 MVA transformers in Ibusa is to be served with a dedicated line and there will be another line going to Ogwashi-Uku via Ibusa so making two lines to that axis.

    “The NIPP has six lines coming out, initially the BEDC design  and expectation is that of the six lines, the steel companies will have one line each, so they will not have anything to do with other public lines, but the engineer supervising the project altered the design making Asaba have 2 lines which we call Asaba line 1 and Asaba line 2. Asaba line 1 will feed the injection substation near B Division, while line 2 will feed Government/Core area, Okpanam  and the new substation to be commissioned at Government House. Another line will go to Isselu-Uku and environs, the fourth one will go to Ibusa and the fifth one will also go to Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku because there is a 2/15MVA transformer under construction there, then the other lines will be used for the industries and other businesses,” Dr Abiodun explained.

    On efforts by BEDC to electrify communities that have experienced blackout for several years, he noted that an enumeration exercise was going on in some Issele-Uku, Ubulu-Uku and other communities, stressing that when it is completed power will be restored.

    He added that BEDC chose this option because data from the moribund Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) could not be relied upon.

    On the vexatious estimated billing system by BEDC, Abiodun maintained that a new billing method was being adopted by his organisation.

    “We have a new method of billing of customers that are not metered. It is called cluster billing, though it may not be 100 per cent correct. The method looks at the cluster which are categorised into A, B, C. We use customers who have functional meters to assess what others will consume.”

     

  • N400 acid, suicide attempt and… four years later: Man seeks life without pain

    N400 acid, suicide attempt and… four years later: Man seeks life without pain

    Delta State-born Taiwo Eko was tired of his life. It was not worth living again. Ending it was the only option. And to a mechanic workshop he went. He lied that he needed raw battery acid to kill rats that were troubling him in his house. The mechanic bought the lie and sold him a N400-worth of the deadly substance. He consumed it. That was in 2011. But death did not take Taiwo Eko, 30.It instead left him with a health challenge. Now, he is desperately in search of how to regain his health.

    The acid destroyed some organs in his body system. Now, he has been told he needs to go on another medical tourism to India for the damaged organs to function well again. His efforts at home and his first trip to India did not yield the expected result.

    The acid has left him unable to eat on his own. He now depends on a device known as Naso Gasgric Tube to feed. To breathe is also impossible without artificial oxygen.

    Eko told Niger Delta Report that he had confessed his sin to God for attempting to take his life. He obviously regrets it now. He added that his condition was getting worse daily.

    He noted that after he attempted suicide, his throat and his voice cracked. His tongue was also affected, which made him unable to speak loudly.

    Narrating how he attempted to take his own life, Taiwo said: “   I drank acid; I wanted to kill myself because I was not happy with my condition. I have no parents and I have been suffering for many years without help.  I went to mechanic workshop to get the acid with N400 but the acid didn’t end my life the way I wanted. The people who rushed me to the hospital said I was already dead, that   the first hospital rejected me. I was referred to an hospital in Delta State and nothing happened. They took me to University of Benin Teaching Hospital where I stayed a year and six months.

    “But later the hospital management changed their mind to perform surgery on me. As God wants it, I met Dr. Richard Okonye, a man of God who volunteered to take me to India where I got treated.  But when I came back to Nigeria my condition got worse. So I need help to bounce back to life, please forgive and help me.

    “Apollo Hospital in India treated me to the extent that I no longer breathed with artificial oxygen or ate through tube. I was surprised and confused that when I returned to Nigeria, everything got worse. I’ m now begging for medical attention to get back to India. I know I will get better again if anybody could help me. I had contacted a doctor in India who promised to save my life. But my major problem is fund; I have no parents or source of earning income.”

  • Award for Bayelsa NSCDC

    The Bayelsa State command headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) recently witnessed a beehive of activities. It was not the regular parade of suspected vandals neither was it the regular lectures on security and related topics.

    It was rather an award ceremony. The state Commandant of the outfit, Mr. Desmond Agu, was singled out for a befitting honour by the Credible and Strong Saron Communications Limited, the publishers of African Peoples Voice.

    Agu was recognised as the best civil defence commandant in the country. His virtues, commitment, discipline, agility and passion to rid the state of vandalism and stop the scourge of oil theft stood him out. Besides, Agu has been a role model for his men and officers who without mincing words describe him as an amiable, friendly and generous commandant.

    He is known to have repositioned and remodeled the hitherto dishonorable state NSCDC. His reign has made the security outfit competitive, admirable and respected among other security agencies in the state. Little wonder Saron Communications came all the way from Abuja to Yenagoa to confer on Agu an award of excellence.

    Presenting the award, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Saron Communications, Elder Samson Olayinka, described Agu as a distinguished icon, a professional expert, the most proactive civil defence senior officer and the best state commandant in the country.

    “We have come across many people that are shinning in their fields of endeavour. There are many Nigerians who do beyond the call of duty in their respective chosen careers, offices and in different position of leadership they find themselves,” he said.

    He said the commandant fell into the categories of persons who deserved to be appreciated and awarded. He said Agu has contributed immensely in the professional development of security in Nigeria. According to him Agu’s professional contributions, leadership style and administrative acumen were incomparable.

    He said the award was given to him after carefully analysing the period he took over the state command of NSCDC and the level of improvement he brought to the command.

    He said: “This is a man that met the command in total decay and has worked tirelessly to transform the command through his commitment to the provision of critical infrastructure as well as other facilities to change the face of the state command officer to a better one”.

    He described the profile of the commandant as intimidating and a source of inspiration.

    Addressing Agu, he said: “He has achieved relevance, respect and recognition through hard work and dedication to his calling. All these attributes, antecedents and recommendations from sampling opinions are what earned you the honour of this prestigious position and award”.