The President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to sustain the achievements recorded in the agricultural sector by the former Minister of Agriculture and President-elect of the Africa Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.
The advice was given by the Nigerian Agricultural Watch Network, in a statement signed by Mr. Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh and Solomon Eyituoyo Iwetan, Chairman and Secretary of the group in Warri, Delta State.
NAWN opined that the former Agriculture Minister was outstanding among the ministers who served under the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that it was imperative to sustain the momentum and build on his legacies.
The statement noted: “Agriculture is definitely the brightest star of the Jonathan administration under the watch of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, agriculture was transformed to a viable business. Dr. Adesina used agriculture to diversify the Nigerian economy.
“He succeeded in this regard because of his crack team; his team shared his vision and they succeeded at the end of the day. The solid foundation laid by the former Minister should be built upon. The success showed that he has some competent and incorruptible men in his team that was the secret behind his success.
“There is need to continue this agricultural policy and so it is important that Dr. Adesina should be consulted before the appointment of the next Agriculture Minister.
“We want to stress it here that if President Buhari must succeed in the agriculture sector, the eggheads that made agriculture a success story in the administration of former President Jonathan should be assembled and their wealth of experience tapped as the legacies left behind by Dr. Adesina are unbeatable.
“Party should not come into play here; we want the progress of our country hence we are imploring President Buhari to sustain the enviable legacies of Dr. Adesina,” the statement added.
Renowned Niger Delta-born historian, Prof Obaro Ikime has advised the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to prioritise creation of monuments, including a National Cemetery across the country.
Ikime, Professor of History at the University of Ibadan, made the call in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State during the official presentation of century-old photographs on the life and times of renowned Niger Deltan nationalist, Chief Nana Olomu.
In his presentation titled: “Monuments as History”, Ikime said the NCMM should not just be content with declaration of individual structures or buildings as monument, but should go out of its way to create them.
He said: “Photographs being handed over to the Museums and Monuments constitute part of Nigerian History. It is not enough to declare structures or buildings as national monuments but the NCMM must create National Monuments.”
He said there is need for the designation of places as National Cemetery as is done in other parts of the world, adding that it would help to generate revenue from tourists across the globe.
He charged the NCMM DG to fast-track the creation of the National Cemetery as it represent a slice of Nigeria’s history. He expressed regrets that Nigeria is the only country in the world that does not teach history as a subject to her citizens.
The relics presented at the event included historic photographs, particularly of Chief Nana Olomu’s residence and warehouses in Ebrohimi village before they were destroyed during the 1894 British Expedition.
The artefacts were presented to the Director- General of NCMM for onward display at the Nana Living History Museum in Koko.
Prof Ikime’s presentation, made on his behalf by his wife, also paid glowing tribute to Pa. J.O.S. Ayomike, another renowned historian. He described Ayomike as the brain behind the Nana Living History Museum.
While stating that Chief Nana Olomu was one of Nigeria’s greatest figures of the 19th Century because of his stand against British imperialism, Prof Ikime appealed to the NCMM to ensure the sustenance, maintenance and preservation of the Nana Living History Museum for generation to come.
In a brief address, HRH Prince Edun Akenzua, the Enogie of Obazuwa, also commended Pa. JOS Ayomike for his and his family’s efforts that led to the birth of the museum, remarking that Nana Olomu is an important character in Nigeria’s history.
Prince Akenzua said the British attack on him and on King Ovoramwen of the ancient Benin Kingdom took similar dimension because they were both seen as stumbling blocks to the British territorial bid and commercial interests.
He therefore called on all persons and institutions across the world to return all the cultural properties forcibly and illegally removed from their owners.
Pa. JOS Ayomike later presented the two photographs to the DG of the NCMM and the dignitaries present at the occasion including the representatives of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse 11.
Guests included Chiefs Nelson Utieyone, Yaya Pessu and the Olaraja of Koko community, Chief Victor Nana and Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, former Governor of the Old Mid –Western Region and former Bendel State, amongst others.
About N50 million was reportedly lost to rain and floods in Akwa Ibom State last week. About 1,000 people were affected and over 100 houses were either partly submerged or seriously damaged.
Oron and Eket are worse hit. But, Uyo, the state capital, was not spared despite the over N15 billion said to have been spent in the last eight years on the popular underground pipeline jacking system.
An Uyo non-governmental organisation, Policy Alert, called on the state government to activate its disaster preparedness and emergency response plan as the state is bound to witness more floods this year.
Speaking to reporters at Eket after an inspection tour, the organisation’s Head of Programmes, Tijah Bolton-Akpan, said: “What is happening should not have taken us unawares given earlier warnings from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency in its Nigeria Flood Outlook that the Cross River Sub-basin is among river basins to be seriously affected by flooding this year. We should be prepared for more floods. Some months ago we had called on government and communities to put in place disaster readiness and emergency response plans to deal with possible re-occurrence of floods this year to avoid the loss of lives and properties witnessed in the state in recent years.”
Bolton-Akpan added that his group had initiated an engagement with the relevant authorities and had “volunteered its expertise to government to ensure efficient, citizen-friendly and more coordinated response to the current flood disasters in various parts of the state”. He also said the NGO has sent out teams of volunteers to visit high flood-prone communities in the state to put them on alert and sensitise them on steps to take in the event of a disaster.
He added: “We are also concerned about issues of equity and transparency in the distribution of relief materials and in the days ahead, we will kick off our engagement with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to ensure that relief benefits get to those who need them most.
“We noticed that women and children are the worst affected by this disaster. We saw several children who could not attend school because they were locked in by the flooding. The state government has to do something urgently about the issue of floods, not only in the state capital but across the state. As we speak, thousands of rural families stand the risk of losing their livelihoods because their farms have been swallowed by the rains. These extreme conditions prove that climate change is a reality.
“This is why, for some time now, we have been advocating for a State Policy on Climate Change and it is high time the issue is put on the table. All stakeholders must come together and devise strategies and an action plan to ensure that climate change is mainstreamed into every aspect of development decision making.”
At Afaha Ikot Eyo Edo in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, rainstorm submerged over 20 houses and property worth several millions of naira.
The Village head of Afaha Ikot Eyo Edo, Chief Samuel Ikene, stated this while briefing reporters in Esit Eket: “Since the rainstorm started on Sunday, flood ravages the community and people have been rendered homeless.
“Some people have packed their properties to neighbouring villages for shelter. We don’t have a place to sleep and even clothes to wear”, he said.
He said about 1,000 people have already been rendered homeless in the area. Ikene said the flood also destroyed property worth millions of naira.
The Village Head attributed the flood to lack of good drainage system in the area while calling on the government to help stem the tide in the area.
He called on the government and other relevant stakeholders to come to their aid, saying that flood had destroyed their farmlands. A resident in the community, Mr Atang Friday, expressed surprise that the flood got to the window level of their houses. He said the flood also destroyed his personal effects and other valuables. He pleaded with the government to provide them relief materials.
Another resident, Mrs Arit Nyoho, said the flood had compounded their suffering while appealing to the government to come to their aid.
“As I was in the house, the flood just covered the house and destroyed my property and my personal effects. We shouted and some people came to rescue us from the flood,’’ she said. She said that her children were taking refuge in neighbouring village.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Esit Eket, Mr Ibanga Ettang, proved abortive.
The Village Head of Ekpene Afaha Eket, another community in Eket, Chief Enim Ekanem, said four have died between last year and now due to floods.
“There is information that two people have drowned this year, and two last year, which is the present situation. We need help from government at all levels,’’ he said. He said that Afaha Eket people are the worst affected during the rainy season in Eket while decrying that the whole rainstorm are channel to the area.
The Village Head said that Afaha Eket had been neglected especially during rainy season. “We always suffer because of flood being that the whole water in Eket Urban is channel to Afaha Eket and its environs,’’ he said.
The Village head attributed the cause of the flood to the blockage of drains which led the water into the homes of residents.
He advised the Town Planning Ministry to channel most of the flood water away from residential areas.
He called on the Federal Government to dredge Eketai River in order to carry volume of water, saying that most rivers in Eket are due for dredging.
Residents in a sprawling Itiam Etoi community, Uyo Local Government Area, urged Governor Udom Emmanuel to visit their area.
The community protested at the State House of Assembly. They claimed to have lost property worth over N30 million to floods.
A cleric and resident in Itiam Etoi, Pastor Patrick Asikpo, said the protest was meant to draw the attention of government to their plight. He said the flood in the area started in 2011 when the government of Godswill Akpabio, started the construction of the gigantic Tropicana Entertainment Center without making provision for the channelisation of water from the community.
A live and well. Rustic on one end. Glittering on the other. Its waterways ever busy. Its roads only means to get about the Island. You must get on water to mingle with other lands. Bonny, that is what it is called. Rivers State is where it is. It is unarguably the richest Island on this part of the world. Its gas deposits and crude oil have brought it fame. Its waterways opened it to the world.
But, my concern today is its jewel. Shell and one other oil giant have presence there. For me, however, they are not Bonny’s jewel. The diadem belongs to the 26-year-old Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
There are only few places in Nigeria where 24-hour uninterrupted power supply is enjoyed. Bonny is one of them. It shares this special status with places like the Aso Rock. The NLNG ensures it gives the power it enjoys in its Residential Area (RA) to its host. It is a practice alien to other oil and gas giants, which often treat their hosts as pests.
Bonny and its jewel, which is of inestimable value to Nigeria, came to my mind some days back after it emerged that some $1.7b dividends and taxes it paid to the Federal Government is helping to bailout states from the salary mess.
I understand that since it started, it has paid over $9b as dividends to the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which owns 49 per cent of this company responsible for four per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet for the first 10 years after its incorporation, construction and squabbles were all it could achieve. Its first cargo of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) did not leave the Bonny Port until 16 years ago. And once it took off, it appeared there was no stopping it. It rose so fast that it became the fourth largest supplier of LNG. Its six-train plant produces about 22 Metric Tonnes Per Annum (mtpa) of LNG for export and five MTPA of natural gas liquids (NGLS). It has made over $25 billion from a $2.6 billion investment.
Aside its core business, the NLNG is also involved in anciliary services. It owns 24 ships and six additional ships are on the way from Samsung and Hyundai dockyards. The six new ships will increase NLNG fleet to 30 ships.
Its second subsidiary, the NLNG Ship Manning Limited (NSML) is the biggest employer of Nigerian seafarers on board its 13 LNG carrier ships.
Its wholly-owned subsidiary set up in 1989, Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) Limited, which provides shipping services for NLNG, was set up in Bermuda with an ordinary equity holding from NLNG Limited and preferential equity holding from the sponsors, NLNG’s shareholders.
When former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala visited the NLNG Plant on Bonny Island, Rivers State on November 15, 2013, she was lost for words. She described the NLNG as an asset to Nigeria, a shining example of a successful company and a beacon of hope for a better Nigeria.
The minister alluded to the fact that NLNG’s financial book was an enviable balance sheet and that told the success stories.
“I came after looking at your books and saw that you have been commercially viable and successful. The Nigeria LNG is an asset to the country,” she said, adding that not much was in the public domain despite the very impressive performance of the company.
The then minister described the NLNG as the most successful Nigerian company with 49 per cent government ownership, which she described as a distinguishing feature among companies in the public and private sector.
Shell Gas BV (SGBV) owns 25.6 per cent, Total LNG Nigeria Limited controls 15 per cent equity and Eni International has the remaining 10.4 per cent.
Aside Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, top Nigerians, in fact two former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Chief Ernest Shonekan, were also excited when they visited its plant.
I was one of the journalists in Bonny when Gen. Gowon and Shonekan visited. There was one major request these men made to the Goodluck Jonathan administration: allow NLNG Train Seven, which is capable of bringing in additional $2.2 billion to the Federal Government. Jonathan saw no sense in the plea of these men and I was not happy with him for this.
My anger stems from the fact that this was a project the company needed no financial assistance from the government to execute. It only needed a Final Investment Decision (FID). NLNG is solvent enough to see the project through and even if it needs loans, international bankers will be falling over one another to grant the loans. The company is that reputable.
This indecision, as far as I am concerned, has stunted its growth. Though it still makes really good money, it can make even more if its expansion plans are approved. It has lost its pre-eminence in the global LNG market. There are imminent fears it will still dip further.
A large expanse of land, close to its Train Six in Finima, Bonny Island, is waiting to house the Seventh Train. Pre-FID actions have been taken. Seven years ago, it signed sales and purchase agreement for its seventh train, which, I am told, will attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) estimated at over $8 billion and help reduce flared gas, and improve the country’s revenue profile. About 10,000 jobs, I understand, will also be created while construction is ongoing.
Jonathan’s inability to give the nod for the Seventh Train, which ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi blamed on his desire to see the Brass Lng in his Bayelsa hometown take off first, has made the country lose grounds to Qatar and Australia.
Qatar has moved its output from 20 million metric tonnes to 80 million metric tonnes. Australia, from its previous 20 metric tonnes, now churns out 81 metric tonnes annually. NLNG is stuck at 22 million metric tonnes. Australia has 10 LNG projects, with 20 trains and $215 billion worth of final investment decision. Instructively, Australia has only 60 per cent of Nigeria’s gas reserves. Nigeria has gas reserves estimated at over 160 trillion cubic feet.
The United States (U.S.), formerly a major LNG export destination, plans to become a net LNG exporter by next year, with 1.1 billion cubic feet per day, projected to rise to 2.2 billion cubic feet per day in four years.
China, with an estimated gas reserve of 1,275 trillion cubic metres, is also planning big for the LNG market. Mozambique too is set for a fair share of the market, with plans to build a two-train facility at advanced stage.
TheTrain Seven will make Nigeria give these competitors some good fight, as it will raise the liquefaction capacity of the Plant to 30mtpa.
Jonathan is gone. Now, President Muhammadu Buhari is here. The NLNG management led by its Managing Director, Babs Omotowa, recently visited Buhari and made a presentation to him. Buhari, I believe, knows the potential of the Seventh Train and should not waste time in approving the FID.
My final take: Never again should we leave important decisions unmade. The time for the NLNG Train Seven is now. Not tomorrow. It is today and should be done by President Buhari without any further ado.
And with an additional $2.2b to be reaped as dividends from this project, in which no dime will be sourced from government purse, now is the time to lift Bonny’s jewel to the next level.
President Buhari, we are waiting! Don’t fail us like Jonatahn did on this project.
Traditional rulers, elders, youths and women leaders from across Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta wore their best. It was at the Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. They were there for two reasons: to seek an alternative to violent agitation and to honour men who contributed to building the region.
The highpoint of the event was the honouring of some notable Niger Deltans, including the late Dr. Ken Saro-Wiwa (Ogoni); Chief Harold Dappa Biriye, (Bonny); Jasper Adaka Isaac Boro (Kaiama -Bayelsa); Dr. M. Fibresima (Okrika); Chief U.O. Ekeneoko (Andoni); Chief P. G. Wormate (Kalabari) and Dr. Obi Wali (Ikwerre).
The summit with the theme “The Niger Delta Struggle: Reviewing the old approach and the new alternative in evolving socio-economic and political realities”, suggested a new module opposed to militancy, hostage taking and shutdown of oil installations.
A former President of the jaw Youth Council (IYC), Prof Atuboyedia Obianime, said Ijaw youths must change from the Kaiama Declaration and use of violence to seeking attention. He urged them to embrace peaceful and intellectual articulation of the Ijaw demands. He said there was need to go back to the era where elders used their wisdom and youths used their strength to achieve a common purpose.
Another speaker, Dr. Sofiri Joab Peterside, recalled that it was the Ijaw struggle that led to the emergence of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as President. While he conceded that the pattern of the struggle must be reviewed, he said the outcome of the last general elections means that the Ijaw must negotiate, consult and set agenda.
He said: “Negotiation, partnering is the only way to go, we have the capacity to mobilise and to discuss our commonwealth. As an Ijaw man whoever wants to represent us as our leader must hear from us, must be part of us; that is why we must quickly draw an agenda that would be respected by all and until we have a common agenda, where elders and youths would come together and agree on a common goal, we would not get it right.
“Some of our agitations went right because the elders supported it. I remember when we convened a meeting in one of the Ijaw communities and the security agents said the gathering would not take place but the elders insisted that we have the right to hold meeting anywhere in Ijaw land and that was how we held that meeting. The Ijaw elders must play their role.
“Sometime the elders are the cause of the problem in Ijaw land, especially when it has to do with the proceeds of the oil. They hide from the youths and refuse to make clarification and explanation on how the money was used or misused. Now, the struggle started from the side of the youths who were desperate to look for an alternative that would guarantee them a say on the resources of their land. Because no one would voluntarily want to disrespect the elders, some elders became chiefs overnight or chief in the afternoon, even at the age of 60, they struggle to become youth leaders, just to take what does not belong to them. Sometimes the basis of who is a youth in our region becomes a major controversy. We must put together what we called Ijaw development agenda; there must be an agenda for Ijaw ethnic nationality.
“Goodluck Jonathan became a president without an Ijaw agenda; surprisingly some activists and militant leaders in the region went to sleep. Some became contractors while others got political appointments. It was when Jonathan failed that we now realised that we have an Ijaw agenda, perhaps if we had continued with regular meeting he (Jonathan) and those who took over from him would have known that there is Ijaw agenda.”
Other speakers at the event said 58 years after the Willink’s Commission recommended development of the region, the Niger Delta has remained the same without a tangible development in spite of the creation of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The National Secretary General of the IYC, who is also the leader of its Rivers State branch, Comrade Bristol Alagbariya Emmanuel, explained that the event was organised to chart a non-violent course for the youth. He called on the Ijaw youth to stop any act capable of tarnishing the struggle and image of heroes of the region who placed their lives on the line to attract respect in the struggle for the emancipation of the region.
HIs name is not really Orubebe. But this man, Uwemedimo Nwoko, who took the oath of office a few days back as Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, has more than a passing characteristic with the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe.
In May, this man removed his suit, folded his sleeves, tightened the fist of his hand and was ready for a fight with the All Progressives Congress (APC) agents, who were that Tuesday carrying out the order of the Election Petition Tribunal to inspect, copy and scan ballot papers and other election materials used to declare former Governor Godswill Akpabio as winner of the March 28 Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district election.
Nwoko lost his cool. The drama went to the extent that the chief law officer of the state fumed with rage that over his dead body would he allow the scanning of the over 450,000 ballot papers the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party agents and reporters watched in shock and disbelief as Nwoko recreated a replica of the Godsday Orubebe show at the International Conference Centre during the collation and announcement of the Presidential results.
Activities at the conference hall of the electoral commission in Uyo, venue of the inspection, came to a standstill for more than two hours. Security personnel comprising mostly men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and Police pleaded with APC agents to exercise restraint.
The APC has described the action as shameful, shocking, disgusting and unbecoming. Not even pleas by officers and men of the DSS that he should show some level of civility could Nwoko.
The earlier order of the tribunal granted on May 8 declaring a 10-day grace for the inspection of the election materials was unsuccessful owning to acts of interference.
Tempers rose to its peak when party agents took him up warning him against flouting the tribunal’s order. The situation got worse when the Head of Legal Department of INEC as well as the electoral officer of Ikono Local Government Area also echoed Nwoko’s position that the ballot papers would not be scanned until they tribunal’s order was interpreted by the tribunal, a position that further incensed party agents who sensed that both Nwoko and INEC officials were merely playing script to undermine the process. Security agents had to smuggle the EO to safety as the angry agents almost mobbed him for being partisan even as a civil servant.
When it was time for the EO of Ikono to supervise the scanning of the ballot papers of the local government, he was nowhere to be found. When asked for by the party agents, the legal officer said he was receiving treatment in the hospital, a reply which further infuriated the petitioner’s agents. It took the intervention of the State Secretary of the APC to calm down his party agents for normalcy to return to the venue.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Austin Okojie, who was alleged to be in a hospital at an undisclosed location had to call the Legal Department of the commission directing that the tribunals order should be carried out as directed and contained in the tribunals order that was earlier served INEC before any progress could be made. Nwoko was still desperately trying to scuttle the scanning of the ballot papers even with the directive of the REC and non interference order of the tribunal which the PDP he claimed he was representing were also served.
Until January, Nwoko was not a politician in the strict sense of the word. He was a lawyer in private practice loved by many for his radical bent and assistance to the underprivileged.
He was sworn in by Akpabio as the 14th Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the oil-rich state on Tuesday, January 13. He served the administration for 20 weeks and seems to have proved his worth as fourth occupant of the office under Akpabio.
Before relocating to Akwa Ibom, Nwoko practised law in Lagos. Many will remember him as the lawyer who dragged retired Air Vice Marshal Nsikak Eduok to court on allegation of the murder of his domestic servant.
The Nwoko of that Tuesday is quite different from the vintage Nwoko who ate, slept and dreamt the rule of law. Anger sure got a better part of him.
Well, with Akpabio fulfilling his promise to ensure Governor Udom Emmanuel appoint him as commissioner, the end seems to have justified the means for Nwoko, who threw caution to the wind because of his benefactor. Ride on oga Nwoko, time will make people forget the show of shame of that Tuesday.
The people of Koluama II and Igbomotoru 1 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, will forever remain grateful to the Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe-led Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield. The commander has deployed carrot-and-stick approach to tackle oil theft.
Igbomotoru will never speak ill of JTF. Maj. Gen. Atewe has been kind to the community, initially known as the hotbed of oil-related crimes in the state. He has visited the community three times within a year. Each time he visited, the JTF commander would solve a pressing social and economic problem in the community.
In his first visit, Maj. Gen. Atewe was only there for a sensitisation campaign as part of JTF’s efforts to stop economic sabotage. But the people then complained that their source of drinking water had been polluted. They demanded potable water from the JTF and the commander gladly promised to provide water for them.
The task force fulfilled its promise without delay. The commander returned to the community and inaugurated boreholes which have become the people’s only source of water. While he was commissioning the borehole, the commander discovered that the Baptist Day Primary School in the community had no roofs. The roofs were blown off by rainstorm 11 years ago and the building had remained like that since then. He immediately promised to fix the roofs and renovate the buildings.
So, in his third coming, the JTF landed at the jetty in a convoy of four gunboats. It was a carnival-like occasion as the people trooped out en masse to give the army chief a rousing reception. To the people of Igbomotoru, Maj. Gen. tewe and his JTF is the only government they can identify with. He has shown them much love and concern.
The people were glad and they expressed it. The JTF boss has done what their representatives in all levels of government could not do. The pupils of the renovated school could not hide their affection for the military officer. They came out bearing placards and singing songs to celebrate the day.
“Commander Sir, you are God-sent, you are our savior”, “Maj. Gen. E.J Atewe, the sky should be your limit, you are welcome”, were some of the messages on the placards. It was indeed, a heroic welcome.
Men and women whom the JTF donated fishing nets and sewing machine to were seen flocking around Atewe in appreciation. Others tabled more requests for empowerment before the JTF boss.
Atewe did not just renovate the school buildings, he also furnished them 400 desks for the pupils who hitherto sat on bare floor for tutorial. The school now looks beautiful beaming in green aluminum zinc and paintings.
The Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Mr. Godspower Okosufa, poured encomiums on Atewe.
He said: “Our dynamic and amiable JTF Commander of the Niger Delta, we welcome you to our great communities for the third time. Your first step to our kingdom was based on oil theft and illegal bunkering. We identify your coming as God-sent to eradicate pains and problems that we are encountering in our communities.
“Four about 16 years ago, we have not experienced development till the days of this God-sent, helper and the comforter, who has changed Igbomotoru. You sent medical team to solve our health problems both present and future, sank borehole for the students and the entire community.
“You identified with some poor women by buying sewing machines and fishing nets for them. You purchased football kits for youth empowerment and also prepared school chairs for your renovated primary school building.
“You have comforted the pupils with conducive environment for studies. The primary school had been dilapidated by rain storm for about twelve years ago. Pupils have been using ordinary floor as desks and chairs”.
In fact, the community insisted on conferring on Maj. Gen. Atewe a chieftaincy title, “the Ibemiewei of West Bomo Kingdom”, saying he had “done what Napoleon could not do”. The community also called on the JTF Commander to prevail on Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to reactivate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it reached with them as a host community.
The Head Teacher of the renovated school, Mrs. Apa Clement showered praises on the commander.
She said: “This community has suffered a lot of setbacks, due to lack of infrastructure and power. You are God-sent, if only we have just one person like you, this community would have grown in geometric progression.”
The highpoint of the event was a novelty football match between Igbomoloru I and II in honour of Maj. Gen. Atewe who provided both football teams with complete jersey and boots.
JTF did not stop at Igbomotoru. The outfit headed for Koluama II community. Atewe is aware of the economic hardship confronting the people of the community especially after the 2012 Chevron blowout. The community lacks basic amenities including drinkable water. Therefore, in his carrot-and-stick approach of tacking oil theft, the JTF commander decided to provide the most essential needs of the community which could force its people to engage in illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping and piracy.
Undoubtedly, the people heaved a sigh of relief after Atewe and members of his team inaugurated boreholes to give them a source of potable water. The residents jubilated and danced in appreciation.
Maj. Gen. Atewe told the crowd the reasons for JTF’s interventions. He said: “You may not know why Koluama became very close to the JTF. It has to do with the problem Koluama had with Chevron where the youths went and occupy the oil and gas platform because of none response from Chevron, and the challenge that has to do with the platform that got blown-off some time ago.
“It was indeed a big problem that would have led to the damage of the Chevron platform but we invited both Chevron and Koluama community and held meetings more than five times.
“One thing I discovered during, the meeting is that the Koluama people are very peace loving, they co-operated with us in ensuring that peace was maintained between Chevron and the community.
“In our own token way of saying thank you for the understanding and your support in our fight against illegal oil bunkering, we decided to erect this borehole as a mark of our love for your support.”
The project was commissioned by the Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Bayelsa Central District, Mr. Alamene Williams. He described the gesture as unprecedented.
The lawmaker representing Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ms Omosede Igbinedion has promised members of her constituents that she would give them robust representation and make life better for them.
Omosede gave the assurance at a dinner party she held to thank the Ovia people for making history in voting her as the first female federal lawmaker in the state.
The party was well-attended by residents in Ovia as transportation was provided to convey them from their various villages to the Benin ‘Garden of Eden’ residence of Omosede father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom.
In her remark, Omosede denied insinuations that she planned to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party and promised to remain loyal to the PDP as well as worked towards ensuring victory for the party in next year’s governorship elections.
She promised to fulfill her campaign promises, which according to her, included youth employment and women empowerment.
According to her, “I will forever remain loyal to you, I will not defect and I will remain loyal to the PDP.”
“PDP is taking over Edo we go into governorship election next year. Edo is tired of APC. They need a change. It will be PDP all the way.
“Every promise I made will be sustained. It is about supporting your dreams, aspiration, desires and I will live up to every expectation. I will do more than I promise to do.
“I am here to say a big thank you. I know a lot has transpired in Abuja and having been watching the strides I am making on your behalf. I will be a chairman of one of the committees soon to be inaugurated. Every promise I made will be sustained. It is about supporting your dreams, aspiration, desires and I will live up to every expectation. I will do more than I promise to do.
“I never make promises I can never keep. I don’t want to make up things. Our youths will be gainfully employed. Women will be empowered.
“What you want is development. You want to see your community enhanced. There is a line of communication that will be open. I am a representative of every single person in Ovia. From good road to provision of portable water, I will make the dreams become a reality.”
The death of motorcycles as means of transport in some parts of Delta state was quickened when it became the choice means of transportation for armed robbers and other criminals who were using them for robbery and other nefarious crimes.
It was against this background that the decision of then Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan to ban okada, as it is popularly called, was greeted with cheers from across the state. The support the ban received was not just due to numerous accidents associated with the two-legged means of transportation, but because of the relief from hoodlums and petty robbers.
However, three years, its successor the tricycle popularly called keke, has again become an easy and convenience transportation facility for criminals in the university town of Abraka, Warri, Udu, Uvwie and other parts of the state.
Our investigation, which is corroborated by police sources, revealed that kidnappers and their cohorts are taking advantage of tricycle for their nefarious activities. Gangs that specialize in attacking customers coming out of banks, car snatching syndicates and others use keke, obviously because it is common place and because it is easy to ‘disappear’ with.
Scores of stolen keke have been recovered by the police across the state and angry mob have set several on fire when robbers abandon them as they did along Sokoh Estate Road in Effurun recently.
Several months ago, Mr Ewoma Okpokpor was robbed, by hoodlums who rode in a keke. The maroon Toyota Corolla car they snatched from him, GSM handsets and cash are yet to be found.
In Ovwian, Udu Local Government Area of the state, a 55-year-old staff of the Unified Payment Services (names withheld), was last Wednesday abducted. The male victim was holidaying in the area, when he was abducted by hoodlums at a bad spot along the Orhumworun road area.
“The criminals were probably working in league with some keke riders,” a police source at the Quick Response Squad in the state told our reporter.
“What we have found out is that the criminal keke operators mingle with genuine ones at strategic junctions, usually around Mofor Junction and the DSC Steel Camp area, while their accomplices and colleagues lay ambush at any of the bad spots along the road.
“When they see a flashy car, they would relay the details via GSM phones to the team ahead, giving them information like the type of car, the number of occupants etc. So, before the victim reaches the bad spots they are already waiting to pounce. If the sentries sight a police team they also brief their colleagues using terms like kpokpo or ikelebe
Our source said that was ostensibly how the kidnappers of the UPS staff abducted around the notorious Celestial Church area on the DSC Expressway, Orhunwhorun.
The hoodlums made away with his Black Toyota Highlander SUV, GSM phones, cash and four ATM cards, with which they withdrew N200,000 after forcing him to divulge the PINs. “Before they went to the bank, they reached an agreement with him that if any of the PIN was found to be incorrect, they would come back and finish him off.”
A QRS team, led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police simply identified as Omonigho, rescued him from the bush, several hours later. He told the police that he was taken to the hoodlums hideout with two tricycles conveying other members of the gang in tow.
At the hideout, he was chained and locked with padlock, while the hoodlums retired to a well-laid bed complete with mosquito net and other conveniences.
His car was yet to be found at the time of this report on Tuesday.
Police Public Relations Officer in the State command, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the report, vowed that the police would track hoodlums terrorizing the state and bring them to their knees.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the Police Command is also having sleepless nights over the sources of locally manufactured firearms that are being used by hoodlums to terrorise residents of the state.
It was gathered that the Quick Response Squad, which is special unit based in in Warri, is investigating the source of locally made double- and single-barrel guns, after a rash of arrest and confiscation of such weapons.
A reliable source in the top echelon of the command told our reporter that the squad is worried that despite spirited efforts and feats recorded in the past months, more of the firearms are still being seized from the criminals, who mostly operated in keke.
Our source said: “We are very worried because over the past months and weeks we have arrested several criminals with locally manufactured cut-to-size barrel guns yet more Awka (local) guns keep surfacing in Warri and environs.
“As much as we are working round-the-clock under the supervision of the OC (Officer in Charge) of QRS and the Area Commander, we have not been able to locate the source of these weapons. We know that once we get the source of these weapons crime rate will reduce in the state,” the usually reliable source added.
It was further gathered that more worrying for the police is that none of about 100 suspects so far arrested across the state with the weapons have been able to provide useful information about the source.
“When we investigate them, they always say they got it from someone who also got it from another person and the line is endless, yet we know that the manufacturers are either in the state or nearby.
“We are appealing to members of the public to provide useful information that can enable the police track down and cut off the source of these illegal weapons, because not until we are able to get to the source, our efforts would be futile.”
It was a poignant sight as children of some primary schools in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State trooped through the streets to protest deprivation of their rights, especially the issue of early marriage for girls.
•The children and adults protesting against child marriage in Cross River.
The pupils who were drawn from St Pearse’s Primary School, Government Primary Ofelekan, Presbyterian Primary School, and St Joseph Primary School bore placards to drive home their grouse as they insisted their voices must be heard in matters that concern them.
The occasion was the Day of the African Child with a theme that focused on the problem of early marriages, but the pupils said it was a matter that affects them directly and the programme to mark it was organized by the European Union (EU) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the state government.
Stakeholders also joined the voices in the call to intensify the fight against early marriage.
UNICEF consultant, Mr James Beesah, condemned the discrimination between the girl and boy child, female genital mutilation, child labour as well as other forms of child abuse.
He said all children irrespective of gender have a right to proper education, good water and sanitation, and a good environment to grow among others.
Programme Manager of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA), Mr Patrick Emori also called for a synergy among relevant stakeholders to fight against child marriage.
He said child marriage is a complex issue that has devastating and long term effects on the life of girls, who are always victims.
The issue, he said, was a human rights, gender, health, cultural and developmental one and hence should be tackled on all fronts.
He said children should take an active part in the fight by speaking against it wherever they find the problem. He encouraged them to talk to their parents, Government and leaders in the society about the issue.
The wife of the chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area, Mrs Ekaette Akpama, said the days when girls were left behind in terms of Education and other developmental issues, are gone.
She urged male and female children to take their education seriously to ensure a better future for themselves.
The Coordinator for the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme in Yakurr, Comrade Onun Omini Usani, said the issue of child marriage in the area was still quite high and urged that efforts be concerted to reduce it as in other communities in the country.
He said: “What we see for the young ones is either they are impregnated or because of poverty their parents force them to early marriage or to raise money to support the male child. At the end of the day you discover that the female child would not have a future. They just bring them as young as they are into bearing children and taking them to hard labour in the farm. If this is checked, we will now be able to have more of the female children in schools.
“Apart from this day of the African Child, where I know we had a good rally and creating public awareness, I think the level of awareness in terms of this activity is very low. Even at school, curriculum does not even capture some of these social vices. Organisations, agencies and government need to work together to tackle this. We don’t need to depend on yearly events so everybody should be aware that it is an evil to the girl child and it should not be. The fight should be more consistent.
“My advice is that children should be given the opportunity to express themselves, especially the opportunity of the right of education and the enabling environment to develop themselves.
“Parents should known that is their responsibility to train the children, especially the girl child. So parents should stop encouraging child marriage and create other avenues to get resources to help their children. I also want to advise government that parents who indulge in that kind of practice should be persecuted as a deterrent to those who don’t want to change from this activity. Parents should stop it and it should be discouraged.
“Parents should bear children they can take care of, because part of the problem we are talking is this issue of child spacing. You have so many children within a very limited time without adequate resources to take care of them. So they should have children they can take care of because when the burden is too much, they do these things and the effect is on the children who are always at the receiving end.”
A teacher at St Pearse’s Primary School, Mrs Nkoyo Mbang, who also doubles as the Coordinator of Environmental Health Club described child marriage as a bad culture which brings a lot of hazard to the woman.
“The problem before now was elaborate. Only that now parents are trying to train their girl children so it is a bit reduced. Before now a girl child was not sent to school. The parents would say “I don’t want to send you to school because if I do it is your husband and husband’s people that would enjoy you.” The awareness is growing now that if the girl child is educated, it is the whole nation that is being educated. My advise to parents is that the girl child is not a slave, but should be seen as the boy child. She ought to be taken as important as the boy child.
“We should continue to talk about it so that people who indulge in this vice would desist. When we had the day of the African Child, it is just once a year. Efforts should be made all year round by relevant stakeholders to ensure that the problem is tackled. So those in charge and policy lawmakers should put more effort in tackling this issue of child marriage.”
A parent from the area, Mr Ikpi Eyong, said: “Early marriage poses severe health threats to the victims, some even leading to death. It can lead to vesicovaginal fistula which is a major health problem for the girl. Also it causes dropout from school which in turn would lead to a low literacy among the women folk. I would advise other parents as myself to please don’t allow their young girls to get married off as children.”
And in Bayelsa
Unicef and the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Bayelsa State were recently preoccupied with the protection of child’s rights in the state. Even the Glory FM 97.1 joined in the partnership to seek an end to various practices that violate the rights of a child.
The institutions were no doubt bothered by early marriages, sexual abuses especially rape, physical abuses, lack of access to education and other abuses militating against the development and maturity of children in the state.
As part of the activities to celebrate the day of the African Child, UNICEF and its partners relocated to Kaiama, the headquarters of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state. They invited pupils of different schools in the area and involved them in the celebration.
This year’s celebration of the African child by UNICEF is attached to the Soweto killing,the 1979 South African experience where some students carrying out a peaceful protest were murdered by the police. June 16 was set aside by UNICEF to honour the departed students.
First, the pupils were given a task that exposed them to their rights as contained in the African Children’s Charter. They were asked to engage in a competitive creative drawing with a theme, “25 years after the adoption of the African Charter, accelerating our collective efforts to end child marriage in Africa”.
Pupils from Okoro Primary School; Imgbela Primary School,Odi; Igbeta Primary School,Odi; King Bolou Primary School; Amasian Primary School,Odi; Group School 1,Okpokuma; Reverend Proctor Memorial School 1 and 2, Kaiama, participated in the competition.
The pupils busied themselves creating images in their heads and also putting lines together to make the images real. The event attracted many dignitaries who watched as the pupils engaged in the competition.
The Project Manager, RUWASSA, Mrs. Wini Asingbe; Head of Nutrition, Mrs. Felicia Afenfia and the Kolokuma-Opokuma Education Secretary, Mr. John Appah were all in attendance.
Afenfia said it was necessary to instill creativity in the minds of the young ones. “Creativity should be instilled in our children at a very young age. Some are born artists while others are trained.
“Engaging them in this kind of competition sharpens their skill. Teaching them healthy competition is very important for a healthy future”, she said.
After the competition, the children sat to listen to instructors who spoke on various issues bordering on their rights. One of the resources persons, Dr. Bodies re Teibowei, appealed the female children not to allow anybody take advantage of them sexually
She asked them to stop keeping secrets and to expose anybody attempting to abuse them sexually by touching their breast and waist. Addressing them she said: “Say no to bad people.”
She further encouraged the children to be serious with their studies and to use their talents to attain greatness.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Glory FM, Mr. Lawson Harford who was represented by ?the Deputy Controller Programmes, Mrs. Biboera Adobeni said the theme for this year’s celebration was apt. He called on the children to be responsible useful to their families and the society at large.
Ashingbe demonstrated to the children the benefit of washing their hands before and after meals and after using the toilet. She urged them not to drink river water and also encouraged them to ensure they drink clean water always.
Apah appreciated UNICEF for choosing Kolokuma/Opokuma out of the eight local government areas in the state saying that the exercise was a success. He enjoined the children not to disappoint their parents and the society at large.
The pupils held a community awareness rally and presented of short drama. Prizes were also given to the winners of the art competition.
